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.


The Way to Elysium

Chapter 31: His Flawed Soul


King Kaien's Elysium

The King's announcement plunged both Chikatani and Princess Yōhime into silence. For long moments, only the sounds of the waves and the howling winds were heard in his realm.

"My King," Chikatani finally said, astonishment palpable in every syllable. "Does Haku-Ō know about the false blood jewel?"

King Kaien looked quite affronted. "No, of course not."

Chikatani's face fell, looking a little faint. "Oh, my King. He will not be pleased to learn of this ruse."

Tilting his head to the left, the King smiled wryly. "Chikatani. Do I appear to care about what the God of Death thinks? There are reasons why he is kept in the dark. Everything I am doing is to ensure Sesshōmaru's success."

Chikatani inclined his head in deference. "In that case, my King, will you grant Zetsubōmaru's request to meet Queen Shirayuki one last time?"

The King's mien twisted with distaste, and he turned away. Chikatani observed in silence. He did not think it would be so easy to convince the King to allow such a meeting, but he had taken Princess Yōhime with him precisely for this reason.

As though sensing his thoughts, the female inu stepped forward.

"Father, I beg you," Princess Yōhime said, her voice softly pleading. "My son is not ready. As the one who has been training him, you know this better than anyone else."

The King turned back. His eyes revealed the struggle as he gazed at his youngest child. Then, torn and helpless, he touched her cheek.

"Yōhime, nothing good can come out of the meeting between your brother and your mother. I believe it will only break her heart more than it already has."

Princess Yōhime hesitated. Her eyes darted to observe her surroundings before she trained them back on her father.

"Where is Mother?"

"She has expressed her wish to be put under a sleeping spell until Zetsubōmaru is no more."

She nodded in understanding, even though the same question still nagged at her.

"But… where is she?"

Her father narrowed his eyes, intent on guarding the secret of his mate's whereabouts.

"Nearby," he said cryptically.

"May I see her?"

The King's eyes narrowed further still. "Not if you truly intend to raise her from slumber, only to fulfill Zetsubōmaru's wish."

Princess Yōhime's face looked pained, as though she was about to take on a difficult task. She placed her hand on her father's.

"Father," she prompted gently. "Think of what Mother would want."

The flinch on her father's face told her she had hit the mark. They both knew what the Queen would choose, given the option.

The King paced a little more under the stare of Chikatani and Princess Yōhime. Finally, when he had decided, he stopped and drew a heavy sigh.

"I will awaken her," he declared. His grave mien did not brighten even after he reached his decision. If anything, it darkened further. "Then, she can decide for herself if she would like to grant Zetsubōmaru's wish."


The Plains of Musashi

After she and Inuyasha parted ways halfway to the village, Kagome turned and made her trek back to the den. She found Rin, Jaken, and Ah-Un making camp not far from the cave a short distance away from her destination.

Chikatani was there too.

True to his promise, he was preparing Rin's new sandals, a beautiful pair with lilac straps to match her kimono. The young girl was naturally curious and full of questions, never having met anyone who had known her Sesshōmaru-sama for longer than Jaken had.

"How do you know Sesshōmaru-sama?" She asked.

"I was entrusted with his care when he was a young pup," Chikatani replied as he deftly measured the straps around her ankles and secured them to the base.

"Entrusted… by whom?"

"By his grandfather, the King of the Southern Isles."

Rin gaped. "Sesshōmaru-sama is a Prince?"

"In a fairer world, he would be."

There was silence as Rin mulled over the answer.

"So— how old was Sesshōmaru-sama when you first met him?"

Chikatani looked up and smiled at her. "I was present in the chamber when Sesshōmaru-sama's mother gave birth to him. So I have known him since the moment he was born."

"Huh? How old are you, exactly?"

There was a smile in Chikatani's voice when he answered. "Older than you, Ojō-san. Older than even Sesshōmaru-sama." After a brief and thoughtful pause, he added: "Though perhaps not as old as Master Jaken."

His laughter and Rin's swallowed Jaken's indignant stutters before the girl launched her next question:

"What was Sesshōmaru-sama like as a child?"

Kagome could not contain her smile. Of course, Rin would use this opportunity to learn more about her Sesshōmaru-sama. Her lord and master, especially his past, was shrouded in such mystery that she would not be able to resist.

Faced with the urgent question, Chikatani laughed again.

"That is a secret only Miko-sama, and I know," he said. And, as though he had sensed Kagome's presence all along, he turned just in time to spot Kagome emerging beyond the cluster of trees.

Rin hopped off the wood log she had been using as a stool and ran towards Kagome.

"Kagome-sama! Come look at my new sandals!"

The Miko bent down to admire the brand-new footwear. "Those are lovely, Rin."

Then, she leered at Jaken. "I'm surprised you've never outfitted her with a pair of these before," she said.

The toad yōkai launched into a defensive fit. "We've tried many times to put slippers on those feet," he retorted. "But that girl always ended up taking them off…" They all laughed, drowning out the rest of the grumbling.

Kagome and Chikatani left Sesshōmaru's pack to take their rest, as the hours had grown quite late, and she suspected he was eager to update Sesshōmaru on his discussion with the King and what their next steps would be. Thus, they walked together to the den, in silence at first, until Kagome asked:

"How was the meeting with King Kaien?"

"He agreed to awaken the Queen," Chikatani replied grimly. "But nothing more. He is leaving the rest up to her."

"Do you think she will agree to meet Zetsubōmaru?"

Chikatani sighed. "What mother would believe her son is truly evil? Of course, she will agree, if only to get the last chance to turn him around. It is not a wise decision to let them meet, and the King knew it, but it is the best choice we have."

They strolled quietly for another few minutes.

"Zetsubōmaru mentioned how this is all a 'test'," Kagome mused aloud. "What do you think it means?"

"I don't know." He filled Kagome in on what Totōsai said while she was inside the den, caring for Princess Yōhime's wound. The Miko's reaction was the same as the others: utter shock and complete bewilderment.

"What did he mean by 'flawed soul'?" Kagome's indignation seeped into her tone; she nearly shouted.

Chikatani shrugged. "When this business with Zetsubōmaru is over, I will speak to King Kaien about this. He was… rattled that we were making him awaken his mate, when we all knew it was not the best idea. I did not think it was good to heap more troubles on an already-troubled mind."

At the entrance of the cave, Chikatani stopped her.

"I wanted to express my felicitations on your union much earlier," he said gently. "But, as you know, there was no opportunity until now. So here it is: many congratulations on your recent mating, Miko-sama. When I picked you to be his companion on this journey, I had no inkling this is where it would lead you. Both of you. I may have said this before, but allow me to reiterate. I am glad it is you."

