Rayne could feel the trunk of the tree pressing painfully against her spine, threatening to crack her vertebra open if she struggled against the inevitable any longer. She was alone, and she was human, and she was worthless. The thought of her helplessness, her inability to fight back, her lack of fire balls, blades, and electricity bringing a shiver to her lips as her eyes teared up. The acknowledgment that there really were creatures crawling around in the dark left her feeling weak in a way no amount of near-death experiences could, and she hated herself for it.

"Rayne!" Kaori's voice pierced through the tense world around Rayne like a flare, and the creatures stalking closer to her rose their heads to find the source of the voice. Kaori dropped herself awkwardly into the clearing and caught herself on her hands. Her black pupils drained of color as the whites of her eyes darkened into a blood red and slowly she rose to her feet. Ragged lines blistered crimson across her checks as flames engulfed her hands, her fingers clenched into tight fists.

Rayne watched her friend with awe filled eyes, the flames of her best friend flickering reflectively in her brown irises as Kaori launched herself at Kuro. He moved, effortlessly and unseen by either of them, and Kaori lost her balance in a struggle to prevent herself from falling into Rayne. The two women caught each other's eyes as Kaori launched herself back to her feet, fire swirling around her body as she tore into a Feral that had taken her moment of unbalance to attack. Flame crawled quickly along the Feral's body, blistering the black flesh as if the flame itself was a starving entity devouring the creature. The other Feral growled viciously and stepped back as Kaori hungrily regarded each one of them, her blood red eyes and wide white pupils wrathful. Even as she reformed the flames in the palms of her hands, preparing to fling the fire like projectiles into their targets, Rayne was excruciatingly aware of the sweltering heat radiating from her friend's body… The young female fire demon's singed shoulder length fire red hair rustling only thanks to the high pressure surrounding her essence.

Kuro slipped easily from the forest line once again, oozing out of the darkness. His face was still empty, no sign of the narrowly escaped fiery demon etched within any of his features. If Rayne hadn't been terrified she would have noticed the way his blood red eyes refocused on the female demon, the sharp disgust layered within them. He wanted to spread her organs across the forest floor, smother the green with the sweet red of her blood… and none of it was apparent in the way he regarded the young woman, his lips turned in amusement, his expression bored.

"We only want… Control…" His voice oozed from his red lips, those endless layers within his tone each fighting for control of his vocal cords. Rayne's eyes were once again drawn to the glow within his chest, his hands flexing subconsciously as her eyes crawled uncomfortably down his body.

"Fuck what you want." Kaori hissed at him, the vitriol in her voice leaving Rayne nauseous. The young woman's voice was void of all charm, the joy evaporated from her tone to be replaced with a loathing Rayne had never seen so unguarded in any living creature before.

"…I'd love to…" Kuro's layered voice darkly whispered, Kaori's face burning an infuriated red as the heat radiating from her body intensified… and then it dissipated, and Rayne could feel the pressure crush around her as Kuro materialized effortlessly in front of the fire demon, his right hand locked around her neck. The sound of bone snapping echoed around the clearing, Rayne's heart stopping in her chest as ringing erupted in her ears and her entire body went numb. She never saw the glowing arrow zip out of the forest and imbed itself in Kuro's back, his face contorting in pain as his body broke like smoke and he materialized away from the clearing, dropping Kaori.

