InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sunset Love ❯ Battlefield ( Chapter 31 )

Disclaimer- Nope not mine…Or else they would be locked in a dark dungeon somewhere and forced to do my bidding…mwahahaha.

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Chapter 31 - Battlefield

 

All around Sesshomaru, the chaos of battle filled his senses as flesh tore with each swipe of his deadly sword. War cries mingled with the screams of the dying, the ring of metal against metal as weapons clashed, and the rising metallic scent of blood flowed over him making the blood lust rise higher and higher with each passing second. Around him, his soldiers battled hard against the master's armies. Not one of his men had fled from the unending forces that threatened to overwhelm them. Even the greenest soldier side by side with the battle hardened veterans giving him cause to wonder if some of their determination came from Kagome's unusual way with all creatures.

 

In a battle such as this, it was not unheard of that a many of the new soldiers would bulk at the extreme violence of the situation and either die quickly or flee when given the chance. Whether it was his beautiful mate's influence or whether it was the fact that they were defending their home was irrelevant as long as the results were the same. The day had to be won or the Western Lands would fall victim to the usurper's deadly hands.

 

His thoughts were swept away on the tide of battle as a mountainous Oni staggered it's way toward him. Deadly intent evident in the glowing ember of its sunken eyes as its curled fist smashed into the ground where he had stood only seconds before.

 

A flash of green light flowed easily from Sesshomaru's elegant fingertips as his acid whip bit through blackened flesh and the putrid smell of decaying skin laced the already blood laden air around him. A deafening roar rang through the air as the Oni tried desperately to vanquish the Western Lord.

 

Around them swarmed more of the usurper's men, all trying to get in a good shot at Sesshomaru as they thought him distracted by the lumbering giant. Their paltry attacks were nothing as whip or sword sliced through each of his opponents as they came within his reach. Other, lower youkai, swarmed in to help and soon he found himself ringed in by multiple enemies of various sorts. They sheer numbers told him that they planned to try and overwhelm him and he prepared himself for the rush he knew was about to come.

 

A flash of red momentarily caught Sesshomaru's attention as it sailed overhead and a quick glance upward told him it was his brother, Inuyasha. He could only guess at the reason for the ex-hanyou to be heading away from the fray and back toward the castle. As a feminine scream rent the air, he knew that Kagome had somehow been injured and a deep-seated anger rose up inside of him. Golden pools of amber bleed crimson at the thought of his mate being injured filled him and he turned his rage onto those who dared attack him.

 

Normally he would have fought his way toward the castle in order to see how badly she was injured but the situation demanded that he remain till the last enemy had fallen. To do otherwise would be to tempt the fates into turning the battle against them. If he and his men fell then all would be lost and there would be no hope of his Kagome surviving whatever injury she had suffered. Besides, he knew that his brother would have called out to him if her injury had been life threatening.

 

As Sesshomaru sliced through the waves of youkai that surrounded him, he could only hope and pray to the gods that his mate was not injured at all. She had been ill the past few days, perhaps it was something as simple as her getting sick again and screaming out her frustration with having to be removed from the battle.

 

On the other side of the battlefield, an unusual sight was taking place as three Kitsunes laughed at the enemies they had woven into one of their most intricate fox spells yet. A group of fifty or so demons were stumbling around in circles, their eyes covered in a filmy daze and whenever one of them would bump into the other, the poor creature would take a swipe at one of their own men. Around them, a pale green barrier glimmered in the evening sun and the peals of laughter only served to confuse the dazed youkai more.

 

Outside the barrier, other soldiers looked on in confusion not knowing how to help their companions. Anyone who touched the barrier was easily drawn into the spell and no one wished to go closer then was necessary. Several of the enemy soldiers tried to find those responsible for bespelling their comrades in arms but it seemed useless. They had seen the Kitsunes responsible but they had seemed to disappear right before the barrier was erected.

