She sat beside the fireplace, remembering their last battle with Naraku…
Chapter 2: ReminisceThe moon was visibly way up high in the starry sky. Crickets and Owls' noises were the only sounds heard in the peaceful atmosphere. In a village near the bone eater's well, people were fast asleep. It was such a cozy night that everyone seemed to be drawn into deep slumber. But among all the cottages, there was one that still glowed with light inside. All the people inside were fast asleep except for one person…
The miko, named Kagome was seated near the fireplace inside Old Kaede's hut. She took a block of wood and threw it into the fire. So much had happened to them the past days that seemed to flash back in her mind. She sat, embracing her legs close to her, putting her head atop her knees. She was thinking of the time when she was attacked by their arch nemesis, a half demon made from a bandit named Onigumo, who gave his soul to a group of demons to have great power, and out came the filthy demon, Naraku.
At that time, they were in a rocky area near a group of fire breathing mountains and geysers. They were following Naraku for he had captured Kikyo, a revived miko who was also Inuyasha's first love. Naraku took her unconscious because she was injured badly by him. Inuyasha followed the filthy demon while Kagome and their other companions followed. At that time Kagome knew that the hanyo still had feelings for the living dead, Kikyo.
Naraku continued to move away. He was accompanied by his servants, Kagura, the known to be Demon Wind Goddess riding her huge feather with Kanna, the soul collector and Hakudoshi, his offspring, who flew with him inside his own barrier. Inuyasha and the others followed, leading them to a wide lifeless deserted plain. There, the lowbred demon landed with his minions and laid his captive on the ground gently. He commanded Kanna and Hakudoshi to guard the unconscious miko.
The hanyo and his companions fell into Naraku's trap. Making Kikyo as bait, Naraku made Inuyasha and the others go inside his barrier, which covered their soon-to-be battlefield. As soon as the unconscious miko was on the ground Naraku covered himself with his barrier again and flew above facing his enemies. He smiled at them evilly. Inuyasha, who was worried about Kikyo, stood on the ground in front of their demon nemesis. He looked at the powerful demon above with anger in his eyes.
"Naraku!" he shouted, his voice filled with furiousness. "How dare you hurt Kikyo! Give her back to us!"
Naraku just smirk at what he said.
"Foolish demons and humans!" The filthy demon said proudly, "You have fallen into my trap. Kikyo was just a bait to put you inside my barrier!"
"What?!" Inuyasha said out loud, frustrated.
"Inuyasha, He's telling the truth. We're inside his barrier." His friend monk, Miroku, told him looking around, seeing the violet energy barrier that could only be a sign of Naraku's power.
Inuyasha didn't care about what his friend houshi was talking about. All he wanted to do now was to kill Naraku for he had hurt Kikyo.
As both half demons were having a fierce eye to eye, Kagome whose feelings were affected at that time as she saw the hanyo's concern for the other miko, looked at the half breed feeling desperately concerned.
He still loves her. She thought. Inuyasha… even though I'm with him, his heart still beats for the one he had loved for the first time. And it will only be her. I'm only the second best for him.
Shippo, the kitsune, saw Kagome's sorrowed face. He felt sorry for the maiden and so jumped and landed on her shoulders. Kagome was surprised by the young kitsune's sudden appearance.
"Kagome, everything will be all right. Don't worry." the young demon fox told her and smiled to cheer her up.
"Yeah, things will be fine." Kagome smiled back despite of her opposite feelings.
Now, Naraku, who was annoyed by the half dog demon bellow him slowly went down. When he was on the ground, his barrier vanished and he was face to face with Inuyasha.
"The truth is my dear nemesis, you nor Kikyo is not the one that I need nor want to kill." The lowbred demon said, "I don't need your courage and strength nor the divine powers of a maiden like Kikyo. I need someone who is more powerful from the likes of you both."
He said it with a grin and looked at the reincarnated miko behind the hanyo not far from him. Kagome looked at their enemy fearing of what he was going to do. The kitsune who was on her shoulders, made his position to protect her. Inuyasha followed Naraku's gaze and saw Kagome behind him. Kagome. He thought. Just then an idea popped in his mind. Kagome, Naraku was going to take Kagome. As he knew what his enemy was going to do, he looked back at him but was too late to prevent the stretching tentacle like claws from the back of Naraku moving towards the miko. The movement was swift and in a few seconds, one of the claws cut through the maiden's shoulder. There was another one and it went through her thigh making her fall down and knocked unconscious. What she could only say before she fell was her whispered call for the half dog demon.
