Hey there minna-san! ^^ Yep, I'm actually back with another chapter, though I offer my deepest apologies for making you all wait. In fact, I come bearing bad tidings…the delay will be even longer until after June! *cries* I have exams coming up, and it's very unlikely that even my family will get to see me very often over the next few weeks. Also, I have a feeling that the last thing I'll want to see after all that writing is a computer screen begging me to start forcing my brain to work. *overworked brain turns to mush* Anyways, to answer Deptford Pink's question, I don't usually have too much time to write, but try my hardest to update as often as possible. However, my CCS readers have been waiting for an update since August of 2002…*sweatdrop*

Well, in any case, that's all the rambling I have to do for this chapter! (And what a lot of it there is….)

On to the story! …is what I'd like to say, but here's the obligatory disclaimer, which is one of those necessary evils in this world.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Therefore, life sucks.

Labyrinth

~An Inuyasha fanfiction story presented by Jurei~

Chapter 3: The First Gate

Shadows enveloped the room, warded away only by the flickering light of two torches. In the centre of the room stood a man, garbed in fine clothing that could be said to befit a king had the cloth not been dyed in hued of drab dark blues and blacks. Dark hair fanned out from a pale, fine-boned face, while hanging down the length of his back while giving him both a mysterious and aristocratic appearance.

In front of him, finely shaped fingers traced strange runes on the surface of what appeared to be glass but on closer inspection proved to be water held in a hemisphere made of stone. Besides the runes decorating the rim of the bowl on all sides, the vessel was otherwise plain and undecorated, betraying nothing of its true nature except for the faint glow of purple magic that spilled across the water's surface. The symbols continued to glow on the surface of the water even after his hand had moved on, giving off a strange fiery glow.

Upon the completion of the last symbol, the man leaned back and spoke the strange words etched on the mirror-like surface, his voice hissing through the quiet of the room like a shadow come to join its brethren.

SHOW ME.

Immediately, the words blazed to life, the fire running along the surface of the water from symbol to symbol before the entire bowl seemed to contain nothing but flames. Then, beginning in the centre of the bowl, the flames peeled back to reveal the water once again, now frozen as a sheet of black ice and alight with shadowed images of roughly hewn stone corridors and flickering torches.

The labyrinth.

The man's lips curved into a slight smile that betrayed cruelty. His keen eyes darted over the images flickering across the surface of the water, the grin becoming slightly wider and crueler with each vision of suffering and anguish. With almost childlike amusement, he watched a pair of Runners fighting against one of the labyrinth's many creatures, though he could not be bothered with the name of the worthless things. With sadistic glee, he noted that the couple (he assumed the two to be husband and wife from the matching tribal tattoos that ornamented their bodies) had hidden a child out of the creature's sight, and were no doubt defending it with their lives. Useless fools…what did it matter if the child died now or later? For nothing else awaited those born in the labyrinth other than death.

The image flickered away like the flames that now burned lowly at the rims of the bowl, showing in its stead a group of lesser demons as they scrambled away from a wall shift, the slower ones being crushed by the re-arranging stones. Like ants from an anthill…what did it being human or demon mean in the labyrinth? Nothing really…the walls did not differentiate between either species when carrying out their periodical shifts. Both were game to the traps and savage fiends that frequented the never-ending corridors, passageways, open spaces, and gates of the prison, though demons were more likely to fight back for the first little while before realizing how futile struggling was.

Best of all to watch was the way that both species would turn on each other in the end, willing to kill and eat its fellows in order to survive. Giving his prisoners the sacks of scant provisions had been a stroke of genius; he dared to flatter himself. They truly helped sow the seeds of strife and chaos into the already desperate wretches that had dared to question his will.

An image appeared across the face of the back ice, and he froze it in place, a small frown making itself visible on his porcelain features. This was different…

His red eyes flickered keenly over the vision of a dark-haired girl and a large white dog standing at the entrance to one of the seemingly neverending corridors and passageways of the labyrinth, the floor stones of this particular one covered in pictograms. His frown deepened, and he caused the image to sharpen and enlarge itself until the two figures took up the entire sheet and faded into the still glowing edges. The frown became an all-out scowl.

