InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Falling Away ❯ Hard to Have and Hard to Hold ( Chapter 28 )

Chapter 28 Hard to have and hard to hold

 

(Entropy's POV)

 

I was pleased to see Lord Sesshoumaru exiting the palace. I have been waiting for weeks for someone from their group to make an appearance and was just about to resort to causing some sort of disturbance in order to get them to come out of that blasted fortress.

 

I have been flying behind him off and on for hours now and I have to admit I am shocked that he has not figured me out yet. This tells me the demon Lord is distracted and that my timing could not be more perfect to amuse myself.

 

(Sesshoumaru's POV)

 

I could not help but think about everything that has gone on in the last few days as I wander further away from the palace. Everything was going just fine until I let my arrogance interfere with my decision making and control of my tongue. I knew Inuyasha had every right to be upset at my words and actions. I in turn, needed time and space from him to figure this out, so I removed his presence from my own and left seeking solitude and clarity.

 

It has not done me much good because even with the block between us and the bond temporarily closed; my mind is still overwhelmed with thoughts of him. It got so frustrating at one point I wondered if I would go insane. Then to make things worse mere hours after my departure I sensed some of his companions within the forest as well. After many more hours of making myself scarce I stop and let my mind and anger flow.

 

Do they not realize that if I had wanted them tracking me down I would have never left the palace to begin with? Irritated beyond reason I struck down the path of trees in front of me with my energy whip. Immediately disappointed in myself for my outburst, I slowly started walking toward them so I could make it clear to them that I do not appreciate being followed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Kouga's POV)

 

I was trying hard, but to no avail, to keep my mind focused on the situation at hand. Regardless of my efforts one question kept repeating itself in my mind and that question was `What happened between the two dog demons to cause this?' It was not helping that the search for Lord Sesshoumaru was coming up empty. I was searching by ground and Sango and Jaken were on Kilala searching by air. I know a few other guards from the palace left in the other direction so I hope they are fairing better than we are.

 

Another thing I can't seem to get out of my head was the look on Miroku's face when we learned of Inuyasha's condition. It was a look of complete and total helplessness mixed with terror. I never wanted to see that look on his face again.

 

It grew dark during our search and now the sun is on the horizon. I can't help but wonder if we are already too late.

 

I was just about to change direction again when I caught the faintest hint of Lord Sesshoumaru's scent. I gave a loud whistle in hopes that Kilala would hear and understand. In minutes the fire-cat was in sight. When she touched down Sango and Jaken wasted no time asking questions.

 

“Have you found Lord Sesshoumaru, Prince Kouga?” the toad asked.

“Well I found his scent trail. I have a feeling he is not far and I would say he is very aware of the fact we are here. I guess he is just in no mood to socialize.”

“Maybe we should make it known just why we are here. From what the healer Tibade said, he has no idea Inuyasha's life is in danger,” Sango suggested.

“How do you suppose we do that?” I asked.

“Well it's a bit old fashioned, but I feel with his heightened senses it just may work.”

“What may work?” asked Jaken as he looked at Sango with questioning eyes.

 

She took a deep breath and shouted, Lord Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha has fallen ill he needs your help! After the ringing subsided in my ears I looked at her with wide eyes completely shocked at the simplicity of her plan.

“Foolish girl. Do you think for one moment my Lord would answer to such a call?”

“Hey I figured it couldn't hurt to try, we've been out here for hours and nothing. So what could it hurt?” She replied

“Humph!” was Jaken's only response as he folded his arms across his chest and looked away.

 

(Tibade's POV)

 

I stood before the futon that held my youngest Lord and the Monk. As the hours drew on I noticed the slight purple aura around them was growing weaker. The monk was running out of energy and fast. I have seen some of what this young man is capable of and I know he must be aware of the fact that his own life is very much in peril. This is part of the reason I was skeptical to begin with. Now I am sure that if Pup does not return soon they will both be lost to us.

