InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sayonara, Kanashi Houshi ❯ Fuaiyaa to Ame ( Chapter 6 )

Sayonara, Kanashi Houshi

(Goodbye, Sad Monk)

By Golden-sama

Rated: PG-13, for Mild Language, Violence, and Miroku's usual habits

Summary: Miroku discover he has only one week to live before his Kazanna devours him. How will he live his last week alive? Read it! You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll get to read one dam' good story. So what are you waiting for?

Note: Earlier I said this story takes place after episode 132, but I forgot one very crucial plot point that happens during the 120's, so this episode takes place before all of that, before the Schinintai and all of that stuff. Gomen ne for the inconvenience.

Chapter Six

Fuaiyaa to Ame

(Fire and Rain)

Miroku watched from the terrace of Tsune's mansion in astonished terror. The pure magnitude of the youkai that were now on their way to attack the village was incredible. Never in his life had Miroku meet a larger horde of youkai. And he knew that everyone in that village was doomed, regardless of the outcome.

"Tsune-sama!"

Izumo had burst his way into the lord's chambers, a spear in his hand. The old man had a hurt expression on his face, and looked as if he dreaded doing what he was doing.

"Tsune-sama, you have been a good lord, the greatest I have ever served. Yet you must give in, give Naraku the fur, and do as Naraku wants! Please Tsune-sama, please."

Tsune turned around and peered into Izumo's eyes.

"And if I do not?"

"Then we will all die!" Izumo screamed.

"We will all die anyway." Miroku said grimly from beside Izumo. "Naraku will destroy this village whether he gets the fur or not."

Izumo had never liked Miroku, and this pushed the old man over the edge. He leapt towards the houshi with the sword in his hand, yet as he did Tsune raised his own hand. The end of it shot forth, and became a blue color. It struck Izumo through his chest and ended the man's life in a flash.

"Gomen ne, Izumo. At least you have died less painfully than I shall." Tsune spoke. His eyes were now twin red orbs, and his nails and teeth had become fangs and talons. He was youkai.

"Well Kikyo-sama," Miroku said, turning to the dead miko woman at his side. "I am going to die fighting, what of you?"

Kikyo's eyes flashed in Miroku's direction and she spoke softly yet coldly. "I have no intention of returning to my grave, Houshi."

With that Kikyo leapt out off the terrace and landed on the grassy grounds below, before she had even landed she had fired three magic arrows at the advancing demon horde, and taken out a row of demons with each. Miroku smirked and sighed at the same time. "Sayonara Sango."

He ran outside and began to throw his wards at the advancing horde, he watched in satisfaction as each demon that was hit with the ward exploded in a zap of lightning. And he repeated the processes time after time.

Tsune had run out into the middle of the fish pond, his eyes glowing red. He let out a scream of fury and the waters began to flow around him. Tsune was a water user, as his sister was a wind user. Great spouts of waves shot from every pond and well in the village and castle, smashing demon after demon in the sky.

----

Across the way on the mountain overlooking the castle, Naraku peered into the eyes of Sesshoumaru. On their last meeting Sesshoumaru had nearly killed the dark one, with some help from Inuyasha. Yet now it didn't matter. Naraku and Sesshoumaru would finish their duel today. And only one would see tomorrow.

"Come Sesshoumaru, lord of the west, see if you can match this Naraku. See if your sword, made from my offspring, can match my Onikage!"

Sesshoumaru said nothing, he only smirked. With a lightning fast leap Sesshoumaru brought the Tokuijin down towards Naraku, who countered with the Onikage and blocked his enemy's sword. The two youkai leapt apart again.

Tokuijin was a glow with a bright blue fury from its place in Sesshoumaru's hand. While Onikage was answering its anger with its own red glowing wraith. Then without warning both Naraku and Sesshoumaru fired twin blast from their swords. The red and blue lights connected halfway between the two youkai and exploded with enough force to kill an army of Samurai. Yet neither youkai had taken any damage.

"You have gained some strength." Sesshoumaru spoke. "And you think it makes you my equal? Baka."

The two youkai leapt at one another again, and once again their swords clashed in a fury of jyaki and light. The resulting explosion sent both of the combatants flying back to their own respective sides.

