InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Angel in Demon's Clothing ❯ The Angel in Demon's Clothing ( Chapter 24 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

"No...she can't be!" Shippo wailed as he ran beside Inuyasha. Everyone was visably upset, everyone except for Azrael. He looked down at his hands, then over at his sword which had reappeared after Naraku was vaporized.

"Move aside Inuyasha." Sesshomaru said quietly. Inuyasha looked up as tears streamed down his face, first he was angered by what Sesshomaru had said but soon realized what his brother intended. Inuyasha nodded weakly as he laid Kagome down and took a few steps away from her. Everyone watched as Sesshomaru drew Tetseiga from its sheath. He watched Kagome's body carefully and seemed disturbed by something.

"What's wrong...why isn't she alive yet?" Inuyasha asked, agitated and afraid that something might be wrong.

"Hmm, this is odd. Usually I am able to revive the dead, but in her case I am unable to." Sesshomaru said looking at her quizzically. Inuyasha was about to ask why not when Azrael intevened.

"That is because she used the Shikon No Tama to resurrect the lives of the others it required a sacrifice. But despite that she still would have been able to be revived by the Tetseiga, that is...unless her soul didn't return to her body." Azrael said as he looked up at Kikyo. "Her soul or at least the remaining part of it was transferred to you."

"What...so you mean there's no chance of bringing her back?" Miroku asked with a frown.

"It can't be! Kagome can't be dead for good." Sango cried as she held Kohaku close to her.

"Sister..." Kohaku said silently as he clung to Sango.

"Kagome died for all us to live. Her death gave Sango back her brother, it removed my wind tunnel, it destroyed Naraku, she gave us back our lives." Miroku said quietly. "She had an honorable death."

"Shut up! I don't care why she died, the fact is that she did!" Inuyasha yelled.

Azrael looked at everyone before he looked at Kikyo. Kikyo was also starring at him. She then looked at Inuyasha then back at him as she nodded slowly.

"Koga, I need you to do me a favor." Azrael said as he walked over to his sword. "On the other side of the canyon, Kaede is being held captive. I want you to get her and bring her back here."

"How do you know that she's in there." Koga said, he was holding Ayame close to him as she cried on his shoulder.

"Simple I'm a bat demon, I can sense blood and I happen to know what Kaede's blood and particular heart beat is like." Azrael said matter of factly. "So go get her, I need to prepare in that time."

"Prepare for what?" Rin asked as she peeked around from behind Sesshomaru.

"I'm going to bring Kagome back to life." Azrael said as he looked at Inuyasha.

"But you said you couldn't bring her to life!" Shippo exclaimed.

"Correction, I said Tetseiga couldn't bring her back to life. What I am going to use is acient magic, a combination of both light and darkness. It is known as the Forbidden Breath, or the Breath of Life." Azrael replied. Inuyasha looked up at him a glimmer of hope in his eyes as he heard these words.

"Inuyasha, I need you to step away for a second okay." Azrael said gently. Inuyasha nodded as he moved away. Everyone else backed away also, only Kikyo stepped forward. Koga appeared with Kaede moments later as she instantly took in all that was before her.

"No child." Kaede said quietly. "Naraku is vanquished is he? But at what price did ye have to pay. That poor child, and ye Inuyasha...oh I'm sorry." Kaede said quietly.

"Kaede, I need you to help me with something." Azrael said as he raised his sword. Before anyone could object the sword began to glow with energy and Azrael stabbed the sword into Kagome's chest.

"What the hell are you doing?" Inuyasha yelled, but before he could do anything Azrael created a barrier to keep him out.

"Only miko's can enter this barrier. Kaede, me and Kikyo are in need of your assistance." Azrael said as he waved his arm pointing to Kikyo who was already inside the barrier. Kaede turned pale as she looked at Azrael.

"I see. So it is that which ye wish to do. Fine then I will help." Kaede said as she too entered the barrier. Kikyo stood in front of Kagome's body by her head, Azrael stood at her feet and Kikyo to the right of her. Azrael suddenly transformed back to his full demon form.

"Inuyasha, thank you for all you have done for me. You and Kagome have reminded me of myself when I first fell in love. Please remember me not as I am now, a demon the lord of the bat demons, the evil monster that has taken the lives of so many. Remember me as the human...the one you first befriended." Azrael said, even though his eyes were glowing red a tear fell down them as he smiled and turned back to Kagome's body.

"Hey, wait what does he mean...remember him?" Sango whispered to Miroku.

"Wait Azrael, what do you mean? Your not going to sacrifice yourself are you?" Miroku asked.

