InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The 2 Great Swords ❯ The Demon Within ( Chapter 19 )

The rest of the group was back at the inn when an attendant came to get them. “Excuse me honoured guests, the leader has requested your presence!” He said with a smile. “It is a great honour to be summoned by the leader!”

 

“I see.” Miroku said wondering what could be going on. “Well then we shouldn't keep him waiting.” Miroku said motioning to the rest of the group to get up. The attendant nodded and left. They all followed after grabbing their respective weapons.

 

Kagome still had the bow she had used against Kouga back in the resistance camp. After the encounter with Kohaku, Inuyasha had made sure that everyone had some means to defend themselves, especially her. It had made her a bit miffed to be treated like glass, but also somewhat grateful that he cared.

 

As they walked down the path following the attendant, they noticed quite a few looking at them with envious gazes. Some even glared angrily at them. “Well looks like he wasn't lying when he said this was an honour.” Sango muttered getting tired of the looks.

 

“Yes... but I'm not sure whether it's good or bad…” Miroku whispered back careful to make sure the attendant hadn't heard. Kagome jumped as she felt a weight land on her shoulder. It was a red robin looking at her with a worried gaze.

 

“Uh-oh…” She barely whispered. Sango and Miroku looked at the bird with equally worried glances. Their hold on their weapons tightened. Inuyasha had sent out the warning signal…

 

 

“Damn it! If I wasn't so sure the villagers would interfere I'd jump in there now!” Inuyasha growled under his breath kicking off from the tree.

 

He had collided with Shippo on his way back who told him they were moving. With this news he cursed soundly and followed them. Seeing the direction they were headed in, he had sent Shippo and now was waiting for a good opportunity to strike.

 

He froze as his ears picked up a twang of a bowstring and narrowly missed an arrow aimed at his head. Ahead of him was a lone archer. “I thought someone was sneaking around.” He said haughtily. “I shall exterminate thee in the name of the great and honourable leader!”

 

He let off another shot which Inuyasha dodged with ease. “I don't know who you think you are but…” He dodged another arrow leaning slightly to the side and cracked his knuckles. “You better get out of my way!”

 

 

Meanwhile the group had exited the village and was making their way upwards towards the hill. “Hey, I thought we weren't supposed to be up here!” Kagome called to the attendant they were following.

 

“At that time you weren't summoned before the great leader!” The man called back with a cheerful voice. They got to the top to see the man who had greeted them when they arrived.

 

“Hello guests!” He called. “You are lucky today! I called you here to receive a great honour!” Shippo nudged Kagome's neck and motioned towards the man chirping softly.

 

“What kind of honour?” Sango asked apprehension settling in seeing Shippo's gesture. `So it's this one that's the problem? He seems ordinary enough…'

 

“It's a great honour in our village! Come with me!” He motioned to them and they moved into a clearing.

 

`Death…' Miroku thought sensing the atmosphere around the place where they had entered. `A great many people died here but… it's…strange…' He looked around but saw no blood or even signs of a struggle.

 

“Please sit!” He said cheerfully. Kagome and Sango moved to do what he asked but stopped when Miroku made no move to sit.

 

“I'm sorry sir, but this area has a rather strong evil to it…” Miroku said motioning around. “If there another place we could go instead?” `Now… how will you react?' He thought.

 

The man's kind face faltered for a split second before he recovered and answered, “I'm sorry but this is the place I've always done this. Could you please bear with it?”

 

“Done what?” Kagome questioned noting the fact that he didn't deny Miroku's detection.

 

“You shall see my good priestess.” He remarked happily.

 

Dead silence, he had screwed up once again. “How did you know that?” Kagome asked, apprehension setting in.

 

“I just assumed because you had such a divine air of grace around you…” he invented and laughed weakly hoping he would be forgiven that slip.

“URGH!!!” sounded through the trees as a person flew out of the trees to slam hard into the ground between the two groups. He was unconscious and had a broken bow strewn across his chest.

 

“Keh! Next time send someone half-decent!” Inuyasha landed in the clearing facing the leader.

 

The leader's face instantly lost it's kindness as his face took on one of rage. “Fine! You idiots could've died quietly and given me your powers but if you want to die painfully so be it!” He roared and threw his hands up in the air.

