InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Suffer The Fray ❯ The Wind Sorceress ( Chapter 5 )

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

Disclaimer: I hold no claim to InuYasha....Rumiko Takahashi does. Bummer.

A/N: Reviewer Acknowledgements- Sassa, Cynbad146, forevermember66, sakuralovesinuyasha, sufferingkagome, & InuyashasBiggestFan. Wow, thanks for all the wonderful reviews! I really love this fic, so I can promise that I will see it through to the very last chapter(there will be quite a few...chapters, I mean). As an actually note though, this is primarily a romance, but it also has a suspense/action plot. I've been complimented on my battle scene skills, so there are going just as many of them as there are romantic ones. I try for a happy medium. ^_^

Reux

The peacefully solitary existence she'd worked so hard for was going up in flames. All semblance of freedom had instantly been destroyed by one heart-clenching summons. Naraku had awakened and the reunion was not to be a pleasant one.

Kagura slipped the silky white feather back into her hair and stared into the inky blackness of the cave. It was always caves with Naraku. It was fitting considering he'd been spawned in one. She could sense him up ahead and gave a final cursory glance around before striding into the darkness. The air was so thick with his aura she thought she just might choke on it.

The craggy walls narrowed to a tunnel just about arms-width wide, and when she figured she'd gotten lost, torches sprouted up along the smooth rock in measured intervals. Her foul mood grew fouler when nothing changed for almost one hundred paces. How far into this Kami-forsaken mountain is he?

The torches flickered and nearly went out. Kagura's hand tightened on her ornate fan as something shifted in the shadows, coming closer. “Who's there?”

An eerily familiar chuckle greeted her. “Don't you remember me, Kagura?”

She suddenly had a bad taste in her mouth. “Hakudoshi.”

“Very good, Kagura.” His sinisterly soft voice had deepened some, but his pale dead eyes were the same as she remembered.

“Where's Naraku?” She regarded him prudently. He'd grown taller and his body was that of a young adult beneath his ordinary kimono and hakama. Long limbed with the same ghostly pale complexion and waist length lavender hair, he seemed more wicked than his appearance should've suggested.

His face grinned sardonically. “Anxious, Kagura?”

“Just take me to him,” she raised a finely arched brow. “Or did he just post you as the doorman?” If he was going to act like a prick, why couldn't she be just as waspish?

Hakudoshi's grin slipped. “Follow me.”

She took a deep breath and fell in step behind him. Not a sound was uttered as the tunnel once again widened into an oblong cavern. They navigated a small slope and to her surprise found a small house built into the rock face. The expressionless boy brought her up to the steps and stopped beside the open door. She eyed him carefully. “What?”

He smirked. “Ladies first.”

She ignored his sarcasm and stepped through the doorway and into a small parlor. The neutrally toned room was lit by numerous candles lining the perimeter and along the walls. The air was warm, but it still wasn't heated enough to banish the sudden chill that raced up her spine.

There was nothing that could warm a chill that came from the inside.

Kagura waited until the goose bumps on her fleshed calmed before looked ahead. There was another set of doors on the opposite side of the room. Imagining a number of heinous scenarios, she strode over and slid them open. The candles managed to dimly light the first few feet, but the rest of the larger room was shrouded in darkness.

It, unlike the first, was not empty.

She didn't need to see him to know he was right there, just out of the glowing light. Her senses could feel him waiting there, studying her. His gaze felt like having worms crawling along her skin and leaving a thick slime behind. “Naraku.”

“Hello, Kagura. You look well.” His voice was menacingly quiet, sliding down her body like silk. “I see you received my invitation.”

“How could I have not?” It was a little hard to ignore your heart being crushed. She turned her eyes to the wooden floor to stop herself from searching his out. Her grip tightened on her fan.

He smiled and stepped in the shallow light. “Good.”

His wavy hair hung down over his face, obscuring it from her view. She could see the crooked grin on what she'd originally thought had been a handsome face. He held up his palm and cocked his head to the side to gaze at the object it grasped. It was that dreadfully joyous expression which had her holding her breath and examining him fully. From her position across the room, she could not see any trace of the spiny processes that had once adorned his back.

For once he resembled the youkai she had first come in contact with, the one that looked no different that any other ningen man.

