Chapter 13

Kohaku returned to Naraku with the new information.

"The boy has failed then." It was a statement, not a question.

Kohaku merely nodded.

"It does not matter," Naraku said. "He was of little use to me. It's the Heartless I still want."

"He did give us that one piece of information," Kagura reminded Naraku.

"Perhaps it is time to go there then," Naraku said and left with his minions.

-

In the small village, life continued as normal. The sun rose as it always did, and the villagers went about their daily chores as they always did. The women went to the fields to harvest the food and washed the clothes of the other villagers, while the men went out and hunted. Of course there were also those looking out for demons.

It was on this day however when something strange happened. Someone new was approaching the village. She was silent as she walked into the village, dressed in her ceremonial white and red kimono. Her bow and quiver of arrows rested on her back. As she walked into the village she was approached by the village elder.

"Greetings, young women," the elder said. "I have not seen your face here before. Where do you come from?"
The woman took a moment before responding. "Greetings, esteemed elder. I come from a small village far away from here. I have only come to see if you are in need of any assistance in your village."

"Oh how nice of you, if only all the other visitors where like you," The elder said. "We need no help but thank you for asking. But what is your name?"
"My name is Kikyo." She answered.

"Kikyo, it looks like you have traveled very far to get here," The elder said. "Why don't you come rest for a bit?"

"Thank you, elder." Kikyo said.

"Demons!" a villager shouted. A bell started to ring in the village, warning everyone of a demon attack.

"Quickly, Miss Kikyo, we must go." The elder said but Kikyo had not moved.

Demons? She thought. I have not sensed anything.

"Miss Kikyo!" The elder said urgently.

"You go," kikyo said as she pulled out her bow and arrows. "I will deal with the demons."

"But how can you?" The elder asked.

"Just go." She said calmly and the elder nodded his head and left.

Now, where are the demons? Kikyo thought as she pulled back a bow. A small girl came running around the corner, crying. Behind her a strange, black hunched over creature followed her. It slashed the girl, who fell onto the ground. Or she would have, but she disappeared.

What is this? Kikyo thought and hesitated. A group of men, holding make shift weapons, then approached the "demon".

"There's one of them." One said. No one saw Kikyo standing nearby. "Where are the others?"

More of the black creatures appeared, out of thin air. They surrounded the group of men.

"They trapped us," One said. "Attack them!" They ran at the creatures, each attacking with their weapons. But their attacks did nothing; no matter how many times the creatures were hit they did not die. The creatures then jumped at the men and one by one they disappeared until they were all gone. The creatures just stood still as Kikyo aimed and fired.

The arrow, imbued with magical energy, shot forth and threw one of the black creatures, decapitating it. The creature quivered and twitched a little but, much to Kikyo's surprise, reformed itself.

How can this be? She thought. What kind of demons are these?

She fired again and again, each time hitting the monsters but each time they regenerated. Finally they seemed to notice someone new was attacking them and turned their attention toward Kikyo. The closed in on her and as one attacked her.

But unlike the others that were struck, she did not disappear.

The creatures, in fact, even seemed to back away from her, as if they were afraid.

"What is going on?" She asked out loud, knowing she wasn't going to get a response. The creatures then all suddenly disappeared, in a swirl of darkness. Kikyo looked around but saw no one. She called to her soul collectors, her long, gray snake like demons. She had them look around for any of the villagers and they spread out, but could find none, and reported back to Kikyo.

"They're all gone." She said. A wind blew through the empty village. Once again, the reborn priestess was alone. She walked on.