After All This Time

Ch.22 The Spirit of the Cave

The wind began swirling in the cave forcing the fire to bend to its will. A ominous black wind started swirling in front of them. It built upon itself growing to the point where it formed into a humongous woman. Her face shrouded in that same dark wind. Her clothes were tethered and torn, her hair jungled and unkept.

Hijiri didn't let her put out his flames. He took control of them. The fire rose higher. Her features came to light, her yellow eyes glowed reflecting the flames and Hijiri's fear.

Fire hit her face and she jolted back. The giant lady screeched seemingly in pain.

"What should we do my lord?!" Masami yelled.
Inuyasha looked at Miroku and nodded, an unspoken agreement.

The monk understood. He reached into his robe and pulled out some talisman.

The monk yelled. "Hijiri!"

The boy became fiercer with his fire and began moving and shifting it strategically. The woman swung her arms in an attempt to put out the fire. Her hand, big enough to cast a shadow over them. The black mist follows her every motion. Miroku was swift. He picked up on a scent. He sniffed the air confused. It smelled like...smoke.

There was no time to ponder, Miroku continued running to the right side of the cave and placed a talisman there. Meanwhile Inuyasha took off his jade talisman and handed it to Moroha for safe keeping. His hair grew white and his eyes began to turn red and purple. He emitted a low growl as his fangs came in and purple scars appeared on his cheeks.

The Inuyasha, impatient as he truly is, didn't wait to settle into his full demon form. He strikes the lady across her face as she keeps swinging against the flames. She screeched. It was deafening. Miroku winced at the sound. His hand shaking yet still placed the talisman on the left side of the cave. Her voice died down letting Miroku take a deep breath and he looked up at the lady. Her size was daunting as he knew the third talisman must be stuck on her forehead. Miroku hanged back. He kept ready for an opening.

Inuyasha kept evading her and where his blind spots were Hijiri kept the fire high there. They made a stellar team. Hijiri observant and focused, Inuyasha fierce and erratic. The plan was going well, the lady was too focused on Inuyasha, not noticing Kouga and Masami switching places and Miroku getting on his back.

"Over here!" Inuyasha yelled.

The half demon found it increasingly difficult to keep himself controlled. The lady swung at him. A great gust of wind followed that would blow most away. Inuyasha along with the others resisted it. Yet, with the force of her swings too powerful to control she doomed her hand into the fire. Her screams are hardly bearable. No matter the pain, her eyes were too drawn to the half demon hopping like a flea. Kouga and Miroku began getting into position. Inuyasha checking his surroundings jumped and slashed her face. "Now!"

Kouga leaped in the air with the monk on his back and but the jingles of his staff, as always, gave them away. They were almost able to catch the giant by surprise. Her arm felt like it encompassed their vision as it came closer, but Miroku threw the talisman at her and it landed directly between her eyebrows.

She shrieked. The group was now used to this reaction and braced themselves beforehand. This time she didn't just screech to the point of echoing past the forest border. It was as if she had lost her sanity. Her attacks became erratic, sometimes hitting herself.

Hijiri attempted to control her with his flames but it was like she didn't care anymore. The wind forced them to move back. A bit too far back as Moroha and Masami almost fell behind into the flames. Hijiri noticed and began to gather his fire and focus on the lady. Miroku hopped off of Kouga. He found a safe distance from the lady enough to keep her in eyesight. After a deep breath, he started chanting.