Shards of the Heart
By Vermilion
Disclaimer: You know the drill. I do not own InuYasha or any of its characters so there is no need to sue, right? Just read, review, and enjoy! Arigatou!
Chapter 1: Revealing of Unknown Powers-
"Kuso," Miroku cursed, speeding up the hill toward the ominous castle sitting atop it. He could just see Inuyasha, Kirara, and Kagome ahead of him through the thick, black cloud of miasma that surrounded the premises. The fog of evil, moved by a stirring wind, swirled about him, drifting in and out of the rings of his staff, teasing his earrings, and playing with his hair.
"Kuso," Miroku said again, pushing back a strand of hair that had gotten into his eye. "What is it now, Naraku? What do you have planned for us this time?" His heart thudded as he recalled the reason behind why he and his companions were on this mission: Sango.
He remembered the last time he had seen her. It had only been a few days before, when the group had gone to a small village in the hopes of finding shelter there for the evening. However, all they found was a demolished settlement whose streets were wet with the blood of its slaughtered inhabitants. And amidst all that bloodshed, a single, bloodstained weapon had been found: a metal sickle and chain. The telltale blade was enough to drive Sango insane.
"Kohaku! KOHAKU!!!!!!! Where are you?" She had screamed the name over and over again, her voice echoing eerily in the emptiness. "KUSO!!!! COME OUT HERE!!!!!!!!"
Miroku's sympathy had gone out to her, but he said nothing for he knew that words would be little consolation for her grief. She had undergone a lot of pain as a result of Naraku's control over her younger sibling, and this newest example of Naraku's power only added salt to the wounds in her heart. Anything he said now was utterly useless.
Abruptly, Sango's cries stopped as a black-robed form shot out from the trees at the edge of the village and bounded toward them. Inuyasha growled and drew Tetsaiga in preparation for battle but a call from Kagome stopped him. He bared his fangs and waited, claws curled around the hilt of his sword. Miroku had stood to the side, his grip tightening on his staff, while Sango herself had ceased her calling and un-strapped Hirakotsu from her back, her entire figure trembling with anger and disbelief.
"Kohaku," she whispered to the black-clothed boy who now stood before her. "Why? Why all this-this killing?"
The boy simply stared back at her with blank eyes, not responding to her questions. Then, with a quick leap, he jumped over her and deftly grabbed the sickle from the ground.
"Baka! Stay away from that!" Inuyasha yelled, slamming Tetsaiga into the ground and making the earth quake. But it was too late; the sickle and chain were already in Kohaku's hands.
The boy leaped to one side and raised his arm to throw the blade, releasing it with practiced precision at Sango. Miroku saw the weapon move through the air, aimed at the longhaired exterminator, and rushed to her side. Pushing her out of the way, he raised his staff to catch the weapon, causing the air to ring with the sound of metal clanging against metal. The sickle and chain whirled around and around, making a silver trail of linked metal down the length of the staff and finally stopping within inches of Miroku's hands. The monk jerked the staff back, neatly tearing the remaining chain out of Kohaku's hands and disarming him.
"Now, what do you have to say for yourself?" Inuyasha asked, sheathing Tetsaiga. His golden eyes widened as he realized the boy was nowhere to be seen. "NANI?! Where did he go?!"
"Naraku," Sango said with angry definiteness. She turned to look at the carnage of the village and her knees buckled beneath her. Kagome knelt beside her and Miroku was surprised to find tears falling from Sango's eyes. "Naraku still has control over him," she whispered, shoulders shaking. Suddenly, she stood up and turned to Inuyasha, eyes accusing. "Why didn't you let me kill him before? It would have been better like that! None of this would have happened!" She motioned to the town "Is this the hope that you see for Kohaku?"
The hanyou shook his head. "You couldn't have killed him anyway, Sango. Not someone that you love so dearly."
Sango's eyes burned and her hand went swiftly to the scabbard at her side. "Do not be so sure of that, Inuyasha. I kill where I want to, when I want to, and who I want to!"
That night the group had slept out in the open, all of them disturbed by the events of the day. None of them had slept well that evening, Sango most of all. The next morning, when the rest of them woke up with the first rays of the sun, she was gone.
And that's why we're here now, Miroku thought to himself, catching up with his companions as they neared the top of the hill. Abruptly, the miasma thinned out to reveal the dirt courtyard of the castle. Inuyasha halted and sniffed the air, smelling for a scent of Sango or their nemesis, Naraku.
"Do you smell anything?" Kagome queried, stopping next to him with Miroku at her side.
The dog-demon's eyes narrowed. "No," he said, sniffing the wind again. "And that just doesn't seem right."
Miroku shook his staff in agitation as a foreboding feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. "There's nothing at all?" At Inuyasha's shake of the head, he sighed. "I can feel a great youki nearby but nothing else seems wrong, aside from the miasma. As far as I know, the youki could be yours, Inuyasha."
Shippou-chan, who had been hidden in Kagome's backpack until now, hopped onto the monk's shoulder. "Are you saying that Inuyasha is so powerful that he has a great youki?"
Miroku chanced a glance at the hanyou, who had managed to look extremely smug, and shook his head. "I made a mistake."
"BAKA! I'll beat you both for that!" Inuyasha yelled, swiping at them with his claws.
Meanwhile, Kagome was scanning the area for any sign of life. A bright pink glow caught her eye. "Shikon shards!" she cried out, pointing at the light and causing the others to stop fighting.
"You're certain?" Inuyasha asked.
The priestess nodded, fitting an arrow to her bow. "And I know exactly who has them."
