AN: IMPORTANT! First off, my apologies for leaving you hanging for so long, I have been consumed by my (so far unsuccessful) job search (being a college graduate between undergrad and grad school kinda sucks right now). I've also been largely focusing on my original work (which is just about done! :D) and that leads me to the importance of this author's note. I'm getting everything pulled together to start sending my original work into publishers and I was wondering if it would be all right with you guys if I included some of your reviews in my "cover letter" as examples of people enjoying my writing. If you'd rather I didn't I completely understand and please feel free to let me know, either in a review or a PM. Now, as always thank you for your amazing reviews and all your favorites and alerts; you guys never fail to make me smile. On to chapter sixteen!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters.

Kagome became aware of a dull ache in her shoulder as consciousness slowly filtered back to her. She felt warm sunlight painting itself across her upper body and the sounds of the forest floated dimly through the air to her ears. She blinked her eyes open and groaned when they couldn't adjust to the light fast enough. With a soft sigh she began to push herself up only to freeze halfway and suck a sharp breath between clenched teeth. The dull ache from her shoulder had blossomed into a burning pain. Suddenly she felt a large, warm hand on her back and another on her uninjured shoulder gently helping her up into a sitting position.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked quietly. "Are you all right?" He had fallen asleep at some point in his late night vigil and awoke abruptly when he heard the soft gasp. "What happened?"

"My shoulder," Kagome hissed as she clutched at the wounded area. She turned her head to the side and pushed her shirt out of the way. She frowned at the unmarred skin and turned to Inuyasha. "What's going on? My shoulder burns, but there isn't a mark there."

"Don't you remember last night?" Inuyasha asked quietly. A soft snort drew his attention briefly away from his partner to the other occupants of the small room. Everyone else was still deep in the arms of sleep and Inuyasha didn't want to disturb them. "Do you think you could get up? We should talk about this outside, let them get some sleep."

For the first time Kagome turned and glanced around the room. Sango lay only a few feet from her, stretched out on her back. Miroku sat by her side, his head dipping down onto his chest. She felt a small smile tug at her lips when she saw one of Sango's hands clenched tightly between both of Miroku's. She saw the little fox demon, Shippou she thought his name was, curled up in the corner with the small cat demon. An older woman she didn't recognize slept quietly nearby. "Sure," she said at last, reaching out a hand to Inuyasha. "Help me up."

Inuyasha quirked a small smirk at the commanding tone in Kagome's voice but helped her up none-the-less. "All right, let's get out of here," he added as he carefully helped Kagome onto his back. He slipped through the door quietly and took off a ways into the forest. "This should be good," he said as he let Kagome down. "We're still close enough that I can hear them if anything goes wrong, but we won't accidently wake them."

"So what happened?" Kagome asked again.

"What do you remember of last night?" Inuyasha replied.

Kagome frowned and fell silent for a moment, giving herself time to think it over. "I remember the shadows," she answered at last. "And I vaguely remember running for it."

"Yeah," Inuyasha replied with a tired sigh. "When Miroku and I got into the hall back at the manor you and Sango had already been hit. Shippou and that cat demon had come to get us and we ran out after them. Both of you collapsed and became unresponsive. We were surrounded soon after and that old woman got us out of there. She got us back here and took a look at you two," he paused and looked away.

"And?" Kagome prompted after the silence dragged on too long. "Inuyasha, what did she say?"

"She said that you might not make it through the night," he finally said. "She said that the shadows can't attack you physically, but they leave behind a poison when they touch you. She wasn't sure if she got to you in time, that the only way to know for sure was if you were still alive in the morning. She wouldn't say anything else until you and Sango were awake. Or until we found out you were dead."

Kagome was stunned to silence for a moment. That hadn't been the first time she had flirted with death, and she had a feeling it was far from her last, but she had never expected to be as shaken up by it as she was this time. She had stopped caring about her own well-being after a while on her own but somehow, being around these people had made her start to care again. "How bad was it?" she finally managed to ask around a growing lump in her throat.

