InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Remnants of the Spider ❯ So it Begins ( Chapter 9 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Lady Sianna 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama / Adventure / Action | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 10.15.2009 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.6K | Visits: 312 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama / Adventure / Action | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 10.15.2009 | Pages: 3 | Words: 5.6K | Visits: 312 | Status: Work In Progress
Remnants of the Spider
So It Begins
A/N: This chapter contains spoiler information, from the magna, chapter 518. It is well past the anime, and it also explains why Sesshoumaru now has two arms.
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Standing now, the man gulped down a few more deep breaths before he turned to the hanyou. “I… have come to… to warn you. N-Naraku… has been… seen in the area.”
As soon as the words passed through the man’s lips, a thick tension filled the air. Inuyasha and Kagome exchanged a worried look. Naraku was near the village? This was not good. “My bow!” Kagome exclaimed suddenly, before she whirled around and took off toward Kaede’s.
“Kagome!” the hanyou called after her, but she did not turn to respond. Suddenly a powerful demonic aura penetrated the air around them. Its oppressive weight threatening to steal the air from their very lungs. The malevolent energy crackled against theirs senses, instantly causing the inu brothers to tense in anticipation. The hanyou was on the verge of going after Kagome, when a dark chuckle rang through the air. “Damn it.” he murmured. That girl was too impulsive for her own good. What was she thinking to run off on her own like that? He threw an anxious glance in the direction she had gone, hoping she would make it back without incident. He then quickly turned back toward the sound of Naraku’s voice, as he drew Tetsuaiga from its sheath. “Show yourself, you bastard!”
“Ah-Un.” Sesshoumaru’s calm smooth voice broke into the eerie silence.
Knowing what the demon lord wished of it, the dragon shuffled slightly to alert the girl of its impending take off. Rin quickly grabbed the thick leather reins, giving a slight tug to show that she understood. She turned her large brown eyes to the daiyoukai, before the beast could take off. “Be careful my lord.” she told him quietly, knowing his advanced hearing would pick up her words. And then, the dragon pushed off the ground, quickly disappearing into the night sky.
As the time drew out, the elderly male began looking around nervously. His eyes darted from left, to right and back again as he considered his best rout to escape. Just as he thought to make a break for it, the man found himself flying through the air. His breath was violently expelled from his lungs as he crashed roughly against a large elm tree.
Inuyasha tensed, his fingers reflexively tightening on his weapon, as he watched the old man slide down the tree‘s rough bark. He landed in a crumpled heap in the nearby grass. Apparently, the old guy had lost consciousness, for he made no move to right himself. Within seconds of the attack, Inuyasha was darting toward the old man. He quickly severed the tentacle that had swatted the human, before turning his attention in the direction from which the disgusting appendage came.
“Damn it Naraku! Show yourself you coward!!”
Another dark chuckle rang through the air. “Impatient for my arrival?” he purred, his voice coming out in a deceptively silky drawl. “Then I shall not keep you waiting.”
The moment Naraku finished speaking, a thick blanket of miasma poured into the area. It spread quickly, billowing across the ground in all directions, like rippling waves of black water. At the same time on the other side of the clearing, a hoard of serpentine, and other minor demons emerged in the area, together with the dark hanyou himself. The demons remained at his side moving around him anxiously, as he turned his attention to Inuyasha.
“Where is the miko, Kagome?” he demanded icily. “She is the one who keeps the jewel shards is she not?”
The hanyou’s eyes flashed with anger. “As if I’d ever tell you where she is! And, you’re not getting our jewel shards, you bastard!”
Unperturbed over Inuyasha’s words, Naraku continued to speak calmly. “I am not in as patient a mood as I have been in previous encounters. I will complete the Shikon jewel this night one way or the other. If the woman surrenders the shards to me, I will allow all of you to leave here with your lives.”
His eyes beginning to burn from the miasma, Inuyasha growled low in his throat. Before he could respond however, a bright flare at the edge of the clearing managed to draw his attention. “I’d never give the shards to you!” Kagome proclaimed vehemently. Already, she had loosed an arrow, sending a powerful blast of purification power toward the dark hanyou. As it made its way toward him, it cleansed much of the air, by purifying the miasma.
His malevolent crimson eyes shifted in her direction, and he watched the projectile as it sped toward him. Just before the arrow was close enough to do any damage, his powerful red barrier formed around him. The arrow penetrated the barrier, but its power was sheared off, and its course was altered. Her pink energy rippled across the swirling red surface of his barrier, before dissipating slowly into the air. The arrow whizzed past his face. Missing him by mere inches, before landing harmlessly on the ground a few yards away.
An evil smirk tugged onto his lips, as the full weight of his glare landed on her. “You will live to regret that.” he told her. And then with a careless gesture of his right hand, the demons were released. They spread out across the small clearing, at heart stopping speeds. Sango and Miroku, who had arrived just after Kagome, readied themselves to fight. Kirara leaped down from the slayer’s shoulder, immediately transforming into her battle form.
The sound of metal singing against metal signaled that Sesshoumaru had drawn Bakusaiga from its sheath. He immediately focused his attention on the wretched hanyou, but just as he darted forward, a large swarm of demons blocked his path. His blade tore through the air, dispatching the demons instantly. Unfortunately, once they were gone, Naraku had changed his position, and a new swarm of demons replaced the ones that had been destroyed.
Across the small clearing, chaos had ensued, demons were everywhere, and the small group consisting of Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Kagome and Sesshoumaru, were completely surrounded.
The sounds of growling demons filled the clearing, and the night air lit again and again as Kagome’s arrows tore through the sky. The miko had been in battle like this many times before, but something felt different about this one. Her heart was drumming in her chest, as a powerful sense of uncertainty settled into the pit of her belly. Naraku was serious this time. She could feel it. He had the nearly completed Shikon jewel, and he was intent on completing it tonight.
She had initially considered the fact that this might be another of his stupid puppets, but the fact that the nearly whole Shikon jewel was buried in his chest, beneath a thick plate of armor, made her strongly reconsider. The hanyou had never entrusted a puppet with more than a few shards.
All around her, she could hear the sounds of battle; demons crying out in pain, Inuyasha’s muted battle cries, Kirara, hissing, and growling angrily, Sango‘s boomerang, and even Miroku‘s sutras whizzing through the air. Strangely she heard no sound from Sesshoumaru. She could see him on the other side of the clearing, and though he appeared as calm as ever, she could feel his youki rising in anger.