The arrow flew swiftly through the air and vanished into the miasma. A moment later, a bright light burst forth from the direction in which the arrow had gone.
"Come on!" Inuyasha growled, leaping forward toward the light. His hands cracked as he flexed them. "I'll rip that half-hearted spider to shreds!"
Kagome nodded in agreement and followed, Miroku in tow. They all wanted to get their hands on Naraku.
But what is he planning? A voice whispered at the back of Miroku's mind. Why did he use Kohaku again when he knows that his other minions are much more powerful than the boy? He ground his teeth at the thought of the youkai purposefully inflicting psychological pain on Sango. Damn you, Naraku. Don't you dare hurt her again! "INUYASHA, HAIYAKU!" Kagome's cry jerked Miroku from his thoughts.
They were entering another dirt courtyard with dark, deserted buildings on either side of them. Inuyasha and Kagome had run ahead to the center of the yard and, as Miroku approached from behind, he could see why. At the very middle of the courtyard, surrounded by a large glimmering barrier, was Sango.
"Inuyasha! Kagome-chan!" Sango's eyes widened upon seeing her friends. "What are you doing here?"
"Feh," Inuyasha snorted, taking out Tetsaiga. "To get you out of here, baka!" He swung the sword down with all of his might. It connected with the barrier and electricity flickered through the barrier and across the blade.
* * *
Somewhere faraway from the castle.
Naraku smiled, watching the hanyou fight against the barrier that he had set up around the demon-exterminator.
"Idiot dog," he murmured, his dark hair blending with the shadows of his room. "That barrier cannot be broken by that tarnished piece of metal, try as you might to break it. I concentrated much of my power into making that force field around that foolish girl whom interferes with Kohaku so much." The demon chuckled and beckoned for an awaiting figure in the shadows. "Now you will have the chance to dispel the last of your memories yourself. Are you ready?"
At Naraku's question, a black-robed boy nodded, his brown eyes staring vacantly at his master. "Hai," he said, shifting a sickle and chain from hand to hand. "I will kill her without fail this time, Naraku-sama."
* * *
Miroku watched uneasily as Inuyasha struck uselessly at the barrier again and again, wincing every time the field reflected Tetsaiga and the dog- demon ended up face-first in the dust.
"Inuyasha, stop it! Can't you see that it is no use?" Sango pleaded with the hanyou and it was only then that Miroku noticed the hint of fear in her voice. "This barrier is unbreakable! Believe me, I've tried!" She motioned toward Hiraikotsu, which lay on the ground, battered and cracked.
"Feh, you're just weak! I'll break this in no time at all!"
"But Inuyasha, you've already tried for such a long time-!" Kagome began to speak, only to be interrupted by Inuyasha, who was preparing to strike again.
"Shut up, baka! What do you know about this?"
"Inuyasha," Kagome began again. "OSUWARI!"
Miroku winced again as Inuyasha, once again, landed with his face in the dirt. Then, he made his way over to the barrier, studying it closely before placing a hand to its surface. Electricity flashed again and a searing pain shot up Miroku's arm. He quickly withdrew.
"Why such a strong barrier?" Miroku queried, nursing his arm, which was numb from contact with the barrier. A wind blew a leaf across his line of vision and he noted that Sango's hair, which normally would have billowed in the breeze, was still. "The wind cannot even reach through the barrier to you. Why would Naraku put up such a strong field around you, Sango?"
The longhaired exterminator shook her head helplessly. "I came here looking for Kohaku but he was nowhere to be found. The barrier just appeared out of nowhere."
Kagome fitted another arrow to her bowstring. "Well, if this barrier has anything to do with Naraku, it should be susceptible to being harmed by a purity arrow!" She let the arrow fly but gasped in shock as it was absorbed by the force field. "Nani?!"
"What is that thing?" Shippou breathed, eyeing the barrier warily. Meanwhile, Kirara hissed and transformed into her demon-cat form. She circled the barrier and moved back, preparing to pounce on the barrier. Sango's cry of "no" stopped her and the cat dejectedly returned to her normal form.
"No, Kirara," Sango said, shaking her head sadly. Tears welled in her eyes and she blinked them away furiously, embarrassed by her own show of emotion. "There's no way that this thing can be broken," she said finally, taking a deep breath and walking to the barrier wall. "Kagome-chan, Houshi- sama, Inuyasha, Shippou-chan, Kirara. All of you should leave here at once. Naraku has some kind of plan and you are all in great danger. At least I have this force field to protect me."
Miroku snorted. "We can't leave you here, Sango. Think about this: Naraku placed that barrier around you. Hence, he can let anything that he wants into and out of it. He definitely would not want us to penetrate this barrier and rescue you. But I am certain that he has quite a few demons that he would send through this barrier to get at you. Now, even if we cannot break this barrier, the least we can do is stay here and protect you from the demons that can!"
Kagome nodded decisively while Inuyasha looked on. "Yes, Sango. We are not leaving you behind!"
The demon-exterminator swallowed hard, annoyed by her friends' adamancy. "But-!"
A sudden gust of wind blew across the courtyard, causing Inuyasha, Miroku, Kagome, and Shippou to cover their eyes, and a high-pitched laugh resounded through the courtyard. Inuyasha's ears perked up and he looked up at the sky, which was beginning to fill with black thunderclouds. "Kagura," he snarled, placing his hand on Tetsaiga.
The clouds parted and the wind increased, blowing up great swirls of dust as a large white feather drifted downwards from the sky. Miroku could just make out two figures sitting atop it.
