Disclaimer: Inuyasha ain't mine. However I own the plot of this story…and the poems!

AN: Apologies for not being able to update in 6 days as I promised, I've explained myself at the end…so before y'all come chasing me with flaming torches, here goes another chapter…

Clarification: Rin is 14 in my story, and Shippo's around 8, just a little kid…I should've made my descriptions clearer…and Inuyasha's 18…(Inuyasha/Rin, or Shippo/Rin will not happen)


Introduction:

This is the last night before Inuyasha's execution, is there no hope at all? Naraku's wrath will haunt the world, tonight is the time…when it all begins…


Chapter 11: Stairway to Heaven

"War," a man in a dark cloak stands over the balcony of the castle, "it's a beautiful thing." The crow sitting on his shoulder shrieks as he stretches his pitch-black feathers. The wingspan is huge, more like a falcon than just an ordinary crow. Its three beady eyes dart in the courtyard below with a savage light.

"My Lord," a demon guard kneels before him, his long brown hair tied in a ponytail flies in the wind, "it's time." he has three red stripes across his worn black mask – the highest ranking – the general.

"Excellent, General Motou." Naraku turns. He is the only one in the castle that does not wear a mask. He paces about that balcony, bringing his coldness with him and his long black hair. "You'll be rewarded."

General Motou straitens his back as he stands up and raises an arm to gesture at those below. The armors at his shoulders glittering, almost the same color as his left eye – silver. Through his mask, where his right eye is has only a scab – it is blind. Beneath them are the demon soldiers. All in black masks, and a strange light is lingering – it's the reflection of the moon off their shining armors. Hundreds of soldiers gather neatly, each holding an identical spear.

"Hail Lord Naraku, Hail!" The demon warriors speak in unison down below, as thunder rumbling low through the dark sky.

"Very well," Naraku looks at the general, putting a hand inside the pocket of his long black robe.

"We'll march along the Sacred River, and attack the Land of Tsunami first then the North, as the original plan." General Motou reports in a monotone voice clear in the cold night wind.

Then a sick smile emerges from Naraku's ice carved face, "No, actually, go directly North, Tsunami lives…for now." He plans for something later, a whole different plan.

The General silently nods.

The crow on the youkai Lord's shoulder stretches its giant black wings once more. Satisfied, he walks into his dark castle. Leaving behind him the marching demon troops and the clicking of armors and a hundred pairs of feet stamping the cold ground where not a single grass grows. Adding to that the occasional shouts of the generals through the courtyard and the clicking of chains.

There are two types of demons, one kind with a human-like appearance and cunning wits. The other is the lesser kind, as brutal beasts with the sole purpose feeding…and killing. Chained to the carriages behind the black-masked soldiers, are many of the second kind. They are just used, as worthless killing machines until they break down themselves.

The moon hides in the black clouds. Its color is wrong. It's too red. Almost foreshadowing the blood that will be spilled…the next morning and thereafter.


She looks down in her hand. She is holding a cold wooden bow – surprisingly light. Then tentatively she touches the tip of the arrow. Sharp pain radiates at the point where her finger and the arrow meets, sharp yet surprisingly comforting pain.

Beside her is a young boy, a young fox demon with brilliant orange hair the same color as the setting sun. He is kneeling on the ground as he holds the feathered end of the arrow with a hand covered in blisters.

"What happened to your hands?" Rin asks him. At same time a flock of black crows land on the giant oak tree beside them making its leaves rustle violently as they stared down with beady little eyes.

"Oh," the orange haired boy says, "I had to pull out these." In darkness he points at a bush of vicious looking weed with spikes growing out of the tip of every leaf. That sends shivers down her spine.

A crow spirals down and starts to peck at Rin's finger – because it smells blood. Crows in this place swarms down when there is blood. The young fox demon buries his face in his hands.

"Stupid crows!" With all of her hatred for demon lord Naraku, she picks up a rock from the ground and aims at the bloodthirsty bird. Inuyasha…her anger is rising, she imagines it's the three-eyed crow named Jaken, the one sitting on Naraku's shoulder…this one's for you!

She thrusts the stone right at the bird from hell. Then there's the sound of fluttering wings and a shriek. It flops lamely up into the thicket of the giant oak tree with uneven beat of its wings.

"Nice one," the boy looks up a Rin, in his green eyes full of awe. The rule in the castle says: 'slaves are not to kill crows.' As if the crows lives worth more than all the servants.

