InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sword of Supreme Conquest ❯ Chapter 37 ( Chapter 37 )

Kagome's chestnut eyes were warm as she gazed down at the sleeping face of her son. Already the sounds of battle could be heard outside. They whispered down the hall to claw away the last vestiges of her happy mood. Their muted cries reached her ears, but they could not touch her - not yet. Eyes that held wisdom far beyond her 21 years watched as her slender fingers skimmed in feather-light strokes through his dark curls.

 

 

Still enjoying the last vestiges of sleep, the boy let out a tiny sigh and stirred. His rosy bow-shaped lips drowsily opened and closed several times before pausing to rest half open so another sigh could escape. Moving her fingers to stroke his cheek and then his exposed stomach Kagome smiled. How could someone sleep so peacefully when their world was falling apart just outside their door?

 

 

The serene expression on Ronin's face reminded her of how naïve she'd once been herself. When she was younger, long before she was ever with Sesshomaru, she felt certain she understood what love was. At one time she'd thought her affection for Inuyasha was love… but that time had long since passed.

 

 

It was Sesshomaru who'd taught her what love truly felt like and was supposed to be. It wasn't the idealized infatuation she'd felt towards Inuyasha, where every fault became an endearment. Real love was hard. It was difficult and it required work and effort, but the end result was so much more rewarding. The fact that it didn't come easy made it feel more real to her somehow.

 

 

Even with all of those experiences, it wasn't until the day Ronin was born that she realized she'd never known true love at all. She understood it now though, sometimes more acutely than she would've liked. She felt it in this moment, in the way her heart swelled with pride from simply watching him sleep. He was her proudest accomplishment. This dark-haired, smudged-faced boy was her entire world and she would willingly give everything she was and more if it meant he would live a long and happy life. She understood now what it meant to love someone more than life, more than yourself, and she was glad that if today was to be her last she'd at least learned that one lesson.

 

 

As she righted herself Kagome's eyes were drawn to the weapons stacked in a neat pile near the door. The battle was summoning her and it was her duty to heed its call. She couldn't afford to delay any longer but she couldn't suppress her growing unease at leaving Ronin behind. He was still so young and she couldn't be sure what the outcome of the battle would be. He could lose her, or Sesshomaru, or perhaps even them both. He was the heir to the Western Lands and as esteemed an honour as it would be to be named ruler at such a young age, it wasn't worth growing up without parents to guide and love him.

 

 

Worrying her bottom lip between her teeth, she fought an internal battle, one of the hardest she'd ever struggled with. Should she stay or should she go? Letting out a frustrated sigh she bent low and eased Ronin out of the bed, bringing his sleeping form to rest against her body. When he was a baby he'd fit nicely against her shoulder, his head resting just below her chin, but now as a youngster pushing six his gangly limbs stuck out awkwardly from around her neck and waist.

 

 

“Mama?” His sleepy voice called out to her and she immediately shushed him while her hand rubbed his back in slow soothing circles. Hearing a sound at the door she turned and nodded to Rin who'd apparently been hovering there for the past few seconds. She smiled at her gratefully and held the drowsy Ronin out to her as she approached.

 

 

“Kagome…the palace…” Rin uttered in a wavering voice, but Kagome cut her off with a curt shake of her head.

 

 

“I know,” she whispered in a soothing voice so as not to alarm the boy. “Rin, I need you to watch over him for me while I go help Sesshomaru.” She nodded pointedly to her pile of weapons and her expression grew hard.

 

 

“I think you'll probably be safe if you go hide in the servant's quarters. You know the ones I mean right?”

 

 

Rin nodded, her eyes revealing her apprehension and anxiety. Feeling immediately guilty for forgetting that the girl was probably scared out of her wits at the thought of losing the only parents she could remember, she quickly pulled her into a tight hug.

 

 

“Don't worry,” she whispered gently while stroking her back, “everything is going to be fine. Sesshomaru won't let anything happen to you.”

 

 

“I know,” the girl conceded, but Kagome could tell from the hesitation in her eyes that she wasn't convinced.

