Chapter 6: Fire Fire Everywhere
Kikyo could still hear the embers from the fire crackling, but they were slowly dying. The scant light only served to cast more shadows in the clear cold night. Bankotsu had fallen asleep. She readjusted his kimono over her and looked at it thoughtfully. Tonight she would die. She pulled the scroll out of the inside of his kimono. It glowed mysteriously at her, inviting her to use it. She only stared blankly at it.
A prickling sensation wormed up her spine. She was being watched. She lifted her head and glared up a nearby tree. One of Naraku's insects fled her gaze. Her brow wrinkled in frustration. Another bristle in the trees and she swung her head about to look behind her. An eerie blue light sifted about in the air. A soul collector emerged carrying her life source. Surprise permeated her features. They found me. How? I did not call them. The demon released the soul and it glided into Kikyo's hands. She inspected it as the demon slithered around her in the air. It was indeed the soul of a young woman, sad and lonely. Without a second thought she absorbed it, feeling the replenishing energy sift through her arms, legs, and chest as it woke her senses. Another soul collector swooped in and dropped its cargo over her. Her flesh glowed in the illustrious light. She laughed to herself. Here we go again.
She dismissed her servants and they swept away into the open moonlight as moths drawn to the flame. Bankotsu slept quietly. Kikyo pulled her knees up to her chest and looked at the dying fire. The tree Bankotsu had used for fuel was blackened and dead. It's limbs poked out as mere ashes of the past. Lost in thought, she stared at the flames. Stretching her legs back out, she relaxed and fell back to sleep.
Birds chirped happily in the sunrise's radiating light. Bankotsu threw a glance over to where Kikyo lay. His eyes widened a bit. So she's still here... Bankotsu nonchalantly stretched out his arms and legs, releasing a satisfied sigh. He stood up and started gathering the food rations. When he got over to where Kikyo was, he waited for her to open her eyes. She obliged him, given there was contempt pulsing from her irises. He grinned.
"Morning," and scooped her up as he had before. Her body fell limply over his shoulder. He had to admit his surprise that she didn't respond in any way. There wasn't even a huff. So it was business as usual. "We should make good time. It's not far now." And they were off up the mountain.
The morning air felt good against his bare chest. It felt like forever since he had been back here. He breathed deeply as he ascended the cold environment. The smell of sulfur was ubiquitous. His bare feet enjoyed the warm rock beneath them. Finally he reached the peak.
Before him lay a gargling basin of fire, brimstone, and magma. Steam and smoke streamed lazily off its deadly surface. With a stride in his step he proceeded down into the volcano's pit.
Kikyo wasn't moving at all. He smiled and heaved her up from his back. She fell into his arms. Her eyes were closed and her hair was frazzled. He kept walking. It'd be interesting if her hair had caught on fire during the walk to the base, but probably not worth it.
A bare demon skeleton jutting out from the warm rock face marked their destination. It was a small cave penetrating the soup of magma, fire, and rock. Entering it's small cavity, Bankotsu noticed its emptiness. Whoever lived here, sure wasn't here now.
Kikyo opened her eyes. They were in a bone-ribbed cave with weapons lining the crusty walls. Bankotsu walked over to a wall and she eyed him suspiciously. He didn't look at her, but set her down with her back to the wall. It was much better than the unceremonial spills she endured earlier. She watched him pace over to a wall of swords. She could feel the smirk that settled on his young lips, even though his back was to her. He placed his arms akimbo and started inspecting the weapons.
"This is where I got Banryu." His voice held no emotion. "The man who works here was gone back then, too. Funny how much things change, huh?" He turned to look at her. He always seemed to be grinning. Why was he always so smug?
Kikyo's eyes slid across the old smudged walls. An engraving was visible at the skeleton cave's entrance: Totosei's residence. Please come back later, I am currently unavailable. He must be the weapon's smith. He left in a hurry. He clearly hadn't cleaned his place before taking off. A dirty frying pan even sat on top of some old wood embers.
"Hmmm..." Kikyo looked up to see the pensive Bankotsu who held his back to her. He rested his chin on one hand while contemplating an engraving of a sword in the wall. Kikyo focused and realized that it was not an engraving of a sword, but a real sword, mounted in the wall. Interesting...
