Chapter 6: Finale
[] = Denotes Thoughts
Inu-Yasha charged at Sesshomaru. He swung is mighty blade at an angle toward Sesshomaru; it's aura pulsed in time with the Half-Demons heart. Sesshomaru's Tensaiga met Inu-Yasha's own blade; sparks flew from where metal struck metal, illuminating the dark forest clearing.
"How dare you!" Screamed Inu-Yasha. "How dare you take advantage of me!" Inu-Yasha flew into a rage; he swung his sword quickly and skillfully. Sesshomaru was clearly having trouble defending himself, as after every blow his sword deflected, he staggered from the sheer force of the attack.
"I only used you because you were in my way." Said Sesshomaru through clenched teeth. "If you just gave me the sword and your shards, I could have just gone on my way." Sesshomaru jumped back a couple of feet, extended a green energy whip from his hand, and hurled it at Inu-Yasha. Inu-Yasha, however, was ready, and blocked it with his blade; the whip disintegrated into energy.
"Liar!" Screamed Inu-Yasha. "You would have killed her anyway!" Inu-Yasha rushed Sesshomaru, slashing wildly. Sesshomaru ducked under the first attack, then did a flip over Inu-Yasha in an attempt to strike him in the back. Inu-Yasha spun around to meet his attacker; he sidestepped the blow and struck with his own blade.
"Urk…" grunted Sesshomaru. The blade struck him in the side of his torso, blood oozed through his robes, creating a red blotch.
"Sesshomaru-sama!" Exclaimed Jaken with a sense of urgency. He gave Inu-Yasha a stone cold stare. "You…" He began, and raised the staff of heads. The mouth of the head shaped like an old man opened, and…"
"Augghh!" Screamed Jaken, as he fell unconscious. Shippo had come back from his hiding as a germ, and bashed Jaken on the head with a rock. He then took the staff of heads, positioned it in front of Jaken's head like a golf club, and took a swing. Jaken went flying into the forest; Shippo chucked the staff after him, and then became Inu-Yasha's temporary cheerleader.
"You can do it, Inu-Yasha!" cheered Shippo. "Clobber that creep!"
"Feh." Snorted Inu-Yasha. "I'll take care of him. Just leave it to me, kid." He spun around to continue the battle with Sesshomaru. But something was odd. Sesshomaru was heaving and staggering.
"You…Bastard…" Heaved Sesshomaru inbetween gasps of air. Sesshomaru's eyes turned bright red. His nose grew outward into a snout, and as his body grew, he became more and more canine in appearance, until he was giant, white dog-beast that seemed to radiate energy.
Inu-Yasha brandished his sword and stood at the ready. "I'll show you…never to use my emotions!" Sesshomaru screamed an unearthly howl, and the whole forest shook. Inu-Yasha leaped into the air towards the great beast, dodging its quick-snapping jaws. Closing on a tree in mid-flight, he outstretched his feet and hit the tree with them, then rebounded off it just before Sesshomaru bit the tree in half.
Sesshomaru, however, recovered from this far quicker than Inu-Yasha had expected. He charged Inu-Yasha and snapped his fangs. Inu-Yasha was in mid-step as he tried to avoid the attack, but Sesshomaru's sharp fangs sunk into his arm.
"Arrrrrgghh!" Howled Inu-Yasha. As the fangs sunk deep into his flesh, blood spurted out of his arm. Thankfully, since as a half-demon he was made of stronger stuff than humans, and the arm was not severed. It would, however, take some time to heal; time that Inu-Yasha did not have.
"Dammit…" Inu-Yasha cursed. He held his sword in his good hand, and resumed his assault. He had to, if he was to stay alive. Sesshomaru gave another wicked howl, and charged Inu-Yasha once again. This time, however, Inu-Yasha opted for a defense rather than an offense.
As Sesshomaru's jaws closed in on him, he ran towards them and slid under his head. Now underneath the giant beast's body, he Jumped into the air and slashed Sesshomaru's underbelly. Blood spurt from the wound as Inu-Yasha fell to the ground. As Sesshomaru began to slump to the floor, Inu-Yasha had to scramble to avoid being caught under the beast as it fell. Rolling out from under his belly seconds before Sesshomaru hit the ground, Inu-Yasha was safe for the time being.
Sesshomaru regressed to his human-like form. On his knees, he spat up blood, and staggered out of the forest. "I'll…get…you…" He vowed. And with that, he disappeared into the shadows of the forest.
"Sesshomaru-sama!" screamed Jaken, who emerged from the forest with a bump on his head. "Wait for me!" And with that, Jaken chased into the forest after his master.
Inu-Yasha seathed his sword, and fell to his knees, exhausted. He staggered over to Kagome with Shippo. "She should wake up soon, right Inu-Yasha?" said Shippo.
"I think so…" said Inu-Yasha. They waited for minutes. Soon, almost an hour. But Kagome did not awaken.
"Inu-Yasha, what's wrong?" Asked Shippo. "She's not waking up…"
"I know, damnit!" Exclaimed Inu-Yasha. "Just let me think for awhile." He sat in thought. The crisis was over. The battle won. What loose ends were there that would cause Kagome to still sleep?
Suddenly, it dawned on him.
[How about this? I'll come back. Let me do this first, and then, I will return to you.]
That was why. She was still waiting for him. He had to go back.
"She's waiting…" said Inu-Yasha. "Shippo, I have to go back."
"But you can't!" pleaded Shippo. "You might never wake up!"
"I have no intention of staying." Remarked Inu-Yasha. "I'll be back. Don't worry about me."
Inu-Yasha slumped to the floor and fell back into the darkness of sleep.