A/N:
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Chapter Fifteen
Morning came and with it the familiar feel of the early sun rays caressing her face, causing Kikyo's eyelids to slowly flutter open as she took a moment to scan her surroundings while adjusting her eyes to the brightness. Breathing the moist freshness in the air deeply, she rose from the trunk she had rested herself against, shifting to sit on the raised tree root with both of her legs to one side and facing the rest of her companions, who were still asleep against A-Un's endless warmth. After sending a single palm to block a mild yawn, Kikyo glanced all around through the misty fog which descended upon the forest, drifting in visible waves through the greenery, her eyes searching above it and soon locking with the golden, calm stare of a certain inu daiyoukai, who now quietly stood a tad out of their camp's boundaries, the lower part of his form engulfed in the mist with his head turned halfway back in her direction, watching her for quite some time, now.
Maintaining Kikyo's gaze for another moment, Sesshomaru only turned his head forward once again, then fixed his attention upwards, at the pale blue sky.
She observed his actions in silence as the soothing chilly wind blew through her dark, long hair and straight bangs, following in his example and focusing her attention in the same direction, soon sensing the very faint, yet undeniable trace of accumulated youki in the distance.
Rising to her feet, Kikyo propped the arrow quiver on her shoulder as her left hand grabbed onto her large bow. Then, she stepped in Sesshomaru's direction, reaching where he stood and stopping at his side with neither shifting their calm expressions from the sky above them.
"A clan of bird youkai." Sesshomaru stated through a low voice.
Kikyo narrowed her eyes at the source of the distant presence.
"Yes, however..." She began, the end of her sentence coming to an unfinished halt as she suddenly noticed their mysterious, yet undeniably large presence immediately vanishing.
'Had they been killed?' She deducted the most likely possibility, but her eyebrows met with slight confusion to the idea;
There were so many only a moment ago, yet no trace of a powerful counter attack to slay them all at once for their existence to just disappear as it did.
It was as if they had vanished into thin air.
Lowering his gaze to the priestess standing beside him, Sesshomaru remained silent. He observed her stern expression, noticing a hint of a quiet realization shortly crossing her mahogany eyes, her features overcome both with a certain understanding, as well as with some kind of an unnamed decision regarding their most recent finding.
"We should keep moving." She advised simply, lowering her stare forward.
He watched her swiftly turn on her heel, beginning to step back in the camp's direction as her long, straight hair attempted to catch up to her quick movement, dark locks ruffled in the soft wind and hovering in the air after her figure.
Keeping his position, Sesshomaru examined her being for another moment, and he soon followed after her actions, turning to step towards the campsite as well.
The hidden urgency in her tone just now, however, did not escape his keen senses.
The more they had neared the location of the suspicious presence, the more the scent of fire and death plagued the air, causing Sesshomaru to wrinkle his own nose with disgust. If not for the priestess' desire to follow and investigate after their discovery from this morning, he would have gladly steered clear from this awful stench of human blood, a foul smell that he had known since he was a child, yet couldn't ever stand. Yet, this woman currently walking beside him had another plan in her mind, one which he decided to quietly observe and see for himself, rather than pointlessly inquire about.
Glancing down at Kikyo from the corner of his eye as she strode next to him in silence, Sesshomaru scanned her features. Just like this morning, there was still something undeniably pressing residing in her current manner, a hint of change in her mahogany eyes, a certain tension inhabiting her aura as it hanged above her being in small spikes of energy, rather than its usual calm waves.
What was it about the presence from this morning that sparked this quiet urgency in her?
However, before he could venture for answers to his musings, the same presence from before reached his senses, causing him to turn his head rapidly in the sky's direction to his left.
"S-Sesshomaru-sama!" Jaken unnecessarily notified, his round, yellow eyes wide at the sight of countless bird youkai suddenly materializing in the sky right above a nearby human village. Pale and deformed, their pointy beaks and large claws were ready to dig into their prey below as they swirled in calculated circles, soon igniting themselves on fire and plunging down to attack the village's people.
