Hello readers, just a quick brief message from me.
Firstly, thank you for reading my fic. The support I've gotten has surprised me and I appreciate every one of you for taking time out of your day to give my work a look. It really means a lot to me, and it give me the motivation to continue writing and editing for you.
Secondly, there's a few new faces making appearances in this chapter. Some you will recognize, others are from the old days of when this story was an online RP. They're all original characters that I've created, and I've tried my best to give a brief explanation as to who they are and why they're here, but honestly none of them serve a big role. The spotlight will remain on our main heroes, simply think of these other guys as just some helpful support and not much more.
Thank you for your patience, and let the story continue...
Inuyasha was about to lose it.
In the past several hours everything started falling apart. The well stopped working, Kagome couldn't return to her own world, and none of them knew why. The miko's best guess had been that the jewel's power brought her through in the first place, if Naraku had complete control over it then maybe it no longer responded to Kagome or the well. Either way, any safety that Kagome's era could have provided them was now lost.
Inuyasha refused to sleep that night, spending his hours patrolling the village and the surrounding area for any sign of Naraku or attack. A little past midnight he heard disturbing noises, somewhere far away something was howling. He continued to hear the angry noises for only a few minutes, the silence that followed somehow seemed even more disturbing.
Sesshomaru, where the hell are you? The hanyou thought angrily. Though he would never admit any sort of worry for his brother, he couldn't shake the feeling that somehow the noises and his continued absence were connected. He tried to ignore the sense of foreboding piercing his heart like a thorn.
After a sleepless night, dawn greeted him with a dark cloud engulfing half of the sky, a tidal wave about to consume them all. Kaede's evacuation plan was immediately implemented, the villagers gathering whatever they could and meeting at the edge of the forest. Together they prepared to make their way to the shore or any village that looked safe. Some planned to run to Edo, the largest of the nearby fishing villages and call for help.
Tch, not like a bunch of fishermen can do anything, Inuyasha mentally scoffed. Whatever happened, everyone's fates would be decided the moment Naraku struck. If they lost here then there was little a few skinny humans with fishing nets could do. Most of the villagers who escaped probably wouldn't survive long.
Of course, it would be a little easier worrying about the villagers if they weren't so busy blaming him for this whole mess.
"You know," Inuyasha overheard one of the older villagers talking, "This whole thing started fifty years ago when that Inuyasha attack us all and tried to steal the jewel."
"Ah yes I remember that day. Lady Kikyo should've chased him off when she had the chance, instead of inviting him in and giving him the opportunity to attack."
"That boy has brought us nothing but trouble, if you ask me it's him this dark cloud is after. He should be sealed back to that tree where he belongs, maybe then we'll be spared."
"Shouldn't you guys be focused on evacuating instead of mean gossip?!" Inuyasha had opened his mouth to yell at them, but Kagome surprised them all by beating him to the punch, "Inuyasha's done an awful lot to protect all of us, you can't just go around blaming everything on him!"
"Don't bother with them Kagome, they're just a bunch of geezers," Inuyasha huffed.
"That's still no excuse for them to be rude!" the miko replied hotly, "We should all be working together right now, not tearing each other apart!"
The elderly couple scurried off, startled by Kagome's anger. The hanyou couldn't suppress a chortle at their expense, knowing full well how scary it was to be on the receiving end of the young miko's wrath. His humor disappeared the second he saw the bags under her eyes and the way her shoulders slumped.
"You didn't get any rest last night, did you?" He asked. Kagome shook her head.
"No, I couldn't sleep. After we tried to go through the well I started sensing it again," she glanced towards the ominous cloud, "The jewel's there with Naraku, I can feel it. He's been moving slowly, but he's definitely headed this way. I don't know what he's done to it, but it's completely tainted and…it's hard to describe but it feels like its power is growing…"
Inuyasha saw her tremble, the look of terror cross her face, and he wanted nothing more than to hold her. To grab Kagome and take her far away from this place, to comfort her and tell her that everything was going to be ok, that somehow he was going to protect her and everyone else.
