Chapter Two: An Unexpected Savior

Got nothing good to say, so c ya later.

REFERENCE: hello, me again. I forgot to mention that Nova Alexandria also owns the grudge between the Western and Southern Lands, I just took it my own way and changed it around a bit, and that Kouga is the Prince of the Northern Lands. Alright? I think I have everything now... go see her stories! They're good!

Through the dense forest of his own Region, a Dog-Demon calmly and emotionlessly walked through the thicket that surrounded the boundaries of his lands. He checked his boundaries every morning and every night, making sure nothing has treaded into his lands without his knowledge. Also, on his way home, he would usually check on all the villages as well, just to be certain all was well. He took pride with his Lands, to him, they were a reflection on his own character. He felt that a sloppy and un-managed land meant a sloppy and un-managed Leader, and the Great Lord of the West, Sesshomaru, was most certain anything but that.

Although there was a potential for danger on his rounds, he didn't usual care for who of his followers, well, followed him. However, Rin didn't usually accompany him in the morning, it was way too early for the girl to be up... but at night... there was no stopping the human from following him... so, the Western Lord had no choice but to bring Ah-Un with him on his night checks as well. Jaken was there with him for both checks of course, always chatting away about something Sesshomaru wasn't interested in. Most of the time he didn't have to listen at all, for the Frog had the child to speak to, which suited the Lord just fine.

This night was different though, the winds told of battle and so did the skies, which swirled around up above as if in some kind of dance. It was a normal sighting if a major battle was being fought with the use of either intense magic, Tetsusaiga or Toukijin. The Lord of the West saw it briefly once or twice when he had a true opponent and was using his own blade to its fullest.

But like he had noticed when he'd began his usual check, there was something different about this night, and it wasn't just a battle in the lands beyond his boarders. The Lord could feel in his senses that something was, indeed, wrong. Or, if not wrong, then at least strange.

That was when he smelt it, just when the Frog-Demon had begun to tell Rin a new story about 'Lord Sesshomaru' to which even the child wasn't paying attention and was enjoying herself chasing fireflies. Ah-Un, of course, keeping a close eye on the human child which it seemed to care for like Sesshomaru did, the girl just had that effect on others.

The scent was faint to even the Dog-Demon's senses, mostly because the wind wasn't working in his favor, but it was enough to cause the Western Lord to stop abruptly. An unorthodox stop that caused even Ah-Un to look to its master.

"My Lord? What's the matter?" Jaken inquired, also drawing to a halt "why did you stop?"

The Lord didn't answer for a long moment, nor did he move, he simply stood there looking into the thicket of bush. A cold look to his normally emotionless eye.

"Jaken. See Rin home" the Lord growled "I have to check on something"

"M-my Lord? Why not the Dragon bring the girl home and I come with you?"

"Because that is not what I asked" he growled as he began his way out of his lands and into another territory "come, Ah-Un"

The Dragon only hesitated for a second before following the Western Lord into the thick bush, leaving the somewhat angered Frog-Demon and scared human girl behind him. But, after a moment longer, Jaken did turn and headed back to the palace with Rin on his heels.

Sesshomaru walked along for a while, keeping his senses turned up at all times. The region he walked in was not exactly an ally with the West, there was only a treaty making peace between their lands. The Lord knew he could get attacked and ridiculed for even thinking of venturing into the South-West, not that he cared. Any creature foolish enough to try to take him out would swiftly get what was coming to them. But all the same, the Lord wished to seek out the scent and leave before a any unfortunate mishaps came about.

Sesshomaru knew what he was to find before he even entered the clearing, the stench of blood had almost overpowered his senses while he was still awhile away. But, even though he knew what it was, he wanted to see it with his own eyes... so he continued... all the way to where the battle had taken place a few hours earlier.

Allowing his fierce, golden eyes to survey the area, he counted out the hundreds of slain demon in the tiny area, many of whom were either foreign or at home to these surroundings. Blood coated everything in sight, causing the Lord to take a step back to gain his senses again before waking further into the grounds.

Mentally keeping a check list of the different breeds of demons he saw, the Lord and Dragon moved forward until Sesshomaru found the dead body of the one who had caused him to venture out of his own territory... Inuyasha.

A growl emitted from the High-Lord's troat as his eyes took in the 14 arrows and multiple stab wounds that were inflicted on his weaker, younger sibling. The hanyou's sword, tetsusaiga, lay next to him in its rusted state, its blade covered with blood.

Calmly walking away from his sibling, Sesshomaru moved to take in the wounds of his brother's dead companions: the fox-demon, the cat, the monk, the wolf and the demon slayer. He knew one to be missing, and he also knew that the undead miko was here as well, for her scent was also present among the others.

