InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Blackout ❯ To the Bitter End ( Chapter 32 )

Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha or any of the publicly known characters, plot, etc. I’m just renting them from Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, etc. I do own the plot of this story and any original characters I’ve created. I will make no money from this fic; I write for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of my readers.


To the Bitter End


“Hello, Naraku. I hope you don’t mind if I join the party.”

Inuyasha’s shoulders slumped in disappointment at the sound of Hakago’s voice passing through Kagome’s lips. For a few fleeting moments, he’d dared to hope that the explosive resurgence of her miko power was an indication that she’d gained her freedom, despite the uncharacteristic smirk on her face signaling otherwise. Now that her captor had confirmed that he was still in complete control, Inuyasha felt only dread. This new development was potentially terrible news; if Hakago had found a way to access her spiritual energy, then perhaps he’d managed to destroy what remained of Kagome’s consciousness as well. Perhaps she was already–

Inuyasha shook his head, resolving not to sink into despair just yet. There was still hope for Kagome, as long as her body was breathing. And he would do everything in his power to maintain her survival. Based on what Kagura had told him, Hakago would not reject his assistance. For the moment, they were allies striving toward a common goal, a fact which Naraku seemed to understand well.

“You,” the dark hanyou snarled, his normally cool demeanor breaking. “How did you get here?”

“Why, Sesshoumaru carried me, of course. As you well know, I could never have reached this place on my own.”

Naraku narrowed his eyes, as he appeared to comprehend what Hakago didn’t say. “Hmph, it seems it was foolish of me to place trust in any of my servants.” He held out his hand, and in it materialized another beating heart, this one smaller than Kagura’s and with a slower rhythm. This time, however, Naraku kept his hand within his barrier, and Hakago made no move to fire an arrow. Inuyasha heard Kagura gasp and begin to cry out, but it was too late–her master crushed the heart with one brutal clench of his fist.

“You bastard!” Kagura screamed, sending wind blades rushing at Naraku, though all bounced harmlessly off the barrier.

“You were always powerless to save yourself, Kagura,” her master taunted. “And now you have failed to save your sister. Don’t worry, though, you will soon join her in hell. But first,” he declared, turning to face Kagome once more, “I must put a disobedient child in his place.”

“You wish to discipline me, Naraku?” Hakago sneered. “Come and try it, then. This girl has never realized the true extent of her power. I will make you cry for mercy before I purify you.”

“Kukuku, you are a fool, boy. You should have stayed where you were told, and lived a little longer. Now, become part of my body once more.”

Naraku’s tendrils emerged from the barrier and shot quickly toward Kagome, obviously intended to overwhelm her human reflexes. Fortunately, Inuyasha was ready; he lurched into a hobbling sprint and unleashed the Kaze no Kizu just before Naraku made his move. The blades of youki decimated every bit of the dark hanyou’s flesh which was outside of the barrier, but passed harmlessly over the opaque sphere as expected.

“Keep your slimy tentacles away from her,” Inuyasha snarled, coming to a halt in front of Kagome.

“Aw, that’s so sweet,” she observed in her own voice from behind him. “Do you really care for me that much?”

“Shut up,” he snapped, refusing to allow Hakago to get to him. The infant’s impression of her ‘touched’ tone was far too good for Inuyasha’s liking. He drew comfort from the knowledge that if everything went as planned, the true Kagome might soon be speaking to him in that same manner. At long last, the wait was over. All of it would end today–Naraku’s twisted saga of violence and deceit, Kagome’s abduction, this whole rotten mess. One way or another, he would be with her soon.

The various combatants eyed each other from across the battlefield, wondering who would be the first to break the standstill. The only one capable of penetrating Naraku’s barrier was Inuyasha, who would not do so as long as his enemy held Kohaku and Rin as hostages. And any attempt by Naraku to reach Kagome would now be thwarted by Inuyasha and possibly even Sesshoumaru. But Naraku still had an ace up his sleeve, namely the hundreds of lesser youkai hovering overhead, not to mention the dozen or so puppets lurking on the edges of the battlefield. It was these minions which the dark hanyou now summoned, causing the castle to descend into chaos once more.

