InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Embracing Ice ❯ Her Saving Grace ( Chapter 11 )

EDITED: 7/13/05

WARNING: There are detailed amounts of gore and violence in the first part of this chapter. Please be prepared. The rating has now advanced from a T (PG-13) to an M ( R ).

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Embracing Ice

Chapter Eleven: Her Saving Grace

Written By: Yabou

Edited By: FireAngel8723

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The wood pulled taut in her hands. She aimed toward her aggressor and released the string. ‘May the kamis be with you.’

She heard him cry out in pain before erupting in a sparkling cloud of dust and turned her head away, not being able to bear the sight of Death surrounding them.

Her hand mechanically reached for another arrow.

The bow felt wrong in her hands even as she repeated the actions of knocking the arrow; she had liberated her items from one of the fallen. It felt wrong to hold a dead man’s weapon, but she had no other choice. She could not risk the chance of her own death when there were others who needed her… who missed her.

The arrow snapped free from her fingers, flying into the armor of her next intended target. He gasped, blood rising from his mouth, and grabbed its shaft. His unseeing eyes stared at her in pain, and she felt an overwhelming amount of bile rushing into her throat. She looked away and swallowed. ‘I’m so sorry.’

Her hand sought another weapon.

She could see Sesshoumaru in the distance, slaughtering men and youkai as if they were mere flowers in a treacherous storm. She envied him for his strength, and she abhorred herself for her weakness. Her progress was much slower because of her crushing conscience, and the young demon lord had already come to her rescue several times during the progression of the raging war. She was keeping him from protecting his own family through her weakness. He was worried about her. She could tell that it slowed him down, too.

They had yet to see hide or hair of Lord and Lady of the Western Lands. She knew that Lord Konton wasn’t dead yet… he hadn’t met Inuyasha’s mother… or at least she didn’t think he had. He might be having an affair…

‘No.’

That was an alarming thought. It would mean that the Lord was deceiving his Lady.

‘No, that isn’t true. He wouldn’t do that.’

Pushing aside thoughts of deception, she prayed for the Lady. Thoughts of her possible death were disturbing and incomprehensible. She didn’t want the world to lose such a beautiful person.

She didn’t want Sesshoumaru to lose his mother.

She released the arrow and prepared another.

It was another one of those dreadful thoughts. She had become accustomed to this Sesshoumaru over the past two weeks and didn’t know what she would do if she had to face the old one again. It was quite sad really, the way she enjoyed his smiles.

A bright burst of light in the distance caused her to fumble, shooting the arrow into the blood-slickened ground.

The ground beneath her feet shuddered with the heavy force of hammering footsteps. She gasped at the glory that pushed its way through the trees. An enormous white dog towered above the men, growling in contempt at those who dared to intrude the lands of the Inu no Taisho. The crescent moon adorning his forehead and the maroon slashes gilding his cheeks, along with a menacing growl that rumbled through sharp canine teeth, sent an unmistakable message to all offenders.

The Great Dog was enraged beyond the point of all reason, and someone was going to pay.

He made his way through the field in a regal display of gnashing and maiming; Lord Konton defeated the masses like simple child’s play.

A stillness took to the air as the impending doom registered in the minds and hearts of the intruders.

“Konton! No!” A woman yelled in the background.

Kagome’s eyes widened in surprise. “Lady Bishou?” She turned, searching the area for another recognizable face.

The youkai-woman stood on a neighboring hill, weeping like a banshee for some unapparent reason. Kagome frowned, not understanding any cause for the woman’s disturbance. Why would she cry out? Her husband was effectively defeating an entire army by squishing them to death…

The young miko surveyed her surroundings for some obvious sign that would be the root of such distress.

That’s when she saw him.

A would-be murderer was aiming at the Lady - crossbow and bolt in hand.

Lady Bishou, however, seemed ignorant to the danger.

Kagome’s mind raced into panic, but before she could take the time to register any consequences, her shot was fired.

The blue-haired demon disintegrated into ash.

Her eyes dilated as after thoughts rushed into her brain. ‘Did I…Did I just destroy my future? Have I erased everything that I loved by protecting Lady Bishou?’ “Oh no…” Her breathy words floated away, lost to the swirling winds.

The Lady of the Western Lands remained, weeping on the hillside. Kagome made her way through the dismembered bodies and carefully grasped the woman’s shaking shoulders. “Lady Bishou?”

She turned, revealing amber orbs backed by a hazy red. “He’s going to kill himself.” She whispered. “My Lord retains little strength. We have contended with this melee for nearly three days. He will die.”

Kagome gave her a gentle smile. “He can’t die yet.”

Lady Bishou snorted, brutally wiping away the tears that stained her dirty cheeks. “He’s destroying himself, is he not?”

“He hasn’t done all he has to do, yet.” She gripped her shoulders a little tighter before letting go. “Come on, we’ve got some butt to kick.”

“I do believe that such language is inappropriate for a Lady.” A deep voice growled at her back.

“W-what?” She spun around, looking for her contender.

