InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Blackout ❯ The Next World ( Chapter 26 )

Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha or any of the publicly known characters, plot, etc. I’m just renting them from Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, etc. I do own the plot of this story and any original characters I’ve created. I will make no money from this fic; I write for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of my readers.


The Next World


Inuyasha marched along at the head of the group, his visage twisted into a perpetual scowl. The cautious optimism he’d felt after his conversation with Kagura had long since dissipated. Instead of becoming all depressed and mopey about it, however, now he was just angry. He had always been determined to get Kagome back, but he supposed the more fervid demeanor was an improvement. Shippou had quietly commented that he was behaving like his old self again, which was definitely a good thing. His ‘old self’ had never allowed any of his friends to die. As for the rather pitiful man-shaped blob he’d regressed to after Kagome’s abduction…he sincerely hoped he’d seen the last of that sighing weakling. What was done, was done; there was no sense in dwelling on the past. He would move forward with confidence and determination as he always did, never doubting that he would reach his goal.

It did, however, seem that it would take a little longer to achieve his aim than he’d thought just a couple days ago. Because my freaking useless vassal decided to be useless yet again. It wasn’t really Myouga’s fault, Inuyasha knew, but the flea was a convenient scapegoat. He was still tagging along somewhere, probably with Kirara, wisely keeping his distance from his volatile master. They’d found him at Totosai’s place as hoped, but things had gone downhill from there. First when Myouga informed them that the black pearl no longer existed, and again when he led them to Housenki’s lair, only to discover that the pearl’s maker was recently deceased and his idiot son wouldn’t have any more of them ready for at least a hundred years. So now they were officially back to square one when it came to gaining passage to the next world. If there was a silver lining, it was that Naraku must be in a very similar position. From here, it would be a race to see who could cross the finish line first, with neither side having a significant head start over the other.

So obviously there was still reason for haste, though once again the Inu-gang didn’t really know what they were looking for. Mostly they traveled between human settlements, since villagers were usually willing to tell them if anything strange was going on in the surrounding area. Kirara had just finished her daily run, carrying Miroku and Sango so the group could make better time, and was resting now. But when Inuyasha stopped dead in his tracks and announced that he smelled human blood, and a large quantity at that, she transformed again and they set off at top speed.

“Another youkai attack,” Shippou observed sadly when they arrived on the scene.

“No, this one’s different,” Inuyasha replied, stating aloud what the other adults of the group had also realized. These people had not been torn apart and eaten, like the unfortunate inhabitants of the other villages they’d come across. Instead, though their bodies remained whole, the skin was shrunken grotesquely. Someone or something had sucked every drop of blood from these poor people, and left the rest to the scavengers.

“We must investigate this,” Miroku declared solemnly, “and stop whoever is doing it.”

Inuyasha nodded in agreement. A village being attacked by youkai was nothing unusual, especially since the collapse of Mount Hakurei’s barrier. But the manner in which these particular villagers had been killed was highly suspicious. It could be just some random bloodsucking youkai, but there was at least a reasonable chance that this occurrence was linked to Naraku. And if it repeated itself, that likelihood only increased as far as Inuyasha was concerned.

It did. After burying the dead from the first village, they came across several more settlements over the next couple days which had been attacked in the same manner. It seemed that the mysterious perpetrator was systematically hitting every village in the area. So when the Inu-gang finally found one which had so far escaped the carnage, they determined to remain there and try to catch the bastard in the act. They did not have long to wait. The bird-like youkai descended upon the village in waves soon after dark, and when the first wave was decimated by the Kaze no Kizu, the second manifested their bodies into flaming missiles and targeted the huts, sending the panicked villagers fleeing outside. It took substantial contributions from Miroku and Sango to protect the now exposed humans, but they managed. The situation was under control until Naraku’s saimyoushou suddenly appeared, forcing the monk to close his kazaana. Fortunately, the bird youkai also paused in their onslaught as their master arrived on the scene. Inuyasha didn’t bother trying to suppress his grin. If the saimyoushou were here, then he was definitely in the right place.

“Do not smirk at me, hanyou,” his new opponent commanded, taking his obvious pleasure the wrong way. She was a female youkai with jet black hair and red eyes, who might have been beautiful if not for the cruel expression marring her features. “I am the great Abi-hime. You should avert your eyes and kneel before me.”

“Keh, all I see is some stuck-up youkai bitch with a thing for sucking human blood,” Inuyasha retorted. “And she’s a slave to Naraku too.”

“Hmph, so you’re Naraku’s enemy, eh? Well, I don’t really care about some petty feud between hanyou. But you’ve killed my birds. Prepare to die!”

She underwent a partial transformation then, her hands shifting into fierce-looking talons, though whether that was as far as she could go or she had purposely stopped there, Inuyasha couldn’t say. He could tell that she underestimated him, as most full-youkai did. But he had slain many enemies stronger than her in the past, often while heavily wounded. He probably could have blown her away with a single swing of Tetsusaiga, but killing her was not his goal. This self-proclaimed hime had some connection with Naraku, and he was going to find out what it was, even if he had to strangle it out of her. So his objective was not to kill, but to injure. And since Tetsusaiga’s destructive power was ill-suited to the task, he would have to use his claws instead.

“Make sure the villagers escape!” he called to his friends, dodging the flaming youki Abi-hime fired at him and darting away from the village.

