Chapter 27

Kagome woke to the sound of her alarm clock baring noisily and the soft light of the morning filtering in from her window, casting patterns along the wooden floor. She groaned, burying her face in one of her pillows as she willed the noise to just please, please go away. All she wanted to do was sleep.

She was utterly exhausted.

Training with Mamoru was becoming more intense with each day that passed, especially after she'd finally managed to control her spiritual energy. He'd put her on a rigorous exercise regimen, one that hardly left her any time for herself and she knew if she didn't get up soon, she'd be in deep trouble.

It was Saturday, but that meant very little to her now as she finally dragged herself up into a sitting position, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes with a wide yawn stretching her lips. She had a full day ahead of her, and however annoying that fact was it would do her no good to dawdle.

"Oh, pipe down already, would ya?" she grumbled, irritated as she finally shut the damned thing off, relishing in the blissful silence that followed.

She sighed, muttering to herself about stupid rules and a certain, very demanding Yokai that damn near refused to give her a break while she made her way to the bathroom to start her morning routine.

As she brushed her teeth, she couldn't help but take notice of yet another slight change in her appearance that had seemingly taken place right under her nose. Her hair had apparently hit another random growth spurt and now flowed down to her waist, curling at the tips and nearly reaching the swell of her bottom in its length. Her bangs had pretty much become nonexistent over these last few weeks, and it was odd seeing her face without them hanging messily over her forehead. Maybe it was time for a haircut, she didn't know if she cared for this new look of hers. It was so foreign.

Kagome didn't bother applying any makeup, her skin was even and blemish-free, and her eyelashes were long and thick without the added help of any products, so she didn't really see the point. Plus, she'd probably just sweat it all off anyway.

She swept the heavy mass of thick, raven black hair up and tied it into a high ponytail at the crown of her head, feeling the weight of it immediately but knowing that she would be glad to have it out of her face as the day progressed. She changed into a pair of black leggings and a soft, baggy sweatshirt before bounding down the stairs to the smell of hot food.

"Good morning, dear." Her mother chirped, throwing a smile over her shoulder as Kagome entered the kitchen.

"Morning," She said lightly, sitting beside her Oji-chan who briefly looked up from his paper to cock a silver brown in her direction.

"You're up early." He observed suspiciously.

"Yes," she agreed with a sigh, used to her grandfather's excessive nosiness at this point. "I'm meeting Hinata at the archery range."

Her mother breezed over to the table, setting down the breakfast she'd prepared and serving them some tea as well.

"You seem to be spending an awful lot of time with that boy…" the old man grumbled as he folded his newspaper and set it on the edge of the table.

Internally, she groaned. She was sick and tired of people assuming the worst of her, just because she was all but forced to spend her nearly every waking moment with the annoyingly stubborn Yokai practically glued to her side. She didn't ask for this. And she couldn't help it. But as much as she loathed to admit it… she needed the idiot.

Kagome had to physically restrain herself from rolling her eyes at him, turning to the plate of hot food and tucking into it instead of answering.

"Well, I think he's been good for you, Kagome." Keomi chimed, taking the seat opposite her daughter with a twinkle in her eye. "You're doing well in school again and look at you! Up before nine am on a Saturday? I'm impressed." A small smile twisted at her lips and the way she was looking made Kagome think that maybe she knew more than she let on.

"Yeah, well, I guess you're right." But Kagome was already miles away from this conversation and lost in her own thoughts as she gazed out the window. The golden light that reflected off the dew drops that still lingered on the grass reminded her of InuYasha, and suddenly she was hit with a wave of longing so hard that it nearly took her breath away. She missed him, desperately. It had been so long. Okay, it had only been like a full week since she'd seen him last but that was long enough for her liking. If she didn't get a break soon, she'd just have to sneak away, sleep be damned, and pop back into the feudal era for a few hours regardless of the consequences.

Memories of his fiery kisses, the way his fangs scraped against her lips primally and how he would weave his fingers into her hair lingered in her mind, stirring heat to rise in her belly as she sighed wistfully.

"Kagome, hurry and eat or your food will get cold." Her mother urged, snapping her out of her reverie and back into the moment.

"Hai," She mumbled, doing as she was told with her eyes downcast.

She quickly finished up, asking if she could be excused before she took her dishes to the sink. She rinsed them out and left them both with a false smile and promises that she'd be safe, and she'd call if she needed anything etc. Just as she had made it back up the stairs to her room to grab her sneakers and a pair of socks, her phone buzzed from its spot on her nightstand, the screen lighting up with a new message.

Right on time.

She didn't need to check it to know that it was Mamoru. He was already waiting outside in his sleek black sports car, no doubt. She grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder, stuffing it with the essentials before making her way down the stairs again with her shoes hanging from her fingertips.

"Goodbye, everyone!" She called out before stepping outside. The sun shone brightly down on her, but the air was fresh and cool having not yet grown humid. She slipped into her sneakers, hearing the gravel crunch beneath her feet as she rounded the corner of the house, seeing the black beast, as she so affectionately called it, idling there in her driveway just as she'd expected. She bounded over to it and hopped in, the door shutting heavily behind her as she slid onto the cool leather seat.

"Well good morning, sunshine." Mamoru chuckled, already shifting the car and reversing back out onto the street.

"Morning," she sighed, buckling her seat belt and settling against the hard leather.

"C'mon, cheer up. Its Saturday! Don't be so glum." His glamour was in full effect, and his dark eyes flickered over to her, a smile reflected there.

For the second time that morning, she fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"I'm tired." She mumbled a bit irritably, crossing her arms over her chest and staring out the window as the city flashed by min waves of color.

"Did you want to stop and get a coffee? My treat." He offered, brushing his dark bangs out of his eyes with one hand while he steered with the other.

"I thought you didn't like human food?"

"Coffee isn't food," he chuckled, "It's a godsend."

