Is any of this real or not?
A shrill shriek punctured Sora's thoughts before he had a chance to reconcile. His knees gave away at the sight before him. Blood was pumping heavily through his head, rushing in a similar manner to how Kairi's blood was oozing uncontrollably from where her right arm had once been.
"You…" Riku uttered shakily as his eyes widened with panic. His wavering voice was drowned out by Kairi, who continued to screech out in pain.
Riku hands suddenly flew out to the assailant, pushing the latter until he was pinned to a nearby tree.
"What are you doing!?" He demanded frantically.
The strange boy was dead calm, his sea green eyes fixed steadily upon Riku's before he answered.
"If I don't do this, it won't just affect you two, but everyone else in town. This is the only way."
"What do you mean by the only way?" Riku snarled. The heat that came from his anger was unbearable and he could barely see straight.
Ventus paused, giving some consideration over his next choice of words.
But there was none needed, as thud and yelp behind him caused Riku to jerk his head around.
His blood ran cold at the sight.
Sora was struggling on his back, gripping Kairi's lower jaw and pushing it away from his own. His other hand held her wrist but did little to restrain her from clawing at him. When Sora pushed Kairi's jaw upward away from his, the moonlight lit what Riku could not see before.
Large sharp incisors bared past her lips. Veins peaked through her tousled hair, pulsating strongly. Blood no longer dripped from her lost arm. Her nails had become overgrown and sharp, doing their best to scratch at the victim beneath her. She struggled to move her maw out Sora's grip, erratically hinging and unhinging her jaw.
Perhaps she could sense Riku's staring. It would explain why her jaw suddenly snapped shut and her head swiveled towards his direction. Her eerie yellow eyes narrowed to slits as she met his gaze.
The bright glow she emitted- terrifying, inhuman, and most of all, startlingly familiar. One guttural growl sent a cold shudder down Riku's spine. The meaning of fear was redefined right before him.
Was this no longer Kairi?
His stomach jumped through throat when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder.
"You see it now. That demon ready to feed," Ventus murmured as he emerged by Riku's side.
"If we don't stop her now, your friend will end up the same way as the rest of your family."
Riku could only tremble. What was left of granny was still in view. The horrifying memory of his parents will haunt him in this life and the next. He could not bear the thought of Sora being among them.
Was this the only way?
"I'm sorry," Ventus muttered softly, understanding the Riku's turmoil. The blond boy could only spare a pitiful glance at what laid before him. The gleam of his katana caught the demon's attention, and she fixed her narrowed slits on him, twitching forward in anticipation.
Riku watched in bated breath, dreading to turn away, and much more to look. The anticipation drenched his body in cold sweat.
Was this it?
"STOP!"
Sora's yell snapped the building tension. Although he was pinned flat on his back and completely vulnerable, yet he continued to protest. The demon's attention was redirected and by miracle, Sora was able to catch her jaw before her incisors met his throat.
"Don't do this! Please! She's all we have left!"
The acknowledgement caused Sora to break into a sob, but he went on.
"My mom-she's gone. Granny…Auntie and Uncle…are also…b-but we're lucky Kairi's still alive!"
Ventus wore a sympathetic look, but his answer was steady and firm.
"You're not understanding the situation. She isn't the friend you once knew. That much you must already know. Now please be quiet, you're only putting yourself in danger," he instructed while cautiously approaching.
"I don't care! She's still here with us!" Sora continued to protest, even as the attention he drew became more violent. The demon on top only growled in response, struggling as much as possible to have her teeth meet his flesh. As the blood from her soaked yukata began to seep into his own clothes, Sora could only give a chuckle in disbelief.
"You've already lost so much blood…I promise, Riku and I…we'll get help for you…"
The boy was only foolishly endangering himself, but the distraction worked well in Ventus' favor, who quietly approached.
"You must have been scared… I'm sorry…I'm sorry Riku and I weren't here where we should have been…you were scared weren't you?"
Guilt and pity pooled at the bottom of Riku's stomach. If he had agreed to let her follow earlier today, would she be in this predicament?
"Don't be afraid, we're here with you," Sora continued. To everyone's shock, demon's thrashing slowed.
"There's nothing we can't figure out together. You don't mean to hurt me, I know this," Sora insisted. The following miracle stunned all to silence. The three boys witnessed the demon as she withdrew her fangs from Sora's face, ceased her clawing, and sat upright.
