Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-yasha or Ranma
Last Chapter: The Inu-tachi frightened by Tsumei's statement.
Ch 24: New Moon (Part: 2) (C)
The group quickly made their way through the threshold. Inside the temple was a highly polished alter, covered in cream colored linen. Before the alter placed near the wooden wall was a statue. The statue was a double-sided sword the sharp end pointing earthward. Around the blade was a snake like dragon with wings. The wings were spread open, covering the mid section of the blade. The eyes of the dragon was shut and seemed to portray intense pain.
An ominous aura hung in the air; it seemed to be coming from the statue. Inu-yasha could sense something was off with it, but he couldn't help but feel drawn to it. Shippo, who was standing on Miroku's shoulder, was ogling at the immobile reptile. Miroku and Sango shifted uncomfortably, the temple and the objects within should be revered. They understood, but they too could sense something was amiss in the environment.
Inu-yasha looked around the room. To the left of him was a rice paper poster with black ink characters written over it; on the borders of the poster were light green vines twisting imprinted on the paper. He looked to his right but found that the wall was covered with a large scroll hung open vertically. In the middle of the scroll was a yin-yang. Next the yin was a beautifully drawn phoenix, arching its body. The phoenix was multicolored. The wings were a beautiful shade of green, its chest were different shades of red; and the long tail feathers looked like a peacock's, with dark blues and greens. Next to the yang was a long green scaly oriental dragon. It looked like the typical dragons drawn in Chinese paintings, but on the ends of the scales of this particular dragon were lined with silver. Near the top of the scroll were snow caped mountains. But of the rest of the painting were of a Zen garden, complete with a small river, bamboo trees, assortment of flowers.
Inu-yasha had to admit the painting was amazing. But he couldn't help but feel there was another purpose for the painting besides decoration.
Inu-yasha jerked his head to look at the front again, as he heard a loud thump. Tsumei, who opened a trap door at the foot of the statue, caused the thump.
"Shippo and Kirara will stand guard. Don't go down no matter what; and when dawn comes put ocean water on the door." Fuuko instructed. Tsumei was already left. She climbed down the wooden ladder to meet her sister. Quickly the rest of the group excluding Shippo and Kirara followed.
Ranma and Kagome's view
Kagome opened her eyes grudgingly. She blinked when her eyes met light after a moment her eyes began to burn. She quickly clamed her eyes shut, blocking out the light and subsiding the pain. She groaned in annoyance, as she tried again to open her eyes. Ever so slowly she opened her eyes until they adjusted to the light. Without thinking she gingerly pushed herself off the floor, leaning on her arms.
A moment passed by slowly, until her surroundings finally registered to her. Kagome had been lying on her back, against cold hard and cracked stone. She looked around she was in a circular chamber, around the edge were thick piles of old hay. The stone chamber stank of moss. Torch brackets that held the lit torches circled around her. Her eyes wandered until they fell on a figure in a red shirt.
Ranma had been lying on his stomach, his head rested on his arm. By the looks of it he still seemed to be unconscious.
Kagome pushed her self up until she was in a sitting position. She reached out a hand and began to gently shake Ranma awake. When her attempted to wake up the unconscious martial artist became obviously futile she began to call out his name softly. Even though her voice was little above a whisper it still bounced off the walls, making it seem like she was talking normally.
Ranma shifted to he was lying on his side, back facing Kagome. She sighed in exasperation and began to poke his rib. Ranma's body twitched, but he still didn't wake up. Kagome was getting annoyed now. She had been trying to wake him up for a good five minutes now, and it was getting her no where. Kagome smirked evilly as an idea came into her mind.
She lay down beside him, draping her arm around Ranma's waist. Her forehead was touching his back and her other arm was folded across her chest. Kagome smirked again, as she began to cuddle up against Ranma.
While Kagome went through with her plan Ranma was already awakening. His body stiffened when Kagome's arm was around his waist. When she finally started cuddling up with him that was when things got quite interesting.
First Ranma's body petrified and a shiver ran visibly up his spine. One thought ran through his mind over and over: 'I'm dead.' Ranma inched away slowly, but Kagome just moved with him.