Despite herself, she laughed, shaking her head at the Yokai who no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't stay mad at.

"Okay, fine, I suppose it couldn't hurt." She offered him a small smile, doing her best to shake off her bad mood.

They got their coffees and thirty minutes later they were pulling up to the front of a very large building that looked almost like a warehouse with its tall cement walls and sloping metal roof. They finished off their drinks and got out of the car, walking up to a pair of glass double doors with the name of the business printed on the front. She followed behind Mamoru as he strode confidently through the doorway as if he'd been here a hundred times before. Inside, there was a reception desk and two separate hallways that were on either side. The walls were painted a light grey and the space was decorated sparsely.

"Hello, how are you both doing today?" The woman behind the counter greeted, her dark hair styled into a French braid and Kagome could see a lanyard with the girls' picture printed on it hanging around her neck, standing out against the crisp black polo she wore.

"Good, Thank you." Mamoru answered smoothly, leaning against the reception desk casually. "We'd like to use your archery range."

"Of course, sir, do you have a membership with us?" She'd begun typing on her computer, and the sound of keys clacking bounced off the walls in an eerie echo.

"Yes," He dug out his wallet from the pocket of his black jeans, "Hinata Adachi." He slid his ID out and passed it to the woman, who inspected it for a moment before she handed it back.

"Alright Mr. Adachi, you're all set." She smiled brightly, all but ignoring Kagome as she practically swooned over the boy. "Go all the way down this hallway and out the last door at the very end, and then you'll find the supplies hanging on the wall there as well."

"Thank you." Mamoru nodded, throwing a smile over his shoulder at Kagome before turning and walking down where the woman had directed. She rolled her eyes as she followed him, taking in the space around her with mild curiosity. It had the feel of a very high-end and exclusive gym, and as they walked down the hallway, she could see people doing various exercises through the glass doors that lined the walls as they passed by. She tried not to stare and set her gaze on the shoulders of the Yokai who was walking slightly ahead of her, leading them through a set of glass doors at the end of the hall.

An impossibly high ceiling supported by industrial rafters made the space feel even bigger than it actually was. On the far wall, there were a few small targets and racks upon racks of bows of all different kinds on either side of a large set of clear glass doors. Through them, she could see what looked to be more long-range targets. There were a few people using the indoor range, but none of them paid the pair any mind as Kagome took in her surroundings with a mild sense of awe. The space was so open and bright it almost hurt to look at one thing for too long. And outside the doors the sun was shining softly, and the sky was a calm, perfect blue unmarred by any clouds. It almost seemed too perfect, too sterile.

"All right," Mamoru said, rubbing his hands together as he looked around with a sharp eye. "I think we'll go ahead and start with the close-range targets, using the long bow of course."

"Oh, can't we do the long-range ones first?" Kagome asked, looking longingly out the set of glass doors where the fresh air was calling her name.

He followed her gaze and sighed, rolling his eyes. "Whatever. Let's get you set up with your bow." He turned and walked over to the wall of equipment while Kagome smiled and followed him with a little pep in her step.

They got her fitted with a feudal era style long bow that was suited to her short frame, and Mamoru found one that would suit his taller stature and they both filled a quiver with arrows. Making their way outside she grinned even wider as the breeze rushed over her, lifting the long river of inky black hair that was tied securely at the crown of her head. She breathed deeply, looking up at the blue sky with a strange feeling constricting at her chest as her smile slowly fell. A sudden, unwelcome coldness ghosted over her skin despite the warm sun that was beaming down on her.

For some inexplicable reason that she couldn't place, as she looked up at the impossible blue of the endless sky something just felt wrong. It was a deep, abrupt unease twisting at her insides that was impossible to ignore. Her instincts were screaming; chills erupted down her forearms beneath the sleeves of her sweatshirt. Her brow furrowed, gaze shifting over the empty archery range as she tried to figure out what had brough this unexpected feeling on.

"Mamoru…" She whispered his name under her breath, knowing he would hear it though it was barely more than a whisper. He was at her side instantly, his hand resting lightly on her elbow as concern shone plainly in his eyes even through the dark glamour that masked their true brilliance.

"What is it, Kagome?"

"I don't know…" She looked up at the sky again, wondering if the answer could be there, written in the azure waters of that endless oblivion but she found nothing. It was her gut telling her that something in the feudal era had to be setting off her senses somehow, because right then in the present there was absolutely nothing amiss. It was all sunshine and pure, fresh air but even so… her stomach felt like a pit of wriggling anxiety. "something's not right… I know it."

/

Just outside the boundaries of the palace, in the calmness of the late morning beneath the golden sun, the silver-haired Daiyokai adopted his purest form. The warm light reflected off his white fur, his massive paws thundering against the earth as he stood proudly at his full height, feeling the pure rush of endorphins run through his blood as he did. It was invigorating to feel this way again, to know the true extent of his power as he was not bound by human form. But the feeling was short-lived as his gaze was drawn by the sound of wet coughing. His eyes landed on Karitei, who with her small frame, somehow managed to completely support InuYasha, who could barely even hold himself upright. She shouldered his weight, his arm draped loosely over her neck. She had changed into a more practical set of cotton kimono and hakama, dyed in tones of gray it made her sapphire eyes glow against her pale skin. She had undone the ornate style she'd woven her hair into previously, having removed the various decorations that had adorned it as well. It was now bound at the back of her neck with a simple black silk ribbon, flowing pin straight down to the small of her back. There was a satchel thrown over her shoulder, hanging down at her side, filled with poultices and herbs, Sesshomaru knew by the scent that permeated the air around them. But even so, it did not overwhelm the stench of sickness and decay that was emanating off his brother.

