InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Dark Soul of the Future, White Heart of the Past (On hold) ❯ Chapter 12: Roar of the Warrior, Howl of the Darkness. ( Chapter 13 )

Written by: Zelix

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, you know that by now…

"Talking"

`Thinking'

=Used when mentioning Techniques or attacks =

[Check the bottom for details]

If this was a TV-series:

Opening: Blue Gender - Tokihanate

Ending: Tanpopo - Track 1

Warning: More Detailed fighting… except even more brutal this time.

Dark Soul of the Future, White Heart of the Past

Episode 12: Roar of the Warrior, Howl of the Darkness.

"The battle field burns with infernal fire, dark winds sweep around like god's wrath and in the centre of this inferno the beast and the warrior clash into the climax of this dark battle… the moment when all ends has arrived…" - Unknown

Beautiful, divine… no word could describe what they were all seeing, the colours, the pressure, the energy… the impact the two attacks caused was more beautiful than anything they had ever seen… it was chaotic and they knew that when it was over either Kasaraki or Inuyasha would be dead… but, to die in a glorious light show like that? What could be more fitting? It was not good to think like that but just looking at the colours, Gold, black, dark red, violet, blue and white dance, intertwine, entangle collide and clash like that… it was simply mesmerizing…

From the moment the two attacks collided, they didn't break one another or disperse one another, they were locked in a stalemate… The golden waves from =Kaze No Kizu= and the dark wind wave from =Kuroi Kaze no Jigoku= Were pushing against one another, both gaining size and power with each passing second, they were devouring one another… like a snake trying to swallow a large prey…

The ground point where the attacks had joined was trembling, cracking and breaking… the pieces that were being torn out where send swirling into the sky like they were caught in a tornado… and below, the two waves of power were pushing, spinning, entwining and dancing around one another, trying to devour each other…

Inuyasha was holding Tetsusaiga on the ground at the point where his attack had started, the pressure was extremely intense but he had to keep pushing more power into the =Kaze no Kizu= or he would be dead… he was thinking while gritting his teeth: `Dear gods above… this is insane, our energies are even, our attacks clash and impact while matching in power step-by-step… I can't push it through, every time I gain ground he catches up like it's nothing! If this keeps up… I… I will lose… the difference between our power is just too great!'

Kasaraki was concentrating on keeping the wind from dying down, he was grinning with a devil like grin, showing off sharp teeth and his eyes were lit up with the light show in front of him, this was just too beautiful… he was also thinking: `Interesting technique, he uses the wind that is produced around us and forms a swirl of spiritual wind around his sword, then he uses his own battle Ki and the reverse Ki of the sword to create a wound in the spiritual wind waves, then cuts it and lets loose a massive wave of [negative spiritual wind]… It's extremely lethal and can destroy practically anything that has a material form… it is amazing that he can use it, it is not a technique you can master simply by training, it requires a tremendous amount of natural talent and inner strength to keep the attack from being harmful to it's user as well… his attack is strong, almost perfect… but, it has one fatal flaw in it… which is why his technique cannot overpower my own, no matter how hard he tries…'

As everyone kept staring at the fight, all were feeling different things… even Kouga was starting to see it, the very reason why his woman always refused his advances… that hanyou, he wasn't fighting for himself, not for his own life or his status, nor his reputation or anything… he was fighting because of Kagome, he didn't need anything else… he was willing to sacrifice everything and anything to help her, his life, status… everything… all for her sake, for her sake alone he had locked swords with that devil and was now looking death straight in the eyes and still refused to give in… he would protect Kagome to the death, no matter who the opponent is or whatever situation he was in… Kouga began to think, could he ever do the same? Could he ever do what that dog shit was doing? Place his life at risk everyday just to see her smile? Give her a hard, yet a life filled with the same devotion and passion?

