A Sister's Gift

Chapter 47 – The Battle Against Naraku

Kagome watched in horror as dozens of appendages began to spring forth from beneath Naraku. She looked to Kikyo, who nodded her head. They knew what they had to do.

All eyes were focused on the atrocity laughing with wicked enthusiasm on the platform. Naraku had taken possession of the Shikon no Tama and he was ecstatic with that fact. The terrified onlookers were powerless to do anything. Some were still in shock, where as the majority had fled for their lives.

Tooru had swept Tokie up in one arm and still had Sesshomaru’s ward beneath the other. The child was screaming for her ‘Sesshomaru-sama’, and though the child’s heart-wrenching cries were very hard to bare, Tooru knew that he had to get his charges to safety.

Tokie was not taking his decision very well, and was fighting against his grasp. “Tooru! I command you to release me at once!” Tokie screamed.

“Quite you insufferable woman! This place is not safe! That THING has taken the Shikon no Tama!” Tooru replied with frustration as he made his was across the courtyard.

“Tooru! You must put me down! I have to help fight him!” Tokie pleaded with one last kick.

Tooru knew that his mistress wanted to help, but he was afraid for her safety. He just couldn’t face losing her. Quickly he tried to reason with her, “Mistress Tokie, the child... the child is Sesshomaru’s ward. She is frightened and needs you!”

Tokie finally calmed down enough to understand that she could still help her friends, by helping Rin.

Kagura could see her sister below, standing over the dead body of the old miko. Naraku was nearby as well, and he had the jewel in his hands. Kagura had to make a decision, for Kanna. They had been summoned by Naraku in order to gain possession of the jewel, which had went according to plan; however, the emperor had escaped death, and now Naraku was facing off against two extremely powerful miko’s.

Kagura knew that her betrayal could mean her death, as well as the death of her sister and mother, if Naraku survives the miko’s attack. Her heart was beating wildly as she fretted over what to do. Her injuries sustained at the hands of the inu brothers throbbed, and she knew she would die if she continued to fight. ‘What should I do?!’

She could not leave Kanna, and she would not stay. Offering up a prayer to the Gods that the miko’s would rid them of Naraku, Kagura swooped down on Kanna, and swept the child onto her feather. Kagura did not bother to look back, as she heard Naraku scream his rage at her ultimate betrayal.

“You will die for betraying me wind bitch!” Naraku screamed. He knew Kagura could not be trusted, and she had proven that today beyond a doubt. The wench would turn her back on her own blood, risking not only her life, but of that pathetic mother of hers as well. He made a mental note to torture the woman slowly in front of her daughter’s, after he finished off his enemies.

Naraku turned his full attention back on the miko’s. He did not fear them. Why should he? He held the Shikon no Tama in his hands. The jewel and all of its power now belonged to him! He sneered at the miko’s, who had now taken on a glow of purity. The miko, Kikyo, was shining with a strange rosy hue, which seemed to pour from her very soul. Kagome, however, was different.

Naraku stepped back when he began to realize that he may have presumed too much.

The woman he wanted to possess was also glowing, but in an entirely different manner. The waves of pink miko energy were swirling about Kagome’s form in a dance with something darker. An iridescent blue had joined her rose purity in a twisting of raw power surrounding the miko, who was not only a miko, but also the mate of a taiyoukai.

Kagome looked to Kikyo, who understood what was expected of her. Kikyo reached back and pulled her long bow from her shoulder, and in the next breath had an arrow pointed at the evil filth that was Naraku. Kagome drew her katana, and the slice of the steel blade against the scabbard was the only sound in the courtyard as all present stood waiting for the final battle to begin.

Kikyo released the first of her purifying arrows. Each one was aimed at Naraku’s heart, but each one was met by a writhing tentacle. Kagome went into action, rolling beneath the flying arrows and defending appendages of Naraku. One tentacle after another met her blade as she pushed her way with the agility of her mate toward her ultimate goal.

Kikyo smiled wickedly at Naraku as she watched one after another of his tentacles explode in a cloud of dust. He was strong, and the jewel gifted him with the ability to spawn a new appendage to replace the old. She would not let that frighten her, she trusted Kagome.

Kagome leapt, rolled and sprung to her feet. She was almost there. She felt her power begging for release and she channeled all she had into her blade.

Naraku could not keep an eye on Kagome for the bitch Kikyo sending her damn arrows at him! He caught sight of her trying to come around him, but as soon as he turned his head he heard the 'thunk' of Kikyo’s bow string. He turned back and barely deflected her arrow aimed at his heart. The pain of his lost tentacle was minor, before the wondrous jewel lent him its power and replaced it with a new one.

Kagome sprang, and Naraku had just enough time to register what it was that she was doing. His eyes grew wide in shock as the ivory handled katana sliced through his arm, severing it from his body in a splash of dark blood.

“MY JEWEL!!!” Naraku shouted in despair, as he watched his own arm land with a flat thud. In its hand was his coveted prize, the Shikon no Tama.

Kagome wasted no time whirling around with all her strength and slicing the bastard hanyou’s foul head from his shoulders. As her blade went through his neck her power seared the wound, filling the air with the sickening smell of burnt flesh.

Naraku fell, and the evil threat was no more.

Sesshomaru watched, in fear for his mate, and with awesome pride, as she maneuvered through the writhing appendages of Naraku. Kikyo was doing her job well, in keeping the hanyou distracted, as her partner made her way toward her goal.

When Kagome sliced the arm from Naraku’s body he found himself suddenly knocked to the ground with the sudden force of her flaring power. He was able to look up just in time to see Naraku’s long dark hair fly outward at a strange angle, and then he saw that the head was no longer a part of his vile body. His mate had slain her enemy.

“Kikyo!” Inuyasha yelled as he made his way to his mate. It had happened so fast that he was afraid he would not make it in time to save her. He could only watch in astonishment as she and Kagome worked together to take Naraku down. It was simply amazing, as if they planned it to perfection. One minute the enemy was a fierce threat, and the next he was a decimated memory.

Kikyo smiled at Inuyasha as she turned into his strong embrace. No matter how powerful of a miko she was, and no matter what threat she had overcome, she would never feel as safe and happy as she did in his arms. “Oh Inuyasha! We did it!”

Kagome was panting for breath. She was down on one knee, taking a moment to gather herself. The tip of her katana pointed down into the ground. Its silver blade dripped with the dark crimson blood of Naraku. Suddenly a hand touched her shoulder and she smiled.

The miko Kagome stood up and turned to her inuyoukai mate. His shining eyes of gold reflected her love, and Kagome felt a tremendous relief wash over her. She had lived to see him again.