InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Absolution's Pursuit ❯ The Tainted Cleansing ( Chapter 4 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Lady Sianna 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama / Adventure | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 11.23.2009 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.6K | Visits: 561 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama / Adventure | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 11.23.2009 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.6K | Visits: 561 | Status: Work In Progress
Absolution’s Pursuit
The Tainted Cleansing
_____________________________________________________________ ___________
“It is time.”
His previously relaxed posture becoming uncomfortably rigid, the hanyou gave his brother a long, penetrating look.
“Humph,” he finally grunted, the tension in his body melting away. A small, sardonic smile tilted the edge of his lips as he turned away from the elder inu to stare blankly into the sky. “So you still intend to make good on that promise, eh?” he asked rhetorically, his voice abnormally subdued.
‘Not that it matters; not anymore,’ the hanyou thought morosely.
‘She’s gone. The well… it took her away from me. It separated us again.’
“You are wasting time.” the daiyoukai pointed out evenly.
“Yeah, yeah.” Inuyasha intoned offhandedly. He lifted himself from his lounging position and in a single bound launched himself from the roof.
“Inuyasha?” Sango asked cautiously, her hand reaching out for the half-demon even though he was not within her reach. From their current interaction she could only guess that Sesshoumaru’s appearance here was not entirely surprising to the hanyou, but since the pair of them had never truly gotten along, she dared to wonder why the inu lord had sought him out.
“Let’s get this over with.” Inuyasha said ignoring the slayer’s concern, his gaze fixed on his brother.
The daiyoukai stared at him for another long moment before he spun on his heel. Not here. Come with me.” he murmured quietly, knowing the hanyou would hear him. Though Sesshoumaru did not hold humans in high regard, he did not find it necessary to destroy this village. He knew of a spacious but secluded valley which was more suitable for their purposes.
‘Or perhaps,’ something prodded from the back of his mind, ‘You are simply reluctant to proceed?’ He had never shown any particular concern for such a thing before now.
Dismissing the thought with mild annoyance, the demon lord continued to move forward. There was no reason for him to doubt his decision. He was not wary of losing this battle nor was he concerned over the hanyou’s fate. Inuyasha would either hold his own against him, or he would fall to his greater strength and the promise he had made to their father would be fulfilled. Why should he be reluctant to do something as simple as keep his word? Why should he falter in removing the stain of his father’s treachery? The hanyou knew what awaited him and had even shown enough honor and valor to come with him without question. There was nothing to stay his hand.
“Inuyasha!” the monk called out.
The younger inu paused and turned to his friends, an unreadable expression on his face.
“Wh-what’s going on?” the daiyoukai heard him ask, his own steps never pausing.
A small smirk formed on Inuyasha’s lips, though it was in complete contrast to the resigned, faintly haunting look in his eyes. “Don’t worry,” he told them.
“I’ll be back before dinner.”
For reasons he could not begin to identify, the monk found himself at odds on whether or not to take his words at face value. He suspected that his friend and long-time traveling companion would not explain what was happening and he could only hope that he would keep his word and return soon.
The comforting arms of his wife soon wound themselves around him, prompting him to look down at her. Her brow was creased with concern and he couldn’t help but to try and sooth her. He returned her embrace, holding her securely while also being mindful of her protruding belly.
“What was that all about?” Sango asked softly.
“I… don’t know.” the monk returned quietly.
“Do you think we should follow them?”
“You’d better not!” the hanyou barked out, his back to them now.
Feeling slightly uneasy but deciding to trust Inuyasha’s judgment, Sango reluctantly held her place at her husband’s side.
Turning to her, the monk forced a convincing smile while internally, he was attempting to escape the unsettling sense of foreboding that had wrapped long, spiny threads of apprehension around him. A part of him suggested that it might not have been such a bad idea to follow them, but with Sango’s condition, it would not be prudent to do so. After everything he had gone through, Miroku knew he could not risk the safety of his family, not now that he finally had one. Besides, Inuyasha was capable of looking after himself and if they went after him, they’d be more a liability than an aid. “Come on,” the monk spoke up at last. “We should finish our chores now. Inuyasha said he would be back by dinner and you know how cranky he’ll get if it’s late.”