“Fleeing already, hanyou?” she taunted, pursuing him exactly as he’d hoped. If she thought he was a weak hanyou, he would play into that narrative to try to get close to her. A similar strategy had almost worked against Jakotsu, when he’d been reduced to human form by Mount Hakurei’s holy barrier, and this time he would pull it off. When the time was right, he would spring his trap. In the meantime, he continued to dodge her youki using his nonvisual senses.

“You’ll never escape me, you coward,” she snarled, sounding increasingly frustrated by his continued evasion. “Face me like a man!”

Inuyasha made no reply, not wanting to accidentally spoil the ruse with his big mouth. He did, however, allow one of Abi-hime’s youki attacks to strike close to his left side. His fire-rat protected him from any damage, but she didn’t need to know that. Instead, what she glimpsed was her intended victim moving with a fresh limp after a near miss. Inuyasha could practically see her victorious smirk. For the next thirty seconds or so, he eluded her rapid-fire attacks, until finally another near miss sent him sprawling to the dirt with a yelp that was only partially forced. But again, his fire-rat limited the damage, and his body was far tougher than this wench gave him credit for. Nevertheless, when he stood to face her, he did so shakily while leaning most of his weight on his right leg. He growled and glared up at her, as he imagined a cornered and wounded animal might.

“At last you realize your position,” she observed smugly. “Now die!”

She sent another blast of youki his way, this one more powerful than the others, and Inuyasha had to bite his tongue to keep from smirking. He waited, as if physically unable to move and resolved to death, until just before the imaginary point of no return. Then he launched himself into motion, darting forward as Abi-hime’s youki devastated the earth behind him.

“What?!” she cried, but was too shocked to react to the new threat. In a flash he had closed the distance and leapt up to her level, claws raised and glowing with golden youki. Again, he could have killed her. Instead, he settled for a raking slash which tore through the guard on her left shoulder and sliced deeply into her torso. She managed a choked gasp as she reeled from the blow, falling a half dozen meters to the ground and landing with a dull thud. She struggled to rise, but was initially unable to do so, as Inuyasha closed in to extract the information he sought.

The situation turned on its head in a heartbeat. Just before he reached her, a three-pronged halberd twirled in from out of nowhere, embedding itself in the ground at her feet. Inuyasha didn’t think much of this until he ran into the barrier. He cried out as his body was engulfed in familiar, malevolent youki, and thrown back several meters to land in a heap. Groaning in pain, he pulled himself into a kneeling position, and glared over to find Abi-hime doing the same. The expression on her face indicated that this turn of events was as much of a surprise to her as it was to him. Her remaining birds were on their way over here, but Inuyasha knew he could tear through the small fry with ease if need be. That halberd, on the other hand, was far more disconcerting. If it possessed the same power as individual who had obviously given it to her, it would make her essentially invulnerable to his attacks. Tetsusaiga had been unable to break Naraku’s barrier at Mount Hakurei, and nothing had happened to change that.

“Who are you?” Abi-hime asked suddenly, and it was clear from her tone that she was wondering why a hanyou was so strong. Inuyasha sensed an opportunity and took it. If physical means weren’t going to work, then perhaps intimidation would get him the information he needed. He stood and drew himself to his full height, gritting his teeth to conceal the pain that action caused.

“I am Inuyasha, brother of the daiyoukai Sesshoumaru and son of the Inu no Taisho,” he announced with as regal a bearing as he could muster. Abi-hime shrunk back a bit at this, leading him to assume that she’d heard of his family. Encouraged, he pushed a little harder.

“And this,” he declared, slowly drawing Tetsusaiga from its sheath and transforming it spectacularly before her eyes, “is Tetsusaiga, a sword forged from my father’s fang and handed down to me, his only son worthy of wielding it.”

Okay, so maybe that was embellishing things a bit. But since Sesshoumaru wasn’t here to contradict him about his own ‘worthiness,’ it was a case of no harm, no foul. And again, the demonstration proved effective, if the way Abi-hime’s eyes followed Tetsusaiga’s blade was any indication.

“I see,” she said at last, also rising to her feet. “Many years ago, my mother feuded with the Inu no Taisho, but the conflict was brief and was resolved peacefully. I guess the rumors were true, then. He really did sire a half-breed whelp upon some human wench.”

Inuyasha’s spirits sank a bit at that comment. So much for her regarding him as an equal now. A hanyou is always a hanyou, no matter how strong, or who his father is. That was a truth he had learned long ago. Still, that she was willing to stand here and converse with him spoke of a certain level of newfound respect, so he decided to try to resolve this peacefully, as his father had done before him.

“The man who gave you that halberd, Naraku…you should be careful around him.”

“And why is that?” Abi-hime asked, feigning disinterest.

“He’s a manipulative bastard. He’ll use you and then destroy you when he’s finished. He–”

“Do not concern yourself, Inuyasha,” she mocked, spitting out his name. Though at least it was his name, rather than a pejorative term. “I know better than to trust the likes of him.”

“Whether you trust him or not, be careful. He’s more powerful than you know.”

“Well, this is amusing. A hanyou lecturing the great Abi-hime to beware the power of another hanyou?”

Inuyasha started to speak, then cut himself off and took a deep breath. He’d been on the verge of saying something stupid, like ‘well, this hanyou just kicked your ass!’ That statement or anything similar would have likely ended the conversation. As much as he wanted to teach this stuck-up bitch that he wasn’t inferior to her because of his heritage, there were more important issues at stake here. Kagome’s life hung in the balance.

