When Sanemi finally made it through the thick forest of strangely glowing trees, he saw a decently sized square entirely surrounded by these mysterious plants. Not many objects could have been found within its boundaries, a few primarily damaged pillars, two broken stairways leading upwards, and nothing more. Yet, quite a few people gathered there – both girls and boys alike – deciding to risk their lives in trial to join the Demon Slayers Corp. Like each year, here on Mount Fujikasane, the final selection would take away and swallow the innocence. As most of them kept shifting positions, it was challenging for him to count how many participants gathered there. Yet, after a few minutes, he finally managed to do so. There were nineteen of them, four girls and fifteen boys. It was not like Sanemi cared about these nameless children, but if he were to fight some of them, it was beneficial to memorise some details beforehand.
"It is getting dark," the white-haired boy realised, forcing himself to stay in the back of the group. "I hope the opening ceremony should start soon."
As if he uttered some magical phrase, two additional children – that he did not recognise – stepped forward, climbing into a small pedestal. They wore matching kimonos made of undoubtedly expensive material, covered with floral patterns, and painted in a shade of purple. Considering the similarities between them, they must have been siblings. What differentiated them was the colour of their hair – one had white whilst the other had black. They held bright lanterns, casting off the falling night's growing shadows.
"Please, gather around," the creepy-looking children voice out in unity.
It took a couple of moments before all the gathered reacted, massing before the strange duo.
"Everyone … we thank you for coming here tonight to the Demon Slayers Corp's final selection," they both continued.
"There are demons imprisoned here on Mt. Fujikasane, captured alive by the Demon Slayers swordsmen, and unable to leave," the white-haired sibling said.
"That is because wisteria, which demons hate so much, blooms even out of season from the bottom to halfway up the mountain," the black-haired girl added.
"However, there is no wisteria from this point on, and so demons abound," the former took back the lead.
"You'll need to survive here for seven days to pass final selection," the latter girl continued.
"And now, be on your way," the siblings said, bowing respectfully.
After that, they turned around, hurriedly leaving the square. For Sanemi, it marked a moment the test truly began, for he took no time to waste, heading towards the stairway. It was his destiny to conquer the mountain's peak, facing … no, killing all the demons that would be foolish enough to cross his path. One could have argued that being good at killing these children of the night was a curse, but … the white-haired teen considered it a blessing even though a great price had to be paid to wake it. Yet, it had shaped him into the young man he currently was.
He did not need to turn around to know that he was the only one venturing into an apparent carnage so willingly, so relaxed. No, it would have been yet another misconception regarding him. Even though his stern face only expressed his constant anger, fear resided deep inside of him. If it were not the case, he would have been a fool. He genuinely believed that to be truly strong and courageous; one needed to accept one's anxieties and act despite them. This defiance was extremely difficult to muster, yet it was also a goal one could aspire to.
Sanemi did not fear for his life; it was worthless to him. However, who would have protected his younger brother if he had died? Because of that, the white-haired teen defied all the odds stacked against him numerous times. Even though he had left Genya in the orphanage, he kept visiting the village, watching over from the shadows akin to a guardian angel. After all, his goal was to provide his little brother with a life he could have never had. And … even if securing such a future would require his carving hundreds of demons – so be it.
The wind-breathing apprentice kept ascending towards the peak, scanning the ever-constant surroundings with keen, bloodshot eyes. If not for an apparent aura of terror hanging in the air, he would have liked what he saw. Dozens, if not hundreds, of tall trees grew around the mountain's slope, wrapping it tightly, and if what these strange children had told was true, effectively preventing the monstrosities from escaping this breathtaking place serving as their prison. Despite the day's last light fading away a while ago, the path ahead was visible thanks to the trees' leaves shining brightly in a pale purple colour. It was so peaceful here that part of the teen wanted to stay and keep venturing through the seemingly endless garden. Yet, unfortunately, for him to achieve his goals, he needed to climb higher and face whatever fate had prepared.
