InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Seven Circles of Hell ❯ The Sixth Circle: Part Two ( Chapter 3 )

As she approached the village, Kagome felt a small wave of relief wash over her. At least she would be among friends here. With the rain, everyone was inside. A sudden urge to get to Kaede's house as fast as possible bid Kagome's feet to triple their pace.

"Kaede?" Kagome called hopefully as she hurried in through the door.

The old woman and the small fox looked up at the weathered girl as she set foot into the house.

"Kagome!" cried Shippo, hopping up to greet her. "Kagome, I was so worried! What happened? Where are the others?"

Somewhat confused, Kagome looked at Kaede. "They didn't...they haven't come back here?"

The old priestess shook her head slowly. "No. Inuyasha has not returned as yet, nor has the monk or the demon exterminator."

"But..." Kagome blinked with a blank face, as if she thought Kaede was lying. "But we agreed. We'd all gather back here if anything happened. Are you sure they didn't come by?"

"You're soaked to the bone, child," Kaede said worriedly, her aged eyes taking stock of the girl standing before her. "Isn't that Inuyasha's sword?"

Kagome sniffed, closed her eyes, and fell to her knees, holding the Tetsusaiga above her head.

"What's the matter, Kagome? Why do you have Inuyasha's sword?" Shippo danced around Kagome worriedly, trying to poke out answers.

Kagome sucked in her breath, her head still down. She lowered the Tetsusaiga and gulped. "I'm going to find the others..."

"I'll come, too!" the little fox proclaimed.

"No," Kagome said forcefully, and Shippo was taken aback. She softened her tone. "No, Shippo. You stay here with Kaede and keep watch over the village. I will be back as soon as I find the others, okay?"

Not wanting to upset his friend more than she obviously was, Shippo readily agreed to stay behind and protect the village...again. Kaede suggested that Kagome get some rest before she leave, but the girl refused, saying that her friends were much more important than a few hours sleep.

Knowing that she couldn't hold Inuyasha's sword and ride her bike at the same time, Kagome set off on foot again, feeling just as energetic as she had when she'd begun walking that morning. Once again, the hills seemed to be steeper, and the roads seemed to be longer. She remembered where the battle had been. The image of the cliff had been burned into her memory--it was just one of those things your subconcious refused to let you forget.

The battlefield grew closer, and soon Kagome could easily identify Sango's form, resting against a rock. Kagome picked up speed as she had back in the village.

"Sango!!"

At first, it looked like the demon eterminator was dead.

"SANGO!"

The second time her name was called, the one named Sango raised her head and saw a girl in a high school uniform rushing towards her. "Kagome..."

Kagome almost slid to a kneel as she reached her friend. "Sango! Are you alright? Are you injured?"

Sango nodded slowly. "I think I'll be okay. But Miroku..."

Sango tried to move in Miroku's general direction, but Kagome stopped her. "Don't try to move if you're hurt, Sango. I'll go get him."

Kagome rushed over to the monk, who was lying almost lifelessly on the ground.

"Miroku...Miroku wake up." Kagome hovered over him to protect him from the falling rain.

"Kagome..." A tiny smile appeared over the monk's face, followed by a pained expression. "We...didn't know if you'd survived. Inuyasha...went to find you..."

"What? He left you and Sango here to die?" Kagome's emotions were soaring through her body. He'd left them to find her?

"No..." Miroku shook his head, his eyes closed. "We told him to hurry to you, because we were injured, but you might be dead. He told us not to move an inch, because he'd be back to take us to the village...then...the rain started..."

Miroku forced his eyes to open. "The poison...has taken it's full course...I am ready to die with honor."

Sango, who was watching the scene from afar, knew what was happening. They'd gotten in quite a few hours of conversation after Inuyasha had left to find Kagome.

Kagome shook her head and took Miroku's hand. "No, you can't leave now. Naraku's gone. The curse is lifted!" Kagome unraveled the prayer beads that used to seal the wind tunnel in the monk's right hand and showed the man his bare hand. "See? All gone! You can't leave!"

Miroku smiled, his eyes sad. "My dear Kagome. I've accomplished my family mission. I will not have died for nothing. Thank you for everything."

Kagome squeezed his hand. "Miroku..."

"And one more thing...?"

Kagome stared down at the dying man's peaceful face. "What is it? I'll do anything."

Even when he was dying, Miroku managed to save his perverted self. "How bout that son?"

Kagome just laughed between tears, the hole in her heart growing larger than before. Miroku smiled, his eyes closed. "Just promise me that you'll make sure Sango is happy."

Kagome nodded, and the man's hand fell limp. Miroku, the Lecherous Monk, was dead.

"Kagome. We have to mark his grave." Sango spoke up, and Kagome was surprised to hear her voice so calm. She must have known. They must have had a lot to say to each other before I got here.

Kagome nodded and began collecting rocks to use as Miroku's grave. Before she'd covered his entire body, Kagome snatched his prayer beads and set them next to Tetsusaiga. It was long, hard work, but the monk was soon buried, and the grave was marked. The whole time, the rain continued to fall in a simple pattern.

Kagome returned to Sango's side and asked if she'd like to leave anything on the grave.

Taking only one glance at Miroku's grave, she shook her head. "No. I think it would be better if we just got back to the village. He wouldn't want either of us to get sick, would he?"

"No," Kagome replied. "No, he wouldn't. Oh, here" she held out the prayer beads for Sango to take "I think Miroku would want you to have these."

Sango just stared at the beads for a moment, then took them and wrapped them around her right hand. "Thank you." She looked at Kagome's weary expression. "He's gone, too, isn't he?"

Not pretending like she didn't understand Sango, Kagome shook her head. If she spoke, she would surely start to cry.

The two women managed their way through the persistent rain and back to the village, where Kagome left Sango with Shippo and Kaede.

When asked where she was going, Kagome simply replied the truth: She didn't know.

The only thing she knew was that she had to escape. She felt as though she didn't belong now, that she no longer had a reason for sticking around. But there was one thing she wanted to do, to make this all worth the pain it was causing her. She had to find Kouga.