He chuckled at the surprise lighting her eyes when she discovered no visible enemy. “Foolish human.”

A rush of blood poured from her cheek, the product of an invisible dagger.

Lady Bishou screamed in pain.

Kagome turned again, covering the youkai with her body. “Leave her alone, your fight is with me.”

He laughed again. “Such strong words for such a weak woman.”

‘Weak.’ Kagome shivered. They were true words that registered in the self-conscious piece of her heart. “I am not.”

The Lady whimpered again - two new slashes appearing in her right side. She turned her head away, worrying more for her husband’s life than her own.

“Fight me.” Kagome stood.

“Fine.” She could hear the smile behind his words. “I’ll be able to return to her shortly.”

More blood trickled from her cheek, the size of the wound effectively doubled. She could feel the air shifting around her body with each movement he made, creating several rips and lacerations in her clothing and skin. Her eyes focused, straining to see the invisible being.

‘Invisible?’ Her mind sneered. ‘Nothing’s invisible, Stupid. Look harder!’ She frantically searched the area until her eyes caught sight of the shifting sand at her feet. It quaked with each step her aggressor took, and there was a slight brush backward whenever he leaped again.

She watched the dirt for her next sign. “Kagome?” Lady Bishou gasped, one hand clutching her side while the other clutched the shredded fabric of the young miko’s kimono.

Kagome turned her head minutely. “Yes, Lady Bishou- Ah!” A new cut appeared in the dip of her right elbow.

“Pay attention, girl.” The invisible male growled.

She felt the wounded youkai’s desperate fingers pressing something into her leg. She looked down to find a small dagger twisted in the fabric of her obi. ‘What?’ Lady Bishou gave her a gasping smile.

“You can do it, Kagome.” Her eyes closed. “Fear not.”

Kagome gulped, grabbing the hilt of her temporary weapon, and gave a curt nod. “Right.”

The bloodied dirt moved again, leaving an imprint of the attacker’s large feet.

Kagome moved, shoving the dagger out in front of her body in a swinging motion.

A trail of blood arched from the tip of her blade.

“You fool,” he growled. “You stupid, human woman.”

‘Youkai.’ Her mind warned.

Her pupils dilated in pure fright as she clutched the knife to her chest. “No.” She whispered.

Her assailant chuckled. “Are you afraid, bitch?”

Her left arm shot out a moment after his jump raised a scatter of dust into the air. He was above her body, floating in the air. She raised her arm in self defense. ‘Protect.’ “No!” A blast of pure white shot out of her hand, causing her to close her eyes against its strength.

Her brain mildly registered a yell crossing the distance before she collapsed. “Sesshoumaru,” she whimpered, tears rolling down her cheeks against the pain.

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The entire battleground took a collective breath as the young woman obliterated her opponent.

“Kagome!” Sesshoumaru shouted, running toward his fallen comrade.

Lord Konton quickly dispersed the remainder of the offending army before rushing to his son’s side, shifting into his humanoid form in the process. “Sesshoumaru?”

“She’s not dead.” He sighed.

Lord Konton patted his shoulder. “Of course not. She’s a very strong human.”

Sesshoumaru nodded.

“Your mother worries overmuch.” Lord Konton stated, sweeping the sleeping female up into his arms and walking toward the remnants of their home. “She has forced her body too far.”

A tall orange-haired youkai swiftly reached the Inu no Taisho’s side. “My Lord?” He gave a quick bow.

“Get the injured to the infirmary, and use the rest to rebuild a temporary structure. We will leave for the outskirts at morning’s first rays.”

“Of course, My Lord.” With another rapid bow, he was gone.

The elder youkai paused, finally noticing that his son had yet to follow. “Sesshoumaru?”

He turned, his eyes burning with unshed tears.

“Pick her up, Sesshoumaru.” He watched his son collect the girl like fragile porcelain and slowly stalk to the still smoldering house.

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Kagome turned, unable to lay still with such an enormous pressure resting on her chest. It forced all of the air out of her lungs and caused her to gasp in pain for shallow breaths. A quiet groan escaped her lips. ‘Oh kami, Buyo’s gotten bigger since the last time I was home.’ One hand absently reached out to swat the obese cat for taking up residence on her stomach, only to find nothing hindering her movement.

Her rise to consciousness was slow and painful. Blinking back the heavy rays of sunlight filtering into the room, she attempted to sit up but was forced back by a blurry hand.

“Rest.” A male voice boomed. “You are weak.”

Her eyes widened. “Sesshoumaru?” Memories of the past few weeks flew into her brain, leading to an overpowering headache that drew a strong moan from her lips.

“Yes.”

Her throat was parched, and she swallowed religiously in order to clear a path for her voice. “Lady Bishou?”

“She is resting as well.”

Kagome pushed away the tears. ‘I did the right thing. I saved a life. I protected her.’ “I couldn’t let her die.”

Sesshoumaru clenched a hand she couldn’t see. “Thank you, Kagome. You saved my mother.”

Kagome nodded and looked away. ‘What have I done?’

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