It was only a matter of time before the dark canvas of the skies started filling with vivid tiny dots. These astral objects – the stars – seemed so small and fragile to Sanemi, akin to rice grains scattered over a piece of fabric. Unwittingly, he lifted his right hand, extending it towards the sky as if trying to reach the firmament high above his head. Of course, it was a futile endeavour, but it temporarily allowed the teen to forget about the gruelling task ahead of him. What he was about to do was daring, to say the least. No, it was a suicide plan, yet he believed he could pull it off.
When Sanami finally reached the boundaries of the seemingly eternal garden, it was late in the night – based on the Moon's position on the firmament. Compared to the environment he had the pleasure of venturing throughout the past few hours, the area before him was less compact and vegetated. Stepping into the vast plain, he realised that the temperature must have dropped significantly as his exhales turned into cloudy vapours. To make matters worse, as if triggering some mechanism, it started snowing. Lazily, the tiny snowflakes fell from the open skies.
Then, a nearby snarl stirred Sanemi back to reality. Cursing his recklessness, the demon slayer candidate scanned the area, searching for the monstrosity responsible for the disgusting sound. It was but a moment before he located it. The demon stood behind the nearest tree, peeking at him with hunger visible in the crimson-red eyes. Looking at it, Sanami felt a pang of pity forming in him. Before the brutal transmutation, the demon's body belonged to a young woman, no … a girl who might not have been even ten. She had long hair as dark as the raven down. Its fragile limbs were cladded with mostly tattered, blood-stained rags. Though, he would have been a fool to assume she was physically weak. As if to prove his speculation, the child demon enforced its grip on the tree bark, effortlessly splitting and mauling the innocent vegetation.
"Come here!" the white-haired teen whispered, encouraging the monstrosity to close the gap.
Even though the monster undoubtedly could not understand him, it snarled loudly, then charged at him without hesitation. Given its size, its speed was considerable, yet it would not matter. As Sanemi's quiet and prolonged sigh died out, fading into the seemingly peaceful night, he attacked. It was a simple, no … trivial, even nonchalant strike, but considering his speed advantage, it was enough. After three steps, he briefly stopped, finding himself behind the demon's back, inhaling deeply. Then, as the second elapsed, the monster's head fell with a disgusting thud barely muffled by the scarce vegetation. Killing it did hardly bring any pleasure. It was the least he could do for this tormented soul who potentially had been transformed into this ugliness against her will.
Without wasting too much time, the wind-breathing apprentice resumed his climb as the corpse behind him started disintegration. No matter what, he would pass this test, becoming a full-fledged demon slayer. And … then, he would eliminate every single demon that could endanger his younger brother. So be it if his blood were the price for Genya's safety.
The boy's daydreaming session came to an abrupt conclusion as he heard more opponents closing in. A fleeting thought momentarily crossed his mind: how many demons had been locked here? Did it matter? No, he concluded swiftly, shifting his focus on the surroundings, trying to devise a strategy for the upcoming encounter. As … it was safe to say that he would face multiple opponents this time. He might have been strong and steadfast, but being overconfident would mean his inevitable death. Hence, he stopped for a few moments, focusing solely on his sense of hearing, trying to deduce which path to take to fight against simultaneously with the least demons possible. It turned out to be a much bigger hassle than he dared anticipate, but it needed to be done.
Sanemi did not sleep much throughout the final selection's first night. Even though his exhaustion was undeniable, he feared closing his eyes, not trusting his senses to remain sharp enough to wake him in case of imminent danger. Perhaps it would have been wiser of him to find another apprentice to watch his back instead of storming onto the mountain's peak as he had done. On second thought, though, he discarded the idea as he was a lone wolf, performing the best when left alone. Even if he were to go through the trial sleepless, it was a better perspective than to have another human blood on his hand. His wind-breathing style focused solely on the offensive, utilising speed, strength, and ferocity. Sanemi remembered perfectly how difficult it was for his fellow wind-breathing apprentices to keep up with him and remain unscathed. No, it would not improve anything if he teamed up with anyone. Yet, a pang of guilt spread through him, realising that some of these children he had met the previous day must have already been dead, consumed by the wicked creatures of the night. But … what could he do better to save at least some of them? Oh, there was one thing he could do. Throughout his lone hunting adventures prior to learning about the demon slayers, he had learnt that his blood was intoxicating to these monsters. Perhaps he could use it to lure them into a trap?
