There was a mighty, ear splitting cracking sound as the great Youkai blade, Tetsusaiga, shattered and broke. The shimmering black fragments of the blade flew apart in a great explosion and showering the wielder of the destroyed sword with wicked razor sharp shrapnel.
Kagome could not believe what had just happened. She looked on in disbelief as InuYasha stood there wearing a stunned and shellshocked expression on his face, watching the shards rain down upon the earth where they seemed to dissolve into nothingness. Kagome struggled vainly to scream at him to wake up, but she couldn’t force her body to obey. She watched in abject horror as the Great Youkai Lord flew into action. His speed to rapid for the human eye to follow. InuYasha uttered a sharp sound of dismay as the clawed hand of his brother closed over his throat and raised him up off the ground in a crushing grip. Kagome watched and could do nothing as Sesshoumarou drew back his own blade, the mighty Bakusaiga, now aimed at InuYasha's breast. The keen blade easily pierced the thin fabric of Inu Yasha's kimono, and slid deeply into his heart.
Kagome was forced to remember the furious battle that had ensued not too long before.
~*~
She and her friends had just been traveling back to the village of Kaede after their successful battle with Naraku had been concluded. They were weary, but happy as they strolled along in silent smiling companionship. Even little Shippou was uncharacteristically somber and silent. Kagomi had finally destroyed the Shikon No tama, the cursed jewel that had been the source of all her strife. And now she was free to go home. Her purpose for being here was over. Except that two questions were now plaguing her mind... What would she do? What would she say to InuYasha?
But that was when there was a sudden rush of wind, and InuYasha had thrown himself in front of Kagome as Sesshoumarou suddenly appeared before them as if from thin air. His appearance so sudden he seemed to have literally fallen from the sky, which to Kagome's mind was a distinct possibility.
"Little brother, I have long spared your life because of the insult of Naraku against me that had to be avenged. But now that wretch is gone, and I have come to claim your blood." He said in a voice devoid of emotion.
"Damn you Sesshoumarou. If you want to die, then come on." InuYasha replied.
"How droll, is that all you have to say?" He asked
At that moment there was an explosion of activity as six individuals, two human, and four Youkai flew into action.
"Hiraikotsu!!" yelled Sango as she leapt up and threw her giant boomerang at the Youkai Lord.
"Sealing Fuda!!" yelled Miroku as he cast a handfull of enchanted scrolls at him as well.
"Kaze No Kizu!!!!!" shouted Inuyasha as he unleashed the innate power of his weapon, the Tetsusaiga, the sword forged from his fathers fang.
The group had traveled and fought together for a long time, they knew how to fight together and how to help each other. They knew each others skills and weaknesses and how best to deal with them. And against a lesser foe, they would have been ultimately successful. But against the power of a Daiyoukai lord who had surpassed all other powers in the land, they were as lambs to the slaughter.
The Cutting Wind destroyed the ground that Sesshomarou had been standing moments ago as he streaked aside to reach for the Hunters flying weapon. He caught it easily and turned it in his grasp to block the streaking light coming at him that was the fuda charms. They struck the purified youkai bone weapon and blazed out of life. And then with a quick burst of speed Sesshoumarou was easily standing just behind Sango as she began to land in preparation to catch her weapon. Sesshoumaru struck quickly, swinging his arm forward driving the weapon into the small of her back. There was a sickening crunch as the keen edged weapon sheared through flesh and bone. The blood spray that erupted form her body as she fell quenched the earth. Sango was still looking down in confusion as her torso struck the rocks and she flopped there on her back.
"NNNnnnooooooooo!!!!!" Came a gut wrenching cry as Miroku beheld what had happened to the woman he loved. He tore his eyes from her to throw himself at her murderer, his sacred staff swinging down in a two handed blow to destroy the Demon. And in another blur of speed Sesshoumarou was upon him, the staff caught in his grip as he wrenched the iron pole from the monks grip. With a swift twist of his wrist he reversed the weapon and plunged it forward, deeply into Miroku's abdomen. He then effortlessly flexed his arm and lifted the impaled youth off the ground to stare him in the eyes.
