InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Confrontation II: Trials and Tribulations ❯ Guidance ( Chapter 25 )

A/N: As always all characters will be walking that fine line called OOCness. I'm so sorry it took me so long to update. I've been so incredibly busy with life in general and school, that I can hardly find time to breath. Also, the plot bunnies for this fic seem to have gone on vacation or something, so, I'm finding myself writing, rewriting, deleting, and writing again a lot; especially with this chapter. Honestly, it's been half way done for over a month now. I just wasn't satisfied with it at all and in a way, I'm still not. Anyway, thanks for your patience and your continued support, my friends. And I want to thank my wonderful betas for a job well done, as always!!

FYI: During my down time, I was able to spit out a two-shot, so anyone with `testicular fortitude' should check it out should.

Recap: With Sesshomaru MIA, Susamajii has threatened to kill everyone in the house. After rounding up his mate, family, and pack member's into his and Kagome's room, Inuyasha decides that it's up to him to hold off the demon in order for them to escape. Teela finally was able to tell Reinto what she `accidentally' overheard, but this information only served to confuse the youkai even more. We're going to pick up somewhere right around in there.

Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership to anyone with the exception of Reinto, Teela, Susamajii, Mana, Rinji, Kanomaru, and Joudama. All others belong to the wonderful and awe inspiring Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 25:

Guidance

His golden eyes glanced around the room quickly as the walls shook violently, causing him to flinch and lean in a little closer to his mother.

He didn't understand why this was happening and honestly, he didn't want to. He just wanted everything to go back to the way it was before these strange demons came to his home, before he was attacked in the forest, and before his father did whatever he did to hurt his mother.

`This is stupid.'

Sniffling lightly, Kanomaru glanced around the room taking in the chaotic scene slowly. His Aunt Sango was cooing to his cousin Joudama, trying vainly to keep her from crying, while his Uncle Miroku stood looking out the door for something or someone, he wasn't sure. Turning his attention towards the far corner of the room, he watched quietly as his real Aunt, quickly packed her and his Uncle's belongings into a knapsack that she had brought with her when they arrived a few days earlier.

Staring around the room again, he tried to stave off the tears that were slowly building up in the corners of his eyes.

`I don't understand any of this! Where's my daddy?'

His little four year old mind refused to comprehend what was happening. This… This feeling of dread was not something that he was accustomed to. There was never a time when he did not have his father there to protect him. There was never a time that he was truly afraid and couldn't count on his father being nearby, but…but where was he now? Why wasn't he here with them? Why wasn't he here protecting him and his mother?

“I want my daddy,” he whispered softly to himself.

Wiping his eyes as the tears he didn't want to fall began to, Kano tried not to focus in on the things he didn't understand, which were many. Staring around the room once more, he questioned, “Aun…Auntie Kagome, wh…where's Shippo?”

Staring at her, as she stopped what she was doing and shuffled quickly towards him, Kanomaru sniffled lightly as he nuzzled a little closer to his mother, seeking what little comfort she would give.

“Honey, I'm not sure, but as soon as we get out of here, we're going to look for him, okay?”

He knew she was probably grasping at straws, trying fruitlessly to act as if everything was as normal as possible, but he knew it wasn't. Instead of refuting her claim, the four year old nodded slowly and tried to put on a brave face.

“Come on. I want you to go to your Uncle Miroku, so that when we get ready to leave, he'll be able to carry you,” Kagome directed, while grasping his hand gently.

Shaking his head negatively, the little hanyou retorted, his head held high, “No, my mother needs me. I'm…I'm supposed to protect her when my father isn't around.”

Staring at the youngster, Kagome couldn't help but smile. However, before she could reply to him, Sango interjected, “Kano, we'll all help protect Rin, okay? But, in order for us to do that, we need you up in front with Miroku so you can help him fight off the bad demons.”

Staring between the two women that were surely patronizing him, the little boy swallowed and slowly stood to his feet. Letting go of his mother's hand, he turned quickly to her and whispered in her ear, “Don't worry, mommy, daddy will be here soon, but until then, I'll keep you safe.”

Turning away, he missed the way her eyes lit up for the first time that day.

There was another loud crash followed by a line of obscenities not meant for the ears of the world's worst drunk, and then the ex-monk shouted, “Now's our chance!!”

Miroku took off out the door carrying Kanomaru, with Sango following close behind him, Joudama clasped tightly in her arms.

