Rise and Fall of the False God
Chapter 15
Sesshomaru stood in the mouth of the cave watching the sunrise. The colors of the red sun rising over the blue-black sky reminded him of that night. It seemed so long ago now, the night that he fought his final battle beside his brother. He closed his eyes slowly and opened them again. Calm. Content. These were the only two words that could describe him.
Thinking on InuYasha only brought the quiet reverie of the strengths that Sesshomaru had learned that he possessed, and loathed to admit it, he had learned that InuYasha had a set of strengths all his own. Even thinking back on the death of Rin did not seem to raise his hackles. He was still sad, and angry, but in his calm way. For the first time since that night, he thought about it and Tenseiga did not have to pulse to keep his temper in line.
His eyes turned to the sleeping figure that was curled up under the warm blanket he had brought up here with him. He did not remember a lot of last night clearly; a lot of it was a blur. He knew what had happened, but recalling the memories seemed hard to do.
She had done it; she had brought it on herself. She had baited him and once again he had fallen for the bait. When did she get so damned good at manipulating him? She had manipulated him into doing what was best for him, the same as when she had manipulated him into biting her.
As he slipped down onto the blankets he sighed thinking harder, watching her sleep. What had happened? She had come onto him. She had purred her wiles into his ear. He had responded. But what after that? She had summoned on Suzaku, and he had responded.
Sesshomaru's eyes flashed to the still and cold statue of the bird.
They had done this on his fiery wings. Sesshomaru remembered having enough state of mind to think of that, if he didn't want to wake up with a corpse, he would have to move her to those healing wings. Yes. She had called Suzaku. She had… she had… she had given into him. Submitted.
He sighed and looked back to her calmly, affectionately. She had given into him for all that she had done. She had let him take his aggressions out on her. She had let him ravage her body as some form of retribution for forcing him to submit as her guard before her. He sighed again.
This warmth that spread through his chest was odd. And so he sat for a moment debating it. What was it? And why was he feeling it? Naturally his eyes again went back to the unmoving statue of the firebird, but it had nothing to do with it, and it waned when his eyes moved from Kagome. Hmm. He looked back at her and it came again. It bid him to move and he did, leaning down he did as it bid. Softly kissing the very corner of her lips… she stirred but did not rise. And luckily, for fear she would completely ruin the moment, she did not talk either. In her sleep she inhaled deeply as if smelling him and tilted her head to the side some, turning completely onto her back from the half sideways position she had been laying in. She exposed her neck and her stomach to him. His clawed hand slid over that stomach and he leaned down kissing her neck. In her sleep she giggled as those silky strands of white hair glid down over his shoulder and onto her face and chest, tickling her.
Again, that warmth came and he sat up, thoroughly perplexed. He understood the need to protect; he understood the need to dominate and how fulfilling it was when they submitted. But this was… different. He sat, thinking hard, trying to put a word to the feeling, but no word came.
He heard her swallow and knew she was awake. She had not opened her eyes, her breathing had only barely changed, her body remaining still. He had woken her when he kissed her, he only noticed now. How foolish of him, how could he have missed that?
"What are you pondering?" She asked, eyes still shut. He said nothing. Again, the words couldn't be formed. He wasn't a talker; he didn't know how to explain himself. "Ahh I see, it's ok, you don't have to talk, if you don't want to."
He turned sharply to look at her. Her eyes still closed, a grin on her lips. Those were the same words he had said to Rin the day he met her when she refused to talk to him. He closed his eyes again, the warmth over coming him, this warmth was different, this was the warmth he felt when he thought of Rin. Affection, overwhelming need to protect. Similar, but not the same.
Those eyes finally opened, and the brown hues found his own, a grin spreading over her lips. And without any reason or mental consent he greeted that smile with a smile of his own. Odd! He huffed slightly as if his own lips had betrayed him. She laughed.
"It's not that bad, it's just me." She said smiling. He thought for a moment. Remembering how her laugh used to annoy him to no end. That had only been a few weeks ago when she was giggling at Maru. But now it was a pretty sound, something he longed to hear consistently.
He thought… He hated her laugh because it was something that he could not do. He had nothing to be happy about, thusly he did not want to hear her happiness. But now… now he was happy. He was calm, content, at ease and… happy. And now her laughter was welcomed for it meant that she too was happy. And this fact alone, made him happy. He huffed again.
