InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Desert Rose ❯ Shattered Rage ( Chapter 20 )

Ah, the nostalgia. Seems like only yesterday that I was writing the very first chapter…well anyway, I hope you enjoy it! Lots of drama in this! It was so hard not to cry at the end of it!

 

Dark chapter ahead

 

 

Chapter Twenty: Shattered Rage

 

 

She stared emptily beyond Inuyasha and Kagome. Silence loomed between the three people standing in the dying green forest as the sounds of battle raged in the distance. Her eyes lost all light, dark and unexpressive. Both ears twitching busily, one toward the grunts and clings coming from the battlefield beyond, the other pointed to the looming silence in her current ground.

 

Inuyasha was shaking, his breathing coming in pants. The shock of seeing the girl standing the forest had affected him more strongly than it had when he saw Ayla at his father's tomb. He couldn't move, paralyzed by fear and hope. It had been his stronger demon half that had seen his youngest daughter before, and though he had broken down, the shock didn't attack as strongly as it was doing this time.

 

Trembling, ignoring Kagome's nervous looks, he stepped toward the child, where she stood unmoving and silent.

 

“Silva?” He called, his voice guarded.

 

The girl did not stir, she didn't even flinch, and her blank eyes stared forward. Before he had noticed what had happened, Silva had disappeared from the place she had been standing seconds before. Inuyasha searched for her small form frantically, before his eyes found her, walking slowly toward the castle.

 

“Wait!” He demanded, rushing after her, but the girl did not respond, only placed one small foot in front of the other mechanically as she headed slowly toward the castle.

 

“Inuyasha, wait!” Kagome called, rushing after him, as he came to walk behind Silva.

 

Slowly, he tried to touch her with a trembling hand, to see if she was real. His fingertips came close to touching her shoulder as she silently walked when…

 

Inuyasha suddenly felt a whirling sensation as he was blasted back into the slowly drying grass. His back ached from the impact, but he was back on his feet in an instant, eyes still pinned to Silva's body as she walked, trancelike toward the castle.

 

“Are you alright?” Kagome called when she reached him. He was starring at his hand as though he had never seen it before. As Kagome leaned in to see what he was looking at, she couldn't help but gasp; Inuyasha's hand was smoking, as though he had just pulled it out from a fire.

 

“I can't touch her…” He mumbled.

 

“Was that…a barrier?” Kagome asked, as she watched Silva slowly walk toward the castle.

 

“A very strong one at that.” Inuyasha looked back up, and ran after Silva once again, Kagome on his heels. Silva noiselessly turned, walking up the stone steps in into the castle.

 

“Where is she going?” Kagome wondered. She had never seen the silver, or now that she knew, Silva, to act this way before.

 

Inuyasha said nothing, following what he hoped was not a dream or illusion. Every other thought that had plagued him earlier had been ripped from his mind the moment he saw her in the forest. He could no longer care about helping the people to evacuate, or about the fact that there was a war being fought miles from where he was walking. All he could see, think about, or even smell, was the familiar and unfamiliar presence that was Silva, as she walked through the castle that she had never set foot in before.

 

He didn't care where she was going; all he could think about was finding out if she was real, if he was really seeing her. He barely felt Kagome as she walked beside him, holding his arm nervously. He realized how fast he was breathing, and how frightened he must look, because Kagome had tightened her hold on his arm, yet still he found himself concentrating on the small body of the girl as she turned again into a corridor.

 

“Inuyasha?” Kagome called, but he barley heard her, obsessed over following Silva as she suddenly began climbing stairs to one of the towers, he didn't care which.

 

Somewhere in the distance, he could hear bangs and roars from the fighting that had erupted, but he felt as though those sounds were millions of miles away, as though the war only existed in another dimension. He kept his eyes on Silva's body, seeing the way she swayed somewhat from side to side as she climbed the stairs, as though the floor had been moving in an undulating motion.

 

He noticed how rough and bruised her bare feet were, as though she had been forced to walk over a spiky surface. Silva's hair was knotted, bunched up in the bottom, and one of her small ears was oddly bent in the corner. Her scent had changed: it carried little sense of self, like she no longer carried a persona. Poison and a metallic odor he couldn't identify were mixed into her sugary smell.