Silence, maddeningly ringing ears and silence, spun around Rayne's head as she watched Kaori crumble to the ground. There was no effort, no attempt to steady herself as she collapsed heavily onto the ground. The heat that once radiated naturally from her flesh left a void around her body, and Rayne was at her side and desperately clinging to the young woman, refusing to accept what she saw before her. Kaori was dead, killed effortlessly by a creature that was never supposed to exist outside of nightmares. The young fire demon's body was already beginning to pale, the taunt flesh of her face stiff against Rayne's palms and finger tips. Her head hung in an unnatural position, her neck stretched and softly bruised, and her eyes stared up at Rayne… those beautiful pale red eyes that now matched the texture of marbles… pointless, worthless fucking marbles.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sesshoumaru's mind was finally starting to settle and analyze whatever had occurred in this village when Rayne's screaming shattered his concentration. Her cry was hysterical, pained, and he could taste terror laced in every moment of her shrill explosion. His feet had given up their purchase with the ground less than a heartbeat later, and still he found himself unable to reach her. His mind felt heavy, muddy, and wrong and not for the first time he roared in frustration.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kuro delighted in the crush of bone, the twist of the fire demon's neck, and the feeling of her life giving itself up. He felt thrilled at the sight of Control throwing herself over her friend, crying and sobbing silently into the collar of her neck. Humans were delicious when simmered. The pain from the arrow was momentary and fleeting, nothing like the sight of mortal despair… of life. Disgusting, delicious, fucking worthless life. He despised them for it, adored them for it, devoured them for it, and every bit of it left his fingers tinkling in sensations he felt no other way. He also adored the knowledge that his presence alone kept the pallbearers of death away… they were only necessary if he left a soul behind. He wasn't planning on it this time… but first he'd have to prep the feast, and take Control for his master. She would reward him greatly.

Kuro felt the male human's chin in his hand next, his fingers tracing along the boy's jaw as his lips whispered incomprehensible sweetness into his ear. Kohaku went weak kneed in Kuro's grasp, his body cold and breath condensing before his lips as he watched Rayne cry over the lifeless Kaori. Kohaku's mind never caught up, Kin's blade cutting through his spine and piercing through his chest forcing his body into shock long before the sensations ever reached his consciousness. Kuro tossed the boy's body aside easily, twisting Kin's head with another savory snap as the metal demon fell effortlessly as well. Neither Kohaku nor Kin were ever aware of how Kuro had taken the male human's life with the use of Kin's own arm blade.

Raiden broke into the clearing now, his eyes catching Kin and Kohaku as they fell tangled together. He could taste the human's blood and the scent of death and tears even before he had entered the clearing, his own eyes matching Kaori's blood red whites and white pupils as he locked both hands around Kuro's right arm. Electricity snapped through them, Kuro's head falling back silently as electricity blistered through his face and forced blood from his nose, eyes, and mouth. Raiden held the Shadow tightly, tears building up in his own eyes as the electricity tore through his body as well.

Rayne finally pulled her face away from Kaori's collar, her swollen tear stained eyes blinking madly in an attempt to see into the bright sparking coming from Kuro and who she could barely make out as Raiden. She could taste blood in her mouth as she screamed now, the sound silent to her ears even as her throat burned against the force.

She should have turned her face away. She should have closed her eyes and swallowed her fear and accepted death as it came swiftly to her. What Rayne saw instead silenced her screaming and brought bile to her throat. Raiden turned to look at her, a smile on his lips… They were happy to die for her, happy to have the chance… and then Kuro's head snapped back against the electricity, a darkness rising from his body like smoke. Electricity danced through the smoke, dancing along Kuro's skin as a horrific grin spread his lips from his bloody teeth, and suddenly Raiden was screaming as the blackness crawled slowly up his own hands and arms. The electricity demon fought to remove his hands from Kuro, panic settling on his face as the electricity began to burn through his own arms, searing away flesh like instant third-degree burns and leaving behind dancing brilliant red burns.

Rayne watched in too much of a stupor to turn away, too stunned to cry, too shocked to scream. Kuro's body fell into thick black smoke, Raiden falling to his knees through where the Shadow once stood. The smoke swiftly gathered behind the electricity demon, Kuro once again forming effortlessly from the dark mass, and this time he had the advantage. Electricity popped to life once again as Kuro ruthlessly took hold of Raiden's short hair, blond hair tinged with blue. Kuro forced Raiden's head back painfully, careful to stretch the young male's neck to the breaking point without tearing apart the vertebra. No, he had a much better idea. Slowly, tortuously, he begins to pull.