"Kagome!" he called her name. As fast as he could, he ran to the wounded miko. But as soon as he was close, a barrier covering her met him. It was followed by a claw attack but was cut off by their friend demon slayer, Sango's huge boomerang. With her Hiraikutsu attack, she cut the claws in half. She rode on Kirara and flew towards Naraku to attack him. But Kagura, who just in time flew in front of the demon slayer, hindered her from what she was going to do.
'I'm your opponent." The demon goddess said. "Fuujin no mai!" she shouted her attack in time as she waved her fan and out came blades of wind going towards Sango's direction.
The demon slayer escaped her attack by using Kirara's agility, they moved aside quickly. Sango gave the Demon Wind Goddess another of her boomerang but it was just returned to her by Kagura's wind blades. The demon slayer caught her boomerang and returned it on her back.
The fight between the Demon Wind Goddess and the Princess of the Demon slayers continued as Inuyasha tried to break the barrier with the red Tessaiga. He raised the huge sword with its demonic barrier energy and hit Naraku's barrier, but it wasn't possible. So he thought of using the crystal power of the sword, the Kongousouha, which he received from his father's friend, the Jewel maker, Gozenki.
While Inuyasha was readying himself for his attack to break the barrier, many stray demons were flying towards them and Miroku was the only one fighting the hundreds of evil creatures. He threw his holy sutras towards the demons slowly diminishing them a few numbers at a time. But the groups of demons were getting larger and larger by the minute. Miroku could not hold on to his sutras much longer until he hadn't got any of it left. One of the demons went straight towards him, but as he still had his holy rod, he used it and hit the demon cutting it into half. A lot more were moving towards him that he couldn't take it as one at a time. As one of the demons hit him, his rod flew a few feet away that he hadn't got anything to protect himself. But then, Sango who was battling against Kagura saw what was happening to her beloved.
"Miroku!" She shouted his name, worried, as she saw the monk in danger.
Kagura attacked her with her Dance of the Wind blades. Kirara shielded them with her flame as the demon slayer took her boomerang and threw it towards the demons attacking Miroku. The huge boomerang flew and hit the demons, shredding their bodies into small parts. Because of Sango's help Miroku had a chance to use his cursed right hand.
"Wind Tunnel!"
Miroku unsealed his cursed hand and the hole began to suck all things before it. The demons hadn't got a chance against it neither did the huge rocks near the area where the monk was. But a few minutes later, Naraku's poisonous insect minions flew towards the group of demons. The monk saw the insects flying towards him and quickly sealed his right hand. He had sucked the insect before in their past battles with Naraku and it didn't had a good effect on him. The insects that were sucked by his hand made his body poisoned and weak. He knew through it, to be more cautious next time when it happens. Few stray demons were left and it was easy for him to kill. He ran to his rod, took it from the ground and used it to fight back.
While The demon slayer and the monk fought the less threatening problems around. Inuyasha continued on trying to break the barrier. He positioned himself for his new attack. Swinging the sword at his side with both hands and knees bent partially, he positioned it there and waited for the sword's energy to come and transform the swords material from metallic to a crystal form. When it was in it's crystal form, the sword collected the demonic energy around the area and as soon as it was ready, Inuyasha let it out. With full force he waved the sword towards the barrier in time as he said the attack.
"KONGOUSOUHA!"
Shards of the crystal material of the sword flew toward its aimed barrier. The diamond like shards that was known to be the hardest of all crystals in the world broke the barrier making way for the hanyo to get to the wounded miko.
"Kagome!" he shouted again her name.
After the attack, in a few seconds, he was beside the miko, holding her in his arms.
"Kagome, Kagome, wake up." He said embracing the limp body of the young maiden tightly. "You have to live. Because if you won't, by all that is Evil, I'll kill that bastard filthy lowly half breed, Naraku! Kagome, open your eyes." He said looking at the lifeless face of the miko in his arms. " I know you're not going to die. I know you're brave and can fight for your life. I won't let you die. Kagome, please wake up…"
The hanyo embraced her again. Shippo, who was beside Inuyasha looked at the maiden's lifeless body and slowly began to cry. But then, as the hanyo was embracing the miko, he heard somebody whispered his name.
