InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ An Unforeseen Flame ❯ Naraku's Plans Revealed ( Chapter 22 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: XmArKzThEsPoT 
Naraku reveals his plans.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Action / Angst | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 10.02.2012 | Pages: 1 | Words: 2.1K | Visits: 372 | Status: Work In Progress
Naraku reveals his plans.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Action / Angst | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 10.02.2012 | Pages: 1 | Words: 2.1K | Visits: 372 | Status: Work In Progress
A/N: Hope you all enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi.
Icy talons of sheer panic clawed at Sesshomaru as he raced toward Naraku's hateful domicile. His heart was pounding more furiously in his chest than he ever thought possible and his eyes began to bleed red. He could barely detect the green blur of trees as he flew past them, nor could he hear the call of the birds in the open sky above him. He was singularly focused.
Sesshomaru could count on his one hand the number of times in his life he could actually remember being truly afraid, and even those few were far between. He found it a foreign emotion, to say the least, but at the moment, his fear for Kagome's well-being was the only thought prevalent within his mind. He slowed his pace slightly as he entered the castle grounds through the tingling barrier. The Youkai Lord was prepared for anything, or so he thought.
The scene that unfolded before Sesshomaru as he reached Naraku's castle was a gruesome spectacle. Hundreds of slaughtered demons littered the otherwise barren ground, their blood staining the muddy brown earth a deep red. The scent of slaughter was so heavy in the air that Sesshomaru could taste the acrid mix of dry dust and coppery blood thick on his tongue.
Inuyasha stood gripping his Tetsusaiga tightly in anticipation of the next onslaught of demons. The hanyou was battered, and a deep gash in his left shoulder was oozing blood, but it seemed that the wound was already starting to clot and would soon be on the mend. He was, by far, in better shape than his other companions.
The monk had fallen unconscious and was sweating profusely. Sesshomaru surmised that the foolish man had used the wind tunnel in his hand only to be met with Naraku's poison insects, as the Demon Lord had seen happen before. The demon slayer was bloodied and obviously exhausted, but she and her limping two-tail were sparing no efforts in furiously protecting the comatose monk.
As he watched her stand at the ready for the oncoming wave of demons, the inuyoukai suddenly felt a sense of camaraderie with the tired demon slayer. She, like him, would, and was doing, anything she possibly could to protect the one she loved. The grim look of determination plastered upon her pale face mirrored Sesshomaru's own feelings about recovering Kagome from the evil half-breed who had kidnapped her. Both the slayer and the Youkai Lord would fight valiantly, using every ounce of their strength, until they were dead or their loved one was safe.
On the opposite side of the battlefield, the wolf was sporting many injuries of his own. His arms were dripping blood from various cuts in his arms, and there was a gaping hole in left leg where a jewel shard had once been. Despite these wounds, the wolf was still standing tenaciously, with clenched fists, as he waited for the next assault.
Vaguely the Demon Lord noticed the absence of the fox kit. Kagome would have been pleased. His thoughts then shifted to his young ward. He was momentarily overcome by a wave of worried nausea. If they had taken Kagome, what had become of little Rin? He dispelled the thought immediately. Kagome would have done everything in her power to make sure the girl was safe. She was probably somewhere with Jaken and Ah-Un, scared, but safe. Yes, she had to be safe. The inuyoukai fervently hoped that this was the case.
"So kind of you to finally join us, Sesshomaru," Naraku mocked from the entrance of his castle. Standing next to him was the man that had kidnapped Kagome. Immediately, Sesshomaru reached for his Tokijin.
"Where is she?" he growled menacingly, his eyes red with fury. The sharp ring of steel filled the air as Tokijin cleared its scabbard, the inuyoukai gripping the hilt so tightly that his knuckles were white. Naraku looked increasingly pleased by Sesshomaru's question.
"Ah, a familiar situation, isn't it? Although, this time you're chasing after a different girl," he taunted with an arrogant smirk. Inuyasha's ears perked at Naraku's comment as he came to the realization that Kagome was the topic of conversation. "Your pesky humans always seem to be getting themselves caught up in some sort of trouble. I don't know why you even bother with rescuing them."
