Disclaimer: Nope I don't own Inuyasha
Ooh it's so nice to have my reviewers back, *Sighs happily*
Chapter 20: The End
Inuyasha, without hesitating, jumped up and ran towards Kagome.
Naraku dug the blade into her neck and blood came out and flowed down the knife.
Inuyasha stopped dead and growled uselessly as his fists clenched and unclenched with his desire to have them around Naraku's neck.
"Now I don't want to hurt anyone," He lied easily, "but I will if you don't do exactly as I say."
The treasure was a background in every ones eyes now. Inuyasha's eyes were stuck on that tiny stream of blood knowing he would take out any damage done to her on Naraku's flesh.
"Now, the Jewel must be here somewhere, find it." Naraku ordered as if asking them to pass the salt over a friendly dinner.
Slowly they spread out and looked for that small box in which the jewel rested.
Through this all Kagome had not lost that glassy eyed look, she didn't even flinch when Naraku sliced her. She just stared at the same spot with no emotion on her face.
Inuyasha, the only one who hadn't moved, noticed her gaze and turned around.
The treasury was large, more rectangular than square in shape and filled with more jewels than should be possible. Small ones, large ones, one bigger than Shippo that no one even cared about as they searched.
At the end of the gilded hall was a dark maroon curtain hiding a door. Inuyasha stared at it confused. No other drape or cloth had been saved. They had all been eaten by moths and time. So why was this one still standing?
He looked carefully and saw a small stirring at the bottom as if it was being rustled by an invisible breeze.
"There." He said with aboslute conviction.
"Then let's go." Naraku said trusting Inuyasha would do nothing while he held his precious Kagome. "You first." And in a row, with Naraku at the end, they walked through the large drapes into the source of the power they could all feel.
"Stand against the wall." Naraku ordered trying not to be awed by the room and the power he felt.
It had housed the crown jewels that now sat in Kirara's room, you could tell. The room was perfectly circular with a pedestal on a raised dais in the center. The roof was made of glass much like the throne room but this glass was whole and unbroken. There was no dust here, the air was not stale, in fact there was an aura of life surrounding everything.
And sitting on the pedistal was the wooden box that held the Jewel. Just a plain brown box, no more remarkable that a lump of unformed clay. It had a sealing scroll placed on it's top, not to keep people out, for no one was there, but to keep the force in.
That scroll wasn't powerfully enough, however, to keep the waves of power pulsing from the Jewel across the floor almost like ripples in a pool and ruffling the drapes.
"Amazing." Naraku said as everyone stood against the wall.
Kagome suddenly came to attention. Her eyes were still lost to space but they were focused on the box.
"What's that sound?" Kikyo asked suddenly. It was a whisper, hard to make out what they were saying if they were saying anything. It sounded female, but it was almost a buzz in the back of her head like Han.
The voice stopped and Kagome's lips started moving, she made no sound but her lips moved as if in conversation.
"What's going on?" Inuyasha asked as the waves of power started getting stronger.
Kagome didn't see the room, she didn't feel the knife at her neck, she didn't hear Naraku or Inuyasha or anyone.
The only thing she saw was a women in battle regalia, she felt her awsome power washing over her, and all she heard was her speaking to her, whispering words she half understood. She paid no mind at first, just listened and floated on the dreamlike cloud she had put her on.
Then she started moving forward, getting closer to the power which welcomed her happily, finally she stopped and the lady started speaking in a way she could understand, drawing her partly out of her trance.
"Kagome...can you understand me."
Kagome didn't need to nod nor say an affirmative for she already knew she could.
"Are you ready?" The lady, she knew it was Modoriko, smiled gently, "I knew this day would come."
"I am ready great mother." Kagome said making no sound.
"You know what must be done? Good. Here." And her power increased.
The box's cracks started to glow and it started shaking, struggling against the scroll that held it captive.
"Yes." Naraku said happily. It recognized it's new master. "Here, my Jewel, take this sacrifice and make me king of the ocean." His eyes were wide and crazy with more white showing than eye, he spoke frantically, crazily, as he felt the power increase.
He raised his knife and brought it down to plunge through Kagome's heart.
Everyone started forward to try to stop him, but it was too late to move.
But the knife stopped. Right before the tip hit Kagome's skin it stopped dead. Naraku tried vainly to move it forward but got no where.
Kagome turned around, her eyes were white, pure with no red lines, no pupil, just a pure white that stared directly at him.
