Chapter 23

The scream resonated throughout the room. Inuyasha stopped in mid slice and turned just as he felt a painful jolt through his body. He fell backwards and collapsed, his body bleeding, his mind reeling, his eyes blank.

"He's been brought down.", said Sesshoumaru, still prepared to send another poison whip through his brother's body.

"Sesshoumaru! Why?", said a now awake Kagome, the sight of Sesshoumaru's attack managing to bring her back to her senses.

"Because that was the only way to bring him down. I am the only one who knows how to stop the raging demon inside of him when Tessaiga doesn't work.", he said with his usual air, "Mashai ... are you alright?"

"Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru.", Mashai said, as Sesshoumaru helped him to his feet, "I have managed to break my mother's spell over me."

"You ... you two know each other?", Kagome stammered out in surprise.

"Yes. I'm sorry I misled you, Lady Leilani. I had to. Lord Sesshoumaru and I decided if you didn't know we were working together, we could avoid alot of problems."

"Problems? What problems?", Kagome asked, confused.

"Mashai works for me in our Tokyo office. I had heard that Izayoi was in danger from somebody, so I sent him to watch over her."

"I discovered it was my mother who was trying to get to Izayoi and then I had to play both sides because my mother thought she could get to you and Lord Inuyasha via me and Izayoi."

"So you don't love my daughter?"

"Wrong. I wasn't supposed to fall in love. I had no intention of it. But, Izayoi is fascinating. I do ... I really do love her.", said Mashai, softly.

"That's not important right now, Kagome.", said an irritated Sesshoumaru, "Right now we need to find Kanna so we can release Inuyasha's soul."

"Sesshoumaru, how fast can you get me back to the main compound? I have my spell book there. There might be a way I can get myself transported to Kanna's location."

"I can get you there quickly. But, I'll need to bring Mashai and Inuyasha. Should Inuyasha wake up, I am the only one ..."

"Who can stop him ... yea yea, I know. You said that.", Kagome said, irritably, "Let's just go."

Mashai picked up Inuyasha's limp body and gathered with Kagome and Sesshoumaru. As Sesshoumaru turned them all into light, they disappeared and flew away. A short time later, they arrived at the Kateitenma house on the other side of British Columbia. The house was deserted, as all the pups in Canada gathered at the secret forest location that Inuyasha had designed and built over 100 years ago as a safe house for his family. Kagome rushed into the room that Inuyasha had built for her, complete with Mystic altar and all. Taking a huge spell book off the shelf, she searched through the numerous pages until she stopped at one page and skimmed over the text. This was it. This was the spell she needed.

Sesshoumaru and Mashai, with Inuyasha's body, joined her as she began pulling down mason jars filled with various items. Plunking things into a small cauldren, she mixed the concotion up and heated it until she had a gooey syrup.

"What's that?", Mashai asked, holding his nose at the stench.

"It's a protective potion.", Kagome said.

"We gotta drink that shit?", asked Mashai.

"Actually, it looks worse than it tastes.", Kagome admitted, "Just hold your nose when you drink it."

"What does it protect us from?", Mashai queried.

"Magic. Your mother's magic will bounce right off of us."

"Cool. Very cool."

"Kagome. I think I should warn you ... Adimara and Naraku have the sacred jewel."

"I know. It's in her pendant. That's how she hypnotized me. But, it's not whole. There are chips missing. I'm sorry Mashai, but your mother isn't very smart. To think that the one that purified the jewel so long ago could be affected by its powers. Especially, when it's not complete. Kikyou said the same thing years ago and now I understand."

"Yes, Naraku brought back the Shichinin-Tai with the jewel. He sent them to attack your pups.", said Sesshoumaru.

"He did?", Kagome paused.

"But, they are all dead. Mostly by Inuyasha's deranged hand. Yasha has 7 of the shards and Miroku, in Tokyo, has the eighth. I think Miroku is coming to Canada to bring the shard to you.", said Sesshoumaru.

"I'm not surprised. Naraku is just using them as puppets to drag this out. The people he is reviving only know how to fight in the Feudal Era, yet we have learned to battle in the Modern Era. They don't stand a chance against rifles and years of practice in magic they know nothing about.", surmised Kagome.

"Why does your family have such an arsenal, Lady Leilani?", asked Mashai.

"Why? Hmph, Inuyasha and my sons love to hunt. If they are hunting with human friends, they can't use their claws, so they use either bows and arrows or rifles. Then there is Kanaya, who collects guns. He owns at least one of every gun ever made by every manufacturer. He is fascinated by his gun collection.", said Kagome.

"Naraku obviously doesn't realize this, or he wouldn't have tried taking us on.", said Sesshoumaru.

"It's ready.", Kagome said of her brew. Pouring out a set amount for each of them, she said, "Bottoms up!", as she downed hers and the other two drank theirs.

Mashai wrinkled his nose in disgust, "OH! Jesus! That's some horrible shit!", and he coughed.

"Well, Inuyasha always said to me, the stuff that tastes the nastiest works the best!", Kagome commented.

"Now what, Kagome?", asked Sesshoumaru.

"Now we visit Kanna!", said Kagome, taking her bow and putting a quiver of arrows on her back, "Mashai, bring Inuyasha here."

Doing as he was told, Mashai brought Inuyasha's limp body into the middle of the pentagram on the floor, where Kagome and Sesshoumaru stood. As Mashai held Inuyasha, Kagome held Mashai's left hand and Sesshoumaru's right hand. She closed her eyes and chanted softly in Mystic. The world began to spin and Mashai closed his eyes so he didn't get dizzy. As he felt the world begin to stop moving, he opened his eyes and they were no longer in the altar room, but in a darkened room in another location.

Kagome dropped their hands and looked around. Immediately, she spotted Kanna and Adimara,

"Well, you've found us.", said Adimara.

Kagome cocked her arrow and aimed at Kanna's mirror. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Adimara lift her pendant up and start chanting,

"Adimara, your spells won't work on us,", Kagome said, as she released her arrow that glowed with spiritual energy.