InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unfettered ❯ Unfettered ( Chapter 22 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: inufan625 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Hentai / Drama | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 08.30.2009 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.9K | Visits: 1.4K | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Hentai / Drama | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 08.30.2009 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.9K | Visits: 1.4K | Status: Work In Progress
A/N: Many thanks to my beta doggieearlover and many thanks to anyone still reading this fic after such a very long time. This is the final chapter with an epilogue to come as soon as I can decide which version I like better.
Oh and since it's been so long I thought I should add that circumstances haven't changed and I still don't own InuYasha.
“I think that was for us,” he said as he returned to scanning the forest with his eyes. “An invitation.”
Kagome stood and asked, “Do you know…”
“A raccoon dog I think from the scent of the blood. Fuck. I don’t know what the hell that bastard did to it to make it scream like that. I’ve never heard one make a sound like that,” he growled.
Kagome swallowed the lump in her throat as she moved to lean against him. He wrapped one arm around her.
“Are you hungry? I could get you something before…” His voice faded into nothing.
“I don’t think I could eat,” she admitted. “I’m just ready to get this over with and to get our baby back.”
InuYasha lifted her chin with a finger and kissed her deeply. “Just in case, remember that there ain’t a part of me that doesn’t love you. Now get your stuff.”
Kagome nodded and quickly shouldered her bow and quiver.
It wasn’t hard to find the place to which they were being summoned. The sheer amount of blood on the forest floor was astonishing, and Kagome had to choke back the bile that rose up as it soaked up around the edges of her sandals and began to turn her tabi red.
She shuddered as the air began to thicken around them. “Do you know where he is? He can‘t be far. I can almost feel him somewhere nearby.”
InuYasha shook his head with an angry growl. “I can’t smell a fucking thing except for all this blood, which is probably what the bastard had planned all along.”
Kagome began to nod in agreement as she looked around for any sign of their son. She squinted into the shadows of the trees around them only to scream as Kikyou stretched out her hand towards InuYasha. She could feel the dark miko gathering her power and knew that she was going to attempt to purify him. InuYasha turned slightly just in time to see Kagome place herself between him and Kikyou. Her hand was outstretched and he could feel her spiritual energy building.
There was a loud electrical crack as the pink light from Kagome’s hand met the tainted purple light Kikyou had hoped to hit him with. The woman appeared to be evenly matched and InuYasha knew that their battle was likely to come down to who wanted to win more. Normally he would have been first to say that Kagome couldn’t lose, but nothing had been normal for a long time and he knew the power of a truly dark heart.
“Find our baby,” Kagome ground out through clenched teeth. “He’s here. I can feel him. I can handle her.”
“Kagome...” InuYasha began to protest, but thought better of if. He had to have faith in her. “Okay, but when I get back you had better be kicking her ass.”
Despite the situation Kagome managed a small laugh. “I really do love you, you know. Now go get our son back.”
InuYasha gave Kagome one last look and then took off for the tree line. He would run a circle around the clearing that Kagome and Kikyou were in and widen it until he found his son. He forced himself to keep breathing deeply in hope that he would catch even the smallest hint of Taro’s scent. He was just finishing his first circle when something from within the shadows slammed into him. He shook his head as he flew through the air trying to make sense of what had happened.
He landed hard in the tall grass of the clearing and struggled to catch his breath. He hastened to his feet and pulled Tetsuaiga from its scabbard only to cry out as something sharp slashed him across his chest.
Kagome almost lost to Kikyou when she heard InuYasha cry out. It was only just in time that she prevented herself from being overtaken by the other miko’s powers. Chancing a glance in his direction she could see him battling a demon unlike any they had ever encountered.
It seemed to be concealed in shadow, even though it was barely after midday and it moved with a sort of liquid grace. Black as the darkest night, its hands ended in talon like claws and it had fangs that were at least four inches long hanging down past its lips. Taller than InuYasha and much more muscular, Kagome feared greatly for her mate. This being was the manifestation of evil. She believed in InuYasha, but she couldn’t help but fear that something so malignant would be able to force out the darkness in him.
InuYasha couldn’t draw breath as this thing drove its consciousness into his mind and searched out all the worst parts of him. He could feel his grip on the Tetsusaiga loosening and he fought to keep hold, but it was no use. Inside his head he heard dark laughter as the sword fell.
‘Now you are free. I will release your true form. I am sure your mate’s agony will be excruciating when you tear her apart. I will enjoy it immensely’
“No!” InuYasha cried as he felt his youkai blood fighting its way to the surface. He couldn’t let this happen. He couldn’t give in and leave Kagome alone and defenseless.
