InuYasha - The Scourge of the North

[StormWolf]

The golden disk in the sky drew closer to the horizon, painting the winter sky in bright reds, yellows, and pinks. The mountains to the north reached towards the heavens like the claws of some titanic creature. The creatures of the night began to make their sounds as the night flowers started opening their buds. All was so serene. There was a patch of wild lilies, white as snow and fresh from the nurturing rays of the sun, they were at peace, nothing could ruin their sanctuary….

An armored foot-wrap stomped on the patch of flowers heavily, causing the stems to crumple and the pedals floating to the ground. The bare toed feet stumbled haphazardly through the flowerbed, the white pedals getting splotched red. The young man was breathing hard, wheezing, sounding as if he had fluid in his lungs.

One hand clutched his side where his black silk gi top clung to him from a spreading wetness that streaked his hand red. His other hand held a sword in a scabbard with a white knuckle grip. Blood flowed down that arm, as it did almost everywhere. His vision was getting foggy, his jade eyes feeling like they had lead weights tethered to the lids. He was so tired….

Run… Run…. Just….keep…running… he thought to himself as his feet dragged through the flower bed, leaving an upturned and blood-splattered path behind him. His foot caught a stone, sending him down like an oak after the final hack from a woodsman’s axe. His fading vision gazed up at the colorful sky, the changing point from afternoon to dusk. His breathing was coming slower now, like he was resting. He felt sleepy, and then he closed his eyes, his silver-gray haired head sagging to one side as his muscles relaxed.


With the sun almost kissing the horizon, Lord Sesshomaru and company were looking for a proper place to rest for the night. He cared not, anywhere would do, but Rin had to have a view of the stars and be surrounded by sweet smelling wildflowers. The demon lord just shook his head and sighed, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Jaken lead Ah-Un by the reins, the imp occasionally berating the two-headed dragon in his highly irritating voice. With years of traveling with the creature, both Rin and Sesshomaru had learned to tune him out.

“Lord Sesshomaru look! Roses!” Rin’s face lit up as her long legs carried her to the patch of red flowers in the midst of the white. Roses… he thought, They are far out of season here…. Something doesn’t smell right…. I smell… The demon lord’s eyes widened when the dawn came to him, his hand grasping his sword and drawing the blade. Blood. Too late, Rin reached the patch of ‘roses’ and strangled back a scream, a frightened yelp escaping her lips. Within seconds Sesshomaru was at her side, looking at a young man spread upon a bed of blood-stained lilies, his clothes stuck to him with blood, his blood. He was an odd fellow, taller than even Sesshomaru and with shoulders half again as broad. Muscle rippled beneath those clothes and over his exposed chest and arms. A sinuous neck lead up to a handsome, if not slightly stony, face with dark red demon markings on his cheeks, chin, and forehead in a three-claw kind of design; Sesshomaru’s eyes tightened when he saw the markings on the young man’s wrists as well.

A Demon Lord…. Sesshomaru thought, the blade of his weapon pointed at the fellow, the tip of the sword kissing the unconscious man on the chin. This was too dangerous. Never has another Demon Lord entered Sesshomaru’s lands in over fifty years, and now here lies one that is severely wounded, nearly dead. If this demon was not going to be a problem, then whatever did this to him was.

“We are leaving, Rin. We can find your flowers elsewhere.” Sesshomaru said cooly and sheathed Bakusaiga, turning on his heel to walk away. When Rin gasped in shock at his cold-heartedness and protested, he couldn’t really say that he was surprised.

“Lord Sesshomaru! We can not just leave him here! He needs help!” Rin yelled after him, her voice no longer that childish shriek he had grown so accustomed to.

“He is beyond help, Rin. He is gone.” The Lord of the West responded, looking over his shoulder.

“Then use Tenseiga and bring him back!” Sesshomaru closed his eyes with a sigh at this. She was sharp as a razor, Rin was. With a grumble and a sigh, Sesshomaru clicked his tongue, bringing Ah-Un lumbering towards them so Sesshomaru could load the wounded young demon onto the saddle. Throwing the reins a Jaken, Sesshomaru lead the way.

“Lord Sesshomaru?” Rin and Jaken said in unison, the Lord of the West did not stop, he rarely stopped for anything.

“I do not have the means to help this man. I am taking him to Kagome’s.” Slight irritation pinched the last sentence. He had no qualms with Kagome and her husband, his half-brother, not at this moment in time, anyways. Still, he did not like asking for their help in the slightest… in any situation. Little irritated him further than his brother’s children clinging onto his mokomoko like it was some kind of blanket.


****

In the village of her birth, her cozy and safe home, Nariko gleefully kicked a ball around with her friend Shippo and occasionally the adorable creature named Kirara would attack the ball, in her smaller form, of course. The Hanyou girl’s ears twitched as she picked up noise approaching the village. Standing up on her tip-toes, those bright baby blues beheld her uncle and Rin and Jaken with Ah-Un in tow. Uncle Sesshomaru had always sent a chill down Nariko’s spine, as he did with most, but the fact that he was family to her and still had that effect saddened her. Still, Rin was always a sight for sore eyes and the good outweighed the bad whenever she and her adopted father stopped by for a random visit, as was customary of them.

“Mama! Papa! Rin and Uncle Sesshomaru are here!” Nariko yelled excitedly, Shippo and her younger sibling running inside. Inuyasha and Kagome stepped out of their house a few moments later, the half-demon’s hand resting on the grip of Tessaiga, his wife’s hand on his arm nervously. Ten years of Sesshomaru being acceptingly pleasant did not make up for all of the times he had tried to take their lives. He was family, though, so as long as he remained unviolent and civil, they would not turn him away.

“What the hell do you want, Sesshomaru?” Inuyahsa barked in his unique, gravelly voice, casting a reassuring glace to his wife and to his children. Nariko had joined her parents, her small and soft hands gripping her mother’s hand for safety. Those bright blue eyes watched with wonder as Sesshomaru and company approached.

“I am in no mood to put up with your pleasantries, Inuyasha.” Sesshomaru said in his calm and flat voice, lifting a bloody mess off of the back of Ah-Un with both hands, and with some visible effort, if one knew where to look.

“What the…? What did you do?! Who is that!?” Inuyahsa barked again, a dog defending his turf. Sesshomaru merely scoffed, Rin speaking instead.

“We don’t know… I found him lying on a flowerbed…. He is dying. We thought Lady Kagome, Master Miroku, and Lady Kaede could help him. Please…” After Rin said her piece, there was silence for what felt like ages, the only sound being the drip-drop noises of the mysterious man’s blood meeting the earth.

“Keh. Fine…. Bring him inside…” Inuyasha said after Kagome whispered something in his ear.

“Nariko, Shippo; go tell Kaede and Miroku to come to our hut immediately, okay?” Kagome smiled warmly down at her middle child. She protested, wanting to see who the strange man was, but Kagome would not budge; blood and battle wounds were nothing she would allow her children to see until they absolutely had to.

Kagome looked at the throngs of people gathering about to watch the scene, just catching the Lord of the West and his ward carrying some mysterious man inside before the sliding door shut them off from the real world. Kagome’s amber eyes caught a man in the crowd, dressed something like a monk, with the wide rice hat hiding his face. She felt a chill wash over her, she sensed something from that man, and she didn’t particularly like what it was. She watched the monk-dressed man until he left, not going inside until that ball of ice in her stomach was gone. She had to tell Sango to be on the lookout for that individual in the future.

When Kagome entered the room that had transformed into a medical clinic, she wasted no time in grabbing some of her modern-times medical equipment out of a top shelf. She knew this would come in handy some day. What puzzled her was how someone who looked like a Demon Lord – like Sesshomaru – could get so badly wounded without regenerating. Furthermore, where was this guy from? Going to the floor cot, Kagome helped Rin remove the young man’s gi top. She felt that little ball of ice in her stomach again. The wounds were grave, and there were a lot of them. One was a deep gash that opened up the man’s side. Judging by the color of the wound, it had lost a lot of blood and it was infected, possibly poisoned. Other cuts marked his arms and back, a back the Kagome could barely look at – there were so many scars. Who is this man and what happened to him?
Miroku and Kaede entered after a charging Nariko, all of them going right to the cot and working their arts of healing.



With his wounds salved and stitched and bandaged, the mysterious man was laid on a fresh cot with warm blankets. His breathing was restful, the air only catching in his lungs when little Nariko poked him out of curiosity. She always was the inquisitive one and it wasn’t every day that there was a near-dead man in their house. No matter how many times Rin and Kagome said leave the man alone, Nariko couldn’t help it. She had to know who and what he was, and she seemed to think that poking him would wake him up so he could tell her everything.

****

After a long period of question and answer among Inuyasha and his company versus Sesshomaru, the sun setting and the moon rising, the Lord of the West had grown tired of the inquisition, refusing to be on the receiving end of a verbal beating from a throng of mortals. No matter how much Rin protested, they were going to leave.