"Ahhh!" Crying out with pure fear, Rin cowered into herself, covering her eyes from the terrible sight of the birds diving to latch onto each human, sucking out every last bit of blood from their bodies and eventually leaving them laying on the ground, grey and drained from their life.
Narrowing her eyes with intent, Kikyo began stepping forward to the end of the elevated cliff they were currently crossing.
"It is too late for them." Sesshomaru determined dryly, watching her actions.
But the priestess ignored his words, continuing on her way to the edge of the precipice in order to grant herself with a better view down the occurrence. Lifting her gaze up, she fixed it on a large some of the birds still hovering in the air, quickly pulling one arrow out of her quiver and readying it on top of her left pointer finger. With her sharp eyes locked on her target, she lifted her aim up with a smooth motion, drawing the ceremonial bow all the way back with her right hand until the soft feathers brushed against her cheek, right under her eye. Maintaining her straight posture in complete stillness for a moment, Kikyo soon released her arrow, her spiritual energy piercing the air with incredible speed and deadly precision as it tore through the many birds still lurking in the sky, the blinding light exterminating anything in its path, causing Jaken to scream with utmost terror and hide behind the two-headed dragon.
With most of their flock suddenly exterminated, the few youkai still collecting the blood from the villagers immediately halted their actions, flying up to group together. But instead of attempting to attack the priestess and avenge the death of their clan, they instead only lingered in their spot for a moment, making both Kikyo and and Sesshomaru observe their actions carefully.
'What are they waiting for?' Kikyo wondered, silently reaching to pull out another one of her arrows.
Just then, as if to answer her question, a figure materialized through hovering flames in the sky, taking the form of a woman with spiky black hair, crimson red eyes and dressed in fine armor. However, the weapon in her grasp was what truly captured both of Sesshomaru and Kikyo's attention, making them immediately shift their eyes to it;
The trident in the female youkai's hand had the vile scent of Naraku all over it.
Glaring down at them both after assessing the grave damage inflicted on her army, the woman's expression soon crossed with pure anger, the whites of her eyes turning green as her teeth extended to large fangs, the crimson of her orbs gleaming with murderous intent.
"How dare you!" She yelled, lifting the trident in her right hand and pointing it down at their direction, "Who the hell are you even, to launch an attack on my birds?! Answer!"
But instead of responding to her question, both Kikyo and Sesshomaru simply readied their weapons as they quietly stepped near each other, stationing themselves ahead of their companions, sword and bow drawn and prepared to attack at any given moment, depending on the female youkai's following actions.
Noting their intense, combined presence and powerful auras, she gritted her teeth.
"Did you not hear me?!" She demanded with pure rage down at them, swallowing her momentarily hesitation and attempting to reach some answers still, but to no avail, as the two of them only kept their calm yet fierce exterior, not planning on granting her with even one word resembling a hint of an explanation.
And tense silence fell on all souls present for a moment in which time itself seemed as if it had stretched far beyond what is considered reasonable.
Realizing she would most likely perish before she would get either of these odd and dangerous beings to converse with her, the woman cursed and reluctantly turned back, fleeing from the scene as both her and the few remaining birds vanished into thin air right before their eyes, their ominous presence disappearing completely without leaving a trace, just like before.
"She chose to avoid death, huh." Sesshomaru mocked through a bored expression, sheathing his sword back at his hip with a smooth motion.
Keeping her evaluating gaze on the spot in which the woman had disappeared into, Kikyo silently returned her arrow back into her quiver, lowering her bow to her left side.
'A follower of Naraku after all.' She concluded her theory from this morning, lowering her eyes to the horrors of the village. However, much to her surprise, the remaining villagers soon stepped out of their hiding, gathering below and noticing her presence, as well as Sesshomaru's.
"Oh, thank you, brave warriors!" They sincerely expressed their gratitude, their expressions soon shifting into pure relief and awe at the misguided concept of both the daiyoukai and the priestess managing to save their lives from the deadly attack.
