"Naraku. Any last words before I rid the world of you once and for all?" Kikyo asked. She held her bow steady aiming right at where his heart would be but Sesshomaru stepped in front of her.

"Allow me priestess."

"But my lord, I…"

"I will not let him harm you priestess. He's caused you enough trouble. The least I can do is rid the world of him for you."

"Ahh…now this is something you don't see everyday," Naraku chuckled. "Sesshomaru offering to help someone?"

"I do what I can," he said calmly.

"Yeah right. And how does Inuyasha feel about all of this? Not trying to get in your business but I thought it was the half demon's job to protect his woman?"

"You were quite right Naraku. It isn't any of your business."

"Oh I forgot. His woman is in my possession so I guess…that makes Kikyo the other woman."

"How dare you talk about her that way," Sesshomaru growled.

"Oh it would seem I've hit a nerve," he grinned. "Hmmm…does that mean you now have a soft spot for the priestess? Sorry Kagra but I don't think he's interested." Kagra turned a light shade of pink before cutting her eyes to the ground. Kaede placed a hand on her shoulder in hopes of comforting her.

"Naraku. Where are you keeping Kagome?" Kikyo asked.

"Oh she's up in the castle. She's currently tied to a chair just a few feet from that window actually," he answered casually.

"Then I shall kill you and take her back," Sesshomaru replied.

"I don't think so. You see, you all have faced me several times before but none of you ever managed to kill me. What makes you think you can do it this time around? I haven't gotten any weaker. I have only gotten stronger which means you will lose all over again."

"We'll just have to see," Sesshomaru growled. He took a few steps towards Naraku but stopped suddenly when he heard voices.

"LADY KIKYO! KAEDE!" He looked up to see Kirara fly around the area before coming to a steady land a few feet away from them. Sango dismounted the animal first and broke off into a run for Kikyo but was grazed by one of Naraku's tentacles. She clutched her shoulder before falling to the ground in pain. Sesshomaru immediately charged at the half demon and the two became immersed in a heated battle. Kikyo, Kaede, and Kagra all ran towards Sango.

"Sango isn't it?" Kikyo asked.

"Ye…yeah. My arm…"

"Don't speak my child," Kaede ordered. "Let my sister take a look." Kikyo gently pried Sango's hand away from her cut to examine it. Naraku's tentacle had put a deep cut on her shoulder and it still stinging because of the poison.

"Kaede, this isn't good. This is the same type of cut that he gave me that day on Mt. Hakurei. She's been badly poisoned. I can heal her but it's going to take a lot of my strength; strength that I need to kill Naraku."

"Sister Kikyo, is it possible for me to lend you some of mine?"

"I'm afraid not Kaede. The strength needed to heal her requires life force energy and you're probably going to need that in order to do whatever it is Kagra needs you to do." Kikyo glanced up at the tower window where Kagome was supposedly being held. What am I to do? How can I call myself a priestess if I let this young woman die like this? Kagome, are you strong enough to take out Naraku yet? It's a risk that I'll just have to take…

"KIKYO! KIKYO DON'T YOU DO IT!" Sesshomaru and Naraku were at a stalemate but somehow Sesshomaru had managed to cut his eye over at Kikyo. He could tell by the way she was staring off on the distance that she was about to do something life threatening.

"Sesshomaru…I can't. How can I call myself a priestess if I just sit here and let this woman die? I know you don't wish to hear this but…it would seem that my destiny cannot be avoided any longer. I…"

"NO! NO YOU WILL NOT GIVE UP!" he yelled. He managed to cut one of Naraku's tentacles before he was pushed back again. Kikyo turned away sadly and sighed.

"Kaede, I'm going to help her. I just have to hope that Kagome can somehow…"

"Wait Lady Kikyo. I need you to hear me out first before you do this." Kagra knew that Naraku was probably going to kill her anyway so the least she could do was give them some valuable info that may help them.

"Well…we're listening but we don't have much time."

"Alright. Here's what I have…"

x-x

Kagome squirmed around in her chair trying to loosen the ropes but it was no use. She was tied down pretty good and there was just no way to get out. She sighed and leaned back in the chair. She could hear voice from outside and it was bothering her. She was certain that Lady Kikyo was already out there because for some odd reason she could feel the priestess's troubled soul stirring in her body. It was like she could feel Kikyo's sadness in her heart and it was starting to make her feel sad as well. Suddenly her body did a little jolt forcing her to sit upright in her chair. She closed her eyes and could see Kikyo holding out her hand.

