Chapter 58- Life and Light
I wanna color me pink Smile at everything Believe in love so much It makes me feel alive, alive . . . alive Can you hear me? Everyone is in the sun But it's raining on me
~ Aimee Allen
Distantly Chiyo was aware of the fight between Shuri and Inuyasha, the very battle that would decide more than those fighting were aware of. Sesshomaru had barely hinted at the authentic incentive as to why Chiyo had decided to fight this War. No, if they truly knew the reason many would have fled long ago.
Despite that, the Ancient hanyou found her eyes drawn to the very character that had fabricated her soulless existence. "Absinthe." From across the battlefield, Absinthe met Chiyo's eyes and smiled.
Chiyo could not contain the growl that made its way through her throat. Machiko looked up from the imminent battle and at Chiyo curiously. "Chiyo-sama?"
Chiyo broke Absinthe's stare down and glanced up at Machiko. "You know what to do when he arrives, Machiko. Just follow my orders and everything will turn out just fine."
"But, Chiyo-sama . . ." Machiko trailed off and looked away sadly.
"I've lived quite long enough," she began quietly, almost to herself though Machiko could hear her words. "I have shed more blood with my claws than any other creature ever to exist on this earth. I have seen and learned so much . . . it is quite time for me to leave this plane of existence. No one should become such as I. No one."
Machiko watched as Chiyo walked away from her and the remnants of the mountain that had homed the Ancient hanyou for the better part of a few hundred centuries and towards Absinthe. The light that had poured onto the battlefield faltered under Chiyo's steps, keeping the hanyou's childlike body suspended in darkness. Only two other figures on the battlefield remained shrouded in blackness after the light had settled. The darkness continued to cling to the Kamis like a plague.
Inuyasha had stopped thinking about anticipating his opponent's attacks, having memorized the pattern long ago, and concentrated simply on finding a weakness in Shuri's technique. At the same time, Inuyasha carefully rationed his energy; well aware of each move he made so as not to waste precious energy with a foolhardy attack. So much rode on this one, singular battle, much more than even Inuyasha was conscious of.
Inuyasha crouched to the ground before leaping out of range of Shuri's attack, in time placing a hard blow to Shuri's head. The Kami took a sharp intake of breath before bracing himself on one knee. Inuyasha landed a short distance away, breathing hard and clutching his right shoulder where Shuri had succeeded in wounding him. The pain spawning from the wound had left the Inuhanyou wincing at the smallest movement on his part. For one wound to hurt so much, it must be more serious than Inuyasha had led himself to believe. Blood trickled down Inuyasha's arm and dripped onto the red earth. Despite the impulsive discomfort radiating through his body, Inuyasha kept a strong grip on his sword.
Shuri rose to his feet and turned to face the hanyou that had injured him. The Kami could feel his strength begin to wane. A quick glance around the battlefield confirmed the belief that Absinthe would not be aiding him in his battle. With a shudder of self-disgust, Shuri straightened his stance and concealed his present discomfort. He would not lose face to a mortal hanyou.
Every warrior still standing had formed a large ring around Shuri and Inuyasha, leaving the pair plenty of space to battle. All eyes were on them. All except Chiyo and Absinthe.
"Still alive?"
Chiyo spat on the ground in front of Absinthe before growling loudly. "Surprisingly enough, you don't sound too happy on that account."
Absinthe allowed a cruel smile to spread across her lips before replying to Chiyo's observation. "You were right, Chiyo. I should have killed you."
Chiyo's face altered into a stoic expression, her eyes becoming hard. "Do you know why mortals die only to be reborn anew, Absinthe?"
The Kami crooked her head to the side before looking down upon the little hanyou. "Why?"
"Because otherwise the soul will retain the despairing and sorrowful energy experienced in life and become dark and corrupted. Mortals die so that their souls remain undiminished. That is why the Kamis were never graced with souls. That is why you, Absinthe, the true Kami of Mercy, have become torn and twisted to such a degree that you were replaced." Chiyo watched as the anger began to erupt upon Absinthe's face at the mention of her replacement. The cruelty that had been displayed mere moments ago substituted with a deep and seething hate. Chiyo smirked and placed her hands on her hips. "Do not tell me that you did not realize it, Kami."