Raising an eyebrow, Sesshomaru quickly turned on his heel.
"How meaningless." He scoffed, immediately distancing himself from the area and striding back to continue on his way.
Amused by his reaction, Kikyo simply wore a soft smile on her face as she slightly bowed before the villagers. Then, she turned around as well, following after her companions.
Turning his head back halfway to meet her gaze, Sesshomaru waited for her to match his pace, then focused his attention on the far distance, once more. Yet, he found his own mind still filled with endless questions regarding the woman walking beside him.
Had she suspected that this hindrance carried a connection to Naraku?
Was this the reason for her unspoken urgency?
"Seems like the vermin had made a pact with the birds." He determined with a calm expression, testing her reaction as his eyes fell to hover her expression, noticing her features still held the same odd and unnamed tension, even now.
Maintaining her silence for a moment, Kikyo soon nodded.
"This explains the presence of the birds leaping in and out of existence like that." She confirmed, letting out a soft breath.
"A barrier, huh." Sesshomaru deducted, traces of mockery residing in his voice at Naraku's pathetic tendency.
Kikyo let her unfocused stare rest on the horizon as she further pondered her loathsome enemy's possible motives.
"What reason could he have for requiring their aid, however?"
Weighting her question, Sesshomaru shifted his attention forward.
"Tekkei." He eventually answered.
Hearing his reply, Kikyo raised her gaze to him, studying his features as if to grant herself with more information about his most recent assertion.
'Tekkei...' The word replayed in her mind.
She had heard this name before.
Searching through her memory, Kikyo accessed a distant recollection, a time in which she was still a young priestess in training. As common knowledge for any spiritual being with the paved future of countering youkai of any kind and species, she was also taught of various legends regarding their world, with no doubt, one of them being...
Her eyebrows furrowed with silent realization.
"The queen bird daiyoukai with a connection to the Netherworld." She concluded.
Lowering his head, Sesshomaru's expression turned stern.
"It is said that Tekkei possesses the ability to enter it freely as her clan originates from that place." He further added.
Processing the information, Kikyo soon finished his words;
"And her way of creating the path there is rumored to be through a grand river of blood..."
Could Naraku be attempting to use this ability to cross over to that place?
Her vision narrowed as she lowered her gaze from Sesshomaru to the ground.
Why? What could he possibly have there that might be of relevance to him? Especially considering the all-known fact that the land of the dead has no way back from it.
Kikyo dwelled on the missing piece to the grand puzzle of their enemy's current scheme in silence in which neither her or Sesshomaru said anything more, theorizing what could be Naraku's objective in that place.
And sights of death and despair soon plagued her mind, displaying her the cursed memories of a time following to the events of her death fifty years ago, in which she had found herself floating in that same river, the putrid water decaying her body before her very eyes and soon leaving her as nothing more than a speck of light, forever lost and hovering in the dark depths of that cold, endless uncertainty, eventually consumed entirely by her own hate and the unfortunate circumstances of her death.
No doubt, there is nothing in there that could be of interest to her prey.
Suddenly, she blinked as a new possibility crossed her line of thinking.
"Naraku might not be interested in the Netherworld itself." She surmised, causing the inu daiyoukai to once again turn his gaze down at her direction, a hint of curiosity flashing behind the gold of his eyes.
Looking up to meet with his stare, she only raised her head slightly.
"His objective might be the border between this world and the next."
As soon as the words left her mouth, she caught the glimpse of irritation in her companion's expression, this particular theory perhaps striking him with a certain displeasure to the concept of Naraku ever stepping foot in that place. Studying his form for another moment, Kikyo suddenly recalled the same type of reaction registered in his features after he had saved that unnamed youkai not so long ago, back when she had first learned about the healing sword, Tenseiga.
Tilting her head slightly up at his direction, Kikyo filled with interest.
"Does that place hold something of importance to you, Sesshomaru?" She further investigated.
Averting his gaze away from her sharp instincts, Sesshomaru raised his chin as Kikyo's evaluating eyes hovered on his profile.