"Thank you." Kagome blushed and looked away. "Truth be told, it was only two nights ago that we became mates, and it felt like a lifetime."

"Many things have happened," Chikatani concurred. After some hesitation, he added: "There will be more trials, Miko-sama. Please—"

He fell into silence. His words had gained Kagome's full attention, and she turned to stare at him.

"You will… continue to be there for him, won't you?" He asked, his voice quiet.

A shiver coursed through her. A deep sense of trepidation settled in, and it refused to leave, like a winter chill that manifested into a sickness deep in the bones. But, the answer to his question was clear, and it had not changed from the beginning. Come what may.

Kagome nodded, and Chikatani seemed appeased.

Sesshōmaru was still deeply asleep when they entered the den. Even at rest, he looked fatigued. He must have pushed himself beyond his own limitations. Chikatani's eyes softened as he gazed at his former charge.

"Perhaps five more minutes," he relented.


Sesshōmaru was dreaming about that day again.

He was back at the palace in the Southern Isles, inhaling the sea breeze heavy with the scent of salt. His legs moved on their own accord, dragging him to that part of the palace he had never been before: Zetsubōmaru's quarters. In his dream, he knew he was about to be made to feel minuscule, frightened, weak, and worthless. He knew how this would end.

And he did not want to go there anymore.

As always, he stopped himself before he went too far. It was a memory he constantly told his mind to block, because the merest reminder made his body pump bitter bile up his throat.

That woke him up.

The first thing he saw upon rousing was Chikatani kneeling beside his bed. For a moment, he was transported back to the days of his childhood when Chikatani would awaken him with a gentle nudge on his elbow. But the scents that greeted him upon waking were not salt and brine, but earth and freshwater.

And Chikatani of today was vastly different from Chikatani back then. All for good reasons, perhaps.

"Chikatani," Sesshōmaru said, sitting up. "Why are you here?"

There was a regretful smile on his former servant's lips.

"Young master. My apologies for disturbing your rest when you so desperately need it. I have been sent to collect you and bring you to the King's realm. Your grandfather is about to awaken her mate, and you should join him. It is time."

Sesshōmaru and Kagome followed Chikatani to Kaien-Ō's Elysium, where the King, Princess Yōhime, and Inutaisho were already waiting. Without further ado, they set out to the mysterious location where the Queen lay in slumber. The King did not say a word about the whereabouts of his mate, and merely strode in silence along the shore. At first glance, it seemed like they would walk forever towards the horizon, treading the pristine white beach of the Southern Isles. Frothy waves lapped at their feet. Six sets of footprints formed on the sand as their small procession trod on.

Then, all of a sudden, the vista changed. Gone were the eternal blue of the sky and the sea, replaced by the jaw-dropping view of spiked rock formations that shot upwards, like jagged claws reaching high into the ether. Towering mountains, capped with snow, soared before them.

Kagome suffered from a series of sensations not unlike the effects of vertigo. She would have stumbled if Sesshōmaru had not kept her upright with a firm hold on her upper arm.

"This is…" She felt faint from the drastic change of scenery. The sudden rise of altitudes gave her heart palpitations and made her dizzy.

"The Northern lands," Sesshōmaru completed her sentence.

King Kaien and his mate had their Elysium side by side, conjoined. This was perhaps the only place where the North and the South might touch. One could have a foot on the soft sands of the Southern Isles and the other on the rocky terrain of the Northern Peaks.

While the King's Elysium still boasted the sun shining brightly in its brilliant blue sky, it was night in the Queen's realm. The vast differences between the two worlds could be described as such: like night and day. The Southern Isles was flat; its landscape was almost monotonous except for a smattering of rocky coves, while the Northern lands were dramatic with the various mountain formations that overlapped until they reached the distant horizon. Some of them were shrouded in mist, adding to the mysteries of the lands in the north.

When Kagome looked down, she saw the ground they stood on had been paved with large slabs of translucent white jade. They sparkled, mirroring the shine of the stars above. The path meandered, leading up to one of the towering rock mountains where a set of jade staircases were carved into its face, hugging the cliffside.

The King led them to the stairs, where each tread was wide enough for two people to pass side by side. The white jade reflected the moonlight, illuminating the path.

"What was she like?" Sesshōmaru asked his parents as they walked together up the jade steps.

Tōga gave a quiet chuckle and glanced at his son behind him. "The greatest beauty ever born to any yōkai breed, so they used to say," he said. "Let me put it this way... I never liked that particular law in which a common-born is forbidden to look upon a noble in the eye. But with the Queen, I am glad such rule exists."

The former General looked at his mate. "However, Yōhime, you have always spoken of her with fondness. She was a good mother, I believe."

"My father was the King," Princess Yōhime replied. "He gave us all the time and attention he could spare, but his main responsibilities were his subjects. My mother, on the other hand, lived for her children."

There was no railing on the side of those steps, so Sesshōmaru had made Kagome walked along the inside, against the face of the mountain. They let his parents walk further ahead as they lingered slightly behind.

"It explains why she pleaded with your grandfather to let her sleep until Zetsubōmaru is dead," Kagome said to Sesshōmaru as they slowly climbed. "It must be difficult for her, as his mother, to witness everyone plotting the death of a beloved son."

"Perhaps, but it does not bode well," he replied. "Her affectionate nature will urge her to succumb to his wish. What will Zetsubōmaru do to her once she is within his clutches?"

"His own mother?" Kagome blanched. "Really?"

Sesshōmaru smiled bitterly. "Hakuryū took his mother's eye at his father's behest. I do not doubt Zetsubōmaru is capable of doing much worse."

Upon reaching the staircase's top landing, they saw King Kaien had laid his mate's slumbering body inside a cavern constructed from identical glistening slabs of white jade. Green marbling ran through its length, giving the cave an emerald glow. A platform was build in the center of the cavern, almost like an altar.

And upon it, dressed in clothing that shimmered like pure silver, the Queen slept peacefully, and had been for several hundred years.

Queen Shirayuki did not look like any inuyōkai Kagome had ever seen, not that she had met many. And she had undoubtedly never met one from the Northern lands before. Her facial markings were black, for one, and the crescent moon symbol on her forehead lay sideways and upside-down, with the pointed ends aiming towards the silvery wings of her brows. Her long, lustrous silver hair fanned beneath her, cascading down the platform in soft waves.

