Okay, attempt 2! The first bit is actually something anyone who's already read this story has already read, but towards the end of this chapter, it's new stuff I just wrote. Note: THIS IS A COLLECTION OF ONE-SHOTS! I will try to keep it vaguely coherent, but this is not a complete story. Sorry! Please R&R!
Rating: K+ (T for violence to be REALLY cautious)
"Please don't go," the woman begged, grabbing her brother's hand. "I have no one other than you to take care of me…We need you." The man shook his head, adamant.
"And what kind of brother would I be if I didn't defend you. I was raised as a slayer, this is what I was meant to do. This demon is terrorizing the land, and if no one else will fight it, I will." He tried to gently pull his hand away, but his sister clung tighter.
"It will kill you!" she insisted.
"I can't sit here and do nothing, anymore! It will kill us either way, at least this way I have a chance of killing him first!"
"Do you really think you stand a chance? You're an idiot if you think you could possibly walk away alive from a fight like that! He's destroyed entire armies single-handedly-!"
"Which is why you're leaving."
"…What?"
"I've arranged for you to live in a temple to the south of here. The monks have agreed to take care of you. If all goes well, I'll come pick you up, but it not, at least you won't be out on your own." She shook her head tearfully.
"Nisshoku…you can't. Come with me."
"Kaori. I must." He kissed her head and pulled his hand away. "I am a warrior. I made a vow. The blood of our father runs hot in my veins, and I cannot sit idle anymore! Not when there is something I can do! I swore to protect the people against the demons! I gave up that life to take care of you, but now my promise to take care of you requires me to take up the sword, again. I will not neglect my duty and my own oath. I wouldn't be able to live with myself, if I didn't at least try."
"You won't live at all, if you do!" Why can't he understand that I would rather live a coward's life with him, running away, than have him go off and die a violent death? He's going to die just like father did. He'll disappear and I'll never see him, again, and somehow he thinks that's better than running away with me! That idiot! He and father never understood mother and me. They thought we'd just be fine if they went and disappeared on us! It's terrible. He took off a necklace he always wore – a demon fang suspended on a black cord – and gave it to her.
"I'll be back for this," he assured her. And with that, he turned and headed away. Too long this demon had plagued the land, and the local lords and demon-hunters had either ignored the problem or tried and failed to handle the matter. He wasn't going to live in fear, anymore. Years ago, he had put up his sword he thought for good to settle down as a farmer and support his sister, but every time he heard another story about the horrors that demon reigned down on the people, his slayer blood began to sing, and every fiber of his body called for battle. No more could he put off the need for blood. No longer could he abide such brutality on the people he had once sworn to defend. He would go out, find the demon, and slay it – or die trying.
Kaori stared through tear-blurred vision after the retreating form of her brother. She had always known that he was hot-tempered and quick to get in a fight – especially where demons were involved, but he had been living peacefully for so long…With a sigh of defeat, she turned back towards the cottage, wiping her tears, and headed inside to pray. Please whatever powers reside in the heavens above us, she prayed silently. Watch over and protect my brother. Let him destroy this evil that plagues our land and return safely to me. She choked back a sob, sinking to her knees and squeezing her eyes shut. Her hands clasped before her chest she rocked back and forth, trying to sooth away her fears. Please, Nisshoku…take care of yourself! Come back to me!
The breath rushed from Nisshoku's lungs as he was tossed back against a tree, cracking his head back on the hard wood. He slid to the ground. At any other time, he'd barely have been conscious, but along with the other members of his tribe, he had drunk the blood of a demon to increase his own power, it filled him with a deep, barbaric battle lust that kept him focused in a fight when any other man's body would have long failed him. He forced himself to his feet, barely the heat and rush of the moment forcing all the pain and fatigue from his mind.
With a shout of fury he charged towards the demon again. He feinted left then moved to the right, slashing with his katana at the demon's arm. These ones were the worst – the ones that seemed human. Not only were they the most powerful, but they were also the most intelligent and strategic in battle. More sentimental hunters had trouble killing something that looked human but Nisshoku knew better. These creatures were not human, they were cruel, ruthless, evil. He had made a vow to wipe their stain from the face of the earth, once. But when their mother had died, he had put aside his warrior ways in favor of farming to take care of his sister. His sword reached flesh and he felt a jolt of triumph rush through him. Yes. This was the life he was meant for. He was foolish to think he could ever live peacefully. Jumping over a trip attempt, he tucked himself into a roll and landed in a crouch, slashing at the monster's legs. He knew better than to go for his vitals right away – no doubt that would be an impossible hit to make until the demon was injured and tired enough to be slow and vulnerable.
