Apollyon's Wrath and The Children of the Void

'What's going on...?' Kagome wondered as Hakudoshi tightened his link on her arm. 'Hakudoshi obviously remembers the original world. But why is he calling me his mother? More importantly...' His sharp eyes caught her focused gaze as she noted, 'Why is it that I can't sense an aura from him...? His body is like a blank canvas.'

Before Kagome could continue that line of thought, an unexpected sound hit her ears.

She gasped as her eyes widened, 'What was that?! A horn of some kind...?!' The priestess looked at the faces of her friends and saw their indifference to short tune. 'I'm the only one who heard it?!' Again, Kagome looked at Hakudoshi.

His smirk widened as if he sensed her confusion.

"I have a theory, everyone," HoroHoro suddenly spoke up. He raised his finger and proposed, "This kid claims that he's really Kagome-chan's son, so the only explanation is—" the other huddled closer, their interests piqued, "—he's her child from the future."

Sango and Manta anime fell.

Meanwhile, Bankotsu, Ryu, Ren, and Yoh gathered around the linked pair. Bankotsu leaned down, gripping his chin as he looked between Hakudoshi's and Kagome's faces. "I'd be inclined to believe that but the kid looks nothing like her," he observed.

Ren huffed and concurred, "Buffoon is right. There's literally no resemblance."

HoroHoro smirked, looking confident as he added, "That's simple. He obviously favors his future father."

This speculation forced silence upon the group.

A chilly wind swept a rouge ball of tumbleweed across the shrine's courtyard.

Suddenly, Yoh's panicked voice bellowed as he gripped HoroHoro's shoulders, "But he looks nothing like me!"

Ren was instantly gripping the front of Yoh's coat and shaking him silly, "And what's that supposed to mean, hah?"

'You guys are impossible...' Kagome sweatdropped before looking down at the pale child. "Hey, Hakudoshi, just tell me one thing—why are you here?"

The squabbling and banter abruptly ended as all eyes went to the pair.

"Isn't it obvious?" Hakudoshi's head cocked slightly, but without the innocence of a perplexed animal. "I'm here to guide you to your destination." The teens looked surprised by the answer and the child continued, "You've been tasked to put an end to the one behind the disappearances. Well, I can take you just where you need to go."

Hakudoshi didn't flinch when Ren's blade was aimed at his nose. The child looked mildly annoyed by the display as the Tao narrowed his eyes and snarled, "This is obviously a trap. Tell us what your true end game is, kid."

Kagome gave Ren an admonishing look, "Ren, don't be so hasty! We should hear him out before jumping to conclusions!"

"Tch," Ren scoffed and put his weapon away. An anime vein appeared on his forehead when Hakudoshi's eyes glinted with mirth at his obedience.

"Kagome is right. We can't become hostile just because a suspicious, weird kid appears," Yoh agreed with an easygoing smile. "A lot of us are pretty weird ourselves, you know."

"Speak for yourself," Bankotsu, Kagome, Sango, and Manta deadpanned.

Finally, Kagome freed her arm from Hakudoshi so that she could turn to face him. She smiled down at him and informed, "If you want us to trust you, you should start by telling us where you came from and how you know about my mission."

The priestess' smile was wiped when Hakudoshi answered bluntly, "I could care less about your trust."

HoroHoro scratched the back of his head and commented, "Wow. How unpleasant. This kid definitely takes after his dad."

"You're still going with that theory?" Sango muttered to palm over her face.

Meanwhile, Yoh raised his hands in a defusing gesture as Bankotsu crackled his knuckles, "I don't care whose kid he is, this brat needs to learn some manners."

Ren nodded, gripping his weapon with a golden aura, "I can get behind that."

"You two can certainly try," Hakudoshi told them with a casual shrug as he sauntered through the crowd of teens. "But don't blame me when you end up as stains on the ground."

Ren and Bankotsu were grinding their teeth as Kagome and Yoh respectively patted their shoulders with nervous smiles.

The child smirked at the group as he continued creating distance between them with each step, "Are you coming or not? Like it or not, this is your best shot at solving the mystery." He now stood at the top of the shrine's staircase.

Kagome took a moment to look at her friends, "I'm going to follow him. If anyone is too scared, you can stay behind." With those words, she whipped around and jogged after Hakudoshi.

Yoh, Ren, and Bankotsu were the first to shadow the priestess. Ryu hesitated then looked at Manta and suggested, "This fight could get nasty. Maybe you should stay with Anna-sama and Pirika-chan."

Sango nodded and added, "Our new enemy might not be human, so there's no guarantee that anyone will be able to protect you."

"I know that I might be useless, but I've come so far with Yoh-kun and Kagome-chan..." Manta pulled some hair behind his ear as he smiled at the pair's backs. "We've been through so much. I don't think running and hiding is something I can ever do."

With one hand on his hip and the other pointing a finger ahead, "I know how you feel, Manta. No matter how dire things become, there are people who I'd never turn my back on."

Sango tried to calm her accelerating heart as HoroHoro and Manta exchanged smiles.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Hakudoshi led the expedition. The teens followed close behind him as he descended the stairs, walked numerous side streets, and rounded many corners. As they trekked, Kagome was by his side, occasionally glancing down at him as they spoke. Every once in a while, the priestess' brows would furrow as she heard the mysterious instrument. 'The more I hear it, the more it sounds like a trumpet announcing something.'

Ren, Yoh, and Bankotsu were close behind the pair and discussing the situation amongst themselves. Ren and Bankotsu especially kept hawk-like eyes on the child. Meanwhile, Yoh seemed to be in his usual relaxed mood. The Asakura's arms were locked behind his head as he walked, "You two are way too tense. No matter what awaits us. I'm sure it'll all work out."

Meanwhile, the rear of the group was taken up by Sango, Ryu, Manta, and HoroHoro. Ryu and HoroHoro were bickering about their plans after they returned from the mission. Specifically, Ryu suggested to Sango that he would treat her to a picnic at a nice venue. HoroHoro was quick to interject and tell Ryu that Sango needed time to sort out more important things.

Sango was appreciative of the blunette's sentiment—for a second. Her ears picked up on HoroHoro's cattish whisper 'Besides, San-tan wouldn't want that ridiculous pompadour smacking food out of her hand.' Manta chuckled and Sango deadpanned as the remark ignited an argument between the two.

At the front of the procession, Kagome noted the path they were taking. It was similar to the one that she had taken when she first left the Asakura residence to train on her own. The residential area was gradually becoming more and more rural and isolated. "So Hakudoshi, how old are you?" The priestess queried casually.

