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A/N: Hello to all readers! I hope you all enjoy this chapter! This is the climax of the story...the suspense will kill you! Get a box of tissues for the ending; you'll need them...LoL Enjoy!!
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Curse of the New Moon
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Chapter 5
An Impossible Task, Akagai's Defeat
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.......................Last Time.....................
The youkai all moved towards Kagome, as she still read the words from the scroll. They formed an impenetrable circle around her, all silent as ghosts; heeding the call she spoke to them.
Inuyasha's eyes flashed in an emotional collision. He felt helpless to everything happening around him. Was this truly how everything would end?
...........................................................
Deep within Kagome's own body, inside her head, beneath Akagai's hold, the real Kagome was nothing but a faint sparkle of light.
A single star in the midnight sky.
Trapped in her own body, unable to control anything she did. Nothing was hers.
A stranger to herself. A prisoner of her own land. Confined to the box of imprisonment. Stripped of every possible feeling.
In her small sphere of containment, she was curled in a fetal position like a fetus in a womb. A ghost of conscious.
She was no longer Kagome...Kagome was gone. Kagome has departed. Her new name: Akagai.
'Akagai, I am Akagai...'
Slowly, her light fades away. Its wavering light, drifting away.
She held on, only because Akagai let her. Akagai...her puppet master.
'Sango? Miroku? Shippo? Inuyasha? Who were they? Do I know them?'
No.
'Then I will continue to sleep...'
'This is how I will die.'
!Flash!
Forget.
Goodbye.
..........................................
'If the world was to end now, this is how I would expect it to end...' Inuyasha thought. 'Everything against me, my powers gone, the ones I love...used against me.'
Back to back with Miroku and Sango. The three of them stared up at the mountain of demons before them. With Akagai at the very top, staring down on them, with her white eyes. The demons swarmed by the hundreds. Coming together under the call of the scroll's spoken words.
Every few times Miroku would attack a demon that got to close with his golden staff, but ten only took its place.
The world was against them...they could not fight forever.
The site was nightmarish. Incomprehensible. A dark fantasy.
The smell of hot bodies packed together scented the air; along with the ever present aura of blood and death.
The sky was black against the swirling mass of demons. Every few moments, a bolt of lighting ripped through the sky. Yet, no thunder followed, no rain fell.
Every kind of demon imaginable made its way toward the mass of others. Different breeds of demons met. All sizes, shapes, breeds, colors, violent, or passive.
Small demon fights broke out around the base of the mountain. Clans, packs, schools, herds meeting together all at once. Fighting amongst each other in order to get closer to their new master.
Their new master...Akagai...who possessed Kagome's body. The demons obeyed her now, they were hers, and she had legions of them at her disposal.
In her own haunting way, she spoke to her demons. Summoning them back out across the land...to complete her dark tasks.
They recognized their new master, and they were loyal to her silent whishes. Perhaps she was sending them away...off to go attack others or spread her power.
Slowly, the mound of demons began to move off in other directions. The center of the mass dissipated away. The demons slipping away, back, across the land.
Kagome's body moved down towards the ground; demons parting as she moved. Some winding themselves around her body before moving off. They preyed on her figure like she was a goddess.
She was a goddess...their goddess...their queen...The Queen of Demons.
Akagai dropped closer towards Inuyasha and the others. Inuyasha could see the scroll, rolled up again, and floating by her side.
The scroll that had given her control of the youkai. That ancient secret that had never been told. Hidden inside the god tree, never to be awakened...until now.
Akagai seemed to glide towards them. Kagome's torn and ripped clothing flowing behind her. Her white eyes glaring down upon them and her hair swirling around her head like a lion's mane.
As gracefully as a falling leaf, her foot touched the ground and she stood before Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku.
Miroku tugged on the cloth that hid his wind tunnel. Sango was unarmed and helpless; she griped Miroku's other arm out of fear. Inuyasha stood in a fighting stance, Tetsugaiga out, although unable to be transformed.
A few demons settled behind Akagai; Sesshomaru being one of them. It seemed the demon Lords were the only demons remaining, the rest had moved away.
Inuyasha stared at Kagome, rather, Akagai in front of him. His heart ached in misery at the site of her.
How could he not have known she had become possessed? He hadn't wanted to believe it. He never imagined Kagome becoming something evil.
She was sweet and innocent, she always was.
Yet, staring at her now, she looked capable of wiping them all out with a single flick of her wrist.
Inuyasha wanted to call out to her, to tell her he would save her. But everything seemed lost and impossible...the end seemed so near. He didn't know if he could keep that promise.
'Kagome...'
.......
Suddenly, a rather large snake-demon came up from behind Inuyasha. The three of them jumped away, but the snake demon took no interest in them, he slithered towards Akagai.
A flash of pink light caught Miroku's eye as the snake-youkai moved to her. He recognized it instantly.
"That demon has the Sacred Jewel!" he cried out.
Sure enough, the snake demon had the nearly complete Shikon Jewel in its pointed mouth. Obeying its master, the demon dropped the Jewel at Akagai's feet.
The demon had retrieved Naraku's half of the Sacred Jewel for certain.
The Jewel rose off the ground, as Akagai summoned it up to her. It hovered in the air in front of her gaze.
Unexpectedly, another demon appeared; this one from behind Akagai. They all recognized who it was instantly.
"Koga!" Inuyasha said. His rival. The wolf demon that had fallen in love with Kagome.
The wolf demon calmly walked up and stood beside Akagai, completely ignoring Inuyasha and the others.
His white eyes stared through them, as he took his place at Akagai's side. Akagai lifted Kagome's hand and ran her fingers over Koga's cheek.
Rage surged in Inuyasha's veins. He pained him to see Kagome manipulated against her will...and to Koga no less.
Koga's mouth opened slightly under Akagai's touch; his fags, wet with drool, becoming visible. He then reached into the skin on his left arm and tore one of the shards of the Jewel out from under his flesh.
Koga didn't even wince at the pain he was causing himself, he was being controlled.
Koga did the same to his other arm, and then to both his legs. Now, the four bloody Jewel shards were given to Akagai who, using Kagome's purifying powers, fused the four shards with the other large piece.
Inuyasha now understood, Akagai was using Kagome's powers to retrieve all the Jewel shards...to use for herself. For what reason, he did not know yet. But if the Jewel could turn him into a full demon...it was a terrible wonder what I could do for her.
Within the next few minutes, more demons approached Akagai with either one or two more fragments of the Jewel.
With every shard Kagome got, she fused it into the larger chunk. One by one, the shards became one with the jewel and its sphere surface became visible. All until the Jewel was 99 percent complete.
Inuyasha took a step back as he knew what was coming next. He knew he had the last shard. The shard given to him by Kagome so that he could travel into her world when needed.