"I-I-Inuyasha…" the voice was coming from the young woman's mouth. He slowly moved her from his embrace and looked at her. The miko slowly opened her eyes and again said his name. "I-Inuyasha…I'm al-right."
Inuyasha felt overjoyed inside that he embraced again the miko. The kitsune jumped with joy as he saw her alive.
"I-I-Inuyasha, I can't breath," the miko said in the tight arms of Inuyasha.
The hanyo was embracing the miko tightly that made her breath uncomfortably. "I-I-Inu…"
"I'm glad you're alive." The hanyo said to her as he embraced the miko. He then loosened his embrace and looked at the maiden in his arms. He looked at her shoulder that was injured by Naraku and also her leg. The sight was some how unbearable. Blood was flowing quickly on her shoulder down her arm, soaking her uniform bloody red. Her leg was in the same condition. Blood was also oozing out from the large wound flowing down her leg and also making a part of her skirt near the injury wet with blood. Some flesh can be seen at the sides of the wounds and some muscles as well inside the injured part. Good thing it only went through the muscles not the bones. But the only problem was that, because of the wound on her leg, she couldn't walk properly. And the pain was still there. It felt to her like she was pricked badly. The half dog demon couldn't stand seeing the miko like that. Hurt. Badly in Pain. Wounded. And almost crying. Inuyasha blamed himself for what happened.
"I'm sorry, Kagome. If only I was alert at that time. I-"
Before he could say another word, Kagome stopped him by telling him softly, her voice shaking," No, you don't need to blame yourself. It's me, I am not strong enough to protect myself from Naraku."
"Ka-Kagome…" Inuyasha said, embracing the miko once more.
"So, you're still alive lady Kagome." Naraku said as he walked towards the two." I guess it's not easy to kill a miko like you, or should I say a DIVINE MIKO just like you." He halted his tracks when he a few feet near them.
"What are you talking about?!" The hanyo was furious. He stood up and positioned in front of the miko who was seated on the ground to be a shield for her. "What is your reason, you filthy monster?! Why do you want Kagome?!" Inuyasha shouted at him. Their enemy didn't answer. He just smiled in silence. Inuyasha's patience was short. "Answer me!"
"Hm." Naraku smirked at him and answered, "It'll just waste my time if I tell you. It's none of your concern. You should know Inuyasha that there is more inside of that young maiden than just her divine powers and eyes that see the Shikon shards. She is more than just a pure soul." The filthy half demon looked at the miko with evil desire. Inuyasha covered her not to let anything happen to her again.
While all were busy fighting, the unconscious miko, Kikyo, slowly recovered from her swoon. She opened her eyes and saw Inuyasha and Naraku face to face with each other. She looked around the two and saw Kagome, sitting on the ground, her body almost full of blood. The Miko she saw was feeling weak and as she could see was in dire need of a healer. If she won't be brought to a healer after a few more minutes she would die. Well, for her that was her prediction. Kikyo helped herself to stand.
"Kikyo. She's awake!" Hakudoshi said as he saw the miko standing up and quickly made a barrier around her. The miko felt the demonic aura near her and saw that a barrier was made around her. She also saw Hakudoshi and Kanna outside the barrier guarding her.
"That Naraku…" The miko murmured as she stood up straight from her dizziness. At first she stood and fell down but at the second time managed to stand straight. She took one of her arrows and positioned it on the bow. She drew the arrow and aimed it up high above her. After a few seconds, she breathed hard and released the arrow from the bow, hitting the barrier and breaking it's power. The barrier slowly disappeared.
Inuyasha saw the bright blue light fly and disappear in the air and knew that it was Kikyo who had done it. He looked at the back of Naraku and saw Kikyo awake. She stood there taking another arrow from its container and aimed it at Naraku's back.
The demon felt the maiden's power growing stronger. He knew by then that she was awake and was using her arrow to destroy him. But he didn't mind at all. He stood there and said, his backs still turned to Kikyo's direction.
"Why don't you release it now?" His voice was still calm and he was smiling arrogantly.
Kikyo was irritated by his arrogance and being proud. What he said only persuaded her to do what she wanted. So, in a swift motion, the arrow drifted from the bow, going towards Naraku. But the demon was alert and used his external bones that was seen at his back and used it as a shield by covering his back with it. The arrow hit it's target but as soon as it touched the shield of bones, it's power was lost and the arrow was broken into pieces.
