AN: to Inuyashaaafan fo; please re-read chapter 22. Kagome has less than two weeks until the New Moon right now. She'll confront Kikyo and Inuyasha then. Hope that helps.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Ducking her head against the wrath of the elements, Kagome watched her feet, tripping over slippery, raised tree roots.
Harsh rain lashed at her relentlessly, billowing wind wailing, humid. Charged. Thunder crashed loudly above her head.
Okay, we walked past that boulder- which should lead me past a patch of wildflowers, Kagome thought to herself, trying to navigate despite everything.
The hood of her jacket provided little protection; her face already drenched. Dark bangs clung to her forehead. She panted, pumping her legs hard as she ran- a rock underfoot coming loose and sending her stumbling. Thrusting the blunt of her spear down- she rammed it into the ground, allowing Kagome to catch herself before falling completely. Recovering quickly, she continued running. Adrenaline coursed fast through her system, making the miko lucid- feeling more awake to the world than she had in days.
Bright light flashed. The forest briefly came alive- bathed in cold white. Kagome gasped, steadying herself against the side of a large rock, staring up at dark, churning skies while thunder sounded like war drums. Lightning was a very real concern. However, if she stopped to think too deeply about it, Kagome doubted she'd be able to move for fear of being struck.
This is crazy, she confirmed. Crazy, dumb and dangerous. Despite this, the mere memory of watery brown eyes was enough motivation to continue.
Just as she was about to push off and start running once more- blinding light flashed again.
This time it forked, bolts of pure energy striking down towards drenched earth.
He appeared between one moment and the next. A shock of white amidst dark tumultuous skies. Silver hair plastered to his back, armour shiny with rain, silks clinging to his form. A pale arm lashed out- Tokijin's blade colliding with lightning. Crimson youki blazed around Sesshoumaru's body- swiping the sword out and sending the bolt careening away from its initial trajectory towards the forest, blasting it into a rock-face instead.
Kagome gaped, breath halting.
Holy shit.
This was surely impossible. What she'd just witnessed couldn't be real. Kagome Higurashi had witnessed many surreal things since falling down the well- demons, spirits and the like. This was a new one for the books.
As she watched the Daiyoukai hover mid-air, his wild, animalistic gaze locked on the skies, having not noticed her- a strange feeling fluttered in her stomach.
They could probably be friends for twenty years, and she'd never fully know the extent of everything he was capable of. No wonder he had such a big ego. Such absolute pride and confidence in his superiority. The sheer distance between their capabilities felt insurmountable, and yet Kagome still desired to be his equal.
The equal of one who could battle lightning.
Shaking herself, Kagome focused on what she'd set out to do. Hurrying from her spot, she followed a nonexistent trail through twisting trees, relying on her memory alone.
She'd lost track of time, but judging by the spaces between each thunderclap, Kagome guessed that the storm was beginning to pass. That left her a narrow window of time left to grab the comb and return before Sesshoumaru made it back. Panting hard, she skidded to a stop. Mud caked the hem of her kosode, causing her to wince.
Yeah, right. He'd know either way. His displeasure was inevitable, but Kagome couldn't bring herself to care. She'd deal with it later.
Hearing rushing water, hope leapt into Kagome's heart. Bursting from the treeline, she caught her breath, attention sliding over the riverbank frantically.
There!
Light bounced off an ivory comb's slick surface, sitting innocently beside a river. Kagome noticed the water level had risen significantly since they'd stopped to rest there.
Rin was right to be concerned.
Leaning down and picking up the cool, smooth handle, Kagome straightened, holding the comb gently. She then opened her jacket and slipped it inside her kosode, making sure it was snug and safe.
Now all she had to do was make it back in one piece and-
Rainfall had lightened from its slashing assault, lessening into a humid, gentle shower. This allowed Kagome to see a huge plume of black smoke beyond the trees in the opposite direction she'd come from.
Did Sesshoumaru miss a lightning strike?
It didn't look like the vast smokey spread of a forest fire, though. It loomed concentrated and thick, a rolling haze towering into the heavens.
Frowning, Kagome gripped her spear and chanced a few minutes by investigating- instincts telling her something was amiss.
Moving through the dense forest, she pushed fallen branches aside, squinting between the still trees. Orange could be seen beyond their figures.
Finally stepping out from behind a great oak, Kagome stopped dead. Blue eyes widened.
The source of the fire lay down below.
An army division had swept through a district. Huts and houses lay burning, people fleeing for their lives- ordinary people- no more than farmers, merchants, families, cut down mercilessly by soldiers riding on horseback. They carried no banners, causing her to theorise they'd gone rogue.
A part of her dazedly wondered if Inuyasha had devastated the villages he'd massacred in a similar manner.
Even from where she stood, Kagome could hear the screaming. She had a full view of everything. People dying, suffering- slaughtered alongside their livestock- women being torn from their homes by rowdy men, children crying, burning bodies fleeing from homes. All of it blurred into a haze of pain, horror. Ash mingled with the scent of scorched flesh.
Her feet were moving before she'd even registered it. She made no conscious decision. Her heart clenched within her chest, demanding action. Kagome's eyes burned. Her lungs constricted. Air wheezed from them, sounding out as an agonised snarl, baring blunt teeth. Knuckles bled bone white, gripping her spear tight.
In the back of her mind, she silently apologised to Rin. It looks like I'm going to be pretty late coming back after all.