Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha...so don't sue me R.T!

Destiny: Curse of the Sacred Jewel

I stood with bow and arrow in hand looking out over the flatlands of this death-encrusted battlefield. Swarms of demons stood before us, some clad in battle armor, others standing or flying in their great and terrible majesty; claws poised and fangs bared in preparation to do battle.

My comrades and I had thus far fought valiantly since high noon against this massive force that Naraku, our sworn enemy, had formed to overpower us. When word had come to my ears that he, Naraku had finally fused together the remaining pieces of the shards and had gathered together a mighty army that was set to war against all we, who had pursued him. I knew then that the hands of fate had finally revealed its intended purpose in bringing us all together.

Glumly, yet with interest and anticipation at the upcoming showdown, I retrieved my bow and arrows then said farewell to the villagers who had welcomed me into their midst as a healer and friend.

In accordance with the request made by my first and only love. I met up with Inuyasha and his group and surprisingly with the men from my old home village, brave men, who were prepared to stand against the rule of a now very powerful foe Naraku. At first glance I had thought that we, myself and Inuyasha's gang of six; plus a handful of villagers were to be the only ones to partake in this massacre, but as we moved from village to village our numbers grew as we came across those who had heard of this terrible force and wanted to fight for possibly their last chance at freedom.

Our journey north to Naraku's strong hold was a slow and tedious one but no one complained as the dread and anticipation gave us much to think on. Along the way we came across a pack of wolves that joined our party and a full-blooded dog youkai who had in his company, a two-headed dragon and a toad demon carrying a staff with two heads.

My curiosity got the better of me so I listened very subtly to the exchange between Inuyasha and this dog youkai who shared a resemblance to him. I remembered then, that I had come across him before in my travels and in his party was a little girl who was now nowhere to be seen.

My suspicions were confirmed as it was revealed that Inuyasha and the youkai who went by the name Sesshoumaru, were indeed brothers. It seemed as though they called a truce in their quarrel towards one another to defeat a common foe. This Sesshoumaru carried himself with the airs of royalty his stoic persona never wavering no matter the situation. He intrigued me; perhaps if I had been allowed more time, I would have enjoyed getting to know him better; what an enigma he represents.

I sat alone on a rock as we made camp to rest for the day, night was vast approaching and the weary group needed rest from our long journey. We were getting closer to Naraku's forces, I could feel a mighty aura building in the distance about another days journey from here. My thoughts troubled me; if I could sense the demons aura from this distance what were we truly up against. The power of the jewel is awesome and in the hands of the cruel and manic Naraku and his hordes, did this group really stand a chance?

"You are Kikyou, the priestess who pinned Inuyasha to a tree…"

I was startled out of my thoughts by the question or rather the statement that was directed at me. I looked up to see him standing over me just to my right; I had not heard him approaching. Moonlight reflected in his eyes as golden flames from the campfire behind him gave his white kimono an ethereal glow. I wondered if I had not conjured him up when he stood before me like a statue made of flesh and blood, a god of sorts in his own rights.

I was surprised that he had approached me. Until just now I was virtually ignored except for chance glances from Inuyasha whose eyes spoke volumes though he did not leave my reincarnations side, to come to me after we departed this morning.

"That I am," I said without care.

It seems that news of my past had been far reaching; though I had no doubt that it would have gotten around by now, I loathed to be reminded of it.

He looked at me curiously the slightest flicker of his lids told me so "And why do you now sit here alone instead of with his group" he asked next.

I looked to Inuyasha's group briefly before returning my eyes to his, did he mock me, I wondered. How had I the great priestess given charge over the sacred jewel, come to find myself here in this fake body, cold and alone sentenced to watch my one true love share his company with my one true hate. Fate was sometimes cruel.

"The dead do not keep company with the living" was my reply.

"Hmm…well said priestess, but answer me this, do you then intend to die for him a second time?"

His question caught me off guard but my gaze never wavered. How much did he really know about my ill-fated life? His eyes gave nothing away of his true intentions in asking me such a question. I marveled at his bold assumptions; he would have made a formidable opponent had he tried to wrest the jewel from me as Inuyasha had tried to do, before my death. What is his reason now for fighting against Naraku?

