Now I've heard there was a secret chord -- That David played, and it pleased the Lord-- But you don't really care for music, do you? -- It goes like this -- The fourth, the fifth -- The minor fall, the major lift -- The baffled king composing Hallelujah.

Rufus Wainwright - Hallelujah

Kaede felt Kagome's soul as it struggled to leave its torn body. She was sitting cross-legged in front of the convalescence hut, while the villagers assigned to assist Riko dragged the wounded off the walls and stacked them knee deep inside. The injured and dying were growing in number, and as the battle raged the elderly miko was starting to feel the strain.

In that split second between Kagome being run through and her soul passing to the underworld, Kaede did something foolish. She used her and Komoku's mingled power to anchor the girl's soul and caused the barrier to flicker. Sweat pouring down her brow, limbs shaking, she managed to stabilize the rift, but the damage had been done. Demons poured in and she could feel their auras as they drew nearer.

"Kohaku, Shippo." She rasped. Both boys had been near, assisting a villager with laying a wounded man on one of the many tatami mats that litter the ground. They lay their burden down, whipped around, and swiftly made it to her side.

"Lady Kaede, are you all right?" Shippo asked.

Instead of answering and without opening her eyes or breaking her concentration, she reached out and grasped Kohaku's arm in stiff fingers. He jerked, but her grip was too tight and he couldn't pull away.

"The demons come. Ye must protect the wounded, but first, child, ye must send Riko to me. Now! Make haste!"

Kohaku nodded once and sprinted away.

When he was gone the elderly miko addressed the fox kit. "How powerful has ye fox magic become?"

He swallowed nervously. How to answer that? Lord Sesshomaru had been working with him, at Rin's insistence he was sure, but he still wasn't sure…

Steeling his features he gritted his teeth. He wasn't a little kid anymore and even though he had moments of immaturity, he knew he needed to be a man right now.

"I can distract them and depending on how powerful they are, I c-can k-kill some of them."

He could, he knew. He didn't want to, but Sesshomaru had taught him how to infuse his mushrooms with poison. He hadn't liked it at first. After all a fox demon's magic's purpose was to dissemble and confuse, not kill. He'd seen the necessity though, when Sesshomaru had pointed out that to protect, sometimes one had to kill.

He'd been looking steadily at Rin.

"Go, set ye traps. Kohaku will be along."

His face far too grim and determined for one so young, the fox kit scampered away.

Kaede toiled to steady her breathing and waited.


Kohaku burst into the hut and glanced desperately around for the healer. He spotted the harried woman wrapping a man's severed limb to staunch the heavy flow of blood. He made his way towards her as quickly as he could.

"Riko!" She didn't acknowledge him and so he said louder. "Lady Riko!" The healer frowned.

"What is it?" She snapped; her gaze intent on her work. He resisted the urge to tug on her arm, afraid that if he did, he would hurt the severely wounded man even more.

"Lady Kaede needs you. It's urgent." She grunted and with a frustrated growl spat.

"This is urgent. If I can't stop the bleeding then this man will die." She tugged the gauze tighter and finished tying off the knot and was about to turn to the next patient when Kohaku stepped in front of her and grasped her wrist.

"You don't understand. Some of the demons have breeched the barrier. You must come with me!"

She gasped and looked from Kohaku to the wounded and back again, clearly torn. Mika, the shy villager girl who had not only stood up to Tatsuo's men, but had instantly volunteered to help Riko when she'd asked for volunteers, stepped forward with a determined look on her pretty face.

"Lady Riko, go with Kohaku. You've taught me how to handle these injures. I will fill in for you until you can return."

Riko opened her mouth to protest, but Kohaku grew impatient and tugged her towards the door. "There's no time. Mika, thank you. Lady Riko, you must come with me now!"

Reluctantly, she allowed the young man to drag her away and found herself in front of Lady Kaede. The elderly miko pulled her close while Kohaku took up a defensive position near them.

The old woman was soaked to the bone and the trembling in her body had become more pronounced.