The feather came to a stop a few meters above the barrier and one of its passengers, a woman, stood up to look at the group gathered around it.
"Inuyasha," she said, her vermilion eyes glinting maliciously. "How nice to see you again. Have you come to try and break this barrier with your rusted piece of junk?"
"Why don't you come a bit closer and let me test this rusted piece on your flesh, eh?" Inuyasha yelled, extracting Tetsaiga from its sheath.
Kagura glared at him and drew a fan from within her kimono. With a deft flick of her wrist, she unfolded it. "I don't have time for this," she said, sweeping the fan before her face and causing a large gust of wind to brew up. "I'm not here to play games, Inuyasha. We'll save that for a better day, neh?" She turned to look at the figure beside her. "Are you ready?"
Miroku strained to see whom the second person aboard the feather was. His eyes widened in recognition as what had appeared to be an atramentous glob lengthened into a black-clothed boy. Kohaku!
The boy nodded to Kagura, "Hai," and took a sickle from his belt.
"Kagura, you *****, what do you have planned?" Inuyasha cried out to the youkai, watching helplessly as Kohaku leapt from the feather toward the barrier.
The female demon grinned and flapped her fan coquettishly. "Well, you'll just have to wait and see, huh, Inuyasha? From what I hear, what Naraku- sama has planned will be most entertaining!" She waved her fan again and, with a sudden torrent of wind, was gone.
Electricity flickered as Kohaku touched the barrier, and light streaked across the face of the force field. Miroku stared as the barrier resisted the boy for a moment but then caved inwards, allowing Kohaku to pass through it. The boy landed within the barrier with a thud and raised his weapon.
"SANGO-CHAN!" Kagome's scream confirmed what Miroku had observed. "Watch out!"
From within the barrier Sango had seen and heard everything that had occurred outside. She grabbed Hiraikotsu from the ground and stood, ready to take Kohaku's first attack. It came swiftly. The sickle flashed through the air and dug into the bone boomerang that Sango held before her.
"Kohaku! Why?" The longhaired girl cried out, swinging Hirakotsu to the side to block Kohaku's attack from the right. "Don't you remember who I am?" Sango asked, straining against her sibling as he swung at the bone blade again and again. She got no response from him.
Miroku watched from outside and something tugged at his heart. "She's not going to last long if this keeps up," he murmured to himself as Kohaku slammed his weapon into Hiraikotsu and a large crack appeared in the bone. "There's no way."
Kirara, quiet until now, squealed and ran at the barrier in a futile effort to reach her master. Before the little cat could reach the barrier however, Inuyasha stepped in front of the animal and shoved it aside with his foot. "Don't be stupid, Kirara. It's useless."
"Hang in there, Sango-chan!" Kagome yelled encouragement to her friend, her eyes filled with worry. "We'll get you out of there!" She turned to Inuyasha. "We've got to get her out!" She winced as another blow from Kohaku's blade rang against Hiraikotsu.
The hanyou stared at her. "How?"
Kagome's brows knit together in thought before she grabbed an arrow and strung it to her bow. "I don't know but trying is better than just standing here." She pulled the string back to her ear and prepared to let it go, but Miroku's hand stopped her. "Nani?"
"The purifying arrow will only make the barrier stronger. Remember how your other arrow was sucked in by the force field," Miroku said, looking at the barrier with a calculating gaze. He glanced to his right as Inuyasha prepared to strike. Perhaps, just perhaps.
Miroku tightened his grip on his staff. "Inuyasha, back me!" he yelled, running at the barrier. If we both hit the barrier, maybe it will shatter, the monk thought, his eyes narrowing against the bright glare of the barrier. He silently prayed that his plan would work. Otherwise, Sango is doomed, a voice hissed in Miroku's mind. He swallowed hard and kept on running.
Inuyasha growled and raced after the houshi, his sword in hand. What are you up to, Miroku?
* * *
Somewhere faraway.
Kagura stared at the moving images in Kanna's mirror, her red lips curved into a small smile. "Naraku-sama," she said, turning to the raven-haired man beside her, "How long are they going to keep up their efforts?"
"Does it matter? The barrier will never be worn out by their futile hits. And, by the time I allow the barrier to crumble, Kohaku will have accomplished his task. Then, they can dispose of him in whichever manner they see fit."
Kagura remained silent for a moment, her head tilted to the side. She sighed before using her fan to fan herself. "But I envy their energy," she finally said, chuckling at her own statement. "They fight so hard, even - no, especially - when they cannot win."
Naraku made no reply, focusing all his attention on the mirror. Kill her, Kohaku. Destroy that girl who brings you so much pain. Kill her without fail and you shall be forevermore spared of your own misery.
* * *
Within the barrier, Kohaku's eyes widened as Naraku's thoughts entered his mind. He swung with all his might at Hiraikotsu, his body instinctively following the demon's orders.
Sango's body shuddered under the strength of her brother's attack and she stepped back, her chest heaving with exertion. She was barely able to escape from his next assault, which missed her left flank by inches. She landed in a crouched position, her body spent from fighting her sibling as well as from lack of rest.
"Kohaku! Why can't you wake up? It's me! Sango, your sister!" She gasped out, making a last futile attempt to reach the boy before her. "Please! Stop attacking!" Tears trickled, of their own accord, from her eyes and down her cheeks to spatter on the ground, wetting the dusty turf.
Kohaku made no reply and, instead, aimed his sickle at Sango once more. Sango saw the blade move towards her and made to jump to the side. She thought she had successfully evaded the weapon when a burning pain sprang up in her shoulder. The sickle had slashed through her armor and cut into her flesh even as she had tried to escape it; now blood was flowing from the shallow but painful wound.
