Chapter Four - Awakening of the Warriors

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The bright mid-day sun shown down on the white-stone palace that was the household of the powerful Western Lord, Sesshomaru. From above, Ah-Un could be seen outside playing with the human child, Rin... as for the Lord himself and a certain toad-demon, they were inside the palace walls, either working on tedious paperwork... or checking on patients.

The wounds of the dead had been cleaned and dressed just like the Lord ordered. With one nurse per patient, it allowed the fox-demoness to put their full effort into a single patient to the best of their abilities. And, just like Sesshomaru had ordered, Chiyo, a four-tail fox-demon, had been ordered to take care of the prince himself. Even though the patient was only half-demon, it was an honor for the fox-demon to be entrusted with a being of such ranking as him.

However, over the past day or so, difficulties had risen. Sesshomaru found many of his villages along the South-West Boarder to be slaughtered and burned overnight and, just to top it off, Tensaiga was seeming to have problems with healing the wounds of the injured warriors, causing Sesshomaru to use the blade on each of them more then twice and even then it would only sustain the life of the warriors, not revive them.

However, once his nurses did more complete observations of the wounds, it seemed as though the arrows that pierced into many of the bodies, as well as some of the swords which had cut ones such as the demon-slayer, had a coating of a black, unknown substance which seemed to repel the healing-sword's ability to a point. Which meant that the Lord could only use the Tensaiga to keep the group alive... but he could do little else to aid the greatly wounded. It was the work of the Dark Lord's sorcery and he knew it... he just could figure out how to reverse it.

Days came and left... and, after three days, the first two beings awake from their states. Those two being Kouga and Sango. Said wolf-cub didn't appreciate being 'captured' (as he put it) by the Western Lord and this resulted in many conflicts which often resulting in him being thrown in the dungeon. Shippo was more then astatic to Sango's awakening, but wasn't able to stay with her long before the nurses and maids shushed him out and Rin hauled him off again to play.

On the fifth day, Kirara awoke and thereby transformed back into her normal state to use less energy. But as soon as she was in her kitten-state again, she was swooped up into the warm and loving arms of her long-time friend, Sango, and receiving a big hug from both her and the fox-child.

On the seventh day, Miroku awoke to find Sango and Kirara sitting next to his bed. Shippo was still being hauled around with the human-child and was therefore not able to be there when the monk awoke... but he certainly heard it. The entire palace was informed of the human's alertness when a god-almighty slap echoed off the stone walls that caused even Sesshomaru to stop and look to the direction it came from. All he saw, before he turned away, was the demon-slayer storming out of the monk's room and into her own. She probably would have gone to Inuyasha's, if his room had not been named off limits to everyone but the nurses, maids, Jaken and the Western Lord himself.

It wasn't tell the tenth day after the battle that Inuyasha finally awoke from his long slumber. The Western Lord's only explanation for the dely was the mass amount of wounds which had been inflicted on his half-brother and therefore the mass amounts of poison (which they had assumed the black-substance must be) which had caused him a slower recovery then the others. But, nevertheless, the Prince was awake... and that was all that mattered.

His mind suddenly jolting him back to the world of reality, the first thing going through the hanyou's mind was a throbbing headache. His ears pinned back against his head as he, at first, tried to block out the noises whish caused his skull to throb, but eventually they came forward and began twitching at each sound as he attempted to figure out where exactly he was. He could hear water splashing, footsteps pounding down a stone-floor, the soft muttering of unknown voices, the hissing of heating water, the wind blowing and the birds chirping. None of which, he could say, told him anything about anything or anywhere.

His mind tried its best to remember where he was... and why he was still breathing. The last thing he recalled was a stinging sensation stabbing into his back... then darkness. He had thought he had died... but... then again, if he was indeed alive, then why was everything so numb and hard to move?

Slowly, his eyelids slid open, but still he saw nothing but darkness. It was then he became aware of a cloth covering his eyes, so he reached up with his hands to move it... but stopped as a sudden stab of pain erupted up his back, across his chest and down his legs and arms. After a moment of lying rigid, he slowly began to move again, taking everything at an easy pace as to not send too much pain at him at once.

Very slowly, his fingers padded the soft cloth that was tied neatly around his head... then he began to feel the pressure from the bandages on his arms and torso too.

((Where did these come from?)) He wondered silently ((Or... rather, who put them on me?))