"Where is she?" Sesshomaru reiterated, his voice dangerously low. He was shaking with rage as he pointed his gleaming blade at Naraku.
Inuyasha was surprised by the intense emotion radiating from his brother. He had never seen Sesshomaru when he was neither cool nor collected, and the sight was as unnerving to the hanyou as his own demonic transformation had been to his elder brother. Kagome truly was important to the Youkai Lord after all.
"I would advise against attempting to use your weapon against me, Sesshomaru," Naraku remarked, still smirking. "It would be utterly ineffective, as Utsuro would, without hesitation or doubt, move to shield me from your attack. His absorption of your blows would be more fatal to the priestess you are so intent on saving, and were that to happen, then none of us would get what we wanted, now would we? It would most assuredly put a damper on my evening's entertainment."
As Naraku spoke, the flesh on his newest incarnation's face seemed to peel away revealing the eerily peaceful face of an unconscious Kagome. Sesshomaru was relieved to see that she was still breathing. Horror crossed both Inuyasha and Koga's faces upon seeing Kagome in Naraku's hateful grasp.
"What have you done to her, you bastard?" Inuyasha demanded angrily, dashing forward to get at Utsuro with his Tetsusaiga. With a swift flash of steel, he was halted by the flat of Tokijin's thick blade hitting him firmly across the chest.
"Inuyasha, stop," Sesshomaru demanded, his voice, now calm and calculating, was devoid of the rage he had recently expressed. It appeared to Inuyasha that his brother had returned to the cold Sesshomaru that he was more accustomed to.
The inuyoukai had realized that his fury was clouding his judgment. Had he ran in swinging his sword wildly as Inuyasha was about to do, he could have killed Kagome. This was more than a battle of brawn and steel, it was a battle of wits, and he, Lord Sesshomaru, was the only demon on the battlefield that possessed any. But even his immense intellect seemed to be failing him. He would have to play along with Naraku's game until he detected a flaw.
"What are you doing, you moron? You went and got her captured, and now you won't let me save her? My Tetsusaiga will cut that pathetic demon to ribbons around Kagome." Inuyasha snapped irritably, rubbing at the stinging sensation the Tokijin had left across his chest. He could not understand his brother's change of heart. Why was he suddenly so unwilling to rush to her aid?
Koga was also caught off guard by Sesshomaru's demand. If the Youkai Lord wasn't going to save her, he definitely would, no matter how grievous his injuries. Just because he could boss the mutt around, didn't mean he could tell Koga what to do. The wolf charged Naraku's incarnation as quickly as his injured leg would allow, his fists clenched so tightly that his claws dug deeply into his palms drawing blood.
"That demon is hollow. Any damage you inflict will be absorbed, and Kagome will receive the blow instead. Attempting to rescue her through force would most probably kill her," Sesshomaru called out, stopping the wolf dead in his tracks, a thick cloud of dust at his feet as he skidded to a halt. The last thing Koga wanted was to injure the woman he loved.
"Ah, Sesshomaru, you always were the clever brother," Naraku taunted scathingly. "Far too clever to fall in love with something so fragile as a human, or so I always thought. I guess your young traveling companion was a clear sign that you were becoming soft."
Both Inuyasha and Koga were stunned by Naraku's assertion. Inuyasha could not imagine his brother in love with anyone, let alone Kagome, and Koga could not believe that he had even more competition for the woman's heart. Sesshomaru's pallid face remained unaffected by the despicable half demon's accusations. Naraku could taunt the inuyoukai all he wanted, but it mattered not. All that mattered was Kagome. Kagome needed to be rescued…needed to be safe…needed to be in his arms, not in Naraku's trap.
"What do you want, Naraku?" the Demon Lord implored stoically, bored with the hanyou's arrogance. "I will gladly trade places with her, if that is your wish. You can absorb me, as long as she may live. Is that your goal?"
