Chapter 7

The clash of metal on metal rang throughout the air. Two blades fought against each other both trying to get the edge on the other. They shook with such force sparks began to fly. Then suddenly one of the blades began to inch backwards. It began to shake even more as it struggled to fight back but was quickly losing strength. Finally it was pushed back.

Inuyasha thrust tetsusaiga into the ground before leaning on it. He stared at Sesshomaru his eyes beginning to lose their focus. I can barely stand. I can't even see him anymore. How am I supposed to beat him this time? He thought. I have no strength left. He felt his foot slide. Looking down all he could see was red.

Kagome ran forward but found that something had caught on her arm. Looking back she found that Miroku was holding it. "Miroku let me go!" she yelled.

Miroku shook his head. "No Kagome. If I let you go then Sesshomaru is going to kill you."

"I don't care just let me go! I have to get to Inuyasha!" she pulled on her arm trying to free it, but Miroku's grip was to strong. "Let me go!" she screamed. Pulling on it again she managed to break free but was quickly caught again before she could get more than a few feet. "Urgh Miroku!"

"No! You told Inuyasha you would stay out of this so stay out of it!" he yelled back at her. There was much sternness in his voice so much so Kagome stopped.

"But I have to help him." She said quietly looking back to Inuyasha.

"He can take care of himself." Miroku said looking over at him as well.

"How can you say that! He's dieing! Can't you see the blood?" Kagome half yelled, half cried. She looked up at him with worry in her eyes.

"Of course I can see the blood, but we have no choice Kagome. This is a battle between Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. We have to stay out of it." Miroku replied looking down at her.

"I'm not going to accept that!" She screamed. With a sudden burst of strength she managed to free herself from Miroku's grip and began to run to Inuyasha, but stopped when Sesshomaru suddenly appeared in front of him.

Sesshomaru stepped closer to Inuyasha his sword raised. "This is the end for you little brother."

Inuyasha looked up at him weakly, smirking. "Then what are you waiting for? Brother?" Inuyasha gripped the tetsusaiga tightly.

"Nothing." Sesshomaru swung, and Kagome's heart stopped.

There was silence throughout the cave. Nothing but pure heart-wrenching silence. Kagome's eyes were wide, her hands trembling. The bow in her hand fell and clattered loudly against the ground. She could feel her legs buckled and she collapsed. She felt her heart crack as she looked at Inuyasha's body which now lay on the ground. Blood pooling all around his body.

She then directed her gaze up to Sesshomaru and felt her heart, mind, body and soul become enraged. Picking herself up she grabbed her bow from off the ground pulled an arrow from her quiver and took aim.

"Sesshomaru you die now!" Pulling back on the bowstring Kagome let loose her arrow.

Pink aura surrounded the arrow as it flew toward Sesshomaru. The size of the aura seemed to increase as it neared him until it grew to the size of the tetsusaiga's tip. Then with its massive energy wave it reached him but only to be dodged by the demon, but as he dodged the arrow he found that two more had been fired at him.

Sesshomaru quickly managed to sidestep the two and barely managed to avoid a third that seemingly came out of no where, and somewhat to his surprise a fourth arrow had been fired right after the third.

Quickly he tried to sidestep the arrow and did, but some unknown force suddenly pushed him back into it. Twisting Sesshomaru managed to move his body out of the way but was unable to move his arm out of the way.

"Got you." Kagome said happily.

An excruciating pain shot through his arm as he could feel it begin to be purified. He could feel his arm disintegrate. He could feel the pain grow as the purification moved deeper and deeper into his arm until he could feel his entire arm burning. Then suddenly the pain disappeared.

He could feel blood begin to pour out of his shoulder. That human witch is going to pay for this. As is Inuyasha. Looking down Sesshomaru found Inuyasha smirking.

"How'd it feel?" He asked his smirk growing bigger. Sesshomaru slashed at Inuyasha causing him to jump away.

Kagome's eyes widened as she watched as Inuyasha jump away from Sesshomaru. "How, w-what. He's alive?" Kagome could hear Miroku, Sango and Shippo whisper their own questions.

"Inuyasha you should be glad that you managed to dodged that strike and that this human was so quick to fire her arrows. Even though you told her to stay out of it." Sesshomaru said a touch of anger in his normally emotionless voice.

Inuyasha nearly laughed. "Well I can't exactly say I'm disappointed that she didn't keep her word."

"And since she didn't keep her word she has now become involved in this fight." Sesshomaru said his eyes shifting to Kagome. Inuyasha's eyes widened.

