Ch. 89- The God's Truth
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
"Foolish mortals," said the so-called Water God. "Do you not the penalty for desecrating sacred ground?!"
"Oh, what are you gonna do, you phony?" asked Inuyasha. "Curse us?!"
"Inuyasha, no!" Kagome cried, worriedly.
"Are you trying to make him mad?!" Shippo questioned.
The Water God chuckled before he held up the Trident of Amakoi...and outside, the waters of the lake began to churn and swirl. Then, as he slammed the bottom end of the trident on the floor, suddenly, the group found themselves shielding their eyes from a flash of light. As Inuyasha opened his eyes...his breath came out in a small cloud of bubbles as he saw the shrine up above the water's surface!
'What the...we're at the bottom of the lake?!' thought Inuyasha. 'Wait...where's Kagome?!'
It didn't take him very long to find her, for he found Kagome, Shippo, and Taromaru being swept about in the current, all of them struggling to hold their breath. Inuyasha let out an alarmed grunt before he began to swim for all he was worth, fighting against the push of the current. He reached his hand out to Kagome, just as she opened her eyes and attempted to do the same...but then, just as they were about to reach each other, Kagome's eyes went wide before she let out a garbled shout.
'Behind you!' she thought...but alas, her words came out in a burst of bubbles. Inuyasha, unable to hear her warning, was struck in the back of the head by a rock. He let out a gasp of hair before his eyes slowly closed and he began to sink to the bottom of the lake.
'Inuyasha, no!' Kagome cried out, mentally as she attempted to swim after him...but then, to her surprise and utter horror, the current began to push her back to the surface. 'No! Wait! Inuyasha's going to drown!'
Suddenly, Kagome found herself lying on a wooden floor. She coughed as she tried to regain her breath, then looked up and saw that she was back inside the Water God's throne room.
"Huh?" she muttered as she looked around. "I-I'm back in here, again?!"
"Hahahahahaha...!" the Water God chuckled as he began to approach her...his eyes glowing red and fangs showing through an eerie smile. "My sacrifice if you don't mind, girl..."
Kagome gasped before she held the unconscious Taromaru protectively in her arms while Shippo whimpered and hid behind her.
"Stay back!" she shouted as she gripped her bow. "I mean it!"
As the Water God began to advance, Suekichi, timid as he was, snuck behind him and grabbed a nearby lamp, then yelled as he charged at him from behind, preparing to strike him in the back of his head...only for the Water God to strike him down with one of his elastic arms, causing him to trip and smash his mask, completely.
"Foolish brat..." the Water God hissed as he turned to glare at him. Kagome gasped, knowing that this was her one chance. She grabbed her bow and aimed at the Water God, then shot it without hesitation...but the Water God's eyes narrowed as he turned to face her.
"What use is a measly little arrow to you?" asked the Water God as he easily caught the projectile...but the moment he did, he screamed as he felt his arm suddenly melt away, revealing a bony limb.
"I...I got him!" Kagome exclaimed.
"This can't be...!" the Water God hissed. "A mere arrow, able to damage me, a god?!"
"Quick, Kagome! Let's get outta here while we can!" Shippo shouted.
"Right!" Kagome nodded before she ran over to Suekichi. "Hey, can you run?!"
"Y...yes, ma'am," Suekichi nodded.
"Hey, you!" Shippo shouted as he smacked Taromaru in the head, causing him to gasp as he woke up. "Wake up and get a move on!"
"You fools...!" growled the Water God. "You shall rue this day!"
"RUN!" Kagome yelled as she and the children got out of there, faster than lightning.
"Suekichi!" Taromaru said as he glanced at the boy. "Are you okay?!"
"I'm fine," said Suekichi, who was revealed to have beady little eyes and a small mouth. "What about you, Master Taromaru?"
"Even though that was really dangerous," said Kagome, "that was some quick thinking, Suekichi!"
"Oh, I did nothing, really," said Suekichi. "Your arrow was what really saved us."
"Aww, thank you," replied a flattered Kagome. "Uh...you can take your mask off, now, though."