Ventus watched in disbelief. This couldn't be possible.
Without warning, Sora let go of his grip on the demon's remaining arm, dropping both hands to his side.
"No! What are-" Ventus jerked forward, only to stop short.
The fatal attack Ventus anticipated did not come. Instead, the demon was shaking in place, and it was not long before they heard sobs coming from her. Riku's breath caught in his throat. The sword that Ventus held lowered.
This occurrence was the first the swordsman has ever seen. Demons would, under no circumstances, ever refuse vulnerable prey. The one before him has lost an arm, there was no doubt she would possess immense hunger that needed to be filled to regenerate. There was not a shred of humanity left in demons that would allow them to cry either, much less recognize their loved ones. Yet, before him was a demon, openly weeping so pitifully, he would have mistaken it for a harmless little girl.
Years of experience, however, dictated that he behaved as a member of the corps. Better judgement reminded him that a demon was still a demon. So, the moment was not to last; the sword rose once more and Ventus resumed stance.
The crackle of gravel alerted Kairi, who, once catching sight of the shining weapon, leapt up from the boy beneath her. As she faced them, Riku could see that her eyes were no longer the sharp eerie yellow, but the familiar blue they've always been.
Kairi stood with her back facing Sora, crouching almost in a protective manner. Ventus paused, considering the sight before him.
Beside Ventus, all Riku could think of was how small Kairi appeared, with one less arm, but standing between a raised sword and Sora. No matter if she was still a demon or not, he knew in that instant she was in danger.
Without any further thought, Riku quickly grabbed hold of Ventus, gripping him in a headlock, narrowly ducking the katana from slicing his face.
"What are you doing!" Ventus grunted, dropping his katana to avoid cutting the younger boy.
"Sora!" Riku yelled, struggling to hold the older boy in place, "Take Kairi and run! Now!"
For the first time, Sora obeyed and instruction without having to be asked twice. He scrambled up from his position and grabbed Kairi's hand. Together, they rushed down from the hilltop. A loud thud stopped him and looking back, he saw Riku laying on the ground unconscious while the swordsman crouch down to retrieve his katana.
Sora gasped and pulled Kairi along and while he had no idea where to go next, he found himself running towards the direction of where he and Riku returned home from.
The blood was pumping through his head so fast, he almost felt as if he couldn't hear anything else. The shock he felt when he saw Ventus by his side was brief because in the next moment, both his feet were no longer on the ground, and he was meeting the ground face first. He tumbled painfully for a bit, and when he finally struggled to his feet, he gasped at the sight before him.
Ventus' arm was fastened around Kairi while his other hand held the katana dangerously close to her neck. A few feet away laid her remaining arm.
"Please! Please, I'm begging you, don't!" Sora cried out. Frantically, the boy lowered his head to the ground, resting it above his hands.
"I'LL DO ANYTHING! PLEASE JUST LET HER GO!"
The pained expression from Ventus casted a glimmer of hope that perhaps, he would just do that.
"I'm sorry," The blond boy said, never releasing his grip of the girl, "No matter how she might appear to be your friend…she's no longer human."
Ventus spared a pitying look down at the girl he held before continuing.
"She'll remain a demon until she dies. If I allow her to live, it will only end with victims at her wake. You are especially in danger if you think she wouldn't hesitate to tear into your bone."
Ventus' last line caused Sora to rise his head.
"You're wrong!" Sora protested, "She wasn't going to hurt me. She was crying…she's still-"
"Even if she was," Ventus interjected, "How long do you think it would be before her hunger reminds her that she would have to feed? When that happens, do you think she won't turn against you? And after she has devoured you, what do you think will happen to others that cross her path?"
Each question struck Sora in the gut, and he was unable to answer immediately.
"I am really sorry to have to do this, but it is my duty to ensure the well-being of others. We simply cannot have a demon live among humans."
"Please don't," Sora pleaded, "I…I will watch over her myself! I'll make sure she won't harm anyone! She'll be by my side always and I won't let her attack a single person!"
"You cannot protect anyone from her if you cannot even stand against me in a fight. Even if I were to allow both of you to go, the rest of the demon slayers, who are much stronger than me, will target her."
