Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters in this fan fiction are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. The original characters and plot are the property of Chiaztolite, who is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
Summary of Previous Chapter: Sesshōmaru and Kagome left Izayoi's realm to look for the Death God. During their travel, they were attacked by another creature of the underworld, which Sesshōmaru dealt with quickly, albeit brutally. He experienced the revelations that Kagome was his mate. As they were locked together in a passionate embrace, they were attacked again, only to be saved by Yami, who turned out to be Chikatani all long.
Author's Note: This is an extra long chapter. Sit back and relax. Perhaps get a snack. But most importantly, enjoy!
The Way to Elysium
Chapter 19: Chikatani's Decisions
The Southern Isles: the Kingdom by the Sea
Shortly after Chikatani's Death
Chikatani jolted awake as though he had been plagued by nightmares. His chest was still pressed against the floor, though the foot that had held him down was no longer present. Gasping, his hand immediately went to touch his throat. There was no wound at the place where Zetsubōmaru's sword had pierced him, though the memory of the pain was still fresh. As he swallowed and regulated his breathing, the agony slowly ebbed away into a distant ache.
Gingerly, he raised himself from the cold, hard ground. Looking down, he saw the floor was clean and spotless with no traces of blood. Looking around, he saw the room was empty. The dim light that filtered in through the lattice screen showed it was already dusk. Through the patterns he saw the burning sun was setting in the distance, and it coloured everything in dark orange hue.
"Young master?" He called out. There was no answer in the still room. He checked every nook and cranny, but there was no one else inside the chamber.
He went out of the room. Looking left and right, he discerned the hallway was also empty.
"Young master?" He called again.
Only the echoes of his own voice answered him.
"Sesshōmaru-sama?"
When again, no response came, a cold, dark feeling slithered across his chest and down his spine.
Where was the young master?
He explored the palace from one end to the other, searching every corner, opening every door, looking for Sesshōmaru-sama. He stepped out onto the beach, running from one tip of the island to the other. Calling, always calling. His screams and shouts merged with the breeze and turned into howling winds before they vanished altogether. When still he could not find Sesshōmaru-sama, he repeated the steps all over again.
Inside. Outside. The palace, the courtyards, and the gardens. Then, the beach again. He searched all the surrounding coves, the caves, and all of Sesshōmaru-sama's hiding places, to no avail.
Deep down he understood the terrible truth. He had died. And this still, silent realm that looked like an identical copy of the Southern Isles was not where the young master was. Perhaps it was not even where he was supposed to be.
Yet, he could not stop. The desperation to see his charge one last time kept him moving. He did not know how much time he had spent. The brilliant orange colour of dusk never deepened into the indigo of night, and the sun never changed its position.
Time had lost all meaning.
At some point, some people in dark crimson garbs came. They tried to speak to him, tell him to go someplace else, but he was too preoccupied with trying to find the young master to even stop to listen.
In the end, as he had finally exhausted himself, he fell onto the sand and began to sob. Darkness began to grow inside him, coiling tight around his heart, sinking its claws deep as he cried bitterly.
"If I take you to see your young master," suddenly someone spoke. The voice was so close, as if that person was right by his side. "Will you finally come with me?"
Chikatani lifted his tear-stained face. Someone he had never seen before was there, kneeling beside him.
"I'll be able to… see Sesshōmaru-sama?" He asked.
The male nodded. "Only if you promise to follow me afterwards."
His visitor had not introduced himself, though Chikatani had an inkling of who the male was. There was an aura of immense power emanating from this latest visitor. His clothing appeared much finer compared to the others, who had donned identical deep crimson garbs. Almost like a uniform.
Is he the god of death himself?
Chikatani nodded and took the hand that was offered to him. In a blink of an eye, they were elsewhere. The change was so drastic that he staggered and nearly stumbled.
"After you died," the god said. "Your young master boarded the ship heading for the western lands. He has been here since."
Chikatani looked around. He was so accustomed to the never-ending orange of dusk, it took him a while to adjust himself to the darkness of night. This is the western lands? He had never seen so many trees crowded in one place. Their dense canopy of leaves eclipsed the sky, creating that feeling of being enclosed inside a tight room, which he found so very unpleasant.
The sight of a pup and a dragon sleeping together underneath a nearby tree prompted him to run.
"Sesshōmaru-sama?" He called out as soon as he reached them.
The young master did not stir, but the dragon did. Chikatani had no way of measuring how much time had passed since his death, but he could see the dragon had grown a bit larger since he last saw it.
True to the characteristics of a creature that hailed from a warm place, the dragon slept stretched out on his back with its four legs sticking up in the air. It was a habit more than anything. Back in the Southern Isles, this was the only way it could sleep without being overheated. When Chikatani came closer, both heads stretched its necks. Two pairs of yellow eyes glowed with recognition as the dragon began to purr and coo.
Chikatani pressed his forefinger to his lips, and the dragon quieted. He reached out one hand to graze the young master's hair, but his limb went straight through the pup's head. He fell onto his knees, stricken with grief. Now, he fully realized: he was merely an apparition. Unable to touch. Unable to give comfort.
"This should be sufficient," the god said. "Come with me now, as you said you would."
But, Chikatani made no move to depart. He remained on his knees beside the young master, quietly watching him. Sesshōmaru-sama's small body was curled up on his side; his hands fastened into a pair of fists.
He looked so cold and lonely.
The god was silent before he asked: "Is your plan to haunt your young master?"
"No, of course not!" Chikatani flashed the god an affronted look before he returned his gaze to the slumbering pup. "I only want to care for him."
"You cannot stay here in your current form," the god told him. "If you lingered, terrible things are going to happen to your soul. You must come with me, so you can take your place in Elysium."
Chikatani looked up. "Elysium?"
"It is what the mortals call 'heaven'," the god explained. "Chikatani, I have heard the tales of your selflessness and your sacrifices. I deem you worthy of spending your eternity in Elysium, the Isles of the Blessed." He glanced at the sleeping little yōkai. "Your time in this realm is finished. This child, whoever he might be, is no longer your concern."
The protective instinct inside Chikatani, which he had carefully nurtured and groomed since the King placed the week-old pup into his arms, surged at the god's suggestion that he left the young master alone.
Alone.
