Chapter 7: Another Tournament?
Inuyasha sighed walking outside smelling the crisp mountain air. It was morning and he was back to being demon. All night he had to wait for this moment to finally feel safe. He stretched slightly as Miroku, Sango, Kit, Shorin and Kagome came out. The glare from the snow took everyone's eyes a moment to adjust.
"Well…all we have to do is make it on the other side of the mountain!" Kit said brightly.
"Before night?" Shorin asked sighing. "It's impossible to try and do something like that…"
"Well we're not exactly weak humans even you guys can do it," Inuyasha said. "Especially if you ride of Kilala though that would exhaust her…"
Miroku sighed and looked ahead. The snow would make this even more dangerous. Of course whenever there was danger involved everyone was able to bring out their full potential.
As the four of them set off they noticed their legs growing weary. The snow made them force their legs harder and the fact they were going up didn't help any either.
"H-How much can w-we take?" Kagome asked holding her hand over a stitch in her side.
"C-Cant be to far," Shorin panted slightly.
Inuyasha walked calmly ahead, he didn't have to use as much force and since he was half-demon it was easy for him. He sighed looking back everyone panting, sweaty and close to collapsing. He pulled out Tetsusaiga. "Stand back everyone," he ordered as he swung his sword. A beam stretched from the sword blowing away the snow creating a path for everyone to walk at.
"H-How did you do that?" Kagome asked in awe.
"I was able to train long enough to downgrade my Wind Scar on command to a powerful wind, even without the demonic aura."
"Amazing…," Miroku whispered softly.
As the group walked on their breathing became normal once again. In no time they were at the top of the mountain. Just below them a small temple sat peacefully, seeming untouched by time.
"Well we all know how to get down," Inuyasha said smiling and jumped down quickly sliding through the snow. "Last one down loses!"
Kagome smiled and quickly followed as well as everyone else. Inuyasha had a head start but they were quickly catching up. They slowed to a stop as Inuyasha crashed into the steps causing a large hole. "
"Ow…," he muttered softly.
"What's all the commotion!" someone roared opening the door. A young girl with blonde hair and green eyes looked around.
Kagome slowly slid down. "Er…we came to get the Spirit Staff."
"Oh! You're another challenger," she said smiling. "I'm Keiko and my 5 brothers will be happy to fight."
"Wait…I thought there were only 4 Lords of Spirit," Miroku cried.
"There are but we chose two alternates and since there are six of you everything worked out fine."
"Fine," Shorin said walked over helping Inuyasha up. "We'll play this game and we will get the Spirit Staff."
"Now that's the fighting spirit I like to hear," Keiko said smiling. "I see you have the Spirit Sword that'll help you greatly. Some other demon came in search of the Spirit Staff and he had the Spirit Orb but we chased him off so I do hope you present more of a challenge for me," she said smiling leading them all inside.
Warmth hit them as they walked behind her. Soon they were led into a plain room a weapon rack on one end. The floor was smooth and flat 5 people behind her, all of them boys.
"I'll be the last fighter in this tournament and the floor shifts Elements each time you fight so that makes things more interesting."
"Fine," Shorin said walking to the center. "I'll fight first."
"Alright then first up Lupin against Shroin!" Keiko cried.
A burly man with jet black hair stood up smiling. He walked over to Shorin. "I've never lost a match yet," he said in a booming voice.
"Yeah yeah I've heard that boast from many people whose memory I keep alive by beating them up again."
Soon a rumbling below them started the arena beginning to shift elements. Pools of deep water began opening up around them clouds gathering near the ceiling as a downpour started. Lightning sparks danced off his body as he looked around.
"This is a new twist…," he mumbled softly. If he tried losing his lightning here not only would his opponent get shocked he would too!
"Scared yet? You should be," Lupin said smiling the water gathering and floating around his body. "This has been my favorite place to fight, I may not be a Water Elemental but hey the fact that I'm a Lord of Spirit means that I can control any Element."
"There's nothing that's duller than listening to you talk," Shorin said his eyes narrowed.
Lupin charged a sword forming out of the water freezing over. Slashing at Shorin he smiled. "My Water can turn into Ice at will so say your prayers now!"
Ducking and jumping back Shorin looked at his sleeve. A thin tear slowly formed in it as well as a cut. "Well…that can't be good…"
"Of course it isn't good if you get hit with that thing your dead," Inuyasha called from the sidelines.
"You think I don't know this!"
"Well if you do you definitely aren't showing it!" Inuyasha yelled.
"Keep your mind on the battle!" Lupin bellowed slashing again.
Shorin dodged slipping on the rain under Lupin. "This isn't the type of fun I expected this to be!"
Lupin turned and slashed as Shorin jumped away.
Shorin places a hand over his chest blood leaking out of the cut he got. He looked at the blood sighing. He looked up and smiled charging towards Lupin. As he got there he jumped over the next slash going straight in the air. As he rose higher he used the clouds calling lightning from them. Swinging his hand down he watched the lightning slam into Lupin. Hitting the ground Shorin looked at his fingers. Both were burnt smoke rolling from them.
"Good thing I didn't use my entire arm…," Shorin said softly.
"It's too bad you did…," a voice said from the smoke. Lupin stepped out slowly his whole body smoking. Long tears were in his clothes and he was bleeding from the impact.
"H-How in the world…," Shorin gasped softly backing away.
"It's quite easy to be honest; all I did was shield myself with Ice to block the impact. It didn't hold up long but it did save me from death."
Shorin smiled and stood slowly. "You do know I don't plan on giving up right?"
"I kind of guessed that, your pushing yourself to the limits as it is. Getting Lightning directly from the sky puts a serious toll on the body part you use as well as the energy you actually have," Lupin said.
"I already know that!" Shorin yelled his eye twitching.
"Could have fooled me," Lupin said.
Shorin charged lightning surrounding him in anger. He lifted his fists up and slammed them in the ground and lightning shot through the water shocking both him and Lupin. He winced the pain surging through his body as Lupin fell to his knees. Shorin saw Lupin throw up a shield before passing out.
"Winner…Shorin," Keiko said put out.
Shorin smiled and stood walking over to everyone.
"Good job," Inuyasha said patting him on the back.
Shorin fell forward to the ground. "Thanks," he said before passing out.
"I guess I'll go next," Inuyasha said the arena turning to normal.
"You'll face Flash," Keiko said.
"Flash?" Inuyasha asked.
A small kid appeared at Inuyasha's feet. "I'm Flash!"
Inuyasha looked around then looked down at the small kid laughing. "Yeah right like I'm supposed to fight a little kid!"
"Scared I'm guessing?" he asked.
"I'LL KILL YOU!" Inuyasha roared.
"Begin!" Keiko cried.