The ringing in Rayne's ears fall silent abruptly, the sounds surrounding her rushing into her mind sharply enough to make her dizzy. The first sounds to emanate from the clearing are the distinctive tearing of flesh and the bloody screams of Raiden as Kuro pulls the young male's head just far back enough to tear the skin of his neck. Slowly, agonizingly Kuro allows Raiden to suffocate in the blood dripping back into his throat. Tears stream down Raiden's checks, and with his entire body shivering in agony he forces his own hands to his tearing throat, and Rayne watches the man she spent her childhood with… the man who killed her father… the man who scared her in the very moment he saved her life… tear into his own throat, silence crashing over the clearing.

Rayne falls in on herself, wrapping her arms around her body and forcing her eyes shut even as she can hear Kuro tossing Raiden's body aside in disgust. She can hear each slow step, the soft growling of the Ferals as they re-gather around her. Kuro's boots pound gently into the soft earth with each step, dead leaves crunching along with the soft clinging of metal chains. Her body is shivering uncontrollably, her mind screaming incomprehensible nonsense.

"No, no no no no," She sobs into her arms, mumbling and muttering and begging. The sight of her unconceivable horror only strengthening the grin on Kuro's dark face. "Please, no… Sesshoumaru…"

Rayne's heart pounds, a loud beat that radiates through her entire body. A thudding that forces Kuro to freeze where he steps, his grin erased instantly from his lips as his blood red eyes widen. The Ferals continue their slow growl, but something in their stance has changed, as if they can smell their Sire's unexpected hesitation.

Sesshoumaru's awareness is assaulted by the scent of demon blood, and his mind instantly recognizes the scent as belonging to Raiden. With a deep growl he pushes his way further towards the scent, and the source of Rayne's earlier screaming. As he runs from tree branch to tree branch his Tenseiga pulsates within its sheath nestled against his side, held against him thanks to a belt Rayne had helped him fashion months ago. As the sword pulsates, an action he knows is attributed to the sword trying to communicate to him, his ears pick up the faint sound of Rayne… speaking his name.

"Sesshoumaru…please…" Rayne mutters again through sobs, the taste of his name on her lips forcing her body to pulsate once again in time with her heart.

Fresh determination sweeps over Kuro, a snarl exploding on his face as he lunges at Rayne, sick and tired of this pathetic little game. A final shiver assaults Rayne, her sobs silencing as she swallows air for her final call for help.

"Sesshoumaru!" Rayne's voice rings out clear over the forest, shattering the silence and carrying none of the hesitation of her previous begging.

Sesshoumaru bursts forwards from the forest behind Rayne. The Tenseiga pulses one last time in rhythm to the pulsing from Rayne's heart and body as Sesshoumaru lands delicately on the ground in front of her, his glowing green claw locking around Kuro's outstretched hand. Effortlessly Sesshoumaru rips his hand to the side, roughly tearing Kuro's left arm from the Shadow's body. The arm goes limp in Sesshoumaru's claw, the poison dripping from his fingers burning into the flesh even as the disembodied limb melts into black smoke that is easily dispersed by the wind.

The Ferals launch themselves at Sesshoumaru now. Sesshoumaru's lips barely curl into a grin as a bright yellow whip extends from his left hand, and he spins the extending poison whip expertly as the Ferals fall towards his body, the creatures shredding instantly upon contact. Without a shift in expression, his cold golden eyes sparkling at an unspoken enjoyment he had long since forgotten about, he lunges at Kuro, his poison green right claw locking around the Shadow's throat.

Kuro's blood red eyes lock with Sesshoumaru's, neither man allowing the other any insight on their inner emotions, and yet Sesshoumaru can smell the fear exuding off of this perfect creature. This perfectly pathetic, worthless creature. A creature not worthy of death at his hands.