“Look,” he snapped, somehow finding a reserve of patience. “I’m not interested in fighting you. I just want Naraku. Please, tell me what you know about him.”

Abi-hime studied him for a moment, then shrugged. “Fine, but there’s not much to tell. He came to me one day, promising to help me gather human blood in exchange for creating a pathway to the next world for him. But don’t worry about him ever getting there; I have no intention of giving that hanyou anything. If he isn’t satisfied with my gratitude, then my mother will devour him.”

Inuyasha was disappointed by this news, but he could detect no hint of untruthfulness from Abi-hime. It actually wasn’t surprising that she knew so little; Naraku was crafty enough to tell his pawns exactly what they needed to know to accomplish his objective, and nothing more. At least he could now confirm that her gathering of human blood was intimately related to Naraku’s attempt to forge a pathway to the next world.

Sudden light drew Inuyasha from his musings. Abi-hime had rekindled the flames under her feet, which allowed her flight. It seemed that she was growing tired of a hanyou’s company. Fortunately, Inuyasha had just one more question for her.

“Will you stop collecting human blood?”

“No, I will not,” she answered with a menacing sneer. “And if you interfere again, I will kill you. You are strong, for a hanyou. But do not think you will survive a second battle with the great Abi-hime.”

She departed, taking her birds with her, and Inuyasha let them go. Tracking them would be nearly impossible, and he needed to rejoin his friends. Not to mention the damage he had suffered from running into Naraku’s barrier. Nothing was broken, but it still hurt like hell, as though the foreign youki had burned his muscles from the inside. His body would probably heal completely in less than a day, but he would prefer to avoid combat until then. Abi-hime and her brood had looked like they were finished marauding for the evening, so it was a good time to rest and recover.

So when Miroku suggested making camp nearby, Inuyasha didn’t object. The monk and taijiya, working with Kirara and even Shippou, had managed to save most of the villagers from the birds. A few had been picked off, but that was to be expected with a battle of this magnitude. Inuyasha could well attest to the difficulty of protecting a group of panicked humans from a swarm of youkai. Next he informed them of what he had learned from Abi-hime, and that they were most likely going to have to face her again in the near future. Defeating her would not be easy, Inuyasha knew, since she carried a halberd which seemed to have been crafted from Naraku’s body. But if she was going to continue to slaughter innocent villagers, all the while gathering blood which the dark hanyou probably intended to use to open a pathway to the next world, they had no choice but to stop her.

Inuyasha felt a prick on his cheek and smacked it, then held open his palm to reveal his parasitic vassal. “And where have you been this whole time, jijii?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

“Inuyasha-sama, what was the name of that woman?!”

The hanyou rolled his eyes at Myouga’s obvious evasion, but let it go. The flea had been a hopeless coward for centuries, and wasn’t likely to change any time soon.

“She called herself Abi-hime. Why, you know her?”

“I have heard of her. She is the daughter of Tekkei, a fierce brute of a daiyoukai who is related to the birds which live in hell. In other words, she has a natural connection to the next world!”

“She does?” Inuyasha wondered, surprised that his vassal had made a useful contribution for a change.

“No wonder Naraku is using them,” Sango added. “Is that why they’re gathering human blood?”

Myouga shook his head. “I am not certain. Logically, human blood should be unable to assist with opening a pathway. The next world is a youkai graveyard, after all.” The group pondered this mystery in silence for a few moments, before Inuyasha spoke up.

“If not human blood…what about Tekkei’s blood?”

Myouga’s eyes went wide. “Do you think Naraku intends to kill Tekkei?”

“I can’t see any other reason why he would need them. If Tekkei has a connection to the next world, where dead youkai go, then how else would Naraku make a path? Abi-hime said they won’t make one for him willingly.”

“I see…it makes sense, Inuyasha-sama. Should Abi-hime and Tekkei be warned?”

“No,” he replied immediately. “We don’t need to stop Naraku from opening the pathway. We just need to make sure we’re there when he does, or make our own.”

Inuyasha felt a little cruel for saying that, but it was the truth. Preventing Naraku from forging a path to the next world got them no closer to getting Kagome back. And besides, it wasn’t as though Abi-hime would heed their warning anyway, since she severely underestimated Naraku because he was a hanyou. Nobody could say that the human-murdering bird youkai didn’t deserve it either. Looking at each of his friends in turn, he saw that they felt much the same way as he did, somewhat uncomfortable but resolved to do what was necessary.

“Tomorrow, we’ll head in the direction the birds fled,” Inuyasha declared gravely. “We’ll find that damn nest and exterminate Tekkei ourselves. And if we meet Abi-hime before that, I’ll kill her.”

The rest of the evening was a quiet affair, with each companion lost in their own thoughts. Inuyasha found sleep elusive, as anticipation surged through his body. They were so close, he could feel it. He would hold that final jewel shard in his hand very soon, or die trying to obtain it.

* * *

Inuyasha kicked his speed up a notch as he sprinted through the empty plains. He didn’t even need to try to detect the birds’ scent anymore; it was thick in the very air that he breathed. They were getting close, and not only to the birds nest. For intermixed with the pungent avian odors was another, much fainter but equally nauseating. Naraku was already at the nest.