His answer prompted a quizzical expression from Kagome. "I don't know," the child replied just as easily without taking his eyes off the path ahead. "Maybe about eight? Ten? Who knows?"

'Hakudoshi definitely isn't an ordinary child in this world,' Kagome told herself. She glanced at her silent guardian. The demon lord didn't return her gaze as he floated along. His expression was as apathetic as usual and he genuinely seemed disinterested in the conversation. 'Or maybe...' The priestess hypothesized. 'Sesshomaru already knows what's going on.'

Thus far, Hakudoshi walked a normal route. He didn't make any turns down any dark alleys, nor did he lead them into abandoned warehouses. They simply followed a series of ordinary sidewalks and crossed everyday streets. Finally, the residential area gave way to woodland. A few meters ahead, the asphalted street and concrete sidewalks alike abruptly ended. A waist-high, wooden fence was erected to separate the urbanization from the greenery.

Hakudoshi paused for a moment.

"Hakudoshi?" Kagome questioned as he wordlessly took a few steps forward. "What's wrong?" Her heart skipped a beat when the familiar ramping tune resonated in her ears. 'There it is again! That's the fourth time I heard that sound!'

"This is it. The nexus we've created," The child whispered before whipping around to face the teens. "You'll meet her soon..." His voice was eerily low and deliberate. Thick clouds cast a shadow over the area as they swallowed the sun. "The Sovereign of the Abyss."

The group tensed and scrambled to gather around Kagome. The bright morning became muted under a dark veil. And before they knew it, a chilling fog crept around them. It encroached upon their formation from around all sides, like a silent, slithering snake, preparing to strike. Within seconds, visibility was drastically reduced as white wisps filled the area.

Even Hakudoshi and her friends disappeared within the blanket.

'It's okay...' Kagome told herself as she felt a warm hand take hers. 'I'm not alone. They're all here.'

Unbeknownst to the priestess, Ren blushed and inwardly noted, 'She must be so scared... Her hand is sweaty.'

Similarly, Yoh thought with a gentle smile, 'It'll be alright, Kagome. I'll protect you.'

"We're here..." Hakudoshi's voice seemed to speak from nowhere and everywhere at once. Within moments, the fog cleared away like curtains at the beginning of an act. "Welcome to Takayama."

When their vision was restored, the teens found themselves standing in the middle of an unfamiliar town with forest-capped mountains in the near distance. Immediately, they noted the layer of snow that coated the roofs of the traditional Japanese structures. Numerous signs and unlit paper lanterns hung and sat on the sides of the antiquated structures clued them that they were standing in the middle of a shopping district. The path that they stood on was relatively thin and made strictly for pedestrian traffic. But what was most striking was the lack of footprints in the building snow.

Indeed, the town was as silent as the grave with not a soul but the teens and their guardians.

"Kagome..." Yoh whispered as he looked to his left.

Ren looked to his right and queried in unison with the Asakura, "Are you alright?"

Yoh and Ren bristled and froze to find that they were looking at each other's shocked faces instead of Kagome's.

"Those two sure seem close," Sango's noted of the boy's joined hands from behind them.

Instantly, Yoh's and Ren's cheeks burned as they turned to find Kagome standing next to Sango with their hands intertwined. Kagome nodded and smiled, "But that's not a bad thing."

Yoh and Ren were quick to engage in a glaring match after slapping each other's hands away.

Yoh pointed accusingly, "Ren, what's the big idea putting the moves on me?!"

Ren's cheeks burned brighter as he rebutted, "What?! You're the one who brushed my hand first!"

Suddenly, their squabble was quieted by Hakudoshi's chuckle. They turned their attention aheadm down the path where the shopping district ended and opened up. "It almost warms my heart to see children get along so well," the pale boy smirked. "It's a shame that this world, as you know it, will come to an end."

Sango gripped Hiraikotsu as her partner jumped from her shoulder and transformed into her beast form. "Kirara?" The Tao eyed the nekomata's fur that stood on end. "Do you know that creature...?" She whispered as the feline growled when a spectral, flaming horse stepped through a swirling portal of mist.

"I'm sure Kirara she does," Hakudoshi answered, surprising Sango with his exception hearing range. He stroked between the horse's eyes, "Entei here always has lots of fun with that kitty cat." Entei huffed in response. The boy's eyes met his steed's as his smirk widened, "Why don't you enjoy yourself for a while?"

The shamans drew their weapons and formed OverSouls the moment Entei pointed his body towards them. "Careful, everyone!" Kagome cautioned. "Entei isn't an ordinary—! Ah?!"

Their eyes widened when the horse's mane and tail blazed. Before they could blink, the stallion charged them. Its inferno hair left a warm motion blur as he zipped across the way. Instinctively, the group scattered left and right, clearing a path to prevent a collision—all except Manta. The boy lacked their reflexes and was rooted in place.

But his stillness didn't last long.

Entei's teeth clasped around Manta's hood as he went by. "W-What?! Why is it always me?!" Manta cried out as he found his feet lifted further and further off the ground.

Entei made a spectacle of his flight, flying swift circles high in the sky with his captive in his mouth.

"Manta-kun!/Manta!" His friends shouted from below.

"Let's go, Kirara!" Sango jumped into action and settled on her partner's back. The pair took to the skies, soaring after the horse with no regard for HoroHoro's call from below.

"San-tan, wait for—!" HoroHoro stiffened when Ren's grip on his shoulder halted him.

"Sango will rescue Manta," The scion assured him. "Let's fry the bigger fish for now."

"Hakudoshi, release Manta-kun right now!" Kagome commanded while pointing her glowing Tenseiga at the child.

"Are you sure that's what you want?" Hakudoshi's head tilted. "He's mighty high up there. Besides..." Kagome's heart skipped a beat when she heard the ghostly trumpets resound. It was a fleeting but eerie version of a typical "arrival of royalty" tune. "That should be the least of your worries. You heard it, right? The fifth trumpet..."

"Trumpet? What kinda nonsense is that?" Ryu questioned as he stepped forward to head the group. He gripped his sword, "I'd hate to harm Kagome-sama's future child—."

Kagome anime fell but quickly recovered, "He's not my child, okay?!"

"But if you harm Manta then you leave me no choice!" Ryu bounded forward then swung his weapon, shooting glowing, serpents towards Hakudoshi. The child stood his ground, his smirk never waning. "What?!" Ryu hissed beneath his breath as his attack was dispelled by an invisible force field.

"All together now!" Yoh suddenly commanded as he, Ren, HoroHoro, and Bankotsu shot into the air and propelled attacks towards Hakudoshi. The squad landed and watched as an energy shockwave, fireball, ice shards, and golden lightning rushed the child. Again, Hakudoshi held his ground and allowed his barrier to dispel the attacks.

