Recap:
Inuyasha was last traveling a long distance in search of the Barren Lake of Oguru, in hopes to find Kikyo. Upon his journey, you as the reader learn the story of the Forest of Grief and discover that Injitsumo had kept his end of the bargain. With Kikyo's unconscious body in his arms, the hanyou sets off for Kaede's village, unbeknownst of the more tragic reality that awaits him.
Meanwhile, our friends who have been able to free themselves from Injitsumo's sorcery are now heavy with sorrow. With Kagome no longer among the living, the five of them try to come to reason for such tragedy. With Sango unable to find comfort with anything, Miroku feels confident in his theories. The monk believes that Naraku obtained Kagome's soul in order to gain her spiritual powers in their truest form. He believes that the notorious demon has discovered a way to absorb ones powers and in doing so, he will corrupt Kagome's soul and sever her connection to this world to do so.
Chapter 11"The ultimate sacrifice"
The new day was taking life, as the sun bathed the earth's surface in its gold silken rays. Morning was just beginning, as our friends ventured into the under growth of the forest in search of Naraku and the return of Kagome's soul.
Lady Kaede remained behind to ensure the protection of Kagome's body from what ever harm might come. Though the damage has been done, it was apparent that there was no way of telling if harm would come their way once more. Kaede knew that her physical strength alone was of no use, because she was of old age and very rigid. There was no doubt that if she were to keep Kagome resting within the home, their vulnerability would be at its highest.
Taking a moment to think, Lady Kaede realized that there was only one solution to the problem at hand. It was certain that if she wanted to protect the young girl from any harm, she would have to seal her within the shrine that had once housed the sacred Shikon 'no' Tama, up at the very hill top beside the home. Though it may seem to lay a body to rest who is not yet quite resting, as nonsense, it seemed the only way that an old woman, such as Kaede, to protect her.
The decision was to place Kagome's body within the shrine and do what was necessary to help ward off demons that were to pass within the area. It seemed a superfluous plan, but as she thought more about Kagome's sudden tragedy and the circumstances at hand, it only lead her to think of how unfortunate the reality is to a demon that is still unaware, still out there somewhere. There was no way in telling how the hanyou would react, let alone if he even knew. It seemed to be the only way to postpone this unfair act of cruelty and to insure that the shrines 'secret' remain unknown to Inuyasha, if he were to return.
Putting aside her thoughts, the old women wasted no time and as quick as possible, she fastened a cart to a village horse that would aid her in carrying Kagome to the top of the hill. The morning sun was making it almost unbearable to keep from breaking into a sweat, as she delicately removed Kagome from the home and fastened her to the cart. It was heart wrenching to the old women to have to handle the young girl as so, but the precautions needed to be taken to ensure the utmost hope of Kagome's soul to be returned safely.
With a hand gripped around the saddles edge, Kaede lifted her weighted body upon the horse and motioned the animal forward. The way up the hill was tedious, but when they finally reached the shrines entrance, Kaede continued to waste no time. Making her way over to the entrance, she slid a wooden beam through its holsters and placed the bulk of the wood against the shrine. Pulling back the sleeves of her kimono, she then pushed one door aside followed by the other.
Lady Kaede walked slowly over to the cart and in placing one arm under the girl's neck; she hoisted the weight of the girl into her arms, as she scooped up the girl's legs in the other. Her back had to bend slightly backwards to keep her from falling forward, as she entered the darkness of the shrine. With each little step, the center altar became more clearer until she was finally able to rest the body on its cold stone surface. Ever so carefully, she positioned Kagome in the center and then headed back to the cart, where she untied a cloth bag.
Inside the bag was a set of priestess clothing that consisted of a Hakama, Kosode and an obi. The clothes that Kagome remained in were to troubling to gaze upon and the suitable attire for a priestess only seemed right. The dressing and positioning of Kagome's lifeless body was all to ritualistic, like that of a true person entering in the afterlife. Lady Kaede struggled to keep her hands from shaking as her thoughts eluded her and was soon thinking about the past and of the death of her sister Kikyo. When she had finished dressing Kagome, Kaede made her way around the shrine and began to light the adorning burners that nestled around the room.
