Sunada had lived a quiet life for the most part, making his living selling timber and firewood to the village of Jiaojiang just like his family had done for generations. He was content, he had a roof over his head, food on the table, and more important than all, his best friend and love of his life, Hokama. Whenever Sunada was not working, he was at Hokama's side, the love he felt for her was stronger than his will to breathe, she was his world. Money was tight, and timber was in high demand so the couple never got much time away, so instead, they learned to make the most of their days in the status quo. They would often set up periods of time that were dedicated to just each other, cooking their favorite meals and relaxing under the starlight with just tea and companionship, conversing about whatever crossed their minds. Sunada was a cheery man, his customers and the people of the village would smile and wave at him, always thanking him for his hard work and loyalty to Jiaojiang. He loved being able to provide such an essential resource, he couldn't imagine a better life in a better place. It is not hard to imagine why Hokama's sudden illness hit him so hard. Out of what felt like nowhere, his beloved became gravely ill, bedridden, and lethargic. He spent so much time by her side that there became a small lumber shortage in the village, all worried for the couple as Sunada became reclusive and distant, doing the bare minimum to keep his expenses paid so that he could spend as much time as possible with Hokama. When she eventually passed on just two months later, no one saw Sunada for weeks. Many concerned townsfolk knocked on his door and left gifts and food, but all were ignored. When he finally returned to his craft, he was a broken man, a shell of who he had once been. He was irritable and bitter, but who could blame him? He kept his eyes to the ground, occasionally looking up to see a young couple blossoming into love, to which he clenched his jaw and grew angry. He envied the young with a passion, he would give anything to get his old self back, to get Hokama back. That's why it was no surprise that on one moonless night, a powerful being chose Sunada to be his next pawn, leading him to where he lies now.
Takeshi's breathing was fast and labored, his vision threatening to go dark at any moment. He couldn't tell if it was from the exertion or the unbearable weight of loss that struck him to his core. He felt dizzy, the world moving around him at breakneck speeds as he put a hand down on the ground to stabilize.
"Hokama… it's all for Hokama," Sunada whimpered once again, his severed head now flowing with tears as he looked toward Takeshi.
Takeshi couldn't decide whether to be angry or sad, he looked his family's murderer in the eyes with an indescribable look.
"What is wrong with you? A demon? Why do you keep trying to hurt me?" Takeshi said, choking up as he barely spoke the last word.
"It was never about you, Takeshi," Sunada said, trying to shake his head, "I know how you feel, neither of us deserves this."
Takeshi's chest filled with rage, and his vision began to clear.
"You murdered my family! Why?! Explain yourself!?" he yelled at Sunada, unable to stop his voice from breaking. Sunada's head and body slowly started to wither into ash, as if they were the remains of a fire blowing away in the wind.
"I was not myself, Takeshi," the demon said in a soft voice. "I made a mistake, I trusted… him. Takeshi, you must find him, the one responsible for this carnage, the one who started this nightmare." Sunada's face had nearly halfway disintegrated.
"Who? Who are you talking about? It was you who killed these people, you led them to die!" Takeshi yelled once more, still enraged.
"He promised… he promised me a chance to see Hokama again," Sunada said, closing his one remaining eye at the sound of her name. "He turned me into this monstrosity, he led these people to the woods to die at my hands, he called it a feast and offered me his power. I shouldn't have trusted him, I let my broken heart get the best of me."
Takeshi was taken aback, it felt as though an entirely different being was conversing with him. This was not the demon who he had just fought and had eaten all those innocent people, this was a man broken by loss. He was conflicted but decided to hear Sunada out.
"Who is this person? Where can I find him?" Takeshi said, switching gears. Sunada's one remaining eye widened as his last remaining moments began to wither away.
"Avenge… Takeshi… Now!... Here!... He awaits…" The disembodied head and demonic torso faded away in the moonlight, and all traces of the demon completely vanished. Takeshi sat back on his heels, still reeling in what had just taken place. He seemed so scared in the end, he was determined to tell me something but I'm not sure what, he thought, climbing gingerly to his feet. He circled behind the large rock where the skull sat, now determined to find what he could that remained of his fallen parents. The strand of fabric eventually met its end, and Takeshi could not believe what he saw. A pit was dug out behind the rock, covered by shadows, it contained what must have been over 100 human skeletons. Takeshi actually was sick this time, heaving into the foliage beside the pit, eventually regaining his posture with difficulty. He followed the fabric to its destination, a temari ball, almost identical to the one he had lost, lying in the pit of bones. He reluctantly climbed down into the pit and retrieved the ball, cutting the excess fabric with his sword. He clutched the ball tight, tears streaming down his face.
