Summary: Naraku has been defeated and the Shinko no Tama is once again whole and pure and in the care of Kikiyo who by the power of the jewel was given back her immortal soul. Inuyasha has a choice and he chooses Kikiyo. Heartbroke Kagome returns to her time, it's been two years since she has been to Feudal Japan and the power of the well has been sealed but lately her dreams have turned into nightmares of the past, could she go back? Should she go back?

Authors note: Just a pebble in a sea of Inuyasha stones...er...stories.

Antiquity's Rune

Chapter One: Into Feudal Japan

The silver moon rose high above The Higurashi Shrine to cast it's light upon the courtyard of white snow; brown eyes gazed from the window to watch as small flecks of white slowly fell from the night sky to join it's brethren on the ground. Slowly the gaze shifted to look upon The Bo-Shin-Boku, it's leaves had began to fall and lay scattered among the snow from the wind. Turning the brown eyes moved to the clock,

"Two am..."

Her voice was quite and strained; the last few weeks nights had become an unwelcome part in her life, where sleep would claim her and then the nightmares would begin. It had been a while since she last had a dream of feudal japan and the events that took place there but now for the last few weeks everynight was the same, she was in the past, running from something that terrorfied her, bodies littered the ground, bodies of her forgot friends, a black monster would raise from the ground before her. Shifting she turned back to the window, she didn't want to think of it and tonight she had vowed that sleep would have claim her restless mind. It had been two years since the death fo Naraku and her return to her time...and...Inuyasha's decision. With a soft huff she turned from the window and it seemed for that moment things slowed, her hair caught in a wind that should have never exsisted in her room and out of the corner of her eye she say it, the vague image of Inuyasha impaled on the tree. Gasping she spun around, her hands reaching for her window to whip the open, gripping the ledge tightly she leaned outwards, her brown eyes widening as she stared at the tree...there was nothing there. With a small moan she collasped to the floor her hands gripping the soft carpet tightly,

"Why...Why is this happening...? I have to know..."

Her hands formed fists as she gripped the carpet harder and with a soft sight she slowly let her fingers unfold against it, her voice quite in the cool night,

"I have to go back..."

The thought of returning to feudal Japan wasn't a pleasant one, she wanted to put it behind her, wanted to move on from things that just wasn't meant to be. Clenching her jaw she moved to her feet, her brown eyes staring out the window at the Bo-Shin-Boku; resolved she turned away and quickly began packing her things, removing her pj's she replaced them with a knee length black skirt and a short sleeved black top with a sailor collar and a red bow on the front. This was her new school uniform of her highschool soon, pulling on knee high socks she looked around the roomf or her shoes and frowned softly and dropped to her knees to dig underneath her bed to pull out a pair of sneakers. They were almost never worn but in feudal japan they would make for much better traveling then her school shoes. Slipping on the black sneakers she moved out of her room and down the hallway in a quite fashion has to not wake anyone; once in the kitchen she quickly packed some food and moved to the front door. Stepping outside and into the cold she shivered slightly and ran towards a small new shrine/dojo that had been built next to the house.

Stepping inside she looked around and quickly snatched up her bow and quiver, she had been taking archer and had become quite good at it. Moving to the wall she reached up and pulled down a her dark brown Bokken from the wall and looked at it with a soft frown, in the last year or so she had taken up Kenjutsu at a neighbouring Shrine. She wasn't sure about taking the bokken but it could be useful. With a sigh she returned back outside, her brown gaze moving towards the shrine where the Bone Gobbling Well rested and quickly she moved to it, sliding the door open and moving inside,

"I thought you'd come here."

Twirling around she stared at her Grandfather who stood near the well,

"Grandfather! I ...I was just..."

Turning slightly to look at his Granddaughter the old man nodded,

"I know, I have been wondering when you would show up...The well has been alive for a few weeks now."

Frowning softly she moved down the steps to stand beside her grandfather,

"It has?...but why?"

