When they arrived at the village, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, except for a slight increase in the wind. It was really more of a welcoming breeze of fresh, cool air. Naraku could not be found, and not even his jyaki, evil pressure, could be sensed. It was a normal, peaceful village, with children playing in the streets and adults scanning the markets.
It was hard to believe that this village was doomed to devastation. They decided to ensure that Naraku was actually coming before taking action and disrupting the tranquility of the village.
They made their way to the elder's hut, which too was a semblance of normality, as it had been rebuilt as an exact duplicate of the previous structure. Shihai and his father were reunited warmly, and the elder too shared fears of Naraku's coming. He beckoned the group to follow him into the secret underground chamber.
The torch-lit hallway carried with it a dark atmosphere, finally a rupture from the village's seemingly perfect setting of peace; however, the corridor was quiet with no signs of evil. The elder guided them to the door that Byaku had been unable to open during her first visit. It was this door, the elder explained, that led to the sacred place of the wind's origin.
"Naraku is already inside," he said solemnly. "The world inside is completely barricaded from our own. It is not a place meant for man to trespass. The villagers have no idea of what great power Naraku is congregating within these doors. This village have guarded these doors for many centuries, but now the time has come for these doors to open, and for you brave soldiers to step inside. I'm sure you are all aware of the dangers, but are you truly willing to step inside?"
After everyone agreed, the elder privately instructed Shihai on the ritual to open the door. It was an extremely complicated ritual that he had never heard of, but since everyone was counting on him he told himself that no matter what he would succeed.
He fell into a trance and began the ritual, following the steps exactly as his father had instructed him. Everyone present could feel strange powers begin to rise. The room began to shake, and the hollers of demons could be heard above them.
"There's something wrong!" Byaku noticed.
"No," the elder laughed, "it is going exactly as I planned." The pretence ended, and she sickeningly realized that she had aided Naraku in his path to power. "I was aware of this village's ability to create mirages during certain periods of the wind. If I had complete mastery of the wind, I probably could have kept the charade going for even longer, but it is too late now. You thought the village was safe, but it was in ruins long before you arrived. The ritual is almost complete. Now, thanks to Shihai's ritual, the doors will open."
"I won't let you! Kazanna!"
She didn't care if he released poisonous bees. She was surprised actually that he didn't. Even though he was standing in the direct path of the vacuum, he didn't move. By simply raising his hand, he was somehow protecting himself.
"Did you forget that I can control the wind? Yes, even your kazanna is useless. But this was also part of my plan, because you see, there is yet another advantage of this ritual." The kazanna disappeared from her body, and reappeared on Naraku's right hand. "The reason I put this curse on your family, was because I was not yet ready to control this power. Once I gain the power behind these doors, I will be able to use kazanna to my content, without fear of death. Also, there is one more thing you should know about this ritual: the third advantage was to stall the guardian while I make my entrance. Once I'm inside, please do your best to survive against the guardian. By my calculations, you will have all destroyed each other by the time I'm finished. Goodbye, I did appreciate your help with everything."
He disappeared into the door. The ritual ended and Shihai collapsed. Byaku tried to enter, but the doorway was blocked by a great man with heavy armour and a large battleaxe. "I am the guardian," he echoed, and by simply thrusting his arm forward slightly, a tremendous blast of wind was created sending everyone back to the end of the corridor.
Kohaku and Kiara, however, were blown in a different direction. They got up groggily, somewhat disillusioned by the unimaginable power of the guardian, but still willing to fight him. They were stopped though, when they heard faint cries, coming from what sounded like weak and starving people. Making their way to the dungeon, they found the elder and all of the other villagers.
Kiara began carrying the villagers to safety. "Everyone, you have to go above ground," Kohaku instructed, "you'll be safer there."
The elder refused to go ahead of his people, and stayed behind while Kiara took them back above ground. He also stayed behind to talk to Kohaku: "Is my son fighting?"
"Don't worry, he's with Byaku. She's extraordinarily strong. I'm sure they'll be fine."
"I'm still worried. I knew I should never have taught my son those dark arts."
"Dark arts?"
"I taught him a ritual to summon a wind creature, but in order to control it, he must make a blood contract. By sacrificing his blood, the wind creature is able to manifest; therefore, if the wind creature is destroyed, he will die."
"Don't worry, as soon as all of the villagers are safe, I'll go there personally to ensure that wind creature doesn't lose."
The ritual to summon the wind creature had already begun. Shihai had already made the blood sacrifice, ignoring Byaku's cries of protest.
"Stop!" she begged. "I know what you're doing! My mother told me about the wound on your left leg, but she also told me you didn't want me to worry so I didn't pressure you about it. I'll defeat the guardian! You don't have to make such a crazy risk!"
"You're always the hero," he said calmly. "I'd be lying if I said I was never envious. You made crazy risks all the time, fighting insanely strong monsters because you wanted to protect people. I really admire you. So this time, let me fight."
"I'm not that great! I don't make crazy risks; I'm just arrogant!"
"No, you're confident. You have strength, so you can fight, and you can protect. I want to be like you. I'll admit, that I'm not entirely sure I can win, but I still want to fight. I think there were times when you really thought you might lose, but fought anyway, because you wanted to protect other people. Don't say that's not true, because it is. Everyone praised me for my prodigious skills, but I didn't believe them. Even though I possess all of these skills, I never really valued them myself. I see in you magnificent talents and kindness. Even if you don't think so, I know that they are there."
"I'm sorry. I should have put more faith in you. You were right. There were times when I was afraid, but what made me confident was not my strength, what made me continue fighting against the odds were people, like you, people that I wanted to protect, people that believed in me. Now I believe in you. I don't want alone, because I still think you're too weak, and I don't want to fight alone either, because I'm afraid, so we'll fight together."
She entered the ritual, and cut her own wrist. They held hands, and energy from both of their bodies began to swirl into a double helix, and this time, when the wind creature was summoned, it was complete, with both of its wings.
Holding hands, he stood, and together, they mustered all of their will into the black angel, as it charged fearlessly at the guardian. There was a great explosion, and feathers began to flutter, but fade before hitting the floor. They now stood at the entrance to the sacred grounds, and the guardian was gone, but Shihai suddenly collapsed and let go of her hand.
"Shihai!" she scrambled. "Are you okay? Please, answer."
"I'll be fine," he coughed weakly. "Go after him. You can't let anyone control the wind. I realize now that the wind isn't a monster; it doesn't try to trick us or attack us or tell us what to do. That wind creature, responded most strongly when we were together, so even when you pass through those doors, I'll still be with you, believing in you. I'm sure that if I ask the wind, it will carry my prayers to you, and give you my strength. No matter how terrible his wind is, you and I, will defeat it."
He forced himself to stand, putting strenuous pressure on his left leg, and pushed Byaku through the door. The door closed, allowing him to lean against it for support. He breathed heavily, as he watched the guardian once again rise.
"What took you so long?" he laughed painfully, as he knew the guardian was not yet defeated.
"I am the guardian," he bellowed. "There are two, no, three trespassers in the sacred grounds. I will punish them."
"Sorry, but you'll have to get through me first."