Sorry for taking a bit! Took me a bit to figure out how to display his chapter lol the game certainly changes when it comes to his views towards Kagome after this.
Chapter 21
Sesshomaru had grown deep in sleep due to exhaustion, resting his back against a tree. His head hung low and arms limp at his sides. Though he had been out for some time, sweat was still evident from his earlier transgressions against the barrier and nearby forest. All to no avail. He hadn't even awoken to notice the humans that had peeked out to witness the scene earlier that morning. Nor the misty and foggy air that now hung around, enveloping his senses. Though clouds surfaced above, one would not be able to tell due to the thickness around.
He sniffed in his sleep, brows scowling immediately at the feeling of unfamiliar. This whole situation had been quite bothersome. And in his dreams he had her back with him, in the village where everything was how it should. Where humans didn't dare test his patience so damn often.
The sound of gigging came from the distance as it perked his ears drawing attention. His eyes fluttered open, groaning from the exhausted state he was in. Very carefully coming to a stand, he looked around. Taking notice how strange it was that the sun was not high into the sky as it should, seeming that he was out for some time now. At least it appeared to be the case. Even up to the top of the trees was shrouded in thick fog, making the time of day seem unnoticeable.
More laughter came, drawing back his attention. It sounded throughout the whole forest and he could not pinpoint exactly where it was coming from. Yet he did recognize it to be that of a woman. A strange place for one to be wandering about.
He shook his head slightly at the foolish thoughts. Clearly something else was afoot. It seemed that he was unable to keep any form of critical thinking at the moment, which was unlike him. He felt woozy. Drained. And all he could smell from his extremely sharp nose was this awful scent coming from the thick air. Almost that of a tart nature.
To no matter, he decided to investigate. Pressing on into the unknown. The barrier was not far from where he had been that much he knew. So to keep distance from that. Though it did not take long before he heard it again, and this time followed by a figure.
He squinted, looking past the air at a outline of a woman it seemed. And another person at her feet.
Sesshomaru stepped forward again, finally able to make out who it was. His eyes grew wide, rubbing them over and over to make sure his eyes were not deceiving him.
There before the Lord stood Izayoi. Her smiling face peering down at Toga, who knelt before her. Burying his face into her stomach while hugging her legs. Her hands rubbing his smooth hair.
"Father…?," He asked apprehensive.
She looked at him smiling still. He could only scowl back at her, not trusting what was happening before his eyes. Not to mention the extreme resentment he had always held for her.
Though his father did not answer. Not even turning to make eye contact.
"He is in pain Sesshomaru," She said to him.
"What is this?," He asked.
Her face suddenly twisted into a menacing, horrid expression. She gripped Togas back roughly with a crooked smile.
"Just what do you think?," She snapped.
Reaching into her shirt, she pulled out a long knife. Raising it high into the air. Her laughter rang out through the area again, twisted and evil. Before swinging down and stabbing Toga right in the back. And repeating the action over and over quickly. Blood flicking back onto her face and hands.
Toga cried out, though never looking up. Clinging to her tighter while screaming. Sesshomarus expression grew in horror at the scene before him.
In a flash he was before her, one arm gripping her wrist and the other around her throat. He snapped the bones in her arm forcing her to release the knife. Her breath hitched looking at him, his fangs bared to her. Though she still chuckled slightly in ragged breathes. Uncaring over her arm.
He growled loudly at her, the anger shown bright across his face.
"Oh.. What's.. This? He's.. Left.. Us," She said.
Looking down he noticed his father was now gone. Not even a body or blood left behind. She had no visible blood on her hands or face anymore either.
Releasing her, he jumped back in surprise. Looking frantically around for his father. But there was no sign of him.
He glared back at her in anger and confusion. Just what was this? Was it all an illusion? If so, was she even truly here?
Unknown to him, the air around had grown thicker in each passing second. They were shrouded in it. For the trees were barely seen themselves. Only their outlines were able to be made out by now.
"Where the hell is he?," sesshomaru snapped, looking about frantically.
She grinned.
"Gone. I have taken him from you yet again."
His hands balled into fist at his sides. Noticing that it had became harder to breath, and he was sweating harder now. He had to squint to even be able to see her, though she stood right before him. The grin she wore still visible through blurry eyes.
