Ok my lovelies, here is the next chapter in the story, yay! I just want to clear this up that this is NOT the last chapter in the story. I plan on continuing it after this point to include their lives and the aftermath. I really loved writing this chapter. Sorry for taking so long but it is such a touching chapter that I wanted it to properly protray my vision and I hope I succeeded.

Anywho, hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it! :-)

I do not own Inuyasha, if I did I would be rich.


"My my my, well that certainly is a pretty sword you have there Inuyasha" Byakuya teased as he saw the Tetsusaiga's blade bleed red.

A smirk grew across Inuyasha's face, as he lowered the sword to Byakuya. "Well, you're going to be a lot more impressed once you see what it can do." Without another word, Inuyasha charged at Byakuya, the sword's blade gleaming off the small amount of sunlight not hid by the clouds.

With the scraping of metal Tetsusaiga contacted with Byakuya's barrier, causing sparks of energy to arc off the surface of the protective dome. A fierce determination gripped Inuyasha as he bore down harder on the barrier, causing wide cracks to form on its surface. He had to deal with Naraku's incarnation quickly, so he would still have enough energy left for the main battle.

Through the shimmering purple hue of the barrier, he could see Byakuya's face display alarm for only a moment, before narrowing his eyes with a triumphant smirk plastered across his features.

"It takes a sick bastard to smile when they are about to die!" Inuyasha growled as he put all his energy into the sword, causing the barrier to break apart in a wave of electricity.

"So insulting Inuyasha, someone should really teach you some manners." Came the mocking reply as Byakuya stood vulnerable in front of the half demon. A devilish look came into his red eyes as they narrowed once more. "But it is not me that is going to die, but you!"

As soon as the words escaped his lips, Byakuya shot a massive amount of vines from the ground behind Inuyasha, spearing him through his left shoulder.

Inuyasha let out a painful yell as the mass of vines ground through his flesh. He had managed to shift his body at the last second to keep it from being a devastating attack through his abdomen.

Hiraikotsu!

The massive boomerang cut through the air with practiced precision, cutting the base of the vines that held Inuyasha in place. Now able to move, he grasped his injured left shoulder and glared at the demon standing in front of him. This was bad, even though he had managed to avoid the intended injury, his arm was now barely usable.

"Wind Tunnel!"

Inuyasha snapped back to reality when he saw the purple robe clad form of Miroku standing next to him. Unnatural wind spewed forth from the abyss in his hand, directed towards Byakuya, threatening to suck in everything in it's path.

"Inuyasha, are you alright?" His question was barely audible over the roars of the wind.

"Yeah" came the short reply.

Miroku braced his arm as the winds swirled with fierce determination, pulling timbers of wood off the nearby dilapidated houses. Byakuya still stood in the middle of the artificial tornado, the smirk on his face growing wider. Suddenly his body burst into hundreds of lotus flowers, at once being sucked into the nothingness of the wind tunnel. With an exasperated grunt, Miroku bound his hand with the customary prayer beads and started shifting his eyes to his surroundings.

"Not again! This is really starting to get old, you hear me?" Inuyasha's call to where Byakuya had last stood warranted a reply that seemed to echo all around them.

"Oh Inuyasha, you're no fun. I suppose since you are no longer entertaining, there is only one thing to do with you."

Ripples in the air formed to their left, and a moment later was replaced with Byakuya. Turning on his heels, Inuyasha tightened his grip on the hilt of Tetsusaiga and raised it over his head. His vision caught the small fissures being caused in the earth from the vines that were now being shot towards him.

"Oh no you don't, that little trick won't work on me again you bastard!" A moment before the vines made contact, Inuyasha launched himself back, flying through the air with lightning speed. Much to his surprise, the vines erupted from the earth and followed his ascent into the sky. As quickly as he could muster, he slammed Tetsusaiga down to try and destroy the attack.

He would never make it in time.

A shower of pink light spewed forth from behind him as an arrow soared through the air, destroying the vines that were only inches from hitting the half demon.

Letting out the breath he had been holding, Inuyasha directed his eyes to Kagome, who was loading another arrow into her bow, now aiming it in the direction of Byakuya. He landed beside her, and flashed her a quick grateful smile. She did not return the expression, her concentration fully on her intended target.

The wood of the bow creaked as she pulled it back, aiming with deadly precision. "Hit the mark!"

All the tension was released as the arrow was enveloped in a soft pink light and barreled towards Byakuya. Instead of a smirk, on his mouth was an expression of shock, as he tried to move out of the way. As a last ditch effort to save himself, he called up a wall of vines just as the arrow slammed into them. The holy power from the arrow poured out, destroying the vines on contact in a magnificent light show. Once the smoke cleared, Byakuya was nowhere to be seen.

"Not again!" Cried an anguished Kagome as the group collectively scoured the landscape for any signs of their opponent.

"Kagome, can you sense him? Can you sense where he is going to reappear again" Inuyasha's low voice came from beside her.

She shook her head slightly, "I don't know, but I can try."

Exhaling a deep breath, she focused her powers and let them guide her. Her eyes were still open but the landscape faded to black as she desperately tried to sense Byakuya's demonic power. Ripples formed in her darkened vision as Byakuya's form slowly started to materialize to the right.

