Hey everyone. thanks to you all who have read this far. I really appreciate. O , just a quick notice, my story pretty much takes place after the defeat of the Band of Seven but not before Naraku hides his human heart in the baby, just to avoid confusion. Thanks a bunch.
Chapter 7: The Valley of Ashes
Arriving upon a winged feather to the darkened castle, a lone she-demon gracefully landed. The feather itself popped back to a smaller size, which she preceded to place within her hair. Her eyes were that of a longing blood red but it wasn't blood she had so longingly sought. Opening and closing her plainly styled fan, the wind sorceress began to walk towards the one place and man she loathed above all else. Kagura had been thinking about the newly found information she had just discovered. She was not sure of how Naraku would take it but that didn't matter.
I hope Naraku gets mad, he deserves it. What will happen now though? Inuyasha was probably my only way of getting out of this hell hole and finally having my freedom.
The wind began to stir, picking up the decaying leaves that had recently begun to fall off the trees. Winter would arrive in about two months bringing a bitter cold and a sense of death to the land.
Isn't it ironic? The wind is free while its master is chained.
With these thoughts in mind, Kagura ascended the steps into her master's castle with the sun already starting to appear in the horizon. She walked slowly through halls towards the room containing the polluted shards of the jewel. This is where Naraku always seemed to be, sitting while contemplating his next move. Kagura entered into the room, seeing once again she was right. Naraku sat with his eyes closed by one of the side walls. His head was bent over, allowing his bangs to cover his eyes. The jewel lay on a small stand in front of him.
Without even opening his eyes he spook, "Kagura what have you found?"
"Inuyasha and Kagome are still alive"
At this statement his eyes opened. He did not respond quickly, seemingly thinking about what was needed to be done.
"Where are they?"
"Inuyasha is residing in a village a distance from here although he is in no fighting condition, being put under Heart's Slumber for the past four months. Kikyo's reincarnation is possibly alive but I could not determine that for sure."
"Hmm, it does not matter at this point if they are alive or not because I am virtually invincible. Soon I will take over these lands and the continent once I have the completed jewel. Where are the shards from Inuyasha's group?"
"Dunno, probably with the miko."
A flashback from about four months ago sneaked into his mind. He had been so overwhelmed with the suffering of the miko and Inuyasha that he had forgotten to take the shards.
Damn
It was a one weakness that some demons contained, a thirst for blood, suffering, and power. All demons and even humans at one point or another had craved for one of those things. In order to survive in a competitive world, wasn't it the most powerful who had the easier life? Naturally everyone seeks power in order to fulfill a happy and satisfying life. Some have to suffer for another to obtain a higher position in power whether it is socially, physically, or even mentally. Fighting is the main way to obtain the things you want, so either you or the person you are combating must suffer. With all the suffering some grow to love it especially the blood. It is an instinct after all. Carnivores crave meat with which sometimes comes the craving for blood. It is not something they choose to crave. He quenched power and suffering and there would be nothing that would stop him from getting it. In the new world soon to come everyone would suffer; families torn apart, homes destroyed, and lovers simply annihilated. Was a world of bloodshed and death how he really wanted it or just those who have harmed him to suffer? His demon half criedyes whilehis tainted human heartwanted nothing more than forInuyasha to die and Kikyo to be his. Omigumo's heart desired the touch of her skin, to breathe in hair, and take her as his. Love was not what his heart held; it contained more lust than anything. It was his human heart's deire of Inuyasha's death that had made him forget the shards. These yearnings put the now half-demon into some predicaments. His human desires were getting in the way of what his demon side craved.
For a moment there was silence, a silence that Kagura soon began to dread. The air itself became stiff, and she soon found out she had a hard time breathing. Naraku was down right pissed and Kagura was a way he could let out his anger.
"Kagura, remember who it is you belong to, you do not serve yourself but me. You half completed your task but no matter soon you will no longer be of use to me once I have His pets."
Suddenly air returned to her lungs. She took it in willingly and hungrily.
His? …Whose does he mean?
"Kanna come here", shouted Naraku so his voice could be heard through out the whole castle.
Kanna entered a few minutes later carrying her precious mirror. It was probably the only thing the child valued in her life.
"Yes Master Naraku?" she responded in a dull, lifeless voice.
"Kanna we shall be going on a little journey and Kagura you are to stay here. Understood?"
The still gasping Kagura nodded her head. Of course she was not going to listen, that was the last thing she would do.
"Come Kanna, we leave now."
Naraku followed by Kanna at his heels left the castle into its courtyard.
"Come demons, it is time to show worth to your master", echoed Naraku's voice through out the surrounding forest. As quickly as they were called upon they came. Hundreds of them, of all-different sizes and backgrounds that all had one thing in common, they could fly. The low demons landed before their master and Naraku got on top of them followed by Kanna. They made a flying raft in which they would take their master anywhere. Off they went into the dawning sky towards the south. Kagura listened as the last of them could be heard flapping in the distance. She had finally regained her composure but there was more hate in her eyes than ever.
What the hell is he up to now?
Quietly Kagura left the room and decided to look around the castle for any indication of what her master was planning on doing now. Room after room she looked but nothing could be found.
Perhaps the library?
It was true; Naraku contained alibrary of sorts filled with countless scrolls but it he rarely seemed to use it. Upon entering she saw the scrolls all neatly arranged on the shelves that circled the whole room. The room itself was huge and contained shelves neatly lined up in the center of the room as well. Nothing seemed out of order to her and she was not about to look through all of them.
I am just too damn tired. Maybe some other time.