Staring at her friends as they disappeared out the door, Kagome quickly strapped on her knapsack and then leaned down to get Rin. “Come on, it's time for us to go!” she stated, her voice rushed.

Noticing that the woman wasn't moving at all, the miko added, “Look, we have to go now, Rin!” Pulling up, so that one of Rins' arms was wrapped around her shoulder, Kagome quickly wrapped her own arm around the nonresponsive woman's waist, so that she was carrying most of her weight. “I don't know what's wrong with you, but you need to snap out of it because you and Kano are in danger,” she said haphazardly as she practically dragged Rin towards the door.

As she stepped into the hallway, she could see Miroku and Sango a few feet ahead of her. `This is never going to work! Even if we do get out of the house and into the yard or even the forest, what about the other two demons that are here? Inuyasha didn't say anything about them!'

Pushing her thoughts to the back of her mind, Kagome directed her attention to the couple ahead of her. “Miroku… Sango, wait a minute!” she called loudly enough for them to hear her.

Covering the short distance between them quickly, she whispered, “We can't just go out the front door. What about the other two demons? What if they're waiting outside for us? What if that's what they're expecting us to do?”

“Good point, but what other choice do we have? If we remain here, then Kano and Rin are in even more danger,” Miroku advised, still holding tightly to the little hanyou who was staring quietly from one adult to the other as they continued to speak about him and his mother as if they weren't there.

“I know that, but before we run blindly into what could very well be an ambush, it would be nice for us to at least attempt to come up with some kind of plan. As it is, I really don't think that what we're planning on doing has a chance in hell of working,” Kagome countered evenly.

“There's…a secret…passage,” the little hanyou stated hesitantly, knowing that the passage was secret for a reason.

All three of the adults turned quickly towards him and asked in unison, “What?”

Taking turns glancing at the three humans before him, Kano continued, “In my daddy's office; there is a secret passage, but...” Sighing lightly, he silently prayed that his father wouldn't be too upset with him for telling the family secret. After all, this was serious, wasn't it? Pushing his thoughts aside, he finished, “…it's…it's a secret, you can't tell anyone else about it.”

Hugging the boy to him, Miroku asserted, “Don't worry your little head, your secret is safe with us, Kano.” Pulling away, he stared down at the child as he continued proudly, “If we make it out of here, it's going to be all because of you.”

Turning his attention back to the women, the ex-monk finished, “Okay, so instead of heading straight outside, as soon as we get down the stairs we'll all run for Sesshomaru's office. Once we get there, Kano, you'll have to show us where it is, okay?”

After taking in the little boy's nod of agreement, Miroku turned his attention to Kagome, who seemed to be struggling with the extra weight Rin was putting on her. “Here Kagome, you take Kano and I'll carry Rin. We'll be able to move faster that way.”

“But Miroku, out of all of us, you're the fastest. You would have a better chance of getting Kano further away from here, and these demons,” Sango interjected, shifting Joudama to her opposite hip.

“I know my love, but Kagome has the best defense against a full-blooded youkai. If they corner her, she can purify them without causing any real harm to Kano. Whereas if they corner me, the both of us… Let's just say it won't end well.”

There was another loud crash as light flooded into the hallway around them, causing all the parties to shield their eyes. It was almost as if the entire roof or wall of the opposite side of the house had been torn off.

Handing Kanomaru to Kagome, Miroku quickly tossed Rin over his shoulder as he stated, “Now's our chance, let's go!”

The group charged quickly down the hallway.

Nearing the stairs, Kagome slowed long enough to watch the man she loved be thrown back away from the tall, arrogant looking demon. He must have felt her watching him, because he glanced quickly in her direction moments before he turned his attention back to the demon and screamed `Wind Scar', sending a brilliant blaze of fire directly at the youkai.

“I love you,” she mouthed silently, moments before she turned and began to quickly descend the stairs, Kanomaru held tightly in her arms.

Simonkal of Inuy

Turning his attention away from his mate and nephew, Inuyasha stared into the blaze hoping to find some sign that he'd gotten the bastard.

He found none!

“Fuck!” he hissed as he stared in all directions looking for the culprit that had so blatantly evaded his attack.

“Is that the best you can do?” Susamajii queried, a condescending sneer on his face.

Wiping his brow with the back of his hand, the hanyou huffed, “Feh, I'm just getting warmed up, you prick!”