 

I look from them to the window and I see the first rays of light creeping over the horizon. They have been like this for close to a day now and I know for a fact the Monk will not last but a few more hours at best. Truthfully he has lasted much longer that I had initially thought. I was sure Lord Inuyasha would have been doomed shortly after night fell. This human is indeed more than meets the eye.

 

(Miroku's POV)

 

As Inuyasha and I sat talking I could feel myself weakening. I did not know how death came to claim ones mind but every instinct I had said I needed to keep Inuyasha and myself out of the darkness that was constantly pressing in around us. The strain was becoming increasingly hard to bear and it must have reflected in my voice.

 

“You are almost at your limit with this aren't you?” he asked.

“I …”

“Don't lie to me Miroku it's obvious.”

“But… how …?”

“Look up and around us. I've been watching it for a bit now and it has finally dawned on me what it means.”

 

When I raised my head to see what he talking about I could see the darkness that surrounded us pressing in only to be pushed back over and over. But each time it pressed in again, the darkness gained a little more ground. With tired eyes and a heavy heart I looked at him and nodded in the affirmative. He stood up on the rock we'd been sitting on and looked out into the nothingness that was closing in on us. He was quiet for a long time and appeared to be lost in thought. When he finally did speak he asked me a question.

 

“What will happen to you if this darkness closes in on us?”

“I am not sure,” I answer. This was not a lie, I wasn't sure but I had a damn good idea.

“Well, I'm guessing you will be dragged into death with me. I don't want that to happen. I want you to do whatever you need to do to get out of my head and I want you to do it soon.”

“That is something I will not do Inuyasha.”

“Damn it Miroku! There is no sense in both of us dying. You've done all you could possibly do!” he shouted.

“Do you think I could live with myself if I withdrew from your mind and watched you take your final breath, only to have Sesshoumaru walk in 2 minutes later!!? I am here until the end… no matter how it ends!”

 

He started to say something else and I simply smiled at him and shook my head. His face was the perfect mix of anger, fear and frustration. I looked away from him and out into the darkness. I knew on some levels what I was doing was unfair to him, but my heart will not allow me to do anything but. So whatever will be, will be. I knew he was staring at me waiting on some kind of response or action. I simply patted the spot beside me and waited for him to sit down. When he did I sighed in relief but remained otherwise silent. I was trying hard to think of a way to give Sesshoumaru more time. I was at my wits end when I looked at the area around us. A lot of it was out of the darkness, maybe more than we needed to stay alive. Maybe if I just kept the smallest of space around what appeared to be our bodies out of the darkness, it would make what power and energy I had left last longer. It was worth a shot.

 

I opened my legs, turned my body toward Inuyasha and motioned for him to come closer. He looked confused at first but a smile crossed his face and he complied. I guess he figured, at this point what difference did any reasons I could possibly give, really make. He slid himself over and once he was in my embrace I let the darkness creep in so close we could reach out and touch it. But I also made the area directly around us as `bright' as possible. This lessened the strain I was under considerably. I had no idea how much more time I had just bought us but I prayed it would be enough.

 

I knew it would be best for us to cut all interactions to a minimum. I figured I needed to at least do a little explaining.

 

“I am shrinking the area I am fueling in hopes of buying a bit more time.”

“I see,” was his only reply.

“We will need to keep as still and quiet as possible, so if you need to say anything now's the time.”

“If we come out of this alive, I don't know if I could ever repay you. There is so much I want to say that I have no words for. So instead of wasting time on me fumbling for words can I ask something of you?”

“Sure, ask of me anything,” I answered.

“If we make it out of this, promise me we will talk this out and not just go on like nothing happened.”

 

Somewhat shocked at his request I said nothing at first. Inuyasha is not someone who is known for his love of things centered on emotions. I suppose my shock was obvious because he spoke again.

 

“I have found out many things on this day alone. If I get to live beyond this day I don't want to spend another moment of my life in the dark about anything.”

“Understood my friend,” I responded and I couldn't help but smile at the irony of it all.

 

After that we fell silent and waited.

 

(Sango's POV)

 

I was just about to give up any hope of getting any response out of Lord Sesshoumaru when Kouga looked due south and bared his fangs in a toothy grin.

