……………………
Chapter 15
…………………….
……………………
Inuyasha was breathing in long, agonizing breaths. His body was still in the position of when he let his attack release from Tetsuigaga. That wave of power had drained all his energy. Such power was incredible to him. Inuyasha felt a great weight lift from his heart as he watched Naraku being sealing within the Jewel. In the end, it was their combined powers that defeated the evilness that was Naraku.
Kirara landed on the sand, and Sango moved carefully to lift Miroku off Kirara's back. The monk's face was purple green with poison; his eyes winced tight with pain. Sango laid him out on the sand, and began to unravel the cloth around his cursed hand and arm His whole arm and half his upper body was a deep purple color from the poison. She placed her head on his chest, to hear his heartbeat growing slower and slower. "He's dying!" she cried out to Inuyasha.
Inuyasha could only turn his head and gaze at her with flashing gold eyes. His body was numb and tired, Tetsuigaga shaking in his clawed hands.
"Miroku!" Sango sobbed. "Please, don't die! Hang in there Miroku!"
Inuyasha's head dropped to his chest. Even with the sealing of Naraku, there would be a loss on both sides.
"Miroku, don't leave me! Please, Miroku!" Sango wailed.
"Please…" came a voice from the sea. "Let me help."
Both Inuyasha and Sango turned quickly to see Kagome's head and shoulders just out of the water. "Kagome…" Inuyasha breathed.
"I can help." Kagome said.
Sango gazed from her to Inuyasha, who nodded, reassuring her. "Lead him into the shallows." He commanded. Sango dragged Miroku into the breaking waves, while Kagome moved up closer.
Sango sat in the water with Miroku's head and upper body in her lap. Inuyasha stood slightly behind her, unsure of his purpose.
Kagome knelt on the sandbar, her fin tucked under her so that she was raised up out of the water just at her belly button.
"Can you really help him?" Sango asked Kagome. But it was Inuyasha who replied, "I've seen it done before. She can heal him."
Sango felt better. Kagome held out her arms and said, "I need to be the only one who touches him, or you will be caught up in the spell too." Sango didn't argue, she helped lay Miroku in Kagome's arms. His weight was a lot to handle and Kagome struggled, but she was able to hold him and clasp one hand around his poisoned arm.
Kagome shut her eyes, and reached inside her mind for the proper words of healing. The Song of Healing spilled from her lips in a series of hums and clicks. Miroku's body, as well as her own, began to glow the healing light blue color. Kagome searched through Miroku's body, found the poison and began to cleanse it. Her fingers kneaded into his arm and her face twisted in pain as she fought the poison in his body.
Kagome through her head back and screamed as the last part of the Song finished and the power reached its climax. Miroku's didn't react to the power; he still was limp and dead looking. Kagome felt her vision blur, her body began to desire rest. She gave in to the desire, and released Miroku. The healing sand that was what was left of the poison in his body fell from her hand and into the water as Kagome fell backwards.
When Kagome came back to herself, she was flat on her back on the sandbar. Her face just a few inches underwater, staring up into the sky. A ripply figure of Inuyasha gazed down at her, with the sun shimmering behind him. It was like looking through wavy glass. Kagome smiled underwater up at him, if he smiled back she couldn't tell.
Kagome leaned up in a sit-up like position and broke through the surface of the water to find Miroku sitting on the sand with Sango and Shippo next to him. Inuyasha stretched out his hand and helped her sit up better.
As Kagome pushed her wet hair out of her face Miroku said, "Lady Mermaid, your healing is surpass my own. I thank you for saving my life."
Kagome smiled and nodded at the monk. "I owe you a lot Miroku," she said, "and you Sango, Shippo…" she turned to gaze at Inuyasha, her eyes compassionate, "Inuyasha."
Inuyasha smiled at her. His hand tightened around hers. She gazed up at him, filling her eyes with his golden stare. It felt good to be alive.
It could have ended there. Just as simply as that. But fate is wonderfully cruel.
It was Kirara who began to hiss and growl at something behind them. "Kirara?" Sango questioned, as the cat demon transformed into her larger self.
They group turned almost together to see Sesshomaru, a few yards away, pick himself up and cough, spitting up sea water. The group gave a gasp, and stood frozen in fear. But it was Inuyasha who stepped forward to face his brother, blocking the others from harm.
Inuyasha pointed Tetsuigaga at his brother in a one handed grip. His eyes narrowed and filled with blood lust. "Hide. Hide now." He said in a low voice.
"Inuyasha…" Shippo began.
"GO!" he sneered.
"Hurry Shippo." Sango called as she and Miroku mounted Kirara.
"What about Kagome?" Shippo cried out.
"I'll be fine Shippo, now hurry, Go." Kagome said. Shippo scampered away and onto Kirara who was already beginning to fly into the sky.
Kagome raised herself in the water and narrowed her eyes, ready to fight Sesshomaru with Inuyasha just like Naraku.
