20. Naraku's Spell Broken
I drifted towards Naraku's castle almost floating, the sword dragged behind me, creasing a line in the soil. I bent down before Naraku who was sitting outside waiting for my return, and held the sword up to him.
"You managed to bring back one... well done," he rejoiced reaching for the sword. The sword pulsated in my hands, and vibrated blocking Naraku's hand from touching it. It emitted a white glow, which surrounded me in a shield.
"Hm," Naraku cringed glaring at the sword. "I underestimated you wretched half-demon," he taunted, rubbing his hand. I snarled, snickering I looked up at Naraku, "Do you really think a demonic sword like this can be wielded by just anyone... by the way, I'm not a half-demon..." I hissed standing up. It was my own power, my own spiritual power and the power of Inuko's sword, which protected me.
"Do you dare demise me..." he questioned, standing up. His baboon costume, shifted to the ground. The band of brother's assembled behind me, I felt them surround me, and the gust of air they emitted blew my hair into my face.
"Stand down," Naraku commanded placing a hand up towards Rokujin. Rokujin smiled, and placed a hand up towards his brothers cautioning them to stand their ground. "Do not worry priestess... I will spare your life for now," Naraku condoned in a calm voice. He took a step towards me, I stepped back holding the Kurosaiga up as a shield.
Naraku dangled the jewel in his hand, and darted his eyes over to Rokujin, who held the vile of my life in his hands. I turned and looked towards him, Rokujin opened the vile and licked the top of it, then he spit out the same poisonous needles that paralyzed me the first time, and aimed them towards me. I cringed, and turned the Kurosaiga towards the flying needles.
But it didn't block them; the needles wavered around the Kurosaiga and struck me. I took in a deep breath, and fell towards to the ground. "Rokujin, bring her inside... give her something to drink," Naraku commanded. Rokujin came towards me and picked me up, the sword dropped from my hand.
He placed me down on the floor, in a lit room, there were candles everywhere, and he placed the vile of liquid near lips, and tilted it. I couldn't move, I couldn't even move my hand to slap the bottled away from me; instead the liquid touched my lips, and dripped into my mouth.
"There, you'll be back to your old self in no time..." he whispered, touching a hand to my forehead. He sat down next to me, looking outside. "They will come looking for you soon... and the sword, so be a good girl and behave when our guests come..." he taunted, not moving his gaze from the demonic barrier surrounding the castle.
They're going to come for me... I just know it, I hope they come prepared. The Tetsusaiga alone cannot defeat Naraku. Father said he needed the help of the Tensaiga as well as mother's spiritual power. I hope Sesshomaru comes with them.
My body remained paralyzed throughout the night, I lay motionless without words. Rokujin left my side and hovered outdoors, Naraku hadn't shown himself but I knew he was nearby. Kenjin and Gotaki hovered around Rokujin, and instantaneously all three men vanished, without a trace. I sat up and slid open the door. I pushed the door opened and crawled outside.
I looked around quickly making sure no one would notice me, the poison had not done its justice on my body. I wasn't sure why, I think because my spiritual power had subsided it for the mean time. I know however, Naraku still had the ability to posses me for as long as he can, I needed to escape.
I ran swiftly shifting my feet on the ground; I carefully picked up my kimono and ran down the castle steps, trying not to trip. It was then I heard a voice call out to me, it came from behind me. I turned on one of the steps, nearly losing my balance and fell back, "Whoa..." I shouted. A hand reached for me and pulled me up, "I'm so glad I found you." It was Haku, how did she get here? How did she get past the demonic barrier? She was dressed in her mother's demon slayer outfit, and wore a mask over her face. "Sango?" I said, she pulled the mask off and stared at me. "It's me Haku," she said pulling me towards her. "Your father is going to kill you let alone your mother... she's going to be so mad..." I shook my head and pulled her by the hand. "Come we have to escape, this is Naraku's castle if he finds you..." I huffed, catching my breath.
