I do not own Inuyasha!
Please read and review!
Whiteness from the still atmosphere created by snow as it fell soft and flaky from the sky unto the grassy bed of the earthen floor was shadowed by darkness, as a huge and terrifying mythical entity screeched thunderously while flapping humongous wings flew towards them.
It had everyone flinching and covering their ears from the painful ears drumming, while Kagome thought curiously of dragons remembering the hideous sight from all those sci-fi movies she'd watched in the future, and how right she was, as the gut wrenching shrieks and screams the creature made was horrifying with its intensity.
Sesshomaru pushed Kagome roughly behind him for safety as the noise became louder and more violent, while his dam youki increased as if she was expecting violence. An uncharacteristic feeling of dread assaulted him like a physical strike, his eyes narrowed as he watched the huge dragon as it came closer, then circling the courtyard and council building like a vulture waiting on a carcass to rot so that it could feed.
Kagome was awestruck as she witnessed the magical and horrifying image, she gasped loudly and hung onto her mate's haori a little tighter, closed her eyes in the process taking it all in quietly.
Dark energies in massive amounts were being built up from within the belly of the beast, Kagome skin crawled by the frightening feat causing her entire body to quiver from the villainous effort.
Sesshomaru's army was strategically placed and poised for action at his command, he was at his wits end from all the interference and cruelty from his mother and others, and yet he could not assuage the violent feelings and blood-lust he felt because his son's life was too precious to throw away on a whim, and so he waits.
His mother smirked as she saw his clenched fist and jaw knowing that she had the upper hand at the moment, having Taizo as bait. "Why won't you give the signal so that we can defend your territory," lord Shun queried as Sesshomaru fixed his gaze on his mother and did not respond.
Angry at Sesshomaru for not fighting back after he'd summoned them and had asked for their aid that they willingly gave, and had sworn a life oath to him, the very outspoken lord Hitoshi roared out his displeasure also. "I would never have figured you to be a coward my lord."
The silent daiyoukai did not react because he knew that lord Hitoshi spoke out in ignorance. The statement sat in the air for awhile and all present looked on; most knew why he remained inactive, but for those who didn't they could not understand his hesitation.
A concerned and slightly angered Kagome shot Hitoshi a reprimanding look and then rebutted. "My mate is not a coward, and you speak out of turn," she said expressively and would have rolled her eyes too, but just now the creature stopped moving and perched atop another building closest to the one that they were in some distance away.
As the demon lord gazed at the magical entity that was Ryoma he became conscious of a grave occurrence. "How could you?" He asked his mother resentfully rendering everyone else puzzled, because apart from himself, only Inuyasha was aware of the discovery, as he'd moved closer to the open window earlier and had stared in earnest upon the being. "Hmph," she snorted, "now you finally understand that you have lost…my son," she replied making a mockery out of their relationship.
The room fell silent as mother and son engaged in conversation. "Tell your guards to stand down and leave this area," she ordered, Inuyasha laughed out in scorn and yelled. "You really are a foolish bitch if you think my brother will do as you want," Kagome eyes widened in shock because she never would have imagined in her wildest dreams that Inuyasha would refer to Sesshomaru as his brother.
Inuyasha blushed when he realized what had slipped out and responded. "Keh," and looking away as Kagome smiled at him. Sesshomaru was silent only a moment longer before responding to his dam's statement. "You will not win so easily, and I lord Sesshomaru will not do your bidding," he said low and with disgust at his mother and her actions. The traitorous council looked on silently but none intervened, they would act when it was time.
"Brave words my son," and Sesshomaru grimaced with disgust by her calling him that. He longed for the moment and freedom to rip out her throat and his hands twitched at the thought, but he put the heady sensation of vengeance aside as she continued. "Pride cometh before a fall Sesshomaru, remember my words very well."
For a fraction his head lowered in thought and Kagome let him go as Inuyasha tugged her away from her mate's back, whispered truth in her ears that she did not want to believe, but the graveness of the situation had her standing on a chair and gazing intently out the window and at the still dragon.
And there it was, Sesshomaru's son was lying motionless with his head and spine falling backwards limply and secured in the deadly talons of the large beast. "Oh Kami," she blurted out in shock and covered her face in her palms, then looking at her silent mate she wondered what he was going to do.
The situation now appeared hopeless in her mind because she may have just started to get to know the real Sesshomaru, but the little she knew of him he would never sacrifice his son's life if he had a choice. With resigned acceptance she jumped from the chair and walked sadly to her mate and held his hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze; he stared into her eyes and saw understanding and was relieved, because only what she thought of him mattered the most.
"Ha-ha, Ha-ha," lady Harumi laughed cruelly. "Now you both understand that you have lost…I say this one more time, get rid of the soldiers." Trapped like a rabbit in a snare Sesshomaru eyes burned with the intensity of a thousand suns, then it quietly dimmed as he accepted his fate.