When they turned back both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were already gone. Giving him a final squeeze, Sango released him before turning away to retrieve the basket of laundry she had been preparing to wash before the inu lord’s arrival.
For his part, Miroku continued to stare at the spot from which they had vanished.
_____________________________________________________________ ___________
After nearly an hour of silent travel, the hanyou found his mind wandering for what seemed like the thousandth time. It was strange; even though he knew he was about to engage in a battle that could very potentially mean his death, he could not be bothered to give it any real consideration. No, his current train of thought circled only one person. His eyes glazing over, he allowed his mind to conjure the image of her smile.
Inuyasha could never describe the pain he felt at her absence, yet as unbearable as it was, he held onto the feeling because in an odd way, it kept him connected to her.
Instinctively reaching up, the young inu ran the clawed tips of his fingers over the smooth beads that made up his rosary and a quiet sigh escaped him. His hand then dropped to his side, his eyes regaining focus as he continued to trudge behind the elder inu.
“So,” the young inu finally spoke up, a note of casualty to his voice, “any reason we need to do this right now? I was…” he trailed off, his gaze averting to some unknown point in the distance.
‘I was hoping to check the well again.’ he finished silently.
Sesshoumaru paused but did not turn to look at him. They had arrived at a stretch of land that was flanked on one side by a wall of high cliffs and on the other, a small abandoned village. In the distance, the earth was cut through by a dwindling stream while a light peppering of trees, most of which were dead added to the area’s desolate appearance. Even though it was early summer this place continued to hold a strange sort of darkness which was completely out of place for the season and time of day.
Years ago, the nearby village had been slaughtered by a hoard of rogue demons and since that time, the area remained unpopulated. Still, one would think that the land would have rejuvenated with the passage of time. That did not seem to be the case for this place however.
With a mental shake, Sesshoumaru concluded that these things were of no importance and instead turned his attention back to the matter at hand. He blinked slowly before glancing at Inuyasha over his shoulder.
“You were what?” he asked unconcernedly.
“Nothing.” the hanyou answered quickly, his eyes flashing with some unnamed emotion.
‘It’s been two years since I’ve seen her; two years of trying to get back to her through the well. Why should today be any different?’
“Then you are prepared to commence?” the elder inu asked, completely unaware of his sibling’s inner musings.
Inuyasha looked up at him then. “Humph,” he snorted dryly, “Does it really matter?”
The daiyoukai stood as still as a statue, his gaze having returned to some indistinct point on the horizon.
“No.” he finally said, and without a single word of warning, he turned on the boy, his claws creating a horizontal arc as they made a slash at Inuyasha’s throat.
Predictably, Inuyasha was ready for him and with a backward summersault he easily escaped the attack. He landed several yards away, his legs folded beneath him in a low crouch while a clawed hand braced him against the ground.
“Humph!” the half-demon snorted, “You’ll have to do better than that he said with a slight sneer, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword.
“Indeed.” the daiyoukai remarked dryly.
Heedless of the unnatural silence that had settled between them, the brothers streaked toward one another. Their blades met with a deafening clash and the resulting burst of demonic energies forced them apart. Skidding to a stop several yards away, Inuyasha dug in his heels before propelling himself forward again.
Sesshoumaru was doing much the same, but instead of darting straight forward this time, he pivoted at the last moment, his blade slashing through the hanyou’s side as he failed to avoid the attack.
A his of pain sounded behind him, and he turned to see that the whelp had leapt away instead of issuing a retaliating blow, even though Inuyasha had been in the perfect position to deliver one. Frowning, the daiyoukai pivoted again, his heels tearing up patches of dead grass as he skidded to a halt.
Inuyasha was glaring at him, a hand fisted in his now torn and bloodied robes. A wave of displeasure washed over Sesshoumaru and a low growl tore from his throat. What was the meaning of this? Inuyasha had become an accomplished warrior over the years and should have avoided his blade with ease. Not only that, but instinct alone should have prompted him to execute a counter attack when such an open opportunity was presented.
