What's wrong with me? I asked myself. I kicked a rock that sat in the middle of the dirt road. The rock sailed over the surrounding treetops. I was frustrated that I ran off like that. I was upset that I allowed my mother's death to ruin such a happy moment. The image of Elizabeth's glowing face stuck itself in my mind. But again it was overshadowed by my mother's final moment.

"Damn it!" I yelled, hoping I was out of earshot. I had to get over it. My mother would rest in peace, knowing that her son lived a happy life. That thought calmed me down a little.

Yes…She would want me to be happy…Not get myself killed by trying to avenge her death

I exhaled in relief. My logic was comforting. I did not need to feel guilty about kissing Elizabeth.

That night after dinner, Elizabeth and I were sitting outside of the house on a bench in the garden. The sun had set, and the star had just begun to fill the sky. Crickets began their chirping song. I could hear rest of her family inside the house. Elizabeth sat there with her hand in mine, and I looked deep into her eyes.

"What?" she asked after I had been staring for a while, "Are you OK?"

I smiled at her, seeing nothing but her beautiful face.

"Yeah," I answered, "I've never been better."

"Really?" She asked, "Well that's good. This afternoon you made me think…" She trailed off.

"I'm sorry about that," I said with a hint of regret in my voice. "But don't worry. I know now what I am meant to do."

I leaned in to kiss her. The sound of dishes clattering on the floor came from the house. I stopped for a moment and listened.

No talking, no laughing. The crickets were silent. Something was wrong.

I got up immediately, and drew Yamato. Elizabeth stood straight up with her eyes wide.

"What's going on?" She asked fearfully. She looked around, panicking. I grabbed a hold of her arm and took her to the woodshed behind the house.

"Stay here!" I commanded her as I led her inside. The shed was sturdily built, and had a door to keep out the elements. I shut the door, and ran into the house.

The house was a wreck. I hadn't heard any of this! The shelves were collapsed onto the floor, and furniture was torn to shreds. A trail of blood stained the light-brown carpeting.

"No…" My mind raced, how could this have happened? I followed the blood trail to Gabriel's bedroom and found Rebecca lying dead on the bed. Her face was bloodstained, and her eyes stared up at the ceiling. My mother's image once again flashed into my mind.

"No…" I searched through the room for the others, but to no avail. I went back into the living room. "Gabriel! John! James! Where are you?!?"

"Here!" I heard James' voice coming from his room. I heard the sound of him crying. I ran inside and found him kneeling next to the body of his older brother, John. He looked up at me with tears running down his face. His eyes were bloodshot, and his hands were shaking.

"Th-they killed him, Gilver!" he wailed, "They killed him!" He starting sobbing again. I grabbed him by the shirt and picked him up.

"Where is everyone?" I roared, "Who did this?!"

"They…Those monsters did this!" He said hysterically, "Those things-..there still here!"

"Where are Gabriel and Sarah?!?" Sarah was their youngest sister, who was barely 10 years old. "Tell me!"

"I-I don't know!"

I threw him back to the ground, he crawled back to his brother's dead body, weeping.

I stormed out of the room and went out the front door. I was met with sight of two demons holding Gabriel and Sarah by the throat.

"Where IS he?!?" one asked Gabriel. Gabriel choked and coughed, but said nothing to the creature. The demon was cloaked in shadow, its eye's glowing red, gazing into Gabriel's dying face. The other that held Sarah was shrouded in a glowing blue light that hid its true form.

"Stop!" I yelled. They two contrasting demons turned towards me, their true forms still hidden. "Let them go!"

The dark demon looked at me, then at Gabriel. With a raspy cackle, he squeezed Gabriel's throat.

"No!" I roared and began running towards them. Gabriel's throat was crushed inside the demon's grip. His head felled back unnaturally, the back of his head falling to his shoulder blades. "NO!!"

The air around me suddenly blurred, and I found myself instantly behind the dark demon. Unfazed, I slashed Yamato through it. The demon screamed, and I turned my attention to Sarah's captor. The air blurred again, and I was suddenly above them. I fell down to the ground and slashed downwards. Yamato sang, and cut through the light-demon's arm. Sarah fell to the ground in a heap. I thrust the hilt of my blade into the demon's body, knocking it back towards its fallen ally.

The dark demon stood up with the demon of light. The darkness swirled around one, and the other glowed brighter and brighter until it was white. Both materialized swords in their hands. Each curved blade matched their cloaks of light and darkness.

