The Meikai War

Well, it only took me little over a month to finish this one. Far better then the year long gap between the last couple chapters.

It might take a little more then one or two more chapter to finish this up, I imagine I'll want an aftermath chapter for both the past and present, but the over all plot is close to it climax.

Anyway I hope you enjoy. Comment are always a plus, both good and bad. Please just elaborate if you want to leave something negative, so I can learn from it.

ja ne
b-chan

Chapter 20

Suoh’s wings lifted to shield his face as an explosion erupted to his side, tossing shocked ryus and soil alike in all directions. For a moment fear reached from him, but he clawed away from it, fear would be death. Fear would mean a soulless death, eaten by the red stone resting against his skin. Fear would me life without Inari.

Growling Suoh unfolded his wings and glared at the foolish demon that would dare attach such a well guarded spot. When the dust settled, fear tried to snatch him once more.

A tall male, with whitish flame like locks and cold unforgiving eyes scanned the land a chilling smile lit his face when he spotted Suoh.

“Yakumo…” breathed one red ryu to his side. The Meikai Demon Lord himself and worst yet in the fiend’s left hand he held the severed head of Bakufu, the white ryu who had been holding the water site. The white ryu’s once peaceful young face stared blankly forward, bloody tears trailing down pale cheeks.

Rage warred against fear in Suoh’s heart. The desire to charge forward almost overpowering confronted with the tyrant of the Meikai, who slaughter the young and old alike and laughed at their suffering. However, he was stuck in place the archer for the site, moving from the stone he perched on would disperse everything he’s gathered! Moving would mean failure!

“So this is the great fire serpent?” question Yakumo looking at Suoh. “You are hardly the hell fire I foresaw. Let us see if you have what it takes to kill me, puny dragon,” he tossed back his head and laughed.

The ryus around him recovered fast, many moved to stand between him and Yukumo, others charged the Demon Lord embarrassing certain death.

Suoh Watched as power gathered in Yakumo’s hand, he could feel its destructive force from where he sat.

“Look out!” screamed Suoh as the Demon Lord thrust his hand into the ground and everything turned white.

• * * * * * * * * * * * *

“We’re almost there!” shouted Inari shading his head and peering toward mount Fuji. The red ryu he rode grunted in response, turning sharply in the air to avoid a spear thrown from below.

“This is getting worst at we get closer,” stated the red. “I hope Suoh and his people aren’t under attack yet.”

Inari opened his mouth to response, but something off in the distant caught his eye. A white ring of what looked like smoke had formed part way down from the spiky top of the mountain and seemed to circle completely around.

“What is-“

An explosion of air pushed Inari’s word back into his mouth and sent them careening out control. Inari’s world went vertigo as a large rock, one of many, clipped the side of his head. He felt his grip on the red ryu’s main slip and watched in shock as the clouds whipped past him.

How strange, why couldn’t I hear anything? Was the only disoriented thought to enter his head before he slammed into ground with bone breaking impact.

He lay there dazed, staring up at the sight of hundreds of demon and ryus collecting themselves and staring off into the distant as one. The agony of his situation took a moment to hit him and when it did he screamed out loud for all to hear.

In a panicked manner his eyes crawled down his body to spot the jagged wooden plank sticking out of his middle, his spin was surly severed by it. The internal injured would have killed a mortal, no matter what species instantly, but unfortunately for him he was a god. An Immortal that would live and surfer though such a moment.

Choking back blood, he tried to calm himself and determine his situation. His vision was perfectly fine, but his eardrums had ruptured with the blast that had sent them falling, bring pain that wanted to rival the whole in his gut. Ears, let alone fox ears, were very sensitive.

Biting back pain he tilted his head to check to his right, eyes falling upon the broken remains of his ryu mount. The poor dragon’s body was twisted in such a manner that Inari was sure he’d hit head first, body piling on top the rest of him. The red was not the only unfortunate creature to meet his end in such a manner, the field was littered with their corpse.

No help there, he would honor the poor beast later. Twisting to the left, his pain was forgotten when his eyes landed upon the source of the explosion.

Mount Fuji’s top… was gone!

The once jagged mountain top was now leveled flat, hot molten lava gushing out, red fingered inching down its sides.

