His claws whizzed over her head and Kagome dropped and rolled away. He wasn't even fighting like himself. This was Sesshomaru and at the same time it wasn't. She had to get away until he came back to himself. She jumped to her feet and ran into the trees. She couldn't go back to the others. They would protect her, but they would hurt or kill Sesshomaru in the process, and she could not let that happen. She swallowed, at least he didn't seem to remember his own powers, that would give her a chance to outrun him long enough for him to get control of himself again. If he remembered exactly how fast and powerful he was before then she was going to be in serious trouble.
His hand was a blur passing her. Kagome fell sideways to avoid the blow, barely managing to keep her footing as she ran in a new direction. He was keeping up with her easily, even without using his demon speed. Maybe she had underestimated his abilities when he was not using his demonic powers. She cried out as the tip of one claw sliced into her shoulder.
Something was nagging at his mind, slowly lapping at the numbness that cloaked part of his mind. The scent of her blood was so familiar, yet he could not place it. He prepared another swipe, and again the girl he chased dodged him. Mildly annoyed he continued his pursuit.
The stone caught her shoe's toe, sent her sprawling to the ground. Franticly she struggled to her feet, another cry escaping her as pain sliced down her back.
*
"Kikyo…" They stared at her in shock. The woman stood on the path in front of them, her eyes moving slowly over each of them.
"I am disappointed that I will have to allow another to kill Kagome, but you will not escape me."
"Your wounds should have incapacitated you for longer than this."
"Priestess Kikyo, there must be someway to form a truce. We do not want to fight you." Miroku murmured.
"Your desires mean nothing to me." Kikyo smirked and raised her bow, an arrow already fitted to the string.
Amio had seen the woman before, but had been too busy dealing with the half demon to spare her much attention. "She was badly injured and yet she stands before us unharmed."
"It must be the work of whoever brought her back to life."
"She uses powerful dark magic, we had best be careful."
"You're right Miroku, but what do we do if she sends Inuyasha after us again?"
"Leave her to me." Amio produced Maritome from a pocket, she smiled a little, "her dark magic means nothing to me."
"We shall see." The arrow released with a snap, and for a second it seemed that Amio was not ready. When she moved the female demon became a blur of color. Maritome spun in her hand, deflecting the arrow. Amio stilled, smiling. This would not be so difficult after all.
"Go, I'll deal with her."
"Are you sure Amio?"
"One fallen priestess stands no chance against my weapon." She glanced at them, "I will finish with her and catch up soon."
They paused as a scream tore through the air.
*
She rolled across the ground to stare up at him, ignoring the heat of her own blood running down her back. She blinked and backed away, but stopped. Sesshomaru was going to kill her, she couldn't outrun him and she had nothing to fight back with. Tears pricked, but did not form in her eyes. He stopped a few steps away to watch her.
Kagome pushed herself to her feet, swallowed against the pain. "Sessh…" She stepped forward and faltered before catching him to support herself. She threw her arms around him, hugged him tightly. "Remember me Sessh, remember that you know me, and who you are." She hugged him a little more tightly, "I love you Sesshomaru, I can't bear to see you like this." She whispered.
Her face washed across his memory, her name echoed in his ears. "Kagome…" the name escaped him as a whisper. He felt her arms tighten around his waist. 'kill her' the voice in his head screamed and what answered by another asking why. For a second the voice paused, ' you hate her. Kill her now.' "No." He struggled for control of himself, and barely managed to keep his hands from ending her life. "Run Kagome, release me and leave."
"Sesshomaru are you okay?"
He was loosing control of himself again. If she remained this close to him he would destroy her. Sesshomaru could not endure the thought. "You must stay back from me." It took all of his will to shove her away from him and move back. "Turn away." He would not have her see this. He would not be able to control himself if he remained as he was. His death would delay Gorimaru long enough that she could escape him. "you will go far from here, do not seek me again"
"Sessh…" There was a blazing determination in his eyes. "What are you planning to do?"
