InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fallen Samurai ❯ Chapter 24 ( Chapter 25 )

Excuse the delay in the updating of this chapter. My computer has been disconected and taken apart for certain reasons thus the results of such a late update.

The story is reaching its ultimate peak at this very moment, if you hadn't already figured it out, and everything; truth, lies, betrayal, loyalty, love, hate, revenge; will be revealed.

"From the Inside" song by Linkin Park

If you haven't heard the song before please read this story while listening to it. The song is quite fitting.

CHAPTER 24

********************

I don't know who to trust . . no suprise

Sango ran through the thick woods along with Kagome and Miroku. The night was calm and silent, with the full moon above them casting their shadows and other earie ones before them. Everthing was still as death, or as if the God of Time had waved his hand over all, silencing the movement of time. It all made Sango feel numb, as the deafening sound of her heartbeat beat against her ribcage.

It would all begin now, or rather, it would all finally end. The dreaded nightmares of fear and anger would finally subside under her wrath of vengence. Her debts would be repaid, and she could return to her father, brother, and Kirara's graves to assure them that her task had been completed. Their souls could now finally rest in peace, and her own weary soul could do so as well.

They had finally reached a clearing, and in the light of the moon, stood Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. Both unmoving, eyes narrowed. A trickle of blood was already spilling between Inuyasha's bared fangs and down his chin. The tension was clearly visible in his muscles and in his flexed claws as they itched to taste blood. Preferably Sesshoumaru's blood.

Sesshoumaru stood in his usual stoic and deadly stance, as he looked down upon the hanyou whom he held in contempt and utter disgust. When Sango and the others reached a stop before them, she looked at him with a hidden longing. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, and a faint smile that was only meant for her to see was given. He had finally come for her. He was the only one to look at her for who she truly was, despite her imperfections. None of the others knew her. They knew nothing of the agony that hell brought her.

Everyone feels so far away from me

"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed.

"Stay back!" he bit out. He hadn't meant to sound as menacing as he did, but by her reaction of not moving, he knew she understood him.

"What do you want!" Miroku demanded.

Sesshoumaru looked impassively towards him. "My business is no concern of yours, priest."

"When it concerns one of our friends, it does concern us!" Kagome snapped.

"How touching. Exactly what I'd expect a little girl to say. You are naive and that boldness of yours gets you in trouble. You should know that by now. But what will you do when your precious hanyou is killed? Who will then protect you?"

"Shut the hell up you bastard!" Inuyasha barked.

"Your threats don't scare me Sesshoumaru!" Kagome argued. "Inuyasha will always be there for me!"

'How clever', Sango thought, 'He riles their emotions to throw them off their mental balance. It always worked for Inuyasha.'

Heavy thoughts sift through dust and the lies

"Answer my question, demon!" Miroku snapped. "What do you here?"

An earie and sinister smirk gently graced his features. "I came for what is mine."

Kagome clutched at her neck where the Shikon No Tama was tied about a chord. The look of fear crossed her features as the thought of Sesshoumaru mercilessly beheading her just to get at the sacred jewel from about her neck. Sesshoumaru knew her thoughts and outright laughed at her obviousness.

"Little miko, you know what will happen to that precious jewel you clutch to your breast. That jewel belongs in another's hands."

"It will never belong to an evil being like you!" she shouted, trying to hold back the quiver in her voice.

"He never said that it belonged in his hands."

The low chilled voice vibrated about the surrounding forest, and all knew whom that voice belonged to. Kagome's expression changed to horror, but trying to hide it behind a mask of anger. Miroku clenched his teeth, trying to hide his frustration while clutching at his staff which made his knuckles turn white. Sango stood, readying her Hiraikotsu, as she saw a form dressed in white baboon's skin emerge from the shadows.

"So you finally decide to go and show yourself, eh Naraku?" Inuyasha smirked. "I never would have thought that you would have joined up with Sesshoumaru. But oh well, guess I should've known that you two lying bastards would team up."

"Silence, pup. All your ramblings are meaningless to us."

