Like a Pheonix by sugarXmurderXkillkill

Prologue

Like a Phoenix

She ran fast. Hanging vines made crisscross scratches across her face and clinging roots pulled her back. She didn't care. She knew that they wouldn't stop following her till they got what they wanted. She only started slowing down when she reached a clearing in the forest. Even then her ears strained to pick up the sound of pounding footsteps. Here in the field the weeds grew tall and they tickled as she brushed by them. The normal noisy animals of the forest had suddenly gone quiet as the young woman laid her eyes on a rickety old well in the center of the field. In times of the past the dry well held the bones of demons and vines and wildflowers clawed up its sides. Now looking down the well one only saw dirt. Such a plain object, who would've dreamt that it could alter fate so much.

With gentle fingers the girl caressed the well's rim as if it was about to fall apart. She knew that she didn't have much time, they would find her soon enough. Grasping for the sheathed sword at her side, she drew it from its scabbard. "Please transform," she whispered as she extended the sword in front of her. Nothing happened; the rust and chips on the sword went unchanged. A voice yelled Kagome in the distance, its tone held a threat, one she did not want to see be carried out. She could tell they would be upon her soon. 'Alright that didn't work. Plan B' With a careless arch she raised the blade above her head. Although not in its true state a sword was still a sword and the young girl lagged under the blade's weight. Maneuvering her mass so that she wouldn't fall over, she let the sword fall forward, a pink light shining from it tip. Just as she had hoped, the well splintered and caved in.

"Kagome," the voice was closer now, just beyond the treeline. Kagome had little time left. Grasping the orb that hung from a chain on her neck, she readied herself. Ancient words, formed long ago, flowed from her mouth in a enchanting mantra. With one strong yank the chain broke and the jewel was free. Her word soon grew to an ear breaking crescendo as she tossed the orb into the air. It hovered there as the wind picked up and swallowed both the girl and the jewel in a darkening void.

The young girls chasers stopped at the edge of the field as they watched in horror. Through slits in the piercing wind, Kagome's figure could be seen. The spinning vortex let out a deep groan almost washing away the girl's words. "Its got to be now," she screamed to the jewel lingering above. As if to answer it pulsed sending a blinding pink light throughout the clearing, drowning out the gray of the evening sky. With a screech the young girl's flesh was ripped and torn from her body as a fire consumed her from inside. The flames licked at her clothes, drinking in air as they grew. In an instant the light was gone, and the tornado slowly grew to nothing.

After a few minutes of waiting the girl's enemies closed in on where she had been standing. The girl was gone, and so was the jewel. All that was left was a pile of ash with flames still flaring around it and a fine layer of pink dust which covered the ground. Slowly one of the four reached towards the ashes, but a sudden gust of wind flew past, extinguishing the fire and carrying the dust and ashes away on its back.

Like a phoenix from the ashes, she shall rise again.