Sanctuary
Author's Note: Hey all! Sorry for the delay, I've been in the country and we don't have internet connection there… since we just bought the place. It's so quiet, and it goes so well with the whole 'meadow' part of my story! ^-^
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SesshouMaru seethed as he felt Kagome's fear pierce through him like a spear. He felt every emotion and every sensation that Kagome was feeling at that moment. Feeling proud that Kagome never gave up, even through her fear, he himself worried for her safety.
'That's it koi, just keep it up, I'll be there soon' he said through their link.
On the receiving end, Kagome was surprised at first, but soon smiled and felt safer. She somehow hoped Naraku hadn't noticed, unfortunately for her… he did.
"So, SesshouMaru-sama and his so called 'brother' are coming, are they?" Naraku taunted. " We'll see about that"
'Come soon, Sesshou' Kagome thought as she dodged more of his cheap tricks. 'I don't know how much longer I can tolerate his Miasma'
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Meanwhile, InuYasha sensed a horde of youkais gathering in the skies, slowly moving towards them. They were of various sizes, shapes and levels. Most were relatives of past enemies both InuYasha and SesshouMaru fought.
'So, he's hiding behind revengeful youkais, huh?' InuYasha thought.
" Naraku's called in reinforcements!" he yelled, disgusted at Naraku for hiding behind youkais of lesser power.
"Looks like we've got some of our own!" Kouga said as he saw a pack of wolves and Inu youkais in the distance.
Led by Miroku and Sango who were riding on Kirara; Mariko, in her controlled youkai form, flew behind keeping the army straight and ready for action.
" Come on then!" InuYasha said impatiently, half worried for Kagome, half-ready to rip out Naraku's head.
Kouga pulled him back by his collar and slowly shook his head. He faced SesshouMaru and let InuYasha go.
" What now?" he asked, and slightly ticked InuYasha off.
" They are not about to attack," SesshouMaru observed. " They're sizing us up."
"…So if we attack first," Kouga said hesitantly. "They will just send more?"
"Hn," SesshouMaru nodded.
As Miroku, Sango and Mariko arrived with the army, they stood, no more than 60 feet away from the horde. Sango nearly broke into tears as she saw her village emblem being worn by one of the insect youkai, and nearly fell as she finally saw the person leading the horde into battle.
" Kohaku…" she cried softly, her voice cracking up. Her own flesh and blood, her beloved younger brother had been 'saved' by Naraku by implanting a shard on his back. Kagome had long ago told her that she was going to postpone retrieving the shard to keep him alive just until she could figure our a way to take it without him dying.
Sango turned away and wept into Miroku's arm. She had not expected, well, yes did expect to see Kohaku during the battle, but she had not expected him to lead it.
'Either way…' she thought sadly. 'One of us is going to die'
That thought saddened her deeply, and not even knowing that she would die anyway did not make the pain any less painful.
' It'll be swift and painless…' she thought. " Kami-sama bless and watch over you."
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SesshouMaru fingered the Tetsusaiga sheathed on his hip. It was pulsing softly as if knowing his master's beloved was in danger. He watched as the little ningen eyed him and grew weary. Kohaku raised his arm and jerked it down. The horde behind him seized at the army and the battle began.
Keeping the army at bay, SesshouMaru waited for the right moment to start. As the horde came closer, he started a countdown. '5…4…3…2…'
With lightning fast reflexes, he unsheathed the Tetsusaiga, revealing a large 7' long fang. It's aura penetrated through the horde and obliterated most of the front line, leaving nothing but decaying corpses. The army behind him charged at the remaining hundred dozen.
InuYasha was busy helping Mariko, while Miroku began to vacuum the smaller youkais along with larger ones. He had to stop and combat them hand to hand once Naraku's wasps began to attack. He had come prepared and he knew who to ask for help. Sango stood five feet away from her brother, tears streaming down her face.
"Kohaku…" She said softly. " If you can hear me… Gomen Na sai"
Suddenly, the boy's face contorted with pain, as if he was battling his way to the surface. His eyes transformed from the dark lifeless shells to bright violet.
" Onee…san… please…." He sobbed. " I won't have control much longer!"
With that, Sango choked, sobbing as he brother smiled serenely and gratefully. He fell limply to the ground, whispering comforting words.
" Thank you"
" Kohaku…"
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SesshouMaru continued to fight his way through the youkais with a combination of his venomous claws and the Tetsusaiga's cutting wind, oblivious to the kind of dangers Kagome was in.
Kagome was continuing to defend herself from Naraku's miasma, as she began to recall Midoriko's words. She was to be even stronger the holy woman herself.
