Thirty six

One might wonder why a little boy was unfazed by the death of his father. Especially when the man is someone you have looked up to all your life. Little Satake watched his father succumb to the gash the battle-ax had caused him. As a thick crimson liquid coated the floor Chase had slumped on, Satake watched in horror as his father slowly breathe his last. Any other child would have been driven to a frenzy of madness. But for Satake, this was no different from a regular day and this was definitely not the first time the young child had seen someone die. A week before, it has been someone his age. His mother had indoctrinated in his mind as a young child that death was inevitable. As individuals with coveted abilities, they would be hunted and if be to the point of extinction, then so be it.

"No," Satake heard his mom shout, her eyes were glazed with fury. His mother had abandoned the one rule she had instilled in his head since he could understand basic human interaction. No matter the occasion, never let your emotions get the better of you. The reflection of the moon from his mother's sword hit his eyes as she jumped maniacally in the direction of the hunter they had just beheaded. She missed and the dead man's ax came swinging for her neck. In seconds, mine tails sprouted from his mother's behind and she dodged the killing blow effortlessly. Satake remained put, tugging at the tiny dagger his father had handed him prior to their visit to the territory of the Crows. He wanted to do something. With his mother occupied with the zombie corpse, the little boy wondered if he could help his mother by stabbing the man while he was distracted with fending off his mother.

"Perrrrfect." A woman's voice emanated out of the shadows. "Nine-tailed foxes," She said. It showed she was clueless about the creatures she was spying on. "And three of you at that." Whoever the speaker was, they seemed to be pleased with themselves, Satake noted.

The alien voice made Satake's mother parole the ground. While frantically fending off the zombie, she proceeded to check if her son was safe. Satake did notice his mother's face turn bone white when her gaze dropped to the ground next to him. Swallowing, Satake dared to look at the sight that causes his mother such misery. A chill shot up his spine as he observed the decapitated head of the mad man seemed to be alive. Its lips were moving and its grey eyes were now a malicious green tint. For the first time, the little boy faltered. For the first time, all his mother's teachings absconded him and for a brief moment, Satake was afraid.

"Mom..." He tried to say but no matter how much he tried, only a hoarse sound lunged out his vocal cords.

His mother noticed the look of pure horror on her son's face then back at the dwindling existence of her husband who was now long gone and perhaps for the first time in a long time, she let her maternal instinct override her common sense.

Her sword slipped from her hands of her own volition and she said, "You can have me." To which the head snorted in disbelief.

"And why would a relic go down without a fight?"

As they conversed, the headless body began to approach Tora with evil intent but the kitsune did not mind. Satake refused to watch his mother die and know he did not do anything about it. So he unsheathed his dagger and pranced towards the monster with his little legs, ignoring the warning look his mother sent his way.

"Because I want to bargain."

His mother's sentence seemed to make the monster pause and so did Satake.

"And what could you offer me?" The voice inquired, considering a deal if the stakes were worth it.

"My beating heart," His mother promised. Satake wondered what she meant. His mother had mentioned one thing about being cornered by a cunning enemy and it was to never give in to their demands. Why now was she doing the same thing she had warned him to steer clear of? Tora heaved heavily before continuing, "A dead relic is what you need but imagine all the power lost. I will offer myself to you as a living sacrifice if you let my son go."

Satake shook his head instinctively. That was madness. He couldn't let her...

"You wish to trade your life for your son's?"

His mother nodded.

"You have a deal." The possessed head agreed.

With the approval of the witch, Tora stalked towards her son and hugged him tightly. Tears seeped from her eyes as she finally latched away from the young boy. "Satake," She began.

"No..." He protested. He couldn't lose her. He had obeyed all the rules thrown at him in hopes that he would never have to see those he loved to die. Now he was going to lose his favorite two people in the world to greed? No. Satake refused to accept such a bleak fate.

"Satake!" Tora chastised, molasses of tears pouring from her eyes.

"Mom..."

"My little boy," Tora managed to speak amidst sobbing. " You must run. You must run as fast as your leg can carry you and don't stop until you are safe."

Tears swirled Satake's eyes. He shook his head vehemently and refused to abandon his mother. He knew what would happen if he did.

"I won't let you be eaten." He whined, latching unto his mother as he said those words. "I won't let you die."

Tora hugged her son one last time and whispered onto his ear in a language she knew the spying witch wouldn't recognize. "Watashi wa muda ni shinu koto wa arimasen. Kono monsutā o tsurete ikimasu. Shikashi, watashi wa anata ga ikiru koto o shitte iru dakede heiwa ni shinu koto ga dekimasu." Which roughly translated to, I will not die in vain. I will take this monster with me. But I can only die in peace knowing you will live.

Satake looked genuinely distraught but his mother was right to tell him to run. As he slowly stepped away from the scene with tears clouding his eyes, Satake bid his mother a silent goodbye.

His heart pounded, his lungs were on fire and his panicked breath mimicked the thundering sky. The cold night air pumped into his lungs as his legs quickened, ignoring the blades of grass that sliced at his skin the faster he moved. Satake's eyes were still clouded so he missed the sight of a tree root that had shot out of the earth. The hit sent Satake tumbling. He rolled further down the sloppy trail and didn't stop until a tree broke his fall. A cry finally erupted from the boy who had tried to be his bravest. Satake gave up and just lay on the forest floor, shriveled up and in unimaginable pain. He wanted to die. He prayed for death to come.

"Hey," A tiny voice finally beckoned.

Satake was pointed in the direction of the voice only to find two boys his age hidden from plain sight.