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Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha!
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Chapter Nine: In the Eye
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The afternoon wore on as the small group of travelers continued on their path. They had left the roads and were walking cross county, the way rough and hilly. Kikyou kept out of sight for the most part. She was no longer worried about offending her companions, but the desire to be on her own to reflect on the upcoming confrontation kept her from their company. She knew this battle would be her final one, and after Naraku showed his strength the last time, there would only be one chance, one opportunity to bring her plan to completion.
Inuyasha glanced around looking for the miko. She hadn't spoken after telling him where to change directions. Inuyasha had asked and then demanded to know what her plan was, and what Onigumo had told her. Throughout his tirade, she continued to look at him with her cold sad expression without speaking. Growling, he settled into a funk. He couldn't get the thought of Kikyou and Onigumo out of his mind.
Thoughts of Kagome flitted through his pondering, and he scowled as the guilty feeling washed over him. She knew he had to protect Kikyou. If he thought of her, it was just for her protection, right? He glared at the monk behind him. Miroku held a whispered conversation with Sango and Inuyasha was certain it was about him. The monk and demon exterminator stared blankly back at him without commenting. He snorted and turned away. It was going to be a long day.
So lost in his thoughts, he didn't realize Kikyou had rejoined the group. She glided up to him and touched his arm. Startled, he stifled a yelp and would have jumped if he hadn't clamped immediate control on his actions. He scowled instead and cast another glare at Miroku, daring him to comment or laugh.
"I feel him." The miko stated quietly. "He is nearby."
Inuyasha stiffened and tested the air. He didn't smell anything, but if Naraku had erected a barrier, he wouldn't have sensed him. Even though Naraku knew Inuyasha could break through anything he created, Inuyasha had to find it first. The hanyou noticed both Miroku and Sango attempting to catch a sense of Naraku and failed as he had. He looked to Kikyou again, asking, "Where? What direction?" If she could pinpoint where, he could take down the barrier.
Concentrating, Kikyou turned in a small half circle. Finally she nodded off to the west. "Not too far towards those hills." She turned haunted eyes to her companions. "I sense youkai, lots of them."
Inuyasha nodded and gave the quick command, "Let's go!" He ran lightly, in the direction Kikyou indicated, expecting to hit the barrier soon. He glanced once behind him to make sure his companions were keeping up. Sango and Kikyou rode on the transformed Kirara while Miroku ran underneath them.
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Triple whirlwinds lowered from the sky. As the dust settled, Kagome froze with shock and fear in the swept yard before the hut. "Naraku." She breathed, her face draining of color. Kaede gasped standing at her side.
Naraku seemed to hover on the very edge of the shrine grounds. He wasn't wearing his customary baboon pelt and mask, but appeared in his human form. The light breeze lifted and whipped his long black hair out behind him and caused his clothing to billow briefly. His handsome face creased in a sardonic smile facing the two mikos; one too old and one too young to daunt him. "You seemed surprised, girl. How disappointing. I thought you would have expected me."
Kaede stepped forward her bow drawn taunt, arrow notched. "There is nothing for you here, Naraku. Get yourself gone!" She let her arrow fly. It flamed to life with her power, flying straight and true.
Scornfully Naraku plucked it from the air a scant hand's breath from his chest. It flared briefly before crumbling to ethereal dust and disappeared in the wind. He looked at his hand and waited while the flesh regenerated where the arrow touched. Lifting his head, he grinned at the old miko. "Your powers are weak old woman. You cannot stop me." He began to laugh. "I have come to take the remaining shards the girl holds." His body began to transform into the writhing mass of tentacles; his poisonous miasma steaming in the air.
His tentacles flailed and whirled about him. One tentacle snaked across the ground and smacked Kaede on the chest. She cried out as she was flung into the wall of the hut, and lay still in a heap by the step.
"Kaede!" Kagome screamed, turning to the old woman. As she turned, another tentacle attached itself to her ankle and pulled her from her feet. She screamed and tried to kick herself free. She knew she was in a panic; her calm and training fled with her courage.
Naraku chuckled loudly. "You can fight as you wish, but you won't get free. Just like that filthy half breed, you too shall feel the pain of death." Seeing Kagome's expression change to fear and concern, he laughed louder. "Oh yes… your friends are all caught in my trap. Kikyou played her part well, wouldn't you agree? And that hanyou, Inuyasha, thought he would put her to rest once he'd taken care of me."