Inari’s world went blank as a terrifying thought entered his head.

“SUOH!”

• * * * * * * * * * *

Kogare clung to Koaru’s side, fear eating at them as they rolled across the sky. He almost lost his hold when Koaru flung out his wings, snapping them back upright. Leveling out the young black ryu twisting his long head around to look at his back.

“Are you okay, Onii-san?”

Swallowing back his lunch Kogare nodded weakly to his brother. “Yes, I’m okay…” his words froze in his mouth, eyes widening to their limited. He looked like he was screaming, but no sound escaped.

“Onni-san?” questioned Kaoru. When he received no response from his brother he twisted his head back forward and dropped a span in the sky as he forgotten to flap his wings at the sight.

“Hurry Kaoru! Hurry!” shouted Kogare tugging on his main and kicking his heels into the black’s sides. “Hurry, we got to find him! We got to!” his brother’s voice held a note of hysteria Kaoru had never heard in anyone’s voice before. Find… Find who….

Then it hit the young black like a mountain. “Mother ryu…?”

“Mother Ryu!” screamed the black diving toward the mountain at full speed. Kogare would have fallen if not for the make shift saddle he’d made to hold him on, but he wasn’t concerned for his own saftly. His only thoughts were for that of his mother ryu.

Kaoru pulled up short and roared in rage as a shield of energy sprang up in their path. The young ryu flapped hard building up speed to ram the energy wall.

“Kaoru, NO!” shouted Kogare pulling on fistfuls of black main.

The dragon reared back in the air, clawed talons flashing.

“Why not! Mother ryu could be over their!” roared back Kaoru, the whites of his eyes showing all the way around his pupil like a horse spooked.

“This is the barrier that mother ryu was making,” shouted Kogare over the roar of the wind. He unhooked himself to stand on the ryu’s back looking in all directions. He barked a laugh.

“What? What’s so funny!” shouted Kaoru angrily.

“Kaoru, we’re right next to the site of fire! Mother ryu is alive!”

“Really?!” said Kaoru lowing his head to scan the ground.

“Yup,” said the fox pup, plopping back down to strap himself back in. “Alive and still holding the fire site. I can’t believe it! We need to find the center, mother ryu will be there.”

“Center, right,” said Koaru scanning along the wall light.

“That way,” said Kogare pointing to their left. “That way Kaoru the energy get strong over there.”

“Right,” shouted Kaoru diving toward the ground to better spot their mother ryu when he came in sight.

“We’re going to find mother ryu, Kaoru. We’re going to find and save him!”
“Right!” shouted the dragon putting extra speed into his flight.

Inari smiled eyes hunting for the familiar form of his mother ryu. We’re going to find you and protect you mother. I’m going to make you proud. I’m going to fight for you.

• * * * * * * * * * * *

Suoh groaned and lifted his upper half off the rock he’d clung to. The simple move made him gasp in pain, everything hurt!

Yakumo’s trick had blown Mount Fuji’s top and sent him and its contents flying! Suoh was lucky he’d been able to hold onto the rock, it was the anchor for his site and thankfully hadn’t broken into a million pieces when they’d landed. Or worst yet landed on top of him, which would have surely broken his concentration and gotten him consumed by the fire stone. He was quite amazed with himself; he’d survived getting blown off a volcano without losing his cool.

He began to laugh out loud in joy when he first felt then saw the connection as the barrier was finally set and ready to go. He felt Ryujin’s familiar aura and Yokokaze, the wind ryu. Suoh’s laugh died as he felt Koudo, the earth ryu, his energy was dancing around at a dangerous level.

“Don’t tell me…” uttered the ryu turning his head to look in the direction of the earth site. The energy dancing along the earth’s portion of wall was sparking and eradicate. There was no doubt in Suoh’s mind that Koudo was in the process or currently being consumed by the earth stone.

“Inari,” gasped the ryu just managing to stop himself from crawling off the stone and breaking the connection. If his lover was in that mess, what would happen if he touched the earth stone?! They were the same element!

His worries for his lover were cut short as Yakumo floated calmly down to land before him. Suoh felt his heart squeeze!

