InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Brother My Brother ❯ Chapter 6

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

It had been four days since Inuyasha had left Miroku and Kirara in the meadow where Sango and Shippo now lay dead. Despite this, the half-demon was still rather surprised when he returned to find that neither Miroku nor Kirara were anywhere near. He sniffed the air and picked up their scent, faint and far away, but he knew he could follow it rather easily. However, he wanted to rest first. He laid Kagome down next to him and sat against a tree and closed his eyes. His body and mind were exhausted, having run from one place to another quicker than he had ever gone before. Now he was all out of ideas and had no clue as to what he was going to do. He knew he had to help Kagome, but he could not think of a way how. He could always try and steal the Tenseiga away from Naraku, but hell if he knew where the devious demon was, and he knew time was running out for Kagome. He opened his eyes and looked at her motionless body, now turned rather gray from decomposition. He shook his head, telling himself that all would be fine once he found a way to help her. He sighed and decided to get some sleep before he headed out to find Miroku. After all, it was late into the night and he had traveled all day. He yawned and closed his eyes for a moment, but opened them again when his acute hearing picked up a familiar sound.

The sound was close by, and hissed through the otherwise silent air over and over again. Inuyasha rose to his feet, looking for the source of the sound, and spotted a faint glow of light through the trees. The noise occurred again and again, and Inuyasha realized that it was not just one creature making it, it was several of them. Another hiss and another reached his ears, and the realization of what it was violently overcame him. Overhead, a Soul Collector flew by, leaving behind it a trail of light that soon faded into the dark night. Inuyasha followed it with his eyes, all the way to the source of light deeper in the forest. His throat suddenly felt dry, and he struggled to swallow. What's Kikyo doing all the way out here?

Inuyasha was suddenly confused as to what to do. He wanted to see Kikyo, but he did not want to have to bring Kagome. That would only anger the former priestess. However, he also did not want to leave Kagome alone, helpless to anything that may attack her in his absence. He looked down at her still form, contemplating and weighing out his options when he suddenly sensed someone behind him. He turned around, coming face to face with Kikyo herself. She had a stoic look on her face, her beautiful brown eyes frozen in a confusing mosaic of love and hatred.

"Inuyasha," she said, her icy cold voice stinging the half-demon's ears. "It is obvious she is dead and has been for several days. Why do you continue to hold on to her?"

Inuyasha swallowed nervously. "Well, I took her to see Sesshomaru because he was supposed to have this sword that heals, but he didn't have it and now…" He looked over his shoulder at Kagome. "Now I don't know what to do."

Kikyo remained motionless. "You should lay her to rest and forget about her."

Inuyasha cringed and faced her again. "I… I can't do that."

A fire began burning in Kikyo's dark eyes. "That is your only choice. If you do not, I will take her and do it myself."

"No!" the half-demon cried, taking a step back. "You… You can't take her. I… I won't let you."

"Inuyasha," Kikyo whispered. "What will you do to stop me? Will you kill me? Do you wish me dead as well?"

The half-demon froze. "No, no," he stammered. "Kikyo, I don't want to lose you. It's not like that. It's just…" He looked again at Kagome. "I need to protect Kagome, too."

"Nothing you can do can save her," Kikyo stated firmly. "I believe not in this foolish tale of a healing sword. I will take her, and I will see to it that she enters the afterlife, never to return."

Inuyasha barely had time to react when a charge of energy came from Kikyo's hands, burning his eyes so that he could no longer see. He reeled blindly, trying to regain his balance so that he could use his remaining senses to find his once love, but another hot blast of energy collided with his chest, knocking him backwards. He landed roughly and his body shuddered with pain.

"Kikyo? Kikyo, where are you?" he called frantically as he struggled to his feet. The last attack had rendered him somewhat senseless and he had a difficult time locating her. "What're you doing?"

"I am taking her, Inuyasha," Kikyo's voice responded. "She will not interfere again."

"What're you talking about?" Inuyasha demanded. He reached out for her, but all that met him was another blast of energy, more powerful than the last. He was thrown backwards, his mind struggling for consciousness, until his back slammed against the hard wood of a tree and there he lay still.