Snorting, the full demon took a step towards the hanyou as he watched out of his peripheral vision as the three humans descended the stairs carrying his two targets. “It looks like they've made it to the first floor,” Susamajii observed slowly. “I guess that means that I need to stop playing with you, half-breed.” Taking another step towards his adversary, the Lord of the South charged forward, his claws outstretched before him and aimed directly at the hanyou's throat.

Shifting Tetsusaiga just in time to block the demon's deadly strike, Inuyasha sprang over his head and landed a few feet away from what was once his brother's master suite.

Hefting his sword over his head, the hanyou screamed, “Diamond Spear Blast,” as he brought the fang down in an arcing motion.

Watching the crystal formations fly towards its target, the hanyou missed the way Susamajii sidestepped the blast all together and charged towards him.

“You're more trouble than you worth, half-breed,” Susamajii hissed as he latched on to the hanyou's throat. Using his free hand, he gripped Inuyasha's sword hand tightly and began to slowly sink his claws into the soft flesh, systematically tearing into the muscles and nerves. “Let's me see you wield that pathetic excuse of a sword now!”

Pain tore through Inuyasha's arm, causing him to scream out in agony. He tried to hold on to his fang, but he couldn't! As a reflex, his hand opened and the hilt of the sword fell from it.

`I can't lose! I can't lose! It's not an option!' the hanyou thought anxiously, thinking of his mate and pack members that were counting on him. Balling up his free hand as the air in his lungs slowly began to vanish, Inuyasha started to pound with all his might on the side of Susamajii's face. “I…will…not…let…you…hurt them!” he screamed. Each word was enunciated by a different blow and summed up with one final blow to the demon's temple.

Susamajii staggered back but didn't fall. Shaking his head, he charged towards the hanyou again, but was stopped as a barraged of red cutting arcs sliced through his body. Somewhere in the distance as his mind tried to interpret the pain, he heard the hanyou shouting, “Blades of Blood!”

Knowing that he wouldn't be able to use his sword hand, Inuyasha used Susamajii's distraction as the chance to attack him. Standing quickly to his feet, the hanyou barreled into the Southern Ass's chest with his shoulder, knocking both of them off their balance, and through the wall that was once Sesshomaru's bedroom.

Landing hard on the ground outside, the hanyou moaned as he twisted his head from right to left and back again. Realizing that he was on top of his adversary, the half demon staggered to his feet quickly, moments before Susamajii did the same.

“I suppose, I've underestimated you,” the Southern Lord avowed cryptically. Cracking his fingers threateningly, he continued as his claws extended into grotesque looking black knives, “I assure you, it won't happen again.”

Knowing that he couldn't let Susa-fucker get anywhere near him with those things, the hanyou sunk his claws into his wrist reopening his already closing wound and allowed the blood to fill his hand. Leaping into the air, he screamed once more, “Blades of Blood,” as he threw the transformed blood at his enemy.

Turning on his heels as Susamajii tried dodging his attack, Inuyasha ran back towards the house hoping to get back to his fang before the asshole demon caught up to him.

Leaping up into the hole that lead to Sesshomaru's room, the hanyou was caught off guard when a brown blur flew swiftly over his head and directly into the Southern Lord, who was mere seconds from ripping open his back.

Jumping the rest of the way into the room, Inuyasha thought, `Damn, that motherfucker almost got me. He almost… Fuck if it wasn't for…' Turning around to stare out the hole, the hanyou watched as the bear youkai, Rinji, materialized before Susamajii, his sword drawn and pointing at the Southern demon's neck. “Hold him there!” the hanyou shouted.

“For the atrocities he's caused here today, I will deal with him,” the bear youkai replied without looking away from his prey. “You, see to Lady Rin and Master Kanomaru! It is imperative that they are not harmed!”

Narrowing his eyes at the back of the bear youkai's head, Inuyasha thought belligerently, `Who the hell does he think he is? This is my fight, damn it!' Taking a step towards the hole that would take him back outside, another thought occurred, `Shit, he's right. Those two other bastards are unaccounted for… If they attack Kagome and the others… Shit!!'

Turning on his heel, the hanyou quickly picked up and sheathed his fang in one fluid motion as he headed in the direction he saw Kagome and the others go.

“Fuck it! Let him handle that bastard, there's still two other fuckers out there,” he commented as he ran towards the steps and took them two at a time.

