Chapter Four: The Sacred Jewel
Later that night the teenage girl woke Kikyo up. There were Demon slayers outside that wanted to speak with her. The leader of the demon slayers held a bright jewel that shined brighter than the stars outside. Kikyo looked at the jewel. "May I be of any help?"
"We need a powerful Priestess and we were told that you were the very Priestess we were looking for."
"Yes I am indeed a powerful priestess how may I be of service?" The Leader handed her the Jewel.
"We need you to purify this jewel and protect it." Kikyo examined the Jewel.
"Protect it?"
"Yes demons are searching for that jewel for its power. It must not fall into their hands." Kikyo bowed to them.
"Very well I shall protect this jewel. Be sure to make it back to your village safely." They left and Kikyo went inside the temple and purified the jewel. Kikyo went to bed afterward.
Kozan and Kikyo met up early in the morning. Kikyo wore the jewel around her neck with a fancy necklace she made. "Kikyo what's wrong you look like yourself today?" Kozan looked at the necklace. "Where'd the necklace come from?"
"Kozan I don't think we should meet like this anymore." Kikyo held onto the Jewel. "You've noticed the necklace which holds the sacred Jewel."
"Sacred Jewel?" Kozan tilted his head.
"Yes this jewel holds enormous power many sought after it and now it's in my possession. Seeing that you are a demon you are no exception." Kozan looked at the necklace. To think a tiny jewel had that much power inside it. The Jewel's aura was convincing him to take it but he refused. His love for Kikyo was stronger than the desire for power.
"Kikyo I don't care about the Jewel. I do care about your safety though which is why I want to help you protect it." Kozan stood up.
"I can not allow you to; it's foolish to even think I would let you take my burden." Kikyo stood up and looked at the village from afar. She looked at the village sadly. "Kozan you are not like me," The wind blew Kikyo. He looked at her as the wind blew flower petals passed Kikyo. "Unlike me you are not bound to a village. You are free to do what you desire I can never have a chance at that. I envy you for that but still I can not allow binding yourself with my burden. I've always wanted to live as an ordinary woman because I am a priestess I can not. Now with this jewel I am even further from my dream."
"Kikyo," Kozan looked at her as she fought the urge to cry. Kozan looked down at the ground. "You are right I am not like you or any other demon. I maybe a free spirit but I long to tamed, I'm tired of freedom because it means nothing if you have no one to spend it with. At least if I were a tamed spirit I have some one to spend it with. I'd have you and that's reason enough." Kozan turned Kikyo around.
"But why it's such a foolish decision." Kikyo looked away. Kozan put a flower in her hand.
"Consider me a fool if that's what it takes to protect you." Kikyo looked at the flower. "Kikyo you've fought alone for many years. I don't want to see you alone in battle anymore I want to fight beside you. Please allow this honor I'll beg, I'll plead, I just can't bear the sight of losing you."
"Is that how you feel," Kikyo let out a sigh. "To kill your own kind just to protect a priestess. The type of person who kills your kind with no remorse. The whole thing foolish yet you pursue it anyway." Kikyo glared at him. "Even if it is foolish it also the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me." Kikyo smiled.
"So I get to help?" Kozan smiled, Kikyo nodded. "Sweet." He jumped in the air. Jin jumped down hit the ground in front of Kikyo she jumped out of the way.
"Hand over the sacred jewel priestess." Jin stood up; the impact of his fist put a crater in the ground. Kikyo loaded her bow and aimed it at him.
"Jin?" Kozan turned and looked at him. Kikyo glanced over at Kozan.
"You know this demon." Kikyo lowered her bow.
"He was the guy who gave me the apple." Jin ran at Kikyo, Kozan grabbed his shoulders holding him back. "Jin enough why you attacking my woman."
"Woman?" Kikyo glared at Kozan.