 

The Western troops who had been witness on many occasions to the playfulness of Kitsunes wisely stayed away from the barrier, but aided in pressing the enemy lines toward it in hopes that more would be drawn into the barrier's illusion. It was rather amusing to some to actual watch, when given the chance to see, the enemy destroy itself.

 

Shippo was especially enjoying the fact that he had gotten the chance to work with such masters of illusion as the Kitsune twins that had come with Lord Kisho. Jodan and Hoben had proven to have a vast knowledge of tricks and he hoped that if they all survived this that they might be able to teach him a few things.

 

He had been the one that had started the simple confusion illusion, filling enemies vision with various images that might stand to disorient them. Then Jodan had arrived and brought with it a more elaborate form of the illusion and soon after Hoben had erected the expandable barrier that would draw in any who touched it. Together the three had stood within the confines of the barrier laughing as those that had been drawn into the spell killed off each other believing the others were Western Soldiers. Their laughter only served to add the confusion and even thought the spell took some thought, with the three of them working together it was a lot easier then Shippo would have first believed.

 

Ozeki growled out his frustration as another wave of enemy soldiers rushed to replace the ones he had just bashed. His large hammer struck the ground with great force causing the ground to shake. Enemy soldiers toppled over one another as they lost their footing, spears and swords becoming impaled into their own as others scrambled to gain footing. This gave the general enough of a distraction to bring the hammer down in a crushing blow that took out several soldiers at once.

 

No sooner did he pick his hammer up then another wave of youkai swept toward him. Their howls and growls combined with the shouts of the higher demons and he braced himself for the onslaught. With a growl of challenge the large bear rushed forward to meet them his hammer swinging in a bone crushing arch that mowed down any who dared stand against him. Blood spatter went unnoticed as it drenched his body and matted his long hair.

 

Tatsu face was an impenetrable mask as his sword sent his enemies flying in several pieces in all directions. Crimson eyes glowed with a hardened light that spoke of millennia of battles. No stranger to the battlefield, the dragon youkai viewed many of those that rushed against him as no more then a simple annoyance that had to be swiftly dealt with before the bigger enemies circled around him.

 

He plunged his large sword into the ground entangling more then a few of those that rushed toward him in the deadly net of his youki. The deadly daggers bit deep into soft bodies and broke through hardened armor, the screams of the dying raising to join in with the other sound on the battlefield.

 

Lord Kisho had been forced to resort to his full inu form as several of the giant youkai rushed toward him in blind fury. His sleek, black fur was caked with blood and dirt as he battled with enemy after enemy. Several feel victim to his large paws and dripping, green acid as he fought to stay alive. A swish of his large tail knocked over a battalion of smaller enemies giving the Western soldiers a chance to gain the upper hand.

 

To one side of him, he could make out Kuro shouting orders at several of the men in order to better position them around the giant, black Inuyoukai. This would give them the greatest advantage over the enemy as was possible and all in the area seemed to dance carefully around his footfalls. Together, they took down a great number of youkai but no matter how hard they fought or how many they took out, there always seemed to be others who were willing to blindly fill the void that their fallen comrades had left.

 

Sango and Miroku had taken up their prospective places leading a combined force of priests, priestess, and demon slayers. The humans battled with all the ferocity of their youkai counterparts and the combined efforts of those youkai near them combined them into a force to be reckoned with. Not many of the enemy soldiers could stand against the combined powers of the humans and youkai and soon many found themselves wailing their final cries as their bodies were slowly turned to ash.

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High above the chaos, the Master watched with maniacal glee. Tanaka curled meekly about his legs watching with a growing hunger. The scent of blood was heavy in the air and her stomach protested the fact that she was not indulging herself in the warm flesh of the succulent feast before them.

 

The Master's hand rested lightly on the top of her head tracing gentle, calming strokes through her black fur. He was enjoying the sight of his enemy's desperate attempts to hold off his flowing armies. He knew they were far more powerful then those he had set against them, he also knew that luck was on his side because of the sheer number of troops he had recruited over the last few years.

