InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Temple of the Dog ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Inuyasha. Those are the property of one Rumiko Takahashi. I thank her whole-heartedly for giving us such an amazing manga/anime to read/watch.

Temple of the Dog - Chapter 5

It wasn't long before the first villagers arrived at the temple. All were anxious to great Inuyasha. Most had spent their lives coming to worship at the temple, viewing their deity sealed to the pillar. They were curious, too, what their deity would be like in person. After all, theirs was the only temple they knew of with a living deity. Most simply had statues devoted to their gods.

The villagers carried various offerings. Nobody was without something to place before their lord. It would not do to greet Inuyasha without something to show their loyalty to him.

Miroku welcomed all comers at the door of the temple. He quickly introduced Kagome, who couldn't help but notice that the same gangly teenager from the previous couple of days was one of the first to arrive. He carried with him an offering for Inuyasha in one hand and a small bouquet of wildflowers for Kagome in the other. He held the flowers out to Kagome, who graciously accepted them and helped usher him into the temple with the other villagers.

Inuyasha remained unmoving against a pillar. He looked suspiciously at each villager as they entered. He stood so still that at first the villagers were concerned that he had become sealed again. Several people gasped when Inuyasha stepped away from the pillar he had been lounging against. He was obviously not happy about having to greet his followers.

Kagome glanced nervously at Miroku, not sure what she should do. He shook his head. Diplomacy was in order here, and who better than the priest to defuse a tense situation.

"Welcome, worshippers. As you can see, the news of our lord awakening is true. We ask that you be patient with our deity as he is unfamiliar with you all. Remember, he hasn't been able to greet his followers personally for fifty years." Miroku made large gestures with his hands and arms as he spoke, making sure to maintain an appropriate smile.

Inuyasha continued to glare. He wanted nothing more than to retreat to his chambers, but knew that he had no choice but to suffer through the day. He could only hope that the crowds would dwindle quickly. Once the villagers had seen for themselves that he was, indeed, awake, and had been to the temple to personally greet him, he hoped that most would stay at the village.

He found himself looking at Kagome. She looked radiant, smiling at each villager as they greeted her. Her arms were full of flowers and he relaxed as he watched her. He had to admit, at least to himself, that Kagome did make an excellent priestess. She looked so natural surrounded by the villagers. The children, especially, seemed to be drawn to her. Not that he blamed them. There was something special about her.

Damn it. Why couldn't he stop thinking about her that way? No matter how hard he tried to keep her out of his thoughts, she always managed to sneak in.

Miroku couldn't help but notice that Inuyasha was distracted. He followed the deity's gaze to Kagome and sighed. How could a simple priest compete with a deity for the affections of a beautiful woman? Well, he could only hope that Inuyasha would continue to remain distant to her. Perhaps she would turn to him for comfort when Inuyasha failed to respond to her.

The morning passed quickly, despite Inuyasha's unwillingness to play the part of the proper host. What he lacked in manners was more than made up by both Miroku's and Kagome's ways with the villagers. It was close to noon when an old woman appeared, accompanied by the familiar boy carrying a pot of hot food.

Miroku looked nervously at the old woman. "Lady Kaede, it's always a pleasure to welcome you."

The old woman glanced around the room. Her gaze fell on Inuyasha.

"So, it really is true. After all these years, you were actually released from Kikyou's magical seal."

Inuyasha stepped forward. He didn't like the tone of the old woman's voice. How dare she speak with such disdain regarding him.

Miroku stepped between them. He knew he would have to do something.

"My lord, I'm sure you remember Lady Kaede. Of course she was just a small child when you were sealed. She is the younger sister of the temple's first priestess, Kikyou."

Kikyou's sister? Inuyasha looked suspiciously at the old woman. Fifty years of living in the dry air of their land had left her face wrinkled and withered. However, there was something about her eyes. Well, at least her one eye. A patch covered her right eye. The remaining orb appeared bright, in spite of her obviously advanced age. While she was physically old, her mind had obviously remained clear. He thought back to the time fifty years before and pictured Kikyou's younger sister. Yes, despite her advanced years, the woman before him really was her.

