Entering Naraku's private chambers reminded Kagome somewhat of the
haunted houses they sometimes have at carnivals. It was the same dank
atmosphere, the same all-consuming dark that seemed to swallow you up.
Every brain cell in your mind screams 'turn back!' but you keep moving
forward.
Only this was real.
The flimsy cardboard cutouts shaped like threatening figures that usually appear in haunted houses were replaced by four dark paneled walls. One of the walls was almost completely covered by heavy shades blocking the only windows in the room, though the occasional flash of lightening could be seen.
In the center of the room, a huge cauldron-like pot bubbled, sparks flying off the surface, a thin layer of steam settling over the brew. A man stood over it, looking down at the concoction as if he was in deep meditation. His features were barely visible, but he appeared to be handsome in an almost haunting sense, with pale skin and long, dark hair. He was currently murmuring to himself softly, ignoring Kagome's presence for the time being.
Kagome felt her apprehension growing as the period of silence continued on. She was starting to wish that Naraku would say something, if only to end the horrible feeling of anxiousness she had. It would only be a few moments until she found out if her plan to save the past, and possibly the future, would work.
"You're quite an enigma," he spoke, almost conversationally. "You evaded my demons, ensnared the heart of a taiyoukai—don't look so surprised, I've been watching you for quite some time now."
He dropped another clump of herbs into his concoction, causing it to froth and bubble even more.
"I first assumed that in order to gain the shards of the Shikon Jewel, I would have to wait many years. I am a patient creature though. What was a few more years of struggle when I have already waited over fifty? But then I came across this handy little spell...one that was created to help in the case that the jewel would ever become shattered. I was ecstatic at first but then grew remorseful upon seeing that the spell had to be performed by a 'pure being.' A miko, such as yourself."
He finally looked her in the eyes, and Kagome was frightened by what she saw. Naraku's eyes had always been crimson, but now they positively burned red with some obscene power. She choked down a scream.
"And now I have you. And now you're going to help me."
~*~
She pushed herself to run as fast as she could. This wasn't happening, this just couldn't be happening! Those stupid fools! They were going to ruin everything!
"Kanna!" she shouted. "I need you now! Head to the foyer, they've gotten here sooner than I predicted they would."
'Naraku wants them here so they'll be able to witness Kagome's defeat, and she will be defeated if they interfere! We only have one chance at stopping Naraku and I'm not going to let them take my only chance of freedom! I just hope that Naraku doesn't notice I'm delaying their arrival.'
Kagura stood in the doorway leading into the castle, trying to smooth down her flustered appearance and maintain her calm and collected façade.
'This is the last time I ever do something in his filthy name...'
The group had just appeared from within the thick smog when Kanna reached her side.
"Now remember sister," Kagura murmured quietly, "aim to disable, not to kill. If you feel like you can't fight anymore, retreat. I don't want anything happening to you."
Kanna looked up at Kagura with seemingly emotionless eyes and nodded.
'I'm going to save both of us, Kanna. We're both going to be free and start a new life, you just wait and see.'
The two groups stood in silence for a moment, like basketball players facing off before the start of the game.
"Get out of the way, Kagura!" the monk commanded, his hand poised to release his wind tunnel.
The demon slayer was dressed in her battle armor. Her fire cat stood loyally by her side, growling menacingly. The little kitsune was on her shoulder, looking slightly pale at the thought of battling, but determined nonetheless to save his surrogate mother.
It was Sesshomaru that caught her attention though. His appearance was aloof and displayed superiority, as usual. He towered over his companion, not only in physical stature. His very attitude and the way he held himself made him seem greater than them, more powerful. However, it was his eyes that gave away his true feelings. He could pretend to be aloof and uncaring all he wanted, but his eyes burned with a raging fire that shone with both love and hate.
Love for Kagome.
Hate for the ones that had taken her away from him.
If the situation of the battle had been different, maybe she would have felt fear of the dog demon. Hell, the icy glare that she was receiving alone was enough to send most people running as fast as they could in the opposite direction. But there was too much at stake to be afraid. This was freedom she was fighting for. She could not afford to let her fear blind her and cause her to make foolish mistakes.
"If you want her," she said tauntingly, opening her fan with a harsh snap, "come and get her!"
She swung her seemingly harmless weapon in a sweeping arc, causing a gust of wind sharp enough to cut the skin towards the group in front of her. They scattered quickly to avoid the blast. Then another. Then a third.
