INUYASHA: SEALED FATES UNLEASHED
By: Lady JenDragon
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha and its characters except for the ones I came up with.
Author's Notes: Okay, here's another chapter. I know, I know. It's been waaaayyy toooo looonnngggg. There was a lot going on; Thesis project in September and October, Death in the family in November, finishing school in December, work during the whole time. Everything got in the way. Honest, not an excuse, just a reason why I'm so late.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Dragon Battle
Shapes began to form out of the dry beige sand from pulsing pool-like on the desert ground found before the towering mountains in the distance. Taking shape of their own accord, the eyes glowed red, the first identifiable feature of the creatures. Rising above the ground, sand drew from the ground in streams. Heads, then shoulders to the body and tail with the wings the last to form.
Once formed, the creatures took to the air by the hundreds.
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The group took refuge behind a tall group of rocks, out of sight from the forming army. There were a number of outcrops that put some obstacles in the way of the sand dragons heading for them. Still, the tension among the group was high. They knew the Dragons would be here in no time and no one had an idea how to stand against them.
Sango gulped as Shippo cowered behind her shoulder. KiRaRa sat with Miroku who appeared deep in thought, his eyes lowered to the ground. Rin stared wide-eyed at the sounds of the dragons heading for them. Jaken ignored the humans, his chin lifted to the air, eyes closed sitting beside Rin. Asaia stood serenely with Inuyasha scratching his head thinking about a plan.
"I don't want to bring up a…" Sango was not allowed to finish.
"We…" Miroku was cut off as well.
"Tell me about it!" Inuyasha growled. "Where're we supposed to find water in this blasted desert?!"
"We could try bringing the water from the nearby river." Miroku pointed towards the horizon on the left. "I spotted green trees over in that direction."
"I like that idea!" Inuyasha then skidded to a halt. "How exactly are we to bring the water here though?"
"We don't have time!" Sango fumed. "We could create a canal with Tetsusaiga."
"Are we sure water will work on the Dragons?" Rin asked hopefully.
"A canal?" Miroku frowned at the idea, ignoring Rin.
With the group obvious preoccupied with their dilemma, Rin walked to the rocks and peered from around the obstacle. Her eyes widened as she backed away.
"The dragons are coming!" Rin squeaked.
Within seconds, the first wave of sand dragons swooped down from above over the top of the rock outcrop. The group scattered.
Inuyasha pulled Tetsusaiga from its sheath, transforming into battle mode. He took several swings, cutting several dragons in half with his blade. The dragons torn apart regrouped and took off back into the air.
'Damn sand!' Inuyasha growled silently.
Miroku and Sango sprang into action, standing back to back. The monk used seals and his staff to fend them off. The seals proved useless on the sand dragons since the Dragons knew to avoid them. Herykotes also seemed to do little damage. The Dragons merely spilt apart and sutured their bodies back together again then attacked once more.
Jaken stood with the Staff of Two Heads pointed at the Sand Dragons. Rin shivered behind him with fear but confident of his success at defeating the demons. Rin's nervousness did not help his own nerves. Frowning with resolve, he knew the staff had the power to take on this kind of magic.
"Witness the power of the Staff of Two Heads!" Jaken yelled out.
The staff erupted a cloud of flame out to twenty feet. Four sand dragons dodged the flame as three were caught in its path. The sand dragons melted into pools that solidified as they dropped to the floor.
Instantly, the pools tried to reform only to grow seemingly as hot liquid streaks erupting from the ground. With the shaded sands much cooler than the sun kissed sands, the streaks of melted Dragons froze in place as they hardened. Eyes gleamed, unable to do much but become statues among the battle.
"That's wonderful Master Jaken!" Rin beamed, clapping her hands together happily. "Keep going!"
Jaken responded with placing the staff towards the second wave coming over the top of the rocks taking aim at them. Lifting his chin once more, he let the Staff of Two Heads do his battling for him. His eyes wide as more Dragons fell victim to the pooling of hot liquid only to form grotesque statues gave him more confidence he could deflect the Dragon army.
No one noticed Asaia standing behind Jaken, holding onto his clothing. Her small hand glowed white, a small stream of shimmering magic leaked from her grip up through the demon Imp's arm to the Staff of Two Heads.
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Atokiyada watched the battle with mild interest in her water bowl placed in the throne-room of her castle hidden in the mountains. Leisurely watching from the small pile of cushions, she leaned closer a few times to verify that Tir's Dragon army was getting the upper hand. The Humans would tire soon. Their defenses would fall apart…and then they would all die.
Still, the group appeared comfortable working side-by-side. Her eyes darted from face to face of the unlikely group of would-be rescuers. Odd they would come together to face a single enemy. 'Humans and demons joining forces?'
"Hymm!" She huffed suddenly. "As if they will succeed."
Still, this would alter her plans.