"So, you walk the earth even though my sister is dead. I heard that you had awakened and came to see if it was true." She turned to leave.

"Lady Kaede, won't you please stay and share the wonderful meal you brought for us?" Kagome smiled sweetly at the old woman. It was apparent that Kaede held a deep resentment for Inuyasha, and the priestess hoped that perhaps if she were to spend time with him she would see that he wasn't the monster she seemed to think he was.

"The meal is not from me. It was sent by the old seamstress. I simply walked here with its bearer. It is not wise for a woman my age to be out in this heat by herself." Kaede continued to look at Inuyasha.

"Why are you staring at me, old woman?" the deity shouted.

Kagome rushed to his side. "My lord, please calm down. It's obvious that Lady Kaede is distraught over her sister's death, even after all these years. Perhaps if she could get to know how you really are?" the priestess looked hopefully at Kaede.

"Don't trust this monster or you won't live to regret it," Kaede told Kagome.

"Surely you are wrong. I have only been here for a few days but I know Inuyasha is not a monster." Kagome felt sorry for the old woman.

"I see you are already working your charms on the new priestess. I only hope for her sake that she doesn't end up like my sister." Kaede turned and walked as quickly as a woman as her years could. The young man quickly handed the pot he was holding to Miroku and turned to follow her into the midday sun. Despite her age, Kaede walked quickly away from the temple.

"What the hell?" Inuyasha slammed his fist into a pillar. The action shook the temple and caused a cascade of dust and grit to fall from where the pillar met the ceiling.

"You're going to knock the temple down if you keep doing things like that!" Miroku yelled as he dropped the pot he held and covered his head with his hands.

The dust slowly settled. Inuyasha glared at the priest. He had been through enough for one day. The deity turned and stormed off to his chamber.

Kagome stood by silently. She had never seen Inuyasha angry like this and it worried her. Of course, her first instincts were to follow him. However, a warning glance from Miroku told her that perhaps she should let the deity calm down.

Her gaze traveled to the broken clay pot on the floor. Miroku looked at her apologetically and offered to clean up the mess. Kagome shook her head.

"I need to keep busy. I'll take care of it. We'll just have to have a light meal. There was plenty of fresh fruit and cheese brought by the villagers this morning. And, I think the bread is still warm." Kagome found some old rags and used them to clean up the broken pot and spilled food. She washed her hands and began to prepare plates for each of them.

Miroku thanked her as he took his plate and sat on one of the benches to eat.

The priestess looked hesitantly in the direction of Inuyasha's chambers. He still needed to eat, so she picked up his plate and forced herself to carry it to his room.

At the doorway she called softly to him.

"Go away. I'm not hungry."

Kagome refused to be daunted by his attitude. It was obvious that Kaede's outburst had upset him, but he couldn't spend the rest of his life hiding from what had happened.

"I'm coming in," the priestess called and pushed through the mat.

Inuyasha looked down at her from the beam he sat on.

"I told you to go away. I'm not hungry."

"I'm not going away. You're going to come down here and eat. I don't know why Lady Kaede spoke the way she did to you, but she's an old woman. She obviously isn't over losing her sister, but you can't let what she said…"

"You don't know anything about it. I told you to leave. I just want to be alone!" Inuyasha snapped at her.

"I'm not leaving." Kagome set his plate on the table by his bed and sat on the edge of the bed. She wasn't going to let him scare her off this time.

"Damn it, woman. Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"It's obvious you are hurting over this. You shouldn't be alone right now." Kagome's voice was soft and gentle.

She heard a soft thud behind her but didn't turn around. Good, so he had finally come down from the rafters. A moment later she could feel the bed move. She smiled to herself. She knew without looking that Inuyasha was sitting on the bed behind her.

"Good. At least now we can talk."

"I told you to leave. I don't want to talk. I just want to be left alone." Inuyasha's voice was soft and low.