Kikyo could not believe that her arrow did not go through Naraku's body and shredded it into pieces. The common thing that would happen every time her arrow hit him was that his body was separated into parts. But then, right at that time, it didn't. There were only two reasons why it had happened. One is that her powers were slowly weakening or the demon was getting stronger.
After that attack from Kikyo, Naraku Didn't waste anytime. He quickly returned his bones into its usual form and used his tentacle claws that he used at Kagome, to attack Kikyo. Inuyasha saw the claws moving towards Kikyo and ran to shield her.
"Kikyo!" He jumped and pushed Kikyo to the side with himself a few seconds before the tentacle claws could hit the miko. Both of them fell on the ground but were unharmed with a few scratches.
Inuyasha was the first to move in their situation and sat beside the miko. "Kikyo, are you all right?" the half dog demon asked her, worried. The miko sat from her uncomfortable position and replied, "Yes, I'm fine." But suddenly, the wound at her side opened and ached that she winced a bit making some of her soul loose. Inuyasha saw her wound and immediately stripped a piece of his garment and wrapped it where the injury was.
While the hanyo was busy caring for Kikyo. Naraku took the advantage of taking Kagome. He turned away from the two and went to the weakened miko seating on the ground.
He was just three feet away from her. Kagome could see his deep red eyes looking at her mischievously. He was smiling like he usually did every time he was battling with them and when all was going according to his plan. The weak miko tried to move but it was hard for her because of the injuries that she had. It was like she was cornered and there was nowhere to go. Like she was caged and there was nothing else to do but stay there and wait for the time that she would be killed. Fear was slowly filling her systems. In her mind she could not do anything at the moment except to wait for what will happen to her.
The Monstrous demon stepped closer towards the miko until she was just a step from him. He bent down, one of his knees kneeling, and held his hand towards her. The miko saw what he was doing and knew that he would touch her. He moved his hand towards her face and gently caressed her cheek soothingly. It was like he was making her calm down. But Kagome knew more, that it might not be like that. So before his hand could stay longer on her flesh, she slapped the demons hands away from her face with a short shrill. The demon was surprised at what she had done. He moved his hand away from her and stood up. He continued to look at her as the wind was blowing against them, blowing the dusts as well that began to cover the surroundings.
"Such a weakling you are." Naraku told her as he looked at her features, "But maybe the time is not right for you… yet."
Kagome looked at the demon in front of her in his eyes with nothing but anger showing. The demon could see his face in her infuriated brown eyes.
"Come with me." He said, reaching his hand to her, "And be one of my allies. You have more power that any other priestesses in this land. Join me and you'll be stronger than what you are right now."
The miko was confused of what the demon was saying. She did not know what to do. She thought hard and knew that she could never leave her friends, especially Inuyasha. She was the one who wanted to be with him and leaving him meant letting go of her love for him as well. No, she would never do that.
"I will never join you, Naraku!" She shouted. "I am not one of those demons that you easily controlled. I have a mind of my own that will never be controlled by an evil being like you!" She pointed at the group of demons flying in the atmosphere that were being killed by Miroku, together with Sango who was also fighting Kagura.
Inuyasha heard the other miko's shout and saw Naraku close to her. Kagome! He thought. His mind was screaming for him to go to Kagome. But there was a part of him, maybe his conscience that wanted him to stay with Kikyo and protect her. But as the happenings were passing by quickly. He didn't have time to think. Hakudoshi appeared from above them with his blade and attacked them. But Inuyasha carried Kikyo and jumped away from the boy's attack. The half dog demon landed on the ground and put Kikyo beside a huge rock to rest. He then, faced Hakudoshi for a battle.
The hanyo took his sword and positioned it in front of him to ready his attack on the boy. Naraku's offspring shielded himself with his own barrier.
"You already know, Inuyasha. That no matter what you do, no matter how many times you break my body into pieces, I will still return to shape. I may be shredded but I may still live." The boy demon said as he was flying in the air inside his barrier. "Just return to me Kikyo and I won't fight you."
"Keh!" Inuyasha said his usual expression. "I don't care if I kill you or not. What's important to me is that you leave Kikyo alone!"
The half demon raised his sword for his Wind Scar attack. After a few seconds of waiting for it's full power to fill the sword, Inuyasha swung the Tessaiga downward mightily.
"Wind Scar!"