"Ranma," Kagome whispered. This caused Ranma to abruptly stop. He moved his head ever so slowly trying to get a glimpse of Kagome. It was no use; he still couldn't see Kagome so he slowly turned his body around. Inch by inch Ranma turned until he was finally face to face with Kagome. He breathed a quiet sigh of relief when he saw Kagome was still asleep. Thanking any god for his good fortune he slowly backed away.
Kagome felt all of Ranma's movements, and suppressed a mischievous smile and Ranma turned around. It was almost the right time, Ranma was backing away. Kagome gave herself an evil smile in her mind as she waited for the opportunity. Snapping her eyes open she yelled at the top of her lungs: "Wake Up, Ranma!"
Of course Ranma still thinking Kagome was still asleep jumped like a frightened cat. He landed a few yards away; his eyes bulging and a terrified expression adorn his face.
Kagome burst into laughter seeing his expression.
Ranma became annoyed as Kagome continued to laugh a while after the incident. He began to glare that said: 'It's wasn't that funny.'
Kagome seeing his glaring covered her mouth and suppressed her laughter until they were giggles. She took a deep breath calming her nervous from her laughing fit.
"Hey I needed to find a way to wake you up," Kagome grinned innocently at Ranma.
"You could've tried shaking and yelling," Ranma said raising an eyebrow as Kagome smiled mischievously again.
The girl in question shook her head no. "Didn't work." Was all she said pushing herself up.
Ranma adopted an impassive look and looked away. This caused Kagome to giggle again.
"Now that your awake," Kagome said grinning, which earned her a glare from Ranma. "How do we get outta here?"
Kagome looked around the stone chamber; there was a large wooden door with a ring attached as the knob. The large black metal clasps on the door looked like something from medieval times.
"You know this place looks like a dungeon from the old Europe. I've seen these kinda rooms in text books though, never been in one," Ranma said also observing his surroundings.
"But why is there European stuff in Sengoku jidai," Kagome asked looking at Ranma for the answer.
Ranma raised an eyebrow. "You're talking to me, Kagome, me" he emphasized me and pointed to himself. Kagome sweat dropped and gave him a lopsided grin.
"That doesn't matter right now, we need to get out of here," she said walking to the door. Upon closer inspection the black clasps had little rust stains all over. And the wood had been rotted for a while now. Little holes made from who knows what, ate through the wooden surface. The wood stank of moss and fungi. The retched smell sent shivers down Kagome's spine. "Maybe we should just stay here so the others can find us," she suggested. Secretly Kagome was just abhorred by the idea of even touching the metal ring.
"You're just too scared to touch the door," Ranma stated blandly, traces of an amused tone decorated his sentence. He grinned when Kagome shot him a glare. But the miko didn't say anything. "C'mon." Ranma said walking to the door. Kagome stepped aside, when Ranma pulled the black ring. The door slowly swung opened, making loud creaks that echoed through the room.
Kagome unconsciously tensed as the noise reached her ears. Something didn't feel right about the situation. The creaking finally stopped which relieved Kagome to no extent. But the following metallic clang made her jump. The metal claps that were attached to the door hit the stone walls causing a thunderous noise through the room and beyond.
A deep howling was heard in the perpetual darkness. Something was really wrong, not just out of place but something that shouldn't be here. Kagome stepped closer to Ranma the fear quite obvious in her eyes. Ranma squeezed her shoulder reassuringly and smiled when he saw Kagome's frightened eyes. He knew something was wrong, but it didn't affect him as much as Kagome.
Kagome gave Ranma forced smile, traces of nervousness was still on her face. Ranma released Kagome's shoulder as she went over to the nearest torch bracket. She carefully took the burning torch out of the holder and walked back the doorway.
"Let's go," she said, her voice wasn't as nervous of fearful as before. Kagome handed Ranma the torch as he stepped beyond the threshold with the miko by his side.
The rest of the Inu-tachi & Kijo sisters
So far they had been walking down a hall with no doors or any other door way leading in a different direction. The light was provided by Tsumei who used her fire powers to create small portable flames that followed the group in midair.
Tsumei and Fuuko were heading the group since they seemed like they knew what they were doing. Fuuko had her eyes close and one hand on the stone wall. Tsumei simply walked along side her sister, just glaring up ahead.
