-Authors' Note-
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Chapter Four: Kouga and the Wolf Tribe Deceived

"Kouga, all is clear to the east," Hakkaku said as Kouga returned from hunting.

"Perfect," Kouga said, "Tonight we feast like kings!"

"Lord Kouga!" cried one of his other lackies, "One of our wolves is returning."

"So?" he asked.

"He has sister Kagome, and looks hurt!" replied the guard.

"What! Kagome!" he cried, using his enhanced speed to run to the wolf that carried the tired and bloodstained girl on his back. The young wolf leader hurred over the rocks and cliffs until he stood a few yards away from the approaching messenger.

"Kagome!" he yelled as he saw the pair, "Kagome what happened?"

"Kouga… help…" the girl said as she finally lost her strength, and collapsed, falling from the wolf's back, and rolling to the ground.

"Kagome!" Koug cried again in despair as he picked up his injured love, and carried her nack to the safety of his lair.

Scene Break-

"More water!" Kouga commanded as his tribesmen carried bucket after bucket to where Kagome was resting on a pile of fine furs. She gulped cup after cup of water as they were prepared. Kouga knelt by her side, looking at her with concern and deepest devotion. "Is there anything you need, Kagome? Food?"

"I need your help Kouga," she said, putting the cup down, and looking at him with half open eyes.

"Whatever you ask of me, I'll do it without question," he said, taking her scarred hands.

"Kouga… you have to help me…Inu-yasha's finally betrayed me."

"That dirty dog!" he cried, snarling.

"Kouga, a wicked priestess has deceived Inu-yasha and the others. She put a enchantment on them, making them think she's me, and they all attacked me, thinking I was her. You have to break the spell. You must kill the priestess Kikyo to save Inu-yasha and my friends."

"You mean I have to save that stupid Mutt-face?" Kouga asked, appalled.

"Please, Kouga, they're my friends! I can't abandon them." she said. "And didn't you just say you'd do what I wanted without question?"

"I can't break a promise to you," Kouga said. He stood, and turned to his comrades, but then looked back to Kagome. "But what if I can't kill this Kikyo without killing Inu-yasha?" he asked.

"Then bring him back here… and we'll die together," said the girl, looking down at the ground.

Kouga turned to his army, and ordered, "We go now! You will fight to maim, not kill, and leave the Priestess to me. Remember, she's placed an enhancement on everyone. She may even look and smell like Kagome to us, but we shall not be deceived. For Kagome!"

"For Kagome!" they all cried as they took off over the mountains and plains… following the trail.

As the wolves departed, and the girl was left alone with only two guards she smiled, began to chuckle quietly. 'Now all I must do is wait for the that foolish young wolf to kill my enemies… and wait for him to bring me Inu-yasha on a silver platter,' thought Naraku.

Scene Break-

"Are we there yet?" complained Inu-yasha as the company made their way to the mountain, passing one of the five great lakes that surrounded it.

"For the umpteenth time: No, Dog-breath," Joey answered.

"Will you stop fighting," Mai said, taking off her high heeled boots, "I gotta remember to pack sneakers when I come here."

"Miroku, is the cave much further? We're all tired," Sango said.

"Relax, we're there," Miroku said, pointing down the hill. At the base of the mountain was a cave, with many old and faded sutras posted around the entrance. As they hurried the final steps to the their destination, Miroku read the sutras.

"Hmmm, just as I suspected," he said examining them. "Only those pure and holy may enter."

"Guess that leaves you out," Serenity said.

Miroku coughed, "Unfortunately. But Kagome is still pure. She can enter."

"Me? I'm not going in alone! She said, looking into the dark entrance.

"Relax, I'll go in first," Inu-yasha said, drawing the Tetsusaiga.

"Aren't you forgetting that you're half demon," Bakura asked.

"Maybe I can go in," Joey said, "I used to be a priest of Ra."

"I don't think foreign deities would work here, Joey." Yugi said.

"Wait," Bakura said, as he took Serenity's hand. "Let us try." they walked to the entrance, and as they stepped inside, they felt a rippling heat wash over them, and let them pass, unscathed.

"How did you do that?" Mai asked.

"Serenity is pure like Kagome, so I figured if I held her hand, then her powers would protect me."

"I guess it also helps if you have a holy relic, like a Millennium Item," Yugi said. He stepped through, and was permitted entrance. So, as Sango walked in on Joey's arm, and Miroku touching Mai's shoulder, (the only thing she's let him touch) and Kagome and Inu-yasha hand in hand, they all entered the cave.

Once inside, Miroku used a sutra to illuminate his staff, and they followed the twisting, winding underground halls of the cave, going deeper and deeper into the earth. Darkness pressed in close around them, with only the lighted staff to show them the way ahead. They knew not how long, but the dark road ahead seemed endless, and the caverns below them echoed their footsteps a thousand fold. Then, as they turned through one of three doors Miroku lifted his staff, and around them, the light was mginifed by walls and columns of purest gold and topaz, and the monk said, "Behold, the lost city of The Rising Sun. The City of the gods."

"Geez Louise," Joey said in awe.

Scene Break-

At Kagome's house in the present age, Gramps Higurashi was already at work training young Souta for his future postion.

"Gramps, do I really have to wear this ridiculous outfit?" Souta asked, pulling at the long, baggy blue and white priest robes.

"These robes have been handed down from generation to generation. They've been worn by members of the Higurashi Priesthood since the beginning of time." Gramps said with dignity and authority.

"Is that why they smell like moth balls?" Souta asked.

"Don't change the subject," Gramps replied, "I can't waste time with a fake apprentice like Inu-yasha. I'm getting old, Souta."

"Getting?" Souta asked.

