Chapter 37
Secret of the Jewel of Four souls: The Legend of the Slayers
Kagome stood inside one of the huts from the Slayers village. Everything was still in disarray, pottery, fabrics, food and every such thing that once showed life; was in chaos. The floor was littered. She sighed in dejection, so many had been slain, and for what? for five small shards of a Jewel. Kagome wished deep down that she had never accidentally destroyed it, it was her fault that many were now suffering.
Shippo was rummaging through one of the huts, a small flea sitting on his shoulder. Myoga had indeed found the rag-tag group of unusual misfits and decided to stay - that is until trouble found them, then he would invariably make a hasty disappearance. "Look at all these weapons, I can't believe they're all made from the bones and hide of demons. The humans that wielded these must have been really strong" Shippo stated with awe. "That is why the demons held such anger towards this place. And; there is a legend of the Slayers," Myoga began "That the Slayers are not entirely human". Shippo listened enthralled "then what are they?"
"Legend speaks that the Slayers village is the Birthplace of the Shikon no tama, that here is where the slayers were created. I know only of the stories told throughout the generations, but even that is a little hazy. We have however a living, breathing Slayer. Sango should know of the legends and know of their validity" Myoga pressed wanting to hear it first account from a real habitant of the legendary village. Shippo pouted, but left the hut in search of Kagome.
"Damn it all" Inuyasha gruffed as he approached Miroku. "Is that Sango girl still in bed nursing those wounds?" he continued, angry that they had been sitting in the village for three days.
"I am afraid so Inuyasha, her wounds have not yet healed" Miroku answered, hoping that the Hanyou, he was slowly calling friend, to back off the subject.
"Well go get her up and out of bed, we can't just sit here for days on end, we have work to do!" Inuyasha threw some logs into a raging fire, one they would likely use later for dinner. "Sango says she can't remember the location of Naraku's castle but if we move about she's likely to have her memory jogged"
Miroku just stared into the flame, thinking about Sango, about the village and some legend that he once heard as a young boy. Inuyasha stomped his feet like a petulant child "Well I'm gonna to go and get her up, The best thing for a wounded heart is vengeance against her kin. I'm gonna tell her to get a move on!" Inuyasha made a single step, until a large lump of wood lumped him on the head. He turned swiftly to Miroku "Hey whadd'ya do that for?" he snarled, cracking his fingers in agitation. "Leave her alone! Sango has lost her entire village, if there is anyone she will talk to it will be Kagome. You lack a certain empathy that Kagome has refined" Miroku stoked the fire, as if dismissing any rebuke. Inuyasha instantly fumed in silence.
Kagome entered Sango's hut, a large swatch of bandages draped over an arm, along with some dried plants and herbs. She had found a pestle and bowl in one of the huts and brought it over earlier, then spent the better part of the morning with Shippo gathering the needed essentials. Sango was lying on her cot, her back to Kagome. Her wounds had already been dressed and redressed several times, but it was the ones that Kagome couldn't't physically heal that were the main problem. Kagome sat beside Sango's futon gathering the pestle and bowl, dropping a large cloth covered parcel onto the ground.
She opened the four corners, revealing several items used in the art of healing the body. Kagome crushed a series of berries into the bowl, creating a soft crimson of sweetness; after which she popped coarse salt and limestone. She pummeled them into a fine coarse powder that mixed with the berries. Kagome left that in the bowl and gathered the second in which she began to place various plants, althea, eyebright, foxglove, ragweed, self-heal, speedwell, thyme, toadflax and yarrow. The various plants were all picked in the height of the day, having soaked up sunlight and were at their most prime. The flowers were crushed to form a mixed paste the petals forming a vivid and bright concoction.
Kagome pasted the plant mix onto Sango's wounds, using her fingertips. After the mix was pressed into the lesion, she placed a bandage around the wound to stop any further seeping. The stone and berry mix was pasted onto the bandage on top of the wound, followed by another bandage, this one to stop any infection from passing the crushed stone into the petal paste. The berries acted as an odorizer, as many demons could scent the decaying flesh of a fresh wound.
