The Snow Angel by SunsetMiko

The Spider

Chapter 219 - The Spider

*Fake Jewel* (Stella's Soundtrack Challenge)

After patching up Sango as quickly as possible and checking Miroku for any signs of poisoning from the saimyosho, they tied up the unconscious Kohaku, just in case he was to wake before they returned. Then the entire group headed towards the slightly damaged headman's hut. The front steps were splintered from the tail end of the Windscar, but Sesshoumaru went first, ensuring they were safe for the others. Kagura took the lead as she guided everyone into the root cellar. She knelt down beside the mound of dirt that hid his body and spoke softly.

"The snow is still deep outside, but you will not live to see the spring."

The humans were startled when an arm shot out of the dirt and caught hold of the jar sitting beside the mound of dirt. The glass shattered as the hand gripped it tightly, and Kagura laughed.

"That's not my heart anymore, Naraku."

Dirt suddenly flew everywhere as the spider hanyou sat up from his curled position under the ground, revealing his upper body. His skin was a sickly shade of blue from the cold and he was filthy. His eyes widened as he took in the sight of his enemies gathered before him.

"You dare betray me, Kagura?" he asked, his voice raspy as he clenched what he still believed to be her heart. The wind witch merely laughed again and fear began to show in Naraku's face. He squirmed his lower body free from the ground and began to crab walk backwards, his movements slow, like a turtle in the shade.

Everyone looked at each other, surprised at their enemy's weakened condition. They'd been expecting him to put up some kind of fight, but instead he was trying to escape. Inuyasha stepped forward and placed his foot on Naraku's left wrist, pressing down until his hand opened, revealing the blackened chunk of the Shikon jewel he held.

"Grab it, Kagome," Inuyasha said.

Sesshoumaru almost stopped her, but he realized that this was something she needed to do herself. Naraku was too weak to pose any threat anyway. The miko approached cautiously and quickly bent to scoop up the jewel, ignoring the spider hanyou's struggles to escape from under Inuyasha's foot.

She studied the jewel in her hand for a long moment. The thing was so black with Naraku's evil taint that it barely even resembled the Shikon anymore. At the sound of Sango's gasp, her eyes returned to their enemy. Naraku's body had begun to shrivel, as if it were mummifying at high speed. All of the parts he had stolen from other demons to build his body were unable to sustain themselves without the power of the jewel and he was dying. He let out a pitiful groaning sound as his throat dried up and began to dissolve into ash. Soon all that was left was his human heart, and it too soon began to shrivel, showing its true age without the benefit of magic. It was the last to dissolve and all that was Naraku was gone.

*War Festival* (Stella's Soundtrack Challenge)

"How can we be sure he won't come back?" Kagome whispered.

Kagura smirked. "I will spread his ashes all over this land so that he can never be revived," she said. Everyone climbed out of the root cellar and watched as the wind witch worked with her fan. A swirl of ashes rose through the hatch in the floor. She manipulated the winds easily to guide it outside and soon; the ashes were floating away on powerful gusts in every direction.

"I can't believe he's really gone," Sango said softly. After all the battles they fought with Naraku in the past, the final one had seemed rather anticlimactic. "Miroku?" she asked, seeing the monk staring at his cloth and bead covered hand. "Check and make sure it's gone."

"It is," he said quietly. "I can feel it. It's gone." He unwrapped his hand and showed it to everyone, his palm now unmarred. Not even a scar remained to remind him of the wind tunnel that had once threatened his life.

"And do you feel any symptoms from the poisonous bees?" Kagome inquired.

“I was feeling a little flushed earlier, but it's gone now. I guess that increased healing really works."

The miko smiled as she held Naraku's chunk of the jewel tightly in her hand, concentrating on purifying it. Bright pink light shone from between her fingers for all to see, and when she opened her hand, the black jewel had turned a soft pink, matching the small chunk she wore around her neck.

"Now we can celebrate," Inuyasha said happily.

"Not yet," Kagome said sadly. "Kohaku."

Happy Birthday to me! Naraku's Dead!