“Well, well,” purred Yakumo looking down at the bruised and battered ryu. “I commend you, that must have been some ride and to not lose your focus or let go, that is quite amazing dragon.” He clapped his hands together in mock applause.

Suoh bared his teeth, not sure he did so in rage or pain. Discreetly he looked around for signs of his follow ryus. There were signs, but none of anything living.

“I’ll give you a choice ryu,” grinned Yakumo holding out his hand. “Give me the fire stone and swear your agency to me and I’ll let you live.”

Suoh growled low under his breath. He couldn’t move from the stone, but what about the stone? Suoh laughed and grinned up at the demon lord. “Never!” With a roar the ryu raised up his fist and slammed it into the large stone. The bolder broke into many pieces.

“Have you lost your mind ryu, you’re ruining your sides only chances,” laughed Yakumo. His laugh died when the ryu lifted a large chunk of rock up in his fist flashing white teeth at him. “No way,” uttered Yakumo turning his head from side to side. The barrier seemed to shiver for a moment or two, but firm out as strong as ever.

“You’ve already proven it’s the anchor not the site that matters and knowing that I can make it much smaller,” smiled the ryu lifting the rock before him. “You want the stone? Come and claim it!” roared the ryu jumping into the air and blasting down a long line of dragon’s fire.

Yakumo threw up his cap as a shield cursing the dragon for his cleverness.

“Cleaver dragon, but can you keep them, huh?” roared back Yakumo forming a ball of energy in his hand and launching it at the air born ryu.

Suoh Dodged to the side doing a grand series of airily acrobats as balls of energy streamed past him. Truth be told he was not sure how long he would be able to maintain the site and keep out of Yakumo’s reach. He was getting weaker while Yakumo seemed to have an unlimited amount of energy at his disposal. A ball clipped his wing sending him tumbling out of the sky to land painfully on the unforgiving ground.

“Give me the stone ryu!” screamed Yakumo leaping at him.

• * * * * * * * * * * * *

Rouin and Huma paused in their searching to watch as a shield of different colors of light sprang to life around the field.

“The Elemental shield,” breathed Huma. “Boy, I’m glad we weren’t inside of that when it went up.” As if to prove his point screams began issuing from inside the barrier, screams of death and pain. Huma winced as he watched one meikai demon get torn apart by a random spark of energy from the barrier. Inside the shield energy danced and raced along the bodies inside plervising anything it touched. It was a massacre.

“Gods,” said the human leaning over the ryu’s shoulder to get a better look. “At this rate it will only take an hour to kill everything inside there.”

“And what if my Kaoru is inside here?!” Roared Rouin turning his long neck around to glare at the human with burning eyes.

“We don’t know for sure he’s in there,” protested Huma weakly. Going in there would mean certain death!

“Pray human, pray to whatever god you call your own that my little one isn’t in there or we’re going to find a way to bring him out!”

The black dragon reared in the air and charged at the wall of energy.

“No!” screamed Huma as they hit. Sparks embraced them causing both to scream in pain. The moment was brief however as the wall bounced the ryu back a few feet. Rouin faltered a moment in the air before regaining his senses and working his wings to remain air borne.

“You can’t enter here,” panted Huma. “This wall is made up of spirit energy.”

“Damn it,” hissed the ryu snake his long head from side to side to try and see which direction to go.

“If we go west we can check on Suoh,” suggested Huma, hoping the dragon might stop long enough to let him off there. He liked the ryu, but he wasn’t about to charge into ‘that’ without proof Sunoo’s nephews were inside.

“Suoh…” breathed Rouin glancing off towards the fire site. They watched as a shiver ran through the wall before it reformed.

“That can’t be good,” uttered Huma. Maybe Suoh wasn’t such a safe choice either. Huma frowned tilting his head from looking towards the fire site to turn his head a fraction and see mount Fuji.

“Gods…” breathed the human eyes going wide. “The fire site moved… No…” the human’s eye focused back on the wall of energy as it suddenly jumped closer to them. “The fire site ‘is’ moving!”

Rouin jumped back as the wall of energy got too close for comfort. “What does that mean?” questioned Rouin.

“I’m not sure? I know you can use transportable items for the sites, but using it and moving at the same time is a whole other story! The strain would be insane on the holder. If your friend keeps this up he’s going to be consumed!”

