Life hands you hard choices sometimes... by Sesshomaru_obsessed

~Prologue: The assassin surfaces~

Looking out into the night sky he saw his beautiful lands. Being the Lord of the Western Lands, he needed to make sure his people were safe even though they were humans.

Beside him was his faithful companion Jaken and a little girl named Rin. She was a girl from a village attacked by wolves. While Sesshomaru lay wounded after a battle with Inuyasha, Rin stayed by him despite his protests. She brought him food and water while he healed but after her village had been attacked, the wolves murdered her. Sesshomaru found her laying in a road dead from slashes and bite marks. He used his tensaiga to heal her and she has stayed with him every since. He was quite fond of her. He liked the fact that she stayed with him in spite of the fact that he was a demon and her happy personality to brighten up his day. He would protect her until the very end.

Kagome sat in Kaede's village with her friends around a campfire. Inuyasha sat indian style staring into the flames. Ever since his encounter with Kikyo, he was aloof and distant from the group. Kagome knew he was trying to decide who he really cared for. He had been in this situation before. Every time it happened, it was Kagome that ended up going home crying. She sighed deeply. She knew that Inuyasha would make her mad and then she'd be storming off somewhere. Sango and Miroku seemed to sense the same thing as they tried feebly to start conversation. Even Shippou tried to get Inuyasha to talk by trying to anger him but even that didn't work. After returning to her room, Kagome suddenly thought of running away the next time Inuyasha ended up caring for Kikyo. She was tired of being yelled at and being disrespected so the next time he caused any trouble at all she'd be gone. Drifting into sleep she thought about what Inuyasha could see in Kikyo.

Sesshomaru sat in his study trying to read a good book about samurai when Jaken rushed in.

"Lord Sesshomaru, Lord Sesshomaru!!" he cried panting.

"What do you want Jaken?" Sesshomaru said in an annoyed tone.

"Word has been out that there are a band of thieves and they are destroying villages and killing people. I would have told you sooner but there was a villager that just arrived and he reported that they were attacking."

"Where are they? I will destroy them." Sesshomaru growled with fury. "They have no right to come and destroy my villages."

"My lord, they are at a village not far from here. The villager said that they were going to stay in his village. But he also warned me. Their leader is a powerful demon but he couldn't say what kind. Please be careful master, he could most likely put up a good fight with you." Jaken stated.

"Jaken, it is very unlikely that the demon will be any match for me but I will go look for them. You will watch over Rin and you will watch the castle. If anything happens, send a warrior to find me. I will return by nightfall."

With that he rushed out to find them.

While flying over the land, he searched for the gang of thieves and robbers. He was displeased for not have being able to stop them sooner. He arrived in that village and decided to attack before they ran away.

The robbers saw him coming and stopped what they were doing to stare at the demon lord. Most of the robbers were human but he had sensed that some were demons as well. A strong demon scent was coming from the back of the group and he realized that it was their leader. Sensing the dog youkai, the leader emerged from the group. Their leader was a tall coyote demon with short black hair and a sallow face. He was wearing fur from what apparently was from other demons he had slain. Baring his fangs he looked at Sesshomaru who made no move.

"So the demon lord decides to show his face around me. No matter we will dispose of you quickly."

"You must be mistaken. I do not lose."

Not saying another word, he drew tokijin and started slashing in rapid movements felling many men at a time. Overlooking the men in the trees, they jumped out on him and started attacking. He threw man after man off of him. Finally he used his tokijin to send a wave of demon power sending them sprawling. When every last man was fallen he stopped and looked at the leader who stood there watching the entire fight.

Fury was contorted in his face and he unsheathed his sword and rushed at Sesshomaru with incredible speed. Sesshomaru dodged attack after attack and he was beginning to get bored. Realizing he could not win this way the demon leader started rushing faster and faster surprising the demon lord at his huge increase in speed. Sesshomaru was forced to use more effort in attempting to escape the swipes of the leaders sword. Getting angrier, the leader whistled.

Sesshomaru didn't know why he did this but without warning three arrows flew out from the trees and hit Sesshomaru. One lodged in in his lower back, one in his upper left arm, and the last one in his lower right calf. The leader smirked evilly as Sesshomaru fought off the white hot pain coming from the wounds. THe only thought going through his head was to kill the leader. Turning around he took one swing and the trees and the bandits were cut down. And with a roar of fury he lunged at the leader who quickly dodged away and started swiping again with his sword. Being wounded Sesshomaru's speed was slower but he still tried to keep the pace without causing a lot of pain. He managed to slash through the leader's arm when the leader forced his sword into Sesshomaru's right side breaking through the armor. Gritting his teeth in the pain the demon lord shoved the leader and cut him across the chest with the tokijin. Blood started pouring out of the demon leader and he backed away trying to regain his balance. Both demons' tempers were risen and both of them badly injured but still, they clashed. Even the demon leader's was slowing down from being hurt. If the demon lord would not be so easily defeated the leader decided to distract him instead.

"Heh you are pathetic... and you call yourself the lord of the Western Lands. You make me sick because you can't even defeat me. No matter, you and the rest of the world will know that Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands was defeated. Defeated by Tao the Coyote Demon." Tao smirked.

Something snapped in his head. Sesshomaru had heard of Tao before but he was trying to remember where and when. Tao was the demon lord who had massacred the Northern Lands! Sesshomaru remembered sending soldiers to help the lord of the Northern Lands but he hadn't participated in the battle himself. Tao had been defeated but he managed to escape before the final blow was made.

'Finally, he has resurfaced trying to destroy my lands now.' Sesshomaru thought. ' Well, I will not let that happen.'

Using his demonic speed, he rushed at Tao wielding tokijin and cut him in the shoulder. And using this last opportunity to strike, Tao struck Sesshomaru in the left side. Both demons backed away but Tao leapt in the air and was caught by a birdlike demon who carried him off. Sesshomaru had won.

Sesshomaru stood there swaying from the wounds and batter he had just gone through. Closing his eyes, he tried to concentrate against the white hot pain coming from all over his body. He suddenly sniffed the air and caught a scent. He realized the arrows had been filled with poison. He had to get the arrows out before they injected more toxin within him. Looking at the nearest one in his left upper arm he looked away while he tore the arrow from his arm. He suddenly squeezed his eyes shut from the excruciating pain that came from the wound. After a few seconds, he moved on to the next arrow in his lower back. He yanked that one out also and waited a few seconds till going on to the last one. The final arrow had gotten stuck between his bone and wouldn't come out easily. Knowing it would have to go in instead of out, he shoved the arrow through his leg piercing flesh and virtually going through the bone. That last one brought tears to his eyes but he looked down and tried to hide them. He quickly forced himself to gather his strength and he limped out of the village hoping to make it to the next one. By using the last of his strength and sheer will he labored himself to go on. He didn't make it.

About three quarters of the way there, he fell to his knees and collapsed in the middle of a brush. Laying on his side he breathed heavily not being able the think about anything else but the pain. He tried dragging himself but he was too weak so he laid there. Blood was pouring from his wounds still but he took no notice of them. After a couple of minutes he lapsed into unconsciousness.

That was only me first part so I'm just getting started. Email me some ideas on what my other parts. I got other chapters ready so they're coming soon!

Thanks