Miroku and Sango knew too. The three of them pressed closer together to try and protect it.
"You're not getting this shard, Akagai!" Inuyasha growled deep.
Akagai didn't flinch a single muscle, but instead, she silently summoned another demon to retrieve Inuyasha's shard.
Sesshomaru began to move forward towards Inuyasha. His silver hair slowing blowing underneath his armor.
Inuyasha raised Tetsugaiga up and faced his brother, his gaze narrowed as Sesshomaru moved closer with every step.
"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha warned.
"Inuyasha..." Sango whispered behind him, "You can't beat him. Tetsugaiga won't transform for you now..."
"Shut up..." Inuyasha hissed, even though he knew it was true.
"Inuyasha," Miroku spoke up, "Let me handle this; you take Sango and get as far away from here as possible."
"You're not match for him either." Inuyasha hissed back to him.
"I can hold him off longer than you can...now go." Miroku said. Miroku began to unravel the cloth around his wind tunnel.
"Miroku..." Inuyasha pleaded.
"Just go!" Miroku hissed, not taking his eyes from Sesshomaru.
Inuyasha took only a half a step back, when Sesshomaru's head snapped in his direction. His possessed white eyes bared into Inuyasha.
Miroku stepped in front of Inuyasha; he released the rosary and cloth from his palm and unleashed the fury that was his curse.
The violent sucking wind had only just begun when Naraku's winged insects flew over the tops of trees toward Miroku.
Miroku noticed them instantly; although this time they were not Naraku's insects...they were Akagai's, their eyes white like all the other demons. Akagai knew his weakness.
Did he dare risk the poison?
The insects flew closer, about to be drawn in.
Miroku didn't have time to answer; Sango pushed herself on top of him and had grasped a hold of his hand and wrapped the cloth around it again.
"Don't Miroku!" she cried out as they both fell to the ground.
Inuyasha barely had time to let out half a scream when Sesshomaru had rushed forward at him.
Sesshomaru's poisonous claws struck out at Inuyasha's chest, coming in contact with his red robe. The fire rat material began burning away under the heavy poison.
Inuyasha lifted the untransformed Tetsugaiga to stab his brother, but the weak blade only made a 'thud' against Sesshomaru's armor.
Inuyasha attempted to leap away from his brother's attack, but his human agility was unable to obtain that kind of needed speed. As the poison began to leak through the fire rat material and onto his skin, Inuyasha flew backwards and landed heavily on the ground.
Sesshomaru stood over him, Inuyasha barely got time to blink when he felt something tighten around his throat and hoist him up into the air.
Sesshomaru's tail had wrapped itself around Inuyasha's neck and lifted him into the air. Inuyasha dropped Tetsugaiga and grabbed for the soft, deadly wrap that was cutting off his air supply.
Inuyasha coughed under the lack of air and tried to wiggle his way out of the head lock. Slowly his world was going black...
Suddenly, Inuyasha felt himself flip upside down, his rosary beads falling into his eyes. His head now just a few feet above the ground. Then, his whole body began to shake violently. Sesshomaru was trying to shake the Jewel shard out of him!
Inuyasha cried out, and then he felt Sesshomaru's tail drop him. Inuyasha fell, head first, to the ground and landed gasping for air.
He glanced up, and saw Sesshomaru glaring at him with his white eyes, and holding his Jewel shard in his clawed fingers.
"...no...(cough)...no...Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha roared.
Ignoring his brother's plea, Sesshomaru turned and gracefully walked back to Akagai. He tossed the last jewel shard at her; Akagai caught it with her telekinetic powers. While Sesshomaru took his position behind her.
Kagome's mouth opened again, and Akagai's voice radiated from within her body. Her evil echoing laugh rang out as the last shard fused with the Sacred Jewel.
In a blinding flash of pink light, the Shikon Jewel was once again complete.
Inuyasha stared wide eyed at the completed jewel. He found some kind of strength and pulled himself up onto his feet.
"You bitch!" he roared, "The Jewel will never obey you!"
Akagai paused her laugh and lifted her gaze to him. Kagome's lips curved into a half sneer.
Abruptly, a dark flash of energy emitted from Kagome's body and struck Inuyasha.
The shock struck Inuyasha like a lightning bolt. He roared in pain as the current spread through his veins. His whole insides were on fire and burned with static shock. The energy ripped over his skin, causing burning gashes to open and his blood to spill.
Inuyasha fell to his knees, and then onto his stomach. Small silhouettes of smoke emitted from his clothing as he lay there. The attack seemed to have killed him.
Miroku and Sango stared at Inuyasha as he fell to the ground and didn't move. They both cried out for their friend. Sango tried to jump up and run to him, but Miroku pulled her back down, "Look Sango!" he cried out.
Sango tore her eyes back to Inuyasha...who was stirring!
His body shook violently, but he was attempting to rise.
"Akagai..." he mumbled under his pain. "Akagai..."
He pulled himself up slightly, dripping with his own blood.
"...let...let...Kagome...go..." Inuyasha cried.
(A/N: I found this awesome picture of the scene right here...where Inuyasha is injured...if you want to view it go to this website, it might help create the mood. I highly encourage it! By the way, this girl who drew these pictures rocks soo much! Enjoy, I might use some of her pictures again to try and set the mood in another one of my stories.)
http:elfwood.lysator.liu.se/fanq/g/i/giovannabcg1/inuyashahumanwounded.j pg.html
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Akagai's white eyes flashed at Inuyasha as he attempted to rise. Kagome's mouth opened again, and Akagai spoke,
"Still alive Inuyasha?" Akagai raised Kagome's hand, her palm facing Inuyasha's bloody form.
"You are a confident one, aren't you?" A small black orb of energy began to form, Inuyasha could do nothing but stare at it, and he was too weak to move.
"Your efforts always prove to fail...you are nothing but an arrogant fool...and this will put an end to your meddling!"
The orb of dark power tripled in size and then exploded from her palm. Inuyasha watched as the ball of destruction flew towards him. His eyes glazed over, as death breathed on his neck. The breath in his lungs stopped in his throat.
The energy blast burned towards him, the dark light coming closer...closer...
....closer...
'This is the end...' Inuyasha told himself. 'I'm sorry... Kagome...I could not protect you...I could not save you...I'm sorry... Kagome...Kagome...'
He tilted backwards as the blast began to singe his face...but... his fingers touched something familiar.
It was...
'...NO! ... I won't... let... it... end here!!'
Inuyasha wrapped his fingers around Tetsugaiga and held it in front of him, just as the orb struck.
For a brief second the orb and Tetsugaiga's blade were in a lock down of power.
"Kagome! I won't let you go!!" He roared into the collision of powers. With all the strength he could muster up, he pushed on Tetsugaiga to throw the orb off.