Returning the boy’s intense glare, the daiyoukai searched his brother’s countenance for answers to his unspoken questions. A preliminary assessment showed nothing worthy of note, but a closer examination of the pup’s eyes revealed the answers Sesshoumaru sought. There was a dullness there, something he had never seen before and it took a moment for the elder youkai to realize the exact implications of this seemingly insignificant feature he might otherwise have missed.
The fiery spark of determination, the unwavering flames of tenacity that had always shone so brightly in the hanyou’s eyes had dimmed, almost to the point of non-existence. The realization of what he was seeing only fanned the flames of his fury and the demon‘s eyes narrowed into tight slits as he continued to glare at him. What had brought this change about? What had happened in the two short years since they had defeated Naraku to bring the hanyou to this obvious state of resignation?! Whatever it was, this was unacceptable! He, Sesshoumaru would not allow the whelp to continue this way!
“Fool!” Sesshoumaru barked in an rare display of blazing fury. “Do you not realize what this battle means for you?! To founder now will mean your death. I highly recommend that you keep that in mind, Inuyasha.”
“What do you care?!” the boy roared back automatically. Then his eyes lowered to survey the shallow wound across his side, his fingers flexing spasmodically as blood seeped between them. “What does anyone care?” he added in a quieter tone.
Another low growl ground from Sesshoumaru’s throat, his unarmed hand clenching into a tight fist at his side. This defeated attitude the pup was exuding was not acceptable! Such a thing would only ensure his demise and even though that was his objective all along, the daiyoukai immediately determined that he would not allow it to end this way. He would revive the boy’s fortitude at any cost; even if he had to take Tetsuaiga from him and drive him to the brink of blood-crazed insanity!
Streaking forward again, Sesshoumaru was not fully prepared for the counterattack aimed at him in the form of showering blades of blood. A quick maneuver allowed him to escape unscathed, but an odd sense of pride sparked in him at the realization of what the hanyou had done. Apparently, his anger was evident to the boy and he had taken advantage of his momentary lapse of concentration. Still this was not good enough as the spark he wished to see in the boy was still notably lacking. His youkai heart hardening in determination, Sesshoumaru resolved that he would not end this battle until it returned!
The inu lord surged into the sky only to return to the earth in a blur of speed and power. His blade met with little more than air as the hanyou narrowly avoided its razor sharp edge.
For some time the battle continued on this way; an exchange of blows landed, countered or avoided as each inu strived to gain the upper hand. It was apparent that the hanyou’s strength, speed and overall skill had improved dramatically over the years, yet the drive he had come to expect of him remained visibly lacking. In spite of his apparent speed, there was a certain weight to his movements together with a notable lack of planning of his attacks that remained blatant to the daiyoukai in spite of the fact that the boy had managed to injure him a handful of times.
Perhaps… perhaps his own concentration was lacking as his attention was so thoroughly fixed on the hanyou’s every move. Whatever the case, Sesshoumaru decided that on this day, if no other, Inuyasha would display his full potential. He would not allow him to falter, not now when so much depended on this last battle between them. Just as the daiyoukai began to question the prudence of relieving the boy of his sword in order to bring forth the full extent of his demonic power, the hanyou was upon him.
‘Too fast…’ Sesshoumaru realized with mild surprise. His heels dug into the earth as he pushed away. ‘Still too close!’ The hanyou advanced again, Tetsuaiga reversing its direction and drawing ever closer.
‘Stop the blade!’ Sesshoumaru’s mind supplied logically. Yes, he needed to stop the blade! NOW!
Bakusaiga was clenched tightly in his fist and almost of its own accord, the blade tore through the air in a horizontal arc. The move was executed precisely, but something about it felt slightly off. Pushing the notion aside for later scrutiny, the daiyoukai indulged in a moment of satisfaction as the clash of metal against metal met his ears. He watched as the Tetsuaiga was torn from the hanyou’s grip, the blade returning to its inert state as it whipped away from them before plunging into the ground several yards away.
The feeling of triumph was fleeting indeed and evaporated entirely when his eyes again returned to the boy. Instantly, Sesshoumaru’s eyes widened in what could only be described as disbelief tinged with fascinated horror. Of all the injuries he could have inflicted, any one of them would have healed in a matter of hours or at most a few days. But there is one thing that even a youkai can not live without for more than a few moments.