"You are going to be in so much trouble Haku," I shouted back at her, I stopped and she slammed against me, tripping me... we both slid down the stairs. "Ahhhhhh, ow that hurt!" I said rubbing my behind. "Why did you stop?" Haku questioned, rubbing her arms.
"I saw something," I said standing up, Haku placed a hand to my shoulder. "What did you see?" she questioned curiously. "That..." I shouted, my eyes widened, Naraku had returned and stood right in front of us hidden in his baboon outfit. "Ahhhhhhhh, run," I shouted, dragging Haku by the hand.
Haku and I ran back up the steps of the castle, Naraku flew above us and landed in front of us. "Tsk tsk, you've betrayed me again girl..." he taunted, under his cloak Saimyoushou buzzed out towards us.
Haku and I hugged each other closely and screamed. "IRON REAVER SOUL STEALER," we heard coming from above us. We looked up and my father had come for us. "Father," I shouted a smile touched my face.
"You girls get back," He shouted sheathing his Tetsusaiga; he didn't have to tell me twice. I grabbed Haku by the hand and pulled her back down the steps. "WIND SCAR," he shouted, we covered our hands over our heads and hovered next to each other.
"Are you girls okay?" Inuko's voice rumbled, we looked up and he was standing right there. "INUKO," Haku shouted, she jumped up and wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. I blushed, and my eyes widened with surprise. I didn't expect her to do that... wow, she moved fast.
"Haku," Inuko blushed pulling her away from him. "Your father's so mad. He even threatened to kill me and I didn't even do anything..." He stuttered and looked at her. "He's mad because..." she was about to finish but Inuko picked her up and grabbed my hand. "No time for that right now... tell me later," he shouted and pulled us out of the way.
Father had counter attacked Naraku and as he tried to attack us. The band of brothers had gathered at the bottom of the steps, and watched us as we darted towards them. "My my my brother, the half demon had found us..." said Yokjin. "I guess so brother," replied Kenjin. "Do you think we should surrender," Gotaki taunted placing his hands out in front of himself.
Rokujin pulled out my bile of dark liquid and twirled it between his fingers. "No I want to have some fun with this," he taunted. "Oh no, Inuko..." I shouted pointing towards the vile.
He growled, and put us down on our feet, and darted towards Rokujin. "I'll take that..." Inuko hissed, throwing a punch towards Rokujin. "HAKU..." someone had shouted from above us, Haku smiled and waved a hand in the air. "Hey, mother down here..." she shouted, Sango had come with Miroko and Akagne. Kirara landed swiftly in front of us, and everyone jumped off.
"Don't ever leave like that again Haku," Miroko retorted, he placed a hand to her face and turned around snarling. He darted towards the four brothers, and stood next to Inuko. "Need a hand," He asked holding up his staff. "Where's my mother?" Inuko asked, looking over at Kirara from the side of his eye. "She's not well, she stayed back in the village, Rin, Shippou and Kohaku stayed with her.
"Mother..." I whispered. Why was she sick, I hope she was okay? "Haku, Kikyko stay with Kirara..." Sango shouted, she pulled out her Hiraikotsu and darted to Miroko's side.
"Leave it to me," Sango shouted throwing her Hiraikotsu in the air. She aimed towards Rokujin trying to knock the vile out of his hands. "Impetrate wench, back off..." He shouted flinging a whip towards Sango. Miroko blocked it with his staff and pulled out three spiritual sutra's. He threw them at Rokujin, they didn't do their justice he just blocked them with his hand.
"Ladies, stay close..." Akagne retorted pulling us by the hand out of the way of father's sword. "Ahhh," I shouted clinging on to Kirara. She hovered protecting us. Akagne put Haku on Kirara's back and reached out for my hand.
"No," I said and stepped back. "Come on, you two must escape," he retorted wavering his hand. "No, I have to get the Kurosaiga to Inuko... he doesn't stand a chance." I shouted at him and turned towards the steps. Kirara growled and flew through the air, I looked up and Haku was on her back, a sigh of relief came over me.
