"Fine. If you won't mate me, then maybe we can agree on something else," Lady Dokugiri hissed, her voice a serpentine whisper as she advanced on Sesshoumaru. From her vantage point high in the sky, Kagome watched the scene unfold with bated breath. The dragoness's red eyes roved over Sesshoumaru with a predatory gleam, filled with a possessive hunger that made Kagome's skin crawl. "Instead of a mating contract, I will settle for being the mother of your heir."
The boldness of Dokugiri's demand struck Kagome like a physical blow. InuKimi had warned her, and now the reality was undeniable. While she had been safely ensconced in the Western Shiro, content with playing house, an enemy had been plotting to take Sesshoumaru away, using his honor and his sense of duty against him.
Sesshoumaru's lips curled into a disdainful sneer. "You think this grotesque display of power and threats against innocent lives will have this One bending the knee to your demands?" His voice was low and dangerous, each word laced with venomous contempt that Kagome had rarely heard from him.
Dokugiri's expression twisted into a mask of malevolent glee. "You misunderstand, Lord Sesshoumaru. I am not asking. I am telling you what will happen if you refuse. Your precious priestess, your human pup, your people—all will suffer if you do not comply."
The mention of their children was the breaking point for Kagome. No one threatened her children and got away with it. She tightened her grip on Ah-Un's reins, the knuckles of her hands turning white. She had to remain hidden, had to be strategic, but it took every ounce of her self-control to stay put.
A dangerous crimson hue began to seep into Sesshoumaru's golden eyes. His clawed hand flexed around Tenseiga's hilt, the blade humming with a spectral energy that resonated with Kagome even from her distant perch. The sword was ready to act, to revive the innocent lives that lay strewn across the battlefield.
"Your time is running out, Lord Sesshoumaru. Make your choice," Dokugiri taunted, her laughter echoing through the chaos like the tolling of a death knell.
Kagome couldn't take it anymore. For so long, she had sat idly by, doing nothing, content in her own little safe bubble. She had played the role of a good, obedient girl, staying out of trouble. But that would end now. Reaching behind her, she grasped the bow she had secured to the saddle. Its weight felt almost foreign in her hands, a relic from a past version of herself.
On the other side of the saddle hung a quiver of arrows. She selected one, inspecting the sharp, metallic tip. Fifteen years ago, she wouldn't have hesitated. If Sesshoumaru had told her he was going to war, she would have joined him without a second thought, ignoring his growls and orders to stay back and protect the children. When had she become so domestic, so… weak?
She notched the arrow, her blue eyes narrowing in on the demoness who threatened to take away what was hers.
Kagome's hands trembled slightly before they hardened into steel. She drew the bowstring back, her aim steady and unwavering as she locked onto Dokugiri. She wouldn't let this monster take away what she had left, what she loved.
Sapphire eyes widened in shock at her own thoughts. Love? Since when did she…? Shaking her head, Kagome tried to push aside this strange revelation. Love or not, she had to act.
Pulling back the bowstring further, the familiar tension thrummed through her fingers, a sensation she hadn't felt in years. Memories of past battles, of standing side by side with her friends, fighting for their lives, surged through her. The spark of her old self ignited within her, burning away any doubts or hesitation.
Lady Dokugiri's laughter continued to ring out below, but Kagome focused only on her target. Her breath slowed, her vision tunneled, and everything else faded away.
At the last second, she shifted her aim and released the arrow. Time seemed to slow as it flew, a streak of purity cutting through the tainted air.
Dokugiri, caught off guard, barely had time to react. The arrow struck true, piercing the ground between her and Sesshoumaru. She screamed in pain as pink holy flames lapped at her. The purifying energy of the arrow seared her flesh, causing her to stumble backward.
Sesshoumaru's eyes flickered upward, catching sight of Kagome high above, her silhouette framed against the dawn sky. The crimson haze in his gaze slowly receded, replaced with shock and what looked like hope. The woman seated upon his dragon, wielding a bow and arrow radiating with her powers, was a vision, the Goddess Amaterasu descending to earth.
The heavenly sight of her stirred memories of their first encounter in his father's tomb, where she had faced him without fear, threatening him with the Tessaiga—the blade he once sought to claim. In their second encounter, she had dared to fire an arrow at him, diminishing the sword's power in his makeshift human hand. She continually astonished him, from shattering his armor to defending his pup with unwavering loyalty.