Inuyasha was beside himself. Sesshomaru was offering his life in exchange for Kagome's? Was he really in love with the woman after all? The hanyou found himself experiencing an inexplicable range of emotions. Green tendrils of jealousy coursed through his entire being, but he was also relieved that there was someone else who loved to Kagome to help save her. They were going to need all the help they could get, even if it was from his bastard of a half-brother.
"As tempting as the offer is, Lord Sesshomaru, I have a better idea," Naraku replied grinning broadly at the derisive emphasis he had placed on the youkai's title. "You see, here we have three suitors attempting to rescue the poor kidnapped Kagome and win her heart," Naraku continued with feigned sympathy. "How romantic. What I propose is a duel to the death. The victor can have the woman. I promise I'll hand her over…as long as two of you are dead."
"What?" Inuyasha exclaimed alarmed. He looked around at Koga and Sesshomaru. Koga was as stunned as he was as the wolf stood, wearied and dripping sweat and hot blood onto the dusty ground below, but his elder brother maintained perfect composure.
Sesshomaru had already figured out that the despicable hanyou had lured all of them there for a reason. His plan to pit the three demons against each other was a surprise to the Demon Lord, but it was very much Naraku's manipulative style. Both the evil hanyou and inuyoukai knew that Kagome would despise whoever survived the battle for murdering people she cared about on her behalf. If this duel was allowed to take place, it would not have a happy ending, but Sesshomaru had made up his mind. If it came down to the lives of his brother and the wolf or the life of the priestess, he would end the two without a second thought and let Kagome live her life hating him. At least she would be alive that way.
"Oh come now, Inuyasha, don't look so surprised. This gives you the perfect chance to end your lifelong rivalry with your brother and win back the woman that he stole from you. You'll finally get the chance to prove you he's no better than you, despite his being full demon," Naraku remarked, pleased by the hanyou's shock." And you'll get to put that annoying wolf down, like you've always wanted to do. Assuming, you manage to come out of the fight victorious."
"And if we refuse this offer?" Sesshomaru inquired, regretting the question as soon as it had left his lips.
"Oh… You wouldn't want to do that," Naraku replied, releasing a deep purple cloud of miasma into the air. Utsuro began to absorb it as his face started to reform over Kagome's. The last thing the three demons heard before Utsuro's face completely covered the woman's was her choking coughs as she attempted to breathe through Naraku's poisonous miasma. There was no choice. It was them or her.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi.
Icy talons of sheer panic clawed at Sesshomaru as he raced toward Naraku's hateful domicile. His heart was pounding more furiously in his chest than he ever thought possible and his eyes began to bleed red. He could barely detect the green blur of trees as he flew past them, nor could he hear the call of the birds in the open sky above him. He was singularly focused.
Sesshomaru could count on his one hand the number of times in his life he could actually remember being truly afraid, and even those few were far between. He found it a foreign emotion, to say the least, but at the moment, his fear for Kagome's well-being was the only thought prevalent within his mind. He slowed his pace slightly as he entered the castle grounds through the tingling barrier. The Youkai Lord was prepared for anything, or so he thought.
The scene that unfolded before Sesshomaru as he reached Naraku's castle was a gruesome spectacle. Hundreds of slaughtered demons littered the otherwise barren ground, their blood staining the muddy brown earth a deep red. The scent of slaughter was so heavy in the air that Sesshomaru could taste the acrid mix of dry dust and coppery blood thick on his tongue.
Inuyasha stood gripping his Tetsusaiga tightly in anticipation of the next onslaught of demons. The hanyou was battered, and a deep gash in his left shoulder was oozing blood, but it seemed that the wound was already starting to clot and would soon be on the mend. He was, by far, in better shape than his other companions.
The monk had fallen unconscious and was sweating profusely. Sesshomaru surmised that the foolish man had used the wind tunnel in his hand only to be met with Naraku's poison insects, as the Demon Lord had seen happen before. The demon slayer was bloodied and obviously exhausted, but she and her limping two-tail were sparing no efforts in furiously protecting the comatose monk.
