InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Seven Circles of Hell ❯ The Seventh Circle ( Chapter 1 )

The Seventh Circle

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

So far, the journey had proven to be long and tedious. Up steep hills, through dark stretches of forest, and dodging the occasional wild beast. For awhile, it seemed like nothing more than giant circles the girl was traveling in. But I won't give up, Kagome promised herself. I have to get to everyone and make sure they're okay. I hope Inuyasha is healing okay...

It's so hot out today, and I've been walking for hours. I should be tired, but my feet won't seem to stop moving...

The girl was so lost in thought as she walked that she didn't even notice the rock lying in the middle of her path until she tripped over it and flew face first into the ground. Had there been anyone around, the young woman was sure to have been embarrassed, blushing like a schoolgirl caught in the act. But Kagome merely pushed herself back onto her feet, wiped the dirt from her face, and continued walking.

Even though she was still in high school, tripping and falling was the least of this girl's worries. Although, she thought to herself, if I had never gone through the Bone Eater's well, if I wasn't the reincarnation of Kikyo, maybe falling flat on my face would be the most of my worries.

Not that I regret coming here and meeting everyone, she reminded herself. Sometimes, though, I do wish that it had been under different circumstances that I kept coming back. Like...like...

Kagome growled at herself. She couldn't even come up with a logical reason for her coming back every few days other than to find the shards of the Shikon jewel. It depressed her to think that Inuyasha wouldn't have become so soft if it hadn't been for the damned jewel that was causing everyone so much pain and suffering.

Kagome sighed as she used her sleeve to wipe away the sheen of sweat that had accumulated on her brow. The sun was beating down on her at full force now. At least it wasn't storming. Kagome smiled to herself as she said to herself, "It can always be worse."

How true that saying is. Quicker than light can travel, the smile vanished from Kagome's face.

Up on the road, just ahead, there stood two familiar figures. One was the undead woman named Kikyo. The other, the half-breed named Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome called to the dog demon, but no response was given. The teenager ran over to the both of them, but as she drew nearer, she could see the priestess with her arms around Inuyasha, and the couple seemed to be sinking into the ground.

"Inuyasha, no!" Kagome cried, but it was still no use. Upon seeing the young girl approaching, Kikyo had sent her soul snatchers to keep Kagome from interfering a second time in the miko's attempt to bring Inuyasha to hell with her.

"Come with me Inuyasha. I am all you have now," Kikyo mumbled soothingly to the hanyou, so that his thoughts were not interrupted by the other woman. However, her mumbling wasn't so low that Kagome couldn't hear as Kikyo's soul snatchers restrained her.

"What did you tell him?!?" Kagome yelled furiously at Kikyo. "WHAT DID YOU SAY TO HIM?"

As Kikyo and her beloved sunk further into the ground, the dead miko turned her head to give Kagome a sinister smile. "He believes you to be dead. I told him that your fall from the cliff was fatal, that you broke your neck on the way down, that I found your body lying on the bank of the river, cold and lifeless, that there was even no magic that could ever bring you back."

"You liar! Let him go! I told you before. He doesn't want to die with you!" Kagome was still struggling with the soul snatchers, who were gradually releasing their grip, as their master was sinking deeper and deeper into the pits of the underworld.

Kikyo placed a gentle kiss on Inuyasha's lips. "Do not worry. If you want to see her, I will take you to her. We are almost there."

"No, Inuyasha! I'm not there! I'm right here! Right here! Just snap out of it and look at me, dammit! I'm right here! INUYASHA!!!" Kagome's screaming finally had an effect. Like the first time Kikyo had tried to suck the hanyou to hell with her, Inuyasha opened his eyes and saw Kagome, a terrified expression on her face, struggling with his former love's soul snatchers.

"Ka...gome?" Inuyasha blinked as his shoulders began to be swallowed by the earth. "Kagome!" The dog demon fought tooth and nail, but to no avail. "Kagome!"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome finally managed to break free from the flying serpents, and she closed the distance between herself and the travelers to the underworld.

Inuyasha knew the truth. So with the last ounce of strength he could muster in his situation, he pulled the Tetsusaiga, sheath and all, from his waist and tossed it away so it wouldn't be taken with him.

Kagome grabbed the hand Inuyasha had used to throw the Tetsusaiga and held onto it, tears forming in her disbelieving eyes.

"Kagome," Inuyasha said calmly as his neck was going under and the top of Kikyo's head disappeared. "Take my sword. It will still protect you. Goodbye, Kagome."

Though Inuyasha's head was gone, his hand was still sinking, and Kagome held onto it until the last claw sank below the earth. "INUYASHA!!!!"

Tears were streaming down the young woman's face now, flowing out of her eyes like there was a water faucet that had just been turned on to high inside her head. For a moment, it seemed impossible to move, like Kagome was made of lead and that she was forever planted in this spot.

When she found her strength, Kagome reached for Tetsusaiga, which she hugged tightly to her chest, closer than she'd ever seen Inuyasha hold the sword. This was it. Kikyo had won.

The tears came swiftly. Isn't worse, she thought achingly, to be alive and feel the pain of loss, than to be dead and feel nothing? Maybe Inuyasha is in Hell somewhere, but since he's dead, he can't feel pain. But now I'm here and I have

a giant hole in my heart that is soon to start growing bigger.

Inuyasha, I wanted to get back to you and show you all the jewel shards we now have. I wanted you to see your worried face when you first saw me again, then have you change and say "Die if you're gonna die." And I would still know that you cared...

But why did it happen like this? What if I hadn't shot Naraku when I had the chance? Would things still be like they are now?

I'm in hell. Living hell. Maybe I'm being punished for killing another...

I'm living in my own hell now...