InuSakuya

❖ Hone Kui no Ido ❖

Act Seven:
The Bone-Gobbling Well

"Listen, Inusakuya... these girls are being manipulated. Do not harm them."

"You're spouting ideological nonsense, Old man. You were almost killed by these bitches, weren't you."

"You don't understand, Inusakuya... you must kill the one who controls them from the shadows..."

"I don't have time for this!"

"Inusakuya, the hair... sever the hair attached to the girls!"

"What hair!? I don't see any!" Inu yelled dodging the attacks from the girls.

She tried to attack one of the girls but she disappeared.

"Hn!?" As she looked up to see the girl as the other girls did the same.

"Oh no! Run, Inusakuya!" As the girls circle around Inu tieing her up with the hair.

She jumped up dragging the girls.

"Ugh."

"Is the manipulator stupid? Even if I can't see the hair... I can drag out whoever's at the other end!" As she pulled the hair even though she can't see it.

But the hair loose as she fell to ground.

"Huh!?" Confused.

"Aw... too bad. The hair grows. Now then... soon I'll have you neck." Nura said making a shape with the hair and tighten it, as well pulling.

Inu was now against the tree as the hair tighten.

"Ugh..." As she was getting choke.

"Shit...!" As the hair cut the tree, she moved away.

"Hm? It feels like... the flesh wasn't severed?" Nura said looking at the hair.

"Bloody hell, I thought I was dead." Inu said taking a deep breath.

"Had you been an ordinary human, you would of lost your neck." Kaito said.

Soon the hair controls the males.

"Damn, newcomers Huh? This is getting us nowhere." Inu said.

"Let's go, Old man." Inu said putting Kaito on her back and leaping to a safe place for a safe for Kaito to rest.

"Be careful, Inusakuya. The hair is..." But was cut off as the hair, cut as it didn't hurt Inu.

"You say something, Old man?"

"... Nevermind." Kaito said.

"Such a tough girl... how fun!" Nura said going towards where Inu is.

"Old man... you said you could see the hair?" Inu asked as Kaito was laying on the ground nodding.

"Then tell me where it leads to!"

"Ask not... the impossible. With myself in this condition... and anyway, my eyes are not what they used to be." Kaito said.

"Hurry... and find Kagoya..."

'So that boy can see it too?' Inu thought.

Kagoya was at the bottom of the well as he hit his head, but just woke up.

"Hn...?" As he sat up.

"This is..."

"That's right. I was attacked by that boy..."

"Running away is useless..." Remembering what the boy said.

"...And I fell into..."

"But we've already checked the well many times!" As Kagoya heard a familiar voice.

"But I saw Nii-chan fall in!"

"You must have dreamt it..."

"It's true, damn it." As Kagoya saw two familiar faces.

"Ji... Jii-chan! Suki!" As they helped him get out the well.

Kagoya walked outside as he saw his house and everything.

'This scenery... I'm... back in my own time...?'

"Kagoya... where have you been? We were so worried."

"Nii-chan, what's with the clothes?"

'It's not a dream... I'm really home.' He thought as he looked at his grandfather and sister.

"Waahh! Jii-chan... I was sooo scared!" He hugged his grandfather as he cried.

"Kagoya... what in the world...?"

Back in feudal era, Inusakuya was digging a hole in the ground to bury Kaito.

"Alright. That'll do." She finished.

"It's the least I can do for you, Old man. I'll bury you here."

"..... I'm not dead yet, you know." Kaito said.

"What I'm saying is, hide here. I'll dig you out later... if I don't forget." She said covering him with leaves.

"... See that you do not." As Inusakuya then left leaping to tree to tree following Kagoya scent.

"Damn that boy... What the fuck is he up to at a time like this!?"

Back in the present time, Kagoya took a nice hot bath as his family were in the living room.

"Ojii-chan... Kagoya's story is..."

"....." He didn't response.

"But it's true... the monster really did come out of the well, and Nii-chan was..."

'The legend of the bone-eater well has been passed down through ages. It is said that the remains of mononoke vanish somewhere within. What if that "somewhere" is the flow of time?'

"There's no time to waste." He said as he sealed the well and put seals as well.

"Right." He said as he finished.

"Eh...? Sealed?" Kagoya said as he finished bathing and his grandfather told him he sealed well.

"Hmm." He nodded.

"By using paper charms of miraculous value, I have sealed it with a powerful barrier. The well shall never be opened again."

Kagoya then went outside to the shrine looking at the well which was sealed.

'Somehow... everything that happened feels like a dream. But still... in that world on the other side... I wonder if they're okay.' Kagoya thought.

Back in the feudal era, Inusakuya reached the bone-eater well.

"No mistake... it's that boy's scent. And his clothes."

She looked inside the well, "So he ran away through here!"

She then jumped into the well.

'The well's seal can never be broken...' Kagoya remembered what his grandfather said as he looked at the well.

To be continued...