The betrayal
Enjoy reading and please review and give me some critiques.
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all its characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. Only the plot of this story belongs to me. *Leaves house to meet Mrs. Takahashi and talk about ownerships.*
Chapter 3
When they got out of the corridor, they were standing (and floating) in a basement. Kagome was shocked. "No… This couldn't… How? Why are we…? How did Naraku manage to…? WHY?"
She remembered this basement. She was in there once before. It was a sacred ground, so she wasn't allowed to go in there without doing the prayers her grandfather showed her. And she certainly had no intentions to pray just for seeing some random 'holy' basement. It was the basement beneath the shrine with the sacred tree and the bone eater's well. The place where Kagome lived above.
"Kagura, where are we? And where's Naraku?" Indeed Naraku was nowhere to be seen. But neither were Kanna or any other demons. Mom, Sota, Grandpa, please be alright.
Then a door in the wall, that, as far as Kagome remembered, wasn't there before, opened.
Since "the incident" neither Inuyasha nor Sango, Miroku or Shippou said a word. They were still chasing after the abducted Kagome. Inuyasha was leaping through the treetops while the two humans and the little fox demon were riding on Kirara's back, flying above the forest. They were all soaked by now because of all the rain.
"Inuyasha, let's shelter from the rain somewhere." It was Sango who spoke up. "Sango, Inuyasha is too deep in his thoughts. Let's not disturb him. He would say no anyway. Kagome is missing. He wouldn't stop voluntarily." And the monk was true. Inuyasha was thinking like he never was before. He even ignored Sango's words.
What the hell happened back there? As if I would say something like that. Even if it may be true… I wouldn't just say it. No, it can't be true. I would never say something like that. I couldn't even do it in my thoughts. They must have lied. Yes, that's it. They're playing a prank on me. That's the only possibility. It must be that… But why were they so shocked? And why wouldn't they answer me when I asked? The whole thing didn't seem like joke. They probably would have been laughing their butts off. It just doesn't make any sense.
But Inuyasha wasn't the only one thinking. Both of the humans were too.
Inuyasha, what's going on? Did you really not realize what you said? And even forgot your own words? Inuyasha, you would never lie to us, would you? This is some bad omen for sure. This can't be good.
While Sango's thoughts were of concern and worry, Miroku had his own weasel thoughts.
Inuyasha, you dog. Just telling us your little secret to relieve your stressed soul and then pretending to not have noticed what you said. You are sneakier than I thought. Your act even sounded believable. But we all know how much you like Kagome and what you want to do with her.
Those thoughts triggered something in Miroku. His "chasing instincts". Unfortunately those "chasing instincts" always had bad outcomes. As always he sat behind Sango, his staff around her body, holding it with both hands. He slowly let the staff go with one hand. Said hand wandered upwards, searching for some certain soft, round breasts. Sango yelped. She slapped Miroku's hand away. "You damn monk! Can't you read the mood?! You're lucky to sit behind me! Otherwise you would have flown!" She was seriously pissed. That much was for sure. "Wait, so that means you can't slap or hit me when I'm sitting behind you?" Sango didn't like what the monk just said. "Monk, what are you…?" "Oh nothing in particular." Sango didn't see it, but she could tell that Miroku was grinning over his whole face. "KYAAAHH! Miroku, I swear I'm so going to kill you when we land!" Miroku didn't seem to care as he continued to feel her up. "When we land, you'll not even be mad anymore but feel good instead." The perverted man laughed out loud. Sango started to feel somewhat weak and struggled to hold Miroku's hand off her private parts. It was then, that Inuyasha spoke again: "This shrine is the place where Kagome's scent dissipates." "Oh no!" That was the last thing Miroku said before the group touched the ground again. Miroku expected the devil himself to appear, to get hit by Hiraikotsu, to be slapped across the face a hundred times. But instead of hell itself, he just got a "I'll get you for this after we save Kagome. But believe me, you won't know what's happening to you!" As soon as the annoyed demon slayer turned her attentions other ways, Miroku let out a very deep sigh of relief.
The team of five now stood in front of the little house, Kirara back in her cute little cat form, sitting on Sango's shoulder, Shippou hanging over Inuyasha's shoulder. Miroku was the first one to speak: "Inuyasha, did they go inside?" "Yes, they did. Let's go." Right after arriving inside the very small room, Inuyasha scanned all of it and immediately took off towards the strange torch and pulled at it. Nothing happened. Inuyasha used some more strength. Still no changes.
Dammit, why isn't this working? I should be able to move the torch a little and a hole in the ground should open. And more strength won't bring me further. The people in those books were always able to do it without wasting all of their energy.
Yeah, Inuyasha enjoyed it to read. He never told anyone. This is a secret just like his feelings for Kagome. At night, when all of his friends were sleeping and he couldn't, he would search Kagome's bag for new books she brought. Most of the time, there were only those books with those so called "exercises" with a whole lot of gaps. In some of the exercises, the gaps were filled. Kagome probably filled them. But sometimes, she would bring those books with stories. Those books were filled with nothing but text. But Inuyasha always read them with excitement. It were those books which told him to pull at the torch to open up a secret path.