His empty hand lifted to join its partner and she stared in fascination as it started to shift. The limb contorted unnaturally and each independent finger lengthened to conjoin with the others. Bones snapped and joints popped sickeningly as the skin hardened to resemble petrified wood. The change was swift. What had once clearly been a hand was now a jagged dagger of hardened flesh.

Seeing something so alien attached to his wrist nearly turned her stomach, but she managed to choke back her gag reflex. He lifted the dagger and scraped the ragged edge along the surface of the suddenly throbbing form in his other hand. “I wouldn't want you to forget your place.”

Pain sliced through her chest so crisply that she cried out. She clutched desperately at her kimono as her knees buckled. Crumpled on the wooden floor planks, she clawed at the silken cloth frantically. “Ah,” Kagura trembled and fought for breath. “You....bastard.”

He chuckled. “Don't think me foolish enough to forget your trespasses against me, Kagura.” He lifted the freakish blade and shifted it back to his original limb. He smiled pleasantly and stored the precious organ away. “There's no need for you to be thinking traitorous thoughts.”

Smug bastard! Kagura gritted her teeth and managed to sit up. Once the pressure dispensed, she inhaled past the stabbing pain in her chest. “What do you want from me?”

He turned away from her crumpled form and stepped toward the leftward wall. She blinked in surprise when she realized there was yet another door. Naraku's body blocked her view, but she heard the slide of the wood and knew he'd opened it.

When he stepped back, a young boy of five or six stood solemnly beside the nefarious hanyou. His gaze was lifeless as it traveled over her and she realized she knew those empty eyes. She had once held the owner of those dead eyes in her arms. Naraku seemed pleased by her reaction. “Don't you remember Akago?” He laughed softly. “I'd hope you would remember the child you held to your bosom for so long.”

Kagura fought back a snarl and only halfway succeeded as she staggered to her feet. “How could I forget the soul-sucking little shit?”

He nodded with her assessment. “And I'm sure you recognized Hakudoshi.”

Kagura's eyes narrowed as the air behind her shifted. Hakudoshi materialized beside her and she followed his stroll across the room with her eyes. He met them coolly when he was stationed beside Akago. “How could I possibly forget?”

Naraku gestured to the two boys. “What do you think of your younger brothers, Kagura?”

He gazed at her intently and she knew she was supposed mumble some humble, servant-to-master bullshit. She wasn't put out in the slightest to disappoint him. “They can rot in hell for all I care.” She congratulated herself on sounding nonchalant.

She could only gape when his grin grew toothy. “Spoken like a true sister.”

Kagura wanted nothing more than to tear out his eyes and gag him with them. Snapping open her fan, she sneered over at him. “Then you won't mind if I cut them down!”

Naraku chuckled and was joined in quick succession by the boys. “Come now, Kagura. You couldn't have forgotten that they are impervious to your attacks.”

She widened her stance, lifting her fan high above her right shoulder. “No, I never forgot.” Crouching, she sprang forward and arched her arm downward like a whip. “Fujin no Mai!”

The pearly blades sang through the murky room, cutting swiftly towards the dead-eyed youngster. Akago's eyes shifted minutely, almost languidly, to watch them come. Without using his eyes as a guide, he reached a small hand to his belt and latched onto the hilt of his child-sized katana. The short blade slid from its sheath smoothly and moved almost in slow-motion as he easily parried each blade in turn.

Kagura stayed huddled in her crouch, blinking with disbelief. But how? She bared her teeth and sprang backwards, turning to glare at Naraku. “What trickery is this?!”

The youkai's face was highly amused. “You finally asked a question worth answering.” He gestured to Hakudoshi and Akago. “This was the reason for my hibernation.”

She straightened up and slipped her fan into her obi. It would be of no use now. “You did it to strengthen their power in order to better protect your heart.”

“Correct. Very studious of you, Kagura.” He once again lifted up his hands, both now empty. “I felt that there had been too many close calls than I was comfortable with.” He was gazing thoughtfully at his flesh. “I decided to seclude myself and gather my strength.” He grinned again as his hands began their grotesque transformations. “I did it originally with the same intentions you've noted, but it benefited my body as well.” Both limbs once again mirrored serrated blades, but held a texture closer to that of living bone.

“You always were a coward.” His wickedly happy gaze cut to meet her eyes and her bravado vaporized. She found herself retreating until her back bumped into the wall behind her. “What are you-?”

He lashed out quicker than any wind she could muster. Her eyes widened as his right hand dagger pierced through her neck, pinning her to the wall. Shock overrode the pain as she watched her blood fountain out of her body.