Kagome's mind went numb. His words reeled in her mind. Inuyasha, trap, Kikyou, dead… She had to warn them! 'Sesshoumaru' she thought, and instantly sent her aura out in search for his. Almost as if he were waiting for her, his aura caught and held hers, picking up the panic, fear, concern and urgency she conveyed. Her attention snapped back to Naraku as the tentacle drew her closer; her skin crawled with revulsion where it wrapped around her leg.
"I don't believe you!" She shouted, tears springing to her eyes. Angrily she wiped them away. She tried to think but her mind wouldn't focus, she couldn't concentrate enough to form a plan or attack. Being dragged over the ground, her fingers sought something, anything to stop her progress. Her hand came into contact with Kaede's bow, and she clutched it in relief.
"Kukuku" Naraku's laughter rang out. "You wish to test your strength? I'll deal with you the same as that old witch and take what I want from your corpse." He whipped another tentacle towards her, intending to pierce her heart.
//Do not fear for fear is the mind killer.// Kaede's patient words came back to her. //Push fear from your mind, from your heart.// Kagome banished the fear instantly, and erected her barrier as the tentacle reached her. The barrier crackled and hissed searing off part of the tentacle leaving a charred stump. //Clear your mind to gather your power.// Kagome kicked off the tentacle on her foot, shoving it from her. She stood facing her enemy, her power sizzling with energy and light swirling around her.
A flicker of fear crossed Naraku's expression as he watched her rise. Pushing it aside, he used his best weapon; words of mistrust and uncertainty. "What makes you think you can hurt me? You're just a girl playing grown up. You'll never be what Kikyou was. You'll never even reach what Kikyou is even now in her imitation body." She had paused with his words. "Inuyasha will never love you. He has always gone to her. He will never give her up, and willingly follows her to hell."
Kagome bowed her head, depression settling on her soul. His words rang true. Inuyasha would never give Kikyou up and has always been willing to follow her to hell. Tears began to well in her eyes. She wasn't Kikyou and could never be her. Her tears fell and her barrier fluctuated, weakening. "Inuyasha." she cried out softly. She pictured him again, as he was the night he came back to her. Lost, alone, and letting himself be open, vulnerable to her for the first time. His voice whispered in her ear, 'I know where my heart is now.' Naraku's words were a lie.
//Do not let anger cloud your reason. Do not let your anger use you but instead use your anger. Channel that anger to strengthen your power.// Lifting her head, her eyes blazing, she said angrily, "HEY YOU! You're wrong Naraku. And now you are finished!" She raised the bow, and notched an arrow. Her lips wore a parody of a smile as he drew back in fear. Her arrows had nearly destroyed him before; they would complete the job now.
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Inuyasha ran quickly. He had caught Naraku's scent and rushed forward, Miroku just behind him. Sango and Kikyou riding on Kirara were overhead. He felt the familiar hatred building as he ran. This time it would be the end. This time Naraku wouldn't escape.
"Inuyasha!" Kikyou called down to him. "Do not attack Naraku without me there. Do not let your hatred kill you before our chance."
"Keh." Inuyasha scoffed. "I will kill that bastard! Stop thinking I'll die to someone like him!" Sensing Naraku close, he sped up.
The barrier had been easy to eliminate once Kikyou located it for him. He could smell and sense many youkai once the barrier was gone. As Inuyasha disappeared from sight, Miroku and Sango exchanged a look. This fight wasn't going to be as easy as Inuyasha seemed to believe.
Cresting a hill, Inuyasha spotted Naraku. He stood alone, the wind billowing his hair out behind him. He seemed to be contemplating something off in the distance no one else could see. He turned his head to look at Inuyasha. His hated smile smirked across his features.
"Inuyasha, I have been expecting you."
Inuyasha halted in the hallow below Naraku. His eyes narrowed at the youkai's words. "NARAKU!" He shouted. He pulled Tetsusaiga from its sheath, waiting for it to transform. "SAY YOUR FUCKING PRAYERS!" Power began to swirl around the blade, increasing as it neared the tip.
Naraku laughed evilly. "Really Inuyasha. Impatient as always." His eyes lifted as the others fanned out at the hanyou's side. "I see your friends are as eager to die as you."
Sango let Kikyou off behind Inuyasha, and sent Kirara into the air. "Naraku! Prepare to die!" She pulled her weapon out from over her shoulder and set herself to throw. "Hiraikotsu!" It sailed towards its mark just as Inuyasha released his sword. "Kaze no Kizu!" The cutting blades of energy raced along the ground towards its prey.
With a wave of his hand, Naraku launched himself into the air, avoiding both the giant boomerang and Inuyasha's attack. He chuckled, hovering several feet above ground. A silence fell as though all were waiting for the worse.