"Lady Kaede!" Riko exclaimed, her concern evident. She waved it away.

"I'll be fine, child. Ye must listen careful. Young Kagome has fallen, and I do not know how much longer I will be able to keep her soul anchored to her body and still keep channeling Komoku's power. Ye must find her."

Riko recoiled. Kagome had fallen? It was almost ludicrous. The girl had always appeared to live a charmed existence, and now Kaede was telling her that not only was she hurt, but Kaede was holding onto the thin threads of her waning spirit, keeping it from passing into the underworld.

"Where? Where is she Lady Kaede?"

The elderly woman drew in a ragged breath. "Beyond the gates. Hurry, she will not last much longer."

Riko nodded and ran off, leaving Kohaku with the old miko. The slayer's brother stood ready, his senses alive. He didn't have to wait long. Out of the night, the demons who'd slipped through the barrier descended and with a cry he threw his scythe and cut through the two that attacked them. The razor sharp, sickle shaped blade cut through sinew and bone, decapitating the demons cleanly and returned. He expertly caught the handle.

He rolled to the side as another monstrous demon with a face that resembled rotting meat swung a large sword and tried to cut him in two. The instinct that had been guiding him started to fine tune and he felt more than saw the jewel in is back begin to pulse. A strange numbness came upon him and his vision narrowed to one object.

Kill…kill everything that threatened him; that threaten his village. Turn the streets red with blood. Quick as lightening, the fit was upon him and in a blind rage he roared and drove his blade into the demon's chest and driving him back into his fellows, causing them to topple like dominos. He ripped the blade free with a wet pop and twisted into a round house kick, catching the demon behind him and sending him flying before pivoting and cleaving another from groin to neck.

His world became the kill and kill he did, over and over again. It was times like these; when he felt the darkness that Naraku had left in his soul consume him, that he was reminded that he was no longer human. It grieved him to recognize it, to know that he would never again be the boy his sister had told him about. The one she still believed lived inside him.

Kohaku knew better. That boy was dead and this hollow, rage filled void was all that remained. He wanted to kill, enjoyed killing. He was and forever would be a monster and if that was what it took to keep those that his sister loved safe, then he would allow the beast to rip, tear, feast.

With a garbled cry he shoved the blade into a charging demon's shoulder, and ripped it through its torso, cutting it in half. The fish faced demon made a horrible sound and erupted in a gusher of blood, coating Kohaku.

Demons came and demons died. The part of Kohaku that had been damaged by Naraku gloried in it. He was past lucidity, well into blind blood lust when a cry that seemed close, but so far away, caught his attention. He turned and the other part of him, the part that was still Sango's baby brother rose inside him and pushed back the haze.

"Chie," he whispered, and then louder. "Chie!"

The girl's head whipped around and Kohaku surged forward, intent on reaching her before the gaping maw of the snake demon could descend and devour her. When she saw him she screamed, but he didn't have time to worry about scaring her.

With a last burst of speed and a quick twist he stepped in front of her, and cried out in agony when a poisonous fang buried itself in his shoulder. He dropped limply to his knees drove his scythe into the scales, ripping the demon's guts out. The heavy weight of the monster collapsed upon him and he rolled his body to the side, throwing the iridescent body off.

Panting he collapsed onto the hard earth, breathing heavy.

Tentatively, Chie approached the fallen boy and with a shaky hand brushed his blood soaked hair away from his face.

"K-Kohaku?" He opened one blurry dark eye and whispered.

"It's okay, Chie. You're safe." He then fell unconscious. Panicked, Chie knelt down and pushed at his shoulder trying to rouse him.

"Kohaku." He didn't answer, and then more franticly. "Kohaku!" Tears started streaming down her face and she pushed at his shoulder in earnest now. "Kohaku wake up! Please wake up."

A small, awed voice to her left pulled her attention away from the fallen slayer.

"Did you see him kill the snake man! That was awesome." Chie looked up and threw herself at her best friend. Benji wrinkled his nose, but he knew that Chie was scared so he didn't push her away like he normally would have.