Although Tetsugaiga wasn't transformed, it still could protect him. His mother was human and his father had made Tetsugaiga in her honor...it HAD to protect him now.
...........
Far away from the battle...in a dark prison...Inuyasha's voice traveled...
"Kagome..."
A soft twinkle emitted from Kagome's light energy.
'Kagome? Who is this Kagome?'
"Kagome..."
A spark...it was growing... it was now like a single candle lit in a dark room.
'Someone is calling me?'
"Kagome!"
The tiny star began to shimmer...deep in what little energy Kagome still had, something was reminding her...a feeling...an emotion...
'Inuyasha...?'
...............
The orb erupted as Tetsugaiga's blade placed pressure on it. In an explosion of bright light, Inuyasha was flung back. Part of the orb's energy had hit him, but most of it had been blocked.
Inuyasha skid along the ground about fifteen feet until stopping and falling onto his back. When the dust settled, he could see Tetsugaiga clenched in both fists above his head.
He could barely hear his name being called, probably from Miroku and Sango.
Inuyasha's shoulders heaved in deep breaths...he had survived...just barely. He was shaking from head to foot, his body ached in pain, and blood poured from his many wounds.
"...Ka...Kagome..." he winced.
Inuyasha forced himself to sit up. He rocked into a sit-up position and stared over his knees.
There was a thick cloud of dust around Akagai and her demons. As the wind blew the dust and dirt away, her form became visible.
Inuyasha spat blood from his mouth and shouted to Akagai, "Let Kagome Go!"
No answer came from Kagome's possessed body.
Inuyasha attempted to pick himself up further. But, the wind suddenly began to pick up. It was Akagai's soulless wind. Inuyasha covered his eyes under the wind, but he could see Kagome's body and her white eyes flashing at him.
Finally her mouth opened, the wind picked up faster, and Akagai sneered,
"You Fool! How dare you defy Me! I will not tolerate your insubordination!"
Akagai raised both of Kagome's hands, and pointed their palms directly at Inuyasha again. She was preparing for another attack, one that Inuyasha may not survive again.
"I will attack you until that demon sword breaks in two!" Akagai roared.
Akagai's power began to swarm around her like a cyclone. Snaps of lighting flickered in the tornado of wind.
Kagome's clothing was practically being ripped off of her body, under the wind. Her hair was atop her head and seemed to be standing on its ends. Her white eyes extended up to her temples in a flickering white flame.
A large ball of dark energy formed at Kagome's palms. With every passing second the dark orb increased in size.
Akagai's voice bellowed in Kagome's throat, as she conjured up her immense power. Her wind was so powerful that trees began to bend over each other and chunks of earth eroded from the ground and up into the tornado of power. Smashing into pieces when they struck the tornado's edges.
Inuyasha had stabbed Tetsugaiga into the ground as was holding onto it for dear life. His hair was pushed straight back and felt like it was about to rip out of his scalp under the wind.
Not far off, Miroku and Sango clung to each other under the wind. They gripped the grass at its roots to hold on. They couldn't look up against the great wind; they could only pray everything would turn out ok.
Inuyasha bared his teeth and grasped Tetsugaiga with all his strength. The blade began to loosen under the ground...slowly sliding out of the earth.
"KAGOME!" he roared under the high wind.
Inuyasha raised his burning eyes up to find her. He could slightly see the outline of her form beneath the cyclone of dark energy.
He watched as her feet slowly began to lift off of the ground...as the cyclone carried her up into the sky.
Her attack would rain down on him from above...he could not dodge it again.
"KAGOME!!!" he called again. His words had to reach her...somewhere in her possessed body...the real Kagome would hear him. The real Kagome would never attack him...he had to reach her.
Under the wind, Akagai's voice screamed out to him. She said the worst possible thing...the sentence that haunted his dreams...the last sentence Kikyo had said to him before she pinned him to the tree...his ultimate nightmare...
"DIE INUYASHA!"
Her gigantic orb of sinister energy flashed in her hands. An explosion of light...a whistling scream...a furnace of heat...the blast surged from her fingertips...aimed for Inuyasha...
....and...then....
...time seemed to stop...
....the world stopped spinning...
...everything was still...
...no noise, no sounds...
...complete silence...
!FLASH!
The orb disappeared; sucked back into Kagome's palms.
!FLASH!
The cyclone stopped spinning.
The dark aura fell.
!FLASH!
Inuyasha shielded his eyes.
!FLASH!
The flashes came from Kagome's chest. Huge spasms of white light. They stormed from her soul.
It was Kagome...the real Kagome...she was fighting back...
Her body lay parallel to the ground, hovering above the earth. Her hair fell from around her head, and lay beneath her. What little clothing remained on her body settled and draped loosely from Kagome's body.
Her chest held high and her head laid back...Kagome looked like a human sacrifice.
With every flash...Kagome's eyes were changing...
White to brown...
!FLASH!
Brown to white...
!FLASH!
White to brown...
Her screams began to ring from her body. Kagome's own screams...her own voice.
"Inu...Inu...YASHA!!" Kagome called.
!FLASH!
Brown to white again...
"STOP RESISITING ME!"
!FLASH!
White to brown...
"INUYASHA!!"
Inuyasha lowered his arms; he heard her...she was calling him.
"KAGOME!" he roared back.
"INUYASHA!"
!FLASH!
Brown to white...
"STOP THIS...STOP THIS POWER!"
!FLASH!
"INUYASHA!!!!"
It was Kagome.
Before Inuyasha could stop himself, he tore forward...running to her. He didn't feel the pain he was in...the blood that oozed from his body...he followed his heart.
He reached her...her skin was glowing...her eyes flashing...two beings, fighting within each other over one body.
She glowed like an angel, her white skin pulsating under the battling powers within.
"Kagome! Kagome, I'm here!" Inuyasha called to her. He reached to touch her face, but a shock wave of energy stung his hand...she couldn't be calmed.
!FLASH!
Brown to white...
Inuyasha drew back slightly...Akagai had surfaced again.
"LITTLE MIKO, YOU WON'T SURPASS MY HOLD!"
"Kagome! Kagome fight her! Don't let her win!" Inuyasha yelled at Kagome's body.
!FLASH!
White to brown...
"Inu...Inu...yasha...you must...you must...k...i....l...l...kill...me..." Kagome stumbled.
Inuyasha tried to touch her again, but the same shock made him pull away.
"NO! No, Kagome...you can win! Fight her...fight Akagai!"
"K...i...l...l...m...m...m...e...e...e...e...e..." Kagome begged.
"Kagome stop this! Don't make me do this! Kagome! KAGOME!" Inuyasha roared.
!FLASH!
Brown to white...
A deep scream emitted from Kagome's throat. Akagai was coming back...her power was slowly gaining hold over Kagome again.
