InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Darkness Within ❯ Confrontation ( Chapter 4 )

Weeks had passed since Kagome returned from her time, and the group has once again set out in search of Naraku. Much to Inuyasha and Sango's dismay, the group took a slight detour from their search to help a local village exterminate a “pest” problem.

 

“A few centipede demons? Those jerks!” Sango exclaimed as she threw her Hiraikotsu through another centipede, slicing it in two

 

“They knew it was an entire colony when they asked us, they tricked us!” Inuyasha grumbled as well.

 

Just as the group sliced down the last of them, the ground beneath their feet began to quake as it split open before them. From the crack, miasma issued and a humanoid figure emerged.

 

“Naraku” Inuyasha snarled as he sniffed the air. Using his Windscar, he cut through the miasma and purified the air, unfortunately missing the unidentified demon. The demon landed gracefully before them as he finally spoke.

 

“Tsk tsk. Such poor aim, just as Lord Naraku informed” he taunted Inuyasha, which sent him into a blind rage.

 

The tall, lithe, pale skinned demon simply dodged Inuyasha's attacks, as his long dark hair flowed behind - not even a hair getting sliced. Pulling out a sword from seemingly nowhere, the demon slashed down at the ground and sent a blast forth that threw Inuyasha back. As the girls yelled out, the demon set his sights upon Kagome and Sango. Inuyasha jumped up and ran towards Kagome as the demon lifted his arm to strike again. Realizing he would not make it, Inuyasha cried out to Kagome.

 

“KAGOME!!! NO!” he bellowed as the demon's slash fell downwards towards the ground.

 

Before he could follow through with his motion though, Miroku had opened his kazanna to suck in the demon and rescue Sango and Kagome. The demon, clearly annoyed by Miroku's intervention, simply reached his hand into his shirt as he flew towards Miroku. Just as the demon was about to disappear into the void that is Miroku's hand, he opened his palm and unleashed a hive of saimyosho. As the poisonous bees entered into his kazanna, Miroku sealed his cursed hand as he fell to his knees in pain.

 

The group all ran forward to his aid, and as they reached his side a cyclone of wind erupted around the group.

 

“NARAKU!” Inuyasha bellowed as the stench assaulted his nose.

 

“Houshi-sama, are you alright?” Sango asked, emotion beginning to seep back into her features

 

“I'm fine Sango” Miroku managed out as he pain shot through his face and lingered in his eyes.

 

“Kagome-sama, watch over him” Sango requested as she stood with her Hiraikotsu and walked to stand beside Inuyasha.

 

As soon as she reached his side, Inuyasha leaped forth through the cyclone and disappeared from sight. The group sat still, concern etched on their features as the sounds of a battle between Inuyasha and Kagura raged.

 

“WINDSCAR!” Inuyasha bellowed as the sound of trees falling could be heard.

 

“Dance of Blades!” was returned by Kagura, as a single blade flew through the top of the cyclone.

 

The group within sat as they worried about the battle outside.

 

“Inuyasha is out there with Kagura and Naraku alone” Sango whispered, as her hand tightened on the Hiraikotsu in anger.

 

“Would you rather be the one alone?” The cold voice began to whisper in her mind.

 

“Go away!” Sango yelled as she dropped her boomerang and grabbed her head.

 

“SANGO!” Kagome yelled as she tried to run towards her friend, but was blown backwards by the wind.

 

Looking up, Sango watched as Kagome, Miroku and Kirara were thrown from the cyclone and it tightened around her.

 

“Alone again are we, dear Sango?” Naraku's voice taunted in her mind.

 

“NO! You will not defeat me again!” Sango yelled as she tightened her resolve and put on her “poker” face.

 

Standing she picked up her Hiraikotsu and looked around herself. Steeling her resolve she began to block the voice out of her mind. Sounds from outside snapped her head to the side as she heard both Miroku and Kagome let out blood-curdling screams.

 

“Alone again.” The voice whispered. “You'll always be alone. Even your brother left you, that is after he killed the rest of your family”

 

“Shut up!” Sango screamed as tears began to fall down her cheeks.

 

“Sister?” Kohaku's voice sounded in her mind.

 

“Go away!” Sango cried as she once again fell to her knees.

 

“SANGO!!!!!!!!!!” her friends' voices screamed as she broke down crying.

 

“Goodbye my sweet.” Naraku whispered as he hovered outside the cyclone. Raising a tentacle, he prepared to strike.

 

Sango knelt, hugging herself, as the tears poured down her face. The wind picked up as dirt and rocks tore at her skin and clothes. A light thumping on her chest caused Sango to open her eyes and look down to find the source. Opening her eyes, she found Kagome's locket flowing in the breeze, the chain straining in the wind. Just as the chain broke, Sango reached out and caught the locket in midair. Staring down at her palm, she opened it just enough to read the engraving again - “My Family”

 

As Naraku lashed out, Sango's reflexes kicked in as she sliced the tentacle off with the blade kept along her forearm. Grabbing her Hiraikotsu in a split second, she threw it through the cyclone at the source of the tentacle.

 

The boomerang impacted Naraku just below the waist as it sliced off his legs. Miasma issued forth from his legs hovering him in the same spot as the cyclone fell and Sango stood to catch her boomerang. Standing tall, the locket hung at her wrist from the chain clutched in the same hand as the Hiraikotsu.

 

“You've lost Naraku.” Sango stated as she prepared to throw again. “Your mind games won't work on me anymore!” She screamed as she threw her boomerang towards him again.

 

A strong wind blew the Hiraikotsu off its course as Kagura hovered above the two on her feather. Naraku's miasma issued forth in a burst as he disappeared into the distance upon a cloud of miasma. Taking in her surroundings, Sango found her friends knocked out, around her, as the vines from the Forest of Sighs crept towards them. Running forward, Sango sliced the vines and released her friends from the spell.

 

As they all recovered the group turned to face Sango as Kagome was the first to break the silence.

 

“How did you get away?” She asked, as Sango turned, confusion evident in her features.

 

“Away from what exactly?” Sango replied.

 

“From the cyclone” Miroku started

 

“And from Naraku” Inuyasha added

 

“But mostly, from your fears?” Kagome finished, as the group's eyes were all trained on Sango.

 

“With this” Sango replied as she tossed her locket to Kagome. “It opened my eyes when I was afraid and reminded me that you were all here beside me. That you all needed me to be just as strong as you were and relied upon me not leaving you as much as I needed you to stay with me.”

 

“So you defeated the darkness. It's gone!” Kagome exclaimed.

 

“No Kagome, it'll never be gone.” Sango interjected, returning Kagome to a serener state. “I overcame it this time, yes. But that darkness will live in me forever, I just have to remember I have my family and friends, the one thing that can bring me out of the darkness” Sango finished, as she reached over and took the locket back from Kagome. Opening her palm, she looked down to gaze at the locket, as a smile crept onto her lips.