Chapter Nineteen: The Curse Begins

Inuyasha runs to the bottom of the stairs and sniffs the air. "This way." Miroku and Sango follow Inuyasha into the darkness. He finds a large room, nothing in it except for three doors.

Miroku looks to the doors, "One of these has to lead to Kagome. Each of us should take a door."

Sango nods, "I'll take the one on the right." Inuyasha takes the one on the left and Miroku takes the middle one. They push open the doors and walk inside. The doors close behind them. Sango gasps and looks around in the dark, "I can't see anything!" She hears something moving. It sounds like something is grinding against the ground. Coming closer. Sango turns to the door and pounds on it, "Miroku! Inuyasha! Help me!" She begins to panic. Quickly she runs forward, not knowing what is in front of her. She feels a handle and tries to turn it, but it won't move. Sango then cries out as she feeling something stabbing her arm. She slams herself against the door and it flies open. She falls to the ground, now safe in the other room. She looks back and sees the walls were closing in, both walls had spikes upon them. "I-I could have died..." She holds her arm tightly as the blood drips to the ground.

In the other room, Miroku walks through a very narrow hallway, lit by only four candles. He moves through the hallway cautiously. He sees a door at the end and smiles, "This must be the right door... but if this is.. then what about Sango and Inuyasha?" He turns around to glance back, but he notices that the door he had come through is now gone. The walls and floor turn red and he starts to sink into the ground. "Ah!" He tries to pull himself out of it but can't seem to do so. The door in front of him disappears and everything turns into the red substance. He sinks lower, "Inuyasha! Sango! Someone please help!" Miroku sinks to the point where his face is almost completely covered. He tries to move his arms and legs, but nothing is working.

From the other room Inuyasha can hear cries of help. He stops to listen and realizes it is Miroku. Inuyasha turns and runs toward the door he just came from. He tries to push it open, but it won't budge. Inuyasha growls and pushes as hard as he can, "Miroku! Hold on a sec I'm coming!" Inuyasha takes out the Tetsaiga and slices the door in half. He quickly runs out of the room and pushes on Miroku's door. It flies open, Inuyasha sees the red substance covering everything. He sees Miroku in the middle of it sinking fast.

"Inuyasha! Don't come any closer, it will pull you in!"

"Shut up Monk! I'm coming in there if you like it or not!" Inuyasha kneels down and touches the ground. His hand somewhat sinks in. He glance at Miroku and sees he is now completely submerged. "Dang it Miroku!" Inuyasha jumps down right next to Miroku. He already begins to sink. Inuyasha reaches under and pulls him up.

Miroku gasps for air and looks to Inuyasha, "What are you doing? We're both going to die now!"

"Have a little faith in me please." he growls under his breath. Inuyasha tries to swim out of it, but to no success. He holds tight to the monk and pushes him forward. "I want you to hold your staff out." Miroku nods and does as told. Inuyasha then uses almost all of his strength to leap up out of the red ooze, and lands closer to the open door. Inuyasha grabs onto the end of the staff and tries to pull him out. "Miroku try to pull yourself out."

"I'm trying!" He glares annoyed at the hanyou. Miroku tries to move his legs about to make it easier. He then feels his body become loose from the ooze. Inuyasha gives a forceful tug and frees Miroku.

"Miroku, you alright?"

"Yeah.. thank you for getting me out of there. I thought I was going to die for sure."

"Yeah yeah, save it for later. Lets go see if Sango is okay." Inuyasha grabs Miroku and pulls him to his feet. They walk over to the door Sango entered. Miroku reaches over and opens the door slowly. Inuyasha sniffs the air, "I smell Sango's blood."

Miroku looks to Inuyasha with fear upon his face. He glances inside of the dark room, "You can't see anything in there... do you think she is okay?"

Inuyasha doesn't say anything and walks inside. The door suddenly shuts locking him inside. He hears the same noise Sango had heard earlier. His ears twitch and he feels the ground shake slightly. He quickly runs forward and finds the door Sango had found. He picks up her scent and tries pushing on the door. He growls and kicks it open. Inuyasha runs into the other room and turns back to see what was there. "Spikes..."

Miroku pounds on the door, "Inuyasha? What's happening? Inuyasha? Inuyasha?"

"I hear ya! Miroku don't open the door!"

