As the whole castle and the mountain began to tremble and break apart, the group outside ran quickly for cover.
"Rin!" Yuki called, pushing the child onto A-Un as the girl started to fall behind. "Quick, Jaken!"
The imp demon hurried to keep up as they ran away, escaping the collapsing mountain, when the ground below suddenly began to split and break before them.
"What is that?" Yuki gasped, before running to group up with the others as they all stood clustered on what had been the valley ground.
"Oh no, this is trouble." Saya said worriedly. "So'unga's opened the gate to hell!"
"What happens when they're open?" Sango asked worriedly, and Totosai explained grimly as he stared up into the distance: "The boundary between the living and the dead disappears. We'll all end up dead."
Yuki looked to see the headless figure that was apparently So'unga's new form, looking like a battle warrior with only one arm that was welded into the sword itself.
"Oh no!" Kagome gasped, while Myoga reminded them: "Remember, So'unga is the sword that's from the Netherworld."
"While Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga waste time exchanging blows with one another, So'unga is trying to absorb this entire world into hell!"
"What?!" Yuki whipped around to face them, while Kagome dashed forwards to peer over the edge and into the crack that had been opened.
"Fool!" Saya cried. "Stay away from there!"
But Kagome peered over, staring as strong winds blew around her while thousands of deformed bodies milled around in the pits below.
"What is that?" Kagome demanded, and Totosai explained: "The dead of the Netherworld."
"They're calling out to the souls of the living." Saya murmured. "You must hurry! Or your human souls will be swallowed up in no time!"
"But Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are still-" Kagome began, when a strong wind blew and threatened to pull them all into the pit.
"Here it comes!" Saya cried, and Yuki whimpered as she felt a cold stabbing in her heart.
"Ugh." Kagome also fell to her knees as she gasped: "What is this? What is this feeling deep inside of me?"
"Yu-Yuki." Rin whimpered, and Yuki reached out to clutch the child to her even as her own heart felt like it was being slowly drawn out of her very body.
Sango meanwhile was taking staggered steps towards the pit, her soul being drawn in, when Miroku grabbed her wrist desperately.
"Sango. You have to be strong." He pleaded, staring at the woman he loved. "Or your heart will be devoured by darkness."
His voice got through to her, and Sango gasped as she returned to her senses.
"Everyone!" Saya called urgently. "Gather around me!"
Kagome dug So'unga's sheath into the earth as Saya created a protective barrier around them using the sheath as the central medium.
But it did nothing to stop the increasingly icy feeling inside their bodies, and the humans shivered.
"It's so cold, Yuki. Master Jaken." Rin whimpered, and Yuki hugged the girl tighter, offering what warmth she could despite feeling icy herself, and Jaken shouted at Saya: "Come on, Saya, can't you do something?"
"I'm already doing everything in my power!" He countered as the humans trembled all around. "They mustn't leave the protection of my barrier, or all the humans will be overcome by the dead souls from the Netherworld!"
'This is terrible!' Jaken thought anxiously as Yuki and Rin trembled beside him. 'If anything happens to Yuki or Rin, Lord Sesshomaru will have my head! Huh?'
He spotted something in the distance, and Jaken yelled in delight: "Lord Sesshomaru!"
They all looked up to see Sesshomaru fighting So'unga in the distance, when Inuyasha came charging in as well, ordering Sesshomaru: "Out of my way!"
Sesshomaru elbowed Inuyasha harshly in the face, forcing him away as he snarled back: "Move it!"
He then charged So'unga alone, swinging Tokijin back and forth as he tried to land a blow, but So'unga dodged them all as he taunted: "You disappoint me."
"A vulgar sword deserves a discarded arm." Sesshomaru retorted as he clashed blades with So'unga once more before his Tokijin began to glow blue.
Blue energy built up around them as Sesshomaru prepared his attack, but So'unga smirked as he mocked: "You cannot wield the So'unga!"
"Move!" Inuyasha yelled as he came charging back, shoving Sesshomaru as he lifted Tetsusaiga while snarling: "I'll be the one to destroy you!"
