Ok, so i lied. I didn't post another chapter before, though i have an excellent excuse. My sister got on the computer, and it's impossible to move her, then my brother got on the computer, and all hope was lost. Anyway, I'll rephrase my promise to ' I'll try to update every day or so. ' Happy? Good. (grins)

Chapter 7: Hive

" Ho! " Inuyasha shouted as he dodged the attack easily. " Is that all you've got? " He then smirked, raising his sword. " Wind Scar! " Inuyasha swung his Tetsusaiga at the demon with the intent to rip it apart. But, like with Gaidoku-maru, the attack never reached Ontai-Wasupu.

" Heh heh heh.. " The demon laughed once the wasps flew back out of the way. A collection of insect bodies lay at the demons feet, all ripped and torn. " My assistance serves me well.. " He grinned.

" Rggh! " Inuyasha growled. " Stop hiding behind those bugs and fight like a real demon! " Inuyasha again unleashed the wind scar, but again it only ripped through the wasps, not coming close to the demon.

There's too many of them! Inuyasha thought. To get through all of them, I'll be here all week! But i might not have that much time, if this demon is as strong as everyone thinks! With another growl, Inuyasha leaped at Ontai-Wasupu.

" If i can't kill you with my sword, I'll kill you with my claws! " He shouted, raising his hand to tear through the demon. But Ontai-Wasupu merely smiled. Suddenly Inuyasha felt a strong force to his left push him aside, away from the demon. He could tell it was the wasps pushing him, he could smell them, hear their wings. " Argh! Get out of my way! " Inuyasha yelled, frustrated.

" Sankon Tessou! " Inuyasha turned once he hit the ground and slashed at the wasps, spinning quickly through the swarm and tearing any that were near him. Quickly the swarm dissipated, spreading apart to get away from his claws. Inuyasha ended the attack with a graceful thump onto the ground. Looking behind him, he could see heaps of insect bodies on the ground making a trail of bodies which showed the path Inuyasha just took. Smirking, Inuyasha looked over at Ontai-Wasupu, eager to see how many of the vermin were left. It took all he had not to drop the smirk. Though he had torn through heaps, it seemed like he did nothing to the wasps now hovering behind the wasp demon.

" Heh! " Inuyasha grinned, trying to hide his disappointment. " A couple more of those and you'll ave no ' assistance ' left! "

" Fool. " Ontai-Wasupu now wore a smirk of his own. " You can kill them all if you wish, but for each one you slay, another is born in the hive. " Ontai-Wasupu then clicked his human fingers, and suddenly many black dots flew out of the large hive attached to the wall. The dots flew closer and Inuyasha could see they were in fact wasps, smaller and seemingly younger than the swarm that buzzed behind Ontai-Wasupu. Now Inuyasha dropped his smirk.

" They look younger, " Inuyasha stated, " So that must mean they die easier! " Inuyasha swung his sword at the new wasps, unleashing the Wind Scar. But before the winds created reached the new wasps, the older ones flew in the way to protect them. None of the new wasps were added to the pile of insect bodies resting on the ground.

" Why would you protect the weaker ones? " Sango shouted from atop of Kirara.

" Heh heh heh. Not only are young ones created when an older wasp dies, but they come back with more powerful poison. " Ontai-Wasupu replied, looking up with a creepy grin at Sango. Sango couldn't help but shudder at the demons cold eyes.

" Enough Chit Chat! " Inuyasha yelled. " It's time for you to die! " Inuyasha rushed forward with his claws drawn, hoping to catch the demon unawares so the wasps wouldn't stop him. Unfortunately it didn't work, and again he was pushed aside once more. " Damn it! " He shouted angrily.

" Heh heh heh! " Ontai-Wasupu laughed again. Before Inuyasha could blink, the demon was right in front of him. " Lets see you dodge this! " The demon said, bringing his insect claws down on Inuyasha.

" Aaagh! " Inuyasha shouted in pain as the demons claws tore through his chest, creating a large gash from his shoulder to his waist. Inuyasha leaped back out of the way, landing on the ground a few feet away, his kimono soaking up the blood dripping from his side. Growling, he rose to his feet.

" Heh heh heh.. " Ontai-Wasupu laughed." You can not beat me. "

" Rrggh! " Inuyasha snarled. He turned to Sango, who had just grabbed her Hiraikotsu back after throwing it at the wasps. " This will take a while! " He shouted to her. " Go with Kagome and find Miroku! "

" But-! " Sango protested.

