Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha the anime/manga or any of it's characters. Nor do i claim to do so.

Author's Notes: The original characters are my characters. Anyone using my characters without my permission is a thief by all standards. These characters are under my copyright and my ownership and are only here for your reading pleasure to add to the story. I hope you enjoy them, love them, hate them.
Reminder: This is a Revised and Edited and hopefully a final copy of "MY" fanfic/original story i started months and months ago (year or two?). It is still mine, it was mine, and always will by mine. Newly revised and edited chapters will be added when i can get to it so i promise no "on the schedule" updates and reposting.

(Beginning of chapter, end of chapter)
(Flashback and/or dream/vision)
(Different place, time, basically, a scene change)
"..." (Character speaking)
'...' (Character thoughts)

Chapter 1 "The Beginning"

It was getting late and the sun would soon be setting beneath the horizon. Everyone was gathering at the castle of the Lord of the West. The castle where he had grown up as a child with his mother and father, the Great Lord of the Western Lands. He didn't go to his father's castle much after his death, even though he was made Lord himself after his father's passing, he had not felt it his home. He had yet to master the sword his father had given him, and although he was the rightful Lord of the Western Lands as his father was, he was not respected in such a way his father had been, and never truly would be until he mastered the power of the Tenseiga. He never was able to, or maybe he just refused to. He did hate the sword, he saw it as a weakness. Why would anyone, much less a great and powerful demon like himself, want a sword that couldn't cut let alone kill.

But none of that seemed to matter now. Everything had changed so much in the past few years. First his brother, the worthless hanyou who put shame on his great family's name by being born, had been set free of the seal that was placed on him over fifty years ago by a mere miko. And then when he found Tetsusaiga after searching for so long only to lose it to his hanyou brother, Inuyasha. And what even surprised him more was how his brother learned to use its true power.

So much had happened since Inuyasha was set free of the seal placed on him and started traveling with that strange girl, a miko who had not mastered her powers and hardly new of them, let alone on how to control them. The lecherous monk and the demon exterminator that accompanied his brother's side along with the girl only made their group more strange than ever. And then, the great Sesshoumaru himself, saved a human child. Of all these things he could have thought of happening in all his life, such an idea would never have come to mind in a million years, and yet it happened, he saved a child, a human child at that.

He shifted his gaze slightly over the horizon looking towards the borders of his father's land. He thought he was becoming weak, like his father had when he took a human for a mate. Why he allowed the human girl to stay with him he didn't even know. He let this go on for over two years now. It made him uneasy not knowing why he did such a thing as to allow a human child travel with him. And how he would even protect her and save her, that was by far the most disturbing of all things to him. He thought of leaving her before at a village they would pass close by on their journeys. And yet, he never did so. She was his to keep, to kill, protect and give away. So far he kept her, but maybe someday he would leave her. Maybe even kill her. He wasn't really sure which.

Closing his eyes for a few moments of piece and quiet, he soon heard the small footsteps coming towards him. They were fast and stumbling as the small creature made it's way towards him. 'Jaken.' He opened his eyes to look out over the land before him once again as his servants footsteps neared him.

"Me, Lord!" The toad stopped just a few feet away from the tall youkai and bowed. "Me, Lord, everything will be ready soon me lord, and the others are now gathering in the main chambers." Sesshoumaru looked over his shoulder at his servant for a moment, making the toad nervous. "Go and make sure, Rin is put to bed, i will not have her running around, disturbing the guest and raising anymore questions than are necessary." Jaken relaxed a little and smiled to himself. 'Lord Sesshoumaru didn't threaten to kill me, maybe his mood isn't as bad as i first thought.' He chimed to himself happily.

"Yes my, lord, right away me, lord!" Jaken turned to run back to the castle when he heard the cold voice. "Jaken." He froze instantly, turning slightly. "Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru?" He didn't look any different from a moment before, then again he always looked the same, impassive and cold. "The next time you disturb me when i had asked not to be disturbed, i will kill you." The small toad cowered at the thought and bowed deeply to his master "Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru, i'm terribly sorry my lord, it won't happen again!" The man simply sighed to himself. "Good, now go and leave me." With that, he turned his back on the toad to look back out over the area.

