DISCLAIMER: I do not own the InuYasha series. Rightful ownership belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

Credit for summary: turtlequeen2


Chapter I: The Beginning of an End

The wounded hanyou glanced about him, his sides shaking in the intense effort to merely draw a breath. The hole carved out of his abdomen was throbbing but he was alive; at least for now. His claws fumbling in the dirt, the weakened hanyou gazed about him in a daze.

The air above the ruined grounds was thick with a layer of miasma. Thick clouds of the foul gas hung over the clearing, completely obscuring the sun. The hanyou wheezed; it was getting increasingly difficult to breathe. Pressing himself close to the ground to reduce inhaling more of the poisonous gas, the hanyou began to slowly crawled forward.

A dark figure laid seemingly unconscious ahead of him. The hanyou's face creased into a frown. He could feel a premonition coming over him as he willed himself forward. This was bad…

This was very bad.

The hanyou parted his lips in a half-hearted moan as his gaze fell upon the unmoving shape. Digging his claws into the soft terra, he slowly and painfully pulled himself towards it. Upon reaching its side, he grabbed onto the body, before flipping it around.

He could feel his face crumpling with pain as he glazed down at the motionless figure of the girl that once provided the light to his darkness.

The familiar face that had once bear the brightest smile he had ever seen. The voice that held all the hopes in the moments when all seemed lost. The soul that he had found himself slowly besotted to despite his reluctance from the start.

All of that now laid dead before his very eyes. No longer would there be that beacon of light that had once led them through even the darkest of times.

Kagome…

That was the only thought InuYasha had, as he screwed up his eyes. He refused to cry. Not at this critical moment. Giving in to those tears would be as good as giving in to the battle.

A battle long lost.

There was no reason for him to give the enemy another thing to scorn about.

The enemy… Naraku.

Bearing the hated name in his mind, InuYasha allowed all the hatred and venom he felt for his nemesis to come forth in a deep growl that racked his entire body. He ignored the pain that coursed through his form, as he concentrated on seeking out the enemy.

That bastard is going to pay for what he did to Kagome.

His eyes scanned across the battlefield with a searing gaze, coming only to a stop as they fell onto yet another painfully familiar figure sprawled on the blood soaked dirt.

Sango! InuYasha resisted the urge to yell her name, as he crawled over to her; an arm still cradling his deceased miko.

The demon slayer had her back pressed against the ground, her eyes stared unseeingly upwards. Her demon companion Kirara was stretched out limply beside her. Not a breath could be detected from the two.

Very much dreading what he would see next, the hanyou forced his gaze downwards. His eyes widened as they fell onto the gaping wound gouged in the taijiya's lower torso; the entrails leaking out of the smoldering mass.

No human could survive a mortal wound such as that. Sango was very much dead.

Holding back a cry of rage and frustration, InuYasha pounded his fist hard against the ground.

While he was mulling over Kagome's death, his friends were slowly being picked off one by one. His thoughts slowly spiraled downwards. He released Kagome's still body and continued to pound the ground with both fists. The tears threatened to spill.

I couldn't protect anyone! He thought despairingly.

The distraught half demon was brought out of his thoughts as a cry of pure rage sliced through the air, chilling the blood in his veins.

Miroku… InuYasha thought numbly, as he spun in the direction of his friend.

His friend was charging towards their arch nemesis, the staff he usually held around now raised high above his head. There was a mad light reflecting from the eyes of the usually calm houshi, his sanity pierced apart by the grisly sight of his lover's mauling.

Despite the deaths happening about him, InuYasha felt a strange calm within. He had to contain himself or risked allowing the barrier to shatter and let forth the violent torrents of uncontrollable rage.

If the barrier broke, there would be no stopping him then.

Miroku! The thought of his friend came back to him in a spilt second. He had to be stopped. Miroku was already suffering from the effects of the poisoning. Naraku would tear him to shreds without blinking. Still, InuYasha could only stay frozen on the spot, staring in horror as Miroku continued to shriek wordlessly as he charged. The young houshi's face was contorted with battle fury, driven off the edge by the death of his beloved.

InuYasha watched helplessly as one of the many tentacles surrounding the adversary's body snaked out of nowhere to pick Miroku off the ground. The houshi let out a yell of anguish as he was swept off his feet, suspended in the air merely a few feet from the dark hanyou.

