Chapter Fourteen: Aikizōha
[61 Days since the incident]
A mere two months since Sesshomaru's attack on Kagome and everything changed. Sesshomaru joined the group and was slowly accepted as one of them. Inuyasha was starting to understanding the jealousy that Kagome felt when he ran off with Kikyo, but also couldn't see his brother in the hateful light he had been used to. Sango and Miroku saw Sesshomaru as a comrade, almost a full-fledged friend. Shippo had gotten accustom to the demon so quickly that he was already using him as a shield and picking on him when he could. Above all else, the one thing that shocked the group most of all, was that Sesshomaru showed a side of himself they did not know he had. When he realized that it was his castle that Naraku was now inhabiting, he expressed just enough fear and vulnerability to ask his brother for help.
"I cannot do this alone. I… need your help." Sesshomaru looked at his brother when asking the question, his pride not allowing him to ask all of them, but they knew it was to them all.
"I've got your back." Inuyasha said with a very new determination. He was going to help his brother.
"We all do." Miroku added.
Sesshomaru shifted his gaze to Miroku, who nodded at him. He looked at everyone in the group and each of them gave confirmation that they agreed with Miroku's statement.
"Thank you all." Sesshomaru said gratefully and nodded.
The group picked up their pace. There was no idling now. Sesshomaru led the way. Kagome was carried by Inuyasha. Shippo sat on Kagome's shoulder. Sango and Miroku flew on Kilala. All of them were rushing as fast as they could. They ran along a dirt road through a forest until they came to a large open valley at the base of a large mountain with flowers that littered the ground. Sesshomaru suddenly slid to a stop, reaching out with both arms to stop Inuyasha and Kilala, therefore stopping the entire group.
"A barrier." Sesshomaru said, his voice hissing from the anger.
"Yes, a powerful one too." Miroku said.
"I've got it." Inuyasha said and set Kagome down. He pulled out the Tetsusaiga and focused until the blade turned red. Inuyasha took a deep breath and swung his blade at the barrier with all his might. The blade sunk into the barrier and it was expected to dispel, but the barrier began pushing Inuyasha back. The half-demon tried his best to keep pushing it. Yelling as he put all his strength into cutting it down.
Sesshomaru saw this and decided to aid his younger brother. He unsheathed Tokijin and swung the blade at the area that Inuyasha already cut. Demonic energy shot forward in a wave of blue lightning and the barrier broke beneath the weight of both of the brother's power. As the barrier was shredded, everyone was shocked at the sight before them. It had been an illusion in their way.
From the distance, before the barrier was broken, they had been greeted with a beautiful castle surrounded by large white stone walls. The grass had been bright green and inviting, but once the illusions was broken and the truth revealed, the group was speechless. The green grass had been burnt and nothing but dirt and ash was left. The walls of Sesshomaru's castle had been broken in at multiple areas, the gate doors broken in and laying on the floor. The roof was smashed in and evidence of fire was everywhere. Many bodies scattered about the once lush fields, blood staining the grounds.
The group looked to Sesshomaru who was just standing there. His eyes were filled with horror. His home had been destroyed, defiled by Naraku and his demons. He recognized his men strewn about, dead and rotting, having fallen in battle defending his home. The group heard him take a sharp inhale of air, as if he had gasped. Kagome walked up and set a hand on his shoulder, so his head snapped toward her. For a brief moment, his eyes were red and everyone but Kagome was ready to fight him, but he calmed. She seemed to expect the reaction and didn't budge. He couldn't hurt her. She trusted that she was safe.
"It's Kagura." Sesshomaru said, his voice low and full of rage.
Sesshomaru took a deep breath and looked to Inuyasha, his demeanor returning to normal. Inuyasha got the hint and the two darted forwards without another word. They ran through the valley filled with dead and up to the large ornate gates that had been broken through. As they came to the courtyard, their eyes fell upon Kagura, who was sitting peacefully on Sesshomaru's porch. She looked like she was sleeping, which angered him more. She defiles his home and dare rest like it did not happen?
