Kagome blinked. She had heard of Seshoumaru doing some fairly cruel and terrible things, but never something like this. Usually he didn't steep so low as to destroy a human village for no reason, and even if he did, it was usually his toad Jaken who ended up doing the actual destroying. "You're positive it was Seshoumaru who destroyed your village?"

            The glare Chiara turned on her could have frozen molten earth, "Long white hair, tail over his shoulder, stoic no matter what the situation brings? I know who Seshoumaru is…what did you say your name was?"

            Kagome gave her an equally flat stare, "It's Kagome."

            Chiara nodded thoughtfully, "Right. Well Kagome, let me fill you in on a bit of history. Seshoumaru wants his father's fang, which is currently in the possession of Inu-Yasha. Seshoumaru cannot hold that fabled fang however because he is full demon and will certainly not wield it in defense of a human. That is why he sought me out. It was many years ago, and I was a young Enchantress at the time. We Enchanters have nothing as you define magic. We can instead enhance or manipulate things around us. Seshoumaru wanted me to enchant one of his arms so that it would be human enough for him to hold the Tetsusaiga, and thereby take it from Inu-Yasha. However, I knew what he would do the moment he took that fang, so I refused, and drove him away with the aid of my fellow Enchantresses. Though we are few, we are very powerful in large numbers."

            Kagome nodded in agreement, "So you think he may have destroyed your village as revenge for your refusal to help him?"

            Chiara stared at the ground beneath them, refusing to show her tears, "I don't think that it is out of his power to do such a thing. I am a gifted Enchantress, one of the strongest in many years. Without my help it is certainly possible for him to defeat my spell-sisters and then the village."

            Inu-Yasha had propped himself on a cushion to listen, as Miroku prepared some more tea for the group. "So you came to me hoping I can help you kill my brother?"

            Chiara turned to him, a murderous glint in her eyes, "No, Inu-Yasha. I have better plans for him. I don't want to kill him. That would be too easy. I want him to suffer. Not just physically suffer I want him to emotionally suffer. I want him to feel every ounce of pain and sadness I feel every time I wake up in the morning. I want him to taste despair like water reaching his lips. I want him to be so desperate that he would do anything to stop the torment, and believe me, I have a means of doing it."

            Kagome shuddered at this woman's words. She believed every word of it, even if Inu-Yasha did not. What strange powers did this woman really command? She could sympathize with Chiara's pain, but not with her means. She could also sense the Shikon shard imbedded in Chiara's chest, increasing her already potent powers. She said nothing though, that shard seemed more useful where it was.

            The young Enchantress forced a smile, "I'd do such a thing myself, but I lack the ability to defend myself against Seshoumaru alone. That is why I sought you out. Though you are weaker than he, I can make you stronger through the use of my enchantments; possibly strong enough to turn the tides of a battle. Know this though; to help me is to walk my path of vengeance. If we choose to do this, if we decide that this is the right course of action, then there is no turning back."

            Inu-Yasha sniffed angrily, "Weaker am I? I'll have you know that I defeated him the last time we fought. Cut off his arm I did." He beamed proudly.

            Chiara scowled at him, "All the good that did, fool. You surprised him is all you managed to do. Seshoumaru is no dimwitted run of the muck demon he will find a way around the fact that you hold Tetsusaiga now, even without my aid in enchanting his arm. When he does, he will butcher you as he did my son."

            Kagome stepped between them. "Enough! Inu-Yasha, stop being a child and go rest if you can't find a point to agree with her on, and I'll finish this conversation with her. She needs our help, and frankly, I'd breath easier knowing that Seshoumaru and his goon squad weren't breathing down our necks every ten minutes after that damn sword of yours."

            Inu-Yasha made a move to retort, but clamped his jaws and turned away from them. "Yeah," he yawned, "Sleep sounds better than dealing with a pair of stupid girls."

Kagome crossed her arms across her chest, "Inu-Yasha."

He turned back and yawned, "Yeah what?"

"Don't make me use the S-word."

Inu-Yasha squinted his eyes angrily and grumbled as he slipped into his bedroll.

Chiara shot an angry glare in his direction, but turned to Kagome, and slipped on a forced smile.

            "Is he always so charming?" Chiara inquired drawly.

            Kagome grimaced, "Unfortunately so. It's the side of Inu-Yasha that won't quite grow up."

            "I see…so my revenge rests on the shoulders of the reincarnation of a dead priestess and a half demon with the disposition of a child…so much for seeking the Gods' favor."

            Kagome fixed an angry stare on her, "You want me to be more reasonable? You're hardly giving me a reason to start."

            Chiara's eyes revealed nothing, "Very well. I apologize. Now, on to business; you may want to waken the monk and get Inu-Yasha out of his dog cage."

            "Why so?" Kagome inquired.

            The Enchantress turned to a nearby window, "Something is coming. I can feel its life force. It is out of sink with the rest of life's enchantment in this area."

            Kagome blinked, "What does that mean?"