"Mi-Miroku!"

It was all InuYasha could do by screaming out his friend's name, wincing as the effort agitated his wound. He watched with growing foreboding as Naraku turned his head only slightly, those red irises rolling to meet his helpless gaze with a scorn.

"You're still alive, InuYasha?" The dark hanyou chuckled. "I suppose it would take more than a stab wound to finish you off. Your friend on the other hand…" Naraku narrowed his eyes as he spoke those dreaded words. His eyes flashed with grim pleasure as he glowered at the weakened hanyou.

InuYasha sucked in another painful breath, before letting it out in a gasp. Naraku was taunting him. It was no surprise that he would feel such ecstasy then. This was, after all, his moment of triumph. He and the others had been on Naraku's trail for a long time, hampering his every effort and slowing him down on his quest to attain the Shikon no Tama.

InuYasha stared on blankly, struggling to push down the wave of guilt threatening to swept him down. He had failed. The bastard had finally achieved what he sought and now he could finally have the sick satisfaction of seeing them beat down one at a time by none other than him.

The hanyou was snapped out of his stupor by the sickening sound of human flesh being ripped apart. The blood curdling scream that came after shook the still air as the hanyou watched in stark horror as his friend hunched over; those eyes stretching wide as he took in deep shuddering gasps.

A tentacle was protruding from the area around his chest, causing blood to seep from the vicious tendril. It released his hold on Miroku and the wounded houshi fell to the ground like a stone.

"MIROKU!" Ignoring his protesting muscles, InuYasha lunged for his falling friend. He just managed to catch his friend before the harsh impact to the ground.

Still shuddering from the blow, the houshi weakly turned his head to meet InuYasha's horrified gaze. He forced a smile. "InuYasha…" The houshi trailed off as his body was seized by a sudden convulsion, hacking out a gush of black liquid.

"Forgive me.. I-I tried"— A single tear trickled down the houshi's cheek, his words breaking off when his body underwent another series of violent spasms.

InuYasha shook his head frantically. "Don't say anymore." He urged as he continued on more worriedly. "Hang in there, Miroku!"

He knew there was no hope then. His friend had been deal a fatal blow. It would only take a few short moments for Miroku to fade away completely.

The early wound he sustained was starting to ache. Looking down, InuYasha realized it had started to bleed again from the rough movements. The pain was starting to affect him once more. As much as he tried to ignore the waves of pain that threatened to send him into another blackout, he couldn't ignore the voice that kept playing back the same painful words inside his head.

You could have done something…

InuYasha shook his head in a desperate attempt to rid himself of the thought. He would blame himself forever for this failure; he knew that. A menacing shadow fell upon their forms, causing the hanyou to looked up.

Naraku was hovering above them, an arrogant sneer plastered across his face as he surveyed the two hapless beings. "Well, well. Looks like the houshi is out for the count." He sneered as he shot InuYasha that usual hateful taunting look.

InuYasha shot back with all the hatred he could muster in one scorching look. His blood was heating up within his veins, threatening to sear through them. Releasing his grip on his friend, the hanyou pulled himself up despite the pain; it took him most of his self-control not to scream out.

He had the slight satisfaction of seeing the dark hanyou's expression changed to one of bewildered astonishment. That bastard didn't think he had any fight left in him huh? He would show him. His claws twitched by his sides, anticipating the moment when he could bury them in Naraku's hateful mug.

Everyone is gone. There was no one now but him who could take on Naraku.

Only him…

InuYasha gritted his teeth as he felt himself continued to burn. That bastard would pay for everything he did to his friends!

The bewildered look on Naraku slowly gave way to faint amusement as he realized InuYasha's intentions. "Do you honestly think you could take me on by yourself, InuYasha?" His words were overlaid with threat, as he let loose a volley of manically laughter. "Very well. This would be interesting."

A wild light flashing across his eyes at that infuriating tone, InuYasha launched himself towards Naraku in a swirling mass of claws and snapping fury. A tendril shot forward to intercept him but InuYasha scored his claws down onto the threat, severing the lower half as it fell and hit the ground with a sickening thud.

"TESSAIGA!" The furious roar exploded from the hanyou, as he raised his arm to retrieve his sword.

