A/N: Hello all. I was recently going through all my USB sticks to find space and found this gem hidden inside. I wrote this a few years back and had quite a few chapters prepared, so I thought it would be fun to continue the story as I have writing block with my other stories. So I hope you enjoy~

P.S. Please ignore any terrible grammar, as I wrote this when I was much younger. I will revise it soon to make sure its perfect.

Chapter One: The Ending

All stories have endings, but sometimes, those endings lead to new beginnings.

The air was hot and sticky that day; the stench was overwhelming with the tainted scent of blood and rotting flesh. The sky was a pale grey and clouds loomed overhead, threatening to swallow the whole sky with their sickening darkness. Trees that had once been beautiful and full of life lay torn from the ground, mangled and decaying beside the countless bodies of yokai that had been cut down.

This was no ordinary place, on no ordinary day. This was the final battleground between two powerful foes, on the day that would decide the fate of the world.

On one side of the battle stood a sickening creature; a person, who may once have been called a man, but was now so distorted with evil and demonic power that the line between human and monster was blurred. He went by the name Naraku.

Had you not heard his tale, you would learn that Naraku was once a human man named Onigumo, a pitiful bandit no less, that on the brink of death was saved by a beautiful priestess named Kikyo. Kikyo, the kind soul she was, had nursed the man back to health. Upon learning that Kikyo did not return his love, and had someone else she gave her heart to, Onigumo turned evil, violent and jealous.

Onigumo wanted power, and the darkness in his heart attracted demons. Onigumo made a pact, pledging that he would give his own body to all of the demons if they gave him enough power to destroy all those who had hurt him. He wanted revenge, and he would get it. Thus, Naraku was born from the devoured shell that was Onigumo's body. He became known across the land as a monstrous evil creature, dead set on destroying the world and getting his hands on the Shikon no Tama.

On the other side of the battle was Kagome and Inuyasha. Kagome Higurashi was a powerful miko, the reincarnation of Kikyo, that had been brought back in time to protect the Shikon no Tama from falling in the hands of someone who wanted to use its power selfishly. Kagome had wound up in the past when she fell down the well in her families shrine, hundreds of years in the future. Kagome had not seen her family in many years now, as they knew Kagome had a responsibility to save the world in the past.

Inuyasha was a hanyou; half demon and half human. He had been pinned to the god tree by Kikyo after being tricked by Naraku. Fifty years later he had been awoken by Kikyo's reincarnation; Kagome. Together they took on the task of completing the jewel once again and defeating Naraku.

The battle between these two sides had been raging on for days, and there had been many casualties.

Miroku had sucked too many Saimyosho into his Kazaana, thus poisoning him. Sango, trying to protect Miroku, had garnered a dangerous wound across her stomach and chest. Luckily she had been able to pull herself and Miroku away to the forest, staying out of the heat of the battle. Shippo had been exhausted near the beginnings of the battle, his small body was too weak to keep up with the war ensuing.

Kouga and Ayame had both taken injuries in protecting one another, and had sacrificed themselves to take take down one of the large yokai hordes.

Sesshomaru, who had oddly been kind enough to join the battle, had retreated to protect Rin and Jaken, still fending off the horde of yokai that was attacking the small town of Edo where most of the helpless civilians hid. Even Kagura, a kaze yokai who had once been a pawn of Naraku's, had turned on her master in hopes to help. The woman had been cut down long before.

This left just Kagome and Inuyasha alone to finish the fight, and they were winning.

"Iron reaver soul stealer!" Inuyasha yelled, slashing his sword through the air, causing dangerous blades to shoot forward to the enemy and cut through many of Naraku's tentacles. Any stray tentacles were purified by Kagome's arrows.

Naraku was growing weaker and his face showed his pain. "Its futile! You'll never win you wretched hanyou!"

"Keh, thats what you think, you overgrown octopus!" Inuyasha barked and looked over to Kagome. "Are you ready to end this?"

