InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Slave to No One ❯ Chapter 31 ( Chapter 31 )

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

Chapter 31: The Final Battle, The Battle in the Northern Lands.

King Higurashi was traveling to the Northern Lands with his army. They had left early that morning to see if they could stop the northern army from invading his territory. He had sent word back to Lord Inutaisho telling him of the impending attack from the north and that he was traveling to that area to see if he could defeat the enemy.

His heart ached as he traveled. He knew that this was going to be the fight that would decide everything. Whoever was the victor in this fight would decide the outcome of the demon slaves. It was for their freedom that he was fighting for and nothing else.

His daughter has taught him so many things. He was ashamed that he never really listened to her before. He had always been too busy to pay attention to her that she had grown these ideals and cared deeply for the way demons were treated.

Before he left to go to the battle he had set all of his slaves free. He told them all to get to safety and not to return to his lands if they fell to the might of the northern lands. To his surprise the slaves had refused to leave saying that they were home and that they would defend their homes and their mistress with their last dieing breath.

He had never been so deeply touched, that they wanted to stay and protect his home along with his wife. Now he knew why his daughter was the way she was. She cared deeply for everyone and wanted them to be happy. It had taken him a long time to finally realize this as his chest ached with the emotions he was feeling for his daughter.

They continued to travel throughout the day heading north. He was pushing his men hard because they had to get there to make sure that they could survey the area for its defense. They had stopped for the night to give his soldiers some much needed rest when he heard an alarm being sounded around the camp.

The entire area came to life as all of the soldiers took a fighting stance at the approaching threat. Then he heard one of his former demon slave say, “My Lord, their are demons approaching from the west.”

King Higurashi heard what his former demon slave said and was surprised that there would be demons coming from the west. He had thought that they would be fighting the threat there.

He looked around the camp at the few demons that he had with him. He couldn't prevent a few of them from coming along. They said it was their duty to protect him and that they would be helpful in the fight. Now that they were there with him, he was glad that he had let them come along. They had been very helpful in finding the shortest path to the northern territory.

`Why would there be demons coming from the west? Could something had happen to my daughter and they were sending word back to me.' He waited impatiently for the demons to approach as he told his soldiers to stand down and let them pass.

The soldiers obeyed his orders and they stood down when they saw the demons coming from the west. There weren't very many of them, as their leader slowly came towards the king and bowed, and he said, “My Lord, Lord Inutaisho has sent us to aid you in your battle against the northern army. He says that once the threat has been defeated in his kingdom that he will come here and help you in this fight.”

King Higurashi was in shock. “How many of you did Lord Inutaisho send?”

“My Lord, he sent one company of his best demon soldiers.” Said the demon captain with pride in his soldier's abilities to fight.

King Higurashi smiled as he called for his commander and instructed him to brief the demon captain on the battle plans. He wanted them placed where they thought they would do the most good. He told them to work together to come up with a good strategy.

Both commanders bowed as they left the king so they could talk strategies on the upcoming battle.

The king felt exhausted. They have been traveling hard all day and they will reach the northern boarders by tomorrow. He hoped that they could defeat this threat and that everything will be all right in the end. He settled down to rest before they would leave in the morning for the impending battle.

Later on that night another alarm was sounded through the camp. More demon soldiers were approaching the group as they rested. When the commander from that group approached he reported to the king.

“My Lord, the battle in the Western Lands has been won and Lord Inutaisho has sent the remainder of his army to help you in your fight. They left right after the battle to go to the Eastern Lands to fight there. My soldiers are at your command ready to do your biding.” Said the demon commander with pride.

King Higurashi was happy to hear that the fight for the Western Lands was finally done and that they had won the fight. But the news that they had gone to the Eastern Lands to fight worried him. He knew the demons were strong but even they get tired.

He looked at the commander in front him and said. “Your captain arrived here earlier this evening, he has been working with my commander on the battle plan. I will take you to them and you can join the discussion on how best we can defeat this threat.”

The demon commander bowed as he followed him to where they others were located. When they got there the king introduced him and left them alone to do the planning. The demon commander that arrived was about the same rank as the human commander and he had a lot more knowledge on planning an attack than the captain. Together they formed a good battle plan that used all of their soldiers to their full potential.

They all decided to let the king sleep for a few more hours before they told him of their plans. In the mean time they set out to prepare their soldiers for the fight that was to happen.

~oOo~

Morning came and the commanders from both armies were briefing the king on the plan of attack. It was an elaborate plan with humans and demons fighting side by side to defend the Southern Lands, something that has never been done before.

He agreed to the plan with only a few minor changes to fill in some gaps in the defensive line. They all got ready to leave for the impending battle, as they would be arriving in the area sometime in the late morning hours.

The armies traveled fast as they finally reached their destination. They saw the northern armies already setting up for the attack as everyone quickly got into place to defend the southern lands.

The demon commander from the west was standing by the king's side when he turned to the east and sniffed the air. He caught the scent of more youkai coming from the east as he excused himself from the king side and went towards the approaching demons.

The Western Commander took a company of his soldiers with him until they found out who these demons were. They meet them a couple of miles away from the battle zone as the Commander from the Eastern Army approached the group and said, “We are the soldiers from the Eastern Lands. We were sent here to help you defend the Southern Lands from the north. Our lord and his party will be arriving here soon to join the battle.”

The Western Commander was delighted to hear the news that they had defeated the threat in the Eastern Lands and congratulated the soldiers from there. He quickly told them of the plan and placed his soldiers where they could do the most damage once the battle got started. “We still don't know what kind of threat we are facing but we have planned for about everything we could think of.”

The Eastern Commander thought for a few minutes and then called for two of his most trusted men. “I want you two to see if you can find out what kind of attack force they have on their side. I want to know the type of weapons they have also. Be careful and be quick. So we can plan for their attack.”

The two soldiers standing in front of them quickly bowed as they left the area and headed toward the enemy territory.

The Commander from the Western Lands looked at his counterpart with a raised eyebrow as the Eastern Commander said, “Those two are the best spies we have. They can get into anything and they will not be seen. They possess the ability to conceal their bodies from view so they can penetrate the most secure areas. They will find out what their plans are and then report back to us.”

The Western Commander smiled as he said, “That's good, now let me take you back to King Higurashi. We need to tell him about what has happened and tell him of the new plan of attack.”

“You mean to tell me that the king has allowed you to come up with the battle plan?” asked a very shocked Eastern Commander.

The Western Commander smiled and said, “Yes, he let myself and his commander come up with the plan of attack. I know that he will not have a problem with this latest change.”