Placing his old hands against the edge of the well he closed his eyes slightly and then reopened them to look at her with a small smile,

"It's been waiting for you..."

She shifted uneasily and moved the backpack to her left shoulder as she bit her lip as her grandfather moved to place a hand on her arm,

"Everyone has a destiny...and...this is yours."

She wasn't sure what to say, maybe she wanted to scream, she was tired of destiny, tired of japan, tired of the past. Slowly she nodded and leaned towards her grandfather to place a kiss on his forehead,

"I'll be back soon."

And with those words she placed her hand on the edge of the well and jumped. She would feel the magic pulling at her, pulling her down into the past.

At the edge of the well her grandfather moved to wipe a tear from his eye as he turned away from the well,

"No my granddaughter...you won't."

I'm Kagome, I'm 18 and in highschool, I study history, do Archer and Kenjutsu. I've been to Feudal Japan before and now, two years later it's calling me back...I'm not sure if it's right to go or not, but i have to find out...if this is my Destiny.

Terms:

Bokken- A wooden Japanese Sword about the size of a Katana.

Kenjutsu- A Classic Japanese martial art with the objective to teach the efficient use of the Japanese Sword in combat.

Chapter Two: Coming into The Nightmare

Kagome tilted her head, her long black hair shifted against the black skirt she wore as she looked up at the sky; it was full of stars, she was definitely in Feudal Japan but thinks seemed strange, even from inside the well. With easy movements she pulled herself up and out of the well; sitting on the edge her chocolate brown eyes scanned the area, there was something very wrong here. Cold chills in the air made the air on her arms and she wrapped them around her body, her gaze shifting from left to air. What was that in the air? Frowning she shifted the backpack so that she could carry it on both shoulders and slowly she pulled away from the well stepping onto the dieing grass of her once beautiful feudal Japan.

Grimacing slightly Kagome decided that her best course of action would be to head to the village, perhaps the miko there could help her and tell her what had happened here. Something…strange was hanging in the air that she just couldn’t place her finger on. It only took her about 15 minutes to reach the village and the feeling of dread within her drew as she moved over a hill, once reaching the top she paused, her eyes widening in disbelieve and shock.

“Wha….”

Kagome’s heart sunk deep within her as the colour drained from her face,

“Where….where is Kaeda’s Village?”

The village wasn’t there, maybe she would have reacted differently if it had been brunt to the ground or torn down…but it just wasn’t there. As if it had never been there. Looking around her she had to make sure...was this the spot? Of course it was she hadn't been gone that long that she would forget. Something in the air made Kagome feel sick to her stomach, there was something dark that clung over the spot where the village and once been. Standing in her spot Kagome wasn't sure what to do. She had imagine coming to his village and seeing the people from her past and being directed to the problem at hand but now, she was lost as of what to do. Should she go back into the well in hopes of returning home or continue on alone? Shifting the pack against her back her brown eyes narrowed slightly as she stared down at the field. There was something very wrong here and it was up to her to find out...even if she had to do it alone.

With a small frown she made her way down the slope of the hill, pausing for a moment as she entered the section of field where the village should have been. Kagome shivered as a chill crawled along her flesh and her eyes quickly canned the area. There was definitely something sinster going on here. Softly her voice drifted along the air as she talked to herself, asking the question she could ask no other,

"What happened here?..."

If the village was gone did that mean everyone who had once lived in the village was gone? Was Inuyasha gone? Kikiyo as well? Shifting she bent low to the ground to take a closer look at a flower that was growing in the field with many others of it's kind. It was like nothing she had seen before; a little like a rose yet the petals were much bigger and it had a small golden center that appeared to be an orb. Slowly her hand reached out to touch the flowers sparkling center, her fingers inches away,

"No! Don't touch it!"

