Chapter Forty: The Dog Demon's Soul

A/N: Edited on 9/12/15

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes and gripped Tensegia's hilt. It was the feeling before any battle, the tension. Sesshomaru watched as the others readied for the battle that was now inevitable.

"My Lord?" Jaken asked. Sesshomaru looked down at his servant. "Rin has led many villagers to safety as you wished."

"It was not this Sesshomaru's wish. It was the priestess's."

"Rin is safe Sesshomaru." The priestess looked in his direction. "I know how much you care for her." Sesshomaru hissed too softly for anyone to hear.

"Kagome, are you sure you want to do this?" The exterminator asked the young priestess.

"I'm sure Sango. I love InuYasha."

Sesshomaru fidgeted his nose, that was the first time he heard the human priestess say her feelings about the half-demon so bluntly. Usually they both turned away rather red, or embarrassed when they tried to express feelings toward one another. This time she said it like any other phrase. Inuhidoi had brought out her true feeling out and had gotten rid of her embarrassment.

"Kouga, can you fight?" The monk asked the injured wolf.

"Yea, let me get these bandages tight." Was the response.

Sesshomaru felt Tensegia shake under his palm. He was coming, slowly. Sesshomaru closed his eyes. Did he really want the half-demon back? Part of him wanted InuYasha to break, so he could fight this half-God himself. The other part, maybe the part Rin opened in the Demon Lord, wanted to save his brother.

The night air suffocated the last ray of the sun. The moonless night was upon them. Sesshomaru eyed the sky. What effect would InuYasha's human night have on the half-God? Would it decrease his demonic power, or do nothing at all?

Tensegia shook more violently as the floating Tessaiga came up to Sesshomaru's right. Sesshomaru eyed the fang. How was it doing that? Sesshomaru thought it was the sword itself fighting, but Tessaiga was not a living creature. It was a fang. It wasn't alive, but it did represent something. InuYasha's soul.

"Ah…more then anything, did I want to see the great fang do something so wonderful." Sesshomaru turned to his shoulder to find the small flea there. "Lord Sesshomaru, I would like to ask, why did you give the young girl your Tensegia?"

"This Sesshomaru has no answer for you."

"I see." The old flea jumped onto Tessaiga's hilt and jumped about. "Lord InuYasha…"

Sesshomaru would rather not ponder over the upcoming battle since it was coming fast.

"Flea?"

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Is Tokijin repairable after this is accounted for?"

"If Totosai wouldn't mind." Myoga answered.

Sesshomaru knew Totosai would mind since it was forged from an evil sword smith. Though Sesshomaru would have no patient with the old geezer, he would fix Tokijin.

Sesshomaru approached the edge of the woods and glared at the smoking flames in the dark. Most of it had died down, but a few flares still poked out of the trees, almost like it was trying to stay alive.

"I'm done." The wolf came out of the hut, still limping, but his legs looked in decent shape. It was still strange to Sesshomaru, that fake power such as the jewel shards still possessed the power to heal as fast as he. It bothered the Demon Lord greatly, but the wolf's 'fake' power was still better then none. He would still be useful against Inuhidoi.

The priestess hitched her new bow and arrows; she grasped something from her unusual colored bag and held it tightly to her chest. Sesshomaru sniffed, it had no scent for what ever it was.

"Kirara, are you sure?" The exterminator asked her demon cat. The demon cat nodded her large head, and purred in her owners face. The demon cat was ready for a battle against a deep friend.

"Sango…" The monk came up behind the young women and pulled her shoulder. She looked up and their lips met again. Sesshomaru felt the great temptation of turning away. It was either a good luck kiss or a goodbye kiss.

The priestess looked the most troubled, as the wolf came up and put his hand on her shoulder. "Kagome I need you with us, you're the only one who can get through to mut-InuYasha."

