Chapter Twenty-Three: Lost in Dreams

Kagome pushes open the door at the top of the tower. There she finds a room with fire just starting to cover it. She sees a figure laying on the floor. Slowly she walks up to it, "Inuyasha?" She removes the kimono that was covering his body. "Inuyasha!" Kagome kneels down and picks up his head carefully. Warm, salty streams of water slides down her rosy cheeks. She leans her head down and kisses his forehead. "Inuyasha... I was too late..." she cries. "I couldn't save you.. I'm so sorry.. please forgive me."

Inuyasha opens his eyes and smiles weakly at his love, "Kagome... I'm not dead... not yet.. I don't think I'll make it.." he coughs up blood. "You should go... I don't want anything to happen to you.. Please promise me you will go... go and live life happily.. even if I'm not beside you."

She shakes her head, "No.. I'm not going to leave you here to die. I love you too much. I'm going to remain by your side forever... nothing will make me leave you now." Kagome pulls his body closer to his. The scent of blood mixed with fire is all over his clothing. It burns her nose, but she doesn't care. As long as she can hold him, she is happy.

The hanyou lefts his hand and gently brushes his fingers on her cheek. "Kagome.. please.."

Kagome sighs and kisses him, "I'm not going..." she smiles lovingly at him. "After you die.. I'm going to wait her for my death as well..."

Inuyasha feels his heart sink in his chest, "I love you Kagome.. but... I don't want you to follow me in death... I want you to live..." he coughs even harder then he did before. The fire grows closer around them. They can feel the flames coming closer to their flesh. Inuyasha slowly closes his eyes mumbling something as his body grows heavy. Then his hand falls from her face and hits the ground. He is motionless.

"Inuyasha...?" her eyes are wide with fear. "Inuyasha, please speak to me! Tell me you love me! Say something! Please!"

Koga sets down Inuyasha once they reach the bottom of the mountain. He glances him over, "Hey, you okay? You seem even weaker than before."

He coughs, "I.. I don't know.. I just feel worse.. my body is numb.. I can't move..." Inuyasha sighs and looks to Koga, "Give me a few moments.. maybe I'll be able to-"

Koga cuts him off by throwing him over his shoulder, "Shut up! Lets just go! Kagome needs you we can't waste any more time!" He runs through the forest and toward the wolf den. Though its not too far away, he runs as fast as his legs will let him. Fear begins to consume his mind. He is worried they won't make it. Something inside of him is telling him they might be too let.

Miroku lays Sango down on a pile of blankets. He smiles and kisses her cheek. Slowly he makes his way over to Kagome and Shippo. Kirara jumps up on his shoulder meowing. "What is it Kirara?" The little demon leaps down and runs to the entrance. It continues to meow. Miroku glances over to Shippo, "I'll be right back. I'm just going to see what Kirara wants." Shippo nods and watches him leave. Kirara turns into her larger form then kneels down so Miroku can climb on. "Is something wrong?" As soon as he gets on Kirara's back, it takes off into the sky. Miroku holds tightly to it's fur then, once he has balance, he looks down. "Where are you taking me?" He then sees a figure running in the forest. He notices the cloud of dust following it. He smiles happily, "Its Koga!" They fly down and stop in front of the wolf. "Koga! What happened to Inuyasha!"

Koga gasps for air, even he was tired from all that running. "Inuyasha was poisoned by the demons in the mountains. He took a potion that would help, but he hasn't gotten better. We also have the cure for Kagome, but mutt face is the only one that knows what to do. Since he is weak, I don't know if he can save her."

Miroku takes Inuyasha from Koga's back and places him on Kirara's. "Inuyasha, how you are you feeling?"

Inuyasha groans as he turns to face him, "Weak.. and very very tired... as if I'm falling asleep.. my body is numb and heavy.." He feels the softness of Kirara's fur against his face and sighs. "Kagome, how is she?"

"Not any better." he whispers.

Inuyasha nods, "I see.. don't worry... I have the direction for the potion.. I'll be able to save her.." After he finishes speaking, Kirara flies back to the den with Inuyasha. Miroku and Koga dash toward the den, but since Miroku can't seem to keep up; Koga growls and carries him there.

