Chapter Ten – Rays of Light
The afternoon sun reached its peak once the group entered the outskirts of the forest. Thick vines hung from the trees letting little sunlight pass through. The grass was ankle high and starting to turn yellow from the change in season. They would not arrive at the base of Mr. Hakurei until nightfall the following the day.
"How are we going to rescue Rin? We'll follow Naraku's scent while I can still smell him, but after that who knows? If Sesshoumaru gets too weak and I turn into a human again that'll leave four humans to whatever he has waiting for us."
"Care to share what you're thinking my friend?"
Inuyasha turned to the smiling monk and shook his head "What are you smiling about?
"Nothing. I'm sorry if I disturbed you. I thought you were wondering how we were going to pull this off and figured you would like to run some ideas past me."
"Of course I'm thinking about that, but we have no idea what we're dealing with. We're just going to have to wait and see."
Kohaku's stomach turned overhearing his comrade's conversation. Inuyasha was right, they had no idea what they were walking into, plus Inuyasha, Lord Sesshoumaru, and Sutefanii would be considerably weaker once the battle began.
"Poor Kohaku, I can't imagine how he feels right now. Lord Sesshoumaru either, Rin is like a daughter to him." Sutefanii continued to walk in silence listening for any one trying to follow them. "We'll save her and put all of this behind us. Maybe we'll even finish off Naraku" her heart pumped faster at the thought of him.
A few feet ahead Sesshoumaru stopped and took out Toukijin "This can't be!" Standing in front of Sesshoumaru was his father, Inu no Taishou, with So'unga in his hand. The Great Dog Demon smiled and raised his sword "You wanted to challenge me for power Sesshoumaru, you finally have your chance" and charged. The others looked in amazement as Sesshoumaru battled his father.
"How is this possible?! Father stop …" the arrow crossed a few inches in front of Inuyasha's face before hitting the tree next to him. Looking to his right Inuyasha's heart sank when he turned to find Kikyo. "But you're dead … I held you in my arms as you died." The priestess remained expressionless as she pulled out another arrow and continued to strike. Dodging, Inuyasha looked around and saw that everyone was engaged in battle. Miroku was evading two older looking monks who both possessed Wind Tunnel's, Kohaku was fighting off a band of demon slayers, and Sutefanii was deflecting blade attacks from Kagura. "All right what the Hell is going on here?" he screamed, but his friends were too busy to answer.
"You let us die" the miko replied in between attacks. "You abandoned us and for that we were slain."
Inuyasha was shaken to the core "How can this be happening, how are they all alive? Is this Rafu and Naraku's doing?" He kept dodging Kikyo's arrows and refused to draw Tetsusaiga, he did not want to be responsible for killing Kikyo a third time.
"What's wrong Sesshoumaru? Have you become weak over the years?" The Dog General taunted as their weapons crashed.
Sesshoumaru knew the manifestation was trying to distract him so that it could deliver a fatal blow. "Think! How are you going to destroy an enemy that's not even real?"
"It wasn't me! I was under Naraku's control I didn't mean to kill you all, please stop this!" Kohaku jumped out of his fathers way. He was terrified and fought the urge to throw up "I'm so sorry, all of you please forgive me."
"Who are you? How are we one in the same when I've never seen you before?"
Kagura laughed and threw another dancing blade at Sutefanii "We can't be one if you refuse to acknowledge I existed. Why have you not asked anyone about me?"
"WIND TUNNEL!" The eldest monk shouted.
"Enough Grandfather! I am not your enemy, why do you and father attack me?" Miroku jumped into one of the trees and immediately back flipped off of the branch to avoid his fathers staff. "I don't want to hurt you!" The monk landed on the ground with his father to one side and his grandfather on the other. "I don't want to hurt them. How will I …" Miroku noticed his grandfathers' foot disappearing in the sunlight "It's the darkness of the forest" he mumbled.
"Time for you to suffer the same fate as your father Miroku" his grandfather said.
All at once the monks released their Wind Tunnel's. Miroku's father and grandfather aimed theirs at him while he aimed his toward the sky. Leaves, vines, branches, and even whole trees were being sucked into Miroku's right hand. He was fighting for air since his body was being pulled in two directions "Come on! Disappear." One by one the apparitions began to vanish as sunlight spread throughout the forest. Miroku closed his Wind Tunnel when he was able to take in a breath. Shock from their battle did not subside right away. Everyone stood in the protection of the sun until someone could finally speak.
"I'll carry Miroku and Kohaku on my back, you take Sutefanii and we'll stay above the forest to avoid going through that again. As long as we're not in the shadow of the trees we should be fine."
Sesshoumaru nodded agreeing with Inuyasha, they had to clear this forest and reach the river if they wanted to make it near Mt. Hakurei before the sunset.
Inuyasha flew as far as he could in between leaps to ensure their safety while Sesshoumaru soared miles above them. Sutefanii was still shaking after her encounter with Kagura "Get control of yourself! Lord Sesshoumaru taught you better then this, he expects more out of you. Don't let a stupid woman get the best of your senses."
Making sure he was out of Inuyasha's range, Sesshoumaru stopped carrying Sutefanii at his side and held her into his chest with one arm around her waist and hooking the other under her left arm extending to her right shoulder. He pulled her in close and whispered into her ear "Breath … feel the rhythm of my chest against your back and copy it. I'll explain who that woman was later." Closing her eyes and relaxing into his chest Sutefanii followed every inhale and exhale. She felt his heart quicken as the back of her head fell over his right shoulder and her arms grabbed hold of his wrists. The two held on to each other like that for quite some time before Sesshoumaru realized Sutefanii had stopped shaking and was calmly breathing again. He released his arms and carried her at his side again.
Landing in the field between the forest and a stream the group walked north until they reached a lake resting at the foot of large rocky hill with a waterfall. Once atop the hill they could see the jagged remains of their destination in the distance. The companions journeyed along the river and came to a clearing before the forests of Mt. Hakurei. Inuyasha and Miroku came back from fishing just as Kohaku got their campfire going.
Miroku looked at the sunset and sighed "Looks as though the mountain has stolen our sun." Frowning he thought "It almost looks as though the rays of light are being swallowed by the pointed teeth of Mt. Hakurei … how ironic that our little ray of sunshine currently resides in the same belly."
Sutefanii stood behind Sesshoumaru waiting for the right time to ask him about the woman she saw in her dreams and battled in the forest. When she finally worked up enough nerve to ask him he cut her off and spoke without turning around.
"Her name was Kagura of the Wind. Before I tell you anything else you must rest."
Knowing when to challenge Sesshoumaru and when to walk away, Sutefanii bowed and headed back to the fire. She found a comfortable spot on the ground, shut her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.