INUYASHA: SEALED FATES UNLEASHED

By: Lady JenDragon

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Author Notes: Mom's in chemo now, finished with second round of radiation. So got a little more free time. Churnin away at the story lately. All I got.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Barriers and Foes

Inuyasha could see nothing through the thick fog. All he saw was gray, the humidity so heavy he could taste water. His only insight was the faint scent of that damn bug Asaia said she planted on Tir. Well, if it took a bug to find Kagome then that was fine with him.

He just wanted an idea where they were headed. They were still climbing upward and did not seem to be leveling out. The ground was rocky and jagged. He found a thick staff-like branch. At Miroku's insistence, he was silently grateful for the thing. It helped figure out the next step. If they were climbing into the mountains then anyone of them could slip and fall. And none of the others could do anything to save the person.

Miroku held onto Inuyasha's kimono tightly, Shippo clinging to his shoulder, allowing the half-demon to lead the way up. He could not make out Inuyasha's body, hair or form. But he could not see the kimono's color in his hand either. That made him nervous. This fog was so thick. There was no telling where they were going.

Sango was in the back, laboring behind the others. She too used a long branch to find her way tied by a rope to Shippo, leaving it slacked. Since Asaia urged them to climb away from the battle somewhere below, they were traveling basically blind. Inuyasha was still tracking the stink-bug planted by Asaia.

"Inuyasha?!" Miroku called out.

"I'm right here." Inuyasha stopped, turned and growled. "You don't have to yell in my ear, you know."

"Sorry." Miroku reached out with his hand, finding Inuyasha's chest. "I can't see your face."

Instantly Miroku withdrew his hand, conscious of the placement. If Shippo was looking, he did not want to draw a stare. Too bad Sango chose to walk behind him. It would so much more interesting if she were walking in front of him now. He sighed.

"This fog's too thick." Sango agreed stopping where she heard the voices. "It's probably a cloak for the castle. If Asaia's right, then we're getting closer. The fog's been getting thicker and thicker in the last half hour."

"Yeah." Inuyasha spoke as if pouting. "I just hate this hiding crap."

"We need to keep moving." Miroku insisted softly. "We shouldn't stop for long. We should also maintain silence until we get closer. If the castle is close, we don't want to alet anyone to our presence."

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Asaia stepped over Tir's still form, laying in a heap on the ground. His green arms were sprawled on either side of him, his neck crooked to the right. His back was curled, his legs fell over to the side, his hips eerily twisted sideways.

"Silly dragon." Asaia spoke softly. "You're no match for a Celestial human."

Her hands went to touch the beads around her neck that glowed bright green. She looked into the mountains at the thickening clouds around the upper thousand feet. Inuyasha and the others must be close to the castle. The fog typically did not thicken unless Humans were nearby. That meant Sango and Miroku would set off the web of demon miasma her sister used to detect unwanted visitors.

Funny how a demon always reverted to demon antics even when they were half celestial, Asaia thought to herself. With Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga, they would gain access through the castle defenses rather quickly. However, she needed to be there when that happened.

Any leftover energy from the Backlash Wave could weaken her own curse if it hit just right. Was the risk worth getting in the way, she wondered? She spent so much time among humans, it was difficult to remember that she was celestial as well.

Even with her sister's curse, she could still manipulate some magic of her own. She flexed both hands feeling the aftermath of her battle with Tir. Perhaps she over estimated his ability to defeat her in conventional battle. In such a small form, she expected a much tougher fight.

She turned to look at Tir once more.

"You left me no choice, old friend." Asaia sighed. "I'd hoped to set you free sooner. Alas, even my own ignorance could not have foreseen how deep you've fallen beneath her spell."

Perhaps one day she would forgive herself for allowing Tir to become a victim of her sisters will and become her minion of destruction. Until the time presented itself to free him from his binds, the others would have her full attention.

In a blinding light, she disappeared from the mountain base while the battle between demons and sand dragons raged onward. The numbers on both sides were dwindling fast. There would be little time before Atokiyada knew of Tir's defeat. She had to move quickly.

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Miroku seemed to have lost sight of everything. First he could feel Inuyasha moving by the tension in the kimono he wore but now he could feel nothing. Clenching his fist tighter, he still held it. But he could see or smell anything. Even Shippo seemed to try helping by sniffing the air, judging by the shift in the small demon's position.

"Anything Shippo?" Miroku asked softly.