At the call, Tessaiga came flying from where it laid forgotten to once more fit itself into the hanyou's outstretched hand. At first contact, the rusted blade transformed into the giant fang as InuYasha viciously sliced away at the other tendrils, ignoring Naraku's scream of pain and outrage. The series of slashes cascaded upon the dark hanyou's monstrous form, slicing away at whatever parts of him that had the misfortune to come in its path. Foul smelling fluid sprayed the air at each sever of the tendrils, spattering InuYasha with the gross remains but the hanyou was way past caring; caught up in the frenzy of raining slashes upon his adversary.

A constriction around his mid-section halted the hanyou's attack, allowing him to regain his senses in that short period of time. A tendril had found its mark, wounding itself tightly around the hanyou's form. InuYasha struggled to free himself but the tendrils kept on coming. Soon, the hanyou was covered from head to toe with the vile things. InuYasha struggled in vain, fighting desperately to break free. Despair clouded his mind as his oxygen supply started to deplete.

The cold cruel laughter rang in his ears once again. Naraku was winning. He could feel it. So could Naraku who was now laughing over his wins.

That did it. Searing heat burned in his ears as InuYasha made a critical decision. A decision he would never have dreamed of doing should it be any other moments. It was different this time. This was crucial.

Slowly, his fingers began to slacken, loosing their hold on Tessaiga. The sword, free from his grip, fell and clattered to the ground.

Another tendril snaked around the hanyou then, cutting off all his senses. InuYasha was cast into absolute darkness, feeling his body being utterly crushed by the suffocating binds. He ceased his attempts in breaking out, closing his eyes slowly as he prepared to give himself up to the fast approaching darkness.

It all happened in a split moment. He was trapped, immobilized and helpless by the tendrils. A blaze of white heat surged through him and the next thing he knew, he was soaring high above his the enemy. His feet hit the ground a distance from him, as he casually lifted a hand to sweep away the rotting remains of that which had ensnarled him earlier.

The look on that bastard's face— the way those crimson irises, usually so full of contempt arrogance now dilating in fear; it was all very thrilling to the hanyou. The hanyou broke into a vindictive smile as he lifted his chin in an arrogant fashion.

The fear. He could smell it— radiating from the other hanyou. That bastard was afraid of him; or at least of what he had become. That was fine… The hanyou smiled to himself as he dragged his foot forward, feeling another sense of satisfaction at the ease of his claws tearing deep gouges in the earth. Fear was what he enjoyed. He wanted others to fear him..

Particularly the bastard standing right before him.

The grin widening, the hanyou spread his legs as he leaned forward in an animalistic crouch. He would enjoy ripping the enemy slowly to shreds. Giving those elongated talons one final twitch, the hanyou threw himself towards the enemy.

Those remaining tendrils that lashed out to knock him off course were easily avoided, as the hanyou weaved between them to slash away viciously at his enemy. He had the satisfaction of watching the face of the other hanyou contorted with rage and fear. The dark hanyou continued to strike out aimlessly at him. It was a case of full-on panic inflicted by him and him alone— the hanyou smirked— he was enjoying himself very much.

"D-Damn you , InuYasha!" The dark hanyou spat as he borne yet another wound.

The curse caused the hanyou to falter. InuYasha? That name was vaguely familiar… He couldn't recall where he had heard it. Not that the hanyou cared much. All he wanted to do now was to bring upon this cursed being a terrifying unending trail of nightmares.

The feeling towards the dark hanyou was one of strong venomous hatred. An intense desire to rip his head off and crush his skull. He had no idea why he felt that way. He just did.

A stinging pain shot up his shoulder as one of the tendrils found its mark. The hanyou growled angrily. It was not the pain that had angered him but the fact that he had been hit. It didn't matter to him if the newly inflicted wound was now a smoldering mass of flesh. There would be reckoning sooner or later.


The dark hanyou was running out of defense. His regenerative ability was for once rendered useless. The hanyou standing before him was different—vengeance had made him stronger and faster. He had never seen this side of the hanyou before and it overwhelmed him. Him! Naraku! Of all the others he couldn't believe the bastard hanyou was getting the better of him. He had no choice. He had to use his last resort.

