Chapter Eight. Inuyasha!
There was a reason why Kikyou wanted Midoroku to come back. Midoroku knew about voids, for that was all the Shikon Jewel was, the house of a void. And she could call people back out of the void, unless they were too far away. She was headed to the Shrine where Midoroku used to used to teach, and where her grave was at. There she would revive Midoroku and get her to get Sango out of the void that Naraku had created. She tried to wonder why Naraku had created the void in the first place. She had a guess.
She thought that it would be used to lure Sango, who had obviously been in the area. But what would he need with Sango? Then the answer came to her. Naraku had used Sango to get to Inuyasha.-and the last jewel shard. And by taking Inuyasha he would be able to get the Tetsusaiga. But Naraku had already obtained every jewel shard, so what would he need with the Tetsusaiga, unless he knew Inuyasha could be stronger than the power of the jewel. Knowing Naraku he wouldn't take any chances, he would eliminate any possible threat fast. But that didn't matter now. Now she had the Jewel.
After she wished on the Jewel Naraku wouldn't be able to get it, no one would, for the wish would exterminate the Jewel. So what would Naraku use for power? Would the threat of Naraku be over? Kikyou really doubted it. Naraku would find a way to come back. His quest for power was not yet over. He would find a way. But as of right now she needed to dismiss those thoughts from her head. She needed to concentrate on finding the Shrine. It wasn't too far off, but it was concealed in woods, and she would have to look hard to find it.
She peered around at the trees that surrounded her. She didn't see the Shrine. But she hadn't expected to see it yet, it was a short way off into the distance. She knew the Shrine would be huge, kind of like an old Buddhist temple. So it wouldn't be that hard to miss. She remembered the days when she was taught there. Happy days they were. Quite unlike the times that now befell the world. She hoped that one day the world would be back to the way it once was. All they needed to do was to defeat Naraku.
But of course, it was Kagome's fault they were in this mess at all. If she hadn't fell down the well and brought back the Shikon Jewel that was meant never to return, no one would be so hurt and the bad times wouldn't exist. It could've ended with the death of her and Inuyasha. But she didn't want Inuyasha to be dead, so she figured everything went sort of for the best. Kikyou continued to walk on, looking for the Shrine that held the grave of Midoroku.
Finally she spotted the Shrine off to the side. Or rather, what was left of the Shrine. She cried out in horror. What had happened? What had gone wrong here? Where was the peaceful place where she grew up? She ran forward towards the Shrine, through the trees, snagging her clothes and her legs. She stumbled and fell, cutting her cheek on a thorn. Getting up slowly, she wiped the blood off her face with her sleeve. She continued to run forward, breaking the bramble in her path. She dodged the trees and pushed aside the great plants in her path, heading for the ruins of the shrine.
She made it to the shrine, looking up in disgust as she seen the rotting wood and the crumbling stone. What could have happened here to make this so bad? Was the grave still intact? She stuck her hand out to touch the stone, feeling the moss that now grew on the outside of it. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. A tear coursed down her face as she looked around at her surroundings, looking f or t he fence that led into the grave. She found it, and began heading to it.
She made it to the gate. The surface of it was rusted and old, and parts of the metal was chipped, and some of it was coming off. There was a lock on the gate. Crap, Kikyou thought. Now how would she be able to get it? She didn't have a key or a pick, nor anything else that could break the lock. So she decided on climbing the fence. She put her foot into a little gap in the fence, and she soon began her ascent.
The fence seemed to go on forever. She continued to switch feet around in the gaps in the fence, and rotate her arms. Soon she was at the top of the fence. She gazed down at the ground, astonished at how high up she was. She gulped. Now she had to get down. She could see the large plants at the bottom as small dots. She slowly put her foot over, hoping to catch it on the first hole in the fence, but her foot didn't make it. She fell forwards over the fence, catching it with her foot, causing her to hang upside down. She reached her hand up to get a grip on the fence, releasing her foot from it's hold. Soon she was in normal position, ready to make a descent.
She slowly worked her feet down the fence, soon reaching the bottom. She wiped the sweat from her brow and gazed around. She could see a cemetery of all the mikos and monks that had worked at the Shrine. Now, just to find Midoroku's. Suddenly she felt something on her shoulder.