“Rin, we are leaving.” The Demon Lord said cooly before turning to go, “Inuyasha, I want to know when that man awakens. I have questions of my own to ask.” This was indeed a conundrum. Never before had he seen marking of that sort…. and the sword strapped to the boy’s belt held a heartbeat of its own, that could only mean one thing, and that did not rest well with the Demon Lord

“Lady Kagome,” Rin bowed slightly at the waist before continuing, “It has been nice seeing you again. I hope we will be back soon and hopefully this mystery will have solved itself.” In other words, she hoped that man woke up. A life of endless sleep was a horrible fate.
Kagome smiled and bowed back to Rin, “Take care, Rin. Don’t be a stranger! The kids love to see you.” Behind her smile and light words, Kagome was worried. She awoke in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, feeling like she had been dipped in scum. A vile feeling filled her gut and it pointed to the north. Something wicked was coming this way…. Something foul…. and she had a feeling that the unconscious man in their house held some piece of the puzzle. Her husband’s sigh reached Kagome’s ears, his own twitching with irritation,

“Just when I was getting used to a normal life. Keh.”

****
The following day….
(Atrum, I expect Kyrozan to show up here. I might have some plans for Ammon. As for everyone else, you may take it from here.)

[Atrum Daemon]

A very strange looking individual made his way for the peaceful village that had recently received a half dead demon lord from the north. The demon’s skin was black and had white markings on it similar to a skeleton. Kyrozan, called “The Reaper” by some, was vastly irritated by his current situation. He had followed the unique scent of his quarry so far, only to have it vanish as he neared the village.

An angry snarl left his throat accompanied by a black mist that snaked down and spread through the grass around him. Instantly the grass turned brown and died as the mist touched it and dissipated with Kyrozan’s heavy sigh. One of his bare feet dug into the earth for a moment before he started walking again. He could sense some interesting people within the village, even several that clearly had demon blood coursing through them. ‘Maybe someone here has seen Ammon pass through here,’ Kyrozan thought as he crossed the threshold into the village.

Something about the small village just did not sit right with Kyrozan. He did not see any telltale signs of Ammon having ever so much as passed through, but something told him he should take his time just in case. He toyed with the pendant around his neck absent-mindedly before heaving a heavy sigh of disappointment. ‘The bastard’s led me astray,’ Kyrozan thought as he looked around at the buildings, ‘used the wind to carry his scent away from where he was really going.’

Kyrozan let a loud curse fly from his lips, not caring how many in the village heard him. He clenched his jaw as his body trembled with contained rage. He had to remain calm and remember that Ammon had led him the wrong way before. As he took deep, steadying breaths, Kyrozan became aware of just how fatigued he was from traveling non-stop for three full weeks.

He let out a tired sigh and shook his head lightly. He’d see if he could persuade the village to let him rest for a day or so before starting his search again. From scratch. For the fifteenth time.

[Ankolyste]

Mem's and Miyavi's.

After leaving the hut Rin looked up to Sesshomaru, her features slightly distraught. "Lord Sesshomaru, do you think he will be okay?" She asked him as she looked up at him, his height still towering over her own. Rin was very concerned about the abnormal man they had found among the lilies.

Sesshomaru continued walking along the path. He too was thinking of the man they had just found. Whether or not he was all right wasn't of his concern. His motives however, was of some concern. He kept quiet and meddle in his thoughts. Demons like that didn't pop up for no good reason. Somehow the fleeting feeling of Naraku came pestering into his mind.

Rin was used to Seshomaru's silence. It never really bugged her, she knew he was thinking to himself. As they continued to walk she sighed slightly "He didnt look bad Lord Sesshomaru." She said as she looked back towards the hut, "He looked sort of like you, with his height and markings and all." She said absentmindedly.

Sesshomaru once again didn't reply to her comment. Didn't she realize? Then again he wouldn't think a human to realize. Demons like him didn't come over onto other areas. Demons like him would stay in their respected areas. Their territory. And would bark and snarl at whomever would come onto their land. Demons like him meant dangers. Dangers Sesshomaru didn't want the risk of putting Rin in. Or even for that fact of the matter dangers he didn't precisely want to face. He actually quite liked being the big kid in the playground.
"I forbid you to continue talking about this demon," Sesshomaru said, "And I find it important,Rin, you stay away from him."

Rin looked up at him, her face having mixed emotions of anger and confusion. "But Lord Sesshomaru!" Pouting slightly she looked up at him, knowing she couldnt much argue with him about this situation. Looking away she sighed, her smiling face she usually had now cast down into a pure distraught frown. She would listen to Lord Sesshomaru, for now.

Sesshomaru walked for a moment and he looked towards his path. He look slightly at Rin from his peripherals and then back towards the destination.
"We'll be following the path where the demon came from," Sesshomaru said, "Through there is a travelers road, we can get information from there."

"But Lord Sesshomaru, I thought you wanted to question the demon man when he woke up. Do you think Inuyasha will deliver the message so far of a distance?" She asked him as she continued to walk.

Sesshomaru stared across the landscape for a moment. His answers came at a belated standstill as they usually do.
"The man found was severally weakened," Sesshomaru said, "It may be a few days before he fully recovers, and I have all the time I want to question him."

Rin nodded and followed Sesshomaru "I see. You are always right Lord Sesshomaru!" She smiled as she looked ahead.

[nonangelic92]

Kagome looked to her husband, Inuyasha. "So what do you think happened to him to be in this sorta state?" Kagome went inside to check upon the stranger, making sure he is alright. Kagome saw Nariko still poking the man. "Nariko you better stop poking him or I'll send you to go stay with your Uncle." she false threatened the girl smiling. Kagome went to see how Inuyasha was coming along. She looked towards the north. "Inuyasha there is evil coming from the north, and it seems fierce."

[Lerouge]

Inuyasha stood rooted to the spot outside of the hut he lived in, he hadn't moved since Sesshomaru had left and he didn't intend to move any time soon. It was undeniable who the man inside was and whoever or whatever was able to injure a Demon Lord that badly was a bad sign. His golden eyes stares at the horizon, he felt weakened since his nose was only filled with blood. "Damnit..." he muttered to himself as his arms folded in front of him.

Inuyasha there is evil coming from the north, and it seems fierce.

"I know Kagome, someone as powerful as Naraku... no stronger. That man inside the hut is as powerful if not stronger than Sesshomaru and myself, no ordinary demon could injure him that badly." His voice was coming slowly and it seemed as if he was almost scared for a moment, he couldn't afford to be as reckless anymore. "Nariko, could you fetch Sango and Miroku for me?" He asked into the hut before his eyes glanced toward his right.

Someone is here He thought to himself and without second warning he leaped from the spot and began running toward the sound he heard. It took him a moment to arrive at the source of the sound and he stood face to face with a demon with long red hair. Inuyasha's claws spread quickly, his body prepared to attack as he looked upon Kyrozan. "Who are you?" Inuyasha demanded as his eyes scanned the man before him. The first thought that came to his mind was that it was a demon puppet from the sight of the bones on his skin, but he didn't smell of graveyard soil. "I won't ask you more than once..." he warned his patience as thin as always.

[Atrum Daemon]

Kyrozan took a moment to take in the half-breed standing threateningly before him. He had come from somewhere in the village from what Kyrozan had observed of the direction. Not feeling like a fight in his present mood, Kyrozan held up his hands in a gesture of civility. “I’m nobody,” he answered with a light smile. “Well, nobody you need to worry about. I’m just looking for a place to sleep for the night.”

Kyrozan truly hoped his first thoughts about the half-breed being too hot-headed to really listen were wrong. He had gotten over his prejudice against half-breeds long ago, but he still disliked having to fight one. “Look, I haven’t eaten or slept for three full weeks. I’m searching for someone dangerous and I’d rather be at full strength when I face him. Any kind of spare lodging you have, I’ll take. I’m really not in any kind of fighting mood right now. I’m no danger to you or anyone else here, you have my word on that.”

[Totenglaut]

Miroku was tired. He hadn't gotten much sleep for the past few nights. Worrying would do that to a person. Of course his steps were just as jaunty and purposeful as always. And he was still smiling and calm. But that was what Miroku was always. The mask of serenity was put in place to keep the world out of his emotions. Before he'd met Inuyasha Miroku hadn't believed he'd ever truly be close to anyone. Not with the Kazaana in his hand.

He was preoccupied with several things. First the demon he'd helped to treat. Second, Sango. But she was never far from his mind these days. It was with these heavy thoughts that Nariko found him. She was so precocious, Miroku marvelled. She came up and tugged at his robe with a small hand. "Daddy wants you and Sango at our house!" She trilled.

Both of them. They didn't notice the tension between the couple. But there had always been tension. Especially when Miroku's hands wandered from the "safe" spots. This tension was different. Sango was waiting ever-so patiently for a proposal that would never come. She'd leave before long, get tired of the lecher and just up and leave. It was inevitable.

Something must've shown in his eyes a moment for little Nariko asked. "You okay?" Miroku smiled. "'Course not. I'll just go and get Sango and we'll meet you back there" Nariko must've been satisified for she left then.

Miroku made his way back to the house he and Sango shared. She was standing outside looking at the sky. She was beautiful. Her dark brown eyes caught sight of his and she ran up.

"Did you ever...?" Sango trailed off sensing soemthing off about Miroku. Then she smiled. "At least you're okay, right?"

