Chapter 16 Fury Silenced at Last
"Sesshomaru, get away from the jewel shards!" Kagome called out.
A black energy came pouring out of the shards branching out in each direction of the cave.
Sesshomaru jumped back as the darkness surrounding the jewels begin to spiral into a cloud. With Rin and Kagome in hand, Inuyasha leaped over the cloud of evil and landed by Sango and Miroku.
"Take care of them," he said, placing them atop Kilala, "It's not over yet."
He raised his sheath and summoned the blade, calling it back to it's rightful owner.
"Tetsusaiga."
The sword roared to life as it took on it's true form.
Inuyasha, Sesshomaru and Koga stepped forward as the mass of demonic aura began to take shape. In the darkness, they could see Kimaryu's body reappearing .
"What the hell is going on?," asked Koga.
"It seems his soul is bound to this world by the shards," Sesshomaru surmised, "Or perhaps a single shard. The one he obtained from Naraku."
"That's all I need to hear. If Naraku is controlling this guy, then he's as good as dead." Inuyasha said.
Without a second thought, he rushed in and unleashed the Wind Scar. Streams of power ripped through ground and swirled around Kimaryu's body, but had no effect. The black cloud grew thicker.
"Great move, mutt!"
"Shut the hell up! I don't see you helping!"
"You're both idiots."
Kagome looked through the darkness, searching for the shard that bound Kimaryu's soul. She was certain that if she could find it and purify it, then he would be able to be extinguished. She suddenly felt a wave of power overtake her and it was as if she was looking through someone else's eyes. This was the power Sinoriko had spoken of. She looked through the darkness and saw all five of the jewel shards embedded in Kimaryu's body. With these new eyes she could see the energies of shards being drawn up and out through the very cave. It was as if . . .
"Guys the jewels power-it's like it's being drained from Kimaryu's body. I can see it!" She cried.
"What?!"
"It has to be Naraku! He's feeding on the darkness in Kimaryu's heart. I can see the path of energy. It's directly above him!"
In retaliation, the darkness surrounding Kimaryu exploded out flying straight for Kagome and the others. Sesshomaru drew Tensaiga and cut through the darkness with ease. Only then did he see the vision Kagome spoke of. Lines of power were being sucked out of Kimaryu's body by the second. Naraku had been manipulating everything all along!
"He's mine!"
He flew through the air, and raised his sword.
"YOU FOOL!"
Sesshomaru was shocked to hear Naraku's voice as Kimaryu grabbed his wrist.
"You."
"Yes. It's been awhile," Naraku hissed.
A blast of power erupted from Kimaryu's body, forcing Sesshomaru back.
The others stared at Kimaryu in shock as the darkness encased him in a shield of shouki.
"How?" Miroku asked.
Naraku's icy voice echoed issued forth from Kimaryu's mouth.
"So you're all here. It seems I made the right choice in choosing Kimaryu."
Kagome stepped up.
"Naraku, how did you do it? You couldn't possibly have known about this place?"
Kimaryu's lifeless eyes turned their gaze toward Kagome.
"I suppose I can answer that, seeing as you are all going to die down here anyway. After the battle with Inuyasha and Sesshomaru at my castle, my body was ravaged beyond repair. I knew that in my current state I did not have the power to defeat them. I was able to escape the area, but on my way a felt a powerful demonic force call out to the jewel. I had Kagura and Kanna return to this place and free Kimaryu from his prison. His soul had been cut from his physical body by the ruler of the west many years ago. His entire being had been consumed by rage. I couldn't pass up the chance ."
Inuyasha bared his fangs in fury.
"You bastard! You manipulated him the same way you have everyone else! Just the sound of your voice is enough to make me sick!"
The Wind Scar twisted around Tetsusaiga's blade as Inuyahsa pointed it at the sphere of darkness in front of them.
"Always so quick to draw up swords. I must thank you", Naraku cackled, "If you hadn't destroyed Kimaryu's borrowed physical form, I might never have gained the power to destroy you all."
"What?!"
"The darkness surrounding him was being held in by the power of the shards and the form he borrowed when he was freed. Now there is nothing holding him back. You will be consumed by his hatred. But before you die . . . give me your shards!"
