InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kagome! Where are you?! ❯ Sesshomaru's War ( Chapter 36 )

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

Kagome! Where are you?!


Chapter 36 Sesshomaru's War.

Rated R for graphic and intense violence. Sesshomaru is a graduate of the "war is cruel and you
cannot refine it." School.

The explanation/history of the group given in last chapter was deliberately vague and confusing.
IT's been 500 hundred years . . . and not all the details were known to Hachi. (This way in case
I, or someone else, use this world for future stories . . . Hachi's explanation can be altered, as
needed.)

*Telepathy*

__________________________________

The first village Sesshomaru destroyed is still visible in the distance . . .


Sesshomaru is jogging to the east in the direction that Kagome's was teleported to.

The hair on the back of his neck rises . . .

‘I am being watched. Some sort of mystical watch. hm mmm... Very well. Let's play some mind
games . . . ' Sesshomaru thinks.

He reaches on his back for the hilt of Jaa Kalpa, Kagome's sword, which he picked up from
where she dropped it.

*I will need your abilities. * He telepathically communicates with the sword.

*Of course, lord. Use me as needed. *

Sesshomaru's eyes narrow at the servile tone in the swords mental voice, ‘I will have to mention
that to her.'

Jaa Kalpa thinks, ‘finally, a real warrior, not some girl I'm having to help and train. He'll use me,
and perhaps, maybe he'll give Kagome Tenseiga and keep me.'


**********************


later . . . Midafternoon . . . On the road to Kagome . . .

‘Before I destroyed that last village, they did confirm that I'm on the road to the capital, a city
called Constantinople, so even though the teleport trace has faded . . . I know where she is.'
Sesshomaru thinks.

His nose twitches and he slows down . . .

Up ahead of Sesshomaru is what appears to be another village, similar to one of the five villages
he's destroyed already today.

The village is up on a low hill, with a stone wall around it. Off to the right-hand side of the
village, about a kilometer from the wall a large wooded area starts.

‘Horses . . . all the other villages have only had a few horses. I can smell hundreds in the village
ahead.' Sesshomaru reaches back and draws Jaa Kalpa. ‘I'll use her sword. My opponents will
see the cold powers and prepare defenses against it. But . . . in later fights I can use Tokijin . . .
which will surprise them.'

As he approaches the village, Sesshomaru slows to a walk. ‘The gates of the village are open.
Yes. A trap.' His eyes flick to the wooded area. ‘Yes . . . Horses and men are in those woods as
well.'

"Soooo . . . " He hisses as he considers his options. "Let's destroy the trap, and see how smart the
commander is."

He spins, and begins to run, fast but not at full speed, to the wooded area. ‘Kill these first. The
surprise of my assault should help. The trees will help. They will prevent the soldiers from
coordinating their attacks. And they will also stop bows and arrows from being used to their best
advantage.'

He glances at the village, just before he reaches the woods. The sounds of surprise rise from both
locations. ‘And the commander will have to make a decision, remain in his prepared positions in
the village, or come out of them and attack me on the open ground outside the village.'

Sesshomaru powers up Jaa Kalpa . . . and swings . . .

Instinct fog cloud and the trees are covered in ice. The soldiers that were about to attack him are
dead.

Sesshomaru enters the woods . . . killing as he goes.

‘And even if the commander decides instantly to leave the village, it'll take time to circulate the
orders and ready the men and horses. Plenty of time to kill these humans . . . '


Minutes pass . . .


Looking from the village the woods are suddenly engulfed in icy fog clouds . . .


Screams of dying men and horses reach the village . . .


As the fog cloud's fade . . . It appears as if winter had suddenly occurred . . . the trees are
covered in white ice . . . Ice-covered branches fall . . . trees' tip over and shatter as they hit the
ground . . .

Then more fog banks hide the area . . .

Phocas, the commander, order his men to mount and charge the woods.

"Don't charge piecemeal. All of us will charge at the same time. I don't want him to kill us a
company at a time. I want to hit him the strongest blow possible. Do you understand?" He growls
at his company commanders as they marshal their men.

Two thousand horses and men leave the village and bunch up into the smallest, tightest formation
they can.

