Its form sprawling through the air, the dragon that Kasumi had become writhed wildly, curling down around the spires of the ruined fortress like a snake caught in a snare. Sesshomaru watched, his eyes opened a little wider with shock. The others took a few fearful steps back when Kasumi raised her head and let out another piercing roar.

"What the hell was that," Inuyasha yelled. "Did she eat a sacred jewel shard?"

"No," Kagome answered. "It's called- Inuyasha look out!"

Sesshomaru turned his head to watch his brother dodge a humanoid figure made of earth and destroy it with his claws, only for himself to have to leap out of the way of another such thing. His poison claws easily put an end to it, but more began to make themselves known, crawling over the nearby building and trudging towards the group in a ragtag manner.

"You'll pay for killing my family," Kasumi hissed, their eyes flashing as they opened their mouth and sent an energy blast hurtling towards the group.

Leaping into action, the others jumped out of the way, Sesshomaru easily dodging the attack and landing gracefully a few feet away, slicing down another undead opponent while he did so.

"She can animate the dead,'' Miroku gasped as they fended off one such corpse from Kilala's back. He flung a sacred sutra at it, and it fizzled, turning the thing into mush as it went limp and dropped off onto the ground below. "That isn't good. This whole castle is a graveyard!"

"It must be the pearl she ate," Kagome called out. "It's given her access to all the powers in her family!"

"Who the fuck cares, we still gotta beat her," Inuyasha yelled, unleashing the Wind Scar and leveling a whole battalion of undead.

As Sesshomaru deftly avoided projectiles and felled opponents left and right, his sharp ears picked up a most unfortunate sound, and his inner demon growled. Marching. The dragoness had summoned more wraiths in order to overwhelm them.

He glanced up at Kasumi's monstrous form. 'Cut the head off the snake...'

The demon lord drew his sword, calling down Dragon Strike before leaping into the air, landing close to Inuyasha as his brother battled through the corpses towards the castle.

"Inuyasha," he called out, drawing his brother's attention.

"Yeah, I hear ya," Inuyasha yelled back, annoyed. The two stood back to back, ready to mow down the undead around them. "Don't go getting any ideas Sesshomaru; I'm gonna be the one to kill Kasumi, ya hear?"

Sesshomaru couldn't help his quip. "As if. You're lucky that you're still alive."

"You bastard. Wind Scar!" Inuyasha let loose the devastating attack before jerking around furiously, retort already on his tongue. But Sesshomaru had already jumped ahead, tossing corpses out of his way. "Hey, get back here!"

Sesshomaru glared behind him, surprising his brother with his ferocity. "This isn't your business, halfbreed! Stay out of it!"

As Sesshomaru raced up towards the raging dragoness, his brow furrowed. It was his duty to end Kasumi's life. His alone.

It had been this one who had killed so many of Kasumi's brethren, cultivating a terrible grudge. It had been this one who had been tricked by Kasumi and her siblings, fooled into thinking that they had died when they had inadvertently been sealed by the defeat of their father at the claws of his own. And it had been this one's father that- no, he stopped the thought. This was his fault. He had been the one who left his charges alone time and time again, open to those who sought violence against him.

"I won't allow you to defeat me," Kasumi roared, sending thousands of rock shards flying towards the approaching Sesshomaru with a heavy swipe of her tail. "You will feel the wrath of all of my brethren, and beg for death before the end!"

"As if I'd beg for anything from a snake like you," the dai-yokai snarled, swiping through the barrage of stones undeterred. His eyes gleamed red. "You couldn't hurt me before, what makes you think you can now?"

The dragoness twisted, flinging her tail around the whole tower, bashing it into both of the brothers, though Inuyasha was completely flung into a nearby building, and chuckled, throwing a smug look towards the demon lord.

You have a weakness now," the dragoness hissed, and another bright beam of light gathered in her maw.

🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂

Noro had grabbed Rin as soon as Kasumi had attacked, pulling the child out of danger and was defending her from an increasing number of enemies with her bare fists and bloodstained teeth, cursing with every blow. Even the voice in her head was frustrated by the fight; it hated the fact that the enemies wouldn't truly die.

'Protect the child,' it growled, forcing Noro to take in another painful gulp of air. 'Not our family. Not again.'

"Damnit, why won't these things die already," Noro cursed, bashing in the helmet of an enemy with a rock. Smoke trailed out of its head as it collapsed, but two more were already shuffling forward. She growled in frustration, teeth sharp. "Rin, stay behind me."

The woman grabbed a sword from the fallen corpse, and sweat glistened on her brow as she attacked, quickly striking down enemy after enemy as she slowly backed up a nearby staircase, keeping Rin safe at her back even as her head began to pound from exhaustion and pain ricocheted through her body with every breath. She had definitely broken a few ribs.

'Must protect,' the voice in her gasped as she sucked in another painful gulp of air. 'Even if it kills me.'

But the two were quickly being overrun. Forced to retreat up the stairs, Noro and Rin found themselves cornered, the path ahead of them crushed and ruined, leading only to a broken wall with more undead at its base.

Panic ripped through Noro, but there was no escape. Steeling herself, the woman faced the horde making their way up towards them.

'Even if it kills me.'

Then suddenly, a ball of fire tore through the army of bodies, and a familiar squacking cackle was heard. Noro looked up, and relief washed through her. "Jaken!"

"Lord Sesshomaru, I have arrived," Jaken yelled as he waved around said weapon, spewing fire from A-Un's back. "Feel the wrath of the Staff of Two Heads!"

"Jaken," Noro called out. She grabbed Rin and ran over to the edge of the wall, fending off arrows and swords along the way. "Get over here!"

Jaken immediately steered the two headed dragon over, but there was no room for the demon to land. The undead notched arrows and launched them at A-Un, making the situation even more precarious.

There was no other choice. Noro dropped her sword to grab the girl, hefting her up towards the imp. But as Rin and Jaken stretched out to grab each other's hands, and escape seemed to be in sight, white hot dread poured through her. Her eyes went wide, and on instinct, the woman flung her child towards safety, moments before Kasumi's attack engulfed them both.