Disclaimer: see chapter 1 The Day Before

Something odd was going on this day. Now you might say "Well Duh!" but the truth is it wasn't the usual odd. The odd thing was… nothing strange was happening at all. No demons, no arguments, nothing at all. Just clear blue skies and a road that stretched to the horizon.

Kagome looked up at the sky and sighed contentedly. Why can't more days be like this she thought dreamily. It seemed like unless she went home they where always in or searching for trouble and even then it was stressful for Kagome because it seemed like she could never remember what was going on at school. Kagome shook her head and chastised herself for thinking of school on such a perfect day.

"Keh"

Kagome sighed again, this time is exasperation. Inu-Yasha was in a mood for some reason, as usual, and nobody had a clue as to why. "What's wrong Inu-Yasha" chirped Shippo as he hopped up onto said Hanyou's head.

Inu-Yasha plucked Shippo off of his head by the tail and looked him straight in the eyes. "What's it to you runt?" he grumbled before dropping the kitsune on the ground.

Kagome bent down and picked up Shoppo then glared at the hanyou. "What was that about?" she said jabbing her finger in Inu-Yasha's face.

He scowled and said, "What was what about?"

Kagome shook her head and sighed again. Why? She thought moodily. "Look" she said, "I don't know what's has got into you today". God knows I don't know how anyyhing could on such a beautiful day she added mentally. "But whatever it is don't take it out on Shippo" she finished before walking on ahead.

Inu-Yasha let out a breath he hadn't realised he had been holding in. She didn't say it he thought.

Almost as if on cue though Kagome turned around and said "oh and by the way. Sit boy".

Inu-Yasha became reacquainted with his friend Mr. Dirt. He grumbled incoherently as he picked himself up off of the ground and resumed his moody trudging.

Miroku grinned at the whole exchange. He leaned toward Sango after it was over and whispered "Perhaps Inu-Yasha is merely sullen about the fact that it is peaceful for a change. He only seems to be happy when he is in a fight after all".

"I heard that Monk," shouted Inu-Yasha.

Miroku waved at the hanyou. "Simply making an observation my friend".

"Keh".

Sango chuckled at Inu-Yasha but stopped when she felt something brush against her backside. "Hentai!" she shouted as she spun and smacked Miroku up side the head and stormed off down the road.

"Yes a beautiful day indeed" said Miroku as he rubbed his face while bringing up the rear of their little group.

Now as mentioned before it was a perfect day and the group continued on unimpeded for quite a while longer. Perhaps that's why it went so horribly wrong.

Kagome paused and looked down at the ground wrinkling her forehead in concentration. Inu-Yasha noticed and paused as well. "What is it?" he asked cocking his head to the side a bit.

Kagome thought it over for a second then said "I don't know. It feel's like a jewel shard but…different".

Inu-yasha had perked up at the mention of a new jewel shard but began to look suspicious when Kagome said 'different'. "How do you mean different?" asked Miroku.

Kagome frowned and shook her head. "I don't know" she said, "it's like… I know it's there but… I can't focus on it".

"Can you track it?" asked Sango.

Kagome pointed off into the forest at the edge of the path. "Let's get going then" said Inu-Yasha instantly heading off in the direction Kagome pointed in. After a few minutes of walking Kagome was sure of it. There was definitely a jewel shard in this forest but there was definitely something wrong. The trees pressed in around them cutting off almost all light from the sun and the air had grown heavy. It was like breathing vaporized syrup. The whole area just projected a terrible sense of wrongness that the entire group could feel right down to their very bones.

It was silent as a tomb so everyone jumped when the silence was broken. "I'm scared Kagome" whispered Shippo clutching tightly to the girls shoulder and burying his face in her hair.

She stroked the little Kitsune's head and whispered "Shhhhhh. It's okay Shippo". That was a lie of course. This place made the entire group want to bolt in fear but stronger was this strange supernatural pull that was drawing them all toward the direction in which the jewel shard lay.

Abruptly the forest opened up into a small clearing. It was strange though. The sky was jet black. No stars, no moon, nothing at all. It was as if some titanic monster had drawn a shroud of darkness across the very sky itself. The only illumination came from a ruined shrine in the centre. It was covered in runes inlaid with flickering, blue, magical fire. The whole thing practically bled with demonic energy.

There was one thing different however. Embedded in a wall near the centre of the shrine was a small glowing fragment of crystal. "There" whispered Kagome pointing to the glowing crystal. It's a jewel shard alright she thought but there is something wrong with it. Just like I sensed before. It was true. Instead of the normal pricing white the shard was glowing a dim, almost black, crimson color.

Kilala arched her back and hissed but didn't transform. Sango reached down and patted the animal on the head in an attempt to calm her down.

"I dare not go near such a thing" said Miroku tracing a ward against evil in the air with his hands.

"I have to" said Kagome setting shippo on the ground next to Kilala.

