The ogre stalked into the main room where a man sat with Sounga resting against his shoulder, dropping both captives roughly to the ground before exiting once more. Struggling to sit up from the harsh fall Kagome's head turned to the far side of the room seeing the person sitting in front of a war back drop and a purple aura surrounding him. He wore samurai armor, with spikes lining a shoulder and arm, but it was his face that instantly made the student aware that this wasn't a normal warlord. Half of his face was covered in demonic markings, a horn having grown out of the forehead on the same side. And his scleral was completely yellow in color, pupil red, like a demon. "Who is that?" Kagome asked.

"It's Takemaru of Setsuna!" Saya exclaimed. "The one who fought with Inuyasha's father two hundred years ago!"

"Now, this is an interesting surprise," a malicious voice spoke up. It wasn't hard to tell that it was Sounga. "Takemaru, these young girls are no different from Izayoi, the woman you killed." The comment caused his fist to clench the hilt tighter, glaring at the both of them.

"Who is Izayoi?" Kagome questioned.

"Inuyasha's mother," Saya answered gravely.

"You mean he's the one who killed her?" The spirit nodded in confirmation.

"Just imagine how Inuyasha would react if you killed that girl?" Sounga pressed dangerously. Standing the man stalked forward as Kagome and Rin scrambled to their feet. They were defenseless, backing up and only coming to press up against the wall with nowhere to go.

"Stay back," Kagome ordered. "Get away from us!"

But he wasn't fazed in the slightest, raising the sword so the tip of the blade only stood inches from her throat in a threatening manner. "You are both Izayoi to me. Human woman who share an affinity for demons are all Izayoi in my eyes!" he raged.

Kagome's eyes widened as he drew back his arm, ducking as the blade passed overhead and cut into the warped wall as the two rushed towards the other side of the room. They had to keep distance between them and the madman as he stalked forward once more with clear hatred. Taking the sheath from her back, the teen held it in her hands like one would a sword taking a stand against the possessed man. "What are you doing?" Saya questioned. Now was not the time to be reckless, as Rin stood further away behind them.

"You said this could put up a barrier, right?" the tee questioned.

And it only caused Lord Takemaru to snicker sadistically. "A rusty old sheath isn't going to do anything to protect you," he stated.

"It's not?" Saya exclaimed.

His arm came down towards the item, Rin shouting, "Kagome look out!" as the contact between the two sent the student flying backwards through the air. Her back slammed into the opposite wall inches from the child and slumped to the ground in pain. "How dare you!" the ward shouted. "A real man would never hit a girl like that!"

Rin stood in front of the teen defiantly, still grasping Tenseiga tightly in hand with her arms spread wide in protection. With a struggled breath, Kagome attempted to stand as a pain shot up her spine from the collision with the wall, realizing that the child was in front of her and begged, "Run, Rin. Get away."

There was no possible way she could stand up against this madman and seeing Rin in such a position made Kagome worry. But the child merely glanced over a shoulder with a smile and stated, "Don't worry Kagome, Lord Sesshomaru will come and save us. I'm positive." How she still held that optimism surprised the teen greatly, especially with the situation they were in. Though she didn't have much faith in the demon lord and that he would come to the rescue of a human, even if she were his ward. Sesshomaru's intention was to only destroy Sounga and nothing more. And seeing a shift behind the child, Kagome's eyes widened, breath hitching. The man had moved closer, raising Sounga high overhead with a murderous expression in his eyes.

"Resign yourself to death and surrender to the netherworld!" he declared. Rin's head whipped back around, flinching at how close the enemy was and realizing that he was going to cut her down. "Die!" But she didn't move an inch, eyes squeezing shut and clutching the sword in hand tighter than before.

"No, Rin!" Kagome screamed.

There was an explosion to the left side of the room, throwing pieces of the now broken rice paper doors about as a pair of arms wrapped around Rin and pulled her face into something cool and hard. The sword did not stop its path, but instead of cutting into flesh and spraying blood everywhere it cracked against something solid. The metal bounced off the hard surface and away, causing Takemaru to stumble slightly back and assess the situation before him. There was another figure in the room, cradling the child tightly with a hunched back that could just be seen through a wall of thick ice. The element curved over their back like a barrier that was halfway formed and Rin picked up her head wondering what had happened and her expression brightened. "Akiko!" But the young woman wasn't looking at her, glaring over a shoulder at their enemy as he did the same back. Being denied his kill only enraged him and Sounga.

"Enough of this!" he shouted. "I'll kill every one of you where you stand and leave your corpses for your demon and half-demon to find in the pits of Hell!" He was moving forward with a purpose now as the blade glowed red with power. Breaking apart the ice, Akiko began to draw her blade once more and prepare for the head on attack. Pushing Rin into Kagome's arms the young woman refused to allow either of them to die as Tobi snarled at their side out of protection.

There was a blur of white that rushed through the room, and Akiko almost missed it from how focused she was on the madman in front of her. Just before their blades clashed another hooked under and halted the attack completely forcing them into a stand off. Their heads whipped to the side and realized their savior this time was Sesshomaru. He held back Takemaru with one arm, their limbs shaking from the strength behind their offense and defense and sparks danced off their blades.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin cheered.

Kagome was at a complete loss for words watching the scene before her unfold. The emotionless demon had indeed come to their aid and saved her cousin from having to fight the enemy head on. Though she didn't completely believe that his involvement was for Akiko's greater good and instead wished to fight his father's enemy one-on-one. That had to be the only reason he was here, Kagome thought to herself.

The demon's attention shifted from their locked blades, glare turning on the possessed form and throwing him across the room with such force he went crashing through a wall. Sesshomaru's turned away from them, Akiko standing from her defensive stance, but not completely letting down her guard. Lord Takemaru was unpredictable.

