"Ronuku!" Kohana's voice echoed through the forest as she called her friend's name, "Ronuku! Come back!" The young woman's lungs burned as she sprinted, her legs ached from running all the way from the village. She paused, catching her breath as she leaned against a tree; the rough bark digging into her shoulder.
"Ronuku!" She called out again after a moment, "Ronuku, please! Answer me!" She was met with silence; all she could see was mist through the branches, no other living soul within sight.
This is pointless, Kohana thought, He's not going to listen, even if I do find him. Through their bond she could sense a frightening amount of rage and grief; she'd never seen Ronuku this devastated about anything before. A small shiver ran up her spine, and she clutched her arms to calm herself.
Focus she inhaled No panicking. It would be hard enough already to talk Ronuku down without her own emotions clouding her judgement, but as time went on it became increasingly harder to keep her worries at bay. Remembering Risu's dying words caused her heart to ache, and she shook as another layer of tears threatened to fall.
No, I refuse to believe it, she assured herself, Sesshomaru would never abandon them; he gave me his word…
Once, long ago, Kohana might have thought the taiyoukai decided his pride as a demon was more important than a human woman and their half-demon offspring. Considering that Sesshomaru made no secret of how he despised his 'filthy half-breed' brother, and that he'd killed countless humans without so much as batting an eye, her doubts had been justified. Kohana's own father hadn't cared anything about her or her mother, it wasn't that hard for her to conceive the possibility that a father might not love his own child.
But she'd long since buried those fears; his decision to marry her had been proof enough of his commitment, never mind the fact that every time she was in trouble he always came through for her. So, when she left over a month ago to train with Kaida, Sesshomaru promised to keep their children and her friends safe; Kohana trusted him without a doubt.
'You think that fucking phantom gives to shits?' The memory of Ronuku's angry face roared through her mind again. Narrowing her eyes, Kohana stepped from the tree and continued to run.
Yes, he does, Kohana thought angrily, He gave me his word. I don't know what happened, but I know that Rin and Futeki are safe. Somehow we'll find Sesshomaru, and we'll set everything straight.
She vaulted over a fallen log and called out Ronuku's name again. She could still sense the tempest of his emotion like a blaring signal; maybe somehow their bond could give her a clue to his location.
I'm sorry about Sango, I'm sorry that she went through that and you weren't there, her own grief returned as Kohana thought of the loss of her friend, But we can fix this, for her and Risu and everyone else we can make things right. Naraku can't win.
Clinging to that resolve gave her strength, she was able to go on without stumbling or fear. The ground grew steeper, the trees bigger, and the mist a ghostly impenetrable fog. After what felt like hours passed, she knew that she had reached the mountains, but now had no idea where Ronuku's trail led. He was still out there but she couldn't decipher his location.
She knew that Naoe and Kaida had raced after her when they were able, but as Kohana stopped to look around she couldn't make out anything a few feet away from her nose. It was entirely possible that the fog had separated them and now she was out here completely alone.
Shit, she cursed and continued to look around. She needed to find Ronuku before he threw himself into a losing battle and got himself killed, but she would have rather had Naoe and Kaida by her side when she faced him. Kohana thought about turning back and looking for their mentors, but decided that would waste time and would only let Ronuku get further away.
If I have to face him alone then so be it, she thought, at the very least I can hold him back until Kaida and Naoe catch up. She continued on through the fog, growing frustrated when she had to slow down to avoid running face first into the trees and thorns.
There was a gap in the foliage ahead that led to a small grassy clearing. She walked through and frowned when she realized that the fog was so thick that she could no long see any plants or path ahead. With the sense that she was entering a vast white abyss, she slowly stepped forward and suppressed a tremor.
"Ronuku!" She yelled, wishing for her friend to be there so they could turn and head back. The ground beneath her feet grew sticky and wet; when she knelt down to inspect it her heart started racing.
Blood.
Nervously she stood up and gripped her sword, but she heard nothing. Only the vast white swirled before her, choking her ears with its silence.
"Ronuku," she called out again, slowly stepping forward to see the trail of blood continuing, "Kaida! Naoe!" She continued on, noticing a dark shape looming ahead of her in the fog.
"A-anyone?" Kohana called out once more, before unsheathing her weapon and holding it in front of her. The red trail beneath her feet lead toward the tall shadow. Her heartbeat echoed in her head as she swallowed her fear and continued forward. Nervously, she eyed the figure before her, keeping her sword pointed towards it as the fog slowly parted. The closer she got, the more came into view and at last she saw everything.
Her sword made a dull thud as it hit the ground beside her.
"No…" Kohana's voice came out like a choked whisper, her mouth falling open. Trembling, she lost control of her body and sank to her knees, blood staining her yukata where it touched the ground. Tears streamed down her face, as her mouth convulsed in mute horror.
The trail of blood had led to a tree, and slumped against its heavy roots lay the crumpled body of Futeki. Blood stained half of his face, nearly blotting out the crescent moon on his forehead and turning the edges of his snowy hair deep red. His amber eyes, which normally glowed like the sun, were dark and glassy. His tiny claws were in shreds, and his left arm contorted unnaturally against his side. A dark hole ran through his chest where his heart should have been.
"No," Kohana repeated, her face contorting in grief, "No. No no no. F-futeki…Not him…" Slumping forward the mother crawled on her hands and knees until she reached her child's corpse. She reached for him, her hand grasping for his tiny palm.
The iciness of his skin shattered her resolve.
"NOT MY BABY!" She wailed, taking the broken body into her arms, soaking herself in its blood. Her voice echoed across the forest, screaming out her anguish for the world to hear.
This tiny life, this little boy that was half of herself. She'd carried him for nine long months inside of her own body. From when he first kicked inside her womb, to the moment he entered this world howling, to the moment he first spoke…. His smile, the sound of his laugh, the wag of his tail, his intelligent curiosity….Everything…
Gone.
Broken.
Dead.
Kohana wept loudly, cradling the body as she rocked back and forth on herself. The world around her vanished and she was aware of nothing else but the tiny corpse and the aching hole of her broken heart.
An eternity passed and at the end of it she was left with nothing.
"Do not cry for him," a deep voice slithered against her, "I've done the boy a favor. A half demon living in this world can only expect to suffer, now he is free of that fate."
Eyes swollen and aching from crying, Kohana looked up. The fog surrounded her, blocking her sight, but she had the distinct feeling that she was not alone.
"How sad it must have been for him; in his last painful moments his father chose to ignore his pitiful cries."
Kohana choked, searching for the source of the wretched voice. She turned around and her stomach dropped as the fog peeled away revealing Naraku's form standing over her.
"Perhaps I've done Sesshomaru a favor as well," the demon continued, smirking, "He no longer needs endure the shame of siring a half breed, or maintain the façade of paternal emotion."
"…You," Kohana's voice shook. From the emptiness of her sorrow, anger slowly began to boil, "You killed my son."
"Is that all you think me guilty of?" Naraku's red eyes lit up in mirth. A tentacle extended forward and dropped a ripped piece of cloth. It fluttered down to the ground and landed between them, a tiny piece of orange fabric identical to the yukata that Rin wore. "Unfortunately there wasn't anything left of that body for me to leave for you."
Kohana's eyes widened, shaking with outraged horror.
"A shame, your friends actually thought they stood a chance," Naraku's wicked smile grew, "I was hoping for a battle, but instead their pathetic lives ended without much of a fight. Now all that's left are to two pitiful humans who were too weak to keep up with the rest." He threw back his head, his maniacal laughter echoing against the trees.
Kohana stared up at him, her face a mask of pure rage. With a scream she grabbed her sword and leapt up, aiming for the monster's head. He effortlessly dodged, his laughter reeking of mockery.
"You fucking murderer," the grieving mother shrieked, "I'll end you! I'll feed your ass to the wolves and let them shit on your corpse! When I'm done there's going to be nothing left of your rotten existence! You hear me? You're gonna fucking die!"
With another howl she swung again. Once more Naraku dodged. They continued the dance, swinging and dodging, until at last Naraku grabbed her weapon with a tentacle and held it steady.
"Your pathetic attempt at revenge is amusing," He said, watching her struggle to pull her sword back, "But I've spent enough time playing. If you wish to kill me, I'll be waiting at the top of the mountain."
He released her sword. Kohana reared back, and aimed to swing again just as her opponent vanished into the mist. Her weapon sailed through the fog, shrieking as it collided with metal.
"Kohana! What's gotten into you?" A voice snapped. Kohana leapt back and readied another charge, just as the fog parted to reveal Naoe and Kaida. Kaida's sword was unsheathed, the weapon that had stopped Kohana from accidentally decapitating the two mentors. She glared at them.
"This is your fault!" Kohana spat angrily, "I never should have listened to you! I never should have let you take me from them!"
"Kohana what are you talking about?" Naoe asked, "Did you find Ronuku? You're covered in blood, what happened?"
"They're all dead, that's what happened!"
"Kohana stop this at once!" Kaida shouted, "We don't know that for certain until…" She trailed off as she spied Futeki's body crumpled on the ground where his mother left him, "…Oh…Blessed kami, no…"
"While we were out here training, Naraku wiped them out!" Kohana's angry tears dripped down her chin, "I abandoned my baby, and he died alone! Without even his father to protect him! It wasn't worth it Kaida! Not this!"
Her mentor looked at her, a glare of stern anger, "Kohana. I'm sorry. Truly I am. It grieves me to see you like this. But if you don't get a level head then,-"
"Enough of your bullshit!" She screamed again, "I've had enough of you! Get out of my way, or else I'll kill you first before I kill him!"
Kaida and Naoe paused, their eyes wide with shock.
"She," Naoe hissed, "She's gone mad…"
"Kohana," Kaida stepped forward, her weapon raised, "Don't do this. I don't want to hurt you."
"Nothing you can do will hurt me," Kohana snarled, "There's nothing left for that."
The two women, nearly identical in appearance stared each other down in silence. The fog swirled around them, and slowly Naoe unsheathed his weapon as well.
Across the foggy clearing a twig snapped.
Kohana turned around and fled.
"Kohana, wait! Come back!" Kaida and Naoe's voices chased her, their footsteps crashing behind in pursuit but she didn't stop.
I can't waste my energy fighting them, Kohana thought, With everything I've got, even if it kills me, I'm taking that bastard Naraku down!
The tumultuous rage she sensed earlier from Ronuku was stronger than ever.
Somewhere in the distance, Ronuku was able to sense her hurricane of grief and anger as well.
Once more their hearts beat for the same purpose. Hatred burned through their veins as they sprinted across the mountain with one goal:
Bloody Revenge.