"You blame me for his demise yet here you are, straining yourself for a human woman. The same as he. And she, the same as I," She said mockingly.
It had only further frustrated him. How dare she compare him to his foolish father who threw his life away so carelessly. Lord Sesshomaru was not pathetic as such. He fought for what was his. If anything that's all Kagome was in his eyes for now, something to be obtained. These humans wounded his pride. They snatched her from him in a strangely bold way. And no human should dare challenge him like that.
"I am not my father. And shall not die so weakly," He spat.
"We shall see then. She's already given you that wound on your back. And here you have exhausted yourself trying to get her back. A simple liar you are, and nothing more," She said.
oooooooo
"Jaken!," She cried out as the monk stalked his way towards her. She backed away, struggling hard to pry the cell door open, but to no avail.
"Run woman! This is your only chance to freedom!," He yelled from the other side of the door.
There was nowhere to run. The hallway was that of a dead end and she had no way to protect herself. What these people had in store for her, that she had no idea. All she knew was that she wasn't about to lose her virginity to anyone like that.
If there was a time to feel useless, now was it. She had ran off from her new friend, leaving her behind to an obviously horrible situation. Kagome couldn't protect her friends before. How could she now? Especially when she didn't even have powers anymore. Truth is, she was absolutely terrified. And all she could do was pray for someone to save her.
She closed her eyes tightly and slumped down against the door, her lips quivering in pure fear. Burying her face into the wood less not to face her attacker. Not ready to face what was to come.
Why? Why has my life taken such a dark turn lately? I'm… not strong enough for this!
But her thoughts were short lived. The monk came quickly, grabbing her heel and yanking her away from the door. She cried out reaching for it. Anything. The walls even as her nails scrapped along the stone and dirt. But there was nothing.
He dragged her a distance out into the main hallway. She peeked her eyes open at him, seeing the anger in his features. The hatred this man felt for her in that moment was enough for fear to rip across her face deeper, her expression terrified losing its color. Something snapped inside her in the dread of what was to come next. She simply reacted.
Swiftly she began to kick with all of her might. Launching assaults at his thighs, stomach and groin. He yelled out, wheezing at her final hit into his private area.
When he hunched over close enough, she caught him hard. A swift upper kick to the underneath of his chin. He flew back slamming against the wall in defeat.
Kagome scrambled up to get away while she had the chance. All in the distance she could hear Jaken calling out to her. Nothing was registering but the thought to get away. In all these tunnels looking exactly the same, darkened barely with lighting of the torches on the upper walls.
Her heart was pounding inside of her chest as she ran faster than before. If she was in trouble with these people before, now she certainly would be. She was sweating hard along her brow.
Where do I go!? I don't know this place or it's exits! Please God.. Help me..
Slowing her pace a little she could make out sounds from up ahead. If she was correct, she should be close to her cell by now. Hoping for her friend to be okay.
She approached nervously, trembling. But as she got closer, she turned the corner to see feet. Someone lying on the ground, that which she made out to be her cellmates.
".. L-Lanna?, she asked scared. Balling her hands into a fist and taking a deep breath, taking another step.
But suddenly they were dragged out from her view. With the grunt of a males voice.
Her eyes grew wide and she stopped. The cold sweat chilling her body.
Did they hear me?
The nightmare was not over it seemed. A shadow creep up in the corner of her vision, though before she could see who she was hit hard on the back of her head.
The pain surging through her skull at the impact.
Kagome fell forward, lay flat on her stomach, arms sprawled above her head. Small bits of blood trickled down her temple. Her vision blurred a little, struggling not to lose consciousness.
A hard yank surged the pain further as the head monk grabbed the back of her hair and pulled her up by it, forcing her to sit up on her knees. She moaned out weakly in pain. Allowing her to see the display before her. For there lay Lanna, her small body bruised and beaten. Her eyes cold and still.
Kagome had no strength to say anything or cry anymore. She stared at the body, feeling that hopeless dread she had been fighting against so hard.
Sesshomaru... Please save me..
She slowly looked up, eyeing the monk from a while ago that she knew was the culprit. The shallow bags hanging under her eyes helped show the pure hatred she now held for this man clearly. She glared hard. Since it was all she could do.