Absinthe's hands fisted at her side, her nails biting into the palms of her hands. "What makes you so sure of this, hanyou?"
"Why that is quite simple, Absinthe. I have had thousands upon thousands of years to do nothing but perfect my observation techniques. I simply opened my eyes. You would have discovered the same thing were you not blinded by your own faults."
"My own faults," Absinthe spat, her lips curling in disgust.
"Hai. Your own faults. Kamis do not feel mortal emotions for the very reason you do not have a soul. You're not suppose to feel anything other than the forename with which you are to bear for this eternity. There is a reason he began to condemn the pilfering of mortal souls, a reason none of you ever bothered to figure out!"
Chiyo was screaming her own words, so caught up with the pain and turmoil that for so long had been barricaded within her only to release itself. Tears had begun to stream down her face, her mask disappearing only to be replaced by the face of a very young child. With those tears of suffering and loneliness, the years that had mounted within Chiyo's eyes were stripped away.
Absinthe took a small breath and wiped her face of all emotions. "I think I'm beginning to understand now, little Chiyo. Are you ready?"
"Yes."
Inuyasha gave a grunt of pain when his body collided with the ground, the force of his landing creating a large indention within the ground. Shuri smirked and wasted not a moment to attack, curling his hands into fists only to bring them down upon the hanyou. Inuyasha raised Tetsusaiga to defend himself, but each attack delivered a heavy blow to the hanyou's dwindling energy.
With a roar of effort, Inuyasha brought the hilt of Tetsusaiga into Shuri's face, cracking his nose and knocking the Kami far enough back to relieve Inuyasha of a continuing attack. Ignoring his protesting muscles, the Inuhanyou launched himself upon Shuri, using all in his disposal to keep the Kami down.
Kagome winced when she saw Inuyasha hit the ground. Her stomach began to feel queasy as she watched her Mate sustain attack after attack after attack. How much more could Inuyasha take? When Kagome concentrated on the link between herself and Inuyasha, she could feel his desperation and perhaps even a little bit of fear. He's afraid? Oh, please Inuyasha. You have to pull through this. Whoever's out there, please help us.
Inuyasha absently noticed when he felt Kagome pull on their connection, accessing his emotions. He ignored it, focusing his remaining attention on Shuri, until he felt something unexpected but entirely welcomed. By the seven hells, she's using her connection to the Shikon no Tama to strengthen me.
The young miko didn't notice when the Shikon no Tama began to glow in her hands, her attention wholly focused on her Mate. Sango was the one to draw her attention to the now blindly bright jewel. Hn? What the hell is it doing? It's not even completed.
"Kagome-sama?" Miroku asked questioningly.
Kagome shook her head frantically to Miroku's tone but her fingers tightened around the jewel. "I don't know what's happening!"
Shuri blinked in amazement when he fell back under the hanyou's strength. Where did he get all that energy? He should be close to unconsciousness by now. The Kami took a step forward to attack again, but faltered when he saw Inuyasha's eyes. They had bled red, with blue irises. A stripe had appeared on either side of Inuyasha's cheek, and his fangs had grown longer. Yet despite his demon transformation, he still held Tetsusaiga.
Shuri took a step back, his eyes going wide. "T-this isn't . . . isn't possible. I don't believe it!"
Inuyasha chuckled however slightly and lifted Tetsusaiga above his head. "Believe it bastard. BAKURYUUHA!"
A light so bright welded around the Tetsusaiga, only to be released upon Shuri. The land around the Kami began to crumble, the grass burning from the earth. And then the brightness submersed with Shuri's body, his screams so loud that the intensity left Miroku's ears ringing.
When the light dissipated, all that remained were the ashes of the grass and the black burnt earth.
"You are Machiko?"
Machiko looked up from the battlefield to meet the eyes of, what she could only assume, was the Kami Chiyo had told her to wait for. "Hai. I am Machiko, Kami-sama."
"Absinthe told me of you. You know Chiyo-chan's orders then?"
"Hai, Kami-sama."
