A Deadly Curse
Chapter one
This is where things stand this night: we're days away from the well; there are many dangers and obstacles between the well and us. So, why should I decide to leave since things seem so hopeless, and I so weak? Simple: I'm through with Kikyou and Inuyasha's pointless excursions. He left to go to her only a couple of minutes ago , and for once, I hope he stays gone until the sun rises at least. That way I can get a head start and avoid being apprehended half way to my glorious piece of mind, and hopefully out of sniffing distance by the time the sun peeks over the trees.
You may also wonder why I decided to leave in the first place. I started pondering about my worth in this group only a couple of nights after the battle with the once good doctor and the Shichinintai. Anyway, during that battle Inuyasha called out to the mortally injured Kikyou. The level of concern in his voice made my heart shatter, despite my knowing all along he obviously had those kind of feelings for her, even if he won't admit it. I watched Kikyou's stolen souls leave her body from behind a fiery prison, a gift from the Shichinintai. Inuyasha seemed to have forgotten that his friends were in danger of being burned alive.
I stood up, and before I could change my mind, I placed my rolled up sleeping bag in my pack as quietly as I could (thank goodness Shippo was asleep next to Kilala, I don't know what I would have done), double and triple checked that I had gathered all my things up, slipped my shoes on and rose to my feet. Next, I slide the almost full bottle of jewel shards into Miroku's partially open hand. I turned in the direction of Kaede's village, intending to depart through the well, and stopped on the edge of camp, my back facing the east. The part of the forest that held my gaze was dark and had a foreboding look about it; the forest I would shortly venture in to.
I turned to face the smoldering embers of our fire and to gaze upon the faces of my friends for possibly the last time. Suddenly, my eyes were hot and my throat was tight with unshed tears. Could I leave my friends behind? Make them worry, and remain unaware of my plight and the direction of my thoughts on the concept of finally being free of this constant heartache.
'But…is freedom really what I need? Or does all this mean something more than what it seems?' Miroku slept on the other side of the camp, as close to Sango as she would permit. Sango had her hand tucked under her cheek, her legs drawn up to her stomach. She always slept like that. Her hand would be asleep when she woke up, as it always was. She would have to wiggle it to get it awake. Tears broke the surface at this simple morning routine of Sango's that I had forsaken and looked over. I'd never be able to see it again…. I made a funny croaking noise in the back of my throat that seemed to be stuck there. My head and eyes lifted to look at the spot where the sun would rise in several hours time (hopefully by which time I would be gone). I could see Kikyou's Shinidamachu on the horizon above the trees; they reminded me of the miniature widely colored lizards that you often find in the well house back at home.
I discovered, (quiet unexpectedly, actually) that I loathed Kikyou with all of my heart and soul with a convicting and blind passion that branded itself on the insides of my mind. This feeling did not make any sense; I don't think this way. I took an involuntary step back because this frightened me. Never had I felt such a strong negative emotion of this magnitude for anyone or anything, even Naraku.
'What's wrong with me?' To hate someone so passionately for something that you have no control over is transgression. Does Kikyou hate me like this as well, I thought? Are Kikyou and I identical in the feelings we have for each other (believe you me we have much in common, but what about that)? In my opinion, she only has one thing that I do not have, that really matters: the love of Inuyasha.
'Just forget about it,' I thoughtand I did just thatMy crossed arms tightened and then loosened around my chest. I then began to walk away and toward the forest. My saunter then turned into a jog that, only after a few seconds, evolved in to a panicked sprint.
When I stopped my cheeks were damp with salty tears that I didn't remember shedding and my lungs were trying to take in all the air they could in one short gasping breath; my heart beat was slowing back to normal. I had stopped before a rushing river, which let drink the roots of an old gnarled oak. The twisted and bent branches of the tree that were suspended over the torrent cast shadows on the waters surface that looked reminiscent of hands with sharpened claws that waited patiently to rip and tear. I shivered and turned away from such dark thoughts. The crescent moon was high in the sky, almost directly above my head. It gave much light to the night, but only a hand full of stars was visible to the eye, for it was cloudy and likely to rain.
'Great, genius. The day you choose to split and it'll probably rain. Exactly how much noise did you make during your little drama episode, huh? Their probably looking for you now, you know. Just as well, it should rain. Then Inuyasha wouldn't be able to find your scent. But just in case….' I rubbed my nose and cheeks with the palm of my hands and leaned against the oak tree to take off my shoes. I put my shoes securely in my bag and stepped into the icy river. It was a smallish river, but it was large enough and fast enough to be a river. The water was sure to be cold this late and I did not think I would be able to stay in it for to long without catching a severe cold, or worse, hypothermia, something they surely didn't have a cure for in this era. However, it might give me a little advantage: I won't leave behind any footprints and my scent might be washed away with time and rain.
As I stood in the river, I felt the strong, persistent current tug at my calves. It was a strong that after a few hours who push anyone to the point of exhaustion. But maybe if I keep to one side, I'll be less likely to get washed away. The water came up to just below my knees. My feet didn't sink into the soft, gritty bottom. The water was like ice. I wiggled my toes, sending up a cloud of brown mud, and began my journey home. I kept close to the west side of the creek, and kept my eyes peeled for snakes. I hate snakes.
Of course, after about an hour of walking through the mud and water it started to pour icy sheets of rain. Knowing the weather was bizarre and unpredictable in the Feudal Era I decided to try to wait the shower out and maybe rest. I came to the opposite bank of the river with much difficulty and ducked under the leafy boughs of a tree I didn't know the name of for shelter. The ground was moist but at this point, it was better than dealing with the full force of rain in a creek that was only going to get colder due to the miserable, freezing rain.
