Darkness Within The Shadows

Sakura Blossom Epic Chapter Six

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha!

Another chapter? So soon?

Rated M For Violence and Mayhem (and sex)

EDIT: Recently Beta'ed now. Thanks Geezus.

X

Miroku approached the mansion, his vision focused solely on the doorway that neither he nor Inuyasha had been able to enter earlier. Now with Inuyasha missing, it was more than likely that someone was controlling it from the inside. Allowing only those it wished to enter, and most likely keeping those that sensed its true motives. A chill spread along his forearm and the monk subconsciously went to rub it away as he circled around the front. The structure of the building held mysteries to even his eye as he couldn't seem to find a window or entrance for servants back when it was in service. From what he'd been told by the villagers, the place used to hold nothing but fond memories as a Lord had taken watch over the village, holding festivals at his mansion with every fortnight of a season.

And then she came.

Like a vicious wind that swept a gentle rain until it turned into a downpour of doom, she had entered the Lord's life, intent on taking what she could.

The villagers had warned the Lord of her intentions, but he would not listen, being too deeply in love.

Soon after, the villagers stayed far away from the village. Unfortunately, the Lord in his haste wanting to keep the woman happy had told her that everything that was his was hers – including the village that he kept safe.

Miroku was amazed at the irony in one man's mistake. He'd wanted to protect the village, keep it safe and then ended up giving it to the worst creature that would destroy it.

Later on they had found his body wrapped in markings that held claim to a spell, which remained cast over his body. He'd been jaded by the woman only to be tricked. Brainwashed into loving her until finally she sucked him for all that he was worth.

Years went on, and the woman grew greedier by the day, calling young men to her mansion at night where they would not return by morning or any mornings to come. Eventually, tired and angered the villagers fought back. The woman simply threw a barrier around the mansion and any who dared to venture near were fatally paralyzed, eyes wide open in death.

At the last resort, they went and sent a messenger to a nearby village to find whom ever they could that had spiritual power to defeat the monstrous woman. Only one received the message and answered.

Her name was Midoriko.

She fought the barrier with almost ease and caused the evil wench to falter.

"How dare you! I am Sakura of the heavens and hells!" She had hissed in Midoriko's face before she was sealed inside the mansion. It had been said that Midoriko after hearing what the woman had called herself, knew that she could not kill a mythical creature- evil as it was. Instead, she kept a blood barrier around the mansion, locking away the sorceress for eternity.

The villagers rejoiced and lived on for decades in peace. Unbeknownst to them that the pure miko who had sealed away the evil Sakura had perished, allowing the barrier to weaken when the Shikon no Tama was created.

Sakura afterward learned to lure in stray villagers and travelers, searching for a body to steal, wanting to return to being able to roam free.

After hearing such a story, Miroku knew without a doubt the village was not safe and sent Shippou back to Lady Kaede's along with Kirara.

Miroku's attention focused in on something that he found on the barren forest ground. A sparkle glowed in the sunlight as he reached for it. It was a charm.

Woven in gold, it looked to the shape of a heart.

The monk sucked in a growl as he realized where he'd seen it before. Damn it, it was the locket Kagome had given to the hanyou. That could only mean that if the stories were exact then Inuyasha couldn't have entered the mansion without being rid of it. Not with Kagome's kinetic power holding over the charm. It was something they'd learned when Inuyasha had felt a spark from it when Kagome thought he'd been in danger. Which, from what he could tell, only meant the miko had more power than any of them had possibly imagined.

He knew Kagome was strong, he'd just never been aware as just too how strong that was.

That could only mean that it was definitely Kagome, Sakura was targeting. If she managed to get a hold of the miko's body, she'd not only have access to her own power, but that of Kagome's. The monk nearly shuddered at the thought. Sakura was already powerful when even being confined. Gods only knew how hard it would be if she had not only her power but also of a powerful miko like Kagome. It was beyond dangerous.

Just then, he felt a tremor of power that sliced through the air and down his back for only a split moment before it disappeared from behind. He turned toward the path that led to the village. Whatever it'd been, it was definitely resilient. For a moment he'd almost felt like someone had hit him with it.

Or was it…

Kagome.

