Trails of Pain and Love by Walter205

Prologue

"Ouch!" exclaimed Kagome as she landed onto the hard packed dirt floor on the bottom of the well after a fairly lenghty fall. She opened her eyes, first gazing upon her bruised knees and hands, before glancing downwards at the bottom of the well.

Once again, there had been no flash of light to signal a transition through the times, and once again, when she turned her gaze heavenwards, there was the unblocked view of the sky. Her eyes became misty as she was forced to accept the situation that she was in, that she could never return to her first world, five hundred years forward to her own present.

Sighing, she climbed the roughly constructed rope ladder up to the top of the well, where other people were waiting for her. Her grandpa, her little brother Souta, plus Miroku, Sango, Kohaku, and Shippou all waited for her.

"No such luck, huh?" asked Sango gently as she came to help Kagome from the well into a sitting position.

"No.." simply replied Kagome as she looked forlornly at the ground her feet were resting on.

"Then, does that mean we can't go home?" asked Souta, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. The death of his momma and of Buyo had hit him hard enough already, as had the death of Inuyasha, all attributed to Naraku, who at least himself was now dead.

"Be brave Souta. I'm sure that someday, we will be able to return to our proper time." spoke up Grandpa, wrapping his right hand around the little boy's head, pulling the kid to him gently.

"Oh, Grandpa..." replied Souta as he began sobbing softly into the older man's kimono.

"There there me'boy, I'm sure that everything will be all right." reassured Grandpa as he leaned down to fully embrace the boy in a much needed hug.

"Grandpa...." whispered Kagome, tears running down her cheeks now as well, as she kneeled next to the old man and her younger brother. Without another word, the old man reached out the other arm and pulled Kagome into the family embrace as well.

Sango and Miroku stood watching, as did Shippou and Kohaku, the four of them being gracefully silent for a moment, before the two elder ones started moving away from the scene.

"What do you think we should do about this?" asked Sango gently, hooking her arm through Miroku's right hand, the one that used to contain the wind tunnel.

"For now, I think it's best if we just make sure that there is extra lodging and food avilable for them. But we'll need to talk with Kagome and Kaede later to determine what the best course of action is." added Miroku, his hand placed thoughtfully on his chin.

"Poor Kagome lost her lover and her mother in one night. Although we both lost two dear friends ourselves, I cannot help but to send my own heart out to Kagome and her loss." said Sango, clutching the materiel over her chest, as she looked back to where the group was huddled by the well.

"I agree. I too feel for Kagome. With the loss of my own parents, Mushin is like a grandfather for me. I can understand what she is going through right now." replied Miroku. With that statement, he took Sango's hand in his own, as she leaned her head against his shoulder. They continued walking down the path towards the village.

* * *

Amaru glanced up as the shadowy figure entered the chamber and seated himself at the head chair held there within. He bowed deeply, until the figure told him it was okay to rise.

"Dread lord, I trust your mission was a success?" gently inquired Amaru. Even though he was one of the lord's most trusted servants, he did not know the name of the one he followed, only the title of respect that he was to bestow upon him. Such was the way things went in the underworld.

"It was, my faithful servant. I now need your services with the matter at hand." replied the dread lord.

"I shall accomplish whatever it is you have me set out to do, or die trying." boasted Amaru with pride in his voice.

"I know you will. The triplets have already been dispatched. The night of their power is approaching. There is a woman that we will need to achieve our purposes, a human female. While the triplets distract the others, you will need to...convince her to join us." the lord's voice making it obvious what he was referring to.

Amaru grinned, his fangs gleaming from the glow of the nearby torches on the wall.

"It shall be done, my master." he said, before once again bowing. With a dismissing wave from his master's hand, he departed to carry out his mission.