The dark hanyou glared out towards the other hanyou, directing all his hatred at the loathsome entity. Cautiously, he slipped a hand into his robes. "Don't think you have won, InuYasha." He rasped, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

With a triumphant glance at the hanyou, the dark hanyou raised the object he retrieved and lifted it to the skies. The Shikon no Tama was a swirling ball of massive dark energy. It pulsated once, then twice.

The dark hanyou chuckled to himself as he watched the hanyou stared onwards, his one-tracked mind unable to comprehend the situation. The little bastard had no idea of the impending doom which was soon heading for him.

"How pitiful…" The dark hanyou shook his head with false sympathy. "InuYasha!" A streak of madness flashed across his eyes and his fingers enclosed the jewel, thrusting it in the direction of the other hanyou.

"This will be your end!"


The hanyou could feel the change in the wind. It was picking up speed, its force multiplying in folds. The clearing seemed darker than before, as the hanyou looked up to see a swirling mass of miasma spinning ahead. The wind had picked up the miasma and was a vortex made entirely of the foul air was now forming about the dark hanyou. The atmosphere stung like static, making the his hair stand on end.

As the hanyou stood motionless, chunks of earth lifted off the ground and encircled the dark hanyou's form.

The hanyou leapt to the side as the rocks were flung at him. As he landed, he felt a strong pull threatening to drag himself over to the enemy. He soon saw the cause of it. The vortex forming about the dark hanyou had tripled in size and had split into a cavity revealing dark emptiness within. It was now sucking in whatever that stood in its path. The hanyou gritted his teeth as he stood his ground, unyielding.

A flash of blue from the corner of his eye, as the hanyou turned to catch sight of figure being flung towards the void; a figure dressed in blue robes.

Miroku…

The familiar name came out of nowhere, echoing thinly in his mind. The hanyou watched mutely as the figure was soon drawn into the gluttonous void. He was suddenly caught aback by a spasm of pain that shot up his body. This wasn't any type of pain he was used to. It was as if unseen hands had gotten a hold of his heart and was now squeezing it . The air seemed heavier than before as the hanyou pressed his hand over his chest, gasping painfully.

A second shape blew past him. The hanyou could just managed to make out a faint outline of a slender girl flying along with a smaller figure of the demon cat before they disappeared into the void completely.

No! Why is this happening!

Where is this voice coming from? The hanyou shook his head in annoyance to dismiss the noise. Another spasm shook his body and he bared his teeth in a snarl. He couldn't understand these strange occurrences to his body.

The hanyou turned to his side in anger. Another girl was laying there. Her bow lay broken by an equally broken body. The body moved as the wind shifted in her direction.

No…

The hanyou grabbed onto his head, wincing as he watched the girl's body lifted up into the air and spun in the direction of the void.

NO!

The hanyou froze as the scream wrecked through his head.

KAGOME!

His jaw parted in a scream of fear, the hanyou launched himself towards the girl's spinning form. He just barely managed to snag a talon into her clothing, before drawing her into his grasp. At that instant, he realized he had made a deadly move.

He had thrown himself into the path of the vortex and it was now dragging him in along with the girl. His limbs thrashing out wildly, the hanyou tried desperately to get a grip on something; anything to prevent himself from falling into the endless void.

He was doomed to fail right from the start; just like how he failed in their mission to stop Naraku. There was nothing in his way, nothing to stop him from hurtling towards the vortex.

Hugging the girl tightly to his chest, the hanyou shut his eyes as he allowed the darkness to consume him.


InuYasha's eyes snapped open in panic.

Where was he? A cold chilling darkness surrounded him from all sides. The air seemed heavier than normal as it weight down on him. The hanyou sucked in deeply; the freezing air nearly made his scent glands freeze over. As the fuzziness in his mind began to clear up, memories of the early events began to flood back to him. Once again, InuYasha felt the pain that he had to endure during the time when Kikyou died.

Kagome…. Miroku… Sango… They were all gone.

The events were beginning to play back against his head much against his will, every image painfully clear. InuYasha closed his eyes wearily. Naraku had ambushed them, in the moments they least expected. The night of the new moon, to be precise.

