InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Into the Fire ❯ The Curse of the Black Rose ( Chapter 21 )

Title: Into the Fire

Author: Chiaztolite

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

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Inuyasha

 

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A/N: In the previous chapter, the fight between Sesshoumaru and Yuusou has been revised. Please check it out. Also, there are some parts of this chapter that may feel a little vague. I will provide more explanation as we go. But for now, this is all you need to know.

 

Ougi: the term for the succession technique of a martial arts school; it literally means "deep act". It can also be interpreted as “secret technique”, the one technique that distills the teachings of the school to a single, signature move.

 

Youki: Youkai energy

 

Seppaku-Hyoushousen: Shouri's ougi. Literally translation: the immaculate ice crystal strike

 

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Into the Fire

 

Chapter 21: The Curse of the Black Rose

 

 

The old folks in the eastern palace used to tell her tales…

 

When one opened the gate to the afterlife and summoned the undead, the sky would split, dark clouds would gather. A black hole would appear in the sky, spilling thousands of bloodthirsty souls onto the surface of the earth. The army of the undead, that was what the elders called them. They appeared before the eyes of the living without any concrete existence, for their bodies were burnt to ashes the moment they were sent to the land of the dead. They walked the earth, but without footprints. They looked like identifiable creatures, but they were no more than shadows and silhouettes. Untouchable, invincible, immortal in their own twisted way…

 

But what a better army could one ask for?

 

Some folks even dared to say they had lived long enough to see the gate to the afterlife opened once. The legend said that Shiyuu, the leader of the panthers, was the first mortal who dared to oppose the Gods and opened the gate. The panthers, although were given the privilege to live within the barrier of the holy mountain, their status was far less eminent than the Shintora's. Their clan was given a place on the foot of the mountain and not the very peak, and their leaders were nowhere close, or would ever close, to gaining immortality.

 

But Shiyuu had always set his eyes on the top, thinking that he could, and should, sit on the throne of the holy tigers and played God. One night, goaded by envy, he stole the Sword of Heaven and sneaked into the realm of the Gods. He stole the sacred flame of Shuzaku, the goddess of fire, and planned to turn it into his deathly weapon. Upon his return to his own land, he was curious to find out just how powerful his newly acquired technique was. So curious he was that the very same night, he slaughtered his mate and three children, along with every single creature in his household, and set the entire mansion on fire.

 

Satisfied with the proof that had spilled the blood of his own kin, he set out to the palace of the holy tigers, determined to call upon the undead to assist him in taking over the throne. Just when the souls started to pour into the world of the mortals, his plan was discovered. The reigning Eiou at the time, with the help from the goddess Shuzaku, doused the fire of his rebellion. Shiyuu was killed where he stood and his restless soul was sealed within a box that was never meant to be opened again. The remainder of the panther clan was then banished, never to return to the Mountain of Gods…

 

Well, that was the legend… Shouri thought as she moved swiftly through the trees, quickly ascending her way to the peak of the mountain. It took place well over 1000 years ago, but it was about to occur once more today. She looked up, observing the black hole that had increased in its size, a sign that the time will soon come. The time when the undead would once again invade the realm of the mortals…

 

Creatures that walked the earth without footprints…?

 

Whatever they were, Shouri knew better than to go straight to its nest. Fortunate for her, Ryoushin had often told her stories about his homeland. So vivid was his description that she felt she was there with him, exploring the rolling hills of the mountain, playing hide and seek around the great palace. One of the stories she recalled was his escape from the dragon's raid three hundred years ago, when his mother led him through the secret pathways to the abandoned servant quarter.

 

She leaped high in the air, landing gracefully on a narrow path on the side of the mountain. If she was not mistaken, it was the very same path they had taken during their flight from the core of the riot. She pressed her back onto the coarse surface of the rocky wall, so close as if she wanted to unite with the mountain itself. It was not an easy path to take, she thought as she gazed at the sea of trees beneath her. Age had weakened what used to be a strong, solid ground, proven by the crumbs of rocks that started to fall whenever she took a step.

 

`…Almost there…' She thought as she averted her eyes towards the soaring palace, less than a mile away from where she stood.

 

She leaped her way up, swiftly shortening the distance between her and the exterior boundary of the palace. In no time, she reached the start of the towering stone wall, the silent protector of the world beyond its rigidness. As she crept along the wall with her ear pressing against it, the palm of her hand was constantly feeling the cold surface. With her patience that was growing thin, she strived to find the gateway which was hidden somewhere along the sturdy exterior.

 

She sighed in relief when she located a portion of the wall that was thinner than the rest. Her hand slid lower to search for a device to open the secret entrance. Soon, her sensitive sense of touch found a square of stone that was slightly recessed into the remainder of the wall. Small, very discreet, as if it was never meant to be discovered, just like how it should be. Concentrating her energy on the palm of her hand, she pushed the square forward, burying the small piece of stone deeper into the wall. And with a soft rumbling noise, the gate that was once invisible started to part.

 

Slipping her body through the narrow opening, she entered the ancient palace that had been there long before the time of her existence. She inhaled, sniffing the different smells around her, trying to capture Ryoushin's trace. Though she could smell him, his scent was faint in the air, its source was ambiguous. He had not been in that part of the palace where she was, but the wind carried his scent to her. Guided by her intuition, she moved towards the front of the palace, where she thought her mate would most likely be. But the strange, unfamiliar complex did not make it easier for her to find her way. And soon enough, she found herself in a small courtyard surrounded by the rest of the palace. Uncertain where she should go from there, she tried to rely on her sense of smell, yet the little trace she had of Ryoushin's whereabouts had disappeared.

