InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Wishmaster ❯ From One Master to Another, Part Nine: Naraku, Part Two ( Chapter 11 )

Jaken huffed and puffed as he ran to keep up with his master. The youkai lord had suddenly put on a burst of speed that the imp hadn't known he'd possessed. There was a sense of urgency in the air. Jaken felt it and he had no doubts that the daiyoukai felt it as well. Granted, he had Uhn and Ah to keep control over. If he didn't, the two-headed dragonet might not have even bothered to keep up with Sesshomaru and just to keep watch over Rin. However, he had no desire to be left behind. Oh no, Jaken didn't. He wished to assist his master however he could, even if it meant his death in the process. That's how loyal the imp felt himself to be to Sesshomaru. Jaken started to open his mouth to say something when Sesshomaru glanced back.

 

“Jaken . . . you and Rin stay here. I will be right back.”

 

“But my lord . . . I . . .”

 

“Stay here, Jaken. Guard Rin. Do not let her out of your sight. Do not disobey me.”

 

His tone left no room for argument. It never did. Jaken nodded, fighting back a sigh.

 

“Yes, my lord.”

 

Keeping a hold of Uhn and Ah's reigns, Jaken came to a stop and watched as his lord continued on. He had a very bad feeling about this. A very bad feeling.

 

* * *

 

Naraku smiled as he observed the gathering forces against him. He had perched himself on top of his castle so he wouldn't have to rely on Kanna's mirror to show him what was going on. Besides, he'd given the child incarnation a more important task . . . like keeping his human heart protected from his enemies. That was one of many ways he intended to win the final battle. He held the other two.

 

In his right hand, he held the nearly complete Shikon no Tama, the jewel glowing darkly from all of the deceit and misery he had created just for the sole purpose of tainting it. In his left, the violet inkpot, something he couldn't corrupt but still use. Behind him stood a sober yet subservient Inuyasha. The wind picked up and blew his hair in all different directions, bringing the scents of his enemies towards him.

 

For once, he felt . . . invincible. Like nothing could harm him. Ever. Sure, there was the possibility that either the Shikon no Tama or the inkpot could be taken away from him in the course of the upcoming battle but as long as he held one, he'd be able to keep a hold of the other. Nothing could destroy his current jovial mood.

“They're all coming, Inuyasha,” he murmured. “All of them. Can you believe it? Coming to their own demise. They don't even know it yet. Soon . . . very soon . . . Sesshomaru's power will be mine . . . and that little miko of yours will be mine as well. The world will be at my feet . . . and there isn't anything anyone can do to stop me.”

 

He turned around to face the silver-haired hanyou, the smile still on his face. Calmly, he approached his former nemesis. The natural born hanyou just stood there, his expression slightly saddened. No insults were being hurled at him, no threats . . . he couldn't wait to see the expressions on Inuyasha's friends' faces when they saw the hanyou assisting him and willingly at that.

 

`It's going to be so delicious, the scents of their anger and feelings of betrayal . . . I can almost taste it.'

 

“And you're going to help me . . . aren't you, Inuyasha?”

 

“Yes, master.”

 

Naraku's smile grew wider. How he loved that docile tone! He reached out and caressed Inuyasha's cheek with a single finger before placing a somewhat chaste kiss on the hanyou's lips. He loved how stunning the boy looked, his silvery-white hair blowing gently in the wind. The deep shades of blue of Inuyasha's outfit gave the inu hanyou the appearance of glowing. Naraku couldn't resist tasting the boy before he spoke again.

 

“Then I wish for the Shikon no Tama to be complete . . .”

 

* * *

 

“Ayame, stop!”

 

At hearing the somewhat panicked tone in her human companion's voice, the wolf demoness came to a stop. Abu immediately leapt from her back then took several steps in front of her. She watched as his frame tensed and as he looked around.

 

“Do you sense that?” he inquired in a hushed voice. “Can you feel that? This isn't good. I can feel it. It isn't good. It isn't good at all.”

 

“No . . .” she began, shaking her head then she paused, opening her senses up more.

 

At first, she couldn't detect anything. It was like her senses had become muddied or something. Then Ayame shivered as a dark and ominous feeling crept into her heart. She sank to her knees, her heart dropping in her chest.

 

“We're too late. Naraku has the inkpot.”

 

* * *

 

Inuyasha watched as the Shikon no Tama became complete before his very eyes. Then Naraku began to make wish after wish on the tainted jewel, his entire form glowing a violet hue from the amount of power infusing itself into his body.