The black wheeled in the air and headed towards the fire site. “Transportable? The bolder he was perched on was the site anchor. I wouldn’t call that transportable. As for being consumed, huh. You don’t know my Suoh, he wouldn’t go down without a fight. Maybe Koaru’s gone to his mother.” The ryu picked up speed at the spoken out loud thought.

Huma fisted his hands tighter in the ryu’s black mane and frowned. The ryu would have to be nuts to the move the site with the barrier going, unless… The human gulped looking nervously at the moving bondry. Unless something or someone was giving him good reason.

“Hurry Rouin, hurry.”


• * * * * * * * * * * * *

Pulling himself off the spike of wood seemed to take an eternity, he had no idea just how long all he could think about was the wasted of time. Time he needed to find Suoh.

With an agonized gasp Inari pushed himself, with what little strength he had left, off and away from the wooden plank. The landing had him wanting to empty his stomach and the thought that he’d probably left his stomach as well as a good portion of his guts on that plank didn’t help.

The world swam drunkenly before his eyes and he used the pain to keep himself conscious. If he passed out it would be too late, if he didn’t hurry his dragon would…
Growling he reached out with splintered hands scratching at the ground for hand holds. He would drag himself every inch if he had to. He would find Suoh, he would find his dragon. He had to be okay!

“Suoh,” croaked the silver fox god, nails breaking and bending back as he struggled. He felt tears of loss and frustration streaming down his face. “Suoh!” he managed just a hair louder.

“Calling for your pet?” purred an amused voice to his side.

Inari whipped his hand around, long hair flying to see Aresism standing before him, bloody Ghost slayer sword in hand.

“A-re-sism,” choked Inari, hope and fear warring in his soul. “S-Suoh… is my Suoh-“

“Suoh, suoh,” mocked Aresism shaking his head. “The lizard can’t be that ‘good’ for you be so obsessed with him. However, he is putting up quite the show,” smirked the god of war turning his head away from Inari to look off into the distance.

“Aresism,” growled Inari struggling to right himself, rage giving him strength.

“This is the best bloody war there ever was or will be,” smiled the war god. “Nothing can ever compare to the glory, pain, pleasure,” hissed the god in ecstasy looking back down at him, “that is everywhere around us. Your suffering is particularly delicious.”

“Aresism,” groaned Inari swallowing his pride. “Please… please help me.”

The war god smiled down at him before tossing back his head and laughing.

“Aresism,” hissed Inari, muscles quivering with strain, but breathing seemed so hard.

“I should slit your throat then you’d pass out from loss of blood and be out for who knows how long."

Inari’s faces dropped as a sense of déjà vu hit him.

Aresism smiled more at his broken look. "You’d be easy pickings for vultures, wolfs, and other scavengers which would mean that it will take you even longer to regenerate. The animals will pick you clean till there is nothing left but your white bones gleaming in the sun, then they will scatter you all over this forest and that will take you a great deal longer to recover from.

“Aresism” gasped Inari remembering his first time with his dragon, the time he’d saved him from the god before him. Aresism was saying his own words back to him! “Please… Aresism, not now. If- ‘choff’ if you want revenged take it, but let me save Suoh first. Please Aresism, please.”

“Nothing would please me more right now then gutting you," growled the war god. His eyes glanced down Inari’s body his smile turned in a smirk, “that is if you still had any. That dragon should have been mine that day long ago. I have not forgotten nor forgiven you!” growled down the war god.

“The war,” pleaded Inari. “You can’t risk everything for revenge.” His words ended in a coughing fit, pain raked him with each hack.

“Risk,” laughed Aresism. “I think dragging a gutted fox into battle with me will be far more of a risk than leaving you here. Besides, that dragon of yours if fulfilling his part nicely. I don’t think he’ll last much longer facing Yakumo all by his self, but at least he held the barrier long enough to kill over half of the Meikai’s forces. Hell, who know maybe he’ll struggle on longer, he still has some fight left in him.”

