A/N : I can write the crap and it comes out so sickly sweet that it makes my ice old veins turn a sick pinkish color. Sorry I could barely stand to edit that last chapter...now we are moving on. Now the action begins!!! Oh, people I know some of you read this…and all of you should…no reviews means slower update ^.^ I believe you all know what you have to do!

"I am ready to meet my maker. Whether my maker is prepared to meet me is another matter."
-Winston Churchill

***LAST TIME ***

(A bunch of fluff and mush and stuff -.-;;; )

***NOW***

Chapter 14

DAY OF THE BATTLE

The moon was still out when the pair awoke refreshed. Today. Today fate was to be decided. They would come out victorious: they had to. Both decided that it would be better if no one knew that they were leaving. Kagome wrote a note to her mother telling her that she was off again, but she should be back in a few days.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

On the other side of the well, everything was quiet. Birds were still resting, and the sun was barely making its way into the sky. They walked to Kaede's in relative silence not wanting to disturb the creatures that were trying to get a few more hours of rest.

Inuyasha's return of power was pulsating throughout her body. She felt her powers respond to the demon blood that was starting to flow back into his veins. So he was no longer human for another month. By then, this will seem like a bad dream.

His hair and demonic features returned when they were entering the village. They were surprised to see Sango and Miroku up and ready for battle. Sango was polishing her weapon, while Miroku was failing miserably at trying to meditate.

The poor guy was probably more nervous than all of them combined. This was his battle. Today he would live and be able to start a family, or he would keep on his current path, being cursed until the wind tunnel sucked him into his own oblivion.

Once Shippo and Yukiro had awoken and they ate a meagre breakfast. No one could really find an appetite. Yukiro transformed with a show of his power and they embarked on their journey that would lead them into Fate's hands.

Kagome was prepared to take on Naraku personally. She had to be, if she was going to change the way the cards were played. Yukiro soared through the sky at a pace that could not even be rivalled by Sesshomaru. It was mid morning when they entered the northern lands.

Kagome felt Kagura's presence long before Inuyasha noticed her scent. The low growling sound that omitted from his throat was a good indication that they were close. She felt a strong demon flying towards them at an alarmingly fast pace.

She stood her ground and waited for whoever was coming. She knew that Naraku was fast, but not that fast.

It could only mean one person: Sesshomaru.

True to his word, the dog demon approached them with his personal guards. Kagome smirked and thought that the Lords of the lands were not so different. The one thing they all had in common was that they employed demons of every sort.

She knew that if Sesshomaru brought only his personal guards it would mean that they were the best fighters in all the land. On hindsight, Kagome figured that getting all four Lords together might be a little overkill, but when it came to the destruction of the evil half-breed Naraku, nothing was overkill.

Kagome and Inuyasha greeted them with a warm welcome. She could see the difference in each brother's eyes. Their usual hatred was now filled with compassion and understanding. It was too early to see the love or brotherly bond that was forming, but what they had accomplished was a start.

Together they awaited Kagura's arrival. The wind demon was bidding her time. Once the sun showed that it was somewhere around noon she stepped out and made her presence known. Everyone was poised to attack.

Kagome stood from her spot. She felt her power her power start to seep from her grasp. It was Yukiro's soft growling that allowed her to keep hold of herself. Kagura was not her enemy.

"Show us his hideout Kagura." Kagome skipped all pleasantries and got straight down to business.

"No, I'm happy to see you too? Is this all you could manage? Did you not see the hoards of demons that have been flocking to the north over the past few nights? You might was well just admit defeat right here." Kagura closed her fan and started to walk away.

Taking their cue, they followed her into the northern lands. Kagura stopped and looked towards the deep forest. Inuyasha snarled at her claiming she had set them up. Kagura stated to him plainly that the wolf and his men were approaching. If they wanted to wait for their reinforcements instead of walking in with a few demons it was their choice.

Kagome agreed with Kagura. The wolves would pick up on their scent faster if they stayed put. The pull of the shards was stronger than she imagined. She felt them fly to her. Faster than the wolf had ever traveled, he was thrown at Kagome's feet: literally.