Kagome picks up and dagger laying on the ground. She holds it to her heart and gets ready to drive it through. She then hears a laughing and sees the spinning wheels. Kagome drops the dagger to cover her ears. "Go away!" She closes her eyes and screams.

The spirit appears before her, "I was planning on it.. but I wanted to see it for myself.. I wanted to see you die." She laughs evily. "You are such a foolish girl. You think that killing yourself will make everything better. You think that love lasts forever. All of that is a lie."

Kagome looks to the dagger then to Inuyasha, "I want to be with him... always... I want to be beside him.. "

The spirit makes the flames grow, "And you will! You will die together in this place then you will meet again in hell!"

She shakes her head, "No, I'm not going to die.. He doesn't want me to.. He knew that if I died, you would win. I'm not going to let that happen!"

"Now you decide you want to live, but have you looked around? You are trapped! You cannot escape this place!" she laughs and then slowly starts to disappear. "You will burn in these flames with the one you love." The spirit disappears along with the spinning wheels, leaving only the flames and the falling structures.

The young girl smiles as she lays down beside Inuyasha. She moves the hair from his face and kisses his cheek. "I guess I have no choice... I have to die.. but thats okay.. because I'll be with you.."

Inuyasha reads the directions for the potion. He sets it down then looks to Kagome. "Lay me next to Kagome please.." he mumbles. Miroku and Koga carry him over to Kagome. Inuyasha takes her hand. "Its just a dream Kagome.. but to you it seems real. I'm coming. I'll save you.." He looks to Koga, "Can you open the bottle for me?"

Koga growls and pulls it open. He lefts the bottle, "You owe me mutt." He pours half the potion in Inuyasha's mouth, then the other half in Kagome's. "Good luck." Inuyasha thanks him the slowly falls asleep. Koga sit down beside Genta and Hakkaku. He sighs heavily then opens his mouth to speak. "What do you think she is dreaming about?"

Shippo blinks, "I asked that earlier, but we won't know until she wakes up." He crawls over in between Inuyasha and Kagome. He lays down and stares upward.

Sango, who is know awake from her nap, glances to Miroku. "Do you think everything will work out?" he pauses, "I mean won't it be hard for him?"

Miroku shrugs, "I really can't tell you."

"Inuyasha has to find Kagome within her dream. Then he has to help her escape by killing the spirit within that dream. Once they wake up, the curse should be broken." Shippo closes his eyes. "I only wish I could help.."

Inuyasha's eyes flash open. He is standing on top of a hill looking over a kingdom on fire. He begins to run toward the fire. At the bottom of the hill he sees Koga fighting shadow demons. "Koga?"

Koga turns to him, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

Inuyasha is taken back, "What do you mean?"

"Kagome is in the castle! I told her you were in trouble and she needed to save you!" The shadow demons disappear and Koga smirks. "And can you believe it.. she fell for it. The stupid little girl. I can't believe that she really believed me. Then again, she thought you were really in trouble." Koga suddenly turns into the spirit. "I'm not going to let you near her! She is going to die! Nothing you do will change that!"

Inuyasha growls, "This is just a dream! You can't kill her! I'm not going to let you!"

The spirit laughs, "Is it a dream? Its not a dream anymore Inuyasha. Now it is real, you can die here. I can kill you. I can kill her." She disappears into the black smoke. Inuyasha growls and rushes to the castle.

Kagome glances to Inuyasha's face and smiles happily. Inuyasha's body sinks into the ground. She sits up quickly and looks to the spot where he was laying. "Whats going on? How did this happen?"

"He wasn't really there silly girl. He was an illusion."

She turns to face Serenity standing behind her, "How are you here? I killed you!"

She laughs, "Don't you get it yet?" Serenity sighs and pulls out her sword, "Oh well, you will find out after I kill you. May your soul rest in peace." She tries to stab Kagome, but she leaped out of the way. She narrows her eyes and slices at her, missing again. "Damn it! Stop moving!"

Kagome falls back against a stone wall. She picks up a wooden staff that was laying on the ground. "I'll escape from this Hell. I won't die here."