Their plan is simple . . . Run over Sesshomaru with every possible horse. And as a soldier gets
close, he is to use his lance, or his sword to strike at him. Between the weapons and the horses
running over him, Phocas is confident of success.

Sesshomaru steps out of the fog cloud that he created when he finished killing the humans in the
woods. ‘Good. They could not see through the fog and are charging at the middle of the fog bank,
instead of at me.'

But . . . Sesshomaru is spotted and like the well-trained horsemen they are, Phocas's men
quickly adjust and focus their attack on him.

‘Nice, a very well-trained and very aggressive commander. Normally that's a good thing. But in
this case, he should have remained in that village and forced me to dig his men out one platoon at
a time.' Sesshomaru allows a slight smile to grace his lips. ‘All he's doing, now, though, is
making a nice big, easy to kill, target for me . . . '

Sesshomaru stands, unmoving a bored expression on his face, while thousands of horses and men
begin to charge him. He does not move . . .

The ground shakes . . . the gleaming metal lance heads drop pointing at him . . .

The lead horse is only meters from him . . .


Sesshomaru moves . . .

He is behind all of the horses in an instant . . .

He draws Jaa Kalpa and attacks the formation of horsemen from the rear, and before any of the
men can react . . .


Sesshomaru begins to massacre them . . .

Minutes pass . . .


Sesshomaru, stands, alone on the field of battle. All the humans and all their horses are dead.

He looks up to sun. ‘delayed . . . If what Kagome said about the powers of vampires is correct.
They are trying to delay me until nightfall. Hmmm. So. The proper course would be to ignore
these villages, and any further armies, and head directly, at my best speed, to the capital.'

He purses his lips as he considers his next course of action. ‘But. I promised to destroy this land.
And if I stop destroying these villages . . . they would consider that a weakness. Hmm. That
would make them overconfident, and that is helpful in war. But . . . they have shown nothing to
challenge me. Sooo . . . '

Sesshomaru nods. ‘I will not change my course or actions.'


He stalks up to the village.


Jaa Kalpa is used again.

A few minutes later . . .

Sesshomaru leaves the destroyed village behind him . . .


**********************

Sesshomaru is leaving another ruined village . . .


A beautiful, shapely female, with small bat wings appears in front of Sesshomaru, she is the
succubus Eldonna. She is wearing a tight, black leather dress, cut in such a way as to highlight
her breasts.

She bows before him and in seductive voice, "Lord Sesshomaru. I am Eldonna and I have been
authorized to treat with you."

Sesshomaru looks her up and down. ‘An extra dimensional demon, and given her appearance,
with sex-based powers. Do not let her get close or touch.' He reminds himself.

Tenseiga pulses . . . attracting his attention . . .

Sesshomaru places his hand on the hilt of Tenseiga.

*Tenseiga. * Sesshomaru thinks to his sword. *Her body is not normal, but demonic flesh. *

*This world is evil, the son of my creator. I want to cleanse it. * Tenseiga thinks. The sword
pulses. *I can destroy that nonliving flesh. *

"Remain at a distance, demon whore." Sesshomaru's voice remains in his normal low, and very
bored, tones.

She smiles as she says, "Lord Sesshomaru! Please, I come in peace and I promise not to use my
powers on you."

"You are lying. Tell me what you were told to say, quickly and without tricks and I might allow
you to return to your master, unhurt."

"Lord Sesshomaru! Please, you have the wrong impression of me. I'm not trying to trick you!"
She explains.

Sesshomaru ignores her and begins to walk to the next village.


Eldonna begins to seductively slink up beside Sesshomaru, as she purrs, "Lord Sesshomaru. My
master, Satan, has a deal for you."

"And that deal is?" Sesshomaru asks in his traditional expressionless bored voice.

"We can give you, Kagome Higurashi, and . . . this world." She pauses, "All you have to do is
kill Vlad Tepes and this world will be yours to rule . . . "

Sesshomaru pauses as he considers his reply to the offer, "and the cost to me?"

"Oh, nothing, really Lord Sesshomaru. You will need help ruling the world, though, and we can
help there." She smiles.

Sesshomaru draws Tenseiga and places it on top of Eldonna's shoulder, ready to cut off her head
with a twitch of his wrist. Eldonna's skin smokes as Tenseiga touches it. She flinches,
Sesshomaru keeps Tenseiga in the same position, right next to her neck.

