InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Desert Rose ❯ Fall Into Hell ( Chapter 12 )

 

 

 

I'm Baaaaaaaaack!! GRAB SOME CHIPS AND SODA!! LOOOOONG CHAPTER AHEAD!!! ^_^ Anyway, just to clarify, I thought that making Inuyasha a little heartless (no Kingdom hearts relation intended @_^) would serve to make him more like the character he is in the actual series. You know a little aloof and secretive. Okay, here you go, next chapter.

 

Warnings: Some sexual contact and violence.

 

Chapter 12: Fall into Hell.

 

Kagome had taken Inuyasha back to Rin's room to show him the painting that he denied was there. All he had said, when they got there, was that he didn't see any painting over Rin's bed. When Kagome had pointed to it, he said that he didn't see anything there but a blank wall and walked out of the room, saying that they had a journey to prepare for.

 

For the rest of the morning, Kagome had asked around the female servants to see if they had any hidden secrets about the painting. All their answers had been the same: “It's forbidden to speak of that portrait. Don't bother me, I have work to do.” After asking countless woman, all with the same outcome, Kagome was losing hope of finding any clues relating to this mystery. It wasn't until a kitchen servant told her off that she got a good clue on the portrait. An elderly servant had overheard the girl tell off Kagome and decided to interrupt.

 

“Oh, pish-posh,” she had said, “there is nothing forbidden about that painting at all! All our servants are too afraid to speak of it for Sesshoumaru-sama had outlawed the talk of it.”

 

Thinking that she had found her break in the mystery of the painting, Kagome asked the elderly servant to tell anything she knew about the picture. The woman had cupped her chin with her withered hand in thought for a moment before telling Kagome the tale of the painting.

 

“I do not claim to know all the details, but it was almost sixty years ago that the painting was first brought here.”

 

“Sixty years ago!” Kagome exclaimed. The picture had been here for that long yet no one acknowledged it and Inuyasha claimed it didn't exist.

 

“Yes, almost sixty years ago. At the time, there was another war, and Inuyasha-sama's father, Inu-taisho, was still alive. Lady Izaiyoi, his mother, had died several years before. There was another war. It was the largest war in our recorded history, but that's not too important in this tale. Inuyasha-sama was out fighting with his young host. A year before the war ended, Inuyasha-sama had sent that painting to his father with a letter saying that he wanted the picture put in a separate room. A year later, Inuyasha-sama returned to the castle with Sesshoumaru-sama. He had changed during the time of the war. I don't know what happened that changed him, but every servant in the castle could see the change in him. From that day, he almost as emotionless as his elder brother. He stopped wearing red, his favorite color. His eyes had lost their healthy, golden glow.”

 

She paused for a moment to catch her breath.

 

“He threatened to have the painting burned. Something about that child in the painting pained him, but, even though he said he would destroy the painting, he just couldn't do it, no matter how much it seemed to hurt him. So he ended up locking the room, forgetting about the painting. A couple of days later, he wanted to smash all the mirrors in the castle. I believe that he was angered by his own appearance and the fact that the girl in the painting was almost identical to him, save for the youth and brown eyes. Inu-taisho had stopped him, of course. He locked Inuyasha-sama in his room till the young lord calmed down. After that day, Inuyasha-sama would often disappear from the castle. Once the years past, everyone, even master Inuyasha, forgot the locked room with the painting. However, when Sesshoumaru-sama became king and adopted Rin as his daughter, there were no more available rooms. So Sesshoumaru-sama remembered the locked room and decided to give it to Rin. But when he saw the painting that had caused his brother so much despair, he thought it best to actually burn it. Rin had insisted that he keep the painting, for she loved it so much, so Sesshoumaru-sama placed a spell over it that allows anyone to see it except Inuyasha-sama.”

 

Kagome had bowed to the servant, thanked her, at the very least, five times, and left to find Inuyasha. She couldn't believe the tale. She didn't know what was more outrageous: the fact that Inuyasha was more than sixty years old, or the fact that he was the one that brought the painting. It was Inuyasha who brought the painting, yet he had forgotten that he had it? It was so odd. Who was that child that caused him so much pain and why would he keep the painting if it hurt him so? She couldn't figure it out. Kagome kept thinking that the portrait had something to do with his lost heart. Was she the reason he didn't have a heart? She was almost certain that the girl had some kind of relation to the hanyou prince. Perhaps she was his sister, a cousin, or…a…

 

Someone cupped her chin, pulling her so that she was face to face with Inuyasha. He gave her a worried look before speaking. “What's with the face? Why do you look so down all of a sudden?”

 

She couldn't tell him the things she found out and she didn't think he would want to talk about what happened to him. So she just stared at him for a moment before her eyes caught sight of his. His eyes were gold and hers were brown. No. That girl couldn't be... There was just no way.

 

“Kagome?”

 

“Inuyasha…was there another war a long time ago?”

 

The look of confusion and slight unease came to his face. “Yeah, why do you ask?”

 

“How long was that war?”

 

“It was almost sixty years ago and the war lasted twenty years, at the very least. Why do you ask?”

 

“That's how long the war took? I may never get home if this one takes that long!”

