Chapter Prologue
Question; what would you do, if you saw your body being manipulated by another? How would you react? This was what I was confronted with, when I felt my soul tug in another direction. One that screamed sorrow and remorse. A place where the dead were un-dead, wallowing in a half-life. Befitting that my soul should be beckoned to a graveyard. However what lurked within that graveyard was something so sinister that I couldn't not react.
Chapter 24
Last of the Wilds
A Miko's calling.
Inuyasha, the hanyou I once loved with all my heart, continued to walk on ahead. Unable to look my host in the eye, he kept the pace even and swift. I glanced through eyes not my own at the landscape around us. The trees seemed different in these eyes, more alive than I had ever known. Their branches snaking into each others embrace as though they were lovers brushing fingertips across skin. Their dance was sensual, alive and beautiful. The green leaves, shone in the light, sparkling emerald, jade, olive, the deeper shades that were cast into shadows by the ones that sought the light above them, casting them into deeper sea greens and that of deep ochre. They danced in the breeze to the bright morning sunlight that was slowly rising to her peak in the clear blue sky. The sky itself was awash with different hue's of blue, cobalt, azure, cerulean. Blue's that I had never noticed before, when my eyes belonged to a human.
Is your world always so vivid? I asked my host as she continued to walk in silence, the Kitsune child upon her shoulder, where he refused to move.
'yes' she answered back. Not wanting to give more than was asked. I enjoyed this host's body, her sight, her senses, so much more keen than my own ever were, even for a miko.
Inuyasha stopped up ahead, in my musings I had forgotten where we were travelling until the scents hit me. Dirt, salty steam, that smelt stagnant. The scent of rust and salt, as well as burning charcoal and wood. Metal upon the musky soil. These were also things I hated about my host's senses. As much as I enjoyed the beauty of everything around me, the inescapable stench of something disgusting always made me want to heave. Which was odd, because that was her desire, not mine. Her reaction that tumbled into my consciousness, making me feel the same emotion. I didn't like it.
What is that disgusting array of scents?
I felt her chuckle softly, her eyes alit with humour as I looked out of them, her lips quirked upwards in a tight smile, as she contemplated telling me the answer.
'humans' she answered honestly. I had no idea humans smelt so awful, it was no wonder that youkai kept their distance from our villages, only the ruling Lords and their young would ever venture into our villages, even they did not remain for too long a period. Any other youkai was driven into killing humans, could it have been the smell that drove them into a frenzy, the want to kill the object of the stench?
'yes' my host answered the question for me, after listening to my thoughts as I contemplated my 'enemy's motives for killing humans. This was the distinct problem, with dwelling inside a youkai host, I was subject to question my own existence. I was killing youkai, simply because I felt they were a threat, when indeed it was we who were the threat, that our scents drove them into a desire to kill us.
We wandered down the small hill, passing the youkai well of the dead, otherwise known as the 'Bone-eaters well' I felt my host's body shudder as our eyes swept across the wood. Her blood running cold at the thought of never ending darkness and pain. I had never delved into her mind as to why she felt that way, nor would I wish to. She was a youkai and I never regretted anything I ever did to her. In a way the fear she held over the well, kept her loyal to me. She knew who pulled her to my world, she knew who was her mistress, she knew she was mine to control. That she was ultimately mine, to do as I pleased with. I felt her growl her disapproval, so in my defence I flared my Reiki within the small orb around her neck, causing her to flinch minutely.
Just remember who you belong to. she quieted her growls, and continued on the path to my younger sister's home. Keade. Inuyasha walked in first, uninvited, as though he lived there. My host followed in shortly behind him, pulling the wooden slatted curtain aside enough so as not to knock the Kitsune child off her shoulder. I only had an awareness of self, to see through her eyes, to smell through her nose, and flare my Reiki through her youki. Everything else was not for me. I could not touch, nor speak with my own voice, however I had managed it once, only when I was mad enough to ensue the command to 'sit' Inuyasha for his wandering eyes. My host however, refused to ever issue that command, refused to subdue Inuyasha to our will, as she was subdued to mine by two simple words.
