Trinity Blood Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Shadows of Time ❯ Chapter 3

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Title: The Shadows of Time

Author: Ryukotsusei

Fandom: Inuyasha and Trinity Blood

Rating: NC 17

Warnings: Violence, torture, character deaths, language, lemons, spoilers for the entire series just to be safe, and the possibility of out of character characterizations. Read at your own risk.

Pairings: Tres Iqus x Kagome Higurashi x Abel Nightroad

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Trinity Blood. The series belong to Rumiko Takahashi, and the late Sunao Yoshido. I make no money off of this fan fiction.

Author's Note: Another early update! Hopefully this chapter will answer some of the questions that have been posed in the reviews. If not, please be patient. The answers will be forthcoming in future chapters. More character deaths are forthcoming in this chapter!

Special thanks to KogasHentaiLuver for taking the time to beta this chapter. And thank you to everyone who has chosen to review thus far.

Chapter Three

Naraku dropped the wolf demon's corpse at his feet and surveyed his handiwork with a malicious grin. 'If this isn't enough to get that stupid wolf prince's attention then there's nothing that will. Even he can't be so blind that he won't see this for the challenge it is. It'll be so much fun to see the fear in his eyes when he finally realizes that when he saw this body he was seeing his own fate.' He'd waited centuries to be able to face his old foes again and at long last the time had come. There would be no more skulking about in the shadows, trying to avoid a confrontation that he wasn't necessarily prepared for. Now that he had the jewel, neither Kouga nor Sesshoumaru would be a match for him, although he was willing to bet they believed themselves to be. ''Come to me, you bastards, and finally learn what it is to be defeated by a worthy foe.'

He looked down at the wolf carcass that he'd dropped at his feet in silent contemplation once more. While this particular wolf tribe meant nothing to Kouga, it would still get his attention. ''That one bitch I so graciously allowed to live had better manage to find that fool and tell him what happened or I'll have to rethink the gift that I gave her in the form of her pathetic life.' A low growl escaped his lips as he thought back in distaste of the way the wolf bitch had finally cowered before him, urinating in submission. 'That action was better suited for a dog. Perhaps that's what will happen when I finally meet Sesshoumaru. Somehow that would seem fitting for the fool to act like that.' An image flashed across his mind and stayed there as if the future was taunting him. Kouga stood mocking him, as if making sure that he remembered that it was he who had been responsible for his previous defeat so many centuries ago and his ki flared dramatically in response to the vision. His voice rasped out as a low whisper, "Today is the day of your demise, Kouga."

The only unknown factor was whether or not Lord Sesshoumaru would be anywhere nearby. While it seemed unlikely that the two would be seen anywhere near each other, Naraku was well aware of the fact that the two had united in the common goal to destroy him and it was something he was counting on. It saved him the trouble of hunting the dog demon down, and if he were to be honest, Sesshoumaru was too tempting to pass up. There was no such thing as too much power and Naraku was only too happy to take advantage of the opportunity to expand his own abilities. Once before he'd had the chance to absorb Sesshoumaru, but he'd been interrupted by that pathetic hanyou, but now, with Inuyasha dead there would be no further interruptions.

Patiently, Naraku waited for his opponent to make an appearance while the wind whipped and tugged at his clothing. The coppery scent of the dead beast's blood filled the air and fanned out, drifting outwards wherever the breeze would carry it. Its tantalizing aroma was sure to quickly bring in any demons that happened to be lingering in the area and even more from further out as the forces of nature did their work. 'Or perhaps a vampire will come to investigate; those fools are always so quick to join a feast when they catch the scent of one.' Either possibility was appealing since Naraku found that the vampires were an adequate source of sustenance for one such as him. While their power wasn't up to par with a demon's, it was far preferable to that of the lowly humans that they feasted upon.

Naraku's lips turned upwards into a feral smile as he felt the surge of power build and coalescing at the edge of his sense. There was no mistaking the energy signature of the demon that was laced through is as the demon that he had been waiting for so long to be able to confront headed in his direction. This time there would be no fear, he would welcome this meeting with relish and open arms. 'There you are. It's been a long time, Prince Kouga.' Resolutely he began walking down the path on a collision course with destiny, ready to eliminate the final true obstacles in his bid for ultimate power. Naraku didn't have far to travel, however, since in his rage the wolf demon had advanced on him with a speed that was reminiscent of having the jewel shards in his legs.

It'd almost been too hard to believe, but the moment that he'd smelt the scent of freshly spilled blood with Naraku's horrible stench he'd taken off running. Now, with his mortal enemy standing before him, Kouga couldn't help but feel a grim satisfaction. The bastard had been allowed to live for far too long, but that was something that he was going to remedy in just a moment.

“It's been a long time, you bastard,” Kouga said, echoing Naraku's earlier thoughts.

“Indeed it has, Prince Kouga. I was wondering how long it would take you to show up, assuming that you extended the effort that it obviously took you to get here at all.” Naraku's voice had the texture of smooth velvet and he pretended to study his fingernails, acting for all the world as if it hadn't mattered to him one way or another, “I had begun to think that my continued existence no longer concerned you, but now that I think on it, I suppose that it would be natural for you to forget about me. Our conflict was so long ago that I had supposed your pathetic memory had failed you in your old age.”

“It'll be a cold day in hell before I'd forget what you've done you bastard. Just save your stinking breath, I'm not the one that's been hiding all these years, you coward,” Kouga snarled and cracked his knuckles, his features contorting in rage. It had come as a shock to find out that Naraku hadn't actually died so many years ago, but once he'd known the truth he'd trained hard, having made up his mind that the battle would be fought for the last time if ever he could find the other demon once again. He'd waited a long time for this and he wasn't about to back down now, “I'm going to make sure that you pay for every life that you ended and every heartache that you ever caused. By the time I'm done with you you'll wish you had never been born.”

Naraku arched an eyebrow in seemingly disbelief and he gave a short burst of incredulous laughter. “Surely you can't possibly be referring to those fools who had made up that pathetic pack of yours? It's so much more likely that you should be thanking me for ridding you of such parasitic ridden creatures.” The question and insults brought the expected growl of anger, quickly followed by the wolf demon lunging for him, but Naraku vanished from his line of sight before the fist could make contact, “Or are you thinking of the miko who was so foolish to believe that someone like herself could defeat someone of such great stature and power as me?”

There was a moment of stunned silence as Kouga registered the fact that his fist had failed to connect with the demon's face and there was no satisfying crunch of breaking bone. “You bastard,” he snarled and lunged for Naraku a second time, “Take your pick; you're going to pay for them all. But most of all for Kagome, only a coward like you would attack a defenseless woman.” It had torn his heart out upon hearing that she'd died at Naraku's hands when there was no one there to protect her. For years he'd been forced to wait and wonder why the well had sealed, leaving her unable to return as he'd hoped. And then he'd learned that she'd died shortly after returning to her own time had been a painful blow. To this day he still blamed himself for not being there for her.

“Defenseless?” Naraku sneered at that very thought and deflected the kick that had been aiming for his head, “You seem to forget it was that bitch that plunged her fist into my chest and nearly killed me. But even that wasn't enough and she paid for it in blood, screaming in pain after she'd watched me destroy the same family she left you for.”

The look of pain upon hearing the hateful words that immediately crossed Kouga's face was immensely satisfying to Naraku, but it wasn't nearly enough. “Do you want to know the truly amusing part, wolf prince?” A snarl was his only answer, but that didn't dissuade Naraku in the least, if anything it pushed him to add more emphasis to his words “She died believing that I'd never find the jewel, that her wish had destroyed any chance of me reclaiming it. But she was wrong and I bet even now her soul is wracked with the guilt of knowing that she failed, just as Kikyo did. It's just another example of how they're alike, don't you think?”

“I don't know what the fuck you think you're going on about Naraku, but that cursed jewel was destroyed. We all watched it happen and even though you've somehow managed to kill her, you've still lost,” Kouga's voice was full of certainty now as well as hard anger. “And you're wrong, I'm happy to tell you. While they might have shared the same soul, Kagome was nothing like that sick tainted memory that you'd set your sights on. Enough of this bullshit though, start fighting, Naraku. You'll find I'm not as easy an opponent as an unarmed woman.”

