Enchanted Orbs

Chapter 29 The Challenge

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Sesshoumaru was disturbed.

Rin, Jaken, and AhUn were trailing behind him on his youki cloud. He took a slow, steady pace, allowing the clouds far below to cover their progress; his own power was covering their auras and scent. He would not make the same mistake he had made on his way to the fortress.

This time, his group was with him, and he would not subject them to anything less than perfection. For he was perfection, beauty, strength, power, intelligence, confidence.

But the abstract of perfection temporarily eluded him on the confidence idea because of troubling thoughts.

Now that Rin was taken away from her hideaway, what would keep her safe by his standards? He, personally, couldn't protect her if he had to launch a counterattack to reclaim his lands.

Either one of his generals would be fully capable of protecting her, but would they risk their lives for a human child? Kagome would, but could he trust her to stay with Rin rather than following him into battle?

An interesting thought crossed his mind at that point. His ward was, quite possibly, the only thing that would keep her away from the situation. She was responsible, and she would not shift Rin's care to anyone else if the child was entrusted to her.

He almost smiled at the newly formed decision.

Sesshoumaru didn't want her with him. Why? The taiyoukai was desperately trying not to know. Currently the feeling was disguised by a veil of anger and betrayal at her deceit. But logic had previously told him that veil could easily be ripped away because it the difficult task of retaining his anger at her actions, despite his wounded pride.

Even his pride was working against him. The Southern Lord fell and is now dead because of the coup of his power. The Eastern Lord was severely crippled, militarily, and, according to his scout, injured badly himself.

The Northern Lands were the only uncertainty as far as the cardinal lands were concerned. The outer regions and untamed areas might have been a target, also, but there was no evidence to support that theory. Plus, with the four strongholds united under one leader or a close group of strategists, the chaos of the outskirts would easily be overcome.

His enemies were at a great advantage. They held knowledge that was restricted from his access. This was new to him, and frustrated him almost to the point of visibly showing it.

Some unforeseen power had risen, infiltrated his ranks, turned many of his soldiers against him, attempted his death, and were now still holding information he wanted.

He wanted to know who was behind this; he wanted to know how involved they were. Was there an overall leader that orchestrated everything from afar? Or was there a board of unsettled power reserves that recruited contemptuous traitors from within the lands? How long had Rokoshi and Samon been planning his demise?

Rokoshi was intelligent and strong, but he was never cunning. There was someone using his former general as a puppet. But why? And what would they get in return?

Things were not adding up, and he did not like it at all. He knew so little about his aggressors, yet it appeared they had studied him and the other lords extensively.

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His frustrations struggled fiercely to be voiced, but the muscles in his throat crushed the sound mercilessly before it surfaced. Aishi glanced back at the scout again.

Nothing.

She was annoying the hell out of him, but he could not find a reason. She had not spoken a word to him since they left Lord Sesshoumaru. She had not slowed their pace down at all, if anything, she forced him to keep a faster speed. And he had his mental abilities firmly clamped. Her thoughts would not intrude upon his.

So why was he so uptight around her? It was to the point where he wanted to turn around and bathe his claws in her blood. It would be easy. Compared to his level of skill, she seemed to be an infant in her capabilities and fighting instincts. Yet she had done nothing to warrant such a response.

So what was this aggravation towards her?

'It does not matter, we are nearing the set destination. I will find other matters to occupy my mind.' He thought.

Only an hour, he had to only control the fury for one more hour. Maybe less, if he fueled the ire inside into his speed.

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Kagome had regained her abilities and had healed somewhat emotionally. Now she just had to wait until Sesshoumaru and Aishi returned. But she had doubts that they would return.

She didn't regret her decision; she would do the same thing if the situation was had to do over again. But she did regret that Sesshoumaru felt betrayed by her actions.

Kagome did regret the trust lost between them. Clenching her eyes closed, she was determined to put that guilt past her. 'I did it to same his life! I had to, else he would die.'

Her fists closed so tightly her nails dug into the flesh of her palm.

"Kagome." Shouron's voice pulled her from her inner debate.

His voice reminded her. Sesshoumaru and Aishi would at least come back for the other general before rushing into war.

Her fears relieved somewhat, Kagome let the tension melt from her hands, face, and posture. She turned to face the youkai with a smile painted on her face.

"Yes, Shouron. Did you need something?"

"I just came to let you know that Aishi will be here soon. You seemed...too preoccupied to notice his approach. There is one other with him, but it is an unfamiliar."

