Violation of Honor

By Rinseternalsoul

**Disclaimer: I can only dream of having the money that Rumiko Takahashi makes off of her anime, Inuyasha. Me? I’m just a non-profit fanfiction author who adores the show and loves to write smut.

Chapter 30 – Asuza's Dissension

A/N: Again, I would like to thank all of my wonderfully supportive reviewers! I can't express how happy I get when I read your responses to each chapter.

Thanks to Risa for all of your hard work and brain power—not only for the editing, but the suggestions and idea's that you offer help me to make the story better. You are the perfect partner for me.

Well folk's, here it is at last…The battle that will determine whether Asuza lives or dies by the hands of our hero's. I hope that it is everything you wished it to be.

From Chapter 29

Unfortunately, the clang of metal and the bite of failure rang loudly in his ears. Asuza stood laughing just in front of him as Sesshomaru realized what —or who—had stopped his attack.

Sesshomaru turned his head, meeting Hyuuga's cold blue eyes.

'So this is how it will be.' Asuza would use Hyuuga against him. By the surprised look Hyuuga gave him, the monkey had not been expecting such an act by the evil wench so early in the game. Sesshomaru, however, was well versed in her devious ways. Although he regretted that it would come to this, he was prepared to kill Hyuuga in order to accomplish their mission.

The scrape of his blade against Hyuuga's was like a chime announcing his change of focus. As Sesshomaru drew back his blade with his right hand, his left sprayed a lethal dose of dakkasou. Regrettably, Hyuuga was extremely fast and managed to avoid the worst of it.

"Kill him, monkey king! Kill Sesshomaru!" Asuza screamed with wicked glee.

Kagome felt the panic for Sesshomaru rising up in her chest as she realized the sudden and unexpected turn that the battle had taken. They had expected the insane youkai to pull something like this, but not so soon in the game. Now they were fighting against each other and that could be the end for all of them. Both Hyuuga and Sesshomaru were the most powerful demons alive. Who would win if they fought to the death?

"No!" Kagome screamed, releasing another deadly arrow of purification. It sailed straight and true toward the evil bitch that threatened the very existence of human and demonkind.

Inuyasha was ready, and when Kagome released the second arrow, he pulled the fully transformed Tetsusaiga up and called, "Wind Scar!" The blast of blinding light followed the path of Kagome's arrow, gouging up massive chunks of earth as it passed.

Sesshomaru smelled the wind scar as it raged toward them. He expected no less from Inuyasha. With one last swipe on his blade, he pushed Hyuuga back and took to the sky. He levitated to the left just as Kagome's arrow singed the tips of Asuza's long auburn hair. The witch screeched in fury, but there was no opportunity to retaliate as the Wind Scar followed with death in its path.

Hyuuga was suddenly released from the spell as Asuza's attention was jerked away. He shook his head clear of the fog just in time to see the entire eastern side of the castle explode.

Sango and Kirara swooped down from the sky as Asuza's army of youkai warriors began spilling from the castle depths. "Hiraikotsu!" Sango shouted as she released her spiraling boomerang. Miroku leaned forward and placed a quick kiss on her cheek before slipping from Kirara's back. "Farewell my lovely, Sango!"

Sango leaned over, making sure that her husband made it safely to the ground. "Be careful, monk!" She yelled with a wave, just before her blood coated weapon returned to her grasp. Kirara released a feral growl, and together they soared upward in preparation of releasing another attack on the enemy gathering below.

Miroku used the razor sharp circlet on the tip of his Shakoju to cut through the belly of a raging boar youkai. The beast howled in pain and dropped to the ground. With practiced ease, he then reached in his robe and slipped out a prepared sutra slapping it on the head of a bear that had approached him from the rear. The powerful holy magic disintegrated the demon into a cloud of dust.

Shippo turned from Miroku once he was sure his friend made it into the battle safely. He reached into his arsenal of tricks and sent a razor sharp leaf hurling toward an enemy. The emerald blade cut through the air neatly parting the youkai's face. It screamed in agony and fell to the ground. From the corner of his eyes, he spotted a lizard youkai raising his sword behind him. Shippo went down on one knee. The wind from the katana passed overhead, just missing him by a fraction. He wasted no time in retaliation by shouting "Foxfire!" and incinerating the reptile.

The battle was not going exactly as planned, but Uchuu felt it in his heart that they would prevail. He fought his way through the demolished gates, compliments of Inuyasha's magnificent blade. Now he understood Sesshomaru's wish to have the strength of the half-demon's sword joining their fight. He was also thankful that Inuyasha had never had the opportunity to release the blast his way.

Uchuu twisted to the right and was then forced to duck the swing of an enemy's naginata. Unfortunately, the bastard was quick to divert the path, stabbing for him once again. Uchuu leapt upward, barely dodging the blade. The youkai wielding it was skilled with his weapon and intent on skewering himself a monkey prince.

Uchuu growled and swept his tail around in order to knock the guy's feet from beneath him. "Damn!" It was a wasted move, as the tail he wished to use was no longer there. It nearly cost him, as the pole's reach gave the youkai an advantage. The blade at the end passed by his neck so closely that it actually drew blood. The enemy leered, thinking that he was superior in the fight. Uchuu flashed his fangs and concentrated on the power of his tusk, Kiba Shokkingu. As the naginata swung around once again, Uchuu was ready. He held up his sword and blocked the move, sending shocking waves of energy through the naginata.

The youkai screamed as his hands began to burn. The sizzle of his flesh sealed the deal; there was no escape. The electricity of his tusk would not release the youkai from its trap unless Uchuu willed it so—and he wasn't feeling generous today. "Die mother fucker!" Uchuu growled as the stink of burning flesh bombarded his nose.

General Juno gave a mighty wave, signaling the guards to join in the fray. He watched with satisfaction as Takimaru, Norio, and Hidakazu swept over the castle's rear defenses, mowing down any fool in their way. Human and youkai both screamed beneath their blades, and Juno chuckled with delight as he rejoined the fight leaving a path of destruction in his wake.

Hyuuga was once more battling against the white dog. It seemed the bitch would manipulate his great nephew and that was a big mistake. Juno had her in his sights, and he would ravage every enemy soldier that dared stand in his way. How dare the whore take control of his king!

With brute force and centuries of experience, Juno made a path through the enemy by slaughtering the fools in his path. At last he stood before the bitch. He laughed out loud with joyful eagerness to bring her down. She turned to him and captured his gaze.

Asuza studied the elder male warrior with a combination of reverence and hate. It was clear that he had destroyed many of her soldiers in eagerness to challenge her for a fight. "You are making a grave mistake," she announced with a snide smirk.

"We shall see about that, wench. This Juno is here to take your head!"

He came at her, and Asuza dodged him easily. The old monkey was agile for his age, however, and used the momentum to twist around and jab his sword toward her kidneys. She gasped when she felt the sting of his blade. Her eyes narrowed in anger, and she was no longer in a mood to play. Asuza reached out behind her and raked her claws down his face. He grunted, but merely chuckled at her obstinately.

Asuza gave a flick of her wrist and readied her claws for her final attack. The old general thought he had the upper hand now, but he would soon see the error of his thinking. He lunged, and she spun in a cloud of soft pale chiffon. She kept spinning and using the illusion to confuse him. As she suspected, he stood ready, waiting for her to make a move. Unfortunately for him, he would never see his death coming.

Asuza ejected her dart-like claws, and they emerged from her spinning pastel vortex with lightening speed. She watched as nine of the projectiles embedded themselves deeply into the burly warrior. He grunted, bent over and grabbed at his gut. It wasn't until he looked up with dulling blue eyes that she realized he took one right in the forehead. At first, she had assumed the tenth one missed. It was nice to know that she still possessed accurate aim.

She looked down at her long fingers and watched new claws sprout from the tips. Sadly, this meant that she would require a fresh manicure. It was annoying since she had just finished with the last.

Kagome and Inuyasha made their way closer, fighting against every youkai that got in their way. Inuyasha had even been forced to cut down dozens of human soldiers that refused to back down. Behind them, the ground was littered with bodies of dead and dying men. As a miko, she mourned the loss of life, but as a warrior she pushed the sorrow away. She had to remember that those men served Asuza, and they had to do what was necessary to stop her plague on Japan.

            ;            &n bsp;           

" Up there, Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted as he sliced through the belly of another bastard in his way. Before she even had a chance to acknowledge him, he wrapped his arm around her waist and jumped. She released a little 'eep' from her surprise, and he chuckled. It was funny to him how they had been through this hundreds of times, yet he could still surprise her that way.