King Kaien approached her side. At a glance, he did not seem to be doing anything other than placing his hand on hers, but as Kagome thought later on, he must have recited a spell that awakened her.

When her fair lashes fluttered and she opened her eyes, it was not golden that they saw, but the most brilliant shade of green.

The same shade as Prince Hakuryū's eyes.

Those green orbs found her mate hovering above her. There was a moment of tenderness as she reached up to touch his face, and he turned his head just slightly to kiss the tips of her fingers. And her first question as she gazed upon him for the first time since she slept:

"Kaien. Is it done?"

Kaien-Ō shook his head solemnly. "No, my mate," he said. "Zetsubōmaru lives."

Her green eyes flickered. "Then— have I not been awakened too early?"

"Yes," the King agreed. "But we have quite a conundrum on our hands, which requires your urgent attention."

He took her hand and gently helped her to sit up on the jade platform that had been her bed.

"Urgent attention?" She repeated.

Queen Shirayuki had the kind of beauty that would make one's heart ache. A piercing beauty, like an arrow shaft straight to the chest. The silver hair curled so becomingly down her back, reaching down her calves. The fabric of her clothing glimmered, as though spun from rays of moonlight.

"We are on the brink of war," Kaien-Ō said, squeezing her hand gently. "Your youngest grandson requires your help."

"Help?" Her eyes strayed from her mate's face and she scanned the cavern, finding Princess Yōhime and her mate, and several other foreign faces looking back at her.

The Queen's reunion with her daughter was sedate, yet heartfelt. They had not seen each other for centuries, but there had always been a deep understanding they would see each other again in Elysium one day. Princess Yōhime presented her son to her mother for the first time, with pride suffusing her expression and bearing.

"Grandson," Queen Shirayuki said. "Come closer and let me see you."

Sesshōmaru stepped forward and knelt in front of her. She drank in his features, and smiled.

"A beautiful son," she said, shifting her eyes to Princess Yōhime and Inutaisho. "My felicitations, Daughter. Tōga. 'Tis nearly a thousand years too late, but my heart is filled with joy, nonetheless."

"Another one who takes after Kaien." She said to Sesshōmaru: "Your mother was pregnant when I decided to leave the world of the living. I harboured a secret hope that you would inherit some of my features. But I see now, you are the spitting image of him."

Her eyes looked beyond Sesshōmaru's shoulders, and another little smile appeared on her lips.

"And a human mate as well," she said, nodding at Kagome when the miko bowed before she returned her attention to her mate. "Kaien. It is as you described. This union bodes well for the future."

When she looked at Sesshōmaru again, she added with a soft chuckle: "Still, I wished I could have seen you with green eyes."

"Hakuryū is the one who inherited your eyes, Grandmother," Sesshōmaru told her.

She did not rejoice. Instead, she appeared saddened. "Did he? Ah. So, my people possibly died knowing they were massacred by one of their own."

Somehow, even in her sleep, she had known the South had mobilized to take over the North. King Kaien must have kept her updated with the current events over the years.

"Grandmother, you said you decided to leave the world of the living?" Sesshōmaru asked.

She nodded.

"When Zetsubōmaru showed signs that his ambitions had exceeded what was natural, your grandfather and I made a plan," Queen Shirayuki explained. "We deemed Elysium was the best place to hide it, for only the dead or those with Haku-Ō's blessing can reach these fields. However, because your grandfather was a King with subjects who still needed him, we decided I should depart first and take the blood jewel with me."

She looked down and touched the center of her chest. "And here it has slept and was kept safe, until now." She returned her eyes on Kaien-Ō. "I assume Zetsubōmaru has realized the jewel we placed on Sokushi's blade collar is false."

"It seems to be the case," the King agreed.

Looking at him expectantly, she asked: "Now— what kind of help do you require from me?"

"Zetsubōmaru has agreed to not attack the Western Lands for the time being, in exchange for a meeting with you," he explained.

The Queen stiffened. Anyone could see the wish she harboured in the green depths of her eyes. Hope radiated from every pore.

"I know what you are thinking, my mate," Kaien-Ō said gently. "But I would advise against it."

"Kaien. If I speak to him—" the Queen insisted. "If I could get through to him, perhaps he would stop what he is doing and he would return—"

"My mate." Kaien-Ō's heavy sigh cut her words short. "I fear he has long passed the point of no return. I dread what he might do when you are placed in front of him."

His grim, stiff demeanour prompted her to rise from her platform, only to lower herself to her knees in front of him, her green eyes beseeching. Immediately, the King bid her to rise, and took her upper arms to raise her up, but she refused.

"If there is even the slightest chance that I can return him to the righteous path, I have to… I need to try," she pleaded. "Please, Kaien. Let me try."

Kagome watched the exchange quietly. She fully understood why the King was against the plan, even if the Queen fervently wished it. But— did they really have a choice in the matter, if they were to buy more time for Sesshōmaru to become stronger?

Was there anything she could do to help keep the Queen safe?

She ventured forward and lowered herself in front of the kneeling Queen, bringing her head down until it touched the cold slab of the jade floor.

"Grandmother Queen," she said. "With your permission and King Kaien's, please allow me to surround you within my reiki barrier. At the very least, it might protect you if you are in danger."

The Queen was amenable to it; anything that would let her see her son one more time. The King was less convinced, but both females stared at him, awaiting his decision while he could only look back at them with a helpless gaze.

At sundown, as previously agreed upon, Chikatani escorted Zetsubōmaru to Kaien-Ō's Elysium, where Queen Shirayuki awaited.

It was an occasion with many witnesses. If Zetsubōmaru had expected a private reunion, he was to be disappointed. However, as he approached his mother, he did not seem to think much on the audience. Not even once did his eyes stray away from the female inuyōkai waiting for him on the sand, just inches from the edge of the lapping waves. He spared no attention to anyone else, not even to his father.

When Zetsubōmaru neared, however, he sensed something was amiss. He stopped and extended his hand, testing the air in front of him. Immediately, he felt the barrier. It singed his palm and made his flesh sizzle. He stared at his hand, realizing that this was not a yōkai craft. His lips thinned into a slash of displeasure. And when he turned, his eyes found Kagome's straightaway, and she could feel her soul trembling. The weight of that one look nearly brought her to her knees, but she kept on standing.

She wished she was not the receiver of such venomous attention. But now that she had put herself in his line of vision, could she escape his future machinations?

The air around his hand seemed to ripple when he exerted his yōki to heal himself. That hand returned to its unblemished state within a blink of an eye.

He dragged his eyes away from Kagome and trained them on Queen Shirayuki.

