Hidden From the World

Chapter Four of Sakura Blossom Epic

Disclaimer: Don't Own.

Written By: LC

Rated: PG-ish (swearing)

AN: Another chapter. I did not forget them But you'll have to wait for a lemon.

It had taken her longer to adjust to the heavy aura of the demon then anyone else. Holding on tightly to the Tayiji's arm, Kagome eyed the dark room. Her eyes roamed over the structure and walls, hoping against odds that no ghouls would fly out at her with their gaping mouths ready to snatch her up for their dinner. She had to stop watching horror movies with Souta late at night on the weekends. Though, she had to admit, she didn't get nearly as many night terrors as when it came to exams and tests that were haunting her every waking minute.

Sango moved forward, the miko close behind as she examined each room they passed.

"Hey Sango," her mind raced as her blood rushed to her head. Realizing something was missing, Kagome jerked her head around trying to find the two objects that had went missing.

"What is it Kagome?" Sango asked, noticing a sheet of sweat covering the young woman's face. Sango frowned. It wasn't like Kagome to get so worked up over an old mansion. Something was definitely wrong but she couldn't put her finger on the matter.

"Didn't the guys follow right after us?" Kagome was now more worried about Inuyasha and Miroku's safety then her own. She could feel it in her bones, this old mansion wanted to separate them and take the men away. Like a cool breeze had coasted against her heated body, the miko suddenly began to shiver.

"You're right." Sango answered before taking a better look at Kagome's body. "Kagome are you alright?" But before the miko could answer, a translucent wave of weight crashed against her throat and she nearly gagged. Sango grabbed both sides of Kagome's shoulders and tried to get her to direct all her attention to her. "Kagome breathe!"

As if paralyzed by some unknown force, Kagome couldn't usher a bit of air in or out of her lungs. What was wrong with her? Her face began to grow paler by the second and the demon slayer knew what had to be done. She had to get them out of the mansion. She would take her outside until she calmed and go back to search for the men.

Lifting her limp left arm around her shoulders, Sango shifted Kagome's weight against her as she headed back to where they had come from. As she neared closer to the exit, Kagome's breathing suddenly came back but seemed rapid as if hyperventilating. "Kagome you have to calm yourself." Sango whispered into the miko's ear, trying to get her to relax. It did but only for a few moments before something smacked across her whole entire body. As if she were electrocuted, Sango and Kagome flew back and crashed into a pillar of wood.

Rubbing her head, the Tayiji cursed under her breath as her mind snapped and she turned to the young miko lying next to her. The woman didn't seem hurt but more awake and alert than anything.

"Sango, help me up." The older woman nodded and helped Kagome up, wrapping her arm around her waist to hold her balance.

"There's a barrier. Who ever let us in, does not wish us to leave." Kagome panted as she pulled her hands up toward the center of the doorway. Sango blinked in confusion, what was she trying to do?

Closing her eyes, Kagome slowed her beating heart down as she took deep, lingering breaths.

If she had to fight this demon in the dark, then she had to calm herself down. Otherwise they would all die, she had to concentrate. Her mind swam with a visual of power deep inside, swirling with power and energy. Like her mind and body had become one with an unknown voice, Kagome's hands started to heat up as electric shocks snapped around her fingers. Sango meanwhile watched as air became energy around the young miko. Kagome's breathing became less as her mind continued to chant and channel her spiritual energy into a force between her hands.

"You're not going to win!" Kagome yelled as the energy ball between her hands grew before shooting straight at the doorway. The whole mansion's structure shook. Air circulated around the area Kagome had aimed. It sizzled in anguish as the barrier diminished to almost nothing.

Kagome's body loosened and began to give out before her friend caught her weak body.

"It's okay now Sango. We can leave. She won't stop us." Kagome whispered before her eyes fell and her body went limp.

The tayiji panicked and felt the girl's pulse point and relaxed. She had only fainted.