He could feel a cloth covering the rest of his form and a pillow behind his head. He swung himself into a sitting position, growling when the pain returned. He then proceeded to rip at the bandages around his head.

"Prince Inuyasha!"

His ears twitched at the sound and he hesitated for a moment, but then hastily continued to rip at the cloth over his eyes. His senses were confused and everything in him told him to run or fight. Run or fight, those were his only options. But first he needed to see.

Smells, both familiar and unknown, taunted his keen nose and his ears twitched to every sound around him. ((Where the hell am I?)) He thought in anger and frustration. He heard footsteps run towards him and felt a hand grabbed hold of his arm. But an angered snarl came from his throat and he pulled away from the being's grip. He sensed the other with him hesitate back and took this time to rip the last piece of cloth away from his face to reveal his golden orbs. Only they weren't sharp and alert as they usually were, but clouded and hazy... he couldn't see... well, barely.

Everything was a bright blur of yellows, whites, light greys, light greens, light blues and beige. But there were no shapes... only blurry colors. But his other senses were beginning to return to him, his sense of smell especially, which now picked up on the scent of a female Fox-Demon as the other in the room with him. He could hear the demoness talking to him, but her voice was quickly becoming too much for his sensitive ears and he found himself yelling a stiff "shut the hell up!" to her, but then wished he hadn't as he once again flattened his ears against his head.

"Apologizes, Prince Inuyasha" a firm yet gentle hand was placed on his shoulder "my Prince, you are in pain... please get back in bed"

"Don't touch me!" Inuyasha growled at the blur before him as he once again pulled away "just who the hell are you? Where am I?"

"My name is Chiyo, I am your personal nurse by specific request of my Lord"

That's when it hit him, causing his eyes, as useless as they were at the moment, to grow wide "this... this place..." he growled as he rose to his feet, this time ignoring the pain that came "...Sesshomaru" his face darkened into a displeased glare ((I thought I recognized his stench))

"Prince!" Chiyo gasped "you are not healed yet! You must stay in bed!"

"Shut up!" He growled back as he limped towards the blurred area which he presumed to be a door "you can't keep me here and I'll prove it!"

Two hands once again grasped onto his arm "you mustn't–"

"Leave me alone!" he flung his arm back, causing the nurse to lose grip and so, using this to his advantage, began limping off to the door again "I vowed a long time ago that I would never return to this hell-hole! And I'm not about to break that promise!" Suddenly a dizzy-spell invaded and overwhelmed his senses, forcing him to a stop with only the nearby wall to support his wounded form

"Dammit" he growled as he shook his head ((I have to get out of here))

But by the time his head cleared enough for him to continue, his keen sense of smell caught onto a familiar scent standing in the doorway. His free hand clamped tightly into a fierce fist while his hand that rested on the wall for support clawed slightly on the white stone surface. Inuyasha's face twisted into an angered scowl, of all the people he didn't want to be in the company of right now... Sesshomaru without a doubt topped the list or at least was second to Naraku.

Even though Inuyasha couldn't make it out, he could feel his brother's icy glare upon him... but he could in no way feel the small smirk that tugged on the edges of the Lord's mouth. A smile that showed he was pleased the other was awake.

"Your gratitude is overwhelming, little brother"

"Bastard" Inuyasha growled in a whisper "What are you up to, Sesshomaru! Why did you bring me here? What do you want? Where are the others?" he demanded at once "Tell me!"

"I will tell you what you wish when you are fit to hear it. As for your friends... they are in separate rooms healing from the battle you fought 10 days ago"

"10 days? That's impossible!" Inuyasha frowned "you used Tensaiga on them?"

"In a way"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"What do you think it means?"

"Dammit, Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha growled, fist clenched even harder "stop playing games!"

"Impatient are we? Very well," Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed slightly "if you must know, the Tensaiga did revive you and that group of yours... although it did not heal your wounds completely. Therefore all I could do was keep you alive until you were able to heal enough to wake up" he smirked "the others have all awaken and are healing well, you took the longest" Inuyasha opened his mouth to say something, but the Western Lord continued "not that it is your fault" he said quickly, his eyes moving to the window from which the afternoon sunlight poured through "you sustained the most injuries out of everyone. Also... an odd black substance covered each of your wounds, which to my best guess is poison"

"What about my eyes?"

"I would say either the same poison or miasma has damaged them"

Inuaysha's eyes fell to the floor "What about... what about Kagome? And Kikyou? Are they... OK?"

