15th chapter time...It's not the end of the story though. Right now I'm trying to think of an epilogue...it's not going so well though. If you have suggestions, plz tell me!

Ok...about Naruto dying...sorry about that. I didn't want my story to end up one of those stories where no "good" character dies. So...there went Naruto. Sorry. Really. I've thought it through, and I have decided that he's dead, and he's gonna stay dead. Sorry.

But...it might please some of you out there that this story is going to end "happily ever after"...I finally decided it has enough sadness out there with Naruto dying and everything, so...it's for certain that this story is going to end "happily ever after" if it'll assure some of you.

So anyway...

ENJOY!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

"Help!" Sakura tried to scream despite the fact that Orchimaru's grip over her mouth was suffocating. Sakura angrily tried to twist out of his grasp, but had no avail.

What was Orochimaru planning to do with her?

Orochimaru's cold voice interrupted her thoughts. "You'll make the most effective bait..."

Sakura's heart ran cold. Orochimaru was planning to use her to capture Sasuke and Kikyo! She squirmed fiercely, desperately hoping for Naruto to come after he had talked to Kikyo.

The very Naruto that Sakura was thinking about now lay at the floor beside the tree, eyes closed and body cold. Several feet away, Kikyo was crying silently, trying desperately to heal Naruto.

But he was gone.

Meanwhile, Sasuke had stopped to rest. Unknowingly he had paused right next to Orochimaru and a squirming Sakura...

His thoughts immediately went to Kikyo. He sighed involunatarily.

I should have stayed...now what do I do?

A sudden voice startled him from his thoughts. "Sasuke." Orochimaru stepped out from the gloom, pushing a crying Sakura toward Sasuke.

Sasuke stood, glaring fiercely.

What did Orochimaru want now?

Kikyo was finished shedding her tears. Naruto's final wish was for her to find Sakura and Sasuke, and she planned to fulfill it. She stood up slowly, and with breathtaking speed, she flew toward where Sasuke and Orochimaru now stood.

"Orochimaru...stop it." Kikyo stood behind him, startling them all.

Orochimaru turned around, seeing Kikyo looming over him, eyes gleaming. His temper finally snapped. "Kikyo...I trusted you! You were my best servant, and yet now you turn traitor once again, even after I offered you a second chance!"

Kikyo stared at him, seeing for the first time what he really was: a cruel lord that twisted everyone's lives for his own benefit. "No...I trusted you. I served you for so many years, and yet even now here you stand, angry at me and blaming me for everything. I...I'm no longer yours to command."

Sasuke felt a warm emotion spreading all through his soul at her words, and he smiled for the first time in weeks. Sakura looked at his happy face, and Kikyo's relieved emotions, and felt herself going limp with relief.

Smirking Orochimaru hissed, and went into a half-crouch, preparing for a battle. Kikyo allowed her demon senses to focus in on him, and felt a sudden shudder of repressed excitement. Nearby, Sasuke had backed away with Sakura, eying the two enemies closely.

With a snarl, Orochimaru's long tongue snaked out with alarming speed, and slammed Kikyo into a huge sycamore. His hands quickly formed various jutsus, but yet when he released a massive boulder from the earth, Kikyo had disappeared. A second later, she materialized behind Orochimaru, holding a glistening bow pointed at him. The force of her released arrow was so great that Orochimaru was propelled backwards into the very same sycamore that Kikyo had been slammed against.

Sasuke and Sakura watched as the battle resumed with breathtaking speed and accuracy.

Then...then, the whole entire match went wrong.

"Lord Hokage! They are nowhere to be found! I've looked everywhere. Where could that pesky brat be now?" Itachi barged into the room angrily.

Even though he did not show it, Lord Hokage was deeply alarmed. Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke had disappeared that night, and Kikyo had broken out of her prison.

Sighing, the Hokage released a puff of smoke. What was going on?

Sasuke barely had time to blink as a huge boulder was pushed his way. He just managed to register Kikyo's scream of "NO!" before he was aware of a crumpled, heaving figure in front of him.