InuYasha clung to Karitei, the top of his plain kimono hanging open loosely to reveal blood-soaked bandages wrapped around his chest. His skin was ashen, covered in a fine sheen of sweat and his head hung low, eyes screwed shut with pain as he struggled to breathe. A wet rattling sound echoed out from his chest with every shattered breath; his legs shook with the effort it took to stand

There wasn't much time.

Sesshomaru lowered himself regally to the ground, staring deeply into the eyes of the Inu Yokai priestess, bidding her without words to climb onto his back. There was determination reflected there in her blue orbs as she nodded, whispering words of affirmation to the Hanyou as she began to move. He gasped though she had only taken a small step, wincing sharply. She kept going, apologizing in hushed tones while he whimpered. The massive demon could only watch, keeping still while Karitei hoisted InuYasha onto the back of the great white dog with as much care as she could manage, though he still cried out in pain when he was finally sat hanging over Sesshomaru's neck, chest heaving with exertion. The Daiyokai could feel the Hanyou's weak, sickly aura pulsating erratically almost like a heartbeat; he could feel the shuddering breaths he took and his hands as they fisted shakily in his fur. Karitei situated herself behind him, using her body to prevent the half breed from sliding off. Sesshomaru could sense his agony. He could taste it plainly on the air; bitter and acrid in the back of throat, like iron.

"Go now, Lord Sesshomaru. Hurry." Karitei whispered, voice thick and hushed in an urgent whisper. The rest was left unsaid. They both knew that InuYasha was fading quickly, the magicked poison that coursed through his blood taking a rapid toll on his body as he was forced to exert himself. There was little time. They could only hope that he would make it until the moon had risen.

Slowly, Sesshomaru rose to his feet again, biting back a growl as he could feel the Hanyou's hands fisted tightly into the shaggy fur of his neck, holding on for dear life. With his large, demonic eyes Sesshomaru could see the world around him in astonishing color and detail. It seemed that everything around him was pulsating with life, shifting beneath the golden sunlight as a light breeze blew. His gaze landed on the mountains, feeling the magnetic pull of his instincts as they showed him where the temple lay. He had been there, many years ago… but even so the memory was embedded with the scent of that place. Smoke from the incense that had been lit as part of his marking ceremony, the cold smell of wet stone and salt from the sea. He could never forget it even if he tried.

With his directional senses locked onto his target, the Daiyokai gave a small yelp of warning to Karitei, one that had her holding on tightly to the Hanyou that was still slump over Sesshomaru's broad neck, his head hanging slackly off the side. He took off towards the gray, jagged mountains, breaking the tree line in mere seconds. There was nothing he could do for InuYasha as he gasped and cried out in pain, his body getting jostled around as they moved deeper into the forest.

The Hanyou moaned, the sound ringing with absolute agony against the demon's ears with a tinny harshness that had Sesshomaru clenching his jaw. He could hear Karitei comforting him over the rush of wind as he deftly dodged the trees that were densely clustered together. With every movement he made he could feel his brother weakening. His broken moans only hastened the urgency Sesshomaru could feel tightening in his chest. His massive paws pounded against the earth; his determination renewed while he focused solely on the task that lay ahead of them all.

He would save his brother. One way or another.

&/

Hours drug by and the sun slowly sank in the sky. The trio, a powerful Daiyokai, an Inu priestess, and a half-dead Hanyou, had begun the arduous climb up the jagged mountain face, headed for the temple of the moon god.

The forest had thinned out the higher they climbed, and now as Sesshomaru picked his way over the rocky terrain they were almost completely barren, with only a few disheveled specimens shooting up from cracks in the stone here and there. As the night drew nearer and nearer, the sky was painted in the shades of the sunset. The colors tinged the woodland with their hues, and though Sesshomaru knew that to many, the sight would be considered beautiful, to him it only sparked urgency. If they were to be successful in calling upon Tsukuyomi's aid, they must be beneath the circle when the moon rose, that was what Karitei had told him.

On his back he could feel the limp weight of InuYasha as he sagged against Sesshomaru's broad neck, pinned there only by Karitei's arms as she used her own body to anchor him there and keep him from falling off. They had been going like this for hours, but luckily the Hanyou had lost consciousness some time ago due to the overwhelming amount of agony he was in. Both Sesshomaru and Karitei were grateful for this. Every movement made by the demonic beast, no matter the care he took in his steps, had the Hanyou crying out. The sounds of his pain had echoed throughout the eerily silent forest.

His pace slowed abruptly as the rocky face of the mountain became a near sheer drop, with only just enough space for the Daiyokai's massive paws to carefully walk what seemed to be a narrow path, worn by hundreds of years of use.

"We draw near."

Karitei's voice had gone stony, her eyes becoming hard as she looked out over the landscape from her spot behind the unconscious Hanyou.

At her low words, he paused, following her gaze with his large demonic eyes.

The crumbling path wove its way down the mountain, leading down, down into the valley below, disappearing beneath the tops of the massive trees that rose up into the sky. He could smell the salt on the air, even from here. The ocean was just on the other side of the cliffs that broke the horizon, and that was where the temple lay, carved into the very stone that surrounded them at the mouth of the sea.

Sesshomaru let out a low huff, acknowledging her words in the only way he could in this form. The sun was sinking lower and lower, a burnt orange smear blazing across the heavens that was tinged with the colors of the night at its edges, the daylight waning away before his very eyes. He could feel the Karitei's fingers digging into his fur, tightening as her energy spiked.

Go.

She didn't need to say it. In the next second he was bounding down the ancient winding path, his demonic power flowing around them all in a golden haze, increasing his speed until they were practically flying.

He could feel her heartbeat, fast and threaded with adrenaline, alongside his brother's, weak, barely pulsing.

Brother.