She spun around to see a giant demon. He scowled at her.
"This is my land now! Get off of it or die!" Kikyou shrugged his hand off.
"Not in your wildest dreams, Demon! I will slay you if necessary!" But the demon only laughed.
"You, slay me? Ha, I'd like to see you try." Kikyou strung her bow and had an arrow to it in a second.
"I am playing no game with you. Prepare to go back to the abyss from whence you came!" Kikyou shot the arrow, sending forth a blazing bolt, that soon pierced the demon's eye. He fell over, dead.
"Now, time to find the grave." Kikyou ran off towards the cemetery, a pair of eyes watching her.
Sango called out into the darkness, but all she heard was her own echo and the rushing of her heart. Where was she? How would she be able to get out?
"INUYASHA! HELP ME! WHEREVER YOU ARE! HELP ME!" But the rolling sounds of her echo came back to her, and not Inuyasha's voice. She didn't know where anyone or anything was at. Hikaru was gone, fallen to far in the blackness to ever be found, and there he would wonder until eternity ends.
Tears coursed down her smooth face, landing on her clothes. She had to get out of here. But there was no way. The only way she would be able to get out would be to have help from the outside. She hoped someone was helping her.
She turned her head sideways, hoping to find some light in the never-ending darkness. But she found nothing. How she longed to find Inuyasha and to kiss him and be with him. If only she were out. If only she were out……
Inuyasha sat outside the void just like Kikyou had told him. Tears coursed down his face, the wind blowing them sideways when they hit open air. He sniffed. How had he let this happen?
He wished he had been there for Sango, he wished that he had protected her and cherished her. Why did he let her leave in the first place? He was a very foolish half-demon, he concluded. He didn't deserve Sango. She was way to good for him. Another long sniff was heard. Finally he stood up and walked over to the void.
"SANGO!" he yelled into the blackness. He just couldn't bear it. He had to try to get Sango back before Kikyou came. The sooner she got out the better. "SANGO!"
Far out in the blackness Sango heard a voice. Could that be Inuyasha? No, she was just beginning to become delusional. She shook her head.
"Shake out of it Sango. At least keep your mind in this place," she told herself. Faintly though she could swear she heard a voice calling her name. She cocked her head to one side.
"SANGO!" The sound reached her as a faint whisper. She began to walk towards the sound. More and more she began to hear a voice.
"INUYASHA!" she called.
Inuyasha jumped back away from the abyss. Had he heard correctly? Did he just hear his name being called out? Joy shone in his eyes.
"SANGO! C'mon! You're not weak Sango! You can get through this! Come to me!" He looked down into the blackness, but he still didn't see anything. He knew she was near though. So he continued to call out her name.
"SANGO! SANGO! SANGO!" He put his hands around his mouth and yelled some more. He knew he would see her soon. His Sango.
Sango could see a light up ahead. And she could see a silhouetted figure in it. It was a male and he had long hair. It was Inuyasha. She ran fast up ahead, and soon her world busted into light. She was free!
"INUYASHA! Oh, I love you Inuyasha!" She ran forward and grabbed Inuyasha in a tight hug. Inuyasha looked at her sobbing form. Sango had made it out. He had done it without the help of Kikyou and Midoroku. If only there were some way to relay the message to Kikyou that she didn't need Midorou assistance.
Inuyasha hugged her back. Sango looked up into his face. She seen the tears that too were coming from his eyes. She hugged him tightly.
"I'm so glad to be here with you, Inuyasha. I love you!"
"I love you, too, Sango. I love you, too." He took her by the hands. Suddenly Sango cried out. Inuyasha looked down at her hand. There was a small black hole in the palm in her hand. Inuyasha stepped back. It couldn't be. Sango- did she have the wind tunnel?
Kikyou looked at the aged gravestone. It read:
Here lies Midoroku,
Creator of the Shikon Jewel,
And a great friend and teacher.
Kikyou took the Shikon Jewel in her hands. She hesitantly whispered a wish, "I wish that Midoroku were still alive." It all happened at once. A big explosion of blue light shot up, knocking Kikyou backwards. The grave burst apart, and an angelic figure arose in an array of silver light. Kikyou rose up and walked towards the person, Midoroku.
"Midoroku, is that you?" she asked hesitantly. She stuck her hand out to touch the glowing figure. The figure smiled at her.
