Inuyasha staggered out of the clearing. Kagome's death weighed heavily on him, and his leg still gave him trouble where Naraku had caught him with a tentacle. But Kagome's death had to be avenged, and that gave him strength. So, with Tetsusaiga held high on his shoulder, he approached the spot where Naraku had last stood.
The breeze lifted, and Inuyasha caught his putrid scent. Silent as the trail he followed, Inuyasha lept from tree to tree towards his prey. When he was right above him, Inuyasha swung down Tetsusaiga for the final blow.
A second before it would have cleaved his head, Naraku shot up a tentacle to block the fang. Inuyasha lopped it off with no trouble, but its purpose was still served. The dismembered limb wrapped around Inuyasha's middle, squeezing the air out and leaving him gasping as he plummeted to the ground. Another tentacle swung at him. He rolled, trying to get to his feet but unable to gather his weight over his good leg.
After another duck and roll, he used Tetsusaiga to lever himself up, but was left without a sword as the next blow came. It struck him in the chest, hurling him sideways into a tree. It shuddered, but held. Inuyasha launched himself off as it snapped back, flying at Naraku with sword arm outstretched. Tetsusaiga pulsed red as it sheared through Naraku's barrier. But the hanyou underneath it was not so easy to cut.
He turned, causing his armor to collide with Tetsusaiga, which sparked and crackled at the contact. A few sparks hit Naraku's face. He grimaced. Inuyasha swung again, and again fang met metal, jarring his arm. But this time he was the loser. With a deafening shriek, Tetsusaiga split down it's middle. And then Inuyasha realized something, something he'd purposely ignored for ears. He couldn't beat Naraku. It was impossible before, and now, without Tetsusaiga, it was even more hopeless. On the other and, he'd be damned if he didn't leave a good mark on Naraku before he chased after Kagome into the after-world. With a snarl, he pitched Tetsusaiga towards his final enemy. It flashed a binding red as it hit the reformed barrier. But Inuyasha didn't notice, as his transformation was already complete. He rushed Naraku, striking him before his eyes had cleared from the flash.
Instead of mud, it was finally true flesh that tore beneath his claws. A marble clinked onto the ground, rolling a short distance before coming to rest against a twig. Inuyasha hit the ground hard as the hanyou beneath him turned to dust. A few minutes passed before he regained his breath, as well as his humanity. Every limb aching, he got to his knees, eyes searching for the jewel that had fallen from Naraku's chest. He found it quickly, but had to crawl towards it.
Inuyasha didn't even pause to think about his wish. The second the jewel had flown from Naraku, he knew what it would be. "Let Kagome live," he told it. "Wether it's here or in her home, just let her be alive." There was another flash, and the jewel disappeared from his fingertips. Inuyasha collapsed into the dust, praying it had done as Kagome and Kikyo had always said it would.
†††
"Kaaaa-gooo-meeeee!" Souta raced towards he well. His sister should have been back the night before, but still hadn't arrived when he finally fell asleep sometime after midnight. He leaned over the side of the well, straining to see through the darkness. His eyes adjusted, and he saw Kagome lying flat on her back, blinking her eyes like she did when she got up after falling asleep at the TV. "Did you sleep down there, silly?" He asked between bursts of laughter.
"I guess so... I had he strangest dream..." she said, climbing out of the well. "There was this light..."