How could he leave when it was so clear no one cared about the young master? His parents — where were they? For two-hundred and fifty years they had waited with bated breath for the arrival of the General and Princess Yōhime, convinced that if only — if only his father and mother were with him, he would be saved.
If Sesshōmaru-sama had indeed been reunited with his parents in the western lands, why was he still alone?
Chikatani's chin began to quiver.
"How could I leave him—" His voice trembled with a mixture of emotions: sorrow, anger, disappointment. Fear. "— when no one cared enough to tell him to sleep indoors, or that he might catch a chill by sleeping on the ground?"
The teardrops he shed should have fallen onto the young master's head, but they disappeared into thin air. It seemed so impossible. Now, separated by death, he had only phantom tears and phantom hands that could never reach Sesshōmaru-sama.
The Death God watched in silence as he cried over the young master's body.
"There is a way for you to continue watching over him," the god said, earning Chikatani's full attention. "If you wish, you may exchange your eternity of bliss in Elysium for an eternity of working for me as one of my Advocates."
Chikatani's eyes widened.
To spend a blissful eternity in Elysium or an eternity of working for the Death God?
Most, if not all, would find these choice incredibly difficult. Most, if not all, would choose Elysium for themselves.
But, for Chikatani, the choice was incredulously simple. One path would take him far away, while the other would allow him to continue watching over Sesshōmaru-sama. And, upon making his choice, what he felt in his heart was not dread. It was elation.
"Do you accept my offer?" The Death God asked.
"I do." There was not even a moment of hesitation in his voice. If anything, he was eager to start the exchange. Chikatani registered the flash of surprise on the god's face before the impassive mask returned.
The god nodded. Out of nowhere, he produced a silver cup filled with crystal clear water.
"This cup contains water from the river Styx," he explained. "When you and I drink it, we would be bound by an unbreakable oath. For eternity." He paused, as if to give Chikatani some time to process the terms of their agreement. Or to give him the last chance to back out. "Knowing that, do you still wish to proceed?"
Chikatani nodded, almost enthusiastically. Strangely, this made the Death God huff out a short laughter. As though in disbelief.
"I have made this offer to several souls in my lifetime, and I have been the Death God for centuries," he said. "You are the first to accept." He studied the sleeping child for a moment, interest brewing in the depths of his crimson eyes. "This little yōkai must be very special."
They both drank from the same cup, forming a bond that tied them together for eternity. To betray the bond meant to be cast away to Tartarus to spend the remainder of the eternity in agony. Once the bond was made and the cup discarded, the god studied his newest servant up and down.
"Though you died as a child, you shall not remain in a child's body." He swept his hand in the air in front of Chikatani. The atmosphere crackled and sizzled. When Chikatani looked down upon himself, he had changed. The child's body, his old servant's uniform of the royal palace, everything he was from his old life — except his heart, had been transformed. He had matured in the span of a blink of an eye, clad in the same deep crimson garb as those other servants of the Death God.
"You will have this body, which is what you would have at your prime had you lived to reach that age," the god explained. "Though I will not take away your original name, from now on, you will be known as Yami amongst your peers."
The god took Chikatani's hands and brushed his fingers against the centre of the palms.
Immeasurable power permeated Chikatani's body and raced through his veins before it settled deep in his core. He stared at the tattoos of the spider lilies that appeared on his hands, glowing like the smouldering remains of the fire. His new body was now infused with the power of a god who reigned over death. And life, in a way.
He turned to look at the god still staring at him quietly.
"How should I refer to you, my lord?" He asked.
"I am called Haku, the forty-seventh god to ever rule the realm of the dead."
"Haku-Ō, then?"
The god nodded. Chikatani lowered his hands and balled his fingers into a pair of loose fists.
"And— what do I do for you, as your Advocate?"
Haku-Ō smiled slightly. "All that will be revealed later, when you are ready." He lifted his head to watch the shifting colours of the sky. Shafts of fuchsia light filtered through the gaps between the trees. The sun was rising.
"We must depart," he said. "Make your farewell to your former charge. You will be able to see him again. Later."
Quickly, Chikatani urged the dragon to change position onto its belly, and coaxed the two heads to wrap their long necks around the young master's sleeping form. It was not much, but at least this way, the young master would be cocooned in warmth.
And hopefully, he would feel less alone.
The gesture was embarrassing in its triviality, but it was the only thing he could do at this point. Later, he would attempt to do more.
Haku-Ō had vanished, but a portal was left open for him, as though the god knew he needed that few last minutes to cast one last look at the sleeping pup.
'Sesshōmaru-sama… I will be back. I promise.'
Roughly seven hundred years later
Underworld
Within the blink of an eye, their surroundings changed. Gone were the bloodied terrain, the scattered flesh and entrails, replaced by a sea of crimson spider lilies swaying gently in the breeze. The sky was the dazzling orange colour of dusk, tinged with purple hues. In the distance, a large golden moon hovered, partially obscured by crimson haze.
It was a strange, eerie realm. Silence reigned; even the wind did not make a sound here.
When Sesshōmaru and Kagome looked down at themselves, they noticed their clothing was once again clean and spotless. There was not even a spot of blood left behind. It was as if the battle against the giant tentacled creature never took place.
Sesshōmaru's head was still reeling with the shock from Chikatani's appearance, and the drastic change to their environment, he scarcely noticed Chikatani had stepped aside to make room for another to join their number.
Kagome's gasp was what eventually alerted him to the presence of the newcomer. With one arm around her waist, he kept her close beside him. A moment later he realized: she had placed one of her hands on his chest as she positioned herself to fit the side of his body. She did it fully by instinct, and the instinctual gesture of trust warmed his heart. Her eyes were fully transfixed on the newcomer; she was most likely unaware of what her body was doing.
Sesshōmaru could not blame her. Just like her, he had never faced a deity before, not to mention one as prominent and as important as the god of death.
This particular god took the form of a young man: tall and lean, with short wavy raven locks framing a pale face. His attire was entirely black, which made his crimson eyes stood out that much more. At first, he was standing. Then, as soon as he lowered himself, a throne that was relatively plain for a god appeared behind him. He did not sit in his throne as much as he lounged in it. The relaxed pose making him appear almost too indolent to be a god of anything. A perpetual smirk was on his lips. Sesshōmaru could not help but think: the struggles of mortals must have provided abundance of entertainment for him to maintain this amount of glee.