Without stopping, he raced down the path only to run into a thick invisible wall that felt like a ton of metal. It electrified his body, the smell of his skin burning as he was thrown back a good yard away. There was a loud snap and the monk cringed as pain shot throughout his shoulder.

"Damn it!" Miroku seethed as he sat up, grabbing his right arm. Blood spattered the ground below him and he had to bite his tongue from yelling out in pain. So that had been Kagome sending him a call for help and that bitch Sakura had blocked his path. Damn it.

Sometimes he truly hated being right. He winced when he tried to stand and decided to sit on the ground for a moment while he figured out exactly what had happened. The barrier had felt like the one used at the entrance to the mansion, the one neither he nor Inuyasha could pass through.

That could only mean that if Sakura was putting that much power into a barrier to keep him away, then most likely she was making her move on Kagome and Sango. He just hoped they had enough power between the two of them to fight who ever was attacking them, off.

An image of the two women splashed across his mind like the puddle of blood on the ground. They were fighting with all their hardest, one of them; Sango was thrown against the farther wall, the sound of her bones making a sickening pop. He shook his head at the image of his woman breaking apart. No, she was too strong, too stubborn to go down that easy.

Drawling on all the strength he had left, he pulled himself up to stand, his arm still held tightly to his chest. There had to be away around the barrier. Kagome had been able to break through it.

Realization hit him so hard he almost fell backward with a laugh. Turning around, he picked up the heart he'd dropped when he heard Kagome's call. If it was capable of protecting Inuyasha, then it was also possible of shoving enough of Kagome's energy back at the barrier, which should hopefully be enough to let him slip passed.

Thankfully, he'd left his staff back at the hut; otherwise he was sure he wouldn't make it while trying to carry it with a broken arm. Miroku came in front of the barrier. An inch from his face, the barrier sizzled, as if knowing his plan. His hand clenched the locket tightly as Miroku took a deep breath and closed off his mind to the world and centered it on the energy radiating off the locket.

Heat radiated off of it so quickly, Miroku almost dropped it from the intensity. Taking a ragged breath, the monk concentrated on the pain in his right arm and fused it with the power in the locket. Within a moment he could here the sizzling of the barrier silence and he cracked one cerulean blue eye open to find a circle forming in the barrier like it had been burned through. He didn't waste another second as he took his last chances of escape and flew through the opening. The side of his robe sizzled and he knew that he'd caught himself on the leg but didn't stop to bother with it, flying down the path as fast as his human feet could carry him.

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The village was unusually quiet for midday. The chirping of birds which was usually heard remained dead silent. No villagers roamed outside of their huts, as if knowing something was coming and stayed in what they only knew as a safe haven.

Miroku could sense it as well, though his was more aware of where the ominous feeling was coming from. The view of the hut that he and the others were staying in appeared as he slowed down. His senses felt like they'd been zapped with so much energy that he was sensitive to all things.

His heart nearly stopped when he noticed something smeared along the edge of the doorway – blood.

Voices that seemed frantic drifted toward his ears that came from inside the hut. He quickly rushed in to find a sight that had his stomach twisting in pain and fear.

There standing in the doorway, he could feel his heart shattering.

Sango was farther off in the hut, blood smeared along her face as she tried to stand up after been tossed into the hut's walls. Her eyes pleaded for help as she tried to keep herself from falling.

"Miroku," her voice was just above a whisper, broken in sobs.

The monk looked to what had caused the chaos. In the center of the room, a hanyou with long silver hair held the miko by the throat in the air. His claws dug into the young woman's neck, causing a whimper to fall from her lips. Tears bled from her eyes as she tried to touch the hanyou's skin, to reassure him she was not a threat. He didn't even blink as he held her tightly, never allowing access oxygen to pass through her shivering lips.

Dirty matted silver bangs fell into his eyes, obscuring his face from the monk and the others. But he knew, without a doubt to the identity of their attacker.

