"Sesshomaru? What are…you doing here?" Kikyo asked weakly. There were dead souls pouring out of her body making her weaker and weaker. Her soul collectors were nearby but because of Mt. Hakurei's mysterious air, the soul collectors were not able to get close enough to replenish her. Sesshomaru stared at Kikyo briefly before turning his attention back to Naraku.

"All this trouble to kill one woman? You are pathetic, even moreso than my hanyou little brother Inuyasha." Naraku just smirked as he slowly backed away from his adversary. "Thinking about running away?" Sesshomaru unsheathed his Tokijin and took aim at Naraku but before he could even think to attack, Kikyo let out a horrible sounding cough that was rough and dry. Sesshomaru glanced over at her and saw that she seemed to be getting worse. Her face was devoid of any emotion and she was holding tightly to the cut above her shoulder breathing heavily.

"Running away from you? Please. You are no threat to me Sesshomaru, even if you are half the demon that your brother is. I'm leaving because I do not wish to fight you just yet. Killing you now would only be half the fun. I'd much rather destroy you when you're not so easily distracted." Sesshomaru frowned at Naraku's statement. Me? Easily distracted? I think not.

"I don't know what you think you know but for your sake I'd calm that overactive imagination of yours. It just may cost you your life." Sesshomaru ran at Naraku swinging his sword but Naraku just as quickly put up a barrier.

"Hmph. Too bad Sesshomaru. You're just not strong enough to defeat me. When you see Inuyasha, give him my regards and in the meantime, take care of Kikyo. I'd much rather destroy her when she's at her very best." With that thought, Naraku disappeared.

"Damn. The bastard got away." Sesshomaru put away his sword and turned to face Kikyo who was now reeling from fatigue and swaying back and forth as though she had no idea who she was or where she was sitting.

"Kikyo. You are too close to the edge. You are going to…" He stopped mid sentence as Kikyo's body started to plunge forward over the mountain top. Without thinking, Sesshomaru ran after her, following her over the cliff and catching her in his arms. He landed with ease seconds later at the bottom of Mt. Hakurei in a small valley that was gushing with lush vegetation. He looked down at the woman cushioned in his arms but there was no sign of life in her at all.

"KIKYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Sesshomaru looked towards the sky to the very top of the mountain and smirked.Inuyasha. Sesshomaru's eyes widened as the woman in his arms began to shake uncontrollably forcing him to hold her tighter in order to keep her from falling out of his arms. After several seconds of this, she finally stopped shaking and fell into a deep sleep. In the distance, Sesshomaru could still hear Inuyasha screaming for Kikyo. He looked down at the frail woman in his arms who was now a step closer to death thanks to Naraku. She seemed to be breathing normally once again but who knew how long it would last.

Sorry little brother but I think she'll be better off with me for a while. Sesshomaru carried Kikyo away from the mountain deep into the forest without a second thought about his younger brother.

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"KIKYO! KIKYO, WHERE ARE YOU?!" Inuyasha looked around wildly for her but she was no where in sight. He couldn't even smell her scent in the air. If there was a faint scent, it was being heavily masked by the strong miasma emitting from the stream below. Inuyasha kept walking but his head hanging low until he spotted something near the edge of the cliff. Is that…? His heart stopped when he realized what it was. It was a bow and it had been snapped in half. Inuyasha stooped low and retrieved the pieces. With his eyes closed, he brought a piece to his nose hoping…praying that it was just his imagination. No. He was right. The bow had belonged to his beloved and the smell of her was so strong that it made his insides turn.

"Oh…oh no…Kikyo…you can't be gone…not again…" Inuyasha doubled over as the tears started falling to the ground. Kikyo, I let you down…I…wait…there's a chance…

"Well well well if it isn't Inuyasha." Inuyasha's head snapped up and he let out a low growl.

"Naraku. Where the hell is my woman? You better not…I swear if you've done something to her I'll…"

"You'll do what? It's not my fault you didn't get here in time Inuyasha. Then again, you wouldn't have been able to stop me. Yes, I'm sure Kikyo is dead by now. I hear that falling over a cliff is such an easy way to go. I'm sure she didn't feel a thing." Inuyasha's body began to shake violently as the tears kept rolling. He wanted to withdraw his tetsaiga and destroy Naraku but his body was in complete shock. His arms and legs would not listen to him. All he could do was just stand there and shake.