The truth hit Kouga like a rock slide, why was he after Kagome? Was it love…? It was hard to admit but it wasn't… if he truly did love Kagome, then how come he was just sitting there shaking in fear while a hanyou, an impure and worthless hanyou was doing what a true mate should do? Dog shit was able to look at that devil straight in the eyes because he didn't care about himself, his willingness to sacrifice his very own life for her sake was the source of his strength… it hurt, but it was the truth, the reason he had wanted Kagome was namely because she was so close to Inuyasha, ever since the first time he had seen Inuyasha and his small, weird yet strong pack fight, he had wanted to prove that he really wasn't that strong and the perfect proof would have been to take his woman away from him… to show that how a great pack leader couldn't even hold on to a single woman, a human no less…

He had thought it was love but in reality it was just his wolf male pride that demanded him to show a hanyou his place… now, he knew, he could never match up to that hanyou… Kagome was in love with him and he loved her too… and even though they hadn't mated yet, Inuyasha was already fighting like a true mate, it just meant that they were meant for each other even more than he could think…

Miroku was watching the fight with a grim expression, from the outside it looked even, that they were evenly matched… but… the reality was that, Inuyasha was getting worn down and Kasaraki was just getting started… if this kept up, Inuyasha would lose… he couldn't understand though, how was Inuyasha getting tired already? He could see his aura weakening with each passing second while Kasaraki's aura, even though still unknown to him, was not dropping, what was going on? The attacks were evenly big and strong but somehow Kasaraki was not getting worn down at all…

Sango saw Miroku's grim expression and was also wondering what was wrong? Tearing her mind of from the battle for now she asked: "Miroku? What's wrong? Why are you looking so grim?" Miroku was snapped from his thoughts as he heard Sango's voice, what should he say? Maybe he could just tell her it was nothing… no, that wouldn't work, she could see through that lie without any trouble at all… then he noticed that Shippo and Kouga were also looking at him with a questioning look, he was trapped… Miroku knew that he had to break the bad news for them somehow… so after swallowing he said while looking down: "Inuyasha… cannot win this fight."

That made everyone look at him with a look that signalled `are you insane?'… With the exception of Kagome, who wasn't able to make any kind of movements or expressions… but he could she was now listening with a keen level of interest, so he continued while looking back at the battle field: "I am not kidding or going insane, look at them…" He pointed first at Inuyasha and everyone followed his finger and he continued: "If you look carefully, you can see him pushing his strength into the =Kaze no Kizu= to keep Kasaraki's attack from devouring it… it might seem they're even and are at a stalemate but…" Then he pointed at Kasaraki and said: "Look carefully at they're body movements and say if you see something that doesn't fit into this picture…" All of them looked at this carefully, they weren't sure what to look but… they tried anyway.

It was Kagome, who saw it first… or more like sensed it, she thought with a panicking mind: `No… they're auras… Inuyasha's is getting weaker and weaker but Kasaraki's doesn't even flinch! If this… if this keeps up then… Inuyasha, he will… NO! INUYASHA!!' She desperately wanted to move, she had to! But… it was useless, her body wasn't responding one bit… she could feel tears coming into her eyes, Inuyasha was going to die and there was nothing they could do about it! If they tried to intervene, they would risk being hit by one of they're attacks… she prayed, prayed for a miracle, or anything to help him! ANYTHING!!

That was also when Sango noticed what was happening, she couldn't see they're auras but being an experienced warrior she could tell what was wrong from the simple body movements they made… and what she saw made realisation hit her like a bee stung, she said to the others with a shaky voice: "Inuyasha… he is… being pushed back!" Kouga and Shippo were confused, what is that supposed to mean? Miroku then nodded and said with a grim look: "Yes, that's exactly what's wrong…" Kouga then growled with annoyance and asked: "What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

Miroku looked at him and sighed, then explained while keeping the grim look: "It means that even though the techniques themselves are evenly matched, the ones who are using them are not… The sword fighting with Kasaraki has weakened Inuyasha, which means his body is too worn out to keep up with the intensity of this battle, the only reason his body hasn't been wiped by the =Kuroi kaze no Jigoku= is because he is pushing his body beyond it's limits to maintain the =Kaze no Kizu=… but now his body is being pushed back which means he can't hold out much longer… his power is almost out while Kasaraki is just getting warmed up!" Kouga and Shippo looked at him with a look that signalled `you're joking right?', this guy, Kasaraki was THIS strong? He could take on Tetsusaiga's and Inuyasha's full power like it was a warm up?! Miroku then finished by saying: "And the worst part is, there is nothing we can do to help… Before you start protesting, look at them… (Everyone's gaze returns to the battle field) Inuyasha's concentration is the only thing that keeps his body going at this point against Kasaraki, if the intervene, his concentration will drop and he will die in that instant… not to mention there is no guarantee some of us would survive without being hit by either one of they're attacks… and I think all of us know by now what would happen if that occurred."

