A Broken Soul

Chapter 6: Awakening

It took all of them close to five days to get what Kagome needed and return to the castle. With their return Sesshomaru left Kagome in Shippou’s care telling him to never leave her side unless the monk or slayer was with her. Then he left and returned the following night with the flame of the west, even through the best of Sesshomaru’s advisors hadn’t figured out how to bridge the gap between the world of the living and the world of the dead. It took Shippou another day and a half to pull Tensaiga from Sesshomaru’s side and stare at it in wonder for it was suddenly clear to him how they were to bridge the two worlds that existed together without experiencing death.

“Sesshomaru, Kagome was talking about Tensaiga. It will allow you to open the gates to hell without actually dying you did it when you fought Naraku within your fathers’ grave.”

Clarity shown through Sesshomaru’s eyes instantly and he cursed the kami’s for taking so long to let it become clear to them. Kagome’s heartbeat was weak and slowing to a stop. They had a half a day to reach the portal or Kagome would die and it would take them at least two days to reach their destination unless they could use his light orb to move faster then they could by foot or by his cloud. The only problem was that even with his great reserves of power he would be to weak to use Tensaiga to open the portal before Kagome passed from their world to the next. Shippou who could use his orb form but not for very long volunteered to use us orb to carry them as far as he could before Sesshomaru would have to take over. The Shikon shards that they did have gleamed in the light and Shippou took them and melded them into his left side, he felt the difference and could only hope it would help them save Kagome. They all grabbed on to Shippou in some fashion and then he changed and shot out the cracked window within Kagome’s room he knew where he was going from the first time they had traveled to the gate. With the Shikon shards within him Shippou managed to carry them 3/4th of the way to the gates before Sesshomaru was forced to take over. When they reached the gate the guardians came to life and stopped them Sesshomaru pulled Tensaiga from it’s sheath and sent a wave of power at the gate opening it and causing the guardians to step back and allow them entrance to the realm of the dead.

“You wield the Sword of Life you many pass.”

They rushed forward immediately and waited momentarily to see if the elements would react. Sesshomaru sat the jars containing the elements on Kagome’s chest and stomach getting an idea then sent a wave of power from Tensaiga at her encasing her body in the pure white light. The elements all started to swirl around her body and then suddenly Kagome was floating in the middle of them then the elements were all absorbed into her body and she awoke with a smile gracing her face once again. Sesshomaru pulled her close as soon as her feet touched the ground. Kagome held him tightly breathing in the scent of her mate as if it were the most beautiful thing in the world. Then the image of the prince flashed across her mind and she growled loudly her eyes flickering red at the very thought of the prince. She hugged Sango, Miroku, and Shippou, tightly her features turning hesitant with Inuyasha. She offered him her hand in the end and he took it though he was sad they had been reduced to a handshake because of his stupidity.

“Sessho, if you open the gates I’ll take us back to the castle.”

Sesshomaru nodded and used Tensaiga once again to open the gates and they all left the realm of the dead or at least they thought all of them had left it Inuyasha had remained letting the great stone gates close him in. Kagome froze when she realized what he had done and ran back to the gates trying to push them aside with all her strength even sent ridiculously strong blasts of energy against them. Until she had collapsed to her knees tears soaking her cheeks.

“Sesshomaru…please?”

Sesshomaru again sent his swords energy toward the great doors, but this time they remained shut, he tried again but still they didn’t budge. The great stone guardians of the gate awoke once again. They bowed to Kagome to show their respect, but didn’t open the gate for her.

“He doesn’t belong in the realm of the dead he is one of the living, release him guardians.”

“We can not for though his body was of the living world his soul crossed over to the realm of the dead.”

Kagome sobbed bitterly, as she stared at them.

“I don’t understand?”

“It is his wish to stay behind and we will not force him to return to the land of the living when he doesn’t wish to.”

