Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.

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Kagome froze, her steps suddenly stopping and a look of cold fury overtaking the blank mask on her face. There was a voice in her mind. One that she wasn't familiar with but somehow knew all the same.

'You have lost Child of Light,' Kagome could hear the smirk in the taunting voice, 'I have won.'

'You have not won!' Kagome thought furiously, 'You have not! I will not allow it.'

'But isn't it already obvious to you,' it continued, 'Your two companions will be the first blood to create my physical form and it is obvious that the hanyou will choose Kikyo, isn't it?'

Kagome's eyes flashed dangerously, the aura around her flaring in response to her anger and her nails biting into her palms.

'See? You already realize this. And you still think that you can beat me?' the voice laughed.

"Shut up," Kagome growled softly, blood leaking through her fingers.

Inuyasha's eyes widened in alarm. He could not hear what she was hearing, nor could he find whom she was talking to, with or without the gift of Light that he possessed. But he could smell her blood and feel her rage.

'You are a fool indeed.'

"I said shut up!" she shouted angrily.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha grabbed her shoulders and shook her. The glazed look in her eyes faded slightly and she shook her head. "Get out of my head," she whispered, her eyes squeezing shut and her hands lifting to press against her ears.

The voice stopped, fading laughter echoing through her mind and Kagome crumpled. Inuyasha caught her as she fell, worry shone in his golden eyes.

Her eyes were blazing when she opened them, fury pouring through her. She felt her banked powers erupt inside her and she didn't even try to force it down, instead welcoming the rush of strength. She licked the blood off her hand absently, watching the shallow wounds heal at the increased rate that the powers of Light allowed.

Inuyasha watched her in concern as she stood, "What happened?"

She did not answer, ignoring the question completely. "We need to move faster," she said instead, "We have to run."

And with that she took off, Inuyasha following close behind.

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Miroku felt Sango's hand go limp, her entire body spasmed and twisted. Her pupils faded and her eyes went completely dark.

"Sango!" Miroku shouted in alarm, renewing his attempts to free himself. The ropes did not move an inch and it was all that he could do to grip her hand and watch when her entire body went limp. Her body slumped, held up only by the stone that held them there. Her eyes were dark and vacant.

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Inuyasha could hear Kagome muttering to herself as they ran, casting worried glances at her from time to time. The color in her eyes pulsed in time with the fiery aura that surrounded her. The silver vied for dominance and he could tell that she was struggling against the urge to just engulf herself in her power and take apart anything that got in her way. But it was the look in her eyes that scared him the most.

Never mind that the silver whips were multiplying and they almost engulfed the natural brown shade of her eyes. Ever since they had met, Kagome's eyes always had some trace of hope, even if they were in the most dire of situations and her eyes brimmed with tears, there was always hope in the them, no matter how little. But now, her expressive eyes shone only with rage and anger, there was no fear, no hesitation, only the look of someone ready to kill.

"I'll never forgive them. Never," she was saying, "I'll kill them. I'll kill them all. They don't deserve to live. I'll never forgive them . . ."

"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted at her, leaping up suddenly to land in front of her, stopping her rather effectively.

"Inuyasha," she replied, her voice hard, "Move." She turned her steely eyes up to him and his eyes widened at the obvious threat in them.

"No," he told her, his hands coming up to grasp her shoulders to keep her from running off, "Talk to me, Kagome."

Kagome blinked in confusion, whatever she had been expecting, that wasn't it. Her eyes softened but she remained silent.

"Kagome," Inuyasha sighed, "Tell me what it is. What is it that's making you so upset!?!? I can't protect you if I don't know what it is!" He was shouting as he finished and an angry glare replaced the hurt in his eyes.

Kagome's eyes widened and their intense look faded. "Gomen ne, Inuyasha," she whispered, her hand lifting to brush lightly across his cheek, "I didn't mean to worry you." A sad smile crossed her lips. "But we have to hurry. We don't have time for this…" she trailed off.