Pulling to flint rocks from the pocket within her kimono, she knelt down and forced a spark at the wick. The flame quickly caught and a dim flame sprouted, followed by an aroma of incense. One by one, she lit the burners that were filled with powdered incense to ward off demons and spirits. As she placed the flint back within her kimono, she took one last glimpse within the shrine before she slid the doors shut. With her eyes fixed on Kagome's figure she watched as the light within the shrine slowly vanished. Taking a slight second to herself, Kaede pulled sutra and unfolded it to place it on the seam of the doors. With her hand flat on its surface, she spoke the incantation and watched as the barrier slowly engulfed the shrine. Turning slowly in sadness, she grabbed the lead to the horse and headed sorrowfully down the hill.
As the sun still continued to make its way higher into the sky, Inuyasha could feel the rays heat up his face as they kissed his face through the forest tops. He continued his way home, but this time he seemed to take his time.
The hanyou's body was exhausted as well as badly injured; yet his heart somehow managed to push him further on. It was apparent that he needed to get Kikyo back home, back where she belonged. The distance was far, but making your back just always seemed to take less time. Inuyasha had traveled the majority of the day until he was able to pick up the familiar scents of the village approaching. The limbs on his body were burning as he struggled to keep his pace on track; he had become somber in every aspect. Their didn't seem to be utter happiness ringing out or tears of joy as he furthered his way towards the village. It felt as if something was eluding him, that some type of feeling was just sitting listless in the dark corners of his mind.
Straightening Kikyo's body within his lowered arms, he pulled the unconscious priestess closer to him. His actions seemed desperate as he felt his feet picked up to a mad dash; a reaction that perhaps showed he was crumbling mentally and physically and was running out of time. Following the security of a winding path, he pushed through the pain and exhaustion as he left a cloud of turned up dust in his wake. Breaking through the forest line, his face was immediately hit with the full intensity of the afternoon sun that positioned itself just above the forest tree line; soon it would be dark. Unable to shield his eyes, Inuyasha walked drearily on squinting his eyes to focus better. The warmth of the sun felt warm and reassuring upon his damp cold skin and somehow it just settled so peacefully within his heart. Step by step he squinted and watched as the sun slowly glided behind the treetops and the shade of the forest opened up. Opening his eyes wider with each step, he immediately recognized where he had entered. This incident almost caused him to drop Kikyo, but he quickly caught it and readjusted her weight within his arms. He was in the field of the bone eaters well. Inuyasha stood paralyzed in utter agony as the evident reality flowed over him.
The well sat crooked and serene before him as it etched it memory into his mind. The thought hit hard and heavy, as he instantly knew what was wrong. Inuyasha collapsed immediately to his knees as the realization literally sucked the life from him and left him numb from the surfacing truth. He had forgotten all about Kagome.
"Ka…Ka…gome…" he stammered.
His heartbeat seemed to echo out uncontrollably as he felt defeated by his own-blinded ambitions to find Kikyo. Remaining silently choked of emotions he glanced down at the insensible priestess in his arms as the profound guilt tore through his body. The hanyou's lip quivered as he struggled to hold his composure together.
Ever since Kikyo's banishment that day on the mountaintop, he believed this is what he wanted, but somehow the satisfaction of succeeding started to feel unfulfilled and what mattered worse was that he had now given up on the one thing he truly needed; Kagome. The hanyou became utterly detached from reality as he gazed up into the late day sky battering his mind.
"I…forgot…Ka…gome, how could I ever…?" he questioned in disarray.
With an expressionless glance down at Kikyo, he now could feel the insensate feeling that perhaps this moment wasn't what he had wanted. Sullied with failure, guilt and remorse the hanyou rose to his feet and pressed on. His face was unyielding as the tickle of self-anger settled in as his emotions spun out of control over which way to turn and who to protect. Progressing further he headed down towards the village. The distant display of village homes brought the slightest feeling of comfort as he climbed the scale of the hill that hovered high above the settlement.
