Ascension
Nghi
A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews and criticism! Hope you enjoy the second part! The last part is coming later (Because this took a doozy out of me.).
Disclaimer: ((shrugs)) I would be living off free manga for the rest of my life….
Ascension
He frowned unpleasantly, his mouth twisting. He was wrong in underestimating their combined power— apparently, they had gathered more knowledge and experience with their battles against youkai along the way, and it looked like they were putting some of the acquired skills to use. Barely dodging the exterminator's boomerang, Naraku responded by sending six, hungry tentacles for their prey. His grin was cut short when the holy monk intervened with a few ofudas. Naraku watched, mildly surprised, as the houshi muttered a few incantations before throwing the strips of paper in the tentacles' directions, where it smacked against all six's sides. The limbs promptly halted and collapsed to the ground, writhing wildly as jolts of the power surged through their bodies. Naraku turned away from the small distraction, searching for the hanyou and his miko bitch— those were only a few of the whole, and there were more limbs to replace those that have fallen. He barely batted an eye as those tentacles exploded into many raining pieces of torn flesh, splattering against the grass and staining the forest floor with his blood. His focus was not on the houshi and the exterminator- rather, it was the blurring red and silver to his right.
Tetsusaiga came at amazing speed, aimed for Naraku's head. He laughed, his eyes twinkling. "Are you trying to reach me, Inuyasha?" he mocked, directing a more powerful group of tentacles towards him. "I don't think you'll be able to reach me when I'm up here… and you're down there." His eyes burned with glee as the tentacles each took a swipe at the half-demon. It looked so much fun, and he contemplated about going down there for a closer view and- oh, a nip to the shoulder, and it looked like it might really hurt…. But this boy was stubborn, and he would have fun watching Inuyasha meet his demise under several circling tentacles. "Come now, Inuyasha, be lively now, my boy! Come and dance—"
"Dance with this, Naraku!" The miko bitch! His eyes widened in disbelief at how he could easily forget her when so consumed with giving the hanyou pain. Her aura was flaring and glaring in his direction, and he heard the sharp 'twang' of a bow. Of all the times, when he was so close—! He turned around at the voice, knowing full well that he would probably be gone if he didn't keep an eye out for her as well—
Somewhere in the back of his head, Naraku was smirking at his own irony. Oh, shit, wouldja look at that, he thought. She had aimed for her target and had not missed- the arrow touched his stomach at first, and he felt nothing, but then the arrow went in deeper, and he began to feel a little bit of pain- it continued to burrow and scrape into his stomach— no, through his stomach, and then flew out of his back, carrying along with it the inner flesh and his black blood. Gasping at the pain that spread and numbed his entire abdomen, Naraku clutched at the wound, stumbling a bit on top of his horrendous throne.
"Well, well, be lively now, Naraku! Come and dance with us down here!" That mocking voice- the voice was loud and clear, taunting him, daring him. The fool of a hanyou… he believed he was stronger— no, more manipulative, than he. The stupid dog thought he stood a chance…. But what angered, infuriated him the most, was that the pathetic group could stand a chance…. He jerked his head in Inuyasha's direction, his eyes losing a little of its teasing twinkle. "I-if… if it's dancing you want," He would not let them know he was having a bit of trouble breathing, "… then dancing is what you get." A sliver of blood had run down his chin, but he paid no attention to it. Let him bleed- the substance was of no importance to him as long as they were defeated. "Come!" The word was screamed, his mouth opened and roaring, and his eyes glaring at the now-banded group.
From the heavens above, hell opened its mouth and released its wrath of several million. Below, he smiled with meager satisfaction that the houshi was attempting to form a protective barrier around his team. A defense, Naraku thought, which would prove to be worthless against youkai. Soon, he would be the one laughing in immense glee at the many sounds and cries of pain. "You wanted to play, you worthless humans! Come out and play now! Don't go backing out of a challenge that you started in the beginning…." Thunder rumbled above him, hiding among black clouds, and the masses of youkai all swarmed about, their races different and virtually unknown to each other— they were hungry and restless, waiting on command to devour human flesh. "Go." Whispered this time, but they heard it nonetheless. He rejoiced as they greedily dove forward for the lightly glowing barrier. "I win," he said, his mouth curling.
The first, few youkai who touched the barrier were electrocuted with holy aura and fell to the ground in scattered pieces, but it was enough to break down the barrier, and that opened a gateway to their food. Hungrily, they lunged forward, even more anxious to taste human flesh— the scent of fear permeated their noses, and the manic look that clouded in their eyes shone brightly, promising slow, deliberate death.
They did not expect Miroku to bring up his Kazaana— ripping the covered rosary from his hand, the black void swirled angrily, wind beginning to pick up faster and faster until it was now sucking in the youkai. Naraku noted with slight interest at how Kazaana nearly covered the entire expanse of the houshi's palm- he was nearing the end soon, if they did not win the battle….
