Chapter 63
Touga stared down at the body, eyes filled with grief. "Satori." He knelt down beside her, pressing a hand into her fur. She had fought in her Inu form, had trampled over the enemy, and still they managed to overwhelm her.
She had fought as hard as she could. She had been fighting to return to Hiroshi's son. She wanted to be a mother again, to tell that sweet little boy just how much his father had loved him. But now, there was a child without parents. A child with no one left.
Turning from Satori's body, Touga faced the enemy head on. It was just him in this area, but he refused to fall. Too many lives had been lost, and he wasn't going to let anymore be taken. This war needed to come to an end soon, and he would do everything in his power to make sure it was in their favor.
…
Kouga panted, blood dripping from various wounds on his skin. He looked around, seeing the enemy just standing there, watching him. He was the last one left. None of his army had survived, all of them laying around his feet, torn to shreds.
He was surrounded with no way to escape. This was his end. He would make it no further than here, and he hated it. He was going to miss so much. He was going to miss his daughter growing, he was going to miss having more children. He was going to miss it all.
Closing his eyes, he lowered his hands in defeat. He opened his bond, sending as much love to Ayame as he could. He wanted to make sure she knew how much he loved her, how much he was going to miss her. Then, he urged her to run. He urged her to get as far away as she could. He wasn't going to make it, but she had a chance.
He felt her grief and love come back to him, knew she understood what was happening. They had said their goodbyes, and Kouga knew she would escape to safety. That was all he could ask for. When he opened his eyes again, he accepted his death. "Finish it." He didn't even try to fight. He watched as the enemy surged forward, and his world ended.
…
Naoshi grinned, running his claws along the wall. Several guards had come at him, attempting to kill them, but he cut them down before they even had a chance to get near them. He was on a mission, and he wasn't going to let anyone get in his way.
Turning down a corridor, he sniffed the air, scenting his target. They were there, all of them locked in a single room. It was too easy, if he was being honest. They could have at least made him work for it. This was almost… boring.
With a sigh, Naoshi slammed open the door blocking him from his target. Several infants began to wail, and Naoshi frowned at them, their shrill cries cutting through his hearing. Slowly his gaze turned, finding his first targets, the ones that would fight back.
"Hello, Lady of the West." Naoshi grinned, eyes landing on Izayoi who was clutching an infant to her chest. Tears already fell from her eyes, as if she knew what was going to happen. Again, boring. Naoshi had hoped for something more stimulating.
"Lord Naoshi." Izayoi swallowed, setting the child on the bed she had been sitting on. She stood, head held high. "I wondered if you would come."
"You know why I am here." Naoshi stepped forward, seeing her entire body trembling. She was terrified, but she stood her ground. Movement out the corner of his eye had him looking. A nurse maid was standing in the corner of the room, just as terrified as Izayoi. In her arms was a hanyou child, one that was glaring at Naoshi with a fierceness that rivaled Sesshomaru's glare.
"Yes. All I ask is that you leave the children alone. They aren't a part of this fight." Izayoi stepped between InuYasha and Naoshi, getting Naoshi's gaze back on her. "I will not fight you."
"Don't you see?" Naoshi leaned down, his nose running against her cheek as he breathed in her scent. "That makes things too easy, Izayoi. I want fun, and you willingly let me kill you isn't fun at all. I want you to fight, and I know exactly how to do that."
"No!" Izayoi screamed, pulling a dagger from behind her back. She had just enough time to bury it into Naoshi's stomach before his arm shot out, forming his tentacle that went straight through InuYasha and the nurse maid. Izayoi screamed, sobbing as she watched her son go limp instantly.
"You bitch!" Naoshi pulled the dagger from his stomach, letting it drop to the floor. His wound healed instantly. He had felt no pain. It had been an annoyance, not a worry. "Is that all you can do?" Quickly, before she could react, he grabbed her by her neck, turning her so her back was against his chest. Slowly he walked up to the infant she had set on the bed, making her look down at it. "You are going to watch me kill every child here, Izayoi, then when I am finished, I will kill you. Before your body has even gone cold, I will take you to Touga, drop you at his feet, and watch him crumble."
"Please." Izayoi begged, eyes wide as she sobbed. She was struggling against him, but he held her tightly, keeping her from moving. Raising his hand, he ran his bloody fingers down her cheek.
"Keep begging me, Izayoi. It heats my blood so fiercely." This was what he had wanted. He wanted fun, he wanted to toy with people, to watch them break in his hands. He was going to ensure Izayoi was broken mentally before he broke her body with his claws and returned her to Touga. This was his plan. He would kill off the very things that motivated his enemy. He would destroy their motivation and watch them crumble.
…
Naraku scowled, watching as the enemy started to push his army back. Without Naoshi here to keep creating soldiers of the dead, Sesshomaru and the others were able to push them back. There was very little left of the West and Eastern army's left alive. There were only stragglers, very few still standing.
