QoH: Yep. Me again. Review, please!
Chapter 6: Intervention"Not going to use a weapon?" Inu-Yasha laughed as they circled each other, "Are you that confident in your abilities?"
"Oh, I won't need anything like a dinky little sword against you." Jashin-Jadoku shrugged as a cryptic smile played across his mouth. Without warning, his features began to shift to those more suited to a reptile. His skin turned a jet black deeper than a moonless night, while his body stretched and grew. Within mere seconds, he was in his "true form," a huge serpent more than fifty feet in length, curled in. Only those glittering, evil eyes remained unchanged, except each were now bigger then Inu-Yasha, himself, was. "As you can see," the demon hissed, towering over his opponent, "I am the weapon."
In the face of this, Inu-Yasha seemed rather calm. He only blinked drolly as he looked up at Jashin-Jadoku, who was now taller than the full-grown trees behind him, "How's the weather up there?"
"Cute. Very cute," the snake showed his thin, yard-long fangs, "Now, allow me to demonstrate my appreciation of that wisecrack by killing you," he lunged for him.
Inu-Yasha leaped to the side, the fangs striking where he'd stood only moments before, "Heh, tough crowd."
"It'll get even tougher if you don't bring up your performance, rookie," he darted at him again.
Inu-Yasha waited until the very last second, then jumped, "What, are you saying that was for practice, you misshapen pile of scales?" He used Jashin-Jadoku's head as a springboard, turning in mid-air and released the Cutting Wind, smirking, "How's that? Good enough for the real thing, do you think?"
Unfortunately, Inu-Yasha wasn't the only one who was quick. Before the attack even got halfway, the viper was already out of harm's way, and ready to strike again. Which, of course, he did. Only, this time, he used his tail as his weapon. With Inu-Yasha still being in the air, he had less control over his movements, and was hit full in the side.
Inu-Yasha climbed out of the trunk an ancient tree, where the force of the blow had landed him. Well, that was fun, he thought sarcastically to himself, brushing bits of bark out of his face. I hope Kagome and the others are safely away by now.
"What do you think?" Jashin-Jadoku sneered in response to his earlier smart-aleck inquiry.
Inu-Yasha, not deigning to answer that question, simply gritted his teeth and glanced around, sizing up his opportunities. The forest surrounding the majority of the clearing where the castle stood was thick, too deep for a creature of Jashin-Jadoku's size to navigate. Oh, sure, he could go in there, gung-ho, if he really wanted to, I suppose. But, whatever else this guy is, he's not stupid. He wouldn't want to try pushing himself through. Imagine the splinters. Therefore, that'd be the best place for Kagome and everyone to hide, so I've got to stay away from it if I can.
~If I could, then I would,
I'll go wherever you will go.
Way up high or down low,
I'll go wherever you will go.~
"How do you intend to beat me, you little mutt?" he spat and coiled in on himself, readying to launch another brutal attack, "You are still but a child to me, as feeble and powerless as the last time I saw you."
"That's your opinion," Inu-Yasha snarled, gripping Tetsusaiga fiercely, "I'll make you sure you pay for everything you've done, even if I have to escort you to the gates of the fiery depths myself."
"Oh, my, aren't we the brave one!" Jashin-Jadoku laughed derisively as he struck. Again, Inu-Yasha barely escaped the fangs, but this time, the tail joined the party simultaneously, and he was sent flying across the clearing.
Inu-Yasha was recovering himself when he heard a familiar voice scream his name. His head flew up, and he saw that a large group had rounded the corner of the castle, an out-of-breath Kagome in the lead. For a moment, he was only aware of her frightened eyes on him, and knew what she thought just as well he did his own. As always, she was worried for him, not having a care for her own safety. Movement high above his head alerted him to the demon's intentions.
~Run away with my heart.
Run away with my hope.
Run away with my love!~
In seconds, he was up and flashing toward them, to engage Jashin-Jadoku once again before he could reach them, shouting as he went, "Get away, Kagome! I won't have him hurt you!" Frozen, she stayed where she was while the captives scattered into the woods behind them. Sango, Miroku and Shippou all tried to pull her away, but she seemed rooted to the spot, watching, trance-like, as the giant snake's head descended over her.
It all should have passed very quickly. Yet, to him, it was as if time had slowed tremendously, almost to a complete halt. All that he thought of was getting to Kagome, and it was like he was struggling through quicksand. Every moment seemed sluggish, affected, to him. He was almost there, but so was that reptilian menace. I have to do something!
Even though he was still a several feet away, he jumped for her, hoping he could, at least, intercept the attack. In the moment just when he'd reached her, pushed her out of the way, he felt the stab deep in his back. The agony was unlike anything he'd ever known, and he cried out. It was ten times worse than anything he'd ever sustained in battle, worse than Kikyou's arrow, the one that had, essentially, "killed" him.
Jarred from her stupor, Kagome cried, pointing, horrified, at something, "Inu-Yasha!"
Inu-Yasha looked down at his chest, where a blade-like fang protruded, dripping in his own blood. There was a pulling sensation at his back, and he knew Jashin-Jadoku was still attached to the other end. Though it hurt immensely to do so, he brought Tetsusaiga up behind him, severing the fang from its owner. The demonic snake broke away, his mouth bleeding freely. He, too, was staggered by the encounter, but it wouldn't take long for him to recover.
Inu-Yasha let his eyes drink in Kagome, his awareness fading as he fell.
QoH: What an evil cliffy, eh? Yeah, another one. Do tell me what you all think! Please? *puppy eyes* I thrive on reviews! ^_^