She just watched him as content as he was. He turned then and moved quickly, causing her to start some. He was now at the entrance of the cave, making sure that there was no one there, no one nearby. Then in a flash he returned to her side, only now did he remove the blanket from her naked figure. His fingers moved over the flesh, causing goose bumps to raise on her skin. He had to know what he had done. He had waited for her to awaken when he had seen the blood on the floor, and now he was afraid, he did not know what his beast had done to her. He had to know.
Her body was not marred by deep wounds or cutting scars. She had only silvery marks glistening in her skin where his teeth and his claws had torn at her flesh. Yet she was calm, even after being ravaged by a monster she was calm. He understood why he was, he had let the beast have its way, or rather he had been put on a leash and it had been set free, without his consent. But why was she calm?
Her figure shuddered as his nails traced over the bite marks absently, some of which were in such places as to make a woman shudder. Her calf, her thighs, her hips. He chastised his mind when the thought came to reopen one or two of them. Again, he huffed.
Her hand rose, without a word and beckoned him to her with a single finger. As if she had looped that finger in a collar he responded, lowering his body down over her own, she took him by the back of the head, coiling her fingers into the white threads of silk and pulling him in against her. He inhaled deeply and the urge was gone. It was him. All him! No one else and not Maru… just Sesshomaru. She was his. For now, for this moment. Again the calm came and he rested himself down on her, as if acting as her blanket that he had removed. Again that warmth spread through him and he had a crazed urge. He huffed.
"What…" She said worrying her lip because she was not wearing a shirt to worry the cuffs of. He looked at her and smiled softly. The warmth spiked when she returned it with a smile of her own. He huffed.
"WHAT!" She asked. Now she seemed unsure of weather to giggle or to cry. He leaned down and pressed his lips softly to her own.
"Mine." He said softly.
"Huh?" She asked. He smiled, she smiled back.
"Mine." He said again.
"Sesshomaru…" He silenced her with a kiss to the lips. That was a good word, it slid easily from his lips, like it was always meant to come from him.
"Mine." He crooned now against her ear. She shuddered and wrapped her arms around him. "Mine." He said dreamily.
"Sesshomaru." She crooned into his ear. "I love you…"
He sat up and looked at her, his head canting slightly in an almost comical way. She blinked at him.
"Say that again?" He said, as if a child that had heard a new word.
"I love you?" She asked. His head canted a bit more. She was trying not to laugh, he could see it, but he felt that spike again. The warmth that came up inside of him spiked when she said that word. Love. He thought back, trying to place the feeling. Love. Rin? He loved Rin, differently. InuYasha, he might have… in some recess of his worst nightmares even loved him. Love. His mother… he had loved her. His father, he had loved him… and Kyo… he knew he loved Kyo without a doubt. And Kagome… Sweet, innocent Kagome… who took a monster to her bed, and let him have his way with her. Who stood by that beast day in and day out… His Kagome… His…
"Mine." He said smiling. She smiled back as if her whole world had been lit with that one word. As if everything had suddenly been made right by her. She sat up, leaning into his ear, her breath was almost maddeningly warm on his ear.
"I love you too Sesshomaru."
And so… 'Mine' had been entered into the Idiot's Guide to Understanding Sesshomaru. 'Mine'… meant… 'I love you Kagome.'
The bodysuit was pulled on over her skin some hours later as they got ready to strike. Kagome's heart was racing, she was sure they could do it if everything went perfectly, if nothing went wrong, if no one that needed to be there got killed, if, if ,if,if! The white hakuma were pulled on over the bottom of the body suit, which provided some armor from attacks. They were enchanted by the kitsune not to be able to be stained. He said they would be good for battle and left it at that. Maybe they didn't tear easy, or like the fire rat regenerated. She glanced longingly over at the Fire rat. She knew she couldn't wear it, she needed to be strapped into the colors of the House of the Moon with the Lotus flowers showing her mates stature.
"Oh InuYasha, give me strength…" She said looking at the fire rat haori. Then back to Sango again.
They were just tying those armor plates that would go under her haori when there was a knock on the shoji. Kagome glanced over to see the familiar silhouette kneeling outside the shoji with his beaked face turned slightly away so he could not see her form though the screen.
"Yes Kyo." She said softly, her voice jerking as Sango tightened one of the straps.
"I still advise you against going onto the field m'lady." He said softly.
"So noted. Is that all?" She asked sharply. Said sharply was because she was glaring at Sango who had tightened the chest plate too tight and taken the air right out of her. Sango shrugged and grinned at her. She heard a slight chirping laugh from Kyo and glared at the screen to no avail, the bird remained there unable to see her features only her outline even if he was looking, which he wasn't… so… being the mature and respectable lady of the west that she was… she stuck her tongue out at him… haha!