"Bad," Inuyasha told her, his eyes trained right on her. "You were ice cold and your pulse almost disappeared at one point. I was afraid you wouldn't be here in the morning," he added in a soft voice before he looked away.

Kagome's head jerked up and her eyes widened slightly before a soft smile lit her face. "Thank you," she told the hanyou in front of her as she stepped up and took a hand between both of hers. She squeezed his hand gently and tugged slightly until he turned his attention to her. "Thank you," she repeated. "For worrying about me."

"Yeah, well, you're my partner," Inuyasha replied as he took his hand back and scratched the back of his head. "Besides, someone's gotta worry about you, right?"

"Right," Kagome replied as she fought the blush threatening to cover her cheeks. This wasn't who she was, damn it! She didn't blush like a school girl and let a few words get to her like this! Just when she opened her mouth in what probably would have been a sad attempt at breaking the awkward atmosphere between Inuyasha and herself, a loud and resounding slap, followed by an outraged yell, split the air between them.

"Ouch, even I could hear that," Kagome said with a wince as she looked back towards the small home she and Inuyasha had left only minutes before. "Well, at least we know that Sango's okay."

"Yeah, but Miroku is probably unconscious now," Inuyasha replied as he rolled his eyes. "That pervert needs to learn to keep his hands to himself."

"Like that'll ever happen," Kagome snorted. "The day he learns to behave himself is the day I start wearing pink and worry about chipping a nail."

"I think that would bring about the end of the world," Inuyasha joked.

"Probably," Kagome conceded with a grin. "So, what's say we head back and found out how bad he messed up this time?"

"The sooner the better I think," Inuyasha responded as he crouched low for Kagome to climb onto his back. "No one's there to stop her if Sango goes overboard."

"Run as fast as you can then," Kagome said gravely as Inuyasha hoisted her up. "I just hope we're not too late."

As it turned out, Sango had indeed awoken and, after being groped by Miroku, promptly clocked the monk; effectively knocking him to the ground. Kagome and Inuyasha arrived just in time for the young miko to run up to her friend and stop her from hitting him with her large boomerang, though that did not stop her from yelling obscenities at the fallen monk.

"What the hell, Miroku?" Sango growled. "I was unconscious, possibly dying, and you decided to cop a feel? Seriously?"

"But Sango!" Miroku protested as he stood from the grass, rubbing the large red spot swelling on his cheek. "I only did that to wake you up, I swear!"

"Please," Sango scoffed. "I'm not some gullible, naïve little girl. Save it for someone who'll actually buy that bull."

"Um, are they always like this?" Shippou asked as he made his way cautiously around the arguing pair to Kagome and Inuyasha. "They've been fighting since the exterminator woke up."

"Nah," Inuyasha replied dismissively. "They only fight like this when Miroku does something stupid or perverted, or any combination of both."

"So as long as he remembers to keep his mouth shut and his hands to himself, they get along just fine," Kagome added.

"You people are weird," Shippou commented with a shake of his head.

"Like you're one to talk runt," Inuyasha grunted. "What kind of kitsune hangs around an old witch and a cat demon?"

Shippou shot a look back at Kagome and Inuyasha, a frown on his face. "The kind that lost his family," he replied before dashing off.

"Nice going," Kagome said sarcastically. "Way to make the poor kid feel better."

"How was I supposed to know?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Never mind," Kagome said with a sigh. "Let's just get the two of them apart and find out what's going on here."

It took a few more minutes to get Sango and Miroku to calm down and then a few more minutes to get everyone settled. The old woman had prepared a simple breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon while the fighting was going around her and shoved the platefuls towards her guests once they were all back inside and seated. "Now that you've all returned and calmed down significantly," the old woman began with a pointed look at Sango and Miroku. "I will answer your questions."

"Who are you?" Inuyasha demanded. "We were forced to trust you last night, but that trust is gone unless you explain yourself."