"Benji what's wrong with him. He won't wake up." Benji frowned down thoughtfully at the fallen slayer and said suddenly.

"He got bite by the snake thingy." A crazy idea occurred to him. He pulled away from Chie and looked at her earnestly. "I bet he was poisoned! Like what happened to Sugi when he got bit by that black adder. Come Chie, I have an idea."


In the distance they heard the pop of multiple explosions.

Shippo dodged and threw three mushrooms at the three demons charging him. They exploded and a green ball of gas erupted. The demons inhaled, froze, and started hacking and swaying before falling down dead.

The fox kit didn't have time to be horrified by what he'd done. That would come later.

More demons came and he reached into his kimono and pulled out some leaves. Throwing them he cried, "bunshin." A dozen Shippos appeared and the already befuddled demons stopped and haphazardly attacked the imposters, watching in confusion as they disappeared with a pop.

Amidst the chaos, the kitsune dropped another mushroom, but this time only two of the five, fell. The others were weakened though, as if they'd abruptly become ill.

He was getting tired, and thus the poison was getting weaker as it was fueled by his magic. He threw his illusionary top at another monster, and watched as it pinned him to the ground, but he knew it wouldn't hold long.

He was about to retreat and regroup when a snarling, wolf faced demon leapt out of the darkened doorway of a nearby hut, hit him, and pinned him. Shippo cried out as the demon's claws dug into his shoulders and he felt blood start to drip.

"Get off me you big bully," he whined. The demon's jaw snapped over yellow teeth.

"I always liked kitsunes, they're very tasty."

Shippo started struggling. "Get off!" He yelled and managed to wiggle his hand free enough to grab one of his mushrooms and push it into the demon's face.

His expression turned comical as he held his breath while the demon started sputtering. By now though, the poison was so weak that all it did was irritate the wolf's eyes. Shippo scrambled away, jumped up on top of a barrel, and pulled himself up on a nearby roof.

"Take that, you meanie," he taunted. The demon, less than pleased, roared and attacked him. The kit yelped and jumped to the side just as a dagger flew by his head. He was threw another set of leaves, watched them exploded into many Shippos, and bounded away in the ensuing melee. He'd thought he'd escaped and was whistling when he rounded the corner, only to be slammed against the wall of the hut. A claw had shot out of the dark and wrapped around his neck.

Bushy fox tail twitching like mad, Shippo looked wide-eyed into the glowing orbs of his attacker. He hadn't counted on the wolf's sense of smell.

"Got you now, pup." The kitsune couldn't come back with a snappy retort, he was too busy turning blue.

His tail twitched faster and his legs kicked. Kami…he was going to die! B-But he couldn't die! If he wasn't around who would Kagome have to look after? Who would be around to annoy InuYasha and keep him in his place? Who'd be there to make Sango laugh when she got too sad and who'd be there to steal Miroku's food when the monk finally came back to them? Plus…Rin would kill him if he allowed himself to die.

He kept struggling, but he could feel his body getting weaker and weaker. His tail slowed as a fuzzy haze danced behind his eyelids.

Just when he felt blackness touch him the grip on his throat suddenly loosened. He dropped to the ground gagging, and watched in fascination as the demon fell to the side. Confused, he studied the prone body and to his surprise found an arrow sticking out of its back. He looked up and saw the second youngest village slayer, Hotaka, with his bow still pointed at him and his hand still hovering near the string he'd used to unleash the shaft. He was grinning.

He stood suddenly, hopped down off the roof, and swaggered over to the fox kit. Shippo was still trying to breath properly. Chuckling, Hotaka lifted him unto his back and said.

"Come pup, let's get you to the healers."


By the time they reached the convalescence hut, Shippo was breathing much easier. Hotaka was grateful. He would have hated to be the one to explain to Lady Kagome that her little ward had been killed. He smiled slightly as he pushed open the door.

"Well have you right as rain again, fox, just you…." He trailed off and in his horror allowed Shippo to slid off his back.

"Hotaka, what is…" The kitsune also trailed off as he took in the scene before him.

