The Portal

Epilogue to The Portal

Two years after Kagome and Sesshomaru’s departure from a world called Karnak....

It was magnificent. There really were no better words for it. Absolutely magnificent. Lord Anubis stepped back a few paces as he eyed the masterpiece. He walked around it, looking upwards, as he checked for any imperfections. There simply were none to be found. It was as close to perfect as it could be.

The nervous human male beside him gazed up at the statue, and quickly glanced to the inuyoukai, as he anxiously awaited the final word from the taiyoukai who commissioned the piece. It had taken two long years of work to chisel this beauty into stone, working from drawings and sketches done by Lord Anubis himself. This statue was the embodiment of the newly founded treaty between the youkai and humans. This one figure stood proudly, towering above the freshly cleared courtyard, to remind all who gazed upon it that freedom was not to be taken lightly. It was there to show that they had rectified historical mistakes and built a future where slavery is frowned upon. They owed it all to one being.

Kagome.

Anubis was pleased. She looked splendid. Just exactly as she did the day she raised her bow to strike down Seth. She stood atop the rocky mound balanced and ready to fire her purification arrow at the one who brought them all to a lower existence. Her hair billowed about in the breeze and her beautiful body was taught and ready to strike.

Yes. It was perfect. Anubis turned to the master craftsman, Mouchin. He could tell the man was on pins and needles waiting for his verdict. It was time to put the old man at ease. Anubis gave him a hearty pat on the back with a smirk. “Mouchin, you have out-done yourself old man. This is the best work I have ever had the pleasure to look upon. You have done the human race proud, and given the youkai a symbol with which to revere. Splendid, my good man!”

Mouchin was beside himself with joy as he bowed to the inu lord. He knew it was his best work to date, but he wanted to hear it from the lord himself. Anubis was the one who declared that the human pyramid, the Temple Yasaona, was to be cleared of debris, and prepared to be opened once again. In the courtyard, in front of the great temple, he wanted the statue of The Exalted One to be built for all who came here to see. It was the youkai’s way of attempting to rebuild the ties between the races. Something that the Exalted One had fought for.

Over the last two years Mouchin had become used to working closely with the taiyoukai. He would admit that in the beginning he was rather frightened of the inu lord, but as time went on he became aware of the passion that the youkai held for this project and a respect grew along with the statue. It became clear to the old man that the taiyoukai held strong feelings for the human woman, Kagome, and that understanding helped to fuel his desire to please Anubis. His work would now stand for many years to come, for all to look upon with awe.

Anubis dismissed Mouchin with a word of gratitude, and took a seat on the bench across from Kagome. It was not the real thing, but at least he could now look upon this stone personification of a woman that he once held in his arms. He missed her smiles, and dainty giggles, and he hoped that she fared well in her own world.

The great Lord Anubis would be remembered through time as sitting in that very spot gazing up at the statue of a human girl named Kagome. Humans and youkai alike would come to respect Anubis for his civil rights endeavors to bring peace and a working alliance between all the races of Abu Simbel, and every single one that ever looked upon the statue in the middle of the lush courtyard would thank The Exalted One for bringing them together.

Anubis lived many decades alone, without female companionship. His heart longed for a woman that he could not have, and he refused to accept anything less.

One day, it came to his attention that a human female living in the village near his very own temple, had shown signs of some inner power that had lain dormant until her late teens. He, of course, dismissed the knowledge as common rumor and nothing more, but time and again the name of this young woman crossed his path, and he finally called for her presence to verify the local gossip.

When she arrived, he was none to impressed, but as the evening wore on, the woman known as Asumi began to show a fiery spirit which gained his attention. From there the inu lord began to notice her natural beauty, and as time wore on her power bloomed. Anubis spent many days guiding the young Asumi in using her power. They both cherished the time they spent together, and soon Lord Anubis said goodbye to his lost love, Kagome. He decided to stop regretting what could never be, and look to the future at hand.

Lord Anubis took Lady Asumi as his lifemate, and together the two will govern the Temple Shikon until the end of their days.

On Earth.....

Ms. Higurashi was busy scrubbing her quarry tile floors in the kitchen. Her back was aching a bit, and Sota had offered to help, but she refused. She needed to do this. She needed to keep busy. It had been two years since she had heard from her daughter, and as each day passed she became more and more disturbed. Her father was getting older and was not long for this world, and Sota was soon to be off to college. With Kagome gone as well, it seemed like the walls of loneliness was closing in on her day by day.

So many possibilities kept running through her head. What had happened to cause her daughter to abandon her family in the modern era? Her heart wrenched at the thought that she may be dead. To even think, once again, that her precious daughter had been taken from her was more than she could bare. She refused to think on it further, and promptly shoved that ill gotten thought out of her mind, as she renewed her scrubbing with increased vigor.

