Hey Y'all! Happy New Year! It's been a while. Let me just say I appreciate your continued support and it is not being taken for granted. Know that slow burns are just as hard to write as they are to read but I'm happy to report we are heading in the right direction. This story has done so much for me and my overall creative process, and for that I am grateful. There is so much more I feel like I am capable of doing and of those things, I want to highlight my podcasts, "Body of an ExtrAvert" & "The Girl, Sis, Ma'am Podcast". I won't bribe you all with new chapters because my writing schedule is anything but organized these days, but the support would be greatly appreciated. The podcasts are on Youtube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, basically anywhere you listen. Be sure to subscribe and show your support. We are also on instagram TheGSMPodcast. Without further ado.
There it was again, the light in her eyes that put the sun and stars to shame, the light that would tempt the blind to see, and the light that could bring a stronger man to his knees. A part of him lamented that this light was always at its brightest when she was running into battle or more aptly, running away from him and towards disaster.
Rin took no breath of hesitation as she grabbed the blade at his side and began running towards the river where the horde was quickly approaching.
It was ironic really, that he would be awake as his worst nightmare played out before him. She wore his colors, his robes, while she ran towards damnation using the skillset, the weapon that he had afforded her.
The cries of battle had already begun, and he could feel the air come alive with the charge of an insatiable bloodlust. He ran after her and cursed himself for his rotten luck. His eyes scanned the tree tops to no avail, her precious Lord was nowhere in sight.
"Damn him." He growled as he sprinted after her.
He watched as Rin ran aptly onto a small boulder, weighing the sword in hand before taking the hilt firmly in hand. She stood on the boulder, her obsidian hair a cape in the wind, twirled the sword in hand and then launched it towards her mark.
"Take cover!" She shouted as she threw it full force into the soft neck of the beast.
Kaito and Seirin looked back at the woman before turning to face the roaring ogre once more. They watched as his battle cry was cut short by the blade protruding from his neck. They watched as the mountainous beast choked on its own blood before coughing it up.
Rin's eyes narrowed, Kohaku's sword was no ordinary blade, it had been melted down and forged with demonic properties by Totosai. Her own blades were no different and she knew it should have felled the beast, of this she was certain. There was something amiss.
She watched as Seirin and Kaito leapt behind another large stone by the water quickly just as Kohaku caught up to her and yanked her to the ground. Kohaku covered her body with his own, taking the brunt of the falling debris with a gritted groan.
Her body hit the ground with a thud and just as she went to protest she stilled at the eerie screeching sound that engulfed the area before hearing a large boom. She looked up at Kohaku with a small gasp, Kohaku smirked and cocked a brow at her.
"It's new." He told her coyly.
"Totosai?" she asked.
He nodded quickly before they both rolled to either side of them to avoid the debris of flesh and stone. Kohaku could hear the hum of the blade and ran forth before vaulting into the air and grabbing it by the hilt. The force of the impact caused him to fall back and he watched as Rin sprinted towards the water towards the bloodshed.
"Are you unwell?! You're hardly dressed!" Seirin growled as Rin leapt over the boulder she and Kaito laid behind.
"After me!" Rin replied.
Kaito scrambled onto his feet as he ran to flank her left. Seirin stood to her feet shakily just as Kohaku ran around the boulder and looked back at her.
"Let's go!" he ordered before running after them and taking her right side.
Seirin growled mutely but nodded and took to her feet.
Kohaku looked over to Kaito, "Your blades!" he ordered.
Kaito unhooked the short length blades at his left side and bounded ahead to place them in Rin's outstretched hands behind her.
Rin glanced at the blades in her hands and the five remaining ogres who were gaining the favor in battle against the slayers.
We must be swift and effective Rin thought.
"Kohaku," she shouted over the noise.
"Yes, I understand. Kaito once the ogres are down, you and Seirin must lob off their heads. You cannot hesitate!" He ordered.
"Right!" They agreed.
"Rin!" Kohaku shouted.
"Yes!" Rin responded.
Kohaku watched as Rin pushed her feet into the ground beneath them, her lean leg muscles coiling and springing in response, allowing her to press forward with an uncanny speed charging towards the first demon.
