InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fuyu no Shimekiri ❯ Purity Rising ( Chapter 16 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: kanna37 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 08.09.2009 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.0K | Visits: 723 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 08.09.2009 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.0K | Visits: 723 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter 16: Purity Rising
I love you, Maru-chan.
True to her words, Kagome had woken him every day with those words, and sent him into slumber at night with them as well. He smiled inwardly as he looked out across the field that would soon become a battlefield. Even now, even in this, she had refused to leave his side.
He would never leave her, either. Not for anyone, not for anything.
Turning his attention to the fortified shiro on the other side of the massive clearing, he pondered on the possible responses of the snake Lord. Would he come out and fight, honorably, or send his soldiers to die, while hiding himself away? Would he just direct their efforts from inside his palace like a puppetmaster?
Sesshoumaru hoped that the snake would come forth and fight... he was really looking forward to taking the life of the being that was interfering in his life - by his actions, he had delayed his and Kagome's mating, and Sesshoumaru was not very forgiving of those that got in his way. In fact, the only one that had ever successfully done so was Inuyasha... and that was only because of Kagome.
The thought of the Tessaiga no longer bothered him, he was more than content to let it stay with his baka half-brother... after all, he had gotten the better end of the deal. Kagome was worth far more than any sword could ever be, and Inuyasha was the baka that hadn't understood her value.
Tilting his head up to look at the sky, he noted the light of false dawn come and go, then looked back across at the palace gates. It was obvious that those within were up to something - they weren't nearly as silent as they'd like to think they were, and Seshoumaru motioned for Kagome to step up beside him as he caught her scent nearing.
"The snakes think to prepare some kind of welcome for us, koi. Instruct General Kanaye to join us." He continued to stare across the field as he spoke, all senses trained forward, on the enemy. There was no need for concern at his back, Kagome would make sure of that, he had no doubt.
"Okay. Is there anything else that is needed?" Kagome spoke quietly in the pre-dawn air, keeping his directive that everyone stay as silent as possible. The snakes knew they were there of course, but the more silence at his back, the better he could concentrate on the battlefront... the more warning he could get about the enemy's actions, the better for his army.
"Send some runners to bring Koga, and Shippo here, and quickly. Whatever it is they prepare, the attack will come soon."
Kagome nodded, then moved off. She, too, felt that the snakes were up to some trickery, and was straining all her miko senses as well trying to figure out where the attack would come from.
It's like that battle with Naraku all over again, she thought sourly. Him and his damn tricks, trying everything he could to sneak up on us...her thoughts trailed off as she reached General Kanaye and passed on their Lord's instructions, and sent a runner off to fetch Koga and Shippo.
As she walked back, her thoughts turned back to the current situation, and her feelings of forboding. Damn! I really, really hate snakes... always having to watch the ground... she frowned - the ground...
"Oh, Shit!!" Her eyes widened as soon as the thought hit her, and she took of at a flat out run, heading for her daiyoukai.
"Sesshoumaru! Get everyone out! Move the troops back to the forest, I need them clear!" As he turned in surprise to ask her what was wrong, the ground rumbled, just slightly, and she turned to Kanaye, who was right behind her by this point, and began yelling. "Move! Get everyone out! The snakes are going to come from underneath us!"
Sesshoumaru's eyes widened slightly, then narrowed, and he nodded to Kanaye, saying, "Do as she has ordered, General. Move the soldiers, now."
He turned back to his miko, who had pulled several arrows from her quiver. Her voice was hard as she said, "You're going to have to get off the ground, too, you know. I'm going to show those damn snakes why it's not a good idea to piss off the Western Lord - or his Lady."
He raised a brow questioningly, a small, proud smirk tugging at the corner of his lip. She caught the look and answered it.
"I'm gonna sink a bunch of purification powers into the ground... that's why you can't be touching it when I do, and why the troops needed to be moved." She squinted up into the sky, then glanced back over her shoulder to check on the progress of the army behind her. She was pleased to see that the soldiers had already melted back into the forest ringing the northern half of the field.
Shippo and Koga came up at that point, wanting to know what was going on and why the troops had been ordered away, when they saw Kagome, arrows out, glaring at the ground beneath their feet, obviously angry.
"Momma...? What's going on?"
