InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unexpected Alliances ❯ Demon's Blade ( Chapter 9 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: hanyou_demoness 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Action / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.18.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.6K | Visits: 300 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Action / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.18.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.6K | Visits: 300 | Status: Work In Progress
Gah!!
I finally finished it! It’s done…. Whew.
(Readers start throwing rocks) NO! Not the story! The chapter! It’s not over yet!!
(hides behind bed)
Anyway, sorry ‘bout the wait guys!! Hopefully the length will make up for it!!
Enjoy!!
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§ Demon’s Blade §
Atop the entering rise, Varon watched as the last vestiges from the fading sun illuminated the wall of samurai before him. The eerie glow only served to further the worry for the fuming half-demon beside him.
He and Inuyasha crossed the threshold into the depths of the canyon as the terrible cry of war arose from the throats of the men. Seemingly hundreds of voices cried out their rage and courage to the enemy before them, each individual call strengthening the others to peak as a deafening roar. Varon grimaced at the noise, watching tentatively as Inuyasha winced and pulled his sensitive ears away from the clamor.
A line of the shouting samurai began to advance, their swords threatening and at the ready. Dust clouds billowed steadily from the impact of their armor-clad feet.
“Did you know we were expected?” Varon quizzically asked.
A scowl answered him. “Keh, monk. It makes no difference. It’s just that many men less guarding Kagome.” Inuyasha loosened the Tetsusagia in its sheath. “You stay here. You’re a monk, aren’t you? Find some way to keep these people distracted while I go on ahead.”
“You’re not going to kill them?”
Inuyasha’s face darkened. “Do what you have to. But I’d prefer we get out of this in one piece. Got it?” The hanyou turned to leave.
“Inuyasha! Remember the seals we found! Don’t assume anything won’t happen!”
“Whatever, monk.” Inuyasha glanced towards him. “One more thing. Stay back here. There’s a strong demonic aura within the canyons, behind the samurai. Don’t get yourself killed, please. I don’t want to have to come put you in your place.” The fire-rat haori bounded silently off into the shadows.
Varon watched for as long as he could, then turned to face the oncoming threat.
“Good luck to you too, my friend.”
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“Something’s wrong, master.” A samurai appeared from atop the crevice in which Katsume and Kagome had hidden themselves.
“There seems to be only one man, a monk, perhaps. He’s put a hex on the entire area, and our soldiers cannot advance. The cries are our own idiots trying to break their legs in the fading light and crashing into whatever barrier that monk’s got holding them back.”
“The monk’s not attacking… Where is the supposed other demon the scouts saw?”
“New reports say it was another man as well, but he disappeared before we could get a good look at him. I don’t understand, Master. Where are the two demons? They are supposed to be here by sundown.”
Kagome glanced at Master Katsume’s troubled eyes. She could feel the fear and uncertainty spill out from him into her own suspicious soul.
“Has anyone tried talking with him?” she reasoned. “If he hasn’t killed anyone yet, there’s got to be some other reason he’s out there. Maybe the samurai scared him, and he’s just protecting himself!”
Her eyes found the sun, marking the time. They had near to fifteen minutes until it fell beneath the horizon. Fifteen minutes until the demons were scheduled to attack. God, how she wished Inuyasha was here.
“No solider,” said Katsume, “we don’t know what the monk will do. But I’ll be damned if I have to sit out here and wait for these demons to show.” He snatched up the demon stiletto he’d been fingering all evening. “Come Kagome, you and I have work to do.”
Trembling, Kagome stepped out of the crevice behind the master. Her eyes instantly caught the scene of confusion ahead, as the group of samurai tried to rush the baby blue barrier again and again. She could just barely make out the lone figure’s silhouette on the edge of the rise.
“There,” said Katsume, “are the scrolls creating the barrier. They are on the face of the cliff, near the barrier itself. Kagome, do you see them?”
“I think so…” Kagome squinted her eyes.
“To break it, you need to hit them with your arrow. Can you do it?” Master Katsume suddenly looked embarrassed. “I’m sorry, my lady, I didn’t mean that…I mean, I’m sure you can hit them.”
Kagome however, wasn’t so sure. She could barely make out the white paper against the rocks in this light.
