The Nine Grounds by Apophis

Dispersed Ground, Scroll One

The Nine Grounds

“The method of employing the military-

There is dispersed ground, light ground, contested ground, connected ground, junction ground, heavy ground, spread-out ground, enclosed ground and death ground.”

-Sun Tzu, the Art of War.

The sun hung low in the evening sky, a brilliant orange slowly giving way to an irrepressible black, trees stood like sentinels, appearing black in the fading light of the evening. One point of light was visible upon the ground, a dash of civilization in the wilderness. Standing higher than the forest surrounding it, and supplied with enough torches to be seen from a distance, was a small keep crafted of wood and stone, standing three floors high and framed in on all sides by elegant wooden walls, a few smaller buildings and a Shinto shrine completed the compound. Shadowy shapes moved through the courtyard, some carrying torches and the others following after them.

One of these shapes, known to his comrades as Ichiro, shivered as the wind whistled by him. The warmth of the torch only did so much and his ashigaru armor did little to block the cold. Mindful of the consequences of leaving his assigned route, but unable to give much of a care, he ducked into a nearby building, hoping to warm himself once he was out of the wind. Closing the door gently behind him, he made his way to a darkened corner well away from the torchlight that lit the building.

“I know I didn’t see you abandon your patrol just now…must have been a trick of the eyes.” Ichiro stiffened, and turned to the face the source of his sudden fear, a black-haired man clad in great armor, a decided contrast to his own meager defenses and bald head. “Ack. But these illusions are persistent I see. Perhaps I should clear my head….” The man closed his eyes and shook his head and Ichiro, taking the hint, rushed out the door. When the man opened his eyes once more, Ichiro was long gone.

Laughing to himself, Kenta made for his personal quarters. He’d probably given the poor fool enough of a fright to keep him from slacking for a few weeks. Being caught leaving ones post by your commander was normally enough to keep the odd soldier in line for some time. They weren’t bad men, but there wasn’t any action to be had here, isolated as this small outpost was. It made them complacent, even he wasn’t immune to it. Once upon a time he would have had Ichiro flogged in front of the assembled ranks, but now he really didn’t see the point in it. It wouldn’t change anything important and it would give the men an enemy. Him. Considering their isolation, Kenta didn’t fancy his chances of making it through this assignment alive if his men despised and feared him.

Soon enough he’d reached his quarters, though relatively sparse by the standards of the nobility he hailed from, he’d long since lost his taste for such luxuries. A small mat and some cushioning, a single table and some shelves was all he needed. He had his scrolls and the daily monotony of administration to keep him preoccupied…..that and terrifying the odd slacker. It hadn’t always been like this of course, once these woods had been filled with lower demons. That was why this outpost had been established, to enforce proper law and order in this part of the West. The outpost had been a buffer, a piece of meat dangled in front of a wild animal, drawing the attention of the demons away from the few villages that dotted this wilderness. Kenta allowed himself a small grin as he sat down and awaited his evening meal. Those had been the days. They’d been sharper back then, they’d had a duty, and they had been warriors, not guards and nursemaids to a priestess and her companions.

He wasn’t being exactly fair there, it wasn’t Lady Kagome’s fault that the action here had died down, he only had himself to blame for that. He’d been too damned good at his job and now there was nothing left here for him to do. Some might have called it a job well done and if he was honest with himself, it was better for the West this way. Still, he would kill for some excitement.  Something to shake up the tedious routine he’d dug himself into.

Proving once again that the fates had a grim sense of humor, Kenta was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of running feet rapidly approaching his door. Feeling a stab of concern and perhaps, a dash of hope, Kenta rose from the floor and put his hand on the hilt of his katana. That noise would wake up most of the officers, if a soldier was willing to risk that, this had to be of some importance. Moments later, the door slide aside, revealing a red-faced, panting Ichiro.

“S-sir, something…in the forest…heard it from the walls….” The ashigaru’s voice cut out, replaced by a series of pants. 

Kenta moved forwards, closing the distance between himself and the ragged man. “Collect yourself boy. What happened?” Kenta reached out to steady the man, as he seemed dangerously close to falling.

Ichiro took a steadying breath and fought to compose himself. “Something in the woods sir, some of the men heard it snarl. I….they haven’t come back.” Kenta shook his head, Ichiro had run across the entire courtyard from the looks of it, the captain of the watch wouldn’t have sent him if he didn’t suspect something was wrong. Patrols were tardy all the time but….Kenta couldn’t resist indulging himself a bit. Everyone here could use a little more excitement.

