Summary- Years have passed since the incident with Khan. Now Rin is happy, living with her young child, InuTaisho. InuYasha has taken over in Sesshoumaru's absence, and no one knows what has happened to him. Rin still wonders upon the missing youkai, and if she shall truly ever see him again...

Eternity

Chapter Four

"To seek power is to seek defeat. To seek love is to seek victory...InuYasha, you are well on your way..."

"Kagome! Kagome, where are you?" InuYasha called. Where was she? He nearly searched the entire Fukai Mori, and still there was no sign of her! She must be with someone faster than himself...but who could be so quick besides Sesshoumaru? He growled and scented the area once more, not giving in the slightest. He would find Kagome, and there was no way she was going to escape him with whoever she was with.

"Kagome!" He called out again. He swung the Tetsusaiga, knocking down a flurry of trees in his panic. He couldn't let her go. What if she was with a demon that wanted to kill her, and she didn't know? What if she was already dead and the demon was hiding the evidence? InuYasha's blood began to boil at the thought of some random demon taking out Kagome. He wouldn't stand for it! And if it were true, he would kill the demon in the slowest way possible...

"Well, well...what have we here? A mutt lost in the forest? You poor thing."

InuYasha growled and turned, his eyes narrowing. "Well, I never thought that we'd meet again." InuYasha grumbled. He continued to glare at the woman in the trees as she slowly floated down to the ground on what seemed to be a serpent. She was, indeed, quite different from their first meeting. She now held grey hair and a scar on her right eye.

"InuYasha? Well, this is a surprise. Who would have thought that we'd meet up,both in dire need of something? Well, how about this. You help me, and I'll help you, deal?"

InuYasha glared. Should he trust her? She had tried to kill him once before...but only because she thought he was a threat. Otherwise, she probably wouldn't have taken to killing him at the time. But...she was still a priestess...

"Come on InuYasha. The clock is ticking, and your little girlfriend is growing farther from you by the minute." She whispered. InuYasha gulped. He had no choice. He wouldn't be able to find Kagome quick enough if indeed she was with a demon, especially one that was quicker than himself.

"Alright. I'll make the deal." InuYasha growled. The woman smirked and made her way over to him, sticking out her hand. InuYasha stared at it, then to her.

"Take it. It insures me that I have your word on the deal."

InuYasha looked back to the hand warily. He then put his hand around hers and watched in horror as worm-like veins came out of her arm and sunk in to his own skin. He howled in pain and sunk to his knees, sweat dripping down him like a river as the pain increased. The woman merely stood there, looking down at him with no emotion as the scar upon her eye began to glow and pulse. InuYasha cried out slightly as he realized he couldn't take his hand out of hers.

"What...the Hell are you d-doing?" InuYasha struggled out. The woman closed her eyes as the veins finished sinking in to InuYasha's skin and released his hand. InuYasha watched as it fell to the ground without any feeling to it. The entire arm was red and steam litteraly floated up from his arm. There were many holes in it as well, where the veins had sunk in. They quickly sealed up, and left no scars.

"It's called the Seal of Promises. It binds us together by our promise, and should one of us fail to keep the promise, then they die. Simple as that. Keep the promise, and you live."

InuYasha stared up at her in disgust. The wretch hadn't changed one bit over the years. "Damn it..." InuYasha winced and looked down at his arm. The woman smirked and headed off in a direction.

"Come on now, InuYasha. Your little wench awaits you." She said, leaving InuYasha upon the forest floor. InuYasha glared at her, baring his teeth as he tried to stop the burning and squirming sensation from his arm.

"Damn you, Tsubaki..."

-4-4-4-

Kaede stared out of her hut, into the darkening sky. She could feel something foreboding heading towards the village, but for what reason, she was unsure. Ever since Tsubaki was attacked by that ogre demon, she had changed ever since. She had become more violent and less trusting, even towards the villagers. Kaede sighed as she thought upon her pupil's misfortune. Some of the villagers say that she had been possessed by the ogre demon, and Kaede was beginning to think the same...

"Aye...such times are treacherous as these...it seems that something terrible has befallen upon these lands once more..." Kaede whispered as the breeze lifted her silver-grey hair and she closed her eyes as if in thought. She then turned around, walking back in to the hut, staring in to the fire. She was helpless. If something truly were going to happen, then she was completely helpless in defending the village. She needed help...

