Chapter Twenty-Seven
Sesshoumaru's mouth twitched up at the corners, returning her smile with a brief smirk, before easing back.
"Where is the jewel on his person?"
Kagome squinted at the ogre, tensing her legs in preparation to run. "Inside his neck."
"Gauge his weaknesses. This one will handle any lethal attacks aimed your way."
Giving another nod, Kagome stuffed down her fear and decided to just go with it. Worrying wouldn't topple the behemoth before them that was currently gearing up for another swing.
Bursting into a sprint, she kept her elbows bent- arms raised and spear poised. She headed straight for the ogre's legs while Sesshoumaru glided up into the air- lashing him on the arm with a poison whip. This gained the ogre's dim attention, who growled with annoyance and tried to swat the Daiyoukai like a fly.
Raising her spear, Kagome focused. Sweaty palms slid along the wood slightly. She tightened her grip to find purchase. Exhaling slowly, she allowed reiki to skitter out and swung.
A scythe of glowing energy slashed against one of his ankles. Kagome jogged back a few paces to assess the damage.
Nothing, huh?
Frowning, she watched as he continued walking undaunted, his large mass passing overhead. From what she could see- thick clumps of mould peppered skin. Islands of dried earth and stone dyed green with moss covered his body.
Is that what's repelling my attacks? His hide is too thick to pierce.
Taking a breath to calm herself, Kagome tried to ignore the adrenaline coursing fast and fierce through her system. What was it Sesshoumaru had said?
'Gauge his weaknesses.'
Moving her legs to keep pace with the lumbering demon, Kagome's blue eyes roved over him; searching, assessing.
The clumps are like armour. If I think of it like samurai armour- then it would be weakest at the secures- the places needed to allow for movement.
Gripping her spear, she caught up to him from behind.
Bright light elongated into a tall, thinner blade around the metal spike, extending Kagome's reach. She then bent her knees and thrust up towards the back of his knee, jabbing. Holy powers hissed, sparks raining down at the point of contact.
The ogre jolted- snarling and swinging his leg forward, stumbling heavily before managing to catch himself. He then turned, levelling a harsh glare at Kagome. "Tiny woman!" he bellowed. "You make me trip! I squash now."
Swallowing, Kagome backed up a little as she became drenched in shadow. Her insides lurched, thrummed, beating like a pulse. Suddenly the blood lust in his beady little eyes felt all too familiar- and Kagome was transported elsewhere. Right back where she started; mute with terror as a hungry demon loomed close, seeking to devour her and all she held dear.
He raised the club back over his head, leering. As his muscles coiled, ready to strike- whip of green light lashed around the stone, halting his arm. The ogre grunted, yanking on it with confusion.
Sesshoumaru soared through the air, keeping hold of his youki. He met Kagome's glassy gaze, who startled. Sweat beaded on the back of her neck but the miko shook herself, transforming the shape of her reiki once more.
With a cry that ached her vocal cords and churned a fire in her gut, Kagome ran. She swung the spear forward, having transformed it into a kagi yari. With the use of its hook, she found purchase on the giant's lumpy leg, scaling his tough exterior and shimming up aged, clumping earth, using dead skin as footholds.
He smelt like rotten vegetables. Trying not to breathe in the stench, Kagome grit her teeth and climbed.
It wasn't the most graceful fight ever. There was no epic sword swing combined with a battle cry, followed by blinding, heavenly light. She fumbled and swore. Her arms ached from the climb up his side- shoes slipping on moss. Sesshoumaru did most of the distracting, his pretty hair apparently being enough of a draw for the ogre- who kept trying to grab him.
By the time Kagome reached his broad shoulder, sitting atop it- she was out of breath. Clutching her spear, she braced herself as he swayed and jerked with each movement.
Inching closer to his neck, she allowed reiki to coat the tip of her blade. "Almost... there," she muttered.
The ogre's head turned. Beady eyes fixated on her. His large mouth loomed much too close for comfort.
Chapped lips spread up, revealing yellowed teeth. A puff of putrid air fanned onto Kagome's frozen face. "Heh- I eat you now, tiny woman."
Shaking herself, Kagome glared, "I'm not setting foot in there, pal!"
Transforming the flickering light of her spear into a trident shape, Kagome rose up on both knees and slammed it down, burying sharp edges into the base of his neck where the clumped earth was thinnest.
His mouth burst open wide, letting out a loud, wailing cry that shot through Kagome like a hurricane of spit and halitosis.
Grunting, she tried and failed to keep her concentration- the trident of reiki fizzling out into nothingness before she could strike deeper.
A huge green hand swung up, poised to flatten her-
Kagome gasped, jostling as a white blur sped in close, capturing her before the ogre could smash her against his own collarbone.
Gripping Sesshoumaru tight, the wind whipped back their hair into intricate ribbons of black and white. She felt weightless in his hold even as disappointment made her chest heavy.
"That sucked," she muttered, quivering a little. "I didn't get the chance to pierce it deeper. Besides, his skin felt too tough for me to hack into..." she trailed off, meeting his eyes.
The depths of Sesshoumaru's ravenous, bright gaze of shining molten gold- filled with an insatiable battle high made her pause. He was...enjoying himself. Clearly despite her failure, the Daiyoukai found amusement in their efforts.
"Not all foes can be defeated single-handedly at your current level. This is the part where I wield you," he breathed, words almost lost in the lashing breeze.
Kagome blinked, adjusting her grip on her spear. She'd never seen him so quietly enthusiastic. Never glimpsed the brimming anticipation as he tightened his single arm around her waist and soared, rounding back towards the ogre at a gliding speed.
Maybe she'd become strange during her time spent with him, because Kagome found herself smiling. "What do you need me to do?"
"Make a battle axe. The largest one possible. Hold it steady and level behind our backs. When I permit you- swing as hard as you can, miko."
"Okay," nodding, Kagome shifted her arms around his neck, paying no mind to their proximity.
"You smell terrible, by the way. Bathe after this."
"Bite me," she huffed.
His pale mouth curved. "Curious choice of words."
Shifting long legs around his slim waist, she tightened her thighs to hug onto strong armour. Feeding as much blistering power into the spear as possible, Kagome concentrated, letting reiki flow like a burst faucet.
The result shaped itself into a monstrously enormous blade that dwarfed their forms. Pink sparks flowed into the air in a blazing trail as Sesshoumaru picked up speed. Suddenly it felt like they'd surpassed flying. They'd blurred into a white hot inferno of energy, his pure orb of youki blazing around them.
"Now," he uttered.
Hands shaking with the weight, Kagome cried out, swinging her weapon as they flew within range of the ogre's neck.
She barely felt resistance. Flesh, bone and sinew were reduced to mere butter as glowing reiki cleaved through it seamlessly. It sent his enormous head toppling free from his shoulders. The impact of burning holy powers seemed to cauterise the fatal wound, no blood spurting free. The ogre's torso sank forward, falling to the ground with a sickening, heavy thud.
Kagome remembered to breathe. Sucking in a harsh breath, she peeled her eyes open, wondering when they'd squeezed shut. Lifting her head, she looked at Sesshoumaru.
Victory sang clear and proud on his confident features, the breeze ruffling silky white bangs- causing them to dance in front of smiling, tawny eyes. "Not bad for your first fight, my weapon."