 

 

Rin wasn't stupid and she was certainly old enough to understand exactly how serious the situation was. As a blossoming young woman, just barely sixteen, she had every right to be worried about the consequences if they should fail. As troublesome as it was, Kagome knew there was nothing she could say that would ease her mind completely. So, with a defeated sigh, she lugged her quiver of arrows over her shoulder, picked up her bow and slid a katana into the belt at her waist.

 

 

She'd asked Sango several months earlier if she could fashion a demon slayer outfit similar to the one she used to wear in battle. After a lot of hemming and hawing the slayer had finally agreed. Taking a brief moment to glance over her attire in the polished bronze mirror Kagome absently wondered if the leather accentuated her hips too much. With a shake of her head she shot Rin a reassuring smile and then stepped out of the room, allowing the sounds of battle guide her to her destination.

 

 

Halfway down the hall she paused mid-stride and glanced back over her shoulder to watch Rin skitter down the hall with Ronin in her arms towards the servant's quarters. She nodded her head, glad to see that they would both be safe for the time being. Though that knowledge should've comforted her, she couldn't dispel the nagging notion that something wasn't right. Glancing warily between the end of the hall and the nursery, she quickly back tracked until she was standing stock still at the entrance of her son's room.

 

 

With her hands braced on either side of the wooden doorframe she allowed her eyes to pan the room. It seemed normal enough - Ronin's bed, the hearth, the rocking chair she'd had fashioned so she could nurse in comfort… it all seemed very normal yet a part of her was still screaming that it was all wrong. It certainly felt that way, but was it? There was nothing out of place or amiss… Or was there?

 

 

She couldn't place her finger on it, but she had the feeling there was something very important absent from that room, something big, something she should've remembered but somehow couldn't. Pressing her palm to her forehead she hissed in frustration and tried to force her brain to remember, but like a dream it slipped away the harder she tried to focus on it.

 

 

She couldn't help the feeling of panic that swelled in her chest. It felt something akin to making the realization halfway down the road to your destination that you left your front door unlocked and the stove on. It was an urgent, nagging worry that didn't go away no matter how many times she swallowed or told herself she was just being paranoid. She couldn't name it, couldn't explain what it was, but a part of her just knew that it was all wrong.

 

 

Feeling uneasy and slightly sick, she pushed herself away from the wall and staggered down the hall towards the battle. Maybe once things quieted down she would talk to Sesshomaru about it. He had the ability to calm even her worst fears with his nearly faultless logic. She sometimes wondered if Gene Roddenberry developed Vulcans after an encounter with her stoic husband, not that it was very likely mind you, but sometimes she did wonder.

 

 

The scene that greeted her eyes as she stepped out onto the make-shift battlements from the hall was utter mayhem. All around her arrows and other projectiles were whizzing through the air. When one went whistling past her ear, just narrowly missing her head, she instantly ducked and pressed her body flat against the floor. From her position on the ground she could see that the roof overtop the kitchen was already in flames. The soldiers congregating outside the palace walls apparently intended to smoke or burn them out. At this rate the entire place would be ablaze within the hour.

 

 

Taking a chance, she pushed her body into a crouched position and scanned the grounds for Sesshomaru. He was fairly easy to pick out seeing as he was the only one dressed in white amidst a sea of red. At the moment he appeared to be giving orders to several of his Generals, seemingly impervious to the fact that arrows were gouging the earth at his feet. With a curt nod he dismissed his men and Kagome watched them scurry off to their various posts to relay their orders. When he suddenly disappeared from sight she wasn't surprised to feel him standing behind her. It still astounded her that he had the ability to seemingly move at the speed of light.

 

 

“You shouldn't be here,” he warned sternly and extended his hand to help her up off the ground. She accepted it gratefully and allowed him to pull her off the battlement and back into the hallway she'd emerged from. “You should be with the others.”

 

 

His eyes glowed in the shadows of the darkened hallway and Kagome could clearly read the concern written in them clearly. He was worried about her and the outcome of the pending battle, not that he'd ever admit it of course. He had to appear strong and invincible in front of his troops, yet every so often she caught a glimpse of what was really going on inside that head of his. Averting his gaze she worried her lip between her teeth.

 

 

“I know I should,” she conceded, “but I can't. You need all the help you can get out there. I'm not gonna hide like some weak, defenceless mortal and wait for someone to come tell me when it's all over!”

