InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In the Shadow of Destiny ❯ Chapter VI ( Chapter 6 )

 

 

 

 

In the Shadow of Destiny

By

Firebird Phoenix

Chapter VI

 

 

“Kagome are you alright?” Kagome stared speechless at InuYasha, dumbly nodding yes, Kagome smiled at him, but the strain from her sixth transformation took its toll and Kagome past out.

 

“Kagome,” InuYasha called as he caught her falling limp body, but she didn't respond to him, with her pale skin InuYasha would have thought her dead if he couldn't hear her breathing, InuYasha placed Kagome on her back and ran along the river, looking back worried at the unconscious Kagome, her head leaning on his right shoulder; on the cliff the solders had long sense gone, to chase after them no doubt.

 

“Don't worry Kagome, I'll protect you.” Proclaimed InuYasha, Kagome smiled in her sleep as if knowing what InuYasha had just said. InuYasha took Kagome to the boarder between the Forbidden Desert and the Dark Forest; the mountains along that area were filled with several dozen caves, escaped slaves would hide there until the hunt for them died down then they could slip into another country unnoticed. InuYasha found a small cave along the base of the mountain; water trickled down the back of the cave. InuYasha laid Kagome down in the front of the cave, covering her with his shirt exposing the venerable white undershirt of his kimono; he sat down in the entrance of the cave keeping watch for any solders.

 

*~~~*

 

Kagome awoke to the burning glow of a fire cast upon her face, she curiously looked around the unfamiliar cave, and InuYasha sat at the entrance staring at the crescent moon and the bright stars.

 

“InuYasha.” InuYasha's ears twitched, he looked back at Kagome with a relieved expression, slowly Kagome moved to sit next to InuYasha, handing him back his robe.

 

“Are you alright Kagome?” Kagome looked over at him and smiled, not only for InuYasha's concern for her but that he didn't call her mistress.

 

“You called me by my name.” She answered; InuYasha jumped back bowing his head to her,

 

“Please forgive me Mistress, I forgot my place.” begged InuYasha, Kagome sighed deeply more hurt by his words then his actions, she looked back at the night sky.

 

“I'm glad you did InuYasha.” InuYasha looked up confused, “I want you to call me by my name InuYasha I'm your friend not your master, I bought you because I had to get you away from that horrible place and it was the only thing I could think of to help you, so please don't think of as your master.” Explained Kagome, InuYasha got back up and sat next to Kagome, she smiled at him with weak tired eyes.

 

“Kagome, what happened to you?”

 

“Its simple really, I used too much energy; it's my weakness you could say, I guess you've already figure out I'm the Shape-Shifter from the legend, but it comes with a price, with every shape I take, I use energy, I can manage up too six with in a two day period, if I push six which I did when the rebels chased me, I pass out. But I was lucky enough for you to find me before I did. It's the same for larger shapes like a dragon for example, if I changed into one, I would only be able to hold it for a few minuets, sense the dragon is such a large animal I use more energy. As long as I don't change shape with in the next day or two, I won't have to worry about passing out, my energy should have completely returned by then. It's ironic when I think of it, I'm supposed to have the great power, but it's given me nothing but heartache.” InuYasha stared over at Kagome amazed by her tale; Kagome hugged her knees, InuYasha could smell the salt in her tears, even if Kagome refused to let them fall.

 

“If only I hadn't been born on that accursed day,” Kagome whispered, Kagome had wished sense she first learned she was the Shape-Shifter; she wasn't born on the day the sky burn like fire; if she had been born a day after or before, she might be an ordinary Oracle still living happily in the village, then Kane wouldn't hunt her like an animal. But she might not have met InuYasha, and Kagome didn't want to give up her relationship with InuYasha for anything.

 

“I never forgot about you InuYasha, I had it all planed out, that one day when I got older I would save you, sense you sacrificed your freedom for me I was determined to set you free.” Kagome looked over at InuYasha; his eyes were cast over by the shadow of his bangs.

 

“Kagome, why did you care about me when we first met? What reason could you possibly have for helping me?” InuYasha confusion boiled over as he started to shout. Kagome blinked at his question,

 

“Why would you care for something worthless like me?” he whispered. All his life InuYasha wondered those question, sometimes he would love Kagome for the kindness she shown him, others he would hate her, thinking she shown him that kindness as a cruel joke or for pity. But even in the times he hated her some small part in InuYasha's heart would love her and wouldn't let the hatred for her continue long.

 

“InuYasha,” breathed Kagome surprised, Kagome never imagined her actions the first day they met troubled him so much; she smiled looking back up at the stars.