Miroku eased in, conscious that the hanyou wasn't aware of him when his foot touched metal. He looked down and was grateful to find his staff no more than an inch from him. Quickly attaining it, Miroku had to move quick, aware that Kagome's body was beyond pale and her limbs were starting to sag. Without hesitation, he swung the staff around, allowing it to collide with the back of Inuyasha's head. The hanyou stumbled, releasing his grip from Kagome's throat as she fell to the floor. Miroku didn't waste a second as Inuyasha seemed temporarily incoherent and seized Kagome from the floor as his arm protested in pain and brought her toward Sango who was just barely standing.

Kagome whimpered, a bruise already starting to form along her neck as she watched her mate. It was both heartbreaking and frightening to see him so lost in darkness. She merely wished to reach out to him and wrap her arms around him, to will him to remember who they were. To whom she was.

Deeply wishing to wash away the pain in the hanyou's posture, Kagome felt an arm wrap around her mid section, suddenly tossed back behind purple and black robes. Her hands twisted in them as she tried to get Miroku to listen to her.

"Don't" She croaked her voice hoarse and hardly recognizable as she wheezed to bring air through her lungs. Miroku winced as he felt her petite hands squeeze him tightly on the shoulder, desperate to protect her mate.

At the sound of Kagome's crying, the hanyou turned toward them, apparently alert once more about their presence though he didn't budge from his place in front of them.

Kagome cried his name out, Sango already beside her, trying to ease her to stay put.

Finally, Miroku caught sight of the hanyou's face when he looked up. A murderous stare met his cobalt eyes as the hanyou's were completely consumed with blackness.

An involuntary shudder went through the monk. This was not the hanyou he knew, this was not his friend staring at him. No, this was not Inuyasha.

It was the sorceress Sakura, her eyes beady black and her fangs hanging over her lip. She was in the form of Inuyasha, though it seemed that he was no longer there.

But something neither he nor even Sakura saw shown through to Kagome. "He's in pain." She murmured to him, though all of them could hear her quiet cry. "He knows what he's doing to us – and" she broke off, tears welling up in her eyes and throat, "its killing him." The last, was barely a whisper.

Miroku eyed the hanyou's form and saw nothing but the swirling blackness in his eyes when something flickered in a glow. The monk gasped as two lone beads of pain rolled down the hanyou's cheeks.

So Sakura couldn't control all of him. It explained why there were marks all along his arms, covered in blood. He'd most likely been fighting off her hold and did that to himself, to stop from coming here and harming Kagome. His attention was twisted toward Sango and noticed she didn't have a wound that bled. It was Inuyasha's blood.

Kagome managed to stand on her own two feet as she tried to get Sango to let go of her. "He needs my help! Can't you see that?" She screeched, no longer listening to any of her friends. She only wished to comfort the hanyou, to take away his pain and absorb it into her own. That look in his eyes doubled and a crimson dot bloomed in the center, where his pupils should have been.

"Kagome," Inuyasha panted, his voice sounded burdened with heaviness. His eyes turned away from the tearful miko and went to the monk's shocked expression. "Get her…away, please. Don't let them near the mansion. Get everyone out." His last words were drowned out as pain lacerated his chest, making him scream out in pain.

Kagome flinched as if she'd felt it just from hearing his howl.

A ripple went under his arm, moving up as Inuyasha clenched his teeth together, already tasting blood as he tried not to lash out and unintentionally harm the others.

"Get. Her. Out!" Each word was growled and Miroku moved to grab Kagome about the waist and pull her up in his arms as he helped Sango walk. He didn't even give the hanyou a backwards look as they made their way around the hanyou, toward the doorway.

That was when it happened.

Kagome had been giving off bloody screams of wanting to stay with the hanyou and then the next, a blue ball of energy sparked from her body.

It flourished the room in a bright light, sending a brilliance that was blinding. Kagome didn't seem to be effected by it as she managed to get out of his hold and run toward the hanyou.

Inuyasha whined, his eyes searching for a means of escape. He didn't want to hurt her anymore than he already had. Gods, just seeing the bruise along her neck had placed a jagged knife through his heart before it twisted at the idea that he'd been the cause of her pain.

"Please," He murmured, already starting to lose control. The blue ball floated about, swirling its form between the two of them. "I don't want to hurt you."

The miko didn't obey like he'd begged her to. Instead, she stood firm, her arms stretching open as if she were calling upon something. The ball grew bigger and Inuyasha finally focused on the energy pouring from it.

