The Paths of Sin and Redemption

Chapter 1

The era was Feudal Japan. Throughout the vast land, the area was inhabited by four groups of entities: mortals, demons, cherubs, and hanyous. And our story begins with one particular demon by the name of Mephiles the Dark, the Demon Lord of Japan...

Mephiles silently crept through the canopies of the surrounding trees. His known prey often kept to a densely wooded area, and this afternoon, he found himself searching deep into the forest, trying to sniff out his entertainment. There was a tang in the air. Sweat. It was his, it had to be! He easily remembered it clearly from all the attacks before, so it wouldn't be long now...

The demon suddenly stiffened; he was coming to the trees near him! This was his chance, the short drop from underneath wouldn't give him enough time to react. His hand reached for his sword, slightly pulling it from its hilt.

A silver ear twitched at a faint sound but didn't pay it any attention. Probably a bird, the other thought. The owner of the said ear was a white-furred hanyou by the name of Silver. Silver was a hanyou or half breed and like many others of his kind, he often found himself just struggling to survive on a day-to-day basis. And today, he was out hunting in the woods--the only place that he could call home--trying to find something to stave off his starvation.

Slowly, he rounded the tree that unknowingly held the Demon Lord and quietly crept forward, a grazing rabbit in his sights up ahead.

And yet, the hanyou had no idea that he'd turned his back to none other than his greatest adversary.

From above, Mephiles silently noted what half-breed was after; he'd allow him this catch. Plus, it would keep him distracted long enough to make his move. Skillfully and silently, he crept closer in the trees.

Eyes glued to their target, Silver silently stalked closer to his prey, his amber eyes focused solely on the now still rabbit with the poor thing now frozen in fright.

Silver stopped a few feet from the creature, paused momentarily, and pounced with a speed that could only come from his demon side--the rabbit crying out in alarm with its frantic thrashing stopping when Silver quickly broke its neck in a merciful killing.

Mephiles took this as his chance while the half-breed was skinning his meal. He swiftly came lunging from the trees, but even from what warning the loud crash had made, it wasn't enough time for Silver to defend himself. But Silver had fortunately moved enough that the other's blade pierced his clothing, ripping a piece of fabric from the already worn garment. Mephiles then--in one swift movement--pinned him down before the hanyou could react, his claws digging further into his kimono.

"Hello, darling," he snarled down at the ambushed hanyou.

"Mephiles!!" Silver gasped in shock before growling and trying to shake him off, the silver male crying out when the claws sank deeper, drawing blood.

"Get off me, you bastard!!" the angered male shouted, trying to reach his sword which had been knocked a few feet away.

Mephiles chuckled, shoving Silver's head to the side, exposing his vulnerable neck. "Now I'm afraid I can't do that; you've lived far too long here, escaped from me far too long." He then sank his fanged teeth into the column of flesh, easily taking his blood. He knew his prey was weak, so it wouldn't be a problem to kill him shortly.

Silver screamed in pain, managing to somehow get one hand free--raking his claws across Meph's face and leaving four deep slash marks across his otherwise pristine face.

Mephiles gave a brief shout of pain, right before he backhanded him in retaliation, "B*tch!!" He lunged for the dazed hanyou's throat once more to make the killing blow, only this time smelling something a bit different about him now that his blood flowed freely. Mephiles stopped all movement, deeply distracted by this scent. Upon recognition, he shivered in excitement as a bone-chilling smirk grew on his face.