Inuyasha decimated a puppet approaching from his blind side, then turned in time to slice up a couple of Naraku’s tendrils which were reaching for Kagome from the opposite direction. This process repeated itself several more times, but fortunately Inuyasha’s reflexes were up to the task. But Naraku stalked slowly closer, protected by his barrier and human shields, shortening the range for his strikes. And as Inuyasha’s friends and allies slayed more and more enemies, the field once again became clouded by heavy miasma, reducing visibility and making it even more difficult for the hanyou to react effectively. Meanwhile, Kagome stood still, a sitting duck. She had closed her eyes, and though her lips were moving, no sound emerged. She appeared to be deep in concentration, the tension in her face indicating great stress, almost as though she was frantically searching for something. Inuyasha might have demanded to know what the hell Hakago was doing if he wasn’t so hard-pressed keeping Naraku’s tentacles off of Kagome’s body, while also protecting his own hide. His priority was Kagome, obviously, but if he allowed himself to be seriously wounded, then he was no longer going to be fast or strong enough to repulse Naraku’s advances against her.

The miasma burned his throat, the poison entering his bloodstream through his lungs, but he couldn’t slow his breathing. His reflexes deteriorated a little more, and a youkai managed to clamp its jaws around his midsection while he was engaged with Naraku. His fire-rat limited the damage, but the puncture wounds remained after the youkai was dispatched. The damage to his body and the loss of blood sapped his strength even further, continuing the destructive cycle. Soon Inuyasha could tell that the struggle would not last much longer. Shit. Hakago, you’d better do something soon, or we’re both gonna die.

“Now, Kohaku,” Naraku ordered suddenly, his voice almost gleeful with anticipated triumph. “Go and collect for me the final shard of the Shikon no Tama!”

Inuyasha swore under his breath, expecting to have to fight off the young taijiya now as well. But instead Kohaku darted off to the side, heading straight for his sister and her fiancé, who were currently doing their best to keep some marauding youkai at bay. Shit, they know that Miroku has the shard!

“Miroku! Sango!” Inuyasha bellowed, coming perilously close to having his head torn off for even that brief moment of distraction. The clash of bone-on-bone weaponry indicated that his warning had nevertheless been effective. But how long Sango and Miroku could hold out against Kohaku in their weakened states, Inuyasha couldn’t say. Regardless, though it weighed heavily upon his heart, he didn’t dare leave Kagome’s side.

His friends were on their own.

* * *

Sango grunted under the force of the blow, barely maintaining her balance as she stumbled backward. It would be easy to blame her situation on the miasma coursing through her veins, but that would be misleading. Kohaku had obviously become exponentially more skilled with his sickle-chain during his enslavement; this would be a tough battle even if she was in peak physical condition, which she most certainly was not. Kohaku’s strikes were lightning quick, and every impact of his blade against hiraikotsu sent shockwaves up her arms and into her chest. A handful of strikes in, and Sango was already wondering how long she could last. Offensive action was completely out of the question; it was all she could do to meet the sickle with hiraikotsu rather than her own flesh and bones.

The next blow was weaker than the rest, but by the time Sango realized the diversion, it was too late–the weighted end of the chain was already swinging for her vulnerable temple. All she could do was duck her head and close her eyes. The heavy iron ball bounced off the top of her skull, but even the glancing blow was enough to send her sprawling to the ground, the world spinning dizzily around her as she fought to maintain consciousness.

Miroku’s heart lodged in his throat, fearing that Kohaku would move in for the kill, but the young taijiya had another target in mind. Soon the monk found himself fighting for his own life, with even less success that his fiancé. After three barely-deflected strikes of his sickle, Kohaku pulled his victim’s legs out from under him with the chain. Miroku cracked his head against the ground as he fell onto his back, but managed to raise his hands in time to prevent Kohaku’s blade from sinking into his chest. His arms buckled under the strain as the taijiya kneeled over him, placing both hands on the handle and using his body weight to force the blade lower. Glaring up into those cold, dead eyes as his strength wavered and the sickle began to bite into his flesh, Miroku could only hope that Sango had lost consciousness. No sister should have to witness what was about to occur between her brother and fiancé.

“Kohaku…please don’t.”