At the top of the tower walk, Inuyasha quickly shoved Kagome behind him and faced the three soldiers that rushed forward to kill them. "One!" He counted as he cut through the torso of the first. "Two," after he took the leg of the second. "And three's a charm," he growled, promptly beheading the bastard foolishly charging his way.

Kagome grimaced as the head of a human rolled next to her foot, leaving wide unseeing eyes staring up at her. "Gross!" she squeaked and kicked it, sending it falling over the walkway and down to the ground below.

From this height they could get a good look at the battle below, as well as the one being played out in inhuman speed above. Hyuuga and Sesshomaru clashed against one another, again and again. The metal twang of their swords rang out as they blocked each deadly blow. Sesshomaru was limited in his attacks, as his sword was not nearly as powerful as Tenseiga, yet Hyuuga seemed to be holding nothing back. It was clear, however, that what Sesshomaru lacked in sword power, he made up for in skill. He used his poison and his claws as well as the frightening jyaki whip. Together, the two youkai powerhouses darted through the air, landing on rooftops and destroying nearly everything around them.

Kagome felt her breath catch when Hyuuga used his tail to snatch Sesshomaru's feet from beneath him. The inu lord went down hard on his back, sliding a short way down the slope of the roof he had landed on. Before Hyuuga could raise his arm and jump down to destroy him, Kagome sent an arrow flying his way.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Inuyasha cried in disbelief.

The arrow struck Hyuuga's transformed blade rendering it suddenly useless. Kagome quickly realized that by saving Sesshomaru, she had just drawn the attention to herself. Hyuuga looked up from his prey and met her eyes with a cold glare. Asuza stood nearby, angrily pointing in her direction, and Kagome gulped when the demoness gave the monkey king the order to attack.

"Damn it!" Inuyasha growled. He jumped in front of Kagome and shouted "Run!"

Before the word fully escaped his lips, Hyuuga was in front of him.

"Saya? Are you in there?"

Faintly, Saya registered the sound of someone tapping at her door. The knocking was bringing her back to awareness, which was now a very painful place to be. She groaned softly, hoping that whoever was there would go away.

"Saya? It's me, Kanako.

In an effort to answer, Saya opened her mouth, but the swollen and bruised condition of her jaw caused the sound to come out garbled. There was also a terrible coppery taste in her mouth that could only be blood. She tried to spit the disgusting fluids out, but her lip was split and enlarged, so the stuff merely drooled down the side of her face.

"Saya! Are you sick? I can hear you in there. Open up."

Kanako was growing concerned. Her cousin, Etsumi, sent her looking for Saya because she never came back from the noonday meal in order to finish her work. That was unlike her cousin who often worked longer and harder than any of the others. Kanako knocked once more on the bamboo door. "I'm coming in, Saya, whether you like it or not."

Kanako hated to invade Saya's room without permission but after hearing the odd sounds from within, she feared her cousin might have fallen seriously ill. She quickly slid the door open and peeked inside. It took her eyes a minute to adjust to the darkness, but as soon as she could see, she realized that Saya was in real trouble. "Saya!" She gasped and ran to her side.

At first she thought that her cousin was very ill, but now that she kneeled beside her, she could see that she was wrong. Saya was not sick. She was hurt—and badly! "Oh Kami! Saya, answer me!" She cried, fearing the worst. Her pretty face was swollen and horribly bruised. The light from the hallway cast an eerie hue over the dried blood caked to her face. She was balled up in a fetal position and clutching at her side. Kanako couldn't tell if she had been wounded further, and so she attempted to gently push her over in order to determine the extent of her injuries.

"Nnnggg...oohhaa..." Saya groaned in pain.

Kanako's heart was beating madly in her chest. She was afraid Saya might actually die. "Oh Saya, this is horrible. Who has done this to you?" Even as she asked the question, Kanako had a very good idea with whom the answer lay. Saya opened her swollen lips and mouthed "Uhh...lll."

"That wretched old drunk!" Kanako exclaimed. "How could he be so cruel?!" Tears were falling from her eyes, and she angrily reached up with shaking hands and wiped them away. "I must get help. You could die like this. I have to find someone to help!"

Saya began to panic all over again. Her breaths became quick and labored, and she tried to reach out and stop Kanako. If her uncle was to find out, there was no telling what he might do. "Nnno," she murmured, begging Kanako not to leave her alone.

"I have to, Saya. I will return right away."

Saya could only think of one person who she trusted to help her. Only one person had enough love and power to try and heal her. "Ka...go...e." The name came out distorted, and she was unsure if Kanako understood, so she tried again, "Ka...go...e."

"Your miko friend?" Kanako asked. When Saya made a strained nod, she leaned in and patted her gently. "I will find her and be back as quickly as I can."

Leaving Saya alone was not something that she wished to do, but Kanako knew her cousin was severely wounded and needed someone with healing skills to come to her aid. After sliding the narrow shoji door shut, she hurried down the hallway as quickly as her warm dotera would allow. Everyone in the village knew where the miko and her uncanny group of companions were staying, so she headed up the street toward the Ro-tasu Inn.

Rin was sitting in the dining hall while enjoying a late afternoon meal with Lady Sumiho. She had been briefly introduced to the kind lady the previous day by Kagome-sama. It was interesting to meet another human woman that lived with youkai. Even Kagome did not share that trait, as she lived in a human village. Lady Sumiho was even married to a youkai, and Rin thought that to be fascinating, especially considering her feelings for Shippo.

The two of them were almost finished with their meal when a young woman rushed in the front doorway while frantically looking around. As soon as she spotted the inn keeper's wife, she hurried over and gave the woman a quick bow.

"Greetings Atsuko-sama. It is important that I speak to the miko that is staying here. She goes by the name Kagome."

The elder woman raised a curious brow at the young girl and shook her head. "The miko is not here, girl. She departed early this morning with a band of youkai."

"Oh no," Kanako hissed with panic. "What shall I do now?" She whispered to herself with renewed fear.

Both Rin and Sumiho had witnessed Kanako’s panicked question and walked to her side. Lady Sumiho kindly said, "Please do not think us too forward, but we are friends of Lady Kagome. Perhaps we can be of assistance?"

Kanako turned to the two, taking in their kind faces etched with concern. They were friends of the miko. Maybe, just maybe they could help. "Please, come with me! It is Saya. She is in desperate need of help."

"Saya-chan?" Rin echoed, suddenly feeling much more concerned than before. "What is wrong with her?"

"Please! She needs help."

"Hai!" Rin answered with a determined nod. Together the three of them rushed from the inn and hurried down the boardwalk a short distance before crossing the snow covered roadway. When they reached the entrance to the kimono shop, Kanako held up her hand, putting her finger to her lips in warning for them to be quiet. She slid the door back a little and peeked in side. After making sure that her uncle was not lingering about, she opened the door wider and waved the two females in.

After slipping off her shoes, and the others doing the same, Kanako guided them through the meandering corridor and out toward the personal quarters of the workers. At Saya's doorway, Kanako knocked quickly and called out her name but did not wait for an answer. She quickly slid the door back and entered the room, before hurrying to the half-melted candle in the corner and lighting it.

"Oh dear!" Sumiho uttered in shock.

Rin fell to her knees beside of her sweet new friend and sobbed, "By all that is evil! Who could have done such a thing?"

Saya could hear Rin. She recognized her voice right away. She did not know the other woman, however, and she did not hear Kagome. "Ka...go...e." She croaked through thick swollen lips.

Rin leaned forward and brushed her hand gently over the girl's short tousled hair. "I am sorry, Saya-chan, but Kagome has gone." Through tears she tried to comfort the poor broken girl. "I will help you as much as I can. I often aid the wounded and sick where I live. Kagome taught me much of what I know."

Sumiho was horribly upset. This young woman had been horribly brutalized. She was obviously the blind girl that Rin has spoken of so highly during their meal. What kind of monster would beat a helpless woman that cannot even see to try and defend herself? It was terrible! Her face was covered in blood, and it was so swollen that she was unrecognizable.

Someone should pay for this unjust deed, but first they had to get the girl some treatment for her wounds. "What can I do, Rin-chan?" Sumiho asked.

Rin looked up from Saya and met the determined eyes of Lady Sumiho. It occurred to her that the lady was exceptionally kind, as she did not even know Saya personally. "Please return to my room and retrieve my saddle bag. In it there are various supplies that I always carry." She then sighed heavily and whispered, "I only hope that it will be enough."