Higurashi Kagome. That nuisance of a girl…he had to admit, she wasn't one to give up, and he both admired and cursed her for he stubbornness. Her continuing survival irked him…didn't she know it was futile? Though it seemed that she had somehow managed to survive his…tampering…with the wall shifts…

He cursed softly, the harsh sound echoing eerily throughout the room before being absorbed by the shadows. The walls had their own patterns and rhythms, and changing them demanded a great amount of effort and power. Now, he would be unable to try again until his powers were renewed, which would take a week at most. Not just the walls he had shifted had to be controlled, but every other wall in the labyrinth so that the entire structure didn't collapse in on itself, allow all his prisoners to escape. In fact, he would never have risked tampering if he did not believe the girl to be such a threat.

For Higurashi Kagome was a threat, no matter which way you looked at it, and he would not feel completely at ease until the threat of her presence was completely erradicated. Until then, the White Miko would not give in to him…

Until then, he would be unable to abandon this cursed world.

The image began to move again with a flick of pale hand, and a spot of quick movement caught his eye. The frown became an all-out scowl as he beheld the strange white dog standing at the girl's side, it's head easily reaching up to her hip. What kind of creature was it…? By all laws within the labyrinth, it should be trying to tear her limb from limb, not standing beside her as a guard…

As a companion.

The gleaming red eyes studied the dog in a matter of moments, flickering from its large head to it's shaggy tail. This didn't look like one of his predators. In fact, there looked to be something off about the animal in general. What could it be…?

His eyes narrowed, glowing with an unearthly quality before widening in surprise as he saw the truth. His mouth then twisted into a small grin. Well…this was a development he had never foreseen…but if he was right, it was even more vital that he find a way to dispose of Higurashi Kagome. And he knew just how to go about it.

He smiled completely, sitting back from the scrying bowl while wondering why he hadn't thought of it sooner. Higurashi's existence had been a dangerous thorn in his side…it was time to use his strongest weapon within the labyrinth. It was the only way to ensure her distraction completely, and would most definitely be entertaining to watch.

Things were proving to be interesting indeed…

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kagome sighed, staring out at the corridor as it twisted away from her into deeper darkness that gave no hints as to what lay beyond. The only things that differentiated this passageway from the countless others she and the dog had travelled through were the strange pictograms that stood etched on each individual floorstone. Though it was nice to break the monotony that began to set in after seeing almost identical corridors that seemed to wind in on themselves and go nowhere, she had the distinct impression that whatever the symbols represented, it could not mean anything good for her.

After the re-arranging of the walls, she and the dog had encountered nothing unusual or even slightly dangerous past a few small creatures that the dog had dispatched with ease. It was almost enough to make her yawn and wish for some of the more interesting myths and creatures of the labyrinth, if only to make things interesting. In fact, if the only real threat were shifting walls, Kagome calculated that one could actually survive for quite some time…providing they found water and food before they starved to death. 'If only stone were edible,' she thought to herself with a dry mental chuckle, 'we would never go hungry.'.

Stone…the thought made her shiver. If Inu hadn't been there to save her…

She looked down at the dog, who returned her look with one of cloaked impatience. She had started to call him Inu, for lack of something better. He, on the other hand, did not seem disturbed by having such an unoriginal name, but it made it very awkward for her when she spoke to him every once in a while, taking comfort in the sound of her own voice. He would usually fix her with a glance that clearly said "Don't you ever shut up?", but she would continue to talk anyway. It seemed to keep her from losing her mind, and at least it seemed like the dog listened to her despite his obvious disinterest.

She remembered back to her attempt to find him a name, and frowned. She was still unused to the fact that the dog could understand her and even answer, but his reply puzzled her even more. He had actually written. How many dogs, even of the understanding, replying variety, could write? There was something strange going on here…

"So…how about Fluffy?" she asked, her creativity obviously beginning to run itself dry.