"I could do this all day," Hakudoshi seemed amused by their agitation. "But I'm just about bored of you lot already. So let's get begin the final act." He snapped his fingers and immediately, hundreds of light orbs shot from the ground.

Kagome gasped as hundreds of echoing voices sobbed and screamed. "These are...?!" Her eyes wavered. "The souls of the townspeople?!" She directed a glare at Hakudoshi. "So it really was you!"

"Well, I can't take all of the credit," The child seemed proud before he gestured to his right. "Allow me to introduce you to my sister, The Sovereign of the Abyss."

Not a moment later, another child emerged from around the corner.

Shippo appeared by Kagome's side and gaped, "T-That girl is...!"

"Kanna..." Hakudoshi confirmed as the girl dressed in pure white silently cradled her mirror.

"What's with these creepy kids?!" Bankotsu briefly called to Kagome from over his shoulder.

"Creepy?" Hakudoshi echoed but without hostility. "Together—our work is true artistry."

"W-What is that?!" Yoh grimaced as a waterfall of hair began pouring from the mirror.

Amidamaru called from within the OverSoul, "Yoh-dono, stay on guard! These creatures aren't of this world!"

Within seconds, a ghastly, hardened man's face emerged with the long tresses. The glowering face was soon followed not by a human neck—but the pale body of a locust infected with malady. The shamans tensed as the locust body ended with a curved scorpion's tail. When the creature fully emerged from the reflectionless mirror, its human face released a deranged scream as it flexed its spiked wings.

"Screw this!" Bankotsu bellowed as he flung a fireball towards the creature. "Ugh, of course," He grunted sarcastically as his attack phased through the monster and was absorbed into Hakudoshi's barrier.

"Y-Yikes!" Yoh shivered as another head of hair began crawling from Kanna's mirror. "More incoming!"

"Everyone!" Kagome called to her friends. "Stand back! I'll handle this!" She raced past the others and towards the siblings and their growing fleet of monsters. 'They're unaffected by ordinary shamanistic attacks so maybe Tenseiga is the key!' "Haaaaaaaaaaa!" She hollered before swinging her blade. A blast of blue energy bounded the short distance.

By now, a squad of seven locust creatures had emerged from Kanna's mirror. "No way..." Kagome whispered when the purifying energy phased through the monsters and was nullified by Hakudoshi's barrier.

"When you the fifth trumpet resounds..." Hakudoshi recited as Kanna raised her mirror above her head. "He is summoned to bring pain and drag souls to the darkness."

"What's happening now...?!" Ren muttered as a bolt of dark lightning shot from the mirror and towards the sky.

When the darkness made impact with the heavens, a nightmare veil spread as far as the eye could see. The cloudy overcast was replaced with a dreadful sea of ebony. The ground beneath their feet began to rumble.

"He's coming—The Archangel of the Bottomless Pit," Hakudoshi told them, the anticipation in his voice growing. "Apollyon."

"An archangel?!" Kagome's echoed as she looked to the sky.

Something massive was gradually clawing its way from the howling void above.

"Do you understand now, Mother?" Hakudoshi asked as he extended a cupped hand. On silent command, the hundreds of spirit orbs raced towards him.

"H-How is he doing that?!" HoroHoro shouted as the spirits combined into a small mass of light floating above Hakudoshi's palm.

Ren snarled as the child swallowed the congregation of spirits with one gulp, "He's a monster!"

"This town was just a light snack. The spirits of humans are how this body came to be," Hakudoshi announced. "Truthfully, I didn't need to devour any more. I just knew this is where your precious Koga lived."

"Koga-kun lives here?!" Kagome tensed. 'Hakudoshi is just as sadistic as Naraku was!'

"Arck!" Sango's distressed scream grabbed their attention.

"San-tan!/Sango-chama!/Sango!/Sango-chan!"

To their terror, Sango was no longer mounted on Kirara. Instead, her struggling body was held up in a grisly display. She was impaled through her chest by one of the locust's stingers. She thrashed as her legs kicked defiantly. "D-Don't worry about me...!" She called, unsure if her weakening voice reached them. "R-Rescue..."

HoroHoro's heart dropped when her grip on Hiraikotsu released.

The boomerang plummeted to the ground.

"...M-Manta..." Her eyes dulled as her body went limp.

"SANGOOOOOOO!" HoroHoro propelled himself towards the sky with a blast of icy wind.

"HoroHoro-kun!" Kagome cried when he was thwarted by another creature. It disappeared from the ground and appeared between him and Sango. Before he could change trajectory, the creature barbed him through his torso with its stinger.

"Everyone, get back and—!" The priestess gasped to find the remainder of her friends suddenly brandished like trophies, all dangling from the monsters' pointed tails. 'Their speed is unreal!'

"Priestess, remain calm. If you lose your focus, you lose the battle," Sesshomaru's voice told her.

"I'm trying..." Kagome growled as she glared at the pale children. "But they're killing my friends!"

Up above, colossal clawed fingers scratched their way through the skyward void.

Kagome almost retched as the approaching entity breathed, releasing a hot, putrid gale that churned her stomach and swayed her hair.

"You see, Mother," Hakudoshi spoke without flinching from Apollyon's foul odor. "Kanna has enslaved Apollyon: the Angel of the Abyss. His power is so great that he can drag even the purest souls to perdition."

"Perdition...?" The priestess' eyes hardened. "There's no way that pure souls could be tortured without proper judgment!" Her grip on Tenseiga tightened when Hakudoshi's eyes creased with glee.

"Oh, but they will be judged," The boy told her while gesturing towards her friends. "You remember it, right? My special ability is to see into people's hearts. My power can bring even the most repressed feelings to the surface." He relished watching the gears in Kagome's head turn. "Don't you think the best judge for one's fate is one's self?"

[ "This enemy is one who will use your own heart against you." ]

Hao's words came to Kagome's mind. 'I get it! Hakudoshi's power will bring forth whatever everyone feels most guilty about! And when they're at their lowest point—!' She looked back to the sky.

Apollyon had emerged with a gentle silence.

The creature lived up to his title.

The angel out-towered any skyscrapers that Kagome had ever seen. Unlike his minions, his body was humanoid in semblance with his limbs, neck, and chest covered in rippling muscles. His face was sculpted with a strong nose that likened him to an oni's face. Atop his head of spikey hair sat two elongated, curbed horns. A set of tattered, velvety wings jutted from his back. A set of black iron shackles bound his wrists and neck.

Kagome's mouth widened into an "o"-shape.

She thought that she'd scream, but no sound escaped.

