Into The West by Winters_Snow

Ch.1

Into the West

Lay down

Your sweet and weary head

Kagome cried softly as she kneeled in the snow layering the ground. The cries surrounding her were drowned out by her wrenching sobs and the wind blowing at her back. They had been so hopeful, so determined...but maybe it just wasn't enough.

It had been the time for action and no more delaying. All of the shards had been gathered, some with sacrifices from their holders. Kouga had been found at the entrance to his den, surrounded by the dead members of his pack. Kagura also lay amongst the deceased having fallen to her own wounds. Kouga had begged her to take the shards before Naraku came for them. So with tears of sorrow for her fallen friend, Kagome pulled the shards out of both of his legs. That seemed to be the only thing holding him to the world because right after, he passed. Kagome and Miroku had prayed over his body while InuYasha, Sango and Shippo astride Kilala, and the newest addition to their group, Sesshoumaru, watched from aside.

After clearing the area of the dead and giving them proper burials, the group had moved on with somber faces in the light of the reality presented to them. This wasn't going to be an easy battle and as expected, there were sure to be deaths. Whether from an enemy or one of their own, it was a risk they had to take. For their sake and the sake of future generations.

Night is falling

You have come to journey's end

The next sacrifice some had expected, but no one wanted to come to pass. It had been a night of rest and preparations for the oncoming trials and the silence around the camp had been tense and strained. No one knew when the attack would come or what would be the outcome of such a battle. Naraku was sure to be there in person and, along with his incarnations and slaves would try to break down the will of the group. Whether it be mentally or physically. As the mood had begun to relax at the camp, Naraku's puppet had appeared, holding Kohaku's shoulder as the lifeless eyes of the boy trailed to Sango. Her heart wrenching cry was met with a snide smile and a squeeze to Kohaku's shoulder. His eyes cleared of their possession and he questioned, "Sister?" Before anyone could utter a word, Naraku tore the boy's shoulder away from him with a rough jerk and swiftly ran his other clawed hand through his chest cavity and out the front, tearing his heart out and leaving him to gasp for air as blood filled his lungs and ran out his mouth. Sango's enraged outburst fell on deaf ears as the puppet took the shard from the boy's back after releasing him to fall on the ground and with a sadistic laugh, disappeared into the dark.

That had to be the hardest part, watching Sango grieve for her brother. Seemingly to feel Sango's pain, the sky had opened up and rain fell upon the group as Sango sat in the mud, rocking her brother's lifeless, bleeding body back and forth. In the morning following the incident, Sango laid her brother to rest. But no one could predict the change in her demeanor. Not even Miroku had been able to bring a word from her since the incident. She no longer hit him for feeling her up; she just walked lifelessly after the group with murder shining in her eyes.

Sleep now

And dream of the ones who came before

Kagome's tear streaked face came over to Sango's body. Who knew she'd meet her death before seeing her family's avenged? Sango had fought long and hard during the battle and suffered many wounds most would have fallen from. But her will was stronger than the blood leaving her body and she continued fighting. She had only acknowledged Koala's death with a glance at her battered form. But sadness shined in her eyes for a brief moment before they hardened once more to face the oncoming horde. But in the face of her already grave wounds and the attacks coming at her punished body, she fell to her knees. She was finally beheaded by one of Naraku's newest incarnates in a rare show of pity from the enemy.

Kagome sobbed harder and turned her eyes away, trying to shut out the memory. It had been hard to watch the slow decay of her sister in arms. Her smiles had become less frequent as the days drug on and her speech had failed her after watching her brother's death. She had seen too much death and the strength she once held had been replaced by revenge and shock. Shock at the images her mind bore of her family and revenge toward the one who had caused it all. Kagome closed her eyes and imagined the smile Sango would have had on her face at the death of Naraku and the revenge gained. It was never to be.

They are calling

From across a distant shore

Kagome opened her bloodshot eyes and glanced around her at all the carnage, the death surrounding her. Shippo had lived through the ordeal, only because he never came into battle with her. It was agreed that for Sesshoumaru's service he would gain his arm back and ultimately, his youkai form, while Kagome asked that Shippo be allowed to stay with Rin at Sesshoumaru's mountain fortress. Kagome wouldn't forgive herself if little Shippo had been witness to such destruction.

Miroku had also lost his life, but not from seeing the one he loved slain. While that had momentarily distracted him, in the end he faced the reality that she was gone and continued on with the battle. It sounds disgraceful that he do such a thing, but who is to say what they would do when faced with such a decision; die from defending your dead loved one or continue fighting, using your grief as power? He fought on for Sango's revenge, determined to see it through. Though, he too was not meant to see Naraku's end. The poisons from the Saimyosho working through his system had become too much for him to fend off and he died.

