Chapter 20: The Forlorn
Rain fell onto the barren land of what remained at the place where a great battle had once taken place years ago. The land still laid almost just as barren as the day that the victor had left this place and left his opponent dead.
The mountainous land seemed to look more ominous as well, as the Rain fell and the clouds were closer to the ground at this Altitude. Kol noted while he let his mind wander away from the task that he had been asked to do.
"What's taking so long? Do you think that the soil that was collected from the aftermath of the battle is too old?" His friend asked.
Kol shook his head. "No but Crux are you sure that I should call a soul back that's been gone for so long? Especially one this strong?"
"We got a dragon scale thanks to Rain letting us in on what could be gained from going to the Centennial summance and more importantly he helped me to find someone important before he died and all he asked for in return was that we bring the soul of this old dragon back should he pass. To be honest I don't like it much either but if I don't repay this debt I fear that it will come back to haunt me. What this demon does after is none of our concern as long as he stays out of our way." Crux said and Kol looked at him speechless for a moment with his mouth set in a thin line.
He looked to Altair next who hadn't said a word this whole time.
Altair didn't usually question Crux and neither did he. Kol's eyes quickly moved back to Crux in response to Altairs silence.
Crux was always like this, he couldn't stand to owe anyone. It didn't always matter when they were kids but now the stakes just aren't what they used to be. But much like Altair, Kol had already decided a long time ago that he would always be loyal to the friends that he chose and had chosen him back.
"Kol if you don't think—" Crux started.
"It's fine Crux, I don't trust Rain but I trust you. I'll bring that soul back so watch my body while I hell walk to find this soul." Kol told his friend before leaving the world of the living.
XXXX
"Yuki, I love you too." Was all that Rain had said before he took his last breath. Yuki didn't know how to feel in that moment or the moments that followed. All he did was stay right where he was as Rain's body changed to thick layers of dark red threads that then they evaporated into the air while Yuki only stared at where Rain had once laid.
He didn't know how long he had stayed there for, as his friends picked themselves up around him and Riku had of course discreetly stolen all of the Rainbow pearls that Rain had had in his possession without any of the 6 noticing, while they all were looking after each other's wounds.
No one else had noticed but Yuki had seen the pearls disappear and only one person could be responsible for that in a place like this but Yuki didn't care. Too much had happened at once and now his mind was unclear.
"Yuki." Moroha said as she placed her hand on his shoulder. He didn't turn to face her. He didn't know what face he was wearing and he didn't want her to see him looking however he did in reaction to Rain's death.
"You don't have to face me or anyone else right now." She told him as if she could hear his thoughts.
"Take your time and we'll meet you outside of the castle." Moroha said and he heard the rest of his friends filter out.
Yuki watched the place where Rain had evaporated from, for a while longer.
It was all over now. The strings that once connected Yuki to Rain had finally been cut and now all that remained were his memories of him both the good and the bad along with everything that Rain had taught him.
Yuki took a deep breath. As the different memories of his times living in the Finis castle and so many more memories that he had with Rain played over and over in his head.
For the first time it would be his choice alone to decide what to do in regards to his fathers legacy.
Corvus may have been the one to kill Rain in the end and despite having the same goal today to kill Rain he may be an enemy that none of them could have ever anticipated.
The images of Corvus attacking his friends flashed across Yuki's mind too now as his brain caught up with what had happened.
Yuki knew that as he was he stood no match against Corvus. At least not right now. None of them were a match for Corvus and that thought was scary because Yuki had never once thought that one day he'd have something other than himself that he'd want to protect.
His friends all deserved to go home now safe and out of Corvus reach now that Rain wouldn't be actively hunting them. Moroha and the others could finally return home while Jade could now return to the mountains everyone has a place to return to. So calming Corvus' rage should be what Yuki's next purpose is he thought, to protect the happiness of his friends from before they had met him.
XXXX
The 6 Set up camp in the same place that they had slept the night before. In a clear space that had a good view of the stars and there was a nice stream of fresh water nearby. Which would mean that all of them could clean their wounds.
Moroha and Hisui treated most of the wounds. Jade's left arm had been badly injured and even for a wolf demon it wouldn't heal overnight. Moroha looked at it properly once they had stopped moving for the night and tended to it for him. Jade also had a few fractured bones it would seam but with his healing he'd be better by the end of the week.
Setsuna had terrible burns in the shape of Corvus' hand around her neck but Moroha was sure that she wouldn't be scared as she had seen both her and Towa overcome much worse in the past.
Both Yuki and Towa only had minor injuries and Moroha and Hisui had helped to clean their wounds up as well and Moroha did her best to try and reset some of her own fractured ribs.
Setsuna had helped Moroha treat most of her wounds which included injuries to her ribs as well as the cuts that she had received from Rain along with a few bruises.
After Moroha looked at Hisui's slashed side even though he had claimed to be fine he still ended up needing stitches to close the deep wound that he had been trying to down play.
The team was far from being at 100% so it would be important that they rest and take some time to recuperate before going into battle again.
The atmosphere was somber in the aftermath of the fight and no one seemed to be up to their usual selves either.
Even Moroha and Towa were hesitant to laugh like they normally would, just like everyone else it seemed like they too were just going through the motions of what their routine was. All hesitant to discuss what was to come next as they all sat quietly around a campfire.
"It would seem that we've made a new enemy." Jade said being the first to address what they all had on their minds.
"From the way that he spoke to the way that he fought it felt deeply personal." Setsuna noted.
"Towa and I came across that guy one other time. During the Centennial summance, Tora intervened and that's when we all came back together." Jade told them.
"You've met him before and you didn't say anything!?" Hisui asked in shock.
