InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Wandering Souls ❯ Rescue attempt ( Chapter 11 )

By sunrise Marie encountered the barrier that Naraku had erected to keep them out. Reaching out a cautious hand, Marie tested its strength. It resonated as she ran her hand over it, sending sparks of multicolored light swirling around her. Marie pushed harder and felt the barrier give slightly before springing back with renewed force.

"Hmm," Marie's brow knitted together in deep concentration, a grim look set on her features. "Kikyou"

The admission startled Marie, she had met the dead miko only once but it had been enough to leave a lasting impression of her strength upon Marie.

Silently, Marie turned back the way she came, intending to meet up with the others. She knew they had not waited on the sun to rise and she worried for the safety of the others, Lea especially.

"If she drew that cursed blade while human, she's going to hurt." Marie grumbled to herself.

Lea's sword, Awaseru, was much like her own, enhancing the natural abilities of the user, but where Marie's sword allowed her to funnel her powers or outside energy into another, Lea's enhanced her into a berserk ball of fury. Oh, Lea could control it enough not to kill her friends, but anything else was game.

Inuyasha had seen her do it on several occasions in their battles with demons, and was even begrudgingly grateful a few times. Maybe, Marie hoped he would not let Lea draw it yet. Thankfully, though the blade activated itself only when there was great need, but in her human form her control over it was limited.

Marie raced forward on shaky knees; the drain to her power was already working on her. Her body screamed for rest but she knew it would have to wait. Suddenly, she caught Inuyasha's scent drifting towards her and Marie knew he was a ways ahead of the others.

"Not too far, I hope." Marie said aloud. Finally, she caught scent of the others and sighed in relief. Needing the small amount of rest, Marie sank to the ground to wait on them. Inuyasha could track her scent almost better then her own sister at times and for once Marie was grateful.

A rustle in the leaves caught the miko's attention just before Inuyasha burst through the line of trees. Immediately, catching sight of her, Inuyasha skidded to a halt.

"Where is she?" he demanded gripping Marie by the upper arms and pulling her to her feet. "Where's Kagome?"

"Close." Marie started into his golden eyes sadly. "But there's something you need to know before you rush in there."

"Know what?" Inuyasha growled. "Tell me wench! I don't have time for these games."

Before Marie could replay the others burst into the clearing to see him shaking the weakened girl.

"Inuyasha!" Both Sango and Lea shouted at the same time. "Let her go!"

Marie grabbed a hold of his arms, ignoring how his claws dug into her shoulders. "Kikyou is there and she's helping Naraku."

"W…what?" his eyes went wide at what Marie said and he dropped her. Lea immediately went to help her up. "No way would Kikyou help him." He knew she had done it before but his mind refused to accept it. Angrily he glared down at Marie. "I don't believe you."

"Are you sure, Sister?" Lea asked quietly.

Marie nodded and told them about the barrier she had encountered and about the miko powers that had helped to construct it.

"Lets go!" Inuyasha yelled impatiently, "Show us where this miko barrier is."

Marie let the others back to where the barrier rested between a great rift in the mountainside, a deeply worried Lea following her closely.

They arrived quicker the second time and instantly Inuyasha set about trying to break it down. Each time he set the tetsigua's barrier breaker after it, it glowed a faint blue. The attack would then dissipate leaving the barrier untouched. The others joined in readily.

Marie watched with a miko's eye and saw instantly what was happening. No matter what they tried to do the barrier would not give.

"Kikyo's powers are purifying Inuyasha's attacks," She cried. "He'll never get it down in time."

Suddenly, Marie stopped frozen in place as the void she felt beyond the barrier fell with an immense power. Miroku sensed it as well and his eyes grew wide with worry.

"What's going on here?" he questioned Marie as the look of horror crossed her face.

"We've got to get that barrier down! Now!" Marie almost screamed as she felt pain lace through her side. She did not understand where the pain had come from but she could almost bet it had something to do with Kagome. Running forward Marie began running her hands over the invisible wall. Crazed Inuyasha barely noticed her, but Lea was quickly by her side.

"What's wrong?" Miroku demanded following the girls.

"Kikyo is somehow draining Kagome. Stealing both her powers and her soul." Marie hurriedly explained her hands never leaving the barrier even thought the power stung her bare palms. Marie ignored the pain in her disparate search for getting through the wall.

Finally she found what she was looking for and turned to face the monk. "Try to get Inuyasha to attack it there," Marie pointed to where the barrier met the smooth stone of the mountain wall. "It may weaken the barrier enough for me to get us a way through."

Catching sight of the concealed panic in Marie's eyes, eyes usually devoid of emotions, Miroku rushed to do as he was told while Marie dragged Lea to the other side.

"You'll have to help me little sister," Marie pleaded. "Just like in battle. I drain and give it to you."

"There's no other way?" Lea asked startled, though she never minded the heady rush of power she felt, Marie had always been against the sharing of power because Lea became frenzied almost beyond control.

Marie nodded, "I'm sorry."

Lea shrugged, "Don't be, you know I like it."

"I know, but this time it may hurt." Marie explained, unspoken concern ran deep in her voice, causing a chill to crawl down Lea's spine.

Lea nodded her understanding and braced herself. From the corner of her eyes Lea saw that Miroku had finally gotten Inuyasha to the spot Marie had indicated. Calmly she watched as pieces of the rocks crumbled away under his onslaught.

