A/N: This is my first story on this new account and I hope everyone likes it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters and original story.
—
As the wagon rolled down the path, he knew this could be the end of them.
His brother said this would be their saving grace after losing so much.
He knew that they had experienced loss, but he questioned if they deserved to be saved.
They had lost their power and father, but had only lost both after waging war on innocents.
It was never enough for them.
His brother had always said they were strong enough to take everything they wanted.
He wasn't sure if what his brother wanted was the same as what he wanted.
The wagon rolled to a stop in front of a long drive leading up to a large dark home.
A woman was standing there as if she knew they were coming.
They climbed out of the wagon and stood facing her.
She only smiled at them standing with her hands pushed into her sleeves.
Although she smiled he couldn't help but feel unnerved.
She was pale as snow with hair black as night.
She wore the robes of a priestess but her smile was not one of warmth.
She seemed to be snickering as though what he feared was true.
His brother stepped out and she briefly bowed her head, "Lord Sesshomaru" she greeted.
His brother, tall and fierce, was not one for pleasantries.
"We are here for the magic necessary to change our current situation. Are you the priestess we seek?" Sesshomaru glared.
"Indeed. I know what has brought you here and why. I know a great many things about you. The question is, what are you willing to give up for such power?"
"There can be no cost too great for our power to return". Sesshomaru would sacrifice anything for that inkling of demonic energy to return.
"Then come inside where we can begin the necessary preparations" she smirked.
They followed the priestess inside as she finally introduced herself. "I am the Lady Kikyo and welcome to your salvation."
Inuyasha felt a wave of heat and then nothing. He was nothing.
—
Kagome ran back toward her home.
She had been in the forest collecting wood for the fire as the chill set in.
She had to make it home before dark or she would face dire consequences.
Freezing would be the least of her worries.
They had been in this village their whole lives and had heard the stories.
This forest was once enchanted and the village once a safe and beautiful place.
The forest contained a magic so pure that none feared it.
The forest provided for the village and the people worshipped the magic of the forest.
No one believed the stories anymore.
Not when they lived so close and could see the darkness that came from the forest.
They could hear the beasts prowling at night.
They knew the freezing snow came from the forest, not the sky as some said it should.
Kagome wanted to believe that one day the pure magic of the forest would return.
She had to help her family until then and her job was to collect the firewood.
She would do as she was told. She was only 19 and no man had tried to claim her save one.
She was thankful for that but desired a freedom she would never have.
She sometimes dreamt of being lost in the forest only to find light and peace there.
She could speak her mind and not fear what came at night.
She sometimes dreamt of being free of this village, where people treated each other so unkindly and the only option was suffering.
Her family seemed content to stay here forever but she felt like she was drowning.
She had been chased by a man of the village once before who was kind but only wanted a wife for childbearing. She had dismissed Hojo quickly when he tried to persuade her to marry him.
She could not dream of living in this village the rest of her life with such a sweet and boring man.
She dreamt of a strong and adventurous man sometimes, who would take her away from here and show her what lay beyond the village.
She dreamt she was special and could escape her destiny here.
She would marry this adventurous man and be truly happy.
These were only dreams and she soon dismissed them.
Their land was ruled by a Queen but no one knew anything of her. None knew her name or her face.
Kagome had learned long ago it was best not to question these things.
But something always seemed to be telling her to run, fight, scream. She was so different from those around her that she had to quiet herself to keep shame from her family.
Kagome threw her coat tighter around her as she saw their house ahead.
A small brown hovel with barely more than a flap for a door. Her mother, grandfather, and brother slept on the floor in the back room, while the front of the home served as the kitchen and main space.
She sprinted inside as dusk fell.
She settled inside to find her mother making a stew.
Her mother was quiet but always smiling. Kagome never knew the source of her joy.
Starvation, freezing, and poverty never seemed to make anyone so happy.
Her brother and grandfather sat by their fireplace poking at some old wood as Kagome added some of the new logs.
They started to work immediately before eating their dinner.
Silence enveloped their home much as any night and they all went to sleep with little more than potato water in their bellies.
—
Kagome heard screaming.
She jumped from her blanket to see her mother awake at the same time.
They heard guttural growls as more people screamed.
The screams of pain and fear.
Her mother began to huddle them in the back room.
She whispered "I never thought they would come."
Grandfather looked up and nodded with a tear in his eye. "We have heard of these creatures and will hide as best we can".
They remained silent as screams surrounded their home.
Kagome looked up, "what creatures?"
A crash sounded as their front door was destroyed.
Kagome was drawn to the chaos in a way she could never explain.
She ran to the front of the house and her mother chased after her.
A man, no beast, was standing there and smiled when he saw Kagome.
His horrific red eyes taking her in and a snarl coming from his mouth.
He jumped on top of her knocking her to the ground.
Her mother tried to swing at him but he shoved her back and she fell, unsure of how to help her daughter.
Kagome looked up into the face of her attacker.
He was a man, but no sense of one remained.
His eyes were red as blood and he had streaks across his cheeks with sharp fangs in his mouth. His claws pinned her wrists down on either side of her head as he straddled her.
He did not speak or show any sign of understanding when Kagome's mother begged him to leave.
Kagome took a deep breath as she prepared herself to die.
All those years of something telling her to run, fight, and scream seemed to well up inside of her and become stuck.
She could not force those actions out. She did not know how to fight and doubted running or screaming would do any good.
She still held that breath as she stared into the face of her attacker.
Tears escaped her eyes as she turned her face away from his.
She could not bear for his to be the last she saw.
She turned and her tears caught on his wrist, bloody and coursing with heat.
She heard a sharp intake of breath and looked up to see his face shocked.
Lost? Afraid? What emotion crossed him just then?
His blood red eyes seemed to become cloudy as if the blood was diluted with some other color. His claws relaxed on her wrists.
His face seemed so full of emotion then that she could not stop herself from trying to hit him with her now free hand.
He caught her hand easily and placed it to his forehead.
He leaned into her hand then.
She could hear her heart in her ears then, blood pounding, reminding her of her reaction to do something. This was not what she had envisioned.
Her hand felt so hot against his skin as if his heat passed to her. She was absorbing all his fire and hatred.
Just then she could swear her hand caught fire with the light like a morning sun.
Not the fire of their pathetic fireplace but that of a new day.
His eyes cleared just then as she saw them turn gold, just like her hand.
"Wh-, I" and just when she thought this man would speak he fled from their home.
Her mother came to her then and knelt crying beside her.
"I'm so sorry, I should have tried harder."
"Mother, what happened? Why did he run?"
Her mother shook her head, "perhaps he heard others, I do not care right now, you are safe!"
Kagome cared. Why had he changed before her eyes?
"But mother that glowing.."
Her mother's eyebrows furrowed inward as she looked at Kagome. "I saw nothing glowing."
"My hand!" She knew what she had seen.
Her mother only shook her head, holding Kagome tight.
Kagome suddenly felt that urge to run, fight, or scream. And now she knew what she had to do.
She stood up and ran from her home, out into the village, where it was deserted save for fire and livestock, and ran straight into the woods to follow the tracks that led from her home there.
She must abandon her family to find what truly lay beyond her isolated world.
She would follow this inner voice straight to this man or beast. She had to know more.
—
A/N: I have been thinking of this story for awhile now and hope this is a good start to it. I made some changes as I wrote it and the style may change as the story progresses. Thanks for reading!