Kagome turned to look at him. He was sitting with his back to her.

"You should eat. The bread is still warm and I put extra butter on yours." Kagome could hear the pain in his voice. Kikyou's betrayal had hurt him deeply. Kaede's visit had only served to add salt to the wound.

"Why?"

"What do you mean?" Kagome's voice was comforting.

"Why do you insist on bothering me?" His tone was softer than his words.

"I don't know…" Kagome was still confused at her own reactions to the deity. She had no words to explain it to herself, let alone him.

"Will you leave me alone if I promise to eat?"

"I'll leave you alone for now. You can't lock yourself away like this forever, though." Kagome smiled slightly. It might have been small, but she had made progress with the stubborn deity. She stood up and walked quietly from the room.

Inuyasha turned and watched her leave. He closed his eyes and sighed before getting up and walking to where his food lay. He sat on the edge of the bed, noticing that again Kagome's warmth and scent lingered.

Why was he letting her get to him? Despite all his efforts to keep himself distant from her, he found himself wishing again that she hadn't left. He longed to call out to her to bring her food in and sit with him as she had before. Just to have her near. He started when he heard her call softly at the door.

"Can I eat my meal with you?" Kagome asked hesitantly. She wasn't sure how he would react, but thought that perhaps he would like some company despite his protests to the contrary.

"Come in." Inuyasha tried to keep his voice steady. He watched as Kagome moved the mat aside and entered the room, carrying a plate of food for herself.

"I thought you might like some company." Kagome moved to sit on the edge of the bed. She smiled at Inuyasha before turning her attention to her meal. Good, she thought. He seems to have calmed down.

They sat silently, each lost in their own thoughts as they ate. Inuyasha found that he liked having Kagome with him. Unlike Miroku, she seemed to know when to speak and when to just be there. Right now he didn't want to talk. He did, however, want Kagome by him. Her presence was calming.

After he had finished eating, Inuyasha turned to the priestess. She kept her gaze averted, focusing on her plate.

"Thank you."

Kagome smiled.

"You're welcome." She stood up and took the plate from him.

Inuyasha didn't protest when she stood up to leave the room. He knew she wouldn't be far away and that she would be back with his evening meal. She would be back. The thought was comforting.

"Well, I have my duties to take care of. I'll bring your dinner when it arrives." Just before she stepped through the door Kagome turned and smiled at Inuyasha.

He simply nodded as he watched her leave the room.

Miroku shook his head at her. "That wasn't the wisest thing to do. It would have been safer to enter a den of hungry lions."

"He calmed down. The visit from Kaede seems to have stirred up some bad memories for him. What he needs now is time. They say that time heals all wounds." Kagome filled a basin with water and washed the dishes off before drying them with a soft cloth and stashing them under the small altar.

Miroku shook his head again. He was going to have to try harder to impress the new priestess. She seemed more interested in their arrogant deity than in him. Well, claiming the spare chamber and making it comfortable for both himself and Kagome would be a start. He returned to the cluttered room, determined to find a way to clear it for his own use.

Kagome finished straightening the main chamber. The cleaning that she and Miroku had given it the day before left little for her to do. She glanced at Inuyasha's chamber door but decided that he needed some time alone. Kaede's words had affected him deeply and he would need time to think.

Perhaps a walk would clear her head.

"I'm going to take a short walk," she called into the spare chamber.

She was answered with a muffled curse followed by a cheerful warning to be careful.

Kagome opened the door which had been closed when Kaede left. She pulled the door closed behind her, struggling with the great weight. Once outside in the bright sunlight she realized that she needed more than just a walk. She started walking in the direction of the village. It wasn't far and she could complete her mission and be back long before dinner would be brought for the temple. Perhaps she could intercept the bearer of the meal and save them the trip, since she would be returning there anyway.

The day was sunny and clear, although there was something in the air that disturbed her. The journey to the village went quickly and without incident. Once she had reached the stone and packed dirt of the village streets she realized that she had no idea how to reach her goal.

