Devotion and Sacrifice

By Danyealle

(fanfiction/angst/death)

Prologue:
Goodbye Inuyasha

“Inuyasha!” Miroku screamed at the top of his lungs.  Running as fast as he could towards the place where he was taking on Naraku, or attempted to.  The monk was pretty sure he wouldn’t make it to the fallen hanyou before things escalated.  Even though he knew Inuyasha was badly injured he would fight on, unloading every vicious attack he knew on the manipulative spider.

Batting the poison insects and a few minor demons, Miroku was desperate to get to his friend.  But, in the end, all he could do was watch in horror as one of the arachnid’s large tentacles shot towards Inuyasha.  After that everything seemed to go quiet and most of the forms in the battle field stopped fighting, just standing where they were, watching as the big tentacle pierced Inuyasha’s chest then he released a cloud of miasma into the gaping wound.

At some point the monk’s denial button was engaged and he kept reminding himself that Inuyasha had taken direct blows to the chest and stomach before. The hanyou always managed to live and tell the tale.

Suddenly, Kagome’s voice pierced the silence as she screamed Inuyasha’s name followed by a barrage of purifying arrows that that took large chunks out of the hanyou’s stolen body.  Those arrows were enough to distract Naraku and draw his focus to her rather than Inuyasha.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Miroku rushed over to Inuyasha.  When he finally was within a couple feet of him his heart sank.  Most of the hanyou’s stomach and chest were gone; in their place was a bloody gaping hole.  Dropping to his knees by the obviously dying hanyou he felt tears sting his eyes.   He wasn’t sure if there was anything he could do for him but the monk would remain by the hanyou when he passed.  Suddenly, one of Inuyasha’s clawed hands grabbed a hold of the monk’s robes.  Clutching tetsusaiga tightly, he dragged the monk down close to his face. 

Coughing up some blood, he hissed, “Listen monk, promise me you’ll give Kagome my fire rat and tetsusaiga.  She’s going to need them so she can protect herself.  Bury me under the God’s Tree, no cremation.  Promise me!”  he rasped out before starting to cough again, blood trickling down the corners of his mouth.

Nodding with tears spilling from his eyes, then he said quietly, “I promise Inuyasha,” it was now obvious that this was going to be the hanyou’s last battle, he wouldn’t be able heal that kind of damage. 

Screaming at the top of her lungs, Kagome kept firing her sacred arrows at their opponent until all that was left was one shoulder and his head.  Deciding that retreat was really the only way to end this for now then Naraku called forth a dark cloud of miasma and took to the skies.

Dropping her bow, Kagome ran over the fallen form of the being she had loved with all her heart.  Falling to her knees, she put his head on her thighs. Her fingers ran through his blood soaked silver hair as she sobbed, “Don’t leave me Inuyasha! Please!”

Opening his eyes, he looked up at her, his mouth turned up in a small smile; “Kagome…” his hand found hers and gave it a gentle squeeze.  “I love you Kagome.  Remember that, OK?”  he whispered in a voice soft and tender.  Gripping the pommel of tetsusaiga, he looked at her.

“I will,” she wailed, tears running down her face and dripping onto his blood-smeared cheeks.

“Remember that Kagome,” he whispered then his golden eyes slid shut and a soft sigh escaped him then he was gone.

Screaming no, she leaned over to hold onto him, sobbing.

Sliding over, Miroku put an arm around her and tried to give her a bit of comfort while he started saying prayers for his fallen comrade.  Sango and Shippo, who were both crying knelt down by Kagome. The woman wrapped her arms around the little miko, holding her as she mourned for her lost love, best friend, protector and sometimes even her chief tormentor.