InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Cave ❯ Creeping Darkness ( Chapter 2 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: wbk 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Horror | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 10.10.2008 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.0K | Visits: 394 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Horror | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 10.10.2008 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.0K | Visits: 394 | Status: Work In Progress
I still don't own anything connected with Inuyasha or any of its characters.
Creeping Darkness
Worthless human girl, huh? Where did he get off thinking of her like that? She’d show him! He could rot in that hole for all she cared! Stomping her foot on the rocks below, she’d said, “I’m leaving. If I happen to see the others, I might just send them back for you.” She only wished she could believe what she’d said. The darkness of the surroundings weren’t helping her feel any more confident about the situation they were in, and she couldn’t help the tickle deep in her mind that told her there was something here that she didn’t want to see.
8-8-8-8
Once he had satisfied himself that the girl he’d sworn to protect would not try to climb down to help him, Inuyasha had the opportunity to take stock of his condition.
Falling thirty feet, into darkness so thick that even a demon couldn’t make out any features, was enough to cause a little pain, but it wasn’t enough to keep him from making his way out again, either. What was keeping him in this dank prison was the remains of the cave’s floor that had fallen with him.
Rocks, both large and small, had made their way down when he’d pulled the object from the wall. Some of the falling debris had managed to land on top of him when he’d hit the bottom. The angle of his landing had dislocated his right shoulder. Putting it back into place by himself would be painful, but he’d done it before. The muscles and tendons would take time to recover from the unnatural way that they had been stretched, though. And time was something that he didn’t have a lot of, right now.
The jagged slab of rock that had landed on his left leg was the cause of most of his worries. Not only had it severely broken the bones above and below the knee, but it had torn the skin and tissue, too. He could feel the wetness of his own blood spreading down the leg of his hakama much faster than he thought he could counteract with his healing abilities. With only one good arm, he couldn’t manage to push the huge rock off, either. Unless the others found him, he was trapped and defenseless in the dark.
8-8-8-8
Kagome huffed, as she turned to make her way back to where she thought the main cavern should be. She’d never thought much about it before, but without the aid of sight she found that she had no sense of direction.
She’d only taken two steps when she came into contact with the wall of the cave. The wall was covered by a spongy mass that made her skin crawl wherever it had touched her. Could this be the same thing that had made their embrace seem so romantic, with it’s soft glowing light? How could it feel so repulsive now? It almost seemed as if it was sentient, but it was most definitely not alive.
Knowing that sight was lost to her at the time, she turned her senses inward. Closing her eyes she was able to feel the strange aura emanating from the growth on the walls.
Keeping her distance from the unknown substance constant at all times, she slowly walked toward what she hoped was freedom from the cave. It was the single most harrowing walk of her life. Having to trust in her untrained miko abilities, she could only hope that they would not lead her astray. She couldn’t even be sure that she wasn’t walking directly toward the gap in the floor that Inuyasha had fallen through.
Faith in oneself is never an easy thing to stake one’s life upon. Kagome’s heart may have been strong and true, but she found it no easier than anyone else would have. With the impenetrable darkness all around her, her mind imagined the most unimaginable things. Phantom shapes came out of the darkness and flew towards her. As she tried to ward them off she found that they existed only in her overworked imagination.
It would take forever to retrace her steps with the halting pace that she was forced to use. Each step took a strength of will that was slowly draining her ability to continue. The overwhelming darkness seemed to be slowly invading her body and mind. It weighted her every breath. The oppressive feeling of the air seemed to throw her usually feisty nature into a depression that she’d never known before. Even when her soul had been invaded by the baby that contained Naraku’s heart she hadn’t felt this level of desolation.
Gathering all that was left of her strength, she fought off the invading darkness. As she lay shivering on the floor of the cave, she managed to erect a barrier around herself to prevent the blackness from taking her over in entirety. She had no strength left over to devote to further thoughts of escaping the cave. She could only close her eyes, and give in to the need for sleep that suddenly overcame her. As her consciousness left her, she could only hope that Inuyasha was safe.