No one said anything as they entered the dungeon like crypt. It felt like even if they wanted to speak the silence would drown their words. So it continued the team walked on only their footsteps could be heard bouncing through the stone hall.
After a minute the group could finally see an end of the hall. Tsumei quickly summoned another batch of small flames and sent them further up ahead, lighting up the room before them. The group quickened their pace in anticipation of finding Kagome and Ranma.
"You all do realize that this crypt is a dungeon do you not?" Fuuko finally spoke breaking the long silence. She had opened her eyes and her hand was off the wall.
"If it wasn't that obvious," Inu-yasha's voice covered in sarcasm. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"We have finished the simplest and easiest part of this rescue. Prepare yourself for long and arduous tasks when we reach the room. "Fuuko's eyes sharpened. That hallways howled as winds began to gather around Fuuko. The wind user had her right hand on the handle of her butterfly sword, which was tucked under her silver belt. Her left hand had needle knives between her fingers.
This signaled the group to get their weapons ready. Tsumei had already created a water sphere.
Inu-yasha had a grip on his sword ready to unleash the fearsome Tetsusaiga, but it hit him he was still human. Sango had a grip on her boomerang and Miroku clutched the prayer beads.
Ahead of them in the room, rattling noises started to echo. The firelight illuminated a horrific site. Skeletons started to rise up from the dirt ground, rattling bones, chattering teeth could be heard from the newly erected army of the undead. The hallways that led into different directions started to fill with the skeletons marching to a silent beat.
Sango shifted uncomfortable, not only were there plain bones but half decayed corpses. Some skeletons were only dirtied; chipped bones that walked with hallow eye sockets. Some had cobwebs and dirt where the organs should be. Some had decayed skin hanging from the bones, some even still had rags from the clothes they wore before they died. But the most chilling site was the in-between. Others were half rotted organs spilling out of the body, worms eating through their skin. Patches of skin were worn seemed to be bleeding.
Moans filled the room as the skeletons came. Random weapons appeared out of no where in the undead hands.
Without warning Tsumei rushed forward. The water sphere she had created started to rotate like a hurricane. Jumping upwards, she sailed over the crowd of skeletal warriors. She shoved her hand downwards shouting: "Tsunami Serpents!"
From the miniature hurricane seven water snakes that looked like Kikyo's soul steals emerged. The water serpents shot forward with the force of a tsunami. Once they reached the ground they divided each going down a different hallway minus the one the Inu-tachi was still in. The liquid serpents pushed back and broke some of the skeletal warriors.
Tsumei landed in a kneeling position. She shot a glare at the group when they stood where they were in awe.
"Move it," Tsumei sneered, but a skeletal hand grabbed her leg.
Fuuko quickly threw her needle knives at the hand shattering it. Rubles resonated though the halls as the skeletons began to rise again.
"Stand back," Miroku shouted running with his arm clutching the prayer beads that sealed the deadly Kizanna. Tsumei and Fuuko quickly retreated as Miroku stopped near the exit of the hallway they had traveled. The priest wasted no time in releasing Kizanna bones that were still lying on the dirt earth was sucked into the black void; rocks and dirt corroded and was taken into the tunnel. After a short period of time when most of the bones were sucked in Miroku closed the tunnel with his prayer beads.
Fuuko dashed forward at the exact moment Kizanna was closed. She shouted over her shoulder for the rest to follow. Fuuko took the tunnel near the center leading right. Without hesitation the rest of the group followed hurriedly.
Ranma & Kagome's view
The torchlight lit only a meter around them, so their progress through the dungeon was slow. Ranma was looking around curiously since he never been in a situation like this and wanted to observe their surroundings. Kagome on the other hand just kept close to Ranma and when she ever heard a sound that wasn't their footsteps she'll jump.
'Kagome's really jumpy; what's up with her?' Ranma thought looking at the corner of his eye at the said miko. Kagome's eyes traveled from left to right, the nervousness still apparent.
Ranma finally broke the silence between them, "Why don't we rest." He or Kagome was tired but his arm was getting sore from Kagome's grip. Every time she jumped she would dig her fingernails into his shirt.
Kagome jumped from the sound of his voice and nodded. She let go of the martial artist's arm and sat down on a large rock that broke off from the wall.