"Mother." He stared at her, eyebrows rising almost in a mocking display of shock. "You let them put up a barrier against me?"

The Queen's eyes flashed with intense emotions. Sadness and regret mingled into one. She folded her hands demurely and squared herself.

"Can you fault their concern," she spoke. "Considering what you have done to your father, nephew, and even Hinamori — your own mate? Even as I slept, your father kept me appraised of your doings."

Zetsubōmaru remained silent as she gazed at him. Then, her chin trembled and she began to weep. The tears falling down her cheek glistened like beads of ocean pearls.

King Kaien shouted his mate's name when he saw her reaching out of the barrier and practically stepping out of its safety. Kagome grabbed Sesshōmaru's forearm, her chest clenching with fear when they all witnessed the Queen extending her arms to embrace her son.

"Zetsubōmaru, why are you doing this?" She whispered. "Tell me. Was it something your father and I failed to give you as a child? Did we not show you kindness, so you could show it to others? Did we not give you love so that you may love others?"

Before the widened eyes of the audience, Zetsubōmaru slowly lowered himself to his knees and embraced her in return, his forehead pressing against her abdomen.

"You have been kind to me," he said. "You have tried to nurture me to be the yōkai you and everyone else thought I should be. And thus, Mother, let me show you one last kindness… so you shall no longer be burdened by this cumbersome feeling called affection."

Claws sharpened and fully engaged, he jabbed his hand into the Queen's chest, reaching deep into her heart.

Kaien-O's enraged roar swallowed the Queen's gasp of pain and the squelching noises as Zetsubōmaru's hand roamed to search for the jewel inside her chest cavity. It did not take long — but long enough to cause damage — before the tip of Kaien-Ō's whip nearly licked his nose.

It would have cut off his hand at the wrist had Zetsubōmaru not retrieved it at the last second and leapt out of the whip's range. Kaien-Ō twined his whip around his mate's waist and fetched her to safety, shielding her behind his back.

The Queen staggered, the wound on her chest yawning large and black. She did not bleed, but her face twisted in tremendous pain. Princess Yōhime rushed to steady her.

"How sly of you, Father—" Zetsubōmaru said as he stood at a safe distance, amusement colouring his tone. "For replacing the jewel with a false copy. I never thought you were the scheming type."

He paused to stare at his mother standing behind the King's back with his sister, at the hole he had made on her chest. His eyes narrowed when he spotted the blood red jewel, safe between the King's fingertips.

"I see you have schemed again, and removed the jewel from my mother's body and out of my grasp," Zetsubōmaru said. "Well done, Father. You have distinguished my intentions quite well and planned accordingly."

"Hnn. Such high praise you gave me. Certainly—" King Kaien replied. "— I am nowhere as sly as you, my son, when you schemed to kill me with your subjugation potion."

Zetsubōmaru tilted his head a little to the side and smiled. "I was surprised then too. I did not think an old dog like you would've held on for so long."

"Had I possessed my usual strength back then," the King said, gripping the handle of his sword so tightly his knuckles turned white. "I would have killed you, and ended this abomination you have become."

Zetsubōmaru laughed.

"Father," he said when his amusement subsided. "Come now, cease your drivel. You have known from the very start that you are incapable of killing me, your flesh and blood. You would have ended my life years ago before I killed you, if you could. Is this not the reason why you rely on the half-blood mongrel to complete the task?"

Kaien-Ō's shoulders fell. Suddenly, he looked much older than his usually youthful, powerful appearance.

"Yes," he replied quietly in a deflated tone. "I wish I could end you myself, but I know my limitations. Even after everything you have done, and will do in the future, you are my son, and nothing can alter the fact. Your death… it is not something I can achieve."

Zetsubōmaru's eyes flashed with an unknown emotion when one particular word reached his ears.

"Limitations," he repeated. "Father, do you remember? Since I was young, you told me repeatedly that a great King should recognize his limitations."

"Yes, I remember," the King replied, his tone grim. "It is the key to understanding yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, so that your people do not have to suffer while you discover them through countless wars and battles."

"But you are wrong," Zetsubōmaru countered. "I believe a truly great King should know to overcome his limitations." Those golden eyes hardened. "I refuse to be held back by any limitations, whether they are imposed on me by nature, by my body, or my beast."

King Kaien's brows furrowed at the strangeness of that statement. The Queen too, released her daughter's arm to take an unsteady step forward.

"Zetsubōmaru. What did you mean by that?" She asked, her voice burdened by the pain. "Not being held back by any limitations… What are you saying?"

Her plea for an answer fell on deaf ears as her son's eyes returned to the blood jewel in the King's hands.

He moved speedily. His whip emerged and lashed out as quick as lighting. The green ribbon of energy licked at Kaien-Ō's fingers, and the blood jewel was tossed in the air. Time seemed to pass in slow motion as the two daiyōkai chased it, hands outstretched to capture it in their palms.

But, in the end, the one who plucked it from the air was none other than the Death God — Haku-Ō himself, arriving in a swirl of deep red. Closing his fist tightly around the stone, he concealed it behind his back.

The chase came to a standstill. Zetsubōmaru leapt back a few paces. Everyone was silent and wary, now that the master of the realm of death was here.

The Death God did not wait long before he took control of the situation.

"King Zetsubōmaru," he said. "We have fulfilled our end of the agreement. The Queen has been presented to you, and you have been given a chance to settle your accounts with her. However, you are now in danger of overstaying your welcome. So, I will risk discourtesy on behalf of your father and ask you to leave. Without the jewel, of course." A little grim smile played about his lips.

They all thought Zetsubōmaru would refuse, but he did not. He merely chuckled.

"It does not matter," he said, with an odd, serene resignation on his face. "I do not require the strength of the immortals to achieve my goals—" His golden eyes hardened when they fell on Sesshōmaru. "— when the weakness of the mortals is more than sufficient."

He shielded his face when the winds swirled around him, transporting him out of Kaien-Ō's Elysium and back to the living realm.

After Zetsubōmaru vanished, the Queen fell upon the sand and wept the tears of a broken heart. She cried with such bitterness that it was impossible for Kagome to feel nothing. Her own heart clenched with sympathy. The Queen herself knew she should not have exited the barrier, but as his mother, she must, risking her own well-being to bring her son back to the righteous side. Because, after everything was said and done, that heart was still a mother's heart. And just as Chikatani had said, it refused to believe her son was evil to the core.

Perhaps by reaching into her heart, Zetsubōmaru did do her a favour, Kagome thought, brushing away a little tear that escaped her eye.

