Drowning in My Sleep

Joey Sharkbait

2020

[Soundtrack: "It's Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door" by Underoath]

There's no turning back tonight.

Will you run away with me, still?

Get out while we're still alive…

I sat beside Sango. She was still asleep in all her unconscious beauty. I had not slept really since our escape from the dungeons. I stayed awake, lonely and waiting; restless and vigilant. I had no idea how much time had truly passed. Neither Naraku or Kanna had come for us. The natural skeptic in me kept my guard up.

I had left the room once today to take a walk around the castle, just to see… Naraku's scent was almost absent, aside from near that damned cellar door. I swear the barrier overhead the whole place flickered once or twice. I was never able to see it before. It was raining. I feel like it had been raining since the siege on the castle and our mal-timed escape effort. I stayed outside in the rain, staring listlessly up into the sky for who knows how long.

As I explored the ghostly compound, I decided that it would be now or never. I was almost certain that this time, Naraku had entered his reconstruction period for sure. Why else would he just leave us be as he had done? He must have been satisfied with our punishment, at the very least. Or so confident… Perhaps he thought we had perished finally.

I knew I still couldn't kill him.

But would it be enough?

I wanted to fight him. I wanted to call him out and challenge him. I wanted to fight for my own misplaced honor and for Sango's broken heart.

I couldn't kill him, but it would be enough.

There was no going back from my loosely-forming plan of attack. There was a good chance I would die. Both of us would die.

But I would gladly expend my last breaths dragging that motherfucker to hell with me.

What have I got to lose?

Sango stirred in her sleep beside me. She always seemed so close to waking up. She had to… The taijiya groaned and rolled over on her side, stiffening in pain as she did so. I carefully leaned toward her and repositioned her on her back so that she wouldn't further injure herself. Sango protested weakly as I held her; even in her sleep, there was a strength and a defiance in her resistance. I sighed and tucked her in, hoping the comfort and perceived restraint of the blankets would keep her still enough. At least until I returned.

The moon was on the rise outside. I glanced back at Sango. A pained expression was present on her pale face; I was almost positive she was trapped in another nightmare. I couldn't help but bring my hand to her forehead and brush back her hair. Her skin was warm, almost feverish. She made a small noise of discontent at my touch. I brought my hand to hers and held it gently. I looked down at my free hand, at the faintest scar reminding me of my promise to her.

Sango barely squeezed my hand. I felt like my heart stopped beating.

"Sango?" I put my hand on her shoulder and shook. Nothing. My hopes were dashed once more. "Say something," I quietly begged. "I'm not giving up on you…"

Imagery from my wild and vivid dream the night before flashed before my eyes. All I could see was Sango, beautiful and dangerous, covered in wildflower warpaint, and staring at me with a gaze so intense…

I kissed her on the forehead and headed to the doorway. I gave her one last look, full of undying devotion and concern, before entering the hallway. Only two stops—the kitchen and the armory-and I would return to her side. I had to make haste and gather supplies.

We were getting out of here.

[Sango's point of view.]

Fog surrounded me. And it was cold. I felt as if I had been lost for ages. And I had no idea what I was doing… was I looking for something…?

I was in the middle of a pier of some sort. The wood looked old; the platforms were all broken and disconnected from one another.

"Sango…"

I gasped and turned around, hypervigilant. My heart pounded in my chest. Why am I so scared?

"Sango…"

I opened my mouth to call out, to demand the name of my unseen observer, yet no words could form. I surveyed the area once more and I thought I saw someone a few platforms away from me. I took off to chase after the potential phantom. The rotting wood shook beneath my feet. I looked down to see that the particular platform I was on was riddled with holes and decay. I also took note of my attire and apparent weapon. I was dressed in a simple light blue and gray kimono, sleeveless and short. I held a kusarigama blade in one hand, the accompanying chain in the other.

"Sango!"

Mindful of my steps this time, I began my pursuit. I hopped across the few platforms, breaking a few rotted planks as I traversed the apparent ruin. I made it to where I thought my target was but was unable to find anyone. Just more fog and questions.

"Hey!"

