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Sorry it took me so long to update! Thanks for the continued support and reviews. I really do appreciate them. I hope this chapter is worth the wait!

The title of this chapter is a reference to Studio Ghibli's timeless film Spirited Away, which has been one of my favourites animated films since I was little. Unfortunately, No-Face doesn't make an appearance in this story, but it would be hilarious to see him causing chaos for the cast of Inuyasha. He still freaks me out to this day!

EIGHTH BLOOD

Chapter 8: Spirited away

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It took them a week to travel from Musashi to Aki, or in more modern terms, Tokyo to Hiroshima. They flew the vast majority of the way, only opting to walk when Ah-Un needed a break from flying or when Octavia and Rin developed leg cramps.

On the seventh day, Sesshoumaru declared that he would be going on ahead with just Rin and Jaken, leaving Ah-Un to guard Octavia. He'd claimed it was to prevent rumours from spreading that he had brought his human mistress and their child to the stronghold, which was what it would look like if they all went in together. Rin might not look or smell like a hanyou, but at a first glance, it would definitely seem suspicious to the castle's inhabitants. Octavia had argued that she and Rin looked nothing alike, but Sesshoumaru's word was final. Therefore, she was forced to wait in the forest with Ah-Un until Sesshoumaru returned for them later.

"Noughts or crosses?" she asked.

The dragon drew a cross in the dirt with its claw.

"Okay. Best of fifty?"

Unlike Jaken, Ah-Un was a worthy opponent. They played for half an hour before Octavia's stomach growled, startling her. Ah-Un scampered off to catch them some game. Whilst she waited, Octavia gathered firewood and crafted a spit to roast the food on. She wasn't sure if Ah-Un even ate meat. During the week they'd been together, she'd only ever seen the dragon eat grass.

"This is actually insane," she muttered to herself, remembering her new reality. It was easy to forget that this was all taking place in another century, until she'd encountered real-life samurai and the kinds of fortresses from history books. They'd passed by a battlefield yesterday, and the sight of all those corpses had made Octavia vomit. Not to mention the smell.

She really was stuck in the warring states era.

There had to be another way for her to get back to the present.

"Ooh! What's this, I wonder?"

She flinched at the voice and quickly scanned her surroundings. Ah-Un was still out hunting for their lunch, so she was essentially a sitting duck. Not necessarily. Raising her fists, she looked around for the owner of the voice again.

"Oh, stop that already," said the voice. "You won't be able to see me unless I lower my glamour."

"Who are you?" asked Octavia.

"My name is Breena."

"And what are you?"

"I'm a yosei. We're guardians of the forest."

Octavia's eyes widened in surprise. "You're a tree spirit?"

"Yes, if you like."

"Can I see what you look like?"

"Do you want to?"

Octavia nodded eagerly. A golden orb appeared before her and shone brightly, blinding her for a moment. As the light dimmed, she heard a giggle that reminded her of sleigh bells. She opened her eyes and studied the tiny creature hovering in the air in front of her. Evidently, yosei was another word for fairy. She was about the height of Octavia's hand, with glittering gold skin, clawed feet and the eyes of a robin. Her little wings were made entirely out of light.

The fairy floated closer. "Impossible," she whispered. "I haven't felt spirit magic in over a century. Excluding the Shikon no Tama. None of us have. Who are you?"

"I'm Octavia. What did you say your name was again?"

"Breena," she replied. "Why are you alone in the forest with a youkai, Octavia?"

"Ah-Un is Sesshoumaru's beast of burden. He told us to wait for him."

Breena cocked her head to the side like a bird. "An acquaintance of Sesshoumaru-sama? How peculiar. He hates humans. Why are you travelling with him?"

"Apparently, he knows a warlock who might be able to help me. To be honest, I think his ward talked him into it. She could convince him to do anything. He's like her pet."

Breena giggled. "Few are bold enough to disrespect a Daiyoukai."

Octavia folded her arms and frowned. "He doesn't scare me."

"He should." The fairy grinned at her, flashing pointed teeth. "I like you, Octavia. But more importantly, I understand now. You must meet with Nidawi-sama at once."

"Who?"

"The Forest Spirit herself. She's a wise oracle. Her home is in that camphor tree, right at the top of the mountain. Come, I'll take you."

