Go after him now!" Inuyasha yelled impatiently to a stunned Koga who couldn't tear his eyes away from Akiyoshi's mutilated body.
He had four gaping puncture wounds running down the centre of his abdomen that were bleeding badly. And by the looks of the purplish bruises along the left side of his upper torso, multiple ribs were possibly broken. His head and back fared no better, he couldn't tell how severe the injuries to those parts were because of all the blood. The boy had damaged his head and arm from the fall.
"I will take him to his mother," Inuyasha continued hastily, "she will know what to do...But you must find Sesshomaru."
The wolf prince shook his head harshly clearing away the unease as the distant voice of his comrade sprung him to action.
"Yes!" was the determined and only response he made before leaping away.
Inuyasha stared at his nephew's beautiful face periodically for proof of life. A face that was so much in likeness to his father's own for signs that he was still breathing; the boy was barely hanging onto his existence, and only by a thin thread. Still he had to get him to the only being he knew that could save him, Kagome.
Momentarily he lifted his very naked and badly wounded nephew into his arms knowing that his life hung in the balance. In that moment he couldn't help but to feel overly emotional, not only for Akiyoshi's sake but for his brother as well who had done everything in his power to safeguard his children's wellbeing. If the boy should die, he could only imagine the grief that it would bring to Sesshomaru and family? The boy was the future of his brother's house; because he was the firstborn and heir.
Even with all the worry for his nephew's wellbeing he couldn't help but to consider on something. What was Akiyoshi doing so far away from home by himself, and in a field butt naked no less fighting the very dragons that had been terrorizing the countryside? He sighed and scented the air one last time for clues, but the action was no closer in solving the puzzle as it had been earlier. All he could smell was sulphur and smoke from the dragon's attacks.
Thinking on it no further Inuyasha took the first step in saving Akiyoshi's life, jumping into the air as if to take flight then landing softly. He would launch himself into the air many times then running as swiftly as his half demon body could go, even pushing himself beyond the limit of his endurance so as to carry out the mandate his brother had given him... 'Inuyasha take care of my son.'
Panic flooded Daichi's veins at the sound of Sesshomaru's growls. For an instant he felt real fear, because even in the impressive stature of his creature transformation, a form that was mighty as it was remarkable, a form that had many cowering and running for their lives, the prince of the west was far more imposing.
His long and scaly body shivered in the light of the noon day sun as if cold, he wanted to take flight putting as much distance between him and his opponent that was possible, as another roar tumbled out of the Daiyoukai's massive jaws. His poison dribbled onto the ground beneath him where it sizzled. However, he wouldn't get the chance to be a coward, not now, not ever as the demon lord attacked.
A renewed surge of panic rippled through his lizard body as Sesshomaru launched forward at an alarming speed. The ryu could only raise himself up on his hind legs while flapping wide leathery wings violently to ward off the attack, but to no avail, as the humongous and vicious white dog fell onto him with jaws agape aiming for his slender neck.
A white hot searing pain tore through him as he fell onto his back and the Daiyoukai came crashing down on him with his neck caught between his teeth. The squeal of death cut through the air like lightning as massive jaws clamped down on delicate flesh crushing and tearing it apart. He let him go as the body thrashed ferociously and stepped back a couple of paces where a big, pink wet tongue curled against his lips licking the enemy's blood away.
His furry body shivered as he regained his humanoid form. Sesshomaru watched silently as the creature squirmed and thrashed as its blood flowed and life ebbed away. Daichi's head was almost severed from his body as the underlying flesh was exposed and looked as if his neck was being held together by a piece of skin.
He was capable like his father of regeneration and with time he would mend even with such terrible and life threatening injuries. And although his body was in shock making it hard to get his pulse to calm, he managed it anyway. He would cause his pulse to slow as if he were dead, and when the dog lord left he would rise from the ashes like a phoenix, so for now he would wait.
Sesshomaru watched him and smirked inwardly. The young dragon was smart, but he wasn't a pup or his son, and such tricks would not work on him. Sesshomaru dipped down and snatched the sword from the ground. It was the same sword that he'd used to kill the other creature earlier.