However, something else caught her attention near Bankotsu. A bow and arrows were piled up near his feet. Kikyo carefully stood up and went to retrieve them. Bankotsu stood on his tiptoes and latched a fist onto the sword. A beam of red ecstatic light bounced madly from the sword as he pulled. Bankotsu's face set with determination. Kikyo watched his biceps flex as he withdrew the mighty weapon. It spewed one last blast of light, but once free of the wall, it was still. Bankotsu just held it out in front of him for a second. When it did nothing, he unsheathed it.
To both of their surprise, there was no blade attached to the tang. Neither of them could say anything for a second. It seemed so absurd. Then, on the end-edge of the hilt before where the blade should have been, an eye opened. It had a large red iris and an almond-shaped black pupil. It darted from side to side as it stared at each of them. Then, as though a mirage had just been unveiled, a blade wavered into focus stemming from the hilt.
Kikyo and Bankotsu gave mild gasps of surprise. And what a blade it was. It was a long, curved, double sided, ivory colored blade made of large, triangular, serrated teeth. The enamel even shone off the teeth in the dimly lit cave.
"Who are you, who have awoken me?" A deep raspy voice asked the awed bystanders.
"Wow, it can talk," Bankotsu added thoughtfully. He stared at it. "I'm Bankotsu of the Band of Seven. I call you to do my bidding."
"Bankotsu," it repeated slowly. "Why do you summon my restless soul to do your bidding? What is your purpose?"
"Who are you?" Kikyo demanded. The eye slid over to look at her.
"My name is Tokunishitoru. I am the energizing soul of the great Akagawa that rests in your hands." The eye slid back over to Bankotsu. "Long ago, I was the protector of Jankai Temple."
"And now you're an alter piece?" Bankotsu added in snidely.
"Jankai Temple," Kikyo repeated with a concerned look. "You're the dragon who protected the Orb of Douou."
"That was over 200 years ago."
"And your soul was sealed inside a sword so you can atone for your failure to guard the orb." Kikyo surmised bluntly.
"Is not your soul tied to this earth for a similar reason, young priestess?"
"Ooooooh," Bankotsu mocked at the comeback. "He's a smart one; I can feel it. What's your name?"
"That does not matter."
"Funny, it did a minute ago."
"Akagawa"
"Tell me, does the one who killed you still posses the orb?" Kikyo returned to the conversation.
"Yes, Waruimaru is a formidable adversary and would not be relieved of his trinkets easily."
"Wait a minute, there's just one thing I don't understand here. Who are you?" Bankotsu asked with sincere confusion.
"Does he have a connection to Naraku?" Kikyo continued to Tokunishitoru.
"I do not know of any Naraku. I have been asleep since my downfall at the hands of Waruimaru."
"Well, let's go." Bankotsu sounded assured in his conclusion to the conversation.
"What?" Kikyo was surprised.
"You wanted to go to this temple didn't you?" She didn't reply, but only looked at him as though somewhat impressed. "This Waruimaru guy sounds pretty strong." Bankotsu grinned his smug grin.
"Before you go, you should be aware of the power of the Orb of Douou." Tokunishitoru interjected. "It was created hundreds of years ago by an ancient priestess as a way to maintain peace among humans. It was thought that if they could see the intentions of others before catastrophes like wars broke loose, that humans would be able to live in harmony. However, it wasn't long before many demon's heard of the mystical and all knowing power of the Orb of Douou and sought it out to become immortal. When the struggle for power began, it didn't stop for decades. Until I stopped the cycle of power hungry demons and humans, the Orb of Douou was rumored to be cursed. A blessed temple was constructed in obscurity to house the treasure, and I stood vigil over it for a hundred years until my demise." The sword stopped as though tired. "The Orb of Douou has the power to reveal what is happening to anyone, anywhere, at the present time. That is why once someone has obtained it, it is nearly impossible to find them without them knowing that you are coming. There are no secrets you may hope to hide from its all seeing eye."
"Lead us there," Kikyo commanded.