"Tell your master that I will enjoy killing her." Rayne's eyes shoot open as Sesshoumaru's rich baritone voice radiates around her. Her heart skipping a beat as her eyes fall upon the great demon lord standing at the other end of the clearing with Kuro locked easily in his claw, his green hand burning visibly into the Shadow's neck.

Kuro's lips spread in a grin, a maddening expression, and his body melts into thick black smoke as Sesshoumaru's fist closes around his neck. Within seconds the smoke has dissipated into the darkness of the surrounding forest.

"Sess.. Sesshoumaru!" Rayne cries out, Sesshoumaru momentarily off put by the lack of annoyance he finds in her voice. Instead he turns to face her, his controlled face moving over the fallen bodies of his comrades.

"Stay." He commands easily, not turning his attention to her as he moves easily around the clearing. Rayne obeys, staying silent and watching wide eyed as Sesshoumaru carefully rearranges each body so that they lie in a row side to side. Without looking at Rayne his right hand falls instinctively to Tenseiga's hilt. He doesn't need the sword to command him now, and as he withdraws the sword from its scabbard he can taste the confusion bleeding unguarded from Rayne.

"This is my Tenseiga," For a brief moment Sesshoumaru allows his golden eyes to lock on Rayne, a strange relief washing over her body even as his expression remains unchanged, "Stay." He waits for her to nod, and then readies the sword as he returns his attention to the bodies of her friends… of their friends… and the human male. Something inside of her, something unexplainable, knows what is to come next… and fresh tears spill unguarded down her checks. He can smell the salt of her tears, the sweet wetness they trail down her flesh, and comfort spills into him, a comfort that he still keeps hidden from his face.

The pallbearers of death finally materialize in front of him, giddily happy at their numerous catch today. Sesshoumaru drags the sword through them easily, their bodies splitting and fading as he raises their group from the dead. Rayne watches in stunned silent as their wounds pull together, once torn flesh healed, bruises faded, and Raiden's neck stitched together and made untouched once again. Slowly, as if waking from a dream, each one of them opens their eyes and sucks fresh forest air into their lungs. All Rayne can do is succumb to tears once again, falling to the sides of each one of her friends, offering a mock hug to Raiden who smiles sluggishly back at her. Sesshoumaru watches the exchange in silence as he returns the Tenseiga to its sheath at his side.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Sesshoumaru's awakening has been confirmed, my lady."

"…that's good." A smile painted her lips, the expression cloaked by darkness as she regarded Kuro with bored pale red eyes. Her blond hair tied back effortlessly, bringing striking attention to the stark sharpness of her features. Beautiful, deadly beautiful.

"A funny thing occurred when demons no longer controlled this world. Do you know what that thing was?"

"No, my lady."

"Humans were allowed to grow… and do you know what we did, Kuro?"

"No, my lady."

"We became powerful. We started wars with our own kind the likes of which were unseen in the demon world. We rounded up members of our own species by the millions only to slaughter them like cattle, often times even worse. We created weapons capable of destroying every single living being in this world twice over. We grew. We matured. We destroyed."

Kuro regarded his master in silence, his expression unreadable.

"I want only one thing, Kuro… just a single thing."

"What is that, my lady?"

"I want to watch the world burn. All of it."

"Yes… my lady."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A large 16th century Japanese castle sits nestled into the surrounding conifers of the vast landscape. Within the castle a family sleeps peacefully, unaffected by the bitter chill clinging to the morning air and comforted by the spill of morning sun that works efficiently to banish the frost from their world. Lesser demons are already awake at this hour, some having been awake now for hours as they pad easily around the castle in preparation of the day, just as they had done every day for the past 400 years. Young guards switched shifts at the gates, wordlessly nodding and greeting each other. Peace settles easily over the land, a peace most enjoy entirely, and their bodies foreign to serious threats. A peace all felt was well deserved after the genocide that brought most of them as refuges to this land.