"Inuyasha!" a voice called up, from Inuyasha's far right. Inuyasha pulled his eyes from Kagome and stared down to see Miroku and Sango, bracing each other...but alive and glaring at him.
"Talk to her Inuyasha!" Miroku yelled. "Your words are pulling her out of the trance! She has to hear your voice!"
Inuyasha blinked at the monk, but nodded. He turned back to Kagome's body just as Akagai cried out,
"LITTLE WENCH...YOU CANNOT FIGHT ME FOREVER!"
Inuyasha ignored Akagai's voice and called to Kagome.
"Kagome! I know you're in there! You can defeat her, don't give up! Please Kagome! Don't you leave me! Kagome!"
Her eyes continued to remain white...Akagai was slowly winning the internal battle.
"Kagome! Kagome please! Wake up! Kagome! Don't do this to me! Don't leave me! Kagome! KAGOME! Wake up!!" Inuyasha roared.
Kagome's hands tightened into fists, the soulless storm of Akagai began to pick up again.
Kagome was losing...
Her power was dissolving away...
...she wasn't going to hold on much longer...
"KAGOME!!!!!!!!!!!" Inuyasha roared, tears beginning to form in his eyes. Inuyasha's heart was dying...he was losing her...
The hot tears trickled from his eyes, as he watched her lose her battle.
"Kagome! Please...please...Kagome...don't go...don't go...Kagome...you can't leave me...Kagome...I can't do this without you...Kagome...Don't go!!" Inuyasha sobbed uncontrollably.
His heart ached in his chest...yet his pride burned harder...so many memories passed in his eyes...the long awaited choice...the final decision...the hurt was too great...something had to give...
"Inuyasha!" he heard Sango call to him. He slowly raised his eyes to hers...they too were filled with tears...
"Tell her Inuyasha! Tell her!!" Sango cried.
Inuyasha's eyes flashed at Sango's comment. How did she know?
"You must tell her Inuyasha!" Miroku called. "You know it is true!"
Inuyasha's mouth dropped and he bit his bottom lip. He clasped his human hands into fists and then he shut his eyes against the burning tears.
'Yes, I will tell her...I won't hide it any longer...I won't let her die without her knowing...'
"Kagome..." he whispered. His body stressed with emotion...
...then...
...it happened...
He opened his eyes...His heart ruptured as he called out to her,
"KAGOME, I LOVE YOU!!!! I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL, YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME! I LOVE YOU KAGOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
!FLASH!
White to brown...
"Kagome?" Inuyasha whispered. Her body shimmered with a deep sweat. Her chest heaved in small breaths.
Beneath quivering lips, she found her voice...
"Inu...yasha..." Kagome breathed. Her chocolate brown eyes turned to his. Only a small hint of light shinned within them...and slowly, that light was faded away from him.
"Kagome..." he said. He reached out to hold her, yet the barrier still held tight around her body, the shock caused him to cry out in pain, and take a step back.
Why couldn't he touch her? Why wasn't she letting him in?
"Inu...yasha...I can't go on..." Kagome whispered.
Inuyasha moved as close as possible to her. "Don't say things like that, Kagome. You'll be alright! Don't worry...I'm here... I won't let anything happen to you!" Inuyasha told her.
"Akagai...she...will live..." Kagome whispered weakly. Inuyasha blinked at her, his tears still falling from his eyes.
"No..no..." he breathed.
"...unless you destroy my body..." she told him. "She...she...will live..."
"Kagome...Kagome no..." Inuyasha cried softly.
"Kill me, Inuyasha..." Kagome begged him.
"I WON'T! I LOVE YOU KAGOME! I CAN'T...I WON'T HURT YOU!! DON'T MAKE ME..." Inuyasha cried out.
A small smile curved onto Kagome's lips.
!FLASH!
Brown to white...
"YOU ARE MINE!"
!FLASH!
White to brown...
"...I...love...you....Inu..." Kagome mouthed to him.
!FLASH!
Brown to white...
The wind increased around Inuyasha, Akagai was pulling back. Her power was rising...she was regaining control.
Inuyasha just stared at Kagome's body, as the dark aura began to fill it once again.
His eyes scanned her entire body...her beautiful body. He couldn't do it...he couldn't hurt her...
He had just told her that he loved her...now he had to kill her?
This was insane...his heart was being ripped from his chest.
"I can't...I can't do this!" he cried out.
"Don't make me...please don't..." Inuyasha wined.
Kagome's eyes continued to stay white, coils of dark energy began encircling her hands. The torrent of wind continued to swell.
Inuyasha shook his head, "Kagome! Kagome come back!"
Kagome's mouth opened and the dark voice of Akagai came out, "Kagome is gone forever...only Akagai remains..." Her voice was cold and confident.
Inuyasha's body flew into rage. He threw his emotions aside and aimed all his hatred at one person...Akagai, the bitch who had killed his Kagome.
Inuyasha reacted.
He screamed in sorrow as he flung his hands out and wrapped them around Kagome's throat.
The energy shock passed through his body. He twitched with pain, but he held on to Kagome's frail neck.
Kagome's head flung back and her mouth opened again. This time Akagai's voice was soft and pleading.
"Inuyasha...you will not kill me...you can't kill me...I am the one you love..."
Inuyasha's heart pounded as Akagai spoke to him. He was killing her...slowly...Kagome...
His shoulders heaved in heavy breaths, his lips curled up, his teeth gritting together.
Every part of his body ached with pain...every fiber of his being wanted to burst.
'I can't do this...'
'But you must...'
'...this is Kagome...'
'...you're killing her...'
'...I can't...'
'...you must...'
'...protect her...'
'...kill her...'
'...don't make me, please...'
'...it's too late...'
'...you love her...'
'...kill her...'
'...No...'
'...Yes...'
'...stop this...'
'...make it end...'
'...kill her...'
'...I can't...'
'...I won't...'
'...you must...'
'....no...'
Inuyasha's eyes stared into Kagome's. She seemed so pale...
'...if you truly love her...you will kill her now...'
Inuyasha closed his eyes.
He tightened his grip around her throat.
"Inuyasha..." Akagai spoke to him, "What are you doing, Inuyasha?"
"I love you, Kagome." Inuyasha whispered.
The muscles in his human arms began to tense. He focused all his human strength into this task.
With a deafening roar, Inuyasha flexed his fingers and clenched Kagome's neck with all his might.
With a surge of emotion and a rush of strength, he felt the brittle bones in Kagome's neck snap under his grip.
Her neck fell limp in his hands as the bones shattered into pieces.
And then, everything just stopped.
...............................................
Preview to Chapter 6:
Kagome is dead. Akagai is defeated.
Inuyasha's powers are returned to him. And now he morns.
But Miroku makes a surprising discovery. Kagome? Only half dead?
Enter Kikyo.