Octavia backed away. "Whoa, there. I can't just leave. Ah-Un won't know where I am. And what about Sesshoumaru? He'll think I've—"

Breena seized one of Octavia's thumbs and a bright light enveloped them instantly. After it disappeared, Octavia wrenched her thumb out of Breena's grasp and stumbled backwards into a hard surface. They were in the heart of the camphor tree. The inside was fully hollow, and several animals had made the space their home. Octavia inclined her head and saw a murmuration of starlings through the gaping hole above her. The animals in the tree regarded her with vaguely human features. Octavia shivered under the weight of their intelligent gazes.

"This way," said Breena.

She levitated over a deep chasm in the floor. Octavia stopped at the edge and peered into it, experiencing a strong sense of déjà vu. It was pitch black. If it had a bottom, it wasn't visible.

"What's down there?" she breathed.

"You," answered Breena.

A doe charged at Octavia from behind and pushed her into the chasm. She screamed with all her might as she fell. First, the well. Now, a literal pit. This new habit of hers was getting old fast. Eventually, she landed on a soft, springy surface not unlike a trampoline. She bounced several times before settling. The light streaming down from above revealed that it was a mattress of green moss. Anything outside the spotlight was plunged in darkness.

"Hello?" she called.

No response.

What the hell am I supposed to do now?

Reading her mind, the moss beneath her flared to life, glowing like ultraviolet paint. A path began to form, leading into the darkness. Octavia clambered to her feet and waded through the moss carefully. The path brought her to a dead end. No . . . Something was blocking the way.

"Why have you awoken me?"

Octavia stiffened.

She sensed movement in front of her.

"Is that a jewel shard?" it asked. "I thought the Shikon no Tama had been destroyed."

"It was," Octavia squeaked, trembling slightly.

"I see. Then that means . . ." The beating of insects' wings filled the chasm. "Who are you, child?"

"My name is Octavia. Breena brought me here to meet someone called Nidawi."

"Is that so?"

"Do you know where she might be?"

"You are looking at her, child."

Octavia blinked. "But I can't see anything."

The moss brightened, illuminating the space in front of Octavia. An eclipse of moths was swarming around a seemingly dead tree. It had no leaves, and the wood was a ghostly grey. Contrastingly, the moths were pineapple yellow, like butterflies. They covered the tree so that no grey was showing, before promptly soaking into the wood, transforming it into the shape of a woman. She was tall – reaching three and a half metres at full height – with skin like tree bark and berries growing in her hair. Her eyes were dark and haunted, but they recognised her. How?

"You have spirit magic," she stated. "And more notably, your name fits the prophecy."

"Prophecy?"

Was she referring to the one Totosai had told her?

Nidawi repeated the words. "When the shards have been scattered, de-shattered, and eventually demolished, then the true power of Shikon will be unleashed. Through the eighth born in the bloodline, the sky will rain with flames, demonkind will erupt into ashes, and darkness will fall."

"How do you know about that?"

"Midoriko's daughter was a great friend of mine. Her predictions were never wrong. As of now, that prophecy is the only one that has yet to come true."

Octavia furrowed her brow. "Do you really think I'm capable of destroying the world?"

"Capable, yes. But willing? That remains to be seen." Nidawi plucked a berry from her hair and held it between her thumb and forefinger. "This world is so fragile. It is always on the brink of destruction. You would think that the gods responsible for its creation might have made it a tad sturdier. But then again, if they had, I suppose there would be no need for heroes." Octavia kept her eyes on the berry. "Which path will you choose? Are you a hero or a villain?"

"I'm neither," she answered.

"No one is neither."

Octavia chewed the inside of her cheek.

Nidawi stared at her with pity. "This is not your world, child. You do not understand its rules yet."

"What do you mean it's not my world? The world is the same. I'm just further back than I'm supposed to be."

"The world goes through drastic changes every decade, so no, it is not your world."

Octavia scowled. "Are you trying to say I don't belong here? Because that's old news. I know I don't. I never asked for this. Do you think I wanted to be trapped five hundred years in the past?"

"You misunderstand."

"Then start making sense."

Nidawi smiled. "Do you like stories, Octavia?"

"It depends what they're about."

"You will like this one. It will make it easier to understand."

"What happens in it?"

Nidawi's dark eyes flashed. "What do you know of the God Stars?"

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