Sumiho turned and fled the cramped room and raced toward the front doorway. She hastily slipped her shoes on and shoved her way outside. She was breathing heavily with panic and fear for the girl's life. There was no telling what horrible inner injuries she had sustained. What if she were bleeding within? How would they save her?

Frantically she pushed her way through the crowd of human and youkai trading their goods while blissfully unaware of her plight. She finally reached the inn and hurried inside. She did not notice the interested eyes taking in her near hysterical dash through the entryway. Sumiho ran through the corridor leading to Rin's private room. She quickly pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"Who are you, and why are you here?"

Sumiho gasped and looked around for the man that had spoken. Unfortunately, she didn't see a soul and her heart nearly stilled in her chest. Was it a ghost? Suddenly she heard the flutter of tiny wings similar to those of a large insect. She focused on the movement that came from one corner and found a tiny dragon sitting atop a tapestry. Her eyes grew wide and she said, "Are you the one that spoke?"

"I asked you a question. Why are you invading Lady Rin's room?"

Sumiho shook her head and blinked, thinking that perhaps she was imagining things. When she opened her eyes, the dragon was still there and looking at her expectantly. There was nothing to do but answer, so she said, "Lady Rin is trying to aid an injured friend, and she needs her bag."

Shin took flight and hovered before the human female. "An injured friend? Might I inquire as to whom you are referring to?"

"Her name is Saya, and she is hurt badly. There is no time to waste!" Without further discussion, Sumiho snatched up the heavy satchel and turned to leave.

"I shall accompany you."

Sumiho was a little taken aback when the small beast settled upon her shoulder, but she had no time to argue, she simply nodded and ran out of the room. After reaching the exit to the lavish inn, Sumiho hurried through the door only to be stopped dead in her tracks by three formidable figures staring back at her.

Queen Arisu, and ladies Aoi and Yukiko stood side by side with equally stoic expressions on their face. Their eerie eyes were studying her with an intensity that sent a shiver up her spine. They had never once paid Sumiho any attention, and she could not help feeling uncomfortable under their scrutinizing gaze. Had they decided to take advantage of Uchuu's absence and cleanse their clan of the only human intruder? Kami, she hoped that wasn't the case.

The youngest stepped forward and cocked her pretty head to the side. She blinked once, and Sumiho waited to hear what she had to say.

"You are distressed. Lady Arisu wishes to know why."

Sumiho was shocked but quickly suppressed the urge to express it verbally. These women were not the chatty type. Instead, she answered the question put to her. "A friend has been gravely injured, and I am bringing supplies to help."

"A friend?" The blue-haired Aoi repeated, seemingly fascinated with the concept.

"Hai. Her name is Saya." Sumiho supplied.

"Go to her. We shall follow."

The deep sultry voice of the queen nearly distracted her from the mission at hand. Sumiho had never heard her speak and was surprised that she wished to accompany her. Were they simply curious or bored? Why would these majestic creatures wish to bother with her efforts to bring healing aid to a human girl?

She asked the question before she could think twice. "Why do you care?" A smile crept over lady Arisu's face, and Sumiho wondered if it was a rare thing to see. The tall dark beauty did not seem like the type to smile easily. She hoped that it wasn't a prelude to her demise. One swipe of her deadly claws and Sumiho would be kissing life good-bye.

Arisu looked down upon the brave human woman now married into their clan. Sumiho had no knowledge of their ways, and it was clear that she feared them, yet she had asked her question anyway. This must have been what Hyuuga saw in the girl. It was unusual for a mere human to push beyond their fear. "Our Lord Hyuuga has formed a lingering respect for you, Lady Sumiho. With his respect, you have garnered our own. In addition, you have married our prince-brother, Uchuu. You are our sister, is that not enough?"

Sumiho couldn't have felt more stunned even if one of the Gods had come down to give her a personal blessing. Her mouth fell open, and she stared at the three of them in amazement. These refined youkai females thought of her as their sister? It was a complete and total surprise. Only when Lady Yukiko stepped forward and whispered playfully, "It is unbecoming of a princess to gape," did she finally shut her mouth and smile.

Sumiho offered them a reverent bow with her thanks. "It is my deepest honor to call each of you sister, and I am moved by your concern. If you wish to come with me, then please do. I would like nothing more."

As Sumiho turned and hurried away, a tiny voice whispered into her ear.

"For a moment there, I thought that you were certainly going to be turned into human mush."

Sumiho gave a soft chuckle and replied, "So did I, dragon. So did I."

In moments they reached Saya's small room. The formidable youkai females only made the small space seem unbelievably cramped. Rin glanced at them curiously when they appeared, but made no comment. Kanako backed away warily upon their appearance, but Sumiho quickly tried to calm the girl. "Kanako-chan, Lady Rin, it is my honor to introduce my..." Sumiho looked at the three of them staring back expectantly and said, "…sisters, Queen Arisu, Lady Aoi and Lady Yukiko."

Both Rin and Kanako bowed in respect before Rin proceeded to care for Saya. Sumiho took up a cloth and began carefully cleaning the blood from Saya's face while Kanako held a bowl of water at the ready. Rin opened Saya's ruined kimono and grimaced at the bruised condition of her stomach and ribs. Her body was covered with tiny cuts and scrapes. How could anyone be so depraved?

Suddenly a ruckus down the hallway drew the attention of all the women in the room. Saya instinctively whimpered and tried to draw her body up. The man was shouting and demanding to know who had invaded his home and workplace. Rin looked toward the door fearfully, hoping that the man would not try to further harm Saya. She would not allow it! Before she could rise to defend her friend, Queen Arisu spoke.

"Continue, girl. The fool will be dealt with."

Tsuneo stumbled down the hall in a fit of fury after hearing from one of his daughters that there were strangers roaming his house. He searched the corridors and several of the rooms and was only now entering the personal quarters. He noticed Saya's door open, and he pushed the feeling of guilt away. She was an impudent girl and deserved her treatment! He could not let her get away with disobedience over...what was it that she had done? Oh yes! For hiding the miko! At first thought of the miko his search took on knew meaning. Perhaps it was the miko that his daughter spotted roaming his house? If it was, then he would have her at last!

Just as he reached the doorway, a very tall ebony-haired youkai female stepped out to face him. He could tell she was no human, for her eyes were dark and eerie, and she had pointed ears. She had a slender black mark that looked like a tear spilling from the corner of her eye while the pattern continued making a narrow, wavy trail down her face.

More youkai in his private sanctuary! How dare these beasts invade his home! "You are not welcome here, youkai!"

Arisu turned up her nose at the blast of stinking stale sake on his breath. It was clear to her that this disgusting mortal was the one that cruelly beat the friend of Sumiho. His stench was unmistakable, and she could smell his sick vengeance lingering on the girl. She ignored his demand and took one step forward, satisfied when he backed fearfully away.

"You have caused my sister pain by harming her friend."

"What?" Tsuneo snapped. "I don't know what you are talking about! Get out of my home! Now!"

Arisu sneered at the impudent human. By his scent alone she could tell he was a wastrel beyond repair. His body was decrepit and faulty from years of too much drink. It sickened her that he would use his power as a male to abuse those in his household. A clan was meant to be cherished and protected. This male abused his station as alpha, and she had no qualms with removing him from this plane.

Her hand came out of her sleek and rather scanty black robes. She pointed long slender fingers, tipped with equally long and immaculately manicured black claws. The man stepped back again, realizing now that he was in imminent danger. He began to stumble backwards, afraid to remove his eyes from those of the beastess now stalking him like prey.

In less than a blink of one mortal eye, Arisu was upon him. Her hand covered his face and her fingers spread out. He attempted to struggle, but she merely laughed at his attempts. With the slightest flex of her claws, the sharp talons burrowed through his flesh and deep into his skull. Her specialized claws proceeded to pull the life-force from him, and she watched as his horrid body began to wither and shrink. She felt his very essence flowing into her body and smiled as she drank him in.

When there was nothing left but a dried husk of bone and leather-like flesh, she withdrew her claws and stepped away.

"Less than satisfying," she murmured dispassionately before turning to re-enter the room where her sisters waited.

Rin glanced up as the statuesque youkai queen returned. It didn't escape her notice that the man who had just recently been shouting vulgarities was suddenly very silent. She found it hard to care, however, when it was most likely him that caused Saya so much pain. After wrapping her chest as well as possible, Rin finally sighed. "I can do no more for her. I wish that I had the healing powers that Kagome has, but I do not. I am afraid that one of her ribs has caused serious damage to her inside organs. The bleeding beneath the skin seems overly strange."

