Chronicles of the West

you get two in one here!

Chapter Ninety Eight


"You have got to be fucking kidding me!" Inuyasha yelled, glaring up at the suddenly dark skies. As if to mock him, large, chilled droplets descended on the travelers. Inuyasha growled. Kagome stepped forward and laid her hand on his arm, "Inuyasha smell it" she whispered.

"This storm is created" Sesshoumaru announced, his elegant nose wrinkling slightly at the odd ozone scent. Not the clean scent of a rain filled forest. "They are coming" he said then, "We must hurry". The others nodded, unsure of what was to come next.

The clouds seemed more ominous now and Kagome gasped pointing above. Dark clouds bubbled and broiled and…pulsed? "That is not just a storm" she said. Sesshoumaru had known that long ago. "No, the skies are filled with his fighters. The rain is merely to slow us down" he replied.

The droplets grew larger, colder, each splash against skin felt like icy knives. The air swirled with that dark power, the malevolence seeping across the ground. This was not good. This would slow them. "Taisha" Sesshoumaru commanded, "Take to the air".

She nodded but found she could not obey. "Father?" she asked in confusion. Sesshoumaru softly swore, "So, they wish to keep us grounded. Prepare yourselves". Weapons were drawn and the soaked group moved onward.

Sesshoumaru's barrier rising, hiding he and Inuyasha from sight and scent. After all at the moment they were not supposed to be here. It would do no good for Josin to grow suspicious of them being in two places at once.

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Tohru threw her arm up over her head to ward off the falling wetness. She had not scented a storm moving in. She noticed that no rain touched her and opened her eyes. Looking up, she saw a leathery wing spread over her. "Amari?" she asked.

The foxbat looked down at her, "It's the makers Tohru" he said. She blinked, golden eyes growing wide. Amari turned his face skyward and through the western barrier, two winged creatures passed overhead, followed by a legion of others.

There were so many, countless! Tohru had never seen so vast a force, outside of the west. But over half of her father's forces were here, looking after the palace in his absence. "They've made the sky turn dark!" she gasped, her little hands clasped before her. "Why so many?"

"They are going to attack your father" Amari told her. Tohru leapt to her feet, "No! We can't let that happen. He didn't take that many men" she wailed. Amari snorted, "You're just a little kid" he told her, "What can you do?".

She growled softly, "I can warn my dad that they are coming". Amari shook his head, "He knows by now". Golden eyes narrowed, "I can't sit here and do nothing!" Amari looked down at her upturned face. "Can you fly?" he asked. Tohru glared at him, "No I can't. I'm a hanyou!" she pointed out.

Amari sighed, "I will go then" he told her, turning from her. She stopped him with her words, "You can't go alone. I’m going with you". He shook his head, "No Tohru, it's too dangerous. You stay here". She stomped her foot, red hair the color of wine from the sheets of water. "I am not staying behind" she snapped.

Her small form clad in water slick silks, seemed smaller now than before. Her little ears, pinned back in her growing anger. She was nearly grown, damn it. She wanted to help. She had to help, that was her family out there. Amari might look older but he wasn't. If he could go then so could she. Amari didn't want to take her.

If anything happened to her, Sesshoumaru was sure to kill him, more than that, he didn't want anything to happen to her. Was he strong enough to defend her? Josin would not waste time ripping her apart in order to put down the one he'd made.

Amari shuddered, feeling the pain of his claws again. "These people…" he told her, "They aren't people at all. They don't care how badly they hurt you. Tohru you should stay here in the palace. I can fly on to your father". She shook her head, "I won't stay!".

Amari snarled at her. His one friend, he wouldn't lose her. Couldn't. "This is not a game!". A shadow moved to the right of them and he spun to face it. "No litte ones" came a soft voice, "This is not a game". Taima stepped into the dimness of the rain drenched gardens. Her slender form, nearly glowing in it's paleness. Her long hair slicked down with water. No pitiful form this one, Taima radiated power unknown. Taking in the children she spoke again, "This is the end".

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Elda ran into the gardens in time to see the children taking to the air. "No" she called after them, "You must not go! It's dangerous!". They ignored her warning and she shouted for Madu. He rushed into the gardens taking in her stricken and fearful features. "What is it?" he demanded.

She pointed to the sky. "The children, they have gone after the enemy" she told him, "We have to stop them!". She clutched the front of his haori. His mouth settled in a grim line. "Jaken!" he shouted. The green imp toddled to the overhang, staff in hand, "What is it lord Madu?" he asked in his grating voice.

