Disclaimer: Inuyasha is still not mine.
A/N: I am back, that's all I'm going to say. Enjoy D
Italics denote thoughts.
oOo
She was running, running away from someone – a dog demon, to be exact - who was intent on hunting her down. Her breathing was labored and her legs felt heavier by the minute.
Heavy footsteps pounded the earth, drawing ever closer; her pursuer was catching up. Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself to run even faster.
As she ran, she could hear long, drawn out howls coming from the one chasing her. A shiver ran down her spine at a particularly chilling howl. Not stopping to look back, she continued to run blindly ahead even though she hardly knew where she was headed to in the all encompassing darkness of the forest.
All she knew was that she had to get away from him. Fast.
The razor-like leaves of the bamboo plants around her whipped at her face and the twigs on the bushes nearby scratched her bare legs so hard that they left many a red welt behind.
Still, she continued to run despite the stinging pain that was inflicted upon her.
Suddenly, she tripped over a protruding tree root and soon found herself falling down face first. However, darkness enveloped her before any part of her could hit the ground.
There wasn't even time for her to scream.
Kagome opened her eyes with a gasp and found herself lying on her back on the ground. She remembered falling after tripping over the tree root and then … nothing.
Pushing herself up from the damp ground, she cast a wary glance at her surroundings. They looked unfamiliar to her, being markedly different compared to the forest she was in previously.
This looks like an encampment, she thought as she surveyed the white tents before her.
Suddenly, a loud cry followed by several others broke the silence. Before she knew it, Kagome was up and running towards the source of the cry.
Around her, she could see men rushing forward towards a dark silhouette at the edge of the camp, an assortment of weapons ranging from spears to swords clutched in their hands.
It was then that the moon broke free from the dark clouds overhead to shine down upon the figure. A gasp escaped Kagome.
The tall, silver haired inuyoukai stood just inside the perimeter of the encampment, dressed in a pristine white kimono she had never seen on him before. The same can be said about the decidedly heavy looking metal armor covering his chest and the yellow and purple sash around his waist.
In his right hand was a long sharp katana that glinted blue where the moonlight touched it. A trail of dark vermillion slid down the length of the sword. She did not need to have seen it with her own eyes to know that it was the same blade used to detach completely the head his left hand was currently holding up from the motionless body lying at his feet.
The men, no, soldiers, charged forward but Kagome stood rooted to the spot, unable to move even an inch.
A smirk that can only be described as malevolent appeared on his lips. Greenish liquid dripped from the demon's claws, hissing when they came into contact with the ground.
In a flash, those very same claws were buried in a man's unprotected neck. Bright red blood spurted out when his head was wrenched away from his body. Two others running close behind the first man had their heads clawed off in an eerily similar fashion.
Sounds of ripping flesh and screams of agony filled the night. Blood was awash on the ground where the youkai stood.
Kagome watched in dumbstruck horror as each and every charging man was struck down by the tall demon. She wanted to scream at the soldiers to stop sacrificing themselves, that this was futile and that they should just save themselves by running away, but no sound escaped her.
The silver haired demon had already decimated half the troop's ranks without having moved a step from where he stood. And he looked poised to do much more than that.
Some soldiers were beginning to look afraid and started backing off but at the command of their leader, they charged forward once more.
No … no … stop this … stop … stop killing them … stop … stop …
"SESSHOUMARU STOP!"
In an instant all eyes were on her; the youkai's especially were boring directly into her own. She had always known Sesshoumaru to be an intimidating demon but she had never known him to be this intimidating.
He took a step forward, his crimson gaze never leaving her eyes.
"You dare order this Sesshoumaru, wench?"
His voice was not the warm, husky baritone she knew and loved. It was the cold, chilling tones of a murderer who killed without batting an eyelid, without a second thought.
"S-Sesshoumaru?" Kagome whispered, uncertainty evident in her voice.