Sumiho released a soft sob of frustration. "If only Kagome-sama were here!"

Lady Arisu looked to Yukiko and immediately the younger woman understood. She stepped up and laid a comforting hand on Sumiho's shoulder and said, "The miko with our Lord Hyuuga is the one you speak of?"

"Hai," Sumiho said with despair in her voice.

Yukiko squeezed gently and asked the young healer, "Rin, would the girl survive a trip to the miko?"

Rin looked down at Saya and weighed the options. She could die either way. The female youkai were willing to help, but how far were they willing to go? "I cannot say for certain, but her chances would be far greater if we could reach Kagome before nightfall."

Yukiko gave the girl a curt nod, released Saya's shoulder, and then stood up straight. "Come then. We will take you to the miko."

"You will?" Sumiho asked in disbelief.

Aoi smiled to her mortal sister and attempted to make her understand their position. "You are clan, Lady Sumiho, and it would distress you if the human were to die. What is it to us to carry you three to the miko? It is no great task in order to ensure your peace of mind. After all, clan takes care of clan."

Lady Aoi walked over to the wounded female and gracefully knelt down to pick her up. She weighed no more than a feather in her arms and groaned miserably when jostled. "Forgive me," she whispered to the girl. Once she had her comfortably in her arms, the group began to exit the small suffocating space.

Rin followed the three youkai women out of Saya's room, pursued closely by Lady Sumiho and Kanako. It was only after the three of them were hurrying down the corridor that they became aware of the old man's fate. Kanako gasped in recognition. "Uncle Tsuneo!" Rin turned and grabbed the girl's hand to steady her as they passed the grisly sight.

He was nothing but a dried husk beneath layers of loose cloth. The body was barely recognizable as having once been human. Rin felt a shiver of unease tickling her spine. The queen of the monkey clan was definitely a dangerous foe.

Once they reached the end of the walkway, Kanako stopped and bowed to Rin and Sumiho, while the youkai continued on. "Doomo Arigato Gozaimasu. You have been very kind to help me with Saya-chan, but I must now leave her in your care. The others will have to be informed of Uncle Tsuneo's death. I must go to them right away."

"I understand," Rin replied. "I am sorry for your loss, but in truth, I cannot say that I am sorry that he has been killed. For what he has done to poor Saya-chan...It was unforgivable."

"Hai," Kanako said with a sad little sigh.

Rin and Sumiho quickened their steps and hurried to catch up to the long-legged females ahead of them. Once they stepped out of the kimono makers shop and onto the crowded street, people began parting and scurrying away from the powerful youkai carrying a wounded Saya. They continued to stare with open curiosity as Rin and Sumiho joined them.

Yukiko reached out and grabbed Rin's hands and said, "You will come with me." Rin nodded in understanding, but could not help feeling a little nervous. She had only ever traveled with Lord Sesshomaru and Ah-Un. How would this young woman carry her over the distance? Would it be a terrifying ride?

Lady Aoi called to Sumiho. "Sister, I will transform and you will climb upon my back." She noticed Sumiho's nervousness and gave a soft smile of reassurance. "Do not fear. We shall fly together."

"F...fly?" Sumiho stammered. "I... uh...am honored, but I do not know if..."

"It is the only way, Sumiho-chan. You must be brave for your friend."

Sumiho finally found the tiny spot of courage hidden within and answered, "Hai. I will do as you say."

Lady Aoi and Lady Yukiko turned to their matriarch, awaiting her signal to proceed. Murmurs from the crowd could be heard all around them as they prepared to depart. Suddenly, Queen Arisu held up her hands and her eyes flashed from nearly black to red. The wind began to stir, causing the onlookers to step fearfully back. The gale twisted around her tall form while mixing with sand and debris. Arisu was still visible from within, her long dark hair whipping wildly around her back. With no warning at all, the whirlwind at once turned to solid black and from the mass rose a cloud of mist the same dark color, twisting this way and that. It spiraled upward into the air and hovered there like a giant ebony snake.

Yukiko smiled happily and grabbed Rin's hand. "Climb onto my back and hold on! This is going to be fun!"

Rin was less than sure of Yukiko's cheerful proclamation, but she quickly did as she was told. "I am ready, Lady Yukiko!" As soon as she spoke, the snow around her began to come alive. Banks of the freezing white fluff began to pulse and slither toward Yukiko as she held her hands up high. The winds began to wail, and the snow began to fall, but the thick white drifts barely touched the ground before they moved toward their host. Beneath Yukiko's feet, the snow began to grow into mounds. It churned and twisted, raising the two women higher and higher. Yukiko laughed out as the strength of her power was let free. Finally, the snow around her settled forming a monstrously large snow ball.

Aoi nodded once to Sumiho and called forth her power of transformation. There was a blinding flash of light that caused the gathered crowd to gasp and hide their eyes. When the explosion of light died away, Aoi's tall, sleek, crane-form was left standing in its place. Her beak was as very long, and Sumiho stared at the sharp instrument for a moment while attempting to catch her breath. Aoi's neck was slender and willowy, and her legs were strong and tall. Sumiho then noticed that the massive crane carefully cradled the limp body of Saya-chan in one huge clawed foot. Sumiho barely had time to take this all in before Aoi awkwardly lowered herself to the ground for her to climb on.

In minutes the trio of youkai took flight. Lady Aoi spread her glorious wings and sent several villagers stumbling backwards when she flapped them for the first time. Sumiho held on to the white feathers with a death-grip, constantly repeating a mantra of safety in her mind. As they lifted up into the clear afternoon sky, Sumiho chanced a glance down and spotted Rin and Yukiko riding a massive ball of snow. Lady Yukiko was laughing while her long hair billowed out behind her mixing with Rin's darker locks.

To her side, Sumiho saw the strangely eerie black mist slithering through the sky. Lady Arisu was definitely a mystery, a dark and dangerous female, but one that thankfully was on her side. Sumiho smiled to herself and leaned forward into the warm fluff of white feathers. Because of her love for Uchuu, she lost her human family, and even though she knew that she made the right choice, it saddened her. Now, she had a new family. They were strange and nothing close to human, but they had accepted her into their clan with kindness and respect. Perhaps a lone female living amongst youkai can find true happiness after all.

Sesshomaru parried a slash of Asuza’s sword, and barely dodged a swipe of her claws. Now that Hyuuga was out of his way, he could accomplish the mission that he came here for. "Die!" He hissed seconds before releasing a blast of his deadly Dakkasou. It was with great disappointment that the acidic poison within his claws never emerged.

"You seem surprised, Sesshomaru. Do you think that this Asuza can only control one mind at a time?"

Her wicked smile was like a punch in the face. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes in hatred. The witch was merely toying with him. She could have stopped his attacks long ago. "Why?" he growled.

"It amuses me to see you struggle so. Within you is such determination and resolve." She paused for a moment and made a flamboyant show of flipping her lustrous hair over her shoulder before continuing. "Besides, it has been a while since I had a good workout. I needed the exercise."

Her blatant disregard for his efforts only fueled his fury. Sesshomaru felt the urge to change come upon him and mentally weighed the advantages of continuing the battle in inu form. Obviously, Asuza saw the contemplation in his crimson eyes and quickly took the decision from him. His body became hers once more. He felt the loss of control as he would feel a sword slicing through his belly. All the fear returned at once to come crashing down upon him.

Once again, he was Asuza’s slave.

Inuyasha stopped the powerful lunge of the taiyoukai with brute strength and his overwhelming drive to protect Kagome from harm. Hyuuga seemed obsessed with getting to her, swinging his blade toward him as a mere means to clearing a path. It was obvious that his only goal was to kill Kagome. Inuyasha knew that he was being controlled. He could tell by the dull look in his eyes. Asuza was the source of this fucking problem, and if he took her out, then her control would be gone.

'Damn! The mother fucker just won't give me a shot!'  Hyuuga was too fast, and too damn strong to give him a chance to hit Asuza with the wind scar. Hell, he couldn’t even take his damn eyes off of the bastard. It was all he could do to keep him at bay!

They clashed blades with ferocity unmatched. Inuyasha knew that he could not keep this up. Unexpectedly, Hyuuga's intense focus slipped. Inuyasha could see the dullness in his eyes fade a little and the sword in his claws hesitated. He was tempted to end it by gutting the son-of-a-bitch, but he knew Hyuuga was only being used by Asuza. Instead, he took the opportunity to punch the asshole in the face.

