InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Middle Road ❯ Abaddon ( Chapter 23 )

Atrium sambucus. Don't own Inuyasha.

Abaddon

Lucia-hime dressed herself, grabbed her bow from an idle corner of the hut, and walked out into the early moring.

Strolling calmly through the forest, she inhaled deeply the smell of the trees. Pine, cedar, oak, willow. She loved nature, instead of truly worshipping it, as her creed dictated. As a child, she had explored this forest countless times. She had discovered treasure, defeated evil demons, imagined herself a samurai or the wife of a grandiloquent daimyo in these balmy woods. This forest was part of her. She sighed sadly, and walked on. When she arrived at the dark building in the clearing, she walked in unanounced. After searching a labrynth of aisles and halls, she opened a grand, wooden door with a creak. There sat the old witch, her expression stoic, almost indifferent. She glanced offhandedly up at Lucia, away from her four comatose victims.

"What can I do for you, little sister?"

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The hut was empty. Inuyasha and Kagome had searched everywhere, even asked some kind looking citizens of her whereabouts, but there search yeilded nothing. Lucia-sama, and more importantly, Sango and Miroku were missing. After waiting some four hours, they decided to search the forest. They were not sure why, but both had a distinct inkling that she was somewhere in the woods.

After having a decent lunch with ingredients from the hut, they set off toward the woods. Walking along, they noticed that the forest was somehow different. A flock of birds swarmed above the treetops, soaring panickily toward the village. They headed along the dirt path that dissected the forest. They arrived at a lush clearing, fringed with scarlet rose blossoms and violet tulips. A great tree stood at the center of it. Distantly, Kagome could hear the roar of a surf-tormented shore, groaning for mercy with each lolling wave.

Silence surrounded them. No birds, no animals, no crickets, just the murmuring wind.

A tiny sound rung out, like a guitar string being plucked. A whoosh of air. A small booming thunder as it cut the air like a knife. The arrow passed inches from Inuyasha's head.

At the rim of the clearing stood Lucia, bow in her hand, the sinew bowstring vibrating from the just-released projectile. She closed her eyes mournfully as Inuyasha turned toward her, seething hatred in his eyes.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled frantically as she held a tight fist around the arrow that now protruded from her stomach. They both stared, horrified, at the sight. Inuyasha felt a chilling, tingling sensation run over his body. He carefully picked her up and set her down, leaning her against a tree. She grunted slightly, and swallowed hard. Her frame shook slightly as coughed, a very tiny dribble of crimson appeared on her lip.

"Inuyasha..." She panted, reaching wantingly for his hand. He grasped it tight in his, looking deep into her eyes, his pain glimmering in his own.

"May the road rise up to meet you," Lucia whispered solemnly to herself, a tiny tear beading down her cheek. "may the wind be ever at your back." She disapeared into the forest. A blur of red appeared. The Inuyasha doppleganger stood menacingly near the great tree in the center of the clearing. His eyes glowed purple.

The real Inuyasha growled from deep within his throat. He looked back at the prone Kagome, indecision in his eyes.

"Go, Inuyasha." She squeezed his hand nodded toward the enemy. "I won't die so easily." He reluctantly nodded, kissed her, and stood to face the evil that now pulsed through the air.

With a snarl, Inuyasha lunged hatefully toward the enemy. The other Inuyasha avoided his claws, a swung a blow of his own. The Tetsusaiga cut through the air missing the evil twin by mere inches. He swung back with his claws, hitting the real Inuyasha across the chest. Inuyasha's anger grew to such an indescribable degree that screamed with all his breath and swung the Tetsusaiga faster than he ever had before. It did not miss.

The other Inuyasha burst apart, the insects spewing fort out of the hole. Inuyasha struck angrily at them, killing a few, the rest gathering above the great tree. Inuyasha panted. That was too easy.

As if on cue, the ground shook with great tremors, enough that Inuyasha lost his balance. The same purple marks appeared on the gnarled tree, moving upward. In an instant, the great tree disapeared, being swallowed up by a beast. It swallowed the insects swarming over head with one gulp. The beast towered over him, its evil purple eyes glowering down at him. It looked as though made of purple fire, its body glowed and changed, as if its molecules were in a constant state of flux. Huge, bat-like wings spread from behind its back. It growled menacingly at him.

"Enoouugghh!!" It boomed like thunder and shook the earth beneath. It squirmed out of its hole, its serpentine body being pulled with its two, massive, clawed arms.

"I shall have my revenge!" It swung a hand toward him, its slowness giving just enough time to dodge. Evil, violet energy crackled in the air that hung over the clearing like a cloud.

"A dragon..." Kagome moaned incoherently as she blacked out.

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Abaddon-angel of the pit.