The dog grimaced (or at least appeared to) and shook his head. She sighed, rubbing at her eyes in frustration. "What am I supposed to call you, then? Somehow, 'Hey! –insert name here- doesn't appeal to me…"

She drifted off as the dog stood up from his place on the stones where they rested and began to sniff at the ground. Finally finding a patch that seemed to suit him, he pushed his nose closer to the ground and began to move his head carefully. Where his nose brushed the ground, a trail appeared in the dirt and dust. He soon finished, tugging her over by the hem of her ruined skirt.

Kagome looked at him, flabbergasted. Traced clearly (albeit messily and childishly) was three letters.

Inu-

"Well, Inu, how about some water?" she asked him graciously, taking the rough cloth strap from he shoulder and lowering the haversack to the floor. It was now disturbingly lighter, containing only half the crust of bread and part of the apple, already turning brown from contact with the air. Despite rationing, the water had gone quicker than she had expected it to…however, there were two of them now…it was to be expected that supplies would go twice as quickly. She removes the flask, frowning at the empty swishing sound it made, reminding her of how little there really was left for them to drink.

The dog came closer, waiting for her to pour out his portion carefully into her cupped hands like she always did. She uncapped the flask, tilting it until a small amount of the precious liquid filled her palm. Inu then proceeded to lick her hand, drinking every drop of moisture and fixing her with a look that clearly communicated his disapproval with the amount he had received.

She ignored him, taking a small sip from the flask before capping it once again and putting it back in the sack. That was the last of the water; she then stood up and slung the pack into her shoulders once again, wincing as the cloth strips brushed against the bruises and scabbed injuries on her torso. She had long ago given up brushing her skirt, seeing as there was nothing that could save the ruined material now but the world's best seamstress, and even then it was questionable.

Inu was already walking slowly out into the cavern, his paws making no sound on the stone below them. It was like he drifted above the ground rather than walking, moving so silently that Kagome only knew he was with her by the vision of his large form against the dim light of the cavern. He stopped, turning his head back to her with an expression of great impatience.

'Where is he so anxious to get to?' the girl wondered with a slight frown, but kept the thought to herself, touched at his consideration. The question was an interesting one: he never once seemed to be unsure of which direction to turn or walk, even when confronted with four or more paths to choose from.

They stepped into the passage together.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

On closer inspection, Kagome noticed that the once-mysterious pictograms were in fact rather primitive; they were not in any way magical or instrumental to the construction of the labyrinth, as she had feared. She could even step of the stones bearing them without any strange response from the prison: no flying spears, no gigantic boulder that rolled after them and threatened to crush them underneath. Nothing.

And yet the pictures bothered her. There had to be some reason why someone would take the time to scrawl on the stone, no matter how meaningless the images seemed. For that was what several of them were…strange pictures of beasts and snakes, smaller two-legged creatures (which she assumed to be humans), and taller beings whom not all shared the same features, but all were larger than the human figures and not always so proportioned (youkai, she supposed). The images were coarse and childish, though obviously done purposefully, because they were carefully carved into the very stone, easily one half-inch deep.


The torchlight from the one end of the passageway faded before disappearing completely and leaving the companions in total darkness. Kagome felt out hesitantly, resting a hand on Inu's back as he led the way without faltering. Though how he managed she could not tell…either he could see in the dark, or he was following something completely different, something that she could neither feel, smell, see, hear, or sense.

They continued for what seemed to be an eternity before light suddenly surged back into the passage, leaving the girl slightly blinded with its suddenness. She squinted, lifting a hand to her eyes to block the flare and allow her vision to adjust, which was partly why she did not notice the difference at first.

It was also a good thing that the dog didn't seem to be susceptible to the same frailties as humans, because he was there to catch her by the back of her skirts and prevent her from tumbling head-first into the abyss below.

Kagome bit back a yelp, eyes widening as she beheld the extremely long drop to the dimly lit floorstones far below. Inu tugged harshly, pulling her back and away from the edge with enough force to cause her to fall to the floor. She quickly scrambled back, breathing hard as she sat sprawled on the floor, face frozen in shock. Her heart raced in her chest, thumping loud enough to alert the entire prison to her location. That had been much too close for comfort….