Somehow it seems satisfying. The flock of crows takes off all at once from the giant oak tree, black as a wave of plague, off to haunt somewhere else.

Rin smiles from the simple beige mask she wears. Inuyasha, even at this time you can still smile, for me…and now I too.


A sharp scraping sound of metal echoes through the cold black dungeon. Scratch, scratch…

"Keh," Inuyasha spits on the dirty dungeon floor. He knows what that sound is. He's used to it by now.

The youkai guard is sharpening the axe on the giant stone in the next cell. Sharpening the axe to be used on Inuyasha next dawn.

This is the last time he'll have to hear that sound again. The sun already sets, due to the absence of that tiny ray of light seeping through the barred window.

Inuyasha sits on the cold stone floor of his cell, in the filthy gray robes of a prisoner and a white mask. His silvery hair is dulled by dirt and his blood. His wounds from the whipping this morning have healed, but the bloodstain is still there and will always be there.

Naraku! His clawed hand meets the stone ground. He's not afraid, for death here is all over the place. A spider craws over his leg, he ignores it. Father, mother…I'm sorry, the only thing I regret is I can't avenge you. He sighs. If I get my hands on that bastard Naraku, I swear, he won't stay in one piece. His fists tighten.

He knows he won't live past tomorrow.

Suddenly his golden eyes sadden. He is thinking of her…Rin, I'm sorry, you have to be alone in this place once more…and our promise, you have to fulfill it alone.


"Rin, how can we get your brother out with a single arrow, there's too many guards?" The orange haired boy looks up at her.

"I…don't know," It's been almost an hour, since they come to Naraku's garden. Frustration is bottling inside her, ready to explode at any second. Kaede, any ideas on what to do with your weapon?

They walk down the path that leads out of the garden. A few vicious thorns from the rose bush glitter a strange light reflecting from the moon – a reddish disk hanging in the sky. Red, as if blood stained.

And that will be spilled the next morning, she knows.

"It's hopeless," the young boy looks down on the ground then at his blistered hands. "And I'm so powerless, born a demon and yet…" he pauses for a moment with pure despair, "I never showed even a shard of power."

"Shut up!" Rin's anger lashes out all at once. "What the hell is wrong with the people in this place! So weak, you know what? Just go away will you. I don't need your help! Just go!"

"But – " she sees a stream of crystals trickling from his forest green eyes, then she realizes what she has done. After all he's jut a kid.

The little demon sobs and begins to turn.

"Wait –" Rin puts a hand on his shoulder and stirs him around," I'm sorry…" She pauses, "I'm really sorry I let out my frustration on you."

He wipes a few tears away. Rin kneels down facing him, "listen," she says as she wipes his tear away, "you are incredibly brave. It's just no one in this castle ever believes in anything. No one ever dares to imagine what freedom is like."

"For a second I thought you were going…going to abandon me," he whispers.

Rin only smiles from under that mask, "not only I'm not going to abandon you, but…did you say you can't remember your name?"

"It's been so long," he sadly nods.

"Well," her grip on his shoulder tightens, "I'm going to give you one…pull off that mask." She adds.

"But that means death, if we get caught," fear creeps into those green eyes once more. Then he gasps because Rin already slips her beige mask off. Her face is determined, with vermilion eyes filled with strength and the desire to live. Her tangled should-length hair flies wild in the night.

"Are you an…angel?" the little fox demon asks the older girl in his childish voice.

Rin only laughs.

With disbelief the little demon puts his finger onto the rough beige leather covering his face. Then he slips it off.

All around him the world seems more colorful all of a sudden. For the first time in a while he feels the night breeze again. Timidly he puts a hand on his cheek – it's been so long. Beside him the petals of a wilted rose drift into the darkness, falling and falling one by one. His green eyes scan from the garden to the dark castle, glittering with a new light. In disbelief he whispers, "I'm going to have a name!"

Yes, about time. Rin silently answers, thinking for a while she finally says, "How about Shippo?" She gazes at him with a sincere smile.

"Shippo…" he repeats her word, still not believing. Then with a teary smile he says, "I love it! Thanks…Rin." His green eyes are full of life.

Suddenly a piercing scream flies eerily from a place not so far away.

"This way!" Rin's hand clamps over Shippo's mouth as she drags him into the rose bush near by. A thorn slashes across her cheek but she doesn't care. Her heart is racing as if it is on fire.