Kagome just sobbed bitterly her friend was choosing death over living and she wanted to know why but couldn’t reach him to find out. Sesshomaru picked her up and started the long trek out of the cave that housed the gates to the realm of death all so known as hell. As soon as they were close enough to the surface Sesshomaru encased them all in his orb and shot toward the House of the Moon. They arrived just as the sun was setting, by which time Kagome had forced herself to accept Inuyasha’s decision and had turned instead to her anger toward Prince Ryomaru. When they entered the castle he told a servant that the ball would be tomorrow and that they were to inform the lords as such unless they wished to cancel it all together. Kagome walked into the dining room and looked around it with sad eyes. This was her home now and she loved that fact but she wondered if she had driven Inuyasha to his decision or if it was something he had wanted on his own. Shippou walked into the dining room and hugged her tight.

“Mom it was Inuyasha’s choice and we have to live with it now. Try not to dwell on it to much.”

Kagome leaned back into him smiling lightly.

“What happened to my sweet little son who I could carry in my arms?”

Shippou smirked.

“He decided it was time to give up his illusion of being a child.”

Kagome laughed lightly while shaking her head.

“You and Miroku are going to become so much closer once I tell him how you managed to bathe with me and Sango as a grown man under the disguise of a child, for the last four years.”

Shippou laughed as well.

“I can’t wait to see his reaction.”

He knelled in front of her and Kagome slipped onto his back and Shippou grabbed her legs securely and proceeded to run through the castle smiling when Kagome’s laughter reached his ears as he ran. His payment being the squeals of delight that came from her every time he ran around a corner. Sesshomaru knew what they were doing but allowed it since it seemed to pull Kagome’s mind away from her sadness over Inuyasha’s decision. Shippou flipped over the Princess of the East making Kagome squeal in surprise and delight. They came to a stop outside of Miroku’s room after several rounds through the castle halls. Kagome couldn’t breathe for as hard as she’d been laughing and Shippou smirked he had done his job well. Miroku allowed them inside his room and closed the door behind them smiling.

“Have fun Kagome?”

Kagome smiled.

“Of course but we have something to tell you.”

Miroku’s curiosity was peaked and Kagome and Shippou smirked.

“Shippou managed to do what you never could, he’s been an adult for a great part of the time he was with us traveling and has seen me and Sango naked on several occasions and he’s had us bathe him ourselves.”

Miroku’s jaw dropped and Shippou and Kagome burst out laughing until they couldn’t stand anymore and sank to the ground as tears of laughter reached their eyes. Miroku looked stunned and fairly disappointed all at the same time. When they caught their breath they left each of them touching Miroku’s shoulder lightly a silly smirk on their faces. Shippou retired to his room since he now had Kagome’s old room and Kagome retired to her and Sesshomaru’s room and striped out of her clothes so she could soak in their personal hot spring. Tomorrow was the ball and her first day of self inflicted training. Sesshomaru walked into the hot spring barely stirring the waters stillness as Kagome relaxed with her eyes closed soaking. Her eyes snapped open when he pressed against her his lips curving into a smile at the dazed look in her eyes.

“You need be more aware of your surroundings mate.”

Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned against him lightly.

“I trust you to protect me Sessho, I’ll be fine.”

He kissed her brow and shifted them so she was sitting in his lap, but his mind was on the near loss he had just had with her. She still trusted him even after that and his chest swelled at the thought but still he was disappointed with himself a little because she came to harm in their home. Kagome seemed to sense his thoughts and kissed his neck getting his attention.

“That wasn’t your fault Sessho so forget about it besides tomorrow morning I’m going to start training a few of my new powers and I think Ryomaru will be the perfect target for my practice don’t you think?”

Sesshomaru smirked and laughed softly.

“Have fun…make it a public display in the courtyard.”

Kagome smiled and nodded, they bathed and dressed in sleeping yukatas before retiring for the night. The morning was going to be a good one for Kagome and hell for Ryomaru and she promised herself she would make the bastard scream for death and or mercy before she even reached the halfway point of his torture. Kagome’s dreams were filled with nightmares of various things and several times she woke up in a cold sweat only for Sesshomaru to sooth her fear and make her fall asleep again. Her nightmares all wrapped around her life as it could possibly turn out if they didn’t take Naraku down soon. In one she was pregnant and soaking in her and Sesshomaru’s private hot spring when he emerged from the darkness and restrained her while he beat her stomach until it was flat once again, in another she was running toward Sesshomaru in the final battle and Naraku impaled Sesshomaru on several of his tentacles at once killing him in front of her. Several more scenarios ran through her as she slept and each one was more horrible then the last.

