InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Captive Soul ❯ chapter 29 ( Chapter 29 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of it's characters.

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Chapter 29: Battle

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Confusion and shock, that is what Inuyasha felt as the chaos around him faded to a misty backdrop resembling a far off dream.

His lips formed the name once more in bewildered awe. "Sesshomaru?"

A sharp female yell from behind startled him out of the careless daze. "Inuyasha!"

He glanced behind him again. Kagome had notched another arrow. Fierce determination burned in her eyes. Under her breath she quickly whispered, "When Rin is out of the way, get him!"

With that private statement, the miko let the arrow fly.

Inuyasha swiveled around just in time to see the light of purity slash through the spider leg that had been barring her sister from escaping.

Kagome's sister, seeing her chance, ran from the spider hanyou. The young woman headed for the exit pathway.

Kouga, who had finished punching and kicking several sharp tentacles out of his way, hurried forward and snatched Kagome's sister up just as a large spider pincer slashed in her direction.

If not for Kouga, the razor sharp insect leg would have cut the girl in half. Unfortunately, the wolf prince had not been quite quick enough. A sharp cry and the smell of blood informed him that the girl had gotten injured somehow.

With the wounded girl in his arms, the wolf prince kicked the offending pincer away as he dodged and ran with incredible speed, taking the young woman out of harm's way.

Unexpectedly, a brand new barrage of attacks from the hanyou surged towards them.

As Inuyasha fought the multiplying number of encroaching tentacles and clicking spider pincers, he heard the half demon roar with anger.

"Fools! I will kill you all!"

Inuyasha did not pay attention to the pieces of Naraku that were falling all around him until it was almost too late.

A sucking pull at his feet immediately prevented him from moving. He glanced down.

The slimy converging pieces were reforming and squishing, molding a solid hold to his feet and calves.

Naraku was trying to absorb him!

This situation irked him to quite a degree. For one reason, he did not find the idea of being absorbed very appealing. For another reason, he did not want to be absorbed and become mixed with his brother.

A thought struck him. Every time Tetsusaiga shredded parts of the hanyou into chunks, it allowed Naraku to reform the pieces into gelatinous globs of devouring flesh.

He cursed while trying to strain out of the globby hold, resisting the instinct to cause more damage with his claws and creating additional threatening pieces.

The tenacious goo moved up to his knees.

Just as he was about to give in to his earlier methods of defense, a bright sheet of purifying light pooled under him, eating away at the black undulating mass binding him to the ground. The blaze of luminance advanced outward, destroying all of the merging pieces covering the brick courtyard.

Inuyasha jumped out of the way before the dazzling radiance touched him.

Landing into a solid stance of confidence, Inuyasha faced Naraku with a smirk, holding Tetsusaiga out in front of him.

A battle cry ripped from his throat as he raised the sword and brought it down in a mighty arc of demolishing power. "Kaze No Kizu!!!!!"

Claws of powerful demonic energy blasted forth from Tetsusaiga in blades of fiery lightning.

The split second Inuyasha released Tetsusaiga's blast, an arrow of purity swished by his head. It combined with his attack, centering the waves of Tetsusaiga's power, driving the swirling blades of his energy to coil about the stream of purifying light. Both attacks mingled, a lance of silvery white encircled by jagged, winding streaks of blinding fire.

Confusion and fear spread across Naraku's face an instant before the combined energy attack tore through his form; slicing, mutilating, tearing the monster's body to shreds. Thick, acidic miasma gushed outward in a cloud of concentrated poison.

The power of the assault swept throughout the black, rippling mounds of bulbous tentacles. It reached the mountain of flesh that had surrounded the inu youkai. Bright beams of light pierced through cracks, opening from the inside out. Suddenly, a booming blast echoed.

The black mist parted as pieces of the hanyou rained down. A tall white form materialized, one with long, flowing silver hair and a posture of reserved indifference.

The inu youkai who had been surrounded by the absorbing globs of Naraku's body now stepped quietly out from amongst the smoldering piles of twitching flesh and dissipating miasma.

Inuyasha could hardly believe what he was seeing. This inu youkai was the spitting image of his lost brother. Not only that but....the youkai's reserved countenance matched Sesshomaru's also, dignity and arrogance along with cold quiet finality.

