Inuyasha
Love's War
Chapter 10
The Half-breed Killer
February 28, 2019
Sesshomaru was constantly going back and forth to the border with the South then back to the castle every time a battle broke out. He was getting frustrated with the East they were taking way too long in his opinion to get ready for battle. For that matter where in the hell was Inuyasha he should have been back days ago from his mission of returning the Priestess to her village and checking on said wolves. He could sense worry in his mate and a preoccupation with the time of day as she constantly checked the sun's progression through the sky. "He'll be back today." He reassured her understanding that she was worried for Inuyasha's human transformation in this time of war out there on his own.
"I know but it's almost dinner and still no sign of him." Kagome said as she looked over at her mate out in the main garden on the eastern side of the castle. She was resting under her favorite tree sprawled out on a blanket with a book laying on her lap, but to be honest the book had been picked up very little since arriving outside after lunch. The children were playing not far off with Miroku and Sango.
"He's done this before, he's survived over 200 years without you and your friends there to protect him. He'll be alright." Sesshomaru said as he looked down at her from where he was standing, he had taken a break from his paperwork to come out and check on her it wasn't like her to sit still for hours. Tenseiga pulsed at his side and he looked down at the weapon curiously.
"Something wrong?" Kagome asked as she put her book down on the blanket and stood up dusting herself off. She felt a small change in Sesshomaru's link with her.
"Tenseiga is reacting to something." Sesshomaru said glancing back up at her. "Excuse me." He said then turned and walked back into the castle catching Himeko's attention and waving her to come into the castle.
Kagome followed after Sesshomaru as quickly as her pregnant legs would let her waddle, wanting to know what was going on. Tenseiga usually only pulsated like that when Tessaiga was near and needed the extra power of its brother or there was a life nearby that could be saved. Sesshomaru wouldn't admit it but it was usually someone that he cared for when the sword would react to the death. Kagome watched as Himeko came back out of the castle then sent three demons over the wall heading East fast. She walked into the castle then into Sesshomaru's study to see him pacing back and forth occasionally glancing down at Tenseiga.
"I've sent out a search party for Inuyasha." Sesshomaru said as he looked out the window checking the sun's position.
"I saw." Kagome said simply as she walked over to the chair in front of his desk and sat down her pregnant belly making even the simplest of tasks irritating and difficult. "So, you think Tessaiga is calling for help?" she asked curiously as she rearranged in the seat trying to be more comfortable.
"What else could it be?" Sesshomaru asked curiously as he resumed his pacing back and forth.
"Sesshomaru just go, you can find him faster than any search party." Kagome said logically as she rested her arm across her belly under her boobs.
"I can't just leave you unprotected…" Sesshomaru said with his eye's darting down to her belly then huffed as he looked out the window again.
"Sesshomaru I have Himeko and Tsubaki here plus Miroku, Sango and Kohaku not including all the guards. Please just go, I'll be fine. Besides I'm not as naive as I used to be." Kagome said with a sweet smile on her lips.
"No, Inuyasha will be fine with the guards I've sent out." Sesshomaru said stubbornly as he resumed his pacing again.
"You're going to wear a hole in the floor dear." Kagome said as she watched him pace back and forth across the room. She sat silently for several minutes. "Look you can either go and leave me here in the protection of the castle or you can follow me as I go look for Inuyasha." Kagome said as she stood up and made her way over to the door pausing there with her hand on it to open it. "What'll it be Sesshomaru?" she asked curiously.
"You are not leaving this castle Kagome let me make that very clear." Sesshomaru said as he stopped and stared at her with a look that would make everyone but her quiver and shrink from him in fear.
"Yeah, ok. And what are you going to do to me to stop me?" Kagome asked as she rubbed her belly lightly showing him that he couldn't hurt her to keep her here and he couldn't stress her out to keep her here either. His only choice was to go by himself leaving her here in the protection of the castle.
"Woman you are infuriating sometimes." Sesshomaru said with a huff as he rubbed his temples. "I will go you will stay here." He said when he finally looked back up at her to see her smiling at him.
"I knew you would see it my way, you just needed a little persuasion." Kagome said as she grinned at him with a wink. "Look you're so worried you can't think about anything else so just go already." She said opening the door with a very dramatic bow and sweeping of her arm across her body in an 'after you' movement.
"Fine. But this was my decision." Sesshomaru said as he frowned down at her when he passed.
"Of course, My Lord all decisions are your decisions." Kagome said as she walked out behind him heading for the front doors of the castle.
Sesshomaru glanced back at Kagome curiously, he was unsure if she was being sarcastic, if she was making fun of him, or being genuine. Her mood seemed to be humorous, so he was leaning towards her being sarcastic or making fun of him somehow. "INUYASHA!" He heard Himeko yell from the court yard as the guard opened the door for them.
"I don't sense him…" Kagome mumbled as she stared up at him worried. Sesshomaru grabbed Kagome then moving fast he was through the front gate of the castle within a heartbeat.