‘Wake up my little hanyou,’ called a musical feminine voice from beyond the darkness.
“W-What’s going on?” Taro asked. “Who are you?”
‘Who I am matters not. You must wake and see that all is not as you have been led to believe. You must fight against the darkness holding you and remember the truth.’
“Why should I listen to you?” he demanded.
‘I can give you no reason, save you owe it to yourself.’
Taro considered the woman’s words. Her voice was so soothing and somehow familiar. For some reason it made him feel safe and loved. No one had ever really loved him before. But that was wrong. Suddenly he knew that was wrong. Why had he thought that in the first place? He couldn’t remember. The woman had said that if he could wake up and find his way out of the darkness that he would remember.
“How do I do it? I don’t know how to wake up,” he said.
‘Let your self come to the sound of my voice. I live inside your true heart and there you will find the way.’
Taro willed himself to move towards the voice and deeper into his own mind. There he found a locked door. With all the force he could muster he threw himself against it and it flew inward. The light from within was bright enough to hurt his eyes, but he stepped inside anyway and then opened his eyes.
‘Mama... and Papa. They’re here. They’re fighting to get me back. Oh no - what did I do? I did such bad things, but... but they still want me. They love me. How could I ever think that they didn’t?’
‘It was not your fault, little hanyou. None of the evil doings were your own. They belong only to he who is known as chaos and destruction. The dark one that entered your mind and locked away all that was good within you so that he could use your power.’
‘Still, it’s my fault. I should have been stronger.’
‘There are none that can stand unaffected against him. Look to your father. Even his strength was not enough to remain pure. Only his will to save you sustains what is left of his true heart now. He will fight until he is destroyed completely.’
‘Papa... You mean he’s going to die? He can’t die.’
‘Soon he will turn his evil designs upon your mother, but she will stand no chance. Her power is great, but she is far too sensitive to such evil and it will tear her apart to be touched by something so vile. And now her power wanes in her battle with the dark miko. Perhaps were it not for the new life inside her she would be able to win against one, but not against both.’
‘New life? Mama, she’s having a baby? I’m going to have a little brother or sister? Why is she here? She should be home where she can be safe.’
‘What mother could give the life of one child for another? She had to come. Her love demanded it. This is the time of choosing. I ask you now, what would you give had you the power to save them? Would you sacrifice your own life that they might defeat the darkness and live?’
‘I... I don’t know. Why are you doing this to me? I don’t wanna die, but I don’t want mama and papa to die either. I can’t decide.’
‘You must. There is another way to save them. You can lock their true hearts away and they will be come servants of destruction, just as you will be forced to continue serving back again in the chasm. You are the only one who can decide. Their lives for yours or you all may live as minions of chaos. Time is short.’
It wasn’t fair to make him choose. He was only a little boy. Then he remembered that his father had been the same age as he was now when his mother had died and left him all alone; alone in a world filled with dangerous youkai who wanted to kill him, but he had survived. He remembered the story of Naraku and how his parents and their friends had fought so hard to defeat him. He thought of his mother who had protected him so many times. She would never want to be forced to hurt anyone. He had done so many bad things, but maybe, maybe this was his chance to make up for it.
‘I want mama and papa to live...and I want them to win. If... if there is any way... I want them to know I’m sorry and that I love them. Can you tell them for me?’
‘No. You are the only one I have the power to speak to. Neither will they know that it was you who saved them. Are you certain still in your choice?’
‘Oh... Okay. I’m still sure.’
Kagome felt the change come over him as clearly as she could feel the beads of sweat rolling down her face, and her own power as she pushed it out towards the false Kikyou. Her heart ached for him and what she knew he must be going through. She chanced a glance in his direction and saw her hanyou locked in a fierce battle with what she could only describe as a shifting dark made of pure evil.
Their movements were almost too fast for her to see: a flash of red, a darker red splash arcing through the air and staining the ground, and piercing black. It was as frightening a battle as she had ever seen, and it was made more frightening by the fact that even such a short glimpse had allowed her to see that it was a fight that InuYasha would not be able to win.
She felt a tear slip down her cheek as she realized that she was witnessing the destruction of not just their lives and the future they could have had but also of the hopes and dreams and lives of other families, maybe even of the entire world. How had it come to this? Kagome faltered and stumbled back, only just managing to keep the powers of the dark miko from overtaking her.