The old adage Be careful what you wish for, it might come true came to mind, but she ignored it as she shakily got to her knees, crawling forward slowly to peer over the edge of the immense pit.

Unlike her first brief glimpse had given her cause to believe, the large circular gap wasn't a simple pit with no purpose. Almost seventy five yards across, there seemed to be torches illuminating it every few yards down in neat rows that betrayed a greater design. She glanced around, noting the sloping ramp that ran from the platform on which the two of them stood, winding around the edges to a lower rim she could barely glimpse from where she knelt.

Already Inu was heading towards the ramp, giving her the smallest of glances before beginning to descend down to the next floor. She scrambled to her feet, slight irritation showing on her features. The creature had just saved her from certain death and it didn't even bother to see if she was actually alright?

She sighed, noting that she seemed to be doing so more than she had ever done before coming to the accursed place. Or was she…? There were still pieces missing to her memory…such as why the name Nanase Sango was so important…

Or why she was even in the labyrinth in the first place. What had she actually done…?

She had reached the bottom of the ramp, and was just about to begin following the shadowed figure of Inu when she heared it. She paused, apprehension setting into the bottom of her stomach as the unmistakable clicking noise became louder. It could only mean…

Her fears were confirmed when Inu came charging back towards her, radiating urgency like she had never felt. Behind him she could hear the clicking noise, clearer now, and accompanied by a telltale buzzing sound.

In an instant she was running side-by-side with the large white mix-breed, almost matching him stride-for-bound as the clicking and buzzing became louder. Their pursuer was getting closer, and if it caught up, they were as dead.

Because a Skerrigor was following behind, and Skerrigor never give up their prey.

Inu's paws pounded the ground evenly with Kagome's feet, bounding only slightly ahead. His head hung low, eyes darting over the shadowed stones quickly and with incredible calculating intelligence. Then he saw what he was looking for, and he whuffed lowly, causing Kagome to look up just in time to swing around the corner and into a seemingly nondescript passage while their insectoid pursuer overshot the entrance by several feet. Then they were running again, assorted body parts churning the ground as they increased their pace further, the clicking of the Skerrigor's scythe-like appendages chasing them on all too soon.

Even so, it was a shock when Kagome tripped, the accident being the only thing that managed to save her head from being severed from her shoulders. Even as she rolled away painfully she could still feel the chilling sensation of wind caused by the swift stroke of a scythe as it barely avoided her neck, as well as the small trickle of blood that followed. She ran on all fours for two strides, turning to face the creature as she struggled swiftly to her feet.

The gleaming black eyes flashed in the near darkness, reflecting back at her the fearful face that could only be her own. Its arm raised, accentuated by its outspread double wings as it aimed with surprising care. She moved then, narrowly avoiding the vertical slash aimed for her before she twisted and was off again, sprinting after Inu.

She found him moments later, waiting for her up ahead in a patch of deep shadow that almost swallowed him completely, white fur and all. They were off again in seconds, turning another corner and continuing to flee from the creature all-too-close behind.


A deeper crack in the stonework of the floor caused Kagome to stumble again, this time sprawling a full ten feet before rolling to a stop against one of the uncomfortably solid walls. She groaned, attempting to stand up before wincing in pain and collapsing back down. Pain stabbed through her ankle in protest; it was most definitely sprained at the very least.

The dim torch flickered at the Skerrigor's rapid arrival, shadows swimming over the armour-like shell that encased the creature's body, giving it the impression of polished metal. It loomed over the girl like a monolith, insectoid eyes glittering maliciously at the prospect of helpless prey.

There was little wonder, then, that it didn't notice the large white dog until the animal was flying towards it, jaws open, front paws outstretched. Inu struck the Skerrigor like a streak of lightning, long canine teeth tearing at the armour unsuccessfully before snapping themselves into the gauze-like wings and twisting back.