They all were ready to protest, even Kouga much to Kagome's surprise, that there was no way they would leave Inuyasha to die like that but… Miroku's logic and reasoning was iron hard, there was nothing they could do… it was bitter, REALLY bitter and almost impossible to accept but there was nothing they could do… Miroku then said while clenching his staff so hard that his knuckles were turning white: "I know this seems like a bad dream… that our best friend is out there about to die and all we can do is watch it… I too wish that this was just a nightmare… but, this is real and there is only one thing we can possibly do at this point…" They all looked at him with hope in they're eyes and he said with a small smile: "Believe in him, Inuyasha has been in tough spots before but he always somehow pulls through alive, we must believe in him now… we must pray and hope for him." They all looked back at the battle field, they could all see as Inuyasha was pushing his body to remain still, he knew he couldn't win and yet refused to give up… they all put they're hands into fists and began to pray for him in they're hearts, hoping they're prayers would reach him… to give him strength…

Inuyasha could feel the shockwaves that from time to time emitted from they're combined attacks and… quite frankly, each of them began to hurt like hell, he could feel his body starting to throb with pain and exhaustion… he knew he was going to die, the pressure from Kasaraki's attack was too intense, it felt like he was between a heavy boulder and a mountain wall, just waiting for the pressure to break him into pieces… But all he was thinking about was Kagome, the girl… no, the woman he loved, this was just so fucking great… they finally destroyed Naraku, the nightmare was over and they were just about to become mates for life… to live together… to have family together… that was all he ever wanted, yet… fate always kept showing shit they're way…

He was thinking as the next shockwave ripped through his being: `Why does everything have to be so damn hard for us? Why can't fate just leave us alone?! What did we do to deserve all this shit?! Well… I suppose I deserve this but she DOESN'T!! Kagome… she is so pure… so innocent and kind… so why? WHY DOES ALL THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN?! It's pointless, no matter how hard I try I can't hold onto her… first it was Kikyo's betrayal that made me bitter, then it was the Shikon no Tama getting shattered, then Kikyo's resurrection followed by Kouga… now, when we finally go through all that, after everything was good again… she loses herself and becomes a lifeless doll, this guy appears and… now i'm going to die because of him… I can't… I can't do this anymore… even if we pull through this, what then? Something else will just come our way and… it's better if I die here, Kagome will be heartbroken but… she'll live through, I know she will, then… she can live free of all this shit, all these constant battles… this… is my end… good-bye everyone, it was fun…'

Kagome was trying to pray for her loves sake… she prayed he wouldn't die… but, during this she was sure that just for a moment, she felt what his heart was feeling… at first Kagome thought it was some mistake but it happened again… much more stronger this time… she then realised what he was feeling, he was… getting ready to die! He was giving up! The feeling that rushed through her heart made it cringe, her true love was not just going to die, he was waiting for it… wanting it to happen… to end all this… pointless struggling… her tears fell freely now, he wouldn't…! Was he…? Really going to allow himself get killed?! Kagome then let go of all the restraints in her heart and mind, she wasn't able to scream his name out orally, but with her mind and heart she screamed so loud she was sure that her heart began to bleed from the intense pressure: `NO!! YOU CAN'T DIE INUYASHA!! PLEASE DON'T DIE!! I… I CAN'T LIVE KNOWING YOU ARE DEAD!! YOU HAVE TO LIVE...! PLEASE, DON'T LEAVE ME ALL ALONE!!'