 

He had drawn them from all over the known lands, smuggling them in on large cargo ships and housing them deep within the catacombs of his own fortress home. The recruiting had continued up until this day, all in anticipation of bringing the Western Lord to heel. This would be his crowning glory and when the West fell, the South would soon follow. This would begin his conquest of the world at large and his next move was already being planned as he watched his army swarm over the Western Troops.

 

Even the strongest youkai would tire under such extreme circumstances. He would wear them down then his victory would be assured. His dark, amber eyes glowed with an eerie light as he waited patiently for the one woman he knew to be his equal to take her place on the battlefield.

 

“Come out Kananobara,” He sneered into the wind as his eyes searched restlessly for his intended prey. “It is high time your meddling ways come to an end.”

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Lady Kanna stood calmly in the middle of the Western Castle's roof; her stormy gaze was trained, not on the battle that raged outside the Western Lord's gates but on the lone figure on a high ledge of the mountain overlooking the Western Castle. She knew that the figure was the one who would seek her death and it was this knowledge that had kept her from the battle for the moment.

 

She had needed the time to gauge his actions, his demeanor, and his intentions. The voice that had called her full name had drifted to her over the winds, causing a course shiver to race along her spine. It had been a voice that she had believed silenced centuries earlier, yet here it was to haunt her once again. Back then, even though she had been very powerful in her own right, she had been unable to stand against the Master, but over the long years she had trained herself in case this day would come again.

 

Lady Kanna had known the moment that Kagome was born into the world that this day would come and had doubled her training in hopes that she would be ready. But even with all the knowledge and power she wielded, her heart ached at what she knew might happen. It was torn between going to her grandchild, who lay in the walled meadow at the back of the castle wracked in pain and taking that first step into the battle that would trigger the Black Inuyoukai known as the Master to joining the fray.

 

The armor, so alike those that both Sesshomaru and Kisho wore, gleamed black in the fading light of day and her hair was left free to swirl around her as the heavy strands were caught up in the wind. Her long, royal kimono had been replaced with a light purple hakama and haori crafted from the finest firerat fur and imbedded with heavy magic that she hoped would give her an edge to the battle that would come.

 

Her eyes drifted downward to check on the progress of the battle and was relieved to see the heavily outnumbered western soldiers were doing an admirable job of holding their own. Her hope renewed, Lady Kanna once again raised her sights to study the Master.

 

His hair was longer then what she remembered, the long, black silken strands almost reaching the back of his knees even in the tight topknot he had it pulled up in. His armor was a finally crafted variation of what a lot of the humans were wearing, the scaled chest plate crafted from leather and metal and died a black color. The scaled metal was also visible in the multi-paneled skirt that protected hips and groin area while twin scales was crafted down both of his thighs. An odd type of leather legging hugged his long, lean legs and twin metals protect each of the joints of the body. A thick-scaled collar wrapped around his upper chest and neck to aid in the protection.

 

Only the oddly crafted human helmets were missing, leaving his face and head free for the entire world to look upon. A sneer adorned his thin lips and even from the distance she was at, her enhanced sight allowed her to see that the elegant black stripes that were a crest of his royal blood were thickening with his restrained anger. Even though she couldn't see them, Lady Kanna knew that his normally golden eyes were probably speckled with the crimson of their breed's rage and the thought brought another shiver down her spine.

 

Deciding that it was time to face her own past, Lady Kanna jumped smoothly from the rooftop and joined the others in the heat of battle.

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Iyashii and Hayashi danced around each other with the sure footedness of any battle hardened warrior. They duck and struck at their foes while remaining back to back in the center of an almost unending wall of enemy troops. Their battle cries rose and fell with each strike or dodged blow and the two appeared as though they had many years of training together in order to work like a well-oiled unit.

 

The blood of their enemies covered them, matting their hair and smeared along their face and bodies. It was a graceful yet deadly dance that in any other place would have been watched with awe.

