Disclaimers Notice: Maybe...yes...n-n-no...um...possibly???

Authors Beginning Note: I feel so terrible! I was rereading my last chapter and found soo many spelling errors! Like when I was spelling Hakkaku's name-I spelled it Hakaku (bad me, bad me!) Sorry, I'll try to be more careful about it in the future.

Shout it outs!

Koneko8844- I'm delighted to hear you think I'm doing well.

Rayme325-Yes, killing off characters is hard, and there are a few that, now that I look at it, I would really have liked it more if I hadn't killed them (Like Kagura, I think I could have really done something with her character) but sometimes is neccesary. Well anyhoo, glad you think I did well, and since you wanted more, here's the next chapter!

Animefreak808- Hakkaku and Ginta were knocked out by Shippo and Miroku, then tied up to the tree. Sorry I didn't clarify on that. I'm sorry your stereo broke. It's sad...no more songs for me! Kareoke, ne? or do an a cappela.

Consumed Rachel- This war is Naraku's doing, he has a few dirty tricks up his sleeve which won't be revealed for a while. To find out what will happen next, you'll have to read. As for Inu and Kag, you didn't specify, so I'll assume your talking about my Fic.

The infamouse question...Does Inuyasha love Kagome? Well, there have been hints and shrugs towards it, but nothing definate. How ever, In the end there should definately be some fireworks between the two, so, like I said earlier, to find out what will happen, you'll have to read.

Chapter 40

Kagome's Place in Fate

"Kagome child, do you not feel well?" Kagome shook her head.

"I'm fine. Just a little worn out. I think I'll go lie down for a bit." She said walking to the little area she and Sango share, Shippo, was glum and hopped off of her shoulder. Kagome fell upon her mat and fell asleep instantly.

"Why Shippo, what ails ye?"

"Keade...why do people have to die?" Keade stepped back for a moment at the unexpected question.

"Why do ye ask? Who has died?"

"Kanna died. Miyako and the other strange guy forced Kagome to tell them about Kanna and why she died."

"What! But Kagome was no where near Kanna's place of death, was she?"

"No."

"Than why..."

"Keio, the weird dude is Kanna's sister. Kanna was going to say something about Kagome before she died. They showed Kagome what happened in the mirror that Keio now has. Kagome got sick when she saw it. I guess it was pretty horrible. Those bullies! I should have knocked them out!" He said with his hands made into hard-balled fists as he hit the floor he sat upon.

"They didn't."

"Yes they did!"

"This is an outrage! Priestess or no, she had no right to force Kagome to see such things." Keade grabbed her bow and slung onto her shoulder arrows a plenty.

"Where are you going?"

"To speak to this priestess Miyako."

"Can I..."

"No, you stay right here and watch over Kagome. Inuyasha should be up soon, if he awakens in my absence, then tell him he must drink this." She said giving the young Kitsune a small pouch of pink dust.

"Mix in three spoons with two cups of water. He must drink it all. Do you think ye can do this?"

"Leave it to me!" He chirruped innocently. Keade nodded and walked out

"Miyako. I demand we talk." Keade said through the door.

"I am sorry, Priestess Keade, but Priestess Miyako is unavailable at the moment." Keio said stepping out and bowing in respect.

"Why." He blinked.

"Her business is of her own, and no one else's."

"Tell her, I insist that she see me at once." Keade said sounding harsh and demanding, quite unusual for her character. Keio frowned, but turned stiffly and closed the door. A time past before Keio came back.

"The Priestess of the Far North, Miyako will see you." He said in a voice resembling Kanna's usual monotone. Keade made a small noise at the title, but quietly.

"Priestess Keade, I had been meaning to speak with you, though I had preferred it to be more on my schedule. After all this is a bit unexpected "

"You had no right to question Kagome like you had." Miyako raised her eyebrow.

"I had no right? Really? Is that so? As her teacher in the arts of priestessism, I think I had every right."

"Teacher? You must be delusional. The child Kagome is under my instruction, and as such, I forbid you to so much as talk with her. She came to my hut looking as if the spirits of the dead had visited her."

"I do not blame her, after witnessing Kanna's death..."