Somehow or other, their worst enemy had gotten a hold of the precious bit of information that InuYasha and his friends had kept confined among themselves. He had launched an attack personally on that fateful night when InuYasha was rendered weak and vulnerable by his half youkai blood curse. Kagome and the others had fought hard to protect him and Shippou. He had resented the way he had to cower behind their backs like a frightened child along with Shippou while they battled for their lives…


Kagome! InuYasha gasped as the young miko went flying, though relaxing as she got to her feet, none the worst for wear. He had a vague assumption of why Kagome was targeted first. Next to him, she was the biggest threat towards the dark hanyou. He watched, his form tensing up every time the young miko took a shot at Naraku.

She was the one whom he worried for the most, being one of the most vulnerable ones despite her powers. He could only hope no harm came to her while he was stuck in this useless state of his.

It came too late— the realization that Naraku's aim was to lure Kagome to him. With one tendril, he snatched up the young woman and dragged her close to his form.

There was no stopping the human InuYasha then, as he leapt out from his hiding place. "Let her go, Naraku!" The enraged youth yelled as he charged forward with his sword. Much to his chagrin, he found himself easily bat away like a pestering child.

Kagome's screams of fear echoed through the air as Naraku drew her closer to his form. All the color drained from the girl's face as he gave her torso a tight squeeze. InuYasha scrambled to his feet, spitting with rage.

The dark hanyou pulled out from the young miko the remaining shards she held in her possession. InuYasha looked up just as Naraku lifted Kagome high in the air, before flinging her down towards him. The impact of the girl colliding against him knocked the breath out of the already weakened InuYasha. He hit the ground with his back once more, a groan beaten out of him.

Naraku's laugh resonated through the area. Holding up the shards he had stolen, he reached and pulled out the blackened orb of the near complete jewel. He purposely held the shards and jewel out towards InuYasha and the others, as he then slowly and deliberately began to fuse them to reveal a complete Shikon no Tama.

There was a gasp of outrage, as Sango stared up at the complete jewel with an expression of utmost horror and disbelief. "How— Kohaku! Where is Kohaku? What did you do to him!" Her grip tightened on Hiraikotsu as she stood, trembling violently and dreading the reply that was soon to come.

"Kohaku? I merely sent the poor boy to the rightful place where he belonged…" A dead silence fell upon the clearing at those words.

The color drained from Sango's face at the revelation. She began to sway unsteadily on the spot.

Seeing her sickened expression, InuYasha felt burning rage coming over him at Naraku's atrocious act. He turned towards the dark hanyou, his lips parted in a snarl. "You bastard! How could you!" Even before the words had left his mouth, InuYasha knew just how dimly stupid his question was. This was Naraku. He would do anything to achieve power. In this case, killing a hapless young boy for the sake of it.

Words failed him in his rage as InuYasha rose to his feet. Beside him, Sango was shaking with intense fury.

"NARAKU!" The name was expelled up along with a scream of pure fury, as the taijiya hurled Hiraikotsu towards the dark hanyou. The weapon sliced cleanly through the dark hanyou's mid-section before doing a turn back to return to Sango's outstretched hand.

Despite the extend of damage done, Naraku merely chuckled. "Is that the best you can do, taijiya?" he scoffed with a mocking glance in the taijiya's direction.

Sango let out another enraged scream, before hurling her weapon once more at Naraku. Beside her, Miroku unwounded the beads securing the deadly wind tunnel on his right hand.

That caught the dark hanyou's attention. As if on cue, a swarm of saimyoshos descended to hover before his form, their buzzes echoing through the air menacingly. "Do you really intend on doing that, houshi?" The dark hanyou's question was a grim reminder on what were to happen if Miroku opened his wind tunnel in the presence of those deadly insects.

Miroku took one look on them and faltered, before shaking his head as if to clear off any doubts. He tore off the beads from his hand despite InuYasha's protests and thrust it before him. A strong gale erupted from the black hole in his hand as it began drawing everything in its path towards it with its strong sucking force.

InuYasha watched helplessly as the insects were all sucked into the wind tunnel. He could see the poison starting to take effect in Miroku from his expression yet the houshi continued to push on. A flicker of doubt and fury flashed across the dark hanyou's eyes.

"Miroku!" InuYasha called out desperately. Sooner or later his friend would succumb to poisoning if he continued holding out like that. Yet he couldn't push away the futile hope that Naraku was now cast in a perilous position.

It came out of nowhere then. InuYasha felt himself swept off the ground and thrown in the direction of Miroku and his cursed hand. Amidst the confusion, InuYasha realized Naraku had snatched him up and chucked him in the path of the Wind Tunnel. Somewhere in the howling wind he heard Kagome and Shippou frantically screaming his name. He was being drawn into the void.

