CYCLE OF RIN

By Lady JenDragon

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

Author's Notes: …

CHAPTER THIRTY

Truth in the Blade

The light dissipated just as quickly as it flooded the meadow. Kagome and Sango blinked their eyes until their vision returned. Miroku closed his eyes in time to keep from being overly blinded. Now that the light was gone, he found a new demon standing before Sesshomaru.

Deep crimson kimono, long dark blue hair gathered in a tie at the top of his head. His human form was tall and slender, armor covered his torso, and a weapons belt hung at his waist. A handsome sort of demon, his yellow eyes were concentrated on Sesshomaru, stood barely an inch shorter than the dog demon.

"Rasenaru." Sesshomaru stated the name evenly. "Your true form is revealed."

"You recognize me then?" Rasenaru spoke just as politely as Sesshomaru. "your father spent many a day's looking for me when I gave him the slip." He sniffed the air around him finally free at last. "Finally the day has come for the Demon Bearer legend to come true again."

"What the hell?!" Kagome was shocked. "A Trojan sword? Tenmari better not have something to do with this!"

Where did Tenmari get off to? It had been weeks since they had to deal with Sesshomaru's supposed betrothed who was also a sword maker like Totosai. Kagome would have to look into locating the demon once they finished with this whole mess.

"Rasengan…" Sango blurted out. "It's a demon."

"More like…" Inuyasha growled out knowing it sounded crazy. "…hiding in a sword."

Totosai popped his head over several boulders. "Lying in wait for the Demon Bearer to come around again. It's the best way to avoid dying."

Inuyasha jumped to his feet turning to face Totosai sitting on top of the boulder. "You knew this the whole time old timer?!"

Sesshomaru recognized the raspy voice of Totosai off behind him talking to Inuyasha. So, the rumors were true that Rasenaru was cursed and disappeared. However, was Rasenaru's imprisonment in Rasengan caused by a demon witch or as part of a judgment made against him?

Kagome moved forward. "Katenomaru was absorbed into the sword so this guy could be released."

Miroku shook his head. "Rasengan promised Katenomaru to help him defeat Sesshomaru and ended up as part of the plan." He shrugged. "One less demon to worry about."

Sango turned to look at him then. "Would you please keep your opinions to yourself?" She rolled her eyes. "Not every demon is so bad they need to just die out right."

Kagome thought that some demons, like Shippo, were harmless enough to warrant not destroying all demons. Where was Shippo now that she thought about it? They hadn't seen him since he couldn't enter the temple and went off looking for clues. Perhaps he was delayed returning?

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Sheathing Rasengan, Rasenaru shifted his hands together creating spaces between his fingers. Pressing his palms together, he looked up at Sesshomaru, the strongest demon he had the pleasure of facing.

"RASENGAN DOME!" He threw his hands out, his power projecting outward.

Suddenly, the meadow turned into an all-encompassing swirl of wind, debris and demon aura. Kagome felt the pressure on her, pushing her downwards if she didn't resist it so much. Sango used Herykotsu lodged in the ground to stay upright. Miroku moved to her, gripping Herykotsu with both hands to remain standing. Inuyasha appeared to have an easier time of resisting the pressure bearing down on him. Sesshomaru remained standing unphased by the sudden unveiling of Rasenaru's first trick.

Sesshomaru and Rasenaru flashed forward tone another. All Rin heard was the clanking of swords and the rebound of each demon. It appeared the two were evenly matched on technique. But part of her knew that Rasengan would employ cheap tactics to exploit his opponent's weaknesses. The dome had something to do with his plan. But what?

"Still missing the hand I see." Rasenaru smirked holding Rasengan vertically. "Did it hurt when Inuyasha cut it off?"

Sesshomaru said nothing to this, understanding the method of Rasenaru's strategy. Tokijin still vibrated from their last exchange in his right hand. Strange for one sword to become strong as Rasengan within the course of two days. While the legend of Rasengan held the tale that this sword could defeat any enemy, even the great So'unga, the power of this sword was unknown. The hint lay with the absorption of demons earlier.

"Don't give up yet, youngling." Rasenaru smiled showing his teeth this time. "I will teach you a few lessons first before I kill you."

Inuyasha watched his brother, unsure if Sesshomaru was outmaneuvered or "out gunned", as Kagome would say it. Tokijin wasn't strong enough to stand against Rasengan. Not even Tenseiga could deal with this alone.

Rasenaru fisted his free hand producing a swirling orb. The orb pulsed as he elevated his arm letting the orb hover a few inches above his open palm. He pivoted and threw the orb at Sesshomaru who raised Tokijin up to slice through it. He smiled when the orb sliced in half then opened out and formed an energy binder, engulfing Sesshomaru around the torso and at the knees. He constricted the bindings to begin a slow squeeze to cut circulation off to the legs so that Sesshomaru would slowly bow to him. That humiliation to a dog demon was enough to last him a life time of fond memories.

"I would not want you to escape, Sesshomaru." Rasenaru smiled shortly. "Not when I have you so close to defeat."