" No buts! " Inuyasha interrupted her. " Go now! "

" No buts! " Inuyasha had shouted at her. " Go now! " That was exactly what Sango was doing. By her side, a reluctant Kagome followed. She had only agreed to come when Sango had told her she was leaving Kirara in Inuyasha's command, to help if needed.

Inuyasha is hurt.. Sango thought. That demon is not strong enough to beat Inuyasha, yet those wasps in it's command turns the tide in it's favor... Sango and Kagome quickly reached the manor. Pushing the straw door out of their way, they both ran into the manor. It was empty except for straw in the corners and... Miroku!

" Oh! " Sango gasped in shock.

" Kagome! " Shippo shouted. Sango hadn't noticed him next to Miroku, too shocked at the site of him enclosed in what appeared to be a shield, blocked from anyone reaching him.

" Shippo! " Kagome said happily, grabbing the Kitsune as he leaped at her.

" Did you see the mushrooms? " He asked innocently, looking up at Kagome with a proud grin.

" Yes. " Kagome answered, smiling at him. " We found our way here thanks to you. " Sango was ignoring their conversation, still staring at the monks unconscious body. Hastily, she ran over to him and knelt down beside him. She heard Kagome follow behind her, kneeling down on the other side of him. Sango peered through the glass at him. His eyes were closed, his face showing an eery peace.

" I think his awake. " Shippo said, peering down at the monk himself.

" Lord Monk..? " Sango mumbled. Miroku opened his eyes slightly and peered at her, a dazed and slightly confused look in his eyes. Seeing him awake, Sango couldn't help but laugh slightly in relief. She felt even happier when he smiled slightly back at her.

" Sango.. " He mumbled, his eyes giving away his relief to see her.

" Lord Monk, are you all right? " She asked him, speaking more urgently. To her dismay, she didn't get a proper reply.

" .. Mmm... " Miroku mumbled, closing his eyes. Worry again spread across Sango's face.

" He has been like that since he woke up. " Shippo informed them. " Its like he's not all there.. "

" That paralysing poison must be dulling his senses! " Kagome said, not hiding any worry or fear in her voice or on her face. " We gotta get him out of this! "

" The mean demon said he was going to take Miroku's power. " Shippo informed them. " He also said he wanted his skin. "

" What? " Sango said suddenly, looking up at the Kitsune. His skin? That's.. That's so gross! She couldn't help but think. " Why? " She asked.

" The demon said he wanted to wear it. Said something about it lasting longer than ordinary skin. " Shippo continued at Sango's question.

" Ugh.. " Sango uttered. Kagome wore a look of horror.

" Oh, and he said that once Miroku is done healing, he'll start to kill him by draining his energy. " Shippo added quickly, like it wasn't very important.

" What do you mean, ' when he's done healing '? " Kagome asked, looking down at the Kitsune in her arms.

" Umm... The demon said he had to heal the cut Sango gave Miroku, so he's healing him. " Shippo said after a pause.

" Must be why he's not dead yet.. " Sango replied, looking back down at Miroku. Miroku's eyes were open again and was watching her.

" Where's Inuyasha..? " Miroku asked her before she could say anything.

" Uh.. " Sango uttered, not expecting the question. " He's outside, fighting Ontai-Wasupu. " Sango noticed Miroku frown slightly.

" He can't win if the wasps are there.. " Miroku said. " Sango sighed unhappily.

" There's no way to get rid of them though... " Sango replied. " When one dies, another is born. "

" Mmm... " Miroku mumbled again, closing his eyes once more. Sango could tell he was thinking, but that didn't concern her. What was most important on her mind was getting Miroku out of the shield thing, and getting out of here. It was clear Ontai-Wasupu wasn't a demon to be messed with. Inuyasha, even, was having much trouble with him. When they had left to come here, Inuyasha had a large gash running down his side, from his shoulder to his hip.

" How is Miroku being healed, anyway? " Kagome wondered out loud. " It can't be done with just the shield. There needs to be something supplying the power.. "

" Ontai-Wasupu, of course! " Shippo said loudly.

" No. " Sango interrupted. " He wouldn't be able to do this, something else must be..

" The hive? " Kagome suggested. " I saw a blue light outlining it earlier, before we entered this manor.. It's about the same colour as this shield.. " Suddenly the shield colour dulled. But before it turned completely transparent, it darkened again, this time the colour being red.

" Not any more. " Shippo stated, looking at the red light.

" What caused this..? " Sango asked thin air.

