Chapter 3: Demon Reborn
Inuyasha glared from Kagome to Mara as the dangerous demon approached the one he was so fond of. "Mara stop! Isn't there something I can do so Kagome can go free?" He begged in terror, hoping that deep inside there was a way and Kagome could be spared. He'd do anything to keep her alive, even if it meant his own death. At this point nothing else mattered.
The sorceress looked over her shoulder and pretended to consider his offer but soon found herself laughing at how desperate he really was to protect this human girl. They were obviously much more than just companions for battle but lovers judging by how easily he would give up his life for hers. She grinned at the thought of how painful it must be for him to watch her lifeless body, unable to do a thing. "There is nothing Inuyasha. You are not needed at this point. Just be a good puppy and sit still for the moment ok?" She teased, stopping in front of Kagome's hanging body.
Kagome's eyes closed tightly together, creating creases on her forehead and she tried to move her body but found herself unable to do so. "I need to find…Inuyasha…" She mumbled, her lips hardly moving at all. Her eyelids slowly began to lift and she got her first tiny glimpse of her surroundings. As if her memories had just returned to her, she leapt from the wall, though chains preventing her from going very far and she screamed for the person she had some to look for. "Inuyasha!" With wide eyes she spotted the hanyou and she went to speak again but cringed by the amount of pain that sparked across her chest. She began to tremble and slowly lowered herself back into her original position.
The sorceress lifted her hand and touched the girl's cheek, her claws dragging across her skin. "Welcome back." She snickered devilishly, roughing grabbing onto her chin and forcing her head closer.
"Get your hands off of her!" Inuyasha hollered, throwing his body from the wall to try and get free once again. Something was going to happen to Kagome, he knew it but he couldn't do anything to prevent it from happening, at least not when he was stuck like this. He growled to threaten the demon and watched her carefully.
Mara rolled her eyes and ignored his unsuccessful threats towards her. Returning her full attention to the girl before her, she slowly raised her hand possessing the ball just below her own chin and smirked. With Inuyasha out of the way all that was left was Kagome and what she had to offer to the demon lord.
Kagome gasped and stared deeply into the dark misty orb. "What is that?" She asked weakly. Her vision seemed almost glued to it, as she was incapable of looking away. Curiosity held her there and all her focus was on this tiny ball. The mist inside swirled around in slow circles and without her knowing, hypnotized her into a deeper state of weakness. Her eyes became heavy and she lowered her head into the full support of the demon's hand.
A small chuckle escaped Mara's lips as she watched her plan begin to unfold. "Yes. This is it." She could hear Inuyasha struggling behind her but she had decided that he would no longer distract her from what she had to do. Lifting the ball so that it was only a short distance from Kagome's face, she pinched her cheeks tightly together so that her mouth opened and waited.
The trance binding her to near unconsciousness broke and she stared fearfully into the demon's emerald eyes, squirming to try and break free from her tight grip. "What are you-" Her voice was suddenly lost and her attention drawn to something else that imposed more danger. The mist inside the orb emerged from beneath its walls and billowed up around their heads.
Mara frowned more seriously and shoved the orb closer to Kagome's face. "Go! Do what you were made to do! Steal this girl's soul and return it to me! Only then will the Great Lord Sesshomaru rise again!" She ordered, urging the demonic smoke to move forth.
Kagome gasped at the mention of that terrible demon's name and the mist, having found its entrance, flowed into her mouth. Her eyes widened and she coughed weakly to force it back out to no prevail. She could feel it moving around inside her body, protruding at her heart and lungs. Beads of sweat gathered along her hairline as she moved violently around in her spot. She grit her teeth, her eyes closed tightly again and whimpered to hold in her scream.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha screamed as he watched her suffer from something she didn't deserve. "Damnit Mara! What the hell are you doing to her!" He shouted, demanding a quick answer. He couldn't bear seeing Kagome in so much pain for it hurt him just the same.
Holding the orb close to Kagome's lips, she turned her head over her shoulder and chuckled deep inside her throat. "Just merely taking the soul from inside her body. It's just another piece of the plan Inuyasha. It'll be put to good use don't you worry."
Inuyasha shook his head side to side and snarled at the demon. "Taking someone's soul out isn't something you do for amusement! It could kill her!" He shouted, banging his shackled wrists hard against the wall behind him.
"Doubt that." Mara quickly responded to the hanyou. She glared at the Shikon Jewel dangling over Kagome's collarbone and gripped her claws harder against the ball in her hand. "If she didn't die the first time then the chance of her dying now is very slim by the fact that she possess the Shikon no Tama."
