Chapter 13: We are the Hunters
"Inuyasha! Don't be such a coward. Show yourself!" Sesshomaru hissed like a maniac. His patience for his brother was growing thin and he had sworn that no more mercy would be bestowed upon his friends. Growling in frustration, he unsheathed the Tokijin and kept on his search.
Smirking after hearing Sesshomaru's angered voice, Inuyasha peered down from his tree searching for his furious older half brother. His eyes darted down to Miroku and Sango crouched behind a line of trees awaiting his signal. Kagome stood beside them, her arrow set securely on her bow, ready to be shot and her eyes peeped cautiously around the corner of the tree. She was aware of what was to come, he knew it. Smelling Sesshomaru's scent growing closer, he shifted his eyes back to the scenery ahead of him and waited for his appearance.
Sesshomaru's light footsteps tapped out from within the trees and he stopped abruptly in a small opening between the two sides of the forest. His pale face looked to the dark sky, the moonlight dancing across his well-groomed silver hair and he sniffed the cold air once more. "I know you're near little brother. Be a good little puppy and return to your master at once." He muttered in almost a whisper. Re-wrapping his clawed fingers around his Tokijin, he gazed into the darkness of the forest opposite to where he had come out. "You'll be dead soon anyway. Why not just get it over with now?" His question blew across the light breeze but returned no answer in the next passing gale.
Inuyasha held his hand against the body of the tree and perched himself up onto his toes. He was ready and knew that they would be the ones victorious at the end of it all.
Hearing the shuffle in the tree behind her, Sango lifted the Hiraikotsu over her shoulder and raised her hand in the air, three fingers pointed up straight. Inuyasha had given his signal that he was ready and all that was left was her countdown and then they'd all attack at once. It was foul proof and it would defiantly startle the demon lord, sensing by how hostile he was. Her ring finger folded back into her hand to leave two fingers remaining in their original position.
Inuyasha bared his fangs and his breathing grew rather intense. Before Sango finished her countdown, his body unconsciously leapt off the branch and flew over their heads.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed as the blur of red flashed across her vision. 'No! You weren't supposed to do this!' She ran out from behind the tree to see him plunge himself into a dangerous battle.
"Feel the wrath of my Tetseiga!" Inuyasha hollered as he ripped the Tetseiga from its sheath and went hurling down towards the demon.
Sesshomaru smirked and lifted his own sword above to protect himself from the blow. Both their swords clashed against each other, sending a loud ring between the vast amount of trees surrounding them. "I thought you'd never come." He hissed through clenched fangs.
Inuyasha pushed down heavily on the Tetseiga, his body still stuck in mid-air from the attack and chuckled deep inside his chest. "Bet you're glad I did then huh?" He said in a threatening voice.
Chuckling as well, Sesshomaru nodded and moved his other hand over to the hilt of the Tokijin. "I most certainty am." Pushing harder against Inuyasha's weight he began to push back with the same amount of strength. 'He's much stronger than before.' With one ounce of power, Sesshomaru pushed hard against his sword, sending sparks flying from where the two swords met.
Too much power was weighed upon his sword and Inuyasha's whole body was thrown forcefully back and knocked into a tree. He grunted lightly as he slid down the bark and onto his feet again.
Sango and Miroku emerged from behind the trees and took their stances behind the demon lord, their weapons ready in front of them.
Kagome quickly ran by Inuyasha's side and held up his drooping shoulders. "Are you alright Inuyasha? You're not hurt are you?" She asked with worry in her eyes, one question right after another.
Sesshomaru snickered at, in his opinion, the hopeless couple and prepared his sword again. He stood sideways to keep an eye on his enemies that surrounded him. "Get up…worthless half-breed."
Sango frowned at the demon, a vast amount of anger visible in her hazel eyes. "How dare you discriminate our friend! He is not worthless!" Immediately, she lifted the Hiraikotsu into the air and whipped it at Sesshomaru. "Hiraikotsu!" She screamed, her voice echoing around the group as she released the handle of her weapon.
