Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Through Hell and Back ❯ Dragons and Promises ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter 7
Dragons and Promises

 

Hiei lifted the vile to his lips and swallowed the dark liquid. It burned like a fine whiskey, and he felt his very will slipping as it began to course through his veins.

“Can you hear me, boy?”

Hiei nodded at the voice in his head.

“How far away are the spirit detectives?”

“They were right behind us.”

“You will subdue them the moment they get here.”

“Yes.”

Hiei used his Jagan, and seeing his team-mates close, he got into position.

Moments later the castle door burst open.

“Alright, bad-guys, we're here to hand you your asses!” Yusuke yelled as they came through the doors.

“You're late.” The demon lord said calmly.

“We had some difficulty gathering the ransom,” Kurama said, glaring, “but I assure you if any of your hostages have been harmed, that will be the least of your worries.”

“How difficult is it to gather a key from each of the guardians of hell when you've got spirit world's approval?” The demon lord demanded.

“Well, if genius here hadn't insulted Cerberus by singing to him and calling him fluffy…” Yusuke said, annoyance coloring his tone.

“How was I supposed to know it would piss him off, Urameshi, It worked for Harry Potter!” Kuwabara said defensively.

“Enough talk.” Kurama said, raising his hand to his hair, unnoticed by all but Hiei, who lurked in the shadows behind them, “Where is my mother?”

Before any of them could identify the blur that danced between them, Kurama and Yusuke both had been warded with their hands bound tightly behind them.

“What the hell, Hiei!” Kuwabara exclaimed, spirit sword ready, having removed his pendant before entering the castle, since it was a safe zone.

As Kuwabara looked at Hiei he noticed first the gold glow in his eyes. As his spiritual awareness kicked in to full alertness he began to see wisps of the gold amongst Hiei's aura, he was then able to see strings of the gold energy leading from Hiei to the demon lord. They reminded Kuwabara of puppet strings. As the realization of what was wrong hit him, so did the hilt of Hiei's sword, and Kuwabara crumpled to the floor at Hiei's feet.

“Hiei, what are you doing?” Kurama asked, an edge to his normally even tone.

Hiei tried to vocalize anything, but his body was at the demon lord's complete mercy.

“Hiei here,” the demon lord said, walking up behind the fire demon, and laying a hand on his shoulder, “has decided to align himself with the winning side of this scenario.”

“Liar! Hiei would never turn on us.” Yusuke said with absolute confidence.

Hiei felt a pang of guilt. They had always believed in and trusted him, and he was about to betray that trust.

“Hiei, search them, and get me the keys.”

Hiei's body did as asked, even as his mind fought against it.

“You have what you want, let the women go.” Yusuke warned the demon lord as Hiei placed the 9 keys in his hand.

“I'm afraid I can't do that, Yusuke.” The demon lord replied, “You see, my plan requires that a fairly large amount of energy be sacrificed in order to work, and they will do nicely.

“No!” Kurama yelled. “Use me, if you must, but let my mother go.”

A cruel smile crossed the demon lord's lips. “Ah, Kurama, ever the sacrificial lamb when it comes to your mother. However, I'm afraid that will do you little good. Eventually all humans will die in the wake of my plan, your mother will simply be one of the first.

“And what exactly is this plan of yours?” Yusuke asked as he struggled at the ropes behind his back.

Damn Hiei ties a good knot.

“I'm going to release the 12 beasts of hell.”

“Okay…you say that like it's supposed to mean something. I clearly missed out on that bedtime story.” Yusuke said dryly.

“That's insane,” Kurama breathed, “It is said the beasts are older than the gods themselves. They roamed this place before it existed as we know it. When the gods chose their canvas, they first had to erase the beasts that reigned here. They locked them inside the deepest pits of hell. It takes 9 keys to unlock the gates to their place of rest, and even then, the gates are so heavy they can only be opened if one of the beasts pushes it open. Additionally, there is a spiritual net that keeps them from touching the gate.”

“So we should be safe then! Net means no beast, no beast; no open gate.”

“Except for one thing, Yusuke,” Kurama continued when Yusuke gave him his trade-mark questioning look, “There are gaps in the barrier big enough for at least one of the beasts to get through.”

“How do you know?”

“I've seen one of them, as have you.”

