Chapter 14: Forgive Me, Beloved

Inuyasha growled as he dodged another haphazard blow. Yojikin was swinging the untransformed Tetsusaiga around as though it were a tree branch, showing no regard for the weapon at all as he launched his rage-fueled attacks. The jewel shards had given him an enormous boost of power and though the attacks were disorganized, the power behind them was a definite threat. Inuyasha waited for his chance to strike, desperately trying to keep his demon side in check. Though he wasn't injured, Kagome was, and without his sword his youkai half was screaming for blood.

He did not have to wait long for his chance. Another swing went wide, and Yojikin left his flank open. Inuyasha darted in, satisfied when a spray of crimson trailed after his claws.

The mutated lord howled in pain and Tetsusaiga dropped from his hand as he grasped at the injury. Inuyasha dove forward in an attempt to catch the falling blade, but his hand came back empty. He watched Yojikin's booted foot connect with the hilt, and the sword went spinning out of reach.

Inuyasha cursed as he rolled to the side. If he couldn't get Tetsusaiga back, then he would just have to try a more hands on approach. The hanyou leapt to his feet, claws ready, fully expecting Yojikin to be waiting.

The sight before him caused Inuyasha to freeze.

"Shit."

"Kagome…"

"Aniko?"

"Kagome, ye must get up!"

"I can't move…"

"Yes, ye can! Kagome, this is your chance! Get up!"

With an enormous effort and a strength that was not entirely her own, Kagome slowly stood.

"Inuyasha…that is your name, is it not?" Yojikin called over to the hanyou and flexed his fingers around the hilt of his new sword. After he had dropped the half-demon's weapon, his men had rushed forward with a few…gifts.

The first was the sword that he now held in his outstretched hand. The second was the girl that was being held in front of him.

"Take one more step towards me, hanyou, and this girl will die. Tell me, do you really want her death on your conscience as well?"

"Aniko! You bastard, let her go!" Inuyasha growled at the lord, but he did not move.

"Aniko?" the lord slid the blade up to the girl's throat. "That was my mother's name."

He whirled abruptly, the sword still poised beneath his captive's chin. "Gishohu, my brother! Show yourself!"

Surprised gasps escaped the lips of the village men and soldiers alike as Gishohu stepped to the front of the crowd. All fighting had stopped once the girl was presented to Yojikin, and now all eyes were fastened to the growing confrontation.

"I stopped being your brother a long time ago, Yojikin."

"Ah, yes. When that whore betrayed us! Join with me now, and I will spare this pathetic creature's life. Join with me, and with my power we shall rule this world as brothers!"

Gishohu clenched his hands into fists, his eyes burning as he faced his monstrous kin. "Our mother was no whore, Yojikin! She was trying to save us!"

"Save us?" Yojikin laughed; a mirthless sound that sent chills through the spines of those gathered closest. "Save us from what, our birthright?"

The older man shook his head. "No Yojikin, from our father's madness! Look at you! Look at what you have become! How could you let yourself turn into him?"

An awkward silence fell over the courtyard as the brothers stared each other down. To the onlookers they appeared remarkably similar, or at least they had before Yojikin had infused the jewel shards with his body. But the eyes that watched knew that the two men were anything but similar inside as they watched the scene unfolding.

"I accepted my destiny, Gishohu. I did not run away and hide."

Ice blue eyes bored into blue, both burning in fury. "And what has it gotten you? A castle hidden from the world, filled with the screams of tortured, dying women? And with men who obey your every command as long as there is money in your purse? What kind of life is that?"

"Enough!" Yojikin shook his head. He was right! There was no way he could be wrong; his brother was lying, was trying to trick him into letting his guard down! "If you won't join me, then the girl dies!"

He was still looking at Gishohu as he pulled his sword arm back for the blow. The weapon drove down, aimed so that it would strike the girl in the heart. Gishohu yelled, Aniko screamed, and, forgotten along the sidelines, the villagers, Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha watched on in horror.

The sword suddenly paused, its movement abruptly halted before it could taste the young girl's blood. All eyes slid down the blade's length, widening in shock as they realized what had happened.

Kagome stood between Yojikin and Aniko. In her shaking hands was the Tetsusaiga, buried now in the chest of the jewel-enhanced lord.

