Naraku laughed. With a sickening 'snap' he lashed out at Inuyasha, tearing another deep gash into his skin. The hanyou staggered at the blow; he barely had enough time to catch his breath before a tentacle flew past his chest. Inuyasha lurched forwards clumsily. Every movement tore at his injuries. The wounds varied from minor lacerations to gaping chasms. Blood leaked from his worn body and formed a speckled trail atop the pure snow.
"You're going down, Naraku." He panted as he tried to slash the demon with Sesshomaru's sword. He wished for tetsusaiga's strength more than anything; unfortunately the sword was a world away, tucked safely into his half-brother's abandoned armour.
Sango held tightly onto just three jewel pieces. She'd managed to pull them out of Kagome's backpack seconds before Naraku had arrived. She sheltered the fragments with all her strength, as wave after wave of minions assaulted her. Kirara fought bravely by her side. Sango slipped on a wet patch of mud, recovering with enough time to duck an insect's poison sting. She closed her fist around the glassy shards and vowed, with all of her strength, not to let go of them until death. The bodies of minor demons started to pile around the tired demon slayer.
Miroku lay at the base of a tree, his body eerily still. He hadn't wanted to use his wind tunnel; he feared injuring his friends. So he'd beaten at the enemies with his staff--an ineffective weapon against such hardened foes. Shippo prodded his body with a hesitant finger, crying openly. The fox knew that his paltry flames were no match for Naraku's strength. Instead of joining Inuyasha and Sango's fight, he tried to revive the monk.
The cold winter sun beat down on Naraku's smiling face. He thought of the few fragments he'd need to complete his wish. The Hanyou before him staggered again; he lashed out, slicing another opening in the boy's flesh. Triumph rose in his chest as Inuyasha slowly died.
Sesshomaru heard Kagome's gasp as he surveyed the battle with calm eyes. The first thing he saw was his brother, stained with blood and waving his sword at Naraku. A tentacle shot out from Naraku's robes; Inuyasha missed, swinging straight past it. The hanyou was obviously unfamiliar with the length, weight, and feel of Sesshomaru's weapon. The Taiyoukai set the frightened girl gently down on a snow bank, and then dashed towards his brother. Inuyasha would live, after all.
His sword was ripped out of his hands. At first, Inuyasha thought that Naraku had stopped toying with him and landed a killing blow. But he was still alive--weak, but alive. Stunned, he saw a pale blur crash into Naraku with such force that the earth shook and the clouds trembled. Sesshomaru had arrived.
Naraku reeled with surprise at the Taiyoukai's sudden attack. He roared to full strength and retaliated. The two demons crashed through the trees. The forest wavered beneath their power. Inuyasha limped out of the battle, towards Sango. The weakening slayer was struggling to ward off demons. Kirara saw her pained friend, and cried out in fury. Even hurt, Inuyasha quickly dispatched herds of insects with his bare claws. A few grueling minutes later the trio stood alone. In the distant sky, white and black blurs fought amongst the clouds.
"Thanks." Sango said. She let her boomerang fall to the ground. "The shards." She smiled wearily and pointed to Kagome. The Miko was kneeling at Miroku's side, encased in a ball of pink energy. A sharp pang of fear struck her chest as she watched the monk's still body. "Tell Kagome I have the shards." Her white fist uncurled to reveal three jewel fragment, digging into her flesh. "Naraku can't get them, Inuyasha."
"I know." He plucked the fragments out of Sango's hands. The pair jogged over to Kagome, Miroku and Shippo. Kirara lagged behind them. They paused before her, not wishing to interrupt her spiritual session. Inuyasha could have laughed at that moment--the shards didn't matter, Naraku didn't matter, Sesshomaru didn't matter. Nothing mattered but the girl in front of him. 'Do you love me?' His Kagome was home.
The Miko felt it: her center, the sea of calm in between her fleeting thoughts. 'Pull it out, twist it, channel it...' She pressed her fingers against Miroku's cool forehead. His head lay in her lap. She closed her eyes, and tried to think of only the energy pouring from her body to his. 'Heal him.' She felt a warm tingle climb up her fingertips.
The monk's eyelids fluttered. Slowly, he opened his eyes and saw Kagome's face leering over his.
