InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ To Bind a Soul ❯ Tunnels ( Chapter 39 )

Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. I started school again and I work on the weekends so I have no free time. Don't expect more than two chapter every week, just to let you know. Gomen ne. I'll try extra hard to write faster. Laters~ fire_goddess

Chapter 39- Tunnels

Kouga arrived not long after they had all awakened. He had two of his wolves with him, and they all looked ready for battle. "Did you by chance pass a pair of humans on your way here?" asked Inuyasha.

Kouga shook his head. "I came across no humans. May I suggest we go quickly, I wasted enough time trying to find you."

"I'm sorry Kouga-kun," Kagome apologized. "It's just our previous lodgings were, well-"

"Burnt to a crisp," Inuyasha improvised.

"The monks from the village, no doubt," Kouga replied. "Maybe I should have a `talk' with them next time I go there for ink. I don't think I'll bring Aiko-Chan anymore."

"That's what I would suggest," agreed Kagome.

"We're ready, Kagome-sama," Miroku interrupted.

"Good," nodded Inuyasha. "Let's get going then. I want to kill these bastards and then get back to the village."

"The day is the best time to attack them," Kouga addressed the issue. "Despite most reptiles, they don't like the sun's rays. I've seen their scales whiten and then burst into flame. If these are truly hell creatures as they say, then any exposure to the sun will instantly turn them into barbecue."

"Feh. This is going to be easy. I'll just use the Kaze no Kizu and rip the ground from their den. How difficult can it be?"

"That's just the problem. Their den is deep underground, and not only that, but they have angry ghosts protecting them during the day."

"We've dealt with angry ghosts before. We just introduce them to Kagome and they'll go away."

"This is serious Inuyasha," scolded Kagome, flicking his ear.

"Ow, bitch that hurts!"

"It was meant to."

"I believe I can handle the ghosts. I will simply exorcise them from the area," announced Miroku.

"Then I guess it will be a piece of cake," replied Kouga, turning to lead them out of the cave.

^_^

"That's it," Kouga nodded towards the mound in the ground.

"It's not much," muttered Inuyasha.

"The air is just radiating with evil energy," observed Miroku.

"Yeah, whatever. Get on with the exorcism, Priest," replied Kouga, settling down under a nearby tree.

"I get no respect."

Inuyasha snorted. "Don't tell me you expected it."

"It would be nice."

"Whatever. Get on with it."

Inuyasha took Kagome into his arms and launched himself into an overhanging tree. Sango shook her head and settled down where she was. The wolves Kouga had brought took in their surroundings and then propelled themselves into the forest, where, Sango guessed, they would scout the surroundings, and Shippou shot up the tree where Inuyasha and Kagome had settled.

All they had to do was wait.

^_^

"It's done," declared Miroku, making his way back to the group.

The noon sun was high in the air as the monk settled next to Sango. "Good," said Kouga standing up. "I would suggest only Inuyasha and I go into the den, and everyone else stay here."

"Sounds like a plan to me," replied Inuyasha, instantly agreeing with Kouga.

Kagome raised an eyebrow at the hanyou. Him, agreeing with Kouga? Something was up. "I think I should go with you," said Sango, addressing Inuyasha.

"No way. Hiraikotsu isn't a close range weapon. You'd be vulnerable. Besides, I want you to stay here with the priest and Kagome. Miroku's too exhausted from the exorcism to be much help so you'll need to protect him," replied Inuyasha.

Sango had to bite her tongue to still the argument that was storming in her mind. He was right, as much as she hated to admit it. She wouldn't be much help to them in the den. "Fine," she forced herself to reply.

Inuyasha nodded and looked back at the mound of earth. "Kagome, stay here."

"You don't need to tell me that," she replied, sticking her nose in the air.

"Yes I do."

"Come on," Kouga interrupted. "That exorcism took all day. The sun will be setting soon. I want them dead now."

With one last glance at Kagome, Inuyasha growled his response and took off towards the home of the Fire Pit Snakes, Kouga close behind him.

Kagome pouted and sat down in the grass beside Shippou. "Hey Kagome," asked Shippou.

"Yes Shippou-Chan?"

"When can we go home?"

Kagome sighed and picked Shippou up in her lap. "You want to go back to Kaede's?"

"Um, yeah. A little bit. Kagome?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you going to live in this time?"

The miko tensed at the question, but almost immediately relaxed. "I think so, Shippou-Chan."

"Then are you gonna have Inuyasha build us a hut?"