Sesshoumaru felt a slight rumble in his chest. He hadn't noticed that he had growled at the toad when he turned his back to him, his servant not moving until hearing the deadly warning. Jaken, then hurrying himself away, ran back to the castle, thankful that he was still in one peace. Sesshoumaru almost felt like smiling at the sound of his servant running away so quickly, the way everyone was so afraid of him. He liked it that way.

Sesshoumaru decided then that it was time to head back to the castle. There was a lot to be taken care of that night and everything had to go smoothly. It was hard though even after a year. He still had trouble accepting his father's return. His father had died a long time ago, and then one day, the Great Dog Demon just returned suddenly. No one could explain it. Not even his father, Lord Toga, the great Inu no taisho, could explain it. The Great Demon himself didn't know how or why he had returned. He knew of his death, he remembered it. The only thing he remembered after that was how he awakened one night in the forest deep within his own lands. And how he aimlessly found his way through the darkened forest at the base of the hill that his castle sat upon.

Sesshoumaru remembered the idle words of the servants about his father's return. They thought they're late Lord a ghost of some sort, an angered spirit come back for revenge. "Baka" He muttered to himself.

But there was more to it than just Lord Toga's return. Other demons were showing up, demons that were said to have died all ready, some of them long ago. Some were weak, but there were a few with some strength to them. Some of which posed a threat at times, but never the less were taken care of. For a year now this had been happening. It was slow, and not often, but yet it was happening, that was undeniable.

And so after all these years, his father's vassals would once again gather at their taiyoukai's castle. It had been a long time since he had seen any of his father's vassals. It wasn't often they gathered, and after Lord Toga's death there was even less a reason to. Sesshoumaru had no need for vassals when he took over his father's position as Lord of the Western Lands all those years ago. It was something that did not always happen, and when it had, it had been over many years of bonds of some sort forming between youkai. Whether those be bonds of friendship, or just bonds held to ensure each other's survival and out standing rule over a land.

So it had been decided, and so with the rumors of the former Lord's return from his grace, the formal notices had been sent out. In it, each vassal was informed that their presence was to be expected on this night, and for a meeting to take place for the first time in many, many years. And here it was, the night in which the vassals would gather under one roof, and once again would be reunited with their Lord.

Just as Sesshoumaru was clearing the forest in which surrounded the his father's castle, he paused. Catching the familiar scent coming closer, he turned slightly looking back over his shoulder. "Inuyasha." Just as he had spoken his name he saw the hanyou running through the forest towards him, Inuyasha clearly not have noticing his presence. Just as quick as Inuyasha had appeared through the trees, had Sesshoumaru made his move. Surprising the hanyou noticeably. "Sesshoumaru!" He almost smiled at the look on his baby brother's face, the note of question placed within his name as his brother spoke in one breathe when he saw him. Fear, he could smell fear on his brother for a moment before it vanished. 'I surprised him, scared him even.' He thought to himself.

'Well, lets see if this scares him.' Sesshoumaru reached out and slammed Inuyasha into the trunk of a nearby tree. It would have snapped most likely if it had been any smaller under the pressure it was with Inuyasha's body smashed right into, being held firmly in place as Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at Inuyasha. "Little brother, why have you come here?" He held onto him by his throat, sinking his claws in the hanyou's skin, letting little streams of blood flow down his neck. "It is forbidden for anyone to come so close to the castle uninvited, you should know this little brother." He could smell the surprise and fear laced with the hanyou's scent once again. Sesshoumaru finding himself pleased with the scent, starred, waiting for an answer.

Inuyasha struggled to breathe even with both hands placed on Sesshoumaru's, trying to pry the claws from his neck. "I asked you a question brother." He tightened his grip and then loosened it slightly, seeing the hanyou choke. "Go to hell, Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha spat, still trying to free himself somehow. "Still stubborn i see, Inuyasha, very well then." Swinging around, he tossed Inuyasha straight into another tree, letting him hit it with enough force that a heavy branch fell and almost landed on Inuyasha, just barely missing him. He drew Tetsusaiga and jumping to his feet, swung at Sesshoumaru, missing every time as the youkai effortlessly dodged each swing. "Stay still you coward!" A roar seemed to escape from Inuyasha as he took another swing at his brother. This time however, Sesshoumaru did not move but instead grabbed Inuyasha's wrist as he was bringing the sword down from over his head. Holding his wrist high above their heads, he heard Inuyasha grunt as he tried to press down in a futile attempt to free himself.