Ranma rubbed his arm until the pain was only a dull ache. He pushed up the sleeve to reveal Red Crescent moon marks all over.
"Ouch," Kagome asked involuntarily wincing at the sight. "Gomen" –Sorry- Ranma just shrugged it off, and took a seat beside her.
Kagome briefed slowly trying to calm her nerves. This place was really unnerving, it felt like she was here before, and something unfortunate happened. She shook her head vigorously trying to get rid of those feelings. But it was undeniable, there were energies here that belonged to the dead. Kagome opened her eyes and looked at the dark dirt earth beneath her feet. A small sad smile adorned her lips as her eyes clouded with pity. She truly felt sorry for the souls that still wander the earth, seeking what ever they chose.
"Ranma do you feel that," Kagome asked uncertainly, still looking at the floor. She saw from the corner of her eye, Ranma nodded. "It seems it's gonna take a while to get out, wanna check it out? Maybe the others are there." Ranma only nodded since it was the best plan they had at the moment.
So the duo continued through the underground labyrinth. Following the twisting and turning paths to the energy source.
Inu-tachi & Kijo Sister's view
They had been battling for God knows how long now. The sisters were leading with Miroku by their side using his Kizanna when things were too much for the group to handle.
The exit to the chamber was at the other side of the room. The group was half way there, trying desperately to stay standing. All had exhausted their strength fighting the animated skeletons. Inu-yasha was still in his human form so instead of using Tetsusaiga, he used the sword in its sheath, that still emitted some energy. Sango only used Hiraikotsu from time to time since the passages and chambers weren't that large she could've used the enormous boomerang. Instead the youkai taiji used the blade concealed under her left sleeve for most of the battle. Miroku used his Kizanna and his staff to break the bones. And the Kijo sisters used their elemental talents, as well as metal weapons.
The group finally reached the exit. Large metal doors were at either sides of the entrance, so the group divided into 2 groups trying to push the doors close. A minute later they got the doors to budge bit by bit, but the skeletons already were regrouping.
Fuuko's eyes hardened, trying to think of a way to shut the doors faster. She had no choice but to use her other element. She abandoned her place at the door and ran to the middle of entrance. The skeletons were nearly there only few more yards. Quickly summoning on the power of the earth, Fuuko slapped her hand hard on the ground a wall of hardened dirt formed a large wall a foot away from the entrance. Fuuko jumped back landing in a crouching position her hands were spread on the ground. The Kijo closed her eyes and focused and made the earth underneath them to push the metal doors shout with an ear deafening crash that that echoed through the room for more than a minute.
Fuuko took a seat on where she was crouching. Closing her eyes and tilting her head upwards she seemed to be exhausted. Her arms were behind her supporting her body as she leaned on them. The usual calm and collect air around her was still intact, but to Sango and Tsumei it was obvious that using the earth element had drained her of her remaining energy. Maybe it was due to using her wind attacks to much or something else.
It didn't take anyone's words to make it clear that they were to be resting here until they had restored enough energy to continue. Everyone took a seat; weather on the floor or on rocks, they began to rest.
Ranma & Kagome's view
The pair had been searching for about fifteen minutes; their only clue was the energy signature. As the progressed the maze seemed to be more battered then the room before, and this room in particular was one of the shabbiest. The walls were smudged in dirt and a type of green moss seemed to be growing from the cracks; places were chipped and places in the walls had dents that seemed to be made from boulders smashing into it. Pieces of tattered worn cloth hand to hide a particularly large hole, while other tatters of cloth stained with blood were draped around skeletons resting against the walls or lying on the floor. The old battle armor and weapons suggest that they were samurais once. The soldiers probably died from their injuries, one of them that lay closest to the tatter curtain had a broken skull with a rusted dagger stabbed through his wrist bones pinning the arm to the wall.
Kagome's heart became heavy looking at the diseased. No one had buried the bones and to her it was an unfitting death.
'But they died fighting for their beliefs,' Kagome thought. A moment passed and her eyes visibly widened. Her heavy heart began to beat a little bit faster. 'How did I know that? How did I think that?' Kagome breathing became more rabid. Something was in this room. The energy signature emitted from this place.
'No you didn't know that, I did my dear miko.' A voice in her head answered.