8-8-8-8
Inuyasha could feel something in the pit with him. It wasn’t breathing. It wasn’t moving, at least not yet. It was just being. He didn’t know how but he could tell that it wasn’t something concealed in the darkness. It was the darkness.
It enveloped him in its gentle seduction. It whispered to the most secret parts of his mind of its great glories. It appealed to the wounded psyche deep within the hanyou. It promised rest from all the injustices he’d ever had to suffer. It gave assurances of acceptance, if he would only welcome it within himself.
The more that he tried to struggle against the darkness the more worn he became. It would be a race to see if he was drained by the darkness before he bled out from the wound in his leg. He hoped it would be the wound.
Trapped as he was he couldn’t see any way to escape. He only hoped that Kagome had been able to escape and was safe.
8-8-8-8
As they made their way down the passage, Sango and Miroku couldn’t help but be slowed by the apprehension growing within each of them. The unusual quality of the darkness before them was like nothing they’d ever experienced.
The striking quality of the scene before them was not the lack of light. It was the all encompassing nature of the darkness. It was not as if the background objects were being concealed. It was as if they ceased to exist. The slayer and the monk were both reminded of the fate of the objects that had been drawn into the void in Miroku’s hand.
“Careful, Hoshi. We have no idea what we will encounter. I’ve never heard of a demonic darkness, but I don’t like the feel of this.”
“Indeed, Sango. There is an otherworldly feel in this place. It is the most unholy piece of ground that I have ever sensed.”
The lack of light forced their pace to slow even more, giving Shippou and Kirara a chance to rejoin them. “I don’t like it in here,” Shippou whispered. “It feels like the walls are trying to suck me in.”
Turning to look at the child, Miroku could see the faint track of a tear sliding down the kitsune’s cheek reflecting the last of the light from the entrance. The look of sorrow that could be seen on the child’s face cause the monk to stumble, momentarily. The waves of despair rolling off the small demon caught Sango’s attention, too. “What’s troubling you, Shippou?” she asked.
“I don’t wanna be alone again. I can’t help thinking about Pa and the way he died, right in front of me. I don’t know why, but it feels like it happened right here.” Shippou couldn’t help but curl into a small ball, as he saw the sights of the worst day of his life replayed in the recesses of his mind. The vision soon blotted out all reality, and he was once again forced to live through watching his own father slaughtered and skinned. The child wailed as the life left the beloved body of his father.
Miroku watched the child with concern. There seemed to be no way to wake him from whatever had grasped his mind. He picked the small body up, and trying to give whatever comfort he could, he said,“Take heart, Shippou. There is a presence in this cave that seems to be affecting us all. I, myself, have felt the oppressive weight of the knowledge that my right hand will one day cause my death. Ever since we entered this particular tunnel, my mind has had to battle the most tyrannical thoughts.”
Suddenly, the monk found himself reliving the day that his own father had died. The memories of futilely trying to reach his father before the man was consumed slowly changed to himself battling the growing void in his own hand. He tried with all his strength to pull the cursed hand away from his group of friends. The power of the wind was too great for him, though, and he could only watch with growing dread as his friends were pulled into the unknown. The last to go was the girl who had captured his wandering heart. The sadness that he felt at that moment was so great that he had no choice but to turn the weapon upon himself.
Sango saw her beloved monk fall to his knees. She could see the lack of recognition in his wondrous, violet eyes. The thought of his mind being tortured by unknown intrusions was enough to bring her anger to the front. The anger over the treatment of Miroku quickly turned to anger over her inability to protect those she had loved before.
She could see, all too clearly, the day that had brought an end to her family. This time she saw the evidence of her brother being attacked by the evil that had turned him into Naraku’s puppet. She could see just how he was planning on dispatching the others of their group of slayers. She could see Kohaku moving towards their father, and she knew what the boy’s plans were. She could see everything before it happened. She knew what the outcome would be, but she was unable to do anything to prevent its eventuality.
She railed at the body that would not heed her wishes to stop this from happening. She belittled her lack of strength at being unable to prevent this. She cursed herself for not being able to be the savior that was needed. She sank to the cave floor next to Miroku, and silent tears slid down her face.