In a flash, the distance between them had disappeared and his hand was wrapped around her neck. Effortlessly, he lifted her up so that she was at his eye level.
"Do not presume to be so familiar with this Sesshoumaru, wench. You are nothing but filthy human," he hissed. Thin rivulets of bright crimson ran down her neck as the tips of his deadly claws pierced her smooth skin in warning.
A strangled gasp escaped her. Her two smaller hands clutched at his magenta striped wrist and tried to pull his hand away from her neck.
But it was in vain.
"Sess-"
"Die."
With that, the sharp blade in his right hand plunged directly into her abdomen.
--
--
Kagome shot awake, drops of cold sweat clung to her forehead as her chest heaved with her erratic pants. There was nothing where a gaping hole and lots of blood should have been.
She gulped in huge mouthfuls of air in a bid to calm her racing heart. It was just a dream, she told herself, just a bad dream.
The phrase was repeated over and over like a mantra as she laid her head back against the pillow once more. Yet it did nothing to dispel the disturbing images she saw in her extremely vivid dream.
Especially the image of Sesshoumaru when he plunged his katana into her.
He was smiling.
oOo
Kagome had no idea how long had she been sitting there with her knees drawn up to her chin and her back against the wall, staring at the hard wooden floor. After the nightmare last night, she could hardly sleep a wink without her mind being assaulted by bloody images.
The door slid open noisily and a large hand pushed yet another bowl of plain white rice into the room before sliding the door shut again. Still, Kagome remained where she was, not bothering to acknowledge the food even though her stomach was growling out its protest loudly. Naraku could have poisoned it for all she knew.
She figured that a whole day must have gone by for this was the fourth bowl of rice left in the room for her. Closing her eyes, she bit on her lower lip that had begun to quiver.
At least one day had gone by with no sight of Sesshoumaru. She let out a silent sigh.
Where are you, Sesshoumaru? Will you be coming … for me?
Kagome tried to imagine Sesshoumaru's gentle smile, one reserved only for her, as he gave her his quiet reassurance. But all she could see was a smiling Sesshoumaru with red eyes as he stabbed her with his demonic katana.
It was so real that she could almost feel the pain the moment the blade ripped through her flesh. She let out a gasp.
No! Sesshoumaru would never do this to me …
The crimson eyed Sesshoumaru in her mind was smiling at her again.
… would he?
In a corner of her heart, the seed of doubt began to grow and take root.
A pair of red eyes lit up in undisguised mirth as they watched the ebony haired miko through the silver mirror held up before him by a little girl.
Soon, my dear Kagome, he thought to himself as the corner of his lips lifted into a smirk.
oOo
Strong hands pushed open the heavy mahogany doors that led into the mansion, startling the servant girl who was dusting a large antique vase in a corner of the large hall.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, w-welcome back!" she hurriedly squeaked out, bowing profusely although by then, the youkai in question was already nowhere to be seen.
The Taiyoukai strode briskly down the long hallway before going down a flight of steps, the soles of his shoes making a steady clicking sound against the cold polished marble as he headed towards the burgundy door that led into his private wine cellar.
Usually, he would have paused a while to check up on his wine collection, but not today. Instead, he continued to walk towards the back of the dimly lit cellar, stopping only when he reached the end of the room.
A tall shelf, built specifically for holding wine bottles, stood facing him.
A slender hand reached out and gently but firmly swung the shelf outwards to reveal an arched doorway cut into the gray stone wall. A few long strides later, he came upon a door made of the same gray stone identical to that the entire cellar was made out of.
The silver-haired inuyoukai calmly placed his palm upon the cold stone before suddenly releasing a sharp burst of youki.
The minute the thick slab of stone was hit by Sesshoumaru's unforgiving youki; the crescent moon carved deep into it began to glow a bright blue. Silently, it slid away to the side and granted him entrance into the chamber it guarded like a jealous lover.