I turned and looked over my shoulder. I could discern the figure of a man two platforms away from where I stood. He looked so familiar… He felt familiar… I gave chase once more. As I ran, the mist and humidity in the air began to uncomfortably fill my lungs, inviting fatigue. When I thought I finally made it to the shrouded figure, he jumped to the next platform. The rotted plank below me caved in and I screamed as I fell. I was able to grab hold of the still intact wood and pull myself back up. The mysterious stranger only watched me, emotionlessly, from afar.

I was quick to get back on my feet and I ran at full-speed to the edge of my current platform. I realized mid-air that the distance between there and my planned destination was greater than I had assumed. I dropped my weapon and held onto the edge of the pier. I looked down to see the blade fall into the dark water, only about a story down. I heard footsteps approach. I looked up and gasped at the figure before me.

He looked like me. He was about twice my age, dressed in the most elegant demon slayer's armor. He held hiraikotsu on his back and peered down at me. Who…? Why can't I think…?

"Daughter…"

Tears welled in my eyes.

"Father…?" I looked to him, a whirlwind of dangerous emotions brewing in my heart. "Where am I?" Dare I ask…?

My father said nothing. He crouched down at the pier's edge but still offered no helping hand.

"Where am I?" I asked again. "What have I done?"

He reached out and brushed the back of his hand against my cheek. I leaned in to his touch; a lost comfort that I did not even remember that I had forgotten. Just like his voice…

"You're here…" was his long-anticipated but shortly-worded answer.

"But where is here…?" My arms were growing tired. I didn't know how much longer I could hold on. "Father… help me?"

He withdrew his hand and I could feel my heart breaking again. A sadness overtook my father's brilliant brown eyes. "I cannot. I'm sorry I was not able to protect you, my dearest child."

"Protect me…?" I asked. I blinked in confusion, feeling a cold tear trickle down my cheek.

Father stood up and turned away.

"Have I done something terrible? Please, I need to know!" I could no longer hide the tremor in my voice. His silence only made me feel worse; this unnerving sense of dread and fear built up even further inside me. "Please say something! Anything!" I began to cry openly, unashamed. "Sometimes I forget your voice; I can't stand it!" My grip was slipping.

Father turned around and looked at me; he had tears in his eyes.

"At least help me up? Take me with you! There's so much I want to say to you!" I sobbed. It was getting so hard to breathe; and now the muscles in my arms and shoulders were beginning to ache. The wood cracked in my weakening grasp.

Father crouched down once more. He tormented me once again with a soft caress of my cheek and wiped away my grief-stricken tears. "I am afraid I can't take you with me, Sango," he said, sadly. "You still have a few things you need to do."

"What?! What is it I have left to do?! What am I even doing?!" I cried out, nearly choking on my words.

My father leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on my forehead, followed by brushing my hair back from my eyes. A simple comfort of my childhood that pulled so violently at my heartstrings and broken memory. He grabbed both of my hands in his strong grip, his courageous, determined gaze never leaving mine.

"Don't give up, Sango…" He began to pull me up until I was no longer dangling over the edge of the decaying pier. Father sat me down in front of him. I looked up to him, literally and metaphorically speaking; he was over a head taller than I was.

I thought I saw Mother walk past in the background. I motioned to take off and dart around my father but he stopped me, his hands on my shoulders.

"I miss you…" I said quietly, unsure which parent it was directed to. I tried to get around him once more, but was thwarted yet again.

Father got down on one knee and took my hands in his, assuming the stance he took many times when he had to explain something to me as a child; usually some reasoning behind some tragedy beyond the scope of my young mind. Like when my mother passed away.

"Have I failed you?" I asked through my tears. "I tried so hard to be the warrior you raised me to be!"

"Sango, look at me," commanded Father, in his firm yet gentle tone. I did as instructed. "Please know that it is not the time…"

His words barely made sense to me. "…not the time? What?"

He pulled me into a warm, much-needed embrace. "I love you, Sango."

"I love you, too."

We parted and both fully stood up. Father put his hands on my shoulders. "I'm sorry, my daughter."

"Sorry?"

"It's too soon… As I said, you still have business to attend to…"

"Wha-?!"

I screamed as he shoved me off the pier. I fell in what felt like slow motion and stared up in astonishment at what had just happened. The cold wind robbed my lungs of oxygen before I even hit the icy waters below.