"You should not have shown her that. Kagome is an innocent girl. She has already seen enough things to last a lifetime, without you adding to it. As a respected Miko, you should have addressed me first then let me decide if it was truly necessary to show her such sickening images."

"And as her TEACHER, you should know her for who she is! You should have trained her farther, should have told her how to further harness her powers! She is more than a Miko Keade, and you have failed to realize this! You have failed in teaching her, failed in..."

"Do NOT tell me what I have failed in, and what I have not. I know Kagome more than you ever will, and I have taught her all that she needs to know, most of which she hasn't needed me to instruct her in."

"But it will not be enough!"

"It will be plenty enough."

"You do not understand a thing! Your mind is so clouded! You refuse to look at the girl and see her real potential. You refuse to see what lies in her destiny."

"Who are you to claim to know what her destiny is?!" Keade stormed in her deep bellowing voice, one that nearly shook the room. Miyako's anger seemed too cool as she patted a few wrinkles out of her pants.

"Do you know why the girl is in the wrong time? Do you know why she was brought here? Do you know why she was born with the Shinkon No Tama, why Kikyo was reincarnated?"

"Because the gods have willed it to be." Keade said defensively as she realized the woman knew that Kagome was not from this era. Miyako laughed bitterly.

"To take Kikyo's place. Kikyo died before her time. Kagome is here to do what Kikyo was supposed to do, but cannot, not even in her current seemingly living form. Do you not see? History is repeating itself Keade. The balance of good and evil is shifting, the future in clouded and changing. Naraku's power is growing as more shards are collected. His army may very well be greater than our own."

"You do not mean..."

"That is exactly what I mean. This war was supposed to be upon us thirty years back, but the priestess Kikyo died, so the war did not come, but that did not mean it was stopped, merely delayed. After all, it is etched permanently in the sky of fate. Kikyo was supposed to be stronger than Midoriko, so when the time came and this war was upon us, the good would triumph, defeating the evil and making a wish upon the Sacred Jewel, so that peace could once again be, but now that is not so, and I fear Kagome is not strong enough for the challenges to come. I do not now if she can defeat Naraku, for he is stronger than he has lead you all to believe. Much stronger. I feel his power vibrate, even this far away. I feel it crash into me, day and night, night and day. If she cannot destroy him, than she will be forced to let him win."

"Who says she is to go alone?"

"It is how it's supposed to be. She may be helped by allies, but in the end, it all depends upon her, if she fails, she dies."

" There must be another way!"

"She could give up her soul, and like Midoriko, trap the both of them in a never ending battle against each other into another Shinkon Jewel. Then where would we be? With two jewels? One is hard enough to take care of. That would only serve to delay however, and then history would begin to repeat itself once more, until another arises to fight and have a chance to triumph, and if failed, bring about another circle. It will not end Keade, until either the evil or good is defeated, not trapped, not tricked, not semi dead. One must be destroyed!" Miyako sunk to the floor in despair as Keade's heart thumped. Her head swirled and cleared, swirled and cleared.

"How do you come to know this?" Miyako sucked in a deep breath that sounded almost like a sob.

"Keio. Like Kanna, he too can see the past, present, and future. A gift from his dear mother. With more demon blood running through him than Kanna, his powers are then amplified to a heightened degree. With the mirror, he can see the future with even more clearity, but the possibilites, and ods in Naraku's favor, remain the same. He can see much to the world, some he tells me, just what is needed, but no more than that." She said glad for a change in conversation.

"Hmm." Keade nodded.

"Keade. You must let her fight...and you must let me teach her. There are things that even in your older age, you cannot even fathom, that I have come to know. So please..." For once Miyako looked like a helpless child, something that has never occured in her time even as a little girl. In reaction even to Miyako's whimpering plea, Keade's exterior became more solid and hard, as possessive pride in her adopted granddaughter seemed to shake her.

"The decision is hers. Not mine." She left quickly, her body for once, feeling its age.

Authors Ending Note: Kagome's fate has been discovered and she walks on a thin sharp knife, that not even she knows about. Tensions are rising to a dangerouse degree. Kagome must soon decide weather or not she will fight in this war, but if she does not, is that a luxury she can afford?