 

Now that he was close enough to see, there were yellow discolorations on her peach-pink skin, those places looking soft and spongy. Her small hands were dirty, the tiny claws on her fingers cracked. One of her shoulders was swollen, bent slightly forward in an odd angle. She walked with a slight limp. The more he studied her, the more damage he found and his anger rising with each discovery.

 

Rage and fear boiled in his blood at her tender state, yet he couldn't take his eyes away from her as she continued to walk up the stairs. He was consumed by her appearance and presence that he didn't notice her stop in front of a brick wall that looked all too familiar. Suddenly Inuyasha was thrown from his trance, his eyes breaking away from Silva for the first time to look at the wall she was running her finger against.

 

“Inuyasha, isn't this-” Kagome began.

 

“The silver tower.” He cut across her, his eyes returning to Silva as she rested her palm against the stone. The next moment, the wall swung open like a door and Silva padded inside. Inuyasha followed her into the room, watching her as she stared, eyes glued, to the glowing tree of years.

 

“Silva, what are you doing?” Inuyasha wondered aloud, trying to touch her again. Like before, he was blasted off his feet and thrown into the opposite wall, his back hitting it before he slid to the floor, panting from the sudden attack. Grumbling from the pain, he tried to stand, wobbling as he did so.

 

“Are you okay?” Kagome asked as she came to him and helped him stand.

 

“What's wrong with her?” Inuyasha wondered watching as Silva paid them no mind, as her hand slowly reached to touch the tree.

 

“What's the matter? Cannot recognize your own flesh and blood?” A cold, menacing voice came into the air. The room suddenly felt cold.

 

Recognizing the voice, his anger rising to the surface, Inuyasha growled. From behind Silva, on the other side of the tree, three figures appeared. The pale, devil looking face of Naraku sneered at him from across the room, his face shadowed by the trees light. Next to him stood Levion's murderer, Tsubaki, and between the two, stood a child with a mirror in her small hands.

 

“What did you do to her, you sick bastard?” Inuyasha ground out between clenched teeth, his eyes bordering on red with each raging heartbeat.

 

“Now, watch your language around this sweet little child.”

 

“You…” Inuyasha growled.

 

“ Aren't you going to thank me?” Naraku replied with a cold, mocking voice.

 

“ `Thank' you! Why the hell would I thank you?” He shouted in a rage, wanting nothing better then to rip that horrendous demon to shreds.

 

“I saved your little girl, pulled her out of the depths of my desert.”

 

“YOU DID NOTHING BUT HURT HER YOU ASSHOLE!” Inuyasha shouted, charging at Naraku, but was thrown back again by the invisible force that surrounded Silva.

 

Inuyasha's impact with the stone wall was so great, that rubble feel from the top of the room. Standing, ignoring his pain, he rose in the dust, trying to breathe from his anguish and contorted rage. “Where's Ayla?” He snarled; red eyes fixed on Naraku.

 

“Ayla? You mean the other girl? Do you wish to know?”

 

“TELL ME!”

 

“I was walking across my territory some years ago…”

 

“ I DON'T GIVE A DAMN WHAT YOU WERE DOING, TELL ME WHERE MY DAUGHTER IS!”

 

“Silence. You should learn to hold your tongue when someone is giving you the information that you so deeply desire. Now where was I.” Naraku jeered.

 

“I was deep in thought as to how I could make the world my own. Of course I knew it would be difficult: you and your brother provided quite a challenge. Imagine my surprise when I found a pair of bodies nearly buried in the sand. Two girls, apparently the younger one was dead, blood covering her small body as she shielded the other girl, who seemed to be breathing through the terrible wound on her chest.” He spoke with such glee as if talking about a sweet memory.

 

Inuyasha's face paled at the description but his yes remained a burning, angry crimson.

 

“What delightful irony it turned out that those two girls were your twin daughters, and shockingly powerful girls at that. I don't know what was more surprising: how powerful she was, or that she named you as her father. A filthy half-breed was able to produce such a powerful child.”

 

“SHUT UP! Give her back to me, you-”

 

“Now, now. I'd have thought you'd be angry with your little girl.”

 

“What!” Inuyasha looked as though he would have loved to cut Naraku up and burn the pieces.

 

“It's been her power that made the spell so strong. Why did you think that the spell became so strong in a short amount of time? How was it that the tree of years became confused between your power and the desert's?”

