Chapter 8: The Fated Union
When she saw the sky grow dark, Kikyo threw herself onto the forest floor and gritted her teeth. She then cursed and muttered the Feudal Japanese equivalent of: "Fuck, every time I get close to a guy he tries to kill me!" Following that, she curled up into a ball and waited for the storm to start. It did, right on time and continued for over ten minutes, much longer than the last time she had the pleasure of the same experience. Again, winds lashed her robes and rain soaked her to the bone, but the storm was more centralized this time, therefore she was spared the brunt of the blast.
Finally, it ended, and Kikyo pulled her aching, soaked, shivering body from the mud. Getting her bearings, she looked down the hill at the village and noticed that most of the Taijiya were also getting to their feet. She breathed a silent prayer for all of them, especially Eric, the harbinger of their salvation. Looking over the damage he had caused, but also the lives he saved, she realized that she would have to rethink her original thoughts on the boy.
It was clear to her now what Eric truly was, and it made perfect sense that he would be a Dragon. Kikyo herself had never seen a Dragon-youkai in its human form, and understood that they did not take such a form because most of their strength was lost, unlike most other youkai types. The fact that he could cause so much damage in his transformed state in and of itself did not surprise her. The giant lizards had to be the nastiest thing she had ever gone up against.
Yet that brought her to the matter of the storm. Never had she seen a youkai, or anyone for that matter, do what he had done. Even more confusing was that it was not a youkai Magik spell. If it were, she would sense the winds of youki around him, but she did not. This meant that he was something else besides youkai, and it was something not even he could understand. The boy had many mysteries.
This line of thought complete, she turned her attention to her young friend's location. She had seen him descend to the ground, so he had to be…There. She saw him sprawled out in the center of the village. Then a soldier came along and carried him over to the last remaining building.
She quickly fought her way down the slope toward him. If he was in the same condition as last time, he would desperately need her help and care. Therefore she double-timed to the outskirts of the village, and called out to the nearest Taijiya, a young woman with a staff in her hand.
"Hello there!" Kikyo called.
"Hello, miko-sama. Where did you come from?"
"I came here when the youkai attacked, and tried to assist in the defense of this place. Listen, I need to see the Dragon." The girl paled.
"The…Dragon? I think the men took him over to the armory."
"Thank you very much." Kikyo walked on. She strode through the center of the village and came to the armory, the building where the Taijiya forged their fabled weaponry.
"Who goes there?" A soldier at the door bellowed.
"My name is Kikyo. I wish to speak to your commander."
"You may. Pardon my outburst, Kikyo-sama. The battle was quite trying on the nerves of all of us."
"It is no matter. I witnessed the battle from the hills." 'Witnessed' was an understatement; she had fought in the battle!
"If you will follow, I will take you to him. Now you must be careful. We have captured one of the youkai and the captain himself is guarding it."
"I know of the youkai. That is why I am here." The soldier merely looked at her once, and nothing more was said until she came to the presence of the Taijiya captain. There, lying on a stone work surface was her friend. His skin was pale and thin, but he was still breathing regularly. Paying no heed to the captain, she walked to his side and took his hand. His skin was clammy, but otherwise he wasn't in nearly as bad a shape as he was after the first storm. She shook him lightly. No response.
"Miko-sama, may I ask what you are doing?"
"Can you not tell? I am tending him. He is sick and needs care."
"He is a youkai!"
"He is my friend!"
"What?!"
"This youkai and I have a history, and as he helped me once, I will help him. Surely you understand such honor among true friends?" The captain merely shook his head and gave a defeated sigh. He finally decided to not kill the monster. If this miko would call him friend, then he couldn't be that terrible. Miko hated youkai above all else.
"I understand. I am still unsure if this man is a danger or not, youkai he may be." Kikyo laughed lightly.
"I assure you, as he is, he is quite harmless to any seasoned warrior. If you don't mind, may I ask when you first saw him?"
"Yes, he was brought into the village last night by Sango, one of our warriors."
"Interesting." He must have been picked up shortly after he had left her by the water.
Kikyo turned her attention back to the prostrate form. She did not know what was wrong with him, and could not use any of her Magiks to discover his ailment, since they would harm his body. She was at a loss. She did not know how to help him, since she had no knowledge of his spells or what their effects were. She resigned to simply wait until he woke up, and hope the divine messengers did not come again to claim his soul.
