Chapter Twelve
Jaken was bored and looked around him. It was practically night by now: the stars had come out, the moon was visible. The last ray of sun that peeked over the horizon wasn't worth noting and Haruna had not returned. The imp eyed a flower close to him. Should he? One more try? Who was he kidding... He didn't have to leave the decision up to chance using a silly game Rin might fancy, he was a demon lord of himself back in the day! He stood up and straightened his kimono.
'Sesshomaru-sama, I'm coming your way now!' he thought determined.
"Where's the priestess?" a voice behind him said he knew very well.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken called out happily, "you've returned!"
Ah-Un lifted his heads too to look at his master.
"You haven't answered my question yet, Jaken," he calmly replied walking over.
"Ah, owh yes milord. Haruna is still at the village it seems."
"I've sensed a strong demonic aura," Sesshomaru replied, "although I wished it otherwise, I need this woman to find out the meaning of the seal my father apparently guarded if I'd believe the demon. Why haven't you followed her, Jaken?"
"Ah uhm, she told me to wait milord," his loyal servant replied.
"Then wait here for us to return now," Sesshomaru told him, he brushed his hand through his hair and then turned around to walk away in the direction of the village.
"Wait, won't you let me take care of things? You don't have to bother yourself with these humans, Lord Sesshomaru," Jaken quickly exclaimed. He grabbed his human head staff and ran after Sesshomaru despite his command. Sesshomaru said nothing more and let Jaken himself decide whether to avoid danger or not.
Haruna watched the pale green hand of the demon Yoshida get closer and closer.
'Is there nothing I can do?' she wondered. He grabbed her arms and pulled her closer. Her head was hanging backwards since she was not able to keep it up, leaving her neck exposed.
"Such a fine neck, how I'd love to rip it open, but then your soul would be lost along with all that beautiful power that I can suck up," he growled lowly, "so I guess I'll just have to make a small incision here in your arm and drink your blood. Not to every demon it's beneficial to consume priests and priestesses, but my kind has acquired a taste for it."
He pressed his nail against her skin and tore it open. A thin line of blood started to trickle down to her right hand.
"Lovely red, blood like velvet, down... down it all... in my throat," he sang while he reached inside a pouch hidden in the folds of his clothes for a cup.
He placed her in a position where she could watch him. Her expression was blank, but inside she was horrified. Was there nothing that she could do to help herself out of this predicament? He was now pressing the cup under the puncture letting blood collect inside. The touch of the cold metal cup against her arm made her shiver inside.
She remembered the monks who taught her shinkei seigyo: nerve control technique. A technique learnt long ago from Shaolin monks on the mainland in the time the Order's operations were still wide spread.
'Start with the easiest to control, the muscles. Feel aware of them. You have about forty tendons and twenty muscles in the hand, but need only seventeen of them to actually move your hand,' she recalled Kodama's words. She knew those muscles, she focused on her left hand, but she couldn't make out if she could twitch them or not. Meanwhile Yoshida cackled as he watched the cup slowly fill, ever so pleased with himself that his plan worked out this well.
Haruna tried to move her hand another time.
'The tendons of the flexor digitorum profundus are across all four fingers except for the thumb,' she told herself in thought, 'they come together on the base of the wrist'. She could imagine their location, she was willing them to move. Her fingers twitched involuntarily, luckily Yoshida didn't notice. The small cup was halfway filled.
'My heart is beating too hard, this will make the blood rush faster through my system. Have no fear, master your emotions,' she told herself and recited a Buddhist charm from the Yung method passed down in the sanctuary to calm herself. Haruna could feel it take effect, it felt as though she was preparing to meditate. She regained movement of her eyes. Yoshida looked up at her face.
"O-ho! So you can move your eyes? You're quite feisty aren't you? I didn't expect you'd be able to withstand my Freezing Eye technique, it won't do you any good however," Yoshida chuckled. He cupped her chin and brought his face close to hers. She stared back into his eyes with as much anger as she could convey with them.
"You priestesses and monks are so full of yourselves, killing demons as easy as the cattle you own or the weeds you cut down. But you see, someday you'll meet your better. It's the natural order of things. There's always someone stronger and smarter than yourself who'll become your downfall," Yoshida spoke into her ear. He gave her a wicked smile when he pulled away. He held the cup before her as if he was going to toast and then drank it all at once. She could move her hand slightly to her side. Where was the katana? She dropped it when she fell over. She tried to search the ground with her eyes when Yoshida wasn't paying attention. Where was it? Soon she found it: so close, yet so far. Just a feet away from her, but as paralyzed as she was right now it was a distance she couldn't cover. Yoshida was humming a rhythm while he pressed the cup against her wound another time. Meanwhile Mizuhebiza didn't regain consciousness and Yoshida didn't seem worried about it either. Knowing the deity wasn't dead she wished the dragon would be able to resist the spell and sutra charms.