The breeze was now spiraling around him at this height when he started to descend down the hills side. With one foot in front of the other, Inuyasha could feel a titillating scent come over him. It was very pungent and with each step closer to the village it was becoming more pungent. The ambiance around him was unbearable as the smell toyed with his demon senses. Unable to use his sleeve to cover his face, he buried his nose in his shoulder as he proceeded.
"What the hell is that! It's driving my senses crazy!" the hanyou barked in his mind as the odor started to well his eyes.
The hanyou looked down at Kikyo to see if the aroma was affecting her in anyway, but she remained still, "it's only affecting me…" the hanyou remarked to himself, as he pressed his nose further into his Kosode.
No matter how hard he tried to bury his nose into his kimono jacket, the horrible scent was still able to creep its way in. Somehow the hanyou felt that he had smelled this aroma before, but he wasn't sure where. Hastening his pace he reached the bottom of the hill and headed for where the outskirts of the village began.
Ransacking through his memories, Inuyasha instantly halted on one specific recollection. The aggravating scent was something he had smelled before all those years ago. A puzzled complex came over the hanyou as his eyes shifted back and forth in thought.
The memory brought Inuyasha back some 50 years ago when he was with Kikyo in this very same village. The image in his mind was hazy, but he could recall Kikyo's muffled voice talking about the sacred jewel, as they approached an intricate shrine at the top of a hill. Making their way to the top, Inuyasha remembered asking why such a sacred object was always left unguarded.
Not faltering from his pace, the half-breed continued to search play out his memory. Then it dawned on him, as Inuyasha's eyes popped upon as he remembered Kikyo's hazy figure pulling out a velvet pouch and poured its contents into a basin filled with oil. Forcing a spark, the priestess lit the wick and the nauseating scent drowned the hanyou's senses. Inuyasha could remember that his vision went blurry and his sense of smell went erratic as he desperately tried to cover his face. It was obvious that any demon would steer clear of this aroma. Then Kikyo explains to the hanyou that she had placed spiritual incense that's a nuisance to any demons senses.
The hanyou's memories quickly faded out as his eyes remained frozen in mid thought, "of course! No wonder my senses are going crazy…it's spiritual incense!" he muttered through the annoyance beaming in his eyes.
Just then the thought emerged, because if he was sensing the incense once again, who was it that had performed the protection barrier in the first place. He glanced down at Kikyo as he struggled to make sense of the situation, but he couldn't, because he thought that Kikyo was the only one who could perform the ritual.
"If Kikyo's here with me…then who could possibly…" he struggled within his thoughts.
Then it caught the hanyou's attention when his scrambled senses began to sluggishly pick up on something. Inuyasha turned his head quickly to seek out what was tickling his senses far off in the distance. He still couldn't make anything out because of the odor blurring his vision, but something inside him was beckoning him to head in that direction.
Without hesitation his body followed as his heart showed him the way, regardless of his ambition to bring Kikyo to the safety of Kaede's home. He was certainly close, because the intensity of the aroma caused his eyes to sear and his balance to stagger. Using his shoulder he quickly wiped away the wells of tears in this eyes as he pushed further. With the wells gone, Inuyasha was able to catch a distinct glimpse of what lied ahead. It was the exact shrine that Kikyo had shown him so many years ago. He was certain that whatever was going on, it had something to do with the old abandoned shrine.
Making his way further the relentless aroma attacked his senses once more as he could feel the beckoning feeling within his body intensify. The deep feeling was faint, yet in its way it was distinct as his conscious beckoned him further, regardless of the agitation the incense was causing him. Unvoiced, the sensation seemed to call out to him, but Inuyasha knew that the aroma would become utterly unbearable if he were to push any further.
