Kagome's heart thudded in her chest. As she glanced to her pack full of medical supplies, she absentmindedly thumbed the shaft of her arrow, keeping mental track of how many she had while her other hand gripped her bow tight. If there were as many demons coming as she thought there, then she was far from having enough.
Every shot had to count.
She looked to her left and right eying the faces of their companions. Koga and Yugao stood proudly with their comrades, while Fuko hastily whispered fighting instructions to Noruto and Keiji. Taisuke stood next to Chikara, quiet with his arms folded as Risu's mate formed a line with all twenty of her kits. Naoe and Kaida were eying each other, faces grim, and Miroku stared forward. The monk was usually skilled at hiding his terror, but in that moment he looked as though he had aged several years.
The miko then glanced at Inuyasha, her pulse calming somewhat as he stood protectively in front of her. The hanyou's ears were pricked, the roar of the oncoming demons probably deafening to him if it already sounded loud to her. Tetsusaiga unsheathed, he glared forward ready to face their enemy.
Everything we've done has been building up to this, she thought, this is happening, all because I fell down the well and broke the jewel.
She remembered how scared she'd been in those first days, Mistress Centipede chasing her across the village, and then Inuyasha threatening to kill her. Kagome had come a long way from being that scared little girl, the scars and callouses on her hands and arms serving as proof. Inuyasha was different too, he'd learned to trust people and rely on others to help in battle.
They'd both changed.
If they died here today, would it have been for nothing?
Kagome glanced once more at their companions, wondering how much they'd changed, what sort of lives awaited them away from this battlefield. Marriage, children, they all had families and friends that depended on them. And yet, here at the precipice of disaster, they stood ready to sacrifice everything in order to stop Naraku. The miko stared at them, burning their selfless courage into her memory.
For as long as she lived, she vowed never to forget this moment.
Across the field in front of them the tree-line shuddered. The roar of the beasts swelled until suddenly a swarm of demons, all connected by a malicious glow, spilled out of the woods. Trees toppled in their wake, winged beasts, floating serpents, ogres, claws, fangs, insects, countless monsters marched out until they stood before them.
Nearly a thousand demons halted across the field from them, hungry eyes staring as they bared their fangs and claws in hatred and blood-lust.
"Bastards," Koga snarled, "Let's get 'e-"
"Not yet," Inuyasha growled, "Naraku's the one in charge of 'em, as soon as he shows up we attack him."
"Reaching Naraku isn't going to be easy, he's going to use those demons to keep us from getting to him."
Kagome nearly jumped in surprise, turning to see Sango astride Kirara in her slayer uniform.
"Sango," the miko said, "I thought you were going with the others, where's Kohaku?"
"Yes," Miroku added, staring at the taijiya with concern, "What of your children? You were supposed to have gone with them to safety."
"Kohaku's with them, they escaped with the others." Sango didn't look at them, instead she gripped her Hiraikotsu and glared at the demons. Kagome opened her mouth to ask more, but a surprised hiss from Yugao grabbed her attention.
"What in seven hells is that?!" The tigress pointed a clawed finger towards the sky and they all turned to see the massive sphere that floated towards them through the dark cloud. A behemoth spider, its eight bulbous eyes staring down at them as it took position over the horde below.
Kagome's pulse skyrocketed again as the stared at the spider in the sky, more massive than any other demon they'd ever faced. The demonic aura emanating from the beast polluted the air around them, trees shriveling to barren trunks as the life was choked from them. Her miko powers would protect her from the aura, Miroku might be safe too, but she glanced around to their other human companions and knew that over exposure to the aura would kill them.
We have to defeat him quick, she thought in terror, there's no way we'll all last long against that thing. That was when a glint caught her attention, a familiar presence tugged at her attention as Kagome looked at the spider. In the center of the beast the jewel pulsed, not a single spec of light present in the completely malicious gem that radiated with darkness.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted, "I can sense the jewel! Naraku is somewhere in that thing!"
"Naraku, even with the jewel you're hiding in something like that?!" Inuyasha snarled, "Get down here and face us you coward!"
