The White Tower
This story is rated PG-13 for sexual situations
Chapter 18 - Dragons and Unicorns
Rye moved so that he could see both the Unicorns and the Thunder Demons, not trusting either one. "You may return to the Castle. I will not attack again." He said to the Thunder Demons and Bakura.
Aniki bristled at the arrogance -- why were all the Great Dragons like that? But Hiten pulled him away and they reluctantly returned to the Castle. The fires were already out and there was only clean-up and construction left to do. Kaiba healed and then bandaged up Bya's arm. The tear on his wing had turned into a deep cut on his arm when he transformed to his human form, but it was not life threatening, and in a few days, he would be completely healed.
But no one wanted to leave the Castle until they knew what the Black Dragon was going to do.
"Are we just going to let him kill my son?" Rin asked.
"I don't know what we can do. We are no match for him. The only thing that can kill that Dragon is a Unicorn." Kurama answered as the group of them stood outside the Castle gate watching the Dragon closely and feeling very helpless.
Down the road, Taiki was the first to speak. "Will our blood bring back your father? And will your blood bring back our father? This is pointless."
"Vengeance is never pointless." Rye growled.
"They both died during a war caused by Naraku and Jodah. Neither were to blame. Your father was enthralled by Jodah. And he was killing Kyo. My father could not let his friend die. And he paid with his life. Hasn't enough blood been shed?"
Both Unicorns continued to plead their case against bloodshed and the Dragon refused to listen. But he did not attack them either. Perhaps their words were getting through to him.
Curiosity had finally gotten the best of Jae and the girl left the protected area to see what was happening. As she moved closer to the Castle, she could see thin white smoke coming from the Towers -- the fires were out. And then she saw them -- the huge Black Dragon facing two Unicorns -- they looked so small standing in front of him.
"NO!!!!" she screamed, running toward the trio. "Please stop! Don't hurt them!"
All heads turned toward the girl and the Unicorns tried to block her path, but she skirted around them and came to a halt directly in front of the Dragon. "Please don't hurt my friends."
"You are a Dragon, yet you say that these Unicorns are your friends?"
"Yes, they are only protecting me."
"It is more than that. This is a blood vengeance." The Dragon rumbled in her mind.
"Can you sense me?" Jae suddenly asked.
"What?" The Dragon then took a deep breath. Nothing! The girl had been sealed.
"I thought not! If you hurt them, I will go into hiding and you will never find me. But if you leave them alone -- and the Castle -- I will go with you freely."
"No! We won't let you make that sacrifice!" Taiki exclaimed, also speaking telepathically. He and Kiri had been reaching the Dragon and now Jae had come between them, offering herself.
"Would you rather die? Or have Otherworld burn? If this can save everyone, then it is what I have to do." Jae said firmly.
"But you don't understand..." Taiki began.
Rye interrupted him, still staring at the girl. "I accept your proposal."
Without another word, he stretched his right foreleg out and long fingers with deadly claws wrapped around her gently. Then he took to the air, carrying the girl away with him.
Once the Dragon left and the immediate danger was past, Souten, Toya and Kyo returned to Suzaku and Aara returned to the Castle. She stepped from the portal and stared in horror at the blackened Towers. InuYasha rushed out to meet her and saw her look of despair.
"It can all be fixed in no time! The carpenters are already working on the Towers. Kaiba will make an inventory of the herbs and other things that he lost and everything will be replaced. All of us volunteered to gather herbs and anything else he and Bakura need. No lives were lost and no one was even badly hurt. A few of the guards have minor burns, but they are already on the mend. And Bya was patched up and has already returned to the White Tower."
The Princess nodded and walked into the Castle, seeking out Kurama. "What about Jae? She is now in the hands of the Black Dragon."
"I know. And the seal that Bakura and Jaal placed on the girl prevents us from finding her. We never expected this turn of events." The Fox answered.
"And we never expected a Great Dragon to be so powerful. I didn't realize that Kyo is considered only a teenager in Dragon years. Rye must be one of the oldest. His power is overwhelming." Aara said, looking at the damage around her. Every time the Dragon had flown over the Castle, his vibrations had sent mirrors and pictures tumbling off the walls and porcelain and china off the shelves and tables. Now their shattered remains littered the Castle. "How much did Bakura lose from his Tower?"
"He says that there was nothing that he can't replace. Neither he nor Kaiba seem very upset about their Towers. They are just grateful that no lives were lost." Kurama paused. "I hate to admit it, but if it weren't for Jae, both Kiri and Taiki would have probably died, although Taiki insists that he was reaching the Dragon. But I'm not so sure. If he had continued his rampage, that one Dragon could have destroyed the entire Castle and many lives would have been lost. I can't think of one Demon that could have prevailed against him."
"What about Raizen and Yusuke?" InuYasha offered.
"They cannot fly and all the Dragon would have to do is to go airborne and use his flame. Even the Battle Demons would not go unscathed. And he has already proven stronger than our three Thunder Demons combined." Kurama replied.
"Then we owe Jae our very lives. I wish there was some way I could repay her. Help her, even just find her." Aara said, shaking her head sadly.
In the White Tower, Bya was trying to console his mate without success. Jaal was frantically using her mirrors, attempting to find her daughter. But she could find no sign of either the girl or the Dragon.