"Thank goodness you caught her sir before she could hurt anyone else. This woman was a sinner but didn't deserve to be murdered just for a distraction so you could escape you harlot!," He snapped down at her.
Footsteps ran from the back of the group could be heard closing in. Only to add fuel to her current situation.
"Sir! It appears she also injured one of ours!," A priestess said from behind.
Kagome heart sunk. Not knowing what was to be done of her now.
He released her, for two other monks to grab her under her arms and force her to stand. The high monk gripped her chin hard, making fierce eye contact. Through brown eyes he could see no hope in them. A shallow fade crossing them.
But in his she could make something out. Something sinister.
His eyes… there's a pitch of purple in them? He's.. Not human?
He could make out the thoughts in her expression, but yanked away from her before allowing her to figure him out further. She must be taken care of at once. Her, along with her demon mate.
"Bring her to the main viewing room. Allow everyone to bare witness to her shame as she is cleansed once and for all. As for her mate, if he dares enter, we'll have a special way of dealing with him in front of her. Let them be an example to the humans.," He announced.
They all nodded their heads in agreement. Tugging her forward to move with them. She barely complied, taking small weak steps. This was it. She knew it. They were going to kill her. The same as Lanna. But what Kagome wouldn't accept is if they managed to hurt Sesshomaru. No one else was going to go down over her. So at least in such a horrible state, she was grateful he wasn't there currently. Suffering with her.
ooooooooooooo
Kagome stared down at the floor the whole time she moved. Only hearing the whispers of humans around her and the shuffling of their feet ready to watch her suffer and be pleased with it. They sat around in the high steps stone bleachers.
She hadn't felt this defeated in a long time. Her clothes were dirty and tattered from being handled so roughly.
Her gaze weakly looked up at the sound of creaking being wheeled into the middle. There standing tall was what appeared to be a makeshift cross. Though the boards were diagonal.
"Strip her back," The high monk demanded.
Anything left in her fought against that to preserve herself from further humiliation. She pulled her arms from the monks and threw them across her chest.
They pulled at her hard to try and pry them apart but she'd have none of it. Fighting away from them. Her eyes focused ahead of her at the man approaching, bracing herself.
The high monk had grown irritated at her bold behavior and stalked up to her quickly, landing an extremely hard slap across her face.
Kagome stumbled slightly to the side, one of the monks catching her while the other pulled out a blade and ripped the back of her shirt open. She spit out a large sum of blood onto the floor. The impact reopened her already busted lip. Her flawless skin now blackened on the corner of her mouth even further.
It hurt so bad she dared not fight anymore. And submitted to them pushing her forward, arm in arm. They forced her to stand in front of the wood tieing her arms on both ends by the wrist.
She didn't want to look up. Feeling humiliated for the last time, now standing pathetically to a crowd of strangers. Bloody and bruised.
She could only begin to shake violently in fear of what was to come next. What else could these people possibly do to her?
"My dear people. This young woman may look like an innocent creature. A small, beautiful creature. Adoring the clothes of some of you in here, that of a priestess. But I warn you, she is Nothing of it. Far from it.," The high monk exclaimed to the crowd around them, voice growing darker in tone.
He turned to face her, looking up at the defeated girl before him. She gazed down at the old man. Something flickered in his eyes yet again, the same thing she saw earlier.
Her face turned to confusion as she squinted her eyes to get a better look.
He could tell what she was trying to do, and smiled at her. Closing his eyes, and slowly opening them. Showing a clear purple tint to them with slits in the middle. He held the eyes of a demon.
She gasped under her breath.
"You're a demon.," She whispered aloud. "But how.. How can you survive down here in this purified air?"
He stood with his back to the crowd, only allowing her to see his secret.
"You stand here guilty of fornicating with a demon and murdering your cellmate, young girl. Do you accept your final punishment?"
Before she could exclaim to everyone her plea and accusation of this imposter, a large crack was heard behind her. Being tied, she could not turn her head to see what the sound was.
Terror rippled through her with another crack as sweat dripped down the side of her face.
She made one more look at the high monk, opening her mouth to argue her point. But was hastily cut off.
A whip crackled across her bare back. Cutting through her flesh as blood splattered the floor in a line. Leaving a very large indent in her skin.