Kagome looked at Inuyasha and nodded. "Mhm."

"Alright… on my count of three, we take him down!" Inuyasha said. "One… two… three!"

On three both Inuyasha and Kagome launched their attacks. Kagome's purifying arrow merged with Inuyasha's sword's blades. The attack landed against Naraku's chest, and in a bright flash of light, the man was torn to shreds. What was left of his body fell to the ground.

Kagome's eyes widened. It had worked?

Inuyasha let out a breath and then a shout of joy. "You see that Kagome! We did it… We finally did it." Inuyasha sighed happily and slowly limped over to the half of the shikon no tams that lay in the remains of Naraku.

Kagome frowned. Wasn't it too easy? They had been fighting for days, yes, but Naraku wasn't idiotic enough to fall to just that tactic alone. Kagome's eyes widened as it dawned on her.

"Inuyasha! Its a trap!" Kagome yelled, but it was too late.

Inuyasha picked up the shard, only for it to disintegrate in his hands. A fake… A decoy.

"Huh? What the fu-"

A scream from behind him knocked him to his senses, and he turned to see Kagome completely trapped in one of Naraku's tentacles, with the the real Naraku drifting beside her.

"It was a trap!" Kagome yelled as best she could while being crushed by the tentacle around her. "He wanted to separate us!"

Naraku must have known that without Kagome, Inuyasha stood no chance of purifying the evil bastard.

"Keh, you bastard! Let Kagome go or I'll kill you!" Inuyasha yelled and raised his sword, ready to swing.

"Ah, ah, ah, hayou…" Naraku cackled. "You might want to listen to me before you swing… I have a deal that you will not want to miss."

"I dont make deals with monsters!" Inuyasha raised his sword. "Now say goodbye!"

"Not even for Kikyo?" Naraku said, tantalizingly.

The name made both Kagome and Inuyasha freeze.

"What do you mean, Kikyo? Kikyo is dead!" Inuyasha yelled.

A week prior to the final battle, Kikyo had been gravely wounded, and had said her final goodbyes to Inuyasha before walking off into the forest to finally be at peace. She had gone to die… This was impossible.

"Is that so? Then who is this?" Naraku cackled, and from behind his body a tentacle pulled out a trapped body… The body of Kikyo. Her brown eyes were wide with fear.

How is that possible!? It can't be! Kagome thought.

"K-Kikyo…?" Inuyasha choked on his own breath.

"Inuyasha!" Kikyo yelled, the very same voice that the real Kikyo had. "Inuyasha save me! He captured me before I could die!"

"Don't play these dirty tricks on me Naraku! How do I know thats not a fake!?" Inuyasha snarled.

"I suppose I don't have much evidence to show you if this is Kikyo or not… I suppose you must trust your gut." Naraku cackled, squeezing his tentacle around Kikyo tighter until the girl passed out. "Now… I won't give you much time to decide… I've never been a patient man. Either hand over the jewel or Kikyo will finally face her end." Another tentacle surged forward, this one aimed straight at Kikyo's chest. It was going to kill her.

Naraku's tentacle slowly but surely made its way to Kikyo's chest. Any second now and it would pierce her heart.

Kagome squirmed as she looked at Inuyasha. Was he seriously considering this!? Did Kikyo's life mean more to him than hers?

"Inuyasha!?" Kagome yelled.

Inuyasha sucked in a breath and made his decision, one that would change the fate of the world.

"Wait! Stop! I'll... I'll give you the jewel! Just don't hurt Kikyo!" Inuyasha yelled.

"What!? No! Inuyasha she isn't real! She isn't alive! He's tricking you, you can't do this!" Kagome cried out, but her mouth was forced shut and covered by one of Naraku's tentacles wrapping around her jaw.

Naraku laughed wickedly and looked down at the Hanyou. "And here I thought you were an imbecile. It looks like you do have a brain after all. Give me your part of the jewel and you get the girl."