"It all happened so fast, I didn't think that we'd ever see him again." Towa told her friends.
"She's right." Jade said. "Our meeting lasted for less than 2 minutes before Tora took us away."
"But that one off instance where we met Corvus was barely enough for him to fight with that much urgency." Towa added.
"I've met Corvus once before." Yuki said.
"Most of who would consider themselves the enemies of the dog demon clan are dead but once Rain found out about Corvus he wanted to meet him. We met once and it didn't go well. He told us that if we ever stepped foot in front of him again he'd kill us. Needless to say, the two of us took his advice."
"So do you think that he means what he says then? That none of this is over?" Hisui asked.
Yuki nodded. "Corvus doesn't seem like the type to make empty threats but I'm sure that he's nothing that Inuyasha or Sesshomaru couldn't handle. That's why he's threatening us and not them. If he had really intended to get revenge on his fallen rival Toga, he would have done it by now if he thought that he could win but he's challenging us and not either of your fathers. He must see you all as easier foes." Yuki noted.
"If that's how he feels, then I plan to make him regret such thoughts." Towa said annoyed.
"I agree with you, but we've got to get stronger or things will end exactly the same, maybe worse. We didn't stand a chance back there." Moroha said.
"That's because he took us by surprise. Half of us are injured and we didn't go there expecting to fight Corvus." Towa said.
"And it did make a difference." Setsuna added.
"So what now?" Jade asked.
"Our goal was to find Rain and now he's dead. What do you all plan on doing? Now that Rain is no longer our goal and we can't just go after Corvus right now." Jade said.
"Maybe it's time to go home. The reason why we left in the first place was to get this idiot to come to his senses." Setsuna said as she pointed at Yuki. "Then we didn't return home because Rain would have attacked us there again. I don't think that Corvus would target the village and it has been a little over two months since we were last home. I think it's time to go back. I'm sure that everyone's anxious to hear from us again, especially your parents Moroha." Setsuna said.
Moroha's mouth set into a thin line. "I'm not sure that I'm ready to go home yet." Moroha said.
"What happened with her parents?" Jade whispered to Towa.
"When we left the village most of our parents were gone and Moroha's parents out of all of ours would have been the most not okay with us leaving the way that we did." Towa told him.
It made Jade sad to leave everyone too but he knew that their times together couldn't last forever, even if he never wanted them to say goodbye. He knew that things would inevitably have to go back to the way they were.
"You have to go back someday, you can't keep running away forever." Setsuna told her.
"Just drop it, we've still got a lot to do before we turn around." Moroha said.
"Like what?" Setsuna questioned.
"It doesn't matter! I don't want to talk about this." Moroha told her.
Yes she also wanted to go home but she knew that once she did she'd be in a lot of trouble. She had never done anything like this before and was not looking forward to her parents' reaction at all.
The two girls stared at each other for a long moment before Jade cut in.
"I understand what you mean." Jade said solemnly. "It feels like yesterday was my first night with you all and now it's time to go our separate ways. I can't help but feel a bit bitter about this too."
"Yuki's coming back with us, why don't you come along too? We could go on a few missions for the slayer's guild together before you return home. Come on, it will be fun." Towa told Jade.
"I'm sure uncle wouldn't mind you taking up a few missions. You can stay at the guild with Yuki while you're visiting too." Hisui said.
"What do you mean he can stay at the guild with me?" Yuki asked.
"You all act so sure that I'll be welcome back there again. I'm sure it won't be that simple for me, once you all return. You can't just make plans for me as if it's already set in stone." Yuki said.
"Yuki, I told you that your place is with us now. It is set all in stone." Moroha told him.
"I didn't plan on returning with you. You all should go and I'll handle Corvus." Yuki said.
"Absolutely not!" Towa's said followed by similar sentiments from the rest of their friends.
"It would just be easier. That way you all don't have to worry about me or Corvus anymore." Yuki told them.
"Yuki, if you go looking for Corvus then I'm not leaving you." Moroha said seriously.
"Wouldn't you like that Moroha? That way you can keep running from home. I'd love for you to stay by my side forever but I just can't bring myself to want to put you in danger next to me. Just go home with everyone else." Yuki said.
Moroha took a deep breath. "Fine, I will go home but not without you."
"What?" Yuki asked.
"You want to go after Corvus fine but let's do it together like we have been. I'll go face my parents and you'll come home with me before we all set out again." Moroha said never once looking away from him.
"I agree, let's go home and then we'll all set out again." Hisui said while Setsuna nodded.
Jade smiled. "That would make me happy too."
"You all already know what I want to do." Towa said.
"See, Yuki we're a team so you can't just decide to leave us whenever you please. We're your friends so we won't let you do that." Moroha said.
"Fine." Yuki answered. He would go with them and they would continue together for as long as they'd have him.
"Well now that that's settled I suppose that we can all rest a little easier for the time being." Hisui said before looking to Yuki.
"I'm sorry about Rain, I know that we went there to kill him but if we could have found another way we all would hav—."
"You don't need to apologize to me, Hisui, none of you do. He was my Uncle and I loved him but I understood that he would never have let any of you live in peace and he would never have let me go free. So it hurts but I was prepared to lose Rain today." Yuki said.
Moroha grabbed his hand. "Thank you for telling us how you felt, Yuki."
"It's no big deal." Yuki tried brushing it off but squeezed her hand back nonetheless.
"Let's lighten the mood a little. So maybe we got roughed up a bit today but we can't let that keep us down." Towa said trying her best to try and cheer Yuki and everyone else up.
"We haven't been home in a while. I bet everyone at the slayer guild will be happy to have us back and to have two new guys to go on those tougher missions too." Towa smiled.
