Blood Blade

PROLOGUE

Kurayami holds his breath. The day has come and went, and now the night of his public execution is here. He's starved himself, partly out of fear, partly out of desperation, and some secret other part hopes he'd die of starvation before his untimely death. The oni breathes heavily as he hears the sound of heavy footsteps. The once-mighty Kurayami has been reduced to a wounded animal, hiding in the corner as he awaits his demise.

The cell door opens, but once again, he doesn't look up, unwilling to look his fate in the face. He almost flinches as his captor speaks to him.

"Kurayami.." the voice speaks, "it's time to go."

"...I know." he whispers back. He slowly stands up, his feet creating a loud thud. He speaks no more words. He knows for betraying his people, the harsh penalty he has to face.

As they exit from the chambers and out to the square, the people begin to cheer, the bloodlust obvious in the crowd...but he's not worried about that. Kurayami is most worried about his family, his little sister that he's leaving behind due to his crimes.

There's no final words from him, but the leader of the clan makes a final speech.

"People of the clan," the leader begins, their voice steady and resonant, "tonight we bear witness to the execution of one who has betrayed us—Kurayami, once a guardian of our people. His actions have brought shame and danger to our clan, and the penalty for such betrayal is nothing less than death."

He begins to tune the words out, just praying that he can get this over with. That is, until there is an extra point added that he hasn't heard before.

"However, this will not be the end of his torment. Even after death, he will be stripped of his power and brought to the human realm to live all of eternity..."

Kurayami was prepared for death, but not for the humiliation. To an oni, their power, their respect, their pride, it's their very essence, their entire being, and to lose that is worse than any death.

His body significantly tenses up. A burning anger settles inside his chest. He's silently cursing them all, that he'll be back, and he'll take back what's his, and he doesn't care who he has to hurt to do it.

However, there's no time to yell out his thoughts, before the blade is raised. The crowd cheers, and then...it all turns black.