"You're a miko, aren't you?" Kagome asked thoughtfully, her head tilted slightly to the side as she looked at the older woman.

"I was, once," she replied with a twisted smile. "I lost the right to call myself that when I betrayed my art." She sighed once with a shake of her head. "My name is Tsubaki," she said at last. "And at one point I allowed myself to betray my art, and myself. I became a Dark Priestess, obsessed with power and immortality. I obtained an immortal life, but at the cost of eternal beauty. I did things I'm not proud of, things I have spent lifetimes trying to repent for."

"If you were so obsessed, what stopped you?" Sango asked. "Most people don't care once they reach that point."

"You'll forgive me if I keep the details to myself," Tsubaki began. "But it was an encounter with the Priestess whose sword and legacy you now carry," she said as she looked right at Kagome. "Several encounters in fact," she added with a rueful chuckle. "She bested me every time and only got me increasingly enraged with her. I can't say what it was exactly, but suffice it to say that I eventually turned myself around. Though I have lost much of my original power. Now, my life is not what you have come here for," she finished matter of factly. "Would you like me to answer your questions about this village or not?"

"Of course," Miroku replied. "What were those shadows that attacked us? Were they demons?"

"Of course not!" Inuyasha snorted. "I don't smell any youkai at all from the village and Kagome doesn't sense anything either."

"Quiet boy!" Tsubaki snapped. "You're correct that there are no youkai, but you are also young and unaware of the world." She sighed and murmured something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like "irritating young children". "Now, those shadows are the villagers, or at least a part of them," she began. "They are made of all the negative energy within the villagers, drawn out and manipulated by a youkai. If it goes on long enough, the demon can eventually gain control over the person whose negative energy it is manipulating. Unfortunately, that is what has happened here."

"How could one do that from outside the village?" Kagome asked. "Especially since the whole village seems to have been taken over."

"It would take someone on the inside, someone close to everyone in the village that could spread the demon's influence," Tsubaki replied.

"You mean someone that's been possessed?" Inuyasha questioned. "That would explain why I couldn't smell any youkai; a possessed human wouldn't give off a smell. But why wouldn't Kagome sense anything?"

"She is powerful," Tsubaki agreed. "But even a powerful miko can be tricked, her power subdued."

"What do you mean?" Kagome asked. "I'm sure I would have noticed if someone tried to seal me."

"Are you quite sure?" Tsubaki returned. "A sealing doesn't have to be done in an elaborate way. It could just be a simple dulling of the senses; both your physical and spiritual senses. A simple drug could be administered through the food you eat, something you would never notice."

"Wait, are you saying that the headman's daughter has been taken over by a youkai?" Sango asked.

"Smart girl," Tsubaki said with a satisfied nod. "That is exactly what I am saying. She has been the most vocal supporter of the renewal of the sacrifices. Besides, I may not be as powerful as I once was, but even I can sense the evil energies within her."

"So is that what you've been doing here?" Miroku questioned. "Have you been trying to stop this?"

"As a favor to an old friend, I have come here to attempt to put a stop to all of this, but unfortunately my power has not been enough," Tsubaki sighed.

"What about the demon controlling them?" Inuyasha demanded. "Where is the bastard? If we take care of it we'll free the village."

"I cannot say," Tsubaki replied with a shake of her head. "I know the demon resides in the oceans, but I have been unable to locate it. There are many demons within those waters and finding just one proves to be a most difficult task."

"Then how are we supposed to stop this thing?" Inuyasha scoffed. "We can't kill it if we can't find it."

"But we can find it," Sango replied thoughtfully. "There's going to be another sacrifice tomorrow night, right? What if we just follow it out and kill the demon when it surfaces."

"You're talking about using a living, breathing, innocent girl as bait," Kagome said. "This sacrifice isn't just a cartload of fruits or vegetables. We're talking about an actual human being here!"

"I know that," Sango replied. "But there's no other way. Without a clear smell of the youkai, Inuyasha can't track it. If we want to find it we're going to have to follow the next girl out and get to the demon before it gets to her."