She waited patiently for his answer as their group continued forward, deep mahogany never tearing away from his being.
"My father's tomb." He replied simply, the wind blowing gently through his features almost following up to his words with further unnecessary heaviness.
Staring up at him for another moment, Kikyo eventually lowered her attention back to the path ahead.
"I see." She acknowledged.
And with that, only the sound of their steps through the rocky dirt they were currently crossing soon settled in the air, compensating for their lack of words.
"Your serpent helpers cannot reach that place." Sesshomaru's sudden statement broke through their silence, causing the priestess' expression to hint with surprise as her gaze once again fell on his being.
Raising an eyebrow at his subtle and yet most unnecessary way of alerting the obvious to her, she only let out a mocking breath.
There was no need for him to go through such lengths, as everything regarding their enemy's plan was still hanged by the string of assumption.
"Well then, if anything were to happen, my final destination would not be far, at least." She humored darkly through an unnervingly calm expression.
He narrowed his vision down at her twisted and hasty words, shortly turning to stare at the distance and letting out a quiet, yet deep breath. But his sudden silence to her testing of his reaction clued her in on something else that might displease the inu daiyoukai regarding this fact, sparking her suspicion.
For now, however, Kikyo decided against verifying it.
With the hours passing without any trace of scent from either Naraku, his offspring or even his newest allies, the group had decided to camp for the night, as both Sesshomaru and Kikyo agreed there was no greater or foolish waste of time than walking around without a clear target or destination, especially when they suspected their prey to soon choose another village in the area to acquire more blood from.
Therefore, they located a rather elevated spot in relevance to the land all around, a low mountain concealed by the dense forest decorating from its top grounds and all the way down to its base, surrounded by human villages and castles; an area with a fairly high probability of being attacked, granting the priestess and the inu daiyoukai with convenient access to whichever region the birds choose to strike at next.
And just like this, they patiently waited as darkness gradually colored the sky above, the chilling temperatures soon setting all over the land and prompting Rin to start a new fire in order to maintain the escaping warmth.
"Here, Jaken-sama, it's ready!" The child determined with excitement, pulling the stick supporting a roasted mushroom from the soil, shortly handing it to her green companion with a smile, then grabbing one of her own.
Enjoying her meal, Rin soon shifted her gaze to Kikyo, who was sitting on top of a flat-faced rock outside of their camp area, her attention focused on an unnamed spot at the sky above.
'It had already been a few hours, and yet no sign whatsoever.' Kikyo mused to herself.
There was no doubt in her mind that they were currently very close to the nest of the birds, with only Naraku's cursed barrier preventing them from confirming the fact.
She frowned lightly and let out a deep breath, attempting to ease her nerves.
Just then, as soon as she lowered her eyes back down, she sensed the unmistakable presence of a Shikon Jewel shard, not very far, yet well into one of the human provinces around their location. With a swift movement, the priestess rose to her feet, mahogany interlocking with gold once again as she began stepping towards where Sesshomaru stood.
But the look in his eyes was already of an uncalled silent acknowledgement, surprising the priestess.
"Stay here." He firmly instructed her.
She lifted her head slightly in response..
"Where are you heading?"
Refraining from answering for a moment, Sesshomaru turned his back to her, his expression crossing with intent.
"Naraku owns a human boy under his control." He answered, his voice low, "One who had almost killed Rin, before."
Taking in this information, Kikyo glanced at Rin, but her own expression crossed with mild confusion as she realized that instead of fear, the child's features displayed nothing but sadness and worry. Quietly examining this fact for another moment, she eventually turned back to face Sesshomaru's being.
"Do not kill that child, Sesshomaru." She steadily advised him, her voice softer than usual, "Naraku most likely has him forced into the current situation."
Maintaining his position with his back to his companions, Sesshomaru stood in stillness for the longest time.
"I shall not guarantee anything." He eventually said.
"Sesshomaru." Kikyo's sudden demanding tone made him raise his head slightly, the tension in the air between them almost visible to the unassisted eye as the wind picked up through their part of the forest, rummaging through the trees and rattling their leaves violently as they detached from their branches, soon falling all over the area and onto the grassy soil.
