InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Bound by Blood ❯ Chapter 16: Two Views of One Nightnare ( Chapter 16 )

Chapter 16 Two Views of One Nightmare

 

As Kagome stood there staring at the man that had released them from hell, the memories came rushing back and she fell to her knees.

 

Her arms hurt the shackles cutting her forearms and wrists. The back of her legs now held whip marks preventing her from standing. Her right shoulder was dislocated and the weight of her body hanging from it made the pain excruciating. It had been threes day of constant whipping; no longer did they ask questions, the goal was to brake her. Lifting her head, Kagome looked at Yuriye, she was still chained and forced to watch Kagome's torture.

 

Rain had started to fall almost 4 days ago and it seemed as though the sky continued to weep for the two, shackled and beaten but they had yet to be broken.

 

Kagome saw blood running from the cuffs attached to Yuriye's wrists and the collar on her neck. The rain wasn't helping; it was causing the metal to chafe their skin raw. No longer did they hear the gravelly voice of the commanders barking out questions, instead rumors spread that foreign demons had finally decided to intervene, after three years in this hell.

 

The camp was in total disarray the miko that had carried out her whipping had stopped about 30 minutes ago. Looking down she could see strips of her skin from her back. She could only imagine what her back truly looked like. Kagome had tears running down her face she was starting to feel that their luck had finally run out.

 

Soon though orders were to immediately evacuate the detention camp, all youkai were to be left behind. Kagome could hear everyone scrambling to leave. She could barely hear a loud explosion at the front gate behind her, but she had all most no energy left. Her sight had become fuzzy and a ring of black had surrounded the edge of her vision for almost 2 days.

 

Kagome wasn't sure how time had passed till Yuriye had passed out, but she could barely see or hear anything around her. She could feel the rain pounding on her back, each rain drop stinging and felt weighed. The ground at her feet was pure crimson her hair was no long white and silver but a dirty reddish brown.

 

Suddenly long snow white hair appeared in Kagome's fading vision. Lifting her head slowly the first thing Kagome saw were plain black boots, she slowly lifted her head, dingy white hakamas stained by the mud and Kami knows what else. Slowly the bottom of his obi a rich royal blue and stunning maroon, then the bottom of his chest plate, black and silver, all came into her sight . His arms were encased in armor, the shoulders portion protected in spikes. She could see a pelt hanging off his back. He also had two swords on his waist. His face had a single jagged navy blue strip on each of his cheeks, his mouths was drawn into a straight line and, sadden warm honey eyes stared back into her multi colored eyes. She saw his lips moving but had trouble understanding what he was trying to say.

 

Kagome saw the youkais eyes narrow as he frowned, and tried to focus on his voice.

 

“… me your name,” The deep voice was oddly calming.

 

“Kagome,” Her voice was barely above a whisper as she looked up she noticed another youkai standing near where Yuriye was passed out. “Leave her alone, get away from her!!” Kagome tried to fight against her restraints but all it succeeded in doing was cut her up more and cause her back to bleed even more.

 

Kagome felt a gentle touch on her cheek and she looked towards the male again.

 

“We aren't going to harm her; we are going to release her. We just have to figure out how to release the shackles without harming her. The same goes for you, these shackles have miko energy and we don't wish do you further harm.” He suddenly stopped when he heard a harsh laugh.

 

“Do you think you can hurt us any more than how we have been living for the past three years? Do you think that when we leave here it's going to end?” Kagome's voice was bitter and while she was glad that they had survived, she knew that their troubles were just beginning.

 

“Kagome, Kagome …Kagome!!!” Kagome was jarred out of her memories. The rain was still pouring and thunder crashed above them, and yet Togaou still stood silent in front of them. His eyes still held the same saddened look, a look of pity that Kagome couldn't stand from anyone.

 

“Your eyes still hold pity for someone who wants none.” Kagome growled out and many eyes widened with her statement. Her expression was drawn tight and her eyes held anger. She could feel her knees getting soaked from the wet ground.

 

Togaou knew that Kagome would not be happy to see him but after hearing what Kaede had told him of how she had found them, he knew that Kagome words from so long ago had come true. Their troubles hadn't ended after they were released from the detention camp. He couldn't imagine what they had gone through but he was more worried about Kagome, he had heard about the blood tears and knew the dangers of them.

 

Looking at Kagome's eyes Togaou could see much more pain than he was expecting. Kagome's eyes looked old and tired and he had seen this look before in youkai that had been through too much pain and loss. He would never expect such a young youkai to have that look in her eyes.

