Author's Note: Thank you all for the kind reviews. I am happy that people are enjoying the story so far. As a side note, I have been getting a suspicious number of PMs asking if I am willing to collaborate to do art for the story. After looking online, it seems like it may be a scam? I have received more PMs in the last week than all my time on this platform combined, so I have erred on the side of caution and blocked all PMs. I apologize, but I need to protect my peace.
Chapter 12
Kagome shivered as the cold wind whipped against her face, her breath coming out in harsh, visible puffs. The warmth from her spiritual energy, coupled with the heat of her anger, had carried her out of the castle without a second thought. She hadn't even registered how strong the storm had become until the stronghold was out of sight.
The snowstorm raged around her now, blinding her vision and making every step forward feel like a battle. Snow piled around her tennis shoes, sinking her into the ground with each move, and the firm path she had started out on was now indistinguishable under the thick white blanket. She clutched her arm to her chest, trying to conserve what little warmth remained and be tender with her wound, but the cold was quickly becoming unbearable. Her skin prickled as the wind bit at her exposed cheeks and hands, and she realized just how foolish it had been to leave the castle in such a state.
Why didn't I stop? Why didn't I think?
Her anger, though still simmering, was no longer enough to fight off the cold. The realization hit her hard: she was in real danger. It wasn't just the snow or the freezing wind, but the sheer isolation of being so far from the safety of the castle. The mountain path was steep and treacherous even in good weather; now, it was nearly suicidal. One misstep, and she could fall, or worse—succumb to the elements.
Kagome halted, her chest heaving as the bitter cold cut through her thin kimono, damp creeping through her shoes and into her socks. She hugged herself tighter, wincing at the pain but trying to stave off the numbness creeping into her fingers and toes. She could feel the energy she had used starting to wane, her body cooling far too rapidly. Panic started to bubble up, threatening to choke her as the wind howled louder, drowning out any thoughts of turning back.
Her powers weren't going to keep her warm. Unlike certain half-demons and demon lords, she had to pay attention to the weather to survive… and in her haste she hadn't. The heat from her righteous anger had been fleeting, and it was not enough to shield her from the relentless storm. It was then that she realized just how quiet the world had become, the howling wind making her solitude feel suffocating. The castle was behind her somewhere, out of view, and the storm ahead was endless.
"I can't stay out here," she whispered to herself, though her voice was swallowed by the wind. She had to go back. She had to find her way. But as she glanced over her shoulder, Kagome could barely make out the direction she had come from. The snow had erased her tracks.
Panic tightened its grip, making her heart race. Kagome's mind focused on a desperate thought: What if I don't make it back?
Sesshomaru stalked through the castle, his irritation barely contained. His mind was still reeling from their confrontation, but when he had come to his senses and gone to find Kagome and apologize, she was gone. A nagging sense of unease gnawed at him. He had checked her chambers, the children's room, even the kitchens, but no one had seen her. The storm outside had worsened, and the tension in his chest grew tighter with each passing moment.
He returned to the West Wing, scanning the area for any sign of her, but there was nothing. Her scent lingered faintly, but the bitter winds from the storm had begun to carry it away; even the blood spots he had purposely ignored on his way out were barely visible under the new layers of fresh frost. His jaw tightened as he headed toward the entrance of the castle, following the reddish trail on the floor. When he stepped outside, the wind slapped him with icy force, and the realization that she might have left the safety of the castle sent a chill down his spine.
The snow was falling in thick sheets, swirling violently in the wind, and the scent trail he might have followed had been obliterated. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, frustration mounting. How far could she have gone in this weather? The mountain's terrain was unforgiving, especially in such a storm. The steep paths could easily turn treacherous, and while Kagome had strength and determination, she lacked immunity to the elements.
For the first time in a long while, Sesshomaru felt a pang of true fear. The cold was biting, even to him. To Kagome, who was far more vulnerable to these conditions, it would be lethal. His youki flared unconsciously, anger and concern clashing within him. He had to find her, and fast.
Pushing against the fierce winds, Sesshomaru stepped outside and scanned the horizon for any sign of movement, but the storm was relentless, making it almost impossible to see. His golden eyes flickered, trying to cut through the blinding snow. There was no scent to guide him now—he had to rely on instinct and luck.