"Naraku was here..." The Lord said to himself with a frown as he sniffed the air "...as well as Torio. The back-stabbing, clump of feathers is at it again"

Sesshomaru, deciding to get to action, first tore a chunk off of Inuyasha's fire-rat robe and wrapped the fabric around tetsusaiga so he could hold it. Then, in an extremely uncharacteristic move, picked up the corpse of his younger sibling and tossed the bloody form over his shoulder. The Lord then quickly moved to the monk and demon-slayer and deposited them over his dragon's back. Then the wolf and cat (who was still stuck in her beast-from) were also thrown on the growing load. It was when Sesshomaru sought out the scent of the young fox-demon when he found his first actual survivor. To the Lord's eyes, Shippo must have been hit into a tree and plain and simply got knocked out.

However, when Sesshomaru lifted the child up off the ground by the use of the demon's handy tail, Shippo snapped awake in a fit of screaming, yelling, pleading and wiggling. Although the Lord wasn't pleased by the child's behavior, he didn't make a sound and simply waited for Shippo to stop his annoying crying.

Eventually, the child did just that. As soon as the young demon's eyes settled on the Lord, Shippo yelped as well as saying some lines like "don't kill me!" and "I'm just a kid!"

Sesshomaru growled, it was one thing to be afraid after a battle, it was another to just be plain annoying "be silent" the Western Lord hissed, which the fox-demon immediately did "you will ride with Ah and Un and you will not make a sound, understand?"

Shippo clamped his mouth shut and nodded frantically, figuring better to be captured then dead.

"Ah-Un" the Lord yelled over his shoulder "take the child racoon-dog and lets get out of here"

Tossing Shippo at the beast, they only just managed to maneuver their body to catch the airborn demon in time to prevent it from hitting the ground. As soon as Shippo had landed, he whipped up on his feet, fists curled up into little balls, and yelled.

"I'M A FOX!"

Sesshomaru only had to cast a cold glare to get the child to immediately fall silent again.

Shifting Inuyasha's weight a bit on his shoulder, Sesshomaru didn't even so much as glance at the Dragon before taking off into the air. He knew the Dragon would follow obediently, which it did... all the way back to the Western Lord's palace. The fox-demon never made sound.

"...Kag...ome..."

The young miko frowned while still deep in her sleep. She could hear her name being called, but it seemed so far away... so distance... maybe she had imagined it? Who would be trying to talk to her? Inuyasha? Miroku? Sango? Shippo? She groaned, no, she must have imagined it... she could hear anything anymore–

"...Kagome..."

There is was again, seeming a bit closer though... who is that? The voice was familiar... yet... she shifted her head around on what seemed to be cold stone under her. It must have been a dream. What dream she didn't know. But at this time sleep seemed to be a very nice idea right now so she didn't really care about the who, what, when, where, why and how.

"...Kagome"

Now it was much closer, she tried to wrap her brain around the voice but it was as if her brain would work for her. All that she could get her brain to think about was the Jewel and Inuyasha... she didn't even remember why she should be thinking of those two thoughts. They were just there. Were they both in danger, perhaps? If so, why would she be sleeping?

"Kagome"

She groaned again and moved her arm to her forehead... but a cold hand on her wrist prevented it. Her eyes lazily slid open to see... not who she was expecting. Gazing down at her was a middle-aged-looking woman with tired but stern brown eyes and ink-black hair. Her skin was so pale it was if she had never known daylight and she wore red and white clothes which had blood stains seeped into them. Her hair was unusually messy and dirt-smudges were smeared on her normally fair face.

"Ki... Kikyou?" Kagome frowned as she tried to make her eyes focus in the darkness surrounding them "w-why are you...? Where are...?" she moved to get up, but Kikyou once again forced her to stay lying down.

"Don't try to do anything, Kagome" Kikyou said as she brought her pale hands away from the girl to rest on her lap "you are still injured"

"I'm hurt...?" she frowned as she let herself relax on the cold flooring, she couldn't remember getting hurt... she remembered Inuyasha running off... and the camp site... she remembered talking about Naraku to the rest of the group around a warm campfire... but that was it.

She looked around where she lay, it was dark... very dark... she could hardly see past Kikyou who sat pretty much right beside her. The only light she could see was the light from the moon... it wasn't a lot of light sense it wasn't a full moon yet, but it was enough. Whatever light there was came into the small, damp room using nothing but a small window way above her... a window with bars across it.

Kagome frowned ((why would there be bars on a window? What are they trying to keep out?)) her eyes went wide ((...or in!))

Her eyes doubled in size, suddenly recalling the night before in a slide-show of memory...

FLASH

"If your cold, Kagome, we can find clothes for you"

FLASH

"Inuyasha has not returned"

FLASH

"Do you think something has happened to him?"

FLASH

"Kouga! You're hurt!"

FLASH

"KAGOME!"

FLASH

"GET OUT OF HERE!"