A dull Tenseiga hit the ground.

She looked down at her chest and found the end of an oversized stinger plunged through her.

'It doesn't hurt...' She noted absently as shock set in. 'And it doesn't bleed.'

Hakudoshi was satisfied when the tension in Kagome's body was released.

Her head dipped.

"Oh, Mother..." Hakudoshi sighed as he approached the monster that held Kagome's limp body in the air. "Napping on the job...?" Once within range, his pale hand stroked her cheek. "How irresponsible. I knew you were an unfit Mother," he told her as he parted her bangs. "That's why I'm bringing everything and everyone you created to an end."

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Spring truly was his favorite season. Everything from the sun to the grass was gentle and mild. It was the perfect season to truly become one with nature. Yoh sighed, feeling nothing short of bliss as he gazed up at the passing clouds. Kagome was slumbering peacefully to his right, and to his left, Manta joined him in watching the sky.

"Yoh-kun, I heard tomorrow will be sunny too," Manta told him with a wide smile.

The brunette's small smile widened just a bit, "Ah? Is that too?" He stole a peek at Kagome from the corner of his eye. "Should we plan a day trip then?"

"Really?" Anna's sharp voice suddenly interrupted. Yoh was quick to straighten up and get to his feet as the blonde girl placed a hand on her hip. "You three are as lazy as usual. Your futures sure look bleak."

Kagome roused from her nap and slowly sat up with a sleepy voice, "Anna-chan, what's with all the ruckus...?"

"Tch, can it," Anna told the priestess before scowling at Yoh. "And you, Yoh, your future is the bleakest of all."

Yoh scratched his cheek and wore an uneasy smile, "Oh, come on. It can't be that bad."

"No, it is," Anna's tone became sharper, frostier. As her eyes narrowed, she looked at Yoh as if he was vermin. "Do you think everyone will choose to stay with you after what you've done?"

Yoh felt the world closing in on him as Anna continued to speak. Suddenly,Manta and Kagome were standing beside her. "You betrayed me and broke my heart," The itako told him. "It's only a matter of time before you hurt someone else."

"She's right, Yoh-kun..." Manta's brows were downturned as he wore a torn expression. "I don't hate you, but..." The blond boy couldn't hold Yoh's eyes. "If I can't trust you, then we can't be friends."

"Yoh..." This time Kagome gave him afflicted eyes. "I've come to my senses. There's no telling when you'll turn your back on me too. I'm sorry."

Yoh took a step forward, only for the distance between himself and his friends to stretch out drastically. He reached out his hand, "No! Please, hear me out! I didn't mean to hurt anyone!"

"You're a disgusting insect," Anna crossed her arms. "What good is a man who abandons his vows?"

"Frankly, I'm disappointed in you, Yoh-kun," Manta chimed.

Kagome nodded slowly, "I am too. I can never stand behind someone like you."

"Come on, let's leave him. Someone like him deserves to be alone," Anna told the two before turning her back. Wordlessly, Kagome and Manta nodded and followed suit.

They ignored Yoh's pleas of "Wait, Manta! Hear me out!" "Anna, I'm sorry for hurting you!" "Kagome, we're supposed to be in this together, right?!"

No matter what Yoh did, his legs felt heavier and heavier, as if he was waist-deep in drying cement. "Don't go! Don't leave me!"

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

The atmosphere was perfect. From the dim, candle-lit illumination to the violinist serenading the diners and the silky table clothes—Ren couldn't ask for a better venue. Today was the third anniversary of the day he and Kagome began dating. The radiance of her smile as she spoke to their server only further affirmed his decision.

Ren absently gripped the box tucked away in his blazer's pocket as the server looked at him. "I'll let my date order for me," the Tao announced coolly. His mounting anticipation left him with no particular taste for anything—anything besides Kagome's answer.

"Oh, in that case~," Kagome shot him a mischievous look over the top of the menu in her hands. "He'll have the premium lobster surprise, with the priciest drink you sell here."

After the server excused himself, Ren challenged Kagome's contained cheeky grin with a faux, unamused glare. "Are you trying to bleed me dry, woman?" He questioned, his brow raising.

Kagome merely chuckled and waved him off, "Oh, shut up. You love me."

"I do," Ren confirmed smoothly, earning a brilliant smile from the priestess.

She pointed at him and added, "You better!"

"And what if I didn't?" Ren queried, his face neutral but his heart racing a mile per minute.

Kagome instantly became huffy, "Don't even joke about that!"

That was when Ren pushed himself out of his chair. "And what if I said—" He knelt before Kagome, on one knee. He held the pose flawlessly as he unveiled the small box to her. "I'll love you forever?" Kagome's eyes were shimmering as she sat there, stunned.

"Kagome..." Ren whispered to his heart, his fingers flipped the box open. "Will you—?"

The question was interrupted by Kagome's shock gasp. It was followed by a repulsed look on her face. "R-Ren, what is that?!"

Quickly, he turned the box to face him—only to find the engagement ring swapped with a bloodshot eyeball. "W-What?!" His heart began to pound as Kagome scrambled to her feet and backed away from him. Her retreat was stopped when she bumped into the front of their server, who returned with a serving tray topped with a metallic lid.

"Your meal, sir..." The waiter lifted the cover and revealed the detached head of Chrom.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

Kanna's mirror continued to reflect the inner minds of the expedition. Even Manta, who had been impaled after Kagome, was becoming swallowed by his guilt. He made quite the display of bawling about being useless and cowardly. Likewise, Ryu was also overwhelmed by guilt and shame. He was cornered by the many people who and his gang thrashed long ago.

Sango was shown to harbor a deep shame and remorse for the night that her younger brother died. A battered, bruised Kohaku wore her down with a barrage of accusatory questions. "You were too tired to look after me?" "Why couldn't you save me in time?" "It's because you didn't prioritize me that I'm dead, right?"

Now, Kanna arrived at Bankotsu's vision. He was standing amidst downtown Tokyo: the buildings ablaze and the citizens slaughtered. A girl with turquoise hair was thrashing in Bankotsu's grasps as a single hand gripped her tiny neck. His devious smirk only widened as she clawed at his arms.

Just as Hakudoshi did with the others, the child whispered into Bankotsu's ear, "This is the true you, isn't it? You have an insatiable bloodlust and you'll satisfy it using anyone and everyone."

The Bankotsu in Kanna's mirror squeezed on the girl's throat tighter as his true body murmured in his trance, "I am guilty. I'm a murderer. I deserve nothing but pain."

