Chapter twelve

Petitefeeme: It's a miracle! Internet works!

Haruko: So here is the last chapter! But don't worry, if the first part is finished, the second one is in the making and soon will be finished!

Petitefeeme: So read and enjoy!

I was walking behind Toga and Kiba, the wolves and pups around me, trying to ignore the tension.

The little flea demon sitting on my shoulder got me thinking a lot.

Apparently a sheath created to contain Sou'unga's power existed but was kept in a secret place. But something the flea said alarmed me much more than anything.

He said that while escaping Sou'unga's fortress he had seen dragons flying around.

That was meaning that the damned sword had taken control of the dragons he killed during their check-up travel.

That also meant Akio-sama could be among them.

I was so extremely afraid, and nervous, that even the pups and wolves around could feel my distress.

The wolves were whimpering a bit but kept their distance (due to this stupid alpha rivalry), and the pups had tried to comfort me (I was touched by their attempt, even though it didn't really work).

Toga was much more oblivious. Being in constant rivalry with someone seemed to be really attention consuming.

A dragon, even dead, wasn't something to treat with thoughtlessness. Yes, it would be a bit slower and lumbering, but it would still have its powers.

I didn't know how much dragon had went with Akio-sama, but knowing their logic they had probably gone here in a group of three or four.

I knew one had come back alive. That meant there could be two or three dragons fighting in the enemy's camp, including Akio-sama.

I shuddered and looked hesitantly at Toga

Since I learned from Myoga the terrible news, I had tried to speak to Toga about the matter. But the inu demon was so invested in his childish rivalry that I wasn't able to find any calm moment to speak to him.

I sighed before asking to stop for the night. The sun was slowly going down and I needed some light to hunt.

I sighed again. Since their rivalry had begun the two were competing with each other for everything and anything.

But the results were less than satisfactory. For example each time they would go hunt, they would get in the way of each other and in the end catch nothing.

Toga departed, alone since I refused that the pups follow him until this stupid rivalry was finished (it wouldn't do them any good to watch their pitiful attempt to catch something).

Kiba followed immediately after him, ignoring his wolves whimpering to him.

I sighed and told three of them to stay here to guard camp before telling the other to come with me.

We tracked a dear to supply meat to everyone and I was about to kill it when we felt a huge blast of power.

The dear, frightened, fled and I swore under my breath before running back to camp.

There I told the wolves to stay and protect the young ones before running again, this time to the source of the fight.

I became really angry when I saw Kiba and Toga battling each other fiercely.

"Toga, Kiba, please stop!" I yelled fruitlessly as they apparently didn't hear me.

I noticed their eyes were red and became worried. If their beasts were in control, this could become ugly really quickly. Even more so that I could sense Sou'unga's zombies nearing us really fast (they must have sensed the power blast earlier).

"Toga!" I screamed, trying to warn him and wanting to bash his head for his foolishness.

But he ignored me, unwillingly or willingly I would never now.

I had barely the time to push him away as a zombie dragon dived from the sky to us, his claws open and ready to tear flesh apart.

I felt a horrible burning sensation on my arm and screamed in pain as I went flying into a tree, hitting my head.

I tried to stay conscious but I still felt myself involuntarily slip into unconsciousness.

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I regained my senses when a wet unpleasant sensation forced me to wake up.

I opened my eyes to receive water in my them.

I closed them and sat, taking a few moments to regain my balance.

I cleaned my eyes and saw water drops falling from the ceiling to where my face was a few moments ago.

I put my hand on my cheek to effectively see that it was wet.

I tried to stand up but was forced to sit back down when my legs gave out.

I was feeling incredibly weak and tried to call forth my power.

When it didn't answer I searched on my body to see no concealment spell. That meant the whole cell had a spell on to contain my powers.

Now that I had looked around, I could see that the cell was quite huge, more fitted for a dragon than a human.

'I must be in the eastern dragon fortress' I though

I tried to remember everything I knew on dragon cells. I knew they had an exit but it was always blocked by a spell and only those who knew the code to unlock it could pass.

But what was the code? I racked my brain for any piece of information.

I remembered in a flash Akio-sama grumbling about wanting to change the very old code in use in the eastern fortress. I, at that time, understood that this fortress was the most recluse the dragons had and therefore the most neglected. So that meant they didn't change the code in all those years.

I forced myself to remember everything I heard or read about this fortress and finally found something.

The fortress was built in the honour of a dragon lord who had fallen, protecting the coven from a great foe.

His mate after his death had wished to live alone a far away from her community and they complied with her wish.

The code was chosen after her deceased mate's surname.

'But what was his surname.' I though desperately 'Think Haruko think…yes!'

"Asahi." I told strongly and firmly to the wall who disappeared.

