InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ War's Shadow ❯ Offensive ( Chapter 11 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

11 – Offensive

With a feeling of malicious glee, Kanaye descended on the fortress's battlement before Ashihei's soldiers even knew what hit them. Within moments, bodies were being sent flying over the fortress walls to meet a long descent into the lake on the other side. He moved with the centuries of honed practice that had been trained into him until the skills were closer than second nature. It was thoroughly invigorating, particularly now that Zadi's words concerning Sashe's fate were ringing loudly in the back of his skull. He fully intended on not leaving a single survivor on this island. It would be a grave by the time he was done with it.

He sliced the head from the shoulders of another soldier, and then, taking advantage of the momentary cessation of opponents, he stalked across the wide stone walkway. The waves of the lake washed loudly against the fortress walls behind him, creating a soothing, serene effect on this night that would prove to be the last for anyone he could manage to get his sword through. The sounds of dozens of booted feet stormed up the stairs to his right and he smirked at their approach, feeling as though he was securely in his own skin, doing what made him most comfortable.

Ignoring the oncoming group of youkai, Kanaye quickly sheathed his sword and reached for one of the massive urns that burned with a horrible, oily smell. He lifted the weighted urn and threw it heavily toward the roof of the main house, watching with satisfaction as it broke through the rooftop. Casting a derisive glance back at the oncoming soldiers, he slowly withdrew his sword once more and turned to meet them. A few swings took out the first wave, and Kanaye felt something very akin to disappointment. These guys had to be Eizan's rejects, sent to guard this godsforsaken outpost because they were completely incompetent.

As he finished separating another head from its shoulders, the hair on his neck and arms suddenly stood on end, a warning of impending purification. His head came up at the sudden explosion of purple light that followed the arrow's arrival. Two more of Ashihei's soldiers were felled by this display of holy powers, and Kanaye turned his face up to the sky, snarling his displeasure at Sesshoumaru's dragon beast and the two women that were perched overhead on its back.

"Go help someone who needs it, you stupid bitch!" Kanaye roared up at Kagome, who made a point of nocking another arrow and sending it straight into the line of enemies, several of whom were flattened by the outward-spreading surge of power. Kanaye took a calculated leap backward, then availed himself of the opportunity to grab a few more of the urns and hurl them in the direction of the house. Within minutes, the gratifying scent of a spreading fire was reaching his nose. Greasy, thick smoke began billowing out of the open holes in the roof, melding with the pitch dark sky.

Intent on preserving his sense of smell from being overwhelmed, Kanaye leapt over the side of the tower and hit the ground in a solid, cat-like crouch. Instantly he was set upon by a small group of armored guards, four of which he dispatched effortlessly. The fifth one witnessed the carnage and took a few steps backward, still clutching his sword, but looking hesitant to use it.

Kanaye cocked his head. "What's this?" he complained. "Come on, sweetheart, make your move," he said derisively. "I've got better than you to kill tonight."

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Ashihei listened to the noise of something heavy striking the rooftop, then the additional sounds of shouting voices as some commotion built outside. He strode to the wide window and peered out into the dark. Across the courtyard, a surging line of guards was ascending the stairs to the battlement. His eyes followed their progress, finally resting on the white-haired demon that was sending each of his opponents to death in turn, either by shoving them over the side of the tower to be consumed by the creatures of the lake or extracting their lives via the blade of his own weapon.

At first he took him as Sesshoumaru, but this youkai wore a good deal more armor and less formal clothing. It was not Sesshoumaru, but with that being the case, that meant the western lord was lurking elsewhere. He suppressed a moment of panic as he reminded himself that surely two demons would not be enough to overwhelm a fortress of this size and complement. Clearly this was a rashly-planned strike, which meant Sesshoumaru was acting with vengeance in mind, not strategy.

"Go to your room," he briskly ordered Ashitera as he swept to the door and opened it in time for another resounding crash to echo past his eardrums. What the seven hells were they doing to his roof?

He moved to the stairway, exerting an air of command as best as he was able. He was fully aware that this was not his forte. He was the family scholar, not the warrior, not the commander. That position fell to Kawahira. Kawahira who was currently at quite a distance away, snug and secure in their Father's castle. Bastard.

Below him, the few servants he kept around to run the house were attempting to flee toward the back entrance, accompanied by the soldiers that had been taking their leisure indoors when this chaos began. Now, as they rushed to fulfill their duties, a green lightning-like streak whipped out, halving each of them in turn before they were even able to reach for their weapons.

Ashihei did not need to guess as to whose entrance that signified. He moved back from the landing, heart beginning to thump erratically with nervous tension. Several more crashes impacted with the roof, and his sense of smell began to pick up on the assaulting reek of heavy smoke. Without a clear plan of action in mind, Ashihei turned and began to run back down the hallway, nearly colliding with two of his men as he did so.

"My Lord!" one called.

"He's on the first floor!" Ashihei replied, not pausing to stop. He was fully aware of exactly who Sesshoumaru had come for, and if those soldiers could buy him some extra time, then that was their duty, was it not? he reasoned.

As he passed his study, his thoughts flickered briefly to the child he had sent back to her room. A room that was going to burn to cinders along with the rest of the place, if his sense of smell was any judge. He could feel the heat radiating from the upper floor, which was quite likely going to be engulfed in a matter of minutes.

