Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Bloodline ❯ Sacrifice ( Chapter 12 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 12 – Sacrifice

Shishio grinned as he eyed the blade in his predecessor's hand. "You have chosen to fight me with a sakabatou when a katana rests at your hip." he remarked with a hint of laughter lacing his voice. "You truly do not deserve the Hitokiri Battousai title."

Kenshin's fist tightened around the hilt. Somewhere inside him the rurouni must still be trying to settle this without killing but if it came down to it he would draw the katana and kill Shishio. He would get Kaoru back even if he had to break his vow to do it. "It doesn't matter what I hold in my hand, I will take her back from you."

A humorless chuckle drifted into the room, "You can try but you will not succeed, she is mine for the rest of her life." Stepping out from in front of Kaoru Shishio's grin widened, with a sweeping gesture of a hand he motioned to his captive, "You can ask her if you like."

Kenshin's eyes narrowed as Kaoru's head snapped up. "Only until I can find a way to kill you, you bastard, and trust me I will." She bit out hotly.

Shishio ignored her outburst and strode across the floor to face him. "Shall we begin? She and I have an appointment in Tokyo and I wouldn't want to be late, those I wish to see have waited a long time to see me."

Kenshin slid his eyes from Kaoru to Shishio and back. He could feel her emotions swinging from anger to hopelessness and back again, her eyes reflecting each one. A sense of foreboding slipped into his skin as he continued to watch the emotions play across her face. There was something he didn't know and whatever it was was tearing her apart. Shifting his eyes back to Shishio he ignored the sinking feeling that something was terribly wrong and settled himself waiting for the first strike. He couldn't afford to be distracted now, he knew Shishio was going to be a challenge but he would beat him and get Kaoru back, of that he was sure.

At that moment Shishio flew forward on silent feet his katana poised and aimed to strike him across the chest. Racing forward to meet him their blades clashed with such force both were pushed back, the crash of steel against steel echoing around room sharply. Skidding to a halt Kenshin only had a second before Shishio was on him again, his blade bearing down to slice into his shoulder. Flinging up his own to block he pushed Shishio off and sprang at him slamming the dull edge of his blade into his enemy's chest as hard as he could.

A pain filled cry exploded in the room. Tearing his eyes from Shishio, Kenshin glanced at the dais. Kaoru sat clutching her chest as tears streamed from her tightly closed eyes, pain etched into every line of her face. His protective side flared to life with choking strength, flying at Shishio he flipped his blade and aimed it straight for the grinning man's sword arm, "What the hell have you done to her?!"

Shishio shifted to the side and swung his blade up to block, flinging Kenshin back again. "I told you she is mine," He replied with a smile. "Whatever happens to me will happen to her, she is bound to me...do you understand? She...is...mine!"

Kenshin's eyes flashed angrily and he took a precious moment to try to understand just what his successor meant. And that split second of distraction was all the time Shishio needed to strike again.

With speed Kenshin didn't expect, Shishio flew forward, his katana poised to take him in the stomach. Seeing the blade too late, the redhead reflexively blocked and managed to deflect the katana slightly but it still wasn't enough. A pain-filled grunt tore from his throat as the blade bit deep, cutting a wide line across his chest. Stumbling backwards with a groan Kenshin slammed hard into a wall behind him, the shock of it caused another jolt of pain to rip through his chest. All of a sudden, from deep inside him, a surge of unbridled power exploded in his limbs and with amber eyes flashing he shoved off the wall and flew across the room. Seconds before his blade connected with Shishio's he flipped it and dragged the sharp edge up across Shishio's chest. "She will never be yours, not while I live!"

Another wail ripped through the room tearing at his soul. Swinging his head around Kenshin stared dumbfounded by the sight before him. Kaoru sat curled forward on the dais a bright golden glow engulfing her entire body. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the same glow encircle Shishio and he swung his attention back to his enemy in time to watch the wound he had just inflicted healed before his eyes.

With sudden clarity everything snapped together with an almost audible click as the glow faded around them both. What Shishio had said was true, Kaoru was bound to him somehow and because of this he couldn't die. Whatever was inside of her would heal his enemy no matter how hard he tried to kill him. Rage like he'd never felt before gripped ahold of him stealing his breath away. With godlike speed he flew at Shishio and slammed him to the floor, throwing the sakabatou away he drew the katana and pressed the edge of blade tight against the grinning man's neck. "Let. Her. Go. Now!"