 

 

“Kagome…”

 

 

Sesshomaru fixed her with a thoroughly unimpressed look. She knew he hated being challenged but in times like these she couldn't back down. Sometimes he just had to take his pride and eat it. Turning his back to her, he gazed out at the battle scene and watched in silence for a moment. “I cannot watch your back as well as my own.”

 

 

Her features softened at his words. She sympathized with his plight; he was only trying to protect her after all. It wasn't that he didn't want or need her help, it was that he knew he wouldn't be able to concentrate on the battle if he was constantly worrying about her safety. Stepping up behind him she wrapped her arms around his solid form and held tight.

 

 

“You don't have to worry about me, I can do this,” she whispered reassuringly with her cheek pressed against his back. “Besides, you need me out there.”

 

 

“Hn,” was his only response, but at the touch of his hand on hers she knew she'd won the battle.

 

 

“I must return,” he informed her quietly, his voice reflecting his reluctance to leave her side.

 

 

“I know. Be careful okay?” He offered her a small, fleeting smile before leaving the warmth of her embrace to return to the battlefield.

 

 

Kagome stepped to the edge of the hall and glanced outside. From her vantage point she could just see over the compound walls. Judging by the banners swaying gently in the early afternoon breeze, it was the panther demons who'd come to take down the Western Tribe. They'd had one too many close calls with panther demons in the past. There were certainly good reasons for the concern she'd seen in Sesshomaru's eyes. Unlike the other battles, the outcome of this one wasn't so easy to determine. As unprepared as they were, it could really go either way, she just hoped it was the way she wanted.

 

 

A projectile whistling by her head sent Kagome scrambling for her arrows. “I'll show you what it feels like… How about a little early afternoon purification?!”

 

 

The irate priestess muttered curses to herself as she withdrew an arrow from her quiver and knocked it in the bow. After taking a second to judge the direction of the wind, she adjusted her aim and fired, sending a blazing blue purification arrow directly into the heart of the enemy's forces.

 

 

Watching hoards of panther demons dive fearfully out of the way, and those who were less quick being purified, brought a satisfied smile to her lips.

 

 

Sesshomaru must finally be wearing off on me, she realized, a tad bit disturbed by the fact that she'd actually enjoyed killing those demons.

 

 

Without wasting any time, she knocked another arrow in place and fired it through a second cluster of demons. She repeated this move again and again until her quiver was empty. With calculating eyes she scanned what she could see of the enemy's forces and her face fell in disappointment. She'd purified dozens of demons but the armies outside the walls looked practically untouched. There were no holes in their lines, no fearful miscreants retreating from the front... Things didn't look good for team Kagome and Sesshomaru.

 

 

Rolling her eyes heavenward, Kagome silently asked the gods for a little help before she dropped her now useless bow, drew her sword from its sheath at her hip, and made a run for the central court. If the armies were going to burst through the main gates, that was where they would congregate and when that happened she wanted to be at Sesshomaru's side.

 

 

As she ran her sweat slicked palms gripped tightly at the leather hilt of the katana in her fist. She'd never been good with swords. Even though Sango had spent several months teaching her the basics, and Sessomaru even more time after that, she still didn't feel confident wielding a blade. With her arrows she knew just by the feel of them how they would fire and if they would hit their mark, but swords weren't like that. It was such a personal way to kill someone and she had a hard time stomaching it. Despite her reservations she realized that the sword was the only option she had left. A bow was almost entirely useless in close combat and it would end up getting her killed.

 

 

As her feet pounded over the wooden floorboards Kagome's thoughts wandered to the man who'd once been her best friend, the one she hadn't seen since just before Ronin was born. Inuyasha… Where are you? Wherever it is, I hope it's far away from here.

 

 

Though she never talked about it around Sesshomaru, she missed her old friend terribly. She missed hearing him call her wench and the way his eyes used to light up when she made him ramen. He was impossible, frustrating and completely obnoxious, but he was still the best friend she'd ever had. He had no idea how deeply his silence had wounded her.

 

 

The last she'd heard from Kaede, he'd married that village girl… Shizuka was her name. It was strange to her, that she knew next to nothing about the woman who'd become her best friend's wife. Whoever Shizuka was, she hoped she made him happy. That was all she'd ever wanted for him anyways - happiness.