"Tell you what, you hand over that last jewel shard, and I'll do my best to restrain Kagome from purifying you both to hell. How 'bout it? Ya can't ask for a better deal than that!"

"Such arrogance, young pup. The jewel doesn't belong in her possession. We are here to give it to its rightful owner."

"Let me guess, you?"

"Foolish hanyou," Sesshoumaru said. "The jewel isn't what I had claimed to be mine." He finally looked fully in Sango's direction.

Miroku stood aghast and stood between him and his dearest love. He knew that demon would come after her eventually and punish her for leaving the castle. He just knew it! But he wouldn't succeed. No, he would do everything in his holy power to make sure that this blood-thristy demon would not get what his power hungry hands ever so desired to grasp.

"You will never take her!" Miroku shouted.

"I never said I would take her."

Trying not to break but I'm so tired of this deceit

Sesshoumaru outstretched his arm toward her, and without even a glance at the others, walked towards him. Miroku's breath escaped his lungs as he watched Sango willingly step towards the Demon Lord and taking his hand, never once breaking the gaze he held her in.

"She comes to me of her own free will," Sesshoumaru sneered. He could sense the dissapointment and disbelief surround the miko and her two companions like a thick blanket. He smirked inwardly at the reactions that he had received.

"S-Sango. . " Miroku studdered. "How. . .why are-?"

"Silence! She is no longer just Sango. She is Lady of the Western Lands." He paused for effect, just to absorb in the confusion that was marked upon their faces. "My mate."

The intake of breath was immediately heard from Kagome and Miroku. Kagome raised her hands to her open mouth, as they shook with realization that what he said could actually be true. Inuyasha glared angrily at Sango, clearly annoyed that she had come to betray them. Miroku, on the other hand, revealed nothing. The look on his face was unreadable, but the confusion and disbelief was in his eyes. You could see the inner battle he was fighting, trying to convince himself that what Sesshoumaru said was a lie.

"That's not true!" he ground out. "Sango would never do such a thing!"

"How is it that you know what she would and would not do? Since you are clearly in denial why don't you ask the girl yourself?"

Everytime I try to make myself get back up on my feet

Miroku looked hopefully at Sango, who starred at him with her head held high; as if she held superiority over all of them. It was much like the look Sesshoumaru would give as he passed judgement upon those who were worthless to him.

"Sango. ." he said, trying to make his voice not quiver. "It's not true is it? Have you truly betrayed us?"

Sango's eyes narrowed at him. "I never betrayed you. It was you who betrayed me."

"What?!" he exclaimed. "I did no such thing! Open your eyes, Sango!"

"My eyes are opened!" she snapped. "Perhaps it's time you open yours."

Sango's eyes then began to glow as a dark and evil energy was clearly visible as it surrounded her like a veil. Inuyasha, Miroku, and Kagome stood aghast, totally in bewilderment of how such dark power could be radiating off of her.

Miroku, still convinced that this was some sort of trick done to deceive his beloved shouted, "Enough! What sort of spell is this?"

"This is no spell!" came Sango's voice from behind the veil of mist. Her silhouette seemed to change slightly, and the glowing of her eyes turned into a emerald green.

"She's a demon!" Inuyasha snorted.

The mist cleared and Inuyasha's declaration was immediately confirmed. Her once chestnut eyes were now an emerald green. Her human ears had been replaced by two ebony cat ears and a tail of equal color swaying around her. She flexed her claws and gave a smile revealing her fangs.

"No spell. . ." she said, "for this is my true self."

All I ever think about is this, all the tiring time between

"This can't be who you are, Sango!" cried Kagome. "What has happened to you?!"

"I have finally awakened, little miko. I was never human but demon! For the seed of darkness had been planted within me at birth."

"My nose would beg to differ with you, traitor!" Inuyasha spat.

"Your nose wouldn't be able to sniff out your dinner, you fool. Ever heard of the legend of the Demon King? The Gods finally imprisoned him, but he vowed that his seed would return to the surface and claim all. I am the fortold Devil's Child; for I had received it in a vision."

