InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Prophecy ❯ Chapter 18

(I’m so sorry for the late update! I’ve been at my mom’s all day and I just can’t seem to write anything unless I’m in my own environment—home. Lol. I guess I’ll have to make this one bad ass chapter to make up for it. =P )

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18

“Shit.”

Inuyasha stared at the last person—ever—that he had suspected of being the fourth Chosen. It hadn’t even entered his mind. Inutaisho. He hadn’t seen his Father in years. His appearance was the same as it had been then.

What kind of sick joke was this?

His nose twitched as he inhaled, seeking the familiar scent that he knew would be his Fathers. No way in hell was he falling for Naraku’s bullshit again. The tense set of his shoulders eased as he found it and realized that the man standing in front of them was Inutaisho. But their relationship was far from easy. His attention snapped back to the floating energy and watched as Inutaisho’s hand closed around it, absorbing it into his body.

Inuyasha cursed and stepped past Sesshomaru, ignoring him completely. “Sorry, but I’m gonna be needing that, pops.”

Inutaisho didn’t as much as blink. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Inuyasha.”

“Like hell!” His Father of all people would understand the circumstances. He had to. Inuyasha felt a string of curses rising up but he restrained himself. He respected his old man at least that much.

“I can’t.”

“Like hell! You’re not her Mate, you bastard! Kagome will die if you touch her with that.” Inuyasha bit out, fury riding him. Ok, so his father was more of an asshole than he remembered. He hadn’t exactly always been easy, either.

“I cannot give this to you, Inuyasha.” Inutaisho repeated, his voice unerringly calm.

He couldn’t give the Power to him. Not won’t, not wouldn’t—he couldn’t. He couldn’t. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. What the hell? He lifted his hand and flexed his fingers, cracking his knuckles with the move. He was going to have to do his Father bodily harm, looked like. He really wanted to avoid that. “Yes, you can.” He bit out.

Smoothly and without hesitation Inutaisho withdrew the sword at his hip. The blade was long and smoothly polished, the tip a squared edge that was honed to a fine, sharpened point. “If you want this, Inuyasha, come retrieve it.”

Inuyasha didn’t hesitate. If he had to fight his Father—even kill him—to save Kagome, so be it. He withdrew Tetsusaiga from its sheath and wielded it in front of him, the sword flaring to life in his hands. How many times had he wanted Inutaisho to witness his own son wielding his sword? To see how he controlled the power—he, a mere half demon. Too bad it had to be like this. He knew that he would have to more than likely kill Inutaisho to retrieve the Power.

“Fine.” Inuyasha bit out and took off. He hefted the sword over his shoulder and swung without remorse.

“Windscar!”

The thick, heavy waves of pulsing white energy tore through the ground; flying towards the only man he had ever called ‘Father’. Inuyasha wasn’t stopping their though. He wasn’t taking chances with Kagome’s life.

“Backlash Wave!” He threw the attack seconds after the first. Inutaisho hadn’t attacked him but his father was almost demonic energy himself. That was enough—he could cut through the energy surrounding him, making his body vulnerable towards the aftershock of the attack.

“Do not play me for a fool, Inuyasha. You can do better than that.”

Inuyasha jerked his head up, skidding back as Inutaisho came at him, jumping off the tip of Tetsugaiga. His sword swung, aiming for the vulnerable curve his Inuyasha’s neck but he missed by inches.

“If you want this, you must take it. I cannot give it to you.”

Those words again, bit out, hard and angry. Inuyasha felt the need that he had to fight his Father. He wanted to. He had to. Their swords clashed, sparks flying and demonic energy flaring up whenever the swords clashed. Some family reunion. He swung his sword wide and this time, Sesshomaru was there. Their three swords came up against one another, two sons against their Father. Inuyasha struggled for supremacy, the strength to push them both back.

“Take it, Inuyasha.” Inutaisho urged, his voice tight. “Prove that you are worthy of my demonic blood flowing in your veins.

“You fool.” Sesshomaru hissed the insult hurtled towards Inuyasha.

More than anything, Inuyasha hated how Sesshomaru talked so low of him, mocking him of his human heritage but instead of striking out at Sesshomaru he twisted his wrist and the Tetsusgaiga tilted back, the sword flaring back to its original rusted form. He didn’t stop. He sent the dulled blade plunging, stabbing through the center of Inutaisho’s chest. The blade was weak but there was enough force to cut through tissue and muscle. The move had been deliberate. The dulled sword void of demonic energy wouldn’t kill Inutaisho. That didn’t mean it wouldn’t hurt like hell though—and release the Power.

Inuyasha withdrew his sword, the scent of blood rising hard and fast to assault his senses. His Father’s blood.  Inuyasha didn’t understand the reason behind it but his Father had been willing to give the Power to him—but he couldn’t. He had to fight to keep the Power.

And Inuyasha had beaten him.

Inuyasha could feel the pulsing energy gathering in Inutaisho’s chest and reached his hand out, fingers spread wide. He snarled, his head lifting as he felt a throbbing demonic energy approaching. More powerful than anything he had ever felt. More vile and evil—“Ah, fuck.” He raised his arm, covering his nose and mouth as a heavy mist of Miasma fell, encompassing them. He could feel the demonic aura in the miasma itself, powerful in its own right. It almost made it impossible to see.

Who the hell could control something like this?