'Just wake up, dammit!'
Sesshomaru arrived at the town. People gasped and ran away when he approached, only the guards stood still, holding their pikes.
"D-d-d-don't come a-any closer demon!" the same guard who had intimidated the villagers stuttered at Sesshomaru. He didn't pay heed to their senseless threats and continued his way.
"Move," he single wordily commanded. The guard responded by bringing his pike closer to Sesshomaru's chest. The taiyokai grabbed the wooden bar and snapped in effortlessly like a twig, then he pushed the guard away making him land five yards away into the hands of his fellow guards.
"Move, I won't tell you again," Sesshomaru growled at them. They nodded their heads in understanding and hurriedly ran away out of Sesshomaru's sight. A woman was kneeling next to a hut, half behind a cart with hay bales. Sesshomaru stopped and looked at her. Jaken ran out in front of him.
"Where's the priestess Haruna, woman? Lord Sesshomaru demands to know!" he screeched.
"Out on the lake," she mouthed inaudibly, with her eyes closed, not daring to look at them. She trembled with fear. Demons! Demons in their village!
"Where you say?" Jaken yelled, holding his staff threateningly.
"Out on the lake," she repeated a little louder, but barely more than a whisper.
"I don't hear you!" the imp said, not having a canine hearing ability such as his master.
"Enough Jaken, we'll continue," Sesshomaru told him annoyed.
"Ah, owh- yes milord," Jaken hurriedly replied with his usual submissiveness. They left the woman dumbfounded. She had never expected she'd face two demons this close and live to tell about it.
"Jaken, fetch me a boat and do it quickly," the taiyokai continued as they walked down the road to the pier.
"Yes Lord Sesshomaru, right away," Jaken replied and ran forward. When he got to the pier there was someone hiding in the boat.
"Get out you fool! Lord Sesshomaru needs to use this," he yelled at the poor man who held his arms around his head while he ran away from the two demons. Sesshomaru hardly glanced at the man. Jaken was trying to untie the boat from the pier as fast as he could muster.
"It's ready, milord," he said and bowed his head while Sesshomaru got inside the vessel. He gracefully stepped inside and Jaken stood in awe for a moment.
"Can you row, Jaken?" Sesshomaru asked after he sat down, lightly amused. Jaken hadn't moved from the pier.
"Ah-ah, sorry milord! Yes I can!" he replied flustered, he had been spacing off in thought for a second there. He used the human head staff to push the boat away from the pier and sat down to grab the rows. They were heavy and he was only a small imp, he pushed and pulled them to get the boat moving. Slowly the two demons were leaving the village behind. The townsfolk gathered some courage to peek at the demons leaving and wondered what was going to happen next.
"Sonny, the past week has been the most strange in my life," an old man with a bent back and a walking stick croaked to his grandson, "lord Yoshida working us to the bone, the deity demanding every provision and young woman we have. I've been carving wooden figures to honor the deity like there's no tomorrow! And now these demons… By the looks of it, that's a strong one. We are blessed we've lived to die another day."
Sesshomaru and Jaken entered the thick mists hanging above the water and soon the darkness enveloped them.
"What direction shall I row to, milord? The stars are hardly visible here."
"Just keep going straight, Jaken. Despite these fogs the stink of that demon can't escape my nose," he answered. His impish servant nodded and tried to row as fast he could.
Every minute that passed seemed like an hour to Haruna, but she felt she could fight the Freezing Eye as long as she avoided Yoshida's eyes and focused well.
'I have a chance if I can reach the katana.'
Her fingers trembled, she could bend them a little. The tips of her fingers scraped through the sand.
"This is a good appetizer before I take over Mizuhebiza," Yoshida growled satisfied.
Voices drifted to the island from the distance.
'Jaken? Sesshomaru?' she thought shocked. Although she tried to control her feelings, her heart sprang. Hope! Yoshida heard the voices too. With a scowl he turned his head, trying to peer into the mist to locate the unwanted visitors.
