Chapter 11- Plans Come To Light

Sango laid out her plan to the still-groggy villagers.

"We attack now, before sunrise," she began. "If the element of surprise is on our side, we have a better chance of catching Yojikin off guard."

"But we don't even know where he is!" One of the villagers, a tall man with dark hair and eyes, exclaimed. "How are we supposed to find him before morning if we can't even find his castle?"

Inuyasha stepped forward, growling impatiently. His golden eyes glowed in the candlelight as he stared at the crowd of humans. "I can find them, but we have to go now."

The townspeople muttered among themselves for a moment. These strange people had appeared from nowhere, and had helped them ready their homes against a common enemy. Finally, they nodded to Gishohu, trusting that their leader would know what lay in their hearts.

The lord smiled grimly before turning to the shard hunters. "Before sunrise you say? Then I think we need to get moving."

It took nearly an hour for the villagers to prepare. After Sango had laid out her idea, the town burst into action. Even now, as Sango jumped onto Kilala's back, there were still people milling about in an attempt to finish last-minute tasks.

It had been decided that the village would split into two groups. The first group would be the main attack force. It was their job to infiltrate Yojikin's castle before his troops left. The second group was much smaller, and would be spread out around the village. Their task was simple: if any of Yojikin's men managed to slip past the main force, they were to protect the women and children at all costs. Since the main force needed as many able bodies as they could get, this second group consisted mainly of the elderly or injured men who refused to stay behind.

Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku and Gishohu were in charge of leading the main 'army', which numbered about two dozen strong. Shippo, much to his disappointment, was to be left behind in the village. It had taken a little convincing, but in the end Sango and Miroku had talked him into staying.

"We need you to help the villagers, Shippo," Miroku had explained.

"But Kagome is still out there! She might need my help!"

Sango crouched down next to the angry kitsune. "Listen, Shippo, we need someone who is strong and brave to protect the women and children. There aren't many villagers left to save them if Yojikin's men get past us. We need your powers to hide everyone if the soldiers manage to find them. Do you think you can be brave for them?"

The argument had worked, especially when Miroku reminded Shippo that this is what Kagome would want him to do. Finally, the child puffed out his small chest and swore that he would not disappoint her.

After the kit ran off to his post, Sango prepared to leave. She checked the back straps on her Hiraikotsu one more time. They were firmly in place, just as they had been the last four times she had checked. As the night slowly wore on, her patience quickly wore thin, and she was growing anxious. Her dark, magenta-lined eyes hunted the village for its lord, hoping that he would soon be ready to move out. She finally found him, standing outside of the temple with his daughter. They were in the middle of a heated discussion, and Sango watched as the argument ended abruptly. Aniko's face grew red, and as she turned on her heel and stormed away, Sango could hear the parting words that would probably have even made Inuyasha blush.

The taijaya gave Kilala a quick pat, letting her know that she would return shortly. Then, in one graceful move, she dismounted the fire cat and strode over to where Gishohu still stood. "What happened? Where did Aniko go?"

Blue eyes bored into hers for a moment before softening. "I sent her to the temple with the others. I have already lost my mother and my wife to this battle, and I do not intend to lose my daughter as well!"

Sango wanted to tell him that he was wrong in sending the girl away, but something in his voice stopped her. She rested a black-clad hand on his shoulder in understanding.

They stood there in silence, watching as the melee around them began to subside. The small makeshift army would be ready to move at any moment, and already she could see Miroku motioning her back to the fire cat's side from the corner of her eye. The tajiaya began to move back toward the waiting monk, but Gishohu grabbed her hand.

"Most of my life has been spent waiting for this night," he began. His rich voice was thick with emotion, and he hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Maybe, when all of this is finally over, I can find someone to settle down with. It would be nice to find someone who understands me, someone to share the rest of my days with in peace."

A moment passed, and as Sango searched his clear blue eyes, she found the hidden question that lay there. Perhaps that someone might be you...?

Did he just…?

"Sango! We are ready to leave!"

A glance over her shoulder showed her that Miroku was now astride Kilala, motioning again for her to join them. He was waiting for her. Kagome was waiting for her.