The Eastern Commander got busy as he got his soldiers into place. Once he was done with that he went with the Commander from the Western Lands towards King Higurashi to inform him of the new battle plan.

When the commanders arrived they briefed the king on what had happen. The king was very pleased that the Eastern Lands have won their battles and now they were there to help him. He never knew that he would have this kind of support from the demons. He was very grateful and now held a bit of hope that they could all win this battle.

~oOo~

King Wada was pacing back and forth in his tent. He had agreed to help Naraku in this fight in return for all the demon slaves he could ever want. He had not heard from the man to see how the battle for the Western and Eastern Lands were going since late yesterday.

He was starting to get worried that something had gone horribly wrong and that this was a big mistake. But he had come too far to pull back and he had to teach the King of the Southern Lands a lesson. He should have let his daughter marry Hojo of the northern clan that way they would've had a stake in the southern territory.

But he had chosen to reject that offer and let that little tramp marry a demon instead, uniting the Western and Southern Lands. He couldn't have that. If he let them get away with that then the slavery everywhere will be abolished and a huge source of their income would go along with it. Slave trade was very a profitable business and they were not about to give it up that easy.

He stopped his nervous pacing as his commanders entered his tent and said, “We have all of our men in place. We are ready to commence the attack against the south.”

King Wada smiled and said, “Good, it's about time that we teach that idiot king that he can not unite his kingdom with the demons kingdom. Are all of our weapons here? And are they in place?”

“Yes my Lord, our weapons are all in place. We have set them up on the highest points around here and pointed the guns toward the enemy. I'm sure that they are not expecting us to use them, but they will be very effective in killing the soldiers of the Southern Lands.

We have the demon slaves on the front lines to take the main assault against them. They are expendable and the larger one's are in the forest, just in case they have some demons with them that will fight on their side.” Said his commander with pride.

“Yes, but we must continue to push the demon slaves into the battle with care. They are our main fighting force and if we lose them then they could win the fight.” Said one of his other commanders with concern.

The king didn't pay any attention to what the other commander was saying. His mind was on the impending battle ahead.

“Good, now lets start this attack. Once we defeat the Southern Lands we can claim it for the north and the demons won't have anything to say about it.” Said King Wada as he turned and went outside to join the fight that was about to commence.

The king looked out over the land in front of him, as he saw his army ready to attack. He was ready. Ready to take the Southern Lands away from that weak king that wanted to unite his kingdom with those damn demons.

He gave the order as the attack started. He saw his demon slaves move toward the enemy ready to attack. A big smile appeared on his face as he saw them leaving to go into battle. As long as they had the demon slaves he should be able to defeat the Southern armies.

~oOo~

The two demon soldiers that were sent to spy on the Northern armies had heard enough as they quickly made their way back to the southern lines. They had enough information to know how to defeat this threat. The only thing was that there would be a lot of demon slaves that would have to die in order for them to win this fight.

They quickly made it back to their commander as they reported what they had learned. They told him about the weapons that were located on the highest points around them and that they needed to take those weapons out if they even wanted a chance to win this fight.

King Higurashi was hearing what the demon soldiers were reporting and asked, “What kind of weapons do they have?”

The demons had to think back to what King Wada had said they were. “He never said what kind of weapons they were. He just said that you would never think he would use them in a fight.”

King Higurashi had to think on what kind of weapons he could be using that normally wouldn't be used in a fight like this. There were a lot of them but where they placed the weapons was the key.

He looked at the surrounding area and thought. `They couldn't bring in any of the big guns because they would never be able to get them up there into the hills. It must be something small and portable that can take out a large area.'

His eyes grew wide as he said, “We need to find those weapons and take them out. If we don't then we could all be defeated. The weapons are small and portable and they can take out a large area if fired.”

The demon commander looked at the king and asked, “What kind of weapons are these??”

King Higurashi sighed as he said, “They're called the LAW which is a Light Antitank Weapon. It's small enough that a human can place it on their shoulder and fire it with precision at their enemy. They are mainly used to take out armored vehicles but they can be used to attack soldiers on the ground.

We are close enough for it to be effective and the blast would kill about 100 of us with no problem. The fact that he hasn't used them yet tells me that he doesn't have enough ammunition to fire the thing. So he is waiting for the right time to use it so he could get the most for his money. We have to find and kill whoever has those weapons before it can be used on us.”

The demon commanders got busy as they got a group of demon soldier ready and briefed them on what their mission was going to be. The commanders gave them a starting point and told them to be careful. They had to be as quiet as possible so that the enemy didn't suspect that they were going after their weapons.

The demon soldiers understood their orders as they quickly left and went after the threat. Everyone was depending on them as they went deep into the enemy territory.

The soldiers were gone for only a few minutes when word came that the northern armies were moving forward to attack. They were also told that the front lines were all demons.

King Higurashi and the demon commanders looked at each other and then King said, “You don't think they are using the slaves as their main body to attack us?”

The Demon Commanders sniffed the air and said, “Yes they are. I can smell the fear in those demons. They don't want to fight but they are being forced into this battle.”

“How can we kill innocent demons? It's not their fault that they were forced into this fight. I don't want to harm them in anyway but I also don't want to lose this battle.” Said a very frustrated king.

The demon soldiers looked at the king with new admiration in their eyes. They never thought that they would ever hear those words coming from a human. No wonder their lords wanted to help him. He was not like the rest of the humans they have ever met. He was kind and he actually cared about the demon slaves.

The demon commander sent word to their soldiers that they were not to kill the demons attacking them. They were to incapacitate them to prevent them from fighting. If they could break the necklace from around their necks then they were to do so.

The soldiers all understood, both demon and humans alike. They got ready as the first wave of demons appeared and the battle started. This was going to be a very hard battle to win without hurting any of the demons that were attacking.

~oOo~

Inutaisho was the first to awaken. It had been five hours since they had finally won the battle with the invading forces there in the Eastern Lands. He stood and stretched his tired body. His body ached from having slept in a chair the whole time.

He walked over to his son to see how he was doing. He and his mate were still asleep, recovering from their ordeal from last night. He frowned when he saw that Kagome had not turned back to normal. She was still in her demon form and this worried him. He didn't know if she would attack when she awoke from her slumber. She was in a strange place and he feared for her safety.

He walked over to the window and looked at the horizon. The sun was about to come up. He felt well rested and wanted to go to the northern territories. He was stiff but other than that his wounds have been completely healed.

His body having received the needed rest quickly healed itself. He had a bad feeling that something was going to happen. That voice was back telling him that something was wrong.