He swung at So'unga.
"That won't work." Saya said anxiously as the group below stared at the fight far up above them. "They mustn't attack him separately, or they'll never defeat him!"
He shook his head in disappointment, and Kagome's eyes turned steely.
Yuki foresaw her move and she warned: "Kagome-!"
But the girl had already gotten to her feet and she dashed off outside the barrier.
"Kagome, where're you going?!" Shippo cried, while Yuki dropped Rin and ran after the other girl.
"GAH!" Jaken cried, while Rin called worriedly: "Yuki!"
"Rin, stay there! Jaken, look after her, or I'll kill you before Sesshomaru can!" Yuki shouted as she followed Kagome.
The girl had stopped only briefly to gather up a fallen bow and arrow from one of the carcasses of the dead soldiers, before she rushed up towards a cliff at the edge of the rift of the dead, going to the point closest to Inuyasha and Sesshomaru that she could.
"Kagome, wait, it's dangerous!" Yuki called desperately, even as she fought the horrible cold feeling in her heart.
She gasped as she saw Sesshomaru dart out of the way, while Inuyasha wasn't so lucky as So'unga attacked with some kind of poisonous liquid. The half-demon barely managed to block the attack with his Tetsusaiga, before clashing blades with So'unga once more, and Yuki clutched her heart as she felt the call of the dead.
Kagome – stronger thanks to her spiritual powers – made it up the cliff just as Inuyasha was thrown back, and Sesshomaru darted in to fight So'unga. He clashed blades a few times before both leapt back as Inuyasha jumped in and thrust his Tetsusaiga down between them.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted from her position, and Inuyasha turned instantly.
"Kagome- Yuki?!" He shouted, aghast, and Sesshomaru glanced back sharply to see said girl perched halfway up the cliff that Kagome was standing atop.
"I'm fine, listen to her! Kagome, tell him!" Yuki yelled as she kept her eyes squeezed shut, struggling to fight the call of the dead, and Kagome yelled at Inuyasha: "You've got to join forces with Sesshomaru! Please!"
"You know I won't!" Inuyasha spat back, and Kagome paused before she bravely shouted: "Sesshomaru! Help Inuyasha!"
Inuyasha's ears twitched irritably, and he yelled at Kagome: "WHAT?!"
"Are you listening to me, Sesshomaru?!" Kagome shouted, ignoring Inuyasha like Sesshomaru was – apparently – ignoring her while he continued to fight So'unga.
"Sesshomaru!" Yuki shouted, cracking open one eye as she struggled through the terrible feeling in her heart that was starting to twist in pain. "Please, listen to her! Work with Inuyasha! It's the only way!"
Sesshomaru grit his teeth as he clashed blades with So'unga, stubbornly trying to ignore Yuki as she yelled, clearly struggling to keep speaking: "Sesshomaru!"
"Don't listen to her, Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken suddenly interjected from where he was with the others. "There's no need for you to ally yourself with a half-demon like Inuyasha!"
It was only then that he realized he might have said the very worst thing possible in his current company, a feeling that was soon followed – and confirmed - by many smacks, punches, and general pain.
"Please Lord Sesshomaru." Jaken croaked out between the pain of all the swells on his face while the others looked away crossly. "I implore you to join forces with Inuyasha."
The two brothers themselves seemed to ignore them as they continued to shove each other out of the way while trying to get a clear shot on So'unga.
"Sesshomaru, stop being so stubborn!" Yuki yelled, but he ignored her again as he jabbed Inuyasha aside once more, only for Inuyasha to shove him back.
"You two can be such idiots sometimes!" Kagome and Yuki growled at the same time.
It might have been amusing, if circumstances had been different. As it was, Yuki was seriously wishing she had Kiba and Tsume so she could throw it at the two stubborn mules while Kagome notched her bow and arrow, taking careful aim before letting the arrow loose.
It flew straight and true, hitting So'unga's arm, and Inuyasha shouted triumphantly: "Now!"
