InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fallen Part One: Downfall ❯ Drown ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter 8:Drown

The next morning, Kagome awoke with a start. Looking wildly around she sighed heavily when she saw no one was around. The events of last night, her fight with Inuyasha, were a blur. She couldn't really remember anything that happened, aside from her running from him. Judging by the continuous soreness and the sharp stabs of almost overwhelming pain that accompanied her movements, it was a hard fight and she was badly injured.

Now taking the time to really analyze her surroundings, she realized that she was in a clearing in the woods. A shimmering shield surrounded her once more. She was lying in a pool of her own blood. Looking at her body she saw the smallest cuts were healing quickly, while the larger gashes and such were taking a while. Most still bled at a slow oozing pace before it stopped moments later. While others where bleeding freely once more, her movements having reopened them. Hissing in pain, she flopped back onto her back until the free bleeders stopped bleeding.

Cursing her situation in three different languages, Kagome closed her eyes and fell back asleep. She remained oblivious to those watching her. Some looked on with anger and determination to kill her, while the other looked on with slight amusement and curiosity. However, she remained unaware and slept on. The sun highlighted her form, making her look like a fallen angel or some sort of fabled creature.

~X~

//Good morning day
Sorry I'm not there//

She woke up once more. It was another day. Another morning. She still lay in the clearing, her shield still protecting her. Most of her wounds are healed, save the major ones. Although she couldn't see the bone in her arm anymore, the cut was still deep and she could see the muscle. It was very disconcerting She was still very weak. Moving was a hassle, as was breathing due to her broken ribs, so she chose to stay lying down.

//But all my favorite friends
Vanished... in the air//

Listlessly, she stared up at the blue sky above as the sky darkened from an almost off whitish-gray, to a soft blue. Then as morning gave was to noon, the sky darkened to a more brilliant hue. Fluffy white clouds drifted by, and she couldn't help by try to make out shapes in them. She was so bored, but she couldn't move. Her red eyes made out a leaf in one cloud that reminded her of Shippou. Tears started to form in her eyes. Another cloud looked like a boomerang. Sango. A single tear fell. A few minutes passed and another cloud passed. This cloud looked like one of Naraku's insects. Miroku. Two tears followed the first.

They were all gone she knew. But she couldn't help but dwell on them. They were her best friends. They were her family. And now they're all gone. Even Inuyasha. He betrayed her. She had nothing left. The only thing that kept her moving was her need for revenge. It burned with a raging fire and consumed her soul.

//It's hard to fly when you can't even run
Once I had the world, but now I've got no one//

Her shield wavered, causing her to start. The movement was painful. A moan escaped her lips. Squeezing her eyes shut, she focused on her surroundings and trying to strengthen her shield. Somehow she had to now focus to keep it up, where as it came instinctually. Something was wrong. An aura of black magic hung heavily in the air.

//If I needed someone to control me
If I need someone to hold me down
I would change my direction
And save myself before I...//

Soft music floated in her direction. Tantalizing. Its soft tune lulled her painfully tense muscles to relax. She was beginning to feel lethargic. Her eyelids became impossibly heavy. The red seeped out of her eyes as she relaxed. Her shield wavered and shattered as her eyes returned to their natural blue. An arrow hit mere inches from her temple to her left. Her eyes snapped open and she released a feral growl as her eyes returned to their fierce red hue.

//If I needed someone to control me
If I needed someone to push me around
I would change my direction before I... Drown//

She had been substantially weakened from her extensive, life threatening injuries. The soft music began to waft her way once more, however since she was alert this time, the attack did not work. Black started to seep into her eyes, over taking the red. Her eyes flashed as she began to chant, sending the spell back to its owner. An infuriated cry was heard causing the birds nearby in their nests to take flight. Another shriek followed the first closely on its heels. `So Kikyou has grown more cautious. That will just make her more of a challenge,' Kagome thought before she collapsed from the strain. A shield quickly reformed to replace the first.

//Good morning day
Sorry you're not here
But all those times before
Were never this unclear//

It was morning again when she opened her eyes. Everything was one giant mass of blended and swirling colors. Her eyes refused to focus and she was dizzy. Squeezing her eyes shut, she opened them again a few seconds later. Her vision was a bit better; she could now distinguish different shapes. Blinking rapidly, she finally managed to get her eyes into focus. It took even longer for her to be able to sit up.

Groaning, she unsteadily made it to her feet, and instinctually picked a direction. She went from tree to tree, using their trunks for support. Her most grave of wounds were aught but mere scratches now, but she was still weak from blood loss.

//It's hard to walk when you can even crawl
Once I had this world, but now I've got nothing//

She barely made it a quarter of a mile before her legs gave out. She sat slumped against a tree, barely conscious. A steady flow of blood was now flowing from her wounds. She sat there until noon. She then tried to walk again. She barely had the strength to crawl let alone stand and walk.

Sighing heavily, she leaned back up against her tree, and watched as clouds rolled in. They were ominously black. Thunder rumbled in the distance. Large drops of water began to fall, gradually increasing in number. It was then she realized how thirsty she was. Turning her head up towards the heavens, she opened her mouth and gladly drank from the sky. When she had quenched her thirst, she curled up on her side and fell asleep.

~X~

As the clouds slowly dispersed after the heavy shower to reveal a midnight sky, a gasp was heard as a female entered the clearing. "Oh my god," she said before turning and running away. A faint cry was heard in the distance, barely distinguishable. "Hayashi! Hayashi! Come quickly! I've found a girl! I think she's dead!"

~X~

With a cry, Sango awoke, a name fresh upon her lips. Tears streamed down her face. She was in Kaede's hut. `I'm not dead! How am I not dead?!' she thought in an emotional frenzy. It was night. A merry fire was crackling in its pit. Kaede was nowhere to be seen. Miroku was dead… Miroku was dead. Heaving silent sobs, Sango leaned against the wall of the hut. A weak voice from the corner caught her off guard, causing her to jump and shriek.

"You called for… me?" a voice called feebly. Curiosity and astonishment was evident in the tone used. The words echoed in her mind as her eyes rolled up into her head. A sound thud was heard as she toppled over from her sitting position.