FLASH

"It's no use"

FLASH

"You're all talk"

FLASH

"Get out of here while you still can"

FLASH

"No one is being left behind!"

FLASH

"You don't know me at all!"

FLASH

"I am Hell"

FLASH

"Next time you call me I expect to be presented by a full blood"

FLASH

"Kill"

FLASH

Kagome bolted upright in fear as the memory of the gruesome battle returned to her, only to cry out as pain surged through her tense back. A cry that unknowingly had awaken a figure that hid in the darkest part of the small cell.

"Girl!" Kikyou hissed as she hastily put her hands on the humans shoulders to still her "I told you to stay still!"

Kagome wasn't listening to the elder miko, her thoughts were elsewhere "Where is Inuyasha? And Sango? And Miroku? And Shippo? And Kirara? Where are they all? Are they OK? Where are we? Why aren't they with us? Did something happen to them? Did they escape? Does Naraku have them? Why are we here? How did we get here? Does--"

"Calm down, girl" Kikyou interrupted harshly "you ask far too many questions when all I know is a few of the answers"

"Then tell me already!"

Kikyou sighed and too her hands off of the girl again, figuring maybe if she explained what the miko did know, the younger girl would calm down a bit. Somehow, she doubted it though. Seeing as how what the undead priestess had seen was not promising. Kikyou sighed, deciding it was worth a shot, and spoke.

"Where are the others? I don't know. Dead, perhaps. Or maybe they somehow escaped... unlikely though. They were already down and out when I... when I... fell from battle..."

FLASHBACK

"Get away!" Kikyou yelled at the advancing demons as she sent out five arrows... one after the other after the other.

The Priestess made sure to fight hard, sending many of the demons she fought to the burning oblivion of Hell, for it was the only place she could see fit for such vile beasts who killed for pleasure and power. However, after a while, the others eventually, one by one, fell dead or unconscious... and she was the last one fighting.

The Demons came at her fast and Kikyou let lose an arrow that took down a boar-demon, but the others were on her too quick for her to string another arrow.

She tried to fight them all off, but there were simply too many... and in no time at all, her bow and arrows were lost and she was captured. Although, even though she knew they had lost, she continued to struggle in the grip of her holders which happened to be two, big, muscular Bear-Demons who hauled her over to a smirking Naraku. Said demon had previously ordered the undead one to be brought to him... alive, or, at least, alive as the priestess could get... and there was no way any of his minions would disobey his words. For they had each witnessed for themselves what their Dark Lord's punishments were for un-loyalty... punishments that the wind-sorceress was living out with her sister, Kanna, at this very moment back at Naraku's castle.

Once the Priestess was before Naraku, a strong hand pushed down on Kikyou's back, forcing her into a bow. A bow that she fought against hugely, once and again actually getting free from the demon's grips.

Said Dark Lord said nothing for a moment as he studied the wounded priestess... a priestess that returned the cold glare equally even from the forced bow.

Eventually, the Dark One cupped the miko's chin in his hand "I am extremely disappointed in you, Kikyou. I had a job for you on my side of the battle, but instead you prefer to throw your life away on the losing side. What a pity... such talent for murder you have, but inside you are soft. So your life is useless to me anyway"

The Priestess gritted her teeth "I have no life!"

Kikyou, once again getting her arm free, swatted the Naraku's hand away from her... then, with what was left of her strength, sent out her miko-power at the other demon who was holding her, dissolving it immediately.

She might have even gotten free with this effort, if a cold hand had not grabbed her by her wrist and pulled her back. She tried to pull out of the grip, but whoever had her was strong and yanked he back with one effortless pull. The strength of the pull caused Kikyou to fall backwards into the Dark-One's form, his arms immediately curling around her to hold the miko against him. But even when she gave out sparks of miko-power to try to free herself again, he either didn't feel her struggles or just plain ignored it.

Naraku smirked down at the woman in his arms "such disobedience I have had from you lately"

Kikyou struggled in his 'embrace', if you could even call it that, to the point of actually moving herself around to face him... something she would later regretted doing. Then though, she saw an opportunity, an opportunity where she managed to sink her small dagger into his stomach.

He didn't falter one bit as the steel sunk into him, if anything, his smirk grew "but you do need to be taught a lesson in respect"

Kikyou's voice caught in her throat as sudden pain ran through every muscle in her back. It didn't take long for that pain to immobilize her, she wanted to scream, she wanted to struggle, she wanted to stab her dagger into Naraku's flesh again and again... but she couldn't. Her form was ridged against his, her head tilted back in pain.

She knew what he was doing... she could feel his hand dig down deeper into her back until she could feel his fingers wrap around the only the only thing that kept her alive. The thing that held the souls that her soul-gathers brought to her. It was similar to a heart... a heart for the undead.