Something puzzled Inuyasha. This inu youkai looked like his brother, stood like his brother, acted like his brother, but.....he didn't smell like his brother. It was a totally different scent. His nose was telling him that this was not Sesshomaru. It confused him. Either his sense of smell was off track or this inu youkai only resembled his older sibling.

As he stood watching the dog demon walk out of the parting mist, Inuyasha sheathed Tetsusaiga. He paused, thinking back to what the female in green had screamed when the hanyou's flesh had covered the inu youkai. Inuyasha blinked. She had called him....Sesshomaru.

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Sesshomaru calmly stepped away from the gooey mess that lay at his feet. Blatantly ignoring his half brother, he reached down and picked up Toukijin and Tenseiga, only attaching his healing sword to his belt. Toukijin in hand, Sesshomaru walked over to what was now left of Naraku, the upper body: torso, arms, and head.

The last glint of hatred glared at him from the dying red light of the hanyou's eyes. The spider demon rasped out a grating disbelief. "Don't.....understand.....such..... .power..I could have......had them both....easily....but they combined.....their....energy.. You....dog.....will pay......"

Sesshomaru stopped in front of what was left of the half demon. Raising Toukijin high in the air, he uttered one final word to the monster, "Die."

For a single moment, the sword glowed a dull radiance as it severed the air, coming down in one cutting blow, slicing what was left of Naraku in half. The hanyou melted away.

Odorous, half-breed blood spilled forth, sizzling over the red brick.

The putrid stink of Naraku hung in the air, a stench of death.

A breeze entered the courtyard, purging the area of miasma and the sickening smell of rotting demon flesh.

Sesshomaru turned and walked silently out of the brick courtyard, letting his sense of smell lead him to Rin.

The coppery pungence of blood tingled his nose. Rin's blood. Rin had been injured. Sesshomaru's steps quickened down the brick pathway.

Kagome's bare footfalls trailed behind him.

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Inuyasha had not moved since his final attack, observing what was left of Naraku from where he stood. The upper half of the half demon's body lay on a mound of oozing gray puss that popped and hissed bubbles of noxious poison.

The inu youkai walked slowly over to the muttering spider hanyou. Inuyasha watched, amazed as the dog demon raised a sword....The Sword....the one forged from the fang of the demon that had broken Tetsusaiga in half. That weapon was Toukijin.

That meant....that proved beyond a shadow of a doubt....this dog demon was... .......his brother.....Sesshomaru.

Toukijin came down in a slicing arc, splitting the half demon in two, finishing off the monster's existence.

Without a word or even a glance in his direction, the inu youkai turned and left, heading for the brick pathway.

Kagome followed.

Inuyasha cautiously walked over to the lifeless mass of melting demon flesh.

After taking one final look over the evaporating mess to make sure nothing of Naraku remained alive, Inuyasha went in search of some answers.

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The closer Sesshomaru got to the banquet hall, the more anxious he became. His steps quickened with each breath he took. Kouga's scent mingled with Rin's. The wolf youkai had been carrying her. Rin's blood scent was getting stronger, but something else unnerved him as well. The smell of pain and hurried panic mixed with both of their scents. Kouga's emotions were rising to fear. Rin's body emanated pure pain.

Sesshomaru picked up his speed.

He stopped before the entrance to the banquet hall. Without bothering to open the glass door, Sesshomaru immediately brought Toukijin down, slicing the glass in a perfect X. The glass fell into six neat triangles at his feet. He stepped into the banquet hall. His nostrils flared with the intensity of the smell. Swallowing down the sick feeling of fear that was threatening to take control of him, Sesshomaru walked forward, toward the white dancing circle, closer to the scent of Rin.

A loud female's voice echoed throughout the nearly empty hall. "She's losing too much blood, Kouga! Where is that ambulance? She's going into shock!"

He breathed evenly, forcing his heart to slow before it exploded.

Over the tables and chairs, the white circle came into view.

Two figures huddled in the center, Kouga and Kouga's companion. Rin lay next to them.