Kagome had never felt so much pain before in her life. She screamed aloud, eyes growing as wide as they could with her pupils dilating. But there was no time for thoughts to process as another whip cracked across her skin again. And again.
She could feel her skin soaked in blood with her mind being completely blank. She could only scream out in sobs, struggling to break free from the rope.
The monks around watched on in anticipation, priestesses nodding in acknowledgement gossiping together at the display before them. It appears everyone seemed to be in amusement at her pain, almost laughing at the terror in her expression.
This place was one of hell it seemed. It was dark. Candles and torches were the only thing giving light making the place more menacing seeming.
And with another whip, Kagome's mind only was able to process and cry out for one thing. In a sudden burst, she shrieked out louder than she ever possibly had before in her life.
"SESSHOMARU! SESSHOMARU SAVE ME!"
ooooooooooo
Izayoi stood before him in his illusion. All he wanted to do was snap her neck the same as he did her wrist. The words she spoke made anger rip through him. All the time before in his life he imagined slaughtering this woman and Inuyasha. It'd be one regret he'd have for a long time, not doing it sooner before his half brother was born and sparing his father. Her face. Her scent. Her… Humanity. Everything about her angered him.
Sesshomaru raised his hand high with his claws out, ready to strike. Though he could only take one step before Kagome's voice tore through him.
Her loud shriek of desperation crying out to him, for him to save her. In a type of way that he had never heard before. It was one clear of pain and suffering. Though muffled his sharp ears still picked up in it immediately.
His eyes widened, and reddened at the realization of what they could be doing to make her cry out like that. It even made his inner beast begin to stir about inside.
And without a moment's thought, he rushed into the direction of her voice. Flying past Izayoi and abandoning any thought of her. His only sole focus was that of saving Kagome.
With his will of wanting to protect a human, he was allowed to pass through the barrier. Though he hadn't thought about it in the moment anyways, being hell bent on getting to her. The foggy air no longer able to distract him and blur his mind.
He reached a wooden door made into the ground, and busted in violently. The debris scattering throughout the compound. Wind from the impact whipping fiercely about. The monks and priestesses covering their faces not to be hit, shrinking away from the figure not invading their spaces. Many grabbed their staffs ready for battle.
Sesshomaru stood, his chest heaving hard and eyes blood red. The scent of her blood flooded his nose only angering the beast further. His hair clung to his bare chested body as he bared his fangs. His eyes searched around for any sight of her. The blurry vision slowly fading away with his inner beast and determination helping him locate her.
And finally he did. There she clung, writhing against the wood. Her shirt barely covering her breast as it hung low. The dark spots lining her body from the abuse these people put her through. Blood trickling down her chin, her busted lip. And the flicker of light he could make out in eyes of hope, hope she clearly now held because of him.
Seeing her that way sent a heavy sinking feeling in his chest. Like guilt for not protecting her from these monsters and preventing all of this from happening.
Sesshomaru stared at her wide, the red color draining from his eyes back into his golden irises. His mouth gaping at the sight of her.
Kagome shivered staring back at him. Never before had she seen Sesshomaru have any emotion aside from the cold demeanor he always held. But there he was finally, taking in the bags he held under his eyes.
He's been.. Worried? He strained himself.. All for me.
"You.. Came," She said weakly.
"Of course," He answered back blinking.
He continued to gawk at her, unaware of the danger around them.
The high monk had never once strayed from his place in front of her. Unwavered by the immense power this demon displayed.
Sesshomaru took a small step her way, never breaking their eye contact.
The high monk raised an arm high, signaling the others not to move and lay down their staffs. They looked around questioning and confused but complied nervously. All slowly untensing with trust in their master.
"Allow me to show all of you how weak every demon can be with confidence in our powers," He announced.
Sesshomaru scowled at him. He had time to move as a large ring of light glowed under his feet. A perfect circle shaped. He looked down watching as it spread to entrap his body. A meager trap he had always brushed off before with any other monk he faced. This would be no different.
But the Lord was wrong. This sudden force to kneel came over him, and he could not fight it. He grunted trying to struggle against it. But he was brought down to his knees hard, falling onto his elbows. As quickly as he went down, bars of light strapped themselves around his arms and wrist.