"So—" the god said, crossing one leg over the other. "The Mongrel Prince of the Southern Isles. We meet at last."
At last?
"My name is Haku, the one they call the Death Gods around these parts."
Sesshōmaru rarely found himself at loss for words. When he was quiet, it was predominantly because he refused to speak, or because he did not feel the need to. He ignored most questions directed at him, as they were often inane and foolish. At the moment, however, he was completely speechless.
What should one say to a god?
"That is a moniker I had hoped to never hear again," Sesshōmaru eventually said.
Perhaps his first few words should not have been a veiled criticism, but so be it. To his credit, however, the god appeared amused to hear the response.
For a moment, they eyed each other in silence. Sesshōmaru was not in the habit of beseeching anyone for anything. However, he gravely understood their position, and it was not an advantageous one. Furthermore… He looked at Kagome, and she shifted her head to return his gaze.
What would he not do to bring her back to life?
"We came to implore you to allow this woman's return to the world of the living," Sesshōmaru began. "If you could find it in yourself to permit her return—"
The smile on the god's lips widened a touch. He seemed to have anticipated this request.
"Leave the subject of the miko's revival to the last, as we have more pressing matters to discuss," he said, his hand moved as though he was brushing something away. "But, rest assured: while we are not always merciful, we are always just. The miko will receive what we owe her."
Sesshōmaru frowned. What does that mean, exactly? He felt Kagome's cold, trembling fingers reaching down to squeeze his hand. He responded with a squeeze of his own, firm and steady, to reassure her.
"And— what pressing matters does a god have to discuss with me, a mortal?" Sesshōmaru asked.
"Is that truly how you see yourself?" the god asked. "A mortal. Yet, in your possession, you have a sword capable of bringing the dead back to life. Such power is beyond most mortals, Prince."
"That power came to me by way of inheritance, not because I sought it," Sesshōmaru replied coldly.
"Hmm. Your grandfather, King Kaien, as well as Chikatani, have always thought highly of you. They think you intelligent and intuitive. Are you truly oblivious to what I want from you?"
Sesshōmaru thought for a moment: the Death God and his grandfather. Zetsubōmaru and the sword capable of opening a portal to the fiery hell for the wicked.
"If I were to venture a guess—" Sesshōmaru slowly said. "You want me to kill Zetsubōmaru to… prevent future inconveniences."
The Death God smiled. "'Future inconveniences' is an apt term, though a bit on the lighter side," he commented and studied Sesshōmaru. "Prince, doubtless, you are aware of your uncle's sword, one that belongs to all the Kings of the inuyōkai: Sokushi?"
Sesshōmaru's eyes narrowed at the mention of the sword.
Sokushi. Instant death.
"I do wonder, Prince," Haku said. "Why you have not pursued your uncle's sword, seeing as it is one of the most powerful swords in existence. Do you not desire it?"
Sesshōmaru's brows furrowed. "My days of desiring the blade of another is finished," he said dryly.
The Death God laughed softly. "As it should be. You spent your entire youth in the misguided notion that your father's sword would bring you victory over Zetsubōmaru. But the truth is, you will never defeat him by borrowing someone else's fangs. We waited a long time for you to come into your own power, Prince. Two hundred years, give or take. Even after you obtained Bakusaiga, we still had to wait around while you traipsed around in pursuit of Naraku."
With two fingers at the temple, as though to ward off an imminent headache, the god shook his head. "Goodness. That was painful to watch. If I was not bound by the will of the Fates, I would have killed that fucking spider myself, just to get your attention on a much more pressing matter."
"Which is?"
Haku-Ō sighed. "There are changes happening in the world, Prince. I am concerned that these unstoppable changes would push Zetsubōmaru to use Sokushi to its full potential. Seeing as those changes cannot be stopped or prevented, Zetsubōmaru is a calamity waiting to happen." He shifted to rest his elbow on the arm of his throne.
"You see," he said as he propped his chin on his knuckle. "That poses a problem for me."
"The full potential of Sokushi," Sesshōmaru repeated. "Is it to open the gates of Tartarus?"
Haku-Ō nodded. "Because of the blood jewel embedded into the blade collar of Sokushi, the wielder of that sword has the power of opening the portal into Tartarus and summoning the residents of that realm to enter the living world and obey every one of his behests.
"They are no ordinary ghouls and spirits. They are the most dangerous, sophisticatedly cunning, wicked souls of the creatures who wreaked havoc during their time in the living world. All of them had killed at will, shedding massive amount of blood everywhere they went."
In short, they needed to stay locked up. Sesshōmaru could imagine the mess the Death God would have to mop up if they ever arrived at that point, and the enormous amount of efforts it would take to herd those souls back into Tartarus, if even possible.
But— what kind of 'unstoppable changes' would prompt Zetsubōmaru to use Sokushi for such purpose? He was powerful enough to stop anything coming his way, and eliminate anything in his path, without having to rely on an army from the underworld.
"You spoke of changes," Sesshōmaru said to the Death God. "What are they?"
"King Kaien is a better person to explain them, so I will defer to him to tell you. When the time comes."
"If you think Sokushi could pose a problem, why did you bequeath the jewel to the First King to begin with? Such power… perhaps it is not meant for a mortal to have."
"It was not me, but my predecessor, who gifted the blood jewel to the First King. Contrary to the mortals' belief, deities change over the centuries and millennia. New gods replace decrepit old ones too tired to do anything but succumb to eternal sleep."
"Then, why not kill Zetsubōmaru yourself, if you are so concerned?"
"It is absolutely out of the question," the god said. "I have never killed a single being in my entire existence. For me to do so would be a grave transgression, a sin punishable by the Fates, who possess the power to expel any god to spend an eternity in Tartarus. With that said—" He leaned back in his throne. "I could command one of my underlings to slay him. But then, what comes after? One of his progenies would succeed his throne, and I trust his sons no more than I trust him."
"Yet, you trust me?"
"Not really," the god replied. "I do, however, trust King Kaien. He and his father before him had both maintained peaceful reigns that outlasted even mine over my own dominion. And he seems to trust you."
He frowned and turned to Chikatani. "Where is the King, by the way? Did I not send a message telling him to come here?"