"We have to get everyone out before he strikes," Kagome continued, interrupting the hanyou's thoughts, "Sango and her babies are ready to go but she hasn't left yet."
"What's she waiting for? She can't stick around until Ronuku shows up!"
"Risu's mate came this morning," Kagome said, her voice growing soft, "She brought all of her children with her, Sango wanted to show them where we buried Risu."
Inuyasha faltered, unable to say anything. They'd held a pitifully small service for the squirrel yesterday afternoon; Miroku'd said a few words as they buried the poor rodent at the foot of an oak tree. It'd only been the group of them and the entire affair had been hurried, they didn't have time for a proper funeral. The hanyou had never felt particularly close to the cowardly squirrel, but even he thought that Risu had deserved better than that.
Who else are we going to bury before this whole thing is over? The thought echoed through his mind, and he angrily shook it away.
No. Naraku'd done enough, Inuyasha wasn't going to let anyone else die.
"Come on, let's make sure they don't hold each other up," the hanyou grunted and walked off, Kagome following in tow. They passed through groups of terrified villagers, women carrying their children, men herding their families. Whatever wasn't deemed valuable enough was left behind in the street, forgotten heirlooms that no one would return for.
As the two of them turned a corner, they noticed Kaida and Naoe waiting alongside Kirara, Kohaku, and Kaede, infants secure in the arms of the young slayer and elderly priestess. A little ways off, Sango stood beneath the oak where Risu was buried, speaking in hushed tones to a trembling female squirrel and her twenty kits.
"It makes sense that she'd go to Sango," Kagome said, "Risu was Ronuku's vassal."
"Yeah, I guess," Inuyasha nodded, his expression growing solemn as he looked out towards the oak.
"Why?! Why did you leave me you idiot!" The female squirrel wailed, her voice shrill with grief as she furiously dug at the earth where her mate's body lay, "You were supposed to provide for our children! You weren't supposed to abandon me like this!"
"Mother," Shiai, the calmest and smartest of Risu's daughters, gently rested her tail on the larger squirrel's shoulder, "Father would never have done this to you on purpose. For all of his flaws, he really did love all of us, surely you know that?" The rest of the kits surged forward, surrounding and murmuring words of comfort to their grieving mother.
"I think they still need a moment," Kagome said quietly, taking hold of Inuyasha's sleeve, "Let's go talk to the others a make sure everyone else is ready to go."
"So this day has come at last," Kaede spoke, voice tired and weary, "I'd always known that no good would come of my sister caring for the bandit Onigumo, but I never thought it would come to this." Her tired eyes looked out, as if she were already watching the complete destruction of the home she'd known her entire life.
"You've done a good job serving this village for the past fifty years, Lady Kaede," Naoe said, "From what little I've seen, that much is obvious. No matter what happens to the village, your deeds will remain in the hearts of those you've served."
"Oi, quit talking as if we've already lost!" Inuyasha snapped, startling the two, "The fight hasn't even started yet!"
"This village will most likely be the place of our final stand," Kaida said, her bandaged arm holding her wounded shoulder, "No matter which side prevails, it is likely that this place will be destroyed beyond recognition."
"Tch, not if we take the fight to Naraku!" Inuyasha retorted, "Once everyone's out of here we'll head out and take him down!"
"Yes, the six of us against Naraku, two renegade pupils, and countless swarms of demons," Kaida closed her eyes, "The odds are oh so clearly in our favor."
"How about instead of whining, you do something useful for a change?" Inuyasha glared.
"I've sent word to my husband requesting the aide of his army, and I intend to draw my sword in the face of certain disaster, what more would you ask of me?" The noblewoman returned the hanyou's glare just as fiercely.
"Guys, we can't fight at a time like this," Kagome interjected, "We need to make sure everyone gets out alive! Does anyone know where Miroku or anyone else went?"
At the mention of the monk's name, another seed of fear bloomed in Inuyasha's heart. Miroku'd been acting strange lately, he'd been smiling a lot and hanging further away from the rest of the group. Though the others didn't notice the hanyou definitely heard whistling wind coming from the monk's palm, and the noise seemed to be growing.
