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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 modern terms, Tokyo to Hiroshima.
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 illegitimate 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 first glance, her arrival would 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.
"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 started growling. 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 insane," she muttered, 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 that belonged in history books. They had walked past the site of a battle yesterday, and the smell alone had made Octavia want to vomit, never mind the piles of rotting corpses strewn across the fields.
It was time to face the music. She was stuck in the warring states era of Japan. There had to be another way for her to get back to her own time. Not that she was itching to get back there. She had only known the Higurashis for a couple of days, so she couldn't say that she missed them, and there was no one waiting for her back in England, either.
"Ooh! What's this, I wonder?"
She flinched at the voice and scanned her surroundings. Ah-Un was still out hunting for their dinner, so she was 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 want you to."
"Who are you?" Octavia asked.
"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 mean like a tree spirit?"
"Yes, if you like."
"Can you show yourself to me?"
"Do you want me to?"
Octavia nodded.
A golden orb appeared before her and shone as bright as a star. Octavia shielded her eyes with her hands. As the light dimmed, she heard a giggle that reminded her of sleigh bells. Lowering her hands, she saw a tiny creature hovering in the air in front of her. It was about the height of Octavia's middle finger, with glittering gold skin, clawed feet and the eyes of a robin. The yosei's wings were made of light.
"Impossible," she whispered. "I haven't felt spirit magic in so long. Excluding the Shikon no Tama, of course. 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?"
"Ah-Un is Sesshoumaru's beast of burden. He told us to wait here for him."
Breena cocked her head to the side like a bird. "An acquaintance of Sesshoumaru-sama? How peculiar. He hates humans. How did you get roped into travelling with the likes of him?"
"He thinks his warlock might be able to help me. To be honest, I think his ward talked him into it. She can convince him to do anything. He's like her loyal pet."
Breena giggled. "Few are bold enough to disrespect a Daiyoukai of such calibre."
Octavia folded her arms. "He doesn't scare me."
"He should." The fairy grinned at her, flashing pointed teeth. "I like you, Octavia. You must meet with Nidawi-sama at once."
"Who?"
"The Forest Spirit, silly! She's a wise oracle. Her home is in that camphor tree, right at the top of the mountain. Come on, 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 both. 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 hollow, and a pack of 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 human features. Octavia shivered under the weight of their intelligent gazes.
"This way," Breena said.
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 knocked her into the chasm. She screamed with all her might as she fell. First, the well. Now, a literal pit. This habit of hers was getting old fast.
She landed on a soft, springy surface. She bounced several times before settling to a standstill. The light streaming down from above revealed that it was a mattress of green moss. Anything outside the spotlight was plunged in darkness. "Hello?"
No response.
What the hell am I supposed to do now?
As if reading her mind, the moss beneath her flared to life, glowing like ultraviolet paint. A path began to form, leading into the darkness. Swallowing, Octavia clambered to her feet and waded through the moss. The path brought her to a dead end. No . . . Something was blocking the way.
"Why have you disturbed my slumber?"
Octavia stiffened.
"Is that a jewel shard I sense? I thought the Shikon no Tama had been destroyed."
"It was," Octavia squeaked.
"I see." The beating of insects' wings filled the chasm. "Who are you?"
"My name is Octavia. Breena brought me here to meet someone called Nidawi."
"Is that so?"
"Do you know where she is?"
"You are looking at her."
Octavia squinted her eyes. "I can't see anything."
The moss brightened, illuminating the space in front of Octavia. Hundreds of moths swarmed around a dead tree. It had no leaves, and the wood was a dull grey. Contrastingly, the moths were a vivid yellow. They covered every inch of the tree, before sinking into the wood, which transformed into the shape of a woman. She was tall – at least three metres at full height – with skin like bark and berries growing in her hair. Her eyes were two empty hollows.
"Welcome to my domain," she said. "I've been expecting you."
"You have?"
"Of course. Your coming was foretold to us by Midoriko's daughter." She repeated Totosai's 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?"
"The woman who created that prophecy was a friend of mine. Her predictions were always right on the money."
Octavia furrowed her brow. "You 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?"
"Neither, I guess."
"No one is neither." Octavia chewed the inside of her cheek. Nidawi stared at her with pity. "This is not your world. You don't understand its rules yet."
"What do you mean it's not my world? The world is the same. I'm just further back in time 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 imply that I don't belong here? Because that's old news. I know I don't belong here. Do you think I want to be trapped five hundred years in the past? How was I supposed to know that the well was some sort of time window? I never asked for any of this."
Nidawi smiled, flashing wooden teeth. "Do you like stories?"
"It depends on the genre."
"You'll like this one. I know you will."
"What's it about?"
Her smile widened. "What do you know of the God Stars?"
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