I did a little victory dance in my head before carefully straightening up.

Staying near the walls, I made my way the most discreetly possible to the upper floor.

I was happy when my power returned right after I stepped out of the cell. I immediately hide my presence and let it slowly heal my arm which was still injured, though I couldn't see clearly through my clotted, shredded kimono sleeve.

Praying for the wound to not get infected I walked down many corridors, trying to stay as much as I could in the shadows.

I was trying to find my way around when I felt a pull.

I was a bit hesitant but still turned left, following the pull.

I quickly came to a guarded door, two huge Onis standing in front of it.

I was trying to find a way to get them to quit their post when a blast was heard none too far away.

The Onis moved toward the sound and I thanked profusely the one who created it before rushing inside the guarded room.

There I saw my naginata and was impressed. It was it who called me up there.

I took it in my hands and felt the weapon pulse with…happiness.

'Strange.' I though, smiling against my will.

I put it back on and looked around to see an old sheath.

'Could it be…?' I hoped, nearing it and looking at the golden seal on it.

"You got to help me." Said suddenly a ghost, appearing from the sheath "If we do nothing Sou'unga will destroy the world!"

I blinked in surprise before asking:

"Are you Saya by any chance?"

"Indeed young one." Said the old ghost "How do you know me?"

I resumed him my meeting with Myoga and our quest to tame the evil sword Sou'unga.

"You have to take me with you." Said firmly the ghost after my tale "I can help subduing Sou'unga."

"Of course." I said, taking the sheath and tying it to my hips.

I peeked out in the corridor to find it still deserted.

Happy, I got out and continued to find my way outside, this time helped by Saya who had some knowledge of the place.

I was also happy to hear from the ghost that when Sou'unga attacked the dragons that had come checking the fortress, some of them, including Akio-sama, burned themselves to escape being controlled by the evil sword.

Their death must have been very painful, but I was glad I didn't have to confront them.

When I found a huge hole in a wall (this was probably the source of the blast) and looked outside to see a huge battlefield.

I saw hundreds of Onis and various lesser demons fight Kiba and his white wolves. Two dragons were hovering over the area.

One of them dived down and I feared for my friends' lives until I heard someone shout:

"Kaze no kisu!"

I happily recognised Toga's voice, although I couldn't see him, and saw the golden attack I remeber him use from time to time hit the dragon.

I winced slightly when the dragon fell on the ground in pieces and turned to try to find an exit.

I turned right only to find myself in front of three very huge Onis.

Something was telling me there weren't going to step aside if I asked them nicely so I swirled around and ran in the opposite direction.

"This isn't the way girl!" exclaimed Saya.

"Well then tell them." I replied before turning right and climbing a set of stairs.

I swore when I stepped outside into one of the huge landing balcony with no way to escape.

I tried to gather enough power to transform but I was still recovering and could barely fire something at the Onis pursuing me.

I still tried and successfully burned one of the zombies following me, but the effort was too much and I was forced to kneel on the ground.

'I am in deep, deep shit.' I though, trying to come up with a plan to escape.

One of them shot a beam of youki to me and I closed my eyes, expecting to be badly injured when I heard someone yell:

"Backlash wave!"

I felt a rush of violent wind and a powerful youki. When I opened my eyes I saw Toga in front of me, the Onis apparently destroyed as I could not see them anymore.

The rush of adrenaline that kept me on my feet left, rendering me extremely tired and weak. My powers were still nowhere near their normal level, probably focusing on the wound on my arm who I suspected was poisoned and my head still hurt where I hit the tree earlier.

"Are you alright?" asked Toga, kneeling beside me.

I saw concern in his eyes and another feeling that surprised me, guilt.

"I'm alive." I joked a bit, smiling lightly at him.

His unemotional mask still in place, he helped me on my feet and supported me by putting his arm around my waist.

I would have loved to blush but the time wasn't right. He led me outside the tower in no time and jumped over the battlefield to Kiba and his wolves.

"I'm going to fight Sou'unga." He said to Kiba "Do you think you'll be able to hold out?"

"Tch." Replied Kiba "Don't worry, go. I'll protect Haruko."

I frowned a bit. I didn't like to feel useless, but I guess I didn't have a lot of choices.

"Wait." I called to Toga before he went away.

He turned to me with an eyebrow raised and I took Sou'unga's sheath from my side to give it to him.

"This is Sou'unga's sheath Myoga has told us about. Please take it, it will help you."

Toga reached to take it and Saya chose this moment to get out.

He presented himself to Toga and the two departed shortly after that.

"This place isn't sure." Said Kiba, motioning to one of his wolves to come closer "Kuro will take you somewhere safe."