----

Miroku threw the last of his wards into the ominous cloud of youkai that continued to fly towards the village and he sighed. There was indeed little chance of survival for the village, and even less for him. He heard a noise and turned to see Aun, the two headed dragon of Sesshoumaru flying towards the swarm of demons. Aside from the dragon's fierce breath, he could see Jaken was shooting flames from his staff. And he also saw something else. Rin was sitting next to a young brown haired boy who looked a lot like . . .

"Kohaku!"

Miroku's heart skipped a beat at the voice he heard scream the name. He watched to his own mixture of joy and horror as Haichi flew up behind Aun, with Sango on its back.

"Sister, please leave me alone." Kohaku said quietly as he watched his sister fly to his side. Sango shook her head.

"Kohaku, just be careful." Sango said softly. Kohaku's eyes filled with tears and in a second he reached to his belt and pulled his Wakizashi and threw it over to his sister. She gratefully caught he sword and pulled it from its sheath.

Back on the ground Miroku watched in mute horror as Sango flew towards the oncoming swarm. He did not want her here. He did not want her to see him die.

And he did not want her to die.

It was then Miroku grabbed the prayer beads off his right hand and opened his fist. In a flash of black and purple light, several of the youkai that flew towards the village suddenly were sucked towards the Kazanna.

And Sango saw them. She looked down to the ground where Miroku stood. Her heart stopped for the briefest of seconds as she watched him there, fighting to his very death.

"Houshi-sama. . ."

She quickly kicked Haichi, whom she road on, and ordered him to fly towards Miroku. On the ground the houshi saw this and closed his Kazanna just as Haichi flew by. He leapt onto the large flying youkai and smashed his staff into his head.

"Haichi I told you not to follow me!" The houshi spat angrily.

"Miroku-sama. . ."

Miroku closed his eyes upon hearing her voice. It was the first time she'd ever called him by his name. Turning around slowly Miroku was just in time to catch the taijiya as she dove into his arms, embracing him in a loving hug. Then she pulled away and slapped him harder than she had in a long time, before Miroku had recovered from the slap she had grabbed him by the collar and pulled him into a kiss.

Miroku melted into the kiss. The first kiss he ever shared with Sango. The best kiss he had ever shared with anyone. Naraku, and his swarm, and the yellow eye that was burning him to death from inside his hand, Miroku had forgotten them all as he kissed her.

"IRON REAVER!!!"

Miroku and Sango broke apart in astonishment, and as they did they watched Inuyasha jumping and slicing a flying youkai snake apart, not a foot away from them. Landing on his feet upon Haichi's back, Inuyasha turned to the houshi and the taijiya.

"You two can do that later dammit!" The hanyou barked. But then his face curved into a smile. "Told you we'd come for you monk."

"Sango-chan!"

Sango turned around to see Kagome flying towards her on Kirara's back. The young miko from the future threw something to Sango, it was her Hiraikotsu. Though her right hand was still severely cut from the Naga battle, she ignored the pain and smiled at Kagome. Kagome and Shippou jumped from Kirara's back onto Haichi, and Sango leapt back onto the cat.

"Houshi-sama." Sango said turning her eyes back to the houshi. "You better not die on me."

And with that Sango flew off, tossing her Hiraikotsu towards the swarm and taking a few more off their ranks. Inuyasha gave a "Feh" and jumped from Haichi's back, Tetsusaiga was now in his hand.

"Time to finish these bastards!" Inuyasha cried as he fell towards the ground. "KAZE NO KIZU!"

----

Naraku collided his Onikage against Tokuijin once more and as he did he was astonished to feel the warmth of sunlight trickling on him. The great swarm of youkai had blotted out most of the light in the area, but to his disgust Naraku watched as a large yellow bolt that was becoming much too familiar to him cut through the youkai.

The Kaze no Kizu had destroyed one hundred of the youkai in an instant. There were still hundreds more, but to have so many killed at once was not a good omen for Naraku. He would not allow himself to lose once again. Never again would he allow himself to lose.

"Concern yourself with this Sesshoumaru, not my brother!"

Before Naraku could react the lord of the west had swung Tokuijin and in a flash of blue beams Naraku had lost both his arm and Onikage. He stared at Sesshoumaru in a furious wraith, which quickly turned to amusement.

"You could kill me now Great Sesshoumaru, but at what cost?" Naraku laughed.

Sesshoumaru already knew it before he even heard Rin scream. At Naraku's unspoken command, a great group of youkai attacked Aun. The Dog Demon lord was flying as fast as he could towards the sound of the girls scream, but he knew all to well that behind him Naraku's arm was reattaching itself and he was already holding Onikage again.

