InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Secrets of the Shinju (Part III): Loss of the Demon Soul ❯ Frightening Revelations ( Chapter 14 )

Chapter Fourteen

Frightening Revelations

Sesshoumaru and InuYasha had been moving quickly through the forest when Sesshoumaru came to an abrupt halt. He had felt Kagome in his mind. It was as though she were trying to get information from him. Suddenly, he too felt her mind. Almost instantly he was filled with rage. He wasn't sure exactly what had happened to her, but she was terrified. He didn't need too many guesses to figure out what it was that Naraku had done to her. His brother was staring at him.

"What's wrong with you?" Sesshoumaru stood there and then tore off again, moving faster than he had been before. "Move now!" He shouted at his brother. InuYasha followed, noting the intense rage in Sesshoumaru. "Kagome needs us; we will get to Toshi today!"

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Naraku shoved Kagome into the bed room and stood over her. "Will you purify the shinju or will you suffer the consequences of being disobedient?" She moved away from him, now crying. "I'm telling you the truth, I can't purify it." He moved towards her and she instinctively put up a barrier around herself. He moved closer and it dimmed, but she was so frightened that her adrenalin was allowing her powers to remain strong. He finally turned and left the room, only to quickly to return with Chiyo.

"Drop the barrier, or you can watch her suffer." Kagome looked at the frightened servant and released her barrier. Naraku then shoved Chiyo out the door and pulled it closed. He turned back to her and she knew that she would suffer for protecting herself with her powers.

"Stand up." He ordered her gruffly. She got to her feet and stepped back when he advanced towards her. "Stop," He ordered her with a frightening look in his eyes. It took all of her powers to obey but knew she shouldn't anger him worse. He moved near her and stood contemplating her. "Remove your kimono." Kagome trembled as she slowly brought her hands to her clothes and worked them off of her body. She then stood there trembling before him.

He watched her with dark eyes and then he ordered her to come to him. She did as she was told and he quickly grabbed her hair. "You are a quick learner, priestess. You are to remain obedient if you wish to avoid harm." Kagome looked to the ground, cringing at the thought of what he would do to her.

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It was nearly nightfall and InuYasha and Sesshoumaru came upon the village where Priestess Toshi was. Sesshoumaru quickly went to the shrine and was met by the priestess. "Come in now." She ordered the two of them. She looked at them for a moment and then shook her head.

"The shinju is now in the hands of evil, though it won't remain with him long." She went to a small box and opened it, producing two small medallions. "You must both wear these." She handed them to each brother. "What are these, priestess?" Sesshoumaru asked as he looked at it. "These will protect you when your demon blood is restored." Both looked at her questioningly. She sighed and began to tell them all that she knew about the shinju's past, and the darkened when she told them what was in store for the future.

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Kagome lay in Naraku's bed crying wrapped only in a sheet. She was lying on her side with her knees pulled tightly to her chest, her body aching everywhere. She did her best to push the images of his violent attack out of her mind. Never had she suffered such pain and humiliation.

When he had finished with her this time he shoved her to the floor. "This had better be the last time you disobey me." He said as he looked down at her. "If there is a next time, priestess, you will very much regret it."

She allowed her crying to stop and she soon heard the door open. Chiyo came in quietly and then moved to Kagome's side. "Miss, will you be alright?" Kagome looked up at her and again her tears broke free. Chiyo sat beside her on the bed and did her best to calm Kagome.

Finally Kagome sat up and looked around. Naraku had taken her clothes with him, and given her orders to stay in the room. She thanked Chiyo for coming to her and again started sobbing. The servant hugged Kagome and comforted her until she had finally calmed. Then Chiyo left, needing to get her work done before Naraku returned. Kagome felt someone trying to get into her mind. Her immediate thoughts were Hitomi, but this was different. She looked around the room, trying to figure out what was happening and then lay down allowing herself to be taken away.

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InuYasha and Sesshoumaru were again rushing through the forest. Toshi's words still hung heavily in the air. They had to get to the castle before it was too late. If they didn't get their before the jewel changed hands Miroku, Sango, Kohaku and Rin would be in terrible danger. Kagome too would be in mortal danger. Both now felt the medallions brushing against their skin. Without them, they're souls would be at the mercy of a demon that they hadn't even know existed.

