hey guys, i know s'been a long time since i last updated this story. i was on a exam hiatus. (actually exams are still going on...but i need a break, too.) but here it is! i hope you enjoy! please review! the more reviews there are, i'm gonna add a twist and make this a masterpiece!
Chapter 8: A Fear Not Known Until Now
Sango and Miroku quietly clambered up. The silence was scaring them. As they neared the dark room, they could barely hear a noise, though they saw the hunched form of Inuyasha. They heard no sound of breathing or movement.
As they approached the half-demon, their hearts raced. The hanyou and the miko were not moving.
Inuyasha was unable to move. He wanted to do something—revive her, hold her—but he couldn't move. Something was stopping. He did not breathe, move. His heart no longer beat. His eyes were empty. He could no longer function.
Seeing this, Sango subconsciously clutched the monk's sleeve. Her pulse was deafeningly loud and she was frightened. The monk, himself, was too caught up with what was at present to take the demon slayer's touch the wrong way. The pair made their way around Inuyasha and around Kagome. When Sango caught a glimpse of Kagome's wide eyes she let out a gasp, her hand shooting up to her mouth to stifle the cry. But when she saw the same blank, emotionless, and lifeless expression in Inuyasha's eyes, the girl clutched the monk's arm with an iron grip.
"Inuyasha..." she whispered. Sango waved her fingers in front of the hanyou's face. No reaction.
Panic instilled the girl's body. Her hands grabbed at Kagome's lip arm. She shook hard. "Kagome!" she let out, in a fierce whisper.
"Miroku!"
Sango turned to the monk, her eyes brimming with tears. "What do we do?" she breathed. She wrapped her arms around her torso and the monk's protective grip followed, her head tucked under his chin. Miroku hoped with all his might that Sango wouldn't feel his own heart race. He couldn't tell the girl he was scared, too.
Miroku's mind began to race. He wasn't just scared for Kagome, Sango, or Inuyasha—or their lives for that matter. It was Naraku's power, his effect on people that scared him. If this was what Naraku could do to Inuyasha, imagine what he could do to mankind. All he had to do was to steal the person that someone cares deeply about and control them from there. He grasped his hold around a shaking Sango tighter. He didn't show the way he should, but he cared for Sango. Enough to fall apart if Naraku took her from him.
Naraku was enjoying himself. He had a plan. It was clear in his mind. He knew what he was going to do. He'd get rid of all of them for sure. But he had to make sure they were still alive enough to see the atrocities that were to come. Especially Inuyasha. The half-demon would have to watch. Watch everything that Naraku would do to his precious, little wench. She would suffer, no doubt—and so naturally, so would Inuyasha. Everything will work out fine. There was no stopping him. Inuyasha was weakened already by the sight of the cheap reincarnation. Naraku smiled. They would all come know how worthless this reincarnation would be. She is no match to the real one. Kikyo will never be replaced. Kikyo. Kikyo, Kikyo, Kikyo. Naraku liked saying the name.
He got up from his seat amongst plump cushions. It was time to terrorize them. A terrorized, immobile, empty Inuyasha would be easy to steal the half of the Shikon Jewel from. And that monk and demon slayer will be a breeze to get rid of. He smiled smugly and opened the door of his room and paced down the hall.
Sango heard the flat, ominent, and hollow sound of feet. She jerked away from Miroku and clutched his hands, her eyes wide with fear. This was the end, she was sure.
The scraping sound of the door sliding open was unbearable.
The shadow cast upon the bare wood of the floor was unwavering. With a jerk of a hand, Naraku slammed the door shut, sending the whole house rocking.
Shockwaves from the door stirred Inuyasha from his trance. He breathed a very shallow breath once. Then silence. Miroku frantically listened for another breath. And slowly, he heard the hanyou breath another ragged breath.
At the sound of Inuyasha's first breaths, Naraku hissed. The hanyou is strong. And stubborn. Like that stupid wench.
Naraku held his imperious stance, his mouth slowly forming hints of a smirk as he spied the monk and slayer's wide-eyed fear and the hanyou bent over the miko.
"Well, well…what have we here? A sad bunch you are, the both of you. And is that Inuyasha I see? A barely breathing, barely living Inuyasha?"
