InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Moon Behind Clouds ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Chapter 6


“Who DARES defile the tomb of the great mountain prince, Yamahiko?” the ghostly figure demanded.

He was dressed in a very fine armor, of heavily lacquered scales that were laced with green laces. It was made after a very old pattern, like a box with three sides. The fourth side, under his right arm, was open, with a single, solid plate tied beneath it to cover the gap. On his left he wore a sword with a straight blade, hung with its edge facing down.

Sesshomaru regarded him with only mild interest.

“You aren’t Yamahiko,” Kikyo said calmly, flexing her bow. “Yamahiko is here--this is his coffin. You're just a foul thing that steals his shape and defiles his memory!”

The ghost looked at her for a moment, then smiled.

"Some might say the same thing about you", he chuckled, leaning closer to her. "I’ve never been insulted by a clay pot before. Some vessels are made to honor, like the golden cup that sits on a prince’s table. But others -- like you -- are for more shameful purposes, like the pot that sits by the bed at night, and holds all of the--"

“Why you --”, Kikyo shouted, straining her bow until it nearly broke. Sesshomaru stepped in front of her.

“I told you”, he said, “I’m going to kill him.”

“Be careful. He’s more dangerous than he looks.”

“You, kill me? Those are brave words for someone who likes to play with little clay dolls. I’m going to enjoy breaking your woman in front of you.”

“I am --”

“She is --”

“NOT”

“his --”

“my --”

“WOMAN!!”

Kikyo and Sesshomaru shouted in unison. There was an awkward pause. Even the ghost did not say anything for a moment.

“Oh -- well, how boring then. In that case, you can just die!” And with a wave of his arm, he sent a ball of green flame in Sesshomaru’s direction. Sesshomaru held up his arm, letting the blast hit him without making any effort to move out of the way.

"I've come a long way", he said, as the green fire crackled all around him, "And I'm going to be very disappointed if that's the best you can do!"

And with that, he sent the green flame back towards its owner with such force that the figure who called itself Yamahiko had to catch it with both hands. It pushed him back, and for a moment it seemed he would be overcome, but with great effort, he managed to tear his hands apart, at which point the green fireball dissipated in a ripple that spread out across the room, making each of the lamps flicker as it passed.

"Impressive", the ghost said with a wicked smile, "but you'll have to do better than that."

"I intend to", Sesshomaru answered, and taking the Tokijin, he leapt at Yamahiko, and struck him right through the middle. But the blade passed through him as though he wasn't even there.

"Ha!", he laughed, as Sesshomaru made several more slashes, in case any other part of him might prove more vulnerable, "your weapon cannot hurt me. What now? How can you possibly defeat me when your sword doesn't even cut?"

But Sesshomaru smiled -- that deadly smile, that women loved, and Jaken feared so much. He jammed the Tokijin into the ground close by, where it would be within easy reach if he wanted it, and then, putting his hand to his sash, he drew out the Tenseiga. As the old blade came out of its sheath, the room, and all that was in it, grew faint. But Yamahiko seemed to become more solid, more real.

On seeing the sword, the ghost's eyes lit up.

"Interesting. Killing you is going to be more fun than slaughtering those helpess villagers."

Sesshomaru was done with formalities.

"Enough", he said, bringing the Tenseiga up over his head, and then crashing down, where it hung suspended in the air, a foot away from Yamahiko's brow. In the blue light, Kikyo could just make out the dim outline of a sphere all around him.

"A barrier!"

The ghost looked over at her, then back to Sesshomaru.

"If you give up now, I'll kill you first, so that you won't have to hear the girl screaming."

"You talk a great deal -- I'm beginning to think that's all you can do!"

"Impudent dog!", Yamahiko snarled, and seizing a spear off of the wall, made a lunge at him. But in his haste, he reached past the protection of the barrier.

Sesshomaru avoided the point of the spear easily, and turning the the side, brought the blade of the Tenseiga down upon the ghost's arm, shearing it off midway between the elbow and the wrist.

"AHHHH!", it screamed.

Sesshomaru examined his sword calmly.

"So it does work . . ."

"You bastard!" Yamahiko shouted, after looking at the stump of his severed arm.

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow.

"Your barrier is indeed formidable. But you can't stay in it forever. Unless, of course, you mean to hide . . ."
"Curse you!", the ghost shouted, and drawing his own sword, he sprang at him. The air grew thick with the sound of clashing blades, as Yamahiko struck at him, first from one side, then the other. Sesshomaru never retreated, but the sheer force pushed him backwards, making his feet slide over the stone floor. All the while, he never lost his deadly smile.

"That sword --" Yamahiko said between slashes, " -- with such power, one could rule the Netherworld -- I must have it!"

And drawing back, he made a wild swing at the dog demon. Sesshomaru leaned back, feeling the wicked thrill of the blade passing close in front of him. When it had cleared him, he set the point of the Tenseiga against Yamahiko's throat, and lunged.

The ghost, seeing too late what Sesshomaru intended, knew he could not avoid it, so instead he turned his own sword towards Sesshomaru's chest, aiming the point at a spot just above his armor, so that if he had to die, he would take the inu youkai with him.

As they closed together, the points of their swords became lost from view, so that it was impossible to say who would win, whether one would slay the other, or if both would die in the exchange. No one will ever know, for at that moment, a purple streak came hurtling under Sesshomaru's arm, passing so close to him that it tore a hole in the sleeve of his kimono. Looking down, he saw the feathered fletching of one of Kikyo’s arrows sticking out of Yamahiko’s chest. The ghost loosened its grip on its sword, and sank forward onto its knees with a groan.

Sesshomaru whirled to see Kikyo standing, her one arm still outstretched, the bow turned in her hand from the force of the string. Her other hand was back beside her ear, still open from when it had released the arrow. He regarded her furiously. Kikyo looked back at him calmly.

“I told you that I was going to kill him”, she said coolly, “And besides”, she added with a smirk, “you were taking too long.”

Sesshomaru regarded her with a look of disbelief. His face did not move, but he was so angry that a red light came into his eyes. A shiver went through his whole body, making his hair bristle, and the fur pelt on his shoulder to shake. Then he turned, and with one stroke, struck off the head of Yamahiko. Normally he was very graceful, but in his anger, the cut was less than perfect, and halfway through it caught a little in Yamahiko’s neck, so that the body was cast to the side. The head hit the wall with a nauseating thump, amplified by the sound of the metal helmet, then thudded to the ground where it bounced several times before coming to a stop. Slowly, both it and the body began to disappear into the air.

He turned again to look at Kikyo. For a moment, his eyes and hers were locked.

A low rumble came from the other room.

Kikyo's eyes widened.

“The gate!”