InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Alone till Love ❯ The Encounter ( Chapter 6 )

Mia: This is where the story really starts to take off!

Inu-yasha: Meaning I come into the damn story! About time!

Mia: Ungrateful beast......

Cresent: Can you get any more ANAL!?

Inu: I'm cool, you're not. *sticks out tongue at Cresent*

Mia: *mumbling* yes, you can.....

Inu: What?! Just cause she's not cool......

Cresent: Are you calling me FAT?!?!?

Mia:......*sweat-drop* I'm surrounded by idiots......Oh well, on with the story!

~

Chapter 6: The Encounter

Kagome ran, blindly. She had trusted him, whole-heartedly, and he had betrayed her......left her to finish impossible training so that he could enjoy the pleasures of his entrancing charm. And had that been Danieru?

The elder of the elf-sisters? The woman who'd loved Riku since she had begun her training? Surely she would've perished in Auron's attack all those years ago? And yet there she had been, lying on top of Soul......

Kagome swelled with anger. How dare she and Soul? Running into the forest to be alone, as if their affair was any less obvious than what Kagome had just painfully witnessed. To leave both Riku and her in the cold, as if only they existed in the world.....

Kagome felt a light blush creep up her cheeks as she slowed to a walk, her feature pensive and her eyes glittering in remembrance. She could recall feeling such a way in the consoling arms of Soul, many a time, when the pressures of training......of leaving her only family behind to learn the ways of the guardians......when the pressures of life weighed her down; when the world seemed to rest upon her very shoulders.

How could he be so indifferent? She had grown to love Soul and had wished for them to remain together after her training......and yet, evidently, he adored Danieru much more than her......Kagome sighed and felt her eyes begin to burn; but she would not cry.

She wiped a single tear away from her bright, chocolate eyes and fought back the urge to rush back to the very bank of the river and slap Soul. Oh, after all Riku had taught her! Throughout her childhood, the words of Riku had rang through her immature head.

"Do not trust anyone. Never let your guard down; for you never know what enemy, whether it be frivolous or otherwise, may wait around the corner."

Words Riku and Kouwyn had memorized from Lord Tidus; from Father. Kagome frowned, looking about her. The sun was still high in the sky, and it could be no later than noon-time. And yet, the wind was howling through the trees, and the sky was growing black.

Kagome took a deep breath, inhaling and sorting through the various scents. Among those, Danieru and Soul's scents. Kagome froze. There! In the midst of all the scents was the one that made her blood run cold, her head spin, and her mouth fall dry.

Auron.

The scent she had vowed to remove from this earth forever. The scent that belonged to, could only belong to, the evil being who had murdered hundreds of innocent guardians. Her family, her teachers and pupils, her friends.......and yet......

She realized this may be her only choice to finally prove herself to Soul. To maybe expose her true strength and force Soul to see what he had missed...... But there was the faces of all she remembered, of the deceased, that gave her the anger that boiled deep inside

She spun around and slammed her fist into a nearby tree. Her only thoughts focused on Auron. She had vowed, those many years ago, that she would not let him escape from death once more. For as many years as Kagome could remember since that fateful day in the fields before the stronghold of the guardians, Auron had disappeared.....and yet, here was his scent. Clear in her mind, as she followed it. The rage within her could no longer be withheld. For both the deceased......and Soul.

~

Riku could smell better than his comrades, and was the first to realize something was terribly wrong, as Soul and Danieru returned, both concerned, yet not enough to fret.

"What were you doing when you saw her Soul?" Riku asked, his tone laced with a obviously forced nonchalance. Soul glanced at him with glittering, deep golden eyes. "And what business of yours would it be, Riku?" he replied coolly, though through his eyes shone anger and guilt.

"We were together!" Danieru exclaimed at Riku, blushing under his intense gaze as she stepped beside Soul. The elf gazed back with calculated emotion. Soul, however, was evidently furious.