'I will never subdue him, he will never be what I am' she snapped as she took a seat besides my once younger, now much older sister Keade as she handed her a bowl of stew. I remained silent as I watched and listened carefully to the conversation that would soon ensue. Talk of jewel shard sightings and stories that would lead us to find more.
Much to the dismay of my host youkai and my Inu-hanyou murderer, there was nothing regarding the jewel at all. No sightings, no stories, no fables, nothing. Inuyasha was angry that the jewel he wanted so much, the jewel he stole my life for was gone. That small spiteful thought brought glee to my soul. I was glad he couldn't find it, glad that he would never hold it in his hands. He stole my life, and deserved to suffer for it.
'he didn't kill you' Kagome sighed as she tried once again to convince me it was someone else. I however knew it was Inuyasha and vowed to never allow him to have the jewel, never allow anyone to have it, but me. I silenced her, by withdrawing into my shadowed darkness, allowing her to have her full senses to herself. I didn't want to hear of her lies, her deceit of trying to convince me that Inuyasha was innocent.
'he is innocent' I heard her echoing words as I slipped further and further away from her, thinking of my life before it was abruptly stolen from me, how everything was simple, was controlled including the youkai host I resided in.
---
Kagome sighed, shaking her head slightly, having lost the conversation with Kikyo. It was difficult to convince the miko soul that resided with hers, that the one she blamed for her death was innocent. Inuyasha couldn't hurt a soul. He was a young inu-hanyou that was just misunderstood. Brash and enjoyed to curse all types of profanities, but that was just a front, a means to make himself look more threatening, than she knew he wasn't.
Shippo shifted upon her shoulder, having consumed his bowl of rice and stew. He looked Kagome in the eyes, noticing for the first time that her eyes were somewhat clearer. The shadowy soul that was housed within her, had receded. He smiled, handing her his small bowl. Kagome returned his smile, placing his bowl upon the wooden floor of the small hut, then stood to her full height.
"I'm going for a short walk. I won't be long" Kagome announced as she turned around and pulled the wooden hanging door aside. Inuyasha cleared his throat, halting her in her steps. Both Shippo and Kagome looked over their shoulders awaiting for the hanyou to voice either his objection or his approval. Instead he merely nodded at the two, before filling his bowl with more of Keade's stew.
---
Kagome stepped out into the warmth of the sunlight, the sun was in its highest position and would soon drop her radiance into the folds of the earth, allowing the moon to take over. Closing her eyes, allowing her form to be drenched in the light and heat of the midday sun, she breathed in gently, sifting through the scents of the dirty humans to the light woodlands beyond. Kagome smiled, enjoying this moment, when she could allow herself to sift through scents. She'd never shown Kikyo this, else she'd always be there. It was comforting to know that Kikyo understood the reason youkai detested humans, one reason being their putrid stench. Though Kagome was alone in her own personal reasons for hating the human race. They destroyed her life, and continuously caused her to suffer, when all she wanted was to go home, to back to her father, and more importantly Sesshoumaru.
Opening those doe brown eyes, she stepped forward into the village, away from Keade's hut towards the forest. She knew Shippo had questions, and whilst Kikyo was within her enclosure, she would endeavour to answer what she could.
---
They found a quiet meadow hidden deep within the forest, covered in flowers bathed in rich sunlight. Shippo jumped off Kagome's shoulder for the first time in hours, as he ran through the meadow laughing like the child he was. Kagome smiled lightly. Flaring her aura she looked around for any signs of intrusion, then pulled her soul out of the green orb around her neck, enough to change into her truer self. Shippo stood still in the instant he felt a powerful demonic aura sweeping over the meadow, he turned his emerald eyes towards the female to warn her, when he noticed it was her that was emitting it. He watched awed as she changed before him once more. The daughter of the South, becoming herself once again. In the short expanse of time that he'd seen her in her truer body before, he could not help but marvel at her beauty.