His wind tunnel. Miroku's time is running out, he knows it. He'd definitely stick around and try to fight Naraku with us, there's no way he's already gone off by himself and…?
"Miroku and Shippo went to go get Futeki and Rin, they should be back here soon," Kohaku said, and Inuyasha nearly heaved a sigh of relief.
As if on cue, the familiar jingling of the monk's staff caught their ears and they all turned to see him approaching, Shippo perched upon his shoulder.
"Sorry I'm late," Miroku said as he approached the group, "We were held up along the way, we've received another visitor this morning."
"I don't know why that coward chooses now to show his face," Shippo spat sourly, "He's already spent this whole time hiding, what makes now any different?"
"I'll have you know that as my lord's most trusted servant I was busy tending to important issues concerning his growing empire, while you lot were forcing him to gallivant across the countryside as though he were no more than some hired muscle to guard a bunch of children!" A shrill voice called out from behind them.
"Oh. Jaken's here?" Kagome asked as the little green imp and his bulging yellow eyes stepped out from behind Miroku; the two headed dragon Ah-Un in tow as Jaken pulled its reigns. Rin and Futeki sat atop the beast's saddle.
"If you were so busy then what're you doing here?" Inuyasha huffed
"Master Jaken is searching for Lord Sesshomaru," Rin explained, her face tight with worry, "He hasn't come back yet."
"I thought that my master might've returned to this village and allowed you to wrestle with Naraku's minions for him while he took on the wretch himself, but Lord Sesshomaru is nowhere to be found!" Jaken wailed, shaking his staff for emphasis. Futeki stared at Jaken, seeming to comprehend the imp's words, and trembled in his sister's lap.
Inuyasha glanced to the forest, the howling from last night once again returning to mind. Sesshomaru had taken off to go find Kohana, but surely he wouldn't have taken on Naraku by himself?
Of course he would, that arrogant bastard thinks he's invincible, Inuyasha suddenly realized, the thorn in his heart growing deeper. This was no time for Sesshomaru to be showing off by himself, they needed all the strength they could get to be here in the village. The hanyou glanced around his friends, a circle of worried eyes all turning to him.
Kagome, Miroku, Naoe, Kaida, Kohaku and himself. The six of them were the fighting force that would stay behind and fight Naraku while the rest of them escaped. That was all they could afford to spare, the rest needed to stick together and flee, the evacuees needed to be protected as well.
It's not enough, Inuyasha thought as he looked to his friends. Kaida and Naoe were still injured, Kohaku was just a boy, Miroku might lose his life soon, and though Kagome didn't show it much he knew she was exhausted from taking care of everyone. Together they had to face Naraku and the jewel, a horde of demons, and whatever powers that held Ronuku and Kohana captive.
I can't let them die, Inuyasha's fists clenched, I have to protect them. The weight of the world pressed down on his shoulders, and he knew that he would be the deciding factor. If Inuyasha didn't fight with enough strength for all of them then he could lose any one of them.
This might be their final battle.
A foul stench suddenly filled the hanyou's nostrils; the surprised look on everyone's faces being his brief warning that the intruder was rushing up directly behind him.
"Yo, Mutt-face, long time no see."
"So the Mangy-wolf is back, huh?" Inuyasha turned, greeted by the arrogant smirk of Koga the wolf demon, "Mind explaining what you're doing here? We're a little busy at the moment, in case you didn't notice."
"Ain't it obvious?" Koga scoffed, pointing towards the cloud covering the sky, "Any moment now Naraku is going to attack this village. This is my chance to avenge my fallen comrades!"
"Keh, I thought you gave up on that once you lost your precious jewel shards!"
"As if!" Koga snorted and glared at the hanyou, "It just so happens I've spent the past month training with the wolf demon tribes of the north! Our ancestors were so impressed, they chose me to bear the sacred weapon of our tribe, the Goraishi. Now, I'm gonna take that bastard down! For the sake of all the wolf demons!"
"New weapon, huh? Then where is it?" Inuyasha challenged, "If it's so great, then why don't you show me?"
"Gladly!" Koga spat, raising his right arm as a glowing set of metal claws appeared over his actual ones.
