The spring air brought with it a crispness as Kikyo swept off the steps of the temple, giving it one last cleansing before leaving, brushing away the dried up leaves of last year's fall now long passed. A priest appears below, making a blessing, as a young miko in red and white follows beside him, coming up to ring the bell, before they both slowly walk beneath the red Kagura Gate of the Gods. Kikyo's breath halts in her chest as they notice her, and she nods for them to come up the stone stairs. The Kannushi wears a jōe ensemble; white robes, and white trousers, with a small peaked black hat atop his hair called a tate-eboshi; as he is God's Employee. The miko walks close to him, and Kikyo wonders just briefly if they are married, as it is rare, but not unheard of for a Kannushi and shrine maiden to marry and have children. Kikyo's hand tightens on the broom as they come near, and she bows, them bowing in turn before coming up to the top step.

"Thank you so much for arriving with such haste. I trust you will take care of the grounds, as you know I am leaving to train my younger sister, who is becoming a miko as well." Kikyo said, and they smiled kindly at her, nodding in understanding as Kikyo took the shrine key on a red string, and handed it to the priest. Then, to the miko, she offered her the broom; and with it her responsibilities, and the girl took it; Kikyo's fingers clinging around the handle possessively.

"I will take good care of the grounds in your place, Lady Kikyo." The miko said softly, pulling on the broom, and Kikyo released it, bowing apologetically with her embarrassment.

"Of course, that is why I've asked you here. Thank you, I am forever grateful." She said, and felt a hand on her shoulder as the kannushi stopped her.

"We are not expected to be images of perfection. Buddha is forgiving, do not forget." He said softly, looking down at Kikyo with a wistful gaze; seeing her frightened interior beneath a stone exterior.

"Yes." Kikyo agreed, and nodded to him, leaving them to enter the temple and becoming acquainted with it, as she retrieved her bow and arrows, and came down the stairs. Kaede was sitting there waiting for her, swinging her legs back and forth as other village children surrounded her, asking questions about her upcoming journey.

"Will you come back with the claw of a demon for me?" One boy asked, and Kaede nodded.

"Ooh! I want a giant fang!" A girl said, and Kaede assured them she would try and gather some souvenirs from her adventure for them.

"Be careful what things you wish for. Some items bring evil with them." Kikyo said sternly, and Kaede turned back quickly, pleading with one large, brown eye.

"But sister, won't they be ok if you purify them? Please. I already promised!" Kaede pleaded, and Kikyo sighed, frowning slightly.

"Fine, but nothing overly sharp. I don't want you bringing home anything that could cause bleeding." She said curtly, and Kaede nodded.

"A tiny scale! Or maybe a tuft of fur." Kaede bargained, and Kikyo relented.

"...I suppose that's fine." She responded, patting her sister on the back to signal that they needed to get going, shaking her head as the other children all looked excited to have relics from dead demons; something she couldn't quite put a finger on as to why it would be desirable, but they all seemed overjoyed by the aspect.

"Good luck, Kaede, we'll miss you!" The village children waved, and Kaede turned back, one hand holding tight to the green pack around her shoulders, as the other waved enthusiastically.

"Bye everyone! Be safe!" She said cheerfully, and they waved, before running off, giggling as they returned to playing. The elderly woman keeping an eye on them also waved, a sparkle in her eye as Kikyo nodded back to her. The two sisters turned away, then began their journey.

With the end of that eventful summer behind the sisters, fall and the long, cold winter had come and gone. They no longer saw the white haired half-demon sleeping on their roof any longer, besides his footprints in the snow, InuYasha had not made himself readily known. Kikyo and Kaede weathered the long winter alone, and now as Kikyo observed her sister, she noticed how Kaede had grown taller like a weed, the orange yukata she wore now showing her ankles, and the iron tsuba covering her eye a painful reminder of her failure to protect the village.

"Sister Kikyo, which path will we take?" Kaede asked, startling Kikyo out of her silent reverie. She looked at the fork in the road before her, one beaten path was well travelled; the same one she had gone down to gather herbs. The other much wider one was grassy, and covered by weeds, and overgrown tree roots.

"This one." Kikyo said softly, and used her long bow to move the weeds aside as they walked. They were taking a pilgrimage; an essential part of Kaede's training to be a shrine priestess. Their journey could take weeks, or even months before it was completed. They would travel to every shrine, and every stone buddha in japan that they could, and say their prayers. Not only that, but whatever demons they encountered on the way would help Kaede in her training to defend the jewel in Kikyo's absence. Not long after the disaster at the village, Kikyo had buried her pride and contacted the shinto priest to work at the temple, and his miko priestess came to join him, protecting the village while she was away. But, they did not know of the jewel. Kikyo had kept that precious knowledge secret from them, and she carried it on her person no matter where she went. She would never again allow it to leave her sight. And so, it rested safely, on a silver chain around her neck.

Kaede glanced up at her sister as they made their way down the path, noticing the glint of the lavender jewel against her snow white skin, admiring the sheen of her dark tresses against her crisp white hakama. Kaede lowered her face, sighing as she trudged on. She would never be as pretty and desired as Kikyo now, with her disfigured face. It was seen as a curse to Kikyo now to be so fair, she hid away her beauty by making her face stern, and never smiling at the village men ever again. Kikyo had been enduring purification rites which had made Kaede worry for her sister; she had even travelled to the sea in the bitter cold winter to bathe herself on more than one occasion. Kaede frowned, wondering if the obsessive purification rites were in fact now done, for her sister's sake.

