The rubble had all been cleared, but there was still a gigantic hole in the front wall of the fortress, courtesy of Sesshoumaru’s Wind Scar. Wolves on the ground and up on wooden ladders waved heartily to Kagome as she flew past, the magic of the restored wards rippling coolly across her skin. Outside the

Kagome’s eyelids felt like sheets of lead as she cracked them slowly open, her throat as parched as the Sahara. Shifting a bit, she felt the pillow behind her move–and realized, as Sesshoumaru’s stoic face swam into view, that it wasn’t a pillow at all. A blush tinged her cheeks as she eased herself up

Kagome’s lungs shook violently as she exhaled, black spots flecking her vision. Sucking in another shallow breath, she blinked the spots away with difficulty and continued to pour out her soul into the seal. She could feel herself slowly sinking, her knees buckling beneath the effort of sustaining the gates against yet another seismic assault.

Meanwhile… She would be the death of him, that accursed girl. Sesshoumaru leapt up, whirling as he released another brilliant wave of kenatsu at Mouryoumaru. Tentacles still smoking from the last attack, the golem deflected the wave with his crystalline right limb, the force of Tessaiga’s strike driving him into the distance nonetheless. Lightly, Sesshoumaru

Bearing the brunt of the attack, Entei smashed hard into the side of the mountain, Kagome continuing to fall past him with increasing speed. A scream trailed from her lips as she plummeted helplessly toward the ground far, far below–when, suddenly, her free-fall ended, the air leaving her lungs in a winded oomph. Sitting up

“Kouga-onii-sama!” Ginta and Hakkaku wailed in terror, sprinting off after Ayame. Mounting Entei in a rush, Kagome raced toward the opposite end of the plateau as well. She had nearly caught up with Ayame when the extent of Kouga’s injuries came into graphic view. Her eyes stung at the deep gouges scoring his right side,

Giddy despite the circumstances, Kagome grinned as she and Entei rounded the mountain once more. Part of her couldn’t believe she’d just stolen a kiss from Sesshoumaru—the other part of her couldn’t believe she’d actually gotten away with it. Based on the simmering disgruntlement she could sense from Entei, the horse youkai seemed similarly disbelieving.

Naraku’s incarnation eyed them warily in turn, his leathery wings drawing to sharp-tipped points as he hovered in midair. The mottled gray armor Kagome had blasted off during their previous showdown had mostly regenerated–save for a sizable crack in the very center, approximately where her reiki-infused spear had struck. Through the gap, something faintly glimmered,

At once Kouga dropped into a feral crouch, claws flexed and hackles raised. “Kagura!” he seethed. Smirking, the wind sorceress appeared through a crack in the gates, her pale skin tinted red by the glow of the barrier before her. “My, my, how predictable–arriving here like lambs to the slaughter. Or should I say, wolves.”

All around them, an army of undead wolf youkai began emerging from the rocky soil, swords and spears and axes clutched in their rotting claws as they stalked toward Kagome and her group. Pushing ahead, the living banded together upon a stretch of exposed stone as their enemies closed in around them from all sides.