The Prophecy Comes True
Inuyasha and Kagome burst into the Great Oracle's underground world just as the wedding was in its final moments. Security was high around the great hall and Inuyasha and Kagome were met by several guards.
"Move," Inuyasha grunted to the demons. Fighting the guards would only slow him down.
The demons bellowed in protest and rushed forward, swords drawn. Inuyasha sighed angrily and looked at Kagome. She drew back an arrow and let it fly through the group of demons, dropping them to the ground.
"Come on," Inuyasha called, already ahead of Kagome. She stepped over the sizzling bodies and raced after her husband, sandals clacking against the stone pathway.
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Kazuko stood, knees quaking in front of the crowd of demons. Her head was bowed at her fiancée, Kazuki, announced his vows and accepted his role of Great Oracle. Kazuko had not been allowed to say a word through the entire ceremony. She had already played her flute with the choir and Kazuki had seemed impressed.
Finally, the solemn looking demon priest finished his talk with Kazuki and turned to Kazuko, "Do you, Maiden Friend of Kazuki, Newly Proclaimed Oracle, accept your position as wife and supporter? Do you promise to obey his wishes and be helpful always?"
Kazuko looked up slowly into the priest's face and saw Kazuki standing beside him. Kazuki was Kazuko's best friend in the entire world, the only person she had ever trusted. But husband?
"Yes, I do."
The demon spectators cheered at this and Kazuki hugged Kazuko.
"I now pronounce you Great Oracle and wife. May all your days be happy," the priest announced and with that, the wedding was over and the parties, began.
As everyone rushed to set up the tables and serve the food for the feast, Kazuki pulled Kazuko aside. He was dressed in fine armour and his hair (for once) had been combed nicely.
"I want you to name my sword, Kazuko," he said and unsheathed his new sword, a coronation present from his uncle. The sword was gleaming silver and seemed to have an aura of its own. The sword seemed much too big and heavy for young Kazuki to lift but he swung it easily with one hand.
Kazuko studied the sword and said sweetly, "Hikari. Is that okay?"
"Perfect."
Suddenly, just as Kazuki and Kazuko shared this tender moment, there was a great crash and a messenger demon clambered into the hall. His eyes were wild and he bore a large gash on his leg.
"They're coming! They're coming! They're coming to kidnap the Oracle!"
Kazuki looked at Kazuko in confusion and their eyes connected for a fleeting moment before he was grabbed from behind by one of his servants.
"Kazuki! No!" she screamed. The hall was crawling with demons much taller than Kazuko and she was lost. While trying to organize themselves, the demons seemed to not notice Kazuko who was much shorter than the rest of them. She was knocked down a few times and the edge of her kimono was in tatters from claws.
"Kazuko! Miss Kazuko over here!"
Kazuko looked up and saw Etsuko shoving her way towards her. For the first time, Kazuko was glad to see the doting maid.
"Come on pet, there are bad people about," Etsuko clutched Kazuko's small hand and lifted her into her arms to whisk her away.
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"Troops! In formation! Now!"
Kyo heard the gruff call of Lord Osamu over the noise of the frantic crowd. Kyo led Ren over to where Osamu was assembling the army. They would stop those kidnappers right in their tracks.
"Forward march! Weapons at the ready!" Osamu barked and there was a collective scraping of metal as swords, spears and other killing devices were readied. The group entered the main tunnel, their steps in time with everyone else's.
"How many of them are there?" Ren mumbled to Kyo and he shrugged his massive shoulders.
The army hadn't gone 50 paces when they ran into the kidnappers. A half-dog demon and a pretty human priestess. Ren and Kyo both gasped. It was them!
"You!" Ren and Kyo shouted.
"You!" the kidnappers shouted back.
"Charge!" shouted Osamu.
The group surged forward and, on cue, a silver tipped arrow blasted its way from the priestess' bow. Less than half of the demons were purified with the shot, the others either dropped flat on their bellies or ducked into the crevices made by the stone walls.
Ren and Kyo hid in a wide hole and waited for madness to stop. As the army dwindled and the rest ran back to the city, the dog demon came to stand beside Ren and Kyo, sniffing the air furiously.
"They're in there," he said to the human woman and she drew her last arrow, aiming it into the darkness of the crevice and at Kyo's throat.
"Come out or we'll be forced to hurt you," the woman commanded. Ren and Kyo happily obliged and knelt before her.
"We're sorry, we're sorry, we're sorry, just don't hurt us please," they begged in unison.
"We acquire your services."
Ren looked up, it was the dog demon who had spoken. He had sheathed his sword and looked sincere.
"What do you want from us?" Kyo whispered.
The dog demon sat on his heels and looked into Ren's yellow eyes, "Bring me the Oracle's wife."
What do we get in return?" Kyo asked, always one for a bargain.
"We don't kill you, that's what!" the dog growled but the woman held him back by the shoulder.
"Actually, what would you like, we can help you, within reason," she spoke calmly.
Ren and Kyo looked at each other and silently conferred, "The Above. We want to live in the Above. We'll bring you Lady Kazuko if you bring us to the outside with you."
The dog demon and women nodded and Ren and Kyo stood up and raced to find Kazuko and complete their part of the deal.
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Etsuko carried Kazuko to her chambers and carefully sat her on her futon. Kazuko looked pale and worried.
"Where's Kazuki? Is he okay? Did they get the kidnappers Etsuko?"
Etsuko shushed the child's questions and patted her head lightly, "Kazuki will be fine. No kidnappers can get through the General's guards, so don't worry a bit. Now, I'll be back with some water to calm your nerves and you, stay put! Don't go looking for Master Kazuki."
