The journey of a thousand miles,
begins with a single step.
So too this final challenge,
begins, and ends, with a single step.
- Confucius
Chapter 25
There was a thud, and a loud ringing, like metal striking metal sounding through the little campsite.
Kagome woke with a start, opening her eyes to see a pair of brown ones staring back.
It took a full second for her to realise that it was her own eyes, reflected towards her.
She took in what was around her, InuYasha was crouching forwards over her, the Tessaiga drawn and transformed, the blade so close to Kagome's nose that she was fogging it up with her breath. The tip of the mightily sword was stuck in the ground, protecting her from the unknown object.
InuYasha lifted the sword over his shoulder, and pulled Miroku to his feet, the monk was already awake, as was Sango.
They were hiding in a small, open cave, that was formed out of a large, dead tree, which had originally grown at the edge of a small cliff.
Kagome got up slowly, turning her eyes blue, leaching to colours out from around her.
The surrounding area was almost black , it was that dark red, with him at the centre of the darkness.
Kagome got up, and grabbed her bow.
Naraku himself appeared out of the darkness, into the light of the fire.
'Ku,' Naraku said. 'Kohaku.'
Kagura appeared directly on Naraku's right.
'Why are you here, Kohaku? Here to help your sister?' Naraku asked tauntingly.
Kohaku said nothing.
InuYasha shifted slightly, shielding Kagome from sight, she was glowing bright like a torch.
'Why are you here?' He asked, making the question an accusation.
'I have come to retrieve something. That is all.'
'Nothing is ever that simple when it comes to you.' Miroku stated plainly.
Naraku smiled.
And took a step towards them.
There was a shout that came from none of them, and a figure that was nothing but a blur, flew at Naraku, but was stopped by his barrier.
It turned out to be Kouga, who bounced off, and landed lightly on his feet, on the other side to him.
Naraku acted as if nothing had happened.
He looked back at Kagura for a second, then all ignored the winds that sent her off on her feather.
He raised his arms slightly, and an uncountable number of demons appeared from behind him.
They flew at the group, snarling, howling, attacking, and were almost immediately upon them.
InuYasha, Kagome, Sango and Miroku fought their way up on top of the cliff, slicing demons, destroying them as they went.
Shippo instantly turned into a small pile of mushrooms, which all hopped off to hide, Kirara transformed and flew at the demons, a trail of blood belonging to her opponents as she went.
Kagome dodged a demon's crude weapon, and fired an arrow up into its face.
It's head was purified, it fell backwards onto another demon, pinning it to the ground.
Something tugged at the edge of her senses, and she stared at InuYasha for a split second, who stared back.
Everything seemed to go in slow motion then, as a large, bright blue attack not unlike the wind scar flew in between them, destroying a large number of demons.
Sesshomaru stepped out of the shadows, sword drawn.
He was positively scary, the way he was glaring a hole through the demons and at Naraku.
Kagome stepped back, watching more demons replace the ones slain.
A demon appeared before her, rough sword raised above its head about to strike her, she flinched, stepping back. It still clipped her, a large cut appearing on her arm, just below her wrist, which was raised to protect her face.
Kagome blinked back tears as she ignored the stinging pain, purifying the demon, and the one behind it.
Sesshomaru had officially joined the battle, nearing to the place where his brother stood, sword raised.
InuYasha let loose a mighty wave of power, carving a path towards Naraku.
He followed the path, slicing any demon that got in his way.
As if it wasn't loose enough, literally all hell broke out.
Every single demon there, including Naraku, produced a long rifle out of somewhere, and began firing everywhere.
Kagome threw up a barrier, as did Miroku.
Sango pulled Kohaku behind the Hiraikotsu, and InuYasha hid behind the Tessaiga.
Shippo, unable to hold his transformation any longer, popped back into existence appeared, but then produced a pile of doppelgangers, each of them disappearing quickly, but none of them where the real thing.
Sesshomaru leapt high above the firing range, blocking any bullet following him with his sword.
Kouga simply dodged the bullets, his shards giving him his speed.
Suddenly Kagura appeared out of nowhere, sending two blades of solid wind towards him. They quickly and easily sliced through the skin and muscle, sending the two jewel shards flying.
'You aren't so cocky without these, are you, Kouga!?' Kagura shouted over the various battle cries surrounding them, catching the shards.
'My shards! No!' Kouga shouted. He swore.
Kagura flew over to Naraku, and handed him the shards with a glare.
'Thank you, Kagura.'
'Pleasure's all mine.' Kagura said acidly.
Miroku opened his wind tunnel then, sucking in countless demons, which where instantly being replaced by more, also getting sucked in.
The effect was instantaneous, Miroku's hand turned black, and the wind tunnel could actually be seen widening.
The monk covered it up as quickly as possible, but the damage was done.
InuYasha appeared back next to Kagome, a large, purple bruise blossoming on the side of his face, an obviously deep wound was sporting blood from his shoulder.
'We need to fall back!' He said to her urgently, setting off another wind scar.
'I know! But where? And how?'
Kagome looked over at Sango, who was looking sore but determined, standing next to Miroku and Kohaku.
Kouga was still fighting with a vengeance, but there was something wrong,
'Naraku has Kouga's shards!' Kagome exclaimed.
InuYasha swore loudly, glancing over at the wolf demon.
Kagome looked at him frantically.
'What do we do now?'
(a/n, Unless I get TEN reviews by Saturday the 19th of Feb, this attack on Naraku will go pear shaped, and everyone will die. Naraku will WIN unless I get those reviews. :D )