The moment his hand wrapped around her 'heart', the pain turned unbearable. But the Dark Lord didn't do what she thought he was going to do... he didn't take it out of her to hold like he did Kanna and Kagura's hearts. Instead, he began to suck the souls out of it... and into his own body. Gaining a mass amount of strength while she became weaker by the second.

It was pain beyond pain, Kikyou could feel every single soul getting torn out of her... it didn't take long for her to finally black out from sheer agony.

END FLASHBACK

"I'm not sure what happened to the others... but they were either dead or seriously injured when I fainted. I wouldn't hold your breath for miracles. I learned long ago there are no such things" Kikyou's eyes slid shut "but we can't worry about them now, we must worry about ourselves and only ourselves... that is our only path to survival. We have to be prepared for what will be thrown at us... I think this because... I many not know if the others were captured by Naraku... but I know that we have been... that is my reasoning"

"WHAT?"

"Girl, we are in Naraku's Dungeon... this I am certain. His aura is too close and confining for him to simply be near... the Lord of the Dark Lands has named us his prisoners" she rose to her feet, staring down icily at the school-girl below her "I don't know what you plan to do, but I am not living out what I have left of a life in this dark dungeon. I am the undead, and as such I plan to do whatever I wish whenever I wish. I will not be some slave to that lunatic. Naraku, whether you believe it or not, was once a very smart and cunning man, now he is just a fool, blinded by his own greed for power"

Kagome moved to get to her feet, when a sheer stab of pain rose from out of two areas: her back and her right leg. She noticed the arrow had been removed from her flesh, but that didn't stop the pain from sending a quiver down her spine.

"I... I can't walk" Kagome said as she pushed her back against the cold wall behind her, holding back tears "...my ankle hurts too much"

Kikyou frowned "most likely broken"

"What do you plan to do then?"

"Wait" she said simply as she moved over to the thick, wood and metal door and put her ear to it

"I thought you weren't going to wait around forever"

She straightened and moved over to the small window "I'm not" she said went up on her toes to see out, only to see purple miasma surrounding them... miasma that her soul-gatherers could never even hope of getting through alive.

"You just said you were!"

"I only have a maximum of two souls left inside me, Kagome, I need to regain some strength before I can seriously think of escaping this place" she said as she gave another look around the door shrouded in darkness "my soul-gatherers can't reach me here so I have to gain strength on my own"

"How long do you think that will take?" Kagome asked as a cold shiver ran down her spine at the thought of being a slave to Naraku.

"I couple days... two... three... maybe four"

"FOUR?"

"Regaining lost energy without the souls that my gatherers bring me is not like sitting a certain hanyou we both know, girl! It takes time!" Kikyou growled as she snapped her head towards the girl "if you have a better idea I'd like to hear it! There isn't much to this room and I'm working with what I have!"

Kagome shrank back "...sorry"

Kikyou sighed, combing her fingers through a lock of her hair "forget it"

Silence fell among the two for a short while, before Kagome spoke again.

"What do you think Naraku will do to us?"

"Torture us... use us as bait" Kikyou replied emotionlessly as she slid down the wall to sit next to Kagome again "one thing is for certain... Naraku brought us here for a reason, and I'm sure it isn't going to be pleasant"

Kikyou's eyes suddenly grew wide and she jumped to her feet at a noise that the school-girl didn't even hear. The undead woman reached back for her bow and arrows but sighed when she only grasped air, remembering where she was and what has been taken from her.

The shadow of a form moved in the darkness, only it didn't creep as though it wanted to attack or trick or even harm them. It only walked calmly towards the two women as if it was an old friend or an ally, hardly making a sound.

Kagome frowned and called out to the figure in the shadows "hello? Who's there? Are you another one of Naraku's prisoners?"

The figure spoke, but their voice cracked at first as though they hadn't spoken in a long time "th...at... that scum up there is not Naraku" just then, the figure emerged out of the shadows and into whatever light they had.

Torn and blood-stained, purple robes were the only kinds of clothes he had and his ink-black hair looked as though it hadn't been washed for months. His skin was pale like the undead and was smeared with dirt and blood. His red eyes stared back at the two others in the cell with the most tired of looks to them, but appeared to also show traces of coldness as well as a certain kind of 'warmth', for lack of a better word. But even though he looked liked complete crap, he still held the presents and cold glare that caused many to shrink under his very nose. A trait he would probably die with.

The figure's thin, cracked lips parted once more and proclaimed three simple words "I am Naraku"

OK! That's it for this chapter! Hope you liked it! Alright so I answered no questions in this chapter but made a few more! Go me!

Anyway... not much more to say, hopefully I'll update soon again... but I kinda want to work on the comedy I'm writing for a bit... I have to get chapter 14 up or I'll get so many complaining readers it won't even be funny!

R&R!