Sesshomaru's expression fell to its original emotionless look and he quickly extended his index and middle fingers. His nails began to glow a bright green and with a quick flick of his wrist, his poison whip was released, snapping away Sango's fast approaching weapon.
"What the-?" She gasped as her boomerang pierced through the soft ground at her feet.
As his whip returned back to his hand, Sesshomaru frowned at the girls failed attempt to kill him. "Know your place. Do not interfere with my battle against Inuyasha. You are not to be a part of it." He threatened, regaining his stature.
Sango returned her weapon into her hands and scowled. "We're just as much a part of this as he is! We all swore revenge on you for the things you did and so we're all going to fight against you!" She shouted in rage.
"Such pests you are." He muttered while brushing back a strand of hair behind his ear. "Its futile to fight against me. Why can't you just accept your fate?"
"Our fate?" Inuyasha questioned, the hint of amusement in his voice. He brushed Kagome's hand away from his shoulders and stood up straight. His silver bangs hung down his face, shadowing his eyes as they pierced silently through Sesshomaru. He gripped extremely tight around the hilt of the Tetseiga and frowned heavily. "Our fate does no lie in the hands of you Sesshomaru! You bastard!" His body dashed forward approaching Sesshomaru at a fast pace. "You're going down!"
The Tetseiga and Tokijin clashed again, signaling a loud crash of thunder from up above in the clouding midnight sky. Sheets of water droplets fell from the black clouds overhead, soaking the warriors below.
Inuyasha grit his teeth as his feet landed on the now muddy ground and he pushed his sword against Sesshomaru's. His heart raced a million times faster than normal and he could feel the Tetseiga pulsing after every clash with the Tokijin. "I'm not going to lose to the likes of you! Never!" With one final push against his brother, Inuyasha knocked the Tokijin away and slashed the Tetseiga across Sesshomaru's arm.
Sesshomaru grunted and quickly jumped back away from Inuyasha. He didn't even need to look at his arm to know that he was already missing a limb. A smirk stretched across his wet pale face and he let out a deep chuckle from within his throat as old memories returned of his first battle against Inuyasha. "Just like old times little brother. Its funny how you seem attracted to my left arm." He kicked aside his severed arm and raised the Tokijin again, ready to continue fighting.
Inuyasha grinned and prepared himself as well for their fight. "But this time there's no grave to leave you behind in." He snickered, stretching his claws around the handle.
Dark clouds full of rain blanketed the sky leaving visibility very difficult. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's eyes glowed in the thick blackness, contact on only each other. Their deep breaths filled the moist air and gave the forest a more eerie feeling than before. Frequent strikes of lightning were the only available light source in the dark forest. The small breezes of wind picked up to large gusts and shook the trees violently around in the enclosed space. A light mist surrounded the two demons as the cold rain cooled their heated bodies.
Inuyasha growled lightly and whipped his face clean of water before returning to his sword. "Is your break done Sesshomaru?" He hissed sarcastically.
Sesshomaru chuckled to himself and glared at Inuyasha's shinning eyes. "I was going to ask the same of you little brother."
"Well then," Inuyasha started with a snicker, holding the massive Tetseiga over his shoulder. "Ladies first."
A loud crack of thunder silenced the forest as a bright flash of lightning revealed both the demons ready for another battle. Darkness fell once again over the land. Suddenly another lightning stuck and both their bodies were gone for their original positions. Sparks emitted through the thick black night and deafening rings of swords hitting against one another rang through everyone's ears. The flashes of light from above suddenly became much more frequent, blinding the scene before them. It was as if the heavens knew what was going on and were trying to stop it.
"This is it little brother, time for your demise." Hissed Sesshomaru, his eyes beginning to flicker different shades of blood red. He roughly pushed Inuyasha back and watched with wild amusement as his feet slipped and he feel into the mud.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome shrieked in terror, running out to his fallen figure.
Sesshomaru frowned at the approaching girl and swung out his sword in her direction with no intention of pulling it away if she grew too close. It would be her own fault if the sword in his hand pierced through her heart, killing her instantly. "Do no interfere wench! I'll deal with you later!" He shouted, still rather furious with her actions from earlier. She was the reason why this had to happen.