Without another word, she walked to where her friends stood ready. Gishohu let her hand slip from his, and watched as she leapt onto her demon cat's back. Inuyasha, approached the trio and began talking with Sango and Miroku in earnest. Silently, he wondered if he had done the right thing a moment ago. He shook his head. Now was not the time to be thinking of these things. With a grim expression, he began barking the orders that would set the greatest battle of his life into motion.

Kagome awoke again, this time to the busy sounds of a small army preparing for battle. A part of her wanted to force open her tired eyes and investigate the sounds, but the constant mental and physical strain of the past few days had totally drained the girl of her desire to move. And so she simply hung there, hung there, head bowed, arms still suspended over her head, as Yojikin's men readied themselves for their sunrise battle.

A passing soldier paused beside her, and for a second hope almost flickered back to life. But the moment vanished, and Kagome's hope shattered when a booted foot connected roughly with her left side. She whimpered, and the tears fell freely, creating twin muddy paths down her dirty face. Right now, more than anything, she wished that Inuyasha were there. But he wasn't there. It had been days- how many, she was not sure anymore- and still he had not come. She had broken the barrier; if he had been looking for her, surely he would have found her by now? Maybe he had forgotten about her…?

The sound of more booted feet heading in her direction tore her from her reverie, and Kagome instinctively tried to make her broken body smaller in an effort to hide, but the fact that she was tied to the pole in the middle of the courtyard made the task impossible. The only thing that her efforts earned her was a harsh pain that sent her body into a spasm.

It seemed as though the movement, and the whimper that followed, went unnoticed by the approaching set of feet. They soon stopped at their destination- directly beside her- and as the footsteps ceased, so did every other sound in the courtyard.

Yojikin cast a quick glance to the post that was staked into the ground beside him. The broken body of that impudent wench was still securely bound. He suddenly felt the urge to hurt her again. She was just like her, just like his mother…she had forgotten her place in the world of men. She had tried to take away the power of his barrier, had tried to ruin him. Yes, just like his mother, who had tried to take away his birthright. And like all of the others, who had tried to take away the power that belonged to the men of the world.

And now, just like all of the others, that spirit had been broken.

A cruel smile paraded onto his lips, lighting up his eyes so that they sparkled in the predawn light. This one had lasted the longest, and had certainly given him the most trouble. But now, as he stared at the pathetic form that huddled at his feet, he felt the exhilaration that came with victory. This one had been the most difficult, but she had also given him something far greater than the satisfaction of seeing her put in her place.

She had given him the key to power beyond his wildest dreams.

He knew she was a priestess, for only a holy miko could possess pure shards of the sacred jewel. And that knowledge would prove most useful to him in a few moments….

Yojikin now stood triumphantly before his band of hired men. As they waited for their lord to speak, he noticed that they did not seem as anxious to depart for today's raid as before. They did not seem to have the same fire, the same passion for the destruction that they normally displayed. No matter. The treasure that he had confiscated from the girl would bring the light back into their eyes.

"Men!" he called out to the gathered soldiers. "Today we begin a campaign that will carry us across the face of Japan!"

He listened to their rehearsed cheering, and the smile on his face only widened. "I know that the loss of the barrier has led some of you to believe that we are vulnerable. But I assure you, before the sun is fully in the sky, our fortress will be invincible!"

Soldiers and retainers alike stared at him. They knew that their lord was a madman, never fully on the side of sanity, but had he lost the last ounce of sense that he possessed? The barrier had been broken! Now their enemies would seek them out and destroy them!

Yojikin could sense the thoughts of his men. And they were right. So there was only one way to bring back their confidence. The lord brought one muscular hand to his breast and he withdrew the small glass bottle.

"I shall bring back the barrier with the blood of this priestess…and the power of these!"

He thrust the bottle high into the air, letting the idea sink in. The only response he received was confusion.

Anger swept over him, and he fought to contain it. Didn't they know? How could they not recognize the treasure he held?

"These are fragments from a magical jewel, the Shikon no Tama. These shards will give me enough power to make a stronger barrier, and enough power to destroy anyone who opposes us!"

He did not notice the zealous gleam that had entered his eyes, or the way his handsome face twisted as he thought of the power of his treasure. But his men did see this change, and they knew better than to doubt their lord when the madness settled over him. And so they cheered, and slowly the reassurance of their lord's confidence sent their hands into the air. Today they would slaughter anyone who stepped in their way. Today, they would become invincible.