Seirin gasped, She's going to sacrifice herself, she's going to die.
Rin charged forward, the rich moist ground beneath her feet only serving to inspire her next move. She picked up momentum and gripped both swords in an iron tight grip as she slid onto her knees and spread her arms to cut down the demon's legs from under him.
She heard the abominable sound of tearing flesh and muscle before she felt the warm spray of blood coat her, serving to propel her forward under the legs of the next ogre. She pivoted on her knees, spinning out with her arms outstretched, to dislimb the next ogre. She felt another warm spray of blood envelop her and she spun once more to watch the beast fall, digging her toes into the earth to stop her slide.
She turned towards Kohaku's men in haste.
"Quickly, while he's down! Lob off the head!" she shouted.
"DAMN YOU!" An approaching ogre shouted as he swiped at her.
Rin rolled to the side, just barely avoiding the blow. Just as she gripped the swords in her hands in defense, she heard a strong humming sound closing in on her.
"GET DOWN!" Kohaku shouted from a distance.
Rin immediately curled in on herself defensively as the ogre prepared to bring his folded hands over her.
A hard thwack and grunting sound was all she heard before the shrill screeching sound ensued and then the explosive boom.
Rin felt herself be thrust back by the blast and she grit her teeth as the debris of blasted stone and flesh rained on her. She clutched her head as she felt a throbbing pain shoot through her temple and another pain at her midsection.
A piercing ring rang in her ears as she felt the earth trembling beneath her. She opened a bleary eye to see what looked like a small horde of demon and men running towards her, she watched as the men moved their lips in an effort to communicate with her and yet no sound reached her. Black spots began to color her vision as she wondered faintly who would meet their ambitions first; her would be saviors or assassins.
Suddenly a light erupted from the sky, she narrowed her eyes in an attempt to see, to glimpse at her salvation.
The two-headed beast shot forth another beam from its mouth through the small horde of men and ogres, caring naught for the distinction of friend or foe. He landed in front of Rin and stood before her valiantly.
She felt two arms wrap around her securely before shaking her without reproach.
"Rin? Rin!" Kohaku shouted, before another shout of rage from the enemy inspired him to clutch her to his chest, behind the scaled beast of burden.
He gritted his teeth as he used the reins to pull himself up to oversee what was happening. By some miracle, all of his men were still alive, though it wouldn't be that way for long. Two more ogres remained standing and the aftershock of the blast from his sword and from the dragon had now dissipated.
Kaito rushed to his side and looked down at the woman in his arms. Her eyes were slightly unfocused but she pushed against Kohaku's chest and he helped her brace against the two headed beast.
"Good boy A-Un." Rin breathed in fatigue.
The demon blood on her had cooled but she felt a warm source leisurely crawling down the right side of her face. She brought her fingers to her temple shakily and winced at the pain that quickly enveloped her.
"Damn." she muttered.
"Can you stand?" Kaito asked her.
Rin huffed breathily, "Of course I can stand. The question is whether I can fight."
Seirin scoffed, "Won't you spare us of such fallacies?"
Kaito looked at her briefly before looking at Kohaku and then the battlefield. The corner of his mouth tugged upwards.
"On three men!" Kohaku ordered.
"One, two-"
"Up there!" One of Kohaku's men shouted from a distance.
Another light appeared from above, this time a razor thin green whip encircling the remaining two ogres, overlapping in its embrace around them before eviscerating them limb from limb. Lord Sesshomaru emerged from behind the clouds, peering down on them before, his golden gaze capturing entreating brown eyes, before vanishing before them.
Kohaku and Kaito ran over to the other slayers to check on their wellbeing while Seirin stayed beside Rin. She glanced at the woman who was covered in blood but affectionately murmured to the two headed dragon.
So this was the woman Kohaku was in love with.
Rin glanced over at her tiredly, "You fight well." she noted as she fought to catch her breath.
Seirin could feel her face heat but said nothing.
"But I already knew that." Rin finished as she walked past the slayer towards the water with the assistance of A-Un.
