Chapter 4: The fight for the Ice Orb
Looking around each of them sighed.
"No one is here…," Sango remarked.
"Looks like it…," Kagome said sighing.
Miroku stepped in an arena covered in ice. Looking around he sighed, "How can I fight with ice beneath my feet…"
"Dunno…you're probably going to catch a cold again," Inuyasha said smirking some.
Miroku turned then slipped falling. "Ow…"
"Very good!" said a voice deep within the temple.
Soon footsteps were heard as they echoed slowly around the temple. Soon after a young man of about 22 came out of a wall. "I suppose you've come for the Ice Orb like every other demon I've seen today. By the looks of it if so I'll have an easy fight when you can't even stand on the ice itself," he said walking along the ice calmly. "I'm the Elemental of Ice, Freezy."
Snickering Miroku stood, "Freezy?"
He nodded, "Yes and this is my daughter Kit."
A young girl of about 5 appeared at his side smiling. "Daddy's gonna beat you."
"Think again little girl," Inuyasha said.
Sticking out her tongue the little girl ran across the ice and yelled, "Fight!"
Quickly running across the field Freezy struck, Miroku blocking but sliding back and falling from the impact. "How can you fight me when you can't even stand up!" Freezy called tauntingly.
Standing slowly Miroku muttered.
"Miroku…use you're Holy Staff!" called Sango pulling it out of Kagome's pack and throwing it to him.
"I wondered why my book bag gained a few pounds overnight…," said Kagome watching.
Catching it Miroku smiled, then began running towards him, jumping on the staff to slide punching Freezy in the face.
"Alright!" everyone cheered.
Miroku pulled back and blinked his hand frozen! "What the…what magic is this…"
"Not magic Elemental power," Freezey said his eyes beginning to glow a steady blue.
"You have yours and I have mine," Miroku said as the shield on his back began to glow, a rock lifting from the ice.
The rock hovered for a moment, then suddenly flew at Freezy.
Diving Freezy watched the rock crash through a wall nearby. "Interesting powers I must say for beating the Elemental of Earth Rukia, you must be quite good. I may have to watch you closely."
Miroku's body suddenly lifted as a rock floated beneath him. "Seeings as I can't run on ice like you…I'll make my own little fighting ground."
Freezy charged and leapt freezing the rock with Miroku's feet stuck to it. Smirking he stood in front of Miroku as the rock and Miroku fell to the ground with a crash. "And I'll just take that field away…"
Miroku stayed down his eyes closed, knocked out cold. He heard voices but they were all faint. Slowly coming around he noticed Freezy with his back turned. Raising his hand slowly the rock lifted itself from the ground. "Hey freeze guy, catch!" he cried flinging the rock into his back.
Gasping Freezy fell forward to a knee the rock pushing into his back. "Got to cocky…," he mumbled and froze the rock.
"I guess I'll have to use a new technique against you…," Freezy said as he jumped back ice forming in his hands. Crushing it he held open his palm ice in the form of sharp needles there. "See how long you can live with this when I cut you to ribbons," he said smiling.
Miroku backed away then cried out feeling a needle suddenly pierce the front of his leg. Looking down Miroku saw the needle the sliced clean through the blood running down his leg. Miroku began running as his leg began throbbing with pain.
"Run little Miroku, run and hide," Freezy taunted throwing 5 needles at once.
Miroku blocked 2 of the 5 needles with a large boulder, 3 piercing into his right arm. Breathing heavily Miroku fell to a knee behind an ice pillar pulling each out crying out in pain softly. As he pulled them out each needle quickly evaporated into nothing.
Looking past the pillar Freezy smiled and got his last 3 ready. "Goodbye Miroku."
Miroku's eyes opened wide and quickly called a rock up slamming it into the ground as ice and dust rose around everywhere. He had to think of something quick, the cold and the loss of blood was beginning to take its toll as his vision became hazy. Standing slowly he ran from Freezy and kept running, taking action now.
Freezy stood once more after everything had cleared and smiled. "Tricky little guy."
Looking around Freezy began walking in a direction that Miroku's shallow footprints, and blood trail led him. Walking silently he shot a blast of ice as a chuck of ice fell from the ceiling. "Haven't been this jumpy in a long time…this is the best fun I've had too."
Smirking Freezy seen a purple sleeve from in front of a pillar and thought you ran but you knew you couldn't hide from me. "Goodbye Miroku!" he bellowed suddenly making a large avalanche come down on the clothes.