"I know very well the legend," said Miroku. "But I cannot believe that you of all people are the spawn of evil."

"Believe what you want, priest, but I was chosen by fate to carry this awesome power. And with it I will anihilate my enemies."

Sudden realization had struck Miroku's features as he remembered fully the legend that Sango spoke of. "No!" he exclaimed. "You intend to steal the jewel from Kagome and unite the tainted piece you have to undo the purification!"

"What?!" Kagome and Inuyasha exclaimed.

"Sango! Why?" Kagome begged. "Why!?"

"Because legend says that her true power can only be harnessed by the use of the Shikon No Tama. She will use the jewel to become the Goddess of Death herself."

"Very smart, houshi," Sango commented, giving a mocking applause.

"We are not the enemy you wish to destroy, and you know it!"

And how trying to put my trust in you just takes so much out of me

"You know nothing!" she hissed, and with lightning speed she punched Miroku in the gut. "But I guarantee you will know everything before you die."

Miroku hunched over her rock hard fist, coughing up blood, and trying to catch his breath that had been knocked out of him. He fell back into the snow with a thud, and Kagome screamed. She started to rush towards him, but was stopped by Sango's hand.

"You will not move one inch closer to him," she ordered.

"Don't you dare touch her, bitch!" Inuyasha shouted. He charged at Sango but was immediately thrown back by an abrupt slap to his cheek.

"Bad pup. Stay," Sango scolded. "Don't worry, you will have a piece of me once I'm done with the miko."

'She looks so small and terrifyed,' Sango thought. Kagome shook while clutching the jewel tighter, slowly backing away from Sango. This couldn't be happening, she thought, how could Sango betray us? What had happened to the dearest friend she had come to admire for her fighting spirit? What evil has tainted her soul? She just couldn't believe that Sango had chosen to live this life of her own free will. Those demons must have done something to her, like brainwash her.

"Sango please," she begged. "I don't understand. You know that Naraku was the one who killed your family and destroyed your life and . . . and raped you!" Tears began to form in her eyes. "Why! Why have you sided with that monster!"

"I have not sided with him. I don't trust him as I do not trust you, the hanyou, or priest. Think of it as a temporary partnership."

Take everyting from the inside and throw it all away

"But still!" Kagome argued. "To side with the one who was responsible for the pain you suffered?!"

"Naraku was never the one to cause my pain! And what would you know, little miko?" Sango continued to stalk her. "What would you know of my sufferings! You don't know shit about all the hells I've been through!"

Kagome's eyes narrowed. "So does that mean that you will become hell itself for your revenge?"

"If the need may be, yes. Now be a good girl and give me the jewel."

"I said stay away from her, bitch!" Inuyasha hollared. He charged again, but once more was subdued by a blow to the cheek which sent him sprawling into the snow.

"Bad dog," Sango scolded. "I told you to sit and stay."

Inuyasha glared and bared his fangs, viciously. "You lying mother fucker!"

"Words, that's all you have are your meaningless words. Don't worry, I told you I'd give you another command. Play dead." Sango laughed cynically.

"Feh, so, you two are just gonna stand there and let a woman do all the dirty work for you?"

Naraku said nothing while Sesshoumaru's eyes turned to slits. "It is not our battle to be fighting. As much as I would love to rip out your liver and shove it down your bloody, busted mouth, my mate has unfinished business to deal with you."

"Don't call her that you bastard!" Miroku's voice came raucously. "She is not your mate!"

"Oh? And what would you prefer me to call her? My wife? She bears my mark so get over your pathetic bleeding heart."

"Give me the jewel!" Sango ordered.

"No! Please!" Kagome begged.

Sango thrust out her hand and immediately grabbed hold of the jewel around her neck. Kagome gasped in horror as the jewel lost its pure glow and now was glazed with the taint of evil. The last shard was given to her by Naraku, and once the last piece was set in place, the whole jewel turned dark. The surrounding arura was pulsating in waves of evil ki, and Kagome shivered from the sensations she received from it.