Lifting her weight on to her back, Sango piggybacked her and headed toward the entrance that would hopefully be their escape. Kagome's hand tightened on Sango's shoulder as if encouraging her to go ahead through the threshold that she hesitated in front of.

Taking a deep breath, Sango rushed at the door as it splintered at the on assault of pressure before breaking and freeing them from the mansion.

Sango dug her heels into the dirt, killing her speed's momentum then walked toward the tree close to the mansion. Lying Kagome's back against the bark, she ran a hand along the girl's forehead and found she was running a slight fever.

"Damn it, Inuyasha and Miroku had to be jerks and were split up from us."

"Excuse me? Who are you calling jerks?" The bark nearly made Sango jump from her skin as she turned around to find the two said jerks baffled at her comment.

"You got out?" Sango questioned stunned to see them standing before her. When had they accumulated so much spiritual power they could break down the barrier that Kagome nearly risked her life to break? Glancing over to where Miroku stood unfazed, Sango's eyebrow rose. It couldn't have been him. Could it have?

"Got out? We never got in." Inuyasha snapped before realizing the small body against the tree behind Sango. "What the hell happened while you were in there?" He asked as went over to Kagome and rubbed his clawed hand against the miko's face.

"She managed to get a fever when she spent all of her energy," Sango explained when she saw the two dog ears disappear beneath the silver mane of the hanyou.

"How did she manage to do that?" He asked as he scooped the young woman from the future into his arms, huddling her close to his chest. His eyes grew sadder by the passing seconds as he watched Kagome's face twist with pain as she panted for bits of air.

"Some how we were able to pass while you guys couldn't." Sango said before her eyes raked over the miko's face. "Kagome suddenly got really weak and couldn't breathe right. I needed to get her out but something blocked our way." Sango's eyes cast down. "We tried to just run it but were sent flying back. Kagome then out of nowhere pulled together a ball of spiritual energy and fired it at the doorway. Whatever it was, Kagome had broken it before she passed out."

Miroku had been listening intently before Sango mentioned the spiritual ball and his features seemed to tense. "You mean our Kagome actually produced one?" He glanced from the Taijiya and back toward the miko.

"What's wrong if Kagome did?" Inuyasha barked, but he knew the truth. Only powerful beings of spiritual powers could muster a spiritual power ball. He had learned by Kikyou that it could only be done a few times in a priest or priestess's life. Kagome being in her weakened condition however could have been fatal.

"For one Inuyasha, Kagome isn't a practiced priestess. She just barely knows how to posses enough energy into her sacred arrows. I doubt even the great priestess Midoriko could manage one in the condition Kagome was in." Miroku murmured to the group as he watched the young maiden's breathing labor.

"I don't care if Sesshoumaru could. We got to get her back to the village so she can rest." Inuyasha snapped, more so because he couldn't stand seeing Kagome in pain than anything.

"Yes, we should. While she rests I think it would be good to get more information on this mansion. For some reason, the women could pass yet we couldn't." Miroku suggested toward Inuyasha.

The hanyou nodded before taking off toward the rows of huts down below.

Sango however turned toward the mansion. Something still plagued her mind.

"Sango, what's the matter?" Miroku snatched her hand up, petting it soothingly. Normally, she would have just smacked him and pulled away, but this event had severely startled her. Miroku took notice to this as Sango's eyes continued to waver over the mansion's body.

"Kagome…what she said is making me wonder about this place. From the very second we stood in front of it, Kagome sensed something terribly wrong. And then now." Sango's eyes wavered before turning her attention to the monk behind her. His face, if it were anyone else would have read calmness, but to her, she could see the stricken features he bestowed.

"I see, why wasn't that made apparent to me and Inuyasha earlier?" Miroku watched as the Taijiya sighed and started to head back to the village.

"Because Kagome told me not to and plus we weren't even sure of what it was. Though, it did even give me the chills. It was as if it was targeting Kagome." Brow furrowing, her concentration on the matter was startled when she felt two hands cuff around her shoulders and pulled her against a strong chest.