Her miserable, broken voice drew Miroku’s attention, as he turned his head to look into his beloved’s eyes for the last time. She was sitting up now, and though her eyes were partially unfocused, tears flowed freely down her cheeks. Miroku could tell that only Kirara’s support kept her upright, the fire-cat’s fierce growling also deterring the surrounding youkai as Shippou distracted them with his kitsune-bi. The monk was grateful that they had chosen to protect her rather than attempt to rescue him. With his gaze, he tried to convey the depths of his feelings for her, everything he had been unable to tell her with words. Her choked sob told him that she understood. And as pain blossomed in his chest, he closed his eyes and waited for nirvana. Live, Sango. Live and be happy.

The pain in his chest suddenly lessened, which seemed odd to him. He would have expected to feel a great surge of agony as Kohaku impaled him, and only then for it to fade as his life expired. Instead his senses were telling him that he was still very much alive, and that the taijiya’s blade was no longer digging into his chest. Sure enough, when Miroku opened his eyes, he found Kohaku still straddling him, the sickle-chain held up by his shoulder, poised and ready to strike. A strike which did not come. For Kohaku’s eyes were no longer dead; some small element of life had seeped back in. But though his sister’s pleading had apparently reached him in some way, he was still very much Naraku’s servant. Which is why Miroku once again prepared himself for death when the sickle plunged downward.

Sango cried out, but instead of stabbing her beloved in the chest, Kohaku merely sliced open the front of his robes. It took him only a moment to find what he was looking for, and then he was gone, sprinting back toward his master. Only unexpected intervention prevented him from handing the stolen Shikon fragment to Naraku. A great gust of wind knocked Kohaku off balance, but he recovered quickly and flung his sickle blade into the air. Fortunately, Kagura had been smart enough to stay out of his range, and soon had him pinned to the ground with a small twister planted in his lower back, not penetrating his armour but exerting enough pressure to render him immobile.

Miroku and Kagura exchanged a grim nod. The wind sorceress had been under constant attack to this point, likely to prevent her from blowing away the miasma with her fan. But she had managed to buy herself a few precious seconds to intervene at a crucial moment. She too understood that to allow Naraku to complete the Shikon no Tama would be an utter disaster. Miroku was nevertheless extremely grateful that she had spared Kohaku’s life; he still held out hope that the boy could be saved. Grimacing, he lurched to his feet and was about to move to reclaim the shard Kohaku had stolen when a great surge of pure energy drew the attention of every combatant, friend and foe alike, across the battlefield. To the young woman standing before the pit of evil which was Naraku, spiritual power rolling off of her in waves.

Hakago was finally making his move.

* * *

“I found it,” Kagome whispered, her tone equally awestruck and ecstatic. It was the first time she had spoken since Naraku’s onslaught began, but the power in those softly uttered syllables sent a shiver down Inuyasha’s spine. Her eyes snapped open at the same time her spiritual energy burst forth from her being, with an intensity she had exhibited on only a handful of previous occasions. Then her pure aura swelled even further, to a level she had never reached before. Hakago’s words came back to him. This girl has never realized the true extent of her power. Inuyasha had doubted the validity of that statement before, but now realized how true it was. There was nothing to hold Kagome back any longer. No emotions, no insecurities, no foolish hanyou love interest throwing her heart to the ground and stomping on it with disturbing regularity. Kagome was now what Kikyou had strived to be–a pure miko, purged of everything which made her human. Inuyasha could only pray that after this was over, she would revert back to the girl he had fallen in love with.

“Kukuku, do you honestly believe that Kagome’s power will be enough to defeat me?” Naraku taunted, though his confidence had clearly dissipated somewhat. In fact, he seemed almost driven to reassure himself that he was still the strongest person on the battlefield, even as he shrank back a few involuntary steps.

“You still cannot penetrate my barrier. You still cannot kill me!”