She smiled that radiant smile, he knew only she would possess, than sped pass him, laughing as she touched the flowers. She looked free, well as free as she could be. Shippo smiled at the thought, she was enjoying every moment she could, which he would do in return.
They ran around the meadow for hours, laughing and frolicking around, until Kagome dropped to the ground, laying in the flowers with a smile, as the sun continued to dip lower in the afternoon sky. Shippo never one to be too far away from her, in fears that she would disappear, lay beside her, his small arms tucked under his little head.
"Kagome…can I ask you some questions?" he began, not really wanting to end this wonderful afternoon, but he knew it was only a matter of time before he would be unable to ask.
"does Inuyasha know?" was his first real important question, knowing whether or not he would be able to bring this subject in Inuyasha's presence or not.
"No, he doesn't" came her reply.
"why did you leave?" was his next question. He watched her face, and listened to her soft sigh as she thought of an easy way to answer his questions.
"I didn't have a choice. It was long ago, I was with Inuyasha when he was a pup. We were attacked. I ran to distract the wolves from him, only I wasn't fully myself. I'm sure you heard the stories about that" she answered lowly, thinking of the past, dredging up painful memories of centuries long ago, paved with remorse.
"I remember hearing you lost your baser side that night, you climbed the mountain of Challenges…I'm so sorry I wasn't fast enough, in sending Sesshoumaru" shippo voiced, feeling guilty.
Kagome's expression changed, she had no idea Shippo was the one that had ultimately saved her from death. She rolled over, pulling him to her, and hugging him tightly. "never feel guilty Shippo-chan. I was immature, though I had no idea you sent Sesshoumaru to me. Thank you" Shippo smiled, as he was held by her.
Kagome continued, with events that led her to where she was now, to which Shippo listened intently. She spent the better part of the whole afternoon in the meadow, answering Shippo's questions, giving as much detail as she possibly could. When she noticed that the sun was due to set into the horizon.
"I only wish I knew who helped Kiros into 'killing' me. If I knew that I would see to it, that they were punished for their treachery. But I can't think of anyone other than Kiros himself. But he is a youkai that would never sully his own hands. There had to be another factor I'm missing, the wolves were a part of it, but there had to be someone else." she answered Shippo's final question. Shippo sat in silence thinking carefully, coming up with no other clues or ideas as to whom assisted the 'demise of Kagome, and attempted downfall of Lord Taro all those years ago.
"We best be getting back to Inuyasha, its getting late" Kagome spoke up after the silence prolonged for a while. Both the Jigoku Inu and the Kitsune looked over the meadow once more, leaving their secrets with the flowers as they headed back towards the village of Edo.
Night rolled in swiftly, the moon above in a slither of a crescent as the shadows enveloped the woods, and huts, until the firelight from the torches cast their glow upon the small village. Kikyo had remained silent, in the dark recesses of Kagome's mind. Shippo sat contentedly upon the tatami mat that Keade had placed upon the wooden floor of her hut, slowly telling a 'story' that was events that Kagome had missed, one retelling the manner in Taro overthrew Kiros in his attempt to snatch the lands of the South. Inuyasha sat in the branch of his favourite tree outside, and Keade was settling down for the night. Everything was normal.
---
A great black Strega, with eyes the colour of shining wheat, sat upon the wooden beam over looking the Shrine of the Priestesses. It's huge bulbous eyes, evoking the full moons shape, glowed as they sought their prize. With a demonic enchantment, the ashes of miko in the urns glowed against the onslaught of the evil that sought one in particular. The Strega announced the night, its demonic hooting calling the dead. The powerful barrier, that the miko ashes in the urns erected, began to diminish as their light swayed with the calls of the dead. One urn, a basic cream one that had not completely degraded into the earth like many of its predessors, pushed its way out of the fine black soil, resting upon it, as though it were alive and seeking air.
The great Strega swooped down from its perch, taking the Urn into its huge taloned feet. With a loud screech to the night, it announced its capture.