She had not expected the band of humans and demons to be able to defend themselves against Tir's Dragon army. Asaia's powers had increased since her imprisonment despite the constriction of the beads around the young-appearing girl's neck. The child was certainly helping to turn the course of the battle in Inuyasha's favor.
"Not for long." She smiled evilly.
Atokiyada turned to find Kagome and Sesshomaru watching her with interest. She ignored the Human, turning to Sesshomaru. The Dog demon raised his chin. She raised a hand.
Sesshomaru was tossed through the air, landing flat on his back near Kagome's feet. The Human was still tied to the circular seal twenty-feet from the waterbowl. She appeared to be observing everything she could see and learn. He despised most Humans, however, this one behaved differently than the others he came across.
And she looked down at him with concern in her face.
Sesshomaru remained where he landed and skidded to a halt. To attempt to regain his balance would only force the demon-celestial half-breed to use her magic once more. No. He would bide his time to make his move.
'Only when the time was right for this Sesshomaru to be rid of this irritant female.'
Atokiyada knew something he did not. Sesshomaru was no fool. Inuyasha and his 'friends' were heading here. She wanted to face off with his half-sibling. For what purpose he could not phathom at the moment. Another reason to wait for the right time to strike.
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The group stayed quiet as the second major swarm of Sand Dragons formed in the distance. It would only be a few minutes before they were attacked once again. The Dragons could close the distance between them with ease. And with ferocious determination.
All were tired.
Inuyasha pulled Tetsusaiga from where it was stuck into the ground ready for battle, his chest heaving heavily. His father's legacy proved useful, if he could line them all up together. The Dragons veered to and from with practiced ease and agility. It was difficult to nail more than three at a time.
Shippo found his demon magic useful in a limited capacity. He chose to hide when he ran out of ideas and wait out the battle. He did not know how else to contribute to the battle. Looking up at a weary Inuyasha, he glanced around at the weakening group.
'Man, we're so screwed.' As Kagome would say, Shippo moaned silently.
Asaia looked a bit weary from her own battle with a ferocious Dragon bent on snapping at her heels, her hair showing signs of strain, strands poking out at odd angles now. Her magic was useful only to a certain degree. She had to think of something to use against Tir's army. And soon.
Jaken and Rin seemed to have fared rather well behind the Staff of Two Heads. Rin continued her cheering as Jaken created a silica lake behind the rocks with frozen Dragons forms growing from the ooze. The Imp demon seemed to be overtaxed with holding the Staff as it destroyed most of the Dragon army. Still, Rin anxiously gave Jaken a shoulder massage to help out.
Sango and Miroku leaned against the biggest rock both winded. They knew not to peer at the on-coming attack. Herykotes and his seals were doing little in the way of reducing the army's numbers. A bit disappointing but they tried everything they could to help out.
"We can't last forever." Sango said slightly out of breath. "I just don't have that kind of strength."
"My hand hurts." Miroku clenched his fist with the wind tunnel, aching as he did so. "There must be something in the sand that's hurting the tunnel."
Actually, more like the skin around the tunnel. He understood sand could scrap off skin, he fell enough times to know that. Were the Dragons going in making his tunnel larger? Would they take more time off his lifespan?
"What do we do, Master Jaken?" Rin asked.
Jaken kept silent. He did not know at the moment, stumped himself as to how they were going to get out of this one without Lord Sesshomaru beside them. Still, they made progress four rock outcrops closer to the mountains. The second wave of Dragons now forming were a testament to that.
They were an unlikely bunch of rescuers bent on getting to their destination rather than fighting every sand dragon that came at them. Still, the dragons refused to be ignored giving chase if bypassed. Each one had to be face if they were to get any further.
Asaia came across Kagome's bow and arrows. Though she never used such a crude weapon, she felt compelled to give it a try for the sake of the group. She readied an arrow in the bow pulling back on the string. Hopefully it would wipe a few sand dragons as it flew through the air.
What they needed was water. But she did not know how to dig a well in the desert without magic she could not access on her own. There were few plants growing here, even those were very dry and brown.
Suddenly a chill overcame them.
Sango, Jaken, Miroku, Inuyasha and Rin all turned behind them. Their eyes widened at the darkened cloud-like shape hovering above the ground and coming at them at a high rate of speed. Demons. A large mass of demons gathered together not coming to battle the sand dragons but to fight against the half-demon half-celestial threat wreaking havoc on the land.
"Wha!" Came Shippo's surprised sigh of relief.
Then they realized they were stuck in the middle between the two. No one else felt relief. It would be a blood bath.
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Tir narrowed his yellow dragon eyes at the black cloud of demons aiming for the weary group of rescuers attempting to make it to the castle of Atokiyada. He would not allow any of them to reach the mountains. Not that they would know how to find the castle once they arrived.
Still, he was not willing to risk it.
As the second wave of Dragons formed and took to the air, he worked on the third wave. He would need time to set his trap in place. The humans and demons working together gained ground during the first attack. He needed to make sure they did not advance further.
Personally.