Wounded

by

Kuro

Chapter 4

“What have you done to yourself Kagome?” asked Sango in a shaken voice.

Kagome stared at Sango a moment trying to decide what to say but nothing came so she stayed quiet. She could feel worry and confusion emitting from Sango and Miroku but understanding from Shippo. That didn’t make sense. How could he possibly understand? She let that question slip away for later. She had no time to ponder on worthless questions as the moment was at hand. The black path that her first arrow had left in the air faded away as she notched another long bow arrow and took aim. However, she had no intention on hitting Inuyasha, she merely aimed at him to get to her real target, Kikyo.

Kikyo didn’t notice when Kagome notched the arrow, aimed and tightened the string, ready to fire on her command. What she did see was a black arrow heading straight for Inuyasha. Kikyo didn’t have time to load and shoot an arrow at it was too fast and would have hit him before she grab the bow. Instead, she pushed him out of the arrows path, putting her in the bull’s eye. The arrow blasted through the bridge between Kikyo’s neck and shoulder, leaving an opening big enough for Inuyasha’s upper body to fit through. Before Kikyo could fall to the ground from the arrow and the explosion of that area, the arrow hit the patch of ground behind her, killing the grass and causing the dirt to turn black.

Kikyo cried out in artificial pain as her broken clay body fell to the cold ground. Souls flowed like a waterfall out of her “wound”. She tried desperately to stop them but could not. Her soul catchers tried desperately to return them to her body but when they would release a soul to her, they would fly away again. Her eyes widened in shock when she couldn’t receive souls. She directed a look of hate and confusion toward Kagome, who still stood with her long bow notched and ready to shoot again. But this time, to kill.

Inuyasha sat up just in time to see Kikyo look at Kagome and Kagome just aim her arrow at her. He was confused as to what had happened and as to why Kikyo had pushed him. That’s when he saw the gaping hole on her. He also noticed that the dead souls couldn’t return to Kikyo. He also spotted another black arrow sticking out of a patch of black, grassless, dirt. From what he saw, he had a pretty good guess as to what had happened. He watched the silent battle for dominance from the side lines, he knew better than to get in between these two priestesses when they fought, he had learned that the hard way once but decided against remembering it as Kikyo collapsed from a lack of souls.

Miroku approached the arrow Kagome had shot when they first entered the clearing but found that the dark aura that surrounded it was just too much for him to handle. He went back and asked Sango to grab the arrow and the one in the ground. Miroku examined the two arrows and found curses carved into the wood. He read the curses and was shocked with what he read. “Inuyasha! Kagome placed curses on all her arrows!” he shouted to the dumbfounded hanyou. When he received no reaction from him, Miroku looked to Sango and shared her look of disbelief that Kagome could do something so evil and not care who she hurt doing it.

Inuyasha had had enough of this. He stepped out in front of Kikyo and drew the Tesusaiga. He pointed his blade at Kagome before he spoke. “Kagome, if you’re going to kill Kikyo, I have to kill you. I’m sorry Kagome, I don’t want to do this. You understand, I have to protect the one I love.” He raised his sword above his head and charged at Kagome. As he ran at her, her long bow disappeared into thin air, leaving Kagome defenseless. He smirked, thinking she understood what he had to do, when in reality, she knew exactly what was coming and was well prepared for it.