"You did," Chikatani said, smiling a little. "But, as Haku-sama must know already, one does not tell King Kaien to do anything."
The god shook his head and murmured a complaint or other under his breath.
"In any case, Prince," he said, turning his attention back to Sesshōmaru. "The King told me about you, a long time ago when I relayed to him my concerns about Zetsubōmaru. Since then, we have been watching you, and waiting for you to mature and come into your powers. We've also been trying to bring you to the underworld. For years."
"For years?" Sesshōmaru frowned.
"Actually, we came close to succeeding one time, didn't we, Chikatani?" The god turned to his servant. "But in the end, it was an epic failure." He fixed his crimson eyes on Sesshōmaru and tilted his head to the side. "Prince, do you remember when you came to the underworld to perfect your Meidō?"
Sesshōmaru narrowed his eyes. How could he ever forget?
"That particular event has been burned onto my memory," he replied dryly.
"Chikatani knew the first person you would approach to ask questions about how to advance your Meidō was your mother. And we knew Princess Yōhime has the Meidō stone in her possession, and that she would open the portal for you, as your father instructed her to do."
"Haku-sama had his hound at the ready," Chikatani said. "As soon as the portal was opened, it swallowed Rin, as he ordered it. The miasma of the underworld is deathly for any mortals. Being inside the hound would protect her from the toxic air. Because that boy Kohaku had been standing so close to her at the time, he was swallowed as well. We knew Sesshōmaru-sama would surely follow his ward. And we were correct."
"It should have been quite simple," Haku continued. "We would have met, talked, and afterwards— everyone would have been returned to the living realm, safe and sound. But." Haku-Ō pierced Sesshōmaru with his crimson gaze. "Before we managed to reach the meeting point, you sliced the hound with Tenseiga, thus exposing the girl and the boy to the miasma of the underworld. The boy survived, of course, because of the jewel shard he hosted in his body. The girl was a different story."
Sesshōmaru nearly staggered. The knowledge the god just hurled at him made his hand itch to pinch the bridge of his nose.
"You meant to say—" He said once he managed to speak again. "It was I who caused Rin's death that time?"
"Well." The Death God smiled a little as he lifted a shoulder in a casual shrug. "If the shoe fits, wear it."
Once again Sesshōmaru found himself at a loss for words.
"Our plan was quickly unraveling before we could even get to you," the god continued. "After you killed my hound, I sent several of my minions to keep you where you were until our arrival, but you slay them all. I even sent the master of hell to try to delay your departure. You killed him too. By the time we made it to the rendezvous point, you already left."
He threw his hands in the air. "That was it. Plan failed."
How was he to know that it had been a plan of the Death God all along, Sesshōmaru thought with irritation. From his perspective, it had looked like Rin needed rescuing, and he had done all he could to save her.
"Perhaps you should have arrived at the meeting point on time, if you wanted the plan to succeed," Sesshōmaru commented acidly.
"That was the intention," the god admitted, a little sheepishly. "But, we had some… unforeseen calamity we had to deal with."
Suppressing the distant ache at the back of his head, Sesshōmaru shook his head and asked: "So— if it had been the two of you all along who plotted to bring us here… What is Zetsubōmaru's part in all this?"
The Death God looked a little surprised at the question.
"Nothing," he replied. "He has nothing to do with you being here."
"But… his subjugation potion—"
"Young master," Chikatani interrupted gently. "Zetsubōmaru did not use the subjugation potion to bring you, or Kagome-sama, here. I did."
The silence was deafening. One could almost hear the petals of the spider lilies brushing against each other. If someone had dropped a pin somewhere amongst the clusters, the sound would have echoed louder than anything else.
"It is true that Zetsubōmaru is the creator of that potion," Haku-Ō said, breaking the heavy silence. "But— there was nothing stopping Chikatani from sneaking into the Southern Isles palace to steal that substance in order to put our plans into motions." He paused to glance at Chikatani. "We were saving it as the last resort. Having fallen victim to the subjugation potion himself, Chikatani found it distasteful to employ such method. But in the end, we had to use it. We were running out of time, and considering you have a history of being quite… unpredictable, we needed a foolproof way to get you to follow our plans."
Sesshōmaru bit the inside of his cheek to stop deranged laughter from bursting out of him. Zetsubōmaru was not involved after all. Not yet, at least. Chikatani's role in this quagmire was a great shock, indeed, but cool wave of relief washed over Sesshōmaru regardless.
There was still time, as little as it was.
"Umm… excuse me, Haku-sama," Kagome raised her voice from beside him. "It seems that your objective all along is to bring Sesshōmaru into the underworld. Then— what is my role in all this?
"And— why did you not kill just me, instead of involving the miko in this scheme?" Sesshōmaru added to the question.
Haku-Ō and Chikatani looked at each other. In those short seconds when their eyes met, Sesshōmaru saw something passed between them.
The Death God exhaled a deep breath. "Sesshōmaru cannot be the one to die," he replied slowly. "It has to be someone else." He shifted his eyes onto Kagome and referred to her directly. "Chikatani handpicked you amongst several candidates to be his companion on this unearthly journey."
But, the question remained unanswered. Sesshōmaru did not understand. There was obviously something the Death God and Chikatani were concealing from them. He clenched his jaws. He would find out sooner or later.
"The two of you certainly went to great lengths to concoct a rather convoluted plan to get me here," he said wryly.
Haku-Ō let out a short burst of laughter. "Oh, I agree," he said. "We know it is by no means perfect. Almost immediately, we realized we had forgotten some key things. For example," He looked at Kagome again. "Chikatani somehow forgot that, since your comrades are trying to revive you, your body would not be given proper funeral rites. And that Charon the ferryman would refuse to grant you passage over the river Styx because you have not been buried or cremated."
Sesshōmaru shook his head in wonder. "Why did you not simply meet me in the living realm and explain yourself?"
"There are three answers to your question, Sesshōmaru-sama," Chikatani said. "Firstly, it has to do with Haku-Ō's position as a deathgod. His rule over the realm of the afterlife is nearly absolute. But— for him to go up to the realm of the living, it will be a momentous event that would not be overlooked. There are gods who rule over the realm above who might take offence to him showing up, and view his appearance as a challenge. The second: all creatures are bound by the Fates, who rule over our destinies. Had Haku-sama gone up to the living world to plot and scheme, and spoke to you directly outside of his own realm, it would be considered meddling of the worst degree. We would be tempting the Fates too much then."