The wind died down, as InuYasha slammed hard into Miroku who just managed to seal his hand on time. Groggy from the collision, InuYasha pushed himself upwards to stare down at his friend. He was horrified at what he saw.

"Miroku!" InuYasha gasped as he gripped onto his friend's shoulders. The cursed hand had swelled to almost thrice its size, overlaid with a deep shade of purple and crimson. It was slightly pulsating and InuYasha struggled not to withdrew from the nauseating sight. His friend writhed on the ground, clutching at the deformed limb in agony.

"Miroku!" The cry came from Sango this time, as she dropped beside the agonizing houshi; her weapon hitting the ground heavily. "Hang in there!" She begged, resting a hand against his as she gently cradled his head.

More laughter snapped InuYasha back to the existing threat. The situation had took a turn for the worse. With him being practically useless and now half their fighting forced crippled, he could see no way out this time unless a miracle was to happen. The dull look in Kagome's eyes told him all he needed to know; she was thinking the same as he was.

"Shippou." InuYasha called for the kitsune child quietly. The child obediently scampered over to his side, though InuYasha could see a wild light of fear reflecting from his eyes. He swallowed, unsure if he was doing the right thing. Sending the kitsune child away would just reduce their deteriorating numbers yet he couldn't see a way out. He saw no reason for their innocent friend to be dragged down along with them.

"Leave us now." He finally said.

Shippou shot a terrified look back at him, his mouth opening to protest. "B-But InuYasha!"

InuYasha cut him off with a harsh growl. "Don't say anymore! Take Kagome with you." He nodded to the frightened young miko. To his surprise, she shook her head.

"I'm not going anywhere, InuYasha." Although she was clearly terrified out of her wits for their safety, her voice was calm and firm. "We are in this together."

"I'll stay too!" The interruption came from the young kitsune demon, who was closed to tears.

Kagome shook her head, before drawing the child into a tight hug. "You have to go, Shippou." She choked out at last. "You have to warn.. Kaede and the others." Tears brimmed in her eyes as she spoke those last words, cuddling the kitsune demon to her.

Tears began to well up in Shippou's eyes as well. He gave a stubborn shake of his head, the tears flowed freely.

InuYasha couldn't bear to watch the farewell yet he was unable to tear his gaze away. "And Sesshoumaru… If you do find him." he added though privately he thought there was nothing his half brother could do against a Naraku that had full possession over the Shikon no Tama.

Shippou continued to shake his head frantically, but he was outmatched by the two of them. Left without a choice, the kitsune child turned and scampered away from the two, his tiny body shaking with violent sobs.

InuYasha and Kagome watched him go, before turning towards each other.

Kagome's gaze was bleak, her thoughts reflecting that of InuYasha's. A silent agreement was made as their gazes met. They could run, possibly outrun the enemy. That would buy some time till sunrise. However, there was no way they could leave their friends behind.

Kagome steadied her bow and arrow, taking aim for the Shikon no Tama as InuYasha pressed up against her. Together, they made to close in on the dark hanyou.

Naraku spotted them and his grin widened. "Fools." He chuckled as he lashed out towards the duo with those tendrils.

InuYasha and Kagome fought on desperately as they did their best to avoid the dark hanyou's rampage. Fatigue was coming over them and it wouldn't be long before they were both outmatched by the dark hanyou.

A tendril smacked into InuYasha's face, sending him sprawling hard to the ground. He scrambled up, feeling bruised and battered . Part of the darkness seemed to melt away then, as the exhausted fighter looked up just in time to see a faint line of light began to form over the horizon. Hope, fierce and desperate, washed over the young mortal.

Sunrise! Perhaps there is hope after all…

Too caught up in his emotions then, the excited youth failed to notice Kagome's warning shout. Something hard slammed into him, sending cold waves of pain radiating through his body. The last thing he noticed as he was flung into the air was Kagome's terrified expression before blackness came crashing down.


InuYasha opened his eyes. He could feel warm wetness on his cheeks as he placed a hand against it, drawing a droplet of salted smelling liquid. He stared at the droplet, his mind whirling with regret.

