Chapter Two: Confrontation

Well…I guess the first chapter had uninteresting content to reckon with since there were no reviews on it. Even if there is no popularity, a writer must continue the story. Here is Chapter No. 2.


Chapter Two

The white-red priestess hurried along the dirt path in the forest as her senses created the direction of the Shikon Jewel. There was no time to lose. It could be a demon, or even a greedy human who would want to keep it for their own benefit. Little did Kikyo know that someone was watching her hurry along the brown dirt path from a branch above.

I wonder who has taken the Shikon Jewel…

As the priestess made her way following the precious stone, the lone figure followed her discreetly as she detected the path of the Shikon Jewel. The sacred item would be anywhere in the forest, but full of youkais to take it for increasing their powers.

Kumi continued to take her path as the sun began to shine more brightly. It was closer to noon, and it would not be long before she would have reached the town. As the sole of her feet bore the brunt of the hard ground with the weight of her baskets, it was becoming exhausting to walk as the baskets began to droop lower and lower onto the ground.

A group of masked men made their appearance in front of the peasant woman's path. She widened her eyes as she took a step back.

"W-what d-do you w-want-t?" She trembled as she tripped behind a small stone. As Kumi lay on the floor, she looked frightened as the masked men surrounded her. "I-I have nothing t-to p-pass you-u."

"A likely story," said one of the men stretching out his hand. "Now pass it over!"

"What is-s i-it?"

"Stop pretending like you didn't know!" Another man shouted at her. "We want the Shikon no Tama."

"I-I d-don't h-have-e w-what y-you w-want!"

"Hey boss," one of the masked men raised in his hand a violet jewel from one of Kumi's baskets. "Looks like we found it."

"Well well," came the sarcastic tone from the leader. "It looks like you lied to us. Now prepare to die!" He raised out a sword from its sheath as it prepared to rain a blow on the poor helpless peasant, still lying on the floor from the bad fall.

"Stop there!" An arrow hit one of the men as it pinned him to a tree with swiftness. The leader of the squad of masked men turned to look at the attacker. Before him was a young woman who looked barely twenty with her red hakama pants and her white hakui top. In her hands was a bow, with another arrow prepared to be fired at another man. "Release that woman."

"So…" the voice trailed off as he took steps towards her. "So this is the priestess who was said to protect the jewel." He responded sinisterly as he held a violet jewel in his hand. The priestess aimed her bow at him as he raised up the jewel, which was turning darker as corruption began to fill it. "I can see how well this miko is doing with the jewel."

"You!" She retorted back angrily. "Leave the woman alone. She has nothing to do with the jewel."

"Let's see if you can catch it then!"

His sudden reply was immediately followed by himself brandishing the long metal sword at Kikyo. "If you defeat me, I'll pass up the jewel," came the leader's challenge to the protector of the Shikon Jewel. "If not you'll die by my sword then."

"Very well," Kikyo closed her eyes and re-opened them as she continued to stare at her challenger. "I accept your challenge then. Prepare to concede defeat!"

Kikyo took an arrow and instantly shot it at the leader. However, her efforts came to naught as he swiftly blocked it off with a skill of his sword. The rest of his men had drawn out their swords too, showing that it was not a fair challenge after all.

"Four against one?" Kikyo sneered at her opponents. She knew she would have to defeat all of them in order for her to retrieve the jewel. "I shall make it fair then." As swift as her archery went, three arrows shot from her bow instantly which pinned the minions to nearby trees instead. The leader was incensed as he noticed that his unfair fight had become one of a proper one-to-one challenge.

"Look! A youkai behind you!" The leader exclaimed as he pointed behind Kikyo. Falling for his trick, the young priestess turned behind, only to turn back to see her enemy throwing dirt at her eyes. "That was a great struggle. Thank you, miko-sama."

Damn it! I fell for that lowly bandit's trick…

As she purged her eyes of the dirt, Kikyo shook head to see that the peasant was long gone. She had properly being frightened out of her life that she had left one basket with fast footprints markings in the dirt path. Shaking her head once more and closing her eyes, she began to meditate to locate the item meant to be protected. Her eyes widened as soon as she had closed them.

Demons…they are nearby…!

With her bow and arrows, Kikyo made a rush deep into the array of trees away from the dirt path. A big clearing greeted her as she made her way through. Her eyes met with horror as she saw a gory scene greet her. The archer took a slow walk to the sight with much hesitation. Her challengers had all been slain, except for one who left with only a trail of blood. Their innards had been torn open, or either impaled with a seemingly powerful weapon.

This is cannot be done by humans…It must be caused by youkai…

As soon as she touched the violated bodies, she could sense a powerful aura of demons in the area. Wrong. It was the aura of a demon, a rather powerful demon. It must have been this demon who could have managed to slay humans like that.