"SANGO!" Kagome screamed and Sango looked up just in time to see her sibling descending upon her, his weapon raised and ready. She lifted Hiraikotsu just in time to block his attack but her whole body shook with the effort. Kami-sama, Sango thought, straining against the force of her brother. How much longer is this insanity going to last? How much more of this can I take? Her shoulder throbbed and her head was spinning from the fight; her heart ached as well but, from deeper within her soul, a flicker of anger began to burn.
How can this keep happening? Why am I so weak? Sango thought to herself, her flicker of anger beginning to rage through her body. From a hidden reserve of energy, she thrust her sibling back and unsheathed her sword, dropping Hiraikotsu to the ground. "Kohaku! I'm done playing games! If it's a fight you want," A dangerous glint appeared in her weary eyes. "It's going to be one hell of a fight you're going to get." Sango prepared to attack, her sword at the ready, when a sudden sizzle of electricity made her and Kohaku look up. Her eyes widened as she realized what had hit the barrier.
"Miroku! Are you crazy?!" Inuyasha spat at the monk, his hands trembling as they grasped an electrically-charged Tetsaiga. "This is not going to work!"
The monk shrugged, his own hands shaking sporadically as the electricity from the barrier ran up his metal staff. Unlike Inuyasha's hands, which were slightly protected by the leather handle of Tetsaiga, Miroku's were in direct contact with the electricity-bearing metal of his staff, making his body susceptible to the electricity that was coasting up the staff. He shook his head to clear his mind of the pain that was burning through his body. "If the two of us attack the barrier at the same time, the sum of our energies could be enough to break it!" He gasped as a new wave of electrical impulse wracked his body.
Inuyasha looked at the monk with concern, his eyes narrowed from the brilliant glare of the barrier. "Miroku! You're going to end up killing yourself! This is pure agony for you," he yelped as a finger of lightning zapped his right ear. "And for me!"
Miroku shook his head again, refusing to think of anything else except breaking the barrier. He had seen Sango being injured by the sickle and he knew it was only a matter of time before the last reserves of her energy left her for dead at the hands of her own brother.
I have to save her, even if this is the only way! Inuyasha and my strength are providing some of the force necessary to break the barrier but where are we going to get the rest of it? It is impossible with just the two of us! Even as these thoughts raced through his mind, Miroku could feel himself weakening and, beside him, he knew Inuyasha was doing the same. But I have to save her! I can't let her die like this!
A shout from Kagome caused Miroku to look down into the barrier. His heart thudded painfully in his chest as he saw Sango stumble and fall, her sword whipped from her hands by Kohaku's blade.
Suddenly, Inuyasha gave a yell as a new flash of light flickered from the barrier and hit him squarely in the stomach. He fell back from the barrier, landing a few feet from Kagome, his body shuddering from the energy.
Miroku wanted to cry out to ask if the hanyou was all right but a sudden surge of electricity coursed through his body and he clenched his teeth tightly, knowing that if he opened his mouth, the only sound that would come forth from it would be his own tormented scream of pain. And none of us needs to hear that now, the monk thought to himself, moving his head from side to side again in another attempt to clear it. He glanced back down at the barrier just in time to see Kohaku raise his blade up to give a final blow to Sango, who was trying to get up from the ground. Time was running out!
Thoughts raced through Miroku's mind. He had to reach Sango, no matter what. He had to protect her from Kohaku, to save her from death, to.to make it so that my own life won't be meaningless. The idea of living without Sango by his side caught Miroku by surprise; he had never realized how much he cared for the beautiful girl, how much he wanted her to lead a happy life.and how much he wanted to be a part of that life.
I won't let you die, Sango, Miroku affirmed in his mind, his hands tightening on his staff. Not even if it costs me my life. He threw himself against the barrier, forcing all of his spiritual and physical energy against it in a last effort to break it. But the barrier was unbelievably resistant, and Miroku knew it was only a matter of time before the barrier reflected him or killed him. But I can't let it do that, he thought fiercely, ignoring the pain that lanced through his veins. I have to break it.to save her.to.save. "SANGO!"
Miroku dimly heard someone yell Sango's name; for a moment he thought it was Kagome, who was standing just a few yards behind him. But it was much too deep to be the teenager's voice. Could it be Inuyasha? No, it's much too mellow to be him. Then comprehension dawned on him. That voice, the one that had screamed Sango, was his own. And even as he realized this, he felt something within him break. His body was suddenly flooded with a strange force, one that was both alien and familiar to him at once. It ran through him, flowing from the very depths of his soul outwards. It spread to his shaking fingertips and then onwards to his staff, and Miroku opened his eyes wide as the power within him became visible as a streak of indigo fire. Kami-sama! Miroku thought, staring at the flames that pulsated from his hands. What is this?
The fire ran down the length of his staff and slammed into the barrier. Light flashed magnificently and beams of electricity flew from the barrier in all directions. Miroku squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to block out the blinding light, clenching his teeth as a long fork of electricity leapt from the barrier and bored into his side. He felt lightheaded, his entire being throbbed, and Miroku was just contemplating how to deal with his pain when a sudden loud crack resounded in the air. People were yelling and screaming.were they yelling at Kohaku?
They're crying for someone. Miroku could barely make out their words. He wished they would stop screaming so loudly. They're calling for.Mi.His ears focused a bit more. Miko?.miro.kizu.no.Miroku.me? And, presently, he was falling, down toward the ground, and his mind miraculously cleared as he realized what he had finally done.
