1Hello everyone. Glad to have received a manyof reviews for the last chapter. In fact the most yet for a chapter! Special thanks to a new reveiwer PassionIsLove. I did my best in trying to use Riath's POV so that the readers would understand why Sesshomaru shows up. Also a thanks to our most faithful reviewer byakugan-master93. Thank you for your compliments, the fight scene at the end took me a little while, but since I think I understand Inuyasha and Healo's characters it was easier. Special thanks to Kaihaku No Iroke. Thanks for your comments and I hope you have fun wherever you're going. I hope to hear from you as soon as you get back! Also thanks to Danielle for liking my fight scene. This chapter will continue the fight scene in the last chapter. Let me know how I do.

CHAPTER XXLII

FIGHTING FOR LIFE

Riath's POV

The spy had watched the opening of the battle with great interest. His master had already warned him about Inuyasha's great strength but seeing the power of the hanyou as he unleashed the power of the Tetseiga had been very stirring. Riath had felt a small surge of regret when many of his comrades had been destroyed by the wind scar, but it was a result of their own foolishness.

However, the Captain was impressed by the Northern Lord's strategy. Healo had been able to use speed and precision to disarm the hanyou, but the young demon knew that this battle was no where near being over. Inuyasha's eyes showed far too much determination for him to be even considering fleeing, and Riath knew that the Northern Lord would not allow the hanyou to take the shards of the sacred jewel.

Riath couldn't help but to silently congratulate himself on his own cunning. His plan had worked exactly as he had planned. The sight of Sesshomaru had infuriated the suspicions of an already emotionally unstable hanyou. Healo's soothing words were nothing compared to the weakness of the hearts of men and demons. The Captain had fulfilled his Naraku's instructions to sow discord between the brothers in a devious manner. Now all he had to do was sit back and enjoy the show...

Healo's POV

The Northern Lord was watching Inuyasha very carefully. He knew that the hanyou wasn't ready to run away and he was waiting for him to try to get the Tetseiga. Healo was standing still in a neutral position in case his analysis of his brother was wrong. When Inuyasha did move he did so without giving anything to warn the Northern Lord. The hanyou moved quickly and when he had nearly arrived at the spot where his sword was jutting from the ground he reached out a clawed hand.

Healo only smiled at his brother's attempt as he flicked his left hand and cracked a whip of pure energy so that it wrapped around the hanyou's foot. Little or no pain was caused by the whip since the Northern Lord had purposely summoned it only to prevent his brother from retrieving his sword. It would be easier to persuade Inuyasha to leave if he wasn't armed with the Tetseiga.

However, Inuyasha surprised his brother when he grasped his left arm with his right hand and said fiercely ", Blades of Blood!" Acting out of instinct, Healo flicked his whip and used it to intercept all of the blades before they got anywhere near him. However, the hanyou's objective was realized in the second it took to dispel the attack. The Northern Lord grimly watched as the hanyou again held the powerful sword in his hands as a small amount of blood seeped down his left arm.

Healo carefully studied his brother then suddenly moved to attack in a head on assault of the hanyou. Inuyasha's response was predictable as he brought Tetseiga crashing to the ground and unleashed the wind scar in hopes of forcing the Northern Lord to veer off course. However, Healo was not so easily discouraged and instead he leaped over the destructive energy and raised his own sword as he fell back towards his brother. The clash between Tetseiga and the 'toothpick' was surprisingly strong.

Inuyasha's eyes widened in surprise as Healo pushed him and his sword farther and farther back. The Northern Lord then suddenly backed up a step, which caused Inuyasha to lose his balance, and began to use his own sword's superior speed. The hanyou was becoming confused by the constant change in his brothers tactics and was unsure of what to do next except to counter Healo's blows. While the Northern Lord was only waiting for the right opening...

Sesshomaru's POV

The Western Lord was watching the battle that was raging between his brother's with mild interest. Sesshomaru had been surprised by the quick thinking of his usually thick skulled hanyou half-brother, though he would never admit it. However, he was starting to grow impatient with watching the mock battle that had come instead. Healo was purposely taking great pains to try to persuade the hanyou that he was outmatched and should flee.

However, Sesshomaru had no intention of allowing Inuyasha to escape. The Western Lord was willing to do whatever was necessary to finally end the hanyou's worthless life. He knew that Healo would probably intervene but that was not his problem. The Northern Lord had defended Inuyasha from him once before, but now he surely understood that the hanyou had to be destroyed. Sesshomaru knew that sooner or later an opportunity would arise to free his name from the disgrace of Inuyasha...

Healo's POV

The Northern Lord was patiently working on tiring his enemy out while he waited for Inuyasha to make any mistake. Healo had mostly dodged and deflected the hanyou's strikes since he had no desire to truly duel against the Tetseiga. He was noticing that his brother was beginning to tire, and that as a result of this his blows were becoming slowly wilder. When Inuyasha raised his sword just a little too high Healo did not hesitate but gave him a shallow horizontal slash across his chest.

