IYFF Drabble 48: Panic
Title: Heart of Evil
Author: marishaten
Prompt: Panic
Word count: 498
Universe: Canon
Rating: K+
Summary: The duel to death inside the dark cavern.
A/N: Follows Waning Crescent.
Corridors meandered and blended into one another. Soon, Inuyasha had lost his sense of direction - he was blindly following his guiding ghost. Whether she would lead him to Kagome or to certain death, he no longer knew or cared.
At long last, he felt something give way. The suffocating darkness lightened a little and his breath came a little easier. Soon they came upon a clearing, which looked vast and hollow - like the throne room of a subterranean ruler from another era. The walls were made of dark granite while the floor was covered with fluorescent moss that dyed the chamber with a faint, ghoulish green light.
In the midst of this there was Kagome, who lay collapsed like a withered flower. The unmistakable scent of her blood wafted through the pungent air, making Inuyasha’s innards boil with rage.
‘I won’t spare whoever is responsible for this,’ he silently promised. The solemn quivering of Tessaiga at his hip seemed to echo his thoughts.
Before he could rush to her side, however, a gust of cold wind blew inside the chamber. Out of nowhere, a tall woman materialized in front of Kagome. With a sweeping glance Inuyasha took in her appearance before he was urged by his guide to hide behind a stalactite. She had slanted eyes, long flowing hair, and elegantly beautiful features. Yet for all her beauty she wore a cruel, almost manic expression on her face. Her crimson lips parted, revealing a satisfied smile.
Inuyasha fought hard to suppress his rising panic. What if the woman had managed to subdue Kagome?
‘Hang in there, Kagome!’ He shouted voicelessly.
“That’s Houki, the one who has kidnapped your woman,” the ghost whispered in Inuyasha’s ear, “Kill her, if you can, but do not think of taking Kagome back with you.”
“Wha-”
“Even if you manage to kill Houki, in her weakened state Kagome will sooner or later be possessed by some evil thing. The priestesses make the best vessels for possession because of their immense power. Things which normally can only move a corpse may manipulate her while living. Her life force will be eaten from the inside, and then she will kill whoever is around her and eat them up…better to swing your sword and chop off her head - it’d probably make things easier for her.”
“N-no way!”
Inuyasha turned to protest but the ghost had disappeared like a wisp of cloud.
All this time, Houki stood looking at Kagome. Finally, with an elegant gesture, she drew out a mirror. Inuyasha knew the art - she was trying to absorb what remained of Kagome’s soul. Kagome’s bright, pure, loving soul that let everybody - himself included - take advantage of her. The thought lit a flame in his mind. He ran forth, shortening his steps only at a distance of about ten paces from the woman.
Drawing out Tessaiga, he knocked the mirror from the woman’s hand.
Rather than being surprised, Houki drew her brows together in slight annoyance.