The air became cold out of no where. Snow nor the lack of oxygen could've made this much of a difference. Other than at the base of the mountain, there were no other demons around. But Kocho still felt the presence of those stronger than the rest.
As they entered the clearing that held the smoker's origin, nothing was there. The pile of ash and charcoal was left alone with obvious signs of rummaging. Handprints and tracks from probably slayers and demons alike ran wild in every direction.
Alistair knelt down in prayer to the ash. His left arm held out close to the pile, the unique change of pressure running through the groves of his hand.
His hand whipped behind his back and hammered the blade into the ground. He twisted the blade around the dirt before he pulled it back out and tossed it aside. Alistair stuck his hand into the hole and moved the dirt around. His flesh wrapped around a fold of hardened leather and tugged right back. The fresh hair left the edges of his wrist with coldness.
"Breath of Iron. For three!" His other fist pounded at the very end of his handle, the blade shot out and into the air.
It connected with his target and the grip around him loosened. He went to retaliate; he grabbed the hand and slammed the body into the old ash pile. He gripped the handle again and yanked the sword to him with another breath form.
The blue eyes was nearly entirely covered by the character of a lower moon. Another came behind him post-adrenaline craze. "It's okay, it's just me." Kocho whispered into his ear. "I couldn't protect you, I wasn't fast enough for two of them."
A upchucking sensation grew in his side. It was smooth but didn't react smooth to his inside. His body started to singe close the open wound before too much blood stained the grass.
Kocho covered her laugh in a veil attempt to silent it down. "I didn't think a strong man like you would fall this weak to a small attack. I guess I have to work harder to save you next time."
Alistair clenched his side and gripped tightly around the book. He flipped the book over his shoulder and flicked around the covers. "I can take a blade just fine. But I got the book." He wrapped his arm around Kocho's shoulder.
The beat in his heart froze, Alistair clamped the nearly closed wound with one hand and swung the other. He twisted his arm and grabbed Kocho's shoulder; his grip tightened into her and forced her back. He followed with her and tucked her inside him.
A new man appeared in their old spot. A thin white man covered in blue, all symmetrical lines down his body. Alistair held his sword over Kocho while she softly hid in his shell.
It was overly slight that Alistair's fingers felt the shiver of Kocho's shoulder. "I never felt his presence." She said in awe, her body naturally went for the sword on her side. "He's an upper moon, no doubt about it."
The odd man swiveled around to face them. "You are a fast one. Sneaking past the guard and finding the book before all of us." He spoke. "We could use you as a demon! Imagine how fast you could be with that size!"
His eyes had the character for '3' engraved into his blue eyes. A cold shiver crawled up to Kocho's chest. "You have to run. You're not prepared for this." She warned him. She pushed out of his barrier and stood her ground.
Alistair rested his hand onto her hip. He pulled her back and stood where she once did. "You want to know what kept me awake and sane for four days?" Alistair asked. His muscles tightening down and stretched his skin. "The girls told me everything about your life. Form seven! Draw out." He thrusted his sword forward and dragged his body with it.
The demon dodged to the side with no effort to it and countered with own punch. Alistair reacted back and dug the sword into the ground. His fist bounced off the sword and slightly burned against the metal.
"Ever since the start you were set behind! Form four!" The blade dug through the dirt and at the man. Alistair never lost sight of the demon but chose to avoid him with the attack. "You were born smaller, weaker, set differently!" Alistair jumped on the side of the sword and jumped after the demon with the sword in hand. "Form three!"
The demon's speed made it seem like he teleported at his side. His fist connected with Alistair's arm and popped it clean apart of his bones. "I only heard one crack in your arm. Very strong indeed! The demon held his fist into the strike and slammed down with Alistair still on him.
"Form seven!" The sword in the other arm swung the sword in a bizarre and uncoordinated fashion. One clean his chopped the demon's arm off and across the rest of his body.