Inuyasha was getting ready to give in, to just let the cold hand of death reach him, to go out in a blazing, colour filled infernal bang… he could feel his body going numb slowly, his grip on his sword becoming looser and looser with each passing second… it would all be over in one second, just a brief, instant moment of pain… his last thought was: `Kagome…'… Then his heart was hit with a voice… her voice…

Kasaraki could feel Inuyasha's battle Ki becoming weaker, his You-Ki was also dropping… he was finished… he thought to himself: `Inuyasha, you fought marvellously but this is it… I promised I would not hurt any of your pack members and I will keep that promise, I feel bad for that young girl, Kagome… she will loose the one she loved… but this is how it is, he knew the risks when he challenged me, it isn't fair or right but this is what a battle to the death is all about, one will die… and the survivor must live with that sin on his shoulders… I promise you this, Inuyasha, once you're gone I will spread your name… you will be remembered as the legendary warrior, the one who fought evenly against me… though if I was at full power, I would have killed you right at the start… but no one needs to know that… farewell, Inuyasha…' Then he sent one more shockwave of power, it was enough to break Inuyasha's attack and finish him off…

Kikyo stood there with Kaede, both feeling the end of the battle approaching, Inuyasha was going to lose… unless a miracle happened right now… Kikyo truly prayed that Inuyasha would somehow, right at this instant, find the strength to withstand this one last shockwave… she could see the opening in Kasaraki's battle Ki and needed just a few more seconds to steady the arrow… she knew her heart would not reach Inuyasha's, so she hoped that Kagome's would do it instead… `Dear Kami, grant me this one last prayer… make Inuyasha hear Kagome's heart, give him the strength to live!'

In Inuyasha's eyes, everything stopped, he could move his vision around but nothing moved… he had heard that on the moment of death, you would see you're life flash before you're eyes and that everything would freeze for a moment, just for a moment before the end arrived… but this wasn't right, his life wasn't flashing before his eyes… instead, he heard her voice, Kagome's voice… screaming inside his heart with grief and panic: "NO!! YOU CAN'T DIE INUYASHA!! PLEASE DON'T DIE!! I… I CAN'T LIVE KNOWING YOU ARE DEAD!! YOU HAVE TO LIVE...! PLEASE, DON'T LEAVE ME ALL ALONE!!"

That's when his heart, body and mind clicked, his life flashed before his eyes but what he saw made him feel like crying… he didn't only see his own life flash before his eyes, but he also saw her life as well! All those times she had returned home after they're arguments, after seeing him with Kikyo… those times she cried, wishing it was her instead of Kikyo… then… the moment just before all this began, when he asked her to become his mate… he felt his heart tightening… he had caused her so much pain, yet she loved him… even after everything, all she ever wanted was to be with him… then he saw her as that lifeless doll… forever not being able to move or talk… laugh or cry… then that question, "Kagome, will you be my mate?" was repeated in his head so many times he was going to lose it…

Then silence followed, long, agonizing silence… and one word echoed in it, one tiny word… "Hai… (Yes)" that word echoed in the silence… it made him feel like the biggest jerk in the entire world… Kagome was his mate-to-be, his life mate-to-be…! And yet… he was going to die and leave her?! What was he thinking!?!? No, it maybe hard, it may just end miserably… but, he would be damned to hell before leaving her all alone…! He loved her, that was all he needed, nothing else would matter… It would not end like this!

Then the world returned to normal and he felt the last shockwave hitting his being, making slide backwards heavily… his legs were starting to give away… he felt his body becoming numb, his grip slipping… then in slow motion he saw everyone stare at him, he could hear they're prayers for his survival… it warmed his heart… though it disturbed him that Kouga was doing it too… but through all of them, his eyes fell on Kagome's lifeless ones… yet, he saw her smiling at him, her loving smile… her love for him… his mind was filled with one thought, one… strong… thought: `I WILL NOT DIE HERE, I WILL LIVE, FOR HER… I WILL LIVE!!!'