He had failed to save them all. If he had not been crippled by his human form then, he could have bought some time for them to make an escape to fight another day. Now, the opportunity was lost forever.

Was this how death felt like? If so, where was Kagome and the others? Was Kikyou here too? InuYasha took a step forward, as he proceeded to wander aimlessly about the darkness.

"You are not dead, hanyou."

InuYasha jumped, startled from the voice that rang unseen out of the darkness. He spun around quickly, his hand reaching automatically for Tessaiga but withdrew empty-handed.

"There is no need to fear." The voice continued on, infuriatingly calm.

"Who are you? Show yourself!" InuYasha snarled, his fingers compacting to form fists as he jerked his head irritably about him in an attempt to seek out the source of the unknown voice.

His fists flew up to shield his eyes in shock as a blinding orb of light materialized from nowhere. The orb continued to grow until it flooded most of the area with white light. InuYasha squinted in the brightness, barely making out the towering figure that loomed before him. As his eyes adjusted to the change, he let out an audible gasp.

"You are... Midoriko." He choked out the words, unable to believed they were true.

Midoriko nodded slightly, a dark strand of hair falling over her face as she slowly lifted her head wearily. The great miko looked exhausted, her warrior amour torn and shattered in places with a hole gouged in the part at the left side of her chest where she was impaled many years ago. In her right hand gripped a sword caked with the blood of many slain demons.

Despite the situation, InuYasha couldn't help feeling awed by the immense presence of the miko. "W-What is this place?"

The miko let out a bitter smile as she surveyed the bewildered hanyou with a cautious gaze. "You're in the Shikon no Tama, InuYasha." She told him in a matter-of-fact tone.

InuYasha stared out at the miko, dumbfounded. He could vaguely remembered being drawn towards Naraku while in his youkai form. Was the void a doorway to the inside of the Shikon no Tama then?

Midoriko nodded, as if reading his thoughts. She positioned her worn out blade by her side as she continued to stare down at the hanyou in silence.

InuYasha glanced up at the miko mutely, still gathering his thoughts. "Does that mean Kagome and the others are here too?" He questioned, ignoring the hope that rose feverishly within his chest.

The miko shook her head, her gray eyes seeming alight with a faintest trace of sympathy then. "They are all dead, InuYasha." She told him gently.

Despite already knowing this, having the truth announced to him seemed to make it even real then. InuYasha felt the ground below his feet swayed momentarily as he struggled to ingest the news.

He knew then… that everyone was dead.

Kagome.. Miroku.. Sango.. Kirara.. They were dead.. He knew that… Yet….

No longer caring for any sort of dignity before the great miko, InuYasha fell to his knees. His body wrecked with great sobs as he tore at the empty ground with his claws. Miroku…! Sango…! I'm sorry.. I failed you guys…He pounded his fists on the ground till his knuckles were sore and red.

Kagome… I couldn't do a thing for you… He continued pounding on the ground, past caring of the pain that accompanied every hit to his broken knuckles.

Forgive me…!

Midoriko watched on in silence as the hanyou continued to punish himself for his helplessness. When it seemed as if the hanyou had calmed down a little, she stepped forward.

"Do you have something you wish for, InuYasha?" She queried, her icy stare fixed unmoving on the hanyou.

InuYasha froze, as he stared up at the miko in confusion. What was she talking about?

Midoriko continued to gaze calmly at the hanyou. "A wish, InuYasha." She repeated, before continuing on. "I believe you out of all should be well aware that the Shikon no Tama had the ability to grant the one who possessed it a wish."

InuYasha nodded numbly. It was exactly what he and Kikyou had intended to do before they were viciously tricked into betraying each other by Naraku. Naraku… That name… It tore through his body more painfully than any of the wounds he had sustained.

Midoriko seemed not to notice the new rage coming over the hanyou. "That was a grave misunderstanding." she added. "The Shikon no Tama only grant the wish of those which it benefit from." Noticing the puzzled expression on the hanyou's face, she continued on. "The soul, InuYasha. That is the sacrifice the Shikon no Tama demanded from the wisher."

InuYasha nodded slowly, understanding flooding over his features. "So if I were to make a wish on the Shikon no Tama… I have to sacrifice my soul to it?" He repeated slowly, as he got up to his feet. An idea was forming in his head. It was crazy.. But if that was what it took to save the others…

He would do it. There was no doubt.