"Demon whore. I will state this once. I will retrieve Higurashi Kagome, alive and unhurt. I will
do this by myself and without any help." His voice changes, becoming angry, as he hisses at her,
"I am well aware of the methods of tricking mortals. Do not try anything with me."

She whimpers.

The very touch of Tenseiga is preventing her from using any of her powers.

"I have absolutely no desire to rule this world." Sesshomaru states, "and if I did, I will do it my
way and for my reasons. Not for yours."

"Tell that to your master."

Sesshomaru swings Tenseiga through Eldonna's neck.

Her scream is suddenly cut off as her head separates from her neck. Her body begins to bubble
away in a horrible smelling sulfurous cloud.

Sesshomaru moves on, ignoring Eldonna dead body as he leaves . . .


**************************

later . . . it is almost dusk . . .


Sesshomaru has reached the outskirts of the city of Constantinople.

It sits on a triangular peninsula, so water surrounds it on three sides.

One the western side of the city, the side facing land, the Roman and later Byzantine emperors
built some of the greatest defensive walls of the era. And, since Vlad Tepes became emperor
guns and gunpowder has fallen out of favor, they are still some of the greatest defensive walls in
the world.

Sesshomaru mentally catalogs the defenses of the city he will destroy.

First is a deep ditch, perhaps twenty meters wide. Overlooking the ditch is the first wall five
times the height of a tall man, with square towers placed every fifty to one hundred meters along
its length. A second wall, fifty meters behind the first, is twice as tall, and thick.

‘No castle or city in Japan has a wall like that.' Sesshomaru thinks. ‘A challenge, normally. But
my flying abilities cancel it . . . but . . . '

The city itself is somewhat visible behind the walls, as it sits on seven hills. The size of the city is
massive, a collection of stone and wooden buildings, many of the three to five stories high.

‘No city in Japan is this large. Kyoto, the capital, is only a fifth this size, at best.' Sesshomaru
thinks.

In front of the ditch, lined up to meet him is an army of dead animated humans' some are flesh-
covered zombies and some are simply skeletons. There are many thousands, perhaps hundreds of
thousands, of them, all with spears and swords, waiting, motionless, for orders.

‘No threat. If necessary, I can fly.' He thinks.

Near the main city gate, in front of Sesshomaru, he can see thousands, perhaps as many as twenty
thousand, impalement spikes. They are arranged in some sort of pattern. ‘Those are lined up in a
pattern, but I cannot read the language, so . . . immaterial.' He thinks.

On most of the spikes is dying or dead humans. Their screams of pain and agony echo through
the late afternoon.

Standing on top of the wall, near the impalement spikes, is a large group of men and women.
They are dressed, (some of the females are mainly undressed) in many types of outlandish
costumes.

‘My mystical senses are telling me that those are sorcerers of some type. Definitely a threat . . .
And my senses are telling me that they are drawing power from the dying humans.' He glares at
them. ‘Why are they waiting? They should take the initiative and attack.'

Sesshomaru eyes narrow, ‘from Kagome's talk about the shows she's seen . . . they are waiting
for the sun to go down. That is a mistake. It will give me time to prepare and' He smiles. ‘Attack
first.'

Sesshomaru uses his mystical senses to scan the magic surrounding the city and the city walls.
‘Hhmm . . . A lot of defensive spells. But . . . most of them are simple, if powerful, defensive
spells. And . . . while there is some Chinese magic around the walls. There is only one pure
Japanese defensive spell. And I can break it.'

Sesshomaru pauses . . . as he considers his options and powers. ‘My ability to fly is due to my
ancestor, and because of that I can command, at least, small spirits of the air. They will be
enough . . . once I release the other spirits. Yes . . . '

"Hear me spirits of the wind." He speaks. "I am Sesshomaru. Descended from the god of storms,
Susano-O."

The air around him begins to twist and swirl.

"I command you to swirl around the city, slowing growing faster and faster."

"We are weak, Son of Susano-O. The magic around the city will prevent us from doing any more
than blowing around some paper and small trash."

"Acceptable. Do as I command."

The swirling air leaves Sesshomaru and begins to circle the city.