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Kagome blinked at the imprisonment dome over the entire field. She had to blink several times to comprehend the sheer strength and power required to complete this structure. It was made out of demon aura…the demons he had been coalescing the past few days into Rasengan. Their auras were mixed in with Rasenaru's to create this dome.

Sesshomaru was caught in some kind of demon binder spell. She realized that Rasenaru was more than just a demon. His sword had been collecting information as well as demon auras. No wonder it was said that no sword, not even So'unga, could defeat Rasengan. The swirling powers produced by the sword itself were only the culmination of all the knowledge the sword absorbed from the demons it killed. Katenomaru being the last victim, he had knowledge of the dog demon clans. And how Tokijin and Tenseiga worked. Inuyasha would be in trouble.

Inuyasha felt the same way, he turned Tetsusaiga at the wall of the dome. "BACKLASH WAVE!"

The force of the attack rumbled forth from the sword's tip, spreading out until it hit the dome wall. It rushed up like a wave upon rocks, crashing back down, the energy dissipating into the ground. Inuyasha blinked, surprised by the deflection of the Backlash Wave. That was his strongest attack with Tetsusaiga.

Caught in the dome, Kagome let go with one of her arrows as Miroku launched a seal towards Rasenaru. The seal latched onto his kimono temporarily, causing the demon to stagger sideways away from Sesshomaru. Her arrow bounced off his armor, falling to the ground.

"Miroku, see if you can get that thing off Sesshomaru!" Kagome turned when Herykotsu was launched, grazing Rasenaru's armor, glancing off and returned to Sango. "Aim for his hands!" She called out to Sango. "Rasenaru can't form spells if he's injured."

Sango nodded she understood. Kagome took another arrow, launching it, this time hitting its mark just above the wrist of Rasenaru's left arm. He didn't cry out, looking in the direction of the attack. Kagome narrowed her eyes now that he had a fix on their group. Hopefully Miroku could help free Sesshomaru.

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Rasenaru hadn't given much thought to little band of humans and the half-demon who arrived to aid the Demon Bearer. Apparently they were here to help Sesshomaru as well. No bother, he would eliminate them one at a time.

Turning to the priest assisting Sesshomaru with his binder first, he opened his hand at the young man. What he didn't expect was the weapon of choice.

"WIND TUNNEL!" Miroku shouted, removing the sacred beads keeping the portal closed, aiming directly at Rasenaru walking towards him.

A quick thrust forward with his left hand, the orb dispensed and barreled towards the open Wind tunnel, a weapon Rasenaru learned that a half-demon named Naraku cursed the young man's family with two generations ago. He would deal with that nuisance once the Demon Bearer became his and Sesshomaru died a slow death.

Miroku dropped to the ground, his hand in pain since the orb flared open at the last second, covering the portal. Not before leaking toxins into his hand that had him dropping to his knees beside Sesshomaru. Tying the sacred beads around his wrist, Miroku found the pain increasing, the pulsing orb remaining over his closed hand. Or so he thought it was closed. His eyes opened as a small dome came down over him, securing him in place on the ground.

"Wouldn't want you to help your little friends." Rasenaru walked past the priest named "Miroku".

Herykotsu was easily evaded. He distributed a swirling orb to fly behind the bone weapon back to its origin. He counted three seconds before he heard the surprised "upmh" of a female hitting the ground beneath the little dome to secure the creature. Human females made interesting pets. This one being a demonslayer might prove fun for a little while.

Sango cursed herself for not looking for the orb when Herykotsu returned. If he kept this up, they would all be stuck beneath these damn domes and rendered useless. Rasenaru wanted Rin as his Demon Bearer and planned extremely well. She hated him for planning everything so well. They were losing before they even got started.

The female with the arrows could be dangerous if he didn't neutralize that quickly. Sesshomaru was beginning to understand his binder and would break it given enough time. Instantaneous, he transported himself behind the powerful miko, pulling her bow out of her hands, tossing the remaining bows across the ground, lifting her off her feet by her neck.

"Well, well, and what are you supposed to be?" He held up the young woman in green and white sensing something odd about her. "You don't look…ah, yes…the child out of time." Rasenaru shook his head slowly. "Why have you come back so far?" He glanced over his shoulder at Inuyasha next to his brother. "Ah, what it is to love." Using his free hand, he placed the woman under the dome, ensuring that the opening were tighter information to prevent her reaching her bow and arrows.

Kagome tried to move her hands through the demon auras in the form of the dome over her. Rasenaru hadn't even bothered trying to attack her. While Rasenaru was busy with her, Inuyasha reached his brother to try to unbind him. It was the first time she witnessed Inuyasha show true caring towards Sesshomaru. Okay, so Inuyasha was still mad that Sesshomaru took advantage of Rin, but that wasn't the main issue at the moment. They had to get rid of this guy!

Totosai called from where he stood outside the dome. "Use the Fang Cross!"

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Out of the corner of his eye, he noted Sango was caught under a small dome. Why Rasengan wasn't killing them out right eluded him. However, since Miroku got caught too, it was up to him to free his dumb older brother. All because Sesshomaru had to have Rin because she was the "Demon Bearer". Inuyasha growled his frustration.