 

The red drained from Inuyasha's face and his eyes. “That's not true.” He said softly.

 

“Oh but it is. Your delightful little girl has been poisoning the hearts that I have collected with her power. Slowly, I have had her place her demonic, sorcerer energy into the hearts and into the desert spell. But unfortunately, lately she has become rebellious: one of your traits, no doubt. I had thought I had crushed her fighting spirit. She resists me, tries to escape and leak information to my enemies in hopes that one of them will save her. Even now, under my control, she fights for dominance. However, I can slowly take over her mind and make her do my bidding without complaint.”

 

“You monster!” Kagome spoke up. “You're forcing an innocent child to do these evil acts! You're making her kill! If you were making her strengthen the desert spell, why did you kill Levion and Lord Sin! Why do you place more innocent lives in danger! You're sick! Your evil!”

 

“Ah, but you see foolish girl.” Tsubaki began, her cold and unaffected voice cutting through the room. “This child has killed no one. All we have taken from her is her powers to use for our own ends. She's a very fine power supply.”

 

“DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK OF HER THAT WAY!” Inuyasha shouted.

 

“How dare you take that tone with me, you half-breed! I'll have you know that it's my ability to make this girl do my bidding as well. I could easily make her hurt herself.” Inuyasha growled, but didn't say anything after Tsubaki issued her threat, his eyes watching Silva apprehensively.

 

“The reason Lord Levion and Sin were killed is because they were among the few who could forever reverse the spell.” Tsubaki continued.

 

“What the hell are you talking about, you bitch!” Inuyasha growled.

 

“Watch your tongue half-breed! You see Lord Levion had incredible power. Born with endless sorcerer energy, that it had taken away his eyesight and made his internal organs weak. Levion had the power to reverse the spell and he could have done so, had we not had this child to counteract him. For you see, she has the same abilities as he. With her power and ours strengthening the spell, Levion began losing the power that kept his land from falling. But that was not enough. Levion was clever; he used the power of the Mirror of Memories to push the desert back into their borders. If he had been willing to give his life, he could have pushed back the spell for good. That was not the only reason that Levion had to be eliminated.”

 

“Levion was one of the four souls.” The child holding the mirror spoke in a quiet whisper.

 

“Thank you, Kanna.” Tsubaki said.

 

“Bitch! That's only a legend! There is no such thing!” Inuyasha ground out at Tsubaki, ignoring the little girl.

 

“Silence you fool! It's very real. The four souls exist, the most powerful hearts in the world. Not only was Levion a threat, he was among the four most powerful hearts in existence.” Tsubaki shouted.

 

“His heart was strong, despite the fact that his body was not. As long as the four souls exist, the desert spell can never be permanent…” Kanna spoke, holding the mirror to her chest.

 

“So Lord Sin was one of the souls too?” Kagome wondered aloud.

 

Naraku laughed. “That fool, taking over his land was far to easy. Foolish humans, thinking he was powerful enough to fight me? No, I just happened to need Lord Sin out of the way. Once that was done, I collected the hearts of his people, using them and this child's power to spread the desert against Levion's land. Lord Sin. He was far too weak to be one of the four souls.”

 

“So that's it! You killed Levion because of that! If you were already pushing the desert into the north, why did you have to kill him!” Kagome shouted, tears in her eyes.

 

“Levion was already planning to end his life.” Kanna spoke.

 

“How-”

 

“Levion had decided to unleash all of his power at once, destroying himself but forever sealing his land and his people in an impermeable protection.” Kanna cut across Kagome.

 

“And he would have done so, had we not attacked as early as we had.” Tsubaki smiled smugly.

 

“So you plan for Silva to follow the same path!” Inuyasha demanded.

 

“I have no desire to kill your daughter as of yet. For you see, she still is some use to me. I had been wondering for so long as to how I could force my desert into your land. I knew you would foolishly resist dear Silva's power. You see, I am rather impatient. I knew that the only way to destroy your home, was from the inside.” Naraku hissed pleasurably.

 

The red returned to Inuyasha's eyes. “Is that why you brought her here, you bastard!”

 

“You learn quickly, quite surprising. Only those of the royal bloodline can touch the tree of years, which is why only those of royal blood can also destroy the tree. Now then, Silva…” He turned to the girl who was touching the small tree's trunk with one finger.