"We aren't going anywhere bitch," Inuyasha tightened his grip on her shoulders, "Not until you tell me what's bothering you."

A faint smile twitched at the corners of her mouth at the fierce determination in his eyes and she allowed it to come. A soft smile appeared and her eyes went liquid with the force of her emotions. "Dark was in my head," she began softly, her eyes on his face, "They're going to sacrifice Sango-chan and Miroku-sama on the new moon to give Dark a physical form. That's why we must find them before then. If we don't, it's all over. And even if we do, you still have to make the Choice." Her voice broke and she tore her gaze away from his face, staring to the side. "Choosing Kikyo is the only way to redeem her soul but then . . . I'll be . . . suspended in time forever, trapped between life and death, unable to die, unable to live . . . only being able to watch and see what the Dark will bring . . . Gomen ne, Inuyasha. I didn't mean to sound so melodramatic. Everything will be fine . . ."

Inuyasha released her suddenly, grabbing her around the waist to lock her in a fierce hug. Trying to offer her all the comfort he could. 'This is too much for her,' he thought angrily, 'Damn you Hikari. How could you do this to her!?'

"We have to find them," Kagome mumbled, not wanting to move from the comforting embrace, "Inuyasha, we have to hurry."

Inuyasha reluctantly removed his arms, watching her with an unreadable expression. Kagome gave him one last smile before running off in a blur, with Inuyasha trailing after her.

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The instant that Sango had grown limp, the stone ropes that had kept them both bound retreated. Miroku turned in time to catch her before she hit the ground. He backed away from the stone walls and laid her down carefully on the ground. Miroku was becoming alarmed at the dark energy that was radiating from her form.

He slowly drew one of his charms from his robes and whispered a few prayers, before slapping it across her forehead. Sango screamed the instant the paper touched her skin, her body arching sharply. The paper began to curl on the edges, despite the constant prayers that Miroku was whispering to send more of his houriki to it. The white of the paper began to darken, turning black while the spell written on it began to change, the ink writhing on the paper.

The charm, fully changed now, lifted from Sango's body, causing the scream to stop immediately, her body falling lifelessly to the ground. Miroku watched in horror as the charm turned, slapping itself to his skin before he even had to chance to register what it read. His eyes widened as he felt the taint seep into his mind and he collapsed next to Sango, his eyes as dark as hers.

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A harsh, familiar laughter stopped both Kagome and Inuyasha immediately, both turning their gazes up to the top of the trees, where a familiar figure was standing.

"Naraku . . ." they whispered in unison. Inuyasha's eyes flashing dangerously as he reached for the Tetsusaiga by his side but before he could draw it, Kagome shouted, "We have no time to bother with you Naraku. If you leave now, I may let you keep your life for the moment."

Naraku laughed again, a cold, dark sound, "Don't you feel it yet, little girl? It should be working right about . . . now."

Kagome frowned at him, her mouth opening to ask what he thought he was talking about, when she felt it. Her aura pulsed and her eyes widened when a searing pain swept through her entire form. It was intense enough that it sent her to her knees, drawing a quick and ragged breath. Her hands braced herself up on the ground, her breathing coming in hard pants. A violent cough racked her body, blood trailing sluggishly from the corner of her mouth.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha was at her side the moment he felt the shift in her aura but Kagome didn't seem to be noticing anything at the moment. He could almost feel the pain and anger that turned her eyes to a sharp silver, her hair coping that same shade. Her ears pointed and stripes streaked her face. Claws and fangs marked the final stages of her change.

"What the fuck have you done?" Kagome's voice was deadly soft as she pushed herself to her feet, struggling against the weakness that throbbed through her.

Naraku seemed oblivious to the pulse of power that vibrated from her form. "You probably don't remember," he began, a cold smirk visible from beneath the baboon pelt, "but you drank my blood on your own free will."

"I don't recall drinking anything that would have come from you," Kagome hissed, her eyes were narrowed and she wavered where she stood. Inuyasha came up behind her, slipping his arms around her waist to hold her steady. Kagome glanced up at him briefly, surprised but thanking him.

