Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Life's Prison: A Thief's Goal ❯ Goddess of Death ( Chapter 16 )

Translations:

Wakizashi- traditional Japanese sword with a shoto blade between 12 and 24 inches

Ya- arrow

Hami-Yumi- sacred longbow

Hamaya- purity arrows

Okinawa- fruit bat

Amenonuhoko- spear used to divide the islands of Japan

Koumori - bat youkai

Yomi- land of the dead

Yomotsu-Hira-Saka- the slope leading to Yomi

 

 

 

Goddess of Death

 

 

 

“Talking”

 

`Thinking'

 

Memories

 

Stressed

 

 

 

It had been five days since she left him that night. She had knocked him out and made her escape. Clearing her head of the past images she headed for Mt. Hiba. Getting off Kirara once they landed she walked toward the bottom of the mountain. Kirara hissed and the mewed once to show her dislike of the place. Kagome looked around the area and saw that there were Hitodama floating around the left side of the mountain. Walking over to the area, she let her gray eyes gaze around the area.

 

Taking a few steps closer she noted that she had found Yomotsu-Hira-Saka. There was a huge boulder covering what looked like a cave. Walking down the slope, she placed her hand on the boulder. She could feel a powerful ki within it. It wasn't a normal boulder, so it could be moved. Placing both hands upon the boulder, she began to channel her ki through it. The boulder weakened and turned to dust. Kagome let her eyes examine the cave. Darkness was the only thing she was able to see.

 

Walking forward, she stopped to stare at Kirara who sat at the top of the slope. Kirara mewed again and Kagome shook her head. Turning towards the eternal darkness she knew Kirara would not pursue, that she would wait. With one last, breathe from the realm of the living she stepped into the darkness. Amazingly enough, the darkness had light from the hitodama, which floated around. Letting her eyes take in her surrounding she descended the steps.

 

“Least there's no light bill,” Kagome muttered to herself.

 

Kagome sighed as she came to an area that had three tunnels. Looking into each one she saw, that's right, darkness, and more darkness. Sighing she ran a hand through her hair. Closing her eyes, she listened to the silence and finally growled.

 

“I know you're there,” Kagome coldly said.

 

“Is that anyway to greet your father?” A male voice lightly asked.

 

 

 

Traveling through the forest seemed odd. He had grown used to having the Miko's company. He remembered the feel of her lips as she whispered sorry. Indigo eyes narrowed in hurt as he studied the building. He didn't know whether to feel happy or upset. He tried to think of her as caring for him, so she knocked him out. He knew the risk of traveling to Yomi. He wasn't a baby that needed protection.

 

“Where you listening?” Youko growled as he slapped Kuronue on the head.

 

“Yes,” Kuronue growled at Youko.

 

“This is where the Forlorn Hope is located. We get in and then get out,” Youko simply said. Kuronue rolled his eyes at the simplicity of it all, if only relationships were that easy. His ears twitched when he thought of the word relationship. Him and the Miko shared a bond of friendship and trust…but was it anything more then that?

 

“Let's go,” Kuronue said as they took off towards the castle.

 

 

 

Kagome turned around and faced the darkened figure. She could see a male outline and blue eyes. His ki felt similar to hers. Narrowing her eyes in distrust, she took a step back. She could feel the amusement coming off of his aura.

 

“How do I know if you're my father?” Kagome questioned.

 

“I can offer no proof, but I'm sure you can go on instincts,” the man said. Kagome rolled her eyes and growled inside her mind.

 

“Why are you here?” Kagome asked.

 

“Inuyasha wanted to come, but I offered,” he asked.

 

“So it really is you Jun,” Kagome calmly said.

 

“I'm sorry that I couldn't have been around,” he began.

 

“I didn't come down here for an apology, I came for Amenonuhoko,” Kagome stated.

 

“Izanami carries the spear with her,” Jun said.

 

“I came for it and I'll be leaving with it,” Kagome said as she turned toward the tunnels.

 

“Why are you so cold to me?” Jun asked.

 

“I never saw you when you were alive, you were always away, and then you died,” Kagome simply said.

 

“You have every right to treat me as a stranger, but don't hate me,” Jun said.

 

“I never said I hated you. I only said that you were never around,” Kagome simply explained.

 

“I'll take you to the throne room,” Jun offered as he walked down the middle tunnel.

 

 

 

“Leave it behind!” Youko shouted at Kuronue as he turned on his heel to fetch his broken pendant. Youko turned to go after him, but stopped when he heard the yell of pain.

 

“Forget about me, save yourself, Kurama!” Kuronue yelled out as the blood gushed around him. He heard the footsteps leaving and felt his world becoming blank.

