The Sacred Trees

Got my butt – figuratively kicked by some reviewers for not updating this fast enough – especially for what I did to Inuyasha. *lol. It was kindda needed cause in a was I was stalling writing this chapter. Its a little bitter sweet for me, cause every journey has an ending and we are coming to the end of this one.

I sincerely thank all the people who have supported me, reviewed and enjoyed this fic. Your support meant a great deal.

As always Read, review and ENJOY!


Chapter 34 : The Sound of Silence!

The connection that Sesshoumaru had to his mate was abruptly severed. It was worse, much worse then when he had lost his arm, this time it felt like his soul had been torn from him. There was no honour in his enemy, Sesshoumaru would finish the bastard, and if Tessaiga did not pulse, he would break down the doors of hell itself, to return his mate to him.

The Canine forces were for a moment too stunned to move. There was a scream from above, Shippo lost control of his Youki, the need to taste the blood of his enemies riding high he released the true demon within. A five-tailed-fox the size of a house, with a nimbus of foxfire glowing around him, screamed in defiance. Teeth barred it flew straight at the army of human Youkai. With teeth and claws he cleaved through their numbers.

The compact had been broken by their leader, the enemy had no honour. Kouga and Dionne both raised their heads and howled, demanding blood. Both moved to attack, enemies fell to them even before their howls left the air. In response to the howls with a roar, the combined Japanese armies turned to attack the invading army.

Sesshoumaru himself had stopped Inuyasha's attack – thus the compact had been maintained and it was not an act of betrayal (impetuousness yes, dishonour no) but the action of the Human Youkai leader on an unarmed observer, proved the true mettle of invading forces. They had no honor in the attack, so no quarter would be given.

The ice shelves erupted as the scene went from a prepared strategic battle into a bloody carnage. Strategy was put aside with the Canines having only one goal in mind - KILL.

After the initial roar, Sesshoumaru's face went blank and focused. He gave nothing of his rage, pain and fear away, the iciness of his aura rivalled; nay surpassed; the cold of the ice flats around them. Power pulsed from the Shogun as he released all the barriers on his Youki. His battle energy filled the air, strengthening the Canines and terrifying the invaders – for they had never experienced such a crushing, yet focused fury.

Sesshoumaru's aura slammed into the Baron, Bakusaiga quickly followed, the armour proved to be no barrier and blood splattered as the sword cut though the Baron's chest, sending the armour flying. Magical energies warred on the Baron as he tried to heal and fight at the same time. The sudden change in the tempo and power in the Shogun's attacks was stunning. The Baron was unable to come close to blocking Sesshoumaru's attacks, the power of each strike was overwhelming.

Falling back, his armies being slaughtered all around him, madness possessed the Baron, and his laugh was maniacal. Sheer madness lending him strength his own Youki pushed the Shogun back, giving the Baron breathing room. "I have won, the minute the pathetic Hanyou died I WON! If you kill me, you will not even be able to identify the Ancient Trees, the trees,... the trees in my control WILL die, and the magic will die with them. Kill me, Shogun! And you doom all of the Youkai, even your own children will die. There is nothing you can do to stop it! I told you Shogun," The title was spat out by the Baron, who sneered at the Canines. "I AM GOD! If I die so does the Youkai!" The laughter of the Baron was chilling.

There was enough truth to those words that the entire Canine army flinched.

The Shogun's hands tightened on Bakusaiga, regardless of the future he would not allow the honourless creature to live. Better they all die then breathe in the air contaminated by the evil Youkai. The Baron paled as he saw Sesshoumaru's resolve.

Then the Shogun froze, his being shuddered as for the first time he turned to the spot where Inuyasha had crashed into the shelves. A warm breeze suddenly wafted past the icy shelves, bits of foliage, carried for many miles, danced in the meandering breeze. The wind traced a path around the armies and making their way to the Hanyou created crater. The ice that had caved in around Inuyasha when he slammed through the glacier melted, a green gold glow began to pulse. Slowly the broken body of the Hanyou levitated into the air. Before the eyes of the armies, the glow began repairing the damage and Inuyasha's body became whole.

The wind danced and twirled around Inuyasha, fluttering leaves and silken sakura blossoms adding to the magic of the moment. Inuyasha began to glow from within, his own personal magic, aiding in the recovery. Though it seemed longer, the whole scene took no more the 20 seconds, and than huge golden eyes opened, and immediately sought Sesshoumaru's.

"Forgive me mate, I had to totally shut down to stop the tainted magic from truly killing me. Until the Ancients purified those tainted energies I could not heal, and was trapped in a state that mimicked death. Forgive me?" Inuyasha smiled at Sesshoumaru, the impassive mask of the DaiYoukai no longer a barrier to Inuyasha recognizing the hidden relief and overwhelming Love the Shogun had for him.

Inuyasha turned to the Baron, "Did you really think that magic, even tainted magic – stolen from the Ancient ones could kill me, so easily? It can hurt me, yes- but kill me?" Inuyasha chuckled, "You have so little understanding of the magic that you have sought to control – that it is truly ridiculous. Know this Baron, that on this day the ones that engineered your defeat – is not the Youkai – but the Ancient ones – and well me! The lowly Hanyou." Inuyasha said rather smugly.

"The Ancient Ones did not do it to destroy you, no - their only intention was to try to save themselves. To accomplish that, the Ancient ones changed me into what I am, not as a weapon against you, but as a being to heal. They thought to keep me safe, I would need a mate of some power with an army to protect me, if things went wrong... that was all the Ancient Ones intended." Inuyasha's smile got a little evil.

