Disclaimer: I don't own any of the names or characters that also happen to appear in the popular series Inuyasha.
Author's Note: I solemnly swear that the testimony I am about to present is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
This was the hardest chapter to write in this whole blinking story.
Translations:
Damare (dah-mah-reh): Stop
Hama no ya (hah-mah noh yah): purifying arrow
Kesa (keh-sah): the outer part of the attire of a Buddhist monk; the length of fabric that is wrapped over the robe (Miroku's purple sash)
Chapter 26, Unraveling and Remembering
When Miroku had blinked the sawdust clear from his eyes, he sized up the room. All his father's advisors knelt against the walls of the grand hall, watching Miroku intently. At the end of the hall, seven steps led to the Takara throne, where Takara Bairei should have been sitting. But instead, The Lord of the Eastern Lands was sprawled across the bottom three steps, staring at Miroku with wide eyes.
Miroku lifted his eyes to find Naraku lounging on his family's throne.
Sango was at his feet, her legs and arms secured with strong cords. "Houshi-sama…" she rasped, intruding upon the silence.
"My son!" Takara Bairei wailed, obviously delusional. Miroku's eyes snapped to his face, confused by his father's outburst. "My Kyoden, my blessed eldest son! You have returned from the grave to restore your father's honor! My son!" Takara Bairei's advisors exploded into streams of whispered conversations. Was this truly the eldest son come back from the other side?
Miroku curled his lip at his father and looked back at Naraku. "Get off that throne."
Naraku smirked coolly and reached down to grab Sango's face in his clawed hand. "And who are you that order me off this throne? It doesn't belong to you, houshi," Naraku oozed, watching Miroku with triumph in his eyes.
Miroku swallowed his next words and tightened his hold on his shakujou.
"Step down, monster," Scarlet echoed. She stepped forward, raising her bow and taking aim.
"Or what, miko? You'll shoot me with one of your hama no ya?" Naraku laughed and pulled Sango into his lap. She struggled against him, but his grip was firm. "How good is your aim?"
Scarlet snarled and lowered her bow.
Something strange was happening inside of Miroku. It was a cord inside of his stomach. It had been wrapped tightly, kept at bay, but now it was unraveling. His mother's sickness, Kinuko-san's death, Sanda Kioko's death, the Chiba family's tragic tale, and Kyoden's bloody murder were all racing through his head, tensing every muscle in his body. The sight of Sango's pained face, Naraku's claws deep in her shoulder, and the vicious smirk on Naraku's face was boiling the blood in his veins. The fire inside of him lashed out and he roared.
Every head in the room turned to Miroku.
"Naraku!" Miroku released his brother's katana. "Fight me."
Naraku's smirk grew into a sly grin. "My pleasure." He tossed Sango aside and she hit the floor with a small squeak of distress. Then, his sapphires locked with Miroku's amethysts and he drew his blade.
"Let's go."
Their swords met in a flurry of sparks halfway down the steps. They broke away and then they were lunging again. Naraku's sword went over and under Miroku's, and the prince only just managed to knock the blade away from his chest. His kesa was cut by Naraku's attack and fell away, but Miroku didn't notice. As Naraku came at him again, Miroku planted his shakujou in the ground and swung around it to place a kick firmly in the small of Naraku's back. This sent the hanyou sprawling.
Miroku seized his chance and raised his sword to deliver a crushing blow, but as he brought it down, the tip of a silver tail interrupted his slash. "Ginmaru!" Miroku trumpeted.
The next moment, the ground split apart from the force of Yu's fist as she flung it into the floor. Miroku jumped, but Ginmaru was thrown against the wall where Ton was waiting to deliver a punch into the youkai's stomach. Jou appeared the next second at Miroku's side.
"We'll hold off the minions. You just worry about the big guy himself," Jou told him, unsheathing his katana and wakizashi in two fluid movements. He prepared to jump away. "And Miroku-" Miroku snapped his head up to look at him. "-get him good." Miroku smiled crookedly and nodded. The next second Jou was gone and Miroku turned to find Naraku again.
He found him facing off with Yu. The woman was caught between a hoard of youkai minions and the hanyou. "Sister," Naraku was saying, "we should not be fighting. Let us forget this and join me."
Yu caught Miroku's eyes before glancing back at Naraku. "Eat steel, you monster," she growled before ducking. Miroku swung in over her head, catching Naraku on the arm with Kyoden's sword.
The hanyou yowled and caught Miroku around the throat. The prince gasped and dug his nails into the soft flesh on the back of Naraku's hand. He clawed desperately, but it was no use—Naraku had him.