She looked again towards InuYasha and found him kneeling, one hand pressed to the dirt to keep himself from falling over. He wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer and her own power was waning. There seemed to be no hope and she began to wonder if it might not be better to just let go. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes ready to let herself be consumed, but just before she released her hold on her power she felt a familiar presence. It was warmth and hope and light mixed with a power even more familiar to her. She raised her head and opened her eyes, as a new wave of strength coursed through her.
Again she looked towards InuYasha and found that his fight had come to a stand still. Gold, clear and bright, was bleeding through the red of his eyes. The beast roared and tried to lunge for InuYasha but was unable to so much as move.
Light parted his wake of shadows and from within Kagome could see Taro. She thought her heart might leap out of her chest and the joy that filled her was pure and profound, but more than that it was powerful. With less than a thought she over took the dark energy aimed at her and the false miko fell to the ground and lay there unmoving.
The demon raged and cried out in agony as beams of light tore through him. The ground beneath his feet cracked and opened and InuYasha leapt back to avoid the widening chasm. A swirling energy reached up and surrounded their nightmare, pulling it down into the pit.
And then it was all over.
The light faded and Taro collapsed to the ground. Kagome cried out to him as she raced towards InuYasha who had already gathered their son into his arms.
Taro watched as his mother defeated the dark miko and then as the demon who had caused so much suffering was drawn back into the void where he belonged. He felt peace settle over him as he realized that it was over. His mother and father would be okay and no one else would have to suffer at the hands of that monster. He hadn’t known when he agreed if it would be enough to make up for having been tricked but somehow it was. Everything was going to be all right. He was ready to go.
‘So this is what being dead feels like. It’s not too bad. I wonder when I’ll get to see ojiisan and obaasan and ojii-chan.’
A woman’s voice laughed. ‘Oh, my dear little hanyou, you have not died. It was merely a test of the strength of your love. Your willingness to sacrifice your life was the price to win against the darkness and to set me free. Your wish was completely pure, and I am now at last at peace. Wake now. Your parents are very worried about you little one. It is long past time for you to be home. Live well.’
“Taro, baby, wake up.” Kagome pleaded as she stroked her son’s cheek. “Please baby, open your eyes. InuYasha, why isn’t he waking up?”
“Mama...” Taro said quietly as his eyes fluttered open.
With a half choked sob Kagome crushed Taro to her chest, and covered his head with kisses and tears. “You’re all right. I thought I had lost you, but you’re all right.”
“I’m okay, Mama. It’s okay. Please don’t cry,” Taro said, even as his own tears dampened her shirt.
Oh and since it's been so long I thought I should add that circumstances haven't changed and I still don't own InuYasha.
~ * ~
Kagome was jerked out of her inner musings by a terrifying scream that had her heart racing and made her breathing unsteady. InuYasha looked at her from where he stood leaning against the wall near the entrance to the small cave.“I think that was for us,” he said as he returned to scanning the forest with his eyes. “An invitation.”
Kagome stood and asked, “Do you know…”
“A raccoon dog I think from the scent of the blood. Fuck. I don’t know what the hell that bastard did to it to make it scream like that. I’ve never heard one make a sound like that,” he growled.
Kagome swallowed the lump in her throat as she moved to lean against him. He wrapped one arm around her.
“Are you hungry? I could get you something before…” His voice faded into nothing.
“I don’t think I could eat,” she admitted. “I’m just ready to get this over with and to get our baby back.”
InuYasha lifted her chin with a finger and kissed her deeply. “Just in case, remember that there ain’t a part of me that doesn’t love you. Now get your stuff.”
Kagome nodded and quickly shouldered her bow and quiver.
It wasn’t hard to find the place to which they were being summoned. The sheer amount of blood on the forest floor was astonishing, and Kagome had to choke back the bile that rose up as it soaked up around the edges of her sandals and began to turn her tabi red.
She shuddered as the air began to thicken around them. “Do you know where he is? He can‘t be far. I can almost feel him somewhere nearby.”
InuYasha shook his head with an angry growl. “I can’t smell a fucking thing except for all this blood, which is probably what the bastard had planned all along.”
Kagome began to nod in agreement as she looked around for any sign of their son. She squinted into the shadows of the trees around them only to scream as Kikyou stretched out her hand towards InuYasha. She could feel the dark miko gathering her power and knew that she was going to attempt to purify him. InuYasha turned slightly just in time to see Kagome place herself between him and Kikyou. Her hand was outstretched and he could feel her spiritual energy building.
There was a loud electrical crack as the pink light from Kagome’s hand met the tainted purple light Kikyou had hoped to hit him with. The woman appeared to be evenly matched and InuYasha knew that their battle was likely to come down to who wanted to win more. Normally he would have been first to say that Kagome couldn’t lose, but nothing had been normal for a long time and he knew the power of a truly dark heart.