"No." he said softly. "I must… see you."
She looked at Sango who shrugged. Was it kosher to let him in while she was dressing? She couldn't imagine that it was, but then again, accessing the Idiot's Guide, she remembered that demons had no modesty.
"Come." She answered. When he entered his large orange eyes didn't look to her, he simply dropped now to his knees on the inside of the Shoji rather than the outside. "Don't bow to me Kyo, you didn't bow you your Lord Sesshomaru, and I deserve that honor even less."
"I did not bow to my Lord Sesshomaru because he told me not to." Kyo said softly.
"Then I tell you not to." Kagome answered. "I'll not have you humbled before me."
The great bird rose to his feet smoothly, standing a near three feet over Kagome, or more. She looked at him, her arms out to the side as Sango was tying the haori closed.
"The children repaired this at my request." Kyo said, his clawed hand slipped into his sleeve and he withdrew the set of beads that she knew so well. They were the beads that Sesshomaru had broken, InuYasha's beads. "It is missing a fang." Kyo said. "We couldn't find it."
Kagome smiled and withdrew it from her own sleeve.
"I needed to keep a piece of it, that and Sesshomaru threw it at me." She giggled. A smile hooked on that beak and he held out his claws to her. There would be a day when she wouldn't have touched those claws that could easily shred her without a second thought. Now they were walking on a battle field at each other's side. She took the beads and then took his clawed hand. "Thank you Kyo."
"No need Kagome-sama." He said nodding to her. "You needed the spirits with you more than ever today, so you must have that which they hold close." He smiled and turned, walking from the room, leaving her standing there in thought.
"OW!" She growled glaring at Sango.
"SORRY!" She bit back loosening the obi a bit.
"We are ready!" The troops responded to Kagome as she stood in front of them.
"I have heard many things tonight. Things that you didn't think I could hear. Doubts. Fear. Reservations. I have seen you do amazing things over the last few days and I know that our planning could not be more perfected…" Her eyes swept to Kyo, who sat upon Kibo's back, the black dragon moving restless for action. "I would hear those fears now. From the mouths of the men that have them."
"They have our lands." One shouted out of many.
"They have our resources." Another called back.
"They have the weapons." A third came.
"They have the food." The last stated.
"Then by the Kami …" Kagome said. "We. Take. It. Back!" She cried out. The general uproar that came brought goose bumps to her skin, as did the covert grin from Maru standing with the Lotus Clan.
"Lotus Clan!" Kyo called out stepping forward.
"Hai!" The entire clan echoed at once.
"You will take the high grounds with the Miko archers. It is your job to make sure that they survive, their abilities will be needed."
"Hai!" They cried out.
"Wolf Clan!" Kyo said turning toward Kouga and company. "You will be brute ground force, we know this puts you on the front line. Can you do it?"
"Keh! Where else should we be!" Kouga cried out. He was cheered on by the barking and howling from the clan behind him.
"Hunters!" He cried out turning to Sango and her men. "You will be needed to clear the way to the east wall! Then you will back up the wolf clan!"
"Hai!" They all answered.
"Hanyou forces." He said rounding to the mismatched group or rabble they had made soldiers out of. "You will storm the walls when it goes down, until then you make sure that Setsujin's men have protection getting the powder to the wall."
"Hai!"
"Setsujin!" He turned to the elite troops. "Your men set and ignite the wall!"
"Hai!"
"Lady Kagome." He said turning to her. "You will be center field." There was a collective gasp from the troops. "Li will protect you, he will make sure that you escape." Again the gasp as all eyes moved to the blind dragon hanyou. "You will be the secret weapon."
"Hai!" She said smiling at Kyo. She then turned to the men. "Harken to me and hear me! This runt has taken all we hold dear, even our very life. He has killed our children, killed our lovers, killed for the sole reason that he can! We take back what is ours and we destroy the one called Rimiku today. Worry not for the outcome of the battle! Worry for your role. If you find yourself walking in the fields of moonflowers, know that you have done your part and you are already dead! But until that moment comes, WE FIGHT!"
There was a collective roar from the troops as they set into motion. Kagome watched for a moment standing proud before she mounted Ah and Un. They were trembling under her, and when she pushed them they responded with a fierceness and poise she thought them completely without! They were killers, a war dragon, which was clear to her now. She laid low against their back as they sped toward the House of the Moon for the final stand for the keep.
