The Soul Cages: Frozen In Time
Episode 12
Kohaku and Kirara have been following the jagged corridor through the ice for some time now. Kirara�s flames have kept the boy alive, and they have continued onward, uninterrupted. At length, they enter a large chamber with a level floor. In the center of the cavern, there is a great pillar of ice. Imbedded in the column, is a sight that makes Kohaku�s blood run colder. If he lives to be a hundred, he will never forget the face of the figure, half-frozen into the icicle. It is his tormenter and his protector; his savior and his murderer; his god and his worst enemy. In the room ahead of him, Kohaku sees Naraku, restrained but not subdued. Much worse then that, Naraku sees him and the demons eyes cut through him, leaving him paralyzed with fear. Not so green by several centuries and not possessing the worst of his memories, Kirara moves into a defensive stance in front of Kohaku. Although unable to move most of his body, Naraku can still strike out with his tentacles to a considerable range. The flame-cat blocks the first blow and the second. But she will not budge from her post before Kohaku and she alone is no match for Naraku, even in his weaken state. As the boy watches helplessly, Kirara is seized by several of Naraku�s arms and pinned against a wall. With her contained, the dark one turns his gaze back upon Kohaku. He says, �So Kohaku, have you come to beg me to take back your memory? Or perhaps you wish me to end your suffering in a more permanent fashion. Well, which is it? Maybe you should run away. I cannot move, so you might be able to escape my reach. Decide quickly, little boy, or I will decide for you.� With that, Naraku strikes out at Kohaku. With inches to spare, the boy dodges the blow and turns to run. Then he hesitates. His fingers move over the handle of his weapon as he searches his soul. He draws his blade and turns to face the embodiment of his fears. Naraku laughs maliciously. He says, �You should have run when you had the chance.� He begins to attack the boy with increasing speed as he continues, �You cannot stand against me. Others may defeat me, but you cannot. I own too much of your soul. You are weak, and you shall be swept asi�� The demon�s speech is brought to an abrupt halt, when Kohaku�s scythe slices through his throat. The blow causes no real damage, but the mere shock of being attacked by this one silences Naraku. As his neck heals, the demon pulls back the tentacles not holding Kirara. He looks at the boy, granting him a level of contempt which he had previously considered Kohaku to not be worth. He asks, �Which fire burns so brightly within you? Is it from when I wiped out your people? The villages I had you destroy? Your father and sister? Kagura?� Something in the boy�s eyes flashes; Naraku snickers. �So is that it? You wish to punish me for that week of ecstasy I had, grinding Kagura into submission. Tell me boy, do you hope to make her your woman? Would you like to hold her once again, only this time without thoughts of pain? Do you honestly think she would consider such a thing? She is a demon. More then that, she is of my flesh. If he will have her, she will mate with Sesshomaru as soon as possible. If not, she will seek out another demon, with power nearly as great, and give herself to him. She would never be so desperate that she would choose a mortal, and even if she did, she would choose one mightier then you. Your pity and your love are wasted on her, as she can neither receive nor return them. Do not squander what little time you have left in which to hate me, hating me for her sake.� Naraku lashes out at Kohaku, but the demon slayer rolls out of the path of the attack and at the same time, sends his weapon flying away from Naraku. Only when he feels his limbs being severed does Naraku realize that the boy has freed his companion. As Kirara gets to her feet, and moves to stand next to him, Kohaku readies his blade and prepares to attack again.
Jaken and Miroku are following a tunnel through the ice. Several minutes ago, Jaken burned his way into a strange, perfectly round corridor, and they have been moving through it ever since. Periodically, the imp launches a burst of fire from his staff; for the mortal�s benefit. He doesn�t like it, but his master is, for the moment, allied with the monk and, as such, Sesshomaru�s honor would be tainted if the imp did nothing when he had the power to save Miroku�s life. They have passed a number of chambers, but none of them seem to have had any exits except the tunnel itself. Finally, they come to a room with something worth stopping for. Miroku says to the imp, �You know, I�d give anything to be him right now.� �Miroku�� says Sango. ��shut up.� Kagome says, finishing her friend�s sentence. The monk says, �I don�t suppose there�s any way I could join you.� Kagome says, �No, there isn�t.� Sango says, �Cuddle Jaken.� Kagome starts giggling. Inuyasha is ignoring the new comers, hoping that they will respond in kind. Jaken says, �Abed with a pair of mortals. Your brother has more dignity.� Kagome says, �He also has no one to snuggle when it�s cold.� Jaken shouts, �M�lord can have any female he desires, when he desires her.� Sango says, �Tell that to Kagura.� The imp is furious. Before he can explode, Miroku cuts him off, �Inuyasha, shouldn�t we be looking for Naraku? Kagome, Sango, what about Shippo and Kohaku?� Sango sighs. �He�s right.� she says. Kagome says, reluctantly, �Ya, he is.� Inuyasha gets to his feet. He turns to the monk and asks, �How come you ain�t dead? This cold should have frozen you to your bones.� Jaken stands up to his whole height, (all 47cm) and taps on the floor with the staff of heads. The half-demon says, �Oh. Fine then, toad, you look after the humans. I�ll lead.� Jaken is not pleased to be taking orders from Inuyasha, but his duty comes first. In a few minutes, Kagome�s bag is packed, and the five set out, continuing the path Jaken and Miroku had been following.