InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Journey of the Half-Immortal ❯ Chapter 16 ( Chapter 16 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Is Aniu being controlled again or is it something worse? Sesshoumaru tries to follow but is trapped by Naraku. Kouga tries to reach the couple but is stopped by Hakudoshi. Inuyasha is forced to follow the strange acting Aniu. Will Kouga get there in time to save Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, and Aniu's souls? Will he be able to save Kagome from death? Or will it all go downhill?

Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Fantasy | Type: Fanfiction Sequel | Uploaded On: 08.16.2007 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.2K | Visits: 279 | Status: Work In Progress

Chapter Sixteen

Come to me.

The half-immortal groaned in her sleep.

Come to me.

She twisted under the furs and groaned again.

Awake and come to me.

Sweat beaded on her forehead and on the back of her neck. It trickled down her naked spine, and clung to her chest.

Come to me, Aniu.

Gasping, the half-immortal opened her eyes and sat up, throwing the furs off her sweat-drenched body. Her eyes took in her surroundings. The cave, the small form of Rin, the nasty smelling toad, and her lover that lay next to her. She pushed herself up and walked toward the entrance, grabbing her kimono on the way. The golden rays crested the mountains to the east and glinted off her golden hair.

Come to me.

Aniu breathed deep and tried to rid her mind of the strange voice but found her legs moving beneath her. With a thought she stopped the movement for a slight second. With a blink she was in the forest and still moving. Moving toward her master.

Sesshoumaru woke at the sound of movement and turned his head to Aniu standing at the entrance of the cave they had took shelter in. He slowly got to his feet and turned back to his lover, only to find her gone. He half-ran and half-walked to the spot where she had been standing. Her rose-water scent tickled at his nostrils and he breathed it deep. She had gone off into the woods, for what reasons he was not sure of. He blurred and followed her quick form.

The pine-forest scent that the half-immortal had associated with Sesshoumaru teased her nose and she picked up the speed. She stopped for a second then changed direction, moving so fast her scent would fade before the taiyoukai even got to the spot she just stopped at. She headed north towards a similar but different scent of Sesshoumaru. Her nose picked up the pine and leaf-mold scent of the half-breed, Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru stopped when the rose-water scent ceased to exist. The taiyoukai figured that he was roughly halfway into the woods but he was more concerned as to where his beloved had gone. He breathed deep and picked up a sickly, acid like smell.

Naraku.

The taiyoukai spun on his heel and was faced with the hanyou. A low rumbling growl built in his throat. “What have you done with her?” he snarled.

Naraku's laugh filled the forest in an eerie way. It echoed off the trees and the empty space that was now filled with a mysterious fog. “Who are you speaking of, Sesshoumaru? I know of no person you speak of, for they do not exist anymore.”

Sesshoumaru was slightly confused by the words but he didn't give it much thought before another scent filled his nostrils and a cold wind blew on the back of his neck.

Aniu.

* * * * *

Inuyasha spun when the familiar scent of the half-immortal was drifting past his nostrils. He took in a deep breath and found the rose-water scent growing stronger. But there was a lack of pine, meaning his brother was not with her. “That can't be good,” the hanyou exclaimed aloud.

Kagome felt an old presence and a strong demonic aura coming from where Inuyasha was facing. It was Aniu but there was another aura coming from deeper in the woods. Almost a shadow of Aniu's power. “What is it?” the young priestess asked the hanyou.

“Aniu, I think,” he replied gruffly.

Before he got out the `I think', Aniu had appeared in the clearing that they had been standing in. She smiled and it wasn't anything Inuyasha or Kagome recognized. Just as soon as they had seen that smile she disappeared into the forest again. She went back the same way she came and the hanyou and the priestess followed.