Sister Kikyo has been punishing herself.

Kaede realized, keeping her thoughts to herself as she followed her down the path. She noticed her sister coming to a stop not much longer after, but they hadn't come upon a shrine or stone buddha as far as Kaede could see, as she looked back, and saw the path to the village could now not be discerned beneath the greenery all around them, as the sheer depth of the woods became evident to Kaede. She glanced back quickly, and saw that Kikyo had moved on up ahead. She shivered slightly in trepidation, running up behind Kikyo and nearly plowing her over.

"Shh! Kaede, walk more carefully!" Kikyo hissed, holding her back with one hand. Kaede couldn't help it, she wasn't used to walking in geta sandals, with tori socks. This was something new to her, but supposedly it would help her balance, and make her quicker on her feet, according to Kikyo. But Kaede would rather walk barefoot than wear the clunky clogs. Kaede was taken out of her silent introspection as Kikyo slowly walked into the forest, and they lost the path. Kaede looked around anxiously as she saw the broken down wooden structure that Kikyo was headed towards. The old temple was so run down and destitute, that Kaede was puzzled as to why Kikyo would bother coming here. She watched as Kikyo bowed, and followed her instruction, walking off to the side to cleanse their hands with the temizuya water, nothing but rainwater that had collected through holes in the small pagoda roof.

They then came up, and paused at the altar. Kikyo reached up and rang the cobwebs from the ancient bell, making Kaede shiver as it made a haunting toll, which caused finches to fly out of their nests under the overhang, chirping incessantly.

"Sister, can we please turn back?" Kaede whimpered, tugging on her sleeve as Kikyo knelt to say a prayer, her head bowed, and hands folded together. She didn't answer. Kaede followed her lead and said a prayer.

Thank you for the village's prosperity this year after the incident. I thank you for keeping my eye free from infection.

Kaede thought silently to the Kami, and wondered what Kikyo prayed for, or what she was thankful for as she had watched her sister close her eyes, her long lashes glossy over ruddy red cheeks grown raw from wiping beneath her eyes. Kaede left a small flower plucked from the ground, then clapped her hands as they concluded the ritual. Kaede then watched as Kikyo stood, and pulled the weeds and vines away from the broken offering table, and set an incense stick there, and lit it as nourishment for Buddha, bowing once more to her waist, as Kaede watched through her peripheral, she too bowed.

"Stay here, Kaede. I'll be right back." Kikyo said softly, and the girl nodded eagerly, the sooner they could leave, the better. Kikyo walked into the dark temple, and looked all around the structure, admiring the way sunbeams of light flooded in through holes in the ceiling, paper moths caught in the rays as her presence stirred up the woodland denizens inside, as termites and wood moths made quick work of the structure, which was so dry and decayed now since she had last visited, that the outer walls were bloated outward, and some planks were curled inward from water warping it. Some support beams had snapped completely in half, during a collapse longer than a century ago. Yet, somehow the majority of it still stood, if rather lopsided. This temple had seen its time, it's purpose long gone. Once, it had been a refuge from the rain for two wandering folk, but now any sign of their time there had washed away. For just a moment, Kikyo's heart had jumped in her chest upon seeing it, and for whatever reason, her body trembled with her anticipation; as if hoping he would be there, waiting for her.

Those old memories still lingered on, as Kikyo stared up at the rafters, and smiled just slightly, remembering how he lifted her up to retrieve the fat little sparrows that she'd shot, and how carefree she had felt back then, too innocent. She had been naïve, Kikyo realized. Too trusting. What insanity had led her to believe that taking off with that bandit would lead to anything besides destruction? Kikyo turned away without a word, and they left.

"Sister, you never answered me, why did we come to this shrine? Do you think Buddha resides in such a run-down place, or does he only come to the shrines that are well-taken care of-"

"Kaede!" Kikyo snapped, whirling back angrily. Kaede froze stiff in fear of her sister, fearing just how badly it would hurt to be struck with one of her powerful hands. She gulped, then bowed her head.

"I'm sorry. I asked too many questions." She said balefully, flinching slightly at Kikyo's clenched fist. Kikyo saw this, and lowered her hand to her side, taking a deep breath in and out to calm herself. She then turned, and continued walking, Kaede following dutifully behind.

"...Do you truly wish to know?" Kikyo said solemnly, and Kaede nodded.

"Only if.. Sister Kikyo doesn't strike me for asking." Kaede said meekly, and Kikyo stopped. "Oh...no, I wouldn't hurt you, sister." She said, her eyes softening sadly. She took Kaede's hand, patting it reassuringly, and they walked as she began to tell her story.

"Many people believe that temple is haunted... I know for a fact, that evil lurks within the grounds of it, but when I was your age, I saw to it that it was purified." She said softly, and Kaede blinked, looking up expectantly.

"You know how we rebuild broken homes for Buddha, yes... You would be correct in saying that he may not wish to rest in such a place. Once, we all tried to fix it. Mother, and the other shrine maidens." Kikyo practically whispered, and Kaede had to listen closely, her face paling.