“Go ahead, Kagome. As soon as the barrier’s down, I’ll take care of the monk with this.”
Her eyes flickered to the stiletto Master Katsume was holding up. She still didn’t believe the master’s claims that such a small object could contain demons. Especially, a demon of whose strength rivaled that of which had destroyed the village behind them.
Bringing the arrow level with her shoulder, Kagome aimed for the small white dot on the edge of her vision. Her arm visibly shaking with the effort of bending the stout bow, Kagome desperately tried to keep it still enough for a clear shot.
A hand on her hand caused Kagome to start, her fingers releasing the arrow involuntarily. The shaft’s flight however, took a true course, and Kagome was delighted to see the arrow squarely pierce the scroll.
The barrier abruptly took a red hue, casting its glow onto the waiting soldiers. Each individual’s cry of triumph greatened as the red glow slowly but surely faded into nothingness. The figure on the hill jumped to his feet in astonishment.
Katsume smiled. “Now, Kagome,” he said, “you will see the true power of the St’aler.” He grasped the small blade by the hilt, lifting the tip to the sky.
“Demon’s blade…” he whispered.
Kagome grabbed at her skirt as a gale tore through the canyons. The abrupt wind screamed against the rough faces of the cliff side, out pitching even the battle-hardened samurai.
“Servant of the St’aler…”
A deafening rumble of thunder was emitted from the cloudless sky. Kagome shivered as a collection of sharp raindrops collided with her skin. Each droplet multiplied into thousands creating a torrent of water that drenched her to the bones.
What is Master Katsume doing?
With the icy water pouring over her, Kagome glanced to the far ridge where the lone monk had been standing. She could see he was running at a breakneck speed to a spot where the barrier had formerly been in place. The samurai, in their glee, charged onward towards him.
Sudden movement from near the barrier caught her eye. Another figure sprang towards the monk from a secluded spot Kagome’s eyes had failed to see. As she watched, the new figure grabbed the monk and pulled him away from the onslaught now charging towards them. Depositing his burden back on the ridge from whence the monk had stood, the man turned back and charged again towards the army.
Confusion clouded Kagome’s thoughts. What is that guy doing? The soldiers hadn’t even seen him until he jumped out from underneath their noses! They could escape right now, yet he’s coming back towards the samurai. What is going on?!
The sight of one lone man running towards them to fight seemed only to infuriate the samurai. Their pace and shouts quickened, their minds certain of the easy task ahead.
Passing the spot where he had hidden, the man suddenly stuttered to a stop. Kagome still couldn’t make out any details on his figure, but was surprised to see him collapse as if struck by something excruciatingly painful. The samurai, startled as well, reduced their pace and began to approach cautiously.
Kagome glanced at Katsume. The master of the village was still willfully absorbed in the chant to release his demon contained in the stiletto. He seemed unaware of the proceedings beyond him.
Yellow light burst from the hillside where the man had stood. Kagome shielded her eyes from the intensity. A priestess sense within her read a clear impression of great power emanating from the center of the glow. A sudden realization stunned Kagome as she remembered Katsume ordering some of the samurai to place scrolls near the edge of the canyon.
He must have tripped one of the scrolls hidden among the rocks Katsume set. But I don’t think this is what Master Katsume had in mind!
As the light began to fade, Kagome dared to look again to the army. Her ears picked up a sudden change from cries of courage and war to ones of desperate fear. Her eyes could scarcely single out the retreating mass against the still prevailing radiance. The samurai were running for their lives.
“Master! My lady! Hurry, quickly!! The demons have come!” one of the man cried across the distance.
The light had finally faded enough for Kagome to see the area clearly again. She gasped fearfully as she glanced to the area where a man had once stood.
Master Katsume’s voice rose to the final verse. His chiseled face was covered in sweat.
“Go forth... Shindeiru.”
The pounding rain ceased to mar her skin. A last gale whipped her hair forward as a taunt, then allowed it to settle back neatly into place. Kagome began to shiver violently. Somehow she knew it wasn’t just the cold causing it.