The question secretly uttered in the depths of Sanemi's mind had taken the better part of the morning to process. On the one hand, he had been blessed with something so exquisite that it would have been a damned waste not to utilise the blessing. Yet … on the other hand, it was a clear gamble – would the teen muster enough courage to do something so daring, to challenge fate?
The white-haired boy grunted, getting down from a tall tree when the wind intensified, blowing towards the mountain's helm. He was tired – there was no point in denying it – but much was ahead of him; hence, he could not stop or give up. The decision was already taken – it was high time to put in the necessary work. Hesitant, the boy reached towards a short dagger pinned to his belt. Then, he marked his left arm with a few shallow wounds that teared up with thick and warm blood. It hardly hurt – after all, he had been through worse, much worse.
The late morning light was cool, yet Sanemi shrugged off the sensation, allowing the heavy droplets to soak the ground for a few moments before resuming his journey through the mountain. No matter how much snow fell throughout the night, it had already disappeared, melting away silently. The wind-breathing apprentice found the silence surrounding him defeating and overwhelmingly. What happened with all of the morning sounds? What of birds chirping? What of the noises of the waking plain? Nothing; he was surrounded by only the rustling of these few nearby trees' leaves animated by the wind blows. A nasty and cold shiver ran down his spine. Something was about to happen; he was sure of that. Still, despite all of this, the teen pushed forward.
The higher Sanemi climbed, the more the threatening aura around him thickened, draining him of courage, purpose, and strength, yet above all of that, it deprived him of hope. As the slow and gruelling stroll continued, a thought briefly crossed his mind – how many already had died, sacrificing their lives in a vain try to become the demon slayers? Even though he hardly cared about these children he had met the previous night, he was not entirely heartless. Sanemi did not wish any of them death. No … if he would have been allowed to fight off all of the trapped demons to save them, he would have taken up the challenge without a seed of doubt and hesitation. Yet, here he was, unable to alter the fate course.
It became increasingly apparent that his plan failed as he continued the climb. Since the early morning, no demon had been drawn into him, making his role as bait ineffective. Partially, it was understandable, as the areas he had ventured through were spacious, overall deprived of any cover against the Sun's light. However, it did not ease his mind, making him overthink the situation. Perhaps Sanemi mistakenly interpreted his blood potency against the night's creatures. The other alternatives crossing his mind were either nonsensical or too bothering to consider. Still, it would have been reckless to disregard the aura of terror that kept intensifying. Was there a demon so confident that instead of running after the selection's participants, it waited to be found? No matter how he approached this abrupt idea, it scared him, planting a seed of doubt in him. He nearly choked as a thick gulp of an unknown origin formed in his throat. Trying to swallow it turned out more challenging than anticipated – his pharynx was dry as sand.
Sanemi did not need to wait long for his worst speculation to become reality. At first glance, the slowly flowing narrow steam seemed like a blessing sent straight out of havens. Considering its peaceful and plain surroundings, it felt too good to be true. The vast and open area was mostly empty, aside from a massive decently-sized rock formation looming dozens of metres away from the steam. The white-haired teen looked around, scrutinising the environment. The grass overgrowing it was relatively short yet dense, easily sagging under his weight, leaving clear footprints behind. Deeming the area acceptable took him a couple of minutes. Of course, the menacing aura only thickened, yet it was an effect he had been under for quite a long time. Hence, the boy finally approached the steam, carefully kneeling beside it. Then, after a prolonged moment of hesitation, he dipped his hands, shattering the water mirror in the process. He could see the steam's bottom through its transparent surface, covered with small rocks engraved by the slow yet unyielding and constant current. The liquid was so cold that it sent a burning sensation through his hands. Still, Sanemi did not care, too thirsty for such a minor inconvenience. He finally started sating the primal desire a few seconds later, relishing the moment. After the apparent thirst was mostly satisfied, he refilled his beaker, making sure to button it properly – after all, there was no telling when he would find another source of clean water. Then, he realised something so trivial and apparent that was amiss till now: the dark clouds covered the skies, preventing the sunlight from reaching the mountain.