She watched as the dragon drank water peacefully as if nothing had happened, one head would quench its thirst while the other sniffed and nuzzled at the woman who stroked its mane leisurely.
"I should go check on everyone. I serve as our impromptu healer." Seirin informed her. She began making her way across the field before giving the woman an entreating look.
"Perhaps you should stay behind for a while, rinse. After all, the last thing you need now is for your own wounds to become infected by ogre blood.
Rin smiled softly at the young woman, her own short hair was covered in blood and muck, her slim figure likely just as bruised but instead of pointing it out, she nodded, after all she knew when she was being placated.
"Of course, thank you, I'll be along shortly." Rin promised.
"I've never seen a woman fight like that in my life." Yuichi bellowed as he and the other men laughed, recounting their recent victory.
"She is fearless." Another boasted.
"Or wreckless." Seirin muttered as she finished wrapping the ankle of another slayer who thanked her.
"Having the young woman accompany us could only serve to benefit us." Yuichi argued.
Kohaku smiled, "I'm glad to hear that you were all so impressed by her."
Kaito chuckled to himself, "I could certainly understand how one might become so taken with her." He said in a low voice as he nudged a frowning Kohaku.
Seirin scoffed as another of them commented on Rin's performance.
Kaito shot her a knowing look and smirked boyishly.
"You don't agree then?" he asked pointedly.
She shrugged off handedly, "I am not saying the girl has no talent, but she is an exhibitionist, she attacks without reproach and that does not require skill. She also cannot be controlled, she does not wait for direction. It is very clear she is not used to fighting alongside others and considering we are a team, it could be a costly mistake."
The slayers murmured in response, some in a reluctant agreement others in disapproval.
"Her demon companions compensate for that though. Our combined forces could easily infiltrate and eliminate the ogres." Daichi, a more seasoned fighter replied.
Seirin gasped, "Those demons," she hissed, "Have no allegiance with us. The other night the inuyoukai said he would kill any one of us without hesitation. Would you really be so eager as to run into battle alongside him? Even the two headed dragon took no note of whom he directed his attack on the field. Their single objective is the woman, who for all we know is a inumochi."
Kohaku felt his hands clench at the insinuation but chose not to voice his distaste in fear of showing prejudice.
Yuichi frowned, "Kohaku trained her, as he did many of us, as he did you. He can vouch for her character."
Daichi stroked his chin, his face pensive, "But can he vouch for the character of this Lord Sesshomaru? That is the concern. His power is great, without a doubt, but Seirin is right; he has no allegiance. Say this Rin dies in battle? What then?
"She will not die." Kohaku said in a hard voice. "He wouldn't allow it."
"Neither would you, it seems." Daichi replied, "What will this divided attention cost us?"
"Oh come," Kaito argued, "We look after one another in the same manner. This is no different. We will eradicate the ogre tribe and part ways indifferently."
Kohaku nodded in agreement before clearing his throat, "Well?" He addressed the group. "You've all spoken amongst yourselves for some time. You've seen a great number of things in the past day, what have you to say?"
Rin let the wind tussle her freshly washed hair and color her cheeks as she soared aimlessly with A-Un, who seemed more than pleased to see her. The beast soundly took a different direction and Rin knew she was headed towards her.
They landed before Sesshomaru who sat languidly a few meters from the cave where the slayers were likely discussing them.
Rin dismounted the beast and stood before him as he stood and began walking toward her. His movement lacked haste and she wondered if this would be a precursor to his anger. She steeled herself as his hand outstretched towards her.
His fingers tucked under her chin and beside her cheek, before moving her head around slowly. Her face heated at the contact and his golden eyes narrowed on the side of her head. He touched the right side of her temple tenderly, noting a bruise in place of the open gash that has been there during the battle.
It would seem the demon energy within her had taken well to her system.
Rin brought her finger softly over his, feeling the tender but otherwise healed skin.
"How," She began before interrupting herself, "What did you do to me? How did you save me? My legs should be in tatters, I had no armor; yet my wounds, they're healing."
He looked over her mutely, the garment he had given her soiled and poorly cleaned, still hugged her body nearly twice over. Tensegia throbbed at his hip.
