Chapter 9: A Battle Won and Lost
"Kagome!" shouted Inu Yasha, as he searched frantically for the girl. "Kagome!"
"Kagome!" another voice sounded. Surprised, Inu Yasha paused and listened intently. "Kagome!"
Miroku? Sango? he thought. No, it must be another trick.
Nevertheless, Inu Yasha carefully advanced toward the voices, and found the two searching as well. This may be another trick, Inu Yasha thought. Perhaps I should attack before they do.....
Noiselessly he waited for Miroku to come closer....Then without warning leaped and was about to slash his claws into the surprised Miroku, when Shippo came hustling out of the bushes. Inu Yasha froze in mid-air, his claws stopped right before Miroku's throat.
"Sango-chan!" Shippo cried out happily and leaped into her arms.
"Shippo!" said Sango. "Where have you been?"
"And where have you been, Inu Yasha-kun?" said Miroku, eyeing him carefully. "And would you mind telling me why you have your claws upon my neck?"
Slightly embarassed, Inu Yasha withdrew his arms. They're real for sure, he thought, catching their familiar scent. He quickly explained what had happened, and explained to the suspicious Miroku that Naraku had created a duplicate of them, the reason why Inu Yasha had attacked.
"So basically," started Miroku, "our duplicates were to distract you so Kagome would run off while you were too busy at the moment."
"Right."
"Wait a minute!" Shippo cried out suddenly. All eyes turned to him. "Kagome is in danger right now! Her soul is being taken!"
"What?!" Inu Yasha said, and stepped up to the small kitsune. "Where is she now?!"
"Come on!" Shippo responded and jumped out of Sango's arms and onto the ground. "We've got to hurry! Naraku and Kikyou are there!" With that, he began to run and the three followed closely after.
"Kikyou..." Inu Yasha whispered. "What is it now???"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Another blast of energy surged through Kagome and left her weakened. Kikyou too felt it, and fought to keep her ground.
"Kukuku...." chuckled Naraku. "It won't be long now. I shall soon have you with me, Kikyou."
"You....shall...not have me...." said Kikyou, struggling to stand. She balanced herself on her bow and kept her eyes straight at Naraku. Her dead souls were beginning to appear and leave her. With the last of her strength, she withdrew an arrow, fitted into the bow, and fired. Her bow missed Naraku completely and fell short.
"It won't be long now," said Naraku, his eyes full of longing.
Kikyou began to struggle for another arrow. Suddenly, her bow and arrow fell to the ground. Another small glow left her. "No..." she whispered and fell upon her knees.
Naraku laughed. "To think I can bring the great miko, Kikyou, to her knees!" he said with bitterness.
Kikyou summoned a tiny smile. "Inu.....Yasha...." she breathed out heavily. "Some other day.....I....will...kill...you...." The last soul finally then left her. At the same time, Kikyou's eyes went blank and she collasped upon the ground.
"Finally,"said Naraku, rejoicing. "I have her! I have her at long last! Wait...." he paused. "I don't......there is still something missing." He eyes finally trailed back to Kagome. "Of course..." he smiled evilly. "You are the reincarnated miko. I still need you...Kikyou was strong, but I can see that you are stronger. Perhaps that is why you can last so long without weakening as Kikyou had. But...it won't be long before you too will belong to me."
I...I am stronger than Kikyou? thought Kagome, amazed. Maybe I am.....
Then Kagome spotted Kikyou's bow and arrow. She struggled over and picked them up. Just then, another blast of energy was thrown at her, and this time Kagome was thrown back off her feet.
"Foolish girl," said Naraku. "Do you really think that you can defeat me?"
"I...just might..." responded Kagome, struggling to her feet. Slowly, she got up and fitted the arrow and took careful aim. I'm getting weaker, she thought. I have to make this one shot.
"You can't get through my barrier, and your arrow won't do any harm to me." Naraku watched Kagome coolly. "And when you do shoot, you will weaken greatly, for a purifying arrow requires great strength."
Dammit....thought Kagome. He's right. I will weaken....maybe even up to the point that he will have no problem taking my soul. And even if I hit him, it won't hurt him. As long as he's holding the Shikon no Tama, he won't be harmed.