 

She heard him chuckle and release her chin. “Don't worry, if we can get that bastard Lord Sin to help us, the war will go by fast.”

 

“I hope so.” She looked away from him and muttered something inaudible.

 

“Kagome?”

 

“Let's go already! I hate having to wait!” she exclaimed.

 

()()()()()()()()()()

 

“Hey, you guys! Are you ready to go?” Sango exclaimed when she saw Inuyasha and Kagome walk into the courtyard behind the castle. “Where's Miroku?” Kagome asked. “Is he going to get the camels?”

 

“No, camels this time.” Inuyasha said, noting how Kagome beamed with appreciation and then puzzled how they were going to travel.

 

“I'll just transport us.” He stated, answering her un-voiced question.

 

When Miroku arrived, apologizing for being late, Inuyasha had linked everyone's hands together before he took a deep breath. The same whirling, dizzy feeling surrounded Kagome and everyone else before their feet settled on the floor.

 

The smell of the ocean. Kagome stared at the building that looked like a castle, save for the fact that it was made out of giant seashells. It was a giant stone building that had clams built into the sides and around the four towers. If she hadn't known any better, she would've thought it was a giant sand castle. Besides the beach, Kagome noticed the jungle behind them and the large town bustling in front.

 

“Wow…This is Southern Domain?”

 

“Yeah,” Inuyasha said coming to stand beside her, his face a little pale from the spell, “I've only been here three times and it never looks any different. Personally, I don't like this place. Their king is one retarded human.”

 

“Why do you say that?” Kagome's question was left unanswered as Inuyasha walked past her, heading into the town. Sango and Miroku walked next to Kagome, telling her to come along as they followed Inuyasha toward the palace.

 

Walking through the city, all eyes were on them, especially Inuyasha. He knew full well that his kind was not too welcome in an all-human society. At home he was accepted, for the people there were both human and demon. He was the link between the two races. But here, he was unwanted, un-trusted and un-needed. He never had much love for this part of his world. It was only on business that he ever came to Southern domain to see Lord Sin. Otherwise, nothing on that earth could've brought him to this place.

 

The solders at the gates of the palace were hesitant to let them pass. They had given Inuyasha a skeptical look before allowing the four of them to pass at Miroku's formal introduction. Entering the courtyard, Kagome had noticed how the palace was connected to the ocean. A small private beach was enclosed in the courtyard's walls. She didn't have much time to look at the scenery since her party had advanced straight into the palace and into the throne room where Lord Sin sat along side the courtiers and the nobles of his Kingdom.

 

The hall was silent as the party walked, their heads parallel to the red carpet that lead to the seat of majesty. All eyes were in their direction, the three humans along with their hanyou felt a twinge of awkwardness as they took their steps. If Kagome had thought the scenery was great, it was nothing compared to the beautiful, elegantly dressed women lined behind the throne.

 

The youthful man sitting at the seat, with brown eyes, black hair, and a meek expression that showed his persona of being considered a higher class than others, was who Kagome assumed was Lord Sin. He looked to be in his late twenties, still with youthful skin that was still elastic and non-wrinkled. He did, however, have the look of ageing, for his face resembled those of the late youthful years. Unlike Sesshoumaru, who was a handsome youth in his own right, but nevertheless showed signs of maturity, Lord Sin was a bit lacking in the beautiful facial features the tai-youkai had. He was, nevertheless, handsome for his assumed age.

 

For a moment, his eyes, which held an eerie glow to them, focused on Kagome, causing her to twitch slightly on reflex. The look in his eye, a glint that told an unknown story, made her uneasy, feeling as if he were sizing her up with one look. As if feeling his host's apprehension, Inuyasha had moved to stand in front of her, blocking her from Lord Sin's view as well as drawing the king's, and the court's, attention to himself.

 

“ I haven't been in your presence since the war started last year. How are you faring, Inuyasha? Are you here as an ambassador for your brother.” Lord Sin, spoke, silencing all the whispers in the hall, which had been echoing to his ears as his guests had arrived from Western Domain.

 

“You seem well, Lord Sin.” Inuyasha's reply held no emotion and neither did the face of the Lord. There was no real friendliness between them. At least, not in their minds, but, both knew, in the political world, it was an unwritten law that they shouldn't speak of their dislikes toward each other. Inuyasha knew full well that Lord Sin despised him for his mixed blood and it was for that reason, that the hanyou didn't like him.

 

“What news from your brother?”

 

“I've come to ask, for your…assistance in the war.”

 

“Then, you must know,” Lord Sin began, rising from his seat, “my answer.”

 

“Then you must know if we lose this war, your kingdom will be in danger of the desert spell.”

 

“I have many sorcerers here that can withstand it.”

 

Inuyasha had started showing signs of agitation. “They won't be able to hold it for long. This spell is demon-drawn and it wants a sacrifice. No matter how many sorcerers you have, you'd need a demon sorcerer to hold it back long enough.”

 

“I've been able to hold back the spell without much problem till now. I'm afraid I cannot give you assistance in the war. All I can do for you, if offer you a stay at my castle tonight, so you can prepare for your journey back in the morning.”

 

Lord Sin walked from the room, leaving whispers from the court about his blunt, uncaring answers to his allies for aid.