Sesshomaru swung Tōkijin and release a blue wave of energy toward Kagura. The sudden sensation caused her eyes to shoot wide open. She had no time to dodge, but it wasn't going to hit her anyway. Sesshomaru sent the attack as a warning shot and it blew on beside her, destroying some of the entry way of his own castle. Kagura looked up to see Sesshomaru and Inuyasha's group together. It was an unexpected sight, but it would be ignored for now. As the rubble fell behind her, she stood up with her fan at the ready.
"Well, you've finally returned." Kagura said and slid her fan open. "I've been waiting here for a couple of days now. Who knew you'd leave your home and the girl unguarded for so long?"
"You dare defile my home, Kagura?" Sesshomaru began walking toward her.
"Ah, ah, ah." Kagura chuckled and pointed her fan toward Sesshomaru. "The boy, Kohaku, is currently watching over your young ward and the annoying green bug. They're not anywhere near here, so take care on what action you decide to take next, Sesshomaru. He's been ordered to kill them both if I do not send message every eight hours and the last seventh hour has gone by. If you want the message sent and the girl returned to you unharmed, along with the imp, I have a message for you."
"What message?" Sesshomaru asked.
"Now, that's better." Kagura closed her fan. "Naraku wants you to collect something for him. The wolf demon, Koga, has jewel shards embedded in his legs. Retrieve them for Naraku and your companions will be returned to you once the jewel shards are in my possession and I can deliver them to him."
The group was silent, watching Sesshomaru for any hints on what he was thinking. There were none.
"It's a good thing the jewel means nothing to you." Kagura said, chuckling before turning to Inuyasha and the group. "I have one for you guys too. I'm glad I don't have to hunt you down this time. Kikyo is currently in Naraku's custody, just like the young girl of Sesshomaru's. If you want her returned, hand over the shards of the sacred jewel. Only then will Kikyo's safety be guaranteed."
"You're despicable, Kagura." Kagome spat angrily.
"Don't kill the messenger. It wasn't my plan and it's not like I've got a choice in the matter." Kagura grabbed the feather from her hair. "Now just do as Naraku says and none of them will get hurt. I'll return here in a week to collect the shards."
With Naraku's messages delivered, Kagura flew off on her feather, leaving the group behind in a graveyard that was once Sesshomaru's home. They were shocked. The battle they expected to happen didn't and it left them all worried, angry, and unsatisfied. Rin and Kikyo were in Naraku's clutches and the only way to get them back was to trade them for jewel shards, Koga's and their own.
"What do we do?" Sango asked.
"We think and come up with a plan." Miroku said as he walked over to one of the many fallen bodies. "But at this moment, we bury them."
"Bury them?" Sesshomaru questioned the monk.
"We don't leave them like this. You knew them." Kagome explained. "So, we honor that by putting them to rest."
"I see. Thank you, but burying all of this is unnecessary." Sesshomaru explained as he looked around at the slaughter. "Most of these were servants of my castle. It is best to burn them. There are a few that deserve a grave. That I will appreciate. However, there is one thing I must do first."
Sesshomaru walked into his castle and disappeared into the darkness. Everyone else went to gather the bodies for Sesshomaru to identify. Kagome was the only one curious about what Sesshomaru was doing. As her friends worked, she went after him. The first room she entered was large entrance. Even with the debris and fallen demons riddled along the floor, Kagome was able to appreciate the ornate carvings along the walls, paintings, and other decorations that made the area quite beautiful. At the corner of her eye, she saw the edge of Sesshomaru's hair at the top of a staircase.
Kagome hurried after him, coming to the top of the stairs and looking down the hall he went. She followed him down another hall, getting distracted by the interesting demonic architecture that she was passing by. A few times, she thought she lost him, but she was able to catch the silver again. She followed him up a second stairway, but the stairs were twice as steep as the stairways that she was used to. Once she got to the top, she took a deep breath to rest. Of course, he disappeared through one of about eight doors or two halls she saw.