Inuyasha looked away from Kagome's pleading eyes. Kagome could only hope and pray that this was all a rouse, that Inuyasha had some kind of plan up his sleeve and that he wasn't really giving up the jewel for Kikyo of all people. But deep, deep down, Kagome knew the truth. Inuyasha had never loved anyone other than Kikyo, and he would give the world to be with her again… He would even take his chances on a fake Kikyo.

"Here..." Inuyasha whispered and threw the jewel to the ground of the battlefield, between the two of them.

"Smart choice boy..." Naraku cackled and thew Kikyo's unconscious body through the air towards Inuyasha. The hanyou gasped and jumped up to catch his love, landing back on the ground with Kikyo in his arms, her head lolling against his chest. Meanwhile, one of Naraku's tentacles slithered forward to grab the missing half of the shikon no Tama. Finally, it was all his.

"Wait!" Inuyasha yelled. "What about Kagome!? Let her go!"

Naraku raised a brow. "She was not a part of the deal. This little miko is mine, and if you want to keep your lover, I would not say otherwise Inuyasha..."

Inuyasha's eyes widened and he looked between Naraku and Kagome. Kagome tried to yell, but her mouth was forcibly blocked by the tentacle wrapped around her. Her eyes welled with tears as she stared into Inuyasha's golden orbs. Please Inuyasha. Save me, her mind pleaded with him.

He had to save her. He was going to save her... right?

Wrong.

"I'm so sorry Kagome." Inuyasha whispered, his eyes breaking contact with hers as he clung Kikyo closer to his body. "I'm so so sorry. I'll come back for you." Inuyasha turned then, and in that moment Kagome felt herself shatter.

Inuyasha would not be coming back…

Heartbroken, Kagome watched as Inuyasha bound away from the battlefield, Kikyo held tightly in his arms. He never looked back. Tears blurred her vision, and before Kagome knew it, Inuyasha was gone forever.

A dark cackle of victory filled the battleground, reverberating through the air and filling up Kagome's head as she tried to squirm and get free of Naraku's grasp. It was no use though, she was trapped and Naraku now had a hold on the whole Shikon no Tama.

"Did you see that, you stupid girl?" Naraku asked as he brought Kagome's trapped body up to face him, their faces mere inches apart. Naraku held up the second half of the jewel. "The man you loved betrayed you, and now I have the jewel. He would rather give me ultimate power and risk your life, if only he could have Kikyo. There is no hope for you anymore. Your friends are wounded, your lover is gone with another woman, and there is nothing you can do. In mere seconds I will have completed the jewel and will become the most powerful demon to ever exist. I will rule the world and have infinite power. And you?" Naraku cackled at the thought. "You will lie dead with the rest of your friends after I slaughter them all."

Suddenly, Kagome's whole body was cloaked in a dark purple mist; Naraku's miasma. It covered her body, burning her skin worse than a thousand fires could. It filled her lungs and made breathing next to impossible. Kagome gasped for air, but every time she did it just hurt more. Her eyes filled to the brim with tears, spilling over the edges and cascading down her face. Kagome screamed in pain, the sound muffled by the tentacle.

"Now now, we can't have those beautiful screams of agony hidden, now can we?" Naraku asked, and with that the tentacle was removed from her mouth. Kagome's sobs and screams of pain were set free, echoing across the battlefield. Naraku only laughed at the sound of her pain.

So this is my end, Kagome thought to herself. Naraku's right... there is no hope for me.

Kagome watched through blurry eyes as Naraku took Kagome's half of the the jewel and pressed it to his chest. She watched it sink into his skin, disappearing from ordinary sight. With her miko powers, Kagome was able to watch her half of the jewel sink into the depths of Naraku's body to his heart where his own half of the jewel resided, fusing the two pieces together into one complete jewel.