-Aye...some help is rare, for no one comes upon this village anymore. After the forest closed itself up, no one has been able to get through, unless they are capable of flying.-
Kaede thought. She sighed and then went over to a rocking chair, sitting down and allowed her old tired bones some rest. She closed her eyes, beginning to mumble things before slowly drifting in to her deep sleep.

A soft wind drifted through the hut, billowing around the fire as images began to seep in through it, shadows roaming across the walls. A rabid dog seemed to run through the fire images, raging crimson eyes brought down as it destroyed village after village, killing human after human. A young, beautiful maiden soon made her way in to the images and gazed up at the rabid dog, staring down upon her as well, his jaws open, preparing to swallow her whole...

-4-4-4-

"Touga, close your mouth!"

Touga winced as he opened his eyes, realizing that he had drifted on into sleep. He then closed his mouth, wiping away the drool that had made its way out of his jaws. He then lazily propped himself up on his elbows, glancing around the clouded area.

"Huh? Oh, hello Utsugi. Is something the matter?" Touga asked, wondering why he had been awoken from his sleep. Utsugi flared and then growled at him, commanding him to get up. Touga sighed and then rolled over, getting up and looking around. "Well?"

"Touga, you're supposed to be watching Khan's body!" Utsugi yelled. Touga winced and then turned to look at her.

"I was. Besides, it's not like it can just up and run away. He's been transformed to stone, there's no possible way!" Touga argued. Utsugi glared at him before throwing her head back.

"Well congratulations! Khan is gone!"

Touga's eyes widened, praying that she was simply joking around with him. He turned around, looking over the entire area. She was right. Khan's sealed body was indeed gone. He turned back to Utsugi, troubled. "Who do you think could have done it? He couldn't have gone by himself..." Touga whispered. Utsugi thought for a moment.

"The shadows...in the mirror. That's all we saw, remember? There's a great, evil force rising. One that we alone cannot defeat. Touga, I know that you know what's going on. And you also know a way to defeat Khan." Utsugi argued. Touga looked away immediately, as if ashamed of the decision he would have to make.

"Touga, what can we do?" Utsugi shouted. Touga sighed.

"The only way to defeat Khan...is...to merge souls with a living person...and kill him."

-4-4-4-

"Come stop your crying, it'll be alright...

Just take my hand, hold it tight.

I will protect you from all around you...

I will be here, don't you cry...

For one so small, you seem so strong...

My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm...

This bond between us, can't be broken.

I will be here, don't you cry...

'Cause you'll be in my heart...

Yes you'll be in my heart...

From this day on, now and forever more...

You'll be in my heart, no matter what they say...

You'll be here in my heart...always...

Rin moaned and slowly opened her eyes. Did she just hear music? Did she hear Sesshoumaru? Rin sat up quickly, looking around. She could have sworn that someone that sounded like Sesshoumaru was just singing her some music. Was her mind playing tricks on her? Did her heart yearn so much that she began to even hallucinate in her sleep...?

...always..."

Rin shook her head violently. She knew for a fact that wasn't an illusion. Sesshoumaru was really singing to her, but for what reason? And if he really was, then where was he?

-Is this what Utsugi meant? Finding a pathway to see Sesshoumaru again? Is the path to the Toukijin the only way to see Sesshoumaru? InuYasha said that he had heard Sesshoumaru when he went to see his grave...then...is it worth a try?-
Rin pondered upon the subject, before thinking that it was worth a try to call out to Sesshoumaru. The only way for her to be sure after all, was to test the hypothesis.

"Sesshoumaru? If you're there, answer me!"

Rin gained no response as she gazed around the area, nothing but her echo answering her in response. She sighed. Maybe she really was hallucinating?

"Sesshoumaru...?"

Nothing but the soft breeze that kissed her cheeks answered her once more. This time, however, the breeze felt warm, other than the ice cold wind from before. She sighed and turned around, ready to head back to the castle. She needed to get back before someone discovered her gone and threw everyone into a panic.

"...I wish you were here, Sesshoumaru..."

"Rin."

To Be Continued...

(sighs) Kingdom Hearts 2 finally came out...I'm going to get that game, one way or another. I'm going to have to starve myself until I get enough money! (growls in dedication) I'm not going to be able to update a lot because I'll have no energy from lack of food, but I'll continue to type when I have energy. Anyway, go to my profile at some point, because there will be a website linking to something extremely funny, that you Sesshoumaru and Rin fans might like and have a laugh at. Anyway, bye!

PLEASE REVIEW!

-Angelus