"But— you meddled anyway, didn't you?" Kagome asked. "You used the subjugation potion to kill me and made Sesshōmaru follow me into the afterlife. Would that not count as meddling?"
"Yes, but— it was I who did them, not the Death God himself," Chikatani replied. "It is true what we are doing is skirting the edge of illegitimacy. But, at least, we are discreet enough to have their meeting happening within Haku-sama's realm, not someone else's. And, so far, we have managed to keep his hands clean. For the most part."
"What is the third reason?" Sesshōmaru asked.
"It is the most important one: Haku-sama needs to be convinced. He wants to witness young master's strength and prowess in order to be sure."
Sesshōmaru's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "To be sure of what?"
"Of my choice for a champion, of course," Haku-Ō replied. "I want you to fight for me, Prince. And I want you to kill Zetsubōmaru for me."
Sesshōmaru scoffed. "Why would I fight for you? I could kill Zetsubōmaru by myself, and for myself."
Haku-Ō let out a scoff of his own. "Oh, could you?"
Sesshōmaru glared at the god, and at the same time reminded himself to refuse to rise to the bait. Perhaps he was not strong enough to kill Zetsubōmaru now, but one day he would. He had embarked on this path seven hundred years ago. On his own. It seemed fit to finish it on his own as well.
"You underestimate what I could do for you, Prince," the god's voice brought Sesshōmaru's attention back. "I could equip you with some things you would never be able to achieve otherwise." Here, Haku-Ō paused for effect. "Immortality, perhaps, until the deed is done?"
As much as Sesshōmaru strived to maintain an impassive, unaffected mien, his arched brow betrayed him.
"And if you think Zetsubōmaru fights without the strength of another god behind him, you are very naïve," the god continued. "The Southern Isles and its kings are very closely tied to the power of the ocean. They worship the sea god. Even your father's technique: Sōryūha, and your grandfather's Orochi, borrowed the elements of the sea."
Suddenly, as though he had remembered something important, his eyes flickered. He straightened on his throne. "Oh, here's a fun fact: do you know that Ryukotsusei also came from the Southern Isles? I heard he and your uncle Zetsubōmaru were thick as thieves. Was it a coincidence that dragon went to the western lands, or do you think Zetsubōmaru sent him there to fight your father?"
And purposefully caused his death?
Sesshōmaru felt his blood turned to ice in his veins. His voice dropped to the low register of menace.
"Zetsubōmaru might have sent Ryukotsusei… to kill my father?"
"He needed to clear some room for his eldest son to be the next Inu no Taisho. Your father still occupied that position at the time of his death, although he had gone rogue. Around the same time, your cousin was ripe to lead, and eager to prove himself. He did so by decimating the East."
Haku-Ō leaned forward in his throne and stared straight at Sesshōmaru. He began to raise his voice a little.
"Why do you think someone like Ryukotsusei, a powerful sea dragon, obeyed your uncle's commands? Has it ever occurred to you that it might not be Zetsubōmaru that he obeyed, but Ryu-Ō, the dragon god, ruler of the sea?" When he leaned back in his seat, a twisted smile made the corners of his lips curl up. "Must be all the inuyōkai pups they have been chucking into the ocean for millennia for being born without the crescent moon symbol on their foreheads. Do you not agree, Prince?"
As a kingdom that made the seaside its home, it was natural that the Southern Isles worshipped the sea god. Prayers and offerings were made at regular intervals each year to ensure the ocean remained fruitful, calm for journeys and trades. But— Sesshōmaru swallowed the bile that rose up at the notion that all the blessings they received, and their power, was all built atop the corpses of babiesthrown into the sea for the lack of the crescent moon.
The ache that had been a dim presence at the back of his head now became a hot, pounding throb at his temples. A large amount of information had been brought to light. That, combined with the shock from Chikatani's return and his former caretaker's involvement in the events that brought them to the underworld, exhausted him mentally.
"After all this, you have not told us the specific reason why I have been summoned into the underworld," Sesshōmaru said, rather wearily.
"You are here to be reunited with King Kaien, of course," the god replied. "Unlike your father whose mate is still alive, the King no longer has ties to the living world. For him to travel to the realm of the living would be extremely difficult. Not impossible, but difficult. Which means— You have to be the one to come here to meet him."
"Which I did," Sesshōmaru said. "Almost immediately after we arrived in the afterlife."
"Yes. Chikatani predicted that too." Haku-Ō nodded. "The truth is, Prince, there is no one in the realm of the living capable of training and preparing you to face Zetsubōmaru. And in your current state—" He let his voice trailed off and his sentence to remain unfinished as he paused and studied Sesshōmaru. The tips of his fingers drummed a rhythm against the arm of his throne.
"At this pace, Zetsubōmaru would gain his fourth tail before you even obtained your second. Too much time has been spent fighting weak foes," he continued. "The western territory is a relatively new place for yōkai. It is populated mostly by low-level demons. Insects and maggots. The stronger yōkai all hailed from other parts of the world, and they eventually made it their home. Your parents, for example. For someone whose ambition has always been to battle the strongest beings, you seem awfully content being the biggest beast in a small cage."
Sesshōmaru clenched his teeth. He knew full well that at his current state, with only one tail in his possession, he was in no shape or form to defeat Zetsubōmaru. Bakusaiga also had not reached its full potential, not having an Ōgi. His obsession with chasing after Tessaiga had been detrimental to his own growth. If he had used those two hundred years after his father's death, and those fifty years while Inuyasha was sealed, to develop his own skills and prowess, would he have gained a second tail then? Would Bakusaiga had come into his possession sooner?
Perhaps yes, and perhaps not. There were lessons to be learned in those two hundred and fifty years as well. Failures and humility. Compassion. Also—
Sesshōmaru paused his thoughts to look at the miko beside him. Her hand was still intertwined with his. As though she sensed his inner turmoil, she tightened her fingers around his.
He found it difficult to regret any decisions that had brought him to this moment. With her.
"By the way, were you not pleased to see Chikatani again, Prince?" The god asked, scattering Sesshōmaru's thoughts. "You looked more stricken than pleased."