Come on, come on, open up! Where are you, you damned secret path?
"Inuyasha, what are you doing?" Sango was obviously confused. "What does it look like? I'm opening the secret path in the ground!" "Then why are you pulling at this torch?" "'Cause it's the switch, of course!" "Inuyasha…" Sango was now worried about Inuyasha's well-being. "Are you alright? Why should there open a secret path if you pull at a torch? This doesn't make sense." Then it hit Inuyasha. He realized that they wouldn't know about those secret paths since they didn't read Kagome's books. But he also couldn't tell them about him reading books. With that knowledge, they would never stop mocking him.
"Uhm… It's a possibility?" Inuyasha was ashamed to no end. He looked like some stupid freak. He was clearly relieved for Sango to change the topic and not asking him out about this further. "Inuyasha the torch actually is suspicious. I mean, look at its colour. And what's more: take a look at that wall. This painting says something about a fire."
They now all studied the painting and those mysterious words. "May the blood of a demon merge with the flames and burn the words of revealing. Does anyone have an idea what this could mean?" It was Miroku who spoke. But neither of the other ones had a clue. "I think this flame mentioned here is the torch at the other wall." Sango said. "Then what's this about the flames merging with the blood of a demon?" Inuyasha had an idea what it could mean but he didn't really want to believe it. Miroku probably thought the same thing as he said what Inuyasha didn't want to hear. "Inuyasha, maybe you could somehow absorb those flames or something. Or maybe merge with them? I do feel some demonic power from the torch. It's probably some spell." Inuyasha started to panic. As if he would set himself on fire. "What are you talking about? I don't want to burn down. And even if I could merge with this fire. What am I supposed to do afterwards?" He had a point there. He left both of the humans speechless. They were probably just enjoying teasing Inuyasha since he was afraid. After all, that was really rare. "Weeell… How about… uhm… maybe burning the words of revealing?" "And what the heck are those words of revealing, Sango? Do you even know?" "Actually I don't…"
Inuyasha thought he was safe and let out an arrogant but nervous "See?". But he wasn't. Shippou, the only one who didn't say a thing up until now, spoke. "I think those words of revealing are the words on the painting. Because they are more or less revealing the answer to the quiz." All of the others kept quiet and looked at Shippou. "What?" "Shippou, that… actually makes sense." When the little fox demon heard Sango's kind words, he climbed on top of Inuyasha's head, lifted his head up high, and put up a puffed up tone. "See? I knew it all along." "What was that, you little runt? You knew it all along?" "No! Inuyasha, wait!" "Why? Shippou, you do know that Kagome isn't here to safe you this time, right? So why should I wait?" Inuyasha grinned evilly. The defiant boy cowered in fear of that silver-haired monster leaning over him. There was a quiet "Bang" when Inuyasha hit Shippou on his head, a bulge appearing on the hit spot.
"So, what are we gonna do now?" Inuyasha asked. As if the answer should be obvious, Miroku said: "What else? You're gonna merge with those flames now and try burning those words." Inuyasha got afraid again. "WHAT? I'm not gonna set myself on fire for something we don't even know will work. Would you do it, Miroku? Would you want to set yourself on fire?" "I would!" Nobody expected that one. "If Sango would have been abducted, I would go to save her. I would do everything, even sacrifice my life so Sango could life. But this is Kagome we're talking about. We all know you love her. You would do anything for her, wouldn't you?" And he was right. Inuyasha only didn't want to do it because he forgot his young beautiful priestess for a swift moment. "Thanks Miroku." The monk nearly didn't hear it, but answered with a "You're welcome.".
Inuyasha made himself ready for merging with the flames. He drew Tetsusaiga and laid it on his hand. With a swift motion, he cut his hand open and sheathed the sword again. Just like the flame answered to Kagura's blood, it also answered to Inuyasha's. What they didn't know, was that the flame responded 'wrong'. The flame didn't grow slow. And the blue core didn't spread either. The flame immediately turned to a dark blood red, getting as high as Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga was long. It wasn't only the top of the torch burning now but the handle too. All of Inuyasha's friends looked at him. The silver-haired half demon stood in front of the torch, his back towards his friends. He slowly lifted his hand towards the torch. It was blazing fiercely. The distance between Inuyasha's hand and the flame was only about five centimetres. Then it happened. The blood red flame jumped over. The whole flame was concentrated around the bleeding hand. It whirled and spun around the hand, seeming to burn it down. ""AAAAAHHH! What the hell is this? It's burning my hand!" A violet nebula rose from the burning hand. "Inuyasha, it's miasma! Get away from the torch, I'll suck the fire and the miasma into my wind tunnel!" Miroku started to untie his arm, getting the endless void ready. Inuyasha started to pull away from the torch, just to realize he didn't get away. "Damn, I can't get away!" While Inuyasha was trying to get away, the flame slowly started to creep up Inuyasha's arm and more miasma emerged. Inuyasha pressed his foot at the wall the torch was placed and pressed as hard as he could. "Sango, go help him. I can't suck in the miasma when he's not separated from this thing. And Shippou use your fox fire to prevent the flame from burning his whole arm." Sango grabbed Inuyasha at his shoulders and began to pull while Shippou casted his green glowing fire protective around Inuyasha's arm. But it all didn't seem to help. The flame wouldn't let loose of Inuyasha's arm and Shippou just wasn't strong enough to really prevent the fire from growing.