"What?" he leans against the locked door. "I can't hear you!"

The walls with spikes start moving back into their place, making the loud noise. "Don't open the door!" The noise drowns out his voice.

Miroku shakes his had, "I'm coming in!" He pushes on the door and it opens. As it does so, the door where Inuyasha is closes. Miroku walks inside and runs across the room quickly. "Inuyasha, are you over here?" The walls start to move toward him.

"Yeah! Hurry, kick the door down! The walls are closing in!"

"Right." he kicks the door but it doesn't move. He then tries to turn the handle, "I can't open it, can you?"

"No, there is no handle!"

Miroku panics as the walls get closer to him, he uses his staff to push open the door. He jumps inside next to Inuyasha. "That was close..." he gasps for air and wipes the sweat from his forehead.

"Sango's scent goes through this room and to the next. Lets hurry, I don't want to find her dead."

"Nor do I." Miroku whispers then follows Inuyasha through the room.

Sango pushes open yet another door. She walks inside the room and sees a figure sitting on the ground. She slowly approaches with her sword in hand. Sango turns the sitting figure around and sees it is Kagome.

"Sango! You found me!"

"Oh Kagome!" Sango unties Kagome's hands and the two girls embrace. "I lost Inuyasha and Miroku. We went through different doors trying to find which one was the real one. I guess I found it."

"But if you did then Inuyasha and Miroku must be lost, or they could be in trouble!"

"Don't worry, I'm sure they are fine." She smiles and looks around the room. "So this is where Red Death brought you."

"Yes, but his real name is Nobuo."

"Nobuo? You know him?"

"Yes, he is a childhood friend. Its a bit of a long story, I'll tell you when I have time."

Sango nods the helps her friend to her feet, "Lets get you out of here and go find the guys, okay?"

"Okay. We have to hurry, Nobuo is after them."

"Right, lets go then." they start to run toward the exit when they hear footsteps behind them. "What's that?" They turn and see Nobuo.

He grins, "Leaving so soon?" his eyes glow with hate. "You two are not going anywhere. Besides that would be rude, Kagome, you have a guest."

She looks to him questioningly, "A guest?" Sango holds onto her shoulders, protecting her.

"Yes." he moves to the side and bows, "This is a spirit. She would like to have a word with you." An old woman appears in front of them. She has a blue glow to her body and hair. Kagome feels uneasy and backs away.

"Do not fear me child. I am but a harmless spirit.." her voice was fragile and weak. "You are Kagome Higurashi. The half breed's love."

"Y-Yes."

"Do you wish to find Inuyasha?"

"Yes! Where is he?" Kagome moves close to her.

The spirit smiles, "He is in grave danger... He might not make it to you... Would you like to save him?"

Kagome gasps, "Yes of course!" Sango opens her mouth to protest but nothing comes out. She glances up at Nobuo with her eyes wide. He smirks and waves his hand side to side. Nobuo! The spirit! Kagome its a trick! She tries to move her feet, but again they do not move. Oh no! I'm stuck! Kagome!

"My dear, he is in another realm. You will have to drink this potion to be able to reach your love." she pushes a cup toward her, "Now drink."

Kagome kneels down and picks it up. She brings it to her lips and slowly takes a sip. After she does, nothing seems to happen. Kagome looks to her, "Nothing is happening."

The old woman smiles wickedly, "Don't worry, child, something will happen very, very soon. Trust me."

Kagome nods and waits for a moment. Suddenly, flames appear all around surrounding her. "W-What? What's happening?"

"Foolish girl! You have fallen for my trap!" the spirit begins to laugh. "Your family has been cursed. Your mother is the one that began it all. Thanks to your father you and your brother have been protected from the curse because of those crystals. But no more, they are now powerless and will not save you."

"Why would you do this?"

"Because ... I hate you more than I can bare, yet I love you more than I can bare..." she pauses, "Your family damned me to Hell. I know get my revenge on the most beautiful, most powerful Higurashi of them all. You shall now suffer as I have suffered!"

Kagome stands up and glares at her, "I'll find a way to break the curse! I swear it! Inuyasha will help me!"

Note: The curse idea is from someone else, not me. Just to let you know the image of the curse is from a movie by Satoshi Kon ((one of my favorite.))