AN: Well guys, I honestly don't know how I managed to get this out on time, because as of a couple days ago, it wasn't looking good. This chapter was a mess until yesterday. So…I hope you enjoy it!
Oh, and remember that "Fighting spirit" prompt I never got to? Yeah...I guess we can count this as it, haha.
Chapter 12: War at The Wall
A nondescript, black sedan followed their car as Uncle Inuyasha drove them back home. After her uncle noted "the suits" following them out of the studio, Towa relayed Miss Shiori's instructions to them. But any worries about Towa's impending legal crisis had been put on hold for the moment.
"I still can't believe you're here," Rin said, smoothing Towa's cowlicky hair as they sat together in the back seat. She kissed her daughter's head again, and Towa blushed from the outpouring of affection.
Of course, as soon as Rin had done that, she sat back and pouted with an angry frown. "But how could you do this to me? Did you not trust me to keep this a secret? We lost so much time getting to know each other."
Inuyasha barked out a laugh. "Hardly, Rin. You said yourself a while back that Setsuna's been acting strange. Now you know why. Towa sucks at playing her twin."
Towa puffed out her cheeks in anger. "Uncle! I tried my best!" She let out a sigh, her shoulders deflating like a balloon. "But Setsuna is really hard to copy. She's so smart. I thought I was going to die at school. And I've faced the razor-sharp jaws of dozens of demons and not felt so helpless."
"You've what?" Mama and Aunt Kagome yelped, causing Uncle Inuyasha to stiffen and clutch the wheel as he winced.
"How has your father been raising you?" Aunt Kagome exclaimed. "Wait. Does this mean Moroha's been in the same danger as you?"
"Yes, Aunty. But I promise Papa would never have let anything happen to us! He never pushed us beyond what we could handle, and we had the best instructors." Aunt Kagome blinked slowly, as if she didn't know how to respond to that. Or maybe she was just taken aback by the term of endearment.
"And you're positive Setsuna is with him right now?" Mama asked, clutching Towa's hands.
"Well…as positive as anyone can be about what's happening in the North," Towa answered. "But as long as she made it to the palace safely, she should be fine. I wasn't scheduled to be in any tournaments or anything, so she should be living a quiet life of studies and martial arts training. And maybe by now, she's told Papa who she is."
"If she's as bad as you are at playing her twin, he probably figured it out the moment she arrived," her uncle remarked.
Mama sighed in relief. "Then he would be certain to take extra care of her, since she's not accustomed to life in the North. Oh sweetie, tell me everything about yourself so far. Even the scary parts—I…I want to know how you've lived up until now."
So, Towa started and awkward explanation into her living situation, but as her mother and aunt peppered her with questions as she spoke, it all became more natural. All too soon, they arrived back home. When they exited the car, the suits in the black sedan also got out, following them.
"And where do you guys think you're stayin'?" Inuyasha asked the two of them.
"We are under orders to guard the premises until the councilor says otherwise," one of them answered.
It turned out they didn't have to wait for long. An hour later, the doorbell rang, and Miss Shiori stepped inside, wearing nondescript clothing. Aside from a camp uniform, it was the most casual Towa had ever seen the half-demon.
"Shiori, what's going on?" Rin asked.
"I thought it would be best to discuss next steps in person," the councilor said, pulling off the mask she was wearing. Rin ushered her into the living room to sit down while Kagome ran to the kitchen to make some tea.
When they were all sitting, Miss Shiori took a deep breath. "I don't think I need to explain how serious an issue this is. Towa, you've entered the South illegally. The authorities are going to want to deport you."
"But she's a half-demon—isn't she allowed to stay here if she likes?" Rin asked. "I…I have her birth certificate. I know she was born in the Zone of Neutrality and not the South, exactly, but it might be worth something."
"It's not a question of whether or not she has a right to be here as a half-demon—it's a question of her, a resident of the North, gaining illegal entry into the South by using a false identity," Shiori explained.
"Right, of course. I'm sorry. I'm still just…stunned by all of this," Rin answered.
Miss Shiori smiled gently at her. "That is entirely understandable, Rin."
"Mama, it's okay. Setsuna and I knew deportation was bound to happen when we switched," Towa said. "In fact, we counted on it. We hoped it might…bring people together. To talk. Or at the very least, it might allow our family to see each other at the border…mightn't it?"
Miss Shiori sighed. "It's possible. The deportation process will take some time. Agents will come to arrest you." A little whimper escaped Rin's throat. "It could even be as early as tomorrow, given your reveal on national television. Regardless of the time frame, I suggest staying at home until that happens. Do not go to school. Rin, call the school and explain the situation so that they can make the appropriate arrangements for Setsuna's records."
"What if the media comes sniffing around tomorrow?" Aunt Kagome asked.
"You can count on it," Miss Shiori replied. "It will be up to Towa whether she is willing to talk or not. However, not every reported is bound to be friendly. Towa did break the law, despite the best of intentions. Many will use that against her. If there's ever something you don't feel comfortable answering, just say, 'No comment.' I'm going to leave these guards here with you. If any of the press get too pushy, feel free to throw them out. This is your home, after all; they don't have a right to be on your property without your permission."
"Shiori, what will happen to Towa once…once the immigration agents come?" Rin asked, worry threading her words.
"Well, since she's been in the country for longer than two weeks and is not within twenty miles of the border, they cannot deport her immediately. Likely, they will take her to an immigration office for questioning. If, at that time, she volunteers to leave the country, it will speed up the process, and should the border ever open up, she would be allowed to reenter it legally. However, if she does not choose to leave voluntarily, she will have to go to court."
Towa shook her head. "I don't want that. I'll leave voluntarily—but only once Setsuna is there too. I want an exchange."
Miss Shiori sighed. "This isn't exactly a prisoner exchange, Towa, so that's going to be difficult. Does your father even know that Setsuna is there?"
"It's been a month. We promised to reveal the truth at that time. Besides, if he doesn't know already, he's going to have to find out eventually."
"True enough. I can send word to him, but given how slow their courier system is over there…I'm not sure how long this is going to take. I don't know if we can hold off your voluntary deportation for that long."
"Please try, Shiori," Rin begged. "It's going to be hard enough letting Towa go back, but if I lose Setsuna too…I don't know what I'll do." Tears clouded her eyes.