As he watched her stand at the ready for the oncoming wave of demons, the inuyoukai suddenly felt a sense of camaraderie with the tired demon slayer. She, like him, would, and was doing, anything she possibly could to protect the one she loved. The grim look of determination plastered upon her pale face mirrored Sesshomaru's own feelings about recovering Kagome from the evil half-breed who had kidnapped her. Both the slayer and the Youkai Lord would fight valiantly, using every ounce of their strength, until they were dead or their loved one was safe.
On the opposite side of the battlefield, the wolf was sporting many injuries of his own. His arms were dripping blood from various cuts in his arms, and there was a gaping hole in left leg where a jewel shard had once been. Despite these wounds, the wolf was still standing tenaciously, with clenched fists, as he waited for the next assault.
Vaguely the Demon Lord noticed the absence of the fox kit. Kagome would have been pleased. His thoughts then shifted to his young ward. He was momentarily overcome by a wave of worried nausea. If they had taken Kagome, what had become of little Rin? He dispelled the thought immediately. Kagome would have done everything in her power to make sure the girl was safe. She was probably somewhere with Jaken and Ah-Un, scared, but safe. Yes, she had to be safe. The inuyoukai fervently hoped that this was the case.
"So kind of you to finally join us, Sesshomaru," Naraku mocked from the entrance of his castle. Standing next to him was the man that had kidnapped Kagome. Immediately, Sesshomaru reached for his Tokijin.
"Where is she?" he growled menacingly, his eyes red with fury. The sharp ring of steel filled the air as Tokijin cleared its scabbard, the inuyoukai gripping the hilt so tightly that his knuckles were white. Naraku looked increasingly pleased by Sesshomaru's question.
"Ah, a familiar situation, isn't it? Although, this time you're chasing after a different girl," he taunted with an arrogant smirk. Inuyasha's ears perked at Naraku's comment as he came to the realization that Kagome was the topic of conversation. "Your pesky humans always seem to be getting themselves caught up in some sort of trouble. I don't know why you even bother with rescuing them."
"Where is she?" Sesshomaru reiterated, his voice dangerously low. He was shaking with rage as he pointed his gleaming blade at Naraku.
Inuyasha was surprised by the intense emotion radiating from his brother. He had never seen Sesshomaru when he was neither cool nor collected, and the sight was as unnerving to the hanyou as his own demonic transformation had been to his elder brother. Kagome truly was important to the Youkai Lord after all.
"I would advise against attempting to use your weapon against me, Sesshomaru," Naraku remarked, still smirking. "It would be utterly ineffective, as Utsuro would, without hesitation or doubt, move to shield me from your attack. His absorption of your blows would be more fatal to the priestess you are so intent on saving, and were that to happen, then none of us would get what we wanted, now would we? It would most assuredly put a damper on my evening's entertainment."
As Naraku spoke, the flesh on his newest incarnation's face seemed to peel away revealing the eerily peaceful face of an unconscious Kagome. Sesshomaru was relieved to see that she was still breathing. Horror crossed both Inuyasha and Koga's faces upon seeing Kagome in Naraku's hateful grasp.
"What have you done to her, you bastard?" Inuyasha demanded angrily, dashing forward to get at Utsuro with his Tetsusaiga. With a swift flash of steel, he was halted by the flat of Tokijin's thick blade hitting him firmly across the chest.
"Inuyasha, stop," Sesshomaru demanded, his voice, now calm and calculating, was devoid of the rage he had recently expressed. It appeared to Inuyasha that his brother had returned to the cold Sesshomaru that he was more accustomed to.
The inuyoukai had realized that his fury was clouding his judgment. Had he ran in swinging his sword wildly as Inuyasha was about to do, he could have killed Kagome. This was more than a battle of brawn and steel, it was a battle of wits, and he, Lord Sesshomaru, was the only demon on the battlefield that possessed any. But even his immense intellect seemed to be failing him. He would have to play along with Naraku's game until he detected a flaw.
"What are you doing, you moron? You went and got her captured, and now you won't let me save her? My Tetsusaiga will cut that pathetic demon to ribbons around Kagome." Inuyasha snapped irritably, rubbing at the stinging sensation the Tokijin had left across his chest. He could not understand his brother's change of heart. Why was he suddenly so unwilling to rush to her aid?
