Ch. 2: Leader of Lost Souls
*Authors note: The Lin Kuei mentioned in this chapter are in no way related to Mortal Kombat. They were an actual cult of warriors in Northern China. For more information, go to http://glass.tvu.ac.uk/~chi/ninja/ *
"Inuyasha, I think this is very ill-advised." A small voice told the hanyou. Myoga had caught up to him two miles ago, and hadn't shut up since.
"I'm getting Kagome back, no matter what the cost," was Inuyasha's only reply.
Inuyasha leapt from building to building, sniffing the midnight air. Kojirou's scent was strong, and very distinct. Inuyasha paused atop a tall skyscraper, and looked down at the people. He then turned around and looked at a huge skyscraper.
"Figures," Inuyasha thought, "my prey would live in the biggest building in all of Tokyo." Inuyasha walked to the edge, and looked all over the building. "There' he thought as he spotted a silhouette in the window, "top floor." He prepared to jump in, but hesitated. "Why's this guy's scent so damn familiar? It's almost like my own, but also... No, it can't be." He shrugged off his anticipation.
Inuyasha walked back, ran forward, and jumped at the building. He crashed through a window four floors beneath the top. Several guards greeted him. Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga and cut them down with ease. He made his way up the stairs, flying up them and cutting down the security as quickly as they popped up. He came to a large set of brown doors, and a sixth sense told him he had reached his destination.
The doors burst open as Inuyasha kicked them open, but he only had a second to observe his surroundings as several more guards rushed him. Inuyasha drew two pistols and jump back with a flip. As soon has he hit the ground he fired, all his shots finding their mark. As soon as the first wave was down, Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga and ran towards what appeared to be an altar, cutting down guards along the way. With the guards all slain, Inuyasha faced Kojirou, whose back was turned to the hanyou.
Inuyasha took to one knee, drawing the weapon on his back. It unfolded, and the hanyou took aim. A computerized blip told him that the rocket inside was armed and ready. "Kojirou! Tell me where Kagome is or I swear I'll turn you into kibble!"
The enigmatic demon chuckled, turned around, and stepped aside. Inuyasha spotted Kagome, still asleep but out of her cryogenic chamber. "Are you sure you want to fire that weapon?" Kojirou taunted as he raised his blade to Kagome neck. Inuyasha frown bitterly, and tossed the rocket launcher aside.
"A wise choice." Kojirou raised his arm and Inuyasha found himself encased in ice. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have something to attend to," Kojirou said as he stepped down from the altar. He took a book from a stand nearby and opened it. His eyes went red as he read from the book, and a green swirling vortex opened behind Kagome.
"L'anima, nerezza, viene a me! Autorizzilo con le età , assegnimi la vostra resistenza. Il velare di tempo che perforo, il tessuto di spazio mi strappo! Rinvii, l'OH uno di nerezza e lasci i mari cremisi annegare il mondo!"
"Lord Inuyasha, I recognize that chant! He attempting to bring someone from the past to the present!" Myoga said.
The words he spoke where strange to Inuyasha, but somewhere he recognized them as Italian. He struggled to break free as the vortex spun wildly. A figure was flung from it, and it shrank out of existence. The figure looked up, piercing Inuyasha in his gaze. Inuyasha's eyes widened. Those eyes, that hair, that face, it was a visage Inuyasha would never, ever forget.
"Naraku," he growled as hate filled his eyes. He struggled to break free of the bonds as the evil hanyou approached.
"It's been a long time, hasn't it? I'm surprised you still recognize me. I'm sure you are curious as to why I'm here. It's all rather simple, actually. After you and your woman escaped me, I preserved my mind in an orb. Kojirou here found it, and followed my instructions on how to bring me here."
"You think you're so clever, huh? You came all this way so I can kill you for what you did to Sango and Miroku!" Inuyasha yelled as the ice began to crack.
Naraku simply grinned and laughed. "Their end was long and torturous, I assure you, but it will be nothing compared to what I will do to you." Naraku rose to his feet, and glanced at Kojirou. "As for him, all he asked in exchange was power. But you know me Inuyasha, as I AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGH!!!" Naraku was unable to complete his sentence as he screamed in pain. The scream seemed to be torn from his very soul as he quaked and shivered, his eyes rolling in the back of his head. The scream ended abruptly, and Naraku fell limp to the floor, landing with a sickening thud, as Inuyasha broke free. He crouched to the fallen hanyou's body, and felt for a pulse that no longer existed. He saw a strange green mist in a vaguely human shape rise from the body, and drift towards Kojirou
"...'Have no intention of keeping my end of the bargain?' Is that what you were going to say Naraku? Too bad I anticipated your treachery." Kojirou said with a smirk.