The word didn't feel so foreign to him now. He knew that there had been things that had happened between them that could never be forgotten, but perhaps they could be forgiven, in time. Maybe he could have a family. A true one, a pack, his secret want. The only thing he'd convinced himself that he could never have. His whole life had been marked with one tragedy after another… and he was done questioning why he would want to save InuYasha in the first place. They shared blood; the greatest and most powerful blood to run through the veins of any Daiyokai, and that meant something. It didn't matter that InuYasha despised him, Sesshomaru would make it right.

His line of thought only narrowed his resolved as they approached the mouth of the vast cave, his steps slowing as his demonic power faded away, snapping back into his skin. The entrance was supported by massive columns carved into the rock, two on each side of a wide, rounded arch that was overgrown with hanging ivy. Steps made of the very same stone led up to its dark mouth, and he could clearly hear the crashing of waves and smell the strong briny smell that was coming from the other side. They had made it just as the last rays of the sun were beginning to disappear beneath the horizon, and he could feel Karitei's energy practically pulse with relief.

"Let me just get him down, my Lord, I will try to be swift." She whispered lowly, as if someone were listening. He lowered himself to the ground and she slid off his back quickly, hurrying to take advantage of InuYasha's unconsciousness as she hoisted him down. Though she was slim and womanly, the Inu Priestess was deceptively strong and only struggled a little as gravity did most of the work for her.

She laid the Hanyou on the ground, slinging the satchel around to her front and pulling out a rag that she used to gently dab the sweat off his brow, murmuring softly to him, trying to rouse him gently.

Sesshomaru took the opportunity to shift back into his more human form, his inner beast growling in frustration as it was caged once more. He smoothed his clawed fingers over his kimono, the red embroidered crest of his house catching his eye. The moon.

Night fell around them like snow, and when the last glimmers of sun had faded and the darkness was complete, a hidden lantern inside the mouth snapped to life, the fire burning a cool, white gold. Sesshomaru and Karitei shared a look, her eyes looking almost the color of sea glass in the low light where she was crouched over his brother's limp form. Wisps of hair had come loose around her face, her dark hakama scuffed with dirt, her face painted in a mixture of awe and fear from where she was crouched on the mossy ground.

"I- I don't think I should go any further, my Lord." She swallowed thickly, "This ritual… it is sacred."

She was right. She had served her purpose, InuYasha had survived the journey and the rest was now up to him.

"Stay here and guard the entrance, let nothing disturb us."

His voice rung cold and harsh, his golden eyes flashing.

"Hai, Lord Sesshomaru." She nodded solemnly, rising to her feet with a smooth grace.

The moon was rising, shining clear and bright in the sky and it cast everything in a silver glow. Even as Karitei moved away, her eyes never left the Hanyou while the Daiyokai leant down to hoist him up, shouldering his weight effortlessly. She didn't say anything, just watched them with her brows drawn in concern as they made their way up the massive steps, silver hair lifting with the breeze as she seemed to be illuminated by the moonlight.

"Be well…"

Her words were hardly a whisper that was whisked away as soon as it hit the air. Sesshomaru didn't look back as they passed beneath the arch way, his bare feet gliding across the cool stone that he could feel was laced with energy.

The cold light of the solitary lantern above cast shadows along walls that looked like they had been made due to countless years of erosion stalactites and stalagmites rose from the curved ceiling as well as the smooth floor, and as the cave deepened and narrowed until it was nothing more than a tunnel, the sound of the ocean grew, echoing along the walls. He walked in the darkness for a long moment. But then, just as it had tapered off, it opened up again. He could smell incense mixing with the salt, could see the smoke curling through the air as the true temple of Tsukuyomi was revealed.

In front of him now was a massive cavern, rounded almost perfectly. In front of him looked to be a platform made of the same stone that made up the mountain itself, the edges of it marked by pillars that were crumbling away into the waves that smashed powerfully against them as the other half of the cave was open to the ocean. Large rocks rose from the azure waters, the shimmering night sky reflected along the surface. This place was heavy with enchantment. He could feel it burning along his skin, almost stinging at his eyes with its power. Sesshomaru readjusted his brother's weight on his shoulder, waking him slightly as he could see his eyelashes fluttering.

"Do not be afraid, brother, we are almost there." The words had slipped past his lips almost without him noticing, his voice low but not entirely emotionless. As they drew closer to the platform, his bare feet gliding over the smooth steps that led up to the structure, he could see ancient-looking runes carved into its surface, placed in a circle directly in its center.

"When the moon is at its peak, he must be beneath the circle…"

Karitei's words came floating back to him.

Beneath?

His brow furrowed but he said nothing, his jaw tightening in anticipation while they steadily drew closer. InuYasha let out a low moan of agony against him, the sound of a wounded animal, his head hanging low against his chest. He could see now what she had meant as they stood in the middle of the rune markings, and above them there was a perfectly rounded hole leaning up to the surface somehow, looking just big enough for the moon to shine through once it was directly overhead.

As carefully as he could manage, the Daiyokai lowered InuYasha to lay beneath the circle as Karitei had instructed, his molten amber eyes studying the grey, sunken pallor of the Hanyou's skin as his stark white hair pooled around him on the wet stone. His loose cotton kimono had fallen open to reveal his blood-soaked bandages again, and the stench of infection and dried blood hit the Daiyokai's senses like a brick wall. His eyelids fluttered again, but this time he managed to crack them open slightly, his parched lips parting as his gaze focused on Sesshomaru.

InuYasha's heart pumped weakly and erratically inside of his chest, his breath coming in shallow and uneven as he tried and failed to form the words he wanted.

He did wish that Karitei was here for this part, she always knew what to say.

"You are… You are going to be okay, InuYasha, I swear it."

Sesshomaru's voice was a low whisper, one that was filled with complete and total resolve. He meant it. No matter what, he would survive. One way or another.