"Even if we managed that, we'll be fighting at a disadvantage," Kagome tried to reason. "We'll be trying to kill this thing and protect the girl at the same time."

"Well, what do you suggest?" Sango asked. "Cause I'm not seeing any other alternatives."

"What if I take the next girl's place?" Kagome pondered out loud. "We could ambush her before she gets to the boat that'll take her out and I could take her place. Inuyasha knows my scent so you'll be able to find me and I already know how to fight so we won't be at a disadvantage trying to keep an innocent safe."

"Absolutely not!" Inuyasha practically yelled. "You're not going out there on your own."

"That's not really your choice Inuyasha," Kagome retorted. "Think about it, this is the best way to handle this situation."

"She has a point my friend," Miroku started. He held up his hands in a peaceful gesture and pasted on a wry smile when the hanyou glared at him full force. "I am loathe to place a comrade in danger, but at least with Kagome's plan we won't have to worry about protecting someone else."

"And what if we can't get to her in time?" Inuyasha insisted. "You do realize that you could die, right?" he demanded of Kagome.

"Then don't be late," Kagome replied with an unconcerned shrug of her shoulders. "Besides, I'm not some weak little girl; I can take care of myself until you guys get there."

"I cannot decide if your bravery is a front or if you are really that unconcerned with your own well-being," Tsubaki said with a thoughtful look at Kagome. "If it is the latter, you are far too young to be that jaded."

"Tell that to the world," Kagome retorted. "Everyone is a byproduct of the world they grow up in. Regardless, I'm going through with this."

"Well then, I wish you all luck," Tsubaki replied. "I hope you can succeed where I have failed."

"I'm coming with you!" Shippou suddenly burst out. "Make that we're coming with you," he added when the small cat demon stepped up to his side and meowed.

"And what do you think a young kitsune will be able to do?" Inuyasha asked. "We're already going to be having enough trouble with Kagome's plan; we don't need to be worrying about two small demons as well."

A loud meow brought all attention to the small cat demon as flames engulfed her. Once the fires died down a larger and significantly more powerful version of the cat demon stood in front of the group of four. She bared her fangs in a show of force before sitting back on her haunches and calmly regarding them.

"I'll think you'll find there is much more to Kirara than meets the eye," Tsubaki chuckled. "She has been kind enough to keep me company these long years, but I am sure she wants more excitement than I can offer her."

Kirara mewed once and gently nuzzled Tsubaki before walking right up to Sango and shoving her much larger head under the exterminator's hand. She began to purr contentedly when Sango gently scratched at the cat demon's ears.

"I'd say she has taken to you, Slayer," Tsubaki added. "I assure you, you won't find a more loyal companion on your journeys."

"Are you sure?" Sango asked uncertainly. "I mean, she is yours, right?"

"Mine?" Tsubaki asked with a derisive snort. "Hardly. Kirara is a demon and chooses her own paths. She has stayed with me for nearly two hundred years, but I cannot offer her the excitement or the companionship she desires. I've never been much of a cat person."

"Well, at least we know that the cat can take care of herself," Inuyasha said. "But that still leaves you out runt," he added to Shippou. "We ain't running a babysitting gig here."

"You can either let me go with you or I follow along behind," Shippou insisted stubbornly as he crossed his arms across his small chest. "I'm going no matter what you say."

"What's got you so keen on throwing yourself into this mess, kit?" Inuyasha demanded.

"None of your business!" Shippou yelled stubbornly as he turned away from the group. "All you need to know is that I'm coming with you."

"Shippou," Kagome said as soothingly as possible, even as she shot a warning glare to Inuyasha. "We just don't want to see you get hurt."

"I don't care," Shippou hissed. "That thing killed my parents so I'm gonna be there when it dies! You can't stop me," he added petulantly.

The four Shikon members exchanged a look and sighed almost in unison. "All right," Kagome said at last. "All we ask is that you be careful."

