The Snow Angel by SunsetMiko

The Mirror

Chapter 214 - The Mirror

*Game Inside a Doll* (Stella's Soundtrack Challenge)

The group was about half-way through the village, heading towards the headman's hut, when Naraku, wrapped in his baboon pelt, came into sight. He walked down the few steps and headed right towards them, laughing his dark chuckle that sent a shiver down the spines of the humans present.

"I see you have found my hiding place," he said, his tone full of foreboding. "No bother. You won't make it another step in my direction." The spider hanyou opened his pelt, revealing both Kanna and Kohaku hidden underneath. The empty-eyed pair stepped out and stood perfectly still, like dolls awaiting the instructions of their master. Naraku raised his hands and hundreds of lower level demons came streaming out of the huts where they had been occupied feeding off of the remains of the dead villagers. No one had sensed their presence as they had been shielded from them.

Inuyasha cursed as the swarm of demons descended upon the group, separating them from one another. The hanyou fought his way forward, intent on attacking Naraku himself, hoping that Sesshoumaru was protecting Kagome. They had been close together, so he prayed the miko wasn't left alone. She could defend herself for a time, but she was not a true fighter.

Sesshoumaru fought against the demons surrounding him, determined to make it to the miko that was suddenly no longer behind him. Sango found herself face to face with her brother, Kirara by her side, and Miroku fought his own battle against the lower level demons that came at him, snapping their long sharp teeth. Kagura took to the sky on her feather, fighting demons off with her fan while trying to get an aerial view of the combatants. 

Kagome stood alone in what seemed like a whirlwind of demons that surrounded her. She couldn't see any of her companions and all she could hear was the wailing of the wind coming from the demons swarming around her. Suddenly, Kanna stepped through the wall of demons, stopping a few feet in front of the miko.

*Swan Song* (Stella's Soundtrack Challenge)

Naraku knew that Kagome was the biggest threat to him. Only she could purify the Shikon jewel and without her, all of the others would lose the will to fight. She needed to die first and Kanna would be the one to kill her. The little girl in white tilted her mirror just so, as to catch Kagome's reflection, and the miko felt as her soul began to be pulled from her body. She'd experienced it before and she knew she needed to fight, but it was difficult as her life began to flash before her eyes.

She should have gone home and saw her mother before this battle. What if she died? Her mother would never know what happened to her only daughter. She should have discussed Sesshoumaru with her before mating the demon Lord. How could she make such a huge decision without even mentioning it to the woman who raised her? Poor Souta would be devastated if she failed to return, and Gramps, she wasn't sure his heart could handle losing her. She was a terrible daughter, sister, and granddaughter, and she was certain the gods would punish her for her sins against her family.

Her mind turned to poor Shippo. She promised him and Rin that she would return unharmed, and there she was, slowly being drained of her life force, and there was nothing she seemed to be able to do about it. Inuyasha popped into her head. Her best friend wouldn't know what to do without her. He would likely withdraw from everyone and return to his distrusting, antisocial self. It had taken so much work to draw him out of his shell, but if she died, all that effort would be wasted, and he would feel completely alone again. At least Miroku and Sango would have each other, but she knew that if she gave up and allowed herself to die, they would be devastated, as well.

Then there was Sesshoumaru. They only just mated, and she was leaving him behind. She would never get to tell him she loved him again. She would never see what their pups would look like. The taiyoukai would also likely return to his former self, isolating himself from everyone in an effort to avoid pain. No! No, she couldn't leave her mate behind!

Suddenly, a new wave of determination washed over the miko, and she began to draw her soul out of the mirror and back into her body. It was like tug of war, and she and Kanna were evenly matched. Fighting for her life, the miko drew an arrow from her quiver and notched it, her arms shaking from the physical and mental strain. She aimed carefully and allowed the arrow to fly.

It struck Kanna's mirror dead center, and the reflective surface shattered. Kagome watched in shock, breathing hard, as the little girl in white appeared to shatter like breaking glass, as well. Her body cracked and fell to pieces, shock in her usually empty eyes before they broke, raining to the ground. Her body and the mirror began to dissolve as Kagome's purifying energies took over, and soon there was nothing left of Kanna and her mirror but dust.

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief as her entire soul returned to her body while dozens more rose from the dust, floating slowly towards the sky. She could swear she heard thank you on the wind as the villagers were released from their imprisonment to finally go on to the other side.