Part Two
'Sometimes that damn woman just drives me crazy… Yet…'
The fire popped. It snapped and snarled in the crisp midnight air. Moonlight bathed the monk as he sat against a tree's trunk. The fire washed him with warmth, and made the shadows upon his weary face dance. He sighed, still not understanding why Sango would not tell him of her events earlier this morning. Surely there was no reason to keep it private… The monk then glanced around, finding that Sango was soundly slumbering off to his left. She was wrapped in a blanket that Kagome has supplied, and it was quite warm. Beneath the cover, the demon slayer had bloodstained bandages wound around her front. The demon she had fought had struck her just as it died, and Sango was too exhausted to take the pain in. She was lucky she was not poisoned, but instead left with a mere gash. Miroku let his gaze fall to the fire. His mind was burdened greatly at this point. Lately he'd been having pains in his arm with the wind tunnel, so he refrained from using it. Naraku was right on their tails, and was often attacking them when they stopped for a rest, thus pushing them farther into retreat. They had been on the way to his castle, which they believe they had found.
'I need to cleanse myself and rid my mind of these horrible things…' Miroku growled within his mind. And with that, he rose and went to bathe in the river just a few yards from camp.
Living risky, never scared
One closer to the edge…
Miroku leaned against the edge of the freezing river. Although his bare body was shivering, he actually found the midnight dip to be refreshingly sweet. Then, from the corner of his eye, he seemed to catch a hint of something glittering between his two feet. He dipped his head under the surface again and retrieved the glittering gem. As he shook the water from his eyes and dripping hair, he found that he had obtained yet another shard of the Shikon jewel. 'What an odd place for it to fall…but I guess it's possible…' He thought as he held it between his fingertips. Just as the monk was about to end his bath, he felt a sharp prick in his hand, and then he felt himself fading into nothingness…
--
"Does anyone know where that damn monk made off to?" Sango stated as she inspected her sword boredly.
"I thought he went with you to the river," Kagome replied as she brushed out her hair.
Inuyasha growled, "I heard him late last night… He went off to the river to take a bath I assume…yet I never heard him come back."
Sango looked up, feeling slightly concerned, but she shook it off. 'Maybe he went to see if there was a village nearby…or something…' Although her feelings on the matter only grew worse as the day passed. By noontime Miroku had not returned and Sango insisted that they went to search for him. Inuyasha gave his negative comments freely, but they went anyways. Thus, they went searching franticly for the lost monk, and their searching became even more desperate as night dawned. There was no sign of the monk anywhere…and Sango seemed to give up.
All your purposes are gone
Nothing's right and nothing's wrong…
--
"Did you possibly think that you could escape me…Miroku?"
The monk thrashed beneath the black vines that ensnared him. His chest heaved, and his brow was drawn tight. "You bastard…release me…" Miroku growled in an unusual way.
The man stepped towards him. "You simply think a statement like that will cause me to free you?" There was a pause, and then within a second's time there was a blade at the monk's throat. His eyes grew panicked, although he tried to remain calm. "I'll release you when I desire to do so." The man hissed as he withdrew the sword. He turned, back facing Miroku, and then smiled vilely. "I've got plans for you… I've been watching you… That girl…Sango, is it? Yes. She's been destroying too many off my minions…and I simply can't allow that. Thus I will exterminate the exterminator…using you."
Miroku drew back, startled and fearful. 'What is this guy planning!?' He cried.
Once more the man turned, this time he was holding a vile of glowing violet liquid. "Oh, you will do as I say. You have no will to fight me…" He chuckled. With that he flicked his free wrist and the vines roped around Miroku's neck, slamming him to the wooden floor. He groaned and tried again to fight, but his energy was simply gone. 'I cannot give in… I must live…for her…'
"Fool," The man snarled. He then flipped the cork out of the glass, and stepped into the moonlight which Miroku was sprawled out under. The man was revealed as Naraku. He then knelt beside his newest prisoner, and forced the vile's contents down the monk's throat. Once the last drop had sank in, Naraku sat before his new minion, and smiled. "You will destroy her. You will be the one to bring Sango to death's door…"
Freedom carries sacrifice
Remember when this was my life…
--
Upon the dawn of the next day, Inuyasha and the remained of the gang had reached what they assumed to be Naraku's castle. The all hoped and prayed that it really was the true thing, but that was just about all the could do. Inuyasha had carried Kagome, while Sango and Shippou rode upon Kirara. Nevertheless, Sango's thoughts were still with Miroku.