The words of the song she had taught him last night raced through his mind as he moved with his mother's clan. It was called Power and as he thought of it, it brought him strength, as he thought of her it brought him strength. The strength to return from this alive, not only for the House of the Moon but because he now had a reason to return, he had to return because she needed him.
"Ready Maru?" Banyuu asked softly smiling at him.
"This Maru was born ready." Maru growled.
Setsujin watched as the hunters moved in. Like pros they wiped the few guards that were posted there away as if they had never existed. This move was unexpected, but soon the wall would fall, and when it did there would be a wave of hell to be had. He knew that he might not survive, as was the same with the rest of the men, but it didn't matter. It didn't matter because Setsujin was willing to die if it meant taking back his home. If he knew that some day his mate and his children who had fled could return to these walls than he would die willingly on the field this day.
Kyo moved into the air. From there he could see the boy standing on the balcony watching him. The child's mismatched eyes looked up at him with seething hatred. Even he had never he seen such loathing from something so young.
"How dare you?" He heard the boy whisper. He raised his hand and Kyo did the same, that seemed to perplex the boy. He had told his troops that should he drop his arm, willingly or in pain, they were to charge, give Setsujin the time that he needed to get the wall down. He could feel the eyes of the wolf clan on him.
"I am here in the name of his Lord Sesshomaru's memory boy. The house is ours!" With that the arm fell as Kyo's world went red, the pain wracked his body and his wings gave out, spiraling toward the ground, the Wolf Clan came as they were told, it seemed only Yuki's eyes alone lingered on the falling bird, this was war, people fell, people died.
The air stood still. The wind stopped, no leaves blew, even breath became hard to come by. Rimiku's eyes turned to the middle of the field and there she was. Kagome Higurashi. His mismatched eyes widened at the woman as the power seemed to pulse from it. It seemed like from the ground she stood on, as she raised her arm holding the fan into the air, feathers started to whirlwind around her, whipping her clothes and body around, but everything else was still.
"Kagoura No Kaze! Come to the aid of Kyo!" And with that the large feather shot from the whirlwind and under the falling bird. Rimiku hissed as he saw the woman sitting on the feather holding the injured bird. Let her be, she didn't matter and neither did the bird.
That was when the world suddenly shook, first his mismatched eyes turned to Kagome, thinking she was up to something again, but no, she was watching, nothing happening. Then another shake, his head turned to the eastern wall as it collapsed in a hale of fire and black smoke. A bomb? She made a bomb? How in the name of hell did she make a fucking bomb?
His men scattered to ready for battle and Rimiku growled.
She pulsed. He looked glaring at her. The men running out of the way as a Monk, just a monk, appeared around them. He grimaced at this one odd. He seemed to simply stand with her as she readied for another summoning.
"What are you doing?" He cried out to the men that seemed reluctant to fight.
"The Ju-On Master!" They called out. Ghosts. Keh! They were scared of the ghost of a monk and a witch! Damn them.
"If you do not fight you will find a fate worse than them!" He growled and retreated into the castle.
The pulse came again. She could feel him coming out. She hadn't summoned him, he was coming because she needed him.
I will always protect you Kagome he had said, and now he was doing just that. She gripped Tetsusiga and then tossed it up into the air as the figure of InuYasha literally tore his way through the worlds in a flash of claws, grabbing the blade. No sooner had he touched it than did it spark to life.
"Inside InuYasha… kill the boy!" He looked at her, his ears up, and nodded, flattening himself into a run toward the keep.
The wolf clan was falling. She had to remain focused but it was hard and Miroku standing behind her, because he was holding the barrier up for her. She smacked his hand with her fan, because as he was holding the barrier he was also holding her ass, which was… needless to say… distracting.
"The wolf clan of the east, aid your brethren" She said waving the fan again as dozens of wolves and demons erupted onto the scene. Kouga only allowed himself a moments distraction as he howled, calling them into action.
From inside the castle the dragon erupted a loud roar. InuYasha remembered that stupid monster, but he had bigger fish to fry. He had to find the brat. Where was the brat.
"Over here InuYasha-kun!" A voice called out. Ah another summon, Kagome was being reckless again, too many creatures all at once, but that little girl knew this castle better than he did. She grabbed his hand and started padding through the halls.
"Where is he Rin." InuYasha asked.
"In the main hall with Sariyu!" She cried out as they came to the top of the stairs.
"Stay out of the way runt." InuYasha growled as he lurched himself over the edge of the balcony.
