Night Skies | KNY

Prologue

Reminiscing the past of your childhood was a blurring task. Every single memory that was originally plastered in your mind had faded or was beginning to fade. If there was one thing to remember ever so clearly was meeting him. Maybe it was fate that you had both met because if not, what did the future hold for you at all? The thought of what would've happened that day if he had not existed replayed through your head. The thought of dying a gruesome death like... who was she? Who died with you that day? Even the memory of you two meeting had soon began to fade. Even that memory wasn't safe.

You didn't have memory loss, your mind just likes to create walls... create high walls to make sure your mind remained pure and safe. Though, you wouldn't consider the what you did pure. In order to survive you had to be strong, you have to have certain desired traits to live, those traits being having immense strength and willpower. If not, you would be one of the hundreds of swordsman that have died trying to get pass final selection. The final selection, even you haven't attempted it and the mere consideration of you being too weak to pass it has circulated your mind every day. There was a chance your fate would be the same as theirs. This thought not only has circulated your mind but, his too.

Over the four years since the meeting, many would say he grew a bond but how could one demon who's past had a recurring history of him slaughtering humans heartlessly grow a bond with a child. The answer could possibly be him trying to heal his past. The child was an ordinary child, a child who failed to protect their mother even though it was impossible for them to do in the beginning because a mothers last dying wish would be to make sure their child was safe. Well, that's would a good mother's dying wish would be and she was lucky to have one like that. He knew the child felt weak, agitated that they couldn't do anything to bring their mother back, he felt similar. The familiar feeling of jealous towards anyone stronger, they were lucky. Lucky to be able to protect someone whom they loved. Why did his... his what? Even he couldn't remember his past childhood because his brain built unneeded walls. He wasn't a child, he didn't need to build defensive walls over any memories. He was a man who needed to accept his past. Accept that he wasn't the strongest.

He wouldn't accept the fact ever, it was something he was willing to take to his grave.

That's why he was probably willing to take you in. You weren't born with any talents. No keen senses. No extraordinary strength. No inhuman hearing or crazy senses of smell or spatial awareness. You were an ordinary girl who had the huge gift of ever existing. And you never accepted that. You wanted to be stronger, you wanted to be able to protect people and make them feel safe. Maybe even help him feel safe. There was still a lingering sense of humanity in him and you could tell. He wasn't the typical demon, he probably was in private but, the thought of him willingly taking care of you and training you for your own sake made you feel at ease. That was enough to convince you that some demons aren't so malicious, some of them had a sympathy.

Many can disagree with you for good reasons but if they could just hear you on the idea, there was a possible step to a safer future.

But then again you were just a fourteen year old girl who was raised by a five hundred year old demon. Who would trust a girl who lived with a demon? Was trained by a demon? Possibly brainwashed by the demon.

Many thoughts overcame you as you journaled words in the small leathered book. You only journaled when you felt confused which happened occasionally but lately it's been a daily thing. Biting the end of the pen you tried to decide which complicated thought to decipher next. Whilst thinking you hadn't notice the unknown appearance of your care giver. He slowly moved in the shadows of the room without a sound. Even the mere presence of the man would have a demon slayer shaking endlessly but to you, it was a normal. The feeling of power that surged through every room in the place was normal. Even if you could see him, his movements were unpredictable and quick. Not acknowledging him was the best thing to do if you ever encounter him on the battle field but then again, the man still was a demon. He would end up hunting down his victim and slaughter them without a care, the best thing to do in his presence was to run and pray that he never knew of existence.

While journaling about him you flipped the page after filling up both sides about the negative description about him. You turned on to the new clean page that was waiting for you corrupt it with the ink's dark tint. There was endless things for you to write negatively about the mister but who were you to judge. You had some past memories that also would make you seem like a bad person and that would make you a hypocrite if you were to hate the man also. He wasn't really a bad person too, he had a human side to him that you wished would grow bigger and apart of him fully. Thinking deeper about the first sentence to begin your positive words about him, you sat there quietly before coming to an agreement mentally.

Kokushibo, the man I would forgive many times because I know deep within him, he's human.

The sound of pen scribbles filled the room you were in. So deep into the writing the only thing that caught your attention was the shadow of a figure blocking you from your only source of light which was coming from the fireplace.

"It's getting pretty early, shouldn't you be heading to bed?" His words were firm and the tone of his voice was intimidating. But you knew he didn't mean it in that way, it was just the way he spoke. The way he always spoke. He was a stern guy, probably due to the strict rules he always went by while living throughout the five hundred years of his existence.

"I'll head to back after I finish writing, don't worry I'll head to bed before sunrise."

After a few minutes of silence he finally moved out of your way. The light of the fire illuminated your page once again allowing you to write.

"I trust that you'll stick with your word, sleep well."

The sound of a click confirmed his dismissal. While continuing on, you finished the last entry for the day and closed the leather book. Getting up from the seat that was in front of the fireplace, you stretched after the hours long journaling session from today. After feeling your once tense muscles relax you walked over to a shelf that was made for your journals. Seven of them sat on the shelf, two journals for each year you've been here. Placing the journal on the shelf you saw how close the page marker was to the end of the journal. You were getting closer and closer to the day you would turn fifteen.

But even closer to final selection.