A giant dog demon before the barrier howled a long warning note. Its glossy black fur shone brightly in the sun. The long, elegant tail, waved lightly back and forth in eagerness. Traditional demon marks crisscrossed its regal face. Kagome hardly had to suppress the urge to smile at the sight of such a magnificent animal. One look at its resolute posture and enraged features was forbidding enough.
The memory of the battle in Inuyasha’s father’s grave against Sesshomaru drifted to Kagome’s conscious mind. She wondered at the similarities of the two transformed demons.
I wonder if Inuyasha knows he’s got a cousin out there.
Another thought came to mind. At least she had some experience at fighting dog demons. It was a small comfort, but one of the few she could cradle at the moment.
The demon lowered its head, ending the heart-wrenching howl. The samurai had finally gained the sense to regroup, albeit a little further from the demon and a little closer to her and Katsume than she had hoped. She could see each of the men visibly flinch as its gaze passed over them.
Kagome glanced around. There was still no sign of the demon Katsume had called forth. Oh boy, she thought, I hope I wasn’t right on this one!
Katsume’s chest was heaving vigorously from the effort of using the device. Though exhausted, the master stepped out to rally his men, calling their names and issuing orders towards annihilating this threat. The presence of this fearful, yet determined body of men gave Kagome constant reminders of how few of the villagers, their friends and family, were left.
Master Katsume may think he has this handled now, but I’ll not sit here useless.
Kagome, readying another arrow, quietly followed Katsume out towards the threat.
Two amber eyes snapped up from the army. She could clearly see them follow Katsume’s path through the men. The golden orbs stared intently, before dismissing the master as no immediate threat. Wincing, Kagome watched as the eyes finally glanced towards her.
A soft whine startled her. The golden orbs, once hard and resolute at their purpose, suddenly softened as they scanned Kagome. Katsume, seeing a possible threat towards the one hope of his village, stepped protectively in front of her. The whine transformed hastily into a rumbling growl that thundered forth from the demon’s throat. Without warning it bolted through the samurai army, knocking man and sword alike from its path.
Kagome screamed as she realized the demon was headed straight for her. Her hands dropped the bow in horrified shock.
Katsume’s voice screamed to her. She could barely register it in her frightened state of mind.
“Kagome! Quick, grab this! Use it to pierce the demon’s flesh!! Nothing else will work to stop it!!”
Some of the samurai had somehow managed to grab the demon’s legs as it bounded past, weighing it down. Their savage swords bit its flesh, and growls of pain and anger from their enemy only served to persuade them more. Twenty feet from Kagome, the demon turned to snap at a man whom had dealt anagonizing gash, and lost its footing on the rocky ground.
Kagome knew this was her chance.
She didn’t even realize how she dodged the massive snapping teeth, or the men wildly flailing their swords. Kagome unexpectedly found herself holding the hilt of the stiletto, its blade buried deep within the demon’s shoulder. The convulsing muscles threw her body back, and she lost her precious grip on the blade. From the corner of her eye, Kagome saw Katsume give her a wicked grin.
She instantly knew something was wrong.
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“Damn that Inuyasha!! He doesn’t truly think he can put me up here and expect me to stay in one spot while he goes and kills himself!!” Varon’s feet once again slipped and faltered on the treacherous ground as he ran towards the battle. His eyes worriedly watched the battle from afar as the dog demon tore through the army in a last ditch effort to get to the girl. Varon himself could only faintly see her.
He could not believe the girl had been able to hit his seal from that distance.
He could not believe she was actually working for the enemy.
He could not believe someone very stupid had activated the powers of the St’aler.
He could not believe Inuyasha was doing this to save her.
Varon watched, helpless as the demon was finally pulled down. “Great Inuyasha,” he muttered, “you and I might have just officially contributed to the end of the world.”
Another flash of light exploded from the center of the battle.
“Oh yes, just what this world needs, some handsome letch monk, and a hormone-driven hanyou trying to stave off the most recent apocalypse. Buddha, save us all, or if that is too much, just the ravishing slayer, Sango and me…. ”
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Kagome watched as the dog demon howled in agony. Her own eyes stung fiercely as another ball of light cocooned the area.
What have I done?
