The halls were darkly lit, the ground speckled with drips of water as a silent storm raged outside, so quiet it was hard to believe that the heavens were crying at all. Inuyasha lowered his red hood carefully, brown eyes flickering over the area suspiciously. A figure suddenly emerged a few paces away, stepping out from behind one of the cracked stone pillars that supported the ancient ruins. The figure smiled, and Inuyasha scowled.

"I thought I told you I never wanted to see you again, Naraku."

"Is that why you continue to search for me?" Naraku inquired as he scooped wet black hair away from his eyes. He leaned against the pillar, arm above the head that rested on the damp surface. "If you think I'm that naive, you're really more of a fool than I could ever have taken you for. Are you enjoying my gift as much as I am?"

"Get out before I cut your throat."

"Is that how you speak to a God?"

Inuyasha's eyes sparkled with amusement. "You're no God; we both know that."

Naraku shrugged. "I granted you immortality. Isn't that something only a God can do?"

Inuyasha scowled and drew his red cloak tight around himself as drips of water rolled down his black head. "Why did you choose to show yourself to me, on this night. Did you think you'd have the upper hand now that the moon is dark?"

"Of course," Naraku smirked, "you're weak. Just as you always were. But at least this way I won't have to worry that your anger will strike down the mountains." He pushed off of the pillar lightly and approached. "I was curious of the side effects of you living this long. I'm surprised that, without your renewal after every life cycle, you aren't showing more signs of corruption."

Inuyasha lifted his chin up in defiance. "Five hundred years is a short time in comparison to the age of the Earth. Maybe you should have thought of that before casting your curse and making me un-killable."

Naraku chuckled. "If you died, you'd just come back and forget everything you did to me. What'd be the purpose of that? If you're going to suffer, I need you to remember."

"Your plan backfired. If you haven't noticed, the power of the Four Souls grows stronger with age. An immortal Soul might become corrupt, but it is far stronger than anything you'll ever be able to defeat."

"You still have these stages of complete and utter weakness every month, though." He sighed, eyes cast to the dripping ceiling. "And you should really keep this place more tidy. When I ruled-."

"When," Inuyasha spat, "when you ruled. You don't anymore. Get over it."

Naraku's eyes flashed. He spun away rapidly and began to walk away.

"Hey!" Inuyasha cried, taking a step forward and reaching for his sword, tessaiga. "Where are you going?"

Naraku didn't respond and kept moving away rapidly. Cursing under his breath, Inuyasha followed in quick pursuit. As Naraku turned another corner, Inuyasha pulled out the blade, which was rusty and worn, but was all he ever carried on his person. He kept up for a few corridors, but after that lost the red eyed man to the darkness.

"Coward!" He called, gritting his teeth. "Come out!"

"Inu-!" A high pitched voice called softly, before being cut off. Inuyasha stopped in his tracks as the small sound echoed off the walls, the stillness of the building suffocating him as he realized who the cry had belonged to.

"Kikyo!" He called into the black void of the halls. He was breathing hard as a drop of water rolled from his chin to the floor, hitting it with a soft plunk. He leaned forward, and suddenly he was running fast, almost faster than humanly possible. He followed blindly any small sound he heard, eventually ending at a large wooden door. He knew this door. It was his bed chamber. He reached for the door knob and found it turned with ease. His face contorted with worry. This door was to be locked. It was always to be locked. Shakily, he pushed against the wood. It creaked open. His eyes went wide.

Red. So much red.

And pain, he could feel it. An amount of pain so large it echoed through the space as her voice had moments before.

But the stillness...the silence…

It terrified him the most.

"Kikyo!" He rushed in, tearing apart the sheets of the soaking red bed. He found no trace of her, and he could not tell if the blood was hers as his senses were dulled by the moonless night. "Kikyo!" He called again, moving onto the furniture. He pushed the bookcase to the floor, smashed through the locked closet, broke open the wardrobe. Nothing. He found nothing.

"Where is she!" He rasped. "I know you can hear me, you bastard! Where is my wife!"

"Inu...yasha…" The voice was so faint, he could barely make it out. It came from above. Something dripped on his face, and he almost let it slid past, thinking it was another drop of rain. But it was warm. He wiped it away shakily and inspected it. Dark. Copper-smelling. It ran down his finger and joined a small puddle at his feet. He lifted his chin up, ever so slowly, to face the ceiling. Pain-filled brown orbs stared back. Black hair dangled downwards, sticky with copper-smelling liquid. Light began to pour through the windows as the sun decided to begin to show, and with it, the castle rumbled. "Do not...be upset."

"K-Kikyo…" Tears streamed from Inuyasha's eyes as the sunlight reached them, morphing them into a bright gold. His black hair shimmered to silver as pointed ears sifted to the surface of his head. He reached a hand up and perfectly formed claws sprouted, needle sharp. He reached farther, trying to touch his beloved, who was pinned to his chamber ceiling by arrows in both her hands and feet. A mixture of blood and tears dripped into his out stretched palm, and he closed it shakingly, the walls splinting with cracks as it clenched.

Kikyo's eyes begged silently as her weight pushed her further down on the arrows, making the blood flow more rapidly. "You are...Nigimitama...you must...keep yourself together…"

Tears threatened Inuyasha's eyes. "And you are Sakimitama...you cannot die…" His eyes narrowed as the sound of shifting earth grew strong. "Naraku…"

"It wasn't…" Kikyo took a shaky breath, trailing off as her brown eyes became clouded. Her head rolled to her chest and she was silent.

"No…" Inuyasha lowered his arm and stared, unable to say another word. The walls trembled and crumbled, slowly falling around him. Kikyo's body dropped and landed in his arms. She was cold, lifeless. Any piece of her soul had fled her vessel, already being carried away to a newborn who would carry on her duties. He managed to lightly place his fingers on her cheek as tears leaked from his eyes and fell into her hair like clear diamonds. Leaning forward, he kissed her gently on the lips. The east side of the room collapsed. "Let me die." He whispered through the tears. "Why won't he let me die."

The ceiling fell, and both were buried beneath the rubble.