"Uh…" Kagome hurried down the hall, opening and closing doors quickly to try and find him. Without any activity and no candles lit, this place was getting darker and spookier the further in she went. She couldn't hear anything with how deep she was and after going down another hallway, she wasn't entirely sure she was going to be able to find her way out. A creak in the floor behind her caused her to jump. She looked behind her, but saw nothing. She couldn't sense anything either, but doubted that she would because her powers were still gone. It only made her want to find Sesshomaru faster.
Kagome wandered around for a couple of minutes and the silence was getting to her. She went through room after room, coming across what she assumed were guest rooms, baths, offices, storage, and a single kitchen. Most of this area in the castle seemed untouched. Everything was made of a dark wood and had carvings along the trim of the walls. No human castle was this well thought out and taken care of. However, she was lost.
"Sesshomaru?" Kagome called out nervously, but not too loudly. She did not like being alone here. Another creak in the castle sent Kagome into a mild panic. She knew no one was there, but being alone in the strange castle made her anxious. She began running through hallways until she came to another staircase. This place had four floors and this staircase was even steeper. However, she chose to not go up another floor. "Sesshomaru?"
Sesshomaru, who of course was on the fourth floor, had not been aware he was being followed. Though her scent was always on his heels, he had been distracted by what occurred here and allowed his mind to let her presence go unnoticed. He didn't hear her call for him the first time, but he did the second and he could feel the pull of the mark. He quickly became irritated and put something in his haori before turning and going after her. He leapt down the stairs to see her running down another hall and turning right. He wasn't one to yell, so he walked after her instead.
Kagome didn't know where she was going and was trying to find the stairway down now. She turned another corner and came to a dead end, so she tried a door that was there. It was just a store room, so she turned back the way she came and ran again. Sesshomaru turned the corner, expecting her to stop running, but instead she ran into him and threw her arms around his waist. Kagome stood silently and just took a big deep breath to calm down. She was trembling. Sesshomaru was still not ready for this type of contact, but her racing heart prevented him from pulling away.
"You move too quickly for me to keep up." Kagome said and looked up to him. "I lost you on the third floor, sorry."
"It's fine, Kagome. Why were you so frightened?" Sesshomaru asked curiously. "There is no one here to be frightened of."
"It's dark, unfamiliar, and I was alone." Kagome said and let him go, rubbing the back of her head. "The only light came from the few windows this place has and the silence is a little unbearable. When I'm normally in one of these places, I could hear people doing something. Here, it's eerily quiet."
"I see. I do not understand why silence frightens you." Sesshomaru inquired further.
"It normally doesn't. I am just not as brave as I normally am, I guess." Kagome sighed in embarrassment, hugging herself. "If I ever get my powers back…"
"You will." Sesshomaru reassured her.
"When that happens, I think I will feel better about little things like this." Kagome said with a small smile. "Oh, did you get whatever you needed?"
"I did, but there is another in the basement." Sesshomaru explained and motioned for her to follow. He led her back through the way he had come and down the step flights of stairs. Kagome had a hard time walking back down them and ended up using his shoulder as a brace. He looked back at her and noticed her struggle. "These stairs are difficult for you?" he asked with an honest curiosity.
"Yeah, a little. Are all demon made stairs so steep?" Kagome asked.
"Yes. I assume the difference in our leg strength is why." Sesshomaru said and turned around to grab her waist. He set her at the bottom of the stairs and continued on. He did the same thing on the next and then led her to the basement. "You do not have to follow me down."
"I know, but I'm a curious human, remember?" Kagome said playfully as she looked down another steep set of stairs into completely darkness. "Can you see in the dark?"
"Not perfectly, but to a degree. I do not need light down there, if that is what you're asking." Sesshomaru said and walked down into the basement. As he got to the bottom, he looked back and held a hand out to her. She took it and walked down until he could reach and he picked her up again.
