"Hello Inuyasha…" A voice hissed from the dark sky above me. "Looking for me?"
36 - Victory awry?
…continued…
"There you are…" I said as I stood and drew Tessaiga.
"Talk around town is you've been searching for me Inuyasha…is there something you need?" He grinned.
"You can start by telling me who you are. You neglected to tell me before, and attacked Kagome instead!" I growled viciously.
"Oh yes, how is she by the way?" He smirked evilly.
"Shut up! Answer my question!"
"What?" He pretended to be astounded. "You mean your little girlfriend didn't tell you? I told her everything you need to know...conveniently in a dream." He pointed to his temple with one of his long fingers.
"Bastard. Quit playing games!" I snarled.
He chuckled, "Fine. I shall repeat myself. I am Kerberos. Demon of the pit, and servant to the most powerful lord." he added a theatrical bow. "Take a good look Inuyasha, for this is the last face you will ever see."
I growled and tightened my grip on Tessaiga. I was suddenly aware of how unsure I was about how to fight him.
"Lets see how you fair without your beloved to heal you." Kerberos grinned. He then lunged forward, his fingertips extended toward me like sharp talons.
I dodged him at the last second, realizing I didn't have time to use Tessaiga. Before I even fully turned to face him, he was coming right at me again. I raised Tessaiga and his fist collided with my blade. He rebounded off it and shot up in the air. I swung Tessaiga down as fast as I could.
"BACKLASH-WAVE!" I yelled as the wall of destructive energy shot out from Tessaiga. Impatiently, I waited for the debris to clear. I heard him laughing before I saw him.
"Interesting…" Kerberos sneered. He was hovering just inches from where the earth was gouged out, somehow having dodged my attack. "Now, let me show you something."
He raised his arm and held onto air as if clutching an object.
"Fo̱tiá kólasi̱," He muttered in an unrecognizable language. Then, out of nowhere, a long staff with a blade at the end manifested itself. Kerberos clutched its handle and bounded forward, closing the several yards between us in less than a second. The weapon he held barely grazed my shoulder as he thrust it toward me. I jumped to the side, out from under him. He followed instantly. I swung Tessaiga, trying the Wind-scar this time. Kerberos unexpectedly vanished and the Wind-scar tore up the earth where he used to be.
While steadying my stance, I tried to take a deep breath, but got cut short as he appeared right next to me. I felt his fist connect with my head, it was like it happened in slow motion. Then my body hurled sideways at excessive speed. I slammed into the face of a rock ledge, causing it to shatter behind me.
Slumping down onto the ground, I tried to gain sight of him. He was nowhere in view. I got to my feet. There was suddenly a hand around my throat and I was flying through the air; thrown like a rag doll with a mere flick of his wrist.
I spun in mid-air and determined which way was down. I plunged into the trees where his attacks would be limited in visibility. Plus, it was easy to tell when he was behind me.
It wasn't long before he was right on my tail. Trees started collapsing all over the place as Kerberos delivered attack after attack. I sheathed Tessaiga and focused on getting out of the way.
I broke free into a field and drew Tessaiga again, raising it up to swing. Kerberos darted out of the tops of the trees and chucked his blade at me. He just… threw it, and it was speeding towards me with deadly accuracy. Avoiding it by an inch or two, I scrambled backward and tried not to freak out as the ground lifted up like a wave around where the blade had landed. There was a loud crack and the land rose up, split, and crumbled in.
"Damn-" I dashed to the side, attempting to keep a range on Kerberos. That's when he swooped around behind me and came at me with his bare hands. I blocked the first two stabs, but the third one hit me in the right shoulder and sent me flying backwards.
I skidded to a stop and hit the ground. My shoulder felt like it was on fire. It was the same attack from before. I gripped Tessaiga and used it to lift myself up with my good arm. Looking back across the field, I saw that Kerberos hadn't moved. He stood examining his arm, the one that he used to jab me. Confusion was evident in his expression.
I suddenly sensed the purification aura radiating in the air. It was Kagome's power. I was afraid at first, but then I realized she wasn't here, just her aura. It must still be working from the first time she healed me. And now it's going to keep Kerberos from being able to run me through, I thought.
I took advantage of the moment and stood up to shake off the pain in my shoulder. Kerberos didn't even seem to notice. He looked really angry. I leaned into a fighting stance and readied Tessaiga.
"Whatsa matter? Is there a problem?" I shouted.
"Don't get cocky," he spat. He reached his arm out and produced another blade from thin air. "I don't have to touch you to kill you."
He was talking big, but I could tell his energy was depleted. Kagome's aura definitely affected him, and it was affecting me too. I couldn't feel the extreme burning in my shoulder anymore, which meant I could keep fighting just as if I was never hit.
I glared back at Kerberos, ready to stand my ground. He lifted the blade and then lurched his arm forward. The blade hurdled from his grip.
I didn't know what was going to happen, I wasn't even sure if Tessaiga could protect me from it. Without my robe too, I was pretty vulnerable. But knowing that Kagome was technically with me gave me the strength I needed.
Just as I was about to engage the speeding blade, the weirdest thing happened. Instead of hitting me, it collided with a wall that suddenly surrounded me. It was like a barrier or shield. I could feel Kagome's calming aura everywhere. Then, the weapon he threw literally disintegrated. It was just gone.
I stood there, dumbfounded for a second, then played it off cool like I meant for it to happen. I resisted the urge to make some snappy comeback because I didn't even do anything. Kagome's aura was protecting me...somehow.
Kerberos's jaw dropped slightly. Seemed he was out of ideas.
"Heh, well if that's all you got…" I raised Tessaiga. It glowed ominous black, indicating the Zangetsuha's presence. "Take a good look," I smirked. "This is the last face you'll ever see… ZANGETSUHA!"
A single black blade jutted out and sliced the sky. Kerberos darted toward me, completely disregarding the attack.
"Insolent half-breed-" His arm shot forward and plunged into my gut and out again. I couldn't let it happen, not again, not without a whole lot of payback. I swiveled on my heel, turning my body so I was facing his back. My eyes followed his movement, even at the incomparable speed. I felt my demonic aura spike in the moment before the kill, when I was truly craving revenge. This is for Kagome you slimy bastard! I thought was I swung Tessaiga one last time, sending a second black blade right at him. In an instant, he was swallowed up and the portal collapsed in on itself.
My knees gave out on me and I fell to the ground, breathing heavily. I lay completely still as the burning pain was replaced with Kagome's numbing purification.
She saved me once again. And I saved her right back.
After I gave myself a brief rest, I trudged back to where I left my robe of the fire rat, but it wasn't there. I clenched my fists. How the hell… Kerberos didn't have it with him, I was sure of that. Besides, why would he, or anyone, take it. I collapsed down on the grass.
Whatever, I'll deal with it later, I thought. I would get some sleep and head back to the village after my wounds healed. I couldn't return in the shape I was in anyway…Kagome would kill me.
In any case, that Kerberos bastard was taken care of. He was right where he belonged: hell.