InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Soul Within ❯ To Begin ( Chapter 18 )

Quote of the Day (Robert): Do not handicap your children by making life too easy for them

 

A/N: Life has been busy. But I'm here with another chapter and I will keep writing chapters until this story is finished. I promise.

 

Happy News: I'm getting published! I wrote an essay in hopes of getting a scholarship and it is getting PUBLISHED!!!!!!! I won't know about the scholarship for a few more months but yea for being in a book!!!!!!

 

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The Soul Within

Chapter Eighteen

 

At dusk, Kagome stood alone on the large grassy field outside the castle. Tall coniferous trees were darkly silhouetted against the orange sky. Despite the warm night, a sudden bitter breeze blew through the young miko's hair, causing her to shiver.

 

“This is it,” Kagome whispered to herself. “The beginning or the end…”

 

As if on cue, a figure on a horse appeared on the horizon. Kagome smiled grimly to herself. Something inside her was screaming at her to run, but the miko stood with her chin up, back straight, and feet rooted to the ground. She would not flee.

 

Naraku was getting closer every second and it wasn't long before Kagome could see his red, glinting eyes and cruel smirk. All too soon, he was before her.

 

If possible, his smirk actually widened as he got off his horse. “Found you,” he said darkly.

 

Kagome narrowed her eyes. “And what do you intend to do…now that you have found me?”

 

Naraku smiled. “Take you home, make you my wife, and become the most powerful man in the village.”

 

Kagome's normally warm, kind eyes had become glaciers. “Always searching for power…you haven't changed.”

 

“People don't change in a matter of weeks,” Naraku said simply. “In fact, people don't change at all. We are what we are…and you are going to come back home and become my wife.”

 

Kagome smiled sweetly though her eyes didn't change. “Drop dead.”

 

Naraku's expression changed as an intense fury filled his eyes. Kagome had finally managed to get to him.

 

“You little bitch,” he hissed.

 

Kagome shrugged.

 

“I'll kill you.”

 

Without another word, he withdrew his sword and came at her with a speed that no human could possibly achieve. Kagome managed to dodge to the side. She hesitated…could he be a - ?

 

Naraku saw her confusion and smiled. “I am,” he confirmed. “I am youkai.” His hair blew widely as he began to transform.

 

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“You did WHAT?” Sango exclaimed.

 

Miroku didn't even flinch at Sango's anger. “Just as I said, my dear. This is Kagome's battle and I gave my word that I would not interfere with her fight.”

 

“Are you INSANE?”

 

Shippo rubbed his eyes sleepily as he sat up. “What's going on, Miroku?” he asked yawning, “Why is Sango yelling?”

 

Miroku smiled and looked at the said woman. “Indeed Sango. Why are you in such distress?”

 

“Because you're a moron!”

 

Miroku shook his head patiently. “What she means Shippo, is that Kagome is out there fighting her toughest battle and Sango is a little bit worried.”

 

One look into the kitsune's eyes said that he was worried too. “Why aren't you helping then? What if she gets hurt?”

 

“Be not alarmed, child,” Kaede said soothingly. “Have faith in her. She wants to do this more than anything in the world. It would break her heart if ye joined her on the battlefield and needlessly got hurt.”

 

“But Shippo's right!” Sango said urgently. “What if she gets hurt?”

 

Miroku smirked. “Then we go out there.”

 

“But you said - ”

 

“My exact promise was that I would let her fight her battle. So, I'll let her fight it…I just may join in after a little while,” Miroku said casually.

 

Sango looked surprised, but then she smiled. “You're pretty smart.”

 

“Of course I am!”

 

“Sometimes I wonder…”

 

“Hey! I am always - ” he stopped and stood up suddenly. “We have company.” Without stopping to explain, he rushed out of the room, leaving a bewildered Sango and an excited Shippo to follow him.

 

Kaede simply smiled though her features were sad. “It has truly begun,” she whispered. “I only hope that they will all make it to the end.”

 

**********

Naraku's transformation was complete and all Kagome could do was gape. She had always known that he was a monster but…she wasn't expecting this!

 

Naraku smiled coldly at Kagome's raw look of shock. “Surprised?”