"What do you want with the Orb of Douou?"
"You sure do talk a lot for a sword." Bankotsu noted. "Obviously Naraku is going to want this new gizmo to add to his collection of weird shit. We have to get it before he does."
"Very well," it concluded. "Step outside the cave and I shall direct you."
Stepping back out into the sunlight was like being born anew. Bankotsu marveled at the sun's radiant warmth and blinding light. Kikyo had stopped, he could tell she was not moving behind him. He glanced in front of them. A strangely dressed boy with light purple hair and a long spear stood a few feet from them. His confidence shone in every aspect of his posture.
"Hey there," Bankotsu greeted. Kikyo just stood statue still behind him. "Who are you?" When no reply was offered, Bankotsu continued. "Naraku spawn? You look like Naraku spawn." Bankotsu turned his head to Kikyo. "Doesn't he look like Naraku spawn?" She just gave him a look which he learned to interpret as an affirmative.
"So you two crawled out of the congealing mass of Mt. Hakurei, huh? Fun. Well it looks like you've gotten Naraku's attention, though I don't really see why. You both look broken down to me." He flaunted boredom at them.
"Show me what you got," Bankotsu had lost his pep, but didn't seem angry.
With that, Hakudoushi lifted his spear and swung it down at both of them in a diagonal slice. Bankotsu caught his spear below the blade with an outstretched hand. Hakudoushi didn't seem at all impressed and just smiled at him. He twirled the weapon out of Bankotsu's grasp and zipped and zagged it at Banktosu until he retreated. The boy seemed all the more cocky.
Bankotsu lifted the Akagawa and grasped it with both hands. Hakudoushi just watched with mild uninterested eyes. Bankotsu's face fermented into something of distaste and unsettling determination. He swept it across the air with a horizontal thrust.
Hakudoushi was well out of the immediate strike zone, but his composure was severely shaken. He braced himself as a thick blue-black barrier swallowed him. Inside he was vaguely visible.
The blast the sword created was astounding. Lava swelled under it's invisible pressure and the energy seemed to flow in moving waves of a blurred river. Everything in its wake was swept up into a mesh of nothingness, pulverized upon impact, and then washed away. When the earth settled, a canyon of lava in the mountain was visible until the liquid rock rushed to fill the hole.
Kikyo couldn't help herself. A grin snaked its way across her lips. It felt good. Hakudoushi had been swept up by the current and flung into obscurity. He was now the faint black dot riding the fading repercussions of the Akagawa on the horizon's edge.
Bankotsu couldn't help but admire his accomplishment either. I think I could get used to this. He stared off at the speck floating on the horizon. Apparently Hakudushi's barrier hadn't been broken, but the little shit was way the hell out there, not soon to return. It almost made Bankotsu kind of sad that he couldn't, in a sadistic sort of way.
Bankotsu glanced down at the blade. It was glowing red, not in a malevolent, thriving, blood-lust red that it could be easily mistaken for; but Bankotsu could tell as it pulsed beneath his fingers that it was a red that spoke of one thing: power. This thing was power incarnate, if there was such a thing. It's smooth, but jagged blade gave off the raw sinewy might that was kept in check only by its majesty. Bankotsu took it with no surprise that this sword was forged of a dragon.
"Jankai Temple lies far south of here in the sickle moon scar of a low valley. The valley itself is very well protected by many purifying and demonic barriers as well as fierce beasts summoned from the far reaches of this earth. Inside the inner circle of barriers stands a wall, past which I can not guide you." The sword's deep gnarled voice instructed.
"You speak of the Wall of Judgement." Kikyo stated sagaciously.
"Yes," he replied half heartedly. "I must rest for now, but the Akagawa will continue to point you the way you need to go." With that, the eye on the hilt of the vicious blade closed.
Bankotsu watched expectantly as the blade swayed in his hands until it pointed in the direction that they had come. He felt the power flowing between his fingers. The sword was truly mighty. The power to corrupt. Interesting that it shows its secrets to me so freely. Could it be that the demon sword can only be actualized in the hands of humans? It gives glory only those to whom death is assured. How clever...
