InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Under the Blood Red Sun ❯ Phantom Shadows ( Chapter 14 )

Chapter 14: Smoky Phantoms

They rode the horses with Kagome behind the Silver Fang and Miroku the monk riding her horse. They came to the city gate and with a quiet order from Fang dismounted. Kagome drew her hood over her face and followed Fang into the deep shadows of the Wall. Miroku merely walked to the gate and waved at a light above in the Keep. The Castle gate groaned as it opened allowing Miroku to walk in a shadow casting across the open gateway. Fang reached out and grabbed Kagome’s hand pulling her along the wall and into the shadow of the archway. As the gates swung closed they quickly dodged to the shadow of a building and went around to meet Miroku. He was leaning against the building digging through his robes for something.

“Monk, hurry up.” Fang whispered.

Miroku looked up at him and frowned, “So I’m back to monk again? Fine here!” he hissed as he tossed an object at Fang. He caught it in a black gloved hand and revealed the set of keys.

“Come on,” he said as he walked up to the door of the building and unlocked the door.

“Where are we?” Kagome asked them as they entered the building.

“A way house for traveling monks. Monk made it after he became a member of the Dog Army.” Fang said as they crept down a hall towards the stairs. Kagome became increasingly aware of the slim shadows that covered the wall. Several moved as they passed and others flickered in the moonlight. They came to the second floor landing and walked into another hall. The same shadows danced around them, dodging into the light and back into the darkness.

They were stopped as Miroku suddenly backed away. “This is the hall alright. It is pulsing with an evil presence. It is in the next room. I can not go any further, the evil is too strong. I will head back to the barracks and hopefully not stray from the path.” he said as he took the ring of keys from Fang. He vanished from the hall and came back. “You know what, here is some banishing scrolls to slap on the face of the person and door way.” he handed them to Kagome and left again. Kagome looked at the thin paper in her hands and at Fang. She shrugged as she looked at them confused.

“What do I do with them?” She asked Fang as they looked at the harmless wooden door.

“He should’ve stayed to at least show you how to attack the things. As it is I don’t have the power to use them. You have it so the responsibility is on you.” Fang said as he fingered a dagger he drew from nowhere. “Monk doesn’t care for the confrontation of his customers. He’s interested only in keeping his ‘holy’ hands clean.” the dagger vanished up his sleeve.

“So what do I do?” Kagome asked again. He looked at her then pointed at the scrolls then at the doorway.

“Okay, watch.” Fang took the knob in his hand and crushed it. It fell away in a twisted heap with a soft clank. “Place the scrolls on the door frame inside.” He pushed the door open and crept inside. Kagome followed and placed two of the scrolls on the door frame. A slight sizzle sound was heard and then a blue flash. She turned to find Fang looking at her. “Come on.” somehow she sensed that he was angry at her for something. She considered who he was and came up with no one she currently knew. For one thing Fang had a lot of issues, he was always sarcastic in one way and sincere in another. He always seemed enclosed within himself like he didn’t want anybody to unlock his soul. A vague mystery, after all the Silver Fang was the one who everyone blamed for her father’s death, and for some reason she didn’t believe it.

While she was musing on the motives of the assassin, the person in question was frantically pacing the room hunched over. “Can’t find it.” he muttered as he roamed the room. “He hasn’t been here for hours.” Fang said as he finally stood straight up. “Girl, can you sense anything but the evil power that lingers.” he forcefully growled as he seemingly glared at the room. His hooded face looked around then stooped on her.

She shook her head. “I don’t think so. All I feel is the build up of power in that corner.” she said pointing to a statue of a golden Buddha. It wasn’t very odd for the statuette to be in the modest room, in fact if it wasn’t she would question Miroku’s motives. Other than the statuette the room had one potted leafy plant and a cheap rug covering the planked floor. The wooden bed didn’t look slept in at all. The pedestal the statuette sat on held an arrangement of assorted flowers, some dead others dying, none fresh.

“there?” he asked as he pointed a hand to the statuette. “Are you sure?” he asked again, skeptical.

She nodded and held up the third scroll. “Should I?” she asked.

“Whatever.” he stated as he crossed his arms. He went to lean against the door but thought better of it and stood in front instead. She looked at him curiously. ‘Why wouldn’t he?’ she asked herself, ‘the wards are only for evil right?’

