Chapter 13: The Final Battle
Sesshomaru had not lied when he had said that they would meet with Naraku the next day. He woke the group up bright and early and ordered Jakken to remain behind. Leaving the camp with only Kagome at his side.
The girl was a bit nervous after what had happened the other day, but she calmly trailed after him. Her bow and a quiver full of arrows over her shoulder. Thinking to herself, 'This is it...the final battle.'
The demon lord could feel her eyes on him as they walked, but he ignored it. Not knowing her thoughts. But wishing he did.
Did she love him return? She had said nothing to him since the last morning, and he had not pressured her to.
He supposed after two years of hunting down the hanyou, Naraku, the girl may be getting nervous. But he didn't catch that on her scent. She seemed rather relaxed. Little did he know it was because she was mimicing him. Hiding just how she felt.
--
By noon, the two came upon a giant clearing. Wood and rubble lay strewn everywhere and Kagome looked about in horror at what had once been a village. No doubt, Naraku had been here. Perhaps he had done this so to leave a sign for his hunter's.
Sesshomaru surprised her by stopping at the edge of the clearing and looking at her, saying, "This is where Naraku will show himself. We need only wait."
Kagome looked confused, they were going to wait here until Naraku came to kill them? She frowned and watched as he seated himself at the base of a tree and closed his eyes, perhaps meditating...
She sat down beside him, awkwardly fingering her bow as she laid it across her lap. Closing her eyes and sighing.
'Suppose I'll just doze until it's time to fight...' She thought to herself. But that was not the case. She couldn't get to sleep. She just sat there, thinking to herself. 'He said he loved me...a guy like him wouldn't lie...would they?...No... he wouldn't have lied to me... But why me? Why does he love me? I am nothing compared to him...'
--
She was stirred from her thoughts a few hours later by Sesshomaru rising to his feet. "He's here?" Kagome asked, rising quickly and grabbing her bow.
Sesshomaru shook his head, "No...but Inuyasha is."
'Even better', she thought to herself sarcastically as she watched the red of Inuyasha's haori emerge from the trees across the clearing.
The hanyou stormed forward upon seeing his brother. Drawing Tetsusaiga and growling, "What the hell are you donig here!"
Sesshomaru stood calmly, not even drawing Toukijin. "Save your energy for Naraku, Inuyasha. We are here on the same terms as you."
Inuyasha growled and charged forward just as the rest of the group emerged. Kikyou first, in her silent glory. Eyes fixiated on her incarnation across the clearing. Miroku and Sango entered the clearing just as Kagome yelled, 'SIT!'
The hanyou hit the ground and Sesshomaru went forward, picking up Tetsusaiga without any trouble from the protection spells. He didn't want it, he was only keeping it from his little brother, who was going to wave it around until somebody got hurt. "Inuyasha, we will settle our differences when Naraku is dead."
Inuyasha mumbled softly, then spit out a mouthful of dirt, saying, "Like hell I'm going to let you kill Naraku! I get him, you got that!"
Kagome rolled her eyes and spoke up, "Inuyasha, don't make me say 'it' again. We are here to help. Naraku has hurt more people than you."
As Inuyasha rose he seemed to have just noticed Kagome. And then he snarled, "What're you doing with my half-brother!"
Sesshomaru could see Kagome was really not looking forward to this conversation, and so cut in, "She is here to help. Shut up, Hanyou."
Inuyasha seemed pissed for a moment, but then whirled around and stormed off to his own group, seeming to have figured out there was no making the two others leave. So he just ordered his group to settle down. Perching himself in a tree. Kagome cast a glance in Sesshomaru's direction and the demon lord seemed to read her mind. Simply nodding.
Kagome flashed him a quick smile before running across the clearing to meet with Miroku and Sango.
--
For most of the afternoon the ruins of the village were occupied by a hanyou, three demons, three humans, and one undead miko. The group separating out as so...
