Leaving the three messengers to Kaede, the company of nine--which included Ginkotsu and Hakkaku struggling to keep up--set out towards the castle with the men's directions. The castle sat in the middle of a vast forest, so they had to take care not to run into the demon army's camps by accident. An hour's walk away was a large river that was fed water from a roaring falls that cascaded pounds and pounds off a sheer cliff. It was littered with countless holes, some the size of mouse holes, others massive gaping maws that opened into oblivion. That, the men had thought, was where the demons had originated.
Inuyasha insisted, or rather demanded, that they stop by the castle first to see what kind of state it was in, but mostly to see if there were any demons he could beat up. The others agreed, Kouga more reluctantly since he thought it was better to go to the river, and they made their way towards it as stealthily as they could. Surprisingly, they encountered no demons on the way. There were no camps, no fires, no scale or claw. When they eventually neared the castle, they figured out why.
The castle was under attack.
The company immediately scattered once they arrived. Inuyasha landed smack dab in the middle of the enemy, tearing at every scaly hide he could reach. Kouga, as competitive as ever, was not too different. He proceeded to terrorize the demons as effectively as the hanyou. They found that they were lowly lizard demons that thrive near water. Their numbers were unbelievable even with Inuyasha and Kouga dealing them immense damage. Miroku and Kagome proceeded towards the huge, but barred, front doors that led inside with Karoru's claws as protection, making their way alongside the wall, atop of which stood countless soldiers of the castle with spears, bows and arrows.
As Kagome ducked a demon that was thrown towards the wall by Karoru, she asked, "Miroku, how are we going to get inside? They're never going to open those doors for us with this many demons out here"
Miroku shrugged and bashed aside another demon with his staff. "I really have no idea myself. But there's nothing else we can do, is there?"
When the two of them had almost reached the doors, they paused, watching a crowd of the demons attempt to set them afire. The soldiers above them were working furiously to put out each flame the demons managed to light.
A resolute expression crossed Miroku's face, and he grabbed the beads that wrapped his right hand. "Stand back, Lady Kagome," he said.
Kagome obeyed without hesitation, knowing full well what he was about to do. Nearby, Karoru eyed the monk expectantly.
Miroku unwrapped the beads from his hand and opened the wind tunnel. Demons immediately began flying towards him, sucked right into the terrible void. The crowd in front of the doors soon disappeared, and the soldiers above stared wide-eyed in shock and disbelief at the monk. Karoru gazed at him with mild surprise on her face until a scratch to her shoulder forced her to turn back to the battle at hand.
Miroku looked up at the men upon the wall and called, "Please! Let us in while the way is clear!"
But instead of opening the doors, the soldiers turned to each other doubtfully and began talking amongst themselves. Miroku let out an exasperated sigh. Quite suddenly, a high-pitch sound that was a cross between a whistle and a hiss rang through the area. All of the lizard demons paused, then turned and began retreating. Kagome's face lit up brightly, and she smiled.
"Hey! They're leaving!"
"It seems they are," Miroku agreed. "I wonder why."
"The half-breed and wolf boy were doing some damage," Karoru replied, having joined them expressionlessly in front of the doors. "They're still going at it, might I add."
As Kagome and Miroku looked, they found that Inuyasha and Kouga were chasing the retreating lizard demons. The monk smiled in amusement. Kagome rolled her eyes and took a big breath to shout the two magic words. But before she could subdue Inuyasha, a rousing cheer erupted from the men atop the walls, and the massive wooden doors creaked open.
The castle was a massive, beautiful building surrounded by lush gardens and a big pond on which lotus flowers drifted idly. Nothing within the surrounding walls seemed to correspond with the siege that was taking place or the problems the young lord had earler created besides a deep gash in the earth in the middle of one of the gardens and some flowers that looked as if they'd been recently replanted.
The castle itself had a peaceful, serene look to it. Everything was clean and neat, the floor of the stoops polished to a shine as if the maids went about their normal, daily jobs despite the disaster that was taking place. Maybe there was nothing else they could do.
Presently, the grounds and many of the larger rooms of the castle were being occupied by the wounded, a few of them dead. Miko went about treating warriors, many assisted by some of the more capable. It seems that though the three messengers that came to Kaede's village were unlucky, others had managed to recruit a few people to help. How they got inside the castle walls was beyond those of the company.
Inuyasha sat together with Kirara and Shippo next to a garden, watching people walk back and forth with nothing else to do. Kagome helped around as much as she could with her knowledge of herbs, limited as it was. Miroku strode about muttering prayers for the dead, partly because he was asked to do so, but mostly out of respect. Kouga and his two followers were nowhere to be seen.
Karoru wandered about with no other intention but to find something to do other than sit around doing nothing. She gazed passively at the soldiers and people she passed, ignoring easily the stares that were often thrown her way. Among the sea of people, she spotted a familiar face and strode slowly over.
"Sango?" she said.
The young taijiya looked up at her in surprise. "Karoru? What are you doing here?"
At that moment, the person who was tending to a wound on her arm gazed up as well, and Karoru blinked. "Shintaru."
Inuyasha: That guy again?
I told you you'd be seeing more of him.
Miroku: An interesting place to meet him, I'd say. And what was Sango doing there?
Sango: Maybe you should read on and find out.
Inuyasha: But the next chapter isn't even up yet!
Sango: -:smiles:- Exactly.
Miroku: But that doesn't make any sense!
Inuyasha: Who are you, and what've you done with Sango!
-:laughes:- This is rich!