The punch caught him unaware and sent him hurling backward. Hyuuga regained control in mid-air, flipping his body to land squarely on his feet in a crouch. He used the force from the landing, redirecting it to spring forward and catch the foolish half-breed unprepared. The dagger of ice that materialized in the palm of Hyuuga's free hand was hurled with immortal strength and speed. It struck Inuyasha just below his heart, sending the boy staggering back.

Kagome screamed and jumped forward but stopped in her tracks. She dared not interfere. The battle was too close to her already, and she had no room to release an arrow. She was afraid for Inuyasha when he grunted with pain yet relieved that he did not let it stop him. He jumped right back into the battle, blocking Hyuuga before he could come after her again.

Suddenly, Lord Hyuuga stumbled and shook his head attempting to clear his mind of the witch's spell as well as shaking off the powerful blow sustained from the impertinent hanyou. Asuza was using his body to fight her battle and that was enough to leave him in a rage. "How dare she?!" He growled furiously as he tried to maintain control. Her power was weakened now from what it had been, but still she was there in his mind telling his body to kill the miko.

Kagome watched Inuyasha battling against Hyuuga while anxiously gripping her bow. It was clear that Inuyasha was holding back because he knew Hyuuga was being controlled, but for how much longer could he do that? The wound on his chest was bleeding so badly!

When she first noticed Hyuuga falter, she was surprised. It quickly became obvious that Asuza's mind control was slipping. The question of 'why' had barely filtered into her mind when the answer she sought was presented to her in frightening form.

Kagome gasped, and her eyes grew wide when she felt warm breath blowing on her neck. She turned around quickly while drawing her recently acquired feudal era knife. It was a meager weapon against a taiyoukai—a weapon that she had no desire to wield. Sesshomaru stood stiffly, staring down at her with crimson eyes. She barely had time to register the danger before she was forced around and snatched back roughly against him—held in place by a stifling grip on her throat.

In his long life, even in the dark days that he spent in the dungeon alone, Sesshomaru had never experienced this level of staggering terror. Beneath his lethal claws lay the soft, frail skin of the only woman he ever loved. He could feel the frightened jump of her pulse tapping against the razor sharp edges and knew, without a doubt, that the tiniest bit of pressure would end her life. Her blood would flow over his hands, and she would be lost to him unless he could find Tenseiga in time. Unfortunately, he had no idea if his sword was still held within the castle and if it were not, he might lose her forever.

His body was not his own. In his mind he fought against the invasion of Asuza's will, but the strength of the amulet was too powerful. It was all he could do to simply stay his claws and hold off the killing blow. How had it come to this? Never in his mind had he envisioned this scenario! He entered this battle with the understanding that Asuza might gain control of his body, but had he known she would use him to kill Kagome, he would rather have died.

"Let her go, Sesshomaru!"

Kagome opened terrified eyes and croaked, "Kouga!"

Kouga snarled in fury at the demon holding Kagome in a death grip. He spotted Inuyasha still hacking away at the monkey king—doing little to bring the bastard down. It pissed him off that the fool had not been protecting Kagome. "I'm gonna kick your ass when this is over, mutt-face! You were supposed to be protecting Kagome!"

Inuyasha ducked a slow, but powerful swing of Hyuuga's sword and felt a few of his silver hairs fall over the bridge of his nose. He could tell the monkey was fighting the spell, but he wasn't able to overcome it completely. His heart had nearly shot from the gaping hole in his chest when Sesshomaru turned on Kagome. It was enough to reinforce his desire to defeat Hyuuga in order to try and save her. Unfortunately, the stinking wolf made it there before him. "Shut up, you mangy wolf! Can't you see I'm a little busy here!"

Kagome was shaking with fear, but she could still tell that Sesshomaru was struggling to regain control. His body was rigid and his claws were twitching just the slightest bit. Maybe she could help him? "Sesshomaru, please. Fight it. Don't let her win."

His angry snarl sent warm breath over her neck raising goose bumps over her flesh. What would happen? Would he kill her? 'Gods, Asuza is evil for doing this!'  Her blue eyes, full of tears that refused to spill, blinked and narrowed angrily. Asuza deserved to die! She was the most horrible creature that they had ever encountered. She was power hungry and mad, killing innocents and controlling the minds of others. No one had that right!

"Kouga!" Kagome called through clenched teeth. "It's Asuza—she's controlling them both! You have to stop her!"

Kouga flexed his claws and growled. He didn't want to leave Kagome beneath the claws of the taiyoukai. It made sense, though, that stopping Asuza would release her spell on them. After a moment's deliberation, he nodded and said, "Hang tight, Kagome. I'll kill the bitch!"

++++

"No!" Yumiko screamed when she saw the white inu grab Kagome. Her instincts to save her friend came to the forefront, and she dashed forward to try and save her. The attempt was abruptly cut short when her husband snatched her back.

"Release me at once!" She shouted to Saburo while tugging violently on her captured arm. He refused to loosen his grip, so her free hand swung out and connected hard with his face. Still, he did not let go!

"Calm yourself, my wife," Saburo warned. "I have my assignment, and I will see it through."

"I do not care!" Yumiko growled and yanked hard on her arm. "I have to help her!"

"No. I will not let you join the fight. It is imperative that we stay hidden. Asuza must not know that you are here."

Yumiko furiously spat at him. In her hysterical drive to assist one of her only friends, she vented her anger at the only available source. "You are a pig!" She snapped. "Asuza," the name came out in a sneer. "You mean your lover!"

Saburo shook his head, hating that she would unleash her tongue with such venom. "Once…she was. It is a stain on my honor that I will never forget. You need not remind me."

At his sorrow-filled words, Yumiko lost the will to fight against him. She released a harsh sob of fear and regret as her body slumped in defeat. Saburo quickly pulled her to his chest and stroked her long pale hair lovingly. He kissed her head and held her while she regained her composure.

Yumiko sniffled and mumbled a heartfelt apology. "Forgive me, husband. I should never have said such horrible things."

"I understand, Yumiko. You have a brave heart and desperately want to help your friend, but you are our last hope. If the others can not defeat her on their own, we will need your help. I have to keep you safe until the time is right." Silently he prayed that the time would never come when he was forced to put his sweet wife in the midst of this deadly battle. He hoped with all his might that the others would defeat Asuza without the need to endanger Yumiko.

Saburo looked up and watched the intense struggle for control unfolding. It appeared the wolf was attempting to engage Asuza. Inuyasha continued to hold off Lord Hyuuga, and Lord Sesshomaru fought against the mental command to kill the miko. Saburo wished that he could help. He would protect the miko, if only to save his wife from the pain of losing one of her only friends. Unfortunately, he was destined only to watch from the sidelines. It was decided by the lords that he would keep Yumiko hidden and protect her until such time when they needed her special talent. Lord Hyuuga was reluctant to bring her at all, as she was mostly untrained.

Saburo was proud that she was learning to fight and defend so quickly. They had spent nearly every day since they were wed sparring, and he had taught her much. Unfortunately, one could not acquire skill for battle in only a couple of weeks.  Yumiko was still vulnerable, and Hyuuga had no wish to chance her being harmed. It was the monkey king's concern for Yumiko that gained Saburo's complete loyalty. Only a truly honorable ruler would go so far to protect those in his care.

++++

Asuza smirked at the arrogant wolf as he approached. How dare he think to challenge her? He was a pathetic barbarian with little power and useless skills. It was a nuisance because she was already struggling to maintain control over the two taiyoukai. Their minds and bodies were unbelievably strong, and though she would not admit it, together, they were wearing her down.

The amulet did have its limits, as everything in life does. With it, she could hold dozens of humans and lesser demons under her control at once, but taiyoukai were different. Their overwhelming strength was difficult to orchestrate in pairs. It was not something that she had expected either, having never had the opportunity to test the jewel's power on more than one at a time.

It was disappointing that the two of them had joined forces against her. That was something that she had not foreseen. Her sources said that the monkey king and the inu lord were rivals—audacious enemies that avoided one another for the most part. How irritating it was to see them together as allies. Most vexing of all was that they chose a day to attack when she was most vulnerable. Her second in command was away. Iku was not due to return from Nobunaga's stronghold until nightfall. She would have to fight them alone.

Asuza took the wolf's measure, slowly perusing his solid body and bright blue eyes. He was a handsome beast, but it was completely inconsequential. Not one with whom she would waste time. "Be gone wolf. This Asuza has no time for your interference."

Kouga snorted and flashed her a toothy smirk. "Well make time because I'm about to take your head."

