In another life

Never look back

The first time (Y/N) had ever felt something other than fear or emptiness was the first time she had ever seen someone who wasn't a demon.

She was 5 years old, and sitting in the corner of her room. No lights, completely dark, but living like this all her life had allowed her to see in it as well as someone could see during the day.

The air smelt of rusted blood and decaying bodies, which would have been appealing to any demon, but she was already full, and couldn't bear the thought of having another bite without her stomach twisting uneasily.

Counting the seconds that passed distracted her from the horrible feeling, and if she was counting right then about 9 hours had gone by since the last someone had come to take her out of her room for examination and testing.

Her Father, who's name she couldn't utter without dying from his own blood, had been gone that day. So were the rest of the upper moons she noticed. No presence except those of normal demons wandered the halls of the sanctum that held her behind thick walls.

Until the tenth hour of the day struck.

There was a large, large noise that she could only describe as an explosion. That was the first to come after many that followed after. (Y/N) couldn't see anything past this windowless room, and the heavily locked door could only be opened from the outside, but even an idiot could tell that there was a battle that had struck somewhere in the building.

Her heart sped up as the whole room shook after a particularly powerful boom, and she lost track of the seconds she was counting. Then she sensed it, a human. One....two......ten......thirty seven......

Sixty three humans, scattered across demon grounds.

Father always told her that the reason she wasn't allowed outside was because a human would take and kill her, especially demon slayers.

She wondered if she should try to go out and help her brethren fight. Surely after all the humans and demons Father forced her to devour, she'd be ready yes? Especially after the generous few drops of his blood he lent to her when she didn't heal properly after having all her limbs severed? Would he be upset? Livid even?

The conflicting thoughts on what to do distracted her from the human aura that had made its way up to her floor level, getting closer to her room. When the life of a demon down the hall suddenly vanished from her senses did she realize how close she was to being found.

Being found...

Being....found....?

The words caused her heart to pound harder in her chest. What was this feeling she wondered? It was akin to fear.....like a powerful anticipation.

"(Y/N)."

She inwardly gasped, the voice of her Father ringing from the corners of her mind, "Fuh.....Father...?"

"Leave the sanctum." He said. Obviously having caught wind of the attack on the demon base, "Come to Natagumo Mountain. Do not get captured." His voice was flat, deep, and cold. He spoke his words strictly, as an order.

Mount Natagumo.

For some reason....the anticipation of being found had turned cold and heavy at the thought of returning to him.

She didn't want to go back to Father. Muzan seemed to sense her repulsion, as he called her name out with a calmness that masked his anger, in a way that sent chills down the 7 year old's spine, "(Y/N)."