"Amari and Tohru have gone after the creators" he said. Jaken's bulbous eyes grew impossibly wide, "No! That can't be" he squawked, his little webbed feet slapping against wet stone, "My lord will have my head for this". Rin came to stand beside him, "Quiet Jaken" she commanded, her brown eyes falling on Madu, "You are going after them?".

He nodded, "I am, I am placing the defense of the palace in your hands Lady Rin. I will return as soon as I can". Rin nodded. Father was not going to be pleased that Tohru ran into such danger, she hoped they would all come back safely.

Elda sighed with relief, "We leave now?" she asked. Madu blinked at her, "What we?" he asked. She crossed her arms over her chest, "You and I" she said, "We are going after them now aren't we?". Madu shook his head, "I am going. You are staying here".

She grunted, "Not a chance". Madu growled at her, "Look Elda, you’re my woman and you do as I say. That's the way things go around here". He leapt into the air and his eyes went wide as she pulled alongside him. "It's a good thing I am not from around here then" she replied.

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Josin drew closer, the advance party Taisha led, moving like ants below him. It was perfect. In passing he'd seen Sesshoumaru embroiled in battle, they were getting closer to Taisha and the blossom. No matter, they would be too late, for Josin planned to waste no time.

Ridia smirked beside him. He'd been somewhat awed by Sesshoumaru's fighting skill. He was incredible. "What are you thinking?" Josin asked with a knowing smirk. Ridia flapped his wings, "I don’t know if I should kill him or screw him" he admitted with a slight laugh, "Maybe both".

Josin laughed softly, "You are so vain" he teased. Ridia arched a silver brow, "Me? Perhaps, but no more than you. Why?". Josin chuckled, "You realize that with the exception of your eyes and lack of demonic markings that you are identical to him".

Ridia blinked and then laughed, "Then I am truly magnificent! We will have to remake him, alter him, something. I want him as my toy"


Chapter Ninety Nine

The shrine was not far off and Taisha expected the worst. Suddenly one of her men called out and a large drop of rain fell towards her. Glowing and expanding, she leapt away from it. Sword drawn, she watched as it coalesced into a transparent slug like creature. It was as if the water itself had taken shape to fight them.

She slashed at it, it's clear innards splashing against her arm. She hissed and looked at the gaping wound left in it's wake. "Damn it. Don't cut them!" she shouted, "They are acid based". Her men growled. Shippo shrugged to the front, "Foxfire!".

The greenish flame licked along the beast, and it writhed in agony until the driving rain doused the fire. "Well fire damages them" Shippo offered. Victor gasped, "That's it" he whispered, "Heat". Before Taisha could ask what he meant, Victor focused his gaze on the water at the base of the slug.

"I hope this works. Hold your breath!" he shouted. A blast of energy left his fingers and the pool of liquid began to bubble and boil. The slug flopping in an effort to elude the scalding liquid. Victor watched as the creature began to evaporate, it's water rising into the air as steam. He wasn't sure what would happen to the acid but he hoped it would vanish. Fate seemed to smile on him, for the danger of the creation passed.

Before he could sigh in relief, the men shouted pointing skyward. More glowing drops were falling now, and at a vicious rate. They dodged the forming creatures as best they could, those not fast enough enveloped in the painful end of acid born death.

It was a gruesome sight to behold and Victor tried to destroy them as they fell. There were simply too many. Satoru cast spells for heat to send a wave of drying heat upwards, it helped. Though not much. Purification seemed to help even less. "Taisha!" he shouted, "Run ahead!".

The pale female with a company of soldiers ran through the melee. Silvana calling on her powers to sweep the rain aside as they moved. Her powers were draining to her and she called to Ryu. He understood what she needed and he let her swirling energies funnel upwards and through him. The markings appearing on his face as his inner beast surged with the power.

Soon they were running side by side, blasts of wind and heat lifting and forcing the rain from the runners. They had to reach the shrine, it wasn't that far off now. Rain and glowing lumps of gelatinous monstrosities repelled as they blasted their way through.

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Taisha broke through the brush, seeing the small shrine erected. "Shove it inside!" Ryu shouted to her. She nodded and leapt for the small blessed wooden structure. She collided almost painfully with a hard body and stumbled backwards.

She stared up at Josin's unmistakable form, her green eyes narrowing in anger. "Bastard" she snarled, leaping backwards from his reach. Josin smiled at her, his golden eyes lit with an eerie fire. "Come now bitch, give it over" he told her, his voice gentle, smooth, mocking. "You cannot possibly win. Not this time".

Water ran down her lovely face in rivulets and she sneered at him, "What Josin? Not as strong as you thought you were? Need this?" she taunted. His gaze fell to the glowing object in the front of her haori. "Don't waste time" he snapped, "Give it over!".