Due in large part to her arrows, the constantly flowing miasma was kept down to a manageable level allowing herself, and her friends to breathe. Even still Naraku seemed more determined than ever. Both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were obliterating his demons and his appendages by the dozens. Unfortunately, for each tentacle or demon that was destroyed, there seemed to be ten to replace it. The spider hanyou was effectively keeping them all at bay, without so much as lifting a finger.
“You have no chance of defeating me,” Naraku taunted to all of them in general. “Surrender the shards, or I will destroy you all!”
“Shut the hell up, you bastard!” Inuyasha retorted, as he turned to him fully. “You won’t sound so confident, once I destroy that barrier of yours!”
Naraku smirked. “Just try it.”
“You don’t have to tell me!”
Using another Wind Scar attack, the hanyou cleared a path to Naraku. He darted forward as his blade changed from silver to fiery red. Before the demons could surround him again, Tetsuaiga tore through the air in a horizontal arc. The red barrier destroying power, together with the Wind Scar ripped through several stray demons before crashing uselessly against Naraku’s barrier. The surface of the orb-shaped enclosure barely wavered as Inuyasha’s power connected, and dissipated across the surface.
Inuyasha didn’t even have time to gasp in surprise before one of Naraku’s tentacles crashed violently against his chest. He cried out in pain and rage as he flew through the cool night air. A loud crack resonated through the clearing and into the surrounding woods as Inuyasha’s back smacked against a large tree. Kagome gasped in horror as the hanyou slumped lifelessly to the ground.
Before Naraku could launch another attack against her friend, Sesshoumaru leaped into his path. He again used Bakusaiga, to destroy every tentacle in his immediate vicinity, before he darted toward the spider hanyou. His features set in cold steel, the demon lord’s unforgiving orbs focused on his target.
A smirk on his lips, Naraku turned his head slightly, immediately noticing the white blur that was headed for him. He released an enormous cloud of miasma in Sesshoumaru’s direction, before lifting himself from the ground. The poison would not affect the inu lord, but it would be enough to buy some time, and cover his escape.
Sesshoumaru found himself in complete darkness, as the black cloud of gas surrounded him. The miasma spread around him for a moment before he pushed himself off the ground. He was unaffected by the poison, but he could not afford to be blinded even for a moment. He flipped through the air, landing several yards away. Naraku was now floating just above the tree tops, and chuckling down on them.
Sesshoumaru fixed him with a hard glare. “I tire of your games, wretched half-demon. Although I should not have expected one such as yourself to fight with honor.” he spat, as he prepared for another attack.
“Ah, but you are mistaken. This is no game, and your useless sentiment of honor is meaningless to me. Power is all that matters. How it is obtained is of no consequence.” he retorted, mild amusement lining his voice. “I came here for the jewel shards, and I will not leave here without them.”
As soon as he was finished speaking, a powerful wave of youki emitted from his person, spreading across the entire area. Before Sesshoumaru could decipher what it meant, he heard the trees crashing behind him, and felt the ground shaking violently as if from heavy footfalls. Moving on instinct alone, the inu lord pushed himself from the ground. He somersaulted through the air, landing near the now conscious Inuyasha, and facing the direction he had just departed.
He had not seen the attack, but he had just barely avoided having his head ripped off by an enormous oni. The creature seemed to have materialized from thin air, its imposing form standing a few yards away. The creature’s black body did little to distinguish it against the dark shadows and trees. It stood at least twenty feet tall, and its body was both muscular and lean. The creature’s arms were disproportionately long, hanging nearly to the ground. Each of its giant hands was tipped with long lethal claws. For a moment the oni just stood there, it’s yellow eyes glowing eerily in the dark. It roared suddenly, showing its razor sharp teeth before it darted forward.
Barely suppressing his surprise, Sesshoumaru leaped away from the creature. It was deceptively fast for its large size. The beast had swiped first at him, and then at Inuyasha. He himself, had just barely managed to dodge the attack, but his brother had not been so fortunate. The half demon had tried to retreat, but was not quite quick enough. The creature’s claws tore into Inuyasha’s right side, slicing easily through his fire rat haori and into the flesh beneath. Blood burst from the wound spilling onto the grass, as the hanyou went careening through the air. The half demon cried, out as searing pain ripped through his body.
He landed several yards away, managing a crouched position, but before he could rise to his feet, a powerful snakelike creature wrapped itself around him. The demon looped several coils around the hanyou’s body, its sharp spines piercing his clothes and biting into his skin.
His attention focused on the oni, Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, as he prepared to attack. The creature growled at him again, as the daiyoukai used Bakusaiga’s power against it. The destructive energy exploded from the sword, its coarse accurately aimed at the disgusting creature.
Sesshoumaru’s attack destroyed many demons along the way, but as it made contact with the oni, the blue energy seemed to wrap around it in a swirling caress. Instead of ripping the beast to shreds, the demonic power absorbed harmlessly into the oni’s skin. When the light dissipated, the demon lord was shocked to see that the oni remained as it was, without so much as a single mark upon its black flesh. More than that, his power actually seemed to strengthen the creature, as it’s youki instantly became more pronounced. To his utmost displeasure, Sesshoumaru found this development to be mildly alarming. Bakusaiga was his most powerful weapon, but to use it against this creature was to ensure his own death.
“Ku, ku, ku! Lord Sesshoumaru, not even you can destroy that oni.” Naraku taunted darkly. That demon is made from pure youki. It has no physical body that can be injured, and if you or Inuyasha use your swords against it, its powers will only increase.”
Sesshoumaru growled under his breath as he dodged a lethal attack that nearly tore through his midsection. For the first time in as long as he could remember, he was at loss for what to do. How could he destroy a creature that was made from pure youki?
Seeing that both inus were sufficiently occupied, Naraku set his focus on Kagome. It was time to complete his jewel. He threw a long leathery tentacle toward her, fully intending to snatch her up. The miko was distracted by the other demons, and her friends were too far away to help. She would not get away this time!
“Oh no you don’t! Wind Scar!!!”
The half demon’s sword swung forcefully through the air destroying dozens of demons, before severing Naraku’s tentacle.
