Sesshomaru sat up in bed with a start. The dream seemed so real. One thing that he knew, it meant something.
Sesshomaru checked the bed beside him. Kagome wasn't there. Her sent was faint. She hadn't been there in days. A horrible realization flashed in his mind as he noticed an unconscious Inuyasha was sprawled along the bed, like he had been. It really happened. Kagome was gone, and he didn't know where she was.
How could he have been so blind? He was the Lord of the Western Lands, but his one weakness he failed to protect. She had not been fully claimed yet, and therefore not under his complete protection. He had no way of finding her.
It was strange, they had a bond that should enable him to tell which land she is in at least, but there was nothing in his senses. Which Sesshomaru took to mean as a powerful demon of some sort that took her. That narrowed it down a little.
On the bed Sesshomaru noticed some movement by his left arm. Inuyasha was stirring. "Shit!" Sesshomaru couldn't help but roll his eyes. Inuyasha bolted up like Sesshomaru had moments ago. Inside he was fuming.
"Where am I?"
Silence.
It was dark, black. She stretched out her hands in the looming darkness; she could not see them. Her head hurt terribly. A cold shiver went down her spine, she didn't have any clothes. She felt the floor. It felt like marble, and the air wasn't cold either as she would expect.
A hand reached out in the dark. Darkness came upon her once again.
He sensed it. A faint glimmer, it was enough for him to panic. She was afraid, and hurt. As soon as the feeling came it was gone. He knew now that she was to the North. The only trace he had of her. It made him angry. A piece of him was missing. He didn't like it at all. It was painful in more ways than one.
Inuyasha had moments ago finished cursing every god that he ever heard of and using the foulest language he could utter in a single sentence, if it could be called that. Suddenly Inuyasha was quiet. He turned to Sesshomaru slightly, looking at him through the corner of his eyes. "She's hurt."
Sesshomaru's eyes widened for a moment, his facial features showing the pain he withheld momentarily after the violent eruption from Inuyasha. He didn't know how Inuyasha knew, but at this moment he realized the kind of connection that they had. Sesshomaru growled slightly and Inuyasha became quiet. 'Whatever strength you gave to me, let it be hers. Father, guide me. Please.'
He could no longer contain his laughter. She was here now, the One. He had been searching all his life for her, the Goddess that legend told of. At last, his dream would be realized. The ritual would be tonight. That pathetic excuse for a Lord would try to find his beloved. Thankfully he had time, the barrier that he put up would keep him from finding her too soon.
The Angel would soon be reawakened and he would rule over all the Lands. He would make all the laws, and would kill away Lord Sesshomaru. Once he is gone, there would be nothing to stop him from taking complete control over the Angel. "Domen, prepare yourself, my old friend, the hour approaches."
The wolf-man known as Domen bowed low and excused himself, a feral grin forming over his face. He couldn't wait. His old friend and Lord promised him a seat by his side. The girl was the obstacle to making that happen. Though he would be below her still, she would only be a puppet and he would have free reign as long as he served him. Then he could avenge his brother, and kill the one known as Inuyasha, whom he owed the pleasure of death. "I swear he will die brother. Soon."
'Heal me…' Begged a voice inside the dark chamber.
Kagome's mind raced a mile a minute. Was Sesshomaru going to come for her? When? Is he all right? Is Inuyasha with him? Even in unconsciousness she still bickered with herself. How could she second-guess Sesshomaru? She loved Sesshomaru with all her heart. For some unknown reason she felt like letting go.
Darkness clouded her thoughts. She loved him, and at the same time didn't. It was all too confusing. She felt like she had lost control of her body. In a coma and yet with perfect control of her thoughts, except the disturbing thoughts of doubt and hatred that were soaring through her brain.
It was almost painful. Hatred, all hatred, it was painful beyond belief. A deep, mocking laugh sounded somewhere close. Though her vision was obscured she somehow knew who it was. Wait, could she move her mouth?
"Who's there? Tell me!" She slowly said, her throat dry and sore.
"You know full well who it is. Do you want to know why?" The voice answered, His footsteps becoming louder. "I am putting new memories in your head. Soon you will be under my service, my pretty little miko. You don't know why you are here do you… Princess."
"P-Princess!" Kagome stuttered, completely baffled. Her face and body didn't otherwise show emotion. "You must be mistaking me for someone-"
"Oh, no, Princess. You are Kagome, are you not? You are a missing link to a long forgotten legend. I will make that legend come true, at all costs. I like your spirit so I will keep you from suspense. First, I will fill you with hatred. Then, I will have you kill that dear, little 'half-mate' of yours. How does that sound to you?" He mocked
"Sesshomaru! You leave him alone. It's me you want. Spare him!" Kagome heard footsteps retreating. Her pleas fell on deaf ears.
'Sesshomaru…'
As Sesshomaru and Inuyasha neared the northern lands Inuyasha became stiffer. Sesshomaru could sense that there was something that Inuyasha wasn't telling him. It had to do with Kagome. That much was obvious. Was there more to it than just being in the northern lands? Inuyasha, what's going on?
"Are you well?"
Kagome stirred a bit. Fear claimed her. She opened her eyes to a small rabbit looking youkai. The girl was short with a white Shippo-like tail and blue hair. Her pale skin made her blue eyes sparkle. Had Kagome not been kidnapped away from the ones she loved she would have thought that she looked 'so kawaii.'
"What is your name?" Kagome asked the youkai as she sat up. The rabbit just smiled and said, "Yen."
Sesshomaru and Inuyasha had crossed the northern slopes and had reached a quiet valley. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were already on edge. They knew something was wrong. They heard movement in the forest.