They didn't have long to wait as a sudden wash of youkai smell nearly knocked Inuyasha flat. He fought to remain standing as thousands of mixed youkai kind rose up behind their leader. A simple gesture sent a legion of youkai split to attack the exterminator and Inuyasha..
Inuyasha, with Tetsusaiga now resting on his shoulder, curled his lip derisively. "Just small-fry, Naraku?"
"Sango!" Miroku shouted, worry coloring his voice. He dodge and swung his staff, striking those youkai left on the ground. Over and over, Sango threw her weapon. Hiraikotsu ripped through the youkai and body parts rained down upon those below. Already she and Kirara were being overtaken and she became boxed in, unable to use her dodging maneuvers. Standing with his legs braced, Miroku began to unwrap the beads from his hand. "Hold on Sango!"
A swirling purple void opened above Naraku, and his poisonous saimyoushou appeared, swarming, hundreds buzzing, forming a barrier around the youkai surrounding Sango. Seeing that the monk continued to unwrap his hand, she screamed for him to stop. "No Houshi-sama! That many will kill you!" Throwing the boomerang once again to clear a path, she dove from Kirara's back. Curling her body into a ball, she somersaulted in the air to land in a roll at Miroku's feet. Jumping up to stand by him, she held her hand up for the return of her weapon. "I cannot let you throw your life away." Kirara, able to move freely without her passenger, rose higher in the air. She came down upon the lower flying youkai, all teeth and claws.
Inuyasha didn't have the chance to see how his companions were faring. He mowed several hundred of the attacking youkai before they reached him with wave after wave of the kaze no kizu. A brief pause in their attack gave him the opportunity to glance back at Kikyou. The miko had bow in hand, her eyes never leaving Naraku. She seemed to not concern herself with the youkai swirling around her, or the plight of her companions; her attention completely focused on the wild thief turned youkai who killed her.
Facing his hated enemy, Inuyasha snarled, "Naraku! Get rid of these low-life youkai and fight me you fucking coward!"
Chuckling in his amusement, Naraku called out, "I, Naraku, will fight you when the youkai are gone." He smirked darkly. "Think of it as my goodbye present to you, Inuyasha."
"Keh! You fucking overconfident asshole!" Inuyasha scoffed as he leapt in the air, cutting down youkai as he came down. Closer to Naraku, he yelled up to him, "You will be rust on my blade."
"Inuyasha!" Kikyou's voice from behind him called out. When he turned to her, she commanded, "Leave Naraku to me! You cannot kill him."
Sango and Miroku stood back to back as youkai after youkai fell to their weapons. "Have you seen Kohaku?" Sango shouted catching the returning Hiraikotsu.
His staff jingling as he swung, Miroku took a quick look around the knoll they stood on. "He isn't in this bunch." He glanced up to where Naraku hovered, looking for his usual companions. "I don't see Kagura or Kana either." His eyes narrowed as he swept another row of youkai with his staff. "What is he planning?"
"Kirara!" Sango yelled. When the firecat flew near, she yelled, "Find Kohaku!" Kirara nodded her understanding and flew off again, taking down youkai as she went.
With an evil glint, Naraku gloated, "You want a family reunion Sango? That can be arranged." Tentacles began to grow out of his body and snake across the ground towards the two fighting side by side.
Inuyasha gave an enraged growl and rushed towards Naraku. Again Kikyou called out to him. Ignoring her, he launched himself into the air to come down at the dark-haired mutant. "I am your enemy!", swinging Tetsusaiga as he landed.
Gliding easily away, Naraku laughed. "You'll have to do better than that." One of his tentacles shot out and knocked Inuyasha flying back to land at Kikyou's feet. "I told you to wait. Stay there while I finish these two." He turned to the couple now wrapped in his arm-like tentacles. Several flesh-like pieces lay scattered about them. "How touching. Such friends to stick together. Foolish humans, now you measly creatures will die together!" The tentacles were raised high in the air, waving about wildly. Naraku laughed again as he slammed Miroku and Sango together making a loud cracking sound when their bodies met. The tentacles dropped them, slumping to the ground.
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When her aura reached him, Sesshoumaru was annoyed. He had picked up the uneasiness he had felt prior to Naraku's scent distracting him. The sensation felt stronger now, and he had all his senses on alert to find and identify what he felt. Nothing should ever cause him to feel this way, ever.