 

“I think your plan worked Sango. If my nose is to be trusted he is headed this way.”

“Well let's not waste time and meet him halfway,” I replied and Kouga nodded.

 

Jaken and I wasted no time boarding Kilala and she followed Kouga's lead through the woods. Once we got close enough to see Lord Sesshomaru I could tell he was in no mood for idle ramble. Not wanting to waste anymore time I sought to forgo explaining everything and get to the point. But no sooner than my mouth opened did the ground below us start to shake and rumble. Confused I looked down at Kouga only to find the Ookami Prince looking up at us with the same confusion and questions in his eyes.

 

He halted, because we had no idea what was causing this and before any of us could openly question it rocks, roots, leaves and stems came after us as if alive. Indeed, it seemed as if the forest floor itself had come to life and was determined to ensnare us.

 

Kilala did her best to avoid the onslaught but it soon overwhelmed her and we were pulled to the ground not to far from where Kouga was. I could see the wolf demon was doing his best to keep his limbs free but as soon as he sliced through the foliage, holding one limb another limb was captured.

 

I saw Jaken and Kilala all but engulfed and I knew if I wanted out of this, I was going to have to keep hacking away with my katana. I was so consumed with trying to keep myself somewhat free and mobile I hadn't noticed what Kouga soon growled out between angered swipes at the possessed vegetation. “Have you … noticed these plants seem… to want us as far…away from Sesshoumaru as possible?”

 

I looked in the Youkai Lords direction and sure enough, we were noticeably farther away from him and him from us, than we were when all of this madness began.

 

“I see this now,” I said as I continued to chop away at our relentless opponent. How were we supposed to get our message to Lord Sesshoumaru if we couldn't get close enough to speak or time and breath to do so even if we were? I watched helplessly as we were pulled further and further away from him and powerless to do anything about it.

 

I looked over at Kouga and saw a smirk flicker across his features. He stopped trying to merely free himself and started working his way toward the toad that had yet to stop screaming for assistance since this all began. Once he got to Jaken he started talking in short rushed segments.

 

He said “Tell your Lord… to get back home now… or Tibade says Inuyasha dies.” Jaken looked as confused as I felt. Then swiftly and without hesitation, once Kouga got Jaken free he picked up the toad and hurled the screaming imp with all his might in the direction of Lord Sesshoumaru.

 

It was a rather unorthodox plan but then so was the situation…it just might work.

 

(Sesshoumaru's POV)

 

I was determined to give them a rather stern piece of my mind once I got to them when I heard the demon slayer shout “Lord Sesshoumaru Inuyasha has fallen ill he needs your help!” All thoughts of me making them regret following me out here faded once I heard this. Anger gave way to concern and I quicken my pace to reach them.

 

No sooner than I set eyes upon my followers did the forest floor rumble and come to life. I in no way felt threatened by mere twigs, roots and leaves. But it was infuriating nonetheless, to constantly cut something away only to have it grow right back. It was also eerily reminiscent of fighting Naraku.

 

It did not take me long to figure out that whatever this was attacking us was doing so to keep us apart. It was obviously guiding me in one direction and them in another. I was lost in thought concerning what could be wrong with Inuyasha, where he was and who was behind this attack when a high pitched squeal grabbed my attention. When I looked up I saw Jaken soaring in my direction. I caught the blubbering toad in one hand and kept the damnable forest at bay with the other. In a rushed and fearful voice the toads tells me of Inuyasha's condition.

 

Alarmed I seek to leave immediately, but do not wish to leave them at the mercy of whatever this is that sought to detain us all. I tell the toad to reach into my obi and pull out all of the small spheres within. When he pulls out two, I tell him he needs to give them to the slayer and if they all hold fast to her when she smashes them together those orbs will transport them back to the palace.

 

With that said, I hurl the toad back to the ookami's waiting hand and take my leave of them as fast as my demonic powers will allow. When I take flight my mind can't help but try to figure out what has happened to Inuyasha in such a short period of time that would cause him to be on death's door.