I must go was all he had said, and rather sharply at that. Kagome ground her teeth—as much at Sesshoumaru’s abrupt departure from Edo village as at the pangs now assaulting her lower half.

With all the stress and weight loss following Inuyasha’s death, she’d experienced a temporary reprieve from the relentlessness of womanhood. But that grace period was over now, it seemed. Maybe it was the influx of hormones which was making her so prickly. Not so long ago, she would have rejoiced at Sesshoumaru leaving her in peace. Now she couldn’t help but read into it and find offense.

For almost a week now, he’d been gone. With renewed animosity, Kagome hacked at the weeds invading her garden, uprooting the thorny creepers root and stem. In a shower of dirt, she sent them flying through the air and watched with vindictive pleasure as the shadows of the forest swallowed them up.

“Stay away forever, then,” she muttered to no one, swiping a hand across her sweating brow. “See if I care.”

Raising the hoe high above her, Kagome prepared to bring it down on a particularly stubborn invader, when a dark presence buffeted at her senses.

The miko froze. The upraised implement trembled in her hands. It wasn’t Sesshoumaru’s youki she detected, nor that of any other familiar demon. And it wasn’t just one—

It was a hundred.

Gasping, she dropped the hoe and ran for her home without thinking. Her vision swam with blood, with images of horror. Hunched and shivering madly, she stole away into a far corner of the hut, her mind blank with panic. Wretchedly she moaned at the sheer malevolence, hating it—hating everything. Beneath the blankets she clutched her knees to her chest and whimpered her husband’s name—until she heard the sound of footsteps pounding up her porch steps and threw down the covers in a spasm of shock.

The curtain flew back as Rin burst through it, her small face white with fear. “Kagome-chan, a youkai swarm is headed for the village! Kaede-baa-chan has gone out to face it—we must help her!”

For a moment, all Kagome could do was numbly stare. Then she remembered Kohaku and Miroku were away, Sango was pregnant. Kagome’s nails scored into the sheets. Her heart hammered in her ears. Of all the times for Sesshoumaru to have abandoned her…

But all she could see was Rin’s pale face. In it, she saw the terror of the villagers reflected, for by now even the most unaware among them must have felt the darkness looming on the horizon.

“Okay,” she said, rising shakily from her bed. Fumbling with the clasps of her trunk, she took up her bow and arrows in unsteady hands, glancing back at Rin. “Do you have a weapon?”

“Only a staff,” the girl replied.

“Go and fetch it,” Kagome said, shouldering her quiver. “I’ll meet you at Baa-chan’s house.”

“Hai!” Rin said, rushing off.

Kagome frowned after her. She knew Rin had spiritual abilities—from early on in their acquaintance she had sensed this. Like her own, Rin’s was an aura far stronger than that of their mentor, Kaede’s. There was only so much the elder priestess could teach her. But it was too late now for Kagome to berate herself for not taking Rin fully under her wing as she should have. She would just have to trust that the young girl could adapt on the fly.

Rin was waiting anxiously for her on the threshold of Kaede’s home. Kagome could only hope she appeared half as frightened.

“Let’s go,” she said in a strained voice, setting a course for the edge of town.

Most of the villagers had left their homes to gather in the square. Huddled and afraid, they clung to one another, staring up at the darkening skies. As Kagome and Rin drew near, they parted, calling out to the Shikon Miko in desperate appeal. Kagome ducked her head and gripped her bow that much tighter to her chest.

In one swing of Tessaiga, Inuyasha could have dispatched this entire swarm. Never before had she faced such an enemy without him. Never before, except…

“Kagome child!” Kaede cried in relief from the hilltop ahead. “Ye have come…”

“Baa-chan!” Kagome said, running over to take up arms beside her. Now she could see clearly the threat before them—hissing and writhing and roiling with black flame. Nocking an arrow, the miko turned toward Rin. “Go and raise a barrier around the village!”

The young priestess faltered. “But I…”

“It’s only the circle of your will, firmly planted—do you understand?”

Rin’s lips parted, then met again in a firm line. “I understand.”

Kagome let out a breath, as she focused her will into her own attack. “Then go.”

Rin went. Behind her, Kagome heard the crackle of a reiki shield being raised—not a moment too soon. Like acid rain, the horde of demons thundered down upon them, envenomed and unceasing. Adrenaline spiked through Kagome’s veins. The first of her arrows sheared through only a few, Kaede’s even less. Yet against Rin’s barrier, the rest rebounded, shrieking in agony.

In the din of their pain, Kagome perceived it—

The phantom roar of a dragon.

Her eyes seared as her rage overcame her—an outpouring of pure, radiant power.

Was it one arrow or one hundred? Wielded by her blazing spirit, who could say. Only that as the shaft of light left her fingers, the dark cloud of demons dissipated in the ensuing blast, and Kagome sagged to the ground, depleted.

“Are ye well?” Kaede asked her, placing a wrinkled hand upon her shoulder.

Kagome couldn’t answer. Even when Rin dashed over crying the same, Kagome’s head remained bowed, her shoulders wracked with silent sobs.

Half-borne by the exultant villagers, she staggered home to her bed and lay there from one sundown to the next. How long she might have continued to lie there was anyone’s guess. But that evening, Sesshoumaru chose to return.

As he entered her hut, Kagome’s features twisted. Her lungs burned. Springing to her feet, she grasped him by the armor and glared straight into his glinting eyes.

“You,” she seethed. “Where were you?”

“Away,” he said, his curtness infuriating her that much more. Yet before she could lay into him, he remarked, “You look well.”

“Well?” Kagome spit out, flushing. “Why, yes I am in fact—no thanks to you!”

Sesshoumaru met her fuming stare with disconcerting coolness. Kagome’s grip slackened. Releasing him altogether, she stepped back, uncertain.

“Good,” he said, at last.

---

Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi

Revised 7/31/23

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