Chronicles of the West

Chapter One Hundred


Sesshoumaru pushed into the muddy, bloodied clearing. Josin paused in his pursuit of Amari to look at him. "So the heavenly warrior of the west shows himself. You arrived sooner than I had thought" he scoffed. Sesshoumaru remained silent, hand on the hilt of his weapon.

Josin faced him squarely, "You will die"he said simply. Sesshoumaru gave no reaction to this news. He merely waited, "What are you waiting for?" he asked then. Josin chuckled, "You are such a fool Sesshoumaru. I didn't come alone".

Tohru yelped when a hard arm caught her around the middle. Taima was struck and fell to the ground. The bloom once more tumbling to the floor. "Ridia kill him, Sero get the flower" Josin commanded.

Taima pushed herself up and sent a bolt of power at Sero. He snarled and tossed Tohru aside like a rag doll. Taima blasted him with purification. He laughed at her, "I am not demon" he told her. She blinked up at him and then smiled, "No you aren't…. well not entirely".

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Ridia was engaging Sesshoumaru. His speed and elemental power forcing the great dog demon back and he nearly laughed out loud. "You aren't so strong Sesshoumaru" he said, "You are nothing like me. You tire already". Ridia slashed out with his claws making contact with the great lord of the west. His claws elongated into slicing blades as he dragged his hand from shoulder to hip, cleaving. Tohru screamed as she watched her father take the hit.

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Taima focused her energies and shot her one demon attack at Josin. Something she supposed she'd gotten from her father. Short and to the point, "Power revealer, soul stealer!". Her claws glowing brightly, they bit deep into her opponent.

Josin screamed in indignation as his stolen powers were sucked from him. This was not possible. Who the hell was this female? Where did she come from and how could she wield such power? He blasted her with holy ki, but she just absorbed it into herself.

They faced off, growling at one another. Physically she was weak, and it was maddening to him that she was capable of such strength in her weak shell. "Fight if you like, you'll only prolong your suffering" he told her, "You are not a fighter". She appeared calm, serene, "I am today" she assured him. She sent a silent call to her sibling, she was tiring.
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A yelp rang through the clearing, and several pairs of eyes fell to the wrestling forms on the ground. Tohru struggled against her captor, Sero had hold of her slim ankle and was trying to get a better grip on her. She was having none of that, she kicked and yowled and clawed at him and across the ground, until her hand fell on something velvet soft.

Turning her head, she saw…. The blossom.

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Ridia stared at his claws and the place where Sesshoumaru had just been. Rather than a dying opponent, he was faced with wet paper stuck to his claws and flesh. "What in the hell is this?" he demanded and turned to face Taisha and Taima. "What is this?" he snarled.

Amari ventured out from the trees then, his rough landing having taken a toll on him. He snarled at Josin. "No one to fight?" he asked, "You can fight me". Josin scowled at him, "I will do far worse than tear your cursed wings off boy". Amari suspected that was true, he wasn't really in any shape to be fighting. He was already wounded and he had the feeling that he'd injured one of his wings badly in his landing.

Ridia flung the wet scraps of paper from him and stepped forward, hearing his created minions in battle not far behind. "I'll deal with the pup" he growled. He lifted his hand and prepared to attack the boy, when a flash of red drew his attention. "Pick on me" Inuyasha commanded.

Ridia spun on him, "Fine. I'll kill your whole line off myself if I must. Sero get that flower". Amari blinked and saw that Tohru was grappling with the heavy male. He moved quickly and kicked Sero off her small form. She'd curled herself around the flower. "You can't have it!"

Sero was now fighting the foxbat. Tohru noticed the ever growing presence of red in the water at her friend's feet. Amari was hurt, badly. He was slow too, taking hits that he could have easily dodged. "Amari!" she cried out, and his momentary lack of attention cost him dearly.

Sero lashed out with a wicked curved blade and it bit deeply into the created body of the foxbat. Quicksilver eyes widened in surprise, then clouded with pain and he staggered towards Tohru. He crumpled, face down in the muddy water and Tohru lifted his head. "Amari?" she whispered, "Amari, I'm sorry. Please don't die".

He panted and wheezed, "Tohru..keep the flower safe… they mustn't….get..it". His strength waning swiftly now, his eyes closed. Her tears welled and spilled over her pale cheeks. "No…don't leave me. You are my friend Amari, please don't go".