"You…BASTARD!" he shouted. Inuyasha ran at Naraku blindly releasing his claws and swinging at him wildly but Naraku easily side-stepped dodging the attack.

"I grow tired of you Inuyasha. My turn." Naraku struck Inuyasha's side knocking the tetsaiga loose but instead of Inuyasha running after his sword, he released his Blades of Blood forcing Naraku to put up a barrier.

"INUYASHA! INUYASHA WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Inuyasha turned to see his friends making their way towards him.

"STAND BACK YOU GUYS! THIS BASTARD WILL DIE AT MY HANDS TODAY!" he screamed.

"What is Inuyasha doing?" Shippo asked nervously. "He's just running like a madman at Naraku but he's clearly getting no where. That stupid Inuyasha."

"Now, now Shippo. You know how Inuyasha is," Miroku replied. But I get the feeling…Oh no! Inuyasha's not using his tetsaiga. "INUYASHA! USE YOUR TETSAIGA! YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON'T!"

"I don't need my weapon," he replied grimly. "I want to kill this bastard using my bear hands…"

"But Inuyasha…"

"ENOUGH SANGO! STAY OUT OF THIS! THIS IS NONE OF YOUR CONCERN!" Inuyasha screamed. Sango shot Miroku a worried look as they continued to watch the hanyou attempts at beating Naraku. After several seconds had gone by, Miroku glanced over at Kagome who now had the strangest look about her. She seemed to be in a state of shock.

"Hey Kagome? Are you…alright?" Miroku asked.

"I…Inuyasha…Kikyo…"

"Huh? What about Kikyo?" Sango asked worriedly.

"She's right you two." Myoga hopped onto Miroku's shoulder and made himself comfortable. "Look into the eyes of your friend. His eyes are satiated with rage and the way he is fighting blindly without thinking is a sign that he grieving," he said sadly.

"Grieving?" Sango inquired.

"He didn't get here in time," Kagome whispered. "Kikyo…Naraku killed her…again and Inuyasha probably feels like it's his fault." It's not your fault Inuyasha… Miroku stared at her for a few and then turned his attention to his hanyou friend. Sure enough he could see where Inuyasha had been crying and his eyes were full of hurt and rage.

"This isn't good," he said shortly.

"What do you mean?" Shippo asked.

"Inuyasha…if he doesn't pick up that tetsaiga soon he'll transform. Wait! Look at him. His eyes are turning red now!" They all watched as Inuyasha plummeted to his knees, his head bent over and his hands clasping his ears. A fierce growl escaped the hanyou and when he finally rose to his feet, the look in his eyes struck terror into the hearts of his companions. Naraku just laughed as Inuyasha ran wildly at him, his claws ready to strike. Naraku shielded himself inside of a barrier but received a great shock when the barrier started to crack.

"What the…?" This…this fool! He can't possibly…

"INUYASHA PLEASE…WAKE UP!" Kagome shouted, breaking into a run.

"Wait! KAGOME! DON'T GO! INUYASHA'S NOT…"

"Myoga is it safe for Kagome to be out there?" Miroku asked hurriedly. Myoga cast him a grim look before responding.

"It would seem that not even Kagome can bring Inuyasha back."

"Huh? That can't be right! Kagome always gets through to Inuyasha!" Shippo huffed.

"No, I'm afraid not Shippo. You see even though Inuyasha isn't conscious of what his demon side is doing, he is still capable of feeling and before his transformation he was wracked with grief. Therefore his demon side is determined to make these feelings go away and he will kill until he is satisfied…or…well, in the case of Inuyasha, he'll just keep killing until he dies."

"But…Myoga, how can we help?" Miroku asked quickly. "We can't just stand here and do nothing!"

"I…don't know. He has to get the sword but…I just don't know…"

---

---

Sesshomaru placed Kikyo's still body near a hot spring in the forest. He left her there, going back towards the miasma stricken stream where he heard some infuriating shouting. As he listened he realized that it was that awful schoolgirl that traveled with his brother; the one who was supposedly Kikyo's reincarnation.

"Hmp. I think I'll go and watch. I need some entertainment."

---

---

What…what's…why is he so strong all of a sudden? Naraku just watch horrified as Inuyasha continued to place cracks in his barrier. His eyes were full of hunger and Naraku could sense his thirst for blood. He's not human at all he thought frowning.

