InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Demon's Heart and Ultimate Sacrifice (Kag/Sess) ❯ The Power Within ( Chapter 22 )

The Tokijin was calling to her. During the last hit, when Sesshoumaru had saved her, it was knocked to the ground about ten feet away. It was glowing bright red. Just then Naraku released a surge of his powerful energy towards Sango. Kagome quickly lifted her hand in Sango's direction and instantly there was a bright blue spirit barrier there. Sango stopped dead in her tracks and looked towards Kagome. Naraku's energy surge hit the barrier and it flashed brightly. Sango was forced to shield her eyes. A small shock wave moved through the forest.

When the spirit barrier went up, Naraku's first thought was Kikyo. But Kikyo was dead. He turned in astonishment to see the young priestess with a look of rage in her eyes. It had been she who erected the barrier to protect her friend. He then watched as she put up barriers around all of her fallen comrades. The young girl walked towards the glowing Tokijin. The fool, he thought, as soon as she touches the sword it will overtake her. Her only desire will be to kill InuYasha.

InuYasha looked up when he saw the spirit barriers appear. He struggled to his feet. Kagome was reaching towards the Tokijin. "Kagome, don't touch that sword! It will possess you!"

He watched in awe as the Kagome grabbed the sword. A bright flash of red appeared, and then it began to pulse. The pulsing red sword slowly lost its color until it began to pulse blue. The sword began to grow brighter blue every second she held it.

Kagome turned towards Naraku, calling to him in her mind. Once she caught his eyes they froze in a look of fear. Naraku suddenly realized he could not take his eyes off the girl. Nor could he move his body. Her eyes continued to penetrate into him as she walked menacingly towards him, taking her time so that she could savor the sight of him cowering.

"Why don't you run away, Naraku?" She asked him in a threatening voice. She walked right up to him, looking into his eyes. She could feel the jewel; he had it around his neck. She ripped it off of him, and continued to stare into his very soul. Then she thrust the Tokijin into his heart.

She broke eye contact and again he was able to move. He desperately grabbed for the sword, but was unable to touch it. Much like the sacred arrow that had trapped InuYasha for fifty years. Kagome stood there, feeling her power being drained from her. Finally the soul of Onigumo broke free of Naraku's body. Naraku fell limply to the ground, the sword in his heart still glowing bright blue.

Kagome felt her knees giving way. She had very little of her spirit left in her. She had used it to protect her friends and slay Naraku. She looked back to where she left Sesshoumaru. She slowly began crawling towards him, knowing she wanted to die by his side. The minutes seemed like hours, but she finally made her way to him. The spirit barriers she had erected were dimming, but still there. She laid her head on his chest, embracing his body. She felt a slight tingle in her body and then heard the sound of his heart beating softly. She looked up at his face and saw that his markings where slowly reappearing. She began to cry, and summoned every bit of her power she could. The blue barriers began being pulled towards her and into his body. Suddenly he lurched as if in great pain. His eyes were glowing red and he thrashed like a wild animal that was in agony. Kagome refused to let go of him, even when his claws began tearing at her body. She felt him calm, and then all went dark.

Sesshoumaru woke to find a lifeless Kagome lying across his chest. The smell of her blood was nauseating. He sat up and pulled her into his arms. That is when he noticed that his left arm, that InuYasha had taken, was attached to his body. His hands were covered with her blood.

Kagome's back was bleeding from deep wounds that he had inflicted upon her when she was healing him. He looked to his brother, who had watched the scene in horror, unable to get through the spirit barrier to stop it. He picked Kagome up and took her to InuYasha.

"Hold her, while I retrieve the Tenseiga." Sesshoumaru was back in mere seconds and used the Tenseiga to heal Kagome's wounds. Though her flesh healed she did not awaken right away. Her eyes fluttered slightly and she looked up to him.

"Sesshoumaru, please go to my friends. Heal them. You can't heal me because my weakness is not from wounds, but from my spirit." She looked up at InuYasha, then back to Sesshoumaru. "When I die, use the Tenseiga to bring Kikyo back. She deserves to live the life Naraku took away from her." She again fell unconscious. He saw that even in her weakened state, she was healing the wounds that his brother had sustained. He quickly reached down and pulled her from his arms. "I will not allow her give the rest of her life, to heal you."

He carried her to where Sango knelt with Miroku and Kohaku. He told her to come sit with Kagome. Sango hurried to Kagome's side and helped him put her on the ground comfortably. She sat with Kagome while Sesshoumaru lifted his sword over Miroku and took a powerful swing.