More and more youkai were being sucked into the blank void, but while the millions of obscure, starving youkai did not realize this, Naraku had planned for something like this to come up. "What's the matter, Naraku?" the huntress shouted, her smile confident. She stood beside the monk, prepared. "Have you forgotten the curse you've given Miroku? Your youkai are nothing once they are in the Kazaana. And with them out of the way, you have no more defenses!" Her hands gripped the boomerang tightly, daring him to start the first move.
Naraku only smiled cynically, his eyes staring the girl down. "Silly girl," he replied softly. "Have you forgotten about my Saimyoushou? Or have you forgotten about that, too?" An inaudible gasp came out of her lips as her eyes widened frighteningly. Ah, the scent of fear always spiked his lust for bloodshed…. Miroku quickly closed off Kazaana, hoping it had not taken in some of the poisonous bees— the hope was smashed, however, when he fell to his knees, clutching his hand spastically. "Houshi-sama!" the exterminator cried, beginning to crouch to aid her teammate. But the sudden turn of tables had halted her from doing so, as suddenly, the wave of youkai aimed for the broken monk and his companion. With a deafening roar, the youkai descended upon the small five-some with intimidating force, no longer held back. "Hiraikotsu!" Sango swung her boomerang and released the weapon— it eliminated the first wave, but another one was fast approaching.
He was back- they might have hurt him once, but he wasn't going to fall for that again, now that he could keep an eye on everyone. "Whose defense is down now?" he smiled scathingly, slipping behind the wall of his youkai. "You shall die before fighting me… how pathetic," he taunted, sending forth an even more bundle of tentacles than before.
Behind the sickening sound of Tetsusaiga meeting flesh or an arrow slicing through an angry tentacle, the group heard Naraku's laughter, enjoying the scenic view. "There's too many of them!" he heard the miko bitch cry, reaching behind her back for another arrow. "Just keep shooting the arrows!" Inuyasha yelled back, swinging Tetsusaiga through a leering tentacle behind him. Naraku had to laugh at the passing conversation— how pitiable they still believed they stood a chance, when it was obvious that he had already won- the sheer quantity of the youkai was enough to obliterate 50 villages, and yet four, puny humans and one demon child believe they will stand a chance? He laughed at the very thought, because indeed, it sounded so preposterous that they should suddenly be able to—
"Bakuryuha!" A loud, definite shout, and Naraku stopped mid-thought. There was a small rumble from the ground, and then a distant keening at first. But as the rumbling grew louder— obviously heading towards him, he found the keening also grew louder. Behind the wall of youkai, he found it impossible to see any of the fight- presumably they would have died. "What is going on?" he demanded to no one in particular. "What is that—" And suddenly, the last of the wall of the youkai was blasted away, and the rumbling was coming, coming— no, at Naraku now! And the youkai remnants were all over him, in his hair, in his face, and all over the forest floor. And the wailing grew the loudest here, yelling and screaming and writhing in pain from Tetsusaiga's own wrath while his tentacles were severed by that one blow. And when Naraku realized that all of his tentacles were demolished in one, heavy blow, the severity of the excruciating pain came back full force to haunt him, biting upwards and killing his sense of touch. The pain… a terrific ripple of wave ran through him, and he felt some skin- he couldn't remember if it was his- rip and fly off his body, all lost within other youkai flesh. The stomach laceration was numb now, and for a moment, while he was swept away by the blast, the light too blinding for him, he distantly wondered if he was bleeding while a great, unknown force was ripping him from limb to limb….
When the climax of the hit had calmed a few minutes later, Naraku opened his eyes once more, and he found he had been saved by a forest tree— the impact had swept him away, and his makeshift throne was in impaired condition. It— the blast, was strong… so strong, in fact, that for a moment he believed he was dead. But, here he was, mangled and disfigured with a missing arm and face, but still alive and breathing. Looking over, he saw a glorious sight of the Inugumi ragged and tired, the stupid monk clutching his hand and the exterminator grasping at a wound on her leg and the miko bleeding through her blouse and most importantly the hanyou with a paralyzed right arm and his ratty fire coat. They were obviously tired out, and Naraku was very much certain that if they went through another round, they wouldn't survive. A small, victorious grin— while they only had one body that was so easily breakable, he had the power of regeneration. How pitiable he would crush them with a new body while they were in an exhausted state….
Everywhere there were pieces of youkai— some were arms, others were legs, but many of them were decapitated bodies, lying around for a lack of served purpose. No matter- he could mix and match a whole, new body to whatever pleased him. Staring at a nearby arm, he motioned for it to come to him, to complete his left shoulder. It remained where it was, hardly edging towards the half-dead man. Naraku frowned, slightly displeased before waving it off. He could ponder over this later, when they were dead- he would have a lot of time on his hands by then. "Come," he muttered to another youkai arm lying by his scarred foot, and the dog hanyou looked up at the command, clearly surprised.