"Better hurry, sister," Lea said turning back to Marie. "Inuyasha's about to go all demon on us."

Marie barely heard Lea, her sword drawn Marie was in deep concentration. When she was prepared, Marie thrust her hand against the barrier with such force that the whole wall shook. Sparks of blue and black jumping from the barrier to sizzle on the ground below it.

The others taken by surprise turned to watch the miko begin to drain the barrier's power away. Inuyasha renewed his attack in hopes that she could weaken it enough for his red barrier breaker to punch through.

Slowly at first Marie drew the power within her, letting it build and mingle with her own. Soon it filled her to bursting and she unconsciously screamed as it continued to push its way through her fragile body. Her sword began to glow with a strange blue light, and then slowly it changed to the green energy that a demon could handle. Marie would not allow the power to go till she knew it was safe for her sister. Marie refused to endanger her like that. With this type of power flowing through her, one wrong move could end up purifying her sister instead of powering her. So Marie held it till she thought she would die from the attempt.

Marie felt the power switch as though someone had hit a lever deep inside her, it clicking into place within her thoughts. The moment she felt that click, she laid the glowing blade on Lea's shoulder. The light grew till it engulfed both girls as it was forcibly thrust into Lea.

Lea felt the instant Marie's blade touched her. The onslaught of adrenaline and power rushed though her veins and drew out her demon blood. The marks on her face grew a deeper purple, her long hair blew wildly about her as the power rushed between the two sisters and her eyes grew to a brighter purple till the color engulfed the whites of her eyes. They seemed to take on a malicious shine, like a florescent beacon in a dark room. Lea's look became wilder, more feral as her claws lengthened and her fangs became more prominent.

"Hurry, Marie!" Lea growled her voice deeper as she fought to control the fury that was beginning to boil her blood. Almost in amazement Lea watched as a small hole began to open in the barrier around Marie's hand. The only reason she could see it was because of Marie's miko powers siphoned into her.

Marie unable to speak nodded and pushed harder against the barrier. The hole grew quickly after that and more power slowly siphoned into her sister.

Lea felt stronger, faster and the moment the hole was large enough she called to the others and dove though it. Lea was in the grasps of the frenzied nature of the demon within her. Enhanced by both Marie's power and her father's sword, Lea let the frenzied nature of the demon within her take over, instinct taking over while reason flew out the door. Even as the others called to her to wait, Lea slipped pasted the gates of the keep inside the barrier and out of sight.

Marie felt Lea pull away and concentrated fully upon the barrier. The others quickly gathered around her. Inuyasha tried desperately to follow after Lea but the barrier still would not let him in.

"Attack it again Inuyasha!" Marie grinded out through clenched teeth. The power was threatening to burst from her and she fought to stay conscious knowing she had to get her friends through first.

"Where?" he cried readying tetsigua, searching for a weakness that he could not see.

"Aim for me!" Marie cried tears coming to her eyes as she fought to stay awake.

"You'll be killed!" Sango cried clutching her boomerang

"I…I… can't do that!" Inuyasha realized what the girl was asking him to do, but when she looked back at him over her shoulder he thought his heart would stop.

Gone where the deadly serious, chocolate colored eyes to be replaced by silver flames that reflected both pain and sadness. A strange light reflected from their depths that kept his golden gaze locked on her face. Tears of blood filled those silver beacons and ran freely down her pale cheeks. Her lips were paler than their usual rosy appearance and Inuyasha could see that she was hanging on by a bare thread. An angelic light seemed to be emanating from her body as her waist long hair played in the currents of the power she controlled.

"Trust me," Marie said softly but his sensitive ears perked forward catching her words anyway. "They need you." Even involved as she was with the shield, Marie could sense the battle going on within.

With a grim set to his face, Inuyasha stepped back, swinging his great sword over one shoulder in preparation to strike. His vision locked onto Marie's for an instant before she turned back toward the shield she was draining. He felt her power snake out to touch him and Inuyasha shivered slightly as he felt it caress the skin of his hands. He did not know what it was but somehow felt that it was Marie's power reaching out to him. Silently, ignoring Sango's pleas to stop, Inuyasha waited for Marie's signal.

"NO! He can't!" Sango cried only to be restrained by Miroku's strong arms sliding around to hold her against his body while Kirara moved to stand in front of her as Sango tried to rush to Marie's side.

"She knows what she's doing," Miroku whispered to the trembling girl in his arms. "We must trust her."

Marie let her senses reach out to track Inuyasha's movements, felt the second he shivered as it touched him. In that one second, Marie felt his trust emanating off of him in deep ways with an expectation that only Inuyasha could silently demand. She knew the minute he was ready and braced herself for what she was going to do.

"Now!" Marie screamed gathering the stolen energy inside of her.

Inuyasha swung, sending the energy bolt straight at the waiting Marie. The moment the bolt left the sword; Marie threw the energy ball straight back at the shield and collapsed. The bolt struck the moment the energy did, both exploding as they merged against the barrier and it shattered like glass.

Inuyasha rushed forward, looking for Marie. He found her in seconds covered form the debris of fallen rocks.

"Is she going to be ok?" Sango pulled away rushing to help their fallen friend.

"I'll be fine," Marie coughed weakly as Inuyasha pulled her clear. "Go on and help them. But watch it." Marie gripped his arm tightly. "Lea's caught in the demon lust and she'll kill whoever is in there besides Kagome or be killed trying."