Kikyo reached the Sacred Tree before dark. She examined it, realizing it was not only the link to the feudal and modern eras, but it was the link to her and Inuyasha as well. Inuyasha, her old lover, will never see her again. After Kikyo were to defeat Naraku, she would go away, wherever her lonely, angry heart would take her. She missed the way Inuyasha would stare at her in amazement fifty years before. She also missed the way he would trip and fall, trying to amuse and protect her. She could not bring herself to think of living without the half-demon. Inuyasha was the young man who could never cry. He was the one who captured every one of Kikyo's thoughts, and cherished them like a newborn-child.

Kikyo stepped forward slowly. She did not notice she was crying until she was barely seven feet away from the tree. Kikyo grabbed her quiver and held it close, but hesitated. A few feet away sat Naraku, on a branch of the old tree. His curly, black head leaned against the leathery trunk of the ancient giant, a faint smile on his cruel lips. His blue-rimmed eyes were closed, and the tree emitted a soft glow as Naraku muttered a kind of chant.

Kikyo's eyes narrowed in anger, and she pulled an arrow back on her bow. "Naraku! You are trying to possess the Sacred Tree?!" Naraku opened one eye, scowled, and closed both eyes again. He got down from the tree, his eyes still shut. He stuck his hand inside the baggy folds of his shirt collar, and withdrew a poison insect hive. His claws moved dangerously over the top of the hive, and Kikyo saw many pairs of angry eyes staring at her from inside of the hollow thing.
"Now will you understand, Kikyo? If you don't, I'm sure my insect friends here can help you." Kikyo clenched her fists, and stood her ground as the insects angrily swarmed out of their prison. They buzzed fretfully, swarming around Kikyo in an agitated, black cloud.
Kikyo swatted at them, shooting a few down with her arrows. Naraku sat on the tree once again, happily smiling to himself. "You...you fool!" Kikyo shouted, pulling an arrow back. Instead of shooting at the insects, she shot at Naraku. The insects blurred her vision, and distracted her from aiming straight. Many of Kikyo's arrows missed, and Naraku laughed more menacingly. Kikyo growled in frustration, and kept shooting at Naraku until one of her arrows got stuck in the tree right above Naraku's head. The insects stopped swarming, as though they sensed the danger of that particular moment.

Naraku smiled dangerously and stood up, facing Kikyo with satisfaction. "Next time I won't miss, Naraku!" Kikyo shouted, her eyes flashing. Naraku shook his head, his hair flying out all over the place. "You are too amusing, Kikyo. You should have given up years ago." Kikyo shook her head, fixing her eyes upon Naraku. "Why would I give up all I have to an evil shrew like you?" Naraku shrugged, his eyes narrowing. His smile, however, grew larger.

"Probably because I can kill you at any moment," Naraku finally replied. "You see, priestess, I have incredible power. I have more power than you can ever wish for. You are powerless against me, but you refuse to see it because of Inuyasha. Has Inuyasha given you strength all this time?" Kikyo was quiet. She was shocked that Naraku spoke about Inuyasha, but she refused to let Naraku see her suspicion. Not this time.
"What do you mean by that?" Kikyo said, forcing herself not to stammer. Naraku chuckled, crossing his arms.
"Have you been stealing confidence from Inuyasha? Do you gather your power from him?" Kikyo took a step back, but held her bow in a firm grip.

Naraku raised an eyebrow. "You're not answering, so I must be correct. Funny...you gather your power from a half-breed, and I gather mine from my ever-powerful body. You rely on others to do your work, to give you blood." Kikyo could stand it no longer. She pointed another arrow at Naraku, this time aiming for his heart. "Just like you rely on your incarnations?!" Naraku closed his eyes, the light around the tree shining brighter. "Foolish woman."

With that, Naraku raised his hand. Kikyo found herself re-living her cremation again, the bright flames dancing around her in a smoky whirlwind. Am I truly frightened of Naraku? Kikyo asked herself as she burned once more. Did Naraku finally work his way into my deepest, darkest fears?
Naraku was pleased as Kikyo grew terrified of the flames around her. Kikyo gripped the Shikon Jewel in her hands, which was glowing fiercely against the light of the fire.
"No! Naraku..." Kikyo murmured, her hand outstretched. I must reach my weapons. I must hit Naraku now, before I...

Kikyo fell unconscious before she reached her bow. She fell face-forward on the ground, her hair sprawled out on the grass. Her body lay in an uncomfortable position, her legs spread painfully over the sharp, emerald blades of the fresh grass. Her soft, brown eyes were closed tightly, and her hands were on either side of her face, as though she was a young child having a nightmare.

When Naraku was sure that Kikyo was unconscious, he picked up the young woman and whisked her away, back to his evil fortress.