Hands of darkness reached out from the sphere and clawed at Koga and Inuaysha.
"He's after Koga and Inuyasha's shards!" Sango cried.
Inuyasha moved in front of Kagome and Koga, shielding them with his sword. The hands moved around the blade and grasped Inuyasha and Koga by their throats, hurling them back.
"Inuyahsa!"
Sesshomaru flew at the center of the sphere, stabbing it with Tokijin's blade. His body was showered by a back surge of black poison that knocked him to his knees.
More hands emerged from the sphere and took hold of Miroku and Sango.
"Kagome! You have to get away!" Inuyasha ordered as the darkness enveloped his body.
Kilala roared as the hands seized her too and began to devour her.
"Run!", screamed Koga as he disappeared beneath the blackness.
"There is no escape!", Naraku bellowed as Kimaryu's black aura swallowed the cave, "You will all be consumed by Kimaryu's darkness and the shards will be mine."
Kagome turned to see her friends being overtaken one by one, as Naraku monstrous laughter choked off all hope.
"You're the only one left, Kagome. Inuyasha and the others have fallen. With them out of the way, I will only continue to evolve and grow stronger. The jewel will become whole once again."
Kagome's hands balled into fists.
"No . . ."
"What?"
A powerful aura surrounded her boy, illuminating the darkness.
"Naraku, I won't stand by and let you win!"
Kagome ran forward, the light around her burning through the hands of darkness that reached out to seize her and rushed straight for Kimaryu.
"What are you doing?!"
Kagome jumped through the air and her hand landed on Kimaryu's chest. The cave was bathed in a blinding orange light as the two connected.
Kagome's eyes burned with power as she peered into Kimaryu's spirit. She could see his soul bound by Naraku's black webs. Without a second thought she sliced through his bonds, tearing away Naraku's dark hold over his soul and the power that Sinoriko had bestowed upon her left her all at once.
"Thank you Kagome."
Kagome was thrown back by the exchange of energy as the now empty shell of Kimaryu roared out in fury.
Freed from the darkness, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru unleashed their finishing blows.
"Wind Scar!"
He swung the enormous blade with all his might unleashing ferocious streams of golden energy.
"Dragon Strike!"
Sesshomaru's demonic power burst out from Tokijin and combined with that of the Wind Scar.
Their unified attack surged around Kimaryu's body in a whirlpool of lighting and fire that eradicated him until all that was left was the five gleaming jewel shards.
"It is done."
Before they had time to celebrate, the cave begin to collapse around them.
"The jewel shards!" Inuyasha shouted.
Koga flew overhead.
"Im on it!"
Huge boulders crashed dangerously close as he moved in to get the jewels.
"We have to go!" Sango said as the ground shifted and cracked beneath their feet.
Inuyasha lifted Kagome into his arms the cave begin to shake apart.
"Koga! You can't make it!"
Just as he dove down to scoop up the shards an enormous jagged boulder came crashing through his right leg. He roared out in pain as the cave crumbled around him.
"Hold on!"
Sango and Miroku climbed onto Kilala and rushed in to save him.
"Hiraikotsu!"
Sango smashed her weapon into the boulder, breaking it to pieces and freeing Koga's leg.
"Come on!"
Miroku grasped Koga's hand before another large boulder crashed down. They joined up with Inuyasha, Kagome, and Sesshomaru at the collapsing exit just as the rest of the cave crumbled behind them.
"Is it over?" asked Kagome.
Inuyasha's hold tightened around her as they flew through the air.
"Yeah. We did it Kagome."
With that, her eyes fluttered shut.
"Is she alright?" Sango inquired, as Kilala flew next to them.
"She used a huge amount of power today. I've never seen anything like it. She was able to break Naraku's hold on Kimaryu and free us from the darkness." Inuyasha replied.
He turned back to look at his friends.
"Koga, how many shards were you able to get?"
"Just two. The others were out of my reach."
He opened his palm to reveal two glimmering shards of the Shikon Jewel.
"Then with the one I got from that demon, that makes three. . ."
Miroku could see the look of worry in Inuyasha's eyes.
"What of the other three?"
"Naraku."
As the valley collapsed in the distance, a single Saimyosho could be seen flying away carrying its precious cargo.