“Yakumo!” shouted Inari, the move had him wanting to curl into a balls in agony. “Aresism… if you know… where Yakumo is. It’s your duty to finish him off… “

“Duty,” pondered Aresism thoughtfully before laughing. “I am the god of war!” proclaimed Aresism proudly. “My duty is to death and chaos, not love and peace, fox god. “ Still laughing the god of war turned on his heels and began walking away. “See you around Inari, I’m going to enjoy this day for centuries to come.”

“Aresism!” screamed Inari watching him go.

• * * * * * * * * * * * *

“We’re close,” said Kogare leaning over Kaoru’s shoulder to peer at the barrier. “Let’s descend and approach from the grown so no one see us.”

“Right,” said Kaoru diving down behind a large bolder of rock. Once Kogare unbuckled himself and slid off, the black dragon’s form flashed white and shrank reforming in the less imitating young humanoid form.

“Big brother,” whispered Kaoru clutching the side of Kogare’s robes. “Will mother ryu be okay, I don’t like what I’m feeling.” The little dragon’s wings drooped as he glanced off towards the barrier.

Kogare swallowed, he’d been feeling the conflict happening just around the bend and had the same worries as his little brother. However, he wasn’t about to express his fears to the already frighten hatchling. “Come on Kaoru, he can’t help mother ryu from here.”

Kaoru nodded and followed after his brother as he ran around the corner.

“Kaoru,” roared down a deep voice. Both fox and dragon glanced up to see a large black descending towards them.

“Papa ryu!” smiled Kaoru lifting his arms toward the massive breast.

“Rouin ryu,” said Kogare paling. Oh, he was going to get it now!

Rouin transformed before he landed causing a human to go falling off his back and onto his face with a yell. Kogare ignored the oddity to watch as Rouin scooped his son up, embracing him tightly. The young fox god felt a moment of jealously toward the laughing and smiling hatchling. When was the last time his father had hugged him so?

He shook his head to be rid of the thought; he was no baby that needed cuddling and now was hardly the time.

“What are you two doing here!” demanded Rouin, causing the cub he held to lose its bright smile.

Kogare tried to think of something that would appease the large black, but his mind had gone blank faced with the fury on Rouin’s normally jolly face.

“Hey,” piped up the human finally getting up from his face plant to stagger over to them. “That’s my sword,” he said pointed at the blade at Kogare’s hip.

“Who cares about a stupid sword right now,” growled Rouin rounding on the human. “You’re in big trouble,” said Rouin shaking a finger in Kaoru’s face, the dragon cub whimpered. “And you,” said Rouin turn to Kogare, causing the fox’s ears to flatten on his head. “When you father and mother hear about his-“

“Mother!” shouted Kogare remembering why he was here. Without another word he ran around the corner towards the fire site.

“Damn it,” hissed Rouin tucking Kaoru under his arm and running after the speedy fox pup.

“Hey wait,” shouted Huma following suit. He managed to catch up to Rouin as they chased after Kogare. “We can use that sword.”

“Damn it, human!” growled Rouin glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. “I don’t need a stupid sword to fight. I’ve got other things to worry about right now.”
“No, no,” panted Huma finding it hard to talk and run at the same time. “It’s a transportation sword. They must have used it to get here, we can use it to take them back to Sunoo.”

Rouin skidded to a halt nearly causing Huma to run into him. “Damn, that’s the best news I’ve heard all day,” smiled the dragon. “Now we just need to catch quick silver and you can take them out of here.”

“Right,” smiled Huma glad he wouldn’t have to stay here much longer and more than a little excited about the thought of returning to Sunoo with her nephews safe and unharmed. The little snow ryu would be so pleased with him; he blushed hotly just thinking about it.

“Stop you little brat,” roared Rouin taking up pursuit again, Huma hot on his heels.

The sight that greeted Kogare as he approached the fire site had him crying out in fear. “Mother ryu!” He stopped before the barrier wall finger tips getting singed as he tried to push past it and failed. “Mother ryu!”

Huma, Rouin, and little Kaoru tucked under arm joined him all stopping to star in horror at what they saw.

“Give me the stone ryu!” screamed Yakumo seizing Suoh by the throat, other hand clawing for the red stone.

