Warmth

7

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"Finally," Jaken heaved, "we made it back to the village."

Despite the trip down not nearly as difficult as the trip up, the imp was still exhausted. The snow wasn't any less thick, nor was it any less cold, and Sesshōmaru out-paced him the entire way in disgruntled determination. Jaken partially walked, partially ran, but was mostly dragged all the way down by Sesshōmaru's coattail. "That human must be resilient to make such a trip on that mountain."

Sesshōmaru ignored his ward, his primary objective to test his theory. But Jaken was right; a journey up that mountain was no easy feat, even for demons. While he wasn't as affected as Jaken, he couldn't deny the small toll the travel and cold took on his body. For a human such as Kenkō to survive, there must have been other things as play, such as the barrier around his cart. He had no doubt that was placed by the swordsmith to ensure her supplies got to her safely. She couldn't have instilled power within the human, however. That seemed a bit far-fetched and out of her scope of practice.

In the tranquil embrace of winter's breath, nestled at the foot of the towering mountain, Sesshōmaru once again found himself standing just outside the gates of the village. Snow was gently falling, collecting on his shoulder and the top of his mōkōmōkō. Despite the chill in the air, there is a palpable sense of warmth and tranquility that envelops the village. The inhabitants move about their daily lives with a sense of quiet contentment, their footsteps muffled by the powdery snow beneath their feet. Smoke curls lazily from the vent holes of homes, painting wispy trails against the wintry sky. The place almost seemed...timeless.

From here, he could see Rin. She was outside, appropriately dressed, and running in circles with a couple of other children in the snow. The demon stepped closer to the gates and felt a prickling sensation suddenly wash over his skin from head to toe. It almost felt like an electrical current, a thickness in the air that pressed upon him with rippling energy. He reached out his hand, his fingers barely grazing where he suspected the barrier to be. He could see small flares of purple energy flickering at the tips of his nails, and his eyes narrowed.

A barrier around the entire village, just as I suspected...

"Lord Sesshomaru, a barrier!" Jaken exclaimed, jumping back. "Did that woman really put a barrier around the entire village, from all the way up there?"

"Jaken."

The imp's jump was immediate. "Y-Yes my lord?"

"Go fetch some food for yourself and Rin."

"Of course! Ah, but what about the barrier? I won't be able to pass through my lord," the imp said defeatedly.

"Leave a basket at the gates for the old woman who's taking care of her."

The imp nodded before fidgeting his hands slightly, his staff balancing in the crook of his arm. "Ah, if I may be so bold my lord, what will you be doing?"

"Quickly, Jaken."

"Ah! My apologies my lord, I'm going right now!" Jaken scuttled off in a flurry, not wishing to invoke the wrath of his lord.

Once the imp had disappeared, as if by sheer willpower, Sesshōmaru summoned A-Un without uttering a word. The dual-headed dragon demon padded out of his stable and elegantly jumped up and through the barrier to meet his master on the other side. Curious, how A-Un was able to pass through and no one else. The only theory that Sesshōmaru could conjure in this moment was A-Un's pure intentions towards Rin. But if it were solely based on that...

While the great demon felt he could pass through despite this, it would not be without having to use an excessive amount of energy which he felt no need to waste. Demons of lesser power would surely be unable to pass, indicating Ishimaru's need to protect these villagers whether it is for selfish purposes or she actually cares for them. The barrier inside the forge, however, was of a greater caliber than this one. It was possible her power could only stretch so far, even with the conduits of deer roaming everywhere. The reality that her power could extend to such lengths was palpable, even with the manipulation of living creatures.