20

"He might kill you for that," Inu-Yasha said with a smirk. Honestly, he looked like he rather enjoyed it as Satomi looked at him with a worried look before sighing.

"Well, it was a good run, but he's too injured now. Because of me," she said looking to him and scanning his wounds. They were healing fast, but he needed more time. He had been sleeping along side her absorbing her wounds for two full days. Waking up yesterday, she could see the toll it took. She owed him everything and yet everything didn't seem like enough now.

"He did it to save you, there was no telling what could have happened if he didn't," Kagome said soothingly as she put her hand to Satomi's shoulder. Kagome had watched Satomi try to come to terms with what he did. It had shocked everyone that he agreed so willingly.

"She tore me apart as if I was a rag doll. Now he chose to suffer through it. I'm not a goddess, I'm just as weak as I've always been. At least now we know what we're dealing with. The protective sutras are at least holding up now. With the village being abandoned at least we don't have to worry about casualties if things get messy," Satomi said with a sigh as she tried to get over feeling sorry for herself. It didn't do Sesshomaru any good to have her like this.

Extending her arms out above his body, she continued to try and heal his wounds faster. Occasionally, she would feel him stir only to sleep again. Did he ever really sleep when he wasn't forced to? She never really did see him sleep before her after being with him and yet he always seemed relaxed and calm. If he ever did it was after she was long asleep. Demons were strange, but she wanted to know him more. She owed him that much, to know who he really was.

Her aura poured out over him and she had to remember that he was a demon and if too much pure energy came out it could do more damage than good. Teetering on that constant delicate edge, she could feel his strength returning more and more. Everyone had gone about their day within the sutras Kagome had brought up around the village. Feeling the angry energy around the barrier they provided though proved to be stressful. Even Rin was feeling more down than usual.

As Satomi took a break, she stood up and noticed everyone was outside. Sighing, she took a step outside of the door and noticed a shockwave of energy. Apparently, the spirit didn't like being kicked out of her own stomping grounds. Pity, Satomi wished she could do worse to eliminate the threat. However, it wasn't a demon and yet it seemed to be on the verge of something more. A breaking point that could make it all fall apart.

Kagome was near a sutra, chanting her spiritual energy into it. They were draining fast and it wasn't because of her lack of spiritual power. This spirit meant business and it was focusing on finding a way in. Walking up to her, she waited until Kagome was done with her chant and gave a small reassuring smile.

"She's not letting up, is she?" Satomi asked as Kagome shook her head.

"She's not. I don't know how much more I can hold her, but I can't see her. The aura is everywhere but the presence comes and goes. I don't know if my bow and arrow can quell this one," Kagome admitted. The original plan was to have Kagome purify it while Satomi and Sesshomaru were out of commission, but that proved to be less than efficient. Now the soul just kept moving and letting her aura permeate everything and remain invisible.

"There has to be something," Satomi said as they both headed back to the hut. Rin was sitting outside the hut door with Kohaku. They seemed to be talking as the women approached but the mood seemed so grim that Satomi was saddened by it. "Don't worry, we'll get out of here soon and back on the road. We have a war to win."

Trying to be positive when she felt just as miserable was beyond difficult. The two nodded but she knew this place was making them depressed. Couldn't go anywhere and yet couldn't stay. The aura felt as if they were put into a cage and someone was constantly knocking at the bars. Trapped.

Suddenly realizing something, she turned her head quickly to look at the barrier. She had an idea, a rather reckless one but it could work. What use was she as a divine being if she couldn't even figure an angry spirit out.

"Kagome, I have an idea," Satomi said with a small grin.

"Somehow I don't think I'll like it," Kagome said with a sigh. "What can I do?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I really don't like this plan," Kagome said with a groan as they prepped for Satomi to go outside of the barrier. Inu-Yasha agreed for the first time in ages so willingly. Rin and Kohaku looked at her with worry as well. Everyone seemed to agree, but Satomi had held a valid point earlier with the formation of this plan.

