InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In Dreams ❯ Possession ( Chapter 4 )

It's a lovely day outside, I see through my bedroom window, but still I am reluctant to leave my computer world….

 

Disclaimer: If Inuyasha was mine, oh the things we could do, all of the time…

 

 

 

 

 

In Dreams

 

 

 

Chapter 4

 

 

 

Possession

 

 

 

 

The air was deathly still. The long street was lined with tall, old trees, three or four arm spans wide at their base. The light was dim and came, it seemed, from nowhere, creating the same timelessness as a solar eclipse. Huge brick houses of foreign design sat on long front lawns, quiet in the eerie tension. To her back a deep ravine full of dried brush dredged up a memory - three children playing, one was her. She had not bothered to look; she knew it would be there. Some things she just knew.

 

This place had once held comfort for her. She could hear the echoes of laughter resonate in the depths of a memory….…her memory? She continued walking down the hauntingly familiar street, towards what she also knew would be the beginning of the heart of this strange city.

 

The underlying wrongness in the air began to surface. She felt a sinister aura flood the sails of her attention. Her skin prickled, and she wondered when the attack would come. She could feel their menacing presence now. There were many of them. They were waiting for their command. They were inside these mansions, watching her, itching to tear her apart. She knew all this without question; it was knowledge she just had, and it was this skill that kept her alive.

 

She could calculate the proximity of the nearest group. The great white house she was approaching to her left held the first attack. Her pulse quickened to spread adrenalin to her lithe muscles, and was pushed by anticipation. She did not know fear. She never had. Her pupils dilated, sharpening the world around her, and her nose caught the scent of stale blood, but her pace remained steady. She walked on, determined, and emotionless.

 

Cruel eyes never left their prey. They awaited their direction. They watched the brave young woman walk purposefully down the street from behind dark windows. She was here, as the master said she would be. She smelled almost the same as the other one, but with a difference they could not place. They drank-in her long form, fangs dripping with the thirst for her blood, and her screams. Their maleness delighted in her beauty. Her long, dark hair and curved, slim figure showed through her simple leather armor that fitted closely to her body. They ignored the broad sword strapped to her back; it would do her no good. She wouldn't have time to reach for it before they shred her garments and ate her flesh, strip by strip…..

 

`NOW'

 

She felt the release at the same time as they. She hefted her sword from it's sheath on her back and heard it sing as the razor sharp blade slit the air. They came at first, as suspected, from the left, swarming out of their hiding place like insects from a nest so fast they seemed to fly. Most donned long, untamed hair, and were clad in an assortment of modern looking, plain clothing. Their features were pale, and not unpleasant, as they appeared human, save their fangs and iridescent eyes.

 

The first few that reached her died quickly. She dodged their sloppy advance and spun with her sword outstretched, so fast they were cut clean in half. Dark, dark, red blood sprayed everywhere. But too long claws began to swing at her from all sides as the snarling vampires closed in. By sheer numbers alone they were a formidable foe. She countered their attacks aggressively in a flurry of swift movements, smashing and slicing into the writhing collective that longed to devour her. She used her body as a weapon, kicking enemies to the side while punching away yet more from above. They were fast and ferocious, but she did not feel danger. She was calm and confident, for she did know defeat. When at last she felt the unmistakable cold of claws on the flesh of her back, and the warmth of her own blood spreading through her leather, she twisted away with her sword leading to clear her path up. She jumped high in the air and looked down at the small army gathering below her, pouring from the estates. She flipped backwards and landed outside the ring, and unsheathed a second smaller sword she kept in her high boot. She drew in power. Energy flickered around her.

