InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Destined Love ❯ chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

Chapter Five

Sesshoumaru saw the arrow flitting through the mob a split second too late. Unspeakable terror gripped his heart, paralyzing him; a hoarse shout tore from his throat, but Kagome just smiled at him.

She didn't hear me, Sesshoumaru thought, panicking. He ran towards her, to warn her, to defend her, to take the arrow himself if it came to it, but even his swift pace was nothing to the winged death. I can't lose her - I won't!

But too late. She turned; her eyes opened wide in surprise and fear; she tried to duck, but too slow; the arrow caught her full in the chest. Time slammed into slow-mo.

"Kagome!" The prince reached her side just as she toppled backwards, and he caught her suddenly frail form and held her gently.

"Owww…hey, Sesshy," she said weakly, forcing a smile. The battle faded, and suddenly they were alone; surrounded by pain and death and destruction, but alone nonetheless.

"Hey, `Gome," he whispered back. He nuzzled her face, her hair, her neck; as long as she couldn't see the tears on his cheeks it worked. I don't want to lose her… She was saying something, but even his keen hearing couldn't make it out over the din of the battle around them.

"I'm dying, Sesshy," she repeated for him. "I've lost too much blood, there's no hope… But there are things I need to tell you, things you need to know."

"Then tell me later, when you're safe and recovered," Sesshoumaru begged.

Kagome ignored him. "I'm the keeper of the Shikon No Tama…I'm the purest thing this earth ever has known, or ever will know… I'm more or less immortal, but one thing can kill me."

"Then you won't die, please Kagome just don't die," was the delirious response.

"It's too late," Kagome said, shaking her head slightly. "The most impure thing…that's all that can take my life, the most impure thing. Find out who shot that arrow and destroy it, Sesshoumaru. Avenge my death…and then move on. Kill Naraku, and then move on."

"Anything, Kagome, anything, just don't fucking die!"

Now Kagome's eyes were glimmering as well. "Just one more thing, Sesshoumaru," she whispered. "I love you… With all that I am, and all that I was, I will always love you. Goodbye, love…" She raised her head just enough to brush Sesshoumaru's lips with her own, and then her body fell limp in his arms.

The demon prince sat silent in the middle of chaos, cradling her lifeless body to his chest and crying.

I lost her…I lost my Kagome…

My first friend…

My only friend…

My first and only love…

My soul mate…

His tears abruptly vanished, and his eyes grew steely. I've lost everything. And someone will pay.

He carefully put Kagome's body on the ground and stood, turning to the place from whence the arrow had come. A few minor demons cape up as if to attack them, but his black glare stopped them in their tracks; the scampered off whimpering, and he went unchallenged. The battlefield began to empty as the lesser demons fled. Only one being stood her ground. A miko, dressed in the traditional miko garb. The only difference was that her pants were the deepest black.

"You," Sesshoumaru growled, recognizing her immediately. "I should have known…Kikyou."

Not so far away, Inuyasha was witness to the entire bloody scene.

Kikyou, he spat mentally. That bitch hurt the one I loved…and by the looks of it, killed her. Oh, she's going to pay…

He watched passively as Sesshoumaru charged toward her, sword held high. Ah, damn…he's going to steal all my fun.

A few more minor demons fell under his blade.

But wait…Kikyou's too smart to attack Kagome on her own without backup…which means…

"Naraku." Someone was going to pay, and dearly.

No one saw her.

No one smelled her.

No one felt her.

No one sensed her.

Kagome stood on the battlefield in her ghost form, equally invisible to human and youkai eyes alike.

"Mother, is this what you foresaw? My death? Is that why you left so quickly?" she demanded bitterly.

The sky gave no reply.

"ANSWER ME!" Kagome screamed.

"…yes, my daughter. But…this was not your destiny. You were not meant to die here. But it may be the boost Sesshoumaru needed… He now has the anger, the need, to kill Naraku. While you lived either you or he would only have killed him to destroy an evil…you wouldn't have had the strength. I know it all sounds strange, but I promise that one day you will understand it all. For we forsaw everything," her mother finished.

