The demons are fleeing.
Kaida narrowed her eyes as she watched the serpents, ogres, and all other monsters disappear into the trees in droves. Now that the black light had left them they were completely vulnerable to their attacks, the noblewoman flicked her sword and decapitated a demon that flew too close. The miserable creature did not rise again.
Even though the battle had seemed to be turning in their favor, Kaida did not expect this brief advantage to last. Slicing her way through another fleeing demon she dashed to the edge of the clearing only to be met by the grim faces of her allies. Somehow they'd all managed to retreat to the same spot, but when Kaida looked to the ground her own frown formed.
They've come here to gather the dead.
Taisuke stood silent over Chikara's inert form, the young samurai's face betraying his grief and fear. Nearby Noruto, just barely a teenager, sobbed loudly over the bloody corpse of Keiji, the dead ninja's eyes reflecting the terror of his final moments.
"Shh, shh Yugao, it's okay," Kaori's voice floated across the clearing. The tigress, nothing left below her torso, convulsed in pain as life ebbed from her. Yugao's head rested in Kaori's lap, the koi hanyou gently stroking her hair as her brother Taji gripped their leader's hand. "Yugao, you can rest now, it's okay to let go."
Yugao convulsed for a moment longer, and then became still.
Not far away Koga's angry roar could be heard. The leader of the wolf demons clutched his broken and bleeding hand, howling in anguish as he and Hakkaku stood near the unmoving form of Ginta.
In the distance Risu's children called for their mother, their voices pitiful and scared.
Kaida glanced around once more, her pulse quickening as she realized who wasn't there. Fearing the worst she closed her eyes and steeled herself against the emotions that threatened to swamp her.
Please. Not him.
"Lady Kaida, I'm glad to see you're alive."
Kaida spun, her heart lifting in relief as she saw Naoe approaching from across the battlefield. With him walked Miroku and Fuko, Inuyasha's motionless body carried between the three of them. The noblewoman limped over to meet them.
"Inuyasha…is he…?" Her voice trailed off as the sight of the usually loud and boisterous hanyou. He was frighteningly still, his body torn completely to shreds as a trail of blood dripped beneath him, his silver hair stained red.
"He's still breathing," Naoe said, "Though I'm not quite sure how."
"Inuyasha's demon blood heightens his regenerative abilities," Miroku explained, "It must've protected him."
"Unless they purposefully kept him alive," Kaida mused, her brow furrowing as her thoughts began to turn. Ronuku and Kohana killed Sesshomaru; considering the way they bested Inuyasha in his demon form she had no doubt that they could have easily killed him as well. So why didn't they?
Fuko's strangled cry interrupted her thoughts, the ninja spying her fallen comrade. Kaida took her place in carrying the unconscious hanyou so the kunoichi could join Noruto. Together the three of them carried Inuyasha's body until they found a soft grassy area free of demon corpses to set him down.
"Do you think he'll be alright?" Kaida asked quietly, "His wounds are still severe."
"He's not the only one," Naoe said, eyeing her still bleeding shoulder. Kaida shook her head and looked around, eyeing the cuts on Naoe's face, bleeding tears through Miroku's clothing, the various wounds and scrapes on everyone's bodies.
None of them were unscathed.
"Kagome was the one who brought medical supplies," Kaida said at last, closing her eyes against the mental image of what grisly fate had surely befallen the young miko.
"She left them on the hill before she took off," a voice suddenly answered. The three looked up to see Sango shouldering her Hiraikotsu as she dumped Kagome's yellow pack to the ground.
Kirara's corpse lay in the crook of the taijiya's arm.
"Sango…" Miroku started, but the slayer shook her head and silenced him. Her eyes were red-rimmed, but her tears were gone. Gently she lay Kirara's body on the ground not far from Inuyasha.
"This isn't over," Sango said, "We have to stop them."
Kaida warily eyed the slayer.
"Kagome's plan didn't work," the noblewoman said, "You've seen now how far beyond reason they are. There's only one way of stopping them…"
Sango didn't argue this time, her jaw stiff against her clenched mouth.