8-8-8-8
Kagome found herself trapped within the darkest nightmare she had ever known. The walls around her seemed to be expanding to encompass not only her position but those of her friends, as well.
She was treated to the sight of Shippou lying alone on the cave floor, as he wailed his desolation for no living ears to hear. Her heart yearned to reach out in comfort to the child, but she found herself unable to move.
She saw Sango, the sister of her heart, writhing in ineffectual agony as the slayer relived the horrors of her past. Try as she might Kagome couldn’t make her body move to the slayer’s side.
She saw Miroku try to hide the hand that held the weapon of his demise. The monk tried in vain to direct the void away from his friends, and gave in to despair as he was unsuccessful. Again, she couldn’t let him know that he was not responsible.
Then she saw Inuyasha, her protector, her mighty hanyou. He was trapped on the floor of the pit he had fallen into. His physical condition precluded his escape. The weight of the rocks covering him kept him pinned, ready prey for the darkness that was slowly devouring him.
The screams that left his mouth, as piece by piece his sanity was ripped from him, were enough to break the spell of stasis that held her. She gathered every bit of her will, and concentrated it into the strength she needed to escape the darkness.
With a flare her miko powers broke through the hold of the unseen master of the dark. She found that her body could once again move. Trained or not she would have to rely on her own powers and her strength if she wanted to save her friends.
8-8-8-8
Inuyasha could feel his will to escape slowly evaporating. Every second spent in this pit sucked a tiny bit more of his resolve from him. He could feel the darkness trying to invade his being, and he was slowly giving up the fight to keep it out.
His body was quickly losing more strength than he could afford. The blood flowing from his leg had not slowed. It would be so easy to give in to the comfort of the darkness. The promise of nothingness was the most he could hope for in the situation.
Just as he settled back to accept his fate, his good hand had brushed against the object that he had been so intent on securing only a short time ago. ‘The damn sword’s hilt,’ he thought. “If I had listened to Kagome, and left it where it was, I wouldn’t be stuck here. And I would know that Kagome was safe. It isn’t even a sword, just the fucking hilt. What good is it?’
He picked up the object, and prepared to throw it as far as he could, but at the instant his fingers made contact the despair left his mind. He could swear that he felt the frustrated roar of a great animal as the tendrils of darkness left his thoughts.
He could also feel anger invade the small space of the pit. He could feel the thrashing of the foiled presence all around him. He could feel the darkness butting up against his aura with a jealously wicked longing.
Reacting to the surprising nature of the situation Inuyasha jerked backwards, losing contact with the hilt. When he did, the desolate coils once more made their move at invading his mind. As quickly as he could he grabbed the hilt, and held it close. No matter what else happened in this prison in which he found himself, the darkness could not claim him as long as he held it in his hands.
As the darkness left his mind clear, he thought of Kagome, alone on the level above him. If she was trapped in the depressive nature of the darkness was there any hope for her escape? She had nothing to ward off the all-encompassing nothingness of the dark.
Try as he might, he couldn’t free himself so that he could go to her rescue. Each effort he expended to try and crawl out from under the weight of the rocks only served to renew the blood flow from his wounded leg. But he wouldn’t give up, he couldn’t give up. Kagome was out there, and she would need his help. Until the last drop of his blood was spilled on this rocky floor, he would not give up his effort to find and protect his miko.
8-8-8-8
Kagome was faced with two choices once she’d broken the spell of the darkness. Should she travel outward, and find the others who would be able to help her rescue Inuyasha? Or should she backtrack, and see what could be done for her friend before searching for the others?
If she chose to get help first, how long would it take? Would they be in time to help Inuyasha before the darkness claimed him? She still had no idea how seriously he was injured. He’d sounded as if he’d been in quite a bit of pain when he’d told her not to come any closer.
But the vision that she’d had concerning her friends was not pleasant. If she didn’t find them now, would they be in any condition to help her later? She couldn’t accept the idea of leaving them in the hell that her vision told her they were experiencing, but there really wasn’t any choice. Her heart belonged to her hanyou, and she would never be able to forgive herself if she didn’t see to his safety first.
