InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Into the Fire ❯ Aftermath ( Chapter 18 )

Title: Into the Fire

Author: Chiaztolite

Rating: NC-17/M for lemon, rape, and violence

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Inuyasha

 

Into the Fire

 

Chapter 18: Aftermath

 

 

Crimson sky…

 

It was not a sight he had never seen before. Blood splattered in the air as dying bodies fell. Either by his own hands or others, it did not matter. To tell the truth, he even took pleasure in witnessing such things, such simple things. Their last breaths, the sound of their life pouring out of their bodies in streams of red were like music to his ears. But when he saw that happen, when he saw that tiger speared his arm through Shouri's body, he felt something that was far from pleasure. Something that was long forgotten, an emotion that was buried deep underneath layers of regret.

 

She was just an arm's reach away. He could feel her hair brushing against his reaching hand when she fell onto the cold ground. But at the end, all was too late. He was too late, for his fingers only managed to grasp the empty air. He glared at him, the male who was standing before her fallen body with beads of her blood still dripping from his arm. The youkai lord startled when he saw those eyes, those scarlet eyes that returned his stare… The tiger threw him a thin wicked grin before he leaped towards the forest and in mere seconds, vanished beyond the trees.

 

Waves of anger and frustration provoked the ferocious rumble to form within his chest, his eyes glowed completely red as his beast rose from its sleep. Never had he wanted something more than to go after that filthy animal and ripped the life out of him. Close, he was so close to transform into his beast form when he heard Yuusou's frantic voice calling him.

 

“…Sesshoumaru! Not now…!”

 

His cousin's words, the urgency in the tone shifted his reddened eyes back to their amber color. When the taiyoukai turned around, he saw Yuusou was already kneeling next to Shouri's limp body, his hands was desperately trying to stop the blood from pouring out of her gaping wound.

 

“…She's…” He whispered. His hands strived to feel the beating of her heart, yet he sensed nothing but the warmth of her blood drenching his quivered fingers. “…She's dead…” He gasped in disbelief.

 

Sesshoumaru stared at the motionless body that lay on a lake of red, his pair of golden eyes narrowed when he saw them, those dwarf creatures of the underworld. An angry growl escaped him as he observed those pathetic looking beings crawling over Shouri's body, ready to take her soul to the next realm. The sight of her lifeless body sent a series of imaginary blows to his heart, triggering a strange, yet nostalgic sensation to emerge to the surface of his consciousness.

 

`…No…' He hissed inwardly, feeling the rage that started to pile up within him. `…Not again…'

 

Tenseiga had yet to pound within its casing to remind him of its power when his hand reached for the hilt, unsheathing the legendary sword in one smooth movement. Just like a man possessed, he swung the blade over her body, repeatedly slicing through the gathering unearthly creatures. Loud shrieks pierced his ears as he sent those soul collectors back to the world they came from, empty-handed. They returned to the realm of the dead taking only the unreal, illusory light with them, leaving the youkai lord blinking several times before he was able to fix his eyes on Shouri's body. Tenseiga's holy power slowly returned the blushed-rose color to her pale, blood-drained complexion. The traces of blood that tainted her hair and garment faded away, leaving her figure to appear unspoiled.

 

With widened eyes, Yuusou watched his cousin performed the miracle, harnessing the power of a sword that appeared so ordinary to breathe in life back into Shouri's body. Only seconds after, though with her eyes still sealed tight, she drew her first breath.

 

“…How…” The bewildered inu whispered, unable to take his eyes off the female who had just been brought to life. “…How did you…?”

 

The youkai lord returned his sword back to its sheath, keeping his silence as if his cousin's words did not even reach his ears. With hastened steps, he approached his sister, feeling the cold waves of relief washed over him when he saw her chest rise and fall with every breath. With her body still lying motionlessly on the ground, with her eyes still refused to flutter open, she appeared as if she was just lost in a deep, peaceful slumber.

 

Kneeling before her, Sesshoumaru slipped his hand underneath her, wrapping his arm around her slim waist before he rested his palm on her abdomen. An unexpected movement that came from deep inside of her left him frozen in his place. He concentrated on his sense of touch, pressing his palm even further on her belly until he could feel that stirring again, that flutters of two tiny creatures within her womb.

 

`…Shouri…' He gasped inwardly, his widened eyes were fixed on her face. `…You're…'

 

Quickly, he turned around to stare at Yuusou, giving his cousin a look that was filled with questions. For a brief moment, Yuusou could only bit his lower lip in hesitation before he nodded at last, answering the query that was imprinted so clearly on the other inu's face.