"That priestess has the sacred jewel and with it our tribe will be unstoppable." Jin tripped Kozan, He lunged at Kikyo. She evaded the attack and fired an arrow at him. Jin dodged the arrow; the arrow hit ground creating a crater. "You think measly arrows can defeat you must be joking." He ran at her. Kikyo spun and blocked with her bow knocking Jin back with her purification powers.
"Surely you can tell I'm no ordinary priestess." Kikyo smirked. Jin stood up; his body was covered in burn marks.
"Damn you woman." Jin jumped at her, Kikyo prepared to shoot him with an arrow.
"Hands off my woman." Kozan kicked Jin out of the air. Jin rolled across the ground leaving a trail due to Kozan's strength. "You alright Kikyo?"
"Fine no need to worry I'm more than capable of taking care of myself." Kikyo lowered the bow. "Granted your skills are questionable." Kozan's eyes turned big.
"Who does she think she is telling me my skills are questionable, I got mad skills." Kozan looked back at Kikyo. "My skills are fine."
"Kozan you dare to betray your own tribe for a measly woman." Jin stood up, spitting out blood. "What ever happened to bros before hoes."
"Hey Kikyo is not a hoe." Kozan shouted at him.
"I'll kill you and that priestess." Jin ran at Kozan. Kozan sidestepped his punch and tripped him.
"Jin we don't have to fight just forget about the jewel." Kozan jumped on top of him and held him down.
"Never." Jin's wolves tackled Kozan. "Priestess your mine." Jin jumped at her.
"Forgive me." Kikyo aimed the arrow at Jin. Suddenly more of his wolves tackled Kikyo. She forced all wolves back with purification. Jin toke advantage and slashed Kikyo with his claws. She hit the ground grasping her wound. Blood dripped from the wound on Kikyo's upper chest onto the meadow of flowers.
"Gotcha." Jin clinched his blood stained fingers together. Kikyo grabbed his leg and used purification burning him. Kozan spun throwing the wolves off him.
"You bastard." Kozan ran at Jin. Kikyo released his leg and Kozan punched Jin so hard his body exploded. Jin's blood covered Kozan and Kikyo. "Kikyo you alright?" He knelled down in front of her.
"I'm fine." Kikyo tried to stand only to fall on one knee. More blood came out of the wound.
"Kikyo," Kozan was starting to worry. He grabbed Kikyo and ran towards the village.
"What are you doing if you go to the village you'll be killed."
"I don't you can't move which means you can't get help." Kikyo clinched onto her wound. "Hang tight Kikyo." Kozan ran faster. "I hope I can make it on time please Kikyo don't die."
"I can not allow him to enter the village, forgive me Kozan." Kikyo surrounded her body in purification. Kozan screamed and dropped her.
"What the hell Kikyo." He fell to his knees.
"I can not allow you to take me to the village." She tried to stand up again. She fell to one knee once again the wound bleed worse. A teenage girl ran up to Kikyo.
"Lady Kikyo." She put Kikyo's arm around her neck. "I will take you to the village just hold on." She looked over and saw Kozan. "You must be that demon that spies on her did you do this to her?" she glared at him.
"No I did not I swear." Kozan stood up.
"It's alright he saved me." Kikyo assured her.
"Really alright I can tell you are worried about Lady Kikyo." She smiled looking at Kozan's expression. "She'll be fine she's in good hands." She ran taking Kikyo with her. Kozan watched the enter the village then he ran to the stream. He removed his armor and stood in the water fall. He watch as all the blood washed off of him.
"It's hard to believe that most of this blood is Jin's. I toke his life with my own hands in order to save Kikyo. My best friend is now dead what am I going to tell Yuka." Kozan looked up at the sky. "Jin and Yuka were betrothed. Since she was our leader's daughter I guess it's safe to say I have no home to return to." Kozan looked over and saw demons approaching the village. He remembered that Kikyo was injured; Kozan ran putting the only the wolf pelt and wolf fur leggings on. He moved so fast that he broke the speed of sound and left a trail.