By Vermilion
Disclaimer: You know the drill. I do not own InuYasha or any of its characters so there is no need to sue, right? Just read, review, and enjoy! Arigatou!
Chapter 1: Revealing of Unknown Powers-
"Kuso," Miroku cursed, speeding up the hill toward the ominous castle sitting atop it. He could just see Inuyasha, Kirara, and Kagome ahead of him through the thick, black cloud of miasma that surrounded the premises. The fog of evil, moved by a stirring wind, swirled about him, drifting in and out of the rings of his staff, teasing his earrings, and playing with his hair.
"Kuso," Miroku said again, pushing back a strand of hair that had gotten into his eye. "What is it now, Naraku? What do you have planned for us this time?" His heart thudded as he recalled the reason behind why he and his companions were on this mission: Sango.
He remembered the last time he had seen her. It had only been a few days before, when the group had gone to a small village in the hopes of finding shelter there for the evening. However, all they found was a demolished settlement whose streets were wet with the blood of its slaughtered inhabitants. And amidst all that bloodshed, a single, bloodstained weapon had been found: a metal sickle and chain. The telltale blade was enough to drive Sango insane.
"Kohaku! KOHAKU!!!!!!! Where are you?" She had screamed the name over and over again, her voice echoing eerily in the emptiness. "KUSO!!!! COME OUT HERE!!!!!!!!"
Miroku's sympathy had gone out to her, but he said nothing for he knew that words would be little consolation for her grief. She had undergone a lot of pain as a result of Naraku's control over her younger sibling, and this newest example of Naraku's power only added salt to the wounds in her heart. Anything he said now was utterly useless.
Abruptly, Sango's cries stopped as a black-robed form shot out from the trees at the edge of the village and bounded toward them. Inuyasha growled and drew Tetsaiga in preparation for battle but a call from Kagome stopped him. He bared his fangs and waited, claws curled around the hilt of his sword. Miroku had stood to the side, his grip tightening on his staff, while Sango herself had ceased her calling and un-strapped Hirakotsu from her back, her entire figure trembling with anger and disbelief.
"Kohaku," she whispered to the black-clothed boy who now stood before her. "Why? Why all this-this killing?"
The boy simply stared back at her with blank eyes, not responding to her questions. Then, with a quick leap, he jumped over her and deftly grabbed the sickle from the ground.
"Baka! Stay away from that!" Inuyasha yelled, slamming Tetsaiga into the ground and making the earth quake. But it was too late; the sickle and chain were already in Kohaku's hands.
The boy leaped to one side and raised his arm to throw the blade, releasing it with practiced precision at Sango. Miroku saw the weapon move through the air, aimed at the longhaired exterminator, and rushed to her side. Pushing her out of the way, he raised his staff to catch the weapon, causing the air to ring with the sound of metal clanging against metal. The sickle and chain whirled around and around, making a silver trail of linked metal down the length of the staff and finally stopping within inches of Miroku's hands. The monk jerked the staff back, neatly tearing the remaining chain out of Kohaku's hands and disarming him.
"Now, what do you have to say for yourself?" Inuyasha asked, sheathing Tetsaiga. His golden eyes widened as he realized the boy was nowhere to be seen. "NANI?! Where did he go?!"
"Naraku," Sango said with angry definiteness. She turned to look at the carnage of the village and her knees buckled beneath her. Kagome knelt beside her and Miroku was surprised to find tears falling from Sango's eyes. "Naraku still has control over him," she whispered, shoulders shaking. Suddenly, she stood up and turned to Inuyasha, eyes accusing. "Why didn't you let me kill him before? It would have been better like that! None of this would have happened!" She motioned to the town "Is this the hope that you see for Kohaku?"
The hanyou shook his head. "You couldn't have killed him anyway, Sango. Not someone that you love so dearly."
Sango's eyes burned and her hand went swiftly to the scabbard at her side. "Do not be so sure of that, Inuyasha. I kill where I want to, when I want to, and who I want to!"
That night the group had slept out in the open, all of them disturbed by the events of the day. None of them had slept well that evening, Sango most of all. The next morning, when the rest of them woke up with the first rays of the sun, she was gone.
And that's why we're here now, Miroku thought to himself, catching up with his companions as they neared the top of the hill. Abruptly, the miasma thinned out to reveal the dirt courtyard of the castle. Inuyasha halted and sniffed the air, smelling for a scent of Sango or their nemesis, Naraku.
"Do you smell anything?" Kagome queried, stopping next to him with Miroku at her side.
The dog-demon's eyes narrowed. "No," he said, sniffing the wind again. "And that just doesn't seem right."
Miroku shook his staff in agitation as a foreboding feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. "There's nothing at all?" At Inuyasha's shake of the head, he sighed. "I can feel a great youki nearby but nothing else seems wrong, aside from the miasma. As far as I know, the youki could be yours, Inuyasha."
Shippou-chan, who had been hidden in Kagome's backpack until now, hopped onto the monk's shoulder. "Are you saying that Inuyasha is so powerful that he has a great youki?"
Miroku chanced a glance at the hanyou, who had managed to look extremely smug, and shook his head. "I made a mistake."
"BAKA! I'll beat you both for that!" Inuyasha yelled, swiping at them with his claws.
Meanwhile, Kagome was scanning the area for any sign of life. A bright pink glow caught her eye. "Shikon shards!" she cried out, pointing at the light and causing the others to stop fighting.
"You're certain?" Inuyasha asked.
The priestess nodded, fitting an arrow to her bow. "And I know exactly who has them."