Kouga was crouched low, leaning over Rin, her cheek in his hand. He was whispering something to her. Kouga's companion was also kneeling with Rin's head in her lap.

A growing puddle of blood was spreading outward beneath them. Bright crimson blistered the ivory floor.

Sesshomaru sheathed Toukijin in his approach.

Wetness sloshed under his boots.

He halted two feet before them.

Kouga looked up to him but said nothing, his features betraying unrestrained grief and failure.

Kouga's companion had a cloth pressed against Rin's left side. By the edges, it had once been white.

At that very moment, Inuyasha and Kagome arrived behind him.

Kagome gasped. Her hurried steps drew near until she knelt at Rin's head. She reached a shaking hand to Rin's temple, smoothing back some of her hair. "Rin?..."

As he looked to Rin's pale face, her eyes fluttered open. Her disoriented gaze focused and found him. She slowly lifted her left hand and reached for him. Small drops of dark crimson dripped from her hand and arm, splashing lightly, forming small ripples in the pool of red.

Sesshomaru lowered to one knee by her side and grasped her hand. Softly but with some effort, he spoke, "Rin. I am here."

She smiled weakly. "Always."

Her eyes closed.

The hand slipped from his grip.

Rin's heartbeat, a fading thunder in his ears, was slowing down.

Kouga began to talk to her loudly, imploring Rin to hang on.

Kagome sobbed. "Sister?"

Sesshomaru stood. "Move away, all of you. Now!"

Tenseiga pulsed at his side. Sesshomaru unsheathed the sword.

All three looked up. Their eyes went to the weapon in his hand.

Kouga jumped up, tears of agony glistened in his hardening blue gaze. Standing over Rin protecively, the wolf growled in furious concern. "What are you going to do, dog? I won't let you kill her!"

Sesshomaru glared at the wolf youkai. "She is dying. Move. Now."

Kagome moved back, pulling Jessica with her. Both women scooted away and stood a few feet from the two youkai.

The wolf prince snarled brash words laced with anguish. "Are you going to finish the job? Get rid of your master? Is that it?"

Sesshomaru swallowed down the overwhelming urge to kill the wolf whose glare was locked with his. For the first time in nearly five hundred years, he spoke to his younger sibling. Ironically, it was an order. "Inuyasha. Get him away from Rin. NOW!"

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Inuyasha had been standing there, his tension building by the confusion and growing apprehension over what was unfolding before him.

This was his brother, his brother....kneeling by a young human female.... touching her.....trying to comfort her.

Had the world turned upside down?

He watched Sesshomaru stand and unsheathe a sword.

Inuyasha knew the weapon Sesshomaru held in his hand, but the others did not. The wolf prince stood before his brother in a rage of protectiveness.

For the first time in five hundred years, Inuyasha heard Sesshomaru address him, incredibly asking him to do something: remove Kouga.

Time was running out.

Inuyasha ran forward, jumping over the dying girl, barreling shoulder first into the wolf prince. Both males tumbled several feet. Kouga righted himself quickly. Inuyasha grabbed the wolf youkai from behind, holding him back.

Kouga growled. "He's going to kill her!"

Inuyasha held firm. "NO HE IS NOT! He is going to help her, heal her!"

The wolf youkai did not stop his struggles altogether but calmed to a wary straining stance, growling at his brother. "I swear if you kill her, I will hunt you down, Sesshomaru!"

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After his half-breed brother had crudely removed the interfering wolf, Sesshomaru directed his attention to Rin.

Her heart waned with slow, withering beats.

He raised Tenseiga over her body.

Just before her languishing heart beat for the last time, Sesshomaru sliced downward in a decisive curve.

The shining blade cleaved through the lurking harbingers of death, thwarting their morbid mission to snatch his future mate's soul when her life force left this plane of existence.

Rin had not died.

The sword would heal the mortal wound. He hoped.

Sesshomaru returned Tenseiga to its rightful place in his belt.

He knelt down and waited, watching Rin's face intently.

Her heartbeat grew stronger.

Cautiously, he lifted the piece of torn dress at her side and looked.

The wound had vanished.

He looked back at her face just in time to see brown eyes slowly open.

Rin inhaled a deep breath.