"I can understand your concern, but things like that should be said before walking into a possible trap. Whatever is after Kagome, clearly knows what can make her weak. It seems to me that whatever this demon or creature is, wants something from Kagome." Miroku pulled his woman tight into his embrace as she relaxed and rested her worn body against his.

"To be honest, I can't help feeling that this was some how my fault for not saying something."

Miroku glanced at his fiancé whose face bore nothing but sadness and guilt. "How so?"

"I could have kept Kagome away. Something told me to shield her away from this place and yet I couldn't stop myself from allowing her to enter. It was almost as if something possessed me and took away any inclination to doubt the feeling." Sango stopped and turned back, taking another glance at the mansion with piercing eyes, trying to unshed what was hidden from the world but found nothing. "This place, it isn't normal."

"Normal?"

"It feels odd, like out of place. While down in the village Kagome and I could both sense something that shouldn't have been near a peaceful village such as that."

Nodding to show he understood her words, the houshi took his beloved's hand and lead her away, down to the village. "You and Kagome both need rest. I'll see if I can find some herbs to bring her strength back and wards to keep her safe. While I'm doing that, why don't you rest?" A warm and comforting hand soothed the muscles in her back. She shook her head.

"I don't think I can sleep after just witnessing Kagome become so weak. I'll come with you to gather the herbs." Miroku accepted that answer and strolled toward the head master's hut.

There, Miroku asked of where the herb garden was located at and took a basket offered to him. Sango and he remained silent as they hunted for a few need ingredients.

All the while, he kept his eye on the tayiji, unsure if she truly was alright.

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He felt stupid, lost and afraid. How could he have allowed Kagome, someone so precious to him that if he ever lost her he would die, to walk right into so much danger? Sango had mentioned she and Kagome were allowed to pass into the mansion while he and Miroku could not. Did that mean someone was after Kagome? Inuyasha didn't understand. But feeling her limp body in his arms felt like someone had punched him in his gut over and over again.

Kagome didn't stir, didn't speak. There were no whispers of confirmation from her to allow him peace of mind that she was alright. Her eyes were sealed shut; her lips slightly parted as small shallow breathes were brought in and out.

Dark shadows of hair fell into her eyes, which his clawed hand brushed away to find her burning up. "Damn it." Why was she so weak lately? Was she becoming ill with some disease or virus? Maybe it would be better to take her home and allow her mother to find their village healer. The medicine from the future seemed sufficient enough and Kagome's mother would know exactly what to do. He felt helpless, useless. Even the old man, Jii-chan, would have known what to do.

Kagome continued to remain motionless as her hands were wrapped inside his larger ones. A small blanket covered her, while her head was propped up in his lap. The villagers had allowed him and the others to stay in two huts. One was for Inuyasha and Kagome while the other held Sango and the houshi. The fire cat, Kirara was currently curled up at Inuyasha's side. Her soft purring seemed to relax him some what as he leaned forward and kissed Kagome's forehead.

Her skin was cold and clammy. The fever was going down must have broken, he thought as he thanked all the gods out there.

Finally allowing a soft smile, Inuyasha accepted the bit of sleep that was calling him as he tucked Kagome all the way in his lap, her head cradled between his arm and chest.

And they stayed like that while the only sound was the soft purring of the feline who watched over them.

His mind was wrapped with strange images and odd words being chanted as they echoed off invisible walls, bouncing about like they were taunting him.

Amber eyes cracked open to find brown ones watching him carefully. "Hey," The one simple word that greeted him made him smile. Leaning down he brushed his cheek against her forehead as she cuddled closer to his body.

"Stupid wench, don't ever scare me like that again." Kagome heard the small tremor in his voice and ran a hand up toward his ear to give it a good rub. Her own reward was the feel the vibrating of his purring chest as he fell into her palm.

