"Do not move."
"But..."
"Inuyasha does not know what he is doing. He does not even know who you are. I will not allow you to be hurt by accident."
Inuyasha growled angrily at the exchange. He only saw that the youkai lord was not releasing the woman like he told her to. Sesshoumaru was holding her too close and it maddened him. He squinted angrily as his vision seemed to be suffused with red. The hanyou couldn't seem to focus his thoughts. Why was he so angry at the youkai standing in front of him again? Who was the woman again? Inuyasha shook with suppressed frustration. Amid the turmoil only one thought remained and Inuyasha latched on to the thought as a lifeline. Kill. With a roar Inuyasha launched himself at Sesshoumaru amid cries of shock from the others.
"Inuyasha. Dame! You'll hurt Kagome-sama!"
Miroku dropped his outstretched hand in defeat. Inuyasha had not even acknowledged the shout. Sango was less patient than he and had already threw Hiraikotsu at Inuyasha in the hopes of distracting the deranged hanyou. Anticipating Inuyasha's attack, Sesshoumaru was already a distance from the hanyou. The youkai was not certain of Inuyasha's abilities when he was in youkai form. It would not do to put Kagome at risk because of a miscalculation. Sesshoumaru pondered what to do with Kagome while he fought off Inuyasha. In her weak state, she would not be able to protect herself from Inuyasha. As though Kagome sensed his unwillingness to part from her she gently placed a hand on his arm.
"Daijobu. Miroku will protect me."
Sesshoumaru eyes bored into Miroku's considering his abilities while the nervous houshi sweat-dropped as he withstood the intent perusal. There was not much choice. From the look of the situation, even were he to flee with Kagome Inuyasha would give chase. The only way to return Inuyasha to normal was to knock the hanyou unconscious. With Inuyasha in his youkai form knocking him out might pose somedifficulty. As was demonstrated by the earlier attack, Inuyasha no longer recognized Kagome or any of the others. The youkai exterminator would not last much longer against Inuyasha. He had to decide now. The houshi sighed with relief as the lordly youkai finally turned back to Kagome. With a curt nod towards Kagome and a warning look for the houshi Sesshoumaru turned back to Inuyasha.
The ensuing battle was long. Inuyasha seemed to have lost his ability to feel pain and he attacked Sesshoumaru persistently despite the punishment dealt to his body. Sesshoumaru's calm in battle enabled him to react accordingly while Inuyasha was controlled by rage and this determined the result of the battle before it even began. Despite the fact that Inuyasha was in his youkai form, the hanyou was no match for Sesshoumaru although he did manage to get some blows in. The result was that Inuyasha was slowly worn down and now lay panting on the cold ground struggling to rise.
Sesshoumaru watched the hanyou attempt, unsuccessfully, to get to his feet despite fatigued muscles. He knew that Inuyasha was at his limit but yet it appeared the hanyou was stubbornly maintaining his youkai state. Every so often, the youkai lord would sense a strong whirl of emotion emanating from the hanyou. It was incongruent with Inuyasha's present state. In his youkai state, Inuyasha should only be able to feel the joy of battle but yet Sesshoumaru sensed the grayness of grief at moments. At other times, Sesshoumaru caught glimpses of confusion in Inuyasha's disturbed aura. Inuyasha was running hard from the grief mentally, trying to suppress the feelings and that it was maintaining his youkai state was probably a side effect. Inuyasha would only stop if he were he to be knocked unconscious but that would only be a temporary solution. Unless Inuyasha solved his conflicts, upon returning to consciousness his confusion would return once more.
Kagome's anguished eyes watched Inuyasha's pained effort to get to his feet. He had to come back to himself. The longer he remained in his youkai state the more it ate away at his sense of identity. At this rate, he would forever remain in his youkai state and would become a creature that will kill until it is destroyed. It seemed as though Kikyo's death had triggered Inuyasha's loss of control. Kagome didn't know how to help Inuyasha. Even if they were able to return Inuyasha into himself by knocking him unconscious, once he came back to himself he would be facing the grief of Kikyo's death again. At that thought, something drew her gaze to Sesshoumaru and she realized with a start that he was watching her.
Inuyasha has to be destroyed.
Sesshoumaru's words were not spoken but it seemed that Kagome felt the words rather than heard them. Even as Kagome processed the shocking thought she recognized a sense of suppressed regret in Sesshoumaru's mental touch. No! Her mind rebelled against the idea. She couldn't let Sesshoumaru kill his own brother and she could not let Inuyasha die like that. Kagome panicked as Sesshoumaru drew Toukijin from its sheath and Inuyasha finally managed to get to his feet. Incredibly, Inuyasha was still growling as he wobbled unsteadily towards Sesshoumaru as though he still planned to fight the youkai lord. Sesshoumaru flicked Toukijin with a quick movement and the blade's sharp edge glittered. Inuyasha was within striking distance. Kagome's eyes squeezed tightly shut.
"OSUWARI!!!!!"