The night was at its zenith, its gloom smothering the sky and acting as a catalyst for the chill that now surrounded Sesshomaru's castle. As the sun went down, the temperature in and around the castle dropped yet another ten degrees. Freezing the extremities and numbing the skin.

Sesshomaru's castle demons huddled together morosely, trying to capture and keep the little warmth their bodies produced. Their imprisonment had not changed, and the hope of those trapped was fading the longer their situation persisted. No other demons had attempted a deadly run at the domed barrier, but the thought had crossed more than one demon's mind.

A large portion of the castle had been destroyed by the Bakusaiga blast, and so the demons had been forced to move to the burnt and blackened structures of the buildings still standing for shelter.

Every demon looked to their lord for salvation, but so far no successful plan had been forthcoming. Sesshomaru remained technically outside, amongst the castle ruins that he had created. Smoke from multiple small fires swirled about the dome, escape hampered by the suffocating barrier.

Sesshomaru was in bad shape, perhaps the worst shape he had ever been in. The hit from Bakusaiga had damaged his back and ribs significantly, to the point where the flesh was ripped, red and lacerated. The back of his clothing resembled scraps.

Sesshomaru could heal himself, but his own sword's ability to prevent regeneration seemed to be slowing his own healing process. Despite this, he could feel his body dragging itself back together, slowly, minute by minute. Sesshomaru felt shaken and weak, but he barely noticed. His attention was monopolised solely by Kikyo, who was fighting an entirely different injury.

The longer they were entrapped, the more spiritual energy she had used, the stiffer and more clay-like her enchanted body had become, not helped by the Bakusaiga blow that had sent her falling backwards hard and released more souls than usual. Her skin began, hour by hour, to take on a rough and hard quality. Kikyo did not verbalise her distress, unwilling to show weakness, but her despair and trepidation were clear to see as she moved gingerly around the ruins.

It was not only Sesshomaru who was desperate to alleviate Kikyo's predicament. The priestesses' soul collectors were just as frantic, some blatantly sacrificing themselves by flying at the barrier, in a weak hope that they may be lucky and push through.

Seeing her soul collectors futile attempts, Kikyo called them to her, her delicate arm raised to beckon them over. She whispered to the flying reptiles soothingly. "No my soul collectors, it is no good. You won't be able to bring me souls, not until we find a way to escape," Kikyo said. Her soul collectors circled her anxiously, discomforted.

With a sudden cry of dismay, Kikyo began to fall to the ground, her legs no longer functioning as they should. Sesshomaru managed to snatch her up before she fell, and he did not let her go, but knelt down and held Kikyo closer to him, feeling under his claws how unyielding her flesh had become.

Sesshomaru felt responsible for Kikyo's situation. She had warned him not to rush and use Bakusaiga's full force. Had he listened, Kikyo would not have been knocked back so brutally, and she would not have lost her souls, so many souls so quickly. He had exacerbated the danger tenfold for her, and reduced what limited time they had to free themselves before chaos reigned.

The parts of Kikyo that were still flesh-like quivered in Sesshomaru's arms. Her brown eyes were wide with fear and her lips were shaking. Sesshomaru had never seen Kikyo like this.

"I can feel it, my body changing…the souls leaving," Kikyo whispered, looking down at her hands, still nestled against Sesshomaru's chest. The pads of her fingers were rough and grainy. "My hands…they are almost completely reverted to clay."

Her eyes looked agonised, and a single tear dropped down her porcelain cheek. "I don't want to return to the way I was on the hillside. I …I couldn't move my head…I couldn't even blink," Kikyo said, the memory of it a fresh horror in her mind.

Sesshomaru's heart lurched with pity, and he held Kikyo tightly. "Try and stay calm Kikyo, I'll protect you until we get out of this trap. Once we are out, our enemies will pay gravely for this trick," Sesshomaru growled, his eyes intermittently flashing between white and red. Seeing Kikyo so vulnerable, and being so powerless to help her, was a new experience that Sesshomaru never wanted to feel again.

Sesshomaru unconsciously cradled Kikyo's head, pressing her close to his chest so she could absorb some of his warmth to fight against the persistent cold, his silver hair a waterfall around her head, blocking her view from the destruction outside.

The demons taking shelter in the remains of the castle watched their master glumly. But Sesshomaru did not care. In this dire situation with hope of escape eroding with every moment, Sesshomaru was finding it harder and harder to conceal his feelings for the priestess. Danger, real danger to them both, was chipping away at his composure, and the need to comfort the woman in his arms was becoming greater.

"Sesshomaru," Kikyo was looking up at him now with hooded eyes, her cheek against his chest. He glances down at her and his heart constricted to see such a beautiful face in so much pain.

"Hm?"

Kikyo's eyes were half lidded, her black lashes thick and long against the white of her skin.

"Last night, you said I wasn't a monster and you called me beautiful. Did you mean it?"

Sesshomaru was taken aback that she would want to discuss such a thing now. In that one sentence he had revealed his attraction and administration for her. Once a feeling like that became known, that knowledge could not be undone. He had half hoped she would never mention it. For where would that acknowledgement lead? To rejection? Sesshomaru had never been rejected by a woman before. He was not a demon who coveted the company of women... Well, anyone's company really. And he had never been in love before, the only love he had experienced was the love he had for Rin, the love of a father to a daughter. If he was rejected by Kikyo, he had no idea how this would impact him, or impact their rather tenuous relationship.

If Kikyo insinuated that she too has feelings for him, that his countenance stirred romantic thoughts in her ..that was a door of possibility and consequence that he could barely comprehend.