"Miroku, use your wind tunnel. It is the only thing strong enough to get Inuyasha away from this thing." "No, I can't. It's too dangerous. I could suck him in." "It doesn't matter, Miroku. Just get me away from this thing. You've lived long enough with that curse. You're a master in using it. So DO IT!" Miroku still didn't like it, but he had to save his friend. "Alright. Sango and Shippou, get behind me. It's not safe anywhere near Inuyasha. Shippou, are you able to hold your fox fire up from this distance?" They were about three meters apart from Inuyasha. The shrine wouldn't allow more. "Yes, I am." "Alright then. Inuyasha, be sure not to get sucked in." "That's completely your thing. You're the only one who can prevent this one." " Are you ready? WIND TUNNEL!" The void in the monk's hand started to draw everything that wasn't fixed. A mouse flew through the whole house and disappeared inside the emptiness. The moss that grew on the walls started to loosen itself, dust fell from the ceiling. And very slowly the flame let go of Inuyasha's arm. "It's starting to loosen. Miroku, hold it up." By now Inuyasha was flying. The only thing holding him back was the cursed flame. "Inuyasha, I need you to help me. When you think the flame is letting go, give me a countdown so it is easier for me to stop the tunnel." "Alright." And from here on out, it seemed like time was flowing slower. Miroku still didn't make a move. He was holding out his wind tunnel in front of him. Sango was standing beside him, still completely focused on the scene that was happening. Both the demons were on Sango's shoulder. Kirara hung over her left shoulder, while Shippou was standing on the right shoulder, struggling to hold up his fire. Inuyasha was still being separated from the torch. The only thing left to get out was his hand. His whole lower arm was out of the flame. Then he started to count.
"3… 2… 1… NOW!" Now time seemed to freeze. Inuyasha being separated from the torch, the flame following him. Sango was turning her head to look at Miroku. Shippou on her shoulder still concentrating on his fox fire, wrapping it around the blood red flame to hold it away from Inuyasha. Kirara lying on the demon slayers other shoulder was looking at the flying Inuyasha. Miroku closing his hand and sealing his arm with the beads.
All of this seemed to last an eternity. Everything was standing still.
Then Inuyasha impacted on Miroku. Both of them falling to the ground.
Inuyasha was the first one to get up. "Thanks Miroku." "Your kind monk is always her for you, Inuyasha." Miroku had this tone of arrogance and pride in his voice. This clearly didn't seem to please Sango. "Listen her, monk! You don't have to get so cocky just for saving Inuyasha once. A simple 'You're welcome' would have been enough!" But now that the danger was gone, Miroku was back to his lecherous self and completely ignored all of Sango's words. "My dear Sango. You don't have to get jealous of Inuyasha, just because you wanted to get saved by me and being on top of me." As usual, Sango didn't like the lecherous Miroku and flipped out. "What did you just say, monk? I am so going to kill you!" Sango wanted to dash towards Miroku to beat the hell out of him, but was interrupted by the little fox demon. "Uhm… guys? I don't want to disturb you, but I can't hold this flame back much longer." "Oh, shit! Everyone, get out of here!" Inuyasha screamed. "Shippou, give it up, we're going to flee." Everyone dashed towards the door, trying to get away from the demonic flame. But the flame didn't want to let them go and entangled the door in flames. "Damn it all. I'm going to blast this stuff away!" Inuyasha grabbed his Tetsusaiga and drew it out of the sheath. But as he wanted to take it in two hands for casting the wind scar, he yelped in pain. He had completely forgotten about his damaged left arm. "Miroku, I can't use Tetsusaiga like this. Can you use your seals somehow?" "I'll try." Miroku took out five of his seals, chanting a spell, making them glow in a blue light. But the flame simply answered by devouring the seals and burning them. By now the group of five was trapped in the corner next to the painting. The flame appeared to get angry more and more as it grew tentacle-like arms and attacked the group. Miroku and Sango were struggling to fight back, due to Inuyasha not being able to use his demon sword.
"AAAHH! Let me go!" Shippou was grasped at his leg, struggling to hold himself at something. But he completely failed as he got drawn into the flame. "NO! Shippou!" Inuyasha tried to grab him, but he was too late. They couldn't see Shippou anymore. He was gone. Devoured.