The Last Sage

Seventeen

Inuyasha and the others were lead through the narrow passage, following it, to where Inuyasha partly guessed, partly remembered the centre chamber to be. All of a sudden the narrow walls opened up into the wide space that Kagome and Inuyasha knew to be the chamber containing the Black Mirror, and there sure enough it was, as calm and dark as ever, and beside it, with their back to them stood the ominous, vampire-like

creature that was Kazuya. He turned slowly to face his prisoners, as if he were some delicate, willowy creature, moving gracefully instead of rampaging like the bloodthirsty monster he truly was. Surveying them as the creatures lined them up, still restraining them for no chains were used save for Shippo and Kilala, Inuyasha had noticed this, and taken it as confidence; confident that they would win easily, confident that the prisoners would be little trouble to them, and confident that Inuyasha would pose no threat, it infuriated him.

'So here he is, the great protector,' they looked up helplessly from the demons' restraint, as Kazuya's terrifying, cloaked figure stepped slowly towards them, every blue vein visible, his skin was so white. 'You did very good Inuyasha, kept her safe from all my minions…stopped my violation on her.' He walked slowly to Kagome, who was held at Inuyasha's side, and gazed at her lustfully, running his fingers down her face, making the priestess flinch in revulsion. 'Such a shame, I was looking forward to making her my whore. Plently of time for that however...' As his pallid, spider-like fingers ran down her side, Inuyasha leapt at him with ferocity.

'Keep the hell away from her you bastard!' Inuyasha went to lunge at the smug demon, but his human form was not strong enough to break free of the demons' vice-like restraint.

Kazuya grinned maliciously, watching Inuyasha carefully.

'You are powerless Hanyou, keep silent!' Inuyasha growled nastily at him, every part of him aching to charge and rip Kazuya apart. 'But, my dear Kagome, you look unwell,' he said, turning to face her once more. Kagome would not raise her eyes to him; she hated him more with every moment that passed.

'I suppose it's the company,' she replied, making him let out a low, evil laugh. Kazuya looked to the leader of the demons, not saying anything, just waiting for him to speak.

'Sir,' he said, in his own tongue, 'the girl came over strange, she vomited.'

'Aaah,' said Kazuya calmly as if he had just realized something, 'and what my simple Mradurk, might have caused her to I wonder?' he asked dangerously calmly, leaning towards Inuyasha, and pulling Tetsusaiga out of its sheath. He swished it about, making the air whip around it. 'This is a good sword Inuyasha; I must say I take back what I said about it. Your father certainly showed you favour when you got it,' he let his calmness and confidence daunt Inuyasha and the others a little more, before continuing, 'yes, where was I? Oh, of course,' he swiped at the demon with Tetsusaiga, and its blood splattered everywhere, as its head fell to the floor, inches from its body.

Kazuya sighed as a satisfied businessman might on a job well done, wiping the blade, and sliding it back in its sheath at Inuyasha's waist. 'Now, Kagome,' he said, and she at last looked at him. 'How are you?' his voice was so polite is sickened her, and she looked away again. Kazuya flickered his eyes at the demon holding her, and he immediately let her go, leaving her standing freely beside Inuyasha and Miroku. 'You seem a little more…clothed than when I last saw you,' Miroku, Shippo and Kilala's eyes widened, Inuyasha had not told them what had happened to Kagome, he thought that maybe she would feel ashamed of it, which indeed she was. Her eyes grew glassy, as she knew what her friends must be thinking of her. 'Though I have to disagree, Inuyasha may love to dress you up in clothes that his brother gives you, may love to cover up that-' he ran his fingers slowly up and down her neck, '-lovely skin of yours but I have to say,' he stepped towards her, 'I think you look better without them.' Kagome was upset, angry, and afraid, she didn't care anymore. She raised her hand and slapped his face, tears streaming from her mahogany eyes.

Kazuya looked at her as if he might smile for a moment, but then lunged at her, making the others try to wrench themselves from their captors in an attempt to help her. Kazuya grabbed her wrists, and poked her hard in the stomach where her bruise still was, and she winced. 'Kagome, Kagome, Kagome, I was so hoping you'd cooperate, it would be so much easier for you if you did,' he said in a false kindness, jabbing her harder, so that she whimpered slightly. 'But of course,' he whispered to her, so that no one else could hear, 'you think you will end up with Inuyasha, don't you?' Kagome's eyes widened. 'But my dear, after what I'm going to do to you, do you really think he'll have you, do you really think he'll want to touch or even look at you?' Kagome started crying again, and Inuyasha watched Kazuya's mouth carefully, trying to read his words, though he couldn't manage it.

Kazuya grabbed a clump of Kagome's hair, and threw her across the ground away from the others, so that she skidded to a halt at the side of the black pool. Kazuya walked to her side, and turned to face the others, a forebodingly calm look on his face.