The events which had led the Inu-gang to this point had been set into motion less than an hour ago. By a stroke of good fortune, their direction of travel had taken them close to a certain human castle, which Abi-hime had chosen for her next target. It was probably unusual for her flock to be active in broad daylight, or to attack such a large and well-defended settlement, but they had likely been driven to make up for returning empty-handed the night before. Indeed, by the time Inuyasha and his friends arrived on the scene, the bodies of dozens of birds lay on the ground next to their human victims. But the sheer number and ferocity of the attackers had won out, and few humans remained standing. Miroku and Sango did what they could, and Inuyasha briefly dueled with Abi-hime. But she withdrew as soon as her birds retreated to safety, heavily laden with human blood. Inuyasha had tracked them all the way here, as the birds had made no attempt to conceal their scent. Either Abi-hime was unaware of their pursuit, which was unlikely, or she no longer feared the discovery of her nest. And now with Naraku involved, Inuyasha wondered what he would find when they finally arrived.

The answer came in the form of a giant avian figure suddenly looming before them, spewing fire which Kirara was fortunately quick enough to avoid. Inuyasha faltered in his step and was nearly engulfed by the flames, as his nose detected a scent which delivered a shock to his system. It had previously been masked by much stronger odors, but at such a short distance, this cherished aroma revealed itself to him. Kagome…she’s here?!

“Inuyasha!” Abi-hime called, seemingly pleased to see him. “Did the half-breed son of the Inu no Taisho come to die as well?”

“Where’s Naraku?!” he demanded, his heart in his throat. He didn’t think Naraku was careless enough to lose his precious shard-detector to the likes of these youkai–he still needed her to find the final shard in the next world, after all–but one could never be sure.

“Hmph, that small-fry Naraku has already croaked.”

“Kukuku, he’s in my stomach,” came the disembodied voice of the huge bird which had flamed them, obviously Tekkei. Inuyasha grimaced, realizing what the youkai before him did not. Evidently, having a large brain did not make Tekkei intelligent. And as Naraku’s tendrils shot up through the top of her skull, killing her instantly, Inuyasha reflected that at least her stupidity hadn’t caused her to suffer. Or Abi-hime for that matter, who soon shared her mother’s fate. And, he was relieved to note, Naraku’s victory most certainly meant that Kagome was fine. She was probably hiding nearby, out of sight.

Naraku turned to regard them stonily when he had finished with the two bird youkai. For once, his expression lacked its customary smugness, as though he hadn’t anticipated or desired for them to be here. But he quickly recovered his confidence, adopting an amused grin which was in no way forced. As if he had realized that perhaps this departure from his plan might turn out for the best.

“Kukuku, you lot arrived just in time. To witness the opening of the pathway to the next world, that is.”

With that, he swung his razor sharp tendril and neatly severed Tekkei’s head. The body collapsed, a veritable river of blood immediately flowing from the neck, down the rocky hillside.

“Go, Kagura!” Naraku shouted, and from the other side of the mountain, the wind sorceress emerged on her feather. But it was not Kagura who drew Inuyasha’s attention; that distinction belonged to the individual seated behind her. Dressed in a long, flowing kimono with her raven hair tied back, Kagome now exhibited the same fierce warrior’s aura as her counterpart. For Inuyasha, it was an indescribable relief simply to gaze upon her again, despite the foreign entity behind her eyes and the malicious grin twisting her features. He inhaled deeply, taking an even better sample of her scent, and experienced real joy for the first time in weeks. Their child was still alive in her womb.

Then she soared past, rapidly shrinking in the distance as she and Kagura followed the flow of blood to its unknown destination. Inuyasha moved to pursue but was forced to dodge the tentacles which otherwise would have pierced him through the chest.

“My apologies, Inuyasha,” Naraku mocked, “but this is as far as any of you bastards go.”

He lashed out with his tentacles again, but this time Inuyasha was ready. The Kaze no Kizu decimated every portion of Naraku’s body which was outside his barrier, but could not penetrate the opaque shield.

“Heh, futile,” the dark hanyou remarked, capturing Tetsusaiga’s youki with his barrier and sending it spiraling outwards in all directions. By the time Inuyasha recovered from his latest round of evasive maneuvers, more of Naraku’s tentacles were headed his way. He cursed inwardly, knowing that time was running short. Naraku only needed to delay him for a few more seconds. The flow of blood from Tekkei’s neck had already slowed to a relative trickle; the gateway to the next world would soon close. He raised Tetsusaiga, prepared to burst through this time or perish in the attempt.

“Kazaana!” Miroku shouted from above, the void in his hand immediately drawing the pieces of Naraku’s flesh away. It created a momentary opening for his friend, but at what cost? Naraku’s flesh contained miasma, and he had already deployed the saimyoushou. Inuyasha leapt into action immediately, not wishing for Miroku to keep his kazaana open a moment longer than absolutely necessary. The winds died abruptly as soon as he sprinted past Naraku and into the waning stream.

“Houshi-sama!” he heard Sango cry, real fear in her tone. Inuyasha squeezed his eyes shut against a surge of emotion, but lowered his head and maintained his stride. Miroku had done what he felt was necessary, placing himself in great personal peril so Kagome could be saved. All Inuyasha could do was pray for his survival, and take advantage of the opportunity the monk’s sacrifice had provided.

Naraku cackled behind him, seemingly amused by the change in circumstances. “Go ahead, Inuyasha, follow Kagome to the next world. She will return, but you will not!”

Inuyasha refused to feel any doubt at those words. He would not fail. He and his friends had sacrificed too much for this opportunity. He would return with the final jewel shard and Kagome, or not at all.