 

20 or so armoured figures came out of the trees to surround them. “Kill them!” The leader shrieked. With this they all charged. Inuyasha leapt into the group drawing his sword as Miroku, Sango and Kagome readied their own weapons. They backed into a closely knit formation as Shippo flew away to watch from a safe spot.

 

Sango crouched and let her boomerang fly around them. She watched in satisfaction as the weapon cut cleanly through the whole group. Then suddenly it stopped in mid air and dropped to the ground. Sango let out a startled cry as she felt herself lift off the ground.

 

“Sango!” Miroku called and ran to her only to be stopped partway, unable to move and also rising slowly. 5 cloaked figures emerged from the trees; two of them had their hands out. “Heh, these must be those with strange powers I heard about.” Miroku muttered.

 

He reached into his robe and pulled out a paper sutra. He placed it on his chest and immediately the hooded man's control was broken. He ran over to Sango to release her the same way and tossed two back to Inuyasha and Kagome.

 

“Use those! They'll stop these guys mind powers!” Miroku called. The group nodded and placed them on themselves.

 

“Damn.” One of the figures muttered and drew a long dagger and leapt towards Kagome only to be stopped short by Inuyasha's sword swing. He jumped backwards dodging the lethal stroke before lunging again.

 

The other figures drew out their own weapons and attacked as well. Sango, now fighting with her back-up sword, blocked one of them as another rose up behind her. He raised his dagger about to plunge into her back but instead got hit in the side of the head with an arrow. He fell dead.

 

“Thanks, Kagome!” Kagome nodded before notching another arrow and pointing at one to her left. She let it fly but he ducked and lunged toward her defenseless self. He meet Inuyasha's sword in his gut halfway, cleaved in half.

 

Miroku blocked a dagger thrust and spun his staff around to skull his attacker to the ground. The two remaining ones backed off and exchanged worried glances before, after measuring their chances, turning tail and running. The leader, who had been quiet till now, roared in pain.

 

The group turned to watch in horror as his stomach began to open. “What is that?!” Kagome screamed as the man's stomach tore open to release the snake-like demon within. It flew out screeching.

 

It dove for Inuyasha who jumped to the side only to get hit by the thing's flailing tail. He flew into a tree hard and fell to the ground stunned. The thing turned its gaze to Sango who had decided to run to grab her weapon. It rose into the air and dove towards her unprotected back with its mouth open.

 

Miroku raced in front of it and parried its jaws with his staff sending it to the side. An arrow streaked through the air piercing its side, pure energy burning through its flesh. It let out a screech and turned to see Kagome holding her bow.

 

It charged opening its mouth wide revealing thousands of teeth, intent on the kill. Kagome panicked and dropped her next arrow. She looked up to see death itself charging her. Then at the last second, Inuyasha slammed into the thing full on. He hit the ground first and the snake, who had recovered quickly, rose up into the air and dove earthward towards him.

 

Inuyasha rolled out of the way brandishing his sword. He got to his feet and pushed off towards the snake now stuck in the ground. He plunged his sword into the creature's eye, grimacing as it shrieked in pain. It tossed its head as Inuyasha dislodged the sword from its soft skin.

 

Inuyasha darted around to the other side as it began to recover from the pain to take its other eye out of commission. “Now Sango!” He roared. Sango now armed with her boomerang nodded and threw her weapon with a yell.

 

The demon, without the use of its eyes, couldn't dodge the attack and was cleaved cleanly in half by the boomerang. It hit the ground dead. “Keh! Stupid snake can't beat us!” Inuyasha said proudly, sheathing his sword.

 

“Inuyasha look!” Miroku called. He turned around to see the leader's body melt away into dust. All at once a shock wave came over the landscape. The bodies of the warriors and the cloaked men disappeared into the air.

 

Inuyasha noticed something sniffing the air. “Weird… the smell of the city disappeared.” Inuyasha said looking back from where they came.

 

“It appears this has all been an illusion to lure people in to this cult to be taken by this demon.” Miroku said quietly. “The others should be waking up from their delusions right about now...”

 

Inuyasha nodded. “Well then it's time to go!” Inuyasha said and turned to face the mountain. “If they're awake now then the path's open.”

 

“Path?” Kagome questioned.

 

“Yeah, I was right. I saw a couple of guys keeping a path hidden a while ago.” He said. “I'd rather not be asked a thousand questions by those guys we just freed so let's go!” He said. The rest of the group nodded and followed him, leaving the battleground.