 

()()()()()()()()()()

 

“You see, it is just as I told you.” The voice called from the shadows as the king passed through the corridors.

 

“You are still here?” Lord Sin paused, but didn't turn to face the owner of the voice. Hiten stood behind the king, shaking his head in disagreement.

 

“It's such a shame.”

 

“What is?”

 

“You saw the women traveling with `Lord' Inuyasha. It's such a shame. That beautiful woman is his new host. I would've thought such a cute girl would've sought after her miko powers instead of his sorcery ones.”

 

“That girl…a miko-host? She's the first in sixty years. What use is this information to me? I care not for that girl. She looks so breakable.”

 

“I'd get his host away from him if I where you. That's where his power lies.”

 

“And what would I do with a pure-looking, host girl?”

 

“Hell, I don't know. Your Lord Sin, surely YOU can come up with SOMETHING to do with her.”

 

Lord, Sin spun around to glare at Hiten. “I don't believe your story. Leave my palace, or I will have you removed.”

 

“Fine, just remember that when this castle belongs to Western Domain, and your people fall under the rule of demons and that hanyou, it will be your fault.”

 

The presence that was Hiten vanished, leaving Lord Sin with his dreaded desires and doubts.

 

()()()()()()()()()()()()()

 

The day had passed rather quickly as Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku and Sango spent the day lounging and relaxing from their duties. The girls had gone down to the small private beach for a dip, but not before Sango had tied Miroku to a pole, saying that she didn't trust his wandering eyes. However, when she had seen the discomfort clearly written on his face, she had told him to wait for later to cheer up his spirits, which had worked, because Miroku was wistful for the evening afterward. Inuyasha had kept inside, saying that he didn't feel like “frolicking in the sun.”

 

The day went by quickly as the four of them lazed about, but even though the day was simple and warm, there was an otherwise, odd feeling. Something felt off to Kagome. At first, she thought it was her tie to Inuyasha. She could keep feeling his anxiety and she convinced herself that it was for that reason she felt uneasy. Soon, though, she began to feel nervous.

 

Inuyasha hadn't been too cheery about their surroundings either. He was angry about the outcomes that morning for he didn't get the chance to find out the reason that Lord Sin had avoided speaking to his kingdom for so long, nor was he able to determine the location of the messenger that had never returned.

 

()()()()()()()()()()()()

 

“ Armies are already lined up at the edge of the jungle. I saw them all. I told you they are coming to conquer your lands.” Hiten spoke behind the silent lord, ordering a silent girl, dressed in white, with the presence of a ghost, beside him to show the impending death of Southern Domain in her mirror.

 

“ I don't believe you.” Lord Sin snarled at the images in the mirror.

 

“Suit yourself. Come Kanna.” Hiten's presence disappeared but the child lingered. Her empty face and eyes did not change as she mumbled a word to the king, her voice barley higher than the silence of her whisper.

 

“ A militia cannot attach without a leader. A leader cannot fight without a weapon.” Her spirit vanished, but her lingering, looming voice stayed behind.

 

Signing, Lord Sin sat back into his chair. His closed eyes, taking away all the miniscule remainders of light in the dim room. There was no way this could be true. A light hit his eyelids, telling him that some foreign form of light had entered his room. He opened his eyes to see a servant bowing to the floor, painting heavily.

 

“ Sir, out by the edge of the forest! It's an army of demons!”

 

()()()()()()()()()()()()

 

I don't get it, Inuyasha,” Kagome questioned as she spread out the bed sheets with him, “Why doesn't he want to help us? What's his deal?”

 

“Who knows?” He crawled into the sheets, laying the back of his head onto the soft cushions of the pillow, looking at Kagome as if asking her to lie next to him, and huffing out his next sentence.

 

“I don't care what that bastard thinks!” He growled out as the girl slid into bed next to him. “Stupid human. Does he really think he can fight off the desert spell? His kingdom won't last for too long. Naraku will make sure of that.”

 

“The desert spell is getting stronger?”

 

“Yeah. What we didn't realize was that the spell had started sixty years ago, they just choose now to make their move, now that the spell is at its strongest.”

 

Kagome lay there, staring at the ceiling. She didn't like it here in Southern Domain. It didn't have that home-like feeling that Western Domain had, and something about this place gave her the creeps. It was like eyes were watching her everywhere. She kept hearing sounds coming from the walls.

 

Suddenly, the door burst open. Guards heavily dressed in armor, hands full of weaponry, rushed into the room, yanked Kagome out of bed by her wrist just as Inuyasha stood on impulse. The solders pointed their weapons in his direction the moment he had snarled from having his host handled in such a way.

 

“The hell is meaning of this?” He barked. “ Let her go.” He tried to keep his voice under control as to not jeopardize the already tender situation, but he could not stop the growling that came from his chest. In a flash, he had jumped across the room, knocked down the mercenary who was holding Kagome by the wrist, but his efforts were in vain. The slicing sound from behind him had him topple forward and fall on his knees as the blood dripped from the open wound on his back. A blow was struck like bricks on his back, making him cough the crimson liquid. He cursed himself for being caught off-guard.

