(A/N: Here's chapter fourteen. Enjoy!)
Hijiri Island
"So…? What do you think, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked his silver-haired companion. The group was gathered around him as he sniffed another river base. Sango went off with Kirara to investigate the barrier some more.
"No, this isn't it," Inuyasha said with a sigh. "It didn't smell marshy like this." They all sighed in disappointment, except for Saya. "Naraku's demon puppet carried the scent of water and flowers," he thought. "And it was pure, like Mt. Hakurei."
"Let's check the other lakes around here then," Kagome suggested.
"Do you think Sango and Kirara are okay?" Shippo asked. They were walking along the riverside when the demon slayer and her feline companion made themselves known. Kirara landed in front of the group.
"Sango…," Inuyasha muttered.
"How'd it go?" Kagome asked.
"Not go," Sango replied with a shake of her head. "The mountain's barrier is even stronger than before."
"I thought so," Miroku said. "We'll never be able to break through it."
"One things for sure is that Naraku has been close by," the silver-haired hanyou stated while stuffing his arms into his sleeves. "There's no question about that. Which means we'll just have to check every waterway around the mountain."
Inuyasha and his group of friends came to a village where a men were discussing, or looked more like arguing with a little boy. "Hey!" Inuyasha shouted, interrupting them. "I heard you mention something about sacred grounds."
"Would you mind telling us what it is that you are talking about?" Miroku asked.
They found themselves inside a hut with the same boy and his elder sisters. "You see that island in the center of this lake. It's forbidden for common folk," the boy explained. "The duty of village headman has been passed down through the males of my family. Only these select few have been allowed to set foot on the island to tend to Saint Hakushin, and his temple." Miroku's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Saint Hakushin, you say?" he muttered.
"Yes," the little boy responded. "He was a wise monk who lived over a hundred years ago. He became a living Buddha, and is enshrined in a temple on the island."
"A living Buddha?" Inuyasha questioned with a look of utter confusion.
"A monk of great virtue meditates and fast until his death," Miroku explained.
"So, we're talking about a dried up, old prune of a monk," the hanyou said in complete boredom. The monk glared at him.
"Watch it. You might regret that," he warned. They started discussing about the whereabouts of Hitoru's father finding out he's been gone for three days. His father went to check up on the island when a strange light appeared. They then decided to make their next plan of action to investigate the island.
"Hey, where's Saya?" Shippo asked. Inuyasha and his group looked around.
"That woman is always running off somewhere. It's so annoying," Inuyasha said, aggravated.
They eventually spotted Saya staring off into the lake and Hijiri Island. "What the hell are you doing here, wench?" Inuyasha spoke up as they made their way towards her. The pigtailed girl turned her head towards him for a moment before facing the lake once again. "Hey, don't ignore me!"
"Shut up and get us a boat," Saya ordered.
"Who the hell do you think you are ordering me like that?"
"Inuyasha, calm down," Kagome said. "We don't have time for this." Kirara mewed. The silvered haired hanyou just let out a 'feh' before walking away. He got them a boat y threatening the village men, and now they were off to the island.
Inuyasha was in the middle rowing the boat. Miroku and Shippo were up front, and Kagome, Saya, Sango, Kirara, and Hitoru were in the back. Both Kirara and Shippo felt weak and sick. "It must be the aura of the island," Sango confirmed while patting Kirara. "It's so strong that Kirara isn't even transforming." Hitoru started singing.
"What is that?" Kagome asked after he was done.
"It's a children's song that has been sang around these parts for a long time," he explained. "Even when he was alive, Saint Hakushin had amazing spiritual powers. They say he saved many people in this region. Look…" He pointed towards a mountain in the distance. "That's Mt. Hakurei in the distance. At the base of the mountain is a place for purification."
"Purification?" the modern-day miko asked.
"It's a temple built by the wise one himself. They say if you pray there, all your sins would be resolved.
"Mt. Hakurei again," Inuyasha thought, deeply.
"What's wrong, Saya?" Kagome asked the pigtailed girl, worriedly. Saya was clutching her head once again in agony.
"That song again…" She said, clenching her teeth.
"A song… The same song again," the silver-haired hanyou thought while looking at Saya through the corner of his eye before facing forward once again. "What song? How come Saya can hear it, and I can't hear it?"
"You know the barrier of the mountain, I wonder who created it," Kagome wondered. Both Inuyasha and Miroku stared at her.
"Someone or perhaps something had to have raised the sacred barrier of the mountain," Sango said. "Strange, though. It's the opposite of Naraku would typically use."
"Sango's right," the priestess thought. "It feels more like a holy person put up the barrier. But why would they do it?" They were getting closer to the island.