I found out real fast that I was unable to swim to the surface, despite my efforts. The more I struggled and desperately clawed my way through the waters, the colder the embrace of the depths became. Darkness surrounded me until I was positive I was no longer breathing. I could feel the deathly cold water stabbing at my lungs, drowning me slowly.

In my head, I think I saw an angel. Or two. One had red hair and violet eyes. One looked like me but with blue eyes. I think they pitied me.

I came to in a darkened room, tinted red with the cruel light of a flame lending itself well to highlight the blood on the walls. I was bound in chains and my entire body ached as if I had been subject to every torture imaginable. I felt a blow to the back of my neck, at the base of my skull. My vision went black once more but I did not lose consciousness this time.

When I opened my eyes once more, there were two people beside me in my prison. I swear I recognized them both, but from where, I did not know. A woman stood to my right; she was absolutely beautiful. She held an otherworldly beauty about her with her red eyes, pale skin, pointed ears, and wavy dark hair held together in a small knot at the top of her head. For some reason, this woman evoked strong emotions within me; emotions that I could not bring myself to comprehend.

The man on my left was tall and handsome. He had dark blue eyes and such a pretty face… the kind you'd find in someone that could save. His medium-length black hair was held together in a low ponytail and he was dressed in the robes of a Buddhist monk. His presence irradiated charm and confidence. He also evoked a similar emotion in me, akin to that of the ethereal woman.

Were they a god and goddess?

A third person appeared in a cloud of toxic smoke. A massive, heavy, draining presence entered the room with him. He was tall and pale, dressed in that of royalty, with unruly, long black hair. He had crimson red eyes that seemed to bore through my very soul. I felt weak in his gaze. I could no longer acknowledge the presence of the other two figures in the room.

My chains fell away. The goddess herself deemed me worthy of saving.

The man with red eyes let out a deep, angered battle cry.

I fell to the ground and looked up to see him unsheathe a sword and swing at me. My goddess shielded me from the strike. I screamed as she faded to dust and appeared to disappear in a mysterious wind. The god with the guise of a monk sprung into action in slow motion and produced a golden sword wrapped in prayer beads. The two warriors locked weapons and I felt the worst pain imaginable in my heart and in my head.

The devil and god are raging inside me.

My own scream woke me. It was music to my ringing ears.

I screamed until I felt as if my throat was bleeding. I wasn't even sure where I was. I looked around, extremely disoriented. I was in a bedroom; the only sources of light were the moon's shining face spying on me through the window and a lantern in the corner. The light was too bright for me.

I raised my hands to cover my eyes, still able to see the light burned into my eyelids. I could only really raise one hand. I blinked and slowly opened my eyes to look down and see that my left arm was tightly wrapped in a bandage and what felt like a splint; it was also resting in a sling. My right hand was wrapped up, another splint holding my fourth and fifth fingers together.

As I went to sit up, a terrible stinging, bruising pain shot through my abdomen. I cried out and leaned back, clutching my apparent injuries with my bandaged hand. I soon became aware of an intense migraine that started at the base of my skull and irradiated throughout my entire head, pulsing in my eyes. Pain also coursed through my lower body at the slightest movement; the source felt like a possible break or fracture in my right hip.

I heard doors sliding open and directed my anguished attention there.

The goddess of my dying dream stood before me; the angel from my nightmares.

"Sango…" she gasped my name, her beautiful ruby eyes filling with emotion. She hastily slid the doors shut and dropped the sack she had been carrying to the floor. She rushed over to me and sat beside me, pulling me into an embrace. I inhaled her scent and felt immediate comfort.

Cherry blossoms and pine.

"Kagura?" I remembered her. She pulled back, tears in her eyes. She rested her hands on my shoulders. I tensed a little at her touch.

"Sango, I'm so sorry!" She pulled me back into a careful hold.

I wanted to ask why she was apologizing to me. I accepted her offer of comfort and rested my head on her shoulder. I put my good arm around her, feeling her hands on my back. I sat in her comfort for a few moments, catching my breath and my emotions.

Everything came rushing back to me all at once.