----

Before Kohaku knew it, a great mass of the youkai swarm had attacked Aun. Jaken's staff fire could not destroy them all, and he had already given his sword to his sister. He watched as one of the long snake demons wrapped itself around Rin and began to choke the life out of her.

Remembering how kind Rin had been to Kohaku over the last few days he was sent into a furious rage. He grabbed the youkai around its own neck and began to choke it as it was choking Rin. The beast released Rin yet to no avail, Kohaku gave one last squeeze and killed the demon.

"Kohaku. . ." Rin whispered to herself. She watched in amazement as he, even in such a painful condition, was fighting off a ton of youkai. Jaken was still burning more, yet Rin knew they could not fight them all.

"Kohaku-sama. . ." Rin whispered once more, now looking at the boy with a newfound respect. She watched him fight and wanted to help. She wanted Kohaku to be alright. And most of all she wanted Sesshoumaru-sama to come save her.

And then in a flash of light all of the youkai surrounding them died. Even the one Kohaku had been fighting with was cut into pieces. Rin turned her head around and was sent into a new world of joy. She stared at Sesshoumaru as he stood, Tokuijin blazing in his hand.

Then Rin's expression of joy and love became horror. She watched Sesshoumaru's eyes flail open wide, and she could see the blood explode from his back. Far below on the ground Naraku had fired a energy blast from Onikage, and it had struck the Inu Youkai's spine with deadly aim.

Rin scream and cried as Sesshoumaru fell from the air towards the ground, she screamed as his grip on Tokuijin released and he dropped his sword. She cried the hardest as he fell far below her sight towards the hard earth.

She screamed the loudest when her beloved Sesshoumaru, the greatest person in her young life, was gone.

----

The youkai had reached the village by now, and they were tearing it apart. Still everyone fought on and harder than before. Tsune stood in his pond, sending torrents of water at the opposing Youkai horde.

A blade made from wind splashed into the water at his feet, and he turned around to where Kagura was floating down. She had a sinister grin on her face, and Tsune didn't like it.

"Hey little brother." She said with in a mock tone of compassion. "I think this is yours."

To Tsune's horror, Akiko floated next to Kagura. She was clothed only in a torn kimono. At first he thought its color was red, but then he realized it had become red only because of the amount of blood that covered it. Akiko's blood.

"You bitch." Tsune spat angrily, but that only caused Kagura to laugh.

"She loved you, you know Tsunenoku. She isn't dead. I'll end her misery if you tell me how you broke Naraku's control on you."

Tsune had never been filled with such anger. His face suddenly became calm, a calm smile. Kagura didn't like it.

"You want to know how?" He said quietly. "The holy vanilla that grows in this one village alone helped me break the spell."

And as he said it, he whipped his arm out to the right, and a torrent of water smashed into the vanilla grove. By the time the crashing wave had split apart, every last shred of vanilla was gone.

Kagura screamed out in fury. "That was a mistake!"

She then threw Akiko to the ground and slashed her back. Akiko let out one last scream of pain and then she lay still. Tsune looked at Kagura with the utmost hatred.

"So how about we stop screwing around and kill each other now?" Kagura said pleasantly. Tsune charged at her.

----

On back of Haichi, Miroku took turns opening and closing his Kazanna and sucking in youkai as they drew close to him. Behind him Kagome was firing holy arrows into the swarm of youkai around them.

Yet a roar alarmed Miroku as a large worm youkai flew towards them, its hideous mouth open with alarm. Miroku was ready to open his Kazanna when he noticed that around it flew many of the poisoned insects.

A pink shining arrow flashed into the worm's head, and its body slowly broke apart into bits and pieces. Miroku turned around to where Kagome held her bow steadfast.

"If I let that thing eat you Sango-chan would never forgive me." Kagome giggled. Yet Miroku's expression was far from amused. "Down, Kagome-sama!" She quickly threw herself forward and Miroku opened his Kazanna, she fell just under its reach and watched the houshi suck in a large snake youkai that would have devoured her.

"Likewise, Kagome-sama. Yet I fear more for allowing harm to come to you, for Inuyasha is far scarier than Sango. Not as beautiful, but much scarier."

----

Naraku slowly walked towards the broken body of Sesshoumaru. The lord of the west was now a bloody corpse. Naraku had toyed with him long enough, now he would devour his body and his power.

"Hmph. I wonder if one as weak as you even deserves to be a part of this Naraku."