Kagome stood and walked to his body, picking up his staff, she stuck it in the ground and prayed for him. In the end his curse killed him, but not by swallowing him. Still holding his staff, Kagome fell once more to her knees, sobbing for the lost life of her friends.

Why do you weep?

What are these tears upon your face?

Wiping her eyes with a torn sleeve, Kagome looked up into the sky as snow fell around her. The cold weather couldn't be felt when you were already numb. Numb from shock and pain. She was so tired and her bruised and battered body refused to do what she commanded. She wanted to stand, to pray for her other friends, to leave everything behind her, to move on. Bringing her hand up, she wiped away fresh tears at her own frustration at her body's lack of response. Twisting her head she came to the last body, the one body she wasn't hoping to find.

"InuYasha..."

His death wasn't what she expected. Kikyo hadn't come in this battle as she had killed herself months before this so he didn't die over her. He didn't lose control over himself and die because he was careless. No. InuYasha had lasted to see Naraku's death come to pass. Perhaps the only one to see it just as he died. InuYasha had fought his way through the mass of demons and slaves killed the only puppet Naraku had brought into battle, and managed to confront Naraku himself.

But he wasn't alone in this quest. Sesshoumaru had fought valiantly beside him, making way through the hordes of demons to stand before Naraku with InuYasha alongside. It was truly a sight to see the brothers allied as their father meant them to be by gifting them with their swords. InuYasha's blade, the Tetsusaiga, was meant to slay 100 demons in one swoop, making the blade a formidable weapon again Naraku's many evil forces. While the purity of Sesshoumaru's blade, the Tenseiga, was meant to slay the evil in Naraku's foul heart. Together the brothers were a force to be reckoned with and none who stood in their way had lived to see them meet the vial half-breed head on.

Soon you will see

All of your fears will pass away

Kagome chocked back another sob as her body responded to her biddings and crawled toward the fallen body of her once beloved friend. She reached his side and sat carefully next to him, being sure not to disturb his final resting place. Even if his resting place was a battle field littered with the dead of friend and foe alike, it was where he saw his mission through and finally gained the revenge he sought for the travesty done to him and Kikyo. Kagome carefully pushed his long forelocks back from his face and wiped the blood from the corner of his lips. Though there were no visible injuries on his person, the blood had long ago mixed with the red of his fire rat haroi and only through the holes could you see any part of the damage InuYasha had suffered through to see his enemy's end. Kagome leaned over and gave InuYasha a kiss to the forehead. While she had long ago discovered that they could never be as more than friends, her love for him was eternal even as a friend.

Finally gaining the strength to stand after giving her friend a pray to guide him to the afterlife and wishing him happiness at last, Kagome scanned the tree line looking for the only other person to last through the battle as she had.

It was an amazing feat that she had lived when so many of her other friends who were physically stronger than she, mentally tougher to life's trials than she, had died. But it was no surprise that he had escaped the fate of death for he had too much that would be left behind.

"Sesshoumaru..."

His white silhouette was no longer its pure, pristine, clean vibrance it once had been. Instead it was stained with blood, both his own and that of his opponents and the filth that had been Naraku. Who knew that Naraku didn't bleed red as any other creature they had faced, instead he bled a deep purple that blocked out any other color in its darkness. Sesshoumaru was the one strong enough to avoid the blast he unleashed in his final fury. His scream of "If I am to die then I shall take my enemies with me," was heard throughout the battlefield and Kagome did not doubt the dead could probably hear it as well. Mingled attacks of Sesshoumaru's pure demonic energy from Tenseiga to kill his tainted, dead soul, InuYasha's Backlash Wave to kill the demons Naraku absorbed, and finally Kagome purified the Shikon of its taint and Naraku himself by shooting one of her arrows into the attack at the last second. The resulting blast Naraku tried to force back upon them to destroy all three energies. InuYasha, because of his already lethal wounds died with the final blow while Sesshoumaru's Tenseiga protected him from the blast.

Kagome was too far away to feel anything but the shockwave and be hit by fallen debris.

Gaining her footing, Kagome made her way toward Sesshoumaru's silent form, watching as he took in the remains of the battle he had just survived. Kagome took in his features as she walked toward him almost stumbling. He was the was the only one who had allied with her to survive the battle they had so long awaited for. The determination she felt from all of her friends to see Naraku dead was in vain and now the only one she had to celebrate their victory was one she hardly considered friend. He was just an ally.

She had barely reached his almost amazed form before the shock of the battle had finally reached her mind and she fell into Sesshoumaru's arms, unconscious.

Safe in my arms

You're only sleeping

AN: Tell me what you think, I'm always open to suggestions or criticisms. Thanks! ^_^