The sun had long ago set, shadowing the vast lands of Feudal Japan, five hundred years into her land's past. Light from the ongoing battle could be seen for miles, thunderous attacks being heard all throughout the region. Demon remains littered the ground, merely leftovers from the group's reign. With every clash of metal, her shoulders tensed more aggressively. Opening one squinted eye, the young miko looked around at the carnage of the timeless war. The small kitsune, known as Shippo, was cowered behind a blood splattered rock, trembling from exhaustion and fear. The young one had held his own in this fight, encouraging pride from his comrades. The well proclaimed perverted monk was kneeled next to her, his hand clutching the wound on his shoulder. He was plagued by the curse of the wind tunnel, set upon him by the very demon they were battling. Sango laid in her lap, channeling every ounce of slayer energy she had to hold on to life. The well known exterminator refused to die. She would see the slayer of her kin perish. She would witness her brother regain his freedom. Kouga remained motionless as she reached a hand to his shoulder, relieved to feel him flinch at her touch. He had sought revenge for his murdered tribe, falling short with an attack from Naraku's wind sorceress. Although he could not be considered a friend, the Lord of the Western Lands stood tall across the terrain, refusing to end a battle that wasn't his to win. Then, there was Kikyo. The elder miko lay a few feet away, unable to survive without the souls that had been stripped from her. Hearing a strangled cry, she turned her sights to the battle itself. The silver haired hanyou she held so dear struggled to hold his ground, pushing the mighty fang against the weapon of his enemy. He held the hilt with one hand, the other enveloped over the wound in his abdomen. His adversary laughed menacingly, foreseeing victory before it had arrived. The hanyou was pushed back, falling to the bitterly cold ground with the spear of his enemy aimed at his throat.

"InuYasha...."

He looked away, focusing on the dark haired girl positioned to his left. 'Kagome...'

"You can do it." It was a silent assurance, audible by only the movement of her lips. "Naraku will die by your hand..." Feeling the cold metal pressing deeper into his jugular, he centered his attention back to Naraku. The loathsome demon who had stolen his chance at happiness. Murdered Sango's comrades. Cursed Miroku's right hand. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he listened to the ravings of the once human thief.

"All of your hard work for nothing, InuYasha. You have failed, but I give you one last chance at redemption." Naraku's eyes danced in something malicious, his smile growing. "Leave the girl with me. I will let you leave with your life if hers is given in trade." Golden orbs widened, locking onto his companion. Naraku stepped back, leaving a free chance for InuYasha to get to his feet.

"Over my dead body!" InuYasha spat at the demon's feet, keeping his eyes in range of Naraku's glare.

"Very well. You have sealed your fate!"

Kagome clenched her eyes shut, turning her head away as Naraku attacked. It was at that moment she saw Kikyo's bow.

"You can never win, InuYasha!" Naraku thrust the spear, InuYasha doing all he could to block the attacks. Naraku failed to see the arrow whizzing toward him. The enchanted weapon sliced through his wrist, both hand and spear falling to the ground. His malevolent glare turned to Kagome, standing above her incarnate with another arrow locked into her bow.

"That's where you're wrong, Naraku!" She pulled back on the string, the old bow creaking under the pressure.

"You!" Naraku snarled, outstretching a hand with an immediate pulse of power. Kagome cried out as the energy overtook her miko power, rendering her helpless. "You die!"

"I don't think so!" InuYasha charged at the demon, Tetsusaiga held above his head in preparation. Naraku's eyes snapped toward the hanyou, his open hand calling the spear. InuYasha's eyes glazed, his free hand wrapping around the protruding object in his gut.

"Weak hanyou. This ends now!" Naraku stepped back in shock, InuYasha driving the spear completely through to get within reach.

"Damn...right, it does!" Tetsusaiga seemed to howl in unison with the powerful demon as it impaled his chest. InuYasha clenched his teeth, twisting the fang's blade. Naraku's scream echoed over the desolate area, the Shikon No Tama bursting from within him as his body began to melt.

"No,...after all this...time! You....can't....! No!!" In a burst of yellow light, Naraku was no more, leaving a tattered group of comrades and a defiled jewel. InuYasha crumbled to his knees, crying out as he pulled the spear from his flesh. Kagome pushed herself onto all fours, crawling to his aid.

"You...alright?"

"Stupid question." He breathed painfully. Kagome sat back onto her knees, a relieved smile gracing her features. She laid a sympathetic hand on his shoulder, following his gaze to the fallen priestess.

"I'm sorry, InuYasha."

He turned with a weak smile, gently moving her hand away. "Go help the others."

"Okay." She ran the same hand over the back of his head as she rose to her feet, returning to her previous spot with her friends. InuYasha watched her walk away, lowering his head and closing his eyes to suppress the whirlwind of emotions torturing his subconscious. He wanted to bring Naraku back and kill him all over again for what he had done to Kikyo, but his former love was at rest now. Perhaps it was best. If not for Naraku's deception, he would have never found Kagome. The only being in life he knew that accepted him for who and what he was. But what he was remained his conflict.....

'It's what I wanted, right?' He reached for the small orb, his hand pausing just above its glowing aura. 'I wanted to forget. Forget all the betrayal, all the pain. I wanted to become a full demon.' Kagome sensed that something was wrong and turned her attention from Sango, screaming as InuYasha's hand closed around the jewel. Her warning came too late. 'I still want to become a full demon, but....' His thought was never finished, the jewel only registering the greed that tainted his heart in that instant. The group shielded their eyes from the explosion of dark light.

"InuYasha..." Kagome lowered her arm just as the jewel fell to the ground beside the lonesome Tetsusaiga. Her breath caught in her throat. She collapsed to her knees, her hand covering her mouth.

"What happened?" Miroku asked, helping Sango to sit up.

"Where'd he go?" Shippo held tightly to the monk's robes, stifling back the tears. Kagome let her arm fall limply to her side, her breaths coming in quick gasps.

"InuYasha!!!!"