"Yes, Kikyou. You haven't aged a bit." Midoroku took her hand. "Why have you summoned me from the Otherworld, Kikyou?" Kikyou looked at her gravely.
"I need your help and you guidance. We have no time to waste. Follow me!"
Kikyou walked along the path with Midoroku, talking to her the whole time.
"So, how did your death occur, Master?" Midoroku smiled at her very brightly. She placed her arm around Kikyou's shoulder.
"The natural thing: old age. I died right about fifty years ago." Kikyou looked at her gravely again.
"Yeah, so did I. I was brought back by Urasue." And as if to prove her point, Kikyou's soul collectors came by and dropped some souls into her body. Midoroku looked at her.
"So how did it happen, Kikyou? How and when did you die?" Kikyou hung her head down.
"I was murdered by Naraku. You remember the man I was taking care of?" Midoroku nodded.
"Yes, the guy went by the name of Onigumo didn't he?" Kikyou nodded at the statement. She remembered the time she had shown Onigumo to her.
"Well, he let demons take over himself. He became Naraku, and he killed me. He tricked me into thinking it was my lover at the time, Inuyasha, so I in turn killed Inuyasha. Inuyasha was only under a death spell, so when my reincarnation went the a well and came into this era he was brought back, just right before I was."
"How interesting. Hmmm. It seems like you have been through a lot. You are all right now, I assume."
"Yes. I am. But what I called you about. Inuyasha's new mate, she got trapped in a void by Naraku. Do you know how to get her out?"
"Sure. But I won't be the one to do it. It will have to be Inuyasha. His love only can bring her back." Kikyou looked at her.
"That's it? That seems simple. She's probably out of the void now, t hen. Well, if he hasn't figured it out, you life won't be in vain. I'm sorry to have disturbed your rest."
"Oh, it's no problem. Now I can spread my good over again. I thank you, Kikyou." Kikyou smiled at her.
"Well, then, I guess you are welcome. We should be getting near the place now." The landscape had changed. The forests had died out into flat plains. The grass billowed in the wind, and the sky overhead became a brilliant blue. The clouds were puffy and white. And upon that statement, Midoroku and Kikyou arrived at the spot.
Inuyasha sprang up at the sight of them. He looked at Midoroku. So, she had gotten Midoroku back.
"Hello, Kikyou. I got Sango." Kikyou smiled at Midoroku.
"What did I tell you."
"But," Inuyasha continued, "There's a problem. Something is wrong with her hand. It looks as if she is starting to have a wind tunnel." Midoroku grimaced as she inspected the hand.
"A wind tunnel did you say? It looks to be very dangerous. What are wind tunnels though?"
"Wind tunnels are part of the evil of Naraku. They suck up anything in the path at the owners will, and after many years it will devour the person who has it. The only way to break the curse would be to destroy Naraku."
"I see. I don't know what to do about that. I have never seen the likes of it. But how early of a death would it be?"
"I don't actually know," said Inuyasha. "But I know someone lived to be a grandfather with a wind tunnel." He looked over at Sango. She was crying. He put a comforting arm around her. Tearing off a piece of cloth from his hanyou robe, he put it around the small hole. Sango looked up at him.
"Thanks, Inuyasha." He wiped away some of her tears. She looked up into Inuyasha's eyes, and then the two kissed.
Inuyasha chased Sango's tongue through her mouth, delving down deep into it. Sango grabbed him tighter, Inuyasha running his hand through her silky raven hair. After what seemed eternity the two broke apart.
"I love you," they both said in unison.
A/N: I'm sorry if the length of this chapter disappointed anyone. But the next chapter will be SUPER long and I figured ya'll might need a break. Yes, Sango has a windtunnel. Some ideas were contributed by Dpbclover, check out his stories. I hope ya'll enjoyed this. The next chapterR.
Special thanks to all of the people who have reviewed. The next chapter will be the last chapter. But the tale doesn't end there. Look for the sequel: The Nature of Naraku. The sequel will be much darker. It will have more action, more romance, and many more twists.
This chapter was supposed to be 5,000 words like the last. I'm kind of sad it isn't, I like long chapters. But never mind that. The next chapter will make up for it. And the sequel will be much longer than this.
Inuyasha!