Hope restored in Chapter 6: Into the Underworld
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A/N: Hello to all readers! I hope you all enjoy this chapter! This is the climax of the story...the suspense will kill you! Get a box of tissues for the ending; you'll need them...LoL Enjoy!!
.......................
Curse of the New Moon
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Chapter 5
An Impossible Task, Akagai's Defeat
........................
.......................Last Time.....................
The youkai all moved towards Kagome, as she still read the words from the scroll. They formed an impenetrable circle around her, all silent as ghosts; heeding the call she spoke to them.
Inuyasha's eyes flashed in an emotional collision. He felt helpless to everything happening around him. Was this truly how everything would end?
...........................................................
Deep within Kagome's own body, inside her head, beneath Akagai's hold, the real Kagome was nothing but a faint sparkle of light.
A single star in the midnight sky.
Trapped in her own body, unable to control anything she did. Nothing was hers.
A stranger to herself. A prisoner of her own land. Confined to the box of imprisonment. Stripped of every possible feeling.
In her small sphere of containment, she was curled in a fetal position like a fetus in a womb. A ghost of conscious.
She was no longer Kagome...Kagome was gone. Kagome has departed. Her new name: Akagai.
'Akagai, I am Akagai...'
Slowly, her light fades away. Its wavering light, drifting away.
She held on, only because Akagai let her. Akagai...her puppet master.
'Sango? Miroku? Shippo? Inuyasha? Who were they? Do I know them?'
No.
'Then I will continue to sleep...'
'This is how I will die.'
!Flash!
Forget.
Goodbye.
..........................................
'If the world was to end now, this is how I would expect it to end...' Inuyasha thought. 'Everything against me, my powers gone, the ones I love...used against me.'
Back to back with Miroku and Sango. The three of them stared up at the mountain of demons before them. With Akagai at the very top, staring down on them, with her white eyes. The demons swarmed by the hundreds. Coming together under the call of the scroll's spoken words.
Every few times Miroku would attack a demon that got to close with his golden staff, but ten only took its place.
The world was against them...they could not fight forever.
The site was nightmarish. Incomprehensible. A dark fantasy.
The smell of hot bodies packed together scented the air; along with the ever present aura of blood and death.
The sky was black against the swirling mass of demons. Every few moments, a bolt of lighting ripped through the sky. Yet, no thunder followed, no rain fell.
Every kind of demon imaginable made its way toward the mass of others. Different breeds of demons met. All sizes, shapes, breeds, colors, violent, or passive.
Small demon fights broke out around the base of the mountain. Clans, packs, schools, herds meeting together all at once. Fighting amongst each other in order to get closer to their new master.
Their new master...Akagai...who possessed Kagome's body. The demons obeyed her now, they were hers, and she had legions of them at her disposal.
In her own haunting way, she spoke to her demons. Summoning them back out across the land...to complete her dark tasks.
They recognized their new master, and they were loyal to her silent whishes. Perhaps she was sending them away...off to go attack others or spread her power.
Slowly, the mound of demons began to move off in other directions. The center of the mass dissipated away. The demons slipping away, back, across the land.
Kagome's body moved down towards the ground; demons parting as she moved. Some winding themselves around her body before moving off. They preyed on her figure like she was a goddess.
She was a goddess...their goddess...their queen...The Queen of Demons.
Akagai dropped closer towards Inuyasha and the others. Inuyasha could see the scroll, rolled up again, and floating by her side.
The scroll that had given her control of the youkai. That ancient secret that had never been told. Hidden inside the god tree, never to be awakened...until now.
Akagai seemed to glide towards them. Kagome's torn and ripped clothing flowing behind her. Her white eyes glaring down upon them and her hair swirling around her head like a lion's mane.
As gracefully as a falling leaf, her foot touched the ground and she stood before Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku.
Miroku tugged on the cloth that hid his wind tunnel. Sango was unarmed and helpless; she griped Miroku's other arm out of fear. Inuyasha stood in a fighting stance, Tetsugaiga out, although unable to be transformed.
A few demons settled behind Akagai; Sesshomaru being one of them. It seemed the demon Lords were the only demons remaining, the rest had moved away.
Inuyasha stared at Kagome, rather, Akagai in front of him. His heart ached in misery at the site of her.
How could he not have known she had become possessed? He hadn't wanted to believe it. He never imagined Kagome becoming something evil.
She was sweet and innocent, she always was.
Yet, staring at her now, she looked capable of wiping them all out with a single flick of her wrist.
Inuyasha wanted to call out to her, to tell her he would save her. But everything seemed lost and impossible...the end seemed so near. He didn't know if he could keep that promise.
'Kagome...'
.......
Suddenly, a rather large snake-demon came up from behind Inuyasha. The three of them jumped away, but the snake demon took no interest in them, he slithered towards Akagai.
A flash of pink light caught Miroku's eye as the snake-youkai moved to her. He recognized it instantly.
"That demon has the Sacred Jewel!" he cried out.
Sure enough, the snake demon had the nearly complete Shikon Jewel in its pointed mouth. Obeying its master, the demon dropped the Jewel at Akagai's feet.
The demon had retrieved Naraku's half of the Sacred Jewel for certain.
The Jewel rose off the ground, as Akagai summoned it up to her. It hovered in the air in front of her gaze.
Unexpectedly, another demon appeared; this one from behind Akagai. They all recognized who it was instantly.
"Koga!" Inuyasha said. His rival. The wolf demon that had fallen in love with Kagome.
The wolf demon calmly walked up and stood beside Akagai, completely ignoring Inuyasha and the others.
His white eyes stared through them, as he took his place at Akagai's side. Akagai lifted Kagome's hand and ran her fingers over Koga's cheek.
Rage surged in Inuyasha's veins. He pained him to see Kagome manipulated against her will...and to Koga no less.
Koga's mouth opened slightly under Akagai's touch; his fags, wet with drool, becoming visible. He then reached into the skin on his left arm and tore one of the shards of the Jewel out from under his flesh.
Koga didn't even wince at the pain he was causing himself, he was being controlled.
Koga did the same to his other arm, and then to both his legs. Now, the four bloody Jewel shards were given to Akagai who, using Kagome's purifying powers, fused the four shards with the other large piece.
Inuyasha now understood, Akagai was using Kagome's powers to retrieve all the Jewel shards...to use for herself. For what reason, he did not know yet. But if the Jewel could turn him into a full demon...it was a terrible wonder what I could do for her.
Within the next few minutes, more demons approached Akagai with either one or two more fragments of the Jewel.
With every shard Kagome got, she fused it into the larger chunk. One by one, the shards became one with the jewel and its sphere surface became visible. All until the Jewel was 99 percent complete.
Inuyasha took a step back as he knew what was coming next. He knew he had the last shard. The shard given to him by Kagome so that he could travel into her world when needed.