I could not control the sobs and shakes that racked my body. I could not contain the curses and wails of pure agony that escaped me. Nothing in this world could ever compare to what I was feeling right now. No words existed; only the most bitter anguish and unbridled rage. Vulnerability, defeat, fear… the lowest point in my existence. I had nothing left.

"I'm sorry…" Kagura said quietly; she was crying, too. "I couldn't protect you…" She held me tightly, still mindful of my condition. I felt her place the gentlest kiss on the top of my head.

"It's not your fault…" I breathed out. My throat hurt. I felt so weak; hunger and dehydration pulled at my insides. But I had no interest in food or water.

"I'm sorry," Kagura apologized again. Her crying soon transformed into sobs, shaking her small shoulders and breaking my heart even further. Kagura's sadness only made me feel worse. Do not weep for me, beautiful creature of the wind… I am a lost cause…

I held onto her, longing to be anywhere but here. I wanted to fall into her and live there forever. The solace in her arms was more than I ever deserved.

I thought I saw her die.

That thought reignited the violent sobs that tore through my being and I clung to my wind-controlling protector like she was the very thing keeping me rooted to this cruel fucking existence.

I think she might be just that, actually…

If not for her embrace, I would have gladly accepted death.

I wanted to sleep forever.

[Kagura's point of view.]

She was alive and breathing.

My love was alive…

There that word is…

I believe I felt it in my soul when she had awoken. I was positive I heard her scream on my way back from raiding the kitchen. That was the most tortured cry I had ever heard and ever will hear. This instance sparked me to run back to my room as fast as I could.

I rushed to her, the most intense storm of emotions inside me. I pulled her close and held her as she cried. Sango cried and I could do so little to alleviate her suffering. She possessed a pain that I could never take away. A mark had been made on her soul that would stay with her, even long after her physical wounds had healed.

The mark had been made on me, as well.

I thought I'd lost her.

Sango clung to me, shaking so badly. I wanted to hold her so tightly and never, ever let go. But I had to be considerate of her injuries; the poor girl had a myriad of broken bones and related maladies. I wished I could make all of her pain disappear with the snap of my fingers or the wave of my fan… but that would not happen. Fate, it seemed, was much more cruel than I had originally thought.

I got to watch the fire in her eyes get violently snuffed out. This wondrous, inspiring fire that had drawn me to her initially… she had begun to get it back during our week alone together. I was blessed to see her begin to recover and find her confidence again. And now she was broken. Truly, undeniably broken.

I could feel it as I held her. I could barely look into her eyes. Bold determination and strength was replaced with despair and this unsettling, heart-breaking raw fear. This was not the woman I came to know in battle and at my side as a friend. This was not the woman who defended my falsely-held honor and fought thousands of demons with the force of a hundred men.

But I still loved her.

And I needed to protect her.

(Like I had failed to do before…)

I did not care right now if she would ever return that same love that I reserved for her but I knew in my soul that I loved her and I had to protect her, at all costs. I needed to fulfill my blood-sworn promise to her that I would escape this wretched place and take her with me.

And now, maybe I could. I had enough of a plan at hand.

Or I would die trying.

I didn't know how to break it to her.

But our time was ticking.

"Sango," I said her name as softly as I could.

"Yes, Kagura?" her voice was so small, so broken… My dear…

"We're getting out of here tonight…" my insides tightened with anxiety. Any reaction from her was entirely unpredictable at this point.

"What?" she asked. She finally pulled away from me. We locked eyes, concern and defeat evident in her gorgeous copper hues. "How…?"

"Tonight's the night," I stated.

"How do you know?" asked Sango. I couldn't tell if that was healthy and rightfully-said skepticism or anger in her voice.

"It has to be," my words were more confident than I felt. "That motherfucker is nowhere to be found. I've walked these empty halls for the past day or more, collecting supplies and just… waiting."

Sango sniffled and wiped her eyes on her free arm. The tears did not stop, although she no longer shook as badly now. "So, what…?" A dark laugh escaped her. "I want to believe you… I do…"

"I don't blame you for your skepticism, Sango." I grabbed her hand and clasped it between mine as our eyes met. I sighed. "I know I can't kill him… but if I can just hurt him enough… like the time of his initial disappearance… When he fought Inuyasha and Sesshomaru…"

"What if you fail?"

"I'll die trying," I said, unable to hide the bitter anger in my voice. "I will not fail you again, Sango."