Kikyo took a place on the floor facing the stone platform. "Captain, there is no more need for you to guard him. You may tend to your other duties if you wish."
"Are you sure, miko-sama? You are positive he will not wake up?"
"I want him to wake up, and when he does, you have my word that he will harm no one."
"Thank you, miko-sama." With that, he and his soldiers departed. Kikyo waited.
Kikyo sat for hours as the sun set and the village grew quiet. With unshakeable patience, she watched for any change in his breathing, but saw none. Her mind was somewhat quieted. She simply wished she could do more, like bring him back with a touch.
She wanted to help him as she had promised to more than a day ago. She owed him a great deal. If he had not come and stopped her, she would have killed the old priest, lost her home, and been Kami-knows-where by now. And she would be sad again. As it were, she was happier than she had been in a long time, even before her death. Yet there was one thing Eric could not restore to her, the one person she cared for more than him. The man who was her enemy, no, her friend. Her betrayer, no, her lover. Inuyasha.
Feeling warred for dominance in her tattered heart. On one hand, she carried memories of the love they shared up until her final day. On the other were the illogical feelings of betrayal, feelings that he was the one who killed her. Illogical because on that day she was attacked by a creature that didn't feel like Inuyasha, but in her confusion she was grabbing for straws. She attacked him and ended his life for fifty years. She regretted her actions deeply. But that did not change the burning in her mind that she did not want: the voice that said 'kill.' The voice that remembered the confusion and embraced it, still believing her misconceptions. It was for that reason that she did not merely run off to find him. She could track him down easily, and forever could be theirs with a word. Yet her hate still remained. So long as she remained in this form, this clay body, she could not live, and Inuyasha could never be hers. She wanted to love him, but also to kill him.
Her heavy thoughts continued as night became day, and sun filtered through the windows onto the boy's body. He still did not move. Kikyo was beginning to grow tired of sitting on the dusty floor, so she rose and dusted herself off. Then she was out the door and into the late morning sunlight. The air was warm and fresh and the sky was bright. No trace of darkness or storm. Once again, Kikyo was happy to be alive, if only partially. Happy until her senses once again engaged.
He was here. Him, his friends, and that girl. Kikyo panicked and quickly attempted to mask her scent, yet the spell only partially took effect since her concentration was so rattled. So she simply ran. Ran out of the village, leaving Eric as well as her bow and arrows behind.
The strange visitors reached the gate.
……………
Sango surveyed the wreckage of her home with mute worry. Sadness had pervaded her thoughts ever since the fight with Kohaku, and later Inuyasha. Never had she known such despair. Now, injured as well, she limped back to her village.
She had no idea how many people had been killed, or if any survived at all. There were no buildings standing, smoke coiled from the ground in endless streams, wreckage covered everything, and mysterious scorch marks littered the ground. The battle must have been horrific. She doubted anyone could survive until she saw several people clearing wreckage at the gate, and noticed a familiar face among them. This face was strong and youthful, and extremely handsome. He had dark eyes. His head was bald. She recognized her childhood friend and later sparring partner who became the Captain of the Guard.
"Captain!"
"Who…Sango! You're safe!" The captain saw she was injured and his happy expression turned to one of worry.
"Sango…you are hurt. Have you been in battle as well?"
"Yes…I have terrible news." She looked at the ground once, mustered her strength, and continued. "The Taijiya who went to the castle are dead. I am the only survivor."
"All of them!? Your father, your brother…Oh, Sango, I'm sorry…" With that he closed the distance between them and embraced her. Sango meanwhile fought to hold back her tears.
"I am fine. I have survived and I'm happy to see that you have done the same. How many of ours are still alive?"
"Many. Most of the villagers and soldiers survived the fight, thanks to some…err…mysterious help."
"Yes, shortly before the fight at the castle I felt a powerful storm rise somewhere nearby. What was it?"
"Well, I'm not sure, but I think it was that boy youkai you brought in."
"Eric! He saved the village?!"
"I think so. He changed first into a Dragon and ripped through a sizeable amount of attackers, but was beaten by the leader, some man wearing a baboon pelt. Afterwards…"
"Naraku was here?"
