Something in Seshomaru's head was screaming. He looked down at her frail body, wanting to deny her death. 'She can't be dead.' He thought to himself but every sign told him otherwise. Unconsciously he walked over to her, his hand out, wanting to touch her face. Wanting to feel its warmth and see her bright smile though he knew he would was only going to be greeted with cold and stillness.

"You can stop right there, you bastard." Inuyasha growled as he stepped in front of Rin.

"Move aside." Seshomaru hissed in warning, feeling his claws slide out.

Kagome pulled Rin's body into her lap and stared at Seshomaru with defiance in her eyes.

"This is your fault. She wouldn't be dead if you had protected her better." Inuyasha snarled, drawing his sword. "Now get out of my house so I can fight you, you murderer!"

"Wait!" Kagome yelled, causing the two silver-haired men to flash her a look.

Seshomaru looked at her, expecting her to yell at Inuyasha to calm down or beg him to stop in this time of grieving but instead he found her eyes locked on him. She closed her eyes and streched her arm out to Seshomaru, palm out towards him. Surprised at her odd gesture he froze. Within seconds he began to feel the effects of her sorcery. He felt his strength melt away and lost the small sounds he was used to hearing, his eyes unable to pick up the same detail he was accusomed to. He fell to his knee as his senses dulled and his usually endless reserve of energy vanished.

"What have you done to me?" he said, his voice dripping with venom.

"I took your demonic powers." She replied steadily, causing his eyes to obviously widen in shock. "You are nothing but a mere mortal, just like all the humans you despise." She added with malice.

"You can do that?" Inuyasha asked incredulously,

"Impossible." Seshomaru gasped, looking at his hands as he tried to determine what had happened to him.

"Yes, I've been practicing and now it seems I have mastered it. Now take your business outside." She stated before returning her focus to Rin who she still held tightly in her lap.

Inuyasha grinned wickedly and with a growl he launched himself at the weakened Seshomaru. He tackled his half-brother and they went crashing through the wall behind them, leaving a gaping hole in the house. With Sehomaru still in his grip Inuyasha spun and released his hold, throwing Seshomaru against a nearby tree. Seshomaru released a huff as all the air left his lungs, causing him to gasp for air as he slid to the ground.

'This can't be happening.' Seshomaru thought, looking up to see Inuyasha running at him full speed. Seshomaru drew his sword just in time to deflect Inyasha's assaults. In his weakened state he quickly reverted to defensive fighting while he tried to remain focused on the battle. His mind continued to wander back to the image of Rin's motionless body.

After only a few minutes Seshomaru's body started to grow weary, his blocks becoming more and more lethargic. Despite his excellent swordmanship, Inuyasha started landing hits on him. A cut here, a nick there, until Seshomaru was covered in blood from superficial wounds. Suddenly he slipped and gave Inuyasha the opening he was waiting for.

Pain erupted in Seshomaru's stomach and he looked down in shock. With a grunt Inuyasha wrenched his sword up, tearing a hole in Seshomaru from his naval up to his collar bone. Seshomaru looked down at his innards, blood flowing down his legs like a horrid waterfall. 'I-I can't. N-no.' Seshomaru thought with anquish, his demonic powers were not coming to his aid and the pain was only increasing. He took a step back as he struggled to stay on his feet. Inuyasha gave a dark chuckle as he sheathed his bloody sword and brought his foot up and kicked Seshomaru in the chest, causing him to slam into the ground. Inuyasha chuckled again as he crouched beside the wounded demon.

"Now look what you made me do," Inuyasha hissed into Seshomaru's ear. "I have your disgusting blood on me." he said as he motioned to the foot he had kicked Seshomaru with.

Seshomaru could hardly hear him, he was so focused on keeping his screams of anquish in that he blocked out any other sounds.

"Listen to me when I'm talking to you, bastard." Inuyasha spat as he grabbed Seshomaru's face and forced him to look at him. "You killed Rin and because of it you have to pay the price. With you finally out of the way I will be the Lord of the West, how does that sound?" Inuyasha asked with a harsh laugh before regaining a serious expression. "I will never let someone like you do what you did to Rin. You're a monster and the world is safer with you gone." he whispered harshly as he stood up.

Seshomaru could only stare at him when Inuyasha pulled his foot back. 'Rin,' Seshomaru thought as the first kick hit its target, causing him to release an animalistic howl. 'I'm sorry. I have failed you.' Another kicked caused his eyesight to flash red as he screamed again. 'If only I could hear your laugh one last time.' The next kick caused everything to grow dark before snapping him back to consciousness, the pain continued to grow to an unbearable level as Seshomaru's bones broke under Inuyashas kicks and his organs spilled from the wound in his abdomen. Slowly the world darkened. Before the darkness claimed him, Seshomaru indulged himself in one sound that he could remember so clearly he could almost hear it in his ear. A single tear slipped down his face, the stoic mask shattering as he remembered how Rin called his name. She always said it without fear in her sweet sing-song voice, a smile always shining on her face. And with that sound ringing in his ears he finally released his hold on life and let the darkness take him.