InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Leiko ❯ The Four Souls Released ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter Four

The Four Souls Released

 

She woke with a tiny start. It took Leiko a few minutes to remember where she was. The sound of the roaring waterfall cleared away any lingering doubts. Beside her Yamainu's warm body was pressed against her own. His breathing was low and shallow, her only hint that the wolf youkai was asleep. The cave was too dark for her to see if his brown eyes were closed.

Leiko rolled out from under his arm and off of the soft furs that made up Yamainu's bed. She leapt from ledge to floor with little noise. Somewhere to the right one of the youkais gave a loud snort and went on dreaming. Leiko crept out into the cool night air. A chill ran down her spine. She hugged herself in an attempt to keep as much body heat in her as possible. Her stomach gave a loud, pleading rumble. It was then that she realized just how hungry she was. All she'd had the day before was a few bites of fish. Those few bites had nearly cost Leiko her life.

Leiko shoved her hands in her pockets. Her fingers closed around the Shikon no Tama. A sick feeling washed over her and bile rose to her throat. She'd stolen from her parents. They'd be so ticked off. Sure she'd stolen a few bucks from kids at school, or some food every now and then after a long day of soccer practice and she'd had no money, or some other minor tidbits. None of what she stole ever came from her parents.

Whether from thinking too hard or just not caring, Leiko never heard someone sneak up behind her. When a soft brown coat embraced her shivering body, Leiko whirled around abruptly and found herself in Yamainu's arms. He smiled down at her.

“Why'd you leave?” he asked.

Leiko tried to take a half step back from him, but Yamainu encircle her waist with his muscular arms. She put her hands up to keep her body from touching his completely.

When she was close to him asleep was one thing, but awake was another story all together. Leiko ducked under his arms and backed away from his reach. She turned away from him and looked up at the full moon hovering above them. Her heart was in her throat as Yamainu came to stand right behind her.

She could fell his hand hovering above her shoulder. Yamainu was debating whether or not to touch her. He let his hand fall to his side and took a deep breath. They were only pretending she was his woman. For crying out loud, he didn't even know her! The two of them stood in silence for a while longer.

Finally Leiko grew tried of the tense silence. “I never thank you for helping me out yesterday.” she said.

“No big deal.” Yamainu said, shrugging indifferently.

Leiko whirled on him. “Are you always so arrogant?!” she demanded.

Yamainu chuckled. “That's the pot calling the skillet black.” he said.

Leiko sighed in frustration. She shoved her hands into her pockets and turned on her heels. As she walked away the wolf youkai followed close behind. Leiko ground her teeth in frustration. He was so irritating! She wanted nothing more than to turn around and deck him right between his beautiful brown eyes. Leiko grasped the Shikon no Tama firmly as she walked away from the wolf youkai. Why couldn't he just leave her alone?

“Leiko, stop!” Yamainu ordered and lunged at her.

As she hit the ground her first impulse was to scream at him for being such a moron. She gasped as a black shafted arrow embedded into the ground only a few inches away from them with a twang. Yamainu looked up at the grassy ledge in an angry rage. In the pale moonlight Leiko caught sight of a young woman with long black hair. Her eyes danced with malice as she stared down at the youkai and hanyou laying on the ground.

“ It's so sad that my archer missed you, little hanyou daughter of Inuyasha.” she said in a smooth voice. “No matter. They won't miss again.”

Leiko ground her teeth angrily. What was it with these people wanting to kill her?! She hadn't done anything wrong. Yamainu climbed to his feet, standing between Leiko and the strange woman. A sinister smile crossed her lovely face as she stared down at her prey. Leiko pushed herself up on all fours just as the whole wolf youkai pack came running up. She still held the Shikon no Tama in her grasp. Her silver eyes shot to the woman before her.

Without a word Leiko leapt to her feet and bolted. Yamainu called out to her but she paid him little heed. She knew what this woman wanted and there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell she was going to give it up without a fight. She ran blindly through the dense trees. The sound of something flying overhead was the only reason Leiko didn't stop. As if the forest itself was against her, a tree root wrapped around her ankle and sent her plummeting to the leaf covered ground. The luminescent jeweled orb flew into the air and bounced back to the ground.

Leiko dove for the jewel, but the woman swooped down and scooped it up. Leiko slammed into the ground again, groaning as pain shot through her arm. The woman alighted to the ground gracefully. Her deep amber eyes danced with evil satisfaction. Leiko scrambled to her feet. She had no weapon with which to fight this evil witch. Yamainu skid to a stop beside her, panting as he raised himself to his full height. The scent of his blood tainted the air around them once more.

“Such a foolish youkai.” the woman said in that irritatingly smooth voice. “My archers are the best yet.”

“Shut it!” Yamainu growled. “Give Leiko back her jewel.”