The end of the blood river was just ahead now, forming a vortex of tormented souls. It was fading, shrinking before his eyes. He stretched out his arm, straining to reach it with all of his might…

* * *

Inuyasha fell, a burst of exhilaration running through his system, as he allowed himself a brief moment to bask in his success. This place looked the same as it did in his memories, down to every detail of his father’s massive remains which loomed up before him. Kagura and Kagome were nowhere to be seen, and he couldn’t pick up their scents. But he would find them, of that he had no doubt.

He grunted as he landed unexpectedly on the back of one of the skeletal birds which inhabited this place. He’d noticed it the first time he came here–these creatures seemed perfectly willing to ferry visitors anywhere they wanted to go. With nowhere else to start, he urged it in the general direction of his father’s grave, while he scanned the surrounding area for any sign of his quarry.

As his attention was elsewhere, he almost didn’t see the projectiles which nearly pierced him through. He only had time to make a desperate dive off of the bird as it was torn apart by what looked like spears of some kind. Another bird caught him several dozen meters lower in altitude, and when the spears came again he was ready to deflect them with Tetsusaiga. Dammit, what’s going on? These spears look like they’re made from diamond. And they’re coming from Oyaji’s grave! He urged the bird closer the massive skeleton, determined to get to the bottom of this. His question of whether this suspicious activity had anything to do with the Shikon no Tama was answered immediately.

“You’re not dead, are you?” a voice asked, and it took Inuyasha a moment to locate the source. The owner was a skull, surrounded by a frill of diamonds, embedded in his father’s torso. “After the Shikon fragment…a grave robber, eh?”

“Who the hell are you?!” Inuyasha demanded, flying closer still. “And what are you doing sticking yourself into my Oyaji’s belly?!”

“Your Oyaji?” the diamond youkai repeated, growing a neck so he could raise his head and examine Inuyasha more closely. “What’s your name, boy?”

“Inuyasha.”

“And when you were born, what was inserted into your right eye?”

“A black pearl which allowed me passage to this world, so I could claim this,” Inuyasha answered, holding up Tetsusaiga. “You’re not…Housenki, are you?”

“Hmph. Even if you are the Inu no Taisho’s son, you have no business here, as you have already claimed your father’s heirloom. Leave this place, and do not return.”

“Gladly,” Inuyasha retorted. “As soon as you hand over the Shikon fragment you mentioned earlier.”

“I will not hand it over,” Housenki declared firmly. “It was the fragment’s intent to come here, and I will honor its wishes.”

“Wha–you idiot! Respecting the intent of some inanimate object? How about you honor the wishes of the son of the damn Inu no Taisho?!”

“I don’t care who comes to take it,” Housenki roared, pulling more of his body outside of the Inu no Taisho’s belly. He formed a roughly humanoid shape now, complete with a torso and two massive arms. “I won’t hand it over. The son of the Inu no Taisho should know better. Against you, I’ll show no mercy!”

True to his word, Housenki swung a huge diamond-studded forearm at Inuyasha, the sheer power behind the blow easily sufficient to impale the hanyou on the meter-long spikes if it found its mark. The great youkai’s movements were, however, fairly slow, even for a creature its size. So Inuyasha had no trouble dodging the attempt, urging his bird to soar higher. Then he leapt off, plummeting about a dozen meters and swinging Tetsusaiga at Housenki’s exposed appendage. Unfortunately, though a piercing clang rang out at impact, the hard diamond held firm. Next Inuyasha had to leap to avoid another round of sharp spears fired from his opponent’s mouth, as he retreated off the retracting arm and onto his bird once more.

He then attempted to pierce the tough armour with the Kaze no Kizu, to no avail. Damn, I can’t even scratch him! And Housenki didn’t attack with youki, so the Bakuryuuha was out of the question. His armour was even tougher than Ryukotsusei’s, so Inuyasha couldn’t be sure that Tetsusaiga’s ‘ultimate technique’ would work even if he could employ it. More and more it seemed that taking the jewel shard by force was going to be impossible, especially since he couldn’t see where it was located in Housenki’s body. Running out of ideas, he decided to try to reason with the big brute.

“Housenki, you don’t seem like an evil youkai. But what you’re doing is wrong. The Shikon no Tama needs to be returned to the world of the living and purified. Otherwise, the cycle of death and destruction will never stop.”

“Hmph. It is true that the Shikon no Tama has destroyed countless lives. It is also true that if the evil being who possesses the remainder of the jewel gets his hands on the fragment in my possession, the suffering of innocents will only grow worse. That is why this fragment asked me to take it here. And that is why I will never allow it to return to the world of the living.” Here Housenki paused briefly, his eyes shining almost thoughtfully. “You are a hanyou, yet you do not seem to be driven by greed or lust for power. But I have given you my answer. If you persist in your efforts to take the fragment from me, I will kill you. Leave this place, and do not return.”

“I can’t do that,” Inuyasha replied grimly.

“Then you leave me no choice!”

“Heh, so the old geezer is stubborn, eh Inuyasha?”

Delivered in Kagome’s voice, that comment drew Inuyasha’s full attention, as he turned to face her without a care for the rest of the world. It was lucky that the new arrival had distracted Housenki as well, or the old youkai could have ended the distracted hanyou’s life then and there. Kagome hovered, projecting a barrier remarkably similar to Naraku’s and levitating in the same way. Kagura drifted on air currents off to the side, her fan held at the ready. But Inuyasha had eyes only for Kagome. She wore an amused grin, as though genuinely enjoying the spectacle unfolding before her, puppets dancing on their strings. It was further evidence that her body was under the control of another, and Inuyasha quickly shook his head and tore his gaze away. Hearing her voice again had thrown him into a bit of a tailspin, but he would remain focused on the task at hand from now on.

