AN: I've decided to use most of this chapter to tell the origins of Bane, and why he does what he does. Maybe you, the reader, might feel a little sympathy for him, I don't want him to be another two-dimensional antagonist, umm...okay, on with the story.

Chapter 6: Defiance

An arrogant half-demon named Naraku created me, he was an egotistical fool, and he sought to destroy you and Inuyasha. His sole purpose in life was to find and use the Shikkon jewel and become a full-fledged demon, but he soon found it more difficult than he thought. You appeared, and removed the arrow that had pinned Inuyasha. He tried on many occasions to use subterfuge and deceit, in hopes that someone else would kill you two. After his failed attempts he created Kagura the wind sorceress, Kanna and her void, and two others afterwards. None were able to stop you and your friends from collecting the shikkon jewel shards. Then one night, he grew more enraged, and used whatever left over material he had and created me.

I was bestowed with immeasurable intelligence, my speed surpasses that of Inuyasha and his brother, and my other ability…well, that was taught to me by a different demon, after I escaped him. I had been under his constant watch for many days, he would order me to kill you and your friends, but I knew that once I did that, I would be disregarded like a useless tool or absorbed into his miasma. I refused his commands, and he destroyed my very essence, my life force, but I did not die. He saw me as a soulless abomination and he had Kagura imprison me within the deepest bowels of his fortress. Then it had occurred to me, I was nothing more than a bane, a mistake, all because I refused to carry out his command. It was all because of you, I summed up all my strength and broke free of my hellish prison. I tore through Kagura's dead puppets and made my way to his chamber…

"You would dare challenge your master?" Naraku stood up from where he was sitting and faced his creation.

"Naraku…I am not a failure. My blood is far more pure than yours. You're nothing more than a half-breed. If anyone here is a mistake, it is you!" shouted Bane.

Naraku extended his arms and shoot his powerful tendrils at Bane, pushing him against the wall. Bane ripped the tendrils from his body and freed himself of Naraku's hold, he ran at his master with his sharp claws extended and sliced Naraku across the chest, the sheer force of the attack sent Naraku crashing through the wall. Naraku looked up and saw Bane starring down at him, infuriated, Naraku plunged his hands into the ground, and his tendrils exploded underneath Bane's feet. They quickly wrapped themselves around his ankles and restrained him from moving. Naraku stood back up and pulled his left hand out from the ground, while using the other to hold his defiant reincarnation.

Naraku's right hand became engulfed in magic and he thrust in deep into Bane's chest. He twisted his demonic hand and ripped out Banes' still beating heart. Naraku gave an evil smile and released Bane, who fell on the ground, a large pool of blood escaped from underneath him. Just as Naraku was satisfied, he turned around and began to walk back to his quarters, when he felt a cold chill run down his back. Naraku turned his head, and looked back, a heavy breathing loomed closely behind him.

"N-Naraku…we're not done…" mumbled a bleeding Bane.

Naraku's smile quickly turned into a sneer, as he turned back around, "Can't you even die right? You're not only a failure, but you're a Bane! If you refuse to die, I'll ensure that you never get peace." Naraku's tendrils shot with great force at Bane, immediately wrapping themselves around his entire body. Bane's entire body became numb, his mind throbbed and he could hear Naraku's maniacal voice echoing in his head.

"Since you refused to do my bidding, I'll curse you. Not a day will go by that you don't hear me in the darkest corners of your mind. The only thing that will temporarily silence it will be when you kill a young girl, to be rid of me, to be rid of your torment, you must find and kill Kagome!" dark magic entered Banes body and made its way into his mind.

"Get out of my mind!" Bane shouted. With his remaining strength he broke free of Naraku, sending pieces of his demonic appendages flying into the air. Bane fell on his knees and wiped the blood dripping from his nose. He stood up and ran blindly out of Naraku's fortress, his creators voice continued to echo throughout his mind, as he darted across the land, in hopes of finding some place to recuperate.

A few days had passed and Naraku's constant voice was gradually become louder, until one morning. I was lying on the ground and my clothing was saturated in blood, when a young girl found me writhing in pain. She knelt down beside me, not knowing what I really was and tended to my injuries. At first I was reluctant to let her help me, after she calmed me down, she removed most of my clothing, you should've seen the look on her face when she saw the gaping hole in my chest. I saw a tear run down her face, she was in shock, how could anyone still be alive, she probably wondered. I refrained from killing her, when she began wiping the blood off of my body.

"Please leave…" I pleaded with her with my face turned away from her, not letting her see my teeth. I didn't know how much longer I could repress the urge to rip her apart. She just smiled and began talking to me, she probably thought I was delirious and continued dressing my wound.

"My name is Serenity…are you a demon?" she asked.

I couldn't believe what I had heard her say, she knew what I was and didn't fear me. I looked at her, showing her my eyes, and she stopped for a second. I thought that would cause her to flee, but she didn't. My entire body felt strange, it was a warm sensation, and I smiled at her and told her my name.

"Who did this to you?" she asked, her voice sounded like that of a heavenly being.

After I explained what had happened, Serenity took me back to her home, it was a pleasant little house near the forest. She nursed me back to health, days had gone by, and my body had fully healed. I began to feel something between us, she saw past what I was, she only saw someone she wanted to share her solitude life with. I would watch over her and protect her, and we became so close that we expressed our love for each other, but my happiness would be short lived, I could no longer silence my creators' voice. It was morning, Serenity was outside, her long dark hair danced with the gentle breeze, and I approached her from behind, she turned around feeling my presence.

"RUN!" I shouted. My hands trembled as I drew closer to her. I had warned her, about what Naraku had done to me, but she just stood there. She closed her eyes, as if she knew what was going to happen next, and I blacked out. When I awoke, I found my hands covered in blood, I had killed Serenity, the only person who accepted me for what I was. I knew that I could never let anyone get close to me, the only way for me to find happiness and silence HIS voice, was that I had to find you.

Kagome was both saddened and scared, Bane was finished telling her why he wanted her dead, but why did he wait so long? She asked and received an answer, Bane only had her name to go by, he had never once really seen her, and with him being a demon, he had many people that wanted him dead. Bane killed countless samurai, ronin, yojimbo, demon slayers…the list went on as the times changed. He was driven by the urge for survival and would on occasion kill an innocent girl, to silence the voice of Naraku, but as time passed, he would adapt.

Bane leaned against the wall and frowned, Kagome stood up and cautiously walked over to him. She placed her hand on his shoulder and could feel his pain and sorrow, when suddenly, his eyes widened and he pushed her away, nearly knocking her down.

"Get away from me!" he yelled, Kagome could see a sudden change. Bane removed his suit and shirt, revealing a faint scar on his chest. He staggered, almost like he was in a daze, and made his way towards the exit. Bane opened the door and left Kagome alone, it appeared that Bane had become mentally unstable, and he had carelessly left the door open.

"Now's my chance." She silently thought. The young girl found a series of tunnels behind the door and she came to two doors. She could hear Bane talking to himself, behind one of them, and quietly opened the other. Kagome and tiptoed up a short flight of stairs and could see a door a few feet away.

"Please, let it be open." She kept repeating, Kagome gently placed her hand on the doorknob and turned it slowly.