His youki flared out instinctively again, searching for any sign of her amidst the blinding storm. But even his demonic senses were hindered by the sheer force of the wind. There was no scent trail to follow, no clear path to take. His instincts urged him to act quickly—she would not survive long in this storm. His jaw tightened as he chose a direction and quickened his pace, his eyes narrowing against the snow.
Sesshomaru moved swiftly, the snow crunching under his boots as he took off down one of the mountainside paths with growing urgency.
The world around Kagome had become a blur of white. She didn't know how long she had been walking—minutes, hours? Time felt meaningless in the storm. The wind tore at her clothes, pushing her back and cutting through her like icy knives. Her arms clutched at herself in a futile attempt to hold onto warmth, but the biting cold had already begun to sink into her bones.
She tried to shout, desperate to hear something other than the deafening howl of the storm. "Sesshomaru!" she cried, but her voice was swallowed up instantly, carried away and scattered by the wind as if she hadn't spoken at all. Panic started to creep into her chest. Her heart pounded faster, and she looked around, realizing she was utterly alone in the blinding snow.
Everything around her was white—cold, featureless, and endless. It was as though the world had dissolved into nothingness. Kagome's pulse quickened further as the desolation reminded her of the dark, suffocating emptiness of the Shikon no Tama, where she had once been trapped. The oppressive silence there, the lack of life, the void—it felt eerily similar to this frozen wasteland.
Her knees buckled, and she sank into the snow. She had no idea where she was anymore. Her body no longer responded to the cold the way it should—her fingers were numb, and her limbs sluggish. She wasn't even shivering anymore. Kagome clenched her fists, trying to muster what little strength she had left. She couldn't go on like this; she had to do something.
Closing her eyes, she focused inward, calling up the last reserves of her energy. The familiar warmth of her spiritual power flickered inside her, faint but present. With a strained breath, Kagome let it flow outward, a burst of light cutting through the storm around her. It wasn't much—just a flicker in the raging blizzard—but it was all she could manage. She slumped back into the snow, exhaustion overtaking her, praying that it was enough for someone to find her.
Her vision blurred, and the world around her faded further into white as the cold continued to numb her senses. She felt herself slipping away, the snowdrift around her swallowing her up as her body began to succumb to the cold.
Sesshomaru had been moving swiftly through the snow, his steps measured yet urgent. The storm howled around, erasing any chance of picking up Kagome's calls or scent. His frustration mounted, knowing he couldn't move faster at the risk of missing something but knowing speed was of the essence.
The sharp wind tugged at his haori, snow swirling so densely that even his enhanced vision could barely see more than a few feet ahead. No scent. No tracks. Nothing but the blizzard. His heart pounded in his chest—he hated how blind he was in this weather. Kagome was out there somewhere, vulnerable, cold. And it was his fault she had left.
Suddenly, a ripple of energy brushed against him.
It was faint—almost imperceptible—but unmistakable. Kagome's spiritual power. It was like a beacon, a flash of light in the overwhelming storm. His entire body reacted instantly, his youki surging in response, guiding him like an invisible tether toward the source.
His heart skipped a beat. She was alive. But the weak flicker of her energy told him how dire her condition was. The cold had likely sapped her strength, leaving her with little to spare.
Sesshomaru moved swiftly now, his youki pushing him forward at a speed that nearly blurred his figure. As he crossed the terrain, his senses sharpened. The familiar warmth of her power called to him, faint but persistent, pulling him toward her. He knew she was close now, her presence a fragile thread against the overwhelming forces of the storm.
And then, just beyond a ridge of snow-covered rocks, he saw it—a small, slumped figure nearly swallowed by the snowdrift. His breath hitched.
"Kagome."
Sesshomaru's usually stoic heart thundered in his chest as he descended the ridge, reaching her in moments. She was pale, her lips tinged with blue, and her body lay eerily still, half-buried in snow. He could see the energy she had unleashed moments before, now fading, her last attempt to reach him.
He knelt beside her, his eyes scanning her face, his hand trembling as it hovered over her cheek. She was so cold. He couldn't afford to hesitate. His youki flared, enveloping her in its warmth as he lifted her gently into his arms. The storm still raged around them, but Sesshomaru's sole focus was on the fragile life he held.
"Kagome," he murmured, his voice low and strained. "I have you."