Turning back around to face her, Sesshomaru locked his fierce gaze with her own, soon narrowing his eyes at her direction.
"If you are unsatisfied by my answer, miko, then I suggest you see for yourself what I mean."
Kikyo kept her stare on him, contemplating his unexpected suggestion.
Then, silent determination crossed her features.
"Very well." She replied.
And with that, they both set on their way, gradually distancing themselves from the campsite and leaving a very much displeased Jaken behind.
The sounds of the forest's wildlife echoed all around them as both Sesshomaru and Kikyo proceeded further through the greenery and towards the edge of the mountain's cliff, which would provide them of a clear view down to the human area. Breathing deep, Kikyo wanted to enjoy the freshness in the air at that moment, however, she found herself occupied by the urge to hurry and obtain this mysterious shard instead, causing her to tighten her hold on her bow. Walking slightly behind Sesshomaru as he strode steadily ahead, her mahogany eyes set on long silver hair and draped sash as her thoughts drifted away to further plan her next actions.
"Your change of clothes." Sesshomaru's unexpected words made her blink as her gaze focused, "What is the reason for it?"
Taken aback by his sudden inquiry, Kikyo maintained her silence for a moment.
Then, she straightened up, releasing a soft breath.
"These garbs are more efficient, that is all." She answered him simply.
But the way the breath dragged far after her words departed her mouth did not escape Sesshomaru's senses, prompting him to stop his movement as he turned on his heel to face her altogether, meeting her gaze once more. Observing her spiritual aura carefully, his expression crossed with further displeasure.
"Is it a result of what that vermin had spewed of your existence, causing you to also exude this silent constant uneasiness around you, lately?" He boldly determined through a masked question, irritation clear in his voice.
furrowing her eyebrows at his remarkable ability of perception, Kikyo's gaze sharpened.
"It doesn't matter, Sesshomaru."
Noticing his piercing stare on her, she prepared herself for his inevitable pressing on the matter, for his silent, yet dominant way of attempting to obtain whatever information he wanted out of her, and she could only hold her ground before him with perfect poise, awaiting his next course of action.
But Sesshomaru only lowered his head at her response while maintaining her eye contact, his expression crossing with acknowledgment, instead.
"Soon, you wouldn't need to concern yourself with his pitiful words, any longer." He said, turning back to resume his steps, his significantly softer than usual tone striking confusion within the priestess.
Kikyo kept her studying eyes on his back as his vague assertion rang in her mind.
She could only deduct he meant slaying Naraku by his words just now, but before she even managed to confirm it;
The Shikon Jewel shard suddenly polluted with darkness, with the same familiar presence of the birds appearing in the distant sky, tearing through Kikyo's deep contemplation and causing both her and Sesshomaru to straighten up with alert. With no time to waste, both resumed their hurried steps and continued on their way, soon reaching the edge of the grassy cliff.
Just like earlier that day, the birds had now launched another attack, this time on a large human castle, setting it on fire while displaying the same measurements of slaughter against the people in it. Kikyo's mouth formed a thin line at the terrible doings below, but her attention focused on the presence of the Shikon Jewel, which, much to her surprise came from no other place than the back of a human boy.
That particular boy, however, was no ordinary one.
Both Sesshomaru and Kikyo could only watch from afar as the child suddenly turned around to face the very people he was protecting, lifting his weapon in the air and soon using it to slay them all. One by one, sharp metal flew towards each throat, blood spluttering in the air and staining his clothes, yet his expression remained completely blank at his own actions. Leaving a single woman alive, he stepped forward through the bloody ground to her direction, but before he could land his final attack, they witnessed one of Inuyasha's companions reaching his location, screaming for his name and successfully halting his doings, thus allowing the terrified woman to escape.
Kohaku... was his name.
'Why is he not slaying this girl?' Kikyo mused, her mahogany eyes narrowing at the child stopping entirely of his actions, with both of them standing in stillness amidst of the burning castle, staring at each other.
And they only stayed this way for the longest time.
Suddenly, a fast object flew through the air, catching both Sesshomaru and Kikyo's attention as it let out a strong gust of wind through the location below. Their eyes followed as Kagura appeared before them, now with the child willingly in her grasp, hurriedly escaping the province into the unknown darkness of the night.
Stepping forward to the edge of the cliff, Sesshomaru's expression crossed with intent. But before he could follow after his new target;
"That boy is not deserving of death, Sesshomaru." Kikyo began, prompting him to stop in his tracks as her gaze fixed on his being, "There is no current way of following him to Naraku's whereabouts without putting his life at risk."
Lifting his chin at her words, the daiyoukai only turned his head halfway back to meet with her unmovable gaze.
"Although under Naraku's commands, that boy's hands are still covered by the blood of his own kind." He answered harshly.
Approaching closer to where he was, Kikyo stopped beside him on the edge of the grassy precipice, their gazes never breaking.
"His actions are entirely controlled by the Shikon fragment embedded in his neck, corrupted by Naraku."
But the information only faintly deterred Sesshomaru's thinking, causing him to shift and face the priestess standing at his side as a hint of irritation crossed his expression.
"This fact hardly erases the boy's sins." He countered, narrowing his golden eyes down at her.
Tilting her head slightly up at his direction, Kikyo calmly searched his features.
"Is there anyone who hasn't sinned in this world?" She asked him simply, her voice carrying a certain contrasting serenity to it, "Are you free of sin, Sesshomaru?"
He kept silent to her words for the longest time, his stern features easing as his golden eyes examined her mahogany ones thoroughly.
"Are you saying that boy deserves to be spared?" He further tested her ideology.
She only shifted her gaze back down to the still burning castle, the ripples of light from the massive fire still raging below illuminating her profile and dark, silky hair.
"I am saying he deserves not be given up on, just yet." She answered, staring down at the girl left to stand between the countless sprawled dead bodies on the ground all around her.
And her eyes soon involuntary located a familiar existence consisting of red garbs and frizzy silver hair, passionate golden eyes and contrasting aura combined from two different species, hurriedly approaching the location of his broken companion, along with the rest of his allies.
She maintained her gaze down at them for a few more moments, then, let out a silent breath.
"Return without me, Sesshomaru. I shall follow shortly."
Hearing this, Sesshomaru's gaze lingered on her being as if assessing her vagueness. Then, he glanced down onto the far spot where her eyes were resting, noticing Inuyasha's presence as well. He took a moment to wrap his mind on the priestess most likely planning on sharing a private exchange with his cursed half-breed of a brother, yet surprisingly, at that moment he somehow found himself slightly less bothered by the concept than usual. His golden eyes found her again as he weighted her words, saying nothing.
Then, he simply turned on his heel, letting his fur sash extend below his feet as it lifted his body upwards, away from their current location and back to the campsite further into the forest.
Now left alone, Kikyo kept her gaze downwards.
However, a part of her couldn't help but detain on the fact that Sesshomaru saw through her current plan, and still so easily accepted it. She had predicted him to protest against it due to his strict hatred of his own half-brother, yet he had only silently acknowledged her unspoken current need, allowing her the freedom of action, instead.
"Is it a result of what that vermin had spewed of your existence, causing you to also exude this silent constant uneasiness around you?"
She blinked at his most recent words suddenly finding their way into her conscious.
'Was I truly letting out such obvious discomfort...?' She wondered to herself.
Just then and as if on cue to yank her back into reality, Inuyasha's gaze suddenly met with hers, all the way from his distant position below. Maintaining her impassive expression, she only lowered her head while keeping his eye contact, transmitting her silent call for his presence before her.
She witnessed him turn to Kagome at his side, the girl heeding his words and soon lifting her eyes upwards as well, finding Kikyo's presence at the edge of the high cliff.
