Chapter 13
Rin fell against Kimmuriel, the blood draining from her face. She felt the drow's hands on her shoulders. 'Betrayer! I will rend the flesh from your bones.' Nexus' scream echoed through her mind. He had every right to hate her. She was the one responsible for his imprisonment. The demonic falcon had intended to kill the ones she loved. In desperation, Rin had communicated with the citadel and asked it to help. To stop him. The citadel had complied and dragged the hate-filled demon back to his prison within its pale walls.
Rin was wracked with guilt. When she had been in need, Nexus had shown her kindness. She had repaid him with betrayal.
Kimmuriel frowned as Rin shook uncontrollably. The dark elf wondered what had caused such terror. Even when they had been on the dead world she hadn't shown fear like this. "What do you fear?" he asked. When she didn't answer he tried scanning her thoughts, but he couldn't see past the blind terror clouding her mind.
A scream, full of anger and hatred, filled the air. The sound echoed through the cavern, making the stone vibrate. The dark elf's eyes darted in the direction of the sound. Rin shivered and shrank against him. Kimmuriel looked down into her terrified eyes. She knew something.
"What do you know?" Kimmuriel demanded, turning her towards him.
Rin stared back at him, white as a ghost. "He's coming for me." She whispered.
"Who?" Kimmuriel asked.
"Nexus." Rin's voice was so faint he almost didn't catch the name.
Thryss stepped closer, and inquired. "Are you certain?" Rin nodded wordlessly.
Kimmuriel tensed warily as the powerful demon called Sesshomaru approached them. Up close the demon was even taller than he had realized. Sesshomaru towered over him. Kimmuriel shifted uncomfortably under the demon's slit-pupiled stare. The look in those golden eyes was … unpleasant. The dark elf had no desire to find out what kind of unpleasant things occupied the demon's mind.
Rin jumped up and wrapped her arms around Sesshomaru, causing the demon to scowl ferociously at her. Oblivious to the ominous look in the demon's eyes, Rin buried her face in his shining black robe. After a few moments a sour expression settled on Sesshomaru's elegant features.
Kimmuriel was considering his escape options when Kephren walked over to him. All thought fled as the exotic being stopped in front of him. What was it? It didn't look like a demon. He might have thought it was a drow, except that its skin was too dark, and its hair looked like liquid silver. The creature's eyes drew the dark elf's attention. They were completely silver. No pupil. No iris. He found himself drawn into the soulless silver gaze. Kimmuriel shuddered. Whatever this thing was it wasn't natural.
"What is it about you that draws the child?" The creature mused in a voice that sounded like rushing wind. Its unnatural voice made it seem even more alien, if that was possible. It was then that Kimmuriel realized it was holding a human female. The creature stepped away, and lowered the human to the ground, gently leaning her against the rock. A boy dressed in red rushed to the human's side, his golden eyes filled with concern. Kimmuriel blinked. White, fuzzy ears protruded from the boy's head. The drow absently wondered how much stranger this day could get.
Kephren crouched in front of the dark elf, watching him curiously. The elf was so busy staring at InuYasha's ears that he hadn't even noticed that the Talisian had moved.
Kimmuriel slowly dragged his eyes away from the strange boy and nearly screamed. Not more than a foot in front of him crouched the creature.
Sesshomaru's voice penetrated the elf's shock. "If your pet is able to distract the creature I might let you keep it." The demon remarked. Rin tilted her head back to give her lord a questioning look.
A look of horrified disbelief crossed the drow's face. Did the demon just call him a pet?
Kephren swiveled around with a wide grin. "Does that mean we can keep him?"
The demon's face was frightening. "We?" Sesshomaru echoed ominously. The creature nodded happily.
Kimmuriel panicked. Opening a portal, the drow dove into the dimensional doorway. He had no intention of becoming anyone's pet. He would have to find another way to retrieve his human. At the moment his primary concern was avoiding becoming someone's or something's pet.
"You scared it!" Kephren accused, scowling at Sesshomaru. The demon snorted and pried Rin's fingers off his person.
"He was cute." Kephren grumbled. "You should have kept him."
"I have Jaken." Sesshomaru reminded him.
"That smelly toad doesn't count, although it might be fun to bathe them together. Just imagine their mutual horror." Kephren suggested with an impish grin.
"His name is Kimmuriel." Rin said quietly.
"Kimmuriel?" Sesshomaru echoed, looking down at the child. Rin nodded.
A scream of rage shattered the air. "Hear me betrayer, and know who it is that comes for you!" The room went silent. Rin whimpered and grasped Sesshomaru's clothing.
"Keff, stay with the child." Thryss said, moving toward the demon lord. "Sesshomaru and I will confront Nexus."
Kephren nodded and pulled Rin away from the demon.