"Miroku, who am I?" she asked in a loud, clear voice.
"Kagome."
She smiled, relieved. "And who are you?"
Her blinked in confusion. "Miroku. Why are you asking me these questions? Go help Inuyasha."
"I'm here," a gravelly voice answered. Miroku felt Kagome' lap slip out from under his head. Sango's hands steadied him, positioning him upright. He felt a lingering blanket of warmth comfort his body. He saw Kagome and Inuyasha embracing, and beyond them the hazy outlines of battling demons. "Where's Naraku?"
Sango helped the monk to his feet. She wrapped her hand around his. "Sesshomaru and Kagome came." They turned to watch the fight.
Kagome picked Shippo so he could get a better view. She felt the jewel shards lying in her pocket. "What if Sesshomaru doesn't win?" She asked out loud.
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. He eased himself down onto the snow, a small pool of blood forming underneath his feat. Already his injuries were closing up. "He'll win. I mean, he's stronger than me, right?"
"Inuyasha, would you like me to try and heal you?" Kagome spoke without taking her eyes off of the sun-streaked demons hovering above treetops.
The Hanyou shook his head. "I'll be fine."
Kagome frowned but didn't argue.
The monk, demon slayer, kitsune, Miko, and Hanyou watched Sesshomaru dance with death. They held their breath and followed the demons with wide eyes. For once, Inuyasha prayed that his brother would triumph. The fate of the world rested on Sesshomaru's blade.
Tensaiga sliced through the air, inches away from Naraku's flesh. Sesshomaru dodged a close attack and struck out again, missing for a second time. A few small cuts stung as he swung the heavy sword. Naraku had sustained a few minor injuries as well, but he wasn't even panting. They were evenly matched.
Naraku forced a smile to surface. "Your power isn't nearly as strong as it's rumored to be." He ducked a particularly fast stab of the sword. "You don't nearly match you father."
Sesshomaru landed on a tree branch, then vaulted upwards. He caught Naraku's arm with a twisting motion of his sword. "You have never fought my father, half-breed."
"Oh, but I've heard the legends." The dark demon ripped the fabric of Sesshomaru's sweater, missing his flesh by a hair. "It's unfortunate that such a strong demon could not produce offspring with even half his strength."
Golden eyes faded to red. Sesshomaru bared his fangs in rage. "I am not my father." White fur sprouted over his body. "I never claimed to be my father." He could hear his bones grinding and rearranging; he could feel his organs shift. "I am Sesshomaru." He was towering above Naraku, dripping with acid. The elegant man had transformed into a horrifying beast. Naraku hid his trepidation by launching an attack at the dog's thick fur. Sesshomaru knocked him away with one swipe of his paw.
Naraku flew hundreds of feet, eventually landing beneath a canopy of twisted branches. Fear shone in his dark eyes; he knew that he was no match for the great demon in that form, even with the aid of a nearly-completed jewel shard. "Kanna," he summoned in desperation.
Tree trunks shook as Sesshomaru galloped towards Naraku's body. In front of him stood a small girl. He paused in confusion--why would Naraku's offspring appear so vulnerable? What was she hiding? The girl looked up at him with blank eyes, devoid of fear--or any expression for that matter. Her white skin and hair were nearly invisible against the snow; she seemed to be two great eyes, pools of nothingness swallowing him in. She produced something shiny: a mirror. It flickered in the yellow sunlight. Sesshomaru looked into the glass, and saw his soul.
It was old yet strong, pure white with silver threads. It wavered and shimmered, and seemed to have a life of its own. Pink light streaked through it; the gray and rose toned twisted with one another. He felt it being pulled, pulled out of his body. His mind faltered, and a hollow pang stuck his heart. Soon he would be free of a soul; free of pain, of apathy, of thought. Isn't that what he wanted? In that moment--while watching his future fall into the hands of an empty being--Sesshomaru felt a wave of denial so strong the girl's grip on the mirror faltered. 'I want to live.'
