"Idiot, indeed." a voice sounded from the trees. Sesshomaru pushed Kagome behind him defensively. "Who's there?" he demanded. The man landed in front of them clumsily and slowly stood to his full height, though somehow he seemed crooked. "Ikkoku." Sesshomaru spat. "I must erase it. I must." Ikkoku giggled as he advanced on them. "Erase what?" Sesshomaru's eyes gained a reddish tint as he tried to suppress his demonic side. "My sin! I must erase my sin. You are my sin. Allowing you to continue to live on. I was not successful in gaining the Western Lands, so I must erase my sin. Erase first you, then myself." he laughed maniacally as he pulled the same sword he had stabbed Kagome with out of its sheathe. "Let's go, Kagome." Sesshomaru said quietly, grabbing her small wrist as they started running. He realized she was trailing behind and couldn't seem to catch her breath. They stopped in a clearing, Ikkoku seemingly giving up on the chase. "Kagome?" he gently touched her cheek. "You're freezing..." She fell to her knees and shook her head as she grasped at her chest. "No...burning..." she panted. "Blood." he quickly slit a small cut in the scar left from the last time she had fed from him. "Here." he prompted, yet she shook her head furiously. "No...no." she refused, yet her fangs jutted into her bottom lip. She shakily stood. "You need the strength, Kagome." he reasoned once more. Her eyes pleaded with him. "I'm tired of hurting you." she whispered. Sesshomaru suddenly pulled her into his chest. He could feel her heart beating rapidly, and could feel her breathing quickly, and he knew it wouldn't be long before both her heart and lungs gave up from exhaustion. "How cute." Ikkoku giggled, suddenly reappearing behind them. He raised his sword swiftly. "My sins...shall be erased!" he laughed like a madman and swung his sword at Kagome. Time seemed to slow as he threw her out of the way and tried to deflect the sword. But then, everything was painted red.
I hear screaming...no, laughing...no, a heart beat...Where am I? Where is Kagome? I cannot lose her, I just got her back...this can't be happening...no. No. Sesshomaru slowly opened his heavy eyelids, yet everything was blurring. His vision blurred in and out of focus, and he could hardly make out some sort of struggle going on between Ikkoku and Kagome, but he was helpless to do anything. He tried raising his hand. I'm cold... He stared at his hand, stained in blood. His blood. And Kagome was next. "Hold on Sesshomaru, I'll get you help!" she pleaded. She's worrying about me...when she's about to die herself. Why...why? Suddenly Kagome was behind Ikkoku, who was swinging his blade madly. She grabbed his long braid and wrenched his head back aggressively. Her fangs elongated and her unearthly purple eye began glowing mysteriously. She sank her fangs angrily into his throat and drank the black blood that coursed through his body. "My sin..." he whispered helplessly as he grew weaker. Kagome opened her eyes, not removing her mouth from his neck. She gazed at Sesshomaru as a lone tear silently ran down her cheek. He could tell what she was thinking. "Please don't watch." But he couldn't remove his eyes from her. She squeezed them shut and ferociously ripped through Ikkoku's throat. Sesshomaru's eyes widened. And then, he passed out.