Sorry that this has taken me so long. Life got in the way. I might update faster, but I don't know for sure…. Thanks for reading!
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Chapter 7: more nobility
Inuyasha gripped the moss covered iron ring that was slightly buried beside a large green tinged boulder. He grunted a little as he freed the long forgotten trap door from its earthly restraints. A bit of rock and dirt flew up as he let it drop heavily to the other side. The door had revealed roughly made steps dug into the earth that led into nothingness. Kagome took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"Shall we?" she questioned. Inuyasha waved her ahead.
"Ladies first." He snickered at her scowl.
"Thanks a lot," she said sarcastically. She unsheathed her sword and began the uneasy decent into darkness. There was no banister and the dark walls of earth were enclosing giving Kagome a very claustrophobic feeling. After about ten steps she could no longer see and preceded cautiously one arm gripping her sword for the ready and the other trailed across the dirt wall for balance. She took her steps slowly testing the next step before actually stepping on it. She could hear Inuyasha growling impatiently behind her.
"You could have gone first, you know." She replied as he growled again as she tested another step.
"The way is fine, wench. You've got three steps to go and they look sturdy enough, stop dawdling and get a move on."
"Well excuse me for not having super vision like the oh so wonderful Inuyasha. It's a little difficult going quickly when all I see is darkness."
"Well if we had something to start a fire with there's a torch up ahead."
"Inuyasha," Miroku said from behind the other two. They jumped a little forgetting for a moment their companion, "How is it that you can see in this darkness?" Inuyasha sighed.
"What do you think?" he asked gruffly.
"You never answered my question from before." Inuyasha slumped his shoulders a little.
"What question?" he asked though he knew full well.
"Are you a demon, Inuyasha?"
"What would you do if I was?" Miroku shrugged.
"I don't know, but at least I would know if I was simply traveling with an evil man or a demon. I'm not sure which I'd prefer." Kagome let out a sigh of relief.
"I've hit the bottom," she turned back to Inuyasha knowing he could see her, "Inuyasha, can you help me, I have some flint in my pack."
"Sure, turn around." She did offering her pack to him. He dug around while trying to decide what to tell Miroku. Kagome turned her head a little to the side as he continued to look.
"Just tell him," she whispered just for him, "He's our companion, he won't do anything that he'll regret later with your secret." Inuyasha nodded even though he knew she couldn't see. He found the flint and gave it to her then reached over and grabbed the torch from the wall and handed that to her as well. He watched her try to light the torch as he spoke.
"I am a half-demon. An Inu-hanyou. Whatchya gonna do about it, monk?" Miroku shrugged.
"Nothing, I suppose. It's almost a comfort knowing I have a half-demon as an ally against another demon. Your secret is safe with me, Inuyasha." Inuyasha looked at him oddly then shrugged and turned away. Humans and their damn nobility.
They continued their way down the cold stone hall until they finally reached the end. The only problem was that the end was just that. The tunnel stopped. They carefully checked every nook and cranny looking for some secret lever or some sign that the tunnel continued in some hidden way.
After about twenty minutes of searching Inuyasha gave an irritated grunt and shoved the torch he had been holding into Kagome's hands. He looked up at the ceiling and sniffed a bit. He sneered then raised his claw as he bent his legs. The other two gaped at him as he launched himself upward and tore a hole into the ceiling of the tunnel.
The darkness was suddenly pierced with a bright light that blinded the humans. True the light was actually fairly dim, but they had been staring in near darkness with but a few flickers of flame to guide them. They blinked away their blindness as the dust and rubble cleared. Inuyasha popped his head through the hole he had made, his dark haired wig dusted grey from his destructive habits.
"We've made it to the dungeon. We're not in a cell or anything so this hole will be fairly easy to see. What're you two waiting for?" Kagome put her hands on her hips and frowned.
"Well sorry for not having super human capabilities. Help us up will ya?" Inuyasha sighed and reached a hand down to her. Miroku cupped his hands so she could step up easier. Kagome gripped Inuyasha's hand and barely tapped Miroku's as she was lifted rather easily through the hole.
"Now you monk." Inuyasha said as he reached down and hefted the other man with as much ease as with the girl. When they were all on the same floor they looked around the dungeon. There were several barred windows in the cells that only a small child could climb through anyway. Most of the doors were open and everything was made of cold stone, even the beds for the captives.
Kagome walked into one and looked around. There was a trickle of water in one corner and a skeleton in the other. Kagome shuddered and quickly walked back out again.