Kagome thought back, 'Where are you,'
'In your mind, but physically I am the skeleton near the curtain.' The voice answered back. "But if it will you make you feel better I could always use my body." The voice said coming from the room.
Kagome jumped as she saw the skeleton move it's skull to face her. The jaw moving up and down as it spoke; the voice came from the now animated skeleton though she still didn't know where the voice came from. The dark empty eye socket stared at her as it waited for a response. Kagome's eyes widened even more in horror.
Ranma boldly stepped in front of her shielding her from the skeletons none existent gaze. He quickly adopted his usual fighting stance.
"Do not worry young martial artist I mean you no harm," the deep tone came through the skeletons mouth signaling that the skeleton was once a male.
Kagome shakily put her hand on Ranma's shoulder, silently telling him that it was alright. Ranma reluctantly stood up straight.
"Is there something wrong," Kagome asked nervousness evident in her tone.
The skull on the body looked at her a moment and turned his head to be facing the wall in front of him. Using his bony arms and hands he pushed his body to his feet. The skeletons began to talk again: "It's been many years since our death. We were once proud men, fighting a war to keep our people alive. This," he gestured around the room. "Is what's left of our fortress. They forced us to retreat into this fortress during the end of the three day battle. We created this underground labyrinth by the command of the spirits. This used to be a stone castle based on designs from Europe, a fortress made so no one could penetrate, not even a demon. But we were wrong.
"I'm not sure what or who they were but they came. They killed the women and children that hid in this fortress and massacred the soldiers. But our leader before his death placed a curse onto everyone person. He cursed their souls to wander about this fortress till our deaths were revenged."
"But," Kagome said abruptly. She was carefully listening to the skeleton's story trying to imagine what he told. "Doesn't that mean that all the children, mothers and everyone's souls are still here?" Just saying it made her uncomfortable. In her mind it was just too cruel, their own leader cursed his people to forever wander this lousy dungeon till someone revenged them? It just didn't make sense! Wouldn't he cure their attackers?
"Sadly yes. After the bodies died the souls wandered and when intruders came into this labyrinth the souls would return to the body to attack. All have long since lost their minds of who they were and their morals. They only kill till they finally kill the....." the skeleton drifted off, but the two shard searchers understood.
"What do we need to do to stop this curse? Isn't there any other way to break it so we don't need to track down the attacker's children and kill them?" Ranma inquired. He knew his curse was sad and wrong, but not like this!
The skeleton was deep in thought or so it appeared. "The leader used some sort of object. I think it was enchanted, but there's no guarantee. I think it was a chalice."
"Where is it? Do you remember?" Kagome asked hurriedly trying not to betray what she was feeling inside.
"He died near the center of the labyrinth where the last battle ended." The skeleton gestured to the cloth covering the hole. "This path would lead you somewhere near it. You have to sense the energy. I'm sorry, but I cannot go further than this room."
The pair nodded. The skeleton seemed to be giving them a look of confidence, but they weren't sure. He sat down slowly while a wisp of blue smoke came out of the ribs.
The pair clapped their hands three times and bowed to the now soulless body, wishing him the best afterlife after they dealt with the curse.
In a minute the two started back on their quest, going through the cloth covered hole they journeyed to the center of the maze. They often got lost often and needed to stop to locate the energies.
After a long time of searching and a clumsy accident by Kagome; they seemed to have discovered the chamber.
Inu-tachi & Kijo sister's View
They were still resting in the stone room. Sango seemed to be sleeping along with Miroku, but Inu-yasha was high on alert.
The hanyou didn't know when it would be sunrise, but it was soon. He knew he couldn't afford to wait till then, but without his demon blood he was useless. Inu-yasha glared at the sisters when he saw Tsumei get on her feet.
"Something wrong dog boy?" The water user sneered. She looked away before he could retort. She began walking around the room examining the walls and other artifacts that lay within; she seemed to be searching for something.
Fuuko said something that sounded like Chinese. Tsumei only reacted with making a noise. It seemed Tsumei was scoffing at what her sister said. Inu-yasha didn't really care about what was being said between the sisters, but something about the conversation seemed to spark something. He watched them carefully from the corner of his eye, making sure they couldn't see him watching. After a minute the conversation between the sisters stopped. Tsumei glared at him while she passed, and Fuuko looked at a corner transfixed with something.