"Aren't you going to do something little brother?" Sesshoumaru asked in an icy tone. The only reply he received was a low growl as Inuyasha tried to over power him, using both his hands to hold the sword as he pressed down. "I see, you can't over power me? I guess it's up to me then." Pulling back his right arm and making a fist, Sesshoumaru threw it forward towards Inuyasha's face. Inuyasha closed his eyes, waiting for it, expecting to feel the blow any second, but it never came. Then realizing someone else was with them, he opened his eyes and looked to his side. An older man stood, looking straight at Sesshoumaru as his hand held Sesshoumaru's fist in his. A calm look upon his face as his older brother spoke. "Akito."

Sesshoumaru and the man both looked straight at each other, ignoring him as if he weren't even there. Inuyasha could see the older man half smile at his brother. Looking at the man, taking note of how he looked. He wasn't tall like Sesshoumaru, but he was taller than him still and his shoulders much broader. He wore fur over his shoulders that looked a pale gray. With dark black hair that held traces of white and gray from aging in an array of streaks, he came to realize the man was older than he first thought. "Forgive me, Lord Sesshoumaru, but i do not wish to see your father angry with you for beating your younger brother, Inuyasha, before he even makes it to the castle." He was still holding Sesshoumaru's fist while half standing beside Inuyasha and half in between the two, clearly blocking Sesshoumaru from getting any closer to Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru stood for a moment, not once leaving the old man's gaze while still holding Inuyasha's wrist above his head. Then standing up straight after a moment, dropping Inuyasha's wrist as Akito stepped back from him to give Sesshoumaru his space. Tetsusaiga dropped to the ground, transforming back to the old katana, ready to be placed in it's sheath. Inuyasha silently cursed to himself for being weak and letting Sesshoumaru over power him so easily. And now with his left arm back. 'His left arm! Wait, when did that happen?' Cursing himself again for not noticing Sesshoumaru now had both his arms once again. 'Great, just great.' He thought to himself.

"Thank you, my lord." Akito bowed as Sesshoumaru nodded simply in reply. Clearly he respected the old man to let him interfere with their fight without so much as placing a scratch on the man. 'Who is he?' Inuyasha wondered. 'Why did he feel the need to help me?' The way he was shown respect from his older brother confused Inuyasha only more. He was so lost in his thoughts he didn't even notice the two had turned to him and were now looking at him blankly.

"It seems that you should need some training boy." The old man informed Inuyasha with a slight smile. Inuyasha looked up at the man, startled for a moment before returning to his gruff expression. Taking Tetsusaiga from the ground, quickly straightening himself and nodding at the older man, trying to surpress the need to growl and doing his best not to look in Sesshoumaru's direction, placing Tetsusaiga in it's sheath. 'How embarrassing!' He thought as he looked to Sesshoumaru finally. 'And in front of him too! Dammit!' He saw Sesshoumaru standing just behind the older man with that arrogant composure and look in his eyes.

Akito turned to Sesshoumaru, seemingly unaware of the tension between the two brothers, or perhaps just ignoring it. "We should be heading back now, my lord, we don't want to be late." Akito turned his head to look back over his shoulder at Inuyasha. "Well, are you coming? If i were you i would hurry up, your father dislikes it when people are late." Inuyasha nodded as the Akito started walking in the direction that would lead them out of the forest. Sesshoumaru glanced over his shoulder at Inuyasha before starting after Akito. Inuyasha soon following after, cursing momentarily to himself over the small encounter between him and Sesshoumaru. Glancing up a head, making sure he was a comfortable distance away from his brother to see him now walking with the older man. 'He's youkai.' Inuyasha thought. 'Of course he is, like Sesshoumaru would show any respect to anyone less than youkai.'

Looking up through the curtain of white that fell over his eyes as they cleared the forest, he saw the castle atop a giant hill. Raising his head to look at it better, he starred, thinking to himself. 'So this is where father lives?' Mumbling to himself as he realized he had fallen behind the others. "This should be interesting" Inuyasha mumbled to himself, taking note of the heavy scent of youkai he could now smell as they came closer to the castle.