Chapter 16

Sesshoumaru soared above the skies of his territory, on his patrol just as he planned. He had been trying to track Seishi, and although he had caught onto her scent a while ago he had lost it and now he had no idea where Seishi had gone. But now he was following a far more interesting trail. After so long, he had finally revealed himself, "Naraku... today you die!"

Seishi had made herself a little camp just inside a small empty cave she found. She figured she could take shelter in here if the weather turned bad, and judging by the dark clouds in the sky outside, that was possible. She had built up a fire, and made a bed of leaves and grasses… She wouldn't stick to one place long, but for tonight this was her home.

It was about the third night she had been out of Sesshoumaru's palace… the worse of her heat had come and now it was slowly winding down. She could go back in about two or three more days. She was looking forward to it… a hot bath, good food, and her warm futon… better then taking baths in cold water and eating what she found or hunted, and sleeping on the ground or in trees.

Outside the cave where Seishi had put herself up for the night, a purple miasma crept up and started to lick at the entrance to the cave. The mist slowly got thicker and from its center a figure in a white baboon pelt emerge and approached the entrance as if floating upon the mist. Once the figure was at the entrance to cave it reached up and pulled the hood back and undid the neck clasp causing the pelt to fall to the ground. Underneath the pelt was a man in the robes of a noble lord. He had long wavy dark hair and cold, cruel, red eyes. A sinister smirk crept up onto the man's face, "A cave... the perfect kennel for a bitch..." with those word the man walked into the cave. Behind him a purple aura began to take shape at the entrance. The aura solidified into a solid purple light forming a barrier blocking all access to the cave.

Seishi had been adding some wood to her fire when she sensed something wrong… something was making her nose itch and she sneezed. She tensed, but she tired to keep that fact hidden as she drew herself to her feet… She had been jumpy since her heat started, but for a different reason… She had just been worried about fending off aroused male canines, now she might have to worry about fending for her life.

Naraku slowly walked towards the back of the cave smiled at the dog demoness he had trapped inside. He chuckled a bit then spoke, "Hello Seishi-sama… what an honor to finally meet you in person."

Seishi tried to calculate her options… she was weaponless… trapped in an enclosed space… Her list of options was slim and so were her chances. She took a moment to look Naraku over. He wasn't bad looking; in a dark, mysterious kind of way… with unruly wavy ebony locks… he was dressed like a Japanese nobleman… The only thing that made him ugly to Seishi, were his sinister and cunning red eyes. "So whose face is that? I hear you've had many in your time…" She might as well try to buy time while thinking an escape plan… she wasn't foolhardy enough to think she could take on an enemy Sesshoumaru and InuYasha and the others had been after for ages… especially cornered in a cave without her weapon.

Naraku smirked, he knew Seishi was only trying to buy time but since he had sealed the entrance, he had time to play with his catch, "You don't approve? I thought this was a pleasing shape. But if you are unsatisfied with my body maybe I could get you to help me make some improvements on it."

Seishi had a sinking feeling at that; she really didn't think she wanted to know what he meant by it, "As nice as the offer sounds, I think I'll pass… In any case, I am in no mood to entertain this evening, could you come back at another time perhaps?"

"I'm afraid that's impossible. I'll be taking it from you. The power of a full youkai," Naraku laughed evilly as his body began to expand rapidly as tentacles and more arms grew out of him. He grew to an extent where he was almost completely blocking the cave. His red eyes glowed with an insane madness as he leered down at Seishi. "Your body will become one with this Naraku!"

Despite the dire situation Seishi found herself in… she couldn't help herself, "That really isn't a good look for you…" She flexed her claws, her blue eyes tinting to purple… they were the only defense she had at the moment, as the cave was too small to allow her to try and transform to her true dog demon form.

"Get used to it, this will soon be your body as well." Naraku's tentacles shot forth and tried to grab a hold of Seishi's limbs. Seishi leaped back some, purple energy around her claws she started to slash at his tentacles as they came close. Damnit… she wasn't going to win like this… Sooner or later he'd overwhelm her and she'd be in his grasp. Damnit this was not how she had wanted to go…

Naraku cackled as Seishi cut down the tentacles she sent at her. "Every time to cut me you shower yourself with more of my flesh." Just then Seishi cut down another tentacle and a spray of shouki came out. The shouki was quick to spend out and fill the space with toxic fumes. Seishi cursed and tried to mask her mouth and nose with her hand. Even a weft of that stuff made her stomach turn and her head spin.

