I do not own Inuyasha!
Lady Harumi's words took them by surprise as they'd been meant to do. Sesshomaru arched a disbelieving brow while Kagome cast the demoness a confused look which settled into suspicion quickly. "What did you say?" she asked still not quite believing her ears.
The demoness stabbed Kagome with a glance as she looked away from her son. "Priestess," her title on the female's lips was snide, sarcastic and downright nasty. "I am finished playing games, if you want to save the child's life then come with me." A feeling of sickness welled up in her throat by the cold and unconscionable words coming from Sesshomaru's mother. She shivered in spite of her determination to stay strong and not to overreact as the demoness emotionless eyes stared her down.
Sesshomaru took a step forward reaching for his sword, but Kagome held him back while the ryu picked up Taizo. Lady Harumi replaced the jewel on his chest, taking the portion of his soul that she had allowed him to have so that he could move.
The child once again returned to a comatose like state, all the while looking at his father as his essences drained away and his eyes became black and soulless once more. "Dear kami," Kagome exclaimed squeezing her mate's hand tightly, as she could feel the boy's soul slipping from this realm, his soul would depart from his body but he would remain as a wraith, a walking dead; and that was a fate worse than death.
She felt the tension in his body as he stiffened and his jaw clenched uncomfortably. "Sesshomaru…" she said trying desperately to reach him because she could feel his emotions, something that she could not fully explain, because this would be the first time that she was afflicted with such strong emotions of rage that were not entirely her own. "Kagome…" Sesshomaru murmured, his tone echoed hers almost exactly, his hand slackened and the tension in him ebbed away. The members from each divide drew a little closer and watched the proceedings quietly, because what was taking place was something that they could not interfere in.
The level of noise had risen. The area where the council building used to be was now surrounded by the army led by Sesshomaru's general, and even curious citizens now flooded the vicinity from hearing the explosions earlier. Everyone stood silently and watched the events intently. Still his mother waited on him to give up, because he could not win unless he was prepared to let his son die.
She prided herself on knowing what made her son tick, and she had him cornered. Because he'd loved a human child and had lavished her with his affections, protected her with his life, and even journeying to hell to save her, and if he could do that for a child that was not of his species, and better yet she was not of his blood. Then how far would he go for his own offspring? In her mind the battle was already won, all the arrogant dog needed to do now was to comply.
Sesshomaru laughed with pure cynicism, so harsh it made his dam flinched back as he tossed his rejection in her face. "I will never deliver my mate to you like a sacrifice to be slaughtered," his words were chilled yet filled with venom. Kagome heart sank right down to the soles of her feet when she heard the way his voice had changed, darkened, and it was with regret because he was faced with an impossible decision.
What being that knew love could sacrifice one thing for another that they loved equally, although differently? Kagome closed her eyes as her heart bled for him, because time was running out for Taizo; and this was one decision that she knew in her heart that Sesshomaru could never make.
"You fool," his mother rebutted, "I will wait only a few more moments and then the child dies." The dangerous expression that flashed across his eyes told her just what to do with her ultimatum. Near panic had Kagome grabbing unto his hands. Had it been somewhere more private maybe Sesshomaru would not have taken the stance that he had, his son would die if she did not do something.
Her mate was surrounded by his people, his army and co-rulers. How could he display that kind of weakness in front of them no matter how vulnerable he was? His mother was truly evil; she was trying to break him and to bring him to his knees in front of everyone in the worst way. And as she gazed at him from the side, seeing his face, seeing the way that cold fury had turned his eyes opaque, the rage that crinkled his brows and the angry lines that etched around his mouth and nose; she knew that she had to take the decision out of his hands.
She stood in place with silent tears running down her cheeks, and Sesshomaru felt the sadness rolling off her and it washed over him with its intensity. There bond was going to be very powerful. Turning away from his mother he pulled Kagome aside while Inuyasha and his comrades formed a blockade so that they could talk privately. "I know what you are thinking my koi but I cannot allow it." He sounded so calm, so reasonable that her mouth actually fell open and she gaped at him, but soon enough reality overruled fantasy and she shook her head from side to side and cried.