“Suoh!” screamed Rouin in panic. Quickly he placed Kaoru down and rammed the barrier. The black dragon went skidding back to fall into Huma’s arms as the human braced to catch him, the dragon’s weight was so great that they both toppled over.
“You already know that wouldn’t work!” shouted Huma from under him.

“But- but Suoh!” said Rouin in a panic crawling up to his feet. “I’ve got to help Suoh!”

“Calm down,” shouted Huma grabbing hold of him before he could try and ram his way in again. “If you go in here you’ll be just as vulnerable as the meikai demons trapped inside. If one of those energy bolts hits you that will be the end!”

“I don’t care! I have to help Suoh!” screamed back Rouin shrugging him off.

“Wait! Wait Rouin, if you really must I can tell you how to get inside,” said the human reluctantly.

Rouin rounded on him. “How?! Make it fast, we don’t have time!”

Huma nodded. “You have to know you wouldn’t be able to escape once you enter.”

“I don’t care human! Tell me now!” screamed Rouin advancing on him with hands shaped to claw.

Huma took a cautions step back. “The wind site. If it still holds, you can enter through the wind site.”

“Right,” nodded Rouin, “Which way?” he said turning and spreading his wings.

“North west,” said Huma.

“Right, take Kaoru and Kogare out of here. I’m going to help Suoh,” he said before springing into the air.

“Good luck dragon, may your soul find peace,” he said sure he’d never see the great black again. He turned to look at the two younglings who cried out of their mother ryu. Not wanting them to see any more, there was little hope that Rouin would make it in time.

“Come you two, I promised I’d take you back to Sunoo.”

“But, mother ryu!” Protested Kogare turning on the human. “I’m not leaving here without him!”

“I’m sorry,” said Huma and he truly was. Reaching out he seized Kogare’s arm. “We’re leaving now.”

“No!” shouted Kogare.

“Kaoru, come!” said Huma.

The little dragon was shaking his head back and forth slowly, tears slide down his checks. “No… I won’t leave mother ryu. I won’t!” Cried the dragon turning on his heels the little ryu ducked his head and ran through the barrier with no resistance.

“Shit!” screamed Huma letting go of Kogare, both ran over to the barrier. “He’s fire element, he can enter through here! Gods, no! You can’t come back through once you’re entered, little ryu!”

“Kaoru!” screamed Kogare.

• * * * * * * * * * * * *

Suoh struggled in Yakumo’s grip, slamming the large stone which was the sites anchor into the side of the demon lord’s face and grappling to maintain his hold on the fire stone. In doing so, he left Yakumo’s other hand free to squeeze the life out of him. His vision was starting to get fuzzy from lack of oxygen, how long had they been doing this, it seemed an eternity.

One good whack stunned Yakumo for a moment, allowing Suoh to gripe the fine silver cord the stone hung on and wrench it out of Yakumo’s hand. In doing so the rock broke nearly equally in half, and he felt his hold on the barrier waver. In a panic his red eye glanced to the rough stone, there was hardly any of it left.

With a roar Yakumo’s free hand balled in a fist and slammed into the side of Suoh’s face. The blow knocked him out of the demon lord’s grip and he went tumbling head over tail.

Landing quite scrapped and bruised, the ryu’s vision swam as he tried to rise and regain his equilibrium. But, Yakumo was there before he could react, pinning him to the ground. One hand grabbed at the silver cord the other raised up alight with energy.

“Die ryu!” roared the demon lord and Suoh knew he would if that hit him.

“Mother ryu!”

Suoh gasped as a small body rammed into Yakumo’s side, small nails clawing down the side of his face and neck.

“Ahh!” roared Yakumo rearing back, dragging Suoh up with him due to the grip he had on the cord around the dragon’s throat.

“Kaoru!” crocked Suoh eyes wide with fear. Uncaring he dropped the site anchor and reached for his youngest with his now free hand.

Once the stone hit the ground the back lash hit them all. Heat washed over them as the barrier started to react energy building up to char the land like paper. Suoh wretched his young and the stone out of Yakumo’s hands as the demon lord caught on fire, screaming in pain and flailing around.

The ryu fell, twisting to land on his belly he spotted the site anchor glowing bright red. Thrusting out his wrist the black dragon did the only thing he could think of, he slammed the red stone down on the anchor and sealed the site and the energy within.