“Tsk, tsk.” the woman said tossing the jewel carelessly into the air. “Ask Inuyasha's little hanyou daughter how she got the Shikon no Tama in the first place.”

Leiko took a half step forward. She flexed her fingers and cracked her wrist. It made no difference that she had no real weapon to fend off this witch. Leiko growled lowly as she tried to stare down her opponent. How had she known that Leiko had stolen the Shikon no Tama? That wasn't what was important now, Leiko reminded herself.

The woman chuckled softly. “It's so nice to see you again, Leiko.” she said. “It's been at least twelve years since I last set eyes on you. Of course, you were human then.”

“Shut up!” Leiko spat. “Who are you?!”

The woman shook her head slowly in mock sadness. “I'm hurt that you don't remember me. No matter. I am Tenma.” she said.

Leiko and Yamainu glanced at one another. Not even Yamainu had heard of this annoying woman and he lived in this era. Tenma sneered at them. There was no more time for games. She held the Shikon no Tama in her palm and presented it to Leiko. The jewel began to glow brighter and pulse. Leiko covered her ears to block out the noise, but to little avail. The jewel's pulsing was joined with that of her heart's beating.

As the Shikon no Tama hovered in Tenma's hand it began to get brighter and the pulsing got louder. Leiko's world was swimming in and out of focus. What in hell was going on? Yamainu was beside her, but his touch was like something half felt and his voice was like something half dreamed up. Her ears were full of the pulsing and of a strange voice chanting. What it said was only vaguely clear to Leiko's disoriented mind. Tenma was chanting in a soft voice, but Leiko caught every horrifying word:

 

Spirits long since caged,

Spirits holding back great rage.

Come forth and claim thy prize.

Look into the hanyou's eyes.

See the soul of the one who bound you,

Let your hate bring you forth.

 

Spirits long held captive,

Spirits held in a lovely prison.

Wreck havoc as once you did.

Show you captor the power within.

 

I call forth the Four Souls!

Let this hanyou girl feel true pain.

Spirits long caged,

Send forth thy rage!

 

Come to me!

Four Souls of the Jewel,

I set you free!

On this full moon night ,

You will reign eternally.

 

For the Shikon no Tama four bright lights shot forth. Each one going in a different direction. Leiko's head was spinning and her breath was coming in gasps. Tenma's words rang in her head like a bell. An evil laugh broke the trance Leiko was in. She glared up at the woman. Yamainu was trembling in rage. Before Leiko could register a clear thought, Yamainu was diving for the evil witch. His claws dug into her arm and the jewel flew into the air. It landed in front of Leiko.

She grabbed it up, slipped it into her pocket again, and joined Yamainu in his brawl. Black shafted arrows rained down on them. One embedded itself into Leiko's left thigh. She wavered and fell to the ground clutching the wound. One was coming straight for Leiko's heart. Before it pieced her flesh, Yamainu shoved her aside and bore the attack. He flew away from Tenma and into a nearby tree. As Leiko rose into a sitting position Tenma flew off into the night sky.

“We'll meet again, Leiko!” Tenma called down to the girl as she flew off.

“Get back here, you cowardly son of a bitch!” Leiko shouted, shaking her fist at the sky.

Yamainu groaned softly. He grabbed the arrow that had embedded itself into his shoulder and broke it in half. The arrow head was still inside his muscle, but that wasn't a big deal to him at that point in time. Yamainu climbed to his feet and stood on unsteady legs. His brown eyes were locked on Leiko. All she could do was stare back at him. The youkai moved forward, closing the gap between them. Leiko heard the rest of the pack getting closer. Her eyes held her distress.

“Don't worry about them.” he said with a careless wave of his hand.

Leiko shook her head. “You need some help getting to the cave. I can smell something else mixing with your blood and I know it can't be anything good.” she said.

Much to Yamainu's surprise as well as her own, Leiko put the wolf youkai's good arm around her shoulder and began to half carry him to the pack dispite her wounded thigh. As they met up with the others, Kouga rushed towards them. He skid to an abrupt halt when he caught sight of Yamainu and Leiko. A low growl escaped him. What was that mangy cub doing with his woman?! Kouga cared very little for the safety of his pack member at the moment.

“What happen?!” he demanded.

“We had a little trouble and Yamainu's hurt.” Leiko said.

Kouga snorted in disgust. “Some warrior.” he said sarcastically.

Leiko gave him a cold stare. “He saved me! So back off!” she said angrily.

The wolf pack shrank away from her. She was scary when she was angry. Yamainu would have laughed had he been in the state to do so. All he could manage at that moment was a weak smile. Of a sudden Yamainu slid down to the ground. His limp body fell in a heap at Leiko's feet. All the youkai saw before his world was consumed by pitch blackness was those pale silver eyes.