Shippou regarded them all with a wide smile that did nothing to alleviate the uneasiness they felt at taking a child, even a demon child, with them into battle.

The rest of the day was spent checking over weapons and talking strategy. No one was all that happy with Kagome making a target of herself but they couldn't find any alternative. At one point Sango had snuck down to the village, her aura masked by a quick spell from Tsubaki. She found out what she could about the preparations for the sacrifice and reported back that the only way to ambush the real sacrifice would be in the preparation hut before she set out. Once the girl was out of the hut a contingent of villagers would close ranks around her until she reached the boat. Sango quickly described which hut and when the girl would be there before the group settled in for the night.

Early the next morning the group woke up and set out. As they got closer to the village Kagome split off from the group and slipped between the huts until she reached the one she was looking for. It looked much like its neighbors; simple wooden walls and weaved thatch roof. It sat on slight stilts that kept it a foot off the ground. Kagome took a furtive look around and, seeing no one coming, slipped into the small hut and hid behind a thick, dark screen. She had to wait for about an hour before she heard the door open once again, but after quickly incapacitating the girl meant as the sacrifice, she knew there was no going back.

To say Inuyasha was antsy would be a massive understatement. The silver haired, dog eared hanyou couldn't seem to sit still for more than a few seconds at a time and he kept shooting nervous glances back the way they had come. After about five minutes of this behavior everyone else in the group was ready to knock the guy unconscious and find a way through the mission without him.

"Inuyasha, seriously, if you don't stop twitching now I swear on all that is holy and sacred I will beat you over the head with my Hirikotsu and leave you here," Sango ground out between clenched teeth.

"Kagome is fine, she knows how to take care of herself," Miroku added in slightly more sympathetic tones.

Inuyasha spared his companions a quick glare before turning his attention abruptly to the village. "They're on the move," he growled. "They're taking Kagome to the boat."

"Well, that's out cue then," Sango said as she stood from her crouch. "Lead the way then," she added as she motioned for Inuyasha to move in front.

The group of three, plus Shippou and Kirara, stuck to the forests around the village, steadily following after the procession. It wasn't until they hit the water that they ran into a problem.

"Well, you think we would have thought of this," Miroku said, staring out across the expanse of water. He made a vague gesture towards the sparkling, grey-green wet stuff and frowned. "How're we supposed to get across?"

"Don't ask me," Inuyasha groused. "I thought you two were supposed to think of these things!"

"Oh right," Sango began with an exasperated roll of her eyes. "How could I forget? We do all the thinking then point you in the right direction to start tearing down walls and ripping things to shreds."

"Don't mock me slayer," Inuyasha growled back. "I didn't even want to go with this plan in the first place."

"Hey!" Shippou yelled before anyone else could speak. "Geez, you people are worse than me and I'm a kid!" The young fox demon sighed loudly and shook his head. "Look, Kirara and I can get you over the water." As if on cue, the little cat demon transformed into her larger version and trotted over to Sango, nudging her gently. "Kirara can carry two of you and I'll carry the other person."

"How will you do that runt?" Inuyasha demanded. "We're all a lot bigger than you are and I seriously doubt you have the strength to carry us."

Shippou rolled his eyes once again and, with a burst of smoke and a rather loud bang, became a large, floating pink bubble with eyes and odd twiggy arms. "I can carry one of you like this," he said. "Now someone get on and get going!"

The three oldest members of the group shared a brief look before taking positions. Inuyasha leapt up onto Shippou while Sango and Miroku climbed onto Kirara. Without a second to loose they took to the sky, still using Inuyasha's nose to guide them to Kagome.