“Return to your post.” The ashigaru nodded and rushed off, his footfalls echoing through the building. Kenta could hear the other officers stirring, cursing under their breath or stumbling towards their doors. “Arm yourselves!” Kenta’s voice echoed throughout the building. “Assemble ranks! Patrol leaders, ready your men! Move!” The sluggish movement and murmured curses gave way to new sounds, the sound of armor being equipped and weapons being sheathed. Kenta’s face split into a wide grin as he marched through the hallway. Yes, it was probably nothing, yes, this was probably a waste of time….but it was the closest thing to action they’d seen in some time. He needed to keep the men on their toes.

One of his officers, a fresh faced youth called Taro, rushed up to him, sporting a few bits of great armor and a hastily donned helmet. “Sir, what-“ the eager young officer was cut off however as an unearthly, raged filled howl drowned out all other sounds. It left shocked silence in its wake, as the men of the keep took in the dire implications of it, then their training reasserted itself.

“To your posts! Rouse the garrison!” Kenta was shouting once more, an edge of fear in his voice. No natural beast would make a noise like that. Couple that with a missing patrol and seemed as though he’d be getting the action he’d hoped after all.

Lady Kagome would have to be informed; there was no way around that. Kenta sighed, as he brushed by other officers rushing to their posts. He didn’t have anything against the girl, not personally, he even respected her, it took skill to defeat something like Naraku….but what the girl was doing at an outpost like this was beyond him. She was a soft touch. The men loved her for it of course, but it made Kenta uneasy. She’d been a high ranking member of the court and then, one day, out of the blue, she and a few servants had showed up at the fortress gates with new orders from the Lord of the West.

Kenta shook his head and redoubled his pace. He felt a flicker of pride as he saw his men fall into their old combat routines, rushing to the walls and taking up defensive positions as if their last battle had been mere days ago, not years.  Whatever it was, he was certain his men could deal with it. Before long, he stood before the keep, mentally composing his report. What exactly could he tell her? To someone who didn’t know this woods and every sound that it played host to, it would seem he was a fool. A tardy patrol and a scary sound did not a threat make.

Unless one had been here as long as he had. Whatever had made that sound wasn’t native to these woods and it was no mere animal, there had been rage in that sound and it was still there. One could almost feel it in the air. Kenta snarled for he knew feelings wouldn’t do much good here.

He needn’t have worried, for the double doors that barred entry into the keep were suddenly thrown open wide and the raven-haired figure that rushed through them was unmistakable. Clad in the traditional clothing of a priestess and holding a bow, Lady Kagome brought herself to a halt in front of Kenta.

“You need to get your men out of here!” There was panic in her voice, terror even. Kenta frowned and took a closer look at her. It was clear she’d been crying again. No one said anything, but he was inside the keep often enough that he couldn’t help but notice.

“Mi’lady, I’m sure we can handl-“

She cut him off. “You can’t. Get out of here!” Looking at the face of the Samurai, Kagome could see he didn’t understand. The aura of the demon approaching was incredibly powerful. She hadn’t felt anything like it in years. Her thoughts were coming slowly, as if they were moving through thick, murky water. Understandable, as she had been asleep mere moments before.

Kenta was well outside his comfort zone. His orders from the Lord of the West were simple, to protect Lady Kagome and see to her safety. She was his commander in a sense, but to obey this order would leave her vulnerable. After a few agonizing moments, he came to a decision. He shook his head. “My orders are clear; we can’t evacuate this whole castle on a whim. I’m sorry my lady, but I must ask you to stand down.”

Just as the priestess was about reply however, a new sound tore through the night, the sound of a wooden wall shattering into thousands of tiny pieces.  The men upon the wall were thrown about like ragdolls, crashing into the ground with sickening cracks and thuds. Standing above them, flanked on both sides by shattered walls, was the unmistakable form of a white demon dog. Acid dripped from its maw and its eyes were a pure crimson red.

Kagome gasped as she took in the sight, as she spotted the crescent moon that adorned the forehead of the massive creature. She’d never thought she’d see this particular demon again….not after what had happened. Her heart was hit by a tide of agony and guilt as she watched a group of archers’ fire at the massive canine, only for their arrows to shatter against the creature’s tough hide, doing no damage at all. The archers began to reload, only to be swept aside by a single sweep of the canine’s paw. This was her fault. She’d made the wish and this was the result of it. So quietly that only she could hear it, she murmured the name of the raging beast.

“Sesshomaru….”

Kenta was in shock. He watched as his men were swept aside like so much dust before the beast. He saw ashigaru laid open with a single swipe of the demons claws, he saw a squad crushed inside a building as the advancing beast trod upon it. He saw archers on the walls raise their weapons and fire, only to succeed in attracting the beasts’ attention to them. Paralyzed with fear and unable to act, Kenta watched as the archers were swept from the walls. Some torn apart by the beast’s maw, others broken by the sheer force of its strike he and his men were helpless against this creature.

