The fire demon kept his eyes on the pulsating pod of vines. " Unless I am very mistaken, she’s turning into a dragon." Only Hiei could have made that statement in such a deadpanned way.

" A *what* ?" Yuusuke choked.

" Nuryko is an ice dragon spirit trapped in a body of an ice demon. I saw her true form in the reflection of her looking-glass."

" Then, I suggest we leave."

Hiei’s expression was implacable. " It’s too late for that - we would never make it out of this wasteland with a dragon pursuing us." The glowing aura surrounding Nuryko’s vegetative prison shifted to a shearing white colour.

" DUCK!" Kurama shouted, the instant before the pod erupted upwards and outwards, sending pieces of plant puree and deadly shards of ice in every direction.

From the ruins of his creation, rose a creature of legend - one of breath-taking beauty and awe-inspiring fear. Its long, white sinewy neck lifted until it touched the roof of the cavernous hall. With a roar Ryu-Nuryko sent a deadly blast of ice in their direction, freezing whatever was in its way into chunks of solid ice.

" That was close," Yuusuke panted, breaking away some of the frost that clung to his partially frozen coat. " Is it my imagination or does she always pick on me?"

Reaching into his cloak, Hiei drew out his katana. " Fire and ice. That is our only choice. Jaou Ensatsu Ken!" Dark, flickering flames enveloped his sword and part of his hand.

Taking a flying leap, Hiei blurred out of sight, darting back and forth faster than the ice dragon could strike. Disappearing just as the dragon’s claw descended on him, he reappeared in front of the one place on its body that was not covered by the impenetrable scales and plunged his katana into Ryu-Nuryko’s right eye.

With an enraged roar, it swiped Hiei away from its face as if he were nothing more than a pesky insect. Kurama cried out in alarm as the fire demon hit the ice-covered floor, bounced twice and lay there - momentarily stunned.

" Do you think this little toothpick can hurt me?" Nuryko’s voice emerged from the dragon’s maw. " How dare you turn against me? Now you will have to die, along with the others."

" Great move, Hiei, I think you pissed her off." Yuusuke stepped forward. " My turn."

" Aim for her head," Kurama whispered.

Summoning every last drop of reiki possible, Yuusuke concentrated it on a point at the tip of his trigger-finger and nodded to the youko in front of him.

" Nuryko," Kurama called out sweetly.

It turned towards them, eyes blazing. " Haven’t you died yet?"

Jaws parted, Ryu-Nuryko surged down at the seemingly vulnerable youko. At the very last moment, Kurama dove aside, leaving Yuusuke standing in his place.

" Rei-GAN!"

Newton’s Law prevented Ryu-Nuryko from turning away. A burst of concentrated reiki hit it, straight between the eyes, with enough force to send its head snapping backwards.

With a thunderous scream, it rose to its full height, cracking open the ice dome roof.

" Definitely *not* good."

Hiei got to his feet, still a little unsteady. Kurama noticed that he had removed the warding bandages covering the black dragon tattoo on his arm. The Kokuryuha stirred uneasily, twisting around but held in check by his will.

" You don’t have enough youki for this, Hiei," Kurama warned.

The fire demon gave him a familiar look that told him, quite clearly, he was to stay out of this.

" Better to die in battle, than to die defeated." His eyes darkened. " I’ll give you a head start. Yukina is outside - keep her safe."

For one brief irrational moment, Kurama considered beating some sense into him. But knowing Hiei, he would probably set the Kokuryuha on *him* .

" I’m staying with you. Yuusuke can get Yukina out by himself."

Seeing no way to argue the suggestion, Yuusuke nodded and quickly ducked out the entrance.

" I’m not going to let you die alone." He watched as the fire demon’s face softened into a rare smile.

" Baka," he murmured gently, making it sound like more of an endearment than an insult.

" Look out!" They were both flung to one side as Ryu-Nuryko’s claw slammed into the floor, flinging up great slates of ice. The youko muttered something distinctly uncomplimentary under his breath. " Doesn’t that lizard have any respect for a tender moment?"

" This ends now. No more." Hiei lifted his arm, the Kokuryuha twisted and writhed, eager to be free to consume and destroy.

" JAOU ENSATSU KOKURYUHA!"

He had not been sure that it would work…whether or not he had enough youki left to summon the Kokuryuha and control it. As the black dragon surged upwards, tearing itself away from his arm and draining his youki away, Hiei knew he could not hold on to the Kokuryuha.

Kurama caught him before he hit the ground.