An explosion of sound resounded from the small stiletto. From within the silver-wound hilt came another demon, the demon Katsume had awakened earlier. Its long body snaked out gracefully, its silver scales dancing in the last rays of light. The feathery tail whipped out, entangling the dog demon’s efforts to escape this new threat. A dragonhead roared in fury and resentment, sinking its long fangs into the dog’s flesh. Coal black eyes stared out nothingness.
Another angry roar escaped the demon’s chaos. The dog convulsed and twisted, trying to free itself of the entwining body. Kagome could see the panic and fear in its amber eyes as its fangs desperately slashed at the dragon’s scales. For a moment, it locked her eyes with its, and Kagome could see pulses of confusion emitting themselves into her soul.
Katsume seemed to be eagerly enjoying the fight, like a little boy watching older men compete with the grace and skill in sword battle that boy could only dream of achieving. Every time the dragon inflicted another wound, he’d grimly smile at her. The other samurai had pulled back, in awe of what was before them.
With a desperate move, the dog demon broke away from the dragon, side-stepping a safe distance away. The golden eyes flickered wildly between the dragon and Kagome. Blood dripped steadily down, giving the once shimmering coat a sick, dull sheen.
The dragon too was not without its own share of penalties. Scores of gashes from fangs and claws decorated the slithering body. It silently watched its foe, its empty eyes assessing the inevitable situation.
Kagome sensed something change within the dragon’s posture. The mouth gave an evil demon grin, and hissed wildly at its enemy. Without warning, it sprang across the army, its body snaking threateningly straight towards her. Kagome shrieked and grabbed at her arrows, knowing she would not be able to get it up in time.
In slow motion she watched the samurai struggle to ready their swords to save her. Katsume’s face slowly twisted in the horror of the decision his creation had undertaken. His hand extended painfully slow to the hilt near his belt.
Kagome closed her eyes and waited for the end.
A roar erupted from somewhere within the valley. Kagome flinched at the horrendous noise, and scrunched her eyes together even tighter. Until she realized it was long past the time it should have taken the dragon to reach her.
The dog demon had its jaws firmly around what she guessed to be around the dragon’s neck, shaking violently. The convulsing body beneath it whipped violently, trying to wrap itself around the dog’s neck. Burly muscles strained to drag the dragon farther away from the group of humans.
Did that demon just save me?
The dog rolled toward the canyon opening, bringing the other along with it. Kagome gasped as she saw the dragon gain a firm grip around the dog’s neck and finally began to strangle it to death. As the first demon began to tire, the dragon’s body began to take on an eerie glow. The two moved into the last sliver of the sun, their writhing outlines darkened in the last vestiges of light.
The dog demon slipped and landed heavily on the rocky ground. Abruptly the dragon gave an unearthly scream, and sprang back from the body of the other. Faint pulses of light shimmered through the dog’s blood-sodden fur.
Kagome heard Katsume swear. Each pulse of light quickened, and Kagome watched anxiously as the dog demon’s body began to recede in size.
It was changing back to its human form.
Her heart finally realized what was going on, why everything had felt so wrong. Why her supposed enemy had instead risked its life to protect her.
Cries of joy ran through the ranks of the samurai. They laughed and hollered at the triumph of finally defeating the menace to their village and families.
Kagome started forward, her eyes on the transforming youkai. She faintly heard Katsume angrily call her back, but the words didn’t truly register. Her heavy footsteps quickened, the dull drone of the soldiers’ ecstatic voices pushing her on. The dread and fear in her heart seemed to weigh her down, stretching on the endless seconds it took to reach its body.
His body.
The glow faded away, leaving a simple human alone to the savagery of the new night’s darkness.
Tears stung her eyes, blurring away the sight of the familiar red fire-rat haroi.
Its battle-worn threads were sundered into small, bloodied rags, hiding the severity of his injuries from her eyes. The hilt of the small stiletto protruded angrily from his shoulder.
The drone of the soldiers’ happy cries infuriated her. Master Katsume’s desperate calls for her to turn back bounced off her devastated form.
She knelt beside his battered body. His face looked so peaceful, his eyes tranquil and closed. Had Kagome not known better she would have said he was sleeping away the efforts of the previous day.
“Inu… INUYASHA!!!”
Crying, Kagome began to shake his shoulders violently, in a desperate attempt to get him to return to her world.