"How beautiful," Sango commented as she held the gem in her fingers. "The true power of the Shikon No Tama will soon be released. However, in the meantime..." she gave the jewel for Sesshoumaru to hold. "...it's time to get back to business."

'Cause I swear for the last time I won't trust myself with you

"Inuyasha! It's time to atone for your sins."

"You can't fight her!" Kagome cried. "Inuyasha! You must find a way to bring Sango back!"

"And how the hell am I supposed to do that?!" he snapped.

"There is no way!" Sango shouted. She lunged towards him, fist raised for a mighty blow, but Inuyasha managed to dodge. Sango's mark was now upon the ground, of which the earth shuddered in fear and a crater was where Inuyasha would have been. "Fight me."

"Don't do it!" Kagome insisted.

"If he doesn't, he'll only speed up his death," Sango replied simply. "I want him to suffer for what he did to me."

"I haven't done shit to you!" Inuyasha spat as he dodged and blocked another wave of punches.

"Liar! You've taken everything!" Ki errupted from her palms, making direct contact with her target.

Inuyasha held back a scream, and stood his ground as he removed the tattered top of his haori. He stood, bare chested, but the burns from the attack left their mark upon him.

"It was never Naraku who destroyed my villiage or murdered my family." She raised an accusatory finger at Inuyasha. "It was you!"

"The hell are you trying to pull, wench?!"

"You were the one to kill my family and rape me. But you gave me Naraku's name to throw me off your scent. Well I found you, Inuyasha, and I intend to carry out the revenge I've so meticulously planned for you."

"Inuyasha!?" Kagome gasped. "Was it really you?"

"Of course not! Listen up, Sango. I don't know what's gotten into your head, but I never touched you!"

"Stop your lies, hanyou! I've seen it in a vision, the same vision that gave me the revelation of the Devil's Child. It was your face I saw whose malicious grin tortured me and my family!"

Tension is building inside steadily

Inuyasha then dropped his fighting stance, standing completely upright. "I cannot fight you, Sango."

"Oh? And why not?!"

"Because this battle has absolutely no meaning. You clearly have your priorities mixed up, and your state of mind is disfunctional. So therefore, I have no reason to fight, and niether do you."

Sango had to admit that she wouldn't have expected such a speech from the ill-manered hanyou. She thought him to have such limited vocabulary, strictly to lude comments and threats, and no brain or common sense in that thick skull of his. Apparently, he didn't let off all that he truly seemed.

"This battle has absolutely no meaning?" she asked. "Then perhaps I should give it meaning!!"

Before anyone could breathe, she grasped her Hiraikotsu and hurled it in the air. There was a death defying shrill yell of terror as her weapon hit its mark. Inuyasha stood wide-eyed, completely baffled and horrified at seeing Kagome's body being ripped completely to shreds. Her blood was everywhere, staining the snow, along with her dismembered body parts. Miroku sat back, utterly speechless. How could Sango have done such a thing?

"What. . .what have you done?" Inuyasha asked. "What the fuck have you done you whore!!!"

Everyone feels so far away from me

Inuyasha's fists clenched together in his anger. His own claws pierced at his skin, causing a stream of blood to fall down his arms and spot the snow. His eyes turned into red orbs instead of his golden ones, and he started to snarl as his demon blood boiled in his veins. Sango stood arms crossed, Hiraikotsu placed aside, watching his transformation. At last, he would fight with his full potential so she could humiliate him and put him down to the dirt, like the mut he was. His muscles tightened and buldged, the height of his blood running like a deadly fever.

Kagome was dead. His beloved Kagome was dead. He was starring at her bloody remains and yet he still couldn't believe that she was dead. He never got a chance to tell her that he loved her. Sure he had mentioned it, but he had never truly expressed it from the depths of his soul. He would never know what it would be like to raise pups with her, or hold her in his arms after everynight of lovemaking. He would never hear her whispered words of affection, or her light touches she would give his ears that only she was allowed to touch. No, now this traitorous bitch spoiled all of that, and he wasn't going to let her live to regret that action.