"But you see, you jackass of a Baron - unlike the Ancient Ones I'm not the passive kind. And any army that can be used for defence can be used for attack, it is not what the Ancient Ones intended, but what the hell, they Love me enough to forgive me." Inuyasha shrugged innocently. The Baron in a sudden move sent another volley of meteors at Inuyasha , and the Hanyou watched almost curiously as the attack disintegrated meters away from him. The attack nullified by the numerous counter-attacks that were sent from across the battle field in Inuyasha's defence.

"At one point, Youkai were always trying to kill me, isn't this fucking amazing?" Inuyasha's grin was still slightly bewildered, though his eyes never left the Baron's , he nodded in acknowledgement at numerous Warriors who had defeated the attack.

"Anyway, its time to finish this. You lose Baron, you lose all the way! I will find the trees and I will heal them all. WE will restore magic and we will return the Youkai to their rightful place in the world. You are no god, you are just a fucked up embarrassment. Sesshoumaru, since I really don't want to spoil your fun, please take out the trash. Finish this!"

Inuyahsa roared out the last words, and the battle lull was over. As if the fight had not paused the two sides resumed their attacks. There was to be no surrender, this was a war to the last Youkai standing.

The healers were hard pressed, getting the wounded to safety, as the battle raged around the ice flats. Slowly but surely the numbers of the invading army were culled. The DaiYoukais obliterating the leaders of the forces, as the troops their motivation high, cut though the enemy. All the while Sesshoumaru took apart the Baron. Now that he knew his mate was safe, the hot rage and cooled to icy resolve, he intended to kill the Baron, and now, he intended to enjoy the process. Making their enemy suffer for all the pain he had caused to the Youkai world.

Sesshoumaru no longer holding back, rained small and insulting cuts on the Baron, for ever 3 blows the Baron managed to block; on an average the fourth would find its mark. The Baron could only defend as none of his attacks seemed to even get past the pounding wall of Youki surrounding the Shogun. The Baron had proved himself to have no honour, so grinding the other underfoot before killing him was no longer a consideration – it was a necessity.

Even as his army was disseminated around them, the Baron began to bleed, many, many cuts appeared on his body, his cheek, his hands, legs, even his inner thighs had all felt the taunting bite of the Bakusaiga. The Shogun was proving the distance between them, in terms of skills, finesse and fighting ability. While the Baron was without a doubt extremely powerful, he had hidden for too long – his battle skills for many years had not been tested in true combat. Practice alone cannot compensate for field experience. Due to his own caution, he was now just unable to match Sesshoumaru's superior ability to learn his opponents' strengths and take advantage of their weaknesses in a one on one battle.

As soon as Sesshoumaru sensed that only a handful of the attackers were left alive, he began to get tired of the game he had been playing. He attacked with Bakusaiga, and simultaneously his energy whip lashed out, cutting through the Baron's left leg. The Baron tottered as the leg tried to regrow, but before it could fully form, claws dipping poison pierced through the Baron's throat. The poison, enhanced by the DaiYoukai's rage was pumped into the Baron – who's screams of agony filled the air, as he felt the deadly substance begin to eat his body from inside out. Like a rag doll, Sesshoumaru tossed the bleeding and screaming Baron aside.

The Baron, realizing the extent of his loss, and unable to accept the reality of it, began frothing in the mouth as he tried to draw more of the Ancient One's energy and heal himself.

"There will be none of that!" the Hanyou said almost cheerfully, as Inuyasha before Sesshoumaru could stop him, phased behind the Baron and grabbed the Golden Band. At Inuyasha's touch the Band simply split in two, taking both parts; the Hanyou phased away before the Baron was fully cognizant of what had occurred. Screaming the Baron turned to lash out at Inuyasha, but his eyes glazed in surprise as he turned back to the DaiYoukai who stood almost calmly before him.

"How..." the Baron said, blood beginning to pool in his mouth.

"Unless you are Inuyasha, emotion is a dangerous distraction in a battle against this Sesshoumaru. It is interesting is it not..." Sesshoumaru said into the sudden silence.

"Whh.. what..?" The Baron choked out.

"That you can already be dead, and not even notice." A cool smile washed across the DaiYoukai's passive face.

"Huh! Gaaaaahhhhh!" The Baron stared at himself and watched as fingers, hands, arms and various body parts began to slide apart. The last thing the Baron registered before he evaporated was his headless body falling to the floor, in many, many pieces, severed neatly by the DaiYuokai's whip.

The silence on the ice flats resounded out.

-/

Far to the South, as suddenly as they started crying, the babies stopped their fear-filled wails. The three pups, smiled toothy tried grins at their extremely concerned carers. Tiredly, in unison, they crawled into the lap of one of their big sisters, curled up close to each other and promptly- in the way of babies went to sleep.

The nursery was very quiet, a voice softly said.. "Is it over, do you think we won?"

Nashikohime, looked at the cherubs sleeping so peacefully on her lap.

"Yes, its over... and I do believe we have indeed won." She said with a smile. The warmth of the silence that filled the room, spread throughout the castle and to the rest of the Canine lands.

Indeed they had won.

- the end??? -

Hmmm I kindda had fun writing this battle! :) whatcha think? Actually I had loads of fun spinning this whole tale.

And technically my friends that is the end of the Sacred Trees. Which is why I was rather reluctant to finish it – sad! Big Bad is dead – and Inuyasha will find and heal the rest of the trees... is there any more of this tale to tell?

So do you agree with me or not? Do I need an Epilogue? What questions do you want answered? Or are you satisfied enough for me to stop here?