Inuyasha reaches the castle gate. He sees Sango and Kirara, "Its another illusion. It has to be." He watches them turn into shadow demons. He smirks and fights the demons. His sword slices through them with ease. After he kills the demons, he holds his sword out. "I can smell the barrier around it.. I have to hurry!" Inuyasha breaks through the barrier then makes his way into the castle. The flames grow leaving only a small path to the tower. He runs up the steps holding tightly to his robe. "I'm coming Kagome! Just hold on a few more minutes! I won't let you down!" Inuyasha coughs and gasps for air, "Damn it.. its so hard to breath..." The black smoke blocks his sight of the steps. He coughs harder but continues on. "I have to save her... I cannot fail..." He steps forward then falls. He quickly grabs the steps. He pulls himself out of the large hole in the stares then begins to run again. "I can smell the spirit. I'm near."

Kagome drops to one kneel gasping. She glances up to Serenity, "Just go away... let me die here..."

Serenity shakes her head, "I can't do that. I need to make sure you die." She holds the sword above Kagome's head then smiles. "I love you more then anyone Kagome. You are everything to me."

Her eyes go wide and she looks up and Nobuo is now holding the sword. Serenity is gone. "N-Nobuo?"

His smile increases, "I wanted to make sure you suffer until your last breath." Nobuo lowers the blade, but Kagome moves out of the way. "I thought you wanted to die?"

She begins to cry, "Not by your hands."

Nobuo smirks, "Who do you want me to be then?" He pauses and hears someone approaching. "Hurry, lets make this quick. I have to kill someone else as well.."

Kagome stands up slowly, "I want you to turn into Kikyo. I want to see what happens. When I die by her hands."

He turns into Kikyo. The flames grow and her smile seems to glow, "Kagome, its like a dream isn't it?" She thrusts the sword into her stomach.

Inuyasha pushes the door open, he drops his sword. "K.. Kagome.." He watches her body drop to the ground in a puddle of blood. "KAGOME!" he rushes over to her side and picks up her body. "Are you okay? Kagome?"

Kikyo laughs and turns into her true form, the spirit. "You tried so hard. I almost pity you. You wanted to save her from death, but look happened. Now, my dear valiant warrior, embrace death together as you would have with Kikyo."

He growls and sets down Kagome. He grabs his sword, "I am not going to die! Neither will she! She isn't dead yet, if I can kill you before she dies, I know we can escape this nightmare!"

The spirit moves the sword by waving her hand. "Then fight." The swords clash together. Kagome opens her eyes slowly and glances over. "He... Inuyasha... he's alive..." she smiles. She looks around carefully for a weapon that isn't on fire. She spots a bow and a few arrows. Slowly, she drags herself over to them. Inuyasha falls to the ground and the sword flies into his shoulder. He growls and jumps back up. The sword comes at him again, he dodges it then claws at the spirit. His hands goes through her. Kagome picks up the bow and an arrow. She gets on her knees, "Inuyasha! Move!" He faces her then leaps out of the way as the arrow is fired.

Light surrounds the arrow and hits the spirit in the heart. She screams out in horror as the flames increase in size and consume only her, "No! This can't happen!" her voice fades.

Inuyasha runs over to Kagome, "We have to get out of here!" He picks her up and holds her tightly.

The spirit's voice echoes through the fire, "You will not make it to the portal in time! She is dying as we speak! She will die!" her laughs dies along with her.

Kagome winces in pain, "Inuyasha... lets go.." blood runs down the side of her mouth.

He nods then runs out of the tower. He leaps down as it collapses. "We have to find the portal! I don't know where it is!"

Kagome bites her lip, "...where we entered... we saw the flames..." she closes her eyes and coughs again.

Inuyasha runs through the castle gates, demons appearing everywhere. The chase after him, biting at his heals. He growls and runs after, pushing himself even harder. "Kagome! Don't you dare die now! Please hang on, we are almost there!" He can now see the hill he appeared on when he entered the dream world. All of his fears appear from the flames. They try to distract him from the portal. He sees Nobuo, Sumiko, Serenity, and the one person he wishes he would never see again, Kikyo. All of them standing in the flames, except for her. She was standing in front of the portal. "Its not real..." he whispers. "Its just a dream.." He runs up the hill. "Nothing is real! She isn't real! Its just a dream!" He runs right through the image of Kikyo and into the portal.