"Sango. Sango!" Inuyasha exploded.
She shook her head, and glanced at him. "What!?" She spat. She then closed her eyes tightly, and mumbled, "I'm sorry for that… I am still worried about Miroku."
"Well just shut up and forget about that damn guy for a while! We're just about to storm the castle and you're over here worrying about your lover boy!" He cried again.
"Whatever…" Sango whispered. She then leapt from Kirara's back and drew her sword, not wanting to use the Hirikotsu immediately. Then a deadly thought entered her mind for a brief moment: What if she was to die here, before Naraku? She would never see the dear monk again…she would be lost forever…
Kiss me while I'm still alive
Kill me while I kiss the sky…
Just as they were about to advance, the doors slammed open, and Naraku himself stood in their presence. Kagome knocked her arrow, and drew back, but waited before she would fire. "Hold your fire, you worthless child," Naraku sneered. "You may want to reconcider before you begin this fight… I have a new friend for you to battle first…" Naraku then blinked slowly, and grinned. He turned his gaze towards the roof, and bellowed, "Come, my child…"
Sango gasped and dropped her blade. She held a hand to her mouth as tears were summoned to her disbelieving eyes. Miroku had leapt from the back of the castle, and was now standing before her again.
Free me now to give me place
Keep me incase to free the beast…
Miroku sneered at Sango. His target was set, and nothing could keep him from her. Naraku then whispered, "Go. Kill at your heart's content." And with that, the monk began his mission. Inuyasha attempted to give him a taste of the Tetsusaiga, but Miroku killed the blast with a simple block using his staff. He then continued to advance to the demon slayer, who had retrieved her sword and was ready to strike at this point. Kagome would fire at him, which would probably save him from the dark spell that Naraku had cast over his mind, but he simply moved too fast for her to get a clear shot. He then stood before Sango, about five feet away, and narrowed his eyes. She saw a hint of fire flash across the violet crystals.
Fear is not seen through these eyes
What there was will never be
Now I'm blind and cannot see…
She couldn't bare to see him being used like this. She squeezed her eyes shut, and then growled as a fresh wave of tears spilled over her lids. Yet, these were not tears of sorrow, no…rivers of rage rushed down her smooth skin. "That's it…" She snarled angrily. She was determined not to loose another loved one to Naraku's plans. Sango thrust the Hirikotsu at Naraku with such an incredible force that could have made a major explosion look pathetic. He was caught off guard, and suffered a minor gash across his chest.
"You will pay for that child…" He threatened.
Miroku lunged at her, slamming his staff towards her. Sango had barely managed to draw her sword in time to save herself. She held the sword with both hands, one on the hilt and one on the blade, as her strength matched the monk's. His deadly staff was only mere inches from her chest, and if it struck her she would surely be dead.
Let me die on my own terms
Let me live and let me learn…
Author's Note: Kwaa! Thanks to everyone who gave reviews on Part One! Negative or positive, I greatly appreciate them all! I may not be the best writer (of course I'm not), but I try. I'd like to reply to your reviews, but I simply can't reply to all of them! XD Anyways, I don't know exactly what Naraku's castle looks like, so I'm not going to go into too much detail about it. Also, I am beginning to realize that I'm turning the characters into more of the characters I imagine them to be…more dependent upon their feelings and hearts (evil laugh).
Three pages…size 10 font…slams head on keyboard Heh. I tried to make up with this chapter for the shortness of the first. Please stay tuned and happy reading! Also, I have NO idea how long I'm going to make this. I have several ideas for later chapters, but I'm not sure if I want to use them for this story or to make a whole new one. I don't see this having more than 10 chapters (I'd probably get bored with the story line by then), but I could see ending this in the next chapter. It just depends on how I feel about it, so I'll have to think about what I want to do with this tonight. I'll try to get the next chapter up before Jan. 1st, but I may not be able to. It'll definitely be up before Jan. 4th though.
