InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Gathered Storm ❯ Illumination in Unnatural Light ( Chapter 7 )

A/N: BIG thanks for all the splendid reviews I've received regarding my last chapter. I'm honored, really! I'd also like to take this chance to thank moonandstar331andimanewme for all of their help on this last chapter. This story has become more than I had ever dreamed, and its thanks to all of you who've helped keep it going!

 

DISCLAIMER: I hold no ownership over the Inuyasha gang, which credit goes to the brilliant goddess Rumiko Takahashi. I also do not own, but worship, the Vienna Teng song that will be referenced in the forthcoming chapters.

 

 

I can't walk this road without you

You cannot go it alone

We were never meant to make it on our own

When the load becomes heavy

And your feet too tired to walk

I will carry you and we'll be carried on…~ “I'll Carry You” by Rebecca St. James

 

 

Chapter 7: “Illumination in Unnatural Light*”

 

 

Heavy boots crunched on the snow as Kagome and her companions crossed the snow drift that once was a lush valley of green. She thanked the stars that she had the sense to wear warmer clothes than her flimsy school outfit like before. It would've been unnecessary, seeing how she had graduated this past spring anyway. Her pleated, short green skirt had been traded in for sturdy, dark blue jeans that flared at her ankles and hugged her unfathomably long legs beautifully. Her Mary Jane's were replaced with knee-high black leather boots that laced up her calves. An Indigo shirt of thick linen drifted over the curves of her now womanly frame, cinching at her waist in an empire-style cut. While it wasn't the warmest of fabrics that she could have donned, it was the most durable and comfortable piece of clothing that she owned. Besides, the wool cloak that wrapped around her curvy form kept her safe from the dropping temperature and various elements of the weather.

 

The sun peaked through the copious clouds, sending a blinding light across the rocky valley that they forded. The land was swamped with the snow that had swallowed the earth for hours. When it had finally died down, Inuyasha declared that it was time to get moving again.

 

Well, perhaps `declared' was an understatement. Ordered was more like it. But her hanyou was never known to politely suggest something. He was brash and untamed. Kagome found that even though his attitude sometimes led a harsh command to leave her lips sending him down into the ground, she wouldn't want to change him, really. He was who he was, and she loved him with her whole heart.

 

Not that he really knew her heart, though. She kept her love tightly locked up not wanting to frighten him and for fear of rejection. Besides, declaring her feelings would only lead to more complications.

 

You twit, her conscience responded. You don't call kissing him passionately a declaration of love?

 

A sigh of defeat slipped from her lightly chapped lips as she pondered what the voice of blunt reasoning had stated. No, she couldn't deny that she had firmly pressed her unspoken feelings into that kiss. Actions usually spoke louder than words.

 

He who caused the fervent torment inside her mind was traipsing over the freshly fallen snow. The sunlight caused the golden-eyed hanyou to squint from the reflecting rays. Kagome could hear his faint curses as he blindly stalked the white covered valley. “Bastard… snow. Damn it all… stupid winter…”

 

Kagome snickered to herself as she watched the fuming man. Despite the current weather conditions, Inuyasha had insisted that they keep on with their journey. The shards were not going to just appear without their search, and they still had a far way to go to gather all of the pieces of the shattered jewel.

 

“Quit your day dreaming, Kagome,” came a gruff voice. “At this rate, we'll never get to the next village. Can't you stay focused? And walk faster!”

 

“Inuyasha, I'm walking at a fine pace. You're just too impatient for your own good,” Kagome retorted as her steps became wider to catch up to Inuyasha.

 

“Yeah, yeah. Just hurry up, wench.” His pace picked up as he took off ahead of his pack.

 

Kagome's frustration wound inside of her as she tried to catch up to the infuriating man. How in the world he could leap and sprint across the snow covered ground she would never figure out. He didn't even have any shoes on! She was sure that the ice crystals that obscured the land had to have some effect on his senses. That certainly could be a justifiable reason for his persistence to get to the next village they came across.

 

Amidst the thoughts that swamped her vision, Kagome felt the solid ground leave her feet as she took a hurried step. The sound of a muffled thud emitted at the point of impact as her form was swallowed with a blanket of white. A shrill shriek drifted from the concealed snow drift as the cold wrapped around her and snuck into the openings of her clothes.

 

Inuyasha stopped short to hear Kagome's cry, his ears swerving back to determine where the sound had come from. When his eyes could not find her, he ran back towards his pack.

 

A burst of steam popped up from a pile of snow as he neared where Kagome had fallen. “Kagome?” He peeked into the hole to find a very cold and ticked off woman. Snow had slipped into her shirt and covered her face and hair. The very sight of her in this predicament was almost too funny for him to stand. He fell onto his back laughing at the snow covered miko.

 

“Inuyasha! Stop laughing at me and help me out of this god forsaken hole!” She was seething from both embarrassment and impatience.

 

“Hoo hoo! Kagome, you should've seen your face! I've never seen anything so hilarious!”

