InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Prisoner ❯ The Barriers We Face ( Chapter 29 )

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It hadn't looked so hard. Hadn't seemed so impossibly high up from the balcony but now that she was dangling from a few hundred feet off the ground Kagome began to feel more or less dizzy. The winds were picking up around her making her sway, and the fact that the air seemed to be thickened by some purplish haze didn't help.

"Just don't look down, don't look down, don't look down..." she chanted to herself, allowing her body to slide down the string of clothing "You made it down here once, Kagome! You can do it again!"

Yes. During her first escape from the castle she had climbed down this very same balcony, in the very same way. Naraku had been away then, and so she had ran. She wasn't sure why, how, or what had finally given her that final push that she had lacked all those years before but she didn't care.

Her escape had lead her to Inuyasha--as her new one was going to lead her to him now.

"If you can find your way down" she mused to herself

The only light that shone in the blanket of purple mist was the glassy glow of the jewel around her neck.

She wasn't sure but, she assumed that the power of the jewel had helped her bring Naraku into his current unconscious state. Her powers were strong, but compared to Naraku? A demon of that nature? She wasn't sure she could compare.

The jewel knew she wasn't going to use it for her own desires and that's why it had helped her.

Kagome sighed, her fingers twisted tightly into the cloth as she looked down to the glowing gem "If only I could use you..." she murmured

===

His body collided heavily into the wall, his side burning with the contact as he crumpled and fell to the floor soon after. Though he stood once more, aiming for the wall, and smashing his other side into it.

He clawed at it, punched it, kicked it, thrashed it, and mauled it. And yet, none of it brought about the cement's weakness. It stood in front of him as it had for the past hour. An obstacle, a barrier, and the thing keeping him from Kagome.

He growled, feeling a harsh pull and gut wrenching twist of his heart at her name; at the consequences at which they now faced.

This is your fault! You should have stayed out of her life. If you had taken her to the villages like the other humans, she wouldn't be here....she could have been far away....far away and safe.

His strength had decreased with each blow, his body in the wake of exhaustion, but his mind would not let him quit. As soon as he had been literally bounced off from the wall again, he went in for another try.

No. Kagome....Kagome needed me.

A grotesque sound of bones snapping echoed off the tall walls of the confinement as his shoulder bent at an irregular angle, producing a gasp from Sango; but he didn’t hear. His mind was set upon one thing--one person and wouldn’t move from that spot. With a clenched jaw, Inuyasha charged at the wall again.

You just want to believe that she needed you. She only needed someone that wasn't Naraku. And anyone else would have been fine--They probably wouldn't have been so dumb as to bring her back to the place of her panic!

The effort had left him. His body was out of fuel, everything had been sweat out and leaked heavily in pools across his face and down his chest. Inuyasha placed a shaky hand to the wall and slowly knelt, leaning his forehead against the barrier

You shouldn't have gotten involved. It's because of you and your stupid ass ideas that got you here. You wanted to rid her of pain? Well guess what..? You just gave it to her ten times worse you fuckin’ asshole.

Inuyasha shook his head, his face turning hard "No..."

Yes! You gift wrapped her, sent her on a damned silver platter, and all but shoved her into that sick bastard’s arms

His eyes burned and he had to close them tight, trying to make the stinging cease "No"

"What?" Sango questioned

You only wanted her for a reason....You didn't want to be alone. So you had her. As soon as you figured out she'd be living, you dumped her. You as good as dumped her and left her back into the hand of the creep who put her in such a way. The one who pulled that smile from her face, that didn't let her breath, or laugh, or talk...talk with that sweet voice....

Inuyasha half growled, half-groaned; raising a fist only to smash it against the wall "It's not true!"

"What? Inuyasha...what are you talking about?"

You're just as bad as Naraku...

"I'm nothing like him!"

"What are you talking about?!" Sango screamed, from the other side "It's not going to help our situation if you start talking to yourself!"

"Our situation?" he questioned softly to the wall

Inuyasha shook his head, trying to fight away the light-headedness and the need to pass out. Against the strain his body felt from the numerous crashes against the wall and the fact that he was beyond dehydrated; he stood to face her

"Our situation?" he repeated angrily "This is not our situation! This is my fuckin’ situation! I told the two of you not to come here! I told the whole fuckin' lot of you this was a bad idea! And look where this has gotten you!"

His vision was a bit foggy on the edges and he had to lean against the wall for support; but he kept his scowl on his face.

Sango just scowled right back at him "We're Kagome's friends too, Inuyasha. Me and Miroku both have things we fight for as well. It's too late to be going on hindsight biases..."

"Kagome wouldn't want us to fight..." Both looked down to the head in Sango's lap. Miroku's voice was soft; his eyes slowly opening "This whole time...she's wanted us to work together..."

"It won't do a fuckin' thing" Inuyasha snapped "You're half dead and Sango doesn't have her weapon"

"We'll have to try a different approach aside from strength..."

Inuyasha growled "We don't have time"

"And you don't have energy..." As if proving the point, Inuyasha's body decided to give out at the monk’s words and slid against the wall to collapse on the ground "One of us needs to get out of here..."

"How?" Sango looked around, her eyes resting on the door for a second before going back to Miroku "The only way out is through those black guards"

"They're demons" Inuyasha grunted, allowing his back to rest against the wall "The must be Naraku's followers the ones--"

"He gathered through his time at the castle" Sango whispered "Yes. The are the same ones we fought during his attempt to gain power...only--there are more now"

"Demons don't team up so easily" Inuyasha said harshly "They’re independent beings by nature"

"Meaning Naraku is offering them something...."