"Leave," the lord ordered. He didn't even spare them a glance as the enemy pulled himself from the rubble with a scowl on his face.

"Lord Sesshomaru," Rin spoke up. "Your sword." She held out Tenseiga for him to take and smiled. Glancing back at the child his eyes lingered on the weapon for a moment before looking away without saying a word. The demon would not take the sword, Akiko realized, because Sesshomaru believed it was weak. He was too stubborn and prideful to understand that it was only half the reason for defeating Takemaru and it made the young woman worried that they would not be able to defeat him in time if the lord and his half-brother didn't stop and listen. "Leave," he ordered again. Instead of feeling disheartened, Rin left the sword on the floor, reaching out and taking Akiko's free hand tightly.

"Give him hell," Akiko spoke up. And rushing from the room with Tobi at the lead helping Kagome along the demon was left alone.

They had only just reached the top of the stairs when the level above them began to quake from the all out battle between the two. The child nearly tripped, but Akiko held her up with ease as they rushed down the stairs. "Are you all right, Kagome?" the young woman questioned.

"I'll live," was her answer. Her lungs and back ached from hitting the wall, but now was not the time to complain. They were still in danger and they couldn't slow, reaching the third level and turning the corner for another staircase. Tobi rushed down first with Kagome at his heels. "This way!" But the half-demon stopped abruptly and pivoted back around so quickly it nearly made Kagome fall. His head and shoulders bowed, catching the teen in the stomach and half lifting her onto his back before lunging up the way they came clearing the edge. It was then Kagome realized what had caused the sudden change as Akiko jerked Rin to a halt and pulled the child behind her protectively.

"What is it?" the young woman asked. There was no need to answer as the wooden floor around the path to the exit exploded and the ogre that had kidnapped Kagome and Rin from the battleground lunged forward. "Tobi! To Rin!"

They switched positions, her blade arching around and cutting off one of its fingers as it reached towards Kagome. The creature howled in pain before releasing a roar that caused the teen to fall onto her butt, while trying to scramble away. Akiko didn't back away though, following the ogre's movements and standing at its feet. Palm pressing against the skin, ice began to crawl up the ankle and towards the leg even after the contact was broken. It was a form of frostbite and the creature stomped around in a rage trying to claw it off from the pain.

"Leave us alone!" Rin shouted. She threw something through the air and when it made contact with the skin it burned causing the ogre to roar.

They were Inuyasha's beads, Kagome realized when another one went sailing, glancing back and noticing that her fall had caused the cloth to fall from her pocket and scatter them across the ground. They were sacred, and it made complete sense that it would affect the possessed servant as the teen gathered up her own.

"Keep throwing them, Rin!" Akiko shouted. The Ice Blade sliced through the ogre's palm as he reached for her. With all this pain it was growing difficult for it to focus on all three of them as she avoided the blue blood spilling out of another wound. Something small hit the side of her head, glancing towards the ground when it fell and realized it was one of the beads.

"I missed!" Kagome exclaimed from the other side.

"I said hit the ogre, not me!" Akiko shouted.

"Sorry!" And the teen threw another as it went wide overhead.

"Quit missing!" Saya exclaimed. Akiko's palm slapped against the other ankle spreading more frostbite and causing the creature to slow slightly from the action as she came to stand in front of the others.

"Lousy time to be a klutz!" a voice shouted. Suddenly, the ogre was sliced right down the center splitting it in half as the corpse fell to the ground and materialized in an instant. With a sigh of relief that the poisonous servant was finished once and for all, Inuyasha landed in front of them as Kagome rushed forward and hugged him tightly.

"Thank god you're all right."

"Are you both all right?" Akiko questioned Rin and Tobi.

"Rin has a better arm than your cousin," the general muttered. And it caused a slight smirk to reach her lips.

"You all need to get to safety," Inuyasha declared when they pulled away. "Is Sounga still up there?"

"Along with Sesshomaru," Kagome answered.

His teeth clenched at the news, glaring towards the upper level as it shook with force. "Lord Sesshomaru hasn't come out yet," Rin spoke up. "I'm getting worried."

"Stealing all the heroic deeds," Inuyasha scoffed. And the half-demon rushed towards the stairs.

"Inuyasha wait!" Kagome shouted.

"Now what?" Inuyasha questioned coming to a halt.

"You have to work with your brother."

He looked at her as if the human had grown two more heads. "There's no way I'm going to do that."

"Would you listen?" her voice rose. She was growing irritated of their stubborn behavior with the world at stake. "The only way to defeat Sounga is to combine Tetsuiega and Tenseiga's powers! The Backlash Wave andthe Dragon Strike!"

"You can't be serious," Inuyasha stated. But Kagome's expression never wavered and that dumbfounded him.

"You must work with your brother. Please for once in your life, put your differences aside and ask him for help!"

"No-"

"Inuyasha!"

There was a pregnant pause as the half-demon looked away from them and stared at his sword in hand. Akiko could see the internal conflict he was dealing with regarding this information. After so many years of hating and working against each other they were forced to put their differences aside in a matter of minutes to save everyone. It honestly seemed like an impossible task as he sighed and stated, "... I won't unless he will..." And without another word Inuyasha disappeared up the stairs.

Defeated and completely exhausted Kagome fell to her knees with worry to what the outcome would be. And her eyes landed on the scattered beads still on the ground and plucked one up between her fingers to stare at it sadly.

"Kagome?" Rin asked. The child walked to her side, wondering what she was thinking and seeing her saddened expression.

"Inuyasha's beads... will we ever be connected again?"

"You'd be surprised how strong a bond is between two people," Akiko stated. "Come on. We can't stay here. And if you want to be connected again, you'll pick up those beads quickly." Akiko didn't wish to stick around in case another servant came barreling towards them.