*******************************

One of the sorcerers on the wall, starts, and he says, "He just did something. Some sort of air or
weather spell."

"Powerful?" Another asks.

The first one shakes his head. "No. Weak. I have no idea why he did it."

"Odd."


*********************************

‘I'm not a true sorcerer, but magic that is effective in war, I do know.' Sesshomaru thinks. ‘And
. . . those stone walls. I know a way to make all those stones help me.'


Sesshomaru begins to speak and gesture.


*************************************

"He just broke one of the spells around the city." A witch says.

"Do we still have to wait until sunset?" A warlock asks.

"Yes. Those are the orders. Besides the spell he broke is that stupid Japanese spell."

"You mean the one that supposed to prevent the so-called spirits or Kami in the stone from
becoming awake?"

"Yes, that useless one."

"Odd."


***********************************


*Hear me spirits of stone. * Sesshomaru telepathically communicates with the section of the wall
directly in front of him.


He concentrates and sends some of his power into the stones.


*Who are you? *

*the one that has awaken you. *

*You want something from us. *

*Of course, but, it is nothing you don't want as well. You were cut from your native places.
Raped and shaped into something unnatural. I want to awaken you and help you destroy the
humans that cut you, mutilated you and raped you. *

*yes . . . that is good . . . awaken us*


Sesshomaru smiles. ‘Once you wake up stone spirits . . . destroying them is very hard.'

The huge stones that make up the wall of the city of Constantinople begin to awaken. And as one
wakes up, it wakes up the neighboring stone . . . which wakes up more stones . . .


And the stones are mad at being ripped from their mountain homes, cut and shaped against their
will . . .

Humans will pay . . .

*Wait until I signal. That way we will win. *

*since you awakened us, and you are not human. We agree. *

**********************************************

Sesshomaru looks at the setting sun.
‘I have time. Besides fire spirits are easy to awaken and even easier to excite.' Sesshomaru
thinks.

He glances at the unmoving zombies and skeletons. ‘They should have released them and
attacked, but . . . no doubt, their orders are to wait until sunset. A mistake.'

He finds some wood and starts a fire.

Sesshomaru concentrates into the small fire.

The fire changes shape, into a small fiery human.

*heh, heh, heh. I want to burn things. * the flame spirit giggles.

*Good. I want you to burn things. * Sesshomaru thinks to him.

*That would be cool. *

Sesshomaru shakes his head at the strange humor of flame demons.

Sesshomaru sticks his hand into the flame and empowers it.

*heh. Heh. Heh*

*as you burn things. Grow and release more flame spirits*

*heh. Heh. Heh. We'll burn down the city. *

*that is the idea. *

*That is cool. *

*The winds will help, they will blow you around, and as you grow, you will suck in the air to
feed you and the winds will increase. *

*Cool. And the more air they feed me the bigger and stronger I become. *

*And the more flame spirits you can awaken. *

*heh. Heh. Heh. Tonight will be cool. *





********************************


A couple of minutes before sunset . . .



The city wall of Constantinople begins to shake.


Sesshomaru draws Tokijin and flies toward the line of Sorcerers, Warlocks and Witches. In his
other hand he has the flaming torch, with the active flame spirit in it. His powers prevent it from
blowing out as he moves.

The sorcerers begin to chant in earnest, a couple of them even manage to get off some simple
attack spells, which Tokijin basic defensive spells deflect, but . . .

Tokijin's wave of energy hits them as the wall beneath their feet changes shapes and begins to
attack them.

Sesshomaru flies through them, killing several before they can react.

He throws the torch onto a pile of wood, probably impalement stakes that haven't been set up
yet. They catch fire quickly and easily.

The Flame spirit is having a great time, burning and creating more flame spirits as the fires are
spread by the wind . . .

‘Good, the stone spirits now have them occupied.' He thinks. ‘Now to break their link with the
dying humans.'

He flies of the impaled and dying humans. Tokijin's power grows and he swings. ‘Dead humans
are useless, anyway.'

Tokijin swings . . . a wave of destruction expands around it.


The impaled humans die . . . A much faster and cleaner death than Vlad Tepes had wanted.