Struggling to stare through his blurred vision, the hanyou's heart started to pound from the approaching anticipation as he neared the base of the ascending stone stairs. He remained standing at the base of the stone stairs, feeling the strength in his limbs slowly disintegrating. With his head focused on the distorted mass before him, he cursed under his breath realizing that his vision was rendered useless as it faded in and out. With a determined inhale he placed a bared foot on the first step and pushed his body further. The distance to the top of the stairs was very laborious as Inuyasha struggled to place his footing correctly on the steps' blurred surfaces.
With each step his breath was staggered and his heart pounded, not merely because of the effort but because of the underlined feeling that this was something he was supposed to witness.
Reaching the top of the stairs left the hanyou light headed and his senses in agony as he knelt to his knees. He could feel the power of the incense bearing down on his entirety, feeling that if he pushed any further he could be crushed.
Despite the agonizing warnings to stay his distance, the half-breed insisted as he slowly placed Kikyo's slender body against a wooden post snug within the tall grass. Although, she was no longer in his arms the sensation of her weight remained pressed within his forearms. Drawing to his feet, he stumbled on unable to see his whereabouts. Relying on what was left of his senses he outstretched his hands and desperately searched until his fingertips came in contact, only to have his body filled with a vengeful shock of energy that forced his body back.
The energy surge pierced effortlessly through his body as it found its way to his wounds and reopened them. With the hanyou's right forearm, he clutched the width of his abdomen as he stammered to keep balance on his two feet.
Inuyasha panted heavily trying to shake off the attack and raised his head to glance up at the fogged object before him. The pain etched through him immensely and in anger let a fang bear as he slowly raised his torso.
"Is that all you got….!" He huffed in anger as he took one step closer.
The thought that someone would go through so much trouble to protect whatever was within the shrine, only made the hanyou more determined to find out. With his heart racing and the pain burning through his limbs, Inuyasha bared his claws and hellishly tried to lacerate the sutra on the entrance. He was met with definite resistance.
Being forcefully pushed back, the hanyou gasped desperately for air as the sweat from his brow rolled heavily down his face. Never before has he encountered such spiritual power and the resistance only angered his persistence.
With his last resort in hand, Inuyasha unsheathed his Tetsusaiga and bared it before the shrines entrance. The swords entirety took up what void that lied between the hanyou and the secret within the shrine. Firming his grip tighter around the handle, he locked his hands a dire last attempt and slashed down with the blade upon the entrance….
Meanwhile, a ways within the village, Lady Kaede was visiting among fellow villagers when a peculiar aura tickled the back of her mind. The feeling was slight but the old woman could certainly sense the disruption within the air. Gazing out from the crowd of friends she peered off into the distance and could make out the disturbance of birds taking flight. It wasn't a moment sooner, when Kaede dropped the woven basket in hand and headed for her saddled horse.
The old women's nerves were shaking so vigorously that she was unable to keep a hold of the horse's reigns as she hurried off into the distance. It was clear that Inuyasha had returned and what made matters worse was he was trying to get into the sacred shrine.
There wasn't a second to waste, as she urged the horse faster up the shrines hillside taking her bow and arrows in hand. Making her way to the top of the stone stairs, she quickly jumped down from the steed. With her bow pulled back tightly, she was met with a ghastly sight before her. The entrance to the shrine had been slashed open, yet Inuyasha had remained standing just outside its black opening. The old women's jaw could only drop in shock at the sight before her as she took a few steps closer. Her presence by this point was not detectable to the hanyou; the spiritual incense had rendered him completely oblivious. She had to make her presence known.
"INUYASHA!" Lady Kaede shouted harshly, "Ye must leave this place at once!" the quickly added in a demanding tone.
The voice behind him stirred the hanyou from his blurry trance at the shrines blackened entrance. The women's voice was familiar, yet it seemed so far away as she watched the hanyou turn around. Her eyes were met with an unpleasant sight, as she could see that his body was badly wounded and his kimono was soaked with blood.