The arrow flew swiftly through the air and vanished into the miasma. A moment later, a bright light burst forth from the direction in which the arrow had gone.
"Come on!" Inuyasha growled, leaping forward toward the light. His hands cracked as he flexed them. "I'll rip that half-hearted spider to shreds!"
Kagome nodded in agreement and followed, Miroku in tow. They all wanted to get their hands on Naraku.
But what is he planning? A voice whispered at the back of Miroku's mind. Why did he use Kohaku again when he knows that his other minions are much more powerful than the boy? He ground his teeth at the thought of the youkai purposefully inflicting psychological pain on Sango. Damn you, Naraku. Don't you dare hurt her again! "INUYASHA, HAIYAKU!" Kagome's cry jerked Miroku from his thoughts.
They were entering another dirt courtyard with dark, deserted buildings on either side of them. Inuyasha and Kagome had run ahead to the center of the yard and, as Miroku approached from behind, he could see why. At the very middle of the courtyard, surrounded by a large glimmering barrier, was Sango.
"Inuyasha! Kagome-chan!" Sango's eyes widened upon seeing her friends. "What are you doing here?"
"Feh," Inuyasha snorted, taking out Tetsaiga. "To get you out of here, baka!" He swung the sword down with all of his might. It connected with the barrier and electricity flickered through the barrier and across the blade.
* * *
Somewhere faraway from the castle.
Naraku smiled, watching the hanyou fight against the barrier that he had set up around the demon-exterminator.
"Idiot dog," he murmured, his dark hair blending with the shadows of his room. "That barrier cannot be broken by that tarnished piece of metal, try as you might to break it. I concentrated much of my power into making that force field around that foolish girl whom interferes with Kohaku so much." The demon chuckled and beckoned for an awaiting figure in the shadows. "Now you will have the chance to dispel the last of your memories yourself. Are you ready?"
At Naraku's question, a black-robed boy nodded, his brown eyes staring vacantly at his master. "Hai," he said, shifting a sickle and chain from hand to hand. "I will kill her without fail this time, Naraku-sama."
* * *
Miroku watched uneasily as Inuyasha struck uselessly at the barrier again and again, wincing every time the field reflected Tetsaiga and the dog- demon ended up face-first in the dust.
"Inuyasha, stop it! Can't you see that it is no use?" Sango pleaded with the hanyou and it was only then that Miroku noticed the hint of fear in her voice. "This barrier is unbreakable! Believe me, I've tried!" She motioned toward Hiraikotsu, which lay on the ground, battered and cracked.
"Feh, you're just weak! I'll break this in no time at all!"
"But Inuyasha, you've already tried for such a long time-!" Kagome began to speak, only to be interrupted by Inuyasha, who was preparing to strike again.
"Shut up, baka! What do you know about this?"
"Inuyasha," Kagome began again. "OSUWARI!"
Miroku winced again as Inuyasha, once again, landed with his face in the dirt. Then, he made his way over to the barrier, studying it closely before placing a hand to its surface. Electricity flashed again and a searing pain shot up Miroku's arm. He quickly withdrew.
"Why such a strong barrier?" Miroku queried, nursing his arm, which was numb from contact with the barrier. A wind blew a leaf across his line of vision and he noted that Sango's hair, which normally would have billowed in the breeze, was still. "The wind cannot even reach through the barrier to you. Why would Naraku put up such a strong field around you, Sango?"
The longhaired exterminator shook her head helplessly. "I came here looking for Kohaku but he was nowhere to be found. The barrier just appeared out of nowhere."
Kagome fitted another arrow to her bowstring. "Well, if this barrier has anything to do with Naraku, it should be susceptible to being harmed by a purity arrow!" She let the arrow fly but gasped in shock as it was absorbed by the force field. "Nani?!"
"What is that thing?" Shippou breathed, eyeing the barrier warily. Meanwhile, Kirara hissed and transformed into her demon-cat form. She circled the barrier and moved back, preparing to pounce on the barrier. Sango's cry of "no" stopped her and the cat dejectedly returned to her normal form.
"No, Kirara," Sango said, shaking her head sadly. Tears welled in her eyes and she blinked them away furiously, embarrassed by her own show of emotion. "There's no way that this thing can be broken," she said finally, taking a deep breath and walking to the barrier wall. "Kagome-chan, Houshi- sama, Inuyasha, Shippou-chan, Kirara. All of you should leave here at once. Naraku has some kind of plan and you are all in great danger. At least I have this force field to protect me."
Miroku snorted. "We can't leave you here, Sango. Think about this: Naraku placed that barrier around you. Hence, he can let anything that he wants into and out of it. He definitely would not want us to penetrate this barrier and rescue you. But I am certain that he has quite a few demons that he would send through this barrier to get at you. Now, even if we cannot break this barrier, the least we can do is stay here and protect you from the demons that can!"
Kagome nodded decisively while Inuyasha looked on. "Yes, Sango. We are not leaving you behind!"
The demon-exterminator swallowed hard, annoyed by her friends' adamancy. "But-!"
A sudden gust of wind blew across the courtyard, causing Inuyasha, Miroku, Kagome, and Shippou to cover their eyes, and a high-pitched laugh resounded through the courtyard. Inuyasha's ears perked up and he looked up at the sky, which was beginning to fill with black thunderclouds. "Kagura," he snarled, placing his hand on Tetsaiga.
The clouds parted and the wind increased, blowing up great swirls of dust as a large white feather drifted downwards from the sky. Miroku could just make out two figures sitting atop it.