He bounced away from the assailant and back to Kocho. "They told me how you took the mantle, took away your youngling years to lead your familia. But Shinobu." He turned to her with a smile on his face. "I want to be there at your side for the rest."
"So you'll leave your home, your family, for me?" She couldn't help but laugh, only this time felt genuine to her. "That's rather stupid."
"Love makes you stupid!" Alistair held his sword like a javelin and thrusted it forward. His back hand wide open became filled with a metal casing.
Another hand grabbed the back of his hair and tugged back. A small kiss of soft lips pecked his jaw. "Don't break your promise to me first."
"Form nine!" His hand spazzed like streaks of light from the sun. A dozen strikes faced in each angle around the flying sword.
The demon moved to the side. Alistair was just as ready, he matched the demon's spot while his hand kept the swing.
By this time his body recovered like nothing happened. His arm came back and all the stab wounds dissapeared. Yet Alistair was closer than ever to the demon's neck. He could feel the resistance of the demon's neck against the blade.
To him he felt like he was going to complete what Kocho wanted in her life. His muscles flexed harder and shoved his fist harder. Even the fear in the demon's eyes were shown.
Then it changed; his blade clipped upwards with only a deep cut ending. Alistair was knocked back with Kocho to catch him. He pulled the book from his kilt pocket and shoved it into Kocho's top.
"Run. Make sure my family gets it." He turned to her with pure sorrow in his eyes. "Promise me you'll take it."
"I can't break the orders I was given. You give me this and I will destroy it."
Alistair rubbed his thumb around the bottom curve of her eye lid. "I made a promise to kill the demons here and I'll do it. But promise me my brother will at know what we all died for."
"I" Alistair grabbed her sharp jaw and pulled her in. His lips against hers, blocking anything she could say. His hands rolled down to her sides, feeling the silk of her uniform. He grabbed the curves of her hips and pushed her down the hill.
He felt a blade enter his kidney and a body smack against his back. "You are brave, taking one of the upper moon as a Demon Slayer." The owner called, pushing the blade upwards.
Alistair's eyes could see the other demon attempt to race down the hill. He elbowed the other man with a fiery point and jumped toward the other. He pinned the pink hair demon to the ground and locked both his arms in his. Alistair gripped both elbows in and pulled them back with a hard snap.
He spun back around and grabbed the blade that swung against him. He slammed the new demon in the ground and smashed his fist where the demon's head should've been. But it managed to step up to his feet and land another stab into Alistair's pelvis.
He looked for his sword with no avail. He became unprepared for the next attack into his right peck. The sword drove straight to the guard and pinned Alistair to the dirt.
The demon pulled another blade, Alistair's own sword. At this angle he held no power to stop him; his arms wide out unable to move along with his legs.
The demon acted like he pitied Alistair, even as a demon with six eyes he still felt like a human. His face straight without any anger in any wrinkle. He stepped his foot forward and stabbed straight down. The foot thick blade went clean through his ribcage and out the other end.
And through all this, Alistair's body burned, barely alive to keep him that way. Steam poured out both ends and cauterized whatever blood poured out.
At this point he couldn't hear. A straight and constant scream in a single note. A third demon showed up, his appearance happy and joyous. The first demon punched the third before he left out and still the third kept a laugh.
The third observed Alistair, peeking at the wound before he poked the black blade. Alistair couldn't move, as much as he wanted to punch the demon he couldn't.
The third went up to Alstair's ear. He heard the laugh before he caressed the blade. "I could turn you into a demon and save your life. Our master would want nothing less than to see a new moon appear in the ranks."
Alistair moved his lips without any words. Taking the notice of the second demon, now his eyes returned to a single set. He moved his own head and pulled the third away. Alistair moved more of his lips to the demon, who appeared to know what he said.
He himself moved into Alistair's ear with his sword in his hand. He moved into the lobe while the blade pressed against Alistair's neck. "She'll live. For today."