The Lord's gaze, cold and knowing, came back to his younger sibling "neither of the mikos were at the battlefield"

Inuyasha's eyes widened "th-that means... Naraku has them!" he tried to barge by the Lord but got nowhere "get out of my way, ya arrogant bastard! I have to save–"

"–The mikos. Yes, of course" he smirked devilishly, having already figured out how to handle his brother "what I pity though, it will be. For you, blind and weak, to go wandering off in search for those women of yours... and even if you do find them, and rescue them... you will return with the rest of your group in their graves"

Inuyasha stepped back, not believing his ears. The nurse behind the hanyou gasped silently, and the half-demon himself found himself lost for words.

((H-he doesn't mean... he wouldn't! He wouldn't dare hurt...))

"Are... are you blackmailing me?"

"Am I? What do you think?" he smirked as he watched his brother's stunned face change as he grasped the Lord's words "so, what shall you do now, Inuyasha? If you leave, the demon-slayer, monk, fox-child, cat and wolf-demon are dead. If you stay, they live... and you still have a chance to saving the women"

"Lord Sesshomaru! Lord Sesshomaru!"

The Lord turned, a unpleased look to his face as he watch one of his dog-demon guardsmen approach him, running as fast as he could through the halls.

"What is it, Ettore?"

Bowing in respect first, said demon then spoke of his message "it is of that Lord and Lady of the Eastern Lands along with some of their people! They just arrived a moment ago and are in need of medical attention. They are also wishing to speak with you"

Sesshomaru's glare suddenly narrowed as he thought over the words ((he is striking quickly... he knows my actions... but why attack the East?))

"My Lord?"

"I'm on my way" he replied "Ettore, send messengers to the North, North-West and North-East. Tell the Lords and/or their Ladies to come to my residence as soon as they can. I fear this war will come sooner then I thought" Sesshomaru turned back to Inuyasha slightly "chose your path carefully, dear brother" then he departed with Ettore walking at a respectful distance behind him.

Inuyasha growled, his fists clenched so hard that blood trickled out between his fingers, his teeth were bared back and a low growl radiated from his throat. The words of his brother repeated over and over in his mind.

((How dare he! How DARE he!)) he snarled then, suddenly realizing how weak he felt, allowed himself to slide down the wall to sit on the stone flooring ((...maybe I could bring Miroku, Sango and the others with me? No... they are still too injured to go into battle... or at least I think they are. But even if their wounds are healed, their mental strength will surely not be good)) he slammed his fist down beside him in pure frustration with a BAM, cracking the stone beneath it "I can't just stay here! Kagome and Kikyou need me!"

A soft hand was placed on his shoulder, he would have pulled away, but he was feeling to tired... too drain from his moving about. Yes... he could feel it now, or at least sense it... the poison... circulating through his blood. Apparently Naraku truly wanted to get rid of him this time.

"You can't save anyone until you focus on saving yourself" a gentle voice told him "if you are not careful, you might slip back into your sleep"

In one ear and out the other went that comment "where are the others?" he demanded

"I do not believe I am authorised to give you that answer"

"Look... you said before I'm your 'Prince' or something, right? Well I'm ordering you now to take me to the others!"

Silence filled the room for a moment, then, with a sigh, a quiet response was given "if you return to your bed now, I will bring them to you"

"Are they healed enough for that kinda movement?"

"Yes, now that they are awake, we were able to do many more enchantments upon them to make them heal twice as fast as usual"

Inuyasha sighed, there was no way he could just take off... the others wouldn't have a chance against Sesshomaru's wrath... and he didn't think he could bare the burden of their deaths on his shoulders. True... Kagome and Kikyou were in trouble... but there was, he thought, a good chance Naraku will use them for bait... live bait. And if that theory was indeed accurate, it meant that they had time to recuperate their strength.

Then, with a stiff nod from the hanyou, Chiyo first helped the Prince of the Western Lands to his feet and over to his bed before going off to complete her end of the bargain.

"INUYASHA!" yelled a small figure in joy as he bolted into the room and jumped onto the warrior's stomach "YOU'RE OK!"

"I was until you slammed down on a stab wound, ya brat" was the hanyou answer

"Oh..." Shippo carefully stepped off of him and onto the bed itself "...sorry"

"Good to see you awake again, Inuyasha. You had us worried for quite a while" Miroku commented as he walked up beside Sango

"How are you feeling?" Sango asked while stroking Kirara softly in her arms

"I feel like shit and I'm pretty much blind... you?"

