CHAPTER SIX
*
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried.
Inuyasha collapsed onto his hands and knees, breathing hard. The Tetsusaiga had fallen a short distance away, but he made no move to grab it. What's wrong with him? Kagome thought. Why isn't he picking up the Tetsusaiga? Oh no... the snake's paralyzed him!
But Inuyasha hadn't succumbed yet. Gritting his teeth, he painfully pulled himself onto his knees, staring up at the snake demon. It swayed back and forth, hissing and wheezing with amusement. Inuyasha looked sick; his face was pale and sweaty.
"My my, we seem to be quite strong, even as a human," the snake hissed, lowering its face close to Inuyasha's. "Most, including that delectable maiden, would have been unable to move by now. But you cannot resist for long, can you? Soon enough you will unable to move."
"Don't... count... on it," Inuyasha growled. Kagome could see him straining as he heaved himself halfway into a standing position... and stumbled back down.
"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered. She glanced over at the Tetsusaiga, and began to crawl over to it. It was incredibly dull and unimpressive when it wasn't transformed... but maybe... just maybe...
"I shall enjoy this," the snake hissed.
Suddenly one of his coils lashed out and struck Inuyasha in the stomach. The young man tumbled back, unable to shield himself or break his fall. He slammed into a tree and slid to the ground. His vision was getting blurry, and a horrible, icy numbness was spreading through his body, like icy water in his veins.
Kagome, he thought desperately, groping clumsily at the grass. Get away from here. I can't protect you -- and once he's done with me, he'll eat you too...
He tried to drag himself back, grunting softly. But his arms were losing all feeling. The only things he could feel clearly were the fang punctures in his chest and back. It had bitten right through his fire-rat clothing, as easily as if he'd been wearing tissue paper.
The snake bobbed down closer, flicking out its tongue. "This will take far more time than it took you to slay my father, as I strip the flesh from your bones. Struggle if you wish. It will do you no good."
Inuyasha glared up into the snake's glowing eyes. "Don't get your hopes up, worm...."
Another coil lashed out, smashing Inuyasha to the ground, on his back. He groaned, unable to even raise his head. He could feel the snake's coils starting to slip around him, but he couldn't move. He couldn't even tense his body. He could only hope that Kagome had gotten away...
Suddenly the snake uttered a piercing shriek and whipped away. A blue flash of light faded, leaving a burn mark on its scales.
"Get away!" Kagome shouted.
Inuyasha collapsed onto his side. "Kagome..." he whispered. She was standing over him, clutching the Tetsusaiga awkwardly in both hands. The snake reared and tried to swoop down on the girl, only to be hit in the face with the blade. Another blue blast burned through its scales; it shrieked and thrashed in agony.
Inuyasha trembled slightly as Kagome took off into the woods. The snake gave Inuyasha a malevolent glare, hissing, "It matters not. By the time I capture and devour the girl, you shall already be dead. With the amount of venom in you, soon your breathing will be paralyzed as well." Then it slithered into the underbrush, in the direction Kagome had gone.
Inuyasha tried to call Kagome's name, to tell her to just save herself, but all that came from his throat was a hoarse croak. He closed his eyes.
*
Someone's got to hear this noise, Kagome thought, ducking under a low branch. She skidded down an embankment, scraping her knee. But she didn't dare to stop -- she could hear the steady swishing of the demon snake's slithering behind her.
Because if they didn't, she was in very serious trouble...
Suddenly a dark shape shot out of the trees above her. Kagome shrieked and staggered backwards, thrusting the Tetsusaiga at the snake. There was another blue flash, and the snake's head thrashed around, with blood dripping from one of the red eyes.
"Wow, I actually got it," Kagome said, surprised.
Enraged, the snake had stopped talking altogether. Now it hissed at her, blinking through the blood, and dove down again. Kagome slashed upward again -- and almost had the sword jerked from her hands. The snake had managed to impale its mouth on the blade. Blood and burning energy were spreading over its head as the snake struggled to get away.
As the snake finally extricated itself, Kagome braced herself for another attack.
But the demon was melting back into the bushes. Then it gave her a last malevolent glare, and slithered into the trees. Apparently he had had enough of her for the time being.
Kagome sighed wearily and lowered the battered sword. Then she stiffened. "Inuyasha," she whispered. "I have to get back to him before the snake does..." She began running back through the dark woods, stumbling over roots and branches.