Inuyasha could tell she was very angered by this realization but he felt almost calmed by what had been said. There was a very high change that Kagome would survive. Looking over at Kagome's trembling body, he watched her attentively and waited for this ordeal to end. "Come on Kagome." He whispered to himself, curling his fingers to form a fist.
Sweat rolled from the side of her face and down her neck as she struggled to keep herself still. 'What's inside me?' She could feel it. She could feel everything that moved around in her body. What the demonic mist touched and what it didn't. It flowed all around as if searching for something. The mist finally reached the core of her body, the very soul it had been sent to get. Circling around the tiny sparkling light, it enclosed around it, covering it like a blanket and shutting out its light. Kagome gasped hard, feeling her breath taken away from her and her eyes were painted over black.
"Its done." Mara announced softly, still holding tightly to Kagome's face. "Now come back! Return to your home!" She called to the mist as if it possessed human qualities, pinching the girl's mouth open again for it to flow back out.
The mist inside Kagome suffocated her soul and slowly began to rise from the depths of inside her body. On its journey out, pieces of it were separated and recollected back down into the core of her figure. Finally, it began to seep out of her open mouth and returned to the inside of the orb, though, with a much smaller soul then had originally been gathered.
Mara frowned and took the ball into both of her hands, letting Kagome's head drop to her chest. "See, what did I tell you Inuyasha. It seems that only a small portion of her soul was taken and so, your Kagome still lives." She watched his shoulders drop but his stare of hatred still remained on his face. "This may cause a small problem at first but it should wear off as time passes." She stated.
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at the mentioned error in her plan and grinned mischievously. "Problem huh? And what might that be?" He teased to anger the demon even further.
"It's nothing of your concern." She snapped back at him. "Don't take me so lightly Inuyasha, I would never tell you a solution to this so-called problem." Just as she was about to walk away, she stopped and gave the hanyou her most devious of all grins. "Lets get on to the reason why we're all gathered here shall we? Inuyasha, are you prepared for your fair brother's return?" She questioned to agitate the hanyou, which worked very successfully as he began to shift around and spit foul words in her direction. Turning her back on him, she approached the pool of boiling water and held the orb up over her head.
Kagome squinted her eyes open and slowly lifted her head from against her chest. Her heartbeat raced with every breath she took and small yet noticeable burns of pain sparked around where an arrow still protruded from her body. "What's going on?" She mumbled, searching the room with blurry eyes. Blinking a few times until her vision was clear, she saw Inuyasha but was drawn to another, the same woman who had shot her with that arrow. She felt the urge to shout out to her and demand to know what was going on but it looked as if she would soon find out for herself.
Mara laughed out loud, her body shaking as she did and she peered down into the pool. "My Lord Sesshomaru, your time has finally arrived! Rise from the depths of hell and return to the land of the living!" She hollered loudly. Raising the orb higher into the air she grabbed hold of it tightly then threw it down hard into the pool.
A single lightning bolt shot across the clear night sky and a loud crack of thunder disturbed the peace. As the orb made contact with the water, it splashed huge waves over the walls, which soaked the floor and both the lower halves of Kagome and Inuyasha. Fierce gales of wind swirled around the pool like a tornado and whipped everyone's hair into their faces.
Taking the Tokijin into her hands, Mara cackled loudly and lifted it above her head. "Rise Sesshomaru! Rise my lord!" Everything was working out just the way she had planned and soon the demon she would give up anything for would arrive and live again because of her doing.
Over the hissing howl of the wind there arose a deep devilish laugh which pricked at everyone's skin. The water inside the pool stopped spinning, the wind soon dying down afterwards and everything went still. Large bubbles boiled and exploded but that was all that made a sound. The laughter seized and all was silent.
Inuyasha laughed lightly in mockery of the demon's failure and smirked. "Great show Mara. I rather enjoyed that. I guess your lord isn't very fond of you and what you're doing." He teased.
Mara's mouth hung open and she lowered the Tokijin to the ground. "This can't be. There must be some kind of mistake." She whispered in disbelief. 'What did I do wrong?' Holding her hands on the ledge of the pool, she leaned her body over the side and peered down into the clouded water. "What did I-" Suddenly, a hand with sharp clawed fingers shot up from underneath the water's surface and wrapped around her neck, preventing her from speaking. Her eyes went wide as the owner began to emerge from the boiling water and steam.