Her young admirer spotted her and came running to where she stood. He stammered and blushed, not quite knowing what to talk to the priestess about.

She smiled at him. "Perhaps you can help me find my way to Kaede's house?"

The boy nodded. He would be more than happy to lead the beautiful priestess to the old woman's home.

Kagome followed the boy, asking questions about the village as they walked. He pointed out things of interest to her, including the homes of several of the village elders. Several children ran up to Kagome and handed her flowers, which she accepted graciously. Apparently the temple priestess was held in high esteem by the villagers. It took only a minute to reach Kaede's house, which was located near one edge of the village.

The house was small but well tended. A small garden framed the front doorway, providing a fragrant welcome to the visitors.

"Thank you for helping me find my way. I'm not sure how long I'll be, and I can find my way back." Kagome smiled at her guide. He smiled awkwardly at her and quickly disappeared down the street. He couldn't wait to tell his friends that he had walked with the priestess. He knew he would be the envy of his group of friends.

Kagome watched the boy leave before she turned and knocked on the door.

She could hear movement inside the house. A moment later the door opened, revealing the old woman who had visited the temple just a short time before.

Kaede looked at Kagome with surprise.

"I'm sorry to bother you at home, but I started thinking about things after you left the temple. I was wondering if, perhaps, you had some time to talk."

Kaede motioned Kagome into the house. "Time. We really don't know how much time we have, do we? My sister should have had a lifetime. Instead she is entombed behind Inuyasha's temple." The bitterness was strong in her voice. Fifty years had not been enough to heal the wounds left by her sister's death. The fact that the one she blamed for her sister's death still walked the earth had reopened the wounds and started them festering.

"I know that your heart is still heavy from the loss of your sister. Please, if my being here is bothering you, tell me and I'll leave. I only came to ask you some questions." Kagome could feel Kaede's pain and felt deeply for the old woman. However, she felt that Kaede's dislike of Inuyasha was unfounded and was determined to set things right.

Kaede led Kagome into a small sitting room and motioned her to sit down. The room was light and airy. Several pitchers filled with fresh-cut flowers decorated the otherwise plain room. Kagome felt comfortable there. She herself was one of simple tastes.

"Oh, before I forget." The priestess held out the flowers the children had given her. "These are not going to survive the walk back to the temple. Perhaps you would like to add them to yours."

"Thank you, my dear." Kaede looked at Kagome. The young priestess was definitely very outgoing and friendly. The old woman found herself liking the younger woman.

Kaede took the flowers and put a handful into each of the pitchers, adding to the garden-like effect of the room. She returned to a chair near the one Kagome sat in.

"What is it you wanted to ask me, my dear?" Kaede asked.

"Well, I really don't know where to start. I have questions about what happened to your sister. I don't know why you blame Inuyasha for her death and I hoped maybe we could clear some things up." Kagome shrugged. Convincing Kaede that Inuyasha was not a monster was going to be a difficult task.

"I blame him because he was the one who killed Kikyou. I saw him attack her with my own eyes. He even attacked me." The old woman pointed to the patch over her eye, lingering proof of the fact that Inuyasha was dangerous.

Kagome gasped. Surely the old woman was mistaken. "I'm sorry, but I simply can't believe that he would do anything like that. There is no darkness in his heart."

"What would you know of darkness in one's heart? You are a young woman, obviously attracted to our deity. It wouldn't take much for him to make you believe anything."

"It's not like that." Kagome was surprised at the old woman's words. Was her attraction to Inuyasha that obvious? No, despite his effect on her, she knew she was right. Her grandfather had told her that she had the gift of seeing into another's heart. Inuyasha's heart was filled with pain and loneliness. There was no darkness there. Of that she was certain.

Kagome tried to explain to Kaede why she knew Inuyasha was innocent. The fact that he had been genuinely surprised at the news of Kikyou's death and that he was feeling great sadness over it seemed enough to surprise the old woman.

Kaede peered at Kagome. The young priestess seemed so certain of her faith in their deity.

