InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Beauty Meets Beast ❯ Trial and Sacrifice ( Chapter 16 )

Beauty Meets Beast

 

Rei: Yes, there was a reason I killed him off. I wanted to show that Sesshoumaru's feelings for Kagome have grown so strong that he is willing to save the life of a human he barely knows. Trust me, I love Miroku…I didn't like killing him off…but he didn't stay dead, so that's all that matters. Plus…I wanted to enhance Kagome's feeling of being alone for this chapter. If she thought Miroku was still alive, she might still have confidence that they would get out easily. Now, she sees that isn't the case.

 

Nowyouseemenowyoudont: You can come out of your corner now. XD Oh, and sorry about the color last time. I don't know why it does that. I was typing it in a dark purple but somehow that translates to pink on the site. And this is the only site that does that.

 

Chapter 16 Trial and Sacrifice

 

“Let me go!” Kagome screamed as they once again dragged her who knows where. The only positive thing that she could find was that they were back outside, which meant her chances of being found were decidedly higher. “You are so dead when I figure out how you're controlling my purification!”

 

“Now, now, calm down. We don't want your lover to miss the main event.”

 

“What the hell are you talking about?” she yelled, trying to hide her surprise. They had stopped in the middle of a large clearing; her arm gripped tightly in Warui's clawed hand.

 

“There is no use pretending. He is almost here and then we may start.”

 

“If he is here, you are so dead! You might as well let me purify you now.” He smirked and she tried to look serious. “You think your friends' deaths were bad. That is nothing compared to what he will do to you.” But, even as she said this, Kagome could feel the doubt welling up. `Sesshoumaru isn't here; he must be confusing him with Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru doesn't care what happens to me, except that he's gonna have to kidnap someone else to teach Rin.' She struggled to keep her face bored, imitating the youkai she wished was actually coming. `At least Sango is safe…' she trailed off as she thought back to Miroku. `There's no way he survived. He hit the wall head on.'

 

“Ah, here he comes. And he brought friends. No matter, they will not change things.”

 

Kagome gasped as she looked up, barely able to believe her eyes when she saw two silver haired figures emerging from the foliage. But when she saw Miroku just behind them, Sango cradled in his arms, she cried out, unable to contain her joy. `He's not hurt at all! How could that be?'

 

She didn't have long to think on this however as Dorei chose that moment to throw her over his shoulder and took off into the woods.

 

“Inuyasha, go. And know that if you fail to keep her safe, I will take great pleasure in killing you.” Sesshoumaru growled as he continued to advance on Warui. The young hanyou merely scoffed and twisted off into the woods, Tessaiga in hand. “Monk,”

 

“Yes lord Sesshoumaru,”

 

“Take the woman and go.” Once they were gone, Sesshoumaru once again approached his enemy.

 

“So quick to send you allies away? You will regret that. But do not worry; they will soon join you in the afterlife.”

 

 

Sesshoumaru merely stared blankly at him, drawing Tokigen from its resting place. “Prepare to die.”

 

0000000000000000

Inuyasha could hear Kagome ahead of him cursing like a sailor and it made him proud. `That's my girl.' It didn't take him long to catch up to them. When they finally came into view, he snarled. Dorei had Kagome on the ground and was slowly stripping her clothes.

 

“Let me go!” She screamed, kicking at him in attempt to throw him off. She once again shrieked when he grabbed her shirt, tearing through her freshly healed wounds. Sick of looking at him, she turned her head to the side, smirking when she caught a flash of red. “You are so dead.”

 

“I'm going to enjoy this,” Dorei chuckled, unable to sense the presence behind him.

 

“So am I.” Dorei frowned and turned behind him, gasping as he was met with the broad side of Inuyasha's fist. “Kagome, are you ok?” he said softly, kneeling next to her.

 

“Yes, I'm fine,” she murmured, trying in vain to get her clothing into some semblance of order. “I think I sprained my ankle though.”

 

“You interrupted my play,” Dorei snarled, pulling himself from the tree Inuyasha had thrown him into. “Now I'm going to make you wish your mother never disgraced the world with your presence.”