That had been exactly the outburst that Naraku had been expecting and he didn't bother to hold back his laughter which only served to piss the wolf demon off further. If he hadn't had the jewel in his possession he might well have fallen prey to Kouga's vicious attacks, but as it was, the other male was of no match for him. A surge of power exploded from his body and knocked the wolf back although he wasn't down for long. It was enough of an opportunity however for Naraku to reach into his shirt and pull the Shikon out of its confines.

“If the bitch was so successful, Kouga, then how do I have the jewel in my possession yet again?” he purred, relishing the look of astonishment that crossed Kouga's face, “I believe you've got your facts wrong.”

His surprise didn't last long however, “Just what the fuck are you trying to pull here, Naraku?” Was it possible that the damned jewel really had come back or was it a counterfeit like the bastard had attempted centuries ago? 'Shit, this isn't good. Even the Goraishi claw didn't have any effect on Naraku when he had the damned thing before.' This development put an entire new spin on things and he was undecided in what he should do. To press an attack now might be suicidal, but could he really take the chance that the other demon was telling the truth?

“Surprised, Kouga? You should be. It was difficult to locate after it disappeared, but you can see that my years of searching have not been in vain. Now at last it's mine again and I took great pleasure out of ripping it away from its current guardian. Yet another habit she seems to have fallen into,” Naraku said, taunting the other demon and hoping that it would goad him into making a reckless move. He wasn't about to tell him that the woman had not been Kagome's reincarnation, not when it would spoil his fun. Those words seemed to be the deciding factor in whatever decision Kouga was attempting to make and with a cry of fury, the wolf demon sprung forward, uncaring of the danger he was so obviously throwing himself into.

The thought that Naraku could have possibly attacked Kagome again, even if it would have been her reincarnation was just too much for Kouga to tolerate and his scream of fury filled the air, “I'll kill you, you bastard!” Despite the fact that the weapon had never worked against the other demon, Kouga called forth the Goraishi claws and struck out against his enemy. Rage blinded him to everything but the demon before him and he was determined that Naraku would die this time, even if it meant giving up his own life in the process. A grim smirk crossed his face when a blow actually landed and blood dripped from the wound that formed on Naraku's face, “There's more where that's coming from, I'm going to make sure that you're begging for me to kill you by the time I'm done with you.”

“If you weren't able to accomplish that while you were in a group,” Naraku sneered in disdain, “what makes you think you could possibly be anywhere strong enough to succeed this time? Most especially from what I can see, you're completely alone.” The slight wound had healed almost instantly, but it was infuriating that the fool had managed to score a hit in the first place, much less so quickly. The time for playing around was over and it was time to get serious. Quickly he tapped into the power of the jewel, allowing it to flow through his body in a rush that left him breathless for a matter of moments before he adjusted to the invigorating sensation.

“Shit,” The word barely had time to leave his lips before Kouga was forced to leap into the air. Now that Naraku was actually tapping into the jewel he could feel the raw energy bleeding off of the damned thing. The power he could feel pouring off of it was immense and it left little doubt in his mind that it was in fact the Shikon. For that alone he knew that he was in trouble. Tentacles suddenly erupted from the ground beneath him and it was all he could do to keep from becoming ensnared in them. 'Where the fuck is that old dog when I need him?' He knew that as long as he was alone the odds were stacked against him and he could only hope that Sesshoumaru was close enough that he could feel the power that was being unleashed. Unfortunately, he also knew how unlikely that happened to be, but still... he could hope. `Damn, I sure as hell hope he comes to see what the fuck is happening.' As of now he was completely defensive and without interference, this battle wasn't likely to last long. Still, that didn't mean he was going to give up. Carefully he waited for an opening, a break in the tentacles which would allow him to attack and when it presented itself, he took it.

'The fool, how has he managed to survive this long?' Somehow Naraku had expected more out of this particular opponent, but unfortunately he was proving to be entirely too easy to manipulate. For now he maintained the gap in the appendages which had barred the wolf the opportunity to attack and allowed the other male to slip through.

He took the opportunity that he created once Kouga came close enough. With a laugh of triumph, he closed the trap around the fighting crazed demon. With so many barriers in the way, there was no chance for the wolf demon to avoid the attack that slammed into him. Blood gushed from the multiple wounds that had been created by the tentacles swarming around him, pinning the dark haired male to the ground.

“Too easy,” Naraku purred, looming over the stunned fallen male. The intense struggle taking place only caused him to smile victoriously; it was obvious the wolf knew what was coming next.

“Let me go,” Kouga panted, attempting to break the hold that kept him pinned to the ground. There was no way that he could hope for a clean death, Naraku was too much of a bastard to grant him that much. Instead the other demon would absorb him, using his own body and powers to further his bid for power. The very thought was repulsive, but it didn't seem like he was going to have much of a choice in the matter. Ruthlessly he ripped one of the tentacles free, biting back a scream of pain. He'd suffered far worse injuries than that little shoulder wound in his lifetime and this wasn't the moment to be worrying about such a triviality. Before he could do anything to capitalize on the slight bit of freedom, another appendage had wrapped around his body, growing in size and threatening to consume him.

Eagerly Naraku fed more energy into the mass surrounding the wolf demon and it was only once he was totally engulfed did the struggling cease completely. Content that he had won, Naraku closed his eyes and allowed himself to enjoy the rush of foreign energy that was making itself whole within his body. While it wasn't anywhere near the power of some of the beings he'd consumed, it was far better than the majority of his victims had been lately and the satisfaction he felt at knowing he had conquered an old arch rival made the victory all that much more sweet.

~Three Days Later~

Sesshoumaru stared out at the darkening sky, his expression completely neutral, as was the norm although the vaguest trace of unease had been following him for the past couple of days. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate the peace and quiet in the office for the past few days, he'd been grateful for it, but he couldn't help wondering what was keeping Kouga from making contact this time. The wolf had been only too happy to look into the rumors that Naraku had resurfaced again, this time in Austria. 'Most likely he's still chasing after the rumors and hasn't thought to contact me, how typical.' At this rate there was a good chance that it would be another week before the fool checked in and then it would be to bitch that they hadn't turned out to be anything to get worked up over.

Sometimes he wondered just why he continued to put up with Kouga before he remembered that the wolf was good at doing menial tasks. If nothing else it kept his own time free so he was able to worry about the important issues that came up. While finding Naraku was a pressing concern, they'd only caught the faintest of traces of him over the past thousand years. If it hadn't been for the fact that the miko had been targeted immediately upon returning to her own time, he would have brushed it off as mere speculation and not given it a second thought.

While he was still angry with Naraku, time had a way of forcing him to focus on other things, and normally he didn't spare the demon a second thought since he'd managed to conceal himself for so long, it was in question if he was even still alive. Kouga on the other hand hadn't let any of his anger go, but to be honest Sesshoumaru didn't fault the wolf demon for that. No, I don't blame him. When so much of your life was destroyed by one person, grudges could easily span millennia.' Sesshoumaru pursed his lips, really if he had anything to be angry about now it was the fact that one of his brightest employees had chosen to remain in Japan despite the fact that it was a veritable wasteland. After the Great War, it had been pointless to even attempt to rebuild, not when the majority of civilization had colonized throughout Europe.

Then again, perhaps Shippo had been right to remain behind. Returning to the life he'd once led had tempted Sesshoumaru one too many times and there was an appeal to telling all these business clients he'd picked up over the years to go to hell. 'This is getting me nowhere.' Knowing that it was true had him turning back towards the house. At least he could keep himself busy with paperwork; he had that new client to deal with after all.

A familiar voice stopped him from taking more than a couple of steps towards the house. 'Speak of the devil; it seems that I spoke too soon.' Just past the gate to the estate a certain wolf demon was walking towards him. From this distance he couldn't tell that much about the man's attitude, but his posture was rather stiff. It could mean anything from having found nothing but false rumors, or arriving just a bit too late. Either way, Sesshoumaru wasn't entirely certain he wanted to know. But still he waited until the wolf demon was within easy conversation range before speaking. “Well, what did you find?”

It was difficult to keep the smug expression from his face, but Naraku was a master of disguise. Once he'd completely subdued Kouga it was easy to mimic his appearance and keep the power levels consistent. Unless Lord Sesshoumaru had improved considerably over the years, it wasn't likely he'd be able to see through the disguise. Shrugging his shoulders, he answered the taller demon, “I didn't see him myself, but I saw all the proof I needed to know that bastard is back.”