 

Sesshoumaru gazed at the unconscious female whose limp body leaned against his, whose cheek was pressed against the cold metal armor on his chest. It was hard to believe, he thought, yet the flapping wings of life he sensed underneath his palm provided enough proof to Shouri's very fragile condition. He knew that it was only natural for a female to conceive once the couple consummated their mating ritual. But, so soon…? Anyone with good sense would agree that it was not the best time for her to start breeding, what happened to her that morning provided enough reason for it. He could not deny that the thought of her carrying two mongrels, the thought of their inu bloodline forever be tainted by the cursed creature, appalled him greatly. And had it not been for the disturbing incident, he would have been furious to find out. Her first death, the thought of losing her for the second time, had doused his wrath before the fire of his rage even had the chance to ablaze.

 

Yet still, the discovery did well to fuel his anger towards Ryoushin who had succeeded in killing not only Shouri, but also those unborn pups. And now, the youkai lord thought as he shifted his gaze to the cluster of trees before them, that tiger had escaped to only the Gods know where, delaying his opportunity to end that filthy animal's life.

 

`But next time…' He promised himself as he tightened his hold of Shouri's body. The next time they came face to face, it would be his hand that stabs through that tiger's heart, it would be his deathly grip that rips the life out of that unworthy scum...

 

They brought the unconscious female back to her chamber and lay the body that felt no heavier than a feather on the tatami mat. Stacks of neatly folded garments were slipped underneath her head as another piece was laid over her body to shield her from the winter chill. Sesshoumaru sat there, quietly watching his cousin slipped the last layer of fabric to make up for her head support. He strived to hide his cringe when he saw her lying there, her body as still as a dead corpse.

 

A certain conversation that took place not so long ago replayed in his mind, causing his heart to sink even lower.

 

“That business is no one's but hers…” He had said when Yuusou came to him for aid. “I have washed my hands off that little vixen... She can do whatever she wants with her life… I have neither the wish nor the obligation to protect her…”

 

“…I, Sesshoumaru, never regretted my decision…”

 

He let out an inaudible sigh and closed his eyes.

 

Oh…The arrogance and folly of a proud, conceited idiot…

 

The sensation that attacked him was both strange and familiar, intriguing yet frustrating at the same time. It reminded him that his heart still resided within him, though rusty but its existence was no less real. Think, he needed some solitary time to think. Sure that those sharp pangs within his chest would not subside as long as he remained there, he rose to his feet and headed for the door.

 

“…That sword…” Yuusou's sudden, quiet voice stopped him. “…I had not seen you unsheathe that one before…”

 

The youkai lord stood there, only steps from the sliding screen, frozen by the mention of his family heirloom. He took a long pause before he finally responded,

 

“…It is a useless sword… Not much can be said about it…” A little taken aback, he was, to hear the hesitation in his own voice.

 

“…Useless…?” Yuusou repeated, turning his head slightly sideways to reveal his profile. “…Even after what happened just now, you still have such a low opinion of the weapon?”

 

Again, his cousin's words turned him into a mute. He had always thought of Tenseiga as a sword that lacked all substance that makes a sword worth wielding, despite its ability to revive one hundred lives in one sweep. It was Tessaiga that his heart desired, a sword capable of taking one hundred lives, a true weapon that shamed even Tenseiga's holy power. How unfortunate it was that such a powerful sword, the ultimate weapon that should assist him on his quest to become the strongest youkai, fell into the hands of his bastard brother. That insufferable mutt…

 

He lowered his gaze to the shiny black sheath of his inheritance, which kept in place by the yellow and indigo sash wrapped around his waist. Can it still be called a weapon, this sword that cannot kill? No, the only name it deserved was a failure. A failure that took form of a metal blade. How could he, the great Sesshoumaru, was expected to treasure such a worthless, inept thing?

 

And yet, it was this inept thing which retrieved Shouri from the hands of the fate called death, was it not? And that was one immaculate truth he could not deny…

 

“…It is a sword that cannot kill…” He finally answered after what seemed to be a long, long silence.

 

He had engraved that belief into his mind even before the sword was bestowed upon him. He never thought that he could look at the object from another point of view, no matter what miracle it performed. Then why did his argument sound so thin? Why did his voice carry the uncertainty it never had before?