"Ok InuYasha-kun!" She cried out as she ran back up the stairs and disappeared.
Maru gasped as the moths took the field. The moth demons had been taken by Rimiku, they were going to try to steal the souls of the dead that had been called here. A defense they had not taken into account. He cringed as they came close, hitting them with as many arrows as they could before they were nearly on top of them when it came.
"TALKING NONSENSE!" He heard, spinning around to see a little green toad demon holding the staff of two heads, spewing fire out. He didn't know how he got it back, but he was glad that he had. He must say he had never been so happy to see Jakken in his life… and to any reading his mind… he would adamantly deny that later. The moths were burned away, ever last one.
"JAKKEN DID IT RIGHT SESSHOMARU SAMA!" He screamed into the air, not knowing where his lord was. And Sesshomaru said three words he had never said to Jakken before softly under his breath.
"Yes you did."
The walls were down. The men were fighting; it was a bloody battle outside and a bloody battle inside. InuYasha was limping heavily now. Nothing that Rimiku could do could hurt him, but that dragon was kicking his ass all over the main hall. He hit the wall and dodged just in time to miss those teeth digging into his figure. A spirit and a spirit were just like fighting normally. He kept trying to get to Rimiku, and he kept failing.
He felt the pulse from outside but he couldn't respond, he made another dash for the boy only to be caught in the Dragon's jaws, he turned swiftly.
"Self…" He said. "I have been here before, only it was white and fluffy not blue and scaly.. what did I do… what did I do… ah YES!" He hissed as he rammed Tetsusiga into Sariyu's eye.
"WIND SCAR!" He bellowed, the energy flew, taking the dragon's head apart, but not before those teeth sent InuYasha back to the darkness waiting to come again.
She felt InuYasha's essence return, it was too weak to summon again. A tear fell.
"I call to the ancestors of my mate to come to my aid!" She cried out. "I call on the ancestors so hear my plea." She again threw the fan and again it was caught as the wind started to pull in a torrent like a tornado. Saiuri appeared again, flipping the fan open. And then standing beside her she heard the blade drawn and the pulse that made Tenseiga and Tetsusiga seem meek in comparison. Sou'unga came to the ground at Kagome's side as InuTaisho stepped out beside her.
"We hear your call daughter." He said softly. She smiled even in all of this death.
"We answer your call daughter." Saiuri responded. They turned and moved onto the field, moving together like a well oiled machine and left her wondering if maybe, some day… her and Sesshomaru would be like that… if there was a one day.
She returned from her reverie and smacked Miroku's hand again.
The ground rumbled and Kagome wondered for a moment if another explosive had gone off. The red fire ball struck where she had stood as Li suddenly had her in his arms, she looked over to see Genbu in all of his glory, the giant island sized turtle with volcanoes on it's back, each one of them erupting with a fire ball headed haphazardly over the group.
"We have to get Rimiku, Li." She said. "To stop the summons…"
"Lady Saiuri has entered the palace." Li said. "You're place is out here, this is what you need to worry about."
"But…" she said looking up at him.
"No buts!" His voice was sharp and it scared her for only a moment. "Focus girl!"
She looked back at the battlefield with a determined nod.
"It's time." She said softly.
Rimiku dodged blow after blow from the woman. He remembered her from the first time he had ever seen Kagome do this ghostly thing. She was fast and it hurt when she had hit him.
"My son will never be your slave." She growled. "You cannot summon the gods to fight their own people! BLASPHEMY!"
Rimiku reeled off as he was smacked hard with the fan.
"You are a traitor to your own blood!" She growled hitting him again. He managed to push her back and get to his feet.
"You are a traitor to the people you want to rule over!" She growled, she swept the fan and Rimiku flew, his air gone as he collided hard enough with the wall to make it crack behind him. He looked up and she was gone… where was she… he pulled himself to his feet running toward the western tower.
The archers were out of arrows, the Miko were weary. Maru was watching them fall. Banyuu couldn't summon the help of Sariyu here; he couldn't do anything for the dying and dead. Even Kikyo, who had been summoned to aid the Miko, was nearly out of energy.
"Maru…" Kikyo said looking at him with her emotionless eyes. "We are losing…"
"No." He growled at her.
"The Miko can not keep going… We are weary, I am weary." She said touching his face.
"NO!" He growled grabbing her wrist. That was when he saw the arrows flying, at them, not from them. Kikyo grabbed his wrist with a strength that shocked him and threw him clean out of the way, placing herself between the flying arrows and them.