Her memory went to earlier in the day. 'What if she's lashing out because she, herself, has been trapped? What if she's the one being tortured? If I can't help this soul, what hope do I have in saving the rest of this land?' It was a sad thought. If this soul had gone through the same thing Satomi did, it was more than hell, it was the lowest level imaginable. Ripping and tearing at your body that you can feel to the marrow of your bones to your heart and soul feeling the agony. There was a personal vendetta from the soul, and Satomi wanted to help. If it wasn't her, it could have been anyone and there was no telling if anyone else would have made it back as she did.

"I'll be fine. I know what to expect this time and I won't have Sesshomaru interfere. He has done enough," Satomi said nodding her head towards the still slumbering demon. Walking outside, Rin and Kohaku were to remain inside while Inu-Yasha and Kagome would back up Satomi. Kilala was to protect the hut.

Rin burst out of the hut in tears as she wrapped her arms around Satomi's waist. Rin had grown into such a beautiful young lady and Satomi would live to see her grow every day until she had to say good bye. Today would not be that day of severance, she would be sure of that.

"Don't go away," Rin said burying her face in Satomi's shoulder as tears rolled down.

"I'll be back before you know it. Sesshomaru will be there with you and I'm sure if he feels the need he will wake up. He's a stubborn demon that way," Satomi said with a confident smile as she hugged Rin back and patted her head. "I don't let her get the upper hand this time."

Nodding into her shoulder, Rin backed away slowly as Kohaku came back out to escort her inside. Rin looked back as Satomi made sure to keep eye contact with a smile and a wave.

"You seem confident," Inu-Yasha said with an arched brow.

"I'm not, but she needs me to be," Satomi said honestly as Inu-Yasha just shook his head. He knew what she meant. To be strong for them so that they could hope for the best instead of expecting the worst. She was the opposite of his brother, and yet he could tell she impacted him greatly over the last few months. She wasn't the woman he deserved, but she was the woman his brother needed.

"We'll be here, just let us do our job and you do yours. We've been through worse," Inu-Yasha said patting her shoulder as Kagome smiled and nodded agreeing with her husband.

"Right, let's get it done." Satomi walked forward to the edge of the barrier. Pressing her hand to the border, she could feel someone pressing back. Looking up, she saw the spirit. She was more ragged than Satomi remembered. All this effort into trying to break the barrier must have done a number. Or rather they were seeing the real soul for the first time.

All the pain raged through Satomi, but she knew it wasn't her own. It swirled around her like a torrent of water, knocking her back before she got up again. All the while she could hear a voice. It was small and belonged to a young woman. She could see a tree with blood everywhere along the roots and trunk and a figure laying lifeless before it. 'Help me.'

Darkness took her but it seemed to be more of a vision. Eyes opening and shutting as a demon spoke words she couldn't understand. A chant of some sort. The ripping and screaming were all Satomi could make out in the midst of blood and darkness. The moon was full, and the tree was blooming cherry blossoms of white. The ones low enough were red and dripping with her blood. The demon was human like, eyes of a glowing yellow and white as porcelain skin. His clothes looked to be that of a noble, the colors of black and white were splashed with red. It was his laugh though that rang through her head as the most memorable. The cackling laughs of evil that showed how much he enjoyed the torture.

Suddenly it went dark again. A figure in a ripped kimono of what used to be a light blue now tainted with red blood, her face was looking down as she walked towards Satomi. Stopping a body length ahead of her, Satomi just waited. It seemed like an eternity as she could hear her friends calling her in the reality she must have left behind.

"Do you hate me enough to kill me?" the figure asked wavering, as if she had been crying. "End it, goddess."

Coming back to reality, she found herself on the ground with Inu-Yasha and Kagome above her. Blinking, she sat up looking to the barrier. The woman was there as she had seen her in her vision. However, this time, the woman looked up. Beautiful caramel eyes and flawless skin of her face. Her kimono was the only evidence of the heinous act done to her. Black hair flowing down to her lower back was dripping blood off only the ends. Proof she was still living that day's events. She wanted someone to kill her. To destroy her soul once and for all.

"Kikyo once held my soul, I sense her essence with you. Her purity made the pain go away as I helped sustain her life for a time. I wanted the pain to go away again. But when I realized it wasn't her, I knew the pain would keep me here as it did before. I cannot forgive or forget, so I linger. The village left in fear of me and what had happened. Now, there is nothing but pain," the woman said to everyone.