 

“Inuyasha!” Kagome struggled to get away from the solder that had captured her wrist the moment her sorcerer had fallen. “Let go!” She cried, tugging her arm from his harmful grasp. Realizing that his grasp would not loosen, she closed her eyes, calling on the dormant power. The man holding her immediately screamed, letting her go and falling back from the power of the purification energy.

 

Once loose, she had spun around to get to the hanyou. Something stung her shoulder and she fell backward into the solder's hands, the point in her shoulder sending shockwaves of vibrations through her before she could feel nothing. Her body didn't move when she demanded. `I've gone numb!'

 

“That pressure point should short out your miko powers.” The man had behind her said. “Why are you doing this!?” She demanded.

 

“What the fuck is the reason for this you bastards.” Inuyasha rose from his knees, wobbling slightly, but otherwise keeping his balance as the blood dripped down his chin and into the marble floor. “What the fuck is going on? Who the hell sent you here?” He growled.

 

“You are under arrest for treason.” The man holding Kagome, who was the apparent leader, replied.

 

“Treason? On what fucking charges! Your bastard lord is the one of treason! What the hell are you doing with my host!”

 

“Lord Sin would like a word with her.”

 

“Like hell he would!” Bringing his hand to his back, Inuyasha flashed his arm as red blades sliced through some men's armor. Kagome fell to floor, her body still numb and unable to move because of the hit she was given earlier.

 

“Kagome!” He never made it to her. His world went black as he fell to the floor, head throbbing in pain.

 

“Inuyasha!” Kagome stared at the solder with the bloody handle of the sword, standing behind the hanyou. “You jerks!”

 

“ I suggest that you come quietly, unless you want to see more pain for you hanyou-friend.”

 

“ Fine, I'll go.”

 

“Don't do it, Kagome! Who knows what that bastard had in store for you.” Inuyasha grunted, trying to rise with his lower back in protest.

 

“ Shut up, swine!” Another wave of liquid fire dripped down the back of his head, his legs failing to support himself as he fell of his knees again, swearing at the person behind him, standing with the bloody hilt of the sword.

 

“ Stop! I'll go, just don't hurt him anymore!” Kagome begged. If she had to look at another pang of anguish on her friend's part, she was sure she wouldn't be able to hold back the tears.

 

“ The fuck are you saying you, idiot!” Inuyasha snarled at her from his kneeling position. “ The hell are you putting yourself in danger for? How do you expect to get home?”

 

“ How do I expect to get home if you're dead? You're the only one who CAN send me back, what will I do if you die and what will I do if your death is on my shoulders.” She retorted, saying the last part quietly.

 

“Fool, don't waste your life for mine!”

 

“ I'll be fine, Inuyasha, I'm a big girl! I don't want you to die because of me! You're injured enough already!”

 

“Shut-up! My life doesn't matter, if yours is in danger! My life ended a long time ago.”

 

Kagome gasped. His life ended long ago? Was that about the time he lost his heart? Was he referring what happened to him long ago that made him lose his heart? Did he even know about his condition? She had to know.

 

“ Inuyasha, what do you mea-”

 

“Enough!” The man holding her from behind shouted over her shoulder. “ Take him away and you, girl, are coming with me.”

 

“You really think I'll go willingly, you bastards.” Inuyasha growled from his position, ready to pounce any moment he had to.

 

“We don't.” The voice over Kagome's shoulder hissed.

 

The hanyou growled, rising from his position to start another conflict, but something touched his shoulder, creating a burning sensation that shocked its way through his body and, again, his world went black as his vision became blurry. His body fell to the floor as, once again, the inflictor of his pains stood behind in triumph. The man stood there, snickering at the puddle of blood that the boy was lying in and knowing it was all his doing.

 

“Inuyasha! What did you do to him!” Kagome demanded.

 

“ He's still alive. We knew he was a powerful sorcerer and wouldn't fall for a simple sleeping spell without weakening him first. It was a benefit that he choose to attack, for it made it more meaningful to harm him.”

 

She couldn't believe what she was hearing. “ You MONSTERS! How could you?” the tears were flowing freely now.

 

“ It's your life for his. Come willingly and he be thrown in the dungeon, where he will be able to heal. IF, you don't come willingly, we can execute him right now.”

 

She signed, knowing she was defeated. Giving one last glace to the hanyou that was being dragged away by the guards, she let the man guild her to where she was summoned.

 

()()()()()()()()()()()()

 

“Get in there!”

 

The boy huffed and coughed the red liquid that was freely running down his chin from the inner injury. He cursed, but otherwise, lay there were he was thrown, unable to move from the fatigue and throbbing. His back was burning, not to mention that his hair was now crimson with his own blood. He let the cold tile of the prison cool his face, tasting the metallic taste of blood in his mouth. `When I get outta here…”

 

“ Inuyasha? What have they done to you?”

 

Barley raising his head to look at the owner of the voice, his blurry vision was scarcely able to see the outline of the monk. “Miroku? Those bastards got you too, huh?” The young monk had rushed to kneel beside his fallen friend, ripping part of his long, dark, blue robe to drape it around the hanyou's back and head.

 

“ Inuyasha, how did this happen?”