As she stared frantically at the injured demon, she could only think about the devastation the lied ahead if her were to discover the secret within the shrine. The situation was intensifying with every second and the unnerving realization that only drastic matters were the only solution.
Inching her way slowly closer to the hanyou, she kept her aim focused. However, Inuyasha did not permit the old woman to move any further. He was infuriated beyond belief and yet so confused by all of this that his composure was literally shaking from fear. Inuyasha immediately demanded to know what was going on, he wanted to know why this shrine was being protected as if something sacred were inside and why his soul felt beckoned here in the first place.
Staring hesitantly at the half demon, Lady Kaede knew that she couldn't tell the true purpose for guarding the shrine, nor would she allow herself to explain what was beckoning his soul. She became lost for words on purpose to keep the sanctity of the matter hidden from the hanyou. She could not offer him comfort if she were to keep the shrines contents from his shattered heart and clouded mind. In order to spare the hanyou from ultimate devastation, she would have to force him away, even if it meant further injuring the hanyou. Deep down the shear reality of Kagome's death would demolish the half demons delicate being.
"Leave this place at once!" Kaede coldly demanded, still aiming her arrow at the defenseless hanyou.
With his sword listlessly hanging in his hand, he let the weight of his blade thud on the ground. Holding back his anger, he talked through clenched teeth, "I'm not leaving till I find out why I was lead here!"
Kaede began to breathe heavily as tension filled her composure. She struggled to keep a strong poise towards her dear friend, but it was what to be done, "Fool…ye be dabbling with matter beyond ye help, now away with thee!" she quickly remarked, letting the tightening of her bow be heard.
A nervous bead of sweat fell from Kaede's brow, as she let the unsettling rashness in her voice sink in. It was obvious she had to be direct with the hanyou, if she were to protect him from the shrines secret. Harming him was her last resort, but she knew the hanyou was stubborn and could feel the reality brew within her as she still kept aim at the half demon.
Though Inuyasha couldn't make out the vision of the bow aiming at him, he was able to make out the distinct sound of its leathery band stretch.
"Kaede! What…what are you doing?" he desperately asked.
"Ye must leave this place, if ye knew what was best Inuyasha!" she quickly demanded once again.
"What's going on here!" he barked in frustration, "Why won't you tell me!" he continued, "Tell me what's in that shrine!" he angrily shouted out now bearing his fangs as he pointed a finger into the blackness of the entrance.
Just then that feeling came over him again and his heart let out a echoed pound, as he felt his soul being beckoned into the shrine. Quickly lowering his arm in a aghast he turned and pleaded to the old priestess, "I need to know…I need to know what's in the shrine, don't you understand that?" he finished off strongly raising his voice in annoyance.
Even though Kaede could hear the pure desperation within Inuyasha's voice, she still knew that allowing him passage within the shrine was out of the question. The answer within the shrine would be too much for him to handle within his weakened state. The old women's heart wrenched, as she thought of how the death of Kikyo had once shattered the half demons heart, but the death of Kagome could only bring forth the worst of uncertainties.
Holding her bow high and aimed, her arms quivered with shame as she tried ward him off again, "I still cannot let ye continue, Inuyasha…ye must leave this place at once" she yelled back harshly.
Completely dumb struck; he couldn't understand what would make Kaede threaten him like this. The hanyou's nerves were diminished and all that lingered in his mind was the thought of finding out what lied within the shrines shadows. Inuyasha was completely void within the face as the fear and anxiety subdued him. Taking in the consequential circumstances of the situation he was certain that the shrine held a secret the he was not to become aware of. A secret that had something to do with him; that's why the use of spiritual incenses and the sacred sutra. He now understood that there were going to be no answers and no comfort from Kaede and it was decided that he would have to follow his own wishes.
With no emotion on the hanyou's face, she watched as he slowly sheathed his sword and in making direct eye contact with the old woman, Inuyasha raised a sleeve to his face and turned slowly towards the entrance.
Kaede was in utter shock, "does he not know that I will fire upon him?" she thought in utter perplexity.