"Well, you are strong for a human. However did you accomplish that?" the demon asked as he lunged forward with several lightning-fast attacks. The human dodged out of the way, landing on the ground. He rolled out of the way as the demon's blade flashed down and stabbed into the ground where he'd been just moments ago. He flipped to his feet, taking deep breaths to try to steady his pounding heartbeat. The demon's sword flashed up, cutting a long, red gash up the side of his face. His red headband fluttered to the ground, letting loose his long, black hair to fall in his face. The human's brain failed to process the pain that should've seared through his face as blood dripped down into his eye. "Can you feel no pain?"
"I am Nisshoku, a warrior of the Order of the Viper," he growled out low. "I will never stop fighting until the last drop of blood has fallen from my body and my final breath last left my lungs. I will exterminate the tyrannical demons of the earth and protect those who cannot defend themselves. No demon will escape the keen edge of my blade. Not a single vermin left unwashed by his own blood. That is the creed of the Order of the Viper." With that, the human attacked again with renewed vigor, successfully putting the demon on the defensive once again.
Again and again he struck, heedless of his own injuries and slowly fading strength, ignorant to the scream of his muscles and protests of his body. His blade, forged from demon bone, cut flesh over and over and over. The demon, shocked by the human's persistence and strength, began to falter. He should have fallen by then. He was just a human. Just a human. And yet…The full length of Nisshoku's blade sank into the demon's chest, and they were both carried to the ground. The slayer sat atop his enemy, his blade still buried in his chest. His blood dripped down to mix with his fallen foe's as he sat there trying to catch his breath.
The young man's vision began to blur and his head began to spin. He coughed harshly, spattering blood over the dead demon's face. With a moan, he collapsed, sliding to the ground beside his enemy. His eyes fluttered shut and he exhaled deeply. Now that the battle was over, the adrenalin was quickly leaving him, his strength and consciousness hard on its heels. I'm sorry, Kaori, he thought distractedly. Looks like I won't be coming to get you…
He stared into the unfamiliar reflection in the water's surface. Two days he'd been wandering after waking up next to a corpse. He'd taken the sword that had been shoved through the corpse's chest, and it had felt natural in his hand, so he assumed it was his, but he had no memory of it or anything. He couldn't even recall his own name or where he'd come from or why he'd killed that other demon. Bright, sapphire eyes looked back at him. He held his hands out in front of him, examining the clawed fingertips. Curiously, he took a strand of his vibrant, purple hair between his fingers. It was soft – then again, demon hair generally was – and silky. A sound behind him startled him from his reverie and he spun to find a fox demon – or at least he assumed it was a fox demon judging by the ears and tail – standing there, staring at him.
"Hello," the demon greeted him warily.
"Good morning…this may sound odd, but…can you tell me where I am?" he asked. The other demon took a cautious step forward.
"You're right on the Southwestern border." Suddenly, the purple-haired demon sensed another aura, a powerful one. The hair stood up on the back of his neck and he grabbed the smaller demon, pulling him behind him.
"Watch out," he growled lowly, his fingers wrapping around his sword hilt. "There's another demon out there."
"I-I know," the fox demon replied. "That would be The Great Dog Demon, Lord Masahiko, the Lord of the South and West."
"I don't care who he is, I won't let him hurt you, okay?" Now the fox demon laughed softly, shaking his head.
"You don't understand, I'm his personal healer and servant. He won't hurt either of us without just cause." The smaller demon now came around to stand beside the other. "I'm Takeo, by the way. What's your name?"
"I wish I knew," the purple-haired demon replied with a shrug. "I woke up two days ago with no memory of who I am or where I come from or anything."
"Oh, amnesia, that must be hard for you."