"Stop it!" Kagome interjected, stepping between them, "We can't be fighting each other right now!"
"Kagome," Koga's voice suddenly softened. The weapon over his right hand vanished and he stepped forward to take the miko's hands, "I'm glad to see you're safe. Ever since that dark cloud appeared I've been so worried about you."
"Keep your hands off of her, flea-bag!" Inuyasha snarled as he leapt forward and swiped at Koga with his claws. The wolf demon easily dodged, still lightning fast even without his jewel shards, and he leapt to throw a punch at the hanyou.
"Inuyasha SI-"
"Koga, stop it!" a voice interrupted Kagome, and everyone turned to see Koga's loyal companions Ginta and Hakkaku rushing at them, "You can't be fighting with Inuyasha over Kagome now, what about Ayame?!"
Inuyasha and Koga leapt apart, the wolf demon glowering at his followers.
"Tch, yeah well," Koga sputtered angrily and folded his arms, "Kagome or not, this stupid puppy still ticks me off!"
"Wait, what's this about Ayame?" Kagome asked, seeming glad for the distraction.
"After spending time with the northern tribes, Koga's agreed to keep his promise and marry her," Hakkaku said.
"Yeah, the northern tribes already started making wedding preparations when we left," Ginta added, "They'll be wed the moment we return."
"If we return," Koga gave them a look, suddenly becoming serious, "I promised Ayame that I'd marry her once I'd avenged our comrades, but there's no guarantee that we'll come out of this scrape alive." The wolf looked at Kagome and Inuyasha, his expression completely grave.
"However this thing turns out, we came here to defeat Naraku. For this battle only, my men and I will fight at your side."
Inuyasha blinked completely stunned, but he didn't miss Kagome's relieved look as she gazed at the wolf demons before her.
"Nine. There are nine of us now," the miko whispered before bowing to the wolves, "Thank you Koga. Your assistance means a lot to us, I don't know how we can ever make it up to you."
"Feh," Inuyasha folded his arms, "Just don't get in my way, and try not to get yourself killed. I'm gonna be the one to take Naraku down, got that?" Though his words were harsh, he couldn't help the small part of him that shared Kagome's relief. Even one more body to fight at their side meant they stood a better chance.
"I dunno," Koga put his hands on his hips and grinned, "It's not just me you're gonna have to fight on that one. There's a few guys that followed us here, said they were friends of yours and wanted to fight too."
"Huh?" Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, "Who are you talking about?"
"Don't tell me that the dog's forgotten all about us." A low voice purred from above. Everyone looked up and saw the figure standing on the roof of a hut. A wild orange mane blew like a banner in the breeze; black stripes covering the arms and face of a cat-eyed woman who brandished a pike in her right arm. Behind her she was flanked by two brown-eyed figures whose white, black, and orange skin shimmered like scales.
"Yugao!" Kagome exclaimed, "and Kaori and Taji!"
Recognition instantly flooded Inuyasha as the tiger-hanyou Yugao and her companions leapt down from the roof and in front of Koga. Once the leader of a clan of hanyou that hated humans and demons alike, Yugao bad been tricked by Naraku into attacking a village of ninja. Controlled by a tainted jewel shard, the tigress nearly went insane and lost most of her clan in the attack. Only defeat at Inuyasha's hands had brought her back to her senses, and Futeki's love for his parents finally triggered her change of heart.
"It's been a while, Inuyasha," Yugao purred, "You're still on that priestess' leash I see."
"Feh," Inuyasha snorted, "I thought you were off rebuilding your clan."
"We have been!" Kaori, a female koi-hanyou said, "A lot more of our clan survived than we thought, we've been teaching them to fight and protect human villages from demon attacks. Once we saw Naraku's cloud though, Yugao insisted that the three of us come and help out immediately. You should've seen the look on her face." The cheerful woman giggled.
"Kaori, you don't need to tell them everything," Taji, the koi-hanyou's older brother scolded.
"There's no need for secrets here," Yugao shrugged, "Naraku tricked me and abused my people, that insult must be avenged. We know he's on his way to attack you, so the three have us have come to fight. Besides," the tigress held out her pike and struck the ground for emphasis.