Making his way past the darkened entrance, Lady Kaede without further hesitation, positioned herself to fire upon the hanyou, when the sight off to the side caught her off guard. The arrow went soaring off into the sky, completely missing its intended target. She watched as its immense glow beamed and then dimmed as it traveled off into the distance. Turning her focus off to the left as he heart pounded more feverishly, she could see her sister Kikyo propped unconscious against a wooden post. A sinking feeling of utter heartache came over her, "so the rumors be true…" was all that she could muster in a defeated manner. It was obvious that there was no stopping the hanyou and soon destiny will deliver its unsettling fate upon him….
Inside the Sacred ShrineThough Inuyasha believed the affect of the incense was at its worst outside of the shrine he was undoubtedly wrong. With the incenses effect bearing profusely down upon him, the hanyou was literally left crippled to use the feel of floor beneath his feet as his guide. Drawing further in, he stomached the dizziness and the pain within his body and squinted continually to help make out any figures from behind his sleeve.
The long entryway of the shrine was dead silent and the apparent taste of warmth within the air-dried his mouth. With cautious foot after the other, Inuyasha edged his way forward as the bellowed groans of the floorboards gave way under his weight. Though his vision was rendered almost useless, he could still make out the faint golden glows of candles placed along the floor. Inuyasha decided he would take any aid and used the candles to help him further into the shrine.
Following the guide of the faint burning candles, the hanyou outstretched a hand and felt around. It wasn't soon before his hands were met with the texture of a matted sliding door. Running his hand around its surface, he let his fingertips search for the seam. Feeling the familiar indent, Inuyasha slipped a fingernail in and slid the door off to the side. His face was instantly met with a heavy wave of the burning incense. Pulling up harder on his sleeve, he shielded his eyes and brushed his body past the doorway. Much to his amazement, his blurred vision gave way a little as he could make out a beam of light before him.
His eyes still seared from the incense, but he could distinctly make out light just up ahead. Even though Inuyasha couldn't see the lights source, it was coming from a small opening in the shrines ceiling. What was left of the days sun was making its way into the dark room and was shining its warming rays upon a figure on an altar.
Taking his steps cautiously, Inuyasha continued to shield his eyes from the intensity of the burning incense, until he was able to barely make out a shadowed object just a few feet in front of him. The dire need to know was immensely building in him as he edged closer and felt his abdomen press into a hard stoned surface. The surprise sent a wave of pain through his body as he placed a hand on the flat surface. The feel of the object was cold upon his fingertips and had sent an uneasy chill down his back. With his sleeve still protecting his eyes, Inuyasha continued to run his free hand on it's jagged edges, until his hand brushed across a different surface. The new texture caught him off guard and he felt his hand snap back in fear. The hanyou's heart had now slowed to a dramatic thump, as he regained composure and reached his hand out once again.
With his hand reaching out he could feel the new texture as he gently glided his fingertips across its surface to find a cloth of some sort. Letting his hand ease slightly up the cloth, his arm had brushed into an object. Sensing it, Inuyasha reached over and picked it up, but before he could bring it to his face to better see, the hanyou instantly knew what it was. It was a dried flower. The hanyou's heart instantly sank as his mind was beginning to recall that dried flowers were ritualistic of burial ceremonies. His heart heaved and lunged at the thought and without hesitation he dropped the flower and desperately pressed his hips into the side of the table as he crushed the flower under his foot.
With his eyes very sensitive to light, he remained shielding his eyes as he stretched his hand out again on the stone altar. His hand was now urgently searching further on its surface; it wasn't long before his hand was met with what the shrine was hiding. Inuyasha instantly pulled his hand away in fear realizing that there had been a body before him this whole time. The hanyou began to struggle with his vision to at least allow him to make out the presence, but the burning aroma would not permit it.