Deep within the castle, positioned in a bedroom all on her own, and choosing to sleep on a Western style day bed instead of a Japanese futon like her mother and older brother, a young girl stirs in her sleep. Her long hair is midnight black, a void of color toppling down her naked shoulders as she rolls over in bed. A dark red crescent moon sits prominently on her forehead, dark red lines identical to Sesshoumaru's kissing her cheeks. Her eye lid is painted dark red, her eyes frantic beneath the fleshy covering as her mind is haunted by a nightmare. Her face is young and her checks are full, and with a final gasp she forces herself up from the darkness of sleep. Her eyes shoot open, her chest heaving with effort to swallow fresh air into her lungs and save herself from suffocating… her bright golden eyes staring up into the darkness, her ceiling clear to her even in the black.

She dresses quickly, pulling on bright red baggy pants and tying a bright red sash across a bright red robe that consumes her body entirely. Begrudgingly she laces black boots to her feet, preferring the comfort of exposed flesh to wearing anything of protection. Without turning her attention to the mirror before her she turns her mind towards the dream that had awoken her this morning as she ties her hair back to only allow a few strands free to frame her face. Her dark black hair burns against her pale flesh, her checks red, and her ears pointed sharply.

She had been surrounded by Ferals, the world consumed by overwhelming red as flames danced unaided along the landscape. She had heard screaming, horrific screaming, and had been left breathless at the awareness that the screaming came for her kind and not humanity. They slaughtered indiscriminately, killed for the sake of the thrill… they needed no other reason, they never had… but this time they had the ability to do it… and within the center of it all, sitting easily and gracefully at the heart of it was a young human woman with dark brown hair and pale brown eyes, a beautiful dog demon male sitting at her feet… a palm sized blood red stone resting in her hands. Chaos had won, and the entire world burned.

Walking slowly, carefully avoiding every point of the smooth wooden floor she knows is responsible for horrendously screaming at even the slightest provocation she makes her way out of the castle, leaping over the large stone wall effortlessly as soon as she finds her way unaided to the border of their compound. The slowly warming morning air assaults her sensitive nose as she finds her way into the tree tops, moving easily through the branches and towards the faint scent she can just barely make out. She can smell her kind, somewhere far off and towards the Hunter village, and she can smell blood, human blood in quantities she had never experienced. Nervously she pushes deeper into the forest, the sun dominate in the sky as she skids to a stop on top of a large, thick branch. Just a slight distance away and below her she can make out a small group of people, gathering themselves and exchanging tearful hugs. The scent of death hangs noticeably in the air, her eyes narrowing as she examines each person, working to reassure herself that not a single dead body remains where death clearly once hung.

There are two humans below her, a male she recognizes instantly as Kohaku and a young female. The male Hunter is well acquainted with her family, and she wonders briefly what he could be doing so far north before letting her eyes examine the other human. The female, however, gives her pause. Even through her smiling face and swollen tear stained eyes she can make out the features of the woman she had seen in her nightmare, but this woman even smells harmless. Next her golden eyes fall upon the only female demon in the group, currently hugging the human female. Her fiery red hair brings a soft growl to the young girl's throat, awareness dawning on her as she traces her eyes quickly over the other two male demons. Elementals, in their land. Her older brother must be warned as quickly as possible, the guard readied, preparations must be made in case this is some kind of tactical invasion… in case there are others. Her mind races, her attention on the group slipping away as she begins to mentally panic, and excite herself… but why is Kohaku with them? Unless they tricked him into thinking they were alias, yes, that must be it. Her jawline tightens, determination washing over her as she decides that she must be the one to save Kohaku.

Without pause she lets herself fall from the tree branch, landing easily on her feet within the clearing.

"You are trespassers within our land!" She bellows at the group, her right hand outstretched and index claw pointing towards them. Her voice is young, hardly intimidating, but she holds herself proudly and bounces her outstretched arm nonchalantly to keep the overflowing red fabric from absorbing her hand.