I pouted a bit but knew that I would only be an hindrance here. So I gathered my strength and, leaning on the wolf named Kuro, I made my way outside the battlefield.

After a ten minutes walk we finally walked into a clearing where I could see the pups guarded by two females as well as my bag.

"Haruko-san!" exclaimed happily Myoga, appearing out of nowhere to suck my blood.

I smacked him flat and let him fall on the ground while kneeling to receive the pups that had ran to me in my arms.

I gave them a big hug and laughed when they licked me before turning to the females.

"Thank you to have looked after the pups." I said "Can you help toward a source of water?"

One of them got up and helped me to a river, the pups following me and the other one bringing my bag.

I disrobed and entered the water.

I fished out my bar of soap and washed thoroughly my wound before washing myself.

The pups but Akiko (she detested water for some reason) accompanied me in my bath and I took the opportunity to wash them, fighting briefly with Akiko to also wash her.

I got out and dried myself before drying the pups and a pouting and miserable looking Akiko.

I took out some aloe vera ointment and some bandages for my arm as well as an amethyst coloured kimono with charcoal circles outlined on the fabric and a red amber slash.

After I finished all of this we waited for the en to return. I became soon really tired so I took out my cover and snuggled in a corner.

The pups surrounded my and laid around me as the females sat down not too far away.

I was woken up by the pups' barks.

I opened my eyes to see them greeting back Toga.

Kiba wasn't far behind with his wolves.

I straightened and took my medical supplies.

I neared Toga.

"Please let me heal you."

He said nothing, just sat against a tree.

I helped him out of his armour and opened his haori before tending to the slash on his upper torso.

His arms took most of the damages and it took some time to bandage them but after that I finally finished.

While I was bandaging him I could see his eyes on me.

I remembered what Myoga told me while I was bathing. Apparently when I was taken away Toga lapsed into silence. He retook his role as alpha extremely seriously and even Kiba's joke to lighten the atmosphere didn't work.

From Myoga's point of view, he regretted heavily his stupid behaviour.

That could explain the guilt I saw in his eyes earlier.

"Everyone make mistakes, it's normal." I whispered for only him to hear "Learn from them and move forward. In the future just stay in tune with your pack members' feelings."

I smiled at him before straightening and going to Kiba who had nasty gashes on his legs and feet.

After a lot of whining on Kiba's part and the healing of the injured wolves, I decided to name my naginata Hinakami, the flame blade, for her usefulness (she permitted me to channel my fire power without weakening me too much) and the warm feeling of her happiness.

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When we came back to the village Haruki rushed into my waiting arms.

Apparently everyone had felt Sou'unga's tremendous power blast during his fight with Toga and worried a lot.

After the fight, with most of his territory barren and destroyed, Kiba wished to follow Toga. Apparently he had somewhere along the way recognised the inu demon as his alpha.

They stayed a few days in the village to recover from their wounds.

During that time Toga and I discussed the fate of the evil sword.

We knew Toga couldn't bring back Sou'unga to the western shiro. He wasn't lord yet, so it was dangerous for him to carry Sou'unga around without any safe place to put the sword in, and anyone who could steal the sword could be influenced by it.

We decided that the sword for some time would stay here, and after a talk with Hiro and Aisu, the villagers agreed to build a little shrine a bit away from the village.

I accepted to live in it with my family to guard the sword until Toga came back for her.

When Toga and Kiba decided to go, the goodbyes were a bit teary (Haruki actually cried a bit in Toga's arm and the pups whined endlessly), and we watched them go until we couldn't see them anymore.

I knew Toga was going to participate in the tournament, become lord of the west and produce an heir with Lady Inukimi (I didn't know if he planned to mate with her). I didn't know if and when I would see him again (the same went for Chika and Atsuko).

I didn't know why but these thoughts tore my heart. When we were travelling together something happened between Toga and us. He was dear to us, a bit like family.

But even that couldn't explain the painful ache in my heart and finding no answer I decided to forget it.

"Let's go home." I told Haruki and the pups, taking the little girl's hand while the other held a whining Mikomi.

"It's not home anymore without Toga." Mumbled Haruki before following me.

I didn't know how to answer or comfort her. Toga and us simply weren't from the same world. The simple fact that we got together shortly was surprising.

Petitefeeme: And here is the last chapter, I hope you liked it!

Haruki: The ending is a bit sad.

Petitefeeme: Don't worry you'll see each other again, in the second part!

Haruko: That you'll post as soon as finished of course.

Petitefeeme: …Of course! As soon as finished and after my holidays. My father won't let me write or even go on the laptop. It's a miracle I was able to post this chapter. Also, a friend told me she had problem remembering all the names and characters. So next part I'll make a list of them so that you don't mix things up.

Haruko: Until next part! And good holidays!