But he could not take back his words, now that she had asked him, for he had spoken the truth. To him Kikyo was beautiful, the most exquisite woman he had ever seen. She was a troubled woman who sometimes had a hard, business-like countenance...And yet she could also be unalterably kind and thoughtful. Now, something in their relationship had shifted, shifted even more securely now that he held her so intimately in his arms.

"Yes," he admitted gruffly and reluctantly, avoiding her gaze.

"Look at me," Kikyo breathed. Sesshomaru's topaz eyes were drawn down to the priestesses face. Kikyo was smiling up at him sweetly, and genuinely looked happier than he had ever seen her look. Sesshomaru's heart froze and he wondered what would happen next. Should he kiss her? The thought planted itself firmly in his mind and he began to lean down slowly, oblivious to the castle demons watching.

Before his lips could get close to touching Kikyo's, Kikyo gave an odd lurch in his arms, and another soul escaped from her body, whooshing past Sesshomaru and into the sky like a glowing lantern. The priestess gave a gasp of fear and tried to move her arm, but its ability to be moved had been stopped, and instead it lay there uselessly.

All signs of happiness fell from Kikyo's face and another tear fell from her eyes, rolling down her cheek and into her raven hair.

"Look, I can't move my arm!" Kikyo said helplessly, "I-I can't move my arm." She looked frail and frightened, the panic rising like a wave.

Anger began to build inside Sesshomaru's chest, and his golden eyes began to bleed red. Kikyo did not deserve this torment, it was a torture Hokai, Tsumetai and Mikata must have been aware of and relished in the knowledge of.

"They will pay for what they have done to you. All three of them are cowards, using this vile trickery and magic to intertwine their demonic energy like…like," Sesshomaru trailed off, thinking…

The trio clearly had a gage on Sesshomaru's power and on Kikyo's, an awareness they had used to with devastating efficiency. So why did he and Kikyo, and all the other demons standing idly by, try the same approach? After all, barriers were only as powerful as the demons that created them.

"What is it?" Kikyo asked faintly, noticing Sesshomaru's sudden silence. Sesshomaru clutched Kikyo tightly, an epiphany forming.

"Their powers are combined, even that disgusting insect Hokai. If we are to get out of this…We must combine our own."

Kikyo looked tired and confused. "What do you mean?"

Sesshomaru gave Kikyo a strangely calm, intense look. "We attack the barrier at the same time."

Kikyo mulled over his words, nodding slowly. "Yes, you're right, it might be our last chance," she said. Kikyo stiffly heaved herself upright, Sesshomaru's clawed hand supporting the small of her back. Kikyo tried to pick up her bow, but her stiff limbs protested, so Sesshomaru glided off and retrieved her bow for her, placing the bow and a single arrow in her frozen finger joints.

"I'm not sure I can do this," Kikyo said anxiously, looking at her own rigid grasp.

Sesshomaru stood beside her and brushed a silken thread of hair away from Kikyo's face, making her shiver. If this did not work, Kikyo would likely sink into her world of clay. Unseeing, incapable of movement. Would she be able to come back if this happened?

"Try," he said gently, unsheathing his sword and positioning himself next to her. "You chose where to aim Kikyo, I will follow your lead," Sesshomaru said, lacking his usual dominance. He turned imperiously to the scrum of demons fringing the castle ruins. "Jaken, come here," Sesshomaru ordered. He had not shouted the command but Jaken, who was never far away, scampered forward.

"Jaken, we are simultaneously attacking the barrier, I want every demon here doing the same."

"Yes mi'lord. What about the priestess? Should we push her into the barrier and see what happens?" Jaken suggested hopefully.

"Don't be foolish," Sesshomaru said.

"Err.. yes mi'lord, I will wait for your signal then." The little toad had a look of stalwart trust, absolute faith that his master would save him. Jaken ran back to the gathering demons, hollering Sesshomaru's instructions.

Sesshomaru turned his attention to the barrier, Bakusaiga held loosely in his claw. Sesshomaru met Kikyo's eyes, his expression grim with anticipation. With a creak and a groan, Kikyo lifted her heavy arms and aimed her bow for a final time at the insufferable barrier above them. Sesshomaru's gilt eyes were fixed on her, poised to move when she moved.

Kikyo's eyes flashed as she let her arrow fly, lit with her holy violet glow. As fast as lightning, Sesshomaru had sent a massive force of yokai after her arrow, fizzing and crackling in the arrows wake. Seeing their masters attack, the demons of the castle ran forth, and those that could use magic began hurling fire balls, lightning assaults and torrents of water at the barrier. The less magically inclined demons threw knives and swords at the barrier, screaming with fury and desperation.

Kikyo's arrow pierced a small hole in the barrier. Before the barrier could seal itself, it was hammered open further by Sesshomaru's attack, until a large gouge of black sky was visible.

The barrier began to melt and deflate like a trembling balloon under the pressure of so many attacks. The tide of muted blue tried to climb the sky, to repair itself, but the onslaught was too great. Every trapped demon threw what strength they had remaining at the barrier, until the barrier was overwhelmed.

Kikyo's bow dropped from her hands and she began to fall as the barrier broke down around them, pieces of spiders webs and ice littering the already destroyed castle. Sesshomaru caught Kikyo before she hit the floor, protecting her from the slabs of ice now raining down on them. The demons around them, seeing that they were finally free, began to cheer in celebration.

Sesshomaru did not rejoice, not even inwardly. Kikyo's body was stiffer than ever in Sesshomaru's arms. "It's over," Sesshomaru reassured Kikyo, the ghost of a smile on his striped face.

But their relief was short-lived. As the dust faded, and as the barrier disappeared around them, a surge of spiders swarming towards them was revealed in the distance. The spiders converged on them, ready to attack.

"Maybe not quite over yet" Kikyo said in dejected voice, feeling her shoulders morphing into clay.