Chapter Two: Up in Smoke

Onigumo's strange attitude continued for another three years. No one knew what to do about Onigumo or how to help him. All they could do was watch him go down his path of destruction. Kokoro still worried greatly about her brother but was too scared to go near him since the day he swung his sword at her.

Kokoro had just finished her training with her father when she suddenly had this horrible feeling. Quickly, she ran home, like Hell was at her feet. What was this feeling? Why was it bugging her do much?

When she entered her village there was a group of villagers gathered in one area. What was going on?

"What's going on?" Kokoro pushed through the crowed to see a young dragon demon dead. "Who did this? Does anyone have any idea who did this?"

Daisuke and Shion walked through the crowed. They both seemed to know who had done this. It was that look that Kokoro saw on her parents faces.

"Mother, father. You know who did this, don't you?" The look on their faces said it all and she was afraid what the name of the person was going to be. "Who was it?"

"I'm afraid that the person who did this was Onigumo. I'm sorry Kokoro, but it appears that these two got into a fight and your brother pulled out a sword and killed him. Onigumo fled right after, we don't know where he is."

Kokoro's heart sunk to the pit of her stomach. Why had her brother done this? What made him go so low as to kill a member of the village? Kokoro just didn't understand what happened to her dear older brother.

Another two years past without any signs of Onigumo. Everything that was once good about him was just a ghost to everyone else besides his family. Kokoro always looked for some sign of her brother but all she got was useless tips.

Kokoro's training became even more dire than ever before. If Onigumo was to ever return to the village no one knows what he might do. He could try to kill everyone and destroy the whole Village of Dragon demons that live there. The only one who was believed to be powerful enough to stop Onigumo was going to be Kokoro.

During one of her training seasons with her mother she could feel a strong demonic power coming from far away. It was familiar but yet different. She look to her mother who had also felt some demonic power, cutting the training early. The day was already getting late when Shion cut the training season early and both, mother and daughter felt an uneasiness in the air. Something terrible was going to happen that night. It was only a matter of time when it was going to happen.

The night was cool, and the stars were shinning bright. Light diamonds cutting through the darkness. It was a full moon and the Lunar lights lit up like the sun during the day, but the uneasy feeling was still there. Kokoro sat on the rooftop of her home, looking over the horizon for no reason but to do so.

"I wonder if Onigumo is alright. Has he been eating, has he been staying out of trouble, and most importantly...has he killed anyone else since he left the village?" Kokoro scratched the back of her head as she bombarded herself with questions.

A cool breeze blew through the trees and Kokoro's short white hair. The breeze gave her Goosebumps. When the breezed settled, Kokoro noticed something coming up over the horizon and it was coming fast. A swarm of demons were coming. Quickly Kokoro jumped from the rooftop and ran back inside to tell her mother and father about the swarm of demons that were heading towards the village.

"Mother! Father! A swarm of demons are heading towards the village and their coming fast!"

Daisuke and Shion both looked at each other has if they had already foreseen this long before Kokoro did.

"Kokoro, did you happen to see the leader of the demons?" Daisuke asked in a calm tone to his daughter.

"No, but why does that mat..."

The roof of their house suddenly collapses. A white figure stood in-between Shion, Kokoro, and Daisuke; a man, wearing a bamboo pelt.

"It's been a while, mother, father, and sister."

"Onigumo!"

"Don't be ridicules Kokoro! I no longer go by that name. I am now Naraku and I'm here to kill all of you."

Kokoro couldn't believe that this is how low her brother had fallen. Onigumo was no more; standing in front of her was a monster that use to be her brother. A swarm of wasps-like insects started to swarm into their home.

"These are my Saimyōshō (Hell Wasps), my Poison Insects. They should make quick work of you all."

With just a hand gesture from Naraku, the Saimyōshō raced after Naraku's family. Right away Daisuke transformed into his true form, destroying the rest of their home. Scooping up his wife and daughter, he flies off, out of the village to a safe place. Landing outside of the village Daisuke placed Shion and Kokoro safely on the ground.

"Shion, take Kokoro someplace safe. Onigumo won't give up easily to find the two of you." Daisuke gave Shio one last kiss and Kokoro one last hug before returning back into his true form and flying off back to the village.

Shion quickly took Kokoro by the hand and led her to a nearby lack with a water cave.

"Kokoro, I'm going to put a sleeping spell on you. This water cave should keep you safe until it's time for you to wake up."

"Why?! We can all fight against Onigumo and protect the village! I don't understand!"

Shion wrapped her arms around her daughter with tears forming in her eyes. "I know you what to help, but now isn't your time to go into battle against your brother." Shion started to mumble an incantation. Pulling away from her daughter she could see Kokoro's eyes were getting heavy. She placed her pointer finger on Kokoro's forehead, completing the sleeping spell. "Be strong, be safe, and be brave, Kokoro."

Before drifting off into darkness for her long sleep, tears fell from Kokoro's sleepy eyes.

"Mother....Father..."