"You've never failed me, Kagura," said the slayer.

"Yes, I have!" I couldn't look at her. Tears stung at my eyes and I held my face in my hands. "If I had just told Inuyasha and the others to hold off for just a few more days-!"

"No!" Sango scooted closer to me, whimpering in pain as she did so, and put her arm around me, burying her face in my shoulder. "That's not your fault!"

"Yes it is!"

"No!" She held me as tightly as she could manage. "Kagura, it's not your fault." She pulled away from me and held my face in her hand. She tilted my head up but I still avoided her gaze.

"Sango, you almost died!" The image of her face as Naraku abused her flashed through my psyche.

"Goddammit, Kagura! It's not your fault!" I didn't expect her to shout like that. A hint of her former ferocity and brutality remained in her voice. "Look at me."

I shook my head. Her grip on my chin tightened ever so slightly.

"Look at me."

I finally obeyed. The intensity in her chocolate brown eyes about set my soul on fire.

"It. Is not. Your. Fault." She punctuated the words with a force that matched the conviction in her gaze. I let out a shaky breath. Sango then brought her busted lips to mine in a soft and unexpected kiss. The taijiya slowly broke the contact and caressed my face. I brought my hand up to hers and then slid it down to rest in a loose grip on her wrist.

"It's not your fault, Kagura," she restated. "You had no way of knowing for sure."

"But I know now…" I protested, still feeling acidic guilt eating away at my insides.

"But not then," said Sango. "You can't change the past…"

A silence fell between us. I still held onto the blame for the failed escape and her current condition. I would hold onto that burden for a long time, despite the fact that she truly believed me to be absolved of any responsibility in the matter. Arguing with her was pointless; I would rather waste my breath on unrequited 'I love yous' than going against her and pushing my luck at all.

"So… when…?" I could tell Sango did not even know how to ask the question.

I didn't even know that I had an answer.

"Now." I left the bed and equipped the makeshift travel bag I had prepared. I stood before the injured demon slayer. She looked up at me, the tiniest sliver of hope in her eyes.

I walked through the halls like I was marching into battle… or a death sentence.

It was the same thing, either way. More than likely.

But I would give it my all…

Sango shifted painfully on my back. It was the safest way I could carry her, given her injuries; and there was no way in hell I was going to leave her behind while I confronted the beast. I adjusted my hold on her thighs, wrapped around my waist. She let out a small moan of pain into the back of my neck and the tightness of her arms around my shoulders increased.

"I'm sorry, my dear," I couldn't help but apologize.

"It's ok," she breathed out through gritted teeth.

We were almost there. My rage was hitting a boiling point within me. I wished that this place would set ablaze and explode in my wake as I stalked the halls. I wished I could bring wreckage to the walls and destroy every single fucking thing I looked at as I made my way to the cellar. This bastard will pay… A growl escaped me.

We stood above the trap door. I felt Sango's grip on me tighten and I could feel her heart rate increase against my back. I glanced around the corridor one final time.

"Sango…" She gripped my clothing tightly in her fists. "I am going to leave you up here. I have to."

"I know…" She was fighting the urge to cry.

"I'm going to put you down now, ok?" I really didn't want to…

I carefully lowered myself to the ground so Sango could halfway dismount me. I spun around quickly and helped her steady herself. She let out a hiss of pain and I let her fall into me.

"God dammit! Everything hurts!"

"I know, darling…" I scooped her up into my arms as gently as I could, one arm behind her knees, the other supporting her shoulders. Sango put her arms around my neck, wincing in pain as she did so.

"Kagura," said Sango. "Are you scared?"

I paused. We reached a wall and I crouched down, deeming that the safest place for her at the moment. "Yes," I finally answered. "Why do you ask?" I set her down so that she could lean her back against the wall.

"I could feel your heartbeat." My eyes met hers.

I knew I loved her then.

"Kagura, whatever happens…" started Sango.

I took her face in my hands. "I have a promise to fulfill to you. You mean so much to me, Sango… you don't even know…"

(I love you…)

Sango leaned forward and placed a shaky, fearful kiss on my lips, grabbing my hand mid-action. She was very slow to let go of me.