The spider hanyou scowled. When had Inuyasha escaped?! Annoyed for the first time during this battle, Naraku effortlessly generated more tentacles. They burst from his back passing through his barrier to attack the half demon who dared to interrupt his plans. The two tentacles that were wriggling their way toward Kagome did not go unnoticed. Inuyasha growled in anger, knowing what the bastard was up to, but being able to do little about it. The coward was just trying to by time so he could capture Kagome. The hanyou fought off the onslaught, slashing his way through the squid like projections while still keeping an eye on the young miko. She had just destroyed a large cloud of demons with her arrow, and was now loading a new one.
“Kagome!” he called out to the distracted girl. She fired her arrow, and turned just in time to see a large tentacle headed her way. A small shriek of surprise sounded from her, but she managed to recover quickly. She knew she wouldn’t have time to fire another arrow, so she merely waited as the disgusting appendage drew closer. As soon as it was close enough, she swung her bow as hard as she could. Infused with her sacred power, the weapon severed the tentacle like a sharpened blade. The part that was torn away was scattered to the ground in a small pile of glittering ash.
Unfortunately, before she could decide what to do next, another tentacle was upon her. Her breath was expelled in a rush, as it snaked tightly around her waist. She grunted through gritted teeth, as Naraku lifted her from the ground. She immediately began to struggle, and squirm in a vain attempt to escape. A mild sense of panic swept through her body. She was so high off the ground! She knew she had to get away; she could not let him get the shards. Her mind raced as she considered her options, but really, she knew that there was only one. She would have to purify the tentacle, but then she’d plummet to the ground. She doubted she could survive a fall from this height!
Now, he was slowly pulling her closer. With a smirk on his lips, he took his time, assured of his victory, and enjoying the mild waves of fear that he could feel emanating from her.
Even in the dark, Kagome was able to make out the hanyou’s malevolent grin. Though she was still somewhat afraid, her fear was quickly overshadowed by anger. She renewed her struggle, and managed to free her left hand of the coils that were still tightly wrapped around her. She grabbed onto the tentacle, digging her fingers into the tough flesh. With gritted teeth, and a silent prayer that someone would catch her, Kagome allowed her powers to flow to her hand. The appendage was instantly purified into dust, and she found herself tumbling toward the ground.
Over the sound of her racing heart, she was barely able to make out the sounds around her. From seemingly far away, she could here Naraku chuckling. She could hear Inuyasha screaming her name. She could hear…
“Kirara!!”
Kagome shut her eyes tight, as the ground drew dangerously close. Just when she thought her fate was sealed, the cat was beneath her. The wind was forced violently from her lungs as her stomach came into sharp contact with Kirara’s back. She grunted in pain as she grabbed onto the cat’s fur, ensuring that she did not slide off.
The miko swallowed hard, forcing herself to ignore her pain, and pulled herself up to sit on Kirara’s back. She shook her head slightly to rid of the mild dizziness that had swept over her, before breathing small a sigh of relief. She was a little disoriented, and her ribs hurt like hell, but at least she was still alive. Apparently, Sango had seen her falling, and sent the fire cat to save her.
Fortunately she had not dropped her bow during her fall. She tightened her grip on the weapon as she reached back to retrieve an arrow. They had to destroy Naraku’s barrier. That was the only way. Once they did that, they would have little trouble defeating him. Although she knew the first shot didn’t seem to have done anything, she had learned that sometimes it took more than one try for an opponent such as he. She loaded the arrow, and drew back on the string.
It was rather difficult at the moment, but Kagome knew she needed to concentrate. It was taking an immense effort just to stay balanced, as Kirara was forced to weave between demons, and dodge the occasional attack from Naraku. She aimed her weapon at roughly the same spot she had hit before, as she called forth her powers.
‘Hit the mark.’ she prayed silently, as she relaxed her fingers, and released the arrow. It flared to life instantly, it’s luminescent pink energy purifying both demons and miasma as it made its way to its intended target.
The hanyou didn’t even bother trying to move from the arrow’s path. So confident was he in the strength of his barrier that he merely smirked, and watched with minimal interest as the projectile made its rapid approach. Kagome watched as the arrow pierced through the barrier once again. Its power was sheared off just like before, and the arrow cast away from him, landing several feet away. Her shoulders slumped slightly, but just as she sighed in defeat, she noticed something that she had not seen before.
It was almost unnoticeable. Had she not remembered where she fired the arrow, she might have missed it entirely. It was a… bruise? There was a small patch of his barrier, right there, in the exact spot where her arrow had hit, where the color was slightly different. Had it become a weak spot?
Kagome narrowed her eyes in determination; a glimmer of hope causing her heart to skip a beat. There was only one way to find out! She quickly loaded another arrow, but just as she was about to fire, a fierce growl drew her attention. She looked down to the ground below, attempting to find the source of such a fearsome sound.
Sango was still using her boomerang to fight off the many demons surrounding her. Miroku had his back to the demon slayer‘s, and was using his sutras, and occasionally his staff as his weapons of choice. There were saimyoushou about, so using his Wind Tunnel was out of the question.
Inuyasha was fighting fiercely. Tetsuaiga was all but a blur, its endless series of horizontal and vertical arcs leaving short beams of light to mark its path. Both demons and tentacles were ruthlessly slashed away, spilling blood to the ground in torrents.
As far away as she was, Kagome could tell that Inuyasha was more determined than ever. He was sporting several wounds and even from her lofty position she could see a large blood stain on his right side. Still, he showed no signs of giving up.
What had made that sound? She hadn’t seen anything. Then, just as she was about to turn her attention back to Naraku, she heard another ear shattering growl. Her head snapped to the opposite side of the clearing, where she saw a white blur flying through the air. It took a moment for her to recognize the figure as being Sesshoumaru. She watched in horror, as the demon lord plummeted to the ground before skidding to a halt. She immediately noticed that his clothing was tattered and bloodied in several places and that his armor had been all but destroyed. What could have happened to him?!
Then, she saw something speeding toward him. Something that was as black as the night itself, and she knew that had it not been moving, she would never have seen it at all.
A light grunt escaped Sesshoumaru’s lips, as his back made sharp contact with the ground. This creature was unlike anything he had ever faced before. The oni’s speed easily rivaled his own. It was immensely powerful, and impervious to any of his attacks. It had taken all of his strength and skill to even avoid the creature’s attacks, and he still had not escaped unscathed.