I laid my bow and half-full quiver on my left and dropped my pack unceremoniously beside it. I then pressed myself against the miraculously dry bark of my temporary home and begged for the warmth it had to offer. My knees were comfortably nestled under my chin, in the infamous fetal position, with my head resting against my drawn limbs. I huddled as close to them as I could, and still feeling the tree's warmth I wrapped my arms tightly around them and closed my eyes. I felt exhausted and drained to the point of no return.
My head snapped up and my hand leap to my bow as I quickly leaped to my feet (I still had no shoes on). The very last thing I suspected was to sense a jewel shard, but I did. This shard was severely tainted, its holder having a bad disposition. It was possessed by a youkai; I recognized as much from the feel of its aura. The Shikon jewel shard was about ¼ of a mile in the direction of my eyesight, and approaching at a pace that slowly decreased, (I think it smelled me) but was nonetheless fast.
Rain or not if I stay here my believed momentary lead would be defiantly lost and I don't think I have what it take to defeat a youkai of this caliber, and in this abominable weather. However, what I knew was it was fast and big and undoubtly strong if it possessed a jewel shard. At least I had my miko powers, so if worse came to worse…. But if I could run-
However, it was too late for indecision. The youkai had come to a complete stop when it reached the clearing around me. This snake youkai was at the least thirty feet long with a powerful muscled body with scales that shifted hue without the aid of light. The jewel shard was in the topmost lip of the snakes black hood, right above its eyes. At it's disposal were fangs as long as my arm and three times as thick; they dripped green venom that let of a smell not unlike that of decayed flesh.
It wrapped itself around a young birch tree, an odd thing for any snake to do. Its head was reared back, ready to strike, while tendons tensed and loosened under it's rough hide. Worst of all were its eyes. Deep and hypnotic they were; they didn't shift like its' scales did, but stayed black and violent. It regarded me in what I was sure was contempt and amusement.
I subdued my fear and loosed a Hama no Ya. My arrow missed and instead sunk into a nearby tree. The youkai seemed to take this offensively because it uncoiled itself from around the tree and used its' pointed tail to sweep me off the ground. I landed half in and half out of the icy water of the river. Small waves washed up and over my back and then cascaded over my shoulders, thoroughly drenching my uniform.
I had only seconds to feel sorry for myself when pain exploded in my right arm, leaving little bursts of white light imprinted on the insides of my eyes: I had broken my forearm and fractured my upper arm in three places. In addition to my arm, my bow had broken and washed into the creek along with most of the contents of my bag. The freezing temperature of the water kept me from passing out, making most of my body feel blissfully numb. I had no defense, a broken arm and countless nicks and scrapes; add those together and they equal disaster.
I lifted myself awkwardly to my feet. Instantly everything around me blurred. I took two or three wobbly steps and turned to face the youkai. I found my arrow that had gone astray, and tried to hold in my gaze but my head had turned warm and fuzzy, throwing my eyes out of focus. The trees were out of proportion with the rest of the world; they acted as if they were dancing, wanting to perform for wary travelers, a dance that would lure them to their doom.
The stupid snake had coiled itself up once again; this time around the same tree that my arrow had flown into. It's pointed head was raised in the same position of contempt and hate, with feelings of intense entertainment glinting in it's eyes. Yes, it was very entertained: I played the part of dinner very nicely. It regarded me with eyes that told me without words that it was playing with me. That yes, I would probably die and never make it home.
The tree cracked as the youkai squeezed it with his powerful body. The young birch toppled over and made a great cracking noise as it hit the grass, part of it suspended over the water. The babbling brook changed direction to work around the tree, to find a new route around the collapsed banks on either side.
My eyes lost sight of the arrow but then fixed themselves on the place where the jewel shard was located. In a gesture I had practiced many times with Kaede, I closed one eye and positioned my hands on either side of the youkai's massive head (my right arm still hurt terribly). I closed both eyes now, and released my aura into the air, so the youkai could taste it, and know what it was dealing with. Hey, at least I was considerate.
The youkai gracefully uncoiled itself in one movement with a great demonstration of speed and sprang forward just as I released my stored purified energy.
'So much energy! How did I do that?' They collided in a spectacular display that sent me to my knees. A kaleidoscope of colors lit up the air as pain exploded in my arm and my head; the youkai let forth a scream laced with anguish and extreme pain as it was purified in an array of many colors. Miko power (that was harmless to those that viewed it) was viewed and felt for a great distance in all directions. I had misjudged the dose of energy it would take to purify him, an act that could prove fatal. I didn't have a chance of surviving the rainy night unconscious.
Arms clothed in rain soaked material caught me as I slipped into unconsciousness. I remember hearing an excited and scared voice before everything became dark.
"She has been cursed, according to our previous arrangements?"
"Yes, everything is in order."
"Good. I require the stone, now that the first step of my plan is underway."
A dull brown drawstring handbag was exchanged between persons. "I've done my part, now fulfill yours."
"I think that you shall get what is coming to you; besides, we're not quiet finished. But now I need you here should any problems show themselves. I think that you may find yourself in such a position that you wouldn't what to leave….." A brown leather bag as equally dull as the first was unceremoniously thrown to the ground at the feet of one of the dark strangers. The audible clinking of gold was heard; it was quickly snatched up.
"You believe you can buy me with gold?"
"I think I have. Now, demonstrate, for me, the proper use of this stone."
What do you think? I know it's kind of boring, but it'll take me a little while to have it running smoothly. I do have a plot typed out, so I sort of know where I'm going with this. Remember, it's my first fic! If it really sucks, tell me. Or if it only kinda sucks, tell me that too. I think I can take flames…. But if you think it's any good I'd appreciate it if you'd review. Thank you oodles! SqueeBeepers
P.S. Also, I'm trying to get the names of everything straitened out and spelled correctly, so just bare with me.