Tanjiro knelt in the dirt, clutching Kuri's limp body against his chest. His breaths came in ragged gasps, his hands trembling as he tried to will her back to consciousness. The battlefield around them was silent now, save for the faint crackling of dying embers and the distant rumble of shifting earth.
He turned sharply toward Reiko, desperation flashing in his tear-filled eyes. "Well?!" he shouted, his voice raw with anguish. "Do something! Heal her!"
Reiko knelt beside him, her usually calm demeanor etched with concern. She reached out to touch Kuri's forehead, but before her fingers could make contact, Kuri's body convulsed violently. A shudder ran through her, and Tanjiro flinched, pulling her closer as if to shield her.
"Tanjiro, step back!" Reiko said urgently. She gently but firmly pushed him away, her green eyes wide with alarm.
Before anyone could react, a ghostly mist began to rise from Kuri's form. The air around them grew cold, and an oppressive energy filled the space. From the mist emerged a spirit—a woman, emaciated and hollow, with long, dark hair that clung to her skeletal frame. Her eyes, sunken and shadowed, radiated an ancient, haunting power.
Tanjiro froze, his breath hitching. "What… what is that?"
The spirit hovered over Kuri's motionless body, her voice echoing like a distant wail. "I am Sadako," she said, her gaze sweeping across the group. "I am the Mother."
Zenitsu stumbled back, his sword shaking in his grip. "The… Mother? Mother of what?!"
"The Mother of magic. Of power. Of the elements themselves," Sadako replied, her voice tinged with both pride and sorrow. Her hollow eyes settled on Nezuko, who stood silently, her protective stance unwavering.
There was a pause as her skeletal lips twisted into something resembling a bitter smile. "I know. I don't look like a mother, do I?" Sadako said, gesturing toward her frail, spectral form. "This is what happens when a woman is left without love for thousands of years."
Her words hung in the air, heavy and mournful, but the eerie energy around her remained unyielding. Reiko stood, placing herself between the spirit and Kuri, her hand glowing faintly with magic as she prepared to defend her.
Another pause. Sadako's gaze hardened, and she turned toward Tanjiro, her expression almost disdainful. "I am the one who sent the golem," she admitted, her voice cold. "This body is mine. She has been my vessel since the day she was born."
"No!" Tanjiro shouted, rising to his feet. "She's not yours! Kuri is her own person!"
Sadako tilted her head, her skeletal features twisting into a grimace. "It isn't as though she's going to die, boy," she said, her tone mocking. "She will live on, but only as a part of me."
She floated closer, her gaze piercing through Tanjiro's defiance. "I am the Wiccan Mother. My power is ancient, and I will reclaim what is mine. With this body, I will be with my beloved again."
Reiko stepped forward, her voice sharp and unyielding. "Kuri isn't yours to claim, Sadako. She's fought too hard, sacrificed too much, to be consumed by you."
Sadako's hollow eyes flicked toward Reiko, and for a moment, the spirit's aura wavered. "You think you can protect her?" Sadako asked, her voice a low hiss. "She carries my essence. My power flows through her veins. She cannot escape me."
Reiko didn't falter, her green eyes blazing. "Maybe you gave her power, but Kuri made it her own. She's more than your vessel."
Nezuko moved silently to Tanjiro's side, placing a hand on his arm. She met his tearful gaze with a look of quiet determination, as if to say We'll save her together.
Sadako's skeletal form shimmered, her voice rising like a storm. "You dare to defy me? Then face the wrath of the Mother of Magic!"
The ground beneath them shook violently, and tendrils of dark energy lashed out from Sadako's form. Tanjiro and Nezuko leaped back, dodging the attack as Reiko summoned a barrier of vines to shield them.
"Sadako!" Tanjiro shouted, his sword igniting with Hinokami Kagura flames. "If you want Kuri, you'll have to go through me!"
Sadako laughed, her voice echoing like a death knell. "You think your fire can stop me, boy? I am the source of your power, the essence of all elements. You cannot destroy me."
Despite her taunts, Tanjiro lunged forward, flames blazing around him as he aimed for the spirit. Sadako twisted effortlessly out of the way, her skeletal form darting through the air like smoke.
Zenitsu joined the fray, his Thunder Breathing crackling as he struck at the tendrils of energy lashing out from Sadako. "Why do these things always have to be so creepy?!" he yelled, his panic evident even as he fought bravely.
Reiko stepped forward, her hands glowing with energy as she prepared a spell. "Tanjiro, keep her distracted! I need time to sever her connection to Kuri!"
Nezuko lunged at Sadako, her clawed hands swiping through the air with precision. Though she couldn't harm the spirit directly, her attacks disrupted Sadako's movements, buying Reiko precious seconds to work.
Sadako snarled, her form flickering as the combined attacks began to take their toll. "You cannot destroy me!" she shrieked, her voice cracking with fury. "I am eternal!"
Reiko's voice rose above the chaos, her spell glowing brighter as she poured her energy into it. "Kuri, fight her! You're stronger than this!"
Kuri's body stirred, a faint glow emanating from her chest. The light grew stronger, pushing against the dark energy surrounding her.
Sadako's form wavered, her expression turning to one of panic. "No! This cannot be!" she cried, her voice breaking.
With one final surge of power, Kuri's light exploded outward, shattering Sadako's hold. The spirit let out a piercing wail as her form dissolved into the air, leaving only silence behind.
Tanjiro dropped to his knees beside Kuri, his hands shaking as he gently cradled her face. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at him weakly.
"Flame heart…" she whispered, a faint smile crossing her lips.
"You're safe," Tanjiro said, his voice thick with emotion. "You're safe now."
Reiko knelt beside them, exhaustion evident on her face. "She fought her off," she said softly. "Kuri's stronger than we ever knew."