"That's Hijiri Island," Hitoru said. "Be very careful. There are craggy rocks everywhere. If the boat hits an outcropping-" He was cut off by a loud crash. There was water gushing through the boat from where it was hit.
"Great. Thanks for the warning," Inuyasha said, sarcastically. Inuyasha was carrying Kagome and Hitoru on his back while using his right hand to carry semi-conscious around her waist.
"Great," Kagome said with a sign. "What are we going to tell the boat men?"
"Shut up," half-dog demon grumbled. "Keep complaining or I'll leave you in the boat."
Inuyasha landed on Hijiri Island. The island was covered in a field of lavender colored flowers. Kagome and Hitoru got off his back. He casually dropped Saya to the ground. "Could you be more careful, Inuyasha?" Kagome scolded.
"Feh," Inuyasha scoffed. He went back to looking at the surroundings. "Now, I'm sure of it." His golden eyes narrowed. "It's these flowers. They smell just like Naraku's demon puppet."
"There never use to be flowers like these growing here," Hitoru said. Just then Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara made it. Miroku was carrying Shippo, and Sango was holding Kirara.
"Are you alright, Shippo?" Miroku asked.
"S-sure, I'm doing fine," Shippo said, dizzily.
"The scent is overpowering Kirara, too," Sango said.
"This is all a little too convenient," Inuyasha inwardly thought. "Why would Naraku do this? Why would he create a demon puppet just to help the Band of Seven escape, and then leave a strong scent of these flowers? It's almost like it was left to lure me to this island. But why?" They spotted a temple.
"What's that?" Kagome asked.
"It's the temple of the wise one," Hitoru said. He ran. "It's destroyed. Why?" He tripped over something. He looked back to see what tripped him. He noticed a skeleton on the ground. "Father's clothing?" He screamed while backing away frightened. "It's my father…!" Kagome went to comfort him.
"His father came to this island a mere two weeks ago," Miroku said.
"He shouldn't be reduced to bones in such short amount of time," Inuyasha said.
"Perhaps Naraku's demons are responsible."
"Yeah. Now, I'm almost positive of it."
"Okay, but for what reason?" the schoolgirl asked.
"What is it that makes this island so special," the hanyou wondered. Kagome gasped, and got up.
"I sense a Shikon Jewel shard," she said with a serious tone of voice.
"Damn!" a male voice said. It clearly sounded irritated. "It's about time you showed up. Making me wait so long in here…" A shockwave came at them, and they dodged out-of-the-way. A young man with long braided, black hair wielding a giant halberd standing there. "This place makes even a human, like me feel sick. It must very trifling for a half-demon, right, Inuyasha?"
"Damn," Inuyasha inwardly cursed. "It was a trap." "Bankotsu, did you do all this?"
"Hmph! Don't ask me," Bankotsu said. "I was only told to wait here. Nothing more than that."
"Careful around him, Inuyasha. Bankotsu's halberd has sacred jewel shards in it," Kagome warned.
"That's right. It got scarred during our little match the other day, so I used the jewel shards to repair it," he explained. "Let's finish this off, Inuyasha!" He twirled the halberd.
"This time I'm going to cut you to pieces!" Inuyasha shouted while pulling Tessaiga from its sheath. He slammed it down, but Bankotsu jumped out-of-the-way.
"I'll be the one doing the damage, half-demon!" He clashed his Banryu clashed against Inuyasha's Tessaiga. They clashed swords again and again.
"Bankotsu has the upper hand," Sango said.
"Because of the Shikon shards in his halberd," Miroku observed. Inuyasha pushed Bankotsu back.
"Dammit," Inuyasha growled out. "I'm sick of you. Wind Scar!" He slammed his sword on the ground. Nothing happened. "Wh-what happened?" He was confused.
"What happened to the Wind Scar?" Kagome said just as confused. "Where is it?"
"Now, it makes sense!" the Band of Seven leader said with a smirk. "No wonder he told me to fight you here!" The swords clashed in a deadlock once again.
"Why can't he use the Wind Scar?" Sango asked, worriedly. They were all watching the fight rage on.
"I believe it's because Tessaiga's demonic powers is being purified by Hijiri's barrier," Miroku theorized. "Furthermore, no matter how evil Bankotsu is, he's still human. Inuyasha has demon blood in him, so in comparison the effect of the island's sacred barrier is minimum.
"Inuyasha! You're so much weaker than the last time we fought each other!" Bankotsu shouted as he clashed Banryu against Tessaiga. "Surrender and die! I don't want to stay on this miserable island a minute longer than I have to!" Inuyasha skidded across the girl. He dodged out-of-the-way as the giant halberd landed on the area he was before. They both swing their swords into a deadlock.
