I do not own Inuyasha!
The quiet footsteps of the Daiyoukai strode through the murkiness of hell treading briskly as it became more apparent that time was running out for Kagome and their baby. The path traveled was narrow and became even more constricted as he continued covering more ground.
At times he could feel the warmth of his mate's pure soul as the essence of her purity seeped into the gloominess; fleeting as the feelings were it brought a song of hope to his troubled heart. The closer he moved to the light, the further it floated away. It seemed as if something was preventing him from reaching his goal.
The surface of the ground became bitingly cold seeping into his boots and icing his feet, the sensation of prickling frost on the insteps of his inhuman feet felt uncomfortable, causing him to quicken his pace and dulling the numbness in the process as blood rushed throughout his body more quickly warming him. It bothered him that his dam knew of his descent into hell and was tampering with his progress with dark magic. For how else could he explain finding the path that led to Kagome's soul over and over, and then losing his way as he approached?
Time moved slowly within the darkness as it had little significance. Lost souls were damned for all eternity; crying, beseeching and looking for a way out, their song of doom and hopelessness cried out to him, and in some weird and obscure way he felt their pain and pitied them. Suddenly the light of Kagome's soul pierced the darkness and the cold with its brilliance, just as he felt their bond diminish almost to the point of separation. Kagome was dying.
The hands of time did not turn in this place; it did not wake up with the dawning of the sun, nor did it break with its setting and the rising of the moon. Only darkness was its centre spreading all around. And like a beacon her soul's glow lighted his path.
Four hounds massive in stature stood around the light, the ghouls of hell and lost souls drew nearer to the radiant light attracted to its warmness and sense of hope. Sesshomaru approached with his Tensaiga drawn with the realisation that he had been in the depths of hell for a week. The state of his bond to Kagome almost depleted was his source of time and information. His brows lowered to shadow his eyes making them look dark brown instead of a clear gold as he looked upon the strange sight.
A tiny moan came from deep within her throat, part gasp, part sigh. The feint jolt that shook her frame spoke of her surprise. She seemed in momentary suspension as she could hardly believe that her son had founded Kagome's soul in spite of all her best efforts to keep him from thus. With craftiness she had used the meidou stone to open different paths to confuse and hinder him from finding it. A vague voice of reason edging beyond her shock cleared her mind. "He has found what you tried to keep from him, what will you do now?" the dragon asked breathing down her neck while gazing into the depths of the meidou.
The demoness let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding in while turning around and facing lord Ryoma. "I see that you are enjoying the show," she observed almost pleasantly. "My son isn't an imbecile, and I am sure that he will soon call for my assistance…" Hmmph, she grunted and resumed watching through the purple globe of the stone.
Bulky canine forms the colour of the shadows scented his presence, while blackened dead eyes sunken deep within immense eye pockets faced him with incomprehension and heartiness, the soul's light was the core of their immortal and seemingly hopeless existence, and they would fight to keep it.
A cold chill ran up the length of Sesshomaru's spine as the atmosphere was drenched with frost. It was arctic and powerful. The issued challenge seeped the blood into his eyes, enraged he charged forward, Tensaiga pulsing within his grasp. The sword's blue power of heavenly energies swirled around its handle and traveled swiftly coiling around its shaft like a venous snake and bursting into streams of light at the tip.
Lightning seemed to charge and illuminate the atmosphere as the sword's prevailing attack cut through the air as it descended upon the dead and the guardians of hell, cutting, slicing and melting through corpse like flesh. The path lay bare and carnage surrounded him. The soul suspended in the air.
The demon lord watched unsure of how to proceed. How do I carry my mate's soul back to her body? He asked himself obviously perplexed. But just as he had that thought, the light twinkled and seemed to twirl around him, then it stilled; and momentarily as he watched enthralled by the light it floated to him and caressed his cheeks by brushing along his face. It was as though it was happy to see him. Dancing around him some more the soul glowed brighter and it was then that he recognized its odd shape, it was not quite a full circle.
He didn't even have to consider about its meaning because he knew that this was not Kagome's entire core. "Mother?" he breathed out in frustration as his connection to his mate dropped to dangerous levels. There was no way he could make it out of hell in time to return Kagome's soul, giving her a fighting chance after being buried deep within its bowels for a week. He moved and the soul followed almost perching on his shoulder.
The sensation warm and beguiling as it bounced like a firefly playing in the dark. His thoughts dark and troubled, he sighed, and what an odd twist of fate this was becoming. For here he was contemplating asking his mother for assistance. The thought left him feeling empty; but on the other hand, too much was at stake.
He knew that she watched. The depth of his voice cut through the darkness with its ferocity as he called out to his dam. "Mother?" The life of his mate and child was far more important than his need for vengeance and his pride. Rising, lady Harumi pointed the meidou stone directly in front of her opening a gateway as light shone from the world of the living and into the dead zone. Sesshomaru walked into the light with the flickering soul by his side.
Then the moment was over, the illusion gone, and he knew that his mother had finally succeeded. His face calm, his emotions concealed while his mother came to stand before him unscarred, healed completely, and by her scent the ryu was the healer.
Her gaze looked into eyes so much like her own, and a face to match. Tenderly she reached out and stroked his cheeks with the back of her hand, his eyes closed at the contact totally repulsed, and he turned his head away from her touch. "I do not hate you Sesshomaru, just your idealism," she said in a calm tone, and his frown deepened. Sighing visibly she walked away from him and to a chair where she sat down. Lord Ryoma stood to the side and watched silently; it was not yet time to enter the game.
Sesshomaru saw it, that glimmer of dry amusement in her eyes, and though it never reached her lips he felt enraged but kept it in check. Still he had to know what such a kind gesture would cost him. The sarcasm wasn't the least bit funny, because kind and his dam just did not mix. She cast him a speculative look, one brow went up. "Leave this place now if you want to save the priestess…The other half of her soul I will return the day after the new moon." She drawls in nonchalance.
To his utter surprise she threw to him a scroll that he caught. "Read it my son, and don't be foolish. Meet me at base of the mountain closest to your father's secret den in a month." And with that she signaled to the dragon and they both left the patio and Sesshomaru standing alone.
The nagging at the back of his head was constant as he flew in a blur to get to Kagome. But whatever price he had to pay to save her and their unborn child was worth it. A kingdom and wealth were nothing to possess if you did not have love and someone to share it with. A smile curved his lips at the thought. 'Father, I finally understand.' His castle loomed in the distance, the bond almost broken.
Gone was the control he had over his emotions as he entered through the balcony and sat on the bed by Kagome's side startling the nurse. His mate's soul climbed from the front of his yukata and settled on her stomach for a few moments before lifting higher then slamming home through her chest.
He angled over her and stared as her body heaved high off the bed, her mouth opened and several deep inhalation of air was drawn into her lungs, an inactive heart beats as blood rushed through her veins forceful and strong.
Eyes that were closed too long in an unnatural sleep blinked wearily then opened. She was tired, but that did not stop her from extending a hand shakily, bit by bit to the male that she loved with all her heart and soul. His initial reaction to her wakefulness was apt and he took her hand and sat back down.
Holding her close in his embrace filled him up with immense joy. Just the feel of her warm breath on the skin of his neck was completely profound, and he breathes a sigh of relief.