Otherworld 3: Tala
Chapter 9 - Kamui
Another month passed and none of the male Tala's had been found. Kaiba and Kurama decided that Kome and Ayala could return home as long as they promised to return to the Castle for the baby's birth. The wolf couple gave their solemn promise and Kome swooped Ayala in his arms and started their journey home. They would try to resume their life, but there would always be the black shadow of Naraku hanging over them.
Tala was kept in the Castle for her protection. Since she could sense the duplicates and had betrayed them, there was a very real possibility that one of the duplicates would try to eliminate her. Many plans were bandied about to use her power -- but most were discarded. Even if she were to go to each village, the duplicate simply could move to another village while she was checking the first one out. No one was sure what her sensing range was, but it was the consensus that it was not a very wide area.
Another month passed and a messenger arrived from Mukuro, the ruler of Eastern Lands of Demon World. She requested that the Princess come to her kingdom with whatever guards she deemed necessary. She had something vital to show her; something concerning Naraku.
Kurama was very suspicious of the message, but it could not idly be discarded. Mukuro had been an ally of Naraku in the Three Worlds War and might have valuable information. After much discussion, it was decided that Bakura would open a portal to the Eastern Lands, close to Mukuro's palace, and the Princess, Kurama and Bakura make the journey. Both InuYasha and Hiei argued that it was not enough protection and InuYasha was added to the group. They could not leave the Castle unprotected, especially with Tala living here. A reply was drafted to Mukuro telling her that they would arrive in the morning three days from now. Three days later, Bakura opened a portal and the four stepped through. A contingent of guards were waiting for them and immediately took the group to Mukuro. The only female ruler of Demon World was swathed in bandages as usual; not because she was injured, but because she kept her ruined form hidden from all but a very few trusted advisors. After the formal introductions were out of the way, Mukuro led the group to the lower floors of her palace.
"In the Three World Wars, Naraku used one of his enslaved demons to entice me. And I admit I was easy to entice -- the thought of ruling all of Demon World was exactly what I wanted," Mukuro admitted. "I listened to the demon for months as he convinced me to war against Raizen and Sesshomaru."
"What does this have to do with anything?" Kurama asked.
"I know how Naraku's mind worked -- what words he used -- and last month a demon came to me, claiming to be a representative of the Bat Demons."
Kurama looked at her in surprise. He knew the Bat Demons very well; his former partner had been a Bat Demon and he had spent many years in his company. They had often visited the home of the Bat Demon clan which was located in the northern mountain of Raizen's Northern Lands kingdom. The Bats had always kept to themselves and had never once joined in any of the wars or battles.
"This Bat Demon insisted that the Bat clan would help me if I wanted to try again for Raizen's lands. But I have learned my lesson…"
"You mean you no longer have enough allies for a war." Bakura said angrily. He did not trust this demon at all.
Mukuro glared at the demon mage, then continued, "However you want to see it. The point is that this Bat Demon talked in almost the same manner and used similar words as Naraku had. I am positive that one of the duplicates is inside of him."
The group had arrived at a heavily guarded door and Mukuro nodded to the guards. They opened the huge door to reveal a dark chamber. Hanging from the ceiling was a young Bat Demon, his naked body covered in deep cuts, blood running freely from them. His outstretched wings were pinned to two heavy beams. "Oh, by the gods! This is not right!" Aara exclaimed as she saw the tortured demon. "Cut him down!"
"You do not rule here, Princess, I do." Mukuro said sharply, then continued with her narrative. "I kept him here until you arrived so that I could show you that a duplicate does indeed live inside of him. Now I will force that duplicate out so you can see for yourself."
"But to torture him like this? Why did you do that?"
"I did not torture him, I merely prevented him from moving to another host. As long as no one came close to him, he was trapped."
Aara looked closer and saw that he was hung with thin wires and they were cutting into his flesh. His wounds had been caused by the wires, not by torture. But there had been no need to hang him like this! All Mukuro needed was to keep him in a solitary cell. This was cruel!
As if hearing her thoughts, the young demon lifted his head and looked at her. Aara could sense his pain through her power and she swayed under the emotional onslaught. Kurama caught her before she fell, holding her against his body for support.
"Now we will see what lives inside of him." Mukuro ordered her guards to cut him down. Five guards surrounded him, with two of them holding him tightly, and the demon ruler went up to the Bat and lifted his head. "I want to see what hides inside."
The Bat glared at her with pure hatred. "There is nothing inside of me but more blood."
She nodded to her guards and one of them drew his sword. Aara cried out a protest and Mukuro looked at her, "You are a guest in my palace. Remember that!" InuYasha started growling -- how dare Mukuro treat his Princess like that! And even if this body held a duplicate, the Bat Demon was not to blame. He was a victim and Mukuro had no right to torture him. Kurama lightly touched his arm and shook his head. The Dog Demon restrained himself but continued a low growl.
The guard took hold of one of the demon's wings and with one sweep of his sword, cut it off. The Bat screamed in agony and blood poured from his mutilated back. But the duplicate, if there was one inside, did not appear. When the second wing was cut off, Aara cried out from the pain she was sensing from the Bat. The guards released him and he fell prone to the floor -- a writhing mass of tortured flesh.
Suddenly, his bloody form blurred and a man stepped out -- a male Tala! Mukuro was right! Without hesitation, five swords pierced the duplicate and he fell dead.
"No!" Kurama cried, but he was too late. "Why did you kill him? We might have been able to learn about the others." He ran to the duplicate but was stopped by the guards.
Mukuro didn't even bother to answer him; instead she turned to the Princess, "This proves that I am a worthy ally and can be trusted. I did not listen to him, but called you instead."
Aara looked at Mukuro with unbridled fury, "This only proves that you are heartless and cruel. Otherworld will never trust you! And you will never be an ally!"
She pushed past the angry Demon Lord and rushed to the Bat Demon's side, with her three males close behind. He was bleeding profusely and barely conscious, moaning in pain. "What are you going to do with him?"
"I could care less about him. If you want him, he is yours." Mukuro said, extremely perplexed and angry that her plan did not work. She had promised to produce a duplicate and had done exactly what she had promised, but all the Princess cared about was the worthless demon host.
InuYasha gently picked up the young man and, without another word, the group returned to the portal and to Otherworld. The Bat was given into the care of the healer mage, Kaiba. After hours of using his healing power, Kaiba told them that the wounds would heal, but the Bat would always have terrible scars where his wings had been. Right now he needed rest more than anything.
Tala volunteered to be his nursemaid, feeling guilty that he had suffered because of her duplicate. For the first couple of days, the Bat did not speak at all. As she was changing his bandages on the third day, he thanked her for her kindness, then lapsed into silence again. She continued with her work, her fingers gentle.
"Do you have a name?" Tala asked.
"Kamui," came the soft reply. Then bitter tears began to fall. "I have been mutilated. My wings will never grow back and I will never be able to return to my clan."
"You will always be welcome here. The Princess opens her heart to all hurt beings, no matter what their infirmity."
"How would you know? You are a beautiful woman, not an incomplete person." Kamui said bitterly.
"No, I am as mutilated as you are -- only my scars are on the inside."
Kamui looked at Tala, curious about her words, and she smiled at him. For the first time in weeks, he smiled back.