Kazuko frowned and flopped back onto her bed, messing up her hair and kimono even more. Looking for Kazuki had been the thing she had been planning to do from the start, but now she remembered that there would be guards standing at every doorway. She was trapped. This was not how her wedding day was supposed to be.
Kazuko fumed for a few more moments when she heard a scuffle outside her door. It sounded like demons fighting but she wasn't sure. There was one last cry and with great force, Kazuko's chamber door was slammed open. In its place stood Ren and Kyo, two demon guards Kazuko had come to recognize.
"Go, now," Kyo said simply and Kazuko felt fear ripple through her body.
"What? No! Where's Kazuki?" she stuttered frantically.
"Come on Kazuko, we're rescuing you," Ren interjected and her tail encircled the girl's wrist, tugging her out of the room.
"I'm fine. I don't need saving. I won't go without Kazuki."
Ren sighed loudly, "Okay, we'll take you to the Oracle if you'll come with us."
Kazuko nodded and allowed herself to be pulled from her room and into the hall. Conveniently, all the guards in the hall were dead already, so the three had safe passage down to Kazuki's room.
Kazuko slid open the door to find Kazuki playing in his room with his servant keeping a watchful eye. He was an oily-skinned demon with large eyes.
"Go," Kyo demanded and cracked his knuckles menacingly. The demon stood up and slithered from the room quickly.
Kazuko, at the sight of her friend, ran forward and launched herself into his arms. She was crying already.
"I have to go Kazuki, they're taking me away."
Kazuki looked at his friend in confusion, "Taking you away? They can't, you live here with me. Besides, you have no where to go."
Ren stepped forward, "We're bringing her to her parents, and the sooner the better."
"My parents are here? That's impossible!" Kazuko said breathlessly and looked between Kazuki and Ren.
"Yes, they're here and have demanded to see you. We remember them Lady Kazuko, they're nice people, not the terrible beasts the stories say."
"Really?" Kazuko gasped hopefully, "Oh, Kazuki, should I go?"
"Only if I can come with you," the boy answered truthfully. His eyes were glistening with tears and he hugged Kazuko tighter, "I don't want to grow up and be some boring old Great Oracle. I don't want to live my life under the ground and never see the sunshine, and the birds, the things you used to sing about."
"Come on then!" Kyo said and with a loving nod exchanged, Kazuko and Kazuki stood up and held hands as they stepped into the hall.
The group walked along quickly, avoiding the many guards and other demons scurrying through the halls. They came to an intersection of hallways when suddenly a great tremor shook the stone around them.
As it is told, this tremor was caused by the constant blows to the walls of the city. It had triggered an earthquake that was now causing gigantic pieces of stone and rock to collapse and tumble into the hallways.
Kazuko shrieked softly and squeezed Kazuki's hand as the group now ran through the passageway, praying for luck. Apparently, the god's weren't listening at the moment.
With an ear splitting crack, a support rock in the roof of the tunnel gave way and sent a shower of stone cascading down upon the group. Ren and Kyo kept running, not noticing the damage done.
The large amount of rock had fallen down onto Kazuki and some had hit Kazuko as well. Kazuki was laying flat on his stomach and his eyes were closed. Blood ran in little rivers down his temples. Kazuko was thrown to the side upon impact, but was conscious. She stood up and cried aloud when she saw Kazuki. She ran to him.
"No! Wake up Kazuki! Wake up! Don't do this! Don't leave!"
But Kazuki wouldn't move and his eyes wouldn't open an inch. Kazuko became more frantic and sobbed loudly. She ignored her own pain and held her friend's head in her hands. Snapping her eyes shut she yelled at the top of her lungs,
"Wake up Kazuki….WAKE UP!"
As Kazuko screamed this, a warm violet glow seemed to appear around her, though she didn't notice it. It swirled around her body and down to Kazuki where it lit up his face.
Kazuki slowly opened his eyes and cried out with pain. Kazuko opened her eyes and cried out with joy.
"I did it Kazuki! I woke you up with my miko powers!" Kazuko said happily, despite the dire situation. Kazuki smiled, his eyes unfocused.
"Use my sword."
"Huh?" Kazuko looked Kazuki in the eyes, she couldn't believe he had spoke, "Your sword? I can't Kazuki."
Kazuki nodded his head and Kazuko carefully extracted Hikari from the rocks where it had fallen. She yelped in pain and looked at her hand in shock. Angry red burn marks covered her pale palm. It would hurt, but using Kazuki's sword was the only way out.
Kazuko grasped the sword again, sucking in large breaths to help her ignore the pain and swung. Giant beams of light rocketed from the magic sword and the rocks around Kazuki were demolished. Breathing heavily, Kazuko put the sword to the side and dove at Kazuki. She brushed aside the remaining debris and lifted him onto her shoulders. The boy was barely conscious and heavy as can be. He weakly pointed at his sword and Kazuko slid it back into the sheath on his waist.
Kazuko walked slowly down the rest of the tunnel, realization dawning in her mind. Kazuki's sword wasn't made for her yet she had wielded it and destroyed all those rocks. She had used her demon powers after all! Kazuko smiled and trudged forward. Maybe there was hope. Maybe she did belong in another place and Kazuki could stay with her always. Maybe, just maybe.
With one last burst of strength, Kazuko stepped through a crack in the solid door and out into the blinding sunshine. She fell to her knees and Kazuki slid off her back and onto the ground with a thud. The last thing Kazuko saw before she fainted was a white haired demon running towards her, smiling.
'Dog ears…just like mine……..'
Author's Note: Oh, my goodness! I can't believe I finished this chapter! It's very long and I'm so impressed. Not to brag. cough Thank you for reading!!!