"Do you have Setsuna's passport?" Miss Shiori asked Towa. She nodded. "Good. Give that to your mom. She'll need it. As for the rest of you, don't fight the immigration officers when they come for Towa. I promise I'll do my best to work with them. If we can get them to agree to a citizen exchange…then perhaps I get also get them to agree to placing Towa under house arrest instead of taking her to an immigration holding facility."
"Can they take her away on her own? She's still a minor. Can't I go with her?" Rin asked.
Miss Shiori frowned. "I don't think so."
"Do we need to get a lawyer?" Kagome asked.
"No. If Towa says she will leave voluntarily, there is no need."
After Miss Shiori left, Towa finally let out the yawn she had been holding back. All the excitement of the night had her beat.
"You should get some rest, sweetie. Who knows what tomorrow's going to bring?" Aunt Kagome said, patting her leg.
Towa shook her head. "I don't want to. What if this is the last night I get to spend with you guys for…who knows how long?" But she couldn't keep from yawning again.
Her uncle looked at them for a second before snapping his fingers. "Hang on a sec."
He ran upstairs, and the sounds of things hitting the floor and him rifling through closets finally had Aunt Kagome yelling, "Inuyasha, what are you doing?!"
He tromped back downstairs with a couple sleeping bags in tow. "We'll camp out here in the living room tonight—just the four of us."
Rin gasped in delight. "Inuyasha, that's a wonderful idea! We can make snacks and tell stories. And we'll light candles to simulate having a campfire!"
So that's exactly what they did. Towa stayed nestled in her mother's arms that night as they took turns listening to Towa's stories and then relaying their own to her. She felt so warm and loved surrounded by her family and in her mother's embrace that it was only a matter of time before she fell asleep. And when she woke up the next morning, she did so right beside her mother, who slept with a smile on her face.
The media came like sharks scenting blood in the water. And they got the show they were waiting for.
The immigration officers wasted little time in coming for her. The arrived midmorning in official vehicles. A veritable crowd of paparazzi waited outside, cameras rolling.
"Please tell me where you're taking my daughter," Rin begged as they placed Towa in extra-strength handcuffs made for half-demons.
"We're taking her to our detention center downtown, where she'll be processed and questioned," one of the officers replied.
"Can I come with?"
"No, ma'am."
"But she's a minor, and I'm her mother!"
"We will list you as her primary contact and will call you should we need anything."
Rin wrapped her arms around her daughter one last time. "Be strong, my baby girl."
Towa rubbed her head against her mother's. "Thank you for sending me off to battle, Mama. I promise this won't be the last time we see each other."
The media recorded every movement made as the officers escorted Towa out of the apartment, down the steps and into the squad car. They soaked up the tears pouring from Rin's eyes as she watched the officers drive her daughter away.
This drive downtown felt decidedly longer than the one from the previous night. Eventually, they made it to the detention center, and after processing Towa, the officers took her to an interrogation room.
"What was your purpose in entering the South?" her immigration officer asked.
Towa stared at him with a deadpan expression her father had perfected over the centuries. "Have you been watching the news at all lately?"
The officer returned her exasperated expression. "Answer the question, please."
"I came to meet my mother."
"Is that all?"
"Yes."
"If you must know, I do watch the news. And I believe in your last interview, you said, and I quote, 'But do you want to know the real reason we made this switch? Of course we wanted to see our parents, but it's more than that: we want to find a way to bring our family back together. We just need to find a way—or a place—for people such as us to live together in harmony.' So, I ask again: was your only purpose in coming here to meet your mother…or did you also come here to bring down The Wall?"
"How do you think I could possibly bring down The Wall? I don't have that kind of power."
"Does your father?"
Towa frowned. "Even if he did, he wouldn't recklessly bring it down after signing an armistice."
"Perhaps he was just waiting for the right moment. Perhaps you are his spy and have managed to worm your way into the people's hearts so that when he comes to conquer us, the people will believe he's had a change of heart and not put up a fight until it's too late."
Towa's mouth fell open. "What on earth are you talking about? My father has no interest in conquering the South."
"He did before."
"Yes, but that was before he met my mother. And again I stress: he signed the armistice. People—even demons—change."
"Then why has he amassed an army that is making its way along the gates of the Northern Wall?"
Towa blinked. "W-What?"
The officer opened a folder and shoved an image at her. "This is a satellite image of the Serpent Gate from a month ago—roughly the time you entered the country." Towa looked at it, but she didn't see anything remarkable about it. It looked the same as any other time she had flown past the gate on A-Un when heading east to Kirinmaru's palace.
"Am I…supposed to see something here?" she asked.
He slid her another photo. "This is a photo taken only ten days later."
Towa's eyes widened. This she understood.
Battle formations. The armies hadn't clashed yet, if the clean lines and unscarred earth were any indication, but they appeared to be on the verge of battle. Her father's men had come at the gate from the west and appeared to be attempting to cut off the road north from the gate—the main route Jokka would use to resupply her army.
He slid her another photo, one dated only three days later. The earth lay ravaged, changed from green to a muddy red. A company of soldiers remained behind, guarding the gate.
"From what we could tell on our footage, your father's army swept in and decimated Queen Jokka's forces. They have since moved on to the Panther Gate—" he said, sliding her another photo, where two armies clashed, "—where they have remained for about two weeks."
Something stood out in this photo to her. Amongst the tiny dots of the rank and file, three larger blobs—one white, one brown, and one green—stood in the center of the army with an empty ring around them, like the eye of a hurricane.
Papa. And that must be the Panther King. But then…who's the third? The battle must have been dire indeed if he was resorting to fighting in his true form.
"You say this battle has been happening for two weeks?" Towa asked, looking at the date on the photo, which was from yesterday. The officer nodded.
Towa's heart twisted. Papa must be exhausted.
"There's more." He slid her another photo. "Footage from the Kirin Gate shows no signs of attack, but it appears General Kirinmaru's troops have moved in from the east to attack the Bird Gate." Then he tapped on the photo of the battle at the Panther Gate. "He appears to have won, because we tracked his army to the Panther Gate just two days ago."