Air…
The world slowed to an agonizing crawl and even the sound of his own thundering heart was no longer audible, or perhaps it had stopped beating all together.
‘How…?’ he wondered numbly. Had the path of his sword altered at the last moment, or perhaps the boy had moved more swiftly than he had anticipated? There was no way to know, it had happened far too quickly.
Over the centuries, Sesshoumaru had engaged in many battles and had faced many foes, yet nothing, nothing could have prepared him for this. Frozen in place, the demon lord could do little more than stare, his eyes fixed on the spray of blood as it erupted from Inuyasha’s throat.
It was a fatal injury…
He watched, an unpleasant chill surging through his veins as the hanyou fell back, his body slowly crumpling to the ground. Shakily, slowly, his clawed hand reached up, his eyes rolling back into his head as his body’s need for oxygen was left unfulfilled.
He shuddered; violently, and Sesshoumaru felt it in his own bones, his own treacherous body refusing to heed his mental command to remain impassive. He expected the pup to reach for his throat in the instinctual impulse to assess the injury. Instead, his fingers paused at the rosary.
He shuddered again, a gurgling sound escaping him as blood seeped through slightly parted lips. His fingers wrapped around the beaded chain and tightened visibly as his body stiffened in agony.
His eyes opened, just a little bit and Sesshoumaru moved to stand directly over him. A rush of air escaped through the tear in his throat causing an additional spray of blood to flow forward, some of which splattered across Inuyasha’s face.
Their eyes met and in spite of the fact that it was he, Sesshoumaru who had so grievously injured him, there seemed to be no signs of resentment in the boy’s eyes. His lips began to move as if he was trying to tell him something, but no sound was brought forth. Sesshoumaru’s brow creased in confusion but before he could question what it was the hanyou was trying to say, the tension melted from his body and the light, what little there was left completely faded from his eyes.
Inuyasha was… gone.
The deed was done; the promise fulfilled…
And yet… it wasn’t… right.
The crease in his brow only deepened as Sesshoumaru attempted to order his thoughts. This was what he had wanted, was it not? Yet as he stared down on the defeated form of his only sibling, he could not help but feel that it was not supposed to end this way.
His frown became thunderous, his hand clenching tightly at his side. Tremors of unbridled fury shook Sesshoumaru’s form, his lips thinning to a fine line as he fought the urge to transform. Something deep; instinctual inside of him was urging him to take his true form and shake the world with howls of his discontent.
The only question, was why?
Why was he suddenly overcome with such dissatisfaction that he wanted to destroy the world around him? Why was he so displeased to look down upon the bloodied, fallen form of the hanyou, the stain that had so thoroughly marred his family’s honor for the past one hundred years? He had wanted this, yet now that his objective was achieved he was overwhelmed with nothing but blinding rage.
“It was not your best effort Inuyasha.” Sesshoumaru whispered darkly. He had seen the hanyou fight more fiercely than he had done here today. The whelp knew what was at stake, yet he did not fight to his full potential.
“Why?!” the daiyoukai demanded forcefully.
Several seconds drifted by and only the self discipline that he had cultivated over so many centuries helped Sesshoumaru bring himself to order. A heavy rush of air escaped him as the demon’s soul settled in resolution. It would NOT end this way. Inuyasha would not taint his victory with the less than sufficient effort he had put forth on this day.
His fingers tightened around the hilt of Tensega and the sword was ripped, almost violently from its sheath. The daiyoukai blinked slowly, his eyes still fixed on his sibling. The seconds ticked by as Sesshoumaru waited for the sword’s mystical powers to surge forth.
But they never did…
His eyes narrowing, he strained to see the pallbearers of the afterlife, yet their appearance was never revealed to him. His eyes widening in disbelief, Sesshoumaru held the sword before him silently demanding its support. Instead of pulsing to life as he wished, Tensega remained silent, its power having drifted from his reach.
Illogically, the youkai lord swung the blade anyway attempting to slay the creatures he could not see. Unfortunately, his efforts proved fruitless as Inuyasha’s form remained completely unchanged. A second and third attempt yielded the same results and in his frustration, Sesshoumaru cast the sword to the ground and attempted to blink the swirls of red from his eyes.