In a moment of indecision, Ashihei stopped at a crossing hallway. Should I go get her? he wondered. She is my responsibility, isn't she? But she would also slow him down. Surely she had enough sense to flee a burning building, and Sesshoumaru was harsh, but he was not known to be a murderer of children.

It was strange, how his mind made itself up, yet his feet brought him to a different decision entirely. He hurtled through the second floor, flying past people whose faces he did not see, people who called to him and were ignored. He found her not far from her room, behaving obediently as always. Yes, he realized, she would have gone to her room. She would have waited there, and she would have died there. She was nothing if not a well-behaved child.

He had no clear idea of where this sudden surge of paternal instinct was coming from, but it had somehow become unthinkable to do anything but bring her with him. Besides, he thought wryly, Elif would make my life a living hell if I left the girl behind.

"Ashitera!" he called, watching as her confused face turned at the sound of her name. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but she was cut off when he grabbed her up, the slight weight of her warm body solidifying his decision as a good one. Her fingers curled around the neck of his haori, clutching the material in her fists.

He shot down the back staircase, intending to try for the west exit, running as though he was being pursued. And, in truth, he was. There was just the negligible fact that his pursuer had yet to find him. The heat began to build as he descended, and he saw that the fire had started on this side of the castle and had quickly spread to the lower floors. He could hear the flicker of nearby flames, could feel the consuming heat, and the smell of the smoke was nearly overpowering. Even Ashitera, though a hanyou, shoved a small hand over her mouth and nose, trying to repel the foul odor.

His luck ran out when he reached the bottom. The doors across the foyer opened suddenly, striking the stone walls with a deafening slam, and Sesshoumaru entered in time to block his passage to the outside. Just behind the towering, ethereally calm demon, Ashihei watched as the room behind his pursuer burned, flames licking at the ancient wall scrolls, thick, black smoke billowing out, burning his nose and eyes. An encompassing dread filled his heart as he watched Sesshoumaru move slowly toward him. Clearly he was being given time to make this a fight that was absent of an audience.

Ashihei pried the clinging girl off of him and set her on her feet. Still covering her sensitive nose with one hand, Ashitera squinted her eyes at him through the burning fumes. One eye on Sesshoumaru's tense form, the other on the girl, Ashihei asked her, "Ashitera, who am I?"

She frowned that childish frown, the one that said she did not understand the question. "Ashihei-sama …." she answered, and he experienced an inexplicable stab of regret.

He nodded stiffly at her. "Go outside," he ordered.

"But …"

"What did I just tell you to do, you foolish girl?"

He watched as she finally did as she was bade and scurried toward the exit, running fearlessly right past the individual who was about to end her father's life. Ashihei watched as Sesshoumaru allowed the girl to pass without so much as sparing her a glance.

"You know why I'm here," Sesshoumaru stated more than asked.

"Yes, I'm afraid I do," Ashihei replied, turning on the most charming smile he could manage. It was difficult for the fact that the thickening smoke was decimating his senses.

"And you don't deny it was you who sent those assassins?" Sesshoumaru questioned further as the ceiling of the room from which he had entered finally gave way, crashing to the ground in a fiery burst of rock and charring timber. It only served to create a backdrop that made Sesshoumaru look like an avenging devil straight from the depths of hell.

"Why bother?" Ashihei asked with fatalistic humor, spreading his hands in defeat.

"I don't take prisoners, Ashihei."

Ashihei nodded at this, and reached for the heavy hilt of his sword, meant more for decoration than for any true practical use. "Then hopefully I will at least be able to take you with me."

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When Inuyasha finally reached dry land, he was none the worse for wear and more than warmed up for what was waiting ahead of him. The water demons that surrounded this island were not much of a defense. He had only encountered a few of them on his way to the fortress, but, then again, that lack of security was apparently on par with the military prowess of the rest of the island.

He took a moment to shake off the excess water then shot off for the fortress at a sprint, noting the orange glow that could only signify that the main house had already been set on fire. Swift-footed and ready to show his jerk brother and uncle that he had made his own way to the island, Inuyasha streaked through the tree-line that partially hid the outer walls from view, then began scaling the uneven stone walls with practiced ease.

Out of the corner of his eye, he was able to keep track of Kagome and Rin who, having taken Sesshoumaru's advice to remain airborne, were sending off arrows into the fortress. Clawed hands pulling him from handhold to handhold, Inuyasha finally breached the top of the wall and flung himself over, already crouched to prepare for a long drop, but was surprised to find that it was only a fall of a few feet.

From this vantage point, he could see that whoever had gone about the job of burning the place had done well. Flames were already shooting up half the length of the main house, licking at the sides and roof, and sending massive clouds of noxious smoke into the air. Blinking against the barrage, Inuyasha quickly covered his nose with one sleeve, now understanding why the bulk of the fight seemed to be occurring upwind.

Eyes peeled for Sesshoumaru and Kanaye, Inuyasha leapt lightly to ground level and tore off toward the blazing house. Some soldiers saw him coming and ran forward to meet him, but he quickly drew Tessaiga and removed their sword arms before they were able to complete their swings.

Tracking Kanaye was not a difficult chore, as all Inuyasha had to do was follow the obvious trail of dead and dying. He leapt over the still, prone bodies and found Kanaye battling with what looked to be a rather formidable opponent. The white-haired demon was bleeding freely from a wounded sword arm, which, miraculously, considering the number of bodies surrounding him, seemed to be the only wound of substance Kanaye had suffered.

