Forlorn Labyrinth
Chapter X
IY/YYH Crossover
Disclaimer: The characters belong to Yoshihiro Togashi and Rumiko Takahashi. I do not own Inuyasha and Yu Yu Hakusho. This was supposed to be a contest entry for The Deadliestsin but I failed to finish it on time due to my licensure examination. I guess I'll just post this story here. Hope you like it and THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS! I really appreciate it ^_^
Sharp wails and gruesome cries elicited her to wake up frantically searching for the source of sound, her body vehemently quivered in fear.
Her chest tightened making it difficult to breathe.
The dreaded cicada of tortured souls struck her senses, it was indeed as frightening as she could imagine. She could feel an eerie sensation swirling around her, freezing her into the bones.
Nothing except a frozen pile of rocks met her gaze, each rock standing unevenly on the water's surface. Some are oddly misshapen while some resemble those of human bodies
"W-where are w-we?" she stuttered calling the attention of the ferrying man, her lips trembled uncontrollably
"We have reached the River of Lamentation. This stygian marsh weeps as if it was tormented like the souls at the bank that hovered aimlessly in search for paradise" he spoke, his eyes not leaving his paddling.
She noticed his paddling slowed down, from the looks of it the water is unusually sluggish that it takes a great amount of force for the oar to surface.
"…I don't think I would like it here…It's…frightening…very freezing too" she tightly held into herself cherishing the warmth she have left.
"This is the territory of cold-hearted traitors. Each frozen on the degree of their treachery"
A sharp gasp escaped her lips "These are humans?" her eyes widened in surprise
"Human souls, those who are doomed to face their sins through eternity"
"Their sentence...it's so vile" she felt deeply disturbed
"Their punishment is as vile as their wrong-doings. Mortals need to be taught of their limits"
"Like these?" she stared in horror
"They need to pay for their sins"
"Does that mean I'll end up like them or something more horrible?"
He didn't respond as though feigning deaf
"Forget I asked that…It only makes me nauseous thinking about it" she prompted, forcing her lids to shut tight, forgetting what she saw.
She tried to rid herself from the horrid sight by keeping her hopes up
'Hiei, where are you? Please take me away from here' her thoughts harbored impatience, lingering in that place for too long only made it harder to wait.
It was a long walk along those hollow corridors devoid of life
His anticipation grew as the 'Old Father Time' led him into his dark sanctuary.
Ambivalence pestered his mind
Though he's glad that he will be able to bring her back at the same time he felt bothered if he failed this sort of trial
His hope beamed like the light emanating from the old man's energy, dim but still vividly present.
As they went further, his hands began to numb. He can't tell whether it's because of the cold or because he can no longer feel the will of living?
In fact, he doesn't need this trial at all, for he feels he's already dead, he no longer has a soul to trade
The walls felt like it would sink into him with each step but his thoughts only went to the human girl that he would give his life for, his prime motivation.
Pictures of Kagome played endlessly in his mind so as to keep him on his tracks
The feel of her skin, the sound of her laugh, her annoying complains, the taste of her lips, he never knew how much he wished to revive those days were he didn't mind that he was actually happy being with her, not in denial, not harassing her character, just showing her how he really feels, that he loves her, so much that his life already is hanging on a thread just to get her back.
"Reminiscing about your human friend, I assume?" the old man spoke
"Hn"
"I never understood how a demon would do anything for a human being"
"You talk too much" he said sharply
"Don't you pursue strength, young demon?" with those words he could feel the young man slightly taken aback but tried his best to ignore the inquisition of his character as they continued to walk in silence
The old man stopped on his tracks when they reached a tall gate that triumphantly stood inside the fortress.
"I hope you pondered with your decision, young demon. This may be your last day of living" he turned to face the young demon
"Hn, I already did that before I came here"
"Very well" he noticed the dried blood on Hiei's hands
"Then your trial begins here. You see this gate? This will lead you to that place but before that, you need to cross The Path of the Sins" he warned
"What's in there?" curiosity toggled in his mind
"The seven sins known to man: Superbia for Pride, Avaratia for Greed, Luxuria for Lust, Invidia for Envy, Gula for Gluttony, Ira for Wrath, Acedia for Sloth. As soon as you reached those paths, a passage will be opened for you representing the sins you harbored in the living"
"My sins…This would be a long journey" Hiei mused "Let this trial begin"
The gates slowly opened, a breezy ambiance met his skin
He was about to enter when the old man blocked his way with his scythe
"I need to warn you for the last time. This is an ordeal of temperance. Never give in to the indulgence of your sins" he said without looking as he cleared his path once again
Hiei just nodded in reply.
With one final look behind him, he strolled into the gloomy doorway without a sound.
Sharp rusty sounds met his ears, he knew the gates have already closed behind him but he dared not to look back, he already made a death wish being in there.
Indistinct menacing laughter echoed through his ears followed by a scream of agony.
He didn't care much.
He already grew accustomed to it, it reminds him so much of those who fell on his blade, begging him to spare their lives but he knew nothing of remorse, he only knew the pleasure of hearing their screams.
With eyes closed, he listened to the spine-chilling ambiance with ease, a smile forming on his lips.
'Brings back the old days' he thought, swimming in the midst of his memories.
He knew he won't be smiling for too long so he did the most of it while he still can.
Finally he reached the end of the path, another door halted his path.
It was a wooden door enveloped in dirt and dust
Seeing something underneath the dust he decided to wipe it with his hands and saw four animal symbols carved in it: A horse, a dog, a bear and a cow.
An inscription rests below the carvings:
Stood a stallion on a hill
Leashed tightly on a stilted wheel
Wrath hath fury like no other
Crimson limbs torn asunder
Freezing as the verdure night
Burning as the moon so bright
'I wonder what this connotes to.' He thought reaching for the doorknob. He didn't quite understood what it meant and thinking about it only adds another burden to him.
As soon as he opened it, he saw nothing but the same dark path.
Nevertheless, he went inside.
Author's notes:
Jaganshing: Thank you for the reviews and faves! :D Weee! Chapter finished
Fact:
1.) If you could notice I added the 7 Deadly sins. :D The latin words' mnemonics read as SALIGIA
2.) I borrowed some parts of The Kubler-Ross' Grief Cycle: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance as an element in this story and in the previous chapters. ^_^ It is a theory used in people with terminal illness. It is said that they follow this cycle before they come to accept their fate. I did some revisions and you could notice it on Kagome's transition of behavior.
3.) The inscription talks about Hiei's sins :D