"The demon?" Satomi asked as she stood up.

"In the forest yet preying on women that wander. The barrier is what Kikyo made to make sure he wouldn't escape, but someone tainted it to make sure only he, his prey, and the dead could move in and out of the barrier. I've been lingering for so long now trying to make those who enter flee for their lives."

"So, you tear them apart?" Kagome accused as Satomi raised her hand.

"No, she didn't want to do that. When I was there, I sensed an anger, a part of him he left behind. That's what has been pursuing us. He uses her as a way to weaken his opponents. She started to warn me before that part took over. He's using her to relive her darkest memory. The darkness that keeps her soul here. Touching my hand with the barrier, this is the real her," Satomi said now understanding with the difference between the two energies she felt from the soul. She was trapped in this brutal cycle. "Perhaps your barrier was the only solace she had in years."

"That's so sad," Kagome said now realizing why this soul seemed so insistent with her barrier. She was drawing out the purity to keep the demon away. Satomi could see the tears welling as Inu-Yasha even looked solemn.

"Even more of a reason to kill this bastard. Demons can be brutal, but this is something else. Something far worse," Inu-Yasha said as Satomi nodded her head.

"I agree," Kagome added as she squared herself up. Everyone looked to each other in agreement. It was settled, they were going to kill this heinous demon and help this woman once and for all.

"But the barrier is an issue. Since Jiro has warped its purpose, it will be more complicated to break," Satomi said realizing their only problem with going right away.

"I can weaken it, but only for a moment," the spirit said forelornly as she pointed to a spot next to the village. "You walk to your death. However, I cannot stop you. He wishes to meet you, as Jiro has told him much about you."

"This has trip written all over it," Inu-Yasha said narrowing his eyes. "No going around it though, this is the only break we've had. Trap or no trap."

The spirit nodded and looked to the ground. Satomi could feel the regret and pain from her knowing she was being pulled behind the scenes of this trick.

"What is your name?" Satomi asked her finally.

"I have no name. It is how my soul remains with him, it is now lost to me," she said sadly as she looked to Satomi with surprise. Satomi supposed that was the first time her name was ever asked for.

"What name would you prefer? I think Akemi suits you. It means bright and beautiful," Satomi said with a smile on her face. The soul looked at her in shock.

"I am anything but those descriptions. Do you mock me?" she asked as an angry tone passed through.

"I meant it as hope. A bright and beautiful future, with peace," Satomi clarified as Akemi smiled. The thought seemed to put her at ease.

"I hope you are right, goddess," Akemi added as she went to the barrier. "You won't have much time. Head east or follow the scent. Either way you will find him. He already knows you are here and awaits you anxiously." Disappearing, a small rupture in the barrier was slight, but they took their opportunity. Sesshomaru would be there and Kohaku could handle his own. They had no time to make other plans. It was now or never.

Rushing through, the aura through the other side was thick with the smell of blood and fear. Making a shudder run through Satomi, she could feel her confidence waning. If the demon was close, that was one thing, but his presence was quite a distance to the east. To feel the aura from here, it was no wonder the village was abandoned.

"This is bad," Kagome said looking around on edge as well.

"Too late now, just stay behind me," Inu-Yasha said to his wife as she nodded her head. "You too, Satomi. I won't have Sesshomaru kill me now because you had to play brave."

Shaking her head, it was hard to argue. Satomi was hardly the one to let a man defend her when she could very well defend herself, but this aura made her sick to her stomach. All the women he tortured, their souls called to her. All of them were trapped here. No longer able to control the urge, her stomach lurched against her as she went on her knees.

Wiping her mouth with her arm, she was pale as she rose up. "I can hear them," she said as Kagome went to her side and soothingly rubbed her back. "All those women are calling out to be saved." It was nearly deafening as the voices overlapped each other. However, in the distance, she concentrated on a figure. It was Akemi.

Akemi was pointing to the east and disappearing. "Looks like we have a guide," Inu-Yasha said as he sniffed the air, putting his sleeve to his nose. "The sooner we can get out of here the better. Let's get this over with." Following her, they made their way to where she had been, and she'd appear a distance ahead keeping them on the direction of their cause.