 

“Oh yeah, let's see it!” Dorei rushed at Inuyasha then, hands out to strangle him. When he was a foot from him, Inuyasha casually picked Kagome up and leapt over the frustrated wolf, smirking when the pathetic creature ran into another tree. “Nice attack, you almost dented the tree. But now it's my turn.” Dorei didn't even know what hit him. Before he could even pick himself up, Inuyasha had grabbed him and thrown him through three more trees. “Still having fun?”

Dorei snarled and turned to glare at the surprisingly reserved hanyou, however the effect was totally ruined by the blood coursing down his face. He screamed and charged pulling a dagger from his belt.

 

“Nice toy, how about I show you the real thing.” He drew Tessaiga from its sheath, smirking when the wolf abruptly stopped and turned in retreat. “Hope you enjoy Hell.”

 

00000000000000000000

“It would seem as if your friend has failed.” Warui grinned as he prepared to lunge at the utterly bored taiyoukai.

 

“I think not,” Sesshoumaru replied, neatly sidestepping the attack and looking to where Inuyasha was emerging from the trees with Kagome in tow. He inwardly frowned when he realized she was wearing the hanyou's haori, but he pushed it to the back of his mind. Turning back to his enemy, he began flicking grit from under one of his claws. “It is you who has failed”

 

“We shall see.” He lunged again, his face seeming to glow in the fading sunlight, smirking when Sesshoumaru once again moved to sidestep him. Right as he past him, Warui pulled a vial from his belt and threw it at him, grinning madly as he watched it shatter on impact. Sesshoumaru growled as he suddenly found himself utterly unable to move. “Nice, isn't it? Don't bother trying to move. That potion was made by a miko, you cannot break it.” He smiled as he walked past the immobile taiyoukai. “Now to claim my prize.”

 

“In your dreams creep!” Inuyasha yelled, setting Kagome down at the base of a nearby tree. “You still gotta go through me!”

 

“Not a problem,” he said, casually pulling a bag from his pocket and extracting a white powdery substance, which he proceeded to blow in Inuyasha's face.

 

“What the…” Inuyasha gasped, collapsing to the ground.

 

“This powder is something special I picked up to knock out unruly dogs.” He slowly turned to Kagome, his fingers tapping together ominously. “And now my dear, it is your turn.”

 

“NO!” Sesshoumaru screamed, struggling against the invisible bonds that held him as he watched Warui draw his sword and advance on the now trembling Kagome who was struggling to get up. She managed to stand, but once again fell over when she tried to get away. Sesshoumaru could only watch as she tried to get away, his youki rising with each second. Warui was almost upon her now, laughing maniacally as he raised his sword to strike her. “You will not touch her!” Sesshoumaru roared, releasing his raging youki and shattering the bonds that held him at bay.

 

Meanwhile, Kagome watched in slow motion as Warui charged at her. Turning to Sesshoumaru, her eyes widened minutely when she saw him break free and rush at them, tackling Warui to the ground. But, just when she thought it was over, Warui suddenly drew a dagger from his belt and threw. The young miko found herself utterly paralyzed with fear as she watched the knife barrel towards her head. Enraged even further, Sesshoumaru wasted no time in driving his hand through Warui heart and once again took off. Kagome screamed and threw her arms up to protect her face, awaiting the blow…that never came.

 

She slowly opened her eyes, and immediately wished she hadn't. Sesshoumaru had gotten between her and the blade and it was now lodged deep in his chest. He collapsed on top of her, his now Ebony hair covering her like a blanket. Before she knew it, Kagome was wailing, turning him over so she could inspect the wound. The blade had entered his chest from the side and she was sure it had punctured his lung. His face was slowly draining itself of color and she sobbed as he struggled for breath.

 

“Kagome…are you *cough*…injured?”

 

“Shhhhhh, don't talk. You have to save your strength.” She pulled his head into her lap and stroked his hair, her eyes searching the clearing for Miroku.

 

“Kagome…I wanted *cough* you to know *cough*…that y-you…”

 

“Hush! Don't talk like that! You're going to be fine! You'll heal in the morning and then everything will be fine.”

 

“Listen…I f-finally…understand *cough* what my father…was talking…about.”

 

“What?”

 

“You…you are who I protect. *cough* Please…tell Rin…th-that this Sesshou*cough*maru is pleased…with her.”

 

“What are you talking about? Tomorrow we'll go home and you can tell her yourself.” She continued to stroke his hair, surprised when he suddenly grasped her hand in his own.