'Tell me Inuyasha, why does the prey come so freely to the predator? Why are you here when you are so helpless?' Inuyasha looked back at him, unsure himself why he was here. Why had his brother insisted he came here tonight? Especially since he knew beyond doubt that Sesshomaru was on his side in this battle; but if he wanted Inuyasha to win, why would he send him here now? Why would he want him to get killed?

Suddenly Inuyasha found himself being thrown to the floor, landing hard on his knees, hearing Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Kilala being thrown down beside him. 'How rude Inuyasha, not speaking when you're spoken to, surely that worthless mortal mother must have taught you some manners?' Inuyasha leapt up in response to the words, and smacked Kazuya across the face. Kazuya grinned evilly, no bruise or injury resulting from Inuyasha's attack showing, and punched Inuyasha in the stomach. Inuyasha crumpled to the floor, Miroku looking worriedly at him from his side. 'Sorry, I forgot,' continued Kazuya in a mocking tone as Inuyasha crumpled on the floor, 'she's dead isn't she, like all the rest of the little sluts that dare go with demons. Just like the rest of them,' he muttered to Inuyasha, looking over at Kagome for a moment as he spoke, before turning back to Inuyasha again. 'All of them that follow you seem to die don't they Inuyasha,' he said, 'her,' he gestured to Sango, lying on the floor beside him, her eyes closed, 'your mother, Kikyo, probably Kagome, all little whores that trusted you, and you let them down.' Inuyasha looked away from him, his arm round his stomach, shaking slightly with the strain it was putting over his body just fighting not to collapse on the ground.

Inuyasha winced as Kazuya knelt down before him, and he could tell he was only inches from his face, even as his eyes closed in pain. 'I'm going to kill you slowly…and while you beg for death, I want you to imagine how I'm gonna fuck your whore for the rest of eternity, and how she'll plead for death, long before yours comes…'

'Shut up,' said Inuyasha croakily. 'If you're gonna kill me then kill me, just stop talking for fuck sake! Your voice is driving me crazy!' Kazuya grabbed Inuyasha by the throat, holding him up so that his feet did not touch the floor, his claws digging into his throat.

'Now, now, Inuyasha, your language is terrible, I think someone should wash out that filthy mouth of yours,' his voice was mocking, much like a father might scold a child, and suddenly he sent Inuyasha hurtling through the air, plunging into the icy depths of the Black Mirror. Inuyasha choked as he swallowed some of the nasty water, translucent and quick flowing as water but weighing as heavily upon him as tar. The silver-haired hanyou winced the foul, coppery taste in his mouth, struggling to swim back up to the surface.

He opened his eyes, wincing as they stung with the water; all about him was nothing but thick impenetrable darkness. His body felt ten times heavier than before, and his attempts to reach the surface were all in vain. Suddenly he felt a hand seize his wrist, and pull him up sharply. He gasped as he took in some air, his throat being torn at by the icy water he'd swallowed. He opened his dark human eyes once more, to see Kagome beside him, looking worriedly at him.

'Thanks,' he gasped, fighting to get his breath back. 'Are you okay?' It was a stupid question, of course she wasn't, blood dripped from her lip still from where he'd attacked her earlier, and a new gash had appeared on her forehead where Kazuya had thrown her across the floor, not to mention she was shaking all over, yet so was he. 'That water was fucking cold,' he shivered, before shaking himself off much like a puppy dog might have. 'I don't know what Sesshomaru was thinking, there's no way I can beat him,' he muttered to Kagome, watching Kazuya carefully as he ranted and raved at his demon followers. 'If hanyou me couldn't beat him, then how am I supposed to do it as a human? It's impossible…'

'No it's not,' argued Kagome, her voice a little shaky. 'Sesshomaru was right, only human you can defeat him.'

'Don't be stupid, there's no way I can-'

'Will you just listen to me for once!' she interrupted him, her voice still quiet though. 'Why do you think that Kazuya did not come to face you himself when you were human in the temple before with Kikyo and me, he was afraid, he knew that hanyou Inuyasha's weakness was wanting to become a demon, but human Inuyasha has no selfish desires that he could use to kill you.'

Inuyasha fell silent for a moment. If she were right about that, he still had to find a way to kill him as a human, and he had no idea how to do that.

'What…what makes you think that I'm not selfish as a human? I'm still me as a human, just in a different body. Weren't you the one that told me that?'

'Yes, but I know you Inuyasha, when was the last time you did something selfish?' Inuyasha lowered his head slightly.

'You – you told me I was selfish when I helped Kikyo, remember?' Kagome looked at him with glassy eyes; he was right, she had said that.