 

“I remember when I first saw you, you were so scared and hurt, and all I wanted to do was help you. The reason I helped you is I knew you needed my help, and I care because I know what it's like to be considered an outcast. Before Kane…” Kagome hesitated collecting her hurt emotions over her time with Kane. “Before Kane took me, I was told everyday that if I was ever captured no one would come to save me, it was against my people's law, our seclusion was valued above everything else.” Explained Kagome as tears threatened to fall, InuYasha felt like a bastard for ever hating Kagome, she cared about him from the kindness in her pure heart, it wasn't some cruel joke or pity Kagome genuinely cared about him. A small warmth entered InuYasha's cold heart as he sat awkwardly quiet next to Kagome, he wanted to say something to make it all better but he was no master of words, the best he could hope to do was sit next to her hoping it comforted her or else risk hurting her more.

 

“InuYasha do mind if I ask, how come you age like me?” InuYasha looked over at Kagome, he knew she'd ask, a normal demon would still be a child in demon standards, but InuYasha was a man, he crossed his arms and looked away.

 

“Its my human blood, I age like a human.” InuYasha's answer was short and to the point, even if he tried InuYasha couldn't lie to Kagome; the retched Mark of Subjugation ensured a slave would never lie to his master. It didn't matter what Kagome said, or how she tried to sugar coat it, the result was still the same, and she bought and paid for him she was the master and he was her slave, plain and simple, and as long as his mark centered on her crest there would always be a gap between them.

 

*~~~*

 

The riders pursuing Kagome returned to the abandoned village of the Oracles, this village was used as a meeting point for the rebels, Kane's men made monthly inspections of the village so it was the perfect place to plain their next move to over throw Kane, as long as they kept track of the inspections they could use the village as they saw fit as long as they didn't leave any sign of human encampment they had nothing to worry about. The Leader of the Riders pursuing Kagome entered her former home, it was the best intact of all of houses. A young man stood before the leader of the Resistance, the man who started it all and refused to submit to Kane's rule, Caleb, the middle aged man got up from his chair, his graying hair was cut short for battle, he wore a chain mesh shirt over his dark red tunic, with his black pants tucked into brown boots, and his katana always at his side.

 

“She escaped, saved by a demon.” Said the man, Caleb looked over at the man in his early thirties he had short dirty blonde hair, with sky blue eyes, Like Caleb, Tristan wore a chain mesh shirt over his dark blue tunic, his lose black pants hung over his black boots, he didn't wear his family crest incase he was recognized by Kane's men. Tristan was quite handsome, any other man his age would be married by now with children; but Tristan wouldn't take a wife as long as Kane was on his father's throne. Tristan was King Markl's third son, his second brother Anthony, and eldest brother Arren were captured by Kane's men, after Kane concurred the Royal City Lockhart, named after the Royal Family, only Tristan and his brothers were able to escape the fire, the rest of the people were slaughtered, captured and sold as slaves. Tristan and his brothers were able to escape, only to be hunted down by Kane's Dragons, Drakmen, and Kane's Huntsmen, it was the Huntsmen who tracked down Tristan and his brothers, rumors of their skills were true, once the Huntsmen caught their trail they pursued the princes relentlessly their skills were amazing, and their plan to capture them equally so. The Huntsmen allowed Tristan and his brothers to believe they escaped them when in truth the Huntsmen never lost their trail and while the princes were enjoying a break Tristan noticed the Huntsmen and two green Dragon's in the distance they tried to escape but Tristan's brothers were scooped right off of their horses as they rode by Kane's Green dragons, Tristan was lucky to escape into a narrow cave that lead deep into a mountain and out the other side, it was what saved him from capture. The heat that burned on his back as he escaped his burning home and screams of his people still haunt him to this very day.

 

“Saved by a demon eh?” Caleb questioned,

 

“Caleb, I think she's a spy for Kane.”

 

“No Tristan, I think that woman was a Oracle returning home, we don't have to worry about her telling Kane anything, as long as we leave her be she'll have no reason to tell Kane anything about us being here. How did they escape you anyway?”

 

“My men and I perused the woman into the Dark Forest, at which time she changed into a small sparrow we followed the Sparrow to a cliffs edge…”

 

“Hold on, are you telling me this woman changed her shape?” asked Caleb

 

“I know its sound insane Caleb but I swear to you what I tell you is true.” Caleb jumped from his chair next to the fireplace and glared down at Tristan.

 

“Where did you lose them Tristan?”