The feather came to a stop a few meters above the barrier and one of its passengers, a woman, stood up to look at the group gathered around it.
"Inuyasha," she said, her vermilion eyes glinting maliciously. "How nice to see you again. Have you come to try and break this barrier with your rusted piece of junk?"
"Why don't you come a bit closer and let me test this rusted piece on your flesh, eh?" Inuyasha yelled, extracting Tetsaiga from its sheath.
Kagura glared at him and drew a fan from within her kimono. With a deft flick of her wrist, she unfolded it. "I don't have time for this," she said, sweeping the fan before her face and causing a large gust of wind to brew up. "I'm not here to play games, Inuyasha. We'll save that for a better day, neh?" She turned to look at the figure beside her. "Are you ready?"
Miroku strained to see whom the second person aboard the feather was. His eyes widened in recognition as what had appeared to be an atramentous glob lengthened into a black-clothed boy. Kohaku!
The boy nodded to Kagura, "Hai," and took a sickle from his belt.
"Kagura, you *****, what do you have planned?" Inuyasha cried out to the youkai, watching helplessly as Kohaku leapt from the feather toward the barrier.
The female demon grinned and flapped her fan coquettishly. "Well, you'll just have to wait and see, huh, Inuyasha? From what I hear, what Naraku- sama has planned will be most entertaining!" She waved her fan again and, with a sudden torrent of wind, was gone.
Electricity flickered as Kohaku touched the barrier, and light streaked across the face of the force field. Miroku stared as the barrier resisted the boy for a moment but then caved inwards, allowing Kohaku to pass through it. The boy landed within the barrier with a thud and raised his weapon.
"SANGO-CHAN!" Kagome's scream confirmed what Miroku had observed. "Watch out!"
From within the barrier Sango had seen and heard everything that had occurred outside. She grabbed Hiraikotsu from the ground and stood, ready to take Kohaku's first attack. It came swiftly. The sickle flashed through the air and dug into the bone boomerang that Sango held before her.
"Kohaku! Why?" The longhaired girl cried out, swinging Hirakotsu to the side to block Kohaku's attack from the right. "Don't you remember who I am?" Sango asked, straining against her sibling as he swung at the bone blade again and again. She got no response from him.
Miroku watched from outside and something tugged at his heart. "She's not going to last long if this keeps up," he murmured to himself as Kohaku slammed his weapon into Hiraikotsu and a large crack appeared in the bone. "There's no way."
Kirara, quiet until now, squealed and ran at the barrier in a futile effort to reach her master. Before the little cat could reach the barrier however, Inuyasha stepped in front of the animal and shoved it aside with his foot. "Don't be stupid, Kirara. It's useless."
"Hang in there, Sango-chan!" Kagome yelled encouragement to her friend, her eyes filled with worry. "We'll get you out of there!" She turned to Inuyasha. "We've got to get her out!" She winced as another blow from Kohaku's blade rang against Hiraikotsu.
The hanyou stared at her. "How?"
Kagome's brows knit together in thought before she grabbed an arrow and strung it to her bow. "I don't know but trying is better than just standing here." She pulled the string back to her ear and prepared to let it go, but Miroku's hand stopped her. "Nani?"
"The purifying arrow will only make the barrier stronger. Remember how your other arrow was sucked in by the force field," Miroku said, looking at the barrier with a calculating gaze. He glanced to his right as Inuyasha prepared to strike. Perhaps, just perhaps.
Miroku tightened his grip on his staff. "Inuyasha, back me!" he yelled, running at the barrier. If we both hit the barrier, maybe it will shatter, the monk thought, his eyes narrowing against the bright glare of the barrier. He silently prayed that his plan would work. Otherwise, Sango is doomed, a voice hissed in Miroku's mind. He swallowed hard and kept on running.
Inuyasha growled and raced after the houshi, his sword in hand. What are you up to, Miroku?
* * *
Somewhere faraway.
Kagura stared at the moving images in Kanna's mirror, her red lips curved into a small smile. "Naraku-sama," she said, turning to the raven-haired man beside her, "How long are they going to keep up their efforts?"
"Does it matter? The barrier will never be worn out by their futile hits. And, by the time I allow the barrier to crumble, Kohaku will have accomplished his task. Then, they can dispose of him in whichever manner they see fit."
Kagura remained silent for a moment, her head tilted to the side. She sighed before using her fan to fan herself. "But I envy their energy," she finally said, chuckling at her own statement. "They fight so hard, even - no, especially - when they cannot win."
Naraku made no reply, focusing all his attention on the mirror. Kill her, Kohaku. Destroy that girl who brings you so much pain. Kill her without fail and you shall be forevermore spared of your own misery.
* * *
Within the barrier, Kohaku's eyes widened as Naraku's thoughts entered his mind. He swung with all his might at Hiraikotsu, his body instinctively following the demon's orders.
Sango's body shuddered under the strength of her brother's attack and she stepped back, her chest heaving with exertion. She was barely able to escape from his next assault, which missed her left flank by inches. She landed in a crouched position, her body spent from fighting her sibling as well as from lack of rest.
"Kohaku! Why can't you wake up? It's me! Sango, your sister!" She gasped out, making a last futile attempt to reach the boy before her. "Please! Stop attacking!" Tears trickled, of their own accord, from her eyes and down her cheeks to spatter on the ground, wetting the dusty turf.
Kohaku made no reply and, instead, aimed his sickle at Sango once more. Sango saw the blade move towards her and made to jump to the side. She thought she had successfully evaded the weapon when a burning pain sprang up in her shoulder. The sickle had slashed through her armor and cut into her flesh even as she had tried to escape it; now blood was flowing from the shallow but painful wound.
