※ The flame that sparked beside the dawn ※ Demon slayer x Male Reader

「Demon Slayer corps」

My sister is dead... I'm all alone now... I'm tired... I want to sleep... Forever
 
...
 
"You little-!" I hear an all-too-familiar voice snarl.
 
I whip my head around, and sure enough, there is that ratchet thing that killed my beloved big sister, standing there, fully back in one piece. I stare at it in shock as it cracks its knuckles with ill intent, getting ready to pound me like it did Hana. I'm frozen in fear as the adrenaline has worn off and exhaustion has kicked in, making me extremely weak. Just as the creature started to lunge towards me, my house, on the east side of a mountain, flooded with brilliant light. The creature screamed in pain as it started dissolving and turning into ash, which was then carried away by the slight, cool breeze that ran through the trees. 
 
'What... just happened?' I question in my mind.
 
Who cares, though? All I know is that I appear to be safe now. As soon as the monster was completely gone, I breathed out a sigh of relief, not even realizing I had been holding my breath in the first place. 
 
'It's finally gone...' I think in utter relief, slumping as all the tension built up in my body fades away.
 
I looked out down the mountain and watched the sun slowly inch up over the horizon, painting the sky a beautiful orange and pink. I felt the warm sun's rays start to reach me, caress me even. Despite it being the beginning of winter, snowy, and cold, the little bit of extra warmth caused me to fill with many emotions I can't begin to describe. 
 
Still, that didn't last long as I tore my gaze away from the sky, looking back down at my sister's limp, unmoving, pale body. That's when it really sets in. My sister's mere 16 years of life had ended. She was gone. 
 
Just yesterday, she was telling me all about how she was going to grow up, get married, have kids, and about oh how much she would want to watch her kids grow, as she grew old with her husband. 
 
Just yesterday, we were laughing and smiling together.
 
Just yesterday, she was excitedly telling me about the newest plant she had me go collect. 
 
Now she'll never get that future. Now we'll never be together again. Now we'll never get to share those happy moments together again. Never. There's nothing I can do now. This isn't a game. You can't just start over if you lose. She's gone. 
 
My head goes numb as I let it all out. 
 
I just let out a scream. It's filled with every single emotion swirling inside me. Sadness, grief, pain, rage, hopelessness, emptiness, and defeat. (Play the video at the top.) 
 
--- ??? POV ---
 
The sun had just begun to rise. There were definite traces of a demon nearby. Although if they didn't take cover, they'd be dead by now. I was sent to this mountain because some Mizunoto swordsmen had gone missing. From the information I gathered, the demon had been going on a rampage and eating anybody it came across on this mountain. 
 
My thoughts and analysis were interrupted when I heard a scream. It didn't sound like somebody was hurt and needed help; it sounded sad and angry. No matter, it was still a scream, so I ran towards where I heard the sound come from. On my way towards the scream, I saw fresh prints in the snow that couldn't be a human's. It's definitely demons' footprints I'm seeing, although there were also a few human footprints nearby. Just in case, I grip my katana, ready to strike if need be.
 
Within 30 seconds, I arrive near a clearing of trees where a small, quaint house lies. There was also a boy with (H/C) hair, who couldn't have been more than 13 years old, sitting with a young, seemingly deceased girl on his lap. The boy was crying over her body, so I assume it was he who let out the scream. I also noticed fresh demon prints in the snow leading behind the boy, so it's highly likely that the girl was slaughtered by the demon.
 
I decided to quietly approach the boy from behind.
 
--- Your POV ---
 
"Excuse me, young sir." A sudden voice says, causing me to violently jump.
 
The voice didn't sound like the other creatures, but I still quickly stood up while taking a defensive stance when I swung around to see who was there. A meager sliver of adrenaline returning from the scare was the only thing that was keeping me from falling and passing out, that I know.
 
I was surprised when I got a good look at who had spoken to me. It was a tall, bulky man who had yellow-orange hair with red tips. He don a white haori with a flame pattern dyed on the end. Underneath the haori he wore a brown uniform of some sort with a katana strapped firmly to his side. He also had a big, warm smile on his face.
 
"Please do not be frightened, young sir. I am only here to help." The man tells me, crossing his arms.
 
I lower my fist slightly, willing to take his word, but I still remain on guard, just in case he tries anything funny...
.
.
.
Although I doubt I could harm this large man in any way..
 
"Have you seen a demon lurking around here recently?" The man asks me
 
"If you mean that gray thing that didn't die no matter what part of its body I cut off, killed my big sister, then just disappeared into ash, or something similar, when the sun rose. Then yes, I have." I reply with a very harsh tone of voice. 
 
"I see..." The man mumbles
 
"Who are you? Why have you come here?" I ask, glaring warily at the man.
 
"Okay, let's start over!" The man exclaims loudly.
 
"My name is Rengoku Kyojuro! I am the flame hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps. I traveled to this mountain to slay a demon that had been feeding off people in these woods. However, it seems you've defeated it." Rengoku explains rather excitedly.
 
'Demon Slayer Corps? Flame hashira?' I think to myself.
 
'This man is crazy.' I finally conclude.
 
Rengoku speaks up after a second of silence.
 
"What exactly happened here?" He asks 
 
My breath hitches as I recall all the events that unfolded within the last two and a half hours.
 
"I- um.." I stutter, furrowing my brows 
 
Rengoku's expression seemed to soften. 
 
"Let's give your sister a proper burial. Then we can talk." Rengoku suggests in a softer, more comforting voice that you never would've guessed could come from a big man like him.
 
I look down and nod, tears forming in the corner of my eyes. I refuse to cry again, though, and I stop myself.
 
"Do you have a shovel?"

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1161 words.