Shadows And Illusions

Prologue: Birth of a Yokai

A/N: So I've been watching/reading a lot of Nurarihyon no Mago...I hope I don't faceplant with this. I do use a little Japanese in this, and if I make a mistake with something *kindly* point it out, and I will fix it. *But be nice about it!* Italicized words are thoughts.

《《《^~^》》》

Amaya's hand strayed to Akihiko's, her face pale. In all the confusion they'd gone unnoticed as they hid in the crawl space in the kitchen, but the sounds of battle could still be heard. Cries of pain, the clash of steel on steel...if it weren't for Akihiko's hand over her mouth, she would have been sobbing.

"Niichan, what if they find us," she whispered fearfully.

"Don't worry, Ame-chan. We'll be safe here," he murmured back. "Just stay quiet."

"Those brats have to be around here somewhere."

There was a sound of heavy footprints in front of the hidden door to the crawl space. The men were looking for them? Had their parents fallen? She felt her heartbeat quicken while her brother maneuvered in front of her, hiding her in the shadows. A soft whimper escaped her.

"I know I heard someone."

"Looking for frightened children?" The voice was soft and dangerous, and sent chills down her spine. All she knew, then, was that she didn't want to be found by him.

"You think you can do better," another man snarled.

"Of course," the voice came from behind her. "They're in here. In the crawl space. Tut tut, children. Didn't you know that you should always be afraid of the dark?"

Unable to hold it back, she screamed as a hand grabbed her around the throat. She heard Akihiko yell her name before they were both dragged out into the kitchen. She really wished that they hadn't been. Blood was splattered on almost every surface, and the man who had somehow gotten behind her in the crawl space was studying her closely. His appearance was abominable. He had three eyes, one which was large, red, and on his rather large forehead.

"I think I know just what to do," he grinned evilly. "Bring those two brats."

Amaya struggled as the men bound her wrists and ankles before she was carried to the foyer. The bodies of the members of their household were piled in grotesque heaps in the hallway, and their parents were tied to two pillars. They were bloodied and bruised.

"So, what's this plan of yours?"

The evil looking man smiled wickedly. "Now which one of you two shall I pick?"

Akihiko shifted in front of Amaya, trying to shield her.

"Oh? How noble. Trying to protect your sister," the man cackled. "Grab the girl. Now, my dear, you are going to do something for me."

Amaya fought against her captors, eyes flashing. "I'm not doing anything for you, baka!"

Suddenly, she couldn't move. At least, not of her own will. Somebody had taken control of her. The bindings on her ankles and wrists were removed, and whoever controlled her picked up a discarded katana as she approached her brother. Fear overtook her as the horrible truth was made clear to her. They wanted her to kill her own brother!

"No! No! Not onii-chan! I don't want to do this!"

Unable to stop what was happening, she watched helplessly as her hands thrust the katana into his chest, cutting a hole where his heart was. Blood stained her hands as she pulled the still beating heart out, and a wave of nausea struck her as the thing controlling her made her eat it. The taste of blood exploded on her tongue, and soon the thing had her eating her own brother. She could hear her parents sobbing, feel the bile rising in her throat, and feel the hot sticky flesh of her brother in her hands. She had been forced to kill and eat her own brother.