Taima snarled as she flung herself at Sero, slashing at him with claws and a short blade. "Only fools and cowards war on children" she snapped, "Which are you?" Sero dodged many of her blows, the one she landed leaving long gashes in his flesh. Nothing that would end his life however.

She called to Satoru again, begging him to come. She would not be able to hold him off much longer with her physical attacks. He came at her again and again, and she artfully leapt and dodged. Tohru blinked up at her, and then over at Inuyasha. Why wasn't he helping her? Sure he was fighting, but he couldn't handle more than one opponent.

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Ridia slashed through Inuyasha as easily as he had Sesshoumaru and once again he glared at the papery bits that remained. "What in the hell does this mean?" he demanded. His eyes scanning the field around him. Paper? He'd fought paper? Not possible.

To his left, Sesshoumaru stepped into the clearing. Ridia blinked at him. "How? I have slain you" he growled. "Shikigami" Sesshoumaru told him simply. Inuyasha appeared on the other side, smirking. "And you say you're smart". Ridia growled low in his throat. They'd been tricked, deceived! Damnable dogs. No matter, he'd just deal with them now.

They remained silent, eyes flashing in the raging storm. "I care not for your minor feats of petty deceit. I will destroy you today" Ridia snarled. Sesshoumaru drew his Tokijin with a soft swish of his obi. "We shall see. I fight the best, and you are not it" he replied.

Sesshoumaru disliked seeing a foe with his face. It brought back terrible memories of the last time such a thing had occurred. And while Ridia had distinct differences from him, the likeness was too close for comfort. "Just because you wear the face of this Sesshoumaru" he said then, "Does not mean you are my equal".

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Satoru broke into the clearing then and Josin stiffened. "I've been waiting for you. Come to kill me again lover?" he asked with a mocking smile. Satoru's face was grim, "Give yourself up to me and let me save you". Josin laughed, a harsh barking sound, "I need nothing from you cur".

From the corner of his eye, Sesshoumaru saw the battered Amari trying to shield Tohru from Sero. He was being brutally punished for it. Sesshoumaru's hackles rose. That boy was pack! He growled loudly in warning but Sero paid no heed. The foxbat was tossed aside with a sickening crunch of bones.

Sero loomed over Tohru and Josin stood between them. Sesshoumaru snarled his rage. Ridia slashed at him, his elemental powers forcing Inuyasha back, though the once hanyou was fighting it. Winds cut into his flesh and droplets of scarlet dotted the wet grass at his feet.

Sesshoumaru tried to get passed Ridia, but he was a clever fighter and quick on his feet. He couldn't reach her in time. Not this again! His roar filled the space around him and Inuyasha understood what the trouble was at once.

He inched to the side but Ridia stopped him, "Take another step and I will let him kill her Inuyasha. Painfully. Tell me is that what you want?". The inus growled dangerously. Taima opened her eyes looking up into the rainy sky. This was it, time to move again. Pain and weariness had no time, no place. Soon she'd not feel them anyway.

Gathering her strength she rolled to her stomach and pushed herself up. Her eyes locking on her young cousin, who fought off the male. "Tohru" she whispered and the hanyou's bright ears flickered, "Make a wish". The bloom would be nothing to anyone if she did. Tohru looked from the remains of her friend to the fiend that held her ankle. "A wish" she whispered.

"Don't even think about it brat" Sero commanded. Tohru's little chin jutted out, "I wish you had a human heart, like my mama and aunt Kagome!" she shouted, throwing the blossom at his face. Sero jerked her to him harshly, "I'm going to spill your guts in this field" he hissed at her, "And then I am going to make you into something else".

He loomed over her, his weapon readied. Then his eyes went wide and he clutched his chest, screaming in pain and sorrow. His human heart killing him with every beat. Terror and pain from his many victims washing over him in a rush.

Tohru cringed from him, what was happening? Her wish had done this? Was it her wish that was killing him? Had she killed? Victor appeared and using his power he kept Sero from moving. From attacking. Tears filled his eyes as Alastair's handsome face contorted in pain. "There was a time I would have gladly died to keep you from such things" he whispered, "But no more". He closed his eyes, his power never wavering.

He lowered his hands and sighed sadly, trudging to the fallen foe. He knelt beside Sero, an unsteady hand reached out to smooth familiar hair from a once dear face. Sightless eyes bulged, staring upwards. Victor turned his head away as his palm descended, closing those eyes forever.