 

She startled when the sudden sound of footsteps reached her ears, and swiftly hid herself behind a large pillar, blending herself with its shadows. She could feel the race of her heart as she pressed her back against the surface of the tall wooden post, silently waiting for the creature which was approaching. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the shadow of a male appeared on the opposite side of her hiding place. A soldier on patrol, it seemed. His grey hair, aquamarine armor and gauntlets indicated that he belonged to the dragon clan. Seemingly oblivious to the critical situation which was taking place in that palace, the soldier whistled a tune as he leisurely strolled along the path that would eventually brought him to the lurking inu princess.

 

A razor-sharp blade gleamed in the darkness, silencing the nameless tune that filled the quiet night. In a blink of an eye, even before he realized what was happening, she was behind him with her finely-honed sword pressed against his throat. Then slowly, very slowly, she slit his throat open, making sure his screams of death echoed throughout the palace. As she stood watching the blood-leaking corpse that lay on her feet, more footsteps reached her ears. Soon enough, she found herself surrounded by at least half a dozen of soldiers, all dressed in identical attire as the dead one on the floor. At least half a dozen of swords were pointed at her, trapping her within the round barrier of sharp blades.

 

“…Explain yourself, youkai…!” One of them yelled, upon seeing the lifeless body of his comrade.

 

The female kept her mouth shut, refusing to comply with the order of a low rank soldier. She had tucked her sword away, yet her youki was still ablaze. She was determined to make it clear to these soldiers that they were no match for her, that she could cut them into small pieces of morsels if she wanted to. But she knew better than to end their lives right then and there. She wanted to be caught, she needed to be caught. She needed those soldiers to show her the way to her mate. Growing restless under her glare, they started to speak to each other in a language she could not decipher. It was the native tongue of the dragons, she knew that much, yet she could only understand one word, one name.

 

Naraku.

 

The name was mentioned a few more times before two soldiers grabbed hold of her arms and towed her away from the square. They dragged her along many dark alleys and corridors, and even more courtyards before they arrived at what seemed to be the main wing of the palace. Those two soldiers took her into a dark chamber, lit by nothing but a dim flickering flame of a candle. They shoved the submissive female like she was nothing but an unwanted rag, causing her to cringe when the front part of her body slammed against the hard floor.

 

“…An intruder, my Lord…” One of them simply said before both left and closed the screen behind them, leaving her fate in the hands of their master.

 

It did not take long for her keen sense of sight to adapt to the darkness around her. And as she slowly raised herself to her knees, her eyes were stealthily scanning her surrounding. A chuckle, a male's chuckle broke the silence of the chamber, low and eerie to her ears. Slowly, she turned her head towards the source of the soft laughter, her eyes glowed in the dark when she finally saw her sole companion in that spacious enclosure.

 

A male was sitting at the end of the chamber, facing the flickering candle that was placed on the floor. His hair was the color of coal, making his complexion to appear so ashen in comparison. There was nothing out of ordinary in his physical appearance, though his ruby eyes did reminded her of Ryoushin's… no, Shiyuu's blood red orbs. She could not help but shuddered. She hated to admit the thought of that beast who had given her so much agony still sent chills down her spine.

 

But there was something about this male's scent, she thought as she eyed him warily. Something familiar, as if it was not their first encounter with each other. Then she remembered. That scent, the same shade of red in their eyes, the same darkness in their hair. It was…

 

“…Kagura…” The male opened his mouth and spoke, calling the name of his incarnation.

 

Her eyes widened at the mention of the name. At once, the shoji behind the male opened, giving way to a female demoness to enter the chamber. Kagura, the raven haired female, the rider of the wind, was still everything Shouri remembered. Haughty as she was, she held her head high. But those pouting red lips gaped in blatant display of shock as soon as she saw the inu princess, half sprawled on the floor only steps away from her master.

 

`…What is she doing here…?' Her mind could not help but wonder, her eyes stared at the other female who did nothing but returning that scarlet gaze.

 

“…Look at what the wind brought in…” Naraku chuckled as he slowly rose to his feet and approached the motionless female. She was quite a lovely little dog, he thought with a sly grin. His eyes were constantly on her, appraising the peachy shade of her smooth skin, all those sinuous curves of her willowy figure. He knew it would please him very much to toy with this beautiful creature, this sweet little plaything… He knelt beside her, his hand was lifted to brush against the softness of her hair. As he played with those long locks of spun white gold, savoring their silkiness, he lowered his face to her cheek and whispered against her skin,

 

“Never thought that our first guest to arrive would be such a great beauty...”

 

Being near the mysterious male was enough for Shouri to send shivers throughout her entire body. It never entered her mind, the thought that perhaps her brother's enemy would want to keep her for himself. She tried to turn away, yet his hand that was gripping her hair locked her head in place. He chuckled, grinning victoriously against her skin when he felt her futile effort to squirm away. The close distance between them allowed him to breathe in the sweet, alluring scent of her body. Yet soon his eyes narrowed in a start of rage, for his nose had pointed out something he had overlooked.

 

His hand yanked her head backwards to bare her neck to his view, ignoring a sharp cry that was ripped out of the female's mouth. It was not there, he thought as he observed her stretched neck, for the canvas of her skin there was smooth and unblemished. He gathered her tresses within his grasp, lifting the thick mass of hair up to uncover the nape of her neck. He found it at last, the two round mating marks, a sign that she belonged to someone else. Growling angrily, he shoved her away from him, hurling the female across the floor.