'How is that possible?' she wondered. ' I can barely defend myself from Naraku'
As she thought of the situation with more depth, she began to worry and doubt herself. ' Is it possible that Midoriko made a mistake?'
She was holding up just fine, but the certainties weren't that clear. She had no clue how long she would stay 'just fine'. Doubt and fear soon took over her mind, two deadly ingredients and one extremely hopeless combination.
Naraku felt her doubt and decided to use it to his advantage. He began to feed her doubts with mental images of her in failing situations.
*What if? * He taunted softly, hiding his voice in the background of her mind. *What if Midoriko only thought you were strong enough? *
*What if… you can't handle the power? *
*End up killing everyone you love? *
Slowly, Kagome began to lower her shields, her ears only hearing Naraku's taunting and her mind filled with pictures of her friends, dying or dead.
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SesshouMaru felt Kagome's defenses weakening and his heart clenched with worry. He fought his way through the horde, towards the small palace in the distance.
As he entered the structure, he had to admit that Naraku had possessed a man with good taste. Bonsai grew everywhere, covering empty spots not taken by Sakura trees and various colorful flowers and aromatic herbs. It had reminded him of home, once it was still under the care of Lady Yumemaru.
" I see Naraku was right about your arrival," said a familiar feminine voice.
Turning around, SesshouMaru was greeted with a face from the past. Dark long hair and uncaring eyes faced him, reminding him of the reason why he and InuYasha had been feuding for the past century or two.
"Leiko," SesshouMaru spat out, as if he tasted bitter herbs. "What an unpleasant surprise."
The woman glided towards him, a scowl on her china-doll ivory face.
"I'm flattered you remember your dear Mother."
SesshouMaru watched her cautiously, slowly circling around as she moved.
" I thought I had banished you out of the Western lands," he said smoothly.
" You did, and last time I checked," she said as she looked around. " This little land belonged to my husband, the Late lord, now Naraku."
" So you know about your 'husband' being possessed," SesshouMaru stated, not surprised to know that Leiko reveled in the fact that Naraku took over the ningen.
" I was right to throw you out," SesshouMaru sneered. " You are nothing but bad news."
"Thank you." Leiko said smiling.
She took one of the rakes used to design the gravel and took to offensive stance. SesshouMaru stood calmly, waiting for her attack.
" You think you're all that, SesshouMaru? Think again!" she screeched.
Unknown to either of them, InuYasha stood by the doorway, his mouth agape, and his sight never leaving Leiko.
" Did you ever think of InuYasha's welfare during your plan to take over the Western Lands?" Sesshoumaru asked. " It's the law for me to shun him, since he was your son!"
" My son?! Do not jest!" she said disgustedly. " Of course I did not think of him! I consider hanyous an abomination! All things ningen are disgusting, even my outward appearance!"
"So why even have me?"
Leiko turned around and blinked. She scoffed and walked towards him. Smiling, she replied," I needed a brat to tell InuTaisho that it was his."
InuYasha didn't bother to turn to SesshouMaru. His gaze never left Leiko. " Go to Kagome."
" I'll take care of Leiko."
" Are you positive? She is-"
" No, whatever memory I had of Okasan, it was always Lady Yumemaru. This is just a revengeful onna without a heart."
Leiko began to attack, and SesshouMaru nodded, flying towards the inner sanctum of the palace, leaving InuYasha to learn the truth of his past.
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Kagome found herself in a garden in the middle of the palace. The Southern Wing of the palace, unseen by the battle up front were in shambles.
"What am I doing here?" she wondered out loud.
"Waiting for the battle to cease. I cannot have a completed jewel without my general." Naraku said, as he came out of the shadows.
" Kohaku," Kagome whispered.
Naraku nodded and sat beside her. Kagome tried to flinch but she found herself immobilized and extremely lightheaded.
" The strangeness will pass soon. Once the jewel is whole again…" he started, then looking up, he narrowed his eyes. " SesshouMaru"
He sprung to his feet and held Kagome's body in his arms, a blade in hand.
" One false step, and I shall have her pretty neck sliced," Naraku threatened. " You, of all people know I would."
To prove his point, he cut a superficial wound in Kagome's neck. Enough to draw blood, but not enough to cause any harm.
SesshouMaru blinded with worry and fear for Kagome, he calmly and emotionlessly stopped moving.
" Put the Tetsusaiga down"
SesshouMaru complied, gritting his teeth. Naraku smirked arrogantly as he trapped SesshouMaru in a ball of his miasma and let Kagome fall to the ground. " Such weaknesses you lords have. Goodbye"
Kagome felt helpless as she heard his last words. " Aishiteru, Kagome"
SesshouMaru may die
" NO!"