"Lady Kaida…" Naoe said, his voice quiet. Kaida looked at him and could sense his grief and horror at the thought of having to kill Ronuku and Kohana. She too had to quell her own emotions, killing their pupils was the last thing she wanted to do. She remembered the day they first came to her mansion, how hard they worked during that first year to become strong. She may have been hard on them, but that was only because she knew just how much potential they had.
As if they were her own children, Kaida felt nothing but pride in their abilities.
She regretted never telling them that.
She never should have asked Seiko to train them.
Kohana. Ronuku. I'm sorry, it is my fault that this happened to you.
Kaida was responsible for the monsters that had taken the place of their pupils, it was her duty to fix her mistake and put them out of their misery. It was a burden she wished she could bear alone, but she was not foolish enough to think that she had the strength to take on their powers by herself.
"When the world is swallowed you will fight until the end of eternity," Kaida echoed their words as she looked around from Naoe to Sango, "I do not know what Naraku has planned, or why they left Inuyasha alive, but I do know that whatever is happening is bigger than just the fate of the village. Whatever wickedness they have in store, we cannot allow that to pass. I know Kohana and Ronuku would want us to stop them."
"What would you have us do?" Naoe asked, masking his sorrow and taking on the air of a samurai obeying his master.
"Whoever is able," Kaida said, "We will split up into two groups, each of us has one target. That is our only goal: Take down Kohana and Ronuku."
"What about those demons?" Koga's voice suddenly called over, thick with grief, "Didn't you see where those bastards are headed?"
Kaida and the others looked to the wolf, his uninjured hand pointing towards the forest. The line of dark light left behind by Ronuku and Kohana still glowed against the trees that the demons had rushed into. Beyond the trees lay the village, and past that…
"The villagers didn't get much of a head start," Fuko said, tears streaming from their eyes, "If we don't stop the demons they'll be the next target."
Sango's face visibly paled, and Kaida inwardly cursed.
"We don't have enough people left to take down Ronuku and Kohana and protect the villagers," the noblewoman stressed, "We cannot afford to choose both! There's a bigger menace waiting to strike!"
As if on cue, a thunderous boom suddenly echoed from above. The giant spider, having been quiet for the past several minutes suddenly unraveled its legs. Malefic energy, giant spheres of miasma, rained down on them from above. The earth shuddered as they hit, big waves of purple smoke and dust flying into the air.
"To hell with this!" Koga shouted, "Those demons killed Ginta, I'm taking them down!" The wolf suddenly charged forward towards the forest. As soon as he met the line of dark energy, he leapt over it in a single bound and landed in the forest unharmed. He dashed off into the shadows, his form vanishing in an instant.
"Koga, wait!" Hakkaku shouted after him, hauling Ginta's body away from the miasma.
"No!" Kaida shouted angrily, "We have to focus on-"
Another boom interrupted her as a thick ball of miasma landed several feet away, scattering fallen corpses. Everyone scrambled to avoid the attack, forced to leave the bodies of their loved ones behind lest they too fall victim to the same fate. Miroku and Sango hurriedly lifted Inuyasha, but after several feet he was taken by Kaori and Taji.
"We'll take care of him," Kaori shouted over the booming, "Yugao would want us to look after him!"
"Yes," Taji added, "Don't worry about Inuyasha, you go after your friends!"
Another explosion sent them running towards the forest, scattering their forces amongst the shadows and trees.
"Lady Kaida!" Naoe's voice echoed over the din, "I will go after Ronuku! You only have to worry about Kohana!"
"Naoe!" Kaida shouted over the smoke, the samurai completely hidden from view, "Don't go alone! Take someone with you!"
A loud crack emanated from the woods as a dead tree fell in front of Kaida, separating her from her most trusted ally. The noblewoman coughed and looked around, dismayed to find herself completely isolated from the rest of the group.
…They're gone. I've been left alone to go after her.
The realization weighed in her stomach like a rock. Neither Sesshomaru nor Inuyasha stood a chance against the sibling's bond, how would she as a mere human be able to stop Kohana? Steeling herself against her inevitable fate, Kaida gripped her sword and rushed forward. She met the dark line floating in the air and ducked under it, following the path of the light in the direction Kohana fled.
So be it then. This shall be my final duty as her master.