"Inuyasha wants us at his house"

So that was what was off. Something to do with the injured demon who'd blown in and that Miroku had helped treat. That must be why he looked like he was dragging slightly. Sango touched a hand to his shoulder. "Then we go, yes?" She asked.

Then he smiled going back to normal and they took off. However when they got there Inuyasha was no where to be found. Sango frowned. What the heck? Her brown eyes narrowed. Where was he? It would be just like him to ask and then leave. But if he left...then there must be something wrong. However Sango was human no matter how good a taiji she was she just didn't have the extra senses that a demon or even a hanyou had. So it was unlikely she could help.

"He's close by" Miroku said sensing that indeed Inuyasha was still close. "I'm guessing that he got himself into a fight I sense others too"

Sango frowned. "Lead the way," She invited.

Miroku nodded. It wasn't an exact science but anywhere there was yelling Inuyasha wasn't going to be far behind. Sure enough as they got close they could both hear Inuyasha well...talking but he wasn't far from yelling.

Neither of the moved as they just watched the red-haired demon speak. In fact Sango was content to watch.

[StormWolf]

Nariko watched her papa confront a demon with dark skin and contrasting red hair. The man looked scary, like some kind of monster, his voice even sounded scary, but what he said and how he said made him sound... human. He did not sound like a bad man, he did not talk down to papa like Sesshomaru did, or other full demons. She tilted her head inquisitively as Miroku joined the conversation. This was going to be a day she would remember. She felt excited enough to jump out of her skin.

Then she heard something, a distand throbbing, like a heartbeat. She turned and trodded to the source of the heartbeat. The source came from the room of the comatose, mysterious demon, but as she entered the room, there was a second heartbeat. Peeking her head in the door, she saw just him, lying there in an almost serene manner. One of those throbbing noises was indeed the man's heart, slow and powerful, like a slumbering beast of mighty proportions, but the other heartbeat came from the corner of the room, a average looking katana in a scabard.

"Papa's sword does that, sometimes..." she said to herself, her finger tracing the snarling gold wolf head that made up the butt of the sword, eyes of ruby and fangs of silver. The handle was wrapped in black-over-red silk, leading to a gold handguard that lead to the scabard. Nariko's young and soft fingers traveled over the black scabard, the wood cold to the touch, an energy making her hackles rise. At her touch, symbols appeared on the scabard, a script that said 'The Point Of No Return'.

"No backward glances...." a deep and smooth voice said behind her. The girl yelped loudly and spun on her heel, only seeing the man still asleep, his hands shaking, lip quivering. Was he dreaming? "Never stop running.... never .... stop.... " Nariko gasped slightly, he was having a nightmare.

"Mama. Mama... Mama!" Nariko called outside as the man kept mumbling his cryptic nonsense.

"Hunted down by everyone, met with hatred everywhere.... a freezing fire in my veins.... it.... kills....slowly....slower than love...." he mumbled in his feverish sleep
****

On the flowerbed in which the mysterious man collapsed, there gathered four figures clad in an armor so black it seemed to swallow the light around it, an armor made pearl white only compared to the creatures souls. The Fade (http://www.melissacraib.com/Myrddraal.jpg), twisted spawn grown from the sheer evil and black magic of the Dark Lord of the North implated into the hearts of humans, turning them into a truly fierce creature, one that refused to admit it was dead even if it was missing its head. They had no eyes, but their stare can freeze most in unnatural fear.

"The Master laid here for a time, his blood saturates the soil... I can never mistake that taste." one of the Fade said, licking his gloved fingers.

"We must find him. He could not have gotten far, not with wounds from our blades. Unless he is treated properly by a Monk, he will die from the Shadow Poison." Shadow Poison, a venom taken from the Dark Lord's very own blood and saliva, one drop potent enough to poision a blade to slay even a demon like the one they were hunting. The poison would effect him slower than most, but it would degrade him none the less. He would have until the evening to live before the Shadow Poison took his mind.

"We start south, towards the stink of humans. Hood yourselves." The Fades pulled black hoods over their faces, concealing their eyeless gaze, their cloaks no moving in the slightest, no matter how hard the breeze.

****

Nariko had fetched some cloth and a bucked of cold water and started dabbing the man's face and brow and bare chest, slick with a feverish sweat.

"Blood...begets....blood.... blood kills blood..." Nariko frowed at the man as he mumbled in his fever. He was burning up.

[Atrum Daemon]

“He’s out of my hair for now…but, he won’t be deterred from me for long.”

The monk who spoke stood in the midst of a recently decimated village. From the way the buildings had be blown down to pieces, one would think a small hurricane tore through it. However, the bodies of the villagers had deep gashes all over their bodies that appeared to be blade wounds. The monk pushed the sunhat up out of his face and gazed around with golden eyes at the destruction. “But, I must say that being able to work uninterrupted even for a little while is refreshing.”

Ammon chuckled darkly to himself as he tweaked the hat back down to hide his eyes. “Something very interesting is heading this way,” Ammon said to the empty air as he looked to the north. “Or perhaps it already is here. Maybe I should look more into this for myself.”

Ammon raised a steel clawed hand to summon the wind to carry him away when a sound caught his ear. It was a faint crying coming from one of the blown down houses. Ammon lowered his hand and walked to the wreckage of the nearest house. Moving some of the wood aside, he uncovered a young girl, a toddler to be exact, had managed to survive the destruction of the house because his parents shielded him. Ammon looked at the crying girl for a moment before moving one hand in a sweeping motion in front of her. The child split into four slices, her blood staining the ground as Ammon smiled once again.

Turning away from the house, Ammon summoned a great gust of wind. As the wind carried him away, he slid his hands into the opposite sleeve to hide his nails for the next village he came to.

[Lerouge]

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed dangerously as he examined the demon carefully, his ear twitching at the sound of Miroku and Sango arriving behind him. His eyes turned to look at his comrades for a moment, watching their reaction to the man. The fact that they weren't on edge calmed him slightly as he turned back to Kyrozan and lowering his arms. "Fine, come with me and we shall find you some food. Don't try anything funny I'm not a patient demon." He muttered his eyes still watching the demon cautiously before wrapping his arms in front of him, his hands vanishing into his robe before he turned his back an walked toward Miroku and Sango.

"Do you feel any evil energy from him?" He whispered to Miroku as he stopped next to the monk, his eyes closing and listening to the movements of Kyrozan.

[Totenglaut]

Miroku listened just testing around. He didn't seem dangerous. When Inuyasha approached him Miroku looked up. "He can be if he wants," Was all the monk said.

Then Sango cut in. "You know if you're going to call us to your house the very least you could do is stay there." She said in a huff. It was more joking than actually complaining. She enoyed just [oking fun at Inuyasha because he was such a hothead.

"She's right you know" Miroku said with just a smile. They turned towards where Inuyasha lived. Miroku was still wary of the Demon he had power to spare.

[Ankolyste]

Jinmaewa walked down an old town road, towards the village before her. She was in need of bandages from coming into contact with a dastardly demon who wouldnt die. Her wounds were great and her increased healing only went so far. It would take a few more days to fully heal, until then she would have to bandage them so they didnt attract other demons after her heart. Walking through the village she attracted some looks. Her usual golden lined shirt and skirt now drenched red. Without looking up at the villagers who were glaring so fiercely at her she made her way to the hut of the local medical monk. Walking in she looked to the man and nodded "I would like to request some bandages please." She said as she held out her clawed hand holding gold pieces stained red out for the man. When the man didnt take them she blinked a few times looking at her bloody money. "Its just a little dirty. Easily washed off." She smiled to him as she pushed her hand forward.

Jinmaewa's hand was smacked away, her gold pieces falling to the dirt floor. She glared at the man as he spoke. "We dont take kindly to your type here. Why dont you go find some ditch to lay down in." He pointed behind her at the door. "Get out of my hut and out of this village you monster."

Jinmaewa growled, her eyes sparking as she clenched her fists, flames jumping through her fingers. "Look you stupid flesh walker. I am trying to be nice here and ask for bandages without threatening your life. The least you can do is have the decency to hand them over!"

She was met in the side of the head by the man's cane. "Get out!" He hollered as he then shoved her out of the hut.

Jin growled and held up her hands, giant flames dancing in them. "You know old man. Maybe you should rethink who you shove next time." The flames rose up into two flame dragons, spitting embers as they let out a fierce roar towards the man and the other villagers alike. "Now, Ill take your bandages, and your lives!" She yelled as her Dragons then were released from her hands and flew about the village, catching anything and everything on fire. Jin shoved the man out of her way and went back into the hut, gathering her gold and bandages along with herbs and a bottle of pure alcohol. Walking from the hut she placed her belongings into her pack and then tossed the bottle up in the air, one of her dragons catching it and as it exploded inside of it the Dragon grew about eight times and ran rampant through the rest of the village.

The Black smoke rose intro the sky, Jinmaewa blew the village a kiss farewell and walked down the road which would lead her to the next in due time. Jin stopped after the village was no longer in sight, sitting on the side of the road as she bandaged her arms and legs. She would have to worry about the rest of her open wounds when she was able to find a place to stay for the night.

