Chapter 20

You Cant End It Here

"Oh how cute, it almost sickens me. Prepare for your funerals." Naraku chuckled, raising into the air and preparing to attack Sesshomaru, of course he was secretly going to aim for Kagome. Within a second, he launched his attack.

Sesshomaru wielded his sword, quickly pointing it toward Naraku as he sprung tentacles from under his baboon cloak, toward Kagome. He quickly destroyed each of the tentacles, determined to keep Kagome safe. Nothing, no; nobody was going to interfere with his love again. Even if he had to die like his pathetic father; no, he wouldn't. He would be better, not only would he kill the enemy, he would live to tell of it. And yet he still held her hand, even in the midst of battle.

"Naraku." Sesshomaru hissed the name with sheer hate and disgust.

"Now, does this look fair? Six against one?" Naraku frowned, looking at Sango, followed by Miroku, Shippo, Kirara, finally pausing his gaze in between Sesshomaru and Kagome. "Oh well, I suppose six more deaths wont be much. No, five. I could use you still, miko." he grinned evilly.

"Naraku!" Kagome yelled at the top of her lungs, grabbing the sword from her side, other hand still entwined with Sesshomaru's.

"Kagome." Sango called, "Here!" a familiar clattering sound came her way, she immediately caught the object. Her old bow, quiver, and arrow? Where'd Sango get them? And the sacred arrows she hadn't touched in so long… she would use them, as well. She threw the quiver around her arm onto her back, strapped safely. She stuck the bow inside the quiver too, she would start with her dagger. She smiled weakly at Sesshomaru, whose expression was hard and cold at first, but he managed to actually smile back at her. It encouraged her.

"Lets fight. Life or death." Kagome let go of Sesshomaru's hand. It saddened him, but he knew he had to let go of her for the time being. Sango and Miroku got into defensive stances, Shippo too, though he was frightened unbelievably, he knew he had to fight along side them this time for sure.

Kagome got into a fighting stance just as the others did. Sesshomaru was already attacking fiercely. But that damn shield of his was getting on his nerves. Naraku had to be taken down somehow, and they would do it. Sesshomaru was pierced in the side once, but it wasn't a very deadly wound so he didn't worry about it. After all, he was a Youkai. Kagome swiftly stayed at his side, all of the pain and suffering was going to pay of in some way today, the suffering would end. Her friends helped destroy tentacles, and they were slowly, but surely; getting closer to Naraku's defense. Sesshomaru had hit it a few times, but it stood without anything but a few scratches. Kagome had two jewel shards, she was sure she could get in the shield somehow, some way.

"Sesshomaru." Kagome looked to him, guard still up, destroying whatever came her way. "I…I have a plan. Don't stop me, even if I'm in severe pain."

"Absolutely not." Sesshomaru growled, pain hinting in his eyes.

"Trust me, please. I can do this, I have to!" She demanded his trust and faith. Sesshomaru nodded, still pissed at the entire idea of her being in pain of any sorts. He continued to fight off tentacles, and noticed what she was doing. Giving herself to him? That was like an automatic win of sorts.

Kagome was pierced with a tentacle that she hardly tried to defend herself from, and in that instant plenty more tentacles wrapped around her, tightening making her bite her lip until it began to bleed. They continued to tighten as he brought her closer to him with the tentacles. She finally screamed out in pain, flinching.

"Kagome, my dear miko. Have you give yourself up?" Naraku purred in delight.

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango shouted, not able to stand the sight. Which ticked Kagome off a bit for the ruining of her plan, but wait. She jumped upward from tentacles falling, and managed to push her way into his shield. The jewel shard assisted her in doing so, since his shield was based of the same damn shards and complicated things as such. Although, she was bleeding a ton from the forceful entry. She looked quickly at her hands, one with her katana, the other with blood. Once again, covered in blood. But not an ally's blood. Her own damn blood.

"Kagome, joining me, are we?" Naraku grinned evilly, pulling her close to him. "So, shall we continue to fight?"

"Kagome! You said you were certain you could do it… I trust you, but I wont let you be under his wing!" Sesshomaru growled, attacking more fiercely.

Naraku's grip of Kagome tightened, making her flinch once again from her already open wounds in her sides from the tentacles, and also her arms bled as well. Through all the pain, she focused on keeping hold of her katana, she had to figure out a plan. Sango and Miroku were getting tired, Shippo was already hardly able to move.

"Naraku." Sesshomaru growled, yet tried to keep himself as calm as possible. Naraku saw this, and realized something just simply amusing. He licked Kagome's neck, which was covered in blood. It made her shudder. He looked up from under his lashes to see Sesshomaru's eyes, blood red. Oh yes, this would be fun. Certainly if he were to turn into the beast he really is, Kagome would be frightened, and of course… he can't quite control that demon, now can he? Maybe he'll harm his love. How nastily amusing.

"Naraku!" Sesshomaru growled, near a yelling state as he destroyed tentacles insanely, growing closer with every strike. Naraku continued to do with her as he pleased, cleaning the blood from her neck and chin with his tongue. Sesshomaru was nearly at a breaking point. This was his Kagome being touched without his permission. As just a minute passed, Sesshomaru lost it.

Right before Kagome, he transformed into the beast he really was. Naraku grinned. Then, Naraku pushed Kagome out of his shield, tumbling onto the ground before Sesshomaru. In the confusion and uncontrolled beast, she felt a sharp pain. A familiar pain, like a dream she might have had. When she finally took notice, from all the blood loss, she saw it. Claw were dug into her sides. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked up at her attacker. She embraced the giant paw, accepting the pain. She didn't mind dying from his hand… no. She couldn't die there. Ever. Sesshomaru would stop, she was certain. After a few minutes of pain sinking into Kagome, blood still pouring; Sesshomaru finally came to his senses just the slightest. He released Kagome, and howled. He flipped her onto his back, and headed toward Naraku. He fought off every single tentacle without hesitation, though he was wounded. But it didn't matter at that moment. He knew Kagome wanted Naraku's defeat, and as did he. He flung Kagome from his back into Naraku's shield. And in the process she realized.

Earlier, Sango's Hiraikotsu made a small wound in Naraku's chest somehow, and so. The sickening thing was, she had to do this. She could see it. She was a priestess. As she was flung into Naraku's shield, she held out a hand, ready to forcefully pull out the item she needed. It all happened so fast, impossibly fast.

Her hand was perfectly aimed. Right into the wound, she shuddered at the feel of Naraku's insides. She was hit upside the head by Naraku, just as she grasped it. The rest of the Shikon Jewel. Just as she grabbed it… she nearly went unconscious.

White surrounded her, everyone was gone. She was still covered in blood. What was this? Death, finally had it approached her?

"Hurry." a voice demanded, a female voice.

"Who are you?" Kagome flinched slightly, looking around to find a woman. A very beautiful and strong looking woman.

"Midoriko. The priestess who made the shard, forever battling inside of it." she told her. "You must hurry, please hurry."

"Hurry? With what?" Kagome managed, starting to become even more blurred from the pain.

"Make your wish. A pure one. Before Naraku does. For he can as well." Midoriko sighed. "It is up to you to do this, nobody else can right now. It must be pure."

Kagome paused, unsure to believe this or to think of this as a dream, a strange dream. She pondered for a few minutes, still in pain.

"Hurry. You can't end it here." Midoriko insisted.

-- To be continued --

Reviews? LOL, Cliffy-ish…hehe…heh..

The next chapter will be very long, and will be the last.

That's why this one is so short. So prepare yourselves.