"Where's this girl we're supposed to find? I don't see anyone." She said as she looked about. The place looked unused and forgotten. Inuyasha sniffed the air and walked to one of the other open cells.
"I can smell something other than death coming from in here." He walked through the door and was promptly thrown back again as a foot connected with his face. He sat up as soon as his skid across the floor stopped and gripped his nose. "SHIT! That fucking hurt! What the fuck!" Kagome already had her blade naked in her hand as she approached the cell with Miroku at her side.
"Who's in there?" She yelled. When no one answered she moved to enter the cell but Miroku stuck out his hand blocking her path and he shook his head. Kagome shrugged poutily and watched as Miroku made his way through the stone frame. He looked to his right and his eyes widened right before a large rock fell on his head and he collapsed to the ground.
"Alright, that does it. Come the hell out here and fight fair!" She was surprised when her command was obeyed and their attacker stepped out from the cell. The girl was pretty with her long black tendrils tied back near the top of her head. Her dark eyes burned hate with a sprinkle of revenge. Her teeth were bared as her lips twisted into a snarl as she launched herself at Kagome. Kagome let out a high pitched squeal. She acted without thinking as the other girl flew at her. Kagome pulled out her scabbard and thwacked the attacking girl with it as hard as she could across the face. The girl fell to the side with a hand to her cheek.
"What the hell?" she said, "Why the hell didn't you attack me with your sword? Why the hell did you hit me with the scabbard? What's wrong with you?"
"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? Why were you attacking us?" the other girl shrugged.
"You're friends with that bastard who is my enemy therefore you are my enemy as well." Kagome looked between Miroku and Inuyasha before she burst out laughing.
"Shit girl, if you even opened your eyes for a second you'll see that we're barely each others friends let alone that guy that locked you up in here. What's your name?"
"Uh…Sango?" Sango looked between the three companions confusedly, "If you're not bad then what are you doing here?" Inuyasha shrugged.
"We've come to destroy the man who took such a lovely maiden as yourself away from the life and love of her village." Miroku appeared beside her and took her hand in his, "I promise milady that we will protect you and take you back to your home. My word as an honorable monk." He winked just before Inuyasha burst out laughing.
"Look at her face. Oh Kami that was priceless. Monk, I think you're losing your touch!" Sango took her hand away from Miroku slowly as she stared at him suspiciously. Men were trouble you know. She stood up and looked to Kagome.
"So you're here to save me?" Kagome nodded.
"We're also going to go kill the demon posing as your lord." Sango nodded.
"I figured he was as much. Ok I'd like to help." Miroku shook his head.
"Oh no, I couldn't bare it if one as lovely as you were to fall pray to death or being maimed!" Kagome shook her head.
"Shut up Miroku." She turned to Sango, "You're a demon exterminator?" Sango nodded, "Fine then, let's go kick some demon ass." Sango smiled evilly as thoughts of torture for the demon danced in her head. Kagome looked over to Inuyasha who was laughing silently.
"What's so funny?" she asked. He looked at her as humor danced in his eyes.
"You guys. You're so funny! Humans, hahaha." He burst out laughing as Kagome looked at him as if he'd gone clinically insane, which he probably had.
"How were we being funny?" she asked. Inuyasha brushed a tear from his eye and calmed his laughter down.
"You guys are like bobble heads. Every time someone talked to someone else their head would bob up and down or side to side. It was simply comical." Kagome raised a delicate eyebrow.
"Oookaay." She turned away from the still laughing Inuyasha making sure to still watch him out of the corner of her eye, "We best get going. Sango, do you know where your lord is?" Sango nodded as she watched the other man in their group out of the corner of her eye.
" He's up those stairs behind you. I believe he's in his bedroom as he usually is, feasting on the souls of the other women in our village. It's down the hall, fourth door on the left." Kagome looked at her in surprise.
" Well that was really…specific. Thanks."
"No problem."
"Alright then," Kagome clapped her hands together, "Let's go kick some demon butt!" The other three composed themselves and nodded. Kagome turned around and looked up the stairs. What she saw there made her face pale. The stair ceiling was well over twelve feet tall, which was a good thing because what was currently on the stairs was a very, very large ten foot humanoid monster with large muscles and a small head. His teeth were bared in a strange smiling growl that moved his lips while sending a bit of spittle everywhere. He looked big and stupid at first glance but a twinkle of intelligence lit his eyes. Kagome knew right away that this fight would not be easy. She swallowed a couple of times to try to get the fear down a notch.
"So who wants to go first?" she managed.
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So how was that? Read and review please! It may help speed the chapters!