Shishio chuckled. "Do it Battousai and all you will do is cause her more pain, face it...you cannot kill me." Shoving Kenshin off he stood to face his nemesis again. "There is no way to break the bond, she is mine..." throwing a sultry glance her way Shishio smiled "...all of her."

Kenshin couldn't contain the growl that bubbled up from deep inside. "Bastard" he bit out between clenched teeth, glaring murderously at Shishio. His hand tightened around the hilt of the katana as he fought to keep the red haze threatening to engulf his mind from succeeding. He knew Shishio was trying to goad him into doing something rash and he couldn't allow that. He needed a level head to figure out how to take Kaoru back from the bastard. Forcefully calming himself down he focused his mind on the problem before him. There had to be a way to break the bond, there had to be a weakness, one place that would assure Shishio's death even if he was bound to Kaoru. Suddenly it came to him as he eyed the tall man, maybe...just maybe that would do it. His heart twisted painfully as he glanced to Kaoru, to break it he would have to hurt her again. He wasn't sure if he could do that, but if he didn't he would never set her free.

For the briefest of moments Kenshin hesitated then he steeled himself for the scream he knew would come and shot forward with god-like speed again. At the last minute he flipped the hilt of the katana in his hand so he was holding it like a dagger and brought it up to pierce Shishio straight through the heart. This had to do it, if it didn't she would be lost to him forever.

Watching his enemy come, Shishio simply grinned as the blade come up and knocking it away with his free arm then shoved the redhead back and dove at him driving his katana straight through his shoulder. With a vicious yank he ripped a gaping hole in the soft flesh. "That won't work, she's already tried."

Kenshin gritted his teeth and stumbled backwards gripping the wound in his shoulder. Bumping into the wall he leaned heavily against the support and stared at the floor fighting the wave of nausea that washed over him. With effort he slid his eyes off the floor and glared at the man grinning in front of him. How in the hell was he going to break the bond? There had to be a way.

Kaoru closed her eyes against the sight of Kenshin's blood exploding from the wound and clenched her fists tight enough to draw blood. She couldn't take anymore. Shishio was going to kill him, there was no doubt in her mind the bastard would do it. The absolute glee she felt filtering through the bond was pushing her perilously close to the edge. Lifting shaking hands, she clutched her head and fought to keep herself calm, she couldn't lose control now, she still needed to find the way to end this nightmare. She couldn't let Shishio win, she would not let him kill Kenshin. She would rather die than allow him to die because of her.

Sliding her eyes back open, Kaoru felt her heart plunge to her feet as she watched Kenshin shoot towards Shishio again. She had to stop this now!

Fighting to keep a hold on the katana, Kenshin flew towards Shishio trying to ignore the numbness seeping down his arm. He had one last shot, if a strike to the heart wouldn't kill Shishio then maybe taking his head would.

A sudden surge of fear made Kaoru's breath catch painfully in her throat as she slid her eyes from Kenshin to Shishio. She could see it in Shishio's eyes, feel it sliding along the bond ...triumph. Shishio knew exactly what Kenshin was going to do and he was ready. "No...no...no...," she whispered shaking her head. There had to be away to stop him. She couldn't let Kenshin die. Crumbling under the strain she lost the battle to stay calm and the barrier cracked under the pressure; allowing small tendrils of power to push through the hole.

"STOOOOP!" Kaoru screamed, clutching her head with shaking hands.

Kenshin skidded to halt as the scream echoed around the room, the force behind it enough to make the hair on his arms stand on end. Swinging his head around he stared in shock as a subdued golden glow materialized around Kaoru, the illumination slowly growing brighter as he watched. All of a sudden the ground began to shiver and shake beneath his feet causing him to stumble back and fall to one knee. Sheathing the katana before it fell from his hand he continued to stare awestruck as the radiance surrounding Kaoru increased, the ground heaving more violently simultaneously. The realization that this was the reason Shishio wanted her struck him like a fist. This was the same power that had leveled the village so many years ago. But Kaoru was fighting it, he could feel determination emanating off her. She was trying to keep it from breaking loose with every last bit of willpower she had.

Fighting her own battle, Kaoru's eyes unfocused as she desperately tried to seal the crack. The power pushed more fiercely against the wall holding it back causing another larger crack to materialize just as she sealed the first. Quickly focusing on that one she was just about to attempt to repair it when she was suddenly locked in a tight grip, the invisible strings wrapping around her with frightening strength making it difficult to breath.

"Lock it down, sweet angel, or I won't be the one to kill him...you will."

Kaoru froze as icy fear turned her blood to ice. The truth of Shishio’s words rang in her head, she could do it, she could kill Kenshin with nothing more than her mind if she lost control. Renewing the fight she sealed the crack and fought to calm herself down. A couple a moments later she finally managed to relax enough to calm the beast within and she sagged forward as Shishio released his hold, resting her forehead on the cool wood. Soundless tears spilled from her eyes as a deadening hopelessness seeped into her very bones, "Someone help me...please...I can't let him die."

As if in answer to her plea the floor suddenly fell out from underneath her as an almost deafening roar filled her ears. Seconds later it slammed back up and silence descended heavily causing a wave of disorientation to wash over her making her head spin. Shaking it off Kaoru slowly lifted her head and stared wide-eyed in disbelief at the sight before her. Kenshin and Shishio were gone. The now darkened room was empty except for the dancing shadows cast by the flickering light of the few candles lining the walls. She rubbed her eyes to see if the scene would change and shook her head when it remained the same.

Where could the two men have gone?

Slowly, the feeling of being stared at filtered into her subconscious making her skin crawl and Kaoru hesitantly turned her head to glance over her shoulder. Her heart stopped when her eyes clashed with the hard angry gaze of a regal looking man sitting stiffly in the middle of the dais. Shooting to her feet she stumbled off the dais and backed away from him; her heart pounding so hard she was sure he could hear it. After several hurried steps, she finally managed to stop her flight and stood stock still waiting for some kind of reaction to her presence. When none came she eyed him confused, why wasn't he noticing her appearance.  The sense she didn’t belong here was obvious and yet it didn't seem to faze him a bit. Tilting her head to the side she continued to watch and wait her nerves tightening a lit bit more with each passing second. Why wasn't he doing anything?

After what felt like an eternity of absolute silence it finally hit her, for some reason he couldn't see her he wasn't staring at her but through her. As if she was only a phantom in this place. A wave of relief washed through her causing a small nervous chuckle to escape her throat against her will. At least she didn't have to worry about being run through with the katana that rested at his hip. Rubbing her forehead she forcefully unknotted her nerves and glanced over her shoulder to see what it was that held his undivided attention. Her brow furrowed as she scanned the empty room behind her, there was nothing there but the closed shoji that lead out into the mansion, why would that warrant such a glare.

With a shrug Kaoru turned her attention back to the man on the dais and took the opportunity to take a closer look. There was something about him that seemed familiar, she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was but for some reason he reminded her of someone. His seated form stood almost as tall as her making her feel like a dwarf beside a giant. His raven black hair was pulled back into a low ponytail trailing down his back, and his face was a plane of chiseled angles so well defined they looked to be sculpted instead of real. He would've been a very handsome man if it wasn't for the steely set of his jaw and the hard angry look in his eyes. Gazing into those hard black eyes it dawned on her who this man reminded her of...Shishio.

The soft grating of the shoji sliding open behind her snapped her out of her perusal. Spinning around her heart stopped when her eyes came to rest on the carbon copy of herself stepping into the room. Shifting her attention back to the man her eyes wandered to the painting on the wall behind him...a painting of the woman who had just stepped into the room. Realization struck her with an almost physical blow, these two people were Aiko and Kisho, her and Makoto's ancestors.

Kaoru fell to her knees as the room began to spin, her stomach pitching along with it. Bracing herself she stared at the floor and took several slow even breaths to try to calm her racing heart. How could this be? How could she be in the past? What force could have brought her here? Why had they brought her here?

"Where is she?" Kisho suddenly growled from the dais, breaking through the questions swirling in her mind.