"Is it really kindness, you think?" She asked her mate as she watched the Queen. Princess Yōhime and Inutaisho were with her, consoling her.

"I do not know if it was kindness," Sesshōmaru said. "But it is perhaps for the best. This way, she will no longer be under the illusion that her son will return."

Chikatani approached the Queen with some sort of root that looked very similar to a miniature burdock root.

"My Queen," he said gently, kneeling in front of her. "Please, chew on this. It will help with the pain, at the very least."

Queen Shirayuki accepted the offering and took it between her teeth, the pained creases on her face slowly disappearing when the healing effect of the root gradually permeated her body.

Meanwhile, the Death God and King Kaien stood face to face. The gleaming red blood jewel was still nestled within Haku-Ō's grasp.

"A false jewel on Sokushi, King Kaien? A bold ruse," he said in a low, quiet voice. "I do wish you had informed me of it. I detest being kept in the dark, especially when the matter concerns the realm of the dead."

"Your reason for involving Sesshōmaru in this ordeal differs from mine," King Kaien said. "I want my grandson to lead the yōkai into a peaceful future by coexisting with the humans. On the other hand, you want to prevent extra work that may result from Zetsubōmaru using the blood jewel to open the gates of Tartarus. We both used him as a spearhead in our endeavours, but for two very different reasons. If I had told you the jewel was false, would you have lent aid to Sesshōmaru by granting his wishes?"

Haku-Ō bristled at the point which the King had just made.

"No, I would not have," he admitted. "The Mongrel Prince weaselled six wishes from me. It is more than any Gods had ever given a mortal before."

"Be that as it may, you have sworn to him and sealed your oath by the water of the river Styx," Kaien-Ō reminded. "It is binding. You cannot renege on your agreement without dire consequences."

The Death God's expression fell somewhere between annoyance and amusement.

"Well played, King Kaien," he said. "I have no choice unless I wish to be dragged into the pit of suffering that is Tartarus. The oath stands."

"Then, the jewel." Kaien-Ō gestured towards the blood-red gem in the cusp of the Death God's hand. "What will you do with it?"

The immortal guardian of the death realm stared at the oval-shaped jewel, glowing red upon the center of his palm. So much power stored inside something so small. And so many wars and suffering were spent, and perhaps would be spent, on obtaining it.

He took a few steps towards Queen Shirayuki and, under her widened eyes, offered her the jewel.

"Here you are, my Queen," the god said. "Guard it carefully, for I doubt this will be the last time we see it."

Wordlessly, Queen Shirayuki took the jewel and clasped it against her breasts, and once again, it disappeared to take refuge inside her.

Then, with a swirl of deep red and a sprinkle of sand, the Death God disappeared, his departure as inconspicuous as his arrival.

Seconds after Haku-Ō left, Kagome turned to Chikatani.

"Why did he give the jewel up?" she asked. "If he was so concerned about it being used to open up the gates of Tartarus, why not take it back into his possession and guard it himself?"

Chikatani fell into pensive silence.

"The blood jewel was entrusted to the inuyōkai thousands of years ago by the Death God of the olden days," he slowly explained. "When Gods die, they are reborn again and again into a different version of themselves. That Death God and this Haku-Ō are one, yet they are not the same. Haku-Ō does not have memories of his past lives. I think… he believes there was a specific reason why his predecessor bestowed the blood jewel to the first inuyōkai King, even if he could not remember it. He is returning it to the Queen to ensure that reason, whatever it is, can be fulfilled."

"Which means… Haku-Ō believes the jewel still has a role to play sometime in the future?"

"Something like that." Chikatani smiled ruefully. "What it is, we do not know. The future is not so easy to see. And, like I told you before, it is fluid, constantly changing. So, all we can do is prepare for anything and everything."

"That does not reassure me," Kagome commented darkly. "Not even one bit."

That earned her a mirthless laugh.

"Miko-sama," Chikatani said. "I serve the Death God, a harbinger of death. My presence in general is not meant to be reassuring."

The foreboding feeling remained.


Afterwards, Sesshōmaru and Kagome returned to the living realm. Princess Yōhime and Tōga as well, especially since her pale complexion, and the red stain on her chest where her stab wound was, had alarmed her mate. She had pushed herself too far when her internal injuries had not yet fully healed, and he had urged her to rest in her palace.

Chikatani was about to depart also when the King called him back.

"Chikatani. Stay awhile. I wish to speak with you."

The former servant turned and stayed.

"Tell me how Sesshōmaru's Bakusaiga broke," Kaien- Ō said.

"I was not present to witness it, my King," Chikatani replied. "But, Inutaisho's old swordsmith, who provided the metal for the blade, announced that its breaking indicates a flaw in Sesshōmaru-sama's soul."

The King's brows burrowed into a thunderous frown. "A flaw in his soul?"

"That is what he said."

The grim line of the King's mouth conveyed how troubled he felt inside. He whirled around and paced. When his mind could not conjure a satisfactory explanation, he turned to his mate who stood nearby.

"What do you think, my Queen?" He asked.

The Queen thought for a moment, pursing those pink lips in a quiet contemplation. "Perhaps… not a flaw in the most obvious sense," she said hesitantly. "All children are born with a soul that is pure and true. However—" she paused. "The soul… it can be tampered with."

"Tampered…" King Kaien mulled over that one word before he stared at Chikatani again. "Search your memories, Chikatani. Anything in Sesshōmaru's childhood that might point out a clue as to the root cause of this flaw in his soul? Any incidents that could have resulted in the tampering of his soul?"

Chikatani inclined his head.

"When Sesshōmaru-sama was born," he spoke. "My King, you knew full well how precarious the situation was. Even without the crescent moon symbol on his forehead, some still considered him a threat. You stationed guards day and night in front of the young master's chamber to stop anyone who might try to assassinate him. Then, throughout his life, I never left the young master for a minute longer than what was necessary to do my tasks to care for him. I —"

The servant suddenly stopped. If it was possible, his pale skin acquired a deathlier pallor.

He fell onto his knees. His fingers were buried in the sand to the knuckles.

"One afternoon," Chikatani began to speak again, his voice quivering. "The palace kitchen that had always operated under a strict schedule like clockwork was somehow late. I left Sesshōmaru-sama by himself longer than usual while I picked up his luncheon. When I returned to his chamber, the young master was not there. I tracked him down and found him… in Zetsubōmaru's room."

"Zetsubōmaru's?" Mightily alarmed, the King's brows knitted into a thunderous frown.

Chikatani swallowed and nodded. "Zetsubōmaru held the young master down on his knees—"

"Enough," the King said, lifting his hand, perhaps out of consideration for his mate's more delicate sensibilities.