"Please don't leave me…"

"I'll be right back…" I stood up and slowly backed away from her. I could not bring myself to turn away. "And when I return, we will both be free…" She reached for me as I left.

I checked for my fan inside my kimono, then touched my concealed katana hidden beneath my robes against my leg. Satisfied that both weapons were readily available, I gave Sango one last look before placing my hands on the latch to the trap door.

I almost told her I loved her.

I took a deep breath and opened the door. The vile smell of death and decay wafted up at me in a warm gust.

I jumped down, completely foregoing the decaying ladder leading down into the wretched secret chamber.

I looked around. The room was dark and thick with miasma and rot. Rejected demon corpses surrounded me.

It was time, indeed.

I couldn't help the evil, triumphant smirk that found its way to my face.

He must have expanded his reconstruction, as the cellar now seemed to entail more than one room. Judging from the sickly smell of ripe decay that filled my nostrils and the vast amount of rejected demon parts, Naraku was likely well into his reconstruction period. And therefore, weak as fuck… I carefully trudged through the disgust and filth, always scanning the area for any sign of the beast himself or my treacherous sister, Kanna.

I was careful to remember my way back, noting that the area had changed immensely since my last time down here. I had to make it back to Sango in one piece. I could not leave her here. The smell of miasma grew stronger and as I turned a corner, I was met with Kanna.

"Kanna," I greeted, reaching for my fan and resting my hand on it.

"Kagura," said Kanna. I swear the slightest tint of surprise coated my name as it left her. "I thought you to be dead, sister."

"You thought wrong."

Kanna was silent for a moment. "You know you have betrayed him…"

"I am well aware…" The realization was quickly setting in that I would likely have to fight Kanna. Maybe even kill her. The little yokai girl was devoid of any emotion at all, as far as I knew, but a part of me still could not help but call her my sister…

So be it.

"I know you seek Master Naraku, Kagura."

"Does he know of my actions?"

An uneasy silence hung in the air. "No."

"No? Are you sure?" Why, though…?! Why has she not said anything to him? Is she playing with me?

Kanna nodded. "But I cannot let you pass so easily."

My stomach turned a little. "Kanna, I do not want to hurt you."

"And I do not wish to harm you, Kagura." Kanna held up her mirror.

I held up my fan. "Do your worst."

The mirror glowed a blinding white and a light shot out of it. I dodged it and cried out, "Dance of blades!" Kanna swerved and narrowly avoided my attack. Her mirror glowed once more, this time with a golden light accompanied by a red afterglow. A swarm of saimyosho soon escaped the mirror.

I ducked down as they flew at me, much quicker than I had anticipated. A few stings landed on my hands as I covered my head. I violently twisted and turned, swatting at the insects. I was able to wave my fan around and conjure up the beginnings of a small tornado.

"Dance of the dragon!"

Somehow, I managed to escape my own winds. I landed next to the wall and rapidly got back to my feet. My tornado tore down the hall, taking the saimyosho with it. There was no sign of Kanna as I watched my winds dissipate at the end of the corridor.

"Kagura…"

I spun around and was frozen on the spot. An ice-cold sense of dread literally gripped my heart as I made eye contact with my "sister." A light blue mist was emanating from the mirror, latching onto me.

"I cannot let you proceed, Kagura…"

"Kanna…" I gritted my teeth. "You don't even understand… I wish you could…"

"I am content with not feeling…" stated Kanna. "I think it might hurt too much…"

She was not wrong…

My arms grew numb. No… I cannot be stopped here! So close! And by my deceitful, brainwashed sibling… I thought of the days I spent with Sango at the waterfall. Every day was filled with sunlight and blue skies. I could breathe when I was with her… Sango's beautiful face came to the forefront of my mind.

I willed my limbs to move. It hurt.

"Kagura, why do you resist? Is it really worth it?" asked Kanna. If I was not mistaken, a genuine curiosity was almost present in her voice.

I growled and could feel the heat returning to my extremities. "You wouldn't understand, Kanna. You said so yourself…" I cried out as I regained control of my arms. Kanna's eyes widened in surprise. I was surprised, too.

"Kanna…" I pocketed my fan. The little yokai was still in apparent shock. Something I thought I'd never see…

"I'm sorry, my sister." I pulled back my fist and swung it as hard as I could into Kanna's precious scrying mirror.