'Now!' Haruna screamed to herself in her mind. Her muscles ached, trying to resist the signals she gave them. Her arm scraped over the sand, getting closer and closer to her sword. Yoshida wasn't looking at her. Almost… Almost! She gazed intensely at her hand from the corner of her eye, her fingers graced the hilt. Yoshida would get what he deserved! He sensed something was amiss, he raised his clawed hand towards Haruna without looking at her, stretching the fingers like a blade, ready to strike her down if he had to. She clenched the hilt of the sword. The muscles in her arm felt white-hot, painful. Yoshida turned his head back to face her. His eyes trailed her body and saw she was holding the sheathed blade, his face contorted into a menacing scowl. Too late! She flung herself up with her arm lifted and hit him square in the face. Yoshida's flesh melted and burned. He screamed and backed away, closing his eyes. His hold over her body had been lifted, she could move again. She scrambled backwards across the sand and stood up, shaky on her feet like a new born deer.
"Sesshomaru-sama!" she yelled. Yoshida realizing she had back-up lurched forward to her.
"You witch!" he spat. She parried him with the katana. He tried to kick her off her feet. Although he had only possessed a human body, the strength of his demon spirit alone could deform human flesh and make the lord stronger than he'd ever normally be. Haruna jumped back. The demon Yoshida's arm sizzled where it had met with Haruna's katana.
"I'm not done yet!" Haruna growled, finding new strength now the odds turned in her advantage. She took a sutra charm from her reserve inside her kimono and threw it at the demon, hoping she could drive him out of the body of the human. Lightning crackled at the impact and he growled when he involuntarily paced back. Haruna panted and clutched her hurt arm. Yoshida regained his composure quicker than she had expected and scratched the air. Her eyes widened in shock, black blades of energy were flying in her direction. She tensed her legs but felt she might be too slow. The blades were nearing… just a second… she braced herself. But then a green whip soared through the sky and deflected the attack. Sesshomaru landed in front of her.
"Stay back," he spoke chillingly as he gave Yoshida a deadly glare. The blades hit the water surface and caused an explosion. The water sprung up and drizzled down on them. Yoshida trembled with sudden fear at the look of this terrible taiyokai in front of him. Sesshomaru stepped forward drawing bakusaiga.
"Please don't destroy the human along with him!" Haruna exclaimed.
"Hn?... Foolish," Sesshomaru replied. He was ready to strike down. But Yoshida could predict what fate would befall him if he stayed in this weak shell. He ejected his spirit and raced towards Mizuhebiza's body. Yoshida returned to his normal self and slumped down unconscious. With the little strength the demon possessed he tore the sutra charms that paralyzed the dragon off and entered the body. It spasmed by the sudden intrusion, but after a few seconds it stopped and Mizuhebiza's yellow eyes flashed red. The demon laughed madly.
"I have done it! I have possessed the body of a deity!" he roared, "finally after losing my own body I can become complete once more! A week ago a black shadow tried to kill me when I was resting, I was only just able to flee. Now I can hunt him down for my revenge."
"Black shadow?" Sesshomaru repeated, slightly squinting his eyes at the mention.
"Yes, I'll never forget what it looked like. It could shapeshift into a puddle or a demon."
"Where did it go to?" Sesshomaru continued.
"Why are you interested? Well, it doesn't matter. I can just as well enlighten you since you're close to crushed! It went into the direction of mount Fuji."
Haruna held her breath for a moment. That was the same direction they were heading! She could feel this spelled danger.
"And now... I'll deliver you the final blow!" he exclaimed. Mizuhebiza's lips curled into an evil grin. Suddenly his expression changed into confusion.
"W-wait! No! My revenge... I'm not done yet!"
Sesshomaru noticed a change in the dragon's body. The eyes turned yellow and red, back and forth. An inner struggle was ongoing: Mizuhebiza's own soul was battling with the intruder. Sesshomaru watched the fight without intervening. When the enemy demon's spirit was cast out he leaped forward. However fast the demon was, he could not outspeed Sesshomaru. The taiyokai flew before him and slashed Bakusaiga down. He cut through the demon ghost like through smoke, but since he wasn't dead Bakusaiga could harm him. The green flashes from bakusaiga sparked through the air around and through him, and he vanished into thin air with a loud yelp.
"You're amazing as always Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken praised him. Sesshomaru soared down back to the island, his hair and clothes fluttering in the wind. He sheathed his sword in mid-air and landed on the beach. Haruna looked at him. She realized how thankful she should be he arrived at the right moment, and he came for her!
