Ch45 Desecration of Kikyō Shrine
(??? POV - That Night - Kaede's Village- Sengoku Jidai)
Come on just a little more, just need to apply some more pressure to the pestle like farther had showed me.
Probably should have done this during the day and not by candlelight so late into the night, but I want to make sure that I got grounded this correctly. That and I have been having trouble sleeping since I was last at the temple...
I have slowly been getting better with it, but it will probably be a while before I can get a full night's sleep again.
That and I didn't want to accidentally wake up Lady Kaede again. Just like everyone said, she took me in at least for the time being. Saying I could stay for the time being.
It is strange being in a village again after spending so much time with ma- nothe Kumogashira that took me in after wiping out my village with his swarm. I was a stranger here and this village was much bigger than my old one.
But the people here we're nice to me and accepting. They even were accepting of Inuko, Yura, and Shippō. Well mainly Inuko and Shippō, some just tolerated Yura due to the fact that she had recently attacked the village weeks ago.
Something of which I haven't heard all of the details yet, but I suppose it is just because how new I was to the village. All I did know was it involved one of the shards of the Shikon Jewel right after it shattered.
Still it was nothing like my old village, I'm just glad to have accepted Y/N's and Kagome's offer. I wasn't sure were I would be right now, or that I would have made it to the closest village from the temple.
I have been working my part to help the village and Lady Kaede...which is just mainly watching Shippō when no one else was available or working with medical herbs and other remedies.
I already had some experience on the matter, both my mother and father had some apothecary experience before they settled down in our village before I was born.
They were more or less designated the village healers and taught me what they knew.
The only reason father and I survived the Kumogashira swarming our village was because we were out gathering medical herbs. ..before they had found us...
I really hope that things will clear up for me to visit their sotobas at the temple ruins soon enough. After the grounds have been completely cleansed of the taint from the Kumogashira.
Anyway I have been learning a lot more from Lady Kaede than what my parents ever taught me, granted they were more self taught than her. But they still had a trick or two in their technique that surprised her, like what I was doing now.
Lady Kaede was impressed with how much I was learning, but I still had a long ways to go compared to her or a true healer. But I should be able to help others sooner or later.
Although I would just wish to see Y/N and Kagome more.
They said that their village was close to this one, but I would see no sign of one close enough or that anyone nearby had clothing like what Kagome wore. Most of the villagers had never heard of their village, Tokyo either.
Both of them visit for a little bit these past few days, mostly to see how things have been going on and to check on me. But they should be here later today before they head out to look for more shards of the Shikon Jewel with Yura, Inuko, and Shippō.
I hope they will be alright, I can not thank them enough for what they did for me. I wouldn't know where I would be or alive without them.
That and I really hope that Y/N gets done with the painting soon. I know he said that he has been busy and it has only been about four days, but he said that he should be done soon.
I smiled a little thinking a little at what it could look like before looking down, seeing that I had grounded the herbs and roots down enough.
Alright I just need to find an empty vial and-
I jumped a little as I heard the sound of falling trees along with a howling wind passing by the house.
What was that?
I knew there wasn't a storm outside, I checked a while ago and I could see the moonlight from the window.
Then was it a yokai attack?
I got my answer when I saw Lady Kaede fully dressed, carrying her bow and quiver while approaching the door.
"So you are up already Nazuna I thought so, did you happen to see the cause of the noise?" Lady Kaede said, getting me to shake my head.
"No I did not. Do you believe that it is a yokai attack?" I asked her.
"Unclear, but it is better not to be too careful.
Nazuna grab the bindings and come out just incase.
" Lady Kaede said, getting me to nod as I proceeded to do just that.
"Make sure to check first, and bring the contents of the bowl.
You ground them perfectly, but next time add an extra kudzu root.
It will help decrease the chances of wounds becoming infected. "
As Lady Kaede left her home I smiled at her words and hurriedly grabbed a vial to store it.
If this was a yokai attack, than I really hope that no one in the village would lose their lives. I had just gotten here and I was not going to allow a repeat of what happpened to my village again if I can help it.
(A few minutes later - Kikyō Shrine Steps)
It was a yokai attack and whatever kind of yokai it is was at Kikyō's shrine right now with a bunch of villagers and Lady Kaede from what I heard.
No one had been attacked or killed yet from what I could tell, but with the way I had seen some nearby trees had been cut clean through that could very easily change.
I was about halfway up the stairs when I covered my ears at the most horrendous noise I have ever heard! It was like someone was dragging and scrapping a tanto against a stone wall only so much worst!
Yet I didn't have to wait long for as the noise stopped and I resumed running up the stairs.
Only to have to duck for cover as the tori gate above me was cut apart from right above me!
I just ran forward to see Lady Kaede get hit by something from behind a large cloud of dust, getting her to fall back as gashes opened up on her arm and forehead!
"Lady Kaede!" I called out as I ran towards her and the other villagers before Rikichi noticed me as several other villagers tried to support Lady Kaede up.
"Nazuna, stand back!" He shouted, before he and several of the other villagers where blown back as something impacted the ground repeatedly.
