Chapter 60

This was it. This was the start of their future. Kagome stood beside Sesshomaru, staring at the army across from them. Touga, Satori, and Hiroshi stood beside Sesshomaru, Miroku, Sango, and Kouga beside her. None of them could say anything.

Naraku was coming, his army marching towards them with deafening steps. Hiroshi's description of the creatures Naoshi created didn't do them justice. They were smaller, only about three feet tall, but each one was made of nothing but skeleton, a black cloak over their shoulders. Their eyes were red little lights, as dead as they were. They held no emotion, no life. They were just husk, being controlled by Naoshi.

The smell was overwhelming. The stench of decay wafted from the army, strong and nasty. It took everything Kagome had not to cover her nose, but she refused to show any kind of weakness. This was her enemy.

Her eyes flicked to Naraku, seeing his gaze frozen on her. She could feel his eyes as if they were touching her, caressing her. She knew exactly what Naraku wanted with her, and it was disgusting. He was greedy, desired power that wasn't his, and for that, he would fall. Kagome was sure of it.

Taking a moment, Kagome closed her eyes, thinking of her twins. This war was not only for her future, but for everyone. Her twins were at the castle with Izayoi and two wet nurses to care for them. They were protected and safe. This war was to ensure they stayed that way. This fight with death was to make sure they all had a future to look forward to, one that was filled with love and happiness.

Grabbing Sesshomaru's hand, Kagome opened her eyes and looked at him. His head turned, their eyes meeting. She felt his love through their bond, and she sent it back. They didn't know the future, and they had no idea how this would go. They were hoping for the best, was going to put faith in their strength, but that nagging feeling was still in Kagome's belly, like a ball of iron that she just couldn't get rid of. It was heavy and painful, stole her breath away. It was a warning, one that she could no longer ignore.

Both she and Sesshomaru looked back out at the opposite army as they stopped, several yards away. Alastar shifted beneath her, and she patted his neck. Nakoa nipped at his neck, reassuring him. They had been forced to leave Hana behind as well. Kagome had offered that they stay with their foal, but they both wanted to come, to be there for their masters and friends. Sesshomaru and Kagome appreciated their help and support.

Finally, Kagome looked at Naoshi for the first time. He was tall, over six feet, and thin. His skin looked like snow, his hair white like Sesshomaru's. His eyes were dead, but still the amber Satori and all other Inu carried. His jaw was sharp, a trait Satori had passed down to both her sons. Now that Kagome had seen Naoshi, she could see the resemblance between him and Satori.

His mouth opened, parting from ear to ear in a grin that had them all shivering. Slowly his hand lifted, a single finger pointed outward with a black claw. That finger pointed in the direction of Kagome, and she stiffened, lifting her chin. "You have stolen from death."

"That is what life does." Kagome felt like she was going to be sick, but she hid it. Flicking her eyes towards Sesshomaru, she looked back at Naoshi, then urged Alastar forward. Sesshomaru went with her on Nakoa, Touga moving behind her to flank her other side on Toshiro. They were protecting her. Standing just a few feet in front of their army. "But we don't have to be enemies. There is no life without death. There is no death without life. We are created by the gods to keep life going, and if we work together, we can create harmony."

Naoshi cocked his head to the side, his finger still pointed at Kagome. Slowly that finger moved down to Alastar, staying there for several seconds. Then it moved again, pointing to Sango, and then Yumi. "For harmony, life must be given. Their time has come, and I need their souls."

Kagome shook her head, hands tight on Alastar's reigns. "I can't do that. I can't take away their life now, but I can promise that in the future, I won't interfere. I won't elongate anyone else's life."

"You lie." Naoshi dropped his jaw again, hissing. "You promise what you cannot give. You are life. You will be compelled to save all that you can. You are and I will always be a rival."

"No!" Kagome was growing desperate. If she couldn't get Naoshi to agree, she wasn't sure she would be able to win this war. She didn't have the power to defeat Naoshi. "I give my word, Naoshi. Join me, work with me and we can create a world where life and death is equal."

"Come to me, Shikon Miko, and you will get what you desire." Naraku finally spoke up, holding out his hand to Kagome. "If you become my mate, I will have both life and death in my hands. I will have the power, and I will ensure both are used equally."

Naraku didn't see the way Naoshi's eyes narrowed in aggravation, but Sesshomaru did. "You are a fool, Naraku. You do not control Naoshi as you think. He is manipulating you, using you until he no longer has a need for you."

"Little Brother." Naoshi drawled, grinning as he eyed Sesshomaru. "Did you know that? Did you know that our mother not only abandoned you, but me as well? She left me behind to be raised by the one you call a fool. She escaped into a life of paradise, and never looked back. How cruel she is."

"That's not true." Hiroshi yelled, stepping forward. Touga glared at him for breaking formation, but he didn't care, didn't bother to stop. He walked past the three in front, facing Naoshi head on. "She loves you. She is your mother, and not once has she ever forgotten you. Naraku gave her no choice, took you from her. She-"

"Who are you?" Naoshi cocked his head to the side, eye twitching in annoyance.