‘Some of those sorcerers will survive, of course. But . . . I've broken the link to this power
source. And instead of facing an organized and preplanned attack, they will have to attack me
individually, instead of in mass. Between myself and the powers of my swords, I can defend
myself against those attacks.' Sesshomaru thinks.

He lands outside the main gate of the city. The huge stones that it was made of have animated
and are attacking the people inside the city. The huge wooden beams that supported the massive
gates are on fire. The flame spirits are having a very good time.

The zombies and skeletons begin to attack him. The sun has set and their orders were to attack
him beginning at sunset.

Sesshomaru changes into his giant demon dog form. ‘It's been too long since I've fought in this
shape. I must use this shape and see how much of my combat reflexes remain.' He thinks.

He stalks into the city, destroying everything in his path.

The Stone spirits have animated the huge stones that made up the city wall of Constantinople.
They are killing any human they find . . .

The Flame spirits are spreading, faster and faster due to the wind, and as they spread, they grow
in size and in number.

The wind spirits are feeding off the natural energy as the air is sucked into the flames. They grow
stronger and stronger as they swirl around the fires.

As time passes . . . The winds will grow strong enough that swirling tornadoes of flame will
form.

As time passes . . . the fire will grow and intensify . . .

Getting hot enough that even stone burns . . .

A firestorm is being born . . .

Sesshomaru smiles, ‘The last time the city of Kyoto offended me, I stopped my attack once I
made sure everyone in Kyoto understood that I was not to be interfered with. This time . . . I will
destroy the city . . . down to the very bedrock.'


As he walks into the city, Zombies, Skeletons, Werewolves, lesser devils, and other monsters
begin to attack him. The individual sorcerers, warlocks and witches also attack.

But . . . the stone spirits and the flame spirits stay close to him, protecting him . . .

Due to his speed, and changed shape, (some of the monsters will think the giant dog was
summoned to attack Sesshomaru, instead of realizing that the giant dog is Sesshomaru), the
attacks are made in a piecemeal basis, not according to plans.

A werewolf does manage to rip into his left side, causing long streaks of blood . . .

A human soldier with a long spear does manage to shove the tip of the spear into his right side . .
.


A warlock does manage to hit Sesshomaru with a magical lightning bolt . . .


But . . . after each time, Sesshomaru is able to rest and heal before continuing. ‘If they had hit
me at the same time . . . things might have gotten bad, but, they did not.' He thinks.


*************************

Sesshomaru approaches the palace of Vlad Tepes, the emperor of the World.

It is made out of red marble. ‘Huge building. But . . . that solid block of stone was designed to
oppress humans. Only one visible entrance and no windows, in the summer it must be very
uncomfortable. Hmmm . . . Kagome did say that vampires are dead and don't feel the weather,
so . . . ' He thinks as he stalks up to it.

Blood red marble surrounds the Palace.

Sesshomaru steps onto the edge of the Palace grounds.

He looks up the broad steps to the entrance of the Palace. The steps are decorated with scenes of
death and torture. The walls and doors of the entrance of the Palace continue that same theme.
‘Boring and bad artwork.' He thinks.


Arraigned at the top of the steps is a line of human-shaped beings. He sniffs, ‘undead vampires.'
Most of them are dressed in unrelieved black cloaks and garments.

Flying in the air above and around Sesshomaru are large bats. ‘More vampires.'

In the center of the line of humans is a large man dressed in red. Everyone around him is
deferring to him. ‘An important person. I wonder who?'

The door behind him opens and Kagome, dressed in her school clothes, steps out of the Palace.

Sesshomaru raises his head and howls . . .

‘Good. She's alive and unhurt.' He thinks.

Kagome, after exchanging a couple of whispered sentences with the Vlad Tepes, begins to walk
down the steps toward Sesshomaru.

‘Stop fighting me.' Vampiric Kagome yells at what remains of pure Kagome.

‘Never! If I'm fighting you, then you can't concentrate fully on Sesshomaru and that will help
him!' Pure Kagome screams back.

Sesshomaru sniffs. He growls.

The Giant Dog Demon shudders and changes shape . . .

Sesshomaru, in human form, stands at the bottom of the steps. He places his hand on the hilt of
Tenseiga.