[Atrum Daemon]

Kyrozan let out a relieved sigh and let his arms fall back to his sides. He gave a polite nod in greeting to the monk and the woman who had arrived. Kyrozan was definitely sure his luck had started to take a better turn. The power he had left was what he was using to stay awake and fully functional. If he were to be forced into a fight in his current state, he’d surely pass out after his first strike.

***

Jin would soon notice a light breeze blow past her and soon feel the presence of a figure clothed as a monk standing beside her and looking in the direction of the village she had destroyed. “I have to say, that was a very entertaining display,” the monk said, his golden-yellow eyes turning from the road to rest on Jin. “You could have just threatened them and taken what you wanted, but instead you killed them as well. Very nice. There’s too little of that these days, I think.”

[nonangelic92]

Kagome turned around, hearing Nariko yell for her. She turned to Sango who was standing by her, "I'll be right back." Kagome ran to her hut, upon entering she saw Nariko pressing a damp cloth to the unconscious man's head. Kagome knelt down next to her child, "What is it, dear? Why did you yell for me?" Kagomelooked at her child waiting for an anwser.

[StormWolf]

Nariko looked up at her mother with those bright baby blues. Those big, childish eyes held that look of 'fix it, mommy' as she dabbed the man's brow with a now-warm cloth.

"He has a really bad fever, mama. Look" The little Hanyou girl took her mother's hand and pressed it to the man's damp brow, the heat almost scalding to the touch. He looked pained, his eyes pinched in a wince, labored breaths making it past his sharp teeth. A black slime drooled out of the side of the man's mouth and out of his eyes. Nariko tried to wipe the substance away with her bare hands. She hated seeing people suffer. Why did people have to suffer?



Auromaru's body kicked and screamed internally against him. The Shadow Poision taking it's more extreme effect, having been in his system for several days left untreated, that along with the horrid damage his master's favorite puppets inflicted, one of which was a woman he thought loved him. He barely felt the fingers upon his face, but the energy that came from them gave him enough strength to open at least one eye.


With a struggle, one of the man's eyes opened slightly, the eerie jade colored pool with a sliver of black stretched thin to make the pupil. "Poision.... Shadow.... Poision.... M-Monk... " he struggled to even speak, his sentence being cut to pieces by the spreading fever, cooking him from the inside out. The next few minutes were crutial, because he could still recover a majority of the damage, he knew that he would always have to bear the taint of the monster who made the poision, and that was almsot worth dying to avoid, but retribution and revenge took the pedistal in this case.


Auromaur reached out with his claw tipped hand, grasping Kagome by the arm gently, (to her it would have feld like being in a steel vice) his open eye full of pleading and pain.

"Please..." he looked to the child next to the raven haired woman, seeing the resemblance in certain areas, then looking back to the raven haired woman. "She's...." he gasped, "...danger. Your village is.... in.... peril." It was getting too hard to breath. His throat was closing shut. Those hounds, the Fade, had gotten to him when he was already so weak from the initial attack; vultures that were circling a dying animal, pecking at it's festering wounds. Those scavengers wouldn't stop until their master's orders were fullfilled, and they didn't care who they killed to get it done.

"I wi-...will.... help..." no more words, his throat was closed. All he could do was stare the woman in the eye and squeeze her arm a little tighter. The Fade were hot on his trail, last he knew. If they came and he was dead or too weak to fight, many people would die, maybe the entire village, and Auromaru would sooner burn in hell before he let that happened, over his dead body or no.

[Ankolyste]

Jinmaewa just glanced up at the figure beside her as he spoke of the entertainment he received from watching her destroy the village she was just at. A smirk danced on her lips as she then caught his golden eye looking down at her, arching an eyebrow. His eyes brought a shiver to her spine, so malicious and so absolutely deadly. Jin nodded to his words "Flesh walkers are easily replaceable. They are absolutely nothing more than things to burn to the ground in my opinion, and oh how they burn..." She chuckled as she stood, placing the rest of the bandages into her bag and looking up at the tall figure.

Jinmaewa studied him then, arching a brow as she then bent halfway over to look up into his face which was hidden by his hat "You arent some traveling monk, are you? No, it cant be that simple." Jin stood back up and walked around him, not touching him but running her claws near his clothing and around his shape as she studied him more. "You smell like Death, and not just a tiny bit of it either." She stated as she returned in front of him, placing her hands upon her hips and smirking to him. "So who are you really?"

[Atrum Daemon]

“My name is Ammon Hearth,” he answered, “and I could be a beneficial ally. You see, I’ve come to these parts after being provided with a bit of information that spoke of an item or items that reside hidden somewhere in these lands. If I can find and use them, I can cleanse these lands of all beings tainted by human blood.”

Ammon’s face was split with a half-grin by the time he was finished speaking. His eyes were then drawn to the beads around Jin’s neck. His grin changed to an amused smirk when he worked out what they were. “So, there’s my offer: join me in finding these items to destroy all human and half-breed life in these lands. If you refuse, then I shall simply be on my way.”

As he spoke, Ammon slid his hands out of their hiding places and spread them open before himself. His steel claws glinted slightly in the sunlight as a small smile played upon his lips. That same smile was one he held just before calling the winds to destroy a village.

[Security of Mem]

Kuzuki sat at the edge of a river. It was nearing a village, but Kuzuki didn't dare go in or face the stench of liars and plain folk. He stuck his hand in the water and would let the water drip off his hand into little ripples into the river.
Sometimes he would turn the drips into ice. And let it freeze till it melted in the warm son.
The flowers were fresh this time of year and the breeze was kind and respectful. Kuzuki stared at the village. Today they brought a stranger covered in wounds here.
The blood was a powerful demon, Kuzuki knew that. Maybe that was another reason he kept his distances. He also didn't want humans to see to his grieving.
Toya image seemed to be reflected in the water and Kuzuki destroyed the memory that the water showed. Kuzuki stared somewhere else into the distance.
Kuzuki sighed and saw some traveling folk alongside a bridge. Two men. He gave himself a small cut on his wrist. Roughed his kimono up and walked up to them dripping the blood from the wrist.
"Please...travelers, help...me...my son...he's...he's he's being...he's being attacked in my home...not to far from here," Kuzuki said.
"Ma'am come down," the traveling men said, "We'll get a guard from the town and bring them."
"No...the village...the village...they think my son is a curse...they've they've...they've exiled us...please sirs....please...." Kuzuki pleaded and began to tear up.
"We'll see what we can do," the travelers said.
"Thank you....thank you thank you kind travelers....follow me it's just up the way," Kuzuki said.

[nonangelic92]

Kagome listened as the man spoke. "It's okay we'll protect and make sure you get back to normal." Kagome did the best she could with all the modern first aid supplies she had. She turned to her daughter, "Nariko, go get your father and Miroku." She ushered her child outta the hut, sending ehr on he way. She placed a dampened cloth on the man's head. "Everything is okay, we'll make everything alright. I promise." She waited for her husband to come, while she treated the man.

[StormWolf]

Nariko nodded to her mother and stood, her young legs carrying her quickly outside. She looked about, spotting her father and Miroku conversing with a black-skinned man, another demon, most likely. This day was exciting! She liked it; she would love it if there was no one hurt or dying.

Bolting over to her papa, Nariko grabbed the slack of his pant leg and gave a few sharp tugs, her other hand grabbing Miroku's robe and tugging it as well. "Papa! Miroku! Mama wants you inside now. Please? Quickly." the was shaking she had so much energy in her young body.

"My strange man woke up a little bit, then he stopped breathing." She tried pulling the two of them along with her. "Hurry, please?!"

[Lerouge]

Inuyasha watched as Nariko ran over to them and at first smiled and was going to lift her up and hug her, but saw the fear in her eyes. His eyes stared down at her listening carefully before nodding pulling away from her grip and leaped over her and ran to the door of the house. For the moment he forgot all about the new demon and he ran inside, his hands closed as fists by his side.

"What is it Kagome?" She shouted as his eyes laid on the man and saw his body writhing in pain. He ran to the man's side and examined him, noticing the dark liquid oozing from his mouth. Inuyasha leaned close an with a sniff realized it was poison, an extremely powerful one at that. He quickly moved his nose away and covered his mouth, the smell was horrid and made him feel sick. His eyes turned toward Kagome and then Nariko and growled slightly as he spoke. "Move away from him both of you." He roared at them before turning toward Miroku.

"Miroku... you are going to have to help him." He said instantly before be too stepped back and stood in front of his wife and daughter. "Tell me what happened."

[Ankolyste]

Jinmaewa looked at Ammon Hearth and studied his smirk as he gave her an offer of helping him with his search for some very powerful items that would allow for him to cleanse the world of all human blood. His offer was very tempting, and when he said if she denied that he would be on her way she chuckled a little. "Well, your offer sure sounds tempting. And you are the first demon I have come across who actually has enough power to destroy mankind."

Arching an eyebrow she chuckled, her fangs gleaming as she nodded then. "Alright then Ammon, Im Jinmaewa, your new ally." She shifted her hips to the right and chuckled "If I would have denied, you would have been on your way...after destroying me of course." Her eyes looked up at his face "Correct?"