It was strong enough to pull them all under, the demonic aura heavy as it soaked into him. His human side was weak against it.

“Inuyasha.”

“What?” He growled the words out, his skin itching. His body ached, the dark feeling pulsing inside his body pushing to the surface. “What?” He growled out again when Inutaisho’s didn’t answer, or at least, he thought he had growled the word out loud. He hadn’t. Shit…The miasma was tugging at him, his insides twisting, growing hot. He growled again, a harsh violent need rising up. The dark, demonic energy in the miasma was strong, he could feel it. He groaned, his mind closing off from anything else but the power coursing up through him. He wanted to rage out, to slash and kill. His cheeks burned, something marking his skin—his cheeks and—

“Inuyasha, no!”

Inuyasha growled as arms circled around him from the side and something heavy—some kind of cloth—covered his nose and mouth. The scent, familiar and old rose up—someone like himself—birth father. He growled again, the sound savage as he struggled with the hot, burning feeling inside, the need to kill pushing him harder, trying to pull him in that direction. The arms pushed him down, hunching him over.

“No, Inuyasha. Don’t breathe it in.”

The voice, one he hadn’t heard in so long, urged his mind and soul away from that darkness, away from the death that he would surely bring. The growls came longer, more guttural. The need to kill something, anything, came harder than the first. His nails lengthened. The blade of the offender that was holding him glistened in the darkness and the image there reflected back at him. Him—Inuyasha—his eyes flickering blood red, the golden hues trying to break through. The marks on his cheeks were growing darker, staining his cheeks…

“Shit.” He cursed, his voice hoarse as he realized what was happening. The demonic miasma was calling to his demon. He jerked away from Inutaisho but kept the cloth over his nose and mouth as he struggled with his inner demon. He knew if he gave in Kagome would die. They didn’t have time to track down and tame a demon Inuyasha. They had to retrieve that Power--
“Inutaisho!” Inuyasha spun around, the name roaring from his lips. He remembered why they had been fighting—the Power in their Father. Someone else was here to take that and they had been thoroughly distracted. But he knew he was too late as felt the outburst of Power that always came with the removal from someone’s body.

“WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU, BASTARD?” Inuyasha slashed through the miasma, moving blindly. Then he knew. He knew exactly who the culprit was. The force of energy, the vileness was pure evil. “Naraku.” He whispered through clenched teeth as the miasma started to evaporate as suddenly as it had appeared. He didn’t spare Inutaisho a glance. The old bastard was fine, even if he was bleeding from his chest. He lifted Tetsusgaiga over his head as he spotted the bastard.

“Do it, Inuyasha.”

The deep, amused chuckle grated on his nerves.    

“Do it, Inuyasha. With the death of my body this whole region will be covered in Miasma. Do you really think the humans will be able to withstand it?”

“Son of a bitch.” Inuyasha lowered the sword but he didn’t loosen his grip. He couldn’t look away from the four swirling masses of energy around Naraku. He sucked in a sharp breath, denial rising up—and bone chilling fear. Naraku had every piece that the Jewel need, every last pulse of energy. But they were no longer pure. They glowed with an inner darkness that had taken over the pure pink light. Now, they were pitch black, so much to the extent that Inuyasha could feel the evil vibe from five feet away.

To hell with it. Inuyasha jumped in the air and launched himself at Naraku. He wasn’t expected the swirling mass of dark miasma Naraku hurtled his way but Inutaisho was there, shadowing Inuyasha’s body from the attack. Inuyasha knew he couldn’t withstand the miasma—not one that power—and live through it without turning full demon.

“Stop him—!” Inuyasha started, pure hatred in his voice.

“Go.” Inutaisho pulled away, cutting him off directly. “Go or she’ll die. If she takes in that negative energy she won’t survive it. Not without her Mate. Yo—“

Inuyasha ignored the blunder, the choked sound that cut Inutaisho off. He didn’t give a damn about him right now. His lip curled, lifting in a silent snarl as he headed in the direction towards Kaede’s village. He was going to kill the bastard, rip him limb from limb—

He was spun around and a hard fist connected with his jaw.

“Don’t you dare leave until you have it figured out. Do you want her to die?” Sesshomaru bit the words out.

“What the fuck?” He didn’t have time for this.

“No.” Sesshomaru blocked his way, his hand curling in the front of Inuyasha’s red houri. “She’ll die without her Mate. If he’s not the one to give the Power back....Kagome. Will. Die.”

A gust of wind followed the words, the harshness of it echoing the anger in Sesshomaru’s voice. Kagura stared down at him and Inuyasha restrained the urge to snarl. He could still feel the demon just beneath the surface. The miasma had been that strong and he knew all it would take was one push and he would turn.

“Kagura, move him before I do—“

“Inuyasha, she’ll die without her Mate. Do you understand that?” Her words were low, the look in her eyes unreadable. “Who do you think your Mate is? The one person you can’t give up? Do you want to live without her?”

Do you want your Mate to die?

The words were unspoken but Inuyasha recognized them none the less. Something inside him tore in agonizing fear. Kagome was going to die if he didn’t stop Naraku—if he didn’t reach her before him. The realization tore through him.

Oh God, Kagome was his Mate.

He was running before any of the others could stop him, running as if his very life depended on it. It did. Kagome would die if he didn’t reach her before Naraku. Kagome…she was his Mate.

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