A/N: Shew boy!! Sorry it took me so long to update. Had a bit of writer's
block. *ducks, avoiding angry blows coming mainly from Wasp* Eh.....okay
then!! Thanks to Jupiter Breeze, Wolfen-Youkai, Wasp *shudder*, and Divine
Heart for reviewing! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!! Oh yah, I've updated all my
chapters. It's amazing how many mistakes you can find once you go back and
reread it. _ So if you're interested you can go back and reread. If
not.....oh well. READ ON!
Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to me not, young grasshopper.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 6: White Prince, meet Golden Sun Goddess! (PART ONE)
"Look out!" Kagome shrieked in terror. Another demon dived at Inuyasha. He looked up just in time to see its saliva filled mouth lunge at his throat.
"Eat this!" Arden yelled. A large fireball plunged down his gullet and the demon rebounded, choking and grabbing at his throat in agony. "Compliments of Arden, you nasty son of a bitch!"
Inuyasha finished it off with a quick swipe of his Tetsusaiga.
"How many more of these things ARE there?" he asked while wiping away the sweat and blood from his face. The wound in his side ached painfully, but he didn't want to show his burden to Kagome. The last thing he wanted was for her to think him weak.
"Don't know," Miroku gasped. "But I think that we have enough to keep us busy for now."
"Well said," Kagome stated as she hurtled a wave of arrows at the new batch of monsters. Shippou was clinging to her back, watching helplessly. He wanted to help fight, but he knew that his petty tricks would be futile. Arden took careful note of this as she fended off three demons that were attacking Inuyasha.
"I don't need your help!" Inuyasha exclaimed. He was leaning on his Tetsusaiga wearily. Sweat was pouring down his face in torrents, and the blood from his wound was gushing out at an alarming rate.
"Yes you do," Arden said. "Especially right now." She turned before he could say anymore. "Shippou!" she bellowed. He turned his bright eyes hopefully towards her. "You're fast and agile. Do you think that you could make your way through these things and find a place free of trees?"
His face became very solemn as he nodded his reply. Quick as a flash he was off of Kagome's back, running, leaping, and twirling through the demons. Arden smiled at his determination.
"And just what do you have up your sleeve?" Miroku asked.
"You'll see," she said. She then pulled out her own sword and began to fight beside the exhausted Inuyasha.
Kagome gasped. "Inuyasha! Look! Look!"
Everyone drew their attention away from the fighting to see what Kagome was pointing at. A massive demon was bent on one knee watching them intently on top of a tall rock formation. In his ear was a hoop earring with a single jewel dangling from it.
"That must be the leader," Arden said.
"And that earring in his ear has a shard of the Shikon Jewel!" Kagome finished.
"That would be why so many demons are attacking so quickly," Miroku said more or less to himself.
"So why don't you do your Wind Tunnel or something?" Inuyasha asked grumpily, his ears lying flat with frustration. He was growing very tired of this never-ending battle.
"Do you see that large rock face that the leader's sitting on?" Miroku asked while whacking demons.
"How couldn't I?" Inuyasha replied. "It only towers over everything!"
Miroku nodded his head. "Exactly. If I perform my Wind Tunnel, there's a very good chance that I could suck it up. It happens to be an important landmark for travelers; they see it and know that the village Hojoku is near. If I were to destroy it, many people that traveled this road would become lost."
"Feh," Inuyasha snorted. "Then I guess our only option is to hope that Arden's plan works."
"Oh, it will," Arden said coolly. "It will."
No one knew how much time had passed before Shippou came bounding back. Demons were piled on top of each other, creating mounds of bloody flesh. Arden feared that Inuyasha was near collapse as well. His skin was as pale as his hair, and he was fighting like a robot. Swing, slash, cut. Swing, slash, cut. That was the pattern of his attacks, and the demons were easily avoiding them. It was all that Arden and Miroku could do to keep them from goring Inuyasha anymore.
"Arden!" Shippou cried. His voice was shrill from lack of breath, but Arden thought that it sounded like the chorus of a thousand angels.
"Shippou?" she asked relieved.