"Ahhh, at last. The jewel is whole!" Naraku laughed in pure ecstasy. The jewel merged into one, turning from the soft pale grey colour into a sickening black. "I can feel the power surging through me! So much power... so much potential, and it's all mine!" His skin began to grow darker, his eyes turning red and two horns began to sprout from the top of his forehead. He was turning into a full demon. In a few minutes Naraku would be completely invincible. "Soon, I will be able to rule this whole world... and it's all thanks to you, little miko. The only person who could save you, betrayed you. You are all alone."

Kagome sobbed in pain, closing her eyes tightly. He was right... Inuyasha, the love of her life, had betrayed her for Kikyo. He had willingly given her and the jewel up in the slightest hopes that the woman Naraku had been bartering was the real Kikyo. The heartbreak was far worse than the miasma filling her body and killing her. Kagome was completely alone.

It was inevitable that Kagome was going to die. The miasma had already filled her body and was slowly killing her from the inside out. Maybe she was an idiot, or maybe she was just brave, but in her last moments Kagome couldn't stop but think about Shippo's big smile and bushy tail, Sango's laughter and hugs, Miroku's lecherous hand comically seeking the touch of women's bottoms, Sesshomaru's eye rolls, Rin's infectious giggle, Kouga's flirtatious demeanour, Ayame's smell of flowers, her mom's delicious cooking and kind words, her brothers annoying but sweet antics, her grandfathers wild tales about ancient legends... even Inuyasha's golden eyes as they pierced through her soul. There was no one left to save them...

Except for herself.

If Kagome gave up now, Naraku would completely absorb the jewel, becoming one with its powers. If that happened everyone would be doomed. Kagome knew she was going to die... but she wouldn't let her death be meaningless.

With all the strength Kagome had, she pulled her hand free of Naraku's tentacle. Naraku was no fool, and noticed this right away, but did nothing but laugh.

"It's futile, stupid wench." He cackled. "What do you think you could possible do? You have no power left."

Kagome winced and raised her arm, and with all the strength she lad left she coated her hand in Miko chi and slammed her hand through his chest, grabbing onto his heart and the jewel inside.

Naraku's eyes widened and he coughed in pain.

"What... do you think... you're doing?" He hissed through the pain.

"Taking you down with me." Kagome hissed back. "We shall be each other's partners to the afterlife."

Kagome closed her eyes and focused all of her miko power into the palm of her hand, trying to purify the jewel in Naraku's chest. She felt the shifting of the jewel, its darkness fauktering at Kagome's influence.

More, more... Kagome thought to herself.

Naraku began to scream and thrash about, but Kagome wasn't letting go. If she let go, it would all be over.

More... more! I am not weak! I am strong and I can do this! Kagome's mind screamed.

Her body felt like it was being torn to shreds as she pushed all the energy in her body into her hand. She could feel the tingling of the jewel within her palm, slowly becoming purified.

Just a little more!

Kagome's eyes snapped open and she stared into Naraku's petrified eyes. For the first time ever, Kagome could see fear in his dark eyes.

"No! NO!" Naraku yelled in pain. "You can't do this! I'LL KILL YOU!"

Kagome's mouth opened and her own screams mixed with his.

In that moment, the tethers that held Kagome's very soul together... shattered. An explosion of power flooded the battlefield. A light blasted around them, so bright that people miles away could see the blinding light. The screams of both Naraku and Kagome travelled across the world, filling everyone's ears.

And together, both Kagome and Naraku disappeared.

Everything was dark.

Her body was numb and all she could feel was her body drifting; floating through nothingness. Her body felt chilled even though there was no breeze and her eyes were heavy as though there was five hundred pound weights holding them down. What was happening? Why couldn't she remember where she was, or what had happened?

"Kagome… My child… Please open your eyes."

It wasn't a voice Kagome recognized, but somehow it was all too familiar to her. It was soothing, and made her spine tingle. Even though her body screamed for her to rest, Kagome couldn't help but pry her eyes open.

Drifting there, in front of Kagome, was none other than Midoriko, the woman who had created the jewel of four souls.

