InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unforgiven ❯ The Curse ( Chapter 6 )

DISCLAIMER: I am not a proud owner of Inuyasha…I'm not an owner at all, in fact… :::feels sad:::

A/N: My goodness, it's been too long. I definitely should have updated sooner, but I got distracted by a million other things. Ya know…college entrance essays are not the piece of pie I thought they would be. I hate having to limit my amount of words- I mean, how am I, the Queen of Adjectives, supposed to condense my thoughts from the past four years into 200 words? It's definitely a challenge….

Well, here goes a fun chapter with an answer to last chapter's question! Many of you were right….so, go read now!

"Unforgiven"

Chapter 6: The Curse

The cave was cool and moist with early morning dew. The priestess knelt down gently, smoothing her long, white skirt over her legs, curling her feet beneath her body. She clapped her palms together, her fingers brushing her lips. As the incense in the bowl before her drifted a long stream of smoke towards heaven, she bowed her head to the ground.

Such was her morning ritual of honoring the gods, as it always had been. She stayed in that position for a few minutes longer, clearing her mind of all of her dreams and thoughts from the previous night.

A moment later, she snapped her head up, and her senses blared with an internal alarm. The barrier around her cave was fluctuating. She had chosen this place as better protection, a safer place to serve the gods and also the people in the nearby communities. But, there was a very powerful demon heading her way…heading towards the cave.

Rin felt adrenaline pouring through her veins. It had been a while since she had been in danger, but she had never been able to stay away from it for long. Would the barrier hold? Or would she be pitted against such a monstrous demon? Keeping her brown eyes fixed on the smoking incense, she felt for the bow and arrow at the altar. Whatever it was, she would be ready for it.

She stood up slowly, her leg muscles tightening a fraction. Then, hesitantly, she began to move towards the light at the end of the tunnel, which was the mouth of the cave where the sun was rising. Her heart beating faster and faster within her chest, Rin stopped moving to hide behind a crag near the entrance. She peered around the edge of the rock, fixing her eyes to see past the bluish holy barrier at the cave's mouth.

The sight she saw made her already-heaving breath catch in her throat. It was a single demon- graceful and with beauty like that of the fleeting winter. He had exquisite long hair that was white as snow, shining eyes like the color of the December sun, and a countenance that was as cold as ice. He was tall and imposing, his broad shoulders draped in white robes fit for a prince, with spiked armor and silk sashes adorning his torso. He looked regal, and Rin was in awe for a long moment.

She was afraid, too. He was storming the cave with an impassably determined expression, and she was beginning to think indubitably that, for whatever reason, she was the target of his aggression.

It's no use in begging for immediate death, she concluded, noticing that she had placed herself directly in the line of fire by coming to the front of the cave. So, her black hair flying behind her, Rin flew through the shadows, back to the hollows where she had built her altar. Setting her bow across her lap, Rin sat down cross-legged. She would wait for the demon here.

Sure enough, within minutes, she felt her barrier breaking slowly. It was if her purifying powers were just an annoying pinch to this demon. In seconds, he had made his way through, and she could feel his energy intensifying as he moved closer. She couldn't help the anticipation that swirled through her. How would she stop him? Most importantly to Rin- why had he come?

He was now just feet past the entrance to the hollow. Rin, a sudden burst of confidence running through her, was on her feet as he approached. Her sandals dug into the ground as he moved around the corner.

And then, she was facing him, a purifying arrow notched and aimed at his chest.

"Who sent you?!"

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Miroku was fast becoming used to these kinds of meetings between him and Naraku. Naraku seemed to have an affinity for darkness and shadow…maybe to him it made the illusion of mystery…or perhaps it really did enhance the already-mysterious nature of the enigmatic leader. He had called the Commissioner to his office discuss some matter of importance.

Like always, he conveniently revealed nothing ahead of time to Miroku, and enjoyed drawing out the tense silence. It was a mind game like always. Miroku tried to be more comfortable in his chair, and consistently attempted to relax…but in the presence of his father's murder, it hadn't become any easier. Every time he spoke to the man, his blood boiled. It was because he saw the same manipulative glint and smile that Miroku had seen on his face on the day of the murder every time Naraku spoke.

It was enough to drive a man insane.

And without Sango he did not know where he would be. She was always waiting for him back in their quarters to discuss whatever was on his mind, and to soothe the rarely-visible temper that Naraku caused to rise within him. She had also become quite useful in gathering what little information there was to be had from around the castle. But, mostly, she was his spine and his support system.

Naraku smiled only through his lips. His teeth looked sharp and his eyes were as hard as stone. He was edging on towards something important, Miroku could tell.

"Do you know of any of our prisoners that we hold in the dungeon?"

Miroku raised an eyebrow. "Prisoners? I was not aware of any in particular. They are criminals, I suppose." He truly had not known of anyone that had been captured. The dungeon was rarely spoken of….because of…what? It was obviously dangerous, and meant death. It was rumored to have been Naraku's own experiment, his best way of punishing criminals. But, what did that mean?