[nonangelic92]

Kagome stood up quickly when Inuyasha entered the hut, giving him more room to manuver around in. She was surprised with how the poison was effecting him. When he told her and Nariko to get out of the hut quickly, she quickly obligied. She scooped uo Nariko in her arms, and carried her to the doorway, where she opened the cloth covering the door, to let fresh air in. "Well he kept sputting things about posin, shadows, and a monk. Then he said something about the villiage being in peril and how he can help, then hejust laid there, like he was in a whole heep of pain." Kagome turned to nariko, "Did he say anything to you before you came to get me?" she asked the young child.

[Totenglaut]

Miroku was already listing the things that could be wrong with the demon. He had a small supply of medicines and purification scrolls. What he had would have to be enough. He felt almost bad that they left Sango behind but his mind snapped back to the problem at hand.

He listened to Kagome and whipped out every purification scroll he had. "It sounds much like a curse rather than poison" He said taking over in a business-like manner. It would be like a exorcism really and a pitiful one at that because Miroku didn't carry a lot of stuff with him it would simply weight him down.

Unlike Sango he carried the neccesities and not much more. He pulled a talisman the only one he carried too. If this didn't work he wqould have to send a runner to his house for more. "If you can hear me, sir, I apologize but this is going to hurt" He said, commencing with the pitiful exorcism-like healing the best he could.

[StormWolf]

Nariko shook her head when her mother asked her if he said anything else, "No.... well.... it was mostly babbling. He said something about 'blood killing blood' and how he is always hunted down by everyone." she went on her tip toes to watch Miroku do what he could.

"Is he going to be okay?" She was answered by a pained roar that tore through the silence of the village and the valley in which it was located. The scrolls and talisman were doing their job. The man's limbs convulsed and tremored violently, both of his eerie eyes popping open, staring at the wooden ceiling. He was roaring, that meant his throat was open again, at least.

Veins popped in those muscular arms and on his temples as the whites of his eyes became a solid red, his body trying to cope with the physical and spiritual pain. Finally, a gout of sinister black smoke flew forth from the man's mouth. The smoke itself had an aura of evil around it, whispering as it left the man's body and flew out of an open window almost as if it had a kind of cruel intelligence.

With the end of the smoke, the scrolls on the man's body burst into flames and decintigrated. He was left there panting as one would when they awoke from a disturbing nightmare. He looked about, his eyes returning to their normal state, if they could be called normal. Those cat-like pupils settled on the four people in the room.

"Water..." he said in a croak of a whisper, his throat unbearably dry.

--------

"Look there. Black Smoke." one of the Fades pointed to a whisp of pitch blackness that stood out against the otherwise light sky with a gnarled, whithere white hand. The tallest of the Fade snarled, his thin and bloodless lips pulling back to a black gummed, yellow toothed set of fang-like teeth.

"So he has gone and found himself a monk. Nothing is ever as easy as it seems." the tall leader said in a voice that sounded like dry leather rapping against stone.

"Hark. Someone approaches." The Fades gripped their black blades, their eyeless gazes seeing a man in white with a long fur sash, a young woman close in tow along with a two headed dragon and an imp.

"Two of you deal with them. They reek of our prey. We will go after him." With that, the Fade split into two groups. The two that were sent towards Sesshomaru and company moved like snakes in the grass, appearing before the Demon Lord quickly, almost as if they appeared there. Their maggot white skin and rotting smiles was nothing compared to their acrid stench. They reeked of festering flesh, death, and pus.

"You reek of the one we hunt."
"You will tell us where he is."
"Or you will suffer greatly."

-------

Once the man got his water, he drank it as if he had not had anything to drink in days. His strength already seeming to return, he was able to lean up on his elbows and move his head at least.

"Thank you." he said in a deep voice that would also have sounded smooth if not for his current condition. He looked at everyone in turn, hoping they would not bombard him with questions. Funny how he first thought of that before simply being killed in his weakened state.

[Atrum Daemon]

“You actually manage to kill things with that?” Kyrozan asked Sango, nodding to her weapon. “I mean, it looks imposing and all…but, it seems to lack any kind of cutting edge. So, do you just throw it and let the size and the sheer centrifugal force of it kill your target or something like that?”

Kyrozan truly had no idea what was going on in the little village, but at the moment he wasn’t worrying about that. The simple act of just standing relaxed was allowing him to regain some strength back. Also, the woman’s weapon did intrigue him a good deal as he had not seen such a weapon before.

***

Ammon laughed at Jin’s small question before answering: “No, no. I mean no offense by this, but you simply wouldn’t be worth the time and effort it would take to destroy you. In your current state that is.”

He angled his hat back down over his eyes before continuing: “First thing I must do is find a certain demon with whom I have a rather…conflictive relationship with. You see, he is aware of my plans and seeks to stop me. That is something that is within his power to do. I threw him off my trail for three weeks by making him think I was heading more eastward. I have a feeling that finding him just might allow us to find you someone who can break those bonds around your neck.”

Ammon raised one hand and called a breeze from the east, letting the scents that came wash over him. He smiled widely after a moment and let his hand drop. “I know where to head now. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you to watch yourself around the one I seek. Even in a weakened state, he’s dangerous. This I know from first hand experience.”

[Lerouge]

Inuyasha watched in amazement at the man laying down and the effect of Miroku's spiritual power. Even though they had been friends for years, he had rarely seen the monk perform these ceremonies and usually they were simple demons that would run off at the sight of him. However, this ceremony was different and the amount of pain that the demon was feeling was making Inuyasha's hair stand on end. He held is breathe until finally the screaming ended and the man calmed. He watched as he was giving water but wasn't able to stay much longer. Inuyasha smelled the air around him and quickly grabbed his Tetsuiga, wrapping his fingers around the bandage wrapped sheath an walked past the others and outside.

His eyes narrowed as it gazed into the forest ahead, and he moved forward past Sango and Kyrozan pulling his Tetsuiga from it's sheath. The blade grew from a rusted old toy to a massive blade which shone in the light. His father's blade and Inuyasha's most deadly weapon. His eyes stared into the trees watching the slight dark figures moving closer to them.

[Totenglaut]

Miroku smiled weakly. "I apologize for that but it needed to be done" He reiterated his previous apology gathering his things. He saw Inuyasha disappear again. He tried extending his senses to see what was wrong but with so many Hanyou and Youkai around it was hard to see what might be the problem.
---
Sango touched the Hiraikotsu affectionately. "No it's not sharpened. But Hiraikotsu is pretty big. It's made entirely from the bones of slain Youkai. The sheer weight is usually enough to kill a lesser demon. And if not Hiraikotsu is a boomerang it comes right back I get an automatic second chance"

Her eyes followed Inuyasha tilting her head to the side. "What's the matter now?" Miroku didn't reappear from the hut and Sango briefly wondered if he was trying to feel up Kagome again.

[StormWolf]

Auromaru smelled what Inuyahsa smelled as well, his heart beating faster. His wounds had started healing faster due to the poision no longer being in his soul. He stood wobbly at best, trying to retain his balance.

"You have nothing to apologize for, monk. That pain was nothing compared to what I am used to." The demon finally stood tall, his bare upper torso rippled with powerful muscle. Scars marked his chest and arms, but they paled in comparison to his back. He looked as if he had had his hide flayed. When a demon of his calibur has scars that deep, it usually means that it was either powerful magic or repeated abuse of colossal pain. Auromaru walked -- limped -- over to the corner in which his blade was propped against the wall, taking the weapon in hand, the scripture appearing at his touch, a blood red.

"Madame." Auromaru said in his deep and powerful voice as he limped towards the door. "Keep your children inside. What comes this way does not kill children, but feeds on them." Of course, Kagomes other two darlings were running about the town somewhere, oblivious to the danger that came their way.

Stepping outside, the smell of festering carrion and rotting bodily fluids hit him hard. Fades... he thought to himself, his jade eyes shining in the sun. His eyes settled on the dark skinned demon and the woman with the boomerang one her back, his slitted pupils seemed to make his gaze like a blizzard.

"You two, be ready. Something wicked comes this way." Turning his attention to the direction in which the scents wafted, Auromaru kept his hand on the black-and-red silk grip of the blade, feeling the weapon throb in his grip. The wind blew gently, making his long, solomn grey hair twist and flow gracefully. He drew his sword in one artful arch, the blade a beam of white that elongated and became a weapon with a seven foot blade. For those that could see aura's a twisting cyclone of flames enveloped the blade. The power in that weapon was borderline perverse.


"Momma, look! His sword is like papa's, but different, and it has blue fire around it." Nariko said, pointing to the masemune in the mysterious demon's hand.

"Mama, where are...." she looked around for her siblings, worried. (I am leaving the naming of the other two up to the parents. I'm looking at you, nonangelic and lerouge)


"You, half-demon." Auromaru called to the dog eared young man in red. "Draw your weapon, slay these monster's as quick as you can. Fail to do so and all you cherish...." he looked over his shoulder to the raven haired girl and the child that clung to her, "will suffer here today." he looked back, and they were there. Two Fades on either entrance to the town, their hoods up, their eyeless stare sending a shiver down even Auromaru's spine.