"A trap!" Sesshomaru swept into action even as Inuyasha called to him. Youkai swarmed out of the trees. A wave of them from the back caught the brothers off guard as they attacked. Sesshomaru could feel a sharp pain in his lower back as a sword viciously swept at him, drawing large amounts of blood. Inuyasha was trying to hold off a tiger demon when a blast of water energy struck him. He jumped out of the way holding his side and landed to the left of where he had stood. There were two of them. They were female water dragon youkai twins. The tiger youkai charged after Inuyasha had removed the icicle in his side. In one swift move he countered the youkai's jab and brought the icicle into his chest, the demon growled as he parished. Inuyasha turned to face the twins.
'One of them is a water demon and the other is ice. But which one?' Inuyasha saw Sesshomaru out of the corner of his eye. He was fighting the countless other demons that filled the clearing.
'Kagome.'
"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha called as they fought the hoard or oncoming youkai. Much blood had already been spilled, fatigue was already upon them. "This isn't Naraku's army!"
"What!" Who the hell could be after Kagome, now? Silently he cursed whatever god decided to leave his business with Kagome unfinished. Though he couldn't help mentally berating himself for going to Inuyasha to apologize first.
The two brothers were back to back now. Suddenly a path opened in the youkai army. Some of them began to smile in a way that suggested they knew something they didn't. That was when they saw him. If they hadn't been so angry their jaws would have dropped.
"That's a nice name. It suits you." The rabbit youkai smiled and bowed. "My twin brother's name is Yang. I think you will like him. He is, after all, going to help train you. Don't be fooled though, we can change our size. Master will teach you also."
Kagome went still again. She stood up and followed the short girl down a long hallway leading away from the room she slept in. Over all, the place was really clean and regal looking. She had to wonder if the person who owned the palace was the one who kidnapped her. 'How could such a nice place belong to such a bad person?'
"Lord Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, welcome to my domain. I must say, I expected a better show." Both Sesshomaru and Inuyasha growled.
"You have Kagome." The man laughed at this so obvious statement. He came closer enough to stand at arms length of Sesshomaru himself. He just laughed.
"What is so funny? Angel?"
"The look on your face. My dear Lord of the Western Lands, you truly don't know what you had in your possession. Did you truly believe she was human?" Now his army began to laugh with him. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru gave feral growls.
"She is like me. Same, yet completely opposite. I am a dark Angel. My name is Ekibyougami."
"Angel of Death?"
Yen led Kagome into a large room that was very spacious. Yen waited by the door as Kagome entered. In the room there were three large windows side by side in front of her with a view of a beautiful fountain. The fountain was white marble and had a great dragon with water flowing out its mouth. But what really grabbed her attention even more was an angel-like figure riding it. There was a sword strapped to its belt as it blew a horn in its right hand, holding the reigns with its left. Kagome looked to the left to see a room that didn't have windows, but was a giant walk in closet full of at least two hundred kimonos of all different styles and patterns. To the right was a dressing table made of rosewood. A beautiful mirror was fastened above it and looked like it was lined with Ivy. A couch was pressed against the windows and a chair stood to the left of it.
'Wow…'
"Am I to look after the Lady? Is that what I am training for?" Kagome asked Yen who had moved to the closet.
"No, you are the lady." She smiled as Kagome gaped at her. "We will train you to fight."
Yen disappeared into the closet and came back with a midnight blue kimono with white sakura blossoms on the sleeves and the boarders. Kagome walked over to Yen and held the kimono. The material felt good in her hands. Yen motioned for her to go inside and change. Kagome protested, but she finally went in while Yen waited outside the door.
"So Kagome, do you like your kimono?" Yen asked though the shoji screen. In truth the kimono fit perfectly. It hugged all the right places. The only trouble was that her back was too cold. Two identical slits lined the back where her shoulder blades were.
"It is. Why are there slits in the back?" Yen made a coughing noise. Kagome became suspicious. What else is new?
"They are for the ritual tonight. He didn't want to ruin the dress when he cuts you." Kagome jumped from behind the screen. For a minute Yen was scared. Yen opened her mouth to speak when another person walked into the room. He looked like Yen but taller and with a muscular body. Kagome walked out of the dressing room and saw him. She assumed that it must be Yang.
He quickly took her hand and led her through the long passageways. When they got to a large door he released her hand and opened the doors. Light hit her eyes. What she saw was very… unexpected.
Children. About fifty if she counted right. All playing and wrestling with each other. They all seemed to stop and all went quiet. All at one time, they bowed. Kagome looked around. They were bowing to her.
"What's going on?"
A small white tiger child tugged at her kimono. She was pale with two identical pairs of black strips on her heart-shaped face. She wore a small white kimono with pink flowers throughout it. Kagome locked eyes with her. Her eyes were nearly pure green, and they were Huge! Just staring at her. Who were all of these children? "Hi, you're so pretty, you must be Kagome!"
In a way this white tiger youkai was much like Rin. "Yes, I am. Who are you?"
In one fluid motion, all of the kids surrounded her asking a billion and one different questions. Kagome couldn't help but smile.
Sesshomaru felt strange. A happy feeling in the back of his head. Was Kagome happy? The urge to tear Ekibyougami's throat became intensified ten-fold. 'What did he do to her?'
"At this very moment, your dear Kagome is being erased of all memories pertaining to you Sesshomaru, not Inuyasha, those memories we need. I need. She is my other half. My Kaikou."
"What? She is nothing like you. You bastard, give her back!" Inuyasha yelled. Ekibyougami smirked. It was a disturbing look to say the least. He slowly spread his black wings into a flight position; the deep ivory feathers clashing with his pale complexion, yet blending in with his robes. As his wings lifted a large sword was revealed.