“There were way too many of them, they caught me off guard. Their weapons had some kind of ability to paralyze. It hit me in the right spot to short out my sorcerer abilities as well as weaken my strength. Those bastards took Kagome. I have to get out of here.”

 

“They took Sango too…we can't get out of here, Inuyasha. At least, not until you've healed somewhat.”

 

“ You idiot! Who knows what that bastard might do to my host and your wife! I've got to get the fuck out of here!”

 

“ I'm not worried about Sango. I know she can take care of herself. It's Kagome that worries me.”

()()()()()()()()()()()()

 

She was thrown into a bath, vigorously cleaned by the servants who avoided her gaze, cleansed with fragrant oils, clothed in silks and linens that revealed too much, and pushed into the Lord's room. She stood there, fidgeting in the dark room where she could barley see the outline of the Lord she had met earlier. She couldn't call him a lord now; he had broken all the things that earned the noble title of a King. She stood, filled to the brim with defiance and anger.

 

“ Those clothes suit you.”

 

“Whatever.” She said, mimicking her sorcerer's aloof figure. “ Why did you call me here?”

 

He rose from his seat, but stood in his place. “Tomorrow, your sorcerer will be put a fight to the death for treason. If he lives, then he will be executed, but I highly doubt that it would happen. You can never trust demons. As for you…”

 

She turned her back to him, a form of disrepute. He did not deserve her respect. Her breath caught when he had wrapped his arms around her waist and tossed her onto the bed. Immediately, Lord Sin was on top of her, working away her clothing while he leaned in to speak next to her ear. Still to shocked to reply, Kagome was silent when she heard what he was saying next.

 

“ You and that woman, Sango, I've chosen to keep with me as concubines. I've never liked killing off women if I couldn't find a better use for them other then death”

 

`Concubine? Like a whore!?' she became wild, frantically kicking and screaming, trying with all her might to push the man off of her. In response to her behavior, he had seized her wrists and tied them to the bedpost, thus holding her arms in place and trapping her under his weight.

 

Kagome continued struggling against him as he started a wet trail down from her neck to her exposed chest making her heart beat furiously on contact. He wasn't stopping and it came to her mind that he was going to take her willing or not.

 

“NO!”

 

A blinding, force sent him flying backward off of her, while the ricochet of the power broke the bounds on her hands. She heard him give out a grunt as his back hit the wall in such a force as to crack the concrete. She sat up, panting heavily and feeling dazed from the release of immense power she had used. She shouldn't have done that, tapping into Inuyasha's power to save herself, even if her miko powers were sealed. He needed his energy.

 

“YOU WENCH!”

 

She looked back up at her captor, whom had recovered slightly from the blow and was glowering at her.

 

“ You WILL be punished for that!”

()()()()()()()()()()()()

 

Miroku stood, dispirited, behind the bars of their prison. “ It's no good, Inuyasha,” he began, “no matter what I have tried.” A grunt of pain was his answer, causing him to run to his friend's side.

 

“ What's wrong?”

 

Inuyasha grunted in anguish for a moment, before bringing himself into a sitting position from the sprawled way he was a moment before. “ It's Kagome, she's hurting.” He said.

 

“ You two couldn't possibly be forming a host-sorcerer bond already! Wait, you don't think Sin has-”

 

“No, he hasn't, I would've been able to tell. It's not that kind of pain. She's hurting physically and it's effecting me. I have to get out of here!”

 

Wincing, and against Miroku's protests, Inuyasha rose from his position and walked toward the bars. He stood, staring at the bars in deep thought as to how he was going to break them. Nothing came to him. He was a demon-sorcerer; there was no way he could break those bars if there was a barrier around them. His magical power was locked in him, anyway. He had to wait for the paralysis of wear off. If only…

 

“ Inuyasha, look.”

 

Following the direction of Miorku's finger, he turned to see something glow in the corner of the cell. The light faded to reveal…“ The Tetsusaiga.” He stumbled toward the sword, grasping its hilt and pulling it from the ground. The light blade rested against his palm. Turning to their only exit from the cell, Inuyasha pointed the rusty weapon at the restraints.

 

“Will that work?” Miroku asked from behind. He got no answer or even a hint if his friend had heard him.

 

Bringing the weapon over his head, Inuyasha took a deep breath. “You'd better have been right about this Myoga.” At that point, he didn't even care if the weapon failed him. If it didn't work, he would claw at the barrier until it broke. There was nothing that could keep him from getting to his host now, not even the wounds on his back! There was no way he was going to lose another partner; his soul couldn't take it.

 

Using all of his strength at once, he swung the sword as if he were trying to kill the air. “KAZA NO KIZU!” The razor blade became red, fired a whiplash of swirling winds that cut through the air, splitting all that stood in their way from freedom. The tempest subsided; leaving the surprised hanyou and the monk starring at wonder at the transformed sword that was now a large razor-sharp, cutting edge instead of the rusty blade it was before.

 

“Well, what do you know? The old man's advise paid off.” Inuyasha said as he turned to Miroku. Just when he was about to tell the monk his orders, a guard stumbled into the dungeon, preparing to fight. Miroku, unfazed by the guard's intrusion, punched the man in his gut before he could fight back. The body fell to the floor with a thud.