The dark youkai reached his hand down towards Sesshoumaru's body, yet as fast as lightning the bloody body of the dog demon spun around and a whip of yellow light from Sesshoumaru's fingers flashed and severed Naraku's hand.

Pulling himself to his feet, Sesshoumaru stood once more. His back was covered in blood and more of it was dripping out by the second. His great fur that hung over his shoulder was soaked with the red liquid, yet he didn't even wince once. His face was still as expressionless as it ever was.

"You, Naraku, have done something that has cost many humans and youkai alike their lives." Sesshoumaru said coldly as he flexed his fingers and another whip of light extended from between his index and middle nail. "You have underestimated the power of Sesshoumaru."

Naraku was not amused. Already his severed hand had reattached itself to the rest of him, but Naraku had not expected to be caught so off guard. He raised his other arm, the one holding Onikage and aimed it at his enemy.

"You have great strength, Sesshoumaru. Yet you have lost your sword."

Before either youkai could act, a blast of yellow light collided with the ground only feet between them.

"Hey, jackasses, don't hog all the fun." Inuyasha growled as he and Tetsusaiga joined the fray. "The two people I hate most in the world and you've gone and beat the crap out of each other for me. Then I'll just finish you both off."

"Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru said without even looking at his brother. "Stay out of real youkai's business."

Quickly Sesshoumaru did a back flip and landed next to Tokuijin, Naraku had fired a blast of energy at him, but Sesshoumaru's light whip met it in midair and deflected the blast towards Inuyasha, who blocked it with the Tetsusaiga.

With Tokuijin glowing a cold and bitter blue in the hands of Sesshoumaru, and Onikage burning a fierce red in Naraku's grip, the battle was already guaranteed to be a mess. Yet now with the Tetsusaiga and Inuyasha in the fray, the battle would be a massacre of death and blood.

But Naraku would not allow Inuyasha to interfere. He fired a blast of red light from Onikage, not at either of the Inu Youkai that stood beside him, but away from them, at Haichi, at Kagome on his back. Inuyasha cried out in shock and cursed at Naraku as he ran to save her.

"Where were we?" Naraku laughed, turning back to Sesshoumaru. The western lord said nothing.

----

Kagome watched as the red light flew towards Haichi. It was meant for her, and yet Miroku, Shippou and Haichi too would all die from it. She closed her eyes and screamed yet a moment later she opened them.

The red blast had been stopped mid air by and holy arrow. Kagome had not fired it, and she knew of only one other person who could have. Her eyes flew to the ground where Kikyo stood, already reloading her bow and continued to fight the youkai around her.

`Arigato, Kikyo.' Kagome thought quietly as she watched the miko who looked so much like her battling the youkai.

----

Kagura and Tsune were in the midst of combat. Kagura was slicing with her fan, and Tsune was countering with his fist. The water would attack at the command of the man, while the wind would counter at the thought of the woman.

"Fuujin no mai!"

Several knives of air flew towards Tsune, and every last one of them hit him. His body was cut and covered in blood, yet he must fight on. He would kill Kagura. He leapt towards her, but the wind blew him back and he fell to the ground. Kagura was still filled with rage as she raised her fan above her head.

"Sayonara."

Suddenly Kagura cried out in pain, Tsune's eyes flashed to her legs, where Akiko lay. The young maiden, once so beautiful, now covered in cuts and bruises, had crawled through the horrible massacre around her and grabbed an arrow that lay on the ground and jammed it into Kagura's leg.

"Bitch! This time you will die!"

Kagura's fan sliced across Akiko's neck, and the young maiden finally allowed death to take her. With a gurgling sound she fell to the ground and faded away from life. Tsune screamed out in pain. She had loved him, even after learning he was youkai. She had loved him enough to give her life for him.

"Oh, I've just gotten a marvelous idea." Kagura smirked. She waved her fan and suddenly several bodies of the villagers began to move and dance. She had done the same thing to Kouga once before, with the bodies of his wolf pack. The villagers all held Tsune in place, and then to his horror Akiko's body began to stir.

Akiko's lifeless corpse, being manipulated by Kagura, walked over and picked up a sword. Then the body turned and walked towards Tsune. Tsune knew now that Kagura was a beast even fouler than Naraku. He watched as the lifeless Akiko raised the sword.

"Hey, don't you ever get any new tricks?"