But before he'd even lifted Tetsusaiga, Sesshomaru had leapt in ahead, and Inuyasha snarled: "Damn you!"
"Ah!"
Inuyasha whirled around at Kagome's cry, as Kagome yelped, trying to back away as the cliff she'd been standing on began to collapse on the edges. But she wasn't fast enough, and Kagome yelped as she fell...
"Kagome!" Inuyasha began, starting forwards, when a hand grabbed Kagome's.
"I've got you!" Yuki gasped, gritting her teeth as she clutched Kagome's hand, and Kagome said in relief: "Yuki!"
"Don't count your chickens too soon!" Yuki answered, grunting as she tried to pull Kagome up, only for them to pitch forward as Yuki's strength failed her while the calls of the dead got ever stronger.
"Yuki!" Kagome gasped, while Inuyasha shouted as he ran for them: "Yuki, Kagome, hang on!"
"Any time would be appreciated!" Yuki gasped back as she barely kept herself and Kagome from falling off the edge and into the opening to Hell.
Sesshomaru glanced over briefly before refocusing on the battle with So'unga, while Inuyasha reached and hauled the two girls up to safety, asking desperately: "You all right?"
"I am." Kagome confirmed, looking at Yuki worriedly as the girl clutched her chest and shivered continuously.
"Here." Inuyasha handed them Tetsusaiga's sheath. "Hold onto this. It'll protect you, at least for a little while."
"Inuyasha, you have to work with him." Yuki got out through her shivers as she and Kagome took the sheath from him.
Inuyasha bit his lip unhappily, but before he could answer they all flinched as the whole earth shook, as more parts of the ground were forced open by So'unga's power.
"Oh no!" Kagome gasped, while Yuki glanced up and her eyes widened as Sesshomaru came leaping back from a duel with So'unga, landing heavily and he apparently glared at his sword in his hand.
"Sesshomaru!" Yuki cried in worry, and Inuyasha leapt over back to the fight, yelling as he charged So'unga.
"Dragon Twister!" So'unga shouted as he unleashed his ultimate attack.
"What?" Inuyasha gasped before he quickly placed Tetsusaiga before him, blocking the attack.
But he was thrown back, landing with a crash before Kagome and Yuki once more, and Kagome cried in alarm: "Inuyasha!"
"Look out!" Yuki shouted as the purple tornado attack came closer, while Sesshomaru's head snapped over sharply.
He started towards Yuki quickly, only to be cut off as So'unga charged him, while Inuyasha growled as he placed himself before the two women.
"Dammit!" He snarled, as he braced Tetsusaiga against the Dragon Twister, before he shouted: "Backlash Wave!"
The attack went flying back, though it swerved to the side and hit the mountainside instead.
So'unga laughed as he fought Sesshomaru, amused by the two brothers as he said almost mockingly: "You're not bad. I'm amused."
"Damn. I missed him." Inuyasha muttered before getting heavily to his feet, and Kagome said worriedly: "Inuyasha!"
"I'll definitely be back. Wait here Kagome." Inuyasha answered grimly.
Kagome blinked, before nodding determinedly, trusting him implicitly, while Inuyasha added: "And I'll bring back Sesshomaru for you too, Yuki. But only so I can kill him myself."
"Just shut up and be sure you both come back." She answered seriously, and Inuyasha nodded before he jumped back across to fight, as Sesshomaru leapt back from So'unga and – to Yuki's horror – sheathed Tokijin.
"What's wrong with Tokijin?" Yuki wondered anxiously, the Tetsusaiga's sheath helping her focus now and keeping her safe from the call of the dead below.
Kagome glanced at her before looking back as So'unga started to attack the approaching Inuyasha once more.
"Dragon Twister-!" So'unga shouted, when Sesshomaru suddenly released his poison whip, grabbing So'unga and hauling him aside, causing him to miss Inuyasha... or, so Sesshomaru had intended.
Inuyasha jumped intentionally back in the way of the twister, and he shouted as he lifted Tetsusaiga: "Backlash Wave!"