*She's dead, the son of my creator. *

*I know. * sadness and anger tinge Sesshomaru's mental voice. *That vampire curse she
mentioned. *

*I can cure it. *

*I know you can, but . . . *

Kagome stops about a meter in front of Sesshomaru. "Hi, Sesshomaru." She stares into his eyes.
"You know what I'm supposed to say, don't you?" She breaks eye contact and looks at the
ground.

"That you are alive and unhurt. You are, then, supposed to jump into my arms and try to bite me
and change me into the same type of cursed creature that you are now." Sesshomaru's eyes flick
up and down Kagome.

She flinches at the stoniness of the gaze. "And you won't let me."

"No." Sesshomaru barks out. "Higurashi Kagome. How could you have let yourself and this
Sesshomaru down, by succumbing to this curse?"

Kagome grits her teeth, and looks into Sesshomaru's eyes. Her eyes glow in the fire lite night.

"The woman I feel in love with would never attempt to hypnotize me." Sesshomaru whispers.
"Use my love, fight that curse. I know that you can beat it."

Kagome's eyes lose their glow, they blink . . .
Kagome collapses to the ground, shuddering . . .

‘I can beat you, Kagome! I did it before!' Vampiric Kagome screams at the Pure Kagome.

Pure Kagome smiles back, ‘Not this time. My love for Inu-yasha has some doubts and questions
and you exploited them. But . . . My feelings for Sesshomaru are new, fresh and untainted by
those same questions. He loves me . . . and I love him . . . and I will not disappoint him.'

Vampiric Kagome vs. Pure Kagome: round two . . . has begun.



***************************

Sesshomaru moves to stand over the shuddering Kagome. One of his feet steps on her skirt, to
keep her from moving.

He draws Tenseiga. It glows in the fire light as the city burns around them.


"You are the Emperor?" He calls out to Vlad Tepes.

"I am." Vlad Tepes replies.

"Higurashi Kagome is not alive and she is hurt. I will destroy you." Sesshomaru hisses in an
angry voice.

"I think not." Vlad Tepes waves his hands at the destruction around them. "I can rebuild."

He pulls his sword. "And your weapons may be powerful, but this is the sword of Attila the Hun.
As long as I wield this, I cannot be defeated in battle. Satan directed me to its hiding place and
since then . . . I conquered the world."

"This is Tenseiga." Sesshomaru holds up his sword. "When my father gave me this, he told me
that this is the most powerful sword ever made. For years I did not believe him. I believed that
the blade Tetsusaiga, the brother blade to this, was more powerful because it could with a single
swing destroy one hundred demons."

He glances down at Kagome, who is still fighting her internal struggle. "But, recent events have
made me reconsider that. Anybody can destroy. But . . . to un destroy . . . that is difficult."

"Shall I show you the full and ultimate power of Tenseiga?" Sesshomaru grins, and his gaze
flicks along the line of vampires, and at the cloud of vampire bats flying around him.


Vlad Tepes whispers to the vampires next to him. The vampires throw off their cloaks and pull
weapons. The Vampire bats begin to land and change forms.

‘To use Tenseiga's basic life-restoring abilities, all I needed was compassion. But. To use its full
abilities I needed love.' He thinks.

"HyakuYomigae" He screams as he swings Tenseiga at the palace steps.

A wave of power engulfs the palace grounds. The blood red marble turns snowy white. The
artwork of death and destruction is turned into flowers.

Some of the vampires in front of Sesshomaru involuntarily gasp. They need to . . . because they
are alive, now. Tenseiga brought them back to life, free of the vampiric curse.

Some of the vampires in front of Sesshomaru disintegrate into dust. They were wearing
protective devices against purifying energy. Tenseiga destroyed those amulets, but only had the
power to destroy them, instead of resurrecting them, afterward.

Vlad Tepes . . . He is thrown back against the doors of the palace by the wave of energy. The
amulet that Kagome and he had made earlier in the day . . . protected him. He is still a vampire,
and basically unhurt.


"Hyaku Yomigae" Sesshomaru screams as he swings Tenseiga against the vampire bats and the
other vampires trying to sneak up behind him.

Since many of these vampires were the younger and weaker ones, the ground around Sesshomaru
is suddenly covered in living, breathing normal humans.

Sesshomaru draws Jaa Kalpa and shoves it into the ground next to Kagome. *Protect her. * he
orders.