"Always be mindful of your flanks, these sick parodies of flesh are like serpents with a venom that taints even the soul. One wound from their blades and you will be sicker than I was." Auromaru was still weak, his was struggling to keep his blade steady. The Shadow Poison had left him sapped, but that did not matter now. That house smelled like a nursery, children lived there. There was a family that called that place home. Images of his decietful lover filled his head. The love he thought she shared, the child she bore and ended up forcing him to take their lives.... all because of the monster that spawned these very creatures that stood at the threshold of the village. Pain and sadness and inconsolable anger and hate boiled inside Auromaru's heart, but his face never moved an inch, his eyes just became tighter, harder, colder. Never would he allow someone else to feel the kin of his pain. That pain was for him to bear and to bear it alone. He swore that on blood. He would not permit the suffering he endured to be experienced by anyone else but himself. That was his martyrdom.

"Leave this place, Fades. You have no place here. You are outside the domain of your master."

"Our master"
"Your master, too"
"He wants you back"
"He needs you back"
"Dead"
"Or Alive" the Fades spoke alterately, though they seemed to share one mind and one voice.

"It matters little,"
"For He rules the grave."
"And he rules you."


"Begone, Fades. I renounce you and your master. I will not return to him. I disown him. Leave now and never return. Tell your master that I will walk my own path." Auromaru called to the Fades.

"Insolent boy."
"Ignorant fool" the Fades drew their black blades and pulled down their tattered black hoods.

"Draw your weapon, half-demon...." Auromaru said crisply, taking a defensive combat stance as the Fades approached.

[Atrum Daemon]

Kyrozan’s eyes narrowed as the newly recovered demon spoke to the unnatural beings. He wrapped his fingers around the hilt of his sword and freed the gleaming, black blade from it’s sheath. He held his sword in a seemingly lazy grip at his side while he stepped up to Auromaru’s side. “Question,” Kyrozan said to Auromaru. “Do you regularly slay men on horseback or do you just enjoy using an unruly-sized blade?”

He could easily just ignore the situation before him. Kyrozan did not know what these creatures were or what quarrel they had with the demon beside him. What he did know was that being led astray from Ammon had thoroughly pissed him off and killing something would be the perfect way to vent that frustration. A back mist began forming around his blade as he raised it into a ready stance. The mist did not hold the raw power that the flames of Auromaru’s blade, but it gave off an unsettling feeling all the same.

[Lerouge]

Inuyasha's eyes widened as the two dark creatures jumped out and lept over him staring directly at the injured demon as they spoke. He listened carefully as they spoke, a small growl coming from his throat as he stared at them. "How dare they just ignore me like this..." He thought to himself as he leapt over them and stood next Auromaru chuckling at his request to kill them. "I will but first..." His eyes looked at the demon threateningly, burning with annoying and anger. "Why do these creeps keep telling you to come with them to your master. You better explain before I kill you along with these weaklings."

His eyes watched the demon carefully, his ears twitching slightly as he continued his focus on the two shades with his hearing. Inuyasha couldn't afford to be wreckless with his family here, the first thing he thought was that he needed to get a leash for his other kids so he could find them at times like this. "Nariko... stay inside." He commanded as he waited for a response.

[Ankolyste]

Rin skipped ahead when she saw a bed of flowers, kneeling down and sitting on her knees as she picked one and put it in her hair. A breeze picked up from the North and made the scents from there on scatter onto the rest of the valley. Sesshomaru stopped dead in his tracks as he caught the strong and vile scent which he couldnt really make out. Humming a soft song Rin bobbed her head back and forth before suddenly screaming, the flowers dying suddenly and two figures appearing right in front of her, their odor making her feel ill. "Lord.." Rin coughed and placed her hand over her nose "Sesshomaru!" She called as she scooted away, the dead flower in her hair falling to the ground.

Sesshomaru was between Rin and the demons within milliseconds, his claws bloody from slashing at the demons. He gritted his teeth as he looked down at his hand as the blood of the disgusting spirits began to boil over his skin and eat at his flesh. Shaking his hand off slightly he growled at the blobs as they lay squirming in the dead flowerbed. "Rin, get back to Aoon and return to the village." He said as he looked back, two of the masses slipping past his view as the demons quickly went after Rin.

Rin screamed and tried her best to pull herself away from still live upper halves of the demons Sesshomaru had just attempted to kill. Before she was able to get onto her feet the Fades grabbed onto her legs, pulling at her kimono as they lifted a blade together and attempted to plunge it into Rin. Screaming Rin closed her eyes and waited, when she wasnt stabbed she looked up to see the end of Sesshomaru's Whip of Light, the beings cut up and squirming around her calves. Rin let out a scream as her legs began to burn terribly, scooting away from the bloody mess and pushing the blood off of her skin with her hands.

Sesshomaru ran to Rin and grabbed her hands, wiping the blood from her palms which started to eat its way into her hands as she tried to wipe her legs. He then tore a piece of his sleeve off and began to quickly wipe down Rin's legs from the demon's blood, quickly realizing that the extra blood was her own now. "Jaken!" He snapped, the small imp coming over quickly with Aoon in follow. Sesshomaru picked Rin up from the ground and set her on Aoon, grabbing Rin's hands and holding them tightly "Dont touch your skin or rub your eyes." He said sternly as he then began to walk back towards the village.

But it wasnt long until Rin began to completely bawl, her legs bleeding badly and her hands stinging like crazy. "Lord Sesshomaru, It hurts." She complained as she closed her eyes, she hadnt cried in front of Sesshomaru ever before.

"Jaken, Meet us back at the village, and dont take your time. I have to get Rin to Kagome and Kaede." His voice twinged at thinking about having to ask for help in the same day with another matter. They would never allow him to live it down. Of course this one was very different. Taking Rin into his arms he sprinted towards the village, Rin's blood soaking into his robes. As he came upon the village he witnessed that there were more of the creatures at Inuyasha's door. Sesshomaru's temper flared slightly as he realized that they weren't after him or Rin, but the blood that remained on their clothing from the strange man they had picked up. He looked at his younger half brother for a moment and then moved quickly alongside the hut, finding Kagome and Miroku. Holding up Rin to Kagome he looked to her, "She needs medical attention." He said as he laid her down in the bed where the other demon had laid before. "If she doesnt get help now she will die." He said sternly as he then turned on his knee to look outside at the creatures who were just like the ones that attacked him and Rin before. Holding Rin's hands tightly he looked down at her, debating strongly if he should leave her side to destroy the Fades as a sort of revenge. Glaring down he let go of her hand momentarily to go to the door of the hut "Inuyasha!" He announced in his cold stern voice, his temper apparent. "Those things may be weak but their blood is acidic." He said simply, knowing his half brother could handle the Fades. Looking then to the large demon he had brought to the hut before his eyes narrowed, he was larger than him which was extremely rare for a being like himself. And he must have had quite the healing if he was able to get up like that and be ready to fight.

Rin let out a cry, her legs absolutely on fire. "Make it stop Lady Kagome! Please!" She cried, keeping her hands in the air away from her face, the skin red and bloody. Her legs looked like they had gone through a shredder, her skin torn up and blood running from her legs and staining the bed below.

[StormWolf]

Auromaru stood firm, his strength returning as his fury and anger pounded in his veins. The spectral flame aura around silver fang flickered with his emotions. The half-breed leapt to his side, demanding an explaination for the words of the Fade. Of course, it would have come to that sooner or later.

"Hmph, that is a conversation for when these things are...." he looked to the horizon, seeing a demon in white that smelled of dog, carrying a crying girl with her. That voice, Auromaru had heard it somewhere before. Was it a dream, was he in his coma when she spoke? His contemplations and hypothoses evaporated when he saw her condition. She looked so much like her, so much so it made daggers of ice stab at his heart. He brought this craziness upon them. In his own carelessness he dragged these people into his fight.

"Monsters..." Auromaru's voice sounded different, more of a gutteral growl, the whites of his eyes turning red. Those with the power of sensory would see the torrential auroa that surrounded Auromaru's blade. The weapon throbbed in tune with his racing heart.

"You are bred to hunt me, not these people. I am the one you want! Leave these people alone!" With a roar, Auromaru swung his blade with alarming quickness, blades of raw energy pulled from his rage flew free, bombarding the body of the first Fade, cutting it into several writhing and burning pieces.

"You and your ilk are my burden to bear and to suffer!" Auromaru held his blade out to his side, the four winds becoming furious and the air smelled thick of electricity. A snarl marked that usually calm face.

"You know what I am capable of. I may be at my weakest, but I cam still reduce you to little more than a memory, Fade." The Lord of the North began to swing his blade in circles over his head, the blade glowing bright.

"Murderous Hurricane!" Auromaru bellowed, swinging his blade towards the Fade, the four winds entrapping the sick creature and started to pull it apart

"I am not his puppet!" Auromaru cried to the Fade before it was torn asunder. Silver Fang returned to it's hidden state as Auromaru fell to the ground. He was still weak from his wounds if that was the best he could do.

"Burn their remains..." he said, his cool voice returning. Using his swword to help himself stand, he looked sorrowfully indoors, towards that crying woman's voice.

"What have I done...." Auromaru muttered, looking at the faces that stared at him, very few of which were now friendly.

