That day she had an archery practice till late into the evening. By the time she finish changing, the sky already bleed red. Her team mate Akari did not come for practice today as she had twisted her wrist last week during practice. She really hates walking home alone. Not that she is afraid or anything, it just that she had a very bad feeling about today. As if she is going to meet the most terrifying thing in her entire live.
Her intuition is not farfetched. Onigumo had gathered all the boys that had been humiliated by Kikyou rejection in order to take revenge. He had been carefully watching for a month now, and finally and opportunity present itself. Today she is alone. If before, she always manage to defeat them as they attack her alone, but today, they will unite force to subdue her and humiliate her to the extent that she will lost all her pride and dignity. Their revenge runs deep and dark, fuel by their anger and lust. Kikyou, be ready to meet your doom.
The walk home from school is not that far but the road is always a little bit lonely and deserted. Her school ground stood at the far end of the city with forest looming at the side of the road along the way to the school. That particular area is exceptionally creepy. She always had an ominous feeling every time she walks past that area. As if someone is watching her from behind those trees.
It is almost 7pm when she got out of the school gate. Her six sense told her to be extra careful. She could feel an evil aura lurking around her. Tailing her every move. But she continue on walking through the lonely road. The street lamp flicker before lighting up the road ahead. As if a signal, a group of boy surrounded her simultaneously. She can clearly remember each and every one of them. They are the boys that she had rejected. "How persistent. May I assume that you all come here to be humiliated yet again?" Calmly, Kikyou walk to the lamp post and put her bag down. Not even a pair of eyes leaving her. One, two, three, four, five, six…. Twelve. If I am not careful, it might be the end of me. Kikyou smile confidently. Her facial expression did not reveal even the slightest hint of fear or doubt. A pair of cold eyes is watching her every move from behind the shadow of the forest.
"Kikyou, did you think you can bested all of us?"Onigumo smirk and move forward. "I don't think I can…" Onigumo and all the boys around her burst into laughter. "But I know I will." With that been said, Kikyou launch forward and punch Onigumo square in the jaw. Then she smoothly tackles two boys at once. Without breaking her momentum, she spins around and launches a double kick to the nearest target. Everyone starlet. The figure hidden in the forest smile in satisfaction as she continue to lay down kick and punch. But her movement halted and she gasps as a sharp object landed on the back of her shoulder. The pain is instantaneously. A knife. She is bleeding profoundly. If she did not finish them soon, she will be finish.
She surveyed the area, praying that someone could miraculously walk by. Seconds tick away, no one make a move. Kikyou did not budge. Onigumo smile evilly. "Now what are you going to do Kikyou. You could continue to fight but I assure you that you will not last long. The cut is quite deep. If you want I can help you. You just need to admit defeat and we will dress your wound for you… what say you, Kikyou." Kikyou smirk. "I will never be defeated by the like of you." With that she spun around, grab her bag and sprint into the forest. Although the forest give such a foreboding aura, she still had her chance of surviving. She uses to play in this forest when she is little. Her father like to take her into the forest for jungle tracking and camping. Even thought it had been almost 5 years since she last venture into the forest, but she can still vividly remember her way inside the forest. There are a few cave that is save to hide but she know that it will be useless if she is trapped. Her only option is to gamble her fate with the mining cave at the foot of the mountain. That cave have more than one way in and out. And hundreds of dead end. She and her dad use to explore each and every cave that they came across. Her dad is an archeologist thus he is very experienced in such activity.
As she runs deeper into the forest, her head start throbbing and she could feel that her blouse now is soaking wet with her blood. Just a little bit more.. the cave is not far from here… come on Kikyou… you are not week… you can do it…Kikyou start to lose her focus and concentration. Her breathing shorten. The pain becoming more and more intense. At last she manages to reach the cave.
Onigumo start cursing when Kikyo run deeper into the forest."That wench. How can she ran so fast with that kind of injury. The light had all gone. Damn it. When I found her, that bitch is going to regret the day she rejected me. Lets continue our search." Onigumo ordered the rest of the group but everyone stood unmoving. Then Sakake speak up. "I don't think that it is wise to go any further, this forest is haunted. Last week a group of student came in but none of them came out. And they are still missing. For all we know she had been torn to pieces by the wolf." Everyone nodded their agreement. Onigumo give the look of dissatisfaction as everyone start leaving. Fine, I will find her on my own. Just you wait, Kikyou.
In the cave, Kikyou manage to find the spring that she and her father use to go to get fresh water. There, she rested her body on the cold stone wall. With one quick motion, she pull the knife away. Blood start oozing out of her wound. She press the wound to the wall, wincing at the spreading pain, but she did not move away. She needs to apply pressure in order to try and stop the bleeding. After resting for awhile, she feels that the blood flow had somehow stop. She move slowly toward the spring and drink the water hungrily. Opening her bag, she take out the first aid kit and try her best to dress her wound. She then start walking deeper into the cave. If she is not mistaken, there are path that lead her to the forest not far from the central park. If she can make it there, she will be save.
As she carefully made her way in the cave while leaving a false trail, she can feel that ominous aura again. The aura that had been trailing her from a far. Is it Onigumo. But why does it feel different. She stop in her trail. "Who goes there? Show yourself." Her voice echoed in the cave. No movement. The present that she felt, it is fading away, as if trying to conceal itself. "Don't try to hide. I know you are there. You had been following me since my first day of high school. Who are you?" Kikyou somehow feel kind of stupid talking alone to the darkness of the tunnel but she is confident that someone or something is following her.
A pair of golden eyes glow in the darkness of the tunnel ahead of her. Then a strong aura flare from the being that stood 100 meter in front of her. She is speechless. The aura is no evil neither good. That being stood in front of her in a second. She felt her breath is knock out of her. The strong aura full of power and desire to dominate. "Kikyou." The baritone voice of the being call her name making her heart skip a beat. There is something about that voice. As if she had heard it somewhere before. Those voice, those eyes, those aura, feel so familiar yet she cannot place it. Before she can even speak, her eyes become blurry, and her body give way. Her world turn pitch black as she fainted.
Kikyou stir in her sleep causing her wound to brush against the silk bed sheet. She wince as the pain slowly bring her consciousness back. She breath in deeply and realize that she is surrounded by an unfamiliar scent. As she open her eyes, everything around her is pitch black. From what look like a huge window, she could see the neon light of the city. She tries to get up but her movement is to sudden and bring her more pain as her wound re-open. Suddenly a hand push her down slowly. "Don't move yet. Your wound is still had not heal completely." The baritone male voice bring all her thought together. A little surge of panic start to build inside of her, and she reflectively roll to the end of the bed and stand up in defense. Her eyes adjusted to the dark and she saw the silhouette of the owner of that baritone voice. Her pumping adrenaline had somehow numb the pain but she know that she will not last long. "Who are you and why did you brought me here?" Her voice calm and compose masking her true feeling. The being in front of her is impressed by her resolve and strength.
"I am the owner of Inu Corp., Sesshomaru Inutaisho. I have been waiting for you. But now, you need to rest. I already inform your family about your whereabouts." With that, Sesshomaru walk away leaving her alone in the dark room. Kikyou slowly climb back into the bed, thinking about what had just happen. Is it really okay for me to sleep. But I did not sense evil in his aura. As tiredness sweep over her, she closed her eyes and let sleep take over.