“Would you like me to make it a little easier for you, Inuyasha?” Kagome–Hakago asked derisively. “The Shikon fragment should be right about…here!” he cried, having drawn Kagome’s bow and fired an arrow with practiced hands. The projectile clattered off of Housenki’s back, doing no damage because it carried no spiritual energy. Inuyasha’s eyes widened in understanding. I get it. Hakago can’t use Kagome’s spiritual energy, but he can still use the power he was born with. And as long as that was the case, then he could be confident that Kagome’s mind could still be saved.

“Insolent wench!” Housenki growled. “You are a servant of the evil one. Die!”

Panicking, Inuyasha swung Tetsusaiga and launched a Kaze no Kizu. But it was too late to stop the diamond barrage Housenki released against Hakago. Inuyasha held his breath, unsure if Naraku’s barrier would stand up to such an attack. Whatever the answer was, Hakago was obviously taking no chances. He soared away rapidly with his barrier, a strong gust of wind from Kagura helping to push the diamond shards further off course. Then the Kaze no Kizu struck, temporarily engulfing Housenki in Tetsusaiga’s youki. Inuyasha knew he couldn’t allow another attempt on Kagome’s life, and saw an opportunity to deal a critical blow.

With a mighty leap, he crossed the empty expanse and landed on Housenki’s massive shoulder. From there, it was only a few quick steps to his back, where Inuyasha smashed Tetsusaiga into the exact spot where Kagome’s arrow had struck, unleashing the Kaze no Kizu at the same time. Despite the combination of incredibly destructive forces, he felt no give under his sword, and when the youki dissipated, nothing had changed.

“A futile effort,” Housenki declared. “You may have found the Shikon fragment, but you will never reach it.”

Inuyasha gritted his teeth, blinking back frustrated tears. To have come so far, fought so many enemies, and possibly even lost a dear friend, only to discover that their efforts were futile all along? His mind rebelled at the idea, as he reared back and slammed Tetsusaiga into the diamond armour again and again. Each time he found some new reserve of determination and intensified his efforts, grunting with despair and exertion. And each time, the armour held. Tetsusaiga howled in pain, as cracking sounds reached his ears, quickly becoming more and more intense. Inuyasha no longer cared. This was the decisive moment, the moment when he would determine whether or not Kagome had a chance to survive this ordeal. Either Housenki’s armour would break…or Tetsusaiga would fail, and his body soon after.

“Fool! You will shatter your father’s heirloom before you overcome my armour.”

“If I can’t…save Kagome…then nothing else matters!”

He drew back his sword for what he sensed would be the final time, one way or another. He channeled everything into that last effort–his guilt, his heartache, his longing. Everything he felt for her, everything she made him feel with just a smile or a friendly embrace, all of his hopes and dreams, even those which had remained concealed to him until that moment. He poured everything into that final endeavor, the unadulterated love blazing in his heart surging through his sword and causing Tetsusaiga to explode with renewed vigor. The world went white at impact, and Inuyasha stumbled back. But he could feel it through his grip on the sword’s hilt–Tetsusaiga was still whole, and it was buried deep in Housenki’s back.

“Enough!” the old youkai boomed, swatting Inuyasha aside with a great swing of his massive arm. The hanyou emitted a choked gasp as he fell, plummeting into the abyss. Stunned as he was, he could only gaze up at Kagome as she shrank into the distance before his eyes, Hakago’s barrier still shimmering darkly. Then something happened which he was temporarily helpless to make sense of. A kind of portal opened up behind her, a familiar figure materializing at her side. The newcomer’s barrier gradually emerged from the portal, as Kagome’s retracted into it. Within moments, Kagome had vanished entirely, and Hakago’s master had taken her place.

“Ugh!” Inuyasha groaned as he landed on a rock ledge with bone-shattering force. He closed his eyes for a moment, fighting the pull of unconsciousness, and the despair which threatened to consume him. Kagome was gone, but all was not lost. That Naraku was here meant that something crucial was about to take place. As his brain recovered from the trauma it had recently undergone, he realized what had happened. Naraku used Hakago’s barrier to come to this world himself. As long as someone using his barrier is in this world, he can create a connection to the living one. Presumably, he and Hakago could switch places at any time, so long as one of them existed in each world. And now Naraku’s come here to claim the final Shikon fragment!

Inuyasha gritted his teeth against the pain as he rolled over and pushed himself to his feet. He staggered, holding his head as sudden dizziness assaulted him. But it passed quickly, thanks to his youkai blood. Housenki’s blow combined with the fall had beaten him up pretty badly, but this was far from over. His sword was also in rough shape, but crucially it was still clutched in his right hand, and responded when he called upon it to transform. His heart clenched at the damage to his beloved Tetsusaiga, cracks of every shape and size running along its blade. I’m sorry, Tetsusaiga. But the sword pulsed once almost reassuringly, and Inuyasha knew it approved of his actions.

“Just a little more, Tetsusaiga!”

