So... this chapter made me sad to write. But it had to be done.

Read, review, and enjoy...

Demon activity had been unusually high lately.

By 'lately' I mean shortly after Father, and the rest of the band, were vanquished. Lesser demons were swarming because they had no fear of anyone with skills bothering to take them out. At least, that's what they thought.

I was around, and this was my village too. I refuse to let them take over, or to even try. I would fight to the death, if it came to it. My mother needed me.

Of course, I always won, so it didn't matter how often or how hard I fought. I would win, then- depending on the demon- I'd take some of the meat home for a meal. Some things you didn't want to eat- no matter how hungry you were.

I was the only trained fighter, so the kids who tried beat me up? They were begging me to help them. It was amusing, I suppose. But there wasn't really any time to think about it. I was either killing, cooking, or sleeping.

Life was as normal as it ever would be now, without Father. And after a while, mother even began functioning again. She would look at me, and see me, not Father. The shredded bit of cloth would be left on the table, and she'd go out to do laundry. I'd come home, and hear her singing again. Life was finally as it should be.

Then, when we were finally happy, they attacked.

It came out of nowhere. If I hadn't been training with halberd at the time, I probably would have died, too. Different demons, small and large, came from all around, swarming the village. My village. The one I was supposed to be protecting. Where were the villagers? More importantly, where was Mother?

I realized what must be going on. She couldn't fight. I ran the up the trail to the house, killing innumerable amounts of hellish creatures on the way. The whole time, hoping and praying that the demons appearing from under every rock and behind every tree hadn't gotten to her. That she was okay.

She wasn't in the house. As soon as I entered that was painfully obvious. But if not here, then where?

I ran out, down to the river. There I found her. The.. things were already picking her apart. Getting them off was no problem. Banryu slashed through all their worthless hides. Their bloodthirsty, pathetic, life-ruining hides.

I crouched down to look at her. Mother. The long, black hair she'd cared for meticulously was knotted from the encounter. Her eyes were closed. Frail frame covered in red, throat slashed open to reveal the meat. I refused to accept it. Gathering her into my arms, brushing her hair aside, I stubbornly asked her to awaken.

"Come on now, Mother. Wake up. I can't carry you if I'm going to get us out of here." I shook her gently. I couldn't stay here. The demons were coming. "Mother?"

Her eyes opened, half lidded. The eyes that showed were veiled, disoriented, definitely not looking at reality. She focused at me, and gurgled. An attempt to speak. I shushed her, told her to save her strength. Just be calm, and she would stay with me. She'd be okay.

I promised.

She started relaxing, getting ready. Preparing to leave me.

"Mom, no. Don't go anywhere. Focus. I'm right here. It's me, Bankotsu. Mother?" even I could hear the nervous, child-like tone in my voice. After all I'd done to train, to protect her. To protect everyone. I was going to lose the only one that mattered.

I felt her hand weakly brush aside a strand of my long hair. She didn't try to speak. Maybe she knew what would come out. Bubbles of red, and they'd only hurt us both.

I felt her go. I knew that once the ultimate decision came, fight to be with me or just let go, she chose let go. Father chose let go. They people who I'd followed and trusted-even protected when I could- they'd both left me.

Alone.

My body stood. My hands raised halberd, and even my mouth shouted out the name before I knew what I was doing.

Dragon Thunder.