Chapter 7 ~ Awakening~

The journey from the cherry blossom tree to their valley felt long for the boy. He no longer looked at the world the same way. Everything was now more vivid in his eyes. The trees and fields came alive around them, the vibrancy a stark contrast. A welcomed one. He couldn't remember the last time he had appreciated anything about the weather. It had always been just another aspect of the environment, only as interesting as a table or a door.

Chizuru could spot it easily in the boy riding with his father. Something changed. He wasn't the same Kondo who left the valley a while ago – he was happier. She didn't know where this happiness came from but she was glad. Maybe telling him about his nature had put something at ease in the boy's heart and mind. If that was the case, they should have told him long ago.

"Alright, son, can you repeat the values I taught you?" Toshi said, breaking the silence and the rhythm of their horses' footsteps as they carried the family along.

"Never fight the unarmed and the innocent. Only fight when I have no other choice or to defend my beliefs," the boy repeated.

"Well done," Toshi chuckled. "Do not forget them."

The family took a new path to reach their home. They wanted to avoid meeting anyone who might know about Kondo. It led them to a farming village near their home. The long journey was finally over.

Toshi dismounted and then helped Kondo down. Kondo felt like his bones were cracking. Walking sounded far better than riding a horse at the moment. He would be glad to walk the rest of the way back home.

The streets were bustling with people, the air filled with their chatter and laughter. Stall owners called out the goods and wares they were selling. Clothes, food, kitchen necessities, and so much more. On the right side of the street, four boys played ball with one another.

"Fancy meeting you here," a cheerful and familiar voice welcomed them.

To their left, they could see Master Akira approaching. He used a cane to help him walk, and his clothes were a bit thick on his frame like he was wearing an outfit for cold winter.

"Master Akira, it's been a while," Toshi said with a smile.

"How have you been, my good sir?" Chizuru said. "Did you come here to prepare for winter?"

The old man rubbed the back of his head, slightly embarrassed by her question. "Yeah, well…" His eyes drifted to the boy standing behind his father, fear evident within his eyes. Akira knelt down slightly to take a closer look at the child. "Look at you. How you have grown so much," he said, ruffling the child's hair. "How are you doing, my dear child?"

At last, a smile graced Kondo's pale face. "I'm alright, master."

Akira searched his pocket and pulled out a piece of Dango, wrapped up to be safe. "Take it, boy. It's good," Akira said as he handed it to the child.

"I appreciate it. I shall invite you someday for dinner," Toshi replied.

Akira nodded. "I will be looking forward to that. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to be on my way."

The parents watched their strange ally walk away, grateful for what he had done for them in the past.

"Watch over yourself, master Akira," Chizuru called as she waved goodbye.

"Can I go play with them?" Kondo tugged at his mother's sleeve and gestured to the boys playing ball.

"Chizuru gladly motioned for him to go and enjoy himself until they finished shopping. With a smile, the boy ran toward the boys. Once he was out of earshot, Chizuru turned to her husband.

"So, did you think of a place we could go to for a change?" Toshi asked her.

"Yeah, we should just explore what is up in the mountains back home," she chuckled. "Your son is a fine climber, after all."

Toshi chuckled and led her deeper into the market. They needed some supplies to take home.

The boys stopped playing when they saw Kondo approaching them.

"Hello," Kondo said with a smile. "Can I play with you?"

The boys were silent momentarily, watching him with strange expressions as if they were trying to understand him. The smile vanished from Kondo's face, wondering if there was something wrong with his face.

"Umm…" he tried to say something.

The tallest of the boys spoke up at last. "Sorry, it's just your skin is so pale. I've never seen anything like it before."

The other boys agreed with him, with a simple "yeah."

Kondo rubbed the back of his head, relieved. "Oh, I was born like this."

The tall boy threw the ball toward Kondo, and he easily caught it with both hands.

"Let's go," the tall boy said and pointed in the direction behind him where the goal was.

The boys started playing, tossing the ball between each other. Kondo maneuvered the ball around two boys who wanted to snatch it from him. He went to the left and straight to the goal at the end of the alley. Other boys followed behind and slid under, catching him off guard, and he fell on his back.