"Does my eminent demise trouble you, Lord of the Western Lands?" I asked as my thoughts persisted.

"I care not whether you live or die priestess, however on the battle field I prefer to know whom my enemies are" was his cold response.

"I am only here," I said looking away from him to the stars that were starting to dot the evening sky "to repay Naraku in kind for my demise."

With that said he stood silently next to me for a few seconds before turning to walk away. I was alone again, my thoughts my only companion.

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When morning broke the camp readied itself for the rest of our journey. Those who needed nourishment took their fill while others such as myself gathered our weapons. I had spent much of the night meditating since this body no longer required sleep. I heard footsteps approach me as I looked over the surrounding area. I turned to see him approach.

"Inuyasha" I had suspected he would find his way to me sooner or later.

Like a moth to a flame he was drawn to me. For what reason I was unsure, perhaps because of our past together before tragedy struck us down, leaving me dead and him pinned to a tree. How I had hated him then for what I thought was his betrayal of the affections I held for him. To die thinking that the one you trusted and loved the most had only been playing you for the fool, in order to get closer to that thing which he desired above all.

"K-Kikyou, I wanted to wis…" I silence him with a finger on his lips. Surprise reflected in his eyes.

I did not want him to wish me luck, or promise to protect me in battle. Just the mention of my name from his lips reminded me of what was forever lost. How many sleepless nights had I laid on my bed when I was alive, and dreamed up images of a life spent together with him free from the burden of keeping the Sacred Jewel. But those wishful dreams were never meant to be, for someone else now stands by his side and I am but an empty shell of my former self.

I knew she was watching us, she was always watching, never giving us a moment to be together without her interference. Was she brought here by fate to be a constant thorn in my side? Briefly I wondered if I was ever that jealous and controlling when Inuyasha was mine, and mine alone.

"You should focus on the battle ahead and nothing else if you want to survive this" I said removing my finger from his lips.

"Is that all you have to say to me Kikyou?" he asked, I could hear the tension in his voice and the pleading in his eyes was apparent. He wanted answers.

I pursed my lips together, now was not the time for regrets. I had pushed him away repeatedly after my attempt to bring him to the afterlife with me failed. Since then I continued to shun him by making myself as unavailable to him as possible. What did he want from me? My body has no warmth to give; my eyes have no tears left to cry with. What children could my empty womb bare to give suck at cold breast? The pain at this realization was too much to bare. I could not travel with him in his quest to avenge our lost love, because his face was a constant reminder of all I had lost for the love of a hanyou. Did I love him? Yes, a thousand times yes.

"Inuyasha, if you love that girl, tell her to go home now" I warned before hurrying away from his piercing golden eyes.

"Kik…"

I heard him call out to me but my steps did not falter. I could not shake the feeling that something ominous loomed ahead. I checked my quiver to make certain it was filled to capacity. A soft breeze moved through the trees ahead of me sending icy fingers to play with the loose hairs along my neck. If I still had nerves in my body they would be on edge now.

We trudged on through the dense forest before finally breaking through to a clearing some four hours after we left camp. Naraku's aura was constant now and I could scarcely discern from which direction it was coming. It was approaching mid day and we were about to stop for a rest again, when a cyclone came whisking towards us over the grassy plain. It was the wolf demon Kouga who was traveling with our group; he had earlier decided to scout the area ahead of us for any sign of approaching danger.

He had not had time to stop before Sesshoumaru then Inuyasha reached for their swords and I knew it then, that it had begun.

"Their coming! He shouted to the crowd.

Quickly the men and demons that stood with us readied themselves as a thick cloud moved over the top of the trees in the distance. I could hear a buzzing sound growing ever so frightful as the cloud moved closer, revealing a swarm of demonic bees bunched together with an array of insect, eel and snake-like demons.

