**One day later**
Sango and Kohaku sped through the air as quickly as the feline Kirara could go, moving so fast they could barely breathe. Sango sat at the front clutching Kirara's fur-covered shoulder blades, she looked unkempt and she had a harassed expression on her face. Kohaku grasped his sisters red Sash around her waist as he fought to remain upright. The siblings had been woken haphazardly that morning by a distress signal that had been lit in their neighbouring village, the signal smoke drifting into the azure blue morning light. In charge of theThe wildlife in the forests separating the villages had become silent, as if the woodland creatures had fled. Kohaku had never witnessed this total silence before and found it unnerving.
"Sango do you know why they sent out a distress signal yet? Could there have been an attack?" Kohaku asked loudly over the wind whipping at their heads, Sango strained backwards in order to hear her brother clearly.
"I'm not sure what has happened yet. Inuyasha usually figures that out with his sense of smell, but as Kagome is with child…I told him we'd handle it. I guess we'll find out what's going on when we arrive. It could be one of the Warlords, but the village is so poor there would be hardly any point in attacking it. Kaede's village would have been more valuable to attack" Sango told her brother.
"If we don't know what we're up against, how do we know we can win?" Kohaku asked uncertainly. He wished he had his sisters vast experience in fighting, at fourteen Kohaku still felt like he had something to prove.
Sango gave a tired laugh at Kohaku's anxiety, she always found his concern an endearing trait.
"We'll be fine Kohaku, I'll protect you whatever happens. Just try and relax, there is no point in worrying about what we are up against until we get there," Sango advised.
They flew nearer and nearer to the village and Sango began to feel like something was horribly wrong. Heart wrenching screams filled the old silence as they advanced and Sango did not need Inuyasha's sensitive nose to know the stench of blood that filled her nostrils. The metallic taste of blood on the air clogged her throat. Sango swallowed it down, trying not to retch.
The siblings landed into the middle of a massacre.
Claret puddles soiled the muddy ground and bodies had been strewn around the place like forgotten handfuls of rice. Demonic black spiders skittered between the corpses and interrogated those still alive.
Sango ran to the nearest body and gingerly turned it over with her hands, the body fell to the side with a sickening squelch. Lacerations covered the human's skin and some form of poison had burnt patches of flesh. With so many points of injury Sango suspected the villagers had been tortured before they had been killed.
But why?
At the sight of the two slayers, the spider demons congregated into a defensive group, their spinners convulsed excitedly at the arrival of more challenging prey. The spiders slyly crept forward, surrounding Sango and Kohaku, hissing at the siblings menacingly.
"Get behind me Kohaku and keep your guard up. These demons must have destroyed the entire village!" Sango commanded her brother over her shoulder whilst standing protectively in front of him, she never took her eyes of the disgusting spiders. The elder slayer hastily counted the spiders before the attacks started: ten in total.
"We can take them Sango! They don't look very large, we've killed bigger spiders. But these ones…They remind me of Naraku!" Kohaku said in a shaking voice, raising the new weapon Totosai had created for him. Sango simultaneously readied her Hiraikotsu, waiting for the spiders to start their assault. Her muscles tightened as she moved into a defensive stance, her knees slightly bent.
Moving restlessly, the spiders glared at the slayers but did nothing.
Then, out of the corner of their eyes, the siblings saw a larger spider approaching them at a leisurely pace, dragging a terrified villager along in its wake. The villager was male and trapped in spider silk that was connected to the spider's spinner. The villager struggled weakly, but seemed unable to break himself free. The larger spider clicked its pincers in an authoritative way and to the slayers surprise the villager it was dragging responded.
"Yes! That's two of the group I told you about! They did it, not us! Please…I've told you everything I know about it. Please spare me!" The man yelled in fear as he tried to loosen his silken chains.
The large spider seemed to nod his ugly head before hissing and clicking commands to his waiting underlings. The rest of the spider demons jumped into action immediately and began their attack.