What was the meaning of this?!
________________________________________________________________ ________
The Tainted Cleansing
_____________________________________________________________ ___________
“It is time.”
His previously relaxed posture becoming uncomfortably rigid, the hanyou gave his brother a long, penetrating look.
“Humph,” he finally grunted, the tension in his body melting away. A small, sardonic smile tilted the edge of his lips as he turned away from the elder inu to stare blankly into the sky. “So you still intend to make good on that promise, eh?” he asked rhetorically, his voice abnormally subdued.
‘Not that it matters; not anymore,’ the hanyou thought morosely.
‘She’s gone. The well… it took her away from me. It separated us again.’
“You are wasting time.” the daiyoukai pointed out evenly.
“Yeah, yeah.” Inuyasha intoned offhandedly. He lifted himself from his lounging position and in a single bound launched himself from the roof.
“Inuyasha?” Sango asked cautiously, her hand reaching out for the half-demon even though he was not within her reach. From their current interaction she could only guess that Sesshoumaru’s appearance here was not entirely surprising to the hanyou, but since the pair of them had never truly gotten along, she dared to wonder why the inu lord had sought him out.
“Let’s get this over with.” Inuyasha said ignoring the slayer’s concern, his gaze fixed on his brother.
The daiyoukai stared at him for another long moment before he spun on his heel. Not here. Come with me.” he murmured quietly, knowing the hanyou would hear him. Though Sesshoumaru did not hold humans in high regard, he did not find it necessary to destroy this village. He knew of a spacious but secluded valley which was more suitable for their purposes.
‘Or perhaps,’ something prodded from the back of his mind, ‘You are simply reluctant to proceed?’ He had never shown any particular concern for such a thing before now.
Dismissing the thought with mild annoyance, the demon lord continued to move forward. There was no reason for him to doubt his decision. He was not wary of losing this battle nor was he concerned over the hanyou’s fate. Inuyasha would either hold his own against him, or he would fall to his greater strength and the promise he had made to their father would be fulfilled. Why should he be reluctant to do something as simple as keep his word? Why should he falter in removing the stain of his father’s treachery? The hanyou knew what awaited him and had even shown enough honor and valor to come with him without question. There was nothing to stay his hand.
“Inuyasha!” the monk called out.
The younger inu paused and turned to his friends, an unreadable expression on his face.
“Wh-what’s going on?” the daiyoukai heard him ask, his own steps never pausing.
A small smirk formed on Inuyasha’s lips, though it was in complete contrast to the resigned, faintly haunting look in his eyes. “Don’t worry,” he told them.
“I’ll be back before dinner.”
For reasons he could not begin to identify, the monk found himself at odds on whether or not to take his words at face value. He suspected that his friend and long-time traveling companion would not explain what was happening and he could only hope that he would keep his word and return soon.
The comforting arms of his wife soon wound themselves around him, prompting him to look down at her. Her brow was creased with concern and he couldn’t help but to try and sooth her. He returned her embrace, holding her securely while also being mindful of her protruding belly.
“What was that all about?” Sango asked softly.
“I… don’t know.” the monk returned quietly.
“Do you think we should follow them?”
“You’d better not!” the hanyou barked out, his back to them now.
Feeling slightly uneasy but deciding to trust Inuyasha’s judgment, Sango reluctantly held her place at her husband’s side.
Turning to her, the monk forced a convincing smile while internally, he was attempting to escape the unsettling sense of foreboding that had wrapped long, spiny threads of apprehension around him. A part of him suggested that it might not have been such a bad idea to follow them, but with Sango’s condition, it would not be prudent to do so. After everything he had gone through, Miroku knew he could not risk the safety of his family, not now that he finally had one. Besides, Inuyasha was capable of looking after himself and if they went after him, they’d be more a liability than an aid. “Come on,” the monk spoke up at last. “We should finish our chores now. Inuyasha said he would be back by dinner and you know how cranky he’ll get if it’s late.”
When they turned back both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were already gone. Giving him a final squeeze, Sango released him before turning away to retrieve the basket of laundry she had been preparing to wash before the inu lord’s arrival.