"I assume you wish to know why the Fade were here for me? Fine...." Auromaru took a deep breath, sheathing his sword. "My name is Auromaru, I am the Heir to the Northern Kingdoms. The illegitamate child of a wife of a tyrant and a noble warrior. The Master...." he paused, hearing that girl scream made him remember so much he wanted to forget. How she cried before he was forced to kill her. He fought so hard to not tremble. He remained outwardly calm, at least.

"My master is my bastard of a father. He created those monsters. Fades, they are called. They are his weakest hounds. My father Akumaru, is a monster. All he wants is power. He saw my power and he spent my entire lifetime trying to break me. I recently..... Broke free, taking his sword with me. He apparently wants me to return and be his puppet.... You must understand, I never meant for any of this to happen. It would have been better if I had been left to die where I fell. A Blight follows me, and it will kill anything and everything. I will not return to him, to be a slave, to kill without reason. I will not abandon you to the Scourge of the North, though. I am many things, but I am no coward." Auromaru winced as he heard the girl cry again.

"Please, let me see her. You can trust me. I can help." he said, though it was close to pleading, for him. These people did not know Fade Blood lime those of the north. Her wounds need to be iced. That will draw out the acid from her skin."

[Atrum Daemon]

Kyrozan sheathed his blade as the Fade was ripped asunder. He cautiously approached the remains, keeping his ears open to what Auromaru said. He extended a hand over the remains and the black miasma that had formed around his blade formed over his hand and extended down to the Fade. The black mist enveloped the remains, causing the body parts to immediately begin to decay until there was little more than bone left.

“I wonder if I can safely ignore this problem and focus only on Ammon,” Kyrozan said to himself. “Even if he is approached by this ‘scourge of the north,’ Ammon won’t subject himself to be a minion. This is all very troubling.”

He stepped away from the remains back to where Auromaru was finishing speaking, still lost in thought. “A power hungry tyrant is dangerous,” he muttered. “But if I can’t track down Ammon…That’ll just make the situation that much worse…”

[nonangelic92]

Kagome looked at Rin's legs in frustatration. "I'll make it stop Rin, I'll make it stop." Kagome grabbed a pitcher of water and rinsed out Rin's legs seeing how deep the wounds were.Kagome wanted to look away but she couldn't, Kagome cleaned the wounds then pulled out a huge thing of cuaze applying the guaze to Rin's legs as she was still screaming from pain. Kagome finished up wrapping Rin's legs and set them gently on a blanket, propping them up higher than her chest. Kagome rinsed the blood off of Rin's hands. Kagome saw that Rin was still in pain, so Kagome pulled out a liquid pain killer and had Rin drink it. Rin slowly drifted off to sleep. Kagome wiped her hands off of RIn's blood, and sat down next to Rin keeping her eye on Rin.

[Lerouge]

Inuyasha's senses went wild as everything around him started moving at once, his eyes first spotted Auromaru moving forward to attack, his body instinctively jumped aside to avoid the attack using the blade of his Tetsuiga to stop any of the backlash from it. This demon was powerful, and much more than Inuyasha had expected for the weakened state he was in. Wh..who.. is this guy? he thought to himself as his eyes watched the Fades being destroyed almost instantly before him leaving only a small pile of what the creature was. As the blast subsided his eyes met with another sight, a more dreadful sight than anything he could have imagined. His brother's face was full of anger and fear as he ran amongst them carrying Rin.

"What the hell happened Sesshomaru?" He roared forgetting the demon's at once and gazing upon the wounds that she had on her legs and arms. "These... marks look like the ones on Auromaru when you brought him..." His eyes flared in anger as he turned toward Auromaru once again, the latter who began to speak of his past.

"Please, let me see her. You can trust me. I can help." Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he watched the man a gentle grown escaping from his throat before standing up straight. His arm swung his Tetsuiga and placed it back into the hilt secured at his waist and turned toward Sesshomaru. "Well it's your choice to trust him." He said knowing his brother well enough to know that it was his choice alone.

[Ankolyste]

"Please, let me see her. You can trust me. I can help."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed even more and he tightened his fist as the demon even dared to speak of Rin, wanting to see to her. He growled, his brother's words making him glare at him as well. Was he serious? Damn right it was up to him if the demon that caused Rin to become so badly injured was allowed to even set the smallest of a glance upon her.

Rin had only fallen asleep for a few moments before she woke in screaming pain, her hands and legs on fire again. Sitting up she looked at the already blood soaked bandages around them. Tearing up she cried out "Lord Sesshomaru!"

Sesshomaru instantly whipped around and was at her side, looking at the bloody bandages and the pure pain on her face. "There must still be some blood deep in her wounds..." He mumbled more to himself than to anyone else. He grasped Rin's shoulder for a moment and then stood, looking at Auromaru with narrow eyes. He didnt have much of a choice to trust him or not. "Fine. But if you so much as harm her in the slightest bit...then you wont have to worry about your father finding you at all since Ill cut you up into so fine of pieces not even God could put you back together." He said, his voice cold and his fists tight around the hilt of his sword.

Rin closed her eyes and cried out in pain, she felt as if her legs were being burned all the way through. She was frightened and so her increased heartbeat was pumping the blood to her wounds quickly and bleeding out onto the bandages. She felt more dizzy by the second as her breathing quickened and became shallow. Looking to the door as the large man came into the hut she watched him for a moment before looking back at her blood soaked legs. "What are you going to do?" She asked simply to the man as he came closer to her.

[StormWolf]

The air was thick with tension even after the eradication of the assailants. Auromaru had been declared a threat, and he would not disagree. He was, in fact, suprised when he was permitted to help the girl - Rin. The Heir to the North bowed respectfully to the demon that gave him permission, though Rin's cry summoned them both by her side. The girl looked up at him tearfully, her pain and fear showing clearly.

"Do not worry, my lady. I am going to help you." he knelt by her bloodsoaked bed, surveying the nasty wounds on her arms and legs.

"I am so sorry.... to all of you. If I had known this is what would have happened, I would not have resisted." Auromaru lifted Rin slightly from the ground, cradling the poor girl close, trying to offer some kind of comfort while the ice from his claws sank into Rin's wounds, extracting the venom. The pain would be excruciating for a couple minutes before the wounds would go numb. He let her head rest on his shouler while he extracted the Fade Blood.

Slowly, the black bile-like fluid oozed out from her wounds, cold to the touch

[Atrum Daemon]

“For the time being,” Ammon said to Jin, “it might be best if we remain apart until I am certain the information I was given is sound. It will draw too much attention for a monk to be walking with a demon, you see. I’ll find you when everything is moving forward.”

With those parting words, Ammon made a flourish with his hand and a great gust of wind swept the him away.

***

“Would they really have left everyone else alone if you had just gone?” Kyrozan asked. He had decided to follow the rest up to the house as there was nothing else for him to do until he got some wind of where Ammon, or at least someone fitting his description, was heading.

Kyrozan stepped back outside as Auromaru treated the injured girl. He looked off to the west as a gust of wind blew through the village. When he turned his gaze back to his front, Kyrozan almost jumped backward. Standing in the street was a man in the garb of a monk and a sunhat that hid his eyes. “Catch,” Ammon said, tossing Kyrozan a piece of fruit that the demon easily caught.

“Got tired of leading me on?” Kyrozan asked, taking a bite of the fruit.

“A bit,” Ammon admitted, “after destroying a few human towns, I forget what it’s like to actually fight an opponent. Besides, I’m sure you’re just seething with rage at this point.”

“That’s right, yea,” Kyrozan nodded, tossing the remains of the fruit away and drawing his blade.

“Oh, right here in the midst of these homes?” Ammon asked, grinning and pushing his sunhat out of his eyes.

“Have I ever cared before if our battles led us into a village of any kind?”

“I suppose not,” Ammon shrugged, still grinning as wind began to swirl around his hands.

Kyrozan leapt at Ammon, ready to bring his blade down upon the demon’s skull. Ammon simply flicked his wrist and a pillar of wind arced from the space still between them and slammed into Kyrozan’s chest. The pillar lifted him into the air, then forced him crashing into the ground, numerous cuts on his chest where the nearly invisible wind blades has sliced into him.

[Ankolyste]

Rin winced and closed her eyes as he lifted her and began to ice her wounds. She was silent for a few moments but as the poison began to seep from her skin she couldnt keep silent, her muscles tensing up as she let out a scream. She opened her eyes to see the black ooze falling from her skin, completely mortified by watching it she buried her face into Auromaru's shoulder, sobbing into it as the pain continued.

Sesshomaru had his hand gripped onto the hilt of his sword, Rin's obvious pain making him want to lop off the demon's head in a flash. But he sat back, watching with focused and narrowed eyes, waiting for him to overstep Rin's pain threshold so he could end him. But it didnt happen, Rin was a strong young woman and didnt voice her pain as most human would.

When the wounds went numb Rin soon stopped crying, her body shaking as the ice chilled her core temperature. She didnt pull her face away from Auromaru's shoulder since she knew he was still working out the poison. The longer he held her there the colder she got and the more relaxed she felt. Her arms and legs no longer stung from either the poison or the ice. Rin took slower breaths, now calmed down from the traumatic experience she was going through, her body continuing to shiver against Auromaru.