"I shall accompany you," Akagne came to my side, and pulled me by the hand. A all out fight wagered at foot of the castle, my father against Naraku, Sango and Miroko against the band of brothers, and Inuko... helpless without protection fought against Rokujin. "I have to help him," I darted past some Saimyoushou that had followed us and into the castle. Akagne came right behind me and slammed the doors shut.
"Where's the Kurosaiga," He shouted holding a sutra against the doors. "I'll find it," I choked out. "Hurry!" He replied again, stepping back from the door, he crossed his hands into hand movements and a flame of fire submerged the doors.
He was setting the castle on fire, I didn't even think he had that much power to do so, but the doors engulfed in a fireball of flames. I darted in and out through rooms of the large castle and found the Kurosaiga resting on a stand in one of the chambers. I ran for it and grabbed it quickly, running back to Akagne.
"I got it," I shouted at him, "Move..." He yelled back pressing his body against mine he pushed me through the room. "Ah, what's that?" I shouted, pointing at the floating demon head coming towards us. "It's a puppet," he shouted holding his hand up towards it. "Magic sutra," he shouted throwing a sutra at it. The demon evaporated into a puff of smoke.
Akagne grabbed my hand again and we darted through the castle the back way, we came around the front and only three of the brothers were still standing. That meant one of them had to have been destroyed. I snickered and shouted at Inuko, "INUKO... THE KUROSAIGA," I threw it at him I ran down the steps. He ran towards it and grabbed it in the air.
"Ha, now your mine Rokujin," he tested, jumping through the air. His Kurosaiga pulsated and changed shape. It grew it looked almost as big as the Tetsusaiga but had a different shape to it.
"Half demon, you cannot wield such a sword..." Rokujin deemed, raising his hand through the hair. He threw out a whip again, and struck Inuko. Inuko blocked it with his sword and snickered.
Kirara had hovered back towards us, Haku threw down to me a bow and arrow... "Here I found these with Kirara," she shouted. I grabbed them and set up the arrow, "Now it's my turn," I shouted running to Inuko's side.
"What the hell you are doing, I said stay back..." He shouted, dodge another attack by Rokujin. I dodged to the side as well. "I'm going to blast that vile out of his hands," I shouted positioning the arrow towards Rokujin, Inuko nodded and threw his sword into the air and fiercely brought it down. "WHIRLWIND" Inuko shouted, throwing a fierce tornado of wind towards Rokujin. He hovered covering himself with his arms.
"Meidou Zangetsuha" someone shouted. I turned and noticed Sesshomaru standing right behind me. My hair blew and I covered my face, turning towards him. The Meidou Zangetsuha was extremely fierce; it would open a portal to the underworld. He quickly darted past me and came towards father.
"About time," father shouted, catching his breath. "Hmph," Sesshomaru snickered and darted after Naraku. I looked over at Inuko and held my arrow into the air, "Again Inuko..." I shouted, I was distracted by Sesshomaru I couldn't shoot the arrow in time.
Inuko nodded and threw his sword into the air again. I counted in my head 1, 2, "WHIRLWIND" 3... "GO..." I shouted shooting the arrow through the air.
The whirlwind penetrated against Rokujin again and the arrow pierced through his hand knocking the vile of black liquid to the ground. "GOT IT!" I shouted, Akagne threw down two sutra's and darted down the stairs. He came between Rokujin and picked up the vile.
"Destroy it" shouted Sango swinging her Hiraikotsu towards Kenjin. She hit him knocking him to the ground; Inuko turned towards her and unleashed a 'whirlwind' attack at Kenjin.
"Gahhh you impudent humans," he shouted disappearing into the open void of the otherworld. Kirara flew down with Haku and came towards me, "Kirara," I said climbing to her back. She darted through the air again.