"I won't let you be in pain, Inuyasha." She whispered, love reflecting in her eyes.

The ball floated, growing larger before slipping into the hanyou's chest. Inuyasha's eyes widened.

Miroku saw as the ball disappeared, now absorbed into the hanyou's body and then Kagome starting to descend to the ground, barely being caught by his arms.

He checked her pulse to find that it was barely there. His own heart heavy, he lifted the girl up in his arms when he noticed his arm was no longer in pain. The bone seemed to have healed, his skin already puckering up into a thin scar. Miroku turned to find Sango also bewildered as she walked toward them without limping.

"She healed us," he told the tayiji before he turned his attention to the hanyou who was now down on all fours, his head bowed as his hair fanned about him like a curtain.

A burning in his hand had the monk startled to find the locket he'd forgotten glowing bright white in his hand.

Kagome didn't open her eyes, her lips turning blue as her body temperature dropped.

"Were losing her."

Sango touched the miko's cheek, different emotions washing throughout her body, leaving her lost as what to feel first. "Kagome, please. Open you're eyes."

"She's not dying," a voice floated from behind them. A woman, dark black hair lightly tracing her features stood at the doorway. Her eyes, icy blue focused in on the unconscious miko "merely restoring her power. Right now, she only appears that she's dying but it's quite the opposite. After that little show, her powers have been tapped one too many times without any training. Now they're pulling in all resources so they can heal Kagome and also recharge."

Miroku walked out of the hut carrying Kagome, Sango just barely behind him as she watched Inuyasha on the ground. "What about him?" She asked the prophet.

The prophet looked at the hanyou, her eyes turning from impassive to sympathetic. "Trying to fight off the demon that took a hold of him with Kagome's power but it seems he will just barely gain control."

Sango watched as the hanyou's claws dug deeply into the floorboards which splintered under the sheer pressure.

The prophet stepped forward, her hand outward toward the hanyou. His body stilled as tiny pebbles of water dripped down his forehead. "Go to sleep. Fight her in you're dreams where you have more strength." She dropped her hand just as Inuyasha dropped unconscious to the floor.

"What did you do?" Miroku asked as he stepped just behind the woman. He placed Kagome was neatly against a boulder with Sango tending to her who mumbled something that he dared not repeat.

The prophet turned her head toward the monk, her eyes holding some emotion though it was hard to tell exactly what. "Allowed him to fight Sakura in his dreams. He'll have a better grip over his actions along with power. Kagome certainly did a number to herself with giving over some of her power to the hanyou, though it will eventually return to her." She 'tsked' as a proud smile pulled at her lips, her icy eyes wavering on the young woman.

"But I must say it is very unheard of to have an untrained miko like herself to willingly hand over her powers even temporarily to a hanyou."

It was Miroku's turn to stun her as he laughed. "Apparently you haven't met the two of them. They are nothing but "unheard of". Even Inuyasha's affections toward Kagome are unheard of. He was nothing but viciously against any human relations, especially those with spiritual powers in the past. In the end, he falls in love and mates with possibly one of the most powerful mikos around."

The prophet smiled. "The two of them continue to surprise everyone, even I." She laughed before her eyes turned back toward the hanyou.

His body had fallen so that his face was up against the floor, one arm squished down with his weight. "We might want to move him."

Miroku nodded. "Yes, it would be bad if he were anywhere near Kagome."

The prophet shook her head, "No, that's not the reason. When he wakes up, he'll most likely be whining you're ears off from all the pain of staying in that one spot."

She missed the monk's blanched expression or possibly ignored it as she moved forward, her fingers rising as did the hanyou, following her path. She twisted her finger in the air and Inuyasha turned, now lying in the air on his back before she placed him gently on the ground.

"There, that's better."

Miroku shook his head. "Who are you? Really?"

The woman gave a mysterious smile as she eyed the monk. "I'm what you'd call in Kagome's time, a fairy godmother." Miroku frowned in confusion. "Guardian Angel. Protector." She corrected.

"For whom?"

The prophet's smile turned into a genuine kind hearted measure. "For one, but as they are one, it requires me to watch the two of them."