The mirror switched to HoroHoro. He was in the midst of a whiteout blizzard. On his hands and knees, he sobbed into the snow. A blue-skinned Tamiko stood above him. She stared down at him with nothing but contempt. "HoroHoro, if it weren't for you, I'd still be alive," She whispered below the wintry gales. "If you hadn't abandoned me, I'd be an ordinary girl."

Hakudoshi's lips were soon near HoroHoro's ear, "An innocent girl lost her life because of your own cowardice. Is it fair for you to be alive while she was forced into another form...?"

"These humans are making this too easy," Hakudoshi told his sister with a smirk. But it shrunk when Kanna released a labored sound. He turned away from HoroHoro and saw his sister struggling to keep her hold on her mirror. The object was shaking violently in her hands. "Make sure you keep him under control," He warned her before sparing Apollyon a side glance. "Not even I can handle him if he sets himself free."

"Ah, my favorite program," Hakudoshi noted when Kagome appeared in Kanna's mirror.

Kagome's vision reflected the real world from the dark sky to the dire situation her friends were in. "Everyone!" The priestess ran up to the monsters that held Yoh, Ren, Bankotsu, and Ryu. "I'll save yo—EEK!" Before she could reach them, the girl's body was assaulted by dark lightning. She screamed and screamed until the attack ceased.

Kagome dropped to her knees, panting heavily for a moment. She then looked up at the faces of her friends, one by one. "Yoh... Ren... HoroHoro-kun..." Her eyes watered. "Ban-kun... Sango-chan... And Manta-kun..."

In reality, Hakudoshi was whispering into her ear, "You see this, Mother? All of this suffering is your fault. Your friends are all going to be dragged to hell because of you."

"It's..." Kagome's body directly echoed her dream self as both whispered. "All my fault..."

"That's right," Hakudoshi affirmed. "And it won't stop here. Your mother, your brother, all of your family, and everyone who you ever loved—they'll be tortured for all eternity because you played God."

"Because I..." Kagome's eyes opened in the real world. However, Hakudoshi was not alarmed as he quickly noted the lack of light in them. "Because of me..." the two Kagome's whispered in unison.

Not a moment later, a dark aura surrounded the priestess' body. Hakudoshi's eyes glimmered with glee, "This is it..." The ground rumbled as the sky cracked like thin ice pressured by human weight. "Mind break," The child raised a smile to the heavens. "Foolish Mother. You fell right into my hands," He told Kagome's unconscious body. "This was the end-game from the beginning. There's nothing better than watching a false god crumble."

"Hakudoshi..." Kanna's soft voice spoke slowly. "This will all be over soon, right?"

"Un," Her brother nodded. "You won't have to hold him for much longer so—."

His words were interrupted by Kagome's voice growing louder, stronger, in the mirror and next to him.

"This isn't real… I know it isn't," Her body acknowledged as the dark aura swirled and flared.

Meanwhile, the Kagome in the mirror was slowly rising, "I'm not perfect, far from it actually. I possess powers that I'm not worthy of." She was on her feet. Her bangs shield her eyes for a moment before she lifted her head, "I may be afraid, but I'm not weak!"

Her hands trembled at her sides, "My heart will never forget my vow to protect this world—and the future!" But still, those trembling hands formed fists as she shouted to the sky, "Archangel of the Abyss!" As mirror Kagome took a step forward, her true body suddenly bellowed in unison, "I WILL NOT SUCCUMB!"

"What?!" Hakudoshi gritted his teeth and was forced to jump away as a pillar of silver light pierced through her dark aura. The energy consumed the demon that held her mind prisoner, leaving her body floating within the radiant column. 'How can this be?' Hakudoshi was internally seething as Kagome's eyelids parted, revealing calm, blue pools. 'Her soul was on the verge of collapse!'

For a moment, Kagome stared at him from within the beam of light. Her hair and loose clothing flapped and swayed."Hakudoshi..." The absolution in her voice made his pupils tremble. "It's time to end this." With those words, the light retreated within her body. Consequentially, her clothes and hair returned to obeying gravity.

"Priestess," Sesshomaru reappeared as she bent down and retrieved Tenseiga. "You've grown."

Shippo nodded twice excitedly, unable to contain his pride, "I was worried for a second but you busted yourself out of there!"

Kagome smiled appreciatively at her partners. But it was wiped into a small "o" when, one by one, her friends' auras blared and eradicated the demons that held them prisoner. She returned to beaming, "You all made it out okay. Thank goodness."

"Tch, as if we'd let something like that take us down," Ren scoffed at the notion.

Yoh was more animated, visibly shuddering with a scrunched-up face, "That was the worst nightmare I'd ever had." He looked at Manta, "Right?"

Manta concurred with a nod, "I never want to experience anything like that ever again."

"No matter how bad it is, I'd never let an illusion get the better of me," Bankotsu remarked as he retrieved Banryuu from the ground.

"What do you say we put an end to this?" Ryu asked his friends while eyeing Hakudoshi.

"Ahem," Kagome caught their attention. "How about this? You all handle Hakudoshi there." She then pointed at the massive figure in the sky. When they followed her line of sight, many bodies froze and jaws dropped. "And I'll take care of that guy."

"What on Earth is thaaaaaaaattt?!" Manta shrieked with bulging eyeballs.

"Hmph, you certainly have the pride of a god, Mother," Hakudoshi remarked. "Do you really think you can defeat an Archangel?"

Sango looked from Hakudoshi to Apollyon, who flared his monstrous nostrils, "Who knew angels could be so fearsome?"

"Very well," Hakudoshi conceded as he reached forward and a naginata materialized in his hand. "I'll play with these kids for the time being."

Ren and HoroHoro's brows twitched. The blunette grumbled, "I'm getting tired of every bad guy calling me a kid."

"It's especially insulting coming from this brat," Ren added as he and the others reclaimed their weapons and formed their OverSouls.

"Hmph," Hakudoshi huffed as Entei swooped down, allowing the child to jump on his back. "How about a game, kids? Let's play Tag!" He taunted the shamans as his steed sped down the walkway, past Kanna, and out into the awaiting open area.

"After him, everyone!" Bankotsu commanded as he led the charge after Hakudoshi.

Once the district ended, the proceeding area was a wide, natural park. An expansive stone bridge towered above a ravine, where a frothy river awaited below. The edges of the bridge were aligned with red railings.

"Heh," Hakudoshi looked over his shoulder at the shamans who were in hot pursuit. "You let me borrow these earlier. Let me return them to you." The child stood steadily on the Entei's back, even as the stallion dashed across the bridge. He swung his naginata at the air.

"Watch out!" Yoh called as Hakudoshi hurled his and Amidamaru's signature Shinkuu Buddhagiri towards them. The shamans dodged left, right, and into the air.

