The Color of Hope: Chapter 39: Faith
"Focus on the children's youki, Priestess," Ryutakashi instructed gently. "Isolate their location."
Kagome struggled to do as guided. However, concentrating now was hard to do when her mind and body were ravaged by absolute anguish.
"Use your emotions, Priestess. They will do all that is required. Do not overthink, just free your body to do as it will. Allow your affection for your sister, Kibou and the fox kit to guide you.
Do not overthink, just free your body to do as it will. The mantra played over and over in her mind.
Kagome focused on Ryutakashi's guidance. Freeing all her thoughts and eliminating all the distractions, she let go of the anguish and simply ran. Taking a deep breath, she felt something shift, like the power inside her had locked into place. It felt as though the youki and reiki had finally found a working balance that she could feel radiating throughout her soul.
She felt… free. Weightless.
"What was mine is yours," Ryutakashi declared. "And what is yours is mine. The power you wield is one of a kind. Find what is ours. Recognize it. Then bring it to you. Bring them to you."
Then suddenly, out of nowhere, she felt the pulse of Shippo's youki trickle past her senses, and flaring wildly behind it, Kibou's power.
"We found them!" Kagome exclaimed, pushing herself harder, desperate to run faster. "Or rather, they found us!"
Her excitement disappeared as quickly as it had risen, however, and panic filled her soul so suddenly that it made her nauseous. Her heart plummeted into her stomach and her chest constricted, making it sheer torture just to breathe.
"They are falling too fast, Ryutakashi. I'll never make it in time!" Kagome cried, tears burning her eyes and blurring her vision of the nearing treeline.
"You can!" Ryutakashi said, determination permeating his words.
She was too out of breath to form a vocal response - unable to voice her uncertainty. "I don't know these new abilities," she thought, her panic surging painfully. "How can I possibly get there in time?"
"Believe in yourself, Priestess," the dragon mentally encouraged. "Believe in me."
"I'll do anything you say. Just please, help me save my babies and my sister." Kagome pleaded.
She was so determined to get to her pack that she didn't realize the conversation she was having with Ryutakashi was, quite literally, all in her head. Not only that, but in real time, her discussion with Ryutakashi would have taken far too long. For her, time had changed, drastically, and she hadn't even sensed it.
"I want you to draw their youki close, as fast as you can reach it. Feel their combined power and pull!" Ryutakashi urged, his disembodied voice echoing through her.
Kagome narrowed her eyes, determination lining her features, and concentrated on the familiar energy surrounding her boys. Feeling their unified terror, Kagome reached, and felt her power swell easily. It pulsed through her limbs with unbelievable speed, rushing simultaneously into every pore of her body.
She blinked, the treeline mere feet away, and braced herself for impact, hoping the pain from such a collision wouldn't render her fragile human body completely useless. In her mind's eye she could see herself tumbling through the forest, trees and limbs breaking and falling around her like firewood.
Something so agonizing wasn't impossible… It was just her luck.
But the pain never blossomed.
Instead, the treeline abruptly disappeared from view. There was nothing blocking her way, no trees -fallen or standing- and no brush or foliage. There were no branches tearing through her tender flesh as she raced toward her children and Sango.
Only the chilled night air brushed over her skin, prickled by the electricity of Ryutakami's lightning, his thunder rattling her bones in the absolute darkness.
A/N: I am terribly sorry for the wait. My health is solely to blame for my slow update. Please forgive me.
I'll post again soon so the wait isn't as long. The next 2 chapters are virtually finished.
A huge thanks to Snow for taking a look at these chapters, and for giving them fitting titles.
I also want to thank whoever nominated The Color of Hope, and Wild Honey at the FA awards.
I was honestly shocked to see they made the list.
Sadly, however, it didn't tell me who nominated them, and I wish I could thank you both properly.
Many thanks to all who've read, reviewed, fav'd, and PM'd: you brighten my days, and your kindness is more than I could ever repay.
Thank you all for being so very wonderful. Words can not do justice to how wonderful your understanding, support, and kindness make me feel.
HUGS
Neisha