"Danieru and I shall keep our own business to ourselves, Riku." He snapped at the raven-haired demon who was glaring at him with a mixture of crimson in his eyes. A warning sign that Soul didn't heed. The two demons stared into each others eyes, each one angry.

"You were doing something that upset Kagome, weren't you?!" Riku hissed, voice low, tone vehement. Soul's eyes flashed dangerously. "Do not question me!" the russet-haired demon said back, loudly. "I am the lord of the guardians. I WILL QUESTION YOU WHEN I FEEL LIKE IT!" Riku roared, everyone staring at the two.

Riku sighed inwardly. Did he always have to start so much trouble.

Soul seemed to be taken aback. Danieru opened her mouth once or twice, but failed to find the correct words. No one else spoke, an unnatural silence until Kouwyn jumped to his feet and--

"Auron."

A single word, and to each a different meaning. Riku stiffened at the name, and inhaled deeply. He almost choked. How had he not caught it before?! Auron's scent......and what was it mingled with? Could it be, was that......Was Kagome going to fight Auron?!

"NO!" Riku roared, voice echoing, loud and intense. Everyone was on their feet in an instant, save Chito, who hung back with anxious features. "Come on!" Akirako shouted over her shoulder, "It's time to fight!" The entire group was rushing after an angered Riku.

The demon girl smiled and drew out a long blade as she run. She stopped at the sight of Chito's concerned face. Chito didn't budge, and Akirako shrugged. "Suit yourself!" she called with a grin, and raced after her friends.

~

Kagome stood before Auron, robes billowing in the wind. Her eyes were focused only on Auron, every memory of hatred, of pain, radiating off her as she stood glaring at him. She gripped the hilt of her sword, but did not unsheathe it.

Auron, eyes still the purest of pastel blues, hair still long and the palest blonde. His expression, which was usually a sneer, was now nothing more than a frown. His ageless face did not expose the inner turbulence that so swayed his confidence.

Auron, an evil who had, until this moment, feared nothing, feared no one, stood fighting back the urge to turn and walk away from this confrontation. Kagome was more than a strong guardian, she had miko potential that made him almost call one of his own to take care of her brothers and remaining companions.

Instead, being the arrogant demon that Auron was, he stood there, gazing calmly back at Kagome as if she were nothing but a tree that glared back at him with eighteen years worth of hatred. Both remained silent, the very air around them tense, still. The trees didn't sway, for there was no wind now.

The sun still shone brightly, though it was dimmed by the foliage of the trees. Not a cloud was in the vibrant skies. Both Kagome and Auron knew Riku and the others were coming. Both were aware of the situation in which they found themselves.

Both trapped within, as well as without.

Suddenly, noise came back, the wind whispered as the trees swayed and the sound of voices growing nearby seemed only to loud in Kagome's ears. Riku, followed by the others at his heels, suddenly appeared, ripping through the nearby brush.

Riku came to a dead stop as he saw Kagome, staring across at , none other than Auron himself. The entire scene seemed to freeze once more. Not a single movement, not a single whisper......

"Evil begets evil, Kagome. Walk away! You must come with us!" rang a voice. Kagome didn't take her eyes off of Auron. It had been Soul who had called out to her. She spun around angrily, still carefully wary of Auron.

"Do you take me for a fool! I saw you and Danieru! YOU USED ME!" Kagome snapped, her eyes wide and her hair rippling behind her in the light wind. Auron didn't move, only glanced at Riku, who was standing, horrified between sister and best friend.

"Sister, come, we must go! We cannot deal with him today!" Kougen pleaded with his sister, emerald eyes shining. Auron smirked. "No, I must agree Kagome, do go with them. They are so intent on saving you, I fear they have forgot themselves."

Riku shot a glare at Auron.

"I do not fear you, Auron. Come and fight me, if you must! Spare Kagome, however, or face the wrath of the guardians in full force." The tall, raven- haired demon spat. Auron's smirk vanished. Riku was not bluffing, and Auron knew this.

Danika came behind Riku, standing near him, and gazing at him carefully. Danieru and Soul hung back, as Kouwyn, Kougen, and Kagome stood, staring at Riku as well. It had seemed that their leader was more intrepid, more ruthless, than they had dared believe.

