A one shot from my very very favorite moment in the entire Inuyasha series. NO joke.
It picks up after Miroku and Sango enter Mt. Hakurei in persuit or Naraku. Miroku POV. ENJOY and REVIEW
Chapter 1: Hell
We sprinted up the corridor, the miasma of the evil around us growing ever stronger. The air was thick with Naraku's scent. He was definetely here, hiding in the sacred mountain. The bastard. The cave walls opened up, an enormous corridor coming into view. The walls glowed with a strange light, could this have something do with the priest that was supposed to be protecting this place.
Sango gasped beside me, her eyes scanning the high rock walls. "The aura," She whispered pulling her mask over her nose and mouth. "It is terrible in here."
I nodded slowly, my eyes turning up toward the ceiling hundreds of feet above. It was too quite. If Naraku was here there would surely be gaurds, Kagura, something.. I felt my breath lock in my lungs as a deep rumbling filled the air, a thousand demons speeding toward us from up above.
"Naraku's demons"! Sango cried, her hand tight on her hiraikutsu.
"It seems as if he doesn't wish to hide any longer." I whispered, my fingers curling around my prayer beads, itching to release the wind tunnel.
"Miroku saimiyosho!" Sango yelled, her finger flying at the giant insects hiding inside the horde of demons. "Don't open your wind tunnel, if you take in their poision you'll die". She said hurriedly sprinting in front of me.
I nodded quickly as she threw out the hiraikutsu with a grunt. Sifting in my robes, I pulled out a stack full of sutras. "Damn you"! I yelled thrusting the sutras through the air at the nearest demons, watching them wither and burn. I heard the echo of a woman's laugh radiating off the rocks, turning my eyes toward the ceiling I saw here. Kagura. "Kagura"! I yelled as she snickered mockingly.
"What a surprise, you two made it this far." She flicked her wrist casually, her eyes narrowing. "But I suppose Inuyasha couldn't get through the barrier could he? You're brave, I'll give you that".
"Kagura"! Sango yelled her voice filled with hatred and disgust.
"Don't think you two will make it out of here alive"! Kagura yelled, her fan falling through the air as her wind blades bored down on us.
We sprinted away, running toward the stair case winding up the rock walls. "So you don't want us to go any further? That must mean that Naraku is nearby"! Sango yelled cutting through several demons advancing on us.
"You fools". Kagura said cockily sending another wave of wind at us.
I climbed the stair case swiftly, the dead air of the corridor sinking into my lungs. Wood crashed and shattered behind me as half of the stairs were blown apart leaving a gaping hole. "Sango"! I yelled spinning backward as she leaped away from the hole.
"Miroku you go ahead"! She yelled her eyes flashing up at me. "Killing Naraku is our only concern"!
"I won't leave you"! I yelled back to her over the roars and hisses of the demons.
Sango threw the hiraikutsu into the air, slicing through several demons on it's path toward Kagura.
"Do you really expect I can be killed by you"?! Kagura yelled thrusting her fan through the air, creating a tornado of wind blades.
"Damn". Sango muttered as the hiraikutsu flew of into the distance, spinning and flipping through the air.
I saw her eyes widen and I turned to see what had captured her attention.
Kohaku! He stood not fifty feet from Kagura staring down at us silently. So he was here.
My head whipped around as Kagura yelled her voice shrill and menacing.
"Focus on your target wench!" She screamed as Sango turned her head, the hiraikutsu colliding into her gut and throwing her backward.
Everything slowed around me, time stopped as I watched her plummett down twenty flights of stairs. The roaring of the demons, the howling of Kagura's wind, I heard none of it. Everything in me focused on Sango as she thudded onto the ground, her head rolling against her shoulder. Without thinking, I leapt from the stairs, my heart falling into my gut as I screamed. "Sango"!
I landed with a thud on the ground, my feet aching as it connected with the wood. Ignoring the dull ache in my feet, I sprinted toward her unconcious body. Cupping my hand around her cheek, I pulled her head to face me. Her eyes were shut smoothly, her face a mask of peace. She wasn't waking up.. Could she be injured? There would be no doubt, if the hiraikutsu could cut through a demon's flesh what could save her petite frame? I leaned down toward her, my finger brushing across her cheek as she remained motionless. "Sango", I whispered to her sleeping face.
"It is funny houshi sama". Kagura said smoothly, her voice mocking as usual. "If you had gone on ahead, you would have survived a little while longer."
I lowered Sango's head to the wood silently, my blood on fire in my veins. How dare that wench mock me? She had no clue what I was capable of. Without Sango there'd be no restraint, the monster in my heart would consume everything around me. She was surely tempting fate. Rising to my feet, I turned to face her arrogant expression.