She greeted Kouga with a warm hug. He demanded to know what was happening with the shards, and Kagome gave her version of it. The shards felt their mother, and decided to come running home. The burning sensation grew from a red to a dull pink. Kagome demanded that he remove them before they eat away at his demon skin and purify them.

Kouga wasted no time and removed them. The wounds on his legs were starting to heal as he handed his two remaining shards back to Kagome. Kagome's resolution to defeat Naraku was becoming even stronger. If Naraku possessed any shards within himself, they would purify him on their way out.

That was a thought Kagome loved. To see the demon down on his hands and knees begging for his life while the shards, the same ones that caused so much pain and death, tore from his body. Kagome hated death and killing, she hated the senselessness of killing and the resolution that brought nothing in death. To have peace, first must come war.

Kagome hated the notion of death and violence, but here she was waging a war that would determine the fate of every demon and human alive now, and quite possible in her era as well.

Once Kouga was able to walk without support from his pack, they continued with their trek. Kagome asked if the other lords arrived in his lands yet. Kouga shook his head with a sigh.

Not all hope was lost. It was still early. She was not going to let the tardiness of the Eastern and Southern demons lords keep her down. She was going to win. Instead of becoming upset and enraged like everyone expected, Kagome started to follow Kagura again.

The group of warriors came to a clearing. In the surrounding forests were thousands upon thousands of demons waiting for Naraku's orders to attack. There in its center stood Naraku's detachments, a puppet, and Kohaku. Sango's mangled cry played with Kagome's heartstrings. Kagome looked around, she could not see the armies, she asked Inuyasha and he could not smell them. That only meant one thing; they were going in the wrong direction.

They needed a stall tactic.

Despite their training and their power, not even she and Yukiro alone could defeat them. In addition, she still had to find the real Naraku. Kagome searched her brain for a stall tactic, but she came up blank. Mentally she screamed in desperation. If only the others would come; then they would stand a better chance.

Kagome wanted to scream her head off in anger and desperation, but instead she grated her teeth and clenched her fists at her side. She looked at the battlefield and saw Kagura's face. She saw the look of pure hatred on Kagura's face when she glanced at Naraku. Finally, a stall tactic.

"Naraku!" Kagome's voiced shouted loud and clean. Everyone turned to look at her. "It's easy to see that you out number us thousands to one, so why not even out the playing field a little."

Naraku laughed, and everyone had a confused look on his or her face. Only Sesshomaru realized that she was stalling until the others arrived. "Now girl, why on earth would I want to do that?"

Bait was taken.

"Just think Naraku, with so many demons, we don't stand a chance and the jewel would soon be yours." Inuyasha was about to start yelling at Kagome, but Sesshomaru stopped him. "Now when you become a full demon, your bond with Kagura would be eternal. Would you like to spend the rest of eternity with Kagura by your side?"

She gave Naraku a few seconds for the information she was telling him to sink in. "Kagura by my side forever?" He manifested her heart and gave it a little squeeze. Kagura gripped her chest and sank to her knees.

"Do you think that will work after you become a demon? It will stop working, and then you will be running away from Kagura and her wrath. For you see, if you kill her, you kill yourself. Now if you give her what she wants most, and set her free, you'll no longer have to worry about running and hiding from yourself. Then there will be no one to stop you. So what do you say Naraku, will you set Kagura free?"

Kagura stood there stunned. Naraku was thinking things over and smirked. "You know priestess; you might have saved me some trouble. I have considered what you have told me and," He walked up to Kagura who was still clutching her chest in pain. He pulled her up by her hair and shoved her heart back in her chest.

Kagura's eyes were wide with shock and surprise. Kagome couldn't believe her eyes. In fact, no one could believe it. Kagura was just set free.

"Kagura, it is time to decide. Now that you are free, do you choose life or death?" Kagome asked.

Kagura looked at Naraku, her hate evident on his face. Kagura smirked and opened her fan. "I choose to live." She let loose her fans, and blades of wind swept towards Naraku. Kanna stepped in front and absorbed her sister's attack.