"Gotcha." The kid laughed and maneuvered the ball to the other side.

"Come on, kid, we shouldn't let them win," the boy from his team yelled.

Kondo thought before getting back onto his feet and immediately starting to run after the other boys. He caught up and slid his leg under one boy, catching the ball. He chuckled and maneuvered back toward the goal, enjoying the moment. Without hesitation, he kicked the ball with all his strength. It went straight through the wooden goal, breaking it.

"We won!" he cried happily, looking back at the boys. His laughter was cut short when he saw the fear in the boys' eyes as they all stared at him. A fear that wormed its way into Kondo's heart.

A woman was leaning over a boy on the ground behind them. The boy who had the ball before.

"What are you?" the tall boy asked. Hints of fear were evident in his voice.

"What do you mean what am I? I'm a boy like you. I was just… playing," Kondo stuttered. He didn't understand what was going on. It was just a game. He walked closer to take a look at the fallen boy.

The boy was crying and holding onto his mother. His ankle dangled from his leg, broken, with a pool of blood under it.

"My goodness, I'm so sorry," said Kondo as he kneeled beside the boy. "I didn't mean to harm you; let me help."

The boy's mother slapped his hand away. "Back off!" she sneered, venom in her voice.

Kondo looked back at the boys, and they kept their distance from him, whispering and pointing at him. He could feel tears in the corner of his eyes. He didn't know what to do. He hadn't meant for any of this to happen!

"But… It was… an accident," he stuttered.

Other men and women gathered around the scene, wondering what was happening. Kondo felt like he was caught in a trap with a monster waiting to devour him. All eyes were observing him, and the people whispered words he could hear clearly.

"He looks like a ghost," one of the bystanders claimed./span/p

"What a scary kid."

He couldn't handle their eyes anymore and covered his face while tears of anguish and fear burned his eyes. He heard sounds all around him.

"That sickly pale skin and raven hair," someone whispered. "He must be the monster we heard about."

"He is the demon! We should report this so we can prepare for the burning."

"May God have mercy on our souls."

"He is the monster!"

"How dare you hurt my baby!" the mother of the boy with the broken ankle cried.

Kondo felt strong hands grab both shoulders and drag him away. That was the moment his emotions spiraled. He started screaming, and tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Papa! Papa!"

His cries were cut off when something plunged into his chest, sending a horrific burning sensation through his bones. His hands were forced behind his back, and like the strength was zapped out of his body, the man started dragging him by his hair.

Kondo was forced to march through the suddenly crowded street, where he was jostled, taunted, and spat on. With every step he was dragged into, he left a thin trail of blood behind. The voices of the crowd shouting their disgusting insults rang in his ears. The eyes of many children watched him in fear. Then the boy saw the outskirts of the village.

There, he saw a stake and a woman placed a bit of straw around it. At first, he didn't understand what was happening. His mind was stunned by the pain in his chest and the humiliation he had just experienced.

The man shoved him against the stake, tightening a rope around his wrists. His vision was blurry for a second. Then he saw the torch hurrying his way with its red-yellow glow. His eyes widened in horror as his body had finally awakened from its slumber. He struggled to free his hands.

"No, please! Don't kill me!" he cried, looking at the men around him in fear, pleading for mercy. "Please, I didn't do anything! I'm just a boy!"

All the response he got was a slap across the face, hard enough he was sure there would be a mark.

"Shut up, demon scum. You deserve no mercy," the man yelled at his face, making Kondo feel like swallowing his tongue from fear.

The torch was placed over the straw, and within seconds, he saw the flames rising, speeding up toward him. He started screaming again.

"Please! Please, no!"

He heard footsteps rushing toward him and could recognize that sound anywhere.

"What have you done to my child?!" Chizuru screamed. "Stop this now!"

She walked over the fire with no care and embraced him. The fire caught the edges of her clothes, and she felt the heat at her ankle. She was burning, but it didn't matter. She would die with her boy if they couldn't escape this.

Through the rising smoke, Kondo saw his father rushing toward them. Toshi tore his own clothing, exposing the skin of his scarred chest, and jumped into the straw as well. He started tamping down the fire with all of his strength.