Kagome herself was getting rather impatient by this point. She had followed the villagers down to shore; keeping her head bowed as a precaution though a thick veil had been draped over her face. They had loaded her onto a boat, taken her far out from the shore and then deposited her in yet another, much smaller single person boat before leaving her out in the middle of the ocean. After about five minutes of waiting a thick fog had begun to settle around her but now, after another fifteen minutes, she was left sitting in a floating piece of wood bored out of her mind. She had long since pulled the veil from her face and torn off the large ceremonial clothing she had thrown on over her own clothes and weapons. Suddenly a loud splash had her jerking her attention to an oncoming wave that threatened to spill her from the boat. Instead of trying to paddle away she grit her teeth and gripped the sides of the boat as tightly as she could. The cold ocean water crashed over her, chilling her to the bone, but she managed to stay upright. After spitting salt water from her mouth and trying to wipe it from her eyes she looked up to find a large black shadow looming over her in the fog.

"So, you're the demon that's been taking those village girls?" Kagome asked, already drawing on some of her spiritual energy.

A loud, harsh laugh was the first reply. "And if I am, little miko?" the demon taunted. "What do you think you can do?"

"Plenty, I'm sure," Kagome growled back as she slowly stood in the boat. "That's why I'm here."

"Really now?" the demon laughed again. "I have yet to be bested. No one has been able to defeat the mighty Weirm! I am master of these seas!"

Kagome watched as the fog around her began to clear to reveal what she could only describe as a giant sea turtle. For a moment she began to wonder if her plan had been the smartest move to make but her thoughts were cut short when a large flipper came crashing towards her. Left with little choice she dove for the ocean only to be caught by a second flipper and sent tumbling in the air.

Well this was certainly a bright idea, she thought to herself as she fell through the air towards the unforgiving dark waters. She found herself too out of breath to really scream but she squeezed her eyes shut in hopes of delaying the inevitable for a few moments longer. When the bone breaking fall into the cold waters never came and the wind stopped whistling by her ears, in fact all sensation of falling seemed to have disappeared, she opened her eyes to see Inuyasha staring concernedly down at her.

"Kagome?" he asked gently. "Are you all right? Can you hear me?"

Kagome blinked once and levered herself up into a sitting position. "Took you long enough to get here," she said with a lopsided smirk. "I thought I was going to have to deal with this all by myself."

"As if you could," Inuyasha teased back with a smirk of his own.

"So, uh, want to explain the big pink blob we're riding on?" Kagome asked as she patted the creature beneath her hand.

"Hey! That tickles," Shippou's voice protested.

"Shippou?" Kagome asked, looking around. "Where are you?"

"You're on him," Inuyasha replied. "The runt was slightly more useful than we thought he'd be. Apparently he can turn into this thing, whatever it is," he added with a gesture to the mass below them.

"I see," Kagome mumbled thoughtfully. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sango and Miroku appear from the fog, riding Kirara. "So what's our battle plan?" she called out.

"I was hoping you'd have something actually," Sango replied sheepishly. "About the only way to fight that thing would be from the air, but that severely limits our options."

"Thinking of ways to kill me, are we?" Weirm laughed harshly as more of the fog dissipated revealing more of the giant sea turtle demon. "Go on then," he dared. "Let's see you try and break through this shell. Once I'm done with all of you I think I'll go destroy that village. I believe I've been lenient with them long enough," he chuckled cruelly again. "Of course I'll start with you though, little miko. You are my sacrifice after all."

"Like hell you will," Inuyasha cried as he drew Tessaiga from the sheath at his hip. Instead of coming out the rusted piece of junk everyone expected, the gleaming silver fang reflected the dying light around them wickedly. Without missing a beat Inuyasha leapt from his place on Shippou and fell towards the demon, his sword raised above his head. "Take this you bastard!" he yelled before slamming the blade down across Weirm's shelled back. A horrible screeching noise, reminiscent of nails on a chalkboard, sounded through the air, but when Inuyasha leapt away to land back on Shippou not even a scratch was left behind.

"What was that boy?" Weirm mocked. "Was that supposed to hurt? Ha! Don't you know anything boy? A turtle's shell is its fortress, nothing can break it!" He laughed loudly once again, though the sound was cut off when Sango's boomerang came tearing through the creature's neck. "Well now, that actually hurt a bit. Not a bad job, slayer," Weirm said as the deep gash began to knit itself back together in front of their eyes. "But I'm afraid you will have to do much better than that."

