Protector
Chapter 11 : Fatal Moment (Doesn't make sense, I know. I'm rushing here.)
Jaken awaited Kariyu and Kagura in another room, this one slightly dirty. A thin film of dust covered every surface in sight. His three-toed footprints were obvious. He knew who and what Kariyu was now. When Kariyu drank his blood, he transferred information to Jaken's mind in a rush. The info overload had caused him to faint.
Kariyu was no ordinary vampire. His increase in power had been drastic since he drank from the child of a goddess. He had been changed into a demi-god. The holy blood that coursed through his veins gave him defense against the sunlight that was usually fatal to his kind, and gave him the strength to ignore the pull of the trance-sleep that most vampires fell prey to when the sun rose. Delighted with the power at his fingertips, he returned to drink the child dry, tossing the drained husk aside like so much trash. The boy's mother, Amaratea, goddess of spring, had not come to seek revenge – perhaps she did not care. The leaderless vampires flocked to him, and thus, the fifth vampire lord was created.
The four original vampire lords were Aorfius, who resided in Greece, Shuriya, the female drinker who lived on a desolate mountain at the northernmost tip of Japan, Nurian, who terrorized the towns of Rome, and Flavius, who wandered about aimlessly. Of the four, only Aorfius and Nurian lived in style like nobles. Shuriya spent her time meditating, sitting alone in a cold cave at the zenith of her mountain. Flavius lived with a group of vampires who used to be gypsies, and rambled freely from place to place, leaving no trail. All had progressed to the point where blood was no longer required regularly as sustenance.
Kariyu had left Japan briefly, to meet Aorfius, Nurian and Flavius. All three were polite to him, but it was made perfectly clear that he was not welcome to hang about in their domains. He approached Shuriya, who let him past the barrier that sealed her cave. He learnt much in the visit, but she only offered information about her past.
Shuriya had been a mage-knight of Europe when she was captured and went through the Transformation, the agonizing process of becoming a vampire. Her Maker, an idiotic drunkard, had initiated it without consent. When she grew to her full strength, she turned on him and drank all his blood, boosting her powers greatly. After a few decades, she grew weary of the world, and withdrew into her present abode, seeking to atone for her sins, for drinking the lifeblood of other sentient creatures. She warned Kariyu not to disturb her anymore, after the visit ended. She shooed him past the barrier like a child, and ignored him when he called for her to let him in again.
Jaken was startled out of his reverie when Kariyu glided into the room, Kagura on his arm. Halting in his tracks, Kariyu sneezed softly, covering his nose and mouth with a hand. The toad took the opportunity to examine his new master more closely.
Dark hair the color of shadows fell to his waist in a tumble of slight curls, rippling behind him when he walked. He looked to be about twenty-five years old, with pale skin, a reminder of his race and their natural aversion to sunlight. Piercing cerulean eyes were his most outstanding feature, a glint of blue in the whiteness of his face. His snowy skin and midnight hair contrasted sharply, an incongruous mix. He was dressed in a sapphire blue shirt, billowing loosely around his figure. Wide pants were made of dragon hide, tough and virtually unbreakable. A black leather jacket was slung over his shoulder – the interior of the mansion was too warm to put it on. Black boots completed his outfit. He was tall, towering over Kagura by more than a head. The wind sorceress looked practically petite standing beside him. Half-concealed by the collar of his short, a silver bite scar marked his neck – Kagura's mating mark. On his inner forearm, the tattoo of a gleaming white fang dripping thick blood lay stark against his skin. He had a sensual mouth, and his teeth were even and pearly. His incisors were a little longer than usual, tapering to a sharp point at the end.
Kagura twirled her fan lightly. A small whirlwind measuring up to her knees rose up, sucking away the dust there. She sent it spinning around the room, leaving cleanliness in its wake before rushing out of the window and dissipating. With a smile, she turned to Kariyu, who squeezed her hand. Both sat down at the low table, facing Jaken.
"What movements do you plan to take against the miko, my lord?" Jaken asked politely. "I sent a shadow creature to kill them all, but the miko trapped it, I believe," Kariyu sighed. "Kill them all, my lord?" Jaken's heart banged against his ribcage. Lord Sesshoumaru could not be harmed, must not be harmed! Kagura raised her eyes slowly, giving him a death stare. Fire crackled in her crimson orbs.