He leapt onto the back of one of the skeletal birds drifting lazily nearby, mentally ordering it to ascend as quickly as possible. He was not disappointed, as the battlefield grew rapidly closer. As he watched, Housenki fired diamond spears through Naraku’s chest, which managed to pass through the latter’s barrier as if it didn’t exist. But this didn’t faze the dark hanyou, who already had one of his tendrils plunged into Housenki’s back. The great youkai now pulsed with evil energy, his once pristine body turning black as night. Shit, Naraku’s using his portion of the jewel to corrupt Housenki’s fragment! And due to the damage he and Tetsusaiga had caused, the old youkai seemed to have no strength left to resist.

Naraku noticed Inuyasha’s approach then, cackling as he gazed down at the inu-hanyou with an insane glint in his eyes. Before Inuyasha could destroy Naraku’s tendrils, the dark hanyou finally succeeded in withdrawing the now polluted Shikon fragment from Housenki’s back. Then, since his tendrils were already wrapped around the great youkai, he wrenched and tore off Housenki’s head, flinging it at Inuyasha with incredible speed. Inuyasha tensed his battered legs to dive away, sensing that it was going to be a close call, but also knowing that if he failed to avoid the attack, he and Kagome were both as good as dead. Naraku would have the completed Shikon no Tama, and would have no use for her anymore.

“Cut me, boy.”

The deep, booming voice resonated through his mind, as time seemed to slow to a crawl. What? he demanded. Who are you?

“Cut me,” the voice repeated, and finally Inuyasha recognized it. Housenki, whose head was currently barreling towards him at deadly velocity, was telling him to cut him apart with Tetsusaiga rather than dodging. Inuyasha had no reason to trust the foolish old youkai, who had failed to see reason until it was too late. But the sincerity and conviction in his tone convinced the hanyou that it would be a tremendous mistake to ignore his request. So instead of leaping out of harm’s way, he gripped Tetsusaiga’s hilt in both hands and swung with all of his might.

At first, he was sure the sword was going to shatter. But Tetsusaiga’s screams of agony lasted for only a moment, and as Inuyasha squinted his eyes shut against the spray of tiny diamond shards peppering his body, the sword’s vocalizations shifted into more of a throaty hum. When he opened his eyes, Tetsusaiga was whole again, sparkling in the light.

“You have proven yourself worthy of my power, son of the Inu no Taisho. Use it well.”

“Thank you,” Inuyasha said aloud, realizing that this was likely the last time he was going to be able to speak to Housenki. Whatever the old youkai had done, he appreciated it. Now, he could face his true enemy with a real chance of victory.

“You’re too late, Inuyasha,” Naraku declared smugly. “Your sword may be fully healed, but you still won’t be able to break my barrier.”

“We’ll see, you bastard,” Inuyasha snarled, summoning Tetsusaiga’s youki, which swirled around him, whipping his hair rhythmically.

“Kukuku, go ahead and try it. When you fail, I will leave you here in this wasteland to rot for all eternity. I will let you imagine how much Kagome will suffer before I finally grant her a merciful death. I will–”

Inuyasha had heard enough. It didn’t matter if his previous attempts to break Naraku’s barrier had ended in failure. He knew, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that this time would be different. This time, he would overcome Naraku. A name floated to him from some corner of his mind, a memento from a new ally, and he shouted it to the heavens as he swung his sword.

“Kongousouha!”

Despite his confidence, Inuyasha was still awed by the power which Tetsusaiga unleashed. Countless diamond spears, lancing through the air in a great swath, tearing through Naraku’s barrier and slicing his body to ribbons. Even the dark hanyou’s face had been split apart, both halves wearing expressions of fear and wonder. Inuyasha was disappointed but not surprised when the disparate pieces of Naraku’s flesh began swirling around each other. His body could reform because his detached heart was safely back in the living world. Inuyasha would’ve attacked again anyway, but a tiny glimmer among the flesh drew his attention. The final Shikon fragment!

The portal opened behind Naraku, the dark hanyou attempting to flee with his prize. Inuyasha soared upward, his avian steed racing to prevent disaster until finally, he judged the distance was correct and leapt with a mighty heave of his legs. Naraku’s tendril reached for the jewel shard, reforming as its tip drew closer and closer to its target. Inuyasha stretched out his hand…

His lungs seized up the instant his fingers closed around the shard. He curled inwardly, as if to shield himself from the evil energy invading his mind, pulsing through his body. Wha…what’s happening? A brutal wave of feral heat tore through him, setting his nerves aflame. It was different from anything he’d ever experienced before, and yet… Shit! The corrupted shard is…is… He growled in agony, red bleeding into his vision as his fangs and claws lengthened. Dimly he felt his body land on something hard and bony, a cruel voice drifting to him from a seemingly great distance.

“That’s it, Inuyasha. Surrender to the corruption of the Shikon no Tama. You can wander this graveyard as a mindless animal for the rest of your miserable existence.”

Inuyasha lacked the mental capacity to understand these words. His world began and ended with his heartbeat, as every throb thundered through his skull. Had he possessed the ability of higher thought, he might have reflected how different this was from his prior transformations, particularly the last one during the battle against Ginkotsu. There, his youkai side had emerged of its own volition in response to a threat to his life. Here, however, an outside force was pulling the wild part of him to the surface, while increasing its savagery to the point of insanity. A void loomed before him, and Inuyasha sensed that if he fell into its tranquil depths, there would be no going back.