He came to a decision as he left the room in search of his eldest son. He was leaving to go to the northern territory and he wanted to tell him before he left. He didn't want his son to worry incase he came looking for him.

When he opened the door he found that Mike and Shawn were sitting outside the door guarding it. They quickly stood on there feet when they heard someone coming out of the room. Inutaisho eyebrows furrowed together as he asked, “What are you two doing here?”

Shawn and Mike looked at each other and said, “We swore that we will protect them so we stood guard here all night to make sure that they weren't disturbed.”

“All right, I want you two to stay with them while I'm gone. I have to find Sesshomaru and tell him that we are leaving.” Mike and Shawn walked into the room to stand guard over Kagome and Inuyasha while they slept.

Inutaisho sniffed the air as he caught his son's scent. He turned down the hallway as he made his way towards his son room. He got to the place he thought his son was in as he knocked on the door and waited for an answer.

~oOo~

Sesshomaru had only rested for a few hours. He had not been able to sleep because he was worried about his mate. She had not returned to her normal form and this worried him. He didn't know if this was permanent or if she would change back. Then he worried that if this transformation was permanent would she accept her new form.

He was standing on the balcony as he heard a gentle knock on his door. He turned and entered his room as he said, “Come In.” He had caught his father's scent before he had even entered his chambers.

Inutaisho heard his son say “Come In” and he opened the door. He saw him standing by the balcony door as he approached. He saw the concerned look in his eyes as he said, “What's wrong Sesshomaru? Why are you so upset?”

Sesshomaru looked at his father and said, “Father, is Jinx transformation permanent? I haven't been able to find anything in my books about human transformation after a mating.”

Inutaisho looked at his son and then he turned his attention to his mate. He saw that Jinx was also in her true demon form just like Kagome. He was wondering if the same thing had happened to Sango. The last time he had seen her she was in her full demon form.

He turned back to his son and said, “I don't know if it will become permanent. From what I have read and what I know some human females never change into a youkai, but there have been stories where the transformation has become permanent. The longer they stay in this form the harder it is for them to turn back. It will be up to you to calm her when she does wake up. If you can't and she doesn't return back, then the transformation will be permanent.”

Sesshomaru's eyes grew worried, “I don't know if she would accept being a demon. I've known her for two years and I have never asked her that question. When I didn't see her change because of her anger I thought that she would never become a demon but something must have happened to make her change.”

“Not all transformations happen when a mate gets angry, Sesshomaru. It depends on which one of her emotions is the strongest to release the demon blood you gave her. Kagome's transformations happen when she is angered because her other emotions are too pure to allow the demon blood in her to take over. She loses control of her blood when she is angered.” Said Inutaisho as he watched his eldest son with concern. He knew that he was worried about his mate.

“I came here to tell you that I'm leaving for the Northern Territories. I didn't want you to worry about us if you found us gone. I have a bad feeling that something is going to happen and we have to get there as soon as possible.” Inutaisho said with concern in his voice.

Sesshomaru turned back to his father as he said, “I'm coming with you. I'm not going to let you walk into danger without some help. Jinx requested that we go with you and I will honor that request.”

“But what are you going to do with your mate? You can't leave her here unprotected.” Asked his father.

“I'm taking her with me. I will not leave her here by herself. I will meet you in your room in a few minutes. I want to leave some instructions for the commander that is staying behind to defend the castle while we're gone.”

Sesshomaru was about to leave the room when his father stopped him by grabbing him by his arm. “Sesshomaru, you don't have to come with me. I know that she requested that you come with us but you don't have too. I will take Inuyasha and Kagome with me. You stay here and be with your mate,” said his father in a nice low gentle voice.

Sesshomaru had never heard his father speak this way before. He was a powerful ruler and for him to show concern surprised him. He lowered his head as he said, “Yes, I know that I don't have to go with you, but I am. I am honored bound to help you and there is nothing you could do to change my mind.”

Inutaisho released his son's arm as he made his way towards the door to go and speak to his commander. Inutaisho looked on, he knew that he would never be able to change his son's mind. He had raised them well. He had instilled in both his son's that their honor and their word were the only things in this world that a true demon possessed. Without them keeping their word, then they will have nothing, for a demon's word is his bond of trust and honor.

He was about to leave his son's chambers when he heard Jinx moan. He turned and walked over to where she was lying in the bed. He looked at her with concern in his eyes as he sat on the bed waiting for her to awaken.

Jinx was slowly starting to wake up from her ordeal. Her head was pounding as she slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry but as the time passed she started to see clearly again. She had the feeling that someone was watching her as she slowly turned her head to find Sesshomaru's father sitting right next to her.

She quickly became alarmed as she sat up and said, “Has something happened to Sesshy?? Where is he? Is he alright?”

The rush of questions that Inutaisho received from her shocked him. He never knew that she could speak so fast. He put his hands on her shoulders and as he gently laid her back down on the bed and said, “Sesshomaru is fine. He's worried about you. He has not rested since we defeated the intruders.”

“Why would he be worried about me?” asked a very confused Jinx.

Inutaisho sighed as he asked, “What do you remember?”

Jinx furrowed her eyebrows together as she tried to think. “I remember him getting hit and going down for a second time. I remember being in pain. I also remember using the sword you gave me to help protect him and fighting along side him. There was an explosion that blinded me and then I can't remember anything else.”

Inutaisho was surprised. The girl remembered everything that happened while she was in her demon form and in her human form. She was still in her demon form, she was calm, and she wasn't attacking. This pleased him in some ways but it concerned him in others.

He got up to leave and then he said, “I want you to rest. Sesshomaru should be returning shortly.”

Jinx made to protest that he never answered her question but he was already making his way out the door.

Jinx came to a decision, she was going to go and find her mate. She was worried about him and she was going to find him. She slowly sat up as the world started to spin around her. She sat on the bed trying to make it stop as she was breathing deeply to calm herself. After a while when everything stopped spinning and she opened her eyes.

She was panting hard from the effort it took just to sit up. She couldn't understand why she was feeling so weak. Her whole body ached as she swung her legs down to the edge of the bed getting ready to stand up. She knew that once she made it to her feet that she should be able to walk to find her mate. She was about to get up when her mate walked into the room.

~oOo~

Sesshomaru was walking back to his room to get his mate when he met his father in the hallway. He had told him that his mate was awake and she was looking for him. He quickly made his way towards his room as he opened the door and stepped inside.

He saw his mate about to get out of bed as he said, “Jinx! What are you trying to do? You need your rest.”

Jinx looked up to see her mate coming into the room. “Sesshy!” Her heart leaped with joy at seeing her mate again.