"Kozan?" Yuka looked as he left. "Why is he heading to that village could he be behind Jin's death if he is I must avenge Jin's death." She followed to find out why Kozan was leaving towards the village.
"Kikyo!" Kozan jumped off a demon and clawed the demon in front of Kikyo's house. The demon was slashed to bits by his might claws. "Damn you demons." he jumped axe kicking a demon shattering the skull of the demon. "I'll kill every last that tries to harm her." A demon came behind him he turned around to punch it but Kikyo shot it with an arrow in mouth. The demon snake like body was obliterated by the arrow.
"Kozan why are you here?" Kikyo loaded her bow with another arrow. "Don't you realize the consequences of coming here."
"I'm aware and I don't care." Kozan jumped off a demon and slashed the demon behind it. Kikyo shot the other demon with an arrow. "I saw that you were in danger due to that wound fighting is rather difficult now." Kozan slashed threw a line of demons.
"Kozan fighting is no problem for," Kikyo grabbed the wound realizing she reopened it.
"Don't try to lie it's not like a priestess to lie." Kozan vanished behind her and slashed the demon with his claws. He helped Kikyo up. "You alright."
"I'm fine no need to worry." Kikyo was straining. Kozan grabbed her and threw her on his back piggy back.
"Don't try to act tough I know you're in pain." Kikyo realized he was armor less.
"Your armor where is it?" Kikyo blushed.
"I left it don't worry I tougher than I look," Kozan grinned. "And I look pretty damn good don't me?" Kikyo hid her face. "I run you shoot that's if you can. If not then hang on tight." Kozan ran creating a tornado spinning the demons around him chopping them up with claws in an instant. He jumped and Kikyo fired an arrow at a line of demons obliterating every last one. "Not bad priestess but don't think you've caught up yet." Kozan ran faster Kikyo smiled and put a barrier around Kozan making every demon he ran towards die of purification, his mouth dropped.
"I do believe it is you who needs to keep up." Kikyo teased, Kozan blushed and he continued killing demons. He killed until there was no more.
"There that's the last of them." Kozan set Kikyo down.
"You jerk." Yuka punched the ground in front of Kozan. He jumped back grabbing Kikyo. "It was you how could you betray our tribe and help that priestess. Don't you know she's our enemy it's thanks to her kind we can't enter villages and feed on humans?" Yuka began crying. "It can believe you helped kill Jin. He was your best friend and he was my," Yuka fell to her knees in tears. "He was going to be my man." Tears fell to the ground like rain. "I've wanted so long for him to call me his woman. Now finally he tells me on the night of the lunar rainbow. But now," She clinched her chest. "My beloved Jin is dead and it's your fault." She clinched the dirt. "I'll avenge him." She hit the ground creating a crack in the ground leading to Kozan. A dirt shot out of the crack blinding Kozan and Kikyo. She ran at Kozan and punched him into a building. She spun wrapping the sand in a tornado filled with leaves. She hurled the tornado at him. The leaves slashed up his skin as he protected Kikyo. The tornado stopped and Kozan had cuts all over his upper body. She jumped in the air with a ferocious axe kick. Kozan dodged taking Kikyo with him. The impact left a huge crater.
"I never knew Yuka was this strong." Kozan was barely able to move due the tornado attack.
"You know the saying Hell hath no fury on a woman's scorn." Kikyo reminded him.
"What's the matter Kozan, you afraid to fight a girl?" Yuka smirked. "Yes I know all about your little pep peeves. It was the only reason you refused to spar with me." Kozan clinched his teeth.
"Damn her, I'll have you know I'm not afraid to fight a girl. I just have too much respect for women that's all." He yelled back.