"Move!" Inuyasha yelled, roughly shoving Kanaye out of the way as he brought Tessaiga up to meet with the guard's weapon. Sparks resulted from the clash, and Inuyasha quickly found himself busy. This guy was fast, clearly well-trained, likely one of Ashihei's elite guard.

"How the hell did you get here?" Kanaye questioned, breathing heavily as he took the moment to rest.

"I swam!" Inuyasha yelled in reply, giving the guard a heavy shove backward in an attempt to put him off balance, but to no avail.

"You what?" Kanaye asked disbelievingly.

"I swam, old man, didn't you hear me?" Inuyasha growled as the distraction of the conversation allowed his opponent to hack off a chunk of his hair. Before he could deliver a retaliatory blow, however, a knife sliced past his ear and inserted itself through the youkai's right eye. Instantly, the guard dropped to the ground.

Kanaye came forward, removed the serrated blade, and quickly finished him off before turning and waving it under Inuyasha's nose. "You're out of your fucking mind. Although, come to think of it, you'd probably just give those water demons indigestion. They were wise not to eat dog leftovers."

A deafening blast sent both of their heads turning toward the sky as something bright and comet-like streaked toward Ah-Un and the girls. Fortunately, the dragon's reflexes were well-honed, because it moved out of the way, allowing the cannon blast to strike one of the far towers, breaking off a man-crushing chunk of the wall.

"Well, now," Kanaye commented, looking upward for the source of the cannon fire, "doesn't that make things more interesting?" Another, even louder crash sounded, and they turned toward the house where two dogs, one white and another, smaller and black, emerged from the quickly charring house.

Kanaye's eyebrows rose. "But not nearly as interesting as that. Ashihei's actually fighting back? Poor, pathetic bastard."

"Is he a strong opponent?" Inuyasha inquired, listening as several more sets of booted feet began approaching them through the smoke. He raised Tessaiga once more, listening as Kanaye answered his question with a cackling laugh, then ran off to find another round of victims.

More soldiers appeared from the darkness, and another barrage of arrows rained down to take out a few of the stragglers while Inuyasha dealt with the front line. He gritted his fangs together in irritation as the fight between the monolithic canines shook the ground, throwing his steps off-balance.

His mind went back to that earlier explosion of cannon fire, and his memories briefly flittered back to those months of tracking and fighting the Shichinintai. "Hey, Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha called suddenly. He got no response but he saw the dog's head briefly swerve his way before turning back to his battle. "Your ass makes a huge target out there!" Inuyasha warned.

His timing was excellent because another round of ammunition was sent in the direction of the two dogs. Sesshoumaru briefly separated from Ashihei to avoid the blast then leapt back in with renewed animosity. Within moments, there was a loud, roaring yelp and the ground shuddered violently as the massive, black-furred body hit the ground. At the same moment, nearly a third of the burning house collapsed inward on itself, sending out a shower of sparks, soot, and debris.

Inuyasha leapt back from the roiling cloud, preventing himself from inhaling, then tore off in the direction Kanaye had gone, fully intending on avoiding that incapacitating smell.

Not far into his sprint, a white streak paused beside him, keeping pace long enough to ask, "How did you get here, hanyou?"

Inuyasha repressed a sigh. "I swam it," he repeated for what felt like the twelfth time that night. He was then graced with a look from his brother that made him wonder if he had suddenly sprouted an extra head.

"Are you that desperate to prove something?" Sesshoumaru queried next, his voice laced with contempt.

Their instincts told them to part company, and Inuyasha did not have a chance to come up with a fittingly rude retort as a hail of cannon fire rained down on them from above and behind. Apparently, the northern dogs were sore losers whose brains had finally collectively seized on the wisdom of attempting to blow their invaders apart.

The ground broke up underneath his feet, so Inuyasha gave a wild leap to avoid being tripped up. There was another blast, and this time some shrieks of surprise from above, along with a protesting roar from Ah-Un.

Inuyasha paused in his run and called up to the girls, "Do you two need some kind of invitation? Quit hovering in the air!" With that, he immediately turned and began scaling the wall again.

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Sesshoumaru decided that Toukijin was terribly convenient. Claw attacks were useful enough and did the job well, but they required him to come in much closer proximity to his enemy and his enemy's weapon, which made things somewhat more complicated. This was slower, more methodical. Toukijin would have been able to take out at least a dozen in a single stroke.

He would give Toutousai a week, he decided. Then he would return for the swords, and if they were not both whole and sound once more, then Fate had better take mercy on the old man, because he would not.

With one leap, he ascended to the top of one of the defensive towers, intending on taking out the munitions users before they made themselves even more of a nuisance. He found himself greeted by a large, cylindrical object being lowered into his face, but the demon that held it was dead before he could make use of it.

He had what he had come for. Ashihei was dead by his hands, so that was one threat removed, although he was being kind by labeling Ashihei as a threat at all. He was and had always been a spoiled, pathetic boy. No true loss to Eizan. No true loss to the youkai population as a whole. And Sesshoumaru suspected he had inadvertently done a substantial favor for the neighboring population of human women.

Yes, he was mostly finished here, but Ashihei's people were not, apparently, and Sesshoumaru was willing to fight them as long as they were inclined.

He flexed the claws on his hands and watched as the dead man's comrades began coming at him. Heh … senseless bastards.

