Chapter three –

InuTaisho and Sesshomaru ran quickly north after the scent of Inuyasha's blood. It had not taken them long to locate the site of the battle that had taken Inuyasha out of his usual stomping grounds and judging from the stench of so much mixed blood, the battle had been fierce indeed.

Sesshomaru had never felt at such a loss for words and actions when he saw his father drop to his knees on the ground and press his fingers to a spot of long dried blood that had been Inuyasha's.

'Ironic,' he thought 'only a week or so ago I would have relished in the thought of killing the pup…and here I am...with Father…hunting those who have hurt the brother who I so long detested. But why did I detest him? Tetsusiaga...my desire for power...my arrogance...'

InuTaisho grabbed a piece of what was at some point before the battle a very large boulder and scraped up a bit of the scent of the mysterious demon that had taken Inuyasha. He raised it to his nose and took a tentative sniff. Sesshomaru could've sworn his father had gagged for a moment.

InuTaisho handed the rock to Sesshomaru and after locking eyes with his father for a moment he took a sniff as well. The stench that assaulted his delicate nose was foul enough that he, the great Lord Sesshomaru, dropped the rock and had to focus all of his will not to retch.

The creatures blood was indescribable…To Sesshomaru, death itself smelled better. Death had a sickly sweet smell that, while disgusting, could be gotten used to and even appreciated after enough time. This abomination smelled like a battlefield of rotting corpses in the most humid and hot days of the summer then eaten, partially digested, vomited up, then cremated. Sesshomaru slowly regained his composure but could not prevent his body from quivering, nor his eyes from watering.

He knew of only one creature that could spawn a monster so foul…Naraku.

Naraku sighed happily as he slipped into a hot bath. Today had been especially sweet for him and his ilk. Inuyasha's spirit remained indomitable as ever, but his body was not anywhere near as resilient. Of course Naraku had personally been the first to take the boy for his toy, and while he never preferred the company of males, he took far more pleasure then he thought possible when he had forced himself upon the pup. His entourage should be done with that phase of their 'entertainments' by now

'Unless some decided to take second helpings' Naraku snickered. 'So long as he is alive, and Kagura's spell of waking prevents him from achieving the peace of unconsciousness, I suppose it's all the better.'

Naraku's fingers rubbed the necklace of fangs he now wore around his neck and he smiled sadistically. They all carried the smell of their former owner and a few were still tinted pink near the bases where the blood had stained them, and Naraku felt all the more infatuated with those fangs.

'Even the Shikon no Tama isn't beautiful like these fangs, but then again it isn't bathed in the mutt's blood and tears.' Naraku practically purred as he sank back into the hot water.

"Such a fine day." he whispered to himself and laughed softly.

It wasn't difficult for Sesshomaru and InuTaisho to follow the creatures scent...after they found it of course. It had taken them a few hours before they were completely positive, but now they dashed across the skies of japan in their natural canine forms.

For Sesshomaru this was an especially sweet moment. When Inuyasha had cut off his left arm so long ago, he'd been mostly unable to take this form. While he was fully capable, he had never been able to match his previous speed, agility, and power.

The fire of hate for his brother that had been burning for so long in his chest was now no more then mere embers fading quietly into the depths of regret. Sesshomaru made a promise to himself at that moment. A promise that he would do whatever it took to repay Inuyasha, no matter what sacrifices that required.

After running south for miles and miles InuTaisho transformed back to his humanoid state, Sesshomaru following his father's lead almost immediately.

"The trail leads into the miasma covered area to the south." the elder demon pointed out quietly. Sesshomaru almost didn't notice the feint sound of anger and worry in his fathers voice, mainly because the same feeling was rapidly growing in the pit of his stomach as well.

"Inuyasha has grown very strong over the years Father." Sesshomaru said softly his eyes focused on the ominous miasma cloud.

The elder demon just nodded and clenched his fists tightly. "It's time to reunite our family."

Sesshomaru nodded and the two began running into the miasma.

Naraku growled and punched Inuyasha in the cheek producing a satisfying crunch as the whelp's jaw and cheekbones broke. The blood covered boy hadn't made a sound the last three days. Naraku had tried everything he could think of to 'persuade' at least a whimper out of his, but all of it had been nothing more then a waste.

'At least he makes for still some minor fun' Naraku thought as he licked Inuyasha's blood off his fist savoring the metallic taste. 'maybe it's time I killed him, he's no more fun if his psyche's snapped. I do wish that Lord Taki hadn't crushed his windpipe, I do miss the screams.' Naraku's sneer turned into a sadistic smile as he crouched down in front of the broken half-breed and slapped him.

"I was so glad when your uncle Taki accepted my invitation to come here, weren't you Inuyasha? I didn't know he harbored such a hate for you and your kind." Naraku purred. "Perhaps he will come for another visit yes? Oh and I really must thank you for your donation of fangs to my new necklace. Never have I owned something so beautiful. I am glad your fangs grow back so quickly.

Inuyasha said nothing, simply stared ahead unblinking and unfeeling. Naraku frowned and sighed waving a hand in front of Inuyasha's face.

"I've removed Kagura's spell of waking. You shall sleep and your mind shall recover, and when you wake up..." Naraku smiled sadistically "You will find out just how much worse this will get."

Inuyasha's eyes slowly closed as he fell into unconsciousness the last sound he heard the sound of Naraku's laughter as the demon vanished into the darkness.