"Then that little pep peeve will lead to you and that priestess' demise. After all it's obvious you love her so I'll get even I'll kill her first." Yuka created a sand storm with her speed blinding them. Leaves floated around in the sand storm slashing Kozan. Kikyo put a barrier up protecting them. "That trick wont work on any of my moves." she moved faster increasing the power of the storm. The leaves moved so fast they pierce the barrier. Kozan fell to the ground unable to move he was still covering Kikyo. The storm cleared, Yuka stood in front of him. "Move it traitor." She kicked him off. She looked at Kikyo. "Seems like your still wounded killing you will be a breeze. I will help myself to jewel afterwards Jin desired the jewel died for it so I will hold it as a memento of him. Kikyo grabbed her leg shocking her with purification. "Yeowch." She spun extremely fast throwing Kikyo off. "As if that'll work." She clinched her finger together. "Time to die priestess." Kozan stood up.
"You lay one hand on Kikyo I'll kill you." He bared his fangs.
"Don't make empty threats Kozan we both know how this will end." She smirked. "You should have finished my father's training before you ran off with this witch." She kicked dirt on Kikyo. "Maybe then you could at least stand a chance against me." She whistled her wolves appeared. "Keep Kozan busy while I deal with his brood." The wolves ran at him.
"You got to kidding." Kozan spun and wolves flew off. Yuka threw leaves in his tornado. The leaves spun around cutting him up. He stopped, falling on one knee. The wolves toke advantage and attacked Kozan.
"Fox fire." A young girl jumped down roasting the wolves getting them off Kozan. "Leave the pesky wolves to me just deal with her." She looked over at Yuka. The girl was short and had a small fox tail. She looked about five. She had orange hair with white tips.
"Right." Kozan ran Yuka as she was about to claw Kikyo's wound. He punched her, the impact made her slide across the ground. "Kikyo please tell you alright."
"I'm fine." She rose to her feet. "You're going to need help defeating her; she is unlike other wolf demons." Kikyo loaded her bow.
"Kikyo what about your," Kikyo shook her head.
"Never mind that," She aimed her bow.
"Finally you show some balls." Yuka woke up from the hit. "But don't think I'll defeated by the likes of man who killed Jin." She created a sandstorm Kikyo purified it making it disappear. Kozan clawed Yuka in her legs making her fall. "My sandstorm but how?" she grasped her left leg.
"A trick like that won't against a Priestess." Kikyo smirked. "Now how would like to die by my arrow or by Kozan's claw." Yuki chuckled.
"Funny you foil one of my moves and you think you've defeated me. Like I said don't think I'll be defeated by likes of the man who killed Jin or his woman." Yuka dug underground.
"I don't think so." Kozan jumped in the hole and ran after her. While she was running Kozan ran passed her. "Later." he ran faster.
"Huh," She looked back and she was hit by a shockwave flying into a wall. "Curse that speed of his." She looked up.
"Forgive me." Kikyo fired an arrow into the hole Kozan made frying Yuka. "Shall we go?" Kikyo walked away with Kozan. He carried her so she couldn't strain herself anymore. Her act of toughness earlier towards Yuka wasn't fooling anyone he knew she was still badly wounded. The wolves ran away from the girl.
"Come back cowards!" She yelled back at them. Yuka climbed out of the hole with a huge whole in her chest blood was gushing out of the gaping wound. She held onto with her hand. Kikyo and Kozan looked back at her.
"I'm sorry Jin." She lied on the ground in tears. "I could not avenge you." Kozan looked down fighting the urge to cry. "Why Kozan please tell me at least why you helped kill the only people who truly understood you."
"I'll leave you to finish her off. I'm out of arrows." Kikyo walked away showing no sympathy for Yuka. Kozan knelled down in front of Yuka.
"Yuka I'm sorry it had to be this way." Kozan clinched his fingers together.
"You're not sorry." She looked into his eyes. "You never cared much about anyone except her. Why is she so special don't you see how wrong this is?" She yelled. "Jin and I were there for you we knew how you felt granted I never knew you loved that priestess but I understand how you feel about her. Because it's the same way I feel about Jin." She closed her eyes. "Do you think I will be able to see him when you kill me?" Kozan was about to finish her but stopped.