"Nothing." Shippo said quietly. "I can't even smell Inuyasha anymore."

Instantly he walked right into something…or someone actually. It was Inuyasha standing stark still, rigid as he sniffed the foggy air. Miroku could feel his long hair gently blowing in the breeze. There was something in the air but he could not place it. As if something was hiding.

"What is it?" Miroku could feel Inuyasha rigid form.

"Miasma." Inuyasha growled. "It's everywhere. We're in the right place."

Sango walked into both Miroku and Inuyasha at that moment.

"Why didn't you tell me you stopped!" Sango said harshly, agitated by the blind journey. "What's wrong?"

She realized that Miroku seemed to be the one waiting for something. Had Inuyasha lost the scent already? They were almost to the top of the mountains judging by the lack of breathable air. That and she could feel it in her bones. The air was thinnest here at the top of the mountains. If the castle was here then they should continue quickly and find Kagome. Who knows what the dreaded enemy had done in their absence.

"Can't you both feel it?" Inuyasha demanded concentrating on feeling the source of the miasma. "It's right here."

"Feel what?" Sango looked around finding nothing but slight outlines of the other two.

KiRaRa had taken to flight early on to view from the top. She had not returned since that had her worried about the fate of the demon cat. Sure she could take of herself, Sango wondered if this enemy had another hostage.

"Miasma." Miroku answered. "Inuyasha's says there's a barrier."

Sango concentrated but felt nothing. Not even a demon aura typical of miasma could be detected. This made Sango frown. This enemy could mask her own miasma? She must be very strong, Sango reasoned. Even a Celestial demon would leave some kind of trace.

"I feel nothing." Sango frowned. "Why is there a barrier here?"

"Once a demon." Came Asaia's soft voice. "Always a demon."

The fog seemed to clear around her as she walked towards them. The beads she wore glowed a light green. Inuyasha turned to find Miroku directly at his right shoulder, Sango only a foot away from him. Shippo jumped to the ground and relaxed his feet.

"You defeated the demon dragon?" Inuyasha wanted to know.

Asaia walked with her head slightly tilted downwards. She seemed to shimmer more blue than silver at the moment, illuminating the fog in a dim bluish hue. Inuyasha had not given the small girl much thought until now. Strange, how much like Sesshomaru and he behaved these two sisters did. Stranger, they had had more power than both of them. That made him a bit uneasy. Women could be scary when given power. On occasion, even Kagome scared him.

"Just immobilized him." Asaia walked past them to the barrier. "I wouldn't hurt a dear friend even if he's under some spell. I wanted to make sure I was here for when you get through the barrier."

Silence hung between the group and Asaia for only a few moments. She did not mention that the demon and child were a thousand feet below them on the small road circling up the mountain. Asaia had not bothered to stop to speed up their journey to the mountains top.

"Yeah." Inuyasha agreed. "Demons do like barriers for some reason."

He unsheathed Tetsusaiga.

"Well, I got an answer for that." Inuyasha held Tetsusaiga out in both hands.

The thin, battered blade suddenly transformed into a sleek thick blade with a furry hilt. Inuyasha growled slightly, gripping the sword tighter.

"Where's Imp and the girl?" Asaia asked suddenly, pretending surprise.

Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha looked between them nervously but neither of them spoke openly about what happened. None wanted to admit that the two were separated at some point during the climb up because of the thickening fog that was beginning to cloud the road. Jaken was being pesky and decided to stop and rest. Inuyasha disagreed that any stopping would cost time. So they left him behind. Rin automatically stayed with him.

"It's best they aren't here." Asaia reasoned. "Jaken would only be in the way. His importance will come later. So, shall we?"

Asaia looked to Inuyasha, she reached out towards Tetsusaiga's blade. It shuddered slightly so she dropped her hand. It must feel the curse of the demon celestial. Apparently the legend of the two swords of the Dog General was true. Tetsusaiga could not be handled by a demon after all.

"Everyone stand back." Inuyasha took several steps back. "I'm gonna need some space."

Asaia walked with Sango, Miroku and Shippo to where the rock fell away to a cliff. It felt strange to be walking out of the path of a sword not focused on destroying you, Asaia thought. Hopefully, Tetsusaiga would break the barrier in one swipe.

"BACKLASH WAVE!!!!" Yelled Inuyasha.