"The bodies, where are the bodies of my villagers?" Sango asked suddenly. Kagome lifted her head and answered "they are buried within the village" Sango nodded her thanks, and sought to move "I need to move them, I can feel they are all at unease. The deity must appease their souls; else the village will not thrive and return" Kagome thought her words strange but helped Sango to her feet. "Where must they go?" she asked "To the cave on the mountainside overlooking the village". Sango slipped into her kimono and made a move for the door. "Sango wait, please allow me to help you" She waited by the door, thinking over Kagome's offer "I thank you, but only those from the village may enter the cave of the deity. It has been that way for centuries, it can never change"
Sango watched as Inuyasha, Shippo, Kirara, Miroku and Kagome each lifted with as much dignity as respect as possible, her deceased kin from the masses of graves, and proceeded to take them to the mouth of the cave. "Place them here, I shall ask the deity to grant you entrance" Sango walked into the cave alone, a bright orb of light shone from within, acting as a beacon to guide her to the center. As she walked deeper and deeper, her pain receded. However that peculiar itch ran across her skin once more. The orb of light began to dim, but Sango's vision seemed to improve the deeper and darker it got.
In the centre of the cave an old man sat in a small cot, seemingly watching some orbs of light playing in the air. "Ano, Excuse me" Sango began. The orbs of light flew into small crevices and dimmed themselves from view. The old man stood and looked at Sango, with aged crimson eyes. "Sango, my child what brings you here, you are well before your time my dear" he was a softly spoken man, with gentle eyes and an endearing aura. "Forgive me Hi-jiji, but I have devastating news, the village has been annihilated. There is no-one left, save me" the older man sucked in a breath, shaking his head with sorrow and disgust. "You are wounded my dear, allow me to treat you" he pulled the kimono over Sango's shoulders and noticed the aged healing of their kind.
"Who has seen to your wounds?" he asked, covering her shoulders once again. "Kagome has, she is a Jigoku Inu, last of her breed" the older man smiled lightly "Not the last, bring her inside will you my dear" Sango fell silent, but acquiesced. She walked back towards the opening of the cave. "Kagome, would you follow me?" she asked softly, waiting for the cave to allow her entry. Kagome stepped to her side and followed into the depths. Her eyes adjusted to the dimness as if it were midday. For the first time she noticed that Sango had done the same thing, her eyes held the opalescent sheen of a hunter in the midst of darkness.
As she was about to voice her questions to the Slayer, they entered the caverns epicenter, where a kindly old man awaited them. He approached Kagome, placing soft weathered old hands upon her face. "Kagome, Kagome Machiro" her eyebrows drew in confusion "yes, you know of me?" she asked tentatively. Sango stood in silence awaiting the deity to speak. "Of course, your father's sire was my closest and most trusted friend" Kagome's eyes were round with surprise at the thought. "Indeed it is wondrous to finally see another Jigoku Inu that is not of the village"
A gasp of surprise escaped from Sango, her deity was a Jigoku Inu, an old one at that. "Sango my child act not so surprised. You know of the foundations of the Slayers, the immortal protectors of the Shikon. Your ancestors did not heed my warnings to place the jewel back into the limestone cave of Midoriko. Instead the jewel was taken from the protection of the village and entrusted to a human miko in another"
Kagome fell silent and still "Midoriko?" the elder man looked at her closely. "Yes the woman whom created the Shikon in the throes of death with hundreds of demons. The jewel is her soul" Kagome thought deeply, pulling at the miko power housed within her, the one named Midoriko, could it be the same soul? In answer to her silent question her reiki powers fluctuated alighting the cavern in a cerise light. The older man stepped back removing his hands from her. "I see, the soul of the Shikon has chosen a vessel. How the mighty have chosen in irony. The most powerful miko to have ever existed, soul sharing with Japans most lethal of all killers"
"Forgive my rudeness, I am Nagataka, I am the keeper of the Shikon Slayers Village. A Jigoku Inu much akin to yourself. The village was a village of Ki Neko and Jigoku crossbreeds, hidden from Youkai and human alike under concealments. Sango there is a young Ki Neko cross, no doubt same age as yourself. I have kept the concealments over this village since I left your grandsire. The war of miko and humanity, of kami and Jigoku nearly took us into extinction. However with your Grandsire Machiro we built a village of surviving Jigoku Inu, a haven if you will, in secret in order to protect them. Many had indeed passed on, and some cross-bred with Kitsune, Ookami and even Neko. This village is all that remains.
Now all have been annihilated. I can do nothing but allow the souls to be freed from their constraints, and give the soul's time to heal before rebuilding the village once more". The elder one approached Sango, removing the pendant from around her neck. Instantly Kagome watched as Sango became much like herself. Long dark slightly wavy tresses, muddy pools of chocolate that held a sheen of crimson. Deep fiery red markings upon her face and wrists. Sango was definitely a Ki Neko, but one that was cross bred with Jigoku Inu, one that appeared far too human.