The underground vault held a dank and somewhat musty smell to it for no one had been inside for the past century or so up until early this morning. Several old, bronze colored trunks sat in a corner with dust more than an inch thick collected upon their lids.
Disregarding the dust, Sesshoumaru lifted the lid of the trunk closest to him and began rummaging through its contents. Roughly he pushed aside silk garments and metal armor in search of the one object he returned to this place for.
The minute his palm met with the object's smooth wooden surface, he pulled it out of the depths of the trunk.
Tokijin.
His golden gaze travelled down the length of the object in his hand, silently taking in the scabbard's good condition. Long fingers closed around the well-worn hilt of the sword and slid it out of its sheath. It appears that like its scabbard, the demonic sword could withstand the test of time just as well.
Firmly, Sesshoumaru grasped the sword, reveling in the feel of the hilt against his rough palm and the solid weight in his hand after more than a century of not holding it.
It looks like this Sesshoumaru will have to call upon you once again, Tokijin.
oOo
Fifteen minutes later, the silver-haired inuyoukai emerged once more from the wine cellar looking very much different from when he had first entered.
Gone was the black trench coat, white shirt, black dress pants and shiny, black patent leather shoes.
Replacing them was a white silk haori with a red sakura pattern, a pair of white hakama pants and black leather boots. Covering his chest was a metal breastplate with a spiked pauldron protecting his left shoulder while a furry white pelt, which was actually a physical manifestation of his youki, covered his right.
Around his waist wound a sash of yellow and purple that held in place his two swords: the heavenly fang Tenseiga and the demonic sword Tokijin.
Just as he was about to reach the top of the stairs, something minuscule in size and with more than two pairs of legs landed gently on his cheek. Without a second thought, he reached up and slapped at the spot lightly.
Golden eyes stared down at the now somewhat flat-looking bug lying on his open palm.
Myoga.
With a soft pop, Myoga, the flea demon and retainer to the Kawamura family ever since Sesshoumaru's father, the great Inu-no-Taisho; returned to his original shape and size.
"Ah! Sesshoumaru-sama! What a pleasant surprise! I thought the servant girls were making up stories when they said you had returned again but I guess I was wrong since you really are here. May I ask what are you up to wearing your armor? I have not seen you in this garb ever since forever!"
Sesshoumaru for the most part, ignored the tiny flea demon's incessant babbling as he strode up the steps and into the corridor, various plans and strategies forming in his mind. He was going to make sure that the spider hanyou paid dearly for daring to touch what was his.
"Myoga, inform Wada and Maeda that the Western Army needs their service once more. Tell them to round up as many soldiers as possible and to gather here by sundown."
"What about General Takani, Sesshoumaru-sama? Do I need to inform him as well?"
Sesshoumaru paused for a moment before answering.
"He has passed on."
The flea demon let out a squeak.
"B-But … When did this happen, Sesshoumaru-sama?"
"About a month ago. He was killed by one of Naraku's men."
"Naraku … the hanyou is still alive? Is it him who we will be fighting against now?"
"Hn." Then as an afterthought, he added, "He has committed one too many atrocities against this Sesshoumaru."
Myoga nodded. That was enough information for now.
"Any other orders, Sesshoumaru-sama?"
In a brisk, business-like tone he was not unaccustomed to using, he said, "Send out messengers to the allies of the Western Lands. Remind them of our alliance and that it still stands in this age and day. Also, get this Sesshoumaru Naraku's exact location immediately. That will be all for now."
"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama," replied Myoga as he hopped away rapidly.
Alone, Sesshoumaru continued on his way to his study.
Suddenly, his body tensed as his senses went on high alert. Someone – a demon, in fact - with very hostile intentions was about to intrude on his private property. In a flash, he rushed out to meet the would-be intruder.
Golden eyes narrowed slightly in annoyance when they fell upon the figure standing in the center of the garden.
At more than 7-feet tall, the black bear demon stood head and shoulders above him. However, Sesshoumaru was unfazed. He had battled against demons much larger and stronger than this bear without getting as much as a scratch on him.