Towa's eyes widened. Then that green being must be Kirinmaru! If Kirinmaru's forces have joined Papa's, then surely they're bound to win. But why are they trying to take over the gates?
The only reason to take over a gate was to control who or what went through it. But the gates were largely for show and hardly ever used, so no one had ever bothered to try to take them before.
But we did use the Dog Gate this past summer. And if Setsuna has told Papa about our intentions, then maybe….
"My father doesn't want to conquer the South," Towa stated with resolution.
"You'll pardon us if we're slow to believe you."
Towa shook her head. "Just watch. I'm positive that when he wins this battle—and he will take the Panther Gate—you will receive an official correspondence asking for a meeting between nations. He will want to discuss the Zone of Neutrality."
"And you know this for sure because you're his spy?" the immigration officer asked.
Towa groaned. "For the last time, I am not a spy. I just know what my father wants, and it's the same thing my sister and I want: to see our family back together. I know that letter will come. And when it does…I promise I will voluntarily leave."
"You don't get to decide when you go back to the North."
"No, but you'll have to send word to my father, the lord general of the dog demon tribe, I remind you, about the need to deport a citizen of the North. Obviously, you will not receive a reply soon, since he is at war." Unless Grandmother decides to intervene…which I hope she doesn't. "And then you'll have to plan a day for the deportation to happen, won't you? So, you see: you have nothing to lose by waiting. And if you let me return to my family in the interim, I will gladly stay under house arrest."
After several seconds of silence, the officer asked, "Is that all you have to say?"
"Yes."
"Very well. We'll hold you here until we decide what to do with you."
Towa stayed in the detention center overnight, all the while praying for her father's success, as she always did when he went to battle. Her father had never encouraged prayer, but as a child, she had learned that humans often prayed to gods, and she figured asking for some help couldn't hurt where her family's safety was concerned.
And wherever Setsuna is, please keep her safe.
For her sister's sake, Towa hoped that Setsuna was home at the palace and not in the midst of battle with her father. She remembered the first time she had gone into battle, and no amount of training could have prepared her for every chaotic turn the battle took or the sheer loss of life she witnessed.
Setsuna, please. Stay safe. Stay home.
Setsuna and Rion thanked the captain of the newly installed dog demon garrison at the Serpent Gate before hopping back onto A-Un and heading for the Panther Gate.
"I can't believe your father has been fighting the panther army for two weeks already," Rion said. "That's…pretty unheard of."
"Is it? Don't most battles in war last days or even weeks?"
"Not between demons. The most arduous of battles might last a few days after constant fighting, but because demons need less sustenance and sleep and since many can see in the dark, there's no need to drag out a battle for longer than that. If he's been fighting this long, the panther demons must be giving him a hard time."
"Are they especially fearsome?" Setsuna asked.
"Well, they are fairly renowned for their fighting prowess. At one time, the Panther King stood on the same level as your grandfather and my father. But when he died, the title of strongest fell to his generals, the Panther Devas. My father always thought those four beneath him, so he never tried to battle them before."
After a couple hours, the cries of death and battle reached them.
"We must be getting close," Setsuna said, gripping A-Un's reins. Am I ready for this? Fighting Grandmother knocked us out for an entire day, and that was after only a day of fighting. If Father's been fighting for two solid weeks….
A horrifying wail like that of a shrieking banshee reverberated across the plains, sending Setsuna's heart pounding. "What was that?"
"Look!" Rion exclaimed, pointing ahead and slightly to the south along The Wall. Along its face, a massive fortress of stone stood, and in front of that, something lumbered just as tall.
Setsuna peered at it, but from this distance, it was difficult for even her to make out its features. "I can't see what it is."
But then another massive being—something green with a fiery red mane—crashed into the other creature.
Rion sucked in a breath. "Father!"
"Father? That's Kirinmaru?" As they flew closer, she made out more details on the green beast: jagged scales shimmering on his body; four feet that ended in claws like a dragon, but the long, thick neck and face of a horse with a deadly prong of antlers thrusting up from one side of his head.
And then an enormous, white dog leapt into the battle as well, and Setsuna's eyes widened as she stared at it in wonder. Father!
Where her grandmother had still carried some regality even in her demon form, her father was all ferocity. Her swiped at his opponent's armor and snapped his jaws at one of its arms. His jowls dripped poison, and it fell steaming onto the ground below them, disintegrating any unlucky demon that happened to stray beneath the giants' paws.
But as terrifying as her father was, his appeared to have crawled out of the depths of hell.
The stench of decay blasted over her, and she flung her arm over her nose. "What in heaven's name is that?"
"It can't be…" Rion murmured, staring at the creature. Its skin was brown and shriveled like a mummy. Two, massive horns stuck out of its neck while another jutted out from its head. Its talons were the size of its paws, like the nails of a corpse that kept growing even as the rest of the body had ceased to function. It roared through a mouthful of fangs on full display in the lipless mouth.
The three massive beasts slogged it out near the Panther Gate itself. But now that the girls were finally close enough to see the entire battlefield from above, they saw that the armies had given the three beasts a wide berth. North of the gate, the dog demon army pressed in from the west and the kirin army pressed in from the east, but the panther demon tribe was so numerous that it still held its ground against them both. The skies were filled with warriors leaping and flying as they battled each other in combat.
Setsuna wasn't sure what she had been expecting when she saw the battlefield. Yes, she had seen war movies and historic photographs of battlefields strewn with bodies—and much was the same here. But for many, the bodies weren't even whole. With claws, weapons, and demonic energies, demons sliced clear through their opponents, and even those whose heads were cut off often still lived until the bodies were so pulverized, they were unrecognizable. The ground from above was a dark, muddy red, and Setsuna knew it wasn't the color of clay.
Rion held a hand over her mouth. "Setsuna…I'm not sure I'm ready for this."
"Is any soldier ready for the first battle?" Setsuna asked. But when she looked over at Rion, she found her friend's ears flattened against her head. Her look softened, and she patted Rion's shoulder. "Would you prefer to stay here?"
Rion shook her head. "No. We should find someone who will give us direction. We shouldn't just barrel in head-first. Perhaps the army needs a healer, and I can help there."
Setsuna nodded, scanning the ranks for a command tent. She finally spotted it on a hill to the west and directed A-Un down towards it. It looked strangely empty from above, however.