Inuyasha remained for a slight second choked on his breath when his mind began to taunt him with mixed feelings. He felt hate, love and heartache all at once causing his desire to know more with each panic breath. Inuyasha had to know who it was and once again he extended his hand out towards the figure and as unsuspected memories filled his thoughts.
Moving his shaking hand about, his fingers nudged something into slight movement. The noise caught him off guard, but as its faint noise ringed in his ears it felt familiar yet hazy. Inuyasha searched for the object with his hand as he raised his sleeve higher to his eyes. When he grasped the object in his hands he let its size roll in his hand only to be instantly let go. The hanyou's arms tensed and remained frozen in place. The image of the object was clear and distinct within his mind. With a shaking hand he pulled his opened hand closer into view, Inuyasha gazed at his hand as if it were unknown to him; a foreign object on his body of some sort. For just within his hand was the vile that contained Kagome's sacred jewel shards. The noise it had made was unfamiliar at first, but when he had been holding it within his hand, it had been all too clear. The noise was the shards within the vile scratching against the inside.
Inuyasha's heart was struggling to beat within his chest as his breath became pained and shallow. His nostrils grew large as he drew in each stomach turning breath to aid his winded lungs. Inuyasha's eyes began to widen in desperation as he tried to take in the image before him, but all he could make out was a shadowed figure. As he stared down at the hazy figure, images of Kagome began to run through his mind, only to push his heart further into distress. Biting hard into his lip to try and ward off any ill thought, Inuyasha felt the cooed words of her name slip from his shaken mouth, "Ka…go…me…"
In that instant he quickly threw both hands out and slammed enraged fists on the stone altar. His whispered words were almost choking as if his lungs forced the words out in a gust of heated exhale. Swallowing hard and then deeply inhaling, Inuyasha was now completely blocking out the affects of the incense upon his body. With pure misery filling his veins, the echoes of his voice seemed to loom within the room that caused a gust of wind to wisp about unsuspected. Covering his face from the sudden breeze, as if by fate, Inuyasha was able to slowly but surely take in the effects. The small gust caused the burning aroma within the shrine to die off and the candlelight that was burning blew out as their jagged wisps of smoke depleted into thin air. His vision was slowly returning as he stood watching his eyes focus, he immediately drew away his eyes.
Even though this was what he was desperately trying to find out, he was to cowardly to face the reality. With his heart beating hauntingly within his chest, he knew he had to finish what he came to do for something had beckoned him to come, because something had wanted him to know.
Inuyasha remained standing beside the altar as he eased his eyes towards the altars surface. When his eyes met up with the small delicate fingers a knot instantly blocked his airway and choked him in mid breath. Placing a hand out on the resting hand and continued to let his eyes linger on, despite how his mind taunted him. Eventually the hanyou's eyes were met with a slumbering face and the realization crept on him and he had feared the worst. With a tensed hand, he gripped her hand as he could feel the tightened coil forming again in his throat.
The hanyou looked on feeling his world shatter behind him and his remainder of his heart thumped lifelessly. There before the hanyou lay the lifeless body of Kagome and at this point, his everything.
The sight before him burned permanently within his mind. The devastating vision in front of him drained him of life. With a shaking hand he ever so gently caressed the fair skin of her cheek. There was no feeling of warmth and the knowing reality that she was dead, Inuyasha felt resistant to take in this tragedy. He didn't want to believe it was true. With his eyes quivering, he couldn't help but feel that she was still amongst the living, as she lied there so peaceful.
Inuyasha became an inconsolable fire that he began to stoke himself with flashing memories of Kagome. The hanyou had envisioned her laughter and her warming smile and Kagome's tender acts of kindness. The burning anger that bellowed in his stomach twisted and turned as Inuyasha clenched his fist, causing his claws to draw blood.