The villager with the torch moved a bit closer, pointing it at Toshi. "You are not stopping this. Michaelis needs to die."

Toshi slapped the torch from the man's hand in a blur using his drawn katana. The torch flew a few feet from them and landed on the ground close to some of the gathered crowd.

Again, the name Michaelis comes up about him. That's not his name, and it's never been his name.

"Watch your tongue, you imbecile!" Toshi yelled. "Another word about my boy, and I swear you will pay for it."

A group of women approached the scene and saw the hysterical boy at the stake. His chest was covered in blood. One of the women screamed at the sight of the boy and pulled something from her pocket, moving closer to the mother and her child.

"He is just a boy! Please, you cannot burn a child to death!" She faced them and fell to her knees, pleading to the crowd. "You cannot do this to a child!"

Another woman came forward and shielded Chizuru. A couple of men did the same, Toshi in the middle of them.

"This is too much! Please, stop!"

"He broke my child's ankle. This monster deserves it. He is going to destroy us all," the mother of the boy with the broken ankle screamed.

Other women agreed with her sentiment. It was chaos, and the crowd was torn into two sides – one side that felt compassion for the child; and the angry side that saw not a boy but a monster, a side ready to see the monster burned alive.

"That's enough!" Toshi screamed, finally earning silence from everyone. That was it. He couldn't stand by like this anymore. "You harm a child just for skepticism?!" Toshi cried, furious. "You treat a child like he is the darkness itself that must be killed to appease whatever fairy tale you believe in?" He paused, glaring at the crowd. "You all are disgusting hypocrites!"

That was everything that needed to be said. If anything happened to his boy, the village would face his wrath. Justice, no matter what it took. That was the last straw. Toshi drew his sword towards the angry crowd. He would protect his family no matter what the cost.

"Try me. I swear I will kill you all." Said Toshi for the last time.

The sight of an angered Toshi, whose hair had turned silver and eyes glowed bright gold, brandishing his sword towards them as if ready to cut the whole village down without a blink of an eye, forced the crowd to back away slightly.

Seeing the villagers back down, Toshi sheathed his sword. After untying Kondo's hands, he knelt down and picked up his son in his arms. Chizuru looked at her husband with pride and love. This was the man she married. They left their horses behind, intending to find somewhere safe to care for Kondo's wound.

With every step they took, Kondo made strange wheezing sounds.

Toshi would reassure his son with every breath, "You will be fine. You are my son. You're also a Yukimura royalty and won't be broken easily."

Chizuru nodded next to him, her hand on her boy's head.

Once they were far from the village, Kondo finally found the strength to move his body. He reached over to the wound in his chest and held it, feeling the heat coming back. It felt like it was coming from his brain to his wound like a fire had been lit within him. Slowly but surely, he felt the pain begin to decrease.

Blinking, Toshi stopped walking. "Kondo?"

Chizuru faced them and stared at her boy. The stab wound was closing ever so slowly. "Is he using his powers to heal?" she asked and chuckled.

The boy's breathing returned to normal. "I'm fine," he whispered. He rose slightly. His body felt strange, but he was alright. He felt fine like the attack had never happened. As a matter of fact, he felt better than before.

"How is that possible? You lost a lot of blood," Toshi asked but shook his head. "It does not matter. I apologize. I should have watched over you and failed to protect you from them."

Chizuru's fingers ran through his hair. "My child, please do not get the wrong idea. It just so happens that these people are prejudiced against people like us. Not everyone is like that."

Kondo was silent, watching her with a strange look in his eyes. "Why do you care so much about human feelings, Mama?" Kondo asked, his brows furrowed. His tone was completely different from what she was used to – more serious and with a hint of pain and anger. "They just tried to burn me when I only wanted to play. I didn't mean to harm that boy, but they didn't listen, and I got dragged while they bullied me as the monster Michaelis anyways."

Toshi knew where the boy was coming from. He was partly right. They wanted to harm their boy for doing nothing wrong but being a boy. He was angry enough to kill the whole village for even thinking of doing such a thing to his boy./span/p

Was this the world he and his comrades worked so hard and gave their whole lives for? He saw what bitterness and anger could do to a man. He didn't want this for his son. He needed to fully understand his son.