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Yep.
If I wasn’t dead last chapter, I bet I am now.
REVIEW!!
-Hanyou
I finally finished it! It’s done…. Whew.
(Readers start throwing rocks) NO! Not the story! The chapter! It’s not over yet!!
(hides behind bed)
Anyway, sorry ‘bout the wait guys!! Hopefully the length will make up for it!!
Enjoy!!
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§ Demon’s Blade §
Atop the entering rise, Varon watched as the last vestiges from the fading sun illuminated the wall of samurai before him. The eerie glow only served to further the worry for the fuming half-demon beside him.
He and Inuyasha crossed the threshold into the depths of the canyon as the terrible cry of war arose from the throats of the men. Seemingly hundreds of voices cried out their rage and courage to the enemy before them, each individual call strengthening the others to peak as a deafening roar. Varon grimaced at the noise, watching tentatively as Inuyasha winced and pulled his sensitive ears away from the clamor.
A line of the shouting samurai began to advance, their swords threatening and at the ready. Dust clouds billowed steadily from the impact of their armor-clad feet.
“Did you know we were expected?” Varon quizzically asked.
A scowl answered him. “Keh, monk. It makes no difference. It’s just that many men less guarding Kagome.” Inuyasha loosened the Tetsusagia in its sheath. “You stay here. You’re a monk, aren’t you? Find some way to keep these people distracted while I go on ahead.”
“You’re not going to kill them?”
Inuyasha’s face darkened. “Do what you have to. But I’d prefer we get out of this in one piece. Got it?” The hanyou turned to leave.
“Inuyasha! Remember the seals we found! Don’t assume anything won’t happen!”
“Whatever, monk.” Inuyasha glanced towards him. “One more thing. Stay back here. There’s a strong demonic aura within the canyons, behind the samurai. Don’t get yourself killed, please. I don’t want to have to come put you in your place.” The fire-rat haori bounded silently off into the shadows.
Varon watched for as long as he could, then turned to face the oncoming threat.
“Good luck to you too, my friend.”
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“Something’s wrong, master.” A samurai appeared from atop the crevice in which Katsume and Kagome had hidden themselves.
“There seems to be only one man, a monk, perhaps. He’s put a hex on the entire area, and our soldiers cannot advance. The cries are our own idiots trying to break their legs in the fading light and crashing into whatever barrier that monk’s got holding them back.”
“The monk’s not attacking… Where is the supposed other demon the scouts saw?”
“New reports say it was another man as well, but he disappeared before we could get a good look at him. I don’t understand, Master. Where are the two demons? They are supposed to be here by sundown.”
Kagome glanced at Master Katsume’s troubled eyes. She could feel the fear and uncertainty spill out from him into her own suspicious soul.
“Has anyone tried talking with him?” she reasoned. “If he hasn’t killed anyone yet, there’s got to be some other reason he’s out there. Maybe the samurai scared him, and he’s just protecting himself!”
Her eyes found the sun, marking the time. They had near to fifteen minutes until it fell beneath the horizon. Fifteen minutes until the demons were scheduled to attack. God, how she wished Inuyasha was here.
“No solider,” said Katsume, “we don’t know what the monk will do. But I’ll be damned if I have to sit out here and wait for these demons to show.” He snatched up the demon stiletto he’d been fingering all evening. “Come Kagome, you and I have work to do.”
Trembling, Kagome stepped out of the crevice behind the master. Her eyes instantly caught the scene of confusion ahead, as the group of samurai tried to rush the baby blue barrier again and again. She could just barely make out the lone figure’s silhouette on the edge of the rise.
“There,” said Katsume, “are the scrolls creating the barrier. They are on the face of the cliff, near the barrier itself. Kagome, do you see them?”
“I think so…” Kagome squinted her eyes.
“To break it, you need to hit them with your arrow. Can you do it?” Master Katsume suddenly looked embarrassed. “I’m sorry, my lady, I didn’t mean that…I mean, I’m sure you can hit them.”
Kagome however, wasn’t so sure. She could barely make out the white paper against the rocks in this light.
“Go ahead, Kagome. As soon as the barrier’s down, I’ll take care of the monk with this.”
