- Ice Is Not Unbreakable - Chapter 2
Kikyo continued her voyage deeper into the heart of Mt. Hakurei in search of a proper place to relinquish the bandit's lock of hair. She felt bad for leaving her companions behind in such a deceiving way.
"How did I ever end up among such company?" she pondered. "I remember a time when I used to crave my solitude above all…" she said aggravated, "… and yet, I find myself now missing them." She finished halfheartedly, while in her mind 'them' became replaced with 'him'. This caused her eyes to flinch annoyed. She paused for a moment before going on. "How the threads of fate have tangled." She thought with bitter amusement. The image of Sesshomaru and his stern face assailed her mind.
"He's going to be furious when he finds me gone." She voiced, it seemed, almost hopeful. "What am I thinking; perhaps he must be relieved to be rid of me, even if it is for a moment." Her eyes became dull and serious. "Foolish girl, he was the one that asked for your alliance. He is the one that needs you, not the other way around." She argued with herself. But still she could not push aside the emptiness that crept into the core of her being. Denial cannot comfort you if you are unwilling to believe the lies. She was well aware of Sesshomaru's intents, but it did not matter to her. As long as the goal was to destroy Naraku, she didn't care about the means. "Let them use me, let me become the weapon of his undoing!" She had once said. Being Sesshomaru her choice, had caused her both feelings of confidence and melancholy. She continued her stroll with eyes closed, as if being guided by some sixth sense.
"I like being around him…" she finally confessed,"…just like it used to be so long ago…"
But her musing came to an end as she opened her eyes. Before her, the path she had followed opened into a nice clearing, with Hakurai's towering zenith in the horizon.
"This will do." She stated as she glanced from side to side inspecting the foreign land.
Just as she was reaching into her ample sleeve, a feeling of foreboding dread sliced right through her and left her soul frozen. Her surroundings had always been veiled in a crimson darkness that was far from inviting, but in that very moment the aura of the place became overwhelmingly evil. She knew it could only mean one thing.
"Naraku" she whispered disgusted, as if the very utterance of his name defiled her mouth.
The ground beneath her trembled violently and the mountain top glowed in a strange purple light. The pinnacle finally gave way to a barrier sphere that blasted its way out. The sphere was surrounded by a tornado of purple miasma, and just like a spinning top, it made its way down the mountain's side. Kikyo remained unimpressed by such display. She stood her ground and observed the approaching barrier with an intense glare. Waves of energy caused the ground around her to become jagged and precipices to open, as if the very earth could not withstand it and surrendered to the powerful presence. Still she remained unfazed. Everything was swept away by the force of the winds but the miko that stood defiant in its wake. Her sleek hair swayed enticingly in the wind as if to tease it to try harder.
Suddenly the powerful tornado stopped in its tracks and quickly died away to reveal the barrier within. The handsome form of a man could now be seen. Not a man, but the half demon Naraku. His new body was as regal as it was gruesome. Beautiful fabrics draped the body of the well proportion 'man', and they in turn were encased in monstrous tentacles and armor. In his chest a single and huge red eye was emblazoned; by its ghastly movements, it seemed to be curious about its surroundings.
"Naraku" She greeted him, no respect intended.
"Kikyo, it has been so long…" Replied the demon in turn, with a voice oozing with disrespect and confidence. Three red eyes now bored into her being, shining with a lust that was not inspired by a desire to passionately embrace her. They longed for something else, something she wouldn't give willingly. This disgusted her to no end, but she made sure not to show it.
"Tell me Naraku, what have you done?" Mistrust draping her gaze and tone.
"I got a new body, is it not obvious?" He mocked her.
"That is not the meaning of my words. You placed this barrier over Mt. Hakurei and after it was destroyed, Kagura left carrying something of yours away with her..." She swiftly aimed one of her purifying arrows towards the hanyou prince and addressed him again with menacing authority.
"Tell me what your true intent is for all this!"
Silence her only relpy; he merely stood there savoring her anger and enjoying the knowledge that she was completely in the dark about his motives. She released the arrow and it graced his face by only inches away. It had been meant as a warning. Instantly, a second arrow took its place on the bow, this one aimed accurately to his heart, or more precisely, his giant demon eye.