 

Upon hearing his voice, Silva pressed her palm against the trunk, following some silent order. Inuyasha ran forward, knowing that the barrier would stop him but not caring in the least. The force of the barrier pushing him back, but he shot forward, still, pushing against the barrier with all of his might.

 

“STOP!” He yelled.

 

Tsubaki laughed. Silva's eyes stayed glued to the trunk, watching as the tree shined brighter, resisting her power as she attempted to burn the ancient tree to ashes.

 

“Silva, please stop!” Kagome rushed forward, attempting feebly to attack the barrier, but her hands burned upon touching it.

 

“She can't hear you.” Naraku laughed, “Now stop delaying; destroy the tree.”

 

Silva bent forward, fisting her small fingers around the tree. Kagome could see the trunk beginning to decay. “Stop it!” Kagome yelled, her hands starting to steam from the barrier and finally, the force became too much for her, the barrier's power pushed her back. Hitting the wall, Kagome slumped to her knees, out cold.

 

“Kagome!” Inuyasha's attention was torn from Silva for only a moment as a bright flash brought his attention back to his daughter.

 

The tree's continued to resist Silva, as it began singeing her hand in a feeble attempt to protect itself. Naraku, Tsubaki and Kanna watched emotionlessly as Silva's small hand began smoking. The pain became too strong, and, instinctively, Silva pulled her hand away, the smallest of whimpers escaping her throat.

 

“I said, destroy the tree you foolish girl!” Tsubaki snarled, but the emotionless Silva shook, holding her hand.

 

“Persistent wench! She is still resisting me!” Tsubaki growled waving her hand toward Silva.

 

The girl sobbed, and shaking, reached toward the tree again. “DO IT!” Tsubaki ordered but Silva's hand stopped inches from the tree.

 

“Silva, please don't! Listen to me!” Inuyasha pleaded, helplessness coming out of his voice, as his hands turned red and soft from pushing against the barrier. A small ear, twitched in response to his voice. Silva gave a small cry and pulled her hand back to herself. She fell to her knees, sobbing and holding her tiny, injured hand. “It hurts.” She cried.

 

“My, my. It seems that she reacts to your voice. How sweet.” Naraku chimed angrily, watching Silva disapprovingly, ignoring her cries.

 

“When I get my hands on you, you bastard, I swear that you will beg to be in hell!” Inuyasha growled, pained by his daughter's cries. His red eyes watching Naraku with a hatred that would have made any demon cower away in fear.

 

“Empty threats. My control over her was dismissed by such a pathetic little shout. Silva, I order you to destroy the tree.” Naraku and Tsubaki waved their hands at Silva, but she remained where she was, quiet.

 

“I said-”

 

“Stop it!” Inuyasha yelled.

 

“-destroy the tree!”

 

Silva let out a sharp shriek, so strong that it made Inuyasha's ears lay flat on his head. She began holding her head, shaking it and crying, as if her skull was about to burst.

 

“Silva!” Inuyasha called, but she had stopped moving and was silent as again her empty eyes watched the faintly glowing tree. Her red, burnt hand clasped the trunk and this time, a large among of power shot from it and into the tree. With it's last show of resistance, the tree tried to burn Silva again. Inuyasha watched, Silva's fingers pressed into the tree, as though chocking it.

 

Flames burst from inside the tree, burning it to ashes and Silva stood up quietly, her work done.

 

“Good girl.” Naraku smiled, triumphant. “Now come.” Silva walked quietly toward him.

 

“Give her back, you bastard!” Inuyasha ordered.

 

“I don't think you are in a position to give me orders. You've lost.” Naraku looked at Inuyasha menacingly, but Inuyasha's eyes were glued to Silva's unexpressive face.

 

“Now, all that remains, is to make the spell permanent.” Kanna spoke.

 

Inuyasha tore his face from Silva when he felt the air pick up and he knew what was going to happen. He attacked the barrier again in a fruitless attempt to break it, blood now running from his hands at the open burns. “NO! You're not going anywhere, give her back!” Inuyasha ordered. With an ominous laugh, Naraku disappeared, taking Silva with him.

 

“If you want her back, come and take her from Northern Domain, if she still lives.” His voice echoed in the air.