Simonkal of Inuy

Reinto stared up into the branches of the vast forest around him, looking for an answer, but knowing none would ever come.

It was simple, really. He just wanted someone or something to tell him whether he could believe Teela or not. He wanted someone or something to tell him if he was supposed to just run into the Lord of the West's home and demand answers to questions that he didn't truly want to know the answers to.

After he'd left Teela standing on the cliffs, he'd walked slowly, wanting nothing more than to distance himself from her voice, but the further he walked…the more insistently that voice in the back of mind kept whispering to him that he should at the very least check it out…question Sesshomaru about it.

After all, if there was even a fraction of truth to it, wouldn't the Lord of the West tell him? Wouldn't Sesshomaru believe that he had a right to know?

`No,' he thought heatedly as he gripped the branch that he was sitting on fiercely. `No, I don't… I don't want to know! I don't need to…'

He couldn't finish that thought because if it was the truth… If what Teela was hinting at was the truth, then that meant Susamajii… Susamajii killed…

`No, it can't be! Susamajii maybe a lot of things, but he couldn't have… He couldn't have killed my parents! He took me in! He fed me and taught me! He treated me as if I was his blood, damn it! He's… He couldn't have!'

He needed desperately to hold on to some semblance of normalcy, even if his idea of normal wasn't quite the norm!

He needed for things to go back to when he trusted Susamajii! He needed for things to go back to when his thoughts of his parents were nothing more than dreams! He needed, desperately needed, to go back to when he had no doubts! To when he would have followed Susamajii into the bowels of hell and back and would never have asked why or what for!

He needed that back because this, this was driving him fucking insane!

Reinto closed his iridescent blue eyes and sighed as his last memory of his mother floated through his mind for the millionth time that day.

Flashback

Dropping the sword, he ran to her, his heart hammering as if it were a rhythm-less beat of a drum. She couldn't be dead, she couldn't be! Dropping to his knees, he screamed, “Mother, Mother, I'm here!”

Her body was dead weight as he clumsily rolled her over.

Blood was everywhere! It covered her chest, her neck, the side of her face, and even her hair. He could clearly see where a sword had been slashed down her front and where the same weapon, he supposed, had entered through her back and punctured out through her chest.

“Mother,” he whispered hoarsely as he pushed gently against her shoulder. “Mother, please…please get up. We…we have to go, we have to find Father.”

His mother didn't open her eyes or move an inch and the little youkai's heart sank into the depths of his stomach.

Looking around for someone…anyone that could help him, Reinto screamed, “Somebody please help me! My mother, she's…she's...” He couldn't finish that sentence. If he admitted it… If he said it out loud…

Turning his attention back to her body, he threw himself down on her so that he was hugging her neck. “Please mother, don't leave me! Please,” he cried heart brokenly.

“R…Rein…” she said weakly.

Sitting back, he stared at her, his heart overjoyed that she hadn't died. “Mother?”

“…My baby…” she whispered, her voice growing softer with every word that fell from her lips.

“I'm here, Mother, I'm here,” he cried as he cuddled closer to her, her blood now coating the front of the short boy's kimono he wore and the side of his face.

She tried to smile at him in order to reassure him that she was okay, but instead, she coughed harshly, causing blood to sputter out of her mouth, yet still she tried to speak, “R…run.”

He heard her clearly. “No Mother! I can't…I can't leave you! I'll go get Father, he'll save you, I know he will!”

Her hand came up to grip his arm tightly as she stated again and for the final time, “Run…now.” As the last word fell from her lips, her eyes rolled to the back of her head as her body shook violently then went deathly still before him.

He wanted to cry and scream, but he was too stunned…to ashamed that he couldn't do anything to save her, to spare her the death she didn't deserve.

`Mother,' he thought sadly, falling back on his bottom. “I'm…I'm sorry,” he whispered as he stared down at her half opened eyes, silently praying that she'd get up and tell him that she was okay.

He felt like he was being forced to grow-up a year a minute. He was a child, he was not supposed to see his mother die like this; he was just a pup, for Kami's sake! This couldn't be happening! Maybe…maybe he was still sleeping… Maybe this was nothing more than a nightmare!

End Flashback

`It wasn't a dream. It was so real…too real. It was too much… No child should ever have to witness such a thing,' he thought angrily as he tried feverishly to shake off that haunting memory.