A low chuckle echoed out across the field.
"So Inuyasha, this is the force you mustered to stand against me?" Naraku spoke, his voice projecting outward from within the spider, "A band of weak fools who hasten their own demise? Perhaps I should have allowed Sesshomaru to live just a bit longer; his struggle was at least entertaining, I don't expect to be met with the same challenge here."
Inuyasha growled, the mention of his brother's death obviously striking a nerve as angry energy began to swirl around him.
"Is that what you think, bastard?!" The hanyou yelled, raising his sword, "Let's see if you're still talking like that once I rip your guts out! WIND SCAR!"
The Tetsusaiga swung, cutting through the demonic vortex and sending a blast of energy straight up at Naraku. Without hesitation the horde of demons rose and took the entire attack, the pieces of their bodies raining back to the ground. The malevolent light that engulfed them grew brighter, and Kagome watched in horror as the demons completely reassembled themselves within seconds.
"Cut them to pieces as much as you wish, but these demons are indestructible! " Naraku cackled. As if on cue, the horde suddenly surged forward, their eyes shining with mad glee. Kagome notched an arrow as everyone around her raised their weapons.
"If they cannot be torn apart, then these demons must be sent straight to hell," Miroku suddenly stepped forward, gripping the beads that sealed his cursed hand, "Allow me to handle this lot!"
"Miroku, wait!" Kagome called out, worried about what would happen if he sucked in the dark light, but the monk ignored her.
"Wind Tunnel!" Miroku ripped away the beads and opened up the black hole to the oncoming horde. The wind howled furiously, more hungry and powerful than it ever seemed before.
Has the wind tunnel grown?! Kagome realized with horror that her friend's life could end at any moment and he had told none of them, He needs to close is before it sucks him in!
Miroku yelled, his arm trembling as he held his ground. The demons balked, struggling to not be sucked into oblivion as the wind pulled them, but oddly Naraku did not send out his poisonous saimyosho to stop the monk as he usually did.
Suddenly there was a thunderous boom.
"Miroku, get out of the way!" Sango shouted, Kirara speeding towards him. The slayer grabbed the monk by his collar, he closed the wind tunnel just as they avoided a blast of dark energy by a hair's width.
Kaida and Naoe gasped. Everyone looked shocked, and when Kagome turned to see what grabbed their attention she nearly cried out in horror.
Blades still raised to attack, Kohana and Ronuku stood amongst the hoard, connected to them by the same ominous glow. A shadow of their normal selves, grey-skinned and emaciated their hollow expression reflected no recognition of anyone who stood before them. With their eyes glowing with the same dark light that surrounded them, they looked as though they were demons themselves.
"Ronuku," Sango cried out in anguish at the sight, but the samurai didn't acknowledge her.
"Go ahead and open your wind tunnel, monk," Naraku challenged, "I'm sure your friends would appreciate being drawn into your void along with the demons."
"Dammit, I've had enough of this!" Koga snapped, "If it takes us ten times to cut those demons down before they stay dead, then let's do it!"
"As you wish, wolf," Naraku smugly answered, the demons once again resuming their charge with Ronuku and Kohana amongst their ranks. The tidal wave of beasts swiftly covered the field, and within seconds they crashed against the line of defenders.
That was when all hell broke loose.
Kagome completely lost track of everyone but herself in the frenzied sea of chaos. Firing her arrows at the demons that rushed directly towards her, she was forced to duck and dodge away when several dove at her from the right. With a frightened squeal, she called upon her miko powers which made her bow glow pink, and swatted the demons away. Attacking with purification powers seemed to do a lot more than regular physical attacks, but the dark light still managed to rejuvenate them.
There was a deep bellow to her left, and the miko turned just in time to see a massive ogre looming over her. The creature roared and swung its massive fists down to crush her.
"Kagome!" The miko was suddenly flying through the air as red blurred her vision, the ogre's fists landing where she had just been moments before. Still gripping her bow, she looked up at Inuyasha's face as he carried her through the battle field, jumping past demons.
