Chapter Eight

Miroku ran through the castle, knowing that he was close to the one he wanted to kill. He could feel Naraku's presence nearby, and was ready to do whatever it took to kill the one that had placed the curse on his family. He'd been among the first to break the castle defenses, and he could hear his comrades running behind him, attacking and killing all of the castle inhabitants.

"Ah, so the monk is here, eh?" Naraku sneered, as he emerged from the shadows before Miroku.

"That's right. And you're not going to get away this time, Naraku." Miroku growled, as he faced his enemy.

"I don't intend to run, monk. Not this time." Naraku replied, before beginning the last battle himself.

Kagome looked out across the barren plain. Bodies were strewn everywhere, but they weren't all Naraku's forces. Many of them were wolf, dog and fox youkai.

"We've taken heavy losses, but it seems that one battle has been won. Milady, your last battle is within. Your houshi friend is already facing Naraku and I believe Sango and Inu-Yasha-sama are heading there as we speak. You'd best go with them, and complete your task. We're counting on you." Kojo said, respectfully.

"Thank you, Kojo-san. Would you mind keeping an eye out for Sesshomaru-san? I don't think he's returned yet." Kagome said, with concern in her voice.

"We will, though I am beginning to think he might not return." Kojo murmured, as he looked out across the field.

"You sure about this, Sango?" Inu-Yasha asked. Sango nodded.

"He took everything from me, and I will see to it that he doesn't live to get away with it." Sango replied, coldly.

"Then let's go!" Inu-Yasha shouted, as he and Sango charged into the already intense battle Miroku had been waging against Naraku. Just as they did so, Naraku did something they were definitely not expecting; he closed Miroku's kazaana! All Miroku could do was stare at his hand in shock, not noticing when Naraku used his mental power to collapse a wall onto him.

"MIROKU!" Sango screamed, as the monk looked up and tried to leap out of the way. Without thinking, Sango rushed to Miroku, and was relieved to see that he was still alive, but his legs were trapped beneath the rubble.

"It's funny………………that is the first time you've ever called me by name, Sango-sama." Miroku said, with a pained smile. Sango only gave him a weak smile in response, then glared balefully at Naraku. Naraku sneered again, knowing that none of the ones who had come could defeat him. Then, out of the blue, something flashed from behind, carrying his head from his body and into the far wall. When the dust had settled, all in the area gasped, a young boy with a chain sickle in hand had taken Naraku's head off!

"Kohaku…………………." Sango whispered, then looked down at the head. Not surprisingly, it was still alive and snarling. Not wasting a moment, Inu-Yasha drove his sword into Naraku's head, thus ending the fifty-year feud.

"Sango!" Kohaku shouted, as he ran across the room into his sister's arms.

"Kohaku! But how? How could you be alive?! And without a Shikon Shard?" Sango asked, tearfully.

"It was a youkai that brought me back! He told me to come and find you, and that you might need help!" Kohaku replied, happily.

"A youkai? Did he have long silver hair and a purple moon tattoo on his forehead?" Kagome asked. Kohaku nodded.

"Where is he? Show me!" Inu-Yasha ordered, suddenly fearing for his brother's life.

"Follow me!" Kohaku said, as he ran off. Inu-Yasha and Kagome followed, but Sango hung back until Miroku's legs could be freed. When they got to where Sesshomaru had fallen, a crowd had already gathered. Pushing his way through, Inu-Yasha went to his brother's side.

"Sesshomaru………………." Inu-Yasha muttered, kneeling beside his fallen sibling when he saw how badly injured he was. Blood stained his white kimono a dark crimson and dripped from a hole in his back that may have been caused by Kohaku's sickle weapon.

"Sesshomaru……………………..don't you dare die, Sesshomaru! You're the only family I've got left! You good for nothing…………………..wake up! Wake up, damn you!" Inu-Yasha shouted, as he gripped one still hand in his. When he got no reply, Inu-Yasha felt tears well up in his eyes, and, for the first time in many years, he cried. The youkai, knowing that Inu-Yasha wanted to be alone, departed, leaving only Kagome beside him.

"Inu-Yasha…………………." Kagome murmured, then hugged him, trying to comfort him in the only way she knew how.

Sesshomaru floated in a sea of nothingness. Life as he knew it seemed far away, distant and unreal. Then he heard voices calling his name, and he saw his parents. He was about to call out, when he heard other voices, these voices sad and tearful. One of them was his brother's! Then he heard Rin, Jaken, and his loyal followers calling him.

"I must go back. I must." Sesshomaru thought, as he broke through the darkness and into the world of light.

Plip!

Sesshomaru felt something warm and wet fall onto his face. And when he opened his eyes, he could see Inu-Yasha kneeling over him, his face sad, then joyful, when he saw that his brother was alive.

"Inu…………………..Yasha?" Sesshomaru choked, painfully.

"Dammit! You had me worried! What the hell were you trying to prove, huh?!" Inu-Yasha shouted, relieved that his brother was still alive.

"Sorry……………..to have worried you……………….That lad, Kohaku, is damn good with that weapon of his, isn't he?" Sesshomaru asked, with a rueful smile.

"Yeah. Do you think you can sit up? I think Kagome's planning on treating your wounds." Inu-Yasha said. With a mighty effort, Sesshomaru forced himself into a sitting position, and allowed Kagome to treat his wounds. He wrinkled his nose when the smell of the alcohol reached it, and growled in pain when Kagome dabbed at his back wound.

"Sorry." Kagome said, then went on to apply the bandages. After his wounds had been bandaged, he was placed on a stretcher, then carried back to Kouga's range. Kouga had also been wounded in battle, but nowhere near as severely as Sesshomaru had been. Rama, unfortunately, had been among those killed in the first attack on the wall. All in all, they had fared better than they had hoped, and were going home, at last.