Her eyes flickered to the stiletto Master Katsume was holding up. She still didn’t believe the master’s claims that such a small object could contain demons. Especially, a demon of whose strength rivaled that of which had destroyed the village behind them.
Bringing the arrow level with her shoulder, Kagome aimed for the small white dot on the edge of her vision. Her arm visibly shaking with the effort of bending the stout bow, Kagome desperately tried to keep it still enough for a clear shot.
A hand on her hand caused Kagome to start, her fingers releasing the arrow involuntarily. The shaft’s flight however, took a true course, and Kagome was delighted to see the arrow squarely pierce the scroll.
The barrier abruptly took a red hue, casting its glow onto the waiting soldiers. Each individual’s cry of triumph greatened as the red glow slowly but surely faded into nothingness. The figure on the hill jumped to his feet in astonishment.
Katsume smiled. “Now, Kagome,” he said, “you will see the true power of the St’aler.” He grasped the small blade by the hilt, lifting the tip to the sky.
“Demon’s blade…” he whispered.
Kagome grabbed at her skirt as a gale tore through the canyons. The abrupt wind screamed against the rough faces of the cliff side, out pitching even the battle-hardened samurai.
“Servant of the St’aler…”
A deafening rumble of thunder was emitted from the cloudless sky. Kagome shivered as a collection of sharp raindrops collided with her skin. Each droplet multiplied into thousands creating a torrent of water that drenched her to the bones.
What is Master Katsume doing?
With the icy water pouring over her, Kagome glanced to the far ridge where the lone monk had been standing. She could see he was running at a breakneck speed to a spot where the barrier had formerly been in place. The samurai, in their glee, charged onward towards him.
Sudden movement from near the barrier caught her eye. Another figure sprang towards the monk from a secluded spot Kagome’s eyes had failed to see. As she watched, the new figure grabbed the monk and pulled him away from the onslaught now charging towards them. Depositing his burden back on the ridge from whence the monk had stood, the man turned back and charged again towards the army.
Confusion clouded Kagome’s thoughts. What is that guy doing? The soldiers hadn’t even seen him until he jumped out from underneath their noses! They could escape right now, yet he’s coming back towards the samurai. What is going on?!
The sight of one lone man running towards them to fight seemed only to infuriate the samurai. Their pace and shouts quickened, their minds certain of the easy task ahead.
Passing the spot where he had hidden, the man suddenly stuttered to a stop. Kagome still couldn’t make out any details on his figure, but was surprised to see him collapse as if struck by something excruciatingly painful. The samurai, startled as well, reduced their pace and began to approach cautiously.
Kagome glanced at Katsume. The master of the village was still willfully absorbed in the chant to release his demon contained in the stiletto. He seemed unaware of the proceedings beyond him.
Yellow light burst from the hillside where the man had stood. Kagome shielded her eyes from the intensity. A priestess sense within her read a clear impression of great power emanating from the center of the glow. A sudden realization stunned Kagome as she remembered Katsume ordering some of the samurai to place scrolls near the edge of the canyon.
He must have tripped one of the scrolls hidden among the rocks Katsume set. But I don’t think this is what Master Katsume had in mind!
As the light began to fade, Kagome dared to look again to the army. Her ears picked up a sudden change from cries of courage and war to ones of desperate fear. Her eyes could scarcely single out the retreating mass against the still prevailing radiance. The samurai were running for their lives.
“Master! My lady! Hurry, quickly!! The demons have come!” one of the man cried across the distance.
The light had finally faded enough for Kagome to see the area clearly again. She gasped fearfully as she glanced to the area where a man had once stood.
Master Katsume’s voice rose to the final verse. His chiseled face was covered in sweat.
“Go forth... Shindeiru.”
The pounding rain ceased to mar her skin. A last gale whipped her hair forward as a taunt, then allowed it to settle back neatly into place. Kagome began to shiver violently. Somehow she knew it wasn’t just the cold causing it.
A giant dog demon before the barrier howled a long warning note. Its glossy black fur shone brightly in the sun. The long, elegant tail, waved lightly back and forth in eagerness. Traditional demon marks crisscrossed its regal face. Kagome hardly had to suppress the urge to smile at the sight of such a magnificent animal. One look at its resolute posture and enraged features was forbidding enough.
