It took him far longer than it should have to locate her scent. Masked by the odor of blood and decay, a grotesque tide of death nearly drowned out her familiar fragrance. Even worse, it all seemed to be surrounded by Naraku's vile stench. The very fact that that vermin was even close to her made his blood boil; his claws flexed in anger as a growl built in his throat.

Sesshomaru was familiar with rage, such feelings were commonplace amongst demons, even one as cool and collected as himself. But the unfamiliar emotions churning throughout his core like an angry sea were foreign to him and he could not give them name. Strange as they were, every twist of his heart or burning in his gut somehow managed to result in the same thought:

I should have never allowed her to go.

Sesshomaru understood failure in the sense of conquest: those who had power triumphed while the weak were destroyed. A powerful daiyoukai such as himself rarely experienced failure, but even he could recount but a few instances where he was forced to acknowledge defeat, the bitter acceptance that his strength had not been sufficient enough to best his opponent.

What he felt now seemed no different.

He'd known. Sesshomaru had known that Naraku would target Kohana, that away from his protection she would be easy prey, though he never would have imagined that that filth would go to such lengths as to trick her with a vulgar puppet. Now she was captured, his mate captive to that vile cretin, and though he anticipated it he'd done nothing to prevent it.

Sesshomaru had failed Kohana.

He'd already been out for Naraku's blood, ever since the fool dared to attempt to manipulate him into doing his dirty work by threatening Rin's life. This affront had only further sealed his fate, Naraku would meet his end by Sesshomaru's hand.

Shouts rang out from ahead, wails of humans in distress, and as Sesshomaru leapt up from the side of a mountain he was greeted by the sight of battle. The valley below blazed, smoke from scorched trees rising to the dark abyss of the sky. A horde of demons roared and circled an enemy below, not unlike the hordes that Naraku had sent after them for the past month, though these demons seemed larger than before. An ominous dark glow surrounded them.

"Demons, be gone!" A group of human monks stood in a semi-circle, chanting furiously as they raised their staffs before them. Holy light surrounded them, a weak glow that drowned in the darkness before them. Their desperate chants continued, sweat dripping from their brows as they struggled to maintain their stance.

There was a furious roar, a dark beam of energy suddenly blast forward into the monks. The semi-circle broke, the holy light vanished as the monks were flung away. Those immediately struck by the blast were vaporized instantly, but several flew through the air before landing against the hard rocky ground. Blood pooled from their skulls and they did not move again.

Sesshomaru landed in the valley, eyes wide when he saw the source of the attack.

Kohana stood there, her face a blank mask of fury as she held her sword. Several feet away Ronuku mirrored her pose, neither of them seeming to realize that they had just slaughtered a group of human monks.

Clothes torn, hair askew, and blood stains caking their faces they looked as though they'd crawled straight out of hell. Their skin had taken on a grey hue, and their veins glowed black beneath their skin. Darkness clouded their eyes, as an ominous black aura encircled them, connected by a black line of energy that stretch upwards into the mass of demons above.

A ghastly web that bound them all, spun by Naraku himself.

Unable to bear the sight of it, Sesshomaru unsheathed the Bakusaiga and blasted the horde of demons. The beasts howled as they were torn to bits, any creature struck by Bakusaiga would be dealt unhealable wounds, but Kohana and Ronuku suddenly screamed as though they were in pain. The black light connecting them all intensified, and within moments the demons had reassembled themselves.

"Ah, Lord Sesshomaru. How kind of you to join us," a deep velvety voice rang out from above. The dark clouds parted, revealing a figure far more massive than the mountains around them. A hulking sphere floated in the sky, ragged spindly limbs curled over its underbelly as many bulbous eyes peered out from above. Two large fangs stood center of the creature's face.

A spider.

The black thread of energy traveled from the arachnid's fangs, connecting it to all of the demons below as well as Kohana and Ronuku.

Has Naraku transformed, Sesshomaru wondered, or is he hiding within that creature? He raised his Bakusaiga at the massive spider.

"Release them," He ordered. Naraku's mocking laughter answered.

"I'm afraid that isn't for me to decide," Naraku purred, seeming to relish over his words, "It is their own power that holds them captive. Their weak human hearts have succumbed to their hatred and desire for revenge."

A distressed wail echoed behind Sesshomaru, and he could not stop himself from turning to see Kohana trembling as tears black as tar streaked down her pale face. She shrieked and gripped her head, her frame shaking as though she were a tree caught in a storm.

"Kill you," she hissed, voice echoing in unison with Ronuku's, "Kill you all…"

"They are beyond reason," Naraku continued, "Nothing remains but their thirst for vengeance and destruction."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes and sheathed his sword. He wanted nothing more than to silence that insolent mouth of Naraku's, but he could not allow Kohana's suffering to continue. He needed to get her away, if she was far from Naraku's influence then perhaps she could break free of his grasp. He leapt forward and landed in front of his wife.

She continued to shake, but the blank look she gave him held no recognition.

"Kohana," Sesshomaru started as he reached for her, but the moment he touched her arm she screamed. Black energy flared around her and she swung her sword, forcing Sesshomaru to dodge away.

"Her heart is gone," Naraku called out, "Burned away by anger and hatred, Kohana's only memory is finding her precious son's corpse abandoned in the woods, her dear husband nowhere to be seen."

His words seemed to strike a chord with Kohana; her blackened eyes narrowed in fury as the dark energy swirled around her like a storm. Ronuku appeared behind her, dead eyes mimicking her enraged expression.

"YOU'LL PAY!" They howled in unison, "YOU'LL ALL PAY!" With a speed too great for any human, they rushed at Sesshomaru, swords burning with black fire. The taiyoukai was put on the defensive, dodging back and forth as he avoided their blows. The three of them continued their dance of avoidance, until Sesshomaru had enough and unsheathed his sword. With a quick leap into the air he swung his weapon in an arc, striking Ronuku before meeting Kohana's sword in a defensive draw.