She gazed upward for a few seconds. Her head turned to him. That secret smile graced her pinkening lips once more. "I love you. I want to go home."

He gave a slight nod. "Yes, Rin."

Gently, he picked Rin up and turned to Kagome. "Kagome, we wish to return home. I ask for your assistance."

Kagome, who was staring at him and her sister in stunned awe seemed to gradually comprehend what he was asking.

She nodded once in a slow dazed motion. "Sure....uh....yea...ok...I will take you .....both home.

Sesshomaru headed for the exit with Rin in his arms.

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Inuyasha let go of the bewildered wolf and walked over to Kagome who switched her attention from the parting couple to him. "Kagome....I know this may sound unbelievable but......Sesshomaru is my....half brother."

The young woman blinked. "What?"

Before he could mention anything else, the sound of approaching sirens amplified from outside.

Inuyasha grimaced. It would be his duty to explain everything to the local law enforcement.

He stepped closer. "Kagome, I...I would like to talk to him."

Producing a card from his inner coat pocket, he handed the paper to her. "Here, this is my card. My number is on it. Please... call me."

Kagome nodded once. Both of them, along with a trailing Kouga and Jessica, walked wearily towards the tall wooden doors that led to the parking lot.

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After parking the car in the driveway, Kagome turned to look at the back seat. She shook her head in wonder. Rin lay against Sesshomaru, sound asleep, enclosed by strong and very protective arms. Both of them, clothes torn and blood soaked, had snuggled up against each other, wrapped up in one of the blankets the emergency workers had given them.

The dog demon's eyes were closed but he appeared to be only resting.

She whispered, "Hey....Sess."

Fuzzy amber eyes opened slowly and regarded her with strange calm.

Sesshomaru looked over to the house and nudged Rin.

Rin woke drearily. "Mmmmm?"

His hand smoothed over Rin's arm. "Rin, we are home."

Kagome grabbed Rin's purse and keys from the front seat.

She handed them back to her rousing sister.

Rin accepted the keys and purse with a tired smile. "We are going to have to get my car tomorrow. Will you come by to get us?"

"Yea," Kagome replied with a small smile, "I will come by about two or three o'clock."

Rin and Sesshomaru got out of the car.

Kagome watched them until they entered the house.

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Rin began to walk up the stairs only to be picked up once again by Sesshomaru. She was so tired but protested anyway. "Sess, I can walk on my own. You don't have to carry me."

With a wisp of a smirk he shook his head as he ascended the stairs. "Indulge me."

Rin sighed, too weary to argue further.

Sesshomaru carried her to the bathroom. "We need to get cleaned up."

Even though exhaustion pulled at her, a hot bath did sound extremely good at the moment.

When Sesshomaru set her down by the tub, his warm arms held her in a snug embrace. His voice deepened next to her ear. "I am going downstairs."

She nodded her nose against his shoulder. "Okay."

With that, he turned and left, closing the bathroom door behind him.

Rin began to fill the tub.

After a long soak and nearly falling asleep several times in the water, she got out and dried off. Rin wrapped a towel around her then dried her hair with the dryer in front of the bathroom mirror.

She cut off the hair dryer and noticed the quietness.

Rin stepped out of the bathroom and headed for her bedroom.

The first thing she saw upon entering her room was Sesshomaru.

He was laying on his right side, dozing. His silvery white hair hung over the edge, touching the carpet. She smiled, thinking back to his antics that morning. He went back on his declaration of sleeping with her in the buff. Sesshomaru was wearing a pair of gray sweats.

Rin went to her dresser. Trying not to wake him, she quietly opened the drawer to pull out some panties and a white nightgown.

She turned with items in hand to look at the male in her bed, debating on changing in front of the sleeping demon.

Shrugging, Rin turned back around, let her towel drop to the floor and began to dress.

When finished, she walked to the other side of the bed, moved back the comforter, and then slipped between the sheets. With a flip of the bedspread, she managed to cover Sesshomaru as well so that they were both inside the sheets.

For a long time, she simply lied there, looking into his face, the lamplight shadowing his features.

A warm hand slid around her waist, pulling her closer.