"There!" She pointed to the ripples in the atmosphere, but as soon as she did, his form faded into the blackness once more.

"Very interesting priestess, but it is of no matter, you cannot keep up with my movements." The mocking tone of Byakuya's voice echoed to her. She pushed the voice from her head and concentrated once again on trying to sense their enemy.

The ripples seemed to come from everywhere now; numerous Byakuya's appearing to not only her eyes, but to her companions as well. She let her vision fade back to normal, and found that they were surrounded by atleast two dozen forms of Byakuya.

"Wind tunnel!"

"Hiraikotsu!"

The dual attacks pierced the silence of the battlefield. A massive wave of lotus flowers came forth from all the replicas as they were hit.

"We're getting nowhere!" Came an anguished response from Inuyasha, as he slashed his sword through yet another replica.

Their attacks were proving not only ineffective, but problematic as well. For each fake Byakuya they destroyed, another appeared in their place.

Kagome shot another arrow at a quickly approaching replica before being showered in lotus flowers. An exasperated sigh escaped her lips as she looked around at all the Byakuya's, desperately trying to find the real one. He eyes scanned quickly across the battlefield, until she finally could sense a demonic aura from the top of a crumbling house in the distance.

"Inuyasha! He's there!" She pulled another arrow from her quiver and strung it in her bow. Taking a moment to steady her aim, she released the arrow in Byakuya's direction.

When he heard Kagome's voice over the roar of the battle, Inuyasha shifted his eyes from the multiple Byakuya's to where Kagome's arrow was pointing. Following the arrow's intended path he saw a figure standing in the shadows on the roof of an old house. Sniffing the air slightly, he realized that this was no illusion. Willing his injured arm to move, he gripped the Tetsusaiga with both hands as a coat of diamonds covered the blade.

A moment later, Kagome's arrow was soaring through the air, aimed with flawless precision. Byakuya had been so preoccupied with the joy he felt from playing with Inuyasha and his group that he did not notice the arrow until it was upon him. Once again, he called forth his vines to shield him from the attack, but he only managed to raise his wall halfway before the arrow hit. The impact momentarily blinded his vision, but that was all Inuyasha needed.

When his sight returned seconds later, Byakuya was confronted with the horrifying vision of millions of shards of adamant screaming to him. His mouth gaped open as the attack throttled into him, slicing through flesh and bones and then through air beyond. His body was disintigrating, it was no match for the power of Inuyasha's attack.

Watching the attack from where he stood Inuyasha knew he had hit Byakuya head on, the sounds of painful cries only served to reaffirm this. Byakuya was finally dead. He slammed the Tetsusaiga into the soft earth at his feet, trying to ease the throbbing pain in his left shoulder. Blood oozed down his red haori, but he paid it no mind, they still had the final battle to deal with. Standing to his full height and slowing his breathing he called to his friends.

"Now for Naraku. Is everyone ok?"

His group gave a collective nod.

After giving them the once over to make sure of their condition, Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga from the earth and bolted off in the direction of Naraku's castle.


The clanging of metal was deafening. The air around the castle was electrified with charges of demonic energy, causing what little sunlight had been shining to now be blocked out by a mixture of miasma and unnatural clouds.

Sesshomaru was unleashing a ferocious assault on Naraku's barrier with Bakusaiga, but to no avail. Every point of contact he made did little more but cause ripples on it's surface. From behind his protective dome, Naraku merely smirked at the demon lord's assault.

After another mighty blow from Bakusaiga, Sesshomaru flipped back from the barrier, landing gracefully on the ground a few yards away. This despicable coward of a half demon was proving to be more problematic that he thought. He was unable to use his sword to it's full potential because he did not know where Kagura was being held. He had not sensed her aura since he had arrived, only the overwhelming stench of her blood. The dark thoughts in his mind of her lying dead inside the castle were wearing on him. There was also the problem that the coward would not leave the protection of his barrier. There must be a way to end this quickly, he was beginning to tire and his fears for Kagura's safety amplified every moment he dragged this fight on.

"Naraku, are you truly such a coward that you will not come out to face me on your own? You insist on hiding behind your barrier because you know that you will die by my hands today." The venom of his words was not lost on the half demon, but did little to erase the perpetual smirk from his face.

"Is it frustrating Sesshomaru? To know that you are too weak to rescue your beloved Kagura from me?"

Sesshomaru's eyes tinged red as he dodged another mass of tendrils shot out from behind the barrier. He would not stand around and have this vile half demon insult his strength. He would end this quickly, he would do what he must to destroy Naraku. He tried to scan the area inside the castle to feel Kagura's aura, if he could avoid her and hit only Naraku, he might be able to finish this. Even straining his superior senses, he could not trace Kagura's aura, but the smell of her blood that emanated from the castle seemed to be everywhere, not allowing him to pinpoint her position. He was now faced with a dire decision; he could either use his Bakusaiga to destroy Naraku and possibly harm Kagura in the process or worse, or he could continue as he had been doing and risk tiring himself more and not making any headway. His heart was beating hard in his chest, a combination of exertion from the battle and uncertainty over his decision. The latter emotion took him by surprise, he had never been uncertain in battle. He had always been calculating, one step ahead of any enemy he had faced. Now there was more at stake than victory or loss, and if the battle turned ill, he could not bear the fact of losing someone so precious to him.