The Skerrigor screamed, an inhuman sound more like metal grating on metal than an actual cry, before rearing back and flinging the dog from its back with a mighty heave. Inu flew through the air before colliding with the wall, much too quickly for his astounding reflexes to allow him to stop himself. He crumpled, sliding to the floor with a thump and a yelp before lying completely still.

Kagome stared at her companion's still form, tears shimmering at the corner of her eyes. Above her, the Skerrigor turned its attention back to her, its ruined wing hanging limply down by its side. The girl didn't seem to notice, gray-blue eyes still fastened on the white-furred heap feet away from her, one word echoing through her mind. 'Inu…'


Above the insect raised both scythe-like arms, previously black eyes shining with something akin to a red bloodlust. The creatures had ruined its body…this one would die for the loss…the arms began to descend swiftly, keen sharp edges ready to taste blood.

"INU!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The heart-wrenching cry echoed through the corridors, magnified by the empty spaces between stone walls until it became a deafening roar. White light flashed, blindingly bright. Then…silence.

The light was gone, and with it, the Skerrigor. Kagome stared, both wide-eyed with horror and surprise as her outstretched hand dropped to her side heavily. Her chest heaved up and down as she fought to regain her breath. 'What in the world…?'

Movement caught her eye, and she turned her head quickly, but it was only Inu, struggling to his feet from his prone position at the base of the wall. She hurried to him, watching anxiously as he rose to his paws. She started forward to check him for injury but he flinched away, ducking out of reach of her hand. His violet eyes fastened on hers, clearly projecting the slightly frustrated and angry message "I'm fine. I can take care of myself."

The girl sighed, getting to her own feet dispiritedly. Inu still didn't trust her very far past providing food and water…it was a strange kind of relationship they shared. Travelling companions who shared the same supplies and route…he was even willing to risk his life to save her, but flinched at her slightest touch. There was something exceedingly disturbing about the dog on a whole, but what it could be was beyond her. And he didn't seem very inclined to let her know what it was.

The white mix-breed slunk ahead, walking in and out of shadows as the two followed the passageway forward. Even with the slightly unexpected detour, the animal seemed to know exactly where he was going…

Except now, so could she. It was faint, but a strange tingling feeling tickled the edge of her mind, almost pulling her in the direction that they were walking. There was something up ahead…something magical in nature that called to her as seductively as a siren's song.

Twenty minutes of walking later the corridor straightened abruptly, and Kagome gasped sharply as the source of the attraction became visible, causing her to stop in awe.

Before them stood an immense gateway, red-tinged stones pulsing gently with faint magic that felt neither threatening nor welcoming, merely neutral. The top of the arch stretched into darkness high above, invisible to the human eye. However, most welcoming of all was the sight of the small rock pool that stood to one side of the gate, surface still and smooth as a sheet of glass.

Water…

The Runner charged forward, falling to her knees at the edge of the pool before scooping up a handful of the life-giving substance. She then raised the hand to her lips, ready to gulp down its contents before she stopped, letting the liquid run back into the pond.


The situation screamed "trap" louder than her cry earlier had been. For all she knew, the water could be poisoned, or cursed…

Or worse, constructed of raw magic.

But if it wasn't a trap, this wasn't an opportunity she could afford to pass up.

Finally, it was Inu who decided the matter for her, the large dog standing next to her as he dropped his head and lapped eagerly at the water. She stiffened, almost expecting him to drop dead of evaporate into nothingness. However, when several moments passed and nothing occurred, she raised her own moist hand to her lips and tasted it gingerly with the tip of her tongue.

It was water, pure and sweet (which was surprising, considering how long it must have been sitting stagnant in the pond) with no metallic taste of magic or poison. She giggled happily for the first time since entering the labyrinth, cupping her hands full of the substance and drinking deeply. The liquid ran down her throat, tasting sweeter than anything she could ever remember consuming in her life.

She drank two more handfuls before removing the flask from he pack and dipping it into the pool, filling it to the brim. Until they moved on, they could survive on the water from the pool, but afterwards, who knew when they would stumble on another source like this? They had to be prepared.