 

 

The guilt still haunted her daily, her guilt over the fact that he'd given up his demon half for her and she'd turned him away. She believed that he really did love her at that time. She wished she could've returned his feelings, if only to make him happy, but she just couldn't.

 

 

He hadn't spoken to her much after she'd returned with Sesshomaru, not that she blamed him really. His relationship with his older brother was terse at the best of times and she found it hard to put up with his constant jabs about his “bastard brother” whenever they did see one another. Though she felt guilty for thinking it, a part of her wished that he was running at her side now. In the old days they'd always fought side by side. He'd shown up to every battle dressed in his red haori, with his Tetsusaiga blazing, and somehow always managed to save the day.

 

 

We could really use him now, she thought longingly and it brought a sad smile to her lips. He probably doesn't even know we're under attack. Well, that's probably best. He has a new life now and he deserves to have peace. This isn't his fight anymore.

 

 

The moment her feet went from pounding along the wooden floorboards to crunching against the soft sandy gravel of the courtyard, it seemed as though a bomb had exploded in front of her. The courtyard was suddenly flooded with panther demons and within seconds every available soldier was swarmed and fighting for his life. She froze momentarily, stunned that the battle had advanced so quickly. How did they possibly get in? Did they break down the gate or bust through the walls? She never got the chance to investigate.

 

 

It happened so quickly - one moment her feet were pounding against the dirt and the next she was eating it. At first she laid completely still, her body frozen in shock as she tried to remember how to breathe. And then it came; the first breath sucked painfully into her lungs. She immediately felt the bruised muscles of her stomach protest at the sudden movement. Wincing with pain she slowly pushed her body up off the ground and forced her aching muscles to work long enough for her to stand. Her belly throbbed with each breath but she sucked it up and turned to face the one who'd hit her.

 

 

A vicious looking black-haired panther demon stood less than five feet away, her blood red eyes studying her ever move. Raising her claws she hissed and waited for Kagome to strike back. For whatever reason, the panther had singled her out for combat.

 

 

Well this is just perfect, Kagome thought as she stooped to pick up her katana from the dust.

 

 

The blade suddenly felt too heavy in her hands and she struggled to raise it in front of her. For the briefest of moments she hesitated, instantly remembering what it felt like to push that blade through living flesh. The memory of the first time she'd used it to kill still haunted her, as did the look in the demon's eyes as the life had left his body. She shook her head to clear it and forced herself to focus on her current opponent. There was no time to dwell in the past. If she couldn't focus now she wouldn't make it through the day.

 

 

“I've heard about you miko,” the panther taunted as she slowly began to circle her. “I always thought you were a bit of a myth to be honest. I never believed that a human witch had the power to control Sesshomaru, the all powerful Lord of the Western Lands. Tell me, how did you do it? Trickery, magic, blackmail, old fashioned whoring? I'm just dying to know…” Her ruby eyes glinted mischievously and her coy smile turned feral as she tried to goad Kagome into hasty action.

 

 

Keeping her cool as she'd been trained to do, the priestess simply smiled at her opponent. “You know, I actually kind of pity you, seeing as how you're going to be dead in the next few minutes. It's a waste of a life if you ask me. I'll give you one chance to back away. Go now before you get hurt.”

 

 

“Then I guess it's a good thing I didn't ask you!” The panther snarled at her gesture of mercy and swiped at her head with her claws. Kagome narrowly managed to dodge out of the way and brought the sheath of her katana sailing into the panther's stomach.

 

 

Using the brief reprieve to her advantage, she quickly glanced to her side to judge the battle's progress. Hoards of panther demons continued to pour through the palace's outer walls and Sesshomaru appeared to be wrapped up in his own private battle. He'd used Tetsusaiga to kill hundreds of the annoying demons, but after a few crushing blows their soldiers had pounced and disarmed him, sending the fang flying into the dirt a few hundred yards away.

 

 

Armed now with only his Tokijin he was staring down one of the more experienced of the bunch. Twirling her curved scythe in her hands she encircled him, a hungry look in her eyes. He looked impatient, irritated and ready to slice her head off without a moment's hesitation. Realizing that Sesshomaru could handle himself for the time being, Kagome refocused on her own fight.