Inuyasha couldn't see them, but they each wore loose white robes instead of their normal wear, seeing as how it was being cleaned and sowed back together again. Sango had bandages around her chest and back (however, it was covered by her clothes) and on her forearm. Miroku had a cloth wrapped around his torso and his left arm was bandaged all the way from his shoulder to his hand. Shippo only had a small cloth wrapped around his head where he had been thrown into a tree and Kirara had bandages wrapped around her middle. Kouga, even though he wasn't there and was indeed still locked in the dungeon to heal had multiple bandages wrapped around his arms, chest and legs (especially where the jewel-shards had been ripped out). Each warrior had many, many cuts and bruises to them, but those were only minor injuries.

"We're... OK" Sango tried to put on a warm smile "...I'm sorry, Inuyasha... you know... for not listening to you when you said to leave... I know you were just trying to protect us... you and Kouga, I mean. But you were both so injured..."

"Nevermind" Inuyasha snapped "it doesn't matter now... where the hell is the wolf-cub anyway?"

"He's down in the dungeon... he tried to go too many times... and Sesshomaru didn't want him to leave just yet..."

"He doesn't want me to leave either..." Inuyasha sighed and told them what Sesshomaru had said earlier, then sighed once more "...I need to save Kikyou and Kagome"

"...We understand" Miroku nodded slightly and grabbed hold of Sango's hand for comfort "you must do what you must do... we will not stand in your way"

"Don't be an idiot, Miroku" Inuyasha growled as he sat up in bed to face them, pausing slightly when Miroku's hand had moved and a deafening slap that hurt his ears echoed off the palace walls. Then he continued once he figured they were both listening again "I can't leave... I would never be able to forgive myself if... if you died because of me. No... we have no choice but to stay... and... and save Kagome and Kikyou later"

"Is it Kagome and Kikyou or Kikyou and Kagome?" Shippo asked tauntingly... then a fist slammed into his skull

"OWW!"

"This is not the time to start that again!"

Shippo glared at the half-breed "I wish Kagome was here... she would sit you for that"

SMACK!

"OWW!"

Then, suddenly, Inuyasha smirked softly "...I wish she was here too"

Two entire days past, and Inuyasha spent most of his time either sleeping or building back up his strength. Despite other's protests, he had already began to wield his sword again and was frantically working on strengthening his weakened muscles. It also didn't take long for him to convince the others it was worth the stinging pain of stretched cuts if they could attack the Dark Lands sooner.

Therefore, Sango sent many trees crashing to the ground with her boomerang, Miroku practice with his staff as well as keeping up his meditations, Kirara slowly began to fly around more as well as pouncing on shrubs and crashing through trees, Shippo practiced his fox-fire and also created illusions for the others to practice against and, finally, Kouga, after he grumpily agreed not to run off, was released from the dungeon and all too willingly began practice-sparing with Inuyasha. At least the others prayed it was practice, sometimes it seemed a tad too real for their liking.

On one morning in particular though, on his journey to the courtyard, Inuyasha found himself passing a door he had never noticed before. Sure, it was there, but something about it today was different. He frowned and sniffed the air ((what is that? I... I know that scent)) He stood there in the middle of the hall for a while... he was sure he smelled something familiar from within.

Never being one to be sky or hesitant about anything in his life, Inuyasha took step into the room which had sparked something deep in his own mind. The second his eyes laid sight on the dust-covered room he knew instantly why he smelled such a familiar scent. The fine-textured, black bedcovers with a white dog pattern embroidered in it, the closet full of old-style clothes... everything held the faint yet recognizable scent of his father and mother... as well as the even fainter scent of another demoness that the hanyou guessed was his Old Man's first mate... Sesshomaru's mother.

He knew he had no business here and, therefore, should vacate, but he couldn't help himself from venturing further into the room... running his demon-clawed hands over the side tables and bed... until he came to the closet which he opened wide. Inside, his golden orbs immediately settled on an elaborate pink and blue kimo that held the strongest scent of his dead, human mother and, beside it, an masculine red, blue and white robe that held the scent of his dead, demon father. He didn't remove either from the positions that they had been left so many years ago, but he did stroke the soft fabrics softly, his ears slightly flattening at either side of his head as he did so.

