I do not own InuYasha or the characters created by Rumiko Takahashi.
The Lost Chapters: The Desire Within Part 5
Long thin tentacles whipped out of the darkness towards Sango, but she flung hiraikotsu to cut the mind controlling antennae. Several demon ants were split open, but it barely fazed the dense mass surrounding them. The demon slayer caught her weapon just as the ants began advancing on all sides.
"I was wondering what they were waiting for," Inuyasha grumbled. "Do you always make your food wait this long?!" he shouted at them.
"Don't call us food!" Kagome protested.
He ignored her and charged, slashing with tetsusaiga as he went. Some ants jumped on his arms to slow him down but others weren't so lucky. Kagome rolled her eyes at his pompous nature and focused on her side of their defense.
"Right I can do this," she encouraged herself, notching an arrow.
She fired a purifying arrow into the dark mass, but knew it was only a matter of time before she ran out. Shippo fought with Miroku, setting ants on fire after the monk paralyzed them with ofudas. Sango steadily threw her weapon breaking apart the ants, but all their effort didn't seem to make a difference.
"Are you sure these things aren't multiplying? How could there be so many of them?" Inuyasha cursed.
Slowly Sango started to realize that the swarm around her had anchored her legs to the ground. Without being able to twist her body she couldn't throw hiraikotsu, but continued to slash at them anyway. The mound around her grew more intense and seemed to be pulling her down. Kirara, a few feet away, noticed the demon slayer's predicament. She flew over to pull her out and Sango instinctively reached up to grab onto her mane. Kirara pulled her out easily and circled above the group while Sango secured herself on her back.
"Thank you, Kirara," Sango breathed patting her gently.
She squeezed her thighs against Kirara's sides and threw hiraikotsu into the pile of ants that had almost engulfed her.
Suddenly a scream echoed around the dim cave. Inuyasha's right ear twitched as he stopped mid-swing.
"Kagome!" the half demon hollered, turning to see the miko fighting off the antennae with her bow.
She had one arrow left in her quiver, but her right arm was tangled with antennae. The ants had no interest in controlling her anymore and were pulling her away from the group.
"Inuyasha!" she shouted hysterically, remembering the image of the villager sucked dry.
The half demon was overloaded with ants and couldn't get over to her. He fought with all his strength to get his legs free, but the few ants he smashed weren't enough. More tentacles whipped out of the air and wrapped tightly around his arms restraining him. He watched in horror as Kagome was pulled further away from him.
Sango and Kirara raced towards her, but before she could throw hiraikotsu Kirara was caught in a field of antennae. They jerked her downward causing Sango to drop her weapon and lose her balance. Kirara struggled against the rope-like grip and accidently heaved the demon slayer off her back. Sango gasped as she looked down into the black sea rushing towards her. Kirara roared in protest, but couldn't break free.
"Sango!" Inuyasha shouted as he watched her fall.
Miroku turned his attention to the demon slayer and knew he would never make it in time. Unexpectedly, Shippo jumped into the air and threw something at Sango. It was a toy that transformed into a small pony catching Sango before she became prey to the demons below. Before they could breathe a sigh of relief though, there was another shout.
"Miroku!" the half demon called, making eye contact with him. The monk quickly understood the pleading look he gave and nodded.
"Shippo let's go," the monk prompted. Shippo fired another blast into the darkness to keep the ants at bay as he hopped onto the monk's shoulder.
The monk fought his way over to Kagome who had lost her footing and was barely visible. She had dropped the bow and was clawing at the ground with her left hand desperately.
"There's too many of them," he said quickly realizing that all his fighting was getting him nowhere. He looked down at his wind tunnel.
"Do you think they're poisonous?" Shippo asked.
The monk glanced at his friends, his eyes lingering over Sango. She had landed safely on the ground, but without her weapon was unable to defend herself properly.
"There's only one way to find out," he answered, pulling the beads from around his arm.
"Sango! Inuyasha! Hold onto something!" he commanded.
Sango unsheathed the sword at her hip and stabbed it into the earth as Inuyasha did the same with tetsusaiga.
Miroku opened the wind tunnel and directed his hand towards the demon ants at their feet and then swept over Kagome to free her. When she started to rise off the ground, he aimed his wind tunnel at Sango and then Inuyasha. The hold on Kirara was also loosened and she flew to the ground by Kagome's side. Once his friends were out of danger he continued to suck up the rest of the ants. He closed the hole in his hand when he saw hiraikotsu flying towards him. He wrapped the beads around his arm and ducked just in time for the weapon to fly over his head.
"Everyone okay?" he asked. Each of them uttered a sound confirming they were alive, but very much wind swept.
"I guess they weren't poisonous then," Shippo confirmed.
"Yes, I don't feel any different, but it was a lot to take in at once," he added.
"This isn't over, yet," Inuyasha said pulling tetsusaiga out of the ground.
He went over to Kagome first and helped her up.
"Are you okay?" he questioned.
She nodded, but still felt unnerved. He then disappeared into the darkness to exterminate the few demons that escaped Miroku's wind tunnel. The last ant was limping towards an eerily lit exit of the dome shaped cave.
"If we follow that one, it'll lead us to the center of the nest," Sango offered. She retrieved her weapon and placed her sword back in its sheath.
"I think you're right," Miroku agreed.
Kagome dusted herself off and picked up her bow. She was hoping there weren't many ants left. They gathered together and she reluctantly followed her companions through another tunnel.