 

“Miroku,” Inuyasha's voice called from behind, “ Go find Sango. I'll take care of Lord Sin.” His voice held no emotion, but Miroku didn't have time to question about Inuyasha's condition, even if his fascination about the girl in the painting daunted him so. “ Be careful, my friend.” He said before he departed from the dungeon.

 

Once the monk had left, Inuyasha took a moment to gather his composure before walking out with the transformed sword in his hands. Guards, guards, guards. All the men threw themselves in his path, one after another in a fruitless attempt to stop him, all of them pushed back by the Tetsusaiga's power. Each step was as agonizing as the last as more and more red droplets fell into the ground.

 

“Stop, Inuyasha!”

 

Looking up from into the second floor of the room, Inuyasha's eyes came to rest on the snickering form of Lord Sin, but he wasn't where his attention focused for he caught site of Kagome next to him on the platform. She looked weak and broken, barley able to support herself. Behind her stood two women, holding her up by the shoulders and sneering at him.

 

“ Sin, what the hell was the sense in betraying your allies?” Inuyasha growled.

 

“ It is YOU who have betrayed your allies, sending your armies into my lands after I refused to join you in war.”

 

“ What! Who the hell told you that!?”

 

“ It doesn't matter, for treason, you are to fight to the death.”

“Says who!”

 

“Says me, it's great to see you again, Inuyasha. This time, I'll finally have your head.” A third, soft voice, echoed into the conversation, while all eyes turned in the direction of the speaker. A strange man , wearing white robes with green decorations encoded into the fabric, stood there holding a sharp weapon over his shoulder. He smiled menacingly, waiting for a snide remark from the hanyou.

 

“ Jakotsu. So the whole band of seven has betrayed us as well, huh?”

 

“ Oh, I only follow brother's orders. What can we say, Naraku offered us a better deal. But, so long as it means I can have your cute head, what does it matter for me?” He lifted his strange sword to point it in Inuyasha's direction.

 

“ I don't give a damn about you or your `brother,' Bankotsu. Get the fuck out of my way!”

 

“ I'm your opponent, till once of us dies. You ready?”

 

Inuyasha stood there, his eyes locked with Jakotsu's. With his abilities still locked in him, and his physical condition in such a drastic state, his chances for winning were slim. He knew his weaknesses.

 

Jakotsu lunged at him, prepared to strike with his weapon, only managing to slice away at air as Inuyasha struggled to keep his balance from that last jump. Their movements intensified as both of them hacked away at each other in repetitive striking motions. Barley on the defensive, Inuyasha was finding it difficult to fight back with his aching muscles. He was pushed back with a strong blow, barley given enough time to catch his breath.

 

Jakotsu leaped toward Inuyasha, sword in hand and ready to hack him in two. The hanyou managed to jump into the air, before the weapon could cut off his legs. His opponent quickly recovered from his miss and followed him into the air, this time getting a successful cut at the sorcerer's shoulder. Inuyasha screeched in pain, falling to the ground as the Tetsusaiga fell away from him, transformed back into its rusty blade.

 

“ Inuyasha!” it was hard to watch. Kagome didn't like the view from where she was. If not for the women holding her up, she was sure she would have fainted from pain and worry. She was sure she would've run down there to help him if her body didn't burn in the way that it did. Everywhere it hurt, but she was sure he was hurting more.

 

Inuyasha flinched. Another pain from Kagome, it kept slowing him down for her pain only added to his. He was tired, lying there on the floor.

 

“What a pain. I'd thought you'd give me a good fight, but it seems you were an easy kill. I guess it's okay though,” Jakotsu signed, “ with your wounds, without your powers, and without your sword, it's no mistake that you'd lose. I guess I'll take your head, and I guess your host will have to stay here as the king's toy while you have the gift of dying.”

 

Something snapped in his mind. He stood wobbling on both legs, straightening his back, and spitting the sticky blood that was in his mouth. “ I don't need my powers, or that sword to tear you apart.” His voice was nothing but a foreboding hiss. The lines around his eyes flashed red for a moment. Something flashed through the room, right into the place where Jakotsu stood.

 

In an instant, Jakotsu was slammed against the wall, shuddering for breath as the hanyou's claws sunk into the skin of his neck. He cried out in anguish as the claws sunk into the muscle, ripping through the skin. Blood ran between his fingers as Inuyasha's other hand ripped though his victim's ribcage. He dropped Jakotsu to the ground as he stepped back looking at his almost-dead opponent.

 

Jakotsu coughed out the last of the blood that had circulated through him. “ Ha, killed by a heartless man…” he mumbled.

 

“ Heartless…yeah, that's right.” Inuyasha said.

 

“ How did…lose it?”

 

“ It was her and the girl that had my face.”

 

“ How sad…” Jakotsu's eyes closed, taking with it its last breath.

 

Not even giving the hanyou a moment to take in his triumph, another intrusion entered the room. Someone was clapping, their feet clacking into the ground. This time it was another familiar face.

 

“ Well, well, well, you're quite the killer these days, Inuyasha.”

 

“ Hiten. So it was you.” Inuyasha growled.

 

“ Indeed.”