'So it begins,' Kagura thought grimly.
~*~
Kagome's eyes watered from the heat rising out of the cauldron in front of her. At least, that's what she was trying to convince herself of. In truth, she was crying. Crying tears over the hopelessness of her situation. In her mind she silently apologized to Kagura for not being able to carry out their plan. She apologized to her friends for not being strong enough. She apologized to Sesshomaru for never taking up his offer to become his mate.
'If only I had managed to put the nullifier Kagura gave me in the cauldron before Naraku tied me up we might have had a chance...'
Kagome shuddered as she felt Naraku's warm breath on the back of her neck. She struggled to escape the bonds holding her hands behind her back, but to no avail. She fought an internal battle with herself to stop her tears from running. Naraku didn't deserve the satisfaction.
"Say it," he commanded.
It had come down to this. Naraku had added her drop of her blood to his potion. Now the words of the spell Naraku had given her, should she choose to utter them, would summon all the jewel shards together, dropping the coveted object of tremendous power right into the evil demon's slimy grip.
"You can't make me do anything," she spat.
Kagome held her head up high. If she had to lose her life, she would not lose her dignity at the same time. Her blood ran cold at the mocking laughter that poured from his mouth. She had a sudden sinking feeling that he wasn't just going to let her die and escape this.
"On the contrary," he said, still chuckling, "there are methods of torture I find quite effective. You'll succumb to my will soon enough. The longer you hold out, the more entertainment you'll provide."
The feeling of helplessness that threatened to wholly consume her was greater than anything she had ever experienced. She wasn't sure if she would be able to hold up against any kind of torture Naraku was going to practice on her.
'Someone help me,' she thought desperately as she felt the press of cold steel against her cheek.
"I wonder if 'The Great Lord Sesshomaru' will think you as beautiful if your face is mutilated beyond recognition?" he asked, cruelly drawing a cut across one cheek.
Kagome let out a sharp scream as one of the windows covered by the heavy shades shattered, glass scattering throughout the room.
"Get the hell off of her Naraku!" a familiar voice snarled.
Inuyasha. Reckless, moronic, luckier-than-hell, wonderful Inuyasha had finally arrived. Just in time, as always, to save her. Kagome felt her knees grow weak with relief. She felt like crying and laughing at the same time.
"Inuaysha! You're just in time to help me convince the lovely miko here to help me out with my spell," Naraku said, a plan quickly forming in his mind.
Inuyasha snarled, pulling the Tetsusaiga out of its sheath. "Naraku, I swear if you tou—"
But he didn't get a chance to finish his sentence or attack Naraku as the demon plowed toward him headfirst, miasma bursting forth from his body, creating dense fog. Inuyasha was slammed into the wall, back impacting with a harsh crack. He choked on the poisonous fumes, hands clenching into fists among the shattered shards of the window.
'Focus!' he yelled to himself. 'You cannot let him get to Kagome. Get up and fight!'
He struggled as a pale hand grasped his neck tightly and squeezed tightly. Spots began to form before his eyes as he tried to gasp in the poisoned air around him. However, a quick, well-placed kick to Naraku's gut sent him sprawling across the room. An attempt to find his sword proved fruitless as the miasma almost completely obscured his vision.
While Inuyasha and Naraku brawled, Kagome saw what might be her only chance to put the nullifier Kagura had given her into the concoction Naraku needed to complete the shard summoning spell. With hands behind her back she tried her best to reach the front pocket in her skirt. The miasma clogged her throat and stung her eyes, but her hand was slowly inching closer to her pocket.
Almost...
"Got it!" she exclaimed aloud before choking on the smoke and having a slight coughing fit.
Her hand tightened on the small glass vial, and she pulled it out of her pocket, despite the fact that the rope was chaffing against her wrists and making welts. She winced as Inuyasha slammed into the wall a second time. The cauldron was almost in reach. All it would take was a well-aimed toss and the vial would go sailing in.
If only things were that simple.
Kagome's foot snagged on the Tetsusaiga which had skittered across the floor when Inuyasha had fallen. The ground came up to meet her while the vial flew from her hand. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the tiny glass jar holding the key to saving everything sailed through the purple haze and finally met the wood floor with a shattering noise.
Time sped up...
Kagome hit the ground on her knees, leaning backwards to keep herself from falling flat on to her face. She stared in disbelief at the pink liquid slowly soaking into the floor and the tiny glass pieces littering the ground near the puddle.