Sango threw her Hiraikotsu at the first two advancing spiders, chopping them into black and red chunks. Behind her Kohaku used his chain to tangle one spider's spindly legs, pulling until the monster crashed to the ground. Kohaku cleaved the demons head open with a grimace. The slayers sprinted and cartwheeled away from the poison gunk shot at them. The siblings blocked striking fangs and evaded spider silk that could entrap them like the villagers.
Sango rolled below a spiders hulking black belly and used her Wakizashi to deliver a slicing blow, twisting her body to avoid the acidic entrails that spilled forth. The spider shuddered in pain and then lurched left onto its back, its vile legs twitching. Sango heard a yelp from her right and rolled away from her defeated foe and into a sitting position.
The villager that had conversed with the larger spider demon was dead, his face melted away by their harsh poison. The remaining spiders had caught Kohaku's feet in their webs and were making a collective effort to pull him closer…
"Sango! Sango help me! There's too many of them!" Kohaku screamed as his sister pelted towards him, only to have her path blocked by the leading spider that had murdered the last male villager. Hokai spat a small amount of webbing at Sango, it was a special type of webbing his kind produced that was near impossible to remove. It covered Sango's eyes and nose like a grisly white mask.
"Kohaku! Kohaku where are you?!" Sango shouted hoarsely, gasping, but Kohaku did not respond to her call. She could hear him fighting the spiders off, his breathing as heavy and laboured as her own. Sango staggered around blindly, thrusting her Hiraikotsu this way and that. Blind panic overtaking her now limited senses. A few metres away from her the spider demons successfully clambered over her brother and sank their fangs into his soft flesh.
Sango heard him screech in agony. She made her way towards the sound blindly,fruitlessly scratching at her face, trying to tear of the mask-like webbing...
Sango was knocked off her unsteady feet and lifted into the air. For a split second she thought the spitting spider had caught her and was about to deliver the final blow. Sango did not care, she had to save Kohaku…
But it was Kirara who had charged beneath her and soared into the safety of the sky.
"We must go back and save Kohaku, Kirara!" Sango bellowed, still blind from her cobweb mask. She tried to prise it off her face ever more roughly, she needed sight in order to save her brother.
As suddenly as it had started, Kohaku's screaming stopped abruptly and Sango's fingers slowly stopped trying to rip off her unwanted pearlescent mask. Her body seemed to go numb with shock and revulsion. The silence tip toed back in again, broken only by the maddening sound of fading clicking pincers and Kirara whining in grief.
Kohaku was dead.
Kohaku's premature death caused heaven itself to cry crystallised tears of diamond light, as if angels themselves were weeping over the calamity.
These tiny glowing orbs floated gently downwards and drifted over the soft green hills of Japan. Those few brilliant specks merged with ancient ash that rode the four winds, to eventually settle on the ground, a meeting of dust and gold.
A blinding flash set the hills alight with otherworldly magic, in the next instant that dazzling light was gone.
In its place a woman of clay had been dumped rigidly in the grass. She looked like an abandoned work of art, with fine clay lashes as delicate as filigree metal. Her skin and hair was as round as sand but her open eyes betrayed a knowing gaze, as if she were alive and could rise up like a spring flower at any moment.
Kikyo lay there as solidly as rock, but no soul collectors came to revive her. They were all dead and gone. After all they were more or less mere shadows of Kikyo's spiritual power. The clay figure had no power left, nothing to soften her skin and move her limbs.
In Kohaku's death Kikyo had returned to the world of the living, but her power was gone and her body had similar functions to a lump of coal. Her legs refused to move and her back refused to arch.
Kikyo was trapped, her diminished soul caged in a useless body of clay.
The priestess fell in and out of consciousness, agonised by her own immobility. There were no settlements nearby, so the chances of someone finding her was slim unless they were actively looking. Kikyo sluggishly realised she must have been resurrected again in the last place she died. She vaguely recalled Inuyasha's tears on her face and his lips touching her own, the memory burned like fire.