“Find our baby,” Kagome ground out through clenched teeth. “He’s here. I can feel him. I can handle her.”
“Kagome...” InuYasha began to protest, but thought better of if. He had to have faith in her. “Okay, but when I get back you had better be kicking her ass.”
Despite the situation Kagome managed a small laugh. “I really do love you, you know. Now go get our son back.”
InuYasha gave Kagome one last look and then took off for the tree line. He would run a circle around the clearing that Kagome and Kikyou were in and widen it until he found his son. He forced himself to keep breathing deeply in hope that he would catch even the smallest hint of Taro’s scent. He was just finishing his first circle when something from within the shadows slammed into him. He shook his head as he flew through the air trying to make sense of what had happened.
He landed hard in the tall grass of the clearing and struggled to catch his breath. He hastened to his feet and pulled Tetsuaiga from its scabbard only to cry out as something sharp slashed him across his chest.
Kagome almost lost to Kikyou when she heard InuYasha cry out. It was only just in time that she prevented herself from being overtaken by the other miko’s powers. Chancing a glance in his direction she could see him battling a demon unlike any they had ever encountered.
It seemed to be concealed in shadow, even though it was barely after midday and it moved with a sort of liquid grace. Black as the darkest night, its hands ended in talon like claws and it had fangs that were at least four inches long hanging down past its lips. Taller than InuYasha and much more muscular, Kagome feared greatly for her mate. This being was the manifestation of evil. She believed in InuYasha, but she couldn’t help but fear that something so malignant would be able to force out the darkness in him.
InuYasha couldn’t draw breath as this thing drove its consciousness into his mind and searched out all the worst parts of him. He could feel his grip on the Tetsusaiga loosening and he fought to keep hold, but it was no use. Inside his head he heard dark laughter as the sword fell.
‘Now you are free. I will release your true form. I am sure your mate’s agony will be excruciating when you tear her apart. I will enjoy it immensely’
“No!” InuYasha cried as he felt his youkai blood fighting its way to the surface. He couldn’t let this happen. He couldn’t give in and leave Kagome alone and defenseless.
‘Wake up my little hanyou,’ called a musical feminine voice from beyond the darkness.
“W-What’s going on?” Taro asked. “Who are you?”
‘Who I am matters not. You must wake and see that all is not as you have been led to believe. You must fight against the darkness holding you and remember the truth.’
“Why should I listen to you?” he demanded.
‘I can give you no reason, save you owe it to yourself.’
Taro considered the woman’s words. Her voice was so soothing and somehow familiar. For some reason it made him feel safe and loved. No one had ever really loved him before. But that was wrong. Suddenly he knew that was wrong. Why had he thought that in the first place? He couldn’t remember. The woman had said that if he could wake up and find his way out of the darkness that he would remember.
“How do I do it? I don’t know how to wake up,” he said.
‘Let your self come to the sound of my voice. I live inside your true heart and there you will find the way.’
Taro willed himself to move towards the voice and deeper into his own mind. There he found a locked door. With all the force he could muster he threw himself against it and it flew inward. The light from within was bright enough to hurt his eyes, but he stepped inside anyway and then opened his eyes.
‘Mama... and Papa. They’re here. They’re fighting to get me back. Oh no - what did I do? I did such bad things, but... but they still want me. They love me. How could I ever think that they didn’t?’
‘It was not your fault, little hanyou. None of the evil doings were your own. They belong only to he who is known as chaos and destruction. The dark one that entered your mind and locked away all that was good within you so that he could use your power.’
‘Still, it’s my fault. I should have been stronger.’
‘There are none that can stand unaffected against him. Look to your father. Even his strength was not enough to remain pure. Only his will to save you sustains what is left of his true heart now. He will fight until he is destroyed completely.’
‘Papa... You mean he’s going to die? He can’t die.’
‘Soon he will turn his evil designs upon your mother, but she will stand no chance. Her power is great, but she is far too sensitive to such evil and it will tear her apart to be touched by something so vile. And now her power wanes in her battle with the dark miko. Perhaps were it not for the new life inside her she would be able to win against one, but not against both.’
‘New life? Mama, she’s having a baby? I’m going to have a little brother or sister? Why is she here? She should be home where she can be safe.’
‘What mother could give the life of one child for another? She had to come. Her love demanded it. This is the time of choosing. I ask you now, what would you give had you the power to save them? Would you sacrifice your own life that they might defeat the darkness and live?’