Sesshoumaru answered. "Apparently, the snakes thought to sneak up on us by moving underground, planning to come up from beneath right in our midst - that would have caused some problems," he conceded. "However, now, the problems will be theirs," as he smirked again, turning his attention back to the shiro.
"Okay, guys, I need you two to disappear. Get back with the rest of the army, and I'll have Sesshoumaru send up some kind of signal when it's safe to bring the soldiers back. Once I'm finished with this, you two come back here, got it?"
Koga was a bit taken aback at her no-nonsense tone, and by the fact that Sesshoumaru obviously had no problems with her giving orders... he clearly expected her to be obeyed. He shrugged. That was fine by him - he had no problems doing whatever she said, and he turned and sped off, followed quickly by the kitsune.
She nodded abruptly to her Lord, and he formed his youki cloud under his feet... lifting himself several feet off the ground, then halted his motion, and watched his miko with fascination. He could feel the charge of her powers wash across her skin, and the sheer magnitude of power held in check inside her tiny body was enough to leave him astounded... and entirely grateful that he wasn't her enemy. She would be a formidable opponent.
As he watched her flame her arrows, he shook his head wonderingly. He'd always known that she was powerful... it was just that seeing it this way made it hit home more... and he began to smile wickedly as she jammed those arrows into the ground, and he watched the pink glow surrounding them begin to leach down, penetrating it deeply.
The snakes that were down there were absolutely helpless - and totally dead. There was no way out for them.
Just as the pink light reached about mid-way across the field from their position, the ground began to rumble, and dying snakes began bursting through the ground, screaming in agony as their bodies were purified - the din was incredible, and Sesshoumaru began to scale back his hearing.
His eyebrow raised as snakes continued to erupt from below, he was surprised that there had been that many. It looked as though they had put almost a third of their force down below. He looked down on his miko, pleased. She had just taken out a third of the hostile force, by herself.
Oh, yes. The House of the West is by far the most powerful... none of the others have a mate with anywhere near the strength of mine. You would be pleased, father. After this, I doubt anyone else will even attempt to attack us again.
Kagome watched the progress of the wave of purification with satisfaction, totally ignoring the cacophony. Glancing up, she caught the self-satisfied look on her Lord's face, and grinned as she realized what he was probably thinking... and suddenly, his comment about mating on the battlefield made sense. As did the comment about one passion turning to another.
She giggled as she realized he was probably getting turned on, if the look on his face was anything to go on. After all, power of any type had always attracted the daiyoukai, and she wasn't fool enough to think that that had changed - or ever would, for that matter.
Shaking her head, she chuckled, and then glanced back at the progress of her powers. Feeling that it was safe enough for the soldiers to return, she looked up and caught her soon-to-be-lover's attention. "You can call them back now, Sesshoumaru. It's safe enough... at least on this side of the field." She snickered. "I wouldn't want to be over on that side, though. Not for a while."
"Hn." He flashed his whip out, glowing green, it was easily visible from the edges of the trees, and it wasn't long before he was once again standing at the head of an army.
"Maybe it would be best if we wait for them to come to us, then." Looking back out across the field that was now covered in ash, he nodded with satisfaction.
"They will, indeed, my miko, regret the day they thought to take on the West."
Suddenly, the gates of the shiro began opening, and the remaining forces under the Snake Lord's command began to march out, and to Sesshoumaru's satisfaction, Hebikuro was indeed leading them. It looked like he was furious, too. His opening salvo had been ruined, defeated by a single female.
He washed all emotion from his face, donning his familiar stoicism like armor. It was time for the Ice Prince to once again do battle. With one last glance at his intended, he moved forward, intent on personally destroying the Southern Lord.
He watched as the Snake moved to head him off, and motioned for Kagome and the rest of the army to stay back. Once he had engaged Hebikuro, the rest could begin their own fights, but the Lord was his.
His prey.
Silence weighed heavily across the battlefield as the two armies stared each other down, lead by the two youkai Lords standing at the forefront.
And then the snake yelled, "Forward! Attack and destroy them all!"
As his words rang and echoed across the field, Sesshoumaru brought his arm down sharply, and his own army let loose with their battlecries before thundering forward and finally engaging the enemy.