"Chikatani," he said grimly. "Bring my grandson back at first light when he has had a little more rest. Then, we will settle this 'flawed soul' business once and for all."


At first light, just as Kaien-Ō ordered, they were back on the shores of the King's Elysium — except for Princess Yōhime. Because of the excitement earlier, her wounds had started to bleed again, prompting Inutaisho to persuade her to stay in bed and recuperate. Kagome thought of joining her mother-in-law to apply more of her healing power, but one look at Kaien-O's grim expression made her believe Sesshōmaru might need her presence more.

The two daiyōkai stood facing each other on the beach.

"Sesshōmaru," the King said grimly. "I grow weary of these futile exercises, as they showed no significant progress since we began to spar together."

The hardening of Sesshōmaru's gaze was the only indication of how he bristled inside at his grandfather's words.

"Are you giving up?" Sesshōmaru asked.

The stiffness of his bearing seemed to add: On me. That was what he truly wanted to ask: Are you giving up on me?

"No," Kaien-Ō replied calmly. "On the contrary. I vow to never stop until we solve the mystery of your so-called 'flawed soul'. However, I cannot deny I might have been easy on you thus far. Starting today, I will no longer hold back."

Sesshōmaru arched a brow. The King had been holding back?

"I have no sword except for Tenseiga," Sesshōmaru said, pointing out the obvious.

King Kaien drew his sword and tossed it away, letting it fall onto the sand with a heavy thud.

"Now we both have no sword," he said. "But we will spar nevertheless."

They hovered over the ocean while their spectators stood on the beach, watching them battle. Without their swords, they fought with their whips and claws. Green and turquoise sparks ignited each time their iron-like talons clashed. Wisps of silver hair fell into the sea when the tips of their green acid lashes licked at each other's heads.

It went on. Then, with only the power of his yōki, the King summoned Orochi, his eight-headed dragons. They rose from the ocean, dripping, surrounding them in hot vapours. Sesshōmaru waved in and out between their necks, dodging their attacks. He slashed repeatedly with his claws, lashed out with his whips, although soon after it was evident all those things were powerless against the massive formations.

The King watched for several minutes of his grandson's struggle, until he lost patience.

"Sesshōmaru. Is this truly all you can do?!" He shouted angrily before, with one slash of his hand, he commanded not one, not two, but four of the dragon heads to descend upon Sesshōmaru. The mass of water and yōki fell upon him, plunging the younger daiyōkai deep into the water.

Their mission accomplished, Orochi reverted into beads of water that returned to the ocean. Kaien-Ō floated back to the beach and landed on the sand, but Sesshōmaru had disappeared into the sea, and he never resurfaced. They all waited and watched for a break in the water, but its surface remained calm. Not even a single air bubble emerged.

"My King," Toga said after a few beats of silence. "Did you just… kill my son?"

The King scoffed. "Even if he died, he would be resurrected by virtue of his arrangement with the Death God, would he not?"

Toga looked momentarily at a loss for words. "Well. Yes, but…"

The Queen caught the distress on Kagome's face, and a certain glimmer of understanding emerged in the green depths of her eyes.

She turned and said to the King: "Perhaps a little consideration for the mate, Kaien."

It prompted the King to look at Kagome, and his expression softened considerably.

"Do not worry, Granddaughter," he said, patting her hand with a hint of affection. "I will fetch him from the bottom of the ocean myself if need be."

Kagome tamped down her ominous, bad-luck thoughts and placed a hand on her chest, searching for a sign of Sesshōmaru inside her. The vibration of his soul had dimmed, true, but she could still feel him. He was… strangely at peace.

"Give him another moment, please, Grandfather King," Kagome said. "He is rousing."

Come on, Sesshōmaru, she nudged him inwardly. You are so much more than this.

Deep beneath the ocean, Sesshōmaru stared at the sparkling light filtering through the water, casting a myriad of rainbow colours.

It is beautiful.

His eyes felt heavy. He was sinking further and further to the bottom of the seafloor. As he slowly lost consciousness, his mind tried to take him back to that hateful moment. He was too exhausted to resist, and thus he closed his eyes and let himself follow, buoyed by the flow of memory that took him to revisit that time.

When Sesshōmaru stepped into the room, his uncle's cold amber gaze lingered on the crescent moon insignia on his forehead before sweeping him from head to toe.

"Such a tiny, insignificant thing ," Zetsubōmaru murmured softly, lips twisting into a moue of distaste. "I suppose I cannot blame you. After all, what could be expected from the spawn of a thief and a whore who lifts her tail for a common-born?"

He opened his hand and gestured for Sesshōmaru to come closer. "You never had a chance to begin with." He tilted his head slightly to the left and continued to stare with those chilling amber eyes. "And you never will."

With his eyes closed, Sesshōmaru could see himself so clearly: a child. Weak, powerless. Held down on his knees as his uncle prepared to make him perform the unimaginable act.

Those last few words kept repeating inside his mind: 'You never had a chance to begin with. And you never will.'

And you never will.

Something inside him was trying to break free. He could feel it, yet there was a chain tethering him, keeping him grounded. His mate's voice resounded in his mind.

Come on, Sesshōmaru. You are so much more than this.

His eyes flew open, the gold shining brightly amidst the blue of the ocean. That something inside him began to pulse strongly, the ripples growing more powerful by the second. The floodgates of his memories opened up, and he suddenly realized what had been holding him back this entire time.

Never… will?

The moment the chain that shackled him to Zetsubōmaru's subjugation command broke, immeasurable energy rushed through his body. Like a dam breaking, the flood of power was unbound, unimpeded. It suffused every fibre of his being, singeing his fingertips. Hair standing to attention, his skin crawled with the currents his humanoid body could not contain.

An overwhelming desire to transform engulfed him. The beast was howling somewhere inside, pawing with impatience and excitement. It rattled at the cage, begging to be freed. He surrendered to the wish of his beast, letting the current of his yōki flow through him, channelling through every part of his body.

He leapt out of the water, feeling the heat that travelled all over his limbs, soothed only by the air that caressed him between the strands of his mane. The wind howled as he gradually transformed. Seagulls cawing, flying overhead in a massive flock. Even the ocean stirred. He felt enormous power snaking up his front and hind legs, settling on the base of his spine as he arched up to the sky, his long muzzle touching the clouds, and he roared.