"Uncle will be relieved for sure and I'm sure that Yuna will be happy to chew you out again Moroha." Hisui teased.
Moroha sighed. "Don't remind me. I am a little excited to see Sora and Haru again so that I can tell them all about our adventures." She smiled.
Yuki's mouth set into a thin line. "Those boys will surely hate me now."
"You made your own bed with that one." Setsuna said and Yuki groaned.
"I'll talk to them, I'm sure that they won't be super mad but you'll definitely have to try and get on their good side again, especially with Haru. He can really hold a grudge." Moroha told Yuki.
"Haru and Sora?" Jade asked.
"My little brothers." Moroha smiled.
"You'll like them. They're a lot stronger than they look" Towa told Jade.
"Don't say that to their faces they'll get big heads." Moroha said to her cousin.
The 6 of them continued to talk like that until Moroha had fallen asleep first on Yuki's shoulder and the rest of the group quietly jested about how she was almost always the first one to fall asleep, both her and Setsuna.
Yuki could feel her soft breaths on his skin as she slept on his shoulder. This kind of closeness with her didn't even surprise him anymore. One day he just became used to it and now in her absence he found himself craving this closeness more and more. Oh did he have a problem. He thought to himself but quickly let the thought go.
"We should all get some rest too. It's been a long day." Setsuna said.
"You would say that." Towa told her sister.
"I agree with Setsuna. We did just fight a big battle today." Jade yawned and Towa looked at him mouth agape for a minute like he had just betrayed her.
Yuki, Hisui, and Setsuna all laughed.
"I just can't believe you would do this to me Jade but don't worry. I'm going to get you back for this." Towa said seriously.
"What?" Jade asked.
And Towa shook her head before smiling and standing up before stretching.
"I'm pretty beat too." Towa said.
"Hey Jade, you might want to be cautious around her for a little while." Hisui told him.
"What but I didn't do anything?" He questioned.
Hisui shook his head. "Doesn't matter, she's going to get you back now."
XXXX
The next morning Moroha woke up first under the shade of a tree as she felt the sun's warmth beaming down pleasantly on her skin.
Of course she was the one who had fallen asleep first. She thought.
She had been trying her best to stay up later so that she could really make sure that Yuki was okay after Rain's death but she ended up not being able to hold on for too much longer once she had gotten really tired.
She sat up now and looked around the camp. Yuki was close to her to her left.
So close that they were probably bumping elbows last night as they slept.
Towa snored away to the right of her but at a much healthier distance away than Yuki was just like always.
Jade was close to Towa on her other side too but not too close. They must have been up late talking. Moroha noted to herself and Setsuna and Hisui were cuddled close together just like they had been for almost every night that they had traveled together.
Moroha moved to sit up now. Her wounds still ached whenever she moved but it couldn't be helped. She had two broken ribs and multiple cuts and bruises that still felt sore after yesterday's fight. Her aching wounds all reminded her that she wasn't completely healed yet so she had better take things easy until her body healed completely.
She shut her eyes again for a brief moment as she remembered back when they had all thought that they would be returning to the village well before any of their parents would be home. What a lifetime ago that felt like now.
Moroha tilted her head up as she felt a nice morning breeze and she smiled as she opened her eyes. Little did she know then that she would be gone long enough to become homesick.
Had an imminent scolding not been in her future perhaps she would be more enthusiastic about returning home but because of the way that she left she knew that there were going to be consequences.
Yuki sat up next to her his ruby eyes looking sleepy as he glanced over at her with a yawn.
"Good morning." He smiled.
"Hey." She smiled back.
"How are your wounds healing up? Did you sleep well?" Yuki asked with a sweet and concerned laced voice.
"I'm fine. I should be asking you that." Moroha shot back playfully.
"I wasn't injured as badly as you." Yuki stated matter of factly but she only smiled at him.
"Hey, I'm fine really. How about the two of us go for a walk while everyone else is sleeping." Moroha suggested before standing up first and he watched her as she walked away.
"Are you coming or not?" She called but not too loudly that would wake everyone up.
"I just woke up." Yuki said as he stood to follow her.
"Just keep up or I'll leave you." Moroha called to him and he found himself following behind her unable to utter a single word of protest.
"Don't over do it too much. You are injured Moroha. Shouldn't you be taking things a little easier so early and so soon after yesterday." Yuki told her as he caught up.
"Stop worrying about that if I didn't feel fine I wouldn't be moving around. Besides, I shouldn't be what you're worried about right now." She said and she was sure that they were far enough away from camp now.
"Yuki, it's just the two of us now. How are you really feeling after seeing Rain die like that?" Moroha asked him as she looked at him with kind eyes "I understand that you lost someone who used to be important to you yesterday. If you need to grieve you can. I understand we'll all understand if you feel torn about this." She told him.
"Moroha." He said her name and then paused. He wasn't used to being able to talk like this but she made it so easy for him to feel like he could tell her anything and he couldn't help but want to be honest.
"I had already prepared myself for Rain's death. I knew that he was going to die yesterday but that didn't make seeing him take his last breaths any easier. I didn't anticipate it happening the way that it did. Up until his last breaths he had spent that day tormenting me and trying to poke at my deepest flaws and fears. In the end I said all that I needed to say to him but there will always be some things that I'll miss about the man who raised me." Yuki sighed.
"That's understandable for so long he was all that you had known even when he was being detrimental to you, you didn't know any better than his cycle of abuse. But now you know us and I hope that after this much time you understand just how much we all care for you." Moroha said as she looked at him with big and honest eyes.