Sesshomaru quickly made his way towards her as he brought her into an embrace and held her close to him. It felt good to have her in his arms. He pulled away from her so he could look into her beautiful red eyes. Red did suit her; she was gorgeous in his eyes.

He had to ask her, he had to know if she would have a problem with being a demon forever. “Jinx, do you know what happened to you yesterday?”

Jinx shook her head. “No, all I remember is going to your aid when you went down and feeling stronger for some reason.”

Sesshomaru got up from the bed as he went to the dresser and retrieved a hand held mirror. He approached his mate with caution as he handed the mirror to her. He was carefully looking at her features, to see what her reaction would be to see that she was a demon.

Jinx looked at her mate with concern. When he handed her the mirror she took it and looked into his eyes. He was worried about something as she lifted the mirror and looked at herself.

Jinx's eyes grew big when she saw what she looked like. She almost looked like her mate but with a few minor changes. She was breathing hard as she put the mirror down and thought, `I look like Sesshy. Does this mean that I'm a demon now?'

Jinx looked up at her mate and asked, “Sesshy, am I a demon now?”

Sesshomaru didn't know how to answer her question. She was clearly upset by the expression on her face and her scent reeked of fear. He sat back down on the bed as he said, “Jinx, yesterday you turned into a demon to come and help me. I don't know if this is permanent. My father said that the longer you stay in this form there is the distinct possibility that you will remain this way.”

Jinx heard her mates answer to her question. She always loved the way he looked and now that she was a demon she didn't know how she felt. She looked at her hand and for the first time she noticed that she had claws just like her mate. Her eyes were red; her hair was silver with a hint of blue. She had one stripe on the side of her cheek and she ears were like her mate.

Sesshomaru was becoming concern over his mate's lack of speech. She has always been very vocal and now she was being very quiet. He reached out to touch her and he was relieved when she didn't pull away from him. He stroked his fingers along her cheeks as he saw her close her eyes. She leaned into his touch as she was seeking comfort from him. He brought her closer to him as he held her in his arms.

Jinx wrapped her arms around her mate as she finally felt at ease that he wasn't mad at her for turning into a demon. Her biggest fear was that he wouldn't want her anymore. She nuzzled her mate under his chin as she said, “Sesshy? Are you mad because I turned into a demon and might not be able to turn back?”

Sesshomaru was surprised by her question as he pulled her away from him and said, “I will never be mad at you for that. I feel responsible for you being this way. Are you upset that you might never be able to turn back into a human?”

Jinx smiled, as she said, “No, I kind've like this new look, I feel stronger in this form but why am I so weak at the moment?”

Sesshomaru breathed a sigh a relief she had accepted that if she didn't return back into her human form that she would accept her new demon form. “You might be weak because you have never fought in this form before. You were fighting none stop for about three hours last night until Kagome and Inuyasha ended the battle.”

Jinx nuzzled her mate again as she said, “If we're going to the Northern Lands then we better get moving. We don't want to let the Southern Lands fall, if they do then we stand to lose everything.”

His mate had a point as he reached for her and gently picked her up in his arms. He made his way out of their room as he headed towards where his father was located with his brother and mate.

~oOo~

Inutaisho finally made it back as he entered the room were his son was located. He noticed that Mike was standing by the door and Shawn was located by the window keeping watch on what was going on outside.

“Have they awaken yet?” he asked with concern.

Shawn was the first to speak, “No my Lord, they haven't stirred since you left.”

Inutaisho sighed deeply as he said, “Mike, do you know which room Miroku is in?”

“Yes my Lord.” He answered.

“I want you to go and get him we are leaving to go north.” Said Inutaisho as he watched his son gentle breathing.

Mike hurried out of the room to go find Miroku. He was about to knock on the door when the door opened and Miroku came out with an Ou youkai in his arms.

Mike looked at the demon and said, “Wow, she's beautiful, who is she?”

Miroku started to growl as he said; “This is my mate.” He quickly made his way out of the room he was in and went toward Inutaisho.

He entered the room were his lord was located with his mate in his arms. He had some questions for him. His mate had not returned to normal and he knew that she would have issues with being a demon because of her past. He had to find a way to return her to normal.

Inutaisho saw when Miroku entered the room with his mate in his arms. He saw the look in his eyes and knew he had some questions for him. But before Miroku could speak he said, “I know that you have some questions for me but they will have to wait. I want to leave for the Northern Territories as soon as possible. Once we start traveling then I will answer all of your questions.”

Miroku nodded his understanding of what he had said. He would wait until they were on their way to the Northern Territories before he would ask his questions.

Shawn came over to the bed and picked Kagome up in his arms as his Lord picked up his son and cradled him against his chest. He heard Inuyasha growl as his father started to purr and he calmed down. Shawn breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't want to get attacked for holding his mate. They all headed for the door, as they were ready to leave to go to the Northern Lands.

When Mike opened the door Sesshomaru was standing there with his mate in his arms. He looked at his father and said, “Jinx has accepted her fate.”

Inutaisho smiled at his son as he walked past him to leave his castle. Everyone followed him outside as they all walked in silence. Once the group was outside Inutaisho summoned his transportation cloud. To his surprise Sesshomaru had done the same thing too.

He smiled at his son when he showed some of his abilities. Inuyasha had never been able to summon the cloud no matter how much he had taught him on how to do it.

Inutaisho turned to his group and said, “Shawn, Mike I want you two to go with Sesshomaru. Miroku you stay with me and we can talk on the way.” They all split up as Shawn laid Kagome down on the cloud and Inutaisho put his son next to her. Inuyasha settled down once he knew his mate was next to him.

He saw his son turned towards his mate as he pulled her into his embrace. His eyes opened wide when he saw a blue aura covering them as they slept. `This must be some sort of healing aura he is using to heal both their injuries faster. He knows that we are heading into battle and he wants to heal his mate.' He thought as he watched with interest.

The transportation clouds took off as Inutaisho was in the lead and heading toward the Northern Lands. He just hoped that they could get there in time to defeat the northern armies.

As they traveled Inutaisho told Miroku the same thing he had told Sesshomaru. He saw the sadness in Miroku's eyes as he looked at his mate. Miroku knew that she would have issues because she was a demon now. He had explained to him her past and that she had every right to be scared. He just hoped that the love they felt for each other was enough to over come these obstacles.

About an hour after they had left Sango started to move in Miroku's arms. As she was slowly waking up the look of concern grew heavier in Miroku's eyes.

Sango slowly started to come out of her sleep. Her mind was racing with what had happened as her eyes quickly shot open and she tried to sit up looking for her mate. What she didn't expect was the pair of strong arms that were holding her when she tried to move.