Inuyasha rose to his feet, and looked at Myoga. "What the Hell was that?" Inuyasha asked, his voice betraying a small amount of fear.
"That...that attack is called the Soul Reaper! He...he ripped Naraku's soul straight from his body and absorbed it!" the flea responded. "Well, I'm sure you don't need me anymore, I'll go..ummmm... see how Kagome is doing!" Myoga fled.
Inuyasha pointed his sword at Kojirou. "You have what you wanted, now let me take Kagome home!"
Kojirou laughed. "No. There are still things I require of her. But maybe you can help with one of them. The Shikon No Tama, where is it?"
"There's no chance in Hell that I'll tell you," the hanyou growled angrily.
Kojirou approached his normal bemused smile replaced with a look of annoyance. Inuyasha raised his sword to defend himself. "Well then, the hard way it is. I am surprised, that you'd be willing to stare down death for a mere girl. She means that much to you? Tell me, would you be willing to sacrifice your own flesh and blood to save the woman you love?"
Inuyasha looked confusedly at the man. "What's that supposed to mean?
"Never mind," Kojirou responded, "just idle ramblings. Let's fight."
Inuyasha swung at Kojirou, and he parried the slash with ease. Inuyasha swung wildly, but his each blow was knocked aside by the young demon. As Inuyasha struggled as hard as he could to land a blow, Kojirou stayed clam, with a cool looked of indifference. Three, four, five minutes passed. Finally, Kojirou had enough, and knocked Tetsusaiga aside. As the blade flew from Inuyasha's hands, Kojirou placed his hand on Inuyasha's chest and laughed. Electricity coursed throughout his body, and the hanyou found himself paralyzed, laying face down on the floor. Kojirou walked over and placed his sword on Inuyasha chin, and drew it along, applying just enough pressure to draw blood.
"Where is the Shikon Jewel?" he asked insistently.
Inuyasha tried his hardest to form words. "If it was up your ass you'd know it!" With his will, he forced himself up and spit in Kojirou's face. He rose to his feet, and swung his blade down at Inuyasha. The hanyou cringed as he felt the blade made contact, and screamed in pain as he saw his left dog ear fly off and land on the floor.
"I sever you piece by piece until you tell me where you hid the jewel!" Kojirou threatened. Inuyasha looked frantically around. He jumped to his feet, and grabbed Tetsusaiga. In one fluid motion, he swung the blade and yelled the name of one of his attacks.
"CUTTING WIND!"
Inuyasha stood, breathing heavily, waiting for the dust to settle. As it did, he saw Kojirou still standing, with a very annoyed look on his face. A long cut ran from his cheek to his mouth, matching a larger wound on his chest. "You hurt me, you actually hurt me! You will pay for that!"
Kojirou ran up, plunging his hand into his chest wound, then leapt into the air. He swung his arm and several waves of blood flew at Inuyasha. His eyes widened as he his own attack slammed into him, and knocked the hanyou off his feet.
"What the Hell? That's one of my attacks!" he thought trying to get to his feet. Suddenly, Kojirou was on top of him, and he rammed the Masamune straight into Inuyasha's chest. He ran to the window and thrust Inuyasha out of it, pulling sword from the hanyou chest.
Inuyasha fell, feeling the night air rush over him as the he plummeted. For a moment he felt as if he would fall forever, until he felt himself hit cold metal and lose consciousness. Hours seemed to pass, until he felt a small pair of hands life him up. "Kagome..?" he asked in delirium. A man's voice responded. "No, but don't worry, I'm a friend."
The red haired man carried Inuyasha's limp body to Sesshoumaru's tower, laying him on a table in the medical center. The silver haired yoke looked with a look of disdain at his fallen brother.
"I'm surprised he lived." He looked over at the red haired man. His kitsune features were apparent in the harsh glare of artificial light as sorcerers and doctors came to mend the fallen warrior. "You weren't seen, were you?" he asked as they exited into Sesshoumaru's office.
"I was bodyguard to the Shr-Lin of the Lin Kuei for over a century. I can handle a menial task like this."
"I hate to burden you..."
"It's no trouble, really. If you would, I'd like to stay at Inuyasha's side. Someone has to be. Without Kagome, he really has no one right now."
"You're a loyal friend to him, Shippou." He said as the kitsune left Sesshoumaru to his thoughts.