"You can't use the wind tunnel without being poisioned monk", She said motioning the saimiyosho.
"Just who do you think I am"?! I screamed, my anger boiling over and consuming me. "If in exchange for my life the woman I love can live". I whispered stealing a last glimpse at Sango. "Then my life means nothing to me"! I curled my hands around the prayer beads drawing them back swiftly.
I'm sorry Sango.. But you must survive this.
Chapter 2: Heaven
I braced myself as the wind exploded from my palm, consuming everything in it's path. Planting my feet into the ground, I watched demon after countless demon disappear through the void. Several saimiyosho disappeared, their poision entering my viens immediately. It pulsed through me, thick and burning, desperately trying to reach my heart. I cringed, trying to push the pain from my mind. It meant nothing to me. Not if Sango could live.
I winced as more poison entered my blood, each ounce of it fighting for control of my body. I couldn't stop until they were dead, until Sango was safe. My hand was riddled with pain, burning until it was numb. Quickly closing my fingers over the void, I turned back to Sango. Collecting her limp body in my arms, I draped her over my shoulder carefully. Clenching the strap of the hiraikutsu tightly, I turned and sprinted up the stairs.
With each step I took, it brought the poison closer to my heart. Each breath I took only intensified the pain. It didn't matter. Nothing did now.
I carried Sango toward the hole in the steps, her light body feeling to me like it weighed a thousand pounds because of the poison weakening my body. Yet as the poison tried to drain away my strength, my body willed itself forward. I had a reason to live, her on my shoulder. One reason to exist. Her. One reason to keep myself moving until by body shattered under the weight of the poison.
Dropping the hiraikutsu over the hole, I eyed the demon's darkly. Hatred radiated out of me, stronger and more potent than anything I ever felt. Even stronger than my hatred for Naraku. But how could that be? Perhaps it was Sango feeding this hate. Or rather, my love for her.
"If you value your lives you will not come any closer!" I screamed at the beasts as I edged carefully over the hiraikutsu to the other side.
Reaching the sturdy side of the steps, I snatched the hiraikutsu up and broke into a mad sprint. "It seems some of you value your miserable lives after all". I hissed at the beasts as they remained still.
Nearing the top of the staircase, I could feel the demons approaching my exposed back.
"Wind tunnel"! I screamed spinning on my heel, my hand consuming more demons as well as saimiyosho.
My body screamed in protest as the poison intensified, quickly overpowering my muscles. With my last vestiages of strength, I willed my feet forward once more. Please don't come after me, if I continue to consume more poison I will-
My mind went dark as my body collapsed, the poison taking control of my limbs. My feet stumbled blindly across the ground, the rest of my body falling forward. Sango slumped from my shoulder limply, her body hitting the ground just before I fell on top of her.
Weakly curling myself protectively around her, my mind screamed at my body to rise.
The poison was too great, thick and heavy, keeping me pinned to the floor. I winced, the poison clawing it's way at my heart.
This is it.. I am going to die. I thought to myself as I attempted to rise onto my elbows.
My eyes flickered over her face, peaceful and perfect. Just as I loved to see. A beautiful death. Indeed this would be a beautiful death with her face being the last image to flash across my mind.
I breathed heavily, my chest pressing into hers. Forgive me Sango.. I have failed.
My vision blurred, the corners of my eyes darkening as I fell heavily against her. Sango.. My mind whispered before I faded into darkness.
I awoke in a field, the ground covered in white flowers. I peered up at the sky, a clear blue. So this was heaven.
I sighed as I stared walking, the blades of grass and leaves brushing against my ankles. I looked up as I stood in the center of the field, my eyes dancing back to the sky. The only thing that would make this more perfect is if Sango was here.
As if the sky heard my thoughts, I saw the shillouette of a woman kneeling a few feet away. Gliding slowly behind her back, I looked over her long dark hair.
She was leaning forward, her hands cupping the flowers as she weeped.
"Sango". I whispered, her cries continuing.
"Miroku"! She weeped, her eyes flooding with tears. How I hated to see her cry. I wanted nothing more than to collect her in my arms and crush her against my chest.
"I'm here love". I whispered kneeling behind her. "I've always been here, there's been so many things I wanted to say to you."
"Miroku please!" She cried, her eyes squeezing tightly shut.
I touched her shoulder, my body shifting around her so I saw her face. "Sango"?
"Miroku please wake up"! She sobbed, her eyes opening, blood shot and tear stained.
"Wake up"? I muttered, my eyes flashing across her face. "But I am awake, I'm right here".
"Please Miroku!" She yelled, her body shaking under the intensity of her sobs.