It was as if she was viewing herself from another's eyes and was totally numb to what was happening. The gush of crimson coated his arm and sprayed out to geyser over his face. Naraku leaned in close, licking the still-hot blood from his lips as he did so. “Perhaps now you'll refrain from openly defying me.”

Kagura could only gurgle as her lungs spasmed in desperation. The sheer volume of blood was astonishing, even to her. It coated her body and face, still spurting strongly enough to splatter the youkai in front of her from head to foot. It seemed so mildly odd to her that she could actually bleed that much.

Never before had she bled from her wounds and she flicked her eyes to those smiling at her from his blood red mask. Naraku held her heart and only he could inflict a mortal wound to her flesh. Kagura's blazing eyes grew huge with the knowledge that her lungs were quickly filling.

She was going to drown in her own blood.

Kagura latched onto the skewering dagger until her knuckles were white. I have to pull it out! She tried yanking it free, but he didn't budge. Naraku was openly laughing at her panic and she felt her rage scream to life. Bucking her hips, she thrashed wildly and felt his arm quiver with the effort to hold her. She would've grinned if she still retained control over her mouth. Contracting her abdominals, she raised her knees to her chest and kicked outward with her heels. Naraku ducked out of range, but his dodge sent the dagger loose from the wall. She pitched forward and jerked herself free as she fell. Kagura landed heavily against the blood-soaked wood, splashing sickeningly into a sizable pool of thickening blood.

The impact jump-started her lungs in action. Back hunching painfully, she spewed the traitorous liquid and gargled on the air flapping through the wound. The retching subsided slowly and she was left kneeling before her spectators. The copper scented blood soaked her down to the skin through her three layers of clothing and was already drying sticky to her exposed flesh.

She reached up tentatively and examined the wound as best she could. Had she been a ningen, she would've surely been left to exsanguinate. He had just grazed her spine. Any closer and she'd have been instantly paralyzed. Instead of death, he'd left her weakened and unable to speak. Wrapping a hand protective hand around her delicate neck, she glared up at him through her heavy bangs.

The blaring red of her blood on his pale skin was garish. It only succeeded in making his bland expression more sinister. “Will you be a good pet now?”

He should have learned by now that his threats only made her more rebellious. But there was nothing she could do now, so she continued to glare at him. He'd made his point.

He nodded. “Excellent. I have a task for you.” He paused and listened to her wound gurgle as she breathed raggedly. He retracted the daggers and turned to Akago. “I want you to seek out the miko, Kikyo and bring her to me.”

Now she was just plain confused. He wants the miko that's determined, not to mention strong enough, to kill him? Kagura's glare dropped away to stare at the floor.

He must have seen the question in her face. “Why, you ask?” He chuckled and knelt down in front of her. “That isn't your concern.” He reached out with a hand, a real one, and tipped up her chin. The movement pulled painfully at her neck and she grimaced. “That worked out better than I planned.”

He'd planned on attacking her from the start.

Kagura jerked away, sliding through the blood. Her helplessness was maddening. The adrenaline that had been holding off the waterfall of pain was beginning to fade. Shivers raced across her flesh to clench her jaw tightly as she crawled to her knees. He wanted her to fetch Kikyo like some kind of dog, but she wouldn't budge until her wound knitted.

Ambushing the miko was a surefire way to get her killed. She wasn't fool enough to believe that wasn't at least part of his intention. He deserves to wait for doing this to me.

Naraku stood up and stared down at her. “Your actions here have forced me to stall these plans until you're fit to travel.” He slipped out of the blood-soaked kimono and threw it to the floor before her. “It seems I was a bit hasty to dole out my punishment.”

She rolled her eyes and wobbled to her feet, blood drooling from the corner of her mouth. She wasn't about to point out how big of an understatement that was. Tremors shook her as she shuffled unsteadily to the door. The less time she spent here, the better.

“Did I dismiss you, Kagura?”

His voice cracked like a whip against her back and she reluctantly turned around.

“I think I prefer this silent version of you so much more.” He smiled debonairly. “Someone will be waiting at the cave's mouth to watch over you for me.” He rested a fatherly hand on the top of Akago's head. “Now you may leave.”