He would save her, in any way he could, he could not allow anymore harm to come to her. He was the lord of the west, his sword was an extension of himself, he would make it bend to his will. His decision reached, he held the sword up in front of his face, pouring his demonic energy into the blade which made it glow in an eerie green light.

From behind the purple hued barrier, Naraku saw the aura being summoned to Sesshomaru's blade. His eyes narrowed at the demon lord's brashness, surely he was not going to release an attack of this magnitude when he had told him Kagura was inside. Perhaps he would have to up the stakes, he still had a few tricks up his sleeve.

Inside the castle, Kagura had finally awoken from her pain induced sleep. Outside, she could feel the massive energy being unleashed and could hear the clanging of Sesshomaru's sword. She tried to call out to him, but her throat was too dry to let the words escape, all that came out was a desperate squeak.

Waves of pain consumed her body as she tried to move. She could feel the restraints of the vines placed on her by Byakuya start to go slack. Looking down at them, she saw they no longer had their green color, but looked ashen and brittle. The power once imbued in them was gone, and that must mean that Byakuya was no more. Against her body's painful cries, she began slashing at the vines with her claws, letting them fall to the ground and wither away. It was difficult at first, her arms were tightly secured to her chest by the restraints, but the brittle nature allowed them to break easily against her struggling. Once she managed to get an arm free, she began tearing at them, desperation overtook her and she managed to tune out her body's injuries in order to free herself. She finally succeeded in releasing her torso when something in the corner of the room caught her eye. A soft glow was emanating from a large crystal, and it was held by someone. Her eyes widened as she realized who was in the room with her.

"Akago" the words cut through the air, reaching the infant in the corner.

He said not a word, but stared at the wind sorceress with such a look that managed to make her blood run cold. The hints of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he continued to stare.

"I have to destroy him, and then Naraku will fall." Kagura's thoughts came rushing back to her as she managed to turn her eyes from the revolting infant.

With renewed vigor, she slashed at her remaining constraints, causing her battered body to once again become mobile. If only she could get to the infant, she could end this right now. The cold floor creaked below her feet as the last of the vines disintegrated around her. She set her jaw and began to walk over to the infant, but what sounded like an explosion ripped through the shoji screen doors, stopping her in her tracks. With horror she felt her body being squeezed by gnarled tentacles, lifting her once again off the ground. A blood curdling scream rang out from her as her numerous wounds reopened from the pressure on her body. The image of Akago drifted into the distance as she felt herself being pulled from the room. She desperately clawed at the tentacles wrapped around her body, but for every mark she made, the pressure on her body was amplified.

The cool air of the outside world blew through her sticky, blood soaked hair and stung the wounds on her face. Her eyes took a moment to adjust to her new surroundings, to her left lay the castle, it's façade now in shambles.

And to her right stood Sesshomaru.

Her heart skipped a beat as she took in his regal form and his flowing silver locks. Even though he had mud spattered all over him and he was now looking worn, he was still the most beautiful thing her eyes had even seen. In that moment she was unaware of anything else but him, he had come for her. Their eyes met one another's and she saw the worry in his own amber globes, mixed with anger. Just to see him again made her lips form into a smile, it was as if time had stopped, all her pain faded away and she knew everything was going to work out.

A single word escaped her lips, although it was so soft only she could hear. "Sessh…Sesshomaru"

Seeing the smile on Kagura's face only made Naraku's smirk that much wider. This would be how he would bring down the lord of the West, not with swords or barriers, but with her, Kagura, his only weakness in the world. He let the fact wash over him, as he began to squeeze his tendrils around her body, delighting at her face going from a smile to a silent scream.

He held her up, suspended in the air nearly fifteen feet, and began to squeeze the life from her. The sounds of bones cracking and giving way under his grip gave him a sick joy. He would watch her suffer, and then he would watch as she saw him kill Sesshomaru right in front of her. The look of pain in her eyes was something he had dreamed of, and it only served to amplify his twisted pleasure. His thoughts were interrupted as he saw a blur of silver, followed by an arc of green coming towards him.

Sesshomaru was coming at him with impossible speed, the blade of Bakusaiga glowing green with massive amounts of demonic energy. He swung the blade with mastered precision, slicing Naraku's tentacles apart. With the restraints now cut, Kagura's limp body started to plummet to the ground below, looking more like a ragdoll than a demon. With a burst of speed, Sesshomaru dashed in her direction, but was thrown off course by another mass of tentacles hitting him and throwing him on the ground several meters away.

Kagura saw him hit the ground only moments before her body made impact with a sickening thud. The impact made her broken body cry out in pain, and she could see the inky blackness closing in on her, but she willed it away, she would not give in now. Across the courtyard was Sesshomaru, already having made his way back to a standing position from the attack, he started to run back towards her again. Another mass of tentacles shot towards him and he dodged with perfect timing, landing once again on his feet.