Sesshōmaru glanced at Chikatani, feeling the tight knot that had formed in the base of his stomach. He had tried to ignore it throughout their conversation, though it continued to coil and tighten. He had a terrible inkling of how Chikatani had come to be the Death God's underling, and the thought made him positively sick.
"How—" Sesshōmaru could not even finish his question. Perhaps he did not want to know at all.
"When Chikatani died, his soul did not go to where it was supposed to go." Haku-Ō's mien turned sorrowful for a brief moment. "It is often the case with those who died a violent death, or those who died by their own hands. In Chikatani's case — his soul lingered in the Southern Isles, and he was unable, or perhaps unwilling, to leave for the afterlife."
Haku-Ō studied Chikatani for a moment and smiled.
"You see, there was no way for Chikatani to know that you were taken away from the Southern Isles and boarded the ship bound for the western lands. His soul never stopped looking for you. When time passed and still he could not find you, it plunged him into dark despair.
"I sent my Advocates — several, actually, to fetch him and guide him to his resting place, but he refused. When he was getting too close in danger of turning into a vengeful spirit, I went to him myself. As much as I wanted to see him haunting the palace and your uncle, I could not let him endure such pain. I took him to see you in the western lands, hoping that after a glimpse of you, he would come with me. Still, he wanted to linger. In the end, I offered him this choice: exchange his eternal bliss in Elysium for an eternity of serving as my Advocate. Chikatani accepted."
Haku-Ō stared at Sesshōmaru and asked in a gentle voice. "Do you know why?"
Sesshōmaru could not even attempt to answer. That knot of uneasiness grew and expanded, cutting his breath short.
"So that he could watch over his young master," Kagome spoke up when he could not.
Haku-Ō looked at her and smiled. "The miko is correct."
Sesshōmaru could not bear it any longer. He turned around and walked away, pulling Kagome behind him.
Knowing how desperately Sesshōmaru needed to put distance between himself and Chikatani, Kagome did not resist. She followed him as far as he wanted to go. They crossed a small hill, trampling over the crimson spider lilies underneath their feet in their hurry to get away. When they reached the bottom of the hill on the other side, he finally stopped.
"It's a lot to take in, huh?" She asked him as they sat down together. The flowers seemed to have grown taller here, surrounding them in red curtains.
He gave her a brisk nod.
"Need to be on your own for a bit?"
He said nothing, but she knew the answer anyway. She raised herself to her knees and pressed her lips to his temple. Her chest warmed with pleasure when she noted he did not shirk away, but seemed to lean more into her kiss.
His hands cupped the rounded curves of her shoulders. Gently, he pushed down so their foreheads touched. Silky locks of silver hair spilled all around her face. For a moment, there were only the two of them. All their other troubles were a distant memory. The nerve endings at the places where he touched her sang with such reverberations that she nearly shuddered. The sides of her neck, her jawline, her cheeks. How could she feel so alive when she was dead? She closed her eyes, savouring the ache inside her chest.
Since when did each moment spent with him become an exercise in patience and restraint?
"I just… need a few minutes," he whispered. His warm breaths ghosting her ear.
She nodded. The tips of her fingers caressed the magenta markings on his cheek. These small gestures were becoming more and more familiar now. More precious.
"Take as much time as you need," Kagome told him and gave him another kiss on his forehead before she left him.
She traced her path back towards the direction of where they had come from. Looking around, she noted the Death God had vanished. Kagome imagined he must be one of the busier gods, with the entire realm of the dead to look after, and the mortals up above dying left and right every single day.
But, Chikatani remained. As soon as she neared the top of the small hill, she saw him standing not far away, fixating his eyes towards the direction of where Sesshōmaru was.
She stopped. A moment passed with them merely staring at each other without a word breaking the silence.
Prior to today, from the little tidbits Sesshōmaru had told her, Kagome had tried to envision what Chikatani was like. She never expected to meet him "in person", him being dead and all. Then again, she was too. Perhaps, it was not so odd after all for two dead people to meet in the underworld.
He was on the taller side with a lean, athletic build. His long locks of silver hair were weaved with braids. Chikatani was beautiful. Maybe she should not have been surprised. Although he was common born, he was an inuyōkai after all, and many yōkai seemed to possess as a sort of ethereal beauty. He had no crescent moon symbol, of course. His magenta markings were small and delicate: a pair of winged brushstrokes on the apple of his cheeks. He also moved with such lithe grace. Perhaps due to his training as a royal servant at the palace, which had to be rigorous.
Kagome knew he was an important figure in Sesshōmaru's past. And now, present. Perhaps one of the most important, second only to his grandfather. He would know everything there was to know about Sesshōmaru's childhood. And, if he had indeed watched over Sesshōmaru all these years, he would know everything there was to know about the enigmatic daiyōkai.
"Would you like to sit down?" She asked him once they were only a few steps apart.
He inclined his head in response. Together, they found a patch where no spider lilies grew and sat down. They could see the top of Sesshōmaru's silver head from where they sat.
"He needs time, doesn't he?" Chikatani asked softly.
"It was a big shock for him, as you can imagine," Kagome said as she pressed her knees to her chest. "It was for me too, but much more for him."
Chikatani looked down and smiled, his fingers idly tugging at a nearby stem of a spider lily.
"Prior to this, I have prepared myself, knowing he would not be able to accept me straightaway," he said. "Yet, in reality, no matter how much preparation I did, it is still… painful. I have been waiting to speak to him for a long time."
Seven hundred years he had waited, Kagome thought. It was a lifetime ten times over. She thought back to that strange moment when she caught Yami smiling after Sesshōmaru carried her and leapt over the river Styx, bypassing Charon altogether. She had mused it was so odd to see a servant of the Death God smiling when witnessing someone defying the rules of the afterlife. Now, Kagome realized: it had been the indulgent smile of a caretaker as he watched his charge's cheeky antics. Most likely, Chikatani had been proud to see Sesshōmaru finding the loophole so easily.
Chikatani turned to look at her, bringing her thoughts back to the present.
"Kagome-sama. I made the decision to involve you in this. Because of my plan, you died. You had to leave everyone you knew and loved. I am truly sorry."
She tried to summon anger. Indignation, at the very least. After all, this was the person who tricked her into dying. With the subjugation potion, he had rendered her immobile during the yōkai attack. It led to the fatal wound on her chest that killed her.