"How would you explain the fact that I saw him attack my sister?"

Kagome shook her head. "I was raised in a family that believes strongly in things that can't always be proven. My grandfather is an assistant priest at the temple of Osiris near the pharaoh's palace. He has taught me many things over the years, including that there are those with the power to change their shape or project illusions."

Kaede didn't respond. Kagome thought perhaps the old woman hadn't heard her.

"I know of these things. Perhaps, if my sister had enemies it would make sense. But, Kikyou was a kind person. She had no enemies. What purpose would someone have for doing what you suggest?" It was obvious that the thought had already occurred to the old woman. Naturally, she had tried to find some peace regarding her sister's death, including finding out why Kikyou had been killed.

"She was the priestess at the temple of a deity. Even the most loved deities sometimes have enemies. Perhaps she hadn't been the target." There were still things about the story that just didn't make sense to Kagome. True, she had only known Inuyasha for a few days, but in that time she had come to see that the stubborn, arrogant exterior he showed to everyone was just a cover. Of that she was certain.

Kagome told Kaede about her experiences with Inuyasha since coming to the temple. The incident at the river with the crocodile came to her mind. The old woman simply shrugged. "Perhaps he was just following you, hoping to get a look at you bathing."

"Not Inuyasha. Now, if we were talking about Miroku…" Kagome giggled.

Kaede smiled. "True, that temple priest is a known pervert. He comes by it naturally, since both his father and grandfather were just as bad. I had my own share of indecent propositions from them when I was younger. Of course, the current temple priest sees me only as an old woman."

The two women talked a while longer. Kaede related the story of Kikyou and Inuyasha as she knew it. It was the same as what Kagome had heard at the temple, except that in Kaede's version, Inuyasha had attacked Kikyou. Kikyou followed him to the temple where she sealed him to the pillar before succumbing to her own wounds. She had died on the temple floor only a few feet from where she had sealed her deity.

"Did anyone ever find the body of the dead thief?" Kagome asked. The disappearance of the body at the same time Kikyou betrayed Inuyasha bothered her. Could there be a connection? she thought.

"No, the body was never found."

Kagome thought deeply for a moment before turning to the old woman. "Is it possible for me to see the place where Kikyou nursed the thief?"

Kaede seemed surprised. "She found him in a deserted building on the outskirts of the village. His wounds were too great for him to be moved, so she went there to care for him. The building was already old even back then. It's not much more than rubble now."

"I'd still like to see it, if you wouldn't mind." Kagome's instinct told her that the answer to the mystery might be at the place the thief had died. His missing body still concerned her.

Kaede stood up and walked to the door. When they were outside, the older woman turned and led the younger one down the road, away from the main part of the village. It was a short distance to the remains of the building. Kagome noticed that the village wasn't visible from the spot because of a rise in the ground. If something had happened there, it would have gone unseen by the villagers.

As they came close to the broken stones and debris of the old building, Kagome felt a growing tenseness in her. The closer she came to the rubble, the stronger the sensation was. When she stood right next to the spot, she reached out a hand and touched a large chunk of stone, only to pull her hand away as though she had burned herself. She gasped and took a step backwards.

Kaede looked at the young priestess in concern. "Is there something wrong?"

"Evil. There is a great evil here. Or, at there was. I've never felt anything this strong." Actually, Kagome had felt an evil this strong one time before. Her mind shifted to her meeting with the pharaoh. He had appeared to be normal, but when she had come near him, the sensation of evil was more than she could handle. Then, when he had sent his men for her…

Kaede looked at Kagome. The young priestess was distressed. "Perhaps we should return to my home?"

Kagome agreed and quickly left the place where the dying thief had been. Had the evil been present fifty years before? Could it have had something to do with Kikyou's death?

Kaede invited Kagome into her home when they reached it, but the young priestess declined. She was anxious to return to the temple. She had her chores to do and wanted to rest before dinner. It had been a long and very stressful day. She bid Kaede farewell and walked back to the temple.