 

“…Cheap whore…” He hissed. “…You have given yourself to him…”

 

Sighing inwardly, Shouri strived to prop her upper body with her arms. These males… All these infuriating males had shoved her here and there, treating her in whichever way they wished to, and it started to anger her. Nevertheless, she could not deny how relieved she was to find out Naraku was no longer interested in her, all thanks to her mating mark. Now, if only she could persuade him to give her away to Shiyuu… Little did she know, the raven haired demon already had the same idea in his mind. A female who had been spoiled by another male provided neither use nor interest to him. She was damage goods in his eyes, and he could not think of a better way to dispose of her. He shall turn her into an offering, a sacrifice for the bloodthirsty ancient spirit.

 

He grabbed the sprawling female by the hair and pulled her to rise to her feet. Yanking her in one sharp move, he forced her to trail after him. The wind demoness abruptly stretched out her hand, her scarlet lips parted to utter a word when she saw the inu princess was being towed away from the chamber. But as fast as she started, she stopped, her lips were soon sealed. Being pulled away hastily in such a harsh manner, Shouri only had the chance to glance at Kagura whose ruby eyes were still intently watching.

 

Naraku dragged her along the veranda to a chamber that was only a few doors away. Though the female did not struggle or attempt to escape, he still felt the need to yank her forcefully, gripping a fistful of her hair so tightly that a few strands of her glorious mane fell onto the ground. Her wary green eyes kept scanning her surrounding. From where they stood, she could see the courtyard of the palace, though it was almost covered by thick white mist that seemed to mysteriously come from nowhere.

 

The raven haired youkai parted the screen, allowing enough opening only to shove the female's body into the dark chamber. Once again she was trashed onto the ground. She sprawled there with her arms supporting her upper body, the thick mass of her hair flowed down her shoulder to veil her face. She winced as the stench of blood reached her nose. The chamber reeked of dry blood and destroyed flesh…

 

“…I believe she can keep you entertained…” She heard Naraku said calmly before he slid the screen closed, leaving her alone in the chamber with the male who had not yet shown his presence, or made his move. She peered at the darkness around her through the veil of her hair. Her nose wrinkled in disgust when she saw the headless carcass lying on the floor. Red, sticky stains that were splattered on the wall provided a perfectly grisly backdrop and completed the gory sight. Her blood turned cold when she heard her sole companion stirred, when the rustles of his clothing reached her ears.

 

Ever so slowly, she lifted her head, staring at the figure that suddenly towered before her. It was him, that devil in disguise. His face appeared impeccably cold, his scarlet orbs were adorned with unreadable gleams.

 

“…You…” He hissed as he narrowed his blood red eyes.

 

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`…It is almost time…' Yuusou whispered inwardly as he observed the spreading cluster of black clouds in the distant sky. The thought of Shouri's well-being filled his mind as he heaved a deep sigh. He started to doubt his decision to release her from the blue sphere prison, to let her settle the alarming matter by herself. Knowing that Sesshoumaru had gone after her did not ease the eastern prince's anxiety, for now there were two in his mind instead of one.

 

He flinched when he tried to move his right arm. Though his flesh had stopped leaking blood, it was still painful for him to shift the wounded limb. He raised his uninjured hand and clamped the palm on top of where Sesshoumaru's blue lightning had struck him. The eastern prince had not expected his cousin to use his ougi against him. It was a proof that Sesshoumaru was truly furious with his decision to release Shouri from the barrier. And during that blind rage, his cousin was determined to strike him to death.

 

`…Sesshoumaru…' He whispered inwardly, not even realizing that his fingers had curled around his arm, crushing the wound underneath them. `…What would you have done… if you were in my place?'

 

He glanced over his shoulder to gaze at Kishi who was giving instructions to the younger members of the pack. The two tiger cubs and the mysterious human girl were to be left behind, accompanied only by the two-headed dragon pet. Kishi had gathered those younglings in front of the tunnel that connected the Forest of No Return and the abandoned quarter. The tunnel remained open, providing the only way for those young creatures to escape should something, anything happen to them. Death being the worst case scenario, of course…

 

“…Tomorrow midday…” He heard Kishi told the children. “…If we have not returned by then, go through the tunnel and find your way to escape…”

 

`…Find your way to escape…?'

 

The eastern prince could not hide his bitter smile when he repeated those words inwardly. To take the secret tunnel and get out of this Mountain of Gods was the easy part. But the true danger awaited them inside the forest, lurking in the deep shadows of the trees. Those who were strangers to the terrain would spend days wondering in circles, before they were eventually devoured by those flesh-eating beasts that roamed the land of everlasting darkness. He was not at all convinced that these children, all untainted by blood and battle, all unfamiliar with the Forest of No Return, would be able to find their way to escape. No, he would not be so naïve. If he and the rest of the pack died here, the children would die with them. Maybe not in the same place, but dead nevertheless…

 

They were too young to die, all these poor little souls. But no matter what would happen, he would not want to leave them alone without any means of defending themselves, he thought as he approached them. Slowly, his hands moved to loosen the sash that held his sword in place.

 

“…Boy…” He called the eldest of the twin cubs, Shinsei. “Can you wield a sword?”

 

“…Ryoushin-sama taught me a little bit…” The cub answered. “But…”

 

Those cerulean blue eyes widened when Yuusou handed him the weapon. He immediately shook his head and pushed it away.

 

“…Yuusou-sama… I surely cannot take…”

 

“Its name is Toueijinmaru…” Yuusou spoke to end Shinsei's argument. He pressed the sword against those little hands, forcing the young youkai to accept the weapon. “…Wield it well, for I will trust you with it until my return…”

 

Though with hesitation still clearly shown in his face, the child opened his hand and gratefully accepted the sheathed blade. A frown appeared on Kishi's forehead as he watched what the future lord had done. There was no other weapon fastened onto the eastern prince's garb, proofing his completely unarmed state without the presence of Toueijinmaru.