"Kagome? Hey what's wrong?" InuYasha's strained voice drew Rin's attention.
Walking over to InuYasha, Rin knelt beside him and peered at Kagome. "What's wrong with her?"
"She was taken by Kimmuriel's people." Kephren answered, watching as Kagome sobbed into InuYasha's shirt.
"Did they hurt her?" Rin wasn't sure she wanted the answer. Kephren nodded. "Yes. When I found her she was severely damaged. Humans are so fragile. I wasn't sure I would be able to repair her." Rin stared at Kagome for a long moment.
"This is my fault." Rin whispered, sitting down beside Kagome. Wrapping an arm around the sobbing woman, Rin knew she had to do something. She couldn't let anyone else suffer because of her. Kephren sat on the opposite side of Kagome, earning himself an annoyed look from InuYasha. As soon as he was seated Kagome inched closer, seeking comfort. When she laid an ice cold hand on his arm Kephren pulled her against him and heated the air surrounding them.
"Will she be okay?" Rin asked. Kagome was shivering violently. She looked up at the sound of Rin's voice, staring blankly out of dark, tormented eyes.
InuYasha answered in a barely audible voice. "I think they tortured her."
Rin remained silent. People that had been tortured didn't always recover. They would heal physically, but the mental wounds took far longer. She hoped that Kagome would be alright. She didn't deserve this. Rin hung her head; Kimmuriel's people had been responsible for this. She knew that the dark elves had a terrible reputation. The one thing everyone agreed on was that the drow were evil. They were a race that thrived on the suffering of others. Their entire culture was based on deception. Was Kimmuriel different? Or was he like the others? Did she care? Rin rubbed her eyes. Even if Kimmuriel was as evil as the rumors said she didn't think she could ever hate him.
Getting to her feet, Rin made a decision. No one else would get hurt because of her. No one else was going to die because of her weakness. It was time she confronted her fear. It was time for her to confront Nexus.
"Where are you going?" Kephren's wind-like voice broke into her thoughts.
"I am going to stop Nexus." Rin's face hardened as she turned to the Talisian.
A wide smile crossed Kephren's face. Reaching up, he lightly touched Kagome's forehead. InuYasha cried out in alarm as she collapsed.
"She will sleep for a while. Stay with her until I return." Kephren instructed the boy as he handed Kagome to him.
"Come, it is time to face your fear." Holding out a dark hand, the Talisian waited until Rin placed her hand in his. Unfurling gigantic black wings, Kephren pulled Rin against him and launched them into the air.
Rin held back a scream as they shot through the cavern. Shaking the hair from her face, she shrieked as they nearly scraped along the cave walls. Rin winced as Kephren lit the air, the ghostly blue light painfully bright to her heat sensing eyes.
Nexus' power intensified, indicating they were close. Landing just inside the city, Kephren set her down and stepped back. Rin knew she was on her own. Kephren was with her, but this was one of his lessons. The Talisian loved hard lessons. Rin noted that they were far enough away that Lord Sesshomaru wouldn't pick up her scent right away. Squaring her shoulders, she started towards Nexus.
She saw him standing in what she guessed was the middle of the city. Rin closed her eyes against the painfully familiar figure. She hadn't seen him in ten years, but he looked exactly as she remembered him. He suddenly went still and slowly scanned the area. He had caught her scent. Rin shivered as his gaze locked with hers. His copper eyes flashed as he studied her. In the past ten years she had changed quite a bit. Taking a deep breath, Rin walked out into the open to face him.
She stopped about mid-way into the clearing, and waited. Instead of attacking, Nexus approached her, slowly circling.
"It is you." Nexus said.
"Yes." She answered, shivering at the hatred in his voice.
Nexus' lips pulled back into a vicious smile, "Did you think I would spare your life?"
"No." Rin whispered. Nexus walked around her, dragging a talon along her back. Rin bit back a cry as the talon sliced through the fabric and into her back.
"You are afraid." The falcon noticed. "Yet instead of hiding, you stand before me." Nexus lifted a lock of her long dark hair, watching as it slowly slid through his talons. "Perhaps you no longer desire to live. Do you wish for me to free you from your mortal coil?" He mused.
"Would my death free you?" Rin was shaking so badly that her voice cracked under the strain. The falcon paused, tilting his head in a quick bird-like movement. "Free me?" He asked. He thought about it for a moment. "No, nothing will ever free me. The abominations saw to that."
Rin frowned. "Then why kill me?"
Nexus laughed. It was the most frightening sound Rin had ever heard. "Blood for blood." He said, trailing the talons down her arm. Thin streams of blood oozed from the long cuts.
"I never meant to hurt you." Rin said, a tear slipping silently down her cheek.