He lunged at her, and she gracefully back flipped landing on her hands and somersaulting over until she was again on her feet. The strange soft fabric draped around her body floated with her movements and gave the maneuver an otherworldly appeal. Kouga wasn't blind. The woman was a seriously fine piece of ass, but her wickedness quickly suffocated her beauty, leaving nothing but corruption staring back.

Kouga ran at her, jumped, and sent a kick to her face. The shrew grabbed his leg and snatched, nearly sending him to the ground. He recovered and twisted his body, sending a kick back that connected with the junction of her knee.

Asuza cried out and went down.

As soon as Asuza was distracted, her spell weakened on the taiyoukai. Sesshomaru immediately dropped his claws and turned Kagome in his arms. With warm golden eyes full of concern, he looked her over for any signs of injury. Seeing none, but feeling her distress, he pulled her to his chest and held her gently there until both of them could calm down.

After Kagome's terrifying ordeal, she was now being comforted by the very one who had threatened her life. She could hear the frantic beat of his heart and knew that he was terribly upset. She sought to reassure him and reached out, wrapping her arms around his waist. She could feel the claws that so recently lay against her throat stroking gently through her hair. His head was lowered and his cheek was at rest against the top of her head. Kagome felt like she had just come home.

She was going to ask him. It was the perfect time. Kagome opened her mouth to form the words that would bring the answers to all of her questions, but the words never came.

"Sesshomaru! Get the hell away from her!"

Kagome felt Sesshomaru stiffen, and then he reluctantly pulled away. With his warmth gone, she felt a cold shiver set in. The memory of his embrace left her amazed at how perfect it had felt to be held so lovingly in his strong arms. Once her faculties returned, Kagome looked around and found Lord Hyuuga and Inuyasha standing close by. Inuyasha had a furious look on his face while Hyuuga was fully absorbed in the battle going on between Kouga and Asuza.

Suddenly, Sesshomaru's smooth baritone drew her eyes, and she looked up to his handsome face. His eyes, too, were focused on the battle being played as he said, "Her control weakens considerably with three opponents. This Sesshomaru can still feel the pull of the jewel's control, but it is markedly reduced."

"Hai," Hyuuga agreed. "And when she became injured it was at its weakest."

Inuyasha huffed and swung his massive sword up to rest on his shoulder, ignoring the stabbing pain of his injury. "Fine then. We'll attack her together."

Asuza came up from the ground with the agility of a cat and the strength of leopard. Her eyes burned red and her auburn hair moved with the invisible force of her jyaki. She was furious with the insolent wolf; he was proving more troublesome than she first thought. Now she had lost control of Hyuuga and Sesshomaru. Her fangs elongated in her mouth and her claws itched for release. Her voice was husky when she said, "You will die today, wolf!"

"I don't think so!" Kouga growled, spinning to gain momentum before releasing a kick with enough force to send her crashing into the wall behind her. The structure imploded, and he lost track of her for a moment in the flying dust and debris. Suddenly, he felt his body twist in excruciating pain. It felt as if his muscles were turning against themselves, twisting unnaturally and overpowering his mind. He cried out in agony as he fell to his knees. He clutched at his chest and felt the muscle of his heart tighten. She was killing him from the inside out!

"Kouga!" Kagome screamed in horror. She was still up on the guard planks and looked to Inuyasha for help. It was Hyuuga that spoke.

"It is time to bring in Yumiko. Send up your arrow, miko."

Kagome nodded and pulled an arrow from her quiver. She shot it high into the sky with enough purification to make it easily discernable from the other arrows flying about. With it, she sent a prayer of protection up for Yumiko and Kouga as well. Then she readied another arrow against her bow. This one would be the one she would let loose upon Asuza.

Saburo saw the sign and felt a moment of panic. He had hoped that it would not come to this, but here it was and it was time. He pulled Yumiko to him and kissed her soundly on the lips. He savored her soft response for only a second before pushing her back and holding both her shoulders. "They have given the signal. We must go. I will clear the way and when we reach her, you must do your best." He drew in a steadying breath and added, "Remember, Yumiko that I am with you. Remember that I love you."

Yumiko smiled warmly and stepped into his arms. "Oh, Saburo. I love you, too."

The embrace was short lived as the two of them broke to set forth in their mission. Saburo raced from the shelter of the forest, and Yumiko stayed close behind. Ahead of her, Saburo drew his sword and sliced through an enemy that attempted to stop their approach. The youkai fell and together they continued on. Inside the partially demolished fortress wall, it was chaos, but amazingly enough the allies were making short work of the enemy; even though, they were considerably out-numbered.

Saburo raced past the sweating monk that traveled with Inuyasha and then passed Prince Umito, who took a wound to his thigh before taking the head of his opponent. He pushed past the wolf brothers as they preformed some odd-looking technique that appeared more humorous than effective. Sadly, he spotted the fallen body of the monkey general surrounded by dead and dying enemies. General Juno had clearly died an honorable death.

Absently, Saburo reached back and grasped Yumiko's hand. She squeezed to reassure him, and he continued on. He cut through a stinking human male—the last mortal enemy standing— and then sliced through a malformed lizard youkai just behind him. He spotted Uchuu ahead and waiting for their approach.

Uchuu ran up to join his guardsman and his wife. "I will accompany you, Saburo, and ensure that Yumiko stays safe!"

Saburo nodded to his prince, but did not waste his breath in response. He remained focused on his goal. Asuza was emerging from the rubble, and it was clear that she was extremely annoyed. His cousin, Kouga, was writhing in agony on the ground, and Saburo knew that he would be killed if they did not make a move soon.

Uchuu saw two bear youkai racing toward them and knew that the big bastards were going to be a problem. He held up his sword and prepared to defend Saburo and Yumiko with his life. He jumped, lunging forward, connecting his boot with the chest of the one on the left. At the same time his arm came out, swinging his blade, and slicing through the shoulder of the burly male on the right. Neither of them sustained a killing blow, but it was enough to distract the bears from reaching Saburo and Yumiko.

"You'll pay for that monkey filth!"

"Bring it on, you ugly-ass bear!"

Saburo left Uchuu to the fight and continued pulling Yumiko through the fighting throng, over dead bodies, and beneath swinging swords. He was impressed with her ability to maneuver through the ongoing battle with ease. She kept pace behind him, never once slowing him down.

They were close now! Saburo could see the burn of Asuza's eyes as she focused all of her power on killing Kouga. He pulled Yumiko to the left, and dodged behind a wall before leaping over some debris then circling up from behind. Asuza stood just beyond the rubble that once was a sturdy wall. Saburo saw an opportunity there and led Yumiko around the back of the structure. He found a window on the un-maimed side of the building and kicked the frame, sending it crashing inward. The sound was inconsequential amongst the other shouts and war sounds.

Inside they scrambled over settling debris and only slowed when they came closer to the newly formed opening where Asuza had obviously been hurled. Saburo leaned forward and took Yumiko's face between his hands and whispered, "This is our chance. Come up behind her fast and grab her arms. She will try to take over your mind, but you have the advantage. Your job is to immobilize her."

"Right!" Yumiko replied with a curt nod. Saburo smiled and leaned in for one last kiss. He pulled away and said, "Be careful, my love." With that he released her and moved up against the outer wall. He looked out the opening and saw that Asuza was still distracted by making Kouga suffer as horribly as possible. They didn't have much time before she grew tired of playing. He looked up and met Yumiko's nervous yet determined eyes. He took one deep steadying breath and gave her the sign.

Kagome watched anxiously as Asuza continued to make Kouga suffer. She had already pointed her arrow at the hateful witch, but Lord Hyuuga and the others stopped her from releasing it. They were waiting for Yumiko to appear and did not want her to distract Asuza, but if they waited much longer, Kouga was going to die!

Suddenly, Yumiko came running out of the ruined building behind Asuza, surprising them all. They had lost sight of Saburo as he wove through the fight below. How he managed to get her into the building and behind Asuza was anyone's guess, but it was a brilliant idea. Asuza was completely unaware of her attacker, and in seconds, Yumiko had her firmly in her grasp.

"Now!" Hyuuga shouted, and they each raised their swords to send a powerful blast. Sesshomaru pulled every ounce of energy his weak excuse for a sword could hold and poured it forth toward the hated bitch, praying silently for her painful death. Hyuuga called upon the power of his Buriza-do Kiba. The Blizzard Tusk delivered a freezing dose of energy that blasted past Sesshomaru's attack.