And she knew, without any doubt, that any hope of saving life as she knew it was lost.
^.^ See? I made it longer this time!
Only this was real.
The flimsy cardboard cutouts shaped like threatening figures that usually appear in haunted houses were replaced by four dark paneled walls. One of the walls was almost completely covered by heavy shades blocking the only windows in the room, though the occasional flash of lightening could be seen.
In the center of the room, a huge cauldron-like pot bubbled, sparks flying off the surface, a thin layer of steam settling over the brew. A man stood over it, looking down at the concoction as if he was in deep meditation. His features were barely visible, but he appeared to be handsome in an almost haunting sense, with pale skin and long, dark hair. He was currently murmuring to himself softly, ignoring Kagome's presence for the time being.
Kagome felt her apprehension growing as the period of silence continued on. She was starting to wish that Naraku would say something, if only to end the horrible feeling of anxiousness she had. It would only be a few moments until she found out if her plan to save the past, and possibly the future, would work.
"You're quite an enigma," he spoke, almost conversationally. "You evaded my demons, ensnared the heart of a taiyoukai—don't look so surprised, I've been watching you for quite some time now."
He dropped another clump of herbs into his concoction, causing it to froth and bubble even more.
"I first assumed that in order to gain the shards of the Shikon Jewel, I would have to wait many years. I am a patient creature though. What was a few more years of struggle when I have already waited over fifty? But then I came across this handy little spell...one that was created to help in the case that the jewel would ever become shattered. I was ecstatic at first but then grew remorseful upon seeing that the spell had to be performed by a 'pure being.' A miko, such as yourself."
He finally looked her in the eyes, and Kagome was frightened by what she saw. Naraku's eyes had always been crimson, but now they positively burned red with some obscene power. She choked down a scream.
"And now I have you. And now you're going to help me."
~*~
She pushed herself to run as fast as she could. This wasn't happening, this just couldn't be happening! Those stupid fools! They were going to ruin everything!
"Kanna!" she shouted. "I need you now! Head to the foyer, they've gotten here sooner than I predicted they would."
'Naraku wants them here so they'll be able to witness Kagome's defeat, and she will be defeated if they interfere! We only have one chance at stopping Naraku and I'm not going to let them take my only chance of freedom! I just hope that Naraku doesn't notice I'm delaying their arrival.'
Kagura stood in the doorway leading into the castle, trying to smooth down her flustered appearance and maintain her calm and collected façade.
'This is the last time I ever do something in his filthy name...'
The group had just appeared from within the thick smog when Kanna reached her side.
"Now remember sister," Kagura murmured quietly, "aim to disable, not to kill. If you feel like you can't fight anymore, retreat. I don't want anything happening to you."
Kanna looked up at Kagura with seemingly emotionless eyes and nodded.
'I'm going to save both of us, Kanna. We're both going to be free and start a new life, you just wait and see.'
The two groups stood in silence for a moment, like basketball players facing off before the start of the game.
"Get out of the way, Kagura!" the monk commanded, his hand poised to release his wind tunnel.
The demon slayer was dressed in her battle armor. Her fire cat stood loyally by her side, growling menacingly. The little kitsune was on her shoulder, looking slightly pale at the thought of battling, but determined nonetheless to save his surrogate mother.
It was Sesshomaru that caught her attention though. His appearance was aloof and displayed superiority, as usual. He towered over his companion, not only in physical stature. His very attitude and the way he held himself made him seem greater than them, more powerful. However, it was his eyes that gave away his true feelings. He could pretend to be aloof and uncaring all he wanted, but his eyes burned with a raging fire that shone with both love and hate.
Love for Kagome.
Hate for the ones that had taken her away from him.
If the situation of the battle had been different, maybe she would have felt fear of the dog demon. Hell, the icy glare that she was receiving alone was enough to send most people running as fast as they could in the opposite direction. But there was too much at stake to be afraid. This was freedom she was fighting for. She could not afford to let her fear blind her and cause her to make foolish mistakes.
"If you want her," she said tauntingly, opening her fan with a harsh snap, "come and get her!"
She swung her seemingly harmless weapon in a sweeping arc, causing a gust of wind sharp enough to cut the skin towards the group in front of her. They scattered quickly to avoid the blast. Then another. Then a third.
'So it begins,' Kagura thought grimly.