Creeping Darkness
Worthless human girl, huh? Where did he get off thinking of her like that? She’d show him! He could rot in that hole for all she cared! Stomping her foot on the rocks below, she’d said, “I’m leaving. If I happen to see the others, I might just send them back for you.” She only wished she could believe what she’d said. The darkness of the surroundings weren’t helping her feel any more confident about the situation they were in, and she couldn’t help the tickle deep in her mind that told her there was something here that she didn’t want to see.
8-8-8-8
Once he had satisfied himself that the girl he’d sworn to protect would not try to climb down to help him, Inuyasha had the opportunity to take stock of his condition.
Falling thirty feet, into darkness so thick that even a demon couldn’t make out any features, was enough to cause a little pain, but it wasn’t enough to keep him from making his way out again, either. What was keeping him in this dank prison was the remains of the cave’s floor that had fallen with him.
Rocks, both large and small, had made their way down when he’d pulled the object from the wall. Some of the falling debris had managed to land on top of him when he’d hit the bottom. The angle of his landing had dislocated his right shoulder. Putting it back into place by himself would be painful, but he’d done it before. The muscles and tendons would take time to recover from the unnatural way that they had been stretched, though. And time was something that he didn’t have a lot of, right now.
The jagged slab of rock that had landed on his left leg was the cause of most of his worries. Not only had it severely broken the bones above and below the knee, but it had torn the skin and tissue, too. He could feel the wetness of his own blood spreading down the leg of his hakama much faster than he thought he could counteract with his healing abilities. With only one good arm, he couldn’t manage to push the huge rock off, either. Unless the others found him, he was trapped and defenseless in the dark.
8-8-8-8
Kagome huffed, as she turned to make her way back to where she thought the main cavern should be. She’d never thought much about it before, but without the aid of sight she found that she had no sense of direction.
She’d only taken two steps when she came into contact with the wall of the cave. The wall was covered by a spongy mass that made her skin crawl wherever it had touched her. Could this be the same thing that had made their embrace seem so romantic, with it’s soft glowing light? How could it feel so repulsive now? It almost seemed as if it was sentient, but it was most definitely not alive.
Knowing that sight was lost to her at the time, she turned her senses inward. Closing her eyes she was able to feel the strange aura emanating from the growth on the walls.
Keeping her distance from the unknown substance constant at all times, she slowly walked toward what she hoped was freedom from the cave. It was the single most harrowing walk of her life. Having to trust in her untrained miko abilities, she could only hope that they would not lead her astray. She couldn’t even be sure that she wasn’t walking directly toward the gap in the floor that Inuyasha had fallen through.
Faith in oneself is never an easy thing to stake one’s life upon. Kagome’s heart may have been strong and true, but she found it no easier than anyone else would have. With the impenetrable darkness all around her, her mind imagined the most unimaginable things. Phantom shapes came out of the darkness and flew towards her. As she tried to ward them off she found that they existed only in her overworked imagination.
It would take forever to retrace her steps with the halting pace that she was forced to use. Each step took a strength of will that was slowly draining her ability to continue. The overwhelming darkness seemed to be slowly invading her body and mind. It weighted her every breath. The oppressive feeling of the air seemed to throw her usually feisty nature into a depression that she’d never known before. Even when her soul had been invaded by the baby that contained Naraku’s heart she hadn’t felt this level of desolation.
Gathering all that was left of her strength, she fought off the invading darkness. As she lay shivering on the floor of the cave, she managed to erect a barrier around herself to prevent the blackness from taking her over in entirety. She had no strength left over to devote to further thoughts of escaping the cave. She could only close her eyes, and give in to the need for sleep that suddenly overcame her. As her consciousness left her, she could only hope that Inuyasha was safe.
8-8-8-8
Inuyasha could feel something in the pit with him. It wasn’t breathing. It wasn’t moving, at least not yet. It was just being. He didn’t know how but he could tell that it wasn’t something concealed in the darkness. It was the darkness.