Without hesitation, Sesshoumaru drew his sword and pointed it at the bear.
"Youkai, you are trespassing. Leave now."
The bear let out a loud growl.
"You must be the bastard Sesshoumaru. Prepare to die!"
With that, the demon charged forward with heavy, pounding footsteps, the tip of his own sword aimed at Sesshoumaru's heart.
Sesshoumaru smirked. Killing him would be too easy indeed.
oOo
Pale lavender eyes watched in amusement as a hundred low-level youkai swarmed the city streets. Horrified screams filled the air as everyone began running helter-skelter in a bid to save themselves from being eaten. Some braver ones – demons and hanyous, he believed them to be – were fighting back, fending off the demons with anything that came in handy.
However, it was the way the humans reacted to seeing such demons that amused him to no end.
Although demons and humans have co-existed for at least a century, those that mingle with the humans generally take on a more humanoid appearance. But, not all youkai can appear human.
Low-level demons like those currently on a terrorizing spree on the streets will never, in a thousand years, be able to look remotely like a human. They are usually found deep in the mountains, far removed from society.
More often than not, they serve as prey for higher-level demons looking to satisfy their natural killing instincts every once in a while.
The authorities don't care for it kept the number of low-level demons in check; they reproduced too quickly anyway. Just as long no one accidentally killed a human or another higher-level demon, they would not intervene. They understood how important it was for a demon to give in to their more demonic side on occasion.
No one wanted to deal with a demon gone crazy from bloodlust. It wasn't a pretty sight, to put it simply.
The sound of sirens wailing had Hakudoshi looking down from the top of the tall office building where he stood. So the police have arrived, huh? What fun.
Gunshots rang out, adding to the already chaotic scene on the streets. The child-like humanoid youkai let out a gleeful chuckle when a youkai gobbled up the two policemen that had shot at it, crunching them the way one crunches peanuts.
The once very neat and tidy area now resembled a warzone. Blood, chunks of flesh and bones, and mangled corpses littered the ground, some belonging to the low-level demons he released.
Oh, well, he thought with a nonchalant shrug.
The hot midday sun beating down upon him was making him a little drowsy and he decided that it was time to leave. After all, his work here was done. It didn't matter to him whether or not the demons he released onto the streets survived, his job was only to let loose those demons and let them run rampant.
It was time to go. He was sure that there were other more important things to do than to supervise some mindless demons gone wild.
oOo
In a bright red car on the street below, an irate hanyou sat at the driver's seat while both his passengers tried to pacify him. Well, technically, only one passenger tried to pacify the driver for the other had decided to cower in a corner of the backseat after receiving a hard knock on the head from said driver.
Miroku looked out the window for what seemed like the umpteenth time in the span of ten minutes and asked, "Isn't there another way, Inuyasha?"
"Idiot. If there was one, do you think I'd still be here?" he growled before sounding his horn impatiently, causing the people on the sidewalk to send evil looks his way.
"Calm down, Inuyasha. Something must have happened for such a massive jam to occur here. We'll just have to wait it out."
"Keh, tell me about it," grumbled Inuyasha as he began another fresh round of cursing and honking. The middle-aged man in the dark blue car beside his shook his fist at him but Inuyasha being Inuyasha, ignored him with a roll of his eyes.
It was then that they felt it – the massive wave of jyaki coming towards them at a very high speed.
"Such strong jyaki. Impossible," muttered Miroku, his violet eyes darting around as he tried to locate the source of the youkai aura.
"What the hell …"
Amber eyes widened when the dark, gradually growing speck at the horizon revealed itself to actually be a horde of low-level demons. It didn't take long for shouts and screams to fill the air around them as the demons began attacking en masse.
Without a second thought, Inuyasha was out of the car, followed closely by Miroku.