He hadn't donned his armour and weapons in over quarter century so he hadn't a weapon. Then suddenly he moved like a thief in the night, while his opponent's eyes remained closed. His body immobile and he did not breathe, thinking that he had fooled the demon lord into somehow thinking that he was dead.
He angled over the unmoving dragon and brought the sword down swiftly, cutting through and separating the piece of flesh holding the head and body together. It was so quick that not a sound or scream was bellowed when he delivered the final death strike.
However, the large lower body jerked and flapped around as blood spewed from the severed neck and veins into the surrounding air and dirt. When death finally took a hold of him the body stilled and all was quiet. Sesshomaru gazed down on his victim, he became aware of two things; the voice of Koga telling him that he had to act now before it was discovered that the dragon's lord two sons were killed by him, and the sad eyes of his mate as he pondered on destiny.
Turning away from the corpse he eyed the wolf prince dazedly and then responded.
"Dispose of the bodies; no one can know what has happened here today. We attack at dawn."
Sesshomaru turned and left after Koga nodded his reply. He had unfinished business to settle before he could return to his mate with the news, and to find out if his son was recovering.
Kagome glanced up squinting from the sun, she had just returned home with the children except for the eldest from the community centre. It was Wednesday, the time of week that they carried out their duties for half day. She was a little annoyed because Akiyoshi never turned up, and Chou had left earlier than she normally does and did not return.
She had just stepped inside the house and went to the kitchen to prepare a meal, leaving the other members of the family in the yard and on the front porch, when suddenly she heard yelling and screaming. The pot fell from her hands with nervousness banging onto the floor. She made a mad rush from the kitchen to get to the children, only to stop dead in her tracks as Inuyasha raced inside with a bloodied and motionless Akiyoshi.
Inuyasha laid him down on the carpet and blood soaked it quickly, everyone was stunned and his sisters cried him. Kagome couldn't make sense of anything even though Inuyasha was trying to explain. She heard everything he said and nothing, it was as though there were buzzing inside her head from a thousand bees drowning out Inuyasha's explanations and the crying children. She was paralyzed with shock and numb.
Inuyasha realized that Kagome was in a slight trance by the glazed look in her eyes and by her inaction; he removed himself from the floor and held her firmly by the shoulders and shook her hard and said.
"Kagome he needs you or he will die!"
He watched as the narrowed and dimmed eyes of his former love widened with recognition, he watched as the expression of dread and confusion ran along her features, before placing her hand over her mouth and crying out, "Oh Kami!" then falling unto her knees beside her son.
Kagome rolled Akiyoshi onto his back where shock widened her eyes even further, she couldn't believe the damage that was done to him and yet she was staring at them.
"Someone please go boil some water and get some fresh linen now?" she ordered rather than asked.
She felt her brows crinkling in concentration as Akiyoshi's pulse seems to be asleep; it was too weak and barely pulsing with any life. Her eyes closed as spiritual energies embodied her being, it would take a lot from her but with perfect control she could save him. She loved him and all the children equally. They had been through a great deal as a family and hence binding them closer together.
As the blue glow of her reiki flared around her hands she placed them over his chest and began to heal his injuries. If Inuyasha had waited a moment longer the boy would be dead.
While she concentrated with her eyes closed Inuyasha watched her unseen, he felt hopeful now that his nephew was in her capable hands, and he couldn't help but to smile remembering when he used to be the subject of her care from his many injuries a long time ago, but he had to leave, he needed to find his brother. He knew him well enough to know where he would go and what he would do.
The children came back with the items a short time later only to find their uncle gone, and their mother still kneeling beside their brother. Her powers warm and soothing as it heated the room helped to comfort their worried minds.
Later in day when the sun began to fade casting shadows on the mountain side, and Akiyoshi placed into his room and in his bed, she saw as her mate returned. She was upstairs looking through the window from Akiyoshi's bedroom keeping vigil over him. He had not awakened but he was stable and breathing more normally. She had yet to know the cause of all the drama, seeing as how Inuyasha had left without letting her know.
It was hard to come to terms with it all, but she felt sure that Chou was somehow involved. The girl had not returned and she feared the worse; but the fleeting look and the stiff expression that Sesshomaru threw her way as he looked up and saw her, told her that something was terribly wrong.
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