Down the path two torch lights flicker toward them.

Shit! Rin curses silently. Keep quiet…she tries to tell her heart to stop racing, it seems to be pounding so hard the demon guards can sure hear it. She can feel Shippo shuddering beside her. Those damned crows better not smell the blood…

Savage laughter fills the air, the two guards are dragging a third figure.

"How long do you reckon this bitch'll last?" a guard drags a woman in a green dress by the hair as she screams with pain.

The other guard only laughs, 'two days is my bet…" He drinks something out pf the flask at his belt making gurgling sounds as the liquid spills all over his front. "Hopefully our Lord will be generous and after he's done…and leave her to us." He gives her hair another painful tug and says, "I'm growing quite fond of your pretty little face." Then their beastly laughter drifts throughout the garden.

Disgusting assholes! Rin clenches her fist, tight. This is exactly the reason I will set all the slaves free! Something has to change!

When Naraku brings women to the castle. Their fate is by far the worst. He forces them to sing, dance and do other things. Then once he gets sick of them, they are either enslaved, killed or the worst – thrust into the hands of some guard. These women usually don't last more than a week. Sometimes they are random women off the street, other times whores, but that doesn't matter. As long as Naraku gazes at them and gives a nod…Rin shudders as a branch snaps at her feet… Damn!

"Who's there?" a guard drags the woman's hair by force.

Don't turn left. Rin prays silently. Then the woman's pain filled eyes meets her vermilion orbs for a split second. Please don't turn us in. Rin prays once more putting a finger at her cracked lips. The woman with the dark red dress gazes back. She understands.

The guard drags her once more, she lets out a pained cry. They are so close, Rin can feel the heat radiating from the torch light as the straw bound within crackles as the flame devours it.

"Bastards!" The woman screams as she punches the guard with all her might.

"Wrench!" The other guard yells spraying her with spit and hits her with his spear cruelly on the side of her head.

Thud, her unconscious body meets the dark path at their feet. Fragile as a broken flower stem. The guard groans and says, "now we have to drag this fucking whore up the castle."

"Stupid bitch!" the other says as they disappear down the path. Rin's heart almost stops. It's pain.

"She…saved us," Shippo whispers, "Is there nothing we can do for her?"

Rin sighs and shakes her head as she climbs out of the rose bush. "No, you don't understand her fate." Damn it, I hate this place! Inuyasha, I don't care what happens to me, but how I'm I suppose to get you out of here?

"Your brother," Shippo suddenly speaks, "we have to think of something." Darkness is all around them, with occasional shriek of a crow and the reddish moonlight casting beastly shadows on the ground giving him gooseflesh. The only other light is the fading torches of the two guards flickering in the distance.

Wait! Torchlight…flames…that's it! "Shippo," She grabs his hand, "I got it! I know a way." Her dark red eyes are full of hope. I can't despair now, Inuyasha. I know this is almost impossible. I know this will probably take my life. But, I don't care! I'll set you free!


It's going to be a long night…Inuyasha sighs. He can still hear the whistling guard sharpening the axe in the weapon storage room next door. He sits on the moldy dungeon floor.

In front of his eyes pictures are flashing by. So many prisoners getting dragged by chains by the executioner in the red mask into the courtyard. Followed by the drumbeats coming from the stage and a last desperate yell as a cornered animal's cry in despair. Then thump…

Tomorrow…He looks out the tiny window up above. Through the bars is the night air, if only he can fly through those cursed bars then…free…a few clouds hang in the starless sky. He looks down onto the ground.

He does not fear death. After all it's just sleep, except it's the eternal sleep where he'll never open his eyes again. Suddenly in his mind he hears his mother's voice, 'your father,' she says, 'is a great demon – he's the Lord of Western Lands and known for his kindness.' He has never seen his father but only heard about him through her. His mother spent her life waiting, waiting for him to return. But he never did. 'He's the one that gave you the name, Inuyasha. And he promised to train you to be a warrior one day.'

Silencing these thoughts, he knows, it's too late. Death seems nothing to him, only regretful. Regretful because he can't avenge his parents death. Regretful because he can't get Rin and all the other slaves out of this nightmare's pit. Also because he can't journey to his father's realm and claim what is his. Wait, there's something emerging in his thoughts. He remembers his mother saying something about an older brother. Perhaps that is his only family left. What was his name? Sesshoumaru. He regrets not being able to find his older brother.