Flashes of his mother's face ran across his eyes, he was so young when she had died that he barely remembered much about her... but he knew her face... and her voice. Inuyasha was told by his mother that, indeed, his father met his death painfully... but honorably. She, herself, died painlessly and while still retaining the honor of a Lady fo the Lands... Inuyasha, only 12 at the time, had made sure of it.

He didn't remember anything about his Old Man, but he could remember as clear as day the first day he had the 'pleasure' of meeting his elder brother...

FLASHBACK

It was a pleasant enough day, the sun was up and shining, and Inuyasha (a mer 8 years old) was playing with a red ball which his mother had given him earlier that day as a present. Speaking of which, the 'retired' Lady of the Western Lands watched her small son play with a small smile on her lips as she sat on grass nearby, a simple pink kimo her only attire.

"Watch this, mommy!" the excited child called as he tossed the ball into the air, then smacked it with the top of his head, causing the ball to go long and be buried deep into the green vegetation of the nearby forest. Inuyasha smiled and chased after the ball, not hearing his mother's call not to. So, knowing all too well what horrible demons call the forests their home, she took chase after her beloved half-demon of a son.

The hanyou continued to laugh as he ventured into the thicket of the bush, running at full speed. But his quick pace landed him in trouble, for, just as he rounded a corner, he came into contact with the leg of a tall, white-robed demon. The demon turned, at first his eyes were as cold as ice... but the familiar scent of his father's blood caused the dog-demon's eyes to widen suddenly as he stared down at the child before him. Then, he saw the ears and, of course, that was a dead giveaway.

Just then, Izayoi appeared out from behind a tree and stopped dead in her tracks at the sight laid before her, her eyes growing wide with fear for her son. Immediately, she dropped down to her knees and bowed to the tall Lord, her soft voice pleading with him to excuse her son.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed "Izayoi... this is where you have been hiding from me" he paused and bent down, picking up his young half-brother by the front of his shirt and lifting the half-demon up to stare at the child face to face "and this is the feeble half-demon that blemishes my family name"

The woman's eyes grew wide "my Lord Sesshomaru, I beg you! Please, do not harm my son!"

Tears weld up at the side of half-demon's eyes, but they did not fall... Inuyasha struggled in the grip of the stronger demon, but he couldn't free himself.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed "I have the right mind to eliminate the blemish plus the reason for its creation right now"

"Izayoi!"

All heads turned as a group of villagers appeared from behind the same tree that the Lady had traveled as well as her son. The men, seeing the Demon Lord, drew to an abrupt halt and, knowing the Lord's dislike for humans, fell to their knees in the same fashion as Izayoi.

Sesshomaru snarled, and, throwing the boy half-demon roughly to ground beside his bowing mother, turned his back to the group "I will not bother myself with dealing with the problem today, with any luck, a lesser demon will do the job for me. But heed my word, Izayoi, you will do better to teach that thing what he is and where his place is before I have to teach him earlier then what is needed" his tone deepened "I would also suggest you found a better hiding place before my return" then, with that, the Lord disappeared into the surrounding bush.

The Lady immediately rushed to her son and took him in her arms, tears running down the side of her face as she hugged the young half-demon protectively.

But Inuyasha pulled back and looked into his mother's eyes "mommy... who was that?"

Izayoi frowned slightly and brought the boy into a second hug "he... he is the Lord of the Western Lands... my step-son and your half-brother... his name is Sesshomaru"

"Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha frowned "he is the one who..."

"...Who banished us, yes... he is"

The hanyou's young eyes narrowed suddenly as he looked to the bush where the other was last seen "Sessshomaru..." he repeated "...I hate him"

A frown cast of Izayoi's face as she heard those words, causing her to tighten her grip around her son as a few tears fell to the ground in a soft pitter-patter that caused Inuyasha's small ears to twitch "please, dear son, you must promise me something"

"What is it?"

"...Promise... Promise me you will stay away from him... as well as our old home... for going near either will bring you harm. P-Promise me you will never become like him. Promise me you will never hold your hatred deep enough to corrupt your soul. Promise me you will always look upon every creature - human, demon or half-demon - with equal respect. Promise me you will never follow his footprints. Promise me that you will never be anything like your brother... promise me..."

END FLASHBACK

OK, that's it... tell me what you think. In case you haven't noticed, I don't like to do long chapters... but I am trying to make them a bit longer as to actually get something DONE in each chapter! Cause I am going nowhere right now! And it is so annoying! ARGH! (Sigh) Anyway, don't forget to R&R!