“Wait, I'm confused…” Yusuke admitted.

“The dragon of the darkness flame is one such beast. If Hiei calls forth the dragon against the gate, the beasts will be unleashed, and they will destroy everything in their path in order to reclaim their territory and get their vengeance.”

“Well, if Hiei can control the dragon, it's possible we'll be able to control the others, right?”

“I don't think so, Yusuke. Hiei is able to be the dragon's master because he proved to the dragon he is worthy to wield its power. For all intents and purposes the dragon uses Hiei to get out of its confinement. It is in no way tamed.”

“Terrific…”

“Thank you for saving me the trouble of explaining, Kurama.” The demon lord said smugly, “And as you've probably guessed by now, Hiei will certainly be helping me.”

Hiei and Seifu escorted Kurama and Yusuke, and Hanata followed close behind, struggling to carry Kuwabara's unconscious form as the demon lord lead the way down a dark tunnel that went deep under the castle.

The tunnel finally opened up into a larger area, and with a flick of the demon's wrist, the room was lit by torches along the wall. Before a great gate was a small cage, in which the hostages were bound, blindfolded and gagged. They weren't conscious, but seemed otherwise unhurt.

The demon lord inserted the 9 keys into their respective holes, and listened as a loud noise that resounded around the room confirmed that the gate had been unlocked.

“Hiei, if you will.” The demon lord requested.

“No, Hiei! Your energy is low, it will kill you if you call the dragon!” Kurama pleaded with his friend, still unsure of what to think of his sudden change of alliances.

“Oh, Hiei is more than willing to die for my cause. Right, Hiei?”

“Yes.”

Yusuke and Kurama didn't need to hear the robotic tone of Hiei's voice to know he was not in control of his body. The fact that Hiei would be willing to die for any cause, especially one this pointless, was absurd. Hiei's number one concern would always and forever be his own survival. The only person he ever put before himself was Yukina, and that wasn't likely to change.

Both Yusuke and Kurama struggled violently against their bonds as Hiei raised his arm and a black flame erupted around it.

“Hiei!” Yusuke called in desperation as the ropes at his wrist refused to give in to his strength.

“Fight it, Hiei!” Kurama cried over the growing roar of the flames.

Even as Hiei's body called the dragon, his mind fought hard to keep him at bay. He knew he had to release him soon, or sacrifice his arm to the flames that licked hungrily at his flesh.

This is it. We're all going to die here.

Hiei sank to his knees, screaming in agony as the flames claimed more of his damaged arm than they ever had before.

Kagome…I can't break my promise to her…

“Hiei, I order you to release the dragon!” the demon lord demanded.

The flames had now enveloped most of Hiei's shoulder, and his body was threatening him with unconsciousness from the pain. The dragon joined the power of the demon lord's puppet potion in pulling at the last confines his mind had managed to maintain. His control was slipping, and he was in so much pain, physically and mentally he wanted to give up. He knew the second the dragon was released he would slip into an eternal darkness. He had done this enough times to know that his energy was too low, and that the dragon would take every drop he had.

Have to protect her…

“No! I won't!” Hiei spat through clenched teeth.

“Don't be foolish, your body will be destroyed at this rate!”

“Then so be it!”

Hiei concentrated his full attention on keeping the dragon from coming forth, letting the flame ravage his body, ignoring the pain that it brought him.

I'm sorry, Kagome…

Darkness was starting to claim Hiei, but as his body was destroyed, it became a less viable target for the dragon, and he began to retreat. Hiei knew the dragon too well, and he forced himself to stay alert for the final push the dragon would make against Hiei's mental confines.

 

Kuwabara's eyes opened slowly and he took in the sight before him. He had heard most of what was going on around him while he was unconscious. He struggled to his feet, his head throbbing with every breath he took. He wasted no time in knocking Hanata out, and rushed forward; slicing the energy threads that only he could see with his spirit sword, breaking the demon lord's hold on Hiei.

 

When Hiei's mental defense proved to be too weak to stop the dragon's final attempt to break free, he was relieved to find that his bond to the demon lord had been severed. He quickly summoned the last of his strength to will the dragon to attack the demon lord.

Hiei fought for consciousness until he was sure the demon lord was dead, and then slipped into the darkness with no regrets.