Kagome felt relieved at his words. He knew there was something bothering her; in all likelihood, he knew exactly what was causing her anguish, but he would not intrude unless invited.

"Thank you. Where are the others?" She asked as she realized Shippou, Sango, Miroku, and Kirara had left the immediate area. She could pinpoint them by their aura, but she was hoping they left a reason for their departure with the general.

"I sent them back to the village." Shouron answered nonchalantly.

Kagome turned to face him fully. "Why would they need to be confined to the village?"

Shouron smiled. "Not confined, just ...away."

Kagome sent him a questioning, but somewhat tense, look.

Shouron sighed. "Aishi's return will bring with it information Lord Sesshoumaru requested. I do not know if my lord wanted that knowledge spread to those not under his rule. I am sure they are trustworthy if they are your companions, but Aishi will not allow them to know without Lord Sesshoumaru's expressed permission. And he is not here to give it. Aishi will be much less polite with his dismissal than I, so I took it upon myself to request their departure."

"Thank you. That was very considerate of you." She said with a grateful smile.

"No thanks needed." He said as he turned to face the section of trees to his right. Kagome followed his gaze and soon saw a flash of red in the trees.

Her first thoughts were of Rokoshi's fiery locks, but the aura was not his. Kagome watched as Aishi emerged from the forest; his green hair no longer acting as camouflage in the surrounding foliage.

The red was from a female youkai walking behind him. A deep rust red bun held the main portion of her mane, but cherry red stems framed her face, falling from the tie that bound the rest.

Aishi glanced at Kagome. "I see you are awake." He said with little concern in his voice.

Kagome gave him a dry look. "Very observant, general." The sarcasm in her voice caused Shouron to wince and think the reunion might not be very pleasant.

Mokuso watched Aishi and the other female stand off against each other. This confused her greatly. The girl was a human, and yet she had the audacity to be disrespectful to Sesshoumaru's first general. She could sense the purity of a miko's power within the girl, but no miko could be powerful enough to stand up to Aishi.

She was either protected by Lord Sesshoumaru or was much more powerful than the scout had assumed to speak in such a manner and still have her head attached. There was only one was to find out.

Aishi glared at the insult. "I should kill you for your insolence." The threat was not valid, and both knew it.

"I've heard that line before." Kagome paused to allow him to remember the incident in his quarters. "I should kill you for your insult to my virtue." She answered matching his tone. "But, that would be somewhat pointless after the lengths I went through to save you." Her voice was tainted with the acid of her earlier frustrations.

Aishi did nothing but glare at her. She was right; he had insulted her, and she had spared his life twice. But there was nothing this side of the sky that could make him admit those things to her.

Mokuso's eyes widened. 'She saved him, but they seem to hate each other. What is going on?'

But a soothing voice interrupted the glare match. "Milady, I am General Shouron; this is Lady Kagome. I am afraid we have not been introduced." Shouron said as he sent a brief glare at Aishi for his rudeness.

Aishi's voice interrupted the introductions. "She is no lady."

Both females glared at him, not knowing to whom he referred. Instead of offering an answer, Aishi simply turned away from Kagome's threat and allowed the introductions to be made without him.

Kagome's ire drained from her face, and a pleasant smile replaced the tension. "Please, call me Kagome." She said as bowed to the newcomer.

"My name is Mokuso; I am a scout for Lord Dachi of the Eastern Lands." Mokuso bowed during her speech.

Shouron spoke with kindness. "What is your business here, Lady Mokuso? And why would you subject yourself to Aishi's company, for that matter?"

A growl from Aishi reached their ears, and Kagome had a hard time retaining her laughter. Shouron's mischievous smile at the sound did not help her struggle. Mokuso smiled gently at the scene.

"I had business with your lord. While I await an answer from him, I was told to follow General Aishi here." She spoke with confidence, but her voice lacked arrogance.

Shouron nodded his head, and Kagome spoke up. "Aishi, are we supposed to wait for Sesshoumaru, or are you meant to explain what is to happen?"

Aishi's glare faded slightly at her words. They were no longer offensive, but he still resented her. "I was told to tell you of events that have transpired, but the scout experienced it, personally. I was allowing her to tell it." His voice was steady and emotionless.

Mokuso scowled at his title for her, but dismissed it. She began to explain the events she had seen, but she left out her business with Lord Sesshoumaru. It was her duty to tell only the lord sought. If the taiyoukai wanted everyone to know, he would tell them, or maybe that was what Aishi was ordered to do.

But Aishi did not have to inform the others; they were intelligent and made the necessary connections, themselves.

