Koutetsujou no Kabane-Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress- (Ikoma Love Story)

--Prologue

"The expectations of life [depends] upon diligence; the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.--Confucius"

Crisp, white, shining covering that transformed the landscape making it a magical land full of wonder and undiscovered mysteries; cladding it with the most pristine and untouched beauty. Well, everything changed.

Kanabe. I remember when I thought that it was impossible for that to happen, for them to be so close to wiping out our village.

"Impossible...We were well protected!" one of the villagers yelled as zombie-like humanoids grew closer, grabbing anyone in their way and feasting on them.

There were loud crashes, followed by several screams and cries for help from everyone in the village. People close to them found themselves as their dinner, Many were discarded as fast as they were bitten and others, were shared with other Kabane.

"Let's go Yuki!" yelled a soft urgent voice as she grabbed my hand and pulled me away from the horror that ridden our village.

The fiery red-head and I had almost followed the crowd when a small toddler boy started walking in the opposite direction. He appeared to be in a daze as he walked and his eyes locked on one of the dead bodies that one Kabane, a female, was feasting one.

"Mother..."

The brunette boy broke into a run towards the creature as I fought my friend's grip to chase after the boy. If I could explain my actions that day, I would simply tell you I don't know what came over me. 

"Yuki!"  my friend yelled trying to run after my until a loud scream emitted from her vocal cords.

I turned around to see two Kanabe feasting on her as she gasped in shock. Her arm reaching in my direction as I looked helpless as ever. I turned back towards the toddler boy and noticed him cowering in fear as the Kanabe went to attack him. 

In an instant, I swiftly used my own body weight to push the Kanabe back from the boy. I grabbed for the nearest object, my friend's arrow to be exact, and attempted to stab the creature while holding my elbow down on its throat only to be rolled over. The Kanabe moved forward to take a chunk from my face, I threw my arm up in my defense to prevent it from attacking my face. The sharp pain I felt from its bite caused me to scream in pure shock. I was infected now...but I couldn't let this creature hurt that boy.

I struck the tip of the arrow's head into the heart with the force of more than what  overcame me. The creature howled in pain and was thrown back from the strength and flew back, withered, and died.

I rose from the ground to see the little boy that I fought so hard to protect, crawl towards me and tug at my kimono's sleeve. I looked down at my arm seeing the marks of what happens to those infected by the Kanabe begin to take over my body. Animalistic calls already began to take over until my will to survive urged my body to fight the marks. 

"I must survive...." was all I could think while looking at the multiple Kanabe run after the remaining villagers. Carelessly stepping on the corpse's head to get to their next meal, causing a nauseating crunch to reach the ears of those who remained human.

"O-onee-chan..." muttered the little boy.

I looked down to see the boy and noticed the marking on my arm were identical to that of his leg, but he wasn't turning.

"I guess we are the same now..."

"But we are neither human nor Kabane..."

That occurred almost 5 years ago.....