"SANGO!" Kagome screamed and Sango looked up just in time to see her sibling descending upon her, his weapon raised and ready. She lifted Hiraikotsu just in time to block his attack but her whole body shook with the effort. Kami-sama, Sango thought, straining against the force of her brother. How much longer is this insanity going to last? How much more of this can I take? Her shoulder throbbed and her head was spinning from the fight; her heart ached as well but, from deeper within her soul, a flicker of anger began to burn.
How can this keep happening? Why am I so weak? Sango thought to herself, her flicker of anger beginning to rage through her body. From a hidden reserve of energy, she thrust her sibling back and unsheathed her sword, dropping Hiraikotsu to the ground. "Kohaku! I'm done playing games! If it's a fight you want," A dangerous glint appeared in her weary eyes. "It's going to be one hell of a fight you're going to get." Sango prepared to attack, her sword at the ready, when a sudden sizzle of electricity made her and Kohaku look up. Her eyes widened as she realized what had hit the barrier.
"Miroku! Are you crazy?!" Inuyasha spat at the monk, his hands trembling as they grasped an electrically-charged Tetsaiga. "This is not going to work!"
The monk shrugged, his own hands shaking sporadically as the electricity from the barrier ran up his metal staff. Unlike Inuyasha's hands, which were slightly protected by the leather handle of Tetsaiga, Miroku's were in direct contact with the electricity-bearing metal of his staff, making his body susceptible to the electricity that was coasting up the staff. He shook his head to clear his mind of the pain that was burning through his body. "If the two of us attack the barrier at the same time, the sum of our energies could be enough to break it!" He gasped as a new wave of electrical impulse wracked his body.
Inuyasha looked at the monk with concern, his eyes narrowed from the brilliant glare of the barrier. "Miroku! You're going to end up killing yourself! This is pure agony for you," he yelped as a finger of lightning zapped his right ear. "And for me!"
Miroku shook his head again, refusing to think of anything else except breaking the barrier. He had seen Sango being injured by the sickle and he knew it was only a matter of time before the last reserves of her energy left her for dead at the hands of her own brother.
I have to save her, even if this is the only way! Inuyasha and my strength are providing some of the force necessary to break the barrier but where are we going to get the rest of it? It is impossible with just the two of us! Even as these thoughts raced through his mind, Miroku could feel himself weakening and, beside him, he knew Inuyasha was doing the same. But I have to save her! I can't let her die like this!
A shout from Kagome caused Miroku to look down into the barrier. His heart thudded painfully in his chest as he saw Sango stumble and fall, her sword whipped from her hands by Kohaku's blade.
Suddenly, Inuyasha gave a yell as a new flash of light flickered from the barrier and hit him squarely in the stomach. He fell back from the barrier, landing a few feet from Kagome, his body shuddering from the energy.
Miroku wanted to cry out to ask if the hanyou was all right but a sudden surge of electricity coursed through his body and he clenched his teeth tightly, knowing that if he opened his mouth, the only sound that would come forth from it would be his own tormented scream of pain. And none of us needs to hear that now, the monk thought to himself, moving his head from side to side again in another attempt to clear it. He glanced back down at the barrier just in time to see Kohaku raise his blade up to give a final blow to Sango, who was trying to get up from the ground. Time was running out!
Thoughts raced through Miroku's mind. He had to reach Sango, no matter what. He had to protect her from Kohaku, to save her from death, to.to make it so that my own life won't be meaningless. The idea of living without Sango by his side caught Miroku by surprise; he had never realized how much he cared for the beautiful girl, how much he wanted her to lead a happy life.and how much he wanted to be a part of that life.
I won't let you die, Sango, Miroku affirmed in his mind, his hands tightening on his staff. Not even if it costs me my life. He threw himself against the barrier, forcing all of his spiritual and physical energy against it in a last effort to break it. But the barrier was unbelievably resistant, and Miroku knew it was only a matter of time before the barrier reflected him or killed him. But I can't let it do that, he thought fiercely, ignoring the pain that lanced through his veins. I have to break it.to save her.to.save. "SANGO!"
Miroku dimly heard someone yell Sango's name; for a moment he thought it was Kagome, who was standing just a few yards behind him. But it was much too deep to be the teenager's voice. Could it be Inuyasha? No, it's much too mellow to be him. Then comprehension dawned on him. That voice, the one that had screamed Sango, was his own. And even as he realized this, he felt something within him break. His body was suddenly flooded with a strange force, one that was both alien and familiar to him at once. It ran through him, flowing from the very depths of his soul outwards. It spread to his shaking fingertips and then onwards to his staff, and Miroku opened his eyes wide as the power within him became visible as a streak of indigo fire. Kami-sama! Miroku thought, staring at the flames that pulsated from his hands. What is this?
The fire ran down the length of his staff and slammed into the barrier. Light flashed magnificently and beams of electricity flew from the barrier in all directions. Miroku squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to block out the blinding light, clenching his teeth as a long fork of electricity leapt from the barrier and bored into his side. He felt lightheaded, his entire being throbbed, and Miroku was just contemplating how to deal with his pain when a sudden loud crack resounded in the air. People were yelling and screaming.were they yelling at Kohaku?
They're crying for someone. Miroku could barely make out their words. He wished they would stop screaming so loudly. They're calling for.Mi.His ears focused a bit more. Miko?.miro.kizu.no.Miroku.me? And, presently, he was falling, down toward the ground, and his mind miraculously cleared as he realized what he had finally done.