InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Hanyou no kokoro no naka de; Within the Heart of the Half-Demon ❯ The Priestess of the Living Dead ( Chapter 16 )

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A/N: Very short chapter. I like it though. This is just to get this short little event out of the way before the next chapter. Yay! Alright, enjoy.

 

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Hanyou no kokoro no naka de; Within The Heart of The Half-Demon

 

Chapter 16

 

The Priestess of the Living Dead

 

 

 

The small room was coated in darkness. It was circular, and the only exit was a small opening to a stairwell that led up into the castle. A moving light suddenly shown from it as someone made their way into the room. As they entered, they lit the torches on either side of the entrance, bring a dim light to the gloomy room. It was an old lady. Kaede to be precise. She looked over the room, her eyes stopping on the empty table in the center.

 

I hope ye are getting closer to the answers, Kagome. I am worried about the Shikon no Tama. For all of our sakes.

 

She raised her eyes from the table and looked back at the wall that was lined with tombstones. Her aged eyes somewhat blurred the image, but she noticed something that caught her eyes. Kaede walked slowly around the center table and over the wall, squinting her eyes and gazing intently, looking for what was so strange about it. She gasped and jumped backwards, dropping the lantern to the cold ground. It broke and the light went out. The old lady backed away slowly.

 

The gravestone under the name Kikyo was missing and even the coffin that had once been in the wall was replaced with nothing but a large hole. The ground was littered with the broken stone and dust particles from the broken grave.

 

“Oh, Kami-sama!!!”

 

She turned and made her way as quickly as she could out of the shrine. Someone had to be alerted.

 

Kikyo's body was missing.

 

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

 

The ground is so hard…so cold, yet I feel colder. This wind, it is chilling my already cold bones. The sky, it is dark and ominous. Is it? Or am I just blinded from all that is good? I can hear my heart beat. That is a sound I have not heard in so long…but it sounds so dead. Dead—like I am. Why am I still able to move? Why do I feel my feet walking along this earth? The breeze moved my black hair and I see it around me. It is a strange feeling. As the wind dies, my hair rests against my body.

 

I can see him. I see him ahead in the trees. He is coming toward me like my killer did. Swiftly and unafraid. I can see it again. I can feel his claws ending my life. Why now? That event has long passed. Who is this that approaches me if it is not him? I see him now. He is white. Is he coming for me? I feel my skin. I am naked. What happened to my clothes? I drop to the cold ground, ashamed of my appearance. I was killed once. Do I still look such? Can you see the claw marks? Is my body complete?

 

What is this? He carries with him the clothes of a priestess. He has stopped in front of me. His face? Where is it? I see no identification on this man. I say man…but it looks like a baboon. I feel the clothes in my hands. Did I move them? I am holding this blouse, but I never took it from his hands. My eyes feel heavy and emotionless as I look down at the red and white cotton in my hands. Hands I never moved. Hands I can't feel. I know I am dead.

 

“These are for you, priestess. Put them on,” he says to me. I am not sure if I can. I think a reply, but I am not sure if I said it, for I never felt my lips move. My lips feel so cold.

 

The baboon turns and I dress. The white top is large, and the red pants a bit too long. I look down as I finish. I see the clothes on my body, but I cannot feel them. I still feel as cold and naked as before.

 

“Kikyo, you are still a dead being, are you not? You have to soul to give your flesh life.”

 

A soul? Is that what I am missing? I think I nod at him. I see my hand lift to my chest and rest over where my cold heart is slowly beating. Yes. Perhaps a soul would give my body warmth. He now lifts his pelt-covered arm into the air and says indistinct words. My eyes follow the motion of his arm and I look over to where he is pointing. Not two moments pass when a light appears off in the distance from between some dark trees. I see him smile. I wonder what is happening, but my dead body does not move.

 

The light comes to his hand. Then another comes to his other hand. My eyes lazily follow them. I do not understand.

 

“Take these. In doing so, you will be able to walk this earth again.”

 

I want to ask him why he is doing this. But my voice is as dead as I am. I make no physical reply, but I have so many questions.

 

The orbs float slowly to me and enter my chest. I take a deep breath; I am finally able to. I lift my hand up and look at it, inspecting is slowly. I feel the clothes on my body. Though I am dead, I have a soul and I can live.

 

“What—” I can speak. “What is your name, kind sir.”