Miroku and Sango knew too. The three of them pressed closer together to try and protect it.
"You're not getting this shard, Akagai!" Inuyasha growled deep.
Akagai didn't flinch a single muscle, but instead, she silently summoned another demon to retrieve Inuyasha's shard.
Sesshomaru began to move forward towards Inuyasha. His silver hair slowing blowing underneath his armor.
Inuyasha raised Tetsugaiga up and faced his brother, his gaze narrowed as Sesshomaru moved closer with every step.
"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha warned.
"Inuyasha..." Sango whispered behind him, "You can't beat him. Tetsugaiga won't transform for you now..."
"Shut up..." Inuyasha hissed, even though he knew it was true.
"Inuyasha," Miroku spoke up, "Let me handle this; you take Sango and get as far away from here as possible."
"You're not match for him either." Inuyasha hissed back to him.
"I can hold him off longer than you can...now go." Miroku said. Miroku began to unravel the cloth around his wind tunnel.
"Miroku..." Inuyasha pleaded.
"Just go!" Miroku hissed, not taking his eyes from Sesshomaru.
Inuyasha took only a half a step back, when Sesshomaru's head snapped in his direction. His possessed white eyes bared into Inuyasha.
Miroku stepped in front of Inuyasha; he released the rosary and cloth from his palm and unleashed the fury that was his curse.
The violent sucking wind had only just begun when Naraku's winged insects flew over the tops of trees toward Miroku.
Miroku noticed them instantly; although this time they were not Naraku's insects...they were Akagai's, their eyes white like all the other demons. Akagai knew his weakness.
Did he dare risk the poison?
The insects flew closer, about to be drawn in.
Miroku didn't have time to answer; Sango pushed herself on top of him and had grasped a hold of his hand and wrapped the cloth around it again.
"Don't Miroku!" she cried out as they both fell to the ground.
Inuyasha barely had time to let out half a scream when Sesshomaru had rushed forward at him.
Sesshomaru's poisonous claws struck out at Inuyasha's chest, coming in contact with his red robe. The fire rat material began burning away under the heavy poison.
Inuyasha lifted the untransformed Tetsugaiga to stab his brother, but the weak blade only made a 'thud' against Sesshomaru's armor.
Inuyasha attempted to leap away from his brother's attack, but his human agility was unable to obtain that kind of needed speed. As the poison began to leak through the fire rat material and onto his skin, Inuyasha flew backwards and landed heavily on the ground.
Sesshomaru stood over him, Inuyasha barely got time to blink when he felt something tighten around his throat and hoist him up into the air.
Sesshomaru's tail had wrapped itself around Inuyasha's neck and lifted him into the air. Inuyasha dropped Tetsugaiga and grabbed for the soft, deadly wrap that was cutting off his air supply.
Inuyasha coughed under the lack of air and tried to wiggle his way out of the head lock. Slowly his world was going black...
Suddenly, Inuyasha felt himself flip upside down, his rosary beads falling into his eyes. His head now just a few feet above the ground. Then, his whole body began to shake violently. Sesshomaru was trying to shake the Jewel shard out of him!
Inuyasha cried out, and then he felt Sesshomaru's tail drop him. Inuyasha fell, head first, to the ground and landed gasping for air.
He glanced up, and saw Sesshomaru glaring at him with his white eyes, and holding his Jewel shard in his clawed fingers.
"...no...(cough)...no...Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha roared.
Ignoring his brother's plea, Sesshomaru turned and gracefully walked back to Akagai. He tossed the last jewel shard at her; Akagai caught it with her telekinetic powers. While Sesshomaru took his position behind her.
Kagome's mouth opened again, and Akagai's voice radiated from within her body. Her evil echoing laugh rang out as the last shard fused with the Sacred Jewel.
In a blinding flash of pink light, the Shikon Jewel was once again complete.
Inuyasha stared wide eyed at the completed jewel. He found some kind of strength and pulled himself up onto his feet.
"You bitch!" he roared, "The Jewel will never obey you!"
Akagai paused her laugh and lifted her gaze to him. Kagome's lips curved into a half sneer.
Abruptly, a dark flash of energy emitted from Kagome's body and struck Inuyasha.
The shock struck Inuyasha like a lightning bolt. He roared in pain as the current spread through his veins. His whole insides were on fire and burned with static shock. The energy ripped over his skin, causing burning gashes to open and his blood to spill.
Inuyasha fell to his knees, and then onto his stomach. Small silhouettes of smoke emitted from his clothing as he lay there. The attack seemed to have killed him.
Miroku and Sango stared at Inuyasha as he fell to the ground and didn't move. They both cried out for their friend. Sango tried to jump up and run to him, but Miroku pulled her back down, "Look Sango!" he cried out.
Sango tore her eyes back to Inuyasha...who was stirring!
His body shook violently, but he was attempting to rise.
"Akagai..." he mumbled under his pain. "Akagai..."
He pulled himself up slightly, dripping with his own blood.
"...let...let...Kagome...go..." Inuyasha cried.
(A/N: I found this awesome picture of the scene right here...where Inuyasha is injured...if you want to view it go to this website, it might help create the mood. I highly encourage it! By the way, this girl who drew these pictures rocks soo much! Enjoy, I might use some of her pictures again to try and set the mood in another one of my stories.)
http:elfwood.lysator.liu.se/fanq/g/i/giovannabcg1/inuyashahumanwounded.j pg.html
.............................................
Akagai's white eyes flashed at Inuyasha as he attempted to rise. Kagome's mouth opened again, and Akagai spoke,
"Still alive Inuyasha?" Akagai raised Kagome's hand, her palm facing Inuyasha's bloody form.
"You are a confident one, aren't you?" A small black orb of energy began to form, Inuyasha could do nothing but stare at it, and he was too weak to move.
"Your efforts always prove to fail...you are nothing but an arrogant fool...and this will put an end to your meddling!"
The orb of dark power tripled in size and then exploded from her palm. Inuyasha watched as the ball of destruction flew towards him. His eyes glazed over, as death breathed on his neck. The breath in his lungs stopped in his throat.
The energy blast burned towards him, the dark light coming closer...closer...
....closer...
'This is the end...' Inuyasha told himself. 'I'm sorry... Kagome...I could not protect you...I could not save you...I'm sorry... Kagome...Kagome...'
He tilted backwards as the blast began to singe his face...but... his fingers touched something familiar.
It was...
'...NO! ... I won't... let... it... end here!!'
Inuyasha wrapped his fingers around Tetsugaiga and held it in front of him, just as the orb struck.
For a brief second the orb and Tetsugaiga's blade were in a lock down of power.
"Kagome! I won't let you go!!" He roared into the collision of powers. With all the strength he could muster up, he pushed on Tetsugaiga to throw the orb off.