"Do not presume to question your betters," she said. The air around her seemed to gain a chilly feel. By leaving out his name while giving an order, Kagura had practically slapped him in the face, reminding him of just how insignificant. Kariyu smirked. Kagura's leaping to his defence was intriguing, and it pleased him very much. "Yes, my lady. I apologize," Jaken said meekly, shuddering a little.
"I believe our enemies should learn of our blessed union soon," Kariyu purred, inspecting his fingernails. Each one was painted black. "Don't you think so, Kagura?" he asked leisurely, tossing a glance in her direction. "Of course, my lord," she inclined her head. The turquoise beads at her ears winked briefly. Kariyu frowned. It was an unnecessary reminder of her past. Reaching into a pocket, he withdrew a small box and handed it to her, snapping it open. A pair of earrings lay within, small stylized whirlwinds dangling from a long silver wire. She put them on immediately. The carved whirlwinds of obsidian just brushed her collarbone. She smiled in thanks, touching his hand lightly.
---------- (A week later)
It was a late afternoon, and sunlight the hue of warm honey poured through the interlocking tree branches to pool on the ground. The forest animals were quiet, almost as though out of respect. Sesshoumaru led the group, pacing along majestically with slow measured steps. Aun followed, his footsteps loud. The saddle he wore creaked as Rin shifted on his back, still dozing. Kagome walked behind the double-headed dragon silently, eyes darting from side to side. Kirara trotted at her feet. This whole week, Kagome had been on edge, waiting for Kariyu's next ambush. She had also been grumpy after losing the battle of wills with Sesshoumaru. A sneezing fit had suddenly come over her, and it was impossible to keep her eyes open while sneezing. It was just something that couldn't be done. And thus, she had lost by default. It chafed, but there was nothing she could do.
At the very edge of her miko senses, she felt Kagura and another dark aura approaching very quickly. Her heart twisted painfully at the thought of her friend under Kariyu's thumb. "They are coming," she warned tersely. Aun snarled and plunged into the bushes, searching for a place to hide Rin. Kirara transformed and ran after the dragon at her mistress' signal. Sesshoumaru and Kagome traded looks. There was a good place to fight nearby – a rocky plain beside a waterfall. She surged into the lead, running noiselessly, and the pair passed as fleeting shadows.
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Kagura and Kariyu plummeted out of the sky, a pure white feather clenched in Kagura's fingers. Reaching up, she fixed it into her inky tresses firmly. Drawing her fan out, she flicked it open and regarded them warily.
Kagome and Sesshoumaru stood side by side. Kagome held an arrow to her bowstring loosely, and Sesshoumaru's hand was wrapped around Toukijin's hilt.
"I come today as a bearer of good news," Kariyu announced. Grinning widely, he nudged aside the collar of his shirt, revealing a silvery scar. Kagura pushed her kimono neckline farther along her shoulder. An identical mark rested there, a silent testament to the bond they shared. Kagome gasped. Kariyu bared his fangs in triumph.
A bolt of power leaped from his palm, gleaming blood red. Kagome froze in place as it arced nearer and nearer. Then she was flying through the air, an arm wrapped around her waist. She glanced up into chilly golden eyes. Silver hair floated around her in a cloud.
A barrage of wind blades came their way and bounced off a transparent shield that Kagome produced quickly. When Sesshoumaru set her down, she threw him a grateful look. He nodded imperceptibly, and the battle began for real.
Kagome's lips curled in a silent snarl, eyes like chips of stone. Kariyu bowed mockingly. A pair of carved wooden handles appeared in his hands. Black whips crackling with energy flowed from the dark wood. Kagome nocked another arrow to her bowstring and loosed – she had dropped the first arrow in dodging Kariyu's energy blast. She tossed the weapon and her quiver of arrows aside. Kariyu twitched a hand. The left whip swept around the arrow shaft, encircling it in an instant. The arrow stopped in mid-flight and fell, sheared in half.
A pair of twin swords materialized in Kagome's hands. Fire roared along the length of the blade in her left hand, turning the metal white hot. Ice covered the surface of the sword in her right hand, chilling the air around it. Clear and crystalline, it was as hard as the steel it sheathed. Kagome dropped into the guard position and waited.
Kariyu's whips snaked towards her, covering the distance between the two fighters easily. One moved to wrap around the ice sword while the other treacherously headed for her ankle. Kagome crouched and launched herself as the whip tightened on his right blade. The whip slackened, and she dove at him, fiery weapon ready to pierce through him. Ice was beginning to coat the portion of whip in contact with the sword. With a sneer, Kariyu dodged, yanking the whips back. He retracted the long strips of rawhide and tucked them into his jacket. A black barrier formed around him. Kagome vanished her swords. A glittering pink shield rose up around her.