The glass shattered into hundreds of little pieces. In them, I could see traces of both of our shocked expressions as they fell to the ground.

Kanna fell to her knees, her mouth barely open in what could only be inferred as astonishment. "Kagura…"

"Kanna, I'm sorry!" I withdrew my fan and waved it in her direction. The ghostly child flew down the hall and hit the end wall with a loud crash that shook pebbles loose from the ceiling. I stood there for a moment, heart racing, breathing heavily. Part of me hoped that I had not killed her.

I said a silent prayer of sorts in my head, in case I killed my supposed sibling. I spared her no tears for now, opting to carry on with my mission. I continued on my journey.

I only needed to follow the scent of decay and the thickness of the miasma.

Rounding a corner, I entered not just another corridor, but a massive underground chamber. Pulsating demon parts surrounded me in tubes of blood and worms and putridity. The smell was almost unbearable, even for me.

"NARAKU!" I screamed out, begging him to meet me for a long-awaited challenge.

The room shook. I still did not have a positive, confirmed visual on the demon himself.

"Come out and fight me, you coward!" I cried out again, impressed by my own projection and bravado. A worm corpse fell from the ceiling behind me with a sickening squish as it landed on the floor. I turned to face it, just to be sure. The corpse wiggled for a moment. I angrily stomped it; the carapace erupted in a gush of guts and blood.

I spun back around and my jaw dropped. I clapped my hand over my mouth to stifle a scream.

Naraku was about fifteen paces away from me. He clawed his way toward me, as a torso of flesh and bones, leaving a trail of blood and grime on the disgusting floor as he slowly drew closer. I assumed a battle stance, hoping this would be as easy as it looked.

"Kagura…" my name came out slurred.

"Dance of blades!" I waved my fan, sending my windblades at him. They hit their target, further marring and ripping his decaying, paper-thin skin. Naraku stopped for a moment.

"I did not expect you to live, Kagura…" Naraku gurgled out.

"You never expected much from me, did you?!" I called out. I sent more blades his way. He did not stop. It was… unsettling…

"Kagura…" The walls shook a little, pulsing with derelict demon remains. I looked around, my guard entirely up. My hand brushed against the hilt of my hidden sword. "You have committed the ultimate betrayal and yet you live… you are here, to vanquish me…"

"What else would I be here for, motherfucker?" I grinned at the power in my words.

A loose tentacle gripped my ankle. I gasped and severed it immediately with my wind, jumping back. The fleshy stump that was Naraku stopped in the middle of the room. It appeared to rise up, building a body of sorts.

"I will still fight you, Kagura… You will not win so easily…"

"Oh no you don't!" I ran at him, hoping to strike before he was able to conjure a completed body. I withdrew my hidden blade. Naraku's eyes widened; he was caught off guard by my unconventional weapon choice. I jumped into the air, holding the blade tight with both hands. I brought it down on Naraku's shoulder, forcing a clean, gory cut from there all the way down to his hip. It nearly ripped him in half and stopped the regeneration for the time being.

I landed and rushed past him, quickly circling back around toward the entrance to the room. I would not get caught in here. Breathing heavily, I pulled out my fan, sheathing my sword with my other hand.

"Dance of the dragon!" I conjured up a small tornado and sent it toward my wretched creator. It picked him up and began to pull him apart. The area around me pulsed and faded in and out.

That was weird…

I waved my fan, sending Naraku's pieces flying into the back wall. I ended the small tornado shortly after and stood still, waiting… Did I do it…?

The room stopped pulsating and everything went silent.

After what felt like hours but in reality was likely not even minutes, I heard a rhythm, like a pulse, from within somewhere in the room. I cautiously moved forward, following the sound of the noise. Almost at the end of the room, where Naraku's disembodied head and splattered remains were, I discovered a pulsing piece of flesh and gore on the floor.

Is that… Naraku's heart?

I gripped my blade and withdrew it. I looked to Naraku's head; no life was present in his crimson eyes. I held the sword over the pulsing mass.

This was it.

I brought the blade down, the pulse increased violently.

Just as the tip of the blade hit flesh, it was stopped. I hit an invisible barrier.