Desperately Kagura tried to move her wounded body, she dug her claws into the soft earth and tried to pull her form to him. With every move she made she could feel her body protesting, feeling more like broken glass than flesh and blood. Every movement, no matter how miniscule, sent waves of agony through her threatening to make her give up and close her eyes. She wouldn't, couldn't, give up now, if only she could make it to him, everything would be ok.

Diverting his attention from the demon lord for a moment, Naraku saw his incarnation trying to crawl towards Sesshomaru. With a mocking laugh he shot out his tentacles and ensnared her once again by her wrist, bringing her up to hang in the air beside him.

Staring at her with blazing red eyes his mocking tone came to her. "I must say Kagura, it is impressive how you have managed to seduce our dear Sesshomaru. Perhaps I should have made you do this before you turned so traitorous." Looking back to the winded demon lord, he narrowed his eyes in disgust.

"You disappoint me Sesshomaru, can you not manage to save the one you love from only a lowly half demon? Perhaps the lord of the West is not so great afterall." His tone was mocking, hateful. It was designed to get a response from Sesshomaru, to make him play perfectly into his hand. He need only to bide his time.

The insults hurled at him by Naraku were something he would suffer no longer. He would kill this despicable waste of life, but first he needed to save Kagura.

"You will see how great this Sesshomaru is when you are bleeding at my feet. Release her…now."

Naraku feigned a concerned expression as his sarcastic response hit the air. "I doubt that Sesshomaru. And as for Kagura, if you want her, come and get her." His gnarled appendage held Kagura out farther away from his body, tempting his opponent.

There was something off in Naraku's voice that caught Sesshomaru's attention. It was like he was playing with him, toying with him. With Naraku nothing was ever this simple, he had to be planning something. He drew his gaze from the disgusting half demon to the barely open eyes of the wind sorceress. He could see the pain in her eyes and the pleading for him to save her. That look alone made the risk of falling into a trap worth it. At seemingly the most inopportune time Sesshomaru heard his father's words echo in his head.

"Love is not a weakness my son, it is a strength. Love makes you stronger, because you have something you need to protect."

"To be strong you must be able to protect those who need you, even sacrifice yourself if need be. The strong are responsible for protecting the weak. Never forget that my son."

His father's words still fresh in his mind, Sesshomaru took one final jump towards Kagura.

With a satisfied smirk coming across his face, Naraku took a moment to congratulate himself on beating the lord of the West without so much as even breaking a sweat. Using Kagura as bait, he was able to make Sesshomaru do anything he wanted, and that would be his ultimate downfall.

Summoning all the power from Sesshomaru's attacks on his barrier, he prepared to fire the massive store of energy as soon as the demon lord crossed his path.

Kagura saw Sesshomaru's face coming nearer to her against the blurred landscape of her vision. She tried to cry out to him but her voice failed her again, her lungs were being squeezed in the deadly grip of Naraku's tentacles. She watched as he flew through the air, his refined grace present even as he was exhausted, but then she felt something else. She turned her head in the instant she sensed it. As her vision settled on the source of the power, a look of horror came to her face as she realized where it was coming from.

A purple aura was oozing from Naraku's barrier, crackling with untold power. In that instant she realized what he was planning and her stomach fell to her feet. She watched as the barrier that surrounded him warped as the power of his next attack left it. Surely Sesshomaru had felt it, surely he knew what Naraku was planning!

Jerking her head back to a still airborne Sesshomaru, she summoned up all her strength and managed to choke out a phrase: "Sesshomaru NO!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she saw Naraku release his surprise attack. Time slowed as she watched helpless to do anything but scream. She felt her body begin to tumble to the ground, Sesshomaru's strike had hit it's mark, freeing her from the mass of tentacles around her arm. As she looked up at him, she saw in that instant an immense blast of purple energy barrel into the side of Sesshomaru, knocking him to the ground.

Gasping from the sudden burst of air that invaded her lungs, she raised herself up on her hands to take in the aftermath of the attack. Kagura's eyes bulged out of her head, not fully able to comprehend what had just happened. Sesshomaru lay only a few feet from where she had hit the ground. His white haori was now colored black and the skin on his back was mangled and charred. A sickly smoke rose up from his motionless form, as the last remaining energy from the attack crackled and burned around him. Kagura stared at him for what felt like hours, pleading for any sign of life. Desperately she closed her eyes as the first of many tears rolled down her face and tried to sense his aura.

But it was gone.

She felt it then, in that moment, an agonizing pain in her chest. Her heart was breaking, she could almost hear the splintering sounds as it shattered into a million pieces. The physical pain it caused was far greater than anytime Naraku had tried to squeeze the life from it. She opened her mouth to scream, to cry out in pain of losing her most beloved Sesshomaru, but she could not. There was not a sound in the world that could convey the pain she felt now in her own heart.

"Kekeke." Naraku's sickening laughter broke the silence of Kagura's mourning. "Now Kagura, it is time for me to deal with you."

She looked up through tear stained eyes and saw a mass of tentacles coming straight towards her. But then another sound broke the silence.