'I – I did say that, and I'm sorry to say that I meant it,' Inuyasha's heart sank even lower. 'But I said something else to you after that, and I meant that as well.' Kagome slipped her hand into his, and he raised his eyes to look at her. 'You're my hero, Inuyasha…' Kagome thought she saw a tear trickle down his face, before he looked away from her again.

All of a sudden, Inuyasha flew backwards, his head jutting over the edge of the pool, as Kazuya pounced on him, clawing at his throat, trying to push his head under.

'Why won't you die!' screamed Kazuya, for the first time fear trembling in his screaming voice, as he desperately tried to push Inuyasha under.

'NO!' screamed Kagome, leaping at Kazuya, trying to wrench his arm away. Kazuya flung his arm back, sending Kagome flying into the wall, smacking her skull against the stone.

'Kagome!' croaked Inuyasha, as he watched her slide slowly down the wall, sinking to the floor in a heap, a trail of blood sliding down the wall in her path. Inuyasha's eyes widened as he watched her blood pool at where her body lay, her eyes wide, and lifeless. 'KAGOME!' Kazuya's eyes glowed a dangerous red as Inuyasha fought to stay surfaced; he swallowed more water as he fought for air, fighting Kazuya with every ounce of strength he had left. He wrenched himself above water just in time to watch Miroku being stabbed through the stomach by his attacker's archaic looking scythe, and to hear the painful screams of agony from Kilala and Shippo, just as he was submerged once more. His strength was fading fast, as was his air supply, and he choked on the icy liquid as Kazuya held him under. Finally, Inuyasha could fight no more, and he closed his eyes, and dropped down into the water as Kazuya let him fall into its depths again. They're gone…he thought, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kilala and now me…all gone…all… Inuyasha felt it take him over, and he felt his soul being tugged away from him, as he slipped closer and closer towards death. As Inuyasha died slowly in the pool's depths, sinking into the abyss that was the mirror, Kagome's blood swam from her body, and ran into the Black Mirror. The water glowed a blindingly bright light as the blood poured into it, and for Inuyasha, the world went black.

Suddenly Inuyasha opened his eyes, his body aching all over. He was lying on a stone table, which sat on a floating platform, it seemed to be made of the same, shimmering glass of the glass path, yet strange, glowing, sapphire hued symbols were etched there. Inuyasha shot up off the table, looking wildly about him. Nothing but blackness surrounded the platform, nothing but a calm, quiet nothingness, he was completely alone. 'Is this…is this hell?' he said aloud, his voice echoing slightly.

'This is not hell.' Inuyasha jumped as he heard the reply, a calm, dulcet voice, strange and unfamiliar, and yet beautiful and inviting. He turned, his eyes widening as two crystal blue eyes appeared from the abyss, followed by the materialization of a woman, who looked all too familiar. Long black hair hung down her back, and some white robe was wrapped round her as she stepped, no glided slowly towards him.

'Ka…Kagome?' the woman shook her head, and he knew as he said it he was wrong. She did look very like Kagome, in fact the only difference was the startling blue of her eyes, but everything else was the same, down to the very tone of her skin, she was exact. Even more liken to her than Kikyo was. 'No, you're…you're Yuna?' The woman nodded, and stopped inches before him, making his breath hitch in his throat. 'What do you want with me?'

'Nothing,' she replied, her calm voice vibrating through the air softly, instead of echoing as his did. 'I'm here to help you.'

'Help me what?' he asked, having no idea what she meant.

'You watched her die…Kagome, and the others, didn't you?'

At first Inuyasha had no idea what she meant, and then slowly it all came back to him, the battle, the death…and he fought to stop tears from falling down his cheeks.

'But how did you…how did you get here?' he asked shakily, trying to push the vision of Kagome's dead eyes staring at him, as the blood ran towards him, out of his mind.

'Kagome's blood ran into the pool, and her blood, and my blood, they were the only innocent blood to run into the Black Mirror, she summoned me, with her dying breath, to save you.' She watched him carefully, seeing that he was fighting to stay sane after watching all of his friends butchered. 'Your brother was right when he told you that you had to be human to kill Kazuya, understand Inuyasha,' she added a little more firmly as he rolled his eyes. 'Kazuya is so evil, that only something pure can defeat him. You must understand that the greatest force of evil can only be killed by the greatest force of good.' Inuyasha said nothing. 'If there were any part of you impure, meaning demon when you fell into the pool, I would not have been able to heed Kagome's dying wish. Should you have been half-demon or full demon then, you would have remained dead, and Kazuya would most definately triumph.'

Inuyasha wasn't really listening to her anymore, he'd just watched them all die, all the reasons he still fought, all the reasons he'd strived and fought through so many painful times for, he didn't care if Kazuya killed him, or ripped apart half the world anymore, he didn't care about anything at all anymore. A great swirling abyss, much like the one surrounding him, filled him up inside where his heart, where the warmth the others' presence once gave him, where now he was cold, and empty.

