~Chapter 9~
~The Fall of Byakko~

Byakko threw Arctic Fox roughly back into the cell and dragged a kicking and spitting Hiei out. Youko rushed to his mate, comforting her as best as he could. Hiei was thrown back in sometime later and hit the wall with a dull thud. Corana's eyes grew wide as she crawled weakly over to the fire demon's side. Byakko dragged Touya up by the shirt collar and Arianna swung her feet out to trip him. Youko jumped on Byakko's back and using his shackles as wire, started to choke the fox. Byakko had absorbed too much energy, however and easily threw his attackers against the walls of the cell. They fell and started to get weakly to their feet to the sounds of Byakko's taunting laughter.

"I do hope your children prove to be as amusing." He sneered.

Corana's eyes widened and she heard Youko growl.

"What...do..you mean?" Hiei demanded roughly.

"I mean as soon as I take all your energy, I'm going to kill them." He smirked at the tiny demon. Corana's eyes narrowed in anger and a growl escaped her throat. "It serves the dirty little half breeds right too."

Thunderhead, Darktydes' mate and Corvor's father and a once handsome Wolf/Thunder demon, pulled himself weakly to his feet. "I will kill you before you harm my son." He growled. "It's bad enough that because of you, I never knew him." He leapt on their captor. Touya followed Kurama's example and began to strangle Byakko. Corana too had leapt up and was beating furiously on any part of Byakko she could reach. Kurama and Arianna joined the fray shortly after. Again, Byakko was too strong for them without having any weapons or access to their abilities and they were thrown off again. He picked up Touya and carried him out of the cell.

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Hikina had lead the others to the castle and went to rush inside when she was pulled back by Corvor. "There are only six of us." He cautioned. "Wouldn't it be better to sneak in?"

Hikina nodded, a little embarrassed that she'd been so rash. "You're right. We need a plan."

"Hikina." Kuron spoke up. "Use your Jagan to find a way into the dungeons. If we can free our parents, then we should have all the help we need to take on this Byakko."

Hikina nodded.

"But he beat our parents before. How do you think we'll stand a chance?" Lair finally spoke the question she'd been pondering since leaving the school.

Hikina shook her head. "He didn't beat them. Byakko works in the night. He bound their power before they even were aware of his presence and then knocked them unconscious until he could get them in the dungeons. He's draining their power one by one so he can defeat us without even breaking a sweat." The others nodded their understanding. "Some of them are already useless for awhile. We need to free them quickly before he drains anymore energy and we lose the allies we need." With that she turned her back and her Jagan glowed red again. "This way." She said softly and took off towards a drain grate. "This will lead us to a spot about ten yards from their cell."

Lair froze the bars so that they became brittle and broke easily. The six companions walked carefully through, careful not to make any noise. Aided by Hikina's Jagan, they made it safely to the cell. The site that met them was something even Hikina was not prepared for. Her mother was lying perfectly still, blood oozing from a blow to the head. Her father was still shaking from the energy drain.

"Hikina?" He seemed shocked to see her. He gritted his teeth against the pain that action had caused.

Ametsuchi approached Corana and attempted to heal her, but the shackles seemed to create a barrier against energy entering as well as being used to escape. He only succeeded in burning his hands.

"Hiei." Hikina couldn't fight the tears that were forming. "What happened?"

"That..bastard.." Hiei couldn't really form sentences. He was too pissed. "You shouldn't have come. He's out to kill you and your friends."

"I know Hiei." Hikina nodded. "And we're here to get you out and possibly kill him."

"Big words little one." Byakko sneered as he threw Touya at Arianna.

"Dad!" Lair yelled and rushed to his side, cradling his head in her lap and making sure he was unharmed from the treatment. She growled up at Byakko.

"Guards!" Byakko roared. A variety of demons entered the cell. "Kill the young ones. Except for her." Byakko pointed at Hikina. "She seems to want a fight. I will handle her." He grabbed Hikina's collar and dragged her to her feet. Instantly, she'd plunged a dagger into his wrist and he let go and smacked her. "Bitch." He hissed. Hikina longed to see how her friends were faring against the guards, but she knew better than to let her attention wander. This would be a fight to the death. "You really think you can kill me?" He sneered.

"You bet your ass I can." She smirked and drew her twin short swords.

Byakko powered up and his body became covered in silver hairs. "Your puny steel will not pierce my armor." He sneered.

Hikina chose not to listen to him and tested his boast. Both her swords broke and he sent her flying with a punch to the face. She hit the wall hard. Hiei growled somewhere nearby, but Hikina had already jumped up again, wiping the blood from her face, her adrenaline pumping. She'd never been in a combat where her opponent would test her true skills and she was starting to feel a rush of excitement. She summoned her Icicle of Darkness Flame. That wouldn't break as easily as her swords she reasoned.

"Fool." Byakko sneered. He summoned a blast of energy to hit her, but she dodged easily and it disintegrated the wall behind her instead. He kept sending energy blasts to hit her at a speed that kept her on the defensive.

"Why?" Hikina asked as she dodged another blast. "Why do you hate mixed bloods?"

"I shall tell you before I kill you." He smirked. "I was told by a psychic that I would be killed by a demon possessing the blood of all five elements. So I will kill you all before that can happen." Hikina had stopped in shock and as a result, was hit full in the stomach with his blast and flew through a wall.

She got up chuckling mirthlessly. "You attack us because you fear us." She summoned her sword again, only this time, shadow flickered in the depths of the ice and a wind funnel wrapped itself around the flame. An unfamiliar material wrapped itself around her hand and she looked down to see the hilt was made of wood and had wound its way around her hand. She looked up at the wide-eyed Byakko, her Jagan glowing and a dangerous smirk on her face. "You are right to fear us. But you made on fatal mistake. In attempting to avoid the fate spelled out for you, you invited it to your very castle steps." Her eyes widened maliciously. "Now...DIE!" She dashed at him and he did his best to dodge her attacks, but her sword found its mark. He fell in pieces to the floor at her feet.

A/N: Ok! There will be a chapter or two after this one in conclusion. Hope you liked this one!