~*~*~*~ Earlier ~*~*~*~*~
Inuyasha had traveled with Hitomiko to get her home then spent the next few days in the Eastern Wolf Den where Kuzon and Shin were preparing for war. But now it was time to go home, he has one chance to get home before the new moon. So, he said his good bye's and left the Eastern Wolves to their business. They were almost ready they just needed to get everyone down to the border with the South.
Inuyasha was heading as straight as possible towards home, the most dangerous part in his journey would be after he crossed into the Northern territory along the Southern border. It was a portion of the border that actually connected three of the lands, West, South and North all intersected there over several miles of terrain. If he could get into the Western territory, he would be home free with his brother's army guarding the border.
Inuyasha was moving fast he'd crossed into the Northern Lands just before midday. He was worried about the worst part of his trip. And there it was coming into view, Inuyasha stopped and took a look around. Obvious signs of resent battle were evident all around the Southern border, so he sniffed the air curiously. The smells he was getting were at least a couple hours old, he signed lightly then decided to continue on, this part of the war wasn't his problem. His problem was getting out of here and home before night fall.
Moving forward towards the West was his only option but he had to be careful the South were tricky bastards always lurking up wind. That thought brought his attention back to wind direction, just fantastic it was blowing in the direction he was heading. Too late to react as an arrow pierced his shoulder with the head grinding to a halt against the bone.
"Ah…damn it…" Inuyasha grumbled as he stumbled back into the truck of the tree limb he was on, then instantly moved to put it between them as he yanked the arrow out not so gently tearing more of his body coming back out than it would have done had it just gone straight through.
Inuyasha placed his back against the next tree trunk, then chanced a glance around it at his surroundings trying to locate the enemy. His left hand holding his wounded shoulder trying to suppress the blood loss, his body would need to recover quickly before tonight.
"Hiding half-breed? Come on out you, useless piece of trash." A harsh husky voice said from deep in the shadows of the forest off to Inuyasha's left in the direction he was looking.
"Really you want to discuss hiding come on out Southern scum and show yourself." Inuyasha bit back then ducked back behind his tree just as another arrow ricocheted off the tree where his face had just been.
A tall dog demon with black hair and blue eyes walked out into the open staring up at Inuyasha's hiding spot with a wicked snarl on his face. "Half-breeds have no place in this world. You've forgotten that lesson and I'm going to reteach it to you." The demon growled out as he narrowed his eyes up at Inuyasha glancing around the tree trunk again.
Inuyasha froze momentarily when he saw the demon confronting him. He gulped hard as he spun back around trying frantically to think his way out of this mess. 'Why in the hell did it have to be him…' he thought as he glanced around the tree again to make sure the demon hadn't moved.
The demon has humor in his eyes this time as he grinned evilly showing his fangs. "That's right you know who I am, and you know there is no escape for you. But do me a favor and make it at least a little fun." He said and started laughing.
'Damn it… Yagura the half-breed killer…' Inuyasha thought as he snarled angrily glaring out at the forest around him. "Bastard thinks highly of himself does he. I'm not your average half demon." Inuyasha growled back at the demon as he glared around the tree to see his enemy again.
"You do move and hide pretty quick for filth that is. Come on down and fight unless you think you can outrun me to the border, there is a patrol not far from here." Yagura said with his wicked grin back on his lips eager for the chase to begin. They always ran they never stayed to fight such weak useless things didn't stand a chance against him.
A change in the scents around Inuyasha gave him warning. He jumped down spinning around to the left side of the tree angling himself for a direct charge at Yagura just as another arrow thudded into the tree where he had just been standing. He was fast launching himself off the tree and spinning to increase the force behind his next move. "Blades of blood!" he said as he pulled is left hand forward throwing one of his old attacks at Yagura.
Yagura taken by surprise dodged just in the nick of time skidding to a halt several feet away on his hands and knees. "Filthy wretch, I didn't expect that." He said angrily to himself as he stood up and headed after Inuyasha who hadn't stopped to continue the fight.
"You're losing your touch oh great half-breed killer." Another dog demon said as she caught up to him easily.
"You're one to talk Fuu, you missed three shots at the filthy half-breed." Yagura said as he glared over at Fuu irritated by her performance against this half-breed.
"Oh, I intend to kill him before you even get the chance." Fuu replied with a beautiful smile, but it never reached her eyes as she pulled another arrow and placed it on the bow string. She pulled back on the string and released the arrow sending it through its arch just like she had tossed a pebble into a pond.
Inuyasha bit his lip as he slammed into a tree when an arrow tore through his left thigh. "Damn it…" he hissed out as he shoved off the tree then took off again. He had lost the distance gained from his earlier maneuver against Yagura.
"Again, Fuu this bastard's fast." Yagura said as they continued to chase him. The woman had already pulled another arrow and placed it on the string. She pulled back and released smoothly but just as the arrow reached him Inuyasha jumped to get to the next tree and the arrow slammed into his right calf.
Inuyasha missed the next tree branch with his feet slamming into it instead with his ankles which made him flip over the branch and slam down to the ground. The impact did two things first it broke the arrow shaft sticking out of his leg second it knocked the breath out of him and blurred his vision momentarily. "Move damn it…" he mumbled to himself as he rolled over coughing trying to drag in more air to his lungs.
