The samurai's demon

A samurai's futile struggle against an overpowering demon.

I ran, for it was all I could do. As I dashed and leaped, it skipped and hopped. Every emissary of its being taunted of danger; from dainty bloodied limbs, to eyes of passive fury. Worst of all, its grin: as pearlescent as snow, as sharp as daggers.

The mechanised heaps beneath me were liable to collapse at every moment opportune to my demise, each pile of discarded steel before me spelling certain doom. Each, I passed.
The constant, light clatter of metal behind me increased in volume, the horrific smell of burning rubber filled me as I raced for breath. Further and further I ran, deeper and deeper my despair grew. In spite of all my soul's submission, my legs kept in motion. In looking down to secure my footing, I was reminded of my sword, and the honour it drew with it. Through the course of my life, I had danced across the battlefield in a blaze of fluid fire; no foe had ever turned me such as this. My eyes were unaccustomed to retreat, yet they were accustomed to assault.
My blade drew itself, and I danced. The sounds of displaced metal grew more subdued with each strike forward. What once was a sombre play of the dead had bloomed into a festival of fiery mastery across the hills.

I was soon encroaching on a tower, far taller and grander than even Mount Fugi. Sleek and sprawling iron clad across its surface. Its presence slowed my pace, but not even gods themselves could inhibit my step from that monsters maw. Sighting a small passage to its innards, I made my refuge.

The insides of the tower were a lot more chaotic than its exterior; pipes and vents flooded the halls with a constant liminal flow of subjects beyond my understanding. Above me, shone long bulbs of light; a comfort from the black soot sky that stalked the outside. After what felt like miles of those same liminal corridors, I arrived at a box. Its insides were plain, aside from the lacing of what appeared hundreds of inscribed buttons, and, unwilling to retrace my steps, I entered and pressed my hand upon one.
The doors of the box closed, as it (what I assumed) began climbing the mangled innards of the tower.
Within the presumed safety of the box, I was finally able to rest myself. A typhoon of exhaustion raced across my mind. What I had intended a short break, rapidly broken into a deep slumber.

My waking had me surrounded by sound: Gears, whistles, and chains. Further; the sound of footsteps, fighting back and forth in all directions. Finally, my eyes broke open from the rapture of sleep. My vision was still dark. I tried raising my hand, yet the only response I found was the rattle of chains. Keeping my wits about me, I kept silent, yet it wasn't long before I attracted attention. Lifted, carried and sat; it wasn't long before I was confronted by a deep, commanding voice.

"For what reason do you enter my domain?"

"In search of refuge, from an ungodly creature, far beyond the might of kings."
"And you disillusion yourself to believe yourself worthy seek suck refuge in the palace of a titan?"
"Privy, if you, who stands before me boisterous grandeur and presence, a titan, then this beast is far beyond the mortal comprehensions of man."
"Pah, perhaps a duel will straighten your mind, unchain him at once."     In that instance, my hands and eyes were once again my own. A scarred and scorched face filled my vision, eyes like magma looked intently into my soul. Through holes in lines of vicious fangs, he made my march. It was a mostly uneventful trip, aside from the occasional crashes of metal or flickering of lights. On occasion I glanced back at the giant, revealing in turn, scorched and scarred appendages, thick with a dulled crimson flesh. His apparel was like a barbarian: a large pelt of fur wrapped over his shoulders, tough hide consisting of its boots, and a pair of black horns atop its head.

The arena was like a cage, a metallic pit in the ground with a dome of bars almost completely covering it, the only break at the very top, a small hole to let down a chain holding a damp bulb. Various red and black creatures filled torn seats round the battered cage. Stepping into the cage, large iron doors clamped shut behind me, sealing me in.

Of course, across from me was the scarred face of the self proclaimed titan, an axe almost as large as myself gripped in its rough, brutish hands. Thankfully, the titan had given me the kindness to grant me back my blade, however, to my displeasure it was tossed to the very centre of the arena.
A horn sounded, and the fight began. Both I and the titan sprinted forward. He was soon upon me, and I skidded below it. I kept pace towards my blade, and snatched it from the ground. Turning, he was once again charging towards me, axe primed for my head.
I jumped to the side, the axe broke steel. The lights flickered as I struck his arm, barely scratching its hide. Another swing of the axe, I barely rolled back in time, the lights flickered again. I sliced at his legs, the lights flickered again. I sliced at his back, cutting through pelt, drawing black blood, and the lights flickered again.
The arena went black, I jumped away from the titan, and a taunting voice met my ears.
"There's no escape y'know. Its just you and me now, so lets have some fun!"
The lights returned, and with them, that pearlescent as snow, sharp of daggers grin.
The demon stood atop the body of the titan, like a small child just having climbed an interesting rock. No sounds were present aside from a slow, gradual, drip of blood. In the demons hand, the knife stained almost as black as its heart. The titan, had been slain.

Before I had realised my motion, I stood pinned to the cold, binding wall. My eyes darted back and forth, frantically searching for escape, yet, always they fell to the demons gaze. Its horror jumped from the fallen titan; it let out a manic laugh, it filled my face. Like a wild beast, I helplessly charged into the demon, passing it by in a blur of red. Turning, a ravine of pain cut through my back. Again, I turned and another slice dashed through me. The shadows spiralled around me, mocking every mistaken step.
Again and again and again and again and again and again, slash after cut after gash surged through me til I could stand no more. I collapsed.
The demon's foot held firmly over my diced flesh. Once more it cackled, smiling with that twisted grin; then all went black.