Healo was surprised when he felt a wave of pain and was nearly tardy in avoiding Inuyasha's counter attack. The Northern Lord had moved to the hanyou's right to avoid the vertical attack of Tetseiga and brought his elbow to bear on his brother's face. Inuyasha stumbled back a few steps as Healo ignored the growing pain he was feeling he gave his brother another slash, this time across his right leg. Then he summoned his whip and used it to wrap around Inuyasha's sword and fling it as far as possible. Tetseiga flew into a large tree a good distance away from the injured hanyou, but the Northern Lord delivered yet another blow as he sliced down into his brother's right shoulder.

The pain that Healo felt after doing this was so strong that he fell to his knees as he carefully watched his brother for any signs fo further resistance. Inuyasha was still standing but his eyes were filmed with pain and his right arm hanged useless at his side. The hanyou was breathing heavily but the Northern Lord knew that if he hadn't already exhausted his brother the wounds would not have been so debilitating to him.

Healo stood up as the pain slowly dulled. He now realized where it was coming from. Still for now he had to worry about getting Inuyasha out of here and finding him somewhere where he could recover from his wounds in peace. However, the Northern Lord's eyes widened in shock when he saw a white blur streak towards Inuyasha. Before he could move Sesshomaru had delivered a powerful punch to the already weakened hanyou. The Western Lord drew Toukijin without a word as he pointed the deadly sword at his injured half-brother. He finally spoke as he raised his sword and said softly ", Die."

However, before the blade could descend and end more than one life Healo pulled up his sword and rushed into place before Sesshomaru. The Western Lord did not bat a lash but allowed Toukijin to continue its descent towards both of the brothers. The Northern Lord quickly raised his katana and with difficulty held of his powerful half-brother's attack. Sesshomaru spoke calmly as he said ", Don't you see? He must be destroyed now. He is a threat." Healo did not verbally respond but his eyes raged with blue fire at the viciousness of the Western Lord. Was it not enough that he had been beaten to a pulp?

Healo's response was filled with anger, since the Western Lord had not withdrawn his attack, as he said ", Why do you behave so foolishly? You and I both know that he only fought here today because of your tricks. You wanted to alientate us so that you could play us off of each other. I am not unobservant Sesshomaru. I realize that you don't want me to regain a thing. The only reason you have even agreed to help me is to get back at Naraku and Bianen for their trespasses against you. Do you think that I don't know that?"

Sesshomaru reluctantly withdrew Toukijin and placed it back in its sheath, but before he could respond a voice shouted ", Is this the way you all resolve disputes?" Healo turned at the sound of the voice and found Kagome standing with a very angry look on her face. The Northern Lord sighed in frustration as he realized that they were in for it now. However, Healo smiled since he realized that the miko had only come because she was worried about them. That was a very comforting thought...

Kagome's POV

She had really tried to listen to her friend and wait patiently for his return...for about the first five minutes. Who was he to tell her what to do anyway? Inuyasha was her friend and there was no way she was going to wait behind while Healo went to confront him. Kagome had moved as quickly as possible through the city but she had never traveled through the city without the Northern Lord or someone else to guide her. The miko had gotten lost and then to cap all she had to persuade several people to give her directions, which had been very confusing, and then she had to actually find the brothers.

When Kagome finally arrived upon the scene of the battle she had been horrified by the scene of the dead guards bodies and had realized that the wind scar was the culprit. Confused and afraid of the consequences for Inuyasha she had been horrified to find the hanyou on the ground with Healo attempting to hold of Sesshomaru's deadly sword Toukijin. However, the miko had felt relief when the Western Lord finally ceased his attack but they were each going to half to answer to her for what happened here.

Sesshomaru was the first to respond verbally to Kagome's appearance as he said softly ", You shouldn't be here." The miko surprised him by nodding and saying in a calm voice ", You're right. None of us should be here, and if you all were a little less jealous of each other and a little more focused on taking Naraku down we would never have come here." The young woman glared at the three demons as if daring them to disagree with her. She noticed that the Northern Lord was smiling at her in amusement, but she resisted the impulse to shout at him in front of everyone.

Healo spoke in a sincere tone as he said ", I am glad that you arrived in time to prevent something terrible from happening." He winked as he finished his statement and Kagome narrowed his eyes as she realized that he was right. The situation had been diffused by the time that the miko had arrived on the scene. Still she would never admit that to the Northern Lord. That would only give him the advantage.

Another chapter is done. Sorry if it seems a little rushed but I am at my dad's so I was lucky to be able to write at all. I didn't go into huge detail with the rest of the fighting because I thought that you all understood what was going on. Dodging and deflecting. Also you all probably already realize this but I'll spell it out anyway; Healo felt pain because of his oath to protect Inuyasha. Of course once Inuyasha figures this out he isn't going to feel quite as thankful to his brother for protecting him during all of those years. Let me know how I did, any comments or concerns are desired. Next chapter will be the recovery and will start up more with Kagome. Hope to update as soon as I get back to my regular writing territory on Friday. Please Review!!!