 

The metal of swords run, while their youki spiked running along their blades and making their enemies deaths as painless as possible. But even with all their cautions, the duo were quickly tiring from the endless array of demons they faced and it was all too evident by the strain on their faces.

 

They had been cut off from retreat to through the Western Gate when a sudden increase in lower youkai swarmed down on them from the air, giving the ground troops ample time to surround the two southern generals.

 

From the outer ring of enemy troops, the remaining southern troops fought desperately to get to their commanders but nothing they seemed to do lessened the sheer numbers that stood between them and those they fought to save. Several smaller bands of the western soldiers had banded with them in the hopes that it would make quicker work of the slithering, swarming mass of youkai to no avail.

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Jaken's continuous whimpering was beginning to slowly grate on Rin's nerves as they listened to the uproar outside. Even though her father had soundproofed the barrier, the commotion outside was loud enough to filter through. Beside her Nobara whimpered in fear, her pudgy little fist crammed tightly against her mouth as she sucked on her thumb, while her brother tried everything he could think of to comfort her.

 

Rin really appreciated Keitaro's attempts to console his sister but even he could feel the fear radiating off everyone in the room. Even Inuyasha's boy, Horuki, was puffed up and trying to be very brave like his father. He stood arms crossed and glaring at the door just daring any of the enemy to force his way through the barrier. It reminded her so much of when she was just a small girl tagging along behind her father and watching Inuyasha's brash behavior while in the shard hunting group. She had lost how many times her mother had sat her uncle. With the memories, a small smile touched her lips and she added as much encouragement in that smile as she could for the small ones.

 

Across the room, leaning against one of the outer walls, Kohaku stood ready to take on anything that managed to get into the room. His calming presence helped Rin greatly but as she cast a shy glance in his directions her eyes caught with his. There was something there, something deep within those dark eyes that she could just barely fathom but it filled her with hope for the future and made her heart beat furiously.

 

One day, maybe she would be brave like her mother and tell the boy that she adored him. She could only hope that maybe her father would approve if Kohaku held the same feelings for her as well. Shaking the thoughts from her mind, she prayed fervently for the protection of her family. Now that they were finally coming together like they should be, she did not wish to lose them again.

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Inuyasha was beside himself with worry, his best friend Kagome lay only a few yards from the hut he shared with Kikyo and his son, writhing in intense agony. Her slender arms clutched around her abdomen, with her knees drawn tightly up to her chest. The scent of her tears salted the air around them and he was helpless to do anything except rub gentle, soothing circles in her back while whispering words that were meant to ease her suffering. He knew it wasn't helping though and his fear was growing stronger with each passing second.

 

Inside his hut, he could hear Kikyo rattling through various containers where various miko potions were kept. In her haste, a few of them had crashed to the ground and the unusual sounds of his mate muttering words she could have only learned from him had his nerves even more so on edge. Kikyo never swore, never, and she would often chastise him whenever his rants reached the point where he was cursing excessively in front of their son. It was this more then Kagome's suffering that told the worried ex-hanyou most of all.

 

Crimson eyes lifted to meet eyes just as crimson as his own when Kikyo emerged from the hut, her clawed fingers clutching to a small water skin where, he hoped beyond hope, the answer to relieving his best friend's pain was held.

 

Kikyo was desperate, her senses were in overload, and she was praying to all the gods that she had been taught to pray to when she was nothing more then the simple human miko. She knew that her eyes glowed with the same intensity that her mate's did, she knew just how angry and afraid they both were for the tiny woman who had went out of her way to help them on so many occasions.

 

Carefully she knelt beside the trembling girl and gave the water skin one last shake before giving Inuyasha a nod to signal her readiness. Bracing herself against Kagome's trembling moan of pain as he helped her rise into a sitting position, Kikyo carefully held the open end to Kagome's lips. “I this helps to help with the pain and calm your sickness.”