 

Shippo scrambled over to the hole and looked down at his friend, “Don't worry, Kagome. I'll get you out!” The tiny kitsune reached his paw down and grasped her snow covered bangs and began to yank her up.

 

“Ow, Shippo!” Kagome shrieked.

 

The absurd scene of the fox demon struggling to pull Kagome out of the cave in was too much for Inuyasha to bear. He rolled around the ground, successfully creating strange imprints into the snow as laughter poured out from him.

 

Shippo growled as he watched Inuyasha's ridiculous continuance of silliness. “You dumb dog! Why don't you help me?” His question was left unanswered as Inuyasha unsuccessfully tried to stop his amusement. He ran over to Inuyasha and flicked his nose in a reprimand that Kagome used at times. “Stop that!”

 

The impact of the kitsune's fingers on Inuyasha's sensitive nose stopped the laughter. A growl emitted from the larger of the two as Inuyasha returned the gesture to the boy.

 

“Wahhh! Kagome, Inuyasha's being mean to me!” Shippo held his head as Inuyasha grabbed him by the tail.

 

“Inuyasha, sit!” Kagome yelled as she clawed her way out of the snow cave her fall had created. Her brown orbs caught the movement of Inuyasha supplicating to the snow as the beads around his neck were yanked to the ground by the command.

 

Shippo clambered away from the squished demon that lay twitching in the cold snow. “Hmph, serves you right!”

 

Three pairs of blinking eyes stared at the fuming miko, flattened hanyou, and kitsune who was presently dancing around said indisposed hanyou.

 

Miroku was the first to come to his senses as he turned towards Sango and swept her up into his arms. “Sango, my love, let me protect you from befalling such a fate.”

 

Sango's confused expression was replaced with a grimace as she felt the monk's right hand cup over her bottom. “You pervert!” A loud crack was heard, along with a reverberating thump as the two came crashing down into the snow.

 

Ruby-red eyes surveyed the strange group as she stood away from the bizarre situation they had gotten themselves into. Kirara sat back on her haunches as she watched the young fox demon chuckle darkly, grabbing piles of snow and clumping them into misshapen balls. A loud `thwap' was heard as the first snowball collided with Inuyasha's head.

 

“You little brat!” yelled the enraged hanyou. The spell had just worn off when Shippo made the mistake of smacking Inuyasha with the ball of frozen crystals. Inuyasha rolled onto his knees and hastily pulled large amounts of snow into his clutches, shaping an enormous ball. He hefted it above his head, aiming the boulder of doom at the quaking kitsune.

 

As he readied himself to throw it, a sweet voice tickled his ears. “Oh, Inuuuuyaaaashaaa…” came the sing-song intonation. He turned in time to feel another snowball pelt him in the face. Peals of laughter shook Kagome as she watched Inuyasha grimace from the impact. Her giggles turned into hyena like whoops as the wad of snow that Inuyasha carried above his head slipped from his fingers and met head-on with his thick skull.

 

Another squeal of laughter resonated from a few feet away as Sango stuck a clump of snow into Miroku's robes, making the man scream like a little girl. After he shook the snow from his clothes, he grabbed his own ammunition and smashed the soft powder into Sango's face.

 

Kirara rolled her eyes as the frozen balls went flying every which way across the field. Her tail twitched in time like the ticking of a metronome.

 

In the thick of the snow battle a bright green light shook the earth. The jet of unnatural illumination stole the sight of the group as they scrambled to make sense of the situation. Far to the north, the beam struck out of a clearing. It lasted for a mere five seconds, and then disappeared as fast as it came.

 

“What the hell was that?” Inuyasha snarled.

 

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Far away from the chaos stood the man responsible for the frozen realm. Naraku paced across the wooden floor of his palace thinking deeply about the undead priestess who was carrying out his will.

 

“Kagura,” he said turning towards the wind witch. “Our miko seems to be taking too long with her first task. Go and watch over her. I want you to lead her to the appropriate locations and ensure that she collects the items needs to invoke the spell. Understood?”

 

The dark haired youkai stepped out from the shadows grimacing inwardly at the order. Babysitting that power-craved woman was the last thing she wanted to do. “It shall be done, my lord.”

 

Kagura stepped towards the sliding doors, pushing them aside to escape into the eerie daylight. Plucking a feather from her hair that was elegantly twisted atop her head; she released her power and climbed aboard the floating, enlarged feather. She guided the boat-shaped contraption up and away from Naraku's castle and towards the south where Kikyo would be wandering.

 

The frigid air slipped over the sorceress' skin as the wind carried her. She would guide Kikyo to the first location and make certain that the miko wouldn't be harmed by those who may try to stop her. It was impertinent that Kikyo follow through with the plan. Naraku's evil plot would be fulfilled after the invocation.

