Disclaimer: Disclaimer: see a previous chapter.

Tangent Warning! The end of this chapter is a scene that got stuck in my head and I decided to throw it in because I really liked it. It's not that it doesn't have to do with the plot, because this is a trilogy after all and so it will mean something more. Eventually. Maybe. Anyway, now I'm rambling about a tangent. Is that redundant?

The Ties That Bind

Chapter 6

Recovery

The group crouched behind a stone wall a few hundred feet from the castle courtyard. "Ok, let's stick to the plan. Miroku, you and Kagome will sneak in when I give you the signal. Koga, Sango and I will keep Naraku distracted until we see you leaving. Are we set?"

Inu-yasha met the determined faces of everyone by his side. Miroku and Kagome moved off to the side to get into position to sneak past the action. Inu-yasha and Koga exchanged worried looks. Kagome did not look good. She had regained consciousness and helped with the barrier, but she was severely weakened.

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Naraku smiled as the priestess lost consciousness. He let go of her neck and she fell to the ground in a heap. He bent down to take the jewel shard from her hand when he heard someone calling his name, followed by the sound of splintering wood.

"Where are you Naraku! I know you're in here! I can smell that stench miles away! Come out and die!"

Naraku jerked his head up and scowled, "Inu-yasha?" he felt the hatred boiling within him and he looked down at Kikyo. "So you were the distraction priestess?" He reached out for the jewel shard when the door to his room flew open.

"No, we are!" Kagome let an arrow fly at Naraku and Miroku began to remove the ward from his wind tunnel.

Naraku tried to dodge the arrow, but he wasn't fast enough and it grazed his neck. He glared at the priestess and was about to launch himself at her when he saw the monk's wind tunnel open. Naraku cried out and flew straight up and out onto the roof. Kagome went to retrieve the jewel shard from Kikyo when the former priestess lashed out and scratched Kagome in the face.

"The jewel shard is mine!"

Kagome fell backwards and couldn't get herself back up in time to grab Kikyo in her weakened state. Miroku went after Kikyo, cutting off her escape route by throwing his staff in her path. Kikyo pulled up and faced the monk and a staggering Kagome.

"You fools! You ruined everything! I almost had him. He was falling into my trap."

"You were unconscious, Kikyo! If we hadn't shown up, Naraku would be in possession of three-fourths of the jewel. Now hand over the shard now!" Miroku advanced on Kikyo, his body tense, not sure what the cornered woman was capable of.

Kagome now had an arrow trained on Kikyo, just daring the former priestess to make a move, "Hand over the jewel shard now or I won't hesitate to shoot you Kikyo." Kikyo saw the cold determination in Kagome's eyes and she cursed. I was so close! Damn Inu-yasha and Kagome! "Give it to Miroku now!"

Kikyo started at the venom in the command. She looked over at the monk and lightly tossed it to him. He tucked it away and looked over at Kagome. "Now step aside." Kagome gestured with her bow which way Kikyo was to move. As she circled around one way, Kagome and Miroku circled around the other, Kagome still having Kikyo within her sights. Finally they reached Miroku's staff and the exit. "If you ever come near Inu-yasha again, I will personally kill you." And with that, Miroku and Kagome turned and ran from Naraku's castle.

Halfway through the castle Kagome stopped, slumped against the wall panting. "I can't go on. Too tired." Miroku backtracked and put the recovered jewel shard around her neck and his arm around her waist to support her. "C'mon, we're almost there Kagome. Just a little further." Miroku could see light up ahead, but he could also hear the enraged Kikyo closing in on them.

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Koga came to a skidding halt after narrowly dodging an attack by Naraku. Just as he was about to circle around for another attack, he saw Kagome and Miroku fleeing from the back of the castle. Miroku was supporting Kagome, but that could just be because of her separation from the jewel shards. Then he saw Kikyo emerge from the castle, in pursuit.

"Inu-yasha! Sango! Fall back!"

Koga ran over to Miroku and Kagome and hoisted Kagome over his shoulders and the three ran off into the brush. Just as he was about to leap into the underbrush, Koga heard Kagome scream. He turned and saw an arrow headed straight for him. Kagome was struggling to get free and managed to push off and jump down from his shoulder. He watched in horror as she pushed him down out of the path of the arrow, only to leave herself right in its path.

"Kagome! Noooo!"

Koga dropped to her side but didn't dare move her. The arrow was charged and stuck between her shoulder blades. Koga looked up to see Kikyo standing about fifty yards away, another arrow drawn and ready. This one she aimed at Koga and let fly. He easily dodged the arrow as he ran for Kikyo.

"Miroku! Guard her with your life!"

Koga was upon Kikyo in mere moments, the bow broken in his left hand, Kikyo's throat in his right. "You may have been a great lady once Kikyo, but now you are nothing more than a shadow that needs to go back to hell!"

Koga squeezed tighter and Kikyo struggled to free herself. Suddenly, he heard a roar. He turned to see Kagura send a razor wind attack his way. He put Kikyo in front of him as a shield and managed to avoid most of the energy blades flying past him. However, one clipped him on the thigh and his side as Kikyo thrashed to one side to try and free herself. When the attack subsided, he let Kikyo's limp, bloodied body fall to the ground and saw the horrified look on Kagura's face turn to pure hatred, but didn't stick around long enough for her next attack.