Naraku nodded slowly, sipping his nightly goblet of wine. "They have performed criminal acts of the highest degree. They betrayed their country….and they betrayed me." He spoke the words as if it were grievous that anyone would even consider such acts. "They are there to rot and to suffer, in ways that only they deserve."

Miroku waited for him to speak again, disgusted inwardly by the way in which he talked so lightly of pain and torture.

"Anybody who betrays me deserves that fate." At the words, he was staring straight into Miroku's eyes. It was as if his pupils were trying to bore holes into Miroku's soul. Miroku tried not to fidget.

Naraku flashed his eyes away after a moment, setting down his drink.

Why is he revealing any of this to me? To get me to tell the truth? Does he know my thoughts? Miroku felt completely cornered in the situation.

"I have told you about my private dungeon, because some day soon you may have to visit there…" Miroku's heart skipped a beat. "….As a consort. There are two prisoners who are very important to me…a priestess and a half-demon. The priestess made an attempt on my life, and the demon murdered one of my most important allies in cold blood. Their fate must be protected at all times. They are to suffer the most above all." Naraku's voice was cold steel.

"I will stop at nothing to protect your interests, my liege."

"I do not doubt that in you, for you are my most loyal soldier…"

Miroku looked pleased. "I thank you for your gratitude."

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The demon didn't answer Rin's demand. Instead of stopping in the face of her powerful arrow, he took another few steps towards her. She gasped, seeing him so close. His bright eyes were like molten coals in the shadow, and his face was as white as porcelain. The arrow held between her bow and finger trembled, as she saw the deadly look in his eyes.

"Why are you here?" She asked this question in little more than a whisper.

He raised a slender eyebrow, almost as if he was amused by the foolish bravery that she was showing. But, his face did not smile. A smile would have looked out of place on those features.

"I am here to kill you." He stunned himself, not understanding why he hadn't slit her throat already. After all, she was one more annoyance that was standing between him and the Tetsusaiga.

"I have done nothing to you. I am but a peace-loving priestess who looks for trouble from nobody. Please leave me be."

His fingers twitched slightly. A priestess? He had felt the holy aura surrounding the cave, and had seen the barrier. But, how could she be a priestess? "You are completely human." It didn't even resemble a question, he had said it so plainly.

"I am human." Rin watched his face intently, still not lowering her bow.

"You are not of the blood of Toutousai."

"Who?"

Sesshomaru's face darkened incrementally, and he looked at her no longer. "There are no other inhabitants that live in this valley?"

"I am the only one." What was he aiming at?

Realization crept into Sesshomaru's veins, as he knew that he had been tricked. That wanderer who had instructed him to kill the girl had taken him for a fool. She was not of Toutousai's line, for she was a priestess and a human.

"Naraku sent you, didn't he?" Her voice became stronger as she spoke.

"Naraku?" His voice was cold.

"He wants to murder me because I am a priestess. He has stopped at nothing so far…"

"I am under no man's orders."

"Then who sent you?"

Sesshomaru looked slightly angered by the question, and his eyebrows lowered over his eyes. "I have no more need for a filthy human." Turning away from Rin, Sesshomaru moved so gracefully way from her, it seemed as if he were gliding.

Rin's arm trembled. Why had he not murdered her, if he was such a ruthless demon? Was he still planning to kill her before he left, or was he truly done with her? Her mind raced, and her instincts were screaming at her to stop him. After all, he had violated the sanctity of the holy cave, and he was planning to kill another human.

In a split-second decision, Rin decided to let the arrow free, pointing at the center of his back. As the arrow slipped through her fingers, she immediately regretted the decision. She had no reason to kill him, when he had only come to her on suspicion. She watched in shock as the brilliantly-colored arrow streamed through the dark, towards the white-haired demon.

He was as fast as lightning, and he had already moved over an inch and had the arrow caught between two fingers within seconds. The poison from the fingers rose up in a green ooze to dissolve the holy arrow. Rin watched it disintegrate in awe.

He did not turn to face her, as he continued walking. It was if he had expected her to attempt the shooting all along. "Fool," he spat, as he disappeared from view.

Rin stood, stunned, for a moment, as he passed through the barrier to exit the cave. He had just destroyed an arrow of hers without so much as blinking. It was incredible.

She had become intrigued and partly confused. Why wasn't she dead already? She had offended a hugely powerful demon, yet she was still standing on two feet with no harm done to her.

Where is he traveling to? She pondered this….was he venturing to take on Naraku?

Something inside of her burned to know. Chewing on her lip nervously, her eyes swerved to her bow in hand, the quiver of arrows next to the altar, and then to the burning fire in the corner. She supposed there was only one way to find out. Knowing it was wild and dangerous, Rin stamped out the fire, grabbed her bow and arrows, and was running towards the mouth of the cave.

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A/N: So, yeah. Rin's all running after Sesshomaru. Weirdo. I mean, if I or you were her (judging from my readers' responses) we wouldn't be trying to annoy this guy…but she's Rin, and it's not like she followed common sense in that area during the series. Plus, Sesshomaru has this weird soft spot for her….::shrugs:: Who am I to contest my own logic?