Ours To Protect [Discontinued]

Chapter 7: The Band of Seven and the Priestess

The next day, Kagome was outside sitting up from the cleaning laundry and sighed loudly, wiping her sweaty brow with the sleeve of her kimono. It was from yesterday since she almost died, trying to rescue Ayane, trying to stop Zero from madness, Naraku and Kikyo are alive, and the death of her daughter. Her heart was shattered. She and Sesshomaru lost their daughter. She blamed herself for leaving her all alone in the hut when Ayane was asleep. She knew she was a terrible mother, but this wasn't true. She did her best to protect her child.

All she could think of day and night was Ayane. How she failed to protect her from danger and how she failed to save her from losing her soul. That little four-year-old had been special.

Ayane doesn't deserve to die like this.

She doesn't deserve to lose a child she loved. What exactly had she done to deserve this kind of ending after the end of Naraku and the Shikon Jewel?

Kagome began to cry as she covered her face. "I'm sorry, Ayane," she grieved, sobbing softly. "I'm sorry I didn't protect you. I'm sorry I didn't save you. It's all my fault..."

Sango appeared from the hut when she saw her grieving, talking to herself about how she blamed herself for not saving her daughter. She then comforted her, embracing her softly.

"Kagome, don't blame yourself. It's not your fault. Nothing's your fault. You did the right thing to protect Ayane" Sango murmured, stroking her back gently. Kagome glanced at Sango as she nodded in response, and continued grieving and sobbing.

***

Sesshomaru stood on the edge of the cliff, staring at the afternoon sky. He shook his head as he remembered his daughter's expression when Zero had taken her whole soul and then killed her to give Naraku and Kikyo's powers back. He cursed Zero for what she did. He will make her pay. He gritted his teeth, tears flowing down his face. He didn't want to cry as he did yesterday.

When he felt a familiar presence, he glanced at the woman with kimono armors and pink hair. It was Lighting. The woman who had rescued Kagome for five years and the woman who took care of Kagome's father, Kouta Higurashi, the sorcerer.

"Lighting," Sesshomaru first responded.

"Sesshomaru, what happened?" Lighting asked, walking towards the demon dog.

He softened his golden eyes, glancing down at the ground. He knew he would explain what happened yesterday. "We went out to go save Ayane, but it was too late," he told Lightning, his voice sounding soft in sorrow.

"How?" Lighting asked in her monotone voice.

"Ayane died... Her soul has been taken by Zero, the older sister of Kirinmaru, the Beast King of the East, then Naraku and Kikyo came back to life because of the souls," Sesshomaru said, sadly.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Sesshomaru," Lightning muttered sadly, closing her eyes softly. "But what should we do with Naraku and Kikyo?" 

Sesshomaru then frowned and didn't reply to her. He looked away and then stared at the sky, vowing to take revenge on Zero for his child's death.

***

Meanwhile, Kikyo was all alone in the woods after she destroyed the whole place, leaving everyone like this. She felt exhausted from her spiritual power.

Kikyo walked on but paused as she felt a sharp stab of pain in her chest. She had used too much power and she was losing the ability to move. Without her soul collector, she would stop moving completely and die.

Cursing silently, she fell to the ground as the rain began to fall fast and hard on her dusty body. Oh well, she had burned the whole place down, especially the forest. But she did what is best to save Inuyasha and the others' lives. She was ready to embrace death with open arms.