Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?
The Joker (Batman)
Prologue
Late Kamakura period
No birds sang or crickets chirped, but moonlight fell on the path before Kurosaki Ren. Calmly, confidently, and courageously he followed the path out of the town. This town had fallen victim to many plagues and pestilences. They claimed that a snake demon named Yatonogami held responsibility for their problems. The people of the village begged for help. Being a servant of the shogun, he had a duty to these lands so even though he didn't quite believe the villagers assertations about the demon-- he was here due to his pride as a Samurai.
After walking for a time, the samurai reached a field just outside of the village. To one side of the field lay a thick forest. He stopped here as something tickled in his head. Whenever I get this feeling- there's somebody there, he thought frowning. Ren concentrated on the feeling. But it wasn't the same sensation as when he knew the person. It was strange and unfamiliar. Before moving, he thumbed his sword free from its catch, then took a step forward and looked around.
"Hello," called the samurai. "I know you're there. Show yourself!"
From out of the woods, came a distinctive human shape. A soft throaty rumble exited from the person's mouth marking him as a male. He was tall and had long blond hair was tied back in a tail. The samurai's eyes widened slightly. Red eyes contrasted with the mans' light colored face. His blood ran cold as his legs started to shake. Ren had to fight the urge to run. No matter the enemy, he pasted a grin on his face to hide his unease. I cannot fail.
Pearly white teeth glistened in the dark as the man spoke.
"Interesssting." A forked tongue flicked past the man's lips. "Not many could have sssensed me. I sssee no sssacrifice with you---- what isss it you ssseek?"
Sacrifice! Ren's stomach turned at the word. Surely the villagers weren't really giving people to this...this...thing! His voice left his mouth with an unnatural calmness. "I come on behalf of the villagers. Are you the one that is giving them problems?"
It answered simply, seemingly slithering up to the samurai. "Yesss. I am Yatonogami. SSSo, are you my sssacrifice after all?"
"Umm..." Ren struggled to keep his stoic mask in place. The strange man appeared behind the samurai and leaned in towards him. A tongue brushed against his ear as he spoke. "Because you really aren't my type."
Quickly the warrior moved away from the creature in human form. The samurai turned to face him with a hand lightly covering the hilt of his sword. He took a deep breath. It was hard to believe he was afraid, but something dark just rolled off the...thing.
"No," Ren asserted, tilting his head and grinning. "I'd probably give you a stomach-ache if you tried to eat me."
"I can smell your fear," said Yatonogami, leaning uncomfortably close to his face. "Do you think you can fight me?"
Resolve entered into the Samurais' eyes. "I will not lie down and die."
"So be it."
The demon moved back as the warrior stood there calm in mind and spirit. The most important part of any battle was the draw. With the proper drawing technique, the first cut could stop any enemy. So he waited for the right moment to draw and strike.
The first move came from the snake demon. Waves of powers streamed from him and encircled both fighters. Ren rolled over and came to his feet as the demon struck with a fang-like sword. Yatonogami missed as the samurai leapt into the air. The samurai landed to one side of the demon. Before Yatonogami could attack, the warrior drew and struck a deep cut into the demons side. The demon howled, his body shaking. He attacked the samurai quickly and ruthlessly. Ren deftly dodged. This deadly game of tag would continue until one slipped up.
This can't continue much longer, thought the samurai. I'm tiring and barely have hurt that...that...monster.
As if reading his mind Yatonogami lisped. "Getting tired? You can't keep thisss up for very much longer. Sssurrender."
"Never." He bowed his head.
The snake demon aimed a slash at the tiring samurai. Ren blocked it and spun aside at the last possible moment. As Yatonogami turned to face the samurai, he moved again and aimed a cut at the demon, lopping off an arm. Green blood dripped everywhere. Fangs grew out from his mouth. Meanwhile Ren dropped and rolled to the side. The furious monster lunged at him. The lunges became quicker and quicker making them harder to dodge. On one lunge, the samurai tripped over a large stone. As he attempted to get up, the demon grabbed the man. He thrust his long fangs into the samurai's shoulder as he bit down.
A scream tore out from Rens' lungs. Something inside of him quivered and then snapped. Jets of untapped power blasted out from the samurai. He stood shakily and pulled away from the demon, breaking off a fang embedded in his shoulder. Ren pulled out the fang, tossed it away, and then turned to face Yatonogami. His wound healed rapidly. He felt refreshed, strong, even. The samurai's eyes met the enemies and steeled, feeling little fear.
"Prepare yourself." He readjusted his sword.
The demon yelled at the samurai with a humorous smirk. "You cannot win. I am a god!"
The samurai rushed forward. He could see Yatonogami moving sluggishly towards him. Ren stopped; he held his sword down with blade aimed toward the sky. When the demon came into strike range, the warrior angled his cut and sliced through demons' neck. Yatonogami's body continued forward as his head fell to the ground. Then the body tumbled down, blood oozed from the fatal wound. Sighing, the warrior bent his head and closed his eyes.
Yatonogami was dead.
----------------------------------------
The next day, the village held a celebration. Everyone felt joy that the demon couldn't terrorize them anymore. Ren took part in the festivities as a representative of the Shogun----- and as a hero. Many of the men were in awe of him. Women prostrated themselves in front of him. Much food and drink the villagers pushed upon him.
After many hours of partying, the celebrators tired out. As the villagers started to return to their homes, the samurai did the same. When he returned to his estate, Ren went to his room where he readied for bed. As he pulled on his night robe, his stomach clenched. His legs buckled from underneath him. Sweat dripped down his face as the pain intensified and his breathing grew ragged.
A throaty chuckle filled Ren's ears. The samurai barely raised his head to look around, but found no one. There was nothing in the room with him.
"So you think you killed me, mortal?"
The samurai's face paled.
"The villagers begged me to curse you. They want me to torture you instead of them. You were the sacrifice after all."
The samurai shook his head wildly.
"I will not die. I will always be lurking in your blood until the time when your family finally dies out. And then I will rise again!"