“And what proof is acceptable without laying eyes on him? Honestly, Kouga, I thought you would be more careful then that.” Sesshoumaru arched a delicate brow in the other demon's direction. The wind brought the scent of Naraku towards him, but it was so muddled with other scents it was hard to tell just how strong it was. The pervading scent was that of wolves and blood, leaving Sesshoumaru to wonder just what the hell had happened.

“He took out one of the packs on the Austrian border. I got there a little too late though. Everyone with the exception of one of the bitches was dead, but there was no mistaking his scent, nor the way that he'd killed them,” he ground out and stared out into the distance. 'Let Sesshoumaru believe that it's concern over the dead if he wishes. Soon he will join them.' Narrowing his eyes, he cast a glance over towards the dog demon, “He has the Shikon again. Was it a rumor you brushed off or had your spies not picked up on that information yet?”

For a moment Sesshoumaru's eyes widened before he shook his head emphatically, “The Shikon is gone, you witnessed its destruction yourself. What proof do you have that it still exists if you have not seen him for yourself?” If the jewel had returned all hell was sure to break loose, but he still wasn't willing to accept the possibility as fact without any concrete proof.

“Because I felt the damned thing, but I was too far away to get there before he used it,” the wolf demon growled in annoyance at being questioned. “We need to go after this bastard or he's going to come to us. He isn't going to be happy with dominating some remote forest this time and you know it as well as I do.” At least that much was the truth; by the time he was finished, Naraku fully intended to have humans, demons and vampires all bending to his will.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes for a moment, considering the angles and debating what their next move should be. Something didn't feel right, but until he had more information he wouldn't be able to pinpoint exactly what it was. Regardless, Shippo would need to be alerted, that much was certain. There was also the business to consider since this was likely to take months to resolve.

“Jaken,” he called out, knowing that the toad was lurking somewhere nearby. It had become a rather annoying habit that the retainer had taken to lurking, but it also assured that he could almost always be found just waiting for an order that could make him useful.

“Yes M'lord?” Jaken inquired, stepping into view and away from a nearby tree. He'd been listening to the entire conversation and it chilled him to the bone. Something seemed... off about Prince Kouga, but he couldn't pinpoint just what it was. But he knew that if he were to say something, he was likely to be kicked across the field for opening his mouth. It'd happened too many times before for him to ignore the possibility.

"Call Shippo and inform him of this latest development. There's a chance that he may be needed if Naraku has indeed acquired the Shikon. Inform the board of directors that I will be indisposed for the next month. I trust that you'll be able to handle things while I am gone,” Sesshoumaru intoned quietly, his expression conveying just what would happen should the toad fail to do as he'd ordered. While he could take care of those things on his own, if it was Naraku then it would be best to return to the scene as quickly as possible before any traces of him disappeared.

“Right away, M'lord,” Jaken replied and hurried towards the house to do as he'd been commanded. This wasn't the first time that he'd been put in charge of things so he was well aware of the duties he'd be expected to fulfill. Still, he wasn't looking forward to speaking with the kitsune. One thousand years had passed and the brat was still an impertinent handful to deal with.

Naraku watched the toad scamper off and longed to follow after, just to take pleasure in ending the fool's life, but he had bigger prey to content himself with. He was nothing if not patient, but when dealing with Sesshoumaru, there were additional problems to consider, namely the Tenseiga. Should the taller demon get his hands on the sword it would be pointless to fight him for the blade would keep its Master alive under the most extreme of circumstances. In this instance he had to take the other male out before that could happen. “So are you going to get changed or are you going to run around looking like a suit that's gotten lost in the woods?”

“You are not indispensable. Remember that, Kouga,” Sesshoumaru warned the other demon before turning to walk back towards the house. There was no way in hell he was about to traipse about in these modern clothes while looking for a demon that should have been killed years before. The clothing he'd worn back in the feudal era was more suited to that sort of travel and he needed his swords as well.

It was at the moment that Sesshoumaru's back was turned that Naraku launched his attack, hoping to use the man's trust in the wolf to his advantage. The dog demon was a vicious opponent at the best of times and even though Naraku had the jewel at his disposal, he wasn't about to take any chances. As his feet left the ground he allowed his true form to come through and formed a blade in his hand constructed of the armor protecting his body. Yet the taller male was faster than he remembered and the sword cleaved nothing but a few stands of silver hair.

Before Sesshoumaru's feet touched the ground, he'd formed his whip and was arced towards the imposter's head. He should have known that it was Naraku disguising himself as Kouga, the fool was being entirely too polite for the way that he'd normally acted and he'd only had to threaten him once. So it begged the question of just where the wolf was. While he had a good idea, he had to be certain, “Where is Kouga?”

“Oh he's here, don't worry about that,” Naraku said maliciously, grinning when the whip slid off of his barrier without leaving so much as a scratch.

Without the swords, Sesshoumaru wouldn't be able to break through the barrier and there was no way in hell he was going to allow the man close enough to the house to get them. In fact, the dog demon was attempting to drive him in a direction of his own choosing, but that wasn't something he was going to let slide. Instead he allowed a film of miasma to fill the air, it would only be a matter of time until his opponent was forced to flee deeper into the forest and away from the house or suffocate on the poison.

“How does it feel?” Naraku mocked the taller male, “If you'd been a little more diligent you could have prevented this from ever happening, but it was never important enough. Soon, you will join your friend and then no one can stop me.”

“But there is no honor in hunting down a weak, pathetic coward, Naraku. If you were smart you would have never shown your face again,” Sesshoumaru said and directed a wave of poison towards the barrier. While the attack hadn't worked in the past, he'd gotten considerably stronger over the years. He wouldn't be the easy mark that Naraku was hoping for.

“And you should have stayed well out of my affairs,” Naraku snarled towards the dog demon. The barrier remained firmly in place, just as he'd expected, but the poison was slowly dripping down the sides and destroying the grass it made contact with. Angrily he extended his hand and allowed a beam of energy to shoot through the barrier although as predicted, the demon avoided it easily enough. But he wasn't one to give up either and the attack only served to thicken the miasma blanketing the battlefield. When Sesshoumaru breezed past him in an effort to get clear of the poison, Naraku followed, using the Shikon's power to increase his own speed.

Quickly Sesshoumaru worked his way deeper into the forest, seeking cover amongst the trees. With luck he'd be able to confuse Naraku long enough to work his way back towards the house. Once he had the Tenseiga in hand he'd be able to use the Meidou and end the fight quickly. However, the tactic was working against him because he'd forgotten that Naraku had the ability to utilize illusions as well and it was making it nearly impossible to make any progress. 'I have no choice but to change plans. Very well, so be it.' With deadly precision he lashed out with his whip, felling the trees that blocked his path and began making his way back towards the house with Naraku following closely behind him.

With the house nearing so quickly, Naraku could see that offensive servant rushing around like the world was going to end. That in itself wasn't necessarily a cause for concern, but the sword in its slimy hands was. It was official, once he finished with his Master, that pathetic demon was next on his list. Determined to stop Sesshoumaru from reaching his goal, Naraku closed his eyes and used his abilities to teleport directly in front of the dog demon. Just as he'd planned, the other male's momentum was far too great to stop completely and the blade he'd created earlier pierced Sesshoumaru's chest. With a malicious grin Naraku twisted it, tearing at his enemy's flesh.

“So close, yet so far away,” Naraku whispered menacingly to the demon he held. A growl filled the air as his enemy attempted to claw his way through the shield that protected him, but it was a futile attempt. Without pulling the blade free, Naraku readied his free hand and stared deeply into those cold amber eyes. He had only a matter of moments before the transformation began and Sesshoumaru's survival instincts took control. While it could be amusing to hack the rest of the legs off of the overgrown dog, it would be a waste of time, so instead he thrust his fist forward, driving it into the man's chest and ripped his still beating heart out. While it was regrettable that he had to give up the power boost the other male would have offered, being able to look into his eyes while he died made it worthwhile.

“Just like it was with your brother,” he said with a chuckle and threw the corpse to the ground.

“M'lord!” Jaken squeaked in fear, seeing his Master fall. His fingers tightened around the hilt of the sword and he stared with a mixture of fear and revulsion at the demon responsible. He longed to have his staff at hand so he could attack Naraku for the atrocity that he'd just committed, but he didn't and the sword would not obey him even if he were strong enough to wield it. Now he was reduced to watching as the demon advanced upon him and he could only take comfort in knowing that he would soon join his lord in death.