I looked to the land just ahead of us. Trees could be seen toppling over as Naraku's ground soldiers beard down towards us. This was it, the moment of reckoning ,surely this was the day that Naraku would fall at my hands. I had a promise to keep, a priestess never broke her word. I promised Naraku that I would destroy him once he had gathered up all the pieces of the Jewel and now it was time for me to bring that promise to fruition.

"Archers to the front line" called Miroku the monk. He had come up with a strategy of attack that would allow us to be more affective with what we had.

Every man and beast alike that was in our group with the skill for archery, stepped forward and took our position. We were to be the first wave of defense followed by those who welded the sword and staff. My eyes and ears did not miss Inuyasha's hesitance in allowing the girl to stand in the front line, but she convinced him that she would be fine; however he stood right behind her with his sword drawn. I smirked at the picture they painted. Inuyasha was always that way when we traveled together, always trying to play the protector and guardian.

"Ready...Aim...Fire!"

At the sound of the command I drew back on the string of my bow and let the first arrow fly. I watched it sail through the air, picking up speed as a burst of purifying power propelled it forward like a comet shooting through the afternoon sky.

It made impact with the first wave of insect demons killing at least fifty. The girls arrow surprisingly did the same. She had improved her skill with the bow since our last encounter.

In a rage Naraku's army drew near causing the very dirt under my feet to shift, so massive was their aura. Was this a product of the jewel? I wondered.

"Okay men... charge!"

The men took off towards the approaching horde, stampeding like a pack of wilder beast.

"Stay behind me Kagome!" I heard Inuyasha call out as he and my reincarnation ran forward. I had to hand it to her, the girl had picked up a back bone since this whole thing began.

"Kirara lets go!" the demon slayer called as she and the monk took off on the back of a cat demon.

I watched them all run forward swinging staff and sword as they collided with the enemies forces. I did not follow them right away. I had to pin point Naraku first. Kill the head and the body would fall I always say.

My eyes scanned over the crowd, I didn't see him. Had he changed bodies again, was he hiding away in some distant castle leaving the dirty work to his puppets? No, I could sense the jewel coming from just up ahead, Naraku was definitely here.

I concentrated, trying to hone in on the exact location of the jewel...There! I quickly opened my eyes and looked in the direction I sensed the power of the jewel. I set out towards it, shooting arrows as I went. There were so many demons, were they being controlled by the jewel? I wondered yet again as I purified another demon; at this rate I would run out of arrows before I reached my target...

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And that's how the hours had past since noon. We had lost over a third of our men in the first wave of attacks, bodies now littered the field and blood stained our garments and faces. Both sides had sustained sever casualties, of our immediate group Jaken the toad demon was dead; mauled by acentipede demon. Kirara the trusted companion of the demon slayer was among the fallen struck down by the axe of an ogre demon as well as Kouga the wolf prince who fell protecting my reincarnation.

A gust of wind picked up; bring with it the coopery smell of blood from the bodies that laid waste before us. I could sense the weariness of our group, they were all battered and bruised, breathing hard from excursion. My own clothing was torn and a gash pierced my side. So... it seems our quest to find the remaining shards of the sacred jewel had brought us to this place, to this time for this final battle. Enemies had been made, friendships had been forged and love dwindled and died only to be reborn.

"Surrender to me Kikyou and your death will be swift, refuse me and I will make sure you suffer greatly as you watch me kill the hanyou and the rest of your pathetic group"

Naraku's voice brought me out of my thoughts. He had eluded me until just now. I should have known he wouldn't make it easy for me to kill him. Why couldn't he have been accommodating and just laid on the ground so I could put my arrow through his evil heart and save everyone the trouble.

My hands clinched around my bow and arrow, I narrowed my eyes on him. I could hear Inuyasha growl next to me.

"So the spider has finally left the protections of the trees" I spat, ignoring his comment altogether.

I notched my arrow to the bow and aimed it straight at the completed jewel that hung around his neck. Something was not right, though the jewel could be seen around his neck. It was neither tainted black nor was it pink, it hung like an empty vessel worn down by over use. I realize now that the power I sensed was not coming from the jewel but from him. Some how he had managed to absorb the strength of the jewel into his own body, perhaps by his wish or some other means. But if the jewel no longer held any power, where had the souls trapped inside of it gone too?