 

Seconds later, with his anger broiling to the surface, Inuyasha growled when he felt the barrier vanish in front of him. Shaking with rage, he gave a loud, vicious howl, his fist hitting the stone wall, making it crackle, break open and show the sun and the slowly creeping desert in the distance.

 

“Fuck.” He growled, ignoring the throbbing in his hands. Seeing the desert, his senses returned to him, panic replacing the anger and golden eyes streaked with worry replacing the red.

 

He rushed back across the room to Kagome who was slowly beginning to stir. Upon reaching her, he pulled her against him, softly slapping her cheek with a throbbing hand.

 

“Kagome, wake up!” She groaned, watching him with watery eyes.

 

“Hn, Inuyasha?”

 

“Are you alright?” He asked.

 

“I could be better…” She suddenly gasped, and fisted his shoulders.

 

“Where's Silva?”

 

A pained look crossed Inuyasha's face but he replied automatically, “Gone.”

 

“The tree?”

 

“Gone.”

 

“No…we have to get out of here!” Kagome tried to stand when she caught the look on Inuyasha's face. He looked hopeless and lost.

 

“Inuyasha, snap out of it! There are still people here! And Sesshoumaru and Jordan!”

 

“Yeah…” Inuyasha said slowly, “You're right.”

 

Wincing from the pain in his hands, he took Kagome's hand and stood with her. “Your hands…” She began.

 

“I'm fine.” He said.

 

Racing down the tower, it was moments before Jordan appeared at the castle entrance. Her hair was windswept, and her face had a cut on her cheek but she seemed fine otherwise.

 

“Inuyasha! What's going on! The desert is starting to creep in!” She shouted when Kagome and Inuyasha approached.

 

“Jordan, the tree of years is gone!” Kagome called.

 

Jordan's eyes widened yet her mind was set. “We have to evacuate the people, and I mean now!” She said breathlessly.

 

“Right, tell them to gather at the entrance to the castle.” Inuyasha told Jordan.

 

“Consider it done!” With a flash, Jordan vanished.

 

“Kagome,” Inuyasha turned to her, “find Sesshoumaru, and tell the rest of the warriors to get here as soon as possible.”

 

“Gotcha.” With another wave of light, Kagome disappeared.

 

Taking a deep breath, Inuyasha tried resting his frayed nerves, but he was too on edge. So many things to be done, so little time. He walked toward the castle gates slowly, feeling the walls shake and crumble around him, yet he walked without a care as he neared the area where people were turning up slowly.

 

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

 

Kagome had just arrived on the edge of the battlefield. It was utter chaos; every soldier was in a nasty panic, frozen solid or frantically running. The enemy was long gone, fled in their victory. Kagome could see sand forming under her feet, the trees around her began turning yellow and falling in decay. Casting a barrier around herself, Kagome headed into the uproar.

 

“Listen to me!” She shouted at the top of her voice. “Head back to the castle as quickly as you can!” Some caught her words and did as she said but others were still panicking.

 

Trying to spread her message around as fast as she could, Kagome looked around for Sesshoumaru. Finally she was able to find him. Standing near a group of soldiers, he was calmly shouting orders for them to gather the injured and retreat.

 

“Lord Sesshoumaru!” She called, panting when she reached him. “You need to head back!” She said anxiously.

 

“Is-” Sesshoumaru began.

 

“The tree's gone, yes.” Kagome cut across him.

 

“I see.” He said.

 

The soldiers were suddenly more tense then before. Some loud screams could be heard and Kagome and Sesshoumaru turned toward the edge of the forest, where a loud rushing sound was approaching. Kagome gasped, shaking from the wave of sand that was approaching like a Tsunami. She watched wide-eyed at the sand, rushing toward the now dry, dead forest.

 

“Everyone!” She yelled, but her voice was hoarse and didn't reach all the people.

 

The sand was approaching faster and faster, and all Kagome could do was watch terrified as it came, only seconds away. Even with her barrier, there was no way she could survive this! She closed her eyes, expecting the impact when…something powerful and white swept from around Kagome; it was cold and felt like water, yet she was completely dry. The screams of the soldiers turned into gasps as the light consumed them.

 

The light was gone the instant that it came. Taking her hands away from her eyes, Kagome watched as the world had suddenly turned different shades of purple.

 

“That should give us some time.” Sesshoumaru's voice came from next to her, impious and calm.