"Whenever someone would attempt to repair it, they would somehow worsen it. Once, I hammered an iron nail into it, and the nail split right down the middle. Other times, the new wood wouldn't hold, it would quickly rot, grow mold, or the nails would rust right out of it. It quickly became a lost cause..." Kikyo sighed, looking back at Kaede to reassure her, slightly squeezing her hand.

"The monks that lived here long ago lost their lives to the yokai in these woods. They became weakened by their powerful demonic aura, and were no longer able to have control over them. After they were possessed, any villagers that came to the shrine from then on, were never to be seen again."

"So that's why it gives me the creeps." Kaede confessed, shivering slightly.

"Yes. These woods are all infused with their lingering demonic energy. That's why, when we at last realized that there was malignant miasma infecting the temple, we realized that we must seek out it's source, and destroy it. Although, it was more a complex exorcism than they first thought." Kikyo said softly, and began walking through the woods, Kaede hesitating, then following closely behind her as Kikyo swept aside the tree branches, and held them back for Kaede to pass through, dipping her head, then coming out and seeing where Kikyo was taking her.

"Our mother and the other Shrine maidens were sure that they could defeat the possessed priests. So, they left, and went directly into their nest. I was not allowed to go with them... Myself, and Oba-San stayed in the village while they went." Kikyo said lowly, and took Kaede's hand, pulling her with her to look up at the forest canopy, where when they did, Kaede gasped. Tattered spiderwebs hung down in heavy strands, from which skeletons dangled, the tendrils they were tangled in dancing on the soft, fluttering wind.

"Thus, they were led... to their death."

"No! This is where-!" Kaede gasped, crawling back, but Kikyo gripped her by her long ponytail, holding her still. Kaede's legs attempted to move, but only dug her sandals deep into the mud.

"Kaede. Listen, I am not trying to frighten you! This is our first mission, dear sister." Kikyo said, holding her sister steady, as Kaede let go of her tension, carefully looking back, as Kikyo combed her fingers through her hair gently, and settled one hand onto her shoulder comfortingly.

"Our mission...?"

"Correct. Do you think you are strong enough?" Kikyo whispered, offering up her bow to her. Kaede's eye glistened with her reverence, and she nodded.

"I'm ready." Kaede said steadily, her voice calming most of its trembling.

"Good, now. Let's go." Kikyo said softly with encouragement, and Kaede placed her hand on the bow, allowing herself to be pulled up with it. They came out into the clearing, beneath the shadows of the webs, and began walking carefully down the downward path.

"Tell me more of the story, please? What else do you know of this place?" Kaede said; feigning braveness. Kikyo hummed, perusing how to begin, and Kaede listened.

"Okay then... well, I was your age at the time, you were only a small child, so the Oba-San took care of you, and I was still able to finish my training with the kannushi here at the time. It was only myself, and Tsubaki that came here... "

"Tsubaki? You mean the Dark Priestess?" Kaede gasped, and Kikyo smiled bitterly back at her.

"Yes... That's what she's called now, but back then, we were the best of friends. One might say, inseparable, but that wasn't so, after what occurred in this cave, then when the sacred jewel was entrusted to my care, and not hers..." She whispered, then grabbed onto an overhanging branch, and aided them both to see what was at the bottom of the dark abyss.

"A cave..." Kaede said softly, and they continued to make their way down into the darkness, not even a tiny fleck of sunlight could break through the thick spider webs hanging from the canopy. Small spiders scattered as Kikyo stepped forth, and lit up her hand with a purple luminescence. Kaede stared at her sister's hand in fascination, as Kikyo used it to melt away the large cobweb blocking off the entrance to the cave, and scare off the fat brown spiders with long legs that had been nesting there. They scurried away with a grotesque chattering, that made Kaede quiver in disgust.

"Yes, this is the very same cave... Tsubaki and I ventured here, and we together slayed the spider demons... But, it was Tsubaki who was not strong enough to slay the Spider Queen, and she was bitten, cursed thereafter. Once I had slain the witch, and the white baboon, this place was emptied of its inhabitants."

Kikyo confirmed as she stepped inside, and moved her glowing hand back and forth slowly to see what was in the darkness, the pure lilac light hitting off the walls, and making more spiders scatter into the cracks.

Kaede shuddered, pulling her arms to her chest, and shivering as she followed her sister inside, looking around herself warily.

"Tis' long been called Onigumo's cave... Long before I ever knew a man with such a name." Kikyo uttered hollowly, her features paling as she turned slowly to see the reason why. Spiders infested everything, no matter where they looked, the arachnids dangled from strings, or scattered from the light Kikyo was waving slowly back and forth to ward them away as they walked.

Kaede watched this, and agreed; it was a suitable name for the cave infested by Onigumo spiders, but not for the man she had met before. She still wondered when that man would return, and see that Kikyo had indeed agreed to his offer. As far as Kaede knew, Kikyo had never explicitly said no to him, but instead, the circumstances had already made her choice for her, and InuYasha had been too scorned to return to her to take her original offer. So now, they were alone.

"Kaede, watch carefully. Can you ward them away?" Kikyo said, and took her hand, attempting to evoke a power like her own from her little sister. Kaede whimpered softly as Kikyo took both her hands, cupping them with a light that was pure, yet hot; and made her squint her eye away from the light. The warmth was enough to linger in her veins, as Kikyo pulled away, and Kaede looked at her own hands, seeing tiny sparkles of light surrounding them, burning the webs away as they continued deeper into the cave.