"Hiraikotsu!"

The massive boomerang shredded through the air, destroying the tentacles that were aimed straight at her heart. Breathing a sigh of relief, she turned herself on to her stomach and began to inch to where Sesshomaru lay only a few feet away.

Several yards away Inuyasha's gang had finally arrived after their fight with Byakuya. Miroku and Sango jumped from Kirara's back and froze in place at what they saw. Close beside them, Inuyasha slowly lowered the Tetsusaiga from above his head, looking at the charred body of his half brother. He swallowed hard and gripped the hilt of Tetsusaiga in anger. Even though himself and Sesshomaru had never been on the best of terms, the image of his half brother lying face down in the dirt was too much for him to bear. He gritted his teeth in anger as he cursed to himself. That bastard would pay, he would pay with his life, he would make sure of that.

They all stood for a moment longer in silence, the only one who made any sound at all was Kagome, and it was nothing more than a small whimper.

Kagura ignored them and the pain that she felt. She had to get to him, she had to see if maybe he was okay. She crawled along the dirt, leaving a trail of blood behind her. Tears soaked her face and her kimono, threatening to drown her at the sheer volume with which they flowed from her eyes. He was so close now, just one more moment and she could reach out and touch him.

"Ah Inuyasha, you finally make it. I am afraid you are too late though, atleast to save your brother." The perpetual smirk was still plastered across Naraku's face, although there was a hint of concern in his voice.

Inuyasha diverted his gaze from the fallen demon lord and wind sorceress to the despicable mound of flesh in front of him.

"Naraku, you bastard! You're going to pay for this! I am going to rip you apart!


The clanging sounds of metal and yells of battle seemed so far away to Kagura now. The only thing she could focus on was the body in front of her. She pushed herself forward once more and finally felt the strands of silver hair below her fingers. Her breath hitched in her throat as she forced herself into a sitting position. Broken ribs jostled in her body in protest of the sudden movement, but she didn't care. If she was going to die now, she would want it to be with him in her arms, nothing else mattered. Kagura sat beside him, too afraid to touch him, too afraid of what she would find if she rolled him over. She tried in vain to wipe the tears from her eyes, but only succeeded in spreading mud all over her cheeks. Trying to prepare herself for what she would find she let a couple of deep breaths fill her lungs, causing her to wince again in pain. As she felt her heart pound in her chest, she reached out with shaky fingers to his bloody shoulder. Gripping her claws into his bloodied haori she pulled as hard as she could, causing her to lose balance and fall over from her rather delicate position. Raising herself up once more from the ground she got on her hands and knees and made her way over to his body. When she gazed upon the face that was attached to this body, it was one she did not recognize.

His beautiful golden eyes had turned red, but they had none of the light she had seen on so many occasions. His still snarling mouth bared fangs that had elongated and the marks on his face had become jagged. She drifted her eyes down to his body and there was a gaping hole through his abdomen, she put her fingers over the wound that was still oozing blood. Bakusaiga was still clutched in his hand, the power it was imbued with still crackling and fizzing. Then she saw Tenseiga, his father's fang, resting in his obi, but not doing anything more. She snarled in anger, what good was a sword that could give life if it did not save the one who had power to wield it? With every breath she felt her heart breaking more, masking the pain she felt from the rest of her body. She touched his still warm face and let her fingers trace a line to his lips. Softly she ran her claws over his lips and bent down gently to kiss them, knowing it was the last time she ever would. As she pulled away she could see the teardrops that fell from her eyes making tracks on his bloodied face, he was still so beautiful.

Her teeth ground together, as she suddenly found herself violently shaking him, willing him to come back to her. His silver hair flailed softly around his face, sticking to the spots of dried blood that covered his entire body. A mournful wail was all that she could muster before throwing her body over his and grabbing onto his blood soaked haori. Tears rolled down her face in droves, as she pleaded silently for him to wake up, willing him to run his hand through her hair or for his chest to start it's rhythmic rise and fall once again. But there was no response, no matter how hard she begged and pleaded, he did not move. When her futile attempts to wake him up proved unsuccessful, the last of herself broke.

She felt a rage overcome her that she had never felt before, an all consuming wave of it crashed into her body. She found her voice at last and started to scream incomprehensible words of agony. The voice coming from her mouth did not sound like her own, but more like those of a dying animal. There were no thoughts anymore running through her head, instead her blood pounded through her veins like liquid fire. Casting him one last glance, something caught her eye in the sleeve of his haori. She leaned over his body and grasped the object in her hand. The familiar texture of it only fueled her rage, now she would take revenge, and afterwards let her injuries overtake her so she could follow him to the afterlife. There was no life for her here, not anymore, her life lay on the ground in a burned and bloody pile.

Standing up to her full height, she ignored the pain overtaking her and concentrated on the rage and anger she felt towards her former master. She would harness the physical and mental pain she felt and funnel it into her anger, making it into a deadly mix of malice. No pain she could experience, even now, could match the pain she felt in her heart. She willed her broken body to move despite it's cries of agony.


