Chapter 14:
'I was wrong' was the thought that kept replaying over and over in Rin's head as the battle raged on.
Soon the horn blared noting the beginning of a three-day all-out war. At the very beginning when Rin saw that only about a few thousand had come through the portal into the clearing, they fought well but a few groups of Sesshomaru's army was slaughtered. They managed to kill and wound a few of Rin's own soldiers who lead in the front.
The last of the Igami had been slain, wailing cries finally ceased, but Rin was still on edge. Everyone kept their weapons drawn and ready, not convinced it was over. It wasn't. Thousands more came pouring into the battlefield like a wave, snarling and viciously attacking all at once.
This time they used exploding devices that blew away most of the front ranks, only a few were lost, body parts blown into different directs. Those who just got thrown from the blast got back on their feet quickly. Yet the explosion was enough for the Igami to push closer through their defenses, pushing them back a few yards.
Rin knew nothing of this device the used, she never seen such a thing or knew it was possible.
The Igami did not have any magic abilities, that's why they were trained so roughly and efficiently. The only one Rin knew that had any addition ability was the Lord of the realm, even that knowledge was uncovered when he possessed Nanami's body. Simply put everything was uncertain and that was dangerous thing to understand when claws and swords came at you from all directions.
Much to Rin's surprise this battle continued into the next morning, everyone fighting together and kill a few at a time. The rigorous training and paired groups work in their favor, creating a perfect battle front. Nonetheless they defeated this group of soldiers as well, eliminating 10,000 of them, give or take a few. The losses on their side were heavy though. It became painfully obvious that the Lord of that realms goal was to exhaust them, possibly predicting that Rin and her soldiers had been preparing for this onslaught. Yet, they remain steady and though exhausted, blood covered no one dared to back down.
What was presumed as the last group of Igami was defeated, Rin orb began to glow and dread set into Rin's bones.
She took it out and tapped it twice, "General! They're coming from the other portals! We are tracking the portal holders but there are too many of them, we cannot approach. They're coming your way now."
"Follow them swiftly and remain hidden. When you see the battle leaning toward our side, attack with brute force and destroy the devices." was her immediate response.
"Yes General"
The Igami didn't come from one portal as Rin had estimated, they came from all of them. Heavily armed and angrily charging into the Western lands at great speeds. Rin was never far from Sesshomaru or Inuyasha during the fighting, they didn't have groups to fight in and they stood alone against the many enemy troops.
Sesshomaru had a few scratches on his arm but nothing more. Inuyasha bled from a shallow would on his thigh, but it never slowed his attacks.
Rin was worse off because she didn't have advanced healing like they did, so with every attack she made and every hit she block was cautiously calculated. Rin knew if she went down, she wouldn't be able to get back up again. The circumstances were worse for her and her soldiers, regardless of brute strength they were demons and could heal. They Igami either, so when they died there was no second chance. So, like savages, they fought with everything they had. Willing to die rather than to become slaves again.
The plan had backfired, the 10,000 that came through were wiped out, but the hours of prolonged battle was wearing on all of them, demons and blue blood alike. They had limited time before the others came pouring onto the battlefield and Rin turned to Sesshomaru with a grave look in her eyes. Sesshomaru himself didn't look fazed in the slightest. The Yokai Lord stood among them and Rin noted that although he was covered in blood, he still the most beautiful man…er demon she'd ever seen.
He held her gaze for several minutes, both appearing to analyze the other. After looking her down and back up again, he seemed pleased and only nodded his head to her. Gracefully twisting on his feet and summoned his lieutenants. A few words were exchanged, Rin couldn't discern what was being said but the lieutenants took off in opposite directions, swiftly moving through the hordes of soldiers with skill and disappearing into the tree line.
Inuyasha looked uneasy but kept a brave face before tightly shutting his eyes. Inuyasha dropped his sword momentarily. When he opened his eyes again, they were a pulsing red, and he snarled aggressively. Rin heard one of Sesshomaru's demons muttered that he didn't have the scent of a half demon anymore and a few took several stepped back at Inuyasha vicious new appearance. Sesshomaru gave him a bored expression and ignored him altogether, choosing to focus on the task ahead of him.
There wasn't much time to get accustomed to Inuyasha change nor the loss of the lieutenants, which disturbed many around them, as the battle was on again with the rest of the enemy troop coming at them in all directions. Rin braced herself for this and waited for them to get about 50 yards before brutal attacking into the front group of Igami, hoping to knock them back enough for the blue bloods to have an advantage.
Rin sustained a lot of damaged this time, her body was slowing down with fatigue, but she deemed it worth it. It distracted them enough that her soldiers were able to cut down many of them in one go. Inuyasha moved as if he was possessed, he didn't even use his sword as he ripped whatever Igami in front of him to shredded with his bare teeth and sharp claws. An impressive display of power and sheer force that Rin didn't know he was even capable of. Many Igami had tried to grasp his sword in vain. A bearer was enacted and electrocuted any who dared to go near the hilt.
Still, Rin pushed on and fought without hesitation as she clutched her bleeding side. She was hurt badly but Rin was no stranger to pain. Rin looked around at the devastation caused on both sides and was shocked to see that the ground was blue and red, almost black with blood. A chorus of loud, deafening roars was heard and Rin halted in fear at the sound.
What else had the Igami had up their sleeve? Did she just send these people to their deaths? Her brain fired rapid questioned at her in her silent panic and searched for the cause of those intimidated roars and saw the giant dogs towering over them.
The dog demon clan had transformed into to their full demon forms, and they terrified a majority of people on both sides of this bloody war, but Rin could only look upon them with absolute glee.
'So, this is why Lord Sesshomaru sent off his lieutenants.' she thought happily.
They tore through the ranks with ease, dropping green saliva on any near, Rin order everyone to fall back as the dog clan vaporized the Igami.
They were so thorough with their execution that no Igami got up again. However, their pained screams gave Rin a mild headache. The demonic dogs shook the earth with every step they took and once most were over the initial shock of their forms, they picked off what was left of the Igami mercilessly.
Rin's soldiers who were tasked with killed the key holders were dispatched quickly, just as ordered and ensured none of the portal devices remained. Most of them had been denigrated in the green acidic saliva and they all joined the fray as the war took a drastic turn in their favor.
When it was done the dog demons transformed back causing them all to cheer at their victory, but Rin noticed Sesshomaru was looking towards the forest. Just then the one who Rin hated more than anything on this earth, the one who taught her the true meaning of hate, had appeared with poker-hot rage on his face.
The Lord of the Igami stared at his dead army and didn't bother to even look at Sesshomaru. His eyes scanned the area and connected with Rin's. The screamed he let out made everyone wince but she watched him disappear suddenly.
Rin panicked, her eyes scanning for him in the distance, but blood spurted from her mouth before she got the chance to relocate him. She looked down and saw a sword had pierced through his stomach, and then her world turned black
The last sound she heard was Lord Sesshomaru shout her name.