The voices were still echoing inside of her head, but her stomach still felt uneasy even with it being emptied. Occasionally, she would feel a strong presence of a woman and it would disappear just as fast. Looking in the direction, there would be a tree soaked in red. All the trees here seemed to have some red or another on them. As if they had soaked the blood into their core. They were getting closer now.

"Welcome to my Red Forest," a man said with a cackling laugh. "Jiro told me you would be here, and I was to entertain you. He's been a fan of my art for years." A beastly demon jumped from a low bough of a tree and landed just feet from Inu-Yasha. "Ah, the half demon I heard defeated Naraku. I usually only feed on human women, but I wonder what you taste like."

His body looked much like a wolf that was feral. Standing on his two hind legs, his arms had bulk in muscle and his claws were sharp and stained with blood. His eyes were wide with insanity as he looked to the women. Dark black scraggly fur covered his body and his long tail shook back and forth in anticipation.

"Taste this," Inu-Yasha yelled out as his Diamond Tessaiga shot out his Adamant Barrage. Many of the pieces pierced the trees and Satomi could hear the cries calling out. Their souls… they were all trapped.

"Inu-Yasha! The women's souls are in the trees! Don't strike them," Satomi said as the demon looked to her in shock.

"If you haven't noticed there are a ton of trees! Damn it," Inu-Yasha yelled back as he stood in front of Kagome. "You can't tell me every one…" While he looked around, the shock came upon his face. He could smell it now even more. "You sick bastard."

"Jiro said you were clever, but to discover that so fast. You truly are good enough to eat," the demon said with a menacing glance that gave away his sick appetites.

"Your fight is with me, demon," Inu-Yasha said as he sheathed his Tessaiga. Jumping forward, he was now in hand to hand combat with the demon and at a strong disadvantage. While the demon was bulky, his strength outmatched Inu-Yasha in hand to hand combat. Everything happened so fast. Suddenly, Kagome fainted and Inu-Yasha was knocked through two trees before he too was unconscious. Satomi could feel Akemi's involvement. Was she doing what she did to Satomi?

"You'll have to go through me," Satomi said as she swirled her energy around her like a whip.

"With pleasure," the demon said as he charged forward on all fours faster than she anticipated.

Suddenly there was a figure blocking her path. His scent was so familiar and welcomed now. He did say he would always protect her, but she didn't sense he was happy with the current situation.

"Stand down, woman," Sesshomaru said darkly as he held the demon by the neck in midair. "This demon is not worth your time. Hardly worth mine, but he must not live. This place is beyond cursed."

Angry was hardly the word for it as he used his poison claws and the demon narrowly escaped gasping for air as the claw marks had burned deep into his throat.

"You're the lover of the goddess. A demon lord… you make me sick," the demon said as Sesshomaru's eyes glowed red.

"You will not speak of her," was all he said as he disappeared and reappeared to make his strike. Narrowly missing, they continued to fight, and the odds were much more balanced now. As Satomi looked to Kagome, she could see her look to be in pain. It was starting.

Scrambling over, she touched Kagome's forehead and could see what was starting. The pain of the shockwaves was just the beginning. She wasn't too late. Sensing Akemi, she was now being controlled by the demon. Even as he fought, it was rather impressive but still the hold he had on her soul was intense. Fighting back the aura of the demon, she could feel Akemi trying to push with her. She wanted to be free from his grasp. Satomi's aura was attacking any that came near as a small orb of purification grew around them. It encased them as now and all Satomi could see was Kagome on the ground, Akemi sitting on her knees beside her crying and the background was almost completely white. Shadows of the events of Sesshomaru's fight could be seen but not heard. It was so peaceful.

"You… this is your power?" Akemi asked as the tears continued to fall. "This peace?"

She didn't know what to say. Closing her eyes, she could see Akemi's torture now clearly, but she worked beyond that memory now until she found a memory of a man calling out to her. "Yuki," Satomi said with a small smile. Reaching out to 'Akemi', Satomi closed her eyes as she grabbed Akemi's hand. "You were named after the first snow in a northern village. It was the largest blizzard they had ever seen. Your father fished as your mother took care of you and your four siblings. You fell in love with a young man that was traveling through the village looking for work. Hideki was his name. You were married and in love."