"Die, wench."

"In your dreams, hanyou. But I invite you to come and live the nightmare!"

Both lunged at eachother, gripping at the other's hands and pushing, trying to throw the other off balance. Sango looked into Inuyasha's ruby eyes, the foam rising in his mouth as his barbaric side was slowly consuming him. His brute strength forced her to the ground on her back, but Sango used his own weight to throw him over her head with her feet. Both scrambled to their feet and began a series of punches and kicks. Claws were tearing into limbs, ripping out shreds of clothing and flesh. The snow beneath them was crimson, their blood mingling in it.

Miroku sat there, still winded from the harsh blow he had received, onlooking the unbelievable turn of events. His Sango. . . his beloved Sango had turned away from him. How? How could this be? Since she was kidnapped to Sesshoumaru's castle, he filled her head with all these disgusting thoughts and seduced her into becoming his mate. He scolded himself for not being able to do more to reach her in time before it was too late. Did he even have her heart from the beginning when they first met? Was she conspiring with Sesshoumaru before she came to be with them? No, he thought, she was in love with you as much as you are with her. The first kiss they shared was proof of that. He looked towards the bloodied parts of Kagome's body and cringed as he turned back to the fight. With tears in his eyes, he raised his right hand, and undid the prayer beads that concealed his wind tunnel.

"Forgive me, my love," he whispered. "But I cannot bear to see you in such a horrible condition."

Heavy thoughts forcing their way out of me

Sango threw another punch at Inuyasha which landed square in the jaw, causing the river of blood to increase that ran down his mouth. His fangs were still visible through his busted lips, but he showed absolutely no signs of backing down. She was about to launch another attack, when she notice the wind switch directions. All looked to find Miroku with his wind tunnel released.

"NOOO!!" Sango shrieked, trying to withstand the pull that was tugging at her. Inuyasha growled and began to push her in the direction of the black hole.

However, a number of shadows appeared behind Naraku, buzzing ferociously. They all flew in the direction of Miroku's wind tunnel, and he cried out in agony as the poisoned bees ran through his hand. It took all his strength to close the tunnel before anymore could enter into him, and when he succeeded, he knelt on his knees, clutching his hand in anguish. He could feel the poison through his veins, eating at him like acid.

The abrupt stop of the wind caused Sango to loose her balance and fall on her back. She looked up on hearing Inuyasha's deathly and mournful cry as he dove for her, but she swiftly unsheathed her sword and ran it through his stomach. Inuyasha stopped, and paled as he looked down at the blade the ran through his abdomen. Sango hissed at him and jabbed it in further, the blade exiting out his back. She quickly withdrew the blade and stood up, Inuyasha now kneeling on the ground, trying to cover the wound that spilled blood through his hands.

Sango held up her hand and a ball of ki hovered over his head. "Go to hell, filthy half-breed."

Inuyasha's last act of retaliation was spitting a mouthful of blood at her, before the ki exploded at point blank. The smell of burned skin and sulfer filled the air, and Inuyasha's disfigured and burnt corpse lay at her feet. She then turned to Miroku, who stood wide eyed in fright at the sight he still couldn't believe he was beholding.

"Why'd you release your wind tunnel, houshi?" Sango asked.

"Because I love you."

Sango laughed.

"It's true. I can't bear to see you like this, my love. This agony is worse than the torture that haunts your nightmares."

"So you try to relieve me of my pain?"

"Sango, I have told you many times that I love you. Tell me now, how many times has Sesshoumaru told you that?"

"What?!" she snapped.

"If he is your mate, than surely he has admitted his love for you. How many times has he told you so?"

"You tread on dangerous ground, priest!"

"Answer the question."

The sound of laughter resonated throughout them, and all turned to see Naraku's figure convulsing with laughter.

Trying not to break but I'm so tired of this deceit

Everytime I try to make myself get back up on my feet

Sango glared angrily at the interruption. "Why do you laugh, Naraku!?"