Midoriko nodded in confirmation to InuYasha's query. "Is there a wish you would make?"

"I don't have a choice, do I? Either make a wish or be stuck here for eternity." InuYasha shot back, his claws digging into his palms. Blood seeped from his clenched fists, falling to blackness. Without waiting for a reply, the hanyou looked up at the miko. Desperate hope flared in his eyes.

"I would do anything to go back to when they were all alive." The hanyou shut his eyes as lingering thoughts of his friend drifted painfully over him, before opening them again. "I will prevent all these things from happening!"

The miko nodded brusquely, before stepping forward. "Do you swear to keep this oath, InuYasha?"

InuYasha nodded, his form tensed as he waited for the miko's reply.

The miko's eyes glowed, a small smile played on her lips as she continued calmly. "Would you accept full responsibility and do whatever it takes to make things right again?"

InuYasha remained unyielding as he looked Midoriko in the eye. "Anything."

The smile widened, and unease stirred within the hanyou. For a short moment then, he wondered if he had said the wrong thing.

The smile vanished then, and the miko was back to her cool apathetic self. "Take heed, InuYasha. You made an oath."

"Remember to stick to it…"

The hanyou blinked, as the area about him began to spin. He was soon thrown back into the darkness. Midoriko had disappeared. The hanyou stared about him in confusion, rearing back with a startled cry.

Thick invisible chains had entwine themselves around his form, and they were now slowly beginning to drag him down. The ground seemed to liquefy and the hanyou was slowly drawn into the black torrents. InuYasha struggled desperately to pull himself free before giving up. He twisted to the side for a glimpse of the miko.

"Midoriko! Are you there!"

There was no reply as InuYasha continued to thrash about violently. He threw out his hand, grabbing at empty air. Just as the liquid closed over his head, the hanyou threw his head back in a desperate cry.

"MIDORIKO!"


It felt like the time, when he had been bitten by the accursed spider head demon. The venom secreted from those deadly fangs had coursed through his weak mortal body, sealing away the body's ability to function. He felt death looming ahead then, drawing closer at each passing minute…

The pain faded away.

It also felt like when Sesshoumaru had his venomous claws embedded in his abdomen. The poison burning away the flesh about the wound. The pain had been so intense that he had nearly blacked out. He won though, even managing to rip that asshole's arm off and getting back Tessaiga…

Again, the pain faded.

How about the time when he had been tricked and had his own signature attack backfired on him by Kagura and Kanna? The pain was near unendurable. He could feel himself bleeding dry then from the numerous wounds inflicted upon his body. He was so close to death…

That memory was fading…

Perhaps those moments of pain couldn't be compared to the time when he could do nothing but watched while his beloved woman had had her life snatched from her once again. He had cradled her in her arms while he lamented and sobbed to her about his inabilities to save her despite all his promises. She had forgiven him but that didn't lessen the pain he had felt then…

Kikyou…

It took him a long time but he managed to move on from her death, learning not to blame himself for her unfortunate demise. While he still did deep inside, he had managed to get those negative thoughts under control. He found peace in Kagome and his friends.

And then she died… Just like Kikyou…

He couldn't save Kikyou… He couldn't even save Kagome. He was better off dead. He was better off deserving all that pain…

He was better off not remembering at all…


The hanyou stopped struggling as those dark thoughts consumed him, eventually giving in to the darkness.

The young boy opened his eyes sleepily. Sitting up, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. His head throbbed and his entire body was laid with fatigue. As his senses cleared, he was vaguely aware of piercing screams that shattered the calmness. Springing to his feet, the boy clenched his fists as he looked about him.

It was then that he realized a few rather unsettling things. He was standing in the middle of what seemed to be a village with humans screaming and running in fear from the assault of several men on horseback. They jeered and waved torches, bearing down upon the helpless villagers.

The boy made to get out to go to the aid of the villagers. Running proved to be awkward and slow and the boy paused in his steps to look down at himself in confusion. He gasped as he realized the state he was in.

He was human.

His head tossed back to cast a frantic look upwards. It couldn't be the night of the new moon! It was too soon! As his gaze raked across the skies, he let out another gasp.

A full moon hung in the chilling air, its illuminating rays cast down upon the scene of chaos beyond…