Kagura was officially their stall tactic. Hopefully Kagura would keep Naraku occupied long enough so that Kagome could leave and come back. She was counting on Kagura not to fail.

Naraku laughed and a tentacle lashed out towards her. Kagome turned towards Inuyasha. "I'm going to get the others. We will need them if we are going to stop this monster."

"Be safe Kagome." She nodded her head and Yukiro jumped off her shoulder and transformed. She got on his back, and the duo left the battle scene to find and redirect the others.

The pair's search seemed frantic. They were scanning the surrounding area for any sign that an army passed by. Yukiro nodded his head over to an area that looked like it was highly trampled. A few minutes later, they came to the place where the demon armies were marching.

Kagome called out to them. Many of the demons held their weapon ready to attack. Many of the demon generals knew who they were and told their men to stand down. She approached the front of the group and told them that they were heading in wrong direction.

The massive army did an about face and started back the way they had come. Kagome was leading them through the air. Soun and Genma flew next to her a few minutes later. Kagome told them that their odds of winning without them weren't good. The two demon lords shouted to their men to move faster.

Everyone picked up their speed. Kagome fidgeted with her nervousness. She didn't know what the battle scene would be like when she returned. She hoped and prayed that everyone would be safe.

She pointed to them to the clearing that was a speck on the horizon. The demon lords nodded and she told them that she would go on ahead. Yukiro picked up his pace and flapped his giant wings picking up speed.

What she saw when she came back sickened her. Kagura's body was in pieces all over the battlefield. The only way she knew that it was Kagura was by the pieces of her kimono. At least the wind sorceress died free. That was little consolation, but it would have to do for the moment.

The scene now held her heart in a painful confliction. Kikyo was standing in front of Naraku. She threw him the jewel that she had taken off Kagome's body a few nights before. It still felt like the jewel, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Naraku picked up the small fragment and started to laugh.

Kikyo had tried to purify him. Everyone stood in silence as they watched. It looked like Kikyo had the upper hand. Kagome's eyes widened in horror and realization that Naraku was toying with her.

Kagome was about to scream a warning to Kikyo, but it fell on deaf ears when Naraku punched his fist through her chest. Kikyo's old wounds, the same ones that killed her the first time reappeared, and blood poured freely from the priestess.

Kikyo's once white and red priestess outfit, was now nothing but the color of blood red. The scent of blood, death, and dirt filled the air. All of the souls Kikyo needed to stay alive were flying out of her body. Not even her soul catchers could keep up.

As Kikyo collapsed to the ground, her human form was turning once again to soil and ash as the winds picked her up and scattered her to the four ends of the earth. Then there was nothing left; not even a small trace that she once existed.

The battlefield was silent. Kagome saw it. Kikyo's soul was now returning to its rightful owner. The only thing on her mind was Inuyasha and how he must be hurting.

Before Inuyasha could attack, Naraku unleashed all his poisonous insects. This seemed to be going from bad to worse. Her soul hit her with such force, that she cried out.

She felt her power threaten to explode if she did not release it. She quickly told Yukiro to throw her in the air and for him to get out of the sky. He didn't question her, doing as she commanded.

Kagome flew high up in the sky. The pain was almost too much. She tried to hold it in, giving Yukio enough time to get to the ground safely. The small demon was quick to take a new shape. He knew Kagome could not last any longer. She would have to expel her power.

Kagome only hoped that none of her friends were in the sky. She prayed that none of her friends would be killed. She could no longer see, and her vision had turned white. The pent up power inside of her, looking for an outlet, exploded. Kagome screamed and pink purifying power filled the sky. Everyone had to shield his or her eyes from the bright light.

It was a giant flash. Once everyone's eyes adjusted, they all looked up towards the sky, and saw Kagome plummet towards the ground. Her body was glowing a light pink. Any one that caught her would be purified. With a loud sickening thud, her body hit the ground.

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A/N: Final reminder that all reviews are to be submitted after reading this chapter! There only a couple chapters left after this, and you want to read how it's going to turn out…you see the review button? Check and give me some feedback, and I just might give you all your next chapter! *sigh* I love the death threats…you're still here?