The initial low tunnel they had ventured into became wider, and more like a chasm as Kaede observed her surroundings with wide eyes, seeing large black jugs of dusty pottery, maybe once filled with sake, and various items that suggested this was once a place where people had resided; and everywhere they looked there were man sized nests, stringy and caked with dust.

"This is the place. Once, the corrupted priests nested here, but now as you can see, they're all dead, we did away with them." Kikyo motioned with one hand, and Kaede had to hold back her terrified shriek where she at last saw where in fact they had been interred, in the center of the massive cavern, there was a pit, full of mangled remains, now mummified. They were so dry and dusty from time that the true number of them was indistinguishable; but it was clear that these things were once men, when Kaede saw a curled hand clinging to the wall of the pit, where he had made a futile effort to scrape his way out.

As Kaede looked, she could see the outline of mandibles on their mouths, and the skulls of the creatures all had an unnatural number of eye cavities.

"Get a good look at them. That's what happens when a human allows themselves to be corrupted by demons." Kikyo said, slightly squatting at the lip of the pit, before notching an arrow, and pointing it down below. The arrow made a ball of light at it's head, and pierced the darkness, then made the remains disintegrate. At the bottom, the arrow seemed to have struck solid soil, and the light slowly faded where it had landed, the cavern now purified.

"It's better to be rid of such things than to let them remain, Kaede. They will go on now to Nirvana and live on in peace." Kikyo said with a smile, and Kaede nodded, feeling a sense of relief, as now the air seemed slightly purer, and a small amount of light shone down from an opening at the very top of the cave ceiling.

"Let's keep moving." Kikyo said, and Kaede nodded obediently, following beside her with each confident stride.

~o•O•o~

"Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!" InuYasha shouted as he cut down a massive demon with his claws, raking down it's putrid body as it splashed out blood and bile, until it fell apart into two halves, dead. InuYasha flicked the gore off his wrist, then scowled down at his victim.

"Weak! You shouldn't have come after me!" He snarled, then rifled through the sack at the demon's side, finding some dried bones and meat. He licked his lips eagerly, and devoured them quickly as if he hadn't eaten in days, then his golden eyes expanded widely with his interest, as he pulled out something curious.

"What's this?" He sniffs, and lifts up a small blue amulet. Some small speck bounced off his shoulder, and made his ear twitch with annoyance.

"Leave it alone! It's malevolent, whatever it is, don't go rifling through a demon's pocket, InuYasha!"

"Human, or be it, youkai leave it be, or else, calamity is sure to come to you... But, If ye wish for your form to stay true, place the amulet around thee neck, at the moment that the time comes..."

A voice murmurs, and InuYasha quickly drops the amulet as if it were filthy, turning around, and kicking dirt over it like a dog.

"There! See, I don't want it! Now, get outta here, Myoga!" InuYasha snarls, and finds the pesky flea on his neck, pinching him between two fingers cruelly.

"Ow! Ow! Wait, Master InuYasha! Please, listen to me! If it's power you want, you must find the sword that your father entrusted to you! The Tets-" The flea begins, but he's unceremoniously flicked off a sharp fingernail, still screaming.

InuYasha then pauses, and looks back for a second, and grabs the blue jewel out of the dirt, and takes off running hastily like he had just stolen a nobleman's treasure, hopping from tree to tree, his silver hair flying out from behind him as he practically flew just by jumping.

Sorry Myoga, I just don't see how some rusty old sword can help me. I need to become a full demon again!

He thought to himself silently, then continued his journey. He had been travelling all over the countryside finding worthy opponents, honing his strength, and trying to find whatever information he could from said demons before destroying them. So far, all they had confirmed for him was that he needed to find the sacred jewel, but others had even spoken of witches that could help him make the change, or blood rituals... What began as an angry demon killing spree to release his anger with Kikyo and Onigumo, had quickly become an obsession.

InuYasha sighed, at last coming to a stop in an area that was thick with heavy white cobwebs, and spiders creeping in every corner; but he felt certain that there weren't any more spider head demons here anymore, in fact; the air smelled pure, and it was incredibly peaceful as he walked down the path into the cave. It was incredibly quiet, and soon, the sun would set. As he walked, the scent he picked up was so sweet, and comforting that he began to feel sleepy, but he shook his head and snapped awake, the blue trinket in his pocket glowing in the gathering darkness. He would not sleep tonight, not once the moonless night took full effect.

~o•O•o~

As night fell, a soft crackling fire was at the center of a slew of bandits, men all around the fire were resting, or passed out drunk after dining, after celebrating their victory raiding a nearby village. Women sobbed, or yelped out in pain as they were pawed at, the men laughing off their complaints of harassment.

A shadow moved from in the darkness, where a man had been leaning up against a far tree, watching, smirking slightly as he came out from the cover of leaves, and out into the open. The bandit leader, Rasetsu, sat cross legged by the fire, drinking a jug of sake with some of his men, talking of their past battles, and their victories. A soft clapping sound can be heard, as the man in the distance is clapping his hands, smiling towards him.