The moon is surprisingly red in the sky tonight. A lone figure walks over the gently rolling hills where the bloody moon looms above, surprisingly huge. He walks on soundlessly, directly behind him is that large red disk. His silver hair trails behind him as a ghost, the fearful Silver-wrath, as some calls him.

Tucked in the belt of his yukata are two swords, and both broken. Those are the swords his father forged for him and his younger brother. Inuyasha, is it? That filthy half-breed…He flexes his claws. I'll hunt you down. He walks over another hill.


A sleepless night, her eyes can barely open. She's down in the dungeons once more moping, taking Kaede's place holding that dirty old broom. Her hands are tired from all the work in the previous night, there are some gashes on her fingers still.

She mops on, tentatively approaching Inuyasha's prison. Then she hears the clicking of a lock and chains hitting the ground then the sound of a barred door swinging open. She grips onto the handle of the mop, hard.

Voices make their way from the other end of the hall. "You should be honored," a guard's voice says, "Lord Naraku granted you to go in he cloths you came in."

"Keh," is the only annoyed reply.

"Ungrateful half-breed," Punch. Followed by a growl. "Our Lord also told the executioner to make it one clean swoop…Thank him, now!"

"Tell you Lord," Inuyasha pauses, "go…to…hell!" He snaps.

Then the guards land him another blow. Each time they hit him, Rin feels a gash of pain.

"Do you want to try that again…without the shackles?" Inuyasha continues.

Then she hears the sound of ripping fabric.

He gives them a death glare as a guard strips off his gray robes and force on a red one – his robe of the fire rat. Finally I'm getting the hell out of here.

She slowly edges toward his cell, not making a single sound. The black ground is cold at her feet. Then she sees him…standing there, dressed in the fiery yukata of his own. Three guards at his side are loosening the ancient hinge where he is chained to the walls. The only sound is the clicking of chains and rusty locks being opened by a little golden key.

Rin don't come, I don't want you to see this! He suddenly lunges forward the shackles sending the guards swearing.

She only grins from under her beige mask. Inuyasha, I know what you are thinking: 'Don't come, I don't want you to watch.' But hang in there brother, because I'll get you out!

She and Shippo worked all night stuffing armfuls of straw and hay underneath the square leather-bound execution stage…

Then another footstep reverberates down the hall. A heavy footstep. And it's coming closer and closer.

Rin, go away! Inuyasha is screaming in his mind. But the girl with shoulder length black hair just sweeps on. He is surprised how she's holding on, without despair. But inside he is secretly glad he can gaze at her once more, bringing back the memories of how they helped each other survive this place. He has a lot of feelings toward the younger girl, but not that kind. He loves her, as a sister, or a companion, or even a part of himself. They survived because of the other's presence.

A growling sound suddenly lashes out form the prisoner next to him followed by grumbling sounds like "e, eeee." Prisoners here go insane, and they forget how to speak.

The footstep comes ever closer and closer, a heavy and constant pace.

Rin you are the reason I didn't change to be that way. He thinks about those around him. Those are sunken faces from starvation and yellow eyes with a dim, snuffed-out light. He is glad he sees once more before he goes. It's enough. Just remember, nothing really dies unless it's forgotten.

The footstep turns a corner and a demon in a red mask appears before her eyes, making every tiny hair on the back of her neck stand. She tries hard to keep her eyes on the blood stained old broom, her heart is racing so hard she can hardly breathe. In the demon's hand is a giant axe. Sharpened last night as it gleams with the reflection of the black candles burning low in the walls.

He is the executioner. Wearing a red vest with two black stripes down the side with spikes, his muscles are bulging from his vest. His eyes are yellow through the blood red mask, and with a deep and final tone, he says, "it's time."

Rin's grip on the broom tightens. Every cell in her body screams with fire as a nauseous feeling washes over her. It's time. It's up to me now.


Around twenty guards are standing in two rows beneath the stage. They are hitting on the drums before them – a sick tradition of the castle, it happens every time they execute a prisoner. The sky above is filled with gray clouds. Even it's summer, it's still cold around here. The coldness never dies.

Overlooking the high stage is the north tower. Half of its shadows cast on the leather bound stage.


Midway through the north tower is a window.

"Rin, they are bringing him out!" Shippo whispers, in his hand is the single bow and arrow.