 

Suddenly a rush of demon solders entered the room, prepared to strike at any time, but they all stopped at Hiten's gesture to stand down. The demon stood there, smirking at his victory.

 

“What is this!?” Lord Sin said in a rage. “You told me their armies were coming! Was it all a plot!”

 

Hiten looked up at the “ King” before answering. “That's right. I did tell you there was an army, but I never said it was Western Domain's. I just told you of what was to come. I didn't say who was to cause it. All I did was warn you.”

 

“ You lie! You told me Western Domain was planning to take over my country!”

“ Yes I did. You humans, so gullible, spread one simple rumor about town and tell their king a lie about invasion and you betray your allies while we strike.” Hiten raised his hand into the air. Suddenly, a bolt of light erupted around Lord Sin. The blinding light was followed by a scream before the light subsided, leaving the dead body of the king on the marble tiles of the second floor. The women holding Kagome escaped in fear for their own lives after the murder of their king.

 

“These lands belong to Eastern Domain now.” Hiten grinned wickedly. He didn't care that the hanyou had run up to the second floor to collect his host, nor did it matter to him that the monk and his wife had reunited with their friends. His orders had been to simply collect these lands.

 

()()()()()()()()()

 

“ Kagome-chan!” Sango tried to stir the fainted girl in Inuyasha's arms. She moved and opened her eyes to look at her. “Sango?”

 

“ Inuyasha, we have to get out of here!” Miroku's voice cut into the conversation as more and more demon solders entered the castle. The hanyou nodded and stood. Visualizing the place he wanted to send the monk and the slayer, he used the last of his strength to send them there.

 

“Kagome…”

 

“I'm fine…Let's get out of here.”

 

He was out of strength. He had used the last of his energy to send Miroku and Sango back. There was nothing left for the two of them, but they couldn't stay here! The Tetsusaiga heated in his hand. Was it pulsing? There was no time to think about it now. If he could use its dimensional power to send them home…He saw the image of where he wanted to be. “Let's get the hell out of here!”

 

Swirling colors erupted around them, before the image of Hiten and his pillaging solders disappeared. Whatever Kagome fell upon was soft and wherever she was had a soothing glow to it. She opened her eyes to realize that they were in the golden room, back at Western Domain. She was lying face down on her belly, which helped for her pain. Her whole back burned and she could feel her sorcerer panting as he leaned over her, his chest just inches away from her back. She screeched when she felt his hands on her back. He tore away the cloth, to reveal the blood that lay underneath. Long strand-like red scars covered the skin of her back.

 

“Kagome, why didn't you tell me that he whipped you?” His tone was empty,

 

“I…I didn't want you to worry, especially after what happened to you…” She whispered.

 

“ Idiot! I was worrying either way.”

 

Telling her to hold still, he lifted himself out of the bed, scurrying about the room before bringing a golden vase full of water and some bandages to rest next to the bed. He sat back onto the mattress with a bathed cloth in hand, wincing from the pain in his own injuries as well as the added pain from hers.

 

“This might sting a little.” He warned before whipping the cloth over the still wet blood on her back. She screeched as the cold liquid entered the wound and she felt him wince in reaction to her scream and the pain she knew he could feel.

 

“ Sorry. Kami, Kagome, why did they do this?”

 

She gulped before answering. “ I refused to be Lord Sin's concubine. When he tried to force himself on me, I accidentally unleashed your energy and injured him. He whipped me for it.” She cried into the pillow.

 

“ That bastard. How many lashes did he give you?”

 

“ I…think fifteen.”

 

She heard him growl, but otherwise, didn't say anything, just continued cleaning the red blood from her back. “ I wish I was the one the killed him.” He said.

 

“ Why?”

 

“ Because he touched what is mine.”

 

“ Inuyasha?”

 

He didn't answer, just moved with such speed that she didn't even have time to gasp when she felt his tongue on her back.

“Ah, what are you doing!?” She retorted against her straining muscles.

 

“ Forcing in my energy so you won't have any scars. Hold still. I'm sure Jordan never told you about passing energy into open wounds to help the healing.” He muttered.

 

The wet trail of his tongue followed the lines of open skin on her back. She could feel the warmth of his energy seeping into her blood stream. The warm, wet, feeling of his tongue on her back made her eyes flutter closed and her breathing slow into shallow breaths. Her mind fell into blankness as he continued his task, the feeling consuming her as her skin tingled from wherever he touched. Her heart beat faster, she could hear the blood pumping in her veins as his tongue slicked over the wounds. He pulled away, her back feeling cold, tingling from his touch.

 

Whipping the sweet blood from his chin, he asked, “Can you sit up?”

 

When she didn't answer, he huffed and, sliding his hands to circle around her torso, he swirled her around so that she was in an upright position with her knees in front of her. She `eeped' and struggled to hold the ripped fabric over her chest.

 

“Now is not the time for modesty, I can't tie bandages around your back if you're gonna cover your chest with your hands like that.” He gave her an irritated look before lifting himself to sit behind her. When he began tying the bandages around her wounds, she obediently lifted her hands and slipped away from the torn fabric. Once finished with the bandages, he laid her down on her back, telling her to go to sleep while he kept his upright, sitting position next to her.