"Great, is there anything this kid can't do?!" HoroHoro roared in frustration as he landed next to Ren.

"Less talking, more focus!" Sango warned him as Hakudoshi unleashed a barrage of ice spears towards them. She swooped in on Kirara and grab HoroHoro's hand as Ren took hold of one of the nekomata's tails.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

"Kagome-chan, be careful!" Manta called from across the way as the priestess took a step towards Kanna. Kagome's eyes remained on the motionless child as he warned, "I-I've heard of this angel! He's a dark angel from the Christian Bible! Technically, he's not an evil spirit so I don't know if your spiritual powers will have any effect!"

"The child is correct," Sesshomaru spoke from within Tenseiga. "This entity cannot be purified, nor slain by the sword's power."

"But if Kagome can't purify or kill it, how are we supposed to take him down?!" Shippo questioned while tugging at his hair. "This might be the end!"

Kagome stood several meters away from Kanna, watching as the girl struggled to keep her grip on her mirror as it rattled and quaked. "Kanna, do you remember me?!" Kagome asked. "You do, don't you?! Back in the original world, you sent me your last wish! You gave me the clue about how to defeat Naraku!"

"My...last wish...?" Kanna's face remained void as she digested Kagome's words. She looked down at the thrashing mirror in her hands.

"That's right...!" Kagome nodded as she took slow, deliberate steps toward the girl. "In this world, you can have that. You can live freely, so..." The priestess' words died in her throat when Kanna slowly shook her head.

"There is no free will in this loop, Mother," Kanna told her. "Time and time again, I awaken. Each time, I'm compelled to find Hakudoshi..." The child's face remained impassive as her mirror reflected her own heart.

Kagome stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of the images shown to her. True to her words, it began with Kanna's eyes opening. The darkness in her large eyes was only rivaled by the blackness of the void surrounding her. For a while, Kanna sat alone in the darkness until she looked up as if she heard someone beckoning her. The girl then stood up and began walking, and walking, and walking towards a tiny light that gradually nearer and nearer.

"And when I find him, I can hear his heart," Kanna explained as her mirror rumbled and depicted Kanna climbing into the window of an orphanage. Drawn by the voice in her head, she found the infant amongst the many cribs in the nursery. "Every time, he speaks to me. And tells me that he hates our Mother and the world she created." The Kanna in the mirror gently scooped the baby into her arms and disappeared into the night.

"My will is to follow his..." Kanna stated as her mirror self carried the infant from populace to populace. "So I nurture him until he is strong enough to stand on his own." The mirror reflected a montage of the many places where the children harvested human souls for Hakudoshi's consumption. Each time the baby grew larger and stronger, until—.

"Kanna, you can't tell me that your only desire is to fulfill what Hakudoshi wants!" Kagome refuted, shaking her head to deny those words. "Back then, you didn't want to be a tool for Naraku, right?! You don't have to live that way anymore!"

"...I.." Kanna's voice was so soft and firm, yet so innocent and uncertain. It was fleeting, but for a moment, Kagome saw a faint glimmer of discernment in the girl's eyes. She had the eyes of a child discovering a new concept. "...don't...?"

But it was too late.

Apollyon shook the Earth to its core with a terrifying, primeval roar. His wings and arms flexed with his thunderous voice. Kanna was thrown to the ground as the mirror's surface burst, scattering countless shards across the way. Simultaneously, the shackles locked on the angel crumbled into dust.

Kagome quickly turned and cast a barrier around her friend, "Stay there, Manta-kun!" She couldn't hear her own voice over the sonic boom that was the angel's howling. "Kanna!" The priestess sprinted towards the fallen girl, who was slowly picking herself off the ground. Kagome's peripheral couldn't miss the massive palm reaching for Kanna. 'No! Now that he's free, he's targeting her!'

"Look out!" Kagome's voice was muted beneath the angel's.

She didn't care that she slipped out of her sandals.

She didn't care about the immediate chilling of her extremities.

'Kanna! I know how that it may seem hopeless to defy fate!' Kagome thought as she raced against the clawed hand. 'Most people can't comprehend it, right? Challenging a timeline that loops for thousands of years is like fighting your own self! But, still—! We have to try!'

Meanwhile, Ryu's face was scrunched with pain as he tried to mute the mountainous commotion with his hands. "W-What the hell is going on over there?!" He queried before he looked back towards the shopping district. While pursuing Hakudoshi, they had long crossed the bridge and chased him towards the alpine mountains. Even from this great distance, he could clearly see the Archangel was roaring and seemingly clutching something in his fist.

"Hmmm?" Hakudoshi hummed as he looked away from Sango's and Bankotsu's attacks. He allowed his barrier to absorb the combined flames as he gazed upon the spectacle. "How careless. Looks like Mother got herself captured."

"What?!" Ren growled as he and the others whipped around.

Yoh's eyes widened as he saw a beam of blue light shoot from the giant's hand. "T-That has to be Kagome!" Instead of reducing the angel to dust, the beam was merely absorbed by his skin.

HoroHoro was trembling when Apollyon released a deep rumble of dark chuckles. "S-Some angel that is...!"

"If you'd excuse me, I'd like to watch Mother's death with my own eyes," Hakudoshi raised his hand in a casual wave before vanishing into thin air.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

"K-Kagome..." Manta was shaking as tears streamed down his cheeks. "W-Why did she do that?" He felt as helpless as his dream self. "That monster didn't even want her." He could only watch as Kagome struggled to fend off her captor. "It was after that Kanna girl..." He stiffened when Shippo's voice suddenly spoke from next to him.

"It's because Kagome could never stand watching anyone suffer," The fox told him solemnly. "Many of the friends she made in the past used to be enemies who her kindness saved."

"W-When did you get here?!" Manta questioned before pointing at the trapped priestess. "You're her guardian, right? You should be helping her!"

Shippo flinched at those words.

He then deflated into a strained smile, "I know... I call myself Shippo-sama, but... I know there's nothing that I can do for her. There's never been anything that I could do to help her..."

That struck a chord within Manta.

That look of hopelessness reminded Manta of someone—of himself.

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

The priestess grunted within Apollyon's unwavering grip. She was hopelessly trapped with everything below her arms locked in place. "I-I will...not..." She told herself as she defiantly fired beam after beam of Tenseiga's energy at Apollyon. Even when she combined her purification power with Tenseiga's, the angel didn't bat an eyelash. He'd merely chuckle as if her efforts were tickling his skin. "...give up...!"

"Priestess..." Even over the monstrous laughter, Kagome could hear Sesshomaru's voice in hers. "You cannot defeat this opponent at this rate."