It enveloped him in its gentle seduction. It whispered to the most secret parts of his mind of its great glories. It appealed to the wounded psyche deep within the hanyou. It promised rest from all the injustices he’d ever had to suffer. It gave assurances of acceptance, if he would only welcome it within himself.
The more that he tried to struggle against the darkness the more worn he became. It would be a race to see if he was drained by the darkness before he bled out from the wound in his leg. He hoped it would be the wound.
Trapped as he was he couldn’t see any way to escape. He only hoped that Kagome had been able to escape and was safe.
8-8-8-8
As they made their way down the passage, Sango and Miroku couldn’t help but be slowed by the apprehension growing within each of them. The unusual quality of the darkness before them was like nothing they’d ever experienced.
The striking quality of the scene before them was not the lack of light. It was the all encompassing nature of the darkness. It was not as if the background objects were being concealed. It was as if they ceased to exist. The slayer and the monk were both reminded of the fate of the objects that had been drawn into the void in Miroku’s hand.
“Careful, Hoshi. We have no idea what we will encounter. I’ve never heard of a demonic darkness, but I don’t like the feel of this.”
“Indeed, Sango. There is an otherworldly feel in this place. It is the most unholy piece of ground that I have ever sensed.”
The lack of light forced their pace to slow even more, giving Shippou and Kirara a chance to rejoin them. “I don’t like it in here,” Shippou whispered. “It feels like the walls are trying to suck me in.”
Turning to look at the child, Miroku could see the faint track of a tear sliding down the kitsune’s cheek reflecting the last of the light from the entrance. The look of sorrow that could be seen on the child’s face cause the monk to stumble, momentarily. The waves of despair rolling off the small demon caught Sango’s attention, too. “What’s troubling you, Shippou?” she asked.
“I don’t wanna be alone again. I can’t help thinking about Pa and the way he died, right in front of me. I don’t know why, but it feels like it happened right here.” Shippou couldn’t help but curl into a small ball, as he saw the sights of the worst day of his life replayed in the recesses of his mind. The vision soon blotted out all reality, and he was once again forced to live through watching his own father slaughtered and skinned. The child wailed as the life left the beloved body of his father.
Miroku watched the child with concern. There seemed to be no way to wake him from whatever had grasped his mind. He picked the small body up, and trying to give whatever comfort he could, he said,“Take heart, Shippou. There is a presence in this cave that seems to be affecting us all. I, myself, have felt the oppressive weight of the knowledge that my right hand will one day cause my death. Ever since we entered this particular tunnel, my mind has had to battle the most tyrannical thoughts.”
Suddenly, the monk found himself reliving the day that his own father had died. The memories of futilely trying to reach his father before the man was consumed slowly changed to himself battling the growing void in his own hand. He tried with all his strength to pull the cursed hand away from his group of friends. The power of the wind was too great for him, though, and he could only watch with growing dread as his friends were pulled into the unknown. The last to go was the girl who had captured his wandering heart. The sadness that he felt at that moment was so great that he had no choice but to turn the weapon upon himself.
Sango saw her beloved monk fall to his knees. She could see the lack of recognition in his wondrous, violet eyes. The thought of his mind being tortured by unknown intrusions was enough to bring her anger to the front. The anger over the treatment of Miroku quickly turned to anger over her inability to protect those she had loved before.
She could see, all too clearly, the day that had brought an end to her family. This time she saw the evidence of her brother being attacked by the evil that had turned him into Naraku’s puppet. She could see just how he was planning on dispatching the others of their group of slayers. She could see Kohaku moving towards their father, and she knew what the boy’s plans were. She could see everything before it happened. She knew what the outcome would be, but she was unable to do anything to prevent its eventuality.
She railed at the body that would not heed her wishes to stop this from happening. She belittled her lack of strength at being unable to prevent this. She cursed herself for not being able to be the savior that was needed. She sank to the cave floor next to Miroku, and silent tears slid down her face.
