Chapter Text
They stood on a hill overlooking the valley below, the sky blood orange in the glow of late evening, the setting sun casting deep shadows over the land. For a long moment, no one moved, no one spoke. No one dared to breathe.
Inuyasha stood a ways apart from the others, cradling Kikyo to his chest. Behind him, all waited. Miroku stood with Shippo perched on his shoulder. Sango and Koga watched from slightly behind him. Kagome was the only one who moved, trembling in the evening. As Inuyasha turned and walked further from the group, Kagome buried her face in her hands and sobbed, the words "I'm so sorry, Kikyo" drifting away from her, carried on the breeze like the leaves blowing gently around them. How did the whole world seem at peace when five friends stood watching the soul-deep pain of their comrades?
Inuyasha knelt in the grass, speaking softly to Kikyo and as the last of the light faded from the sky, it reflected off the silvery tears sliding unchecked down his cheek. Koga turned then to Kagome, with a solemn vow to track down and finish Naraku, to keep Kagome safe from him forever, and departed on the wind, leaving the friends to their grief together.
With a last sigh, Kikyo closed her eyes and her head fell back, devoid of life. Her body dissolved into light, large at first, with small bright balls of light dancing around Inuyasha before floating into the sky to join the brilliant stars of the heavens. A gentle glow enveloped Inuyasha, holding him in its embrace, as Kikyo's soul stealers floated around him before gliding past each member of their little band of warriors.
"It's almost like she's saying goodbye," Shippo mused aloud as the light touched each of them softly.
As the glow enveloped Kagome, she bowed her head. "It's so warm," she whispered, tears sliding down her cheeks.
And then a small spark of light, no bigger than the shikon jewel, sparked on Kagome's chest and she slumped wordlessly to the ground.