*Authors note: The Lin Kuei mentioned in this chapter are in no way related to Mortal Kombat. They were an actual cult of warriors in Northern China. For more information, go to http://glass.tvu.ac.uk/~chi/ninja/ *
"Inuyasha, I think this is very ill-advised." A small voice told the hanyou. Myoga had caught up to him two miles ago, and hadn't shut up since.
"I'm getting Kagome back, no matter what the cost," was Inuyasha's only reply.
Inuyasha leapt from building to building, sniffing the midnight air. Kojirou's scent was strong, and very distinct. Inuyasha paused atop a tall skyscraper, and looked down at the people. He then turned around and looked at a huge skyscraper.
"Figures," Inuyasha thought, "my prey would live in the biggest building in all of Tokyo." Inuyasha walked to the edge, and looked all over the building. "There' he thought as he spotted a silhouette in the window, "top floor." He prepared to jump in, but hesitated. "Why's this guy's scent so damn familiar? It's almost like my own, but also... No, it can't be." He shrugged off his anticipation.
Inuyasha walked back, ran forward, and jumped at the building. He crashed through a window four floors beneath the top. Several guards greeted him. Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga and cut them down with ease. He made his way up the stairs, flying up them and cutting down the security as quickly as they popped up. He came to a large set of brown doors, and a sixth sense told him he had reached his destination.
The doors burst open as Inuyasha kicked them open, but he only had a second to observe his surroundings as several more guards rushed him. Inuyasha drew two pistols and jump back with a flip. As soon has he hit the ground he fired, all his shots finding their mark. As soon as the first wave was down, Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga and ran towards what appeared to be an altar, cutting down guards along the way. With the guards all slain, Inuyasha faced Kojirou, whose back was turned to the hanyou.
Inuyasha took to one knee, drawing the weapon on his back. It unfolded, and the hanyou took aim. A computerized blip told him that the rocket inside was armed and ready. "Kojirou! Tell me where Kagome is or I swear I'll turn you into kibble!"
The enigmatic demon chuckled, turned around, and stepped aside. Inuyasha spotted Kagome, still asleep but out of her cryogenic chamber. "Are you sure you want to fire that weapon?" Kojirou taunted as he raised his blade to Kagome neck. Inuyasha frown bitterly, and tossed the rocket launcher aside.
"A wise choice." Kojirou raised his arm and Inuyasha found himself encased in ice. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have something to attend to," Kojirou said as he stepped down from the altar. He took a book from a stand nearby and opened it. His eyes went red as he read from the book, and a green swirling vortex opened behind Kagome.
"L'anima, nerezza, viene a me! Autorizzilo con le età , assegnimi la vostra resistenza. Il velare di tempo che perforo, il tessuto di spazio mi strappo! Rinvii, l'OH uno di nerezza e lasci i mari cremisi annegare il mondo!"
"Lord Inuyasha, I recognize that chant! He attempting to bring someone from the past to the present!" Myoga said.
The words he spoke where strange to Inuyasha, but somewhere he recognized them as Italian. He struggled to break free as the vortex spun wildly. A figure was flung from it, and it shrank out of existence. The figure looked up, piercing Inuyasha in his gaze. Inuyasha's eyes widened. Those eyes, that hair, that face, it was a visage Inuyasha would never, ever forget.
"Naraku," he growled as hate filled his eyes. He struggled to break free of the bonds as the evil hanyou approached.
"It's been a long time, hasn't it? I'm surprised you still recognize me. I'm sure you are curious as to why I'm here. It's all rather simple, actually. After you and your woman escaped me, I preserved my mind in an orb. Kojirou here found it, and followed my instructions on how to bring me here."
"You think you're so clever, huh? You came all this way so I can kill you for what you did to Sango and Miroku!" Inuyasha yelled as the ice began to crack.
Naraku simply grinned and laughed. "Their end was long and torturous, I assure you, but it will be nothing compared to what I will do to you." Naraku rose to his feet, and glanced at Kojirou. "As for him, all he asked in exchange was power. But you know me Inuyasha, as I AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGH!!!" Naraku was unable to complete his sentence as he screamed in pain. The scream seemed to be torn from his very soul as he quaked and shivered, his eyes rolling in the back of his head. The scream ended abruptly, and Naraku fell limp to the floor, landing with a sickening thud, as Inuyasha broke free. He crouched to the fallen hanyou's body, and felt for a pulse that no longer existed. He saw a strange green mist in a vaguely human shape rise from the body, and drift towards Kojirou
"...'Have no intention of keeping my end of the bargain?' Is that what you were going to say Naraku? Too bad I anticipated your treachery." Kojirou said with a smirk.