He gasped out, the familiar burning sensation flowing throughout his body made him hiss in pain. The same as when Kagome had burned him.
I …. I cannot move!
He was truly surprised since no monk had Ever been able to succumb him like so. Sesshomaru could only feel small as inside he fought hard but could not move. He stayed motionless like a dog.
The old man's laughter rang out, echoing to the humans around. They all watching being in awe themselves. Their master was able to bring down a great demon like this one to his knees.
Kagome watched on in shock, not expecting Sesshomaru to be brought down so easily like that. Just what was this old man? She began to struggle aggressively against the rope, loosening it a tad while the people seemed to be preoccupied.
The high monk raised both his hands above his head now, forming a large thin bar made entirely of light. It was pointed directly down at Sesshomaru, with an obvious intent to impail his body.
His eyes widened and his heart was racing with panic inside, his brows scowling at the uncertainty of the situation they were in. Clenching his teeth tightly wondering if he'd even be able to recover from an attack like that from a monk. He was still unhealed from that of a priestess and that was only a flesh wound. The stoic Lord now held self doubt, and he needed to break free immediately if he was to get them out of here. In his mind he had to admit that the bars around his arms hurt severely, so he could only imagine the damage that would do.
"Now look on my people! Watch closely as we cleanse this beast from our dwelling! I shall purify his entire being, with that this demon shall no longer exist!," He shouted, the surrounding humans shouting in praise and anticipation.
Kagome watched on, tears pricking the corners of her eyes again.
No more! I can't lose anyone else! Not him! No one else is… is gonna die over me!
She fought hard against the ropes, ignoring the pain pulsing from her lash wounds. Ignoring the cold feeling of her blood. And ignoring her wrist rubbing raw against the rope. She needed to fight back. If she couldn't protect herself, then she'd protect another.
She thought back to the time Inuyasha injured Rin and how hard she fought to save her. Pushing her body to the limit, diving into rushing water for her. Saving her against a demon. She needed to be brave just one more time like that.
"Are you ready to face God, demon? Well haha, that's if demons even find rest in the after life," The high monk mocked, the crowd of people around joining in laughter.
Charging more power into the bar, he began to lift his arms back a little. In an indication that he was about to pierce it through Sesshomaru. The Lord growled out, struggling against the light bars that held his arms down. The burns they made were beginning to hurt badly as they serred deeper into his flesh with each movement. He was sweating. There was no way he could avoid this. He could only stare on, glaring at the high monk.
The high monk lowered his arms quickly, sending the bar flying his way. Expecting it to rip right through the demon.
But time seemed to slow for Sesshomaru in that moment, for yet again the priestess managed to do the unexpected. All for him. All he could hear was her sudden cry out for them to stop, when the room erupted with gasp mixed with pure silence.
Here she was, kneeling right in front of him. Small pricks of her blood splattered on his cheeks. He gawked up at her in pure shock more than he ever was before. Eyes completely wide behind his sweaty bangs in disbelief of this women.
At the last second she managed to free herself, just to die like this.
Kagome grunted, throwing her head back. Pupils turning miosis. Arms clunking to her sides, her loose shirt covering the raw marks on her wrist. The bar of light pierced straight into the upper right portion of her chest, through and through. Making her cough out blood in an instant.
In her mind time stopped. And she was back to that starry night, walking under the stars with Sesshomaru back to the village. The silent night they shared in such a simple way, the kind way he allowed her to cry into his chest. Kagome didn't need anything more than that, for it comforted her more than he'd ever know.
She was growing cold quickly it felt like, yet at the same time she felt nothing at all. Like the pain was gone. And she was free.
"... You.. Fool..," He muttered out in a whisper.
She slowly peered down at him at the sound of his voice.
Sesshomaru shuttered looking at her face. Her eyes were now glossy with heavy bags under them, the light in them fading away. Her bangs clinging to her exhausted features as her long black hair pooled around her shoulders. She was pale. But through it all she was faintly smiling at him. It was chilling.
"I got.. w-what I ..truly w-wanted in…The end..," She whispered, her voice weak and cracking.
His brows furrowed in confusion a tad unsure what she meant.
"I.. Didn't w-wanna go h-home… I wanted to s-stay with y-you Sesshomaru…I n-needed you…," She weakly said.