"I did take it off!" Suekichi cried.
"Oh," Kagome muttered.
"Kagome, what do we do now?!" asked Shippo as he looked down at the churning lake water. "We can't escape by swimming! We'll drown in that water!"
"We'll just have to find a place to hide!" Kagome answered.
'Until Inuyasha comes back, we have to hold out!' she thought before she glanced down at the water. 'Inuyasha...please be alive!'
XXX
Meanwhile, somewhere off the lake's shore...
"Sango? Sango!"
Miroku sat near an unconscious Sango while Kirara stared at her mistress, meowing worriedly. The monk quietly bent down and placed his ear against her chest, only to gasp silently.
"It sounds like she breathed in some water," he surmised. "There's only one thing to do..." He took Sango by the face and slowly closed the distance between them, preparing to cover her lips with his own...until...
WHAP!
"Just WHAT do you think you're doing?!" Sango questioned as she sat up while Miroku sported a red mark on his face.
"You misunderstood my intentions," Miroku said. "I meant to save your life. Nothing more!"
"Yeah, right," Sango sneered before she looked around. "Now where are we?"
"Outside the Water God's shrine, it seems," Miroku answered. "When I awoke, I was out here, as well." Suddenly, he spotted something floating on the water's surface...or rather, someone. "Ah! It's Inuyasha!"
"Oh, no!" Sango cried as she saw the half-demon floating motionlessly on the lake...being carried by two large goldish with black hair, decorated with beautiful flowers.
"Worry not," said one of the goldfish. "Your friend is safe."
"Oh!" Miroku exclaimed. "Was it you who saved us? If so, you have our gratitude."
"Aye, it was indeed us that saved you," said the other goldfish.
"You have done us a great kindness," Miroku began, "but are you sure it's all right for you to do such a thing? Judging by your appearances, you seem to be attendants of the Water God, are you not?"
"We are indeed attendants of the Water God," said the goldfish. "However...the one that is currently occupying the shrine is an impostor!"
"What?!" Miroku questioned. "An impostor?!"
"You mean he really is a demon?!" asked Sango.
"But I don't understand," Miroku said. "There was nothing demonic about his aura...not to mention that sacred weapon he held..."
"Once, he was but a mere water sprite who inhabited the lake, just as we did," said one of the goldfish. "He was an attendant of the true Water God...but one day, through trickery, he usurped our great deity. He imprisoned the Holy Personage, stole the Trident of Amakoi, and took the god's place." She pointed to a nearby mountaintop. "There...that is where the true Water God is being held prisoner."
Soon, the two goldfish started to cry.
"Please, you must help us," they wept.
"I see," Miroku nodded. "Then it's obvious what we must do. We have to rescue the true Water God!"
"As long as it ain't too hard, I guess..."
Miroku gasped as he saw Inuyasha staggering to his feet.
"Inuyasha!" he exclaimed. "You're all right!"
"Are you sure you can manage?" asked Sango.
"I'm just fine," Inuyasha said. "Look...Miroku, you take Sango and go free the real Water God. I'm going back to the shrine!"
"Are you sure about that?" asked Miroku. "Perhaps we should ask the real Water God for his counsel, first."
"Screw that!" Inuyasha shouted. "Kagome's in danger, and no matter what, she always comes first!"
With that said, he soon bounded off, headed back to the shrine.
"Hang in there, Kagome," he said. "I'm coming!"
As for Miroku and Sango, they blinked as they watched the half-demon race off.
"...Now I'm certain of it," Sango said. "He's really enamored with her, isn't he?"
"Obviously," Miroku nodded.
XXX
Meanwhile, the fake Water God hissed as he came lumbering out of his throne room, tightly gripping the Trident of Amakoi as his eyes flashed red and he opened his mouth...revealing a forked tongue that slipped in and out.
"That damn wench...I'll devour her, first!" he declared before he soon jumped into the lake and swam to wherever Kagome and the children were hiding.
Can you believe it?! I've hit a 100 chapters! ...Well, technically, this is chapter 89, but still!
Review, please!