Then Kagome's eyes lit up. Of course! she thought. What if he's not holding the Shikon no Tama?
Kagome nodded to herself and prepared to shoot. I hope I am correct, she thought...This will be my last and only chance.
Naraku saw Kagome change her position as she prepared to attack.
"Stubborn girl," he said. "If you wish to continue, go ahead, but you won't win."
"Naraku..." Kagome said in a low voice. "You....said so yourself...I'm stronger than Kikyou.....I am stronger than you.....will ever think...."
At that instant, the arrow left the bow. Naraku brushed his hand at the arrow, but was greatly surprised when that had no effect. His eyes widened and was about to blast the arrow, but he was too late.
The arrow struck his wrist, and his hand exploded into light as the Shikon no Tama was thrown from his hand. It sailed in the air, still glowing and surging with energy.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" yelled Naraku as he felt himself lose power and felt his soul being torn from him. Without the power of the jewel, Naraku was hopeless. He struggled hard, but lacked enough power.
"This cannot happen to me!!!" he shrieked, and brought his hands together and shot a wave of energy at the Shikon no Tama. The energy bounced off the jewel and headed straight back at Naraku. He was too late in blocking it, and was struck back and he landed in a heap. As though it was responding, the Shikon no Tama flared brighter.
"NNNOOOOOOO!!!!" Naraku shrieked. "I will not be defeated!" He fought to stand, but he lacked all strength. He only managed to bring himself to his knees and look up...and saw a wave of light shot straight at him from the jewel.
He gave one more terrifying cry before his soul was ripped from him in a cloud of black.
Kagome watched as Naraku's soul-less body fell to the ground. I...I did it....she thought. I had defeated...Naraku.....But the arrow had drained her of all her strength. She dropped the bow and fell against the ground. The Shikon no Tama was still glowing as her eyes lifted up to the sky and saw the moon. She smiled a tiny smile.
Inu Yasha.....Kagome thought. Goodbye....I will forever love you........
A trickle of tears ran down her face as she slowly closed her eyes....and a soft blue light left her body........
"Kagome!" shouted Inu Yasha, as he searched frantically for the girl. "Kagome!"
"Kagome!" another voice sounded. Surprised, Inu Yasha paused and listened intently. "Kagome!"
Miroku? Sango? he thought. No, it must be another trick.
Nevertheless, Inu Yasha carefully advanced toward the voices, and found the two searching as well. This may be another trick, Inu Yasha thought. Perhaps I should attack before they do.....
Noiselessly he waited for Miroku to come closer....Then without warning leaped and was about to slash his claws into the surprised Miroku, when Shippo came hustling out of the bushes. Inu Yasha froze in mid-air, his claws stopped right before Miroku's throat.
"Sango-chan!" Shippo cried out happily and leaped into her arms.
"Shippo!" said Sango. "Where have you been?"
"And where have you been, Inu Yasha-kun?" said Miroku, eyeing him carefully. "And would you mind telling me why you have your claws upon my neck?"
Slightly embarassed, Inu Yasha withdrew his arms. They're real for sure, he thought, catching their familiar scent. He quickly explained what had happened, and explained to the suspicious Miroku that Naraku had created a duplicate of them, the reason why Inu Yasha had attacked.
"So basically," started Miroku, "our duplicates were to distract you so Kagome would run off while you were too busy at the moment."
"Right."
"Wait a minute!" Shippo cried out suddenly. All eyes turned to him. "Kagome is in danger right now! Her soul is being taken!"
"What?!" Inu Yasha said, and stepped up to the small kitsune. "Where is she now?!"
"Come on!" Shippo responded and jumped out of Sango's arms and onto the ground. "We've got to hurry! Naraku and Kikyou are there!" With that, he began to run and the three followed closely after.
"Kikyou..." Inu Yasha whispered. "What is it now???"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Another blast of energy surged through Kagome and left her weakened. Kikyou too felt it, and fought to keep her ground.
"Kukuku...." chuckled Naraku. "It won't be long now. I shall soon have you with me, Kikyou."