Ronuku stood, completely unscathed, as the Tenseiga glinted in Sesshomaru's claws.

"Kohana," Sesshomaru called out as his sword of healing fended off the black fire of his mate's blade, "Come to your senses, our son is alive!"

His words rang out on deaf ears, her only response was a shriek of anger. Possessing more strength than she normally was capable of, perhaps empowered by the aura surrounding her, Kohana held out against him and did not fall back when he pushed. Sensing and attack from behind, Sesshomaru leapt away at the last second to avoid a blow from Ronuku. Naraku's laughter rang out over the clearing.

"Naraku, this is truly a miserable specter," Sesshomaru yelled out as he stood in the air, "At the height of your power, you still rely on two possessed mortals to fight your battles for you?"

"Nonsense," Naraku responded, "I'm simply allowing them to take the vengeance they desperately crave; it would be cruel of me to deny them that simple wish."

Suddenly, a wave of dark energy shot out and Sesshomaru ducked to avoid it. Lightning crackled between Ronuku and Kohana, their eyes blazing as the dark light connecting them grew. The demons above swirled and roared, seeming to grow as they fed off of the power produced by the mortals below.

Sesshomaru avoided another blow as it was shot out at him, and lamented in frustration on his inability to strike back. For the first time he faced an opponent that he did not wish to harm, and as long as they were powerful enough to push him back it seemed that there was no way of incapacitating them without hurting them.

He flexed his claws, preparing to rush forward and strike hopefully knocking them out, when he was forced to dodge once more. As the blast passed him, he felt a burning sensation around his ankle and realized that the black light had wrapped around leg, Kohana and Ronuku holding onto the other end as though it were a rope.

That was when fire exploded around him. The black light pulled him down, racing around his body like burning waves of electricity that singed every inch that they touched. Sesshomaru roared, the burning pain angering him, as he was pulled towards the ground. He struggled to break free, unable to escape the heavy burning that seemed to singe through his chest and set him on fire.

As if acting on a signal, the demons descended, claws and fangs dripping in delight as they raced towards their victim. Blows rained down own him, demons biting into his flesh, tearing through his armor, delighting in his blood. Sesshomaru tried to fight back, but the black light restrained his claws and left him defenseless against their attacks. They pinned him to the ground, and his figure was buried beneath hundreds of writhing beasts.

"What's this? The great Lord Sesshomaru felled by two mortals and a pack of lowly demons? How miserable, in the end you power amounted to nothing. You will perish from this world helpless and weak!" Naraku's cruel laughter rang through his ears and sent the demons into a gleeful frenzy.

Something snapped.

Defiance welled up in Sesshomaru.

Helpless?

If he were felled here, Kohana would be lost forever, trapped in Naraku's control.

Weak?

No. Not him.

Sesshomaru's blood boiled over and he lost all sentient thought. A horrendous growl escaped his throat, terrifying and thunderous as though he were a beast from hell. His claws extended and his fangs grew, red eyes glaring hatred at the beast before him. The demons that pinned him down were blasted away in an explosion of white and red light. A deafening howl rang out across the mountains.

Sesshomaru, a massive white dog taller than the mountain itself, roared and threw himself at the giant spider in the sky.

The spider's exoskeleton instantly hardened, sparks flying as Sesshomaru's claws rained down on it. The hoard of demons, revived and healed by Kohana and Ronuku's power, flew up in a mass attack. Sesshomaru landed and turned on them, tearing them apart with his claws and ripping their heads off with his fangs. Acid and blood dripped from his jaws, burning the demons that fell back to the ground.

The giant spider attacked, spitting out a massive web on the dog. The web singed his fur where it touched, but Sesshomaru shook it off and leapt again. He landed atop the spider and pushed it down into the mountain, the massive rock bursting apart as the two titans crashed into it.

Sesshomaru howled and roared, biting and tearing at the spider with his claws. The hard shield refused to give at first, but slowly began to crack. The dog did not let up, intent on forcing his way in and tearing Naraku apart from the inside out. The crack in the spider's shell grew; Sesshomaru reared up preparing the blow that would break it and tear his enemy apart.

Suddenly, he fell back, a howl of pain ringing out through the forest. Sesshomaru thrashed, and fell backwards away from the spider.

A hole burned through his chest, straight through his heart.

The white dog stood, his paws shaking as his white fur stained red from his own blood. He turned to faces his attacker, his red eyes meeting her face.

Kohana glared at him, Ronuku behind her, as they shot their fists forward and sent out another beam of darkness.

Instead of shooting through him, this attack engulfed him, pulling at something inside of him and ripping it out. He howled again, feeling his power drain as they gripped his core, the center of his demonic power.

Sentient thought slowly returned as Sesshomaru began to shrink to his other form.

Father, a memory flooded his consciousness, You lost your heart to a mortal woman. You weakened yourself for the sake of that girl. Inuyasha and his mother caused your miserable death.

Kohana's smile flashed through his mind. Memories of her raced past him: the day she came to this world, her protecting Rin against danger, her proud temper, the warmth of her skin, the night she gave birth to Futeki, the look she gave him the night he married her…every instance of Kohana flashed through his mind until he stood at the present.

Her darkened eyes glared at him, her fist still closed around the beam of power that held him at her mercy.

Kohana…

She screamed. The power in her fist exploded.

The taiyoukai was flung away, crashed into the side of the mountain. Loose boulders and rocks showered over his body, burying him beneath an avalanche. When the dust settled, there was nothing left but stone and blood.

Sesshomaru was gone.