Chapter 34 - Support

Kiome silently sped through the hallways, leading Inu Yasha to the infirmary. Once they arrived, Inu Yasha chose an empty bed and carefully lowered the redheaded demon onto it. He stared at her while her sister went to fetch the castle's medic. She was barely lucid but she was staring right back at him, "You must be the one that Kagome spoke of."

Inu Yasha's ears twitched, "She spoke of me?"

Kiara's eyes drifted shut. "Hai," she breathed.

Before Inu Yasha could ask her anything else, Kiome returned with a green-haired healer. As the man surveyed Kiara, Inu Yasha directed his attention away from the wounded demoness. He eyed Kiome and the two wordlessly rushed back outside.

Kiara's eyes opened a crack and she watched her sister lead the hanyou back outside. He and Sesshomaru were more alike than they would probably like to admit. In Inu Yasha's eyes, she saw the same innate protectiveness that she saw in his half-brother's. Inu Yasha's silvery hair and molten eyes left no question about his bloodlines; he was an Inu youkai albeit a half. Both shared the same deep golden eyes that hid so many secrets; eyes that one could stare into endlessly and still never understand a thing. Kiara sighed, both were so powerful… it was a shame they didn't get along. They would make an indestructible team but considering their past, Kiara understood why Sesshomaru was not very fond of his younger half-sibling. Granted, if she was him, she would probably hate him too.

Despite their undeniable similarities, they were also irrefutably different. The Western Lord's strength and abilities had been trained and refined while the younger half-demon had been left alone to either grow stronger or to perish. He held a certain anger within him; a defensiveness about being different. Sesshomaru on the other hand was uncannily confident; he would not stand for the slightest disrespect.

The brothers stood at opposite ends of the spectrum when it came to their behaviour; Sesshomaru like ice and Inu Yasha like fire. The Western Lord was cold and hid his emotions well, but Inu Yasha did not seem the type to worry about that. Even in the short time that she had been with him, Kiara had seen the hope spark in his eyes when he'd heard that Kagome had mentioned him.

Kiara's thoughts grew fuzzy and she was no longer able to stay awake. Silently, she slipped into nothingness.

A scream pierced the air behind him.

Frowning, Haru turned around and saw one of his men lying on the ground. There was no blood, but there was also no doubt that he was dead. His body was motionless and his expression was one who just had his soul sucked out of him.

Haru's eyes slowly and fearfully rose from the man's body and he found himself staring into the depths of the pale blue eyes of a young girl.

She did not speak, but instead, shifted her mirror in her grasp.

Haru refrained from looking into it. He'd heard stories about this one. If you looked into her mirror, you would never look away. Instead he looked behind her and found himself staring at the second wave. They were approaching fast. Glancing to his sides, he saw that her army spread endlessly in both directions.

Dismayed, Haru shouted orders to his men. He had spoken to them of this before and he told them that under no circumstances were they to look into the girl's mirror.

'I have to warn them! But how?' Looking around desperately, an idea formed in his mind.

"Follow me!" he called to his men. He urged his mount into a hard gallop along the outskirts of the battle; it would lead him straight to Sesshomaru's castle.

Hopefully he wouldn't arrive too late.

Naraku hissed with impatience and frustration. He hadn't anticipated his battle with Sesshomaru to take this long. He kept him on his toes, even with Naraku's improved body and increased power. 'Perhaps if I can distract him long enough for Kagura to grab the miko…' his thoughts were interrupted by one of his poisonous insects approaching. The insect perched deftly on his shoulder and informed him that Kanna had arrived.

Naraku didn't even flinch when Sesshomaru destroyed the insect and landed a blow on his shoulder. Instead, he began laughing maniacally.

'It won't be long now.'

A/N) Apologies for the ridiculously short chapter, but sit tight, more to come ;)