 

Kagome turned to see him sheath a sword. “What?” She said, awed and panting.

 

“Tensiaga.” Sesshoumaru said by way of explanation. “The time sword. I've stopped time, but it won't last long.”

 

“I thought Inuyasha said it was lost.”

 

“This is not the time. The spell won't hold forever, and there are still citizens to evacuate.” The intense sound of his voice when he gave demands made Kagome anxious.

 

“Right, I'm on it!”

 

“Good.” Sesshoumaru said. Demanding his army to take get the injured to back to the castle, Sesshoumaru told Kagome she was in charge and raced toward the castle.

 

“Everyone, help the injured and follow me! Make sure no one gets left behind!” Kagome shouted.

 

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

 

“What the hell is going on?” Inuyasha was beyond shock. How often did the world change color? This was turning out to be an alarming day indeed.

 

“What is this?” Jordan echoed his wonder, and so did several others behind her who had just gathered around the castle gates, waiting to be evacuated.

 

“This is no time to be staring stupidly at your surroundings.” Sesshoumaru appeared near Inuyasha.

 

“Don't you have people to take care of?” He asked, irritated. “I've stopped time, it won't last for long, get these people to the settlement as quickly as possible, there are more on the way! Enough time has been wasted!”

 

“Alright, I'm doing it.” Inuyasha grumbled. He winced a little as he un-sheathed the sword at his hip and ripped open a gateway. The land inside the portal was the same color.

 

`Inuyasha! I'm bringing everyone else, okay?' Kagome called to him through their link.

 

“Kagome's coming with the rest. Be ready by the time I get back.” Inuyasha told Sesshoumaru.

 

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

 

Jordan stood with Sesshoumaru watching and waiting as more and more people were taken away from their home. It was almost painful to watch this. It felt as though she was reliving the painful memory of taking her own people away from their home, and leaving Levion behind. Her heart gave a small kick but she ignored it.

 

The Tree of Years was destroyed and now the desert was killing the forest. Just like he said it would. Everything was happening as she had been told. It wouldn't be long. With the last remaining kingdom conquered, there was only one course of action left to them. And after that, her role in this play will be…

 

“Jordan?” She looked up at Kagome. “Are you coming?”

 

Jordan looked past her into the open gateway as Inuyasha came out of it saying, “That's the last of them, let's get out of here.”

 

“We are quite fortunate, it looks as though the time spell cannot hold any longer.” Sesshoumaru declared, watching as the purple began to fade from the world.

 

Following Kagome and the others into the gateway, Jordan left another world behind.

 

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

 

“Lady Jordan!” Sarina and Suzuna called from the distance. The small village in the green clearing didn't look as inviting when it was the last rich place in their world that was not a desert.

 

The sisters reached their queen and in an instant knew the troublesome news. Jordan shook her head solemnly; Sarina and Suzuna gasped.

 

“No.” They said together.

 

“Yes, it's true. Kagome, I'm going to go speak with my people. Do you still have the letter I gave you?”

 

Kagome fumbled through her robes and pulled out the letter that she had promised to hold on to for Jordan. She was surprised she still had it, but glad nonetheless. “Yeah, it's here.” She said.

 

“Good, please excuse me.” Jordan dismissed herself, following Sarina and Suzuna to the village in the distance.

 

“I must take my leave as well.” Sesshoumaru said, heading in the same direction as Jordan before pausing.

 

“Inuyasha,” he said, without turning to look at his brother, “You have a disgusting stench that coats you. I suggest you get rid of it before I call for a meeting.”

 

Inuyasha gave a small start at the accusation, but stayed quiet before giving Sesshoumaru a curt “Yeah.”

 

Once Sesshoumaru was gone, Kagome felt a fury well up in her that was so great, it sent shivers up her spine. “Inuyasha?” She asked tentatively, knowing where the emotion sprang. He said nothing. She could see his fists clench violently and could hear his growls.

 

“I'm beyond mad, I'm furious.” He hissed and Kagome had a feeling that he was fighting from ripping the trees around him apart.

 

“That bastard!” His heart gave a violent kick, but all he did was wince.

 

“Inuyasha, you should get your hands looked at.” Kagome said, thinking that his pain was from his burned and ripped hands.

 

“No. Not now.”

 

“But-”

 

“Kagome, could you…leave me alone for a bit? I need to…collect my thoughts.”