Four sets of eyes snapped open. Inuyasha launched himself from his tree, as Kagome, Shippo and Keade darted from her dwelling. They ran up towards the Shrine of the Priestesses, to see a larger than normal Black Owl, with eyes like the sun, holding an Urn of the dead. An Urn which housed the ashes of Kikyo. Without thinking Keade issued a command at Inuyasha
"Kill it, the Strega must not take the ashes!" she ordered.
"Its only an owl Keade-baba" Shippo added looking at the large bird, as it continued to stand still, watching Inuyasha.
"Ne kit, A Strega such as this one, belongs to a powerful witch, a Strega the colour of shadows, represents Yin: night, darkness, magic. Witches shadows such that one, are the harbingers of doom, trouble and death. Whatever the witch whom owns that shadow, wants the priestesses ashes in that urn, would not be for anything other than evil". Keade informed.
"I've heard enough" Inuyasha snapped, flexing his claws as he darted the short distance to the Black owl. Its eyes shone brilliant gold, stopping Inuyasha in his tracks.
"What, I can't move!" Inuyasha barked, struggling to move his body to attack the bird.
In the commotion, Kagome felt the pull inside her soul. The pull of Kikyo as she rose from her place within her. She felt it, as her eyes became Kikyo's eyes. The windows in which Kikyo would see everything. Kagome, that is more than just a Strega. That is a witch's soul shadow. To take a priestesses ashes from her grave, is a sinuous crime. The witch in question, would be full of nothing but evil. You must destroy it, before it does away with those ashes.
Kagome sighed, flaring her power through her body, she pushed it to her fingertips. In a sweeping motion that was borne of any archer, she formed an archers bow with her rare mix of Reiki and youki in her left hand. Pushing the same amount of energy she formed an arrow in her right. Notching the two she drew the string back, aiming at the great bird.
The owl announced the night, the dead souls singing in their answers to its call. The sound rang in Kagome's ears, pulling and tugging at her soul. Her concentration was being tampered, her powers fluctuating against herself, as though a war were starting under her own skin.
"Kagome, what's wrong?" Shippo asked as he watched Kagome, screw her eyes shut tightly, shaking her head as though there were something she could hear.
Kagome, ignore it! Kikyo commanded
"I'm trying, but the noise…" Kagome answered.
Ignore it! Kikyo bellowed
"what noise, I don't hear anything" Shippo answered, looking at the distressed female.
Destroy the strega! And the noise will cease. Kikyo ordered.
Kagome struggled against the pull hostile to her soul, the feeling as though her nerves were being severed from her one by one, extracted from her core. Her fingers trembled as they held the Reiki and youki bow.
"Kagome I will be yer eyes, concentrate on my voice! Draw the string" Keade commanded, understanding there was something gravely wrong with the Shirei, who seemed to hear the Strega's cry of the dead, a sound only the dead could hear.
Kagome heard Keade's voice through the singing of the dead souls, the harmonics of the miko, intermingled with the baritones of fallen warriors. The sounds were eerie, beautiful and extremely alluring to her mind and her soul. The commanding Strega was forefront of the songs of the dead, leading them in their chorus, capturing her in it snare. Struggling against herself, she pulled the youki string taut, then awaited Keade's further instruction.
Shoot it! Kikyo screamed in Kagome's mind. But Kagome held fast awaiting Keade.
"Fire!" Keade yelled. Her deeper soprano of a child lost to the ageing female she had become. The arrow missed its target, however disrupted the songs of dead. All became eerily silent. Kagome opened her eyes, not able to focus clearly, the Strega was looking her in the eyes, judging for itself were it a creature of intelligence, that a 'human' should not fall under the song of the dead so simply. Opening its huge wings, to which the souls of its captured departed resided, much like Kikyo was inside herself. It took flight, its precious urn clutched within its huge feet. Once at a safe distance, Inuaysha found he could move once more. He approached Kagome, grabbing her tightly by her shoulders.