Suoh’s breath seized as he looked up at the barrier, it wavered dangerously than firm, but only for a moment before it started to go out of control.

“No,” gasped Suoh running his eyes along the barrier’s wall towards the earth site. There was no doubt, Koudo had been consumed. The barrier waved, grew and shrank with instability. With Bakufu dead, Koudo gone crazy, and he out of the circle that left only Yokokaza and Ryuujin to hold and maintain, judging by the looks of things they wouldn’t last long.

“Give me the stone ryu!” screamed an enraged, smoking Yakumo advancing on them.

“Run Kaoru,” shouted Suoh shoving his cub away as Yakumo reached him. The demon lord ignored the hatchling reaching for Suoh and the stone.

“Mother ryu,” squeaked Koaru watching the two fight over the stone, trading blows.

“You can’t have it!” shouted Suoh holding one end of the cord, while Yakumo tugged on the other. The dragon’s wings worked slapping Yakumo from every angle they could reach. “I will die before I let you have it!” growled Suoh, kicking out with one clawed foot to rack four bloody slashed down Yakumo’s front.

“Mother ryu,” gasped Kaoru, small frame quaking with fear. Mother ryu would die first, mother ryu would die to protect that stone, mother ryu would die… With a roar Kaoru crouched low and lunched himself between the pair.

“Kaoru!” gasped Suoh as his youngest jumped between him and Yakumo little hands grabbing the silver cord. The distraction gave Yakumo the opening he was looking for, an energy ball to the gut sent Suoh flying backwards.

“Mother ryu!” shouted Kaoru watching Suoh slam into a large chunk of rock and fall face down to the ground. “Mother ryu,” he called again when Suoh didn’t move.

“Ha ha ha,” laughed Yakumo lifting cord, stone, and hatchling alike to his face. “I’ve won! I’ve beaten the fire serpent, I’ve cheated death! The stone is mine!” he proclaimed reaching for the red stone.

“Never!” snarled Kaoru biting down on the demon lord’s hand.

Yakumo cried out in pain and dropped the necklace and dragon. “You little brat!” He shouted charging up another blast in his hand.

Kaoru jumped out of the blast path, but the explosion sent him tumbling across the landscape. He ended on his tail, stars dancing across his vision. A shadow falling over him, caused him to glance up at the smirk demon lord.

“This is the last time I’ll say it, give me the stone!” He reached down and grabbed the silver cord hauling hatchling and stone alike up into the air.

“No,” growled Kaoru stubbornly holding on. “Mother ryu said he’d die first, I’m not going to give it to you! I’m not gonna!” screamed Koaru before opening his mouth and closing it over the fire stone.

“Koaru,” groaned Suoh pushing himself up. His eyes widened at the sight of his son grappling with the demon lord. His heart all but stopped when Kaoru bit down on the stone, snapping the silver cord. He tumbled free of Yakumo’s grip to land on his feet, it seemed like slow motion as he watched the motion of Kaoru’s throat as the little ryu swallowed.

“NO!” screamed Suoh scrambling to his feet only to trip and fall. “Spit it out, Kaoru!”

Yakumo too, stared dumbfound down at the little dragon, speechless with what had just happened. “He… ate it,” uttered the demon lord in disbelief.

“Ka-Kaoru,” uttered Kaoru watching as his baby doubled over holding his stomach and looked at him with too big of eyes.

“Mother ryu, it… it hurts,” groaned the ryu plopping down on his rear and curling around his tummy.

“I- I don’t believe it, you can’t be…” said Yakumo taking a step back as light began to surround the groaning hatchling. “I refuse to except it!” raged the demon lord taking more steps back as Kaoru’s form began to grow. “There’s no way a hatchling is the fire serpent of my nightmares!”

“Kaoru!” screamed Suoh as his youngest grew before his eyes, going from a young boy to a tall, darkly handsome adult in mere seconds. The now mature dragon tossed his head, sending a waterfall of shiny long black hair gliding across his bare back. His red eyes blazed as if light behind by an unknown energy source. Lean and well muscled, his battle roar was deafening, shaking the very ground.

Suoh watched helplessly as his baby was consumed by the fire stone, burned to pure energy before his eyes to take the form of a great serpent cloaked in midnight black flames.