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Inuyasha looked behind him in time to see the girls land with Ah-Un. Jaken instantly jumped from the animal, his short legs carrying him off as fast as he could run, likely in search of Sesshoumaru, almost certainly believing that his "invaluable" services had been missed.

Stupid toad, Inuyasha thought, stepping over another felled body in preparation for the youkai that was approaching him with a look of such battleworn intensity that Inuyasha guessed easily that this was one of the people in charge. This guy looked like he had owned more than his share of fights.

And Inuyasha was quickly proved right. The demon descended on him with a viciousness that told Inuyasha he was going to have to work for this win. His opponent's blade sparked against Tessaiga, and leverage was used to shove him off-balance. He instantly retaliated with a Kaze no Kizu that the demon was able to evade, but which nearly took out a distracted Kanaye at the other end of the wall.

Inuyasha experienced a moment of smug gratification when he heard Kanaye's furious voice scream a string of curses at him. He then whirled around as his opponent leapt behind him, purposefully keeping him in close combat so as to prevent him from firing off another Kaze no Kizu.

"Your master is dead, ya know," Inuyasha said, breathing quickly from the night's exertion. "This is pointless."

"It will be worth something when you're dead, mutt," the demon sneered, gray eyes concentrating completely on every move Inuyasha made.

"Cut the drama, pal," Inuyasha complained. Tessaiga lashed out once more, but the dog demon met him stroke for stroke. Inuyasha could hear the smashing of waves against rocks; the lake was being stirred by the same winds that were so mercilessly blowing hot ash into his face whenever he was forced to turn against them.

Inuyasha rushed at the demon and was nearly successful in knocking him off-balance and over the side of the sheer wall, but at the last instant the youkai twisted and saved himself from a long, nasty fall. He looked as though he, too, had just realized that Inuyasha was not a simple opponent.

He finally made what Inuyasha presumed to be a mistake. He leapt backward, away from the hanyou, but just as Inuyasha was trying to take advantage of that by summoning up another, hopefully final, Kaze no Kizu, the dog demon called some unintelligible word. In hindsight, Inuyasha would understand it as an order to fire.

An explosion rocketed outward from behind him, striking a little too close to his legs for comfort. The ensuing explosion crumbled that side of the wall to dust and rubble, sending Inuyasha and his astonished opponent into the looming darkness on the other side.

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It was the one he missed that got off that last shot. Sesshoumaru had known there had to be one more cannon out there, but the smoky, thick haze that had settled over the fortress had hindered his ability to track the bastard down.

Within moments of getting off the shot that sent Inuyasha over the fortress wall, the assailant was inhaling his own blood, his life expiring within seconds. Sesshoumaru then quickly cast a look around him, feeling suddenly paranoid that he had missed something else that might turn into another possibly fatal mistake. His hand brushed absently against where Tenseiga normally rested at his side. His gaze moved to rest on the two girls, who were with the dragon and Jaken. He then turned his head to watch as Kanaye dropped down beside him, coated in blood, most of which appeared to belong to his unfortunate adversaries.

"If that didn't kill the little reject, I'll consider taking back my comment about his mother," Kanaye said, his voice hoarse from the smoky air, face streaked with black soot.

"Is that all of them?" Sesshoumaru asked, his breathing coming quickly from the exertion of the long battle.

"I'll look for stragglers, but that seems to be all. Invigorating, wasn't it?" Kanaye questioned with an evil grin before leaping down to do as he said.

With him gone, Sesshoumaru was left to approach the other end of the battlement. He had a rather grim expectation of what he would find on the other side of the wall. Hanyou were not known to be the hardiest of creatures in comparison to true youkai, but then again, he was quite certain that Inuyasha was not nearly smart enough to figure out just how to die.

Sesshoumaru leapt over the shattered wall to perch on the sheer, rocky cliff that hovered above the sloshing lake. Waves were washing up, tugging at one dark-clothed body that was pulled under the water without a fight. Inuyasha's opponent. But no sign of the half-breed.

A forceful wind blew off of the lake, sending droplets of water into his face and his long hair into a frenzied white tangle. Surprisingly, his brain was quite devoid of much thought, as if it was unsure of what exactly to make of the situation. Should he be gratified? Or mournful? Instantly, he scoffed at that. What use was Inuyasha anyway? He was aggravating and loud and rude and …

Quite the incompetent little brother. As if I'll allow him to take Father's sword with him!

Now righteously indignant over Inuyasha's pathetic attempt at a demise, Sesshoumaru perched to jump in and reclaim Tessaiga when a very familiar flash of light lit up the dark lake in an outward whirl of released power. Eyes narrowing in expectation, he watched as something cleared the water, a white-and-red streak that reached out to dig its claws into the side of the cliff. A ringing expletive was bellowed into the night as Inuyasha cursed the existence of the creatures that bobbed up to the surface to gawk in dismay as their prey escaped.

Sesshoumaru watched with idle interest as the dog-eared head looked up at him from below, breathing heavily.

"What the hell are you staring at?" Inuyasha called hoarsely.

"A waste of my sight."

"Shut up!" Inuyasha growled, pulling himself up from handhold to handhold, reminding Sesshoumaru very much of a nimble, white-haired monkey. An apt comparison, he decided.