"Ah finally caught up to you." Yagura said with a wicked grin back on his face as he walked up behind Inuyasha as he was trying to get up. "You never had a chance why continue to struggle?" He asked curiously, which was odd normally he didn't want to know anything about these filthy abominations.
"Himeko…Kagome…Sesshomaru…Hikaru…" Inuyasha mumbled to himself as he was limping towards the border now in sight a patrol would see him any second now, he could see them patrolling the border. Tessaiga pulsed at his side. "I can't pull you my shoulders destroyed…" he mumbled to his sword then looked back up at the border guards, they still hadn't noticed him.
"You'll never make it. You'll make my 1,567th half-demon. It's a momentous occasion we should celebrate. Oh, but you can't because you'll be dead." Yagura said as he pulled his sword from its scabbard.
"I've got to get home…" Inuyasha mumbled to himself as he spun around quickly. "Blades of blood." He said attacking Yagura causing the demon to block giving him enough time to turn back around and make a run for it, but his wounded legs were fighting him with every step.
"Lord Inuyasha!" one of the guards at the border said as he pointed towards the oncoming fight. All five of them began running towards their Lords younger brother to try and help him.
"Lord…LORD… you have the audacity to be called Lord!" Yagura raged as he was behind Inuyasha in a flash grabbing his armor then stabbing his sword through Inuyasha's middle going through right by his spine. "Filthy half demon's should know their place in this world and it's not in a royal demon family. It's most definitely not in the Lord position. The others must see you taken down they must know that even you were brought down by me, that they have no hope." He said as he yanked his sword free of Inuyasha.
Inuyasha looked at the guards running towards him as he coughed up blood, he knew they would never get to him in time and he didn't have the strength left to try and free himself because of his injuries and blood loss. "Sorry, Himeko… I should have asked… like Sesshomaru told me to…" he said looking up at the sky with a few tears seeping out around his eyes, there was only a few hours till dark. Even if he survived the event with Yagura he would die tonight because of the wounds already inflicted on his body.
"Useless Half-breed die already." Yagura said as he shoved his sword through Inuyasha's armor then heart. "You should have never come out of hiding, you should have never thought you could join in the demon society, and you should have never thought you could escape me." He whispered as he twisted the sword to being horizontal to the ground then yanked it out releasing Inuyasha.
Blood was flowing freely from the corners of Inuyasha's mouth, the world around him was going black as he was falling forward to the ground, but he could hear the distinct sound of swords clashing, their parole must have reached him already. 'Sess…hom…aru take care…of Himeko…for me…' he thought as he hit the ground and his eyes closed with complete silence around him.
~*~*~*~ Western Castle ~*~*~*~
The guards that Sesshomaru had sent out to find Inuyasha had just walked into view of the castle they were carrying a body between them. Himeko couldn't sense who the fourth person was but a pit formed in the bottom of her stomach as she sniffed the air. 'Inuyasha's blood…' she thought as she strained to see the body being carried. Distinctive red clothes with black armor. "INUYASHA!" she yelled as she abandoned her post jumping off the castle's protective wall and dashing across the open space to get to him quickly.
The guards stopped and put Inuyasha down on the ground sadly, over the past ten years this half demon had proven himself and it was a great loss to the Western Family. Sesshomaru appeared beside Inuyasha and across from Himeko with his mate almost instantaneously. "The border patrol couldn't reach him in time." One of the guards said sympathetically as he watched Himeko he had seen how friendly the two had become over the past ten years and was actually amazed they hadn't mated.
"Inuyasha…Inuyasha wake up…" Himeko said with tears flowing down her face as she tried to shake the man awake.
"Himeko." Kagome said softly as she put her hand on Himeko's. "Let me try." She said with sympathy and hope in her eyes. Himeko nodded and released Inuyasha she sat there on her knees watching as Kagome put her hands over Inuyasha's body. Her hands glowed pink and the light spread across his body after a long minute she removed her hands sadly shaking her head no as tears began to slip down her face.
Sesshomaru looked down at Tenseiga which was still pulsing. "We have one chance." He said laying his hand on the sword biting his lower lip with one of his fangs trying to decide what to do.
Kagome looked up at Sesshomaru with a ray of hope in her eyes again. "Then do it." She said nodding down to his sword.
"It's not going to be that simple I'm afraid. With today being today, he'll certainly die tonight of his wounds." Sesshomaru said as he looked up at the sun which was just about to set, they maybe had another half hour at most.
"I'll heal him just do it!" Kagome said as she looked at him with those damn determined eyes that he hated so much.
Himeko looked back and forth between the two of them curiously then she remembered stories of the young Rin having been brought back to life with her Lords sword. She turned to Sesshomaru and bowed deeply to him "Please my lord I beg you save him." She cried out with tears flowing down her face.
"Very well take him up to his room." Sesshomaru said to the guards then he looked down at the two women before him. "This will be hell for him, and he may still die of his wounds there is no guarantee that his body can take the damage inflicted on it tonight." He cautioned the two women as they stood up to follow Inuyasha into the castle.