"Kagome." He said quietly. Cursing under his breath Inuyasha quickly ran toward the tetsusaiga. Grabbing the hilt he pulled it out of the ground and ran toward her, but he saw white flash past him with speed he couldn't hope to match. "Kagome run!" He yelled, but by the time she heard him Sesshomaru had appeared in front of her his sword raised.

"You die now you retched human!" Kagome looked up at him her eyes full of fear. The bow dropping out of her hands.

"Kagome no!" Inuyasha screamed. "Sesshomaru get away from her!" He yelled again. He pushed his body to go faster but knew he would not be able to get there in time. He could feel adrenaline pump through his veins to make him go faster, but he knew he would yet again be too late to save someone he cared for. Suddenly a pulse of energy reverberated off of the tetsusaiga. He stopped running and looked down at it and felt that the pulsed was very familiar. He then realized what it was.

"Hey Sesshomaru!" He yelled. "Remember this!" Inuyasha swung the tetsusaiga down releasing a massive wave of golden energy that headed straight for Sesshomaru.

Kagome watched as the wave headed for Sesshomaru and then realized it was heading for her as well. Turning about she ran away from the wave and then felt an arm grab her waist and pull her away.

The wave passed over Sesshomaru like a tidal wave over a house and his standing form seemed to be completely engulfed in it. It seemed as if his form disintegrated from the immense and shear power of the wave, and it appeared as thought it had enough power to crush every living and nonliving thing in its path. The five watched it move in awe.

The wave continued to travel forward until it slammed into the side of the cave causing it to stop and eventually dissipate, but not before leaving a thirty foot long crater.

Inuyasha looked over at where Sesshomaru stood and found nothing stood but a pile of rubble and ash. Walking over to the spot Inuyasha bent down and put his hand into the ash before picking it up and sniffing it. Dang it, I missed him. Just got a piece of his clothes and maybe a little bit of his tale. Inuyasha laughed at the thought. I guess that means we'll meet again. Crap.

Standing Inuyasha turned to the small group huddled next to the cave wall. "I missed." He said laughing.

They looked at him in surprise. "Inuyasha you missed?" Miroku asked. "You mean Sesshomaru is still alive?" Inuyasha nodded.

"Wow, Inuyasha you have to have the worst aim to miss anything with something so big." Shippo said teasingly.

"Shut up you little runt. It was the first time I've ever done that." Inuyasha yelled sheathing the tetsusaiga as he did.

"Actually Inuyasha that was your second time." Miroku put in.

Inuyasha glared at him. "Shut up Miroku you're not helping." Miroku shrugged. "Besides I bet none of you could aim any better then that anyway."

"Actually Inuyasha. "Kagome said. Inuyasha turned to look at her. "I shot my first arrow better than that. I managed to hit the side of the bull's-eye." Inuyasha growled loudly.

"I save all of you and this is how you repay me!" Inuyasha yelled. "Some friends you are."

Kagome looked at him. "We're just messing with you Inuyasha. Relax"

Inuyasha crossed arms. "Whatever." Kagome shook her head.

Inuyasha then suddenly felt weariness and exhaustion take over his body. Feeling his legs shake fiercely Inuyasha kneeled down to prevent himself from falling and hitting the ground below.

The five looked down at him. "Inuyasha what's wrong?" Miroku asked.

"Yeah you really don't look so well all of a sudden." Sango said.

He shook his head. "It's nothing." He replied. Inuyasha felt another wave of weakness come over him and as the adrenaline stopped flowing though him he could also feel how much the loss of blood was affecting him. Suddenly he fell forward.

"Inuyasha." The four said in unison, all running to him.

"He's lost a lot of blood. We need to get him somewhere safe." Sango said, noting the small pools of blood scattered about the cave floor.

"But the question is where?" Shippo asked.

"I don't know but wherever it is we need to leave now. The demons know where we are and no doubt they and the thunder brothers are heading this way." Miroku said. Kneeling down he tore the sleeve off his robe and began wrapping it around Inuyasha's waist.

Kagome looked down at Inuyasha's weak form. He looked as though he could barely move and his face was growing increasingly pale. Why did he suddenly collapse? He looked fine a couple of seconds ago. Kagome looked down at him with worry.

"I got it!" Sango yelled causing Kagome to look up at her.

"Got what Sango?" Kagome asked.

Sango turned to look at her. "I know where we can take him."

The four ran down a small narrow path carrying Inuyasha on a make shift stretcher. Shippo sat on Inuyasha's stomach cleaning his wounds while rebandaging several others. "I don't need to be carried. I can walk fine on my own." He said weakly.

Shippo put a wet rag on one of Inuyasha's wounds before replying, "Inuyasha this is not the time to act like mister tough guy. Be quiet and let us take you to Sango's village." He quickly tied the rag onto Inuyasha's body.

