InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Cure for a Wounded Soul ❯ The Abhorsen's House ( Chapter 6 )
Chapter 5
The Abhorsen's House
Kagome landed face first in the cold snow, a welcome relief from the inferno of the hut behind her. The screams of the demon who had tried to attack her echoed in the starlit night.
She pushed herself up and kneeled in the snow, gently flicking away the powder from her face, hair and clothing. The bell in her hand, forgotten until now, chimed softly and the flames behind her roared and rose higher, the snow around her echoing the flashing red gold of the flames. Within, the demon gave a final, drawn out howl just before the roof collapsed and the fire growled its victory.
She started, and then fumbled Dyrim back into its pouch with numb fingers. She stood slowly, sinking her already freezing hands into the powdery snow to gain leverage. Shaking as a blast of wind hit her, she tried removing more snow from her cold body. Giving up when she could no longer feel the tips of her fingers, she turned back to the dieing fire.
After looking at the slowly flickering flames, she traced a few choice pictures into the air, leaving shining golden marks behind. Gathering the spells in her hands, she placed them upon her feet and legs, and then made her way through the embers and ashes of the hut. Untouched by the gradually fading heat, she looked through the ashes in hopes of salvaging anything from the wreckage.
Moving aside a piece of timber, she found the charred remains of her pack. Sighing, she resolutely dug through the ash. To her surprise she found her Almanac, her fathers map and her spell book. The cover of the book was a bit worse for wear, but the pages themselves were fine. She also still had her dagger, which was strapped to her hip.
She made her way out of the ruins and removed the heat diverting spell from her feet and legs. The lack of food didn't bother her; with a few hours to a day of good, solid travel she should reach the Abhorsen's house. They were bound to have food at the least. The loss of her skis would cause traveling problems, but the snow was only about her shins. Walking would prove difficult, but not impossible. Casting a simple spell for heat, she moved off into the snow, carving a path through the powder.
.
Traversing the forest at night did not prove difficult, with the added help of the full moon in the sky. By the time she had left the woods and refound the main road, the sun had begun its slow rise, painting the snow with blue shadow and pink light. The crisp air that filled her lugs made Kagome giddy, and she skipped through the snow, signing softly. She was feeling very refreshed for the amount of food and rest she'd had, and was making good time.
She checked her surroundings a few moments later, and found that the road diverted, one to the left and one to the right. Without hesitation, she took the path to the left and was soon met with the Red Wall cliffs, appropriately named for the red stone that was stark contrast to the miles of snow. After searching the cliff face for a moment, she removed Saraneth from the pouch and swung in a slow triangle. Saraneth rand with its deep voice, and the cliff began to produce a set of tiny steps that zigzagged back and forth up the face. Nodding in satisfaction, Kagome put away the bell, readjusted the books beneath her arm, and started up the steps.
.
An hour later, Kagome took the last step and stood at the top of Red Wall. The Ratterlin River was only a few yards before her, and in the middle was a small island, surrounded completely by a white limestone wall. The Abhorsen's House. She walked to the edge of the river and looked across the fast flowing water.
The Abhorsen's House was situated just before the Ratterlin Falls, a mile of sheer water that eventually wounds its way to the sea. A set of stones, about three by three feet wide, were placed about three feet apart, just close enough to jump. The stones looked very wet and slippery, and for a moment Kagome's nerve failed.
Steeling herself for the first jump, she gripped her books and took a running start. As soon as she landed, she gained her balance and jumped again, never pausing for more then 10 seconds. Once, she almost feel after overcompensating for a leap, but mad it across unharmed.
Gasping, Kagome landed on the opposite shore. Standing up, she placed her hand upon the wall that protected the House. "Calet." She said. A pair of golden lines traced a door way in the white stone, and the door to the house opened. She stepped though, and the way sealed behind her.
The roar of the falls vanished, and Kagome got her first good look at the House. A red tile roof covered the first two stories, white the top was a circular dome of glass. The tiled framed different shaped windows, the first floor ones sporting little flower boxes. Delicate looking purple blooms spilled over the white wood, lending there sweet fragrance to the air. Some of the upper rooms had white rail balconies, also festooned in little red flowers. Green grass and a large, well trimmed lilac bush decorated the yard, complete with a white stone path that led to a sky blue door. The morning sun shone warmly on the yard, and Kagome saw a small yellow butterfly resting on a lilac blossom.
"Its about time you go here." A voice interrupted Kagome's assessment of the House. She started, and turned to the lilac bush, were the voice had been coming from. The bush shook, and to Kagome's amassment, a little boy came from the bush.
Upon closer inspection, she noticed his to be a very young fox demon, complete with a very puffy tail. He stood proudly, and looked upon her with interest. "My name is Shippou. You're Kagome, right?"
"Yes, I am. It's very nice to meet you-" She was cut off by a ball of fur implanting himself in her stomach in one of the biggest hugs she had ever gotten. She ruffled the little demon's hair a bit, and guess they were going to get along just fine.