"I remember now," Yuki said as she too closed her eyes. "It was so long ago. We had a baby girl. Her name was Aoi, and she was the most beautiful baby. Then the famine and sickness took them both. We lived here and I couldn't bring myself to stay or leave. That's when it happened. I was so overtaken by grief… I followed a voice that said it would all be over."

"Allow me to bring you this peace. You and all the other women beyond this hell," Satomi asked as Yuki nodded.

"I am ready to be with them again. I know you will seek our judgement." As she started to disappear into the white light, the white world they were in started to expand. Satomi's goddess garb flowed around her body as her eyes glowed a bright light. Floating in midair, she could feel her powers call out of her. They knew what to do for her as she thought about purifying all the women. Suddenly, her voice sprung out of her singing to the souls that were now being brought to their loved ones. All of them had lost something. Homes, families, their very lives. Feeling their gratitude, she knew she would have to finish this herself. Her pride would allow her nothing less.

"One day you will realize,

The stars you are chasing shine bright deep inside you,

But will you ever let it shine from within,

And cast all of your fears aside?

You'll see the light, but until that day comes

My Dearly Beloved,

Be strong, I shall be there

Always here beside you

So, keep your head held high,

The shadows of this world

Will try to steal you away into their arms

But you belong in mine"

Everything slowly started turning back to the regular scenery as the demon was angrily trying to reach for Satomi as Sesshomaru fended him off for her. Seeing the souls leave, the demon was thrown into a rage. Feral and strong, he cut Sesshomaru's face as he struggled to get through to her.

As she stood up, she looked to him calmly and appeared before him reaching forward. As she touched her hand to his chest, he feel back and gasped for air. Blood spewed from his mouth as he looked down. His body was slowly transforming into a man's. Scraggly black hair that was to his shoulders, eyes wide from not only insanity but confusion. His arms were still muscular, but his body was still deformed as he was transforming back and forth.

"He was a human once, but his sick hunger and deal with a demon made him into this beast," she said as she stood by Sesshomaru. "Jiro has partook in the devouring of these women's souls until there is almost nothing left, only to see them struggle to come back. I have heard the cries of these women and no more will I let your breath taint this sky."

As the demon looked to her in fear, he screamed in agony as his human side came to fruition. "How do you know all this?" he asked screaming at her.

"I heard, the women told me as much and your eyes tell me I know the unclouded truth. Die," she said as her battle axe materialized above him and took his life in one fatal blow. "Rest now, everyone."

Sesshomaru looked to her as she looked up at him. "I disobeyed, I suppose."

"No supposing about it," he said with a sigh as he turned around and walked to his brother. Using his poison whip he cracked the sound above his head making Inu-Yasha lurch up quickly. "But you did what you had to do."

"You bastard," Inu-Yasha yelled out as he realized what Sesshomaru had done. Looking to Kagome, he rushed to her. "Kagome?!"

"She sleeps now. I made sure no harm had come to her," Satomi said as Inu-Yasha sighed in relief.

"The air smells cleaner," Inu-Yasha noted as he took in a couple sniffs. The red was gone from the trees as well.

"I suppose it would. I just purified 526 souls," Satomi said trying to remember the exact count.

"You talk like that's a nice walk in the park to do all at once," Inu-Yasha said raising an eyebrow.

"Well, they were suffering. I couldn't let them go through life like that knowing it would continue. They deserved to be with their loved ones, not left to rot here," Satomi said with tears starting to form.

"It was foolish, but you saved them all," Sesshomaru said looking towards the mountain that was their main goal before this mess. He seemed to be sulking, but he also sounded proud of her. He was always a mystery to her.

"We should head back," Satomi said as Inu-Yasha picked up Kagome to carry her. Satomi knew the baby was fine and she was sure Inu-Yasha knew the same. Just sleeping off the slight pain of inner soul torture. Satomi knew it all too well.

As they walked back, Satomi felt a surge of pride. She did that, she saved the day. Those women were grateful, and she felt fine for doing it. Her body slowly transformed back to normal as they walked, and her goddess power surge lifted. This journey would be hard fought, but she felt no regret, especially now. Her life would be dedicated to protecting the weak. Protecting this land from Jiro's evil grasp.