The Descendant (A Retelling and love story of Demon Slayer)

Twelve

Nighttime in Japan during the Taisho era was vastly different from its modern counterpart. Most of the time, it was peaceful. The crickets chirped and sang in the grass along well-worn dirt paths. Owls would make the occasional hoot, searching with perceptive eyes for their late-night dinners. In those aspects, it wasn't much different to Akari, but when the crickets ceased their songs and the owls became silent in the wake of sinister beings prowling the countryside she would be forced to remember just how different the two time periods were.

"SOMEBODY HELP ME!" A young male screeched through the moonlit darkness in fearful desperation. Dirty bare feet pounded against the hard soil. The dark green kimono he wore was tattered and torn. His light brown hair was mussed and tousled as though he had just shot himself out of bed. The most noticeable thing about him, however, was the claw-like cuts on the boy's upper arm. They oozed blood, coating his ripped kimono in streaks with every swing of his injured limb. Leaving a scent trail that even the most basic of demons could smell from miles around.

"Where do you think you're going, little snack?" A clawed hand popped out of the dirt like a groundhog, gripping the boy around the ankle as he ran. With a shriek he fell to the ground, hands clawing at the dirt to attempt to pull himself away.

"NO, PLEASE, I-I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" He kicked back on his captured ankle, but his human foot did little to ease the monstrously tight grip on his already bruising skin. Out of the ground behind the boy climbed a demon with swamp-green skin and dark gray hair. Its three black eyes and crimson-stained shark-like teeth were truly nightmarish. Quickly the demon sat across the boy's back, effectively pinning him down with little effort. The weight on his back forced the air out of his lungs and slowly he began to suffocate. Grasping fruitlessly in front of himself he struggled for air.

"Silly snack. You don't get to beg for mercy after you flee like that. I usually prefer to eat my snacks alive and slow, but you've been such a pain in my ass I'll make an exception!" The demon growled, his sharp claws pointed to strike at the base of the boy's neck. Suddenly the demon pulled his head back, the sharp point of a blade grazing the skin on his neck. His hand that had been poised to kill the boy was now sliced clean off, thrown to the side like it didn't even matter anymore. The demon leaped backward off the boy, hand on its neck that dripped from the shallow cut. It growled low at the figure that now stood in front of its helpless prey.

"I don't know, I usually prefer my snacks to be sweet and not human. You should try it sometime." The gasping boy gazed through tears at a pair of black zori and leg-warmers with white ribbon laced up the ankles. He quickly grasped a fistful of the stranger's loose black pants.

"P-Please help me-" His voice shook and his breath caught as his gaze traveled up the leg of the presumed female he was holding onto. Presumed, because his savior was wearing a fox mask with a black hood pulled up to hide their hair, effectively stowing away her features. His gaze traveled to the white sword she held, resting lazily against the top of her shoulder and suddenly he worried that he might have landed himself in even more danger. That worry was quickly washed away, however, when the fox woman nodded at his request.

"Who the hell are you?! That's my snack, go find your own!" The growling shout from behind, kicked the boy into gear as he scrambled up and around the back of the sword-wielding woman with quick speed.

"Stay here and don't move. As long as I know you're there, I can protect you." Her soft voice left the boy in awe, she didn't even seem fazed by the grotesque creature that crouched a few feet away. The boy had only responded with an 'Okay' before she was gone. His eyes grew wide, unsure if he had just blinked or blacked out. She was gone and so was the monster. He blinked a few times, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. One moment she was there and the next, gone. He stayed put though, cradling his now throbbing arm in his good hand. In the distance, he could hear the sounds of fighting. Trees crashed down in the wake of their might. All he could do was sit and pray that this nightmare would end soon.