"Being with you all has been the best luck of my life. I'm not stupid when it comes to Rain. After so long I understood that he just liked to manipulate me but even so it still felt good to hear his praises over and over again. It still felt good to hear him say that he loved me yesterday. Even if I wanted to not care, I did. I just can't help it." Yuki told her honestly and she looked at him somberly.
"I have something to tell you." She said with down turned eyes.
"What is it?" He asked, concerned. She should never be nervous to tell him anything, not after everything that he's shared with her in the past.
"Yesterday I came across a room in the Finis castle, a room that held a lot of your paintings and art works." She said as she looked at him apologetically half way through her sentence.
"So you went in there huh?" Yuki asked nervously and she nodded.
"Your art is beautiful. All of it, you're really talented." She told him. "But I also read some of the pages of your journal." She said.
Yuki took a long pause as he remembered everything that he had left behind in that book that he had placed there when he had returned to the Finis castle briefly after Rai died.
"I see, so you know all of the ways in which I acted cruel and mercilessly in the past. Your opinion of me must have changed at least a little now huh?" He asked, disappointed.
"Yuki, that's not why I'm telling you this. I only read a few pages. At the time it had made me want to kill Rain for you even more because reading that journal made me see that you have never been free to live for yourself from the day that you were born and I hate Rain for everything that he's done to you but I also felt like I invaded your privacy. The more I recall your journal the worse I feel about reading it without your permission. I'm sorry." She told him apologetically.
"You don't have to apologize. I would have never wanted you to see that side of me. Or to know how dark some parts of my past are but if your opinion of me hasn't changed then I'm not mad at you. And there's no need for you to be mad at Rain on my behalf. I'm just happy that we all got to walk away alive." Yuki smiled small to himself in relief.
Yesterday Yuki had been prepared to do anything that he needed to inorder to make sure that his friends would live after.
Anytime that he has gone against Rain in the past people had ended up getting hurt. Until now and the reality that his friends would now be safe from Rain was still sinking in.
"Up until we got to the Finis Castle yesterday. I thought that if Rain dies I might die with him. I didn't really know if I would make it out alive or not and now that the worst has passed. I can't help but look forward to going wherever I can with you for as long as you'll let me." Yuki said honestly.
Moroha looked at him surprised to hear him say that he had been prepared to die along with Rain yesterday.
"Yuki, before I even set foot into the Finis castle I knew that I was never going to let you go back to him. Even if he had somehow managed to convince you to try and leave us again especially after reading your journal. I knew that I couldn't let that happen because you are someone special to me." She said and it made his heart skip.
"You are what's special." Yuki said. "You woke me up under that tree all those days ago and I never once realized that I was living in a bad dream until I met you. Thank you for that day and every day after. Moroha you are more than special to me." He got closer to her and she looked up at him as he shielded her from the light of the sun and his eyes shined with sincerity as he spoke to her.
"You are my most precious friend." Yuki told her before pulling her into a tight hug and she held him just as tightly under the sun and clear sky.
His body held her close and she melted into his touch as if it were second nature for her to be folded between his arms and in his embrace while she squeezed him just as tight.
She didn't tell him but she had been asleep too until the day that she met him and her world changed.
XXXX
Setsuna didn't usually wake up before Hisui. Typically no matter how late he went to bed he was always the earlier riser but not today.
She watched how calmly Hisui slept with his arm still draped across her waist and from what Setsuna could tell from the sounds of both Towa and Jade's snores the two of them were still sleeping as were probably the other two.
She watched Hisui's sleeping face as the sun hit his features perfectly. He looked at ease next to her as his chest rose and fell while he slept peacefully. His skin was perfectly tanned from how much they had been traveling and his expression as he slept so well made her want to kiss him so badly but she didn't want to wake him.
Returning home meant that the two of them would move on too. And that they would soon get married. A smile snuck its way onto her face now.
The thought never ceased to make her smile and she finally gave into her inner thoughts and softly kissed his face once and then twice before one last time.
Soon mornings like this would just be everyday for the two of them. Especially once they were officially married.
After they returned home they could also fall back into their work at the slayers guild.
She'd be lying if she said that she didn't miss it but she'd also miss the sense of adventure that she felt at almost every turn while they had been away.
She softly kissed Hisui's face again and his eyes fluttered open.
"You're up early." He smiled sleepily at her.
"You're up late." She answered.
"If feels on time to me, I could get used to waking up to you kissing my face." He leaned closer to her and planted a kiss of his own on her cheek.
"You look nice under the sun." Setsuna said as he ran his fingers through her hair now. Softly massaging his hands through like it was made of the finest silk he had ever touched.
"You look nice almost anywhere." Hisui told her and Setsuna rolled her eyes.
"It's true." He said.
"Whatever." She turned in his arms turning her back to him and he tightened his hold in response which made her blush as she held back a laugh.
"Hey I'm not done with my morning cuddle." Hisui said, pulling her back to him and placing his chin between her neck and her shoulder.
He noticed that the red marks from Corvus poison claws around her neck were still there. They had begun to heal some but the sight of the marks marring her skin still made a pang go through him.
Setsuna looked around camp to make sure that everyone was still asleep and noticed that Yuki and Moroha were gone.
Hisui planted soft kisses on the back of her neck and her breath hitched from his touch.
"I am done, Yuki and Moroha will be back any minute." She told him.
"Nevermind them, I just want to lay with you for a moment longer. Please I won't have the chance to hold you like this once everyone wakes up." Hisui whispered.
Setsuna turned in his arms facing him again. She couldn't let him keep kissing her like that or she would lose herself to his touch but looking into his dark eyes as she turned to face him while being held in his arms made her want to give him anything that he wanted just because he asked. Why was she like this? She thought, annoyed with how much she couldn't help but love him.