Miroku seeing that his mate had fully awaken held onto her to make sure she didn't hurt herself.

Sango looked up to see her mate holding her in his embrace. She was so happy to see him that she wrapped her arms around his neck and started to cry. “Miroku, I thought that I had lost you in that fight. When I saw you get hit I thought that they had killed you.”

Miroku wrapped his arms around her slender form as he held her in his arms. He pulled his mate away from him as he looked into those gorgeous golden/orange eyes. She was beautiful and his heart was filled with joy. He was not the only one of his kind anymore. She was just like him. His eyes sadden as he thought that she might not want to be a demon like him.

Sango saw the sadness in her mate's eyes. She knew something was wrong as she said, “Miroku? What's wrong? Has something happened?”

Miroku didn't know how to tell her that she was a demon. His heart was broken as he tried to find the words to tell her what had happened.

Sango reached up with her hand to touch Miroku when she noticed that she had claws on her hands. Her eyes went wide as she saw this. She saw bits of her hair and noticed that it was a flaming red. She looked at her mate and asked, “Miroku? What happened to me?”

Miroku didn't know how to explain what had happened to her, he was at a lost for words.

Inutaisho had been listening the whole time and saw the difficulties that Miroku was having in trying to explain what had happened to his mate. So he tried to help him, “Sango”

Sango turned towards Inutaisho as he continued, “Do you remember what happened yesterday?”

Sango had to think as she started to remember everything that happened to her. She remembered turning into a full demon and not being afraid. She turned to her mate and said, “Miroku, don't you like the way I look?”

Miroku head shot up as he looked at his mate. She was the most beautiful creature he had every seen. “I love the way you look but I was afraid that you might not want to be a demon. We don't know if this change is permanent yet.”

Sango smiled and said, “I don't mind being a demon as long as I'm with you.” She nuzzled her mate under his chin as he breathed a sigh of relief. She accepted her fate and this pleased him.

Sango took her wings and wrapped them around her and Miroku as she reached up and kissed her mate.

Miroku was in pure heaven as he held her closer to him and deepened the kiss. She wanted to be with him and that's all he wanted.

The group continued to travel toward the Northern Lands. Inutaisho could tell that they were getting close. The hairs on the back of his neck were standing up, telling him that danger was near. He looked down at his son and they were still out of it. He didn't know what he was going to do with them if they didn't wake up before they reached the battle.

Inutaisho kept his eyes trained in front of him trying to find out if he could detect were the final battle would be fought. They heard a blast coming from the left side as they all turned in that direction, to the place where the final battle was being fought.

Miroku and Sango heard the blast as they both stood up looking in that direction. Miroku eyed his mate and then he said, “My Lord, Sango and I will fly on ahead so we can see how the battle is going. I will make an assessment of the situation and then report back here.”

Inutaisho inclined his head in understanding, as Miroku looked at his mate and said, “Are you ready for this Sango?”

Sango smiled as she said, “I'm ready, mate.”

They spread their wings and took off at a fast pace to where the fight was being fought. The only thing that you could see was a big ball of fire that was flying toward the battle.

Inutaisho heard a moan as he turned toward his son. `He must feel the impending danger and is starting to wake up.'

Inuyasha was slowly starting to wake up. His head hurt as he opened his eyes and let them get adjusted to the morning sun. When his eyes finally focused he saw two golden ones looking at him with concern.

Inuyasha started to move and looked to see that his mate was in his arms. He slowly released her as she moaned but remained asleep on the cloud. He sat up as he took a deep breath to fill his lungs. His ears turned towards the battle as he focused on what was happening. “Do we know how the battle is going?” Inuyasha asked in a tired voice.

“No, we just got within distance of the fighting, Miroku and Sango went to investigate. We should be arriving there in a little while. Why don't you lay down and rest, you're going to need it.” Said his father as he looked at his tired son.

Inuyasha knew that his father was right he was exhausted from giving up all of his energy during the last fight and he still hadn't recovered fully. But his need to protect his mate fueled his resolve as he stayed up and looked at his mate.

Kagome looked tired. She was pale as she tried to regain some of her strength back. It was going to take everything they had to defeat the northern army. He knew that they were using slaves to fight in their battle. He looked at his father and said, “Dad, you know that they're using demon slaves to fight in this battle.”

Inutaisho eyes grew wide at his statement. “How do you know that?” he asked with concern.

Inuyasha sighed as he explained. “They used them when we fought in the Eastern Lands so it would only make sense that they would use them here in the Northern Lands to fight. The only thing is I don't know how Kagome's father is going to handle that situation. I know he can't let them win the fight but I can't see him killing innocent demons either.”

“My father will not kill innocent demons. He will find a way to fight them and not hurt them. We on the other hand have to break all of the subduing necklaces around their necks. When we do that then the fight will turn in our favor.” Said Kagome as she sat up with her head down. She was still tired but when she heard that her mate was talking she started to wakeup from her slumber.

“I don't know how were going to do that. We're still tired from the last time we broke all of those necklaces. You haven't regain your strength and neither have I.” Said a tired Inuyasha.

Kagome nodded her head in agreement. She didn't know how they were going to do it. She rested her head on her mates shoulder as she closed her eyes and tried to rest.

Inuyasha felt his mate cuddle against him as he put his arm around her to keep her close. He knew that she was tired and he was too, but they had to find a way to fight in this battle and win.

~oOo~

The soldiers that were sent to find the weapons were traveling as fast as possible. They needed to find where they were located so they could destroy them. They were approaching the first location as they moved in with stealth.

They came upon three humans and they had something that look like a long tube sitting on one of the humans shoulder. The demons came to the conclusion that this was the weapon that the Southern King was talking about. It was small and compact and was easily carried.

They jumped into the trees as they made their way towards them. When they were just above their target they jumped, killing all three humans quickly without making any noise. They picked up the weapon as they looked at it. They had no idea on how to work it but they weren't going to leave it for someone else to use against them. They took everything they found and then took off for the next location.

As they were running through the forest they heard the attack starting down below. They had to hurry if they wanted to get all of the weapons before they used them.

They quickly made their way from one high point to another as they killed the humans they found there and took their weapons with them. They were on the last hill when they saw one of the human lift the weapon onto his shoulder. He took aim and fired at the heart of the soldiers that were fighting down below.

Their eyes grew wide as they thought that they had failed in their mission. Then they saw as the projectile was destroyed over the land away from its intended target. They quickly jumped and killed the humans before they had a chance to reload the weapon. Killing them with one swipe of their claws. They took everything as they went back to their commander after they made a sweep of the area to make sure they had them all.

