Chapter 18: Origins

The barrier bent and compressed around her, sucking the air out of her lungs. Haruto's grip on her wrist lessened, then disappeared entirely. Kagome emerged from the barrier with a soft pop, stumbling to catch her balance and her breath. She spun on her heel, squinting in the dark at the apparently solid wall of the cave as Sesshomaru appeared a second later, and Kagome watched in fascination as he emerged from the rock. Sesshomaru looked unperturbed by the trip through the barrier, and casually swept a few loose strands of hair back over his shoulder. He stepped forward, pausing to offer Kagome his arm, which she gratefully took.

They followed Haruto and Hikaru through the twisting tunnels, eventually coming out into a massive cavern. High above them, sunlight streamed in through a gap in the mountainside, illuminating a stone pedestal with a basin resting on top. Upon entering the cavern, Haruto hung back, his blue hair prominent against the shadows hugging the walls. Hikaru paused, peering over her shoulder at Sesshomaru and Kagome with appraising eyes, then walked towards the pedestal. Sesshomaru stopped as well, and Kagome hesitated, unsure if she should continue approaching the dragon matriarch or remain by Sesshomaru's side. She released her grip on Sesshomaru's arm, catching his gaze and giving a quick bow of her head.

"Why are we here, Hikaru-sama? Could we not have had this conversation at the palace, or where we met?" Sesshomaru asked coolly, his voice reverberating off the cavern's walls.

"I have been long wary of the palaze walls. Here, I know friend and foe," Hikaru said, looking pointedly at the prince. She looked back into the basin, a single clawed finger tracing its stone edge.

"If I may, Hikaru-sama," Kagome's voice wavered, but she took a breath and steadied herself, "I understand that you may wish to speak with Sesshomaru-sama, but why did you wish to speak with me?"

"Kakedashi, all will be clear. Come," she beckoned once more, skin glinting in the meager sunlight and casting twinkling spots of light around the dark cavern. She waited until Kagome and the reluctant Sesshomaru came close enough to see inside the basin. The murky liquid inside swirled as Hikaru's claws dragged through it.

"My tale is long, for I have much to tell. You will not weary of a story, I hope." Her voice took on a hypnotic tone, and the liquid in the basin kept swirling even as Hikaru withdrew her hand. In the middle of the cloudy fluid, a single spark of light emerged; Kagome inhaled sharply, her brows furrowed in confusion, her gaze flicking from the small stream of sunlight peeking through the gap in the mountain and back to the basin, which was undoubtedly emitting a bright light at its center.

"In the beginning, only existed dark and light. And silence." As Hikaru spoke, the light condensed, then exploded outward, filling the dark liquid with specks that looked like stars, but still the light remained, brighter and higher than all the others. "Below the light, the heavens formed. The dark sank, heavy and thick, until it became our earth. In the heavens, the Kami appeared." Hikaur's words became real in the basin's surface, a dark orb forming below the great light. Undefined figures appeared above the dark sphere of the earth. "They looked at earth so empty and dark and shared their light, filled earth with beasts and treez and humans. The silence was gone."

Another explosion of light, and the shapes of all kinds of spirits spilled forth. "Spirits filled the void, filled the beasts, the trees, the great waters, until all were filled with light and life. Beautiful, but fragile, you see. But not all spirits were good, not all peaceful. Some sought deztruction, and these, they thrive on fear, elicit mizfortune. They crave the darkness, and cover the light." Dark forms emerged from the edges of the image, swallowing many of the spirit forms, leaving them contorted and dark. Only a few remained untouched, Kagome noted, including a dog and a dragon.

"Only the strongest survived darkness. Only the strongest rezist the call of rage and hate. Thiz is where my tale, my own tale, it begins. Many centuries ago, my family resided in another land- my father and muther were blessed with strength and longevity and sight, my muther especially. She saw the many great things would happen in our world, even those yet to come. I have only fragment of her power, her skill. Still, what I see, I muzt tell, Kakedashi. And I saw a world overcame with shadow and hate and emptiness, spreading from the heart of this empire to cover all others." The image in the basin shifted, showing a map of the empire, the mountain ranges, the coasts, the valleys. And just as Hikaru said, a pinprick of darkness appeared, thick and black and quickly growing to swallow the entirety of the empire, then the lands across the seas, even lands so distant that Kagome had never seen them before on maps or charts.