Abruptly, he heard someone's heavy steps sagging the grass. Before he could rise, he already knew the sounds were coming from the stone formation's direction. Taut akin to a wild cat during a hunt, Sanemi scanned the area ahead of him, ready to pounce if need be. Unfortunately, what he saw filled him with a mixture of rage, sadness, and fear. The figure strolling towards him was no human, at least not anymore. As his master once said, you either die young, killed by these savage beasts, or live long enough to be turned into one of them. The demon was a demon slayer once, and even though its uniform was severely damaged, there was no doubt in his mind. Interestingly, the body remained mostly intact, preserving the remnants of his humanity, but his eyes told a different story. They were cold, filled with primal fury, and hungry, yet a deadly cunning sparked behind these soul mirrors. The demon's long, jet-black-inked hair was into a braid, wrapped in a headscarf of turquoise colour. He was lean and stringy, though his shoulders were broader than Sanemi's.
"You sensed me long ago, didn't you?" the long-dead demon slayer asked, stopping around twenty steps from the stream. His voice was deep and clear.
"Pff!" the white-haired boy scoffed, readying his sword for the fight. "You speak? How did you preserve this ability, demon?!" he spat, uneasy with the discovery. He firmly believed that once someone was turned into the night creature, everything about it was lost – its memories, voice, everything.
"There's a lot more that you don't know about the demonhood," the dark-haired monstrosity retorted, flashing his sharp, yellowed teeth. "But … then again, you won't have a chance to learn about them. Unfortunately – for you – you stumbled into me. Do tell me – was it bravado, stupidity, or did you not sense my aura?" he inquired.
"I have nothing to tell you, monster," Sanemi commented sternly. "Come, the least I can do is to lay you into long overdue nothingness."
"You really think you can take me on?" the demon openly laughed, amused with the boy. "I've been stuck here for the last three years. Throughout that, I've killed ten of your fellow apprentices. Some of them, far more formidable than you," a comment sounded in a snarl-like voice. "No matter; embrace your demise, nameless child," he added before leaping forward.
The wind-breathing user must have admitted that – even though silently in the depths of his mind – this opponent was on a completely different level compared to the others he had faced so far. The demon's speed was remarkable, rivalling his, forcing him to resort to his enhanced senses and instinct not to get sliced immediately. Finding someone capable of pushing him to his limits was a thrilling experience, yet given the circumstances, he could hardly enjoy the situation to its fullest. The fight must conclude as soon as possible.
Soon enough, sparks filled the air as their weapons clashed. The steel collided time after time, increasing the encounter's pace and ferocity. Despite Sanami keeping up relatively well, he knew he was not a match against the monstrosity regarding raw physical strength. With a horror flaring inside, he continued fighting, slowly realising that the longer it would last, the more he would be in an increasingly dire situation. The demon was far more observant than the white-haired boy wanted to acknowledge, successfully identifying his strengths and weaknesses. Because of that, the dark-haired monster kept him close, where his creativity, agility, and speed were inferior to physical prowess.
It was a matter of time before the dead demon slayer found an opening, inflicting a wide but shallow wound across his left arm. Even though the sensation could hardly be described as thrilling, Sanemi remained silent, gritting his teeth in soundless anger. The blood lazily spilt past mutilated skin, running down his arm. But the boy did not mind it – another scar to his already impressive collection. The same could not be said about the demon, though. As the crimson-red liquid smell filled the air, it stopped as if stunned, unable to continue the encounter.
"Oh, it seems my blood affects you after all," Sanemi said, flashing a mischievous smirk. "I hope you can find peace beyond this realm of sorrow," he added before effortlessly beheading the demon.
The dark-haired man's face expressed a pure shock as the realisation finally reached him. This boy's delicious blood was so intoxicating that he froze briefly. Unfortunately – for him – the white-haired wind-breathing user was not the opponent whom he could allow such an opening and live to tell the tale. As his body started fading into nothingness, the long-forgotten and lost feeling of acceptance returned to him, making him tear up.
"Boy," he called weakly. "Thank you … thank you for everything. But … remember, there's a demon far more powerful than me wandering around this peak. If you see a demon covered with massive hands … run. Even though you bested me … you're no match against this beast," he continued, disintegrating.