"Thanks, but where are you taking me?" She asked, "We can't leave!"
Inuyasha stopped once they reached a rocky outcrop jutting out of a hill that looked directly over the battle.
"You stay here," the hanyou said, "It'll be better if you shoot from a distance, I'll keep them from coming up here."
Kagome was about to argue but Inuyasha leapt away before she could. Peering over the edge, she realized that the hanyou had a point: from up here she could see the entire battle field and would have enough time to power up her arrows before she shot them. Though she didn't feel right being out of harm's way while her friends were in direct danger, she could help them much better from here. She fired up an arrow searched for her friends in the fray, shooting at any demon that was too close to them.
She spotted Koga, as fast as ever even without his jewel shards, tearing apart a serpent with his Goraishi. The claws shined gold, sparking with electricity as the wolf ducked and dodged around his opponents, howling in battle fury. Hakkaku and Ginta, while not as powerful, stuck together and tried to follow Koga, striking with their fists and feet whenever they had an opening.
Chikara and Taisuke stood at the edge of the frenzy, back to back as they struck with their swords, their moves skilled and swift, just as a proper samurai with many years of practice should. Chikara beheaded a demon with his blade, while Taisuke sliced another through the torso.
Nearby, Risu's mate and her kits completely swarmed another ogre who swung in vain to shake the squirrels off.
The earth shook in the middle of the field and Kagome saw Yugao striking the ground with her pike, the resulting quake flinging demons away from herself. The tigress plucked her weapon and leapt, driving the blade into the skull of a horned beast while she slashed at a kappa with her claws. The demons rose again, but were pushed back by a blast of water from the koi Kaori and Taji. The three hanyou working together cleared a big circle in the middle of the field.
Hearing a shout the miko glanced to the east, seeing Miroku striking at his opponents with his shakujo and tossing ofuda at others. The purified paper burned the demons they touched, but did not halt them for long. As a centipede lunged at the monk, a kunai whizzed across its face and Fuko swung down from the trees, suspended by a metal wire and kicked it away. The kunoichi swung back up, and Kagome spied Keiji and Noruto swinging down to attack as well, all the ninja using hit and run tactics with the nearby trees.
As the miko searched for Inuyasha in the fight, she sensed a sudden surge of power and looked just in time to see Kohana and Ronuku, their movements in perfect unison, as they sent out another blast that shot in two directions, striking both Yugao's circle and Fuko's trees as both parties were sent flying.
Kagome gasped, ready to call out for help, when he heard a scream from beneath her hill. The miko looked down to see Kaida bleeding, her wound having re-opened as a demon covered in needles flung its spines at her. The noblewoman dodged, but a serpent waited at her feet and bit into her ankle.
Angrily, Kagome shot her purified arrow at the serpent and struck it right in the skull. The beast was too small, even with the dark light it was purified into ash. Kaida shot a grateful look up at the miko, but winced as she tried to limp back into the fight. Worried, Kagome prepared to leap down to her side until she spotted Kirara flying past, Sango decimating her opponents with Hiraikotsu.
"Sango!" Kagome called out, "I need you to bring Kaida up here!" The taiijiya nodded, Kirara turning in the air as they swooped down and collected the noblewoman. They landed gently on the outcrop behind the miko who was already pulling out her medical supplies.
"This isn't necessary," Kaida argued as Kagome bandaged her ankle, "This will hardly be the worst wound anyone suffers today."
"Still," Kagome answered, moving to the woman's bleeding shoulder, "We should treat these as they come, and you'll only be in more danger if you insist on pushing forward with an open wound."
"I believe the level of danger we're in is the same, whether I'm wounded or not," Kaida answered. Another exploding boom echoed her words, and Kagome looked over her shoulder to see another blast from Ronuku and Kohana wipe the field. The two turned their attention to Koga, rushing at him swiftly as the steel of their blades rang out against his Goraishi. The wolf howled angrily and swung back at them, dodging between the two. A host of wounded demons rushed to their side, growing stronger in the light of their dark aura.