 

“The woman jumped from a cliff not far from here and was saved by the demon.”

 

“Then its true,” Caleb mumbled

 

“Alert everyone I want this woman found, search the entire forest leave no stone unturned, but tell the men not to engage her once they've found her, their strict orders are to follow her and alert me of her location.” Barked Caleb, walking out the front door

 

“Caleb I thought you wanted to leave her alone?” asked Tristan following after him

 

“I've changed my mind.” He barked back, leaving Tristan standing in the doorway very confused, Tristan's confusion was soon ignored as he left to rally every man in the village. The twenty men on horseback stood mounted and ready in the town square. Tristan had sent ten men to their hidden camps in the Forbidden Desert, to start the search for the woman. Tristan looked over at Caleb sitting atop his black horse. Very little was known about their profound leader, he kept his life before the rebellion more secretive then Kane's ability to always destroy their plains. Tristan always admired Caleb for that, even though every plan to destroy Kane was stopped he never lost faith that someday they would defeat Kane, and then restore the rightful King of Mika.

 

*~~~*

 

Late the next morning Kagome and InuYasha left the cave, and headed north, the western Jade Kingdom that lay beyond the Dark Forest was the same Kingdom, Kane was negotiating his new slave trading agreement with. All of the Kingdoms surrounding Mika had slave agreements with Kane. And their best hope was to head to the second Kingdom of the North, the Zen Kingdom, they were a Kingdom that employed Sorcerers in their army and didn't believe in Slavery and offered sanctuary to any escaped slave that made it to their Kingdom. But getting threw the large Yin Kingdom would be difficult they were Kane's closest allies, their trade agreement with him, had brought amazing wealth to the once impoverished Kingdom.

 

Kagome and InuYasha walked along a country path cut threw a small forest someone had planted weeping cherry trees along the path, in full bloom the path was magnificent, it was so peaceful Kagome was nearly speechless at their beauty; she was use to the trees of the dark forest and never imagined trees could look so outstanding. InuYasha's ears twitched when he heard something big approaching them, Kagome's heart jumped into her throat something terrifying was coming. Her breath caught in her throat when she heard the flapping of a Dragons wings in the distance. InuYasha grabbed Kagome wrist and pulled her behind a Dragon Thistle bush.

 

The Dragon Thistle bush has become a rarity in the land of Mika sense Kane took over he ordered that every Dragon Thistle bush be destroyed, the bushes have no preference for where they grow as long as Dragon's Blood was spilled there; the bush its self would never stand out with its small red leaves and pink thistles, but twenty of these bushes could immobilize an entire Dragon army. The Thistle of the Dragon Thistle bush puts out a horrid stench that only Dragon's can smell, that smell has driven off even the most powerful of dragons. Kagome squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears, praying the Dragon wouldn't find her; InuYasha hugged Kagome, she leaned into his warmth, she held onto his kimono barring her face in it.

 

`I'll protect you Kagome, I promise.' Thought InuYasha as he heard the dragon getting closer, he looked up into the sky

 

“I don't want to go back.” Kagome whimpered, the ground shook as the dragon landed between the cherry trees Kagome could stop herself to look over between the leaves of the bush; even though it was a creature that haunted her nightmares, Kagome was amazed at its beautiful blue scales, the deepest and most beautiful blue Kagome had ever seen she could see its body was like the dragon Kagome seen at Kane's castle when she first arrived there the dragon's body was slender enough to fit on the path with out knocking over the trees; but there was also something Kagome didn't notice before when she first met one of Kane's dragons; this one had a spiked collar around its neck with a black gem in the front of the collar. The Dragon's powerful tail swung from side to side pushing over the cherry trees effortlessly; it looked down at Kagome and InuYasha and shook its head violently obviously disgusted about something, it curled its lips back revealing five inch fangs, and a long lizard tongue, snarling at the Dragon Thistle bush. It started to violently thrash its head around rubbing its nostrils, it jumped into the air spreading its wings it flew off, the massive force of its take off stripped the trees almost bare.

 

“Its over Kagome, the Dragon's gone.” Said InuYasha helping Kagome up, the feel of InuYasha's ruff hands against her soft skin made Kagome blush. Kagome looked misty eyed into InuYasha golden eyes and for that one moment the world and its rules melted away and InuYasha and Kagome simply enjoyed the feel of each other's touch. InuYasha blushed furiously and pulled away from Kagome. Kagome looked down at her hand still warm from InuYasha's grasp and smiled she'd forgotten how warm another persons kind touch could be, a feeling she was more then happy to regain.