Toshi touched Kondo's chin and made him look at him. "Please don't talk like this."

Anger started to settle on Kondo's face. There were no more tears. "Every time I go somewhere, people look at me differently. I can't play like the other kids without being called Michaelis again. I don't even know what that means! What is Michaelis? What does that name have to do with me?!"

Toshi pushed the child back to his chest, worried. He felt helpless and wished to wrap his son in a protective bubble so no one could harm him. He chuckled silently. Toshi finally understood what his master, Kondo, meant when he sacrificed himself so the rest of them could get away and survive. It hurt him deeply to know that his master had died, but now, as a parent, he understood. He would do anything to protect this child, even give his life.

"Please, no more talking. Get some rest. We are almost home."

The parents walked to their valley in complete silence. Neither one wanted to talk about what had just happened, and they knew now they must be extra careful about their child's safety.

…

Even though it was afternoon, Kondo was fast asleep in his father's arms as they finally reached their house. His cheeks were stained with his tears, for he cried himself to sleep. Toshi placed him on his futon, made sure he was covered, and then joined Chizuru in their own room.

Once again, they were in complete silence, resting on their futon but unable to nap.

"I cannot believe they tried to burn him to death," Chizuru sobbed. "How could they think about doing this to a child?!"

"They are the monsters. This is inconceivable," Toshi replied. "However, I do not wish for my boy to be consumed with bitterness. I will talk with him once he wakes up."

Chizuru cut him off. "No, let me do this. It is his mother's turn to offer him guidance. I hope I can do something."

A smile graced Toshi's face as he leaned in and kissed her.

…

"Shut up, demon scum!"

The boy's heart pounded in his chest, his breaths coming in ragged gasps.

Sweat trickled down his forehead, mingling with the tears that stained his cheeks.

The nightmare had been so vivid, so hauntingly real, that he could still taste the acrid smoke in the air, and hear the crackling of flames devouring everything in their path.

His body trembled as he struggled to shake off the remnants of his torment, desperate to escape the clutches of that horrific memory.

With a sudden jolt, he sat up on his bed, his wide eyes frantically scanning the dimly lit room.

Shadows danced along the walls, casting eerie shapes that seemed to mock him.

Every creak of the wooden floorboards reverberated through his fragile frame, sending a chill down his spine. The mere whisper of a breeze brushing against his skin made him flinch, his senses on high alert as if the very air around him held malevolence. He breathed one more time before leaving the futon and then he slowly slid the door of his room open. Peering through the small hallway and out of the entrance to the foyer outside, he saw his parents, silhouetted against the dancing flames of the hearth. The gentle crackling of burning logs filled the room, an understated symphony of warmth and safety. Their voices, hushed but filled with affection, wrapped around him like a protective embrace.

When Chizuru saw him coming out of the house, her face brightened, and she opened her arms. "Come, my dear child," she beckoned to him.

Kondo could never say no to his mother's embrace. Nothing needed to be said when he was in her arms, and he buried his face in her chest, shaking.

"Relax, everything will be okay," Chizuru comforted him. Her warmth always made him feel safe no matter what.

Finally, he smiled.

Looking down at him, Chizuru was glad to see a smile on his handsome face. "My sweet, handsome child," she chuckled. "How are you feeling?"

Kondo touched both of her cheeks. "I feel better now that I have felt your warmth, Mama."

Touched by his sweet affection, she embraced him once more. "I love you, darling. Please listen to what I have to say." She let go and looked him in the eyes, holding his face in her hands. "Your anger and fear are absolutely valid. What those people did to you is horrific. But you cannot take your bitterness out on innocent people who had nothing to do with this incident."

The smile vanished from Kondo's face. He wanted to understand her reasoning. Still, that incident wasn't something that could be forgotten.

"Please, my darling. I do not wish for you to be consumed with anger." She paused momentarily, and her eyes locked on Toshi, her loving husband. He was watching her with a look of admiration. "If it wasn't for humans, I would have never met your father, and you would have never been born. I would never trade my life with your father for anything in this world." She glanced back at her boy, trying to read his expression; however, just like Toshi, he was like a closed book at that moment. "This life gave me the greatest gift I could have asked for, and that is you, my beautiful son."