The quivering toad squawked when Naraku approached and he grimaced in disgust smelling the foul odor Jaken gave off. Now that Sesshoumaru was dead he probably wouldn't have even bothered with the coward, but there was something he wanted. “Do you wish to live, you pathetic excuse for a demon?” he whispered quietly and waited to see just what the toad would say.

“Just what are you getting at, Naraku? You'd better kill me now because if you don't I'll make sure you pay for killing my lord,” Jaken yelled angrily at the taller demon. While he had no idea just how he'd manage to get revenge on the man; that wouldn't stop him from trying. Angrily his stubby fingers clutched tighter around the hilt of the sword he held as if it were a life line. 'If only I could use the sword. Lord Sesshoumaru would rise again and destroy Naraku! But I can't... Oh M'lord, why did you have to leave me to face this alone?'

“How amusing, you really think that you can stand against me,” Naraku asked with a malicious smile. At first he'd been considering allowing Jaken to live, provided that he handed over the Tenseiga, but now, he might just have to kill him out of principle.

“Give me the Tenseiga,” he ordered quietly although his tone brooked no room for argument, “This will complete my collection. After all, the Tetsusaiga deserves to have her sister at her side.”

“Absolutely not,” Jaken refused and backed up several steps in an effort to put some distance between himself and Naraku. There was no way that he would be responsible for handing over the sword to his lord's enemy, the only way he'd ever get his hands on it was to kill him first. Of course, he also knew that Naraku would have no qualms about doing such a thing, but at least he could go to his eternal rest knowing that he'd done everything in his power to stop it.

The toad's refusal came as no surprise and Naraku felt no remorse for what he was about to do. Slowly he extended his hand and allowed his youki to swirl along the surface, preparing to incinerate Jaken in one quick burst of energy.

“Then die,” Naraku whispered and unleashed the power, smirking in satisfaction as it raced towards his prey. Yet when a barrier suddenly sprang up around his target, he snarled in anger, “Impossible. With Sesshoumaru dead its powers should become dormant!”

“It serves you right! The Tenseiga will never be handled by the likes of you,” Jaken spat out, feeling braver now that a barrier was protecting him. They'd always known the sword had a mind of its own and he was just thankful that it had seen him worthy of protection.

“You wretched fool,” Naraku growled, his eyes narrowed in frustration. The energy he'd unleashed had done nothing more than skim over the barrier and dissipate into nothingness. While he had no doubts that he could use the jewel's power to destroy the barrier, was it even worth the trouble? “Fine, you may keep the sword, for now,” he replied and turned his back to the toad, “it's useless to you anyway. It's not like you or anyone else will wield it to bring him back and sooner or later it'll realize your existence is useless. When it ceases to protect you there will be nothing for you to look forward to beyond becoming food. Although I don't know of any creature that could stomach something like you.”

There was little that Jaken could do beyond watch the other demon leave, even though he still wasn't sure just what had made the man stop. With the jewel he might well have been able to bypass the Tenseiga's protection so there had to be some pressing reason behind the way he'd left. A shudder raced through his body thinking about what that reason could possibly be, suddenly he had no desire to find out. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath and contemplated his next move. Sesshoumaru's body would need to be taken care of, but at the same time, there was another that needed to know about Naraku's return. He had to consider the probability that Shippo would be targeted next.

~At the remains of the Higurashi Shrine~

It was nights like this that Shippo found his mind wandering the most, turning back to the times when the group roamed the wilds of the feudal era. Although most wouldn't have realized it, those had been in fact some of the happier times in his life, if one could look past the fact that his father had died then. Many times he wished that they could have stayed there forever, but it was a foolish dream and he'd been forced to realize that nothing would be the same again.

That much was apparent just by looking at their surroundings. Time hadn't been kind to the shrine and now all that remained was the Goshinboku and a few weather worn stones where a building once stood. Not even the torii remained to mark the entrance, but that hadn't surprised him somehow. The war had taken its toll on the entire country and he was still amazed that the ancient tree had even survived.

Slowly he took a deep breath and leaned back against the trunk of the tree, taking comfort from the soothing energy it gave off. Perhaps it was the fact that it was the one constant through the stream of time, he really wasn't certain, but he was thankful for its presence nonetheless. Many times Sesshoumaru had asked why he chooses to remain in a place that harbored so many bad memories, but the truth was he couldn't just let it go. If the old dog wanted to think he was crazy that was fine with him, but it wouldn't change his mind. Guilt still plagued him for being unable to stop the massacre that had happened here so many centuries ago and this was his way of atoning for that crime.

A soft sigh reached his ears, pulling Shippo out of his moment of reflection. When he turned his gaze on the translucent form sitting nearby, his expression turned to one of concern, “You seem troubled. What's wrong?”

Kagome turned sorrowful eyes on her longtime friend, unsure of how to answer him, “Something is wrong, I can feel it.” She could see his expression immediately turn to one of alarm and she wished that she could reassure him that it was nothing. But over the years they'd learned to heed the warning when she got a feeling of unease. It had been those instincts that had protected her close friends when Armageddon had come to pass, even if it had been difficult for Shippo to persuade Sesshoumaru that it was fast approaching. Of course, who would want to heed the warning of a ghost that they couldn't even see? Shippo alone had that ability, and sometimes she wished that it wasn't so.Would he have gone on with his own life if he were unaware that her spirit still walked the Earth, unable to pass on into the afterlife?

“How bad is it?” Shippo asked carefully, needing to know if there was any sort of preparations that he should be making. He couldn't imagine what could possibly be going wrong this time, but he'd learned not to ignore her warnings. The breeze had suddenly taken an ominous feeling and Shippo could feel his hair trying to stand on end.

Taking a moment to concentrate, Kagome focused her mind inward and attempted to discern just what was bothering her. But she wasn't expecting the wave of evil to wash over her soul. Had she been in possession of a physical body the sheer malevolence would have left her breathless and trembling.

“It's bad, very bad. You need to call Sesshoumaru and see if he knows what's going on,” she whispered, trying to shake off the aftereffects of the soul searching she'd just done. She hadn't felt anything this terrible since the war and before that, Naraku as he tortured her family. But even that didn't compare to what she'd just experienced, it was just too powerful.

That had the kitsune bolting upright, his eyes widening considerably. It was rare that she asked him to contact the dog demon, simply because she knew how strained their partnership was since Shippo had decided to remain with her. In fact, she was well aware that if it had been possible for Sesshoumaru to torture her in this form, he probably would have done so for the headaches she'd caused him.

A curse fell from Shippo's lips as he went to grab his phone. Now he was thanking Kouga for insisting that he keep it with him at all times. At first he'd argued it was worthless since all the communication towers had come down a long time ago, but then the wolf had so thoughtfully pointed out that was what satellites were for.

“What the hell?” He groused when his fingers closed around the slim device and it rang almost immediately. Curiously he gazed at the caller ID and then whistled, “Speak of the devil.” Immediately he pressed the talk button and moved it to his ear, “I was just about to call you. What's going on?”

However, the voice on the other end was not the one that he'd been expecting and immediately his brow furrowed, “Jaken? What the hell? Slow down, I can't understand a word that you're saying.”

The feeling of dread intensified while listening to the toad continue to babble incoherently. While Jaken was prone to overreacting, it would have to be something serious to throw the little demon into this sort of state. Yet he was able to pick up on a couple of words and they froze his heart. Any sentence with Naraku and the Shikon in it was a cause for concern.

“Enough!” he shouted into the phone and immediately received a moment of quiet, “now, tell me what happened and speak slowly. Better yet, put Sesshoumaru on the phone and he can tell me what the hell is going on.” The next words that he heard were whispered and at first Shippo couldn't believe that he'd heard them correctly.

“This is a joke right? You'd better be joking,” Shippo replied flatly into the phone, “there's no way in hell Sesshoumaru is dead.” Hell, he was beginning to believe that damned dog was immortal. The idea of that particular demon dying was unfathomable. Yet the 'just kidding' he'd been hoping for never came. “How the hell did that happen?”

Kagome could only stare at her friend helplessly, unsure of what to do or say. Was that what she had felt? Sesshoumaru's passing could indeed be seen as a disastrous event, especially considering how much work he continually put into keeping both the humans and vampires from realizing that demons even existed. Slowly she closed her eyes and sent a brief prayer after the man's spirit. While there was certainly no love lost between them, she didn't hate the demon and if a prayer would cause the Gods to look more favorably upon him, she would gladly do it.