"I know that..." Kagome strained to respond as she blasted another attack at the angel. "So you'll have to forgive me for what I'm about to do," she told him. Before the demon could question her words, the priestess expelled him from the blade. "I don't know how to access my true power without jeopardizing the entire world..." She admitted as the giant hand that clutched her was slowly brought towards Apollyon's face.

He appeared befuddled by her actions—why she chose to expel her partner.

"So I'm going to rely on this treasure," Kagome whispered as she brandished Tenseiga. She double gripped the blade over her head as she shouted towards the blackened sky, "Bottomless Pit, I banish you from this world!"

Apollyon roared, reeled back his arm, and flung the priestess away.

Still, Kagome held fast to her weapon. "Tenseiga—Sword of Compassion!" The blade pulsed. "Answer my prayer and accept this darkness!" Her vision was blurring and swirling as she soared through the air like a spinning top.

Tenseiga pulsed again.

The void that carpeted the sky was rapidly drawn towards the sword, like dust caught in a vacuum. As the abyss was absorbed, the sky began regaining its gray overcast.

"Oomph!" Kagome squeaked as she suddenly slammed into something so squishy that she slightly bounced against the surface. It was an oversized plush mattress with googly eyes. "Thanks for the save," she thanked as Shippo changed to his pink blimp form and caught Kagome before could slide down his mattress form and fall to her doom.

"It's the least I could do!" The fox told her as he began slowly lowering to her safety. "Besides, it was Manta's quick thinking that gave me the idea~!"

"I see..." Kagome noted as Tenseiga pulsed within her hands again. 'I know it's a lot to take in...' She told the sword. 'Thank you...'

Kagome maintained her focus as she landed next to Manta after Shippo returned to his normal form. 'You're next!' The priestess glared at the massive angel after the abyss that swallowed the sky was completely taken in by Tenseiga. The sword pulsed as it began its pull intensified.

Apollyon screeched and thrashed his arms defiantly. Still, his body began to distort and warp as his form was consolidated into a twisting dark mass. Like the abyss, the darkness was dragged into Kagome's shimmering sword. "Ugh," her teeth clenched as felt the immense will of Apollyon clashed with her own.

Like Kanna's mirror, Tenseiga's handle thrashed in her hands.

"Archangel of the Abyss...!" Kagome commanded. "You belong with that pit of yours!"

"What's going on?!" Manta asked, unable to believe his eyes as the gigantic monster's form lessened and lessened. "The sword is absorbing that angel?!"

"Not absorbing," Sesshomaru corrected suddenly. "The priestess is sealing the angel and the abyss within Tenseiga itself."

"Sealing it away?!" Manta's eyes widened as he watched Tenseiga's sheath materialize next to the priestess. Kagome grabbed the sheath with one hand and strained to slide the shaking blade inside. "D-doesn't that mean that...?"

Shippo nodded as Kagome forced more and more of the blade to settle within the sheath. "Yeah, she'll never be able to use it again..." The fox confirmed.

There was less than a centimeter of blade left to sheathe.

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief.

But in that instant, she learned that she dropped her guard too soon.

In that fraction of a second when she thought victory was hers, the angel's dark energy lashed out. Kagome gasped as a bolt of dark lightning shot across the way and wrapped itself around Kanna's wrist. Before anyone could blink, the whip jerked Kanna across the path and towards Kagome. "No!" The priestess shrieked as the pale girl was drawn into and disappeared inside the blade. "Kanna!"

Kagome gasped when Sesshomaru's clawed hand reached around her and shut the remainder of Tenseiga within its sheath. The moment that the sword was tucked away, the seal was complete. And the blade went silent and still.

Manta and Shippo saw the stunned expression on Kagome's face.

After a moment of silence, the priestess' lower lip trembled, "Kanna..." But she knew that her mission wasn't over. There was still something she had to do. Kagome turned to Manta and gently placed Tenseiga into his hands. "Here, Manta-kun. Stay near me, but if push comes to shove, Tenseiga will protect you."

Manta nodded as he wrapped his arms around the sword, "Will do. But where do we go from here? Kanna was sealed inside with Apollyon."

'I couldn't cave her...again!' Kagome's face was sullen as she strained against her aching heart, "Kanna... I..."

"You what?" Hakudoshi's voice inquired from above. Kagome's head whipped up. The boy was unimpressed by her watery glare. "You're sorry? I don't buy it. If you didn't want this to happen, you wouldn't have allowed us to be reborn into this world."

Kagome's blood was set aflame as she shouted up, "Hakudoshi, tell me! Why do you call me your mother?!" She questioned while making wild gestures. "Why do you hate me and this world so much?!"

"Why wouldn't I?" Hakudoshi asked back as a dark purple aura began swirling around him. "I can only feel contempt for a world created by a false god."

His telekinesis lifted a store's wooden sign and hurled it towards Kagome. Her eyes narrowed but she didn't flinch as she erected a barrier that shattered the board into splints.

"I don't accept any world where I was born to be a villain," Hakudoshi's confession was forced out in a hissing voice. Various objects from signs, rocks, and even Kagome's sandals—anything that wasn't securely affixed—levitated. "And you, the creator of this world, are the rightful Mother of Everything, including myself..."

Hakudoshi glowered down at Kagome.

In his eyes, her very existence was abhorrent.

The priestess stood her ground as the objects flung themselves into her barrier. She merely stood there and took in the child's confession.

"Frankly, I hate that dumb look on your face, like you don't understand what I'm talking about!" Hakudoshi's voice was raising the more Kagome silently listened. "I reject a world where I was born to be a flower of hell!" He suddenly twirled his naginata in his hand before firing a purple bolt of energy towards Kagome.

Manta's mouth fell open as Kagome responded by calmly materializing her golden bow. Within seconds, she unleashed a barreling blue beam towards Hakudoshi's energy. The energies clashed, matched, and fizzled out.

"That's why you keep calling to me, right?" Hakudoshi questioned darkenly. He sneered as he remembered the warm invitation to live once again. "To be another darkness to smite as a mighty goddess would?!" Again and again, the enraged child hurled dark bolts of energy towards the priestess and she'd respond with an arrow that matched his intensity.

Hakudoshi was speaking through clenched teeth, "Naraku was like that, that's why I had to destroy him! I refused to be USED!"

Manta and Shippo's eyes widened as Hakudoshi's newest attack was quadruple the size and speed of his previous ones. "Kagome-chan!" Manta called as the priestess stepped out of her barrier. "What are you doing?!"