"I'm laughing at you," he replied maliciously. "The poor little human girl was was easily tricked and manipulated by evil's hands."

"Tell me something I don't know," she hissed, glancing at Miroku. "I've learned of your treachery long before I made my choice to become all powerful."

"I have never betrayed you, my love."

"Stop calling me that!!!" Her tail whipped around her, slashing Miroku's cheek. He cringed in pain, as he brought a hand slightly to the open, bleeding wound. "I once gave you all of my love, but you decided to gamble with it. I should have known from the very beginning that a lecher could never change his ways, he will always be a lecher."

"Sango, I have no idea what you're talking about! I never betrayed you!"

"Liar!" she exclaimed, punching him on his open wound on his cheek. "I saw you! On the hill with that woman. You held her in your arms and smiled so lovingly at her. So you thought that you'd be able to have a whore to keep you company, is that it? All your declarations of true love were nothing but lies! Lies all of it! Well I refuse to be mocked and used anymore!"

Miroku's eyes teared. "S-Sango...I never did such a thing to you."

"Save it for Judgement Day, priest. You'll pay for your sins once I send you to meet your maker. Although, from the looks of your hand and those bees, I won't have to waste my energy on you."

All I ever think about is this, all the tiring time between

And how trying to put my trust in you just takes so much out of me

Naraku's laugh rang out once again, baffling Sango, Miroku, as well as Sesshoumaru. The Demon Lord looked suspiciously at him, trying to read out his actions. As much as he himself was enjoying this display of power and ruthlessness by his mate, he didn't imagine that Naraku would outright laugh because of it. But something struck him that said that he wasn't laughing at the entertainment. What role in the performance was Naraku playing?

"Silence you ruffian!" Sango ordered. "What do you find so amusing this time?!"

"As I said before; you. I wasn't referring to that priest, hanyou, or the miko when I said you were being manipulated by the hands of evil, my dear."

"What?! What the hell are you talking about!"

"I'm talking about the fact that you have been fighting an endless battle, with yourself. Where everything that you do in this lifetime is useless and meaningless, for you are but a pawn in everything."

"Hold your tounge!"

Sesshoumaru growled. "What is the meaning of this Naraku!? Your pathetic riddles aren't needed now!" He then realized what Naraku was getting at. No! He couldn't! What a fool he'd be if he told her the truth!

"Hold your own tounge," Naraku snapped, "and just listen. Your precious priest speaks the truth to you, my dear. He never betrayed you. He spent days upon sleepless nights trying to find you, trying to reach his beloved whom he'd give his life for."

"I have no time for your games, Naraku!" Sango hissed.

"Naraku, I'd advise you to be silent," Sesshoumaru growled.

Take everything from the inside and throw it all away

"The figure whom you saw on the emerald hill, holding that woman you saw. That was never your dear priest, child. It was I in a disguise to fool you."

"I don't believe you!"

"Don't you? Why don't you ask your Lord Sesshoumaru, My Lady, for he knew of the plan the whole time."

"Enough, Naraku!" Sesshoumaru shouted. He advanced upon Naraku, but was abruptly stopped by none other than Sango. "Sango! Move!"

"Let him speak."

"I will not allow him to speak anymore lies!"

"If he speaks nothing but lies, and you are completely in truth, then you have nothing to fear, my lord. But for some reason my instincts tell me that I'm wrong, for I see a hidden fear behind your lovely eyes."

"Sango..."

"Let. Him. Speak."

"Why, thank you milady. You are too kind." Naraku bowed in mock gratitude. "You see, it was all part of our great plan to obtain the Shikon No Tama, but we needed a strong warrior to infiltrate our enemy. And then you came into play, demon huntress. Lord Sesshoumaru had to make it look convincing that your dear priest had betrayed you in order for you to come cooperate with us."

"That's enough!!!" Sesshoumaru ordered.

"SILENCE!!!" Sango hissed.