"I'm sorry. Everything just happened so fast." Trying to keep the own strain in her voice, she pressed her face against body, her words becoming muffled. "Is Sango alright?"

"Yeah, she's fine. We were all worried about you though. You came out of the mansion with a fever and were unconscious. And apparently," shifting her weight back so he could see her face, he saw bits of tears wanting to be shed, "you unleashed power that only a trained powerful priest or priestess can summon."

If he had thought Kagome was a shy person then maybe that was why she hid her face. But the girl didn't hide from him in modesty and instead didn't wish him to see the tear stained face that showed him weakness. Weakness however was far from what he thought Kagome was. "I honestly didn't know what I was doing," she swallowed hard and winced, "one minute we were trapped and I felt like someone had their hands wrapped around my throat and the next something told me what to do and I forced spiritual power from my hands." As if trying to find burns, Kagome ran her eyes over the palms of her hands with wonder. "It was so powerful that I felt the life being sucked out of me."

Inuyasha grabbed one of Kagome's hands and held it tight causing Kagome to drag her attention to him. "Miroku says that only a powerful trained priest or priestess can only do it once or twice because it absorbs more than spiritual power and mixes with your life source."

Kagome could understand it perfectly. No one could withstand that much energy being forced out of their bodies without falling ill. It was harder to keep up her power than simply walking in the mansion, though after using her power the room seemed to hiss in anguish. Whatever or whoever was after them didn't expect the move Kagome produced and was caught off guard.

"Why didn't you tell me you felt that way about the mansion before?" Inuyasha's words sliced through her thoughts and she had to try not to wince from the anger building behind it.

"I wasn't sure of it-"

"That's bullshit and you know it" Inuyasha snapped back. Kagome turned away and pulled herself from his lap. "You know damn well that anything you sense is something to be cautious of. Now tell me the real reason you didn't mention it?"

He wasn't going to let it go until she spilled it out but she couldn't very well tell him it felt like someone was watching her. It simply would have felt like saying, 'throw me in the loony bin, I've lost it.'

Instead, she opted for the next best appropriate to the matter at hand.

"SIT!" Before Inuyasha could fully understand what was happening, he bellowed Kagome's name as he caught sight of her frame heading for the door quickly. She was going home and leaving him. Leaving him to be sat into the hut's dark wood so he would have to pluck splinters from his face later on and all he could do was watch as she faded from view. That wench!

Kagome had rushed out of the hut so quickly he didn't even have the chance bark at her to come back. He picked up the sweet iron scent of her blood though and it made him bite back his anger toward her. But soon Kagome was lost from his psyche as words danced about in his mind. They swayed and he went along with it, darkness seemed so nice. Rumbles grew and Inuyasha knew that he was growling. What for? He couldn't determine as the sweet scent of jasmine and sweet peas blocked out the smell of the woman he could no longer remember. He knew she was close to him, but that was as far as his mind would allow him to consider. Dark clouds formed in the hanyou's eyes as his heartbeat raced. There was someone he needed to follow and there someone calling him. Yet he couldn't figure out who was who. Was it the young woman who gave him wonderful smiles or the sweet scented female calling him from the mansion?

Which ever it was, the smell grew stronger and before long he couldn't even control his movements as he broke free of the subjugation spell and left the hut. His eyes shot open as his sight turned into a dark and narrow tunnel that blocked everything from sight except for the mansion that sat at the end, aura glowing about it.

Someone with a lot of power was calling him and with each step he took, the more of himself he lost behind.

He never heard the mewing cry of the cat demon as she tried to break his trance. She fussed around his legs; nearly making him trip and he knew she was trying to help him. But still he snapped at her with a growl as his feet started to move faster of their own accord.

The words started to become clearer and he could make out a young exotic voice behind them.

Who was it?

Inuyasha moved closer and closer to the mansion as Kagome grew farther and farther away.