"Come let's continue." Fuuko finally said getting off the ground. She crossed the room to the corner that she had been observing. Tsumei followed glancing at the group.
Inu-yasha called for the youkai taiji and houshi to wake. The two woke up slowly and followed the rest of the group.
"Where are we going?" Sango asked yawning. She shook the sleepily haze from her head and picked up her weapon, Hiraikotsu.
"To where we'll find Kagome and Ranma." Fuuko said lazily. Though the group couldn't see it, Tsumei saw the corner of her sister's mouth twitch like suppressing a grin. Fuuko pressed something near a torch bracket on the wall, and a passage opened to the next room.
'She knows that's good. Its going to be pretty interesting fight.' Tsumei thought knowingly. She and the group entered the room beyond.
When Inu-yasha finally entered behind the group, it was the exact same moment Ranma and Kagome entered. The two groups stared at each other either from shock or irony, but they got out of it quickly. Kagome ran to the group and hugged Sango telling the exterminator how much she missed them. Ranma only walked to them and grinned a bit as Kagome bombarded Sango questions of Shippo.
"Now we found her, let's get out of this place." Inu-yasha huffed turning around to face the entrance they came from.
"Awww, do you need a hug," Kagome said cooing like a mother. She hugged Inu-yasha from the back, and he reddened like a tomato.
"Kagome!" Miroku was surprised by the open affection Kagome was showing.
"Relax it's only a hug and I didn't see you guys for such a long time." Kagome said stressing such and long. She made hand gestures that made her seem like a drama queen.
"I think she's just happy to see you guys." Ranma said watching Kagome act like a fool.
"Why are you guys here?" she finally asked getting serious.
"Looking for you two. But the strangest thing happened we were attacked by walking skeletons." Sango began telling what occurred during their absence.
After Sango's tale, Kagome's eyes hardened a little. She knew that the skeletons they fought were the ones cursed. This story ignited a flame of determination as she told them group their story.
"So we're supposed to look for a cup? That'll stop the skeletons right?" Miroku asked as Kagome concluded her story. The miko nodded. In a minute the group was spread around the room looking for anything that resembled a cup.
Kagome was searching in the center of the room near some sort of alter like table made of stone. Half the table was ruined and covered under debris. A smell of decay hung over the air stronger than the rest of the room. She scrunched her noise as the smell reached her nose. She hesitantly reached out to a pile of dirt and objects that lay on top of the alter. Kagome yelped as she saw a long slithering centipede slithering around the pile. She shut her eyes and began to chant in her mind: 'There's nothing to be afraid of.' She tried again to reach for the pile and held her breath when her fingertips brushed against the dirt, and suddenly she plunged her hand into the pile before she lost her nerve. Hurriedly she searched the dirt without looking at the pile; her hand enclosed on something hard and solid. She pulled it out as soon as she felt something hairy touch her flesh. She shook her hand violently to get rid of the dirt and bug. Finally when Kagome thought that it would be safe to open her eyes she slowly peeked out.
Indeed it was a chalice but it wasn't thee chalice. The stained pewter cup had no aura whatsoever. The pewter chalice had engraving on the handle of vines and leaves; on the cup itself it had a picture of lotus flowers.
"You found it," Ranma asked looking over her shoulder to the object. He frowned: "There's no aura."
"I know. Let's keep searching." She concluded placing the chalice down on the half of the alter that wasn't damaged badly. The group began to search again, but found nothing.
"Where in the seven hells can that stupid cup be?" Inu-yasha shouted angrily kicking a dirt cloud on the floor by his feet.
The girls sweat dropped as they silently watched Inu-yasha complain. Strange enough Ranma was complaining with Inu-yasha. Miroku was trying to calm the hanyou and martial artists down but of no use. This made them talk louder and made hand gestures that mostly composed of waving a fist around like a person swearing revenge.
Fuuko ignored them and started to the alter Kagome found the cup. She kneeled before it, closed her eyes, and placed her hands on the stone floor. The wind user began to chant. In a minute she finished and opened her mismatched eyes. Everyone's eyes were on her as she tapped the tiles under the alter. Finally her sound became hallow when she knocked on the tile nearest to the back right leg of the alter. She pulled the tile off and took out a dust covered wooden box.
