CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
Mikage
I felt my knees snap as I collapsed to the ground. Why was it so difficult to breathe? I watched as the metal man before me did too, but everything was a blur. There was a loud screech and clash as the body of armor crashed to the grass. The black grass dusted with white ash. Faded screams sounded behind me, my ears feeling blocked. I felt my body rack and jerk once more before I couldn't move at all. My muscles locked up. My body was numb beneath my ribcage. There was no feeling, no pain. Nothing.
My vision danced before me, everything appearing in double. I was finding it difficult to breathe at all. Some sort of dusty material had kept floating up my nose. I watched my finger flinch as a spicy and cooling scent smothered me.
"You defeated Ginkotsu, Mikage," a sound echoed. The tone of the voice, though. A familiar, cooling voice with a deep aspect to it. I grimaced, feeling as something cold was wrapped around me. The cold felt nice against my hot skin, small tingles working their way through the part of my body that I could feel. A daze of white was before me as I was swept from the horrible heat.
The sound of muffled voices became more intense. It became obvious to me now that they were screaming my name. Over and over again. Mikage. Mikage. Mikage. I couldn't reach them though. They were too far for me to reach.
I had cried out. I cried out a name. It was followed by a sorrowful moan. What was it that I said, though? I knew. Someone close to me. I wanted them with me now. It was then that I lost consciousness, and my vision slipped into the dark.
My vision still hadn't returned to the eye that was grazed by a blade by the time that I had opened my eyes. I could hear faintly though. A loud crackle of a fire. That fire. It had all returned to me.
"Don't die on me, Mikage. You're a demon. Act as one."
That voice. It was him. He had rescued me.
I felt the heat against my arms, and the wrenching pain that had worked its way all the way throughout my body. I felt my jaw tremble a little. I tried speaking, the blisters on my face stopping me from even uttering a sentence.
"Why?" was the only word I was able to muster before the festering pain made me clench the unsaid words back in my mouth.
"Be silent." the man said before pressing me tighter against his chest. His body thrust forward with another quick leap. I listened as his heart beat crept faster, his chest laden with heavy breaths as we whizzed out of the way of the heavy smoke.
I could use the last of my energy. I could use it to clear his lungs. I could heal him. If he was going to save me, then I had to do something in return. My eyes still clouded with black, I leaned forward. I felt as my mouth opened a bit. I felt my upper lip quiver as I neared his neck artery. And then... I could feel it. The burns he had received. Just how much his body was straining to keep moving. It wasn't just me that he had saved. On his back was the dimmed aura of two sleeping girls that I recognized far too well. So my barrier had protected them after all.
"Tsuko! Do you see this child? She has it!"
"You mean...?"
I remember the woman nodding with much fervor, grip tightening on my shoulders. She had smelt heavily of incense- a key trademark of every common priestess. She pointed to the ailed man before me as he slowly regained his sitting height.
"I-I'm cured!"
The other priestess had brought a hand to her lips, eyes stretching. The worry lines upon her forehead broadened.
"She cured him with her breath..."
Directing my eyes back to the dog demon, I brought my lips closer. With one last teeth grinding, I let out a simple puff of air. It felt as though ice had escaped, but within my mind, I envisioned that blue aura seeping around the injury.
The red aura on his face faded to nothing as I gave him the best smile I could rally. My body was reducing in strength. And the move that I just pulled off didn't help matters whatsoever. I crunched my teeth together as another horrible pain twisted through my gut.
"You fool. You've weakened your body further."
Lord Sesshomaru grunted with disgust as he leapt out of the way of a flaming branch.
"I know..." I croaked, coughing as the sting of smoke polluted my eyeballs. My throat was sore from all of the ash that filled it.
"Your healing capabilities were not needed right now, Mikage."
"I know that too, Lord Sesshomaru."
I closed my eye as Lord Sesshomaru departed from the flaming wood. A sharp spark pricked at my soft skin I felt any insecurities that I had had before disappear. I groaned as I felt more pain enter.
"Help me escape the woods, and I'll be fine from here," I explained, my breath quickening. My consciousness had begun fading and appearing again. I didn't want to be relying on Lord Sessho-Maru like so many times before. He was right. I was a demon, and I should act like it. I should have seen that spike coming. I should have moved. I should have fought with more strength. I should have. I'm not a child anymore.
One more time. This was the last time. I wasn't seeing the dog demon again. I won't let my guard down ever again.
"Demons will take the advantage to kill you then."
I gave him a small noise of acknowledgement as I slipped completely from the world.