"I will not ask again" she warned.
"And you came all this way simply to ask this?" His tone fake with hurt, as he spared Kikyo a triumphant smiled.
"Indeed." She replied indignant.
"Ku ku ku ku, stupid wench. If you are here it is because I manipulated you into coming. Your meeting with Rasetsu was not by chance."
Her mask of confidence seemed to crack, as her shocked eyes betrayed her. Realization was slowly sinking in, as she little by little placed the pieces together in her mind. It was now starting to make horrific sense.
"I used him to get to you. You did not come… I called you here. All your talk about fate's workings and the threads of destiny… those believes are simply the foolish hopes of the weak! Fate only obeys those with the power to craft it into their will."
"The only fool here, Naraku, is you!" she spitted the words, angrier with herself for not being able to foresee his deceit in time. She had walked right into his trap.
"Oh yes… you came to ask me something. Tell me Kikyo, do you really want to know my true intent?" Before she had a chance to retort, the spike in his arm grew twice its length, and from it came forth a purple lightning that sliced through her bow and right shoulder, seriously injuring her. She fell to the ground; her white hakui slashed and stained in her blood, her bow splintered and destroyed beyond repair.
"Kisama." She painfully whispered as she failed to keep herself together.
"You were too careless Kikyo. You relied too much on the fact that, because of Onigumo's heart, I could not kill you… That because of the 'love' he professed for you, I could not touch you…" a malicious grin spread over his face,"...and yet, I was now able to hurt you?" Fear was now more than apparent in the miko's semblance and he could read her like an open book, but he was waiting…
"This means Onigumo's heart is no more…" She voiced only in her mind, the final piece falling into place, "…that is what Kagura took! She took the replicate that carried Onigumo's heart!" Her eyes betrayed her once more; he knew the time had come.
"Kikyo…your fate is now sealed by my hand." His right hand grew into monstrous proportions. Like a giant skeletal hand that wished to drag her back to hell. Her eyes glazed over; injured and without a weapon, she knew there was no escape for her.
"Die!" The grotesque hand extended into three frightening tentacles that slashed the air with brutal speed as they made their way straight towards the fallen miko's body.
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Not so far away, Inuyasha was trying to save the life of a very ungrateful wolf demon as well as his own. He was trapped Inside of Mt. Hakurei as it collapsed. Giant boulders threaten to smash into him, while an unconscious baggage helped only to slow down his escape.
"The exit… I can smell the fresh air, its close." He gave himself hope.
He was not one to give up. As he jumped from rock to rock and got higher up, he finally could discern where the exit was, thanks to the bright light of the outside world. The relieve he felt did not last, for a disturbing vision emerged before him. Kikyo's beautiful visage beckoned him ominously. As quickly as it came, it disappeared.
"Kikyo…" he whispered confused, "Why am I seeing you now?"
He couldn't wait to get out now. As he emerged from the failing ruins of the mountain, again the vision assaulted him. Kikyo was standing before him on the edge of a cliff with a defeated look in her eyes. Only once had he seen her like this… the day they died together. But the vision changed this time, instead of fading into nothing, it transformed into the form of Kagome, draped with his fire rat robe. She could see the startled look in his eyes from a mile away, as if he did not see her, but a ghost.
"Inuyasha!" she screamed with anguished happiness. Even if doubts had assailed her, she knew he would make it. He would never leave her like this. With a thud, the body of Koga made contact with the ground. She would have reproached him for such disregard, but he did not seem alright to her. His disposition was less than welcoming. His stare remained puzzled as it went from her to the portentous horizon where he felt a strange and powerful presence.
"Inuyasha…" she now questioned him, trying to snap him back to reality. "What's wrong?" He gave her a sad look that only served to fuel her rising anxiety. How could he explain it to her, the visions, the way he felt, without hurting her. Somewhere, out there, Kikyo needed him and he had to go to her.
"Stay here." He simply said, not wanting to further explain his motives, and dashed away leaving a very hurt and confused Kagome behind to tend for the injured wolf yokai on her own.
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To be continued