* * * * *

Kouga smelled Aniu's sweet rosy scent in the forest but had no clue as to why it was there. The wolf demon stopped and closed his eyes. He could `see' Aniu running so fast through the forest. He could feel the trees moving out of her way, he could smell the different trees; oak, birch, aspen, pine. The last one didn't belong to a tree; it was Sesshoumaru. There was also this acrid scent riding the wind as the half-immortal steered toward it. It was that stupid hanyou, Naraku. Down the link created between the three-Sesshoumaru, Aniu and himself-he could feel another presence in the mind of the half-immortal.

Bring the half-breed, Aniu. Come and kill them both and you will feel such freedom. No pain; freedom.

Kouga could feel the pull of that command on his mind. He pulled back just enough so that he could only see the golden female. But she still didn't have that golden glow of her aura. Her petite face was slack, her green eyes blank, and her wonderful mind empty. She was a shell of the Aniu he knew. He had to get her back.

The scent of magic, the beauty that's been, when love was wilder than the wind…

He pulled out of the connection and followed the smell of her rosy scent through the woods and towards his enemy, only to be stopped by the swipe of a blade.

“Hello Kouga,” came a young voice.

The wolf prince growled and turned to see Hakudoshi standing in front of him; Entei not far away.

* * * * *

Sesshoumaru could see Aniu staring up from where she stood beside him. He didn't look over at her, keeping his hard gaze on that of Naraku's. He didn't do anything with her. Good. Now we will kill the bastard.

The taiyoukai was startled out of his killing gaze by a hand in his. His head turned downward to see his pale hand wrapped in a warm, golden one. Sesshoumaru shifted his head to look the half-immortal in the eye. She smiled at him and he almost smiled back until he saw the vacant expression in her eyes. He slowly started to pull his hand back from her. The smile on her façade turned evil and she gripped his hand in a bone-breaking grip and he almost cried out.

“ANIU,” came a voice from high in the branches.

Everyone turned to look and see the hanyou and his priestess fall through the branches to land gracefully next to the half-immortal and taiyoukai. Naraku sneered as Kagome slid off the hanyou's back. She quickly drew her bow and notched and arrow before anyone blinked. The arrow glowed with a pink light.

“Go,” Kagome said and sent the arrow flying for Naraku. A flash filled the small area and everyone was blinded. When the blindness passed Kagome gasped. In front of Naraku stood a little girl clad in white. Her mirror shook in her hands and Kagome suddenly found herself with the arrow she had shot in her stomach. Inuyasha cried out her name.

The hanyou went to Kagome, only to be stopped by the bone-breaking crush of Aniu's hand on his arm. Inuyasha struggled against his hold watching as Kagome bled before him. During this, Aniu had been staring toward Naraku and Sesshoumaru was staring at Aniu. He saw her give a slight incline of her head to Naraku. The dark hanyou saw it and Kanna took a few steps forward.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened at the recognition of what was about to happen. They were going to have their souls sucked out of them, like in Aniu's dream. He gave a small sound that would have been taken for a `no' before Kanna's mirror focused on the threesome.

Aniu's spine bowed toward the mirror and both Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha felt a tug on her very cores. Sesshoumaru gave an anguished cry as he felt the stab of Aniu's betrayal. Inuyasha cried out for Kagome then gave an angry cry at Naraku. Their souls went through Aniu's arms from where she held them. The white of their souls spilled out through her mouth as they were pulled into the mirror. She felt the last part of her soul leave her body and was locked away in the mirror. The boy's souls were longer and harder to take; Naraku was slightly frustrated.

Inuyasha felt a darkness take over his mind and fell instantly to it as the rest of his soul was pulled from his body.

Say goodnight, Don't be afraid. Calling me, calling me as you fade to black.

Sesshoumaru felt the dark but didn't invite it; he fought. He struggled to keep his soul in his body. The struggle was pointless though and his mind slowly succumbed to darkness. His last thought was to Aniu. Why?

I don't want to be the one, the battles always choose, `cause inside I realize, that I'm the one confused…

* * * * *