 

Kagome felt a sudden urge to protest, but thought better of it. The most distraught person here was Inuyasha. Finding out his daughter was alive, abused and used as some war tool was enough to make anyone suffer. As if that was not enough, their kingdom was destroyed and there was little hope for winning a war now.

 

“Okay. Um, I'll go to the village.” Turning, she felt Inuyasha temporarily break their connection, and heard him walk off into the woods.

 

She walked toward the village in silence, replaying the day's events in her mind. It wasn't even noon yet. She looked up at the sky, the sun hadn't even come close to the center of the sky. So much had happened in just one morning. It was hard to believe that a few hours ago she was staying up with Inuyasha.

 

“Kagome!” A familiar voice called out from the distance and Kagome looked up to see Sango running to her.

 

“Is it true?” She panted, demanding.

 

Kagome nodded slowly, “Yes it is.”

 

“Oh no…I'm glad that we got the people here safely. At least no one was hurt.”

 

“I don't think everyone escaped unscathed.” Kagome commented before she could stop herself.

 

“What do you mean?” Sango asked nervously.

 

“Well…”

 

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

 

Inuyasha had just gotten to the other side of the island when he couldn't take it anymore. His heart gave a powerful wave of pain, unlike any that he had ever suffered before. For a moment, he thought it was about to drop again, but all that happened when he fell to his knees clutching his chest was the pain.

 

It was too much. It was too painful. He had barely come to terms with idea that his daughters were gone for good, and then Silvana appears, un-aged and as fragile as she was back then. What had he done! He should have looked for them! He should have looked for their bodies; then maybe he could have saved Silva. Maybe she would be free and happy instead of in the hands of some bastard that was using her like some kind of trump card!

 

Bile rose up in his throat yet he didn't fight it. The nausea was unrelenting and he thought it was better to empty himself of whatever was causing the feeling. The sound of Silva's terrified and hurt voice rang in his head over and over, like a tragic, dark opera. They told her to keep harming the tree, even though she was hurting herself in doing so.

 

He look at his burned, bleeding, throbbing hands and with a pang thought that Silva's tiny hands were in the same condition. Why hadn't she aged? It had been sixty years; surely, Silva would have grown up a little, yet she was the same tiny, little girl. He began working through the information.

 

Silva was real. Though she was battered and bruised, he would know her scent anywhere. It was one of a kind, and unmistakable. There was no way that anyone could take her place. Naraku must have been using her for years. She must have been found shortly after she and Ayla were attacked.

 

Another rush of vomit came out of him at the thought. Magical extraction was tough on a person. Stealing Silva's powers must have worn her out so that her body was not working properly.

 

“She's in a standstill.” Inuyasha muttered. He knew that she was wounded beyond physical. Not only was she harmed on the outside, but, if what Naraku said was true about using her power to make such an enormous spell, then it would mean that Silva's internal organs were weakened. She was not aging because her body had little time to compensate. It was using all it's energy to create more power.

 

He knew that if they continued using her this way, then she would die! Once again he threw up. Silva's life was stolen from her, she wouldn't get the chance to smile or live in a world that was not fighting. How could those bastards keep doing this to her!

 

The rage came back to him. It was so strong this time that his demon half rushed to the surface, and with great effort Inuyasha was able to quiet it before he did something he might regret.

 

“Shut up!” He said in an attempt to stop himself from hitting the trees around him.

 

Though physically tired, Inuyasha managed to get to his feet and walk back toward the settlement. He never remembered walking so slowly, yet the view of the villages came up in no time. He played that moment with Silva over and over in his mind. She reacted to his voice. She recognized it after all this time. It must have meant that she was still hoping, still waiting to be saved.

 

He was so into his thoughts that he didn't see Sango and Kagome by the small house he had just passed.

 

“Inuyasha?” They had called together, but he ignored them.

 

Kagome rushed in front of his, stopping him with her hands on his shoulders. “Where are you going!” She demanded, angry and worried at the same time.

 

The first response that came to him was, “I'm going after Silva.” And he knew that it was the only thing he was going to do, and that no one was going to stand in his way.

 

 

 

 

 

I'm gonna cry! NO, I must be strong! The show must go on! Sniff WAAAA!! Oh damn it! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It was so hard! SILVANA!