" I believe the healing may be done.. " Miroku chimed in. He opened his eyes and looked up at Sango, barely moving his head as he did so. " He might have decided to kill me now... "

" Oh! " Sango uttered, alarmed.

Inuyasha slashed his claws at Ontai-Wasupu again, but this time, instead of the wasps blocking him, Ontai-Wasupu merely dodged it. But it wasn't just an act of defence. On his way past, Ontai-Wasupu dug his claws into Inuyasha's side, tearing another gash through his Kimono and his flesh.

" Argh! " Inuyasha cried out in pain. Without thinking, without planning his next move, Inuyasha swung the Tetsusaiga at the source of the pain. Without the wasps in it's way, the blade easily cut through the demon, almost severing it's arm.

" Augh! " Ontai-Wasupu grunted angrily. He dashed a short distance away from Inuyasha, the wasps buzzing behind him, ready to protect him again. His arm hung limp, almost completely severed from his body.

" Heh! " Inuyasha smirked. " So your not all powerful, are you? " Finally he had managed to hit the demon. In his mind, Inuyasha saw it as a fluke, as a reaction to the pain Ontai-Wasupu caused him. But if he pretended it was intentional, maybe the demon will stop acting so cocky.

" Give up before i cut up the rest of you! " Inuyasha threatened. But instead of seeing the look of rage that every other demon that he had injured showed, Ontai-Wasupu just... smiled.

" Heh he heh.. " He laughed. " That was a good shot, Hanyou. But your just causing your friend to die faster when you strike me." At that, the hive to Inuyasha's right began to glow a red. It was mild at first, but then the colour grew stronger until Inuyasha could clearly see the crimson glow. Keeping Ontai-Wasupu in view in the corner of his eye, Inuyasha watched the glow curiously. What was that about killing Miroku? Inuyasha wondered, alarmed. Suddenly he noticed a red glow surround Ontai-Wasupu. Instantly Inuyasha turned to face him again, expecting an attack. But no attack waited. The red glow surrounded Ontai-Wasupu's wound, glowing as intensely as the hive. Then the wound began to heal. Slowly the wound closed, and once the glow disappeared there wasn't even a scar left.

" How?.! " Inuyasha struggled not to stammer. " How did you do that?.! " It was impossible for a wasp demon to revive itself. Even Inuyasha knew that!

" Your friend assisted me. " Ontai-Wasupu replied. " With his life energy being sapped from him at this moment, i can use it to heal any and all wounds you give me. And each one will kill him faster. It's a virtue. For me, at least. " He added, smirking again. Inuyasha's only reply was a menacing growl.

I can't hurt him.. He thought. If what he says is true... I can't hurt him...

Kagome stared down at Miroku. Had what he just said be true? But it didn't look like Miroku was getting any worse.. How exactly was he going to kill him, anyway? Kagome's thoughts rushed through her mind in only seconds. Ontai-Wasupu is caught up with Inuyasha.. Would that buy time? Is he planning to kill Miroku some other way?

Kagome was wrenched from her thoughts as she heard Ontai-Wasupu's cry of pain outside. Oh! She suddenly thought. " Did Inuyasha win? " She couldn't help but ask. But she knew the answer. She could still see the glow of the red shield covering Miroku. If the demon was dead, the shield would disappear. But it didn't, which told her Ontai-Wasupu was still alive.

" Nngh... " She heard a weak gasp from Miroku, shortly followed by a shocked and worried gasp from Sango. Quickly she looked over at the Monk. The red glow intensified, and small, red balls of light seemed to be being sucked out of Miroku's body. At least, the lights looked red. It could be just the shield that made them appear red. Kagome knew the lights were Miroku's life force, his energy, his strength.

" What's wrong..? " Sango asked Miroku fearfully. Clearly she couldn't see the orbs of light. It must be only Kagome that can see them. Makes sense.

" H-he's draining Miroku's energy.. " Kagome answered. Saying it felt like it was confirming Miroku's slow death, but she had no choice. Denying it did nothing.

" Oh no! " Shippo's fearful voice squeaked.

" Something must be happening outside..! " Kagome exclaimed. Hastily, she put Shippo down and climbed to her feet. She didn't know why she was going outside. Miroku probably needed her attention more, but she couldn't shake the feeling she should be outside.. Something out their triggered the orbs. I must know why! She thought as she reached the door. Is the hive now red, like the shield?

What do you think Kagome will discover? How will Inuyasha win if he can't attack? Will i actually update this in a day or will there be another wait? Hope not. :P