He could see the shock painted plainly in InuYasha's golden eyes that were a mirror of his own, and for the first time they really looked at each other. Gold collided with gold as the Daiyokai knelt beside his fading brother. Waves crashed against the side of the platform, he could feel the spray of the ocean lay across his skin, the stone beneath them cold and wet but woven through with spiritual energy. He wanted to tell him why he had shunned him all these years and was suddenly overcome with the need to apologize for it. But he didn't have the words. But it didn't matter. InuYasha's eyes seemed to soften for a moment, if only just that, and that was enough. It was almost time. The moon was steadily rising, time seeming almost altered in this ancient place of magic and devotion.

After they had shared a long, meaningful look the Hanyou's eyes had fluttered shut once more, his breath coming in ragged and shaky.

"Sesshomaru…" He wheezed, brow furrowing with exertion. His voice sounded so paper thin to the Daiyokai's ears, hardly more than a whisper.

"Yes, brother?"

"If I-" He paused to cough wetly for a long moment, "if I die here, please… please just tell Kagome that-" InuYasha took a deep, shuddering breath. "Tell her that I was an idiot… tell her that I love her."

It was so like him to have his mind on that priestess, even now while he stood on the very precipice of death itself. Sesshomaru's mind flashed to Hanako, with her lavender doe eyes and gentle, lily-white hands. He wondered if he could have such a love with her. It was the briefest of moments before he forced himself to lock those thoughts away, focused on InuYasha.

"You will not perish on this day." His words were stony, absolute.

"Just promise me, asshole. If you don't tell her what happened, she'll-" he wheezed, "She'll think the worst…" The Hanyou's eyes snapped open again to lock onto his own, a serious look held there. "You have to swear it."

His jaw was clenched tight with pain he could see the sheen of sweat that had settled over his grayed skin. Sesshomaru knew better than to argue with a dying man, so he just nodded solemnly. "As you say."

This seemed to relieve him to a degree, and he let out a low breath, sagging into himself.

"Thank you..."

Sesshomaru could feel the magic in the cavern gathering, the whole area seeming to charge with an electric spiritual energy. He rose to his feet swiftly, eyeing the hole in the ceiling, checking the position of the moon. It was almost completely filling the circle, now. Its silver light shined down on InuYasha, illuminating him in its brilliance. The Daiyokai took a step back from the rune circle, keeping away from the moonlight.

"You must invoke the moon god's presence. He will demand an offering…"

Again, Karitei's words, guiding him.

An offering.

It hadn't even crossed his mind. But it was too late now. The moon had stopped directly overhead, just at its peak, the energy in the space spiked.

"Tsukuyomi, I Sesshomaru, son of the great Inu no Taisho, I summon you on the night of the full moon. My patron, answer my call."

His voice rang strong and clear throughout the temple, bouncing off of the gray stone walls the carry out across the churning ocean. The light emitting from the circle in the ceiling intensified even further, encapsulating his brother's slack form. His blood hummed with power. He could feel it growing, could feel the presence that was just on the other side of the veil, pressing. The urge to kneel overcame him and he didn't fight it. He lowered himself to the floor smoothly, watching with rapt attention as it almost looked like snow was falling all around them; outlined by the sound of crashing waves.

Slowly, a pair of bone-white feel began to descend from the light; the deity had heard his call.

Two brothers

Marked by hate

Ruled by the cosmos

Forever tied to each other in the tapestry of thread that is the infinite prophecy

Broken

And then mended again

It was almost beautiful in its perfect tragedy

Tsukuyomi slowly materialized in his human form, floating down from the heavens, to where he had been summoned by the Daiyokai that now knelt before him. The very same that he had blessed as a babe. He bore his mark.

His dark eyes glittered like dark gems in the low light of the temple, for it was lit only by his very light. His dark hair tumbled around him in a dark river of obsidian, lifted in the air almost as if suspended in water. His robes were the color of the foamy sea and he had his katana, Yorukaze, strapped to his waist.

Sesshomaru met his gaze without hesitation, something that sparked a smiled to curve at the Kami's face. He had sensed the Inu's fearlessness the very first time they'd met almost a thousand years ago. He still held that same fire now, even in the face of his god. Admirable, the kami thought.

"My sons."

Tsukuyomi's voice rang out, low and laced with ancient power. His robes draped along the temple floor where he stood between the two Inu, his skin seeming pearlescent.

"Patron."

The Daiyokai bowed deeply as a show of respect, his palms pressed flat to the stone.

There was no need to ask, the kami already knew what must to be done. But they need to know just how much such a feat would cost.

"What you would ask of me… It can be done."

He turned to looked down at InuYasha, his daughter's destined mate, with pity held there in his eyes. He looked so weak. Just a fraction of the Hanyou he had been upon the last time he'd looked in upon this world. He was deteriorating quickly.

"You could heal him, then?" The Daiyokai's voice was cold, expressionless. Afraid to hope.

Tsukuyomi nodded after a moment, locking eyes with Sesshomaru again. "Yes… but there is a cost."

There was always a cost.

"I don't have anything to offer you, but I will pay whatever you demand of me." He was frank, honest and without shame or hesitation. There was a determination shining there in those molten eyes that were hard as steel.

"No…not you." The kami cast a somber look at the dying Hanyou, his slim fingers reaching out to caress the wisps of fading energy that surrounded the boy. "He is the one who will pay."

There was a long beat of weighted silence.

"What… is the price?"

Tsukuyomi would have smiled if not for the blue tones of the situation coloring his emotions. He found that this Daiyokai's newfound and sudden loyalty to his half-breed brother was inspiring, it brought warmth to his heart seeing his two most favored of his Inu children come together.

"He will receive my mark, just as he should have when he was a newborn babe, as your father had intended." The ancient one paused, considering his next words carefully before they passed his full lips. "You must realize, Sesshomaru, that by doing this you would be the one to deliver InuYasha into his rightful place as your second. He will be recognized as an heir of my house, just as you are. Surely, the weight of this cannot be lost on you…"

He watched a range of emotions play over the Inu's face as his eyes flickered over to his brother's limp form. Surprise. Hesitation. Regret. But then there was light, acceptance. All in the span of ten seconds.