Naraku walked slowly up the dungeon stairs. In his hand was the necklace he had made of Inuyasha's fangs, each one slowly pulled out of the boy's jaw with hot iron tongs, and Naraku had savored each second.

Before his thoughts could wander any further a massive explosion shuddered the palace nearly tripping Naraku, who growled in disbelief. Even if anyone could get through his miasma, who could have the power to shake this palace down to it's foundations?

There was a momentary explosion of wind in front of Naraku as Kagura appeared. Her naturally pale skin several shades lighter then normal.

"My lord, S-Sesshomaru and another demon I've never seen before are annialating the palace!" she said panic visible in her eyes.

"The undead guards?" Naraku asked maintaining his calm

"Wiped out almost immediately! Naraku we have to run, Sesshomaru is hard enough to fight, but this new demon he's with makes him look as week as Inuyasha!" She yelled

Naraku closed his eyes and took a moment to try and sense the two demons. His heart skipped a beat as he felt the new demons power, even with all his strength, Naraku was no match for this creature. For the first time in a long time, Naraku felt a cold fear settle into his gut.

"Get Kanna," he said softly "We're leaving"

InuTaisho paused his assault momentarily to glance up at the sky, the miasma that had been so thick a moment ago was rapidly dissipating and with it came a new smell...the smell of blood and death.

The great dog demon roared in fury and leapt forward into the palace with Sesshomaru close behind him. Together they literally began to rip the palace apart, the smell of Inuyasha's blood fueling their rage even further.

When their noses finally led them to the panel covering the stairs to the dungeon, they paused only for an instant before Sesshomaru ripped the panel off it's hinges and threw it into one of the many fires the two had created in their rampage. Dozens of distinct scents assaulted their sensitive noses nearly making them gag as they dashed down the cold stone stair. Once they reached the bottom both froze in their footsteps.

In front of them, naked and laying face down in his own dried blood was Inuyasha. His once silver hair was nearly black from all the dried blood. Sesshomaru felt his stomach turn as he looked at his little brother. The boy hadn't just been tortured, Sesshomaru could smell that he'd been raped many times.

He was shackled to the dungeon floor by his wrists and neck allowing for practically no movement. His left eye was swollen shut and his right cheek was dark purple and swollen. His body was covered with bruises and lacerations of all types, yet what made Sesshomaru's stomach twist and turn the most was the ears. The right one looked like someone had tried to eat it, and the left looked as though it had been ripped off.

For the first time in his life Sesshomaru had to turn his head away and close his eyes. He barely noticed as his father fell to his knees next to Inuyasha and ripped off the iron shackles that held him. InuTaisho then removed his kimono and gingerly wrapped his youngest in it. The boy made no sound nor any movement shy of the shallow breaths he took through narrowly parted lips.

"His jaw and nose are broken." InuTaisho said softly as he started to walk out of the dungeon. Sesshomaru quietly followed his father up the stairs.

"I'm going to take him to the hot spring we passed to the north...Sesshomaru?"

"Yes father?"

"...I don't want there to be so much of an ash left of this place."

"I'll see to it personally father."Sesshomaru said as he clenched his fists, already starting to gather his energy.

"Good...I'm...I'm very proud of you my son." InuTaisho said before he leapt into the cold night's sky cradling the bloody bundle in his arms. Only a minute later, the palace was covered in Sesshomaru's poison mist, melting it from the face of Japan.

InuTaisho landed gracefully next to the hot spring and sunk slowly to his knees cradling Inuyasha in his arms. He'd never been this angry in all his centuries of life, but then again, he'd never seen a person this badly ravaged, let alone one of his children.

"Inuyasha?" he cooed softly not surprised when there was no response visual or otherwise. Yet still a tiny voice in the back of his mind told him to keep talking, and he couldn't have resisted if he wanted to.

"Inuyasha, it's me, it's father...I've come back, you had big brother and myself worried sick little one." Tears welled up in InuTaisho's eyes but he forced them back as he removed the kimono he'd wrapped Inuyasha in. He couldn't resist a flinch as he got a better look at the wounds on his youngest child.

"I need to clean your wounds son," He spoke softly as he tore off a piece of the kimono and dipped it into the hot spring, ringing it out in one hand as the other stroked Inuyasha's hair. "If this causes you any more pain I'm sorry, but it needs to be done."

With as much tenderness as he could InuTaisho began to wipe the blood from Inuyasha's face. He didn't say a word as Sesshomaru landed in the grass behind him. Sesshomaru slowly made his way to his fathers side and without a word he ripped off another piece of the bloodstained kimono and gingerly started to clean Inuyasha's wrists.

"He must have fought very hard and for a very long time for these wounds to be this deep and so poorly healed." Sesshomaru said softly, his father replied with a simple nod.

It took them several hours to clean Inuyasha up, by the time they had finished the sun was breaking over the horizon casting reds, purples, oranges, and golds across the skies above them. The beauty lost in the grim realities that had long since settled over the two.

They had done what they could for Inuyasha with what little they had available, and while they had worked they had figured out much of what happened to him. The stink of both humans and demons was on him, they had broken his body in ways that made InuTaisho and Sesshomaru sick.

His jaw and nose were broken as were most of his ribs. His breaths were so shallow that at times InuTaisho and Sesshomaru had though he'd stopped breathing. They had made makeshift splints for his arms and legs, but he needed a skilled healer the likes of which InuTaisho had never known.

"Father?" Sesshomaru said softly.

"Yes?" The elder demon replied, voice barely above a whisper.

"I have an idea."