The compound was in ruins, buildings were demolished or only barely standing. The bodies of the garrison were scattered as if they had been blown about by a great wind. Whatever was left of them had ran or hidden themselves away in some dark corner. Kenta dearly wished he could join them. It hadn’t taken this demon more than a few moments to completely destroy an outpost that had stood for years….and now all that stood between it and his lady was him. Kenta was not a coward, he had fought in many battles, he had slain demons and bandits….but this was something else entirely. Kenta broke and ran, heading towards one of the many holes torn into the wall. 

Snarling, the great demon dog approached Kagome. She could feel his aura hit her in massive, powerful waves, crashing against her own aura, the two opposing energies attacking each other. Her bow seemed pitifully inadequate now; against him it might as well have been useless. Part of her wanted to laugh, she’d survived Naraku, she’d survived the Band of Seven and now she was going to be killed by one of the beings that had stood with them, albeit in a roundabout way, during those dark days. It was a small part through, the rest of her felt only grief. She could tell that the graceful, cold and prideful being that she’d once known was gone, leaving only a mad beast in his stead, a beast seemingly intent on killing her and any who stood with her. 

Kagome sank to her knees. She could try to fight him but what would the point be? She’d already lost so much. She’d lost Inuyasha and with him, her heart. She’d come to know and care for the men here and now they were gone. For a moment it seemed as though the priestess would surrender to despair. Then something stirred. Shippo. What would happen to him if she died? What about the others? Sango? Miroku? What kind of friend she be if she left them behind?

Not one at all. The Shikon Priestess rose to her feet, summoning up the powerful reserves of energy that she had built up. Pink energy cascaded into the visible spectrum, surrounding her. She lashed out at the approaching demon with a burst of power. The demon dog staggered and seemed to weaken as the ray of light hit him and burned into his flesh and fur. For a moment, Kagome was allowed the luxury of hope. Her powers had only grown since the defeat of Naraku, maybe, just maybe, she stood a chance.

This hope was swiftly crushed, though a black mark was now scorched across the front of the canine, its charge continued, its maw opened wide and acid flying wantonly from it’s great fanged mouth, gouging holes in the ground as it fell to the ground, consuming dirt, flesh and wood with equal ferocity. Out of desperation and habit, Kagome aimed her bow and reached for an arrow. Such a small weapon seemed pitiful in comparison to the beast before her but she had to try. With a shouted battle cry and an infusion of pink energy, she let fly. Pulsing with holy power, the arrow flew into the charging beast, hitting it square in the chest. The beast stumbled; fell, as the powers contained within the arrow took effect.

The massive canine fell, crushing the remnants of the barracks beneath it. Then, in a blast of demonic energy, the white furred, wide-mawed canine vanished. For a moment, Kagome dared to hope she had purified Sesshomaru out of existence and that the danger had past. She felt a stab of regret at the first thought, she was responsible for his current state, and she’d helped Inuyasha take the West from him. She should have known what that would do to such a prideful being.

Then one overriding emotion, the oldest mankind can experience, replaced these thoughts. Fear. Tossing aside the shattered remains of a wall as though it were made of light cloth, Sesshomaru had resumed his advance. He had not been defeated, he had merely changed form. The former Lord of the West was terrifying sight, his clothing was in tatters, blood stained his claws and his hair hung in knotted, filthy folds. Only his armor, repaired by demonic energy, remained wholly intact, creating a stark and unnerving contrast to the tattered rags he sported.

Kagome took an involuntary step back, raising her bow once more. Then her eyes widened as she met the demon lords own. They were gold now, no longer the color of blood and rage. Sesshomaru was in total control of his functions now. Then, in a flash, he seemed to vanish. Kagome only had a moment to ponder this before she found herself lifted off the ground, suspended in the air with a claw grasping her throat.

“Priestess.”

Sesshomaru’s voice was cold, emotionless and uncaring. Kagome knew that with one slight squeeze, he could end her life….and he would not care. She wondered at the fact she was even breathing.

“You will answer this Sesshomaru’s questions. Or you will die.” It was not a question, it was statement.

Biting back tears and forcing her voice into something resembling an even tone, Kagome replied. “Ask then.”

Sesshomaru suppressed a smirk. He had half expected her to hurl his words back at him, to make one final pointless act of defiance. It was easier this way, now he would not have to hunt around the forest for the cowards. He doubted they knew as much as the priestess in any case, she had been at the center of the events that had taken his lands from him. “How many summers have passed?”

