The Herald of Heaven and Earth

Chapter 7: Kikyo’s Demise

Inuyasha had broken out of his impassioned trance and heard everything Naraku revealed to Kikyo. Painfully he looked down at Kagome and, fresh tears fell from his eyes. “He’s right,” he whispered to her unconscious form. “I knew you loved me unconditionally yet, I was stuck on the love of someone who wouldn’t see past my differences. I should have realized then when Kikyo came back that she couldn’t hold a candle to you.” His long hair shimmered in the moonlight as it fell around the couple. He lowered his head and cradled Kagome tighter in his arms, feeling her warmth, refusing to let her go. “Forgive me Kagome, My Kagome,” he said, his voice trembling with emotion.

Naraku smiled as he watched Kikyo’s face contort. “Alas, poor Kikyo… It must be agonizing to witness such affection,” he whispered maliciously. “But remember that you brought this upon yourself. Inuyasha will never love you now or ever again.”

Kikyo stared at Kagome and let loose a wild scream. She pushed Naraku out of her way and sprinted toward the girl who had stolen her love from her. Suddenly out of nowhere a knuckled hand backhanded her to the ground and she looked up to see that Sesshoumaru stood over her, his eyes cold and indifferent.

“Inuyasha,” she hissed, desperation edged in her voice. “Will you let this brute treat me like this? You gave me your vow, you loved me once, you still do…”

Inuyasha raised his head to look at her and she stared in shock at how cold his eyes seemed. “I love Kagome,” he said in a voice almost identical to the stoic demon that had the gall to strike her. “I rescind my vow because I did not taint the jewel. At one time I loved you so much that I was willing to give up a part of myself but, you still could not look deeper and love unconditionally. I know now that I’m meant to be with Kagome,” he said as he stroked her thick raven hair. “I belong to her just as she belongs to me. I protect her and only her from this moment on, until the Supreme One decides to take the breath from our lungs.”

Kikyo felt his icy coldness wash over her as he turned his back and she heard him faintly whisper “Goodbye Kikyo”.

Sesshoumaru watched Kikyo slowly rise from the ground and with her hand outstretched she began to walk once more toward Inuyasha. She froze in fear when she heard Sesshoumaru’s chilly voice reach her ears.

“I believe my brother has spoken and I am confident that he will not object to me destroying you so I suggest you turn away, lest you die.”

Kikyo turned to glance at him fearfully and when she saw the promise of her death in his eyes she ran back to Naraku and in panic she gripped the baboon fur. “You cannot do this to me, you once desired me also. We could destroy them together.”

Naraku brushed her hands away and grasped her chin roughly. “My dear one, you forget that Onigumo was the one who desired you. However, even now my weaker half is saying to me that Kagome is a much more desirable creature.” He laughed as he realized that for once he agreed with his human counterpart. The smile faded from his lips as he regarded Kikyo in her pathetic state. “Besides I know you wished to feed off of my power and perhaps surpass me. It really amazes me how evil you are.”

Kikyo glared at him with pleading eyes. “Then let us be evil together, help me kill the girl and let me absorb her power. We would be a force to be reckoned with and you would have everything you have desired and more.”

Naraku raised his hand and the unseen force again threw Kikyo off of her feet. The world seemed to slow as she fell and she could hear Naraku call her a fool and tell her that she was beaten. “You are nothing but bones and clay, thus bones and clay you shall return.”

As she heard him say these words Kikyo saw the ground beneath her tear in half. She saw in the abyss a red and orange glow and she felt the heat sear her false body. Naraku watched as her flesh began to flake away and her mouth formed into a silent scream as the skin and hair peeled away from her face leaving a bleached white skull with two brown eyes in the sockets. As she fell into the depths the last her sight perceived was her beloved Inuyasha.

As the earth closed up a faint whisper and a hot breeze rushed up from below and captured Naraku’s baboon tunic making it soar away into the night and his waist length black hair billowed wildly. He eyed Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru who were both waiting for him to attack but to their surprise he disappeared without a word.

Inuyasha looked at the spot where their enemy had vanished and rose with Kagome in his arms. “Let’s go before someone else decides to show up," he said quietly.

Sesshoumaru lingered for a moment and his eyes fell upon the spot where Kikyo met her demise. “You are forgiven tragic priestess,” he said quietly, and after a few moments he turned to follow Inuyasha.

As they disappeared a disembodied voice pierced the quiet of the darkness. “Until we meet again, my beautiful Kagome.”