"Move!" Kino ordered the other women as thick smoke began to creep under the house where they huddled. Iku led them as Rin was pushed out on her hands and knees.

"Come on!" Jin shouted as they emerged from under the foundation helping them all alongside Mitsuo.

"Where's Emi?" Mitsuo questioned desperately.

"Buying us time." Iku informed. With his eyes going wide he made an effort to run to the house. "No! Take your children and run! Take the others and go Mitsuo!"

"Iku…you're coming too." Izumi said.

"No, I may be needed." She shook her head. "Hikari, please take Mizuchi."

"Lady Iku, we-we need you." Hikari said fearfully.

"Mother, don't stay here." Sana grasped her arm holding to her as if she were a small child.

"You have to go!" Jin exclaimed with great urgency. "It's only a matter of time before they breach the back."

"I won't leave with out my wife." Mitsuo said slowly.

"Mitsuo, Emi is smart and brave. She will be alright. Your children need you, please." Izumi pled.

"Fine." He relented unhappy with the hard decision he had to make. Taking two of his children from Mira and Sana he began to lead them away.

"We can go to mine and Jiros cave. This way." Sana waved them in the direction of it. "Jin."

"Go sister, take care of your baby. If you can…please look after my daughter." He requested.

"Of course, of course." Sana nodded tearfully pulling him to her for a quick embrace.

"Come on, come on!" Kino urged as the others ran in the direction of the woods. Taking Sanas hand they ran after the others.

Mira chose not to follow them instead running to the quarters she had been staying in, Jakens hut, and grabbed a bag she had made of healing herbs, bandages, and salves.

Hearing a sudden commotion outside she readied her knife to see two demons attacking Jin. Swinging one of his circular blades at the closest one he threw the second one at the male that was stalking him.

Crouching down Mira held her breath making herself as small and undetectable as possible. Jin missed the demon and his weapon became lodged in the ground on its side.

"Damn it." He swore to himself, gritting his teeth. The demon he clashed with only smirked through its fangs at him.

"You have no chance against me human." He mocked. "I'll flay the flesh from your bones and make a meal of you."

"Unlikely." Jin retorted back tracking slightly. Using his teeth he opened a bag he had tied to his wrist that spilled a liquid down his hand onto his blade. Shaking it quickly to distribute it better he brought his arm up to defend himself as the others sword came close to him.

Mira eyed the second weapon that the other demon had ignored and ran to it.

"Jin!" She called out grabbing it to toss to him in a swinging motion. Turning his body so he was facing her direction better he caught the handle effortlessly swiping it across the demons face slicing him.

"You miserable pests!" He shouted out. "Take care of her!"

"Get over here bitch!" The second demon advanced quickly towards Mira.

"Mira! Run!" Jin yelled out at her in a panicked voice, he couldn't defend her with the man he was fighting barely giving him an inch.

Standing she transformed to her natural state becoming a black dog and ran towards the tree line in the opposite direction the others had gone in. "What a nuisance." The second demon said giving chase.

With Mira gone Jin could focus on what was in front of him. In his current position he couldn't attack only defend which was a problem. All he could do was keep deflecting the man's onslaught of far more superior swordsmanship than he possessed.

"When you're dead I'll find the females and personally deal with them." The demon jeered with a grin that made Jin sick.

"Like hell you will!" Jin shouted at him twisting slightly to bring his primary blade upwards catching the sword with his secondary one.

Hitting the demon across his armor and nicking his chin the other finally backed off. Swiping at the cuts he had endured he only chortled.

"Your attacks are weak. I came here looking for a challenge and instead I find a boy playing war." The demon said his eyes narrowing before bugging out of his head as he dropped his sword and fell to his knees.

Clawing at his throat he struggled to breath glaring daggers at Jin.

"You came here to die." Jin said. "Go to the next world and tell them that this boy dispatched you there."

Choking the demons fade turned a deep red then purple from the poison Jin had struck him with before falling down dead. Turning his head to the direction Mira had gone in he debated which way to go.

Find her and help her or defend the front?

Kohaku had ordered him to stay back to try to prevent any who may get through the lines of their compound and the eastern army from advancing further onto their land but who knew where the enemies may actually be, they could be surrounded and not know it yet.

Before he could move he heard a shout. Turning he felt his demon slayer armor be cut through and the heat of a sword slicing into his stomach. Bringing his weapon up the blade snapped as if the sword that was used was made of fire.