"Thanks Kouga." The priestess smiled at him, Sesshomaru was thinking she was going to kiss the wolf, but she turned her head. "I just hope I…" Tears poured down her face as she clutched her arrows. "I love him."

"Don't worry Kagome, we'll get the old InuYasha back." The young fox demon said. "He's with us, using Tessaiga."

Sesshomaru turned to the floating fang again. It still hadn't moved from its position next to him, just floating…waiting.

Sesshomaru snapped around, Inuhidoi was close. The dark aura coming through the trees reeked of him. Tessaiga snapped up violently and then swung around, hiding behind the hut. Sesshomaru watched the fang in confusion.

"The element of surprise Lord Sesshomaru. The element of surprise." The old flea said.

Sesshomaru ignored the flea, and turned to face his true enemy. The priestess and wolf stood straight, ready for him to show. The monk and exterminator had hopped onto the demon cat's back, and she was now about ten feet in the air. The wolf's pack had gone with Rin as instructed to protect the villagers with Ah-Un. The fox demon actually stayed on the priestess's shoulder, more determination on his small face then Sesshomaru had ever seen on the child.

Sesshomaru could feel the wind intensify as Inuhidoi's aura came closer. Everyone faced the woods, ready.

The movement came slow; Inuhidoi was not trying to surprise them. He came out in full view.

InuYasha stood there nine feet taller, and portrayed in jet-black armor. Sesshomaru looked at what used to be his brother. The black armor stuck out in places and it was covered in shiny black scales portraying the layer protecting anything from piercing to his body. His hair was still silver, but it looked rather stiff. His eyes were red, creating fear in any opponent. Sesshomaru also saw that InuYasha's dog ears had completely gone. Instead they looked like the his ears, sharp and pointy on either side of his head. On his cheeks were the four black stripes snakelike across his face. The two black dragon-like wings measured a good forty feet from tip to tip. Three talons were on each wing, the poison leaking off them.

"Inuhidoi." Sesshomaru glared coldly. Tensegia shook more and faster, Sesshomaru gripped it tightly to prevent it from falling from his side.

"Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru stepped up in front of the priestess and wolf. He glared at the two.

"He's mine." With that Sesshomaru ripped out Tensegia and ran straight towards the half-God. In one graceful movement he swung the healing sword, but Inuhidoi dodged. Cursing, Sesshomaru's feet connected with a tree and bounced off. Again he aimed for the armored chest.

"Sesshomaru, when are you going to learn?"

"This Sesshomaru needs to learn nothing from the likes of you!" Sesshomaru hissed and swung again, this time clipping Inuhidoi's cheek.

"InuYasha!" The priestess cried. The wolf growled and stepped in front of the girl.

"I don't what the fuck you are, but whatever you've done to mut—InuYasha. You'll pay." Kouga cracked his claws and ran with his unnatural speed ran towards the two. Jumping, he twirled in the air, almost landing a square kick on Inuhidoi's right wing, but it moved just in time to avoid the strong kick. "Damn." The wolf hissed as he landed not to far away.

"Inuhidoi, this is your last stand!" The exterminator yelled. "HIRAIKOTSU!" The boomerang came flying in Sesshomaru's direction and as he dodged the bone, it hit Inuhidoi's armor, bouncing off harmlessly. It still made it back into the exterminator's hand.

Sesshomaru turned around, gripping the hilt of Tensegia more tightly and jumped up. Using his flight he shot towards the unexpected half-God, aiming for his right wing.

"Pathetic…"

Sesshomaru felt anger shot through him as he swung the Tensegia and cut right through the wing. Sesshomaru realized that was not Inuhidoi's soul and it had done nothing.

"Damn." Sesshomaru cursed. The Demon Lord darted his eyes. Where was Tessaiga? Why the hell was it hiding? The wolf had just made another move, but the wing had slammed into his side sending him crashing into the ground. Luckily he was not poisoned.

