Sesshomaru let out a snort as another lowly demon fell to his sword. Golden eyes watched in complete and utter astonishment as the large demon, a lizard demon at that, fall away into pieces when the Meido opened up behind it. It was a truly amazing sight. Watching the Meido slowly close and disappear, Sesshomaru finally sheathed the Tenseiga; finally letting the sword rest after such rigorous use and practice.

Golden eyes fell down toward the hilt of the sword and Sesshomaru quietly stared, waiting for a reaction from the blade but yet none came. For some time the sword had been silent, never jostling or pulsing during its use throughout the past few days. It remained passive and undisturbed and for a split second, it worried the demon lord.

Grasping the hilt and squeezing it tightly, he let loose a sigh he forgot he was holding. He hasn't worked a sword this vigorously even when he held the Tokijin, He didn't feel nearly as proud with that sword as he did with the Tenseiga; the sword that was now even more useful than before.

Yes, with the Tenseiga he was all powerful and no foe could bring him to his knees. He held the power he believed was needed for Naraku's demise, he held the power that put him in a class over the most powerful of demons; he even believed that he had finally surpassed his father by holding this technique.

He could revive the dead and send the living the hell. Finally, he had found his supreme conquest as the bringer of destruction.

"That was some mighty power you displayed, Lord Seshomaru." A voice shook the demon lord for only a second before the large demon spun around with his hand at the ready, hovering over the hilt of the Tenseiga.

There, standing before the dog demon of the west, was short statured man with pale skin and black hair pulled back into a ponytail. Painted lips pulled up into a smirk and arms crossed at his chest as he eyed the Lord with a raised black eyebrow.

Ah yes, this was the demon he was sent to find for sure. Purple eyes scanned over the battle ready form and sent his gaze toward the sword at his hip that was ready to be drawn. So that's the Tenseiga? Naraku was very clear with his details, very clear. Purple eyes pulled away from the sword and settled on golden eyes that seemed to be getting darker by the second.

Oh what fun this was going to be.

"Oh dear where are my manners, my lord." The man tapped his forehead with a pale and slender hand, silly pout plastered to his white face. "My name is Byakuya of the dreams but you can just call me Byakuya."

The frozen scowl never inched from Sesshomaru's features and soon his hand found the hilt of Tenseiga and was held in an iron grip. This demon. . . He smelt just like Naraku. An incarnation? Yes that was definitely it.

"I do not care to know who you are, what is your business?" He had no time to waste on this demon but something about him didn't settle right with Sesshomaru.

Byakuya waved his hand in an impassive manner and let a chuckle. "My, my, the master sure was right about you."

"Master?" Sesshomaru asked and his grip tightened on Tenseiga's hilt.

"Yes I'm sure you know of him." Purple eyes darkened and a smile plastered upon his face.

"Everyone knows of him."

Without a second thought, Sesshomaru unsheathed Tenseiga and swung it powerfully to send a Meido straight for Byakuya. The smirking demon leaped away from the slash of demonic energy, jumping back and observing close handedly the power of the great dog lord. Humph, Sesshomaru's meido was nowhere near being completely formed, not even close but it did hold the same terrible power that it was known for and with that, Byakuya had to be on his toes.

With a few grunts and chuckle, Byakuya jumped away from another meido that formed right under his nose and found solace in a tall tree overlooking the field the demon lord stood. From the height of the great tree, he could see that the demon was somewhat exhausting himself but the daiyoukai refused to show. Only the deep breaths in through his proud nose showed that even he was growing weaker.

"You exhaust yourself, Lord Sesshomaru!" He called down to the demon lord, face plastered with a gleeful grin. "What is it are you trying to prove? Certainly it can't be so important that you would drag yourself into the dirt."

Panting and with just a small bead of sweat rolling from his brow, Sesshomaru gripped the now pulsing sword that thumped with his rapid heartbeat. Yes, he was growing tired. This technique, this power was new to him and the sword and he was overworking it. Although, if he didn't he would never enhance his strength and perfect this ultimate attack. Sucking in a deep breath, Sesshomaru sent a glare toward the demon perched on the highest branch.

"I have decided that you shall perish by my hand for your disrespect." He growled and raising the pulsing sword he called on just the right amount of energy he needed. "Now die!" With a large swoop from his arm, Tenseiga sliced the air and opened up a Meido that had almost grown in size.

The large crescent slash hit the base of the tree with a thunderous crack, the black mass swirling around the trunk like mist that held no light. The trunk splintered, the bark ripped away and once there was nothing left for the meido to absorb, the large ascending tree fell with a groan that echoed off the cool night air. Sesshomaru watched the tree timber to the ground in a flurry of splinters and leaves, side stepping away as it made contact with the ground in a rattling blast.

Once the echo of the fallen tree subsided, the silence was broken once more with the sound of slow clapping. Golden eyes darted around before looking upward and seeing Byakuya hovering in the sky atop a floating paper crane. The purple eyed demon sent a mirthful smirk toward the demon and ceased his clapping.

"Mighty proud of that one, aren't you?" He mused and crossed his arms. "You almost got me by a strand of my hair."

"I won't miss next time, vermin." Sesshomaru was growing impatient and the need to kill this demon was starting to grow. Tenseiga pulsed weakly in his hand before falling silent and the demon lord didn't like the feeling of it at all.

Byakuya continued his smiling as he looked down upon the demon lord. "I'm sure you won't, my Lord. Although, I believe it is my turn now." With a delicate hand rustling through the front folds of his kimono, Byakuya pulled out a tiny paper crane that was as black as the growing night sky.

"Everyone has demons, even demon's themselves. Let's see what yours is, hum?" With a glitter to his purple eyes Byakuya flicked the paper crane and watched as it fluttered to the ground gently upon the breeze but once it glided overtop the stiff demon lord, the paper shot down like an arrow.