Inuyasha perched up in a tree across the clearing, glaring out at everyone and keeping alert. His gaze trailing to Kagome at times, but every single time he felt his half-brother had caught him looking and he quickly looked off into the forest again. He had made his choice. And Kikyou was leaned up against the base of the tree in which he sat... After this battle...he had agreed to go with Kikyou to the afterlife... But no one else knew of his decision.
Shippo had settled down in Kagome's lap, who was seated on Inuyasha's side of the village, but had not spoken to him even once. Which had not gone unnoticed by the two brothers.
It was like their own little war was set in the clearing. But the humans pretended they were oblivious to it.
Miroku and Sango were seated before Kagome, sitting closer to one another than normal. Kagome was smiling so brightly that they paused in their story of what had happened since she had been gone. Sango spoke up, "What is it, Kagome?"
The miko shook her head and shifted, saying, "Just thinking..."
Miroku nodded, "What about, Kagome-san?"
Kagome looked at them and then said, "I'm so glad you two are together."
They both seemed startled. She had figured it out before they had even gotten to telling her! Sango blushed and Miroku just broke into a big grin.
Kagome giggled and said, "That's so wonderful!"
Sango cut in, "We...plan to get married...if we survive this battle."
Miroku elbowed her lightly in the side, "You are too negative."
Kagome smiled and the conversation continued way into the night.
The later it got...the more nervous the occupants of the clearing got.
--
The moon was out and it was fairly dark. Shippo was sound asleep and Kagomewas returning to Sesshomaru's side of the clearing to speak with him for a moment. But as she came across she saw the demon lord was very stiff. Having risen from the ground. He was not staring up at the sky.
Kagome heard the 'shing' of Inuyasha drawing Tetsusaiga and knew then that the battle was beginning.
It was Kagura who came first, flying down lazily from the sky and passing overhead gracefully. Her fan clicking open gracefully. And suddenly dead bodies rose out of the ground on all sides. Inuyasha growled and looked about. Sango holding Hiraikotsu at the ready and Miroku stood nearby her. Looking for the poisonous insects that were to be somewhere in the air nearby.
Sesshomaru drew Toukijin and looked right up at Kagura. "We are not here to confront you, Kagura."
The wind sorceress laughed softly from where she floated in the air atop her feather, just out of reach. "Best pay attention to what fight you have at your hands, rather than what is not here just yet."
With that, the swarm of humans attacked.
Sesshomaru warned Kagome to save her arrows and then Toukijin began to fire off energy into the crowd of charging zombies. Inuyasha's cry of 'KAZE NO KIZU' roared in the background... and Kagome was surrounded by the sounds of battle as all her friends fought about her. She held an arrow notched to her bow, firing only when she had a perfect shot, and she had no choice. Such as when one of the creatures advanced too close to Miroku, coming from behind.
But there was seemingly no end to the dead villagers that Kagura called upon and finally Kagome ran to where Sesshomaru stood, wiping blood off his brow and breathing a tiny bit hard from the constant onslaught. "We have to take out Kagura!"
"Yes, I know", he said, "But I cannot get a fair shot at her."
Kagome glanced up at the demoness in the sky and nodded, "I'm on it", she said, startling Sesshomaru as she took off into the crowd of dead. Her body glowed pink and the creatures that were close to her were burnt to ashes.
Kagura noticed this and hissed, glaring down at the girl that was moving in her direction. But it was not expected when the girl lifted her bow and aimed an arrow straight up at her.
The arrow was dodged, and Kagura laughed...until she realized that she had been scared into the demon lord's firing range.
Sesshomaru aimed Toukijin and struck, a great blast of light erupted from the end of the blade and Kagura was hit right on. Her feather the first thing to disentegrate...then she was no more.
The dead that the group had been fighting with suddenly crumbled to ashes. Leaving those that weren't in on the plan to gaze around with wide eyes. All were breathing fairly hard.
--
Kagome began back towards the group, having distanced herself quite a bit when she went after Kagura. But Sesshomaru called to her, "Stop, Kagome!"