"Naraku? I don't know that name."
"I will explain later. Continue."
"As I was saying, he fell and reverted to his human form, but the next thing we know, he was up in the sky raining lightning onto the ground! It was he who destroyed everything."
"How many did he kill!?"
"You misunderstand, Sango. He destroyed all of our homes, but not one person was harmed by Dragon or storm."
"How..?"
"We still don't know. He's lying in the armory. By the way, who are your friends?"
"Oh! I should've introduced them before. These are the brave warriors who helped me break Naraku's trap." She motioned to her four friends standing behind her. The captain had never seen a more colorful group. He counted one inuhanyou, a young, strangely dressed miko, a kitsune-youkai pup, and one monk, who at the moment wore a strange and slightly veiled expression.
"Tomaru, the hanyou is Inuyasha, the girl's name is Kagome, the pup is Shippo, and the monk is Miroku."
"Greetings, friends. Anyone who helps a Taijiya in battle is welcome here. I am the Captain of the Guard. My name is Tomaru." The hanyou merely nodded, the miko and kitsune replied heartily, and the monk gave a stiff bow. When introductions were complete, Sango spoke to Tomaru.
"Where is our youkai friend?"
"He is in the armory, the only building that survived."
"How is he?" Sango asked.
"He is unconscious, but alive. He has been out cold ever since the end of his final attack on the youkai. We don't know what is wrong with him, but there is a wandering miko tending him." At this, he noticed that Inuyasha's ears twitched slightly, and his eyes sharpened slightly, but he said nothing. The girl also seemed to get a bit uneasy as she looked at her companion. The group walked on and drew closer to the armory. Inuyasha began to sniff the air, and a few hushed words were spoken to him by Kagome.
Tomaru motioned them all to stop. "I am sorry, but only Sango and I can go inside. We will be out shortly, and then will see to some accommodations for you. Shippo brightened; 'accommodations' meant food! He looked to Kagome, expecting her to mirror his joy, but found only an uncomforting look of worry on her kind features.
Tomaru and Sango stepped inside, only to emerge minutes later.
"Friends, it would seem that our miko friend has disappeared, but the boy is still asleep." Kagome spoke next.
"Sango-chan, is this boy a friend of yours?"
"I'm not sure. I found him in the forest when I was on patrol, and captured him. He was…an interesting catch. He says he was human, until he somehow came to our land and became youkai."
"Yes," Tomaru said, "And during the battle he fought bravely for us. He is a most unusual young man."
"What is wrong with him?"
"We do not know. He is asleep and won't wake up."
"Hmm…would it be all right if I looked at him? I mean, I might be able to do something."
"You know healing?"
"Kagome healed my own wounds and always tends to others who are hurt. She is a fantastic healer!" Sango chimed.
"Well, then I don't see why she can't try with him. Follow me."
Kagome stepped into the doorway and looked back at Inuyasha. He seemed even more distracted than before. What was bothering him? She pushed the thoughts from her mind and followed the two Taijiya into the dark building. She stepped into a smaller room and there he lay.
Kagome looked at him and surprise was her immediate reaction. She expected something like a samurai, but he was nothing of the sort. His clothes were…modern! Though they were extremely faded and tattered, she recognized his jeans and black t-shirt. Actually, he looked American. This was confusing, because he had all the marks of a full youkai: claws, fangs, and stripes, but he dressed human. How…?
Kagome quickly realized that pondering his origins was not the reason she was here. She stepped forward to the boy's side to get a better look at him. She reached for his hand to feel his pulse, but as soon as her fingertips touched his wrist, his fingers twitched. Kagome nearly leapt from her skin, then regained her composure. She hadn't exactly thought over the scenario of being face-to-face with another full-blooded youkai.
After that move, the boy lay still again. She continued to feel his pulse, which was slow, but not terribly so. He was alive, and his breathing and temperature were fine, but for some reason was still unconscious. She decided to check his pupils next, and she withdrew a small penlight from her bag. Then she leaned over his head and moved to lift open one of his eyelids.
It was at that moment they opened. Two light blue eyes locked with hers. She was frozen. The youkai whispered one word:
"…Kagome…"
She then promptly fainted.