The dog eared hanyou leapt over the stationary cars to meet the first of the demons head-on while Miroku ran as fast as his legs could carry him, dodging motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians.
"SANKON TESSOU!" cried Inuyasha as he slashed at a nearby youkai with his sharp claws.
Beside him, Miroku sent fuda after fuda towards the demons surrounding them, disintegrating those that had the misfortune to meet with them into dust. Where did he, the man who had just got out of the hospital, get those spell scrolls from, Inuyasha had no idea.
--
--
A good half an hour later, the number of low-level demons still on the streets had diminished considerably following the increase in the amount of people fighting them.
Besides Inuyasha and Miroku, other higher-level demons, half-demons as well as holy people from nearby shrines and temples have joined in the fight to eradicate them. Even humans without any holy power played a part, judging from the large number of police officers firing away at the demons with their guns.
However, more than once, Inuyasha found himself wishing that he had Tetsusaiga with him. Killing off this huge mass of demons would be as easy as pie with just one swing of his Tetsusaiga.
And I wouldn't be covered in their blood from head to toe, he grumbled to himself as he ripped apart an ugly, one-eyed demon with three legs using his blood-covered claws.
Miroku, on the other hand, longed for his trusty shakujo as he leaned against a nearby lamppost with his eyes closed and taking in some much needed breath. He had a feeling that had this kept up any longer; he would have run out of spell scrolls very soon.
He opened his eyes just in time to see Inuyasha land in front of him.
"Come on, let's go. Something weird is going on and we have to let Sesshoumaru know."
"Sure," replied Miroku amiably.
"Let me just get Hachiemon and we can leave. It's time that cowardly raccoon did something other than hide in the car."
"Keh, whatever but make it snappy."
oOo
The wooden shoji door slid open, and footsteps could be heard entering the room.
"The guards told me that you were not eating, my dear Kagome."
Naraku.
Kagome ignored him, preferring instead to continue her staring competition with the wooden floorboard.
"Now, now, Kagome," said Naraku as he crouched before her, gently tilting her chin upwards. "This wouldn't do at all. You have to eat something. I can't have you dying of hunger here, now can I?"
"I'd rather die than to stay here another day," Kagome bit out angrily, turning her head away.
With the pad of his thumb, he caressed her smooth cheek before firmly grabbing her chin to make her face him once again.
"I can't let that happen, my dear girl. After all, I did promise Sesshoumaru that I'd take very good care of you."
Hope flashed through her blue eyes for a brief second. Sesshoumaru!
Naraku let out a laugh at the look on her face, earning himself a sharp glare from the ebony haired young woman.
"Come now, don't tell me you're still waiting for your dear Taiyoukai to come and rescue you?"
Patting her cheek, he continued, "I'd hate to burst your bubble my dear, but that sort of thing only happens in fairytales and this is hardly one, don't you think so, Kagome?"
"He will come for me, I know it," she replied stubbornly.
"And how sure are you? It's already been four days. In fact, in a few more hours, it's going to be five."
Kagome gasped. Four days? Wasn't it only two? Or was it three?
Inwardly, Naraku smirked as he watched Kagome furrow her brow while trying to work out the actual length of time she had spent here. In truth, it hadn't even been close to two days but he wasn't about to tell the girl that.
"Don't look so surprised, my dear. Time flies; don't they teach you that in school?" he asked, chuckling.
Kagome couldn't help the frown that formed on her face. Could it really have been four days already?
She had no idea. Naraku held her captive in a windowless room and with no time-telling device on her, she couldn't really tell for sure how many days and nights had gone by.
Sesshoumaru, where are you?
Once more, the image of a sword wielding Sesshoumaru entered her mind.
Before her, Naraku smirked once more as he gently caressed her smooth cheek. He knew just exactly what was running through her mind at the moment.
"He's a heartless killer. He will not come for you," Naraku said as he locked his blood red eyes with her blue ones.
"No. He's not. He will come."