"Do as I say." He drew his sword as she turned away. He would have to act quickly or she would attempt to stop him, he could not allow that. He turned the blade in his hands.
"How dare you defy me!" Gorimaru's voice roared through his mind, and his body began to shake as hands crawled through him, an unusual force trying to take control of his muscles and limbs. "Kill the wench. Destroy her!"
"I will do no such thing." He whispered, battling for control of his own body. He felt the ground collide with his knees and forced his hands to maintain their grip on the sword.
"Sessh?" She turned to glance at him over her shoulder.
"Stay as you are!" He watched her, steeling his resolve. If he was to remain as he was she would be in danger. He had to free himself from Gorimaru's hold, and a full death was the only way. He had to die to protect her, but that would leave her defenseless in the future. If he did not do this though, she would have no future. He wanted to ask fro her forgiveness, but would not. He had to finish this quickly.
He hesitated no longer, but shoved the blade with all of his strength. He ignored the pain as it sliced through him and cut across the lower part of his stomach. Putting the last of his strength into the action he turned the blade and completed the upward cut that would end his life.
The sudden thud shocked her, and Kagome turned to him, surprised when he didn't command her to stay turned around. It made sense a moment later. She stared for a moment frozen in place. Tears burned her eyes. He had fallen sideways to the ground, his clothes were stained with blood that had also spilled around him, and Tokijin lay beside him also covered in his blood.
"Sesshomaru!" She ran to him, dropping to her knees beside him, "Sesshomaru." She caught his shoulders, lifted him to look at his face, "What have you done?" No one else could wield Tokijin, or would be able to wound him so badly.
"There was no other way." His voice was only a whisper. His hand rose to her face and he tucked back a piece of her hair. The last spark of life left his eyes as they closed and his hand fell away from her.
"Sessh… No!" She stared at him for a moment, then hugged him tightly against her, "Sesshomaru… you can't do this. You can't die! You can't just leave me like this." She buried her face in his hair, held him close to her, "Don't die. Please don't die." The words continued, broken by sobs as tears fell uncontrolled from her eyes and her entire body shook with the sobs she could not stop.
"Kagome?"
She swallowed her tears, but did not release him, "If you came to kill me you might as well do it now Inuyasha."
"Kagome what happened here?"
"Why should you care?" She glared at him then turned her face into Sesshomaru's hair.
"It won't do any good to hang on to him. He's dead."
"No, he can't be dead. He wouldn't die, not like this."
"Kagome…" He moved closer to her, "Kagome did you do this?"
"No! How can you even ask that? I would never do anything to hurt Sesshomaru, I wouldn't be able to I love him."
"Then he killed himself."
"Why do you say that?"
"It's his blood on Tokijin and you and he are the only ones who can wield it without being possessed and coming after me. So tell me what happened."
"Kagome!" Her name echoed from two people who appeared in the distance. They raced toward her, "Oh Kagome, what happened?"
"He… he wasn't himself… something made him attack me, but he stopped and then he… he…"
"He killed himself rather than hurt you. Sesshomaru truly loved you to make such a sacrifice Kagome." Miroku murmured as Sango placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
For a long moment Kagome was silent, trying to control her tears enough to speak. "Inu… Inuyasha," She looked up at him, sniffed once, "If Sesshomaru can use Tetsusaiga you should be able to use Tenseiga right?"
"I don't know, I've never tried."
"Well try!" Kagome placed Sesshomaru's head and shoulders gently on the ground.
"I can't. I… I don't think it'll work on one of us or that I can use it being a half demon."
"You're lying."
"Yeah I am. I won't be able to use it because I don't want to save him. I've hated that bastard for nearly my whole life."
"How can you say that? He's your brother."
"I'm telling you it won't work."
"Inuyasha sit boy!" She watched him fall to the ground, repeated the small word several times to watch him bounce against the ground, making a small crater. She watched in satisfaction as he ceased to move.