 

“Yuusou-sama…” Kishi called the inuyoukai. “Is it wise to give away your only weapon…? In a critical time such as this…”

 

“Worry not…” Yuusou said as he raised himself to his feet. “I am not without resources…”

 

The corner of his vision saw the green imp who was pacing around, grumbling softly to itself. His cousin's servant seemed to be in the state of panic when it realized it had been separated from its lord and master.

 

“…Oy…” He called the restless dwarf. “…Imp…”

 

The imp stopped pacing and glared at him angrily, looking very much offended by the title he had given to it.

 

“My name is Jyaken!” It shrieked, shaking its long two-headed staff vigorously.

 

“Alright…Jyaken…” Yuusou sighed as he approached Sesshoumaru's fuming ward. He had to bend his knees to bring his emerald orbs to the same level as those curiously wide yellow eyes.

 

“You probably should stay here…” He told the toad youkai. “We are leaving for a dangerous battle and we surely don't want anyone to slow us down…”

 

“How rude!” Once more, the smaller youkai's shrill voice pierced his ears. It stomped its small, short feet on the ground and pointed the two heads of its staff at the inuyoukai's nose. A shade of pink scalded its green face as it shrieked its protest. “This Jyaken has served Lord Sesshoumaru for many many years! I have assisted him in countless of battles! How dare you say such a thing!”

 

“…Do as you please…” Yuusou said, hiding a smile that was almost curved on his lips. “But remember this… Unlike your master, I will not guarantee your safety…”

 

“I don't need you to guarantee my safety!” The imp yelled.

 

Yuusou allowed a thin smile to appear on his face when he heard the imp's yelling. He rose to his feet when he saw Kishi approached him. Tension was clearly shown in the elder youkai's face.

 

“We shall leave soon…” The eastern prince said.

 

Kishi nodded.

 

“Yuusou-sama…” He said. “I know exactly the route we should take…”

 

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Sesshoumaru moved swiftly through the trees, keenly following Shouri's trace. She was not ahead of him by much, he knew, judging from her scent that still lingered in the air. Her trails brought him to a narrow path on the side of the mountain. The vast Forest of No Return splayed underneath him, while the peak of the Mountain of Gods hovered over him. He let his nose guided his every step and rushed forward, leaping gracefully along the pathway until Shouri's scent unexpectedly disappear from his senses.

 

Landing on his two feet, he sniffed the air around him, trying to solve the mystery of the vanished trail. He paused on the exact spot where her scent had faded away, as if it was swallowed by thin air. The palace stood beside him, hidden beyond the barrier that took the form of a soaring stone wall. He let the tip of his fingers brushed against its coarseness and dragged his hand along the surface. As a lord of lands himself, he knew it too well that a palace could resemble a maze, full of secret alleys and pathways as an integral part of the security to protect the royalties.

 

Using his finely tuned sense of touch, he explored the wall where Shouri's trace had vanished until he found the portion where it was thinner than the rest. It did not take him long to find the keystone which opened the gateway and right away, his nose picked up Shouri's scent on the other side. It was just as he expected, he thought as he turned around to gaze at the ascending pathway he had been following earlier. That path would undoubtedly lead him to the front of the palace, to its courtyard where the undead army was being summoned. But Shouri seemed to have decided to sneak into the palace's backyard from this secret entrance, away from whatever was waiting for them underneath the black hole. He changed his course and entered the awaiting gateway, joining his sister behind the soaring wall, wherever she might be.

 

The foul smell of ancient air and death greeted him as soon as he stepped into the premise. The place was old, very old… He had often heard legends of a beautiful palace at the peak of the Mountain of Gods, a palace that befitted only the immortal king of the holy tigers. But as he scanned his surrounding, it was all ruins. The ground was covered in dust, dry leaves, and what could only be described as the remains of damaged architecture. The trees, the shrubs, all the lush greeneries that used to grace its landscape were now nothing but lifeless twigs scattered all over the terrain. True, the main palace stood still, but its present condition did not do any justice to the legendary beauty and glory of its olden days.

 

His head snapped as he recalled the reason why he was there in the first place, his pair of golden eyes observed the mass of ancient structure before him. With the speed and grace befitted a youkai lord, he lunged forward to follow the scent of apple blossoms that beckoned him towards the gloomy palace. Following her trails was far from difficult, for her scent still lingered in the air. Soon, he reached the small courtyard where a pool of blood lay awaiting. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized the blood did not belong to Shouri, but to an unknown creature. But from that point on, there were two other scents accompanying hers, and he knew… She had been captured.

 

Unwilling to waste time by lingering in that forsaken place, he leaped and continued his pursue...

 

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A blur of red was seen hopping from one tree to another, followed by the shadow of a large yellow fire cat. Inuyasha was following his half brother's scent, the trail brought him and his companions closer to the dark clouds that hovered over the peak of the mountain. He stopped when Sesshoumaru's scent abruptly disappeared.

 

“What's wrong, Inuyasha?” Kagome asked. She stretched her neck over his shoulder and peered at his face. The hanyou did not respond to her question for a moment, his nose sniffed the air as he observed his surrounding. He could not smell Sesshoumaru anywhere, it was as if his scent has been swallowed by the air.

 

“…I lost him…” He finally answered. He turned to his side and stared at the towering wall of stone that shielded the palace. Could it be…?

 

“There could be a secret entrance somewhere along this wall…” He added. “Sesshoumaru must have found it and went inside…”

 

“Then what are we waiting for?” The monk asked. “Let us search for the entrance right away…”

 

Again, there was a brief pause as Inuyasha averted his gaze towards the gathering dark clouds at the end of the narrow path.