Before Sesshomaru could dodge, the crane shot forth and hit the dog demon directly in the chest with a loud thud. Golden eyes widened as the pressure built up against his skin and upon glancing downward, he watched as the crane melded into his chest, through his armor right over where his heartbeat slammed against his sternum. Tenseiga slipped from his claws and fell tip down into the earth, the ground shaking and the grass rustling once the blade made contact and the sword pulsed quickly as the demon lord fell to his knees beside it, golden eyes dulling and lids falling slowly.

Byuakuya huffed and seated himself comfortably upon his floating crane. "Well that didn't take much." Lacing his fingers under chin and locking his gaze upon the kneeling demon he watched.

"Let's see if there's anything worth seeing." Snapping his fingers the crane eased to the earth and the dream demon sat before Sesshomaru and stared into the dulled golden eyes and waited for his dream curse to take effect. Oh yes, this should be interesting and with a shudder Byakuya grinned.

Once Sesshomaru felt the pressure hit against his chest, he sucked in a large breath and fell to his knees with pants falling from his lips, golden eyes watered at the sheer force and cough forced its way from his throat. Forcing his breathing under control he wiped his face and let one last cough clear away the trapped air from his lungs and finally the demon lord stood to his feet, his hand massaging his chest where the force of the crane hit.

Blinking quickly he shot his eyes around his surroundings and gasp flew from his lips upon seeing that he was no longer in the field near the woods. There were no trees and Byakuya was nowhere to be seen. Turning around and looking upward, he saw that the sky not night but a clear blue with not a cloud to be seen. That witch, Sesshomaru growled as he continued to turn and stare all around him. Byakuya had something to do with this he just knew it!

Reaching to his waist he went to grasp Tenseiga but only caught air. Angry eyes flew to stare at his hip and saw that is sword was not there, even the sheath was gone. Fisting his fingers tightly he let loose a loud growl and threw his head to the sky, knowing full well that Byakuya had used some magic to trick the demon lord.

"Your life will end by my hands!" He shouted with a snarl and a heaving chest. Calling upon his poison, Sesshomaru's claws turned and sickly green and his acid whip formed and with a graceful flick of his arm, he slashed his whip all around him and noticed that no sound came from his cracking whip; in fact there was no sound around him. No wind, no wildlife, nothing; the only sound that could be heard was his breathing and heartbeat, there was nothing else.

Byakuya was trying to send him mad.

Frustration swirled around him and his panting had increased in his panic that he failed to notice his aura swirling around him, Sesshomaru snarled as his teeth began to lengthen, his jaws elongating and his markings fusing together. With his demonic energy at its peak Sesshomaru was about to transform into his true form, his final act of panic but something caught his attention.

It was a voice, a gentle tinkle of a voice that in his demonic flurry he could not make out the words. Calming his racing heart and willing his energy to cease his transformation, Sesshomaru's red eyes darted around in such a frenzied fashion that everything blurred around him, then his eyes finally settled onto a figure.

With his eyes locked on the blurry vision of a person, he took deep and slow breathes and calmed his raging beast that churned within his chest. As his energy quieted and his beast pulled back, red eyes faded into gold along with a clear vision of who he was looking at; and who he was looking at made each breathe harder to release as his heart was constricting tightly.

"Hello Sesshomaru." The voice hit his ears again and something within the demon lord broke free. It was his hope, his fear, his love and frustration all released at once upon seeing the kindled green eyes and red hair before him.

Swallowing thickly he took a timid step forward. "Eavan?" He asked quietly.

Eavan nodded with a quiet smile and that was all the demon lord of the west needed to sprint forward and sweep the woman off her feet and crush her to his body and bury his nose into her hair. The woman let a chiming laugh bubble from her breast and she wrapped her arms tightly around his torso, holding him to her and dropping her forehead to his neck.

His chest was heaving against hers, his heartbeat matched hers and he could feel her warmth upon his own. His love, his Celt was here in his arm and flushed against him. Golden eyes fell shut tightly and his throat tightened.

She was actually here.

Arm tightening around his love Sesshomaru let a shaky sigh of relief flow from him. "How can this be?"

Eavan pulled back from his embrace and placed her small pale hand upon Sesshomaru's cheek, fingers sliding across his marking so familiarly. "I never left, I've always been right here." Her hand dropped from his cheek and placed it over his armor that covered his chest, patting right over his heart.

Closing his eyes he leaned down and placed a kiss to her brow and just stayed there, breathing her in. Eavan leaned into his lips and let a small smile ease to her own but it slowly turned into a smirk, a sinister smirk that once seen it would cause a cold to flow over you. Something wasn't right, something that Sesshomaru hasn't caught onto yet.

Byakuya smirked to himself at the sight that was unfolding before him. The demon lord never noticed the flapping eye that was hiding in the shadows, seeing his every move and every secret. The dream demon tapped his chin as he watched the demon lord hold the illusion of the woman he longed to see to him. So, this is his longing is it?

Once he had fallen into the illusion, it created what his heart longed to see the most and the dream demon had no idea that the great Daiyoukai of the west longed for a human, how interesting. His one eye traveled over the kneeling form of the 'dreaming' lord and then settled onto the Tenseiga that continued to pulse wildly into the ground.

That thing hasn't shut up since it was stuck into the dirt and Byakuya didn't know what to make of it, he even tried to reach for it but sent a shock wave of such power that it frightened even him and sizzled the air like lightening itself. Rubbing his palms together he turned his sight back onto the kneeling form of Sesshomaru and smirked when an idea popped into his head.

"I'm going to enjoy making this your worst nightmare, LordSesshomaru."