The young priestess passed the place where she had bathed in the river a few days before. The cool water looked inviting, and despite Inuyasha's warnings, she couldn't resist. She did, however, first check for signs of crocodiles, but found none. It was probably an isolated incident. As Inuyasha had said, the animals seldom came this far up the smaller rivers. They preferred the waters of the Nile.

She quickly disrobed and slipped into the cool water, letting it wash away the dust and tension that surrounded her. A noise on the river bank caught her attention. She squealed and ducked under the surface of the water with only her head showing and stared.

"You idiot. How dare you follow Kagome to the river." Inuyasha stood over a cowering Miroku. The priest rubbed his jaw where apparently Inuyasha had punched him.

"I simply came here to take a bath. I had no way of knowing that she would be bathing." The priest stood up and brushed sand from his robes.

"Liar. I know you well enough. You and your family are nothing but perverts. I told you to keep your hands off her."

Kagome was surprised at the emotion in Inuyasha's voice. That he was protecting her like this was even more surprising.

Miroku quickly walked back in the direction of the temple. Inuyasha stood on the river bank for a moment, watching the priest leave.

"Thank you." Kagome was grateful for Inuyasha's presence.

"I told you not to come to the river alone. You never know what kind of animal you might run into." Inuyasha's silvery-white hair moved in the breeze. He looked amazing standing there in the sunlight.

He turned to look at Kagome and stared. While she had watched his interaction with Miroku she had raised herself slightly out of the water. She wasn't aware of it until she saw the look on Inuyasha's face. He stared for a moment before blushing and turning away. The priestess looked down and realized that the river no longer covered her shoulders and chest. The cold water had accented her figure and there was no doubt that the deity had seen her.

Kagome ducked under the water again. It was funny, but she didn't feel as embarrassed as she knew she should. Once again, Inuyasha was having that strange effect on her.

"I suggest you get out of the river and get dressed. I'm going back to the temple. I have a few more words for our perverted priest." Inuyasha wanted to throttle himself. How could he have just stood there and stared at Kagome? He had called the priest a pervert, but didn't his own actions just prove that he was one, too?

He could hear the splash of the water as Kagome slipped out of it's chill and put on her clothes. Once again, her robes clung to her wet skin and Inuyasha couldn't help but notice that little was left to his imagination when he turned to look at her.

"Perhaps you should stay outside until you are dry." His voice was dull and lacking in emotion. He turned again and walked in the direction of the temple, hoping that she hadn't noticed his reaction.

Kagome looked down at herself and realized that the thin cloth clung to her like a second skin. Once again, Inuyasha had seen her. Funny, though, she realized that she didn't feel embarrassed. He had been a gentleman about it, too, but could knew from the look on his face that he had looked.

The young priestess walked slowly back to the temple. The warm sun and gentle breeze quickly dried her body and clothes, but she still hesitated before entering the temple. Something was still bothering her. She glanced at the back of the temple as she approached it. There, nearly hidden from her view at that angle, was Kikyou's tomb. She turned and circled the temple, stopping just in front of the tomb.

Would they ever know why Kikyou had shot Inuyasha? She had been the temple priestess. From what everyone had said, she had been a sweet and gentle person. She had been a good priestess and shown nothing but loyalty to her deity. Why, then, would she have shot him with the arrow?

Kagome stepped closer to the sealed door of the tomb. She could feel something hard under her sandal. She moved her foot and stooped down, picking up what appeared to be part of a seal. There in the sand by it were more pieces. She gathered the pieces and lay them on her open palm, reconstructing the entire seal. It was old and faded and looked more than just a little familiar.

Kagome gasped when she looked at the door of the tomb and saw the same seal there. However, the one on the door appeared to be newer. Once sealed, a tomb remained that way. After fifty years, surely the seal wouldn't look as bright. It would be more like the one in her hand.

The priestess ran to the temple doors, struggling to open the heavy hinged wood before calling out to Inuyasha.