 

Absently, she placed a hand over the emptiness in her chest. Perhaps after she made sure Kikyo complete the task Naraku would finally release his hold on her heart. Surely this job would warrant such a reward…

 

Keeping her hope closely guarded, Kagura navigated the soaring feather towards the place where Kikyo would gather the first of four keys to the invocation.

 

 

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Wooden sandals left faint imprints across the rising hill as the cloaked figure ascended to the veiled cave. She could feel the power that was sleeping within the dank location. Just a few more steps…

 

Kikyo withdrew a rolled parchment that gave directions as how to lift the barrier on the cave. The scrolling words were written elegantly by her sister's hand that gave precise instruction on how to erase the sutras that guarded the Jade Cup of Life.

 

She stopped suddenly; rewinding her recent memories to the moment Kaede revealed that she intended to help Kikyo retrieve the first item on her list. Confusion submersed her thoughts as she attempted to figure out just why Kaede was helping her. At the moment that Kaede offered her assistance, Kikyo was too overjoyed to realize that there could be consequences to what her sister explained.

 

Kikyo shook off the eerie feeling and continued to the cave's opening. Ice cascaded around the craggy surface, framing the entrance with frozen teeth that covered both the top and sides. It almost looked ominous, like a frozen demon with its mouth wide open and waiting for prey.

 

She took another step and unrolled the parchment fully. Taking in a deep breath, she began to recite the incantation towards the invisible barrier that encased the prize.

 

“All-knowing powers that guard, bow to the one who calls to you. Release your grip upon the cup from which life flows. Let your worthy servant through the gates of fate. As I command, so shall it be.” Her hands moved in a reverent manner, sweeping the disguised barrier away from the entrance.

 

The outside walls of the cave shook, sending the icicles crashing into the snow covered ground. The hum of power slipped away from the opening, sending rivulets of energy to pulse across the forest floor. Kikyo trembled from the reverberating force, falling onto one knee. After the tremors had receded, she clambered to her feet and took a deep breath.

 

Walking through the darkness began to trick her vision as she crossed the cave floor. Shadows flitted among the walls as a soft green light pulsated from a pedestal that was carved from the stalagmite. Her dark eyes focused on her goal as she carefully stepped around the puddles and slippery rocks that covered the ground.

 

 

Reaching out with a pale hand, her fingers quivered as the magic that cloaked the cup washed over her. It was magnificent! The short goblet was carved from a jade stone adorned with etchings of gold. Several characters were chiseled into the precious materials that were undeniably from the language of the gods.

 

Kikyo grasped the chalice delicately and lifted it from its resting place upon the pedestal. A shock rippled through her as the cup recognized its removal, sending its strange energy into her limbs. A vigorous spark of light from the goblet shot through the cave, sending a signal to the skies. After it calmed down, she stood tall, wrapping the cup in a fine-woven cloth to protect it and slipped it into her leather satchel.

 

A twisted smile graced her stone-like lips as she strode towards the opening of the cave. For such a strong element of the invocation, it was unbelievably easy for to collect.

 

As the miko began her descent over the forest hill, Kagura hovered behind the tall pines watching her diligently.

 

Excellent, she thought. The first task is complete. Naraku will be pleased. She pulled on the sides of the overgrown feather to guide into the higher heights of the sky, keeping the speed slower than usual as she followed the smirking woman.

 

 

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A few leagues to the Western Kingdom held four persons who had also sensed the emission of magic. The leader narrowed his golden eyes slightly, tracking the source far to the north.

 

His sword quaked in its sheath in response to the strange energy that was released. He turned his eyes from the point of impact to the quivering metal that rested at his hip. Tensaiga senses this power. What has happened? The demon lord questioned the event silently.

 

With a single nod, he changed their course. He directed his two-headed demon companion by its reigns as he directed Ah-Un into a new direction.

 

“Milord! What is it? What is that strange light?” squeaked the toad demon as he ran to his lord's side.

 

Lord Sesshoumaru kept silent as he led his group towards the east. His mind was focused on deciphering the response from his sword.

 

“Master Jaken, where are we going?” came a small, sleepy voice from atop Ah-Un.

 

“Quiet, Rin! Lord Sesshoumaru is thinking!” commanded the toad demon.

 

Sesshoumaru turned his head slightly, gazing back at his ward and servant. “We will go east, Rin. Someone is seeking us. We can't leave them disappointed now, can we?” An odd smile tugged at the demon lord's thin lips.

 

Lord Sesshoumaru is smiling!, thought Jaken. That is never a good sign.

 

 

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A/N: The chapter's title comes from the lyrics by the wonderfully talented musician, Vienna Teng. The song that I am referencing is “Soon Love, Soon.” This song is undeniably the pinnacle point of inspiration for the entire fiction that I am creating. I urge you to listen to the song!

 

Further notes: I wanted to iterate that this story is not about a love-triangle. There is something much more powerful that is guiding the antagonist to do what she does. For further information, PLEASE visit my livejournal site to get a better idea of what I'm talking about: http:// mraestalyn. livejournal. com (minus the spaces)