I see, simply making a wish on the jewel to become a full blooded youkai would not have been enough for him. What Naraku thirsted after was more than lineage and strength, he wanted power, and what better way to get power than to absorb it into your own body. So perhapse when he had finally pieced the jewel together, he had absorbed the souls of those trapped inside into his own body. He had not changed his body but had simply perfected it by becoming the jewel himself;using the souls of others to do his dirty work. The similarites between our situation left me feeling squeamish.He was faster, stronger and more manic than ever. He was a full blooded demon in strength, in his human form he looked like the same Naraku from Mt. Hakurai when he had attempted to kill me again. What was his form once he transformed?

"kuh-kuh-kuk" he laughed

He had succeeded in making himself virtually undefeatable. With Midoriko's soul trapped inside his body, could I even purify him with my arrows?

"Stop talking and fight!" Sesshoumaru said running towards Naraku.

Naraku's eyes opened wide, I could tell Sesshoumaru caught him off guard. His over confidence might be his down fall. Their swords collided sending sparks flying as metal bit against metal. Eager to test his knew strength, he swung a thick sword at Sesshoumaru, who managed to side step the attack. I no longer had a clear shot of the jewel. Inuyasha hurried to help his brother and the fight broke out again.

'Damn it...if I try to hit Naraku now, I'll end up purifying both brothers'

I looked for an opening as they fought Naraku. He was successfully holding them both off with a series of attacks while hiding behind a strong shield that was fortified by the power he now possessed . 'Maybe if I could get up high enough I could have a better chance in finding a weak spot'.

Turning around I spotted the two headed dragon that came with Sesshoumaru; ripping the head off a lesser demon. I didn't know if he would allow me aride on his back, but he was my only hope right now. I approached him cautiously, my had held out to him.

"Beast help me in assisting you master, and allow me to ride on your back" I said.

It picked up its two heads and looked at me with squinted eyes. Its heads rolled back and it made a terrible roar like squeal before it approached me. Would it let me ride or try to tear me to pieces thinking me an enemy?

I took another arrow to my bow as he came closer aiming it in his direction, it roared and I released my arrow. The beast stopped in his tracks expecting death. But my arrow whizzed past its heads to purify an axe welding youkai that was coming up behind it.

One of its heads turned around to look behind it, while the other starred at me. It roared again then both heads came towards me and bent close to the blood stained earth. Quickly seeing my opportunity, I hurried over to it and got on it's back.

We took off through the air that was now clear of insect demons thanks to a combination of the monks wind tunnel and our purifying arrows and fire power.

Above the ground I could see the whole battle field below us. Naraku's forces were swiftly dwindling but our group was in short supply of fighters also. The demon slayer was losing blood fast from a gash to her left shoulder and the monk looked ready to pass out, yet they stood together back to back holding off the enemy. I looked for my reincarnation, then I spotted her taking aim at a monstrously tall sword wielding youkai. Her hands shock from exhaustion, I could see that she only had three more arrows left. We were running out of time.

"Bring us in closer" I ordered the beast as I took aim for Naraku's head.

As we descended both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru sent a powerful combination attack that finally broke Naraku's barrier. Now we were getting somewhere.

"INUYASHA! a terrible cry pierced the air.

"KAGOME! Inuyasha broke his stance and ran through the crowd towards my reincarnations voice. I looked up, I couldn't see her but I did see the youkai she was fighting earlier standing still and looking at something.

'Oh no' I felt a strange feeling come over me. A thumping sound radiated from my body. The two headed beast beneath me must have felt the change because he stopped in mid decent and looked back at me. My hands shook with the pain that radiated through my body. 'The girl...the girl has been hit'

"KAZE NO KIZU!

Inuyasha's attack cut through the demon that stood over the girls fallen form. He knelt at her side cradling her head in his lap. I could see the demons sword sticking out of her abdomen, blood rolled out of her mouth and down her neck staining his haori. If she died, would I die with her or would my soul return to me? I was unsure, looking back towards Naraku I took aim at him again as Sesshoumaru's sword clashed with his. Now I had an open shot at Naraku. Just one well placed shot before...

