InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Watashi no Fumetsu no Seishin no Chikara ❯ Awakening ( Chapter 2 )

Awakening:

 

 

The sky slowly began to take a lighter tone signifying the approaching dawn. Pillars of white smoke billowed through the air along with a thick cloud of dust and dirt. The once vibrant, peaceful landscape carried an essence of destruction and death. There was no noise except the crackling of fire as it feasted on ancient trees. The land seemed to be in mourning over the losses caused by the great battle. It was as if Gaia, the spirit of Earth herself, was in pain and demanding a moment of silence for the heroes that perished here.

 

After what seemed like an eternity in stillness, a silent breeze danced across the devastated clearing. As if trying to reveal some secret hidden there. The dust cloud parted just enough to expose the crumpled form that lay on the tortured earth. It was that of a young woman curled on her side in a fetal position. Seemingly dead, her upper body was covered with scrapes and cuts while her legs were embedded with small shredded wood splinters. A low, raspy groan emitted from the woman's throat as her subconscious began to release its protective hold on her psyche.

 

A dream, this is all a dream. Kagome felt as though she were paralyzed. Inuyasha? Where are you? Her head felt as though it had been smashed with a boulder. She heard Inuyasha's voice calling out to her. It sounded like it was getting farther and farther away. Inuyahsa, I can't see you. She tried to raise her arm but found it felt as though weighed a thousand pounds. Please tell me where you are! Searching through the shadows of her mind, desperately seeking the hanyo who'd always been her protector, Kagome began to panic. Inuyasha?! Her ears strained in the darkness pleading for him to answer. When no response came her mind shifted to her other friends. Miroku? An image of the monk seated on Kirara reaching for someone appeared briefly. Only to fade away before Kagome could focus on what he was doing or who he was reaching for. Sango? She could see her best friend dressed in her black exterminator armor slashing away at... something… She tried with all her heart to see what Sango was fighting so fiercely. Where was Inuyasha? Why wasn't he helping Sango fend off her attacker? She couldn't see him anywhere. Her head began to throb a though it had its own heart beat.

 

Then, she heard it. That ominous laugh belonging to Delphin'e, the scorpion demon. The horrible, unforgettable cackle echoed through Kagome's mind causing her muscles to spasm as the images of the awful battle came flooding back. It was like watching a movie, some freaky horror show at the cinema she and her school friends would go to. The sky was black; the trees were being torn down and set ablaze. Sango appeared out of the shadows to battle the great beast. Kirara did a kamikaze dive to allow Miroku to hoist the young slayer to safety. Inuyasha! Kagome wanted to cry out but felt as though her throat was constricted. She couldn't breathe! Inuyasha where are you?!! Finally, she saw him. The half demon was clawing at the ground trying to reach her when… What? She couldn't remember! Something happened, but what? She tried to remember. Her heart began to ache but she didn't know why. It was as though something was missing. `Something or someone?' Her brain toyed with her. The white light! What happened before the white flash?

 

Gathering all her resolve to find the missing pieces of the puzzle, she felt a strange sensation come over her. It was distant, yet familiar. Of course! She'd had the same feeling just before the white light appeared. “Do you wish to know what happened to your friends?” asked a strange but soothing voice from deep within her. Kagome was not afraid of the stranger who had spoken. She felt safe and at peace. Yes. The miko silently pleaded. Instantly, the shroud of mystery lifts and she's back at the battle watching herself along with her comrades.

 

Sango, Miroku, and Kirara have fallen. They are being sucked up into the swirling sky! The scene switches to Inuyasha. Kagome feels as if her world is slipping away. She watches as the hanyo pushes his broken body to the limits trying to reach her. Trying to warn her about… What? He was afraid for her, but why? Then she sees them. Three funnel clouds about to pulverize her into nothing. Inuyasha! Her heart tries to scream. The pictures in her mind start to slow themselves. Like someone is pushing the pause button on her life. Feeling completely powerless to save him, Kagome watches as Inuyasha looses his grip on the soil and soars to his doom, yelling her name.

 

“INUYASHA!!!” The sound her own voice struggling to escape her throat brings Kagome fully back to reality. She heaves air into her lungs as if she were drowning. But instead of a refreshing breath, smoke and dust clog her air passage throwing her into a painful fit of coughing. Her limbs give an excruciating protest to the sudden movement.

 

As the coughing slows, she moves a hand to her chest. Kagome feels as though her throat is on fire and her mouth is full of cotton. Am I dead? She struggles to open her eyes. At first, her vision is hazy causing her to blink. Her whole body aches when she tries to sit up. The arm which she was laying on began to tingle, finally able to regain circulation from her weight being on it for such a long period of time.

 

Inuyasha, she looks around the barren field. “Inuyasha?” She called pulling her legs under her in an attempt to stand. The sensation of razors ripping at her skin caused her to drop back to the ground wincing. “What the…” Noticing blood coming from the entry wounds of the splinters, she ran her hands over her throbbing calves. Tears filled the young miko's eyes. This isn't real. She tried to rid herself of the images in her head and the scene of devastation before her. This is all some sort of trick! One of Naraku's spells, he's trying to divide us. She thought angrily.