 

They raced to the spot where she landed. The smell of her blood driving them into frenzy. She took her stance, her body angled to show the least amount of surface space, her right side forward. The breeze of their rush touched her face. She swung her right arm first, arcing from below her front upwards away from her body, landing the broad sword blow diagonally across the front of the first two to be in range. They toppled back as blood spurted from the terrible conjoined wounds, clogging for an instant the path of their comrades. Without pause she continued her graceful attack, now swinging her left arm straight across, mid level to catch three more careless fools through the guts, and followed the entire turn with a low, left, sweeping kick that brought yet five more vampires down. She lightning fast pounced on the injured and slit their throats so deep she nearly severed their heads from their jerking bodies. Her heart pounded in her ears as her power throbbed through her body. She leaned just out of range as claws swiped at her throat, and impaled the creature on her short sword. Her broad sword found the belly of another enemy to her right and she spun left to release her swords from their employment, slicing through anything in the way. The blades hummed through the air, defending and attacking, slick with the blood of the undead. The thickening mass pressed in and another claw cut deep into her left shoulder. She leapt again in the air, dashing now across their heads, and crashing her swords into their skulls, and through their grasping hands, cleaving messy, gaping wounds that filled instantly with sticky blood. She collected her energy and began to drive it to focus.

 

From his tower he watched her. Through the eyes of his carrion he watched as she ravaged his minions to gore. No matter. She would still die, just the same. They had all died in the end.

 

At the end of the crowd she jumped off and up, turning in the air to face the hoard again. From above she raised her broad sword, and light filled her eyes. She swung down, directing the invisible blow at the centre of the crowd. A silent wave of what seemed like wind blew through the mass, disintegrating everything in it's path. She landed, turned her body to produce her left side forward, and took the stance for her counter attack, swords crossed. She was spent from that energy attack, but would not cease to fight if they should come at her again.

 

The once picturesque neighborhood was now a reeking battlefield. Corpses, mostly in pieces, lay everywhere, condensed in two major areas. Blood and guts stained the ground, pooling around the core of her second stand.

 

What was left of the once great enemy, collected warily together. They glanced around at each other, and the dead, noting how few of them there were left. They were bloodthirsty, and full of hatred, but they were not brainless.

 

She watched cautiously as they slipped away, scattering in all different directions.

 

Overhead a big raven took flight on black wings from the top of one of the great silver trees. She watched it fly in the direction she had already been heading. She knew where to find him.

 

She cleaned and sheathed her swords, and glanced again at her surroundings. This place was pretty, if not haunted, and now damned. Yes, she knew this place. Was this not where she had grown up? Flash - her and her little brother playing in the snow - flash. This was her old neighborhood. Flash - hide and seek with many children at dusk, she was counting - flash. She knew on the next street over, parallel, she would find her childhood home. Flash - a two-story house, white, white picket fence - flash. What had brought this change? This emptiness? This evil?

 

Images swirled around her. Flash - a man's pale face, his evil grin showed his bloody fangs. Pain. Numbing pain. Spikes were driven into her body from behind. She was held up by them, against a wall. He laughed. His face was pressed to hers. She could see little else, the room was so dark.

“Haven't we been here before?” He kissed her. No, he was sucking the life out of her. Sucking her power out of her. Black. - flash.

 

She had died. No, not her, her predecessor. “I am different.” She must get going. She was dimly aware of her purpose here and followed her instincts only, but urgency was pressing in on her.

 

She looked up to the sky, a mask of dim emptiness, and tried to feel for a wind. The stillness stirred. A breath moved her hair. The trees moved their leaves, and they whispered around her. It built itself for her, out of nothing. She could feel the planes of it, the levels and spaces between the flow. It wrapped around her body, encouraging her to test its strength. She knew now where to pick it up, and that she could ride this air. She began to run. The wind caught up to her side, and steadied itself under her body. She could feel the lift, and knew the time was right as she jumped in the air to catch the gust and soar on the invisible tide. She rode low, rising slowly, steadying herself on the rush. Soon she used her arms to thrust higher with one stroke, as if pushing her body through water to surface. She sped above the trees, and caught the next channel, riding it at a comfortable level over the great dark city below.

 

She could see more of the creatures now, milling about the concrete jungle, peering up at her with a questioning that would remain unanswered. She ignored them. She loved this feeling, this flying. She did it often, but not always with such ease. Up here, she felt free, and safe. Truly safe, so far out of reach. Alone.