Yamato hummed in my palm, and I immediately attacked. As I ran towards them, I saw that same blur and found myself behind them. Taking advantage of this, I swept Yamato through both of them. The light-demon shrieked in pain, but the one of darkness thrust out his blade to block mine. I pulled myself back to avoid any counterattack. The Dark demon spoke.

"You," It rasped, "You are the son of Sparda, are you not?"

The other demon recovered and took its place next to it's shadowy counterpart.

"Yes," the light-demon spoke clearly, "Can you not see the resemblance?"

"Why you're right, Dies." The other replied, "He wields one of Sparda's swords, as well."

"What do you suppose we should do, brother Nox?" Dies asked, "If he bears resemblance to Sparda, then he may just have Sparda's strength. We wouldn't stand a chance."

"Calm yourself, brother." Nox told him, "If he was indeed as powerful as that, we would not have survived his first attack."

"I see…You are a genius."

"Oh, I know. But you're just as smart."

"Oh please, you're too kind."

"Not nearly as kind as you thi-"

"SHUT UP!" I yelled. My fists were clenched so hard that my knuckles were white. My body was shaking. Yamato glowed and hummed. I looked down at Gabriel's twisted body. I saw Sarah struggling to breathe. The air around me began to crackle as if electrically charged. The power within me was just begging to come out. But I couldn't let it. Not around my family.

"Oh, I think he's upset, brother." Nox remarked.

"Indeed he is." Dies replied, "Shall we ease he suffering?"

"Let's" Nox agreed. At that, the two lunched forward, their cloaks blending together in the air. The only part of their true form that I could see was their clawed hands, and their glowing eyes. They struck out at me, alternating between light and dark. Yamato was just a blur in my hand as I scrambled to block their attacks. Farther and farther they pushed me back. Despite my own speed, they were faster still. The only way I'd match them is if I transformed. No! What if someone saw me?

I rolled to the side to avoid the next attack, giving myself more room to move. I jumped backwards into the air and landed 10 feet back. I slashed through the air with Yamato, sending that near-invisible line of light towards my assailants. The line whined through the air, Nox and Dies jumped through the air to avoid it. They landed quietly and slowly approached me.

"You cannot win." Nox proclaimed.

"And once we kill you, we will kill the rest of your friends" Dies laughed. His brother joined in with his raspy cackle.

A scream came from the doorway of the house.

I turned and saw Elizabeth standing there, shaking. The two demons looked at each other in confusion.

"Run!" I yelled to her. The demons heard this and lunged towards her. I reacted as quickly as I could. The air blurred around me and I was between Elizabeth and the demons. They kept charging forward, and were met with Yamato whizzing through the air. They both blocked with their own swords, and began pushing me back, closer to Elizabeth.

No…My mind screamed as they pushed me back. I need to be stronger! B-But…I can't!

We were almost upon Elizabeth, who stood in place, frozen with fear.

She'll die if I don't! My anger built up, and I could feel the power rising within me. It overwhelmed my body, and began pushing its way through my veins. Knowing it was the right thing to do, I succumbed to it. I felt myself transform. The air around me crackled with electricity. My strength was renewed, and I pushed the two demons back as hard as I could. Both were sent flying backwards towards the street.

I turned to Elizabeth, who now looked at me with a pale face, and panic-stricken eyes.

"Go." I told her, my was voice warped and I could feel the fangs in my mouth. "Its not safe here"

She nodded, still looking at me with fear. She turned and ran back into the house. I turned back to the two demons, who were already approaching me.

"Sweet girl." Nox said. "I'll enjoy playing with her insides."

"You will not touch her." I said calmly. They both laughed.

"We'll see." Dies chuckled.

They both sprang forward, quickly. To me, it was almost in slow-motion. I swiftly knocked away their blades, and swept the flat-edge of Yamato through the air, knocking them both to the side. As they flew through the air, I found myself right in front of them. I slashed with Yamato as fast as I could. The blade danced through the air, and through the demons' bodies. I jumped up into the air above them, and sent a flurry of Yamato's Cuts down on them. A cloud of dust kicked up as I landed.

As the dust cleared, the two demons stood up slowly.

At that moment, I felt my power slipping away. I sighed as I felt it leave me and I changed back to normal. The two demons laughed.

"It appears he can't keep that up for long!" Dies remarked, looking at his brother.

"How splendid!" Nox laughed.

"Not again…" I whispered to myself.

"Its too bad you're just a half-breed, boy." Nox continued. "Otherwise we may have been in trouble."

Suddenly, Dies was behind me. I turned just in time to see his sword of light crashing towards my face.