A bright light encased her body and she began to levitate from the ground. Her immobility gone. The battle stopped as both the horde and the army stopped to stare at the light protruding from the ground towards the sky. Some of the youkais in the horde, close to the palace were boiling form the inside out.
'Kami-sama! It's Kagome!' Kouga thought proudly.
As the light diminished, half of the horde was left weakened, and Kagome stood proudly between Naraku and SesshouMaru, dressed in armor similar to SesshouMaru's. Her hair was half up in an elegant bun, while the other was flowing loosely towards her waist.
Kagome opened her eyes and revealed her beautiful silvery-blue eyes. She lifted her arms, and to Naraku's surprise, the shards of the Shikon began to glow from his haori and flew towards her open palm.
Sango, who was on the verge of burying her brother, screamed in surprise as he floated towards the palace. Kouga, Miroku and Mariko followed in pursuit as she ran screaming for Kohaku to stop.
InuYasha, who had just ripped Leiko to shreds found her face flickering, and finally return to being an empty shell, like Kikyou. A miniscule part of the jewel, on a green brooch began to fly towards the shattered part of the palace.
"What the hell?" he asked as he followed the brooch towards the gardens.
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The group stared in awe as Kagome pieced the jewel together, purifying the whole thing. The jewel glowed a healthy shade of light pink and began to hum.
Kagome closed her eyes and concentrated.
'Come on…' she thought. ' Do it for Mama, for Souta! For Ojisan! InuYasha! Yumemaru, Okasan, Otousan, Kouga! Shippou, Rin, Miroku, Sango, Mariko! Do it for Sesshou! Keep him alive!'
Her transformation froze Naraku in place as he realized the depth of his situation. A large black and white Inu replaced Kagome as the purplish light faded, the Shikon in its mouth. With a flick of her neck, she swallowed the jewel whole.
SesshouMaru stood in place watching Kagome proudly. InuYasha took Mariko to safety and shielded her body with his. Sango and Miroku took shelter behind one of the pillars as Kagome unleashed a purifying wave of lavender colored light.
The army found themselves stopping in surprise as the horde they were fighting suddenly disintegrated leaving nothing but ashes that were cleaned away by the soft breeze.
Kouga and the rest of the group opened their eyes and found themselves in top condition.
" Where's Kagome?" Kouga asked.
" And SesshouMaru!" InuYasha asked in worry.
They both noticed the large pile of ashes and a small piece of gauze. InuYasha bowed his head and hoped that SesshouMaru was somewhere close by.
"Let's go look for them!" Mariko said. " Its not like SesshouMaru to just run off! Even if it is with his mate!"
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SesshouMaru opened his eyes and found himself in a large flowering meadow.
" Ohayo, SesshouMaru"
He turned around and found himself staring at Midoriko. He stood there, speechless as she smiled at him.
" What am I doing-"
"Kagome has unleashed her powers." Midoriko said proudly, but sadly. " I knew I chose right, but I'm afraid she granted one too many wishes."
SesshouMaru stared at the holy woman, still in shock.
" She is far to generous," SesshouMaru said finally. " But I love her none the less."
Midoriko smiled sadly. " She… doesn't have enough energy to nurse herself back to health."
SesshouMaru blinked. "No… she's strong… she can"
"Even the most strongest person cannot escape death," she explained. " Her decision was made with love. She chose your life over hers."
SesshouMaru closed his eyes and felt tears streaming down his face. He hadn't cried in decades, but he knew why. He hadn't loved in decades.
"Can… can I save her?" he asked.
" Do you love her enough to?" Midoriko asked.
" More than she can ever know," he whispered. " I'll do anything, if I can just have her back…"
Midoriko smiled softly. "So find her."
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Once the woman had left, SesshouMaru began to search every corner of Kagome's mind to find her Sanctuary. He thought of the first place that she had shown him and went to the shrine, only to find an empty building with still figures.
He rested his head on the Goshinboku tree, and felt himself crying once more.
' Please, Kagome… I don't want to lose you'
He closed his eyes and heard water. As he opened his eyes, he smiled seeing the gardens of his castle. Turning around, he knew where to find his beloved.
Inside the cave, laying over the skins was Kagome. Her hair was tangled, just like the first time they had spent the night together in his sanctuary.
'No…' he thought. 'Our sanctuary'
He knelt down beside her and laid next to her, draping his arms around her lithe figure. She opened her eyes and smiled as she found herself in her lover's arms.
" How-" Kagome was suddenly cut off as SesshouMaru kissed her deeply.
" Aishiteru, now and forever, Kagome." He whispered. "I will never let you go"
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"I found them! " InuYasha yelled. "Ew, SesshouMaru! You're in somone else's caslte! At least wait until you're at your own!"
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Author's Note : Lol! There's one more chapter, then you can say yay!