INUYASHA LOOK OUT! cried the demon slayer.

I looked upas she moved towards him, but she was stopped short by and axe to the back which caused her to drop to the ground, her face etched in pain. The monk fell to her side and opened up his wind tunnel in an attempt to suck in the demon that threw the axe.

I looked towards Inuyasha who was still sitting on the ground holding the dying girl in his arms. He did not move from his position nor acknowledge that he even heard the warning. The damn fool would get himself killed if he didn't move.

I looked back at Naraku then back again to Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru's statement running through my mind: "Hmm…well said priestess, but answer me this, do you then intend to die for him a second time?"

"Inuyasha!" I called to him.

I urged my ride over towards him hoping the beast would obey. It looked back at it's master momentarily then took off towards Inuyasha. The boar demon was heading towards him at break- neck-speed and I knew we wouldn't reach him in time. I had but the one arrow left; do I kill Naraku or save Inuyasha? Pulling back on the bow string I let the arrow loose sending it sailing towards the demon. I bit my lip...please don't miss.

I could hear Sesshoumaru growl behind me as his aura grew, but I didn't look back, I could also feel Naraku's aura expand also. Non of that concerned me, I had to reach Inuyasha.

My arrow struck the boar demon in his hind legs and it roared in agony before it split in two and burst into tiny fragments from the purifying energy. Inuyasha didn't even flinch.

When we landed I ran over to him and fell on my knees at his side. I looked down into the fading eyes of my reincarnation. She was not yet dead but she was slipping away very quickly. I could feel my chest tighten, my soul was restless. It could sense it's other half was about to leave the girls body.

"I failed to protect you...again" he sobbed.

His words brought me to my senses, I could feel his pain. Things weren't suppose to end this way. I looked around us, I saw the big white dog demon with the crescent moon on its forehead fighting with a great big spider demon. I knew it was Sesshoumaru and Naraku. Sesshoumaru was injured very badly, he had fought tirelessly killing many demons before his fight with Naraku even started, I didn't know how much longer he would last. I turned my head and saw the demon slayer in a pool of her own blood as tears and sweat dripped from the Monks face. His fist closed and he dropped his hand, no longer able to hold it up, whether from fatigue or surrender I didn't know.

"Naku Na" I said reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder.

So this is what fate had in store for us. From the days of my youth till this very moment I was unsure of my true destiny, until now. I finally understood what my intended purpose was. I finally understood why, not killing Inuyasha over fifty years ago had intertwined our fates together forever, bringing us to this day.

"Close your eyes, Inuyasha" I said in as gentle a tone as I could muster for what I was about to do. What I had to do.

He looked up at me briefly, his eyes locking with mine. Such sorrow and pain radiated in their golden depths. I wanted to comfort him, to wipe away every sad memory that tainted his soul. Maybe next time, things will be different. I gave him a weak smile, then he closed his eyes and bent his head in surrender.

I closed my eyes in concentration erecting a barrier over the three of us. I could feel the purifying energy building within my body, I held onto Inuyasha and my reincarnation feeling his body stiffen under my hand.

Purifying light burst forth from my body shooting waves of holy light throughout the battlefield. I could no longer control the power that welded up inside. It spread past my barrier, raced forwardengulfing everything in it's path;fate had taken over. In sweet surrender I released my soul to the hands of Destiny. Onigumo who lusted after me, Naraku who hated me, and Inuyasha who loved me. It is now over.

Together...we die

A/N: Wow! that was a long one, I hope I didn't loose anyone before the end. This was supposed to be a quick one-shot, my first try at angst and also through first person narrative. Please review and tell me what you think, constructive criticism is welcome as I am trying to improve my writing.

"Naku Na" means Don't cry...or atleast I hope so, and yes I only used these Japanese words through the whole fic. Idon'tspeak the language but Iwant to put some in my fics so if you know any let me know.