He dropped his hand and took A-Un's reins in hand. "Go Rin, the slayers seek an audience with you."
He began walking in the opposite direction with A-Un and Rin launched for his hand, "Wait, where are you going?"she asked.
He cocked a brow at her in reproach and she snatched her hand back. "My Lord." she added awkwardly.
"I will return shortly." He said offhandedly before taking flight.
Rin walked into the cavern and a series of applause and whoops greeted her. The small group of slayer encircled her with compliments and thanks, introducing themselves and subsequently pulling her into conversation for a better part of the day.
She sat across the one named Yuichi now and he smiled at her shyly as they discussed his past as a village healer's son. His knowledge of wildflowers and their vast properties was a shared interest that was easy to discuss and laugh over. Rin confessed that the flowers she often tucked into her braids were often more resourceful and medicinal than fashionable and he laughed at her cleverness.
Kohaku came over then and led her away, towards the back of the cave where a nice fire was roaring.
"You've made quite an impression." He informed her.
"I'm sure you oversold them on my capabilities but I'm never one to rebuke kindnesses." She replied, brushing the small patches of dirt off of the white kimono.
Kohaku rolled his eyes, "I did no such thing, I assure you. However it's been made clear that your presence would be missed in our coming battle against the ogres."
Rin hummed in acknowledgement. "Yet my allegiance is being questioned." she replied. "I'm a woman Kohaku, I can hear the words that aren't being spoken."
Kohaku shrugged, "They more so question Lord Sesshomaru's but I know better."
"Do you?" she replied, "I certainly don't. You had already agreed to travelling with us earlier, the question was never truly about me. It was about him and I cannot speak on his behalf."
Kohaku nodded, "Yes you are right. I am confident however, that he will stay for battle."
"You think he will accompany you because I do." Rin said plainly.
"Yes." he replied honestly.
"I'm not so sure." Rin said honestly, "I, I may have overstepped my place."
Kohaku looked at her curiously, but didn't ask the question he felt burning on his tongue.
"Yun!" someone shouted.
Kohaku's head whipped around towards the front of the cave before he scrambled to his feet and made his way over.
Rin followed after him and watched as Sesshomaru entered the cave with A-Un, who carried the injured man on his saddle alongside Jaken.
"Master Jaken, Yun!" Rin exclaimed as she made her way over to the man who laid unconsciously on the saddle.
"He's alive." Kohaku breathed in shock looking back over at Lord Sesshomaru and then Rin.
"He's the slayer you thought had died." Rin pieced together.
"You saved him." Kohaku said as he looked over at Lord Sesshomaru.
"I did no such thing." Lord Sesshomaru said as he placed the reins in Rin's hands and walked out of the cave.
"Not a man of many words." Daichi observed.
"Yuichi, Kaito, Daichi here, help me move him toward the cot in the back. Seirin, let us know what you need." Kohakau ordered. "The rest of you, start hunting now, before it gets too late. It will be a long night.
The slayers went to work quickly and Rin watched as Seirin, the only person she hadn't spoken to, began gathering her tools.
Rin went over to A-Un's saddle and grabbed her bag of herbs and ointments. She walked over to where Seirin kneeled over Yun, the woman looked at her expectantly.
"I was raised by a village miko and healer, I can be of some help." Rin informed her. "Besides I was the one who discovered and tended to him. I can tell you where the most damage is."
Seirin nodded, "Let's begin."
The women worked tirelessly over Yun and had not finished yet, but Kohaku found that pacing in the cave was of no help to anyone so he left. He watched as the other hunters returned but stayed a ways away from the cave, skinning and preparing to cook the animals that would serve as their dinner.
He looked over to his left where Sesshomaru sat a ways away and made his way towards him. The demon did not acknowledge him although there was no doubt that he could hear his every breath and step.
He stood beside where he sat for a period of time without uttering a word. Finally Kohaku cleared his throat.
"Rin," he began.
"You lust after her." Sesshomaru said in the dead of night.
Kohaku whipped his head around and turned to face the stoic demon whose pale skin almost glowed in the moonlight.
"No."
