The Snow Angel by SunsetMiko

The Stone

Chapter 209 - The Stone

*Skip Turn Step* (Stella's Soundtrack Challenge)

Unwilling to allow the witch inside his palace, Sesshoumaru met Migotoyami at the gates, Kagome and her adult companions at his back. The witch smiled as they came into sight. Of course they had sensed her. The miko was powerful and sensitive to darkness. She had been the one to sense the spell bags, after all, so she was also familiar with the feel of her magic. Migotoyami waited until she was within speaking distance before addressing them.

"My Lord, My Lady," she said as she bowed low.

"Tell me, do you have the information I seek," Sesshoumaru demanded, not in the mood to dance around the issue with the witch.

He was stressed over the idea of leading Kagome into danger. He knew she would be instrumental in the defeat of Naraku and that she was the only one who could purify the jewel, but that didn't make risking her life any easier. He had already revived her with his sword once, and if she were to be killed, he would lose her forever. The potion had increased her healing ability, but she wasn’t immortal.

"I do," she said, her smile curving into a smirk. "It was easier than expected. The wind witch played her part perfectly. She is now free of the dark hanyou, and in doing so, lay in place a beacon to lead you directly to where Naraku sleeps. He is resting just outside of the Western border in an abandoned village. This," she said while holding out a small red stone, "will lead you there."

*I Will Continue to Destroy Evil* (Stella's Soundtrack Challenge)

For a moment, Sesshoumaru cursed the fact that Shippo was safely inside. The kitsune would have been able to look at the stone and know for sure if it was safe for him to touch or not. Without him, he would just have to trust the witch, something he was wary of.

"What is it?"

"The other half of the tracking spell. The first half is resting directly beside the hanyou in a jar, where Kagura's heart used to be."

"If this is a trick, you will pay with your life, witch," Sesshoumaru snarled before taking the stone she still held out towards him.

"It is not a trick, My Lord. I have learned my lesson. I must tell you Kagura suspects the spider is protected with spells or traps. She does not believe he trusts her enough to leave her and his other minions as his only protection."

"She has attempted to betray him before. It makes sense," Miroku mused mostly to himself.

"What kind of spells and traps?" Sesshoumaru demanded.

"That I do not know," she said slowly, worried that he would be upset with her for not finding out. "I do know that the village he resides in is considered by most to be haunted."

"Haunted?" Kagome said slowly. "Is that even possible?"

"No," Sesshoumaru replied, never taking his eyes off of the witch before him. "But it could be an illusion made to keep others away."

"We're used to his tricks," Inuyasha said confidently. "Illusions or not, we're taking him down."

"I wish you the best of luck," Migotoyami said before turning to leave. As she walked away, she slowly seemed to fade until she disappeared completely.

"She's tricky," Sango said. "Do you think she was ever really here?"

"No," Sesshoumaru replied. "But she was not far. She projected her image to protect herself."

"But the stone," Miroku said. "It's solid. How could an image hold something real?"

"She is extremely powerful, monk. It would be wise not to underestimate her abilities."