 

“I am Naraku. The King's advisor.”

 

My eyes are beginning to adjust. I can see the man more clearly now. I see his face, uncovered by the white pelt.

 

“Hai,” I say, recognizing him. “I remember you, Naraku-san.” I pause. This is the man who revived me, right? I begin wondering why. I remember my voice is no longer constricted and I ask him. “Why is it that you have brought me back from the dead?”

 

“The Shikon Jewel has been stolen from the kingdom.”

 

I am shocked. Is this possible?

 

“No other priestess is as powerful as you in this region. Your aid is needed in retrieving the Jewel.”

 

“And that is why you revived me? Simply for that?”

 

“You might be surprised to know who it is that is suspected to be the thief.”

 

Surprised?

 

“The hanyou Inuyasha is rumored to have stolen it.”

 

I freeze. “Inuyasha??”

 

“It is true that you and he were in love many years ago, is it not?”

 

I gasp. What?! He knew!! How is that possible? I begin trying not to cry, though I don't know why. It is true that I loved that half breed once. But that was a long time ago. “I do not love him any longer. Much time has passed since then.”

 

“I see you have grown wiser in you time in the grave.”

 

That disrespectful… “So you need the Jewel found?”

 

He smiles and nods. I find him a bit suspicious. “You will be willing to bring that half-breed to justice, won't you?”

 

I don't understand why he wants my help. I am dead, but I'm sure there are many more able-bodied priestess who could find the Jewel. This Naraku character is extremely suspicious. I do not know his intentions, but I suppose finding the Shikon no Tama is an important matter. “I will aid in finding the jewel. Other than that, I cannot say what I will do, Naraku-san.”

 

He smiles at me again, a smile that gives me an overwhelming sense of ickyness. “Wonderful, Kikyo-sama. I will let the king know you will be aiding him. If you like, the old priestess Kaede would be happy to take you into her home. You remember where that is, no?”

 

I know of where he speaks. I lived my whole life there. “I do. Arigatou, Naraku-san.”

 

He bows and walks around me, heading back to the castle, I assume. I wait until he is out of my hearing range before I begin walking back home.

 

It feels nice to say that. I have missed Kaede-sama in my absence.

 

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

 

Naraku walked swiftly toward the castle. He saw a door swing open, and a flustered Kaede walk out. He smiled at himself. Just on time.

 

“Oi! Kaede-sama!”

 

Kaede looked up at him and gasped. She had not expected to see him still around. He was her number one suspect for the disappearance of the Shikon no Tama, after all.

 

“Naraku-san,” she said bitterly.

 

He noticed her flustered look. He assumed she had just been to the Shikon Shrine. “What is troubling you?”

 

“It's Lady Kikyo's body! It is gone from the shrine!! It's been stolen!”

 

Naraku put on his best acting face. “No! Have you reported it to the king?”

 

“Nay—I have not yet. I was just on my way…”

 

“You don't worry about it, Kaede-sama. I will take the message to the king for you so that you don't have to walk the distance.”

 

She smiled and bowed. “Thank you, Naraku-san.”

 

They parted, Naraku entering the castle, and Kaede going to her home.

 

Yeah right, Naraku thought. Everything is going according to plan. **evil laugh**

 

Kaede entered her home, finding it empty. I don't trust Naraku. I will get my walking stick and return to the king. He must know of these strange events. Please hurry, Kagome-hime. This dark cloud needs to pass over before it storms.

 

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The door to Kaede's hut opened. The hut was empty.

 

“Strange. Kaede-sama is not here,” Kikyo said aloud. She entered.

 

A small fire was lit in the center of the room. There were only small hot coals left. Besides the dim light coming in from the windows, the room was dark. Kikyo made her way to a small bench and sat down. She looked at the dying fire for a moment before her eyes drifted to the ceiling.

 

Looks like they fixed it, she thought, looking over the cross boards. They were all new. So I'm to look for the sacred Jewel, am I?

 

In the corner of the room sat a bow and a quiver full of unused arrows. Kikyo stood up and walked over to it, picking the bow up and inspecting it. It hadn't been used at all since she had died by the looks of it. She looked up at the door.

 

So you're still alive are you, Inuyasha? After living with youkai all these years and you've survived. Impressive. But it's time you start looking out for yourself…

 

“I'm coming for you now.”

 

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