Chapter 18
At the same time off in the distance, Inuyasha and the others had finally caught up. The half demon used his keen sense of smell to follow Ukuri's scent trail. Charging through the foliage, Inuyasha froze suddenly when he surveyed the scene taking place in the clearing a short distance in front of him. It was not the presence of his half brother that stopped him, but rather another, more insidious demon. As the others gradually joined him, they too froze in mid stride. Naraku's foreboding energy was everywhere.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome's frightened squeak made the half demon whirl around in surprise. To his horror Inuyasha found his friends ensnared in tangled vines that literally sprang from the ground. Before Inuyasha could help tear them loose, those same vines shot up from under his feet and bound around his entire body. Frantically, Inuyasha tried to free himself, but even struggling proved to be impossible. The half demon scowled angrily when a familiar, eerie voice sounded above him.
"Patience Inuyasha. I'll get to you soon enough," Naraku crooned from his new position; in the tree branches suspended above his new arrivals. "Until then, just relax and enjoy the show. It's sure to be entertaining." Inuyasha tried hard to talk, but it was difficult with the vines crushing grip around his chest.
"What are you talking about? I got your entertainment right here!" Naraku ignored the taunts of his captive and with a sweep of his hand the tangled mass of vines positioned its prisoners so they could have clear view of the drama taking place in the clearing.
"In due time. For now I'll give you the pleasure of watching your brother and the healer girl destroy each other." Naraku's words infuriated Inuyasha and horrified Kagome.
"No…you can't….he can't…she's his…" the girl gasped her eyes brimming with tears. She couldn't finish; once again the words were stuck. Even so, Kagome's lack of voice went mostly unnoticed. All eyes were focused ahead on the two, majestic figures in the clearing.
"Answer me!" Shura's feverish reply sounded in the night. Sesshomaru took a final step forward and stroked his hand gently on Shura's cheek. When he spoke his tone was subdued and far to quiet for anyone but his child to hear.
"You want to know why I left you Shura?" he asked calmly. Shura turned her head away. She couldn't maintain eye contact after hearing those words, nor could she form any kind of verbal reply. Her only answer came as a feeble nod. Shura didn't notice her father's hand start to glow with energy or see the evil glint in his eyes as he continued speaking. "I did it because…" the demon lords voice turned suddenly violent "you are as useless as you are weak!"
Shura gasped as the sting of Sesshomaru's whip erupted across her side and chest. Gripping the ground for traction, Shura managed to stagger to a halt several yards away. She didn't need to see the wound to know how bad it was; the scent of her blood-soaked kimono was all the evaluation she needed. If he had struck any harder, chances are she would have been split in half. Swiftly, Shura pulled her own whip out of the folds of fabric. The fact that he was her father no longer mattered. If she didn't retaliate she'd be dead.
Igniting her whip until it was molten red with flames, Shura lashed out with surgical precision. Her weapon obeyed flawlessly and seared the flesh on Sesshomaru's hand causing him to recoil and abandon his destructive tool. Another lash at his feet sent Sesshomaru jumping backwards before he had time to recover. Already the two opponents had reached a standstill. As long as they both remained poised and at their current range, no attack by either of them would prove effective.
From the sidelines, Kagome couldn't stand to watch any more of the horrendous display of brutality. She had seen the jewel shard in Sesshomaru's arm the moment the battle began, and in that same horrific instant she realized the truth. Inuyasha's brother was under Naraku's control. Kagome lifted her head into the air and screamed out into the night.
"Sesshomaru you idiot!! Wake up! Break free of Naraku before you kill your own daughter!"
"WHAT!" Inuyasha gawked, completely forgetting the circumstances. Kagome tried to hold in the sobs, but it was no use.
"I…I tired to tell you Inuyasha…. Shura…. she's…. she's your family!" Inuyasha was utterly dumbfounded and completely speechless as he rested his eyes on Shura. Poised with whip in hand, the similarities between her and Sesshomaru seemed to be amplified. Inuyasha found it strange that he had never noticed them before. But seeing her now, in the light of the full moon, the half demon could not deny the definite family resemblance.