"I know your thoughts young one, and that was my intention. Jigoku Inu are made to be extinct. Sango was only acting out as I had instructed, as they all were instructed" Sango stepped forward "indeed, I have said some truly hurtful things, things I should have known better for, please forgive me" she dropped to her knees before Kagome seeking ultimate forgiveness. "Sango please," Kagome pleaded, dropping to her level and pulling her into an embrace "I understand, I really do" Sango smiled lightly and enveloped her into a tight hug as she cried over the death of her village.
"Descendant of Machiro, daughter of Taro will you keep this legend running, I need to rebuild what was lost, the souls of the deceased must be laid to rest, to regenerate?" Kagome looked to the elder Inu and smiled tenderly. "Indeed," Kagome turned her attentions to the young woman before her. "Sango come with us. You need to retrieve your brother's body and soul. Let me help you?" Sango sought answers from her deity, whom merely turned away from her "Your life is no longer bound to me, nor a pile of ashes. The Village is no more, but your brothers soul still wanders. If you seek his immortal soul, then go fourth and retrieve it. I give you my blessings".
--
Inuyasha, walked on ahead of the group his head held high, ears twitching every now and again. His secretive golden eyes kept glancing over the two females of his taichi as if waiting for something from Sango or Kagome; however was met with nothing. He huffed in frustration. "Inuyasha what ails you?" Miroku questioned having had enough of the belly-aching from his Hanyou companion. "Just this so called retrieval mission seems to be getting slightly crowded, I don't completely trust the new female. I have no idea what she and Kagome did in the cave of Souls before we were permitted access, but they are overly friendly".
Miroku allowed his violet gaze to drift towards the two females now walking a ways behind the males, chatting quietly amongst themselves. True Miroku found it somewhat interesting in how the two females were especially friendly; but then Sango had been manipulated into believing both Inuyasha and Kagome were the destroyers of her village. Also Kagome was a very forgiving female, that she attracted others to her without anymore than a simple smile. Miroku shrugged at Inuyasha. "They are both females that have been betrayed, its simply something they have in common" Inuyasha instantly tensed and stopped, his gaze narrowing on the monk, who suddenly knew too much. "Betrayed?" he asked, wondering how much the monk actually knew, or whether he was incredibly perceptive.
"Well Sango was betrayed by Naraku, Kagome-sama well she was betrayed by Kikyo" Inuyasha let loose a growl of contempt as Miroku spoke of Kikyo. Suddenly Inuyasha picked up the pace and stormed off. "get moving will ya, damned females we haven't got all day!"
Kagome and Sango turned to Miroku and Shippo as they caught up "What's wrong with him now?" Kagome muttered. "No idea Milady, but he was fine a moment ago" Miroku answered. "He's just a hot head, you know him Kagome, always has been and always will be" Shippo added shaking his little head in disbelief, earning him one of Kagome's smiles.
--
"Can I ask you something?" Sango asked later that evening as they had set up a camp, and Inuyasha had wandered off. Miroku stoked the fire as Shippo set the fish over the flame. "What would you like to ask me?" Kagome answered. "Its kind of personal" Sango added anxiously. Kagome simply smiled. "You wont offend me".
"Who are you to Inuyasha, he doesn't seem to like you very much?" Sango finally asked, watching the reactions of her words. Kagome sighed "A long time ago I was Inuyasha's guardian. He was but a pup when I served that role. Years ago, I disappeared, and had no way to return to neither my life nor my duty to him. In a way I believe he thinks that I abandoned him, because of his half-blood. But I would never; I had no choice, I was unable to return to my own family" Kagome paused seeing that Sango was listening intently. "Then one day I just came back, but I was changed. Inuyasha fell in love with a priestess, the Original Shikon Miko. She was my mistress; you've met her, the undead one. When she died the first time, her soul was absorbed into my body. Urasue the soul witch pulled her from me months ago, and Inuyasha hasn't entirely gotten over it, or forgiven me for not telling him. Even though he's grown and doesn't need me, I still watch out for him".
Sango released a held breath "I feel as though there's something else, something he's hiding from you. Its almost as if he hates you for something, maybe it really is the reasons that you've told me. But I can feel something that goes far deeper, almost staining his soul with an act that was carried out" Kagome turned to the flame, the glow alighting her eyes. She made a non-committal noise and tuned out the others. Not wanting to acknowledge the past. "Sango might I ask you something about the Shikon Jewel, seeing as it originally came from your village?"