            Chiara sighed irritably, "It means that I sense a demon coming this way. Please waken Inu-Yasha so that he can be ready. I dislike having to use the few spells I know that can damage things, as they are hard to control."

            Kagome was about to round on the arrogant mage, when she turned to get Inu-Yasha instead. Arrogant or not, they could use her help as much as she could use theirs. Avoiding conflict was more desirable than starting it.

            She shook Inu-Yasha's shoulders with one hand, and grabbed his haori with the other, "Wake up, Inu-Yasha…something's coming, and we'll need your help."

            The demon blinked at her sleepily and rolled over, "Let Miroku deal with it."

            She glowered at him, "Fine then, have it your way. "Sit bo…"

            Before she could finish her command, his hand clamped over her mouth, "Alright, alright. Fine." He yawned irritably. And slipped into the offered haori. He unsheathed Tetsusaiga and brushed the sleep out of his eyes.

            Chiara glanced in their direction and shook her head irritably. With a wave of her hand and a few muttered words, the candles in their room abruptly flared out. Everyone slipped into a darkened corner, and fixed their eyes on the paper-thin door. They had been talking for so long, Kagome hardly noticed that the sun had gone down and that the outside was dark, save their candles. In eager silence, they waited. Kagome shrank further into her corner when she heard the door began to slide open. She heard Inu-Yasha shift a bit, probably into a better stance to attack the intruder.

            A small figure slipped into the door. A long staff clutched awkwardly in its stubby arms. It shuffled very quietly across the floor, approaching one of the bedrolls. Ever so quietly and quickly, it raised the staff high, and brought it down onto the middle of the bedroll. Again and again, it stabbed downward, until finally satisfied it pulled back the covers, to find them empty.

            Suddenly, it was on the ground, Inu-Yasha's sword against its throat. It gargled in a voice that sounded familiar, and flailed angrily with its staff. Suddenly, the light reappeared, as Chiara waved her hands once more, and the ugly face of Jaken greeted her, beneath the deadly blade of Inu-Yasha.

            The toad squirmed in his grasp, "Unhand me, pup! Take your paws off me, before my Lord Seshoumaru comes and beats you like the weakling you are!"

            Inu-Yasha grinned sadistically, "Well well, if it isn't the toad himself. What makes you think my brother will come save your sorry hide, Jaken?"

            The toad gulped, "My lord Seshoumaru may be cruel, but he will surely help his noble servant Jaken."

            Inu-Yasha laughed, "Hardly. Your faith is very badly placed, Jaken. So, what brings you to my humble abode? Certainly not for some tea and biscuits with us? Why'd you stab that bedroll? Answer truthfully or frog's legs are for dinner."

            Jaken squirmed more wildly now, "My lord Seshoumaru told me to come here and kill you if I could. Tetsusaiga is not rightfully yours it belongs to my Lord Master. If you give me the sword, I might let you live, halfbreed."

            The mad glint reappeared in the dog youkai's eyes, "As though I fear the likes of you? Don't make me laugh Jaken."

            Before Inu-Yasha could press his advance on the toad, Chiara stepped closer. Jaken's eyes widened at the sight of her, "You…you're supposed to be dead! How did you survive my Lord Master's assault?"

            Chiara's eyes could have shattered diamond, "I survived to avenge my son, toad. I will avenge him, I promise you that." She placed a hand firmly on Inu-Yasha's arm. "Release him Inu-Yasha, I have a better idea for his use rather than killing him this day."

            Inu-Yasha snarled and looked to Kagome for her insight. She nodded her head slowly, much to his surprise. With a growl, he backed off of the fallen toad, and allowed him to straighten himself.

            Chiara bent down and stared into the toad's eyes from inches away. "Now you listen very carefully, worm. Go tell your 'Lord Master' or whatever you call him that Chiara of House Wisewing is coming for him. Tell him to watch his back, and check his bed for knives every evening. Tell him to get tasters for his wine. My touch can reach everywhere. Tell him that I will make him pay for what he's done, on my honor as an Enchantress. Blood will pay for blood." She stepped back. "Now leave before I change my mind and let Inu-Yasha have a midnight snack."

            Inu-Yasha twirled the sword playfully in the background and snickered in the toad's direction. With a yelp, Jaken bounded out the door, and vanished into the night. His shuffling could be heard a ways into the distance as he scrambled through the dense undergrowth.

            Inu-Yasha eyed the blade in his hand thoughtfully, "Chira…"

            She whirled around and placed her hands on her hips, "Yes?"

            "This vengeance you spoke of. Will it keep Seshoumaru from ever coming after us again? You're sure that it will stop him forever more?"

            The Enchantress nodded slowly, "Aye, that is what I plan to do, yes."

            The dog demon nodded thoughtfully, "Then I agree to help you. I will aid you in this path of vengeance. I won't do it for you though, I'll do it for the sake of the quest Kagome and I share to gather the shards of the Shikon jewel. At first light, we'll head towards the Western Lands, and confront my brother."

            Chiara nodded in agreement, "So begins our path of vengeance, and my journey to full circle with Seshoumaru, murderer of my house."