"Midoriko…?" Kagome whispered. "What are you doing here?" She whispered… More importantly, Kagome didn't know where here was. They were surrounded by pale blue light that shone around them in waves. It was much like what Kagome saw whenever she jumped through the well. "Where are we? I thought I…" What had happened? Was this purgatory?

Midoriko's face looked upon Kagome in sorrow. "Yes child… You sacrificed yourself to purify Naraku and save the world from his destruction."

Thats when it hit her, and the memories came swimming back.

Her friends being cut down, some dying and the others hanging onto their life from a thread. The final battle between her, Naraku and Inuyasha. The trickery and the decoy Naraku had pulled. Being captured. Watching as Inuyasha chose Kikyo over herself. The feeling of the miasma suffocating her and destroying her body. And finally, Kagome's last stand against Naraku, where she had purified him and killed herself in the process.

Betrayal. Hurt. Heartbreak. Pain. Alone. Broken… Completely shattered.

The emotions grasped onto Kagome and she began to sob, overwhelmed with the pain.

Midoriko watched as the girl cried into the nothingness around them. She could feel the sorrow seeping from the girls body.

"What am I doing here? Shouldn't I be dead then? When will this pain stop?" Kagome sobbed. "Why am I here?"

Midoriko reached out and cupped Kagome's cheek softly, making the girl look up with wide eyes.

"Kagome… There is something you must know before you go to the afterlife… Naraku… He is still alive." Midoriko spoke softly, knowing this information would be a shock.

Kagome's eyes widened. "H-How is that possible! I killed him, I purified him!"

Midoriko looked at the girl with pity in her eyes. "In the last moments before his death, Naraku released his soul… To be reincarnated in the next life."

"Then you mean… He will be reborn into another body? His whole soul, with the same goals?" Kagome whispered in shock. "Everything I did… was in vain?"

"No child… what you did severely weakened Naraku' soul, and before it could be completely destroyed, it found itself a new host body in the next life so that he might continue to wreak havoc when he grows old enough… Fortunately he wont remember his past life when he is reborn." Midoriko whispered. "But he is still a threat to the world… Though there is a way for you to stop it…"

"How?" Kagome croaked.

"I can send you to the next life as well, to be reincarnated again so that you may once and for all vanquish his evil spirit." Midoriko explained in her wispy voice.

Kagome watery eyes shut closed tightly, and she tried to stop another sob from coming out of her mouth. "How am I supposed to defeat anyone without my powers…" Kagome could already tell all of the power she had once had was gone. She had used it all up in purifying Naraku. She had put her whole life and soul into destroying him, and it had killed her as well.

"When you purified Naraku, you purified the jewel as well, and took it with you into this place… In the next life, people use what is called chakra to protect themselves. Since you have no chakra of your own, I can fuse you and the jewel together so that it might act as your life energy." Midoriko explained. "The jewels power will be yours to control."

Kagome whimpered softly. She would be reborn into another life… She would have to live and suffer through the betrayal and the hurt all over again… But if she didn't, her fight against Naraku was all for naught.

"Midoriko… If I choose to do this, there is one thing I request…" Kagome whispered weakly.

"What is it child?" The mystic lady asked.

Kagome grabbed onto her chest where her heart lay. "I don't want to feel anymore… Take away all the pain and make me forget. I never want to be betrayed again…"

"Are you sure, my child? What you ask of…"

Kagome began to sob again, her eyes aching at the feeling. "I never want to cry again!"

Midoriko watched the sorrow and pain express itself on Kagome's face and she nodded. It was the least she could do for the girl… She would seal off her heart to protect Kagome until she was strong enough to open her heart on her own.

"Alright my child… I shall grant that wish." Midoriko whispered and embraced the girl in her arms, hushing her sobs and lulling her. "It is time to sleep my child… When you wake again, you will have a fresh start."

Kagome closed her eyes as drowsiness dawned on her and her body began to go numb again. Her mind sank deeper and deeper until everything faded.

And everything was gone.