He forced his eyes closed to shut out the reality as a single tear slipped away from its cage and slid gingerly down the heat beaten cheeks of the hanyou. The salty tear traveled far down and carved its wet path to the base of his chin. Contained with the tear was the dire need to release the pain as it dangled for a split second before crashing down onto the altars edge. Feeling shattered and alone, Inuyasha reached for the only thing that would fulfill his grieving heart. Sliding his arm so caringly beneath her resting head, he slowly lifted her body into his beckoning embrace to hold her. His eyes welled as he heaved in his breath. Inuyasha's body was flushed with heated sorrow as he tucked aware her head upon his shoulder as her faded sweet scent wafted around him. As her hair lay nestled upon him, he never realized how it felt to hld her within his arms.
Though he was lost in this marvelous feeling of contempt, he knew that somehow something had to be done, no matter what it cost him. Inuyasha wanted revenge for what had been taken from him, just like it had all those years ago. Although, the knowledge of Kikyo's ill fates in the past and in the present had tested his compassion for life and his feelings of love, this reality had birthed an emotion that was long evaded in Inuyasha's life. The constant memory of his guilt for Kikyo's death lingered within his mind and the lost love and commitment that was there 50 years ago had only blinded the companionship that was there all along. It was the love and the commitment from Kagome he so longed for.
Inuyasha cursed under his breath for never realizing it this whole time until now and it only fed the pain that was eating within him, that his blossoming love for her could never be shared.
Inuyasha took his free arm and slid it underneath her legs and in a sweeping motion; he quickly lifted her body from the stone altar. Looking down upon her expressionless face, Inuyasha crumbled to his knees. Holding Kagome within his arms upon the wooden floor, he whispered desperately, "Don't leave me Kagome…I…I love you…"
He hung his head low over her lifeless body in his arms. Taking a calmed breath, he swung his head up and his eyes beamed intensely as he arose to his feet with Kagome in his arms. Inuyasha headed for the doorway and appeared out from the darkness of the shrine.
As he passed Lady Kaede, he shot her a stern look then headed down the stone stairs. She watched as the towering figure drifted past her and she soon followed in his pursuit and tugged at lead to the horse that carried Kikyo's unconscious body. There were no words to be exchanged as Inuyasha now knew why Kaede had acted the way she had.
Without stopping, the hanyou walked his way towards Kaede's home and carried Kagome's body tightly within his arms. Inuyasha could fee that the anger he had tried to trap within him was beginning to seep through his veins. He wanted revenge for what happened to Kagome and he would see to it that it was achieved, even if it meant he died doing it.
Reaching the home he made his way in without a single look behind him as he laid her body upon the bedding on the floor. Lady Kaede soon joined the home as well as she carried Kikyo's body in and placed her gently propped up against the wall. Realizing that Inuyasha had to remain rational about the situation, Kaede talked to him to try and reason as he started to head for the door.
"Ye must remain rational, Inuyasha….ye…" but she was quickly cut off.
"I don't have the time, outta my way!" he urged expressionless, not taking his eyes off the doorway.
" But Inuyasha….ye need to know the truth…" Lady Kaede tried to plea to the hanyou as she grabbed at his Kosode.
"Oh yea…just like when I needed to know the truth up there?" he coldly remarked.
"Ai…but I…there was no way of…" she struggled with her thoughts.
"I don't care…!" Inuyasha snapped hoping to not relive the situation within the shrine.
"If ye must seek revenge, then Naraku be thee one…" she finally just let out realizing there was no consoling the hanyou, "Naraku is planning some…" but she couldn't finish before she could explain to the hanyou everything.
He was gone. Inuyasha had rushed out of the home on his way to seek out the one person that would satisfy his thirst for blood and let out the hate and anger that was thriving in his veins. The hanyou didn't want to know how it all happened, because in the end he was certain that Naraku had something to do with it. He was determined to seek out Naraku and have his head and so that he could bury him six feet in the ground no matter what it took, Inuyasha would never rest….
ENDChapter 11 "The ultimate sacrifice" –Chapter 12 "The demon graveyard and Sango's feelings"
- Again thanks to all who have submitted reviews it's inspirational to keep going. Hopefully when this sacred vessel is completed I'll be able to provide you with more awesome work – thanks a bunch….
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