Swallowing hard, Shippo turned to stare helplessly at Kagome. “I'll tell her,” he whispered and then hung up the phone, not caring that Jaken had still been speaking. 'How the hell did this happen? The Shikon was destroyed; I saw it with my own eyes. How could Naraku have gotten his hands on it after all this time?' Unfortunately he couldn't deny the truth of what he'd heard, no matter how much he wanted to.

Even though Kagome was sure that she didn't want to know, she needed to find out what had put that look of horror on her friend's face. “What is it, Shippo?” she asked quietly. Perhaps Sesshoumaru's death had hit him harder than she had thought it would. Those two had become fairly close over the years, although if you didn't know them well you would have never have guessed it.

Sighing heavily, Shippo ran a hand through his hair and tried to find the right words, “Damn, I wish I knew an easy way of saying this.” He couldn't imagine how Kagome was going to feel knowing that not only had she been unable to destroy Naraku, but she'd failed in banishing the jewel as well. In the end her death had meant absolutely nothing, and now she'd be unable to stop the carnage that was sure to follow. “Look,” he said after a moment, he couldn't just put it off and act as if nothing had happened. “We all know that Naraku survived, but we've got another larger problem. The jewel, it's come back.”

“That's... that's not possible,” Kagome objected vehemently to the declaration. She'd made the wish and seen the jewel disappear. There's no way it could come back, could it? The very idea was unbelievable, why would Kikyo assume a wish would destroy it if it weren't true? But as she stared into Shippo's sorrowful eyes, she knew that he was speaking the truth. Somehow the Shikon had returned. “Where is it?” she whispered sadly. Perhaps if they could find it in time, they'd be able to secure it someplace safe where Naraku couldn't get his hands on it.

“It's already in Naraku's possession,” Shippo replied quietly, “he's already killed both Sesshoumaru and Kouga with its power.” It went unspoken that he was the only one left from the original group, but he knew that power wise he wasn't a match for Naraku. If both Sesshoumaru and Kouga could fall so easily, he wasn't going to delude himself into thinking he had a chance to defeat him. The only one who had that power had been killed centuries before and in her present form was virtually useless in a fight.

“Both of them?” Kagome stared at her friend in horror, trying to grasp just how things could have gone so terribly wrong, “We have to do something!”

“Like what?” Shippo asked bitterly, despite knowing that Kagome's conscience wouldn't allow her to sit by and watch what was happening. Angrily he punched the ground. All this time he'd deluded himself into believing that even if Naraku was alive, he wouldn't be able to cause the destruction that he'd wrought once before. Angrily he stared at the night sky, wracking his brain for anything that might work. “You know damned well I can't stop him and you're dead. What possible difference are we going to make?”

“That's enough,” Kagome snapped at him, “I'm well aware of the fact that I'm dead, but that doesn't mean I'm going to sit on my ass and let Naraku do as he damned well pleases. What are you going to do? Sit here and wait for him to come to you? You know he won't just forget and leave you alive!” As much as she hated speaking to him like this, it had to be done. Every word she'd spoken was the truth, and sooner or later, Naraku would come to exact his revenge on the kitsune. Just the fact that he'd been there throughout the ordeal made Shippo a target and Kagome refused to sit by and watch him die.

An uneasy silence stretched out between them then and instantly Shippo felt guilty for reminding Kagome of her predicament. He couldn't blame her for this, she'd done exactly what they'd believed would end the problem. It wasn't her fault that it hadn't been enough. But knowing this still didn't solve the problem and without a miko of considerable abilities to help out, all hope was lost. They couldn't even count on a reincarnation this time because Kagome's spirit had been tied to the shrine due to the horrific circumstances behind her death and the unfinished business that she'd been forced to leave behind.

“This is where I wish you could actually possess someone. You need a damned body if we're to have a chance of stopping him this time,” Shippo complained bitterly.

Kagome laid a hand on his shoulder, but the kitsune showed no signs of acknowledging the gesture, nor would he have. There were no physical sensations to accompany the slight touch, and for that, she sighed, “You know that's not possible Shippo. As much as we've managed to accomplish over the years, you yourself know that a possession of the sort you're referring to is impossible. We'd need another way. Surely there's some technology that can help us. You helped to pave the way for cybernetic engineering. Can't you think of anything?”

“Kagome,” Shippo sighed heavily, “I left that life a long time ago, remember?” There was no way that he could say whether or not the technology still existed. Sure, the humans had colonized Mars and perfected the science of creating the cybernetic organisms like he'd once hoped to be a part of. But he'd been living in seclusion for centuries now, remaining with Kagome so she no longer had to be alone. How was he to know whether or not they could reincarnate Kagome with all of her memories intact?

“But you still have contacts,” she replied earnestly. If anyone could solve the problem then, it was the demon in front of her now. She'd place all of her trust in him and together they'd do what was necessary to stop Naraku. “Please, Shippo, we can't just let him come for you,” she said quietly.

“You're right,” Shippo agreed, giving up like that just wasn't acceptable. If he did, Inuyasha's spirit would likely come back from wherever it had gone to just to kick his ass. Being a kitsune he had ways of helping to coax a spirit in or out of a body, and if they could find a host, he could give Kagome another chance at life. Giving her the slightest of smiles, he nodded, “In the morning, we will go to Europe. Even with Sesshoumaru gone, there will be plenty of information at the estate. We'll find the contacts we need and go from there.”

“In the morning then,” Kagome said quietly, and watched the kitsune close his eyes to catch a few hours of sleep. She didn't blame him; they had quite a walk ahead of them in order to get to the nearest port which could take them to the mainland. In the meantime, she would pray and search out the jewel. If it was back in this world, there was a chance that her soul was still connected to it and it would only take a bit of concentration to strengthen the bond. While she may not be able to do much in this form, maybe, just maybe, she would be able to connect with it and keep the demon from utilizing its full power.

~In The Empire~

Deep within the palace, Empress Augusta Vradica, also known as Seth to close friends, sat upon her throne and stared at the closed doorway in contemplation. She'd received the petition from the Vatican for an audience and she'd granted it immediately. Truthfully, she'd been rather concerned with the disappearances within her kingdom and it was causing no small amount of unrest. The human deaths, though, went largely ignored by the Methusela population since there was still plenty of animosity between the two races.

Although the petition had been brief, the Empress wasn't exactly surprised to learn that the Cardinal had some sort of information about the attacker. Just who it was and where he was hiding continued to remain a mystery though. 'I'm not sure how much aid I can give them when they know more than we do. However, if I can be of any assistance to my brother and his friends then I will do so without reservation.'

Nor would it be long before they made their appearance. Nearly fifteen minutes ago she'd gotten the message that they'd arrived and were on their way to see her. Despite the seriousness of the situation, it had been months since she'd seen her brother last and she wasn't above taking advantage of the opportunity the situation presented. Father Nightroad had always worked diligently for the Vatican, and as such, it left little time for familial visits no matter how much she desired otherwise. Carefully, she smoothed down the front of her green velvet dress, making sure that she was presentable when she heard the muffled sounds coming from just beyond the doorway.

However, the last thing she was expecting was the scream of pain she heard just before the doorway exploded inwards in a shower of debris. Her eyes widened in surprise to see the guards who had been posted at the entrance laying sprawled out upon the floor, lying in pools of their own blood. Anger flowed through her body when she saw the person responsible. “Just what is the meaning of this?” she demanded, her eyes narrowing dangerously at the tall man striding towards her confidently.

“You're the Empress, I presume,” Naraku said, ignoring the question completely. His gaze roamed over her appraisingly, taking in her seemingly fragile appearance. One would think her to be nothing more than a child, but he knew better. Before him was one of the most powerful beings left on Earth, and while her appearance did nothing to give that impression, he'd done his research well. He'd heard how she'd disguised herself on more than one occasion as a simple tea seller, using it as a ploy to get the information she desired and ensure that she was in a strategic position to act if the situation called for it.

“You fail to answer my question. Who are you and what is your purpose in coming here?” The Empress said as she stood up, preparing to deal with the insolent being standing before her. Even from here she could feel the power that the man was giving off and she knew that if he'd come to fight, it'd be impossible to fend him off without reverting to her Crusnik form.

