Chapter VIII – The ones we love –

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha, the characters, the plot etc., but I own Koe.

A.N.: This will be the last but one chapter. Hope ya like it.


"Nee-san!" Smiling slightly, she looked down to her little sister. "What is a demon?" As fast as it had appeared, her smile vanished. It was summer, everything was peaceful, the flowers were growing in the sun's golden light – why the heck did she ask such a question now? When she noticed her sister's confusion, the girl turned away again. "The villagers said demons were brutal, heartless creatures that are going to kill us."

"What?" The smile returned. She sat down next to her sister. "You know, Rin, some demons are that way. But some are not. Never fear a demon, Nee-chan, for they don't deny what they are said to be. But fear the world of men, for our race is deceptive and the home of lies."

The smell of blood surrounded her, as she entered the cave's centre. So this was where Kumori had hidden. She touched the walls carefully. So it really was flesh.

"What a nice surprise." Slowly, she roamed the fog with her eyes, then found the pair of eyes she had been searching for. A sneaky smile crept across her face, as she noticed WHAT she had actually done to him. "How are you Kumori? You look somewhat… incomplete." A short wave of anger ran through the cave's walls. On the other end of the room, she could see her sister's master. Badly wounded, but still alive. Faint crackling filled the room, when she took her first steps into the fog. Determined not to look down, she clutched the katana on her belt and kept walking. Just a few meters…

When she had reached him, a look of pure rage pierced through her heart like the sword she had been killed with for the first time. "It's alright, Sesshomaru-sama. Rin and Jaken are outside, in safety. I'm supposed to be here."

With a last glance at Kumori's greedy eyes, she kneeled down and took Tokijin from the floor. With all the wounds that now coloured his clothing into deep shades of red, she wondered how Rin's master even was able to still stand on his own two feet. As her fingers touched the sword, its evil aura spread through her body. It was the aura of a demon – evil and powerful. Maybe even powerful enough to… A short smile stretched across her face. It was worth a try.

Giggling slightly, she took the sword and gave it back to his master. "I have a last request before I return to you, Kumori." Surprised, but still calmed down, he glanced at her, now, emotionless face. "What a heartless look, Koe. I thought you are human."

"I am dead, remember?" Taking his answer as a "yes", she leaned closer to the demon in front of herself. "I want you to destroy something for me, Sesshomaru-sama."

She smiled a bit at his insecure look, then took a few steps back. It had to work. With a last look at his golden eyes, she took the katana from her belt and let her fingers wander down the cold blade. The snow white metal seemed to absorb the warmth of anything that touched it. With a short smile she compared it with Tokijin's aura.

"The villagers said demons were brutal, heartless creatures that are going to kill us."

A light of anger flashed in her eyes. "I won't give my sister to you demons!" A wave of shock ran through both swords, as the katana hit Tokijin. Again, the smile appeared on her face. "Break it!" Fine cracks spread over the white blade until it finally broke into pieces. Frozen from shock the tengu watched the pieces hitting the ground with a faint crackling. Slowly, the metal lost its white glimmer and turned black. When all the colour had vanished, his fog started to dissolve.

"What have you done? What have you done, darned human woman!" She gave a short smile at Kumori's shocked eyes, before she sank down to the ground. Again, his golden eyes stared at her - this time in a mix of confusion and anger. "You've just destroyed his source of power, Sesshomaru-sama." She tried to explain, while she felt the breath of life creeping out of her body. "Kumori dies… and so do I."

Carefully, she lay down on the ground, while the walls started to crumble. His golden eyes still followed her, although they now seemed to blame her. "And what am I going to tell Rin?"

She smiled again, while the feeling for the rest of her body vanished. She had to hurry. "Tell her… " She glanced at the dissolving fog around her, then focused the demon again. "Tell her, she shall remember what I told her, on the day before the red moon. Tell her…"

Cold crept through her body and she felt her eyes close. "Tell her… I have… I have made the decision… for her."

He closed his eyes for a short moment. Whatever. Maybe this was Rin's destiny. Decisions made by other people.

As he left the crumbling cave, his attention snapped back to the plans he had made. Too much blood had been shed around her. When he reached the exit, two shocked, brown eyes glared at him. Ignoring the endless chatter of Jaken that now hailed down on him, he focused on Rin. As she tried to touch his arm, he pushed her away. "Hate me, for Koe died from my hand, Rin. It will make things much easier for you."