"Then what of my soul?" Kagome queried. "My body is dead, I lost too much blood…but why haven't I passed on? Why am I still here?"

Soft laughter, sad and haunting, but laughter all the same. "My silly daughter. Feel your pulse. Your heart still beats, though faintly… You are healing, and healing rapidly. You are not meant to pass on just yet. And we can't have a destiny left unfulfilled, now can we? With your death, four other destinies go unfulfilled, and that would destroy everything…"

Why can't she just give me a straight answer, just this once? Kagome sighed mentally. Out loud, she just gave a simple, "Oh."

"Watch Sesshoumaru," her mother said gently.

The demon prince's blade swept downward; the impure miko jumped aside, but not quickly enough. She died with a look of surprise in her eyes. Sesshoumaru paused for a moment, chest heaving, and nearly dropped his sword; but some thought or another straightened his back, and he took off again.

"He goes to challenge Naraku," her mother explained.

"But why? Why would - "

"Just watch."

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru reached the demon lord at the same time, approaching from opposite directions. Kagome could see the fear in Naraku's eyes. Frankly, she couldn't blame him; the half-brothers both sported identical expressions, and you could tell from a mile away that they were out to kill.

"Stay out of this, Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha shouted. "He's mine!"

Kagome saw her lover shout something back, but couldn't hear him. Whatever he said made Inuyasha blink a few times, then turn and run back to her motionless body. He picked her body up and held it tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Kagome," he whispered brokenly. "I should have protected you better…hell, I should have loved you more. But now it's…too late." He brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. Her eyes fluttered partway open.

"What the fuck?!"

"Hey, Inu…can't…breathe," Kagome gasped. The hanyou released her from his iron bear-hug and gave her an ashamed smile.

"Sesshoumaru thought…thought you were dead," he said, still getting over the shock of her return to life.

"I was. I should be…I don't know. I did die. I was talking to my mother and she told me to watch Sesshoumaru, so I did, and then…" She spread her arms helplessly, as if to say `And then I don't know.' Her voice was tinged with exhaustion. She turned to look to where her lover was still battling the demon lord. "Now watch him with me… He will defeat and destroy any who harm what is his, including Rin."

Inuyasha jumped. "How do you know about her?" he demanded. "No one knows about Rin but me, Sango, and Miroku, and of course Sesshoumaru himself." Even his mother didn't know about the little human girl who had more or less adopted Sesshoumaru as her protector.

"I don't," Kagome said, shrugging. "Care to fill me in?"

"She has dark brown hair, almost black, and chocolate colored eyes," Inuyasha began. "And what Sesshoumaru terms `flawless cream skin.'"

"She sounds very…pretty," Kagome said with more than a hint of jealousy in her voice.

Inuyasha chuckled.

"What's so funny?" she snapped.

"Oh, nothing…except that you're getting jealous over a four-foot-three eight-year-old," he chortled. Kagome sweatdropped.

"Thanks," she responded facetiously. Then, more politely, "So how did he come across this…girl?"

"It was a while back," Inuyasha mused. "My brother was off on one of his little trips and managed to get into a fight with someone… It should have been an easy win, but somehow he lost and got himself pretty beaten up in the process. Rin found him and nursed him back health. When he could more or less take care of himself again, they split up; he came back home, and she went on her own merry way. He knew he owed her, but she wouldn't let him repay her in any way.

"A few months later he was out on his own again, patrolling his land, when he caught the scent of fresh blood, and lots of it. He followed it; it was Rin, dead. He used Tensaiga and brought her back to life. She's followed him around ever since. Strangely enough, he allows it, but he's always kept her hidden so she won't become a target. So…now you know Rin," he finished lamely.

So sweet, Kagome couldn't help thinking. She was snapped out of her reverie by the unmistakable sound of swords clashing. She and Inuyasha turned to see Sesshoumaru and Naraku close in on each other, partners in a terrible dance where one mistake could spell their destruction.