Monday, September 26, 2005

Thunder Road: Kikyo’s path
*episode 6*

At last, Kikyo approaches the dead village. Unlike most villages, the absence of sentinels and their watch fires bespeaks the downfall of their way of life. The stockade still stands, but it is clear that it has received little or no care over the past months. But the village is of little concern to the priestess. Her interest lies in the limestone cave beneath it. At the entrance, she is unsurprised to find the barrier raised against her. Leaving her bow at a distance, she sits and meditates; hoping to find inner peace. After hours spent in thought and prayer, Kikyo senses the change within herself necessary to continue. She rises and walks into the cave. She can see and hear the spirits trapped around her; although they remain confined to the stone. Finally arriving in the main chamber, Kikyo looks upon the woman who, in life, she had hoped to emulate. The warrior priestess, Midoriko, remains as ever trapped in her pillar of fossilized demons. In her own stone chest is the hole from which the sacred jewel emerged. Kikyo does not flatter herself by thinking that her purpose is unknown to the other. Instead she merely stands awaiting judgment. With an inward smile, she reflects on the other time she had stood in this chamber: how young and nervous she had been; and her shock and elation when she had been chosen by the stone maiden to bare the burden of the jewel. That time, there had been no obstacle to her entering the cave. Now, however, only by great effort could she make herself worthy to enter the lower realm. Even now, in the presence of the great one, Kikyo must focus her mind to prevent anger from welling up within her. If Midoriko had not passed the burden to her, she would never had met Inuyasha, or Onigumo. She might have lived a full life if not for…no, she realizes she must stop herself from thinking such thoughts. Now she can only wait and hope that Midoriko had the strength and will to grant her this boon. At long last, a light appears within the crevasse in Midoriko’s armor. It shoots forward and engulfs Kikyo, lifting her off the floor. When the light fades, she lies on the floor in a crumpled heap.
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