If my father is the general of the army and he's out fighting that…thing, then who would even be in this command tent? Setsuna wondered as they dismounted. Two soldiers stood at attention.
"Lady Setsuna!" one announced in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"L-Lady Setsuna?!" a familiar voice screeched from inside, and Jaken came stumbling out of the command tent. "M-Milady, you've returned! Oh, thank goodness—milord was so worried!" the imp cried, rubbing his sleeve over his eyes.
"He was?" Setsuna asked.
"Oh, of course!" Jaken replied. "He plowed through the Serpent Gate and headed straight for here, hoping to have the War for the Wall done and over with before you finished your training. Yawaragi sent him reports of your progress, of course, but he still worried for your safety, knowing just what sort of teaching methods she employs…."
"Master Jaken, would you please relay to us the situation here?" Rion asked. She nodded towards the battle of beasts. "Is that…really who I think it is? The Panther King?"
"So it appears to be," Jaken said, nodding.
"But how? Didn't Lord Touga defeat him centuries ago?"
"So we believed. But somehow, the Panther Devas have brought him back to life…sort of."
"He's a walking corpse," Setsuna noted.
"That's precisely the problem. No matter how much your father wounded him these past two weeks, the beast always got back up and never tired. Even using Bakusaiga hasn't proven useful. When the sword breaks apart the beast's body, it simply reforms through some unholy magic," Jaken explained.
"An undead creature…" Setsuna mused. Something Totosai had mentioned to her when she received her Yukari no Tachikiri flashed through her mind.
Not all weapons cut flesh, you know. Your father's sword, the Tenseiga, is a sword of healing. It only cuts down those not of this world. Your Yukari no Tachikiri is similar. It can cut the bonds of fate itself.
She had no idea what "the bonds of fate" were, and she had yet to figure out this supposed ability of the Yukari no Tachikiri…but bringing back the dead made a lot more sense.
"Totosai told me Father has a blade that can revive the dead. Could he not revive this Panther King fully and then kill him?"
"Yes, well…your father tried that, although we feared it would not work…and it didn't. You see, the Tenseiga's capabilities are limited. It can only revive those who had died within the hour, because it saves the person's soul itself. Not only did the Panther King die centuries ago, but this creature doesn't seem to have a soul or kon, as it were. We don't know what is giving it its haku, or the ability to move. Were we not assured that the Shikon Jewel was in your hands, Lady Rion, we would have suspected it, since the Panther King was the last one to possess it before your noble father."
"Yes, rest assured the Jewel is safe," Rion answered. She looked over the battle. "Are the Panther Devas fighting down there?"
"No, milady. They have remained holed up in the gatehouse. While your father and Lord Sesshoumaru fight the Panther King, Lord Kirinmaru's Four Perils and Lord Sesshoumaru's own lieutenants carry out the war between the armies. Lord Sesshoumaru will occasionally use Tenseiga on our forces in order to revive some of our fallen, but the blade can only save a hundred at a time, and only if they just passed. However, we did learn, when the Panther King tried to intercept one of those swings, that the blast does harm him."
"It does? Then why isn't Father fighting with that sword?" Setsuna asked.
"The Tenseiga requires great concentration and power to wield, milady. It cannot be used over and over without exhausting the user. For all your lord grandfather's power, milady, he too was mortal and could not acquire the power of the gods to give life as he pleased."
"I see," Setsuna answered. "So, what are my father and Kirinmaru trying to do?"
"They are in turn keeping the Panther King at bay, so he does not decimate our forces, and also trying to gain entry into the gatehouse, where the Panther Devas hide and likely where the secret of their dark magic lays."
"And they haven't been able to break into the gatehouse yet?" Rion asked.
"No, milady. Despite having two foes, the Panther King appears to possess unnatural strength—certainly more than he had in his lifetime. Oh, if only we could get in there and find a way to undo whatever spell is moving that beast, we could surely put an end to this ungodly long battle! Seeing their risen king fall once again would surely crush the panther army's morale, and your illustrious father would have no problems taking the gate then," Jaken bemoaned.
Setsuna surveyed the battlefield once more. "Rion, can you teleport us inside the gatehouse?"
Rion looked it over. "I need to either know or see where I'm going. I could land us on that western battlement there," she said, pointing to the tower nearest them.
"Then it's decided. Rion and I will infiltrate the gatehouse, find the Panther Devas, and find a way to break their hold on the Panther King's corpse."
Jaken squawked in outrage. "L-Lady Setsuna, you can't! Your father would kill me if he found out I let you go into battle!"
Setsuna frowned. "Why? Isn't that why he let me go train? So I could join him in this fight?"
Jaken shook his head so hard, Setsuna was afraid it would fly off. "You are not trained for this, milady—no matter that you spent three weeks with Yawaragi! Lady Towa spent years studying before she accompanied your father into battle!"
Setsuna clenched her hands. "This battle has already gone on long enough, Jaken. You said so yourself. Right now, it's a battle of attrition…and if the Panther King cannot die, that means he will only exhaust our fathers until they do."
Jaken's squeal of alarm pierced her ears right to her brain. He clutched his head and paced back and forth, deliberating. Setsuna glared at him. "Jaken, we don't have time for debate. We're going."
"No, just…just a second. Ah! Lieutenant General Konton! He also has the ability to teleport like you, Lady Rion, does he not?" To himself, he muttered, "Why didn't we think of this three days ago, when their forces arrived?"
Rion pointed calmly at the raging battle below them. "If you wish to go fetch him, Master Jaken, be my guest."
Jaken flinched.
"Enough talk. We're leaving," Setsuna said.
"Milady, wait!" he cried out. "Okay, fine—I'll allow it. But once you get inside…see if you can open the gatehouse portal before you go in search of the Panther Devas. The gatehouse is still manned. We've seen soldiers patrolling its walls, likely to protect the Devas inside. If you can open the gate, I will direct some of our troops to be on standby, and when they see the gates open, they will weave around the beast kings and run into the gatehouse to assist you."
Setsuna nodded. "Then we have a plan. Are you ready, Rion?"
Rion held up a talisman in one hand and grabbed Setsuna's hand with the other. "Ready."