"What the Hell was the matter with you wench?" he barked in her face, shaking her as he demanded his answer.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't…the noise…it was…" Kagome stilled, casting her eyes towards the desiccated gravesite of the priestesses and monks that once dwelled in the village.
"Keade, who's ashes were taken?" she asked suddenly fearful.
"My sister Kikyo's" she answered immediately.
"I was afraid of that".
---
Urasue was preparing the cave for the Ritual of bringing the dead to life. She had sent her shadow soul, her Strega to fetch the deceased remains, ashes of the Shikon miko, Kikyo. She knew this Ritual well, as she had used it many a time when creating her army of the living dead. She resurrected souls, then turned them against their former families and alliences when she desired lands, or other valueable commodities. Now she coveted the Shikon no Tama, which could only be seen with the eyes of the Shikon Miko herself. She pulled together her urn of the dead, a huge bowl in which she conducted her spells.
"The Shikon Miko, was female. Therefore I will need to invoke the feminine Yin energies of Earth and Water" Urasue began to compile her ingredients for reconstructing the body of the Shikon miko, talking to herself as she continued "Earth's magical power is accessed through botanicals, that are rooted in the Earth, the strongest forms for a miko reborn would be either clay or dirt. The most powerful dirt would be graveyard dirt or crossroads dirt. I had my Strega pull her ashes from the graveyard, therefore the dirt from the shrine's graveyard will prove to be a powerful conduit. Clay should be sufficient to provide a solid connection to me"
Stepping over towards her array of urns and vases filled with various dirts, clays, waters and trapped fires. She pulled the ones with the 'clay' Kanji scrawled across it. Throwing them into the mixing bowl, along with the urns they were in, seeing as they too were made of clay, she set about her next element. "when dealing with a miko spirit, a spirit that is pure of heart. I will need lunar charged waters, as the oon herself is another feminine entity. Also rain water is perfect, as rain is a womans tears". once again Urasue approached her urns and jugs. Looking over the vast magical waters she kept she pulled the two urns, that held waters from Lunar lake in the Western province, the only lake in the whole of Japan to be bathed in the moons glow. Then took anotherthat was filled with the most recent rain fall.
Mixing the waters with the clay slowly, she waited patiently for the return of her Strega. She wasn't disappointed, it arrived with her precious ashes and graveyard soiled Urn in its talons. She took it hungrily, throwing the urn wholly into the mix. Puling the frame of a human woman from the kiln, she poured her mixture of Yin, Earth and Water into the mould. Placing a botanical atop the mould to seal the Yin within. She placed the mould into the fire, for Fire is an independent element that energises those reborn.
She left her work, taking refuge upon a pillow stuffed with the souls of the dead, before pouring herself a shot of sake. "tell me Strega, what took you so long in that pitiful village?" she asked as she stoked the rim of her glass with her long purple nails, as her Owl relayed information of what transpired. She bolted upright, a hand clutched around the glass that was now empty, after her shadow soul retold her of the unusual female that bore no resemblance to the Shikon Miko. Of how, a 'human' was slowly answering the call of the dead.
"Interesting, very interesting. I cannot wait to meet this female, this Kagome".
---
Inuyasha ran ahead of the recover group, that consisted of himself, Kagome, Keade and the fox Kitsune Shippo riding behind on horses. Kagome and Keade atop their stallions, were galloping side-by-side, with Shippo on Kagome's horse.
"I don't understand Keade, why would a witch steal Kikyo's ashes. Kikyo is dead, her soul is, well you know…" Kagome argued, thinking it would be safe to allow the witch to do whatever she wished with the ashes, because Kikyo's soul was inside her. Her thoughts were greeted with a hiss of Kikyo's own purification power, causing Kagome to cease those thoughts immediately.
"Kikyo was the last Shikon Miko, therefore her powers surpassed those before her. She was borne for the purpose of protecting it. She would be the ultimate one to see it, touch it and harness it. The Witch would attempt to cast her spells and charms to reconstruct Kikyo's body to use it for her evil. Therefore we must get there before she can attempt to do such a monstrosity". Keade pushed her horse into running faster, overtaking Kagome's in haste to catch up with Inuyasha.