Yet, she could not. She did not feel even an ounce of pique, let alone rage. She lowered her lashes to stare at the cluster of spider lilies at her feet.
What would she have lost if Chikatani had not done what he did? There was a tremor in her chest at the mere thought of never seeing Sesshōmaru the way she saw him now, of never discovering the real him.
No, the death had been a gift.
"If you had not plotted the way you did," Kagome said. "You would have robbed me of the most beautiful experience I have ever had." She hugged her knees to her chest. "So, you see, I am not sorry."
Although Chikatani was smiling, somehow there was such sadness in his eyes when he looked at her. She wondered why.
"I just have a question…" Kagome said. "Why me?"
Chikatani nodded, as though he understood her need to know why.
"Sesshōmaru-sama does not surround himself with many allies and friends. He tolerates very few people as it is. It made my choices quite slim indeed. The most obvious was the little girl, Rin. He would chase after her to the afterlife, we all know that. After all, he had done it before. He would perhaps even go for Jaken-sama. But I knew, as much as he holds them dear, they would not be useful for him in a fight. Either one would be a liability for him."
Kagome nodded. "What about his brother, Inuyasha?"
Chikatani shook his head. "Though I did consider that option, I worried Inuyasha-sama and the young master would antagonize each other too much. You've seen how far Sesshōmaru-sama was tested when you were both facing Hunger. Had his brother been the one with him that time, with both their beasts rattling at their cages, I feared they would kill each other."
Kagome could not deny Chikatani's argument. Sesshōmaru was alpha to the core, and Inuyasha too had alpha tendencies. Her dog-eared friend had always viewed himself as the leader of their group, or pack. The thought of pitting the two alpha males in the extreme situations she had encountered in the underworld sent chills down her spine.
"I wanted someone with steadying influence on him," Chikatani continued. "And, at the same time, help him face the various challenges this realm has in store for him. You were not my first choice—"
"I was not?"
"No. I chose the slayer first," Chikatani admitted. "She is strong, courageous, and in possession of a level head. Those are all good qualities to have in fights. But, as soon as the battle with Naraku was over, she married the monk and conceived before I had the chance to do anything. The thought of killing a pregnant woman and then sending her and her unborn twins into the underworld with Sesshōmaru-sama…" He shook his head. "It is too diabolical even for me."
Sango had been pregnant with Kin'u and Gyokuto then, Kagome thought. If Sango had been chosen, there would have been three souls at stake. Three souls to be returned to the realm of the living instead of just herself. In more ways than one, Kagome was relieved her friend was not the one chosen in the end.
"The three years following Naraku's death was a strange period," Chikatani continued. "We hung back while I thought back and forth about who we should send to accompany Sesshōmaru-sama into the underworld. In the meantime, the slayer and the monk proved to be such prolific breeders. My goodness. She got pregnant again during that period. In the end, I did not have the heart to leave three young children motherless. I decided to leave their family alone and looked elsewhere."
"Did you consider… Sesshōmaru's mother?"
Chikatani nodded. "I did, but Sesshōmaru-sama would find that option most exasperating. Also, both the King and Inutaisho would have been on my tail for killing their daughter and mate. I was not prepared to face them. And, another reason that is even more important… Yōhime-sama is Zetsubōmaru's sister. There was a good chance she would recognize the scent of the subjugation potion before I could ensnare her in my trap. Our plan would fail again then. So—" He looked straight into Kagome's eyes. "That's when I thought of you.
"Truth be told, I never considered you a possibility until I recalled watching the two of you together inside Naraku's bowel. He protected you while you were unconscious. He even let you hold on to his fur." He laughed softly. "That was an adorable moment, by the way. And I thought… maybe." He stared at Kagome with a pair of eyes that seemed to hold crimson flame underneath the molten gold. "Just maybe, you could be the one."
Kagome nodded, but inside she felt hurt that she was not the first to be considered. Chikatani must have seen the disappointment that had shadowed her expression. He smiled at her in a soothing way.
"That is not to say I found you less strong, less courageous or less level-headed than the slayer. I simply considered her first. Also, because you were trapped in the Shikon jewel, then in the modern era and unable to return to Sengoku Jidai. It was impossible to consider you as an option back then. But, after I gave up on the slayer, I visited you many times in your era, following you as you went about your day, trying to decide if you were the right person for Sesshōmaru-sama."
"You were watching me, even back then?" Kagome stared at him with surprise.
Chikatani nodded. "By the end of the three years hiatus, I had a strong inkling you would be perfect as his companion. But— I had no way of bringing you back. The Bone-Eater's well had closed. There was a silver lining, however. During those three years, Haku-sama had become increasingly impatient to begin our plan, so much that he agreed to reactivate the well for the sake of your return to Sengoku Jidai."
"The Death God was the one who opened the well for me?" Kagome gaped in shock.
"You thought the portal reopened because you made a fervent wish to live in the past," he said. "But, in truth, it was Haku-Ō who made it possible. We just timed it so that it felt natural to you. Reopening the well was the only thing he did by his own hand in this entire scheme." He heaved a deep sigh. "In the end, you turned out to be perfect. You helped the young master tremendously through many trials. You held him together, sometimes only by a thread. For that, I cannot thank you enough. I wanted to help you both, and sometimes I did, though I could not go against Haku-Ō's wishes, and he had specifically forbidden me from interfering unless it was a matter of life and death for Sesshōmaru-sama."
Kagome's eyes widened with realization. "During our battle with Grief, you were the one who hurled those red shiny objects and stopped me from plunging that knife into Sesshōmaru's throat."
"Yes, I flung pomegranate seeds at your blade," Chikatani admitted. "You were about to do what the young master asked you to do: kill him so Tenseiga could revive him. I could not allow that." His expression turned grave. "Sesshōmaru-sama is about to fight the biggest battle of his life. He needs all the lives he could get. From my vantage point, I could see Inutaisho rushing to your side. And so I knew: though things looked terrible at the time, the two of you would be safe in the end."
Kagome nodded. "You also saved us with those pomegranate seeds when we were trapped inside Gaudia, right?"
"Yes." Chikatani smiled. "But I merely flung the seeds at Gaudia's body to awaken Sesshōmaru-sama. The rest was him."