8-8-8-8
Kagome found herself trapped within the darkest nightmare she had ever known. The walls around her seemed to be expanding to encompass not only her position but those of her friends, as well.
She was treated to the sight of Shippou lying alone on the cave floor, as he wailed his desolation for no living ears to hear. Her heart yearned to reach out in comfort to the child, but she found herself unable to move.
She saw Sango, the sister of her heart, writhing in ineffectual agony as the slayer relived the horrors of her past. Try as she might Kagome couldn’t make her body move to the slayer’s side.
She saw Miroku try to hide the hand that held the weapon of his demise. The monk tried in vain to direct the void away from his friends, and gave in to despair as he was unsuccessful. Again, she couldn’t let him know that he was not responsible.
Then she saw Inuyasha, her protector, her mighty hanyou. He was trapped on the floor of the pit he had fallen into. His physical condition precluded his escape. The weight of the rocks covering him kept him pinned, ready prey for the darkness that was slowly devouring him.
The screams that left his mouth, as piece by piece his sanity was ripped from him, were enough to break the spell of stasis that held her. She gathered every bit of her will, and concentrated it into the strength she needed to escape the darkness.
With a flare her miko powers broke through the hold of the unseen master of the dark. She found that her body could once again move. Trained or not she would have to rely on her own powers and her strength if she wanted to save her friends.
8-8-8-8
Inuyasha could feel his will to escape slowly evaporating. Every second spent in this pit sucked a tiny bit more of his resolve from him. He could feel the darkness trying to invade his being, and he was slowly giving up the fight to keep it out.
His body was quickly losing more strength than he could afford. The blood flowing from his leg had not slowed. It would be so easy to give in to the comfort of the darkness. The promise of nothingness was the most he could hope for in the situation.
Just as he settled back to accept his fate, his good hand had brushed against the object that he had been so intent on securing only a short time ago. ‘The damn sword’s hilt,’ he thought. “If I had listened to Kagome, and left it where it was, I wouldn’t be stuck here. And I would know that Kagome was safe. It isn’t even a sword, just the fucking hilt. What good is it?’
He picked up the object, and prepared to throw it as far as he could, but at the instant his fingers made contact the despair left his mind. He could swear that he felt the frustrated roar of a great animal as the tendrils of darkness left his thoughts.
He could also feel anger invade the small space of the pit. He could feel the thrashing of the foiled presence all around him. He could feel the darkness butting up against his aura with a jealously wicked longing.
Reacting to the surprising nature of the situation Inuyasha jerked backwards, losing contact with the hilt. When he did, the desolate coils once more made their move at invading his mind. As quickly as he could he grabbed the hilt, and held it close. No matter what else happened in this prison in which he found himself, the darkness could not claim him as long as he held it in his hands.
As the darkness left his mind clear, he thought of Kagome, alone on the level above him. If she was trapped in the depressive nature of the darkness was there any hope for her escape? She had nothing to ward off the all-encompassing nothingness of the dark.
Try as he might, he couldn’t free himself so that he could go to her rescue. Each effort he expended to try and crawl out from under the weight of the rocks only served to renew the blood flow from his wounded leg. But he wouldn’t give up, he couldn’t give up. Kagome was out there, and she would need his help. Until the last drop of his blood was spilled on this rocky floor, he would not give up his effort to find and protect his miko.
8-8-8-8
Kagome was faced with two choices once she’d broken the spell of the darkness. Should she travel outward, and find the others who would be able to help her rescue Inuyasha? Or should she backtrack, and see what could be done for her friend before searching for the others?
If she chose to get help first, how long would it take? Would they be in time to help Inuyasha before the darkness claimed him? She still had no idea how seriously he was injured. He’d sounded as if he’d been in quite a bit of pain when he’d told her not to come any closer.
But the vision that she’d had concerning her friends was not pleasant. If she didn’t find them now, would they be in any condition to help her later? She couldn’t accept the idea of leaving them in the hell that her vision told her they were experiencing, but there really wasn’t any choice. Her heart belonged to her hanyou, and she would never be able to forgive herself if she didn’t see to his safety first.