Melting down his wrist he yelled as it burned. The sword continued down cutting through his hand between his middle and ring finger. Blood erupted from his mouth as he moved clumsily out of the way.

'Stupid, stupid…' He berated himself inwardly clutching his stomach with his injured hand and trying to defend himself with his unbroken blade.

"It's fitting that I will kill you all with this blade, the sun sword once possessed by Lord Akio." The demon said watching him struggle.

"Akio…" Jin managed out.

"It was smuggled out of the east and sold to the highest bidder." Bringing Jin down to his knees he smirked at him. "None of you stand a chance against the army Lady Zero has amassed. Now die!"

Jin went to move only falling on his side. Closing his eyes he thought of Nozumi and Nen, wishing his husband was beside him desperately.

When the finishing blow never came he opened his eyes and coughed out in surprise. The demons throat had been slit with someone clinging to his back. Jumping off when the man fell to the ground he saw it was Iku.

Grabbing his wrist she pulled Jin into her hut shutting and locking the door. Standing at it for a moment she trembled before turning her attention to Jin.

"Lady Iku." He groaned. "Why, why are you here?"

"It didn't sit right with me leaving you here. Lucky for you, I was correct." She replied tearing away the top of his clothing to reveal the gash across him. "The good news is the sun sword cauterizes the wound."

"Bad news." Jin managed out.

"You're a human, this type of wound is deep. Your insides are undoubtedly damaged beyond anything I can repair. It's only a matter of time before you succumb to your injuries." Taking his hand she took a bottle dumping out the contents onto the mangled appendage.

Shouting out as it burned and stung he heard her tsk. "Half of your hand is gone. I'll wash and wrap it for you."

"You need to leave." Jin groaned out. "Leave me here."

"No. You're coming with me. I will not leave you to die alone." Iku retorted shaking her head. "You will be with your pack, as comfortable as possible."

"I'm not leaving, I'll fight until I drop." Jin said. "I'm not a coward."

"Retreating isn't cowardice, at times it is the smartest thing to do." Tying off the bandage she laid him down to tend to his torso.

"I'd rather die on my feet than on my back." Jin answered. "Protecting all of you and standing…standing next to Kohaku."

"Jin…"

"Lady Iku…please, can you help me do that?" Waiting as she seemed to struggle internally he knew he couldn't fend her off if she decided to just carry him off, even on a good day let alone in the state he was in.

Applying a sticky poultice she secured a bandage along his stomach. Assisting him to sit up slowly he cried out in pain again. Taking out a vial from her side satchel she held it up for him to see.

"Drinking this will relieve you of any pain or discomfort you have. You'll feel nothing but you will still be injured and not feeling pain is not an advantage." She explained.

"I may do things to exacerbate my wounds." Jin said understanding what she was saying.

"Yes."

"I'll take it." Setting his features she sighed as if disappointed. "I need to do this. Everything all of you have done for me, all I feel I do is take and take and take…never give."

"That is not true Jin." Iku said quickly.

"I almost killed you, your son…everyone…"

"That matter is settled…"

"It doesn't make it go away or the guilt I feel for hurting you. How…how you said how scared you were…alone…because of me." Jin retorted.

"Your life doesn't need to end in a terrible manner because of what happened in the past. You deserve better." Iku reiterated. "I forgive you for that and I do not want to see you hurt anymore."

"Thank you Lady Iku." Jin breathed out. "Please give me the vial."

"Males are all the same." She said her voice wavering slightly. "No matter where you put your cock; full of fight and seed." Opening the vial for him she handed it to him.

"That may be the most vulgar thing I've ever heard you say." He smirked before drinking the liquid down.

"Then we didn't hang around one another enough for you to get to know me." Iku replied. "Regrettably."

Sighing in relief Jin relaxed. Looking at his hand he shook his head.

"This is useless now." Standing he stretched placing his good hand to his stomach running his fingers along the bandage. "Thank you Lady Iku, please join the other women."

"I will Jin." Iku nodded her head once. Standing as well she took his face in her hands to look into his eyes. "You are a good man."

"Thank you." He said softly. "If you see Nen when this all done please let him know that I chose to stay and defend the compound."

"I will." Iku released him and watched sadly as he unbolted the door and left the hut.