Setsuna gripped her naginata into a position where she'd be ready to swing it immediately. When they landed, they would be taking any guards by surprise, but that didn't mean they should go in unprepared. "Yes."
Rion used the teleportation spell. One moment, they were in the clearing; the next, they were on top of the battlement. A panther demon archer stood with his back to them, and down the wall, another also aimed at the field. He must have seen them out of the corner of his eye, because he turned first and balked. "What the—?"
Setsuna did not give him time to finish. She launched forward and stabbed the demon through the gut with her naginata, flinging him over the battlement. A cry of pain burst out from behind her, and Setsuna turned to find Rion pulling the pointed end of her staff out of the archer's chest and kicking him over the lip of the tower. She flung the blood off, though her hand shook.
"Are you okay?" Setsuna asked, recalling how uneasy Rion seemed earlier.
Rion took a deep breath. "I'm fine. Just needed that initial kill to get back into the mindset." Setsuna nodded. She and Rion had killed more than their fair share of demons in training. Blood and death were nothing new to them by now, but that didn't necessarily make it easier. Rion struggled with dealing death more than Setsuna did, and she had grown up in the peaceful South.
A shout rang out. "Intruders on the battlements!" Within seconds, more panther demons ran or leapt onto the wall over the gatehouse portal, coming straight towards them. In the courtyard below, several filed into the tower below them and the eastern one on the other side of the portal.
"Rion, take care of these towers!" Setsuna cried out as she ran forward along the battlement and cut down another demon, only to engage with a more skilled one next that met her blow for blow.
"Got it!" Rion slapped some talismans around the roof of the tower. Then she flung out her staff and shot a web of spider silk towards the tower across the way. Some panther demons leaped up, trying to slice through her web, but Rion shot more webs at them, tangling them up in cocoons of sticky silk. She stepped onto the thread connecting the two towers, then turned around to look back at the western tower, where they had landed.
A few demons made it out of the opening, and she quickly shot webs at the doorway to prevent more from coming. The ones that had made it through ran straight for Setsuna.
"Setsuna, behind you!" Rion screamed.
Setsuna whirled around in a circle, slicing through the guts of the two demons nearest her. Then she spun her naginata in her hand and cried out, "Cyclone Burst!" The whirlwind blew the few demons behind her off the wall, but when she turned her cyclone on the ones in front of her, they had already hunkered down and grasped onto the partitions in the stone walls. Setsuna ceased her attack and ran forward, meeting the demons weapon-to-weapon again.
Rion continued towards the eastern tower. The door there bottlenecked the panther demons running up it, and Rion fired another web at the door, barring their exit. She jumped onto the roof and slapped more talismans around it. She turned around, looking for a place to land, but the battlement was swarming with panther demons. The courtyard, however, was fairly empty.
Getting a running start, she leapt over the tower towards the courtyard a couple stories below, and as she flew, she gestured with her hands, releasing the power on her talismans.
The talismans all exploded like bombs, blowing the nearest panther demons off their feet and sending tons of stone rubble crashing down on top of the demons trapped inside the towers.
The ground shook beneath Setsuna's feet, but having the advantage of knowing what was coming, she steadied herself quickly and got in under her opponent's guard, opening him up from groin to neck. He fell to her feet.
A howl broke the air, and Setsuna took just enough time to glance over at the battle playing out between her father, Kirinmaru, and the Panther King. Her father stood face-to-face with The Panther King, Kirinmaru at his side. But his bulging, red eyes were trained on the gatehouse. On Setsuna.
The grunt of a panther demon getting up pulled her back to the matters at hand, and before the rest of her foes could rise to their feet, she cried out, "Scourge of Swallows!" flinging her naginata at the rest of the panther demons on the wall. Her swallows hit their marks, pushing some of the weaker panthers off the wall and wounding others.
I'll make you proud, Father.
Down in the courtyard, Rion ran to the portal. It was unmanned from this side, since the panther demons had all left their posts to rush onto the wall, and most had been crushed to death inside the towers. It didn't take much effort for her to open the wooden gates, and when she did, she sprayed some spiderwebs on them, sticking them to the sides of the portal to keep the panthers from closing them again.
Sesshoumaru bayed again, and dove to the Panther King's left side, clamping his jaws around the bony arm and pulling him away from the gatehouse. Behind him, troops of dog demons skirted the edge of their lord, running for the gatehouse as Sesshoumaru held the Panther King in check.
"They're on the wall!" Rion cried out, pointing up. The dog demons leapt up onto the wall, engaging with the panther demons Setsuna hadn't yet taken out. "Setsuna, come on!" she yelled.
Setsuna pushed off a panther demon, who got cut down from behind by a dog demon, then jumped off the wall and into the courtyard beside Rion.
Rion looked around the courtyard. "Where could they be? There's nothing left." Indeed, without the towers, there was nowhere to hide here.
Except there was.
Setsuna gestured ahead of them. "They're inside the Panther Gate."
Rion stared up at the massive, iron gate. "But how do we get inside?"
"There has to be a mechanism somewhere. Look for it!" Setsuna commanded. They set off, looking for controls and fighting off any panther demons that engaged them. Soon, Setsuna found what appeared to be a storage shed but instead housed a massive crank. She tried to move it by herself, but it would not budge.
She ran back outside. "Hey! I need help here!" she cried out, waving over some soldiers. They came at her insistence, as did Rion, and when all the dog demons put their backs into it, the Panther Gate started to rise.
"We don't need it open much—just enough to get under it!" Setsuna said. When the dog demons had raised it just over her head, she cried, "Lock it in place!" The did as commanded. "Now, follow me!"
Setsuna led Rion and the dog demon soldiers into the gate, entering the dark tunnel under The Wall. Ahead, candlelight glowed, and as they neared, they stopped in awe.
Four demons—the Panther Devas, Setsuna suspected—held hands in a circle as they sat upon a trigram field, surrounded at eight points by candles. In the center of them, a red pearl sat on a ceremonial tray. The tendons in the demons' hands all stood out in stark relief against the candle flames, and sweat beaded their brows. But behind them was what terrified Setsuna even more.
Dozens upon dozens of panther demons sat in the tunnel with their eyes closed and holding hands, chanting, "Panther King, Panther King," over and over. Some lay passed out. Others struggled to breathe.