(For back round music: Megumi Hayashibara - Brave Heart)

What happened next took everyone's breath away, Inuyasha, his body supposedly numb and worn out, suddenly planted his feet firmly to the ground, taking a steel hard stance, his eyes began to glow with unforeseen determination and fire and he gripped the Tetsusaiga so hard that his hand began to bleed and despite the shockwaves impact, it didn't even flinch from the point it was being pressed into… for a brief fraction of an instant, they could have sworn Inuyasha had black wings on his back but when they blinked they were gone…

Kasaraki couldn't believe it, he was still standing?! He should not be able to even stand up from that shockwave, he should be down! Yet… his battle Ki and You-Ki had not dropped out, they were still there… his shocked expression was replaced with a feral grin and he thought: `Beautiful, absolutely beautiful… nothing is more beautiful and the moment you defy death… Inuyasha, I bow to your persistence… but, it changes nothing, one more shockwave and you're finished!' With that he readied his last shockwave…

Inuyasha's head was repeatedly saying: `I will live for her… I will live for her…' He knew the next shockwave would kill him but he didn't care! If he was going to die he would first fight back with everything he had!!

Kikyo saw Inuyasha standing, looking like a feral warrior… truly beautiful, he was truly amazing and beautiful… then she saw Kasaraki getting ready to make another shockwave… she then saw it, a clear opening! She readied the arrow to it's limits and when it was steady, she thought only one word: `NOW!' and let the last arrow she would ever fire fly, with the hopes of the whole world… towards the ultimate devil…

Kagome felt it, an arrow… a purifying arrow! From her position she saw it, soaring through the air towards Kasaraki's side… it moved in slow motion from her point of view… it was the most beautiful thing she could imagine, sure she saw those for four long years when she used them but… right now, it looked like god's messenger on earth, they're prayers were answered! Kagome also felt the presence of who had fired it… Kikyo… at first she was shocked but it was quickly replaced with relief… right now she wouldn't care no matter who had fired it…

Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kirara and Miroku also saw it, the arrow… coming out of nowhere… with a straight course to Kasaraki's side… they're minds were drawing blanks, this was too good to be true… that arrow… it must have been sent by the gods themselves… they were so mesmerized by it's movement… the gods had heard them…

Kasaraki's grin suddenly disappeared as he felt something coming towards him at high speed, then, he saw it… an arrow, filled with purifying magic, was flying straight towards the right side of his chest! Who shot it!? Then his mind clicked… the scent… this scent of earth, clay and death… he forgot all about it! No… he could feel the power in that arrow… in his current state if would cause great damage to him… maybe even kill him… So without thinking, only using his reflexes and instincts, he stepped back and the arrow missed him…

Instead of hitting him, it hit the hilt of his sword, the impact of his swords aura and the arrows aura caused a small yet powerful shockwave and his sword was literally, blown out of his hand, making it land a short distance from him… he was pissed off, once he had recovered his sword he would find whoever shot that arrow and kill him/her very slowly…

Suddenly, something else clicked in Kasaraki's head… sword, his attack, defending against Inuyasha's attack… no sword… no… defence… his entire body froze, as Kasaraki looked to back towards the direction of Inuyasha, his fear were confirmed… one word, that's all he managed to get out before the storm arrived: "Shit…"

It was purely mesmerizing, the =Kaze no Kizu= ripped right through =Kuroi Kaze no Jigoku= due to the fact that Kasaraki's sword, Mormegail was taken from him by the arrow… Inuyasha saw this and without a further thought he roared like a demon warrior king and pushed his attack to the limits, all the strength he could muster was pushed into it…

The next thing that filled the battle field was an unworldly roar of pain, they all saw Kasaraki being hit by the golden waves of =Kaze no Kizu= and he was literally pushed off the ground and was caught in the waves as they violently ripped and pushed out of the battle field and into the forest behind it, all the while hearing the other worldly Kasaraki's death cry/roar…

The skies were silent…

Everything was frozen in time…

The battle field was calm…

With only the roars of Inuyasha and Kasaraki still echoing around them…

… It was over.

To Be Continued…

No preview this time.

Next time on Dark Soul, White Heart:

"The Fall of the Priestess."

- Zelix, see ya next time!

[Negative Spiritual Wind]: Basically, that's what the golden waves of Kaze no Kizu are, when the reverse Ki or Tetsusaiga and Inuyasha's own Ki mix, it creates a wound in the spiritual wind around them and when Inuyasha brings Tetsusaiga down on that wound, he literally makes the mixed wind created from the swords Ki and his own Ki, this is negative spiritual wind which destroys anything it touches, it's like a `energy that's not supposed to exist on this plane of existence'.