Ice and Snow, Mind and Heart

Chapter 57: Four War Gods

Kyora quickly righted himself and launched himself back at Sesshomaru, and the pair clashed weapons once more. They pressed in close, trying to push the other as they leaned their weights onto their respective weapons.

Sesshomaru threw Kyora off and swung again, but the God was quick-footed and he swiftly leapt into the air and away. Sesshomaru chased the other demon, throwing blows and thrusts at the God while Kyora leapt about as he dodged Sesshomaru's relentless attacks.

Finding his own opening as he soared high into the air, Kyora shouted; "Crimson fan!"

A blast of fire and demonic energy came down around Sesshomaru, and he glanced over as flames flew up around him all around the base of the temple while Kyora laughed from his place atop the stone cauldron: "Then tell me how we're different?!"

Flames flew up around him as well, licking the stones, and setting the whole temple on fire. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes and he raised his sword before his body, held at a perfect horizontal line as he replied flatly: "I have no reason to explain anything to you."

Blue energy sparked along Tokijin's blade, and Sesshomaru hissed: "Dragon Strike."

The energy whipped up and around, flying up the cauldron but seeping out before it reached Kyora. Sesshomaru then twisted his wrist and stabbed Tokijin sharply into the ground, grunting with the effort as he released his energy through the sword and the attack flew up through the stone.

"What's the matter?" Kyora laughed as the attack disappeared midway up the cauldron. "Is that the best you can do?!"

But as the mocking words left his mouth, a bright blue light grew around him, coming from beneath his feet. Kyora's eyes widened and he screamed as Sesshomaru's Dragon Strike seared him, surging through the cauldron and starting to make the entire mountain shake with its power.

Sesshomaru straightened as he stated coldly: "I seek nothing more than to battle the most powerful beings alive, which excludes the lowly likes of you."

He sheathed his sword as he turned and walked out, while Kyora was destroyed by his Dragon Strike right before Sesshomaru's attack also blew up the entire cauldron, causing the entire cavern to collapse in a shower of rock and fire, while a single red ball flew off into the sky before disappearing in flames.

Sesshomaru didn't even look back as he walked calmly away; and as he did, one of the burning marks on Sesshomaru's back disappeared, leaving only three more.

A noise out by the sea made his head turn, and Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed when he saw it's cause...

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Down in the village docks

Yuki knotted another piece of rope over the latest log that Dai and Roku had brought, while Shion helped Kagome fix the first log tightly in place as Asagi and Moegi worked on another log.

Little Ai walked by, carrying more pieces of fabric, when she suddenly gasped as she stared at Asagi's back.

"Asagi!" Ai cried, and Asagi looked up questioningly. "One of the marks on your back is gone!"

"Huh?!" Asagi gasped, while the other children all turned as well in surprise.

"Is it really?" Asagi cried as she glanced over her shoulder, before crawling over to check Shion's back as Moegi checked her own.

The twins, Dai and Roku were checking each other's for confirmation as well, as Asagi gasped: "Hey, you're right!"

"One of the Four War Gods must have been killed!" Kagome gasped, while Yuki wondered if it was Sesshomaru, and it had been Kyora that had been killed.