His heart broke as Kanna drew his life out of him. It would have been easier if she were sad, or angry, or happy, or sick. But she was nothing. There couldn't be a reason then: It simply was. He felt that his inevitable death was one thing he wasn't ready to accept. It was unfair, to live so long and suffer so much for nothing. So he protested and fought and silently strained, while his soul continued to seep out of him. Naraku was standing beside the girl with a smirk on his face.
The ground shook. Before she could finish her task, earth opened up and swallowed Kanna whole. A circular chasm had opened up beneath her feet, with a great rumble and a sudden gust of wind. The empty girl had silently fallen into the black depths. Sesshomaru breathed in the frosted air; it was fresh and sharp, and filled him with a rise of hope. He'd found his soul again. No longer trembling with fury, he shrunk down to his human form. He was completely nude: the transformation had ripped the weak human fabrics to pieces. Aware of his nakedness, he followed Naraku's gaze into the hole in the ground. The opening was filled with an eerie, blue-tinted light. A woman rose up out of the chasm. She was beautiful: long dark hair, thick black eyelashes, smooth skin and shimmering brown eyes. Sesshomaru knew the woman: she was Inuyasha's former lover. "Kikyo." He acknowledged. The fight seemed to be momentarily suspended.
The priestess turned towards Sesshomaru. Her actions were smooth and graceful; her chin was held high in dignity. "You aren't clothed." Her face was blank.
"Obviously."
She shrugged, uninterested, and turned her attention over to Naraku. "Onigumo. I though you'd be dead by now."
Naraku frowned bitterly. "Why do you say that?"
"Sesshomaru is a formidable opponent." She didn't state it as a compliment--it was a callous fact. "I wish for your jewel shards."
The demon stepped back. "No!" He tried to strike her; she effortlessly erected a glowing barrier.
"If you are so uncooperative, I fear my kindness to you was in vain." A flash of blue light blinded Sesshomaru. When he next opened his eyes, Naraku was dead on the forest floor. Kikyo had purified the tainted demon. The priestess was far more powerful the he'd imagined. "May I borrow your sword?" Kikyo asked.
Sesshomaru retrieved it from the ground, a few meters away. He handed it to her politely.
"Thank you." The priestess bent down and lifted one of Naraku's hands. She severed it at the wrist in one clean swipe. The stench of blood leaked into the air. Calmly, Kikyo peeled away layers of flesh until a glowing pink clump of shards was visible. With a bloody squelch, she extracted the jewel. She carelessly discarded the hand beside Naraku's body. Her eyes never strayed from the Taiyoukai's face. "You may don his robes if you wish, Sesshomaru."
He quickly tugged the deep blue kimono off of Naraku's corpse. Frowning in disgust, he slipped into the silky fabric. "Why do you wish for the shards?"
The priestess seemed sad for a moment, as she held the jewel's power in the palm of her hand. "I do not. They are not mine to use. I will give them to Kagome—the safekeeping of the jewel is her duty, now."
Sesshomaru nodded. "Why are you here, then?"
Kikyo started walking towards Inuyasha's party. "My reasons are my own."
He followed behind her, the bottom of the robes trailing overtop blood-soaked snow. "You wish for my half-brother, do you not?"
She ignored his question. In silence, they walked back to the others.
The battle, from their point of view, was over. The enormous silver dog had shrunk, and they could not see what lay beneath the trees. They waited in tense silence. Minutes passed. Shippo clung to Kagome's arms as they watched the sky for sign of a victorious demon. Startled, Inuyasha sucked in air; his eyes darted around the landscape.
"Who is it?" Kagome asked. Sango stroked Kirara's fur softly in the short silence. They all prayed: 'Sesshomaru. Please be Sesshomaru.'
Inuyasha turned towards a clump of dry hedges and cracked trees. "Kikyo."
"What?" Kagome asked loudly.
Inuyasha had no time to reply—two figures had popped out from behind the trees. One was a great demon lord, the other a priestess. Kikyo stopped advancing once she saw Inuyasha. She didn't smile—she simply paused and stared at the group. A cool breeze played with tendrils of her glossy hair, and Inuyasha remembered how beautiful she was. "Hello Inuyasha." She spoke with a low voice.