It seemed out of nowhere a little girl, no more then ten years old, appeared. She was dressed in a miko's white and red robes, her hair was black and pulled up into pigtails, which were tied with red ribbons. Kagome was taken aback, the young girl appeared to be in good health and well but what was she doing here, frowning Kagome with drew her hand from the flowers golden center,

"Who are you? Where did you come from?"

The young girl paused, her eyes widening in uncertainity as her small hand moved to touch the bow on her shoulder,

"I'm Miru (Mee-roo), Miko...I was sleeping underneath the tree..."

Kagome shifted slightly against the ground as she stood to her feet, she was slightly bewildered by the girl. Surely a girl so young couldn't be a priestess or in such a place alone,

"What...What are you doing alone here? For that matter what has happened here? Where is Kaeda and Kikiyo?..."

Her voice caught slightly in her throat as her hand clenched into a fist at her side,

"Where is Inuyasha?"

--

Miru sat across from the girl in the strange clothing, so far they hadn't really talked and Miru had avoided answering her questions but she had done her duty and taken her out of the Cursed Field and once again she sat underneath her large tree, supplies littered the area. Shifting in her spot she looked over her shoulder, she wondered when her mother and father would be back, she didnt' want to wait in this cursed area much longer...and definitely not with the strange girl,

"I asked you a question...actually i asked you several, i'd like some answers."

Miru cringed slightly at the tone of the girls voice, it was slightly upbeat and friendly but she could hear the underlining tension, she hadn't asked for answers to those questions she had asked, she had demanded them. The thing was, Miru wasn't sure... the girl seemed harmless enough at times but then there were times when she could feel this power run through her, this girl wasn't an ordinary person, that was for sure. Looking up from the small fire she had rekindled Miru smiled weakly,

"What was your name again?...I don't think you've told me...and...I would rather wait until my mother and father got here before we talked. They know more then i do..."

Miru watched the girl shift with irritation at the mention that they should wait from for her parents and her voice came out as a chilly whisper, enough to make Miru pull her robes closer to her body,

"Then i think i shall wait to give you my name."

Alright, so the wait with this girl wasn't going to be very pleasant but she had to be sure and sometimes her powers just wasn't enough to tell if this girl was evil...or good.

--

Kagome shifted in her spot, she was irritated and alittle more then upset, this girl knew something about what had happened, yet she was refusing to tell her anything, but of course she wasn't going to try to force it out of the girl and she knew she was being horrible rude. It was unlike her but she had to know what had happened and the longer she waited the tighter the knot got in her stomach, the more closer she came to screaming. Softly she whispered as she looked into the flames of the fire, she didnt' except an answer...but she had to ask,

"What happened here...?"

From behind her, she got her answer, two people covered by the darkness of the night stepped into the light of the fire,

"It was Inuyasha..."

I think you should state in your title in brackets that this is a fanfiction!

....this doesn't seem necessary to me but it doesn't seem necessary to me to comment in a story thread when you have no actual comments on the story.

I mean, are you going about telling everyone without a bracketed description of what type of story it is this as well?

It just doesn't seen necessary when the information is just a click away....^_^;;;

D: Maybe you should state that it's a fanfic in the thread title. I thought it was something interesting with original characters from the name, and then I was disappointed with the whole Inu-Yasha thing. :c

Which you found out in the first sentance, so it isn't like you had to read the whole story.

Even if i had stated it was Fanfiction you would have probably clicked to the link to find out what TYPE of fanfiction it was.

So maybe, "Inuyasha Fanfiction" Or something even more detailed so people don't have to click the link and read the dreaded summary...<.<

Sorry if this seem sarcastic, it seems that it's just a bit of laziness to me to not click the link to find out what the story actually is/about.

Maybe all those poems should be labeled by what type of genre they actually are? Or their scheme?

....*sighs* It's all just a little redundant isn't it? There's so much more to find out about a story when you actually enter the post and that title really just generalizes it....not that it's horribly bad, i just don't think it's something that required of everything...