"And then when we found out that you were actually the foretold Devil's Child," Naraku continued, "well, that was just an added bonus for us. You served your purpose quite well for us my dear. You murdered your friends mercilessly, all quite innocent, actually. The miko's intentions to purify the Shikon Jewel were in fact pure. The houshi never betrayed you, and to this moment is in love with you, and Inuyasha. . . he never was the one who killed your family and raped you. It truly was I who haunted your dreams."

"What?!" Sango gasped.

"It's true. When I found out that Lord Sesshoumaru had intentions of revealing your past, well, I couldn't have you remember it was I who mutilated you. So naturally I inserted my own potion to erase that memory and substitue it for something for more in my favor."

Sesshoumaru's eyes went wide. He remembered that night when he had unleashed Sango's memory. After the spell he cast and left her room, he found Naraku soon after that, twidling a vile between his fingers. Sesshoumaru clenched his fists, he messed with the potion he created, and he knew that if he hadn't, Naraku's ugly face would have appeared instead of Inuyasha's. It made sense now.

"So that's why you were trying to kill Sango, the first day she was able to walk about the castle," Sesshoumaru said. "You recognized her and the threat she brought to you if she remembered you and what you did to her. That's why you were always so quick to be rid of her, and why a glaze of fear was hidden behind your eyes."

Naraku turned his head slightly at the Demon Lord's direction. "You catch on quick." He then turned his attention back to Sango. "So you see, milady, you were a pawn from the very beginning. Now that we have no use for you, you are no longer needed. However I am willing to make negotiations."

'Cause I swear for the last time I won't trust myself with you

"It's true. . .isn't it?" Sango asked, dumbfounded. "You used me from the beginning, Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru couldn't lie to her. "It is true, but I swear it was only that way at the beginning. As time went on, my desire for you to be merely a pawn disapated. I truly wanted you to become my mate."

Sango clumsily backed away from him. "I don't believe you."

"Sango it's the truth!"

"Apart from what, Sesshoumaru!? From all the lies that you've made to me from the beginning???!!! I don't know what to believe anymore! I don't believe you, or you," as she indicated to Miroku, "and no way in hell did I ever trust you," she said to Naraku. "I refuse to be toyed with anymore!!!"

Sesshoumaru and Miroku called to her, trying to win her back from her troubles, but Sango couldn't hear any of it. She stared at her hands, the hands that she didn't even recognize anymore. She had just killed two of her best friends without reason, in cold blood, and now Miroku was dying as well. She had been deceived this whole time. Miroku's words sprang back into her mind. How many times did Sesshoumaru tell her he loved her?? He never did. Miroku on the other hand did.

In complete anger, anguish, and bitter disapointment, she clenched her fists together, and let out a shrill yell that matched all those emotions. The betrayal that she felt in her heart grew into more vengence and hatred, and her yell became different. She knew the change. The change that had her once again surrounded by a dark, flamed ki, of which her eyes turned dark once more. Her ki intensifyed, while she rose two feet off the ground, and Sesshoumaru was shocked when the Shikon No Tama left his hands and hovered just before Sango's head. With such precision, the jewel inserted itself into her forehead. The gem turned completely black, and an explosion that shook the very earth errupted, causing all to brace themselves.

When the dark cloud that had formed disapated, all saw Sango completely different from the form she had before. Her hair was down, and considerably longer. Her skin was whiter, glowing like starshine in the moonlight. Her very eyes were black, with the exception of her red irises. Her attire consited of a tight fitted black dress, low v-neckline, and long sleeves which seemed to have a red flame spilling from their ends. Her nails were exceptionally longer, crimson red, poison dripping off the tips like blood. A red sash fitted her waist like liquid fire, the rest of the dress coming to her ankles with slits high to the thigh. Her red slippers gently touched the snow beneath them, causing steem to rise. And the Shikon No Tama still was like a black onyx on her forehead, with a dark green flame roaring inside it.

I won't waste myself on you!!!

