Hey everyone! Gosh, I'm really excited about this. This is my first ever fanfiction, the story will most likely be quite extensive, since i already have a lot in mind ;) I really hope you guys will like it! Feel free to PM me with anything you got, be it general comments, constructive criticism or just whatever you feel like - this goes for the whole story.

This is the prologue, written with Sesshomaru as the main character, thought it would be interesting to make that as a base line ;)

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha!

The Vanished

He sighed to himself, perhaps he had overreacted? It was not like him to lose his temper like that, especially with his brother. Thinking back, he had definitely overreacted, Inuyasha had not deserved to be treated like that, even if he was just a lowly Hanyou.

The demon lord idly ran his fingers through strands of long silvery hair, before resting it back on the dark wooden railing of the terrace. He was contemplating the situation, like he had done so many times in the past month, and he kept coming to the same conclusion; Inuyasha had essentially done nothing wrong. Of course he could not just go parading through the demonic world with this information; it would upset the situation further.

His brother, the strongest half-breed in existence, had acted alone and though his actions had saved the lives of many thousands, one life had been lost, one life, which could not be redeemed. An elder had died in the fallout of Inuyashas actions. An elder, who had just so happened to have lost it, he had tried to exterminate the entire southern tribe of wolves, as some sort of ritual. Inuyasha had killed him, trained and brought up as the best assassin the world had ever seen, his brother had killed an elder.

An elder, you imbecile! How could you let an elder die? Sesshomaru thought angrily to himself. The entire demonic community was in an uproar, they had demanded Inuyasha publicly whipped, tortured and then executed.

The negotiations had been tedious, but he, Sesshomaru the Demon Lord of the West and son of the Inu no Taisho, had won nonetheless, denying them the life of his brother. He had taken matters into his own hands and would never forget the things he had done, the things he had said in his anger. He had banished his own brother from the pack of the collective canine clans and allies. Inuyasha, his only remaining blood relative, had been cast out, and was forced to live amongst the humans.

The railing started groaning under the growing pressure of his fingers which were clamped down on the wood. If anyone could do anything about the current situation, it would have to be him. His position could not be ignored, especially considering his heritage. Once again, he would have to go out of his way to help the half-breed.

With a sigh, Sesshomaru loosened his fingers on the railing, it was bent strangely and splinters were peeking out of the rough spots where his claws had digged in. He turned on his heel and began walking into the Tashio fortress to review Inuyashas case. He passed the screens that were left open for ventilation into the large building, and ignored the kneeling servants, sitting ready to close the door for the night when he came inside.

His demon eyes quickly adjusted to the artificial light of the torches which were evenly distributed along the walls of the great room. The room was big, scarcely furnished with tables and sitting areas. He flowed effortlessly across the large space and turned right, down a long hallway. The hall was decorated with tasteful paintings or sculptures and every pillar supporting the building had carvings of the clan crest; the crescent moon.

He noticed absentmindedly that a cool breeze seemed to follow him as he walked, he would have to point out to the servants that the outer doors had to be closed earlier at this time of year. Sesshomaru turned left, auto piloting through the endless halls of the Tashio mansion, towards his private study.

Opening the door with entirely too much force, he entered the dark room and sat down with an uncharacteristic huff. He was tired of his brother, constantly causing him trouble. The brat would never learn; the past 145 years had not been enough to tame Inuyashas defiance.

He was deep in thought, not thinking of anything in particular when a thought suddenly forced itself to the forefront of his absent mind; the mansion will be empty without him. As soon as the thought announced itself, Sesshomaru let out an angry growl. Clearly he had gotten too used to his brat brothers presence.

Inuyasha had never fit into life at the mansion, though it wasn't so much a mansion as it was a fortress of massive proportions. It was entirely crafted out of wood, specially carved and infused with fire resistant magic of the old days. Every pillar and every visible beam proudly carried the mark of the Tashio clan. It was situated on the side of a mountain, covered in immense trees and inhabited by countless species of animals. The fortress itself was safely ledged on a natural plateau, which not only had sunlight from dawn till dusk, but was protected from the wind due to the surrounding natural barrier.

Sesshomaru sighed once again, he had long ago lost count of how many times he had to find his runaway idiot of a brother, hiding in the vast forest or running away from aggressive animals. No, Inuyasha had never really fit into the life at the mansion. It was an enormous building, with two stories and several side buildings for different purposes. The location itself was special, since it allowed for a particular addition to the initial design. In Sesshomarus younger days, his father had insisted that the practical parts of the mansion were tainting the idealistic purpose of the design. As a result, a labyrinth of halls, guest room and staff facilities had been carved into the mountainside. The only entrance was through the mansion itself, and it provided a vast amount of opportunity for training facilities that would not compromise the grandeur of the Tashio name.

His home was immense, he was proud to say, but he was reluctant to admit, that without his brother it seemed…empty? The demon stood angrily, his silken robes flaring at the sudden movement. He, the great Sesshomaru, Lord of the West, was NOT attached to his good-for-nothing half-breed of a brother… It was impossible! He strode to his desk, which was buried under towers of parchment. He was determined to sort out this situation.

He was in a bad mood, and the servants normally knew when to leave him alone with his thoughts. The demon lord was in his private study, going over the facts of his brothers banishment once more when suddenly, through the thin walls, he could hear footsteps coming closer. They were rapid, someone was running?

He turned in his seat, raised his head slightly, as if to look down on whoever entered the room.

The sliding door was flung open and a man stumbled inside. Sesshomaru raised a brow. The man was gasping for air, his clothes were torn and he was covered in sweat and dirt. The man threw himself on the floor, his forehead resting on the smooth wooden planks, waiting for permission to speak. He was still fighting to catch his breath as he waited for the lord to acknowledge him.

The minutes ticked by, Sesshomaru had almost immediately turned back to his studies of Inuyashas case and decided that he was not interested in hearing what this… peasant looking man had to say.

After about thirty minutes, the man dared to speak, "M-my lord…?" his voice was even, now that he could breathe easily again.

Sesshomaru stopped reading and turned slightly in his seat. His eyes were cold and his expression showed no emotion what so ever. "You should know your place," he said in an icy tone. "The next time you have the audacity to show yourself to me in such a… condition, I will have your head. Luckily for you, I have no desire for an execution today… You may leave." He concluded in a bored tone and turned back to his desk.

The man hesitated, it was not just unwise to cross any command of the Lord of the West, it was stupid, practically a death sentence. Everyone knew that Sesshomaru, though fair, had killed people for the slightest mistakes. "B-but… My l-lord," he stammered, "It concerns the Dark Prince, my lord Inuyasha…"

Sesshomaru froze, this man carried news of Inuyashas whereabouts. "Speak!" his voice was laced with tension and the man quickly sat up.

"My lord, we followed Inuyasha like you said. I am afraid I bring bad tidings." Sesshomaru now turned to face him; the man was fidgeting nervously on the spot. "I-… The young lord, Inuyasha… Has vanished… Rumor has it he was s-… He was sealed by a human priestess."

At that moment it was as if time stood still. Sesshomarus eyes widened dangerously, flashing a bright red, and a furious growl escaped his lips. "WHAT?"