 

 

You'd better get out of this one Sesshomaru… I can't do this without you, she thought despite her best efforts to not dwell on what would happen if they lost.

 

 

Losing is not an option! She heard Sesshomaru's voice, clear as day, inside her head and nodded to herself in agreement.

 

 

Right… Come on Kagome you can do this!

 

 

Narrowing her eyes at her opponent, she shook the dirt off her blade and held it confidently in front of her. Following her lead the panther withdrew her own sword and took a swing, knocking Kagome's blade to the side and sending her of balance. She recovered quickly enough and managed to land a few strikes of her own before their blades locked in mid-air and they found themselves struggling against one another, face to face.

 

 

“Why are you doing this?” Kagome demanded, her eyes earnestly searching her opponents for answers. The attack on the castle, this battle, it all seemed so unprovoked. Hadn't the dog demon tribe and the panther demons decided to live as allies? What'd happened to change all of that and why attack now when the region was finally at peace?

 

 

“I don't answer to you human,” the panther sneered, her face revealing the disdain she felt towards the word. As an after thought she added, “I almost feel sorry for you. You're just a stupid human, you shouldn't even be here. I could be merciful and let you go but I made a promise to my father.”

 

 

“Promise?” Kagome asked confused. What did this panther demon have against her? She'd never done anything against them… well… except for that whole killing their leader incident, but that'd been Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's work. She'd just herded their live sacrifices to safety…

 

 

“I promised my father as he was dying in my arms that I would make the one who'd slain him pay. Since I know that I don't have enough strength to kill that bastard,” she explained, with a nod towards Sesshomaru, “I figured you were my next best option. `When you can't attack a man's strength, attack his heart.'”

 

 

With those final words she pushed Kagome back and struck out at her with renewed vigour. It took everything the priestess had just to block and parry the bone jarring strikes that were unleashed upon her. As she felt her balance begin to falter she realized that she was running out of options. A part of her had hoped she could escape this duel without having to kill. She really didn't want another's blood on her hands or her blade, but with every strike that option seemed less and less viable. The hunger and bloodlust in the panther's eyes told her she wouldn't give up until one or both of them were dead.

 

 

She was finally prepared to launch an attack of her own, when she was caught off guard and her feet were kicked out from under her. She cried out as her body slammed hard into the dirt and swallowed at the touch of a sharp blade against her throat. She remembered this feeling all to well. Her eyes shut tight in an effort to block out the sight of the panther's satisfied smile.

 

 

Over seven years ago, in a moment just like this one, she'd been helpless when another's blade was at her throat. Her weakness then had nearly cost her everything; Sesshomaru had spent months in a cell while she'd suffered over the pain of his loss. Their separation had nearly destroyed her and Inuyasha's attack had almost kept them apart permanently, but somehow they'd managed to find one another again. After going through so much to find happiness, she wasn't ready to let it all fall apart so easily.

 

 

I'll never be weak like that again! Kagome vowed silently. Her fingers clawed into the dirt at her sides and she found the strength to open her eyes and meet her opponents victorious smile. This time, she wasn't going down without a fight.

 

 

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Author's Note: I think this is the fastest update I've had for this story in a while. Originally this chapter and the next one were one big long thing, but since it was a ridiculous number of pages I decided to divide it into two smaller chapters.

For those of you who may not have picked up on the subtle references throughout and for those of you who may be questioning what you read - you are correct if you concluded that Akira is no more.

When Kagome remarked that it was as though none of it had ever happened, well, that's pretty much exactly how it went. Inuyasha stayed in Kaede's village and married that human girl he had the heart to heart with Kagome about at the beginning of this fic (bet you forgot about that part didn't ya?). Because he was married, and assumedly things between Kagome and Sesshomaru were happy, there was no one night stand between them, therefore no Akira.

I'm curious to see what you guys think about this plot twist. I've always seen Akira as a really sympathetic character, especially in this respect because he wasn't granted an honourable death - he was just wiped out of existence. This is part of the ramifications of Sesshomaru's decision I spoke of in my last author's note, and really it's only the tip of the ice burg. The rest will be revealed in the upcoming chapters. I think it's about time for a special guest appearance too ;) Please stay tuned for the conclusion of the battle next chapter and the long sought after happy ending!

Until next time...

~ Langus