"So, what are you here for?" Kagome asked as she was set on her feet.
"An artifact that I am hoping can help us." Sesshomaru explained as he walked on.
The room was very dark. Near the stairs was okay, but everything else was too dark for Kagome to see in. As Sesshomaru walked off and the shadows began overtaking him, Kagome grabbed onto his sleeve and used that to guide her way through the basement. Sesshomaru watched her eyes dart around everywhere in search of some light, but knew she wouldn't find any, so he walked in a path that would make sure she wouldn't trip. Sesshomaru stopped, so Kagome did as well. There was silence for a few moments, leaving Kagome confused. Sesshomaru was watching her rely on him.
"You really trust me, don't you?" Sesshomaru spoke suddenly. His voice came out of the darkness for Kagome.
"Uh'huh." Kagome nodded, her hand gripping his sleeve tighter. "Why?"
"I would have never thought that you, of all people, would trust me to lead you through complete darkness." Sesshomaru said and turned to her. His sleeve left her hand because he turned, but she immediately grabbed onto his haori again. "It's interesting to observe, though I wonder if you believe the mark is what protects you here."
"What do you mean?" Kagome tilted her head curiously.
"I won't allow you to be harmed, yes, but I could leave you down here. You wouldn't be able to find your way out." Sesshomaru stated.
"You wouldn't do that." Kagome said and smiled at him.
"I wouldn't, hm?" Sesshomaru raised a curious eyebrow at her.
"I have faith in you, Sesshomaru." Kagome said and pat his chest and her smile grew. "I've learned a lot about you recently. I don't know if this is a compliment coming from me, but I hope you take it as one. You're a good man with a strong sense of honor. I wish we had all gotten to know you earlier, especially Inuyasha. If you are able to get beyond our circumstances of birth, I'd love it if you stuck around even after the mark is gone. I think Inuyasha would like to have some family, Sango said you being around was good too, and Shippo could use someone like you in his life."
"Kagome, I am not that boy's father." Sesshomaru said as clearly as he could make it. Kagome caught the worried tone.
"Sesshomaru, I am not asking you to be his father." Kagome replied smiling and giggling a little. "I am asking you to guide him, more like a mentor. I can't teach him the things a demon boy should know. You can. I was glad when you told us about the bathing thing. I would have never known."
"I see." Sesshomaru leaned down to be at eye level with her. Kagome could tell he moved and slid her hand up his chest to find where his face was. He allowed this to happen and didn't flinch when her hand came to his face. Kagome looked confused, but more curious.
"What?" Kagome asked, waiting for him to do something. "Did I say something that offended you? I really didn't mean to."
"No. I've taken the request as a compliment." Sesshomaru said, staring at her more. He couldn't place why, but for the moment, he was fascinated in her.
"That's good, so why are you so close?" Kagome asked. She could tell by where her hand was, that he was just out of the range of feeling his breath.
"I need you to stay here a moment." Sesshomaru said and brought his hand up to hers. He pulled it from his face, but Kagome could have sworn the tips of her fingers grazed his lips for a brief moment. Instead of reacting to that, she nodded and brought her hands to her chest. Sesshomaru stepped back, watching her still. She brought her hands over her heart and closed her eyes. For a few seconds, he just watched her from about ten feet away. He couldn't help it. His heart rate was up and he couldn't stop thinking about the idea of embracing her. He had to force himself out of that trance and turned himself away. He took a deep breath and hurried to the back.
Sesshomaru found a large chest and used his demonic aura to break a seal on it. The moment the seal was broken, a powerful gust of wind blew throughout the basement and rushed throughout the castle and over the surrounding lands. The air was thick with power, but it didn't feel human or demon. There was no alignment to it at all. It was a completely neutral energy that anyone within a mile could sense. Soon, the power calmed down and the air that so rapidly spread over the land rushed back into the castle and the basement, collecting around an item Sesshomaru now held.