"The jewel" The three said at once

"Power for protection..." Inuyasha snarled, smashing his fist into the ground "That bastard"

Kagome had spoke of Naraku being power crazed. He would aim for people to hide behind; anything that would make him have more might he could call his own. These demons were another part of his scheme. Still--what was Naraku aiming for?

What could he possibly use the jewel for? With those hoards of black clothed demons it would be an easy task to obtain control from other kingdoms....

"Can demons smell death?"

Inuyasha raised a droopy eyebrow to the monk "They smell blood"

"Can they smell if the body is actually dead?"

"The heart won't beat" Inuyasha said roughly "That’s a dead give away..."

"Unless their hearing is shot" Sango commented softly

Miroku's face grew stern and he closed his eyes for a moment. Inuyasha was having problems keeping his eyes open himself, but he managed to focus as soon as Miroku started rising with Sango's help.

"Very well...." He turned his violet eyes to the hanyou "Inuyasha., I'll need your over jacket. Sango, your pants--" She made a face, bopping him on the head "Oww--Ummm...I meant your over shirt as well"

"Why?"

Miroku smirked, reaching for the shirt Sango handed him "I need your blood"

===

Kagome sighed, feeling ground at long last. Her body collapsed into a pile and she shook her arms, trying to regain feeling. She had become so accustomed to Inuyasha doing everything for her it seemed...

But, it was no time to relax unfortunately. She needed to get the others out of here; get the group away and find a reason to rid the jewel of the world so that Naraku could no longer use it.

With much concentration she managed to stand up once more. As she looked around she noticed that the purple fog was settling around the castle grounds now too. Even if she squinted she couldn't see. Still, she had lived among this land for years now and continued on in front of her pretty confident.

Inuyasha had to be around somewhere. Miroku and Sango too. Naraku wouldn't have killed them....her heart skipped a beat....or would he have?

No. Inuyasha wouldn't die so easily. Naraku was probably having trouble keeping up with him--had to have all those guards outside because Inuyasha was such a threat. Inuyasha wouldn't die, he wouldn't leave her--especially not alone with Naraku.

She had to concentrate on finding them but--where to look?

Traveling aimlessly around the castle and dodging black guards that would appear--no doubt if Naraku had come to and realized her absence--could only bring her so far. And with the demon guards and their heightened scent, she didn’t have much time to walk in circles.

She groaned, her fingers tightening around the jewel as her heavy footsteps continued around the foggy grounds. If only she could use it, make a wish to bring them together--

A lightening bolt immediately struck he fingers, making her drop her hand.

But the jewel wouldn't grant wishes that were desires of the one who asked. Because they would seem selfish...

She wanted to take that moment to curse her grandmother for having such a darned complicated soul jewel but the thoughts were immediately cut form her head as soon as she heard something.

Kagome stopped and quickly looked around to see black. Black amongst the purple haze. A form like a shadow that was quickly coming to her. In a great break of fear, Kagome turned and ran but under the pressure of her body from Naraku's attacks, the climb, and the power she had used from the blast; her feet just wouldn't hold her up.

She felt herself smash into the ground. Felt the grass, wet and mud covered, brushing her face and drenching he clothes.

She needed to get to Inuyasha. Wanted to know that he was okay, alive and breathing. She had to get away from Naraku and couldn't let herself be taken in by this form--this guard of Naraku and yet--yet--

She tried picking herself up, tried putting her whole heart and soul into her effort; knew she had to run, but couldn't

A hand grabbed her shoulder. Thin, lean fingers grasped her firmly and she could feel a gentle brush of claws. But she couldn’t let herself be taken in, wouldn’t let herself give up after escaping.

“Get your hands off of me!”

She slapped the clawed fingers away and used her feet to kick the creature back from her. Though he managed to grab onto her foot and pull her to him, dragging her through the mud.

“Never thought you’d be able to escape from Naraku” the cocky voice called behind the mask

“Well, you thought wrong--!” She tried pulling her foot away but he only kept a harder grip.

“Get up” he snapped, pulling on her arm now “Fighting me will do nothing”

“You think so?!”

Kagome ripped her arm away from the attacker, pressed her palms together than sent a blast right to his face. Though, it never quit hit him. With an unheard of speed, the black form dodged the blast and rose into the air, disappearing from view.

Part of her wanted to see where the heck he got to, but the other part told her who cares. He was off of her for the moment and she had to take all she was given.

She quickly pulled herself off the ground and started away through the purple mist again. The jewel’s glow was giving her away though. It still shone so brightly against the fog.

And it was probably that glow that lead him right in front of her.

“Hey there!”

“Eep!”

She slid to a quick stop but ended up colliding right into the chest of her black attacker. She felt his clawed hands grab her shoulder and it almost seemed like he was trying to steady her but--

She growled, pushing away from him to hold her hands between them again “Get out of my way!”

He held his hands up in defense “It’s alright, I’m on your side”

She raised an eyebrow “And your black suit...?”

“A disguise”

Kagome took a few steps back “You expect me to believe that?!”

She sent another blast in his direction but it was a bad idea. Not only did the demon dodge it with perfection once more, but the power surge drained her body causing her to collapse to the ground.

Yet, oddly enough, he caught her.

“Higurashi Kagome” He helped her straighten enough so that she could look into his black mask “I’m here to help you bring down Naraku and set you free”