Fuuko took off the lid and pulled out a linen wrapped object. The object still had a strong dark aura around it. Fuuko took off the linen cloth to reveal a silver goblet with an intricate design near the rim. The goblet was filled with dark red blood.
"Shouldn't the blood dry up by now?" Kagome asked peering at the goblet. The substance still looked fresh like it had been newly spilt.
"It's enchanted, of course it hasn't dried." Tsumei snapped repressing the urge to roll her eyes. Kagome resisted the urge to glare at her.
"How do we destroy it?" Sango asked stepping closer to the object. Everyone began to gather around Kagome and Fuuko; as the got closer to the center a rumbling shook the room. Sounds of bone snapping echoed everywhere as the rumbling grew more violent. Fuuko stood up quickly with the blood filled goblet not spilling a drop. She was about to hand it to Kagome when a skeletal hand grabbed Kagome's leg and jerked her off balance.
All around them the undead began to rise again. The creaking of bones resounded through the room like a drum beat. A chatter of teeth clicking accompanied the creaking from outside the room.
The hand that grabbed Kagome's leg began to pull itself up, with Kagome as its leverage. She yelped when the grip tightened around her ankle. She attempted to kick the skeleton off but it just held on. The skull emerged from the dirt, then the naked ribs and finally the legs. The thing let go of Kagome's leg as it pushed itself upright.
It turned its empty eye sockets towards Fuuko who still held the goblet. It made a move for the chalice, but Fuuko dodge the movement with ease. The skeleton groaned and tried to take the chalice again. It swiped the air for Fuuko but its skeletal hand went through air.
Fuuko's eyes seemed too hardened as the skeleton sluggishly turned around trying to find it's pray. It moved swiftly to Kagome who by now taken out Shin'yuu and crouched into an offensive stance.
Kagome dodged at the last second and executed a round house kick to the head. She knocked the head off of the body but the skeleton still moved. The head began to chatter clicking its rotted teeth in a silent laugh. Heels clicking slowly became heard as what they assumed were the other undead skeletons marched towards them.
"We better lift the curse now before we have to fight an entire army by ourselves," Sango stated readying Hiraikotsu. Miroku held exorcism charms in one hand and his golden staff in the other.
Inu-yasha stood in a ready stance. 'Good thing it'll be dawn soon.' He thought, his eyes darting to every entrance.
Kagome and Ranma took up a flexible stance so it'll be easy to switch from offense to defense. The Kijo sisters seemed to just stand there as they made no moves to ready for the incoming attack. But with the flare of their auras it seemed they were ready to take down anything stupid enough to come into the room.
"You will never win," a voice echoed bouncing of the room's walls. Their attention was immediately pulled to the still chattering skull the bounced on the floor.
"Whadya mean we can't win?" Ranma spoke indignantly. "We can kick all of their skeletal asses to kingdom come!"
The skull bounced more violently as it laughed like a mad scientist. "You can not win mortal fools! We are the undead, we can not die again!"
"Says you," Ranma muttered smugly, he glared at the skull as it laughed again. But he was refrained from making another comment as the rush of the undead army barged into the room.
Sango quickly threw Hiraikotsu and it smashed through them. Miroku threw his charms and froze some of them and crushed them with his staff. When the demon bone boomerang returned to its owner, the monk pushed Sango behind him. With a yell he opened the black vortex in his hand. The skeletons were rushed towards his hand as incredibly strong winds sucked them towards him.
Ranma and Kagome were executing skilled attacks at the opponents making sure to finish them in only one blow. Occasionally Kagome was forced to use Shin'yuu to parry an attack.
The Kijo sisters were using their elements to the best of their abilities keeping the elemental attacks to a minimum or close range. Fuuko had pulled out a hidden butter-fly blade with an oriental dragon design along the blade. She slashed the blade in different directions releasing invisible wind blades.
Inu-yasha was doing his best to fend the attackers off with Tetsusaiga's sheath. 'Soon,' was all he thought pushing a skeleton off and smashing its skull.
"We can't take this anymore!" Kagome shouted dodging a blow from an attacker but was pushed forward by a skeleton behind her. She ducked just in time to miss a punch from Ranma that went through the bone.