"Who are you?" Sesshoumaru's baritone voice emanates from the left of her, hidden within a small enclave she couldn't see from her perch in the tree branch. His tone is followed by a slow awareness of his scent, rich and powerful and radiating… and distinctly 'theirs'. Chills crawl down her body as awareness seeps into her, her head snapping to the side to lock her golden eyes on his, her lips parted slightly in shocked awareness.

"…you…" She mutters, her nerve lost as she continues to defiantly point at the others, "…what…how….?"

"You were observing us. I will not ask again, who are you?" Sesshoumaru speaks calmly, easily, his authoritative resolve radiating effortlessly from his body.

"Sesshoumaru, hold on, that's Asami." Kohaku speaks up casually, a wider smile spreading on his face as he regards the young girl warmly, "What are you doing out here?"

"Kohaku! These demons are tricking you! They are using you to invade our lands!" Asami cries out, a fresh growl on her lips as she looks from Sesshoumaru to Kohaku and back to Sesshoumaru again, "And you!? How dare you impersonate my people!" She yells at Sesshoumaru, her voice strangely emotional, pointing at her own markings with her free hand.

"Wait… your lands? You're from the Northern Kingdom?" Kaori speaks up, her voice as relaxed and easy as Kohaku's. Clearly these elementals see no threat in the young girl.

"Why do her markings match Sesshoumaru's?" Rayne speaks up, her own eyes dancing between Sesshoumaru and the young black haired girl.

"Stop calling this disgusting impersonator Sesshoumaru! Sesshoumaru has been dead for hundreds of years!" Asami's voice darkens, Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowing on her.

"Stop yelling everyone! Asami is Lady Izayoi's daughter, and-" Kohaku's mouth snaps closed as Sesshoumaru interrupts him.

"Izayoi…" Sesshoumaru's golden eyes widen slightly, barely noticeable, and a second later he lunges himself into the tree line, taking off in the direction the young girl's scent originated from.

"Sesshoumaru! Dammit!" Rayne yells after him, Asami's voice trailing hers.

"You bastard!" Another second passes and the young girl lunges into the tree tops after Sesshoumaru.

"Oh yeah, hey, this sounds like a great idea. Let's going chasing after the two irrational dogs! I only just, you know, died and was risen again through a process no one has explained yet, but hey, this looks fun dammit!" Raiden groans sarcastically to himself as Kohaku takes off into the forest after Sesshoumaru and Asami.

"Why in the hell did she look like him!?" Rayne yells towards the three elemental demons, "You haven't told us anything about this Northern Kingdom besides telling me they will help us, who are they!?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Izayoi walks barefoot along small smooth white stones laid out along a winding path within a large courtyard garden. She smiles gently to herself while watching her youngest child, a little boy only three years old, play. The young boy has short black hair matching the shade of Asami's, his pale flesh free of any markings. She watches as he rolls a large ball and chases it around the garden, a gentle cool breeze brushing her mid-back length silver white hair against her face. Along each check bone is a single jagged orchid colored line, slightly longer than Sesshoumaru's two markings. As she calmly watches her child play, her back exposed to the entrance of her garden, her small dog ears twitch at the sound of someone else joining them.

"You were supposed to be dead…" Izayoi speaks slowly, her voice rich and gentle, and as she speaks her young son falls to his butt on the ground with his arms wrapped around the bright blue ball.

Sesshoumaru steps carefully into the garden, his bare feet uncomfortable against the cold smooth stones. His golden eyes are respectful, strangely distant and still full as he regards the woman who now looks to be older than himself.

"Koinu…" He whispers, his baritone voice thoughtful, as if he is struggling to comprehend the existence of the woman standing before him. Still he holds his composure, his face as expressionless as he can manage.

"It's been lifetimes since someone has called me that," Izayoi turns to face Sesshoumaru, her golden eyes bright, "It's good to see you, uncle."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A/N: Koinu means puppy in Japanese, I imagine Sesshoumaru would flat out refuse to call her Izayoi seeing as how she's named after Inuyasha's human mother.

Anyway, hope everyone liked this chapter! It is officially my longest yet, and I really enjoyed writing it!