Kikyo had been taken off-guard by Orochimaru's sudden change of target. As soon as she saw the boulder that was meant for Sasuke, she ran in front of him, shielding him from danger.

"Kikyo!" Sasuke instantly knelt down, his arms involuntarily going to her.

Kikyo flinched at his touch, and struggled up. Blood dripped from her mouth as she spun backwards to face Orochimaru; and thrust her palms at her startled opponent. A huge icicle seemed to grow out of her glowing palms, and flew at Orochimaru, pinning him to the tree. Blood flew out of Orochimaru's mouth and wound. The icicle had pierced both him and the sycamore trunk straight through.

Gasping for air, Kikyo collapsed wearily to the ground.

Orochimaru, seeing Kikyo was off-guard, pulled the icicle out of him, blood gushing from the wound. Pulling it above him, he struck down...on Sasuke...

"His blood, I have it!" whispered Orochimaru, kneeling beside the groaning Sasuke.

The sight of Sasuke bleeding on the ground with Orochimaru kneeling beside him burned into Kikyo's memory. Her heart froze, and her breath came in ragged breaths Crying softly, she collapsed to the ground.

Sakura, however, did the opposite. Screaming, she launched herself at Orochimaru, losing her mind as anger propelled her forward.

So much pain...all caused by him...

So much death...all caused by him...

SO MUCH THINGS RUINED...ALL CAUSED BY HIM!

She screamed in exertion as she thrust her kunai deep into Orochimaru's back. He grimaced in pain, but flung her aside and continued his evil work.

Kikyo stared through her tears disbelievingly. Acting on her instincts, she twisted her hands rapidly into complex signs while her lips fluttered with the speed of whispered spells. A long curving sword appeared suddenly in her hand. Grunting in pain, she struggled up and swung.

With one swipe, Orochimaru's head flew into the bushes, his eyes aghast in fear.

Wih one swipe, all their troubles were finished...

Or were they...?

A head began to take form on Orochimaru's shoulder as Kikyo panted heavily. Cracking his shoulder, Orochimaru smirked and turned back to Sasuke.

"No..." Kikyo gasped as she struggled up. "Please, don't..."

Orochimaru smirked again and smiled sarcastically. "The best half-demon...betraying her master...heh. You brought this on yourself, Kikyo. If you had just brought this worthless boy the first time I asked you, it would have been fine. But you didn't." He shrugged. "Fine. I also gave you a second chance...no one but you ever had a second chance. But you still betrayed me."

Kikyo groaned as she leaned against a trunk for support. Sakura lay unconcious in the bushes. Naruto...Naruto was gone...

What was she going to do now?

Lord Hokage strode briskly out of his office, taking his time to blow a few puffs of smoke. His face remained calm, but inwardly he was worried.

"Lord Hokage! We've sent dispatchers to track them." Iruka appeared before him, bowing his head respectfully.

"Good. They couldn't have gone far." the Hokage glanced out the window. Somehow, he kept having a sinking feeling that something bad was going to happen...

Kikyo gasped painfully as she was drained of strength and sunk to the ground.

Sasuke struggled upwards, much to the disbelief of Orochimaru. He had to do something...he clasped his kunai tightly and thrust upwards...

Meanwhile, Kikyo felt the silver kunai that Sasuke had given her.

Sasuke...

She focused all her willpower and concentrated. She whispered a few spells, and lightning danced around her hands, channeling into the silver kunai. Grunting softly as she clambered upwards, she stumbled toward Orochimaru, and struck...

Sasuke and Kikyo's attacks landed at the same time. A huge blast of light blinded them for a second, but then disappeared. Sasuke caught Kikyo, who had fainted from pouring all her energy into the attack. Nearby, Orochimaru's body had burst, leaving blood spattered everywhere. Sakura groaned, coming to conciousness.

It was over...

Right! The story's almost over...but next is the epilogue! This isn't the ending, so stay tuned!

Reviews!