Too late. Naraku made himself known just at this time, rising from the ground and striking Kagome with one of his tentacles as he rose. Laughing and looking right onward at the group as he held Kagome in the air. "The girl was smart...You have killed Kagura... but in return, I think you will lose your pretty little miko."
His grip around Kagome tightened and the girl cried out, her body burning a bright pink. Naraku yelled and threw the girl across the clearing. She crashed in the grass, and lay still. Her quiver spilt out behind her and her bow landing beside her.
Naraku returned his attention to the remaining challenges and he smirked at the horrified looks on all of their faces. Even Sesshomaru showed a bit of emotion. His eyes burning red briefly. And then all hell broke loose.
Sesshomaru was the first to charge, flitting across the clearing. Naraku's tentacles rose to meet the onslaught and Sesshomaru sent pieces of flesh raining down everywhere. Seeing Sesshomaru fighting, the rest of the group ran forward. Inuyasha the first there, and joining his half-brother in tearing through anything Naraku threw at them.
Miroku and Sango attacked as well, though they didn't get so far forward. Still they were causing damage.
Kirara blazed about, sinking her fangs into any piece of Naraku she could get a hold of.
Kagome remained across the clearing, sprawled out on the ground.
--
The battle raged onwards, but Naraku seemed to always have more tentacles to strike with. Cackling at times.
And finally...the first fighter went down.
Miroku had been slowing down during the battle, he and Sango sticking close. But he couldn't use his Wind Tunnel, and so was finding combat far more difficult.
When Naraku's tentacle came from behind him and pierced him through the shoulder, he let out a yell in pain. Sango spun about and ran to Miroku's side. Keeping him from falling down and warding off Naraku's attacks as she retreated with her love. They were only human...they couldn't last as long as the youkai.
--
Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, now fighting alone against Naraku, found him a much more difficult opponent now that he had fewer to focus on. Kikyou had gone back to heal the monk. For the ending of the battle truely did not matter to her so long as Inuyasha was with her in the end.
The brothers stuck close, putting their differences aside to strike together. Toukijin's attack joined with Tetsusaiga's Wind Scar and tore into Naraku. Chunks breaking off and bursting into dust. But the hanyou's laughter broke through. Pieces of him remained, hovering in the sky. And he glared down at the two brothers, saying, "A pitiful attempt. I fear not even your strengh combined is going to save you."
His body began to regenerate and the brothers could only look on, Inuyasha's exuastion plain on his face. While Sesshomaru fought to stand up straight. His breathing ragged through his slightly parted lips.
That had failed?... They had hit him right on. And their joined attacks had failed.
Naraku took his moment to strike, catching both of the men in his grip and lifting them slowly off the ground.
They both squirmed, but they were weak from battling.
Naraku began to tighten his hold on them both, Inuyasha crying out and twisting. Sesshomaru gritting his teeth and looking right on at Naraku with narrowed eyes.
--
Kagome, lying across the clearing, stirred. Her body was on fire. She knew atleast two of her ribs were cracked on the side she had landed on. But thankfully her shoulders and arms were fine. She bit her lower lip and slowly hauled herself to her feet. In one hand she picked up her bow from the ground. In the other, she gathered her arrows back into her quiver.
Naraku did not notice she had awoken. No body did.
She rose to her feet shakily and looked on at the scene that met her.
Kikyou was tying a wound by Miroku's shoulder while Sango ran forward with Hiraikotsu. Rejoining the battle... Or so she would've liked. But Kohaku jumped down suddenly and forced her into a battle with him.
Kagome saw Naraku now. His great back to her, and then she saw his tentacles were wrapped about two beings. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru.
Her eyes widened a bit and she quickly notched an arrow to her bow. Wincing as her shoulders cried out in pain. Drawing the bow tight and yelling. "Naraku!"
The hanyou turned and dropped the brothers, viewing her coldly, "I thought you were dead."
Kagome fired an arrow, "Think again." She said.