"Let her be gone. I shan't be affected! I will find her, wherever she may be, and I will destroy her then! Do not take me as a fool, Lord Riku. I will kill her, someday. But first I will sit you down before me, so that you may see me cut out her still-beating heart. What torture, my friend. What torture."

Riku growled, the same, familiar deep growl that echoed within him. He glared at Kagome. "Soul! Akirako! Take her NOW!" with his final word, he raced at Auron, lunging at him with claws extended. "BASTARD!" he added, just barely grazing an unnaturally fast Auron.

"You cannot defeat me!" Auron replied coolly, glancing at Soul, who was dragging Kagome with him against her will. Akirako helping best she could. They vanished from sight, but Auron would not let Kagome escape--could not let her escape! In truth, his words were false. He must kill her, before her powers grew to great for even him to handle.

"DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE ME, AURON!" Riku roared, hitting Auron with his full force. The blue-eyed demon didn't make a sound, just leapt aside gracefully as his black blood drained from his shoulder and stained his robes.

In a moment, Auron was racing after Kagome with unnatural speed for even a demon. Riku rushed after him, leaving Danika, Danieru, and his brothers behind. `Please make it Kagome......please make it......' Riku thought, pushing himself to run faster.

He slid into the scene, just in time to hear an ear-splitting scream on Akirako's part. Just as she pushed Kagome down the well, blocking the raven- haired girl's body from view, Auron had come. Soul recited the necessary words hurriedly and without patience. She must make it......she must.

Auron was in spell-stance once more, but no longer vulnerable. He was protected by a large black, transparent barrier. From within it, he focused all his energy and shot it forth at Kagome--just as Akirako got in between.

The scream echoed through the forest. An unreal silence followed. Riku saw, horrified and, yet, unable to help her as the energy absorbed her body and she died instantly. Her last breath was ripped from her and she fell forward onto the soft green grass.

Her body smoked and turned to ashes instantly, before being blown off by the wind. Soul got to his feet, erecting his own barrier of white, along with Riku, to protect themselves from Auron. But the pale-haired demon was finished; he had killed Akirako, he had warned the guardians. The message was evident......

Auron would not fail next time.

The silence lasted until Auron moved, the barrier still around him, making him nearly untouchable. Riku glanced at Soul; their eyes met and locked and they both let their barriers drop. "I cannot follow Kagome, for that portal is holy and cannot be touched by me. Fear not Lord Riku, for I shall return. More powerful than can be imagined. Prepare yourselves for my return."

With the last words, Auron disappeared. His scent vanished, his body no longer visible. And still......the unnatural silence lasted, no one breathing. Danika and the others came into view, loudly and breathed both in relief and horror.

Riku dropped to his knees before the well, and the remaining ashes of Akirako, who had died in Kagome's place. Akirako, who had given her life......for the greater good that had taken so many lives before.

Soul went to the group, whispering and hissing at them all. Only Danika went to Riku, kneeling beside him and grabbing his hands in her. The two kneeled before the well, heads bowed, and the others followed suit. Riku's only thoughts were now focused on the events at hand. Kagome was safe, for now. But how long?

He owed Akirako both his and Kagome's lives for doing what she did, and he would never forget. They sat there, each praying until the sun began to set. The words Danika had said to him only that day came back to him as he remembered Akirako. Remembered her smile and cheerful demeanor in the face of danger.

Remembered his horrible weakness as Akirako was killed.....and yet, she had showed bravery beyond bravery. Riku smiled grimly, the words ringing through his head......

"A guardian does not hide from the enemy...... Even if death is the certain consequence."

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Mia: *Sniff* Poor, Poor Akirako.

Cresent: She was so young so beautiful….DAMN THAT RAP MUSIC!!

Inu: oops Gomen nasai *Turns off rap music*

Mia: I never liked that rap music.

Cresent: Moving on. OK how was that PLz Review ok. JA NE