The sword let out a yellow demonic energy that passed on the ground and flew towards Hakudoshi as it was near him but the boy's barrier just countered it at the half dog demon in return. Inuyasha jumped aside as his own technique returned to him. As he was in a safe area from his attack, he readied again his sword for his second attack. He waited first for the demonic aura of his enemy to be seen. As he had felt and saw it, the Tessaiga balanced it with its own powerful aura and with that, Inuyasha was ready for his attack. With enough power to use the sword, he used his second attack on Hakudoshi.
"Bakuryuuha!"
The demonic whirlwind like energy went directly at Hakudoshi. But the boy escaped the attack by moving aside as the powerful blow was just a few seconds before it hit him. "What a lousy fighter you are. I don't need to counter your attack. It would just finish our battle earlier."
The Half demon was in a fury. He was thinking of using his last known attack to defeat the young demon…
While Inuyasha was protecting Kikyo, Miroku killed all the demons flying in the atmosphere. Sango whose body had bruises and injuries because of the demon goddess's attacks, still continued to fight Kagura.
"Give it up, my dear. You don't stand a chance against me. I'll just injure you more with my Wind!"
Kagura told the princess slayer and gave her attack.
"Ryuujin no Mai!" Suddenly the wind goddess was surrounded by a whirlwind that was moving towards the demon slayer.
Sango who was slowly getting weaker and exhausted, ordered her pet, Kirara to move aside, to escape the attack. But still, the demon cat's side was hit by the passing attack that made both of them fall to the ground. Miroku, who had finished all the stray demons, saw his beloved falling toward the ground. The monk quickly ran towards her direction and caught her. Kirara fell on the ground but quickly stood up like nothing happened.
"Sango! Sango, please wake up!" Miroku tried to wake the unconscious young lady and slowly she opened her eyes. "Mi-Miroku…"
"Sango…"The monk said, as the demon slayer wanted to stand but can't because she was to exhausted to move, "Don't move. Your body's weak right now. Just leave Kagura to me, okay?"
Sango didn't want him to fight for her but then, there was no choice. Her body was in bad shape and if she continued, she knew she was only going to be defeated in the end. So, the demon slayer slowly nodded her agreement with the monk. Miroku then, carried Sango and left her in Kirara's aid. Miroku went and stood a few meters away from the Demon goddess and readied himself for battle.
"What's this, a monk trying to be a hero for his beloved slayer? How touching." Kagura said with sarcasm. "Anyway monk," She opened her fan to be ready for her attack, "be sure that you're better than that girlfriend of yours. I'm starting to get bored by the minute."
Miroku was irritated by what she said. "I won't forgive you for hurting Sango." Miroku was ready to unseal his cursed hand.
"Whatever you say." The demon wind goddess smirked at him and gave her attack, "Dance of the Wind blades!"
Miroku unsealed his right hand.
"Kazaana!"
His cursed hand sucked Kagura's entire attack but then she had called for Naraku's poisonous insects to protect her. In a few seconds the bee like insects were in front of her shielding her and was slowly sucked by the wind tunnel.
Miroku saw the insects in front of him but didn't care. He continued to use his right hand even though her knew the circumstances. For his beloved he would do anything to protect her just as what would Inuyasha do for his loved one.
Speaking of the half dog demon…
"DYNAMIC CRYSTAL BLAST!!!"
The attack went through Hakudoshi's barrier, cutting him into pieces. The boy demons separated parts continued to float in the air. Hakudoshi covered himself with his barrier again to regenerate. It gave Inuyasha time to go and save Kagome from Naraku.
As fast as he could, the half dog demon ran towards his nemesis and took Kagome with him. They went to Kikyo and he laid Kagome beside her.
"Kagome, please stay here for a while and watch over Kikyo." He said and quickly returned to face Naraku. Both of them were face to face with each other and ready to fight but Naraku…
"You don't have to fight me, Inuyasha." He told him in his usual calm and arrogant voice. "Just give me Kagome and I'll leave you and your friends, especially Kikyo. I know you don't want her to get hurt, do you?"
Kikyo…As he heard the filthy demon say the miko's name, he thought for a moment. If he gives Kagome, Kikyo won't be harmed but then, he will lose her. But if he won't give her to him, then Kikyo will be harmed as well. It's a tough one. He thought. What should he do? As he was busy thinking of an answer, Hakudoshi had fully returned to shape. Naraku's offspring quickly turned his attention to Kikyo.