"Of course, what would you like to know about it?" Sango answered suddenly worried that her previous statement had made Kagome melancholy. "I remember the day the Jewel came into Kikyo's possession," Shippo, Miroku and Sango noticed the manner in which Kikyo's name was said, with hurt and inflection. "What I would like to know is, how? How did the jewel come to be?".
"There is another cave, The limestone cave on the opposite side of the mountain. Inside that cave is a womans grave. She was the one whom the Shikon jewel was born from. Her spirit cast a barrier around the opening of the cave, that at first the villagers could not pass through. Although the pain and sadness wept from within, almost as if she were still alive," Sango began. "The first time I actually entered the cave I was wounded from battle and needed a place to hide, it was my pain and suffering that allowed me entrance. I stumbled inside until I found an odd eerie glow. In the centre of the cave was a mass of demon bones, bodies of countless youkai that all seemed to be pulled towards something, a focal point.
I had forgotten the pain of my wounds and was awed by its magnificence. The demons swirled and wove through each other, thick tight ropes of bodies; and there in the centre, standing in the mouth of a reptilian youkai was a woman. A miko. Her name was Midoriko" Kagome touched the power nestled inside of herself, feeling the power of the aura that named itself Midoriko. 'Is this your tale?' she asked 'Indeed, many centuries ago, forgive me Kagome-san' Sango watched as Kagome seemed to converse within herself, likely to the miko spirit within herself. When her eyes shone with life once more, Sango continued. "It was said that a very powerful human, a warrior priestess, this Midoriko was able to purify the souls of youkai and render them harmless" Kagome sucked in a breath at that Knowledge.
"she could purify and weaken a youkai's soul?" Kagome spoke with fear that she housed that spirit within her body. 'I would never do that to you, Kagome-san. You have my word of honour that I will never commit such an act against you' Sango knew of Kagome's sudden fear, if it were indeed true that housed within this Daiyoukai was the detached spirit of the most powerful warrior miko. 'Kagome-san allow me passage for a moment, allow me freedom I promise you no harm' Kagome placed one of her hands on Miroku's forearm, the other on Sango's. "Midoriko wishes to speak for herself" Miroku's eyes widened in sudden alarm "You house her spirit within you?" Kagome nodded.
Kagome's aura shimmered from her normal youki/reiki mix to a more warmer energy, although Kagome was still fully conscious she could feel Midoriko at the forefront of her mind. As if she were sharing the same moment, the same breath, the same skin "weird" Kagome muttered in her own normal voice that also seemed somewhat disconnected. "Indeed, this is a new experience for myself as well" she continued, although the voice was slightly more hollow, more unearthly. Sango, Miroku and Shippo pulled back slightly, unsure how to approach this abnormality.
"Do not pull yourselves away, I need the contact of both youkai and holy energies so not to harm Kagome with one or the other that is most dominant" Midoriko spoke through Kagome. Miroku instantly looked at Sango whom lowered her eyes from the houshi "Now I understand" he smiled, then turned to Kagome. "Please enlighten us as to why you wish to commune with us, Lady Miko-sama" Miroku asked, Kagome smiled "This is totally weird and I'm not entirely sure I'm comfortable with this Midoriko, Gives talking to myself a whole new perspective." Kagome stated looking around the group.
"If its any consolation Kagome-sama, I find it equally weird, I don't know whom I'm conversing with, you or Miko-sama" Miroku answered "Both of us are in equal parts here, its is as though we can speak as one, think as one, and feel as one though entirely separate. We both hear the question and both come up with an answer. If the answer is different, as with a separate point of view we both express our thoughts, and hear each others. Very weird" Kagome answered.
---
"In my time, when I was the most powerful miko to walk the lands I believed in my world that everything had a soul, the people, the animals, the trees, even the stones were all created from the four souls" Midoriko began her tale.
"I've come across that in my teachings as a houshi, the four souls are Aramitama, Nigimitama, Kushimitama, and Sakimitama. When they are combined they become the soul of one person, housed inside the heart. Aramitama is Courage, Nigimitama is Strength, Kushimitama is Wisdom and Sakimitama is Love, when all four souls come together it is known as Naiobi." Miroku filled in the blanks.