He joined up with Miroku and they retreated into the forest, careful of Kagome's wound, and met up with Inu-yasha and Sango. Inu-yasha carried Kagome since Koga was wounded. When they got to the barrier again, Miroku was able to open enough of a passage for everyone to get through using the shards. Once outside the barrier, Kirara took Kagome, Koga and Miroku to Kaede for help.

Sango jumped on Inu-yasha's back and they sprinted towards the village, arriving only an hour after Kirara. Inu-yasha went to Kaede's and found Kagome resting comfortably, the color back in her face, and her skin warm to the touch. The jewel shards they had recovered were securely attached around her neck. Inu-yasha saw Koga sitting against the wall next to Kagome and presumed he was sleeping until the wolf spoke.

"You made good time. Kaede said she'll be fine, she just needs to rest. The charged arrow Kikyo put in her back didn't cause as much damage as it normally would because of Kagome's strong connection to the spirit energy."

Inu-yasha's eyebrows remained furrowed as he sat down, "Tell me what happened with Kikyo."

Koga looked up at the dog demon, his eyes giving away no emotion, "She shot an arrow at us as we retreated into the woods. I was carrying Kagome to make a faster escape. But Kagome screamed and managed to push herself free and took the arrow in the back herself. That's when I went after Kikyo."

"Go on."

Koga sighed and watched Inu-yasha for any signs that he might attack him. "I was choking her with my bare hands when Kagura showed up and sent her wind razors my way."

Silence hung in the small room. Inu-yasha waited for Koga to continue, but the wolf demon just looked away at Kagome. Inu-yasha had to know. He was pretty sure he knew what happened next, he just wanted to hear it from Koga's lips. "Go on wolf."

Koga met Inu-yasha's demanding golden eyes, "I used Kikyo as a shield against the attack." Koga saw Inu-yasha flinch just for a second, "She tried to free herself and that's when I got hit. When the attack ended, I dropped her to the ground and headed back to Kagome and Miroku." Inu-yasha's face kept the same frown and his eyes bore into the wolf demon. "Inu-yasha, I'm sorry but I didn't have much of a choice. Maybe she's not…" Koga couldn't bring himself to even say the words.

"You didn't kill Kikyo, Koga. She died 50 years ago. I know that now." Inu-yasha got up and walked out of the room. Koga watched him leave and then looked back at Kagome. He hadn't meant to kill Kikyo, but his instincts took over when Kagura attacked. He honestly wished he could take it back, but his actions could not be undone. Koga lay down next to Kagome and wrapped his arms around her. For her comfort, and his.

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The Priestess and The Sorceress

Kagura gently laid Kikyo's head in her lap. She brushed the woman's hair back and tried to smile for her. Kagura could feel her energy slipping away. Kikyo no longer had the energy to summon her soul collectors to rejuvenate her.

"Kagura…" The voice was weak, like she was talking in her sleep. Kagura grabbed the outstretched hand and brought it to her lips.

"I'm here, Lady. I'm here."

"You must stop…Naraku."

"Shhh. Don't worry about that now. Rest now and we'll worry about him later." Kagura stroked her hair and brushed away her own tears.

"You're a terrible liar, sorceress." Kikyo closed her eyes and a wave of panic hit Kagura. "Take me from here. I don't want to die in this tainted place."

Kagura pulled a feather from her hair clasp and threw it into the air. It floated down lightly next to her and using her wind powers, she placed Kikyo's body onto the feather with her and they flew off into the sky. Kagura knew exactly where to take Kikyo. They had a special place all their own where they would meet and enjoy each other's company and the freedom from Naraku.

"We're almost there." She felt Kikyo squeeze her hand and Kagura's heart hurt just a little more.

Kagura landed the feather as gently as possible in the sheltered glen, right at the mouth of the entrance to the tree. She helped Kikyo off the feather and the two sat against the tree, Kagura cradling Kikyo in her arms. As she watched Kikyo fade, she felt an emptiness growing in her chest. Kikyo was the one that made this existence bearable. Now she would be alone, under Naraku's control, with no hope of escape.

"Kagura, I will be waiting for you. But please don't let me see you too soon. Do not give up hope, Kagura. You will be free. The priestess will set you free."

"The priestess?"

"Kagome. She is a priestess now. I have seen it. She will free you."

"Kikyo, you are the priestess that freed me. Please don't leave me." Kagura leaned down and kissed her on the lips, her own quivering from grief. "Kikyo…"

Kikyo's last words were whispered against Kagura's, "Ai shiteru, sorceress."

Kagura felt the last of Kikyo's essence leave her body. She hugged the former priestess's body as close as possible, until it finally faded into air as all the souls flew off in graceful white streaks to travel beyond, where they belonged. Since she was an incarnation, there was no physical body to leave behind. Kagura stayed in the glen for three days mourning Kikyo. When she was finally ready to return to Naraku, she had a new coldness within her. That wolf had taken the only person she had ever loved away, and now, she would do the same for him. Kagura didn't care if Kagome was going to free her from Naraku. She would kill Kagome, and then challenge Naraku herself, effectively sealing her own fate, and join Kikyo.

To be continued…..