Kondo exhaled and laid on her lap, "Maybe I need time to cool off and forgive what happened."

That's all that Chizuru needed to hear, and she gladly accepted his resolve and talked no more about the subject.

Toshi reached over and ruffled his son's hair. "Come with me. We will go to the train near the waterfall. It will help relieve your stress."

The boy had no energy to argue, so he accepted his father's hand and walked with him to the waterfall. During their walk, Kondo asked about something that had been on his mind for a while. Something he heard when he was attacked.

"Papa?"

"Yes?" Toshi replied.

"Was it true you almost fought the people in the village?"

That was a question Toshi hadn't anticipated. Deep down, he was worried that Kondo would take this as an excuse to attack random humans. So he carefully chose his words.

"I was afraid I might lose you at that moment, and I was willing to do whatever it took to save your life. I had no other choice. Once you're a parent, you will understand. Remember the lesson I taught you?"

Of course, Kondo remembered. He had been tasked to repeat it multiple times a day.

In that situation, his father was willing to fight to defend his family because he had no choice if he wanted to save them. It wasn't a mindless, violent threat.

"I think I understand."

The father and child reached the other side of the lake and prepared for katana training.

Nightfall rolled in. Kondo felt sore all over from his rough training with his father. He lay on his mother's lap, watching the crackling fire in complete silence.

Toshi changed his clothes and prepared to leave. He went over and stood by the hearth.

"I am going to the village where I work. I need to bring some much-needed supplies for tomorrow. I was hired by a doctor to help out with the medicine."

Chizuru stood and came closer to him. "Alright, dinner will be ready when you come back," she murmured and leaned in, her lips touching his in a kiss full of longing for him.

The motion of her lips began to turn him on, and he held onto her hips and pulled her closer to him.

"Excuse me," Kondo interrupted, giving a faint cough. The parents looked at him, a bit embarrassed. "I don't think I'm old enough to see this, and I'm about to barf everything I ate."

A smirk filled Toshi's face. "You better be thankful, boy, or else you wouldn't exist."

Kondo held his stomach and knelt down slightly with a motion like he was about to vomit.

Chizuru's face was bright red. Where did this bluntness come from? She nudged him in the arm, a failed attempt to urge him to stop with this kind of talk.

"Goodbye, for now. We will continue this upon my return. Who knows, son, you might become a big brother after tonight," Toshi teased. That mischievous smile never left his face as he carried his bag and walked away.

"Toshi, shut up!" Chizuru cried angrily to her husband. She apologetically tapped her son's head, too embarrassed to say anything else. Who knew there was a perverted mind just like any other man inside the Demon Commander of a husband?

Kondo was confused and speechless. Where were they going to get a brother or sister for him?

"Papa is just playing..." Chizuru chuckled," Forget what he said."

...

Time went by as Chizuru prepared dinner. On the other hand, her son remained near the fire, watching in silence. After she was done, Chizuru noticed the apparent sadness on the boy's face and decided to switch the subject.

"What would you say if we played together?" she said, holding her hands before him like she was waiting for a high five.

Understanding what she was about to do, he held her hands and started to sing.

"Bamboo leaves are rustling, rustling!" He laughed.

Chizuru followed with the second verse. "Most definitely, incredible!" She chuckled and leaned closer until their noses were touching.

"Hey, move," Kondo said, letting go of her hand. He started to backtrack, waiting for her to continue.

Chizuru stood and curled her fingers like claws, waiting to catch him. "Oh, how the stars are twinkling, twinkling," she continued to sing.

Kondo's laughter grew louder as he repeated her line and ran away to hide from her. Walking out of the hearth, he chose to jump over to the other side of the lake. There, he could hide among the trees. His favorite spot was where his butterfly friend showed up numerous times. He heard the sounds of crunching leaves behind him, a sign that his mom was very close.

"You won't get me, Mama!" he laughed, jumping over to the other side.

"I'm coming to get you, my baby boy," Chizuru called.

Kondo jumped to the other side and fell to the grass. He crawled on the dirt. Rocks tore his knees, but he didn't care. The smile never left his face. He approached the tree trunk and hid his small frame behind it. There he stood, waiting for his mom to come. He could hear her steps clearly as they were getting closer.