"I'll regard that as a joke. Anyway, I'm getting old, Souta. I need to start training the next generation of our family's chosen priesthood. And that's you, my boy."

"But I'm normal," Souta whined, "Why can't Kagome do it?"

"Because she's playing super-hero in the Feudal Era. Now, first, we begin with the ancients chants that bring prosperity and good fortune." Gramps said, clasping his hands together.

"Hello? Anyone here?" Shippo called as he entered the shrine.

"Shippo! Thank goodness, I was about to die of boredom," Souta said.

"I can't stay long," Shippo informed him, "Granny Keade is sick. She might be dying, and we need Kagome's special modern medicines to make her fever go down."

"Hold on," Souta said, "I know where Kagome keeps all her first aid stuff. I'll go get it."

The youngsters scurried off, leaving Gramps Higurashi in the middle of the shrine, oblivious to all around him.

Scene Break-

When Souta and Shippo arrived at the village, they saw a sad state of affairs. Keade's skin was paler, her breathing more labored. Kaiba was standing guard at the door, while Ayumi and Tristan applied more wet rags to the old woman's head.

"I can't believe she's worse," Shippo said, as he helped Souta get out the bottles of aspirin. Souta gave the priestess the pills and cool water.

"I always thought my first trip here would be a little more exciting." Souta admitted.

"It's worse than it looks," Kaiba said. "That demon Naraku has helpers out trying to kill Keade. He's too impatient to wait. The old woman will die by sundown tomorrow anyway."

"Big brother, others will be back with the chalice before then." Mokuba said.

"If it exists," Tristan said, admitting his own doubt.

"I only wish that there was something I could do," Souta said, kneeling over Keade.

At that very moment, Keade opened her eyes, and looked at the faces around her. "Am I now in the presence of the spirits?" she asked. She looked first at Kaiba, and saw the Sorcerer of Ancient Egypt. She looked at Ayumi, and saw the demon Kagura. Then, her gaze fell on Souta. She gasped, and grabbed his wrist.

"What the!" he cried in surprise.

"I knew! I knew the old gods lived on! Father was right!" she said, hysterical. "You did it all didn't you? You brought the ancient ones back…You…." she fell back, fainting. Ayumi came over and placed her palm on the wrinkled head.

"Her fever's breaking." Ayumi said.

"Monsters!" screamed villagers outside. Kaiba, Ayumi, and Tristan grabbed their weapons, and met Duke outside by the irrigation trenches where demons of all calibers and shapes were attacking farms and fields. Suddenly, one of them turned towards their hut and said, "The old woman is there! Finally we shall have our revenge, just as master Naraku said!" and the horde came flooding towards them.

"By the power of Ra, I cast you into the Pit!" Kaiba shouted, aiming the Millennium Rod and wiping out the front lines. But more still came. "What a tine for dog boy and his sword to be missing in action."

"Oh No!" Shippo cried, cringing.

"You wanted excitement," Mokuba said to Souta, "You got it."

"I sure did," Souta whimpered. As Kaiba and Ayumi attacked with Black Lightening and Dancing Blades, Souta felt a strange tingling in his hands. At first he thought it was fear, then suddenly his hands began to shake.

"They're breaking through!" Tristan yelled as he and Duke hacked demons apart with machetes and axes.

"They'll be killed!" Shippo cried, covering his eyes, "I can't watch!"

"We got to get Keade out of here,"Mokuba said, grabbing the fox cub, "Come on, Souta!"

Souta just stood there. Paralyzed.

"Souta!" Mokuba called, as the demons were bearing down on them.

"Nuh…nuh…. Nuh, nuh, NO!" Souta cried. His eyes glowed white, and he threw up his hands, electricity and fire shooting from his fingertips, consuming the demons in a matter seconds. "This I cannot allow," said a voice as the bright lights died away. "Naraku has interfered with my plans for the last time." A storm of dust came, and covered the land.

When the dust cleared, they looked around, and in the hut. Souta and Keade were inside. Souta was kneeling beside the crone, holding her wrinkled hand in his small glowing hand.

"What the heck is going on?" Duke asked quietly as the bewildered group looked on from the door.

Souta's hair was disheveled. And he turn to look upon them, his eyes were blank, and glowing with white fire.

"Dude, things are officially creepy," Tristan announced.

"You have no idea, Tristan Taylor," Souta said. Only, it wasn't Souta's voice. The voice that came from the boy's mouth was that of a grown man, much deeper, like the rumblings of a volcano coming out of dormancy.

"Okay, kid, I want some answers," Kaiba said.

"You shall have them…Seto Kaiba." said the boy. "But first I think introductions are in order…"

"What do you mean?" Ayumi asked, "You're Kagome's little brother. I was there when your parents brought you home from the hospital…You are Souta, right?"

"Yes, and no." he said. "The boy you know as Souta is just show. I am Loki. Your people once knew me as the God of Chaos."

"That's it, I've had it," Kaiba said angrily. "I can accept reincarnated priestesses, pharaohs and half demons. But gods? Please! For all I know, you're just a kid who's doing a terrific magic trick."

"You doubt my powers?" Loki/Souta said, "Then witness! As I am reborn, so shall Keade be." He rose, and opened his hands, palms out. A shield of purple light surrounded the woman on the palet, and she was lifted to her feet. Slowly, her white hair seeped dark black from the roots, down to the ends. Her wrinkled skin tightened, and became smooth once more, her back straightened, no longer bowed with age and strife. An eye that once saw in blurred vision cleared, and she lifted her head, and her hands, in them appeared an ashen bow. Across her back, a quiver of arrow.

Finally, she spoke in a voice as clear and powerful as a waterfall, "I am The Priestess Keade. What do you ask of me?"