Ice and Snow, Mind and Heart

Chapter 45: Swords of an Honorable Ruler

As the whole castle and the mountain began to tremble and break apart, the group outside ran quickly for cover.

"Rin!" Yuki called, pushing the child onto A-Un as the girl started to fall behind. "Quick, Jaken!"

The imp demon hurried to keep up as they ran away, escaping the collapsing mountain, when the ground below suddenly began to split and break before them.

"What is that?" Yuki gasped, before running to group up with the others as they all stood clustered on what had been the valley ground.

"Oh no, this is trouble." Saya said worriedly. "So'unga's opened the gate to hell!"

"What happens when they're open?" Sango asked worriedly, and Totosai explained grimly as he stared up into the distance: "The boundary between the living and the dead disappears. We'll all end up dead."

Yuki looked to see the headless figure that was apparently So'unga's new form, looking like a battle warrior with only one arm that was welded into the sword itself.

"Oh no!" Kagome gasped, while Myoga reminded them: "Remember, So'unga is the sword that's from the Netherworld."

"While Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga waste time exchanging blows with one another, So'unga is trying to absorb this entire world into hell!"

"What?!" Yuki whipped around to face them, while Kagome dashed forwards to peer over the edge and into the crack that had been opened.

"Fool!" Saya cried. "Stay away from there!"

But Kagome peered over, staring as strong winds blew around her while thousands of deformed bodies milled around in the pits below.

"What is that?" Kagome demanded, and Totosai explained: "The dead of the Netherworld."

"They're calling out to the souls of the living." Saya murmured. "You must hurry! Or your human souls will be swallowed up in no time!"

"But Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are still-" Kagome began, when a strong wind blew and threatened to pull them all into the pit.

"Here it comes!" Saya cried, and Yuki whimpered as she felt a cold stabbing in her heart.

"Ugh." Kagome also fell to her knees as she gasped: "What is this? What is this feeling deep inside of me?"

"Yu-Yuki." Rin whimpered, and Yuki reached out to clutch the child to her even as her own heart felt like it was being slowly drawn out of her very body.

Sango meanwhile was taking staggered steps towards the pit, her soul being drawn in, when Miroku grabbed her wrist desperately.

"Sango. You have to be strong." He pleaded, staring at the woman he loved. "Or your heart will be devoured by darkness."

His voice got through to her, and Sango gasped as she returned to her senses.

"Everyone!" Saya called urgently. "Gather around me!"

Kagome dug So'unga's sheath into the earth as Saya created a protective barrier around them using the sheath as the central medium.

But it did nothing to stop the increasingly icy feeling inside their bodies, and the humans shivered.

"It's so cold, Yuki. Master Jaken." Rin whimpered, and Yuki hugged the girl tighter, offering what warmth she could despite feeling icy herself, and Jaken shouted at Saya: "Come on, Saya, can't you do something?"

"I'm already doing everything in my power!" He countered as the humans trembled all around. "They mustn't leave the protection of my barrier, or all the humans will be overcome by the dead souls from the Netherworld!"