The Sealed Inuyasha; I Am Not Kikyo. Chiyo raised his hand and pointed.
The ring of light at the bottom of the ancient well widened again.
The flow around its edges grew even more violent, like a pot of boiling water, and Demonic Energy surged out through the cracks.
It spread through the narrow bottom of the well, forming a pale black mist.
Chiyo stood before the ring of light, his long white hair moving on its own in the Demonic Energy though there was no wind.
Kagome stood half a step behind him, one hand clutching the hem of his clothes, the other gripping the flashlight she had brought from home.
The beam of the flashlight could not pierce far through the mist. It could only light up the small patch of ground beneath their feet.
"Ready?"
Chiyo's voice was very calm.
Kagome took a deep breath.
"Ready."
Chiyo held out his hand.
Kagome placed her hand in his palm.
Chiyo clasped her hand and took a step forward.
The two of them walked into the ring of light.
Kagome felt as if her body had been torn into countless pieces, then pieced back together again in the next instant.
The feeling lasted less than a second.
Then her feet landed on solid ground.
Kagome opened her eyes.
She was standing in a forest.
The air was damp, carrying the smell of earth and rotting leaves.
The canopy overhead blocked most of the sky. Only a few strands of moonlight leaked through the gaps between the leaves, casting deathly pale patches of light on the ground.
The flashlight had gone out at some point. Kagome shook it, but there was no response.
Chiyo stood beside her, his gaze sweeping over their surroundings.
"This is..."
"The Warring States Period."
Chiyo's