"Someone has to be putting up this purifying barrier," the monk suggested. "I know it!" He stared off into the temple, an idea popping in his head. "Just as I thought." Hitoru ran off towards the temple.
"Hitoru!" Kagome called after him.
"St. Hakushin! Please come to Inuyasha's assistance," Hitoru pleaded.
Hitoru made it inside the temple. "That staff… It's father's…" he said as he saw a staff wedged inside a tomb on the side of the wall.
"Hitoru," Kagome called out as she came up behind him.
"St. Hakushin isn't here. He's gone," Hitoru said, both surprised and nervous.
"What? How could that be?"
"H-his body was enshrined here."
"What's going on?" Kagome thought. "Does this mean Naraku to steal the saint's body?" "Miroku!" the schoolgirl called out to the monk. "Saint Hankushin's mummy has gone missing from the tomb. Naraku may have stolen it."
"Someone's stolen the body?" Miroku asked, quizzily. "So it wasn't St. Hakushin who put up the barrier." "If it wasn't St. Hakushin, then who did put up the sacred barrier around Hijiri Island?" The battle between Inuyasha and Bankotsu still raged on, and the latter managed to slice the former's arm.
"Inuyasha!" Sango yelled out, worriedly. Miroku entered the temple along with Kagome.
"What do you think?" Kagome asked him.
"All this time I was convinced that Saint Hakushin was putting up the barrier around the island," Miroku responded.
"Barrier?" Hitoru questioned, shocked. "What are you saying? St. Hakushin was someone who saved people! Why would he put up a barrier?"
"Remember the strange light you and your father saw, Hitoru? It was demon named Naraku." the monk replied.
"Naraku?"
"Yes. I'm certain your father must have fought Naraku, trying to protect the saint."
"T-then that skeleton…really was my father."
"Naraku wanted to use Saint Hankushin's immense spiritual powers. That's why he came to the island. And I'm guessing when your father discovered that, he tried to stop him."
"That is the duty of the village headman," the boy said, lowly. "So, father didn't because he was cursed." He looked at the monk for reassurance. "Right?" Miroku let out a small smile.
"Of course."
"If St. Hakushin isn't in the shrine any longer, then where on earth is he?" Kagome wondered. "And put up the barrier around this island?" Miroku got an idea. He used one of his sutra charms, and Shippo's demonic powers to find the core of the barrier. With the help of Hitoru, they were able to break the barrier. It was revealed that a golden ornament had erected the barrier. Now, with the sacred barrier gone, and Inuyasha's and Bankotsu's powers back to normal, what will happen now?
(A/N: That's the end of chapter fourteen. I hope you enjoyed it! The next chapter will be what you guys been waiting for. Saya's badassery! Unfortunately, it will be brief though, but so worth it. We finally get to see Saya in action in the next chapter. Yes! And some of you are wondering when the romance between Inuyasha and Saya going to start. Don't worry! It's going to get there…eventually. I don't want to rush seeing as there is nothing to base it on. They need more time together. Hell, they've only known each other for two to three weeks. Plus, there are lots of conflicts going for them to be worrying about being in a relationship with each other as of now. And think about it… We all know how Inuyasha is. I don't need to go into details about him, and he's already in love with Kikyou and Kagome. Adding a third woman in the love triangle, or love square in this case, will be pretty hard. And the fact if they fall in love it may or may not affect the group's friendship between each other. That's if I want it to. *evil laugh* I'm just joking. But seriously, it will probably effect the group in someway if Saya and Inuyasha fall in love, especially this soon in the story. Now, on to Saya. Saya isn't the type to be looking for love. She knows what love is. I mean, love as a family or friends. But she never has been in love before. As a woman loves a man, you know? I don't think she's expecting to be in love. She only cares about her duty. Finding and killing Naraku. Nothing more. Nothing less. Hell, if you guys think about it, Kikyou was the same way. She was only focused on her duty. To protect the Shikon Jewel. She wasn't expecting to fall in love either. But then she meet Inuyasha, and unintentionally fell in love with him. I'm not saying that Saya's like Kikyou. No way. Although I do like and respect Kikyou, Saya isn't like her. I'm just making the conclusion of how Kikyou and Saya are so focused on their duties, they don't expect themselves to find love along the way. Well, Kikyou is already in love with Inuyasha, Saya's getting there. Later… Way later in the story. So, for guys looking for the romance, you are going to have to be patient. But I will tell you this, they'll be some form of attraction between the two. Alright! Enough explaining! Please read and review!)