He leaned over to look where his mother was, and his heart skipped a beat. He gasped and held his chest. That feeling again? What was going on? The last time he felt like this was when rocks slid down the waterfall. He left his hiding spot and called out.

"Mama, something is wrong."

Chizuru had just reached the other side and was surprised to see him standing there.

"What do you mean, darling?" she asked as she walked closer to him.

"I feel it." He trembled and ran toward her.

Chizuru welcomed him with open arms, and he held onto her like a lifeline. That feeling in his heart was getting stronger.

"I can feel something bad is coming." His voice cracked.

"Please relax," Chizuru said as she ran her fingers through his hair. "We will face this together, and we will be okay."

Chizuru watched the valley, her eyes scanning the area, but she could see nothing that could have triggered her boy's sense of fear. It was silent except for the thundering waterfall close to them.

"Come on, darling, let's return to the house."

The boy nodded and held onto her hand. As they stepped over the rock on the lake, something made a swoosh sound close to them, startling them both. They stopped and looked to their left. There they could see a flaming arrow stuck in the grass.

"Mama!" Terrified, Kondo held onto her waist.

Chizuru's eyes once again observed the area to locate the source of the arrow. On the path to the right of the house, she spotted several men coming in carefully with scythes and pitchforks and torches in their hands.

"Kill the demon!" one of the men yelled. He held up his bow again and prepared to fire another lit arrow.

Chizuru felt her blood run cold. She couldn't believe her eyes. They were under attack!

"Mama, what are we to do now?" Kondo cried, his face flushed with fear.

Out of options, Chizuru did the only thing she could do - she picked up her boy and started running toward the house. Lit arrows rained down around her, but she had to get to the house. Jumping the last step, she took off to the front door and slammed it shut behind her.

Kondo cried in her arms. She took him to the end of the hallway and placed him down. There was a loose wooden floorboard next to the threshold of the backyard, a secret spot large enough to hide a child. She gripped the board, and with all the strength she could muster, Chizuru pulled it open, revealing a dirty hiding spot.

The sounds of the men grew closer and closer to the house. Multiple thuds followed, and smoke snuck into the house. Chizuru held onto Kondo's shoulder.

"Darling, no matter what happens, you mustn't leave, understand me?" she said with tears in her eyes. "If I don't return, I want you to know I will always love you. Please be safe and stay strong." Kondo was about to protest, but she cut him off and pushed him down. Looking at him one last time, she said, "Mama will always love you, my dear Kondo."

She placed the wooden board in its place, hiding him from view. She didn't know that Kondo could see what was happening from the small crack between the board and the one beside it. Silently crying, he watched his mom go to her room as the front door was broken off its hinges. Chizuru walked out of her room, holding her kodachi. Kondo could see his mother was terrified, but she stood her ground and held her sword. The men stopped momentarily when they saw her, contemplating what to do next.

"Let me through," a familiar voice spoke, and the men moved to the side to give him space.

A loud gasp escaped Chizuru's lips when she saw the face of the man who came with them. An old wrinkly man with white hair and frail looking body.

Master Akira, the man who wanted to help them when they first arrived in their village.

"You," Chizuru's voice broke. " Akira, why?" She screamed the last word.

The old man smirked at her misery. "Nothing personal, my dear. Just hand over the monster, and I promise they won't harm you."

The words almost made her chuckle. This man betrayed her trust and then told her to sacrifice her boy for her own safety? What kind of disgusting mindset was that?

"You will never touch my child." Anger replaced fear, and her hand tightened around the hilt of her sword. "You want my son? Then you must get through me first."

Akira shrugged. "I tried to spare you since I like you and your husband.," he said, beckoning the men to attack.

A hand wrenched the sword out of Chizuru's grasp. She flinched out of reflex. Chizuru knew she wasn't a fighter but had to hold them off. Toshi might be back any moment, and he could take care of them. No way she would allow them to reach her child.

"Toshi," she muttered.

Like a novice dancer stumbling through a performance, the woman's left fist swung forward, desperately attempting to break free from the iron grip that encased her.