"Fine, but only for a few more minutes." She said and Hisui couldn't help but pull her a bit closer before tenderly kissing her forehead while he enjoyed holding her for just a moment longer.
XXXX
The 6 of them soon started their Journey back home and were now walking idly back to the village. It would probably take them about a week and a half to get back from this distance.
All of them were walking around the same pace as Towa and Jade had started to bicker about something minimal that both of them were starting to be pretty about in their own way even despite Moroha and Setsuna trying to diffuse the situation.
Suddenly the sky turned black.
Pitch black and an overwhelming demonic aura swept through all of them stopping Towa and Jade in their tracks as well as everyone else.
"We shouldn't mess with whatever's in that direction." Hisui stated while motioning to the direction where the dark clouds had started to form first.
"Not while half of us are still recovering." Hisui stated but the teens could feel that the demonic presence was getting closer.
Both Towa and Setsuna grit thier, teeth. While Moroha held a serious expression as did the other two boys.
"Avoidance might not be an option." Towa said with disdain.
"Not with how fast it's approachi—-" Jade started.
"Look out!" Moroha yelled interrupting Jade as a massive blast of glowing blue energy came right at them.
The wave came fast and none of them had time to move. Yuki immediately summoned his barrier as the blast hit his defenses and dust flew up all around them. Completely decimating the area that was not covered by Yuki's barrier.
Kilala got big and Hisui hopped on to her back Setsuna quickly hopped on behind him.
"The two of us will flank from one side while you three keep his attention." Hisui said and Towa nodded.
The blast calmed to a stop and Yuki fell to his knees as he was just barely able to hold off that attack. Moroha, Towa and Jade stepped in front of him with their swords drawn while Moroha held her bow and arrow.
"Are you okay?" Moroha asked Yuki.
"I will be." Yuki said and he pulled himself to his feet.
Hisui and Setsuna flew up into the air immediately after Yuki's barrier fell.
As the demon responsible appeared in front of them. A huge dark gray-purple colored dragon-like demon with jagged teeth and a human-like head at the center of its forehead spoke as the demon's dragon part looked at the teens viciously with his red eyes.
"It's been so many years. Now children, you'll pay for what your family has done." Ryukotsusei says.
Towa noticed immediately that the demon didn't smell right.
"You're not a living being are you?" She said. The demon smelt of dirt, bones and rotted blood much stronger than the undead master Saito had smelt. It was revolting how vile this giant demon smelt.
"You dog demons are to thank for that but by the end of the hour all of you will be dead too." Ryukotsusei said with a roar as he changed another bolt of blue demon energy from his mouth. Electricity flew around the demon's mouth as he changed his attack.
Setsuna swooped down on Ryukotsusei from the sky with her burning Vermilion attack following through with a heavy handed swing of her weapon onto the back of Ryukotsusei's neck as the demon still charged his attack and his creepy human like face like mask smiled as she didn't even scratch him.
Towa used her dragon strike immediately when she saw that Setsuna's attack didn't work and Moroha shot a scared arrow right at Ryukotsusei in that same moment only to see that they hadn't made a scratch on him either.
"Looks like my skin's almost just as hard as before." The human-like head on Ryukotsusei's forehead said before releasing his powerful attack again right at Towa and the others. Yuki moved quick again doing his best to maintain his barrier under the attack once more.
While the four on the ground were occupied with fending off Ryukotsusei's energy bullet. Ryukotsusei moved fast to slam Setsuna into a boulder right before she could be caught by Kilala.
He slammed her hard into the earth and she coughed up blood as she stared daggers at him. He grabbed her with his claws that were bigger than her whole body squeezing her in his strong grip and she couldn't move.
Towa ran at Ryukotsusei fast once the smoke had cleared this time and Yuki was having a hard time standing again after using his barrier against such a strong opponent.
Moroha stayed next to Yuki while Towa and Jade ran to Setsuna's aid.
"Turning your back on me will cost you!" Towa yelled as she jumped up and stabbed at Ryukotsusei with everything she had. But to no avail as even she couldn't pierce his skin.
Jade attacked with his thunder and Moroha shot her heavenly barrage at him from where she stood but neither attack did any damage either.
The mask-like human face shrilled with an eerie laugh. "You're all far too weak to face me as you are." Ryukotsusei said.
"The two of you are more like him, the one who froze me in place." Ryukotsusei said referring to Towa and Setsuna before his voice took a much harsher tone.
"while the red one reeks of the half breed who killed me. I'll finish you all off and consume your souls! That will qual my need for vengeance!" Ryukotsusei scream.
Ryukotsusei threw Setsuna to the ground and spun at Towa and Jade slamming them aside with his tail as he went for Moroha and Yuki.
Yuki took out his swords and swung both blades sending energy attacks at Ryukotsusei but to no avail.
Moroha grabbed Yuki right before Ryukotsusei could hit them, pulling him with her fast out of Ryukotsusei's reach and to the ground.
Pain jolted through her body as they hit the hard earthy ground.
"Stop worrying about me, you're going to make your wounds worse!" Yuki scolded her.
"I can manage just fine, it's you I'm worried about. You don't look too good after protecting us from his attacks the last two times." Moroha scolded him.
"I can't take things easy right now, that will get us killed." Yuki said.
Moroha shook her head. "We might not be able to damage him normally but if we stab his heart or maybe manage to damage the face on his forehead."
"Watch out!" Jade called.
The two of them looked up and saw that Ryukotsusei was attacking again with his energy beam. Yuki went to summon his barrier yet again but Moroha stopped him.
"No! Just take cover!"
"Everyone take cover!" Hisui yelled. He had scooped up an unconscious Setsuna and had managed to get her back in the air with him while Ryukotsusei was about to use his powerful energy attacks once again.
