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The
shadowy figures arched their arms out, locking them together in a hazy fence. Luminous blue orbs were the only things to distinguish
one creature from another. Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga, holding it low to the ground. It shimmered softly amongst the shadows,
and he smiled. "It's all over."
Inuyasha
launched his attack, long fingers of jagged energy streaking out from Tetsusaiga's blade. They stretched out and struck the
shadows, bouncing off and heading directly back at him. He was forced to dodge his own attack for several minutes until it
was driven into the ground. What was that? He thought irritably. Never before had the sword done that before.
Mariko shook her head, idly examining her amethyst fingernails. "Keep it up, Inuyasha. It'll
be over soon."
With an angry grunt, Inuyasha raced toward him, the shadows following his steps, never moving
away. He leapt forward, claws drawn, and slashed down her form. She looked at him in surprise and amusement as a heavy shadowy
layer prevented any harm from being done to her. Instead, it ripped back from the barrier, tearing into Inuyasha's own body.
Inuyasha cried out in pain. "What the hell?" He ground out.
The dark haired woman smirked. "Don't you get it?" she slid a dark fingernail across her palm,
smirking. "Don't you understand the spell?" she laughed. Inuyasha stared at his own palm in shock. Her wound had appeared
on his hand, with no damage to her own. "Whatever happens to me, you take the effects of."
Inuyasha stared at her in silent shock, hoping none of the horror would show on his face. How
do you defeat an enemy when your attacks only hurt yourself? For several minutes, he stood there staring at her. The only
way was to escape her miserable shadows. He dodged towards, them slashing and ripping, and the attacks only came back, striking
him. "You cannot escape, and look! I think she's running out of air!" Mariko smirked, tilting her head cheerfully at Kagome.
Kagome was on her knees, breathing heavily, trying to get enough air. Her hands lay limply against
the shadowy barrier as she watched him, fearful eyes never wavering. Inuyasha darted forward, latching his hand around Mariko's
throat. She watched him in amusement. "What now?" she asked.
Inuyasha glared at her, "Maybe you can deflect anything I throw at you, but what happens if
I run my sword through you?" he said with a grin. Before she could reply, he shoved the sword out, grinding it through her
body. He stumbled backwards, pulling the blade from her body, and stared in horror at his own stomach. Reddish purple blood
seeped through his kimono, drenching down the front of him into a pool at his feet.
"Anything you do to me, you feel the effects." She told him gleefully, twisted joy filling her
face. "This is why I never lose."
Inuyasha
stared at his sword. Perhaps. . .
He
stared right at her for a moment, indecisive, not sure if the conclusion he had reached was the correct one. "Anything I do
to you, I feel the effects. . ." he muttered haltingly, pain clogging his voice.
Mariko smirked contentedly. "This is your final battle, Inuyasha."
Inuyasha stared at Tetsusagia for several moments longer, then moved his gaze to Kagome. She
wasn't moving., she might already be dead. It has to work. He thought desperately, and slowly turned the blade toward himself,
holding it at his own chest. He gritted his teeth and looked at Mariko.
"No! Don't do that!" she shrieked, as he forced the sword into his own body. He hissed in pain,
and watched her. A gaping black wound appeared in her chest, and coughed. "No. . ." and dissolved into shadowy vapors, to
be dispelled by the wind. Inuyasha pulled Tetsusaiga from his own body and forced it into the sheath, then stumbled to the
ground, holding his hands over his wounds. The one in his chest didn't fade away, but remained there. Inuyasha collapsed to
the ground, face down in mud formed from soil and his own blood.
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