Naraku chuckled as he dodged that arrow easily. But his chuckles were cut off as a second struck him in the throat just after the first went past him. A third hit him in the stomach. A fourth in the shoulder. But his eyes were focused on the fifth as it came soaring through the sky, purifying the air behind it as it flew straight at his chest.
He let out a yell as the arrow flared and he was surrounded by light.
When that light faded, Naraku was gone entirely.
Kagome wobbled on her feet for a moment. Checking for certain that the hanyou was gone... And then she swayed. Catching a glimpse of a white haired demon racing towards her across the ruins of the village, right before she collapsed to the ground.
--
Kagome woke to a pain in her side and a white ceiling hovering above her when her eyes opened. "W-where am I?" She sensed someone cross the room. Her mother, who knelt down and stroked her forehead witha wash cloth, whispering, "It's okay, Kagome dear."
"What hap--" She began to ask, but her mother shushed her and tucked the blankets about her tighter. "Sesshomaru did not say. But he brought you here three days ago. He's been sitting beside you ever since...I just finally got him to go and watch TV. He's so worried about you."
"W-why?"
"You had four broken ribs, and your right leg was broken."
Kagome thought briefly, 'So that's why it hurt so bad to stand...' And nodded, "I...want Sesshomaru here."
"I'll go get him, honey." Her mother rose and left the room.
Sesshomaru entered in silence moments later, walking across the room and sitting in a chair beside her bed. Saying, "Are you feeling okay, Kagome?"
Kagome tried to roll over to face him, but realized that it was that side that had the broken ribs. So she remained on her back, turningher head so to smile at him. "I'm fine..." She whispered softly. He could barely even hear her.
He nodded and leaned forward a bit, and she asked, "Where is everyone else? How is everyone else?"
"...The monk and the demon slayer made it out with minor wounds, Kagome. They are in the village by Inuyasha's forest. The kitsune is with them."
Kagome nodded and prompted, "And Inuyasha?"
"...Last time I saw him he was giving me the completed jewel before leaving with the dead woman."
Kagome nodded and watched as he pulled the completed Shikon Jewel from his pocket. She reached up slowly and took it from him. Saying, "I have...one more..." She yawned, "One more thing to say..."
He nodded, "What is it, Kagome?"
She motioned to him and he leaned in closer. She motioned again, more urgent. And he lowered his ear until he was so close he could feel her soft breath against his cheek.
And was complete startled when she pushed up and kissed him on that cheek. He drew back a bit, quickly. Looking down at her.
She was smiling, and she said, "I love you, Sesshomaru."
A smile graced his lips slowly and he leaned forward, "I love you, too, Kagome." He said, right before his lips met hers in a kiss.
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Yes, this is the end. There is an epilogue coming, as well as a bit of randomness from my editor and such, but No, I do not plan on a sequel. You are still free to bug me via Email. Mine is But I am done with fanfiction for a while. I hope you enjoyed it. -
Reviews:
Kira the Mizu Ryuu- Never planned on killing anyone. ESPECCIALLY not Sesshy-sama! Lol.
Kiraracutie4- Of course! Lol. -
Lady Ryoko- How dare you! Lol. (This is my best friend. So I'm not really mad.) It's rated T for Teen! - Hentai! JK.
Ms. Lioness- I might make him sit on a pink bedspread with a towel on his head, but I would NEVER go so far as to make Kagome not return his love! Otherwise he might just say, 'Forget it, I'm never working with you in a fanfic again!' Lol,
Laurie- Worry no more! -
Fragmented-Soul- A fellow fangirl for Sesshy! Hugs you.
Sheenachi- Hehehe. I'm SURE you can! -Winks-
1kenshinlover- - Can't just leap down and pop Inuyasha in the head, now can he? Would have to explain why he was in a tree watching in the first place. Lol
Kirarafourseasons- I did one parade. I HATED IT! Lol. I was soooo exausted by the end of it. Didn't help that my instrument weighs 3 or more pounds. Lol