"Very well."
I wanna color me pink Smile at everything Believe in love so much It makes me feel alive, alive . . . alive Can you hear me? Everyone is in the sun But it's raining on me
~ Aimee Allen
Distantly Chiyo was aware of the fight between Shuri and Inuyasha, the very battle that would decide more than those fighting were aware of. Sesshomaru had barely hinted at the authentic incentive as to why Chiyo had decided to fight this War. No, if they truly knew the reason many would have fled long ago.
Despite that, the Ancient hanyou found her eyes drawn to the very character that had fabricated her soulless existence. "Absinthe." From across the battlefield, Absinthe met Chiyo's eyes and smiled.
Chiyo could not contain the growl that made its way through her throat. Machiko looked up from the imminent battle and at Chiyo curiously. "Chiyo-sama?"
Chiyo broke Absinthe's stare down and glanced up at Machiko. "You know what to do when he arrives, Machiko. Just follow my orders and everything will turn out just fine."
"But, Chiyo-sama . . ." Machiko trailed off and looked away sadly.
"I've lived quite long enough," she began quietly, almost to herself though Machiko could hear her words. "I have shed more blood with my claws than any other creature ever to exist on this earth. I have seen and learned so much . . . it is quite time for me to leave this plane of existence. No one should become such as I. No one."
Machiko watched as Chiyo walked away from her and the remnants of the mountain that had homed the Ancient hanyou for the better part of a few hundred centuries and towards Absinthe. The light that had poured onto the battlefield faltered under Chiyo's steps, keeping the hanyou's childlike body suspended in darkness. Only two other figures on the battlefield remained shrouded in blackness after the light had settled. The darkness continued to cling to the Kamis like a plague.
Inuyasha had stopped thinking about anticipating his opponent's attacks, having memorized the pattern long ago, and concentrated simply on finding a weakness in Shuri's technique. At the same time, Inuyasha carefully rationed his energy; well aware of each move he made so as not to waste precious energy with a foolhardy attack. So much rode on this one, singular battle, much more than even Inuyasha was conscious of.
Inuyasha crouched to the ground before leaping out of range of Shuri's attack, in time placing a hard blow to Shuri's head. The Kami took a sharp intake of breath before bracing himself on one knee. Inuyasha landed a short distance away, breathing hard and clutching his right shoulder where Shuri had succeeded in wounding him. The pain spawning from the wound had left the Inuhanyou wincing at the smallest movement on his part. For one wound to hurt so much, it must be more serious than Inuyasha had led himself to believe. Blood trickled down Inuyasha's arm and dripped onto the red earth. Despite the impulsive discomfort radiating through his body, Inuyasha kept a strong grip on his sword.
Shuri rose to his feet and turned to face the hanyou that had injured him. The Kami could feel his strength begin to wane. A quick glance around the battlefield confirmed the belief that Absinthe would not be aiding him in his battle. With a shudder of self-disgust, Shuri straightened his stance and concealed his present discomfort. He would not lose face to a mortal hanyou.
Every warrior still standing had formed a large ring around Shuri and Inuyasha, leaving the pair plenty of space to battle. All eyes were on them. All except Chiyo and Absinthe.
"Still alive?"
Chiyo spat on the ground in front of Absinthe before growling loudly. "Surprisingly enough, you don't sound too happy on that account."
Absinthe allowed a cruel smile to spread across her lips before replying to Chiyo's observation. "You were right, Chiyo. I should have killed you."
Chiyo's face altered into a stoic expression, her eyes becoming hard. "Do you know why mortals die only to be reborn anew, Absinthe?"
The Kami crooked her head to the side before looking down upon the little hanyou. "Why?"
"Because otherwise the soul will retain the despairing and sorrowful energy experienced in life and become dark and corrupted. Mortals die so that their souls remain undiminished. That is why the Kamis were never graced with souls. That is why you, Absinthe, the true Kami of Mercy, have become torn and twisted to such a degree that you were replaced." Chiyo watched as the anger began to erupt upon Absinthe's face at the mention of her replacement. The cruelty that had been displayed mere moments ago substituted with a deep and seething hate. Chiyo smirked and placed her hands on her hips. "Do not tell me that you did not realize it, Kami."