Instantly a light emanated from the blade, searing the ground as it traveled from the tip to the invisible barrier. The barrier turned pink then purple then blue. It shimmered for several seconds then splintered like glass, falling away.

Instantly the fog began to dissipate. The group etched forward as the gleaming castle cast in gray gloom began to shimmer as the sun began to peek through. Inuyasha was the first to take off towards the castle gate. Sango, Miroku and Shippo followed him quickly.

Asaia slowly began to follow, taking her time getting to the gate. No one seemed to notice that the miasma suddenly disappeared without showing itself. Surprisingly that both the monk and the demon slayer did not stop to assess the miasma. Perhaps they cared more for their friend than themselves?

She walked up the gate long parted by the others. There was no real rush after all. Any show down Atokiyada had with Inuyasha would pale in comparison to what Sesshomaru would do to her sister when freed.

Perhaps her plan would work after all.

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Atokiyada lay against the soft pillows stacked high against the top of the mattress. She enjoyed the softness after thousands of years lying on dying tree branches and leaves. Though her water bowl could steal objects from the world, she could not steal people.

Dressed in a soft silver-blue kimono with small, soft blue flowers all over it, she felt her plans finally going well. Since Tir left the castle to deal with the demon-human party in search of their missing miko, there was little else to concentrate on.

The battle between demons and sand dragons ended only a few minutes ago. Only a small group of the more powerful demons remained and were on their way here. They were of little consequence. The fog around the castle would keep them at bay until she decided to end their miserable little lives as she saw fit.

She jolted upright in bed.

"What?!" Atokiyada got to her feet immediately. "What's this?! Impossible! That half-breed is breaking through my barrier?!"

And where was Tir if he had not defeated the rag-tag group of demons and humans? She knew Asaia was among the group. Surely she did not know about the miasma and barrier? No, she was worried for no reason. As long as little sister wore the beads, she could do nothing about Atokiyada's power.

But then again…Tetsusaiga's power had been amplified by something.

She took several moments to consider the possibilities. Atokiyada exited her quarters, heading for the central hall to await them. Her guard demons would take care of the nuisance half-breed, demons and humans. She would deal with Asaia personally.

Her little sister had been busy during her enslavement.

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Sesshomaru opened his eyes, finding the miko awake but quiet. He felt the disruption the Backlash Wave had on the barrier surrounding the castle. Its presence was unmistakable. Despite the dismal quality of the castle, he felt the presence of demon miasma and barrier protecting the castle from the outside world yesterday. Though the miasma was minimal to the senses due to her celestial qualities, even a demon would know it coming upon it.

Would it kill a demon if one ran into the barrier? Legends told of celestials using barriers against the strongest of adversaries. Certainly, none were strong enough to take on a full celestial. But this female demon-celestial half-breed used all abilities afforded her through birthright.

Though strong from the inside, he wondered if any would feel the barrier from a distance from the exterior of the castle. Some barriers could be felt miles away. Few humans and demons could detect them from some distances depending on the strength of the source.

There was something strange about the barrier. Sesshomaru shifted his eyes to the ceiling, making no effort to move from his prison chains attached to the floor. The barrier seemed to pulse like a living creature, changing its strength as if consciousness contemplated those who came to stand before it and be judged.

'Was the miasma alive?' Sesshomaru pondered the possibility. 'Did it control the barrier? Father mentioned only once coming upon a living miasma with such strength and agility. It nearly cost the demons their legacy. Had Father fought this creature before? This Sesshomaru has read all of Father's scrolls. He never wrote of the battle in his notes. Not even the scholars dare to keep the memory?'

Sesshomaru closed his eyes not missing the actions of the miko in the same room with him. The miko was looking around as well, her eyes searching the main room for any signs of a rescue. Perhaps she felt the disruption as well after all? She remained quiet but she no longer acted as a prisoner. She felt confident someone was coming for her.

This human was strange.

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Kagome felt something. She was not sure what it meant but her heart gave a lurch in hopes that Inuyasha and the others would find her soon. In the next hour was preferred. The thought of freedom welled up emotion she had not felt in what seemed like days. Happiness. Something she forgot being stuck here unable to move.

She tested her restraints finding the binding spell just as powerful as before.

She could hear the bellow of orders from demons and the following rush of feet as they exited the hall off the main room of the castle. So, Inuyasha and the others must be close after all. Her heart gave a lurch hope filling her mind with happy thoughts. Suddenly, the last few days did not seem so difficult.