"Congratulations, great Leader Rasetsu. You truly are formidable. If only I were as strong, and brave as you.."

The man says as he creeps out of the darkness, and comes up to the fire. Rasetsu pauses his story telling, and the other bandits hop to their feet; wary of this new visitor.

"Get back, villager! This ain't no place for the likes of you!" A bandit man threatened, and the strange man raised his hands as if to show he was unarmed, kneeling down on the ground, his palms flat on the earth.

"I simply wish to share a drink, and listen to a few stories if that's ok with you. I am a nomad, I have no village. My name is Onigumo. I implore you, search me up and down and you won't find nary a coin, nor weapon on my body." He said calmly, and the bandit nudged at his back with his foot for him to stand.

"Should we believe him, boss?" The bandit questioned, and Rasetsu thought about it for a moment, narrowing his eyes carefully on Onigumo as if he were slightly suspicious, then he brushed the thought away.

"Fine, check him over to make sure he's telling the truth." He grumbled, irritated that his tale had been interrupted, watching from one eye as the man removed the top layer of his kimono, and bared a toned chest and back to them, which bared a dark spider mark pattern on it.

"It seems to be he's unarmed, boss." The bandit said, and Rasetsu nodded.

"Come, Onigumo was it? Take a seat." He said, motioning to one of his men to move out of the way so Onigumo could sit across from him.

"I thank you. I've been told that you are great warriors. I always wanted to join a group like yours, to travel the country and defend our land." He said, feigning naïvety, and all the men surrounding him laughed heartily.

"Oh, yeah? That's one heck of a dream. Where do you hail from, stranger?"

"Hmm, far from here. I came down from the mountains, that's where my people, the Ainu, made their homeland in the cold, northmost point of Honshū Island. I traveled a long distance here to finally see Edo, and see if I could find one of these troupes to join, and test my mettle with the likes of those who had seen real battle." Onigumo explained, and it was in fact, not a lie, but that was many years ago, and he had long since seen battle.

"Ah, a weary traveler, then? Have some sake to warm your belly, and tell us more of your adventures here." Rasetsu nodded, and Onigumo was passed a jug. He poured it back to seem as if he were drinking it eagerly, making the other man laugh, but he kept his mouth shut, only taking in a small helping before speaking once again.

"Sure, I could tell you more of them, but I'd much rather just be a silent observer. I'm certain that any yarns I have to spin, are not nearly as fascinating as yours." Onigumo said humbly, sitting back on his hands.

"Tell us what that spider mark is on your back! How did you get that?" A man asked, and Onigumo's face was cast with darkness as he lowered his head and chuckled.

"Ah, well.. Perhaps I was born with it, its origins are unknown." He said and pushed his long hair over it, wanting to conceal it.

"No, no, now don't be a liar with us! We took you in, let you sit by the hot fire, warm your belly with a strong drink! Tell us how you truly got the mark." Rasetsu said steadily, grinning, and Onigumo knew that the boss of these ill refuted men was not taking no for an answer.

"It's such a long story. But I suppose I could tell it, for you are so gracious to me. When I was just a young boy, I had like I said, travelled a very long journey down from the mountains, down to the warmer climate here. My family was very poor, and over the long winter, I had watched my mother and father suffer and slowly succumb to famine and sickness as the cold seeped in deep to their bones. I knew that I couldn't stay there, and be doomed like them. So, I set off, a child of only twelve years. My journey was tough, and I learned the hard way that to survive in the wild lands, one must be sneakier than a youkai, if they can't be stronger. I became quiet and quick as a stalking black cat. I could steal the bone out from underneath a bloodhound's snout.

Stealing brought me many rewards, shiny trinkets, things that I treasured and came to adore. Through this, I came to know much of Youkai lore. When the beasts believe all other things are asleep, they come out at night to frolic. Great feasts, demon's dancing, much hedonism and violence. I would at times don the fur of a snow baboon, and wear such a thing to partake in these parties." He said, and took a good swig of sake, this time not pretending.

"Demon parties! He's crazy." One man said, and the others laughed.

"Is that where they branded you?" Another said, and he shook his head.

"No, it wasn't there. I did attend these things, but I suppose a child my age should not be partaking of those terrible pleasures with demon wenches, and drinking until my small belly was filled, but I was so young then... Eventually, the demons did come to find that I was human, and they beat me mercilessly. They rolled me up in a mat, then beat over it with mallets and sticks, then stabbed me, before tossing me over a cliff, into the abyss. It was in the dark forest, where none of these demons only seeking their fill of nightly pleasures resided. I was in the forest of killing things.

When I awoke, I was being tended to by a group of holy men. Somewhere in that deep ravine, they had found me nearly dead, and in a comatose state. While I was in that deathly state, demons spoke to me all through the endless night. Spider demons purred to me; we shall make you strong once again. They bargained and begged, but my sleep was deep like death. Once awake, I assumed that it had all been just terrible nightmares. When I opened my eyes, my once blue-green eyes had become the blood red you see now today. Their explanation for this, was that the blunt trauma I suffered to my head caused the blood to hemorrhage into my eyes. But, I know it wasn't that. It was night after night, staring into those glowing red spider eyes, that mine became accustomed to the color as well.

The monks tending to me assured me, that they were the protectors of the forest, and that the spider demons were harmless, they were not flesh eaters.