From behind him, Hyuuga heard Inuyasha call out loudly, "Ready Kagome!"

"Ready!"

"Now!

Kaze no Kizu!" Inuyasha yelled.

Hyuuga watched in awe as the explosion of power left Inuyasha's huge blade. He felt the purifying power of the miko reach an uncomfortable level, forcing him and Sesshomaru to take several steps back. The arrow flamed so brightly that they had to shield their eyes as it plunked from her bow to shoot forward and join the swirling maelstrom released by Tetsusaiga. In a fraction of a second, the tempest swept up to join the strength of Sesshomaru's blast and then Hyuuga's. The swirling vortex of destruction hurled across the ruined bailey at remarkable speeds.

Saburo saw what had been unleashed and felt his heart still with fright. They had discharged a gale of unimaginable power…and Yumiko was standing right in its path! Suddenly he was faced with a decision. Hold out, and hope that Asuza's body shielded Yumiko from the blast, or save his wife from possible death. There really wasn't a choice for Saburo. He hurled himself out from his place behind the wall, raced toward Yumiko reaching out to grab a hold of whatever he could.

Yumiko was frozen in fear and unable to run even if she had tried. The explosion of power heading her way was definitely going to kill her, but if she released Asuza, her reign of terror would continue on, destroying thousands of lives. Just when Yumiko sent up a prayer for the Gods to give peace to her soul, she felt someone snatch a handful of her hair and pull.

"Let the bitch go!"

And she did. Yumiko instantly released Asuza as soon as she heard Saburo's voice and immediately was snatched away by the hair on her head. As soon as she hit the ground, she twisted around to witness the titanic explosion of power hurling toward Asuza.

Asuza was furious that she had been grabbed from behind and even more so when she realized that she could not gain control of the assailant's mind. Before she could turn and use her claws to force the cretin from her person, the baka let go. It happened so fast that it left Asuza confused…then she looked up and saw her fate.

The colossal blast of power could only have been a conglomeration of her enemies' power. She looked up to find Sesshomaru staring down from the castle wall with a satisfied smirk on his handsome face. 'So be it, then!'  She held his gaze, trying desperately to keep up her brave façade while her imminent death approached. There was no escaping it—that time had passed.

Despite Asuza's will, terror quickly took hold, consuming her in that final moment of her life. She released a horrifying scream as the blast hit, and before her body disintegrated, she raggedly cursed those that destroyed all of her future dreams.

Through the enormous onslaught of power, one brilliant light stood out beyond the rest. It was the purifying hamaya, and it hit the amulet hanging from Asuza's neck with unimaginable force. The stone shattered, turning instantly to red dust that began to writhe and swirl. The strength of the increasing storm grew until the dust particles became a cyclone beating against the onlookers flesh.

Kagome instinctively moved closer to Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, but even with one on each side of her, she still felt an ominous sense of something all around her. The dust was everywhere, unavoidable and slashing against their skin. She automatically reached up to pull her sleeve over her face, but already she could feel the stuff in her lungs.

Kagome looked down, trying to find her friends. She spotted Kouga pushing Ginta off of him and sent up a prayer of thanks that the quick thinking wolf had pulled his leader from the path of destruction. She quickly caught sight of Sango holding Miroku's sleeve while standing with one hand on Kirara. It was hard to see what was going on any further away. She blinked back the dust from her eyes and felt an arm go protectively around her. She leaned into the warmth and burrowed her face in the crook of Sesshomaru's arm, which he wrapped around her to shield her from the worst of the blast.

Sesshomaru was curious about the uncanny storm that seemed to be birthed from the destruction of the amulet. He automatically reached out to protect Kagome from the otherworldly dust thick in the violently churning winds. She moved against him trustingly, and he was feeling an immense amount of satisfaction, but just as quickly, she began to collapse. With a feeling of panic, he caught her and pulled her up against his chest.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted, then growled with anger and demanded, "What the hell did you do to her?"

Sesshomaru leaned down and sniffed, then listened closely to the strong beat of her heart. He pulled away when he felt her body warm, as if her powers were moving through her body just below her flesh. What happened was strange, but he could sense that she was uninjured. He looked up at the angry eyes of Inuyasha and saw the concern there. "This Sesshomaru has done nothing. The miko seems to be sleeping."

Down on the ground, Sango was choking on the dust."What is this, Miroku?"

"I don't know, Sango! Just hold on and cover your face with your mask!"

Sango spat the dust from her mouth, and then slipped her poison mask on—though she didn't see the need. It was only dust in the wind. Unfortunately, the mask did little to protect her eyes, and she was forced to huddle up to Miroku and close them until the storm passed.

Miroku tried to block the offensive dust from both himself and Sango, but it seemed to be taking a considerable amount of effort to keep his eyes open. He felt his holy power stirring in his blood and wondered at what the cause could be. Was it the strange red dust? He swayed. His legs grew weak. He tried to call out, "Sang…" but everything went black.

Sango felt Miroku collapse against her, and she followed him to the ground. "Miroku!" She screamed. "Houshi, answer me!" She leaned down, placing her ear above his heart and then exhaled with relief. It was beating just fine, and he was breathing normally, as if he were only asleep.

Rin and the others arrived at the moment that all hell broke loose. They had barely put their feet on the ground when a circling cloud of red dust and other debris came from the center of the castle. It was upon them before they had a chance to back away. Rin reached out for Sumiho and grasped her slender hand. The both of them pushed their way to Saya who Aoi still held in her arms. The demoness was back in humanoid form and attempting to shield the wounded human woman from the violent blast. Rin quickly covered Saya, using her own form to protect her from much of the punishing wind, while Sumiho held on to them both.

"What is this?" Sumiho shouted above the rumbling sounds of the whipping storm.

Queen Arisu stood tall, making no move to shield her body from the terrible sting of the dust particles. It was her answer that made Sumiho's worry grow. "I do not know, but I sense it is not of this world."

If it wasn't of this world, then what world was it from? Sumiho began to fear that it would grow until it consumed all of Japan. Just when she was going to suggest that they flee, the storm came to a sudden and astonishing halt. The wind was gone completely as if it had never been. Everywhere on the ground was a fine layer of red dust. It covered the trees and castle walls. It was in their hair and stuck to their clothes. Sumiho reached up and brushed at her head and watched as they fell, sparkling red in the fading sunlight. She coughed and spat on the ground, noticing that her spittle contained a reddish tint as well.

"Kami, it's everywhere," She groaned.

Rin nodded and pulled a piece of cloth from her sleeve to blow her nose. It came away red, and she spat red on the ground. "Yes. It is. How disgusting." She then turned to Saya and began wiping the stuff from her face with the underside of her sleeve. It was useless to do much more than that. Everything was coated with the stuff.

"Come. Let us seek our Lord Hyuuga and the miko."

Rin looked up at the sound of Lady Arisu's voice, and then joined Sumiho following after the three youkai. As they climbed over upturned earth and the remnants of the demolished fortress wall, Rin muttered, "I believe Inuyasha has been here." Sumiho gave her a curious look, but suddenly the girl spotted something of interest and yelled, "Master Jaken!"

Rin ran up to the fallen green body of her friend and fell to her knees beside of him. "Master Jaken, please speak to me!"

"Oh…my aching head. Stop shouting you ridiculous girl!"

Rin felt overwhelming relief when Jaken spoke. The familiar croak of his chastising words was a completely welcome sound. Through the years he had been her constant companion, her reluctant protector and confident. Jaken and Lord Sesshomaru were the closest things that she had to a family. "I am so happy that you are alright."

"Yes," Jaken groaned for effect. "I believe that I will survive, though the blow dealt to me in the heat of battle was a serious one indeed. It all started when..." His story was brought to an abrupt end when Rin dropped his head and ran off. She shouted over her shoulder. "I'll be back later to get you, Master Jaken. Just lie still and rest!"

Jaken groaned and rubbed his bald head. "That girl is a menace."

Rin spotted Lord Sesshomaru as he nimbly touched the ground with Kagome held in his arms. For a moment she was concerned for her miko friend. "Lord Sesshomaru, is Kagome-sama hurt?"

Sesshomaru looked up from the miko's sleeping face and met the concerned eyes of Rin. "The miko is unharmed, though the sleep seems unnatural."

"Just put her down, Sesshomaru! She's nothing to you," Inuyasha growled.

Sesshomaru turned to Inuyasha and met his brother's angry amber eyes. "You are wrong, Inuyasha. She is everything to me."