Hakago made no reply, other than to favor his sire with a hateful glare. Then Kagome’s eyes glazed over, her irises fading as if obscured by fog. She stared at the ground before her, seeing nothing, at least on this plane of existence. But her miko power continued to surge around her, as she searched for something no one else could see. Finally her head snapped up, her eyes clearing as her lips twisted upwards in a determined grin. Inuyasha held his breath as he watched her, utterly captivated. She raised her arms, bending them at the elbow so that her palms were facing inwardly toward each other. With a mighty cry, she slammed her hands together, the clap of her flesh punctuated by a blinding flash of light which forced Inuyasha to turn away and shield his eyes. When the light faded, there was silence on the battlefield. Kagome still stood with her hands pressed together, gazing at her abductor’s most hated enemy, Hakago’s arrogant smirk firmly in place upon her features.

Naraku was the first to break the silence, with a great hacking cough. He tried to inhale but choked, spitting up blood. It was a tremendous shock, to see the normally unflappable hanyou suffering so. Finally, Naraku drew in enough of a breath to speak, between bouts of coughing.

“You bastard…what did you do?!”

“Heh, feeling pain in your chest, Naraku?” Hakago answered coldly, in his own voice. “Is it becoming difficult to breathe? That’s because I used Kagome’s power to sever the connection between us. As of the moment I clapped my hands together, you have no heart. The truth hurts, I know, but it’s really very simple. I can live without you, but you can’t live without me. Now, go crawl into a ditch somewhere and die!”

Naraku glared at his offspring, but his body shuddered before he could reply and he dropped to a knee, blood now dripping from his nasal and ocular cavities. Pieces of his body began sloughing off and falling lifelessly to the ground. Inuyasha found it difficult to believe what he was seeing, but his senses didn’t lie. The most powerful enemy he’d ever faced was disintegrating before his eyes. Naraku was dying. And when his barrier finally flickered and vanished, Inuyasha knew the end was truly near.

Be that as it may, there was still one person in mortal peril. Inuyasha could sense his half-brother’s agitation, his desire to rush in and save his human companion. But he didn’t dare, not with Rin standing paralyzed with fear, still too close to her captor’s remaining tendrils, any of which could end her life in an instant. If they could just get her away from Naraku, then Sesshoumaru could use his speed to safely rescue her. Inuyasha waved to catch her attention, then signaled for her to come to him, all the while keeping an eye on her captor to make sure he was none the wiser. After a moment he signaled again, but Rin only continued to stare blankly at him, too frightened to move.

“Rin!” Sesshoumaru called, his exclamation simultaneously a demand and a plea. She started suddenly, turning watery eyes to her guardian, whose voice seemed to have broken her from her stupor.

“Sesshoumaru-sama!” she cried, her arms outstretched as she sprinted toward him as fast as her legs could carry her. Naraku saw what was happening and sent his tentacles after her, but Sesshoumaru was already in motion, as was Inuyasha. The hanyou charged in with Tetsusaiga raised over his head in its diamond spear form, determined to time his strike perfectly assuming his half-brother could hold up his end of the bargain. For once, Sesshoumaru did exactly what Inuyasha wanted him to, streaking in and spiriting Rin safely away just before Naraku could reach her. And that left only the two hanyou staring each other down, one set of red eyes widened in fear and the other’s golden orbs reflecting grim, merciless determination.

“Kongousouha!”

Naraku saw what was about to happen. Just as the first diamond shards began tearing into his flesh, his entire body dissolved into miasma, a thick cloud which floated away with definite purpose. It was the same manner in which he had made his escape from his last castle, though instead of soaring off into the sky like on that occasion, he merely drifted back and blended into the miasma already hovering over the battlefield.

“Shit. Where did he go?”

“Don’t worry,” Hakago told him, drawing an arrow. “He’s here. He’s using the Shikon no Tama to sustain himself, but that won’t work for long. Just don’t let him get–”

A surprised shout turned Inuyasha’s attention across the field to Kagura, who had come under sudden attack by about a hundred of the remaining lesser youkai. She had obviously been targeted specifically, and the reason became clear as the tornado pinning Kohaku to the ground disappeared, leaving the boy free to leap to his feet and take off running in the direction his master had fled. Inuyasha swore under his breath and sprinted after him, not needing Hakago to tell him that Naraku obtaining the completed Shikon no Tama was a very bad thing. Kagura now had her hands full protecting her own hide, and everyone else on the battlefield was either too far away or too crippled to assist. It was just Inuyasha and Kohaku, and unfortunately the boy was working with a significant head start.

The miasma thickened in front of the young taijiya suddenly, and without hesitation he leapt into its depths. When he emerged from the other side, he fell to the ground lifelessly and lay there unmoving. Inuyasha didn’t need to approach any closer to know that Kohaku was gone. But he had no time to dwell on the loss of his friend’s brother. He skidded to a halt as a great pulse of evil energy sent a shockwave across the castle, shaking the ground beneath their feet. An ominous, wicked cackle rang out, chilling Inuyasha to the bone. The tables had turned once again. Their best chance to destroy Naraku had been lost, and now the dark hanyou seemed to feel reassured of victory. Inuyasha had always suspected that the completed Shikon no Tama would provide its wielder with significantly greater power than the sum of its parts, so the newfound vitality of Naraku’s aura came as no surprise. But surely even an item of such power could not enable a man to live indefinitely without a heart. And if that was the case, then Inuyasha had a feeling that he might come to regret leaving Kagome’s side to chase after Kohaku.

He turned to retrace his steps, but it was already too late; Naraku’s disembodied form was closing rapidly on her position. She fired an arrow, but the projectile was deflected by the sheer intensity of the evil aura and sailed away to clatter uselessly against the ground. Naraku did not give his offspring the opportunity to fire again. His body solidified into what looked like black tar, and moved to envelope Kagome in a great arc. At the last moment, she raised her hands.

The impact of Naraku’s pseudo-body against her spiritual barrier was akin to that of a giant mud ball hitting a window. The noxious slime stuck to the invisible shield, slowly expanding to cover more of the surface. Inuyasha didn’t even recall ordering his feet to move as he pushed his legs past the limits of their endurance, desperate to save his beloved. And Kagome clearly needed help. It was a small miracle that she’d been able to project the miko barrier in the first place, having never done so before, but already she had been forced to her knees, the protective sphere reduced to half its original size. As Inuyasha watched, the barrier shrunk even further, wringing a strangled cry from her throat. He caught one final glimpse of her face, scrunched up and sweating from the effort of holding her attacker at bay, before the liquefied miasma blocked his view.

“KAGOME!!!” Inuyasha cried out, at a loss for what to do. He could feel the potency of Naraku’s youki from his position a dozen meters away; if he ran over there to fight with his claws, he would die a swift and agonizing death. And he didn’t dare utilize any of Tetsusaiga’s higher attacks, since he couldn’t target the dark hanyou without also hitting Kagome. Her barrier looked like it would crumble if he threw a rock at it, never mind a Kaze no Kizu. A profound sense of helplessness settled over Inuyasha. Was this the moment when Naraku finally won? Was he doomed to watch his soul mate and unborn child be devoured before his eyes? No! his heart answered. Even if it would surely kill him, even if he had only a miniscule chance of success, he would confront Naraku with his bare hands. He would wrest the Shikon no Tama from his clutches, or perish in the attempt.

“Inu…yasha?”

He froze, both ears perking up as he listened intently. He had just about decided that he was imagining things when he heard it again, so faint and strained that he couldn’t tell if Hakago was speaking in his own voice or Kagome’s.

“Kag–Hakago?!”

“D o it…Inuyasha,” he ordered, and the hanyou instinctively knew what he meant. Inuyasha hesitated, having considered this course of action already and come to the conclusion that it was too risky. How could it help? Logically, the best thing that could happen was Kagome’s death, which would result in the destruction of Naraku’s heart and the dark hanyou’s own expiration soon after. Inuyasha wasn’t exactly partial to using those particular means to achieve the desired end, and he knew that Hakago wasn’t so noble as to sacrifice himself for the greater good. The only idea which made any sense was the infant’s preference for dying on his own terms rather than being reabsorbed by Naraku.

“Do it, Inuyasha! NOW!!!”

That desperate cry, delivered in Kagome’s voice, sealed it for Inuyasha. After living and traveling with her for almost a year, he had become very familiar with her voice, in all of its subtle nuances and fluctuations. That tone did not indicate a hopeless situation. It spoke of suffering, of desperation, but also of hope, and faith that with his help victory could be achieved. Hakago had not given up on his own survival, and therefore, Inuyasha would not give up on Kagome and his child.

The Kaze no Kizu the hanyou sent streaking toward Naraku then was the strongest his sword had ever produced. He watched as the blades of youki raced toward the barrier, holding his breath as the moment of impact neared. Would his attack help Hakago in some way, or would Kagome be torn apart by his own sword?

The dreaded sight and sound of a fracturing barrier never came. Tetsusaiga’s youki didn’t even pass over the opaque sphere, which was the other outcome Inuyasha had anticipated. Instead, with a burst of almost jubilant sound, the blades latched onto the barrier, swirling around it at faster and faster speeds, until the hanyou could no longer differentiate between the two normally opposing forces. That observation struck him with a profound sense of déjà vu. It’s just like when we fought Jakotsu. Kagome and I…together we are stronger than the sum of our parts. But were they strong enough to overcome Naraku and the corrupted Shikon no Tama? Everything depended upon the answer to that crucial question.
The conflict raged with heart-pounding intensity, the battle lines shifting to and fro, the miasma ebbing and flowing like ocean waves. But gradually, the darkness began to recede. In a few more moments, Inuyasha was able to enjoy an unexpected blessing–the sight of her face. She grimaced as she rose to her feet, arms still outstretched in front of her, straining against the evil with all of her might. Inuyasha felt inexplicably drawn to her, and did not resist his urge to be by her side. He circled her in a shallow arc, approaching the barrier from the rear, the only portion which was completely free of Naraku’s influence. Never once did he doubt that it would allow him entrance.

Once inside, he permitted himself a moment’s indulgence, as he savored his first physical contact with her since her abduction. Incredible warmth emanated from where her body was pressed against his own, even through multiple layers of clothing. The scent of her hair, somewhat dirty but completely natural, free of any modern chemicals, was indescribable. The rapid sound of her heartbeat resonated through his body, soothing his wounded soul. Everything was all right. He was by her side again. It didn’t matter who controlled her physical form, not when he could almost feel her soul embracing him, whispering words of love in his ears and swelling his heart to bursting. At last, he was home. He embraced her from behind, ensconcing her in the voluminous sleeves of his haori. Then he held Tetsusaiga in front of them, gripping the hilt with both hands. He didn’t need to tell her to place her palms on the blade.

The power which exploded from them shook the heavens, awing even the sun with its brightness. But though the light was blinding, Inuyasha found no need to close his eyes. This was something he and Kagome had created, something almost as beautiful as the tiny life which they were trying to save. From far off he heard Naraku’s voice, shocked and despairing, full of lamentations and cursing the world which had rejected him. But Inuyasha had gone to a place where Naraku’s hate could no longer reach him. A place where, with his beloved by his side, he could do anything. With love in his heart, he tightened his grip on Tetsusaiga’s hilt, and made one final effort.

Naraku screamed, and the world ceased to be.

* * *

Inuyasha groaned, holding his head as he sat up, blinking his eyes against the bright sunshine. Mildly disoriented, he glanced at his surroundings, his memories quickly falling back into place. No trace of miasma remained on the battlefield, and there was not a single cloud in the sky. It was amazing, how the late afternoon sun could make him blink and look away, when the pure, glorious light he and Kagome had produced had been perfectly comfortable to behold.

“Kagome!” he recalled, scanning frantically and locating her form a few meters away. She lay on the ground, apparently unconscious, her breathing smooth and regular. His nerves suddenly in tatters, Inuyasha crawled to her side and pulled her torso into his lap. He shook her gently, tapping her cheek lightly to wake her, all the while wondering whose mind he was rousing from slumber. He swore the true Kagome had embraced him in some form during the final confrontation with Naraku. But had that last surge of spiritual energy allowed her consciousness to fight its way free of Hakago’s influence? Or had the infant been able to use her power even to such an extent without losing control?

He was about to find out. Kagome blinked her eyes open, staring up at him for a few moments as she shook off her disorientation. Even as her gaze cleared, she gave nothing away, and finally Inuyasha could take the silent stare no longer.

“K-Kagome?”

The instant her lips twisted into that familiar smirk, Inuyasha knew what the next words out of her mouth were going to be. He had heard them before, after all.

“Do you honestly still believe that I’m Kagome?”