"It's been four days. If he really cared for you, he would've been here on the first night itself. Sesshoumaru is an inuyoukai, tracking someone down is hardly impossible for a dog like him."
Kagome couldn't help but wonder at those words. Sesshoumaru did not attempt to track me down at all? No. It cannot be. He cares for me. He will come and take me home.
"You are obviously not that important to him if he puts off your rescue in such a way," Naraku continued in the same low, hypnotizing tone.
"What a pity. A beautiful girl like you does not deserve to be replaced by a common whore and so soon too. But rest assured, Kagome. You may not be important to him but you are very important to me."
Kagome narrowed her eyes at him.
"Common whore?" What on earth is he talking about?
Naraku let out a long sigh, an expression of sadness on his face.
"Let me show you the real reason why Sesshoumaru has not come for you," he said, holding up a round mirror to her face.
Kagome blinked twice at her own reflection that stared back at her. "Wha-"
Suddenly, the mirror's surface rippled gently, reminding Kagome of a lake on a breezy spring day before revealing an image in a setting that she is more than familiar with.
There on the large double bed of Sesshoumaru's bedroom was the inuyoukai himself and in his arms, a woman with short, dark hair that she did not recognize. With the sheets thrown back and barely covering their unclothed bodies, there was no mistaking the physical activity they were indulging in.
Kagome could only watch in undisguised repulsion as the woman wrapped her slender arms around his neck while he nuzzled hers. A large, clawed hand with magenta stripes on the wrist caressed the woman's thigh before sliding back to fondle her bottom.
Intimate could not even begin to describe the position that they were in.
As if trying to justify their intimacy, the woman pulled Sesshoumaru closer to her, if that was even possible considering the lack of space between their bodies, before kissing his lips hungrily. Sapphire eyes widened when Sesshoumaru responded in kind, lifting the woman's leg to wrap around his lean waist before pressing the lower half of his body against hers.
Kagome could take it no more. Tears stung at her eyes. This was much more than she bargained for.
"Stop," she whispered, shaking her head. "Stop. Please, no more."
The image disappeared, and the clear silver surface of the mirror returned. Yet whatever she had just seen still seemed to be playing vividly before her eyes.
"That was the hair youkai Yura," Naraku informed her quietly.
"I thought Sesshoumaru would've gone to some other demoness, but to go to that whore … Well, it's a little surprising but I don't suppose that this is the first time Sesshoumaru -"
"Shut up, Naraku. Shut up."
She had wanted to express it in a strong, commanding voice, but unfortunately, it came out in a whisper that sounded weak and confused even to her ears.
Why Sesshoumaru? Why do you do that? What am I to you, Sesshoumaru?
Shut up Naraku did not. He was having too much fun manipulating her thoughts and feelings. The seed of doubt had been planted in her mind already and with a little extra persuasion, the ebony haired miko would be under his absolute control.
"I know about the dream you had."
Kagome's eyes widened. How could he …?
"I can read minds, my dear. The dream you had of Sesshoumaru killing you merely represents what you are to him in real life – dispensable."
Kagome shook her head, not wanting to hear another word but still, Naraku continued.
"Kagome, my dear, demons are not like humans. They do not experience emotions as humans do. Sesshoumaru does not love you. He is merely toying with you. Haven't you already seen that for yourself? You are nothing but a plaything to him."
His words echoed in her ears. Sesshoumaru does not love you … nothing but a plaything … does not love you …
"Dog demons are known for their loyalty, Kagome. Do you think he would be sleeping around with another woman if he's truly loyal to you? Don't you think that he would've come for you immediately if he really, as you put it, love you?"
He slept with … her … when I'm a captive here. Does he really love me? Could Naraku be right?
Naraku let out a sigh.
"Kagome," he said, caressing her face gently before continuing, "believe me when I say that Sesshoumaru does not love you."
"I've known him much longer than you have. These eyes of mine have seen demoness after demoness all cast aside like a broken toy after just a while of being with him. Sesshoumaru does not love anyone except himself."