The memory of the battle in Inuyasha’s father’s grave against Sesshomaru drifted to Kagome’s conscious mind. She wondered at the similarities of the two transformed demons.
I wonder if Inuyasha knows he’s got a cousin out there.
Another thought came to mind. At least she had some experience at fighting dog demons. It was a small comfort, but one of the few she could cradle at the moment.
The demon lowered its head, ending the heart-wrenching howl. The samurai had finally gained the sense to regroup, albeit a little further from the demon and a little closer to her and Katsume than she had hoped. She could see each of the men visibly flinch as its gaze passed over them.
Kagome glanced around. There was still no sign of the demon Katsume had called forth. Oh boy, she thought, I hope I wasn’t right on this one!
Katsume’s chest was heaving vigorously from the effort of using the device. Though exhausted, the master stepped out to rally his men, calling their names and issuing orders towards annihilating this threat. The presence of this fearful, yet determined body of men gave Kagome constant reminders of how few of the villagers, their friends and family, were left.
Master Katsume may think he has this handled now, but I’ll not sit here useless.
Kagome, readying another arrow, quietly followed Katsume out towards the threat.
Two amber eyes snapped up from the army. She could clearly see them follow Katsume’s path through the men. The golden orbs stared intently, before dismissing the master as no immediate threat. Wincing, Kagome watched as the eyes finally glanced towards her.
A soft whine startled her. The golden orbs, once hard and resolute at their purpose, suddenly softened as they scanned Kagome. Katsume, seeing a possible threat towards the one hope of his village, stepped protectively in front of her. The whine transformed hastily into a rumbling growl that thundered forth from the demon’s throat. Without warning it bolted through the samurai army, knocking man and sword alike from its path.
Kagome screamed as she realized the demon was headed straight for her. Her hands dropped the bow in horrified shock.
Katsume’s voice screamed to her. She could barely register it in her frightened state of mind.
“Kagome! Quick, grab this! Use it to pierce the demon’s flesh!! Nothing else will work to stop it!!”
Some of the samurai had somehow managed to grab the demon’s legs as it bounded past, weighing it down. Their savage swords bit its flesh, and growls of pain and anger from their enemy only served to persuade them more. Twenty feet from Kagome, the demon turned to snap at a man whom had dealt anagonizing gash, and lost its footing on the rocky ground.
Kagome knew this was her chance.
She didn’t even realize how she dodged the massive snapping teeth, or the men wildly flailing their swords. Kagome unexpectedly found herself holding the hilt of the stiletto, its blade buried deep within the demon’s shoulder. The convulsing muscles threw her body back, and she lost her precious grip on the blade. From the corner of her eye, Kagome saw Katsume give her a wicked grin.
She instantly knew something was wrong.
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“Damn that Inuyasha!! He doesn’t truly think he can put me up here and expect me to stay in one spot while he goes and kills himself!!” Varon’s feet once again slipped and faltered on the treacherous ground as he ran towards the battle. His eyes worriedly watched the battle from afar as the dog demon tore through the army in a last ditch effort to get to the girl. Varon himself could only faintly see her.
He could not believe the girl had been able to hit his seal from that distance.
He could not believe she was actually working for the enemy.
He could not believe someone very stupid had activated the powers of the St’aler.
He could not believe Inuyasha was doing this to save her.
Varon watched, helpless as the demon was finally pulled down. “Great Inuyasha,” he muttered, “you and I might have just officially contributed to the end of the world.”
Another flash of light exploded from the center of the battle.
“Oh yes, just what this world needs, some handsome letch monk, and a hormone-driven hanyou trying to stave off the most recent apocalypse. Buddha, save us all, or if that is too much, just the ravishing slayer, Sango and me…. ”
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Kagome watched as the dog demon howled in agony. Her own eyes stung fiercely as another ball of light cocooned the area.
What have I done?
An explosion of sound resounded from the small stiletto. From within the silver-wound hilt came another demon, the demon Katsume had awakened earlier. Its long body snaked out gracefully, its silver scales dancing in the last rays of light. The feathery tail whipped out, entangling the dog demon’s efforts to escape this new threat. A dragonhead roared in fury and resentment, sinking its long fangs into the dog’s flesh. Coal black eyes stared out nothingness.