The force of his roar reverberated through this realm and beyond. He levitated over the water. His giant paws not quite touching the surface of the ocean. The winds strengthened, whipping across his silver-tipped white mane. Everything felt… different. Sharper. Things were moving slower. Even the waves of the ocean seemed to sway in slow motion.

He had never felt like this before. All his senses were ablaze. It was as though he saw the world in colour for the first time.

He had been focusing on his newfound powers and the internal sensations they brought forth, he did not even notice the presence of others on the beach. Yet, it took his beast only a brief moment to recognize they were kin.

His grandfather and grandmother. His father. His caretaker and long-time protector. And…

His mate.

Kagome could not contain the one tear that fell down her cheek as she witnessed Sesshōmaru's transformation.

"Magnificent." Kaien-Ō breathed next to her, and she could not agree more.

The old Sesshōmaru had been an impressive beast. But this true form of his — the one he was denied for centuries — was splendid. Gloriously majestic. Larger, his frame nearly filled her view of the horizon. His mane was longer. The twin tails rose proudly in the backdrop, swishing defiantly against the force of the wind.

Now, he is the way he has always meant to be.

Beside Kagome, the King picked up the sword he had hurled onto the sand and launched himself, levitating above the ocean in front of Sesshōmaru.

When Sesshōmaru saw his grandfather approaching, he reverted to his humanoid form.

The ocean stirred once more, beads of water rising up to form massive columns of vapours and water — eight of them. When the King's Orochi barrelled toward him, for the first time in his life, Sesshōmaru knew precisely what to do. The palm of his right hand had been crawling with power, itching to be unleashed.

When his fingers curled around the handle of his sword, something inside him clicked into place. Something he — at one point — thought he had lost forever, never to be reforged.

And now, here it was: Bakusaiga. Not only good as new, but better. He could feel its full power snaking up his arms. His true power, which he should have possessed from the beginning, had a certain daiyōkai not interfered and placed him under the influence of a subjugation command for seven hundred years.

Never will.

That fateful day, with his subjugation potion, Zetsubōmaru had imposed not just one command, but two. He had commanded Sesshōmaru never to rise to greatness. Never to succeed. Never to win.

Every single failure he ever experienced was replayed back in his mind. All those foolish, senseless decisions that made him wonder afterwards: Why did he do it? Why?

Obsessing over his father's sword when the obvious answer was to amass his own strength to reach his goals. Hunting Inuyasha down, over and over, to the point of getting his arm cut off and nearly losing his life. Falling into Naraku's trap and accepting the human arm embedded with the Shikon shard from that maniacal hanyō.

Letting Kagome — his soul mate — go when his beast was desperately fighting him to be with her?

Sesshōmaru clenched his teeth. Damn you, Zetsubōmaru.

Never. Again.

He swung his sword with a mighty roar, and the ocean in his grandfather's realm obeyed his command. A massive wave appeared behind him, spanning miles across and reaching several stories high. A tsunami made of water and pure energy, with jagged bolts of turquoise lightning striking within. The gargantuan wall of yōki and the sea combined barrelled passed him to engulf Orochi easily, drowning all eight heads of the dragon, reducing them to nothing but their origin: water.

And beyond the tsunami, he waited. Then, at exactly the right moment, he charged forward, his twin tails billowing in the winds behind him. This body felt light, and he wielded it masterfully as if his soul and his beast had waited for this moment their whole lives.

His grandfather saw him coming. He swung his sword, meeting the King's blade. And when the two collided, the force of Sesshōmaru's attack shoved Kaien-Ō all the way back to the beach. The King grunted and fell to his knees, stabbing his sword into the sand to halt his hurtle.

For the first time since Sesshōmaru took up the sword against Kaien-Ō, many nights ago when all he wanted was to bring Kagome back to life, he brought his grandfather down to his knees. To his knees.

The audience could only gape in amazement. Kagome had her hand on her lips, tears brimming in her eyes, chest filled nigh to bursting with pride. The King looked surprised to find himself overturned, but pleasantly so.

Chikatani, grinning widely, turned to her.

"Miko-sama," he gushed. "You need to also be prepared."

Kagome was stunned. "Prepared… for what?"

He laughed. "They are always… ah, how should I say? Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed after an accomplishment like this. Be ready."

Kagome could only stare. Confusion, trepidation, and uncertainty mingling inside of her.

Again, be ready… for what?

Kaien-Ō had risen to his feet and brushed the sands off his knees. He must have heard Chikatani's warning, because he gave Chikatani a gently chiding look.

"Do not frighten her unnecessarily," he admonished.

"There is no need to be frightened," Toga advised, a little mysterious smile on his lips. "The most important thing is to not run away."

Kagome was beyond confused. Thankfully, Queen Shirayuki gently took her in hand and ushered her away from the males who were not being helpful.

"For an inuyōkai, the attainment of another tail is a momentous achievement," she began to explain. "It is a marked occasion that is worthy of celebrations. The beast will want to preen and feel its mate's approval and admiration. In short, it will want to show off its newfound power to the only soul it cares about: you."

Understanding began to dawn. Kagome's mouth was suddenly dry, but her heartbeats accelerated with untold excitement. "And… exactly how will it show me, Grandmother Queen?"

The Queen's eyes twinkled as a comely blush suffused her cheeks. She looked so beautiful, with her eyes glittering like a pair of bright emerald sun. She placed one elegant striped hand over her lips and tittered. Suddenly, she appeared as young as a girl who was about to have her coming-of-age ceremony. Perhaps because she recalled her experiences with her own mate.

"It will be passionate," she told Kagome. "It will be fierce and primal. But you need never be afraid of your mate's beast. It lives and dies for you. Never doubt that."

Sesshōmaru knew everyone was watching him, waiting for him to return to the shore, but he needed some time to soak up this moment. He stared at his hands, still quivering from the taste of his full power.

I have always had this much power inside me? He could hardly believe it, but there it was, suffusing the very fabric of his existence, soaking him with it. Every fibre of him was still vibrating from the aftereffects of his transformation. His skin still crawled from the excess energy his body now hosted. It was more power than he had ever known before.

All those times when he was so frustrated, thinking it was not enough... Now he understood why it was never enough. Somehow deep inside, he must have known there was something just beyond his grasp, lying dormant, just waiting for the exact moment he would break free from the tether to reclaim his true, full power.

The course of his entire life thus far was steered by the four damning words Zetsubōmaru had uttered: And you never will.

Jaws ticked, he clenched his hands into tight fists, and renewed his vow to never be held down again.