"Y-You're lying. You don't know him. You're his enemy. You wouldn't know anything about him."
Naraku let out a chuckle.
"Listen to yourself, Kagome. You accuse me of lying yet you sound so unsure. I make it a point to know my enemies very well. It is you who don't know him, Kagome."
Her lips moved but no sound escaped them.
I-I know him. He's Kawamura Sesshoumaru. He works as an accountant but he's really a Taiyoukai. He likes beef steaks. He … I know him. He … he …
Her mind drew a blank. It was as if the harder she tried, the harder it was for her to recall. Those little details about Sesshoumaru that she was sure she knew seemed to have disappeared, permanently erased from her mind.
In their place were the two very vivid images that wouldn't leave her mind no matter what.
"You don't know the ruthless killer behind that calm façade. You don't know how heartless he really is. You don't know his brutality and cruelty. You don't know about his other women. You only know what he wants you to know."
The words cut at her heart; wrenching open old wounds while effectively shredding it to tiny pieces. Was it possible that Sesshoumaru had been stringing her along all this while, playing her for a fool?
Tears began rolling down her cheeks silently. She felt very foolish now; no doubt about it. The way Naraku's voice echoed in her mind only made it worse. All she wanted now was for the voice to shut up and leave her alone.
Sesshoumaru does not love you … nothing but a plaything … does not love you … heartless … his other women … you don't know … cruel … you don't know … you don't know …
Leave her alone, it certainly did not. Kagome could still hear clearly every single word uttered.
"Shut up! Shut up!" she cried, willing the voice to stop. Naraku had conveniently left her hands bound behind her back, leaving her no other choice but to shake her head in a bid to clear the voice from her mind.
Still, the low voice continued on like a broken record.
Sesshoumaru does not love you … nothing but a plaything … does not love you … heartless … his other women … you don't know … cruel … you don't know … you don't know …
At the same time, images of Sesshoumaru making love to another woman and killing her with a smile on his handsome face assaulted her mind.
"Leave me alone! Make it stop!" she cried out, her eyes shut tight. It was bad enough knowing that she had been toyed with; she didn't need to see those images.
Naraku smirked as he watched her try to push the voice and images out of her mind.
That's right, Kagome. The more you resist, the more vivid you'll see them and the louder the voice will become. Struggle, Kagome, struggle.
Tears streamed steadily down her face; marring her natural beauty with the tracks they left behind.
"Stop," she whimpered.
She hated it; hated those images that showed her just how stupid and naïve she was, hated the voice that was driving her crazy.
But above all, she hated the dog demon she had fallen in love with.
She hated Sesshoumaru for doing this to her; hated him for cheating on her, hated him for making a fool out of her, hated him for playing with her heart.
Her sapphire eyes glazed over as her subconscious mind recounted the things that she hated him for.
Yes, Kagome. Hate him. Hate Sesshoumaru. He has done many unforgivable things to you. Hate him. Hate Sesshoumaru.
It was that voice again; the one that drove her crazy.
However, this time around, Kagome found herself agreeing with it, albeit a little reluctantly at first. I … hate you … Sesshoumaru. I hate you. I hate you, Sesshoumaru!
The world doesn't need someone like him. It would be better if he was dead.
That's right, Kagome. You don't need Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru must die.
Her bright blue eyes dimmed and darkened. Yes, he must die.
Sesshoumaru must die. Only the power of the Shikon no Tama can kill him. Sesshoumaru must die. Revive the Shikon no Tama. Kill Sesshoumaru.
The last of the light in her beautiful sapphire eyes dissipated, leaving them hollow and soulless. Slowly, she nodded her head in agreement to Naraku's suggestion.
"Sesshoumaru, I will send you to hell," she whispered.
oOo
Nimbly, Sesshoumaru leaped backwards to avoid the bear demon's sword before disappearing and reappearing again behind the youkai, Tokijin poised to strike the demon's poorly protected back.