 

“…Kill…?” He heard Yuusou said with the same quiet voice, inviting him to glance back over his shoulder. “…Since when do we need such finery to take the lives of others? One can turn even the bluntest, rusty blade into something that can kill…”

 

“So many weapons out there, all capable of killing any being…” Yuusou continued as he returned his eyes to the unconscious female before him. “But how many can give life to even the smallest creature? None…”

 

Though the youkai lord refused to utter any word of response, his cousin's words rang loud in his mind, seeping deep into his thought. True, Tenseiga's ability to breathe life back into a creature was unmatched, yet such power left much else to be desired. How useful could a life-giving sword be in the path that he had chosen, the path that demands blood to be spilled? Not so much…

 

`…But, Shouri…' He gave his sister one last glance, slightly troubled by the conflicts that now filled his mind.

 

Think, he needed time to think, he told himself as he turned to once again face the screen, before he continued his steps and escaped the silence.

 

Once he heard the soft thud of the closed screen, Yuusou moved closer to where his female kin lay. His eyes wandered off to the dingy tatami mat until he found those black spots of dry blood that had captured his attention the moment he entered the chamber. He had said nothing about them and so did Sesshoumaru, though he was certain that his cousin's keen sense of sight could not miss such prominent marks. Many things, disturbing things went through his mind as those dark stains filled his view.

 

Shadows, dark webs of uneasiness continued to spread as he shifted his gaze to Shouri's still, unruffled face. Yes, Tenseiga's divine power had returned some colors to her skin. Yet to him, it could not restore that healthy shade of pink that usually graced her cheeks. Those dark rims underneath her eyes were too vivid to ignore, leaving her complexion to appear so ashen in comparison.

 

`What happened last night…?' His troubled mind could not help but wonder, yet whatever lay beneath that calm façade remained concealed. The blood stains on the floor provoked his worst imagination to swim to the surface. He had made sure the previous night was filled with tranquility by protecting Shouri in her chamber and out of harm's way.

 

Or so he thought…

 

But where did it all go wrong? Not a sound reached his ears, not even the slightest presence of danger prodded his senses that night. For him, those late hours of darkness were quiet, still like an undisturbed pool of water. What could have triggered the deathly incident that occurred that very morning?

 

Slowly, he lifted his hand and brushed her silver bangs away, baring her forehead to his view. His fingers lightly grazed her face before resting on her brow. Extracting memories, besides erasing and rewriting them, had been one of the many skills he had inherited from his grandfather. It was one of the rarest skills, one of the ones that were most effective, yet it was also one of those that he despised the most. He hated it, to unlock the door that held the most intimate thoughts of a soul, to entangle himself within the webs of one's secrets, the alien sensation that constantly reminded him that he does not belong in that world of one's consciousness.

 

But this time, he had to know. He just had to know…

 

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and prepared himself to enter the door to her hidden memories. He focused his energy on his hand, creating a halo on the spot where his fingertips touched her forehead. Whispers from the mysterious past reached his ears, low and faint at first, then gradually grew into voices that became real. His eyes were sealed tight and yet his vision was clear, seeing the mystery of the past that started to unravel itself before him.

 

He saw a chamber… He saw her, those long silver tresses were still moist when she appeared in his view. He could feel his heart skipped a beat when he saw her opening the door to her chamber, despite his stern warning and her promise not to. He should have guessed, he thought warily as he watched that blood-eyed male stepped into what was created as a haven for her.

 

Seconds passed ever so slowly as he witnessed what happened that night.

 

“Stay away from me…” He could hear her say, see her body trapped underneath one that looked like Ryoushin, though those scarlet eyes proved otherwise. Eerie laughter answered her fearful whisper as she was forced to face a challenge he knew she would never win. Soon enough, her tears moist the air, each sobs that escaped her lips wrenched his heart. He wanted to go to her, to save her for at that time, it was not yet too late. But he could do nothing but stare, for it was only a memory…

 

And what happened next, he could not bear to watch. Her screams of pain were the last thing he heard before he abruptly tore his hand off her forehead, as if it was a blazing fire that his fingers touched. His breathing labored, his body shook as the reminiscent of her memory still remained within him.

 

He squeezed his eyes tight and slammed his fists against the hard floor in frustration and anger. His head drooped until it almost touched the ground, his bluish silver hair fell and covered his face like a thick veil. Now he thought of all the things he could have done, should have done. He should have done more to protect her, he should have known better… He should have created a better barrier, guard her door, or even better, stay with her for the whole night. Then perhaps, she would not have to suffer so much…

 

“…Shouri…” He called her, his voice was nothing but a hoarse whisper. Yet she was not even awake to answer him, those thick black lashes still refused to reveal her bright emerald eyes.

 

“…I'm sorry…” He whispered through his clenched teeth. “…I have failed to protect you…”

 

 

To Be Continued…