Ice and Snow, Mind and Heart

Chapter 43: Undead Warriors

Yuki stared with wide brown eyes down at the valley that lay between their current position and the mountain castle So'unga and his new host had taken over, while clouds rolled gloomily overhead.

Or, more specifically, she stared at the enormous number of undead soldiers that milled in the valley, waiting for them to attack.

"That's one very large army." Totosai noted, clearly thinking the same thing she was.

The group all stood looking down with varying expressions of worry and determination as Miroku stated grimly: "A large army of dead soldiers."

"He's killed far more men than he's needed to." Sango chimed in, her hand clenching on her grip on Hiraikotsu.

"So'unga's doing, I fear." Saya sighed. "He's using the Dragon Twister yet again."

"There must be at least two thousand of them." Miroku counted, and Yuki pursed her lips. "Excluding Myoga, Rin, and Momo (Totosai's cow) from the battle, there are nine of us, plus two demons. And Yuki's not as effective tonight."

"Thanks, Miroku." Yuki muttered glumly, but he continued as though he hadn't heard her: "That's roughly two hundred soldiers for each of us."

"What about Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asked Yuki, but she shook her head as she pointed out resignedly: "Even when he comes, he'll be focused on So'unga. I doubt he'll take down more soldiers than he needs to, to get to his target."

"That's a surprisingly accurate and incredibly gloomy deduction." Myoga sighed, but Yuki shook her head as she said grimly: "We'll just have to do what we can between the rest of us."

"They're the walking dead, though." Sango pointed out. "How can we possibly defeat them?"

"They can be destroyed by weakening the demonic aura which surrounds them." Saya told them. "That would take time, though."

"Hey, Miroku." Shippo suddenly chimed in. "How come a weak little guy like me isn't excluded from battle?"

Yuki looked at him pityingly, before glancing back as she heard an odd shaking noise behind her, while Miroku smiled and replied encouragingly: "Come on, what are you saying, Shippo? We're all depending on you. You and your foxfire."

He beamed at the child, who flinched and began to tremble as he faced forwards again, saying with a stutter: "Oh, right. M-my foxfire! J-Jaken, we know that the demons don't like fire. Hahahaha," he laughed nervously, "g-good luck."

He waved at the imp demon, who returned with the same nervous laugh and stutter: "Haha, hahaha, I-I'll show them the power of the Staff-of-Two-Heads! Haha, hahaha..."

Yuki face-palmed, while Rin informed Jaken worriedly as his trembling made A-Un's entire body shake, hence the noise Yuki had heard: "Master Jaken, you're shaking with fear!"

"Oh! No, I'm not!" Jaken retorted quickly, going red in the face with embarrassment. "I-I'm trembling with excitement!"

"Dear God." Yuki sighed, before looking up grimly as she placed her hands on her own swords.

She wouldn't be able to use any of her demonic powers tonight, but the blades were still sharp and – hopefully with Sesshomaru's fang infused in them – would be enough for her to fight.

The skies opened at that moment, releasing a light heavy on the whole area.

"Rain." Kagome noted, before she saw something in the distance that made her gasp.

"Inuyasha!"

Yuki also turned to look, spotting the familiar white-haired figure clad in red as Inuyasha stood atop a hill on the far side of the valley. He didn't see them, as he stared determinedly at the castle before he ran down into the valley, rushing So'unga's army.