"You know this would be no problem if I could run there!" Kagome whispered quietly enough, though under the pounding of hooves it was pretty inaudible anyway.
Shippo looked up, a sly smile on his face. "Southern horses are way faster than these old things! I miss those, they were amazing to watch, their blue-black coats shining in the sunlight. They were beautiful"
Kagome chuckled lightly, thinking of those wonderful beasts she helped to rear when she was a pup. "They were even better to ride. They ran like a fury you had never felt underneath you, with an untamed power that made them so…" Kagome stopped in case she slipped too much for someone else to overhear. Instead she exchanged an understanding smile at Shippo. Promising herself and the young kit, that should she ever get a chance to go home, they would ride the beasts.
~*~*~*~
They entered the domain of the dead. Souls without bodies served to provide light along the pathway, their contorted faces down turned in frozen agony of having their deaths prolonged, their afterlife snatched away from them. Kagome looked each one, memorising their faces as her horse walked slowly along the marked bridleway, their pale blueish-grey faces that were lost and wanting. Shippo pushed himself into her body, as so to shield himself from the terrors of the palid souls. Keade whispered her prayers, as she looked at them, wishing their suffering could be extinguished. Inuyasha looked at them, carefully looking at the faces of the females as he walked past them, as though he were looking for someone in particular. Perhaps he was looking for Kikyo.
A small hut was nestled into the side of a small volcano up ahead. Its thatched roof smouldering as something was obviously heating or cooking over a brazier. Its stony walls seemed to have odd shadows, it was only as they approached closer, that they weren't stones at all. They were skulls. Hundreds of souls, each one with a blueish-grey soul trapped within the eye sockets. As they drew closer still, their hearts thundering in their chests, the house sang. The souls inside the skulls sang of intruders, of salvation, of death. Their haunting songs hypnotising one female in particular.
"Nay, Kagome you must not listen to the souls" Keade called out.
Kagome's eyes were heavy lidded as she dropped out of the saddle, walking slowly towards the soul singing hut made of skulls. Her feet were sluggish, dragging across the bridleway, her feet crunching against bones that littered the way. She could vaguely hear Inuyasha's calls, the feeble wailing of the Kitsune, and the commands issued by the old miko, even the whinnies of the horses as they refused to get any closer.
The door of the hut opened, revealing a beautiful woman clad in cloth. Her dress of western design, in deep shadowy blacks and purples hung against her body. Her long black hair, crimped with white streaks flowed over her shoulders and down her back, like a liquid black waterfall. Her eyes, red as rubies were alight as she eyed the wandering woman that approached her. Her hand extended, her long purple coloured nails touching the skin of the woman who seemed entranced by the calls of her trapped souls.
"you must be Kagome, that strega told me of" the woman voiced. Even her voice was like bells, gentle and enticing, from the looks and sound of her, she would pass for an ordinary human on the road, perhaps even a noble.
Inuyasha flinched as he eyed the witch standing before him, there was something oddly familiar about her. The way in which she spoke, moved and appeared. He swore he had seen the Strega before tonight also, that was the first clue, in what seemed like a dream, or perhaps a forgotten memory. If only h could remember her name.
"I am Urasue. Witch to the company of Lord Kiros". she smiled, as she looked over each of them. Her eyes lingered upon the Hanyou, to whom she studied carefully, then noticed the small shiny raised scar upon his neck. 'Inuyasha, how interesting'. she thought, returning her gaze to the woman before her. Then it suddenly hit her, the reason for which a soul would give into the songs of the dead. She was a 'dead' soul. Looking into her eyes, she saw the flicker of a miko's reiki, hidden under the barrier of youki.
'A shirei?' she looked back upon her kiln to the body of Kikyo that was almost done. 'there is something familiar about this woman, and to be a Shirei, makes her a youkai. Not even youkai respond to my soul call, so she must be a 'dead' youkai. One that has been walking the precipice of death without falling into its embrace. This one's name, her appearance, could it truly be the damned daughter of the South?'