Feeling the wetness from the rag Inuyasha leaned his head forward for a second before slamming back down onto the stretcher. "Shippo how exactly did you wet that rag? We didn't have any time to get water."

"I spit on it." Shippo replied.

Inuyasha raised his head and gave and glared at the kitsune. "You what? Shippo I'm going to kill you."

Shippo tied another rag to him. "Shut up Inuyasha, in you condition I could easily beat you." Inuyasha gave a low growl. "Besides my spit helps wounds heal quickly." Inuyasha growled again before laying his head back down.

"Sango are you sure it's wise to go to your village?" Kagome asked. "If we return now you know we'll be branded as traitors. Your family may turn us in."

Sango shook her head. "No they won't. My village no longer trusts the king. He sent many of the demon hunters on suicide raids against several demon lairs a year ago causing many of my people to be killed. Over half of the village men are gone and a quarter of the village women too because of him. My people haven't trusted him since."

Kagome's eyes widened. "Sango I'm sorry. Why have you never told me of this before? And why have I never heard of this?"

"The king's council decided to keep the raids secret from the public because of the tremendous loss. They knew it would demoralize the people and the armies." Sango looked back at Kagome sadness in her eyes. "I never told you about this because I knew how much you loved the king." Sango smiled weakly at her before turning forward again.

Kagome's eyes lowered. Pain and anguish settled in her heart. Her beloved king had sent so many people to their death and it seemed he didn't care because after that there had been the Battle of the West. The suicide attack on the great fortress of the Western lands. Where over seventy five thousand soldiers had lost their lives out of the seventy six thousand that were sent their, and only five hundred returned.

With her free hand she touched a small badge on her upper back. She traced the words that were written on it. She had read it so many times she had memorized it. Survivor of the Great Western Battle honorary service badge. She lowered her hand away from the badge and her fist tightened in anger. Her king was going to pay for all the lives he had sent to die. She was going to make sure of that.

"Sango exactly how many people were in your village at that time?" Miroku asked his voice snapping Kagome out of her thoughts.

"About five hundred thousand." Sango replied.

"And after the raids?"

"Around two hundred and seventy five thousand." She said quietly, sadness carried throughout her voice.

Miroku's eyes widened. "I'm sorry as well."

"Me too." Shippo said quietly. Sango nodded and smiled at them.

The rest of the run was silent, except for the occasional grunt from Inuyasha when Shippo pressed down on one of his wounds to hard. All of them were deep in thought. Each thinking of answers to their own questions. The two girls though had a similar thought on their mind, what had happened to their once beloved king.

Their trek came to stop when the view of a massive wooden wall came into focus. "Finally we're here." Sango said happily.

Miroku, Shippo and Inuyasha scanned the outside of the village and found many, many towers. As well as a long wide trench running on the outside of the wall, and what looked to removable blocks of wood in the walls. There were also many mini bunkers in between the trench and the wall, and lastly there were also many wooden stakes in front of the bunkers and what looked to be the main gate.

"Sango you call this a village? It looks more like a fortress." Miroku said. "How high are these walls?" he asked in awe.

"They're about fifty feet high. Filled with many pressure mines and removable wood blocks that are archers can shoot through." She said happily and proudly. "Come on." She motioned them to move forward with her hand. "Hey Kagome can you handle the back by yourself." Kagome nodded. "Good now you guys have to follow my lead. There are many pressure mines in the ground. You step on one of them and you'll be impaled by at least three wooded stakes."

"Right." Miroku and Kagome replied. Kagome looked down at Shippo to find him cowering on Inuyasha's head.

"Hey runt, get off my head." Inuyasha's muffled voice was barely heard from under Shippo's body.

"No, your thick head should protect me from any stakes." Shippo said fear in his voice.

"You're right about that Shippo." Miroku said. "His head is probably the safest place to be right now." A low growl rumbled beneath Shippo causing him to jump. Kagome smiled at their behavior.

Following Sango's footsteps they managed to get through the mine field without any incidents. Except for the smack of Sango's hand hitting Miroku, who had somehow managed to get his hand on her backside with out causing Inuyasha to be unbalanced.

"Hey Tokira can you open the gate?" Sango yelled.

A large man came out from one of the towers in front behind the gate and looked down at her. "Sango?" His eyes widened. "Sango you're alive!" He yelled. "How?"

"I'll tell you later just please open the gate. My friend is injured." The man nodded before disappearing.

"Tell me Sango how do they open this gate?" Miroku asked. "It looks to heavy to be opened by humans."