~*~
Kagome's eyes watered from the heat rising out of the cauldron in front of her. At least, that's what she was trying to convince herself of. In truth, she was crying. Crying tears over the hopelessness of her situation. In her mind she silently apologized to Kagura for not being able to carry out their plan. She apologized to her friends for not being strong enough. She apologized to Sesshomaru for never taking up his offer to become his mate.
'If only I had managed to put the nullifier Kagura gave me in the cauldron before Naraku tied me up we might have had a chance...'
Kagome shuddered as she felt Naraku's warm breath on the back of her neck. She struggled to escape the bonds holding her hands behind her back, but to no avail. She fought an internal battle with herself to stop her tears from running. Naraku didn't deserve the satisfaction.
"Say it," he commanded.
It had come down to this. Naraku had added her drop of her blood to his potion. Now the words of the spell Naraku had given her, should she choose to utter them, would summon all the jewel shards together, dropping the coveted object of tremendous power right into the evil demon's slimy grip.
"You can't make me do anything," she spat.
Kagome held her head up high. If she had to lose her life, she would not lose her dignity at the same time. Her blood ran cold at the mocking laughter that poured from his mouth. She had a sudden sinking feeling that he wasn't just going to let her die and escape this.
"On the contrary," he said, still chuckling, "there are methods of torture I find quite effective. You'll succumb to my will soon enough. The longer you hold out, the more entertainment you'll provide."
The feeling of helplessness that threatened to wholly consume her was greater than anything she had ever experienced. She wasn't sure if she would be able to hold up against any kind of torture Naraku was going to practice on her.
'Someone help me,' she thought desperately as she felt the press of cold steel against her cheek.
"I wonder if 'The Great Lord Sesshomaru' will think you as beautiful if your face is mutilated beyond recognition?" he asked, cruelly drawing a cut across one cheek.
Kagome let out a sharp scream as one of the windows covered by the heavy shades shattered, glass scattering throughout the room.
"Get the hell off of her Naraku!" a familiar voice snarled.
Inuyasha. Reckless, moronic, luckier-than-hell, wonderful Inuyasha had finally arrived. Just in time, as always, to save her. Kagome felt her knees grow weak with relief. She felt like crying and laughing at the same time.
"Inuaysha! You're just in time to help me convince the lovely miko here to help me out with my spell," Naraku said, a plan quickly forming in his mind.
Inuyasha snarled, pulling the Tetsusaiga out of its sheath. "Naraku, I swear if you tou—"
But he didn't get a chance to finish his sentence or attack Naraku as the demon plowed toward him headfirst, miasma bursting forth from his body, creating dense fog. Inuyasha was slammed into the wall, back impacting with a harsh crack. He choked on the poisonous fumes, hands clenching into fists among the shattered shards of the window.
'Focus!' he yelled to himself. 'You cannot let him get to Kagome. Get up and fight!'
He struggled as a pale hand grasped his neck tightly and squeezed tightly. Spots began to form before his eyes as he tried to gasp in the poisoned air around him. However, a quick, well-placed kick to Naraku's gut sent him sprawling across the room. An attempt to find his sword proved fruitless as the miasma almost completely obscured his vision.
While Inuyasha and Naraku brawled, Kagome saw what might be her only chance to put the nullifier Kagura had given her into the concoction Naraku needed to complete the shard summoning spell. With hands behind her back she tried her best to reach the front pocket in her skirt. The miasma clogged her throat and stung her eyes, but her hand was slowly inching closer to her pocket.
Almost...
"Got it!" she exclaimed aloud before choking on the smoke and having a slight coughing fit.
Her hand tightened on the small glass vial, and she pulled it out of her pocket, despite the fact that the rope was chaffing against her wrists and making welts. She winced as Inuyasha slammed into the wall a second time. The cauldron was almost in reach. All it would take was a well-aimed toss and the vial would go sailing in.
If only things were that simple.
Kagome's foot snagged on the Tetsusaiga which had skittered across the floor when Inuyasha had fallen. The ground came up to meet her while the vial flew from her hand. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the tiny glass jar holding the key to saving everything sailed through the purple haze and finally met the wood floor with a shattering noise.
Time sped up...
Kagome hit the ground on her knees, leaning backwards to keep herself from falling flat on to her face. She stared in disbelief at the pink liquid slowly soaking into the floor and the tiny glass pieces littering the ground near the puddle.
And she knew, without any doubt, that any hope of saving life as she knew it was lost.
^.^ See? I made it longer this time!