"Ridiculous of you to think you could defeat one such as This Sesshoumarou." then he tossed him aside as if casting aside a broken toy.
Miroku's body fell to the ground yards from his beloveds form, and their eyes locked one last time. Sango reached feebly for him as tears welled up in her eyes and blood poured from her lips. Miroku struggled to rise, but the iron staff that impaled him had destroyed his spine, and his body wouldnt work. He weakly tried to drag his body across the rocky ground, desperate to touch his love just once more before he died. But to no avail. He watched as the light fled her eyes, and then darkness began to close on his sight.
Kirara had landed next to her mistresses body and nudged it sadly, trying to get her to wake up. And Shippou had seemingly vanished. But InuYasha bore down on his brother with a fury as he drew back his blacked weapon and attacked.
"Midouzangetsuha!!!!" He cried as he used his weapons fearsome Midou attack. Glistening blades of emptiness flew at the Youkai Lord who seemed to look at them in contempt.
"Bakusaiga!" Sesshoumarou cried in response as he drew his own fearsome blade and attacked with it. The Midou blades seemed to waver in midair as Bakusaiga's attack passed through them. Then there was a whooshing sound as the Midou portals closed up and vanished.
"WHAT!" cried a stunned InuYasha as he looked on in newfound terror. "How did you stop my attack?"
" It was no bother little brother. Not for one such as I" he said as he brandished his blade at his half breed sibling.
What Sesshoumaru didn’t tell the filthy half breed was that his Bakusaiga destroyed enemy youki (demon energy), and that meant the attacks as well. It was just too bad the half wit couldn’t figure it out for himself.
With another streak of speed, Sesshoumarou closed the distance to his brother and slashed at him in a powerful cut. InuYasha lifted his sword to block at the last instant, and failed to see the sinister smile spread across his brothers normally stoic face.
~*~
The horrible scream that InuYasha let out was torture to Kagome's ears, and heart. She watched as his eyes went wide in pain and shock, as he cast back his head and cried out in agony to great to imagine as the demon sword devoured him from the inside. She watched as his body began to writhe and undulate in suffering. And as she watched she beheld the change. She watched as his silver hair began to change, to darken and become less wild. His golden pupils began to darken as well and take on a lack luster shade. His prominent ears seemed to suddenly shrink and disappear as did his canine teeth. And within moments there was a very human looking InuYasha hanging from the fist of his brother.
Sesshoumarou watched the transformation with keen interest. When he was sure he was seeing what he was seeing, he withdrew the blade of his sword and tossed the seeming corpse to the dirt. The figure struggled to rise, and only succeeded in raising his head to gaze up at the Daiyoukai. Eyes full of hate caught his and held them, Until he turned away began to walk away.
"Don’t walk away from me you bastard!!!" InuYasha shouted at his back. "Come back and fight me!!"
Sesshoumarou stopped in his tracks and said in his deeply powerful voice.
"Jaken, this worthless human is not worthy of This Sesshoumarou's effort. Dispose of him."
"Aye My Lord!" said the small kappa demon retainer to his master. He turned and pointed the staff he held dearly in his hands at InuYasha. A staff that was carved with the head of an old man and a youthful beauty. The old mans head seemed to awaken and open its eyes. These eyes seemed to home in on Inuyasha as he lay there helpless to move. Then as he watched, the mans mouth opened and out shot a blast of intense flames that engulfed him, and began to burn him alive.
Kagomi was in tears as she watched InuYasha perish in flames, but was still unable to move a muscle. The tears streaked down her face in rivulets as she burned alive right alongside of the man she loved, in her heart. But unable to die herself.
"And now Miko, we need to talk." Came a voice that was a soft as polished steel, from right beside her. She looked up in wonder and terror as the Golden eyes of Sesshoumarou stared down at her. And she remembered nothing more.