For his part, Miroku continued to stare at the spot from which they had vanished.
_____________________________________________________________ ___________
After nearly an hour of silent travel, the hanyou found his mind wandering for what seemed like the thousandth time. It was strange; even though he knew he was about to engage in a battle that could very potentially mean his death, he could not be bothered to give it any real consideration. No, his current train of thought circled only one person. His eyes glazing over, he allowed his mind to conjure the image of her smile.
Inuyasha could never describe the pain he felt at her absence, yet as unbearable as it was, he held onto the feeling because in an odd way, it kept him connected to her.
Instinctively reaching up, the young inu ran the clawed tips of his fingers over the smooth beads that made up his rosary and a quiet sigh escaped him. His hand then dropped to his side, his eyes regaining focus as he continued to trudge behind the elder inu.
“So,” the young inu finally spoke up, a note of casualty to his voice, “any reason we need to do this right now? I was…” he trailed off, his gaze averting to some unknown point in the distance.
‘I was hoping to check the well again.’ he finished silently.
Sesshoumaru paused but did not turn to look at him. They had arrived at a stretch of land that was flanked on one side by a wall of high cliffs and on the other, a small abandoned village. In the distance, the earth was cut through by a dwindling stream while a light peppering of trees, most of which were dead added to the area’s desolate appearance. Even though it was early summer this place continued to hold a strange sort of darkness which was completely out of place for the season and time of day.
Years ago, the nearby village had been slaughtered by a hoard of rogue demons and since that time, the area remained unpopulated. Still, one would think that the land would have rejuvenated with the passage of time. That did not seem to be the case for this place however.
With a mental shake, Sesshoumaru concluded that these things were of no importance and instead turned his attention back to the matter at hand. He blinked slowly before glancing at Inuyasha over his shoulder.
“You were what?” he asked unconcernedly.
“Nothing.” the hanyou answered quickly, his eyes flashing with some unnamed emotion.
‘It’s been two years since I’ve seen her; two years of trying to get back to her through the well. Why should today be any different?’
“Then you are prepared to commence?” the elder inu asked, completely unaware of his sibling’s inner musings.
Inuyasha looked up at him then. “Humph,” he snorted dryly, “Does it really matter?”
The daiyoukai stood as still as a statue, his gaze having returned to some indistinct point on the horizon.
“No.” he finally said, and without a single word of warning, he turned on the boy, his claws creating a horizontal arc as they made a slash at Inuyasha’s throat.
Predictably, Inuyasha was ready for him and with a backward summersault he easily escaped the attack. He landed several yards away, his legs folded beneath him in a low crouch while a clawed hand braced him against the ground.
“Humph!” the half-demon snorted, “You’ll have to do better than that he said with a slight sneer, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword.
“Indeed.” the daiyoukai remarked dryly.
Heedless of the unnatural silence that had settled between them, the brothers streaked toward one another. Their blades met with a deafening clash and the resulting burst of demonic energies forced them apart. Skidding to a stop several yards away, Inuyasha dug in his heels before propelling himself forward again.
Sesshoumaru was doing much the same, but instead of darting straight forward this time, he pivoted at the last moment, his blade slashing through the hanyou’s side as he failed to avoid the attack.
A his of pain sounded behind him, and he turned to see that the whelp had leapt away instead of issuing a retaliating blow, even though Inuyasha had been in the perfect position to deliver one. Frowning, the daiyoukai pivoted again, his heels tearing up patches of dead grass as he skidded to a halt.
Inuyasha was glaring at him, a hand fisted in his now torn and bloodied robes. A wave of displeasure washed over Sesshoumaru and a low growl tore from his throat. What was the meaning of this? Inuyasha had become an accomplished warrior over the years and should have avoided his blade with ease. Not only that, but instinct alone should have prompted him to execute a counter attack when such an open opportunity was presented.
Returning the boy’s intense glare, the daiyoukai searched his brother’s countenance for answers to his unspoken questions. A preliminary assessment showed nothing worthy of note, but a closer examination of the pup’s eyes revealed the answers Sesshoumaru sought. There was a dullness there, something he had never seen before and it took a moment for the elder youkai to realize the exact implications of this seemingly insignificant feature he might otherwise have missed.
