SLAYERS UNITE

Omen of Death

POV: Asayo

It was a nice evening to stare at the dark sky... The moon was a sliver of light, shimmering in the sky along with the stars. I was still in the forest after all this time, after years. Maybe it was better this way. The village nearby banished me for my hair that turned an ice blue at the end. I couldn't remember a time I was welcome there, but there had to be something since I woke up in the forest at age 11. Faintly in my head, a voice called. Trying to ignore it, I saw something... a face smiling down at me. Who was that? I desperately wanted to remember, but the voice from earlier split my thoughts. "DEMON! FATHER, FATHER! A DEMON WILL KILL ME! HELP!" I looked over. A 14 year old girl was staring at me, almost in tears. Then, in my periphery, I saw a samurai run from the trees. I barely dodged the swing of his sword, and it chopped my hair, almost my neck. He strangely just kept running, and I tilted my head in confusion before the rope hit my back with such force that I fell over. The samurai approached me. I jolted at the sound of his ragged voice. "N...no one. No one TOUCHES MY DAUGHTER!" And with that, he kicked me with his boot.

POV: Iguro Obanai

I was walking with Giyuu and Shinazugawa, two other hashira, which was highly unusual. The hashira are important members of the Demon Slayer Core, so this rarely happens. Giyuu had returned from a mission with Shinobu Kocho, and Shinazugawa was sent to Asakusa, along with the previously mentioned Tomioka Giyuu. I, personally, was going to a town rumored to have the best sakura mochi to pick up an order I'd placed weeks ago. I hope Kanroji will like it... Giyuu finally, actually talked. "Uh, is that a fire?" He said, barely audible. "Mm?" Shinazagawa and I looked at each other and then to where Giyuu was looking. I said, "We should check it out. Shinazagawa?" He looked up. "What about Tomi-" "I'll head straight to Asakusa. Bye." With that, he suddenly was 25 feet away. "Well then. Let's go." I said. We both dashed forward and down the mountain.

POV: Asayo

When I woke up, my head ached with a dull pain. My eyelids hurt, and it was really hot. Abnormally hot. I was tied on a wooden type of material, so tight it hurt. A crackling noise assaulted my ears. "Euugahh..." I made a noise against my will. "Oh finally, the demon wakes. I thought I wouldn't be able to watch the show." The samurai said with a laugh. I opened my eyes. The crackling noise was a fire! It stretched close, beckoning me to let it sting me. It taunted me by flickering one way or the other. Just then I remembered. Really? Now? That's ridiculous. Funny? Hah. I'm dying. I really am dying. But so was he. The man that was smiling at me, he was my father. My mom had died during childbirth. He had a fatal illness. Something that sounded like Ume. He died when I was almost eleven and I was pushed out of the village because I was an omen of death. "Her hair just proves she's a demon!" The samurai's wife had said. I almost felt the sting of wet tears across my face. It had mixed with the cold rain, making me shiver. An excruciating stinging licked up my shins. The fire had already burned up here! I screamed, and coughed up smoke. I heard a creaking sound, separate from the fire. The wood was burning and was going to fall, and if I jumped at the right time, I would evade the flames! I heard rapid creaks now, and I braced myself. "Hah! You think you can escape? Even if you somehow avoid the fire, you'll meet my blade in battle!" It started to fall, and I had to be half way off when it was at a 45 degree angle. I twisted my waist and hips so I spun onto the wooden pillar, then I jumped off the burnt stick of a pillar. I landed, and something deep inside rumbled. The samurai drew his sword. "Now, that was impressive, but you are a demon, I suppose." He laughed. I saw two people stopped in the south path. One had spikey white hair, and the other had a stripey haori. "Hey, demon child! You really are weak." The samurai yelled, and he swung his sword down at me. "Then I'll embrace that title." And instead of running, I attacked. I think it was a kick, I don't know, It was a true blur. But next thing I knew, he had been knocked out. I stopped, and breathed heavily. The sides of my vision blurred, my legs suddenly collapsed, and I fell to the ground.