The question shocked Kagome. Just how long had he spent in his beast form, a slave to his instincts? Despite herself, she felt a measure of pity for him. He had lost himself to the beast, been consumed by rage and now…here he was, forced to ask his enemies the date, truly, he had been brought low. “Nine.” She fought to keep her voice level, though despair threatened to break through. She wanted to lash out with her powers, to escape….but she doubted she could attack faster than he could crush her windpipe. 

His face was a blank slate, but inside, Sesshomaru was reeling. It had been nine summers since he had last seen Rin and his pack. Was she even among the living? Jaken left much to be desired as a protector, despite his loyalty. He appraised the human before him, she had changed since he last seen her. That was to be expected, her hair was no longer the unruly mane he recalled but was, instead, a carefully tended to, she wore new garments…but there was something wrong. Something he could not quite place. Then it struck him, something hadn’t changed. She had not aged, despite the changes to her appearance; she had no new wrinkles, no sign of advancing age. This was unexpected but irrelevant, her status mattered not, all that mattered was the information she held. “The Western Lands, what has become of them?”

Kagome hesitated, knowing the answer would enrage him. “They’re….they’re…” Inwardly, she berated herself, she had stood against countless demons, against great villains and dark magic…she had been through worse than this. When she spoke again, her voice was level, strong. “They’re divided. We couldn’t keep them together…not after what happened.  It’s…chaos.”

Sesshomaru took this in. That was what he had expected. The half-breed….former half breed, was not leadership material. This news boded ill for his pack. Times of peace were dangerous enough, but with a war being waged the danger was increased by an order of magnitude. He feared for his ward. He was powerless to stop the next question from leaving his lips. “What has become of my ward?”

The priestesses eyes widened in shock. Last she had heard Rin was still with him. She could guess what had happened; Sesshomaru must have sent her away as his beast grew stronger and stronger. He’d always been something of an enigma to her, capable of such caring but as the bodies and ruins around her testified, capable of great destruction and rage at the same time. These men were blameless, but still, he had slain them. She felt another rush of pity for him. He hadn’t been in control, not in any meaningful sense. If it had been anyone’s fault….it wasn’t his. They couldn’t have left well enough alone after the defeat of Naraku. It had seemed like such a good idea at the time. With a sigh, she answered his question. “I’m sorry….I don’t know. I….I wouldn’t even know where to start looking.”

Sesshomaru braced himself, expecting another wave of rage to send him into screaming back into a void of instinct and rage….but it never came. There was anger yes, the being before him had helped to shatter both pack and land, the two things he had counted as precious in this world but the all-consuming hatred and animalistic rage he had lived with for so long was absent. He had assumed the pain of the attack had merely brought about a temporary bout of sanity but now….perhaps he had a chance for more than updating his information. He had a chance to find Rin, to reclaim his lands…but first, there was the matter of the priestess. He was no fool; his return to rational state had to be linked to her. He would need to determine the truth of this. “Your abilities have grown. How?”

Kagome, still surprised to be alive at this point, blinked a few times. This didn’t make any sense, she could understand his concern for Rin, for his lands, but why would he be asking about that? More importantly, how was she going to escape? She couldn’t do that with his claws around her neck…she would have to wait for her chance. He had to slip up sometimes. “The jewel….power like that doesn’t just go away it….has to go somewhere. It went to me.” She didn’t see any reason to explain the exact mechanics behind this. She’d tell him as little as she could get away with. Besides, if he thought she had the full power of the jewel at her command….

The dog demon blinked, the implications of this hitting him like an avalanche. If the priestesses commanded the power of the Scared Jewel then he was playing a very dangerous game indeed. That made no sense however, if she truly command all the powers of the jewel, then she could have purified him on the spot. His tightened his grip on her neck, allowing a small undertone of anger to creep into his voice. “Do not play games priestess. This Sesshomaru will have the truth or your life.”

Her breath was coming in shallow waves. The demon lord’s hand was like an iron vice and she knew this was but a fraction of the strength he possessed. “The wish didn’t use up all of its energies….what was left went to me.” Her voice was still level, her once-faltering courage had returned, giving her the strength to press on. “I’ve done as you asked! Release me!” He would either release her or kill her; she didn’t have anything to lose at this point. There was no point in playing twenty questions with him anymore.

This priestess, Sesshomaru decided, was a curious creature indeed. There were precious few beings that had defied him and lived to tell the tale but here she was, pressing her luck once more. Sesshomaru considered snapping her neck then and there, but discarded that notion as quickly as it came to him. She could be useful and she had some link to his recovery, to throw away such a resource in such a petty manner was beneath him. She would have to learn respect however, that much was clear. “As you wish.” His voice had returned to its normal, frigid state. Then he released his grip on her neck. A second later she hit the ground was satisfying thud. Stepping over her prone form, he took in the sight of the keep. Surely there would be records within it.