He eyed the hanyou's precarious ascent, watched as the glistening fins of the aquatic lake demons skimmed just under the surface of the water, waiting hopefully for their meal to slip up and return to them. They very nearly got their desire when the cliff's crumbling face began to give way under Inuyasha's weight. Fortunately for the hanyou, or perhaps not from his own perspective, he was barely within arm's reach of the spectator Sesshoumaru, who reached out and managed to clasp onto one of Inuyasha's red sleeves, leaving him dangling awkwardly.

Muttering another breathed curse, Inuyasha called, "Hey, either pull or let go so I can do it myself." He twisted some to look down at the creatures below him who were now quite obviously thrilled to see that dinner might indeed be coming back their way momentarily.

"Now, was that a polite request or a demand?" Sesshoumaru inquired in an overly congenial tone.

"Drop me," Inuyasha challenged with stubbornly gritted teeth, recognizing the tone of smug superiority.

"That was a demand."

"You insufferable piece of shi---"

"So eager to swim back, Inuyasha?"

"Don't try to grow a sense of humor, bastard," Inuyasha groused irritably.

"You'd prefer I let you go?" Sesshoumaru asked seriously.

Inuyasha was given the feeling that his brother would absolutely follow whatever request he was given, but his pride absolutely would not stand for the smarter answer. "Yes," he replied defiantly.

He was surprised when he was suddenly hauled upward and over the side of the cliff, just as another rather large chunk dislodged itself and rained down on the now-scattering water creatures.

"I suppose that was the smarter answer," Sesshoumaru instantly brushed off the act, releasing Inuyasha's sleeve. "I never let you have your way."

Inuyasha gaped at him in slack-jawed befuddlement as he pulled himself back to his feet. "You're losing your grip, pal," he finally concluded with complete sincerity.

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Rin blinked against the dirty, smoky fumes that hung as a heavy haze, the back of her throat burning from inhaling the foul air. The island looked like hell. It was amazing what such a short amount of time and three determined demons could do to such a quiet, tranquil place. The smoking remains of the vast house lay in a charred pile of still-flaming timber, the most massive bonfire she had ever witnessed. The stone walls, all four sides, were crumbling.

The worst of it, as Sesshoumaru had warned her about not long ago, were the bodies. Dozens upon dozens, more than she wanted to count and certainly more than she was prepared to see. She studiously avoided the unseeing faces and stood beside Kagome, Jaken, and Ah-Un, uncertain of exactly what to do with herself. She had had her own part in this massacre, limited though it had been by just the arrows she had been able to send off from the air, but it was enough to make her feel guilty in some ways.

She kept reminding herself that this was a war. This was how they did things, how they settled disputes. The side still standing at the end was the winner. They had certainly won this battle. She had yet to find a single survivor.

The guilt was somewhat assuaged by the fact that they had attacked a legitimate military target. These were soldiers. Soldiers who had fought back with an intention to kill. Soldiers who had threatened Sesshoumaru via their service to Eizan, and had had to be contended with. If not now, then perhaps later during a time and place of Eizan's own choosing, which would have been to Sesshoumaru's detriment.

It all made perfect sense. Rin held back a tired sigh as she dropped her bow and arrows beside Ah-Un's leathery flank. Face it, girl. You're just not made for this type of thing.

But he needed her. He did, she knew it, even though he certainly would never admit to such a thing. She could not imagine Sesshoumaru having to do this completely on his own, as he had first intended. And as much as she despised Kanaye, he had shown this night that he was extremely useful to Sesshoumaru and for that reason, she would let the events of the past few days rest.

She had learned another thing tonight, as well: those three demons were positively scary when they worked together. It was a shame they were all far too stubborn to see that.

As though summoned by her thoughts, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha emerged from the cloud of smoke, both whole and sound to her relief, but certainly looking as though they had been forced to work tonight. Inuyasha was dripping wet, his hair sopping and matted. Sesshoumaru's face and clothes were streaked with black soot. Both were wearing identical, golden-eyed scowls.

"Is everyone all right?" Kagome asked carefully, catching onto the irritable mood between the two brothers.

"Your hanyou is quite determined to be eaten, miko," Sesshoumaru announced, ignoring the "Keh!" that was Inuyasha's crossed-arm response.

Kagome instantly rounded on Inuyasha with an, "I told you not to try to swim that!"

Rin honed in on Sesshoumaru as a fight instantly unfolded a few feet away, Kagome's irate reprimands falling on deaf dog ears.

"Are we finished here?" Rin asked him wearily.

"Has Kanaye returned yet?" he asked her in return, turning his head back and forth in search of the missing demon, his sense of smell now completely worthless due to the overpowering smoke.

Rin shook her head. "I haven't seen him."

"Quit ordering me, woman!" Inuyasha bellowed at Kagome.

"Osuwari!"

Rin flinched as the ground shook from the impact of Inuyasha's body, then wasted no time in following Sesshoumaru as he disappeared back into the haze. She choked back the urge to cough, blinked her eyes. Nothing sounded better than a good, soapy bath at this point, but that was likely a long time in coming. She certainly wasn't going to try taking one in that lake, with those horrific creatures lurking in the water.

She trailed behind Sesshoumaru, supposing they were searching for Kanaye and, despite her decision to try to be more polite to him after seeing how hard he had worked tonight, Rin found that she wished he would just evaporate and save her the monumental effort. Returning without him sounded wonderful. That hope dissolved quickly when they walked outside the fortress walls, only to find Kanaye facing off against his final opponent: a child.