"Shut up," Kagome snarled as she drew an arrow, aimed her shot and let it fly just as Miroku tossed a handful of sutras. Her arrow struck true, imbedding itself into Weirm's flesh as the spiritual energy she had imbued it with coursed through his body. At the same time, several well thrown sutras plastered themselves in various places only to send sparks of lightning sparking between them and flashing across Weirm's body.

Weirm let out a shriek of pain and disappeared beneath the surf without another word.

"Is that it?" Inuyasha questioned. "That was easier than I thought."

Without warning a huge wave came cascading towards them, only to break over the group and send them spilling into the waters below. The all emerged, coughing and spluttering, and trying their best to tread water with heavy clothing and even heavier weapons. Shippou and Kirara floated up, both utterly exhausted and too bruised to transform and take to the air once again. After a few moments the little cat demon and the kitsune slumped into unconsciousness and Sango and Kagome gathered them into their arms before they could drown.

"Well done, well done little miko, and you as well monk. Though I'm afraid you are in my domain now," Weirm taunted. "And it is time for you to die."

The four conscious members of the group watched in something akin to horror mixed with morbid fascination as Weirm rose from the water looking absolutely no worse for the wear.

"The hell is going on?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Is it not obvious, young half-breed?" Weirm asked. "You are severely outmatched and drastically outclassed. The depths she be your graves, agents of Shikon, and thousands of years will pass before your bodies are found."

"How are we supposed to fight this thing?" Miroku questioned. "Especially from the water? We're only tiring ourselves out faster the longer we're stuck in here."

Another large wave sent the spiraling backwards, finally coming to a stop on a shallow sand dune.

"Not great," Sango began. "But at least we can stand," she added as she pulled herself to her feet.

"Do not think finding footing will change the outcome of this match," Weirm called. "You will all still die."

"Shut up you overgrown, pain in the ass lizard," Inuyasha barked. "The only one dying here is you!" Without another word he raised his sword and sent it slashing down in front of him. Three golden waves of energy went flying for the turtle and clawed their way across any exposed flesh in their path. "Not one word to Sesshomaru that his lessons in sensing the demonic winds actually paid off," Inuyasha growled to his companions. "No need for the arrogant ass to think any more of himself than he already does."

"Better than your first attack boy, but still not enough," Weirm taunted. "None of you have the power you need to kill me, and you never will."

Power, Kagome thought with wide eyes. We need power! Gently, she placed the unconscious Shippou onto the watery sand at her feet and drew her sword. There, towards the hilt and glowing dimly was the bright orange-red gem she had found all months ago. She had yet to make the gem work, despite her nightly practice while the group traveled the long months all the way to the West Coast. But if there ever was a time for you to work, it would be now, she silently pleaded with the gem. Please, please let me give my friends the power we need to beat this thing. For a moment she thought her pleas had gone unanswered, not surprising really since the thing had refused to even glow the entire time she had it, but then a flickering light sparked within it and began to spread along the blade. It almost looked as if ruby flames began to lick along the blade and Kagome felt a smile tug at her lips. Thank you, she thought and was surprised when a warm feeling, almost like the whisper of acceptance, brush through her mind. "Well, here's hoping this works," she said aloud and, acting on pure instinct she drove the blade into the sand at her feet. The flames immediately spread along the sand to swirl around the feet of each of the four conscious Shikon agents.

"Whoa!" Miroku cried as he leapt back a pace, only to have to flames follow him and lick around his feet once more. "What is this?"

"I finally got the fire gem to work, I guess," Kagome called back. "Don't fight it, and you should feel a power boost. Just finish this quick guy, the longer this drags out the more energy we burn."

"Then I'm thinking we all throw everything we've got into a last attack," Inuyasha said. "If we all hit him hard, he should go down."