Slowly rising to their feet and standing up straight, their long wet silver hair sticking to their bare body, their eyelids shot open and golden orbs were revealed that immediately searched the room around them. Water droplets fell off their nose while others rolled down their bare chest. A large white tail slapped against the water at their feet before moving up and over their shoulder. A blue crescent moon and two scars on each cheek painted their pale face.
Kagome gasped and bit down on her lip. 'Sesshomaru! But…why? How!' Questions filled her head as she gazed fearfully over at the demon that she thought she'd never have to see ever again. Not being a demon herself, she could already sense the amount of danger Inuyasha and herself were in.
Sesshomaru's first glimpse was of his younger brother and he smirked, dropping the unfamiliar demon in his hand to the ground. "Inuyasha." He muttered, recalling how and the reasons behind his sudden and unthinkable demise.
Inuyasha smirked right back at the youkai. "Hey Sesshomaru how was your time in hell? Don't get too comfortable here though because I'll be sending you right back there in no time." He threatened, getting the demon worked up. If Kagome and the others could kill him then so could he.
"You think so do you?" Sesshomaru chuckled, lifting his hand out in front of him and cracking his knuckles. "If I do end up going…then this time I'm bringing you with me!" He shouted and with a quick flick of his wrist, released his poison whip and snapped it in Inuyasha's direction.
Realizing what was fast approaching, Inuyasha dodged his head slightly out of the way and moved his shackled wrist in front of him in defense as best he could. The whip slashed across the cold metal, slicing it in half and releasing his hand from inside. He grinned at Sesshomaru in appreciation, a fang slipping over his bottom lip and he quickly removed the other shackle bound to his wrist. "How can I ever thank you my dear brother." He hissed, wrapping his hand cautiously around the hilt of the Tetseiga.
Sesshomaru ignored the hanyou and slowly turned his head to the side until he gazed upon another. That other being the woman he was once so much in love with. The very same woman who had deceived him then sent him to his grave against his own will. He stared down Kagome with a heavy gaze of hate and snarled. "I don't care about you right now Inuyasha. First I must take care of someone else. That damned wench!" Lifting the whip attached to his fingernails he snapped it in Kagome's direction and watching in satisfaction as she winced before it even touched her.
Sensing more harm to come to Kagome, Inuyasha leapt out in front of her, releasing the Tetseiga and blocking Sesshomaru's oncoming attack. "You keep the hell away from Kagome you bastard! You've caused her enough pain as it is! She doesn't deserve to suffer for your own fucking entertainment!" He growled, protecting Kagome with all his hearts might.
Kagome couldn't help but smile at the words he spoke of risking his life just to save hers. He wouldn't die though and she knew it. She lifted her eyes back up to Sesshomaru's whose stared almost in shock at Inuyasha who stood below her.
The whip returned to his hand and became normal demon claws again. "You'd think we were fighting for the same thing. To have the love and care of a mortal girl." His eyes narrowed and rose to meet Kagome's. "Unfortunately I no longer feel this way. The only thing that could please me is to have her dead." He snarled, emphasizing his last word with all the anger he possessed towards her.
"And I can make your dream come true." Mara piped in, rising to her feet, the Tokijin in her grasp. She stepped behind the youkai and smirked through the corner of her mouth. The moonlight behind her shadowed her face and made her eyes glow in the dark.
Sesshomaru turned his body to face her and lifted his eyebrow slightly when he spotted his sword in her hands. "Who are you?" She certainty smelt like a demon so there was no need to kill her on the spot.
Inuyasha took Sesshomaru's distraction as an open opportunity to free Kagome and so he slowly turned to her, his eyes still watching from the corner for any sudden movements from the two youkai. Lifting his one hand to her shackle, the other still holding to his sword in case of danger, he quickly opened it and released her hand.
Shaking her free wrist to return the circulation of blood to her fingers, Kagome removed the other one from around her hand then stood behind Inuyasha who had turned back to the demons. "Inuyasha we-" She started to whisper but was hushed by his hand over his shoulder.
Mara knelt to her knee, her head bowed and lifted the Tokijin up in her hands towards the demon lord. "I am the dark sorceress Mara at your service Lord Sesshomaru. I am the one responsible for your rebirth." She smirked as the sword was taken from her and she heard it being removed from its sheath.
Gazing over his old sword's blade, he released it fully from its case and whipped his body around back to Inuyasha. "Now we can-" His face fell to a heavy scowl as he found the place where his prey once stood empty. Hearing footsteps running behind him, he lowered his sword back into its sheath and dropped his hands to his sides. 'Its no use trying to hide Inuyasha. I will find you and I will kill you. Both you and Kagome. I will not be the one to perish this time.'