"Hurt?" The falcon demanded harshly. "My life is nothing but pain. Something I am going to share with you."
Rin closed her eyes. There wasn't anything she could say that would make any difference. She resigned herself. She was going to die. A slight sound drew her attention. Opening her eyes, she looked for the sound. Sesshomaru was watching her with an expression of utter horror. Pain tore through her. Her lord should not have to watch this. He didn't deserve to suffer for her foolishness. Her weakness.
Lightning streaked across the cavern and crashed into Nexus. The falcon screamed in pain and whirled around, looking for his attacker. Following Nexus' gaze, Rin saw a dark figure move out of the shadows. A woman holding the Shikon jewel. No, not a woman, a female dark elf. She looked angry.
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"There is much you did not tell me." Jarlaxle chided as Kimmuriel entered the room.
"There is much I do not know." Kimmuriel answered, walking up to the mercenary.
Jarlaxle wrinkled his nose at the acrid stench coming from Kimmuriel's clothes. "You smell like burnt flesh."
Kimmuriel glanced down, grimacing as he inspected his singed hair. "I will have to cut it." He sighed.
Jarlaxle motioned for Kimmuriel to join him as Rai-guy prepared a spell that would allow them to watch the coming battle. Placing a shallow bowl filled with water on a low table, the wizard murmured an incantation. The water shimmered and blurred. Then an image appeared. A demon. One the mercenary hadn't seen before. Jarlaxle leaned closer, examining the image.
"Do you recognize this demon?" The mercenary asked, staring intently into the bowl. Rai-guy shook his head negatively. "Who summoned him?" Jarlaxle inquired.
Rai-guy's lips curled in derision. "Matron Auro'pol Dyrr—the fool. That is no minor demon, and cannot be easily controlled." The wizard watched the demon for a moment before murmuring. "I am not sure that one could be controlled. I've never felt such power. Such rage."
Kimmuriel leaned down, examining the demon. Was this Nexus? What was it about this demon that had terrified Rin? The drow frowned. Nexus didn't look particularly powerful, but then looks could be deceiving.
"Isn't that your human?" Jarlaxle wondered, pointing to a slender figure that was approaching the enraged demon.
"That fool." Kimmuriel muttered, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "What does she think she is doing?"
Rai-guy raised an eyebrow. "It looks as though she plans on sacrificing herself to the demon."
Kimmuriel groaned. "Of course she does."
As they watched, another figure emerged from the shadows. Jarlaxle inhaled sharply. "Matron Auro'pol Dyrr." He whispered. The mercenary's eyes narrowed. "Could that be the jewel your human spoke of?" He inquired, directing the psionist's attention to a small object in the Matron's hand.
The Matron held a small shining orb in one hand. She held it out to the demon, possibly hoping to use it to control him. All three drow fell silent as the jewel suddenly darkened. The Matron stared at it in confusion, then horror, as the jewel sank into her flesh. The Matron screamed. Her body stretched grotesquely as her limbs elongated. Her deformed body moved awkwardly as she stepped forward. The three dark elves drew back in revulsion. Any desire they had harbored for the jewel forgotten. The vile price that the jewel demanded in return for its power was too high.
Kimmuriel opened a dimensional doorway. "I am going to retrieve my human before her idiocy gets her killed." He explained when his leader gave him an inquisitive look.
Jarlaxle watched Kimmuriel step into the portal. Pushing back his hat, the mercenary suddenly smiled. Kimmuriel had willingly endangered himself for a mere human female. He wouldn't have believed such a thing was possible. Now he just had to figure out how to use this new and intriguing information to his advantage.
Author's Note: Nexus is back! I missed my grumpy falcon. Did you like this chapter? Let me know.
06-Lost-In-Eternal-Bliss-15: Oh my, small worlds in my head. Yep I've got several. My problem is that I get distracted by whatever catches my fancy—like plagues. There's a plague I am just dying to put into a story, but I have to wait. I still have to finish this story! :)
Adearni: Hmmm, you're right. Even Kephren is not part of InuYasha. I guess I just like 'what if' senarios. :)
Musa uchina: If they had summoned Sesshomaru instead of Rin the story would have ended a lot sooner! Lol. Plus it's so much fun to put really strange twists on things! :)
Missing'Nin'Akiko: It's okay, you can keep on saying you love the story. I don't get tired of hearing it! Lol. I have to agree with you—poor Kimmuriel. In his own world he is such a tough guy, but throw in a few demons and things change. :)
New Fan: Oh yeah, Nexus is back!To answer your question; I actually like InuYasha, he's funny. The thing is, I am telling the story Sesshomaru's group point of view. I probably don't have tell you how our favorite demon lord feels about his brother. Lol. Although I don't think I have been too hard on InuYasha, just explained that he is an idoit. *snicker* :)