"Then, you shielded him with your own body earlier…"
He chuckled lightly. "Because I ran out of pomegranate seeds." He shifted to stretch one long leg in front of him and propped a forearm on a bended knee. "That colossal creature was called Nosoi. Old age. With its tentacles it could inject poison into its victim's body that would induce rapid aging, followed by immediate death. You and I would be fine. But Sesshōmaru-sama, since he is still alive, would have been greatly affected. So— I had to interfere."
"Is Haku-Ō enraged that we have killed several of his creatures?"
Chikatani shrugged. "Another version of them exists elsewhere. They are ordered to destroy those who are wandering around in places where they should not be, so there are many versions of them scattered throughout the realm. The one Sesshōmaru-sama killed earlier… It was a bit of a failed experiment anyway, so perhaps it's a good thing that it met its end." He grinned. "Between you and me, Haku-Ō is more upset that Sesshōmaru-sama had killed his hound. He loved that beast as though it was his own child."
"Huh. If he loved it so much, perhaps he should not have sent it to do his work," Kagome grumbled.
Just then, a loud, unmistakable gurgling came from the direction of her stomach. Instantly, her cheeks warmed. She tried pressing her hands on her midsection, but the growling just got louder.
"Kagome-sama. You are hungry, aren't you?"
"Ah… After all the excitement from earlier, I suppose… yeah, I am a little hungry." Kagome laughed sheepishly as she continued clamping her hands on her stomach. "But the food—" She fell silent as she recalled the box Inutaisho had given her was destroyed during the battle. Earlier, there was no time to mourn it. But now, she felt its loss so keenly.
"It doesn't matter," Chikatani said. "Though I am certain the food Princess Yōhime's servants prepared for you was exceptional, I have something better."
Out of nowhere, he handed her a box. A red box. It was also still warm to the touch. The double golden arches were so iconic, she would recognize them anywhere.
Even in literal hell, under an eerie orange sky, surrounded by fields of crimson spider lilies, and accompanied by an inuyōkai who died seven hundred years ago and turned into an immortal servant of the Death God himself.
"Chikatani," Kagome said as she stared at the box. She could not believe it. It was simply unbelievable. "Did you just give me… a Happy Meal?"
"I'm sorry—" Chikatani looked at her with genuine concern. "Is fast food beneath you? I can pick up something else, if you prefer."
"Uhhh… no." She wanted to laugh out loud in amazement and wonder. "This is nothing short of amazing. But— how did you get this?"
"I went to the McDonald's near Ikebukuro station, the one by the west entrance."
"No— I mean…" She burst out laughing. "Wow, okay. I mean— How?"
"Ever since I became Haku-Ō's underling, I am no longer bound by time or place. I can travel to your modern era anytime I want."
"Yeah, this is definitely not food from here." She resisted the urge to hug the box. "It's been so long since I had one of these, it's almost a pity to eat it." She stopped to give him a look. "Can I keep the box?"
She saw laughter dancing in his eyes. "You know it comes with a surprise toy inside. Maybe keep that. I'd rather not let garbage lingering in the afterlife."
She began to open the box. The aroma of the food — grease and pure nostalgia, wafted up to her nose. She looked at Chikatani.
"Would you like some?"
"I no longer require sustenance," he said. "But even if I did, I would not take food from a starving woman."
Kagome would not tell him how happy she was that he refused. She made quick work of her meal, which meant she must have stuffed her face with cheeseburger and fries. Luckily, Chikatani was preoccupied with his own thoughts, and no one was watching her.
Afterwards, pleasantly stuffed, she sighed in contentment.
"Thank you," she said, patting her belly. She felt like she could go for another month without nourishment. "That was such a treat. It was very kind and thoughtful of you."
"I brought you here," Chikatani told her. "In that sense, I am responsible for your well-being. I did tell you something like that before, didn't I?"
Kagome nodded. "You also told me several times to go to the Pavilion of Judgement. Why is that?"
"So that you could be judged and earn your place in Elysium, of course, if you choose to take it," he said. "That is what most mortals want. To earn their place in the Isles of the Blessed."
A cold hand of dread reached into her heart and squeezed. The ache was so acute it was a shock her heart did not stop. A place in Elysium. True, most people lived their lives doing good deeds for the sole purpose of being granted passage into heaven. It would have been such a blessing, if she had wanted it. But not now. Not yet. She was desperate to be where Sesshōmaru would be: the living realm.
A flash of light appeared, like thunder and lightning in the distance. It prompted Chikatani to look back and, almost immediately, he started rising to his feet.
"The King is here."
Author's Note:
Sorry for the delay in an update. I had quite a difficult time writing this chapter, and I also got a bit sick in the end, which slowed down my progress. There was just so much information, I had to split the chapter into two (seems like the trend as of late). Hopefully this chapter does not read too much like info dump, and that some of your burning questions are answered.
Kagome is fed. Yay! Perhaps it should have been MOS Burger, since they are Japanese. But, as a parent to a young boy who asks for "Old McDonald" with a "surprise toy" almost every day, I could not resist. There's also the perverse joy of imagining Kagome enjoying this iconic fast food in the Death God's realm. However, the real reason for this tidbit is to explain that Chikatani is able to travel to Kagome's modern era, which expands our universe quite a bit. Perhaps with his help, Kagome could potentially go back to the future?
Here are some questions I aim to answer in the next chapter. I am using this as a mini checklist for myself to ensure I am not missing anything.
- What inevitable changes might push Zetsubōmaru to use Sokushi to unleash the wicked souls from Tartarus?
- What exactly does King Kaien want Sesshōmaru to do?
- What were the 'commands' Chikatani imposed when he used the subjugation potion? Is Sesshōmaru's feelings for Kagome real, or is it the effect of the potion?
- Why did Chikatani seem sad when he looked at Kagome?
- Why is it necessary for someone else to die for Sesshōmaru to reach the underworld?
- And the biggest question of all: will Kagome be able to return to the living world?
Do let me know if you think you know the answer to any of the above. Also let me know if there are still unanswered questions that are not in the list, and I will attempt to include the answers in the chapter, unless they are meant for later on.
As always, thank you for reading. Your feedback is extremely important — please leave a comment if you have an opportunity 😊
Until next time!
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