Moving through the dark forest with complete naturalness, almost as if she had walked these paths all her life, Kikyo, the priestess, keeps an expressionless face and advances in the direction of the village below.
All around him flew the ever faithful Shikigamis, illuminating his path and watching for any unforeseen event that might occur.
"They're already fighting, I'd better hurry."
Hearing the explosions nearby, while also observing the effects of the fray, Kikyo frowns and begins to move faster.
...Kikyo pov....
So many memories come to my mind for every house I see, for every road along which I advanced, everything seems to want to drag me to a better time... Where I.
"Denial... This is as far as we have come."
Finishing those words escaping from my lips, I walk among the shadows of the houses, just as if I were a thief... Hahaha what an irony of life.
"This place... How many memories."
Looking at the small wooden house just at the top of some stairs, memories of different times start to fill my mind and guide my hand towards the door.
*knock* *knock* *knock* *knock*.
They were soft knocks and without any kind of urgency, perhaps unconsciously I didn't want Kaede to see me like this again, in this form in which I ended up.
"I'm coming, I'm coming."
It seems Kaede was already alert, that was a possibility, considering that Inuyasha and company had recently left here.
It was a good plan to deliver the two shards to... To... It doesn't matter. The important thing is that it worked, so they just thought there was an intruder.
With no more time to consider other thoughts, the bamboo curtain is opened, letting a soft light emerge from within and someone sticks their head out.
"You're... You're your sister."
"Kaede... May I come in?"
Perhaps unable to digest the situation she is in, Kaede lifts the bamboo curtain completely, as she steps aside so that she can enter.
The interior of the house has nothing luxurious about it, the only thing that stands out is the fire pit in the center, a place where a pot of food hangs.
"What's wrong Kaede, are you surprised to see me alive again?"
Looking at Kaede, who the passage of time has left its mark on her, be it her clearly older appearance, dulled senses and weak spiritual power, I give her a small smile.
"Never that, sister! Though I confess I had accepted your death when you fell off that cliff!"
"That's right... I am already dead and apparently there are still things I must do in this world."
Walking with slow steps inside the room, I continue to keep this mask I am currently wearing. I must avoid going into the emotional realm, that would only let my current state show.
"Are you still looking for a way to kill Inuyasha?"
"I've seen him from a distance, though I haven't done anything to him... At least with my own hands."
Reaching up to one of the windows, she looked in a specific direction, more exactly towards the forest from which I came.
The forest is ablaze with flames, but strangely enough it doesn't seem to release smoke or spread to the sides, making it look like something out of the ordinary.
"Are you saying that you attracted that demon?"
"Does it really matter? The only thing that matters to me now is the truth, the whole truth that you're going to tell me."
Dismissing his words, I stand in front of the window and cover the light entering from outside, making only the fire from the candles give light to the surroundings.
"Sister..."
"Tell me everything you know about that man named Naraku, who Inuyasha blames so much."
Turning away from the window, I took a seat beside the fire, while waiting for Kaede to absorb my words and begin to speak.
"It all started with Onigumo's evil powers, he himself summoned hundreds of evil spirits to go eat him and thus originates this being called Naraku."
Onigumo, a bandit on the verge of death that I saved by pure instinct, his state was really bad at the moment I saved him... He was more like a dead man than a living one.
Fighting against all odds, despite the horrible state of his body, Onigumo clung tightly to life in that dark cave.
I guess the obsession I had noticed in his eyes was not false, going so far as to give his body to the evil beings.
"Heh, so that bandit's dirty soul was still worth something after all."
"That's right... He told us that the shikon pearl would look better if it was surrounded by evil."
Those words... If I had to say it, his plan was foolproof. By having us murder each other, Naraku could obtain a foul and macabre pearl, filled with the pain of betrayal.
"Sister... Inuyasha remained."
I didn't need to hear her defense of Inuyasha, I had already gotten a clue of what had happened and now it's time to leave.
"I came to know the cause of my death so cruel and sudden, instead Inuyasha has changed. Now he has a sweet look, I remember before they had only a cold look, as he didn't trust anyone."
Stopping my steps just before leaving the house, he subtly guided the conversation to the other topic of my interest.
"Kagome is a great girl, she can easily heal Inuyasha's heart little by little."
"So she was the one who changed Inuyasha's character, what a surprise."
Fate is cruel sometimes, I just had to draw the shortest straw of all... Not like that reincarnation.
Erasing those dark feelings trying to influence me, he watched the fire in the distance again and reached out to pull the bamboo curtain aside.
"Sister..."
"What's wrong Kaede, maybe"
"Congratulations."
Stopping my intention to leave, I turn my face and giving Kaede a sidelong glance, I ask her the obvious.
"Why are you congratulating me?"
"I can tell you're not consumed by hatred, spite and anger... Totally different from our first meeting."
Certainly my negative emotions are easier to control now, it seems acting like a normal person has its benefits.
"Besides, no matter how much you want to act, I can tell, since I will always be your sister."
"Looks like it's not just a saying: That with age comes wisdom."
"Hahaha, pretty accurate. If you want, in the temple over the hill there are priestess robes and bows."
Looking at her for the last time, I turn my face and walk away to where I have to be now.