"Release him!" Scarlet's voice screamed. Miroku glanced left just in time to see Scarlet's violet arrow streak through the air. It hit Naraku's left arm in just the spot where Miroku had stuck Kyoden's sword. The blade hummed as the arrow made contact with it, and then flew back and stuck in the shoji behind one of the advisor's heads. Naraku's arm burst apart, and Miroku was free from his grasp. He fell to the floor in a heap.
Naraku turned his eyes to Scarlet.
Scarlet gasped in horror as the fire she had seen there as a child reemerged. She stumbled backwards, trying to pull another arrow from her quiver, but before she could nock it, Naraku was standing in front of her.
"Scarlet!" Miroku called in warning.
Naraku's good hand flew out and caught Scarlet's across the cheek hard. The miko spun away, her body striking the floor with a cracking noise as one of her ribs broke. Her bow landed a few feet away and when Scarlet extended a hand to take it back, Naraku stepped on her hand.
"I'm going to kill you for what you did to my hand, miko. Just like I killed the bitch who taught you," Naraku sneered.
A hot tear rolled down Scarlet's cheek. Naraku kicked her hard in the ribs, and she rolled across the ground, blood trailing behind her in a thick stream that signified it was drawn from vital organs. Naraku cackled.
"Stop!" Miroku shouted, struggling to get back to his feet. "Stop, you ugly bastard!"
Naraku looked back at Miroku. "Are you jealous, houshi? Do you want your turn?" But he didn't come at Miroku. Instead, he began striding down the hall. Yu saw the direction his steps were taking first and flung herself at him, but he brushed her aside with a swipe of his sword. Jou caught his sister in his arms.
"Yu!" he called, but the woman was unconscious, her arm lying across the long wound on her chest.
Ton was next. He flung several poison-tipped kunai at the monster, but Naraku deflected them easily. The next second, Ton was stumbling backward, blood rolling down his chin.
Jou was last. He put himself directly in Naraku's path, glaring coldly at his half-brother with his blind eyes. Then, he rushed. Naraku actually turned his attention to the swordsman. Miroku watched their fight without a sound, following the lightening fast motions with wide eyes. It was impossible to tell which swordsman was better, but a dirty trick from Ryudaisetsu knocked Jou from his feet, and Naraku cut open his thigh.
Jou whirled around and stabbed Ryudaisetsu before turning back to Naraku. The dragon collapsed. Miroku's jaw fell in awe as Jou continued to fight, defensively now. Naraku opened several wounds on Jou's arms and legs before a terrible cut through Jou's shoulder finally brought the mighty ex-samurai down.
Naraku flicked the blood from his sword and mounted the stairs. Takara Bairei shrank away from the hanyou before he followed his advisors to the other end of the room.
"No…" Miroku gasped.
Naraku lifted his katana to Sango's throat, smirking evilly. Sango bit her lip and narrowed her mahogany eyes at the hanyou. The look Naraku fixed her with was somewhere between caring and maniacal. "Sango hime, my darling, don't you find it strange?" he cooed.
"What's that?"
Naraku sent a sideways glance in Miroku's direction. "Things just don't add up about him, do they?"
"What are you talking about?" Sango was truly confused now.
"You just have this creeping tickle up your spine, a nagging suspicion at the back of your head. But you keep putting it down, you keep telling yourself it's not true. But why? Why would you do something so foolish, so childish? Why can't you let yourself see the truth?"
The room was utterly silent except for the occasional whimper from one of the room's injured occupants.
"Why?" Sango asked, her throat dry.
Naraku began to circle her now, keeping the tip of his blade just under her chin. "Perhaps it's because you believe in the good in people. In that case, I pity you. Perhaps it's because you're under some kind of spell, which would be the most logical approach. Or maybe, just maybe…" Naraku looked at Miroku, smiling viciously. "…maybe you've fallen in love with him."
Sango and Miroku gasped in unison.
Naraku cackled and pressed the katana hard against Sango's skin. A thin stream of blood trickled down the blade's surface. Sango cried out in pain, and the coil inside of Miroku's stomach snapped.
"Naraku!"
Sango looked at Miroku and her eyes grew in her head. "Houshi-sama…"
The hanyou looked up just in time to see Miroku pull the prayer beads from his hand.
"KAZAANA!"
The room swam in and out of focus. Miroku took one step forward, and then another. Everything was rushing toward his hand, and there were many voices screaming. He heard specifically Sango's voice over the hum, and he thought he could hear Kyoden calling back. But then, Miroku realized that it was his own voice screaming for Sango over and over again, tears rolling down his cheeks.