Inuyasha didn't have time to comment further. Kagome's vocal interruption had done more then simply enlighten everyone. Her cries attracted Shura's attention, causing her to drop her guard, and giving Sesshomaru the opportunity he needed. Raising his hand in the air, Sesshomaru formed a powerful sphere of energy at his fingertips and launched it his daughter's direction.
Shura saw the attack an instant too late. The impact sent her soaring backwards until gravity intervened and she landed face first on the ground several yards away. The demoness didn't have the courage to move further, as she slowly came back to consciousness and regained her breath. Her body felt dangerously painful and as a healer she recognized what few others could. Sesshomaru's blast had ruptured something inside her and very soon she'd be dead.
Shura closed her heavy eyes. She never imagined her death would come at the hands of her own kin. It made her furious and sad in the same instant that her creator was also her destroyer…
A pulse sounded through the air and suddenly Shura felt a spark of energy flow through her. Another pulse, this time louder. Shura forced her eyes open. Her vision was blurred but she still recognized the pale silhouette of her father. But this time there was something else…something she hadn't noticed before. A glowing red fragment fueling a dangerously familiar black energy; it was buried in his arm! Another pulse. And another. They were coming from the Tetsusaiga! The sword was still lying where she had thrown it, several yards beyond where Sesshomaru now stood. Shura felt a wave of strength surge through her as the blade continued to pulse. It was calling her!
With every ounce of remaining energy she had, Shura inched her right arm forward along the ground until it was stretched in front of her. The sword pulsed louder.
"I hear you!" Shura gasped between shallow breaths "Tetsusaiga!" more energy, enough for her to lift her outstretched hand above the ground. "Please…help me!" the sword shifted slightly. Shura called again as loud as she could manage "Help me save my father…and defeat the demon that enslaved him!" shaking sporadically the weapon moved again, "Help me protect my friends! My family! My home!" Now shaking violently, the sword came partially out of its protective casing. "Tetsusaiga! Come to me!" Shura called with all her might. In a flash the blade flew from its sheath. Empowering in mid air, the sword shot past Sesshomaru's arm, tearing the jewel shard from his flesh before landing in its summoner's outstretched hand.
Sesshomaru blinked. He had heard himself spit out those empty lies, felt himself deliver the killing blow to his only daughter…and now… it was like waking up from a nightmare…except it was real. Shura was dieing before his eyes, and there was nothing he could do except stare helplessly as she used his brother's sword as a feeble support.
With the Tetsusaiga's help Shura managed to get to her feet, but that was the only thing her broken body was willing to give. Shura watched as her father strode over to her. He seemed to be moving in slow motion. The healer blinked. For a brief moment she was back in her childhood, and the demon approaching her bore an expression of happy return instead of remorse.
Shura felt her strength give out and she fell limply forward into her fathers embrace. She no longer felt pain, only a dull, numbing sensation. It consumed her entire being. Sesshomaru was speaking to her, cooing soft words of reassurance, but she could barely hear them. Drawing in her final breath Shura forced out her dieing wish.
"Don't let him win," she whispered, "Please don't let him win."
The demon lord watched in sorrow as Shura's body shuddered then grew still. Closing his eyes tightly Sesshomaru tenderly cradled his lifeless child.
"I wont," he replied quietly, "I promise you. Naraku will die for what he's done…"
As Sesshomaru gently laid Shura's still form on the grass, his hidden sorrow rapidly turned to anger. Pulling himself to his feet, the demon lord set his hateful eyes on Naraku. The white baboon was still sitting comfortably in the treetops with the six observers snared securely beneath.
"Naraku." Sesshomaru growled bitterly. It was all he needed to say to gain his nemesis's attention.
"So. I see she's managed to free you from my control." Naraku mused. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. The demon lord had to regain his composure, but the anger in his heart was still evident.