Inuyasha and Naraku were in a heated battle. The wall of tentacles that surrounded his barrier prevented Inuyasha from using his red Tetsusaiga. He was now furiously slashing at the obstacle while the others were destroying any tentacles that were coming in their direction.

They were all too consumed in the battle that no one saw the figure standing near the edge of the courtyard.

Flipping her fan open and staying her trembling fingers, she let her lips form into a snarl, her fangs hanging over her lips in a vicious display of anger. She would avenge him. The gift he had bestowed upon her would allow her to do so. The last teardrop fell from her eye as she could hear his words in her head.

"I did it because I knew you were strong enough. I also did it to give you the strength to take your revenge on Naraku"

She heard the cool deep tone of his voice and it made her all the more enraged. Her ragged breaths hung in the air as she drew upon the power boiling deep inside her. She focused on her power, making it swirl around her like the winds she controlled, arcing and fizzing with her demonic aura. The more she concentrated on controlling her power, the more her pain, however temporary, began to subside. She had only one mission now, to destroy her despicable master, to make him suffer and beg for mercy.

With slow determined steps she made her way to the battlefield, her body swaying slightly at the exertion, but she would press on. The first person to turn and see her was the monk, his eyes growing large at the swirling mass of energy surrounding her.

Slowly, they all felt it and turned as well.

Five pairs of eyes locked on the wind sorceress, all studying her with a mix of uncertainty and puzzlement. The red vortex of power that surrounded her was the same shade as her eyes and matched the burning fire of anger they now gleamed. She held her hand out to her side, loosely holding her opened fan in her grasp. Fiery eyes gleamed out at them, but were only fixated on one person: Naraku.

Masking his concern in his voice, he called out to the demoness. "Well now Kagura, it seems you are tougher than I gave you credit for, but what are you going to do now? Your new power is still no match for me." Pleased with his insult, he cast a sneer in her direction.

She just continued staring at him for another few seconds, growling lowly in her throat. When the reply came, it was hoarse and full of malice.

"You will die for what you did to him, and it will be by my hand."

Before Naraku had a chance to respond, or even fully comprehend what she had said, she brought her fan up and in a swift arc released her attack.

"Dance of Blades!"

One by one dozens of half moons of wind energy spewed forth from her fan, crashing through the air and making deep scars in the earth. Naraku just stood there with his trademark smirk as he prepared for the attack to hit it's mark. But when the blades of wind did not move in his direction, a look of alarm replaced his jubilance.

Instead of coming at him, they swept towards the castle and towards his heart.

In a panic he tried to shoot out a defense of tentacles to stop the blades from hitting their intended mark, but he was too late. With a violent crash, the massive crescents slammed into the barrier protecting Akago and the Fuyoheki. Under the assault the barrier began to warp and crack, bright white fissures began to appear on its surface as the attack continued to bear down on it. Blade after blade crashed into it until it could stand no more. Finally with a dazzling shower of light, the barrier disintegrated, leaving Naraku's heart vulnerable.

For the first time, Kagura saw the look of alarm and terror that crossed Naraku's face, he bolted towards the infant to try and make his escape but Kagura would not allow that.

While the blades of her attack were still dissipating she swirled her fan once more and released the finishing blow.

"Dance of the Dragon!"

The massive twisters were released from her fan and set upon their intended path with unparalleled ferocity. Spitting up dirt and rocks they closed in on Akago, a look of terror on his own face that matched that of Naraku's. When he saw the attack released Naraku tried to quicken his pace in a desperate attempt to shield his heart from total destruction, but all he managed to do was look on in horror as the attack crashed onto Akago.

Ripping timber from the partially destroyed castle, the attacks bared down on Naraku's heart, flinging debris across the whole of the courtyard. A painful groan came from Naraku as he felt his heart being destroyed in the vortex of power, he doubled over in pain from the loss of his most vital organ.

In his moment of pain, Kagura turned her gaze to where Inuyasha and his friends stood. Still gripping his sword tightly, Inuyasha had a look of surprise on his face at the sight before him, and it was matched by the rest of his group. Kagura's voice echoed to them through the air.

"Inuyasha! Now! Strike him before he can escape!"

Snapping the half demon out of his stupor, Kagura met his eyes across the courtyard. She saw the fierce determination that struck him then as he raised the red blade of Tetsusaiga.

This was the moment she had been waiting for her whole life, the moment when she would be free from him. But it was hollow for her. She had dreamed of being free from him and spending her life with Sesshomaru, but that had been savagely taken from her and there was nothing left. The thought threatened to bring tears to her eyes once again, but she willed them away. There would be time for tears later, but now it was time for action.

The red blade of Tetsusaiga slammed into the barrier, making a massive fissure which then exploded in light. Through the barrier Kagura could see Naraku's face twist into a look of sheer horror. He knew the end was near, and Kagura couldn't be more pleased to see that plastered all over his face.

As the barrier fell, Kagura unleashed another lethal barrage on him, joining the other's attacks. They all converged upon him at once, ripping, tearing, slicing. The noise was deafening but above it all they could hear the screams of pain from Naraku. In that moment, Kagura felt a twisted joy and relished in his screams. She was rejoicing at the fact that he felt what he had done to countless others in the past, it was a fitting end for one so vile.

