Chapter 15

A Shadowed Hero

Inuyasha had endured almost an hour of solid beating from Naraku, despite his friend's efforts to help him. Inuyasha would just not back down, no matter what. Kagome was crying, as she watched this horrible sight unfold, she didn't have any arrows left. She couldn't imagine what would happen if Inuyasha died, it just couldn't happen.

Inuyasha was lying on the ground, he would soon die, he knew it.

I'm about to die. He thought to himself.

Then he looked over a t a frightened Kagome, who was moving her way over to him.

"Inuyasha no!" She cried, tears running down her face. She hugged him and Inuyasha could feel her wet tears on his chest.

Wait, I can't die. If I die then Naraku will get Kagome, and she'll die. Her family won't know what happened. And...and... I don't want her to die, I can't leave her.

Inuyasha forced himself to get up. Kagome was startled, and she helped him up quickly. Inuyasha's first thought was too keep fighting, so he unsheathed his Tetseiga, but he found he could barely hold it. Kagome could see this, and she snatched it from his hands.

"No way Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled to him, "This has gone far enough, come back and fight him in a week or so, after you are healed!"

"Can't, stop, now." Inuyasha said slowly and weakly. Ignoring the fact that the only reason he was still standing because Kagome was helping him.

"Inuyasha, I didn't want to have to do this, but it's the only way." Kagome said wiping a tear from her face. She took out a bluish green powder and quickly sprinkled some into Inuyasha's mouth. It was a sleeping powder given to her by Kiade. Inuyasha began to fall asleep.

"Kagome no, I can't sleep now..." Inuyasha fell asleep before he could finish.

Kagome make sure he was asleep, and then hugged him. "I'm sorry." She whispered. She then realized that they were in the open and she could barley keep him off the ground. Naraku gave an evil laugh from behind them, and Kagome's heart skipped a beat, Maybe this wasn't such a good idea...

Then suddenly, in the distance over a small hill surrounded by trees, there was a shadowy figure. As Kagome focused, and the figure walked

closure, Kagome could see that the figure was Kikyo. And Kikyo was readying an arrow, aiming it at Naraku. For once Kagome was actually happy to see Kikyo. Kikyo released her arrow and it hit Naraku dead on, Naraku tried to unleash his evil roots, but he was too weak and they only went about ½ meter long. Kikyo began to walk slowly and calmly, her sandals silent against the leaf-covered ground. Her soul retrievers flowed all around her, making their eerie sound. When Kikyo got to were Inuyasha and Kagome were, Naraku tried to attack her once more with his roots, but Kikyo shot an arrow, cut off all the roots from Naraku's body. The roots lay completely limp on the ground, and Naraku groaned in pain. Kikyo looked down at Kagome, who was now on her knees holding Inuyasha close to her body. Kikyo started at Inuyasha with an almost sad expression on her face, then about a dozen of her soul retrievers swarmed around Inuyasha. The soul retrievers grabbed onto Inuyasha and began to pull him away from Kagome. Kagome was too shocked to realize what was happening until she had almost lost her grip on Inuyasha completely! Kagome quickly snapped out of her trance like state and grabbed a hold of Inuyasha's ankles, fighting against the soul retrievers.

"Let him go you wench!" Kikyo said sternly, as she took a firm hand a pulled Kagome's hand off of Inuyasha. "Unless you want him to die. Don't you see, you fool, you have made him weak! He would give his life to save you, and would never be able to heal him, yet you continue to see him! Why do you think he wanted you to go back to your own time?" Kikyo yelled at Kagome.

Kagome stumbled back a bit. She's right. Kagome thought to herself, I really do make Inuyasha weak. I guess it would be best if I just left him alone with Kikyo, at least then he'd be happy and safe.

Just then, Naraku launched a huge amount of evil demons and roots on Kikyo. Kikyo shot off 3 arrows, and by the time the attack got to her she used her spirit curse. Then she looked, and saw that none of these attacks were real, they were all once again a puppet of Naraku's! Kikyo looked around quickly, looking for the real Naraku. Once Kikyo turned all the way around, she could see the real Naraku. But before Kikyo could do anything about it, Naraku attacked her viscously. She couldn't do anything, then Naraku summoned up a huge wave of demons, and this time they were real!

The demons hit Kikyo dead on, and she tried to use her spirit powers, but Naraku quickly attacked her. But then, Onigumo's heart had a sudden effect on him, and he couldn't kill her. Kagome watched in Horror this seen unfolded, but there was nothing she could do without arrows. Naraku held Kikyo's bleeding body. He smoothly slipped a jewel shard into the most

severe wound, the one in her chest, near her heart. Kikyo opened her eyes,

she was weak, too weak to do anything. Naraku gave her a light kiss on her

forehead. "Damn that fool Onigumo. Because of his emotions I can no longer let you die. Perhaps if I make you mine, he will be appeased and I can then kill you." Naraku said, too quietly for anyone but himself to hear.