“My purpose?” Naraku queried, inclining his head to gaze up at her, “My purpose is power, power which you hold, but not for much longer. I would suggest that you allow me to end your life quickly, but I think we both know that you wouldn't listen.” There was no way that she'd just stand there and allow him to absorb her, and truthfully, he didn't want her to. He rather enjoyed the thrill of the fight, knowing that there was nothing that could truly challenge his power. Even now he'd formed a barrier around himself, and the strength of the jewel pulsed through his body in preparation of the fight which was about to commence.

“You were a fool to have come here,” the Empress replied coldly, and activated the nanomachines that gave her the true power she kept hidden from the world. It was a slight surprise when he didn't react to her sudden change in appearance, but it was no matter. Instantly, she concentrated her energy into the tridents she now held and a slow smile crossed her face. Whether this fool realized it or not, the sound waves they were now emitting would soon kill him, disintegrating his body while he stood there with that condescending expression on his face.

Within seconds, Naraku felt the shock waves traveling along the surface of his barrier, making them ripple under the strain. A chuckle spilled from his lips when the smile on her face turned to one of confusion, “No, you're the fool for underestimating me. Did you really think that I would come here to issue a challenge and be defeated within the first minute of the engagement?” The confused expression on the woman's face only continued to grow when his skin began to contort with the demons within him attempting to get free. 'Yes, they sense the banquet of power lying before them. Perhaps I shall allow them to feast, just so the Methusela will understand the amount of power that I will use to subdue them if necessary.'

The Empress stared in horror when the man's clothing began to tear, revealing the unmarred flesh beneath. Had that been all however, she would not have been concerned. No, what made her recoil in disgust was the way his skin began to tear, splitting open to reveal a beast clawing its way from his flesh.

“What... are you?” she asked in a near whisper. Clearly he was neither human nor vampire, and it was now apparent this was the man who was behind all the killings.

“A demon if you insist on knowing who it is that will be the one to kill you. Your race, along with the humans, were foolish enough to forget about our existence, but now you will all pay for that indiscretion,” Naraku replied easily enough. The coppery scent of his blood filled the barrier, but he was not weakened by the wounds. In fact, they healed themselves almost instantly, despite the fact that more demons were struggling to get free. Nor did he attempt to stop them. It'd be nice watching the beasts rend the flesh from her bones. Oh, it might take a while to wear the woman down, but Naraku had no doubts that it was possible. He'd absorbed enough demons over the centuries that she would fall long before he exhausted himself.

Before the Empress could respond, the first of the creatures launched itself at her, but she wasn't about to become food for any disgusting creature such as this one. Angrily, she released another sonic wave towards the beast, smirking when its flesh began turning to dust and falling from its body. “You'll have to try harder than that if you hope to kill me,” she said coldly and prepared for the next wave of demons.

“Impressive, but not good enough,” Naraku replied and used his demonic speed to attack her. As expected, she moved quickly enough, but it placed her within range of one of the demons he'd turned loose.

Ruthlessly she cut through the demon with her tridents and turned them to ash before whirling to face her tormentor again. “Funny, I could say the same thing about you,” she growled and lunged towards him. 'The barrier may be immune to sound, but can it withstand a physical attack?'

“We're just getting started, my dear. We'll see how long you can hold out,” Naraku said with a smirk, and retreated just far enough to begin herding her, systematically working her towards the demons waiting along the far wall. While she might be able to wield her weapons with efficiency, with her attention so divided, it was only a matter of time before she made a mistake.

The sound of tearing cloth filled the air and the Empress was forced to turn her attention to a rather ugly looking dog-thing who had seized upon the hem of her dress. Viciously her weapon came down, cleaving the animal in two and splattering her with the blood of her victim, yet the attack didn't stop there. Whirling around, she brought the trident arcing through the air in an attempt to slice her opponent's head from his shoulders.

The barrier stopped its descent however, and she had to grit her teeth against the recoil that traveled up her arms. More demons were coming from the man's body and she panted with the exertion of keeping them away. Desperately, she poured her power through the tridents a second time to buy her a few precious moments of breathing room. A faint sound reached her ears and vaguely she wondered what it could be as it gained in intensity. All too soon though she found out when pieces of the ceiling began raining down around them. 'What's happening now?'

Immediately, the demons he'd turned loose became piles of ash, but Naraku sidestepped them easily. While it might give her a few seconds to get her bearings, it wasn't going to be nearly enough. While they'd been toying with each other he'd allowed the jewel's energy to flare and call forth the weaker demons which still remained in the area. As he'd predicted, they'd responded with enthusiasm, eager to devour the jewel and everything around it. When the demons began to break through the roof and pour into the throne room he chuckled at the exasperated look upon her face. 'A stalemate thus far, but it cannot remain that way forever. Sooner or later she will tire and then her life energy will be mine.'

The Empress braced herself for the next attack and waited. There was no way in hell she was going to give up, not to this monster. But she had to admit, he had the ability to produce some of the ugliest creatures that she'd ever seen. The one staring down at her was a good example of it, being barely humanoid at best while possessing the head of some long dead sea serpent. The stench it was giving off was enough to make a person gag, and even the rush of fresh air from the ceiling collapsing provided no relief. Abruptly, it lunged towards her and she prepared to slice it in half, when gunfire filled the air, dropping it to the ground. With wide eyes she stared at the entrance to the room, and despite the grim situation she smiled, “Abel!”

“Sorry we're late, Seth,” Father Nightroad replied in way of greeting, yet he never took his eyes off of Naraku. Once they arrived in the Empire, he had a feeling that they were about to encounter the enemy once more, and he'd been proven right. While he had no doubts that his sister would be able to handle the demon that had been reaching towards her, he was rather relieved that Tres had managed to take the beast out before it had a chance to touch her. It was a useful piece of information to file away for later. While he couldn't damage Naraku with his guns, these lesser creatures didn't have the same immunity.

Tres immediately picked up on that as well, and was prepared to utilize it to their advantage. “Deal with Naraku, I'll take out the other targets,” he said calmly and trained his guns on the lesser demons running around. It would be difficult to fight with Father Nightroad and the Empress in the immediate vicinity, but he was nothing if not precise. There would not be any friendly fire injuries due to an error on his part.

“Right,” Father Nightroad said, and began to advance upon the demon tormenting his sister. To see that she'd gone so far as to activate the nanomachines was telling enough, and he had no illusions that this battle would be easy. As such, he wouldn't hesitate to take the same path that his sister had chosen. “I don't know what your purpose is for coming here demon, but I promise you will not succeed,” he told Naraku resolutely. “Nanomachine Crusnik 02, power output forty percent, activate.”

“How amusing. To think that I would warrant the attentions of two Crusniks, I must say I'm flattered,” Naraku drawled, watching the transformation take place. Had he been a lesser being, he might have actually been impressed by the change. After all, it wasn't often that one had the opportunity to see an ordinary looking human sprout wings, nor form a scythe made out of their own blood. “But it will still make no difference in the end.”

“We'll see about that,” Father Nightroad replied coldly and lunged towards the demon, intent on putting a stop to the fight immediately. There were no intentions of killing the man, not when he had so much to answer for. No, he'd be captured and transported to Rome where he would face the charges and pay for his sins.

For now, Seth took a step back and allowed her brother to test out his attacks on the demon. While she had her doubts about his ability to penetrate the barrier due to her own troubles in doing so, his attacks differed greatly from her own. Shadows danced upon the wall as the lightning attack was unleashed and the scent of burning ozone hung heavily in the air, yet to her dismay the barrier remained undamaged. To make matters worse, he was continuing to spawn demons from his body like it took no effort at all, and he was replacing them as quickly as Father Iqus was able to gun them down.

“Fool, did you really think that attack would be enough?” Naraku taunted and unleashed an attack of his own. The youki swirled through the air, colliding with the electricity that the silver haired male was giving off and absorbing it as if it were nothing before continuing its journey to its target. Predictably, the vampire moved out of the way, but not before the sleeve of his coat was hit and the smell of charred fabric joined the horrific smells filling the air.

Corpse after corpse fell to the ground in a sickening heap, yet Tres didn't dare pause in his attacks. The numbers were finally starting to dwindle slightly, but he knew that if he wasn't careful they could quickly build again. Father Nightroad needed to bring that barrier down so that they at least had a chance to subdue this demon, until that happened, the odds were stacked against them, and they couldn't hope to win. Sooner or later their physical bodies would tire and then they'd be at the man's mercy.