Before Kagura could identify the voice, Kouga's foot had smashed into the back of her head in a sharp kick. As it did the lifeless bodies of the villagers and Akiko all fell to the ground, sleeping the eternal sleep once more. Tsune didn't know who the wolf youkai was, but he was thankful that he came when he did.

Kagura pulled herself to her feet, yet even as she did Kouga smashed another kick into her chest and throat. Kagura flew backwards into the wall of the mansion, coughing and hacking.

"I guess I'm late for the party." Kouga laughed, and then he ran towards Kagura once more. This time her wind blades sliced into his side and sent him falling onto his back. Kagura had no intention of fighting the pair of them, and she quickly used a feather from her hair to fly away, cursing at them all the while.

----

On Haichi's back, Miroku and Kagome were still fighting the best they could. Kagome was low on arrows, and Miroku couldn't keep his Kazanna open due to the poisoned insects.

"Dammit, Kagome-sama I can't fight like this without being poisoned."

"But Miroku?" Shippou said from below the houshi's feet. "Aren't you dying anyway?"

"Shippou-chan!" Kagome yelled angrily. The small Kitsune hit himself in the forehead and began to call himself a baka time after time.

"Shippou, you're a genius! All this'll do is make me die today instead of three days from now!"

"Miroku-sama, no!"

Yet Kagome's words were lost. Miroku knew the only way to stop the horde of demons from destroying the city and killing the remaining villagers was to suck them all in.

"KAZANNA!"

The houshi opened his wind tunnel, and this time when the poisoned bugs drew close he sucked them in too. All Kagome could do was watch in horror. Miroku grunted and groaned as he absorbed the bugs, yet it didn't matter. In mere seconds he was thinning out the numbers of the youkai. They were being absorbed by the hundreds.

Far below on the ground, Aun had landed and was in a fierce some battle. Rin and Jaken had not seen Sesshoumaru rise back to his feet, and did not know that at this very moment he was smashing Tokuijin into Onikage. If they had known they may not have landed and began looking for his body, but they didn't know.

Kohaku had found a sword where one of the villagers dropped it upon death, and he was hacking away at youkai. Next to him Rin was crying and thinking of Sesshoumaru, remembering the way he had fallen and left her. Just as her father and brother and mother had done so longer ago. Behind her Jaken was attacking with his staff, yet they had little chance of survival.

Sango had saw her brother fighting the good fight and losing, and she had charged on Kirara in his direction. She slashed away at the youkai with her sword and smashed them with the Hiraikotsu.

When the last of them died, Sango fell to her knees. She looked at Kohaku with teary eyes and he looked back at her.

"Sister . . ."

Finally Kohaku realized that no matter how afraid he was of what he may do to her, he missed her more. Dropping the sword and running he threw himself into Sango's arms.

"Kohaku."

The siblings sat there and hugged, and she let her brother break down and cry. The youkai around them were being sucked away, sucked towards the Kazanna high above.

"Kohaku?" Sango said quietly. Her brother lifted his head and stared into her teary face. "Stay here with Rin and Jaken, I'll be back in a second."

"No!" Kohaku refused to let go of her, but Sango lifted his head back so that they looked into each others eyes.

"Kohaku, I will be back. I promise you."

Kohaku nodded and released his grip, and in a second Sango was on her way flying towards Haichi. She had to stop Miroku from sucking in those bees before he died. She knew in her heart he would die regardless of what happened, but she needed him to live as long as he could.

Rin walked over to Kohaku and placed a small hand on his shoulder. He turned his head and looked at her.

"Kohaku-sama." Rin said quietly. "Rin knows how scary it is to lose those you love." Kohaku nodded to her, his eyes full of tears. "But Rin must go. Because Rin loves Sesshoumaru, and Rin won't lose him too."

She turned around to where Jaken stood. "Jaken-sama, lets go save Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Rin." Kohaku said in a whisper. "I'm coming too." The freckle-faced boy turned back to look up at Kirara flying away from him. "Live Sister, please."

----

Tokuijin and Onikage collided again and again, each time there was a clang of steel and a flash of jyaki. Despite his wounds, Sesshoumaru would not allow himself to lose to Naraku. He had faced many foes that were just as bad. Sesshoumaru was not to die on this day.

With one more swing, Sesshoumaru smashed his sword into Onikage with all of his strength. There was a cracking sound, and he watched as Naraku's sword broke in a flash of red flames.