Sesshomaru mumbled in his doze, "You need sleep."

Rin rolled so her back met the warmth of his chest. He spooned up behind. His nose lightly touched the skin on her neck before he became still.

Thought was lost. The room disappeared.

A very warm and safe place entered her dreams, dark and hidden, where only she and Sesshomaru belonged to each other in secret.

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He woke, startled out of his dream of fear. Sesshomaru rose, propping up on his elbow. His heart beat painfully hard as cold sweat dripped from his temple. He looked down, calmed when he found Rin lying next to him, unharmed.

Allowing a hint of a smile Sessomaru relaxed, marveling at the creature sleeping next to him.

The yellowed lamp's light did not give her justice. Even in sleep, Rin glowed with an inner light that never ceased to amaze him. It centered on her heart. He guessed it must be her spirit. The unseen purity radiated within and without, moving in delicate waves and ending with the tiniest sparkle at the tip of her nose and lips.

Rin may be more than she even knew. Well, he knew she was. Perhaps it would present itself in the future, perhaps not. If that hidden glow never chose to manifest itself, it would forever be his secret.

A flash of recollecion interrupted his soothing thoughts and inner perceptions.

Sesshomaru moved a shaking hand to rub his eyelids and the bridge of his nose.

The icy memory of the recent dream forced itself into present reality. Rin's warmth did not defend him against the shudder. It had frightened him. He did not dream. Sleep provided a deep resting state for him. Dreams never haunted his rest, but.....this time.....one did.

In his sleeping scene of terror Rin had gone away, but in a sense, she had not. Her body remained but her soul had departed. Tenseiga could not bring her back for it was not her body that had perished. It had terrified him more than anything he had ever experienced.

What the nightmare meant he did not know, but he seriously hoped with his entire soul that it was only......a dream.....a ghost of fear....nothing more.

Sesshomaru lowered his hand to look down at the sleeping girl next to him.

Her body, full of life, breathed evenly, small sweet exhales that fluttered the strands of brown hair lying across her cheek.

He ached with a need, one never known before.

A need to.....

He lay back down next to Rin getting as close as possible, wrapping one arm around, and holding her to him as tight as he could without waking her. Even so....it did not ease the shaking.

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A solid tight embrace, almost smothering, awakened her.

Rin opened her eyes to see Sesshomaru's hand clasping hers against her chest.

He was not asleep.

His secure hold was faltering by a low vibration that increased to a noticeable shaking.

Her future mate was trembling.

Taking her left hand out of the firm grip, she moved it, lightly grazing his cheek with her fingertip. "Sess....what is wrong?"

He did not speak at first, but rigidly froze, almost as if he had been caught.....caught in weakness.

His arm tightened around her as he buried his nose in the curve of her neck. Sesshomaru's breath warmed over her skin.

"I......"

"I........was frightened."

"I almost lost you last night........You were injured....It should never have happened........"

Rin waited for him to continue.

"I had a dream.....You were gone.....Your body was here....but you were not. It......It bothered me."

Rin's heart ached. "I am alright, Sess. Everything turned out okay. We are here. Together. No one can take that away from us, I promise."

"Rin... I am afraid fate will not allow us to be. I have this feeling. This haunting. It will not leave me. I am afraid.......we will never be..."

His harkened whispers of foreboding were unfounded. Rin knew this. They had just overcome the evilest of enemies. There should be no reason for his fear.

She caressed his arm. "What can I do, love?"

His fingers lightly pushed some stray hair from her cheek, caressing her skin with the simple motion. "I fear that I will never be able to.... express what I.....feel, that something will happen and we will never have the chance to...."

Rin understood what Sesshomaru was trying to tell her. "Sess...we can't..."

"I know this...We do not have to...We could only..."

His hand moved underneath the covers. It's warmth smoothed over her hip. "...Would you allow me to...just touch?"

Rin turned in his arms and looked up to downcast eyes that did not meet her own.

With a reassuring smile, she cupped his cheek in the palm of her hand. His gaze rose to meet hers.

Lifting her head, her nose rubbed his chin before her lips gently brushed his. "We can....both....express....how we feel...together."

The warmth of his lips found hers in a slow tender kiss.

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