What are they doing? Setsuna wondered, and just then, the Yukari no Tachikiri pulsed in her hand. She glanced down at it and then looked back up. Suddenly, red threads appeared from each panther demon, twining together with the red pearl into a thick string that shot past them, back out of the gatehouse.
What is this? she wondered, bringing her naginata up to touch the string.
As soon as she did, visions appeared in her head.
A tanned demon with long, silver hair held up in a ponytail addressed who Setsuna assumed was the Panther King, though he was smaller and had rusty fur instead of wrinkled skin. "Relinquish the Shikon Jewel, Panther King. You turned on your allies who helped you in the war against the humans and chose to conquer them instead. That jewel has poisoned your mind."
"Then you will have to pry it from my cold, dead hands!" the Panther King cried out, lashing towards him.
The scene shifted, and under the light of a full moon, a giant dog demon latched its jaws under the neck of the Panther King, dark blood dribbling down its muzzle. The dog resembled her father in a way, and yet she knew it was not him. Where her father had a fur ruff on his shoulders similar to her grandmother, this one instead sported a long, curling tail.
Then she realized who this was, for it was a dog she had seen in several portraits around the palace.
Grandfather.
The dog ripped out the demon's throat, blood spilling out in a waterfall.
The Panther King clutched his throat with one hand, as if trying to stem the river of blood, and reached into his armor with the other, pulling out the Shikon Jewel. He tried to choke out a sound, but all he could manage was a haunting whisper: "I want…to live. Will not rest…till…revenge." Then his eyes rolled up into his head and he fell forward onto the ground. The Shikon Jewel jumped out of the giant demon's grip and into the pool of his blood soaking the earth. Touga coalesced into his human form, picked up the bloody jewel, and looked at it with distaste. He flung the blood off it and turned away, not noticing as the blood formed into a red pearl.
The scene shifted again, and the Panther Devas appeared on the scene, weeping and mourning over their fallen king. One with ice-blue hair noticed the jewel and picked it up.
"All's not lost," she announced to the other three. "I feel his presence in this jewel. We can bring him back…but it will come with a cost. Come. We must prepare."
Now Setsuna was in a room where the red-headed Deva came in to address the blue-haired one. "Touran, our scouts received word that the dog demons have taken over the Serpent Gate. They're on their way here."
Touran reached for the red pearl, sitting so innocently on its ceremonial tray, and clutched it in her hands. "This is it. Centuries of siphoning bits of energy from all the members of the panther tribe will finally pay off. Sesshoumaru will attempt to vanquish our army in a matter of days. But the king will keep him from doing so."
The vision ended, and as it did, that same demon with ice blue hair cracked open her eyes. She huffed. "We have visitors. Shunran, see to them."
The one named Shunran—a nymph-like girl with flowers in her hair—opened her jade-green eyes and frowned. "But the king's power—"
"—Will be restored once you take care of them," Touran answered, taking a shuddering breath. Shunran nodded and then took the hands holding hers—a husky, male demon's and a female's with short, red hair—and brought them together without letting go. Once the two had clasped hands, she got up and stumbled forward, holding her head.
These demons already seem exhausted. This should be easy, Setsuna thought, getting into her opening stance.
The tailless panther smirked and pulled a few cherry blossom petals from her short kimono. "Nighty-night!" she sang, whipping them out until a veritable blizzard of petals rained upon them.
Their floral scent hit Setsuna's nose, and she held her breath, untrusting of such a sweet scent. Next to her, Rion stumbled.
Then, the dog demons started dropping to the ground.
Setsuna spun around to look at them, involuntarily taking a breath, and the scent of the petals hit her all at once, making her dizzy. What the…? Are they dead, or…? No, she could hear their slow heartbeats and breaths. Asleep then. Did they succumb faster because their sense of smell is sharper than ours?
When Rion fell to her knees, Setsuna knew she needed to do something, or they would all be sitting ducks. She spied the candles and got an idea.
Darting forward, still holding her breath, Setsuna thrust her naginata over the candle flames and then whipped it out at the blizzard of petals. "Vermillion Bird Ambush!" The firebird bird tore through the petals, heading straight for Shunran.
"No!" the red-headed panther in the circle screamed, shooting up and breaking their handhold.
"Karan!" Touran snapped, but Karan ignored her and jumped in front of the firebird, receiving the hit head on.
But instead of going up in flames, she absorbed them, her entire body lighting on fire.
"Shunran, I've got this," Karan said. "You get back to the circle—"
A howl that Setsuna instinctively knew was one of triumph filled the air, followed by some strange whinny-roar. Breaking the circle must weaken the Panther King. Are our they overcoming him?
Rion turned towards the howls, the smile lighting her face showing she was just as hopeful. "Setsuna, they're doing it! They-re—ah!" she screamed as a fireball slammed into her back.
"Rion!" Setsuna cried out, rushing over to her fallen friend, whose clothes smoldered. Setsuna patted out the flames, trying to be careful of massive, hot-red burn on Rion's back.
"That'll teach you to let down your guard, little girl," Karan snarked, tossing a fireball up and down in her hand like a baseball.
Meanwhile, Shunran returned to the circle and joined hands with her brethren again. As soon as they did, Setsuna noticed a red thread from her reach out and entwine itself with the thick cord that stretched all the way back out the gate—towards the Panther King, she assumed. Another of those strange whinny-roars rumbled through the tunnel, but this one sounded like pain, not victory.
"F-Father," Rion whimpered.
"Father?" Karan echoed, narrowing her eyes. Then she sniffed the air and recoiled. "Ugh, I just thought the overpowering stench of dog and kirin came from them—not from you. So, you're the generals' brats, huh?"
"Well, well…now that is interesting," Touran spoke up from behind Karan. She opened her eyes and looked at Setsuna. "But you are not Towa."
"I'm not," Setsuna answered.
The demon's eyes widened, and then she laughed, albeit weakly. "So Sesshoumaru had another half-demon brat hidden away all this time, eh? Well, isn't this our lucky day? The daughters of our enemy's generals. I think this will turn the tide in our favor rather nicely, don't you, Karan?"
Karan smirked. "Did you have something in mind, Touran?"
"Take these two prisoner. We're going to barter with the generals."