"I.. Found myself w-wanting to b-be by your s-side…. You've g-grown to mean… more t-to me than I c-could admit b-before in t-the s-short time I h-had with y-you...i-im sorry…"
She slowly brought her hands up to cup his face, bringing hers lower to his level. He stilled at her movements, stunned by her confession.
Remembering the times he caught her tracing the marks on his face. But this feel of her was different. Through the glossy exterior of her eyes held the truth that he knew for certain she'd never admit if not for the fact that she was so badly hurt.
Her cold, soft hands caressing his face so gently.
She lowered her face mere centimeters away from his closing her eyes, parting her lips. He could feel her breath on his lips as the tip of her nose brushed against his. It gave him goosebumps, knowing what she was about to do.
Though it never came. In an instant, the magic the monk had on them burst into what looked like shimmers into the air. Leaving a small but clean hole in her chest. Blood pooling from it. And the bars on Sesshomaru's arms disappeared.
Losing consciousness, she snaked her arms around his neck in a last effort. Her cheek brushing across his.
Sesshomaru rushed up to catch her. The shimmering glitter of magic surrounding the couple in what looked like starlight, illuminating them for a moment.
One hand wrapped around her lower back while the other buried itself into the back of her head, running through her locks. He held her frame tightly still in shock at what just occurred, his breathing ragged and fast.
Kagome's hair brushed along the side of his face, the cold feeling of her bare shoulders and cleavage pressed against him.
Things slowly began to dawn on him, taking things in slowly. He wasn't sure if she was dead or not. Though either way, everyone in this room would pay with their lives after this.
Sesshomaru held her close, nuzzling his face into her hair. His grip on her scalp tightening a little. The blood on her back seeped into the side of his arms and hand, though he paid it no mind. For all he could smell was her sweet scent mixed with her blood. It was a scent that he never dared want to pick up on, not like this. All he could feel in this moment was hatred. Heavy guilt, a feeling foreign to the stoic Lord. So it was a hard thing to mull over inside him. Even the beast was quiet. His heart felt weighed down inside at the feeling of her tiny frame pressed against his chest like this. He never did take her in before. How much like porcelain she truly was, though all this time he was selfishly dragging her around like a toy.
Her hair was so soft tanged in his fingers. And her arms across her neck felt like nothing. It was clear due to her mistreatment that she was thinner than before.
Flashbacks of their short time together flashed before his mind in what seemed like an eternity. He could recall watching her and Rin from afar as they comforted each other by the tombstones. Back then he knew their humanity was short. And he'd miss even her annoying rants and loud, rude mouth. But when he'd think of death, he did not imagine it like this. This gentle being did not deserve to die for him. Why the hell would she sacrifice herself over a man as cruel as he?
Then her tears came. How he recently made her cry in their final moments together before all of this. How he ignored her tears behind him, though he Knew she was sobbing quietly. The frame of her face was etched into his memory. Smiling, laughing, sleeping, crying, and now glossed over in a pale sweep.
"Poor dear. Dying for a monster like you," The high monk said aloud taking steps towards them.
Even the monks and priestesses were stunned by Kagome's actions, not sharing the same feelings as their master. Their faces were shocked at the proof of how strongly a human could love a demon. For they actually just witnessed a human woman sacrifice her life for a demon entire situation seemed shameful now. And their masters actions were unusual, for even he was typically a gentle but stern. But his comments were uncalled for, and purely disgusting.
Sesshomaru lowered her a little, resting his bared fangs on her forehead. Glaring hard up through his bangs. His eyes glowed red so harshly it felt hot and his nose creased in a snarl. Letting deep growls emit to signal his enemy to stay back. Even the strips on his face began to grow rippled across his cheeks.
But the old man approached anyways. Standing only a few feet away from them now. He was grinning ear to ear at the pitiful sight of them, looking downward at his handy work. Sure he wanted the girl to die, but he didn't expect this really.
Sesshomaru could make out the demonic eyes meeting his own clear as day. This wasn't a human, an old man, nor monk at all. Everything about him was a lie. Regardless it would not matter. For by the end of the day, he was determined to be soaked in human and now demon blood at the cost of what they had done.
ooooooooo