Disclaimer: nope, still don't own them.
OK people, I'm back!!!!! My computer crashed AGAIN, for like, the FIFTH time, but we have a new one now, so I shouldn't have this problem any more. OK, as someone pointed out in the last chapter, I didn't explain what a dammane was, so I'm going to put the definitions of all the thing's you'll need to know in (and I might add more later) Skip it if you want, but you'll probably get confused later!
Accepted: second level apprentice Mikos.
a'Dam: devices used by the Seanchan to control women who can channel
Ajah: the seven divisions of miko's, each designated by a color; Blue, Red, White, Green, Brown, Yellow, and Gray. While they are unofficial, the Ajahs are quite complex, and are a mystery to those who know of them.
angreal: remnants of old, that can be used by people who can channel to hold greater amounts of the One Power than they could unaided. Some angreal were made for men, and some for women. Few still exist, and the knowledge of their making is lost to the world.
Channel: to control the flow of the One Power.
Damanne: women who are collared by the Seanchan.
Dark Friends: in this story, we'll just call them beings SPECIFICALLY under Naraku's command.
Dark One: Nick name for Naraku.
Dreamer: one who's dreams can tell of the future or past.
Dream Walker: term used for a woman who can walk in Tel'aran'rhiod.
Five Powers: Threads of the One Power that are named for the kinds of things you can do with them. They are Earth, Air/Wind, Fire, Water, and Spirit. Water and Air are considered female elements, while Fire and Earth are considered male; Spirit is a 'Neutral'.
Gentling: The act of cutting men off from the One Power, often resulting in the mans death due to severe depression.
One Power: power drawn from the True Source. Most cannot channel the One Power, and only a few may be taught to, even fewer are born with the ability.
Sa'angreal: Similar to an angreal, the only difference being that it allows the user to draw exponentially more than would be possible even with the help of an angreal.
Seanchan: Peoples of unknown origin, they believe that all who can channel must be collared by an a'Dam or killed. They now reside on an island of the same
Stilling: Much like with Gentling, Stilling a woman cuts her off from the one power, often ending in the woman's death due to severe depression.
Sul'dam: women who control damanne.
Tel'aran'rhiod: in short, a dream world where anything can happen, and anything that affects you physically will happen in the waking world as well, hence, if you die there, you die in real life.
Ter'angreal: unlike angreal and sa'angreal, Ter'angreal are each made to do only one specific thing. Some require channeling, while others may be used by anyone.
True Source: the driving force of the universe. Divided into the male Sadain (which is tainted, causing the man to go mad, and eventually die), and the female Sadair. Which work together. Only a man can draw on Sadain, and only a female can draw on Sadair.
Warder: bonded to a miko through the one power, he acts as her guardian. He is granted the gifts of quick healing, the ability to go long periods without food, water, or rest, and the ability to sense the Dark One's taint at a distance. A miko can always sense her warder, even from across the world, and will know where he is. She is also aware of his physical and emotional state, as he is of hers. When he dies, she will know the moment and manner of his death. Most mikos have only one, however, the Reds have none, and the Greens have several.
WHEW!!! I'm finally done!!!!! Man, it took me like, two hours to look all those up and type them! Well, anyways, on to your story!!
Challenges of Love: Captured"WHAT?!"
"NO!"
"MAMA!"
"WHY?"
Kagome held up a hand for silence, her face as pale as the white on her shirt.
"Enough, I will do this, but you…you have to promise that you'll come back for me. Go get help, and come back for me. It's the only way," she said with false confidence. She was terrified.
Lord Sesshoumaru stepped out onto his balcony and watched as his brother and the rest of his little group boarded a ship, not a mile from his estate.
"Kata."
A slender panther youkai stepped from the shadows, where just moments ago appeared empty. She was slight of build, but well toned and clearly able to defend herself. Her jet-black hair was in a braid down to her waist, its dark blue streaks flashing in the faint light. Her kimono was just as dark as her hair, with blood red sakura blossoms flowing across from her right shoulder to her left ankle, and a red obi adorned her waist.
"Hai, my lord?"
"What do you think?'
Kata was startled. Her lord rarely asked the opinion of any of his generals, and never her. For him to do so now said much about this little group. She silently hoped her answer was what he sought.
"My lord, the young miko has a great ability to channel, and likely will not return with the others. The Seanchan are on the seas again. From what my lord has said of her, she will likely let herself be taken in a foolish attempt to save her friends from harm."
A pregnant silence filled the room for a time, and Kata began to fear she had displeased her lord. She knew he would not harm her-it would sever his ties with her father, Lord of the East- but there were other things he could do.
At last he spoke: "Bring them to me. I want them here before night fall."
The group watched in silence as the other ships drew near. They had already agreed that the best way to get out of this was to act as though they were glad to be rid of Kagome, while she fought it with all her might.
Finally the nearest ship reached them, and four women, two collared, and the other two wearing the connecting bracelet, boarded their ship.
As soon as Kagome saw the leashes, all thoughts of acting the part fled from her mind.
"NO! You can't do this to me, I'm a human being! NO!" she wailed as she was cut of from sadair and a collar placed around her neck.
As she continued to struggle, it seamed as if invisible switches reigned down on her from every direction.
"Feh, shut up ya stupid whore, and be glad that they are letting you live!" spat InuYasha, as he tried his hardest to stay where he was. If he made one wrong move, they would never get out of here alive, and he wasn't gonna let that happen.
Sango approached the nearest sul'dam, and bowed low. "All here but her have sworn to obey, await and to serve, my lady."
Matsu had told them of the oath that they extracted from those they came across, and that this would allow them to go with little trouble. She stayed bowed until the woman in front of her raised a single lacquered fingernail, and then she went silently back to the others while they left.
A solemn group sailed back to Japan, and not one knew how they were to rescuetheir friend.
end
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Sorry! I know it was short, but I wanted to get this one out as soon as I could since it's been so long since I've been able to update! GOMEN NASI!!!
All my reviews were lost, so the only one I got was Ptbear, and I want to say THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING to all those who's reviews I lost.
Kata- worthy