"Alright, come out of your hiding," Kikyo shouted as her voice echoed throughout the clearing. "I know you have the Shikon Jewel with you."

Her request was to be granted through the arrival of a seemingly powerful demon. A strong wind greeted her as it blew back her clothing and hair. She could feel its presence coming as its aura grew stronger and stronger. It was not long before a big furry creature met up with her with the size of two elephants. The aura of a youkai surrounded it.

"A weasel demon?" Kikyo spoke as she aimed her sacred arrow at it. "Powered by the Shikon Jewel I see."

"Kikyo-san, the protector of the Shikon no Tama," the large demon bellowed with a satanic voice. "What a careless protector by fate that Priestess Midoriko has chosen."

"Your story ends here, my friend," Kikyo raised her bow as she aimed the arrow at the demon. The arrow began to glow with a light purple aura as she held it longer. "And please refrain from touching the Shikon Jewel again."

The youkai pounced on the priestess, bent on eating her to increase its own powers. It was to no avail as she shot the purified arrow into its mouth. As it purified the demon within, the jewel within its body became lighter as its purification returned it to its pink colour. Within second, the youkai had exploded into several pieces as such with the irony that its size alone could kill the miko. A small tiny pink jewel floated down as it entered the palm of the priestess. Placing inside her hakui, Kikyo shook her head and made a sign of prayer as she looked at the slain humans on the emerald grass in the clearing.

"Have a safe journey on the afterlife," she whispered as she walked in the direction of the village. Looking at the sky again, the Sun had shifted across from left to right. It had been past noon now, which was probably time to return to the village.

The villagers will worry if I do not return…

The priestess walked hurriedly back in the direction of the village through the shortcut, which was to cross the many clearings in the forest. Having forgotten that she should have brought the demon back with her to put into the bone eaters well, Kikyo simply melted into the green forest, not noticing that the slain weasel could regenerate itself back…

The lone figure perched on the branches on one tree by the side of a clearing looked as Kikyo made her way across the clearing back home. It was the perfect time to strike, and also the right timing to take the Shikon Jewel with him as well.

Kikyo strolled across the green foliage as she held the pink jewel with her. It had been a long day for her already and probably the right time for her to rest. No demon was going to get her for today, or else they would expect something undesirable.However, there was a bad feeling that something inevitable was going to happen.

The presence of a demon filled her sense as Kikyo turned round to see one lunging at her instantly. With her talent in archery, she bound it to a tree instantly with several arrows at once, pinning the youkai to the trunk by its clothes. It was not her day, and another demon had spoilt her day. The priestess grabbed her arrow from her pouch and stretched against the bowstring it aimed at the youkai heart. Suddenly, Kikyo raised down her bow.

He doesn't really look like a demon…but has a demon's aura…

This demon was indeed much different from the rest. He did have white hair like certain demons did have. The pupils of his eyes were demon too, for they had the demonic color of yellowish gold. Two white ears also emerged from his head, which was the sign of a demon. It was rather strange too, for this demon had a human face instead of a demon's which had marks on its face. Even he looked like one who did not have a true form. Quietly as possible, Kikyo whispered to herself.

The strangest demon I ever seen…Maybe he's a half-demon…

Placing her arrow back its pouch, Kikyo lowered her bow and turned back to the direction of the village, leaving her pinned foe behind on the tree.

"Hey you bitch!" She could hear his young voice. This demon was probably no less than her age too. "Come back here!"

"Why do you I should?"

"Weren't you going to kill me, bitch?" this demon was persistent. "Go ahead! Kill me!"

"Enough," Kikyo replied as she turned behind to see the pinned creature. "You're a waste of arrows anyway." She heard silence after that. The priestess continued her path as she traveled further from her foe.

"Come back here, you wench!" She heard the cursing words from his foul mouth. This demon was really a rookie only.

"Oh yes," she turned behind to see the white-haired half-demon. "What's your name?"

"None of your business, damned priestess!"

"My name is not bitch, wench or damned priestess," Kikyo replied back with coldness. "Mine is Kikyo, what's yours?"

"Shan't tell you…" he froze when the priestess gave him the stare of his life, that of a cold hard stare. "I-Inu…I-Inuyasha."

"Inuyasha," she stopped to tell the hanyou. "I believe we will meet again." As soon as she had finished her words, Kikyo began her walk into the clearing again. It was already getting late for the early spring sun was already setting, casting the color of the sky into an orange one.

The half-demon pinned to the tree could do nothing except throw curses at her.


Hehe…that's all. Goodbye for now!

Glossary:

Hanyou : Half-demon

Hakui : A Japanese top for the traditional dress.