He runs, at his full speed, up the steps the palace.

Sesshomaru reaches Vlad Tepes. Tenseiga parries the sword and the Sword of Attila the Hun,
which flies out of Vlad Tepes grasp.


With his free hand Sesshomaru rips the upside down cross off Vlad Tepes.

Vlad Tepes eyes grow wide and his shape begins to change into fog.

Sesshomaru drives Tenseiga into the heart of the fog.

Vlad Tepes suddenly reforms. Tenseiga is buried deep in his chest.
*bring him back to life. * Sesshomaru orders.

Vlad Tepes suddenly takes a deep breath and coughs from the smoke from the fires.

Sesshomaru pulls Tenseiga out of his chest and uses his free hand to grab Vlad Tepes around the
throat. Sesshomaru in a very angry voice, hisses, "I am not going to kill you."

Vlad Tepes eyes widen, his mouth works, he's obviously trying to say something . . .

"I have dealt with beings like yourself before. You've made deals with the demons of the
underworld. Killing you . . . would allow those deals you've made to activate." Sesshomaru
squeezes' Vlad Tepes throat, blood trickles down his neck.

He replaces Tenseiga and draws Tokijin.

*Feed Tokijin. Permanently destroy his soul as you feed. So that there is no way anybody can
bring him back to life. *

Tokijin is stabbed into Vlad Tepes heart . . .

The body of Dracula shudders and twitches as it shrinks . . . slowly vanishing into Tokijin.

The clothes that Vlad Tepes was wearing drape themselves over Tokijin and Sesshomaru's wrist.
They are empty.

Sesshomaru looks at Vlad Tepes's sword.

Tenseiga pulses.

He switches swords and brings Tenseiga down onto that blade. Vlad Tepes's sword shatters . . .

Sesshomaru turns around and looks down at the steps.

Only Kagome is visible at the bottom of the steps. All the other former vampires have vanished.

Jaa Kalpa glows, surrounding Kagome in a protective glow.

A couple of stone spirits stand nearby watching.

A couple of flame spirits are testing Jaa Kalpa's cold powers, but not seriously. (It could destroy
them . . . )

He returns to Kagome's side.

He bends down and gently places her body across his lap.
"Kagome . . . " He whispers. "Please wake up."

Tenseiga pulses . . .

*No. This is her fight, Tenseiga. I will not interfere. If she loses and that vampiric spirit looks out
. . . then . . . *

Tears begin to form in his eyes, ‘Then . . . I don't know what I'll do. Yes, Tenseiga can cure her .
. . but she'll never be the same, knowing that she failed.'

"Please Kagome." He hugs her, brings her face against his. His lips lightly touch hers. "I love
you. Win."

His tears fall on her face . . .


****************************

Inside Kagome's mind . . .


Pure Kagome is winning.

‘One last push and you're destroyed, curse.' She growls at vampiric Kagome.

‘You killed a boy, Kagome. That guilt will allow me to win.' Vampiric Kagome retaliates.

‘No. You killed him. I fought against it. You may have used my body to kill him, but I did not do
it. I will not allow that guilt to affect me.'

Kagome begins to purify the curse . . .

‘Arggghh . . . ' vampiric Kagome screams as she begins to die . . .

‘Life, Kagome.' Vampiric Kagome hisses. ‘One of your problems with inu-yasha and
Sesshomaru is life. You are human and will die long before them. By staying a vampire . . . you
can live as long as them . . . '

Kagome hesitates and thinks, ‘she's right. Even in my best daydreams, that problem always pops
up . . . and being an ageless vampire could solve that problem. Can I control her and the blood
lust?'

Vampiric Kagome can sense pure Kagome's hesitation. ‘Yes. Being a vampire isn't that bad,
Kagome. And I don't need human blood. I can survive on animal blood. And you'll be able to
love them for centuries . . . '
Pure Kagome licks her lips, ‘the problem of dying . . . is this my solution?'

She shakes her head, ‘I can destroy the curse and die like a normal human or accept the curse,
controlling the blood lust, and live forever . . . what do I do?'

End chapter 36.

__________________________________


Authors' note: What should Kagome do?

Destroy the vampiric curse or accept it and try to control it?


Thank you for reading
jeff shelton