Sango neatly placed an herbal medicine along Kagome's cheek where she'd been cut by Inuyasha's claw.

The monk was at a loss. "Huh?"

The prophet gave off a laugh that seemed like she enjoyed confusing people. "Kagome and Inuyasha are at times, two. But when they are together their souls form one being. Sakura had been able to steal and use Inuyasha's body only because Kagome had been away from him. Had she been in the room at the time and not pushing his love away to protect him from a fate Sakura had gently prodded into Kagome's mind, Sakura wouldn't have had any chance of touching Inuyasha. The sorceress's power would have been nullified in an instant."

Miroku nodded, finally placing the puzzle pieces of the two's actions lately. "So that was why Kagome had been running around earlier. Why she seemed so scared and worried by a feeling when we first arrived here."

The prophet waggled her finger at him, "Not entirely. That feeling she felt was not just her own. Inuyasha hadn't felt anything because he was so busy trying to make sure Kagome was safe that he ignored his instincts. So, instead of that feeling dying away into nothing, it went to his other half, the one that would listen."

"Kagome."

Black strands fell into icy blue eyes as she turned on her heel and pointed her extended finger at the miko. "Exactly. See, Kagome has the power to feel a presence just as any miko could. However, she isn't any ordinary miko. Her powers are amplified not only by her odd inheritance but also because it gets magnified by her mate's."

"So another word, Kagome's powers are connected with Inuyasha's. But have they always been this connected?"

"No," The prophet watched as the miko took in a deep breath through her mouth, her eyes still tightly sealed, "Kagome and Inuyasha are soul mates. In being that, they've always had a connection but when Inuyasha took Kagome as his mate, their connection became more than a few strands that told them more than just how the other was feeling."

Suddenly, Kagome's eyes sprang open as she sat up so quickly, Sango almost fell backward. "Kiya, what are you doing? Help Inuyasha!"

Silence filtered through and Miroku looked to find the prophet's face was suddenly gray with surprise. "How in the world do you-"

"I've known for awhile now. Now please," Kagome begged, grabbing her chest as she coughed from shouting "Inuyasha needs you're help."

The prophet, Kiya sighed. "Why am I surprised that you were aware of my presence." Muttering to herself, Kiya walked back into the hut to find Inuyasha's face twisted in pain.

"Looks like he isn't doing too well even in his dreams." Kiya turned her eyes toward the wall Sango had been pinned against to and lifted a hand up. There was nothing but a few of their bags and a lump blanket covering something long. Her fingers rose and so did the object until the blanket fell away and showed the Tetsaiuga.

"This should help," She smirked as the weapon flew toward Inuyasha. She grabbed the hilt and nestled it in the hanyou's arm, placing the hilt in his open clawed hand. Immediately, Inuyasha's claw closed around it on his own accord.

Kagome was already entering the hut when Kiya pulled up from her spot next to the hanyou.

"He's fine now. I've given him his weapon, which will aid him in fighting Sakura from his system."

The miko sighed out loud as she took a spot next to where Kiya had just been.

"Thank Goodness."

Kiya eyed her. "So tell me exactly when did you figure out that I was here?"

Kagome gave a short half hearted laugh. "It's not every day you feel a power that seems uniquely familiar to you, though you're not sure how. Besides, my dreams seem to link to what's to come. I saw you come a month before you ever appeared to Miroku and Sango."

She watched as Kiya's jaw nearly dropped to the floor before quickly compiling her composure into something more acceptable for a high ranked prophet.

The miko moved and wiped away a blanket of sweat coming from the hanyou's forehead. "He's fighting it off. I just wish he wasn't in so much pain still."

Kiya smiled warmly as she squatted down beside the miko, her arm extending around the girl's frail form as she pulled her into her side. "It will be alright Kagome. Have faith in Inuyasha's will power."

Kagome nodded, her eyes never wavering from the hanyou's face.

Just then a loud bellowing scream filled the air.

"What the hell was that?" Sango asked as she came inside the hut, Miroku right behind her.

"It seems we've just pissed Sakura off." Kiya announced her voice flat.

Amber eyes opened.

tbc