"Heh! Your hanyou friend already tried that, and failed! How could you possibly believe that you could kill me?"

The miko stood there, defiant yet shaking, frail yet impossibly strong, her soft brown eyes burning with an intensity that her friends had rarely seen. Her voice was soft but steady as she spoke, "I won't let you hurt her, Yojikin. Her, or anybody else. This madness stops with me."

She began to glow, a soft pink light appearing around her beaten body. As the world watched, the aura slowly gathered strength. They watched as the glow began to pulse, each vibration expanding the holy light farther up the length of the sword still clutched in her hands. Tetsusaiga responded to that power, pulsing in time with Kagome's purifying light.

"What is this?" Yojikin screamed, trying to pull away from both the sword and the light. He tried to throw his body backward, but found that he was stuck fast. The sword wasn't letting go.

The aura poured over the blade and onto the lord, the soft pink color swirling and twisting as though it held substance. Yojikin screamed again when the light touched him, burning his flesh and clothing as it spread over his entire body. "No!" he shrieked, his voice cracking in agony. "You are weak! You can't destroy me!"

Kagome did not reply. Instead, she tightened her grip on the Tetsusaiga until her knuckles turned white, blocking out Yojikin's continued screams. Sweat was pouring down her face, but she did not notice. She squeezed her eyes shut, remembering the things that the man had done to her; things that he had done to countless other women, and was planning to do to the girl she was now protecting. Never again….

Inuyasha watched from the side, frozen. Kagome looked ready to collapse, her body preparing to give out on her at any moment. Inuyasha wanted to run to her, to yell and scream at her for being so stupid. What did she think she was doing, anyway? But her eyes kept him from approaching. They had hardened into something dangerous, something he instinctively knew better than to tamper with right now. He shook his head, amazed; he had never seen her show this kind of power before.

The radiance that surrounded Kagome flared, changing from pink to a brilliant, burning white. The hanyou was forced to throw one arm over his eyes against the sudden explosion, and the other quickly flew up to cover his sensitive ears as Yojikin let out a tortured shriek.

The moment seemed to last forever, until finally the painful light began to fade. The lord's scream echoed on, even as Inuyasha let his arms fall back to his side. He blinked once, twice; confusion in his golden eyes. Yojikin had vanished, and now there was nothing left of him.

As the last of the energy dissipated, Kagome began to sway. Inuyasha was by her side in an instant, wrapping protective arms around her and lowering her slowly to the ground. Kagome barely noticed as he gently laid her head in his lap.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" he glared at her, trying desperately to hold onto the sudden burst of anger. The effort was futile, and slowly one hand reached out to her pale face. The skin was hot to the touch.

She looked up at the hanyou. He's really worried about me. "Inuyasha…I'm so sorry…."

"Damn it, Kagome! Don't give me that! Are you trying to get yourself killed? Because that's what it looks like to- Kagome!"

Kagome began coughing violently, her body wracked by spasms. She could feel something deep within her chest gurgle as the air was forced from her lungs, causing her to squeeze her eyes shut in pain. It hurt so much to simply breathe anymore. Her back arched with each spasm, and in an effort to stop the attack Inuyasha slowly moved her to a sitting position. The convulsions continued for a moment longer, and finally she collapsed back against the hanyou, a thin trail of blood lining her pale lips. I'm dying…she realized as she struggled to breathe.

Inuyasha craned his neck around so that he was facing Kagome. One look into his concerned molten eyes told her that he knew it, too.

"Come on, you have to breathe…come on, Kagome, stay with me, damn it!" the half-demon's voice shook with panic. She's going to be okay! She's got to be all right!

"Inuyasha…"

"Don't talk, Kagome. I'm gonna get you out of here. We'll get you to someone who can help! Just hang on a little longer, okay.?"

The miko shook her head. Tears streamed from her eyes as she raised a bloody, shaking hand to his face. "I'm just happy…that I got to see you again…"

"No!"

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I can't…fight anymore," her eyes locked with his. "I'm sorry that I can't stay with you," suddenly the lids of her eyes felt so heavy, and she let them slip shut. "I love you, Inuyasha. Remember that, okay?"

Her body shuddered in his arms, then became still.

"Kagome? KAGOME!"

Kagome never heard his anguished screams desperately calling her name.

She was already dead.