"Indeed that is correct, monk you were taught well and remembered the old teachings" Midoriko answered "The battle waged on for centuries, purifying souls of countless demons, that the demons came together and fought as one to overpower Midoriko" Miroku added, the remainder of what he was taught as a young boy. Kagome hung her head "A battle that still wages on. I am no closer, nor further from my goal than I was centuries ago. A fierce battle ensued between myself and hoards of demons. It raged relentlessly for seven days and seven nights without reprieve. On the eighth day a demon ensnared me in its jaws, its fangs piercing my flesh, its saliva disintergrating my armour. I reached deep down into my body, and with the last ounce of my waning strength I pulled upon the power within enough to cease the demon soul; in doing so I forced out my own soul in the process. My body and the bodies of the demons turned to stone, a hole in my chest where my heart once was.
I was unable to purify the demon soul, all I could do was seize and imprison it, along with myself." Kagome watched as Miroku clutched at the shards of the Shikon jewel nestled within his robes. "This jewel is your heart and soul?" He asked. "I shattered your heart and soul into unknown fragments, Midoriko I'm so sorry" Kagome whispered. "You were not to know; I have no ties to the Shikon other than I can find it. Being tethered to your soul gave me some freedom, a semblance of peace" Midoriko answered retreating back into the cool void of Kagome's soul.
"That is how the Slayers came about, Our deity was in hiding and sought refuge within the stalagmite cavern of the Warrior priestess. In homage he made her a promise, an eternity of servidtude to her lost cause for safe existence. Midoriko accepted his offer and thus the village of the Slayers came to be," Sango turned to Miroku "We are not human, but we feign humanity, for the humans would never accept that youkai were youkai slayers. In truth we slay those who oppose the sacrifice Midoriko made, those who wish to see evil come from the Jewel, and it is not always youkai we destroy, there have been cases of humans we have had to eradicate."
"My father, many centuries ago fought a battle against a powerful demon that had stolen the Shikon Jewel, I was too young to fight, a mere toddler but even I understood the intensity, heard the whispers. My father did all that he could, taking the jewel to the deity, then to the Stalagmite cocoon of Midoriko herself seeking answers. And found nothing. So he made a decision, a very tough and periless one; to seek out another miko in the era we lived and ask her to purify it into submission". Kagome raised her head "Kikyo". Sango nodded "Yes Kikyo. My father told me that he entrusted it into her keeping instead of bringing it back to the Village because the miko had a bond with a youkai. A protector, A Shirei. The village laughed at my father, even the deity smirked when my father told us of one single youkai female with the aura of a miko, and the youki of a Dai housed within her, was protector of a miko".
Miroku and Shippo watched and listened carefully as two of the oldest youkai known to have ties to the Shikon were sitting together; two lives that had never met in the past, now brought together in pain, despair and suffering. Two parallel paths that now became one.
--
The taichi sat upon a sunny hill overlooking the lands in which they stood. Inuyasha was griping as usual. "C'mon Sango you should be fully recovered now, you have to remember something about the location of Naraku's lair!" Sango thought deeply, she just wasn't paying any attention, her mind was clouded in thoughts of death to Inuyasha and Kagome. "I'm sorry, I just don't" she answered, Kirara mewed in agreement. Miroku turned to Inuyasha, placing a hand upon his shoulder, hoping to get the young demon to listen to sense "I know your hungry for revenge against Naraku for what he did, but in reality we all have a loathing for him, each is as powerful as the other. No one here has more odium than anyone else".
"Yeah whatever Miroku, you've only got a curse, whats that compared to losing your entire village, watching your family being slaughtered, being betrayed by the woman you love, or being imprisoned inside yourself by your mistress and forced to do deeds you abhor? All for the sake of one twisted Hanyou, honestly Miroku I think you got it easier than the rest of us!" Kagome stood in a heartbeat, her hand wrapped around his throat, her eyes flashing in anger from brilliant sapphire blue to heated rubies.
"How dare you?! Inuyasha I know you are far better taught than that. You will show respect to those here in this taichi. None are beneath your contempt as to suffered more. You will do well to remember that. We have all suffered equally, now you best apologise, then think before you speak again." She snarled, Shippo, Kirara and Sango each grinned at the raging power of a Daiyoukai that was protecting those around her. Inuyasha had seriously overstepped a line. "where we headed?" Miroku asked the group "West, I believe it is time to ask for some assistance from those who know these lands better than any of us" Kagome answered as she released Inuyasha and gave him a heated glare, daring him to oppose her.
Only a short chapter, a little more background on the lives of Sango and The Slayers Village.
Nagataka - (Everlasting final duty)