In a cruel twist of fate, her opponent released his hold prematurely, allowing her to sail past her own sword in a pitiful display of awkwardness.

Before she had a chance to regain her balance, another man seized her exposed wrist, yanking her forward with brutal force.

The impact with the unforgiving floor was jarring, causing her body to convulse upon impact. Undeterred by the onslaught, she rolled with a grace born of sheer determination, her hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of her kodachi.

As her fingers closed around the familiar weapon, steel met flesh in a vicious dance of aim and slash. The blade found its mark, leaving a trail of injured limbs and chests in its wake, painting the air with the metallic scent of blood.

But her triumph was short-lived, for a man armed with a pitchfork delivered a devastating kick to her unprotected back. Agonizing pain coursed through her body, threatening to extinguish the flickering flame of her endurance.

Summoning every ounce of strength within her, she pushed herself off the unforgiving ground, her kodachi slicing through the air toward her assailant.

The blade found its mark once again, sinking into flesh and eliciting a satisfying cry of pain. Yet, her respite was fleeting, as another man seized her from behind, rendering her movements futile.

Desperation surged through her veins as she attempted to push and punch her way free from his clutches, but her efforts were in vain. In the midst of her struggle, the man with the pitchfork raised his weapon, a malevolent gleam in his eyes.

A paralyzing fear gripped Chizuru's heart as she thought of Toshi and their frightened child, cowering in the shadows.

The weight of her child's vulnerability bore down upon her like an iron shroud, heightening her determination to protect him at all costs.

It was in this harrowing moment that the pitchfork descended upon her, its cruel tip gouging out her eye and mercilessly slashing open her cheek.

Crimson liquid spilled onto the ground, intermingling with the agony etched upon her face. The once-vibrant eye now lay discarded, discarded, and discarded, along with fragments of her ravaged flesh. Her cries, reduced to sickening gurgles of blood, echoed through the air, a haunting lamentation for the life she had lost.

The man, no longer holding her captive, released his grasp, and she crumbled to her knees, her world spinning in a sickening whirlwind of pain and despair.

Through the haze of her agony, she found herself locked in the gaze of Akira, his smirk dripping with sadistic satisfaction. There were tales of mother bears, and their fierce protectiveness when their young were threatened, and in that moment, Chizuru embodied that untamed fury.

Summoning every ounce of strength that remained within her trembling body, she lunged forward, her kodachi finding its mark in Akira's shoulder.

The blade sank deep, puncturing flesh and bone, a testament to her unwavering determination. "You... are... not... getting... my child," she rasped, each word a painful struggle as blood spilled from her lips, mingling with the dust and desperation that hung heavy in the air.

A primal scream erupted from Akira, a sound that echoed through the depths of the night, awakening dormant beasts. And then, the pitchfork struck once more, slicing through her back and emerging from the front of her chest in a macabre display of brutality.

With each withdrawal of the weapon, her body recoiled, trembling like a fish gasping for air on the riverbank.

To the men's astonishment, she still clung to life, her eyes flickering with a stubborn flame of defiance.

Slowly, deliberately, her gaze swept across their faces, golden irises piercing through the depths of their souls, casting judgment upon their heinous deeds.

They trembled under her unwavering scrutiny, the weight of their sins pressing down upon them. "Curse... all... of you," she whispered, her voice a mere whisper, carrying the weight of the heavens.

But fate was not yet finished with her, for in a final act of cruelty, two men descended upon her, their swords piercing her stomach with a ruthless determination.

Blood surged forth, flooding her mouth like a torrential river, drowning her in its dark embrace. A twisted death rattle echoed through the hall, a painful symphony of despair. At last, her head fell back, and her spirit was finally released from its tortured vessel.

Chizuru moved no more, her body resting upon the crimson-stained floor, a testament to the cost of love and the depths of human cruelty.

"Stay dead, you whore." The man with the pitchfork spat on her corpse.

"Search for the boy," Akira urged, afraid Toshi might come back at any moment and bust them.

Under the floorboards, Kondo's trembling form remained hidden, desperately trying to muffle his terrified breaths.

His ears strained against the agonizing sounds of his mother's assault, the brutal clash of weapons, and the sickening, guttural gurgles that followed.