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Kagome had to leave for a little while. Not only to elude some of Inuyasha's questions but also to try and think of something to answer those questions with. Having an issue of not knowing what went on herself, it was like trying to fight fire with bare hands; futile.

He probably thought she was going home. She scoffed. Just because she normally would have run off to the well to get away didn't mean it was just to go back to the tests and exams in her world. Kagome would have preferred to just stay in the hanyou's arms instead of hovering over her math book at her desk.

The sunlight started to dwindle into nothing more than a bleeding sky of crimson red as Kagome's feet started to slow and her breathing quickened. It would have been easier to walk away but she was afraid the hanyou would have caught up by now. Hell, he should have been barreling down her heels by now. Her brow furrowed. Inuyasha should have been here, yelling at her and calling her a wench. Instead the wind that howled out despair at world was her only company.

A chill ran up Kagome's spine leaving goose bumps in its wake. What was holding him up? Did she hurt him more than she thought? Mind running with different scenarios of what could have happened to her lover, Kagome gasped when she turned around to feel a spark before flying backward.

Even managing to catch herself, the landing was rough and she could feel bits of her skin scratched or bleeding. "What the hell," Wincing, she tried to stand on two wobbly legs. It felt like electricity had shot through her. Well it wasn't like that ever happened before. Usually though there was a barrier…

Pain seared through her head, splitting and thrashing about. Kagome gasped as she held her head and squeezed her eyes shut. Something was wrong. It almost felt like back in the mansion. Could it be…?

Kagome opened her eyes into slits as she glanced beyond the trees. What she found startled her. As she was walking away, she made out the peaks of the mansions but now, she only saw forest.

"Inuyasha," The name. That was it! Something was wrong with Inuyasha. But where should she head. Everything looked the same and suddenly the miko felt more alone in the world than ever before.

Should she go left and head toward what she thought would be the back entrance to the village or go right and try and make it to the mansion? But everywhere she turned it all looked and felt the same. Biting the inside of her cheek, she plopped down on the ground and counted backward from one hundred. IF she was going to do this, she had to calm down that was for sure.

Okay, think Kagome think. Did Miroku or Kaede ever teach you a way to retrace your steps? Kagome's eyes widened as hope swam in them. Yes! There was a method of following your own essence back to wherever it is you started. But, Kagome's head drooped down as she sighed, there has to be some sort of trail made and I never learned to find my own aura.

Kagome got up and started pacing along the forest floor, feeling small pricks along her skin every so often when she grazed the barrier. If only there were some sort of path I left. A prickle of the barrier's power slashed against her skin making it feel like it was aflame. Kagome gasped and glanced at her arm. The white cloth of her school shirt had been torn, just below blood seeped down like a river. But she hadn't felt it when it occurred or the ache from it until it touched the barrier. Wait…that meant she had left a trail.

She trekked about until she found what she was looking for. Dark blots of crimson were splayed against autumn crisp leaves on the ground. They continued to flow along behind the barrier. Kagome took a few steps and felt the familiar weight against her chest, but somehow she felt a might stronger than back in the mansion. Taking a deep breath, Kagome continued on as she concentrated on the aura that was created of the blood.

'Kagome…' Brown eyes snapped up but no one was around to call her name. It sounded familiar to her though. Rough rumbling at the end of her name along with the sweetness of the tone that seemed created only for her. It was Inuyasha's voice!

Just as she realized it, Kagome was hit once again with a wave of energy that nearly knocked her off her feet. Crimson filled her mouth as she bit her lip. Damn it! Where was all this power coming from anyway?

"LISTEN WHOEVER THE HELL YOU ARE! I'M COMING FOR INUYASHA SO YOU BETTER BE READY!"

Kagome would have sworn she heard cackling behind the wind but chose to ignore it as she started up again, each step becoming more and more difficult then the last.

With each step, she kept thinking of the silver haired man that stole her heart. It was the only way she could control her powers without becoming absorbed in them completely.

Please be alright Inuyasha.

tbc