"Kagome, what are you going to do now?"
"I don't know."
"Maybe Amio? Maybe she could use Tenseiga?"
"I think you have to be related to their father to use it." Kagome dropped to her knees next to his lifeless body. Anger erupted deep inside of her, burning past the sadness to consume her. Her hand was surprisingly steady as she brushed his bangs back from his face, traced the moon shaped mark on his forehead. "I guess it's up to me then."
"Kagome?"
"Did you find my backpack? I dropped it somewhere down there."
"I'll go get it Kagome." Shippo raced away from them, vanishing for a moment into the trees before reappearing, struggling to pull her yellow backpack.
"What are you planning to do Kagome?" Sango asked, stepping back from her as Kagome leaned back from Sesshomaru.
"Gorimaru is going to pay for doing this. He'll think that with Sesshomaru gone he can take over everything. I can't let that happen."
"You can't plan to go after him?"
"I don't have any other choice." Kagome closed her eyes, pushed herself to her feet, "He'll underestimate me, and I'm stronger than I used to be. Don't follow me."
"If you're going we are too."
"No, I have to go alone. I appreciate everything you've done, but this is…" This is my job, I have to avenge him. She didn't say the words, they wouldn't understand if she had. They would want to go with her. "I just have to go alone. Stay here with him until I get back."
"Kagome, I'm certain Inuyasha will be fine in a few moments."
"It isn't Inuyasha I'm worried about. If they get a hold of Sesshomaru…"
"Sesshomaru is dead, what more can they do to him?"
"Gorimaru has power over the dead. If he gets Sesshomaru's body he'll turn him into a mindless puppet. If I can't save his life, I can at least let him rest peacefully."
"Kagome." Sango looked at her for a moment, then lowered her head, "If you're sure."
"I am. Thanks Sango." She bent in half to catch Tokijin's hilt, pulled the weapon away from Sesshomaru. The sword was as heavy as she remembered. Kagome crossed the clearing to pull out her fan. She tucked it into her waistband, wrapped in cloth to keep the blades from cutting her. Her bow and arrows were gone, but she would find a way to defeat him without them. She glanced at Sesshomaru for a moment, then nodded and turned away. "Okay, I'm going. It shouldn't take me long."
"How can you be sure?"
"I can feel it."
*
"Untie me already, I can still catch up to her."
"No Inuyasha, Kikyo may find a way to get a hold of you, and besides Kagome wanted to go alone."
"You're just going to let her walk into her death? If that guy beat Sesshomaru what chance does Kagome stand?"
"That is just like you Inuyasha. Just because Kagome is human does not mean she is helpless."
"Miroku is right. With her spiritual powers Kagome is as strong as any of us, and while she was with Sesshomaru he taught her a great deal. If anyone can fight Gorimaru it's Kagome."
"We should be helping her."
"We promised to protect Sesshomaru's body."
"Lord Sesshomaru's body?" Amio moved toward them through the trees, Maritome no where to be seen. She froze when she saw him. "What happened to here?"
"Gorimaru somehow managed to take control of Sesshomaru, but he broke through enough to kill himself rather than Kagome."
"Gorimaru sent Lord Sesshomaru to kill Kagome?" Amio looked around, "Where is she and why is the half demon tied up?"
"Kagome went ahead alone and these idiots are letting her. Let me go and I'll catch her."
"I see. Kagome has gone for revenge." Amio paused, "I swore to my brother that I would protect her, but I doubt she would be glad of my presence."
"No, Kagome was adamant about doing this on her own."
*
It loomed over her, dark and forbidding. Kagome hesitated , staring at Gorimaru's castle. She'd found it at last. She sighed, "Well Sessh, I'm here. I hope you can hear me, where ever you are. If you can, I know you won't be happy with me, but I have to do this, for both of us." She tightened her grip on Tokijin, lifted the long blade. "So here I go. If you're watching from somewhere, know that I'm not afraid."