‘I... I don’t know. Why are you doing this to me? I don’t wanna die, but I don’t want mama and papa to die either. I can’t decide.’
‘You must. There is another way to save them. You can lock their true hearts away and they will be come servants of destruction, just as you will be forced to continue serving back again in the chasm. You are the only one who can decide. Their lives for yours or you all may live as minions of chaos. Time is short.’
It wasn’t fair to make him choose. He was only a little boy. Then he remembered that his father had been the same age as he was now when his mother had died and left him all alone; alone in a world filled with dangerous youkai who wanted to kill him, but he had survived. He remembered the story of Naraku and how his parents and their friends had fought so hard to defeat him. He thought of his mother who had protected him so many times. She would never want to be forced to hurt anyone. He had done so many bad things, but maybe, maybe this was his chance to make up for it.
‘I want mama and papa to live...and I want them to win. If... if there is any way... I want them to know I’m sorry and that I love them. Can you tell them for me?’
‘No. You are the only one I have the power to speak to. Neither will they know that it was you who saved them. Are you certain still in your choice?’
‘Oh... Okay. I’m still sure.’
Kagome felt the change come over him as clearly as she could feel the beads of sweat rolling down her face, and her own power as she pushed it out towards the false Kikyou. Her heart ached for him and what she knew he must be going through. She chanced a glance in his direction and saw her hanyou locked in a fierce battle with what she could only describe as a shifting dark made of pure evil.
Their movements were almost too fast for her to see: a flash of red, a darker red splash arcing through the air and staining the ground, and piercing black. It was as frightening a battle as she had ever seen, and it was made more frightening by the fact that even such a short glimpse had allowed her to see that it was a fight that InuYasha would not be able to win.
She felt a tear slip down her cheek as she realized that she was witnessing the destruction of not just their lives and the future they could have had but also of the hopes and dreams and lives of other families, maybe even of the entire world. How had it come to this? Kagome faltered and stumbled back, only just managing to keep the powers of the dark miko from overtaking her.
She looked again towards InuYasha and found him kneeling, one hand pressed to the dirt to keep himself from falling over. He wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer and her own power was waning. There seemed to be no hope and she began to wonder if it might not be better to just let go. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes ready to let herself be consumed, but just before she released her hold on her power she felt a familiar presence. It was warmth and hope and light mixed with a power even more familiar to her. She raised her head and opened her eyes, as a new wave of strength coursed through her.
Again she looked towards InuYasha and found that his fight had come to a stand still. Gold, clear and bright, was bleeding through the red of his eyes. The beast roared and tried to lunge for InuYasha but was unable to so much as move.
Light parted his wake of shadows and from within Kagome could see Taro. She thought her heart might leap out of her chest and the joy that filled her was pure and profound, but more than that it was powerful. With less than a thought she over took the dark energy aimed at her and the false miko fell to the ground and lay there unmoving.
The demon raged and cried out in agony as beams of light tore through him. The ground beneath his feet cracked and opened and InuYasha leapt back to avoid the widening chasm. A swirling energy reached up and surrounded their nightmare, pulling it down into the pit.
And then it was all over.
The light faded and Taro collapsed to the ground. Kagome cried out to him as she raced towards InuYasha who had already gathered their son into his arms.
Taro watched as his mother defeated the dark miko and then as the demon who had caused so much suffering was drawn back into the void where he belonged. He felt peace settle over him as he realized that it was over. His mother and father would be okay and no one else would have to suffer at the hands of that monster. He hadn’t known when he agreed if it would be enough to make up for having been tricked but somehow it was. Everything was going to be all right. He was ready to go.
‘So this is what being dead feels like. It’s not too bad. I wonder when I’ll get to see ojiisan and obaasan and ojii-chan.’
A woman’s voice laughed. ‘Oh, my dear little hanyou, you have not died. It was merely a test of the strength of your love. Your willingness to sacrifice your life was the price to win against the darkness and to set me free. Your wish was completely pure, and I am now at last at peace. Wake now. Your parents are very worried about you little one. It is long past time for you to be home. Live well.’
“Taro, baby, wake up.” Kagome pleaded as she stroked her son’s cheek. “Please baby, open your eyes. InuYasha, why isn’t he waking up?”
“Mama...” Taro said quietly as his eyes fluttered open.
With a half choked sob Kagome crushed Taro to her chest, and covered his head with kisses and tears. “You’re all right. I thought I had lost you, but you’re all right.”
“I’m okay, Mama. It’s okay. Please don’t cry,” Taro said, even as his own tears dampened her shirt.