"It feels right." He was still looking past the kami at the half breed who was wheezing and going in and out of consciousness, poised on his knees still as he had not been bidden to rise.

Tsukuyomi looked into Sesshomaru's heart and found the spark there that had begun to slowly thaw him out sometime ago, and he knew that the Daiyokai meant what he said as he found no lie settled on his tongue.

"Very well." He drew his arms up regally into his draping sleeves, "But know this, the weapon that pierced his flesh was poisoned with dark magic. It has targeted his human blood, and his Yokai side has been diminished greatly. When I have completed the ritual… InuYasha will no longer be a Hanyou."

There was a tense second of silence, Sesshomaru pondering the deity's words with a solemn look on his face. Though he often tried to afford most beings a sense of privacy, in this case, he just couldn't help himself and peeked in on the Daiyokai's thoughts.

…Is this what InuYasha would want?...

It was a valid concern. Even the kami couldn't answer that.

…but if my father truly had intended this, as Tsukuyomi said, then the path seems clear…

Yes, and if InuYasha had been brought to him as a newborn, as was a tradition among his favored, his life would have been much different. But his foolish human mother, ignorant of the ways of her son's people and left without Toga to guide her, the child had been neglected of his true power. She hadn't known any better, poor creature.

"What will he become?"

Sesshomaru's voice was quiet and cold.

"None can say, not even I…" He trailed off, looking down at the boy who his daughter's fate was tightly intertwined with, his gaze unyielding but not unkind. He had looked into the boy's heart and seen the courage, the loyalty and the drive that made him into the person that he was. He had also seen the love for Kagome, had felt the intensity of it on his face as blinding and hot as the sun itself. InuYasha would become something more, something, unlike anyone, had ever seen and he would become the perfect mate for his daughter. A warrior of the moon, sworn to protect its most precious treasure.

"If it means he will live, then do what you must."

The Daiyokai's words sank heavily through the air with finality, and the Kami nodded in response. He turned with a flourish of his fine kimono, facing InuYasha who was hardly hanging on.

The kami cast a look over his shoulder towards Sesshomaru, his dark eyes glittering like the night sky itself.

"Back away now. You may observe from the shadows, but do not interfere." His voice was a low growl at the end, his fangs glinting in the moonlight. A warning.

At the Kami's words that boomed like thunder, the Inu rose to his feet slowly before backing away, down the steps and off the platform completely, watching with rapt attention.

As Sesshomaru watched from the darkness he could feel Tsukuyomi's immense power swirling around them all, filling the room and rising like the great tidal wave of a tsunami. It was baffling, the magic he held in just his presence alone. But this… this was beyond that. With his demonic eyes, he could almost see the Kami's magic as it was woven through the air, trailing past his pale fingertips to fall around the Hanyou like snow.

His eyes were black like the velvet night laden with churning cosmos that could see into your innermost parts. His lips moved, forming ancient words by all Sesshomaru could hear was the sharp thrum of power, the Kami's voice layered and overlapped almost as if by a hundred others. The moonlight shone down on the pair, bright and almost blinding now as the intensity built.

Waves boomed as they crashed against the stone that had been standing there for a millennium. Sesshomaru could not take his eyes off the ritual that was unfolding before him.

The moon god hovered slightly above the glowing circle of runes, his arms raised, and head thrown back as he spoke the incantation. His inky black hair hung around him, looking almost like a cloud of smoke.

The pressure in the cavern swelled even further until even Sesshomaru had to grit his teeth and clench his fists from the overwhelming feeling. Then InuYasha's body started to rise.

His limp form lifted into the air, suspended by Tsukuyomi's sorcery. His white hair hung down, illuminated by the moonlight that cast his body in an ethereal glow. He was suspended there, eyes closed as his gray skin slowly began to gain some color again.

The kami's head suddenly snapped up, his dark eyes locking onto the Hanyou once more. He drew his hands forward, gently laying his palms on either side of InuYasha's head, his fingers splayed across his cheeks as his archaic spell was woven.

It was the same that he had undergone when he was only a few days old, a birthright passed from parent to child in his clan. Ancient and as old as the first silver Inu.

The most beloved of Tsukuyomi's children

As it was written in the old texts.

And as the waves roared and the cave was filled with power suddenly it all seemed to rise to a head. It was too much, Sesshomaru could feel it crackling against his own energy, forcing him down onto his knees. He looked up again, fighting with all his strength not to get shoved back by the insurmountable power that he was faced with now.

Tsukuyomi and InuYasha were encompassed in an iridescent ball of pure light, the sudden and impossible wind whipping viciously through the cavern. It was so loud even if Sesshomaru were to let out a mighty bellow it could not be heard.

One minute it was absolutely deafening.

The next it was completely silent.

The glow surrounding the pair did not fade at once. They hung there suspended in time for what felt like an eternity, the light so blinding that it shrouded their true forms. All the loose pebbles and random debris on the floor began to float upwards, the air going utterly still just as quickly as it had picked up and the Daiyokai felt like he could breathe again. Even the waves had stopped their assault on the weathered rock and the ocean had gone quiet and tranquil.

All InuYasha knew while he laid there on the cold and rough stone, going in and out of consciousness, was agony. It was the only constant he'd had in his world since he'd suffered Ginkotsu's poison. He'd known little of what was going on, and the only thing he'd been certain of this whole time was that he was going to die.

He'd seen that look in Karitei's eyes, seen the pity held there in the sapphire depths. But he'd never imagined that it would turn out like this.

Here, in this place of ancient magic where the only person that was by his side was Sesshomaru. That in and of itself was an anomaly to him.