Naraku used Seishi distraction to send out several more tentacles to ensnare her arms as legs. The tentacles wrapped themselves tightly around Seishi's limbs. Seishi let out a snarl and tried to jerk free of the tentacles so she could get her claws into them. She was not going to go quietly!

The tentacles tightened and stretched out forcing Seishi's arms and legs into a spread eagle position. Naraku then brought Seishi up to his face and smirked, "Now you will become a part of something much greater then the miserable existence you have been subsisting on and once we are one you power will be a great help to me in taking Sesshoumaru down…"

Seishi glared at him, her eyes violet ice. She was angry… but a lot of her anger was toward herself… maybe she should have just stayed at the palace… sure she would have had to deal with males sniffing around, but it would have been better then this… It's bad enough she was going to cease being, but Naraku tended to use whatever power he gained from her against Sesshoumaru. "Bastard…"

Naraku laughed again, "Does that anger you perhaps? That I would use your power against Sesshoumaru?" Seishi growled, fangs bared as she jerked and struggled to get any part of her free… she wanted more then anything to slash her claws across that cocky face. More of Naraku's flesh started creeping out and covering Seishi's body.

More flesh shot out from Naraku's body and Naraku hugged Seishi to his chest and slowly she began to sink in. Seish tried to hold her head away from him… looked like she was out of time… the feeling of his flesh crawling over hers made her feel ill. Gods this was not how she imagined she'd go in the end…

Suddenly blue energy wave shot down from the ceiling and pierced Naraku's body. More and more energy spikes emerged shot down and hit Naraku breaking off more pieces of his body and also damaging some of the tentacles restraining Seishi. Naraku did not hesitate however and a mass of flesh moved over the dog demoness and engulfed her completely. Seishi couldn't even cry out before she was suffocated by Naraku's revolting flesh. She felt light headed from being cut off from air and from Naraku's toxic fumes she had inhaled earlier… She tired to keep her focus… she felt if she fell unconscious she would never wake…

The ceiling finally gave way and Sesshoumaru dropped through the ceiling. He stopped his breathing the minute he caught a whiff of Naraku's shouki that made the air in the cave thick and foul. Naraku smirked triumphant at Sesshoumaru, "You're too late Sesshoumaru. I have already made her a part of my being and one day in the near future you will also become a part of this Naraku's body."

Sesshoumaru's face remained the same as it always was but his eyes burning with unshown anger, "I have had enough of you and your filthy body." He swung Tokijin at Naraku causing a blue wave that cut though his flesh and sent huge chunks flying.

As his flesh was burned off Naraku release more of his shouki making it impossible for Sesshoumaru to see or smell him. He then quickly made use of the hole Sesshoumaru had made in the ceiling. Naraku found that the mountain face the cave as composed mostly of iron ore. 'To think that Sesshoumaru was able to cut a hole this deep into this mountain in such a short time...' he thought to himself as he flew up the tunnel Sesshoumaru had created on his way in, "That must have truly been something. I'm sure her power will be most nourishing to me."

Finally Naraku broke out off the entrance to the tunnel into the rain that had started sometime while he had been inside the cave. Naraku began to take off into the skies now that his mission was done, but then he felt his body being torn apart again. He reformed his flesh again and turned to face Sesshoumaru. "You are a fool. No matter how many times you cut me I cannot die. You are wasting your time; I have the girl now. She is mine and you cannot reclaim her."

Sesshoumaru threw another wave his mask was gone now and cold blooded fury had taken it's place. "Then I will put you down for good to avenge her memory."

Naraku smirked as the energy blast approached him, "baka..." was Naraku response before a purple aura surrounded him. Tokijin's blast collided with the barrier. The blast and barrier burned and cracked for a few moments then the blast faded leaving Naraku's barrier intact. Naraku laughed manically, "Too bad Sesshoumaru-sama, your blade isn't up to the challenge. In the end all you power is good for is killing. You can't even save the life of the woman you seem to care so much for."