 

Sometimes she had trouble channeling the flow, and couldn't get off the ground. Sometimes she could not find the wind. Sometimes it would not build for her. But she knew she had but to work on her control and her strength would grow.

 

She saw the ugly tower ahead, it rose higher than she was flying even now, a black jagged spire twisting up from the earth . She could feel his aura there. He was waiting for her. She would not keep him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He stood and turned away from the massive windows that overlooked his domain. He'd fought long to keep his reign in check, and would not lose it now to another of Gaia's puppets. This replacement slayer would fall fate as they all did to their role. With the original guardian still lost in the flow, none of her other selves stood a chance at their posts. Each dimension's re-incarnation replayed the same ending.

 

As long as he devoured her power, he could maintain control of this dimension. He too was a piece of an original self. Often images of his past lives collided with his conscious and taught his actions their lesson. He knew he must continue to gather the energy sent to him through these guardians, or he would be destroyed, and sent back to Gaia to start all over, without the combined strength of the ages he'd lived. He awaited the day when he would join with the other pieces of himself, and control the portals between. Not just this dimension, but all of them. He had been close once.

 

He felt her land. She was two floors down. Her aura was strong, and it pressed at his in competition. She was different. She may prove to be difficult. Then so would he. He closed his eyes and focused his power. He transformed his handsome cover into his true form. His body grew twice its original size. His limbs lengthened to a disproportionate level compared to his torso, and webbed wings unfolded from the flesh of his back. His electric eyes turned black, save the centered slits that glowed yellow, and his fangs grew out of his mouth. He stretched his body, feeling his full power fill every muscle. He jumped and flew to the high ceiling, clinging to it upside down, waiting to pounce when she walked in the door.

 

She felt him change. His aura now was almost sickening.

 

The inside of the tower was dark, the deep shadowy dark that cast doubt into the mind. She was drawn to him like a magnet, knowing this was a fated meeting. She walked down an empty hallway, sparsely decorated with old paintings. Faded, patterned carpet laid the path to the rich wood stairway she sought to reach the upper levels. She touched the banister - flash - claws wrapped around her neck from behind and hurled her against the wall, into the spikes that pinned her life, her blood seeping out of her, dripping to the floor- flash. Her breath caught.

 

He was fast, and vicious. She must be prepared.

 

She leaped up the stairs, landing on a similar empty level. She drew her sword. He was up one more level. He was still. He would try to take her by surprise. She jumped impossibly high again landing at last at his doorstep. She was faced immediately with over-sized double doors, ornately carved with symbols and depictions that warned of what awaited behind.

 

She drew her power to her. Suddenly, something more than her normal surge grew inside of her, so fast it was almost painful. Power pounded through her body in dizzying proportions, and she had to brace herself with her sword. This was new, and she tried to settle the wave that threatened to consume her. The energy obeyed her will, but did not calm. She felt her awareness prickle, her senses so sharp she could see and feel him through the thick door. She embraced the strength that had almost overwhelmed her, and felt her limbs tingle with the sensation. Her wounds drew together, and disappeared. Her blood raced. She needed to expend some of this energy, it needed to be spent or it would engulf her.

 

She reached out, placed her hand on the door, and with a thought blew it apart. Its splintered pieces exploded into the huge room beyond.

 

Her aura shook his confidence, making him angry, making him fear her. He saw her silhouette in the dim of the ruined doorway. She was glowing with spiritual power she should not have possessed. He must take her quickly, lest she destroy him. He gathered his own energy and cloaked his form.

 

She saw him, high up, hanging from the ceiling. The huge wings that wrapped around his body, almost succeeded in making him invisible. But from her eyes he could not hide. She stood still, and waited for him to make his move. She would lure him to his death. She would make him pay.

 

He shot at her like a bullet, aiming his attack at her throat, his right arm outstretched to crush and slice through her most vulnerable spot.

 

She remained motionless.