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Kagome looked around her. Everywhere there was carnage. Something terrible had just happened. There were women and children crying over the bodies of dead men. Other men were injured and dying. She noticed the remains of a large demon off in a distant field. She approached and saw more victims of the attack.

She turned in circles, seeing nothing but chaos and death around her. It was like watching a war movie, only this destruction had been caused by a single demon. Suddenly a movement caught her eye. She saw Priestess Toshi walking towards the village in a hurry. She ran towards her and as she got there, realized that it wasn't Toshi. This priestess held a much brighter aura. Her power was radiating off of her. She continued to follow her into a small hut. There was a man lying on a bed, near death. She focused on him and quickly learned of whom she was seeing.

"Priestess Hoshiko, thank you for coming." He breathed out as if in great pain. "Please allow me to live on. I must see my lands safe." He then glanced at a woman that was by his side. "I am not ready to leave my wife and family yet. Not until they are safe from the plague of demons." His eyes were beginning to glaze and he again took a deep breath. The priestess watched him carefully. Kagome was again stunned by the brilliant blue eyes, which nearly appeared transparent at times.

"Yamamoto, you have fought with much honor. You have saved countless lives with your bravery. Do you not think it time to move on?" He opened his eyes and Kagome saw determination and pain there. "Not until every innocent person is safe." The priestess stared down at him, penetrating into his soul and then smiled at him.

"This day was meant to be." She then reached into the small sachet she carried with her. "I can give you life, Yamamoto. However, it will be the life of a demon. You will have a demon's strength and abilities. Though a demon's heart can be blackened, it can also be pure." She then pulled out a beautiful gem. It shone brilliantly white, giving off a faint glow. "This shinju carries the ability to give you the powers you will need to protect these lands. It will hold in essence your very demon soul."

Yamamoto looked up at her and then at the beautiful gem. Slowly he reached out and took it from her. Immediately the shinju began to glow brighter and Kagome watched as Bishamon Yamamoto took on his demon form. His hair turned silver and his eyes golden, just like Sesshoumaru and InuYasha's.

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She woke in Naraku's room again, looking around quickly. She thought back to the scene and knew it was real. `Who would show me that?' She wondered. She knew it couldn't be Hitomi, or she would have felt her presence there. She had felt someone trying to get into her mind but the feeling was different. Almost like it was coming from within. And the shinju itself, it was beautiful. Kagome could feel it calling to her as soon as she was close to it. Even before the priestess had removed it from its sachet, Kagome could feel it. Hoshiko herself had drawn Kagome with her amazing powers, they simply radiated off of her. Kagome closed her eyes again, not wanting to stay awake and face Naraku.

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Sesshoumaru looked to his brother as they ran through the forest. He noticed that he too was lost in deep thought. The words of priestess Toshi were swimming in Sesshoumaru's head.

"The two of you are not the only heirs to the shinju. There is another, but for some reason I am unable to see the face. I have forceen that they will get to the shinju before you. This demon has no intention of using the shinju for good and once they receive it any being with demon blood will be taken over, again erupting chaos upon our lands. That is why it is vital that you keep those medallions on. Once the gem is back in your blood line, you will regain your demon form. Without my spell over you, you will be lost to the insanity and animalistic lust for human blood."

Sesshoumaru sped up. Rin was at the castle and Kilala, Shippou and all of his servants whom held demon blood. His thoughts then moved to Kagome. She too was with a demon; he only hoped that Naraku's mark would not diminish her powers enough that she be unable to protect herself.

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A/N: This is the end of Part Three. Here is a summary for part Four. It will be longer. At least twenty chapters…though I am looking closer to twenty-five.

Secrets of the Shinju: Power of the Purified Shinju (Part Four)

Heeding Priestess Toshi's words, Sesshoumaru and InuYasha rush back to Sesshoumaru's castle to save their friends before the Shinju changes hands and all those with demon blood lose themselves to an animalistic lust for human blood. Along the way, Hitomi forces Sesshoumaru to see the cruel treatment Kagome is enduring. He sets off on his own mission to save her, while InuYasha continues on to the castle. Kagome finds herself being bombarded with images from the past, though oddly they are not all from Hitomi. Suddenly an intricate puzzle is put together in front of her and what she learns is quite shocking. Will they get to the Shinju before it crosses to another and is used to rein a plague of demons across the lands?