For the briefest of moments, there was silence—a pause in time that felt like the world itself was holding its breath. Relief rippled through the group like the first rays of sunlight breaking through storm clouds. Kaede bowed her head, murmuring a prayer of thanks as she began her slow trek back to the village. Sango sobbed softly, burying her face in Inuyasha's chest while his strong arms wrapped around her. Miroku placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, his own eyes glistening with unshed tears.
The children cheered, their laughter ringing out like the sweetest music as they rushed toward Kagome. Rin threw her arms around Kagome's waist while Shippo clung to her leg, chattering excitedly. Even Sesshoumaru allowed a smile to curve his lips as he realized his mate—his Kagome—was staying.
But then, the air shifted.
It was subtle at first, like the faintest tremor beneath the earth, but Sesshoumaru felt it immediately. His eyes narrowed, his senses sharpening as an ominous pressure pressed down on him. The joy in the clearing began to fray until it was replaced by something dark and foreboding.
A deafening crack split the air, the barrier protecting the village and forest shattering like a pane of glass struck by an unstoppable force. The sound was jarring, reverberating through the trees and sending flocks of startled birds into the sky.
Sesshoumaru moved instantly, faster than even the keenest eye could follow. His form was a blur of silver and white as he swept up the children into his powerful arms. Without missing a beat he placed them onto Ah-Un's back.
"Jaken," Sesshoumaru barked. "Get them to safety."
For once Jaken didn't argue. His bulbous eyes were wide with fear as he scrambled onto the dragon's saddle and clutched the reins. Ah-Un roared and took to the skies, the confused children glancing back with wide, tearful eyes as the ground below grew smaller.
"What the hell's going on—" Inuyasha's yell was cut short as the weight of it hit him too. His golden eyes widened and his ears flattened against his head. The air was alive with an sinister hum, the unmistakable sound of countless demons converging on their location.
"They're coming," Miroku said grimly, stepping in front of Sango and gripping his staff tightly. "Drawn to the void where the Shikon Jewel used to be."
Kagome's heart raced as her eyes darted to Sesshoumaru. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword as his gaze fixed on the horizon where a dark, writhing mass of demons was visible in the distance above the trees. The sky itself seemed to darken as they approached, their bloodthirsty cries echoing through the forest like a cacophony of nightmares.
Kagome's knees trembled as panic began to creep in. She instinctively reached for the bow slung across her back—only to remember she hadn't brought one. Her fingers clenched into fists,and a helpless frustration rose within her.
"Kagome!" Sesshoumaru's sharp voice cut through her spiraling thoughts. "Stay close to me."
She nodded. Her eyes flicked toward Sango and Miroku, who were already preparing for battle. Inuyasha cracked his knuckles, his teeth bared as he drew Tessaiga, the blade transforming into its massive fang-like form.
The ground beneath them began to shake as the horde drew closer. Kagome swallowed hard and stepped toward Sesshoumaru, her trembling hand brushing against his. His fingers closed around hers for the briefest moment—a silent promise of protection—before stepping forward and placing himself between her and the oncoming storm.
The first wave hit like a tidal force. Sesshoumaru moved with lethal precision, his blade flashing as he cut down demon after demon. Inuyasha joined him, his wild battle cries blending with the screams of their enemies. Miroku unleashed powerful sutras while Sango wielded her Hiraikotsu with deadly accuracy.
Kagome stood frozen for a moment, overwhelmed by the chaos erupting around her. Demons poured in from all sides, their screeches and snarls filling the air like a violent symphony. But something strange began to gnaw at her—none of them were coming for her.
For a fleeting moment relief washed over her, but it was quickly replaced by confusion. Why weren't they targeting her? Her heart hammered as she scanned the area. If they weren't after her, then they'd go for the others and she couldn't let that happen.
Determined to help, Kagome darted through the melee, ducking beneath the swing of a demon's claws and narrowly avoiding the swipe of a tail. Her eyes darted frantically searching for something—anything—she could use as a weapon.
