InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Demon Song ❯ The Return of Old Enemies ( Chapter 12 )

Previously in chapter 11:

The last thing she remembered before she hit the ground was the appalling image of the little girl being torn apart and the shattered mirror falling to the earth, spilling millions of tiny shards out onto the mossy forest floor, like a blanket of diamonds. Then Kagome blacked out, a woman bathed in rainbows, the reflections of rays of sun reflecting off pieces of a shattered evil, foreshadowing the hope of things to come.

^.^

Chapter 12:

A Hanyou, a demon slayer, a monk, a Youkai and a Kitsune. It was an odd group, but none the less, they held their heads high, determined to achieve what they had come to do.

Their silhouettes stood, tall and majestic as they paused for a moment in front of the giant gates that held the castle of Kimara. The palace of the sorceress spirit who blocked their path to finding the one thing that they were searching for: The Demon Song.

Inu Yasha was the first to step forward. Reaching out a wary hand, he placed a hand on the handle to push the gate open. Or at least he tried to. He was thrown back onto his back as soon as his fingertips touched the gate.

"What the-" Miroku examined the door more closely. He too, was jolted back, to land a few feet away from the agitated Inu Yasha. "It seems there is a barrier holding the door closed."

"Yeah, I kind of figured that." Inu Yasha drawled sarcastically. Unseen, Shippo tried his luck at the gate. It didn't force him back, so he opened the door and passed through. "Hey you guys! I got through!" He called back at them.

Inu Yasha gaped at him. How could that little moron get through and not him? This cannot be happening… he thought miserably as he rubbed his tender behind.

Inu Yasha sensed something evil, and it was very near. "Shippo, come back through!" He told the happy Kitsune urgently. Shippo hoped through, breaching the barrier yet again.

As soon as he had done so, a low, melodious laugh sounded through the air. Though it was beautiful, there was no mistaking the evil in that laugh. "You fools! I laugh at your folly! Do you not see what is right in front of your very eyes?"

"What, that there's a barrier here?" Inu Yasha yelled back furiously, "We're not stupid you know, unlike some people!" The laugh sounded again, now even closer. Inu Yasha's eyes were scanning through the barrier, looking for the source of the bodiless voice.

Suddenly she appeared. It was unmistakably the Sorceress of Kimara. Her flowing white hair went down to her waist and wrapped and curled in the wind that had sprung up. Her eyes were a deep shade of green and her kimono was the same green as her eyes. Her lips were blood red and her face held an evil smile.

"As you have not seen already, only pure Youkai can enter through the barrier. That would count out you Inu Yasha," She paused, "And that would also rule out you, Sesshomaru." Everyone stared at Sesshomaru expectantly.

"How-could-you-know-that?" Sesshomaru stuttered. His eyes were becoming slitted and his fist started to tighten. Inu Yasha could see his half-brothers blood drip onto the ground as he dug his fingernails deep into the flesh on palm because he was clenching his hands so hard.

"So, when were you planning to tell your friends? That your mother was only half demon?" The sorceress' smile widened and Inu Yasha got a glimpse of her blinding white teeth.

"DIE WITCH!" Sesshomaru ran at the barrier, only to be thrown back again and knocked unconscious as his head hit the hard ground. The sorceress just laughed.

Inu Yasha braced himself as the woman on the other side of the barrier brought her hand up. It contained a glowing ball of green fire. "Now-you may leave now, or get a taste of my fire!"

>.<;;;

Kagome moaned a little as she woke. Every bone in her body screamed in pain. Pushing herself up off the ground Kagome remembered why she was there. Where is everyone? Kagome decided to get back to the inn, if the others were in trouble, they might need her help!

After what seemed like ages, Kagome came upon the inn. It was quiet, too quiet… Then Kagome noticed a woman in the corner. She had a cloth around her mouth and her hands and legs were tied together.

"Kikyo! What happened?" Kagome hurriedly untied Kikyo's bonds. She slumped to one side. Kagome examined her arms. They were bruised heavily and she had a black eye.

"Kagome, you must take me to the castle! Inu Yasha has already left there and someone else has too. You might have recognized him from the night before." Kagome remembered the scruffy man that Sesshomaru mentioned. She nodded. "So he's bad?" Kikyo nodded stiffly.

"Okay, hold out a little longer Kikyo." Kagome hefted one of Kikyo's arms over her shoulders and proceeded out the door to the castle where Inu Yasha was waiting for her.

*_*

"What do you need the Demon Song for anyways?" Inu Yasha bellowed at the sorceress. "You're not even part demon!" Shaking her head, the sorceress replied, "You are such an ignorant fool! The `Demon Song' is one of many names that people have given this document. It has powers far beyond the wildest dreams of a puny Hanyou like you!"

Inu Yasha was wishing right about now that Kagome or Kikyo would show up and shoot an arrow right through this witch's stone heart. She was really beginning to get on his nerves.