Kagome who sat beside Kikyo was alarmed as she saw Hakudoshi facing them. She knew that the boy was going to attack at her direction. He was going to hurt Kikyo.
"Kagome stay here for a while and watch over Kikyo."
The words rung in her mind. Inuyasha asked her to protect Kikyo. What is she going to do? Her body still ached from Naraku's attack that she should think of something quick before the boy demon can harm Kikyo. The miko looked around and saw the other maiden's bow and arrows. Those were the only weapons that she could use. But, she knew that Kikyo's arrows were too powerful for her that her power wasn't strong enough to take it. But then she thought again. It was the only way she could protect her. With no hesitation, even though it was hard for her to move, she forced her arms to reach the bow and quickly took it. She also took one of the arrows inside its container but as she reached for the arrow, its divine power shocked her hand. She tried again; even though the arrow shocked her she continued the attempt and successfully took it in her hands. She placed the arrow on the bow and aimed at her target, Hakudoshi. As her target was constant, she released the arrow and it drifted straight at the boy demon with its purple light. Hakudoshi saw the arrow moving straight at him but did not move. He had already expected it. As the arrow hit the barrier it got crushed into pieces.
This was not what Kagome had expected.
The arrow…i-it-it's broken… she thought her face showing fear. Her hands shook as she saw what happened and let go of the bow in her arms. "B-But…how could it be…"
The boy demon looked at the mikos in front of him and grinned. "What are you thinking of, lady Kagome?" With those words, Hakudoshi with his weapon moved towards the two's direction as swift as the wind that Kagome couldn't see where he was. Just then, the boy demon showed itself standing very close to the two maidens that he could clearly see Kagome's face filled with fear and anger. Naraku's offspring raised his blade and quickly stabbed Kikyo where the heart is and sliced thru her body slanting towards the right side down her waist letting out all of the souls inside her as the other maiden could not think clearly and could not even move from where she was as she saw him in front of them.
Kagome saw Kikyo wince and open her eyes wide, astonished, as she felt the blade cut through her body but did not feel any pain because of her clay body. The souls inside her were slowly flying out. She could not take the sight that she screamed and took Hakudoshi's weapon from the boy and quickly stabbed it at him. Naraku's offspring was surprised by her sudden action. His mind was occupied by his success in killing Kikyo that he didn't feel what the other miko had done. But then as the blade of his weapon passed through his body, he felt a strong divine power that wrapped the weapon. He looked at his body and saw the weapon's blade stab in the middle of his body with the purple light wrapping it that was known to be the power of the miko. But this time, the miko's power was unusual. Its power seem to penetrate the boy's body that he felt that he could not regenerate his body again. The divine power was strong enough to make him vanish. Hakudoshi glared at the miko icily. "You…how dare you do this to me…" As he said those words, the powerful aura of the divine power subdued him and slowly turned him into dust from the wound to the other parts of his body until nothing was left only his blade. And the wind blew his remains away from the miko.
The hanyo heard Kagome's scream and looked towards her direction. He saw Hakudoshi's body turning into dust and souls coming out of Kikyo's wounded body. The fear of loosing her came to his mind.
"KIKYO!" he shouted and attempted to run towards her. But Naraku stopped him from going.
"Move aside!" he said at the filthy demon. But Naraku didn't move from where he was. He ran to the other side but Naraku still covered him. He ran to the other side but still there was the lowbred demon blocking his way.
"Didn't you hear me? I said move aside!" he said again at the face of his enemy.
"And why would I do that?" Naraku replied teasing the hanyo's patience.
Inuyasha's patience was cut short by his enemy's reply. He didn't want to stay there and wait for anything. Kikyo was in the depths of death and she needed him right at that moment. The half dog demon didn't wait for another minute to pass by he jumped back a few feet from Naraku and took out the Tessaiga. He swung it to his side and waited for the sword to be in its crystal form. As the sword had taken its crystal form, Inuyasha readied for his attack. With full force he swung the sword to the other side letting out shards of crystal flying towards Naraku.
"KONGOUSOUHA!"
Even though Naraku's power had become stronger the Inuyasha's attack still passed through his barrier and cut him into pieces.
Naraku covered his body parts with his barrier again to return his self into shape.
"We will meet again Inuyasha." The filthy demon's head said, "Until I have not yet taken what I need. I will return and shall have what I want." The demon flew away in his barrier and called his servants, "Kagura! Kanna! Were leaving."