Seishi was sinking into darkness… she felt no pain but it was empty and alone… she heard nothing… saw nothing… felt nothing… It was like… she would become nothing… with the last slivers of consciousness, she tried to fend off this feeling… she didn't want to just disappear… Without thinking, her body used her youki to try and to preserve itself and resist Naraku's body's fully absorbing her into it... but the longer she was trapped within the farther she faded… her awareness was growing fainter and fainter… the darkness and emptiness pressing in around her.

Sesshoumaru blasted Naraku's barrier again and again, he sense of reason gone as his rage began to take a hold. Naraku only laughed in response, humiliating Sesshoumaru in this fashion was giving him more delight then he thought possible.

Sesshoumaru cared not for Naraku barrier; he was focused only on one thing, completely destroying his enemy. Then a voice snapped him out of his blind lust for blood. It was voice he despised above all else, only it wasn't Naraku's... "Naraku! I finally found you!"

A stunned Naraku whirled around to find a red robed hanyou was already on top of him swinging his giant sword that was glowing red, "Eat this! KAZE NO KIZU!"

Naraku put his hands up and the Kaze no Kizu slammed into his barrier. The felt the power of the red Tessaiga ripping at his barrier trying to topple it...

InuYasha landed next to Sesshoumaru aiming the Tessaiga at Naraku, "Sesshoumaru you bastard what are you doing here?"

The Kaze no Kizu finally faded and InuYasha looked at Naraku with a cocky smirk. But then he saw something that made his smirk fade, "N-Naraku's barrier... it didn't disappear..."

Naraku's laughed jubilantly as he reveal in the fact that InuYasha's upgraded Tessaiga had failed to shatter his new barrier. "Excellent, that bitch has provided me with more power then I had thought. This is only the tip of the iceberg. I feel my power has grown tremendously."

InuYasha growled, he had not expected this development. "Bitch? What bitch are you talking about? You... you don't mean..."

Naraku grinned glad to see that he could cause InuYasha some anguish too, "Indeed, that worthless foreigner... She is now a part of this Naraku. For a useless female she certainly had a large amount of power that was completely wasted on her. I think I'll find a much better use for it..."

InuYasha growled, now furious, "How... how DARE YOU! How dare you do that to her!"

Naraku cackled reveling in InuYasha's fury, "and what will you do about it? You can never destroy my body with that puny sword of yours..."

InuYasha snarled at his most hated foe, "I'll show what I'm going to do! Kaze no - hey Sesshoumaru! Leggo!"

InuYasha yelped as Sesshoumaru suddenly wrenched the Tessaiga from his hands. The barrier protected Tessaiga was immediately started burning the flesh off Sesshoumaru's hand but then he placed the Tokijin between his palm and the Tessaiga so he was holding two swords in one hand. It was awkward and he strained to hold onto both blades, but Sesshoumaru was determined and focused on Naraku, "I told you already... I'll send you and your body directly to oblivion!" Sesshoumaru swung the two swords as hard as he could and put all of his youki into the attack.

The dual attack collided with Naraku's barrier. This time when combined with Tokijin's strength and the full brunt of Sesshoumaru's might the barrier gave way to the attack. But the attack was not finished yet. The Kaze no Kizu unleashed gradually started to get entangle with Tokijin's power. The tangle increased and started to spin, soon whirlpools emerged and tornados of youki converged upon Naraku.

Naraku could only stand by and watch as his barrier was shattered and his body dismembered by this strange attack. The Tornados did not stop and whipped around a second time to continue to strike at his body. Chunks of Naraku when flying everywhere. Then a huge cloud of miasma spread out as what was still intact of Naraku took to the skies and was soon gone.

Sesshoumaru dropped the Tessaiga and Tokijin as the Tessaiga's barrier had burned his hand to a near crisp. He forced himself to pick up his sword Tokijin and before he could reach for Tessaiga InuYasha snatched it up. "Dammit why did you have to get in the way Sesshoumaru? I had him."

