-1InuYasha-Chapter 362- Jail Escape

"Let Goryoumaru out from his prison?" Kagura inquired, staring Hakudoushi down. A cold and chilling air swept through the cavern.

"You want to know…" Hakudoushi replied, his evil little voice causing Kagura to shiver. "Just who Goryoumaru is, don't you Kagura?" Hakudoushi stared into the prison cell, Goryoumaru staring back.

"Naraku said not to let him out," Kagura retorted, looking to the left. That brat Hakudoushi. What the fuck is he plotting?!

Heh. So when it comes down to it, she's afraid to cross Naraku huh…Hakudoushi thought, his gaze lowering. He thought Kagura was stronger than that. Kagura stared at him, her face expressionless.

"I'll tell you one thing," Hakudoushi advised, "even if you follow Naraku's orders, and protect Goryoumaru, it won't benefit you." He turned to leave, but looked back at her. "Think carefully about what I just said."

"Humph," Kagura grunted. That brat Hakudoushi. It was like he was telling me to betray Naraku the whole time. She watched Hakudoushi walk up the stairs, disappearing into the dark. Why did Naraku lock up Goryoumaru? Does it benefit him somehow…?

While Kagura wondered, Goryoumaru touched the bars of his cell with his flesh. It shocked his flesh immediately.

Hakudoushi's words wrung in her ears, "Even if you follow Naraku's orders and protect Goryoumaru, it won't benefit you."

Kagura's eyes widened as she thought, I'm protecting Goryoumaru?!

She turned to face the man before her, trapped. She began to recall the events at the castle, the time where Goryoumaru had first been slain. Hakudoushi had sliced his head clean off with his double-edged blade. Khanna had been standing but three feet away, holding the baby Akago in her arms.

At that time, Naraku's heart…the baby was there!

"Kagura…" Goryoumaru spoke, rising. The blackness of the cave covered his face. She tried to see his expression through the darkness. "Choose. Will you die, serving under Naraku, of your own will? Or will you break free of this prison with me? And live a longer life?"

Damn him, Kagura thought. "What do you want me to do?" She asked, agreeing with the later.

"The Rakan statues," he said, gesturing to a group of stone men, standing against the wall. Kagura looked over at them, curiously. "Naraku left them to seal me in."

"Break them, huh?" Kagura finished. She pulled her fan from her kimono, opening it with the flick of her finger. She sliced it through the air, shattering the statues with one swish of the wrist. Goryoumaru's arm instantly began to grow, glowing brightly. It grew larger and larger, turning colors. Soon, Goryoumaru's whole body was turning white. Kagura stared on in amazement. It was…Moryoumaru?!

Meanwhile, in a nearby village, InuYasha and the group were inspecting some houses.

Arrows stuck to the roofs, holes in the walls from fires. A giant hole stood openly upon one of the roof tops.

"Bandit's work it seems," Sango analyzed.

"Yeah," Miroku agreed. "It's been several days since they were attacked."

"Say…" Kagome chimed. "Maybe they're not ordinary bandits?" She pointed to the hole. "The roof…was blown away by something, it seems."

Some village men came up to them, explaining what they knew of the situation.

"Some bandits carrying strange weapons?" Miroku repeated, curious.

"Yeah," one of the men said. "Rumor has it they've been attacking villages in the area recently…"

"What kind of weapon?" Sango asked, wanting details.

"Well, though I've asked some survivors," the older of the men informed, "they said it was some kind of bright, strange thing…"

InuYasha's eyes widened, as did Kagome's.

Bright…? They mean a light? She wondered to herself. Something that'd blow away a roof?

"What'll we do, Houshi-sama?" Sango asked the monk.

"I'm concerned about it," Miroku said, looking up at the sky. "But the sun will be setting soon. Tonight we should find a safe place to sleep, right InuYasha?"

"Huh?" InuYasha inquired, looking back at him. "I'm fine going after the bandits."

"We can't." Kagome looked at him, sincerity in her eyes. "It's the night of the new moon."

"That's right," Shippo agreed, popping up from behind her shoulder. "It's the day InuYasha turns into a wimpy human. Everyone'll have to protect him."

InuYasha pulled the kitsune from Kagome's shoulder, stretching his cheeks out.

"Hey, Uat arr you hoing?!" Shippo managed, his mouth stretched out to a thin line.

"Is wimpy referring to me, huh?"

Later that night, the group had found a shrine to sleep at. Kagome and Sango slept soundly with Shippo, Miroku resting his head on one of his hands. InuYasha sat against the wall, unable to sleep.

It really concerns me…He thought, staring off into the distance. These odd weapons the bandits had…

"What's the matter, InuYasha?" Miroku asked, looking back at him. "Like usual you can't sleep in you're human form because you're scared?"

"Don't talk about me like that!" InuYasha shouted, defending himself.

"Yeah, yeah…"

A screaming noise came from outside, causing everyone to sit up and get ready.

"Can you hear it?" Miroku asked, trying to get everyone on their guard.

"Wake up everyone!" villagers called from outside. "Bandits have come!" People ran around frantically as bandits rode up to them on horse back. They laughed maliciously as their bodies spewed bright light. The light knocked villagers to the ground, illuminating the area at the same time.

At the shrine, Kagome and Miroku stared at the light.

"It's from the village!" Kagome exclaimed. InuYasha ran up to them, holding his un-transformable Tetsusaiga to his chest.

"The bandits have attacked the village, haven't they?!"

"InuYasha! You stay behind with Kagome-sama!" He hopped onto Kirara's back, behind Sango.

"Hey! Wait!" InuYasha yelled after them.

"Two is enough!" Sango insisted as Kirara rode off to the village.

The villagers had been gathered in a circle by the bandits, all cowering on the ground. The leader stood before them, mounted on horseback.

He laughed, "This is such fun!" Strange light glowed from his arm.

"Hirakotsu!" Sango shouted as her weapon flew through the air. It knocked the man from his horse, flying back to her grasp. Kirara landed on the ground, Miroku hoping off to stand in front of the villagers.

"It'll be ok now!" Miroku assured them.

"Who the hell are you?" Another bandit asked. He turned to the man behind him. "Hey, erase these guys first."

"Right." He chuckled, hoisting a strange looking weapon upon his shoulder.

Sango and Miroku gasped.

"Houshi-sama! That's…!"

It was Goryoumaru's Goryou-pot! The mysterious container of demonic energy that resembled light!

Back at the shrine, Kagome sat with InuYasha in hiding.

"Aren't Sango and Miroku late?" he asked, eager to go to battle.

"They only just left you know," Kagome reminded him. Jeez he was so impatient.

Damn I'm so irritated, He thought, biting his bottom lip. Just waiting here…

Outside, menacing footsteps came into the clearing. Goryoumaru stood before the shine, a devilish smile upon his face.