Demon Slayer: Yσƙαι Wιϝҽ [雪花] |Kyōjurō Rengoku x Yuki-onna!Reader|

51: Road to the Dark Shrine

It was completely night when you and Kyōjurō left Miss Chin's antique shop.

You both stood on the beginning of the dirt road that led deep into the woods where the supposed temple was located.

Kyōjurō held up the oil lamp whilst you checked the map. "If we continue straight, the temple would be on the right," You say.

Kyōjurō nodded, his face illuminated by the soft glow of the flame. "Sounds easy enough," he replied, before shining the light towards an old wooden sign that was covered in grapevines and moss, which had piqued his interest.

Path to Kuromiya Shrine ─ No trespassing on sacred grounds!

Kyōjurō's eyes narrowed as he shined the light back towards the dark and foreboding trail, lined with a tremendous amount of tall trees and undergrowth that led to darkness.

"Stay close to me, my love." He tells you and began to set foot on the path without further ado, causing you to follow suit, not while giving worried glances over your shoulder.

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Several minutes into your trek it started to rain and you felt an eerie shiver run down your spine as you cling to your lover. It's not that you were scared, it's just every noise you heard in the darkness, from twigs popping, crickets chirping, and frogs croaking, and owls hooting; made you jittery.

"D-Do you honestly think we'll find anything at the shrine, Kyō?" You couldn't help but ask, glancing around every once in awhile.

"Don't know, but for as long as I've been a demon slayer, I learned that some demons prefer to dwell in isolated regions away from humans. So, I wouldn't be surprised if we encountered one there." He replied.

Well, that'd only made you even more nervous as you both continued onward.

After several more minutes of walking, you both came to a stop at some tōrō, traditional lanterns made of stone and broken steps that lead uphill.

"That must be the way up the old shrine," Kyōjurō deduced, as he glanced up and spoted the shape of a torii gate.

Once reaching the entrance, you were both met with an old abandoned Shinto shrine. It was old with weathered wooden beams and moss-covered stones, standing silent and still against the backdrop of the surrounding forest. And though there didn't seem to be any signs of life, it still gave off an eerie presence, as if the spirits of the past lingered in the shadows, watching your every move.

"This is the place," you say as you and Kyōjurō passed through the torii. Its red paint faded and peeling in places.

"Yes, this is the place where a Shinto priest killed his shrine maidens and later committed suicide," Kyōjurō tells you.

The eerie silence of the shrine grounds sends shivers down your spine as you take in the tragic history of the place. The wind whispers through the trees, carrying with it a sense of unease that makes your heart race. You can almost imagine the priest's haunting presence lingering in the air, a reminder of the dark events that unfolded here.

"Kyō, I sense a evil aura coming from this place. Even Fuwa is shaking." You say and Kyōjurō glanced to see the little dwarf flying squirrel who was tucked inside your shirt pocket, quivering in fear.