"Sacred Sutras!" The monk let a few paper spells fly from his hand, the blue glow leaked off the fabric as it hit the dragon armor as well. All three of them turned to dust and slowly sprinkled to the ground.

"Lord Sesshomaru, you must not kill him!" The flea begged from Jaken's shoulder.

"This Sesshomaru sees no other choice." Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. He lunged slamming his smaller body into Inuhidoi, sending the half-God off balance, or at least Sesshomaru thought he did. A huge hand grabbed his face and Sesshomaru tasted dirt. Tensegia fell out of his hand.

"Let your brother go InuYasha!" The priestess screamed. She pulled out an arrow, but aimed it directly to InuYasha's right and let it go. The pink arrow shot right past the half-God's face and ended up in the tree right behind them. Sesshomaru took advantage of the distraction and pulled out of Inuhidoi's grip and swung his poison claws into InuYasha's cheek.

The poison met the acid-like blood, and Sesshomaru was forced to withdraw his hand and jump away. Sesshomaru darted just as the red blades were about to hit his flank and poison him.

"Priestess…"

"I'm, not scared of you Inuhidoi!" The priestess screamed with all her strength. She had hitched another arrow. "I know InuYasha is still there!"

"The why don't I hear him anymore?"

Sesshomaru froze; did that mean InuYasha had broken? No, how could Tessaiga move on its own if that were the case?

"Inuhidoi, your lies don't deceive us." The exterminator snapped. The demon cat growled in anger.

"I'm afraid God's don't lie."

"And you are only half-God." The monk narrowed his eyes. "Demons and humans have quiet a talent for lying and your mother was a demon."

"I suppose the flea told you this, eh?"

Sesshomaru turned to Jaken where the flea's eyes had grown big and ducked behind the toad demon's big ear.

"I'm not here!" Came the small voice of the old flea.

"Asshole, your not paying attention!" The wolf yelled, this time he moved with such extreme speed Sesshomaru saw him only as a blur when he sank his foot into Inuhidoi's face.

Inuhidoi didn't seem to be affected; instead he grabbed hold of the wolf demon's ankle and threw him in the other direction.

"Don't try to hit me with such pathetic powers."

"Then taste this!" Sango shouted. She strapped her mask on her face. "Sesshomaru hold your nose!" She threw the small beads Sesshomaru had seen her use earlier, and held his nose and jumped away. The blue smoke covered his eyes, and they began to water. Sesshomaru held his hand over his face and jumped behind the priestess.

"Wish she had warned this Sesshomaru earlier." Sesshomaru scoffed. The blue smoke covered the clearing and the wolf came coughing as he stumbled out.

"Shit! Cough! What the fuck is this stuff!?"

Suddenly the smoke dispersed and vanished into the thin air. Inuhidoi pulled his wings back straight from his back, his nose was slightly wrinkled.

"Damn, he used his wings to create a powerful wind." The exterminator cursed.

"InuYasha! InuYasha!" The priestess screamed over and over again. "Please fight him!"

"He can't hear you priestess."

"Yes he can!" The priestess screamed back.

"There is no point in arguing Kagome!" The wolf yelled. "We just got to kill him!"

"No! No!"

"Priestess, be silent." Sesshomaru glared at her; obviously she was losing any sense she had before.

"Sesshomaru I will enjoy watching you die."

Sesshomaru snapped up just in time to dodge a fatal blow as Inuhidoi moved form one spot to another just as fast as the wolf.

"This Sesshomaru has no interest in dying." Sesshomaru hissed. He pulled around and charged, his eyes bloodshot red and jumped up. His poison whip was unleashed as it hit both wings, but Inuhidoi's claws sank through his armor sinking into his chest.

"Damn you!" Sesshomaru growled and swung a mighty fist shoving the deadly force into Inuhidoi's wind pipe. It had some effect because Sesshomaru felt the hand pull slightly out of his chest, which was all he needed.