"Thank you for coming for me, Sesshomaru," she said with a small smile. She looked him in his amber eyes.
"You have yet to show me the way to this Order of yours, girl," he replied. She raised her eyerbrows and then frowned. Haruna put a hand on her hips.
"Owh? So you mean to say you didn't want to help me, but did so because I'm still useful to you?" she exclaimed. He remained silent and glared at her with mild surprise. This woman seemed insulted at the idea that he, Lord of the West, didn't come for her, a mere woman, out of care, but simply because of unfinished business.
"By the way, my name isn't girl or woman, but Ha-ru-na. Remember it please," she continued. That irritated face. He did have to admit the woman had spunk, standing up to him after he just displayed how easily he could kill. She was also more enduring in battle than most human fighters he had come across in his long life. He couldn't place why, but her outburst kind of amused him.
"Be grateful he came, idiot!" Jaken screeched back at her, always ready to defend his lord when others were rude to him, "next time don't wander off on your own!"
"Why don't you come with me? Might be good for you, helping someone once a while," she retorted. Her inner-self sighed. It was impossible to stay irritated for long, she was too relieved for that. Her annoyance went as quick as it came.
'I'm such a dork letting that demon catch me off guard. Next time I'll kill the yokai immediately and try not to be a burden to others… But say, I found myself dependable and strong companions.'
She stared at Sesshomaru's profile who was facing Mizuhebiza. For the first time it crossed her mind that the lord was also kind of... handsome. Her eyes softened without her noticing.
Someone moaned behind her, she snapped her head towards the direction of the sound: it was the true lord Yoshida, he was regaining consciousness. She hurried over and squatted down, helping Yoshida to sit up.
"Are you okay?" Haruna asked.
"I feel like I've been in asleep for a long time, caught in a nightmare…" he groaned and rubbed his eyes.
"I guess you could say that's true, but it will be okay now," Haruna replied and tried to give him a comforting smile.
"I might've been immobile but I perceived everything that happened," the dragon deity spoke, "the demon made a fatal mistake trying to possess a deity, such arrogance. I have understood I have been tricked. But one thing caught my attention… He mentioned he had been attacked by a creature of shadow. It appears we met the same foe."
"You've come across the Sa'keeth?" Jaken asked.
"Sa'keeth... yes, that's an old name I vaguely remember. Not one, but multiple…" Mizuhebiza answered, "they came during the twilight. I was under the surface of the water but saw several black shadows race across the water, feeling they were a threat to the town I emerged and engaged in battle with them. I warn you if you seek them out, they aren't normal demons. I had to resort to my powers as deity to destroy them."
"You killed them all?" Sesshomaru inquired.
"No, I could not. I killed three who stayed to fight me, the others escaped across the lake in the direction of mount Fuji."
"Hnn," Sesshomaru replied. He turned around and walked back to the boat. Jaken ran towards the shoreline and bowed several times to the deity on Sesshomaru's behalf, knowing his master would never bow to someone else. Then Yoshida's mind was clear enough to notice he was on the sacred island and the shrine had been destroyed.
"Forgive me, Mizuhebiza-sama!" he exclaimed horrified and joined Jaken bowing even more deeply, "how could we let your shrine be destroyed?"
"It's fine Yoshida, you can build me a new one, but I'll do without offerings for another season," the dragon told him, remembering how greedy his demands had been the past days. They all stepped inside the boat, lord Yoshida rather uncomfortable for being with other demons in one vessel.
"One more thing before you depart," the dragon spoke turning to Haruna, "you fought me well priestess, but if my eyes don't betray me I daresay you're not ready for such a weapon."
He pointed at her sword. She looked at him surprised. If it wasn't for the katana she would've been dead probably. What was the old dragon saying? She kicked his ass with it! She frowned and slowly nodded. They departed, Jaken being the one handling the oars once more.
"Finish your dealings here soon, miko. We'll leave once you're done," Sesshomaru said. Haruna had half-expected he would want to leave immediately. Although she didn't show, inwardly she was quite happy. He had accepted to wait for her.
'Seems he respects my decision to come here after all.'
A/N: Inspiration for the nerve control technique comes from prana bindu out of the book Dune. Wonder who thought about that x) I really liked reading Dune. Freezing Eye technique is a cheesy name isn't it... sorry I couldn't think of something better. I haven't had many biology classes by the way, I googled the stuff about muscles in the hand.
Seems Haruna and Sesshomaru are warming up to each other a little ;)