Bankotsu released the energy and the blade disappeared. He sheathed it and started off toward the south. Kikyo fell in step with him. They walked in a comfortable silence through the bubbling cauldron of fire.
"Why do you do it?" Bankotsu suddenly voiced.
"What?" Kikyo asked in a somewhat guarded tone.
"Is it because of him?" Bankotsu continued to be ambiguous, but Kikyo seemed to be catching on because she didn't respond. Finally she spoke up.
"My reason's are my own."
"Inuyasha," Bankotsu let the name roll off his tongue, "What a waste." She stared at him. He did not return her glance. "And Naraku too. How do you manage to attract so many men?"
Their path narrowed at the exit of the lava pit so they would have to walk single file. The lava stewed on both sides of the small walkway. Kikyo went first and Bankotsu grinned knowingly at her pride. She looked awkward wearing his kimono. It sagged off her slim shoulders and pooled down past her waist. She had tied the sleeves in front of her chest to keep it from sliding down her shoulders. Her hands dangled out the open sides. One firmly grasped her new bow and she apparently found a quiver because it housed several arrows on her back.
A muffled cry roused Bankotsu's attention and he was quick to step forward. Kikyo had tripped on a jagged rock protruding from the side of the road and nearly fallen into the brewing molten rock. Bankotsu caught her by his kimono and jerked her back to him. Her eyes were wide. He let her settle out of the brief shock and she looked up into his eyes. She was standing in his bare embrace. Regaining her pride she pushed lightly away from him, but he caught her arm.
"I'm done being manhandled," she refused to look him in the eyes.
"Don't trip," he said, ignoring her comment. He pointed at the offending rock. She traced his gaze down to it. It was sharp, tall, and black as onyx. She felt him release her arm. Her leg was throbbing where she had tripped on it. It had not cut her, but scraped her pretty well. She was sure, had her body been flesh that it certainly would have. "You alright?" she heard his voice call to her.
"Yes," she briskly turned around and continued down the path, as though she wished to forget something. She heard him following her.
Heading down the mountain, he stood by her again as they walked. His face was stoic and mature. In fact, he appeared too mature for his young face. His eyes glistened with a resoluteness only gathered by age and wisdom. Her eyes fell to the ground in fear that she might discover something else she wouldn't like to attribute to him.
It was getting late and they had traveled quite a distance. Though Kikyo did need sleep on principle, she was not tired. The souls quelled inside her with unexpected energy. Bankotsu didn't show any signs of fatigue either. They had passed the village from a few nights ago an hour or so ago.
The night sky swirled above them, glowing with nebulous clusters of stars and the occasional shadow of a charcoal cloud. The trees hooted and the forest floor hummed with the song of the night. Ahead of them a river roared its presence. Once they finally reached it, it was wide and strong. The roar of a waterfall foreshadowed the foreboding end one should face should one attempt to cross.
Bankotsu started walking straight into the river.
"What do you think you're doing?" Kikyo asked though she already knew the answer.
"What does it look like?"
"You will never make it."
"Are you always like this or is it because of your current condition?" Kikyo's eyes narrowed at his crude suggestion. He was standing up to his waist in thick cold water, arms akimbo, facing her as though he was the one on sounder ground. Her face relaxed and she just looked at him. She turned around and stepped out of sight.
Bankotsu shrugged and continued into the hungry current. It sifted through his armor, kissed his bare chest, and begged to take him with it. What made the crossing even more interesting were the slimy rocks on the bottom. The algae squished between his toes and tried to scoot his feet off the rocks he supported himself on. Bankotsu trudged forward and nearly catapulted into the river as he slipped on a large smooth rock. He cursed and kept going. Regardless, he was making headway.
A small splash behind him perked his interest. He slowly turned about, to see a small sock-gloved foot wearing a sandal step into the greedy and seductive current. Kikyo was braving the river too. Above her head, she held a large rock. Her bow was strapped across her chest as well as Bankotsu's kimono. Bankotsu couldn't help but smile. She stepped into the water and it crawled up her knees. He waited for her to catch up, which she did remarkably fast, but she was having trouble holding the rock up.