 

`Sorry, Kagome,' he thought as another bamboo spear pierced his body.

 

 

 

Kagome stopped walking and froze to the spot. A cold chill ran down her spine and she sneezed. It wasn't a normal chill; the chill that told her something had changed. Looking back, she saw nothing but the normal darkness. Jun had stopped walking and looked back at her, he knew what had happened. Time had no beginning or end to the spirit, that's why he was here in the past. There was no past, present, or future, only a place of existing.

 

Kagome turned back around and began to walk down the tunnel with Jun again. Kagome reached up and touched her cheek to feel a tear streak. Wiping it away, she now worried. Reaching the room after what seemed like eternity they stopped. Kagome made out an ivory kimono on a feminine figure. Kagome took a few steps onward and stopped before the set of stairs that led to the throne.

 

“A mortal in the land of the dead. Reminds me of long ago,” a silky voice purred.

 

“I've come for…”

 

“I know why you came, why you have come,” the voice interrupted.

 

“I know you will not give up Amenonuhoko easily. What must I do to get it?” Kagome asked.

 

“Straight to the point, yet you are blind to your surroundings,” the voice remarked.

 

“Izanami-sama, I need the spear in order to save the world from the evil within me,” Kagome explained.

 

“Do you really want to save those pathetic beings…or do you want to save yourself?” Izanami questioned with curosity.

 

“I admit I want to save myself, but I have a duty to protect the living from evil,” Kagome stated.

 

“A Miko, you are forced to perserve life. Would you do it if you weren't a Miko?” Izanami questioned.

 

“Yes, I would even if it would cost my own life,” Kagome truthfully said.

 

“I know your past, I have watched your present with great interest, and I have seen your future,” Izanami casually said.

 

“I care not about my future,” Kagome said.

 

“I used to believe that I had a future, but then I died and was trapped her by my love. Do you know the feeling of betrayal?” Izanami asked.

 

“Yes, I have felt it from my past life,” Kagome answered as the pain ripped her heart.

 

“I was so full of hate when Izanagi left me here to rot. He promised to bring me back to the light, but then he ended up trapping me here in the darkness. I promised to kill a thousand of his people each day and he then told me he would make a thousand five-hundred live. That is how life and death began,” Izanami explained.

 

“What does this have to do with me?” Kagome questioned.

 

“Would you leave your love in the darkness if you had a chance to be with him?” Izanami questioned.

 

“The living have no business with the dead,” Kagome stated.

 

“Would you still say that if your love was here?” Izanami questioned once more.

 

“I don't know,” Kagome whispered.

 

“Your love is here. His indigo eyes are upon you waiting for an answer. If you can look him in the eyes and answer, I will give you the spear,” Izanami purposed.

 

Kagome stared at the femal figure in confusion before she heard her name whispered. Turning around she could make out the figure of a man with with wings. Her eyes began to water as she moved her eyes up. Indigo eyes clashed with gray eyes in silent pain. She shock her head as she let a tear run down her face. She turned to face Inzanami with rage.

 

“Is this a sick joke?” Kagome demanded to know.

 

“Reality is a sick joke isn't it?” Izanami questioned back. Kagome turned her eyes to the indigo eyes.

 

“Tell me you're not here,” Kagome whispered, pleaded. The eyes looked away before he spoke up.

 

“I am here,” he whispered.

 

“You want an answer”-Kagome turned to glare at the goddess-“The living have no business with the dead.”

 

“So, you would leave him here…in the darkness?” Izanami questioned.

 

“I have no choice! A part of me will always be with him, but I have responsibilities,” Kagome yelled at her as her eyes teared. The spear landed at her feet with a heavy clank.

 

Kagome reached down and picked up the spear. She had finally completed her goal, but at what cost. Turning around to leave she found herself face with Kuronue only a short distance away. Kagome didn't know if she should be angry or upset.

 

“What did you do?” Kagome asked.

 

“I went on one last adventure with Youko,” Kuronue began.

 

“I will have blood for blood,” Kagome growled as she ran out of the room. Kuronue held out his hand to stop her, but she was already gone.

 

“Her future is one of destiny and confusion,” Izanami said before she looked over at the wall.

 

`Finally,' she thought, `I will be freed.'

 

 

 

Kagome ran through the darkness with tears in her eyes. Wiping her eyes she decided that tears wouldn't help. Clenching Amenonuhoko in her hand she made it out of the tunnel. Running up the steps she made it out of Yomi. The light made her wince in pain, but she adjusted. Kirara mewed from the top of Yomotsu-Hira-Saka. Kagome looked up with no emotion as she walked toward the Nekomata. Taking to the sky, the Sakura blossom upon her forehead changed to black.