Grettings all loyal readers of this fic, I know it has been a while since my last update, and for that I am sorry. I have been very busy with school and my normal life, but I always try to fit some time in to write. Here is chapter 29 I hope it lives up to your splendor.

Chapter 29- Into the Abyss

Cold. That was all he could sense, all he could feel. The ruthless, bitter icy atmosphere he was shrouded in. Wet, cold moisture seeped into his bones as Inuyasha tried to make sense of the current bleak situation he now found himself in.

His golden orbs glinted against the blinding white ice and snow that encased him, like an impenetrable elemental cage. Inuyasha's nose twitched as he felt the pressing wintry air intrude upon his canine senses. The red robed half demon growled lowly to himself. Yamashi had done this. That deceitful demon had conjured up the winter elements and trapped him in this frost bubble. Yamashi had the power to manipulate the elements, that much was certain. And now he had taken Kagome hostage in an attempt to use her as leverage he had so plainly put it, against him. Inuyasha would not have that.

He began to pace his icy dome in an attempt to calm his raging mind and think of a logical plan that would get him out of the cage. After a few minutes of frantic pacing he whirled around and landed a solid punch to the crystallized wall of the dome. He was rewarded with barley a scratch to the shiny, rock hard surface and he now had a throbbing pain in his right hand. Cursing aloud and cradling his aching hand for a moment Inuyasha concluded that physical punches were not going to work.

"If I had my tetsaiga I could just blast my way out!" He snarled to himself, great puffs of air escaping from his lips and dissolved in the arctic air. Inuyasha tapped his claws in frustration against the crystallized wall, the sharp thumping noise made echoed in the small enclosure, reminding the half demon just how trapped he was.

And to think, I'm here because of a trade. A hasty, thoughtless trade! Inuyasha's blood heated as he berated himself for being so hurried. His eyes darkened as he thought of how foolish his decision had been. If he had not been so hast, so willing to trade, if he had thought it out a little better instead of snatching at the first opportunity, he might still have tetsaiga.

"Dam, I am such an idiot." The words echoed back bitterly. Inuyasha cracked his knuckles, preparing his fists for another possible physical assault from the hard, punishing walls that kept him there.

Bracing himself, he crouched low, bending his knees in order to give him as much room as possible. Steeling his claws and drawing his strength in a rigid, icy breath Inuyasha leaped from his crouch and straight up to the domes ceiling. Ramming his claws with unthinkable force he broke through the layer of ice and snow.



His hand nearly went numb at the sudden icy blast of snow flurries. But he had gotten this far and he wasn't about to stop now. Clawing his way through the blinding white, Inuyasha felt the snow settle deep in his kimono, weighing him down. He continued burrowing his way up, creating a tunnel amongst the snow. Stretching his arms out, Inuyasha pawed his way through the endless slush, looking for a way to the surface. He could feel it pressing in on him, the thin, cold air forcing him to take shorter, more frequent breaths. He had to find the surface soon, or else drown in this endless, suffocating sea of white. Finally when he thought he could take no more of the smothering cold, and felt he would be trapped in the endless tunnel, he felt his hands break through to the surface.

Inuyasha quickly pulled himself out of his hovel, taking in a grateful breath of air. His hands where tinged red from the cold and he could barley feel them anymore. But it didn't matter. He had made it out. Shaking his body of lingering snowflakes, he took a good look around. It certainly did not look like the place he had been in so recently.

The entire room had been plunged into the dead of winter. Snow blanketed every surface, the soft white powder mounded on the rocks and boulders, making them look icy and dangerous. It clung to the bits of debris, creating unidentifiable objects shrouded in white. What had been left of the jewelry shop was now covered in a thick layer of snow. Shimmering icicles hung from every tip, their razor tips jingling dangerously against one another. Brooding, dark storm clouds swirled unnaturally above it all, creating heavy flakes that floated endlessly toward the ground.

