CHAPTER 1 - Castle in the Sky

It had been three years since Kagome shattered the Shikon no Tama and a lot had happened to her. Friends and foes, tears and laughter, adventures and simple days traveling the countryside; her life was not one of a normal eighteen years old. She had finished high school and decided to spend most of her time in the Edo world. She visited her family often but she did not have to worry about studying any more. She was free to travel with her companions for week on end.

Her adventures taught her so much and she was a bit sad that soon she would not have to travel from one side to the country to the other. She liked helping the people she met on her journey; and all of that would end when Inu Yasha would kill Naraku. The search for the shards was drawing to an end. Only three existed, two in Kagome's possession and one in Naraku's. They retrieved the shards from Kouga only a few days before with the promise to defeat the evil creature that hunted them. Kohaku was dead and rested in Sango's village next to his father's grave. With her heighten senses Kagome knew he was near. His barrier was weakened, and they thought that he chose this day to inviting them in for the final fight.

The dark castle was sitting on the tallest mountain Kagome seen. The mountain was made entirely of sharp cliffs, no vegetation grew around it for miles. The clouds were made of miasma giving it an even more menacing look. The smell of evil was omnipresent and made Kagome uneasy. Somehow, she knew something was off about this situation. Naraku had always used manipulation and perverse plans to steal her shards, why would he invite them so openly to a fight like this? No something was wrong.

- Something is not right guys. I don't know why but I don't like it.

- this is not the time to run scared, Inu Yasha said, don't worry ill kill him for sure.

Kagome envied his confidence. She gave a weak smile, unable to get rid of her bad feelings. Miruku and Sango gave her a smile back, feeling uneasy as well. But now was not the time for arguing. Rain soon started pouring down, hindering Inu Yasha senses. The smell of death was lingering, mixing itself with the rot and blood that painted the sinuous path up the mountain.

Reaching the top of the mountain they arrived at the hanyo's castle. The gates were open, no one guarding them. Kagome could feel evil in every corner of the place. I don't like it, I don't like it one bit. The group hurried and searched the castle, looking for the rest of the shard and Naraku.

Kagome entered one of the room, spacious and well furnished. A futon was folded in the corner and a broken mirror laid next to it. Kana's room maybe. She walked up to it to get a better look at it. The center was cracked in three pieces, giving Kagome a distorted reflection of herself. So much sadness was emitting from this room, her entire body was screaming for her to get out.

3 DAYS EARLIER

- Ah, I see you are awake, Tsubaki.

The dark hanyo spoke softly, watching closely the dark miko as she woke up from her long sleep. Reviving her took him weeks. It had been years since she died fighting Inu Yasha. She lost but still had the power he had been looking for.

- I am alive? How? Said the miko.

- Are you surprised? It was not that difficult. I need you for an important task, that is if you still want revenge on HER. A chuckle escaped his throat, a cruel smile on his face.

- I am not as powerful as I once were, Tsubaki admitted, the yokai trapped inside of me died the day of my demise, no thanks to you if I can recall.

- I will give you power, you will need it indeed. Ill give you a strong one.

- And what do you need me for? Another curse?

- Better, I want to turn her in a dark miko. Without her purification she cannot hurt me, she will be useless; easy to kill.

Kagome searched another room; this one was dark and smelled of incent. Herbs were drying on the wall, herbs she did not know. Kaede taught her the basics for herbal remedy and still she did not recognize a single one of them.

Advancing deeper in the dark she felt a presence, one she knew. Kikyo. She was lying in the room, unconscious. She is so beautiful, even like this. Kagome felt envious of the golem, her beauty was legend and compared to her she felt like a pale copy. Why is she here? What happened to her? She didn't want to call for her friends, she knew it was a bit selfish of her, but she didn't want Inu Yasha to see Kikyo, not now. She needed a few minutes to prepare, to see him care for the golem was painful.

Her gaze turned to the rest of the room. At the center was what she and her friend came for; the almost complete jewel laid there, as black as the night. Naraku was no where to be found but the jewel was there. Carefully Kagome reached for it, wanting to purify it. The shard she wore on her neck pulsing, wanting to fuse with the rest of it. To be complete. At her touch the jewel started glowing, the evil fighting back her purification. Pain entered her body as if lightning struck her. She could feel herself loose consciousness. Did Kikyo try to purify it as well? What was happening? So many questions on her mind but no answer for her to find. She slowly drifted into a slumber, alone with her thoughts, fears, and nightmare. Inu Yaasha…. Help.

In the corner of the room Tsubaki emerged from the shadows.

- Let's begin.