Naraku was in a fury that knew no bounds. So angry was he that hell itself would have cowered before him in fear. Yet Sesshoumaru did not. He was winning.

"Naraku!"

What neither of them had expected was Tsune. The youkai had found Naraku and was standing upon a hill. He ran towards Naraku, but quickly it was Naraku who was running towards him.

"Come back to me!"

There was a flash of light and Tsune had vanished from the spot on which he stood. Back into the depths of Naraku's body had he vanished too. The increase in his strength was enough to give Naraku confidence against Sesshoumaru.

Yet it didn't matter, for laying on the ground where Tsune dropped it was the last piece of Inutaishou's fur. Sesshoumaru saw it, and suddenly he realized why Naraku wanted the fur. Fear gripped the lord of the west, for if Naraku absorbed the fur, if Naraku got the powers of his father, then Sesshoumaru would die.

"Hah, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!" Naraku looked down at the fur with glee. "This is over now!"

Naraku reached for it as the Kaze no Kizu smashed into the ground beside him. The force from Tetsusaiga's attack caused the scrap of fur to fly into the air and it got caught in the wind of the Kazanna.

"This is just getting started bastard!" Inuyasha barked and he landed near Naraku. Naraku glared at the hanyou with the utmost loathing.

----

Kirara arrived next to Miroku and Sango leapt onto Haichi's back and slapped the houshi across his face. Miroku fell onto his back, and the Kazanna finally closed.

"What are you thinking houshi-sama!?" Sango yelled. "There were poisoned insects!"

Miroku looked up at the brown haired girl and his eyes filled with tears. "Sango, it doesn't matter. I'm already going to die, remember?"

Sango fell to her knees and then buried her head into Miroku's shoulder. She was punching his shoulder time and time again and crying. She had lost him this time for good. He was going to die, and nothing could save him now.

Kagome watched the two of them and began to cry herself. It was as she was crying that she spotted a small square of fur lying on Haichi's back. It must have blown up when Kazanna was open, and landed there when Sango had stopped it. She picked it up and at once was reminded of Inuyasha's hair, or Sesshoumaru's for that matter.

Miroku opened his eyes and spotted Kagome with the fur. "Kagome-sama, where did you get that?"

She turned to him, and Sango looked up at him with teary eyes. The houshi sat up and took the fur from Kagome's hands.

"This is what Naraku is after. . ." Miroku whispered. "It means Tsune is dead . . ."

----

Naraku was in a rage of epic proportions. First his new sword had been broken by Sesshoumaru, and now the fur was taken right from his grasp by Inuyasha. He would not accept this. Not at all.

Behind him Sesshoumaru was standing, Tokuijin in his hand. In front of him Inuyasha and Tetsusaiga blocked his path. Despite all their hate for one another, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru had made an unspoken pact to kill Naraku before they turned on one another.

"You two grow ever more bothersome." Naraku spat. Inuyasha smirked and ran forward, that was what Naraku had waited for. As Tetsusaiga was falling towards his face Naraku erected his barrier suddenly. Inuyasha didn't have the time to transform his sword and instead the normal Tetsusaiga slashed into the barrier, and it and its owner were thrown backward into the ground.

Sesshoumaru let out an "Hmph" upon watching his brother fall to the ground from the barrier. The Western Lord did not like this turn of fate, but he could not break the barrier, and Inuyasha was useless.

Naraku laughed before he shot off into the air, flying towards Haichi and the fur. Sesshoumaru was ready to follow when he heard his voice cried out by Rin.

The Demon Lord turned around and spotted young Rin and Jaken running towards him, both teary eyed and their arms wide open. Behind them Kohaku moved along slowly, making sure nothing tried to harm Rin or Jaken.

`That boy, he protected Rin before. And now he does the same. It is different. When I first saw him he was under Naraku's control, and he had no fear or emotion. Now he had fears and he has emotions yet still he protects Rin fearlessly. Never have I seen a human fight in the way that he does.'

Rin grabbed onto Sesshoumaru's right leg and began to cry as she hugged it. Jaken did the same thing, but he was hugging the left leg. It was rather heartwarming and cute when Rin did it, or so Inuyasha thought as he watched from his spot on the ground, yet rather pathetic and sad when Jaken did the same.

"Sesshoumaru-sama." Kohaku said. The Dog Demon said nothing but he did turn his cold eyes to the boy. Inuyasha watched breathlessly, ready in case he needed to save Kohaku. To both he and Sesshoumaru's surprise the boy dropped to his knees and raised a sword above his head. With his right hand he held the hilt and the blade rested on his left. He held it as if presenting it to Sesshoumaru. "I pledge myself to your service, and to Rin's."