Inuyasha rose to his feet, and looked at Myoga. "What the Hell was that?" Inuyasha asked, his voice betraying a small amount of fear.
"That...that attack is called the Soul Reaper! He...he ripped Naraku's soul straight from his body and absorbed it!" the flea responded. "Well, I'm sure you don't need me anymore, I'll go..ummmm... see how Kagome is doing!" Myoga fled.
Inuyasha pointed his sword at Kojirou. "You have what you wanted, now let me take Kagome home!"
Kojirou laughed. "No. There are still things I require of her. But maybe you can help with one of them. The Shikon No Tama, where is it?"
"There's no chance in Hell that I'll tell you," the hanyou growled angrily.
Kojirou approached his normal bemused smile replaced with a look of annoyance. Inuyasha raised his sword to defend himself. "Well then, the hard way it is. I am surprised, that you'd be willing to stare down death for a mere girl. She means that much to you? Tell me, would you be willing to sacrifice your own flesh and blood to save the woman you love?"
Inuyasha looked confusedly at the man. "What's that supposed to mean?
"Never mind," Kojirou responded, "just idle ramblings. Let's fight."
Inuyasha swung at Kojirou, and he parried the slash with ease. Inuyasha swung wildly, but his each blow was knocked aside by the young demon. As Inuyasha struggled as hard as he could to land a blow, Kojirou stayed clam, with a cool looked of indifference. Three, four, five minutes passed. Finally, Kojirou had enough, and knocked Tetsusaiga aside. As the blade flew from Inuyasha's hands, Kojirou placed his hand on Inuyasha's chest and laughed. Electricity coursed throughout his body, and the hanyou found himself paralyzed, laying face down on the floor. Kojirou walked over and placed his sword on Inuyasha chin, and drew it along, applying just enough pressure to draw blood.
"Where is the Shikon Jewel?" he asked insistently.
Inuyasha tried his hardest to form words. "If it was up your ass you'd know it!" With his will, he forced himself up and spit in Kojirou's face. He rose to his feet, and swung his blade down at Inuyasha. The hanyou cringed as he felt the blade made contact, and screamed in pain as he saw his left dog ear fly off and land on the floor.
"I sever you piece by piece until you tell me where you hid the jewel!" Kojirou threatened. Inuyasha looked frantically around. He jumped to his feet, and grabbed Tetsusaiga. In one fluid motion, he swung the blade and yelled the name of one of his attacks.
"CUTTING WIND!"
Inuyasha stood, breathing heavily, waiting for the dust to settle. As it did, he saw Kojirou still standing, with a very annoyed look on his face. A long cut ran from his cheek to his mouth, matching a larger wound on his chest. "You hurt me, you actually hurt me! You will pay for that!"
Kojirou ran up, plunging his hand into his chest wound, then leapt into the air. He swung his arm and several waves of blood flew at Inuyasha. His eyes widened as he his own attack slammed into him, and knocked the hanyou off his feet.
"What the Hell? That's one of my attacks!" he thought trying to get to his feet. Suddenly, Kojirou was on top of him, and he rammed the Masamune straight into Inuyasha's chest. He ran to the window and thrust Inuyasha out of it, pulling sword from the hanyou chest.
Inuyasha fell, feeling the night air rush over him as the he plummeted. For a moment he felt as if he would fall forever, until he felt himself hit cold metal and lose consciousness. Hours seemed to pass, until he felt a small pair of hands life him up. "Kagome..?" he asked in delirium. A man's voice responded. "No, but don't worry, I'm a friend."
The red haired man carried Inuyasha's limp body to Sesshoumaru's tower, laying him on a table in the medical center. The silver haired yoke looked with a look of disdain at his fallen brother.
"I'm surprised he lived." He looked over at the red haired man. His kitsune features were apparent in the harsh glare of artificial light as sorcerers and doctors came to mend the fallen warrior. "You weren't seen, were you?" he asked as they exited into Sesshoumaru's office.
"I was bodyguard to the Shr-Lin of the Lin Kuei for over a century. I can handle a menial task like this."
"I hate to burden you..."
"It's no trouble, really. If you would, I'd like to stay at Inuyasha's side. Someone has to be. Without Kagome, he really has no one right now."
"You're a loyal friend to him, Shippou." He said as the kitsune left Sesshoumaru to his thoughts.