~oOo~

King Higurashi was in the thick of battle. The demon slaves just kept coming towards them. They tried everything within their power to make sure that they didn't hurt them too bad. They only wanted to incapacitate them and get them out of the way. He knew that they would heal quickly once the necklaces were off their necks.

The demon soldiers that were sent from the Western and Eastern Lands were fighting with everything they had. They were proving themselves to be great soldiers. His soldiers were following their orders without even hesitating. They were great leaders and he was pleased that they came to help him in this fight.

The demon slaves that were attacking had not been able to push back his first line of defense. This was good because it meant that they were holding their own against the fight. They heard a thunderous roar coming from the forest in front of them as the demon commanders looked at each other with concern in their eyes. If those creatures were as big as they thought then they were in big trouble. They could hold them off but it would be next to impossible without more soldiers or demons their size.

They saw five giant demons coming out of the forest in front of them as their masters urged them on. They were slow but they were very strong as they approached the battle.

The demon commanders didn't know what to do when they heard a howl coming from behind them. They all turned around to see what it could be and got the surprise of their lives. Their lords had made it to the battle and they were about to join the fight.

~oOo~

Inutaisho and his group were approaching the battle. They could hear as the explosions were going off in the near distance.

Sango and Miroku had made it back to them and said, “My Lord, they have demons attacking the front lines of the Southern Armies. Your army along with Sesshomaru are there helping them defend the area. They are using demon slaves and they are trying their best not to hurt them as they fight. They are incapacitating them to prevent them from fighting and getting them out of harms way. But I'm afraid all that is about to change. I spotted five giant demons making their way towards the battle.”

Inutaisho heard the report and they had no choice, they landed as close to the battle as possible. Inuyasha and Kagome were sitting on the ground as they tried to regain some of their strength so they could fight.

Inutaisho knew that they wouldn't be able to fight as he turned to the rest of the group and said, “We know that they are using demon slaves in this fight so make sure that we don't hurt them too much.

Sesshomaru and I will go after the larger demons. Mike, Shawn, Miroku, and Sango see if you can help the southern army. You need to push them back away from the front lines. We have to give Kagome and Inuyasha enough time to recover from their last ordeal before we win this fight.” Everyone agreed to the plan as Inutaisho walked over to his son.

“Inuyasha I want you and your mate to stay here and rest. You're no good to us if you get hurt before you break the necklaces. We will hold them off until you are ready then we can end this fight.” Said Inutaisho as he looked at his son.

Inuyasha was having a hard time dealing with the situation. He was a fighter but right now he didn't even have the energy to argue with his father. So he laid his head back as he pulled Kagome closer to him. He would protect her until they had enough energy to break the necklaces.

Inutaisho and the rest of the group left the area as they went towards the battle. They saw the giant demons come out of the forest as they made their way toward their soldiers.

Inutaisho and Sesshomaru both started to transform into their true demon forms as Inutaisho gave a howl into the sky. Sesshomaru did the same as they were telling their soldiers that they were on their way to the battle and that they would take care of the large demons.

Sesshomaru lowered his head as he allowed his mate to get on top and together they all rushed into the battle. They came upon the battle scene and saw that the Southern armies were holding their own against the north. They saw the giant demons break free from the thick forest as they made their way toward the front line.

Inutaisho and Sesshomaru came out of the forest as they walked up to the lines. They heard the cheers of the humans and demons down below them as they came into the fight. They stood side by side as they gauged the enemy.

Inutaisho saw no subduing necklaces on them as he said to his son, “Sesshomaru they are not being controlled by necklaces. If they attack then we will have to take them down.”

Sesshomaru nodded his head in agreement as he stood by his father side waiting to see what would happen.

King Higurashi saw as the giant dogs came out of the forest as they stood side by side. He was amazed at their size and wondered who they were. They looked almost alike but one was bigger than the other. He turned towards the demon commander and asked, “Who is that?”

The demon commander from the Western Lands looked at him and said, “The bigger of the two is Lord Inutaisho and the smaller one must be his son Sesshomaru.”

“I never knew that they could turn into giant dogs.” Said King Higurashi with surprise in his voice.

“This is their true demon form. They take an almost human form so that they don't appear threatening to people.” Said the demon commander with pride.

The giant dogs moved forward as they confronted the giant demons. They stood their ground when they attacked. Inutaisho went to the right as Sesshomaru and Jinx went to the left. They each took the lead demon that was attacking and the battle was on.

King Higurashi saw the giant dogs battling in the field in front of him. They were ruthless in their attacks as they attacked without mercy. They were holding their own against them but he knew it would be only a matter of time before they tired and then they would be in trouble.

Something bothered him though, if they were here in the Northern Lands fighting where was his daughter and her husband. He knew that the demon lord never left them very far behind. He just hoped that they were safe as the battle continued to rage on.

~oOo~

Kagome started to stir after a little while. She slowly opened her eyes and found that she was resting under a tree with her mate holding on to her. She started to sit up and that earned her a growl of displeasure from her mate.

Inuyasha felt as his mate woke up. He was hoping that she would rest a little longer before they rushed into battle. He sat up as he looked at his mate and asked, “Kagome, are you alright?”

Kagome smiled as she leaned into his shoulder and said, “Yes, I'm fine. I'm still tired but we have to go. I feel that something big is about to happen and we need to be there.”

Inuyasha understood her concerns as he stood and brought her with him. His entire body ached as he moved. He hadn't hurt this bad in a long time. Together they started to head toward the battle, as they got ready to finish this fight.

They started to move slowly at first and once they got their movement back they started to go faster as they traveled to be with the others. When they made it to the battle they saw Sesshomaru and Inuyasha's father battling against the giant demons.

Kagome looked at them and said to her mate, “Inuyasha, they're not wearing subduing necklaces so they are willingly attacking, we must help your father.”

They both took off as they raced through the front lines of the Southern armies. They both jumped into the air as Inuyasha yelled, “BACK LASH WAVE!!.” And released his sword ultimate attack as Kagome swung her sword and added the power of her purifying beam to it.

Inuyasha yelled for his father and brother to get out of the way as they jumped in time to avoid the blast that caught the demons head on. They screamed in agony as they were destroyed by the combined power of their swords.

~oOo~

King Wada had been watching the battle progress beautifully. They were starting to wear down the enemy when he called for the giant demons to attack.

He thought that he had the upper hand in the fight because they didn't have any demons that could fight the one's he had on his side. They didn't need to put subduing necklaces on the giant demons. They hated the Western and Eastern Lands so much that they were willing to fight to get rid of them.