Instead of answering, Kagome stood still as the energy barreled towards her. Hakudoshi's victorious smirk was quickly wiped into a sneer when the beam crashed into her body. She withstood the attack without wincing or budging. "So...it's true... Your soul has become the Absolute..." Hakudoshi whispered as Kagome's body became aligned by a thin, silver aura.

"Kagome!/Kagome-chan!" Her other friends called to her as they approached the street where they left her and Manta.

The way the priestess didn't hesitate to turn her head and lose sight of him infuriated Hakudoshi. She smiled at her friends, "Hey, welcome back. Just sit tight, we're going home soon."

"Like hell, you will!" Hakudoshi bellowed as Entei suddenly appeared by his side. "Did you forget? I've swallowed hundreds of thousands of human souls!" The child shouted as his dark aura pulsated like a heartbeat. "You won't defeat me so easily! I'll self-destruct and take this entire country with me!" With his new promise, the child floated higher in the air as his powers gyrated surrounded him. Hakudoshi disappeared within a growing, dark mass: an orb whose surface was a mosaic of dreadful colors.

"You've gotta be kidding me," HoroHoro growled while throwing his arms up in exasperation. "We just got here and shit is hitting the fan again!"

"Yo, Kagome," Bankotsu greeted as they drew closer to her side. "No matter how strong the kid is, you can take him out in one shot, can't you?"

Kagome nodded, "Yeah, probably, but..."

"But?! The brat deserves it for consuming all of those souls," Bankotsu told her.

Yoh chuckled, his shoulders visibly relaxing as he wore a smile, "But she wouldn't be Kagome if she gave up on him."

"Yeah, Kagome is too stupid to know when to quit," Ren added as he crossed his arms.

"Kagome-sama, if you say that you can win, then I believe in you," Ryu smiled.

Sango chimed in, "I feel the same way, just make sure you come back safely."

Kagome looked between the faces of her friends and smiled reassuringly. "I won't be long, so you all behave," She held up a peace sign. "After I report our success, let's have another party."

"Yeah!" HoroHoro pumped his fist excitedly. "Let's have it at Renny's place."

Kagome stifled a chuckle when an anime vein pulsed on Ren's forehead. "See you soon," She waved before using her energy to propel herself towards Hakudoshi's growing dark mass.

As Kagome soared, she could hear Hakudoshi's voice in her head, "If you're so confident that you can kill me, then why not do it now?" Her friends gasped when a bolt of dark energy zipped through the air and collided with Kagome, but she continued flying towards the orb. She glided through the energy as if it was water. "Ahh... I haven't fulfilled my role as another evil, right, Mother?"

Kagome met no resistance as she penetrated Hakudoshi's barrier and entered his field of darkness. "You're wrong!" She called out, her voice echoing within the space. The interior of the mass matched the exterior in every way. The suffering of the souls was corrupted and manipulated into pure negativity that manifested as horrible colors. "You weren't born to be a tool, Hakudoshi!"

A cacophony of moaning and wailing souls resounded in response.

"Hear that?" Hakudoshi's voice queried. "I think these humans would beg to differ."

"No," Kagome shook her head as she floated through the darkness, searching for signs of the child. "Humans know the truth more than anyone else..."

For some reason, an image of herself sitting next to Hao by a campfire came to her mind. His lips were moving, as if he was speaking to her. His eyes were hardened and reflected bitterness.

"The choice to do everything—good or evil—that's yours and yours alone!" Kagome declared as she ceased her aimless floating. It took her a while to realize but the fact that Hakudoshi's voice came from everywhere meant one thing.

There was no point in searching for him.

When he was right there all along.

"Why else would I be reborn if it wasn't for evil?!" The child questioned defiantly. Despite his spiteful tone, Kagome honed in one fact. He genuinely wanted an answer.

"That's for you to decide, Hakudoshi," Kagome informed him as she closed her eyes. Her hands covered her heart as she spoke from its depths, "You don't have to be a flower of hell..."

'Is Hao like Hakudoshi...?' She wondered as she pictured the look on the Asakura's face when he told her that he was counting on her—counting on her to save him. "This is our last chance to live, so I want you to make the most of it. Whether you want to cause destruction or give love—"

The priestess remembered that sooner than later, the life she knew would come to an end.

Soon, there would be no turning back.

"—it's all up to you…" Kagome whispered to herself, to Hakudoshi, to her friends. Her eyes opened when she felt a presence forming in front of her. She smiled down at him.

For once, he looked like an actual child.

His eyes reflected both wonder and uncertainty.

"You mean…" Hakudoshi asked slowly, "...this world…is a world of opportunity?" His will wavered beneath Kagome's gentle gaze. "Even for me?"

"That's right," Kagome smiled softly and nodded, "You can be whoever you want to be here. This is your last chance to live your life. So is this truly what you want?"

His hand clenched into a shaking fist at his side. "...what I truly want is..."

Kagome slowly offered her hand to him. Her head tilted as she asked, "Hakudoshi, are you ready?"

"...I am..." He whispered as he placed his hand on top of hers. When Kagome's hand engulfed his, it was so gentle. 'Kanna... I was wrong...' Hakudoshi thought as he was pulled into the priestess' arms.

'Mother...is so warm.'

S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.

"W-What's happening?!" Manta asked as the dark mass burst like a bubble at the end of its life span. Countless streaks of light were released and raced through the sky like shooting stars.

"Those are all human souls..." Yoh answered, his brown eyes twinkling with each passing spirit. He turned his head and watched as many crashed into the structures of Takayama far and wide. "Are they...returning to the place they disappeared?" He wondered.

The souls traveled at the speed of light and were gone as quickly as they came.

A single orb of silver light remained hovering in the sky.

"If those were the missing people then that one must be...!" Ryu surmised.

But they didn't have to wait long for their answer as the orb slowly descended until it settled on the ground. The orb disappeared and revealed the sole figure standing within.

"She did it..." Bankotsu whispered.

"Of course, she did," Ren grumbled.

Standing a few meters away, bathed in sunlight was none other than Higurashi Kagome. Her silver coronet was crooked but still atop her head. Her haori and hakamas were in disarray. But she didn't seem to mind.

The priestess was too preoccupied with basking in the warmth of a new day.

Her eyes were closed and her smile was tranquil as she clutched the bundle in her arms.

A tiny, pale cheek gently touched hers.

'You'll live your new life as happily as you can...' Kagome rubbed her cheek against the infant's. 'Won't you, Hakudoshi?'

Authoress' Notes: Oops. This didn't turn out to be as long as I thought. My bad. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter nonetheless! Anyway, more importantly, this new handful of chapters will be dedicated to serenading you all with pure fluff and feels! Before we hunker down and move to phase two, we're gonna take it easy and bask in cuteness. I hope you all are ready!