Separation
Chapter One: Sacrifice
Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, though I'd LOVE to! This contains VERY VERY SLIGHT spoilers for later eps that haven't aired in English yet. They deal with Inuyasha getting a new skill and what makes Naraku vulnerable, so if you don't want to know even the tiniest of details about that, don't read. Also, for those who have seen later eps, forgive me for not knowing all the details and perhaps spelling things wrong or not calling techniques by name. Translations from Japanese to English are not always the best.
Inuyasha and the others had finally located Naraku's heart, hidden within the giant beast Moryomaru, and they were on the brink of destroying Naraku forever. Inuyasha was armed with his Tetsusaiga and the new skill he'd obtained from Hosenki, and Kagome was armed with several arrows from Kikyo, covered with soil from the tomb of the wicked bandit, Onigumo. Sango and Miroku battled with the demon, as well, Miroku being prepared to use his windtunnel on the demon if Kagome and Inuyasha failed, despite the poisonous insects that had recently shown up. They were all quite surprised that Naraku had yet to show his face, considering the key to his very existence stood right there before them. They assumed he must be confident that they would be no match for the beast. Despite Naraku's curious absence, the group remained completely focused upon the task at hand.
Inuyasha and Kagome looked at each other. They were both waiting for that perfect opening, in order to combine their powers and strike Moryomaru simultaneously. Only the combined power of Inuyasha's, now stronger, Tetsusaiga and Kikyo's arrow, shot by Kagome would destroy the heart. As predicted, Naraku had no intention of making it so easy on them. He dispatched hundreds of demons to the scene. Inuyasha began using his windscar on them, as Naraku sent minion after minion.
"Inuyasha! Sango and I will take care of these demons; you and Kagome must destroy Naraku's heart now!" Miroku called out, as he and Sango battled furiously with the packs of demons.
"Yes, do it Inuyasha and Kagome!" Sango shouted from atop Kilala.
"Right! This is the end, Naraku!" Inuyasha shouted. Tetsusaiga began to transform in his hands. He focused his steely gaze upon his target. This was it.
Kagome glanced at Inuyasha once more, then focused intently upon the heart and readied her arrow. Kikyo, lend me your power. Guide me... "You're going down, Naraku!" Now, hit the mark!
Before the two could unleash their full power, Naraku himself appeared behind them at the edge of the substantial cliff that was their battleground. "CURSE YOU ALL!" He was truly angry now and was no longer playing games. He sent several demon tentacles toward Inuyasha and Kagome, who quickly turned and retaliated. Inuyasha used the windscar, destroying a number of tentacles that had been headed straight for Kagome and him. The miasma that burst from the ruptured tentacles was purified by Kagome, who had quickly grabbed one of her own arrows.
"Hiraikotsu!" Sango yelled, as she threw her weapon, destroying more tentacles. Kagome fired another arrow to purify the miasma.
"Inuyasha, destroy the heart! Every time we destroy a tentacle he releases his miasma! And his barrier is still up!" Miroku yelled.
"I'll take care of that. That barrier is coming down!" Kagome fired one of Kikyo's arrows straight at Naraku's head, bringing down his barrier.
"You did it, Kagome!" Sango shouted, and she and Miroku took Naraku on, giving Inuyasha and Kagome the chance to concentrate upon his heart.
Naraku was becoming desperate. Hesitant to release any more miasma, the monk and demon slayer merely fended Naraku off, as Inuyasha and Kagome proceeded. One of Naraku's tentacles grazed Sango, and she was thrown off Kilala. Miroku called out to her, being distracted just long enough for Naraku to grab him by the neck with one of his tentacles. He raised him high in the air. Miroku glanced to Sango, who was wearily getting up off the ground where she had been thrown. He was thankful she was all right. "Miroku!" She called when she looked up. Inuyasha and Kagome both glanced back, and Miroku turned to look at them.
"Don't worry about me! DO IT!" He managed to call, despite struggling while being strangled.
Sango immediately rushed to his aid, unsheathing her katana, as her hiraikotsu had landed a few feet away when she fell. She cut Miroku free. As Naraku made one last, desperate attempt to stop Inuyasha and Kagome, Sango ran directly at him, slicing tentacle after tentacle. She called back to Miroku, "Get back! Stay away from the miasma!"
"Sango, what are you doing! Sango, wait, stay away from him!" He called out. She, of course, did not listen. She was concerned only with making it possible for Inuyasha and Kagome to destroy the heart, and with protecting her friends, and the one she...loved. Somehow managing to avoid most of the tentacles, Sango was so close that she was nearly able to reach out and touch Naraku. Several of his tentacles had sliced her, though, gashing her sides. She winced but kept going. As Naraku reached out to grab her by the throat with one of his "human" hands, she sliced it with her katana. As she did so, she saw Naraku stumble. Surely that cut didn't injure him that badly... Naraku appeared to have taken a blow to the shoulder, for he threw it back spastically and cursed. "NO..." He uttered as he stumbled backward further.