“Priestess. Rise.” All that met his command was a low groan. Evidently absorbing the remnants of the jewel’s power had not increased her durability. That would be troublesome. She was his prisoner for the moment and…prisoners attempted to escape, especially ones with the temperament of this priestess. “This Sesshomaru will not ask again. You will rise.”

Another groan rose up to meet his command. With a sigh, the demon lord turned about and lowered his gaze, bringing the priestess into his view. She was sprawled on the ground in a heap, but her eyes were open and alert. Moving quickly he grabbed ahold of her shoulder and yanked her to her feet. Her impudence had demanded a response but he had no time for her human frailties. She was not bleeding and her bones appeared to be intact. There was no reason for her to dally.

Kagome grimaced, trying to steady herself. That fall had knocked the air from her lungs and she was still struggling to catch her breath. She shook her head, trying to clear it. None of this made any sense, Why had Sesshomaru gone from a ravening beast to his normal cold self? Such rages didn’t just end, she knew that much. It took something to bring a demon out of them.

An icy voice cut through her thoughts. “You will show this Sesshomaru your records.”

She met his eyes, seeing only cold calculation within them. Seizing upon a sort of courage most beings never had to experience, a type of courage reserved for those who faced their death, she responded. “No! Why should I?! If you’re going to kill me, just do it! I’m done!”

Sesshomaru regarded the fiery priestess before him, once more tempted to simply put her out of his misery. It was clear that intimidation would no longer serve his purposes, he should have expected this. His brother’s priestess was no weak, servile thing. That left only one solution. Her death was unacceptable, but her continued defiance was equally unacceptable. “You mistake this Sesshomaru’s intentions priestess. If this Sesshomaru wanted you dead, you would be dead.” That much should have been evident. He did not normally play with his prey. “By your own words the land is in chaos. The people of the West are suffering under the inept leadership of my half-brother. This Sesshomaru will reclaim what is his.” This was a fact, not a promise; the idea of losing to the former half-breed a second time was simply inconceivable.  “You will help this Sesshomaru.”  

Many emotions danced across Kagome’s face, amongst them outrage, remorse and confusion. “Why should I?!” He’d threatened her life, dropped her on the cold, hard ground and now he thought to order her around? Well, if he thought she’d knuckle under, he had another thing coming. “I’m not your slave! You can-“

“You will aid this Sesshomaru because doing so will aid the Western Lands.” His voice still had more in common with winter then summer, but the tone was not quite as cold as before. “You care for the people of this land priestess. Do you truly believe they are safer now than they were under this Sesshomaru’s rule?”

Kagome frowned. True, Sesshomaru was a ruthless being; he’d nearly killed her over a sword once….but he had taken in and cared for Rin. He’d helped them defeat Naraku. Whatever else he was, he wasn’t evil. But could she betray Inuyasha like that? Could she help his half-brother take his lands from him? But then, the lands weren’t really his. Not anymore. He’d lost control of so many of the feudal lords that his followers were just another faction among many vying for control. People were dying, villages being looted and burned. It was her fault. She knew that much. She’d made the wish that turned Inyuasha into a full demon. She’d helped him overthrow Sesshomaru. Tears began to run down her face. She’d given so much of herself to others, trying to help them in any way she could and this was the result. “No…no….” Her voice was smaller, less steady. “You win. I’ll…help you.”

Sesshomaru had no visible reaction to the priestesses answer. He knew his offer has been the only logical course of action. Prisoners were troublesome; they consumed resources and contributed little willingly. An ally, however temperamental, was infinitely more useful. He was unconcerned about any attempt at betrayal, the priestesses scent held no trace of deception within it. Sesshomaru returned his gaze to the keep, it was damaged, but it would do as shelter until he could be brought completely up to date on the situation. “Then you will show this Sesshomaru your records.”

Slowly, Kagome nodded, still in shock. She’d just betrayed the man she loved to his half-brother….there was no going back from this. Gathering what was left of her reserves, she walked forwards. It had to be done. People were dying and Inuyasha couldn’t save them. She couldn’t save them alone. She didn’t have any choice. “Come on then.”

A/N: Well, this marks my first foray into fanfiction in general. I’d like to thank a few people who aided me in this endeavor, The Norrington, who has agreed to be my beta-reader, the staff of this site for responding to the concerns I had about posting this and finally, I’d like to thank you for taking the time to read it.