He came running from his chambers, concerned that Kagome was in danger.

"I found this by Kikyou's tomb. The seal on the tomb looks new. Why was it changed?"

Miroku sat nearby writing on some papyrus sheets. He quickly put them down and approached Kagome. " The tomb was sealed fifty years ago and hasn't been touched since."

Kagome held out the broken seal. "This one is faded, like it's been exposed to the sun for a long time. The one on the tomb is bright. It looks like it was just put there."

Inuyasha and Miroku both ran out of the temple and to Kikyou's tomb. Kagome followed.

"Damn it, what's going on here?" Inuyasha peered at the seal. Kagome was right. It looked too new to be the original.

"I checked it just a few days ago," Miroku started. Then something occurred to him. "That was the morning of the day when everything happened."

"What do you mean 'everything happened'?" Inuyasha demanded.

"First there was the visit from the pharaoh. Then there was Kagome showing up. And, then, of course, was Kagome touching the arrow and releasing you." Miroku appeared deep in thought, trying to remember everything about that day.

"The pharaoh was here?" Inuyasha looked at the tomb. "You said you checked the seal that morning and it was all right. Now it's been tampered with. Who the hell would have done that?" The deity scanned the edges of the tomb door and suddenly reached out and grasped it, pulling the heavy stone away from the temple.

"My lord, " Miroku started to say, but stopped and stared.

When Inuyasha moved the door, they could see inside the tomb. There was Kikyou's sarcophagus, only the lid lay on the ground next to it. The four niches where the canopic jars should be were empty. Miroku quickly went into the tomb and peered inside the sarcophagus.

"Well, priest?" Inuyasha's asked impatiently.

"It's empty." Miroku looked dazed. How could this have happened? Who would have taken the mummy of the priestess?

Kagome stepped back from the temple. She held one hand at her neck. "No…"

Inuyasha became concerned. "What's wrong, Kagome?"

"I feel evil. There's a darkness here. I've only felt it two times before. Once earlier today. The other time was when I met the pharaoh." She took another step back and looked at Inuyasha.

"Okay, priest, tell us everything that happened that day." Inuyasha demanded as he led Kagome back to the cool comfort of the temple. She was visibly shaken and he wasn't faring much better. That Kikyou's tomb had been broken into was bad enough, but that her body was missing was more than he could take.

Miroku thought back to that morning and told them everything about the pharaoh's visit. He filled Inuyasha in on how he had found Kagome in the temple later that day. And, of course, the deity was already aware of the events following his own awakening.

"Why would the pharaoh want Kikyou's mummy?" Inuyasha was still in shock. It had only been a couple of days since he had discovered that Kikyou had died. Now he had to face the theft of her mummy.

Miroku looked at Kagome. "Perhaps now would be a good time for you to tell us how you ended up coming here."

The pharaoh's top advisor approached him. "Your highness, I have two pieces of news for you."

Pharaoh just waved a hand, instructing the man to continue.

"The first is that the sorceress has obtained the last ingredient needed to perform the ritual you require."

Pharaoh smiled. "Good. What is the other new?"

The advisor looked nervous. Being the bearer of bad news was not a good thing with a pharaoh like his. He cleared his throat and looked around nervously.

"There is a rumor, your highness. A rumor told by several usually trustworthy sources. They say that the deity Inuyasha has awakened. A new priestess is in place at the temple. It appears that she was the one who unsealed him."

The pharaoh stood up and glared at the man. "I need to know for sure if this is true. Also, if it is true, I want him taken care of. Oh, and the priestess should be brought here. Any priestess with that kind of power could be useful to me."

The advisor bowed to his pharaoh and quickly left the room, glad to have made it away with his life after being the one to tell their leader the bad news. He didn't know why the pharaoh cared so much about a minor deity, but he was not one to question orders. He snapped at several of his underlings to find out all they could. He then left the pharaoh's palace and walked to a local eating establishment, where he had a meal and a large jug of wine. There were days when it did not pay to be the pharaoh's top advisor.