"It was right after I took you from your home," Naraku lifted his hand, showing a small goblet, it was empty but a reddish stain inside showed that some kind of thick liquid had been inside it, "You drank it willingly in my room of dark stone." (If you don't remember, go back to chapter 2)

He didn't give her a chance to reply, "You took the glass from my hand and drank it all in an attempt to get rid of the headache that my youki was giving you. Since then, your every action, every thought has been with my command."

Kagome coughed, turning her head to spit out the blood that had gathered in her mouth. "No," she shouted.

"Oh yes Kagome. Your memory loss was all of my doing. In fact," Naraku was sneering at the two of them, "you still don't have all of your memories now, do you? I have them. I could easily return them, of course."

"You bastard!" Inuyasha snarled, wanting more than anything to lunge at the baboon cloaked figure but Kagome's grip on his arms stopped him from moving.

"Ah, Inuyasha, I would be careful of what you say," his robe fell away and Naraku stood, "after all, Kagome is under my command after all…"

Inuyasha gave a wordless shout, tearing away from Kagome when he felt her claws tear into the skin on his arms.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome, tried to turn to look at him but Naraku had other ideas. She found herself reaching for the sword at her waist, only to hiss in pain and draw back when the sword pulsed.

"Naraku…" Kagome's face was livid, "what have you done?!"

Naraku laughed, "My blood controls your body for now. I thought it fitting to let you watch what you were doing."

'Midoriko,' Kagome thought desperately, finding herself turning towards Inuyasha once again, 'Hikari . . . I need your strength!'

She felt Midoriko's presence as it filled her, the sword vanishing from her waist. 'Then use it well,' Kagome heard Midoriko speak and let her strength diffuse through their joined souls. Against the blood flowing through her veins, it did little but it gave her back minimal control over her own limbs.

She felt herself lifting a clawed hand and the muscles in her legs bunching in preparation to run straight for Inuyasha. His face was confused, the unsure expression of someone who didn't know what to do. Blood dripped from his arm and she mentally winced, smelling and seeing his blood on her own claws.

But she knew what she could do to stop it.

'Kuso!' he thought, his mind in a jumble, 'What to do?! What to do!?' He glanced up at Naraku's smug figure, trying to see if he would be able to attack him with Kagome in the way. Normally it wouldn't have been a problem, but now that she was as fast as, if not faster, than he was, and with all his abilities, he was beginning to see the signs of a problem.

He was debating on the probability of actually being able to knock her unconscious in this state when she leapt for him, claws extended. He jumped back, purely out of reflex when her claws came within two inches of his face, nearly taking an eye out. But to his surprise, when she completed the swipe, instead of attacking him again, she slammed her claws deep into her shoulder.

Kagome watched the emotions cross Inuyasha's face, everything from surprise to horror but the instant he stepped towards her she shouted, "Stop!"

He froze.

"Don't come near me, Inuyasha," she said, her voice strained, "I don't know what I'll do to you."

She felt her muscles moving again, not to her own orders. Instead of pulling her claws out of her own flesh like Naraku wanted her to, she dragged her claws down her arm, slicing into her flesh, leaving four bloody gashes to the bone when she finally took them out.

Having rendered one of her arms completely useless, Kagome felt herself once again about to lunge at Inuyasha. She smirked softly to herself, 'So he hasn't learned yet.'

This time, her claws just barely missed taking off one of Inuyasha's ears, managing to turn her attack a split second before it connected. Her claws finishing to move by digging deep into her left shoulder, just missing her neck.

"Damnit Kagome!" Inuyasha was staring at her self inflicted wounds in horror, "What the hell are you doing?!"

"I know what I'm doing Inuyasha," she called to him, "I'll heal, don't worry."

But despite her confidence, Kagome wasn't entirely sure that her plan would work.

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Author's Note: Gomen ne minna!! I didn't mean to take so long with updating! But the next chapter will be up soon. That's a guarantee.