A Goddess in the Demon World || Sesshomaru

Chapter 66

'Anubis said it would work, but she's been like this for days now. We need to tell him to look for another way before we lose her forever-'

'I understand your frustration, son, but Anubis mentioned that it might take more than just a few days. You have to be more patient than that.'

I furrow my eyebrows in frustration, annoyed that someone has disturbed my sleep. "Why are you fighting?" I barely manage to say as I let out a yawn and rub my eyes, unable to see or talk to them. I know my eyes will only encounter suffocating darkness.

However, I quickly shut my eyes the instant they encounter a hint of light. What is that! That's definitely not the light coming from Athanasia's barrier. "What is going on? Why do my eyes hurt?" I ask while placing my hand on my face, afraid of feeling the same pain again.

As I finish my words, I hear quick footsteps and the curtains being pulled. "You can open your eyes now," I hear Inuyasha's familiar yet distant voice.

It takes me a moment and a few blinks to open my eyes, greeted by an unfamiliar blur. As my eyes take a few seconds to completely process the room, I see Toga sitting on the bed, his expression wrought with anxiety. "How do you feel?" He tenderly asks, while I feel Inuyasha taking a seat as well. But I don't look at him, instead, focusing on Toga.

I muster a smile to alleviate his worries, replying, "I feel fine." I pause for a moment before asking, to quench my curiosity and excuse his anxious expression, "How many days have I been out this time?"

"Days!" He glances at Inuyasha and back at me before suddenly stammering, "Well- You-Hmm. They weren't days." He avoids eye contact, prompting me to turn to Inuyasha for answers.

As my gaze shifts to Inuyasha, a shock courses through me like a bolt of lightning. He looks different, much older than the last time I saw him, as if I skipped years rather than just days.

My breath catches in my throat, struggling to comprehend what I'm seeing. "Inuyasha, what... what happened?" My voice trembles with disbelief as I reach out a shaky hand towards him. He gently places his hand on mine without saying a word.

I turn to Toga, hoping for clarity. However, it takes Toga some time before he finally speaks, his voice heavy with the weight of his words. "Zuri, dear, it's been... fifty years."

Fifty years? The words echo in my mind, impossible to grasp. How could fifty years have passed in the blink of an eye? I feel a wave of nausea wash over me as I try to make sense of it all.

Inuyasha's eyes, once vibrant with life and mischief, now hold a weariness that cuts me to the core. "I'm sorry, Zuri," he murmurs, his voice thick with emotion. "We tried everything we could, but time kept running out."

My heart pounds in my chest, each beat a painful reminder of everything I've missed. Once again, time doesn't allow me to live within. Once again, I lose so much of it. I bet I've caused so much emotional damage to this family more than what Naraku did. Tears blur my vision as I struggle to come to terms with the enormity of it all.

Toga's hand finds mine, a comforting presence in the midst of my turmoil. "I know this might not be what you want to hear, but what about Athanasia? I can't feel her presence," he asks, pulling me back to what's important.

I finally remember the state where I last saw Athanasia. She was far from fine, but if I'm awake, doesn't that mean she should be too?

However, I don't feel her presence either.

I dumbfoundedly glance at Toga, while saying, "She is not fine. She's been comatose all this time. A cloud of toxins has been engulfing her, and I have no clue what it is or how it reached her."

Toga takes a moment to think before getting up and stating, "Follow me." I furrow my eyebrows and glance at Inuyasha in confusion, but follow Toga anyway. We exit my room; Irgal looks at me with eyes wide open and quickly changes back to his serious expression. I smile as I follow Toga, hearing the familiar sound of Irgal's spear constantly hitting the ground, sending gentle signals all over the palace, probably announcing that I woke up.

When we reach the palace's garden, Toga flies off. I sigh, knowing that Athanasia isn't here for a quick journey-

I suddenly widen my eyes in shock as I feel Inuyasha casually slipping his arm around my waist and jumping off with me. I immediately blush because who wouldn't in the arms of a grown man. Damn it, Inuyasha.

"Let's land for a second," I utter to him and surprisingly he does without asking questions. I rub my forehead in frustration as I watch his serious expression. "Don't carry a lady like that again," I warn him, but his dumbfounded expression makes me feel guilty.

"It's a long way, and we have to catch up to Father," He sternly states.

"Fine, but carry me on your back," I suggest, and he simply turns around and crouches for me to get on his back. I bite my lips and allow him to carry me like he carries Kagome and Kikyo.

As we catch up to Toga, I start to realize that we are heading to the Northern kingdom. I narrow my eyebrows to enhance my sight; that's when I see a huge cloud of toxins, the spitting image of what is engulfing Athanasia.

"Does it look anything like this?" Toga asks, while Inuyasha puts me down. I take a few steps forward to get a better view of the distant toxins orb.

"It's exactly the same. What's the meaning of this?" I ask, turning my attention to Toga.

He looks ahead and states, "What's left of Odin should be there; however, I doubt anything is left of him. No one dared approach it ever since that day Sesshomaru got you out of there."

"Wait, are you telling me that this is Sesshomaru's poison? For 50 years, it has been like this without anyone trying to purify it," I holler at him. This

single orb can bring destruction to the whole world if it stays like that. Over time, it will engulf everything around it. Even Athanasia couldn't overpower it and stayed comatose all this time.

Toga hums and utters, "What do you suggest?"

It needs to be purified, but the only ones who can purify it are Kagome, Kikyo, and Moroha. Moroha is not an option since she is in the far future, same as Kagome, but Kikyo-

Is 50 years enough time for her to exist in this world?

I glance at Inuyasha and proceed with my thinking. Kikyo will be the best option, but if she is the right answer, I have the Shikon jewel. Doesn't that change history, probably making her powerless? Damn it, I have no definite answers.

The only way to confirm things is by going there myself and checking up on her. I just hope that if we happen to be that far in Inuyasha's future, I haven't missed killing Onigumo before he becomes Naraku.

"I will have to go somewhere with Inuyasha."