Beam after beam after beam was shot as the teens were all scattered and no one could get close to Ryukotsusei.
Moroha felt her wounds from the day before start to ache terribly again and her body unconsciously betrayed her as her hand reached for her side.
"You're still hurt." Yuki noted.
"I'm fine!"
"No. You're not." Yuki said.
"I'll use the red pearl."
Yuki stopped her as she reached for it and he looked around them taking in what was happening against their opponent.
Setsuna had woken up and immediately got back on her feet but she wasn't in the best shape and even Hisui was injured as he had been trying to help the best that he could against an opponent like that. Towa and Jade were injured too and not just from today's battle.
This would be the end of all of them unless Yuki did what needed to be done. He bit his lip.
Yeah he had no other choice he thought.
Towa emerged standing strong out from her place from behind cover.
She stared Ryukotsusei down and summoned her energy blade.
"That's it, you and me, let's end this!" Towa told Ryukotsusei.
"Tired of hiding, half demon girl?" His second face smiled. Before summoning an attack much more massive than before.
"We'll all be caught in the attack!" Setsuna yelled before moving to go and get her sister.
Hisui stopped her by grabbing her wrist.
"Towa looks like she's got this. We should get out of her way. Look at her. She always looks like that when she wants to do something alone." Hisui said.
Setsuna paused for a long moment considering what to do.
"I wouldn't stop you if I doubted that Towa could do this." Hisui told her and Setsuna took a deep breath before turning to get onto Kilala and Hisui followed.
"Jade, get out of here." Towa told him as she took up her stance. He was still right next to her.
"I'm not leaving you!"
"If I didn't think that I could win I wouldn't be standing here. I don't know what it is but I feel something from the dragon scale. Something that's telling me that I can handle this. Just get out of the way this time and I'll let you take the win during our next fight okay?" She told him.
He paused as he watched her looking for any sign of doubt to cross her face but none did as she looked completely dauntless.
Towa spoke again first. "Just get out of here, my uncle is half demon and he killed this guy before, so can I!" Towa said.
Jade nodded. If Towa was sure of herself then he believed in her too. "Alright but you better save the next win for me." He told her before leaving her side and going to catch up to Hisui and Setsuna.
Jade caught up to the two who had been waiting for him so that they could fly off. Hisui then looked to Moroha and Yuki who were still quite far from the three of them.
Moroha signaled for the three of them to go ahead as Yuki would use his barrier one last time.
As Ryukotsusei continued to charge his attack rocks disintegrated and the sky got even darker now as Ryukotsusei readied his attack bright blue lightning started to form around Towa's blade too as she readied herself to counter his attack. She knew that it was all or nothing she had to do this or her friends would die.
She needed to do this or she would die too.
Ryukotsusei's massive energy bullet came her way and she felt more than just her own power running through her as she summoned the strongest dragon strike that she had ever used and both of their energies clashed in a wave of light that made it impossible for anyone to see what was happening as Towa fought Ryukotsusei and the wind blew violently around everyone.
Until the attacks ceased and the light dimmed down into nothing leaving nothing but dirt and dust flying all around in the aftermath.
Once the dust cleared Towa was laying face down beaten and bloodied as smoke evaporated from her unconscious form.
Setsuna moved fast jumping off of Kilala and going straight for her sister.
Ryukotsusei shrieked. "Who knows what might have been had you had a real weapon. A blade like that is only good for as long its master can manage to not be fatigued. My father's keepsake is the only thing that saved your life just now. That treacherous fool."
Ryukotsusei moved his tail to crush both Setsuna and Towa to finish the job just as Setsuna got to her sister.
"You're not going to take a step closer to them!" Jade spat as he blocked Ryukotsusei's path and Setsuna was able to get Towa to Kilala and out of harm's way before turning back to go to Jade's aid as he wouldn't last long alone against Ryukotsusei and Hisui's mind raced tirelessly as he thought about how to get them all out of this.
Moroha took out her rainbow pearl.
"You don't need that." Yuki told her somberly.
"What else can we do?! Towa's seriously hurt and none of us are at full strength after yesterday's battle. This is all that I can do to help." She yelled at him as she watched Setsuna and Jade get knocked around like they were nothing.
"I understand what you mean but you can put that away. I've got this." Yuki told her.
"You're exhausted, you can barely move like you normally would. You've seen how the pearl works. I'm sure that I can manage in one minute." Moroha said, trying to put on a brave face.
"Wait." Yuki stopped her again. Grabbing her hand before she could put on her rouge and she looked at him frustrated.
"Stop trying to stop me!" She told him.
"Most poison's can't hurt me. Rain used to love to test all kinds of poison's of his own making on me and other demons before I met you. There's one poison in particular that Rain instructed me to always keep on me in case I'm ever facing a demon that I know, I can't beat but I also know will consume my corpse. Most demons that kill half demons will do that. Eat our corpses and I'm sure that this poison that I have will even kill Ryukotsusei undead or not nothing can withstand this poison."
"Yuki, that would mean that he has to eat you, you'd die!" Moroha told him angrily.
He smiled sad at her. "I knew that you'd say that."
"Yuki I—" He cut her off with a kiss to her lips.
Moroha paused right there as Yuki pressed his lips to hers in one swift move that lasted less than 10 seconds. She had been shocked still, by the soft kiss that happened so fast.
Yuki pulled away and looked into her wide eyes with sincerity.
"Moroha I love you and I would have loved you for the rest of my life and never said a word but if I'm going to die today I wanted you to know how I really felt about you." Yuki smiled sad and she remained silent as he spoke again. "I'm sorry I selfishly couldn't die without ever kissing you just once. I hope that you're not too mad at me."