As far as she knew the well was still working, but there really was no way to be sure. Kagome and Inuyasha were the only ones able to pass through. Ms. Higurashi had even jumped into it herself a few weeks ago out of desperation. She had let her mind build all sorts of horrific conclusions as to why her daughter had not returned in two years, and before she knew what she was doing she was pushing off of the wells edge. The impact was rather jarring, and she held a limp for over a week after she landed haphazardly on her right foot. She had cried all the way up the ladder and back to the house.

Again she fought the urge to let the tears flow. It was the ‘not knowing’ that was the worst. If only she had some idea if Kagome were alive. It was just too hard to live this tragedy all over again.

Sota peeked in the back door, trying to contain his exhilaration. When he had decided to take a stroll through the courtyard behind their house he had never in a million years expected to see what was there. Even now he could hardly believe it. It had been two years since his sister had been in contact with them, and her absence was driving his mother insane with worry. Now he knew, and in a moment so would his mom. He couldn’t wait until she seen this.

“Mom, I know you’re busy, but there’s something out here that you have to see. It’s really important!” Sota called from the door.

“Sota, do you have any idea how hard it is to get up from here, and then get back down for an old woman like me?!” Ms. Higurashi chided wearily.

“Sorry mom, but you really need to come see this,” Sota said as he held the door open, waiting for her to rinse her hands before stepping outside.

Ms. Higurashi followed her son out the door and around the corner where she was faced with a huge crowd of people who were strangely staring at her? Then a voice called her attention, and she spotted the figure of her daughter stepping from behind a very tall, beautifully pale, man. Her heart almost ceased to beat, and had Sota not been there to grab her she would have tumbled straight to the ground below.

“Ka... Kagome? Oh my dear Kami above! Kagome!” she cried.

Kagome, mindful of the bundle in her arms, ran to her mother. She embraced her and kissed her cheek. “Mom! I’ve missed you so much! I’ve been so excited, and... well... here I am!” Kagome squealed and hugged her again.

Ms. Higurashi stepped back and smiled. It felt as if a load of bricks had been removed from her shoulders. Then she noticed what Kagome was holding. A baby?

Kagome smiled and held out the tiny bundle, “This is Kiyori. Your granddaughter, and these...” Kagome turned and waved to the crowd. Two small children ran forward, joined by two teens and one adult. “... are your other grandchildren!”

Shocked was a good word. Yes, shocked would cover it very well. Apparently her daughter did not come through the well at all, but had actually lived through the centuries and had now come to share her life with her children. She could not stop the tears that poured from her eyes as she looked over her grandchildren, but Kagome wasn’t finished yet.

Kagome giggled as she waved again. The tall man with white silken hair came forward carrying a babe in his arms. Kagome said, “Mom, This is Lord Sesshomaru, my mate, and in his arms is your great granddaughter, Elisa.” Kagome called to the crowd, and the many others joined them.

A familiar voice cut through the noise, and Ms. Higurashi recognized Inuyasha, “Damn it Koko! I said stop chewing on my pants!” Ms. Higurashi laughed as she watched three little boys running circles around the hanyou.

Kagome sighed and rolled her eyes, “And Inuyasha is here, along with his mate Ayame, and their twelve children, three grandchildren, and four great grandchildren.”

Sesshomaru snorted in amusement at his hanyou brother, “Yes, it seems that Inuyasha is getting back every bit of trouble that he ever gave me, ten fold.”

Ms. Higurashi called to Sota, “Hurry and go get your grandfather!” Then she turned back to her daughter, “Kagome dear, I am so proud of you! You had me worried to death, but right now I couldn’t be happier!” She turned to Sesshomaru. The demon who stole her daughter’s heart so long ago. “I am honored to finally meet you Lord Sesshomaru. I will admit that I was terrified when my daughter told me that she had mated a taiyoukai in the feudal era, but now, I can only thank you for taking such good care of her.”

Sesshomaru bowed to his mother-in-law, “The pleasure was all mine.” He raised his golden eyes full of amusement to meet those of his lovely mate. After all these years, she was still the epitome of beauty in his eyes.

Ms. Higurashi smiled warmly as she took her granddaughter from Kagome. She watched as the demon lord handed her great granddaughter to her adult grandson. He then took Kagome in his arms and lovingly placed a kiss on her lips.

Family surrounded Ms. Higurashi now, and fears of being alone were swept away like dust in the wind.


FIN~

I hope you are all pleased with the epilogue! It’s been fun!