As he pulled on the binder around Sesshomaru while his brother watched Rasenaru. But he had the strong feeling he battled Rasengan before. Yet he would remember an attack by a sword as strong as Rasengan, wouldn't he? The feeling was so strong yet his mind drew a complete blank. Not like him just forgetting…as Kagome accused him of on many occasions. No, this was the kind of forgetting…like he was made to forget. Brought on by a powerful spell.

"Have I fought this sword before?" Inuyasha asked Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru appeared to not have heard him yet replied. "Yes." His voice was even despite his humiliation at this minor setback. "All who battle Rasengan and live become inflicted with the side effect of forgetting."

"Great!" Inuyasha couldn't remember how he survived. "Did I defeat him?"

That answer was obvious hence Sesshomaru's silence. Aggravated, Inuyasha began using Tetsusaiga to cut through the demon aura forming the binder. It was working! But he had to be faster since Rasenaru was bound to notice his aiding Sesshomaru.

Then it dawned on Inuyasha why Sesshomaru had opted for a different tactic since the beginning. "No wonder you haven't actually engaged him battle. You didn't want to forget Rasengan's true power." He growled. "What the hell is its true power?!"

Sesshomaru remained silent.

Inuyasha felt the give on the binder then changed the subject. "You abandon her when she needed you most then suddenly she's the most important thing to you?" Inuyasha spat out. "There's a reason why demons are idiots, you know."

"Your assistance is not required, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru replied evenly, feeling the binder loosening.

It was only a matter of time before the binder would have fallen off without the aid of Inuyasha.

"Says the demon with a binder around him…" Inuyasha liked that Sesshomaru was brought to his knees. "…on his knees."

"Rin was chosen as the Demon Bearer when she was poisoned by the fire hell dragon." This was the truth.

"And you just stepped in since she used to travel with you?" Inuyasha wasn't above sarcasm. "Let me guess…" He listened to Kagome more often these days since she had a knack for figuring out Sesshomaru's thought process. "…to spare her from other demons?"

"Yes." The binder fell free and Sesshomaru rose to his feet, his anger rousing now that he was free to do so.

Inuyasha backed away, Tetsusaiga back in both hands. "The thought of you touching Rin makes me sick." Inuyasha growled wanting some pay back for what full demons were putting Rin through lately. "But the thought of this fool touching Rin only makes me want to kill him."

Sesshomaru agreed silently with this conclusion despite the simplicity of the emotion behind it.

Totosai's scratchy voice cut through their exchange. "Use the Fang Cross!"

Rasenaru now approached them, angry that Sesshomaru was freed so easily. Using Tetsusaiga helped a lot to cut away the binder. Sesshomaru opened his right hand. Tenseiga flew from the ground where it fell, his long fingers gripping the hilt.

"How does this cross thing work?" Inuyasha inquired to his brother.

"Rasenaru will know how to break it if the timing is off." Sesshomaru once heard father mention the Fang Cross. "Follow this Sesshomaru's lead, Inuyasha." He calculated the timing. "When I raise Tenseiga, cross Tetsusaiga and concentrate on why you are here."

Inuyasha waited not understanding why concentrating on the reasons why he was here were important. But if the Fang Cross thingy required these thoughts, he could wrangle up a few. He sensed that Sesshomaru would know the precise time. And Rasenaru was getting mighty close for his comfort.

"Now." Sesshomaru spoke evenly.

Inuyasha didn't think about working with his brother. He thought about crossing Tetsusaiga with Tenseiga. That Rin needed protecting and Kagome, his wife, the love of his life, the mother of his two children, was imprisoned beneath Rasenaru's stupid dome.

The blades of Tenseiga and Tetsusaiga touched creating a white beam that coalesced into a wonky cross form. Inuyasha concentrated on his wife, his children, Rin, and his friends. He felt the vibration of the cross growing but it faltered suddenly. As if there wasn't enough to make it work. At that moment, he felt himself propelled backwards. The landing felt hard and rocky as he rolled feet over head until he came to a complete stop on his back, upside-down from where he started.

"It failed." Inuyasha lost Tetsusaiga before coming to a complete stop. "Why did it fail…?" His voice trailed off.

Before he could scramble after his sword, Rasenaru brought an imprisonment dome down over him. Growling, Inuyasha attempted to claw his way out, finding the demon aura just moved around his fingers and arms to reform the bars. He was securely trapped just like the others.

Sesshomaru was thrown backwards, landing silently on his back on the ground near Inuyasha. Sliding to a stop, he did not fully understand what was required to complete the Fang Cross. Father never mentioned the concept of the cross maneuver during battle. He realized what had gone wrong. Rasenaru peered over him, placing an aura dome over Sesshomaru, imprisoning the powerful demon.

"Sesshomaru…" He smiled down at the dog demon. "…clearly, you aren't your father."

Shaking his head, Rasenaru felt immensely gratified that the planning he painstakingly coordinated brought him victory over the great Sesshomaru!

"It is I who will claim the Demon Bearer as my own." Rasenaru laughed heartily. "You lose, Sesshomaru."