Being an impressionable young boy, I believed them. They shaved my head, clothed me in their garments, and brought me back to good health. I even learned self-defense, and had some training with a small sword that I carried on me at all times. They taught me their ways, and I listened, even though I had my own way, I was led to assume that their way was the right way." He sighed, looking down at his hands in his lap.

"Bah, ain't no religious men here!"

"So, are you still a monk, then?" A man questioned, and Onigumo shook his head.

"I cannot in good conscience be a religious man ever again. Not after what I witnessed. One by one, they... changed. I'm not sure if they also had the spiders speaking in their dreams, but as far as I know, they may have lied to me to lead me to believe we lived a life of comfort. But that wasn't so, the temple we had stayed in, though beautiful, quickly became rotten. The monks, as well, grew rancid to their core, when at night they would drink themselves into that nightmare state, and allow the spider demons to crawl all over them, giving them unnatural pleasure; mating our species with their own.

Anyone that came from the nearby village would be devoured instantly. I had grown accustomed to hiding, up high in the trees where they couldn't find me, or tucked away in some little burrow. I reverted back to my old ways, but still I could not escape them, so I pretended I was one of them. I assimilated, and became such a spider loving child, that they began to name me Onigumo. But, that wasn't my name. Before that, I had a name. But the spider venom did things to my brain, I can no longer remember what my parents had called me. I was Spider Boy. No matter where I went, I assimilated.

So when the monks were truly, deeply reverted, they came to love sleeping deep in a nearby cave, spinning webs, and living in relative peace, eating whatever animal, or lost soul wandered in. It wasn't until... These Shrine Maidens came along. I had never seen the likes of them, I thought that only men could serve Buddha. But no, these were the wives of him, wearing red and white." Onigumo sighed shakily, growing weary from telling the tale that he had not told a soul in ages, not even Kikyo. But, he could never tell her. She would be disgusted to know the true him.

"Did the miko get eaten, too?" A man asked, and as he looked around, he realized that he had all the men fully captivated by his story, even the ones who had taken village women sat, and listened. It seemed, all but Rasetsu were mesmerized by the web he was spinning.

"I don't believe it, you lived among the spider head monks, but you never came to eat human flesh? How do we know you weren't just drunk along with the rest of them, with spiders laying eggs in your belly, talking in your head?" Rasetsu sneered, and Onigumo humphed back at him.

"I'm not half a man. I never became a half demon, because I didn't let the spider witch bite me. All spiders, insects, have some type of mother queen. The Spider Witch Queen, Marasakaji. She was an ordinary woman once, it seemed, but she had somehow become one with these demons. I was the one she wanted the most of all of them, but on the moonless night when she was to have me, she had stung me in the back and filled me with paralyzing venom, and wrapped me up tight in a cocoon. Unfortunately, the miko were caught at night in an ambush, under the cover of darkness all they would have seen were the glowing red eyes before they were overtaken.

That is when I knew, I must be totally faithless. But then, it seemed that before the miko were taken, their arrows seemed to have wounded Marasakaji. She languished on, barely feeding, leaving me inside that wretched cocoon until she was nearly starved. Days later, there was another noise. Someone had entered the cave, seeking vengeance. Two small, helpless girls. Too pure for this world, too precious. How delightful it would be to sink her fangs in, and fill them with her poison, Marasakaji said as she grinned, licking her venomous fangs. I would not allow it. In order to recover my strength, I commanded the spiders to bring me food to eat. They brought me berries, beads of water, but it was enough to fill my stomach and clear my mind from the venom, and I had the strength to at last cut through the webbing with my blade, and I ducked away while Marasakaji was building a new web to take the girls with.

It was amazing, watching them kill the priests I was so tormented by with light, purifying light, piercing them with holy arrows, and stiffening their bodies with sutras. They fought through droves of Onigumo, turning them to smoke with their little sutra papers, while I clung to the roof watching, afraid to talk to them. I wasn't like a normal human.

Marasakaji found them, but even at her weakened state, she was able to overwhelm the two. The one named Tsubaki placed a holy sutra on Marasakaji, and it burned off of her, and she cursed the child, and said, "If you are not the chosen one, you shall be as lowly as a wretched, leg-less snake, after the day you have lost, you will slither with a Snake around your neck at all times, to remind you of it's venom."

And the poor child, Tsubaki was cursed. But, as the girl was suffering from the curse, I saw how Kikyo took her chance, and struck the Spider Queen, purifying her with light, but it was too late for the other girl. Then, that's when Kikyo spotted me..."

"So, when did you get the mark?" Rasetsu said, before sucking down his jug of sake. Onigumo chuckled bitterly.

"When Kikyo saw me, I was wearing the robe of the baboon. She assumed I was a youkai, and threw a purifying sutra at me. The evil and malice that had been bred in the darkness, the venom that had wormed its way inside my brain, was burned away. My malcontent was expelled from my back, where the spider mark remains. After purifying me, she assumed me dead, and left. And though she had forced the darkness out of me, I think some still lingered, but I never returned to that cave again." Onigumo finished, then tilted his head back, drinking down the sake.

"Onigumo, you escaped the spider's lair, still a human man, but you still go by that terrible name?" A woman asked, from where she was lying in the grass against the bare chest of a bandit.

