Akari headed to the mausoleum only with Koga. She asked Miroku and Sango to stay with Inuyasha. He needed them more now. When she started walking up the mountain, she found the guardian. This time, because she didn't even know what her true enemy looked like, the guardian kept his original form.
It gave her the new bow and told her.
"Do you really believe you can escape? You will die." Akari was surprised, it was a woman's voice but without a face.
"Yes, I do. It was better than being controlled my whole life." Akari turned around and walked toward the exit.
"Priestess, your mind has been corrupted, but you still haven't forgotten your goal. I have no reason to keep you here. Whatever you wish, will be your destiny." Akari nodded, and as she was leaving, she heard.
"I hope you can be free." Akari stopped for a second and said.
"I hoped so too." Quickly, Akari left the mausoleum and asked Koga to find Kikyou and Inuyasha.
When Akari arrived, she immediately shot an arrow at Kikyou, who used it to fight Naraku. Akari ran toward Kikyou and used all her spiritual power to heal her.
"It is useless, Akari, the rest is up to you..." Kikyou said.
Akari closed her eyes and said. "I know, I'll give you a little more time so you can say goodbye."
Naraku escaped, and Inuyasha ran closer to them and said.
"Kikyou..." Akari stood and said.
"I've given her a few more minutes. Make the most of them." Akari didn't dare to look at Inuyasha's face. She was afraid she would regret her decision.
Akari and the others moved far away from Kikyou and Inuyasha. Akari stayed behind all of them; they thought that she was melancholic because she couldn't save Kikyou, so they gave her space. That's why, when Kikyou's soul rose to the sky with the intention of mingling with the stars, a shooting star passed by it, taking it away. No one saw Akari wipe the blood on her mouth.
**
Akari asked Inuyasha and the others to let her leave for a few days; they had no problem with it because they wanted Inuyasha to rest. Akari headed to the place where Kikyou's soul was. She needed to stabilize it as soon as possible. When she arrived, Akari observed the soul, which was calmly on the verge of dissipating. This was not surprising, since, after all, most of Kikyou's desires had vanished. Akari prepared everything and created a strong barrier before starting.
Akari gathered many herbs around her and focused her spiritual power on Kagome's soul, her objective was to separate a part of that soul and fuse it with Kikyou's. Akari began to bleed from her mouth, ears, nose, and eyes. The pain she felt was indescribable. But she couldn't faint or everything would be lost. Akari bore this torture for three days before she managed to stabilize Kikyou's soul with fragment of Kagome's soul. Akari placed the now-fused soul in a previously prepared body.
When she finally finished, Akari could relax and collapsed.
Akari regained consciousness half a day after. She wanted to rest, but there was another important thing to do. So Akari searched for the demon who would create illusions of Kikyou for Inuyasha, making him suffer, and killed it. Akari couldn't tell Inuyasha the truth for now, but at least she wouldn't allow him to suffer more.
When Akari went with Inuyasha and the others to that town and didn't find the demon, she could clearly feel the gaze of the world's consciousness upon her. It was suspicious of her, but it didn't do anything because it wasn't certain.
Then they found Kanna, who told them about the light in the Shikon jewel, and Hiraikotsu was destroyed when Sango needed to save Miroku's life. When they went to a wise friend of Totosai to repair Hiraikotsu, Miroku was far away with the wise man, and Akari followed them.
"You have a powerful poison inside you. If you want, I can give you medicine that will prevent you from feeling more pain. Do you want to take it?" The wise man asked.
"Yes." Miroku answered.
"Remember that it only makes you stop feeling more pain." The wise man said.
"I know." Miroku said.
Inuyasha, who suddenly moved close to them, said.
"Don't take it, it is poison."
"I'm prepared. My body..." Miroku was talking, but Inuyasha interrupted him, saying.
"Did you think I didn't notice it?" Miroku stayed silent, and Inuyasha asked.
"If you died, what would happen to Sango?" Seriously, Miroku said.
"I don't want Sango to risk her life for me. Whether I drink this or not, it doesn't matter. I will fight and protect Sango." Inuyasha sighed and said.
"At least, promise me you won't waste your life." Miroku smiled and nodded.
"Since you know, what about Sango and Akari..." Miroku said.
"I won't tell Sango, but you have to persuade Akari." Inuyasha said, looking backward.
"You are amazing, aren't you, Miroku?" Akari said sarcastically walking closer to them.
"I'm sorry." Miroku said.
Akari furrowed her brow and said.
"You're quick to admit your mistake. But you won't change, will you?" Miroku didn't say anything, but Akari understood his resolution and said.
"Well, I'm going to stay quiet too, but I will purify your poison every night starting today. Understand?" Miroku seemed to want to say something, but Akari said.
"That's what I'm offering you. If you reject me, I'll tell Sango everything." Miroku helplessly sighed and said.
"Okay." Miroku drank the poison, and he soon didn't feel any more pain.
Sango finished and came back with Hiraikotsu. When they were about to leave, the wise man moved closer to Akari and said.
"The shadow of death pursues you." Akari opened her eyes in surprise and said.
"How did you know that?" The wise man looked at her and said.
"I see many things, girl. That thing wants to kill you, but it can't. There will be many obstacles from now on." Akari thanked him for the information and started to think. The world's consciousness wanted her dead, but it couldn't, it seemed, because the original story was almost ending. The world's consciousness was getting impatient. Well, it wasn't the only one; she was tired too.