Just as she reached him, she let out a cry as her footing failed her. The rock crashed into the water with a plunk and she started to go down. Bankotsu saw the current rush to claim her as it scurried up her back and sped over her head. He threw out a hand and she reached blindly for help. He caught her hand and she latched on to his. The rocks beneath his feet churned as he leaned back into the current to hold on to her. The waterfall roared in the distance. Kikyo used her other arm to start climbing up to him. The water lifted her feet off the bottom and flailed them behind her as it tugged.
"At least there isn't a waterfall downstream," he said as he looked down at her. She looked up at him through the rushing stream, unable to believe his inappropriateness. He smiled at her. "Alright, hurry up."
Her body lurched forward in the battering current as she climbed his arm. He, in turn, held onto her arm above the elbow to support her. Just a bit further. She focused. With an agonizing slip she felt her grasp on his arm dissipate and she was receding back into the water. She let out a gargled scream as her head submerged. Her body jerked to a stop as an iron grip nearly crushed her wrist.
As she surfaced again, she saw a now very wet Bankotsu holding on to her arm. She threw her free arm forward and grabbed on to him. This time her pains were successful as she grasped his shoulder and was finally able to stand. Behind her she could clearly hear the frustrated bellows of the waterfall. They were both breathing hard and they still had another half of the river left to cross. The water around them was foaming white and tussling to reach the falls.
Kikyo looked into Bankotsu face and realized he was actually staring into the sky. She turned about in his embrace to see Renkotsu standing tall and smug in the heavens. A mesh of Naraku's wasps hummed in the air around him. He was standing on some sort of black cloud, wearing a horrible grin.
"Well, well," he said demurely, "just like shooting fish in a barrel." He pulled a new oval gourd off his belt and took a long swig.
Kikyo desperately tugged the bow from around her torso. Bankotsu looked a bit confused as she started thrashing in his arms. Her back was to him so he couldn't quite tell what she was doing until she slipped an arrow out of the quiver that was in his face.
Glancing back at Renkotsu made a shiver run down Bankotsu's back. He could feel the flames upon his flesh before they even left Renkotsu's lips. Something was different about him. Renkotsu expelled a torrent of flames that thundered out of his mouth. They were white and burned the air they touched. The flames were rocketing down at Kikyo and him when Kikyo yelled something over her shoulder at him.
"Support me!"
Kikyo felt Bankotsu's strong muscular arms lock around her waist and chest as he cemented her to him. His legs were lodged in the rocks beneath them. Kikyo drew the bow and shot directly into the center of the bright vaporizing flames just as they clawed at the tips of her fingers and her bow. An explosion of light sparkled through the night's sky. Suddenly everything was dark again.
Bankotsu opened his eyes and glanced up at Renkotsu. He was ghastly pale and a long bloody cut ran across his cheek. His gourd was also in pieces that were still falling from the sky.
"Your head will be next," Kikyo's voice was dangerously calm. Bankotsu noticed she already had another arrow ready. Renkotsu glowered at them, but fled. He didn't even try to use his canon. Kikyo pulled the arrow out and started strapping across her torso. Renkotsu had escaped in a spinning black vortex of bees and cloud.
"He's mine to kill, Kikyo. Remember that." She didn't reply.
Bankotsu started crab walking over to the other bank of the river. Fortunately no more spills into the river awaited them on the way. Only when Bankotsu finally released her did Kikyo realize he had been holding on to her. She staggered up the bank. Her clothes were drenched, as where his.
"We should leave here, it is not safe for now." Bankotsu withdrew the Akagawa which immediately responded to his grasp. It pointed them south again, but a little to the right of where they had been traveling.
After another hour they found a cave that would house them for the night. Bankotsu dropped himself against the wall of the cave with one leg stretched out and one knee bent up. He had his eyes closed. Kikyo could only imagine how tired he was. She had collected some fire wood on the way knowing that they would need a fire, or that he would need one. She lit it up and he was still resting when she was done. She stood up and exited the cave.
Outside, her servants slithered down to greet her. There were more this time. She reached out and accepted the souls that levitated about her. It was like taking a deep breath. She felt replenished.