Unfortunately, Tetsusaiga's energy dissipated before it could even reach the Dragon Twister, and Kagome gasped while Inuyasha gaped: "My Backlash Wave isn't working!"
As the Dragon Twister came closer, Inuyasha could do nothing besides stab Tetsusaiga into the ground in front of him, using the sword as a shield as So'unga's attack blew around him.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome whimpered, while Yuki watched as Sesshomaru ran at So'unga... without his sword.
"Sesshomaru! Don't be reckless!" Yuki yelled desperately, while Kagome breathed as the Dragon Twister died down to reveal Inuyasha, knocked down at the edge of the cliff, but alive.
"Is that the limit of the Dragon Twister's power?" Totosai wondered, and Saya explained: "That's because Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga are nearby. So'unga can't use his full power with the other swords so close."
"Inuyasha!" Kagome called worriedly as Inuyasha dragged himself back up onto the cliff's edge, while Yuki shouted: "Sesshomaru, be careful!"
As Sesshomaru deflected So'unga by punching the sword away with his hand – to which Yuki yelled indignantly, "Sesshomaru!" – Inuyasha went into a charging run at So'unga.
Leaping up into the air, he came crashing down just as Sesshomaru punched So'unga away and causing Inuyasha to miss when So'unga backed away slightly.
"Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, stop being so stubborn! You'll both be killed at this rate!" Yuki cried in panic, and So'unga laughed as he saw the two brothers standing so close by.
"I'll send you both into the depths of hell!" The demon sword shouted triumphantly.
So'unga released the Dragon Twister once more, and Inuyasha's eyes widened in alarm, when Sesshomaru roughly shoved Inuyasha aside as he shouted: "You're in the way!"
Inuyasha went tumbling away from the force of the sudden push, while Sesshomaru reached for his side just as the Dragon Twister hit him full on.
"Ah!" Jaken gasped while Rin cried: "Lord Sesshomaru!"
"SESSHOMARU!" Yuki screamed, her face losing all colour as she took an unconscious step closer, while Inuyasha also turned to stare at where Sesshomaru had been, dumbfounded.
Kagome grabbed her friend before Yuki could let go of Tetsusaiga's sheath and be lost to the Netherworld, while Yuki stared with pounding heart and wide eyes as the Dragon Twister swirled around where Sesshomaru had been before dissipating at last.
And Yuki sagged in absolute relief when the dust died down to reveal Sesshomaru still alive, panting hard as he glared at So'unga with Tenseiga drawn before him.
"Lord Sesshomaru, thank goodness you're safe." Jaken was sobbing down below, and Myoga noted: "He protected himself at the last second with Tenseiga's barrier."
"Hey, Myoga." Totosai said in surprise as he looked at the tiny flea on his shoulder. "I thought you were going to go along with Kagome."
"Ah, well... not exactly." Myoga said evasively, while Miroku noted with surprise: "It seems to me that Sesshomaru put himself in harm's way to protect Inuyasha."
"Uh-huh." Sango agreed slowly. "Do you think... it was because Yuki was so worried about Inuyasha?"
"I don't know." Miroku admitted. "But I think she would appreciate-"
"Sesshomaru, you stubborn idiot!"
"... Never mind." Miroku said wryly, as Yuki continued to yell at Sesshomaru while Kagome hung onto her: "You'd better make it back alive so that I can kill you myself! You hear me?!"
Sesshomaru ignored her, focusing on recovering, as Inuyasha charged So'unga once more.
"You never learn!" So'unga laughed as he sent another attack at Inuyasha. Inuyasha countered by thrusting Tetsusaiga, but his attack fizzled out once again.
"I can't get the Backlash Wave to form." He muttered, gritting his teeth as the Dragon Twister descended upon him.
And this time, he didn't have the strength to fight it.
*A/N Song of the day: Endless tears, by Cliff Edge ft. Maiko Nakamura. I happened on this song by pure luck, and have gone back to it several times since. There's something about it that just really attracts me to it, despite the rather heartbreaking lyrics. The link is: