Chapter Thirty-Four: Lost
A/N: Edited on 9/10/15
Miroku sat up and opened his eyes. There had been a blinding red flash and he had felt the extreme heat that forced him to separate from Sango. Miroku groaned and felt burning sensations all over his body and cursed.
"Lord Miroku?"
"Master Myoga?"
"Oh I'm so glad you're alright!" The old flea gasped. Miroku looked at his shoulder to see a soot covered flea. Miroku coughed, and some blood landed on the grass in front of him.
"I've had worse." Miroku sputtered. He had to find Sango and the others. Apparently they had all been separated from whatever that blast had been. "Master Myoga, what was that blast?"
"I..."
"Was it was the same power like last time?" Miroku gave the flea a cold stare.
"No, that was his God's power. He intensified power by speaking the language not of this world." Myoga sighed.
"Language not of this world?" Miroku asked, groaning.
"Language that we could not possibly understand."
"I see." Miroku sat up and rubbed his burning scalp. "Whatever it was, it feels like acid has become the air."
"I can't tell you what specific power he used Lord Miroku. The others may be in worse shape. I know Lady Kagome and Lord Kouga were extremely close to the blast."
Miroku gulped, how close? Sango had been next to him, so she was probably not in any worse condition that he was in now. But Miroku felt he still needed to find her, before she…No! Miroku thought angrily. Stop thinking negative thoughts and get up! Miroku grabbed his staff that had been a few feet away and used it as a crutch to regain his balance. He gripped a nearby tree branch to support himself. He leaned on the trunk gasping for breath, the older injures had reopened and these burns…
Miroku knew he had to find Sango, but in his condition, he was going to go no where. He needed help, any help.
"Master Myoga, is there a village near here?"
"I'm not aware of any." Myoga answered. "But if you stay and rest Lord Miroku, I can scout about to check."
"Please do." Miroku leaned back and sat down, breathing in and out deeply. Myoga bounded off his shoulder and disappeared into the thicket. Miroku watched his small body go, and closed his eyes. He thought about Sango, their first kiss just the day before, and how she kissed him back. Her lips still seemed to be on his, their warmth with love and affection. Miroku realized his tongue was moving as he imagined the scene. Embarrassed, Miroku took his robe and dabbed the bit of drool that fallen out of the corner of his mouth. It hurt to move his arm, but it was necessary.
The burning scene was not to far away, and it hurt Miroku's eyes. He stared at the scorched ground, it just looked like a regularly youki blast, but somehow it was different. First of all, Inuhidoi did it with his hands. Second, it was still InuYasha's body, Miroku was somehow impressed InuYasha's body could produce such raw power in such a way. There had been no sword for him to shot youki, why would he really need it? It looked like he was powerful enough without one.
Miroku closed his eyes, and turned his chin to the sky. He was alone and opened to attacking demons. The only chance he had was his wind tunnel for defense. Curse this pain, Miroku thought, for once I wish I healed as fast as Lord Sesshomaru. He put his staff close to him and drew a few sutras. He placed them around him and one on the tree behind him. The barrier came over him and Miroku sighed feeling a little more comfortable. Wishing Sango was with him to comfort his painful wounds Miroku decided to examine them for himself.
Pulling his sleeve up on his right arm, his skin was red and black, blood oozing down his arm. Most of the blood had dried and Miroku realized that had been a older wound, and the burns had opened it up. Master Myoga, please hurry.
(-)_(-)
"Lord Miroku! Wake up!"
Miroku blinked his eyes open. Myoga's voice had called out to him but it sounded muffled. "Master Myoga…?"
"I can't get through with your barrier in the way!" Myoga huffed.
"Sorry, I put it there to be safe." Miroku strained his burned body to remove the sutras and let the barrier fade. "Is there a village nearby?"
"Yes I found one, but it is a distant walk." Myoga sighed.
"What…?" Miroku moaned. "How far?"
"I good distance, it might take till morning to get there."
"Then let's go." Miroku took his staff and leveled it to hold his staggering weight.
"Lord Miroku! Your injures…"
"They won't get better if I just lie there. I need somebody's help. Like Lady Kagome says, these wounds will get infected if I don't get them bandaged." Miroku moaned.
"I wish I could help." Myoga bowed his head down.
"You helped enough Master Myoga. Thank you."
Miroku wobbled on his staff, hoping to see a flat path anywhere. Why? Why had the God's done this to him? To his friends? To InuYasha? And to Sango? It made Miroku shake with rage; his promise to Sango was going to be fulfilled if InuYasha broke. What he had heard between InuYasha and Sesshomaru made Miroku think that InuYasha was close to breaking.
First, InuYasha had hurt his companions, his closest friends, and then he broke his brother's sword. Second, he was forced to rape the women he cared about the most, and hurt her in every way both physically and mentally. Third, his body had twisted into something unrecognizable. Miroku could barley tell that was InuYasha anymore. The feature of what used to be his half-demon friend had faded. The only thing that was still there was his spirit. InuYasha was fighting a losing battle after what he had learned and what he had done.
"Master Myoga?"
"Yes, Lord Miroku?"
"Is it true, did InuYasha really kill his own mother?"
"Um, Lord InuYasha would rather not us talk of the matter."
"InuYasha is not here, answer the question Master Myoga."
"Do you really want to know?" Myoga whispered.
"Yes. I believe Inuhidoi was involved in that incident." Miroku snapped.
"You're true there Lord Miroku. When Lord InuYasha was only five years old, he transformed." Myoga stopped.
Miroku looked at the old flea. "Well?"
"The story behind Lord InuYasha's transformations was his demon blood initially, but I had completely forgotten about Inuhidoi's curse. When Lady Kikyo pinned Lord InuYasha to the tree, I was not surprised that Inuhidoi wanted to make Lady Kagome suffer."
"Why?" Miroku asked, darkly.
"Lady Kagome is the reincarnation of Lady Kikyo, who bound Lord InuYasha to the Sacred Tree for fifty years. Not only did she bind Lord InuYasha. she bounded Inuhidoi as well."
"So, Inuhidoi is after Lady Kikyo?" Miroku asked.
"I wouldn't put it past him." Myoga answered.
"How did InuYasha's father slay Inuhidoi?"
"With So'unga, but he killed only Inuhidoi's physically body. It is very different then what Lord InuYasha is fighting." Myoga sighed. "I told you his curse, Inuhidoi released his soul from his body in order to get revenge on The Great Dog Demon Lord."
"How exactly…?" Miroku started when a sharp pain came up his leg. "Oh!"
"Lord Miroku, are you alright?!"
"My ankle, I think I twisted it." Miroku leaned against his staff, now limping on his one good foot. "How much further?"
"Not far now. You might want to be careful. There are some villagers on guard since they saw Inuhidoi's explosion." Myoga said.
"Thank you." Miroku sighed. He gasped for breath as his body screamed for relaxation. No, Miroku thought, not until we get to the village.
"Up ahead Lord Miroku."
Miroku pushed his staff forward to see two dark figures standing there with pitchforks in hand. Miroku kept moving forward, knowing the two scared guards would hear his footsteps.
"Who is there!?" A man's voice yelled.
"Please I'm Miroku a Buddhist Monk, I mean no…Ugh!" Miroku fell to his knees in pain. It was coming from his chest now. He felt some rough hands grab him and slightly pick him up.
"He's a monk!"
"Looks pretty beat up; we better get him to the woman for care." Miroku sighed, he was going to be alright, for now. Myoga must have disappeared inside his robe to hide from the human guards. Miroku closed his eyes as he felt the two men pick him up carefully and pulled him into a freshly cleaned hut.
"Women, we have an injured man here!"
Miroku thoughts went to Sango. Please be safe my dear. Miroku felt Myoga on his cheek, but the flea made no conversation. Instead he sucked slightly at his blood, most likely checking if he was poisoned. Seeing he was not, the old flea dove back into his robes and hid. Miroku looked up to see a young woman putting a cold, wet cloth on his forehead.
"Don't worry dear monk." The woman looked at him. "I'll be treating your wounds."
"Sango…" It was the last thing Miroku thought as he fell into the blackness. His life was in the hands of these kind villagers.