Demon Slayer; Kyameron Kamado

Chapter 35

The girl passed through the tear she had entered through, leaving the realm of the subconscious. While glad she was out of a dangerous area, Kyameron still hoped she would be well. Now alone in the vast expansion of darkness, he had some time to himself. Or at least, his thoughts did. Outside the rip, Tanjiro and the real Kyameron continued to decipher what their father had said, "What you need to cut is within your reach," Tanjiro said, echoing his father's words.

"Within our reach... what's within our reach other than ourselves?" Kyameron asked.

Realization dawned on Tanjiro, "Ourselves! We're the thing within our reach, so that has to be it!"

Shock came over Kyameron's face, "Are you serious? What if you're wrong?!" he shouted.

"I could be, but it's the only choice we have!" Tanjiro said, raising his sword to his neck, "Don't think about it! Just do it!"

Kyameron peered down at his left hip, seeing his blade now sheathed in the Demon Slayer's uniform. Quivering, he reached over and unsheathed it, fumbling as he raised it. Heavy, laboured breaths were the only noise he could produce, getting more intense as the blade drew closer to his neck. Tanjiro's breaths were similar, but he continued to raise his blade. Right as it made contact with his flesh, he stopped, looking at Kyameron. Pupils dilated, beads of sweat dripping down his face, his shaking hands. These were not his usual characteristics, "Master..." he muttered, "Master, help me... please..."

"Just do it!!! Don't think about it!!!" Tanjiro shouted to him.

A tear rolled down his cheek, joining the countless beads of sweat. His breathing became even more laboured, and he could barely hold his sword still, "Tanjiro, I... I-I can't do it," he murmured, "I'm sorry, I... I can't,"

"But why-"

"DON'T ASK ME WHY NOT!"

Flustered, Tanjiro tried to regain his composure. Refocusing his sword as Kyameron's fell to the ground, he shouted with all his might and slashed it into his neck. Blood sprayed as his body fell limp.

A horrified Kyameron rushed over to it, "Tanjiro?! No, No, No, please tell me it worked!" he shouted. Tanjiro's body then suddenly disappeared, as if it had never been there at all. Even the hole in the snow where it should have been seemed untouched. In reaction, Kyameron looked over at his sword, which had fallen into the snow and made an imprint. Walking over and picking it up, he peered down at it with wide eyes, "This is the only way out..." he thought. Taking it and positioning it to his neck, his laboured breaths returned, "Just do it! That was then, this is now! This isn't real! Just do it! If you don't, Tanjiro might die!" He still couldn't find the willpower to push his left hand forward. His arms once again began to sink, and his eyes became dim.

"Promise me this; If Tanjiro ever faces a twelve kizuki, help him. Help him, my son."

"I wish for you to continue supporting your brother. Make sure he grows strong with you. Do what I couldn't."

The voices of his heroes and role models flooded his head, with his Father and his Master urging him forward.

"You are the champion!"

"We need you!"

"Don't leave us behind!"

"Whether you know it's me or not, I'll protect you no matter what! I swear it to you!"

His own words echoed through his head, as did his thunderous cry through the fake forest of this dream. His fiery blade pierced his neck with the hands of everyone he loved guiding it through.

"AHHHHHHH!" he shouted.

Finding himself back in the carriage of the train, he jolted upwards as his vision began to adjust. Looking at his surroundings, he found none other than Tanjiro standing over him, "Kyameron! You did it!" he shouted.

"Yeah. God, I'm never going to sleep again," he mumbled as he stood up. A crack from his back forced him down, "Ow! Jesus, I should have stretched out...," he complained, stretching his bones as they cracked.

"We made it out, but now what?" Tanjiro asked.

"What do you mean, "Now what?"? Now we go find that demon and slaughter it!" he shouted. Nezuko peeked her head around the corner with a concerned look, "Not you, Nezuko! The bad demon," Kyameron said, making her smile.