It was two hours before dawn when she again awoke in a cold sweat she gave up on sleep and bathed before dressing in a fighting kimono and heading outside into the courtyard. She sat down and started meditating and by the time she stopped to go eat breakfast she was covered in sweat from the conflicting emotions within her. Her nightmares were haunting her even now that she was awake and she needed to release her pent up emotions soon. She bathed took her breakfast outside and continued meditating this time using her nightmares to focus her emotions and turn all of it into anger so that her aura began to swirl around her going from its normally calm silvery violet color to a glowing blood red. Sesshomaru had been watching her all morning and was troubled with her lack of sleep last night. He had Ryomaru brought up from the dungeons and went to Kagome telling her of the Prince’s coming arrival in the courtyard.

“I want him to fight me.”

Sesshomaru straight out refused and she turned her eyes to him and he saw the flickering red rage that she was trying to hide.

“This is about more then just him trying to kill me Sesshomaru it’s helping me deal with my nightmares last night.”

“Tell me of these nightmares.”

Kagome told of each nightmare and turned the emotions that crashed over her with each one into anger until she could no longer hold back her anger and her eyes turned a blood red so dark they almost appeared black. Sesshomaru nodded and told her he would allow her to fight him but that she was not to be reckless or he would simply kill him and restrain her. Kagome scoffed she knew she was stronger then Sesshomaru but she also knew that what he lacked in power with her he more then made up for with strength, speed, and endurance, since she had yet to train her muscles to be as strong as they needed to be. Sesshomaru grabbed her around the waist and made her look him in the eyes, finally after a moment she sighed and nodded though he saw her eyes darken in annoyance. Ryomaru appeared out in the courtyard several minutes later to see Kagome pacing angrily as she waited for him to be brought outside. As soon as Kagome sensed him she turned and smiled a cold, calculating, evil look settling on her face even reaching the predatory smirk that she wore.

“I hear you wish to fight me bitch. Do you really think you can win against me?”

Kagome growled in anger at being called a bitch once again.

“I don’t have to think because I know I can and I can do it with my eyes closed insolent jackass.”

Ryomaru smirked and cracked his knuckles letting his poison accumulate in his fingertips.

“You’ve just signed your life over to me bitch and I’m going to take your head as my trophy.”

“You wish you could take it but if you think you can then come and try.”

Ryomaru charged and Kagome easily caught the idiot in her energy sending him flying with a thrust of her hand and she hadn’t even touched him yet. Ryomaru landed hard on his back but was up and coming at her seconds later. She danced around his various slashes and scratches toward her body. She was toying with him and even he knew it and it made he angrier. He grabbed her wrist and squeezed it cracking the bones under the force he applied. Kagome barely winced, but he saw the gesture and flung her through the air. He caught her with a knee to the back before she could hit the ground and when she was on the ground grabbed her hair and pulled her head back. He expected to see fear or pain on her face but instead she was smiling.

“Damn that felt good Ryomaru if you weren’t already a dead man I’d ask Sesshomaru if I could keep you as a pet.”

He snarled and pulled her body into an even more painful arch by her hair. Kagome closed her eyes and in a matter of moments had slipped from his grip with no more then a single breath leaving her body. She sighed and rolled her neck then with a flicker of her eyes she had encased Ryomaru in a cage of fire and then let an artic wind wrap around his body stealing any warmth his body had possessed. She shifted the bars to solid walls of ice and filled the container holding him with water, then with a evil smirk as he watched her, she heated the water up until it was literally cooking him alive. His skin melting from his body and muscle and tendon cooked and his bones softened. When she released the hold she had on his body the entire contents of the icebox she’d made spilled out into the forest since she’d moved it out over the trees. Returning to the castle she went to her and Sesshomaru’s room and stripped out of her clothes and lay naked between the silk sheets. Her eyes closed as she just enjoyed the feel of the cool sheets caressing her body.