Kagome…if you can hear me then I know you have my strength. Break the ropes and come to the window.

Somehow Kagome's body just responded. She tugged on the ropes harder and harder, the rope burning her wrists in the process. Try as she might to break the ropes, they just wouldn't bulge.

Use the jewel shards around your neck. Focus Kagome! I need you to focus.

Kagome closed her eyes thinking only of breaking the ropes. Three jewel shards suddenly appeared around her neck and then buried themselves into the side of it. Kagome's eyes turned bright red before her arms moved, snapping the ropes in two.

Very good Kagome. I'm proud of you. Now come to the window. I will guide you to your destination.

x-x

"Sister Kikyo. Has she broken the rope?"

"Yes but I'm having trouble guiding her body to the window." Kikyo closed her eyes and focused harder. She was standing up with her hands clasped into a prayer focusing her spiritual energy on Kagome. Come on Kagome. Come to the window. Kikyo was suddenly knocked down by Sesshomaru. He looked down at her wincing before rolling over clutching his side.

"My lord? What happened to you?" Kikyo asked. There was slight panic in her voice though she did her best to hide it. She looked over and saw that he was bleeding from his left side.

"It's nothing," he said. He stood to his feet but she could tell he was in serious pain.

"HOW DARE YOU NARAKU! HAVEN'T YOU HURT ENOUGH PEOPLE?" Kagra yelled. She held up her fan staring dangerously at the half demon but he only chuckled.

"I wouldn't have to hurt so many people if they'd stay out of my way."

"But why Naraku? Is all of this blood shed really worth you becoming a full fledged demon?" Naraku frowned at this, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"And just what do you mean by that?" he asked. His voice was seething with menace and Kagra knew she'd touched a nerve. But still…She glanced over at Sesshomaru who's eyes had become slightly glazed. I love him too much to let him die.

"You heard me Naraku. Once you collect all the jewel fragments, you want to use it to become a full demon. After all, you are just like that hanyou Inuyasha. A half demon with a terrible attitude."

"You are trying me Kagra. Don't think for a second that I won't kill you. Though you may have my heart hidden inside your body, I can take it back anytime I get ready which means you'll die anyway." Kikyo's eyes widened at this and she turned to Kagra eyeing her curiously. So his heart is hidden inside Kagra? Has she known this all alone? Kikyo turned to Naraku, her body shaking furiously.

"You are the worst kind of demon Naraku and I've come across several in both my lifetimes."

"Is that so?" he chuckled.

"You not only kill for your own gain but you destroy people's spirits as well. How dare you! You put that heart inside of Kagra knowing full well I'd never have the heart to kill her. One way to destroy you would be to put an arrow through your heart and if I was any kind of person like you, I wouldn't hesitate to do it."

"Ahh but that's the thing priestess, you're not like me. You're nothing but a pathetic dead priestess who fell in love years ago only to have your heart ripped to shreds by his betrayal."

"YOU MEAN BY YOUR BETRAYAL!"

"Your trust was shattered and you became weak and bitter. To this day, you may have forgiven him but you are still half the priestess you once were." Sesshomaru couldn't take his talking anymore. He ran at Naraku and once again they became engaged in battle. Meanwhile, Kikyo turned to Inuyasha's friends eyeing them sadly.

She'd managed to stop Miroku's bleeding and had Kaede patch him up but he was no longer able to fight. As for Sango, she'd given her an herb to suck on in order to try and counteract the poison but from the looks of things it wasn't helping much. Sango was lying next to Miroku on the ground, her body twitching out of pain. Kikyo reached up and covered her eyes only just realizing that she'd begun to cry. It all seemed so hopeless right now. As she watched Sesshomaru fight Naraku, she could not help but feel that it was all in vain. What now? How do I stop this now? She glanced over at Kagra who was also on her knees sobbing. I can't kill her. I just can't do it.

"LADY KIKYO! LADY KIKYO!" Kikyo wiped her eyes and stood to her feet looking around wildly. I could have sworn… "LADY KIKYO! LADY KIKYO DOWN HERE!" She looked off into the distance and still did not see anything. A second later something bit her toe making her jump. She looked down to see Myoga staring up at her frantically.