"Oh, come on!"

A light formed around the mass of pulsating flesh. The ceiling began to shake; pieces of demon parts and the ceiling started raining down. The walls pulsed madly; the various demon pieces and tubes of flesh began to shake and burst around me. I looked to the lump of gore on the ground. I angrily swung my blade at it one final time; my strike reverberated through the sword and into my arm like I had struck metal.

The entire back portion of the ceiling began to collapse.

God dammit…

I wanted to stay and slay the beast. I stood there, rooted to the spot, trapped by indecision. The fleshy lump pulsed again, as if it were mocking me.

I heard a crash behind me and turned around. My way out had become at least halfway blocked.

Shit!

I turned spastically to the pile of gore again. It glowed a sickening red and the pieces of flesh nearby began to glow as well.

I had to leave.

I hesitantly turned tail and ran out of there as fast as I could. As I tore off around the corner, I heard the ceiling and walls beginning to cave in behind me. A small explosion launched me forward as I entered the main underground concourse. I hastily retrieved my fan but opted to leave the katana, as it fell further away. I practically flew to my feet and returned my hellbent race to the surface, praying my memory served me well enough to escape before I was crushed.

Two wrong turns and one desperate redirection later, I was gifted by the lovely sight of the ladder leading up top. I felt the slow burn of my leg muscles and a well-earned stitch beginning to form in my side. The ground shook violently beneath me. As soon as I had the chance, I literally jumped onto the ladder and scurried up it, two rungs at a time.

I burst through the trap door and slammed it shut behind me. I looked around in a panic. Thankfully, Sango sat against the wall where I had left her.

"Kagura!" she cried out, reaching for me. I ran over to her, immediately scooping her up in my arms. "Ow!" She yelped in pain at the haste of my actions. My heart hurt a little.

"I'm sorry, dear, but we have got to get out of here now!" I held her close and secure, only taking off at a full run once I felt her grab onto me as well. "The whole place is going to collapse!"

"What did you do?" asked Sango.

I dodged a crumbling staircase and quickly turned, searching for another way out. There's another at the opposite end of the hall… But it only leads to the second floor, not first… "I don't know," I breathed, "He's not dead—"

We made it down the hall just in time; the floor cracked in half and caved in just as we reached the stairs. As I ran up the flight, I could feel each step crumbling behind me. I made it to the second floor. I knew where there was another set of stairs that would take us down to the main level… I held Sango tight as I began a renewed sprint down the quaking hallway.

The once beautiful architecture crumbled and collapsed around me. If my eyes did not deceive me… part of it appeared to be evaporating as well… fluttering off into the night sky like ashes. A wall collapsed right in front of me and I couldn't move in time. I tripped on the wreckage, falling to the ground. Somehow, I was able to spin around so that I avoided falling on top of Sango. We both cried out in pain as we hit the floor.

"Sango!" I frantically picked the battered slayer up again, trying to ignore her curse as I flung her over my shoulder, my treatment much rougher than I ever would have intended.

"Don't worry about it, just get us the fuck out of here!" Sango cried out, gripping handfuls of my clothing and hanging onto me as her life literally depended on it.

My adrenaline-fueled run was abruptly stopped when I reached my planned destination. The stairs were gone, completely crumbled and swallowed into a crater.

"Shit!" I spun back around. The way from which we had come was already blocked by the ceiling falling in.

I ran the other way, adjusting Sango as I turned. She let out a pained whimper at the haste of my action and I muttered a sincere apology as I ran. We made it to a balcony. Unfortunately, it was not the one I was hoping it would have been.

I peered over the edge and quickly jumped back. It was too high up to jump. I spun around, holding Sango tightly in my arms.

The way back was already inaccessible. The entire second floor was destroyed, the floor now missing and the ceiling falling in quickly after it. The remaining architecture beneath me quaked dangerously.

"Kagura…" said Sango, her voice small.

"Sango…"

The structure beneath me began to crack.

The fleeting suggestion of using my feather crossed my mind.

Another crack.

I couldn't do it safely with Sango in my arms.

The balcony began to collapse.

I held onto Sango as tightly as I could, knowing full well I was probably hurting her. She clung to me with an equally intense grip.

"Don't let go!"