Shouron spoke up again. "What has the Eastern Lord requested?" Mokuso looked over to him, but Aishi answered before she had decided on her response.

"Assistance. His forces have been decimated, and his is personally injured." He spoke without even looking at the two he addressed. Kagome huffed at his rude behavior.

"What does he expect of Lord Sesshoumaru? They were not allies. The only correlation between the two is their position. They were both attacked by the same enemy." Shouron turned to Mokuso. "Does Lord Dachi assume that makes Lord Sesshoumaru his ally?"

"Lord Dachi says there is someone behind this, coordinating the attacks. Neither he nor Sesshoumaru, perhaps even the northern lord if he survived, are safe until this magistrate has been punished for his treachery." Mokuso said with force behind her words.

Kagome looked to Aishi. "How did Lord Sesshoumaru respond?"

Silver eyes connected with blue. "He was noncommittal in his response. My lord would never jump into an alliance without the proper thought behind it." He dropped his gaze to look at Shouron across from him.

She nodded. "It would be advantageous to do so, though." Kagome thought aloud. "I hope he agrees."

Aishi's head snapped up. "How could fighting a war on two fronts with a weak ally be advantageous?" He hissed.

Kagome smirked. "You misunderstand my meaning. There was no intent to fight a two-front battle. The Eastern Lands would be a wonderful diversionary tactic."

Mokuso narrowed her eyes a bit. "You mean to use my lord?"

"Of course not. He would receive the aid needed, but while Rokoshi thinks Sesshoumaru has fled to the Eastern Lands for protection, we would go unnoticed in the Western Lands, our original target." Kagome said as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.

Shouron and Aishi looked at each other. "She does have a head for strategy." Shouron said with a smirk.

Aishi scoffed. "That is an underhanded strategy to be expected of a human."

Kagome glared at him. "You assume the tactic used by the traitors would be honorable? Highly unlikely. Plus, with the resources offered us, I see no other way. Even if Sesshoumaru recovered every soldier still loyal to him from within the lands, he built his estate as a fortress. Would you enjoy trying to storm the Western Citadel? The casualties would be so great, that even if he did ultimately succeed, his forces would be so crippled that any rebel force could give him problems."

Aishi's lips parted in surprise as Shouron laughed outright. "I knew there was something about you I liked." He said walking over to Kagome and laying a hand on her shoulder.

She questioned him with her brows furrowed.

He laughed harder. "I know of few people who could stand their ground in an argument of strategy against Aishi, let alone defeat him so utterly. Plus, the advantages of forging such an alliance with the Eastern Lord would be great." He said trying to rub in Aishi's defeat that much more.

Aishi's eye narrowed on Kagome as he walked towards her. "How does a human female such as yourself know about warfare? Is that knowledge from your strange land?"

Shock registered on Kagome's face. "You didn't..." She narrowed her eyes on the mind reader.

"I have seen some bewildering images in your mind." He confirmed with a smirk.

"You had no right!" Kagome near shouted.

"If I perceive a danger to my lord, I have every right." He countered.

"I know battle strategy from history and games I have played with family and friends. My origin is of no concern to you." Kagome said with clear threat in her voice.

"Quite the contrary. I find it highly interesting. Maybe I should try my skills against the barrier to your world." Aishi emphasized the last word to assure her he knew of her misleading words to Sesshoumaru.

Her eyes widened. "No one can travel through the barrier unless you are linked to me."

Shouron and Mokuso watched the scene with mixed feelings. Mokuso was extremely confused, but interested in the outcome of this small girl against the powerful demon.

The other general was debating whether to step in again, or just to let them have it out now before their lord returned. Sesshoumaru would be highly displeased at the confrontations between the two.

Aishi gained a terrifying grin. "Perhaps linking with your mind, your thoughts, would be a great enough link to allow me through." He said with utter confidence.

Kagome took a step back. She was not sure if the link had to be magical, such as her link to Inuyasha and Kikyou, or if what he was suggesting was possible. But she was not about to find out.

She steeled her voice and posture. Holding her head high she began to speak. "Perhaps, it is; that type of link has never been tried. But if you wish to visit my home, you will have to go through me first. Demons are not welcome there." She hissed the last part.

The observers were shocked by her last statement, and it showed clearly on their faces.

"Really, because I distinctly remember seeing a demon jump into that well and not returning." Aishi taunted her.

"No matter." Kagome countered. "He is a friend of mine, his link given to him by me. You are not welcome there."

Aishi's voice dropped in tone. "Are you challenging me human?"