 

Kagome took one whiff of the disgusting concoction and she felt her stomach rebel violently before the thick liquid even touched her pale lips. Wrenching herself from Inuyasha's gentle grip, she crawled several feet from her friends in order to allow the upheaval of her stomach to take place. The vile contents that came gushing out of her mouth was the oddest greenish-pink substance she had ever seen and had an acidic smell to it. The taste of metal filled her mouth as the last of it dripped free and another pain swept through her slender body.

 

Her limbs felt like they were on fire, her skin stretched to its limits while an intense itching rolled over her body with as much force as the pain, but she couldn't scratch because her firsts were balled to tightly. Tears streamed down her cheeks unchecked as she tried desperately to quell both the pain and the nausea.

 

Unknown to her, her pendant's faint blue glow suddenly intensified, sweeping over her body even faster then the pain could travel. When it had completely merged with her aura, turning it to a royal shade of deep purple, Kagome slowly began rising from the ground. It was only when her feet no longer could touch the ground that she looked up, wide-eyed at Inuyasha and Kikyo.

 

Inuyasha just stared at her wide-eyed and slack-jawed, with no more then Kikyo's restraining hand, holding him back from trying to jump to Kagome's rescue. Her own eyes wide, but for different reasons, Kikyo gripped her mate's shoulder in a grip so strong it would have shattered a human's bones. While the Inuyoukai could not see what she could, she knew that she had to get him as far from Kagome as they could possibly get in the short time they had. She wasn't exactly certain just what was about to happen but she could see an odd barrier forming from the woman's heart and expanding outward with surprising speed.

 

“We've got to move Inuyasha!” She yelled above the chaos of the battle on the other side of the castle, tugging him backward. Her miko senses were screaming at her to move and move quickly.

 

“What the fu…” Inuyasha was about to say before Kikyo practically yanked him off his feet in her need to get away. Taking one look at the urgency written on her face he nodded only once and swept her up in his arms and jumped away from Kagome. Taking refuge on the top of his hut, he gently set his mate down on her feet and turned to watch what was going on.

 

Though he could not see the barrier that had completely engulfed Kagome, he could see the way her powers were quickly filling up the perfect bubble. They twisted and danced around his friend like the fingers of a raging fire. Pink, purple, and blue flames reaching ever higher as they pushed and stretched the bubble ever outward in an attempt to escape the restraint. They raged till he could no longer see her shape in the blaze and he felt Kikyo grip his hand as he turned questioning eyes to his mate.

 

“I do not know, Inuyasha.” Kikyo replied softly the awe and fear strongly evident in her voice. “But I do know that even though we are seeing an inferno of her powers, I can still only sense that which we normally sense from her on a calm day. Whatever is happening it seems that it does not wish for anyone else but us to know.”

 

Nodding his understanding yet again, for he really couldn't think of exactly what to say that wouldn't end up with Kikyo slugging him for his language, he turned back to watch in helpless dismay to what was happening to his best friend.

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The landscape was quickly being laid to waste as huge, full grown trees pulled up from their ancient moorings by giant clawed hands and used for clubs while large gouges were being ripped from the earth as wave after wave of powerful blasts rocked the land's foundations. Sesshomaru, along with several of the others, had been forced into their full demon forms as the battle heated up. Enemy youkai had come at them full force, full forms rushing toward them in a wave of giants the likes of which had never been seen.

 

His deep, rumbling growl enough to keep the weaker youkai away from him while his main targets, a curious looking creature that sort of resembled a raccoon youkai but with sharper teeth and a huge, orange colored panther, circled him. They would take turns rushing toward him in a fake attack before retreating from his snapping jaws just before he could catch them. They were quicker then they at first had appeared to be and it was getting on the Taiyoukai's nerves.

 

Far below him, those of his troops who were either without a full demon form or who had yet to be forced to change were making swift work of the lesser youkai that threatened the castle.

 

Near him, Kisho was dealing with a similar bunch of riffraff but the older Taiyoukai seemed to be tiring. His long ears, once shifted back with anger, now hung limp at the sides of his head while his breathing was coming in swift pants. Sesshomaru wasn't certain if it was a ploy on the part of the Northern Lord or if he was truly tiring after such a long day.