The Hanyou stepped ahead of Kagome, towards the dead woman. "Kikyo." He stood before her and shakily stroked her cheek; her cold, pale skin. Only the priestess didn't respond with affection; she simply continued staring sadly at his face. At the moment Inuyasha throught of Kikyo, as she was before death. She would have smiled calmly and embraced him. This woman, she was not the same. He stepped back a pace.
Kikyo looked towards Kagome. "The battle is over, Miko." She slid over the human girl. "You will guard the jewel."
Kagome followed the line of Kikyo's billowing sleeves to a slender hand. A nearly complete jewel lay in her palm. Kagome gently lowered Shippo to the ground, all the while staring at the clay woman. Her eyes slipped over Kikyo's barren face, and Kagome could almost see the woman's soul rotting beneath her frozen features. Pain swam in Kikyo's eyes. Kagome pitied her for feeling the emotion, before wondering what there was to Kikyo besides pain. The woman was empty, save for her tragic past. There was no future for the dead. Kagome picked up the shard and tucked it safely into her pocket. "Thank you."
"What happened out there?" Shippo squawked.
Sesshomaru trailed over to the group and positioned himself at Kagome's side. She opened her mouth to ask why he was wearing Naraku's kimono, but stopped herself from speaking. She didn't want to interrupt. "I transformed and nearly defeated Naraku; unfortunately one of his offspring—the child soul-stealer--nearly killed me. Kikyo appeared and rid us of the creature. She then killed Naraku and extracted the shards."
Inuyasha surveyed his former lover. "So you killed Naraku."
"I did."
Sango piped up. "Why?"
Kikyo reached out a hand to Inuyasha. It hung suspended in the air; she stared at it as if she didn't know how it came to move. It fell limply to her side. "I decided to aid you in your victory. The human girl needed to live. She is the shard's new protector. I will not let Inuyasha die." she raised her dark eyes to meet Inuyasha's. "You made a vow."
Inuyasha blinked in panic. "What? I mean--"
The lonely priestess stepped closer to the Hanyou. "When the final battle ends, you will come with me to the underworld." Her gaze flickered to Kagome's pocket, sheltering jewel fragments. "The battle is over."
He thought of Kagome, and his heart ached. "No..."
Kikyo reached out to him like a ghost. "You made a vow..."
Sesshomaru peered at his brother critically. "You made a vow."
Inuyasha looked to Kagome for guidance. "Not now." His voice was cracking; she looked so lovely. "Wait—please. Just a month." He thought of all the things he and Kagome could never do. His future family was stolen, held ransom in Kikyo's cold arms. He wanted to kiss Kagome again, and live in that moment forever and ever. Kagome smiled sadly at him. He whispered brokenly, "Just a day."
The earth shook. A sunken circle formed around Kikyo and Inuyasha. Inuyasha saw Kagome's tears, and wanted to collapse under the unfairness of it all. "I love you, Kagome." He was heading down, away from the open sky. He heard a bird twitter, and wished that he had appreciated the sounds more when he had the chance. There were no sparrows in hell. 'But I made a vow...' He wondered, for a fleeting second, if his father would be proud that he'd kept his word. He would fall with honour.
Kagome watched tears slip down Inuyasha's cheeks. Pale blue light shone from the ridges of the sinking earth. She didn't want this—she never wanted this. She thought of Inuyasha's destiny: eternity in the cold earth, in the arms of a woman with a vacant heart. Was Kikyo collecting Inuyasha out of duty, or love? Snow crunched under Kagome's shoes as she ran to the edge of the small cliff. Inuyasha's upper body poked out of the earth; he was falling fast. Kikyo didn't do anything but watch the Hanyou suffer. Kagome parted her lips and lied for the last time. "I love you, Inuyasha."
Inuyasha would burrow into that moment—into the joy that spiraled out of his chest—for eternity. He fell to hell with a smile on his lips.
Now, when the hurt feels like it'll split him in two, he thinks of her words. 'I love you.' And then it lifts the pain, because the hurt has meaning. He'd lived and suffered, and during that time he was something important to a single, human girl. He had mattered. In visions of her, he accepted his fate. Trapped beneath the world, in the arms of a dead miko, the Hanyou finally found peace. "She loved me."'
A/N-- I've just started a new semester, and I have a ton of math homework every day. I apologize if the next chapter takes a while to produce.