Despite all the rage that was brimming off like the power she created, she knew only one thing. Sesshoumaru and Naraku had betrayed her, and thus needed to die. Without a word she sent a spiral of flames at Sesshoumaru, which he couldn't even deflect if he tried. It sent him barreling into the trees, but not before she saw the large hole in his chest and abdomen that the flames left him with. She would leave him to die in the forest, slowly bleeding to death while she took care of Naraku.

Naraku's hood had fallen away when the first wave of negative ki had errupted from her, and she could now see the look of terror that was marked on his features. Afraid was he? Terrified? She hadn't even begun to show him the true nature of fear.

"I have finally awakened, thanks to you," she said in a voice not her own. "You didn't think that I'd be able to harness this much amount of power on my own did you? Well you should've had expected as such from the Devil's Child."

With a raise of her hand the ground shook, and from beneath the snow came forth a stone slab which rose up behind Naraku. Before he could even react to escape, vines whipped out, each with large thorns, grabbing hold of his arms and legs, bringing his back harshly against the cold stone slab. He held back a yell from the pain he felt, but Sango didn't mind it. He was about to endure much worse.

"Dear, foolish, Naraku," she fussed. "I hope you are comfortable, because now, my revenge will commence."

A small portal appeared next to her outstretched hand, and she reached in, pulling out a whip. It was made of leather, with sharp, jagged teeth, dripping with acid. She snapped the whip in the air, before making contact directly with Naraku. The teeth of the whip sank deep into his flesh, but she didn't withdraw right away. She let it sit there, enjoying the agonizing scream he gave her as the acid ate away at him. After a few seconds she whipped it back, the teeth ripping out pieces of his very flesh. It went on like that for a long time, until there was a pool of blood before Naraku's feet, sinking beneath the snow. Sango put away her whip.

"You know, Naraku," she said, enjoying the defeated silence she received from him. "I want you to know exactly how I felt all those fifty years ago when you took what was mine." She formed a katana this time, also dripped with acid and held it to his cheek. "I couldn't run, for fear paralyzed me to do anything."

She swiftly cut off his feet at the ankles.

"My hands. . . they were incapable of inflicting the damage I wanted to do upon you for killing my family!"

She likewise severed his hands from the wrists.

"The sights I saw made me want to be blind. No one should witness the murder of their own family. No one should have to be subjected to see the things that I have seen!"

She jabbed the end of the katana into his eyeballs one by one, letting the acid sit in his sockets before she pulled them out. She dropped them to the ground and stepped on both of them, the ooze spilling out from beneath her shoes.

Waste myself on you!!!

"I couldn't speak anything but cries of sorrow and pain. For your filthy tounge was shoved down my throat many times, and inflicted emotional wounds apon my soul."

She forced his mouth open, and dripped the acid onto his tounge, until it finally shriveled up into nothing on the ground.

"And then something was taken from within me, that you had absolutely no right to take! But I will make sure of it, that you never are able to do so again!"

And likewise, as she had done before to his tounge, she dripped the acid onto his groin. The howl of anguish was even greater, now that it came from a muted mouth. Once the deed was finally done, and his cries had subsided a bit, she went to speak in his ear.

"But you want to know something? Despite all these incapabilities, I was still able to hear. I heard every word that was said, every cry I made, and every hideous laughter you ensued to place upon my perfect ears. And that's the way I shall leave you. Only this time it will by my malicious laughter that will ring in your ears, and your own cries of turmoil that will put you wallowing in complete anguish."

She rose her hand again, and this time, a gate formed itself before Naraku. It opened, and suddenly the surrounding area was engulfed by intense heat. Flames licked out from the entrance, begging to wrap its firery hold upon a victim. The stone slab rose and began to pass through the gates that led to hell, Naraku's cries never ceasing as he sensed what was to befall him.

"See you in hell, bastard," she spat. With that said, he was flung into the enternal abyss of fire and sulfer. To remain for an eternity howling in his anguish.

I take everything from the inside

And throw it all away

'Cause I swear for the last time

I won't trust myself with you.

**********

Completely unexpected. Catch you offguard did it? Well, this story isn't over yet. Watch for the next chapter.

~*~Lady Pheonix~*~