"We hanyou have to stick together."
The look she gave Inuyasha was full of gratitude. The inu-hanyou smirked and nodded.
"Sure, a bunch of demons and half demons make decent allies; but none of them compare to the wit and might of a ninja!" a voice suddenly shouted from behind, "Consider yourselves fortunate that the toughest and bravest of the ninja clan have decided to join you, and amongst them is none other than the future leader of the-"
"Noruto! Silence!"
The group turned once more to face the newcomers, and Miroku visibly paled.
"F-Fuko!?" he exclaimed, a hint of fear in his voice as three ninja stood before them. Standing at the helm of the trio was a woman with fierce blue eyes and a glare that could frighten the denizens of hell. She gripped her kunai protectively and faced the group.
"Ah, so you remember me, monk?" the terrifying kunoichi acknowledged, "I suppose I must've left an impression."
"How could you have not?" Miroku responded nervously. Though not meant as a compliment, Fuko's cheeks took on the faintest shade of pink. She snorted and looked away.
"Fuko, it's good to see you again," Kagome greeted the ninja, "I see you brought Noruto and Keiji with you."
"Of course she did!" Noruto, the youngest of the trio crowed, "I am the temporary leader's assistant after all!"
"So Fuko's still filling in as leader I see," Miroku said, regaining his composure, "How did you manage to get away from your village at a time like this?"
"Don't forget, it was our village that was attacked by Yugao and Naraku," Fuko said icily. The tigress glared but said nothing, "We have many spies in the area, once we got word that Naraku was about to attack here the elders agreed that we ought to come help. It's the least we could do to repay you lot for protecting our ninja."
"Besides," Keiji, the calmest of the group added, "Mitsu-chan wanted to make sure you guys were safe. She begged for me to go in her stead, she's far too pregnant to join in this battle herself." Mitsu, a clumsy ninja girl who had befriended them all, was the one who initially led Inuyasha and the rest to the ninja village. The only remaining descendent of the old leader who'd been killed in Naraku's attack, her child would grow to be the next leader of the village. From the smirk on Keiji's face there was no doubt who the father was.
"So as you can see, we're here to take that monster down," Fuko held out her kunai and the other ninja mimicked her stance, "From now until the end of the battle, our blades are in your service."
"Thank you," Kagome started, "Everyone, you don't know how much this mea-"
"Just a moment," Kaida interrupted, "Who's this?" Naoe followed her gaze, and his eyes widened as they spied two cloaked figures approaching them in the street.
"I don't believe it," Naoe said astonished.
"I'm surprised to see you as well, Naoe the traitor," one of the cloaked figures pulled down his hood and revealed a samurai, stubble growing wild and an old scar across his face.
"Ok actually," Inuyasha's ears twitched in confusion, "I don't remember this one."
"Taisuke," Naoe answered, "Son of my former master Takahiro, the man who waged war with Lord Yasashiko and took Kohana prisoner when she was pregnant."
"Naoe, I see you have allied yourself with the Lady Yasashiko," Taisuke said, he voice quiet and sad, "I suppose you are ronin no more."
"And I suppose you are," Kaida countered, "Is this how you've been living since the day your father committed seppuku?"
"Just a moment, we are not here for revenge," the other cloaked figure pulled his hood down revealing an older samurai with a calm face, "We offer our assistance."
"Wait, this guy looks familiar," Kagome said, "We've seen you before."
"Yes," the older samurai said, "I am called Chikara."
Inuyasha snorted, not remembering this samurai either.
"When Lord Takahiro was promised power from Naraku," Chikara continued, "His mind grew twisted and violent, a shadow of the former man he was. Taisuke and I were trapped under his command, he ordered us to attack and capture Kohana. It was that girl's stubborn courage that gave us the incentive to betray our liege lord and stand against him and Naraku's influence. We owe our freedom to her and to the rest of you who helped Lord Yasashiko storm our castle. We wish to stand by your side and fight."
Kaida and Naoe gave each other a look, both of them startled.