 

“No…We should go to where the dark clouds gathered…” He said before he turned around and looked at his comrades. “I don't know why Sesshoumaru is taking a different route… But I know underneath that black hole… that's where Naraku would most likely be…”

 

He pulled the girl who was perching on his back and tightened her arms around his neck before he leaped forward, racing towards the peak of the mountain…

 

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Shiyuu, the male with the blood red orbs took one step towards the sprawling female. With the dim light from a burning candle aiding his eyes, he recognized her. How could he not remember those long, silky silver tresses, those graceful hills and valleys of her body? She looked so beautiful in the vividness of his memory, gasping in terror as her blood burst out of the gaping hole on her left chest, laying there on the cold ground as her blood leaked out to form a lake of red underneath her. That one last expression before her death was just as beautiful as the time when he had her underneath him. Her face wet with tears, her lips swollen from his kisses, her soft twin mounds bled from his teeth and claws, her legs opened for him to pump his lust in and out of her tight core…

 

“…Did I not kill you already…?” He asked in mild astonishment of seeing her again, looking very much alive and well. The mystery of her resurrection did not fail to carve a deep frown on his forehead, but he was not at all displeased by this surprise. The quiet moment, the somewhat peaceful situation as he waited for those good-for-nothing scums had rendered him almost bored to his second death. This female dog would do very nicely as his temporary entertainment.

 

“…Well, it does not matter…” He said as his hand touched the hilt of the sword that was secured to his waist and drew the long, thin blade out of its sheath. “I will just kill you one more time…”

 

Shouri rose to her feet, her eyes never left the male who was standing still on the other end of the spacious chamber. Even in the darkness, she could see the gleams on the tip of his sword, Ryoushin's sword. She could feel the frantic pounding of her heart, her shaky legs that struggled to keep her standing tall. She could not deny there was a little part of herself that feared him, the part that still vividly recalled the mental and physical torment he had inflicted upon her, the trauma he had etched deep onto her bones. That part begged her to run away, whispered in her ears that it was the last place on earth she wanted to be.

 

Fear… is the mind killer.

 

Then there was this part of her that knew there was nowhere else she would rather be but next to her mate, her innocent self who believed that she would be able to bring him back. A wishful thinking, perhaps… Only a fool's thought. But no matter how foolish it was, that bigger part of her wanted to believe if Ryoushin still retained a little bit of himself in that body, he would return to her. Slowly and furtively, as she strived for her movement to escape Shiyuu's notice, she raised her hand to touch the mating mark on the nape of her neck. If only she could open the mental bond that had been established since the moment they took each other as mates, if only she could reach him in the depth of his unconsciousness…

 

`…Ryoushin…' She called him, her fingers were rubbing those two round wounds. `…Answer me…'

 

Yet she heard nothing, she felt nothing. Her voice did not seem to reach him, wherever he was. It was like stretching her hand down a bottomless pit, trying to touch something that did not even exist. His low chuckle shattered her thought, reminding her that it was not a good time to loose herself in a deep contemplation.

 

“You truly believe you can reach him through those mating marks?” He asked when he realized her effort. His tone was mocking, condescending. “How naïve…”

 

“Your mate has drowned himself in grief… He is as good as dead at this point…” He continued, curling a vile smirk on his lips when he saw the tension in her face, the distress that his words had added to her already troubled mind.

 

“…What a foolish boy…” Again he chuckled, shaking his head derisively as he continued his insults. “…To let himself succumb to such emotion after killing you and your children…”

 

“It was you who killed me and our children…” She spoke in an icy voice, despite the fire of rage she felt building within her slightly shivering body, the fire that had been ignited by his words and mockery. “You've stained his hands with blood… You've used him and made him do the one thing you love the most…”

 

Her words made him threw his head back and laughed. Her blazing emerald eyes stared at him, infuriated by the laughter she considered as another form of derision towards her and her mate.

 

“…Made him?” He repeated before he snorted scornfully. “Just like I have overthrown him into unconsciousness, he has equal chance to do the same to me… And when I plunged his hand into your heart, he could have stopped me. But he didn't… He chose to sit back and watch the slaughter…”

 

“…Why are you doing this…?” The inu princess asked as she shook her silver head slowly. Her eyes narrowed into two emerald slits, observing the male who returned her stare nonchalantly. A lazy, arrogant smile was on that handsome face. He took a long pause, constantly observing the female with a quiet, unreadable gaze.

 

“I suppose a mortal outsider such as yourself would not be familiar with `The Seven Gates of the Afterlife'…” He finally said, causing Shouri to frown her forehead in suppressed curiosity. “The afterlife is split into seven realms, each is separated by a gate where a guardian untiringly keeps watch… The second realm of the afterlife is called `Tenkei', the `Divine Punishment'. It is a deathbed where the most vicious demons, banished deities, and sinners alike were sealed, never to be awakened for all eternity. The `Runin', they called them…”

 

“But there are two who have the power to summon runin from their eternal slumber… He who rule over the dead, the Dark Lord of the underworld, and…” He continued as he raised the blade to the level of his eyes that were glazed with rising excitement, mounting lust for power. “He who wield this sword…”

 

“That means… the undead army you summoned for Naraku…?” Her question did well to provoke his laughter again.

 

“You gave me too much credit, my Lady…I am not that generous.” He hissed, keeping his smirk smothered on those perfectly sculpted lips, Ryoushin's lips. “I did not wait for over a thousand years to give that incomplete creature what I desire…”

 

`Incomplete creature…?' Shouri's brow arched at the intriguing title this one demon gave to his so-called ally.

 

“Those I called forth for him are souls of dead mortals…” He said, widening his smirk into one vile grin. “Powerful still, but no more than dead mortals…”

 

“…Tenken…” She whispered as she glanced at the gleaming blade before returning her gaze to those gripping scarlet eyes. “You are planning to use the sword to rouse the souls of Tenkei… the runin… and take over the throne of the Mountain of Gods?”