The fiery spark of determination, the unwavering flames of tenacity that had always shone so brightly in the hanyou’s eyes had dimmed, almost to the point of non-existence. The realization of what he was seeing only fanned the flames of his fury and the demon‘s eyes narrowed into tight slits as he continued to glare at him. What had brought this change about? What had happened in the two short years since they had defeated Naraku to bring the hanyou to this obvious state of resignation?! Whatever it was, this was unacceptable! He, Sesshoumaru would not allow the whelp to continue this way!
“Fool!” Sesshoumaru barked in an rare display of blazing fury. “Do you not realize what this battle means for you?! To founder now will mean your death. I highly recommend that you keep that in mind, Inuyasha.”
“What do you care?!” the boy roared back automatically. Then his eyes lowered to survey the shallow wound across his side, his fingers flexing spasmodically as blood seeped between them. “What does anyone care?” he added in a quieter tone.
Another low growl ground from Sesshoumaru’s throat, his unarmed hand clenching into a tight fist at his side. This defeated attitude the pup was exuding was not acceptable! Such a thing would only ensure his demise and even though that was his objective all along, the daiyoukai immediately determined that he would not allow it to end this way. He would revive the boy’s fortitude at any cost; even if he had to take Tetsuaiga from him and drive him to the brink of blood-crazed insanity!
Streaking forward again, Sesshoumaru was not fully prepared for the counterattack aimed at him in the form of showering blades of blood. A quick maneuver allowed him to escape unscathed, but an odd sense of pride sparked in him at the realization of what the hanyou had done. Apparently, his anger was evident to the boy and he had taken advantage of his momentary lapse of concentration. Still this was not good enough as the spark he wished to see in the boy was still notably lacking. His youkai heart hardening in determination, Sesshoumaru resolved that he would not end this battle until it returned!
The inu lord surged into the sky only to return to the earth in a blur of speed and power. His blade met with little more than air as the hanyou narrowly avoided its razor sharp edge.
For some time the battle continued on this way; an exchange of blows landed, countered or avoided as each inu strived to gain the upper hand. It was apparent that the hanyou’s strength, speed and overall skill had improved dramatically over the years, yet the drive he had come to expect of him remained visibly lacking. In spite of his apparent speed, there was a certain weight to his movements together with a notable lack of planning of his attacks that remained blatant to the daiyoukai in spite of the fact that the boy had managed to injure him a handful of times.
Perhaps… perhaps his own concentration was lacking as his attention was so thoroughly fixed on the hanyou’s every move. Whatever the case, Sesshoumaru decided that on this day, if no other, Inuyasha would display his full potential. He would not allow him to falter, not now when so much depended on this last battle between them. Just as the daiyoukai began to question the prudence of relieving the boy of his sword in order to bring forth the full extent of his demonic power, the hanyou was upon him.
‘Too fast…’ Sesshoumaru realized with mild surprise. His heels dug into the earth as he pushed away. ‘Still too close!’ The hanyou advanced again, Tetsuaiga reversing its direction and drawing ever closer.
‘Stop the blade!’ Sesshoumaru’s mind supplied logically. Yes, he needed to stop the blade! NOW!
Bakusaiga was clenched tightly in his fist and almost of its own accord, the blade tore through the air in a horizontal arc. The move was executed precisely, but something about it felt slightly off. Pushing the notion aside for later scrutiny, the daiyoukai indulged in a moment of satisfaction as the clash of metal against metal met his ears. He watched as the Tetsuaiga was torn from the hanyou’s grip, the blade returning to its inert state as it whipped away from them before plunging into the ground several yards away.
The feeling of triumph was fleeting indeed and evaporated entirely when his eyes again returned to the boy. Instantly, Sesshoumaru’s eyes widened in what could only be described as disbelief tinged with fascinated horror. Of all the injuries he could have inflicted, any one of them would have healed in a matter of hours or at most a few days. But there is one thing that even a youkai can not live without for more than a few moments.
Air…
The world slowed to an agonizing crawl and even the sound of his own thundering heart was no longer audible, or perhaps it had stopped beating all together.