"Mother, father, if it is the last thing I do, I will take your memory and this remembrance to the highest peak I can find and set you free. Though there is no act that I could perform to honor both of you and your meaning to me enough, I must do something. I'm sorry… I'm sorry I wasn't able to protect you, I know this is not goodbye. I will cherish the day I can be in both of your arms again."
Takeshi lay crumpled on the ground, the temari clutched tightly to his chest as he wept, sobs racking his entire body, tears saturating the ground.
Just as all seemed to go quiet once again, a strange feeling crept across Takeshi's body. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, he felt as though he was not alone in the darkness. He looked around, dilating his pupils and trying to see if anything was out of the ordinary. Suddenly, without warning, all the muscles in his right arm seized at once. In an unnatural motion, his arm reached over and unsheathed his katana, Takeshi was in shock and was seemingly helpless to stop it. He tried to move his limb but it was as if something was fighting his control, he grabbed it with his left hand and tried to wrench it away from the hilt. It was as if his right arm was made of titanium, it would not budge no matter how much he tried. He began to cry out, the unnatural motions tearing muscles and ligaments as it began to rip the sword from its sheath. In a surprisingly fluid motion, Takeshi's arm put the blade to his neck, pressing firmly on the weak spot. He held his breath, still unable to process exactly what was happening. Am I dreaming? He thought.
"What the hell is wrong with me?!" Takeshi cried out, feeling an overwhelming sense of terror shake his body as he felt helpless to stop what was next.
"It seems you have failed to realize just how pathetic you are…" a hushed voice said, coming from the trees opposite the pit. Takeshi's head snapped forward, facing the direction of the sound. His vision was just barely able to make out a figure walking through the forest, heading towards the pit.
"I couldn't help but overhear your empty promise to your dear mother and father, I laughed at the sound of it. What a stupid thing for someone who is living to say to someone who met such a tragic fate. Do you think that will quench your sorrow?" The figure said, its gait measured and precise as it neared the clearing.
"I decided I might help you out with the other option in this situation," the figure said as it stepped from the dark thicket, "I'm giving you a one-way ticket to see your family again and join them in just as pathetic a way as they departed. Takeshi wanted to scream, but his lungs wouldn't move, he couldn't make a sound. Whatever that thing was, it had complete control over him. The blade pressed dangerously hard on his neck.
As the figure progressed, Takeshi was horrified at what he saw. A tall, ghastly-looking creature stood opposite him, wearing a long dark cloak, its face contorted in a disgustingly hideous smile, revealing razor-sharp teeth. Its face was mangled with large veins and piercing orange eyes, there was an inscription on both retinas that read, "Upper Four". The creature's long black hair was surprisingly well kept, flowing in the wind, kept in a ponytail. A strange red aura emanated from the demon's body, contrasting its dead gray skin.
"You nearly ruined my feast, killed my ally, and now I can tell you wish me dead too," the demon said, an eerie steadiness in its voice. "No matter, I don't blame you, who could? You lost so much, and to think it was all because of my decision. You thought you killed the monster, but it turns out you didn't even scratch it. The look on your face would be amusing if I wasn't controlling your entire body."
Takeshi felt so helpless, that he wanted to cry out, break free from the grasp, and run. He felt weak and inadequate, the demon was right, he thought he had won but instead had just hit a wall.
"There's no one left to grieve you, and given that spectacle you put on fighting dear old Sunada over there, I might even consider being struck with grief. But in the end, who could grieve for a human right?" the demon snarled, raising both its hands into a shrug. "After all, if it's mortality you claim to be so beautiful, it's only fair that I show you how feeble and fleeting it is. Take this as an example, let's show just how human you are."
Takeshi felt the muscles begin to move in his arm, he closed his eyes. The blade began to move and he felt a cut forming on his neck. This is it, I'm going to die, I really am going to die, he thought. Now not only will I have allowed the people I love to suffer, but I can't even honor them, I am pathetic. Maybe I do deserve to die.
His arm moved quickly, slashing through the air with brutal strength. A shower of sparks flew through the air as he felt the weight of the metal lift from his neck, a small stream of blood began to flow from a small incision, though it couldn't be a fatal wound. He caught a glimpse of a bright orange light heading straight for the demon, suddenly feeling the grip on his body relax. The orange light collided with the demon, sending a shockwave of energy that knocked Takeshi backward. He looked through the dust to see two figures connected and struggling against each other, there could be no mistake, there's only one thing that could have come to his aid in a time like this. The bright red blade of his savior deflected off the demon's body as the two were pushed apart, Takeshi could do nothing but stare.