Chapter XXXVII Vermillion

Part Two:

Hell in Her Eyes

'I see hell in your eyes
Taken in by surprise
touching you makes me feel alive
touching you makes me die inside'

--

The fire burned through the roof and ceiling as Shin ran deeper into the palace. Jumping over fallen timber and zooming pass shoji screens as they caught on fire. He soon lost the two distinct scents of Inuyasha and Kikyo. 'Damnit! Where are they?' franticly thought the half demon as he covered his nose from the thick rising smoke.

Kikyo stood firm, as she stared down at Inuyasha as he gasped for air, choking from the smoke as it rose from the floor. He body sweat from both the heat of the fire and the feverish effects of the poison. The room was soon engulfed in flames, surrounding the two in an inferno.

"K-Ki-Kikyo! Please! D-Don't do- this!" begged Inuyasha as he then collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Kikyo looked down at him…A small feeling formed in her heart at that exact moment, only to push it deeper in her soul. 'This has to be done…Only I can see to your death…'

"Inuyasha!" Called out Shin as he pushed away the blocked door of burned wood. He entered the room, frozen in place.

There stood the dead miko, her hair flowing wildly against the blaze, shifting back and forth. The flames reflected against her dull eyes, casting an eerie appearance. Her fists clenched as she glared at Shin.

"WHY!? Why must you always interfere!!" screamed the dead woman. She then calmed down slowly, "Hehe…No matter, I'll take you down with us! Down into HELL!" said Kikyo with a wicked smile.

"…Kikyo, this is not the end…Listen to me!" Shin said as he walked over to the woman.

"Oh? Pleading are we? Well you have to better than that!" Kikyo said.

Shin then ran to her, gripping her firmly, "You do not understand! Kikyo…you are carrying a child!!"

Kikyo stared at the half demon, the light of the flames shone against his face and hers. In one moment a frail emotion glistened through the dead woman's eyes.

"It is impossible…I am dead you fool!!" screamed Kikyo as she tried to pull away.

Shin then hit her, knocking her to the ground, "OPEN YOUR EYES! Does a corpse bleed?" Shin yelled.

Kikyo glared at him then felt something strange, a warm liquid poured down from her brow and onto her cheek. Her eyes widen as she touched it, looking at her fingers was a red smear of blood.

"H-How can this be…?" Kikyo said in shock.

"It must be the shikon jewel shard in your chest. It granted your inner wish…" Shin said calmly.

Kikyo tugged at her heart, "Y-You can see the shard? But how?? Only a miko can! One with powers beyond any other! You are just a-

"A half demon…" Shin said cutting Kikyo off.

Kikyo hesitated, "Ju-just who are you!"

"Ironically, I am your savior…" Shin said as he looked down at her.

Shin then tried to grab her, she screamed out, "No! NO!! I want to die! Let me leave this wrenched world!!"

Franticly she pulled out the dagger and stabbed Shin. Shin released her and grunted in pain.

He looked at her then turned away, picking up Inuyasha and fled out of the burning room. Kikyo sat there in utter shock as she slowly pressed her hand onto her lower stomach then shook uncontrollably as she formed in a ball, crying hysterically.

Running down the burning rubble of what was once a hallway, his feet slowly cooked and burned against the floor as his lungs weaken from the thick black smoke. Passing through an antechamber he then came up to a dead end. He searched for a way out, and then he looked up. About two stories high was a small opening of broken timber and where most of the smoke was escaping from. 'An exit…' thought Shin.

Just then Shin heard something, it was pulsating, calling for him. Shin hesitated, "Damnit, what now?" Shin said out loud.

Just then a white blur walked up to him, "S-Sesshomaru?" Shin said as his vision grew weak.

"Let me take him, go get the orb." The Demon lord said as he threw his half brother over his shoulder.

"I-…the orb?" questioned Shin.

"Go now! There isn't much time!" yelled Sesshomaru as he then jumped up to the exit in the roof.

Shin nodded and then stumbled over the wreckage, "W-where are you? Call me again…Let me find you…you…" Shin said wearily as the poison began to take affect.

What seemed like hours, somehow Shin found the room where the blue sphere glowed brightly. Reacting and pulsating from Shin's presence.

The orb then rose from the ground, spinning rapidly then suddenly vanished from Shin's eyes. He fell to the ground onto his knees and screamed in great agony. It was too much he felt like his heart was going to burst right out from his chest.

Shin's eyes shed tears as they flooded down his cheeks, his lips trembled as his mind had flashbacks of things he's never seen.

A quiet village…A dark moist cave covered with vines and moss…a vision of a woman feeding him, it-it was Kikyo! He then licked and tasted the stale-ness of rice porridge against his lips. Then the image of the Shikon no Tama came into view, it was completely whole yet shined a dark glowed, tainted with malice… 'These memories…they aren't mine…' Suddenly Shin opened his eyes…

"Who am I…? WHO THE FUCK AM I!!" screamed Shin as the room caved in, falling apart in a pile of burned char'd wood and debris.

Outside the others waited and were getting worried. 'It's taking too long, where are they?' thought Kagome.

Just then at the very top of the castle a huge blast of fire shot out from an opening and through the smoke the group saw Sesshomaru and Inuyasha.

"They made it!" smiled Kagome.

Sesshomaru flew down to the group and placed his half brother on to the grass, Kagome rushed to his aid.

"Inuyasha…Inuyasha!" called out Kagome as her eyes filled with tears.

Inuyasha stirred lightly, 'someone is calling me…who is it…?'

"Inuyasha!!"

'That voice…its Kagome's…am I dead? Kagome…Kagome…'

"Kagome…" mumbled the hanyou as he slowly opened his eyes.

The miko looked down at him, she smiled widely and hugged me, "Oh Inuyasha, I was so scared!!" Kagome cried out as she laid on his chest.

"Thank you Sesshomaru…" Miroku said.

The Demon lord looked over at the monk, "I did not rescue him, it was Shin…"

"Shin…" Sango said in worried, "He's still inside!"

Everyone looked back at the burning castle as the black smoke rose high into the skies as the sun set into the distance, turning to sky blood-red…almost a dark vermillion color laid out over the heavens.

"Shin…"

OH NO! What happens to our beloved half demon? Find out next chapter!! Please review!! Or no cookie for you!! Haha!