Koga was also caught off guard by Sesshomaru's demand. If the Youkai Lord wasn't going to save her, he definitely would, no matter how grievous his injuries. Just because he could boss the mutt around, didn't mean he could tell Koga what to do. The wolf charged Naraku's incarnation as quickly as his injured leg would allow, his fists clenched so tightly that his claws dug deeply into his palms drawing blood.
"That demon is hollow. Any damage you inflict will be absorbed, and Kagome will receive the blow instead. Attempting to rescue her through force would most probably kill her," Sesshomaru called out, stopping the wolf dead in his tracks, a thick cloud of dust at his feet as he skidded to a halt. The last thing Koga wanted was to injure the woman he loved.
"Ah, Sesshomaru, you always were the clever brother," Naraku taunted scathingly. "Far too clever to fall in love with something so fragile as a human, or so I always thought. I guess your young traveling companion was a clear sign that you were becoming soft."
Both Inuyasha and Koga were stunned by Naraku's assertion. Inuyasha could not imagine his brother in love with anyone, let alone Kagome, and Koga could not believe that he had even more competition for the woman's heart. Sesshomaru's pallid face remained unaffected by the despicable half demon's accusations. Naraku could taunt the inuyoukai all he wanted, but it mattered not. All that mattered was Kagome. Kagome needed to be rescued…needed to be safe…needed to be in his arms, not in Naraku's trap.
"What do you want, Naraku?" the Demon Lord implored stoically, bored with the hanyou's arrogance. "I will gladly trade places with her, if that is your wish. You can absorb me, as long as she may live. Is that your goal?"
Inuyasha was beside himself. Sesshomaru was offering his life in exchange for Kagome's? Was he really in love with the woman after all? The hanyou found himself experiencing an inexplicable range of emotions. Green tendrils of jealousy coursed through his entire being, but he was also relieved that there was someone else who loved to Kagome to help save her. They were going to need all the help they could get, even if it was from his bastard of a half-brother.
"As tempting as the offer is, Lord Sesshomaru, I have a better idea," Naraku replied grinning broadly at the derisive emphasis he had placed on the youkai's title. "You see, here we have three suitors attempting to rescue the poor kidnapped Kagome and win her heart," Naraku continued with feigned sympathy. "How romantic. What I propose is a duel to the death. The victor can have the woman. I promise I'll hand her over…as long as two of you are dead."
"What?" Inuyasha exclaimed alarmed. He looked around at Koga and Sesshomaru. Koga was as stunned as he was as the wolf stood, wearied and dripping sweat and hot blood onto the dusty ground below, but his elder brother maintained perfect composure.
Sesshomaru had already figured out that the despicable hanyou had lured all of them there for a reason. His plan to pit the three demons against each other was a surprise to the Demon Lord, but it was very much Naraku's manipulative style. Both the evil hanyou and inuyoukai knew that Kagome would despise whoever survived the battle for murdering people she cared about on her behalf. If this duel was allowed to take place, it would not have a happy ending, but Sesshomaru had made up his mind. If it came down to the lives of his brother and the wolf or the life of the priestess, he would end the two without a second thought and let Kagome live her life hating him. At least she would be alive that way.
"Oh come now, Inuyasha, don't look so surprised. This gives you the perfect chance to end your lifelong rivalry with your brother and win back the woman that he stole from you. You'll finally get the chance to prove you he's no better than you, despite his being full demon," Naraku remarked, pleased by the hanyou's shock." And you'll get to put that annoying wolf down, like you've always wanted to do. Assuming, you manage to come out of the fight victorious."
"And if we refuse this offer?" Sesshomaru inquired, regretting the question as soon as it had left his lips.
"Oh… You wouldn't want to do that," Naraku replied, releasing a deep purple cloud of miasma into the air. Utsuro began to absorb it as his face started to reform over Kagome's. The last thing the three demons heard before Utsuro's face completely covered the woman's was her choking coughs as she attempted to breathe through Naraku's poisonous miasma. There was no choice. It was them or her.