Inside her is pure turmoil. There's the heavy sounds of the drums as the executioner climbs up the ladder with the axe. The hanging noose on one side swings a few times in the wind. There are fires burning on each corner, making crackling sounds as they consume the logs beneath them into ashes.

Inuyasha's arms are still bound by shackles as two guards force him up the ladder. He kicks them as they fall cussing. He is the only color down below, a red and silver blur. All around him are the guards with black masks. The only other red is the mask of the executioner. He paces on the stage almost burning with desire to swing that axe down.

The drumming stops.

It took all the guards to subdue the half demon onto the ground. He's strong, he fights even till the last moment.

On top of the north tower. Naraku watches, laughing, "like father, like son…pity…"

"Shippo, get that candle." Rin watches the execution crowd down below. Even some slaves are peering out of their huts, watching. Cowards!

Now the guards are forcing his head to rest at the edge of the circular stone in the center. His silver hair is flying in the wind.

The fox demon takes the nearest black candle off the hole in the wall, "here."

The executioner is approaching with the giant axe below.

With shaking hands Rin takes the candle. This is it.

But a shrieking sound fills the entire castle with fear. As a pair of giant black wings and three bloody red eyes swoop down from the sky into the window. It's Naraku's crow.

Shippo falls helplessly onto the ground. Tears are swirling in his eyes. Hot tears. Why is it that I'm so powerless. It's not fair! I want to help her! He watches Rin struggling to keep the giant crow from pecking her eyes blind. Black feathers are flying everywhere.

Damn crow! Rin's back painfully hits the wall as the crow comes upon her with its falcon like claws. The fire in the candle silently reduces to a single wisp of smoke.

I just want to strangle this bird! Rin struggles.

Father, you were a great demon weren't you? Why don't I have any of those powers. Shippo suddenly remembers the blue flames that his father conjures to drive away hundreds of enemy soldiers. Foxfire. And…Inuyasha, if he dies, Rin's going to be sad, and who's there to protect the other slaves? Father please…lend me your strength…Just for this once! His hands are clamped together, tight.

All the sounds die around him. Everything dies down into a blur. The next thing he sees dancing before his eyes are blue flames, erupting from his palms. His prayers are not left unanswered.

Rin gasps as the crow croaks once as blue flame burns a few jet-black feathers and as it flutters out the window, "Shippo! Your foxfire!" She turns to face the little demon.

"Rin," Shippo's green eyes are bright, "you taught me to believe, to trust myself. Thanks."

She smiles at him. Some things can change.

Inuyasha! Please let it be not too late!

Her heart almost stops as she peers outside the window.

Five guards are still pinning him down on the stage. Down below are the drums, left with no one to beat. Another guard begins to remove his shackles. This is another one of those sick traditions of this hell, to remove any chains before the execution it's called 'dignity', as Naraku says. But what dignity does he leave anyone in this castle, the women, the prisoners, and the slaves? None.

Rin picks up the bow, it feels heavy and shakes a little from her unsteady hands. She knows, the time is now.

But suddenly she hears voices traveling through the spiral stairs behind her.

The guards are coming.

"Hurry, Shippo, light the arrow on fire!" She urges. The guards are coming.

"Foxfire!" Shippo summons the blue flames once more, with tears still lingering in his eyes. Father, thank you…

"Someone's up there," a guard's voice echoes. The footsteps are coming, louder and louder.

"Rin, shoot the arrow!" Shippo looks out the window. "The guards are almost here!"

The executioner's blade is high in the air, glittering. The sky is full of dark clouds as cold wind howls at the little window.

"Stop her!" She can hear the guards shouting from down below, "She has a weapon!" She can hear Shippo silently crying beside her. Urging her to hurry. She knows, she can't escape this time. She knows she has to sacrifice her life. For Inuyasha. She knows she's going to die.

The second before the axe falls, stretching the string of the bow with all her strength, summoning all of her hatred for the guards, this castle, Naraku as a drop of hot tear falls from her eye, she lets go of the string, "BURN!"

Swish, the flaming arrow flies through the air, quick as silver lighting. It strikes right at the base of the execution stage, where beneath are straw, hay, wooden logs. Where Shippo and Rin filled the night before. The last thing she sees is the axe dropping, not down but to the side of the stage. And before black smoke covers the sky along with the blue flames, she saw him. Inuyasha standing up. And this time, there's no shackles.

Inuyasha, it's up to you now, Rin silently prays. Now I just have to face it. Face my death.

