Chapter 3: Illusions

"Inuyasha…," Shorin said smiling his eye twitching.

"Um…yeah?" Inuyasha asked nervously.

"You called me an old man!" he cried grabbing Inuyasha and shaking him. "I'M NOT OLD! I MADE THE WHOLE THING UP!"

"Leeet meee go!" Inuyasha cried the world spinning.

"Hey lover boys," Miroku said. "Can we get going?"

"Sure…," Shorin said smiling. "I got my revenge."

"Wait!" Kagome said pulling out her sword then accidentally dropping it. "Shouldn't I actually train?"

"Unfortunately yes…we have to train you how to use that sword or we might as well just hand over the items to the demon," Miroku said softly before sitting down. "Inuyasha, you're the sword expert I say you train her."

"What? Why me?" he asked then sighed grumbling. "Fine…be back here in 6 hours and I'll have her trained well…I hope…"

The 6 hours passed by and Kagome trained her body more than the sword skills. She was now able to fight a little bit longer than before but not to much longer. If they would run into a fight they would have to end it quickly or Kagome would end up getting killed.

Now they were on their way to the mountains. (Sorry but I didn't really think of what to say about sword fighting).

Sighing Shorin looked ahead at the mountains. They'd been walking for a while but they didn't seem to get any closer. It was as if the mountains were running away from them as they got closer.

"What's going on?" Inuyasha bellowed punching a nearby boulder in anger. The rock slowly cracked and fell apart but that didn't help them any.

Sighing everyone sat down closing their eyes. It had been a long day and everyone though it would just seem to get longer.

"I think I have an idea why we aren't getting anywhere even though we keep walking on and on," Miroku said suddenly.

"Why is that then?" Kagome asked.

"Well I've heard about illusion casting demons around the mountains. They can make it so we see, feel, and look like we're still on a path. For all we know we could be in the middle of the mountains now. I don't know if this is true but it would be able to mask its scent because it does that. It fools weary travelers demon and human alike then traps them here tiring them then makes the attack."

"Wow…creepy…," Kagome said softly her skin crawling.

Miroku nodded and looked around. "I've been feeling watched ever since we stepped foot on this path I just didn't bother saying anything…I just thought that it may just be me."

"Well it obviously wasn't just you; we probably have been being watched. Show yourself and we may let you live!" Shorin called out.

"Very good…," a voice said from everywhere. It made everyone's skin crawl as they looked around for someone to jump out.

"Who's there?" everyone asked at once.

"Nobody really, just Shadow, that's my name," the voice said cackling with glee.

"Show yourself coward!" Inuyasha bellowed pulling out Tetsusaiga. Right now the Wind Scar and Backlash wave were useless if he couldn't see or smell anything. It wouldn't do a thing except make him tired.

Lightning formed at Shorins fingertip as he fired a blast to the side. It slowly paused in midair looking as though it were struggling against an invisible wall. Then it slowly shattered at the scenery everywhere changed around them. The temperature dropped rapidly as a snow began to fall. A demon covered with a sparkling black cloak stood there angrily. It had flames rising around its body melting the snow around it.

"Well, hello there good to see you finally decided to show yourself," Kagome said saying something a lot more confident than how she felt right now.

"Yes I did and now that I have it means your lives are about to come to an end, prepare to die!" Shadow roared charging them.

Inuyasha was first to react as he swung his sword unleashing the Wind Scar. Shadow quickly responded by disappearing within his cape then reappearing behind Inuyasha kicking the center of his back. Shadow was smarter than most, because he was going for pressure points.

Feeling his knees give away Inuyasha fell to the ground. He didn't feel any pain or anything like that he just fell…

"This guy definitely knows what he's doing; he isn't like most we've had to fight so be careful." Shorin warned backing away slowly.

"No need to tell me twice," Sango said pulling out Hirakotsu.

"Or me," Kagome said readying an arrow.

Miroku pulled out his staff and swung at Shadow then looked around as he disappeared. Now he had no way of fighting back effectively until Shadow would show himself again. Miroku took a step to the side and slipped falling just as Shadow's foot appeared swinging it forcefully where Miroku was just standing.

"Close call…," Miroku said softly his breathing sharp.

"You got lucky that time," Shadow said picking Miroku up by the shirt collar. That's when he felt an arrow and lightning hit his back. He turned throwing Miroku down just as Hirakotsu sent him back. He tried getting a place to dig his heels in to stop sliding but there wasn't enough friction.

Inuyasha quickly stood shaking off the paralysis effect and leapt towards Shadow. He swung his sword and groaned falling forward just as his sword was about to connect. Now whenever he moved his whole body seemed to burn with pain. Now he was on his knees and Shadow was starting to get his footing back.

"Uh oh…," Shorin said starting to run towards then falling on his stomach sliding forward. Definitely something he didn't want to do. Shorin grabbed Shadow's ankle causing Shadow to fall on his stomach grabbing Tetsusaiga.

"LET GO!" Inuyasha bellowed.

"Don't tell him that!" Shorin yelled up at Inuyasha. "I'm hanging onto your sword you know!"

"I don't care I don't want his filthy hands on my sword!"

"I don't care I don't want to die either but you don't see me complaining!" Shorin yelled looking down the long winding trail of the mountain his eye twitching.

"You are right now!" Inuyasha bellowed.

That's when the rumbling started at the top of the mountain. The snow slowly began shifting around as the rumbling began to get louder. Inuyasha and Shorin looked up past Shadow to see snow slowly beginning to fall.

"Kilala transform!" Sango yelled as Kilala leapt off her shoulder growing larger in a burst of flames. Kagome and Sango climbed on and flew towards Inuyasha but didn't make it.

Just when they were about to get Inuyasha the snow slammed into all of them. They had seen Shadow struggling to get out as he was swept away in snow and ice.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried her voice echoing hollowly through the once more calm mountain.

She jumped off Kilala and landed in the powdery snow looking frantically for the dog demon. That's when a hand stretched up out of the snow waving around frantically for someone to see.

Kagome ran over and pulled the hand all 3 guys being pulled from the snow.

Inuyasha was in the worst shape because he had been paralyzed temporarily and had taken the snow from the back. Everyone had cuts on their body as Shorin pulled a dizzy Miroku to his feet.

"Snow went woosh!" Miroku cried.

"He's just dizzy he'll be ok," Shorin said watching Miroku spin in circles.

This was interesting.

(Hey guys I wont be on barely any after today or at least not submitting chapters I'm going on Christmas Break and I still don't have my own computer, I should go to grandparents Christmas Day so I can submit a chapter or two then, till then see ya!)