I do not own Inuyasha

Ch. 10

Sesshomaru was staring at his opponent. Katsuo, Sesshomaru had to admit, was a formidable opponent. So far neither of them was able to land blow, let alone even leave a scratch on the other. It was evenly matched…so far.

"Well Sesshomaru, how does it feel that I'm the one that will take your life?" Katsuo asked, breaking the silence as they stood away from each other. Each demon was trying to find an opening in this momentary break. Sesshomaru didn't answer and remained as stoic as ever. Katsuo growled in frustration. Sesshomaru hadn't said a word since they started their one on one to the death.

So Katsuo launched himself at Sesshomaru with sword drawn. Sesshomaru met him halfway. Their movements were fast. To humans, they wouldn't be able to keep up with what was going on. To demons on the other hand they could see that the battle could go either way, but neither of them seemed to open up the opportunity to kill the other. They broke apart, facing each other once again.

"Sesshomaru, you are such a stubborn pup, you know that," Katsuo commented, mostly to himself. A little louder he said, "Do you know why I summoned you here?" Sesshomaru just cocked his head to show that he was listening. "I summoned you here because of the fact that you killed my only son. My only son!" he was breathing heavily at this point. It had no effect on Sesshomaru; Katsuo's display of emotion was an edge that he could use as Katsuo's downfall. "What?! No words? No reason why you killed my son?" No answer. Katsuo again growled his frustration, showing all his emotion on his face; anger, hurt, and more frustration.

"Fine then! DIE! DRAGON WIND!" Katsuo launched his attack towards Sesshomaru, who of course had an attack of his own. "BAKUSAIGA!" Both attacks met midfield and both attacks failed to reach their intended targets. Once the demonic energy settled there was a deep gouge in the earth. Katsuo was panting, but Sesshomaru looked completely unfazed. Looks like he hasn't used that attack in a long while. It's draining him of his own energy. Pathetic.

Katsuo didn't even acknowledge this fact and launched himself at Sesshomaru again. Sesshomaru noticed that that he was beginning to get slower. Sesshomaru managed to get a couple hits with his unoccupied hand. They parted again, Katsuo bleeding from a cut along his jawline. "Looks like you managed to nick me. Don't think you can still win with this little ray of hope." Sesshomaru at this point was starting to get annoyed. This little one on one was getting tiresome. It's time to end this.

This time Sesshomaru was the one to initiate the next attack. He was getting more vicious, Katsuo was starting to notice. Sesshomaru was getting faster with each passing moment. Katsuo was having a hard time keeping up, but he still managed to dodge each blow. After he unleashed his dragon wind he was loosing his energy at a steady rate. No! I was meant to kill this bastard! Katsuo then started to swing his own attacks at Sesshomaru, making Sesshomaru go on the defense for a moment, just a moment. Katsuo was still loosing energy, so his offensive attacks didn't last long. Sesshomaru went on the offense again. Katsuo was beginning to see that he was going to lose at the rate he was loosing energy and Sesshomaru was getting more swift and vicious in his attacks.

So Katsuo, in a last ditch effort, knowing that it would drain him further, yelled, "Dragon Wind!" Sesshomaru disappeared from Katsuo's sights at this moment. Katsuo had no idea where he went. Then he turned only to be met with Sesshomaru's blade stuck in his gut. This can't be possible! His blood started to ooze all over his clothes, leaving a metallic smell in the air. Then Sesshomaru stepped forward so that his mouth was right in Katsuo's ear when he spoke, still holding his sword in his tight grip.

"This Sesshomaru did kill your son, but you must know that he attacked first and secondly he killed my future mate in the process. He died for his crimes against me as will you." Sesshomaru then stepped back to look Katsuo in the eye, who was wide eyed. "You will not get a quick death like your son did. You will have a slow death, a disgraceful one." Sesshomaru twisted Bakusaiga to make sure his point came across loud and clear. Katsuo gasped out his pain. Then Sesshomaru withdrew his sword, painfully slow, Katsuo's blood was spilling all over the place.

Wiping his sword clean on Katsuo's kimono, put it back in it's sheath, he turned to walk away. Katsuo started to laugh making Sesshomaru pause. "You think that a little wound like this is going to stop me from taking your life? Think again." Katsuo then reached into his kimono and took out what looked like a black pebble. He crushed it between his middle finger and thumb. Everything went quiet. Then a whistling sound started to come to Sesshomaru's ears. The sound was everywhere, so he couldn't pinpoint the source.