Another angry roar escaped the demon’s chaos. The dog convulsed and twisted, trying to free itself of the entwining body. Kagome could see the panic and fear in its amber eyes as its fangs desperately slashed at the dragon’s scales. For a moment, it locked her eyes with its, and Kagome could see pulses of confusion emitting themselves into her soul.
Katsume seemed to be eagerly enjoying the fight, like a little boy watching older men compete with the grace and skill in sword battle that boy could only dream of achieving. Every time the dragon inflicted another wound, he’d grimly smile at her. The other samurai had pulled back, in awe of what was before them.
With a desperate move, the dog demon broke away from the dragon, side-stepping a safe distance away. The golden eyes flickered wildly between the dragon and Kagome. Blood dripped steadily down, giving the once shimmering coat a sick, dull sheen.
The dragon too was not without its own share of penalties. Scores of gashes from fangs and claws decorated the slithering body. It silently watched its foe, its empty eyes assessing the inevitable situation.
Kagome sensed something change within the dragon’s posture. The mouth gave an evil demon grin, and hissed wildly at its enemy. Without warning, it sprang across the army, its body snaking threateningly straight towards her. Kagome shrieked and grabbed at her arrows, knowing she would not be able to get it up in time.
In slow motion she watched the samurai struggle to ready their swords to save her. Katsume’s face slowly twisted in the horror of the decision his creation had undertaken. His hand extended painfully slow to the hilt near his belt.
Kagome closed her eyes and waited for the end.
A roar erupted from somewhere within the valley. Kagome flinched at the horrendous noise, and scrunched her eyes together even tighter. Until she realized it was long past the time it should have taken the dragon to reach her.
The dog demon had its jaws firmly around what she guessed to be around the dragon’s neck, shaking violently. The convulsing body beneath it whipped violently, trying to wrap itself around the dog’s neck. Burly muscles strained to drag the dragon farther away from the group of humans.
Did that demon just save me?
The dog rolled toward the canyon opening, bringing the other along with it. Kagome gasped as she saw the dragon gain a firm grip around the dog’s neck and finally began to strangle it to death. As the first demon began to tire, the dragon’s body began to take on an eerie glow. The two moved into the last sliver of the sun, their writhing outlines darkened in the last vestiges of light.
The dog demon slipped and landed heavily on the rocky ground. Abruptly the dragon gave an unearthly scream, and sprang back from the body of the other. Faint pulses of light shimmered through the dog’s blood-sodden fur.
Kagome heard Katsume swear. Each pulse of light quickened, and Kagome watched anxiously as the dog demon’s body began to recede in size.
It was changing back to its human form.
Her heart finally realized what was going on, why everything had felt so wrong. Why her supposed enemy had instead risked its life to protect her.
Cries of joy ran through the ranks of the samurai. They laughed and hollered at the triumph of finally defeating the menace to their village and families.
Kagome started forward, her eyes on the transforming youkai. She faintly heard Katsume angrily call her back, but the words didn’t truly register. Her heavy footsteps quickened, the dull drone of the soldiers’ ecstatic voices pushing her on. The dread and fear in her heart seemed to weigh her down, stretching on the endless seconds it took to reach its body.
His body.
The glow faded away, leaving a simple human alone to the savagery of the new night’s darkness.
Tears stung her eyes, blurring away the sight of the familiar red fire-rat haroi.
Its battle-worn threads were sundered into small, bloodied rags, hiding the severity of his injuries from her eyes. The hilt of the small stiletto protruded angrily from his shoulder.
The drone of the soldiers’ happy cries infuriated her. Master Katsume’s desperate calls for her to turn back bounced off her devastated form.
She knelt beside his battered body. His face looked so peaceful, his eyes tranquil and closed. Had Kagome not known better she would have said he was sleeping away the efforts of the previous day.
“Inu… INUYASHA!!!”
Crying, Kagome began to shake his shoulders violently, in a desperate attempt to get him to return to her world.
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Yep.
If I wasn’t dead last chapter, I bet I am now.
REVIEW!!
-Hanyou