"Get the chalice!" Fuuko yelled over the chaos. With her words the skeletons gave a loud screech that made everyone flinch. The army attacked again with renewed vigor. Fuuko gasped as one of the skeletons knocked the chalice from her hand. With a low growl she used her blade and launched a fierce wind blade that smashed through the skeleton and several behind it.
The chalice flew from her hand and was about to land in the corner but a soft pink light tinted with a bit of blue held it from crashing towards the floor and spilling. Kagome was the one who prevented it. Though she had no idea how her aura was tinted with blue, she manifested her miko powers to hold it. With a feral yell she trusted Shin'yuu forward releasing a pink light with traces of blue sparks. The brilliant beam shot threw the crowd of skeletons that had lunged forward towards the chalice, the beam literally erased them only a pile of dust and fragments of bone was left.
"Hurry, purify the chalice!" Fuuko yelled slapping her hand down on the floor. A large ripple ran through the stone tiles pushing and throwing back the skeletons. As soon a the ripple ended Kagome dashed forward reaching her hand out for the chalice.
"Foolish mortals!" the skeleton that pulled itself from the earth stood up. The skull of reattached to it's body and a intense black aura surrounded it. "You will not lift my curse!" it yelled lunging forward transforming it's aura into a double bladed sword.
"Kaze No Kizu!" Inu-yasha yelled swinging the now transformed Tetsusaiga down releasing the wind attack. He had transformed when Fuuko used her earth element attack. The powerful wind tore threw the bones as a terrible scream was drowned by the roar of the wind.
Kagome didn't wait to see the results as she finally grabbed a hold of the chalice. Sending a wave of purification energy the chalice lost its contents. And when the process was over the chalice was reduced to ashes.
"We have to get out of here before this entire place goes down," Tsumei spoke walking briskly towards an exit. The group snapped out of the daze caused by the purifying spectacle and followed quickly. Tsumei weaved their way through the underground dungeon with ease and led them to the hall way they came through.
"Where's Fuuko-san?" Kagome questioned finally noticing the wind user absence.
"She needed rest." Was all Tsumei said climbing the latter and pushing the trap door. The group exited. Kagome was the last to come up and when she did Shippo jumped her and began to cry and shout jumbled up sentences at her. Kagome hugged back and quieted the hysteric fox cub.
"What's wrong," the miko asked looking down at the fox cub. Shippo rubbed his eyes from the tears and opened his mouth to answer, but with a large rumble that felt like an earth quake the shrine and the underground dungeon began to collapse. Kagome and Shippo yelped and ran towards the door leading to the open air.
Shippo stared wide eyed with the group as they saw the shrine go down like a building that was knocked down.
"Stupid mutt, your attack took down the main supports of the dungeon. We'll be back this afternoon." The kijo said glaring at the hanyou. Inu-yasha was about to argue back but stopped as he saw the water user disappear. He began to curse under his breath.
"Let's get some rest shall we?" Kagome asked smiling at the group. Inu-yasha was now waving his fist like before and cursing Tsumei, and the rest of the group sweat dropped watching his act like a fool.
'But why was my aura tinted?' Kagome thought looking at the risen sun.
Secretly Inu-yasha was now envying Kagome's curse. When he saw her release that attack he knew that it was created by the demon that was inside of her. It made him envious that she, Kagome, the girl whom he knew so long was now a demon that might be stronger than him.
End of Ch: 24
NEED BETA READER!!!! My current beta has too much school work right now so she can't beta for me. If any of you are interested e-mail me. You know I hate this new formatting system!!! It won't let me use any symbols at all! Just write in your review that your intrested and your e-mail address and I'll e-mail you about it! Thanks you so much!
I'm soooo sorry! It took me bout three months to do this! When school started I didn't really expect it to be so tough, since my friends that are a year ahead of me kept saying this was the easiest year we'll ever get. But if this is the easiest year I shiver to think about the on coming school years.
Though sadly there is a huge chance I won't be able to update for awhile due to the science fair and architecture project, I will try to write the next chapter quickly. And I hope to post up a one-shot for Naruto.
You can still vote for the pairing! Ses/Kag or Ran/Kag VOTE In your reviews! Thank you so much for R&R!