Not adhering to his words I ran up to them and quickly began chuck up on some of the villagers as they got up with a groan. Thankfully non were injured except for some bruising. The same could not be said about Lady Kaede as she leaned against her bow, her gashes bleeding a little.
Before I could even reach her, I heard what sounded like a woman cackling before the dust cloud began to disperse. Revealing a floating old woman with a scythe floating above a crater that had one been Kikyō's tomb.
"Those are my sister's ashes!" Kaede shouted as the yokai rose into the air with Kikyō's urn in her grasp, before slumping towards the ground. I rushed over to support her from falling to the ground. "I will not allow a yokai like you to take them!"
The old woman in question just cackled at that while I glared at her while beginning to help Kaede.
While I would want nothing more than to see this blasphemous woman taken down and for Lady Kaede to reclaim her sister's urn. But she can't very well do that in her condition. Or without risking the yokai cutting everyone here down with her scythe.
"I am the onibaba Urasue, Kikyō's ashes are now in my possession!" Urasue cackled out before whips of white flame began to cover her.
Only to yell out in pain as a wakizashi cut into her arm, dropping the urn out of the arm.
Wait wasn't that-
"I just wanted a quiet night of rebuilding my nest, but I guess you had to ruin it." Yura said as the urn was brought up to her hands.
Seeing her here I just let out a sigh of relief before beginning to treat Kaede's wounds while helping her back away from the two yokai. I do not wish to be anyone else to be caught up between them.
(Yura POV)
Honestly I would wish to be anywhere but here right now. I collected a great deal of hair tonight to repair my nest. But instead I find someone foolish enough to rob Kikyō's shrine.
Normally I could careless about someone trying to destroy or rob the shrine, but with what happened with the overgrown weed it would be better to check if it was a threat.
And the old hag certainly was, at least with the urn. I knew damn well who she was and what she would do.
With the tightening of my hand, the old hag found the life leaving her as my hairs tightened around her neck.
Before wisps of white flame covered the onibaba before she turned into a white fireball that rushed past me.
I am not going to let her get away from here.
The old hag appeared in front of me and I felt my right arm and waist being cut off as she swing her scythe.
"Hand's off those ashes!" Urasue spat out, but yelled out in pain as I pulled up and smashed the roof of Kikyō's tomb into her back.
I just grinned at that while reattaching the rest of my body before the old hag threw her scythe at Nazuna as she was treating the old miko.
It was simple enough to catch it with my hairs.
But it provided the opportunity for the old hag to fly past me and tried to snatch the urn out of my arms. Before I could manage to grab a hold of her, the old hag turned herself into a fireball with the scythe doing the same, speeding off onto parts unknown and out of my reach.
Damn it, the old hag was as slippery as I heard about her!
"Girl, how is the old miko's condition." I said to Nazuna as I landed next to her.
"Two shallow gashes, she should be alright." She said, getting me to nod.
"Good, I'm going to get master and the others. Going to need to deal with the old hag as soon as possible." I said before sheathing Benigasumi.
"What do you mean by that?" Nazuna asked.
"She is going to resurrect my sister..." Kaede said, shocking the villagers and Nazuna while I just nodded.
"That old hag is the most prolific expert in raising the dead on Honshu that isn't a daiyokai. The sooner she is prevented from resurrecting Kikyō the better it will be for everyone." I said before taking off for the well through the treeline.
I could careless about Kikyō, but they would have found out later and gotten involved. Especially the bitch and most likely master. And there was the fact Kikyō's soul had already reincarnated into Kagome.
Not sure how bring Kikyō back from the dead will affect Kagome if at all, but it was too big of a risk along with the possible reaction master would have if anything happened to her. I felt dread just by thinking about it.
With the possibility of that happening, the old hag most likely going after Kikyō's remains for her connection to the Shikon Jewel and it's shards like Kagome, and the sheer amount of reiryoku she possessed in life than if the old hag resurrects Kikyō and brings her under control was something I dreaded happening.
As it could lead into nothing but trouble if she was brought back from Yomi.
(??? POV - Somewhere just outside of Kaede's Village)
Damn Urasue, once me or my main body gets out hand on her I will personally make sure that she suffers as I rip her body for spare parts bit by bit before killing her.
Her presence and going after Kikyō were not a variable that I had considered, one that will cost me dearly.
Kikyō is the singular greatest threat to my plans if she is already brought back to life.
My main body is too far away currently and I already have the Samiyōshō combing the surrounding area and beyond for any clue of Urasue's current location.
Either way I needed to find that onibaba before everything I have prepared for is ruined, especially before if Y/N and the others find her first.
(Chapter 45 end)
Hey guys Mukuro7 here and I hoped that you all enjoyed this chapter and the beginning of the Kikyō arc.
I'll keep this short but I have two things to say.
The first I want to say is thank you all for your support.
Just before I publish this chapter we pushed past 800 followers on this site.
I never thought that I would ever get that many people who enjoy my stories and I still have trouble believing it.
So thank you all for the continued support, I couldn't have gone as far as I have without you all.
Finally the next chapter the hunt for Urasue is on, the prospect of Kikyō's revival being troubled for most especially Inuko, and encountering roadblocks from all sides as they close in on the onibaba. I hope that you all will enjoy the next chapter when it comes out.
So until next time, ciao!