"But Naraku, I…" Kagura said but was cut by Naraku, "LEAVE NOW!"
The demon goddess could not disobey him and so stopped his battle with Miroku.
"We aren't finish yet." She said as she took a small feather from her tied hair and threw it in the air turning into a huge feather that Kanna and her could ride onto. With the huge feather they followed Naraku and left.
When the lowbred demon together with his servants had left, the hanyo ran towards the lifeless miko beside Kagome. He knelt on the ground beside her and held her in his arms. He saw her wound and there were only a few remaining souls left that any time it will just fly away and never return. The hanyo didn't know what to do. The one he loved was at the moment there in his arms dying…again. He was going to loose her one more time and there was nothing he can do to make her live longer even as a replica. Inuyasha held Kikyo close that Kagome can feel his sorrow and longing for the other miko to live.
Miroku, who was weakened by Naraku's insects, together with Sango rode on Kirara and took Shippo who transformed himself into a rock in order not to be seen by Naraku. The three of them went to where Inuyasha and Kagome were and there saw the hanyo, in his arms the dying miko. Miroku went down from Kirara and went to Kagome to be there for her anytime when the atmosphere seems to be tight. When Miroku was beside her, the miko asked him to carry her away from the two.
"Miroku, please carry me. I can't stand up because of my wounds, then all of us will leave both of them for a while." The miko said as she looked away from the two's direction. Miroku knew how the miko felt and so agreed with her. The monk carried her and rode onto Kirara and flew a few meters away from Inuyasha and Kikyo.
Inuyasha could not take the hurt that he felt inside. He could not protect her. He could not protect the one that he loved. What more can he do?
"Kikyo…" the hanyo whispered the miko's name as he held her close not wanting to let her go. Just then, Kikyo slowly opened her eyes and saw the half dog demon close to her. "I-Inuyasha…" The hanyo heard the miko's voice and looked at her to see if it was really her who had spoken. "Kikyo, you're-you're okay." Inuyasha said as he saw the wake miko.
"No, Inuyasha. I'm not. I could not feel the pain caused by the wound that Hakudoshi made but the souls that ache, wanting to go out of my body. They are not mine and they need to return to where they should be. I do not deserve these souls from innocent people. I'll soon leave this world after the last of the soul that I took from them disappears." The miko told him.
"Don't ever say that. You're not leaving. You're not going to die. I won't let you!" The hanyo's eyes looked like he was going to cry but couldn't.
"Listen to me, Inuyasha." Kikyo said touching the face of the hanyo with her hand. "In this world there are only two things that all living creatures should commonly undergo. And that is our birth, which is the start of our life here on the land and our death, which marks the end of our journey in the mortal world. Every living creature passes through these two even I who has been returned from the dead. Even though I have returned I will always die because that's what every one of us should go through. It is the cycle of a living mortal that nothing can stop from going on and on from generation to generation. Unlike you demons that are immortal and cannot easily age and die. You may die but you have to wait for a very long time."
"No, Kikyo…No…there is still a chance for you to live. Your soul collectors can give you as many souls as you want for you to live. Why not let them do it to you now?" The hanyo was confused on what he should do.
"Because if I live. I will just die AGAIN. And everything will just be harder to accept." The last of Kikyo's soul was slowly flying out of her body. "Now, it's time for me to leave and have peace."
"No, Kikyo! Please stay much longer."
"You should not weep for one who you know have twice died in the past. You should think of the others that await you. There are still people who need you and love you. Do not put them down."
"If you die where is your true soul going then?"
"In the past, I have died. Many people and demons think that there is a place that after death there soul could go to and have peace. But to what I have gone through, after I have died that will just be the end of EVERYTHING. My soul never went to any place where in there is peace. My soul roamed in a place where all is in darkness and there I was all alone. Maybe I was not made to have peace at that time. And now maybe I can…"
After she had spoken her last word, the miko slowly closed her eyes and the last of her soul vanished into thin air leaving her to her death.
"Kikyo," The hanyo called her name then shook her, " Kikyo, Kikyo!" the hanyo called her name twice but the miko did not wake up.
Slowly, the body of the maiden turned into dust as the power of the divine miko left the clay body and it was blown by the wind…
Remembering that time, Kagome could not take the fact that the hanyo still had feelings for the dead miko but remembering that time of their battle with Naraku and the death of Kikyo put into her mind what she should do at the present.
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