"A hut?"

"You want to live with Kaede-obaasan forever?"

Kagome smiled and shook her head, seeing the little kitsune's point. "A hut, huh? Well, I think it's time Inuyasha learned a bit of architecture."

"What's that?"

"You'll see," Kagome said pleasantly.

^_^

"Damn, everything smells like sulfur," complained Inuyasha.

"They're hell creatures, what did you expect?"

"Feh."

Inuyasha led the way down spiraling tunnels the only thing lighting their way was the fungus that grew on the walls. The scent of the place had disrupted both of their noses, making them rely on only their hearing and sight.

"We should finish this quickly," Kouga said. "We don't want these bastards rising to the surface."

"Feh. All you need to do is stand back. My Kaze no Kizu will wipe them out without a problem."

Kouga snorted and fell silent. They could hear footsteps up ahead. The pair stood still, waiting for the owner of the footsteps to appear. Inuyasha raised his fist and was about to bring it down when he saw the face of the girl he was about to attack.

"M-Machiko?"

"Inuyasha-sama," the adolescent girl replied calmly.

"What the hell are you doing down here?" Inuyasha yelled sharply.

"You know this human?" asked Kouga.

"Machiko-Chan, who are you talking to?" asked a voice from behind her, which happened to be Aiko.

"Aiko," Kouga growled out.

"Kouga-sama," Aiko squeaked.

"What are you doing here?" the wolf prince asked, trying to keep a reign on his temper.

"Um, I went to . . . to visit Machiko-Chan and we got lost in the tunnels and . . . and we just ended up here. Uh, yeah . . . Opps," the little wolf youkai replied.

"Opps is right. When we get back to the den . . . You are in so much trouble right now!"

"You didn't answer my question," Inuyasha reminded Machiko.

The human girl sighed and crossed her arms. "I am here on behalf of Chiyo-sama. These creatures are the spawn of a devil, and I am here to rid this world of them."

"And just how the hell do you expect to do that?" asked Inuyasha.

"This," replied Machiko, removing a small golden crystal from her kimono. "It's called Sun's Heart."

"What's it suppose to do?" asked Kouga.

"Ordinarily, it's just a plain crystal. Chiyo-sama put a spell on it so that it holds sunshine within its core. The Fire Pit Snakes are hell born creatures; therefore they cannot abide the sun's kiss. The sun of a pure essence, and thus a potent weapon against our foes."

"Uh. Whatever, I'll take that and you can go back to your mistress," said Inuyasha.

"Afraid not, Inuyasha-sama. You need a certain spell to trigger the Sun's Heart's release; a spell in which we have no time to teach you. Now, are we going to go massacre are enemies or stand here with our hands up our asses?"

Machiko didn't wait for a reply and started down a tunnel parallel to the one Inuyasha and Kouga had come by. "I like her," Kouga said, following the human.

"What are you looking at?" Inuyasha asked Aiko when he caught the wolf youkai's gaze.

"Nothing."

"Feh."

^_^

"They've been gone for a really long time," Shippou observed, watching as Kagome walked deeper into the forest.

Kouga's wolves were walking on either side of her, alert to even the smallest danger. Miroku and Sango fell behind them.

Kagome had realized early on that Inuyasha was reaching the spell's limits and began walking to extend his boundaries.

"They're okay," Kagome replied confidently.

"You're sure?" asked Shippou.

"Yep."

"If you say so."

^_^

"What the hell is that?" asked Inuyasha.

The tunnel they had been traveling on had ended at the end of a huge cavern, a cavern filled with the demonic snakes. Molten pits of lava curled in pool along the cavern edge.

"The core," replied Machiko.

The human removed the Sun's Heart and placed it on the ground before. "My I suggest we all close our eyes, unless you would like to be permanently blinded that is?"

Inuyasha snorted but listened to her advice. His ears tensed to the slightest danger, but the Snakes had failed to take notice of the group so far.

The words to the crystal's release spell rolled off Machiko's tongue, causing it to glow.

Inuyasha saw a flash of light through his eyelids and cautiously opened his eyes. "Holy Fuck!"

The Heart's Sun had lost it's glow, nothing more than a chunk of black glass. The Snakes were gone, leaving skeletons in their place. "How did it do all that?" asked Inuyasha.

Machiko smiled and turned to retrace her steps to the outside world. "May I suggest we leave? The crystal has purified the surrounded area as well, and we may be faced with a cave in at any second."

The ground trembled beneath them.

"Oh no."