 

She stared at him for a while, not understanding why he could feel her pain and she couldn't feel his. Was it because he didn't have a heart? His condition was by far of greater importance than hers, why did he go to so much trouble to tend to her when it was he whom needed more attention?

 

“ What about-” He didn't let her finish that sentence.

 

“ I'm fine. I've been through hell and still survived. I'll heal.”

 

“ Inuyasha, do you trust me?”

 

He gave her a skeptical, confused look.

 

“ Where did that come from?”

 

“ Do you?”

 

He didn't answer. Deciding to switch tactics while Inuyasha still had his guard down, Kagome brought up another question.

 

“ Did…where you hurt in the past, is that why you don't trust so easily?” She asked.

 

He didn't answer again and it made her wonder if he was listening at all.

 

“ Inuyasha?”

 

“ Stop. I don't want to talk about it, I'm tired.”

 

He was avoiding the question. Kagome didn't want any secrets between the two of them. She knew that as a host she had to trust him not to put her life in danger, Jordan had told her about the bond, but Kagome, though she felt their host and sorcerer bond forming, she didn't feel their bond as friends forming. What it a bad idea? Was it wrong to become his host if their relationship was only based on business?

 

“ Kagome? What's with the face?”

 

“ It' nothing.”

 

“ Hey, out with it!”

 

“ Inuyasha, do you only care about me because I'm your host.”

 

“ Keh, that's a stupid question. I was the one who was against you being my host. Why would I only care about you as such when I never wanted to put your life in danger in the first place?”

 

He only had two moods: anger and tease. Why did Inuyasha keep all his other feelings hidden? Her thoughts kept wandering to the painting. She hadn't seen any other emotions other the two he showed, but when the servant had told her of the pain he felt toward that picture, it made her wonder if all his pain was bottled up somewhere. She would have to keep speaking in riddles to get his guard down so she could draw some clue about why he suffered so much. Even when he was hurting, he brought up her wounds first. Even when it wasn't really his responsibility, he promised he would help her get home. Even if he was in pain, she always came first. Why did he seem so selfish, yet he always put her welfare first? Did he have a problem with guilt? Was it guilt that he felt when he saw the painting sixty years ago?

 

“ Inuyasha, can I ask you something?”

 

“ What?”

 

“ I need some advise.”

 

You are asking the wrong person. His voice echoed in her head.

 

Please, this is something I need before I go back home. She thought back.

 

“ I'm listening.” He huffed.

 

“ One of my friends has this problem. I had a fight with her before I came. She wouldn't tell me what was bothering her. I heard from someone else that she was crying every time she saw this tree. They said she wanted the tree cut down, but when they were going to do it, she changed her mind. Why do you think she did that?”

 

She saw his eyes widen then narrow again, before he answered.

 

“ Kami, I don't know! Maybe something bad happened under that tree.”

 

“ Then, why didn't she let the people cut it down?”

 

This time he growled. If she knew that she was playing at his nerves, she would've thought that he was horrible at giving advise. “ God, I don't know! If something is hurting her then she should just get rid of it!”

 

Annoyed, he laid his back on the bed. The girl at his side moved before his pulsing center gave a kick when he saw the girl willingly lie herself down on top of him, with her head on his chest.

 

“ Are you getting kinkier, Kagome?”

 

Her face reddened at his statement.

 

“ NO! I'm just staying near you, so you can heal faster.”

 

“ I told you I'm fine!”

 

“ No your not, your in a worse condition then I am, you put my less important wounds before your vital ones and I don't want to know that your hurting because of me.”

 

He let her be, for he rather enjoyed her attention at the moment, the feel of her breasts on his chest and her scent in his nose. It amazed him that she didn't even mind the wet blood on his clothes.

 

“ You scared me today. I thought you were going to die. They hurt you so badly, I'm so sorry.” She cried into him.

 

“ What are you crying for, we both had a long day. You almost got raped. And you were whipped. I should be saying sorry for not being able to keep you away from that. Stop crying, baby! I don't want blood AND tears on my clothes.”

 

He lifted her chin, to his face, pulled her into a short kiss before laying his head back into the cushions and wrapping his arms around her waist, careful not to hold to tightly and hurt the wounds.

 

“ From now on, I'm not letting you out of my sight.” He said quietly.

 

“ What! You can't just follow me around like a baby-sitter!” She looked up at him angrily. It was one thing that she had to be with him each night, now he was taking away her day too! Not that she didn't mind being with him, but she needed some privacy. She didn't want him watching her like a hawk!

 

“Watch me.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

FEW!! DONE!! FINALLY!! Anyway, this chapter took me two weeks to finish. What with college I didn't have time, not to mention I will be going to a secondary school soon, for job training. This was the chapter I had wanted to write for soooo long, but since there are so many things in this one part of the story, I had to edit it quite a bit. I kept saying, “ today, I'll upload, today, I'll upload.” But every detail had to be in place. I'm a perfectionist and I don't like sharing things unless it's perfect, so I hope you're satisfied greatly about this chapter. I know I'm keeping some things unanswered, but I like to keep people guessing till the end. I mean, c'mon, who like to have the ending ruined in only the rising action of the story. There if FAR more to tell. PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!! It would be the prefect birthday present!