InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Silence the Fairytale ❯ Pushed Too Far ( Chapter 21 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

"Just leave us alone!" Kagome pleaded with the man, becoming more and more scared for him than she had been for Inuyasha previously.

She could see a dark rage in Inuyasha's face, an instinctual possessiveness beginning to overtake him as he cracked his knuckles in clear threat.

"I am afraid I cannot do that, Miko-sama. I must save all of Kami-sama's chosen souls, and guide them onto a path of right and Nirvana," the houshi spoke religiously, with such conviction that Kagome nearly wondered if he was a zealot.

"They won't listen, Kagome. I'm a demon, I'm evil and you're a human miko. As far as they're concerned, I'm just a bloodthirsty youkai," Inuyasha murmured bitterly to her, and Kagome, for the first, time really took notice of the way his fangs seemed to gleam as he spoke. The feel of his claws brushing against the skin on her upper-arm; those ears she had come to associate with adoring feelings flicking in alarm; the stark white hair, nearly silver; and golden eyes that burned as bright as the afternoon sun; his skin bronzed as a testament to an untamed life outdoors.

...Everything that marked him as different from her, or anyone else.

At least, to the eye.

How different is he from us, really? He eats like humans, sleeps like humans, feels like humans... he's hanyou... and above all, he bleeds the same color. In my eyes, he is no different from me or anyone else.

She leaned further into him, and his arm fully enveloped her, his body turned to the side so the ningens couldn't see her... and she could barely see them, through his wild hair and inner haori that covered her.

The scent that was solely Inuyasha surrounded her... forest, wind, dusk, anger, moisture, cool air, autumn... a ball of images and feelings unravelling themselves in her mind, and she became dizzy on it.

Never before had it been so intense, so palpable she could almost taste it...

"Give up now, bouzo! You'll never win! Just leave, take your men with you, and I'll let you live!" Inuyasha gave them the opportunity... Kagome was not sure if it was for her sake or not, but she was grateful he gave them a way out if they wanted. She also knew, it was their last warning.

He unsheathed Tetsusaiga with his free hand just in case they decided another course of action.

The rusty katana before her transformed- so few times had she ever witnessed it out of its sheath, let alone see Inuyasha wielding it.

...but the sight was breathtaking.

Inuyasha actually is different... he's better than most of us.

As tall as she, if not taller and more than half as wide as her... brilliantly shined and folded more than any other metal she had seen. It was a thing of stark perfection, and any blacksmith would have drooled for just an opportunity to study it. She could hear its song residing so clearly, a quiet hum that resonated strength and permeated her flesh in ways that were sensual, like a lover, something she would not have understood had the sword been a man. Though the sword was connected to the man, and harmonized in tune with him, and that was what caused her heart to beat ever so fiercely and it stole her breath away.

And then she was back to the very real danger that presented itself before her, pinpointing her acute awareness to the singular, inevitable moment that was upon her like the turning of the wheel.

Click.

"Never, bakemono! We shall not let you taint this pure soul any longer!" the five villagemen that accompanied the houshi held up a barrage of different weapons up in expectancy of battle, the houshi himself held out sutra toward Inuyasha. "I'll put your miserable life out of existence, hanyou!"

Inuyasha snarled primalistically, like a wild animal untamed, "You can try..."

"Wait, no, everyone, STOP!" Kagome shouted, trying...

Click-click.

But her voice was lost under the clashing sounds of the fight that ensued... she was securely fastened in one of Inuyasha's arms, as he brought down Tetsusaiga upon a barrier that was attempting to reject him, the energy in the air crackling like lightning.

Click-click-click.

The houshi chanted, adorning the villagemen's weapons with sutra and prayer beads, imbuing them with holy power. The act took no more than several seconds... and within those several seconds, Inuyasha had broken through the barrier and charged the houshi, but had been thwarted by a clumsy parry by a villager.

Clickclickclickclick...