Miroku closed his eyes to stop the world from spinning, and Kyoden appeared from the darkness before him.
"Miroku," he was calling. "Stop. This isn't you."
"I can't," Miroku answered. "I can't stop, Kyoden."
"Remember, Miroku. Remember your promise to me."
With a sigh, Miroku stood and picked up the young princess. It felt weird, as if he were doing his brother's job. Miroku smiled and lifted his face to the heavens, allowing the snow to drift onto his cheeks. "Well, Kyoden, I don't see you here to do it." He looked down at Sango. Something stirred within his chest. "She needs you, Kyoden. Why'd you have to be a fucking hero? Why do you always have to be so goddamn noble?" He choked back tears bravely. "Well, if you're not going to protect her, I will."
"Remember me."
Kyoden lay on the wooden floor, which still shone with the health it had known when it had been part of a grander estate. His face was white, his mouth open, and his black eyes were still staring at where Sango had stood that night. Rot, if it had even begun, was not present on his visible features. In appearance, he was as perfect an artifact as he had been at death. A thin trickle of dried blood had meandered down his cheek.
"Remember your promise to yourself."
Miroku looked up, confused. His Kazaana still inhabited the air in front of him, but the hand, an image of his own, was black. Miroku's eyes widened as the blackness spread, forming the rest of his image.
The image completed. Miroku gaped, frozen to the spot by awe, his stomach twisting treacherously. He was staring at an image of himself, only he had changed. He was as black as the night that rested around Miroku, poisoned by evil. His eyes were black and soulless. Bloodlust and maliciousness poured off the image in waves. He was a monster that knew nothing by death and destruction, Miroku realized in horror. And then, as if to emphasize Miroku's thoughts, the dark image of him raised his hands and, with a single touch, shattered the string of prayer beads that sealed away his Kazaana.
"No…" Miroku whispered. His voice sounded harsh in his ears.
The image of him smiled wickedly, turning the cursed wind tunnel toward Miroku.
"No," Miroku said, with more strength. And then, a strange sort of power welled up with him, as though a fountain had just been brought to life. Miroku embraced the power, and pulled it toward him like a lover, recognizing the purity of the power. He couldn't understand its source, and as it grew around him, his entire world faded to white. "NO! I will never become that monster!" Miroku closed his eyes, and lost all sense of himself.
Kyoden was right in front of him now, smiling steadily. He pulled his katana free from its sheath and handed it to his brother. "Now, Miroku, regain yourself and save her."
Miroku gripped Kyoden's sword tightly in his sweating palm. "Kyoden?"
Kyoden looked up at him. "Yes?"
"I love you."
"I love you, too. Sayonara, little brother. I'll be waiting for you on the other side."
Miroku opened his eyes. The prayer beads were in his hand, crushed against the hilt of Kyoden's katana, still warm with his brother's touch. Clenching his jaw, Miroku reached up and wrapped his prayer beads around his Kazaana, finally sealing the wind tunnel.
Miroku pitched forward dangerously, his eyes swirling around inside of his head to survey the damage. Ryudaisetsu was on the other side of the room, an arrow sticking out of his forehead. Scarlet was clutching her stomach and watching Miroku dazedly. Yu was lying a few feet from Miroku, and Jou was working to free her from a beam. Ton was unconscious a few feet away. Naraku and Sango were at the top of the cracked and broken steps. Naraku's katana had left Sango's throat so he could focus on Miroku. Sango was regarding Miroku with a look of absolute fear.
A gurgle of laughter caused Miroku to look down. Ginmaru was there…or what was left of Ginmaru. Half of him was gone, and a long wooden beam protruded from his stomach. As he laughed, blood bubbled up from his throat and dribbled down his chin. "One last laugh, houshi. It was fun." Then, the light left Ginmaru's eyes and he fell limp against the ground.
Naraku was there the next instant, standing over Ginmaru and watching him with disgust. "Too bad he proved so useless in the end." He lifted his hand, and something passed from his hand into Ginmaru. When he caught Miroku's confusion, he smiled. "I gave him his heart back. Now he shall not return."
"Bastard," Miroku growled.
"And?" Naraku brought his sword up, ready to kill Miroku. Miroku moved feebly; he was already aware that he no longer had the power to stop Naraku's sword. "I shall enjoy this, oji."
"Miroku!"
"Houshi-sama!"
"DAMARE!"
Naraku froze and turned slowly, his eyes wide in his head. His jaw was slack, and there was an undeniable look of terror on his face as his eyes connected with the two shining amethyst orbs of Takara Kahori.
- Ichimu