"You too Kagome." Inuyasha growled.
"No Inuyasha, we are in this together." Kagome answered.
"No. This is my fight. He's my brother. You need to go." Inuyasha echoed.
"I won't leave you Inuyasha." Kagome cried out.
"I'm not asking you to leave me, I'm asking you to sit this one out. I lost you once, Kagome, I won't lose you again. Not to him." Inuyasha said.
Kagome tried to speak again, but Sesshomaru had begun to walk towards them. His face dark with pure hatred.
"Run Kagome! Run now!" Inuyasha growled, as he charged forward towards Sesshomaru.
Kagome pulled her head under water and pushed off the sandbar. She swam with all her might, her eyes shut and stinging with tears. She swam only a short distance, and then stopped. She wouldn't let it end like this. If he died, she would die with him.
She swam back to the shallows and pulled her head out of the water. What she saw frightened her to the deepest depths of her soul.
Sesshomaru had somehow avoided Inuyasha's direct attack and now they both stood less than ten feet apart on the shore. Inuyasha had a gash on his arm, which was dripping blood onto the soft beach sand. How he got that gash in such a short amount of time scared Kagome.
Sesshomaru's aura gave a sharp rise in power. His hair began to swell around his form in an imaginary breeze. His struck forward, with speed that made his movement but a blur. Inuyasha clashed Tetsuigaga into Sesshomaru, but Sesshomaru reacted my dodging and striking at Inuyasha with a balled fist. A blow to the ribs that passed through Inuyasha's body and bones like he was punching a pillow.
Inuyasha let out a grunt and fell to his side, skidding across the sand. His grip on Tetsuigaga was lost as he felt his ribs shatter into thousands of pieces in his body.
"INUYASHA!" Kagome screamed as she watched him fall.
Tetsuigaga flew threw the air and landed with the blade stuck in the sand. The large blade dissipated away and simple, rusted blade stood once again.
Kagome watched the blade sail through the air and land in the sand. Half the blade was submerged in the dry beach sand and the blade instantly transformed back into it weak, rusted form.
Kagome stared at it from her position in the shallows. It was only a few feet away from the shoreline, perhaps she could retrieve it!
Inuyasha had warned her to stay back; he was protecting her from Sesshomaru. But Sesshomaru was to busy fighting to worry about where she was. Perhaps she could pull herself on land and crawl towards Tetsuigaga without being scene. She had to try.
Kagome submerged her head and pushed on the ocean floor with her fin, sliding herself up onto the beach. She lay on her stomach with her fin stretched out behind her.
The waves rolled over her body as she pushed herself to her elbows and gripped the sand with her fingers. Her body felt heavy out of the water. And the bright sun suddenly felt extremely hot and dry. The sun was her worst enemy. It would dehydrate her and kill her faster than any wound. And now as she lay half out of the water, for some reason, Tetsuigaga seemed miles away from her reach.
Using her arms, she pulled her body along the sand, leaving the water completely and slowly sliding across the dry sand.
…
Inuyasha winced in pain as he tried to get up. Sesshomaru saw his movement and darted forward with the same unbelievable speed. Inuyasha barely had time to moan when Sesshomaru had him by the throat with his poisonous claws and had lifted him off the ground.
Inuyasha struggled under the tight grip around his throat, slowly suffocating him and leaking poison into this body. He felt bones in his neck crack and he could taste blood in his mouth. Inuyasha wrapped his clawed hands around Sesshomaru's wrist and pulled with all his might, but his brother didn't even wince.
"You despise me, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru spoke coldly, his grip tightened on Inuyasha's throat and his whole arm began to take on the green-yellowish tint of poison.
Inuyasha gave a moaning scream and dug his claws into Sesshomaru's arm. He brought blood to the surface of Sesshomaru's flawless skin, but his older brother seemed immune to the pain.
Inuyasha was in agonizing pain, but he wasn't about to give up. He couldn't, he had to many things to protect. He opened his eyes just a slit and tensed his muscles. He saw Sesshomaru blink with surprise, as he twisted his body around and swung his leg at Sesshomaru's head.
In a blur of speed Sesshomaru dropped Inuyasha's throat and ducked from the kick. He took a step back, while Inuyasha landed on his feet coughing and trying to regain his breath. Inuyasha put his hand to this throat and it came away stained with his own blood.
"Damn you." He growled. He ached and was at his wits end. He forced his body up while he cracked his fingers and knuckles before charging forward again slashing at Sesshomaru.
…
Kagome realized that she was panting as she pulled herself through the sand by her arms. The wetness of her body was now a thick coat of sweat. The sand and sun acted together and slowly drained the moisture from her fin. Her whole lower body stung and burned with heat and dryness. She was less than two feet away from Tetsuigaga, she stretched her hand out towards it, but the blade was blurry and wavered in her dying vision. She shook her head slightly to clear her vision but kept pulling herself along, she had to reach it.