The panic and fear she sent caused him a moment of indecisiveness. The thought the girl was faced with a situation she couldn't handle, and therefore Rin would be in danger crossed his mind. As he absorbed her continued emotions before they were abruptly cut off, he realized they centered around his brother, Inuyasha. That she contacted him led Sesshoumaru to believe the danger wasn't where she was, and knowing his brother, he was sure the half-breed had gone off to find Naraku on his own.
Sesshoumaru snorted and narrowed his eyes. 'That idiot Inuyasha. He is lost then.'
A sweeping cloud of dust and debris swirled up and rushed by, blowing his clothes, hair and tail. With the wind, the scent of Inuyasha, his band of followers, and Naraku flooded his senses. Sesshoumaru stilled. He could hear Jaken coughing behind him, hear him trying to get back on his feet after being blown down. He could hear the wind rustle the trees behind them, hear the wind in the grass. And, faintly, ever so faintly, he could hear the sounds of fighting.
Swiftly turning, he headed in the direction the sounds came from, knowing he would find the prey he sought, and the prey he wished had never shown itself.
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Sango lay unmoving, her head split where it hit Miroku's. Blood pooled on the ground where she lay. Miroku fought the waves of blackness that washed over him. He could tell his arm had broke in the fall. He could feel other broken bones but didn't want to think of them. He knew he most likely would pass out soon from his head wound. He raised his head slightly, looking for Sango. Seeing her lifeless body, he tried to make his way to her, pushing his feet into the ground, pulling himself by his one good arm. Tears welled in his eyes seeing the blood, seeing how pale she appeared. "Sango" he croaked, unable to speak louder.
Inuyasha rose unsteadily to his feet. Where the tentacle hit him, he could feel the blood already seeping from his body. His head rang from hitting the ground. 'That damned asshole! How could he have done that?!' He shook his head, trying to clear it. Looking back once, he noticed Kikyou was watching him as she continued to keep her arrow trained on Naraku. Her expression showed concern and worry. He scowled and looked to Naraku. The youkai hovered, his tentacles writhing about him, as he stared at the scene below him.
Looking at where Naraku stared, Inuyasha saw Sango and Miroku. The monk had reached Sango by this time, and covered her body with his. His eyes were closed, and no movement could be see. Inuyasha's eyes opened wide, the blood left his face. "Miroku! Sango!" He shouted, jumping towards them. A tentacle streaked out to knock him back. Inuyasha slashed it away, cutting it off before it reached him.
"Inuyasha! I need you!" Kikyou shouted.
He looked back at her, fear racing through him. Several tentacles were now snaking along the ground towards her. Inuyasha leaped back, slashing and cutting as he went. All the while cursing. Still more and more tentacles made their way towards the pair. The hanyou cut them down as easily as he had the youkai just minutes before, sending his Kaze no Kizu through the fleshy vines. Throughout his ordeal, his heart grieving for the loss of his friends, he heard Naraku's evil chuckle.
"Inuyasha, you are a worthless half-breed who can't even protect his friends." He taunted. "Shall I tell you of my plans now? Or would you like to play a little more?" A pulse of power flowed, and a large massive tentacle broke free from the ground behind Inuyasha. Before he could turn, the vine wrapped itself around his body, forcing his weapon from his hand, pinning his arms to his sides. "Kukuku… To have trapped you so easily, such sweet revenge." His gaze rested upon Inuyasha in almost fondness.
Struggling, Inuyasha growled, "SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU WORTHLESS BASTARD!" He tried to tear the vines from his body with his teeth, and then by strength alone. They were wound too tight, were too thick, and the more he struggled, the tighter they constricted. The air in his lungs was slowly being forced out, and his breathing shallow. He tried to see what Kikyou was doing, thinking she had to do something! She was a miko and could use her bow. As far as he could tell, she hadn't shot one arrow. When spots began to dance in his eyes, he called out, "Kikyou… Kikyou do something."
His words triggered a response. The tentacle released him so unexpectedly, he dropped to his knees. Gasping in air, he rose quickly to his feet, looking for Tetsusaiga. The sword was no where to be found. As he expanded his search, he felt a sudden searing pain in his back piercing through his chest. He looked down in surprise turning to horror seeing the arrow's tip gleaming brightly protruding from his chest. His mind cast into confusion, he turned as if in slow-motion to the woman standing behind him. She no longer held her bow, having dropped it after shooting. Her stare blank, her face expressionless, her arms limp at her sides.
"Kikyou… you?" His voice filled with loss, sadness, and shock. "Why? Why did you betray me again?"
Naraku laughed even louder than before. "You still don't get it, do you?" As the hanyou struggled to look up at him, his grin stretched wider. "It's been a trap from the beginning."
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