Ice and Snow, Mind and Heart

Chapter 58: The end of Horai Island

"Are you crazy?!" Shippo cried as the other children charged courageously too, running at Ryura. "You can't win!"

Yuki and Kagome exchanged looks before also charging, as Shippo cried: "Don't do it!"

'Never underestimate a half-demon.' Yuki thought to herself as Dai smashed his log across Ryura's back shouting: "Die!"

Ryura glared, turning to them as Roku came up with his log raised. Before Roku could even try, Ryura released another powerful blast of wind, sending most of them flying back once more... except Yuki.

Born from sheer years of training and experience, she'd already started to notice the pattern to his movements and anticipated his move. So when Ryura sent his wind at the group, Yuki had already circled him, and she used his momentary distraction to dart in, roll to grab Tsume lying on the ground, before righting herself much closer to Ryura than before.

Ryura saw her and dodged, but not before Yuki had already thrown Tsume. The blade twirled, spinning around Ryura's wrist and wrapping the end of one of Yuki's ribbons tightly around his forearm.

"What foolish trick-?" Ryura began in annoyance, but Yuki shouted sharply: "Inuyasha, now!"

Ryura's eyes widened, and he turned in surprise as Inuyasha – who'd struggled heavily onto his feet when he'd heard the children's fierce attempt to fight for their freedom – swung his sword.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped, while Asagi cheered: "He's okay!"

"Ryura, you're mine!" Inuyasha yelled as he charged, the wind picking up all around him.

Ryura smirked, lifting his swords, to meet Inuyasha's as Yuki ran out of the way. The air around the two fighting males exploded with bright yellow light as Tetsusaiga clashed with Ryura's swords.

"Yuki!" Inuyasha shouted, and she threw her whole body weight into tugging on her ribbon sharply even as she threw Kiba. Ryura's arm jerked to the side, caught off guard by the suddenness of the move, before his eyes widened as Kiba came flying through the small gap that had been created when his arm had moved. The sword hit his armour right over the breastplate, though it failed to imbed itself as Yuki's weakened throw failed to have Kiba break Ryura's armour.

"What-?" Ryura began but Inuyasha yelled as he doubled his attack at that precise moment, breaking passed Ryura's swords and pushing down on Kiba's adamant encrusted blade at the same time.

Kiba pierced Ryura, strengthened by the adamant and the powerful demon fang it was sealed with, while Tetsusaiga's demonic aura tore at the rest of Ryura's body.

Ryura screamed as the combined power of Inuyasha's attack with Kiba stabbed in his heart finally destroyed him, causing him to explode in a pillar of fire. A small ball of blue light drifted out before vanishing as the wind and fire died down, leaving nothing behind.

The children's eyes were huge as they gaped while Yuki sagged, collapsing to her knees s Inuyasha huffed: "Just one left. Hm?"

"Huh?!" They all gasped as the entire island began to shake, and tremble.

"Oh no!" Yuki gasped as the whole island started to flood, tilting precariously as it began to tip and sink on one side.

"Ah!" The children cried, Ai clinging onto Asagi while the twins watched with pale faces.

Far above, Sango and Miroku watched from atop Kirara as the last remaining God – the giant, turtle demon Gora – began to fire openly on the island in a rage, causing explosions and fires to erupt everywhere.

"What's going on?" Inuyasha wondered, when Miroku called: "Inuyasha!"

They all looked up as Sango and Miroku flew down on Kirara, the demon slayer explained tensely: "Gora is attacking the island."