‘How…?’ he wondered numbly. Had the path of his sword altered at the last moment, or perhaps the boy had moved more swiftly than he had anticipated? There was no way to know, it had happened far too quickly.
Over the centuries, Sesshoumaru had engaged in many battles and had faced many foes, yet nothing, nothing could have prepared him for this. Frozen in place, the demon lord could do little more than stare, his eyes fixed on the spray of blood as it erupted from Inuyasha’s throat.
It was a fatal injury…
He watched, an unpleasant chill surging through his veins as the hanyou fell back, his body slowly crumpling to the ground. Shakily, slowly, his clawed hand reached up, his eyes rolling back into his head as his body’s need for oxygen was left unfulfilled.
He shuddered; violently, and Sesshoumaru felt it in his own bones, his own treacherous body refusing to heed his mental command to remain impassive. He expected the pup to reach for his throat in the instinctual impulse to assess the injury. Instead, his fingers paused at the rosary.
He shuddered again, a gurgling sound escaping him as blood seeped through slightly parted lips. His fingers wrapped around the beaded chain and tightened visibly as his body stiffened in agony.
His eyes opened, just a little bit and Sesshoumaru moved to stand directly over him. A rush of air escaped through the tear in his throat causing an additional spray of blood to flow forward, some of which splattered across Inuyasha’s face.
Their eyes met and in spite of the fact that it was he, Sesshoumaru who had so grievously injured him, there seemed to be no signs of resentment in the boy’s eyes. His lips began to move as if he was trying to tell him something, but no sound was brought forth. Sesshoumaru’s brow creased in confusion but before he could question what it was the hanyou was trying to say, the tension melted from his body and the light, what little there was left completely faded from his eyes.
Inuyasha was… gone.
The deed was done; the promise fulfilled…
And yet… it wasn’t… right.
The crease in his brow only deepened as Sesshoumaru attempted to order his thoughts. This was what he had wanted, was it not? Yet as he stared down on the defeated form of his only sibling, he could not help but feel that it was not supposed to end this way.
His frown became thunderous, his hand clenching tightly at his side. Tremors of unbridled fury shook Sesshoumaru’s form, his lips thinning to a fine line as he fought the urge to transform. Something deep; instinctual inside of him was urging him to take his true form and shake the world with howls of his discontent.
The only question, was why?
Why was he suddenly overcome with such dissatisfaction that he wanted to destroy the world around him? Why was he so displeased to look down upon the bloodied, fallen form of the hanyou, the stain that had so thoroughly marred his family’s honor for the past one hundred years? He had wanted this, yet now that his objective was achieved he was overwhelmed with nothing but blinding rage.
“It was not your best effort Inuyasha.” Sesshoumaru whispered darkly. He had seen the hanyou fight more fiercely than he had done here today. The whelp knew what was at stake, yet he did not fight to his full potential.
“Why?!” the daiyoukai demanded forcefully.
Several seconds drifted by and only the self discipline that he had cultivated over so many centuries helped Sesshoumaru bring himself to order. A heavy rush of air escaped him as the demon’s soul settled in resolution. It would NOT end this way. Inuyasha would not taint his victory with the less than sufficient effort he had put forth on this day.
His fingers tightened around the hilt of Tensega and the sword was ripped, almost violently from its sheath. The daiyoukai blinked slowly, his eyes still fixed on his sibling. The seconds ticked by as Sesshoumaru waited for the sword’s mystical powers to surge forth.
But they never did…
His eyes narrowing, he strained to see the pallbearers of the afterlife, yet their appearance was never revealed to him. His eyes widening in disbelief, Sesshoumaru held the sword before him silently demanding its support. Instead of pulsing to life as he wished, Tensega remained silent, its power having drifted from his reach.
Illogically, the youkai lord swung the blade anyway attempting to slay the creatures he could not see. Unfortunately, his efforts proved fruitless as Inuyasha’s form remained completely unchanged. A second and third attempt yielded the same results and in his frustration, Sesshoumaru cast the sword to the ground and attempted to blink the swirls of red from his eyes.
What was the meaning of this?!
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