It was amazing really, watching four people hold back the dead army. Sesshomaru, Kagome, Miroku, and Touga. That was all that was left, all that mattered. They alone were fighting Naraku and Naoshi's army, and while Naraku wanted to be angry, he couldn't be. They were holding their own, but they were growing tired. They were faltering. It wouldn't be long now before they fell, and when they did, Naraku would be the king.
Naoshi reappeared next to Naraku suddenly, a bloody sack in one hand with Izayoi dead over his shoulder. Naraku raised a brow, not surprised at the depravity of the son he had sired. It was terrifying. Naoshi was out of control.
The only way Naraku was going to get a hold on Naoshi once more was by having Kagome under his control. She was the only one that would be able to keep Naoshi in line. He needed her, and until the other three fell, he wouldn't have her.
"This is all that is left?" Naoshi asked, grinning as he looked down on the massacre. His army was nearly wiped out, but it didn't matter. He could create more at any time. He only had four left to deal with, and now that he had snuffed out their drive, he would have no problems shutting them down.
"Yes. What are you doing with them?" Naraku motioned towards the bloody sack in Naoshi's hand, his stomach churning. He knew exactly what was in that cloth bag. He didn't want to think of it. Even he drew a line. Perhaps it was the father in him. He may have been cruel with Kagura and Naoshi, but they were his children. He would have protected them to the best of his ability.
"That is none of your concern, Father." Naoshi tilted his head, amber eyes meeting Naraku's. "You wish to control me, do you not?"
"No. You are my son." Naraku knew that telling Naoshi the truth would end badly for him. He wasn't sure where this was coming from suddenly, but he knew he had to do damage control. "I want to work alongside you. I want to rule with you and Kagome by my side."
"Kagome will die by my hand, Father. She stole from me and must pay the price." Naoshi looked down at Kagome, who had yet to notice his return. He wasn't in her mind yet, wanted to keep her thinking that she had a chance. He was going to break her before he killed her.
"No. We need her alive. I agree that you can punish her how you see fit, but death cannot touch her." Naraku argued, eyes narrowing. "Trust me, Naoshi. She is better off alive than dead."
"That is your obsession for the Shikon Miko speaking. She is more than a measly miko, Father. She is life. Life and death can never get along. She must die so death can reign free." Naoshi looked back at Naraku, eyes narrowed. "You wish to control me using her, do you not? You want to rule, you want the power of life and death in your hands. We will not rule alongside you. You will use us. We will be your weapons while you sit on your throne. No one will use Kagome."
Naoshi snarled, the hand holding Izayoi changing. He moved quickly, spearing his father in the gut. Izayoi was still balanced on his shoulder, his grin spreading as Naraku coughed blood from his lips. Turning his hand in a wide arch, Naoshi brought it back, forcing it through Naraku's chest a second time. "I will protect Kagome so I can be the one to destroy her. You won't touch her father. You won't get anywhere near her, nor will you use me. No one control's death."
Expanding his hand, Naoshi tore apart Naraku until there was nothing left. Blood rained down on the ground beneath him, Naraku's body shattered into tiny pieces. Naoshi felt nothing at killing his father. He was death, and that was what he did.
Looking towards the tree line, Naoshi narrowed his eyes. The witch was still there, watching as his army killed the very people she was supposed to be protecting. He had no idea what she was doing, why she refused to help the people she was loyal to.
Floating towards her, he regarded her. "Why are you here?"
"You are going to need help." Her voice was soft and calm. She was looking death in the face, but she held no fear.
"I need no one." Naoshi turned, spotting Touga fighting alone and away from the others. He had been herded away, and that was exactly what Naoshi wanted.
"Killing Sesshomaru will not be easy. You want to save Kagome for last, but as long as she lives, he will be an impossible wall to climb. I can change that." She cocked her head to the side as Naoshi looked at her over his shoulder. "Killing him will devastate her. Isn't that what you want?"
Naoshi narrowed his eyes, intrigued. "So be it. First, I destroy Touga, then I will kill Sesshomaru and Miroku. Be ready, Witch, or I will kill you." He turned from her, heading towards his next target. He wasn't a fool. He didn't trust the witch and planned to kill her anyway. However, if she could help to destroy Kagome even farther, then so be it. He had no problems using her just to dispose of her immediately after. Death would not be tricked by a mere witch.
...
If I remember correctly, this is the most depraved chapter in the entire story. Naoshi will stop at nothing to get what he wants. It doesn't matter who he had to hurt to get it. So yes, he killed Izayoi and he killed the children. All of them. I know this will be hard to swallow, but i still ask that you stick with the story. There are 67 chapters in this story and we are so close to the end. I promise it will be worth it.