Sanemi sighed, spent, after a short but intense confrontation, making a mental note regarding the potential new threat. He looked into the skies before closing his eyes momentarily, reconsidering his current situation as the firmament was stained with heavy storm clouds. Keeping that in mind, there was no way for the boy to find a respite, at least for now. However, he knew that he needed to find some before the next nightfall. With that in mind, he slowly re-opened his eyes, fixating them on the horizon before resuming the walk.
"My mother told me that the eyes and the vision provided by them are a reflection of one soul. The more you hurt, the more you kill, the more you mourn, the bleaker and colourless the world becomes," the white-haired teen whispered quietly.
Author's notes section:
[2023-10-12]: Hey, here is a preview of the story's next chapter. Please, bear in mind that it is, as mentioned, a preview. Some parts of it might not be included in the final release. I will try to finish this chapter as soon as possible. I would like to clean up some of the tasks in my schedule, and right now, there are many chapters queued there.
[2023-10-15]: Hey, I have a major update for you. I must admit, writing this piece brings me a lot of fun. I only hope, whatever I came up with is decent.
[2023-10-16]: Hey, I have a major update for you. I tied to finish this piece as soon as possible, yet it still took me quite a while. I'm sorry about that. I merely hope the story is presentable.
Don't forget to comment. I really appreciate your feedback.
Note that the dialogues written in italic are thoughts.
As always, I would like to thank you for everything. See you soon :)
Changelog:
[2023-10-12]: A preview has been released.
[2023-10-15]: A major update applied, focused on enriching the piece.
[2023-10-16]: A major update applied, focused on concluding the piece.
Info: I know I should not try to start new stories when I have my backlog full of the incompleted ones, but I failed to do so. The idea for this fic came to me when I was rewatching the anime, reading about the details, and simply watching videos on YouTube regarding the matter. I hope you find it interesting.
Info: I have included more stories in the schedule as I'm not 100% certain what I want to write next. Please, keep in mind that I might add or remove positions from the list. I might rewrite some of the older stories or extract some of the longer stories from `The story of one lost soul`.
Schedule:
- The shadows can be deceiving (finish the WIP)
- The war call (finish the WIP)
- The silence of the shackles (finish the WIP)
- Hidden in the mountain's shadow (new chapter)
- The rise of the Blood Moons' servants (new chapter)
- Black Diamond (new chapter)
- When the clock is ticking (Warhammer 40k new story)
- Sometimes it's just better not to know (new chapter)
- My home is where my heart lies (rewrite chapter 4)
- The heart not so cold (rewrite chapter 2)
- The family tree (revisit the previous chapters and apply adjustments)
- Will you look past my mistakes? (new chapter)
- The Prisoner of Your Eyes (new chapter)
- Lifetime of war (new chapter)
- Hope is the last one to die (new story in SW universe)
- Sometimes it's just better not to know (finish rewriting the second chapter)
- Life is full of surprises (new chapter)
- Exiled you say? (new chapter)
- Until my last breath (new chapter)
- The family tree (new chapter)
- The story of one lost soul (new chapter)
- See the world through my eyes (new chapter)
- The broken heart (new chapter)
- My home is where my heart lies (new chapter)
- A new story in JJK universe - focused on Gojo/Geto/Shoko/Utahime
- A new story in Bleach universe (potentially a one shot) - focused on Byakuya and Yoruichi
- Bury the light (new chapter)
- A new story in Demon Slayer universe (modern au, school)
Bonuses' section:
A new story taking place in the Warhammer 40k universe.
Story of one lost soul: The war call: rewrite.
An entirely new story (possibly Akali x [Irelia, Syndra, Katarina]).
A new short story (Vi x Cait).
An entirely original story (possibly even two stories, one taking place in medieval times, the other in the far future)
Bleach story. (Byakuya x Yoruichi / ?)
Naruto story. (Neji x Hinata / Neji x TenTen / Nagato x Konan)
Fairy Tail story. (most likely Erza x Mira)
Maybe some Star Wars?
References:
- DMC - Bury the light
*bonuses will be worked on when I don't feel like writing the chapters pointed out in the schedule :D
End of the author's notes section.