Absinthe's hands fisted at her side, her nails biting into the palms of her hands. "What makes you so sure of this, hanyou?"
"Why that is quite simple, Absinthe. I have had thousands upon thousands of years to do nothing but perfect my observation techniques. I simply opened my eyes. You would have discovered the same thing were you not blinded by your own faults."
"My own faults," Absinthe spat, her lips curling in disgust.
"Hai. Your own faults. Kamis do not feel mortal emotions for the very reason you do not have a soul. You're not suppose to feel anything other than the forename with which you are to bear for this eternity. There is a reason he began to condemn the pilfering of mortal souls, a reason none of you ever bothered to figure out!"
Chiyo was screaming her own words, so caught up with the pain and turmoil that for so long had been barricaded within her only to release itself. Tears had begun to stream down her face, her mask disappearing only to be replaced by the face of a very young child. With those tears of suffering and loneliness, the years that had mounted within Chiyo's eyes were stripped away.
Absinthe took a small breath and wiped her face of all emotions. "I think I'm beginning to understand now, little Chiyo. Are you ready?"
"Yes."
Inuyasha gave a grunt of pain when his body collided with the ground, the force of his landing creating a large indention within the ground. Shuri smirked and wasted not a moment to attack, curling his hands into fists only to bring them down upon the hanyou. Inuyasha raised Tetsusaiga to defend himself, but each attack delivered a heavy blow to the hanyou's dwindling energy.
With a roar of effort, Inuyasha brought the hilt of Tetsusaiga into Shuri's face, cracking his nose and knocking the Kami far enough back to relieve Inuyasha of a continuing attack. Ignoring his protesting muscles, the Inuhanyou launched himself upon Shuri, using all in his disposal to keep the Kami down.
Kagome winced when she saw Inuyasha hit the ground. Her stomach began to feel queasy as she watched her Mate sustain attack after attack after attack. How much more could Inuyasha take? When Kagome concentrated on the link between herself and Inuyasha, she could feel his desperation and perhaps even a little bit of fear. He's afraid? Oh, please Inuyasha. You have to pull through this. Whoever's out there, please help us.
Inuyasha absently noticed when he felt Kagome pull on their connection, accessing his emotions. He ignored it, focusing his remaining attention on Shuri, until he felt something unexpected but entirely welcomed. By the seven hells, she's using her connection to the Shikon no Tama to strengthen me.
The young miko didn't notice when the Shikon no Tama began to glow in her hands, her attention wholly focused on her Mate. Sango was the one to draw her attention to the now blindly bright jewel. Hn? What the hell is it doing? It's not even completed.
"Kagome-sama?" Miroku asked questioningly.
Kagome shook her head frantically to Miroku's tone but her fingers tightened around the jewel. "I don't know what's happening!"
Shuri blinked in amazement when he fell back under the hanyou's strength. Where did he get all that energy? He should be close to unconsciousness by now. The Kami took a step forward to attack again, but faltered when he saw Inuyasha's eyes. They had bled red, with blue irises. A stripe had appeared on either side of Inuyasha's cheek, and his fangs had grown longer. Yet despite his demon transformation, he still held Tetsusaiga.
Shuri took a step back, his eyes going wide. "T-this isn't . . . isn't possible. I don't believe it!"
Inuyasha chuckled however slightly and lifted Tetsusaiga above his head. "Believe it bastard. BAKURYUUHA!"
A light so bright welded around the Tetsusaiga, only to be released upon Shuri. The land around the Kami began to crumble, the grass burning from the earth. And then the brightness submersed with Shuri's body, his screams so loud that the intensity left Miroku's ears ringing.
When the light dissipated, all that remained were the ashes of the grass and the black burnt earth.
"You are Machiko?"
Machiko looked up from the battlefield to meet the eyes of, what she could only assume, was the Kami Chiyo had told her to wait for. "Hai. I am Machiko, Kami-sama."
"Absinthe told me of you. You know Chiyo-chan's orders then?"
"Hai, Kami-sama."
"Very well."