 

For the first time in a very long time, Inuyasha felt helpless. He could practically taste Naraku's power as it radiated from him. It wouldn't be too much longer before the infusion would be complete and then nothing would be able to stop the dark hanyou. And all he could do was watch.

 

'No! There has to be something that I can do,' he told himself. 'There just has to be!'

 

Above them, the sky began to darken. Thunder rolled, the wind picked up some more, and Inuyasha's mind started to race . . .

 

* * *

 

“Rin! Come back here! Rin!” came the squawk.

 

The young girl paid no heed to the imp as she continued to run in the direction that Sesshomaru had gone in. She couldn't explain it but she just had to catch up with the demon lord. She just had to. Something was pulling her, causing her to run. It was a feeling, something she couldn't shake. Something bad was going to happen if she didn't reach her lord.

 

“I'm coming, Lord Sesshomaru,” she panted. “I'm coming.”

 

Little did she know how right she'd be.

 

* * *

 

“Ryu.”

 

The youkai monk kept his gaze cool as his younger brother came into view. As always, Sesshomaru looked like the prince that he was. Calm, collected, and unfettered. Not quite the spitting image of their father but close.

 

“Sesshomaru,” he nodded. “It's about time you got here.”

 

“Spare me your so-called humour, Ryu,” the younger youkai growled. “What are you doing here?”

 

“I'm here to aid you and our younger brother's friends,” Ryu stated coolly. “And before you start your spiel about how you can do this on your own, how it's your fight, let me just say this. It's going to take all of us to defeat Naraku. You, me, the humans that traveled with Inuyasha, the wolf tribe . . . everyone. That's how much Naraku's power is increasing . . . he has an inkpot that contains a great power. It can grant whoever possesses it any kind of wish he or she desires.”

 

Sesshomaru's eyes widened some. Barely noticeable to a human, even to one like Miroku, but Ryu saw it. But there was something else in his brother's eyes. Something he couldn't identify. Before he could say anything more, Sesshomaru nodded then started to run towards Naraku's castle.

 

“If you're coming then I suggest the two of you get moving,” the daiyoukai called back. “Or I will not save anything for either of you.”

 

* * *

 

Allah smiled to herself as the players fell into place. Now all that she needed to do was get the inkpot away from Naraku . . . and into the hands of the small child that followed Sesshomaru around. She knew how she'd accomplish that, too. All she had to do was get herself and her new ally into place. Her gaze landed on the demoness in front of her.

 

For a moment, Allah said nothing. She didn't really trust the female before her, especially since said female had just abandoned her previous master. Those who betrayed their previous masters or allies were more than capable of betraying their current friends or allies. Bitter lessons had taught Allah that. However, in order for her plan to work, she needed the youkai. She needed to come and claim what was rightfully hers. Of course, she couldn't let Abu know that she was there. She just had to get the inkpot to the girl and then Abu could get the inkpot away from the girl. That was her plan and it would work. After all, no one would expect interference from someone like her. Allah also couldn't say that she blamed the demoness for wanting revenge on the master that had been so cruel to her. She herself had been a servant to someone and had been mistreated. Mistreated servants had a funny way of rebelling and of killing their masters in their rebellions. If they didn't kill their masters in the process, they died. She'd been one of the lucky ones. Not only had she killed her master, she'd managed to somehow obtain his lands and his wealth in the process. That was why she had gone out of her way to have genies as her servants. Created genies, that was. They could grant an innumerable amount of wishes and she'd never have to abandon the objects that contained them. Not like those who wished to become genies. So-called natural genies were limited. Created genies weren't. They also weren't allowed to harm anyone. No genie was. Sure, they could make life hell, depending on the personality of the person before he or she became a genie (those who wished to become a genie, at least), but the genie still couldn't harm the master. That had been an added bonus, in her opinion.

 

`Naraku, you are such a fool . . . you will never learn . . . not even in your death, will you learn. Stupid fool. I pity you.'

 

Finally, she addressed the woman before her.

 

“Are you ready for this . . . Kagura?”

 

“Hai. I'm ready. Let's do this.”

 

“Are you sure you're ready?” Allah raised an eyebrow at her. “You could lose your life by assisting me . . . Naraku could very well kill you.”

 

“I know,” came the quiet reply. “But it'll be worth it. I know it will be.”

 

“Then let us begin.”