Chapter 30:

Kagome walked as quickly as possible down the halls watching the dark shadows for even darker creatures. The loud cries of Kamikaze demons blowing holes in the walls and the sound of shattering glass were dim compared to the screams that sounded out periodically as those loyal to Sesshomaru fought back and their lives were ended in excruciatingly painful ways.

A crazed cry ripped through the air around her. She glanced around looking for where the bird like demon was going to crash in. She noticed a small toad demon hobbling quickly down the hallway, there was only one toad demon she knew would be in the castle. There wouldn't be anything left of him soon enough as the bird was aiming for the wall right where he was passing. Throwing caution to the wind Kagome raced down the hall as the shadow of the suicidal bird drew closer and closer to the unsuspecting retainer. Dropping to her knees she slid forward wrapping her arm around the toad's tiny waist while the other hand clasped over his beak like mouth.

The demon bird blasted through the wall sending Kagome and Jaken sprawling into the nearest wall. Kagome coughed and scooted further into the shadows trying to listen for any demons coming closer. She placed a barrier around them and leaned her head against the cool wall, "I've gotta stop getting hit by pieces of flying walls." Kagome groaned out and allowed her hand covering Jaken's mouth to fall away, wiping away the moister left from Jaken's panicked breaths she used the same hand to feel the small wound on her back.

"Lady miko!" Jaken squealed in a whisper, "Are the children with you? And Milord" his eyes darted around looking for said members of their pack.

"The children are with Sango and Miroku. Safe. For how long I don't know we need to find a way out of here."

"There is a secret passage in the gardens. Sesshomaru's sire had it built for Inuyasha and his mother, but they didn't have a chance to use it before. . ." Jaken trailed off. The death of Inuyasha's mother had been the only time that he and Myoga had failed their lord.

"Who knows of it?" Kagome whispered understanding that there was something that he didn't want to talk about.

"Myoga, the flea. Susuki, and myself." Jaken said silently hoping she wouldn't ask why Sesshomaru did not know.

"What about Sesshomaru?" Jaken let an almost inaudible sigh out.

"He does not know, even now. The three of us feared that Sesshomaru would feel resentment or anger towards it and have it destroyed, especially after Inuyasha was pinned to that tree."

"Isn't it your job to tell him everything?" Kagome asked a little skeptical as she shifted. Jaken opened his mouth to reply but Kagome stopped him, "Wait."

Just then to figures stepped into the newly made hole. Kagome bit her lip to hold back her shock at who was standing before them. She looked different in purple silk rather than her normal white furs, her hair was let down falling just beyond the small of her back and her lips were painted a dark, almost blood red colour. A dark laugh escaped those barely parted lips, a laugh full of cruel deeds and worse intentions, "Not to many holes, I don't want to fix this place up too much."

"Just get Sesshomaru's old servants to do it, they'll eventually do anything to stay alive," the voice sent shivers through Kagome. It was low and she could barely make it out, as if someone was talking through a phone from a distance. It was Naraku, well not really him. A puppet. Kagome didn't make a move against them, it would expose to much so she placed a hand over Jakens mouth again and held his body so he had no chance of moving.

"Why not come in person, Naraku," Ayame said lightly eyeing the puppet hidden under the baboon pelt, "The Kagome woman is dead, Kikyo is on your side. You have nothing to fear."

"Nothing is secure as of yet, so I shall not risk my person as of yet."

"Your heart is secure my love. They cannot kill you."

"Shh pet. Just continue with the plan. Soon we will be together in the open. I will rule everything and there will be no one to stand in the way. The humans will die and soon after the rest of this world."

"Very well let's round up the prisoners." Ayame walked down the hall passing Kagome and Jaken while Naraku's puppet flew pack to whatever hideout he was in now.

A few minutes later Kagome deemed it safe to move, and she struggled to her feet biting back groans and gasps of pain as she moved her battered and bloodied body, "I need to find Susuki and you need to tell the others to fall back. They won't be prisoners forever. Tell them that their Lord has a plan, tell them anything that will give them hope and comfort." Jaken nodded and he started to leave, "Wait. Why didn't you tell him about the passage?"

"Our first duty was to protect the lord even from himself." Kagome nodded and Jaken took off down the hall way. Kagome poked her head out of the hole before jumping down to the ground. She hissed at the pain that jolted through her body at the sudden impact.

She pushed herself back against the outer wall of the castle and headed in the direction where she heard, who she thought to be Susuki releasing enraged screams. Few demons came near her and the ones that did met with a quick death as her holy aura passed over them. She kept a trained eye on the servants and guards of the house hold, and noticed when they allowed themselves to be herded back into the castle. Susuki was the only one still fighting, but when she felt Kagome's aura she backed away and followed the injured miko.

Kagome looked back at the desolate looking castle, her thoughts turning to the demon lord she had yet to see since the attack started. There was a strange heaviness in her heart, there was worry for the powerful lord mixed with the anxiety of having to wait to see him again. She refused that Sesshomaru had been seriously hurt, nothing could harm her-their- lord. Turning away from the carnage everywhere and searched for the the children. When she finally saw them huddled behind Miroku and Sango she let out a relieved sight. She placed a hand on Rin's head as the little girl took Shippo's hand. She ushered the two away murmuring comforts and instructions while keeping an eye on the three other adults. She was tired, and her body gave it's protests to being neglected for so long.

Not too long into their trek were they joined by Jaken who gave the weary Kagome the full report of what happened after they separated. Kagome nodded her head only slightly listening to the retainers high pitched squawks. She lifted her hand biting back a moan at the pain the simple movement caused.