 

“No…” He answered calmly. His voice was soft, too soft… “With Tenken in my hand, with my undead brothers behind me, I will rise up and challenge the gods themselves…” He smiled at her before he continued,

 

“…Lady…” He said, that dark smile never faltered. “Do you know that greed is one of the deadliest sins…?”

 

Shouri glared at him, her anger flared around her in invisible red tendrils. How dare he…

 

“For this obscene ambition of yours…” She growled as she laid her palm on top of her inherited sword, Katsujinken. “…Ryoushin… My Ryoushin…”

 

“Everything has a price, Lady…” He answered, unnerved by her stance and readied sword. “Just like your mate who gave up his home and immortality in exchange for my power, I too have to pay my due. And for me, his soul is an inexpensive price for eternal glory…”

 

“…But worry not…” He added as he swung his blade lightly and aimed its sharp tip at the enraged female. “…You will soon join him, for I will introduce you to death one more time…”

 

The second his words ended, he lunged at her with his sword gripped tightly within his hand. Her eyes widened. It had been a while since she saw that speed, that swift movement, not since five years ago when Ryoushin used his skill to fight her inside the Forest of No Return. She saw the gleam of his sword, saw the razor sharp tip swayed so close to her neck, aiming to slit her throat. Using her youkai speed, she moved to her side, only to be chased by the same tip of sword. And when she met his challenge with her own blade, she tasted his power, Shiyuu's power. She flinched, feeling herself being pushed backwards, feeling herself overwhelmed by his strength.

 

She gritted her teeth. Her hands that were gripping the hilt of her sword started to shake as she struggled to defend her position. She watched his face, that smiling and satisfied face, and she realized she was no match for his tremendous power. He was like an enormous ball of fire. His energy felt hot, sending fumes of heat to the pores of her skin. Red aura enveloped him like thick mist of flame. Each time she met his sword with hers, she was pushed back. And although his blade had not touched her yet, she felt as if she was pummeled by his power.

 

Speed, she thought, was her best bet…

 

Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru raced through the veranda. He could already hear the sounds of two blades clashing, the sizzles of flame sparking. Shouri's scent became stronger, its source became closer. He could smell other familiar scents, yet could not stop to think about them. Thick white mist that filled the palace's courtyard came spilling into the veranda, but it could not deter him from finding her.

 

“…Shouri…!” He yelled out for her, his legs brought him closer and closer to the screen that hid her from his sight.

 

On the other side of the translucent partition, she jerked when his voice reached her ears. But before she had the chance to decide whether the voice she heard was real or illusory, Shiyuu had lunged towards her with blazing intent to kill. She winced in pain when his blade brushed against her right arm, ripping the upper part of her kimono. Her injured flesh was leaking beads of blood that quickly dyed her pale blue garb red. Swiftly she leaped backwards, widening the distance between her and the sword that continuously trailed after her.

 

Sesshoumaru startled when the scent of her blood reached his nose, it made him called out her name once more. His fingers almost touched the wood frame of the screen when his sharp youkai intuition felt the flaring youki that approached him in lightning speed. The fierce surge of energy forced him to withdraw, it barely missed the tip of his nose. The gleam of a sword flashed before his eyes and he met the razor-sharp blade with his Toukijin. His golden eyes narrowed when he came face to face with the one who wield the unknown sword.

 

“…Naraku…” He hissed.

 

The raven haired demon was swathed in the same stench he despised. The same smile, a grin which was too haughty for such a low class creature, was pasted on that pale-skinned face.

 

“Long time no see, Sesshoumaru…” Naraku said, chuckling as he uttered his greeting. “…How nice of you to come and save your sister…”

 

“…You lowlife…” The youkai lord growled as he increased the pressure on Toukijin, pushing the other male's sword away from his face. Haste, impatience, and anger swelled within him as he gradually forced Naraku to step back. He had no time for this duel. In any other situations, he would be more than willing to accept the challenge and kill the black haired scum. But not now….Not when Shouri's life and death were concerned. He bared his fangs, feeling the beast blood within him started to boil.

 

“Out of my way…!” He roared. Blue lightning snaked around his sword, sparks of his energy enveloped him as he swung his blade, aiming to slice his foe into two. Alas, his attack failed to wound his opponent. The scarlet-eyed youkai had skillfully dodged the angered blade before launching his counterattack, forcing Sesshoumaru to leap backwards. Naraku grinned in satisfaction when he saw the youkai lord landed in the palace courtyard, further away from the chamber where Shiyuu was undoubtedly having fun with the female dog. And soon, he jumped into the vast open square to join the silver-haired taiyoukai.

 

She heard the clashing of metal outside the chamber and she knew her brother too was engaged in a battle. She turned away from her opponent, her eyes stared at the translucent screen that separated her and her brother. Her legs intuitively dashed for the door.

 

`…Nii-sama…' She whispered inwardly.

 

But before her fingers had the chance to touch the wood frame and fling the screen open, Shiyuu was already there with his sword pointed at her nose. He threw her back into their duel ground, restoring her concentration on her own battle.

 

“Not even your beloved Nii-sama can save you right now…” He chuckled.

 

She leaped backwards until she reached the end of the chamber. She realized that if she lost her concentration on their fight even for just a brief moment, her life and her children's would be in peril. She tightened her grip on Katsujinken and lunged at her foe. He blocked each of her strikes easily, an amused smile was on his face as he watched the growing anger in her eyes. With one powerful swing of his sword, he hurled her to the other side of the chamber. She positioned herself in the air and landed on her feet, Katsujinken was still within her grip. As she held her sword before her, she kept her intent gaze on her dangerous enemy.