Before she was about to leave she noticed a scroll sticking out a little farther then the others on the bottom of one of the shelves on the right wall.
"What have we here?"
Bending down and casually pulling the scroll from its resting place she began to unroll it.
"Now what the hell does this say? Most of it is faded. Hmm."
..A child was born with unnatural powers…Some accused her of being a demon while others believed she was a gift from the gods…powers of extraordinary comprehension. She could cure the sick, purify demons, and shoot sacred arrows, making her the first ever miko….At age 19 she suddenly stopped aging and stayed that way for hundreds of years…Black slightly curled hair, lilac eyes…Wore clothing of…Demons became jealous of her power...sought to have it…powerful demon given gifts from the dark lord...his five pets…one appeared to be like a serpent creature it had...another made of pure ashes…nonr could be killed… the priestess sealed each one into a prison one by one…located north, south, east, west, and center Japan…their powerful demon master sought revenge...pets could be summoned by particular acts…those who summon them become their new masters…she was to come once again…
For three days and three nights Naraku traveled on the backs of the flying demons, neither stopping nor slowing down on the way. Kanna constantly kept an eye on the ground below. Villages, forests, farms, rivers, and mountains continued to pass below as the demon child's lifeless black eyes took in every little aspect seen. It did not surprise the child when in the mountains below suddenly appeared a valley covered in ashes.
"Down!" commanded the half-demon.
The demons circled the valley twice before hesitantly landing below. It contained a fierce evil aura that sent the demons fleeing away as soon as they dropped their riders off.
"Simply useless," commented Naraku as he proceeded to walk.
Kanna followed close behind, their feet picking up the ashes as they went along. The valley was a desolate wasteland. No life could be found, there only was a thick gray blanket. It was night on the third night. The half moon provided the only light but they did not need it for what they were searching for.
"Master Naraku, the ground is hot", informed Kanna.
"Good, not too much longer now."
At this point Kanna's bare feet began to burn to a great extent. The child neither complained nor winced at the excruciating pain, she just continued on. Naraku stopped and placed his hand on the ground. He smirked at the extreme heat and stood back up.
"Kanna place your mirror on the ground."
Doing what she was told, Kanna placed the mirror on the ground. The mirror revealed what was under the ground, a raging fires but it was not hell. Soon the eyes of a demon peered through the mirror seeking a way to escape.
"A mirror is needed to see the beasts within. The blood of innocence is needed to unlock the first beast. What is more innocent then a child's blood?"
Quickly uncovering a dagger, Naraku roughly grasped the girl's arm. Cutting her wrist he held it over the mirror letting the blood slowly drip onto it until it was completely covered. With his other arm he took out a rag and wrapped the girl's wrist.
"Kanna do not let any of your blood drip onto the ground. If too much blood is spilled freely, I shall have no control over him."
Naraku let her arm drop to her side; she still gazed at him with lifeless black eyes unaffected by her wounds. Now the half-demon proceeded to pick up the mirror carefully.
"A pet of His eternal darkness, is now a pet of mine", echoed Naraku as he spilt the blood from the mirror.
The blood instantly began to boil as it hit the ground. Soon the earth rumbled and crumpled all around. The earth where the child-demon and her master stood remained intact while fire from below consumed the rest. Smoke bellowed to the heavens as a creature could be seen making its way up from the fires. Blood red eyes peered from the smoke and glared at the two below.
A young monk woke abruptly from a terrifying dream. He gazed around the campsite to see his party still asleep. Dawn was quickly approaching but he was too restless from his recent dream to go back to sleep. He wiped the sweat from his brow and decided to get up.
"Miroku what's wrong?" asked Sango sleepily. She was sitting up in her sleeping bag with a very concerned look in her eyes.
"Sango, I am so sorry I woke you. I just had a weird dream but it seemed so real."
"Well what was it about?"
"Naraku and he unleashed some sort of demon that had been trapped underground."
"So I was right," said a voice from behind them.
They both turned and were shocked to see Kagura.
"Kirara, Shippo get up now," ordered Miroku.
Kirara got up instantly transforming into her larger self while knocking over a still sleeping kitsune.
"Calm down, I am not here to fight, just to give you information."
"Why would you do that?" asked Sango fiercely.
Shippo at this point had gotten up and was now standing behind Kirara.
"Don't ask questions, just know this. Naraku talks of raising an army of five ancient demons of some sort. They are incredibly powerful because he believes that they have the power of taking over the continent and making him invincible. Take this", said Kagura as she threw them the scroll, "And use it well".
"Why should we trust you?" exclaimed Shippo.
"Because I want Naraku dead just as much as you do."
And with that Kagura started to walk away.
"Wait!" shouted the slayer.
Kagura stopped in her tracks but did not bother to turn around.
"I don't care whose side you are on, just tell us this. Does Naraku have Kagome?"
"No he does not and he has no idea where she is nor does he care."
Kagura began walking again until she disappeared into the forest.
Miroku picked up the scroll and turned to the group; "Listen we should find out what the hell is going on because at this point we are not any closer to finding Kagome. It is what they would have wanted anyway."
"Miroku is right", replied Sango, "and perhaps by doing so we can some how find out where Kagome is."
"I agree too. We have searched the whole western lands without a trace of Kagome. We need to try something else", said Shippo.
"Alright now lets see what this scroll has to say", said Miroku. "It is faded but I will read it to you as best as I can."
I hope you all enjoyed it. This was not really one of my favorite chapters to write but it had to be included. Let me know if you are confused about anything. Thanks a bunch again.
Lovely Winds ' Lovely Seas