She turns around facing three demon guards with black masks.

"Kill her," one shouts as he points his spear at her.

I will not give up. That sudden thought emerges deep from her mind. Shippo, she silently says, remember, nothing really dies unless it's forgotten. The words coming from her lips are, "take care of yourself, Shippo and Kaede too."

The little fox demon nods, with tears streaming from his eyes.

"Should we kill this wee piece of vermin?" Another guard points at Shippo on the ground.

"Screw him, he can't do a thing," the third guard replies.

She starts running up the spiral stairs. Relief is running through her, she saw Inuyasha, fighting the guards below, fighting then she pictures him plunging outside of the castle walls…freedom. She runs, there is light coming from the top of the north tower – the outside air. She runs, none stop, the higher she goes up the spiral stairs, the lighter it become. Behind her are the footsteps of the pursuing guards, and before her is the stairway to heaven.

"Rin…" Shippo whispers, "I will remember you…" Then he wipes his tears away. Crying does nothing, you taught me this much. Also despair, I'll be strong now, for you…

Panting, the light from above is closer. She's never been so high up the castle before. She always had the dream. The dream of having wings sprout from her back and flying outside of the castle's bounds and into the world. I rather kill myself than die by the spears of the guards. Dignity.

She know's what to do now, today she will fulfill her dream, to fly.

She is going to jump from the north tower.


"Rin, thank you." Inuyasha says looking around him, blue flames are burning the base of the execution stage as black smoke rises to the grayish sky. It seems surprisingly light, his wrists, because for a long time the metal shackle is there. But now…he stands there in the midst of twenty guards yelling, pointing at the blue flames. He can feel the heat of those fire as life flows back into him.

"Seize him!" A guard screams.

With one hand he rips off his white mask and throws it into the flames and laughs as it burns. He can feel the heat from the fire around the leather stage and he watches the hanging noose dissipate in the blue.

"You are still dead, don't try to escape now!" another guard yells.

Flexing his claws, Inuyasha smirks, "and you," He jumps up into the air, "You don't know who you're fucking with!" He kicks the guard hard on the chest. And thud, that guard falls onto the stage with a scream.

With a few swing of his sharp claws, most of the guards are down on the ground. He didn't kill them because he doesn't want his claws stained with their filthy cowardly blood. He smiles as he jumps away from the stage. He smiles as he watches it crumble onto the ground the blade of the axe getting swallowed in the fire.

A guard tries to attack him quietly from behind, but his sensitive ears on top of his silver manes heard, a long time before. Suddenly he elbows the guard in the gut sending him groaning on the ground.

"Get him!"

"Don't let him escape!"

"Ahhhh!"

Twenty guards are screaming as they come to get him at once. Inuyasha smirks once more as he swipes his claws in a circle and they fall down onto the ground. Not dead, no, but unconcious. He kicks a few speared arms away. He is unstoppable. His silvery hair is flying around him. He is a warrior. But a thought troubles him, Rin, what price did you pay this time…


She's on top of the tower. Wind sends her black hair wildly above her. Panting as she runs to the side of the turret, feeling the dark bricks once more. She climbs up. Today, I fly. Inuyasha, good luck…it's up to you to fulfill our promise. Today, both of us will be free…

She's not afraid. Courage fills inside her as she stands tall on top of the dark castle. On top of the grounds she conquered.

Then she rips her mask off and throws it down the tower. She watches as that tiny piece of leather fall, and hit the dark walls then finally reaching the ground. She watches as a few slaves coming out of their huts. She watches the beautiful forests beyond the gates of the dark castle, gazing at a far away place where sunlight seeps through the clouds. Inuyasha is free. She smiles. She will let go of her past, the gently rolling mountains in the distance are green, full of life, unlike this place, a black and gray prison. She sees a little bird soaring up into the sky, unafraid…

The wind sends her hair flying.

Then the guards finally catch up, she can hear the sound of their footsteps and shouts. Down below she sees Inuyasha fighting, guards falling down. The cursed execution stage crashing and burning until it cease to exist. She is glad, no one else will die undignified on that stage again.

"Stop!" A guard shouts from behind her.

Not turning around she says smiling, "Go to hell!" Then wind rushes through her hair as she flies.

Freedom…is this what it's like? Wind makes her gray robes flap around her. Shippo, Kaede, goodbye…

Falling.

Falling.