"Only if you do not heed my warning." Kagome said but crouched slightly, readying herself if he decided to attack.

"Kagome..." Shouron tried to warn her.

"Nonsense, Shouron." Kagome spoke. "You told me yourself, the only way to gain his respect is to defeat him in a challenge. What better time than now?"

Aishi glared at Shouron for a second and then turned his eerie silver eyes back to the girl crouched in front of him. "I know you are strong against the masses, but one on one with me would mean your defeat."

"There is only one way to prove that to me, milord." Kagome bit out caustically.

Aishi growled. "You have been warned."

Kagome's vision had already changed from external to internal. She latched onto Aishi's aura and waited for him to attack.

Forming shields of her solid energy on her hands, she prepared.

Mokuso and Shouron watched intensely. The female never expecting Kagome to have anything other than a miko's power, and Shouron was interested in her close combat skills. He had seen her fight many enemies, but she was rarely without a shield to protect her.

This would be an interesting battle to him, short range versus long range.

Aishi swiped his claws at Kagome sending blades of energy at her. The girl's body radiated with purity, a pink glow emitted from every pore, and Aishi's blades were purified on contact.

Not even a scratch was made, and she had not moved a muscle. Aishi smiled. "I have underestimated you. This might be fun, after all."

Kagome made no comment and waited for his second attempt. He circled her slowly, trying to intimidate her. She remained still as a statue, waiting for the flare in his aura to signal his incoming attack.

It came from her right, and she quickly brought a shield covered hand to block. As soon as the impact came, she funneled pure energy into the shield, and heard the sizzle of his skin.

Aishi growled at the pain, but swung with his other hand hoping to catch her off guard. Kagome blocked that swing, too, but he was to strong physically for her to hold off his advances.

Aishi was forced back when two pink spheres flew by his face; he felt the on rush of wind from their proximity.

Kagome took this time to go on the offensive. Five spheres, alternating purity and solid energy, emerged from each hand and flew towards him.

Aishi watched uninterested as he dodged them all easily, but he was surprised when they didn't continue past him. All hovered about him as if they were forming a cage.

He glanced at Kagome out of the corner of his eye, she was smiling. She saw him glance at her, and broke the silence. "Sesshoumaru liked this game. I wonder if you will, too. Then again, he is much stronger than you." She taunted.

Both generals were shocked by her words.

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It had been a long journey, and he was weary.

As Sesshoumaru came within an hour's travel of the designated meeting place, he felt the spike of power associated with his general, Aishi. There was nothing too unusual about this, perhaps Aishi was training.

But then a spike associated only with Kagome, registered to his senses.

This could not be good.

Despite his weariness, his speed tripled. It would only be a short time until he reached them. He just hoped he would not have to revive either of them.

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Aishi straightened at her words. "So that's why you are confident in lee of my attacks."

"I thought you were going to fight with me, Aishi, not talk to me." Kagome said emotionlessly to bring him back to his situation.

The general's focus was brought back to the lights surrounding him. He watched them shift and move around him. Then three darted toward him.

He dodged them easily, but as soon as they passed, those rejoined the mesh of lights surrounding him. Three more darted out; he dodged those as well.

Three became five, five became ten. He noticed the number surrounding him had increased greatly. Eventually the whole fence surrounding him became a writhing weapon of which to be aware.

Mokuso watched, amazed. It was like the general was floating in the ocean currents with flotsam floating harmlessly around him. But she knew this wasn't the case.

Aishi was getting frustrated. He would never defeat her, if he couldn't brake through this cage.

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Sesshoumaru approached unnoticed. Warning Rin and Jaken to remain silent, he progressed towards his generals.

He found Aishi wrapped within one of Kagome's traps, dodging for all he was worth. He forced his face to remain stone, but the urge to smirk at his general's misfortune was great.

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AN: Hidy!! I'm back. So sorry about my absence, but my tests are gone, my reports are done, and I'm STILL SANE!! Well, as much as usual for me. I would have had this up on Friday, but I had a death very near me, and had I written this chapter then, angst would have drenched the plot. And I would have gotten much flamage! I'll resume my usual schedule for next week. Rah!!

ALSO: Review responses...well, changed something in its programming, and I can't access some of the profiles or email addresses. So I'll try again, but I don't know if I will be granted access to all of them. So if there is no response by tomorrow...sorry, you're profile wouldn't show. So maybe this time, if you want me to respond to a review...leave me an email addy. Otherwise...I just don't know.

Hope you enjoyed! Til next week...Syrinx