'I'm not pure, I'm not great, and I can't kill Kazuya,' he stated. Yuna watched him carefully, before replying.

'I know you can't Inuyasha.' Inuyasha's eyes widened as he looked at her, he had expected her to tell him that he could, or that no one else could, instead she had…agreed? 'As good, as true as you are, you aren't, and could never be pure, because you're body has known demon blood. In addition, in your purest form, you are not strong enough to kill Kazuya, whereas…I am.'

Inuyasha knew what she meant now. Kagome's blood had summoned her to help them, it had been pure enough to pass through the blackness, and seek out Yuna's spirit. Now Inuyasha was confused; how could she help? Yuna could not be resurrected, how could she fight him? As if she had read his thoughts, she answered his questions. 'I cannot be resurrected, no, Inuyasha. However, I do not plan to return to my human body, when I have my own.' Inuyasha eyed her in confusion. 'You see the Sages never killed me as they scripted, they wrote that so that evil would not know, that I didn't die, I ascended.' Inuyasha was now beginning to understand, and he studied her carefully. 'I never died, yet I'm not my mortal self anymore. I was purer than even the Sages could ever have imagined, and so I ascended, and became celestial.'

'Then what…what are you?' he asked.

'I'm the last Sage…'

'But the Sages were all men?'

'They were, when they were sealed, I became the first female Sage, and was set to guard over the temple, and protect it, should agents of dark magic try to resurrect it, and attain the evil inside.'

She fell silent, as if she knew that Inuyasha was struggling to figure all this out in his head.

'But then why did I need to come here as a human if you were the only one to-'

'Your brother, wise as he is, didn't know about me, he believed that you would be the one to defeat Kazuya. However, he was incorrect. My actual hunch, Inuyasha, though I can guess you'll scoff at the idea...was that your brother, believed you safest in your purest form...since he knew Kazuya feared your mortal form, though he knew not why." Inuyasha rolled his eyes. Knowing full well Sesshomaru didn't give a damn about his welfare, and that keeping him safe wasn't even of remote importance to his sibling.

'Right I get that, so how can you help me? I'm already dead.'

'You are, as are your friends, but for me to go back, we all have to go back.'

'Huh?' She smiled at him, and his heart lit up, it was Kagome's smile.

'Kagome's blood summoned me, so I need to go back to before it was spilled, understand?' he nodded slightly, and his heart leapt.

'So – so will Kagome...will she be okay?' Yuna smiled again, obviously touched at his feelings. 'Please that's all I…all I ask of you is…'

'I will go back to that moment just before Kazuya hit her, you will have to stop the others' deaths when we return, I will take care of Kazuya.'

On speaking Kazuya's name, her voice became different for those three syllables, changing rapidly, and becoming strong, and angry, before returning to normal.

'But didn't you…I thought you were in love with Kazuya?' She looked at him oddly.

'I was, and I am in love with him. I fell in love with him, and I knew he was the most evil, most wicked thing the earth had faced only afterwards, and then I was gone too far to change my heart, I had fallen too hard for him. And I believe, that what strengthened Kazuya that much more so that the Sages could only seal him, not kill him, was that…he had fallen in love with me…' He watched her with a sad heart, as radiant tears trickled from her sapphire eyes. 'I know it may seem unlikely, but I know that he loves me…you know as well as I do that a demon cannot lie when he confesses love, don't you?' Inuyasha nodded.

'You mean he...mated with you...?' She nodded in response to his question.

'And the divine demon ancestry would not have allowed the coupling if he were harbouring anything less than complete devotion and love to me alone...'

She shook her head and smiled reassuringly at him, as if looking into some depths of his mind and heart, and reading his inner most feelings. 'Now Inuyasha, are you ready to return?' For a moment Inuyasha didn't realize what she had said, but he hastily nodded as he returned from the dream world he had found himself slipping into, as if Yuna reading his desires had brought them closer to the surface. 'Okay, take my hand.' Inuyasha did as he was told, and shivered slightly. Her skin was ice cold, much like the water Kazuya had just drowned him in, moments before. As her slender, delicate fingers wound around his wrist, Inuyasha found himself rising slowly up off the floor, higher and higher into the nothingness overhead. Suddenly, the blinding light that had taken his life, now shone again, giving it back to him, and he gasped as his soul swam back into his flesh. He looked up into the fiery eyes of Kazuya, finding himself desperate for breath once more, as Kazuya pinned him against the ground, his head nearly touching the water.

TBC

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Cliffhangers, oh they are the best creation since sex and sliced bread lol. Enjoying the torment? Good. Only two chappies left, so lots of reviews to inspire me to put the others up after, and the next two up as well. The feedback is my favourite part after all ^_^ R&R

Luv Shigure

x chuu x