And with that moment brutally etched into his mind Sesshomaru seemed determined to continue the conversation. Kagome could hear the effort he was making to speak in the stiffness oh his words, the flat monotone of his delivery. But she could also hear that he was not quite ready to give up.
"If you want power so badly, then come and claim it mother." Lady Harumi ran her tongue along her lips in nervousness then opened her mouth and made a rebuttal. "You will be sorry," but a brusque gesture waved away her words. "And so will you dear mother," he returned, finding it impossible to pitch his voice at anything other than a growl.
He watched as she tightened her robes about her form, lifting a hand in the air and clicking her fingers which made a sharp sound. The creature reacted instantly and took to the skies swiftly, fanning its wings rapidly bringing with it an unnatural wind as it circled the building many times in quick succession as mother and son eyed each other with hatred.
"Sesshomaru!" he heard the distant echoing of his name by Kagome's pained voice calling out to him as he was caught up in the bitter moment with his mother, as the colossal youki of the creature picked up momentum.
But it was enough, and as he grabbed and rolled her beneath him the volcanic force of the dragon's attack came crashing through the walls with fire and heat, burning to cinders the eastern side of the building and all who wasn't swift enough to dive for cover. The second wave of the attack came moments later and the building came crashing down, but Sesshomaru took the brunt of the impact as he sheltered his mate's trembling body with his own.
There was a steaming mist among the rubble as the fire cooled and the members of the council removed themselves from the ash, stones and dirt. Sesshomaru shook the remnants of the building that had fallen on him off his back, got up and taking Kagome with him who was unharmed. Two members who had aligned themselves with lady Harumi perished in the fire, while she was unhurt because she knew the instant the dragon attacked and had protected herself under a barrier.
Inuyasha's face was covered with soot but he was fine, his face expressed an immediate and lively skepticism which in other circumstances Sesshomaru might have found amusing.
Then his brother looked up and asked. "What do we do know?" Sesshomaru sighed softly and thought. 'What do we do now indeed?' Kagome groaned as she bumped her toe on a large piece of the crumpled wall, her mate looked at her with concern and she shook her head, sighed and said. "I am fine."
He stood for a minute looking around at the destruction, and then he sighted the humanoid form of the dragon holding his motionless son in his arms and standing beside his dam. Rushing forward earnestly he stopped some meters away as his mother pulled out the large purple jewel, the meidou stone from her bosom and placed it on the boy's chest.
"Stay where you are if you want this child to live," the words were spoken in a high rather forced voice as his mother played her last hand. Inuyasha and Kagome came to his sides hurriedly and waited. "What have you done," Sesshomaru asked worried because the emotions he felt could not be contained as he looked upon the motionless form of his once healthy son. "Mmmwwm," she chuckled. "Do not worry he still lives but only just…Do as I ask and I will return him to you whole."
He watched as she continued to hold the meidou stone in place over Taizo's heart and he became weaker as his life force drained away. The child would soon expire if he did not find a way to save him, or give in to his mother's demands. Kagome felt a sense of hurt and anger as she could feel what the demoness was doing to the child.
Shaking her head sadly she told her mate of his son's fate. "Sesshomaru, your mother is removing your son's soul bit by bit and she is trapping it within the darkness of the stone. He will die but he will not leave this plane of existence because his soul would have moved on without him. She is turning him into a zombie…You have to save him, I can feel his torment," she said in tears crying for his child.
Raking long slim fingers through his hair he felt a deeply emotional tugging on his heart, the love for one's offspring is an unbiased and uncompromising feeling, and he would give up his life to save his child. The feeling left him humbled.
And as Kagome continued to cry for a demon child that she has never met, he made a decision. However, the cruelty his mother possessed knew no bounds as she reversed the spell and let a portion of Taizo's soul seeped back into his body, jolting him to awareness quite suddenly. The ryu set him on his feet and he stood up wobbly but did not fall. His face was deathly pale and eyes dark like pools of shadow in his white face.
Kagome tried to catch her breath and whatever breath she caught seem to catch in her throat so that her lips parted on a small faintly gasping sigh as she fought to stay in control; and her only option was to look away from the ghastly image while Sesshomaru was the total opposite and he just could not look away. "Father," the child mouthed as the words would not come as he looked up and saw him.
From darkness and emptiness his feelings suddenly leapt to burning awareness, his son was alive. Where there had been a sort of suspended animation, the numbness of loss and despair, suddenly a shaft of feeling sharp and brilliant as a flash of light pierced the armor of restraint he had locked around himself and let life back in.
His hands closed around Kagome's as he straightened up to tell his dam to release his son and that she could have it all, but quite unexpectedly she gave him an ultimatum. "I will only release the boy in exchange for the priestess."