TO BE CONTINUED
*
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried.
Inuyasha collapsed onto his hands and knees, breathing hard. The Tetsusaiga had fallen a short distance away, but he made no move to grab it. What's wrong with him? Kagome thought. Why isn't he picking up the Tetsusaiga? Oh no... the snake's paralyzed him!
But Inuyasha hadn't succumbed yet. Gritting his teeth, he painfully pulled himself onto his knees, staring up at the snake demon. It swayed back and forth, hissing and wheezing with amusement. Inuyasha looked sick; his face was pale and sweaty.
"My my, we seem to be quite strong, even as a human," the snake hissed, lowering its face close to Inuyasha's. "Most, including that delectable maiden, would have been unable to move by now. But you cannot resist for long, can you? Soon enough you will unable to move."
"Don't... count... on it," Inuyasha growled. Kagome could see him straining as he heaved himself halfway into a standing position... and stumbled back down.
"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered. She glanced over at the Tetsusaiga, and began to crawl over to it. It was incredibly dull and unimpressive when it wasn't transformed... but maybe... just maybe...
"I shall enjoy this," the snake hissed.
Suddenly one of his coils lashed out and struck Inuyasha in the stomach. The young man tumbled back, unable to shield himself or break his fall. He slammed into a tree and slid to the ground. His vision was getting blurry, and a horrible, icy numbness was spreading through his body, like icy water in his veins.
Kagome, he thought desperately, groping clumsily at the grass. Get away from here. I can't protect you -- and once he's done with me, he'll eat you too...
He tried to drag himself back, grunting softly. But his arms were losing all feeling. The only things he could feel clearly were the fang punctures in his chest and back. It had bitten right through his fire-rat clothing, as easily as if he'd been wearing tissue paper.
The snake bobbed down closer, flicking out its tongue. "This will take far more time than it took you to slay my father, as I strip the flesh from your bones. Struggle if you wish. It will do you no good."
Inuyasha glared up into the snake's glowing eyes. "Don't get your hopes up, worm...."
Another coil lashed out, smashing Inuyasha to the ground, on his back. He groaned, unable to even raise his head. He could feel the snake's coils starting to slip around him, but he couldn't move. He couldn't even tense his body. He could only hope that Kagome had gotten away...
Suddenly the snake uttered a piercing shriek and whipped away. A blue flash of light faded, leaving a burn mark on its scales.
"Get away!" Kagome shouted.
Inuyasha collapsed onto his side. "Kagome..." he whispered. She was standing over him, clutching the Tetsusaiga awkwardly in both hands. The snake reared and tried to swoop down on the girl, only to be hit in the face with the blade. Another blue blast burned through its scales; it shrieked and thrashed in agony.
Inuyasha trembled slightly as Kagome took off into the woods. The snake gave Inuyasha a malevolent glare, hissing, "It matters not. By the time I capture and devour the girl, you shall already be dead. With the amount of venom in you, soon your breathing will be paralyzed as well." Then it slithered into the underbrush, in the direction Kagome had gone.
Inuyasha tried to call Kagome's name, to tell her to just save herself, but all that came from his throat was a hoarse croak. He closed his eyes.
*
Someone's got to hear this noise, Kagome thought, ducking under a low branch. She skidded down an embankment, scraping her knee. But she didn't dare to stop -- she could hear the steady swishing of the demon snake's slithering behind her.
Because if they didn't, she was in very serious trouble...
Suddenly a dark shape shot out of the trees above her. Kagome shrieked and staggered backwards, thrusting the Tetsusaiga at the snake. There was another blue flash, and the snake's head thrashed around, with blood dripping from one of the red eyes.
"Wow, I actually got it," Kagome said, surprised.
Enraged, the snake had stopped talking altogether. Now it hissed at her, blinking through the blood, and dove down again. Kagome slashed upward again -- and almost had the sword jerked from her hands. The snake had managed to impale its mouth on the blade. Blood and burning energy were spreading over its head as the snake struggled to get away.
As the snake finally extricated itself, Kagome braced herself for another attack.
But the demon was melting back into the bushes. Then it gave her a last malevolent glare, and slithered into the trees. Apparently he had had enough of her for the time being.
Kagome sighed wearily and lowered the battered sword. Then she stiffened. "Inuyasha," she whispered. "I have to get back to him before the snake does..." She began running back through the dark woods, stumbling over roots and branches.
TO BE CONTINUED