 

“It's been far too long Kagome since we have last talked.” Togaou knew that Kagome and Yuriye had run away from the hospital as soon as they both could walk. “Please, may we talk or will you run once again away?”

 

Kagome's eyes seemed to grow colder and everyone around them noticed that they could see their breaths and that the temperature dropped. But Kagome didn't move from her spot, her claws were once again digging into her palms. She was fighting with her instincts again; the adrenaline had started to flow into her blood.

 

Kagome knew that he spoke the truth; they had run as fast and as far as they could the first time and hadn't stop. The truth hit her much harder than she could ever imagine. The problem was that she felt boxed in, and any animal that felted cornered in would attack.

 

It had taken her years of running to build up her walls of protection, but this youkai appearance alone had the power to strip away that protection.

 

“I will talk with you, but I don't want Yuriye involved.” She knew he needed the answers, the same ones they ran from the first time.

 

“Very well, if you wish for this to be one on one, so be it.” Togaou didn't think Kagome would've agreed this fast, but it had been 80 years since the last time they met and she had changed a great deal already.

 

Togaou was sickened by the site of another youkai detention camp. Youkai detention camp, more like a youkai slaughter house, he could only imagine what he would find in this one.

 

As he let another wind scar destroy the opening to the compound he was unprepared for what he would see. As he walked into the now destroyed entrance the first thing that caught his eye were two youkai chained in the middle of the court yard. He could not tell what type of youkai they were because of the rain and the amount of blood in the air.

 

He started to walk forward he noticing the blood on the back of the one facing away from him. Getting closer he saw large strips of skin missing from the youkais back and were now lying at the youkais feet with what little cloth that covered it was also in shredded. He could not imagine any male youkai being able to withstand this type of torture.

 

He could see the one in front and facing him was a female but she was passed out. He noticed that the worst injuries on her resulted from the shackles on her wrists and neck. Once he was close enough to the body facing away from him dangling by their wrists what he came to see completely astounded him

 

It was not only a female inu youkai but she was still awake. He noticed her head slowly lift and saw dead ice blue and silver eyes looking at him.

 

His men that surrounded him could see that in his eyes you could see a fierceness, to protect his lands, mates, and his pups but even those feelings were different from the anger and pity he felt for these youkai.

 

The youkai from this country had asked for help from the youkai council leader, but they had turned their backs on them for far too long. Though he had tried to change their minds it was not until a survivor had made it to one of the free nations and came before his own eyes and beheld the grave injuries, that he was able to change the minds of the youkai world. The attention the youkai of America needed the aid the most.

 

He was sick from the feeling that politics had tied his hands on the matter. `How many had not made it as these two seemingly had?' He thought while looking at the scarred back of the hanging female.

 

Her white or silver hair was matted with her own blood, the air was stained with the scent of her tears, she was a fighter and yet when he looked into her hollowed out pale eyes, it was as though he was looking into death itself. Eyes that did not belong on one so young, her eyes were haunting and his beast was rattled by the sight of them. He did not know whether to be angrier at it all or feel pitied by her plight.

 

“Can you tell me your name?” Togaou voice sounded deep but she just continued to look at him and he frowned. He was starting to think that they maybe it was too late to save this one but he tried again. “Can you tell me your name?”

 

This time she seemed to understand and the smallest horsed whisper came out, “Kagome…”

 

Allowing himself to relax slightly he looked towards the restraints that held the abused inu. He could feel the holy energy embedded in them and growled, even in their cowardice they had found a way to continue to inflict harm upon those left behind.

 

As his men moved around him he could hear the whispers. His men were tired they had barely stopped to rest since they had arrived. As his men moved to help the small inu on the ground he heard and saw how protective Kagome was of her.

 

`How, are you still able to fight little one?' Togaou knew he needed to calm her down and so tried to talk to her but her last statement took him back, it unnerved him how dead serious she was.

 

Togaou memories ended abruptly when he felt something gently touching his arm. Looking down he noticed Kagome's tiny hand on his arm, he had no idea of when she got up or when she had approached. Looking into Kagome's eyes he was happy to see that they had life in them once again and not the hollowed out dead ones that had once unnerved his beast.

 

“I believe we can talk in Kaede's office,” Togaou turned to his side to allow Kagome to go before him.

 

“Kagome, you don't have to do this alone! Let me help, you don't have to carry this burden alone!” Yuriye was standing next to Sango her voice strong but eyes gave away her fear.

 

Kagome could see the fear in Yuriye's eyes and knew she couldn't put her through what would come out in the room with Togaou. “Yes I do Yuriye.”