His golden eyes traced the swirling dance of her raven locks, cascading around her like a dark tempest. A halo of white fur clung to her body, a sign of his clan and power. Clothed in his red and white haori, she made it unmistakably clear to all on the battlefield where her loyalty lay. She was his. Yes, this was the woman his beast had claimed, and Sesshoumaru was ready to possess her entirely.
"Kagome," he whispered, a mixture of desire and admiration in his voice.
As if sensing his need for her to acknowledge him, Kagome's eyes met Sesshoumaru's, and for a moment, the chaos of the battlefield faded away. Her resolve was unwavering, her spirit indomitable. She was a force of nature, as fierce and relentless as the storm.
Dokugiri, seething with rage, tried to regain her footing. "You... you will pay for this!" she screeched, her voice filled with hatred. But the fear in her bloodshot eyes betrayed her bluster. She knew she was no match for the combined power of Sesshoumaru and his priestess, but she wasn't giving up without a fight.
Ready to take the human on, Dokugiri ripped off the sleeve of her scorched robe, revealing blistered skin, and crouched down, ready for an attack. But to her surprise, when the priestess landed and hopped off the two-headed dragon, she turned and showed her back to the demoness, seemingly dismissing her.
Kagome held her bow and quiver, staring Sesshoumaru down. He looked… taller somehow. His impressive new armor and haori adorned in shades of violet and white, matched the outfit she had seen in one of the photos he had sent her. The rich fabric clung to his broad shoulders and a black chest piece covered what she knew was a defined torso, emphasizing his powerful frame. But it was his hair that caught her attention. It was impossibly long, tied back into a high ponytail, cascading down his back like a silken waterfall. His normally trimmed and perfect bangs had grown out and were pushed back, with a few loose strands framing his face, giving him a wild, untamed look.
Kagome had forgotten how handsome he was. So regal, so strong, and so ungodly sexy. Her eyes roamed over his facial features next, the sharp angles of his jaw, how intense his narrow golden eyes were, and the familiar markings on his face.
Sesshoumaru's lips curled into a small, knowing smile as he watched her eyeing him. His left hand twitched, eager to touch her, breaking the spell she had been under.
Doing her best not to let her face show how she was feeling, Kagome said the first thing she could think of. "Wipe that ridiculous grin off your face and use Tenseiga on these people. I will deal with Lady Dokugiri."
Sesshoumaru had indeed been grinning. He could not help himself. Kagome never ceased to surprise him and even managed to take his breath away. He watched as she gave him one last hardened glare and then turned to face her opponent. This was a battle he gladly passed to her.
The demoness snarled, the whites of her eyes turning an inky black. "You think you can defeat me, human?" she spat.
Without waiting for an answer, she lunged forward, claws extended in a vicious arc. But Kagome was ready. She propelled herself away with a burst of spiritual energy, sidestepping the attack with effortless grace. Her bow was notched and aimed in a heartbeat. With a calm, steady breath, she released the arrow. It streaked through the air with lethal precision, striking Dokugiri's shoulder. The holy energy erupted, searing through the dragoness's flesh, and she hissed in agony.
While Kagome kept Dokugiri distracted, Sesshoumaru moved with blinding speed, his claws unsheathing Tenseiga. The sword of life pulsed with a radiant blue light, revealing the spectral creatures from the underworld, hungrily gathering the souls of the slain. With a single swing of the blade, Sesshoumaru unleashed a wave of power, slicing through the invisible wraiths. The once-deceased children and their mothers began to stir and awaken, their lives restored. Sesshoumaru signaled his troops, who moved swiftly to carry the revived demons to safety.
The dragoness's howl of pain drew Sesshoumaru's attention back to the battlefield. He watched as Dokugiri charged again, her movements now wild and erratic. Kagome danced around each frenzied attack, her agility was a mesmerizing display. She found her opening and seized it. Drawing back her bowstring, she again summoned her spiritual power. The arrow glowed so brightly it appeared white-hot. She released it, the projectile piercing through the air and striking Dokugiri in the heart.
The impact was cataclysmic. Holy flames erupted from the arrow, consuming Dokugiri completely. The dragoness let out a final, anguished scream, her body disintegrating into ash. Silence fell across the battlefield as the demons stared in awe at Kagome's swift victory.
But the peace was short-lived. As Dokugiri's final cry echoed through the air, it stirred a deeper, more ancient malice. The ground trembled, and a deafening roar filled the sky. From the shadows of the Southern Shiro a massive, terrifying figure emerged: Lord Raika in his true form. The battle was far from over, and a crazed, more formidable foe had entered the fray.