Three demons had made it inside and they were in the process of methodically killing off the injured. Hotaka's focus, however, wasn't on the two walking around the room. His focused had narrowed to the scared, weeping girl who was currently being held pressed, back to front, against a bear demon, while he held a knife to her pale throat.

"M-Mika," the slayer breathed.

"Hotaka!" She cried and yelped when the demon dug the knife deeper. A thin trickle of blood slid down her neck. Hotaka growled and started forward, but the demon stopped him.

"Come any closer and I'll kill her." He stopped short and felt panic in his gut.

"Let her go, you bastard." The bear chuckled.

"I don't think so, human." And just to goad him into foolish action he snaked his tongue out and licked the path the blood had taken. Mika shivered in revulsion and Hotaka's grip on his bow tightened.

"Hmmm tasty. I wonder what other parts of her are tasty. Maybe I should find out?"

Hotaka was on the verge of letting blind rage lead him. He was shaking, all his muscles were tense, and all he could see was Mika and her tormentor. It was the kitsune who brought him back by using the little knife Rin had given him and stabbing him in the thigh.

The pinprick of pain brought the slayer's attention out of it's tunnel and he focused on the fox kit.

"If I distract them can you shoot them?" He whispered. Hotaka looked from the fox to the demons and whispered.

"Yes…I never miss."

Shippo nodded, reached into his kimono, drew out his other mushrooms, and threw them, bellowing, "Fox magic!"

Twenty to thirty mushrooms scattered across the room and started wailing. The demons that had been killing the injured, roared, dropped their lances, and covered their ears.

Hotaka's hand's blurred. He notched three arrows, turned the bow to it's side, calculated his angles, and fired. The shafts flew true, the first caught one of the demons in the heart, the second caught another in the neck, and the third…

The third found it's mark in the middle of the bear demon's eye and lodged itself through his brain. Hotaka watched dispassionately as the demon teetered, his arm went limp, and he fell.

Mika ran to him and he caught her in his arms. "Thank Kami, Hotaka, thank Kami you're all right."

His lips twitched. Typically Mika. She has a knife at her throat and she's more worried about him. He caught her chin with his finger tips and tilted her face up to his.

"Gods, I love you, you little idiot." Her eyes went wide and she squeaked just as his mouth slanted over hers. She froze in surprise, and not a little bit of fear, before the feel of his soft lips registered. Slowly, the tension left her body and she shyly started kissing him back.

Hotaka ignored the gagging sounds the fox kit was making. He'd been wanting this for far too long to let them bother him.

When he tangled his rough hand in her silky hair and tilted he head to deepen the kiss she gasped. He used the opportunity to steal a taste of her warmth with his tongue. A moment or an hour later, she wasn't sure which, he released her and stared down at her with heavy lidded eyes. He smirked.

"Kami, I've been wanting to do that for a long, long time."

She blushed. "H-Hotaka?" His smile softened and he brushed her cheek with his fingers.

"I know, we'll talk about it later. You've got wounded to tend to."

"Y-Yes," she stammered and brought her attention back to the room around her. Shippo stood next to the slayer, shaking his head.

"Humans…"


Riko picked up a discarded sword and ran screaming at the demon in front of her, using the point of the sword like a battering ram and pushing it into flesh. It roared and stumbled, tumbling three of its comrades and Riko nimbly skirted around them.

"Almost there," she murmured and flinched when an arrow whizzed by her head. She yelped loudly and the sound of a large body hitting the ground reached her ears. She turned and found a lizard demon with a youkai bone arrow buried in its chest. Shuddering she looked up and met Isamu's anger eyes.

Images erupted in her head. Him lowering his head and wrapping his firm lips around her naked breasts. Her taking him in her hand stroking him, him with his head buried between her thighs, the look on his face when he entered her, and the tenderness and love in his touch when he held her afterwards.

It was the wrong place and the absolutely worst time, but she couldn't help herself. She hadn't felt so gloriously alive in years and seeing him, whole, covered in blood that she instinctively knew wasn't his, was like an answer to her fearful prayers. She ran over to him and clasped his arm, her fingers trembling.