Whoosh! Something then hit Sesshomaru in the leg. It didn't phase him, but when he looked down it was an arrow. It was stuck in his calf. How did I not sense this coming? He bent over to take it out and at closer inspection he noticed it to be a dark lighter arrow. He took it out with a slight groan, threw it away and turned to face Katsuo, but when he went to pivot then his injured leg collapsed on him. What the hell? My leg… It was completely numb. He couldn't feel anything below his knee and down. Katsuo on the other hand looked completely satisfied by the result that he got the Western Lord on one knee. "How does it feel now Sesshomaru? I have found that the poison in a dark lighters arrow can paralyze demons. Not kill them like white lighters, of course, but it's most affective, don't you think?" He gave a low chuckle, then whistled.

Then Sesshomaru's eyes widened in shock as another arrow hit his upper right arm. Soon after the arrow hit, he started to loose feeling and the ability to move his arm. Katsuo, you will pay for this. With his remaining good leg he managed to launch himself into the air. Again another arrow hit, this time the upper half of his good leg. If he landed his legs would crumple underneath him, so with what ability he had kept himself in the air, waiting for the opportunity to find a way to end Katsuo's miserable existence. Using his left arm and only good limb, unsheathed Bakusaiga.

Then everything seemed to go in slow motion for Sesshomaru from then on. Arrows kept on coming from every direction, some missing, but some made their target. Sesshomaru was gradually losing feeling everywhere, but somehow, he didn't know how, made it to his intended target. His vision was dimming, so he didn't really notice Katsuo getting up and drawing his own sword. They met with a crash. They both stood there for a moment, then Sesshomaru collapsed into a kneeling position, Katsuo's sword protruding from his chest. Bakusaiga was likewise protruding from Katsuo's chest.

"You…are lucky…that…I…had…dark lighters…numb your…limbs. But…you'll die…just…the…same," Katsuo managed to say, coughing up blood in the process. Sesshomaru on the other hand looked up at Katsuo with red eyes. With a flare of demonic energy every arrow that had entered Sesshomaru's body exited from the energy and flew in every direction, some reaching their original owners. Screams were heard, but he paid them no mind. His demonic energy speed healed his wounds except the for the wound in his chest . The sword that still protruded from his chest, he took out with his free hand. Katsuo was staring in disbelief. How is he still moving?! Then Sesshomaru said one word. "Bakusaiga." He said it low, and Katsuo was now looking down at the now glowing sword in his chest. The energy expanded and was slowly tearing Katsuo apart. "AAAAAAHHHHHHH!" With one final explosion, Katsuo was dead.

Sesshomaru growled in satisfaction, but when he let his demonic side settle down, he started to feel where every arrow was originally. His limbs started to shake uncontrollably and he collapsed onto the ground. The wound in his chest had not yet healed, he was concentrating so hard on killing Katsuo that he forgot to speed heal his chest and now his blood was making a puddle around him. He was numb everywhere, and breathing was becoming a chore. Then at the corner of his eye he saw a bright light.

"Sesshomaru!" Rin. His vision was blurry, but his noticed someone had turned him over. "Sesshomaru, can you hear me?" Brown eyes, his loves eyes, staring down at him. Tears. Then he realized she was crying. He wanted to wipe them away, but his limbs didn't respond to his commands. "That wound in his chest needs to be closed or he's going to bleed out." Someone else was here? My father. "Geesh he's a mess." Inuyasha's here too? But he didn't dwell on it too much, his vision was slowly narrowing into black.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"Sesshomaru, stay with me. Don't leave me!" Rin cried out. The light was steadily leaving Sesshomaru's eyes. Tears were blinding her vision even more as she held onto him. His armor was off and his kimono was spread to see the extent of the damage. It looked terrible and the worst part was that there was nothing they could do. Rin was breathing fast as Sesshomaru expelled his last breath. "No. NO! SESSHOMARU!" Rin was pounding on his chest, but someone pulled her away from his body. "Rin, he's gone," Inu Taisho's voice cracked holding a sobbing Rin. Kagome was being held by Inuyasha.

Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, was dead.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

A/N I killed him. Just to let you know readers, you were forewarned that this might happen, so please don't kill me in return. I promise that this is not the end. So look forward to the next chapter. R/R