*shrugs*...anyways, if you don't have anything to actually say about the story i'd appreciate the ending of ideal chatter of whether or not this thread needs a classification of what actually inside it. Since i've already did that....<.< Even though i don't quite see the point...*sighs and moves off*

Antiquity's Rune
Chapter Three: Taijiya no Mura


They had walked in silence for quite sometime, each going through events in their minds; thinking of what was to come. Biting her lip slightly Kagome made a decision and her steps became smaller as she trailed behind Sango and began to walk instep beside Kiouyasha. Her chocolate brown eyes moving to the boy that looked so much like her...like Kikyou's Inuyasha, "Kiouyasha...do you really not remember us?"

The black haired boy noticeably huffed as his sharp black eyes shifted to glance towards Kagome, "No, I don't know you, I don't recognize you and I don't remember you, nor do I care to. Only reason I’m with you pack of wolfs is because..." His voice drifted off slightly, he wasn't going to say it, he wasn't going to tell this girl it was because he had a hope, somewhere that they would find Kikyou unharmed and since they were searching for what had happened to the village anyways, he mind as well tag along, "....because I have nothing better to do."

Kagome hid the look of shock and hurt that wanted to appear on her face as she swallowed hard, her voice a tiny whisper, "oh..." Shutting her eyes, her body stiffened as she increased the speed of her walk until she was walking several yards ahead of the group, a silent tear slid down her cheek to glisten in the moonlight. She did not know what she was thinking...no matter how much she wanted to be over him and move on with her life, he was there in her heart, tearing it to pieces. No matter how much she did not want to love him...she still did, she still wanted him to be hers...for him to love her and not Kikyou. Even this...Kiouyasha, as little as he was of the Inuyasha she knew, she still craved his love. Two years and still, she acted as if things had never changed. She thought she had become stronger and wiser in those years but now it seemed as if it had just been a wall; one that crumbled and disappeared when she was near him. Sniffing softly her gaze moved ahead of her and to a small forest. She had to control her emotions, better still; she had to get over everything. Inuyasha was gone and even if he were here, it would have never changed anything between him and her. It was something she had to except. Quickly she nodded confidently to herself, "I have to move on." And she would...or do her hardest pretending she had, maybe if she was good enough she could fool herself. Sighing softly at her resolve she felt a small weight lift from her, even if she was pretending, at least it made her feel a little better. Slowly her walk came to a pause and she frowned at the forest, looking over her shoulder as Sango came up behind her, "Was...this always here?"

Sango cased a glance at Miruko and then back to the forest, "Actually Kagome...it wasn't here a few days ago when we paused by..." As she spoke, Sango's hand moved, lightly touching the Hiraikotsu on her back as Miruko moved towards the forest with a slight frown. Pausing, he turned back towards the group,

"It definitely has an evil aura around it...I would suggest we go around but somehow I don't think that will be possible."

Biting her lip Kagome moved closer to the forest her brow dipping low into a frown as she moved to grip the bow and pull it off her back but as she did so a long tentacle snaked from the forest and curled around her leg with amazing speed. With a scream, Kagome was whipped of her feet and dragged into the forest. Quickly Kagome moved her hands to cover her face as she was dragged through scrubs and other unpleasant things; with a cry of pain her body was pulled across some other sharp rocks (her back was mostly saved by her backpack) and she twisted her hand back to try to get at the quiver of arrows. As her hand reached for one she was pulled up into, the air and her brown eyes widened as she looked at the large black ball of mass; it had wide glowing eyes and at least a dozen other tentacles. Wiggling in her stop, she released with some dread that as she was pulled upside down to hang over the yokai's mouth her arrows had fallen from the quiver and now littered the ground. Cursing softly underneath her breath she reached for the bokken and pulled it free. She was not sure what she would do with the weapon but as she pulled it free, the strangest thing happened. With a flash of bright light the sword changed into a real sword, a slim black handle wrapped with a satin ribbon around it with a blade twice as long that was a cool shining metal. Her lips parted in a gasp but her wonder was quickly lost as she was suddenly Sango's voice was heard,

"Hiraikotsu!"