----------
Sesshoumaru drew Toukijin in a swift, practiced movement. The fang of Goshinki, the detachment of Naraku which had been slain a century ago by Inuyasha, slid out easily. Kagura faced him.
With a twirl of her new fan, tornadoes began to form, drawing stones and soil in. Sesshoumaru eyed the fan closely. She had changed fans again. The fan she currently wielded had elegantly pierced metal ribs that were as sharp as the edge of his own Toukijin. Heavy cherry red silk covered the carved metal frame. A blood red silk tassel hung from the end. Sesshoumaru dodged when the whirlwinds converged on him. He held Toukijin out before him, the pointed end facing Kagura. Electric blue daggers of energy flew at her. A sweep of her fan produced a dozen of her signature attack – the wind blades. The two crashed together and dissolved. Sesshoumaru was on the heels of his attack. Metal clanged against metal as Toukjin was brought crashing down onto the fan that seemed too delicate to withstand the onslaught.
Ducking away from Sesshoumaru, Kagura pulled out her old fan from a pocket in her kimono, wielding it in her left hand. "Do you like my new weapon, Sesshoumaru? It's a shukusen, something I developed specially to deal with Toukijin. Don't you feel honored?" she mocked, darting in another direction.
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Kariyu seized his chance when Sesshoumaru turned his back to him. A bolt of lightning edged in red lanced from his hands, aiming at the taiyoukai. Kagome made a split second decision based purely on instinct. She pushed her own protective bubble towards Sesshoumaru. It enveloped him just as the lightning hit, producing a shower of sparks. Sharp slivers of ice raced toward her as Kagome's eyes widened. Kariyu laughed, revealing pointed teeth. Building a barrier strong enough to repel the ice took precious seconds she didn't have. Her mouth opened to voice a scream as they soared nearer and nearer.
When Kagome's original barrier passed through Sesshoumaru, the stump of his severed left arm tingled. A warm sensation poured through him, not unpleasant, but refreshingly new. He turned just in time to see the ice shards flying at the miko who had sacrificed her own barrier to save his life.
A/N: This is about 500 words longer than usual. Yay. Sorry I made you guys wait so long. Again, I cannot do reviewer responses. /sigh/ I'm not happy about that either… if you would like me to reply, leave your email address and I'll get back to you! Promise. But it might be a little slow.
Since I cannot do anything else, I decided to offer you guys IY song downloads. I have the following songs, and if you would like them, drop me an email at setsunakutte.yume or review. Tell me which songs you want. And of course, leave your own email address. The songs I have are as follows –
Opening Themes
Change the World – V6
I Am – Hitomi Yaida
Grip! – Every Little Thing
Owari nai Yume (Endless Dream) – Aikawa Nanase
One Day, One Dream – Tackey & Tsubasa
Come – Namie Amuro
Angelus – Shimatani Hitomi
Ending Themes
My Will – Dream
Fukai Mori (Deep Forest) – Do As Infinity
Every Heart – BoA
Dearest – Ayumi Hamasaki
Shinjitsu no Uta (Song of Truth) – Do As Infinity
Itazura na KISS (Mischievious Kiss) – Day After Tomorrow
Brand New World – V6
Movie Themes and Insert Songs
No More Words – Ayumi Hamasaki
Ai no Uta (Song of Love) – Every Little Thing
Yura Yura – Every Little Thing
Rakuen (Paradise) – Do As Infinity
Sotsugyou : Sayounara wa Ashita no Tame ni (Graduation: Farewell is for Tomorrow) – Tackey & Tsubasa
Character Single Songs
Aoki Yasei wo Daite (Embrace the Untamed Wilderness) – Kappei Yamaguchi as Inuyasha and Satsuki Yukino as Kagome
Kaze no Naka e (In The Wind) – Kouji Tsujitani as Miroku, Houko Kuwashima as Sango, and Kumiko Watanabe as Shippou
Gou – Ken Narita as Sesshoumaru, Mamiko Noto as Rin, and Yuuichi Nagashima as Jaken
Character Themes
Kagome and Inuyasha's Theme
Kagome's Theme : Toki wo Koeru Omoi
I have most of the lyrics as well. Just ask.
Okay, I gotta go now!
Kyasarinyume07 signing off. Don't forget to review! (: