Disclaimer I own neither Inu Yasha nor Yu Yu Hakusho.
It was the beating that shook her.
With each pounding step, it grew louder and louder, as if her heart were to burst. One mantra echoed in her head, I must go on.
Shadowed voices whispered sweet nothings into her head. Willing her to stop, to give up the fight, and let them take control once more. But she could not, and she ran faster. Ignoring that the soles of her shoes were worn thin so that she felt the earth. Each stone, twig, butchering her feet, with a brief reprieve into the stinging cool dirt.
I must go on.
Tears blinded her eyes, the memories were surging forth. Not certain if it was of a dream or what happened on that day. But she only had this, and so little time left. She would save them this time. She would.
We could end this. Tendrils of their promise chilled her mind. Almost wishing she could stop, scream out in rage and agony, just curl up and finally let go. It would be so easy. They were back, sensing her resolve weakening .
Not this time. She would not stop this time.
Wisps of smoke whirled up from the mist of the forest, images of her family. The one that fought so fierce, the ones that would die again.
Yes, Kagome grant us this one wish. Let us rest. It was Sango's weary voice, her battered figured forming from the mist before. Kagome only closed her eyes. Not thinking, not wondering why the jewel would do this. Why wish for her love ones death? No. She focused on the thundering of her steps, the blistering pain of her feet. The thousand starches that littered her arms and legs.
All at once their voices rose, Inu Yasha's trembling in pain, Miroku's solemn despair and Shippo's whimper of fear; all begging her to stop, to turn back. Louder their pleading came, yet she persisted counting the falls of her steps. Not voicing the sobs that were clenched in her throat, nor letting the tears fall from her eyes. She pushed herself faster, never opening her eyes. This path, she knew. And there was only one direction she was interesting in going.
A wind rose against her adding its eternal howl to their cries. It was all she could hear. Their suffering. Breathing in, she let it drive her on, turning their words to suit her and not them.
Then everything stopped. Not even whispers floated in the air, leaving an oppressive silence. Kagome didn't even stumble. Yet that did not stop the shivers that slither down her spine, the fear that wound around her chest.
Only when the graciously soft grass sooth her feet, did she opened her eyes. They were frozen. Mere seconds before each individual death would replay. The void in Miroku's hand widening to an all consuming fury. Sango unwilling to kill her brother as they fought, unaware of the tentacle that would slam through her. Kagome did not even glance at the rest, it would be too much. This scene will not come to life. And she will not let them have their rest.
Her eyes only held onto the center of the massive of tentacles and poison. So consumed was it by its own darkness that it no longer had a form, but the feeling of the horror. That made her hands turned to ice, and her stomach churn. Even nature recoiled at the mere presence of such a thing. The immediate area surrounding it was barren and charred.
As she raced towards him, against her own will, she slowed. The air becoming so oppressive even in this frozen time, that it felt like she could barely move. Its shadows flickered, and a movement became alive.
Without thinking, she rushed headlong into the thickness of such blackness that even the night had forsaken. In the center, she meet its eyes. Hers were neither cruel nor kind, only steel. She caught what she could of the form, embraced it fully. There was no unearthly battle yell nor a large blast piercing the darkness.
A gentle stirring of blue light that started as something small and grew, softly washing away all that was dark and evil. Yet it could have survived, recollect itself once more. If not for that. And against that it could not last. Those whispered words that gave rise to this wave.
"I will not fail."
Her eyes fluttered closed with the feeling of time recollecting itself and once again begin to move. The tide receded. As ribbons did the calming blue wrap itself around its keeper once more settling into her. The thunderous beating halted.
Life ceased for a moment.
Then the sun rose. A lazy golden eye cast lavenders and pinks across the distant clouds; its rays catching every dew drop make the flowers gems and the leaves emeralds, all sparkling. Encased in the spring floral, lied a little kitsune, auburn hair loosed and wild, clothes tattered at the edges, paw feet bared.
He sprung up. His heart racing, with the distant impression of something being wrong, but unable to recall. Was it the nightmare? That had him still trembling, his hands shaking so that he gripped his pants to still them.
Searching his surroundings, but his gaze took nothing in. The trees high and swaying in the light breeze, birds fluttering and chirping their early morning nonsense. Yet still… something was off. The air chiller then it had right to be with a day full of such promise. There was no fire going, and the others were gone.
The others. A cloud settled over his mind. Images flashed of warmth and comfort, but nothing clear; he was missing something. Where was she? This isolation was wrong. Someone should be here. He knew it. Where was the one, almost mother?
If he could remember nothing else, he would remember her.
A scent struck out at him, sweet and familiar. She was near. Shippo bound off, tripping and stumbling, still light-headed from some reason he was unwilling to recall. It did not matter now. Kagome was near.
I decided to add a bit more to this chapter.