 

“…Ougi…” Her green eyes glowed as she started to launch her attack. Katsujinken gleamed in the darkness, whirls of wind started to snake along its length. “Seppaku…Hyoushousen!”

 

Using her youki, she created an ice storm, thousands of razor-sharp and deadly ice shards flew towards him in lightning speed. His lips curled into an arrogant smile as he prepared himself to receive the strike. A ball of fire, a manifestation of his blazing youki, met her strike. The moment his fire and her ice collided, those elements turned each other into mist, filling the chamber with thick white fog. Shiyuu narrowed his eyes as he strived to adapt his sense of sight to the blur surrounding him. But soon, he startled when he could not find her anywhere, she had disappeared from where she stood.

 

His eyes widened when he felt her presence behind him, felt the flare of her youki before she attack. In an attempt to dodge the strike she would soon launch, he swiftly leaped to his side, yet it was not fast enough... Her sharp blade cut into the flesh of his arm, drawing blood out of the fresh wound. He leaped away from her, his uninjured hand was shielding the deep cut on his arm. His eyes glowed with rage as he formed another ball of fire and hurled it towards the awaiting female. Her counterattack was another storm of ice and once again, the collision created thick mist around them. Just as he expected, she disappeared from his sight to sneak around him and strike from a shorter distance. And although he was still blinded by the fog, he could already feel her youki, her presence near him. But he was not about to fall for her petty ploy. Not again…

 

“Your trick is not going to work twice…!” He roared as he felt her attack approaching. He stretched out his hand, this time determined to crush her neck with his iron grip. A long whip of shards flew in the air, something he had not anticipated. His palm was already opened to catch it, thinking that it was her limb he would shatter within his hand. The lash of countless shards tore the flesh of his left palm, causing him to bellow in pain.

 

Shouri stood watching the writhing male from the other side of the chamber, secretly grateful for her brother's attempt to train her to use the whip. The mist had cleared out, allowing her to see the blood that leaked out of his tortured flesh. She could not help but feeling a tinge of guilt and pain for harming his body, Ryoushin's body. She gritted her teeth and hardened her heart, telling herself that it was not her mate that she hurt, but an evil who deserved to be sent to the darkest realm of the afterlife.

 

“…You are nothing compared to Ryoushin…” She said coldly as she withdrew her whip.

 

A frown appeared on her forehead when his low, eerie chuckle reached her ears. His head was lowered, concealing his face from her view.

 

“…I see now…” She heard him said, see him slowly lifted his head. “You are better than I thought… You've convinced me to exert my real power to kill you…”

 

With a deep frown still pasted on her forehead, she returned to her stance, readying herself to block whatever strike Shiyuu might launch. The male curled his fingers into a tight fist, digging his sharp talons into his already injured palm. The blood from the cut on his arm, the blood from his torn palm dripped onto the ground, forming a small pool of dark red. Much to her surprise, he dropped the sword he grasped in his other hand onto the floor. Another ball of flame, surrounded by red sparks of lightning, slowly appeared in his open palm. Shouri tightened her grip on the hilt of Katsujinken. Another ball of fire, she thought. She should be able to block the attack with her Seppaku Hyoushousen.

 

With an angry roar he released his fire, flinging the ball of youki towards the awaiting female inu. She swung her sword, meeting his strike with her own. Her eyes widened in shock when he saw Shiyuu's fire engulfed her ice shards until there was nothing left between them but the enlarged ball of fire. There was no time for her to dodge the coming attack. She let out screams of pain when his powerful blow crashed into her, hurling her body until it landed a few feet away from where she stood. The fire had burnt parts of her kimono. She was wounded from the flames that licked her skin. She lay writhing on the ground, unable to move a single limb even when he slowly approached her. He towered before her fallen body, a satisfied grin was pasted on his face. His right hand reached for her, squeezing her delicate neck within his tight grasp.

 

“…Stupid bitch…” He growled as he tightened his grip around her neck, his strength lifted her feet off the floor. His teeth were bared, his eyes glowed with red flame of rage. She was strangled within his merciless grip, her breath came strenuous and ragged as she struggled to supply fresh air into her tortured lung. He feasted on the sight of her suffering, his lips curled into a vicious smile as he felt her body trashed about, a futile effort to escape his torment.

 

“Be grateful…” He hissed menacingly, slightly digging his claws into her tender flesh. “For I will present you with a gift…”

 

A gift…?

 

Her eyes widened when she heard his words. Whatever he was planning to do, she could already tell that it would not be something good. Her fingers clung onto his gripping hand, striving to release herself from his deathly clutch. But he was too strong for her, his digits were wrapped around her throat like a vise. Her legs swayed frantically, aiming to kick her capturer with all power she had left and force him to release her body. Alas, she was only assaulting empty air.

 

Then she froze…

 

His fingers tightened around her throat, as if he was determined to end her life that way, to squeeze the light of the living day out of her body. She felt the heat radiating from his palm that was pressed against her skin, the fire that grew more intense with each passing second. It was as if she was being branded, as if he was pressing a blazing coal against the tender skin of her throat. Her mouth gaped but her screams only came out as choked groans of pain. She did not even realize that he had released her, he had let her body dropped onto the ground. Now she was sprawling on the floor once again, but all her senses were focused on the pain she had to endure. Something was nesting within her throat. Something hot, something that felt like a lump of burning coal, a solid ball of fire…

 

Her mouth was still gaping painfully as she strived to rid the imaginary lump that was choking her. But no matter how much she struggled, the pain remained. The male stood there watching her. His eyes glittered and his lips formed a vile grin, satisfied to witness her suffering. He watched the female dragging her shivering body away from him, her claws that were scratching the floor left deep marks on the rustic wood surface. His grin widened when he saw a tattoo that slowly appeared on the white canvas of her skin. It took the shape of a rose. Its glowing entity, as it was made of flame, sat on the hollow of her throat, the same spot where his hand had been.