It was all happening faster than she could keep up with, faster than she could stop...

"Get OUT of my way!" Inuyasha roared in frustration as he threw one man from his path, and another took his place.

"You shall not harm the Houshi-sama, youkai!" he threw a jab at Inuyasha, who easily dodged, knocking the man in the stomach with the hilt of Tetsusaiga and knocking him unconscious.

Kagome gasped, her eyes widening as she watched the blood spurt from his mouth, blame beginning to claw at the edges of her conscience.

...it's my fault...

She felt herself becoming detatched, as if she were watching from behind a glass window.

...abstract and unreal...

Her eyes wandered absently toward Inuyasha's ears, and saw one of them fixed on her...

...he always watches out for me...

"Hand the priestess over, hanyou!" the houshi cried, throwing a sutra Inuyasha's way, but once again his speed saved him.

"She said she didn't want to go with you, asshole!"

A villager attacked from the rear, and Inuyasha growled as he side-stepped, the blow narrowly missing Kagome.

He countered in thinly-controlled fury, bringing Tetsusaiga down upon the weapon in an attempt to break it.

The unexpected reaction was... as the weapon was cracking from the might of the blow, holy power reacted and attacked Tetsusaiga, causing the sword to burn Inuyasha's hand suddenly.

He dropped it in surprise, shaking his hand angrily and stared at Tetsusaiga in shock, which had reverted back into its original form.

"Pay attention, monster! Your fight is here!" the houshi hollared, catching Inuyasha off guard as another sutra found its way to him and paralyzed the hanyou. He fell in mid-stride, his limbs going limp, his arms releasing Kagome as she fell hard on her side.

Clickclickclickclickclickclickclick...

She saw the way his jaw clenched, a deep growl issued from his place on the ground next to her, as his eyes burned intensely, focused purely on her.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped, sitting up quickly and reaching for him, but one of the four standing villagers grabbed her around the torso in a bear hug from behind, pinning her arms to her sides.

"Make sure you hold the miko fast! She shall want to save the beast until he is disposed of. Afterward, we shall perform a ritualistic cleansing to save her soul in the eyes of Kami-sama," the houshi ordered, turning his attention to the hapless hanyou.

"NO!" Kagome screamed, flailing her legs to try and worm her way from the arms of the villager, but he was far too strong.

"Stop struggling, wench!" he complained, giving her a rough shake when she wouldn't comply.

"INUYASHA! Let him GO!" she shrieked, panic rising up like bile in her throat as she watched them aim a spear at his heart. In a unthinking haze, she stamped on the man's foot as he held her fast. He struck her across the head when she hurt him, hissing a pained breath at her.

Stars danced across her vision, her body failing her for a moment as she sagged in the man's arms, the world becoming a dizzying rush of color before her. She could have sworn something similiar to a roar came from Inuyasha, but she couldn't be sure.

...she was fighting against the darkness that ebbed around the edges around her vision too hard.

"...Inu..."

She was whimpering. The arms that held her were hurting her, crushing her.

"HOUSHI-SAMA!"

...the cry came from above her.

And soon thereafter, she was falling...

"HANYOU FILTH!"

...she hit the ground hard, trying to bring her vision to focus.

There was angry yelling around her... something wet hit her, thick and rancid as it hit her across the face and body.

...it smelled faintly metallic.

She reached a shaking hand out, searching for him...

"...Inu...?"

...Another wave of the nasty substance fell upon her like a morbid rain.

A man screamed.

It was quickly silenced.

Kagome felt the loosing battle she was waging against unconsciousness.

...her body become jostled, and she was lifted, and the feeling of a rugged and wet thing  wiped across her face as if she were being cleaned.

Her brow drew together in concentration, and she forced her eyes to make sense of something, anything...

...they locked on a pair of crimson and aqua eyes that made her wonder if she were in hell.

And she slipped into the black void that waited for her.