 

“We should get going.” Said InuYasha bluntly, InuYasha followed behind Kagome, she couldn't help but feel this was the result of the slave training he's endured. It was mid afternoon when they past threw a grassy plain, tall grass swept like an ocean under the breeze. Kagome was enjoying the feeling of the grass bat at her hands; InuYasha was worried about what lay beyond this field. The dry seasons was coming, a hot humid season, that clamed lives on a yearly basis the season was already a week late and InuYasha expected the dry seasons to rear its head any day now, and when it finally did show itself their journey to the Zen Kingdom was going to become even more difficult.

 

InuYasha was right, the dry season reared it ugly head the next day. InuYasha wasn't worried about himself he was use to working in the dry season as a slave the heat didn't matter unless it nearly killed you, it wouldn't be profitable to let a slave die from the heat. He was more worried about Kagome, he doubted she's been in the sun sense Kane captured her. Just thinking about Kagome being at the mercy of that monster made InuYasha's blood boil, he herd stories about what he did to his captives it made InuYasha want to rip Kane's throat out with his bare hands.

 

The hot afternoon sun burned over head, the heat rose from the earth like waves on the ocean, sweat trickled down her back and forehead, stinging her eyes, her throat was dry with a disgusting taste of dust in the back of her throat Kagome tried to swallow her own saliva in hopes of purging her dry throat but it wasn't any good, her tongue couldn't even moisten her cracking lips. The hot day had slowed Kagome's recharging normally she would be at full strength by now, but she had only regained a little of her energy. A sudden sense of panic swelled in Kagome's chest, she could sense a persons excitement, their thrill of the hunt, but it wasn't any game he was hunting it was them. The hairs on Kagome's neck stood up as she turned around but nothing was there, only the distant tree line of the forest they walked along. InuYasha had told Kagome that, that forest was a dangerous place, apparently mythical creatures roamed there; anyone who entered was never heard or seen again even escaped demon slaves feared to enter that accursed forest. Kagome scanned the area, the fear in her chest swelling more with each passing moment; this is what it must feel like to be hunted.

 

Then Kagome's heart jumped into her throat, her breath caught in her throat, she couldn't speak or even breath as her fear overwhelmed her.

In the far distance behind them Kagome spied a glimmer of light twinkled off the sun, she couldn't move she watched as the glimmer die down slightly and a shape took form, a lone figure on horse back starred down at her, even if Kagome couldn't see his face she could feel his gaze cut her down. Everything Kagome suffered under Kane flashed back, her knees stiffened; she stood petrified staring back at the figure. InuYasha could smell Kagome's fear he turned to ask what was wrong, he seen the horse man sitting beyond the waves of heat. InuYasha jumped in front of Kagome, he knew she was running from Kane, and there was no way Kane would ever let Kagome go willing. InuYasha would die before he let Kagome fall into his hands again.

InuYasha cracked his knuckles baring his claws but a sudden surge of intense pain pulsed threw InuYasha's body, Kagome snapped out of her daze bent down to the kneeling InuYasha, hissing threw his teeth in pain.

 

“InuYasha, what's going on?” asked Kagome, InuYasha braced himself up with his palm, digging his claws into the hard ground. InuYasha was foolish too try and harm a human. A demon could never hurt any human, unless his master was in life threatening danger. All thanks to the Mark of Subjugation; a master could force a demon to harm a human, but never out of its own accord. Kagome looked up the rider was coming their way at full speed, there was no way InuYasha couldn't out run the horse not with it gaining so quickly. There was only one chance, Kagome had regained little of her strength if she changed even the smallest of animals, the change wouldn't last for long but there was no other choice. Kagome forced the surge of power, and used her ability, changing into a magnificent stallion; InuYasha hopped on her back, gripped his fingers in her soft main, Kagome reared on her hind legs and galloped. Her spirit burst with joy as the wind blew threw her main and InuYasha experiencing this moment with her only made it more wonderful. But the feeling quickly faded as her muscles began to burn and her energy dwindled, Kagome was burning energy faster then she expected and the rider was gaining on them. Kagome didn't know how much longer she could hold out, but she could fail now, now with InuYasha and her own freedom hanging in the balance, but what could she do Kagome could already feel herself wanting to change back….

 

 

End Chapter

 

How will Kagome and InuYasha escape the rider? Will Kagome's energy fail and she'll be forced to change back, or will InuYasha be able to get past the Mark of Subjugation and defend Kagome. Read my next Chapter to find out.