 

The sun was just beginning to touch the western horizon as he felt a shift in the tide of battle. Many of the enemy had seemed to become revitalized, as if some force had refreshed them while leaving the Western troops tired and broken. He was beginning to worry because even with his immense strength, he could not last forever and his mate had yet to return to the battle.

 

Torn between fear for her well-being and the need for him to remain in the battle, Sesshomaru knew he was not exactly focused on his enemies. Only the deep need to protect all that was his and those that depended on him kept him struggling onward. If he were to fall or to turn away then who would protect Kagome and the future they were going to try and build together?

 

A sudden rush of power, stalled Sesshomaru long enough to allow the badger demon to sink sharp, deadly looking teeth into one of his forelegs while the panther too the opportunity to strike out at his head in an attempt to incapacitate him further. Even with the pain of the teeth, he was able to shake off the distraction long enough to make short work of the two giant creatures.

 

Allowing the acid to run freely from his jaws onto the badger's head, just before snapping that powerful maw around the panther's neck. Even as the panther's spine was crushed between his teeth, he could feel his acid eating away at the badger's head. A slurping, squishing sound signaled the release of the foul creature's teeth as its body struck the ground. As he gained a momentary sense of freedom from the onslaught, he looked around trying to find out what that fleeting power had been.

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She had been right, the moment she had alighted on the battlefield the Master had begun making his way toward her. Everyone that had dared to block his path was mercilessly cut down be it the Western troops or his own minions. Outwardly, Lady Kanna appeared calm yet inside her fear grew at the sight of the demon male who had been her enemy for so long. Once long ago, centuries before the Great Demon had first raised its ugly head and the Tama wars begun, long before the powerful miko called Midoriko was born, he had been her friend. They had grown up together and each knew what great things the other had been capable of. He had grown into a fine, young male with a kind heart but when the evil set in he had changed so drastically that she barely recognized him.

 

Now they stood facing each other for the final time. This would be the battle that decided the others fate and she was desperately hoping that it was the side of good who won the day. Her sadness only grew when he stopped in front of her, his eyes glowing like inflamed embers. The long years had not changed him and he still appeared to be the striking demon male that he had always been.

 

The Master's eyes gradually traced over the slender figure of the female Inuyoukai in front of him, a smirk playing about his cruel lips. The long years of separation between them had only served to divine her beauty into the ravishing creature that stood glaring at him as if she wished nothing better then to tear him apart piece by piece. His hand rested lightly against the plain-looking katana at his side giving him the appearance of ease as he waited for her to say something, anything.

 

“How could you betray us like that, Maraboshi?” She growled low, yet to his ears her voice was as sweet as that of the nightingale. Her accusation only caused his smirk to widen and he crossed his arms over his chest as he looked down at the delicate looking creature. Her appearance did not fool him any for they were both very powerful Taiyoukai in their own right.

 

“Ahh, Kananobara, it is good to see you again, my love,” his deep voice held a note of teasing that served to enrage her more. “I see our son had grown into a strong warrior with heart. Do tell me, does our granddaughter also possess such strengths?”

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A/N- Well there ya have, the latest installment of my ongoing cliffhangers. Hope you enjoyed this one…hehehe. Hopefully none of ya saw that one coming...lol… after all what sortta writer would I be if I couldn't throw in a few unexpected plot twists. But then again a lot of ya out there are just too good at guessing...lol. I wouldn't be surprised if you'd figured it out long before now.

 

Well we're getting close to the end finally, probably only about 3-4 more chapters left (if that) with a possible epilog attached to the end. This chapter gave me a really hard time writing it, but I hope it was well worth it. I'll let you be the judge and tell you that as soon as I struggle through the next one I'll get it up as soon as I can. Hopefully before the months out. (crosses fingers).

 

Next chapter - you will find out exactly what is going on with Kagome… I promise!

 

Loves and hugs

DJ aka Aurora/l3lackroze