Sesshomaru felt his demonic shot up and felt the enormous three paws of his true form. Inuhidoi had been given time to change into his dragon last time they fought, but not this time. Sesshomaru shot his fangs down and sank all of his teeth into the small half-God. He felt the acid blood, but ignored it as it traveled deep into his gums and onto his tongue. Sesshomaru shook his head with ferocity and let the confused thing go.

Inuhidoi was sent crashing into the trees with one of his wings looking broken. Sesshomaru narrowed his large eyes and stepped forward for the kill, when the demon cat flew up and blocked his path.

"Sesshomaru stop!" The monk cried. The exterminator's eyes were wide as she stared at him. "Please there has to be another…"

"KIRARA!" The exterminator cried. Sesshomaru looked in front of him. The black dragon was there, again. That got the two humans and demon cat out of the way.

Sesshomaru barred his fangs and looked at the dragon dead in the eye, this time he would not be so taken advantage of. He waited for Inuhidoi's first move, which he made. The dragon came floating in a snake-like crawling fashion and opened its enormous jaws.

Sesshomaru jerked under the dragon's stomach and sank his fangs into one of its huge wings. The dragon let out a ear splitting roar and he felt the jaws clamp down on his neck. That was when Sesshomaru's world went black.

(-)_(-)

InuYasha watched as his brother's huge dog form went limp in his own jaws. So it was this that Inuhidoi was truly made of. Seeing thru Tessaiga, InuYasha had finally gotten to see what his body had truly become.

The huge dog in his jaws released Inuhidoi's wing and began to shrink, InuYasha felt his body shrink with Sesshomaru. Seeing thru Tessaiga, Inuhidoi and Sesshomaru were both back in their human forms and Inuhidoi had Sesshomaru's neck in his jaws.

"Disgusting." Inuhidoi spat Sesshomaru out and his brother slumped to the ground, not moving.

"MY LORD!" InuYasha heard Jaken scream. InuYasha for the first time felt complete sorrow for his brother.

"Sesshomaru…"

"Your still there, hue?"

Shit, InuYasha went silent again. He could see the horror in Kouga's and Kagome's faces. Sango and Miroku were behind him, so he couldn't see them. He was pretty sure they had the same face.

Tessaiga, I need you now. InuYasha felt his anger shot through his mind for Sesshomaru. Even though Sesshomaru still clung to life, it still made InuYasha furious.

"Damn you…"

InuYasha squeezed his mind shut, and felt Tessaiga intensify in energy. He felt Tessaiga shot forward and Inuhidoi's wings came into view, InuYasha made sure there was no mercy. He forced Tessaiga go as fast as he could go. Inuhidoi saw the sword, but he saw it too late. InuYasha felt Tessaiga collide with Inuhidoi's left wing, sending pain shooting all over his body.

"Ugh…damn you!"

Inuhidoi grasped the root of his left wing, that only made InuYasha burn more heat into Tessaiga. He made the fang jerk widely in the open wound, making Inuhidoi drop to his knees in pain.

"Die you son of a bitch!" InuYasha felt every corner of his mind focus on killing; he felt the wild temptation of when he was transformed. Even though he felt the human emotions run through his head, it was anger that really burned. InuYasha wanted to kill, for the first time; he wanted to kill without mercy.

InuYasha felt Inuhidoi weaken so badly InuYasha took advantage of weakness and felt every scent come blasting though as his body became his once more. Though when returning, Tessaiga lost connection. InuYasha felt the intense pain shooting through his wing which made him cry out.

"Ugh!"

InuYasha opened his eyes. Sesshomaru was conscious holding his neck, his eyes blood shot red. InuYasha watched as Tessaiga ripped more through his wing, sending throbbing pain so intense InuYasha thought he would black out.

"Lord InuYasha, the Dog Demon Soul!"