As the dust cleared, she dissipated the aura around her and felt her body give way, nearly crashing into the ground where she stood, but she managed to regain control at the last moment. As Kagome held the now purified jewel in her hands, Kagura staggered away to rejoin her love and claim her final resting place beside him.


She finally managed to limp her way over to where the body of her love lay. With every step she had taken towards him she felt the pain come back to her in waves. She had managed to push it away in the battle, but no longer. Every movement she made felt like her body was made of shattered glass. She knew her ribs on the left side were broken, as well as her wrist and collarbone. The throbbing from her right ankle told her that that was probably broken too.

Yet all of it seemed so miniscule compared to the pain in her heart. With every pulse, she could feel it shatter more, until it would cease to be. She had gotten her heart back, only to have it break when the one who it beat for lay dead on the ground.

She stood for a moment over the body of Sesshomaru before falling to her knees beside him. She cupped his face in her hands, and felt how cold it had become. A gasp escaped her lips and she drew her hands back in horror and slumped over him, clawing at his haori and whimpering softly. The moment she felt his cold skin made her realize this was all real, and he was not coming back. Memories of the night they spent together came rushing back to her. She remembered how warm his body felt against hers that night, and she wept for the fact that she would never feel his warmth again. Tears cascaded down her cheeks like a torrent, it seemed they would never end. She wept for their lost future, for all that had been robbed from them and for all that could have been. He was a great taiyoukai, the Lord of the West, he did not deserve this. She wished that she could switch places with him, but she would join him soon enough. She would lay here until death took her, she would will herself to die beside him, there was no more joy in life for her.

Her breath hitched in her throat one more time as she felt the presence of Inuyasha's group around her. She did not lean up to look at them, but heard Kagome's voice call to her, far off and distant although she could not have been three feet from her.

"Kagura?"

She did not answer, she just wanted to be left alone to die.

"Kagura, please. You're really hurt and we can help you."

She could sense the concern in Kagome's voice, she knew she was trying to help her, but there was nothing they could do to help her now. She felt a soft hand lay on her shoulder, and she recoiled at the touch.

She then heard Inuyasha's voice, it was softer than usual but the words ignited a fire inside her stomach.

"Kagura, he's dead. There's nothing you can do for him now."

Her head snapped back and leered at the half demon. She knew that he was only trying to help, but to hear the words that had come out of his mouth set her into a rage.

"Leave us" she seethed, gritting her teeth as the words escaped her lips.

The group withdrew slightly at the tone of her words. Kagome tried to say something, but a hiss from Kagura made her stop mid syllable.

"Leave us! I am none of your concern, Naraku is dead and you have your jewel!" She slowly began to open her fan to show them how deadly serious she was but the monk's voice stopped her.

"She is right Kagome. There is nothing more we can do here."

Kagome gave Miroku a shocked look and started to argue.

"But Miroku, she's hurt, badly. We can't just leave her here."

"We can and we shall, we should respect her wishes." Miroku softly replied.

Kagome let out a soft sigh and looked back at the glaring red eyes of the wind sorceress.

"Kagura, I'm so sorry." She hesitated for a moment, trying to find the words to say. Looking for encouragement, she gave an awkward look at Inuyasha, but his eyes were fixated on the body of his half brother lying beneath Kagura. She tried to give a comforting smile, and continued "We will always be around if you need anything."

She weakly looked at Kagome and softened her features. "Please take care of Rin and Jaken."

Kagome looked at her, her eyes glassy with sadness as she gave a small nod to the wind sorceress before turning to leave

Kagura watched as they slowly trailed off, hearing a brief conversation between Kagome and Miroku.

"Miroku, why did you say we needed to leave? She could die if she is not taken care of"

"I believe that is her wish, and however strange it may seem, we should not interfere."

She watched as Kagome gave a sad look back in her direction before glancing behind where Kagura was sitting.

Kagura turned her vision to where Kagome's gaze had gone and saw Inuyasha still standing behind her. A frown was on his lips, and his ears were flattened against his head.

"It shouldn't have ended like this" His remark was directed at no one in particular, and he slowly turned on his heels and followed after his group.

After she had watched their forms fade into the shadows of the surrounding forest, she turned her gaze back to Sesshomaru. A clawed hand went up to his face and brushed the few rogue strands of hair from his eyes. His eyes…they were still open, locked in a never-ending gaze. She let out a shallow breath as she ran her hand over them and closed them for the last time.

"You saved me my love, but it cost you your life. I am so sorry"

She could hear his voice inside her head. "I already told you Kagura, there are no regrets from this Sesshomaru."

"I wish it wouldn't have ended this way." She said softly as she slipped her hand into his. "I wish we could have lived our lives and been happy, but I will follow you into death my mate, where our souls shall be together forever."

Her lip quivered as tears began to roll down her cheeks again. Filling her lungs with air she lay upon him once again, and resigned herself to the shadowy arms of death. Her breath became shallow as she waited there for her injuries to claim her but a slight vibration and a rising demonic aura caused her to raise her head once again. The sound of metal vibrating made her eyes shift to his sword.