“Hurry up.” he growled as he began to pace the room once more. He looked like a caged predator who knew what the outside world was like. She felt his nervousness radiating strongly. ‘Odd, what does he have to nervous about?’ she said as she placed the scroll over the statuette’s face. Instantly a wave of some sort of force knocked her back and into Fang. She felt him push her forward as he jumped towards the menacing shadow beginning to form in front of their eyes. The black form blended into the shadowed room, two red dots on its face glowed fiercely in the dark. The shadowed solidified and four thick sturdy legs touched the ground. The legs ended in hooves, much like a horses legs would. The body was also shaped like a horse, thick chest, powerful hindquarters and a black tail lashing angrily behind the body. As the tail lashed red sparks flickered out. The front wasn’t a horse but that of a full grown man’s torso. The skin was erriely pale and the man’s hair was pitch black, a stark contrast between his body. The man-horse held a thick hammer in his hands, his muscular chest heaving in anger as his beady red eyes centered on Kagome. He opened his mouth and bared his pointed teeth.

“Stay back!” Fang growled as he held out a handful of shiny daggers. “It’s a centaur.”

‘A centaur was a demon from the depths of hell cursed with everlasting pain and fury, it would make Fang a tough opponent.’ Kagome silently thought as she backed up.

“It’s sealed in the room so it will go after you!” Fang shouted as he nimbly flicked dagger after dagger at the creature’s pale chest. It reared and hissed. The room trembled as the front hooves landed on the ground, sparks flew up around it blasting Fang and burning the cloak he wore. “Oh it’s going to be easy. Just kill the monk he says.” Fang mumbled as he tore off the chain around his neck. It flashed and pulsed then formed into a worn down sword. The monster looked at it and backed off slightly then laughed harshly.

“You think that will hurt me?” he said in his deep voice that sounded like a rockslide. He laughed again and swung the hammer. “Don’t expect that stick to help you.” the hammer connected with the ratty sword and a sudden flash caused Kagome to shield her eyes. She uncovered them at the monster’s gasp. Fang was holding his sword sideways, the blade out and blocking the hammer, only the sword was different. It was larger and different, The blade was unmarred. The hammer trembled then shattered, black smoke blasted from it and screams issued as the smoke dissipated. Three forms hovered behind the creature, one an old man, another a young girl and the third a horse. They slowly faded from view as the hammer burned to a crisp.

“Stick eh?” Fang taunted as the centaur backed away his hands up in front of him. The nails lengthened into claws and the man’s face smirked.

“Do not miss judge me mortal. The Tortured Hammer was only a tool, like your soul and her soul will soon be.” he said as he charged forward in the small room. The room being its size forced Fang to maneuver to the side away from Kagome, which was what the creature wanted. It smiled wickedly and turned to face Kagome. “You trapped me here.” he pointed a clawed finger at her and ignored the fuming Fang behind him.

She backed up and hit the wall. The creature smirked as he trapped his prey. Fang leaped forward and slashed the sword at the monster’s legs successfully slicing the muscles on them. The creature collapsed and struggled to rise on its front legs. The man part of it turned and snarled at Fang. Kagome seized the opportunity and ducked out of the room. The monster stood finally and snarled at Kagome as if daring her to return to the room. Fang jumped and whirled his blade aiming for the monster. The centaur lunged to the side his heavy body hitting the wall of the room. The monster leapt from the wall as if he was burned. A smell of burnt flesh reached her as Fang jumped onto the back of the creature and buried the sword into its spine. With a tortured scream the monster fell to the ground in a bloody heap, blood pouring thickly from the wound in the back and legs formed a puddle on the floor as Fang yanked his weapon out and let the blood drip from the blade. He looked at her and then at the creature who was quickly turning to black smoke.

“You going to remove the charms so the aura can leave?” he coughed as the room blackened from smoke. She nodded and removed the scrolls with little difficulty. The smoke vanished quickly and Fang stumbled from the room rasping coughs shaking his body.

“Are you okay?” she asked concerned for his health.

“Demon smoke isn’t healthy.” he coughed as he walked down the flight of stairs at the end of the hall. His sword flickered then transformed to the broken blade it was before. He clutched the handle and the blade disappeared. He stuck the chain in a pocket and came to the first floor and Kagome noticed the shadows were gone. A strained groan from Fang caused her to turn to face the direction he was currently facing.

“You want the Monk?” a man asked as he motioned towards the slumped form being held in two burly men’s arms. “Come get him.” he said as four more men came from the shadows, their black clothes blending with the back ground.

“Drop him and leave.” Fang growled as another series of coughs caused him to double over.

“I don’t think I will, Silver Fang.” The man said as he turned and kicked Miroku in the stomach.

“Stop!” Kagome cried out as Miroku groaned.

“You want me to stop?” he asked then hit Miroku in the head. “Then come get him.” he looked at her then grinned, “You can trade places with him.” he suggested.

They didn’t see the flash of silver that came at them or the daggers that buried themselves in their chests. Before Kagome could answer, Fang held the leader up by his throat. With a simple flick of hand, Fang sent the man flying into the wall. He stopped to pick up the unconscious Miroku and stormed out of the room as he started coughing again. Kagome followed him, running after.