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Kanaye happened upon her by accident. While searching for the possibility of Ashihei's cowardly deserters, he came to a shallow valley-like area that sprawled just outside the western side of the fortress. Likely some sort of training ground, as it alone was conspicuously devoid of trees on this overgrown island. He crossed it, eyeing the ground for any indentation to suggest recent foot travel, but as he turned his head, he caught a quick movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned to face the looming forest fully, watched as one tree's lower limbs began to sway very slightly. And yet there was no wind. How fascinating.

With purposeful strides, he stalked directly over to the tree, tensed and ready for a weapon or attack to be sent his way. He couldn't scent out what it was, not with the reek of the burning fortress overwhelming his nose, but he knew it was there. Tree limbs did not move themselves, and he could hear the heavy thump of an anxious pulse.

He reached for his sword and drew it, signaling to his hidden adversary that he knew it was lurking.

"I'd suggest you come down. If I have to come up there, you're not going to like what I bring with me," he warned. His sword arm was now aching enough to severely annoy him, and so he switched to his left hand. He didn't mind overly much. An extra challenge was always welcome.

He watched the tree for some response, either surrender or preemptive attack. There was nothing for a long moment, but then some leaves rustled with movement and he caught sight of a pair of wide, violet eyes blinking back at him out of the darkness. A small hand reached out to get a better grip on the branch, exposing an embroidered, silken sleeve.

Shit. A kid. How boring.

Kanaye heaved an exasperated breath. "All right, brat, come down."

No movement. No answer.

"I can see you. Quit blinking at me."

Nothing.

Kanaye frowned deeply. "You're probably some soldier's brat, am I right? Didn't your father teach you how to properly confront an enemy? I can promise you mine did," he said in a threatening tone.

More rustling and shaking limbs. But instead of heading further up the tree as Kanaye had suspected the child might, a little girl dropped down from the lowest branch in bare feet, the hem of her clothing brushing down to her ankles, long dark hair hanging in complete disarray around her shoulders.

And it's not just a kid. It's a hanyou kid, he thought distastefully. He listened as the child's heart rate began triple-hammering in fear. His mind then replayed the night's earlier conversation with Zadi. She had said she wanted to come to this island ahead of time to retrieve a little girl. Kanaye supposed he was staring at her intended rescue.

Before he could make a decision as to its fate, a flash of white appeared at his elbow. Sesshoumaru, too, stared fixatedly at the girl, mentally identifying her immediately as a miniature replica of Elif.

"Kill it or leave it?" Kanaye inquired as to Sesshoumaru's opinion.

"She's one of Ashihei's," Sesshoumaru revealed, recalling the little girl that had escaped the burning house before he had initiated the final battle with Ashihei.

"Kill it then?" Kanaye surmised.

Sesshoumaru said nothing, watching as the child's eyes turned the full weight of her stare on him. As though sensing his hesitation, Kanaye reminded, "Little hanyou grow up to be vengeful hanyou. She'll remember that you killed her father, not that you chose to let her live."

"What are you doing?" Rin's voice called out as she hurried to catch up, and both demons turned to watch as she looked from them to the child. Carefully slowing her steps, Rin walked toward the girl until she began to back up. At that, Rin knelt on the velvety grass and extended a hand, noting that the girl was disheveled and dirty, but looked none the worse for wear.

"You can come here. No one is going to hurt you," Rin assured her confidently, deciding that this child appeared to be slightly older than Sango's little boy. Rin continued to reach toward the girl, fighting the urge to ridicule Kanaye for pulling a sword on a four-year-old.

Sesshoumaru watched the scene, catching the long-suffering look Kanaye turned his way, as though a silent question as to whether he intended to back Rin's promise.

"Kill it or leave it?" Kanaye asked pointedly.

"Kanaye!" Rin exclaimed in a tone of reprimand.

"Yes?" he inquired politely, completely unmoved by her shock.

"She's just a child! Don't even joke about such things!"

"Who was joking?" he asked evenly in return.

Rin ignored him and instead appealed to Sesshoumaru, who remained silent. "Sesshoumaru, I know you wouldn't hurt a child. And we can't leave her here. This place is a tomb!"

"You indulge her enough. You'll regret giving in on this," Kanaye warned, eyes scouring Sesshoumaru's face for a sign that he was considering giving the human girl her way.

Silently cursing Ashihei's less-than-honorable tendencies toward human women, Sesshoumaru frowned unhappily at Rin. "She's not my concern."

"She's my concern," Rin insisted. "I'm not leaving this island unless she does."

"Don't give me ultimatums."

"I never do. I rarely challenge you at all, Sesshoumaru, but I am going to win this one," Rin said stubbornly.

He regarded her silently for a while. He had seen the sickening look of dismay on Rin's face when he had found her after the battle, trying her best to ignore all of the death around her. That look had been replaced with something much more hopeful now, and Sesshoumaru had the distinct feeling that she felt as though she would be making amends with her conscience by ensuring the welfare of the child. If that was necessary for her, then so be it. "She'll return with us," he finally replied stiffly.

"Thank you!" Rin said with a genuinely relieved smile.

"Do I know you?" Kanaye instantly countered, turning on him incredulously.

Sesshoumaru eyed him with malicious amusement. "Try not to drop her on the way back, Oji-san."

Instantly, the elder demon drew himself up to his full height, thoroughly offended. "I'm no pack mule," he growled dangerously.