Azrael didn't respond instead he placed both his hands on the hilt of the sword he had stabbed into Kagome. Kikyo looked at Inuyasha, who was standing shocked at what was happening.

"Inuyasha, love her and be good to her. I will be watching over both of you." Kikyo said quietly. Inuyasha looked up when suddely blue energy poured out of Kikyo. The swirling energy was trying to escape the barrier but Kaede managed to control it and form it into an enormous glowing blue orb. Red energy pumped through the sword and from Azrael at it covered all of Kagome's body. Kaede placed the blue energy into the Kagome's body as she looked sadly at her sister and Azrael.

"Thank ye, from all of us." Kaede said softly as a tear rolled down her cheek. Kikyo only smiled as her body suddenly crumpled to ashes. Azrael's body did not disappear as quickly his demon form melted away and the sword inside of Kagome's body disappeared with it. Azrael's human form shimmered as if it was a spirit as Kagome's eyes fluttered open and the barrier vanished.

"In-Inuyasha?" Kagome said weakly as Inuyasha rushed to her side.

"Kagome, Kagome! Your alive!" Inuyasha exclaimed as he embraced her tightly. His tears fell onto her face as she embraced him to. He kissed her passionatly as everyone just starred. They too wanted to be with Kagome but knew that Inuyasha needed to be with her more. Azrael's spirit lingered there as he watched Inuyasha and Kagome, both of which turned to look at him.

"Thank you." Kagome said softly as she cried and looked at Azrael. Azrael only smiled as he shook his head.

"I was doing what I believed to be right. I am glad that I could do some good in my life. Now I will be able to see my wife and child again, so don't shed any tears for me." Azrael said. He looked at Kaede and smirked as he talked to her. "I see the recognition in your eyes. Yes, I am him. I must leave now, farewell."

Before anyone else could say a word Azrael's spirit vanished. Everyone stood in silence as Inuyasha and Kagome held eachother for a long time. Each person thought about how precious life truly was to them and realized that they should express their true feelings before fate would take their loved one's away from them.

Shippo was the first to speak as he noticed how pale Kaede was. "Kaede are you okay?"

"Aye child, just shaken." Kaede responded.

"Why?" Shippo asked.

"Gather around everyone. There is something I must tell ye all." Kaede said as she sat down on a fallen tree stump and everyone gathered around her. Even Inuyasha and Kagome stood and walked over to hear what she had to say.

"That man, ye called Azrael. He told you that he was the lord of the bat demons did he?" Kaede asked slowly.

"Yes. He said that he was the demon known as him." Miroku replied.

"Then it must have been him." Kaede said more to herself.

"What do you mean Kaede?" Ayame asked.

"That was no demon child that was a human." Kaede said finally as she looked up at them. "That man Azrael was once a very powerful shrine guardian. I never met him because he was alive long before my time. He and his sister were both very powerful demon slayers as well, both containing huge amounts of spiritual power. It was by chacne that he met with the real Lord of the Bat Demon's on a deserted mountain path. The lord was attacking a village for fun or so everyone thought. In reality the lord himself was being controlled by his sword. Azrael used his powers to seal the sword, but to fully seal it and end the madness of the demon lord he gave away his human form and absorbed the full essence and powers of the bat demon. He became that monster to end the senseless slaughtering."

"Wait...so Azrael wasn't a full demon?" Sango asked.

"No child, he was a full demon, or rather a human trapped inside of a full demon. He sacrificed himself to purge the demons evil. It is only fate that his sister died on the same day." Kaede said with a small smile. "You see his sister, she is the one who created the Shikon No Tama. That is the reason Azrael knew so much about it. So when Azrael asked that you remember him not as the demon, but as the human. It was his way of asking you to remember his sacrifice."

Everyone was stunned by this. Even Sesshomaru didn't mind that Rin hugged him and cried on his fur as he wrapped his arms around her.

*He gave up everything he loved, everything he cared for, so that he could protect people. His sister did the same thing and created the Shikon No Tama, yet despite all that happened he found love only to have it taken away from him. Then he sacrificed himself so that me and Inuyasha could be together.* Kagome thought as she felt Inuyasha pull her closer to him. "Thank you, Azrael."


Author's Note: Thank you very much for those of you who have continually supported me through out this story. I would like to dedicate the next two chapters to two very special people in my life, Destiny Dreamer and Anime Lover475. Thank you for all your support. The next chapter will the grand finale so I hope you enjoy it. Also, please check out my other original stories, Prophecy and Prophecy 2: Hell on Earth. Also Destiny Dreamer and myself have been working together on another story called Seperate Wings, please if you'd like, take note of this story because we have both worked very hard on it. Thank you all. Love ya, Britt ; )

Soulless Wanderer