 

“Actually, this explains a lot,” she said smartly.

 

Naraku growled. “Save your cheek for the netherworld.”

 

He rushed at her with his tentacles aimed at her abdomen. Kagome quickly whipped out an arrow and shot it at the youkai. It hit its mark…the tentacle that had almost pierced her in half. It disintegrated.

 

“Lets see how well you do with your limbs falling off,” she called.

 

Naraku smirked. “That would be a problem…if my limbs were falling off. Watch.” Kagome locked her eyes on her arrow and to her amazement, the wound had already healed.”

 

“You'll have to do better than that, little girl.”

 

“I'm just getting started.”

 

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“Miroku! What's going on?” Sango asked as she ran beside the monk.

 

“There are others.”

 

“Other what?”

 

Miroku suddenly stopped running and Sango skidded a little ahead before she stopped herself. Shippo jumped onto her shoulder.

 

“Show yourself!” Miroku demanded.

 

A slight chuckle could be heard in the darkness. “You're very sharp, monk.”

 

“Flattery will get you nowhere.”

 

“Flattery wasn't my intention,” said the voice as the owner stepped out of the darkness. “Lord Naraku sent us here to make sure that you didn't interfere with the retrieval of Lady Kagome. You are now just a corpse in the making.” He shifted his eyes to Sango and Shippo. “And so are they.”

 

Miroku's glare turned fiery. “Not if I kill you first.” He took his stance and without moving his eyes, he said, “Sango, I need you to recover your weapon.”

 

“Wha- Oh!” He could almost hear her smirk. “You don't even have to ask.” She turned and ran swiftly down the hall, toward the weapon's room.

 

Miroku smiled. “And now, let us fight.”

 

**********

Once more, Kagome dodged Naraku's attack. This time, she had narrowly escaped. She had shot arrow after arrow at the youkai but he simply kept regenerating. He seemed to have no weakness! Not even to her purification power! What was worse, she was starting to wind down while he kept getting stronger.

 

“Getting tired?” Naraku asked cruelly.

 

Kagome breathed heavily. “Keep dreaming,” she spat at him.

 

Naraku sighed. “You're just prolonging the inevitable, Kagome. Stop this and come back home. You belong to me.”

 

“You belong in hell.”

 

Naraku's visage turned ugly. “Then you can go there first and check it out for me.”

 

Again, he sent a tentacle at her but this time she couldn't completely dodge it. It struck her side, leaving a deep gash, followed by an intense pain. The tentacle had also managed to cut through the strap on her arrow pouch, separating her from her weapons. She hit the ground hard.

 

“On the ground, bleeding. It suits you,” said Naraku casually.

 

Kagome made a grab for her pouch, but Naraku saw her intention and fenced a large tentacle between her and the arrows. “Now how am I going to kill you if you have those troublesome things?” Naraku scolded sadistically.

 

Barrier, barrier, barrier!!

 

As if reading her thoughs, Naraku said, “Defense is useless if you die within your barrier. Try healing that wound on your side instead.” He chuckled.

 

Kagome knew that he was playing games with her. But he was right. She was going to die either way due to her lack of energy. And Naraku, being the kind individual that he was, was going to let her choose. Bleed to death, or let him drive a tentacle through her.

 

Her vision grew blurry as seconds ticked by. It seemed that she had already lost a lot of blood. Kagome fell from her knees, to the ground. She couldn't die…not yet…

 

Inuyasha's face flashed into her mind.

 

He wouldn't surrender to his curse.

 

She wouldn't surrender to hers either.

 

She drew miko energy to her hand and pressed it onto her side. Her internal organs were her first priority. She was not going to die yet!

 

Naraku smirked. “I also like this option better than bleeding to death.” He raised his tentacle and fired it downward, like a meteor.

 

Kagome shut her eyes tightly. So this was really the end…

 

“KAGOME!” yelled a voice, followed by the sound of a slashing sword.

 

Kagome's eyes snapped open and they rested upon her savior.

 

A black-haired Inuyasha stood in front of her with his sword out and a tentacle on the ground in front of him. His violet eyes were like daggers. They promised the youkai in front of him pain…and plenty of it.