As he skidded to a stop, he felt the air rush from his lungs. But now was not the time to rest. He had to get up. NOW! The heavy tremors from the ground beneath him told him that the oni was very close. To his great displeasure, the time to right himself passed far too quickly. Before he could move, an oversized claw came down hard against his midsection, holding him fast to the ground. His golden orbs moved to look up at the demon above him. With impassive features, he glared into the creatures eyes. The oni’s free arm was reared far back, its deadly claws gleaming with malice as the beast prepared to administer the killing blow.
“NOOOOO!!!!!”
Both the demon lord and the oni looked up just in time to see a bright pink projectile blurring through the air. The beast roared again, as it attempted to swat the arrow away. It connected with the creature’s claw, and it reared its head back to cry out in pain. A creature such as he stood no chance against the purification powers of such a powerful miko. With a silent, but intense explosion, the oni was consumed completely. Not even ash remained in the spot where the creature had once stood.
On the other side of the clearing Naraku was just now discovering the weak spot in his barrier that Kagome had created only moments before. He noticed that she was again aiming an arrow at him. It was time to end this.
Making his first real move, Naraku darted forward. One of his squid like projections flew toward Kagome so quickly; she did not have time to react. Kirara was violently knocked from under her, and she found herself flying through the air once again. This time, she did drop her bow.
Her heart was racing, as the ground drew ever closer. Unfortunately, it was Naraku who caught her this time. Before she even knew what had happened, the miko found herself staring into a pair of malevolent crimson orbs. He had brought her into his barrier, and was glaring down on her.
“Let go of me!” she shrieked as she bucked and thrashed trying to escape his grasp.
“In due time.” he told her in a quiet drawl, his eyes scanning over her. Kagome shuddered in disgust as the hanyou wrapped an arm tightly around her waist, trapping her arms at her sides. The hanyou made quick work of finding the thin necklace from which a small bottle hung. He gave her a look which would have been almost seductive, had the situation been different, and he not been evil incarnate.
Naraku hooked a single finger beneath the chain, taking the extra time to stroke her delicate skin. He pulled the necklace from beneath the collar of her shirt, to discover that as he suspected, the shards were contained in the small bottle. He quickly ripped it away, before carelessly casting the miko to the ground.
Kagome flew a short distance away, landing in disgusting blood soaked grass. She slid to a stop, her left leg grazing over something smooth and hard. Fortunately, she had not been very high off the ground when he threw her, but the miko still managed to hurt her leg. When she looked down to see what had caused her injury, she was pleasantly surprised to find that it was her own bow. She scrambled to her feet, quickly retrieving her bow as she did so. “He’s got the shards!!”
Already, Naraku was removing the shards from the bottle, apparently preparing to complete the Shikon jewel right here and now. She had to stop him! Quickly looking around her, Kagome’s mind raced to come up with a plan. She knew the key to defeating him; lie in that weak spot on his barrier.
Suddenly, it hit her like a ton of bricks.
“Miroku!”
The miko ran as fast as her legs could carry her, dodging stray demons as she made her way to the monk. She skidded to a stop next to Miroku. He had just used his staff to finish off a large rat demon, before he turned a bewildered look upon her.
“He’s got the shards!” she told him urgently. “Quick, give me one of your sutras!”
Though the monk was slightly confused about her request, he gave her the thin slip of paper without question. Kagome immediately pulled an arrow from her quiver. Working quickly, but carefully, she tied the sutra around her arrow. Somehow she managed not to tear the slightly brittle paper in her haste to secure it. She thanked her friend quickly, before she was on the move again. Seeing the direction in the miko had gone Miroku felt the beginnings of panic. What was she trying to do?!
As for Kagome, time seemed to slow down. Everything up to this point seemed to have happened so quickly, but now it seemed like things were moving in slow motion. At the edge of her hearing, she heard her friends calling out to her. She could still smell the lingering stench of Naraku’s miasma. She could feel Sesshoumaru’s powerful aura, somewhere not far away from her. As she closed the distance between herself and the dark hanyou, she could hear his malevolent chuckle as he held the remaining jewel shards in the palm of his hand.
She skidded to stop just yards in front of him. Not wasting a moment’s time, she loaded her modified arrow, drawing the string back tight. The hanyou looked up to see what she was doing, and immediately flung a large tentacle at her.
But it was already too late.
Kagome had released the arrow before the appendage hit. The miko was flung several feet away, but Inuyasha managed to catch her before she could hit the ground.
The priestess had been so close to Naraku that he did not have time to escape. The luminous arrow, glowing with a bright purple combination of her and Miroku’s powers. It hit the weak spot in the hanyou’s barrier, causing it to warp violently, before it shattered, like a million pieces of glass.
Without the protection of his barrier, Naraku was all but defenseless. Before he could even bat an eye, he was overcome with an overpowering destructive force.
Bakusaiga.
The demon lord had kept an eye on the miko ever since she had destroyed the oni, so the moment she destroyed the barrier, he had made his move.
Naraku cried out in pain and outrage as his body was enveloped by the power of Sesshoumaru’s blade. The bright blue energy had temporarily lit up the entire clearing, as the hanyou’s body was consumed.
The moment he was gone, the demons that had accompanied him burst into a cloud of dust, before raining to the ground like volcanic ash.
The demons were gone.
The miasma was gone.
Naraku was gone.
It was over.
It was finally over.
Kagome nearly sobbed in relief. She allowed her bow to fall from her limp fingers as she ran forward to collect the shards. She quickly found the spot where Naraku had once stood. She immediately dropped to her knees to collect the jewels. She scooped up the nearly completed blackened jewel that had been imbedded in the hanyou’s chest, along with the three slightly tainted shards that had been hers.
Her friends gathered around her, as she combined all the pieces together, closing her fist around the pieces. Even Sesshoumaru watched from a slightly greater distance as the miko slowly opened her hand, revealing the completed and purified Shikon no tama.
A collective sigh was heard as the group allowed themselves to relax. They had been fighting for what seemed like hours, and yet it was still pitch black outside.
Suddenly, the sound of a snapping twig drew everyone’s attention. There in the nearby woods stood a figure clad in traditional red and white.
Kikyou.
The miko looked unusually haggard. She was barely able to stand, and was using her large bow to help support her weight. She appeared to have traveled for days without rest. What had happened to her? What was she doing here?