The Hanyou had passed out from the pain, tumbling through eternal darkness that seemed to want to consume him.

There was nothing.

And then- after what felt like an instant- he was staring into the bottomless eyes of a god.

They swirled with mystic power, shifting and changing like the night sky itself, strangely compelling as they looked straight into his soul.

The kami's face was as white and as perfect as bone, illuminated silvery light his skin seeming almost waxy in its smooth perfection. His nose was proud and narrow; his lips the color of a pale blossom as they curved in a smile that said many things. His expression gave away nothing, his dark brows straight and impassive. Hair as black as the infinite cosmos, hanging thick and straight down to his calves.

It was like standing on a barren shore looking out across a bleak and endless sea.

There was a long moment after InuYasha had come back into awareness, and the kami just kept looking at him, and he knew that everything he was had been bared before this entity. There was nothing he could hope to hide. No-fault, memory, regret, or mistake. The kami saw it all, down to the last detail.

He felt held in place by magic at first, and then it all slowly began to wane away until he was firmly stood on his feet, the light dissipating along with it.

"InuYasha…" his voice was deep but somehow soft, and he could feel the charge behind his words as he spoke in low tones, maintaining eye contact. "We meet at last."

He took a deep breath and the feeling flooded back into InuYasha's body all at once, and he flexed his fingers almost in wonder at the sensation. Everything felt new.

"Who… who are you?" His own voice was rough like sandpaper from lack of use, words crackling past unsure lips.

The deity smiled. A true, genuine smile that sparkled in his black eyes.

"Look into me and know me…"

It was a whisper. The god's voice, smooth and serene as the surface of a pond on a windless day, but InuYasha didn't know if he had seen his lips move. It didn't matter. He was drawn into those bottomless eyes, compelled by the look held there.

Centuries flashed before his eyes in mere seconds. The rise and fall of kingdoms, the many faces this kami had worn over the past millennia, his worshippers. The moon was present in every image that he was shown. Its pure and mysterious beauty hanging over indescribable scenes. Blood was spilt at his feet, offered up in his name. Mighty warriors went to battle for him. Statues were erected and torn down. Temples crumbling. Memories flowed like water around him. He was drowning in them, choking on the calamity of an era that he could only witness.

InuYasha was suddenly pulled from the vison, breathing hard.

He felt like he had lived a thousand lifetimes all in that instant.

He'd been foolish. The fog the sickness had gripped him in must still be lingering around his head. He should have known his name. It was more than obvious to him now.

Tsukuyomi.

The god of the moon.

But, more importantly, Kagome's father.

He was still smiling, it was there, twinkling in his endlessly black eyes too. Lips stretched to reveal white fangs that glinted in the light.

"Now, do you see?"

"Yes." InuYasha swallowed thickly, bowing his head

"Look at me, child…" A low command that the Inu could not ignore. The kami's voice was like cool water. It was low and soft but rumbled with intensity at the same time. InuYasha's sharp golden eyes snapped up to lock onto the eyes of the deity once more.

"I have given you the mark of your house, the same mark I gave your brother nearly a thousand years ago…" Almost as if on cue he could feel a surge of power course through his blood. He felt better than he ever had before. He felt strong. And oddly… calm.

"With this mark, I have lent you a fraction of my power and have given you my blessing. With this… you have assumed your true form."

InuYasha was mesmerized by his eyes.

They consumed him with their utter blackness. All he could hear was the boom of Tsukuyomi's voice as he spoke like a mantra, could smell incense and saltwater. His face was stark white compared to the harsh black of his hair, shadows cast as his lips moved.

"No longer a Hanyou…"

The kami seemed to drift away, cast by darkness and InuYasha's eyes instantly flickered to his own hands. They looked much the same. His skin was pale beneath the moonlight and his claws were long and deadly sharp. The sleeves of the ill-fitting kimono he was draped his slid away from his wrists, revealing three magenta stripes that were imprinted there on his skin. His eyes widened in wonder as he brought one of his hands closer to examine them. It was impossible. His heart felt like it was thundering inside his chest.

"…but not a Yokai either."

Tsukuyomi had stepped out of the circle of light, breaking the moment and the sounds of reality hit him like a brick wall. The crashing of the ocean, echoing around him as the wind whipped at his hair. The birds of the night, calling far away. But he didn't take his eyes off of the kami, not for a second.

"Whatever I am… it doesn't matter. I don't care… as long as I can be with Kagome. I want to stay by her side forever, and protect her, keep her safe… always." His hands tightened into fists at his sides as he was overcome by emotion. "I'm asking for your blessing… as her father…" He couldn't finish. But looking into those comic eyes he knew that he didn't have to. Tsukuyomi already knew what he was asking, he had seen straight through him, into his very soul.

"She loves you more than you could ever comprehend, you know. You were always destined for each other… even I could not keep you apart. Your destinies are intertwined… bound. You have my blessing, child... she will need you."

His words brushed over his skin like smoke, and then Tsukuyomi was gone. He'd vanished into the darkness, disappeared like ghost and InuYasha was left there to ponder what he had said as the word rushed back in.

He wanted to fall to his knees. He wanted to turn over every word Tsukuyomi had said in his mind again and again until it was all smeared together, but he couldn't. He felt another presence at his back, one he knew well. It was strong, bright, and hot like the blue center of a flame.

Sesshomaru.

InuYasha looked down at the stone beneath his feet, noticing the magenta markings along the side of his foot at well as the runes carved into the platform. He didn't know if he was ready to face him. To face this. He'd been close to death. He'd almost crossed through the veil lying there, right where he was standing. But he didn't get it. Why would Sesshomaru of all people bring him here, to heal him? to fulfill some sort of ancient birthright? He wasn't certain… but he did know that he was no longer the same being he once was. Tsukuyomi had said it himself. No longer a Hanyou… but what did that mean for him? Though the Tessaiga was not at his side, controlling his flow of Yokai, he felt levelheaded. Calm, even after what he'd just been a part of… His inner demon seemed to no longer be warring with his human blood… he felt whole.