Sango glanced over her shoulder slightly, catching a glimpse of Moryomaru being obliterated into nothingness... We did it! She smiled but turned immediately, realizing that Naraku had taken hold of her leg and was pulling her off the cliff with him. He was dying, but he wasn't dead yet! It seemed as though he planned to take her with him... She struggled to break free of him. Miroku called out her name and ran toward her, desperately attempting to reach her before she was dragged off the cliff.
A million thoughts raced through his mind in that instant, one of those being, why, when it truly matters does your body became infinitely more difficult to move and infinitely slower? Why! Why, does the body seem to fail you when you need it the most! With every bit of his energy, he leaped forward and attempted to grab one of her hands. Their eyes met, as he grasped for her desperately, but missed. Before she was dragged off the cliff, she had a split second to look at him, smile, and whisper what had gone unsaid but not unfelt for so long, "I love you." Then she fell.
He screamed her name, as he gazed downward, in utter despair. For what seemed like a lifetime, he could see her falling, and then he could no longer see her. And Naraku had seemingly dissipated into nothingness moments after his heart. He didn't even care about that now, though. On hands and knees, he stared downward, clenching his fists. He noticed the clear presence of tears forming in his eyes. He hadn't cried since he saw his father being sucked into his own windtunnel, but he was crying now. Tears streamed down his face, and he hung his head. He had failed her. He had failed her. And he had lost the only woman he had ever loved.
Moments later, Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo, and Kilala were all by his side, staring over the cliff, as well. All were in shock. Inuyasha stuck his sword into the ground and looked downward. Kagome seemed to be in shock and proceeded to clutch Inuyasha's kimono and bury her head into his chest. She began to cry, and he put his arms around her. Shippo, who was on top of Kilala, was also crying and clutching her fur, as she sadly stared down at where her master had fallen, with flattened ears.
Kagome momentarily stopped crying, though tears still hung in her eyes, and released Inuyasha. She kneeled down beside Miroku and put her hands on his shoulders. "Miroku..." She whispered, almost questioningly, heartfelt concern in her voice. He was so silent that she was beginning to worry about him. She thought that this was so hard, so terribly hard, and that it must be hardest of all upon Miroku. They all loved Sango dearly, but she believed Miroku loved her most of all.
Miroku put a hand upon one of hers. His head still hung, and his bangs covered his eyes. She didn't have to look at his face to know that he had been crying. He then began to curse himself. "Miroku, you did all you could..."
"I can't believe this is happening..." He murmured.
"I know." Kagome responded with sadness. This should have been the greatest day of their lives, destroying their arch enemy, but the joy of defeating Naraku had immediately been shattered by the loss of their beloved Sango.
"Will the suffering that Naraku causes never cease...even after he is gone? Damn you, Naraku...I will curse you till the day I die." Miroku mumbled.
Inuyasha thought, That b Naraku! With his last bit of strength he ended Sango's life. He knew he was going to die and decided to take her with him! He hadn't caused enough pain and suffering already! Inuyasha gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. Their victory no longer felt like a victory. They had their revenge for past wrongs...but now there was this...
Kagome gently hugged Miroku, who was too lost in his grief to return the gesture, and
then slowly got up and looked at Inuyasha. Inuyasha then had a thought.
"We're not losing Sango. I won't let her die like this."
Kagome looked at him. "What are you thinking Inuyasha?"
"I'll find Sesshomaru..."
"The Tenseiga?" Kagome questioned.
"Yes. I'll force him to bring her back, and if he won't...I'll just have to kill him and bring her back myself. I won't let Naraku get away with this!" Inuyasha thought, I won't let Naraku take away another woman I care for.
Kagome wondered if it would actually work. Would Sesshomaru have the heart to revive Sango, and if not, could Inuyasha really take the sword and use it himself? Miroku raised his head for the first time and shot a glance at Inuyasha.
"I'll go down and find Sango's body." Inuyasha stated, with downcast eyes. Everyone suffered a mental blow, hearing him speak of Sango's "body." Miroku didn't want to think about how horribly her body could have been damaged during the fall, and he certainly didn't think he could stand seeing her that way. Nevertheless, he couldn't leave his beloved lying there, and if there was a chance to revive her, he wouldn't hesitate to do whatever necessary. He wondered if there was a time span for which the Tenseiga would have the power to revive someone. He prayed that if there was, they would find Sesshomaru in time.
"Inuyasha, I'll go with you. Kagome, you stay here with Shippo and Kilala. And stay away from the edge." Kagome nodded, and Miroku and Inuyasha made their way down the side of the mountain. Shippo jumped into Kagome's arms, still crying, and she held him close. "It's going to be ok, Shippo." It just has to be...
End of Chapter
A/N: What did you guys think? I find it really difficult to write action, battle scenes and such, so take it easy on me, please. I hope I did all right and hope it was believable and not too overly dramatic. Cliffhanger, I know, but I will write more a.s.a.p. If you guys are worried, just consider this...Sango is my favorite character...would I actually kill off my beloved favorite character? Please review! And please continue reading if you want to know what happens!
