Love beyond the Western Lands

Chapter 19: The Curse of the Black Katana

Riko gasped and slung an arrow. Sesshoumaru drew his Toukijin. Kikyou withdrew a tanto that was transformed: A purple sheath of dragon stone (That's just a name of a gem I got from a game. +P), a black opal blade and a ruby red hilt. The sheath had scratched kanjis on them, saying: Ameterasu, which meant goddess of the sun. "Kikyou!" Kirei yelled. "I will warn you! Hand over the Shikon shards and slay yourself! I do not wish to scar your body when I use it as my new vessel."

Kikyou held the Ameterasu higher. "If you want my body along with my shards," Kikyou said, "you must fight for them." "Very well then!" Kirei said. She sped towards Kikyou tanto in hand, planning to strike Kikyou on the back. Kikyou dodged and smacked Kirei on the back of her neck with the hilt of the Ameterasu. "Something is not right," Kikyou thought suspiciously. Suddenly, the katana Kirei was holding pulsated. "That katana…" Kikyou thought. "That Jaki… It's powering Kirei! I see now… the Jaki is strong because Kirei is very close to it and is currently quite strong. But, if we knock it out of her hands, she will be weakened." "Sesshoumaru…!" Kikyou began. "I know!" he called. "It's that katana."

He ran towards Kirei with speed unimaginable. When he was right next to Kirei, he punched her in the face, sending her flying. Riko shot her arrow just as Kirei was getting up. The arrow emanated a beautiful shiny blue. Kirei just saw it when it was an arm's length in front of her. Using her katana, she deflected it. "The Jaki lightened…" Kikyou thought. "I see now! The arrow that Riko shot was a purifying arrow… If we send enough to hit the katana, its evil power will be deteriorated! Kirei already looks weakened. Time to close in on the prey." Kikyou ran towards Kirei, quickly switching from tanto to katana. She swung her blade, sending out beautiful waves of blue. Kirei leapt about, dodging the waves. "Aha!" Kikyou thought. "She's already slowed down."

Kirei smirked. She turned transparent and then fell through the earth. "She went underground… If my theory is right, this may work…" Kikyou thought. "Everyone!" Riko yelled. "Stay alert!" Suddenly, something hit Kikyou. She reached into her obi and pulled out a silvery ball. She sheathed her katana and leapt onto a tree. "Everyone, keep your guard up as I prepare an arrow!" Kikyou said as an arrow appeared in her hands. She took the ball and shoved the arrow through the ball. The ball deflated and enveloped then entire arrow with a silvery glow. She slung her bow and then shot the arrow in the ground. "Everyone," Kikyou yelled. "Get up here!" Sesshoumaru grasped Riko's waist and leapt up in the tree. "Wait for it…" Kikyou said when Sesshoumaru opened his mouth. The arrow quivered and then sunk into the ground. Suddenly, Kirei shot out of the ground, hacking and coughing.

Sesshoumaru ran with the speed of light to Kirei and knocked the katana out of her hands. He evaded her fast punches and kicks and punched her in the face as she went flying. "I was right!" Kikyou said. "That katana does power Kirei." Riko jetted towards Kirei, holding throwing knives. Riko threw one at Kirei but missed. She threw a second one and that one missed as well. She took her last knife and kissed it. She threw it and it hit Kirei smack-dab in the middle of her back. "AAAH!" Kirei screamed. She fell to the floor as the knife fell out. She looked up with those cruel small eyes.

"Wh-where am I?" Kirei said. She looked around. Kikyou slid the Ameterasu underneath her throat. "Don't play those tricks on me!" Suddenly, the Jaki deflated completely. "The Jaki…" Kikyou thought. "It's gone! Was she controlled?" "Why has your scent and aura changed?" Sesshoumaru said suspiciously. Kirei pointed helplessly at the black katana. "The katana…" she said softly. "It's Jaki… NNGH! It… it's controlling me…." Riko walked up to Kirei. "She's changing back!" Riko cried.

Tears began to spill out of Kirei's eyes. "Purify the katana's Jaki and I will be released of its grasp! Please!" Kikyou ran towards the katana as Sesshoumaru kept his Toukijin underneath Kirei's throat. Kikyou made to grasp the katana, but the Jaki intensified. Sesshoumaru and Riko gave a yell of surprise as the leapt back. The katana loosened out of the dirt ground and spun around the field like a Hiraikotsu. Kirei grasped the katana and looked up with those cruel eyes again.

She began to laugh. "You should have killed this vessel when you had the chance!" Kirei pointed at Riko with the katana. "Shame on you, sensei! You did not defend your own student. Therefore, you shall die FIRST amongst the three!" Kirei ran towards Riko, swinging the katana as she went. Sesshoumaru intercepted the line of attack and sacked her in the stomach and knocked the katana out of her hands again. Kikyou flew in the air, slinging an arrow as she went. "HAMA NO YA!" she screamed. She released the arrow and it shot towards the katana. It hit the katana right below its hilt as it ricocheted off the Hatori Hanzo (I know, I know. It's a name I got from Kill Bill. XD) steel. The dark Jaki began to recede until the black katana was no more than a katana.

Kirei began to scream. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Her face began to explode with light. Souls escaped out from her mouth and she slumped. Riko had a look. "She's fine," she said. "Kikyou, would you be so kind to transfer her back to the village?" "Hai."

Kikyou slung another arrow and shot it at Kirei's unconscious body. The arrow slowly hit her body and it receded into the clear nothingness.

Suddenly, a loud cackling was heard. "NARAKU!" Kikyou exclaimed. "Naraku!" Sesshoumaru said. "Yes! He's nearby…"

Kikyou began to walk towards the direction of the cackling. "Kikyou!" Riko exclaimed. "Look at the katana." The katana began to crack. Then there was a pronounced cracking sound. The katana shattered into dozens of Shikon shards. Kikyou grasped all of them and took out the shards from her pouch. In a few minutes, all of the shards made a small fragment. "Our share of the work is done," Kikyou said confidently. "Time to pay a visit to Naraku."

To be continued…