Inu Yasha sensed someone behind him. Could it be…? Could Kikyo or Kagome really be here? Oh please, if there is a God, let that be Kikyo or Kagome! Sadly, it was neither. It was a man with flowing, waist-length black hair. He looked unnatural, as if he wasn't a man at all.

"Ah, Naraku, I've been wondering when you were going to show up!"

"You must not rush things so-it does no good to hurry; that is how mistakes are made." Naraku?! Was this the same Naraku that betrayed Inu Yasha and Kikyo fifty years ago? But how could it be? Then again… how could it not be? Naraku was a demon-not a human. Demons were immortal.

He should have known Naraku would catch up with him one way or another. Inu Yasha looked up at Naraku now. He stared coldly at the man who killed Kikyo-who split their love apart and scattered it until Kikyo's heart held almost no emotion for Inu Yasha… only the longing to die, and to bring Inu Yasha with her to the end of the world. Hell.

"Naraku," Inu Yasha spat, "You have no place here any more. You deserve to spend eternity in hell." He said in a low, menacing whisper that did not disguise the cold steel and hatred in his voice.

"Yes, I will spend eternity in hell, but not just yet. I will see that you go there before me though, for I still have business on earth." Naraku told Inu Yasha coolly. His voice held no emotion. This made Inu Yasha hate him even more. You will rot in hell Naraku-soon, very soon…

>.<

Kagome strength was failing her. Kikyo was hard enough to carry and with her aching body, it was torture. Straining to look ahead of her, Kagome blew her bangs out of the way. The castle loomed up ominously from the mist that was beginning to gather around the edges of her tired mind.

Kagome felt Kikyo sliding from her back. Suddenly, Kikyo griped her arm, digging her long fingernails into the fleshy skin on her forearm. She winced with the pain, but it kept her awake.

"I can walk the rest of the way Kagome." Kikyo rasped. Kagome shook her head, but Kikyo had already slid off her back. "Do you have my bow and arrows?" She asked. Kagome nodded, handing over the weapons.

"You can use this." Kikyo said bluntly, handing Kagome a short knife. Kagome stared at the small razor sharp dagger. "Why didn't you use this to kill the person who bound you?"

Kikyo looked at her, her intelligent eyes boring into Kagome's head. "It takes more than that to kill a demon." Kikyo said, her voice showing no emotion. A demon? Kagome thought, that explains a lot… this is not good.

Kagome scanned the road up ahead. She was wondering exactly how they were going to get through the gate into the castle when she noticed the dark shapes, seven of them, congregated around the front of the gate. One of them was on the ground, one had small, triangular things protruding from his silver hair, and she could have sworn another one was holding a giant boomerang. Kagome realized they had found their friends.

"Come on Kikyo! I see them!" Kagome shouted. A new strength that came deep from within her kindled, giving her the strength to haul a bewildered Kikyo along in the direction of the castle. "We're gonna kill us a demon or two!"

^.^

Inu Yasha heard the shout. It wasn't something you could miss. The sound of Kagome's voice bounced off the stone walls, repeating it's message endlessly until it faded. Inu Yasha and Shippo were the only two who could make out what Kagome had said. "Come on Kikyo! I see them!"

Inu Yasha felt a sigh of relief tear from his body. Kikyo and Kagome were coming. Now the real fight could begin. This woman, this sorceress, she would die-and so would Naraku. They would go to hell together. They would die today.

"Kagome!" Shippo took off towards the two shapes that appeared out of the mist. Inu Yasha saw the figure of Kagome wave, and start running towards the little Kitsune. But before she could reach him she staggered and almost fell. Kikyo caught her just in time.

So, Inu Yasha realized, they've already had to fight-I should have known. Inu Yasha saw Kikyo glance up and let her eyes settle on him for a moment. In that second, Inu Yasha realized that Kikyo knew Naraku was here as well. She wanted to rid the earth of him as much as Inu Yasha did.

Inu Yasha knew somehow that this battle was what Kikyo had been waiting for. This was the reason she stayed with him so long; she knew that somehow, somewhere, if she waited long enough, she would have another chance to kill Naraku. Inu Yasha knew now that he was that chance, after this, Kikyo would be gone, condemned to wander until she found her place.

Her place might not even be on this earth, but Inu Yasha knew for certain that it would never be with him. It was never meant to be, and this destiny would never be changed.

~.~

Geez. I feel so horrible. I had the flu for a whole week and now I'm just getting over it. It really sucked. Now I'm back though. I hope you guys all liked this installment. It might be a little confusing, but bear with me… I don't think the aspirin has worn off yet… ^.^ oh yeah, if you like this fic, check out my other one, `Simple and Clean'. It's more popular than this one, I guess people like it better…*sigh* oh well, at least that one gets reviews…lol