Although Tetsugaiga wasn't transformed, it still could protect him. His mother was human and his father had made Tetsugaiga in her honor...it HAD to protect him now.
...........
Far away from the battle...in a dark prison...Inuyasha's voice traveled...
"Kagome..."
A soft twinkle emitted from Kagome's light energy.
'Kagome? Who is this Kagome?'
"Kagome..."
A spark...it was growing... it was now like a single candle lit in a dark room.
'Someone is calling me?'
"Kagome!"
The tiny star began to shimmer...deep in what little energy Kagome still had, something was reminding her...a feeling...an emotion...
'Inuyasha...?'
...............
The orb erupted as Tetsugaiga's blade placed pressure on it. In an explosion of bright light, Inuyasha was flung back. Part of the orb's energy had hit him, but most of it had been blocked.
Inuyasha skid along the ground about fifteen feet until stopping and falling onto his back. When the dust settled, he could see Tetsugaiga clenched in both fists above his head.
He could barely hear his name being called, probably from Miroku and Sango.
Inuyasha's shoulders heaved in deep breaths...he had survived...just barely. He was shaking from head to foot, his body ached in pain, and blood poured from his many wounds.
"...Ka...Kagome..." he winced.
Inuyasha forced himself to sit up. He rocked into a sit-up position and stared over his knees.
There was a thick cloud of dust around Akagai and her demons. As the wind blew the dust and dirt away, her form became visible.
Inuyasha spat blood from his mouth and shouted to Akagai, "Let Kagome Go!"
No answer came from Kagome's possessed body.
Inuyasha attempted to pick himself up further. But, the wind suddenly began to pick up. It was Akagai's soulless wind. Inuyasha covered his eyes under the wind, but he could see Kagome's body and her white eyes flashing at him.
Finally her mouth opened, the wind picked up faster, and Akagai sneered,
"You Fool! How dare you defy Me! I will not tolerate your insubordination!"
Akagai raised both of Kagome's hands, and pointed their palms directly at Inuyasha again. She was preparing for another attack, one that Inuyasha may not survive again.
"I will attack you until that demon sword breaks in two!" Akagai roared.
Akagai's power began to swarm around her like a cyclone. Snaps of lighting flickered in the tornado of wind.
Kagome's clothing was practically being ripped off of her body, under the wind. Her hair was atop her head and seemed to be standing on its ends. Her white eyes extended up to her temples in a flickering white flame.
A large ball of dark energy formed at Kagome's palms. With every passing second the dark orb increased in size.
Akagai's voice bellowed in Kagome's throat, as she conjured up her immense power. Her wind was so powerful that trees began to bend over each other and chunks of earth eroded from the ground and up into the tornado of power. Smashing into pieces when they struck the tornado's edges.
Inuyasha had stabbed Tetsugaiga into the ground as was holding onto it for dear life. His hair was pushed straight back and felt like it was about to rip out of his scalp under the wind.
Not far off, Miroku and Sango clung to each other under the wind. They gripped the grass at its roots to hold on. They couldn't look up against the great wind; they could only pray everything would turn out ok.
Inuyasha bared his teeth and grasped Tetsugaiga with all his strength. The blade began to loosen under the ground...slowly sliding out of the earth.
"KAGOME!" he roared under the high wind.
Inuyasha raised his burning eyes up to find her. He could slightly see the outline of her form beneath the cyclone of dark energy.
He watched as her feet slowly began to lift off of the ground...as the cyclone carried her up into the sky.
Her attack would rain down on him from above...he could not dodge it again.
"KAGOME!!!" he called again. His words had to reach her...somewhere in her possessed body...the real Kagome would hear him. The real Kagome would never attack him...he had to reach her.
Under the wind, Akagai's voice screamed out to him. She said the worst possible thing...the sentence that haunted his dreams...the last sentence Kikyo had said to him before she pinned him to the tree...his ultimate nightmare...
"DIE INUYASHA!"
Her gigantic orb of sinister energy flashed in her hands. An explosion of light...a whistling scream...a furnace of heat...the blast surged from her fingertips...aimed for Inuyasha...
....and...then....
...time seemed to stop...
....the world stopped spinning...
...everything was still...
...no noise, no sounds...
...complete silence...
!FLASH!
The orb disappeared; sucked back into Kagome's palms.
!FLASH!
The cyclone stopped spinning.
The dark aura fell.
!FLASH!
Inuyasha shielded his eyes.
!FLASH!
The flashes came from Kagome's chest. Huge spasms of white light. They stormed from her soul.
It was Kagome...the real Kagome...she was fighting back...
Her body lay parallel to the ground, hovering above the earth. Her hair fell from around her head, and lay beneath her. What little clothing remained on her body settled and draped loosely from Kagome's body.
Her chest held high and her head laid back...Kagome looked like a human sacrifice.
With every flash...Kagome's eyes were changing...
White to brown...
!FLASH!
Brown to white...
!FLASH!
White to brown...
Her screams began to ring from her body. Kagome's own screams...her own voice.
"Inu...Inu...YASHA!!" Kagome called.
!FLASH!
Brown to white again...
"STOP RESISITING ME!"
!FLASH!
White to brown...
"INUYASHA!!"
Inuyasha lowered his arms; he heard her...she was calling him.
"KAGOME!" he roared back.
"INUYASHA!"
!FLASH!
Brown to white...
"STOP THIS...STOP THIS POWER!"
!FLASH!
"INUYASHA!!!!"
It was Kagome.
Before Inuyasha could stop himself, he tore forward...running to her. He didn't feel the pain he was in...the blood that oozed from his body...he followed his heart.
He reached her...her skin was glowing...her eyes flashing...two beings, fighting within each other over one body.
She glowed like an angel, her white skin pulsating under the battling powers within.
"Kagome! Kagome, I'm here!" Inuyasha called to her. He reached to touch her face, but a shock wave of energy stung his hand...she couldn't be calmed.
!FLASH!
Brown to white...
Inuyasha drew back slightly...Akagai had surfaced again.
"LITTLE MIKO, YOU WON'T SURPASS MY HOLD!"
"Kagome! Kagome fight her! Don't let her win!" Inuyasha yelled at Kagome's body.
!FLASH!
White to brown...
"Inu...Inu...yasha...you must...you must...k...i....l...l...kill...me..." Kagome stumbled.
Inuyasha tried to touch her again, but the same shock made him pull away.
"NO! No, Kagome...you can win! Fight her...fight Akagai!"
"K...i...l...l...m...m...m...e...e...e...e...e..." Kagome begged.
"Kagome stop this! Don't make me do this! Kagome! KAGOME!" Inuyasha roared.
!FLASH!
Brown to white...
A deep scream emitted from Kagome's throat. Akagai was coming back...her power was slowly gaining hold over Kagome again.