He slashed down quick and hard, cleanly snapping the bear's spine in the process. The bear let out a loud, anguished howl before collapsing onto the ground, bright crimson blood pooling around him.
Sesshoumaru flicked away the excess blood that clung onto his sword before sheathing it, a faint look of irritation on his face. For a lumbering bear demon who didn't even know the proper way to hold a sword, the fight had lasted longer than expected.
A swirl of youki around the bear caused the inuyoukai to look down sharply at the bear. Golden eyes narrowed as the wound on the demon began closing up rapidly.
Impossible.
He had made sure to deal the demon a blow so fatal that it would have sent him into the afterlife immediately. Yet, the youkai was now standing before him with hardly a scratch on his body.
It was impossible.
Although not a fatal wound to a youkai of his caliber, it would still take him, Sesshoumaru, at least three days with proper medical attention before he would be able to walk again. How then, could a youkai on a level much lower than his heal himself completely in a matter of minutes when he should have been dead?
"Die, Sesshoumaru!"
The loud cry jolted him out of his thoughts. The bear was now rushing at him, sword drawn and with every intention of impaling the inuyoukai upon it. Unfortunately for him, Sesshoumaru would not give him that satisfaction.
Neatly, Sesshoumaru sidestepped the charging demon and faster than lightning, had the demon's left arm cut off at the shoulder. The bear fell to the ground, doubled over in pain and clutching his bloody shoulder.
However, just as Sesshoumaru readied himself to strike the youkai, another swirl of youki identical to the first enveloped the bear once again. Before his very eyes, the bear youkai grew another limb in place of the detached one.
Sesshoumaru furrowed his brow. No demon should be able to regenerate a lost limb that quickly. Furthermore, that swirl of youki did not feel like it was a part of the bear's own demonic energy.
It was far more powerful and more sinister than the one belonging to the weak bear demon.
What is happening here?
oOo
Five hours later, Sesshoumaru was still battling the same bear demon from before.
It was baffling, to say the least.
Sesshoumaru had tried hacking him into minuscule bits with Tokijin, filling up his body with a very lethal dose of acidic poison, slicing him with his light whip, everything, but nothing seemed to work. The bear demon came back to life each and every single time.
The inuyoukai was getting tired of trying to kill something that obviously wouldn't die. His precious time was wasted here fighting a worthless demon when he could have been rescuing Kagome and Rin.
Then it struck him.
"Did Naraku send you?"
"And what's that to you, bastard?" the demon replied as he tried to land a blow on Sesshoumaru's shoulder, a move that Sesshoumaru parried all too easily.
The answer was more than enough for the Taiyoukai who easily put two and two together to get four. It was blatantly obvious now that Naraku was trying to delay Sesshoumaru by having him fight this bear demon.
Damn you, Naraku, he thought, his grip on Tokijin tightening. What are you playing at now?
Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about it. Until he killed the youkai off, he didn't think that he could leave the area in search of them. Inwardly, he seethed, cursing the devious hanyou with all his might.
The bear demon came charging at him once more, his heavy steps leaving deep paw imprints on the ground. With his blade held high above his head, it was clear that he intend to cleave Sesshoumaru into two.
However, less than three feet away from the inuyoukai, the bear demon suddenly crumbled to the ground with a loud crash.
Sesshoumaru watched with a furrowed brow as the unmoving youkai's large body slowly began to turn into dust, a fine ash that blew away with the wind before his very eyes. Nothing was left of the bear demon except the clothes that he was wearing and the katana he was using.
The silver-haired youkai let out a growl. Something very suspicious was taking place and Naraku had a hand in it.
There was no doubt about it.
oOo
A/N: I hope you guys liked this chapter. I'll try to have the next one up asap. Leave me a review please? It's been a loooong time since I've heard from all of you and it'd be nice if you let me know how this chapter turned out. Thanks for reading!