CHAPTER THREE

"Perhaps it was a blade made so powerful that it killed whoever used it." Miroku ventured.

"If that was the case, it would still be in its shrine." Sango answered. She was in full battle array once again, having barely finished cleaning her clothes from the day before. Her giant boomerang was across her back and Kirara was at her side. Miroku was also nearby, wielding his staff and ready for action. She had left earlier that day, before Kagome had awakened and Inuyasha had crawled back in to town. She was a bit surprised that he hadn't shown up immediately, telling her to wake up and take him to the next Shikkon shard. In the meantime, however, she had felt perhaps it would be better to try and check up on that village ruin and see if there were any clues as to what Saphsaiga was. Riding Kirara it wouldn't take long to get there, but she decided to hold a bit longer first and walk a bit out of town a ways.

"Perhaps the whole thing was a joke." Miroku also suggested. "Perhaps there was nothing to the blade, or it was something besides Saphsaiga."

"Whatever the case, it would still be good to check it out." Sango answered. "Kaede is right. I thought I had noticed that Kirara was acting a bit strangely lately. She must sense the change as well in the forest."

"Think it's ok to leave without getting Kagome and Inuyasha to come along?" Miroku asked.

"Well, hopefully this won't take too long." She replied. "Besides…I don't think that Kagome's too willing to run around with Inuyasha anytime soon."

Miroku frowned. "Yeah…I guess I couldn't blame her."

"Let's just hurry up." Sango went on. "We're almost in the clear, then we'll ride Kirara the rest of the way."

"Not so fast. I have a message for you three to deliver."

Sango halted immediately, stunned at the sudden noise. She drew out her sword with one hand and her boomerang with the other, while Miroku crossed his staff before him. Kirara saw the danger, and immediately snarled and hissed, brandishing a set of her claws and threatening to kill. Most of all, they were startled by the sudden noise. They hadn't heard anyone until now, and suddenly someone was before them. And usually, that someone was a demon.

Now, the three focused ahead. A bit in front of them, standing between two great trees, a young man stood. They studied him, and saw that he wore the same clothing as the miko. Only he had a sword at his side…one that immediately attracted Sango. She focused in on it and tried to get a better look at it, while Miroku looked at him inquisitively.

"…You're…a miko?" He inquired, looking at him. An idea sprang to mind. "…You're from the deep forest, aren't you? Did you survive the attack?"

The boy ignored him, and looked over the ground. He snorted a bit. "Another stinking Youkai…" He spoke, his face turning dark. He looked to Sango next. "And another stupid human trying to make it her friend."

Miroku looked a bit stunned at that. "Are you talking about Kirara? Don't worry about her. She's more faithful than some people I've seen."

"Miroku…don't talk to him as if he was a friend."

Miroku turned to Sango at that, who had not dropped out of ready position and now glared at the new arrival as if he was a new target. "Look at his side. He has a strange sword with him. They said only a human could wield the Saphsaiga."

Miroku looked, and saw for the first time that the sword was indeed out of place. He then looked back up to the youth. "You're right, Sango."

"Who are you, and why do you have that?" The huntress challenged. "What do you know about the destruction of the miko in the deep forest?"

The boy merely smiled. He didn't bother answering Sango's question, but spoke plaintatively. "Tell Lord Inuyasha to meet me at midday today on the training grounds in the abandoned village west of here. That is all I need you for."

Miroku put himself back in ready position. Kirara continued to hiss and spit at the arrival, and Sango did not move. "You didn't answer my question." She stated.

The boy raised an eyebrow, looking surprised. His smile vanished. "You're wanting to fight me? All I want you to do is to deliver a message. You don't interest me. I don't want to kill humans if I can avoid it. I don't even want your Youkai."

"That's the Saphsaiga, isn't it?" Miroku went on. "Who are you? Are you a demon? Or are you one of Naraku's cronies?"

The youth began to lower a hand to his side, reaching for the hilt of his sword. His gaze narrowed. "I will ask you only one last time. Give Inuyasha my message."

"We're telling him nothing." Sango answered. "You're coming with us."

This only made the boy smile again. A change seemed to come over him now that a fight was inevitable. And on realizing that…a new attitude came over him…and a look of evil went into his eyes.