~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jin just looked at Ammon as he began telling her it would be wise to remain apart so he wasnt found out. Sneering she shook her head and watched as he disappeared into the distance of the sky. Jin sighed slightly and then continued her walk down the road, bringing her hand to the chains on her neck and smirking. Jin's eyes lit up as she couldnt help but chuckle, if only the demon knew who she was and what sort of destruction she was able to cause. If he kept his promise and broke the pearls around her neck then she would surely come to overpower him, and with her helping him search for some sort of enhanced item; she could surely take the opportunity to use it for herself. Then the world would finally fall before her claws.

Looking to the sky she smirked, of course it would be difficult to continue to help Ammon if he sensed any kind of deceit from her. Running her hand through her hair she sighed "Damn demons..." She cursed as she continued walking, on towards the next town.

[Atrum Daemon]

Kyrozan pushed himself to his feet and held out his hand like he was about to grab something and said: “Surculus.” A beam of red energy fired from each of his fingertips right for Ammon. Ammon used a blast of wind to jump over the beams, which obliterated a collection of trees.

Ammon dodged as he landed to avoid and blast of Kyrozan’s miasma before bringing a curved knife out to block the sword strike that followed. He raised a hand to catch Kyrozan’s incoming fist, but was off a few centimeters and his hand was knocked aside as he took the full force of the ringed fist slamming into the right side of his face and throwing him off his feet. Ammon quickly sprang to his feet and sent a series of wind scythes at Kyrozan. Kyrozan deflected two using a pair of End Slashes, but the two that remained cut deep into his shoulders.

Kyrozan attacked with a great blast of his miasma, which Ammon dispersed with a powerful blast of wind only to find Kyrozan halfway to cutting his face in half. A pair of knives appeared in his hands and he deflected and countered. The two began trading blade strikes until Kyrozan nearly bisected Ammon’s face, causing the demon to leap backwards. Kyrozan attacked with a powerful End Slash, the red energy scythe cutting deep into Ammon’s chest, spilling his blood onto the ground.

Ammon sent two powerful gusts of wind to envelop Kyrozan. Kyrozan clenched his jaw to keep from crying out as multiple blades of wind sliced into his flesh. When the gusts died down, Kyrozan pointed two fingers at Ammon and fired a Surculus that Ammon intercepted with a wind barrier before it hit him, but still suffering some burns to his hands.

Kyrozan charged Ammon, bringing his miasma covered blade over in a long arc for a powerful strike. Ammon barely avoided the blow by using a blast of wind to dodge backwards and upwards, leaving the blade to impact the ground and the miasma to explode outward, consuming all plants and life it touched into decay. When the miasma cleared, Kyrozan looked around and saw no signs of Ammon, but the wind rustling the trees told him that his foe had retreated. Sighing partly in disappointment and partly in satisfaction, Kyrozan sheathed his blade.

[nonangelic92]

Kagome watched as the black ooze followed from Rin's body, the demon helping Rin heal/ The stench of the ooze wasn't really strong but it mad Kagome plug her nose and lead her daughter outside. She sat againest the hut holding her daughter, hoping to never experience what Sesshomarou is at this moment. She looked down at Nariko and kissed the girl's head. "I need you to go get some water for I fear Rin will be staying with us overnight." she said and she stood up and went back inside, her motherly instinct controlling her every whim.

[Yoruyonaka]

A cave not far from Inuyasha's village appeared affected by the sudden immense powers that began to awaken. Life appeared to flood from this dank hole. A blue aura flowed from within the the cave. A strange essence caused some demons to notice it, but none seemed able to enter. They tried, but only to be shred into pieces by an invisible force. Deeper within the cave, passed stalagmites and stalactites, one could see clearly where the glowing came from.

A giant crystal lay in the middle of a room with bizarre markings swirling on it and on the floor around it. Though this crystal held something. A pail figure remained frozen asleep in the stone. A women or demon, one could not be sure. White hair was affixed around her back and shoulders. Some covered her forehead and left eye. A white garment covered her. The first time in three hundred years did the cave ever show any strange activity. The women trapped in the cave, lost in time, called longingly.

One of my blood, one of a priest, one of a demon hyde, awaken and free....

[StormWolf]

Nariko nodded blankly, having to be shove out the door by her mother to force her to stop watching. She picket up a bucket half as tall as her and ran to the well.

Auromaru's jade eyes looked down at the girl as she finally stoppped her pained wails and seemed to try and press herself into his shoulder. She shivered from the chill the Heir to the North was putting through her body to banish the poisionous blood, and she clung on tighter to the Wolf Demon.

Once the last of the black blood slithered free from the girl's wounds, Auromaru set her down on the bed with astonishing tenderness and gentleness compared to his display of raw power but moments before. He acted as if Rin was an ice sculpture, afraid that she might shatter if he was too quick or careless.

"Lather her wounds in healing balm and wrap them in bandages. The poision has left not a trace in her system." Auromaru said in his deep and smooth voice, those jade eyes holding a faint glow that made the slit-like pupils seem much darker. Auromaru waited for Rin to be treated and bandaged before he pulled the blankets over her, covering her up to the head with the thick comforter. She needed to gain her regular body temperature.

Auromaru stood, walking past the white-haired demon lord, looking down at him, "Do not hold the ignorance that you are the only one who will always be able to save this girl. It is not becoming." Auromaru said firmly to the Lord of the West before walking back outside, his previous limp almost gone and the sewn wounds already healed up nicely.

Nariko returned, carrying the bucket full of water, and obviously struggling with the weight. Auromaru looked down at her, simply watching. Her bright blue eyes looked up at him,

"Can you help me with this? Please?" Nariko asked with a voice like wind chimes. The Demon from the North sighed and took the bucket, bringing it inside, Nariko not far behind -- in fact, she was having fun stepping hopping in the larger footprints of the big demon lord.

Auromaru walked past Nariko again, ignoring her thank you and headed right for the black-skinned demon, Kyrozan.

"I sensed a fight. What happened out here?" Auromaru asked, his voice firm. With the Scourge decending, any powerful demonic energy could be a more powerful pawn of the Dark Lord sent to inflict suffering.

[Atrum Daemon]

“His name is Ammon Hearth,” Kyrozan answered. “A demon who wears the guise of a monk. He has nothing to do with this Scourge of yours coming from the north. In fact, until I see otherwise, Ammon is the more dangerous of the two. While those who seek nothing but more power are dangerous, those like Ammon who simply seek to destroy kinda take priority in my eyes.”

He gestured to the decayed ground and trees around the area. “This is the result of me almost killing him for the hundredth time. My miasma causes whatever it touches to decay and die. I’ve chased Ammon across the ocean to these lands and I will not allow him to find what he seeks after all these years. He finds what he’s looking for, he’ll kill us all. Starting with humans and half-breeds. Then moving on to anyone who opposes or just plain bothers him.”

[Lerouge]

Inuyasha watched the scene before him very carefully, his back leaning against the wall off the hut as he did. The smell was similar from when Miroku treated Auromaru earlier and the smell was making him feel just as sick as it had before. His arms folding in front of him so that the sleeve of the robe covered his nose as he watched the scene before him. His eyes rested first on the Wolf Demon holding Rin and then turned toward his half-brother. Even if the two had been enemies all their life, they were still family and the two knew each other very well and the annoyance Sesshomaru was having toward some other demon helping Rin was oddly amusing to Inuyasha. His yellow eyes watched his brother for a few minutes, not particularly paying attention at first to Kyrozan leaving and a chuckle escaped his lips when Nariko came with the water. He walked over to the others and rested a hand on the girls head, ruffling her hair playfully and smiling down at her.

"Thanks for the help." He began when he was suddenly cut off from the sounds of fighting outside the hut. His body swung around, and it seemed that the others in the room had a similar reaction, as Inuyasha took the lead and ran outside. The site waiting for him was scary, it had only been a minute that Kyrozan had left and yet it seemed as though the two had been fighting for months. Inuyasha's hand flew to the blade of his Tetsuiga and held firmly on it, and at the end of Kyrozan he had no other choice and pulled out the massive blade again.

"Ammon huh?" He began again his eyes staring at the two as the blade was held in two hands facing the demons, a small growl could be heard in Inuyasha's voice. "You said you would cause no harm, I should have killed you when I first saw you. I won't make that mistake again."

[Atrum Daemon]

‘That is possibly the most unwieldy-looking blade I have ever seen,’ Kyrozan thought as the large blade was brandished at him. He rolled his eyes as Inuyasha threatened him, and wiggled his fingers as he considered going hostile for a moment. Instead, he thought he would try being civil first and see what happened. “Think very hard,” Kyrozan said to the half-demon, “have I in any way brought harm upon you or your friends and family? The answer, pup, is no. The only things I have caused harm to today are these trees which were caught in one of my attacks. Ammon won’t come looking for me again. No, that would interfere with his plotting and scheming. Now, if you wish to continue to have your bones covered by flesh for the rest of your life, you’ll get this sword out of my face.”

His mood was slowly becoming worse as he stared evenly at Inuyasha. The day had so far proven to be both interesting and annoying at the same time and being threatened was not helping Kyrozan’s irritation.