Sesshoumaru ignored his half brother and surveyed what was left of the battle site. Piles of flesh, craters, scars in the earth, and an air that smell of anything but victory. How could such a catastrophe be called a victory? Naraku had escaped again and the sense of loss he felt was more then he could bear.

"InuYasha!" came a female voice from above. InuYasha looked up and saw the rest of his friends descending to the earth on Kiara.

"Kagome, down here!" InuYasha waved to his friends.

Kagome slid off of Kiara's back and ran over to InuYasha. "InuYasha what happened? Did you find Naraku?"

InuYasha looked down at the ground, "Yeah but the bastard got away again. What's more... He claimed another victim today." He looked up at Kagome, "Kagome, it's Seishi. Naraku said that he absorbed her and made her a part of his body. I didn't believe it either but when I saw Sesshoumaru attacking Naraku like a madman... I knew it had to be true..."

Kagome eyes widened with shock, "It can't be... Seishi-sama is... dead?" Kagome her eyes starting to well up with tears turned to Sesshoumaru, "It's... it's not true is it? Seishi's ok isn't she?"

Sango remained next to Kirara, she was surprised by the news… Seishi had seemed to strong a woman, demon or otherwise, to fall in such a way… It just went again to prove Naraku's cunning and danger. Sango turned her gaze to the side… her eyes glazed over but she didn't let any tears fall.

Sesshoumaru was too lost in his own thoughts to even bother to listen to Kagome. He turned his back on the whole scene. If only he had been quicker... caught on sooner... had been insistent and forbidden her to leave... had killed Naraku when he had the chance... none of this would have ever happened. If only he hadn't screwed up so badly... Seishi would still be alive... He began to leave the battlefield...

InuYasha growled at his brother's rudeness, "Damnit Sesshoumaru answer her! You just walk away from all of this! Don't you care about Seishi at all!" he barked at Sesshoumaru using the only tool he knew of to handle grief… rage.

Sesshoumaru turned to InuYasha, "Seishi died in battle fighting Naraku. She lived by her own rules and now it seems that she has died by her own rules. That was the path she walked." Sesshoumaru stated flatly that his younger brother, his emotionless mask back again. He spoke the words that were almost the exact opposite of what his heart was telling him, but there was no need to tell InuYasha that. The pup would have to grow up sooner or later. Just then he spotted something that made him forget entirely about his brother. He made a mad dash for the other side of the battlefield streaking past InuYasha in a white flash.

Sesshoumaru raced over to the mound of flesh and his suspicions were confirmed. There was a hand sticking out of it, a feminine hand. He began tearing at the flesh pulling it away and uncovering Seishi from the sticky prison, but what he saw was not a happy sight. Seishi's eyes were closed and his skin pale as white bed sheet. Her body was covered in filth and grime and her buxom chest was completely still. Her body lay in the remains of the flesh covered in burns and laying there limp like a rag doll.

Sesshoumaru checked her neck for a pulse but there was none. Stunned he could not believe it... he had believed her dead, and now was shown her beautiful face one more time and was now again confronted with the reality that she was dead. Sesshoumaru hunched over and licked her cheek as if it would rouse her.

Cold like clay, but despite the fact that she had been inside Naraku's body she tasted very sweet. He dug his claws into the nearest thing he could find, his thigh. He felt the pain and blood started to run down his thigh and stain his new robes red, but he did not care. Compared to his other pain his thigh felt like a bug bite. He stayed hunched over Seishi's dead remains for a while, while the InuYasha trio looked on stunned by what they saw.

Miroku broke the ice by speaking first, "To think it even possible. Sesshoumaru truly cared for that demoness. I can't believe that one such as he was capable of feeling such compassion for another…"

Sango could barely watch anymore, "Maybe we should go... leave him alone..." Shippou was still on Kirara's back, quiet except for occasional sniffles… Seishi had played with him some when she visited their group…

InuYasha stood there watching Sesshoumaru for moment. For the first time in his life, he felt a connection to his brother. He too knew what it felt to lose the love of your life, have her brought back, then taken away from you again. At that moment he thoughts couldn't help but drift to Kikyou. Where was she right now? Was she all right? He also though of the bastard responsible for all this. "Naraku... when I get my hands on you..." he then turned to his friends, "Yeah lets go... I kinda understand how he feels..."