Shaking her head Kaoru sat back on her heels and wiped clammy sweat from her forehead as she watched Aiko walk sedately to the center of the room.  A slow smile lit up her ancestor's face as she neared the dais.

"She is gone beyond your reach, you will never find her."

An unholy chuckle came from the dais freezing Kaoru's blood.

"Nothing is beyond my reach, she will be found and brought back to face her destiny, she will not escape me so easily."

The smile fell from Aiko's lips as she continued to stare at the man in front of her, shaking her head sadly she whispered, "You will never find her I will make sure of that." With a sigh Aiko shifted her eyes to the floor, "Why did it have to come to this, my mother warned me of what would happen but I didn't believe her. I never thought the gift I gave you would twist you into this greedy, hateful man." Raising her eyes again one tear traced a wet path down her cheek, "You are no longer the man that I fell in love with."

Kaoru winced as a needle of pain pierced her heart, the infinite sadness lacing her ancestor's voice touching something deep within. Gazing at Aiko she saw the truth etched into every line of her delicate features. Aiko had lost it all when she'd offered Kisho her blood, everything she'd ever cared about had died when Kisho had taken what she'd offered and used it against her, bringing her nothing but pain. Unconsciously she reached out a driving need to ease her ancestor's pain overcoming all else. Beginning to rise she stopped short and sank back to the floor fighting the tears that tried to break free. There was nothing she could do to help her ancestor, she was simply an observer to this painful conversation that had happened so long ago.

A maniacal laugh drifted into the room pulling Kaoru's attention away, glancing back to Kisho she cringed at the insane look that had come into his eyes. "I am still the same man I have always been, my wife, but now with your blood flowing through my veins I am invincible. There is nothing that can stop me from ripping down the Tokugawa bakufu now. Soon, very soon all of Japan will be mine and when Kaiya is found I will bind her to Mamoru. Then I will hold in my hand the power to take the world."

Aiko sag to the floor, silent tears glistening on her cheeks in the flickering light, "If that is true then what I am about to do will be so much easier." Reaching into her obi her ancestor withdraw a dagger and laid it across her lap folding her hands over the blade.

Kisho laughed derisively, "There is no way to kill me, you told me that yourself."

Wiping the wetness from her cheeks a sad smile formed on Aiko's lips, "There is one way and now that I know Kaiya is safe it's time for me to end this."

Kaoru sat stunned as a sudden surge of hope flared to life in her chest. Was this why she was here? Would she finally find the answer to save everyone she loved? But her hopes were dashed in the next instant as she watched Aiko position the tip over her heart. She shook her head as silent tears made wet paths down her cheeks. Impossible, she had already tried to kill herself and it hadn't worked. With a weary sigh, she hung her head and tried unsuccessfully to stem the flow of tears, there really was no way to break free from Shishio or save the ones she loved. Shishio would win, he would destroy everything she loved just as Kisho had done to Aiko.

Curling even more into herself Kaoru almost didn't notice the soft golden glow slowly begin to illuminate the room. Surprised, she snapped her head back up and watched in wonder as Aiko continued to brighten, her golden highlights gleaming in the soft light now wrapping around her. And then, out of the corner of her eye, Kaoru saw the same glow encircle Kisho.

A guttural growl tore through the room as he shot to his feet and began to move towards Aiko. "I will not let you kill me bitch!"

A beautiful serene smile replaced the sad one as her ancestor gazed at the man she had once loved. "You have no choice, it ends now," she murmured so softly that Kaoru almost didn't hear, and then she thrust the blade deep into her chest. Kaoru flinched as Aiko's body spasmed before she collapsed into a heap on the polished floor, her blood beginning to pool beneath her in a growing crimson puddle. The golden glow faded slowly, dropping the room into semi darkness again.

A heartbeat later a heavy thud came from the dais and Kaoru tore her attention away from the horrific scene before her and swung her attention back to where she'd last seen Kisho. A gasp ripped from her throat when her eyes came to rest on her ancestor's unmoving body. Kisho lay on his side on the very edge of the dais, the hand clutching his chest doing nothing to stem the steadily growing pool of blood spreading out all around him; a look of pure hatred frozen forever on his handsome face.

He was dead, she knew without a doubt he was dead. This was it, this was the answer she'd been desperately searching for.