Inuyasha was stunned into silence, trying to process that strange and unwanted proclamation. It wasn't long that anger began to once again take hold. He was just about to make it clear to his asshole brother that Kagome was off-limits when the miko in question suddenly spoke. Unfortunately, what she said did not make him feel better at all.

"Sesshomaru…Mmm."

Inuyasha looked down at her with wide eyes. Why had she called his name? And why the hell had she sounded so cozy when she said it? Didn't she remember that he was their enemy? Didn't she remember all the times that Sesshomaru had tried to kill them both? "Ka…gome?" Inuyasha stammered with confusion and growing concern. Since they arrived in YoKaishi, he had noticed the two of them acting strangely. This only confirmed his suspicions that there was something more going on.

Suddenly, it hit him. Inuyasha looked up and met his brother's eyes. "It was you in the dungeon!"

Asuza passed into the netherworld, a world of empty darkness and little else. She looked around as she processed the facts. There was no light and no sound. She could smell nothing at all and realized then that if this was hell, she would suffer an eternity trapped in a bleak void.

A voice from behind her gave her a start, and she turned to face a slight woman enshrouded in an eerie green glowing light.

"Follow me."

Asuza looked the odd creature over trying to decide whether to fight or obey. "Is this hell?"

The girl never looked up, but she did answer. "It is not."

Asuza huffed with satisfaction. So she had managed to escape Yomi no Kuni? The dark netherworld was not her destination? Perhaps she wasn't dead after all. "Am I dead?" she asked, just to confirm her suspicions. The last moments before the combined force of her enemies raged toward her still played clearly across her mind.

"Very," the strange being said.

Asuza sighed in disappointment. It was such a shame. She had glorious plans for her future, and now they were all ruined. "Fine, then. Lead on."

They walked for a time, and Asuza began to wonder if the girl knew where she was going, and if so, how? She could see nothing. Even the sound of their moving feet was silent. When the glowing light of her guide stopped, Asuza looked on curiously. The girl turned to her and began an explanation that made her tremble with dread.

"For your crimes against man and youkai, you will be released to those whom you have ultimately wronged. Our Gods want nothing to do with you, but these Gods want you badly."

"Wh..what? What do you mean?"

She had barely stammered out the question when the girl unexpectedly disappeared, leaving her once again alone in the eerie darkness.

Asuza stood in place for several moments, hoping the girl would reappear, but she was quickly losing patience. What Gods had she angered? Or perhaps the girl only meant that she was revered? Maybe they wished to meet her and make her one of them? A pleased smile crept over her face. 'Yes. That would be a splendid reward for my efforts. Goddess Asuza. It has a nice ring to it.'

"This is the creature that found my beautiful necklace?"

The woman's voice boomed all around her, and Asuza jumped in fright. She stumbled around in a circle looking out into the darkness and trying to discern where it was coming from.

"It is." A deep male voice added. "And I am quite displeased."

A third voice joined the others; this one light and feminine. "Brother, that necklace should never have been made."

The same male voice quickly snapped a belligerent reply. "You, dear sister, should have minded your own affairs!"

"Enough!" The warning erupted in the dark abyss like a rolling shock of thunder.

All at once the darkness was gone.

Asuza looked around in amazement. She was in some sort of temple filled with brilliantly painted hieroglyphs. The stone ceilings rose in step-like progression reaching extreme heights and were magnificently adorned with walls inlaid of solid gold.

"Asuza Kobe, you have been delivered to Us for punishment. We accept this task with pleasure."

Asuza snapped her eyes from the towering splendor all around her to the one that spoke. She gasped in horror. The woman was tall and stocky with dark skin painted over in red, white, black and bone. She wore a terrible mask…or was that her face? It looked like a skull with sunken hollow eyes and a sharp yellow beak protruding from the nose. Her clothing reminded Asuza of her travels through deep jungles in a far away foreign land. Around her neck was strung a macabre necklace of severed human hands and a skull. She wore a headdress adorned with more of the white skulls, each lined up around her crown, staring outward with unseeing eyes. The female's thick lips turned up in a smile—baring overly-large, perfectly, white blunt teeth—making Asuza feel rather ill. Wherever she was at, this was no youkai realm.

"I am called Mictecacihuatl, known as Goddess of the Dead. I am the Keeper of the Bones and Queen of Mictlan—the Aztec Underworld, where I reign with my great husband, Mictlanteuhtli. You have committed many crimes against humanity. Even now, unnatural manifestations occur due to your meddling, and for that, Asuza Kobe, you must be cleansed of your sin."

Asuza shook her head dumbly, as if trying to deny her very fate. The terrifying goddess raised her hand and pointed to a blond-haired male god standing nearby. He was not as horrible looking as Mictecacihuatl. In fact, he was quite pleasing to the eye. He wore a headdress made of gold that rained down his back and strange animal skin pants—covered in flowers—stretched tight over his thighs. If it was not for his rather flat nose, Asuza would have considered making him her lover.

"This, Asuza Kobe, is the maker of the amulet you greedily stole. Meet Xochipilli, Prince of flowers, God of dawn, dance and love. Also the foolish youth that has fallen madly in love with Tlazolteotl and thought to present her with that amulet as a gift."

"A gift that Xochiquetzal stole before I could even cherish it!" Tlazolteotl shouted petulantly.

The Queen of Mictlan chuckled and shook her bony head. "Quiet, Tlazolteotl. You shall have your say soon enough." She then turned back to the prince. "This, Xochipilli, is entirely your fault. Had you not fashioned the charm, it would never have fallen into the wrong hands. You even went so far as to steal from my collection of Bones of the Dead! Those bones are to be kept in case the human race is destroyed and another must be created! How dare you steal from me!"

Her voice rumbled through the room making all before her tremble. Asuza was sure that she would have passed out from the force of it, had she not already been dead. The prince looked abashed, but merely shook his head.

"I thought to make my love a beautiful heirloom that she could wear and think of me for all eternity." He then huffed, "If you want to blame someone, blame my sister. She is the one that stole it in the first place. Had she hidden it better, it would never have been found."

Xochiquetzal raised her head arrogantly and looked down her bone-pierced nose. She wore a magnificent necklace woven with finely crafted beads that spread over her entire chest. The headdress she displayed was embellished with several small perched birds. When she spoke, it was chastising toward her brother. "Idiot! You made a necklace that contained unspeakable power just for that whore." She ignored Tlazolteotl's gasp of indignation and continued. "She is not named the Goddess of terror for just any reason. You chose to adorn that woman; the Goddess of prostitution, witchcraft, death and human sacrifice with an amulet that could control the minds of anyone not of a godly status!"

Xochipilli squared his shoulders in outrage! "She is also the Goddess of love and sexuality! Protector of Mid-wives and the Matron of Pleasure!"

"And of Sin. Eater of Filth!" Xochiquetzal snapped. "It was the stupidest thing that you have ever done. Had that amulet fallen into her hands the world would have been in unspeakable peril. So I took it to save you from your own folly. You should be thanking me."

"I want my necklace back!" Tlazolteotl whined.

"The necklace is gone and good riddance," Mictecacihuatl growled from her pedestal. "The point is that it was a dangerous thing to make, Xochipilli, containing the honored bones as well as your own blood!"

Xochipilli broadly grinned. "Yes, the blood was a stroke of genius. It gave the jewel a most pleasing red color."

Seeing that her speech was doing no good, Mictecacihuatl turned her full attention on the silent Japanese youkai that had dishonored them all by using the amulet against mankind as if she were one of Them—an Aztec God. "It is no matter. The fact remains that it was dangerous, and the proof of that is standing before you. Asuza Kobe, you are condemned to suffer the pains of purification through the eating of your flesh until all of your sins have been cleansed."

"Oh! I do love this part," Tlazolteotl exclaimed in glee. Her voice suddenly turned deep and gravelly while wickedly sharp teeth sprouted from a freakishly large mouth. "I eat slowly, and considering the magnitude of your corruption, I shall feast for a millennia!"

Asuza screamed in agony when the gnawing began, bringing with it unfathomable suffering that would torment her for centuries.

A/N: Asuza is dead at last! I hope that being eaten for a millennia is torturous enough for you blood thirsty folks out there eager for her to suffer. The battle is over, but the allies have still got work to do. Join me next update and discover the answer to many unresolved questions that I know you are wondering about.

If anyone is curious about the Aztec Gods and Goddesses, you can follow the links below and read about them like I did.

http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/aztec-mythology.php

http://ww w.mexicolore.co.uk/index.php?one=azt&two=god

http://en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Category:Aztec_mythology_and_religion

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