"I'm sure of it." He tried to comfort her, she smiled.
"If I do see him I'm going to marry him for sure and I make sure to tell him you said hi okay?" She winked at Kozan.
"Yeah you do that." Kozan slashed Yuka with his claws tearing her body to shreds. Kozan walked away going to lake washing the blood off his claws. He looked at his reflection. He looked back on all the times he spent with Yuka training and practicing his pick up lines for Kikyo on Jin. It wasn't long before Kozan realized he was crying. "The words Yuka said before I toke her life those were the words she said to when she was just cub." Kozan wiped the tears away. "Enough tears big wolves don't cry she was seeking the jewel she deserved her fate." He walked towards the village only to be yelled at by villagers.
"How dare you bring wolf demon friends after our village?" The man shouted.
"She wasn't my friend." Kikyo walked up carrying the kid. "Kikyo?"
"So you did away with the demon." Kozan nodded. "Do me a favor get rid of this one she thinks I owe her the sacred jewel for helping us."
"As if," Kozan smirked and grabbed her tail. "Let's go little munchkin."
"Let me go you bully." She yelled. "The sacred jewel is mine I saved you if it weren't for my fox fire you'd be dog meat." Kozan walked away.
"Yeah, Yeah like a munchkin like you has any power to save a mighty wolf demon." He dropped her on her butt.
"Oh yeah I can be just as strong as you, let's go dog breath." She put her fists up, Kozan laughed at her.
"That's priceless you think you can beat me." Kozan laughed harder. "Good one." She glared at him.
"That does it, Fox fire." She caught Kozan's fur on fire.
"Ah, Hot, Hot, Hot." Kozan began running around wildly, she laughed at him.
"Now to get the priestess." She walked away and bumped into Kikyo. "Hi." Kikyo glared at her. She attached her to an arrow and fired it. "Don't think you gotten rid of me you will face the wrath of Kitsune!" She disappeared in the sky. The fire burnt out as did Kozan's fur.
"I hate kids." He looked agitated, Kikyo looked over and laughed. Kozan looked down and covered up. "You better not be laughing at my size."
"No i just can not believe you were humiliated by a child." Kikyo chuckled then ceased her laughing. "Let's go you need clothes." she walked towards the village.
"I'm not going in public like this." Kikyo ignored him. "Stupid kid." He followed her. They entered the village. Kozan put his hands behind his head whistling.
"Must you whistle like that?" She looked back at him.
"Yeah I don't have anything to ashamed of," He glanced at the girls they were blushing." Just look at the girls in awe over my size." He smirked when he looked at the guys. Some were looking at him with envy. "That's right become engulfed with jealously, the very thing you protest has bigger package than most of you Humes." Kikyo tossed him in her house.
"Just wait in there while I get you some clothes." She left and Kozan sat on the floor covering his package with his legs.
"She wants me." He smirked. The teenage girl walked in holding a medical herb mix in a bowl. She looked at Kozan and screamed running out of the house. "They act like they've never seen a naked guy before." Kikyo walked in tossing Kozan some clothes. He caught them and toke look at them. "These clothes are hideous no wonder wolf demons wear wolf fur humans have no taste."
"Just put them on." Kikyo turned her head, Kozan put the clothes on.
"This is so not my style I'm going to pummel that fox next I see her." Kozan was wearing a monk suit. "Let's get this over with." He walked outside ready to be screamed at by the villagers. To his surprise they weren't yelling or cursing him. Kikyo walked beside him smiling.
"I talked with the village and they are okay with you coming to village as long as I am with you." Kikyo grabbed his arm. "Shall we."
"Where are you taking me first?" He raised one eyebrow.
"A tour of the village." She toke him around the village introducing him to people. She had to pull him away from the women who couldn't get enough of him. Some wanted to keep him. His flirting didn't help matters granted he only did it to enrage the husbands. By the time the tour ended it was night time so she toke Kozan to her house and they went to sleep. He had to sleep on the other side of the room.