At this, Sora was at a loss. There could be ten demon slayers or even a thousand, but it would not matter, because he now, he could not protect Kairi from one.
The boy's thoughts were interrupted when he saw Ventus abruptly jerk away from Kairi. The tree behind him had an axe lodged deeply. Turning around towards the direct the axe flung from, Sora looked up to see Riku, a baring a shinai.
"No matter how many of you there are, I will protect Kairi. I don't care how strong they are, I will make sure no one harms her," Riku declared, before rushing at Ventus, forcing the pair away from Kairi.
Sora, taking cue from his friend, ran to where the axe was lodged. Using his full force, he managed to pull the axe out.
Riku's shinai was effortlessly cut in two, but in perfect timing, he heard Sora cry his name. Seeing the axe flung to the air, Riku leaped and snatched it.
Before tonight, he had never used such a lethal weapon against someone else, but the thought of someone killing Kairi had pushed aside his squeamish hesitancy. Kairi will be saved, and although he does not know how, he can't bear the thought of not trying. So, he continued to swing, hoping to drive the swordsman further away from the girl.
Ventus was much swifter than anyone that Riku had ever faced in Kendo. The blond boy dodged every one of his blows, side stepping effortlessly. At last, Ventus blocked Riku's next swing, countering it with the blunt side of his sword.
How could such a sword withstand a blow from his axe? It should have snapped in two!
He had no time to contemplate, as he was pushed back roughly by a hard kick on the stomach. He landed hard on his back and seeing this, Kairi growled before lurching at the assailer. Her fangs bared as she crouched protectively between him and Riku.
A brief pause from the opposing boy, his emerald eyes fixed on the girl as he studied her.
Impossible, he thought, she lost two of her arms. A normal demon would have taken the opportunity to devour the boy that laid defenseless and weak, she has chosen to guard him.
Only when she charged, he snapped to. He quickly sidestepped her, landing a blow with the hilt of his sword to the back of her head. She crumbled to the ground soon after.
Desperate to prevent the swordsman from taking another step towards his friend, Sora came running to her aid. He brandished Riku's discarded shinai and had begun throwing the stones he gathered towards the swordsman. His aim was perfect, but it was to no avail, as Ventus as able to easily deflect the projectiles. It seemed as if nothing could damage the katana.
As soon as he was close enough, he swung the short shinai sword. Ventus leaped and the next thing Sora felt was a rough kick on the face and chest. It pushed him several feet, leaving him unconscious.
At this point, Riku, who had followed not too far from behind Sora, had begun to swing. The boy carelessly approached him with no technique. Ven quickly brought down the end of his hilt towards the boy's exposed back and the blunt force caused Riku to fall heavily on the ground.
Where's his axe? Ven thought, as he noticed the boy's hands were bare. A looming shadow alerted him, and he jerked his head quickly to duck the weapon that spun in his direction.
His eyes widened. Using the younger one as a diversion, the elder and cleverly aimed and threw the axe upwards before rushing him.
This one has certainly got potential, Ventus thought, which was only reaffirmed when Riku struggled up on his feet.
"At your level, I'm afraid you cannot best me," Ventus murmured.
"Perhaps not," Riku relented. He grew silent and the pause lingered so that Ventus believed the boy had completed resigned himself. Just as he took a step to finish his task, Riku shuffled in between him and the demon girl.
With a hard edge in his speech Riku declared, "Even if it takes my life, I'll make it difficult for you to lay a hand on her."
Ventus eyed him cautiously, knowing that this boy's words had enough conviction to be the truth. No matter the countless horrendous acts he's witnessed during his time as a demon slayer, laying the blade down on another human was not something he was prepared to do.
Perhaps, Ventus thought, this is why I am not a pillar.
"Knowing that she's a demon, you still choose to protect her? With time, she can gain the power to kill dozens of civilians with ease."
"I'll make sure she won't be able to harm anyone," Riku vowed, "However long it takes to find a cure…even if one doesn't exist, I will take responsibility for her."
"She can kill you."
"She protected me. She protected Sora. There must be some part of her that's still there."
Seeing Ventus' impassive face, Riku pressed on.
"I'll keep her bound to these woods for the next few months…if…if she acts up…" Riku paused before shakingly continuing, "I will take care of her."