Tenseiga was vibrating.

The hilt of the sword was exuding a soft blue aura, and as she looked at it, the sword began to strengthen it's vibrations. She lifted her body off Sesshomaru and slid her hand slowly down to the sword. When her hands touched it, she heard a voice in her mind. It was muffled at first, but as she grasped the hilt firmer, it became clear.

Do you wish to save him?

The deep voice sounded similar to Sesshomaru's, and she realized it was coming from the sword. A look of confusion crossed her face. She must be going delirious from all her injuries, but the voice sounded out again.

Do you wish to save him?

She hesitated for a moment before answering aloud.

"Yes"

Then you must use the sword.

She looked down at the pulsating blade in her hand and slowly pulled it from it's sheathe.

As she held the blade before her, the blue aura slowly consumed the blade, she could feel the energy pulsing through her body. She heard the voice come to her again, louder this time.

Use the sword and he shall be saved.

She felt frustration come over her. "But I don't know how! Only Sesshomaru knows how to use the blade!"

It is my fang, and it will save my son. Use it's power and bring him back.

Kagura's eyes widened when she heard those words. Sesshomaru's father? At that moment she felt a comforting heat consume her that pulsed through her veins. Slowly she stood up and raised the sword in her hands. It pulsed and she could see the messengers of the underworld crawling on his body.

Cut through death to bring back life.

The warmth pulsing through her body intensified as she gripped the hilt tightly. Taking a deep breath, she arced the sword over his body, destroying the imps that were surrounding him. The sword pulsed once again as the light faded and the warmth left her body, leaving only the pain of her injuries once more.

She looked down at him, the sword still suspended in her grip. Locking onto his face, she waited for any sign of life, but his lips remained ashen and his eyes did not open.

"What now?" She called out, but the voice did not answer.

"What now? What did I do wrong?" But for the second time there was no response. The voice was gone.

She let the sword fall from her hands, the clanging of metal masking her own cries of pain. She went to her knees once more and crumpled over his body, sobbing uncontrollably. She had one chance to save him, and she could not do it. All those times he had saved her, and she could not save him when it counted most.

She felt his body move slightly, and she stopped her sobbing and listened. Slowly, she could hear the rhythm of his heartbeat in his chest. Her head flew up from his body and felt a clawed hand run through her hair.

Amber eyes locked with hers, blinking slowly as if it was the first time he opened them in years.

Her entire body trembled "Sesshomaru…?"

His lips parted and uttered her name.

"Kagura"

She looked at his face. The color had come back to his lips and all the marks were gone, leaving only pristine pale skin. She rose herself up to look at the hole in his chest, but it was no longer there. Tears came to her eyes then, but they were not tears of agony, but of joy. The pain in her heart subsided as she brought her lips to his and savored the feel of them.

His hands entangled her hair and brought her lips closer to his, deepening the kiss. Grabbing for any part of him she could find, she pulled herself closer to him, engrossed in the fact that she could feel his heart beat, feel his chest rise and fall. He had come back to her. His other arm wrapped around her and she could not hold back they cry of pain as she felt the pressure on her broken ribs.

Sesshomaru broke the passionate kiss and sat up slowly with her in his arms. He held her at arm's length and inspected her broken body.

"You are injured badly." His voice was softer than normal and concern filled his eyes as he saw blood still oozing from her wounds. "We must get you somewhere that you can rest."

She knew that she was in bad shape, the fight with Naraku had only worsened her injuries. The blood loss would cause her to pass out shortly, but she only wanted to be held in his arms for a little longer before it happened.

"No, please, not yet." She choked out. His eyes narrowed slightly at her response but she continued. "I just want to feel your arms around me one more time."

He looked at her for a moment before pulling her to his chest. His strong arms held her loosely so he did not aggravate her injuries even more.

"I knew you would come for me." She took a ragged breath before continuing. "You saved me again."

His voice came to her, the deep sound reverberated in his chest. "And you saved me."

A smile came across her face as she slowly gave in to her darkening vision.


Ok, just to clear one thing up, Kagura is NOT dead! :-)

Also, there are just a few parts of this chapter that I want to clear up. I feel like they did not get all the attention they deserved while I was writing, but I felt it would make the story drag if I explained them in text.

First of all: The part about why Sessh could not sense Kagura inside the castle. Akago was sitting beside her and although she did not have the Fuyoheki in her possession, I believe that it makes all demonic auras around it dissapate.

Second of all about the Tensaiga. I know that Sessh was saved by the Tensaiga once before in a fight with Inuyasha, but he has never been resurrected with it. In the anime, his mother says it can only bring someone back from the dead once, therefore I used the fact that he had only been protected by it on one occassion. And he couldn't exactly bring himself back once he was dead, he had to have someone else bring him back. Also, yes, Sessh is Tensaiga's master, but when his father is talking to Kagura he makes the sword bend to his will and work for her, since it is a part of his body anyways.

Hope that clears it up so I don't get any angry fanmail, lol.

Also, I would like to thank all my reviewers and those who added this story to their favorites. It really does mean alot to me to know people are enjoying this story. :-D See you all next chapter!