"Thiz is why I lead my clan to a new land, why we seek agreement with Inukouji so long past. We saw, and we wait, and we prepare for the grim future ahead. Thiz is why you are important, Kakedashi, why we summoned you to the palace."

"You summoned me?" Kagome blurted out, her voice breaking the mesmerizing sound of Hikaru's storytelling. Her thoughts whirled, trying to catch up with her mouth, and attempting to make sense of what Hikaru was telling her. "I thought the Emperor–"

"We ensured you come, summoned as part of Touga-zan's search for his son's wives." Hikaru's abrupt revelation left Kagome in a stunned silence.

Even Sesshomaru seemed taken aback, his golden eyes distant and his brow pinched in confusion and concentration. Regardless, he set his features with stony determination, and, ready to hear the rest of Hikaru's tale, he firmly said, "Continue."

"But, Sesshomaru-sama–"

"Higurashi," he fixed her with a pointed look, and Kagome pursed her lips tightly before turning back to Hikaru.

Hikaru's buttery-yellow eyes wrinkled in bemusement before she continued. "The malignancy we saw had one chance of salvation. One hope for light. When spirits of old became tainted with the darkness, they either cede and submit to power of the dark or withstand it. For the weak spirits, or any touched by darkness, the go through a cleansing, a calming– for centuries, this has been called as Chinkon, the Requiem. The Requiem awakens the light within, it burns away the darkness and the fear." Again, the murky liquid lit from within, a weak candle in an endless night. Unlike before, there was no explosion of brightness; instead, the faint glow grew steadily and slowly to fill the image with light. Images of spirits burst forth, no longer stained and contorted. Hikaru's clawed finger, ever-trailing around the lip of the basin, stilled, and the image disappeared as the liquid turned clear as the purest water. Hikaru lifted her hand away from the basin and met Kagome's eyes.

"Arigato-gozaimasu, Hikaru-sama, for the story, but I still don't understand," Kagome formed her words slowly, trying to wrap her thoughts around everything Hikaru had revealed. A quick look at Sesshomaru showed he was also deep in thought.

"I know, Kakedashi. I know not evrything as well. I can only show what I see, and I have seen your face."

Inuyasha roamed the halls looking for Kagome. He hadn't had a chance to talk with her in the past couple of days, and he- he wouldn't go so far as to say he missed her- he enjoyed her spirit and her liveliness; already this morning several of the women at the palace had cornered him, trying to get his attention. His poor nose had gotten so overwhelmed by the excessive perfumes and oils that he jumped straight through the ceiling of the room he was in. His old man would have quite the lecture ready for him when he returned, but for now- Ah! There it was! Kagome's sharp, sweet scent lingered in the air on one of the many verandas. He followed it outside, and from the direction he guessed she had gone to the stables. The Ice Prick too, by the smell of it.

He started walking, wondering where Kagome could have gone on horseback. Probably the spring. Heck, she'll probably be furious that I never came back after I got called away. I didn't even see her at dinner that night. I hope she's okay. The thought that she might be hurt, or mad, or ill, worried him. He had left her alone in a secluded wood- and with her attitude, that wench could stir up trouble anywhere. Another, deeper, inhalation confirmed that she was perfectly healthy, alleviating a little of Inuyasha's worry. His feet hit the gravel path, intent on–

"Inuyasha!"

Kikyo's soft voice washed over him, and he stopped in his tracks, his ears perked up at attention. Turning back towards the palace, he saw her, a vision of refinement and grace so unlike himself, and he melted into an easy smile. Already his thoughts of Kagome drifted away, replaced by another.

Thanks for reading everyone! We'll see you next chapter (: