Koga and Ayame fought off demons as s well-choreographed team. Koga, aided by the Jewel shards in his legs, surrounded demons in a whirlwind. Ayame twirled in the air slicing demons caught in the whirlwind. The wolf pack tore up the small demons. Ginta and Hakkaku took down demons like amateur fighters. They did not notice Kanna sneak up behind them with a newly minted soul-sucking mirror.
By the time Koga stopped running to warn Ginta and Hakkaku it was too late. Ginta’s and Hakkaku’s souls were sucked into Kanna’s mirror. Their eye pupils dilated to mostly white. They hunched over as puppets.
“No, Ginta! Hakkaku!” cried Ayame.
“They can’t hear us, Ayame,” stated Koga. “We know what to do to get them back! I won’t let Naraku take my best friends from me as he did my clan!”
Koga and Ayame engaged the demons swarming them.
*******
Sesshomaru simply swiped his sword dispatching each advancing demon wave. Kagura waved her fan blowing demons away. Jaken stayed safely behind Sesshomaru’s cover.
Inuyasha slashed and hacked away at demons as Miroku fought with his sword and staff. Kagome repelled a wave or two of demons with her sacred arrows from atop of Kirara only when she needed to. Hachie and Shippo bounced all over the place knocking demons off their balance. They all fought hard but there were just an overwhelming number of demons. The waves seemed endless. Miroku analyzed the situation and concluded to use his wind tunnel. As he was removing the beads off his cursed hand, the buzz from the poison bees came over him. He looked up frowning at the presence of the poisonous insects casually floating over all the action. Miroku could not use his wind tunnel to his advantage. He had no choice but to fight on.
Inuyasha wiped out another wave of demons with Tessaiga. He growled as another wave rushed at him. Damn these are too many! He complained to himself. “Naraku!” Inuyasha called out. “We’re here already! You going to let your minions do the fighting for you, you coward?!” Inuyasha taunted the wicked demon.
“As you wish, half demon,” Naraku’s voice echoed loudly over all the action.
A giant creature with spider-like features crash-landed behind Sesshomaru and Kagura. Jaken screamed his head off calling Sesshomaru’s attention to the wicked demon. Kagura retreated at the sight of him. Naraku finally emerged. His first target was Kagura. Sesshomaru got between Naraku and Kagura.
“You finally come out of hiding, Naraku,” said Sesshomaru calm and coolly.
“Dog demon,” Naraku spoke in distorted multiple voices. “Do not come between me and my prey!” he eyed a frightened Kagura.
“My business is with you, Naraku,” Sesshomaru responded lifting his blade Toukijin.
Naraku smiled wickedly exposing his sharp fangs. He immediately lunged at Sesshomaru without warning, but Sesshomaru dodged the attack with his super speed. Sesshomaru struck Naraku on the back with his sword to little effect. Angered that his sword was not Inuyasha’s Tessaiga, Sesshomaru realized his fight with Naraku would come down to using the claws on his right hand. Naraku quickly swung around taking advantage of Sesshomaru’s momentary distraction, severed Sesshomaru’s right fingers, and broke his sword Toukijin. Jaken rushed to his Master’s aid but was frightened away by the monstrous Naraku.
Kagura unleashed wind strikes against Naraku drawing his attention to her. Naraku sped at her while Kagura leaped out of the way striking at him again. Naraku, however, was increasingly gaining speed. He twirled at Kagura gashing her on her abdomen. Kagura collapsed on the ground trying to pressure her wound. Naraku loomed over her for the killing blow when the Tessaiga’s wind scar tore through him. Naraku flew backwards. Inuyasha charged followed closely by Miroku.
Kagome rushed over to Kagura to check on her. The wound was serious. Kagome dipped into her arrow pouch to pull out First Aid ointments and bandages. Kagura resisted assistance at first then accepted.
Inuyasha faced off against Naraku. He stared down the wicked demon. Naraku was so focused intently on Inuyasha that he did not see Koga rushing at Naraku at full speed. The wolf demon ripped off a couple of Naraku’s appendages sending sharp pains up Naraku’s spine. The demon shrieked. Inuyasha struck again. Miroku threw demon seals at Naraku burning him wherever the seals made contact. Naraku whipped out tentacle extensions from his body flaying them wildly at his attackers. Koga dodged a few whips, but lost his balance over a boulder and tripped. Naraku quickly picked him up by his legs and pulled him in closer to him. Koga could not break free from Naraku’s grip. Koga could only watch as Naraku used his pincers to dig out the jewel shards from Koga’s legs. Koga screamed in pain.
An arrow struck one of Naraku’s pincers forcing him to release Koga. Kikyo reemerged. Miroku rushed over to help Koga get clear of Naraku. Kikyo released another arrow at the retreating Naraku. Naraku dodged the arrow only to be struck by Inuyasha’s blade. Kagome joined the assault on Naraku releasing a sacred arrow at him but missing her target.
“Kagome,” Inuyasha yelled. “Save your arrows for a better shot! We have to slow him down first!”
Kagome understood. She ran over to tend to Koga’s wounds. Miroku joined the fight against Naraku still unable to use his wind tunnel.
*******
Jaken lamented his Master’s wounds. The only thing Jaken could do was keep the charging demons away from Sesshomaru. Toto-sai arrived to examine Sesshomaru. By now Sesshomaru regenerated his fingers, but it was his heart he could not heal. As powerful a demon as he was, Sesshomaru could still not understand why his father would deprive him of his right to the most powerful of the fang-forged swords: Tessaiga. Inuyasha was wielding it. It was Sesshomaru’s fight with Inuyasha that cost him his left arm. At this very moment, Sesshomaru felt worthless, angry, and full of hate. Toto-sai did not mind Sesshomaru’s emotions. Instead, he focused on the broken sword.
“I can re-forge this sword for you, Sesshomaru,” offered Toto-sai referring to his blacksmith abilities.
“That sword is useless,” Sesshomaru rejected the offer. “I need the Tessaiga in order to fight Naraku.”
“Sesshomaru, you realize your father had other intentions and plans for you and brother,” Toto-sai tried to reason with him. “The paths you and brother both took after receiving the swords have served you both on your journeys. Do you not see it was destined to be this way?”
Jaken noticed Sesshomaru did not care to hear Toto-sai’s point, but Jaken understood Toto-sai and felt compelled to support Toto-sai’s argument. “Master Sesshomaru, if I may interject,” Jaken said humbly and nervously. “Master Toto-sai makes a good point. I realize that had you not received Tensaiga, Rin would not be here today.”
Rin. Sesshomaru reminisced of the little human girl he resurrected. He did not have compassion for humans back then, but the little girl took to caring for him. Over time, Sesshomaru grew to care for Rin like a daughter. Now he cannot imagine a world without her. Rin, I hope you are safe. “Thank you, Jaken,” Sesshomaru’s reply shocked Jaken. “Master Toto-sai, I now understand your point. That does not change the fact that my weapons are too weak to fight Naraku.”
“I know of a sword equally as powerful as the Tessaiga. More so even.”
“There’s no time to go on the hunt for a mythical sword,” Jaken stated the obvious.
Toto-sai asked Myoga to fetch him one of Sesshomaru’s severed fingers. “This, Sesshomaru,” Toto-sai held the clawed finger.
“That is not a sword, Toto-sai,” Sesshomaru rebuffed.
Toto-sai shook his head. “The sword has been a part of you this whole time. You just have not been able to wield it. I believe now you are ready to use it.” Toto-sai took a deep breath then breathed fire onto the severed finger. Jaken shielded his sight from the bright flame. Toto-sai handed the finger back to Myoga. “Myoga, give this to Sesshomaru.”
Myoga bounced over to Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru reluctantly held out his hand.
“No, Myoga. Put it in his left shoulder,” instructed Toto-sai.
Myoga murmured something under his breath then proceeded as Toto-sai instructed. Myoga put the severed finger in Sesshomaru’s shoulder. Not instantly but Sesshomaru felt a burning sensation on his left shoulder. At first he thought it was the finger that was hot, but the sensation continued into his collar bone and down his spine. He gripped his shoulder in pain. Jaken demanded to know what harm Toto-sai was doing to Sesshomaru. Toto-sai only watched silently. Sesshomaru struggled, panted, and then exclaimed in pain as his left arm regenerated. Out of his newly reformed wrist his old sword Bakusaiga emerged. Sesshomaru panted and sweated heavily. His eyes widened in disbelief at what just happened.
“Master Sesshomaru, your arm!” Jaken was shocked too. “Your sword!”
“How?” Sesshomaru could not hide his emotions.
“It is because you finally let go of your jealousy and intentions to steal the Tessaiga,” explained Toto-sai. “You were so consumed by the sword, you were unable to be grateful for the gifts from your father. Now that you have realized his gift to you, you have received his ultimate blessing: your arm and powerful sword!”
Sesshomaru admired his restored arm and blade one more time before turning in direction of those fighting Naraku. Sesshomaru now had the power to vanquish Naraku.
*******
Ayame had little choice. She had to help Koga, but she could not abandon Ginta and Hakkaku like this. Kanna was hiding somewhere in the swarm of demons. Without any clear sight of her, Ayame could not free her friends. She ordered the wolf pack to go to Koga as she fought the onslaught of demons in search of Kanna. Shippo and Hachie came over to give her a lift. Ayame hopped on Hachie to get a better view. From above Ayame could see Inuyasha, Kikyo, and Miroku battling Naraku. Off to the left of that action, Kagome and the arriving wolf pack defended the wounded Koga. Sesshomaru, Jaken, and Toto-sai were nearby too being surrounded by another swarm of demons. Still no sign of Kanna, but Ayame spotted Kagura gliding away from the action. A loud crack drew Ayame attention to the rear. There she saw Sango dodging Kohaku’s attack while throwing her Hiraikotsu at demons. Kirara ripped into demons attacking Sango from the rear. Ayame was torn between helping Sango and helping Koga.
“Take me to Koga then come back to help Sango!’ Ayame ordered.
Hachie and Shippo quickly glided to Koga, dropped Ayame off, and flew back to aid Sango.
Sango continued her frantic dodging and counter strikes. She was exhausted but kept trying to get through to Kohaku.
“Don’t you know that he won’t remember you unless Naraku is destroyed?” Kagura approached Sango. “There’s nothing you can do for him right now except to remove the jewel shard he carries.”
“But he’ll die!” shouted Sango angrily.
“What choice do you have? Your friends are attacking Naraku right now. Will you stop them from killing Naraku?”
Kohaku stood still between Sango and Kagura. Their voices had a familiar sound to Kohaku. Something inside of him was trying to speak to him, but Naraku’s voice spoke loudly in his head instructing him to kill Sango and Kagura. Kohaku tightened his grip on his cleaver. Kagura and Sango waited for him to make a move. Kohaku first threw his cleaver at Kagura. She avoided the hit but fell hard on the ground holding her stomach. Kohaku retracted his weapon, twirled it, and flung it at Sango. Kagura took this opportunity to blow both Sango and Kohaku off their feet. Sango fell among a hoard of demons forcing her to fight her way out. Kohaku lay on the ground face down slow to get up. Kagura hurried over in pain to Kohaku. She pinned Kohaku to ground and tried to pry the jewel shard out of Kohaku’s neck. Her stomached cramped in pain. Kohaku hardly reacted to Kagura’s sharp nails digging in the back of his neck. She could feel the shard. She needed it to heal faster and become stronger to battle Naraku. She finally pinched it and picked the shard out. Kohaku’s blood dripped off her hand. She placed it inside the gash Naraku made. Immediately she started to feel a burning sensation. The wound began to heal. Her eyes turned red. She could feel some of her demon powers return. Kagura grinned. She got up off the motionless Kohaku. Just when she was about to abandon the boy for Naraku, she spotted Kanna.
You die first! She said to herself. Kagura ran up to Kanna slashing her fan sending powerful, piercing wind gusts at Kanna. Kanna could not counter the powerful strike. Kagura came down on Kanna and smashed her mirror. Ginta’s and Hakkaku’s souls returned to them. They shook off their hypnosis and remembered what they were in the middle of. They fought their way through to rejoin Ayame and Koga.
Kagura grabbed Kanna by the throat. “Finally, I get rid of you, you little brat!” Kagura threw Kanna in the air and chopped her up with her fan.
Sango and Kirara finally got through the demon hoard to find Kagura floating away to battle Naraku, and Kohaku on the ground motionless. She rushed over to him, held him in her arms with tears running down her cheeks. Kohaku was dying. In his last moments, he could recall Sango being a nice lady he met some time ago, but he could not remember that she was his sister. He closed his eyes and died. Sango lamented loudly as the demon hoard closed in on her.
*******
Koga got up fighting back the pain in his calves. Ayame and Kagome tried to get him to fall back, but Koga’s ego got the better of him. “I can’t let women do all the fighting for me!” He drew his sword and charged at a demon. For a long time Koga was used to running at blazing speeds thanks to the jewel shards. Now he was having a hard time jogging. Koga felt crippled. It only made him angrier. He chopped and slashed at demons expressing his frustration at the loss of the jewel shards.
Kagome saw Kagura flying on her feather to join the action against Naraku. She leaped off near the epic battle. Kikyo was using up her arrows hitting different appendages on Naraku each time. Inuyasha swung and cut while Miroku repelled with his staff. Naraku kept regenerating after every injury. Kagura was determined to slow Naraku down and blow the insects away. She summoned the wind to clear the demons and insects away. Without her full demon powers, she was not able to get the poisonous bees away.
Naraku turned to Kagura. She stared him down. Naraku summoned a deeper strength within him to lunge at Kagura faster than he usually moved. Kagura did not expect such a quick, sudden move. Naraku’s incredible speed caught Kagura off guard. He extended his tentacles and wrapped them around her arms, legs, and neck and began to stretch her.
“So you thought a jewel shard could give you the strength to face me?” Naraku detected the shard in her previous wound. “Thank you for bringing it back to me!”
Kagura’s eyes widened. He stretched her beyond her reach and used his sharp fangs to dig into her midsection. Kagura screamed helplessly. The others only watched in shock as Naraku carried out his vengeance on his traitor. Naraku finally chewed off her shard and swallowed it. Kagura blacked out. Naraku tossed her like a rag away from the field to be food for his demons. The jewel shard Naraku recovered and swallowed only made him stronger. He laughed wickedly as the others looked on with weariness and exhaustion. Luckily, Kagura’s efforts to clear the field allowed for Kagome to take a clear shot at Naraku.
A sacred arrow tore through Naraku’s side. He wailed liked a banshee reacting to the pain. Inuyasha used the wind scar again but it just was not making enough damage against Naraku. Just then a larger, stronger, smashing flash tore through the ground at Naraku. Naraku was knocked off balance with a third of his body being maimed and burned. Everyone turned in direction of Sesshomaru standing there with his restored arm and sword.
“Sesshomaru?” Inuyasha was shocked. “You got your Bakusaiga back!”
Sesshomaru moved his head just enough to be considered a nod. “Let’s end this,” said Sesshomaru.
Everyone raised their weapons and attacked the retreating Naraku. There was no place for the wicked demon to run or hide. If he dodged the wind scar, he would get pelted with arrows, or demon seals, or a sacred arrow, or take a direct hit from Sesshomaru’s Bakusaiga. For the first time since he betrayed his thieving friends as Onigumo, Naraku felt afraid.
*******
Kirara kept fighting demons off Sango. Sango would just not let go of her dead brother. She lost her will to fight and purpose to live. Revenge for her family and desire to rescue her brother were her motivation to get here. Both of those things have been taken away from her. Sango looked up at the faces of the demons trying to get her and Kohaku. Kirara could not hold them off much longer, but Sango did not care. She kept thinking about Kagura and Naraku. There was still time to get revenge. She wiped away her tears, got her weapons and cleared the demons surrounding her in one swoop. Sango placed Kohaku’s body on Kirara and ordered Kirara to fly to safety. Sango realized she could still honor her brother by giving him a proper burial. The funeral, however, had to be put on hold. She had a date with destiny. Sango cleared the demons and threw her boomerang at Naraku’s back. The impact of the powerful boomerang paralyzed Naraku giving the others a chance to hit him with everything they had.
“Sango!” called Kagome. “I’m glad you’re okay!”
“Kohaku’s dead,” she replied in anger. “I’m going to kill Naraku here and now!”
*******
While just about everyone else was engaging Naraku, Kagura lay on the ground staring at the dark skies. Demons were almost on her. Poison bees covered the skies. She was dying. She could go any moment. Her hope was to pass away before the demons gorged on her. Kagura never envision her end would be this one: wounded, broken, and alone. She continued staring at the sky coughing blood. Everything was getting dimmer. She had only one more wish left before dying. But she knew wishes do not come true. Getting her heart from Naraku only made her life more difficult. Now here she was paying for that decision. She sobbed quietly as the growling demons came onto her.
Suddenly, a powerful wind picked up. It was so strong the poison bees were blown away. The demons then startled at the sound of a loud roar that shook the earth. Kagura tried to stay conscious to see what was causing the stir. A ninja dressed in dark yellow armor appeared throwing ninja stars at the demons nearing Kagura and slashing them away with her sword.
Meanwhile, the rest of the group tried not to be distracted by the strange happening. They refused to let Naraku out of their sight. Each and every attacker took calculated hits at Naraku making him move slower and slower with each direct hit. Naraku was feeling it inside: his end was near. If this indeed was going to final stand, he would make sure to take at least one of Inuyasha’s precious friends with him. Naraku eyed Kagome. Inuyasha immediately read Naraku’s intention. Inuyasha scrambled to attack from a different position that would protect Kagome from a swift move by Naraku. And that’s what Naraku counted on: Inuyasha’s love for Kagome. Naraku faked an attempt at Kagome and instead jumped at and ran his pincers through Kikyo pinning her to the ground.
“Kikyo!” shouted Inuyasha. He got on Naraku’s back stabbing him repeatedly. The others tried to take a hit but could not while Inuyasha was on Naraku.
Naraku’s jerked at every stab of the Tessaiga. He tried to get Inuyasha off him. The others got ready for an opportunity to attack Naraku when sudden hail fire came down engulfing insects and demons. The dark valley quickly lit up looking more hellish with the raining fire. Once again a loud roar shook the ground and surrounding mountains. Raygan had arrived with an army of dragons to wipe out the demons and insects.
Inuyasha immediately knew what to do. “Sesshomaru, take your strike!”
Sesshomaru did not hesitate. He could care less if he hit Inuyasha anyway. Sesshomaru struck Naraku disabling him. Inuyasha used the wind scar to further damage Naraku’s open wounds.
“Now, Kagome!” shouted Inuyasha. Kagome took careful aim at Naraku’s heart and fired a sacred arrow at her intended target. Bull’s eye. The wolf pack charged the severed remains to prevent Naraku from regenerating faster. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru both struck down the Tessaiga and Bakusaiga using the combined power of their swords to finish off Naraku. Both were direct hits. “Now, Miroku!” Inuyasha ordered.
Miroku removed the beads from his cursed hand. This is for you, father. “Wind Tunnel!” Miroku held on as he sucked Naraku and his remains into the void.
Naraku anchored himself to the ground holding on for dear life. Miroku strained to hold the wind tunnel open. The cursed hole on his hand got bigger. Sango watched with concern as the wind tunnel grew so much it might even take Miroku too. Kagome encouraged Miroku to hang on. Sango took her boomerang and launched it at Naraku’s spider legs severing them all. Naraku’s screamed in terror as he and his severed limbs were sucked towards the void. Before Naraku could be fully consumed by the wind tunnel, Kagome threw a sacred arrow at a necklace on Naraku’s chest pulling out the Shikon Jewel. Naraku wailed one last time as he was sucked into the void. Miroku closed his hand with difficulty. His garments were soaked in sweat. The wind tunnel curse was gone. A cramping sensation hurt his right arm. He pulled back the sleeve to see that his arm had turned black. Naraku’s poison immediately took effect. Miroku collapsed seizing on the ground.
Kagome, Shippo, and Hachie ran to him immediately, but Sango got to him first. She dropped to her knees to check on him. Miroku gagged. Black blood oozed from his nose. Sango could not take it anymore. She had just finished watching Kohaku die without properly saying “goodbye”. She did not want Miroku to die, but it seemed inevitable. She needed him to know how she felt. Sango just could not find the words. She only kept repeating “Miroku, please don’t die!”
Inuyasha darted the other direction to Kikyo. Inuyasha picked up Kikyo and held her in his arms. He worst fears were realized. Kikyo was dying. He was going to lose her again and this time forever. At this moment, Inuyasha did not have the strength to say anything. He looked into her eyes and wept. Kikyo cried too.
On the other side of the field, Akemi just vanquished some of the remaining demons with the help of Dragon. As soon as the last demon she slew was confirmed dead, she hurried over to Kagura with healing ointments. Raygan arrived too to treat her. Kagura recognized his dark blue armor through her blurry vision. Raygan! She forced a smile. Raygan and Akemi treated her wounds, but they knew it was too late for Kagura. Raygan turned to look at Kagura. He did not need to say anything. Kagura was well aware of her fate. She smiled at the sight of Raygan. It was not love she felt. It was appreciation. Raygan was the first being to ever look beyond all of Kagura’s wrongs. And here, at her end, Raygan, after all the ways she wronged him and deceived him, was there for her. Kagura felt better. This was the way she wished to go. She was not alone. Raygan and Akemi stayed by her side as Kagura shed a tear and breathed her last breath.
*******
“Inu-yasha,” Kikyo finally say weakly. “Inu-yasha?”
“I’m . . . here,” he had a lump in his throat.
“This is good-bye, Inu-yasha,” she said.
“No, I don’t want it to be!”
“Inuyasha,” she repeated his name. “We were . . . not meant to be. Search your heart. You know . . . your true desire, your true love. Let me go,” her tears flowed. “Just keep the promise you made me years ago.” Kikyo was happy to spend her last moments with him, but she also knew that the person that held Inuyasha’s heart was standing behind him. Kikyo’s undead spirit only got in the way. Even if she had survived the battle, there was nothing to stop her from disappearing from the earth. For a long time now her outer shell has relied on souls of the newly dead to stay “alive”. Now, with Naraku finally vanquished, she could let go of this world and leave other souls at peace. Kikyo tried to make Inuyasha understand, but he was too emotional to admit she was right. His tears fell on her face. “Inu-yasha, thank you,” Kikyo kissed Inuyasha then dissolved into dozens of orbs. The souls of the dead she trapped in her soul were free. The others that watched stood in awe of the unexpected light show. Inuyasha stayed on his knees weeping for Kikyo.
Kagome was torn between tending to Inuyasha and being with Miroku. She just stood there. Heartbroken.
*******
Sango looked into Miroku’s darkening eyes. “Miroku,” she whispered his name. “Stay with me, please! Don’t leave me. I love you. I’ve loved you for a long time! I couldn’t tell you before. I didn’t know how. You always seemed rude and ungrateful, but I knew, and I know. I know you tried to talk to me many times about this,” Sango’s tears dripped off Miroku’s face. “I love you, Miroku!” she finally broke down and wept bitterly. All the emotions she bottled up inside, everything she ever felt just came out as heartfelt sorrow. A hand touched her on the shoulder. Sango tried not to look, but Raygan insisted. Sango stared up at him surprised to see him. Raygan asked for some room. Akemi embraced Sango to comfort her. Raygan took out the healing potion he could not get in time to save his sister. This time it was soon enough for Miroku. Raygan gave some of the elixir to Miroku. A few seconds later he gasped and coughed. Shippo and Hachie cheered. Sango overwhelmed with joy. Raygan got up giving space for Sango to be with him.
“San-go,” Miroku coughed.
“I’m here,” she cried joyfully.
“Will you – will you -” he struggled to finish the sentence. “Will you bear my children?” Sango kissed Miroku. He took that as a “yes”.
Kagome was grateful to Raygan and Akemi for their help in a nick of time. She was still mourning for Inuyasha. It was not jealously. It was sadness. She knew how much Kikyo meant to Inuyasha, and what Naraku did to tear them apart. Still, she too loved Inuyasha. She just was not sure if Inuyasha felt the same way.
Toto-sai carried the rest of the Shikon Jewel to Kagome and handed it to her. Kagome held the incomplete jewel in her hand. She took out the rest of the shards from her arrow pouch. She completed the puzzle fitting each shard into place. The purple jewel gleamed brightly. At long last, the Shikon No Tama was whole and in possession of its rightful owner.
*******
Ginta and Hakkaku flanked Koga as he tried to walk. Ayame and the wolf pack came too to reunite with the others to celebrate the bittersweet conclusion. Sango and Miroku, Shippo, Hachie laughed with joy as they reunited with their wolf clan friends. Raygan and Akemi exchanged introductions with the new friends. Kirara hopped onto Sango’s shoulder.
“Sango?” a faint voice interrupted the jubilee. Everyone turned to the voice. Sango pushed through those that blocked her view of Kohaku.
“But, how?” Sango wondered how her dead brother was now alive and remembering her. With Naraku now dead, Kohaku’s memories surely returned to him, but how could Kohaku come back to life? Sango raced to embrace her little brother. He buried his head on her shoulder thankful the nightmare was finally over. Sango peered over her shoulder and noticed someone walking far away in the distance. Sesshomaru?
*******
“Are you bringing her back to life too, Master Sesshomaru?” Jaken asked him.
Sesshomaru stared at Kagura’s mutilated body. He pondered to himself for a moment. Jaken figured Sesshomaru would do the right thing and revive her.
“Come, Jaken,” ordered Sesshomaru.
Jaken was taken back. “Um, Master Sesshomaru, I thought you intended to save her.”
Sesshomaru walked away.
“Perhaps you might reconsider,” Raygan approached them. “Lord Sesshomaru, I am glad to see you well.” Raygan noticed Sesshomaru’s restored arm. “I know you owe me nothing. I, however, am indebted to you for saving the life of my dragon. I would be remised if I did not plead for her life. I, in fact, would not be standing here without her.”
Sesshomaru looked back at Kagura’s body. “You perhaps do not understand how it is that my sword is able to revive the dead. It requires consent of my heart.”
“I suppose you mean to not have any pity on Kagura?” concluded Raygan.
“No,” Sesshomaru paused then continued. “That is not it. I do, but if I revive her . . .”
Jaken understood now. Jaken has noticed why on several occasions Sesshomaru behaved colder or stranger than usual with Kagura. It was not that he hated her. It was that Sesshomaru has or had feeling for Kagura. Now it all made sense to Jaken. If he lets Kagura go, Sesshomaru does not have to be connected to someone else. Sesshomaru already felt compromised with saving Rin. He had to reconsider any decision that might put Rin in harm’s way. He could not bear to lose her. If Sesshomaru revives Kagura now, it would only give another opportunity for him and Kagura to grow their feelings, and then one day, Sesshomaru would have to say goodbye to Kagura when nature takes its course. Sesshomaru is not one to express emotion, but Jaken has been around him long enough to know that Sesshomaru was and is a complicated demon. He does not speak about his feelings, but perhaps it was time to give love a chance to grow.
“Master Sesshomaru,” Jaken interjected. “I now understand. I can only advise you, Lord Sesshomaru, to follow your heart.”
Sesshomaru fought himself inside for a while and finally came to a decision.
*******
Kagome finally got the courage to walk up to Inuyasha. “Inuyasha?” He did not immediately respond. She sat next to him. “Inuyasha, are you going to be okay?”
“Kagome…” Inuyasha’s voice trailed off.
“I’m sorry about Kikyo,” Kagome too lamented her loss.
“She was long gone, Kagome,” he continued staring at the ground. “I just – I just waited so long for this moment. Now I don’t know what to do. Or what I want…”
Kagome pulled out the Shikon Jewel. “Are you referring to this?”
Inuyasha’s eyes gleamed. The Shikon Jewel. Here now in its entirety. The jewel with the power to give its possessor whatever they desire. Long had Inuyasha wanted the jewel for himself. All his life he was always put down for being a half breed. The jewel was his way of fixing that. Over the years, Inuyasha changed his mind for why he wanted the jewel multiple times. Now here is the jewel. He asked her what she intends to do with the completed jewel.
“Honestly, I have no need for it. You’re the person I know that has wanted this the most over anyone. I’m willing to give it to you, Inuyasha,” she looked at him with caring eyes. “But depending on what you decide, it will also affect my choice too.”
“What do you mean, Kagome? What choice?”
“I have my own world and time to go to, Inuyasha,” Kagome did not try to let her attachment to Inuyasha get the better of her.
“Regardless of what I choose to do with the jewel, why the heck would you even want to stay here in this place?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” she teased.
Inuyasha nodded slightly. “Me . . . too …” his voice trailed off.
“Inuyasha, I do love you,” Kagome finally confessed what everyone else knew. “But I cannot tell you what to do with the jewel. I give it to you to do as you please.”
“If I become a full demon, you can stay here in the Feudal Era and become a priestess, Kagome!” Inuyasha explained.
Kagome smiled then looked away in direction of the rising sun. The orange glow growing in the sky was erasing away the longest night of their lives. “I don’t know, Inuyasha. I have a whole other life waiting for me.” A thought crossed Kagome’s mind about what Inuyasha said, but perhaps that’s what Inuyasha wanted: to be reconnected with Kikyo in some way. By becoming a priestess, he was in a way getting to be with “Kikyo”. Kagome is, or was, after all, the supposed reincarnated Kikyo. Kagome did not like the idea even if the decision meant for her to be with Inuyasha. Kagome was her own person with her own life and other world. If Inuyasha was going to make a choice, it would have to be for Kagome or for himself.
Inuyasha stared intently at the Shikon Jewel. There was a long silence between the two of them.
With the exception of Sesshomaru and Jaken, the rest of the survivors along with Raygan and Akemi gathered near the couple. Neither of them had to ask what was going on. They all knew this was the moment the path all of them had been on would bring them to. Though there are members of the group that wished for the Shikon Jewel to be their own, Inuyasha had the right to it because of Kagome. The group awaited Inuyasha’s decision of what to use the jewel for. Once he made his choice, there would be no going back and the jewel would be dissolved forever. The saga of the jewel shard hunt could never be repeated again.
Inuyasha finally stood up and turned to the group with Kagome at his side. He had finally reached his decision. Inuyasha brought the jewel towards his chest, made his wish, and absorbed the jewel into his body. The power of the Shikon Jewel was being manifested. It shined brightly forcing everyone to turn away as Inuyasha was transformed. Inuyasha’s wish had been granted and the Shikon No Tama was no more.