Kagome rubbed the tears from her eyes and could help but feel a stab at her heart when she heard InuYasha's words... 'InuYasha... your thinking about Kikyou right now aren't you...' she thought to herself

After InuYasha and his friends departed, Sesshoumaru slowly lifted his head back up, and rose to his feet, "I'll find Naraku, and tear his filth body apart with my bare hands..." he then turned to close this sad chapter of his life. Then he felt a strong heart beat. Then another... he looked down at his waist and saw his father's heirloom sword, the Tenseiga, pulsating on his belt. "Tenseiga... you want me to use you?" He looked back at Seishi and then back down at his sword. He narrowed his eyes, "If you fail me... I'll turn you into scrap metal." He promised the sword as he drew his blade and looked down at Seishi's body. 'I can see the pallbearers of the underworld…' he thought to himself as the little imps seemed to appear before his eyes now that held the Tenseiga in his hand. He used his Tenseiga to vaporize every one of the nasty little critters until none remained. Then he watched Seishi's body...

Seishi remained silent and still as death… but slowly color started to return to her skin as the burns and wounds seemed to mend themselves. Then the first real signs of life came in the form of Seishi's face turning into a frown, her eyebrows drawn together before her eyelids twitched and slowly drew open, pale eyes slowly focusing on Sesshoumaru looming over her.

Sesshoumaru looked down at Seishi as she opened her eyes, "How do you feel?"

Seishi shook as if cold at the faint memory of her ordeal… and she was a bit disoriented by everything… But her eyes drifted over Sesshoumaru then gave him a scolding look; "Your leg is bleeding… what did I tell you about getting reckless? It better not have been on my account…" her voice was faint but still held some edge.

Sesshoumaru let the slightest of smiles get through as he crotched down and offered Seishi a hand to sit up, "too bad your personality wasn't healed. That is what is most broken…"

Seishi narrowed her eyes at his crack on her personality, taking his hand… but then she blinked, looking around at the battlefield, "What happened? I… don't remember… I remember Naraku… and everything got dark… then I was somewhere where… it was hazy… there was a giant demon skull and bones… I… What happened?"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, "a demon skull and bones... could that be" he thought to himself, "Naraku appeared and knocked you out, you must have had a dream."

Seishi blinked at him... but seeing how she couldn't prove otherwise... she had to accept his explanation... but she still felt a bit chilly... shivering again... she felt kind of out of sorts with her body… "I think I want to go home..."

Sesshoumaru nodded, "Can you stand?" Seishi believed she could… she didn't feel injured... so she drew herself slowly to her feet.

Sesshoumaru turned around and looked over his shoulder, "Ah-Un is back at the palace. Get on my back."

Seishi blinked at him, "Don't be silly..." she almost blushed at the very idea. "I can walk..."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, "The palace is rather far from here. If we walked we would not get there until tomorrow"

Seishi bit her lip "Yes but... why don't you go back and send Jaken here with Ah-Un?"

Sesshoumaru screamed inwardly, 'no way am I leaving you alone here after what just happened!' but outwardly he showed nothing, "Is it so horrible to get near me?"

Seishi dropped her shoulders some, "That's not it… I just… it just seems like it would be awkward..."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes again, "let me put it this way. It's either my back or my shoulder..."

She turned slightly red, "You wouldn't dare…" but seeing the look he was giving her… she decided challenging him right now probably wasn't in her best interest… and she was kind of tired… If she had been in dog form her ears would have drooped in defeat as she moved over to him, resting her hands on his shoulders as she hopped up and wrapped her legs around his waist, moving her arms so they draped over his shoulders.

Sesshoumaru secured Seishi on his back then took off into the air and headed back towards the palace. Home was sounding very good to him as well. He had alot he need to think about

As they took to the air… Seishi felt weariness hit her… and she found herself nuzzling into Sesshoumaru's furry boa over his right shoulder… by the time they were half way home, she was sound asleep.

To Be Continued…