"What was that?" Kagome asked frightened and raised her hands around her and felt around for something. She bumped into a couple boxes and her wrist hit a wooden column before Sesshomaru was back at her side. "Ow…"
"It was the unsealing of this artifact. Calm down." Sesshomaru told her. "I'll explain outside. I'm sure the others are concerned after the energy released."
"You didn't know it was going to happen, did you?" Kagome asked.
"I did not. I would have warned you otherwise." Sesshomaru replied.
"See. This is why we want you around." Kagome told him and reached out to pat his chest again. It ended up being his arm, but oh well.
"Come." Sesshomaru crouched slightly to wrap an arm around Kagome's waist and pick her up. She coiled her arms around his neck to hold on as they rushed out of the basement and toward the entrance. As expected, Inuyasha and the rest were already hurrying in to check on them.
"I can see again!" Kagome raised her arms like a delighted child as she was being set down.
"You couldn't see?" Sango asked.
"Yeah. The basement was really dark, but Sesshomaru found something." Kagome said and looked over to see what it was.
"Yes, this." Sesshomaru held up a beautiful katana. The hilt was silver and engraved with stripes that matched those on Sesshomaru's face and a crescent moon that matched his as well. The guard was made up of two crescent moons facing opposite directions. The sheath was the color of a sapphire, a deep blue. At the bottom was more silver matching the hilt. The craftsmanship was impressive, but what was most intriguing was the intense aura that radiated out from the blade. "Our father had it crafted by Totosai like the Tenseiga and Tetsusaiga. It's called Aikizōha."
"It's beautiful." Sango said in awe over the blade. "I've never seen such an elegantly crafted weapon."
"So, what's it for?" Inuyasha asked.
Sesshomaru looked to the blade and fell into his thoughts for a few moments. The group watched him curiously, waiting for an answer. Sesshomaru looked to Kagome and held the sword out to her. Kagome glanced between the sword and Sesshomaru before taking it.
"For me?" Kagome asked and eyed the weapon delightedly, but the expression fell to confusion. "I am no good with a sword."
"That blade was originally formed for a purpose like this." Sesshomaru explained. "It is the first demon blade that only a human can use."
"Only a human can use?" Kagome said and brought her hand to the hilt of the blade. She slowly pulled the blade from the sheath and power immediately began leaking from the opening. The wind around them picked up and everyone watched Kagome carefully. Slowly, her eyes began to change from brown to gold. A stripe formed on both cheeks, matching Sesshomaru's markings. Her hair lost its volume as it became more like silk, grew about a foot longer, and began turning silver. The group watched in awe, but also in fear for what the blade doing to her.
"K-Kagome?" Sango called out and Kagome shut the opening by re-sheathing the blade.
"Hm." Kagome blinked and was back to normal. She looked up to Sesshomaru. "You're giving this to me?"
"For now." Sesshomaru nodded. "With your powers gone, it will help you defend yourself. Like Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga, it will take time to master. You'll need to learn what its purpose really is and use that. Tetsusaiga can only be used when protecting a human. Tenseiga is used to bring the dead back to life. Aikizōha will also have a specific purpose, but I do not know it. I only know that it will grant you enough power to survive."
"That's a damn good idea, Sesshomaru." Inuyasha smirked. "Now you can join us again. You won't have to sit on the sidelines."
"Yes, that's great! I'll still have to learn how to use it first though." Kagome said excitedly and held the sword to her chest.
"…One more thing." Sesshomaru said and motioned for them all to follow. They went up stairs again, all the humans complaining about the steepness of them before reaching the top. Sesshomaru led them to a storage room and opened it up. "Change your clothes. You need something to fight in. This garment you insist on wearing is inappropriate and not suited for battle. I cannot fathom why you've chosen to continue to wear it."
The group laughed. Apparently, the rest of them agreed with Sesshomaru, but never had the heart to tell her. It was time to cover up!