His eyes grew wide when he saw a pair of giant dogs coming into the fight as they stood in front of the lines defending it. He ordered his demons to attack as he saw the battle playing out in front of him. He thought that they were winning when he saw two demons come from behind the line to join the fight. They released an attack that was the most powerful attack he had ever seen.

The two giant dogs leaped out of the way as the blast finished off his giant demons. He was pissed at losing such a strong force. He turned to his commander and said, “Have the snipers fire their weapons into the heart of the fighting force. They are to make each hit count.”

The commander understood as he quickly got on the radio and relayed the message to his soldiers. He got only one confirmation back as he looked at his king and said, “My Lord, I can't reach the rest of the men that are on the hills. I have only been able to get in contact with only one group. The rest are not responding to the communications.”

King Wada eyes grew big as he heard what was said. `Damn they must've gotten to my soldiers and killed them.' “Have the group that answered quickly fire their weapons. I want to cause as much damage as possible. If they can take down those two giant dogs that would be great.”

His commander relayed the message, as his soldiers got ready to fire.

~oOo~

Kagome and Inuyasha landed on the ground panting hard from having to use too much of their energy to release the power of their swords. Kagome was next to him as she looked off to the right and caught something in her eye. She quickly stood on her feet as Inuyasha did the same.

At that moment a loud noises was heard as they fired their weapons at them.

Both Inuyasha and Kagome became enraged as Inuyasha transformed into his demon form. They stood side by side as they raised their arms up and concentrated. They released a blast of their miko powers and sent it toward the projectile as it met it in the air. It exploded away from everyone, not causing any damage.

They collapsed again panting. It was taking everything they had to fight and they were slowly getting weaker.

Inutaisho seeing that his son was on the ground quickly made his way over to them to make sure that they were all right. He lowered his head and sniffed as his son looked up at him. He reached down with his tongue and grabbed them both as he raised his head and placed them on his back, so he could watch them. They both just laid there exhausted, as Sesshomaru came towards his father and asked, “Are they all right?”

“Yes, for the moment. But they have used too much of their energy. I'm afraid that if they continue to fight, I could lose them both.” He said with concern in his voice.

They heard an explosion as they turned their heads and found that the demons slaves were attacking again. They didn't know what to do. They didn't want to hurt them but they had yet to win this fight.

Kagome and Inuyasha were lying on top of Inutaisho back as they heard the blast. They slowly sat up as they surveyed what was going on. They saw the demon slaves advancing as the rest of the southern army got ready to attack.

Kagome was sitting up with her mate and said in a tired voice, “Inuyasha we have to stop this. Innocent people and demons are going to die unless we do. This fighting has to stop.” When Kagome finished speaking she was beginning to cry. Her heart ached that she couldn't help all of those demons that were being sent to their death.

She reached up with her hand as she touched the jewel around her neck. She held it in her fist as she started to concentrate on its power.

Inuyasha saw what his mate was trying to do as he reached for her and held her in his arms. The love he felt for her was starting to create a barrier around the two. He reached up with his hand and placed it around his mate's fist as he added his power to the jewel.

They were feeding the jewel with their hearts as only a pure heart could use the power of the jewel. As there love grew so did the power of the jewel as it grew in size. They were both encircled in its light as it started to get bigger.

The golden ball that surrounded them lifted them up from his father's back as they started to float away toward the middle of the battle zone.

Inutaisho seeing what his son and mate were trying to do yelled, “No!!! Don't use the jewel!!”

He tried to follow them as a barrier stopped him from approaching. The barrier would protect them from what was about to happen as Kagome and Inuyasha released the power of the jewel.

The golden ball exploded with such force that it blinded everyone in the area. Then a wave of pulsating power came forth as it destroyed all of the subduing necklaces in the area and all over the land.

The power was spreading rapidly toward the four kingdoms effectively destroying all necklaces in existence. No longer would they be able to use the necklace against the demons. The knowledge on how to make them was destroyed along with it.

As the pulse spread across the land it healed anyone hurt in the battle. It also killed any demons that had malice in their hearts towards humans. The pulse continued to go across the land until it had done its job.

When the light finally faded Inutaisho opened his eyes to look for his son and mate. He saw them floating in the air, when the golden ball disappeared they both fell back to the earth. He rushed forward as he reached them before they hit the ground and caught them with his nice soft tail that didn't injure them.

He brought his tail around so he could see them as he saw the gentle rise of their chest and breathed a sigh of relief. They were alive and still with him in this world. He placed them on his back as his hairs came around them and encircled their body to protect them.

Inutaisho surveyed the area and saw that all of the demon slaves were finally freed of the necklace. The human soldiers tried to get them to attack but instead of the demons slaves attacking the southern army, the slaves turned on their masters and attacked them instead.

~oOo~

King Wada saw as the bright flash of light come over the area and then the pulse of power that followed. When it was over he saw all of his demon slaves were standing around not attacking. He ordered them to attack as they turned on their masters and started attacking them instead. The southern army had broken all of the subduing necklaces in the area as he called a hasty retreat.

They needed to get away from the area before they were all killed.

~oOo~

Sango and Miroku had been helping the Southern army push back the attacking force. They would fly up into the air and flap their wings as the force of the winds they were creating moved the demons further back away from the southern line.

Miroku noticed that Inuyasha and Kagome were about to use the jewel that she had around her neck. He knew that they were trying to destroy all of the necklaces in the area.

He grabbed his mate as they flew into the sky and watched as the bright light engulfed the area. Then they felt the pulse of power as it went across the land and destroyed all of the necklaces throughout the land. They saw as the pulse healed the wounded and then destroy the ones that held malice in their hearts. The joy they felt at seeing the evil demons and humans defeated caused their fire to become more powerful.

Their powers had a mind of their own when it started to surround them and formed a giant bird of fire in the sky.

Sango looked at her mate and said, “Miroku, what's happening? Why are we creating a giant bird of fire?”

Miroku stopped and thought for a few minutes then he said, “Legends say that when a fire bird appears in the sky it's the start of a new era. This must mean that the blessing was given for Kagome and Inuyasha to rule the kingdoms in peace. That there's no more slavery and the demons are now be able to roam the land as free demons.”

Sango had a surprised look in her eyes as she said, “Now what do we do?”

“We must leave. We can't stay here any longer. Our kind is only seen once every thousands years and its time for us to leave. We will go back to the Western Lands and await his lords return.” Said Miroku as he looked at his mate. Together they left the area as everyone down below looked on.