"Isamu…"

"Get behind me!" He snarled, pushed her with in the ring of soldiers and slashed his katana viciously through a charging demon. She swallowed and shook herself.

Stupid, stupid, you're in the middle of a war idiot! Get it together!

Thoroughly berating herself, she jumped when she felt his hand on her arm.

"Dammit Riko, what the hell are you doing here!"

The worry and fear in his eyes made his tone sharper than he intended, and because she knew the reason for his high handiness, she managed to bank down her anger.

"No time, just keep doing what you're doing. I need to see to Kagome."

"Riko…" he started to growl, but she shook her head.

"There's no time Isamu. Please, I trust you to protect us…just do it!"

His lips thinned to a grim line, but he nodded and turned back to the battle. She immediately dropped to her knees next to Kagome and winced. The wound was bad and she knew that it if wasn't for lady Kaede's power her young friend would be dead.

Chocolate eyes fluttered and the miko whispered. "Riko?" Tears stinging her eyes she brushed the tangled brown locks away from the girl's forehead and muttered.

"Lay still, Kagome. I need to try and treat your wound." Too weak to argue, she nodded slightly, and her eyes started to close, but before she retreated once again to the blissful, pain free world of unconsciousness, she murmured.

"InuYasha…"

Riko wiped her eyes, bit back a ruthless curse, and spat.

"Kill him InuYasha. Kill him painfully."

Feeling the weight of the hopeless task before her, Riko went to work, knowing that it was already too late.


InuYasha only wanted to kill, it was his only thought, but unlike Kohaku's who's blood lust was a blind, wild animal, InuYasha's was clear, precise, and purposeful. They'd injured his mate. They were all going to die. Cleaving a swath of blood, sinew, and bone, he worked his way through the hordes and found himself face to face with the man, the monster, who started it all.

"Tatsuo!" He roared in fury. The possessed man turned to him.

"Our master feasts; our master grows stronger, the sacrifice approaches. You will all perish."

Rage, white and hot, erupted in his body and he tightened his grip on his fang.

"The only one dying around here is you!"

He attacked, and out of no where Tatsuo drew a pitch black katana and blocked his blow. Stunned, the hanyou blinked and felt bile rise in his throat. The black blade was caked with blood and he could hear it screaming in agony.

"What the hell!"

Tatsuo smirked. "Hell…such a prosaic term, and one not fit to describe the torment that awaits you. We think of all the hells imagined by mortal man and we find the Christians and the Greeks to have created the most…disturbing and perhaps closest models to the void in which we will send you all. Eternal fire, eternal torment, meals for our master."

He paused and met InuYasha's golden eyes with his obsidian ones.

"Your miko will suffer the greatest. We will ensure it."

InuYasha snarled and swiped his sword again, Tatsuo blocked it easily. On and on they traded blow after blow after blow, and despite the power he threw into each thrust, this thing blocked every single one. Panting, InuYasha regrouped and reckless yelled.

"Backlash wave!"

The power burst from Tetsusaiga and earth and trees exploded. InuYasha coughed and tried to blink back the film from the dust cloud he'd kicked up, only to stare in disbelief. Tatsuo walked out of the aftermath, on a cloud of oily black power, without a scratch on him.

"No way," he muttered. Tatsuo smirked…it was unpleasant.

The disembodied voices of legion started speaking all at once.

"My turn."

A black wave of power flew from the tainted blade in his hand, hit the hanyou square in the chest and sent him flying hard into a tall, hardwood tree. He hit the unyielding bark and his body flopped to the ground. His fingers loosened and Tetsusaiga fell from his grasp. Several seconds passed and he lay there unmoving, while Tatsuo/Legion advanced.

He stopped and looked down at the half breed, raised his sword, and murmured some more archaic words. The black blade started to pulse red and lightening cracked around him, barely missing the hanyou.

Tatsuo/Legion raised the sword. "Time to die."

The cosmos sucked in a ragged breath and held.