"You…" Inuyasha spat, his eyes narrowing down on him, "How the hell you survived that, I have no fuckin' idea. But you're not going to survive a second, personal blow." Cocky and confident, just like the brash person he was. Naraku only smiled lightly back— he did love a challenge, and if the puppy wanted one, he would receive it through a strong, new body. This time, he had no intentions of miscalculating the mutt's abilities. Ignoring the upright Inuyasha, Naraku commanded once more, mustering spiritual energy for the arm to connect to his left socket.
For the second time, the arm stayed where it was, not even an inch of movement at all. Something began to grow deep in his chest- the dog was closing in- as he stared again. "Come now," he stated, his voice less controlled and forced. "Come here." The arm didn't move.
Why? Why of all now?! "Come here." It was beginning to slip- he was coming, brandishing the old, rusty sword- as a strange, new feeling entered the pits of his stomach. He realized sickeningly that it was fear, the spiteful feeling that was so fun to watch. Fear was what he had instilled into youkai and people who have met him… but he, Naraku, had never had a reason to feel fear behind his miasma and his baboon pelt… until now. For the first in his life, he, the youkai, the villain who was supposed to be victorious in the final battle, was scared of the lowly pathetic hanyou.
A sharp, slicing sound in the air, and he saw that sword transform into a younger, much sharper version of itself. "Come here now!" All feelings of smugness gone, as he was screaming at the arm to magically materialize on his lap. "Come here! Appear! Come—" Calloused feet in front of him, and the tip of Tetsusaiga gleaming against the glaring, afternoon sun. A sinking feeling— he cannot summon the energy to regenerate body parts. "No… no! I was supposed to win— I had everything!" His sword raised- " You were outnumbered… no—" The miko and houshi and exterminator were looking at him now, waiting for that final blow. "I was supposed to end up victorious! I—"
"Correction- you were." Tetsusaiga came at amazing speed, aimed for Naraku's head. And as the sword descended through his body, he wondered of all the glory and happiness he could have had, would have had, and might have had… but didn't.
-
There was a great deal of poking done on Kagome's ribs to wake her, and when she did, she found both Shippo's concerned face and Inuyasha's half-annoyed, half-concerned one leering over her. "Are you OK?" Ever the one to be motherly, the small kitsune asked worriedly while perched atop her stomach. (And this answered the problem as to why she was having a bit of difficulty breathing near the end of her dream.)
"You were mumbling and shifting in your sleep, too," Inuyasha muttered, squinting his eyes at her. Suddenly, he put a hand to her forehead, and the other hand to his. "You're not… sick, are you? Especially today of all days?"
Brushing the hand away, she replied with a "No, I'm not"— her answer elicited a look of relief from him, and she suddenly had a warm feeling in her stomach that spread to her toes. It was so nice to be fawned over, and before she could ask if he was worried about her, he effectively killed the euphoric feeling by saying, "Good. Because we need everyone today."
Her face puckered, resembling someone who had eaten too many sour berries. "You just had to ruin it with your mouth." Huffing, she pushed him away, hard enough for him to fall on his bum while she wriggled out of her sleeping bag. Ignoring the very expected and very old "What the hell did I do?!" from him, she packed the bag away before shuffling to the other side of the campfire, where Miroku was meditating and Sango brandishing her boomerang. Vaguely, she heard her ever-darling Shippo reprimand Inuyasha for his bad behavior, but it fell to deaf ears as she grabbed a stick from the wood pile and, with her Swiss Army knife that her brother gave… no, lent to her, she began shaping the twig into an arrow.
As she worked quietly, her put off mood (Courtesy to Inuyasha.) eventually dissolved, and her thoughts turned to last night, after Sango and Miroku's friendly, little debate. Or more specifically, her dream. Kagome had dreamt of the final battle, of how it would end. She shivered at the vividness of the exploding bloodstains and Bakuryuha's tremendous force when released… it was as if she had been fighting Naraku himself. Sighing a bit regretfully, Kagome wished it were only too true that the battle was over with- the suspension and building anticipation was dreadful, and if her heart beat any faster, she would suffer from some form of stress attack.
But still… that dream, no matter how bloody or gory it was, gave her hope. That they might actually win. Smiling a little bit, Kagome reveled in that fact— they might win. They might win. It seemed like an exaggerating hope, but it was enough to keep her from going to the other extreme of curling into a fetal ball from pure terror.
They might win…. Her smile grew as she went over her dream again and again, turning it this way and that, just like with Miroku's words. They might win— they might win…! Gradually, the fear and dreaded anticipation that had been rooted in her stomach the past few nights were replaced with confidence and high hopes as she kept chanting her mantra.
"And as the sword descended through his body, he wondered of all the glory and happiness he could have had, would have had, and might have had… but didn't."
Smiling, she thought to herself, "That means something, right?"
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