"It's either her or Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru cruelly insisted, not even attempting to repress the evil smile.

"You soft-hearted bastard. What the hell is wrong with you these days?" Kanaye demanded, appalled.

"If I have softened up as much as you claim, then you will have no problem fighting me over that order," Sesshoumaru offered coolly.

"Little brat," Kanaye sneered as he sheathed his sword and showed his claws. "Remember that you asked for it."

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As soon as he touched down behind Ah-Un, Kanaye wasted no time in shoving the terrorized hanyou girl into Kagome's arms and disappearing into the forest. He followed the path he had taken earlier with Zadi, feeling angry and vengeful and quite put-off about the fact that Sesshoumaru had rendered his right arm nearly useless for the time being. That fight had been a little quicker than his pride wanted to admit.

Either I am getting old. I am out of practice. Or he is better. None of those were palatable at all, and he took out his supreme annoyance on a tree by halving the trunk with his claws and sending it crashing to the forest floor behind him in a loud rush of snapping limbs.

He was unaccustomed to fighting with a more skilled opponent. In fact, he loathed admitting that such a creature possibly existed. It was horribly ego-bruising, even if it was his brother's child. Or perhaps more so because it was his brother's child? Kanaye had always been second to Inutaisho. He was infuriated at the presumption that he was likewise with Sesshoumaru.

I think I prefer the idea that I am simply getting old, he thought sardonically, as he shoved his way toward Zadi's still sleep-rhythmed heartbeat. He found her exactly as he had left her, sprawled out awkwardly on the twig-strewn ground, completely oblivious to what was going on around her.

"You lazy bitch," he complained grumpily, reaching down to grasp her cold hands in his own. He then began dragging her steadily toward the lake, her body limp as a sack of rice. It likely would have been easier on the both of them if he had deigned to carry her, but that would be yet another insult added to injury. Besides, his arm was now thoroughly bothering him and being nice to her did not make even the bottom of his list of priorities.

The senseless woman remained so until he dragged her to the edge of the lake, picked her up and then, with an easy (and gratifying) motion, tossed her into the water. He then seated himself on an outcropping boulder and waited patiently. Within seconds, the rippling water began churning wildly as Zadi's head broke the surface. She coughed up a mouthful of lake water and regained her senses enough to focus on shore and head for it. Kanaye eyed her with complete dispassion as she pulled herself back onto the rocky beach, hacking her lungs out the entire way.

"Sonofabitch," she finally breathed out, raising her head to pierce him with an ireful gaze.

"Yes, and proudly so," he readily agreed. "Dog youkai, if you'll remember."

Still catching her breath, Zadi made an attempt to wring out her hair. "I would appreciate it if you would relate to me in a manner that does not involve strangulation," she hissed back, ignoring his attempt to goad her.

"I do not doubt that you would," he replied with upraised eyebrows, well rewarded when her mouth fell open in horror. "But that is beside the point," he went on before she could form a coherent sentence, "you should thank me. I could have left you for the wild animals."

"There is not an ounce of kindness in you," she accused suspiciously.

He nodded. "Another undisputed fact," he agreed before losing interest in her and pulling up his sleeve to inspect the damage that had been done to his arm, exposing an oozing, gaping wound, thanks to the backswing of one of Ashihei's corpses.

Zadi blinked at the injury, suddenly taking in his blood-splattered clothing. "But you weren't … how did you …?"

"One of Ashihei's men was very nearly competent," he explained. "Still sub-par, but lucky enough to be annoying."

Zadi's heart halted in a moment of horror. "You … you've already attacked!?"

"Careful, little human wretch, your inadequate organs do not perform well under stress," he smirked, listening to her jolting heartbeat as its pace picked up in distress. How easy it was to work her into a frenzy. She was very nearly a source of entertainment. Perhaps that explained why she consistently came to him and left still possessing the ability to inhale.

"Are there any survivors?"

"It's a floating grave now. I am nothing if not thorough," Kanaye replied. She had become so suddenly pale that he did indeed wonder if she was about to allow him to witness his first spontaneous human expiration. Destroyed by their own weak physiology. Quite possibly the most mortifying way for one's existence to end, he decided.

"You bastard," she breathed, blinking painfully dry eyes. "Did you kill her?"

"Her?" he repeated with studied innocence. "Ah, the little hanyou girl. Yes, I---"

"You killed her?!" Zadi exclaimed, pointing a dripping, accusatory finger into his face. Kanaye resisted the urge to break it for its impertinence.

"That was my preference, but I---"

He was getting old. That was the only explanation he could come up with for how a human woman managed to leap at him and grab hold of his injured arm within the space of time it took him to blink his eyes. He growled in pain as she dug her pathetic fingers into the wound and reached for his sword. Kanaye, however, was smarter than she was and refused to follow the trained instinct to beat her to the weapon. That was exactly what she wanted, so she could use those damnable witch powers of hers. Instead, he detached her hold on his arm, threw her back to the ground, and straddled her struggling form, using his knees to pin her arms to her sides.

"Will you let me finish a sentence, you simple-minded harpy?!" he roared back at her. She was breathing as though she had just run a race, blue eyes darkened into a furious, black rage. Kanaye decided that, human though she was, she was also strangely compelling when she was so angry. And he was surprised to discover that even after having been thrown into the lake, she still smelled quite nice. For a human. Which wasn't saying much, of course.