Her hair and clothes were finally starting to dry too. No doubt Bankotsu would be cold, even with the fire going. Kikyo heard a rustle behind her and saw a buck wandering through the woods behind her. In the blink of an eye she had her arrow ready and let it fly. The buck's eyes glazed over before it fell, dead before it hit the ground. Kikyo slowly walked over to it. She withdrew the arrow lodged in its heart, and said a little prayer of thanks. With a knife that she stowed in the sleeves of her own kimono, she removed some meat. There was no way she could carry the whole buck back to the cave.
Bankotsu heard her come back in, but didn't open his eyes to look. He could sense her presence now. It was something that he learned to feel from being around her. But he wasn't about to let her find that out.
Something wafted into his nostrils, and he felt his stomach turn over. Food. It smelled so good. His eyes popped open. She was roasting some meat on spears. He felt his mouth water. The sweet scent was enough to make anyone loose their pride.
Kikyo glanced up at him. Bankotsu saw cheerful surprise warm her countenance for just a second. She smiled knowingly.
"I thought you might be hungry," she said mildly.
"You made this for me?" He couldn't help but show his surprise.
She just stayed seated, folded her hands on her lap, and stared at the fire. The flames danced on her soft dark eyes and veiled her in their warmth.
Bankotsu sauntered over to sit across from her and grabbed a spear of meat. It was tender and delicious venison. He munched down several pieces and his insatiable appetite only seemed to grow.
"Why did you jump in after me?" Kikyo's eyes were hazy and still absorbed in the firelight.
"Huh?"
"When we were in the river. I lost my grip. You,... you came after me." He took a while to think and chewed his food as he responded.
"It's ok to trust people, Kikyo. The world gets mighty lonely if you don't."
She was silent for a long time, lost in her thoughts.
"So you're saying, people aren't worth saving, but they are worth trusting? Your reasoning is completely pharisaic."
"Well at least it makes life interesting," he paused and smiled at her. His face slowly lost its animation and morphed to a somber complexion. "What are you so afraid of?" He seemed to be looking through her.
Her eyes caught his. They swelled with deep hurt and sadness. She seemed to be screaming her heart out though her mouth didn't twitch a muscle. She had finally dropped the act, if only for a brief second. Or moreover, maybe the solid indifference that always gripped her features anymore was finally starting to melt away. Bankotsu could only guess as to the truth behind those hollow eyes, the haunting beauty shut off from everything, but now, he could see it was not impenetrable.
Kikyo stared at the ground as she felt the deep scars of her heart reopen. Without her even noticing it, Bankotsu had moved to sit beside her. His hand picked up her chin and turned her face to his. She gazed up at him through glassy eyes.
Kikyo lightly brushed away the hand that cupped her chin. Her eyes wandered back onto the floor.
"Whatever Naraku told you about me," she said vacantly, "is not true. So don't feel sorry for me. I don't want your pity."
"That's good, 'cause I wasn't going to give it to you." He paused."You don't want to get hurt, is that it? Is that why you hide? Well guess what, you can't hide from pain anymore than you can hide from yourself. Quit wasting your time pussyfooting around because everyone gets hurt eventually, whether you place your faith in others or solely in yourself. It doesn't matter. In the end we all get burned. Welcome to the real hell, Kikyo."
Bankotsu leaned back and rested with his hands behind his head. She looked down at him.
"You presume to lecture me on trusting people and getting hurt? Don't make me laugh. You live for the sheer sake of murdering people."
"Maybe so," he said with a slight grin, "but at least I make the effort to live, Kikyo."
With that, he rolled onto his side away from her as in sleep. Kikyo just sat there in the dying firelight, pondering his words.
Hi everyone! Thanks for reading! Hope you're still enjoying it. I would love more feedback, constructive criticism, etc. It's alright to say if you don't like it (please tell me why if this is so), what bothers me is if you don't say anything at all and you have some commentary. Explanations are good. But please, not that I've gotten any yet and also I'd like this clear for all other chapters etc., no flames if you're entire argument is based on your personal abhorrence for one or more selected characters. That said, let 'er rip:)