I am not a very good gore writer, so I apologize ahead of time for it. I know that I should warn you now, this chapter will be slightly gorified... and that isn't a word... but it will have gore, so those of you with weak stomachs and such, beware of this chapter. ENJOY!!

Don't be fooled by the title. I only decided to name the chapter thus because 'Dereamu' means dream and Dereamu used the whole dream thing as his first attack.

Chapter Twenty: Good Versus Evil: Going Against A Dream

As Inu Yasha made his way toward his target, rain started falling. Or at least he thought it was rain. He felt the ice-cold liquid pour over his body as he came upon Naraku's little hiding space. The sky grew darker, cutting off almost his entire line of vision. An eerie halo of red light surrounded Naraku and Dereamu. Inu Yasha blinked past the falling rain, which was getting heavier as he got closer to his destination. Tetsusaiga was held firmly in Inu Yasha's right hand and he approached the two enemies. The barrier around the two seemed to sparkle as red droplets splashed against it like a balloon.

"Can't even stand a little rain, Naraku?" Inu Yasha hollered over the sounds of the substance hitting the barrier. A bright flash of lightning flashed dangerously close to the scene. Beyond the distortion of Naraku's image, Inu Yasha saw a smirk.

"Just rain?" Naraku said in a mocking voice. Inu Yasha scowled at him as he raised his left hand to wipe the rain from his face. It was then that he noticed the stench radiating off the liquid. 'Oh Kami...' he thought, feeling a warm, thick substance rise in his throat. 'Blood...' Naraku's smile widened. "What's wrong, little hanyou? Can't handle a little blood?"

Inu Yasha had to resist the urge to throw up right there. When it came to youkai blood, he could stand the smell just fine. But when it was human blood... Swallowing the acids and such that had risen in his throat, Inu Yasha began his attack on Naraku. Just as his sword was about to come into contact with the protective barrier around them, lightning flashed and he was eaten by the bright light.

---

The blade shone delicately in Kagome's hands. Kagura watched her as she fingered the smooth, black handle. Kagome still couldn't help but feel that something bad was about to happen. A shrill scream bled through the walls and to the schoolgirl's ears. Both women looked at each other, before darting out of the room, side by side.

The halls were long and winding, taking just about all the energy Kagome had just to get outside. When Kagura threw open the door, Kagome almost wished she was still down in her dungeon, curled and crying on the stone floor. The dagger almost fell out of her hand as she gawked at the scenery.

Blood fell from the sky, staining the brown earth with a deadly red. Demons and demon parts were strewn everywhere. No matter where her eyes traveled, she saw flesh dripping from bone. Large youkai were encircled around a specific area, but closed tight enough for her not to see what was happening. She watched as blood splattered through the spaces between the demons. Limbs flew through the sky as youkai began toppling over, making the inside of the circle visible. The number of youkai was decreasing drastically, and it was all because of the four in the ring. Kagome stared at her friends as they began their fierce attack. Sesshomaru's blade was tinged with a shiny red; Koga's arms and claws were drenched in the thick liquid. There were numerous wounds on each, but they all trudged on.

But she noticed, as she stood there in a state of shock, that something was amiss. Miroku and Sango were both missing from the scene. Both Koga and Sesshomaru seemed to look over their shoulders and shouting something. From her distance from them, she couldn't make out the voices. Kagome remembered a scream from before. 'Where...'

---

The light dimmed and Inu Yasha opened his eyes. He was welcomed with the sight of green. Earth filled his nostrils as he tried to take a breath. His arms lay limply at his sides, his right hand still hanging onto Tetsusaiga. Lifting his head and using his left hand to stabilize his stand, Inu Yasha looked around. The ground, covered in green, fresh grass, was the only thing recognizable in this place. The sky, instead of the gorgeous blue that he had known, was a deep ruby red, contrasting well with the luscious grass. No trees painted the skyline, but a small creek flowed not too far from him. The thickness of the silence that had formed around him was unnerving. Nothing was alive in this place, save for him and the grass. 'Why the hell am I here?' A cackling laugh cut like a rusty katana and plagued the already strange land.

"Are you ready for the fight, Inu Yasha?" a disembodied voice called to him. Turning slowly, Inu Yasha was face to face with Dereamu. The incarnation walked slowly toward the hanyou. When the distance had closed to about two feet, Inu Yasha noticed that this strange creature was only up to about his mid thigh.

"With you? Don't make me laugh, shrimp. My battle is with Naraku." Inu Yasha looked at the small demon. He didn't want to kill this creature now. His mind was still set on destroying Naraku first and foremost. Normally, yes, he'd love to just dispose of this and get on with it. But, today, this night, he was dead centered on killing the bastard that took his mate from him.

The airy voice sounded again. "If you wont fight me, then I will just fight you and win even easier." Without any time to properly prepare to defend himself, Inu Yasha was hit. The long claws on Dereamu's right hand dug Inu Yasha's stomach, tearing into the sculpted structure. A gasp, low and painful, erupted from Inu Yasha as he doubled over forcing Dereamu to remove his bloodied hand. The hanyou's left hand protectively covered the wound as he moved his right for stability. Dereamu moved again, his speed surpassing anyone's; even Kageromaru. Inu Yasha's eyes widened at the contact on the back of his skull.

"Is this the best you can do?" the voice taunted. The hanyou stood, blood spilling from his abdominal wound. With the back of his head throbbing, Inu Yasha glared at the incarnation. He removed his left hand and tightly gripped Tetsusaiga. The winds around the blade began to swirl and Inu Yasha smirked.

'The Wind Scar...' He set his sword and readied himself for the phenomenal power surrounding him. Dereamu only watched, patiently waiting. His wings fluttered and he rose two feet into the air. He didn't leave the intended path of the weapon. "You gonna try and move, fucker?" Inu Yasha hollered over the sounds of swirling winds. No emotion showed on the demon's face and Inu Yasha slightly shook his head. He watched the two competing auras dance.

"KAZE NO KIZU!" The blade was sliced down, sending the shock wave of energy blasting towards Dereamu. In an instant, the demon was gone, reappearing behind Inu Yasha. Before any realization, the young hanyou was kicked, full force into the blast. His body was propelled so quickly that it caught up with the Wind Scar and made a full contact with it.

---

Kagome frantically scanned the grounds for her two friends and mate. None of them were present. 'But then again, neither is Naraku... That may explain Inu Yasha, but what about Miroku and Sango?' Taking a few steps from the door, Kagome gripped the blade in her hand. They had to be there somewhere, but the scream that drew her out wasn't something to be taken lightly. It was Sango's voice that had rang through the walls of the castle and Kagome could have sworn she heard a very eager and frantic voice call to the taijiya.

Her head moved in every direction, looking for any possible places they could have been. That's when she saw it. Kanna stood, her mirror glowing white, beside two human bodies. Neither was moving and Kagome could feel the tears begin to fall.

They had been in a situation similar to this, yes, but the question was not of pushing the souls out. No, that had only worked before because the mirror had held too many souls. This glass was not cracking; it wasn't about to break and that meant it could still hold some; how much was unknown. The question was, would the souls be able to survive being in the mirror until the reflective glass was shattered? Could it even be broken?

END CHAPTER

Ah, an evil cliffie... that's like my trademark... "Cliffie Keeper" that's what you all can call me ::lol::

Is Inu Yasha dead...again? Are Miroku and Sango forever lost to Kanna's mirror? Can Kagome, and a possible new ally Kagura, find a way to help at all? And where's Naraku?? Find out in Chapter Twenty-One of The Dark Side: "It All Comes Down To This"!!

Inu Face