There was a long moment where he stood, breathing deeply of the smell of the ocean as it crashed along jagged rocks. The gentle spray misted over his skin and his lips quirked in a small smile. When he looked around the massive cavern with its carved pillars and overgrown, hanging vines with burning candles inlaid in the stone, he couldn't help but think that Kagome would admire this place. She would find beauty in its unique and ancient atmosphere. He would have to bring her here, to the place her father deemed sacred. The thought had him grinning because he knew she would love it.

It was time.

Whatever his intention had been, Sesshomaru had saved him from the brink of death. and that had to count for something.

InuYasha gritted his teeth and turned around to face his brother.

He was stood there, wearing his traditional white robes with the red family crest embroidered on it, his pin-straight silver hair lifted with his moko moko in the wind. His eyes were like golden fire. Searching, examining, raking over him and taking in every little alteration. InuYasha wished he could see from his perspective at that moment. He walked down the worn steps, gold meeting gold as they locked eyes.

Neither of them knew what to say.

InuYasha didn't know whether he should be grateful, or suspicious considering Sesshomaru's previous actions… but from what he could remember before they'd come here, and he was really sick, he'd been treated with nothing but kindness. Especially from that one Inu… the one with the blue eyes.

Karitei. It had taken him a moment to remember but she had been by his side the entire time. He would have to thank her if he ever saw her again.

"InuYasha…I-"

"Stop. I have to go; I'm going to see Kagome." He tried to walk past but Sesshomaru stopped him with a light touch to the shoulder. InuYasha instantly froze. The Daiyokai had never touched him like that… never without intent to harm.

"Come back to father's palace, brother. Assume your place in the West, as you should have the day you were born. I-" The Daiyokai paused, considering his words before he spoke. "I am sorry that I robbed you of that. I cannot undo the past… but perhaps… perhaps we could mend the present."

Brother

The first time InuYasha had ever heard the Daiyokai say it without disdain or laced with venom. He turned to look at him sharply, knowing that the confusion was plain in his expression. After everything… could they really just be what they always were meant to be… brothers? His fists clenched at his sides remembering all the cruel things Sesshomaru did to him as a child and even recently. What had changed? And how?

But standing there, looking deeply into Sesshomaru's cold eyes, searching for any fragment of emotion. Anything that would give him a clue as to what he should do. His heart longed for Kagome. Her soft skin beneath his finer tips, her scent as it lifted off her hair in the breeze. He yearned to hold her again. But his mind was telling him to follow his brother. Those golden pools were blank but full of no ill intent, and InuYasha's gut was never wrong.

He had to walk to the path of his father and his father before him. He had to see this, whatever it was, all the way through. He had to figure just exactly what he was now. Not Hanyou… not Yokai… something else altogether. But the surge of deep power he could feel within him spoke for itself. He was ten times stronger now, he could feel it, just through the surge in his veins alone. He had to find himself. His true self. What he always should have been.

It was a long tense moment before either of them spoke, the air heavy between them.

"Alright, I'll come. But don't go thinkin' that means we're all good. I still don't trust you." InuYasha grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. He really wasn't very good in situations like this.

Sesshomaru smirked. A tiny, barely visible lift of his lips but it was there.

"Agreed."

Together, the two brothers walked out of the sacred temple. One emerging as a new being entirely, his whole world shifted and jumbled by just a few plucks of fate as she wove her harmonic melody. The other, while his existence had plateaued in its power his heart had opened. He was healing. Slowly. But with time he would grow.

They emerged into the pale moonlight. InuYasha's eyesight had become even sharper. He could see every droplet of few on every leaf if he looked too hard. He could hear every rustle of every animal as it scurried through the forest. The starts strewn across the velvet night seemed to glitter like exotic jewels. Be breathed deeply of the fresh air, a smile on his face because every ounce of pain was gone. He looked down at the loose open front of the kimono he was wearing, seeing the dirty blood-soaked bandages there. He tore them off with distaste and tossed them to the ground, revealing his smooth, unmarked chest.

"InuYasha!" It was that husky voice he remembered from when he was sick. In the next second, he was being attacked in a fierce hug, his face buried in her silver hair that hung loosely around her face. She smelled like dried sage and smoke. "I- I'm so glad you're okay…" She pulled away, her eyes that same startling blue sapphire color as they searched his face. "You look… different." She seemed almost weary for a moment. Her fingers reached up to caress his cheek but her hand fell away as if she had thought better of it.

"Different how?" InuYasha demanded, getting slightly annoyed by how touchy-feely she was being.

"You look like…"

"He wears the markings now. The same as myself and the rest of our kin. Now, let us take our leave of this place." With a flurry of movement from his moko moko the Daiyokai turned and sett off the path, leading the way back up the mountain. InuYasha followed with Karitei close on heels. Her eyes shone with something he couldn't quite identify. Maybe intrigue. Like he was a project in a lab or something.

"Oh, wait, I have these for you."

He turned and she rummaged through her satchel for a moment before pulling a flat wrapped package out and handing it to InuYasha. She beamed brightly while he looked at her curiously, unsure. He opened it anyway, revealing a set of white robes… embroidered with the red crest of his house. The crest of royalty.

He was speechless, feeling the fine, silken fabric between his calloused fingers.

"I don't know what to say…"

"Just say thank you and put them on. You are an heir to the west now, after all…" She smiled softly, and he wanted to laugh along with her. This was insane. Everything that he had wanted as a child… he was finally getting it. He looked to Sesshomaru, who had paused a few yards ahead to watch the scene unfold.

His eyes… they were warm.

AN/ sorry for the insanely long wait my babies! I luv you all pls drop me a review and tell me what you think!