“Kikyou!” Inuyasha called to her.
Before he could run to her side, she took a deep breath and called out.
“That was not Naraku!”
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So It Begins
A/N: This chapter contains spoiler information, from the magna, chapter 518. It is well past the anime, and it also explains why Sesshoumaru now has two arms.
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Standing now, the man gulped down a few more deep breaths before he turned to the hanyou. “I… have come to… to warn you. N-Naraku… has been… seen in the area.”
As soon as the words passed through the man’s lips, a thick tension filled the air. Inuyasha and Kagome exchanged a worried look. Naraku was near the village? This was not good. “My bow!” Kagome exclaimed suddenly, before she whirled around and took off toward Kaede’s.
“Kagome!” the hanyou called after her, but she did not turn to respond. Suddenly a powerful demonic aura penetrated the air around them. Its oppressive weight threatening to steal the air from their very lungs. The malevolent energy crackled against theirs senses, instantly causing the inu brothers to tense in anticipation. The hanyou was on the verge of going after Kagome, when a dark chuckle rang through the air. “Damn it.” he murmured. That girl was too impulsive for her own good. What was she thinking to run off on her own like that? He threw an anxious glance in the direction she had gone, hoping she would make it back without incident. He then quickly turned back toward the sound of Naraku’s voice, as he drew Tetsuaiga from its sheath. “Show yourself, you bastard!”
“Ah-Un.” Sesshoumaru’s calm smooth voice broke into the eerie silence.
Knowing what the demon lord wished of it, the dragon shuffled slightly to alert the girl of its impending take off. Rin quickly grabbed the thick leather reins, giving a slight tug to show that she understood. She turned her large brown eyes to the daiyoukai, before the beast could take off. “Be careful my lord.” she told him quietly, knowing his advanced hearing would pick up her words. And then, the dragon pushed off the ground, quickly disappearing into the night sky.
As the time drew out, the elderly male began looking around nervously. His eyes darted from left, to right and back again as he considered his best rout to escape. Just as he thought to make a break for it, the man found himself flying through the air. His breath was violently expelled from his lungs as he crashed roughly against a large elm tree.
Inuyasha tensed, his fingers reflexively tightening on his weapon, as he watched the old man slide down the tree‘s rough bark. He landed in a crumpled heap in the nearby grass. Apparently, the old guy had lost consciousness, for he made no move to right himself. Within seconds of the attack, Inuyasha was darting toward the old man. He quickly severed the tentacle that had swatted the human, before turning his attention in the direction from which the disgusting appendage came.
“Damn it Naraku! Show yourself you coward!!”
Another dark chuckle rang through the air. “Impatient for my arrival?” he purred, his voice coming out in a deceptively silky drawl. “Then I shall not keep you waiting.”
The moment Naraku finished speaking, a thick blanket of miasma poured into the area. It spread quickly, billowing across the ground in all directions, like rippling waves of black water. At the same time on the other side of the clearing, a hoard of serpentine, and other minor demons emerged in the area, together with the dark hanyou himself. The demons remained at his side moving around him anxiously, as he turned his attention to Inuyasha.
“Where is the miko, Kagome?” he demanded icily. “She is the one who keeps the jewel shards is she not?”
The hanyou’s eyes flashed with anger. “As if I’d ever tell you where she is! And, you’re not getting our jewel shards, you bastard!”
Unperturbed over Inuyasha’s words, Naraku continued to speak calmly. “I am not in as patient a mood as I have been in previous encounters. I will complete the Shikon jewel this night one way or the other. If the woman surrenders the shards to me, I will allow all of you to leave here with your lives.”
His eyes beginning to burn from the miasma, Inuyasha growled low in his throat. Before he could respond however, a bright flare at the edge of the clearing managed to draw his attention. “I’d never give the shards to you!” Kagome proclaimed vehemently. Already, she had loosed an arrow, sending a powerful blast of purification power toward the dark hanyou. As it made its way toward him, it cleansed much of the air, by purifying the miasma.
His malevolent crimson eyes shifted in her direction, and he watched the projectile as it sped toward him. Just before the arrow was close enough to do any damage, his powerful red barrier formed around him. The arrow penetrated the barrier, but its power was sheared off, and its course was altered. Her pink energy rippled across the swirling red surface of his barrier, before dissipating slowly into the air. The arrow whizzed past his face. Missing him by mere inches, before landing harmlessly on the ground a few yards away.
An evil smirk tugged onto his lips, as the full weight of his glare landed on her. “You will live to regret that.” he told her. And then with a careless gesture of his right hand, the demons were released. They spread out across the small clearing, at heart stopping speeds. Sango and Miroku, who had arrived just after Kagome, readied themselves to fight. Kirara leaped down from the slayer’s shoulder, immediately transforming into her battle form.
The sound of metal singing against metal signaled that Sesshoumaru had drawn Bakusaiga from its sheath. He immediately focused his attention on the wretched hanyou, but just as he darted forward, a large swarm of demons blocked his path. His blade tore through the air, dispatching the demons instantly. Unfortunately, once they were gone, Naraku had changed his position, and a new swarm of demons replaced the ones that had been destroyed.
Across the small clearing, chaos had ensued, demons were everywhere, and the small group consisting of Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, Kagome and Sesshoumaru, were completely surrounded.
The sounds of growling demons filled the clearing, and the night air lit again and again as Kagome’s arrows tore through the sky. The miko had been in battle like this many times before, but something felt different about this one. Her heart was drumming in her chest, as a powerful sense of uncertainty settled into the pit of her belly. Naraku was serious this time. She could feel it. He had the nearly completed Shikon jewel, and he was intent on completing it tonight.
She had initially considered the fact that this might be another of his stupid puppets, but the fact that the nearly whole Shikon jewel was buried in his chest, beneath a thick plate of armor, made her strongly reconsider. The hanyou had never entrusted a puppet with more than a few shards.
All around her, she could hear the sounds of battle; demons crying out in pain, Inuyasha’s muted battle cries, Kirara, hissing, and growling angrily, Sango‘s boomerang, and even Miroku‘s sutras whizzing through the air. Strangely she heard no sound from Sesshoumaru. She could see him on the other side of the clearing, and though he appeared as calm as ever, she could feel his youki rising in anger.