Karan cracked her neck and shoulders. "Sure thing. One down, one to go." She shot off another fireball towards Setsuna and Rion, and Setsuna grabbed her friend around the waist before jumping away. But every time she landed, Karan threw another fireball, and Setsuna couldn't return any attacks while carrying Rion like this.
She dodged yet another fireball, but just as she was landing, a line of ice spread its way across the floor, starting from Touran and leading right to where Setsuna was going to land. Setsuna tried to stick the landing, opening her stance and bending at the knees to ground herself, but the ice was too slick and the impact too sudden, so her feet slid out from under her. She and Rion toppled to the ground.
"Tch, I could have handled it on my own, Touran," Karan groused, jumping over and kicking their weapons away. She reached down and hauled Setsuna and Rion under her arms. "What now?"
Touran sighed and detached herself from her brethren, taking the red pearl. She stood up and announced to the gathering of exhausted panther demons behind her, "Rest while you can, everyone. I am off to end this battle. Shuuran, go take Kirinmaru's brat from Karan. Shunran, you grab their weapons."
The giant, male panther demon went forward and hefted Rion over his burly shoulder, while the nymph-like girl fetched the staff and naginata. Karan hefted Setsuna up and pulled out a kunai blade, slipping it under her throat.
"Try anything funny, and I'll slit you open, negotiation or not," she muttered in Setsuna's ear.
Touran took a deep breath and looked the other Devas in the eye. "Now, let's go end this battle."
As they walked back into the gatehouse courtyard, they were met by dog demons soldiers, who leveled their weapons at the Devas. But Touran gestured to Setsuna. "Attack us, and your lord's daughter dies. Will he forgive you for that?"
The dog demons hesitated, and in the end, they lowered their weapons and let them pass. The Panther Devas leapt onto the battlement, and Touran cried out, "My king, we have brought you a gift! The daughters of Sesshoumaru and Kirinmaru."
The Panther King stopped fighting, glancing back at Touran, as if questioning the worth of her words. Setsuna saw absolutely no sign of recognition in his dead eyes.
Kirinmaru roared and bucked, immediately transforming back into his human self. "Rion! What are you doing here?"
"I-I'm sorry, Father," Rion answered in a weak voice.
Setsuna just stared at her own father, whose blood-red eyes gazed at her, half-feral and half-cognizant. However, he did not transform.
Touran continued. "Generals. Surrender now, or your daughters' lives will be forfeit."
Kirinmaru frowned. "And what will you do with them once we surrender?"
The panther demon grinned like the Cheshire cat. "Why, keep them as…guests of our court, of course. To prevent any other…geographical misunderstandings in the future."
So, we're to be hostages or killed, Setsuna thought. She couldn't let that happen. Not when they had come so far to achieving their goal. But what could she or Rion do, trapped as they were? Shunran had their weapons.
"What do you say, Generals?" Touran asked. "Shall your daughters' blood join the rest on the battlefield, or will you retreat, content to know they yet live?"
This is our fault, so we have to think of a way out of this, Setsuna thought. If we could just get our weapons back—
Without warning, the Panther King struck, sinking his lethal claws into Sesshoumaru's underbelly and biting down on the base of his neck. Sesshoumaru barked in pain as blood spurted from his stomach.
"Father!" Setsuna shrieked.
"My king, what are you doing?!" Touran yelled.
The Panther King let go of Sesshoumaru's neck just long enough to moan, "Re…venge…."
"But we are negotiating—!"
The Panther King ignored her and bit down again, putting all his weight on Sesshoumaru's back and forcing him to the ground.
Setsuna stared in horror. Her father was bleeding. Even though the panther king's talons and teeth smoked where they dug into Sesshoumaru's skin, steaming, red blood poured down his noble, white flanks.
Setsuna saw red.
She whipped up her arm and slashed her claws against Karan's neck. The panther demon's eyes widened, stunned, before blood sprayed across them both.
Touran turned. "What the—?"
Karan dropped Setsuna before falling face-first to the ground. Then Setsuna rushed at Shunran. The panther demon stood frozen in shock, staring at her fallen comrade, and didn't even move as Setsuna plunged her hand into her chest. Shunran screamed and dropped the weapons. Setsuna tore out her heart and tossed it away like trash. She turned on Touran.
Before Setsuna could reach the female demon, Shuuran roared and tossed Rion away much like Setsuna had discarded Shunran's heart. He barreled in front of Touran, blocking Setsuna's path, and shot off a bolt of lightning at her. Setsuna dodged the bolt and flipped into the air, heading straight for the male's face. But as soon as she neared, he cut off his attack and punched her in the side, sending her flying back across the courtyard. Setsuna crashed into the iron bars of the gate and fell to the stone ground, her body throbbing with pain anew, but she ignored it and stood back up, snarling at Shuuran when he jumped down and hit the ground with a thunderous crack. His impact reverberated across the courtyard, sending soldiers toppling.
He shot another bolt of lightning at her, and she bounced away, not caring whether she landed near her comrades in arms or not. The strikes followed her, sometimes hitting her own men, but she didn't stop. Somewhere deep down, she knew this was wrong, but she couldn't bring herself to care.
But lightning is unpredictable, and eventually, a bolt that struck the wall arced off and struck her. She screamed, falling to the ground, twitching as her muscles spasmed uncontrollably.
The male stomped over to her. "You've gotten troublesome. I should just end you right now. But do I fry you or squash you?"
He lifted a foot over her head as if to stomp on it, but then froze as a dozen spears suddenly pierced his body from behind.
"You shan't harm the princess!" a dog demon soldier cried out, and the cry was taken up by the rest.
Shuuran growled, stumbling back, and lifted his hands as if to fire off more bolts. "Y-You'll pay for—"
His words cut off as a soldier ran forward and lopped his head off.
"See to the princess!" he cried out, and a few soldiers rushed to Setsuna's side. Even though she couldn't control her limbs, she was still enslaved by bloodlust, and she growled and snapped at any who reached for her.
"What do we do? She's lost herself," one of the soldiers said.
"W-Wait!" Rion called out, dragging herself over with the Yukari no Tachikiri in hand. "She needs this." A dog demon came and helped her over to Setsuna. She fell to her knees at her friend's side and placed the naginata in her hands.