Inuyasha slowly made his way through the snow, plodding through it in a determined attempt to cover ground more quickly. The stubborn snow seemed to slow him down, as it pressed firmly against him as he tried to make his way through. The blizzard had already covered the ground with two feet of snow, making Inuyasha's trek more difficult. If it had not been created as a diversion by the demon that took his mate, Inuyasha would have thought the winter scene looked pretty. But it had been created by a cunning, deviant beast that delighted in mind games, who stolen Kagome away from him. The snow was meant as a distraction, a nuisance, a way to prevent Inuyasha from reaching them. It dulled his senses and made his movements more lethargic. But he would continue his journey, slugging through the cold flurry until he found them.

As he walked slowly through the world of white, Inuyasha's nose was on the lookout for any distinct scent of Yamashi or Kagome, one that would perhaps lead him to where they had disappeared too. It was not as easy as it sounded, for the demons scent was everywhere, covering nearly every crevice in the entire place, making it nearly impossible for Inuyasha to distinguish the freshest one.

All was quiet, as the half man continued to sniff the chilly air, sometimes catching a whiff of something possible, only for it to be a dead end. Inuyasha wanted to scream, to through back his head and curse the heavens for this unfortunate dilemma that seemed so hopeless. He 

wanted to kill Yamashi for what he did, but mostly Inuyasha wanted Kagome. When she wasn't there by his side, he felt uneasy, and doubtful of himself and his capabilities. She calmed his spirit and put his mind at ease.

Continuing on in the numbing mush, he pushed that wretched thought from his mind. First he had to find Kagome. And then once she was safe, he could tear Yamashi to pieces. Nodding to himself in confirmation, he went on through the volley of stinging snowflakes.

Inuyasha had wondered the entire room and sniffed every possible nook and cranny without any luck. Just when he was about to take out his frustration on the scenery, he spied something odd. At the far side of the room, against the wall, there was a dark, jagged shape cut out among the concrete. The half demon squinted at it through the sheets of snow that pelted his face.

"Bulls eye." Inuyasha growled in triumph He dashed through the blizzard, trying to ignore the burning flakes that assaulted him mercilessly. Nearing the strange indention in the wall, the half demon began to slow down, skittering the frozen white into the air in a wave of frost. Now that he was closer Inuyasha realized that the dark, mysterious shape was a hole.

So this is where he's taken her! Well he had better be prepared for the fight of his life!

Tensing his muscles, so as to ready his body for what lie ahead, Inuyasha leapt through the crude opening in the wall. Blackness swallowed him as he left the winter wonderland and descended into a world of darkness. As he plummeted toward the unknown, he felt the air grow colder and colder. His robe began to stiffen around him, as frost appeared on his clothes.

It seemed he would fall through the darkness for eternity, and then he felt the cold floor on his bare feet. He had made it to the bottom. Clad completely in the gloom, Inuyasha could barely see the nose in front of his face. But he did not need his eyes to tell him that the place he was in was tainted with the musty smell of age. A dank odor hung in the air, clogging the half demons keen nose. Based on the stench Inuyasha concluded that this area was several years old. And it had been quite a long time since it had been aired out.

His hands stuck out cautiously as Inuyasha groped his way through the black. An unseen wind rippled his kimono, crackling the ice that had formed on the sleeves.

Inuyasha wished for a source of light so as to navigate his way through the dark space that sat beneath the old shop. As if the gods had heard his silent plea, a luminescent spot light was cast upon him, its artificial blue rays shining eerily from the ceiling, where a cloak of black still seemed to stubbornly reside. But the light had done its job. Inuyasha could now see where he was standing. It appeared to be an underground ice cavern of sorts. Slick, ice covered everything, giving the room an azure shine. He could see his reflection staring back at him from several different ice panels upon the walls.



The youkai in Inuyasha flared abruptly, and he felt his soul stir wildly as it whirled within his chest like an inferno hurricane. His nose sprung to life as the familiar tainted aura wafted through the air.

"You truly do not know the meaning of boundaries, do you half demon?"

Inuyasha wheeled around, his eyes blazing.