Due in large part to her arrows, the constantly flowing miasma was kept down to a manageable level allowing herself, and her friends to breathe. Even still Naraku seemed more determined than ever. Both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were obliterating his demons and his appendages by the dozens. Unfortunately, for each tentacle or demon that was destroyed, there seemed to be ten to replace it. The spider hanyou was effectively keeping them all at bay, without so much as lifting a finger.
“You have no chance of defeating me,” Naraku taunted to all of them in general. “Surrender the shards, or I will destroy you all!”
“Shut the hell up, you bastard!” Inuyasha retorted, as he turned to him fully. “You won’t sound so confident, once I destroy that barrier of yours!”
Naraku smirked. “Just try it.”
“You don’t have to tell me!”
Using another Wind Scar attack, the hanyou cleared a path to Naraku. He darted forward as his blade changed from silver to fiery red. Before the demons could surround him again, Tetsuaiga tore through the air in a horizontal arc. The red barrier destroying power, together with the Wind Scar ripped through several stray demons before crashing uselessly against Naraku’s barrier. The surface of the orb-shaped enclosure barely wavered as Inuyasha’s power connected, and dissipated across the surface.
Inuyasha didn’t even have time to gasp in surprise before one of Naraku’s tentacles crashed violently against his chest. He cried out in pain and rage as he flew through the cool night air. A loud crack resonated through the clearing and into the surrounding woods as Inuyasha’s back smacked against a large tree. Kagome gasped in horror as the hanyou slumped lifelessly to the ground.
Before Naraku could launch another attack against her friend, Sesshoumaru leaped into his path. He again used Bakusaiga, to destroy every tentacle in his immediate vicinity, before he darted toward the spider hanyou. His features set in cold steel, the demon lord’s unforgiving orbs focused on his target.
A smirk on his lips, Naraku turned his head slightly, immediately noticing the white blur that was headed for him. He released an enormous cloud of miasma in Sesshoumaru’s direction, before lifting himself from the ground. The poison would not affect the inu lord, but it would be enough to buy some time, and cover his escape.
Sesshoumaru found himself in complete darkness, as the black cloud of gas surrounded him. The miasma spread around him for a moment before he pushed himself off the ground. He was unaffected by the poison, but he could not afford to be blinded even for a moment. He flipped through the air, landing several yards away. Naraku was now floating just above the tree tops, and chuckling down on them.
Sesshoumaru fixed him with a hard glare. “I tire of your games, wretched half-demon. Although I should not have expected one such as yourself to fight with honor.” he spat, as he prepared for another attack.
“Ah, but you are mistaken. This is no game, and your useless sentiment of honor is meaningless to me. Power is all that matters. How it is obtained is of no consequence.” he retorted, mild amusement lining his voice. “I came here for the jewel shards, and I will not leave here without them.”
As soon as he was finished speaking, a powerful wave of youki emitted from his person, spreading across the entire area. Before Sesshoumaru could decipher what it meant, he heard the trees crashing behind him, and felt the ground shaking violently as if from heavy footfalls. Moving on instinct alone, the inu lord pushed himself from the ground. He somersaulted through the air, landing near the now conscious Inuyasha, and facing the direction he had just departed.
He had not seen the attack, but he had just barely avoided having his head ripped off by an enormous oni. The creature seemed to have materialized from thin air, its imposing form standing a few yards away. The creature’s black body did little to distinguish it against the dark shadows and trees. It stood at least twenty feet tall, and its body was both muscular and lean. The creature’s arms were disproportionately long, hanging nearly to the ground. Each of its giant hands was tipped with long lethal claws. For a moment the oni just stood there, it’s yellow eyes glowing eerily in the dark. It roared suddenly, showing its razor sharp teeth before it darted forward.
Barely suppressing his surprise, Sesshoumaru leaped away from the creature. It was deceptively fast for its large size. The beast had swiped first at him, and then at Inuyasha. He himself, had just barely managed to dodge the attack, but his brother had not been so fortunate. The half demon had tried to retreat, but was not quite quick enough. The creature’s claws tore into Inuyasha’s right side, slicing easily through his fire rat haori and into the flesh beneath. Blood burst from the wound spilling onto the grass, as the hanyou went careening through the air. The half demon cried, out as searing pain ripped through his body.
He landed several yards away, managing a crouched position, but before he could rise to his feet, a powerful snakelike creature wrapped itself around him. The demon looped several coils around the hanyou’s body, its sharp spines piercing his clothes and biting into his skin.
His attention focused on the oni, Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, as he prepared to attack. The creature growled at him again, as the daiyoukai used Bakusaiga’s power against it. The destructive energy exploded from the sword, its coarse accurately aimed at the disgusting creature.
Sesshoumaru’s attack destroyed many demons along the way, but as it made contact with the oni, the blue energy seemed to wrap around it in a swirling caress. Instead of ripping the beast to shreds, the demonic power absorbed harmlessly into the oni’s skin. When the light dissipated, the demon lord was shocked to see that the oni remained as it was, without so much as a single mark upon its black flesh. More than that, his power actually seemed to strengthen the creature, as it’s youki instantly became more pronounced. To his utmost displeasure, Sesshoumaru found this development to be mildly alarming. Bakusaiga was his most powerful weapon, but to use it against this creature was to ensure his own death.
“Ku, ku, ku! Lord Sesshoumaru, not even you can destroy that oni.” Naraku taunted darkly. That demon is made from pure youki. It has no physical body that can be injured, and if you or Inuyasha use your swords against it, its powers will only increase.”
Sesshoumaru growled under his breath as he dodged a lethal attack that nearly tore through his midsection. For the first time in as long as he could remember, he was at loss for what to do. How could he destroy a creature that was made from pure youki?
Seeing that both inus were sufficiently occupied, Naraku set his focus on Kagome. It was time to complete his jewel. He threw a long leathery tentacle toward her, fully intending to snatch her up. The miko was distracted by the other demons, and her friends were too far away to help. She would not get away this time!
“Oh no you don’t! Wind Scar!!!”
The half demon’s sword swung forcefully through the air destroying dozens of demons, before severing Naraku’s tentacle.