"I'm going with you" said Inu-Yasha gripping the hilt of the tessaiga. Aside from the feeling of wrongness about this place something just didn't smell right and there was no way he would ever let Kagome go near that tumbled down shrine without him.

They approached slowly. The air was like molasses now and it was hard to move. Every step was harder to take then the last but Inu-Yasha and Kagome where finally within reaching distance of the jewel shard.

Kagome reached out to pull it from the wall but her hand was repelled by a searing bolt of crimson energy. She yelped involuntarily and clutched her hand to her chest. "Are you okay?" asked Inu-Yasha. He had the tessaiga half drawn but Kagome forced his hand back down.

"I don't think that's a good idea" she whispered. Just then though a hiss came from behind the pair. Out flashed the tessaiga as the pair spun to find a gigantic ghostly shape staring at them. It was vaguely feline in shape with piercing crimson eyes and insubstantial but deadly looking claws and fangs that glowed a dull grey.

The whole area was covered in a thick black fog now and other shapes where emerging from it. Serpent's, Wolves, anything imaginable was forming in the fog. There where even a few humanoid shapes.

Kagome thought she heard their comapanions calling out to them But neither her nor Inu-Yasha could find the strength to answer. It was as if their throats had frozen shut barely allowing for more then the smallest of whispers to escape.

The feline figure was now pacing around the pair slowly and methodically. A cold malevolent intelligence burned behind its eye's. Somehow Inu-Yasha managed to find the will to speak. "Kagome" he whispered, "try to get the jewel shard. Ill shield you from whatever these things are.

She nodded weakly. The shard is probably what's causing this she thought. This suspicion was proven for when she reached for the shard all the aberrations except for the feline one leapt foreword as one. Inu-Yasha swung his sword around viciously slashing several of the things in half. It was very unnerving fighting them though. They didn't make a single sound when they attacked or disappeared, for it was obvious that whatever they where they did not die when defeated. Of this both the companions where sure.

As Inu-Yasha parried a vicious strike from one the humanoid aberrations then twisted his sword around beheading it Kagome was trying to force he hand through the barrier around the shard. Almost there she thought wincing.

"Hurry Kagome" Shouted Inu-Yasha finding his voice again.

"Almost have it" she said as her fingers brushed the tip of the shard.

"Good" said Inu-Yasha. He forced his opponents back then raised his blade high abouve his head. "WINDSCAR" he shouted bringing it down. Five massive blades of wind energy tore away from the blade. It tore through dozens of the things causing them to disappear but just as many came to replace them. All the while the feline entity stalked in circles around the battle staring Straight at Kagome.

"Any time now Kagome" said Inu-yasha. He was very nervous now. There was no end to these things.

"Almost there" said Kagome straining against the barrier. "Got it" she shouted triumphantly pulling the shard loose. All the aberrations disappeared then finally giving a single soft cry of agony and defeat, save for one, the feline figure stopped and turned to face directly at Kagome then leapt.

"Kagome" shouted Inu-Yasha. It was to late though. He couldent get between the girl and the thing fast enough. Kagome covered her head with her arms and screamed. Just as the great cat touched her it dissolved into mist.

"That was close" she muttered collapsing against Inu-Yasha for support.

He sheathed the tassaiga and held onto her. He frowned though when the mist did not dissipate. "Kagome" he said, "have you purified the jewel yet?"

Kagome frowned and stood up. She looke down at the shard in her hand and concentrated as hard as she could. She had never come across a jewel shard so corrupted. Not even Tsubaki has caused such corruption in a jewel shard. Slowly though it began to glow brighter.

Suddenly the jewel reverted to its corrupt state and Kagome's hand began to burn. She screamed as loudly as possible and tried to pry the shard from her hand but it wouldn't let go. Inu-Yasha could only watch in horror as the malevolent energy in the shard was absorbed into the girl's body.

The last thing Kagome heard before passing out was a piercing laugh that echoed to the far corners of her mind. The shard fell to the ground purified but at what price?

"Kagome, Inu-Yasha" shouted Sango as she flung herself toward the wall of mist the had surrounded her friends.

"No Sango wait" shouted Miroku reaching for her in vain. Sango plunged into the mist but emerged from the same spot she had entered mere seconds later.

"What trickery is this?" she whispered as she backed away from the mist.

"I do not know. But it does not bode well" said Miroku. Sango nodded. The companions had no choice but to settle down and wait. When the mist finally did clear they saw Inu-Yasha carrying Kagome away from the shrine. The blue fire was gone and the sky was clearing up revealing a cloudless night. The Hanyou waved away the questions from his friends. The sense of wrong was gone from the forest now. "I'm taking her back to the village" said Inu-Yasha sullenly.

The others nodded. Nothing needed to be said. Inu-Yasha could get her back fastest and the others would soon follow on Kilala.

Authors notes: sorry for another cliffhanger but fear not! I shall update before the end of the week…helll I get half tomorrow off ill update then. More will be reveled next time. But will all? Didn't think so. Cya.