But her current predicament overwhelmed her scattered thoughts, that at times mounted into weak panic.
Helpless, she had no choice but to wait for someone to find her. Would the one to stumble upon her be a friend or a foe?
Well, that would depend on how lucky she was.
It had taken Lord Sesshomaru longer than anticipated to reach Inuyasha's village, for fear that Jaken would be snowed under (literally) with the responsibility of holding a castle at war. Sesshomaru had ordered new weapons and armour to be made, he heckled reluctant demons into servitude, commanded several magic barriers to be erected and annihilated any of Tsumetai's demons that had strayed too near his territory.
A whole day had passed since Rin's letter had arrived and Sesshomaru was only just heading in Inuyasha's direction. The running of an empire was at times tiresome, especially one under siege constantly.
Sesshomaru travelled on his light clouds, in no mood to be trifled with. His wounds had not healed in the slightest and this made his progress slow. He was also displeased by Kaede's preposterous proposition that Rin become engaged to Kohaku, it was a decision that would not come to pass on his watch.
And what was to be done about Tsumetai's relentless attacks? Sesshomaru could not defeat him whilst the frost demons hidden little helper pulled strings in the shadows. Sesshomaru's own awesome demonic aura could not bring down two of such magnitude. He would either have to find this elusive second enemy or find another way. Sesshomaru toyed with the idea of asking Inuyasha for aid, but decided against it, he did not want to appear weak. And besides, Inuyasha had his own family to protect now, his loyalties would be compromised.
Sesshomaru sifted through the various smells that demanded his attention as he travelled, two seemed to stand out to him. The first was a faint smell of Lavender and grave yard soil, obviously a spectre of some kind. The second was the nearer faint smell of day-old blood, enough to fill a small lake. Some of that blood was emanating from the direction of Inuyasha's village. Human blood was difficult to separate out, but Sesshomaru was adamant that he recognised one signature scent of blood.
Sesshomaru pursued the latter scent, growing concerned for Rin's safety with the evidence of a massacre in the area. Blood was not all that invaded his senses, he felt the pulse of anguish pushing on him dankly. The signature blood, the sense of another's anguish and a nearby massacre…Sesshomaru could easily piece together what events had occurred here.
The demonic cloud beneath his booted feet evaporated as he landed amongst the bland wooden cruck houses that the village peasants resided in. The vast majority of the peasants seemed to disappear as he arrived, fear snapping at their heels. The rest of them that dared be in his presence were circled around the hut Sango and Miroku lived in, mumbling and whispering in hushed voices. Small droplets of blood peppered the huts entrance.
'That blood belongs to the boy Kohaku, I wonder what transpired here,' Sesshomaru mused to himself. Sesshomaru entered the hut with an unconcerned swagger and was met with a scene of tragedy. Kohaku's corpse had been placed in the cruck house, wrapped in so many bandages that only his shape could be seen. Sango was draped over her brothers body howling with grief and loss, Miroku and Inuyasha stooped over her and tried to remove her from Kohaku. Inuyasha looked up when Sesshomaru entered, looking surprised to see his older brother. Miroku and Sango ignored the demon lord, too absorbed in their travesty to take note of his presence.
"Sesshomaru! What're you doing here? Have you come to see Rin? Now isn't the best time for a visit as you can see," Inuyasha said gesturing to Sango with his claws. The woman had tears running down her cheeks and Miroku wore a permanent frown, as if seeing his wife so distressed caused him physical pain.
'A foolish human emotion, no lover is worth such bother,' Sesshomaru eyed Sango then Kohaku's covered body. Sesshomaru could tell the injuries were too grim to leave on show, the boy's body must have been mangled. It was a fate the boy did not deserve.
"What happened to the boy?" Sesshomaru asked calmly, assuming he should show some interest or concern in the boy's fate. Inuyasha gave Sango a worried glance before whispering hastily to his brother.