The spider hanyou scowled. When had Inuyasha escaped?! Annoyed for the first time during this battle, Naraku effortlessly generated more tentacles. They burst from his back passing through his barrier to attack the half demon who dared to interrupt his plans. The two tentacles that were wriggling their way toward Kagome did not go unnoticed. Inuyasha growled in anger, knowing what the bastard was up to, but being able to do little about it. The coward was just trying to by time so he could capture Kagome. The hanyou fought off the onslaught, slashing his way through the squid like projections while still keeping an eye on the young miko. She had just destroyed a large cloud of demons with her arrow, and was now loading a new one.
“Kagome!” he called out to the distracted girl. She fired her arrow, and turned just in time to see a large tentacle headed her way. A small shriek of surprise sounded from her, but she managed to recover quickly. She knew she wouldn’t have time to fire another arrow, so she merely waited as the disgusting appendage drew closer. As soon as it was close enough, she swung her bow as hard as she could. Infused with her sacred power, the weapon severed the tentacle like a sharpened blade. The part that was torn away was scattered to the ground in a small pile of glittering ash.
Unfortunately, before she could decide what to do next, another tentacle was upon her. Her breath was expelled in a rush, as it snaked tightly around her waist. She grunted through gritted teeth, as Naraku lifted her from the ground. She immediately began to struggle, and squirm in a vain attempt to escape. A mild sense of panic swept through her body. She was so high off the ground! She knew she had to get away; she could not let him get the shards. Her mind raced as she considered her options, but really, she knew that there was only one. She would have to purify the tentacle, but then she’d plummet to the ground. She doubted she could survive a fall from this height!
Now, he was slowly pulling her closer. With a smirk on his lips, he took his time, assured of his victory, and enjoying the mild waves of fear that he could feel emanating from her.
Even in the dark, Kagome was able to make out the hanyou’s malevolent grin. Though she was still somewhat afraid, her fear was quickly overshadowed by anger. She renewed her struggle, and managed to free her left hand of the coils that were still tightly wrapped around her. She grabbed onto the tentacle, digging her fingers into the tough flesh. With gritted teeth, and a silent prayer that someone would catch her, Kagome allowed her powers to flow to her hand. The appendage was instantly purified into dust, and she found herself tumbling toward the ground.
Over the sound of her racing heart, she was barely able to make out the sounds around her. From seemingly far away, she could here Naraku chuckling. She could hear Inuyasha screaming her name. She could hear…
“Kirara!!”
Kagome shut her eyes tight, as the ground drew dangerously close. Just when she thought her fate was sealed, the cat was beneath her. The wind was forced violently from her lungs as her stomach came into sharp contact with Kirara’s back. She grunted in pain as she grabbed onto the cat’s fur, ensuring that she did not slide off.
The miko swallowed hard, forcing herself to ignore her pain, and pulled herself up to sit on Kirara’s back. She shook her head slightly to rid of the mild dizziness that had swept over her, before breathing small a sigh of relief. She was a little disoriented, and her ribs hurt like hell, but at least she was still alive. Apparently, Sango had seen her falling, and sent the fire cat to save her.
Fortunately she had not dropped her bow during her fall. She tightened her grip on the weapon as she reached back to retrieve an arrow. They had to destroy Naraku’s barrier. That was the only way. Once they did that, they would have little trouble defeating him. Although she knew the first shot didn’t seem to have done anything, she had learned that sometimes it took more than one try for an opponent such as he. She loaded the arrow, and drew back on the string.
It was rather difficult at the moment, but Kagome knew she needed to concentrate. It was taking an immense effort just to stay balanced, as Kirara was forced to weave between demons, and dodge the occasional attack from Naraku. She aimed her weapon at roughly the same spot she had hit before, as she called forth her powers.
‘Hit the mark.’ she prayed silently, as she relaxed her fingers, and released the arrow. It flared to life instantly, it’s luminescent pink energy purifying both demons and miasma as it made its way to its intended target.
The hanyou didn’t even bother trying to move from the arrow’s path. So confident was he in the strength of his barrier that he merely smirked, and watched with minimal interest as the projectile made its rapid approach. Kagome watched as the arrow pierced through the barrier once again. Its power was sheared off just like before, and the arrow cast away from him, landing several feet away. Her shoulders slumped slightly, but just as she sighed in defeat, she noticed something that she had not seen before.
It was almost unnoticeable. Had she not remembered where she fired the arrow, she might have missed it entirely. It was a… bruise? There was a small patch of his barrier, right there, in the exact spot where her arrow had hit, where the color was slightly different. Had it become a weak spot?
Kagome narrowed her eyes in determination; a glimmer of hope causing her heart to skip a beat. There was only one way to find out! She quickly loaded another arrow, but just as she was about to fire, a fierce growl drew her attention. She looked down to the ground below, attempting to find the source of such a fearsome sound.
Sango was still using her boomerang to fight off the many demons surrounding her. Miroku had his back to the demon slayer‘s, and was using his sutras, and occasionally his staff as his weapons of choice. There were saimyoushou about, so using his Wind Tunnel was out of the question.
Inuyasha was fighting fiercely. Tetsuaiga was all but a blur, its endless series of horizontal and vertical arcs leaving short beams of light to mark its path. Both demons and tentacles were ruthlessly slashed away, spilling blood to the ground in torrents.
As far away as she was, Kagome could tell that Inuyasha was more determined than ever. He was sporting several wounds and even from her lofty position she could see a large blood stain on his right side. Still, he showed no signs of giving up.
What had made that sound? She hadn’t seen anything. Then, just as she was about to turn her attention back to Naraku, she heard another ear shattering growl. Her head snapped to the opposite side of the clearing, where she saw a white blur flying through the air. It took a moment for her to recognize the figure as being Sesshoumaru. She watched in horror, as the demon lord plummeted to the ground before skidding to a halt. She immediately noticed that his clothing was tattered and bloodied in several places and that his armor had been all but destroyed. What could have happened to him?!
Then, she saw something speeding toward him. Something that was as black as the night itself, and she knew that had it not been moving, she would never have seen it at all.
A light grunt escaped Sesshoumaru’s lips, as his back made sharp contact with the ground. This creature was unlike anything he had ever faced before. The oni’s speed easily rivaled his own. It was immensely powerful, and impervious to any of his attacks. It had taken all of his strength and skill to even avoid the creature’s attacks, and he still had not escaped unscathed.