The Dog Demon turned away from the boy and began to walk in the direction of Naraku's path, then he stopped and turned his head around to face the human boy. "Then protect her."

----

As Miroku, Sango and Kagome looked at the small piece of fur, Haichi suddenly screamed. They turned around to see Naraku in his barrier lowering himself onto the end of Haichi. The barrier disappeared around him and he stood staring at the same fur.

"Give it to me houshi."

Miroku clutched his staff hard, Sango had her hand on her sword, and Kagome held the last arrow in her bow and aimed it at Naraku. The demon ignored their threats and walked forwards.

"Give it to me and I will give you what you seek."

Naraku reached into his robe and pulled out a small blue orb, the blue eye of Garudomaru. Miroku's heart skipped a beat. Sango looked at it, the small orb of blue. The one thing that could save her beloved's life.

"Now houshi."

"Go to hell." Miroku said at last. Naraku narrowed his eyes and suddenly he squeezed his hand and smashed the blue eye. Both Miroku and Sango watched in horror as it crumbled into tiny pieces and fell from the demon lord's hand.

"Then I shall see you when I get there, Houshi." Naraku smirked.

Miroku threw his staff aside suddenly, taking Naraku by surprise, in a flash Miroku's Kazanna was open and sucking in the demon's direction. Poisoned bees flew towards it at once, but Miroku didn't care.

"I'm a dead man, remember?" He snarled. Naraku jumped from Haichi's back, not wanting to be sucked into the Kazanna, and fell below. What the demon lord had not expected was that below him stood Sesshoumaru, Tokuijin in hand. His barrier flared up again and he flew away from the Inu Youkai. He landed on the terrace of the mansion.

"You will all pay in time." Naraku growled.

"Onigumo." The voice was a stab into Naraku's soul. He turned around to face Kikyo behind him. On the other side of the Terrace he could see Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha and Kouga all on their way to him. Haichi too flew towards him, bringing Sango, Kagome and Miroku. It appeared that no matter how much his enemies may hate each other, they hated him more.

"Hmm, I've been saving this for a rainy day."

Naraku's barrier flailed up again. Already Inuyasha had transformed his Tetsusaiga into its barrier breaking form, and was ready to smash away at Naraku. Yet the Dark Hanyou would not allow it. Naraku flew high into the air, and as he did the shards of Onikage flew to his side.

"If I cannot send you to hell, then I send hell to you!"

The shards of Onikage flew into the clouds, and as Naraku flew away escaping, great balls of fire and smoke began to shoot forth from the clouds. They fell like rain towards the remains of the village and towards Naraku's enemies. The ground exploded into flame around them as they touched it.

"Sayonara, bakas." Naraku growled as he vanished from sight.

All of the eyes on the ground looked up at the raining flames, realizing that there was no way to escape from them. Inuyasha looked to his companions, and quickly took his outer robe off and threw it over Kagome's head.

"It protects you from fire, remember?" The hanyou said. Kagome looked at him with teary eyes and tried to give the robe back, yet Inuyasha refused.

"Inuyasha, if you give this to me then you'll--"

"Wear it dammit."

Not far away Sesshoumaru stood. He could outrun the opposing doom easily, yet his eyes moved to the east, where Rin, Kohaku and Jaken sat beside Aun, watching the flames in horror. Sesshoumaru could not help them. And doing something that surprised him more than anyone else, Sesshoumaru decided to stay and burn with them.

Kouga was leaning against a wall, shaking his fist in anger. He failed to avenge his wolf pack. He failed to kill Naraku. He failed his dead friends, he failed his living friends, and he failed Kagome.

Lying against the wall of the terrace to the western end was Miroku. The poison had already taken hold on him and he could not move. Sango held him in her arms, her eyes full of tears. Neither one of them spoke; they just stared at one another. Miroku wanted to save Sango somehow, yet he could not.

And standing behind them all was Kikyo. She didn't move or speak to anyone; she simply stared at the sky, stared at the flames.

Staring at death . . .

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Author's Notes: Well, I worked for hours to finish this as soon as I could, and here it is. Chapter six. There is only one chapter left. Only one. I promise I'll have it finished as soon as I possibly can.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Arigato!

Ja ne

~ Golden-sama