"He and Sango were attacked by demons as they tried to help the neighbouring village. There doesn't seem to be any reason for the massacre. Sango said the demons seemed to be interrogating the villagers for information, though I don't know why. Kohaku was overwhelmed by the demons and…and was killed," Inuyasha told Sesshomaru, his voice wavering at the end of his explanation.
"So the boy was caught in the cross fire? He was not the primary target?" Sesshomaru asked, but Inuyasha merely shrugged, looking distracted.
"Are you here to see Rin? She's with Kaede at the moment, the old hag has been ill for quite a while now. The old goat's age seems to be catching up with her," Inuyasha said forcefully, clearly desperate to change the subject. At the mention of Rin Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, an unpleasant look on his face. Sesshomaru knew Inuyasha and Kaede were close, if Kaede had hatched this marital plan, Inuyasha would know.
"I received a letter from Rin, she told me that Kaede intended for her to marry Kohaku," Sesshomaru informed Inuyasha waspishly. Inuyasha smiled slightly and Sesshomaru could feel himself becoming irritated. Even Sango chuckled slightly and wiped away her endless tears, Miroku touched her shoulder gently with a relieved look. Sesshomaru could not fathom how this was suddenly a laughing matter.
"Let me make myself plain, Inuyasha. Rin's future will not be decided upon without MY say so. Kaede may care for her right now, but she is still my ward and will join me in the Western Lands when she is ready. Obviously any marriage to Kohaku is no longer a problem, but if you-" Sesshomaru's haranguing was cut short by an outraged gurgle from Sango. She rose to her feet with a thunderous look, her fists clenched in anger.
"What?! My-my brother dying has eliminated one of your "problems" Sesshomaru? How dare you! Kohaku has only just died and yet this benefits you in some way?" Sango yelled angrily at the dog demon as she lurched towards him, Inuyasha barred Sango's way quickly and Miroku hovered behind his wife.
"You misunderstand me, human," Sesshomaru tried to reason with the slayer, but Sango merely grew more enraged, her brows drawn together in an angry line. Sango tried to push past Inuyasha ineffectively as Miroku grabbed her arms, restraining her.
"Human? after all this time, you don't even see me as a person Sesshomaru! I have feelings too, just like you do, maybe MORE than you do! You're so cold it's a wonder you feel anything at all!" Sango cried out in frustration as Sesshomaru stared at her, wondering how the conversation has escalated so quickly. Sango looked like she wanted to strangle him.
"Sesshomaru don't call Sango "human", call her by her name for crying out loud! Can't you see she's upset? You'd better go to Kaede's hut, stay away for a while ok?" Inuyasha told his brother begrudgingly as he held Sango back. Sango continued to repel Inuyasha for a few moments, before breaking down into a heap on the ground, her shoulders shaking in misery.
"I-I can't b-believe he's gone…My brother K-Kohaku… How c-could this happen?" Sango choked out between sobs. She reminded Sesshomaru of an animal wounded beyond repair, shrieking in grief and pain.
The lord of the western lands turned and left the hut, wishing to see no more heartache from the slayer. He knew he should have more empathy for her, as he loved Rin like a daughter, but he felt empty. Rin was the only one that could reach his heart, no other human had that ability, nor any demon. He must have inherited this stony disposition from his mother, she too found it difficult to care about others. Preferring to while away her long life at demonic celebrations and feasts held in the sky.
Sesshomaru stalked through the village in a bad temper, looking for Kaede's run down hut. When he had located it, he noticed her abode had a stench of decay about it, and Sesshomaru knew the old woman must be gravely ill. Judging by the lingering smell of impending death, her time in this world could come to an end soon. Death seemed to hound humans ruthlessly wherever they went, it was another aspect of their lives that Sesshomaru felt wholly detached from. Sesshomaru went into the hut without knocking or announcing his presence. He wanted to finish his "discussion" with Kaede quickly.
Then he could pursue the flagging smell of Lavender and grave yard soil that demanded his attention.