 

“Well, he won't get away with it!” Gingerly, she began to pull the shards of wood from her legs. She groaned louder with each extraction. “Dammit Naraku,” mutters the tattered girl, “You won't get away with thiii… OUCH!” The last splinter was out. Well, all the big ones at least. “Do you hear me?” She yells at no-one, “You won't get away with this! I won't let you!”

 

“Are you so sure this is Naraku's doing?” It was that same gentle voice she'd heard in her dream. Only it seemed clearer now, as if someone was standing before her.

 

“It has to be him!” Kagome spat in defiance.

 

“It has to be the truth. Not what you wish it to be.”

 

Once again, she saw her friends disappear into the swirling night. “It's not true!” She saw Inuyasha reaching for her. “No!” She squeezed her eyes shut to block out the voice and her pain. She felt Inuyasha in her arms. She could feel his face in her hands, the scent of his skin played in her nostrils. “Inuyasha?” she gasped opening her eyes to find no trace of her beloved hanyo.

 

Tears fell from her forsaken blue eyes.

 

“No,” she whimpered weakly.

 

“It is the truth. Nothing more.”

 

Kagome placed her hands on the ground and attempted to rise once more. Her thighs cried out for mercy as she ascended to her full height. She wiped her eyes then began removing leaves from her hair. A deafening silence surrounded her. She played the dreadful pictures in her mind once more looking around. Hoping in vain to see her comrades come into view. This is stupid! She closed her fists at her side. Taking a breath, she started to walk. As to her destination, she didn't know. There's no way Inuyasha was gone! He'd never leave her. Never! She broke into a slow jog.

 

“Inuyasha!” She cupped her hands around her mouth, “Answer me please! I need to know if you're okay! Inuyashaaaa!!” Nothing but the sound of her feet hitting the ground could be heard. Feeling as though her heart was dying inside her the tears flowed faster now.

 

Shippo!! Her mind cried. She didn't remember seeing the little fox vanish with all the others. Her movement stopped and she turned to face the area where she was laying. “Shippo!” she called hopefully. No response. “Shippo,” louder this time.

 

“They're gone.” The voice said sadly.

 

“NO!” Kagome covered her ears. “Shut up! He's fine!” she cried, “They're all fine!” She needed to get away from all this madness! Voices in her head. Her friends all gone. Kagome felt as if she were going crazy! `I'm not going anywhere.' The promise she made to Inuyasha rang in her mind. `I'll always be here for you. No matter what.' All the pain inside came bubbling to the surface.

 

“INUYASHA!!” Liquid heartache poured from her eyes. She began to run. Screaming for the half-demon with every new breath. That didn't last long though. Her hysteria came to an abrupt halt when her foot became entangled with something sticking out of the ground. She pitched forward throwing out her arms in an effort to catch herself, twisting her ankle in the process.

 

Rolling over, she pulled her self in a sitting position. Her breath came in short gasps and her bottom lips quivered as she reached down to touch her swelling ankle. A tingling sensation pranced up her leg when her fingers touched the tender spot. That's it! She silently cursed. This nightmare has got to end. Inuyasha will come for me. He always comes for me. She still refused to believe what her eyes had witnessed. Her heart wouldn't give up hope. Bending her knee, she reached past her filthy white sneaker to find whatever it was that had tripped her. After feeling around for a few seconds her fingers came in contact with something hard. A questioning wrinkle crossed her brow as she though, “what a strange feeling root. This can't be a tree root, it seems too thin.”

 

Curious to what the object was she scooted closer to it, wincing when her foot flexed with the movement. Her fingers began to dig a small circle around where the object was protruding through the earth. Whatever it was, it was sticking out at a diagonal angle. Something that resembled worn leather could now be felt and she gripped the object trying to pull it loose. It wouldn't budge. Dammit. The young girl pursed her lips in determination. Cupping her hands, she started to scoop dirt away.

 

After working at it for awhile, Kagome decided to try to pull the item free again. With a deep breath she strained her arms and it popped out with ease. She lost her balance slightly because she'd put too much force into heaving. She gasped at what she held in her hands. Memories of her time in the Feudal Era came flooding to her. “Shut up and let me protect you!”: the battle with Sesshomaru at the Great Dog Demon's tomb; countless battles with Naraku, Menomaru, Kaguya, the Band of Seven, the Birds of Paradise, Juromaru and Kageromaru; the numerous times she's been kidnapped; and most recently, the sealing of Sou'unga.

 

Tears filled her eyes once again as she stared down into her palms. “No,” she whispered through a blur of fresh tears. Closing her fingers around it, she hugged it to her chest. “No! PLEASE NO!” came a painful sob. The frayed dam holding her emotions was finally broken. All the pain, heartache, loss, loneliness, and regret tore free in a raging river of sorrow.

 

All alone. Kagome squeezed Tetsusaiga with all her might against her broken heart. Throwing her head back to face the sky, “INUYASHAAAAAA!!” she wailed to the heavens, her mournful cry echoed through the wilderness.