"Goodbye Freezy," said a voice from behind a rock slamming him into a wall and held him there by the arms and legs.
Miroku stood there in just pants and smiled using a rock to bring his shirt over. "It's frozen…," sighed Miroku sneezing thinking I probably have a cold again.
Smiling Miroku walked to Freezy slipping again and fell on his back. "Ow…"
"This isn't over Miroku," Freezy said ice shards swirling slowly around his body. "It's far from over…," breaking free Freezy sent all the shards he had towards Miroku.
Sliding back as each needle slammed into him Miroku protected his vital points. Blood staining the ice completely Miroku smiled. "You're right it is far from over…at least for me…for you it's already finished…"
Freezy blinked and looked at him an eyebrow raised. "How do you think that?"
"Because I've gotten the advantage, which I'm guessing you haven't noticed yet. Am I correct in assuming this?"
Nodding Freezy charged, "The cold and loss of blood must be affecting your brain, you have no way of winning now its over!"
Miroku smiled calling a rock from behind to hit Freezy.
Jumping over it Freezy landed behind it, "You expect me to fall for that again? You got me once with it don't think you can again."
"I don't but I do think that will work," said Miroku calmly as a rock dislodged itself from the ceiling falling directly on Freezy. "See…it worked…," Miroku said smiling. "Now I'm going to take a nap," Miroku said softly and fell forward into his own pool of blood.
The rock suddenly blasted apart Freezy standing there his breathing hard. Falling to his knees he smiled pulling out an orb.
Kagome, Sango and Inuyasha stood around Miroku trying to wake him up. Each blinked as the wounds slowly began smoking then disappeared and turned to see Freezy standing behind them.
Bruised, bleeding, weak but still smiling Freezy sat down pulling the shield off Miroku who was now sleeping easy.
"He'll probably have a cold in the morning again but he won and I'll accept that, tell him to come back but first…here's a parting gift for all of you. Use it well because I'll find out if you don't," Freezy said smiling.
The Ice Orb and shield lifted into the air slowly. Growing closer and closer the finally locked together as it glowed brightly for one brief moment before floating down to the ground into Freezy's hands once more.
"Take care of him," Freezy said strapping the shield and Holy Staff to Miroku's back.
Inuyasha picked the paling Miroku up. "Thanks, we'll see you some time later…after this whole ordeal is over…"
Sango nodded and walked outside with them staring at Miroku then took off her sweater covering him with it.
"Stop for a sec," Kagome said digging in her pack. Pulling out a blanket she wrapped it around Miroku, his skin turning blue from the cold. "He'll need that if he's knocked out."
"Well we better get out of the mountains then," Inuyasha said. "We can take care of him better in Kaede's village. Might as well go first the shield will point to us which way we should go anyway."
Nodding they each began making their way towards the village, seeking medical help for Miroku.
"It was a good choice for ye to bring the lad to me," Kaede said pulling out herbs and stewing them. "He's very cold and will need much care for the next 2 days but he will be fine that I assure ye."
Kagome tugged on Inuyasha's kimono and led him out to the forest and looked at him.
"What're you doing?" he asked looking at Kagome.
"Leaving Sango and Miroku alone, after Kaede leaves she'll want to talk to him."
"Why, he's out cold and when he wakes up he'll only try and grope her again. So why should we bother leaving them alone?"
Sighing Kagome shook her head, "Hopeless, lets just leave them alone ok?"
Shrugging Inuyasha sat, "Fine with me."
Kagome leaned against Inuyasha smiling and looked up at him, giggling as he blushed. "Inuyasha…are you glad I stayed?"
Looking at her Inuyasha kissed her lips softly, and nodded as she blushed. "Yes…I don't know what I would do if you didn't."
Kagome smiled and closed her eyes as Inuyasha closed his. Slowly drifting off they slept with each other, side by side.
Sango ran her fingers along Miroku's cheek The herbs Kaede had stewed had taken their affect Miroku's skin warming nicely a pink tinge to his cheeks. Sighing she looked at him, "You keep getting sick…how am I going to take care of you at this rate?"
Miroku rasped softly, "This is the last time so don't worry."
Quickly pulling her hand back she blushed looking at the floor.
Miroku slowly picked her hand up with his holding it softly and looked at her smiling. "Don't worry about it, I like it…," he said smiling.
She nodded and leaned closer whispering, "I'm glad you're ok…"
Miroku smiled and kissed her lips quickly, before lying back once more and closing his eyes.
Blushing Sango wiped some hair away from his eyes and lay by him stroking his hair. "Sleep well…love."