He held her close and knew that she would sacrifice herself for his child. But how could he allow such a thing to happen? But the sad truth was that he was powerless to stop his mother. He was too exposed and had become vulnerable.
Sesshomaru's conscience gave an uncomfortable twist as Kagome clinged to him and sobbed out her distress. After some time had passed the sobbing subsided and eventually it stopped. "I am his only hope, I have to save him." Kagome's effort in speaking was low and dangerously flat. She had reverted to the washed out creature she had been the day that he'd told her about Seira. Sad and vacant eyes looked up at him which was another reproof to his conscience.
Holding on tightly to her, he felt her rapidly beating heart, and he wished he had the right words to say, but nothing he could say could ever make this situation bearable. The silence that held there after was raw with bitterness and his golden eyes burned with unspoken regret, because he loved this woman in a way that completed him.
He held her hand a moment longer as she pulled away from him and said. "I love you, and I always will." And he felt like a part of him died, numbness took a hold of his heart and it struggled to pump his blood throughout his body, a dizzying sensation seized him and he faltered, letting go of her hand, and she walked away without looking back. What purpose would it serve? Looking back would only break her resolve, and even though she heard her name as a whisper on his lips, she continued.
Kagome stepped through the line that parted as she approached; her head held high with dignity, she was the lady of this territory and nothing less was expected from her. Lady Harumi felt a pang of jealousy because she was not able to break her, and even though she had won she did not gain what she desired most; she was unable to make them squirm.
When she was halfway to them she called out to lady Harumi. "Return the child's soul to his body, and don't play games because I will know," she threatened the demoness and eyeing her warily. "A deal is a deal and I will keep my word," lady Harumi responded and placed the jewel on Taizo which glowed a deep burgundy, a white light shot out of it and into the boy's chest in seconds. The impact caused him to gasped loudly while his chest heaved and contracted multiple times. All present watched as the color returned to his skin, and his eyes shined a burning gold.
Lord Ryoma set the boy on his feet and his eyes wandered all around as if he was looking for someone, then a tall figure stepped into his line of sight and the child rushed forward and leapt into his father's embrace and cried. Kagome watched and smiled, then she proceeded towards the demoness while the dragon walked by her side escorting her to her fate. The woman grabbed her hand when she was close enough and pushed her to the ground. Four of the council members removed themselves suspiciously from everyone else and approached the scene.
The dragon king placed his hands on the ground, closed his eyes, his mouth moved but no one heard the words he repeated, but they could all feel the prickling of his youki on their skin, and when he was done strange patterns were engraved in the dirt, the four nobles placed a ruby crystals at the four cardinal points of the bizarre diagram. Kagome looked at the drawing and felt like she had seen it before and knew what it was suppose to do, but she just could not remember it at the moment. Sesshomaru held his son closely and watched the woman he loved became a sacrifice as she was led into the center of the graph.
Raising the meidou stone above her head the demoness repeated an incantation and a similar diagram appeared above Kagome, and instantly red lights shot out of the crystals touching the other points opposite to them, and forming a stream of light that revolved going up and down and trapping her within its center.
She shrieked as the weird red glow spread all around her blocking everyone's view. The sensation of cold slithering tentacles reached out from the darkness of the eerie ritual and grasped her hands firmly, yanking them above her head, she screamed. "No! No!" as the streams of light propelled itself inside her body painfully, forcing her to fight the evil blackness with her powers. Her reiki strong and controlled burst forth from her body with brilliance disseminating the red light and replacing it with whiteness, the color of purity.
Her body was a glowing beacon, and her eyes changed turning radiant lavender as she walked out of the quadrangle. No one said a word as they viewed the metamorphosis of the priestess; fear crippled the ones that had something to fear. Her powers licked against her form as sparks of light bounced off her. The spectacle that she made was mindboggling as she walked purposely to lady Harumi.
Ryu - dragon
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