"Myoga?"

"I…I'm sorry…Out of breath…you have to hurry…"

"Wait a second. Slow down."

"I…can't…not a lot of time." He took a deep breath and then began speaking again. "Where's Kagome?"

"Still in the tower. She's free but…"

"Never mind that. Hakudoshi and Inuyasha will be here in a second…"

"Inuyasha? That's great!"

"No. Not great. You see, the only way he could get away from Hakudoshi and save his friends was to let go of tetsaiga." Kikyo's face drained of all color as she stared at the little flea. All hope of being able to cheat destiny was ripped away once again.

"How long?" she whispered. "How long has he been without sword?"

"He won't know anybody once he gets here," he said grimly. "He…he'll probably…you might have to kill him my lady. I'm…I'm so sorry." Kikyo smiled down at the little flea.

"Thank you Myoga. Now I know what I must do."

"Huh? Priestess wait! What are you planning? Where's Sango and the others?"

"Don't worry Myoga. Time will stand still until our destinies have become clearer."

"Well, that's it. That's the end of the story."

"SAY WHAT?!" Haku exclaimed. "How's that the end?"

"Yeah grandma, how's that the end and why are you here if that's the end?"

"Well Kagome. To be honest I have no idea what happened after that. I've been telling and retelling this story inside my head for years and have even written it out on paper, but it always ends right here."

"Wow. Grandma that's tough. You don't think you were hit aside the head or something during the battle do you?"

"Well…I really don't know. You see while my sister was trying to get Kagome out of the tower, I was busy tending to Sango and Miroku. Both were badly injured though Miroku was doing a lot better than his fiancé. As for Kagra, I vaguely remember her muttering something under her breath but after that, everything else is a blur." They all sat there in silence each one racking their brains trying to figure out what could have happened. Each explanation was just as unlikely as the next, but then again, anything could have happened during those times. Finally Haku broke the uncomfortable silence.

"Say…Lady Kaede?"

"Yes, child?"

"Is it possible that Kikyo had the power to control time?" Both Kaede and Kagome stared at him, their eyes wide with shock. Kaede closed her eyes and seemed to go into a deep thought before she finally spoke again.

"You've brought up an interesting point Haku. Well…I suppose one could say my sister had some powers in manipulating time but I've never known her to be able to just stop time universally. There was this one time where she tried to pull Inuyasha into hell which would have required some time manipulation. There was also a time stuck some of the others in an illusion which made them appear to be stuck in some sort of time continuum but again, all of that is merely child's play compared to just completely stopping time. That would require great strength and a powerful spell and as we all know, my sister was in no condition to use a spell that powerful. For starters she was already dead living off the borrowed souls of others. There's just no way she could have done it unless…" Kaede suddenly sat up in her chair with a look of enlightenment on her face. She quickly got up and hurried into her house. She returned seconds later holding something long that had been wrapped in a cloth.

"Here Kagome. I get the feeling you're going to need this soon." Kagome took the item and began to carefully unravel it. What she found shocked her to end.

"But…grandma Kaede…what's the meaning…you know I can't use this and why would I need this?" Kaede averted her eyes to Haku and noticed that he was wearing a silver chain with a pendant in the shape of the shikon no tama. She quickly took off her necklace and placed it on Kagome's neck.

"Good luck my child," she whispered.

"Uh…what's going on here?" Haku asked. His voice was filled with a mixture of panic and concern but Kaede only smiled.

"If you really care for Kagome like I think you do then history will be rewritten on this day." She closed her eyes and clasped her hands in prayer. Immediately Haku and Kagome's necklace's began flashing a bright blue light.

"Grandma! Grandma what's happening?" The sky turned a dark gray and lightning began flashing around the house. Kagome ran over to Haku and he held onto her before Kaede dropped to her knees in a deep sleep uttering some kind of weird spell.

Elddir em sihe elddir em taht

That which has been done must be sent back

Through the sands of time the enemy thou must face

But that which would have been let it be erased

Kagome and Haku eyes felt heavy and both felt as they were going to throw up. Their heads were spinning and their stomach's felt raw. They could feel their bodies being lifted from the ground and the last thing Kagome saw was her grandmother's face, a look of fright on her face. Oh no…what's happening?