"Yuki what the hell. We…I—"
"You don't have to say anything, you are the reason why I can decide what's worth dying for. The reason why I know what it's like to have people that really care about me and don't care if I have a use or not for them. I would gladly give my life so that the 5 of you can stay just as you are. Why wouldn't I do this one thing for you all who changed everything for me and saved me from my immense loneliness." Yuki said with a smile like he was completely at ease with his decision.
"You, you're not dying!" Moroha told him before snatching her hand from him and putting on her red rogue.
Her energy changed immediately and she ran right into battle.
"Hisui!" Yuki called from the ground a few times before his friend had noticed and then came down.
Hisui flew down closer to Yuki with Towa still passed out behind him on Kilala.
"I've got a way to kill Ryukotsusei." Yuki told Hisui who looked at him somberly as he explained while Moroha fought on.
"I am not letting you do that!" Hisui grit his teeth.
"There's no other way. Moroha will be out any second and Towa's already down, be smart here either I die or we all die." Yuki scolded him with wild eyes.
"No, I hear what you're saying but it's not supposed to be you. You're not supposed to die here." Hisui clenched his fist.
"Just let me do this, I'm not like the rest of you anyway. I've done terrible things. I deserve this. Don't make everyone have to die here because you couldn't make a tough choice!" Yuki yelled at him.
Moroha moved much faster than she ever had before evading all of Ryukotsusei's attacks and swinging her sword hard enough to pierce him.
"It's you." Ryukotsusei spat with venom before attacking more relentlessly.
Moroha countered each of his attacks as she jumped from cliff to cliff and kept up with his speed.
"You just won't stay down." Moroha said with a smirk and that really set Ryukotsusei off and their attacks then clashed again and again as Moroha's time was winding down but she kept telling herself.
More, more, I need more time! Her fight was nowhere near over and if she didn't win. Yuki would die.
The fight got more desperate the more that time passed and though she could feel her body tiring out she willed herself to keep fighting past one minute. Her hair turned white and her eyes turned golden as she remained powered up by the red pearl for longer than 1 minute and fought on until Ryukotsusei used the same attack that he had gotten Towa with and she was ready to use her crimson backlash wave but Ryukotsusei stopped right before he attacked.
Halting his energy bullet and biting it back into his throat Ryukotsusei then rushed her quickly, sinking his teeth into her shoulder before pushing her through a boulder and knocking her unconscious as her hair faded back to its original color and fell wildly as her bow had gotten lost during the fight.
Tears left her eyes as she felt herself slipping out of consciousness but she couldn't hold on any longer.
"I wasn't going to fall for that a third time." Ryukotsusei told her unconscious form before going to eat her now.
Yuki blocked his path with his barrier.
"Get her and get out of here!" Yuki told his friends.
"We can't just leave him." Jade said.
Hisui didn't speak but Setsuna did.
"Neither of you want to make the hard choice but I will, we are going. Jade you can come too or you can die here." Setsuna said with her bangs covering her eyes.
"I.. I, but he's our friend! How could you be so cold that you don't even care?!" Jade chewed her out.
"Jade!" Hisui said and Jade looked at Setsuna again. Really looked at her this time. She couldn't even look at the two of them and her hands were shaking.
"I'm sorry." Jade said. "I wasn't thinking."
"Let's just do what he asked us to do." Setsuna told him before pausing. "Wait." She gasped.
"You're the brat of that white furred demon aren't you? How ironic of you to be here with them too. I can't wait to kill all of you!" Ryukotsusei said and Yuki used his barrier again. He had already swallowed the poison. The flesh around Yuki's neck immediately began to turn purple. He had no idea how much longer he could keep this up. He just hoped that his friends would get away safe. Maybe if he was lucky he could be reborn one day and meet Moroha again but then again who was he kidding he knew that nothing pleasant would await him after death.
His barrier finally fell and Ryukotsusei slammed him hard before picking him up.
"You know that it doesn't matter if they all run away while I'm dealing with you. I'll catch them and kill them just the same after I'm done with you." Ryukotsusei told him.
Yuki spat at him. "Do your worst." He said and Ryukotsusei went to eat Yuki.
Yuki closed his eyes and waited for his fate to be sealed. He remembered the day that he met Moroha under the sacred tree and then the first time that they fought and she fell back into the bone eaters well. How relieved he felt when he had found out that she was alive after that night and then when they reunited before she stubbornly followed him to the Kindo estate.
He remember when his eyes met hers as he leapt down into the Gemini manor after she had been kidnapped and how she and Towa stopped him from killing a prejudiced salesman at the market only for them to get a better kind of revenge.
He remembered meeting Jade and the surprise that he had felt when Towa had saved him from falling as he wasn't used to that kind of partnership. He remembered all of his best memories with his friends as they traveled until he felt like they actually cared about him because they didn't care if he was a half demon or a human. He remembered how he really learned how to laugh because of them and how he and Moroha would talk under the stars when they would sleep next to each other outside.
Yuki remembered all of his talks under the moonlight with Moroha and how beautiful she looked when she danced with him at the palace of ash. He had known the moment that he had chosen not to walk in the rain one night against both Moroha and Towa's wishes and in response Moroha did her best at not talking to him that night. He knew then that he was in love with her.
He'd gladly give his life so that she could keep hers and so that his friends could always be together.
Yuki felt himself getting closer and closer to Ryukotsusei before he suddenly fell from the demon's grasp and fell far to the ground below.
A scared arrow had pierced through Ryukotsusei's arm.
Yuki sat up fast as his heart stopped.
Had Moroha woken up?
He turned around quickly as he picked himself up.