Inu returned, paws padding silently as he walked to her side, surprising her. She hadn't even noticed him leave in the first place. 'Where did he slip off to?' she wondered, but dismissed the thought when she noticed what he carried in his mouth. A small animal of some kind, though what it had been in life she could not even venture to guess. How he had managed to find it was a mystery to her; for her entire stay in the labyrinth, she had never noticed anything of that size running about. That is, until she remembered the old law "Things live by where there is water", though this did not hold true for plants and trees, unfortunately, seeing as the ground was made completely of stone. It was already skinned (which both puzzled and relieved her) and cleaned, though without kindling they would have to eat it raw.

She shuddered. Raw meat was not a very attractive prospect, though with nothing else to eat other than the little bit of apple and bread in her pack, she knew there was no other choice. What remained in the provisions sack would have to last until the next time they could find something to eat, which would most likely be some time away.

The experience was not something she wished to repeat often, though she had to admit she felt better with something in her stomach more substantial than stale breadcrumbs. She sighed contentedly before yawning widely, the action surprising her slightly. It did make sense, however…she and Inu had both been through quite a lot, and it had most definitely been long hours since she had last slept. She stretched, looking around for somewhere to make herself comfortable. She was as safe here as anywhere, she supposed…as long as the walls didn't shift while she slept, she would most likely live until she awoke, at least.

Inu stood nearby, standing watch as the girl settled herself for sleep. 'Maybe I should offer to sit the first watch,' she thought, about to venture the suggestion aloud. After all, she had suffered less injury in the fight with the Skerrigor…it was only fair.

She pushed herself up, about to peak, when Inu fixed her with one violet eye, and a look that clearly said "Sleep. Don't even think about it." She sighed in reply, laying herself back down with the intent to stay awake for a moment at least, to make sure that Inu was alright on his own…

Kagome was asleep even before her head managed to comfortably pillow itself in her arms and her legs completely curled themselves against her chest.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Blood stained the walls and floor, spreading crimson across the shadowed stones. Bodies lay haphazardly across the corridor, most mutilated beyond recognition. Death permeated the air, leaving an acrid odour in place of the usual staleness and dust. The torches hung in their wrought-iron brackets, extinguished completely.

The creature crouched near one of the many bodies, bent over the corpse as it drank from the open neck wound, the blood trickling sluggishly from the ugly incision, proving that its death had not occurred very long ago. A tiny dribble of blood escaped from one of the corners of the creature's fanged mouth, almost unnoticed as it continued to feed.

Suddenly, its head snapped up as it felt something that it hadn't felt in fifty years…distant, yet approaching slowly. Its red eyes widened as it straightened, licking the blood from the corner of its mouth and fangs. So long ago…yet the taste of the air was unmistakable.

Miko magic, and…something else…

The creature broke into a bound, bloodstained claws leaving deep scratches in the floor- and wallstones. Something was headed towards the First Gate.

Shikon no Tama…


It licked some of the drying blood from its claws in anticipation. It was getting closer…

And with it, that cursed Miko...

Kikyo…

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yes, I'm sorry for giving it such a bad ending…*sighs* I really wanted to finish it tonight, and made that final push to get everything written out so that I could upload it. Usually, I like to edit chapters a bit more than this, but I hope I didn't make any really bad mistakes…if I did, please let me know, and I'll fix them up. Hopefully the delay between this chapter and the next one won't be as long, but I'm thinking it will be, just because of exams, etc. Anyway, thanks for reading, and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! It really only takes a minute of your time, and makes you a responsible reader!^^ What else could you want in life? (Lia Strife: Lots of things, Ju-chan…lots of things…-_-;;;)

Once again, (not like you really care -_-;) here's the Soundtrack for the chapter:

"Master of Puppets" album by Metallica


"Ride the Lightning" album by Metallica

"Physical Graffiti" album by Led Zeppelin

"We're a Happy Family: A Tribute to the Ramones" album by various artists.

Well, that's all for this installment! Next chapter is "Chapter 4: One…", though exactly who it applies to is something you'll have to wait to find out!^^

Ja ne minna-san! *bows* (_ _)

~Jurei-chan^6