"I've found a spot, Arden! By the-," Shippou started to say. But his sentence was cut short by a gasp when he saw Arden. Blood was splattered across her face, and her eyes were emotionless. Her sword was covered with the dark substance from tip to hilt. Small pieces of flesh were clinging to it, and Arden was holding it so tight, her knuckles were ashen. Shippou thought for a second, and only a second, that Arden was Sesshoumaru.
"Shippou! Look out!" Miroku cried. A demon was leaping at him with enormous speed. Fear kept Shippou glued to the ground, and he covered his head with his arms, waiting for the worst. When nothing happened, he opened his eyes, only to see the demon's glassy ones. One lone arrow was protruding from its scalp.
"Shippou! Shippou, are you all right? Did you find a spot?"
"Yes, I did," Shippou said, shaking his head to clear his panic. "It's over here. Follow me!" Shippou then began to run north, telling Kagome and Miroku on the way.
"Kagome," Arden yelled. The sound of the demon's bizarre sounds had now completely filled the air. "Help Miroku carry Inuyasha while I keep them off our tails!"
"And just what are you planning on doing?" one demon dared to ask. "Brainless human, do honestly think that you can kill us all?"
Arden paced back, pretending to be frightened. She put a trembling hand to her mouth and gasped. "Your right," she exclaimed, her eyes growing wide. "What ever shall I do?!"
The demons bought the act, and began to close in on her, chuckling evilly.
"Oh, right!" she said, all traces of her previous fear now gone. The demons stared at her baffled. "I can do....THIS!!"
She took her hands and stretched them out in front of her. Flames burned from each hand, scorching most of the demons. Whey they were squalling and rolling around trying to put them out, Arden ran after Kagome and the others.
"They run!" screeched the leader. "After them!!"
The remaining demons began to pursue Arden, but in vain. Every time one neared, Arden would send a fireball hurtling its way. Slowly but surely she drove them back until they were a healthy distance away.
"It's just up ahead!" Shippou cried. Kagome and Miroku sighed with relief. Exhaustion ate away at there limbs, quickly draining their remaining vigor.
"Don't give up!" Arden commanded, noting their weakness. If they fell now, there would be nothing that she could do to save them. "We're almost there. DON'T GIVE UP!!"
"We're here!" Shippou shouted. Arden and the others came bursting out of the forest only to find a huge cliff blocking their way.
"Everyone! Back to the edge! Hurry!"
Kagome, Miroku, and Shippou all obeyed swiftly.
Arden took her blade and wiped the blood from it. Slowly she took her hand and traced the length of it, closing her eyes to concentrate. Suddenly, she plunged it down into the ground with tremendous force, burying it to the hilt. She then got down on her knees in a praying position and began to mumble under her breath.
"I call upon the dirt and rock; lend me your strength so that I may vanquish this evil. Lend me you power and infinite wisdom...I call upon the element of Earth...."
The demons came bounding up while she was repeating this. They halted and spread, making a clear path for their leader. He walked before them and turned with a smirk.
"See?" he said triumphantly. "They cower before us like children, and the witch is praying to her gods, asking them for forgiveness before she perishes! We have won!!" The demons all shrieked a spine-tingling victory cry.
To everyone's surprise, Arden began to laugh. It was a dry, forceful laugh and it echoed through the canyon, making it sound as if there were hundreds.
"What's so funny, human?" the demon leader asked undaunted. He took a step towards her. "Finally realized how useless it is to battle us?"
"No," Arden said chuckling. "I laugh because you still haven't figured out how useless it is to battle US..."
She stood up slowly, her head bowed. She lifted her eyes and stared at the leader, challenging him to look away. He stared on just as forcefully as she.
"You are a very powerful fighter," she continued, "and a good leader. Set away your pride and back down. If you do this, we shall consider this a draw. If not, you, as well as your clan, shall meet their doom."
The leader was silent for a few moments before he too began to laugh. "You've trespassed onto our lands, refused to pay the toll, slaughtered many, and now you insult us by asking us to leave?!"
"You're wrong!" Arden bellowed angrily. "These roads were built for all, and we're NOT going to give up one of our companions as your personal slave just so we may walk them! And YOU brought those deaths upon yourselves by attacking us first. I am being insanely generous by presenting you with this opportunity to leave with your life!"
