Chasing Embers by SlayerofQueens09

Burn!

“It was dark and her back ached from the cold stone that she rested against. Adjusting the chains on her wrist that hung from the wall lazily, she looked up to the only small crack that gave her light. The sun was setting soon and she could tell that the time has come. Not from the small light that welcomes her in her small sullen prison, but by the muffled chanting.

            As she was praying for a miracle from any God or Goddess that would listen to her pleas, the door to her prison unlocked. Blinded by the light that swarmed in, she could hear the heavy foot steps of the men that came into her prison. Eyes adjusting, fear erupted in her. Two men walked towards her, wicked grins plastered on their hideous faces. They were soldiers of the village. They wore a kusari katabira and on top of it was a kusari zukin, on their heads was a hachi-gane and they wore han kote on their wrist. She could see they both had one sword strap to their hip, but she knew that just in-case they had many other weapons hidden on their persons. They both stop just a few feet in front of her, one of them step forward and started to unchain her from the wall, but still kept her wrist chained. As the solider came to fix her chains on her wrist, he looked at her and smiled with mirth.

            “Enjoy Hell, Bitch.” As he said that he made sure to tighten her wrist till they were aching from the harden metal. “Now, now lets be nice. You don’t want her to put a spell over you, do you?” comment the other man. The solider eyes widen in fear, hoping she wouldn’t spell him.

If today is my last, I’ll damn sure make it to a fight. I wont show them my fear. As she raised her head, she point blank stared at the human soldier. “You better watch what you say to me, for my last words, it might just be your undoing when a little friend will never rise again.” As she said this, she moved her gaze down to his neither regions. Getting what she meant, the soldier backed up in terror while the other one laughed at the other man. “Enough with this, lets bring her and get this celebration started.” Composing himself, he grab her by back of the neck and push her out the door.

            They walked down a narrow hallway. There where torches set on their perches, glowing a yellowish-orange color throughout the hallway. She could see a slight redden color of the bricks that was the wall. She sniffed the air and wince the minute she smelled the foul stench of death and urine. She looked forward towards the guard that was in front of her. She will not show her fear, nor will she show the tears that wish break though. She was determined to keep her head high, and show that she will not falter.

As they near the exit, she can hear chanting from the villagers. The closer she got she could smell smoked meats and people laughing. They were celebrating her upcoming death.

            She hurried passed another set of two guards that were station at the exit to the welcome warm Summer air. But she soon regret the air and its warmth, fore as she walked outside everyone went silent and stared at her. She stood there looking at all the faces. Anger and fear was every where. Women covered their children from her gaze and the men covered their women as shields. Pft, like I’m able to do anything. Not like if I wanted to anyways. Keeping her head high, she started to walk forward, but stop when she saw the platform.

There in the middle stood a tall slender wooden pole. It was high up, so the village people can see clearly while the scatter dried twigs where burning. There she looked upon what will be her death. Not realizing how long she stood there, the soldier pushed her roughly to keep her moving. With a grunt she continued to her doom. She approached the platform stairs and slowly climbed to the top. Next to the pole was a man dressed in silken dark purple robes. He held prayer beads in his hands. He was a monk, to read her last rights to this world. As she was forcedly turned around to unlock her chains. After the soldier unchained her, he pulled her arms around the pole and tied a fierce knot to the point she could feel the rope rash. As he walked away she looked up to the dais to see the reason why she was sent to die. A man sat in his high polish chair. He dressed in trousers with little hats tied on, and tunic on his sleeves are sewn to his over eating body, leaving a small gap showing the silken dark blue kimono. She narrowed her eyes at him; Itsuki. The leader of the village that she was currently being held. He had short grayish hair, eyes small and close to his narrow nose. He was over weight and every time she saw him, he had a plattered of food near by him, ready for the devouring. He was disgusting.

He stood from his little throne, if you could call it such. On shaky legs, indicting of the indulgence of liquor he stood. He raised his hands to silence all around. When all of the chattering was done he spoke.

            “Women! You have been found guilty of evil doings. When you arrived to this village but three weeks ago, you came with aid on your breath. Saying you will aid in our help and destroying an evil evil that has walked over our village. But when you came, crops died and burned but to dust, children have become sick with no cure for its illness, and many of our people have disappeared. When you came, you brought nothing but pain and suffering. And when people began to scream of your powers and your evil doings that they witness, it was then we realized it was you.” Itsuki paused to give a dramatic feel. She heard whispers, people agreeing to what he said. Maybe he was right, maybe she came with pure intentions but at the end she brought the wrath. She shook her head, taking that thought away. She knew in her heart that it wasn’t her, but demons and their foolishness.

“Have you any say to your crimes!” she looked dead to his brown eyes, she will not show weakness or fear.

“It is not I that will go to the nether lands, but you and your people. For I am innocent!” an uproar erupted when people started to scream to her of words. Calling them lies. Itsuki looked at her and shook his head. With an evil grin he roared, “Then burn, BURN!” cheers were heard and the word ‘Burn’ was being chanted. The monk began to pray, one soldier came to her with a torch, and lowered the flame to the dried twigs. “You killed my mother. Die in hell!” he whispered, and threw the flame.

            A gray dark smoke began to rise around her. She began to panic. All resolve of being brave and strong and not showing any fear disappeared. She couldn’t breath. Struggling in her bonds the smoke began to get bigger, and flame started to rise with the blowing of the wind. Her school shoes and legs started to burn, This is it. I’m truly going to die. Oh please, whomever can hear my plea. Please watch over my family! As tears came, she saw through the smoke flowing silver hair, and golden eyes. Inu…Yasha? After that fleeting hope, darkness took over Kagome’s sight.