Unfortunately, it didn't work. Instead, it was like forces unknown to him were trying to tell him something. It was as if they, whoever they were, were trying to get him to see something or understand something that he either couldn't, or didn't want to comprehend, because the moment he thought one memory was done another started to play of its own volition.

Flashback

“Reinto, Lyako?” he heard his father shout desperately.

Jumping to his feet, he spared one last moment to gaze down at his mother's corpse before he took off towards his father, Zetsumei Kyo dragging behind him. “Father, they…they killed her! They killed Mother!” he cried as he rounded the bend and ran dead into his mentor.

His father was drenched in blood. Whether it was from his enemies that he'd taken down, or it was his own, Reinto didn't know.

“Father?”

The elder youkai dropped to his knees before the child. Pulling his son to him, he hugged him tightly as he stared at the body of his mate. It was as if he knew that this was the end because what he said next shocked and sent the boy's heart plummeting into his stomach all over again.

“Reinto, I need you to run. I need you to run to the West.”

“But…But Father?”

“There are no buts! Run Westerly until you reach the ocean, you will find help there!”

“Father, I don't…” His words died on his lips as he looked away from his father's face and up at the massive amount of demons now surrounding them.

Someone spoke from the darkness, the voice cold, distant, filled with hatred. That voice… Those words would haunt the child for years to come, “Masotako, your reign comes to an end this night.”

Looking at his father who was now staring at him with a regretful smile on his face, Reinto stepped back, understanding without wanting to, exactly what was happening.

These people had caught his father off guard! They had come to kill him! They'd come to take what wasn't theirs! Lifting his arms, he held Zetsumei Kyo out for his father to take. “Here, I cleaned her for you.”

Why weren't the men attacking? His father had his back to most of them. He...both of them was vulnerable at this point. What were they waiting for?

Reinto watched as his father stared over his shoulder at the body of his mother, a grim expression marring his manly face.

Masotako stood slowly to his feet as he shook his head in a negative manner. Pushing the sword away, and towards his son, he stated sadly, “Remember what I've taught you, my son.”

End Flashback

Reinto grimaced and bit down on the inside of his jaw in order to quell the bile that threatened to rise up into his esophagus. No matter how many times he relived those memories, it never got any easier for him to handle.

Opening his eyes slowly, he stared out into the branches of the tree he was sitting in as a voice that he was so familiar with, that it could have been his own, played hauntingly within his mind, “Masotako, your reign comes to an end this night.”

`No, what Teela said, it was a lie! That man…that man with `that' voice killed my mother…my father! It wasn't Susamajii! It wasn't him!' he tried to reassure himself.

Still, there were doubts.

He closed his eyes and tried to stop the voice…the mantra from rolling around his mind, but he couldn't! It just kept playing and playing and replaying.

`No,' he thought apprehensively as he jumped from the branch to the ground without disturbing a twig. `I'm not stupid; I would know if it was him! I would know, damn it!'

Still, the mantra played.

He wished with all his might that he'd seen the face of the youkai, or even caught his scent, but that night all the faces that he saw seemed like nothing more than hideous creatures from a child's horrid nightmare, and the scent-the only scent that he remembered from that night was the smell of his mother's blood.

`Teela has to be lying,' he thought desperately.

He needed to stop that voice from replaying within his mind! He needed to find out what the truth was! He needed to find out why his father had told him to run westerly towards the ocean! He needed some form of closure or retribution!

Balling up his fists tightly, he began to walk slowly into the forest, his heart heavy with doubt, and his mind wrought with questions he had no answers for, but he knew, he knew where he would probably be able to find them.

The time had come… There were no other recourses…

He knew if he ever wanted to find closure, prove Teela to be the lying slut she was, and vindicate Susamajii there was only one place…one youkai that would probably have the answers he sought.

Simonkal of Inuy

“Great Dog of the West, to what do I owe this pleasure?”

Sesshomaru glanced up at the ancient tree, but did not respond as he turned and stood facing the west, his hands clasped comfortably behind him.

Honestly, he had no true purpose for coming here today. When he left Rin and his son the night before, his only goal was to put some distance between them, so that he could think, so that she could calm down and come to her senses.

He'd planned on returning shortly thereafter, but as soon as the night air hit him, his mind blanked and he ran as if he was a youkai unmated and a man with no heir to teach or protect.