POV: Asayo

When I came to, I was leaning against a mossy cobblestone wall, with bandages across my legs and head. The man with the spikey white hair was sitting across from me, so close I could now see his purple eyes and scars. A shout came from far away. "Get over here Shinazugawa!" The voice yelled. "REALLY IGURO?" Shinazugawa yelled. He stomped off, leaving his katana behind. I stood up and stole it, sprinting as fast as I could down the opposite path. Somehow he was already only fifteen feet away.

"Oi you! Get back here!" He yelled. I used all of my leg power and jumped. I soared about twenty feet forward, and I slid to turn with the path. "Take that, eyebrowless!" And I sprinted away. I looked back and to my surprise he was even closer, taking the challenge. Five feet away now, I panicked. I looked wildly at the ground and I saw it. A stick that would hurt if thrown, and even better? A rock. I tucked the green sword into my kimono and flipped around, throwing both at the same time. I continued spinning and then I ran in the way I was going. "OI! I'll get revenge for this!" Shinazugawa spat. I heard his footsteps get further away, and I turned to see he was walking a different direction than I was headed and different from the one I came from. I slowed to a steady run, and saw a clear blue sky ahead.

I met a lady at the door of a huge mansion. She had soft purple eyes and a butterfly haori. I looked up at her, she was on a porch, and she looked so old but so young. "Uhm... miss? Could you tell me where I am?" I panted. The exhaustion from running so fast had hit me like an infinite train. "Oh, sure, you are at the Butterfly Mansion, but are you alright?" She said, her voice like a melody. "Yeah, I'm alright..." I was a good liar, or so I'd been told, so I was surprised to see that the lady frowned. It looked like an intruder on her face. "No, you aren't. There are burns all over your legs and it looks like you have a concussion. You'll most likely pass out in ten minutes." She said calmly. "Wha- Ten minutes? How do you know? Who even are you?" I yelped. "Mmm? My name is Shinobu Kocho, I'm the Insect Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps. I also specialize in medicine, would you stay here, then?" While Shinobu phrased the last bit like a question, even in her sweet tone I could tell it was a demand. "I have no objections. I am Asayo." I said, and then she took me into the mansion. She led me to a room that had 54 on the door. The sheets of the bed were nice and silky so I took off my shoes and took out Shinazugawa's sword, laying them next to the bed. "Oh my! Where did you get that sword?" She asked, surprised. "Well, uhm... I woke up and I was beside a guy with spiky white hair... I think his name was Shinazugawa? A voice that yelled to him said Shinazugawa, and he called the voice Iguro. Anyway, he left so I took his sword and ran." I said this all very nervously. "Hmm. He didn't even manage to catch you? Shinazugawa is getting sloppy. I will talk with him later. Good night, Asayo." Shinobu said. "Good night, Shinobu." I said as she walked out gracefully.

Four months later...

I swung strongly at the dummy, using Striking Tide and Whirlpool to weave around and hit it. I heard that another Final Selection would take place on Mount Fujikasane, and I would leave Sakonji Mountain tomorrow. Urokodaki, my mentor, had taught me everything I knew about the Demon Slayer Corps. He was nice enough to not turn me down when Shinobu unceremoniously dumped me at the door. He taught me water breathing. A shout came from the door, "Asayo, get inside for dinner!" Urokodaki said. I smiled, and sheathed the loaner sword. When I walked over and came inside, a delicious smell overwhelmed the small house. A huge meal was spread across the table! Urokodaki told me to eat after he grabbed a small serving. (He never ate much.) So I ate and ate until I finished the entire thing. It was amazing. So delicious I was tempted to yell a compliment after every bite. Urokodaki stared at me through his mask. "I believe you are ready for Final Selection. Goodnight Asayo."

He said, and then walked to his room without another word. "Mmm. Old man just left you, huh?" A feminine voice said. I turned sharply. I saw it staring at me, a humanoid creature leering at me, fangs seething. This was a demon, it had to be! "I believe Urokodaki San is tired. Now, are you a demon?" It started for a second, and laughed. "Hah, of course, and I'm more powerful than any human could be!" She spat. "Are you sure?" I said, and launched Drop Ripple Thrust, sending her head off her neck. "Goodnight, demon." I said, and I went to sleep, awaiting the journey to Final Selection tomorrow.