His eyes narrowed. "You've reeked of nothing but hot blood, adrenaline, and lust since we've gotten here and yet you choose to lie."
Kohaku smiled reluctantly, "Your senses really are that keen aren't they?" He sighed before taking a seat and folding his hands in his lap while looking up at the stars. "That doesn't mean you're right though, well not completely anyway."
"Oh?" Sesshomaru responded uninterestedly.
"I don't lust for her, I love her." he said simply. "Lust is a part of love but love is truly something entirely other."
Sesshomaru didn't reply.
"But you already knew that." Kohaku stated.
Sesshomaru shrugged in feigned disinterest.
"I won't do her the dishonor of asking her to stay with us after battle, or asking for her hand, so you needn't worry." The slayer said suddenly.
Sesshomaru looked at him in bemusement. "Do errant thoughts run rampant in the minds of men? Your affairs with Rin are none of my concern."
"Your affairs with her are of my concern." Kohaku replied.
"Is that right?" Sesshomaru asked stiffly.
"Yes, she isn't the child you left behind some 10 years ago. She is a woman now, she has wants and needs. If you can't or won't fulfill those needs, do her the honor of informing her."
"You assume our relationship has evolved beyond that of a Lord and his ward. Why is that?" Lord Sesshomaru asked.
The boy leaned back, not at all moved by the demon's indifferent nature.
"Because Rin sees us for exactly who we are and chooses to love us anyway, not because of what we have or how people perceive us, but because she sees in us what we cannot even see in ourselves. That's what makes her so incredible. She can love anything, that's her gift and she has chosen to love you above everyone else because of what she sees in you. Not to mention she is forthright, if she has not done so already she will act on her feelings, she's no coward."
Lord Sesshomaru turned to look at the young man beside him and was met with a firm stare. He felt the corner of his lip tug upwards in humor.
"Certainly not." Lord Sesshomaru agreed as he recalled their brief kiss.
Kohaku glared at the man and watched his golden eyes meet his with mirth; he felt his face heat.
"So unless you send her away or she leaves of her own accord, I will not try and subject her to my feelings no matter how ardent they may be, because I want the best for her, I want her happiness and in that way I will know that I loved her in a way that others have not." He continued.
Kohaku looked at the demon, a sparkling resolution in his eye that could not be missed and not for the first time, he found himself vexed by the presence of this young slayer.
Truly he had grown into a fine specimen for his race. He stood almost as tall as Sesshomaru himself and had broad shoulders and defined muscles that he made no effort to hide. His tousled unkempt hair covered the nape of his neck and even poured into his eyes a bit and Sesshomaru was under the impression that he cut his hair himself when needed.
He was not particularly groomed but he was certainly no barbarian and more, he spoke of Rin with what he was sure humans referred to as love and compassion. Not for one second during his tirade did his words falter or heartbeat stutter, he truly meant everything he said and as his nostrils flared, jaw clenched, and muscles tensed his body confessed that even in his anger, his love for the girl was enough that he could sit before Sesshomaru and put his life on the line. If it meant her happiness.
"Your concern is unwarranted. Rin is an adult, her choices are made without my influence. Who she chooses to entertain, outside of being my vassal, is entirely her business. From what I have come to understand however, entertainment is not love. You'd do well to remember that."
He continued to watch Sesshomaru now, almost daring him to say more but instead he smirked as a new revelation came upon him.
"You say that now but we aren't all that different, are we Lord Sesshomaru?" He guessed, a sly smirk spreading across his dried lips. "I wonder what you smell like when she's around."
Lord Sesshomaru opened his mouth in reply before the scent of blood and tears caught his attention. He could hear her panting as she made her way to them, Kohaku turned and saw as Rin sprinted to them and stopped in front of them.
"How is Yun?" he asked.
Rin shook her head in the negative and watched as the blood left Kohaku's face before he turned and ran to the cave.
Lord Sesshomaru watched as he left and returned to his star gazing, although he could feel Rin's eyes on him.
"There's nothing we can do, he's going to die. Please my Lord, save him." Rin requested.
Sesshomaru looked at her calmly and started walking towards the cave.
"How entertaining." he said thoughtfully.