The sun was rising when Sesshōmaru walked on the water towards the beach. The bloated yolk of the sun loomed large and bright behind him, casting a golden sheen to his hair of silver. His newly born weapon was secure in his grasp. His Bakusaiga was no longer limited to taking the form of a sword. Made of pure yōki, it was incorporeal, capable of manifesting into the shape of anything he wished it to be.

For now, he wished it to be just as his old Bakusaiga had been; the weight of it felt perfect in his hand. Later, there would be time to test what else he could do, and what other forms his yōki could take. Later, he would take it to even greater heights.

For now, he was satisfied to have his old sword back. It was a reminder of what he had been, and how far he had come.

The moment his feet touched the sand, they all came to him.

Kagome watched her mate striding back to the shore. He looked taller. The breadth of his shoulders wider. His new tail, as long and lush as the first, looked so right on him. Seeing him the way he was now, she could not imagine him any other way. The pride and joy she felt inside made her tremble. It was so much, she felt like she could implode at any moment.

"It was a seal," Sesshōmaru explained upon joining them. "That day, when Zetsubōmaru lured me to his chamber with the subjugation potion, he commandeered me at the same time to never amount to greatness."

"A seal on your soul that lasted for seven hundred years," Kaien-Ō surmised grimly. "It explains why Zetsubōmaru ignored the western lands for so long. He knows full well that while you are under his potion's power, you are unable to rise against him."

"This is the test he spoke of," Sesshōmaru said. "He wished to know if I was strong enough to break from his influences. To prove I would be a worthy adversary for him."

"And he has been waiting," Toga added. "For you to come into your true power. Because deep down, Zetsubōmaru's wish is to battle the strongest being. Ever since you were born, he had the premonition that it would be you."

The sound of a suppressed sob had Sesshōmaru fixated his eyes on his former caretaker.

"Chikatani," he said. "Why do you weep?"

Chikatani fell onto his knees and executed the perfect bow, his forehead touching the sand.

"Sesshōmaru-sama. I have been waiting for more than a lifetime to see you the way you are now. I am overcome with joy to have witnessed your glory with my own eyes."

He looked up; his golden eyes still glimmered with tears.

"To think that all this is because of the events of that day," he said. "Sesshōmaru-sama. How can you ever forgive me? It was all due to my carelessness. If I had not left you on your own —"

"Zetsubōmaru would have found another way," Sesshōmaru gently interjected as he bent down to clasp Chikatani on the shoulders and help the servant to stand tall again. "I was not the only one who suffered that night. You paid with much more than tears and blood yourself."

Chikatani shook his head. "And— how far did the subjugation potion affect the Young Master? How deep did it go? Enough to make him subconsciously sabotage himself and his progress by chasing after Tessaiga?"

No one had any definite answer.

"Worry not about what has passed," Kaien-Ō wisely advised. He looked at Chikatani, then at Sesshōmaru. "Cast your eyes towards the future. This is a day for joy, both of you."

Tōga smiled knowingly at his son, jutting his chin towards the woman waiting patiently not too far away.

"Go and celebrate," he said. "With your mate."

When Sesshōmaru laid his eyes on her, their connection was instantaneous.

Kagome felt his touch even before he reached her. His yōki swished through his being, reaching out to her, caressing her skin, and her own energy rushed to respond in kind.

"Can you feel me inside you, my mate?" He asked when he finally stood within an arm's reach.

His rich, baritone voice had always inspired something inside her. Now, its power was amplified. Suddenly weak in the knees, she had to plant her feet firmly in the sand.

Perhaps she should have simpered and blushed like a decent female would. The way he worded his question insinuated intimacy that should be reserved for behind closed doors. But, she could not even bring herself to care. His presence filled her vision, her chest, shoving thoughts and considerations for others out of the way.

Kagome licked her lips, breathless. That piece of his soul was pulsing inside her; the link between them was stronger than ever. The weight of Sesshōmaru's gaze on her made her excitement rise to a feverish pitch. The hunger in his eyes was undeniable. His beast was so close to the surface, she could feel it pawing at her.

"Yes," she managed to say. "My King."

Sesshōmaru's eyes flared with heat before he scooped an arm around her waist and, with a gust of wind and swirling white sands, he transported them both out of Elysium.


The Kingdom of the Southern Isles

It happened during the routine court assembly. The King was sitting on his imperial seat, listening to the reports from his ministers, when he suddenly straightened, looking quite… quite stirred.

"He has finally broken free," he said, his voice echoing in the stillness of the hall, much to the bewilderment from the rest of the court. His courtiers and ministers gave each other strange, confused looks. Who had broken free? What is the meaning of the King's words?

He ignored the court's soft, puzzled mumblings and began to laugh. His excitement engulfed the palace in tremors. The wooden posts and rafters groaned, and the hall shook from the force of his yōki as he clamped his fist on his lips and tempered his delight into a dark chuckle, while the rest of the court erupted into urgent, fearful murmurs.

The Crown Prince Hakuryū watched his father's ominous glee for a moment before he silently turned to walk the long passage of the assembly hall that would take him outside to the courtyard.

"Where are you going, Ani'ue?" Prince Kanemaru called out just before his brother reached the door.

Prince Hakuryū stopped just long enough to give his father and Kanemaru a brief glance from the corner of his eye.

"To train," he simply said.

He continued walking, taking himself out of the assembly hall and the palace complex. Once he was outside in the open air, he broke free into his beast form and galloped along the shores towards the military base camp in the east.

So, he has finally broken free.

Now that the remaining Prince had awakened, the war they had anticipated for seven hundred years would finally begin.


Author's Notes:

The scene where Zetsubōmaru applied his subjugation potion on Sesshōmaru was taken from Chapter 12 : Penthos (Grief) — Part 1. I am happy we have reached this point. It is a personal milestone for me.

My mother-in-law inspired me to write the Queen, with her unwillingness to give up on her son (not my husband, but rather his brother), and her unwavering belief that her son could not and would not do anything bad, no matter what proof is presented to her. I think it could be a good trait for a mother to have, but at a certain point, one does have to look at things objectively and accept the truth.

Sesshōmaru now have two tails and armed with a new and improved Bakusaiga (yay!). I hope the resolution of the "flawed soul" mystery and his transformation were satisfying. It has been burning inside me for a while and I'm so happy to be able to write it out.

I have recently finished outlining future chapters for this story, and I am happy to announce I sort-of know where it is going. I have written the outline up till chapter 50, and the story is still not finished… So— that is like… two more years of commitment, if not more? I hope you will stick with me till the end :)

Thank you so much for reading! As always, reviews and comments are greatly appreciated, and goes a very long way to motivate. Please drop me a line or two if do you have a chance. Until next time!