Inuyasha grunted, finally remembering this particular witch, causing Urasue to glance in his direction. Raising a soul-shield between the Inu-hanyou, old miko and Kitsune, she left Kagome standing outside her hut, entranced by the songs of the dead. Urasue re-entered her hut, to bring out her newest addition to her coven of the undead, one that was hatching.
The flame of the dead simmered down, to a bare glow, a flame that would be unthreatening to a reborn. The clay frame cracked, then shattered allowing the body of a female to lay in its stead. Her creamy white flesh, shone in the light of the flame, her inky black hair fanned around her form. She sat up, before opening her eyes. Those deep brown eyes that were full of wisdom and power, eyes that would see the jewel, had finally opened. Urasue bit back a shriek as she stared into those eyes. Eyes that were dead, the body was soulless. She had taken great care into resurrecting the Miko with perfection, yet the soul was missing. with a flick of her wrist she willed the attire of a miko upon her flesh, then commanded her to follow.
---
I could not understand why my host refused to answer Inuyasha, nor Keade. She had the will power to contest my beatings upon her flesh, my Reiki through her veins, my two simple orders that would either have her writhing in intense pain, or free to roam as her demonic self. Yet there was something in this soul filled place that called to her, beckoned her, and she answered almost gladly. I hissed within my constraints, I flared my Reiki though her body in order to awaken her from her state, but it did nothing. She continued to stand there, a living-statue, eyes glazed over, seeing nothing, ears that heard nothing but the songs of the dead.
Kagome! Kagome answer me!
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It was as though she were nothing more than an empty vessel. Kikyo felt the shift of energies as the Witch approached them, there was something else following behind her, in her shadow. I watched behind the veil of my hosts unblinking gaze, watched as I saw the one thing that would shatter my resolve.
There, standing behind the shadow was, me. My body. The body I once lived in, breathed, spoke, ate, drank, touched, smelt, everything. It was my body, mine. To look at it from this perspective I felt anger and hatred. Pure undiluted rage, as someone pulled my ashes from my resting place, to reconstitute them in to my body once more. Now I was faced with a conundrum, I felt my host shift slightly as though she were attempting to break free of her restraints, only to be pushed back down once more. I watched the Witch as she canted softly, a hand resting upon my flesh. I felt my soul tug in the direction of the body, and felt Kagome's almost holding on to me, not allowing me to go.
'Kikyo…no!' I heard her rasp, she was desperately trying to relinquish herself from the bonds that had her, when she felt my soul shift. The songs of the dead only grew louder, stilling my host into submission once more. I felt another tug, this one more forceful on my soul. One that almost left me breathless, which was an usual feeling seeing as I had no breath. But what I saw astounded me. I felt the emotion, yet my body acted it.
"return to your body Shikon Miko. Leave your shirei, and be reunited with your own flesh" Urasue spoke, not bothering to dampen down her whispers, allowing all to hear. Inuyasha seemed to question Keade, who ignored him, praying a counter spell to keep me inside my host. Kagome's body was beginning to wear down further. It was then I realised that the souls were tearing into her defences, plus Urasue's spells to pull me out of her body, along with Keade's prayers to keep me inside were taking their toll upon my host. I felt her whimper as the pain must've increased with every moment that passed of the pulling and pushing of the two forces were having on her, the songs of the dead increasing until she was expelled.
Kikyo was starting to feel pain, physical pain, mortal pains she once felt. Her soul was being dragged slowly piece by piece into her old body, every nerve thread of her soul, that was latched onto Kagome, was being yanked off her, and none to gently. The pains of death, of having her skin torn apart brought tears to her eyes in spirit, as se watched her body shed the tears on body.
STOP! No more.
Kikyo screamed as she was hit repeatedly with every pain she'd ever felt anew as she was being drawn into her own body. More tears flowed down the cheeks of her face, as she felt her soul being ripped apart, shredded anew. The feelings of anger, betrayal followed pain. Kikyo screamed in the recesses of Kagome's mind as she was enveloped into shadows, before being forced out of its darkness into a place that felt alien, but her own.
~*~*~*~*~
Eyes opened slowly, to a world filled with pain, anger, betrayal, sorrow and pure hatred. The first thing she saw was Kagome laying on the cold ground, her breathing shallow, strained, her blue eyes staring like glass marbles at her. She was physically struggling to remain in control of her own pain, of the emptiness, of having another entity ripped out of herself forcibly.
Her eyes cut across to the Witch who grinned evilly. Watching as she took her first breath, after being reborn. She held herself upright, her hands upon the rocky walls of the mini volcano, that Urasue's house was attached to. Her world was cast into shadows, her eyes could not see the brilliance that she saw through a youkai's eyes, through her shirei's eyes. Plus she felt pain, considerable pain. Something she no longer wanted to feel. That brought her to drop her eyes on Inuyasha, standing in the distance. He was shocked, that was to be expected. Afterall he didn't expect to come face-to-face with the one he murdered, fifty years ago.
His eyes didn't remain on her alone, his shocked gaze and gaping mouth continuously darted from Kagome, then myself. Obviously he'd figured out that Kagome was my Shirei. Well no use in hiding the obvious now.
"Kagome, get up!" my voice, hard, uncaring and filled with pain flowed into my ears. It was my voice, as it sounded, the first moment I was injured a lethal blow, the moment I knew I was going to die. I was to feel the pains of death repeatedly, hear it in my voice every time I spoke? That was hell in itself. Much to her best efforts, Kagome did haul herself up, swaying on uneasy feet, her eyes never once leaving my face.
"end this now Shirei!" I commanded.
Kagome's body changed as I knew it would, becoming the youkai she was, hidden underneath charms and spells. She eyed Urasue, snarling, flexing claws then lunged at her. The Witch countered her attack throwing an orb to the ground. The ground in which she stood errupted into smoke, making her skid to a halt in her tracks. The Strega hooted, as it flew up overhead.
'I would not be so foolish, as to allow you to kill me. We will meet again Kagome.'
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Kagome looked to Kikyo, who was watching Inuyasha intently. The moment Urasue's soul-shield dropped the Kitsune ran the distance throwing himself into Kagome's leg, clutching onto her tightly. Keade approached Kikyo, her head hanging in regret, for not being strong enough to counter the spell. Inuyasha however remained unable to speak, looking from Kikyo to Kagome, shocked.
For standing before him were two females that were supposed to be dead, who were infact very much alive.
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Okay my lovlies - Here was the Chapter Kikyo finally gets ripped out of Kagome!
Well this one was VERY different from the Original…so what did you think? Acceptable?
I know there was no Sesshoumaru, he will be around very soon. I am actually in the processes of writing that chapter, but there's at least one more before it. Afterall we need Koga's and Rin's appearance.
REVIEWS
SCARLETTLOVE92 - I humbly apologise for lack of Sesshy in this one, but he'll be in shortly. And Koga for comic relief…definitely.
JUST-LET-ME-GO - Yay another update! Don't worry Sesshoumaru will be making his debut again very soon. Need to get some of the main plotlines in first. Plus need Koga to jump into the storyline, then Sesshoumaru can come back. Not too much longer!!
JAMMYDODGER217 - Thank you sooo much for your lovely review! And yay Kikyo got to feel some pain!! Hope it was enough! But there's more to come!
LEONZITE - Mega thank you! And another update, working on the next two already. So watch out I'll try for another update this week, but no promises.
NCBEACHBABE2004 - Now Kikyo's out, there won't be so much that Kikyo can do Kagome now. Thank you for your truly endearing reviews they were both very lovely and I thank you ,that there are more lovely reviewers like you. Your most welcome, hope you had a wonderful birthday! And I'll endeavour to keep you guessing and intrigued with this story.
FLUFFY AND KAGOME - Many thanks!