There! Just ahead she spotted a large fallen branch lying in the dirt. It wasn't much, but she was certain she could infuse her power into it just as she had done with her arrows in the past.
Dodging another demon that lunged too close, Kagome sprinted toward the branch. Her knees hit the ground hard as she skidded to a stop, reaching out to grab it. But the moment her fingers made contact, a cold dread washed over her.
Her hand passed straight through the branch.
She blinked, her heart dropping as her fingers swiped through the wood again, this time more desperately. It was as if the branch wasn't there—or rather, as if she wasn't there.
"No…" Her breath hitched as she tried again, this time clutching at a patch of dirt beside the branch. But her hand slipped through the earth like a ghost leaving her grasping at nothingness.
Around her the mayhem continued, the clash of weapons and the cries of battle blurring into a muffled roar in her ears. Yet it all faded to the background as the horrifying realization began to dawn on her.
The barrier had fallen. The demons were ignoring her. She couldn't pick up a simple stick.
Her vision swam as her mind pieced together the cruel truth. She was fading.
The jewel was correcting its absence and was taking her with it.
"No, no, no…" Kagome choked out, her hands shaking as she stared at them. They were still solid, still visible, but the edges of her form seemed to shimmer like heat waves rising from the ground.
Her wide, tear-filled eyes darted toward Sesshoumaru. He was across the clearing, his blade a blur of blue-silver as he dispatched countless demons. He didn't see her yet, didn't know what was happening. She screamed his name, but her voice was swallowed by the commotion around her.
Desperation surged through her as she pushed herself to her feet, her legs unsteady beneath her. She staggered forward, no longer dodging demons that still paid her no mind. Tears streaked her face as she ran, her arms outstretched.
When Sesshoumaru finally turned and their eyes met, she saw the exact moment he realized something was wrong. His golden gaze widened in horror, and with a final, powerful swing, he slayed the remaining demons around him and sprinted toward her.
"Kagome!" he roared, his voice cutting through the din like a knife.
But as she reached for him, her hand passed straight through his outstretched fingers. Her breath hitched, her chest heaving as the truth solidified in her heart. She was truly fading, her connection to this world severing with every passing moment.
"No…" she sobbed, tears blurring her vision as she tried again only for her hands to grasp at nothing. Sesshoumaru's claws flexed uselessly as he knelt before her, eyes blazing with desperation.
"This cannot be," he growled in disbelief.
Even with the chaos raging around them Kagome could barely hear it anymore. Sounds dulled, muffled as though she were submerged underwater. The world was fading from her senses, dimming and distant as if it no longer recognized her place within it.
She was once again deaf to this world—the world she loved, the world she didn't want to leave.
"Sesshoumaru…" she tried to speak, but her voice was faint, as if the very air resisted carrying her words. Tears blurred her vision, streaming freely down her face as she looked down at the demon lord still on his knees before her. His mouth moved again, his golden eyes blazing, but she could hear nothing.
Realizing speaking was futile, Kagome lifted her hands signing to him instead. "I'm sorry." The motion was shaky, her fingers trembling as her body dimmed again.
Sesshoumaru's claws flexed helplessly at his sides before rising. "I will find you, Kagome," he signed back. His jaw clenched as he added, "No matter where you are, I will come for you. I swear it."
Kagome's breath hitched as her tears fell faster. Her hands moved again, slower this time, as if it took every ounce of her remaining strength. "I love you."
Sesshoumaru's lips parted, his voice breaking free in a snarl of anguish though she couldn't hear it. "I love you," he signed and spoke aloud.
With one last shuddering breath, Kagome mouthed the words back to him again, her hands falling to her sides as her form grew translucent. Her edges blurred like mist dissolving in the sunlight, the light of her soul flashing one final time before vanishing completely.
Sesshoumaru's claws swiped through the empty space where she had stood, his body frozen in place as the reality of her absence sank in. His golden eyes burned with the promise he had made, his fists clenching as his sharp gaze turned toward the heavens, his vow ringing silently in his mind:
I will find you. No matter what it takes, I will bring you back to me.