Sango pointed to a river on her left. "We use the river to push a large water wheel which runs a pulley system to lift the gate. Thankfully we leave next it or most of these fortifications wouldn't be possible, nor would our way of life. That river helps us to make the weapons we have. The riverbed is full of rare metals and minerals that when combined with demon bones are unbreakable." The four nodded.

"But don't you think you're relying too much on the river?" Inuyasha asked.

Sango nodded. "We have no choice. That's why it's the most heavily defended area in the village."

Suddenly the gate began creaking and it slowly opened up like a massive jaw. They all looked up as it soared high above their head. Quickly they ran inside before whatever was supporting it snapped. As they walked in the gate suddenly shut behind them with a loud smack causing them all to jump.

Tokira quickly ran down the huge tower he was in and grabbed Sango in a tight embrace. "Sango we thought he had died when you never came back from your mission."

"I'm sorry to worry you uncle." Sango pulled out of the embrace and turned to the others. "Guys this is my uncle Tokira."

"Hi." The three boys said quietly.

"Hello." He replied a bit of harshness in his voice as he saw Inuyasha and Shippo.

"Hello Tokira, long time no see." Kagome said looking up at him.

Tokira looked at her for a second trying to remember if he recognized her then it hit him. "Kagome? Little Kagome?" she nodded. Tokira ran to her and hugged her for as second before pulling back and taking a look at her. "My, it's been what eight years since I've seen you. And you've grown to be a fine young woman."

Kagome cleared her throat before speaking, "Thank you." A bit of embarrassment in her voice.

Tokira turned back to Sango. "Sango come quickly your father will be wanting to know your safe." Leading Sango forward Tokira leaned down to her ear. "Sango why do you travel with demons?" there was bitterness and anger in the man's voice.

"Uncle don't worry those two are not dangerous to us or any of the villagers." She said looking back. "It's the monk you have to worry about." Tokira raised an eyebrow. "I'll explain later. Just trust me about the demons."

"Alright I will but you'll have to tell your father why your with them." He said.

"I know. I'll tell the two of you at the same time okay?" Tokira nodded. "Now go tell father I'm home, and not to worry about the demons."

"Okay." He said before running off.

"Why do I somehow get the feeling he doesn't trust me?" Inuyasha asked.

"You are a demon Inuyasha. They hunt demons. We're at war with demons. Obviously they're not going to trust you right away." Kagome said. "Just give them time." Inuyasha grunted.

Several minutes later the group arrived at a large house where ten men stood in front of. Eight of them wore armor and had several weapons spread about their person. The other two were Tokira and next to him what they guessed to be Sango's father.

"Father!" Sango yelled sprinting toward him. She ran into him and hugged him tightly.

"Sango I thought I had lost you." He said happily hugging tightly as well. "When Kohaku came back alone I thought you had died."

Sango shook her head. "Nope thanks to Inuyasha and Miroku we were saved." She said pointing both of them.

Sango's father looked up and walked over to them. "You two have my thanks." he said. He looked down at Inuyasha. "You are half demon are you not?"

"Yeah what's it to ya?" he said.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome scolded.

"No Kagome its fine he's entitled to say whatever he wants. But it is just surprising to see any half demons left I thought that they had all been killed by the great purg-" He was cut off by a glare from Inuyasha. Telling him not to finish what he was going to say. "I understand. I'm sorry."

Turning about Sango's father hugged Kagome in an embrace just as tight as he hugged Sango before pulling back. "Tokira told me how much you had grown and at how beautiful you were and I must say I agree with him."

Kagome's face turned somewhat red. She wasn't used to all the compliments. "Thank you." He smiled at her before walking off.

"Father where is Kohaku?" Sango asked.

"We sent him off to the secret village. The king was constantly hounding us to give him up because they said he was a traitor. Of course we didn't believe them especially after what Kohaku told us so never gave him up. We told the messengers to tell the king that Kohaku had run away and we don't know where he went, and they seemed to believe us." He replied.

"Good then he's safe." Sango said with much relief. "But what are you going to do about us?"

"We'll talk about that tomorrow. For know lets get you guys cleaned up and take care of your friend's wounds." He said he motioned for two of the guards to take Inuyasha's stretcher and lead the other four into a small hut.

"Hey Sango I'm gonna go with Inuyasha. I'll see you later okay?" Kagome said starting to follow the guards.

Sango nodded. "Okay I'll see you later. Bye."

"Bye." Kagome turned around and ran to catch up with the guards.

Well finally that chapters done and this time it didn't take me nearly as long to get it up thankfully. Now if you guys have anything to make some suggestions on please tell me so read and review! And one question did they even have water wheels back then?