"Come down and face me Naraku…if you even have the courage." Naraku laughed quietly. Such a ploy may have worked on Inuyasha but he was not so easily fooled. He would indeed answer the demon's challenge, but only when the time was right.
Not surprisingly Sesshomaru interpreted Naraku's silence as cowardice. He had just about decided to fly up into the forest canapé and flush the blasted demon out himself when suddenly his thoughts were distracted. A rock hit him in the shoulder from behind. It was followed by the frantic, angry shouts of a little girl and the stern hiss of a young dragon.
"Get away from her you monster!" Soma's angry command sounded out between cries. Sesshomaru glanced momentarily over his shoulder in annoyance. The healer girl from Shura's village was charging at him. She had a large sword tucked securely under one arm and was blindly throwing rocks with the other. At her side was a snarling, pink and white dragon kit. Sesshomaru hovered a few feet to the side to avoid another carelessly thrown rock. His emotionless eyes concealed the stab of sorrow he felt when he watched the young child drop the sword she carried in her arms, bend over Shura's lifeless form, and start to cry.
"How could you!" the youngster bellowed "How could you do this to her! She never hurt anyone! Why'd you kill her!"?
Sesshomaru turned towards the child. Her words seared through his entire being. As much as he wanted to defend himself, or slay the girl for saying such things, he could do neither.
The demon lord tensed when he felt Naraku's surprise attack fly at him. Unfortunately he couldn't react fast enough to avoid it. A mighty blast of energy hit him hard in the chest and sent him flying backwards into a tree. The demon lord cursed under his breath as he forced himself up. Apparently he had underestimated Naraku's power. As he prepared to spring forward for a counter attack, Sesshomaru felt something catch his foot. It was Naraku's vines. They moved so quickly he had no time to escape their immobilizing bind. Now in the same predicament as his brother, Sesshomaru watched with a cold glare as Naraku approached him.
"Well, now that I manipulated you into killing off the only threat to my power, I suppose your usefulness has ended also," Naraku muttered deviously. The demon lord narrowed his eyes but said nothing. Despite his attempts to escape, Naraku's enchanted vines weren't even budging. They were probably restricting his power somehow. Sesshomaru clenched his teeth tightly. This couldn't be the end, it just couldn't! Not after he promised to avenge his daughter! He had to escape and kill the demon Naraku…for her!
A faint pulse sounded from the tenseiga at Sesshomaru's side, but he didn't notice it. He was to busy watching Naraku easily fend of the enormous, pink, serpent dragon that had suddenly lunged at him. Ukuri, along with his human escort, had heard Naraku's confession and now turned their fury on him instead of Sesshomaru. The dragon's blind rage however was no match for the baboon-furred demon. After avoiding several poorly aimed strikes, Naraku sent the dragon crashing into the forest with a powerful jolt of energy. Then he used his vines to ensnare the creature before he could get his second wind.
"Foolish beast." Naraku mumbled. As he turned back towards his original prey, he was surprised to discover that the dragon was not the only distraction that needed dealing with. Dagger in hand, Soma called out to Naraku from her defensive stance in front of Shura, boldly daring him to face her next. The demon was more amused then angered by the sight. Even so, his patience for such disruptions was growing thin. A light telekinetic push was all he needed to stop Soma's ranting. Raising a hand, Naraku psychically shoved the child backwards into the trunk of the nearest tree.
The demon watched with satisfaction as the child fell limply on top of Shura's motionless form. Perhaps now he could finish what he started.
Soma drifted back to consciousness just as Naraku turned and started towards Sesshomaru. When she opened her eyes, they rested on the delicate folds of Shura's Kimono. Soma felt her eyes brim with tears when the familiar fabric came into focus. If only Shura was still alive, she'd stop that maniac demon for sure! As Soma watched Naraku she gradually became aware of a heartbeat sounding loudly in her ear. It had a strong, familiar rhythm….
"Its Shura!" the thought blazed in Soma's mind. "Shura's alive