Both of them stared at each other for a moment, but the tension that once reigned between them had suddenly significantly lessened, making Kagome nod once in approval, soon turning back to Inuyasha and uttering something before him, earning back his acknowledgement as well.
Kikyo waited in her place as she watched the half-youkai depart from his companions, jumping up the tall walls of the castle and through the rocky trail, using the uneven formation as means for him to elevate his own movement, eventually reaching where she stood and landing before her.
"Kikyo." He said, clenching his fists as worry soon meshed with his serious expression, "Is everything alright?"
Letting out an amused breath, the priestess simply reached back to pull one of her arrows out of the quiver resting at her back, her fingers enveloping its narrow shaft with silent purpose.
"Hand this to Kagome, Inuyasha." She only said, presenting him with it, "It has Onigumo's soil absorbed in it, therefore, it should pierce through Naraku's barrier with ease."
Taking the arrow out of her hand, Inuyasha's golden eyes suddenly widened as dark realization shot through him.
"Whaddya mean? Why not use it yourself, Kikyo?!" He urged, worry clear in his voice and his mind already leaping through countless hasty conclusions.
Easing her shoulders, the priestess kept her stare on him.
"Calm yourself, Inuyasha." She steadily reassured him, "I might run into some difficulties that could prevent me from using this against Naraku, that is all." Noticing his growing confusion, she released another soft breath, "Have Kagome keep this in her possession, However, it is up to her whether she uses it well or not."
Processing her words, Inuyasha's eyes fell down onto the arrow in his grasp.
"Seeing you here, I'm guessing you guys are also following after that bastard Naraku's latest doings..." He deducted, his golden gaze lifting up back to her.
Nodding once, Kikyo eyed him in silence.
"What have you gathered about Naraku's recent actions so far, Inuyasha?"
The half-demon lowered his head slightly.
"Naraku is trying to obtain the last Shikon Jewel shard placed in the border between this world and the next one." He replied.
Hearing this, Kikyo's expression turned stern at her ability to finally confirm part of her theory. But her eyebrows soon met with confusion as she further dissected the information.
"How did a Shikon fragment manage to access the border between the worlds?" She investigated the mismatching fact.
"Dunno, but Kagome had sensed it when we tried crossing through the gate." He answered.
Kikyo narrowed her eyes at the last part of his sentence.
"The gate?" She repeated his words.
Pausing, his eyes flashed with unmistakable hesitation, as if he had just shared information he had no intention of letting out. She noticed his jaw clenching at his own foolish mistake, but he soon shook off the feelings, recollecting himself before her.
"There's an underground gate to the border between this world and the next, located inside a mountain at the Realm of Fire, not very far from here." He began, his expression turning serious, "It's guarded by two stone henchmen... but it's very dangerous and impossible to go through."
Kikyo lowered her head yet maintained her eye-contact.
"I take it you have tried crossing it?" She asked.
Stepping forward and closer to her, Inuyasha gritted his teeth.
"Kikyo..." He uttered desperately, "That damn gate is impenetrable. If you force it open... you'll turn into stone."
She only maintained her unruffled expression to the information for another moment, then, turned on her heel, beginning to step back in the direction of her campsite.
"Stay safe, Inuyasha." He heard her say to the air, facing away from him.
But the half-youkai clenched his fingers around the arrow in his hand.
"Kikyo!" He called, the exigency in his tone prompting her to stop in her place and turn her head halfway back in his direction.
He breathed deep as the breeze found its way through their location, rustling up the leaves above their heads and granting them with the loud rattle of the greenery surrounding their area.
"Don't... go there alone, Kikyo. Take that jerk with you, if you have to."
She faced her destination once again, resuming her steps through the bushes and trees as his eyes lingered on her distancing figure.
"Rest assured." She only answered calmly.
A/N:
And the canon plot returns to mesh with the story. I'm curious to know what you thought about this one, so don't hesitate to let me know.
Next chapter is also a fun one, I can already tell you this much.
As always, thank you immensely for your lovely support for this story! your reviews and opinions are the Kaze to my Kizu.