A/N- Wow, let me begin by saying: I love my reviews. You guys are so supportive, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate all your comments. It's you guys who make me want to keep writing! So, this chapter is dedicated to all my faithful readers! Enjoy!

-Haha, oh yes, props go out to the Canadian Juniors who brought home the gold! Way to go, 'fellas!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha…got that?

These Hands: A Shining Light (Chapter 7)

"Kagome! Now! Run to the well, it's your only hope! Inuyasha won't be able to reach you when his beads are not in use…we can handle these demons!"

"I hope you're right, Sango." Kagome picked up her pace; she could see the bone-eaters well through the trees. It was only a little further. Her injured shoulder throbbed with each step she took; her legs stumbled clumsily over exposed roots and bushes as she ran. Wincing, she clutched her bloodied shoulder with her other hand, not slowing her pace.

She broke into the clearing in which the well stood, stopping abruptly. The moon's rays penetrated the trees, casting shadows into the brightly lit clearing. Moon beams danced over the lush grass and the well; crickets chirped, spreading a peaceful lullaby over the troubled lands. Kagome looked up; the night sky was clear, and each star twinkled with its own brilliance, lighting the heavens above her. The moon shone, hiding no trace of its surface in shadow. The night sky held the peace the troubled land had prayed and longed for.

Her eyes soon fell back to the old, abandoned well. It stood- a plain, old, dried up landmark- in the center of a clearing, in a forest no human dare tread. To the unknown eye, it would appear as nothing more than a worthless piece of rubbish, but to Kagome, it meant so much more. The ancient wood, as cracked and worn as it may be, stood sturdy and strong; the well had never done her wrong before. It had been that well that had brought her to Inuyasha, it had been that well that had brought her and Inuyasha to her world over and over again, and it had been that well that had always brought her home- back to the feudal era.

Kagome sighed; and now this would be the well that would separate her from the raging battle which was being fought only feet away. She turned; glancing back to the battle she had just ran away from. She could see the light of the hundreds of demons that were now enticing her friends' every piece of strength. Sounds of battle ripped through the calm night, echoing across the land. Kagome gasped, "This battle…it happened all because of me. Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kirara…" She stopped, feeling hot tears pushing at her eyes once more, "Inuyasha…"

"Kagome, I will never leave you. I could never forget you. As long as you're with me, I will never let anything happen to you. That is a promise."

"Inuyasha…" Kagome sank to her knees.

"Listen to me, Kagome. You cannot follow me, alright? I mean it this time."

"Inuyasha…" He had told her to stay away, but she had run off to find him, putting her friends in danger.

"Kagome, will you promise me?"

"I had told him I would…but I didn't."

"Kagome…I…I feel the same way."

Kagome closed her eyes, allowing her warm tears to travel down her cheeks, "Inuyasha…"

The wind began to pick up, brushing across the entire surface of the once peaceful clearing. The cricket's song was soon drowned out by the howling wind that penetrated the forest. Kagome grasped her shoulder tightly as a painful tingling spread throughout her entire arm. She groaned, winching at the fiery pain erupting in her muscles. The cries and sounds of battle grew louder with the wind. Her eyes scanned the ground, "This isn't right…"

Kagome rose to her feet, turning back in the direction of the battle. "I can't just leave them. What kind of person am I? I can't just leave my friends to fight, go home and act like nothing is wrong!" She sniffed back her tears, glancing back at the well, "I can't just run away." With that, she broke back into a run, heading in the direction of the battle.

"Going somewhere, wench?" A cold voice echoed through the treetops.

Kagome stopped suddenly; taking in a deep breath, she scanned the area. That voice was familiar. "I-Inuyasha?" She gulped, frantically searching for any sign of his red kimono. She could feel her knees beginning to buckle once again.

Inuyasha watched the girl turn and twist about from a nearby tree. There was something about this girl that enticed him…as if he had some sort of bond with her. 'Why is it I can't get this girl out of my mind?' The half-demon shook his head as memories of his soon-to-be prey danced in his mind. 'No, I have been instructed to kill her…and that is what I must do.' He leapt from his hiding place, landing softly behind the schoolgirl. In a flash of red, he had her head held within his arm.

Kagome gasped. Struggling, she brought her arms up to try and pry the half-demon off of her. She tugged at his strong arms, which were slowly cutting off her air supply. "I-Inu-Inuya-Inuyasha." Her voice was horse and shaky, as she tried to regain air back into her lungs. With each failed deep breath, Kagome felt her attempts to free herself become weaker and weaker. Quaking, she turned her head to face Inuyasha's glazed eyes. They stared at her, wide and emotionless.

Kagome felt her arms fall weakly to her sides. Her breaths slowed as she struggled to keep consciousness. 'I-I…have to stay awake.' Beads of sweat formed with each breath; her eyes fell closed as she searched wildly for some way to save herself. In her mind, an image of Inuyasha formed. He was standing, his hand held out for her to take. A small smile graced his face, replacing the usual smirk. His gorgeous golden eyes sparkled, revealing both love and happiness. On his head, his ears twitched, picking up sounds from miles away…

Kagome eyes shot open. 'That's it!' Still gasping for air, Kagome brought her uninjured arm up and grabbed Inuyasha's ear tightly. He yelped, dropping the priestess. She landed on the ground and began to crawl out of his reach, gasping for air. Frantically, she pushed herself onto her feet and began to run. Her right shoulder continued to throb from the pressure the half-demon had placed on it. She grasped it tightly, trying to hold back any more blood-loss.