With narrowed eyes he watched another demon peel away from the dark haired man, and the moment it exited the barrier he had the gun trained on it. Gunfire filled the air yet again, but this time it didn't drop as expected. Instead the bullets ricochet wildly around the room, bouncing off of the barrier it had formed around itself. This presented yet another problem, one he was determined to solve before things got too out of hand.

Seth paled seeing the creature coming towards her, untouched by the attack that by all rights should have taken it out. In spite of the barrier being in place, the scent of rotting flesh reached her nose, making her grimace in disgust. Instinct told her that she couldn't allow this thing to come into physical contact with her and the oozing sores covering its body was a clear warning. It was disease riddled, and she didn't want to guess at what would happen if it managed to infect any of them. Hurriedly, she brought her tridents up in a guarding position and began an attempt to fight it off, yet each time she tried to parry its blow, the monster seemingly vanished. 'Too fast, where'd it go?'

The answer came as pain sliced across her back and she could feel the blood beginning to seep from the wounds caused by its claws. Instinctively she bit back the groan of pain and tried to focus on finding the monster before it could strike her again. A blur to the right told her it was coming, but at far too great a speed to stop. But the anticipated blow never came because Father Iqus had interposed his body between them taking the blow. Being a cyborg he wouldn't suffer the effects of its disease, but even he wasn't likely to be able to hold it off for long. Already she was beginning to feel the effects, shivering when a chill snaked down her spine. 'It's happening already, I'm so cold.' But she didn't dare complain and distract her brother from the fight he was engaged in. To do so might well kill him.

Naraku smirked seeing that his little pet had managed to hit the woman. It was rather fortunate that she was a Crusnik, had she been a mere human the disease that had just been passed to her would kill her within a matter of hours. Instead she had to look forward to days, perhaps weeks of hellish torture while her flesh rotted away and since there was no cure; those close to her would be forced to watch her die a wasting death.

“How does it feel to know that you were unable to protect your sibling? Tell me, I wish to know,” Naraku said his tone one of pure satisfaction.

“Whatever you've done, you'd better pray there's a cure for it,” Abel snarled in reply. If there wasn't, he would have to seriously consider the possibility of going back on his vow to never kill again, just to avenge her death.

“Or what?” Naraku taunted the enraged man, “You cannot touch me now, what makes you think you'll be able to in the future.” He knew that he was getting to his opponent; just by the way his energy seemed on the verge of climbing. It looked as if things were truly about to get interesting, but before he could remark on it, there was a shift in his own power and for a moment it made him hesitate. A second pulse had him concentrating on the jewel, and to his irritation, it was wavering in color from the deep purple he'd tainted it with to the blinding pink that would come from it being purified. Angrily, he closed his hand around it in order to strengthen the malice that flowed within the sphere, but he yanked his hand away quickly enough when he was singed with the purifying energy only a miko could produce. “Kagome,” he snarled, instantly recognizing who the energy had come from and gazed around the room suspiciously, “You bitch, how can you interfere when you're dead?”

While Father Nightroad was unsure of what had caused the man's distraction, he wasn't about to let the advantage go to waste. Ruthlessly, he pressed the attack in the hopes that one of his blows would bring the barrier down. The demon seemed to be consumed with the thought of this 'Kagome' and was now shutting everything out in favor of searching for her.

“Damn you,” Naraku raged at the unseen miko. While he didn't know where she was, this was clearly her handiwork. Perhaps it was her reincarnation instinctively directing the jewel, or maybe it was her spirit coming back to haunt him, but either way he couldn't risk continuing this fight with such uncertainty. All it would take was one moment of the bitch seizing complete control of the Shikon and it could bring his barrier down, giving this fool in front of him the opening that he needed. With a violent burst of energy, he blew the remaining ceiling directly above him apart, forcing his enemies to scatter in an attempt to keep from being crushed by falling debris.

The detachment which had struck so cruelly at the Empress quickly made its escape in the confusion, knowing that its master would be contacting it later when its services were needed again.

Quickly, Naraku allowed his youki to take him into the air, leaving the three of them behind to lick their wounds. 'We'll finish this later. I've got a miko to find and kill again. You've interfered for the last time, Kagome.'

Seeing that his opponent had fled, Father Nightroad was tempted to go after the demon, but one look at his sister made him pause. Sweat lined her brow and he could see that it was becoming an effort for her to even remain standing. Only the fact that she wouldn't allow herself to appear weak kept her on her feet.

“How bad is it?” he asked. If nothing else he could count on her to tell him the truth.

“It's... not good,” the Empress replied uneasily. She didn't want to admit it, but pain was already beginning to wrack her body and she could feel the energy sustaining her draining away. Within moments she wouldn't even be able to maintain her Crusnik form.

“We need to get you to a healer,” Abel replied quickly and moved to her side. He wouldn't go so far as to carry her so long as she was able to remain on her feet, but the moment her strength gave out, her royal appearance be damned, he was going to help her. “Which way?”

“Through the door and... to the left,” she replied automatically and began walking in the direction she'd just told them. She was grateful that the two males flanking her were attentive, but not going out of their way to appear as if they were supporting her. There had been enough troubles in recent times and she didn't want to give the wrong impression to those who would seek to dethrone her, assuming anyone had the opportunity to see her. Still, it was agonizing to have to traverse the long hallways on her own, and she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when the medical quarters came into view.

That relief, however, was short lived upon seeing the carnage that lay within. Apparently the demon had planned wisely and taken out anyone that had the training to see to battle wounds, just in case she had managed to escape. Wearily, she rested against the door frame, her mind attempting to process just what she was seeing, but it was so hard when all she wanted to do was rest.

“Father Nightroad, we cannot remain here, and the Empress needs medical assistance. Returning to the Vatican would be the logical choice now,” Father Tres advised, quickly taking in the damage, “Remaining here is unwise. The probability that he will return is too high.”

“Agreed. As much as I hate to do this, we should get you aboard the airship immediately,” Abel said addressing his sister, “there's trained medical staff on board who can see to you while we're in flight, and once we're at the Vatican, the royal physician can see to your wounds.” Even though it was breaking protocol to take Seth out of her kingdom, he saw no other choice in the matter. If the demon had been correct, they only had a limited amount of time to attempt to find a cure.

“Fine,” she replied wearily, “contact the Earl of Memphis and inform him of what's happened. He'll be able to see that proper measures are taken to ensure the safety of the kingdom.” She knew that while Ion might be young, he had a lot of determination to make up for that youth and he was well connected. He'd be able to begin the steps necessary to keep peace within the kingdom and most likely Lady Astharoshe would help him. Weakly, she tried to push away from the wall and blinked when her vision swam. A few moments later she felt strong arms wrap around her body and lift her into the air. “No,” she protested against the hold, “you might... catch it.”

“I'll take my chances,” Abel whispered, and sighed when he felt her relax against him completely. There was no telling whether it was because she accepted what he'd said or just no longer had the strength to fight. Either way, he'd take it without complaint. Giving Tres a look that said they needed to get moving, he turned and left the room with his partner following closely behind. The sooner they made it onto the ship, the better he'd feel.

~Two days later~

No matter how hard Naraku had tried, he'd been unable to detect the slightest trace of Kagome's presence anywhere in the area and it was frustrating him to no end. In fact, he was beginning to doubt that it was even her in the first place, but the fact still remained that he'd felt her, so either he was losing his mind or the bitch was running around out there somewhere. 'But where? She had to be somewhere close in order to have tapped into the jewel like that! It just didn't make any sense unless... Unless those fools at the Vatican had found her reincarnation somehow and they'd brought her with them. I'm sure they've returned to Rome and if so, they'd have taken their weapon back with them. They wouldn't be so foolish as to leave her unprotected where I could locate her.'

Now that he thought about it, it made perfect sense. If she was in Rome then it would be difficult, if not impossible for his senses to lock in on her and being untrained she wouldn't have proper control over the jewel. Add into it that the artifact wasn't in her possession and it explained things perfectly. 'Her continued presence presents a problem though. I cannot afford to fight the Crusnik while she continues to live, not if I want a guaranteed kill. I'll have to take the bitch out before I can continue my plans.'