You will never take my mate, Hebikuro. You are not powerful enough to harm her. Any that get near her will die, just as your first attack did... by her hand.
The sound as the two armies clashed was titanic.
I love you, Maru-chan.
True to her words, Kagome had woken him every day with those words, and sent him into slumber at night with them as well. He smiled inwardly as he looked out across the field that would soon become a battlefield. Even now, even in this, she had refused to leave his side.
He would never leave her, either. Not for anyone, not for anything.
Turning his attention to the fortified shiro on the other side of the massive clearing, he pondered on the possible responses of the snake Lord. Would he come out and fight, honorably, or send his soldiers to die, while hiding himself away? Would he just direct their efforts from inside his palace like a puppetmaster?
Sesshoumaru hoped that the snake would come forth and fight... he was really looking forward to taking the life of the being that was interfering in his life - by his actions, he had delayed his and Kagome's mating, and Sesshoumaru was not very forgiving of those that got in his way. In fact, the only one that had ever successfully done so was Inuyasha... and that was only because of Kagome.
The thought of the Tessaiga no longer bothered him, he was more than content to let it stay with his baka half-brother... after all, he had gotten the better end of the deal. Kagome was worth far more than any sword could ever be, and Inuyasha was the baka that hadn't understood her value.
Tilting his head up to look at the sky, he noted the light of false dawn come and go, then looked back across at the palace gates. It was obvious that those within were up to something - they weren't nearly as silent as they'd like to think they were, and Seshoumaru motioned for Kagome to step up beside him as he caught her scent nearing.
"The snakes think to prepare some kind of welcome for us, koi. Instruct General Kanaye to join us." He continued to stare across the field as he spoke, all senses trained forward, on the enemy. There was no need for concern at his back, Kagome would make sure of that, he had no doubt.
"Okay. Is there anything else that is needed?" Kagome spoke quietly in the pre-dawn air, keeping his directive that everyone stay as silent as possible. The snakes knew they were there of course, but the more silence at his back, the better he could concentrate on the battlefront... the more warning he could get about the enemy's actions, the better for his army.
"Send some runners to bring Koga, and Shippo here, and quickly. Whatever it is they prepare, the attack will come soon."
Kagome nodded, then moved off. She, too, felt that the snakes were up to some trickery, and was straining all her miko senses as well trying to figure out where the attack would come from.
It's like that battle with Naraku all over again, she thought sourly. Him and his damn tricks, trying everything he could to sneak up on us...her thoughts trailed off as she reached General Kanaye and passed on their Lord's instructions, and sent a runner off to fetch Koga and Shippo.
As she walked back, her thoughts turned back to the current situation, and her feelings of forboding. Damn! I really, really hate snakes... always having to watch the ground... she frowned - the ground...
"Oh, Shit!!" Her eyes widened as soon as the thought hit her, and she took of at a flat out run, heading for her daiyoukai.
"Sesshoumaru! Get everyone out! Move the troops back to the forest, I need them clear!" As he turned in surprise to ask her what was wrong, the ground rumbled, just slightly, and she turned to Kanaye, who was right behind her by this point, and began yelling. "Move! Get everyone out! The snakes are going to come from underneath us!"
Sesshoumaru's eyes widened slightly, then narrowed, and he nodded to Kanaye, saying, "Do as she has ordered, General. Move the soldiers, now."
He turned back to his miko, who had pulled several arrows from her quiver. Her voice was hard as she said, "You're going to have to get off the ground, too, you know. I'm going to show those damn snakes why it's not a good idea to piss off the Western Lord - or his Lady."
He raised a brow questioningly, a small, proud smirk tugging at the corner of his lip. She caught the look and answered it.
"I'm gonna sink a bunch of purification powers into the ground... that's why you can't be touching it when I do, and why the troops needed to be moved." She squinted up into the sky, then glanced back over her shoulder to check on the progress of the army behind her. She was pleased to see that the soldiers had already melted back into the forest ringing the northern half of the field.
Shippo and Koga came up at that point, wanting to know what was going on and why the troops had been ordered away, when they saw Kagome, arrows out, glaring at the ground beneath their feet, obviously angry.
"Momma...? What's going on?"