"HAH!" the leader exclaimed. "You may be generous, but we are not. You shall all die without any mercy."
"As you wish," Arden replied dryly. She bowed and grasped her sword, pulling it out of the ground. She then replaced it by her side and clasped her hands together tightly.
"Farewell," she sighed.
She slowly began to draw her hands apart; the ground began to shake and tremble violently. With every inch her hand moved, another meter of earth would spread and crack until finally a large fissure appeared in front of the terrified demons. At this point, they began to flee, pushing each other and fighting, trying to get away. Arden took her hands and elevated them in the air, causing two giant tidal waves of rock and dirt to appear. She directed them in front of the fleeing demons, pushing them back into the crevice. They plummeted, screaming and shrieking. After they had all fallen, she closed the gap once more, shutting out the demon's cries and sealing their earthly tomb forever. Arden bent down and scraped away some dust, revealing the Shikon shard. She picked it up and placed it in her black pouch. Kagome began to shake and cry.
"Oh Arden! We almost died! And it's all because of me!"
Miroku placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder as she hitched and sobbed. Arden looked at her painfully, but could find no words of comfort. So she instead changed the subject.
"We'll make camp here," Arden said, admiring the sunset. It was hard to believe that they had been fighting all day. "Miroku, would you and Shippou gather some firewood while Kagome and I tend to Inuyasha's wounds?"
"Aye, aye, captain!" Shippou answered merrily. Miroku sensed a deeper purpose for them leaving, so he too complied. But he couldn't help but pinch Arden's behind before he left. She swung at him, barely missing.
"PERVERT!!" she cried indignantly. "I should've buried you as well!"
Kagome laughed faintly. "That's Miroku. He never can pass up an opportunity to grope a pretty girl."
Arden snorted while straightening her shirt. "Yah, well, one day someone's going to kill him for doing that!"
Kagome mentally wondered how Sango and Kirara were faring as she and Arden removed Inuyasha's jacket and shirt.
Arden couldn't help but gaze at Inuyasha's well toned chest. "If only he had an older brother," she thought longingly to herself.
"Oh Inuyasha..." Kagome whispered, drawing her fingers across his wound. "You got this by protecting me....I'm so sorry....," she whispered, her lip trembling. She began to cry again.
"It's not your fault," Arden said as soothingly as possible.
"Yes it is!" Kagome yelled while wiping her tears away. "Those things wanted me! If only I had gone with them, none of this would've happened."
"Don't say that," Arden countered. "This battle would've been fought whether we obeyed or not. We've done everyone a favor today by destroying those things. No longer will they have to live in fear while they travel these roads."
Kagome sighed deeply, her tears silently falling. Arden took some cloth out of her bag, instructing Kagome to keep pressure on the wound. She then got up, saying she was going to collect some herbs, but really leaving so that Kagome and Inuyasha could be alone.
"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked weakly. He barely had the strength to open his eyes.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried. She flung her arms around his neck and began to weep uncontrollably. Inuyasha took what little energy he had left and smoothed her hair.
"I've made you cry again, haven't I?" he whispered.
"Why?!" Kagome asked. "Why didn't you leave me and save yourself?!"
He wiped the tears from her face. "Because," he said, smiling and looking deep into her eyes. "Because...I....lo....lo....love....."
His arms fell to the ground, his eyes closing once again.
"NO!! INUYAAAASHAAAAA!!!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: Ohhhh.....cliffy, cliffy, cliffy!! Did Inuyasha die? Were those his final loving words to Kagome? Or did the big lug simply go back to sleep? ^_~ Only time will tell!!
As you've noticed, this is only part one of Chapter 6. Part 2, where Sesshoumaru and Arden finally meet, is coming very soon!! Okay, now for my comments and thanks.
To Jupiter Breeze, I thank you deeply for the lovely review. I am honored that you praised me so highly, although I am not particularly fond of how you reviewed my friend. But all of that is in the past now, and it makes no sense to pick at old wounds. To Wolfen-Youkai thank you very much, to Wasp..*gulp*...uh..here's your chapter!!! *smiles nervously* (Actually I wanted to Dedicate this chapter to her, because she made me so happy. ^_^), and to Divine Heart, thank you.