"Have it your way."

Sango knew an attack when she saw it. Before the boy could do anything, she swung her giant boomerang right at him. The huge weapon cut in a deadly arc, slicing tree trunks in half and creating chaos as it sailed straight for the youth. But the boy merely smiled. Right before the weapon hit him, he abruptly vanished. For a moment, the huntress was stunned. But then she realized he hadn't disappeared, he had leapt into the sky. She looked up, and was just in time to see him diving straight at the two of them like a shot. He wasn't holding his blade anymore, but instead bearing straight down on them. Before either of them could react, one fist from either hand smashed into their faces, with so much raw power that both of them were sent flying back by the impact. Horrible pain radiated throughout Sango's head as she went backward.

What the… No human can hit that hard!

Sango struggled to correct herself and recover, as did Miroku. In the meantime, Kirara shot forward and swung a claw at the youth. But he nimbly leapt over her head, did a somersault, and landed behind her. The Youkai turned to intercept him, but before it could the boy swung around and smashed a roundhouse kick against the beast's head. Despite Kirara's size and power, the flaming cat was sent flying back as well, crashing into trees and debris and getting Sango's own chaos to fall on her. Meanwhile, the boy drew himself up and drew his weapon.

Miroku recovered at this point, and swung his staff at the youth. But he easily blocked the blow, without shifting in the least. The monk furiously swung a few more additional strikes at him, but the youth easily countered each one without even shifting weight. Meanwhile, Sango's boomerang returned, and the huntress caught it before diving in toward the boy from behind with her sword. But just as she got in range, the boy, never stopping smiling or looking away from Miroku, swung a foot backward and up to catch her under the chin. She felt her teeth loosen and her jaw nearly crack from the impact, before flying back.

The boy played with Miroku a bit longer, before darting forward and pounding his elbow into his face. The impact was so strong that the monk flew back and smashed into a tree, causing a crunching sound before falling to the ground. The youth confidently approached him now, moving slow. The monk shook his head, then rose to his feet again. He swung his staff again at the boy's head as he approached him, but the boy simply ducked underneath it, then returned with a chop to Miroku's neck. While the monk still gasped in pain, he seized him by the dogi and smashed his forehead into his face, then let the dazzled fighter fall to the ground.

Sango had recovered in this time and moved to attack again, but at this point the boy abruptly leapt up, twisted around in mid-air, and extended his own blade to intercept Sango's as she swung it at him. He also turned his feet around in the air, and delivered a double kick so hard to the side of Sango's head that blood came from her ear. Stunned and nearly senseless, the warrior could only waver on her feet as the boy replaced his sword and marched up to her. He seized her roughly by her ponytail, then proceeded to pound her in the stomach so hard that she heard two ribs crack. He then delivered an iron palm to her face to send her flying out of his grip and into a tree herself, but not before breaking her nose in the process. He watched her as she slumped to the ground and settled.

The boy then turned to focus his attention on Miroku, but as he did a monstrous roar bellowed through the sky. He turned and looked, but was already too late. Kirara had recovered, now doubly enraged that her master was being violently assaulted. Her flaming talons were out, and before the boy could react, his head was nimbly severed from his body, and went flying through the air away from the injured warriors on the ground. Not satisfied, Kirara kicked the headless body to the ground with her rear paws and pinned her there, before snarling and watching the head fly off into the forest and vanish.

There was a moment of silence after that. Kirara's rage subsided, and she turned to her fallen master and began to whimper. However, Sango was a hardy warrior. Even given that beating, she was able to slowly waver back up to her feet. Once there, she was dizzy and dripping blood everywhere, and breathing hurt. But she managed to stagger over to Kirara, and somehow reach out a reassuring hand to pat her on the head. Miroku, one of his eyes already swollen nearly shut, managed to waver to his feet as well. He too wobbled over to Sango and Kirara, and the three of them panted for breath, their minds still racing after that violent encounter. They had never expected such speed and ferocity.

"What…in the world…was that?" Sango panted.