"Enough of this," Naraku mumbled. His left tentacle penetrated his own barrier and struck Inuyasha in the shoulder. The hanyou, who was in mid-air at the time, fell back but landed gracefully on his feet seething with anger.

"INUYASHA! INUYASHA PLEASE…!" Inuyasha turned his attention to Kagome, a bone chilling smirk forming upon his face.

"KAGOME RUN!!!" Miroku yelled but she just stood their frozen in place. He ran at her his eyes wide with excitement, the thrill of the kill coursing through his blood. He jumped and raised his arms to strike Kagome but was stopped by a whip popping his wrist. Inuyasha jumped back apparently shocked by the whole ordeal and glared at his new adversary Sesshomaru.

"Get back woman. He belongs to me." Kagome ran back towards her friends, grabbing the tetsaiga on her way.

"Sesshomaru…back so soon? What did you do to the priestess? Is she dead?"

"I don't know. You tell me," Sesshomaru answered coolly. Naraku glared at him before letting an evil laugh escape his lips. "I don't remember saying anything humorous."

"I just find it hilarious that you're always here to save little brother even though you care nothing for him. I also find it equally funny that you detest humans yet you save them every time like this girl for instance."

"Don't get it twisted you pathetic piece of filth. I care nothing for Inuyasha nor his lowly wenches." Inuyasha charged at Sesshomaru again but was easily pushed back by Sesshomaru's whip.

"Sesshomaru please…you're hurting him," Kagome pleaded. She was right of course. The places where Sesshomaru's whip made contact on the hanyou's arms were bleeding none stop. Yet Inuyasha did not flinch or anything. He just kept staring wildly between his brother and Naraku.

"I think I'll be going now. There's no need for me to stick around." Before Sesshomaru could react, Naraku disappeared.

"Damn bastard. Alright Inuyasha, this ends now little brother." Sesshomaru ran at Inuyasha, sidestepped his attack before punching him hard in the face sending him sailing in the direction of his friends. "Girl, you might want to revive him like you have in the past. In the event that you are not able to bring him back to normal, I suggest you run. With each passing second Inuyasha's demon blood is flowing, he loses a part of himself. With every transformation he'll be harder to revive…although I heard a rumor that it is possible to use the power of the sacred jewel to help. However, the jewel or shard must be purified and only a strong willed priestess will be able to succeed. Then there's the "true love" rumor but I don't believe in such nonsense."

"Sesshomaru, why are you telling us all of this? We all know how much you despise Inuyasha." Miroku inquired. Sesshomaru closed his eyes and smirked.

"I forgot how ungrateful you pathetic humans are. Never mind. I didn't say you had to listen nor did I say that you had to take my advice." He turned to leave but the sound of his brother's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Sesshomaru…what the hell…are you doing here?" Inuyasha tried to stand but fell back on his bottom; the pain coursing through his body was unimaginable.

"I was just leaving."

"Hey…hey wait. You were here earlier weren't you?"

"And if I was?" he asked softly.

"You must have seen her…you had to have seen her…why? Why did you let her die? I knew you were a heartless bastard but couldn't you see that she was injured?" Inuyasha's voice was shaking for he was trying not to scream out his feelings.

"What are you talking about Inuyasha?"

"Why you…"

"Inuyasha calm down!" Miroku said earnestly. "You're hurt and…"

"I DON'T CARE! HE LET HER DIE! THE BASTARD…I'LL KILL HIM!" Inuyasha used the tetsaiga to stand to his feet but he was still too beat up to pick a real fight with Sesshomaru.

"Little brother, I could kill you right now without breaking a sweat but I'd rather face you when you're no longer a broken man. At any rate, I have no idea what your relationship to this woman was since your real wench is always by your side. I'm assuming she was just an old flame but get your facts straight before making accusations. I did not let anyone die. You did Inuyasha. It is your fault that she is dead and you have no one to blame but yourself. Good-bye little brother."

AN:Well let's see…25 chapters already? Whew. Man. I still have no idea how long this tale is going to be. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I haven't been updating as quickly as I should but at least you get decent length chapters now. However, I'm still a strong believer of quality over quantity. She didn't die, but things will get interesting soon. Hope you stick around to find out. No idea when the next update will be but I'm working on it. Laterz.