Inuyasha:The third sword

Walking along a dirt road that runs through the depths of the forest, two human figures can be clearly seen. 

The first figure was of a young man with an estimated height of 1.78cm, blonde hair that he ties into a small ponytail, blue eyes and is wearing Onmyōji clothes. 

"A tree here, a tree there, there are trees everywhere."

Complaining quietly, though loud enough for his companion to hear, the young man waits to see what she thinks. 

"Of course it would be like that, we're inside a forest."

The young woman, at least 5'6" tall, long black hair and priestess robes, looks up at him with her brown eyes, hoping to know why he said those meaningless words.

"Yes, yes, I know, but... Shouldn't I be able to see the volcano Totosai lives in from a distance?"

"Because you asked me... Asahiko."

Swallowing saliva at the cold words coming from behind his back, Asahiko doesn't seem to think for a second to turn around, but in the end he does and with a smile on his face.

It was sad, not Asahiko's performance, as that smile seems totally true. No, the truly sad thing is that Kikyo is unaffected by it, making her eyes even more piercing. 

"Okay, I'm guilty! I don't understand how my plan could have gone so wrong!"

Raising her voice to the sky, Asahiko slams a nearby stone and changes her expression to one of defeat. 

"What plan?"

"Oh, a simple enough one. It all boils down to walking towards the direction in which Totosai left, since he would clearly leave to his... Just don't punch me in the face."

"I'd like to, but I probably wouldn't do anything to you. I'm going to... Settle for this victory."

What hurt the most was not the look of pity Kikyo gave him, but that she doesn't keep it to herself, she literally spoke to him with a tone of "You're dumb, but it's okay to be dumb", managing to cloud Asahiko's face. 

"I don't know whether to feel happy about that teasing tone, a clear sign that we're getting closer, or sad about being kicked even when I'm on the ground."

"Feel however you want... Let's head north, he managed to feel a fragment of the pearl."

Her first words may be harsh, but she quickly delivers a new travel plan, perhaps she didn't want to make him feel that this trip was in vain... Or maybe it was indeed a coincidence. 

"I follow you, behind, alone."

"Asahiko, it wasn't... Did you just try to trick me?"

Turning only half of her beautiful face, Kikyo's lips open slowly, almost as if she's hesitant to speak. All until she notices Asahiko's small smile. 

"What, what, what do you say, how can you think that?"

"Next time, at least control that smile."

No longer having to restrain himself, Asahiko lets the smile spread across his face and shrugs, without any embarrassment at being caught red-handed. 

This not-at-all-productive exchange over, the two simply begin to move northward, a place where, according to Kikyo, she can feel a fragment of the pearl. 

...Christopher/Asahiko pov.... 

"Phew~. Damn, I'm going to stop trying to whistle. Whatever, is this normal or is there something weird here?"

Realizing that I'm never going to be able to whistle well, maybe I'm exaggerating... a lot, but that's not what's important, it's the state of the village from here on out. 

Well, it's not correct to call this place a village, it's more like a much enlarged quarry with several houses around it.

The place is surrounded by a palisade, outside it there is a common moat and in each of the corners there are several watchtowers. 

"Managed to feel the shard from up ahead, about yes this is normal... I can't tell, but those towers point inward."

Kikyo points out a rather interesting spot on this structure, causing it to raise my interest a bit. 

"Umm, I can hear the dry clanging of metal against metal, the smell of molten iron and burning coal... A refinery?"

"It would make sense, but if they want to maintain the place, why are the towers pointing inward?"

"Good question, but rather than keep thinking, let's go inside. So, princess mode or horseback?"

Ending our rampant speculation, he pointed out the obvious, we're literally going to have to go inside anyway if we want the shard, so why think so hard.

Erasing that line of thought, I approach Kikyo and give her two options for the method of entry. I take her on horseback to jump over the defenses or princess style. 

"Princess."

"Oh, you're going to refuse... Wait, you agreed?"

We spoke at the same time, so it was no small surprise to hear her so quick to agree. 

"I don't want to become a flying target by passing overhead with my shikigamis, besides waiting until nighttime is out of the question."

"How pragmatic, but why princess mode? Oh, it won't be because Inuyasha is carrying Kagome in his... Okay, I'll shut up now."

God, I have to control my tongue and instincts to tease every person nearby, though it's quite interesting her expression. 

"Let 's go."

"As you command."

Speaking robotically, he easily grabbed Kikyo in princess form and formed a simple illusion over the two of us to go unnoticed. 

With preparations fully made, she tapped the tree branch with her right foot and propelled me skyward, before beginning to position my body for the descent.

While still in the air, he managed to notice several new things. First of all is that there are fewer people than houses, the second thing is that the malnourished inhabitants serve in the mine and that the military keeps order. 

"And we arrived!"

Wanting to act over the top, I realize I have my arms full and it's not like I'm complaining either. 

"What did you manage to notice from the air?"

"That this place is a forced labor center?"

"That too, but I was referring to the strange shape of the entrance to the mine and the debris at the entrance."

What could be weird about that, it's a normal, circular, inward entrance... Wait, a perfectly circular entrance? 

"Umm, it doesn't look like something that human hands have achieved. It's strangely animalistic and natural, reminds me of that mole we took out."

Stroking my chin at the memory of that ugly critter, I think about the second part of his words. But the truth is, I have no idea what that is, it's a red rock, how am I supposed to know what it is?

Perhaps noticing my very clear cluelessness on the second topic, something very obvious, Kikyo begins to explain in a calm and efficient manner. 

"It's about the remains of a torii gate."

"Torii gate, torii gate... Oh, that red gate they like to put at the entrances of temples and for some very strange places."

Slamming my right fist against my left palm, I inwardly shout something such as "Eureka" as I finally recognize those red-colored remnants. 

"They're not random places, they're put in places with overflowing spirituality, areas crossed by ley lines, or"

"Wow, stop, stop."

Closing her mouth with her hand before Kikyo can continue speaking, I notice her "Explain before I kill you" look, causing her to put on a smile and then begin to speak. 

"I want a surprise, the last few days have been too monotonous~"

"You're not going to like it."

"Meh, what's the worst that could happen... Oh no, I said it and now everything will go to hell!"