 

“This Sesshoumaru is…glad you were not *cough* hurt.” His grip on her hand wavered and Kagome felt the tears begin anew as his eyes drooped shut and his hand fell from her grasp completely.

 

“NO!” She screamed, curling her body even further around his now crumpled form. “Please, please don't leave me! I would have gladly chosen death if I knew this was the alternative!”

 

`Is this true?'

 

The sound of such an airy voice caused Kagome to jump up. She quickly scanned the field, but saw no one. “Who said that!” When no answer seemed to come, Kagome once again turned her gaze to the broken youkai lord. But something was different this time, she could feel power crackling in the air and when she looked up this time; Kagome was shocked to see the form of Kikyo standing before her. “Wha…”

 

“Surprised to see me Kagome?” She knelt in front of the couple, her form wavering a bit as she struggled to stay corporeal. “I assume by your expression that he did not tell you I was the one to curse him.”

 

Kagome shook her head furiously, unsure what to make out of any of this. Kikyo had died shortly before the final battle…she'd seen it with her own eyes. “How..are you…”

 

“Here? It is because of his curse. You see, I knew his lifespan was exponentially greater than my own and so when cursing him, I created a loophole so that, should he ever break the curse…I would be able to come back and see it for my own eyes. I never thought it would be you though.”

 

“What are you talking about? And why did you curse him?”

 

“Sacrifice,”

 

“Wha…”

 

“This youkai was so haughty that he thought no one to be worthy of his protection. No one was worth any effort on his part.”

 

“But what does that have to do with you?”

 

“That does not matter. But, by sacrificing himself for you, even when he knew night drew near and that he would therefore change, he has lifted the curse. And now I once again ask you, is it true? If you could change what happened, would you have wished for death simply so this youkai could live?”

 

Kagome sniffed and looked down at the elegant youkai lord in her lap, would she? She felt herself nodding her head even as she thought back over the past few weeks. She didn't know when it had happened, but sometime during all the fights and frights…she'd fallen for him…hard. When she'd seen him across that field had truly been the happiest moment in her life. “But why did he come for me?”

 

“Love makes one do strange things.”

 

Kagome's gaze shot up. “Wha…love? Are you saying, you think he loved me?”

 

“Why else would he come to your rescue? But we are getting off subject. Would you trade places with him if you could?”

 

Kagome didn't even hesitate this time as she stiffly nodded her head. “I would do anything for him.”

 

“That's all I needed to know.”

 

Kagome gasped as Kikyo's form suddenly shattered, sending blankets of dust around Kagome and her fallen lord. Sesshoumaru's body began to glow and it slowly rose from the ground. She tried for a moment to pull him back, but the force on his body was too strong and he was lifted high into the air. Kagome's eyes widened as she saw a glimmer of silver appear on his head and realized what was happening. He was changing back into a youkai. She couldn't help the tears that fell from her eyes as she watched his form change, the dust providing extra flair to the transformation. When he lowered back to the ground, Kagome moved to rush to his side, but halfway there she froze, her hand coming up to cover her mouth.

 

He shifted, his arm coming up to push himself to his knees and up to a standing position. He spun around to face her, his expression one of total shock. “Kagome?”

 

Unable to contain her joy anymore, Kagome flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around him. He stiffened for a moment, but she refused to let go. After a moment, his arms came to wrap around her body and she smiled, tightening her grip. However when he moved to grip her chin and tilt her face to look at him, it was her turn to stiffen. He slowly leaned down, and she watched, unable to believe her eyes. When his lips met hers, the world melted away to nothing. His tongue swept gently over her bottom lip and she moaned, deepening the kiss.

 

“Ahem,” Inuyasha said softly, causing them to shoot apart. He grinned and glanced over to Miroku and Sango. “I think they forgot we were here.”

 

“Oh shut up!” Kagome said as she threw a rock at the hanyou's head.

 

A.N. The end of this chapter took FOREVER! I kept struggling with the wording. Hope you are all happy with the way the final battle turned out. There will be at least one more chapter…maybe two. Oh and I got my laptop back! XD I am REALLY glad too. I was about to throw the other one out the window. The stupid internet connector wouldn't work right and so every 3 minutes I had to go in and manually connect to the network. But Havoc is back (my computer's name is Havoc Prrrrpt) and everything is right in the cosmos again…or well for the moment it is. Please read and review!