Left Alone

'So, this is what it all comes down to in the end?' she thought to herself as a tear streaked its' way down her cheek and dropped off her jaw. 'We're to be hunted and slaughtered one by one, our bodies left to feed the carrion birds?' She glanced to her left at the bent over and defeated form of Miroku.

He had yet to cry or release the remnants of cloth that he clenched within his fists like a lifeline. Her heart cracked at the sight of him as more tears poured forth in an endless stream. The balance within their group had been shattered. Their unity torn to pieces in one fell swoop that none had fore saw.

She clenched her eyes shut tightly as she gritted her teeth. The last image of her strong friend flitted across her vision with a clarity that she knew would never fade. Adorned in her slayers outfit with her hair loose for once, her long locks fell to her shoulders with a soft wave as one hand gripped a water bucket that swayed emptily at her side.

It was such a short walk, less than four minutes from the campsite. How could so much go wrong in such a short span of time? And yet it had. A brief moment after they had watched her walk beyond the light of the fire they had heard her scream of rage and pain. The reactions had been swift and faster than ever as their fear for her gave them speed but still it was too late. By the time they had reached her with their weapons drawn they had come upon a horde of lower level demons amassed within a large ball slithering in and out of each other. Furiously they had smote the beasts even though despair had already taken root within their bellies.

There was so much bloodso much blood. Her stomach twisted and she bent over as she felt the bile rise up and coat her mouth with saliva just before her stomach contents shot out and splashed onto the grass. Cradling her stomach with her hands and arms she fell to her knees. A scream that began from her toes and encased her entire being in a wave exploded from her with animalistic rage and pain. It was far louder than any other she had heard but as she poured her emotions out and imbued them with the scream she cared not. Her hatred for her sworn enemy had climaxed in that instant.

Her power flared around her and lit the darkness beyond the camp and still her scream rent the air about them. It was primal in its making. A statement to all around that she was beyond mad, beyond livid, there was not a word in existence that could depict the feelings that broiled within her. The thought of there only being a few scraps of cloth left for them to bury and mourn over fed the flames of her soul and heightened her rage.

In that instant she hated Naraku, she hated the low level demons that swarmed in droves to him at his beck and call, in that instant she cared not for those who did not. Let them all burn!

She power burst out in an explosion that sent the trees swaying around her, leaves scattered in the miko wind as its purifying ability swept past and outwards beyond her campsite and into the forest in an ever widening circle until it subsided and slowly vanished a half mile from where it had started. The screams of many small demons were cut short while the forest animals scurried about, shocked and afraid of what had just occurred, while in the campsite wide eyes took in the darkly glowing form of one of their own.