Ch. 25 Monk's Sacrifice
While they were in the air chamber, Miroku marveled at the spiritual statures and relics that were on displays, as though they had been placed there for him to admire. Spiritual richness filled the room, Miroku prepared to assist Inuyasha in any way he could.
"Miroku do you know how to summon ancient relics?" "Yes, Inuyasha, I am well educated in the art of summation." The monk prepared to perform an ancient ritual. The air chamber was filled with air bending scrolls. Miroku went to the wall, and pulled a scroll from the shelf it read.
"The darkest day in Fire Nation history, is when the moon and sun exchange places. The moon will overlap the sun, and the bending shall cease."
"Inuyasha, I have just found something that will help us defeat the Fire Lord. Apparently the darkest day in Fire Nation history is when there's a solar eclipse. The eclipse takes their bending away, and then you will be able to make your move," said Miroku. "When's the next eclipse? Is it before the comet?" asked Inuyasha remembering Miroku's vision of the deadly comet that Ozi would use to end the war.
"It will be this summer, I will look into it. There is a chance that the comet and solar eclipse will happen around the same time," said Miroku. Then Miroku began sprinkling holy water around the center of the air chamber. "What are you doing?" asked Inuyasha. "I am purifying the air chamber. One must purify a spiritual area before summoning an ancient relic," he replied in a Zen voice.
"Inuyasha please go to the center of the air temple, I need you to clear your mind as though you are meditating." Inuyasha did as he was told; Miroku slowly pulled out four candles and placed them around Inuyasha. Each candle was different, the first candle was red with the fire emblem on it, the second blue with the water emblem, the third was brown resembling earth, and the last candle was white symbolizing the air nomads.
Miroku lit each candle, as he did the candles reflected off one another forming a circle around Inuyasha. A mighty wind began to speak, "Inuyasha son of the world why do you return to us? And with a tainted monk?" asked the Avatars of old. "Oh wise Avatars, I come to summon the air fragment. How is this monk tainted?" asked Inuyasha.
"He broke a sacred vow, and because of that you will never summon the ancient air fragment," the voices hissed at him. "Miroku, son of the earth please some before us. We have questions to ask you, why did you break a sacred vow?" ask the voices of the past.
"What vow did I break?" Miroku asked knowing the answer. "You have romantic thoughts for a woman, which is forbidden to monks by law," said the voices. "I meant no harm," said Miroku as he bowed, "What must I do?" he asked as he approached the mighty wind.
"You must choose…chose to live as a monk or choose to love the human girl," said the Avatars of old. "If I choose to love Sango what does that mean?" "It means that you deny your life as a monk, and choose to live as a normal man," they said.
"If I give up my title, will you give the Avatar the air fragment?" The voices did not speak right away, silence filled the chamber as the candles, below the mighty wind flickered. "Yes tainted monk, we will," said the voices. Miroku thought of Sango and said, "I Miroku, son of the earth, choose to love Sango as a regular man. I accept my faint and denounce my title as a monk." "So be it," the voices said.
The mighty wind spun around, and destroyed the ancient scrolls consuming their spiritual secrets. From the wind emerged a hand, the hand out stretched and destroyed Miroku's staff. "The staff is broken tainted monk, go and live as a regular man! We bless you and the woman you love, we present to you the air fragment use it will and the Avatar shall win the war." The wind died down and the voices vanished.
Miroku held the air fragment in his hand, the fragment possessed a power unlike Miroku had ever seen. Miroku thought about his decision and decided to find Lady Sango.