"KIKYO!" Banyuu growled… but the arrows fell to the ground. "Load up, we don't die here without a fight!"
Maru moved forward and was suddenly hit by something; he wasn't sure what it was at first until he had enough time to recognize it as a paw. A large… red… paw? He looked up to the figure of the dog curling around them… the shock on his face as well as Banyuu's apparent.
"Saiuri…" Banyuu whispered. She barked as if irritated by his hesitance. He shook it off. "TAKE THEM DOWN, MEN!"
"Now." Li said pointing. Kagome followed the clawed finger. She had been watching as the large dog form of InuTaisho tore the throat clean out of the apparition of Genbu… not without trouble, but it was done. InuTaisho stumbled looking back at her, his tongue lolling out of his mouth and she swore he winked at her before falling and vanishing. She heard the shrieking yelp as Saiuri took the last of the damage she could handle, Rin, Jakken, InuYasha were all gone… Kikyo had spent herself, Miroku was nearly spent now. What could she do… she had no other choice. She followed the clawed finger and saw Rimiku standing atop the western roofs.
"Now… We work together… the enemy of my enemy is my FRIEND!" She dropped the fan, the miasma flowed and those that were touched by the dark purple gas succumbed to the poison, some of her own men were falling but she had no choice. If I make them enough of a problem, he'll take them away from me, the only way to take away the summons of the dead is to bring them to life… "Here my call my friend! Come to me… Naraku!"
The demons started to raise, hundreds of them, forming as they had once before, but this time instead of circling and becoming Naraku they rounded. Kagome gasped the pain flaring over her vision as she was lifted clean up by the power of the monster reeling in her head.
"GET. OUT. OF. ME!" She screamed as those legs erupted from her own back. Somewhere in the blackness she heard Sesshomaru scream her name. She heard Li cry out as he was sprayed in her blood. Why had he done this? The enemy of her enemy.
"Is your friend Miko…" Naraku's voice crooned. "You have no idea what you are doing…"
"OUT! GET OUT!" She screamed! "THIS IS MY BODY!"
"But you opened it to me Kagome." He purred softly.
"DO NOT VIOLATE MY TRUST!" She screamed, his legs hurt so bad.
"Very well Miko, but remember, there is always a price to pay…" He trilled as he tore free from her, her body falling limply to the ground, but she was healed, in pain but not bleeding anymore as Naraku rose above her.
What was that? Rimiku's eyes were wide as the spider like man erupted from the miko's back. He blinked a few times until it's unsettling eyes rested on him.
"You." It said pointing a long leg at him. He resisted the urge to look around in hopes it was talking to someone else. HE blinked at it. Calming himself. He couldn't die, it was just a bug… it could be squished… yes. "You killed them. My Kanna… My Kagoura…" He hissed. Those legs started to bring it closer and it started to scale the wall.
Kanna? Kagoura? He didn't know those names. He had killed too many to remember them by name anymore.
"Come to me." He heard the seductive crooning. He turned and saw it now standing over him. It's arms open to Rimiku. "I can make you powerful… I can make you unstoppable."
"I am unstoppable." He responded almost innocently looking up at the man.
"I can hold you at night when you can't sleep…" How did it know that?
"I can love you when you feel alone… just come to me." He was looking at it with wide eyes now as it pulled a leg around his back. He had never been controlled before… what was this thing…
"Ow… stop that!" Rimiku cried out…
"Shh, it only hurts for a moment, and then we can be together for ever…" The thing purred.
"NO! STOP!" He cried out.
"And did you stop when they asked?" The beast called to him.
The scream that tore from him felt as if it were alien. Not his own.
"You cannot do this alone… you need redemption boy." The spider said. What was he talking about? Rimiku could not think the pain was flaring and the fire kept tailing across his vision. "Even I found I needed forgiveness in the eyes of a Miko…"
He was dying, he was sure of it, he was being burned by the fluid secreting from its body. Was this death, he did not like this? Not at all. That was when he heard the soft song and he remembered his freedom.
"No…" The boy panted. "No… I will not… lose to you… SUZAKU!"
Suddenly there was no pain, and he looked up into the eyes of the creature.
"Remember forgiveness boy." He said softly as the fire bird tore through him. He fell into nothingness, the demons being sucked back into Kagome's fan and Rimiku was freed from the pain, the feeling that it evoked… he was in Suzaku's claws now… safe.
The fire from the phoenix dripped over the battlefield and the dead started to breath again. Slowly they regathered, and when it was done… Kagome ran.