"You....shall...not have me...." said Kikyou, struggling to stand. She balanced herself on her bow and kept her eyes straight at Naraku. Her dead souls were beginning to appear and leave her. With the last of her strength, she withdrew an arrow, fitted into the bow, and fired. Her bow missed Naraku completely and fell short.
"It won't be long now," said Naraku, his eyes full of longing.
Kikyou began to struggle for another arrow. Suddenly, her bow and arrow fell to the ground. Another small glow left her. "No..." she whispered and fell upon her knees.
Naraku laughed. "To think I can bring the great miko, Kikyou, to her knees!" he said with bitterness.
Kikyou summoned a tiny smile. "Inu.....Yasha...." she breathed out heavily. "Some other day.....I....will...kill...you...." The last soul finally then left her. At the same time, Kikyou's eyes went blank and she collasped upon the ground.
"Finally,"said Naraku, rejoicing. "I have her! I have her at long last! Wait...." he paused. "I don't......there is still something missing." He eyes finally trailed back to Kagome. "Of course..." he smiled evilly. "You are the reincarnated miko. I still need you...Kikyou was strong, but I can see that you are stronger. Perhaps that is why you can last so long without weakening as Kikyou had. But...it won't be long before you too will belong to me."
I...I am stronger than Kikyou? thought Kagome, amazed. Maybe I am.....
Then Kagome spotted Kikyou's bow and arrow. She struggled over and picked them up. Just then, another blast of energy was thrown at her, and this time Kagome was thrown back off her feet.
"Foolish girl," said Naraku. "Do you really think that you can defeat me?"
"I...just might..." responded Kagome, struggling to her feet. Slowly, she got up and fitted the arrow and took careful aim. I'm getting weaker, she thought. I have to make this one shot.
"You can't get through my barrier, and your arrow won't do any harm to me." Naraku watched Kagome coolly. "And when you do shoot, you will weaken greatly, for a purifying arrow requires great strength."
Dammit....thought Kagome. He's right. I will weaken....maybe even up to the point that he will have no problem taking my soul. And even if I hit him, it won't hurt him. As long as he's holding the Shikon no Tama, he won't be harmed.
Then Kagome's eyes lit up. Of course! she thought. What if he's not holding the Shikon no Tama?
Kagome nodded to herself and prepared to shoot. I hope I am correct, she thought...This will be my last and only chance.
Naraku saw Kagome change her position as she prepared to attack.
"Stubborn girl," he said. "If you wish to continue, go ahead, but you won't win."
"Naraku..." Kagome said in a low voice. "You....said so yourself...I'm stronger than Kikyou.....I am stronger than you.....will ever think...."
At that instant, the arrow left the bow. Naraku brushed his hand at the arrow, but was greatly surprised when that had no effect. His eyes widened and was about to blast the arrow, but he was too late.
The arrow struck his wrist, and his hand exploded into light as the Shikon no Tama was thrown from his hand. It sailed in the air, still glowing and surging with energy.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" yelled Naraku as he felt himself lose power and felt his soul being torn from him. Without the power of the jewel, Naraku was hopeless. He struggled hard, but lacked enough power.
"This cannot happen to me!!!" he shrieked, and brought his hands together and shot a wave of energy at the Shikon no Tama. The energy bounced off the jewel and headed straight back at Naraku. He was too late in blocking it, and was struck back and he landed in a heap. As though it was responding, the Shikon no Tama flared brighter.
"NNNOOOOOOO!!!!" Naraku shrieked. "I will not be defeated!" He fought to stand, but he lacked all strength. He only managed to bring himself to his knees and look up...and saw a wave of light shot straight at him from the jewel.
He gave one more terrifying cry before his soul was ripped from him in a cloud of black.
Kagome watched as Naraku's soul-less body fell to the ground. I...I did it....she thought. I had defeated...Naraku.....But the arrow had drained her of all her strength. She dropped the bow and fell against the ground. The Shikon no Tama was still glowing as her eyes lifted up to the sky and saw the moon. She smiled a tiny smile.
Inu Yasha.....Kagome thought. Goodbye....I will forever love you........
A trickle of tears ran down her face as she slowly closed her eyes....and a soft blue light left her body........