Icy Flames- Rengoku Kyojuro-Demon Slayer/ Kimetsu no Yaiba

12

The night's aroma pervaded the air, woven into a soft net, covering all the scenery inside. Everything that comes into contact with the eyes is covered with this soft net. Yet, I couldn't help but feel the goosebumps swarm my body, I squinted my eyes trying to get a look at what exactly it is I was running toward, but the horizon is pitch black and void of anything. I looked to and frow and felt my body in the depth of water bel-

My eyes open wide as my body shot up and looked around the room. I was in a barren room with a single mat in front of me where Kori was sleeping peacefully with the Kasugai crow sleeping beside him. The light of my nightmare obscured the color of my dreams since the death of my parents and it had been years since that night. 

I turned my head towards the window to be greeted by the sunlight revealing the halo of orange kissing the lavender-hued plants, the whole sun is like a big persimmon, and the mist gradually disappears. The surrounding clouds became pale yellow and were decorated with a bright gold rim on the horizon. 

I quickly dressed in my attire for the mission and left the 5th wisteria mansion after ordering Kori and the crow to remain in the mansion as I needed to gather intel on the situation.

It had been only 3 days to get over here considering that my early shinobi training and demon slayer training helped get us this far.

"Night after night, this keeps happening," a villager whispered.

"Did you hear, another child disappeared-" another villager whispered over to her friend.

"That poor man over there...lost his wife and his daughter too-he looks so haggard."

I turned my head towards the man mentioned to see him moving to and fro. The dark under-eye circles that showed prominent on his face, made clear the amount of stress and sadness he had been through. 

"This has been happening for three months now and there aren't any demon slayers!"

"I guess though who are rich are the ones who get the best help...this is a poor town...no one cares."

Of course...a caste system...

I walked around the town to see those unaffected by the events working yet it was clear that the work of these children disappearing was the work of a demon. But to them, that was important...though both were equal to survival...the now and the possibility weighted. It was impossible to not note how everyone was working hard to build their small business or position to get paid. To them, long hours, little money, were more important than possibly dying. 

But the question was quite the concern, why didn't they bring in a slayer if this was a problem three months ago.

I made my way back to the mansion and into the room, I was staying. I looked at the bird who gave me the directive to come here as its beady little eyes looked back at me.

"Why didn't a slayer come to this town three months?" I questioned them as the bird turned its head sideways as if it was currently processing the question.

"I only alerted Master Ubuyashiki when I realized the action happening-ARRRRK!"

My eyes widen slightly at the revelation that this issue wouldn't have been brought up if this bird wasn't a witness to the very threat. Was the demon slayer corps that low on demon slayers that they have to rely on Kasugai crows to report a situation. What if this crow didn't happen to fly pass the threat...then would anyone know about this. 

"Then tell me...." I began, "What does the demon look like?"

"She takes the appearance of a woman-ARRK!" the bird started, "had long, dark, stringy hair, it came down to her waist, it slightly covered her pristine kimono---ARRK!"

"So the demon looked human...interesting..." I thought as I looked at the now ripples of the stream flooded with magical colors. The sun was setting giving off the endless evening glow. And with its color, comes obscurities of what the night will bring.

I rose from the floor and grabbed the blade that I had purposely left here the first time I had left this place and instantly vanished into the night and onto the building that would give me the best view of the situation, the heart of the city where I can look down upon the lands and gain the very intel I desire.  This village was mired in impermanence...but everyone should be given a chance and not discarded due to their wealth.

A high-pitched scream tore me out of my thoughts as I quickly dashed across the buildings towards the sound. The sound was that of a child, just outside the village. I quickly maneuvered around oncoming traffic with no issues. I jumped off the building and onto the street as I came closer. 

This part of the village was abandoned. Not a soul was present. Buildings were unsuitable to live in. This must be the terrains that this beast had used to her advantage. I slowly made my way through the town's gate and across the bridge. Each step I took, I had a slight chill running down my spine, it was getting darker, I could barely make anything out around me, I looked back from where I came from and noticed a fog was creeping in.

Another scream shot through the night.

I turned my attention as the sound was closer than before. I noticed a young girl with pure panic in her eyes as she looked ahead of her. I followed her direction and noticed her looking at what seemed to be a bunch of children going towards her...but the children seemed different. As if they didn't have a mind of their own and were mere slaves.

The children seemed to have made a ring around the young girl as she was on the ground crying, crawling backward away from the children who stood in front of her. 

"Hiroto...w-why..."

The child didn't seem to respond but only step to the side. Soon others moved to make a path. Soon a woman wearing a simple white kimono with long, dark, stringy hair, came down to her waist wearing a mask of some sort covering her face. Her eyes, nose, hair...all looked attractive...so if anything she would seem inviting at first glance.

The woman cocked her head slightly and gave a low chuckle towards the girl.

"Watashi, kirei? (Rough translation: Am I beautiful? or Do you think I'm pretty?)" The woman asked, taking a step closer to the girl.

The girl was stunned to speak as she looked at the woman. Though she didn't say anything, she verbally moved her head in an up and down motion indicating that the woman was pretty. 

"Hm..." I uttered under my breath, my eyes narrowing down at the woman as my hand was at the hilt of my sword.

The woman lifted her right hand, delicately pulling off her mask, and what the girl saw before her silenced her and brought about tears to her face.