"I would like to add," Taisuke said, "That on our way here we received shelter from a convent led by a nun named Hoshun-in. She claims that the samurai Ronuku trained under her in order to learn kiai, an ability he learned in order to defeat the demon Konpaku who had allied himself to Naraku. For his sake, she sends medicine and weapons to your people who are fleeing." He revealed a large satchel that had been hidden beneath his cloak, filled to the brim with supplies for the evacuees.
"We would like to fight too," Risu's mate approached them with her kits, Sango by her side, "We may not be much, but Naraku isn't going to get away with treating Risu like that. We will avenge his death." The small squirrel and her children looked just as determined as any of the other fighters who stood in their circle.
"So, what do you say Mutt? It looks like you've got a small army here ready to fight for ya," Koga smirked.
"That's right," Yugao nodded, "Naraku may be expecting a slaughter, but I think he'll find more of a fight than he was looking for." Her green eyes narrowed into slits, "Last night's victory shall be his final one." All of the newcomers nodded with her and shared a solemn look.
Kagome, Miroku, Sango and the rest looked at each other confused. Inuyasha's pulsed quickened. The memory of the howling returned once more.
"What are you talking about?" the hanyou asked, dreading the answer, "What did Naraku do last night?"
"You…you don't know?" Fuko asked, her voice quiet and unchallenging for once.
"If I knew I wouldn't be asking!" Inuyasha snapped, "What's going on?"
"Last night," Koga started, "On our way here we saw Naraku. He uh…He had your friends with him, Ronuku and Kohana."
"Are they alive?" Sango asked almost immediately, her face nervous, "What…what's he done to them?"
There was another long pause, pregnant with shared glances.
"Stop stalling and spill it!" Inuyasha snarled, irritated, "What happened?!"
"That demon appeared," Taisuke spoke, "The one with the moon on his forehead."
"The boy's father," Yugao added, glancing at Futeki, "he appeared and challenged Naraku. Your friends didn't recognize him and attacked on sight. He fought against them but…"
"He was slain by his mate's own hand." Kaori finished, her face shadowed in fear and sorrow.
...What? Inuyasha barely heard his own thoughts, unable to recognize his shock. Kagome and Sango both looked horrified, Kaede mirroring Kohaku's surprised expression, and Miroku's jaw dropped. Kaida's hand flew to her mouth, her frame racked with guilt as Naoe stood in silence.
"I-Impossible!" Jaken's shriek shot through the air, "M-my lord would never fall to the hand of a mere mortal girl!"
"Think what you will, but we saw it," Chikara said, "If that demon couldn't defeat him, then none of us stands a chance unless we fight together."
"Papa's…gone?" Futeki shook, terrified and confused as tears spilled over his cheeks. A wail escaped the little hanyou's mouth as he began to sob. Rin, already reduced to frightened tears held the boy close as she shook.
That…that bastard! Inuyasha slowly shook with fury. Sesshomaru and he had never been close, it was only recently that they'd been able to be around one another without coming to blows. Despite his brother's hostility and antagonism, they still shared blood. Sesshomaru had been Inuyasha's only connection to the father he never knew.
Now Futeki, just like him, was a fatherless half demon.
Inuyasha shook, surprising even himself with the level of grief he felt for his estranged brother. He looked up, his molten amber gaze meeting everyone else's frightened eyes.
They were all looking to him.
They expected him to lead.
"Naraku," Inuyasha started, his voice low and heavy, "Isn't going to get away with this." He looked each one of them in the eye, every life that he now held in his hands.
Kikyo. Risu. Sesshomaru. Three lives that Naraku had taken from him; three lives that he'd failed to protect.
No more.
The Tetsusaiga pulsed at his side, reacting to his determination.
"Once the villagers have escaped, we'll head him off. Naraku isn't going to set a single foot in this village," Inuyasha's voice rose in a snarl, "He'd better have come prepared to die, 'cause that's what's gonna happen! He's gonna pay for what he did!"
The warriors who came to fight looked to Inuyasha and nodded, determination rising in their own gazes.
No matter the outcome, this was it.
Today was the end.