Onigumo nodded.

"That kind of name... breeds fear in the human subconscious, men fear that I will one day bite them at night while they are sleeping, and slip away unseen." He said softly, and set down his sake jug, empty.

Rasetsu did the same, and challenged him with his eyes.

"Dark forests, witch queens, and talking spiders, do you truly believe me for a fool?" He spat out, standing quickly. Onigumo hid his eyes in his bangs deceptively, a small smile curling up the corners of his lips.

"Perhaps. How else could I have your belief in me?" Onigumo said slyly, and pulled from his waist, the baboon mask. The bandits backed away in fear, some gasping, others screaming.

"Kukukuku... If I cannot make you believe in me, then perhaps, you can prove it yourself. Rasetsu, I wish to make a bet with you." Onigumo said, and offered him the mask, the bandit leader flinching from the eyeless thing staring up at him.

"Wear this mask as you go into the dark forest, and I promise you, no youkai will harm you. The demons...they call me, Naraku. I am their puppet master. All throughout this land, youkai fear the name Onigumo, they will not even speak it, so they refer to me only as Hell. I wish for you to spend one night in the cave, and if you come out of it unscathed, then we will know that my stories are true. If you go there, and you are in any way harmed, then my name is tarnished and I am nothing but a liar. It's your choice, Rasetsu. Do you take it, or leave it?"

A silence fell over all of the men in the encampment, as Rasetsu carefully took the mask, and slid it over his head.

"I'll prove that you are only a homeless nomad, Onigumo. You do not even have a name. You were weak to not protect the priestesses when they needed you, to instead hide in the darkness as they were being slaughtered, to me that is a sign of fear. Don't worry for me, I can protect myself against the spiders. It is yourself you should worry for, because when I come back, I will show you that your mask means nothing, and that you; Naraku, are nothing."

~o•O•o~

There was a soft giggling as Kikyo and Kaede found a place to bed down for the night. Deep in the cave, there was a small area lined with soft white pelts. After shaking the dust out of them, the girls rested comfortably on the fur, talking quietly before a roaring little fire.

"Shh, Kaede! It's time for bed!"

"But sister, I'm not sleepy yet! Tell me a happy story!" Kaede giggled, kicking her bare feet back and forth as she laid on the warm pelts, Kikyo resting on her side, her cheek propped up on one hand.

"A happy story...?" She mused, frowning as Kaede looked on expectantly, her one eye sparkling with whimsy.

"My happiest times are spent with you, that's all I have to tell." Kikyo said, and closed her eyes, resting a moment.

"No, tell me about your secret love affair! Did you and Onigumo kiss? How come you and him never made a baby, isn't that why InuYasha was mad, because he wanted to lay with you first?" Kaede blurted out, and Kikyo's eyes flew open angrily.

"Kaede!" She reprimanded sharply, then sat up quickly, pulling her sister up with her. "Do not speak of such things ever again! Where did you hear such terrible things?!" Kikyo hissed, clenching her fists. Kaede flinched and made herself seem small under her elder sister's shadow.

"The village women, they whisper it! I swear it, that's where I heard everything!" She said meekly, and Kikyo released her, huffing.

"You should know not to listen to rumours, haven't you ever heard that gossiping is demons whispering?" She said, and Kaede nodded.

"I'm sorry, I just... I liked when you were friends with that Onigumo man, he gave me this patch for my eye, and he also helped you fight off the demons, don't you remember?" Kaede said gently, and Kikyo nodded.

"Yes, that he did. But, he was also a bandit, and a deceptive man."

"Yet, he seemed to be kind to you. How come you never told him that you chose not to be with InuYasha?" Kaede said very carefully, and Kikyo clutched at the jewel over her chest.

"It was not my choice. InuYasha never gave me the chance to explain. Little sister, this is why we should be devout as mikos. Don't you see that playing with the demon that is man only brought destruction, and sadness?" Kikyo said brokenly, tears filling the waterline of her dark chocolate eyes.

"But, sister... I wish for you to be happy. If you were to give the jewel to the priest, could you not go and find the man you were most happy with?" Kaede said with conviction, grasping at Kikyo's sleeve.

"No, I... I cannot leave my station. And Onigumo, he... He will never return for me. He had his use of me, and now he's gone, and we shall leave it at that. It's time for you to go to bed, and forget that we ever talked about these things." Kikyo said sternly, and laid her hand on Kaede's shoulder to have her lay down. Then, she covered her with a baboon fur, and let her rest, as she came out the back entrance of the cave, and stared up at the moonless sky.

It was there, in the darkness that she at last shed tears from her eyes, falling to her knees, and sobbing mournfully for everything she had lost.

Onigumo...

"Kikyo." A soft voice said, and she turned her head to hear it, gulping down her sobs, as her tear-filled eyes searched for the voice in the silent, black of night.

Then, there was a soft rustling, and her eyes caught a soft gleam in the dark, of shiny black hair, and luminous obsidian eyes.

She gasped, stepping back, and he came forward, grabbing her hand before she could fall back into the cave.

"Y-You're human...once again." Kikyo said timidly, and InuYasha nodded.

"Yes. It's the night of the new moon. What are you doing out here...?" He said with warning, releasing her hand. Kikyo wiped at her eyes, and glanced back.