"I suppose…I don't really know." That's when the other demon came into view, and the purple-haired man found himself staring. Masahiko was absolutely stunning. Long, silky, silver hair – as pure as condensed moonlight – cascaded down to his hips in tight, neat corn rows. Narrow, slanted gold eyes stared piercingly at him, clearly sizing him up. He was tall and slender, perfectly elegant. Smooth, flawless alabaster skin was pulled taut over toned, sinewy muscles. A golden sunburst pattern rested over his brow and dark blue marks slashed along his eyelids. His gaze now moved to Takeo, seemingly uninterested in the stranger.
"Takeo, who's this? Haven't I warned you about strangers?" he asked softly. The fox demon now went to his Lord's side.
"My Lord, this poor man has amnesia. He cant remember anything about himself or where he's from. I'm sure given time and study and the proper herbs, I could help him regain his memory."
"That's not why we're here, Takeo. We're here to find and imprison the War Demon, Akira," the demon lord replied. "Strange, but ever since a few days ago, I've stopped being able to catch his scent, anymore."
"Well, I think I killed a demon a few days ago," the purple-haired demon supplied. Masahiko scoffed lightly.
"Pardon, but I really don't think you could just kill Akira. He is a demon that rivals even my power."
"Well, he had blue hair…maybe down to the middle of his back, couldn't see his eyes…oh, but he had this tattoo on his forearm, it was of two snakes intertwined with a sword." Silence. Takeo looked up to the silver-haired demon lord.
"My Lord, that…that's Akira," he whispered. Masahiko's eyes narrowed further as he examined the stranger with a little more interest, this time.
"You killed the War Demon, Akira," he murmured appraisingly.
"Well, I woke up beside him, and the sword stuck through his chest felt good in my hand, if that's proof at all. I don't recall it if I did, nor do I know why I would."
"There were many that wanted to kill him, he was aggressive and cruel. He took pleasure in bloodshed. That is, of course, the nature of war demons, which is why you must understand why I'm doing this." The demon lord slid back into a fighting stance light forming into his hand and condensing into a halberd.
"What are you doing?" the purple-haired demon demanded. "Way I see it I did you a favor, killing that guy!"
"The thing with the War Demon is that he reincarnates in the one that kills him. Therefore, you are now the War Demon, and I will not make the mistake of letting you go free and wreak havoc on this land, again."
"I have no intention of wreaking havoc on anything!" the other demon replied even as he drew his sword. "So put your weapon away and no one has to get hurt."
"It is in your nature to be violent, and as I cannot kill you, I will have to settle for sealing you for eternity." The demon lord lunged forward, slashing with his halberd. The other demon dodged out of the way.
"Stop!" Takeo cried, shocked. The fox demon ran forward, placing his body between the two of them.
"Get of the way," Masahiko snapped.
"My Lord! If I may be blatant, this is wrong! This is not you! You would never employ violence without a reason!" the healer argued, his arms flung out wide.
"There is reason!"
"No! This man has yet to hurt anyone, to our knowledge. We can't know what he'll do. Give him a chance, please!" After a long, tense moment, Masahiko released his halberd, letting dissipated into a million droplets of light.
"Very well. But I won't allow him to just roam free as I did his predecessor. He will come with us, to the palace," the Great Dog Demon decided. Takeo relaxed.
"Thank you, My Lord." Masahiko turned on his heel. "Come on, then, I'll find us a good spot to rest." And with that, the demon lord walked off. Takeo glanced back at the unnamed demon with a smile.
"Come on."
"Why did you do that?" the other asked as he followed the fox demon away. "I mean, what's it to you…what happens to me?"
"Well, you're innocent, as of now, so…so you should be treated as such. Shouldn't you at least get a chance at life?"
"Thank you, but technically I must have already had one life, right?"
"So? This is your life now, and as far as we're concerned, this is the beginning of it."
"Where are we going?"
"We're heading to the Southern Palace."
"So this is the lord of both the South and the West."
"Yes, the South was acquired through his father's marriage, and the West has been in their family line for generations."
"So why are you traveling with him?"
"I am his healer. I go everywhere with him, should he require my services. So…now that you'll be traveling with us, what should I call you?"
"I…I don't know…anything you want, I guess."
"Hm. I've always liked the name Atsushi."
"Atsushi it is then." The purple haired demon glanced down at the smaller man beside him. What a strange man, he mused.