InuYasha barley heard Myoga, but it brought back his connection with his fang. InuYasha narrowed his eyes and grabbed Tessaiga's hilt. InuYasha felt the rejection shot up his arm and felt the hot tears come down his face. He used the fang to stand up; the wounded wing sagged just as much as his uninjured wing.

"InuYasha, I know you can…" Kagome's voice was drowned in the crackling of Tessaiga. I can, I have too. InuYasha opened his eyes. Tessaiga was burning his hand, and began to expand shooting through his chest. InuYasha felt the blood leak from his mouth.

"LORD INUYASHA, YOU MUST DO IT NOW!" Myoga yelled.

InuYasha felt everything spin inside his head. Biting Kagome, from poisoning Sango, for hurting Sesshomaru, and by killing his mother. He felt the uncontrollable anger shot through his head. He was a demon, his soul was in rage. He wanted to kill Inuhidoi; he wanted the half-God to suffer.

InuYasha gripped the hilt of Tessaiga harder and swung it over his head. The sweat, the injuries were all being pushed back to his mind as he focused on the power of his fang.

"Father please…" InuYasha gasped. His voice…

"INUYASHA!" Kagome screamed.

InuYasha could feel her touch his skin. InuYasha felt Tessaiga shudder in his hands and become lighter, though the burning into his arms didn't stop.

"HALF-DEMON!"

InuYasha could feel Inuhidoi come up, but he felt the uncontrollable rage push the filthy soul back down.

"No Inuhidoi, this is not your body anymore. It is mine!" InuYasha surged Tessaiga over his head and felt it shake violently.

"Tessaiga is turning blue!" Sango cried.

InuYasha shut his eyes, feeling the pain spread and the numbness beginning to surface. He felt the hissing in his ears as it grew louder. InuYasha opened his eyes and felt his body slightly heave.

"DOG DEMON SOUL!"

InuYasha slammed the fang down. The whole fang had become light blue and then there was sudden white flash. InuYasha released Tessaiga and covered his eyes, just before Inuhidoi had taken back over.

"SHIT!"

InuYasha crumbled back into his head, as he felt Inuhidoi's wings beat frantically. He was running, but from what?

A sudden blue light showered the sky, like someone had split the sky with one slash. The blue light made the night day, and everyone covered their eyes.

"The Dog Demon Soul." Myoga said.

Sesshomaru looked up, to see many red eyes peer from the blue split in the sky. Then dogs, hundreds of huge dog demons came bursting out with great speed as the charged, straight for Inuhidoi.

"Father…" Sesshomaru saw the lead dog. It was him, The Great Dog Demon Lord. The great dog bared his fangs and the others followed suite.

"Everyone let's get the hell out of here!" Kouga cried. He picked up Kagome and started to run the other way.

"No Kouga stop!" Kagome cried.

InuYasha watched as the dogs descended towards him. What had he done?

"Fuck!"

Inuhidoi shot into the sky like lighting, beating his wings rapidly. Even though one was injured it wasn't slowing him down.

The dogs were faster, InuYasha watched as the first one came up over him. InuYasha could've sworn it was Sesshomaru, but something was different. Father?

"You think you can still defeat me you dead Lord!?"

InuYasha watched as the dogs all charged in one great motion, he felt a violent jerk as all the souls of dog demons surged into his body. InuYasha felt them bombard his body.

"YOU THINK…!?"

InuYasha didn't hear the rest of Inuhidoi's sentence he felt a wrenching sound as his breathe once more became his. Then he felt his whole body snap back and a horrid scream pierced the air as a dark cloud burst out of InuYasha's chest.

The soul of a black dragon came shooting out. As InuYasha felt his body become his, he opened his eyes and saw all of them. The dog demon souls had surrounded the black dragon spinning in rapid circles around him. InuYasha watched as the white light shot through the sky, and Inuhidoi's scream was nothing more. InuYasha felt his body surge backwards and he began to fall from the sky.

"Brother!" Sesshomaru's voice and arm was the last thing InuYasha heard or felt before his world went black.