No, she was still lying unconscious where he had left her. Why hadn't his friends left yet? Yuki thought worriedly.
They couldn't possibly still be trying to fight.
His eyes scanned the area for his friends but they landed on a woman who had long dark hair and was older than them. Yuki noticed immediately who she resembled.
"Well, well if it isn't Ryukotsusei back from the dead had enough fun beating up on these idiot kids?" A man said from behind Ryukotsusei.
"You! I won't let you live a moment longer! You'll pay for what you did that day!" Ryukotsusei scream as he ran straight for Inuyasha who charged at him before swinging his sword and using Meidō Zangetsuha.
This cut straight through Ryukotsusei and sent him right back to the netherworld without a trace.
Ryukotsusei was gone, Ryukotsusei was gone and they had lived! Yuki thought surprised and thankful that he got to live too.
Yuki's eyes landed on Moroha again there she was right next to Towa and his friends were still here.
Yuki smiled now and stepped towards that direction but was stopped by Inuyasha who placed himself right in front of Yuki blocking him from making his way towards his friends.
Kagome went to Moroha first.
"What on earth happened to her! How is she out cold and with so many injuries!? She's hurt so badly." Kagome spoke frantically.
"We've fought two battles over the last two days. She didn't have the proper amount of time to heal before today." Hisui told Kagome.
"And Towa too, what have you kids been up to?" Kagome gasped.
"We just haven't had the best last two days." Jade said.
"You reek of Naraku." Inuyasha told Yuki with hostility.
"Let me guess you're that brat that's got his heart set on revenge. You might have hurt those dumb kids but you won't be so lucky against me." Inuyasha said.
Yuki had recognized him immediately as the man from Moroha's memory back when they had faced Kyuki. This was Moroha's father.
"Inuyasha, I'm so glad that you're here. Please save Moroha." Yuki coughed and blood spilled from his lips.
Though it wouldn't kill him this poison was still very strong and seemed to be damaging his body. He would have surely died had it been his time of weakness.
"If I hear you say my daughter's name one more time, I'll send you straight to hell." Inuyasha spat.
"I had already reserved myself to die here today, I no longer wish to kill you or get revenge on my father's behalf. I can't kill you because it would make her unhappy. I apologize for my past and if you feel that I must die then I won't stop you. Just please tell Moroha when she asks about me that I died with no malice left in my heart towards any of you."
"Stop! Uncle, Yuki is not our enemy!" Setsuna said getting between them.
"Looks to me like the little shit was out here reanimating the dead to kill you all. I heard about what happened at the village. He thought that he was going to attack you all while I was away and gain your trust. The shit stops now!" Inuyasha said angrily.
"That was before! Yuki was just willing to die for all of us, he truly isn't what you think!" Hisui said.
"It's true he's a very honorable warrior and friend" Jade said and Inuyasha's nose twitched.
"What's Koga's brat doing here too!?" He asked surprised.
"He's truly not what you think, Yuki has proven himself to us over and over again and we won't sit by and let you kill him." Hisui said.
"Hisui, when you talk like that you remind me of your father." Inuyasha smiled.
"Are you going to let Yuki live?" Setsuna asked.
"Out of my way." Inuyasha ordered.
"Inuyasha." Kagome said, she had been listening to the whole thing while she tended to Moroha and Towa's wounds.
"These kids have been with him for over two months. If he wanted them dead they'd know it by now. Just look at who's arguing for his life if the kids say that they know who he is then leave him alone."
"But Kagome you saw what he did. We heard what those villagers said during our travels to investigate."
"I remember, but I don't think that he's the same as he was before, please just leave the boy be and let's take Moroha home. I can't carry her by myself. " Kagome said.
"Fine." Inuyasha said if Kagome thought that there was something that he was missing he would trust her and do as she asked.
Inuyasha then turned to Yuki and said. "I don't know where the hell you're going next but it sure as hell better not be anywhere near our village ever again, and the rest of you aren't in any condition to continue out here on your own either. I think that all of you should go home now but I'm not a father to all of you so I'm not going to force you." Inuyasha said before walking over to his family and gently putting Moroha on his back.
The teens all conversed with each other by where Moroha and Towa were once laying while Inuyasha and Kagome made their way home with Moroha.
Towa was still unconscious and was being carried by Hisui now.
"I think it's best that we go with Aunt and Uncle." Setsuna said. "Moroha won't know what happened if we're not there. She can't wake up without any of us around." Setsuna said.
"I hate to say it but I agree." Hisui said.
"So this is goodbye?" Jade asked.
"For now." Hisui stated.
"Take care, Yuki and don't ever try something like that again." Hisui scolded.
"Tell Towa that I look forward to beating her in a fight the next time that we meet." Jade told them.
"We will. Take care, you two." Setsuna said.
"Didn't you want to go with them? Inuyasha didn't say that you weren't free to join if you want." Yuki asked Jade.
"Nah, the mood with them is kind of sour now. I'd much rather go home. What do you say, Yuki? Why don't you be a pal and come with me." Jade asked him.
"Okay." Was all that Yuki said before the familiar color had caught his eye as he and Jade started in the opposite direction of everyone else.
Moroha's bow had fallen off while she was fighting and was laying on the ground in their path. If he turned around, he could've called for Hisui or Setsuna to come and get her bow for her but he didn't.
Instead Yuki picked up the red ribbon and squeezed it in his hands before placing it in his pocket.
"Lead the way, Jade." Yuki said and everyone went their separate ways.
A.N: This chapter was inspired by episodes 53 and 54 of the Inuyasha anime. Thank you for reading. Comments are also welcomed. Next chapter will be up next Saturday. Thank you again for reading.