"Kaede is inside the cave sleeping. She is undergoing her training to be a shrine priestess." She whispered, and InuYasha nodded, turning away, and going down the cobblestone path, where wispy blades of grass swayed around them, and tall maple trees cast shadows across their faces as they carefully made their way down the steps.

"You know, if you weren't a priestess I would say it's not safe for you out here, but...You are still a priestess?" InuYasha asked, and Kikyo nodded.

"Yes. I chose to stay a shrine maiden."

"Oh. Then, you never...?" He began to ask, glancing down at her surreptitiously for a second. Kikyo winced in pain at the look he gave her, before turning back quickly.

"No..." She said hollowly, knowing what he referred to without being told. She would never reveal to anyone what she had done, taking the cold water baths for months, she had immersed her lower half to ensure that if she did become pregnant, it wouldn't take. But, it hadn't seemed to have been the case, luckily, she was still considered somewhat chaste at least, her womb was unmarked.

"We shouldn't go too far from the cave. My arrows are back there, and you.."

"I know. I'm helpless. That's funny, now you get it, when before you never did." InuYasha said icily, spinning on his heel to face her.

"I am weak as a human, and as a human, I can't protect you! I just wish you could love me, for me! As a half-demon." He said with finality, and Kikyo flinched as if she had been slapped in the face.

"That's why...? You could never give me an answer. You said before, you did not know what your intentions were...InuYasha...I am eternally sorry, I have hurt you. " Kikyo said tenderly, her tears returning as she clutched one hand to her chest. InuYasha hesitated for a moment, gazing at her with awestruck eyes, that softened upon seeing her cry.

"I never had bad intentions, Kikyo. But, as a half-demon, I could still never be good enough for you... You couldn't love me back, instead you tore my heart apart when you left... You idiot!" He snapped; still not fazed by her innocent façade, he had thought long and hard on her choices, and he was finding it hard to make his own heart forgive the hurtful things she did. Kikyo cringed back, her tears growing spiteful.

"Yes, I am an idiot. I was foolish, to ever think that I could be like any other ordinary woman...But, you never gave me that moment's peace. With you, we were always fighting demons! Onigumo gave me that fantasy which I envied, and look where it got us? I shall die a spinstress." She said bitterly, stepping back from him, but InuYasha pulled him to her tightly, wrapping his arms around her securely.

"No, Kikyo!" He said achingly, digging his blunt fingertips into her back, and pulling her to his body tightly. Kikyo made a shuddering sigh, her hands clinging to his back as she took comfort in his warm embrace, that when he was a half demon, she had never felt, for fear he would scratch her.

"I could... I- c-could give you what you wanted! I have this... necklace." He whispered, and pulled back slightly to show her what was in his pocket. He pulled out the blue amulet, and placed it in her palms, Kikyo staring down at the artifact in wonder. The jewel made blue reflects across her face as she gazed at it in wonder, then he pulled her face back up to see her, eye to eye.

"If I were to place it on my neck, it would hold my human form for as long as wanted... I could stay this way, just for a while, until... " He whispered softly, not wanting to say what it truly was.

"Until old age has ended my life, the necklace would allow you the loophole you needed to stay a half-demon." Kikyo stated, emotionless.

"No! It's to make you happy! I can live with you as a man and woman, don't you get it? We can have what you always dreamed of! And if danger comes, I'll just take off the necklace! It's a solution to all our problems!" InuYasha said gladly, closing her hands over the necklace, cradling them warmly with his.

"And the jewel, you can do whatever you want with it, Kikyo! We don't need it." He said, almost gleefully; his dark eyes sparkling with his whimsy.

"InuYasha...you are so youthful, so very charming and handsome. Full of life, and raw energy. How I would love to share in that feeling, if only I could for just a moment."

Kikyo smiled back at him, reaching out to stroke his face with her cold fingertips. Her eyes slowly closed, and she pulled him in, giving him a gentle kiss. InuYasha inhaled sharply from her touch, and pulled her tight to him, the heat of him surrounding her, as his tongue enveloped hers for a moment, but only coldness remained on her lips, a heavy rock weighing down her belly. InuYasha noticed the lack of life in her kiss, and pulled back quickly, staring down at her in confusion, as her sweetness still lingered on his lips.

"Yes, InuYasha. It would have been a wonderful life for us. I know it, one day, you shall make a young girl very happy. But, I am not that girl anymore. I have changed, inside my heart is bitter. It's full of my own darkness, I am not the Kikyo you loved once before. If it were not for my heart beating, I would be a corpse, for how truly dead I feel inside..." She said slowly, and shakily, before turning away, and heading towards the cave.

"Use that necklace to make yourself a full demon, InuYasha. Be happy, without me." She sighed, and InuYasha stared as the red and white figure disappeared into the darkness. He placed one hand on his chest, over his heart, and furrowed his eyebrows. His heart ached so badly, he clutched at the muscle over it tightly, gritting his teeth with anger.

"Onigumo. You did this. I'll kill him, if it's the only thing I can do for you, Kikyo. I have to release you from this pain." He whispered in a strangled cry, and stared down at the necklace in his fist; watching how the beautiful charm glinted.

"Take the chance, when you are in your desired form. Then you shall stay in such flesh, until you remove the necklace.." The voice whispered to him once again, and he nodded.

"Yes."