"Your hanyou brat is perfectly well and back at camp with my people. Her father, however, is dead and deservedly so," Kanaye explained, now suddenly too weary to continue playing with the woman's head.

"She's alive," Zadi breathed, and he literally felt the fight begin to drain out of her. "Are you being honest?"

"I am always honest," he claimed.

"You are still a bastard."

"Unarguably, though not in the literal sense. My birth was thoroughly proper."

Zadi's brow furrowed as she took in this undeniably bizarre situation. She attempted to move her arms, but they were still lodged securely between his knees and her sides. Embarrassed to be caught in such a compromising position, she said, "Will you get off of me, please?"

"I would if I thought it actually bothered you," he smirked again, half-tempted to provoke her into another one of her vengeful tantrums. That had been a lively moment indeed.

Her face betrayed her by flaming to a fiery red at his statement, so she tried to recover herself by snarling, "Get off!"

He responded by lowering his face closer to her hair, deciding that that was likely what smelled so good. Some sort of … flowery substance. He wasn't terribly adept at identifying such things, but it was a welcome scent after the hell his nose had gone through on the island. A human woman smelled better than a pile of corpses and smoke-choked air. He considered letting her in on that conclusion, certain that it would provoke something worthwhile, but he settled for her next indignant question.

"Are you sniffing me?!"

"Oddly, you don't smell as horrible as most human women," he said clinically in reply, his head coming back up.

"Thank you," she hissed sarcastically.

"But that doesn't make up for your shrewish personality," he added, rising fluidly back to his feet. He flexed his injured arm, eyeing her cautiously as she tried to regain her dignity by rising stiffly from the ground. "Go visit the hanyou, but I will warn you now, do not attempt to take her."

Zadi's head came back up, her embarrassment fleeing instantly at his challenge. "Excuse me?"

"You won't be taking the child," he said simply. "You have a job to do for me."

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The sun began peeking over the horizon as Kawahira arrived to find his father's eastern fortress a complete loss. His sight was keen enough to recognize the carnage that was laid out before him. The additional daylight only magnified what he found. The house was a blackened hulk, collapsed in upon itself, totally destroyed. The defensive walls were shattered and useless. If the fortress was to be used again, they would need to be rebuilt. Over one hundred soldiers lay where they had been felled, stilled by death.

Even Ashihei had been forced to fight, it seemed, he deduced, pacing around his youngest brother's body, which was laid out where he had fallen, just outside the collapsed house. The claw wounds meant that he had likely tried to fight Sesshoumaru or Kanaye in dog form. He had to have known that was a lost cause. Ashihei was better served keeping records or reading books. Fighting had never been his strong suit.

Kawahira was not furious or particularly vengeful. He was a warrior, first and foremost. There was always collateral in war, won or lost, and this time it had been his loss. He had heard of Ashihei's brainless decision to try to distract Sesshoumaru from attacking during the attempt to regroup after the sudden switch of leadership. It had been a poor decision, one that fit someone who was not accustomed to making good strategic moves. Someone like Ashihei.

Kawahira had come to berate his younger brother for the act. He had come to order the evacuation of the island for the retaliatory attack that would no doubt be on its way. This time, however, it had been he that had been too slow and he had arrived to find the remains of Sesshoumaru's victory.

He caught some movement in his peripheral vision and turned with some surprise to find Zadi approaching him, her head turning to take in the damage before her gaze finally rested on Ashihei.

"There are no survivors?" she asked in a quiet, respectful voice.

"None that I've found," he replied.

Zadi worked to keep the sympathy on her face and in her voice. "I am sorry for the loss of your brother," she lied through her teeth.

Kawahira nodded. "He brought it on himself. For someone as learned as he was, he was incredibly stupid. Ashihei was always one to act without thought for the repercussions." He turned to eye her more carefully. "You look as though you have been involved in a fight of your own."

"I had another encounter with Kanaye," she said with a glare. "That is how I learned of what happened here."

"Did you kill him?"

"Unfortunately, no."

"Then I am surprised to see you still alive," Kawahira remarked.

"He was injured during the battle here," she said truthfully. "He wasn't himself."

Kawahira appeared to accept this from her without reservation, making Zadi wonder if he was hiding any suspicions he may have of her or if he genuinely believed she was on their side. Thankfully, his next comment allowed her to play up to him exactly as Kanaye had suggested before she had taken leave of him. Or, arrogantly ordered, rather.

"I've not found the little hanyou girl. She was likely inside when the house burned," Kawahira informed her with a detachment that bothered her. "So it seems your reason to assist us no longer exists, Zadi. Your service is complete."

Zadi fought the urge to slap him for those arrogant, dismissive words, instead using that sudden rise in anger to fuel her own false statement. "On the contrary, Kawahira, I have more reason than ever to remain with your army. Sesshoumaru and his people killed Ashitera. I won't let that go unanswered."

"Is that so?" Kawahira mused thoughtfully, moving a few steps, enough to send the harsh glare of the early morning sun into Zadi's face. She blinked and attempted to shield her eyes with one hand.

"If you will not allow me to remain, then I will avenge her death on my own. You are currently in charge. I leave that decision with you. Am I still useful?"

Kawahira smiled grimly. "Actually, my father is back in control at home. He is rallying admirably. His decision will be the final one, but in my opinion, Zadi, I do believe you are useful."

"That is good to hear," she said honestly. "Because I have much to repay on Ashitera's behalf."