 

He was upon her, he had her! But in an instant he felt a weightlessness on his right side; a numbing pain ebbed into his focus. His reach produced nothing, no feeling; he had no control over his arm! He looked at his side. He had no arm! It was gone, along with half of his wing. She had taken his arm and he hadn't even noticed! He tried to swing at her with his left arm, but was too late. She had him. She had driven him through with her heavy blade, and had wrapped her hand around his neck.

 

“NO!” he gasped, astonished that she had defeated him so easily. This was not how he had planned - this was not supposed to happen! How could this be…….? Unless….

 

She looked into his cold eyes, and tightened her grip. She held his great form off the ground with her sword buried to the hilt in his stomach. She focused her power again.

 

He felt her draw on threads she should not be able to touch, channeling a flow not of this dimension. His last thought was the realization of who truly stood before him. She had returned. This must be the one. The priestess of Gaia. The re-incarnation of the original guardian. She was alive. She possessed the key.

 

She released her power into him and drove him lightening fast across the room, into the spiked wall where he was impaled motionless. His blood dripped to the floor.

 

“If we meet again, you will regret it as much.” She watched him die, and then blackness surrounded her.

 

 

 

 

Other images swirled around her. Faces she knew and didn't. Short dreams that seemed meaningless. A presence touched her. Warm and familiar. It was him. She drifted up to a surface, her conscious taking over. `No, where is he? I just want to see him…'

 

She searched the depths of her mind, trying to call up his presence. Suddenly Joshua was before her, smiling. His cocky grin soothed her. She smiled back. He walked up to her and took her hand. She let him lead her. They were in a field. A great empty field. The grass swayed in the wind, green and long. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

 

“I will always find you. You are mine.”

 

She found so much reassurance in his words, and comfort in his embrace that she leaned into him and drifted to sleep. Her mind was vaguely aware of the shift in his aura. His scent changed slightly. In her dreamy haze, she knew it was no longer Joshua that held her in his arms. And she was no longer herself.

 

 

 

She stirred. She was laying down now. She rolled over to reach for him. He wasn't there. She cracked an eye. She was in her bed. She sighed and tried to burrow back into her dreams. The night's images flashed before her, but she was unable to anchor them to focus. She opened both her eyes. “Cool.”

 

She was still warm from the sensation of her emotions. She replayed the last scene in her head, not wanting to let it slip way just yet. “Now I really might have to make out in the walk-in!”

 

Then the battle came back. “What the hell was that all about?” She yawned and rubbed her eyes. “What can I say? I'm a super-hero!” She chuckled to herself. But she began to wonder at the memories she had, and the things she knew, and the place she'd been…… “Where did all that come from?” The feelings had been so strong.

 

“Kagome?” Her mom peeked in the door.

 

The young woman snapped out of her daze. “Morning mom.”

 

“Happy birthday dear! I can't believe your twenty-one! Wasn't I just twenty-one?” Her mother sighed.

 

“Thanks mom! I almost forgot! Well, I mean for two seconds.” Kagome sat up. A sudden rush of power burned from her side to the rest of her body. A look a confusions crossed her face. “Huh?” she whispered.

 

“Come down for breakfast, Grandpa has a surprise for you!”

 

“Okay, be right there.” She felt at her side as her mom left the room. She couldn't be sure, but she thought she could feel a small lump deep under her skin. “Has that always been there?”

 

“Happy birthday sis!” Her younger brother Sota popped his head in her room.

 

“Thanks Sota! What's Gramps got down there? Seen it yet?”

 

“No, but I bet it's somethin' weird. You know he's the worst gift giver of all time!” Her brother joked.

 

“Ya really.” Kagome reached to pet her cat, and stretch her limbs. “Well, ready Buyo?”

 

Leaving her dreams, she gathered up her cat and headed downstairs to start her day. Her birthday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Know what? That chapter took me a long time to write. I got stuck in the middle for week. But it's out now! Hey, Thanks so much to those who reviewed! It is so cool to get feedback, not to mention super encouraging! I'm glad that everyone seems to like it so far. I will try to get the chapters up as fast as possible, now that I know people are reading this. Thanks again!