A figure walked out of the fog and up to the door of the isolated cottage. A call had summoned her here and she now knew why. Her beloved daughter was gone. But what was it that was calling her? She too felt the grief at losing her daughter but what had called her.
She glided into the room and saw a demon and a half demon with their heads hung. The demon raised his head and she met his golden gaze, which widened. She ignored him and followed the sounds of ravaged weeping. Opening the oak door she found her daughters body and a demon weeping over it.
But what answered her question was her daughter's spirit, which was hugging the demon. She then saw the mingled tears. She knew. Walking over she placed a hand on the man's shoulder.
He raised his head and looked at her, recognition dawning in his red gaze. She knelt beside her daughter's body and placed a fingertip over the mingled tears. They froze into a crystal teardrop that glimmered of every color.
It was then she spoke, "in the archives of the Ice demon it is said that if two souls are physically intertwined while one is lost, the strength of the other can bring it back, only if the love is strong enough. With my power I can try but I will not do this if you do not love her. Tell me demon, do you love my daughter?"
Sesshomaru had recognized the white demon that had walked into the room and now asked him the question. Rin's mother. He nodded, "I love her body, heart, and soul. If you can bring her back I will do anything for you to do so."
She nodded and then looked at Rin's spirit, which had been listening and watching her. She repeated the question. Rin's spirit disengaged itself from Sesshomaru and walked in front of her mother. She looked at her body then at Sesshomaru.
Her mother knew what she was going through for she had gone through it herself and hoped Rin made the right choice for she hadn't and Rin had paid the price. Rin's spirit looked at Sesshomaru long and hard then turned back towards her mother and pointed to Sesshomaru's healed arm.
She understood. She would not have risked her life healing him if she did not love him body, heart, and soul. Closing her eyes Rin's mother cupped her hands under the teardrop. Going by instinct Rin's spirit and Sesshomaru placed a hand on Rin's mother's shoulder.
Power radiated from the teardrop and Rin's spirit was yanked away as was Sesshomaru's. Glace opened her eyes and stared into the teardrop. She hoped they made the right decision. By God she hoped so.
Crossroad of souls
Sesshomaru stared at the balls of light that were zooming around them. Where was he? He then felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Rin, looking just as confused.
Before he could kiss her, hug her, or so much as touch her a kimono garbed figure stepped in front of them. Her kimono was red and white while she wore ancient armor on her upper half. Jet-black hair ran down her back and brown eyes watched them with a mixture of surprise and longing.
Then they turned expressionless. Rin gasped and spoke for the first time, "its Midoriko, maker of the Shikon Jewel!" The woman nodded, "that I am. But now I am the judge, jury, and executioner.
You both have a choice, live in the afterworld where nothing can harm or touch you, or return to present day where you will be hunted for your title and power, where you will be resented for who and what you are.
Make your choice for what you say is what I will grant, but only one may speak." Sesshomaru knew instantly what he wanted and opened his mouth to say it when Rin laid a hand over his mouth, cutting off his answer. She then looked at Midoriko and answered exactly what Sesshomaru wouldn't say.
"We wish to return to reality." Joy entered Midoriko's eyes and she smiled while she raised her hand. In it was the teardrop that had mixed their souls. She handed it to Sesshomaru, "in this is your love for each other. Because of your choice you will be granted an alternate reality.
A world where you may exist in peace and harmony. For as long as your love remains strong this place will exist and you will be allowed to enter it, it's magic keeping all those you hold dear safe within its arms.
Let your love die and both of your souls will die since they are intertwined and will cease to exist, never finding another again in this world or any other. The choice is made. Be free." She nodded her head and souls swirled around them until they saw nothing but light.
Glace watched as the teardrop flashed and two sets of lungs took a first breath. She too let out her own. They had made the right choice. They would be happy and Midoriko was free.
Sesshomaru blinked first then gathered his senses and reached for Rin. She opened her silver eyes and smiled. "Why Rin, why did you pick to return here where you could be killed again?"
Rin just shook her head and closed her eyes. Sesshomaru started to panic for a moment, then saw she was just sleeping. He then looked to Glace. She nodded, "my name is Glace and yes I'm Rin's mother, an Ice demon.
Before you condemn me, hear me out. Me and my soul mate, Rin's father, were battling some demons that had come to near the city and I had made a deadly mistake and was killed. We were transported to where you and Rin just were and were given the same choice but instead of Midoriko we were given to the Reaper.
We made the wrong choice though, and let emotion rule, we picked what you would have, to be safe and sound in the after life. But now I can never touch my soul mate for that was the deal, live in the afterworld where no one can harm or touch you.
You would not have been able to touch Rin and vice versa. Soul mates will hurt each other through differences of opinion, arguments and such. My soul was sent to Mt. Hakushine where all Ice Demon souls have resided and I was there until I was called when yours and Rin's souls mixed.
I had been the last Ice demon killed and thus I could do the necessary ritual to bring you to the Crossroad of Souls. Midoriko was trapped there because after she was released from the Jewel all those years ago and sent to the Crossroad of Souls, where she acted as trial for the two souls who physically mixed.
If they made the right choice she would be released to be reincarnated, live in the afterlife, or reside in Mt. Hakushine. You both made the right choice and now you both will be happy."
Placing the teardrop into his hand she stood, "my time on this plane is through since my duty is done. Tell Rin I love her and will always be near her. Good-bye Sesshomaru Tenseiga."
Her form shifted, wavered, and disintegrated into tiny fragments that floated out of the window and into the night. Sesshomaru turned to Rin and smiled. She would be all right. Thank God. So burying his face in her hair he let himself sleep, knowing his mate was beside him and alive.
Epilogue coming in about a week!
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Chrys signing off