Sesshoumaru answered. "Apparently, the snakes thought to sneak up on us by moving underground, planning to come up from beneath right in our midst - that would have caused some problems," he conceded. "However, now, the problems will be theirs," as he smirked again, turning his attention back to the shiro.
"Okay, guys, I need you two to disappear. Get back with the rest of the army, and I'll have Sesshoumaru send up some kind of signal when it's safe to bring the soldiers back. Once I'm finished with this, you two come back here, got it?"
Koga was a bit taken aback at her no-nonsense tone, and by the fact that Sesshoumaru obviously had no problems with her giving orders... he clearly expected her to be obeyed. He shrugged. That was fine by him - he had no problems doing whatever she said, and he turned and sped off, followed quickly by the kitsune.
She nodded abruptly to her Lord, and he formed his youki cloud under his feet... lifting himself several feet off the ground, then halted his motion, and watched his miko with fascination. He could feel the charge of her powers wash across her skin, and the sheer magnitude of power held in check inside her tiny body was enough to leave him astounded... and entirely grateful that he wasn't her enemy. She would be a formidable opponent.
As he watched her flame her arrows, he shook his head wonderingly. He'd always known that she was powerful... it was just that seeing it this way made it hit home more... and he began to smile wickedly as she jammed those arrows into the ground, and he watched the pink glow surrounding them begin to leach down, penetrating it deeply.
The snakes that were down there were absolutely helpless - and totally dead. There was no way out for them.
Just as the pink light reached about mid-way across the field from their position, the ground began to rumble, and dying snakes began bursting through the ground, screaming in agony as their bodies were purified - the din was incredible, and Sesshoumaru began to scale back his hearing.
His eyebrow raised as snakes continued to erupt from below, he was surprised that there had been that many. It looked as though they had put almost a third of their force down below. He looked down on his miko, pleased. She had just taken out a third of the hostile force, by herself.
Oh, yes. The House of the West is by far the most powerful... none of the others have a mate with anywhere near the strength of mine. You would be pleased, father. After this, I doubt anyone else will even attempt to attack us again.
Kagome watched the progress of the wave of purification with satisfaction, totally ignoring the cacophony. Glancing up, she caught the self-satisfied look on her Lord's face, and grinned as she realized what he was probably thinking... and suddenly, his comment about mating on the battlefield made sense. As did the comment about one passion turning to another.
She giggled as she realized he was probably getting turned on, if the look on his face was anything to go on. After all, power of any type had always attracted the daiyoukai, and she wasn't fool enough to think that that had changed - or ever would, for that matter.
Shaking her head, she chuckled, and then glanced back at the progress of her powers. Feeling that it was safe enough for the soldiers to return, she looked up and caught her soon-to-be-lover's attention. "You can call them back now, Sesshoumaru. It's safe enough... at least on this side of the field." She snickered. "I wouldn't want to be over on that side, though. Not for a while."
"Hn." He flashed his whip out, glowing green, it was easily visible from the edges of the trees, and it wasn't long before he was once again standing at the head of an army.
"Maybe it would be best if we wait for them to come to us, then." Looking back out across the field that was now covered in ash, he nodded with satisfaction.
"They will, indeed, my miko, regret the day they thought to take on the West."
Suddenly, the gates of the shiro began opening, and the remaining forces under the Snake Lord's command began to march out, and to Sesshoumaru's satisfaction, Hebikuro was indeed leading them. It looked like he was furious, too. His opening salvo had been ruined, defeated by a single female.
He washed all emotion from his face, donning his familiar stoicism like armor. It was time for the Ice Prince to once again do battle. With one last glance at his intended, he moved forward, intent on personally destroying the Southern Lord.
He watched as the Snake moved to head him off, and motioned for Kagome and the rest of the army to stay back. Once he had engaged Hebikuro, the rest could begin their own fights, but the Lord was his.
His prey.
Silence weighed heavily across the battlefield as the two armies stared each other down, lead by the two youkai Lords standing at the forefront.
And then the snake yelled, "Forward! Attack and destroy them all!"
As his words rang and echoed across the field, Sesshoumaru brought his arm down sharply, and his own army let loose with their battlecries before thundering forward and finally engaging the enemy.
You will never take my mate, Hebikuro. You are not powerful enough to harm her. Any that get near her will die, just as your first attack did... by her hand.
The sound as the two armies clashed was titanic.