Kagome stopped abruptly and stared at Inuyasha. "Please get up…Please Inuyasha." She whispered, loud enough for him to hopefully hear.
Inuyasha grunted and pulled himself up onto his bottom. His ears were ringing, his eyes were burning and affecting his vision, and he couldn't quite remember where he was. Rubbing the side of his head, he quickly noticed that something was missing from his grasp. 'The Tetseiga!' He searched frantically for his beloved sword and quickly found it buried under the wet mud. He didn't even notice Sesshomaru's body standing before him or Kagome to the side of him. A sly grin appeared across his lips and he reached to take the sword back into his hands.
Sesshomaru smirked mischievously at Inuyasha's cluelessness to his surroundings and he instantly crushed Inuyasha's hand with his foot. "I don't think so Inuyasha."
Choking on air, Inuyasha blindly looked up and stared fearfully at the smiling demon above him. He tried in panic to take back his hand and the Tetseiga to no success.
The clouds parted in the sky and once again, moonlight shimmered down upon the dangerous situation the half-demon boy was positioned in. The rain suddenly stopped. Droplets of water dripping off the leaves of trees were the only sounds revealing that it had actually rained.
Sweat gathered at the back of Inuyasha's neck and he could feel his mouth drying by the second. He stared up into Sesshomaru's cold golden eyes, helpless to do anything.
Sesshomaru chuckled loudly and glared at Inuyasha's face. "Hmmm…" He lifted his finger to stroke down his chin. "This looks vaguely familiar…doesn't it Inuyasha?"
Kagome took a step forward and reached out her hand in an attempt to pull him away from danger. But she knew it would go unsuccessful. "…Inuyasha…Please. Get up!" She called out to him. Staring at his blank expression, she could feel exactly how he did…completely and utterly terrified.
Inuyasha swallowed hard. He longer had any feeling left in his body, he couldn't move at all. His mind flashed back to those nightmares of him fighting against Sesshomaru and how he was always the one to die. Could they have been prophecies? Sesshomaru's chuckle brought him back to the real world and he stared up at the sword aimed straight for his body. 'Move damnit! Come on! I can't abandon Kagome! I can't leave her vulnerable! I need to stay!' His mind shrieked, urging his body to move but no compromise came.
Sesshomaru looked down at the half-demon. "Exactly like before." He lifted his sword to the side of him and pointed the tip for Inuyasha's gut. "Farewell…little brother." With one final thrust, his sword pierced through Inuyasha's body, the tip ripping out his backside.
Inuyasha screamed in agony, gripping tightly with his hand around the blade that entered his body. His scream grew louder as Sesshomaru twisted the sword around inside of him. He shut his eyes tightly to try and outlast the pain to no prevail. Blood ran from the corner of his mouth and dripped off his chin.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed with horror, her eyes swelling with tears. Her body automatically ran forward, waiting to take him into her arms and tell him that everything was going to be ok.
Sesshomaru frowned after he heard Kagome's voice and he drew his sword out from inside Inuyasha's body. Inuyasha's loud scream as the sword was pulled away rung through his sensitive ears and he felt quite pleased with himself. "Pitiful." He spat as he watched Kagome fall over Inuyasha's body.
Pulling Inuyasha's shoulders up from falling, she brushed his hair away from his sweaty forehead and stared at his painful expression. "Don't die on me…Please don't die." She whimpered softly.
Inuyasha flinched under the pain and slightly opened his eyes to gaze at her face. Lifting up his bloody hand from his side, he pressed it against her cheek and smiled weakly.
Kagome shut her eyes, allowing the tears to roll down her cheeks and she held her hand over his. "You can't leave me." She sobbed quietly.
Sesshomaru scowled at the young girl and snarled angrily. "I told you! You're all going to die! You too Kagome!" He lifted the Tokijin above his shoulder, anger and hate flowing through his heated blood. "Die!"