Riku's words did little to convince Ventus but he knew that the boy's current state would not allow for any reasoning at this point. As Ventus glance at his surroundings, it occurred to him that a solution laid not too far from where they stood.
"There's an old, retired demon slayer master who resides to the north close by the mountains," Ventus spoke slowly, "He lives remotely, and there are far few who would venture out to seek him. It will take at least a day and a half a day on foot to reach him. He can give you shelter."
With a pause, Ventus added, "The demon girl can accompany you."
Riku breathed a sigh of relief, almost not quite believing the words he was hearing.
"The old master has trained and took on countless apprentices. I will let you both and the demon girl go on one condition. You both must take up training from him, and when you are both deemed worthy, join the Demon Slayer corps."
Almost without a moment's hesitation, Riku nodded. He'll take on any task, and considering the alternative, there was no question he would do it.
"I must warn you, although the old master is retired, it does not mean his skills have dulled. You'll endure training as you never have before," casting a glance at the demon girl, he added, "If there were any signs of danger from her, he'll take care of her quicker than you can register."
The intense look in Ventus' eyes did not leave room for doubt, and with some hesitancy, Riku nodded. There was no room for argument when it came to a fair agreement.
Removing his haori, and setting it down, Ventus's blade make quick work into cutting the garment into equal pieces.
"The uniform we're issued is extremely durable against most demon attacks," the blond boy remarked before using a thick portion to mask Kairi's mouth and jaw.
"Use these," Ventus instructed as he held out the remaining garment pieces, "To bind her arms when they grow back." He tied the remaining garment around her waist, instructing Riku to pull on it to lead her along the path.
"If you want her to live, keep her away from sunlight," Ventus warned, as they moved the girl's unconscious body inside granny's house.
"And I'll help you bury the bodies so that you and your friend can pay your last respects," Ventus offered.
With that, the two boys wordlessly set out to collect the bodies. Sora regained consciousness soon after. Once his confusion lifted, Riku explained the situation. The younger boy was uncharacteristically quiet, there was little to no interjections. He had not been this attentive since years before, when he revered Riku to a degree of always following his orders with no question. And that was exactly how it played out when Riku explained the condition. Sora accepted with little to no hesitation.
"If Kairi is safe, that's all that matters," the younger boy had stated simply.
The solemness only broke when they had to bury the bodies. Sora had vomited once again sobbing shortly afterwards. Riku's strength sapped at the sight of his parents that he could barely lift the shovel. Gratefully, Ventus took up the digging and with the help of the two other boys, they were able to place the bodies into their respective graves.
The sun was peeking over the horizon as the boy stood solemnly over the freshly buried mounds. Riku and Sora were in prayer as Ventus stepped away, alerted by the return of his crow. Diligently, he had begun to write a message bound for the north mountains.
When he returned, the boys turned to him for further guidance.
"Keep heading north towards the mountains. You'll find the old master's house by the base near the waterfall. You should be able to reach the temple that's on the way by day's end. Just to make sure you're on the right track, follow this crow," Ventus instructed lifting his left wrist, where the crow sat perched. The crow leapt off, choosing to perch atop Riku's shoulder.
"It will take flight once you tell it to. It's very intelligent and knows the way," was Ventus' last words of reassurance.
He observed the two boys intensely as their gaunt faces stared back at him. The older one solemnly nodded, and gave thanks after bowing, and went to retrieve the unconscious demon. The younger looked uneasy, but whispered thanks all the same.
A creeping feeling of doubt grew as Ventus observed the brown-haired boy, wondering if it was the best decision to send him off as well, but there was no time left to contemplate. Only a few hours remained of the morning and the other demon slayers must have already been making their way back.
The two boys finally left the house the demon girl was kept, with Riku's shoulders weighted down by a large, reinforced basket, the kind that they had seen granny use for visits through town. The top was covered by a lid fasten shut by the thick pieces of garment that Ventus had given them. Riku carried the axe he was accustomed to using, while Sora held a smaller spare hatchet. The crow rested on Sora's shoulders now, turning its head to inspect the nervous boy who carried it.
They prepared to ascend the hill, casting Ventus a final nod of gratitude and acknowledgment. Whether or not they were ready, they were going. The crow ascended under Riku's command, and off it went, leading the boys to their destination.