At the second sound of his name, Inuyasha chest heaved and he drew in a loud breath. Naraku, his brain echoed. Gripping the handle of his Tetsusaiga, he gathered his strength and slowly got of his knees and stood. His eyes wavered from empty to normal and then empty and then normal. He blinked. He saw. Naraku…
Struggling, he opened his mouth, "What…" he panted, "have you done…to…Kagome…"
Naraku laughed. "Save your strength, Inuyasha. That wench is worthless."
Hearing that, Inuyasha's blood surged within his veins. How dare you, he thought.
"She is not worthless."
"How like you, Inuyasha. You're protecting her. From something that wouldn't even hurt as much as things that you have done to her, yourself."
Inuyasha growled. He could feel his pulse quicken slightly from panic. Panic that Naraku knew about their whereabouts. How dare he spy on us. How dare he accuse me.
"What have you done to Kagome!"
"Oh, I see, you are a loyal lover. At last…or are you? Where are your dog loyalties?" Naraku's voiced echoed in the darkness.
Inuyasha refused to answer. He didn't have to tell Naraku anything. He just wanted Kagome back. Turning his head, he looked down at Kagome's empty eyes. She was nothing more than a shell. The insides had been taken away. Inuyasha's hand jerked a bit and he tightened his grip on his sword. The sight of Kagome's empty body stabbed at his heart. But he couldn't let that show.
"I'm only going to ask you, once more, Naraku. What have you done to Kagome!" he demanded.
Naraku laughed again. The half-demon was insistent and unrelenting, as usual. "Inuyasha…when will you learn? You'll get nothing with your demands. You never have. The wench is your prime example."
Naraku paced closer to the basin and skimmed his finger over the waters. A bright glow escaped, along with a resounding ring that seemed to settle as a moan upon Inuyasha's ears. The hanyou stared intently at the basin of water, his hand loosening its grip on Tetsusaiga. There was something about it that struck him, but he couldn't pinpoint it. He knew that he had to find out what was in the water.
Naraku widened his barely-noticeable smirk a smidge. Inuyasha was picking up on it. Flexing his fingers, he inspected his nails. They were sharp and well-shaped—easily mistaken for a woman's hand. With a flick of wrist, he struck the waters' surface and the glow turned a bluish-white. They could hear the sound of ripping, and Inuyasha swung around to see that there were now rips in Kagome's blouse. He could see light scratches but blood was beading along the wounds. He felt as is Naraku had struck himself. He wanted to do something to help Kagome, but he knew that Naraku would get at him if he did. He had to do something to protect Kagome, all the while, destroying Naraku. He took one last look at Kagome and saw the tears well up in her empty eyes.
Turning away fromthe body of hisbeloved, he laid his eyes upon the basin. He knew, now. The basin—it held none other than Kagome's soul. He could smell the scent that proliferated lightly from its glimmer. It was Kagome's. And it was violated. He could smell Kagome's blood from the basin and from her body.
Gripping Tetsusaiga, again, he realized that it would be harder now to protect Kagome. She was separated into two. And all Naraku had to do was attack either one.
A vein throbbed in his neck. His heart was heavy with panic, sadness, fury, rage, defeat, hope, determination, love, and fear. And with that he unsheathed Tetsusaiga.
"HOW DARE YOU! I WISH YOU NOTHING MORE THAN MISERY AND HELL!" he bellowed, slamming Tetsusaiga on the floor, splitting the floorboards on contact.
"Oh, you would now, wouldn't you?" Naraku extended a hand out and reached for the basin and with that Inuyasha struck Naraku's arm. Severed, the appendage fell to a dead thump on the floor.
"Sango! Miroku! Take Kagome with you and run!" Inuyasha yelled over his shoulder. A small puff of the all too familiar miasma rose from the stump on Naraku's arm.
"Do you think that you are immune, Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha gave an animal yell and took a few steps back. He then lunged at Naraku with Tetsusaiga, until to fall back from with the same force he gathered to attack. With vehemence, he shot a glance at Naraku's outstretched, flexed hand.
That bastard put up a barrier! Now what?
"You can't do anything now to protect your lover. Or is she?" Naraku's hand dipped into the basin and let the water on his hand sprinkle over his fingers and back into the basin.
The half-demon's nostril flared at the scent emerging from within the barrier. He didn't know what to do. Naraku had him cornered either way. And with the barrier up, there was nothing he could do to protect Kagome.
He was trapped, cornered, left with no choice. Kagome had no one to protect her. He couldn't do anything. And it was then, that true fear crept into his heart.