As he skidded to a stop, he felt the air rush from his lungs. But now was not the time to rest. He had to get up. NOW! The heavy tremors from the ground beneath him told him that the oni was very close. To his great displeasure, the time to right himself passed far too quickly. Before he could move, an oversized claw came down hard against his midsection, holding him fast to the ground. His golden orbs moved to look up at the demon above him. With impassive features, he glared into the creatures eyes. The oni’s free arm was reared far back, its deadly claws gleaming with malice as the beast prepared to administer the killing blow.
“NOOOOO!!!!!”
Both the demon lord and the oni looked up just in time to see a bright pink projectile blurring through the air. The beast roared again, as it attempted to swat the arrow away. It connected with the creature’s claw, and it reared its head back to cry out in pain. A creature such as he stood no chance against the purification powers of such a powerful miko. With a silent, but intense explosion, the oni was consumed completely. Not even ash remained in the spot where the creature had once stood.
On the other side of the clearing Naraku was just now discovering the weak spot in his barrier that Kagome had created only moments before. He noticed that she was again aiming an arrow at him. It was time to end this.
Making his first real move, Naraku darted forward. One of his squid like projections flew toward Kagome so quickly; she did not have time to react. Kirara was violently knocked from under her, and she found herself flying through the air once again. This time, she did drop her bow.
Her heart was racing, as the ground drew ever closer. Unfortunately, it was Naraku who caught her this time. Before she even knew what had happened, the miko found herself staring into a pair of malevolent crimson orbs. He had brought her into his barrier, and was glaring down on her.
“Let go of me!” she shrieked as she bucked and thrashed trying to escape his grasp.
“In due time.” he told her in a quiet drawl, his eyes scanning over her. Kagome shuddered in disgust as the hanyou wrapped an arm tightly around her waist, trapping her arms at her sides. The hanyou made quick work of finding the thin necklace from which a small bottle hung. He gave her a look which would have been almost seductive, had the situation been different, and he not been evil incarnate.
Naraku hooked a single finger beneath the chain, taking the extra time to stroke her delicate skin. He pulled the necklace from beneath the collar of her shirt, to discover that as he suspected, the shards were contained in the small bottle. He quickly ripped it away, before carelessly casting the miko to the ground.
Kagome flew a short distance away, landing in disgusting blood soaked grass. She slid to a stop, her left leg grazing over something smooth and hard. Fortunately, she had not been very high off the ground when he threw her, but the miko still managed to hurt her leg. When she looked down to see what had caused her injury, she was pleasantly surprised to find that it was her own bow. She scrambled to her feet, quickly retrieving her bow as she did so. “He’s got the shards!!”
Already, Naraku was removing the shards from the bottle, apparently preparing to complete the Shikon jewel right here and now. She had to stop him! Quickly looking around her, Kagome’s mind raced to come up with a plan. She knew the key to defeating him; lie in that weak spot on his barrier.
Suddenly, it hit her like a ton of bricks.
“Miroku!”
The miko ran as fast as her legs could carry her, dodging stray demons as she made her way to the monk. She skidded to a stop next to Miroku. He had just used his staff to finish off a large rat demon, before he turned a bewildered look upon her.
“He’s got the shards!” she told him urgently. “Quick, give me one of your sutras!”
Though the monk was slightly confused about her request, he gave her the thin slip of paper without question. Kagome immediately pulled an arrow from her quiver. Working quickly, but carefully, she tied the sutra around her arrow. Somehow she managed not to tear the slightly brittle paper in her haste to secure it. She thanked her friend quickly, before she was on the move again. Seeing the direction in the miko had gone Miroku felt the beginnings of panic. What was she trying to do?!
As for Kagome, time seemed to slow down. Everything up to this point seemed to have happened so quickly, but now it seemed like things were moving in slow motion. At the edge of her hearing, she heard her friends calling out to her. She could still smell the lingering stench of Naraku’s miasma. She could feel Sesshoumaru’s powerful aura, somewhere not far away from her. As she closed the distance between herself and the dark hanyou, she could hear his malevolent chuckle as he held the remaining jewel shards in the palm of his hand.
She skidded to stop just yards in front of him. Not wasting a moment’s time, she loaded her modified arrow, drawing the string back tight. The hanyou looked up to see what she was doing, and immediately flung a large tentacle at her.
But it was already too late.
Kagome had released the arrow before the appendage hit. The miko was flung several feet away, but Inuyasha managed to catch her before she could hit the ground.
The priestess had been so close to Naraku that he did not have time to escape. The luminous arrow, glowing with a bright purple combination of her and Miroku’s powers. It hit the weak spot in the hanyou’s barrier, causing it to warp violently, before it shattered, like a million pieces of glass.
Without the protection of his barrier, Naraku was all but defenseless. Before he could even bat an eye, he was overcome with an overpowering destructive force.
Bakusaiga.
The demon lord had kept an eye on the miko ever since she had destroyed the oni, so the moment she destroyed the barrier, he had made his move.
Naraku cried out in pain and outrage as his body was enveloped by the power of Sesshoumaru’s blade. The bright blue energy had temporarily lit up the entire clearing, as the hanyou’s body was consumed.
The moment he was gone, the demons that had accompanied him burst into a cloud of dust, before raining to the ground like volcanic ash.
The demons were gone.
The miasma was gone.
Naraku was gone.
It was over.
It was finally over.
Kagome nearly sobbed in relief. She allowed her bow to fall from her limp fingers as she ran forward to collect the shards. She quickly found the spot where Naraku had once stood. She immediately dropped to her knees to collect the jewels. She scooped up the nearly completed blackened jewel that had been imbedded in the hanyou’s chest, along with the three slightly tainted shards that had been hers.
Her friends gathered around her, as she combined all the pieces together, closing her fist around the pieces. Even Sesshoumaru watched from a slightly greater distance as the miko slowly opened her hand, revealing the completed and purified Shikon no tama.
A collective sigh was heard as the group allowed themselves to relax. They had been fighting for what seemed like hours, and yet it was still pitch black outside.
Suddenly, the sound of a snapping twig drew everyone’s attention. There in the nearby woods stood a figure clad in traditional red and white.
Kikyou.
The miko looked unusually haggard. She was barely able to stand, and was using her large bow to help support her weight. She appeared to have traveled for days without rest. What had happened to her? What was she doing here?
“Kikyou!” Inuyasha called to her.
Before he could run to her side, she took a deep breath and called out.
“That was not Naraku!”
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