A roar caused her to look up and towards Inuyasha. He and Sesshomaru seemed to be almost dancing as they attacked and dodged each other's attacks. Inuyasha seemed to be the one throwing all the punches, Sesshomaru only dodged and moved out of the way. His long silver hair acted like a cape behind his movements, like a king from hell itself.
Kagome grit her teeth and refocused on the task at hand. She struggled towards Tetsuigaga with every bit of her upper body strength. She tried to think of other things than the dead weight of her body on the sand. She thought of Inuyasha's smile, his close embrace, and the way he held her so tightly as if she might escape from him.
Kagome didn't notice at first when her fingers touched Tetsuigaga's cool blade. It wasn't until she could grip Tetsuigaga with both hands and pull herself up that she knew she had made it. Her whole body was covered in sand. Her scales were flaky and dry, and no longer held their rich purple green color. Kagome panted as if she had just swum a thousand miles. She felt as if she had aged a hundred years and was decaying in her grave. She was dying; she could feel it in her very soul.
Kagome didn't know for how long she gripped Tetsuigaga, waiting for her eyes to glaze over and her soul to leave her body. Time moved so slow to her.
It was the sound of Inuyasha's pain and agony that brought her back to herself. She gazed in his direction.
Sesshomaru had gone into attack stance, throwing punches and kicks at Inuyasha who took them with groans and screams. The action stopped for a moment, and Kagome could see that Inuyasha was completely bloody. His red garment was torn in blood stained gashes and was falling off his body.
His beautiful hair clung to the blood on his body like a second skin. The individual strands probably digging into the wounds like needles. His left arm hung to his side in a bloody mess, numb and useless.
Sesshomaru rushed forward and kneed Inuyasha in the gut. Blood spattered from Inuyasha's mouth as he fell onto his hands and knees from the blow. Sesshomaru then brought his elbow down upon Inuyasha's back, flattening Inuyasha on his stomach to the sand.
Inuyasha's head lay in an awkward position on the sand, at and angle not meant to be bent into. His eyes rolled up at her, he could see her there on the beach. Out in the open. Unprotected. He couldn't go to her. He couldn't save her if Sesshomaru decided to turn on her next. Every muscle, bone, and ligament in his body was either broken or numb.
He could only wish and pray for her safety.
Kagome met his pain filled eyes. Was it tears or blood that he cried now?
With her last remaining strength Kagome gripped Tetsuigaga by the hilt and pulled it from the sand. With the momentum created, she threw the withered blade towards Inuyasha.
Tetsuigaga flew through the air, hit the ground and rolled towards him. Out of his reach, but closer than before.
Inuyasha watched as Kagome's body slumped and fell heavily onto the sand, her back to him. He couldn't see her breathing.
Inuyasha groaned and tried to move towards Tetsuigaga. He managed to crawl a few inches when Sesshomaru noticed his movement and stepped on Inuyasha back with all his might. It felt like a sledgehammer being driven into his body.
Inuyasha roared in pain as the heel of Sesshomaru's foot dug into his spine. With his roar, he saw Tetsuigaga twitch and move on its own. Inuyasha's eyes widened at the swords own movement.
Could he call Tetsuigaga to his hand?
Inuyasha stretched out his bloody hand as far as it would allow. He couldn't speak, but he thought the words with all his might. "Tetsuigaga, come to my hand."
The sword jumped to life and rushed to his awaiting hand. Inuyasha gripped the hilt and tried to gather his remaining strength. With dead weight of his body as a hindrance, Inuyasha tried to maneuver his body to turn.
The pain in his body disallowed this. He would cause himself more pain if he were to move. But he had not choice. Inuyasha used his pain as the force to draw his last remains of power.
The blade surged to full length as Inuyasha twisted his body in an unimaginable arch and plunged the blade into Sesshomaru's gut.
Sesshomaru was struck with pain, as the sword ripped through his body and protruded out the other side. He went to reach for the blade to pull it out, but a sudden energy burst from the sword as his hand touched it.
The wielder of Tetsuigaga could only be one who could have love in his heart. Sesshomaru's cold heart felt no love and certainly not for any human or mermaid. The sparks that attacked him now, were the cause of his icy heart.
Inuyasha watched in amazement as Tetsuigaga reacted to his brother. The sword had so much power even unknown to him.
Sesshomaru found the strength to remove Tetsuigaga from his gut, but it caused him great pain. He flung the blade to the side, and stood gasping at the wound he had acquired. He stared at Inuyasha who lay in front of him, staring at him with strength and power that he, Sesshomaru, would never wield.
This hurt Sesshomaru more than any wound. It stabbed into his pride. With a blood soaked hand holding his newly acquired wound, Sesshomaru turned away from his younger brother and began to move away. Sesshomaru walked away from the beach and into the trees. Away from the castle, out into unknown lands and far away from Inuyasha.
Inuyasha fell down onto the sand, casting a final gaze at a motionless Kagome, before darkness overtook his vision and his consciousness drifted away.
…………………………..