Her world suddenly went black as the floor fell out from beneath her again. A soft voice riddled with sadness filtered softly into her mind. 'Gomen, little one, that is the only way'.

In the next instant she was jolted back into her body and she felt a crushing numbness settle into her very bones as the full truth of what she'd just witnessed finally hit her. With effort she pushed herself up from the dais. Wiping the wetness from her cheeks with the back of her hand she hesitantly opened her eyes afraid of what she might find. A sigh escaped her lips when she saw Kenshin and Shishio in the exact same spot she'd last seen them. Kenshin was still kneeling on the floor his fiery red hair shadowing his features, a small puddle of blood forming at his side from the wound in his shoulder. Shishio stood across the room from him with a gleam in his eyes poised to attack with a triumphant grin plastered on his face. Shifting her eyes back to Kenshin her heart twisted painfully. She had found the answer but it was too late, she didn't have a weapon, there was no way she could stop Shishio.

Hanging her head she fought the hopelessness that threatened to swallow her. She had failed, she wouldn't be able to save the man she loved in time.

Out of the corner of her eye a piercing ray of sunlight caught her attention and she snapped her head back up in time to see Shishio shoot forward, his katana held low across his body for the killing blow. A sudden surge of hope spilled through Kaoru's veins as her eyes locked on the sundrenched blade... maybe there was a way to save Kenshin!

Without so much as another breath, Kaoru shot to her feet and hurtled off the dais. Throwing herself in front of Kenshin she threw her arms out to the side leaving her chest open for the blow that would hopefully take her life.

Shishio simply grinned and kept coming. "You cannot stop me from killing him, my dear, I will simply cut through you to get to him, you cannot die."

A serene peacefulness fell over Kaoru like a blanket as a small knowing smile came to her lips. Moments before the blade hit her she dropped the barrier and set the power free, a steadily brightening golden glow filling the room wrapping around them both. Her smile widened as Shishio's blood red eyes widened suddenly in horrified realization. She had won...he would die and Kenshin would live, there was no way he could stop it now.

Time slowed as she shifted her attention to the blade and watched it come up. Locking her knees to keep from falling she grimaced as the blade bit into her hip and carved a deep line up across her chest slicing clean through her heart and then everything went black.

Shishio snarled in fury as the blade dug deep into her body and sliced up through her chest. Excruciating pain tore a gasp from his throat as the wound split his flesh, mimicking hers. Trying unsuccessfully to wrench the blade away, his body spasmed when her heart split in two, his own splitting at the same time. By sheer force of will Shishio held onto consciousness for a few seconds longer and simply stared in awe at the woman before him. She had beaten him, somehow she had found the way to kill him and she hadn't hesitated at all in giving up her life to save the man she loved. Slipping slowly into the blackness that enfolded him he smiled, she had won but it had cost her dearly, she was going into death with him.

Behind them, Kenshin knelt in stunned silence as the scene played out before him in achingly slow motion he couldn’t stop. Shielding his eyes against the intense light radiating off of Kaoru he reached out to yank her out of Shishio's way when all of a sudden her presence vanished from his subconscious. His hand stopped as an unbearable pain ripped through him at their separation, leaving a huge empty hole in his soul. Dropping his hand his breath caught painfully in his throat as he watched her begin to crumple to the floor, the scent of her blood filling the air. In stunned horror he reached out and caught her limp body before she hit the floor and pulled her against his chest, desperately searching for some sign of life. But there was nothing.

A crushing emptiness settled deep into his bones as he gently cradled her to him. Brushing the stray locks of soft hair from her face with a shaking finger he revealed the peaceful look on her face and the slight smile gracing her lips. He would never see her glowing smile again or the shifting colors of her beautiful sapphire eyes as they darkened or lightened changing with her emotions. Running his finger lightly across her soft skin he didn't notice the lone tear that dripped from his eyes to drop soundlessly to her cheek. The finality of it all swept over him and tore into his soul, shredding the last remnants of hope.

Kaoru was really gone.

Kenshin clutched her lifeless body tight to his chest and buried his face in her hair. Rocking back and forth he whispered, 'not again', over and over and over, the past and the present blending together into one horrible reality.
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