Chapter 18 - Preparations

When Tekki arrived at the clan's den, he found preparations already being made for the upcoming war. He went to see his father who greeted his son warmly. He was in the process of putting on an armored breastplate and shoulder pads. Like most Demons, he wore very little armor.

"So we march to the Northern Lands and Raizen." Tekki commented as he searched through the armor pieces for something he could use.

"No, we are going to Byakko."

"What? When did this happen? Raizen needs our help!"

"And so does Suzaku, more than they realize. This morning, one of the patrols returned from the mountains near Byakko and reported an army marching towards Suzaku. Suzaku has no defenses at all on the border it shares with Byakko. It will be a surprise attack -- a cowardly attack and I will not let that happen. Especially since I am sure that Naraku had a hand in this. I would love to get my claws into that Demon, but since that will not happen, I can at least ruin part of his plan."

Tekki said nothing more. Naraku seemed to be behind all the evil in the world. And he held Tasuki captive. They didn't even know if he was alive. Princess Aara stopped sensing him weeks ago. Tekki had never even gotten to meet his half brother and would have liked to meet him at least once.

In a couple of hours, the bobcat clan was ready and started on the journey to Byakko, about the same time that Chichiri arrived at the Castle with his unhappy news.

Kouga and Kome were preparing the village as best they could for the arrival of the Demon horde. All able-bodied villagers were given weapons and told to guard the main hall. All the women and children along with the infirmed and elderly were gathered into that hall, where Kaede set them to making bandages and herb packs. Kouga sent wolves up to the hills surrounding the village as watchers. They would start to howl the moment they saw the Demons. Other wolves were sent to the surrounding wolf clans asking for help. But Kouga couldn't count on help from the clans. If any help was sent, it would probably come too late. He was mostly worried that there would be more than just lower class Demons. He feared that the Blood Demons would be traveling with them. The astute wolf was very close to the mark; the Blood Demons were traveling with the hoard that would attack the Castle, but Kagura, his old nemesis, would be with the Demons attacking the Village.

In the dojo, Kenshin. Kaoru and Sanosuke were sharpening their swords. Serafin, Keiko, Raike, and Mirago were within its walls and Katsu and Shippo would protect them as best they could. Neither were true fighters, but Shippo's fox fire was now a powerful force and its barrier should hold against most of the lower Demons. Sango would be out in the field with Kirara, her Demon cat, fighting alongside her mate, Miroku. His air void was their most powerful weapon.

Kagome had borrowed Kirara and was with Kouga, making a run through the hills to the south of the Village. They didn't expect anything from that direction, but they didn't want to be surprised. Kirara was flying low to the ground so Kouga could run beside her. 

Kagome was glad that she had kept up her archery skills through the years, although it was not very often that Kagome could go on patrol, especially since Kome had inherited her ability to sense crystal shards. She had become a home body and it was exciting to be part of the fighting team once more. She would have to insist on going with her mate more often.

A few miles from the village, Kirara growled and looked up into the sky. Very high up, a black cloud was passing. Kouga jumped on Kirara's back, behind his mate, and the three went sailing up to inspect the cloud. As they got closer, they realized that the cloud was comprised of hundreds of Naraku's poisonous insects! They had survived after all! Kirara flew back to the Village to warn them. This was bad news indeed. Those insects were deadly, having poisoned both Miroku and Kouga before. Their presence also negated the power of Miroku's air void, for they stung him as they were being sucked into the void.

Kouga reported the news to Miroku and he shook his head. Naraku seemed to always be one step ahead of them. Now there was nothing to do but wait.

In the Northern Lands, Raizen greeted his son with a slap on the back that made Yusuke nearly fall over. "How is your mate and your son?" he asked as if this was just an ordinary visit. Yusuke muttered that they were fine and went to the topmost tower which overlooked the Northern Lands. In the distance he could see hundred of Demons and they were not just lower class. The Cat clan were almost entirely high class Demons, and the Moth clan, not to be confused with human moths, were gigantic Demons that spun deadly silk that could melt your bones. The Bear Demons were lower class but incredibly strong and dangerous. The Snake Demons were few in number and probably the least of their problems, but they still needed to be dealt with.
Raizen's followers were already on the front lines battling the first of the Demons, the Snake Demons and a mix of lower class Demons. From the high vantage point of the tower, Yusuke could see that the Cat clan would hit next. Flanking to the south were the Bears and the Snakes. Behind the Cat clan, were the Moths. It was going to be a long hard fight and the ratio looked like it was more than three hundred to one.
Suddenly there was a stir at the gate and Raizen went to check it out. To his amazement, the entire Fox clan arrived to offer their help. Kurama had sent word to them, not really expecting their help. But here they were ready to fight. Kelte, the Fox Demon lord, created thorny barriers around Raizen's keep that would keep out the small Demons. Other deadly plants were grown, some nearly as tall as the tower itself. Maybe these plants could take out the Moths? Suddenly there was a glimmer of hope, not that Raizen ever despaired. He loved nothing more than battle and if he were to die in battle, well, what better way to die?

With a shout, both Raizen and Yusuke stormed out of the keep, heading to the south and the Bear clan. Toya and his son would try to take out the Cat clan. It was the largest and most deadly and their ice could take out large numbers at a time.

In the Northern Lands, the waiting was over and war was already upon them.

At the Castle, Yukina had walked slowly to the front entrance of her wing and she iced it up solid. Then she and her daughter retired to their bedroom. She knew that the wall would stop only the weakest Demons but at least she would hear the wall fall. There was not much more than she could do.
Suzuki was in the North Tower, strengthening Bakura's barriers as best he could. He had not a third of the blue mage's strength, but the barriers were already in place. He just needed to seal any tears that might appear. He only hoped that his power would enough to keep the Castle safe.
Kurama was the busiest. The thorn barrier grew twice its size, now as tall as the towers themselves. He placed more sentry plants on the hills around the Castle. Also on the hills and around the Castle, he grew huge plants that could tear a Demon to pieces or suck its blood dry in seconds. These plants, along with Bakura's shield, were the Castle's best defense.

The Castle guards were busy gathering all the humans that farmed around the Castle inside its walls. The gate, which had always stood open, was now closed, but they were more for ornament than protection, made of ornate wrought iron with a scroll-work "A" on either side. Hiei had gone with Kurama to help him carry seeds, and now he stood in a high tree overlooking the Castle that had been his home for nearly a century. Everyone that he had ever loved was inside its walls and he would protect it with every drop of blood he had. Kenru was with the guards, sharpening her sword. She wished that her sword was of fire like her father's, but she would make do with what she had. She missed Tekki and hoped that he was safe. War seemed to be everywhere, and three worlds were embroiled in it.

Suddenly, the sentry plants gave off an alarm. Demons! Hiei dropped in front of them with his sword out and ready. The taller one held up his hands in peace. "You are Hiei, are you not? I am Kaleffe and this is Hulfa. Princess Arina sends us to you to help in any way we can."

Kurama arrived soon after Hiei, recognizing Kaleffe, the Demon who captured him many years ago. Together the four Demons walked to the Castle and Aara greeted her sister's males. Kaleffe was a Fire Demon, capable of creating and controlling fire, which Hiei, being only half fire Demon, could not. Fire could not hurt him, but he could not create it. Hulfa was a Bear Demon, but a high class one. He could transform into an enormous, powerful beast. Arina could barely spare these two Demons. If Mukuro conquered Demon World, she would hit the border to Human World next. If the border that Arina protected fell, the Human World would be open to attacks from the Demon forces.

Now they waited for the hordes to arrive.

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