"How dare you hurt my children." she said her voice changed. It was deeper, huskier, more powerful. And she spoke in the ancient language, but everyone could understand, as if they weren't listening to the words but the meaning of the words.
The box sprang open with a force more powerful than could be believed and crashed among everybody like an avalanche. The glass roof shattered but the shards were forced out and didn't fall. Naraku tried to fight the power but it over whelmed him and threw him back. He hit the wall with enough force to crack his ribs. Every one's hair flew in the wind but no one else was effected as badly.
Kagome turned her gaze on them, but she looked them over once and ignored them. She walked back to the podium and grabbed the brightly glowing jewel.
Without a word she turned and left the room.
Everyone looked at each other than scrambled after her.
She ignored them, just walked straight through the palace
She left it, walked across the fields and into the city. No building caught her attention, she just walked the jewel clutched tight in her fist.
"Kagome..." Inuaysha called but she ignored him.
"Kagome..." he tried again his voice faint.
"..." Miroku studied her before saying carefully, "Modoriko?"
She stopped and turned.
"So much to do. So little time." She said looking at Inuyasha. She held his gaze for a second before making a sound in the back of her throat and turning back to her walk.
"What's going on?" Rikos asked.
"It seems Kagome's body has been taken by Modoriko." Miroku said, this time she ignored the sound of her name.
"Is that bad?" Sango asked.
"We will have to see." Miroku said without a break in his step.
Naraku stood up and shook his head to clear it. He opened his eyes revealing darkness, absolute and uncaring.
"Modoriko." His voice was so unlike Naraku's, powerful in an ancient way, darker than the abyss, and forbidden.
Kagome/Modoriko didn't stop at the waters edge. She walked forward confidently. Her feet didn't sink, but stayed firmly on the waters surface yet she didn't Sing at all.
"Modoriko!"Everyone turned and saw Naraku looking darkly at the water.
"Vestar, right?" Miroku guesses. Both Modoriko and Vestar ignored him.
Modoriko held out the gem which sparkled faintly in the sun.
"Oh man, that is not what I think it is, is it?" Han complained as Inuyasha's crew looked on from the ship, pointing at Kagome's miracle of walking on water.
"Lorin'gana." Modoriko said distracted by Han. she pronounced the name differently than Kagome did, the words had obviously evolved through time.
"My Lady." Han said respectfully.
Modoriko once again looked at Inuyasha, studied him carefully completely forgetting Vestar.
But he was not to be ignored.
"Modoriko, it is time to finish this!" he yelled at her.
Modoriko turned back to him, she showed no emotion, no anger, or hate, at Vestar, merely resignation and boredom.
Inuyasha imagined that they had been fighting so long it had grown wearisome.
"Yes, Vestar, it is past time to end this." Modoriko agreed and she held out the Jewel again.
"You are too much of a coward to fight me yourself?" Vestar asked showing no fear as the Jewel started to glow.
"So much to do." Was all she said before the Jewel's light exploded.
Han started rocking dangerously as it hit him and everyone was knocked on their ass. The waves started crashing mercilessly against the beach and cove. Miroku grabbed Sango as she fell but was forced to his knees himself.
Inuyasha could only stare at Kagome, who had eyes only for Vestar.
Vestar stood tall and proud against the power, the only effect it had on him was to ruffle his hair.
"Is this how it ends?" was all he asked.
Modoriko nodded. He closed his eyes in defeat before the power rushed over him and his body was disintegrated. Two souls escaped it's shell.
"Your wish half-ling." Modoriko said turning to Inuyasha. "A safe home for my people, it shall be yours."
This time the power overwhelmed everyone, including Inuyasha, and they all collapsed, unconscious.
Modoriko raised her hand and crushed the jewel in her fist.
The power shot across the sky, toward Hium, but so many more, tiny tendrils of power, shot across the sky in all directions.
"They will come." She promised Inuyasha who was too far gone to listen.
The white of her eyes faded to be replaced by Kagome's brown. They were half closed in fatigue and her hand was empty.
"And for you, my daughter..." was the last thing she heard before her body dropped into the ocean and didn't resurface.
Inuyasha raised his head tiredly. It pounded worse than after a night of drinking and he was just as sick.
"Kagome?" he said weakly staring around at the still unconcious bodies around him, but she was no where to be found.
He dropped back onto the sand, the pretty blue sky and chirping birds too much for him.
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maybe like one more chapter left guys!