"Wait," Kagome replied with a hand to her head. "I think I feel something, something in him," she added with a gesture to Weirm. She jerked her head up and began raking her eyes over the large sea creature. "There!" she called, pointing to the center of his forehead. "There's something in there!"

"What is it?" Sango asked.

"Dunno," Kagome replied. "But aim your attacks for dead center of his forehead; that should take him down."

The four friends nodded to each other and readied their weapons. Sango had Hirikotsu loose and spinning, already picking up speed much quicker than normal. Inuyasha had Tessaiga ready in front of him, his eyes seemingly tracing a line only he could see. Miroku pulled out several sutras that he held tightly in both hands. Finally, Kagome nocked and drew another arrow, lining up her shot in the same move.

"You think you're puny weapons can hurt me?" Weirm chortled. "Haven't we been through this already? Fine, I shall humor you one last time, but then be prepared to become a fine appetizer to the meal I have in store from that village."

"Now!" Inuyasha yelled. He swung his blade down once again, letting loose the three golden claws of light. Kagome's arrow, glowing a bright and burning pink, fell in right behind them. Miroku's sutras flew through the air, tumbling and twirling around Sango's spinning Hirikotsu.

Weirm merely laughed mockingly as all four weapons came flying towards him, believing that nothing was going to happen. He was surprised, however, when they all came slamming home at the center of his forehead, knocking the source of his power loose. Almost immediately he felt his body beginning to break down due to the combined power in their attacks. "This can't be happening! I am invincible!" he yelled. "The gem insured it!"

"Gem?" Kagome asked, panting slightly as she released the power if the fire gem. The fires swirling around their feet went out immediately but left the four friends feeling drained and tired. "What are you talking about?" she demanded a little more forcefully once she had gotten more air into her lungs.

"A miko like you should know," Weirm snarled as more of his body crumbled away behind him. "I see it now; you carry one of them already, in that blade of yours."

"Of course," Kagome said as if it were obvious, a light of understanding flowing into her eyes. "I can sense it now, now that it's free of your youkai. You had the water gem!" She closed her eyes for a moment, her head turning slightly from side to side, before they flew open and she went running off to her left. She dove into the cold waters without a second's hesitation and emerged a moment later, a deep green-blue gem clutched tightly in her fist. "Two down, two to go," she told her friends as she pulled herself back onto the sand dune. "I just don't understand why I couldn't sense this from the beginning," she added with a frown.

"Stupid girl!" Weirm growled. "Did you really think I wasn't aware of you the moment you stepped foot in this village? You didn't sense the gem because I didn't want you to! I had the villagers keep your senses dulled from the very beginning! And master Naraku gave me the power I did not have to hide the gem from you even further," he added smugly.

"Naraku?" Inuyasha asked. "Who the hell is that? Some wannabe demon lord?"

"Hold your tongue brat," Weirm hissed. "He is the one that will bring demons back to their former glory. He will destroy that pathetic compound you call home and he will tear apart those weakening barriers that keep us locked in this prison." Weirm chuckled maliciously even as more of his body was eaten away. "You may have two gems now, but I assure you, you won't find the other two. I am only one of many of Master's servants. You are nothing but insignificant flies to one such as him. If anything, my death here will only alert him to who you are, if he doesn't already know!" Weirm continued to laugh, a hysterical and evil edge to it, until his body completely broke down and dispersed in the wind as nothing more than dark grey ash.

"We need to get back," Miroku said, genuine worry in his voice. "Kaede needs to know about this."

"I'm with you there monk," Inuyasha agreed. "The sooner we can leave this place, the better."

AN2: So, I was tempted to stop this chapter after Kagome snuck into the hut but then I thought that I'd kept you guys waiting for this update for almost two months and you deserved more than that so I kept writing until the end of this arc. Well, two gems down and, after sixteen chapters, we finally get to the main bad guy (even if he hasn't made an appearance yet himself). I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to leave me a review to tell me what you think :)