He ran freely, enjoying and embracing the feel of the wind on his face, and the light, sensual touch of the breeze against his skin as it rippled through the loose folds of his sleeping yukata. He didn't look back, didn't care to look back at the time, he simply wanted distance and nothing more. He wanted peace and quiet, tranquility like he once had before he was mated…before he was a father…before there were others that needed…deserved his respect and protection.

Was he wrong for this?

`No'

Was it selfish of him?

`Perhaps,' he admitted as he held his head higher and inhaled deeply, letting the clean fresh air fill his lungs and oxygenate his blood.

“It is almost time for the young lords' training to begin, is it not, Lord Sesshomaru?” Bokusenou questioned mildly, his aged face disappearing and reappearing within the blink of an ant's eye.

Sesshomaru grunted, but did not verbally reply as he finally turned to face the old tree.

Bokusenou was the one thing that always seemed to give him answers to questions he couldn't answer on his own. He was the one that told him about the tetsusaiga and the dangers of mating with a human woman and siring a hanyou heir.

Of course, Sesshomaru did not heed any of his warnings; he never had. However, he did, in his own way-though he'd never admit it-respect the demon's wisdom, and perhaps that was the true reason why he'd come here of all places.

Unfortunately, it mattered not how much respect he held of the tree's wisdom, he was not about to open up to anyone about his and Rin's personal life. They were mates and they would deal with such issues privately.

Turning away without saying a word to the aged tree, Sesshomaru started off in the direction he'd come mere moments ago, but stopped when he remembered that a few days earlier he was meaning to come and speak with his old acquaintance about the fire in the west.

He knew that the roots of his old contact dug so deep into the earth that it touched every part of Japan and probably the continent. If Bokusenou didn't know about the fire, no one knew about the fire.

“Bokusenou, there was a village burned a few days ago. What do you know of it?”

Grinning dryly as his face disappeared briefly and reappeared seconds later, the ancient tree tossed back a question of his own, “Which fire do you speak of? The one between the West and the South or the one the roots of your brothers' forest have been whispering about since last night?”

Sesshomaru turned to partially face him, his face unreadable but his eyes demanding that he continue. `A fire in Inuyasha's forest; could this be a coincidence?'

“Am I to believe that you did not know of the fire in Inuyasha's forest?”

“Believe what you choose. What do you know of it?” Sesshomaru questioned coldly.

“Hmm,” Bokusenou began slowly, his eyes closing. “The roots tell me that peace has been broken by the hands of cowards. They tell me that there has not been this much bloodshed since the days of the hanyou turned demon, Naraku. They seek justice, Lord Sesshomaru, for the lives of the villagers lost.” The old tree's face vanished for the millionth time and reappeared as he finished, “They cry out against the Lords of the South.”

`The Lords of the South? This can't be a coincidence.' Turning his attention towards the sky, Sesshomaru's thoughts continued, `The village that sat near the path that Susamajii surely took to my estate… Inuyasha's village… This can't be a coincidence. Susamajii…?'

Lost in his own thoughts, Sesshomaru didn't notice the way the ancient tree's face disappeared within his trunk and remained there for more than a few seconds.

“Treacherous,” the Western Lord whispered as he turned and started off again, but stopped when he heard what sounded like the trees around him-all of them-whispering his name in unison and repeatedly.

`What is the meaning of this,' he thought suspiciously while staring up into the branches looking for something, but now knowing what that might have been.

“Lord Sesshomaru…”

“What is the meaning of this, Bokusenou?” Sesshomaru demanded without turning back to face the aged tree.

The Inu Lord couldn't shake the feeling that perhaps he was being warned about something, or perhaps he hadn't heard that at all. Maybe it was his subconscious warning him of an unseen danger.

He couldn't stop an unfamiliar feeling from creeping up his spine. This feeling, it seemed so familiar and yet so foreign. It reminded him… It brought to life old haunted memories of when he'd arrived back at Inuyasha's village years ago- only to find that Rin had been attacked and almost killed by that beast, Jouyoku!

This feeling, he didn't like it, and he couldn't shake it. It was like a family of maggots, burrowing deeper into his heart, his spine, his mind. This feeling…it made him want to…run.

Unable to shake the sense of trepidation that had fallen over him like an overstuffed suffocating blanket, the taiyoukai mumbled, “Kanomaru…Rin,” seconds before he took a few steps into the forest and dissolved into a silver glowing ball of energy.

Until Next Time…(Your .02 cents are greatly appreciated.)

Next Chapter: And the HeavensShall Open