A different kind of warmth surged through his being, this one soothing, easing the pressure on his mind just enough to delay the inevitable collapse. Tet…Tetsusaiga. His sword was calling its master, the hanyou it had fought and bonded with, and the true Inuyasha responded. But Tetsusaiga’s intervention was not going to be enough to save him. The dark power of the Shikon no Tama intensified, perhaps as Naraku floated closer with his already polluted portion of the jewel. Inuyasha nearly broke under the strain, his head ready to explode with the effort of resisting. He had never suffered so much in his entire life. He wanted to surrender to that peaceful oblivion, to put an end to it all. But Tetsusaiga had reminded him why he had to fight on, no matter how much it hurt. Of how much he had to lose.

There was a name. He knew it existed, a name and a matching face which would save him. Someone who meant so much to him, that he would fight the Kami themselves just to be with her. But as the pervasive influence of the corrupt jewel continued its assault, pressing inexorably into the resilient corner of his mind, her identity eluded him. Then he was falling, descending once more into the void where nothing existed, not even…

Kagome.

Her face swam before his mind’s eye, blurry at first. But his heart clenched at the sight of the mere outline of her smiling visage, raw emotion surging forth to push back the darkness just slightly. And as the image slowly cleared, Inuyasha remembered why she was the only one who could save him from himself. She had been doing it since the day they first met. He allowed pure passion flow through him, overwhelming love and longing which bathed his consciousness in light. Time circled endlessly inside his mind, and he might have spent seconds or days waging war deep within himself. But gradually he drove back the jewel’s blackness, rallying around the one thing which made his life worth living. His Kagome, the girl who made all the suffering worthwhile.

Blinking his eyes open was a surreal experience. He found himself staring down at a different sort of abyss, this one with clouds floating below him over rocky cliffs. He was also moving slightly, as his avian platform hovered in the light breeze caressing his cheeks. Cheeks which surely still bore the markings of his youkai transformation, as he could sense that his fangs and claws had not returned to their normal length. Oddly, this caused him no alarm. He was in control of himself once more. Not complete control–the evil energy still pressed against his consciousness–but it was no longer strong enough to penetrate his defenses. He was a full-youkai in body, but a hanyou in mind. And judging by its joyous pulsing, Tetsusaiga recognized his true heart happily.

“What?!” he heard Naraku exclaim as he lurched to his feet. The dark hanyou hovered above him, his body and barrier fully reformed, only a few meters separating them. Cracking a smirk which was more than a little feral, Inuyasha determined to ensure that his enemy did not remain so undamaged for long. A fresh Kongousouha at point-blank range decimated Naraku, slicing him up even more finely than the previous one. He still began to pull himself back together, but this time Inuyasha was not deterred.

“Naraku,” he snarled viciously, his tone downright predatory. “This Shikon fragment…is mine. If you want it…bring Kagome here…and free her from your infant’s spell. Otherwise…stick around…and I’ll slice you into so many pieces…that it’ll take you years to put yourself back together. And…I’ll fucking enjoy it.”

Inuyasha drank in the sudden fear which colored Naraku’s visage, though perhaps he had overdone it a bit with the savagery, not that he could really help it in his current state. Instead of seriously considering his proposal, Naraku opened his portal and retreated through, leaving no trace of himself behind. Inuyasha immediately collapsed to his knees, a tremendous weight lifting from his shoulders as the corrupt, nearly-completed Shikon no Tama departed from this world. Without its corrosive influence, the single shard still clutched in his hand began to lighten. And as his full-youkai features faded, leaving him hanyou in both body and mind, Inuyasha held the shard up before his eyes. It wasn’t nearly as pure as it would be in Kagome’s hands, but neither was it about to possess him. He was a good person, and the jewel was feeding off that at the moment, with no strong outside influences around.

Inuyasha grinned wryly and shook his head. All that trouble, for such a little thing. But it had been worth it. As long as he had this shard, he held a bargaining chip for Kagome’s life. For Naraku to kill her now would be a tremendous risk on his part. There was nothing to stop Inuyasha from hiding the jewel in some secure place only he knew the location of, pending her release. He didn’t plan on doing that, but it was an option open to him. And if he did hide the shard, Naraku could spend centuries searching for it fruitlessly without a reliable way to detect it. Hopefully, the dark hanyou would instead decide to accept his proposal and make the trade. Even if Naraku completed the jewel, Inuyasha was confident that he and his friends could defeat him, as long as Kagome was with them. Besides, getting her back was the most important objective which he had ever known. Keeping the final shard from Naraku had only been a means toward that end. Hopefully an end he would be reaching very soon. Heh, and if Naraku does want to make a deal, he damn sure knows where to find me.

This thought was a bit sobering, but again Inuyasha wasn’t worried. Naraku had discovered a way into this world without too much effort, and Inuyasha was sure that another path existed somewhere. Either the dark hanyou or his friends would find it. Hell, maybe there was a way to pass the gateway guarded by the two statues, which nobody had thought of yet. The bottom line: there had to be a way. Ultimately, of far greater concern to Inuyasha was the health of the brave monk who had given him the opportunity to snatch the final Shikon fragment from Naraku’s clutches. It was because of Miroku that Kagome still had a chance to survive this ordeal, and he would be forever grateful. He only hoped that he would be able to thank him in person one day, back in the world of the living.

In the meantime, he would explore this wasteland, and see if he could discover a way out on his own. He sheathed Tetsusaiga and grimaced as his battered and bruised body protested even that movement. Exploration could wait until after a long, well-deserved nap. But he would seek his own salvation, as soon as he’d recovered from the battle. Sitting back and hoping to be rescued had never been his style.

Kagome was still waiting for him.