Miroku's eyes opened and he looked around. He had not yet met death, but he had been very close. The demon then walked to Sango's brother and did the same. He then turned his attention to Kouga, who was lying unconscious, badly bleeding. Kagura had nearly ripped his legs apart trying to get to the shards. Kagura was lying lifelessly not far from Kouga. InuYasha got up and came to the others. All were now standing, except Kagome.

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It was nearly two weeks before Kagome regained her consciousness. She awoke to a cool cloth on her face. She opened her eyes to see Sango standing over her, washing her face. Sango gave her a warm smile and said hello.

"It's about time you woke up." Kagome blinked, slightly confused. "What do you mean?" Sango sat on the edge of her bed and told her what had happened with Naraku. Kagome remembered most of that day, though it seemed surreal. Sango then motioned to the chair in the corner of the room. There Sesshoumaru sat, sleeping quietly.

"He has barely left this room since we brought you back. Kaede and I are the only ones he allows in to see you." Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru again, this time with tears in her eyes. The vision of him dying came back to her. Never had she known such pain before.

"He has been very protective of you; it would almost be sweet if he weren't constantly threatening to kill InuYasha and Miroku." Sango said with a slight laugh.

"Poor Kouga left after only two days, he made the mistake of calling you his woman in front of Sesshoumaru." They both laughed softly. Sesshoumaru's eyes opened and he immediately saw that Kagome was awake. Sango caught the look they gave each other and decided to give them some time alone.

"I will go and gather your things, so that I can help you down to the hot springs for a bath."

"That sounds wonderful, Sango, thank you." Sango glanced at Sesshoumaru as she walked towards the door. "Maybe now that she is awake, you will get out of this hut for awhile." He only gazed back at her, and then nodded slightly.

Kagome was surprised that Sango would say such a thing to Sesshoumaru, but she had been in close quarters with him for nearly two weeks. Kagome was sure by now they had reached some sort of truce.

Sesshoumaru stood and walked towards the bed. He kept his eyes on Kagome the whole time. She sat up and realized that she was a little lightheaded, but tried not to show it. He sat on the bed still watching her closely.

"I have much to thank you for. You gave me back my life…and my arm." He said with somewhat of a smile and he reached out both of his hands to take both of hers. She grabbed his left arm and began studying it. "I did this?" she asked as she softly touched his fingers. He only continued to stare at her, noting for the first time that she was a beautiful human.

"From what your friend has told me, you did quite a lot more. Though I must admit I will miss my sword." She looked at him, and could see that he had amusement in his eyes.

"Where you unable to get the Tokijin back?" He gave her a serious look. "The sword still shown blue even after we left. Only a priestess of your ability could pull it from Naraku's body. Even I found myself unable to approach it. It was lit with your raw pain and anger. She tells me that your battle with Naraku was truly impressive."

Kagome's eyes filled up with tears as she thought back on that day. She had held his dead body, and saw her friends too, near death. He put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly, and she burst into tears. He then pulled her into an embrace, while she cried.

Sango appeared a moment later and shooed Sesshoumaru out of the hut, so that she could help Kagome up. The two headed for the hot springs and Sango waited with Kagome.

"I haven't gotten a chance to tell you yet, but Sesshoumaru was right." Kagome looked to Sango for a moment then broke into a wide smile.

"Congratulations! How does Miroku feel about it?" Sango smiled softly, "Oh he is very excited. Now that Naraku is gone, the void in his hand is too. The idea that we can live here peacefully now and have a family is so nice. He has been so good to Kohaku, treating him like a son. He has spent much time with my brother, helping him deal with his memories and the pain he feels."

Kagome began to dry herself, and then dress. She went to Sango and gave her a big hug. "I remember the look on your face, when you were about to attack Naraku. You looked as though your entire world had just been destroyed. I'm so glad you are happy now." Sango looked at Kagome closely. "Yes I would have died too, if you hadn't put up that barrier. I never knew you held such power." "Neither did I. I could just feel it coursing through my veins."

The two walked in silence for a moment, and then Sango turned to Kagome. "He really cares for you." Kagome stopped walking; she knew that Sango was speaking of Sesshoumaru.

"I know; I care for him too. When he died, I felt like my life had stopped. The idea that he had died protecting me, was almost too much to handle. After I crawled back to him I felt like my strength was gone. I was sure I was going to die there with him, but when I felt his heart start beating again, it was like I dug deep down and found a new well full of power to draw from." Kagome again had tears in her eyes.

"Even when I felt his claws tearing into me, I knew I couldn't let go of him." They continued their walk to the village in silence. Both reflecting on the events that had happened. Miroku met the two of them, and quickly embraced Kagome. "Thank you so much, Kagome. You saved us all. Are you feeling well now?" She nodded and looked behind him. InuYasha was standing there, an odd look on his face. It was then that Kagome remembered that she had killed Kikyo. Could InuYasha ever forgive her?