Part 2 of White Prince meet Golden Sun Goddess coming soon!!!
(Oh yah, while you're waiting, read my other fic. You might get a kick out of it! *wink, wink.*)
PEACE OUT!!
Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to me not, young grasshopper.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 6: White Prince, meet Golden Sun Goddess! (PART ONE)
"Look out!" Kagome shrieked in terror. Another demon dived at Inuyasha. He looked up just in time to see its saliva filled mouth lunge at his throat.
"Eat this!" Arden yelled. A large fireball plunged down his gullet and the demon rebounded, choking and grabbing at his throat in agony. "Compliments of Arden, you nasty son of a bitch!"
Inuyasha finished it off with a quick swipe of his Tetsusaiga.
"How many more of these things ARE there?" he asked while wiping away the sweat and blood from his face. The wound in his side ached painfully, but he didn't want to show his burden to Kagome. The last thing he wanted was for her to think him weak.
"Don't know," Miroku gasped. "But I think that we have enough to keep us busy for now."
"Well said," Kagome stated as she hurtled a wave of arrows at the new batch of monsters. Shippou was clinging to her back, watching helplessly. He wanted to help fight, but he knew that his petty tricks would be futile. Arden took careful note of this as she fended off three demons that were attacking Inuyasha.
"I don't need your help!" Inuyasha exclaimed. He was leaning on his Tetsusaiga wearily. Sweat was pouring down his face in torrents, and the blood from his wound was gushing out at an alarming rate.
"Yes you do," Arden said. "Especially right now." She turned before he could say anymore. "Shippou!" she bellowed. He turned his bright eyes hopefully towards her. "You're fast and agile. Do you think that you could make your way through these things and find a place free of trees?"
His face became very solemn as he nodded his reply. Quick as a flash he was off of Kagome's back, running, leaping, and twirling through the demons. Arden smiled at his determination.
"And just what do you have up your sleeve?" Miroku asked.
"You'll see," she said. She then pulled out her own sword and began to fight beside the exhausted Inuyasha.
Kagome gasped. "Inuyasha! Look! Look!"
Everyone drew their attention away from the fighting to see what Kagome was pointing at. A massive demon was bent on one knee watching them intently on top of a tall rock formation. In his ear was a hoop earring with a single jewel dangling from it.
"That must be the leader," Arden said.
"And that earring in his ear has a shard of the Shikon Jewel!" Kagome finished.
"That would be why so many demons are attacking so quickly," Miroku said more or less to himself.
"So why don't you do your Wind Tunnel or something?" Inuyasha asked grumpily, his ears lying flat with frustration. He was growing very tired of this never-ending battle.
"Do you see that large rock face that the leader's sitting on?" Miroku asked while whacking demons.
"How couldn't I?" Inuyasha replied. "It only towers over everything!"
Miroku nodded his head. "Exactly. If I perform my Wind Tunnel, there's a very good chance that I could suck it up. It happens to be an important landmark for travelers; they see it and know that the village Hojoku is near. If I were to destroy it, many people that traveled this road would become lost."
"Feh," Inuyasha snorted. "Then I guess our only option is to hope that Arden's plan works."
"Oh, it will," Arden said coolly. "It will."
No one knew how much time had passed before Shippou came bounding back. Demons were piled on top of each other, creating mounds of bloody flesh. Arden feared that Inuyasha was near collapse as well. His skin was as pale as his hair, and he was fighting like a robot. Swing, slash, cut. Swing, slash, cut. That was the pattern of his attacks, and the demons were easily avoiding them. It was all that Arden and Miroku could do to keep them from goring Inuyasha anymore.
"Arden!" Shippou cried. His voice was shrill from lack of breath, but Arden thought that it sounded like the chorus of a thousand angels.
"Shippou?" she asked relieved.
"I've found a spot, Arden! By the-," Shippou started to say. But his sentence was cut short by a gasp when he saw Arden. Blood was splattered across her face, and her eyes were emotionless. Her sword was covered with the dark substance from tip to hilt. Small pieces of flesh were clinging to it, and Arden was holding it so tight, her knuckles were ashen. Shippou thought for a second, and only a second, that Arden was Sesshoumaru.