"I'm Hiroshi, Satori's soul bonded and mate. I know how she feels about you, Naoshi. Look at her. She wants the best for you, she wants you to-" Before anyone could realize what was happening, Naoshi waved his hand, his fingers and bones morphing into a sharp spear. In the blink of an eye, his arm elongated, not stopping until it dove through Hiroshi's chest, splitting his armor and rib cage.

Satori let out a sobbed scream, Kagome covering her mouth as they watched. They were all stunned, had been given no warning before the attack. Hiroshi coughed, blood spraying from his chest. His eyes were open, but unseeing. His blood dripped to the ground in heavy streams.

Naoshi cocked his head to the side, looking bored. "Satori doesn't deserve happiness." Naoshi slowly raised his eyes up to look at his mother, cherishing the look of utter devastation on her face. "She didn't love me. I will take everything away from her. I will break her, destroy her, just like I will you." He looked back at Kagome, his fangs glistening as the smile once more split across his face. "This is war. Life against death. Let us see who wins."

"Move!" Touga shouted, kicking his heels into Toshiro's side. Toshiro shot forward, Touga's sword drawn. Naoshi had declared his intent, and now it was time to end this once and for all.

"No!" Kagome yelled, teleporting from Alastar and reappearing on the back of Toshiro, right in front of Touga. She yanked back on Toshiro's reigns, hard enough to have Toshiro rearing up, the three of them falling over in a heap. When Touga looked up from the ground, his eyes widened, seeing Naoshi had pulled his arm from Hiroshi's chest, had been trying to impale Touga in the same way. Slowly Naoshi was pulling his arm back, inches from Touga's face. Touga had almost died. It was only Kagome that kept him safe.

"You let your rage cloud your judgement." Naoshi looked at Touga, his bloody hand forming, fingers splitting apart until he was left with a normal looking hand once more. "You have always been far too emotional, allowing your feelings to rule your judgement. After all, that's what you did with Satori, isn't it? You threw your soul bonded in her face, tossed Satori away for a woman you just met."

"That is enough." Satori walked forward, each step she took painful as she got closer to the body of her mate. The bond between them was gone, and she knew he was dead. Her son had killed her soul bonded, and the pain she felt in that moment was so agonizing it had made her go numb. "Touga did what he should. He met his soul bonded, and they deserved their chance of happiness. Hate me all you want, Naoshi, but leave the other's out of it."

Stopping by Hiroshi's body, Satori finally looked down at him, falling to her knees. She grabbed his hand, bringing it up to her mouth so she could kiss his fingers. "I am sorry, my love." She felt as if she was dying right along with him. Her heart was shattered, broken, irreparable. Hiroshi had been killed, and with it, her future. Growling, she looked up at Naoshi who was regarding her with an amused smirk. "I hate you, My Son. I should have killed you before I expelled you from my womb. I should have known you would become what you are today, an evil bastard. You are nothing but your father's son."

Naoshi's smile disappeared, replaced with simmering rage. "I am better than Naraku." Naoshi opened his jaw wide, an awful ear shattering screech leaving his throat. His army moved them, surging forward in waves.

Touga let out his own roar, pushing to his feet with Kagome's arm gripped into his hand. She disappeared again, reappearing back on Alastar, pulling a sword from her side. She couldn't use her weapons made of reiki. They would have no effect.

All around them was chaos. The armies came together, clashing with Naoshi's horde of death with a loud thunderous roar. Touga quickly jumped up on Toshiro's back, urging him to run back to the others while Touga cut down what he could of the enemy.

"Where is Naoshi and Naraku?" Sesshomaru yelled, Nakoa rearing back as she stomped on the creatures Naoshi had created. Sesshomaru was fighting as well, using his poison or a blast from his sword to kill as many of the enemy as he could. But it didn't matter. For everyone they killed, three more appeared.

"Back there!" Kagome pointed towards the back of the enemy's army, where Naoshi was just a small speck in the sky. He was floating above his army, arms outstretched. His mouth was dropped low, wide enough for the creatures he was creating to fall out in a steady stream. As long as Naoshi was alive, he would keep building his army.

It was like a cycle. Naoshi created these creature's using souls. When the skeletal being was cut down, the soul returned to Naoshi so it could be recycled and created into a death soldier once again. Kagome looked at Sesshomaru and Touga, all of them realizing what they hadn't before. If they don't kill Naoshi, this war would not end until all of them were dead. There was no way they could outlive an army that never lost numbers, that never tired. Only Kagome could kill Naoshi, and without all of her power, she would be unable to kill him.

"I have to get to Miroku. Together we can stop him." Kagome looked at Sesshomaru, and he nodded. It was the only chance they had. However, as they looked around, they could barely see who was who. There were so many of the enemy army, that the West and Eastern soldiers seemed to blend in, to disappear.

You will lose them all, Kagome. All that you love and cherish will fall at my hands.

Kagome spun around as she heard Naoshi's voice in her mind. He was staring at her, his mouth still dropped but his eyes glued to her. Her heart seized then, that ball of dread bursting inside of her. This was what she had feared all this time. This was what she had been worried about. They couldn't beat Naoshi. You could not kill death.

...

I'm sorry it took so long. I'm just kinda.. done. With everything. I'm burnt out, not only with writing, but with life. It's like I've lost every part of who I am by being what I need to be instead. I guess I'm just not handling life's responsibilities very well. Any way. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. It's only going to get worse from here. Try to stick with it though.