Kaya's Story (An InuYasha Fanfic)

Chapter 90: The Demon Jewel Maker

When we entered the border between this land and the next, it was a world shrouded in white mist with giant bones being the only visible feature. Skeletal birds flew through the mist, flying in circles around the huge skeleton. Now when we finally entered, we quickly realized we were falling because the door we had entered through was in the sky. As we fell, InuYasha, Kagome, and I began to panic but InuYasha got an idea and pulled Tetsusaiga, unleashing a wind scar. The force of the wind scar was enough to blow InuYasha and me onto a couple of skeletal birds that had been flying by. Reckless and stupid, yes, but we were alive. I held onto the bird and began to look around like I had said before there wasn't much there but giant bones, large spike-like rocks, mist, and the skeletal birds. Most of what I took in was old information, though. I knew the border between this world and the next was essentially a demon graveyard, so I knew many powerful demons were here. What bothered me was that the large skeleton that seemed to be the only landmark looked very dog-like. When I heard Shippo ask Miroku if the skeleton was InuYasha's father, everything made sense. This was the final resting place of the Great Dog General, so that meant InuYasha had to come here to acquire Tetsusaiga. He had been here before, and for that matter, so had Sesshomaru. As we got closer to the skeleton, I heard Kagome call out InuYasha's name and looked up. He was clutching his right eye with a pained look on his face. About that time my necklace began to glow, and I turned human, but almost as quickly changed back. I looked up and saw the others flying next to InuYasha, and noticed he was okay. A moment later, a bright light shone from the giant skeleton, and spears of crystal began flying at us. For once InuYasha and I had the same idea. We both pulled our swords and began to slash at the spears, but instead of the spears breaking, they just bounced off our blades. I knew Naraku wasn't behind this because his demonic aura was nowhere around and Miroku agreed. Whoever was sending the spears was a demon, but it wasn't Naraku.

The spears finally stopped, and we were able to approach the skeleton, only to find the demon responsible for almost killing us with diamond spears. InuYasha asked the demon why he was making a nest inside someone's father and again things made more sense. Even before Myoga asked the demon if he was Hosenki, I knew. Another piece of guidance I was thankful to have from Father. Hosenki recognized InuYasha after Myoga introduced himself and began to lecture him about coming to the land of the dead a second time. I honestly didn't feel like that was the pressing matter right now, but I'm not going to question it; especially since I knew Hosenki had the Sacred Jewel Shard somewhere on his body. When Kagome asked about the Jewel Shard, Hosenki explained the Shard had desired to come to the border. It made sense he could hear the thoughts of jewels, considering how many he had made over the years. He explained that the shard had come into his possession near the end of his life, and it told him that because the rest of the Jewel was in the possession of evil, the Sacred Jewel should never become whole again. I knew that was going to happen, whether Hosenki wanted it to or not. Naraku wasn't just going to let this go. Momentarily, I felt his presence, but it was gone almost as quickly as it had appeared. He was watching us, waiting for the right time to strike. Just after the presence disappeared, the aura of Hosenki's Shard turned dark. Naraku's presence appeared and disappeared just before Hosenki attacked InuYasha, barely missing the skeletal bird he and Kagome were riding. InuYasha instructed Kagome to stay put and stay out of the way before jumping down onto Hosenki.

When he hit Hosenki with Tetsusaiga, the blade made a terrible high-pitched sound as it bounced off Hosenki's body. "InuYasha, his body is covered in adamant. You can't hurt him with a blade, even one like Tetsusaiga," I yelled down to him. About that time, Hosenki attacked again and InuYasha ended up on the bird I was on. "Hosenki, please, just give us the Jewel Shard. We can keep it from falling into the hands of evil, I give you my word." He only argued and despite mine and InuYasha's requests, Hosenki wouldn't give up the Jewel Shard. The Shard turned his entire body from a silver-white to black. InuYasha used his wind scar, but it didn't work. Hosenki went to attack again, so I moved us out of the way of the attack. I looked up at InuYasha to see his right eye glowing, and I became concerned. I wasn't paying attention and just as InuYasha came back, Hosenki destroyed the bird we had been on. I fell as InuYasha leaped into the air releasing another wind scar. I landed not on a bird, but momentarily in a barrier before it vanished. I could still see the fight between Hosenki and InuYasha, but it didn't feel like I was there anymore. I felt more like a spectator reading a story in the third person, and I hated it. At least Kagome was there to lend spiritual power assistance, but that wasn't going to do much against Hosenki. He was an old demon, by demon standards, so her spiritual power wasn't quite enough. At least that's what I thought, when I saw Hosenki cover the spot where Kagome's arrow had struck, I knew what Kagome and InuYasha needed to do. Luckily, so did they. Kagome fired another arrow at the same spot as before just before InuYasha struck with his wind scar. Hosenki's shell of adamant broke open, causing him to smack InuYasha hard with one of adamant arms, sending him flying down through the mist. I was helpless to watch as he fell further and further through the mist and out of sight. "It seems InuYasha was not strong enough to take on the jewel maker," Naraku stated. "Says you, I bet he'll be back up here any minute," I spat. "Now, now, Kaya, there is no need for that. After all, I did save you from death." "I feel like I would've been better off dead," I mumbled. "That can be arranged," Naraku stated before his barrier opened beneath me and I began falling through the mist once again.