Chapter Ten: Kagura's Quest
THE FEUDAL ERA... NARAKU'S CASTLE...
Naraku lay on his palet of fine silk pillows and blankets blankets, so soft it was that it could have been fit for a king... Even though it was comfortable, Naraku's slumber was anything but peaceful... A vision of a woman kept flashing in his his dream... She wore strange clothes, the likes of which he'd never seen before... Naraku was awestruck, for never before had he seen such a lovely creature... Her eyes were a pretty shade of light caramel and her hair was cut short, yet styled in gentle waves... She wore a sweet smile on her face that rivaled the brightness of the sun... Suddenly, her smile turned concerned... Then to horror...
"What is it? " Naraku asked, " Do you fear me as well?!"
Before Naraku could become hurt by her rejection, she spoke...
"No, i do not fear you... But you must leave! You are in grave danger!" the woman said frantically, "Please! You must run!"
"What about you?!" Naraku asked worriedly, " I do not wish you to die in my place!"
"I've lived my life... Now it is your turn to live yours... " The woman said with a sad smile...
"No! I've been dreaming of you! I must know who you are!" Naraku said angrily, "You can not die!"
"Once the threads of fate are woven... They can not be undone... " The woman said sadly...
The scenery suddenly changed and the miko Kagome had her arrows drawn and aimed straight at Naraku...
"No Kagome!" the woman cried, "It's wrong to kill! Don't hurt him!"
"Why would you defend him?!" Kagome yelled, "You don't even know him! He's evil!"
"No... " The woman said smiling, " Trust me... "
Naraku was rendered speechless as Kagome lowered her weapon... Suddenly Kikyo appeared with her arrows drawn...
"Here! Get away from that demon! He's dangerous!" Kikyo told the woman...
The woman shook her head and continued to make her way towards Naraku...
"Foolish woman... Heed my warning! He'll kill you!" Kikyo hissed.
Still, the woman refused to listen...
Kikyo notched three arrows then and aimed them at Naraku and let them fly...
"No!" The woman cried frantically...
Naraku shut his eyes, ready to expect the death fate had in store for him, when suddenly, he heard a female gasp and cry out... Naraku opened his eyes to see the woman who had earlier defended him standing in front of him protectively... She wore a sad smile on her face as blood trickled down her chin... Kagome cried out in despair when she saw the woman fall towards Naraku, who caught her in his arms...
"Why?!" Naraku asked in despair, "Why would you risk your life for mine?! I'm an evil cruel demon! I hurt countless people... I've murdered thousands! Why would you do that?! Why?!"
The woman just looked at him with a peaceful smile on her face and weakly and affectionately rubbed his cheek with her palm...
"I couldn't live with myself if I let you die... " The woman said shakily...
"Why?!" Naraku asked in despair...
"Because... " The woman said on a shaky breath, "There is good in you... "
As the woman's body went limp in her weakened state, Naraku watched as the light faded from her beautiful eyes... She died with a smile on her face... Naraku let out a hideous beastly mournful cry as his aura glowed deep crimson and swirled around him, calling forth a ghostly howl to add to his own mournful cry... Everyone threw themselves on the ground as the ghostly howls amplified tenfold as he and the body of the woman vanished without a trace...
Kagura was walking the halls when she heard it... The most intense mournful cry, the likes of which she'd never heard before... The embodiment of pure suffering and heartache... Fearing for her master, she raced through the castles dark halls searching for her master... After searching endlessly for what seemed like hours, Kagura found her sister Kanna sitting on the floor with tears in her eyes...
"Kanna!" Kagura said frantically, " Where is Naraku?!"
"He is in his bed chambers... I have tried to get to him... But he refuses to let me in... " Kanna said with a shuddering breath...
"Do you know what's wrong with him?!" Kagura asked worriedly, "Is it him that's crying like that?!"
"Yes... His soul is breaking... " Kanna said sadly.
"What?! What's causing it?! " Kagura gasped...
"The woman in his dreams... She dies in his place... We need to find her... Naraku needs her... If she dies, it will shatter his soul... " Kanna said crying.
This truly frightened Kagura... Naraku was nothing but raw power... To hear cry with such terror and heartache shook her to her core... Not only that, but to see her sister Kanna display such emotion truly was cause for concern...
"Find the woman Kagura... Naraku's life depends on it... " Kanna said sadly... "I can try to conjure an image of her so you'll know her when you see her... "
Kagura nodded and almost immediately, clots began swirling and taking shape until an blurry image of a woman in a light green top and a darker green wraparound skirt appeared...
"That's the woman?!" Kagura asked.
"Yes... " Kanna said...
"But where is she? What village is she in?!" Kagura demanded.
"That, I do not know... All I can show you is this single image... The rest is up to you... " Kanna said as she left the room...
The hair rose on Kagura's neck as Naraku continued his soul shattering, heartbreaking cries, and, unable to take any more, she quickly fled the castle and ascended into the sky...
"Do not worry... My master... I stall return to you... I give you my word... " Kagura whispered.
Kagura looked at her home one more time before flying off into the night... Her quest had finally begun...
Meanwhile Koga and Inuyasha's group were setting up camp when they heard a beastly mournful cry in the distance...
"Listen!" Miroku gasped, what on earth is that?! I've never heard anyone in such torment before!"
"I don't know... " Inuyasha said... "But it's best if everyone stays on guard just in case... "