"Inuyasha!" a voice called up, from Inuyasha's far right. Inuyasha pulled his eyes from Kagome and stared down to see Miroku and Sango, bracing each other...but alive and glaring at him.
"Talk to her Inuyasha!" Miroku yelled. "Your words are pulling her out of the trance! She has to hear your voice!"
Inuyasha blinked at the monk, but nodded. He turned back to Kagome's body just as Akagai cried out,
"LITTLE WENCH...YOU CANNOT FIGHT ME FOREVER!"
Inuyasha ignored Akagai's voice and called to Kagome.
"Kagome! I know you're in there! You can defeat her, don't give up! Please Kagome! Don't you leave me! Kagome!"
Her eyes continued to remain white...Akagai was slowly winning the internal battle.
"Kagome! Kagome please! Wake up! Kagome! Don't do this to me! Don't leave me! Kagome! KAGOME! Wake up!!" Inuyasha roared.
Kagome's hands tightened into fists, the soulless storm of Akagai began to pick up again.
Kagome was losing...
Her power was dissolving away...
...she wasn't going to hold on much longer...
"KAGOME!!!!!!!!!!!" Inuyasha roared, tears beginning to form in his eyes. Inuyasha's heart was dying...he was losing her...
The hot tears trickled from his eyes, as he watched her lose her battle.
"Kagome! Please...please...Kagome...don't go...don't go...Kagome...you can't leave me...Kagome...I can't do this without you...Kagome...Don't go!!" Inuyasha sobbed uncontrollably.
His heart ached in his chest...yet his pride burned harder...so many memories passed in his eyes...the long awaited choice...the final decision...the hurt was too great...something had to give...
"Inuyasha!" he heard Sango call to him. He slowly raised his eyes to hers...they too were filled with tears...
"Tell her Inuyasha! Tell her!!" Sango cried.
Inuyasha's eyes flashed at Sango's comment. How did she know?
"You must tell her Inuyasha!" Miroku called. "You know it is true!"
Inuyasha's mouth dropped and he bit his bottom lip. He clasped his human hands into fists and then he shut his eyes against the burning tears.
'Yes, I will tell her...I won't hide it any longer...I won't let her die without her knowing...'
"Kagome..." he whispered. His body stressed with emotion...
...then...
...it happened...
He opened his eyes...His heart ruptured as he called out to her,
"KAGOME, I LOVE YOU!!!! I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL, YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME! I LOVE YOU KAGOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
!FLASH!
White to brown...
"Kagome?" Inuyasha whispered. Her body shimmered with a deep sweat. Her chest heaved in small breaths.
Beneath quivering lips, she found her voice...
"Inu...yasha..." Kagome breathed. Her chocolate brown eyes turned to his. Only a small hint of light shinned within them...and slowly, that light was faded away from him.
"Kagome..." he said. He reached out to hold her, yet the barrier still held tight around her body, the shock caused him to cry out in pain, and take a step back.
Why couldn't he touch her? Why wasn't she letting him in?
"Inu...yasha...I can't go on..." Kagome whispered.
Inuyasha moved as close as possible to her. "Don't say things like that, Kagome. You'll be alright! Don't worry...I'm here... I won't let anything happen to you!" Inuyasha told her.
"Akagai...she...will live..." Kagome whispered weakly. Inuyasha blinked at her, his tears still falling from his eyes.
"No..no..." he breathed.
"...unless you destroy my body..." she told him. "She...she...will live..."
"Kagome...Kagome no..." Inuyasha cried softly.
"Kill me, Inuyasha..." Kagome begged him.
"I WON'T! I LOVE YOU KAGOME! I CAN'T...I WON'T HURT YOU!! DON'T MAKE ME..." Inuyasha cried out.
A small smile curved onto Kagome's lips.
!FLASH!
Brown to white...
"YOU ARE MINE!"
!FLASH!
White to brown...
"...I...love...you....Inu..." Kagome mouthed to him.
!FLASH!
Brown to white...
The wind increased around Inuyasha, Akagai was pulling back. Her power was rising...she was regaining control.
Inuyasha just stared at Kagome's body, as the dark aura began to fill it once again.
His eyes scanned her entire body...her beautiful body. He couldn't do it...he couldn't hurt her...
He had just told her that he loved her...now he had to kill her?
This was insane...his heart was being ripped from his chest.
"I can't...I can't do this!" he cried out.
"Don't make me...please don't..." Inuyasha wined.
Kagome's eyes continued to stay white, coils of dark energy began encircling her hands. The torrent of wind continued to swell.
Inuyasha shook his head, "Kagome! Kagome come back!"
Kagome's mouth opened and the dark voice of Akagai came out, "Kagome is gone forever...only Akagai remains..." Her voice was cold and confident.
Inuyasha's body flew into rage. He threw his emotions aside and aimed all his hatred at one person...Akagai, the bitch who had killed his Kagome.
Inuyasha reacted.
He screamed in sorrow as he flung his hands out and wrapped them around Kagome's throat.
The energy shock passed through his body. He twitched with pain, but he held on to Kagome's frail neck.
Kagome's head flung back and her mouth opened again. This time Akagai's voice was soft and pleading.
"Inuyasha...you will not kill me...you can't kill me...I am the one you love..."
Inuyasha's heart pounded as Akagai spoke to him. He was killing her...slowly...Kagome...
His shoulders heaved in heavy breaths, his lips curled up, his teeth gritting together.
Every part of his body ached with pain...every fiber of his being wanted to burst.
'I can't do this...'
'But you must...'
'...this is Kagome...'
'...you're killing her...'
'...I can't...'
'...you must...'
'...protect her...'
'...kill her...'
'...don't make me, please...'
'...it's too late...'
'...you love her...'
'...kill her...'
'...No...'
'...Yes...'
'...stop this...'
'...make it end...'
'...kill her...'
'...I can't...'
'...I won't...'
'...you must...'
'....no...'
Inuyasha's eyes stared into Kagome's. She seemed so pale...
'...if you truly love her...you will kill her now...'
Inuyasha closed his eyes.
He tightened his grip around her throat.
"Inuyasha..." Akagai spoke to him, "What are you doing, Inuyasha?"
"I love you, Kagome." Inuyasha whispered.
The muscles in his human arms began to tense. He focused all his human strength into this task.
With a deafening roar, Inuyasha flexed his fingers and clenched Kagome's neck with all his might.
With a surge of emotion and a rush of strength, he felt the brittle bones in Kagome's neck snap under his grip.
Her neck fell limp in his hands as the bones shattered into pieces.
And then, everything just stopped.
...............................................
Preview to Chapter 6:
Kagome is dead. Akagai is defeated.
Inuyasha's powers are returned to him. And now he morns.
But Miroku makes a surprising discovery. Kagome? Only half dead?
Enter Kikyo.
Hope restored in Chapter 6: Into the Underworld
........................................