"Kohana and Ronuku…they're the source of the demons rejuvenation," Kagome uttered, her eyes following the flow of black light that spun between them and the demons like a web.
"Then we have no hope of defeating the demons until they are dealt with," Kaida closed her eyes, "…And we've not even begun to battle Naraku himself."
"We've got to stop them then," Sango said, turning to remount Kirara.
"At this point, they are beyond reason," Kaida said, causing the taijiya to pause, "Words don't seem to sway them, I also doubt that besting them in combat will halt their power."
"Then what do you suggest?" Sango asked angrily, looking back at the noblewoman.
Kaida gave her a solemn look.
"Wait…Kaida," Kagome stared, "We can't…"
"Do you think this is what they want?" Kaida asked, shame written clearly across her face, "To be slaughtering the very people they wanted to protect? If they're capable of killing us, then it's very likely they aren't even alive as it is. Even if they are, generating their power for a long amount of time is painful, Seiko once warned that it had the potential to kill them should they keep it up for too long. They must be put out of their misery."
Kagome felt sick. They all came here to stop Naraku, they knew that it might cost them their lives, but none of them had ever stopped to consider what that might mean they'd have to do to stop him. The miko looked back out onto the field, looking at the monsters that wore her friends' faces.
No, she thought, that can't be. They aren't monsters, they're my friends.
"You don't know that," Sango's voice shook with emotion, "Kohaku was under Naraku's grasp and he made it out."
"That was only one shard that controlled him, correct?" Kaida asked, "This is the entire jewel combined with their power."
Kagome looked back up at the jewel as Sango argued with Kaida. The dark gem glowed with malevolent power, and the miko saw the thread that connected it to Kohana and Ronuku, like an inky cord that trapped their souls amongst the demons. She watched the flow of power, coursing down over them and fanning out over the monsters, but something caught her eye. Where the dark power flowed down from the jewel, it almost looked to her like there was a reverse current hidden underneath.
A glint suddenly sparked in her vision. Behind the darkness flowing down, she caught a fleck of white being pulled up towards the jewel. As soon as she saw it, it was as if a veil had been pulled away from her vision, she saw hundreds of tiny white glints hidden in the thread, almost like dim stars in a thread of night sky all flowing upwards against the down current.
The jewel may be casting a wave of dark energy over Naraku's group, but beneath that it was still stealing energy produced by Kohana and Ronuku; energy that remained separate.
"Do you guys see that?" The miko asked. Kaida and Sango both gave her quizzical stares when she tried to point it out.
Guess not then, Kagome mused, chalking it up to her miko powers, But if the jewel is stealing energy and then sending it back as darkness, then killing them might not end it right away. I have to purify the jewel, that's the only way to stop this.
The jewel was her target, just as it had always been.
"Kaida," The miko turned to the noblewoman, "We might not need to go after Kohana and Ronuku; I know there's another way to end this without taking their lives. Please, before you give up on them give me a chance to purify the jewel first, I have to try."
"How do you plan on getting up there?" Kaida asked, pointing to the spider, "He'll use the demons to keep you out, just as he's doing now."
"If everyone keeps the demons busy down here I might be able to make it," Kagome said, turning to look at Sango.
"Take Kirara," the taijiya said, guessing her thoughts, "Go get Inuyasha, he can protect you in there. We'll make sure the two of you make it."
"What about you?" Kagome asked, not wanting to separate Kirara and Sango.
The demonic aura might be too much for her though, Kagome lamented, I can't take Sango with me.
"I'll be fine on foot." Sango said, "Kaida and I will help protect everyone down here, well keep the demons busy."
"Sango I…thank you," Kagome stepped forward and hugged her, worry for her friends bringing tears to her eyes. The slayer returned the hug and the two girls parted, "Stay safe, Sango, we'll make it through this."
"We're counting on you Kagome," Sango nodded to Kirara and the cat stepped forward to let the miko on, "Now Go!"
Kagome gripped Kirara's fur as the two sped off into the battle to collect Inuyasha, fear radiating from the miko as she prepared herself for their ascent.