The Kokuryu lifted its head and screamed.

• * * * * * * * * * * * *


“Inari.”

The name seemed to hang in the air as Yusuke’s eyes darted from one champion to the next. Okay, Hiei was a winged scaly dragon and Kurama was a dead youko god brought back to life by means he didn’t understand. On the floor quivering like a scared baby was a giant black dragon in human form that called him ‘papa’ and to his left a fuming golden fox god with such emotion warring across his face. What a day!

To his side Kuwabara seem just as confused. He was staring at ‘Kurama’ as if see something holy and with the carrot top’s sixth sense he probably was.

Without looking the carrot top seized his arm. “Yusuke… it’s him, but it not him,” uttered Kuwabara eyes never leaving the silver figure. “He shines so… more so than Inari-or the golden one.”

“What? Shines?” said Yusuke giving his friend a queer look. True, Kurama-er whoever he was, was glowing, but that was just his aura, right? He was glad he didn’t have Kuwabara’s sixth sense, he didn’t think it would help at a time like this.

From his seat Korin growled low, rage painted across his features. “You… what are you doing here?! You’re supposed to be dead!”

“I am a true god,” said the silver Inari taking his eyes off Suoh to look at the tiger demon, “death is beyond me. You have something that belongs to me.”

Korin hissed gathering himself and arching like the great cat he was, ready to pounce. “Wrong on both accounts fox god. You sold your immortal body; if I destroy that form you now wear you’ll have to start all over again and by that time-!” He stood up tall, smirking down at them. “I’ll be the new Lord of the dead. I can see you never reincarnate as anything more powerful or intelligent then an insect.”

“Fate has bound me and my Suoh, you can’t break the ties that bind us. He is my ryu and no one else!” The silver Inari’s aura flared around him in challenge.

Korin answered Inari’s challenge flaring his own ki. To the side Suoh groan and slumped weakly to the floor. The golden Inari was by his side in an instant.

“What is the matter, mother ryu?” question the golden Inari cupping the petite black ryu’s face with his hands, turning pained eyes to him. When the silver Inari charged forward, sliding his blade into the laughing tiger demon, Suoh arched up onto his knees, hand coming up to grip the silver Inari’s shoulders hard enough to draw blood. No sound left the ryu, but his mouth opened wide as if to issue one. When Inari yanked the sword free of Korin’s body the small black jerked and slumped against him panting hard.

“Mother ryu!” screamed Kogare hands sliding down to find a growing spot of blood staining Suoh’s robes. The golden fox god’s eyes widened as he looked up from his bleeding mother to watch as his father plunged his sword into the still laughing tiger demon again and in his arms Suoh expressed pain too intense to voice once more.

“Stop it! Stop it! You’re killing him! Stop it!” Scream Kogare holding the quivering ryu close.

Yusuke stood tense, not sure what to do. To his side Kuwabara was hugging himself as silent tears worked their way down his face. Normally Yusuke would have thrown a comment to the carrot top about how manly it was to cry, but even he could feel something that made his throat want to close up.

His eyes ran from the golden Inari holding Suoh, to the Silver fighting Korin watching as the Tiger demon’s wounds disappeared and Suoh’s forms turn more and more red. The color of red on Suoh made his mind go numb. He could feel unreasonable furry eating at him at the sight; something boarding on a berserker rage. Images of places, people he didn’t know flashed before his eyes. A pretty red dragon painted red with blood smiling sweetly at him, eyes glazed with death; it made him think of Keiko.

“Fuck this!” shouted Yusuke leaving his finger at the tiger demon. If they knocked that bastard out, then maybe they could fix all this shit.

A long ribbon slashing across his out stretched forearms had him drawing back with a hiss of pain. Turning he spotted Yoko holding her silver streamer, blood dripping for its end.

“Don’t interfere!” barked the red fox widening her stance. He was obviously injured, but determined to protect her lover.

“Damn it!” screamed Yusuke Dodging to the side as the deadly ribbon slashed through the air again.


TBC

I feel... evil for leaving it there...
Hopefully I'll get the next chapter out soon, but knowing me don't hold your breath.
b-chan