The world blurs before her eyes.

Falling.

Falling.

The slaves, I can't set them free anymore…a drop of hot tear falls from her eyes. She cans see some slaves coming out of their huts, pointing at her. Weeping for her. I hope they'll learn, and believe…

Goodbye world, goodbye Inuyasha…

Falling.

Falling.

The ground comes ever so closer…

She closes her eyes, her expression is peaceful. Waiting for the total darkness to come. She's free…

Falling.

Falling.

She is waiting, waiting for the end.

But before that came, a clawed hand catches her wrist.

And now they are both falling…

"Inu…yasha?" She opens her eyes slightly, still not believing…

"Hey there," he smiles, his silver hair flies behind them in the wind. "Remember our promise?"

She nods, now tears are streaming down her eyes. Happy tears. "I'll never forget!" She says to him in the air.

"Don't you think I'll let you off this easily, Imouto, we have to free the slaves, we have a task waiting for us," He laughs as they land on the roof of a slave's hut. She laughs with him. Then they are soaring in the air again, him holding on to her wrist.

Flying together toward the place where sunlight comes through the dark clouds and the beautiful green hills lie, leaving behind them the burning stage and guards in chaos. Leaving their past behind, smiling…

The very first prisoner leaves the dark castle flying towards a different world. There's a miracle, there has to be. Who else can set him free? Who else can change someone's faith overnight, turning a weak child into a warrior, turning self-pity into confidence?

There is only one person that can do all that.

Rin.

She is the miracle.


Coming up Next:

The Seer told Kagome she's destined to be the Death Maiden. What does that mean? What are her powers and the line in the prophecy: "Death Maiden tread the realm of the forgotten", what does it all mean?

Find out:

Chapter 12: The Awakening

Now the stage is set, all the main characters have been introduced. Now the real story begins…


Author's Note:

From now on I've decided to write shorter chapters and update more often.

Thanks for the patience. Now I'll explain myself. Recently I had to write 2 essays (I'm trying to apply for this thing). And that made me really sick of writing. Also I have a piano exam in august, which my teachers says, "you don't have to practice THAT much, only 4 to 5 hours a day is enough." What the hell does he mean by ONLY 4 to 5 hours? Right now I'm doing 2 each day [shudders]. Anyways now the essays are out of the way, I WILL update faster.


Replies on Reviews:

CursedMoon: Thank you for that very encouraging review!

Dancing-by-moonlight: Thanks for the review, I really appreciate it. One thing though, Shippo/Rin will not happen, Rin is 14, and Shippo a lot younger 8-ish…He regards her as a hero. Hope you like this chapter!

Ks-Starshine: Thank you for the compliments. About Miroku, I'm trying to make him a really sweet guy but not go as far as making him sound too good to be true…Sesshoumaru and Kagome will definitely meet again, but not yet, I can't wait to write that part. Thanks a lot for keeping up with my story!

Hellokitty-sayhello: Thank you for all the reviews! About the blind Seer, she's not exactly old, she isn't related to Sesshoumaru but she has the same colour of eyes as his mother, which is the reason he cannot bring himself to kill her. Hopefully after this chapter you get the impression my story is not all dark. About the end, I'm not going to say anything because I don't want to spoil it… Anyhow, thank you very much for reading and the wonderful reviews!

Lasako: Hope you like this chapter!

Inu101112: Thank you for telling me that you'll read my ending, it means a lot.

Hinoiri Fighter: Thank you, glad you like it. I don't know a whole lot about Rin, hopefully she seems believing. I noticed a lot of Sess/Rin stories and I find it difficult to picture them as more than father-daughter, or even brother-sister relationship…maybe it's just me…

Nuria: Thanks for the review. Inuyasha/Rin will never happen I keep their relationship as brother-sister, or companions surviving in the hellish castle.

Syrinxsong: Thank you! Apologies for updating so late, hope you like this chapter. By the way, I really like your story, keep on updating! Wow, you've got a lot of patience replying so many reviews by email…well, it's great hearing for you!

CometsChaos, Bloody Moon Devil, Yukino, Inuyasha-my-luver, KagomeXLegolas-rox: Thanks!

Skittles0765: Thanks! Hopefully after reading this chapter my story doesn't seem purely depressing.

x…GuardianOfTheNight…x

p.s. I just spent the last few hours typing and editing [stretches]…click that little purple button down there and leave me with a little message alright?