She didn't wait for another interruption. Staggering out of the house, she stepped off the porch and eyed the hill she'd climbed earlier. I doubt going down will be nicer than going up. Clutching at her blood-laden kimono, she plucked a single white feather from her hair. The caves and tunnels were plenty large enough to accommodate her vessel. Walking out in her condition would be nearly impossible if she could barely stand upright.

Sitting heavily on its airy softness, Kagura directed the canoe-like feather through the dank corridors of rock. Apprehension washed over her like a downpour when there was finally light at the end of the tunnel.

What should have been a relief was now a dread. Naraku had said someone would be waiting to watch over her. She wondered vaguely if their welcome would as warm as his.

The twilight illuminated a small form beside the right side wall. As she came closer, it dawned on her who the mysterious protector actually was. Why would he put us together?

Gliding noiselessly, she stalled in midair and hung just inside the mouth of the cave. Unlike Naraku's other juvenile henchman, this one remained unchanged as he sat dressed in his black and teal garb. He didn't turn to look at her. His attention was on the razor sharp sickle of his Kusari-gama.

Or so she thought.

He cocked his head to the side and dropped the weapon into his lap. “So,” He glanced out of the corner of his eye at her. “We meet again.” When she didn't reply, his freckled face frowned. He slid gracefully to his feet and stepped toward her. “No wonder you can't speak.” He eyed her wound critically and dug under one of his armored shoulder pads. “He tells me to watch you, but then he goes and nearly decapitates you.” Sighing, he held out a small clam. “Here, use this salve when it starts to knit. It'll speed up the healing.”

Kagura took it and tucked it alongside her fan. While Kohaku hadn't aged a day, physically, from the last time she'd seen him, it was obvious from his tone that he'd experienced life far beyond his years. His honey brown eyes held the grim attitude of a child grown before his time. She figured that's what being resurrected from the grave to do evil would do to you.

He smirked at her observations. “No fancy tricks for me.” He tucked his Kusari-gama into his belt at the small of his back. “That's what being dead will do to you, I guess.” He slipped out his youkai-taijiya mask and gestured toward her feather. “Mind if I hitch a ride?”

She doubted that she'd ever met someone more cynical. Knowing that his hatred for Naraku remained, she wiped off her hand and held it out to him. It had been an idiotic move on his part to pair the two of them together, but he didn't know that. Kohaku was much more adept at double-crossing his master than she was.

Oh well.

Kohaku took the time to slip on his mask before meeting her eyes and taking her blood-stained hand. He settled easily behind her. “We will do as he requests and retrieve the miko.” He motioned for her to leave the cave and she readily complied. “But it is a task unfit for one in your condition, youkai or not.”

Kagura shot them through the cool evening air until she reached an altitude to her liking. He was right. Naraku mustn't catch wind of their impromptu alliance. It would spell disaster otherwise. Her neck throbbed from the friction of air sliding through it and she coughed. The boy was right. There was nothing either of them could do until the gaping hole in her neck sealed.

His hand grasped her slim shoulder tightly. She twisted around to meet his eyes and knew he was grinning behind the mask. “But such an incapacitation doesn't mean we'll spend it idly.”

She smiled in return and had to swipe the blood that drooled out of the corner of her mouth. Kohaku meant to undermine Naraku and being sidelined by injury gave a perfect excuse to plan out their betrayal. She'd underestimated the young youkai-taijiya behind her. She was glad to know that she was on his side. Whatever hesitations he'd once had were now vanquished and he would most certainly strike to kill.

Kohaku pointed past her and she followed. “Past that forest and into the valley is the village I live in. We'll stay there for now.” He dropped his arm. “I'll tell the villagers that you're my elder sister if they get suspicious.”

It took her a moment to realize what he'd just said and her eyes widened a bit. It must still wound him deeply to think of the sister he'd been forced to betray. She shook her head negatively.

He mirrored her actions. “No, it's fine. I've had plenty of time to come to terms and it will not effect me at all.” His honey brown eyes were solemn. “You aren't Sango, so it will be a lie. I have been living a lie for five years and it makes no difference to me to lie some more.” He gazed off into the distance. “Besides, if you can't speak up then you cannot deny it.”

He has a point. Kagura sighed, hacked, and resumed steering her feather. She would follow his lead and act as his sister. It would only be a pretty family facade as they plotted.

If Naraku thought he was the only one with the brains to concoct a master-plan, he was dead wrong.

A/N: Comments from the peanut gallery are warmly welcomed. XD.