The large weapon flew through the air towards Kagome and snapped the tentacle in half and Kagome began falling towards the creature’s mouth, however the beast turned to confront the three people that had dared to attack it and Kagome bounced off its body, tumbling onto the ground. Quickly shifting to her feet, she ran from the creature but it seemed to sense her movements and quickly two tentacles launched towards her. Swiftly she jumped the first and in reaction to the second, she brought up the sword to hold before her, her eyes closing as she did so. As the second tentacle was about to ram into her she braced herself but she did not feel the impact, all she heard was a 'zing' and a sound which seemed like blood splatter followed by warm thick liquid on her face. Blinking open her eyes she watched as the monster failing tentacle began to glow white; this white light began to consume the creature and slowly Kagome turned to stare, her eyes wide with disbelieve, the sword slowly lowering to her side. If she had cared to look, she would have seen the look of wonder and shock on Sango and Miroku's face as they watched the yokai be swallowed up by the white light. When its whole body was consumed, it seemed to quiver and exploded into hundreds of tiny white lights that slowly drifted to the earth; as they did, the forest began to disappear as if being cleansed of its evil aura and demon that created it.

Kagome simply stood in her spot, parts of her body covered with the blue blood of the yokai. Swallowing hard her gaze was drawn to Miroku as he began to talk,

"Kagome! That was amazing...where did you learn to do that?"

Miroku probably did not realize how stupid his question was but Sango gave him a smack in the back of his head and an odd look to make him understand. Shifting, she moved to place her hand on Kagome's shoulder, "Are you alright Kagome?"

Kagome blinked and looked towards Sango and was in the act of licking her lips when it touched a blue blob of blood and she began to hack, "Ahhhhchhhk."

She began to bounce slightly and Miru quickly produced a white piece of clothe which Kagome snatched up and began to wipe her face off, shivering with disgust as she did so, "God, I forgot about this...the crazy demons and the blood and...intestines.."

Shivering again she finished wiping off her skin and handed the tainted clothe back to Miru, who quickly shook her head and held up her hands, "That's alright Kagome you can keep it."

Grinning weakly she muttered a thanks and pulled the backpack off her back and dropped it to the ground. The bag was torn and ripped in several places and already in a few hours, the bag had looked like it was several years older. Sighing she stuffed the white clothe into the bag and fixed a few straps before she flung it back onto her back and began moving around the now field like area, gathering of her arrows and putting them back into her quiver. She seemed to be going around in a daze; she still held the blood stained sword in her hand and did not even seem to notice. Sango and Miroku glanced at each other worriedly and slowly moved towards her while, Miru stood back and watched but before they would say anything Kiuoyasha seemed to appear out of the darkness his eyes narrowing on Kagome,

"What are you doing?"

Kagome did not even seem to hear him as picked up the last few of her arrows and placed them back in the quiver. Sango frowned at the boy, "Kiuoyasha, hush...you don--"

"I don't know what? That this girl shows some amazing abilities and now is acting as if nothing has happened. What the hell is wrong with her?"

Miroku moved to Kagome and placed his hand on her shoulder and the girl paused in her actions, her shoulders slumping as her head dipped low, her bangs shadowing her eyes as listened to the boy speak,

"What in gods name is the matter? She's acting like---"

"Shut UP!" Kagome twisted to glare at the boy, her sword coming up to point at him. Tears had appeared in her eyes and in all seriousness, she felt like throwing up. As she stared at him, she felt sicker and she spun away, shoving the bokken back into its sheath, as she did it returned to normal. Stalking away Miroku followed her and Sango stayed behind with Miru and Kiuoyasha,

"We'll stay far behind, let Miroku talk to her..."

When Kiuoyasha appeared to speak Sango just held up her hand, "Please be quite...you have no idea what this means to her. So just keep your mouth shut..."