"Jaken, we need to rest. I need to tend these wounds. Can you find us a cave to stay in for a while?" Jaken merely nodded his head and took off in front of him, making sure to leave just enough of a scent for Susuki to follow.

They arrived at a cleverly disguised cave just after dawn. Sometime during the night the children had fallen asleep and Sango and Susuki carried them the rest of the way. Kagome heaved a sigh of relief as she entered the cave. It wasn't small as small as she feared there was enough space for them all to fit comfortably. She was also pleasantly surprised to find furs and other bedding around the cave.

"Milord has often stopped here during his travels, especially when Rin started traveling with us. Milord's father had originally built it as a private place for him and his first mate to run off to when they needed a break. The late lord did love his first mate very much, and was devastated when he discovered that his next mate had been responsible for her death. It was later after Inuyasha was born that my late master found out about this, almost killing Inuyasha's mother. He listened to her pleads and discovered that it was not entirely her fault and set out to kill the master responsible for his first mates death."

Jaken looked up to find everyone but the sleeping children staring at him, his green skin turned blotchy and dark as he realised that he had gotten carried away. It wasn't an attractive sight.

"What I think he was getting at," Susuki started giving Jaken a pointed look, "Is that there is probably some extra clothes lying around that you could probably change into."

They had discovered a river not too far from the cave, and Kagome accompanied by Susuki and Sango.

As she slipped her aching body into the water she released a sound that was a mix between a gasp of surprise and a hiss of pain. Groaning with effort Kagome rinsed and washed her hair and the rest of her body. Once her wounds were cleaned the best she could get it she pushed herself out of the water and bit back a gasp as a crisp breeze assaulted her. She shivered and hurried to dress her wounds and then herself.

D.D

"He's dead, Lord Naraku." A baritone voice grunted out.

"How can you be sure," the evil half-demon whispered out, noting with satisfaction that his voice caused a shiver of fear run through the demon before him.

"I lived, and he was on his dying breath as I left to find you. He had no chance. He had been attacked by many demons at once, and had been distracted by his pack. He was weak and so he fell, only a miracle can save him."

"And she's dead." Naraku released a low chuckle, "you're the first to survive facing Sesshomaru," the contemplative tone in his voice made the other demon tense. Nervousness rolled off of him in waves and the smirk on the half-demons face grew into a dark smile, without a word one of his tentacles plunged into the other demons chest. "You may have killed the great Lord of the west, but you never stood a chance against me," the light in the demon's eyes were slowly fading as his life was draining away, "Consider this your reward, just think what others will be going through."

The demon attempted to speak but only succeeded in a distorted gurgling sound that resulted in blood pouring out of his mouth. There was another cruel laugh as Naraku shoved the demon backwards enjoying the sickening thud that the lifeless body made as it hit the ground. Now nothing stood in his way, his two most powerful foes were dead, he practically won even without the jewel . It was disappointing that he would have to wait five hundred years for the rest of the jewel, but it really didn't matter now that Japan was practically under his control.

He laughed once again basking in the fact that the sound seemed to make his entire palace tremble.

0-0

Souta sighed for what seemed the thousandth time since he had seen his sister last. He never told anyone how much he missed her, but he was sure his mother heard him every so often sneak into her room and sit on her bed. Hoping that he would be caught in there when she came home and she would glare and rant like always, as if nothing had changed, but when she didn't burst through the door demanding his head for touching her stuff he was reminded all over again that he would probably never see her again.

He was in her room now. It wasn't too messy, but everything had been left as if she had simply gone to the store and would be back soon. If was deceiving. He sighed and sat on her bed. He picked up her laptop and opened it, typing in her password he started snooping through her stuff. She had a few pictures from the feudal era, and under each one on her computer there was a description of who it was. He laughed at some of them, like Inuyasha's. There was one demon that he didn't recognise but the description was funny none the less. He was curious as to who the 'sexy arrogant demon Lord' was, he looked a lot like Inuyasha. He soon moved on to looking at her browsing history. He pulled up her last visited sight and read through the website. His eyes widened as he read through the final story. A feudal era love story. Which was about his sister, described as a beautiful, but strange miko who fell in love with a cold, arrogant, but good looking demon lord.

The demon lord from the picture. Who was Inuyasha's half-brother.

His sister was going to become one of the greatest rulers of west Japan and she didn't have a clue. For once he let out a genuine smile. His sister was going to be alright. More than alright, she'd have the happy ending she deserved. She'd be loved and taken care of, and that's all that mattered. He was sure he'd see her again, and she'd be happy and glowing from the five hundred and some years of love from the once human hating lord.

He walked out of his sister's room, almost running into his mother on the way down to the living room. He flashed her a huge, care free smile letting his mother know that both her children would be alright. She allowed herself a small smile and murmured a quick prayer for the Gods to look after her special daughter.

Sesshomaru groaned as his body transformed into its humanoid version. He was safe in a cave, but his wounds were great. For once in his life he was unsure of his future, unsure that he'd survive. For once he cared that his life might end, leaving his pack without its alpha, pups without a father, and a mate without her other half.

'Mate?' he questioned silently as his eyes slid closed, and as they did Kagome's smiling face flashed in his mind, and a strange ache formed in his chest. He was being bombarded with unfamiliar emotions and reactions, his mind too tired to fight them away. It was just before he slipped into unconsciousness that he remembered that she was upset with him before they were attacked.

Sesshomaru let out a weak growl before his body went limp.

End.