Hiei wasn't ready to kill him. Not yet.

"First, you're going to hand over everything you've got," He whispered into the ear of the helpless demon he had backed against the corner of the wall. "And then, I'll consider ending your life quickly...Or maybe I'll torture you until death is all that's left."

The demon stifled a scream as Hiei dragged a nail across his face, opening a thin line from which trickled blood. He licked it off his finger and spat on the floor.

"Disgusting. Filthy. Such blood could never possess my birth stone. Now, vanish."

A scream. The sound of a liquid first pouring, and then dripping to the ground. A few muffled stutters. And then silence. Hiei wiped his sword clean on the now decapitated demon's shirt, picked up the few belongings he had, and walked silently out of the cave and into the fading light of the sun. He noticed the sky had turned a blood red, marking the end of another bloody, battle filled day. It had been child's play as far as he was concerned – Two groups of bandits, one of whom he had slaughtered without even trying. The last one, he had spent the remainder of his day playing with, giving them all the opportunity to escape, and yet all of them fell to his sword. It was depressing and he had to admit he was getting tired of shedding all the blood. A real challenge seemed impossible to find, and his soul no longer held that spark it had when he was growing up with the bandits. Only an empty hollow, from which an occasional burst of sadness or regret would rise up, only to be put back down. To be replaced with more anger and suffering of his soul.

As he walked, the sunset faded and night soon fell. Despite the near blackness of the forest he was in, he didn't ever once trip or attempt to find shelter. Hiei was alone, and in truth he felt like dying. Hell, the way it was already he might as well already be so. Another mindless, bloodthirsty drone of Demon World's lawlessness.

And yet...

Who was he to question this? He was born a sinner, raised as a murderer, and now lived to kill beings simply because he didn't have any other course to take in his life. He stopped walking finally as he reached a small puddle on the forest floor, and began to stare into it, seeing a reflection only he could see – The reflection being his misery, urging him to kill himself so that he wouldn't have to be burdened by the madness of his empty shell of a life.

He drew his sword nearly automatically, as if being controlled by an invisible puppet master. Without trembling, he raised it to his throat and paused, his eyes now set on the sky. He watched a cloud block his view of the moon, and noticed a strong wind begin to blow as it did so.

He lowered his sword, and soon enough it was hanging from his side. His other hand was now wrapped around his mothers tear stone, and he stared at it as he usually did every night, captivated by the sheer beauty of the gem.

"Mother." he said, voice barely audible even to himself. "What do I do?"

He shut his eyes, breathing heavily. What was causing this?

He opened his eyes again and scowled. Why should he care about his own feelings? He didn't have them or need them – He was earning a reputation already as a ruthless murderer, ascending into the seat of power among demons. Why would he need anything else?

He dropped the tear gem out of his grasp and sheathed his sword, giving the puddle one last look.

"My hatred is my misery...And it couldn't be quelled. Not if I killed a million men and not if I didn't kill another for all of eternity, that's why you need to fuck off."

Hiei turned around and walked off into the darkness of the forest, just another shadow among the countless others. Such was his life, and he couldn't change this.