Miroku gasped as well. "I think it was whoever took the sword…" He exhaled. "It gave him…terrible power. And he was on of their tribe… Perhaps Naraku isn't to blame. Perhaps this one became a thief…did it himself."

"At least he's dead…" Sango offered.

"Oh please. You think a small thing like being decapitated by that rat would kill me?"

The two warriors felt their blood run cold. Their faces gasped in shock. There was no mistaking what they saw. They had seen the warrior's head severed from his body. But now, they saw something impossible. The leaves were calmly parted by calm hands, and again, out of the forest, came none other than the youth. His head was firmly on a set of shoulders, his body was untouched, and he was dressed the same and bearing Saphsaiga at his side once again.

The two couldn't believe it. Kirara snarled anew. "How…?" Sango exhaled in shock.

"You're not a human at all." Miroku spoke up. "You're a demon, a regenerator like Naraku."

"Naraku, Naraku, Naraku…" The boy mocked with his same smile. "Is that the limit of your vision?" However…at that moment his attitude seemed to change. His smile vanished, and he grew more defensive and insisting, like a youth trying to prove himself. "I am far more than Naraku or any other demon. Anyway, now that I've got your attention, I trust you'll give Lord Inuyasha my message. There's no need for me to kill you both." At that moment, however, his second personality seemed to fade, and his eyes flashed evil again as he smiled wickedly. "But as a bit of punishment for that little incident…and to make sure you do as I say…"

Abruptly, Sango heard Kirara give a bloodcurdling gasp. The monster roared in agony a moment and went rigid, before the sound seemed to be drowned in her throat. Miroku and Sango quickly looked over to her, and saw that she had indeed gone stiff. But what truly filled Sango with horror was seeing the end of a blade protruding from the Youkai's back. She looked down to see the cause…only to see that suddenly the boy, still smiling and wicked, was now beneath her, and had stabbed upward through her chest. The huntress risked a look up, out toward where he had been before…and sure enough he was already gone. It was impossible that he had moved that fast…and yet she cared little for that at the moment. She turned all her attention to her Youkai.

"Kirara!" She yelled.

The monster stiffened a bit more, before going totally limp. Her body, now lifeless, fell down on top of the youth, who nimbly kicked upward when she did so. Her body was then thrown off of the sword, and flew away a few feet before landing on the ground. It instantly went limp, and moved no more. Miroku stared in shock at what had happened. Sango's eyes welled with tears as the breath caught in her own throat. Her chest began to tighten and her heart turned to ice. In another moment, she would have either burst out crying, or would have savagely tried to kill the boy. But as she was frozen in utter horror, the boy calmly rose to his feet and stood between the two remaining warriors.

"And here's your parting gifts."

Abruptly, two iron palms shot out and smashed both of them in the throat. The two immediately collapsed to the ground, and began to both cough up blood at once. As they writhed in agony, the boy calmly pulled a hair from his face, replaced his sword in his sheath, and then turned and began to walk away without any other cares.

"Tell Inuyasha to come to me alone, or you both can join that stupid rat in hell."

"Well, can you get her up already? I want that shard!"

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha." Kaede answered, in a voice that sounded like she wasn't the least bit sorry. She stood in the doorway to her house, preventing any from entering within. It was getting late in the morning now, but she refused to budge to let him in to see Kagome until the girl was good and ready, after last night's incident. "She's still asleep and I'm not waking her up after what happened last night."

The dog demon growled. "She's not still throwing a fit because of that, is she? I get scratches like that all the time."

"Perhaps she'll be willing to see you if you're willing to apologize."

"Apologize! Apologize for what! Getting her off of me the only way I could?"

"I'm not arguing with you." Kaede simply answered, and then turned and reentered the room.

"Hey, wait a second!" Inuyasha protested, but Kaede was already gone. Furious, the dog demon plopped down in the yard and growled, crossing his arms grumpily. Perhaps he had gone a bit overboard last night… But he would die before he apologized to her. He hadn't wanted a bath! Ok, so it was an accident…but it wasn't anything big! She should have laid off! If she had just left him alone this wouldn't have been a problem. She…

Inuyasha suddenly perked up his head. He sniffed the air, detecting something. It was the all-too-familiar scent of human blood. And from the way the wind was blowing, it seemed to be coming right for his location. For the moment, Inuyasha forgot about Kagome and apologies and rose to his feet. He then quickly ran over to the location where he smelled it coming from, down the road toward the woods where Miroku and Sango had gone earlier. It was more toward behind Kaede's house, so it took little time to run around it and toward the woods. He soon cleared it and looked toward the forest.