~oOo~

The Northern armies were pulling back as the Southern army pressed their advantage in the fight. But before the Northern army could leave the area there was a big flash of light in the sky as they all stopped and looked up.

What they saw made their jaws drop wide open. They have not see this type of demons in centuries and it is said that when they appear it is to mark the beginning of a new era. The appearance of the Ho and Oo youkai marked this as the end of slavery and the beginning of peace for the area.

The firebird they saw up in the sky, with its wings spread, was that symbol. The giant bird flew off into the horizon as it disappeared from sight. Not to be seen for another 1000 years.

With the demon slaves freed, the southern armies made quick work in capturing the king of the Northern Lands. They brought him towards King Higurashi as he was struggling in the soldiers grasp.

They saw the giant dogs come towards them as the King of the Northern Lands coward in fear. They looked much more menacing up close than he thought.

The dogs slowly transformed back into their normal forms as Sesshomaru and his mate approached his father with care. He was being very protective of his brother and mate at the moment and they didn't want him to attack.

Inutaisho slowly transformed back into his normal form as he was panting from the effort. He slowly lowered his son and mate to the ground as he looked at them. They were exhausted but they were alive, and for this he was thankful.

Sesshomaru, Jinx, Mike, and Shawn slowly came towards him as he looked up into their tired faces. He slowly stood on his shaky legs as Sesshomaru rushed forward to steady him. He offered his thanks as he said to Mike and Shawn; “I want you two to protect them until I return. I have to go deal with a certain king from the Northern Lands.”

The pair of demons moved closer to the sleeping couple as they stood guard next to them. As they were walking away Sesshomaru called for his commander and told him to send some soldiers to protect his brother. His commander quickly sent a company of his most trusted soldiers to form a protective wall around the two that were on the ground to protect them. They won't let anyone get anywhere near them.

Inutaisho, Sesshomaru, and Jinx went towards the group of humans as they finally meet the King of the Northern Lands.

King Higurashi greeted the demon lord as Inutaisho said, “King Higurashi, I would like to introduce you to my son Lord Sesshomaru, Lord of the Eastern Lands and his mate Jinx.” The king inclined his head towards them in greeting as they all turned to the King of the Northern Lands.

“Your subduing necklaces have all been destroyed along with the secret on how to make them. Slavery as you know it has ended. The demons are now free to leave or stay, it's their choice on what they want to do.” Said Lord Inutaisho in a tired voice.

The King of the Northern Lands looked at the demon in front of him and said, “What makes you think that we would give up our slaves so easily? It is our best source of income and we will not give it up.”

Lord Inutaisho was beginning to growl as he said, “because if you don't agree to the terms of surrender I won't have any regrets in killing you with my bare claws.”

King Wada quickly backed down as he saw the anger in the demon lord's eyes. They were starting to turn red from the anger he was feeling and he didn't want to get killed at the moment.

King Higurashi stepped forward and gave him the terms of surrender:

“1. You are to get rid of all of your processing facilities in your kingdom.

2. You are to release all of the demons that are enslaved and set them free.

3. Once this is done your armies are to be disbanded, you will not have any need for them.

4. We will send a council to your kingdom to make sure that everything is carried out according to the terms of surrender. If you fail to carry out any of these terms we will take the Northern Lands for ourselves and divide it up between our three kingdoms.”

King Wada lowered his head in defeat. He knew that he had lost everything and now he had to pay the price. He agreed to the terms as the terms for surrender were drawn up and signed by all parties present. He was released as a company of King Higurashi soldiers went with him to make sure he carried out the terms.

King Higurashi turned to Lord Inutaisho and said, “Where is my daughter? I know that you would never leave her and your son unprotected.”

Inutaisho sighed as he said; “They are being protected by the Mike and Shawn at the moment, along with a company of Sesshomaru's soldiers. They are both asleep from using all of their energy to destroy all of the subduing necklaces.”

King Higurashi became concerned as he asked, “Are they alright?”

“Yes, they are but Kagome has changed just a little. She has been transformed into a demon and we don't know if it's permanent yet.” Said Inutaisho with concern as he saw the expression on the king's face at the news.

King Higurashi couldn't believe that his daughter has been transformed into a demon as he said, “May I see her?”

Lord Inutaisho led the way to the area where his son and mate were being protected. As the group approached the soldiers parted to give them access. When they got there King Higurashi saw what his daughter looked like. Her hair was different and there were the marks on her cheeks. She had claws for fingernails, as he could barely see the fangs sticking out of her mouth as she slept.

The king went to kneel by his daughter when he heard a growl coming from her mate. Inutaisho quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the way before his son lashed out with his claws. “I'm sorry but you can't touch her at the moment. He is very protective of her now that she is carrying his pup and he won't let you get near her. Even though he is unconscious a certain part of his demon side always protects her when he knows that she is defenseless. I'm afraid that the only one that can get near them is me. He will not attack me because he knows that I will protect them.”

King Higurashi understood as he said, “Will he still love her even though she is a demon now?”

Inutaisho chuckled and said, “He will love her for all eternity. He doesn't care what she looks like. She is his mate and she makes him complete. Once they have recovered I will make sure that they come and visit. But for now we are leaving to get some much needed rest.”

King Higurashi said his goodbyes, as he too was ready to get home. The battle finally being won for the freedom of the slaves, they all gathered their soldiers as they made their way home.

Inutaisho and Sesshomaru each talked to their commanders as they thanked them all for a job well done and that they were free to go home and rest.

Sesshomaru turned to his father and said, “Father, why don't you come back to my castle. We are much closer than your kingdom and you can rest there before heading back home.”

Inutaisho thought about his offer. He was exhausted from all the fighting and he knew that he could never make it back to the Western Lands without having to stop along the way. If he took his son's offer he knew he could make it there without stopping. He agreed and accepted his son's offer.

Sesshomaru was delighted that his father had accepted his offer to stay at his castle with his brother and mate. It has been a long time since they had all been together and it was about time that they had a family reunion.

They saw their soldiers leave the area as Inutaisho told Mike and Shawn to go back to the Western Lands and get some much needed rest.

Then Inutaisho and Sesshomaru summoned their transportation clouds as they both headed towards the east for some much needed rest.

~oOo~

This is the end of the chapter. The final battle for the Southern Lands has been won. The Northern army has been defeated and peace will be restored to the lands. But our story is not over yet.

Inuyasha and Kagome must recover from their ordeal. With the fighting finally over they can live in peace. But old feelings die-hard as Sesshomaru shows his true feelings for this brother. What will happen? Well you have to wait to find out.

Until the next chapter!

Ja ne!