Far ahead, Sesshomaru scanned the horizon with flaming eyes. His hand subconsciously tightened around his Bakusaiga as the wind whipped around it. In the past years, the sword had become a priceless companion of his. Its powers were stronger than a god's. Enemies that would have been a fair match for him were cut down with a single boring slash. And yet…

And yet it failed to save me from a human!

And if not for that, he would have never been drawn into this laughable mess.

The familiar smells he was tracking were suddenly intensified and at last he could make out a figure in the forests below. Roaring, he plunged down, spearing through leaves and branches of all sizes. At last he met face to face with his target: Miyu, or rather, one of her scrolls positioned protectively above her head and shoulders. The two collided with what would typically be bone-shattering force, spiraling across the ground in a flurry of leaves and dirt and shredded holy parchment.

When at last Miyu felt the sensation of stopping, she opened her eyes to find herself looking up at blinding sunlight and shining silver hair, shorter than she remembered it. Cringing at the intense light, she began to struggle away, but found that she was pinned with her back to the ground by her wrists.

"You are that priestess from before. You're Kasha's ally."

"And you're the vile, murderous demon he was trying to kill." Miyu seethed with rage, contemplating whether to spit at him or scream.

"Not as vile as you may think, human. Or I would have already torn you apart and left you for the worms. Instead, I wish only to bring you…some interesting news. Something that you'd really ought to know by now."

Miyu remained silent, staring Sesshomaru down with angry black eyes. But the anger was already becoming tainted with curiosity.

"Do you know the name of Kasha's sword? Do you know where it came from?"

"…No."

"That sword belonged to me. It was forged from the fangs of a repulsive monster by the name of Goshinki who could read minds and loved to eat humans. Any human who dares to touch that weapon will become instantly possessed by it. And this is exactly what happened to Kasha. He may have tried to sate the blade's desire for murder while at the same time sparing innocent people, but he simply cannot. I know that sword, and its hunger for destruction is ravenous. I would be surprised if he managed not to kill an innocent behind your back every day."

Miyu was stunned into silence. She stared into the exotic face above her with a look of total shock.

"…Demons' lies!" She exclaimed suddenly.

"You-idiot…"

"Demons' lies! I do not believe you!" Miyu shrieked as she began to struggle. It was as futile as struggling against the weight of a neutron star.

"He has been under Goshinki's spell this entire time, and you foolishly followed him!"

"Demons' lies!"

"Would you have preferred it if I'd just killed you?"

Miyu grimaced. The expression became gradually more intense until it appeared that she was biting back a great deal of pain. Sesshomaru began to wonder if the deadly venom on his claws had seeped through her skin and loosened his grip on her wrists. Fortunately, she remained conscious, and answered his question instead.

"If you'd killed me right away…at least I would have died with the honor that a priestess should have. Just like…the great priestess Kikyo."

Sesshomaru was surprised. She does not even know that Inuyasha fought alongside her. Even I did, once or twice.

Yet he resisted telling this to her. It would only upset her more. And besides, he could smell something familiarly disgusting coming their way.

"Sesshomaru! Is that Miyu?" Inuyasha called from the distance. Following his voice was a crash of branches. Then Inuyasha and his crew were skidding to a stop right before them. Sesshomaru stood up to face them, swiping dust from his sleeve. Miyu rose to a sitting position, letting out an exhausted breath.

"The fool is in denial. Do as you wish with her, Inuyasha. I'm going after Goshinki and his human host."

Just as Sesshomaru had taken the first few steps into the forest, Miyu suddenly lunged to her feet, snatched a powerful sutra from her robes, and flung it at Sesshomaru. Focusing her holy energy into it, she sent a powerful elemental shockwave at the demon, engulfing him in purifying flames.

Sesshomaru stopped walking, then slowly turned to face the young priestess. His gaze locked onto hers and she saw a vicious glow in his demonic eyes, magnified by the flame.

This was the last thing that Miyu ever saw.

Sesshomaru drew his Bakusaiga, still swallowed in flame, simultaneously slashing forth with the sharp edge of the immortal blade. It struck Miyu across the chest, and blood spewed onto her white robes as if they had just been struck with a crimson paintbrush. Her rich black eyes shut for a final time and she collapsed onto the ground with a trail of thick red ooze in her wake. The flames surrounding her daiyoukai enemy sizzled and died in an instant, as Miyu gave one final, rasping sentence for the world to remember her by.

"And so…the great priestess gave her life to fight off an ancient evil demon…a demon that was no more than evil in beauty's form…and such a courageous, noble death…will be remembered for ages to come."