Immediately, the dog demon stiffened in surprise.

There were Miroku and Sango…wandering out of the woods. But they were a mess. Blood was dripping from their faces, particularly their noses and mouths. Both of them looked like they had bones that were broken, and moved stiffly as if this was so. Half of Miroku's face was swollen and puffy, looking deformed. Yet somehow he was dragging Sango onward, supporting her as best he could. As for Sango, she was even a bigger mess, her own face swollen and bloody, but tears mingling with her blood as they rushed from her face. The young monster stiffened a moment, but if he was going to say anything he never had the chance.

"Sango! Miroku!"

Inuyasha turned his head to the house, and as he did out came running Kagome…fully dressed and looking bright and awake. He nearly scowled. Still asleep, huh? At any rate, Shippo and Kaede soon ran out as well, toward the others. Inuyasha crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, and then he sighed and began to run after them as well. It didn't look like Sango and Miroku could make it to the house by themselves anyway. Soon, they all reached the warriors, and began to look after them.

"Oh Sango…you look horrible! What happened?"

"Both of you need to come inside at once."

"Hey. Where's Kirara?" Shippo ventured.

This seemed to only make Sango cry even harder, but it also made her angry. Through flowing tears and blood she managed to speak. "Dead." She darkly spat. "She's dead."

The others froze at this, and even Inuyasha, standing at a distance, perked his ears up. "Dead?" Kagome echoed in fear. "That can't be…"

"It is, I'm afraid." Miroku spoke through a bloody, swollen, misshapen lip. "That monster that took Saphsaiga did it."

Kagome quickly helped Miroku with Sango, while Shippo tried to move himself under one of Miroku's free arms for support, only to nearly get crushed as the monk pressed down on his tiny body. They began to move them closer to the house.

"Who was it?" Inuyasha asked. "Another one of Naraku's little friends?"

"No…" Miroku answered. "It was one of the people from the deep forest. It was a miko. It was a human…but the strongest one I've ever seen. Saphsaiga's made him ridiculously powerful and impossibly fast. We couldn't track him. In an instant, he had killed Kirara."

"Oh no…" Kagome gasped. "This is terrible…"

Miroku turned his head up weakly and gazed at Inuyasha. "That wasn't all. He would have killed us too, but he wanted us alive to give you a message, Inuyasha. He wanted to meet you at midday today at the training grounds in the abandoned town west of here."

Inuyasha didn't answer that right away. He glared back at Miroku for a moment on hearing that, mueling this latest bit over. In the end, however, he turned his head to the sky and looked at it. He snorted a bit. "Well…it's getting pretty close to that time right about now. I guess I better get over there then." With that, and without another word, he turned and he prepared to leave.

"Wait, Inuyasha!" Miroku turned and called immediately. "Don't do it. He's incredibly powerful. We should all try to get him together."

Inuyasha merely snorted. "Maybe for some weakling human like you, but not for me."

Kagome likewise looked to him with concern. "Inuyasha…"

The dog demon turned and snapped at her. "Don't act like you care about me! You've been being a pain all morning and now you act like you give a care whether I live or die?"

Any concern Kagome had for Inuyasha evaporated in a moment of anger. She glared at him angrily. "Fine! Go get yourself killed for all I care! Then I won't have to deal with you whining about wanting Shikkon shards anymore!"

"Fine!" Inuyasha snapped back. "Just see if you can be useful enough to keep an eye on the ones we have, alright?" Then, without another word, the dog demon turned and began to leap away toward the forest, using his traditional twenty-foot jumps.

Kagome scowled and turned back to the house ahead. Why was he angry? This was his fault! He was such a pain…

But at the same time, Kagome did feel inside her more true feelings not altered by rage…a wish that Inuyasha would be safe in whatever danger he was going in to…and a worry about what it was…