"Shippou! Look out!" Miroku cried. A demon was leaping at him with enormous speed. Fear kept Shippou glued to the ground, and he covered his head with his arms, waiting for the worst. When nothing happened, he opened his eyes, only to see the demon's glassy ones. One lone arrow was protruding from its scalp.
"Shippou! Shippou, are you all right? Did you find a spot?"
"Yes, I did," Shippou said, shaking his head to clear his panic. "It's over here. Follow me!" Shippou then began to run north, telling Kagome and Miroku on the way.
"Kagome," Arden yelled. The sound of the demon's bizarre sounds had now completely filled the air. "Help Miroku carry Inuyasha while I keep them off our tails!"
"And just what are you planning on doing?" one demon dared to ask. "Brainless human, do honestly think that you can kill us all?"
Arden paced back, pretending to be frightened. She put a trembling hand to her mouth and gasped. "Your right," she exclaimed, her eyes growing wide. "What ever shall I do?!"
The demons bought the act, and began to close in on her, chuckling evilly.
"Oh, right!" she said, all traces of her previous fear now gone. The demons stared at her baffled. "I can do....THIS!!"
She took her hands and stretched them out in front of her. Flames burned from each hand, scorching most of the demons. Whey they were squalling and rolling around trying to put them out, Arden ran after Kagome and the others.
"They run!" screeched the leader. "After them!!"
The remaining demons began to pursue Arden, but in vain. Every time one neared, Arden would send a fireball hurtling its way. Slowly but surely she drove them back until they were a healthy distance away.
"It's just up ahead!" Shippou cried. Kagome and Miroku sighed with relief. Exhaustion ate away at there limbs, quickly draining their remaining vigor.
"Don't give up!" Arden commanded, noting their weakness. If they fell now, there would be nothing that she could do to save them. "We're almost there. DON'T GIVE UP!!"
"We're here!" Shippou shouted. Arden and the others came bursting out of the forest only to find a huge cliff blocking their way.
"Everyone! Back to the edge! Hurry!"
Kagome, Miroku, and Shippou all obeyed swiftly.
Arden took her blade and wiped the blood from it. Slowly she took her hand and traced the length of it, closing her eyes to concentrate. Suddenly, she plunged it down into the ground with tremendous force, burying it to the hilt. She then got down on her knees in a praying position and began to mumble under her breath.
"I call upon the dirt and rock; lend me your strength so that I may vanquish this evil. Lend me you power and infinite wisdom...I call upon the element of Earth...."
The demons came bounding up while she was repeating this. They halted and spread, making a clear path for their leader. He walked before them and turned with a smirk.
"See?" he said triumphantly. "They cower before us like children, and the witch is praying to her gods, asking them for forgiveness before she perishes! We have won!!" The demons all shrieked a spine-tingling victory cry.
To everyone's surprise, Arden began to laugh. It was a dry, forceful laugh and it echoed through the canyon, making it sound as if there were hundreds.
"What's so funny, human?" the demon leader asked undaunted. He took a step towards her. "Finally realized how useless it is to battle us?"
"No," Arden said chuckling. "I laugh because you still haven't figured out how useless it is to battle US..."
She stood up slowly, her head bowed. She lifted her eyes and stared at the leader, challenging him to look away. He stared on just as forcefully as she.
"You are a very powerful fighter," she continued, "and a good leader. Set away your pride and back down. If you do this, we shall consider this a draw. If not, you, as well as your clan, shall meet their doom."
The leader was silent for a few moments before he too began to laugh. "You've trespassed onto our lands, refused to pay the toll, slaughtered many, and now you insult us by asking us to leave?!"
"You're wrong!" Arden bellowed angrily. "These roads were built for all, and we're NOT going to give up one of our companions as your personal slave just so we may walk them! And YOU brought those deaths upon yourselves by attacking us first. I am being insanely generous by presenting you with this opportunity to leave with your life!"
"HAH!" the leader exclaimed. "You may be generous, but we are not. You shall all die without any mercy."
"As you wish," Arden replied dryly. She bowed and grasped her sword, pulling it out of the ground. She then replaced it by her side and clasped her hands together tightly.