'I have to run. I have to keep going.' Kagome willed herself to keep moving, despite the fatigue and pain that was slowly spreading throughout her limbs. Her breaths were shaky as she continued to struggle to regain air back into her lungs.

The wind continued to blow fiercely, pushing her raven hair onto her face. Beams of light reflected off her ragged and torn uniform, revealing stains of blood and dirt. Ignoring the pain, she quickened the pace, allowing her tired feet to carry her as fast as they could. She ran, not knowing which direction she was headed or what obstacles she would meet, forcing her worn body to limits it had never reached. Through all her pain, her mind remained focused on the image of Inuyasha.

He smiled happily at her, his arm held out; she could almost hear his voice, "Kagome, I love you."

Tears forced their way onto Kagome's cheeks once again. Sobbing lightly, she continued to run; with each step, her heartbeat and sobs became stronger. The trees moaned and creaked in the wind, and the beams of the moon were soon shaded by the thick growth of foliage. The pathway grew darker, making the sight of loose roots and branches difficult for her human eyes. Blindly, she darted between trees, her sobs never ceasing. Outstretched branches scratched at her ankles and legs, emitting more blood from her already weakened body. Through all the pain, she kept running.

Crack.

Kagome spun around.

She could hear footsteps, and they were coming closer.

Gasping, she turned back around and began running with all the power her remaining energy would allow. Desperately, she yelled out into the night, calling for someone, for anyone, to come and save her. Her voice rang out, echoing off the great canyons, which surrounded the forest.

In her desperation, Kagome felt her foot catch a protruding root. She fell to the ground, landing squarely on her injured arm. She winced, grasping her shoulder tightly, as she tried to regain her footing. As she got to her feet, fatigue finally caught up with her, causing her to collapse once more. She sobbed lightly, staring blankly at her bloodied hands. There was no use running now; he was here.

"So, you thought you could run, did you?"

She closed her eyes and slowly began to turn. With each inch, pain streaked through both her body and her heart. Her eyes reluctantly opened to face her oppressor, to face the man who was going to kill her, to face the man she had fallen in love with. She spoke softly, her voice cracking, "P-Please…don't you know me? Inuyasha…" Her tears now slid off her cheeks uncontrollably.

The half demon gazed at the young girl coldly, unaffected by her words, "You are nothing to me." He placed a clawed hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw.

Kagome whimpered lightly, trying to move away. However, her body remained motionless. It would no longer fight for her.

The wind encircled the man that stood in front of her, lifting his silver hair off his back. It flew loosely to the side, as if it were at mercy to the raging wind. Inuyasha tightened his hold on the hilt, "You will pay for what you did to my master."

"Inuyasha, you have to snap out of it!" Kagome desperately tried to bring him back to his senses. She moved closer to him, reaching out for the shirt of his kimono. "Please…Inuyasha."

He quickly struck her across the face with the back of his free hand. She fell back onto her injured shoulder; a light yelp of pain escaped her lips on contact. Though she tried to regain herself, her body would no longer move. With tears silently running down her cheeks, she grasped her sides and bent down. Her body no longer had the will to fight.

Inuyasha drew his Tetsusaiga with one swift movement of his arm. He held it in the air above Kagome's head; his glazed eyes burned with the hatred of Naraku. Taking a step back, he brought his sword down hard. "Wind Scar!"

A blinding light filled the forest.

--

Sango and Miroku stood back to back. They had succeeded in destroying a good amount of the demons, but the numbers had seemed to never cease.

Naraku laughed coldly, watching as his demons attacked the slayer and monk one at a time. "Now, shall I let my demons kill you? Or shall I let you witness true pain?"

Miroku, after destroying an oncoming demon with his staff, turned to face Naraku; his face was etched with the pure hatred, "What the hell are you pulling, Naraku?"

Naraku laughed once again, casting his hand in the direction of the well, "See for yourself."

Sango gasped. A familiar, blinding yellow light shot through the night sky. It was the same light emitted when the Wind Scar had been put to use. Miroku stood absolutely still, watching the sky slowly fade back to darkness. He quietly spoke, his voice scattered, "N-No…it can't be."

Naraku chuckled, summoning the attacking demons back into his body. "You may live, for now…my true objective has been completed." The demons slowly wrapped around him, lifting him into the sky. His laugh echoed over the land as he disappeared into darkness. "It is done. You should go to her…Inuyasha has most likely regained control."

Sango and Miroku remained still, staring off into the empty sky, which had been illuminated only minutes before. Kirara appeared from within the forest, carrying an unconscious Shippo on her back.

Miroku reached out for Sango's hand, "Sango, we have to go."

Sango muttered something, still staring blankly at the sky, but nodded as Miroku led her onto Kirara's back.

A monk, a demon-slayer, a cat-demon, and a young fox-demon, set off in the direction of the scene, still unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed. They knew not what they would discover; yet deep in their hearts, they had already realized the outcome.

--

Ouch, and we are back to the prologue! Muahaha, aren't I evil? Sorry for leaving it here, I know I'm terrible with cliffhangers, but this is the best way to set up the next chapter! I'll have it done ASAP, I promise! Feel free to review and yell at me. :)