"Come back, Setsuna. You have to regain your senses. Please."
The naginata pulsed as soon as Rion wrapped Setsuna's hand around it, and the red haze in Setsuna's vision faded as the seal Totosai had built into the weapon to keep her demonic powers from taking over activated once more. Still, her muscles spasmed from the shocks of the Shuuran's attacks. "T-Thank you, Rion."
"Let me heal you," Rion gasped, activating a spell over Setsuna's body.
"What about your back?"
"I'll be fine," Rion answered, though from her wan face, she clearly wouldn't be if she didn't see to herself shortly.
"W-Where's Touran?"
"Sorry. I…ran. Had to get you your weapon," Rion gasped, collapsing onto her elbows as her healing spell faded. Setsuna was still sore and twitchy, meaning Rion didn't have enough energy to heal her fully. "Last saw her…on the wall."
Then Touran's angry voice rang out across the courtyard. "My brethren! Your deaths shall not be in vain! You lent your energy to our king. Now lend him your spirits so that he may truly rise again!"
Setsuna watched as Shuuran's body disintegrated into electric sparks that swirled along the red thread that led to the red pearl in Touran's upraised hand. Similar spirals of fire and cherry blossoms spiraled from the bodies of Karan and Shunran.
"What's happening?" Rion asked.
Staring out the open portal, they watched to their horror as the Panther King's wrinkled body sprouted a thick coat of rusty fur. Yellow eyes flashed back into his hollow eye sockets and gleamed as he stared down at Kirinmaru, whom he had caught by the horns and turned on his side. He twisted Kirinmaru's neck as if to break it, though the beast king resisted.
"No, Father!" Rion screamed.
Meanwhile, Setsuna barely made out the image of her father in his human form lying on the ground by the Panther King. When had he transformed? Had the Panther King really hurt him so badly?
No! The Panther King is finally resurrected, but Father's in no shape to slay him. They're going to lose! What do we do?
And that's when she noticed the red thread again hovering between Touran and the Panther King. The Yukari no Tachikiri pulsed in her hands.
"Rion, do you see that?" she muttered.
"See what?"
"The red thread between Touran and the Panther King."
Rion shook her head. "What are you talking about?"
Setsuna frowned and gripped her weapon tighter. The words Totosai had spoken to her upon gifting her the weapon—words she hadn't understood at the time—came back to her.
Cut through the bonds of fate. Is this what he was talking about? Setsuna wondered. But…what happens if I cut that thread?
She didn't have time to wonder about it. "Help me up," she commanded the dog demons, and they did. She took a deep breath, trying to force strength back into her legs. She likely only had one shot at this, as Touran probably thought her down for the count.
Setsuna sprinted through the portal, straight towards the Panther King. He glanced over, but her attention wasn't on him. Rather, it was on the red cord wavering in front of him. She leapt into the air and swung her naginata.
"Yukari no…Tachikiri!" she cried out. The blade turned red, and she slashed through the thread.
Immediately, the red pearl shattered, raining down on Touran's stunned head. Setsuna fell back to the ground in a heap, unable to move.
The Panther King jerked up and backpedaled away from Kirinmaru. Then he lifted his head in a wordless roar as the fur fell from his body. His bones moaned as they tumbled to the ground and disintegrated into dust.
"No! My king!" Touran screamed. Tears lined her eyes. She looked down at Setsuna. "I'll kill you for this!" She raised her hand, and a spear of ice formed over her shoulder. She launched it.
Setsuna watched her throw the spear as if in slow motion. Move, she told her body. Damn it all—move!
But she couldn't. She was too weak. She was going to die.
And then a flash of white flew in front of her, and the clang of metal on ice rang out across the battlefield like a gong. The ice spear flipped end over end until it landed in the dirt behind them.
Sesshoumaru stood before Setsuna and raised a sword that crackled with green energy. His entire midriff was coated in red. "It's over, Touran," he growled. "Surrender or die."
Though he said the words without slurring and stuttering, Setsuna detected the strain in them.
He's so hurt, but he still managed to come and save me.
Touran stared down at them. She glanced around at the bodies of her comrades and the pile of ash that was her king. She stood up straighter. "I will not surrender."
Without hesitation, Sesshoumaru cried out, "Bakusaiga!" and slashed in Touran's direction, sending a bolt of green energy at her. When it struck her, her body vaporized instantly.
Setsuna breathed a sigh of relief. "We won."
But her father did not turn to her and celebrate. Instead, he flew into the air and turned towards the battlefield. The panther demon army was in full retreat. He looked towards his and Kirinmaru's armies. An army of dead lay between and interspersed among them. He replaced his blade and then drew his second one: the Tenseiga.
Then he slashed once towards his army and a second time towards Kirinmaru's army before replacing his sword. To Setsuna's amazement, dozens of the dead on the battlefield suddenly stood up and began to walk.
"You…brought them back to life," Setsuna said in wonder as he alit before her. "Is this how you won so many battles in your life?"
"I could not do this. Not before I met your mother." Then he fell to his knee, his head drooping.
"Father!" Setsuna cried out, dropping her naginata and crawling to his side. "You're badly wounded. We have to get you treated."
"I am fine, Setsuna. More importantly, you—"
"I'm okay," she interrupted. "Rion healed me earlier. But you're not well. Please—"
"No," he answered, cupping her cheek once again and staring hard into her indigo eyes. "You've made me proud, Setsuna. You have proven yourself truly worthy of our family name."
Setsuna's eyes watered, and she clutched the hand on her cheek, relishing in the fact that it was still warm and alive and that she could feel it once again. "Thank you, Father, for letting me find my own way."
"This was always your path, Setsuna: to bridge the world of demons and humans."
Setsuna looked at the looming mass of The Wall before her and smiled. "I think you're right. Let's get you home to rest, Father. And then…we have a missive to send."
AN: OMG, why do I keep doing this to myself? All these back-to-back action chapters are killing me, lol. But in the end, I'm pleased with how this one came out. I hope you are too!
Oh, also, surprise, surprise: it's very likely there will be two more chapters after this, because I don't think I can end this in one more—not with what I had planned for the resolution, haha. But we'll see what happens when I actually write it. Until next time!