"Farewell," she sighed.
She slowly began to draw her hands apart; the ground began to shake and tremble violently. With every inch her hand moved, another meter of earth would spread and crack until finally a large fissure appeared in front of the terrified demons. At this point, they began to flee, pushing each other and fighting, trying to get away. Arden took her hands and elevated them in the air, causing two giant tidal waves of rock and dirt to appear. She directed them in front of the fleeing demons, pushing them back into the crevice. They plummeted, screaming and shrieking. After they had all fallen, she closed the gap once more, shutting out the demon's cries and sealing their earthly tomb forever. Arden bent down and scraped away some dust, revealing the Shikon shard. She picked it up and placed it in her black pouch. Kagome began to shake and cry.
"Oh Arden! We almost died! And it's all because of me!"
Miroku placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder as she hitched and sobbed. Arden looked at her painfully, but could find no words of comfort. So she instead changed the subject.
"We'll make camp here," Arden said, admiring the sunset. It was hard to believe that they had been fighting all day. "Miroku, would you and Shippou gather some firewood while Kagome and I tend to Inuyasha's wounds?"
"Aye, aye, captain!" Shippou answered merrily. Miroku sensed a deeper purpose for them leaving, so he too complied. But he couldn't help but pinch Arden's behind before he left. She swung at him, barely missing.
"PERVERT!!" she cried indignantly. "I should've buried you as well!"
Kagome laughed faintly. "That's Miroku. He never can pass up an opportunity to grope a pretty girl."
Arden snorted while straightening her shirt. "Yah, well, one day someone's going to kill him for doing that!"
Kagome mentally wondered how Sango and Kirara were faring as she and Arden removed Inuyasha's jacket and shirt.
Arden couldn't help but gaze at Inuyasha's well toned chest. "If only he had an older brother," she thought longingly to herself.
"Oh Inuyasha..." Kagome whispered, drawing her fingers across his wound. "You got this by protecting me....I'm so sorry....," she whispered, her lip trembling. She began to cry again.
"It's not your fault," Arden said as soothingly as possible.
"Yes it is!" Kagome yelled while wiping her tears away. "Those things wanted me! If only I had gone with them, none of this would've happened."
"Don't say that," Arden countered. "This battle would've been fought whether we obeyed or not. We've done everyone a favor today by destroying those things. No longer will they have to live in fear while they travel these roads."
Kagome sighed deeply, her tears silently falling. Arden took some cloth out of her bag, instructing Kagome to keep pressure on the wound. She then got up, saying she was going to collect some herbs, but really leaving so that Kagome and Inuyasha could be alone.
"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked weakly. He barely had the strength to open his eyes.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried. She flung her arms around his neck and began to weep uncontrollably. Inuyasha took what little energy he had left and smoothed her hair.
"I've made you cry again, haven't I?" he whispered.
"Why?!" Kagome asked. "Why didn't you leave me and save yourself?!"
He wiped the tears from her face. "Because," he said, smiling and looking deep into her eyes. "Because...I....lo....lo....love....."
His arms fell to the ground, his eyes closing once again.
"NO!! INUYAAAASHAAAAA!!!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: Ohhhh.....cliffy, cliffy, cliffy!! Did Inuyasha die? Were those his final loving words to Kagome? Or did the big lug simply go back to sleep? ^_~ Only time will tell!!
As you've noticed, this is only part one of Chapter 6. Part 2, where Sesshoumaru and Arden finally meet, is coming very soon!! Okay, now for my comments and thanks.
To Jupiter Breeze, I thank you deeply for the lovely review. I am honored that you praised me so highly, although I am not particularly fond of how you reviewed my friend. But all of that is in the past now, and it makes no sense to pick at old wounds. To Wolfen-Youkai thank you very much, to Wasp..*gulp*...uh..here's your chapter!!! *smiles nervously* (Actually I wanted to Dedicate this chapter to her, because she made me so happy. ^_^), and to Divine Heart, thank you.
Part 2 of White Prince meet Golden Sun Goddess coming soon!!!
(Oh yah, while you're waiting, read my other fic. You might get a kick out of it! *wink, wink.*)
PEACE OUT!!