But that presented the question of how to get to the miko. Infiltrating the Vatican could prove to be difficult if she exerted control over the Shikon and if he were to lure her out into the open it was a given that she'd have protection. What he needed was a puppet, someone who could strike swiftly and take her out without endangering his own safety. As he thought about it a slow smile spread across his face and he allowed his eyes to close. He had the perfect pawn; he just needed to set the plan into motion. Extending his senses inward, he focused on the demon that had infected the Empress and impressed upon it the need to get to Rome. The miko of course was to be its highest priority, but if it ran across any high ranking officials then nothing said that there couldn't be other prey to toy with as well.

~At The Vatican~

In the shadows the creature lay silently, waiting for the perfect opportunity to make its move. Hunger coursed through its veins, but it didn't dare leave its hiding spot, not yet anyway. The instructions it had received had been clear and it dared not risk detection now, not when it was so far away from its master. The distance had lessened its protections considerably, weakening the barrier that surrounded it and the beast couldn't take the risk of being spotted before it had destroyed its target. But that didn't stop the thin tendrils of saliva from forming and dripping off of the teeth protruding from its snout each time a human walked past. It had been days since it had last eaten, but the master had refused to allow it to rest. Soon, very soon that hunger would be sated, but in the meantime it needed to be patient.

Darkness began to overtake the city and the beast's scaly skin trembled in anticipation. Angry red eyes peered out of the darkness and trained upon the entrance to the Vatican that lay only a few yards ahead. The guard, a rather portly human stood nearby although his posture spoke of weariness and the demon knew it would be exceedingly easy to slip past the man. Silently it crept from the hiding spot it had found, its muscular body tensing in preparation to bolt past the human. Twin tails swished in agitation and just when the man's head was turned, the demon streaked out into the open. It's near silent footfalls attracted no attention and within moments it had slipped through the gateway. Now that it had infiltrated the palace, the hunt could begin.

Carefully it scented the air, looking for any trace of holy energy which might draw it to the miko. The aromas were confusing to say the least with so many humans gathered in one place, but still it persisted. Quietly it stalked down a long corridor, pausing every so often to see if it was on the right track. While it couldn't find any traces of the miko per say, there was a vast amount of holy energy in one of the courtyards ahead. Suddenly another scent wafted on the breeze and it stopped the beast in its tracks, a low growl spilling from its massive throat.

In the distance he could detect the presence of the Crusnik who it had fought before and infected although her scent was weak, afflicted with the plague that it carried. Mingled with hers was that of the silver haired male that had leapt to her defense, but his odor was healthy, revealing that he had not caught the sickness despite its master's hopes. It was tempting, ever so tempting to go and finish the job that it had started, but a sharp tug on its senses stopped it from doing so. The master would be displeased if it ventured off on its own without fulfilling the mission it had been assigned.

Its ears flicked in agitation and the beast turned from that corridor and proceeded onward. Muffled voices reached its ears easily, each of them speaking rather excitedly about something that had amused them. Softly the demon snorted at their folly, how happy would they sound if they knew that death was prowling the hallways? In the distance it caught the slightest hint of movement and the beast tensed. Was this the miko that it sought? Carefully it scented the air, testing it for the taste of power that would signal he'd found his target. But soon it realized that the smell belonged to someone else, although not all together powerless. Briefly it hesitated, relaying the information to its master through the connection they shared and then waited for further instructions. They were quick in coming and within moments the beast was racing across the courtyard, intent on its new target.

Nearby, Pope Alessandro XVIII walked towards the gardens, needing a break from the headache that had come with Father Nightroad's return. His half brother Cardinal Francesco had not been pleased to hear that the Empress had sought sanctuary in their city and had spent the better part of the evening protesting the very idea. While he would never turn down help to someone who desperately needed it, he had to wonder if this would indeed bring more death and destruction to his people. Cardinal Caterina as expected had defended the reasoning behind bringing the Empress here and while they'd been arguing vehemently, he'd managed to slip away. Now, in the quiet of the night he felt free enough to let the troubles slip from his shoulders, if only for a few moments.

'What should I do?' The thought went unanswered while he stared up at the darkening sky. People were dying and even the elite of the AX team had been unable to stop it. 'What do we do if something like that comes here? How could we stop it?'

It was a very real concern since according to the report that had been given; this demon wasn't out to only subdue the vampires. The beast wanted to reign over them all, uncaring of what race a person happened to be and he had no qualms about killing anyone who stood against him. The sound of rapidly approaching footsteps had him turning to see who approached and when his gaze caught the sight of a beast running towards him, his eyes widened in surprise. Knowing that he was no match for something like that, he turned and ran, hoping that he'd be able to reach safety before it happened upon him.

“Somebody help!” he screamed into the echoing darkness, praying that there would be someone nearby to hear him.

The beast snapped its jaws in amusement, running almost lazily behind its prey. It would be simple to catch the boy and snap his neck with one bite of its powerful jaws, but the sight of him running had brought its hunting instincts to the forefront. When the human bolted around one of the raised flower beds, it allowed him to get a good distance ahead before leaping over it in one fluid jump to land directly in front of the Pope. The shriek of surprise made its ears twitch in annoyance and moments later it knocked the human to the ground.

Sure that he was about to die, Alessandro brought his arms up to protect his face and neck, screaming when the beast's fangs punctured his skin. The torment didn't stop there however, suddenly he felt himself being shaken as if he was nothing more than a toy to an over sized dog. Yet this monster couldn't be considered dog like in any way other than the vaguest of notions. Spots began to swim before his eyes and blindly he groped with his free hand, hoping to beat the animal away. Instantly he was released, but it was only so the creature could attempt to get a better hold and soon the vise like grip fixed itself in place higher up on his arm.

So intent on its new toy, the beast never saw the attack coming from the side and it screamed in pain when the blade cut through its upper body. Snapping its jaws wildly, it lashed out at its attacker, but with its injuries, any real movement was impossible. The faint gleam of light shown off the blade coming for it a second time and within moments, all conscious thought faded.

Alessandro opened his eyes and sought out the gaze of his savior. Pale green eyes stared back at him, evaluating the damage that had been done and before he knew it, several others had surrounded him.

“Thank you,” he whispered weakly before he was being picked up and rushed back inside to be treated. As he slipped into unconsciousness, he wondered just what this new development would mean for them all.

Father Nightroad watched the attendants carry the Pope into the medical ward, but this time he declined following them. Instead he stood beside Father Hugue de Watteau and tried to piece together what just happened. Time and time again they'd warned Alessandro against walking alone, especially in these trying times, but yet again he'd deemed it unnecessary to listen. Now he'd come under attack and they weren't even close to finding a cure for the disease both he and the Empress had been inflicted with. Something else was bothering him and it had to do with the corpse that was now lying on the floor. “Something has changed,” he said at length.

“The barrier you mentioned was no longer present,” Father Hugue agreed quietly. When he'd arrived on the scene he'd been fully prepared for an intense battle, but it had been pathetically easy to kill the demon. As it was, there had hardly been any resistance at all when his sword had struck the first time and even less the second. Whatever barrier had been there had been incredibly weak, leaving the beast virtually defenseless against attack.

“That's the way it would seem,” Father Nightroad replied and considered the situation, “but why? What changed to make it so weak?” Had the demon been this easy to kill his sister would have been able to destroy it long before it had a chance to strike at her. The only difference he could think of was the fact that Naraku wasn't here, at least not that they'd seen. “Would separation from the demon that spawned it weaken the creature so much?” he queried while prodding the corpse with his boot. They were going to have to take great care with the disposal of the body. Since he hadn't become infected with the disease it had been determined that transmission most likely came from contact with its body fluids. Given the amount of blood that had been spilled, they could be looking at an epidemic if it wasn't handled properly.

For a moment Father Hugue said nothing and trained his senses to the surrounding area, attempting to detect whether or not there was another intruder. Sensing nothing he shrugged, “It's possible. We need to tighten security, the one who sent this creature won't hesitate to try again.”

“Agreed,” Father Nightroad replied with a sigh. More than likely both Lady Caterina and Cardinal Francesco had already heard of the attack and were planning what their next move would be. He needed to get back in there and see what was being decided, if anything. In the meantime, he knew that Father Hugue would be keeping a close eye on the surrounding area and most likely, the others were as well. “I need to check on his holiness and see if he's conscious enough to explain what happened before the attack,” he said and when he received no answer from his friend, turned to head inside.

End of Chapter Three