Yet, a part of him refused to accept the gruesome reality unfolding before his eyes. Perhaps if he shifted his gaze, away from the macabre scene, he could catch a glimpse of her, restrained or captured in some way.

Maybe, just maybe, there was still hope. But as the menacing figure wielding the pitchfork advanced towards his parents' bedroom, Kondo's heart sank.

In that dreadful instant, the world fell into an eerie silence, amplifying the anguish pulsating through his veins.

His voice shattered the stillness, a primal cry that echoed through the desolate house, carrying the weight of his anguish and disbelief. "No!" he bellowed, his voice raw and unrestrained, heedless of whether the intruders heard him.

His wide, disbelieving eyes fixated on the sight before him - his mother's lifeless body, her visage grotesquely disfigured. "No!" he wailed once more, his voice cracking with a mixture of sorrow and fury.

Driven by an indescribable surge of power, Kondo's body ignited with an intense heat, coursing through him like a raging inferno.

His tiny fists clenched with newfound strength as he propelled himself through the creaking wooden floor, shattering it with an explosion of splinters.

A piercing scream, laden with anguish and otherworldly force, tore through his lips, reverberating through the air. As if in a trance, his once unremarkable form began to transform, metamorphosing into a nightmarish creature.

Raven wings, sleek and glossy, burst from his back, unfurling with an awe-inspiring grace. Black horns emerged menacingly from his forehead, contrasting starkly against his pallid face now adorned with vivid, pulsating veins.

His limbs darkened, consumed by an inky blackness, while razor-sharp claws extended from his fingertips. The intruders stood frozen, their senses overwhelmed and their bodies wracked with unbearable pain.

Kondo's voice, now saturated with an otherworldly power, pierced their very souls, reducing them to quivering wrecks. One by one, they dropped to their knees, unable to bear the torment inflicted upon them. Kondo's unyielding scream seemed ceaseless, a relentless torrent of sound that drowned out any other noise. His once vibrant eyes were now consumed by an all-encompassing white, his gaze unyielding and filled with an indomitable rage. One of the men, attempting to muster the strength to raise his bow, felt an excruciating pressure build within his skull, as if something deep inside was expanding, swelling until it reached its breaking point. In a horrifying display, the man's own ears exploded in a violent spray of blood, his life was extinguished in an instant.

Akira, realizing the dire peril they faced, frantically dragged the remaining intruders away, urging them to flee for their lives. With every ounce of strength, the men crawled out from the accursed house, their terror propelling them forward, out of the forsaken valley.

Kondo stopped screaming. His eyes never left his mother's corpse. Gone was the warm smile that always comforted him no matter what. Her beautiful face was gone, and nothing was left of her.

He fell on his knees and touched her unharmed cheek. "Mama?" He sobbed, tears washing some of the blood on her mutilated face. "Get up, please?"

Even though he knew she was dead deep down, he still couldn't accept it. The cry of a raven shattered the stillness that had settled upon the house. It echoed through the air, a mournful wail that seemed to carry the weight of a thousand sorrows. In response to the raven's call, a flurry of wings took flight, their feathers brushing against the cool breeze as they soared toward the house. One by one, they appeared, their presence like ethereal messengers sent from a realm beyond. The sky above transformed into a canvas of ebony, as a multitude of birds gathered, circling the son and his lifeless mother. inside the house and outside upon the rooftop. The air was heavy with an undeniable sense of sorrow.

"Mama," he cried and fell on her bloody chest. "Please don't leave me. You promised that I won't be alone."

He hoped this would change what happened, and she would wake up. Still, there was nothing but a corpse. The boy cried until his tears were spent. He left his mother's corpse and started to walk out of the broken front door. The birds followed him. He stood outside and looked at the star-filled sky. Two ravens landed on his shoulders, and their eyes glistened bright red in the dark. Waiting for his order.

"You think I'm a monster?" he said. "Fine. I will show you all how cruel I can be."

Hiding behind the trees in the path that led out of the valley stood Akira, holding his injured shoulder, watching the scene before him.

"Thus awakened the foretold King Michaelis. It has begun."

He turned on his heels and returned home, satisfied by the results.

Thank you, Samantha Novak