From out of the thick walls of ice, Yamashi emerged. His form multiplied by the icy mirrors, and it appeared there were six demons strolling toward Inuyasha. As he got closer, Yamashi's clones vanished slowly from six to three, and finally down to one as he stood a few yards from Inuyasha.

The half man seethed, barley keeping his youkai in check. "Boundaries. You most of all should know the meaning of that Yamashi, you crossed that limit by taking my mate hostage." He hissed vehemently at the human looking demon.

Yamashi stared Inuyasha down, his eyes black with malice and unfrequented power. A ghost of a smile graced his face in the pale light, as if he had a delightful secret that he was about to unveil to Inuyasha.

"You should choose your words carefully, boy; you do not know the significance of what they hold."

Inuyasha let out a feral snarl, his youkai threatening to shatter the bonds his body had created. "You are the one who has stolen my mate from me. And you are telling me I should watch my tone?!

Yamashi continued to watch the livid half demon with dark eyes, pointedly ignoring Inuyasha's obvious rage.

The dog eared man growled savagely. "Coward! You hide behind words and illusions! You toy with others emotions and you play your foolish mind games because you are too afraid to face your enemies! Well I am one adversary that you will not be able to hide from! Where is my mate?!" Inuyasha was visibly shaking under the strain his youkai aura was pressing against his chest like a burning claw raking across his insides, leaving a trail of fire in its wake.

Yamashi's eyes flashed dangerously, but he remained perfectly passive. "Your mate is incapable of hearing you. Where she resides your words cannot reach her, she is as deaf to your cries."

Inuyasha bristled. "What are you talking about?! If you have harmed her, so help me…..

He was interrupted by Yamashi's amused chuckle. "Your mate is of perfect condition Inuyasha." His voice sounded so pleasant one would have thought the two were having a causal 

chat over afternoon tea. But Yamashi only continued to stare at Inuyasha through laughing eyes. This further irritated the half demon and he took a great stride forward towards the demon dressed in a suite.

"You do not believe me? See for yourself." Yamashi gave a grand sweep of his hand towards something on his right. It was a small cave. It was camouflaged so well amongst the walls of ice that Inuyasha almost did not notice it. A dark crevice embedded within the sheer frost. He squinted, trying to see past the dense blackness.

Soft footsteps echoed against the hard floor. A figure slowly began to emerge from the shadows. When the shape stepped into the shaft of cerulean light Inuyasha's heart stopped beating. It was Kagome.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled, his worry washing through his strangled voice. He began to walk toward his mate, intent on taking her into his arms and reassuring her. In two bounds he had made it over to her and flung is arms around her, pulling her quickly into him. Running a hand across her black haired head, Inuyasha breathed a silent sigh of relief. His mate was safe and unharmed.

"I'm so glad you are safe." He whispered into her hair. He expected her to start sobbing and babbling hysterically whilst she hugged him tightly. But she remained silent. Her arms remained motionless at her sides; she made to motion to return the hug. Inuyasha noticed that her body was rigid against his, when normally it would immediately melt to his form. Something was wrong.

"Kagome? What's wrong?" Inuyasha asked his voice filled with concern. His answer came in an abrupt, swift pain in his abdomen. He bent forward and held his clawed hands to his stomach in pain. Phlegm flew from his mouth as Inuyasha coughed, trying to retain the breath that had been knocked out of him. His stomach felt on fire, like a red hot thorn had been jammed into the soft flesh and was twisting and turning mercilessly, irritating and bruising the skin. Kagome withdrew her left hand from within Inuyasha's stomach and sent him stumbling to his knees in a fit of coughing. When it finally subsided, Inuyasha looked up from his knees to his mate.

"Kagome?" He said hoarsely, his eyes searching her face, looking for that warm, caring spark in her eyes, her beautiful smile. He found nothing, only dark, cold, emotionless pools sunken in a pale blank face.

I have finally posted, and I am plenty glad that I was finally able to get this chapter out there, seeing as it took a while to create. What do you think of Yamashi? Pretty cold hearted eh? Reviews are welcomed and very much appreciated. Until the next chapter then.