"Wha-" I stopped as something hit my cheek, cold and moist.
Touching my fingers to my skin, I brought back a droplet of water. "What the"? I whispered glancing at the sky. Is this rain? Surely there couldn't be rain in heaven. Not to mention the sky was still a prestine blue. I opened my eyes wider, the sky around me fading as the flowers burned.
"Sango"! I cried as she disappeared into the darkness consuming the sky and field.
Chapter 3: Awaken
I groaned, my throat dry and burning. I shouldn't be feeling this. I should be dead. Shouldn't I? My other senses were returning to me. My arms fell heavy as did my legs, my skin pricked as if I lay in a burning pyre. I breathed in something that lingered in the air. It was flowery and sweet.
Opening my eyes, I stared at the rock floor beneath my head. I was alive? How could that be possible?
"Miroku"! Sango's voice called from the distance, snapping my attention to her.
"Sango." I whispered as she leaned forward, her face streaked with tears. "You're alive. I'm glad."
"Miroku". She whispered, her eyes soft and fearful.
I cringed as I placed my hand against the ground, pressing into the dirt, I flipped myself onto my back. "Sango". I whispered as she leaned over me again. "You go on without me. You need to survive this".
"No!" She shrieked, her eyes panic stricken. "I' won't leave you! We have to go together"!
I smirked, raising my hand in front of my eyes. The poison still coursed through my veins, making even this simple motion difficult. "I guess I pushed myself a little too far this time". I whispered as she shook her head. Looking up at her, I lowered my hand so I could see her face completely. "Go. Go now Sango".
"No!" She screamed her head shaking back and forth wildly. I got lost in the image of her ponytail fluttering back and forth through the air. It was just like a horse's mane. A horse. Wild and unattainable just like Sango. Oh how I loved her for that. So different from the meek village girls willing to bend to my every will. Not Sango.. No. Not Sango.
"I won't leave you". She whispered softly, her body lowering slightly. "If you can't come with me-" She said dropping herself heavily into my chest. She buried her face in my robes, her voice rising to a scream. "Then we'll die here together!"
I sighed, my hand dropping in between her shoulder blades. "Sango". I closed my eyes, feeling her heart beating in time with mine. You cannot die with me Sango. I don't want you to. You must live. I love you Sango, so very much. I love your spirit, you cannot simply throw that away on my account. I want you to live. Live with the memory of me if you must but live on.
I wanted to push her away, insist she go on, make her promise me if I had to. Yet my hand wouldn't release her. My body wouldn't let her go. It was as if an internal wire had coiled it'self around her keeping her bound to me. None of my mind's threats could break that wire. What kept me clinging to her so desperately? I loved her yes, that was true. But should my love be so selfish that it keeps her with me? Should my heart long for her so that I condemn her to die with me?
I cannot be selfish in such a way, yet my body still refused to let her go.
I sighed, accepting my selfishness and my inevitable death. Even if we were destined to die in this stinking cave, at least I would have her. That was all I wanted.
I opened my eyes, looking toward the ceiling. I should be dead by now. Either the poison should have claimed me or the demons should have devoured me. Yet I was still alive. With each breath, instead if it spreading the poison, it felt as if my body was dispelling it. Perhaps this place was holier than I once thought. I rose into a sitting position, taking Sango with me as I sat up.
"Miroku?" She choked, her eyes turning to me curiously.
"Why aren't they attacking"? I said looking at the horde of demons waiting patiently to kill us.
Sango turned her head, her eyes narrowing. "Now that you mention it-"
We both jumped as one of the demons lunged forward, my hand tightening instinctively around Sango. It's face melted away as it his an invisible wall, it's body disintegrating. A barrier, that is the only reason we were still alive!
"It was purified". Sango whispered hugging closer to me.
"It seems they cannot enter". I looked down at my body, feeling as if the poison was leaking from pores and disappearing. That must be it. Something created the barrier, something was dispelling the poison from my body. Clenching my mouth shut, I grabbed my staff and rose to my feet. "Come on Sango"? I whispered as she eyed me with wide eyes. "Something is up ahead."
"Miroku". She whispered climbing shakily to her feet. "You're really okay"?
I nodded slowly, smiling as I turned to face her. "It seems we failed to die together Sango". I muttered as she blushed.
I felt my heart quicken as I watched the blood rush to her skin. I smiled wider as she looked down, her face a bright red. She was so innocent. Squeezing my staff, I stared ahead of us. You don't remember do you. Alright Sango, you may forget what you said, but I will not. Your words will ring through me until our real death.. But until then..
"Come on Sango"! I called, taking her hand and pulling her from her trance.
"Right". She stammered snatching up her hiraikutsu and running at my side.
THE END..