Of course, Sango was not always so rude but lately she just could not handle the stress. Wrapping her arm around Miru's shoulders, they slowly began to follow Miroku and Kagome.


Walking beside Kagome Miroku slowly let his hand slide from her shoulder as he moved the staff at his side, "Kagome at you alright."

Shaking slightly Kagome stared at the ground as they walked, "Miroku, I...I can't be -him-"

Miroku glanced sideways at Kagome; he knew what she was referring to. It was achingly similar to Inuyasha's sword, the Tessaiga, but this wooden sword seemed to have purifying properties.
"Kagome, you are not him...I believe that everyone adjusts to a situation. You coming here, you were bound to develop new abilities...I think this one has come into being because you need to be here...and since your arrows was lost to you, your powers did what they had to keep you alive."

Huffing softly she glanced sideways at him brushing her black hair away from her face, "You think so? But...why that..."

Miroku nodded with a small smile, "Yes I think so...and who knows..." He didn't want to say it but secretly he thought it was Kagome's need to be closer to Inuyasha that made her powers express itself in such a unique way. Glancing behind them he gave a little nodded and the rest of the group began to walk faster to catch up to them. Shifting, Kagome adjusted her backpack,

"I...I just don't know what I thought this was going to be like...why did I think it was going to be like old times...better.."

Sango moved up beside Kagome and rested her hand on the young girls shoulder with a small smile, "Things change over time...for you things may have gotten better and for a while it was here as well. It's only recently that it's been like this." Of course, Sango knew that not really, what Kagome was talking about but she thought that perhaps being ignorant to situation may help a bit, plus that probably wasn't something Kagome wanted to talk about, not yet anyway.

As they continued to walk, the night seemed to get lighter and Kagome wondered when she arrived. How long had it been since she had been here? In addition, was it healthy for a young child being up all night long? Talking a glance towards Miru she noticed that the young girl and began to slump, moments later Miroku picked the young girl up and put her on his back, she gave a small protest but quickly became quite and began to sleep. Kagome only smiled slightly as they walked, her mind wanted to wander, back to the way, things were but she strengthened her resolve. She would not think of how things use to be or how she wanted them to be. This was now and she would have to deal with the things that came her way...the things that had already happened.


----

Sesshomaru moved through the forest, his golden-amber eyes tracing the outline of the trees as he continued to walk, bending round tree branches and walking calmly over other moving things. Pausing in the middle of the woods his eyes narrowed as he a whip of light and suddenly turned cracking it back and to his left. The energy moved right through a tree and it began to fall away. Standing there was a girl with flowing black hair that reached her thighs, her eyes appeared to be black. She was wearing a Kimono that was black with white patterns along the sleeves with a white obi that had red and yellow patterns with some flower like patterns as well. She also wore Sashinuki Hakama, which was black as well. Her upper torso was covered in similar armour to Sesshomaru’s own and hooked to her waist was a sword. Sesshomaru's expression did not change as he looked at the girl, "You should not be so careless Rin, if I were your enemy you would have been dead by now."

Rin's form shifted slightly to the right and suddenly from a branch above Sesshomaru the real Rin jumped from it's branch her sword ready to come down on Sesshomaru's head and the man stepped to the side and Rin's sword cracked the ground and she quickly she pulled it free and swung towards Sesshomaru's chest. Sidestepping his fist moved forward and stopped inches away from her face,

"As I said Rin you shouldn't be so careless, even if your illusions appear to be real they do not carry your scent and anyone such as me could easily find you."

Rin sighed as her shoulders slumped and she stepped back, the illusion of herself vanishing,

"Hrmp..."

Maybe Sesshomaru would have smiled but he only arched an eyebrow at the young girl as he stepped around her and began to walk. Slipped her sword back into its sheath she took a place just behind Sesshomaru and to his right,

"Next it shall be different Sesshomaru."

"Let’s hope it is Rin or you will not survive long where we are going..."