 

“You are the second person I have used this technique on…” She heard him said. “I call it `kurobara', the curse of the black rose…”

 

“It is a deadly poison without a cure…” He continued, speaking in a slow, leisure manner. “It attacks vital organs and quickly spreads throughout the victim's body in a matter of minutes, or even seconds…My last victim died very soon after I put the curse on her. But…” He took a brief pause and chuckled. “…She was not much of a fighter anyway…So I wonder how long it will take for a feisty female like you to die…”

 

Still writhing on the ground, she raised her hand to touch the source of the pounding pain, that lower part of her throat. Her fingers could not sense anything for the fire was not on the surface of her skin. It was invisible, its heat was nesting inside of her body. His words echoed in her mind. Kurobara, he had said… The legendary technique she had heard of but had never seen it performed. Those who were so unfortunate as to suffer from the deadly curse bore the mark of a black rose on the base of their neck. The irreversible curse that had only been performed once in history…

 

“And even if you do not die soon after I cast the curse upon you… That is only a matter of time.” He said. The glint of amusement was never absent from his eyes. “Remember this… Each time you exert your youki, no matter how small it is, you are aiding the poison to spread throughout your body.” Again, he chuckled. “…And for a youkai to live without youki… It is impossible.”

 

She coughed desperately, her hand was still covering the hollow of her throat. The pain made the tears flowed down her cheeks out of her will. She forced herself to crawl farther away from him, until she reached the wall at the end of the chamber. As she leaned her drained body against the cool surface of the wall, she could hear her own mind whispered.

 

`…Ryoushin…'

 

Still, there was no answer from him. Her vision started to blur, and she felt bits of energy she had in her body started to evaporate. Her eyes never left him, she was disgusted by the expression he held in his face. Shameless, unmasked satisfaction he blatantly displayed as he watched her dying. He enjoyed it, she knew… He enjoyed drinking the sight of her last moments before he eventually killed her for the second time.

 

`…Ryoushin…'

 

She called him again, and still he abandoned her. She wanted to open her mouth and scream his name, for perhaps he would answer her if she called out to him with everything she had. Yet she could not even gather her strength to part her lips, she felt so weak…

 

`…Ryoushin… Ryoushin… Ryoushin…'

 

More calls that were left unanswered. She let her head drooped in defeat. Her tears of pain were exchanged with tears of sadness as she finally realized he would not come. She had lost him. With each drop of tears that fell onto her cheek, she mourned him.

 

`…Will you not return to me, Ryoushin…?'

 

`…I wanted to save you…'

 

It was at that time she felt the wooden dagger, the blade she kept inside the folds of her obi, pounded to remind her of its existence. Her eyes shot open and impulsively, she raised her hand to touch the dagger over the layers of fabric that buried it.

 

`What are you waiting for, Shouri…?' She startled when she heard his whisper. Where it came from, she could not tell, but she heard his voice all so clearly.

 

`…What are you waiting for?'

 

If I ever come close to hurt you or the child… You will use it to pierce my heart, and purify the evil spirit...

 

…Promise me…

 

The dagger hidden underneath her obi continued to pound, as if begging to be used. A bead of tears rolled down her cheek as she realized the only thing left for her to do. Her head drooped low until the tip of her chin almost touched her chest. Her tears flowed freely, crystal clear drops fell onto her lap.

 

`…Ryoushin…' She sobbed inwardly. `You wouldn't want him to use your hands that way, would you…? You don't want to kill anymore, do you…?'

 

When she struggled to rise to her feet, she could feel her energy flowed out of her body, she felt completely drained. And when she was finally standing on her two feet, she staggered backwards until her back was pressed against the wall behind her. The pain she felt had not lessened, yet it did not deter her from doing the one thing she could do for her mate. She felt the flutters of her children within her, as if they could already understand the heart-wrenching emotion that was running through her at that moment.

 

`Just a little bit more…' She whispered to them as she pressed her hand against her abdomen. `Be good children… and give your mother a little more time…'

 

She slipped her quivering hand underneath the folds of her obi, her fingers touched the dagger Ryoushin had given her not so long ago.

 

`…I want to save you…' She whispered inwardly, her hand took the small blade out of its hiding place.

 

The moment Shiyuu saw the wooden dagger she grasped in her hand, he threw his head back and laughed. And when he returned his gaze to the female before him, the amused and mocking grin on his face remained. There was a time not so long ago when she also tried to use that same blade to protect herself from him. An effort that failed miserably...

 

“…Again?” His slick voice asked. “…You know you do not have it in you to…”

 

Suddenly he was quiet, there was silence. In a blink of an eye, she was right in front of him, her hand jabbed the dagger into his left chest. His eyes widened, his mouth parted for a sharp intake of breath when he felt the pain, when he actually felt the pain. He staggered backwards until his back was pressed against the cool surface of the wall. His head drooped low, his breathing became ragged. Blood filled his mouth, trickling from the corner of his lips down to his chin. He coughed, and more blood poured onto the ground.

 

“…I'm sorry, Beloved…” Came her heartbroken whisper. Her fingers were brushing against his cheek as her other hand pushed the dagger deeper into his chest. Her tears streamed down her cheeks and she started to sob uncontrollably. Her head bowed until her forehead was pressed against his shoulder, her body was pinning him to the wall, her clothes were dyed red by his blood.

 

“…I'm sorry…”

 

 

To Be Continued…