Bury the Light

Unstoppable

The time flew by, seemingly leaving only glimpses of the passing days in the white-haired boy's mind. Not that he minded; on the contrary, the newfound peace was somehow weirdly relaxing and appreciated, something Sanemi would never admit aloud. His weakened body needed to regenerate after exceeding every possible limitation he had deemed impossible to reach before breaking them. Yes ... even though he had undoubtedly survived, there was a price to pay for his recklessness and actions.

If the wind user's memory served him well, it took him at least three full days to regain enough strength to finally stir away from the darkness of his dreams, or rather nightmares. Throughout these livid and overwhelmingly painful projections, he had been brought back in time, allowed or, more accurately, forced to relive the pieces of his life that had broken him. Seeing his mother turning into a demon, followed by the brutal flashback of her tearing limb by limb his innocent and defenceless siblings. Their blood smeared across the floor and walls. Its strong and fresh scent filled Sanemi's nostrils, turning his insides out. With his eyes wide open, he stood by the door, trembled by a mix of disgust and fear. Feeling the stomach's content climbing the gullet, the boy needed all his wits to overrule his body's inherited reaction. By some miracle, he managed to do so, but his breathing was shallow and rugged as if he ran for miles. It would be so trivial to give up and die. Unfortunately, this option was never available to him, even though most of his siblings were already dead, butchered by the twisted monstrosity they once knew as their always worked-up and ever-loving mother. No ... he could not allow this creature to carve out the last piece of his heart. After all, it had already claimed most of it, something that he would never recover and come to terms with. Nonetheless, he was willing to pay any price to keep that last piece alive, even if it meant he would be hated for what he was destined to do.

Surprisingly enough, the moment Genya started shouting at him for ending their mum's suffering, he was allowed to leave the nightmarish visions behind. As if trying to reach his little brother, Sanemi abruptly rose from his sweated futon, confused and uncertain of his occupation.

"You're awake," a familiar voice of Sanemi's master pierced the overwhelming silence.

"How long?" the white-haired boy asked, not even looking at the man who taught him more than his biological father.

"You slept undisturbed for three days," a stoic response was provided. "I ... I wanted to wake you up earlier, but ... then, a crow flew in with two letters attached to its legs. It's suffice to say your friend filled the gaps between your departure and arrival. You ... you did well, Sanemi," the man added, his voice sounding old, tainted with concern and exhaustion.

"My friend ... who wrote these letters?" Sanemi asked, not realising the apparent implication of the past couple of days.

"Nagato Yoshiyuki."

"Ah ... I should have predicted that," the boy replied, allowing a small smile to creep in. "Yes ... I met him during the trial, though I can not really say why he was there. He already carries himself like a true demon slayer, calm, calculated, and precise."

"I know his mother," the master whispered. "If he inherited even a fraction of her skill, he'd be a pillar sooner than later," he commented.

"He told me his father is ... or rather was a pillar too," Sanemi said, finally mustering enough courage to face the man.

"I've heard some stories about him, yes," Miyagawa Takahiro responded, wiping his eyes.

"What have you heard?" The spiky-haired boy's curiosity got the better of him, and he was urged to pursue the answers.

"I've heard that he's not from here," the master whispered. "Some say he came with other Europeans, deciding to settle here, far away from his birthplace."

"Why?" an unintelligent question left his throat before he could rethink it.

"I don't know," Takahiro responded, sighing heavily. "I doubt anyone knows the reason but him. Nonetheless ... many speculated that he was either running away from wars or exiled. Still, their guesses are as good as mine, so why bother."

"I have failed a girl during the Selection," Sanemi whispered, gripping the futon's folds. "I should have forced her to back down and face the demon alone," he added, casting down his sigh in guilt.

"Nagato mentioned that," the master whispered back. "Sanemi, look ... you can't save everyone. I strongly believe you did everything you could, but ... sometimes you would need to immobilise the people you're trying to help to save them," he explained slowly. "Unfortunately, not everyone can be saved. No matter how hard you try or how much you sacrifice, people will die in front of your eyes. It's a hard-to-swallow reality we're destined to live in."

"Perhaps ... you are right, master," the spiky-haired boy murmured after a long pause. "Can I stay a little longer, or should I leave the moment my sword is delivered?" he asked, still not feeling courageous enough to face the man who had shaped him into the weapon he was now.

"I know ... you don't like to call this compound your 'home', but there will always be a place for you here."

"Thank you ... thank you, master."

***

Two more days passed before Sanemi found enough strength to resume his rigorous training. Although he knew deep inside that his body was far from fully recovered, he had no intention of sparing himself. No matter how one looked at this decision, it was irrational, rash, and, above all, irresponsible. On the other hand, could one have expected anything else from the boy? Unfortunately, no.

When he exited the compound, the sun had just risen, hanging low in the firmament. The upcoming day was shaping to be relatively sunny yet cold as the white-haired teen's breath turned into vapour. Other than that, the wind blows were next to nonexistent, carrying tiny shards of puffy snow. Even though the snowdrifts seemed everpresent, scattered everywhere, it was highly improbable that the snowing would cease soon. It mattered little, though, as he headed towards the nearby river – his preferred training place. He longed for the sounds of water softly rustling to ease his mind, allowing him to focus solely on the practice. Sanemi knew that becoming a full-fledged demon slayer was only a beginning for him. From now on, his time would be severely limited; hence, each swing, push, strike, and exercise must count, perhaps in some twisted manner, altering his fate and potentially saving him from death's embrace.

Thankfully, it was warm enough for the water mirror to remain intact, constantly flowing in directions of lands the boy had never seen before. In such a minor detail, he found a semblance of comfort and motivation. Like him, the river threaded its path no matter the obstacles. With that in mind, he unsheathed his sword and calmed down before taking the first swing.

Soon enough, the weather worsened with the endless skies closing and darkening in what felt like a blink of an eye. However, it was hardly the primary concern. The wind started howling; its gusts tarry like whip smacks, cold, intense, and inevitable. Within a moment, the boy's loose clothes were tugged, carried by these relentless blows. No matter, he stood still, only focused on his slightly rugged and swallow breathing. It looked like a reckless decision for an outside watcher, most likely leading to catching a cold, frosting even. This observation would be correct, but only partially. Still, Sanemi did not see the current situation in such a light. No ... for him, it was but another challenge, another obstacle in his way to become strong. So ... he endured, slashing the air with his katana time after time. There was so much he did not know yet, so much to learn.

Author's notes section:

I'm deeply sorry for this chapter's length. I wanted it to be longer, but could not do so. Writing this was rather painful and difficult for me. So ... once again, I'm sorry.

Please, note that the dialogues written in italic are thoughts.

As always, I would like to thank you for everything. See you soon :)

Changelog:
[2024-01-12]: A preview has been released.
[2024-02-11]: A major update applied, focused on concluding the chapter.

References:
- DMC - Bury the light
- Sia - Unstoppable

End of the author's notes section.