He lashed out, light pouring off his palms and blasting the shrine to smoking splinters. The holy energy of the shrine crackled in retaliation but Josin's holy ki soothed it and it faded away. Ryu growled, there was no safe place for the bloom now. "Damn you" he spat. Josin only laughed and turned back to them.

He lunged at Taisha, and Silvana threw her hands up, a ball of biting wind catching the pale wings and holding him away from them. He struggled against it for only a moment, then pushed slowly forward. He smirked at Silvana. Throwing up his hands in turn and blasting her sphere of repelling wind away.

The three tumbled backwards on the muddied earth. Silvana's eyes wide and shocked, locked on Josin's form. "You are not the only one to command such powers. Your blood made me so" he told her, "Though I will still have you… if only to break you" he snarled, another volley of wind rushing out at them. Like unseen feet and fists it landed hard blows on them, leaving them sprawling in the mud. Rolling them through the deepening puddles.

Taisha lifted her head to see the warded blossom laying in the open. Josin saw it as well, "I know all about your wards on it. Don't worry. I won't be touching it and dying" he told her. He lifted his hand and she saw that his entire arm was covered with warding symbols. Oh yes, he'd be safe enough.

He moved for the bloom and she lurched forward, "No!". A streak of silver skimmed over the ground and vanished from sight, the bloom with it. She blinked and lifted her eyes, even as Josin howled in rage. Taisha could not belive her eyes.

There above them, hovering in the air, was Amari. His batlike wings fluttering softly, Tohru was on his back. Her little hands clasped under his chin as she clung to him. One arm was behind him, braced beneath her.

One could forget his tender years in that moment as he hung there buffeted by wind and rain. His silver hair hung in heavy ropes around his face. He looked tired but determined. Josin lifted his flashing golden eyes to the interlopers.

"You will die!" he shouted and light erupted from his palms to snake and spiral across the distance towards the three. Amari dodged the strike…amost easily. There glowing in his palm, unwrapped and unwarded lay the blossom.

Taisha blinked. Childlike innocence. Child! Amari was a child and therefore the warding magic of Kagome and the dark one would not harm him. He hovered over them looking like an avenging angel, his silver eyes snapping with anger and fire. "I will not let you win" he said, "Even if it kills me". Josin snorted, "Oh it will".

"You want this Josin?" he demanded, lighting on the ground and setting his passengers aside, "Then you come and get it". He crouched and darted upwards. His wings carrying him higher and higher. Josin, as expected shot after him. They circled in the air like hunting birds. Dipping and diving, feinting and slashing.

Blood mixed with rain and fell to the onlookers, staining them. Taisha gripped the hilt of her sword and growled. Shouting behind her made her turn and she heard the distinct sounds of battle. Her men were engaging the odd hybrids.

These were weaker than their makers and they fell quickly. There were so many of them though. "Go and fight with them Taisha" came the soft voice of the last person she'd expected to see here. The one who knew the true ending to this thing.

The rain droned on and the grounded group looked up at the sight. "Taima?" Taisha asked. Her reclusive cousin smiled at her, "I am here to see this business done" she replied. Her eyes returned to Amari's form and she and Tohru walked toward the shrine.

From the corner of his eye, Amari saw them move and he looked back just as Josin struck out at him. He clipped the foxbat sending him circling through the sky, the blossom tumbling from his grasp. The aerial race was on.

Wings tucked close to powerful bodies, as the bloom made it's decent, it's pursuers plummeting after it. Josin shot after it, but Amari proved to be faster, darting in once more to catch the precious bloom. His clawed fingers closing over it. He smiled with this small victory. He glanced over his shoulder to gauge how close Josin was to him. Silver eyes widened, he was too close.

Josin caught the edge of one of Amari's wings with a blast of power, the light punching a hole in the membrane thin flesh. Amari looked to Taima and Tohru and tucked his wings close against his back. Headfirst he streaked towards the ground. His silver eyes watering from the speed with which the ground rose up to meet him. He only had once chance at this.

Taisha paused in her fighting to look up and see what was going on. She'd seen Josin land a solid blow to the young foxbat. He was wounded and still he fought so bravely against the one who'd made him as he was. Then she saw his wings tuck and Amari fell.

Taisha shrieked, he was going to hit the ground! "Amari!" Arms stretched before him, he held the blossom out and Taima snatched it as he passed overhead, pulling up with his wings in the last possible second. Taima and Tohru hitting the ground to avoid a collision. His silver form skimming through the trees to land roughly.