The forests howled as the sharp wind pushed the trees side to side. The moon shone brightly in a half-crescent. Eira walked ahead of both Asumi and Ali, holding the map. Being the least injured, it was safest if she was ahead of both of them. Ali had an arm over Asumi as he limped down the dark path. They had lost track of time, deep in thought as they travelled silently. A sharp pain jolted through Ali's left leg every time he stepped. The mission had put him out of order for at least a week. Eira looked behind her as she stopped.
"There it is," Eira pointed to a small light about 200 metres away, isolated from the trees and on the side of a large farm. The light grew stronger as they approached the silent property. A large gate surrounded a tall house in the middle. On the gate doors, a dark but prominent Wisteria symbol. Eira gulped as the gate towered over the three of them. She sighed and held up her fist to the door. The door creaked open before Eira even knocked. A short elderly lady stood there as the door fully opened, her grey hair in a bun, a soft smile on her wrinkled face. She hunched over and looked at the three demon slayers.
"Demon Slayers. Come in." She started to walk into the house. The three followed. As they stepped into the humble shelter, the boards creaked. The old lady faced them once more.
"Please bathe, then I can tend to your injuries." The old lady showed the way to their baths. About 20 minutes later, Eira poured warm water over her body, washing off, her mind stuck on the mission. The number of feelings that overcame her. She splashed water onto her face as the room filled with steam. She jolted as she heard a scream. It echoed through the halls. Coming from the main room.
Ali clenched at his fresh clothing, offered by the residence. The old lady rubbed ointment over his wounds, it stung and burned. Supposedly, it'd speed up his recovery. With the number of wounds Ali had, his whole body was covered in bandages and cotton. Ali looked as Eira walked into the main room, all changed. Shortly after they all got treated, they ate and were sent to bed.
The moon hung low, it wasn't long before the sunrise. The air was cold. Eira's body hurt, and she groaned as she made her way into the main room. She found it hard to sleep, alongside her body's pain, her mind wouldn't stop barging with thoughts. She broke out of her thoughts.
"You alright?" Ali's voice whispered from the corner, he was forced to sleep outside by Asumi because he kicked in his sleep. Eira looked over, it took her a while to process anything. She just walked over and sat there idly.
"I'm… not. I can't sleep." Eira sighed, Ali made space for her to sit on his futon. Eira felt comforted, this reminded her of the times when her and brother would play board games wrapped in blankets on the floor.
"Oh right, I meant to ask…" Eira's mind overflowed with questions. Questions about him, his life, his home. So many questions in fact, she couldn't think of a single one to ask first.
"You said… you were born with brown skin?" Eira asked bluntly, she never failed to fail, interesting, how did it happen? Ali smiled, taking the question lightly.
"Where are you from?" Ali asked, "wherever you're from, people look similar right, whether it be skin colour or hair texture? I'm not from here, I've come from way west." Ali laughs.
"Yeah but… do you remember any of it?" Eira asked. "The west, or travelling here?"
"Not much, I was young," Ali remembered some parts barely, and others vividly, the pouring rain, the soft sunlight, the harsh mountains, and the rough sea, that his parents had to face while travelling here.
"My parents… They didn't make it. We got here and they fell sick, so we went to the first village we found. They died from the sickness, and I stayed in the village for the rest of my childhood." Ali spoke softly, his limbs numb from swelling and bleeding. The bandages wrapped tightly.
"Oh… I'm sorry for your loss. I never really… well I lost my parents at a young age too." Eira looked down, she looked up at Ali, who passed her the spotlight, as if they were exchanging pasts. "A demon attacked my mum… then my dad left right after that incident, without a word. Without any interactions with me or my brother. Left right after leaving us nothing."
"Left? How old were you?" Ali asked.
"Twelve, it wasn't too long ago, maybe 4 or 5 years ago. I just.. Don't know why he left so suddenly. Our only relatives live across the country, and they didn't get the news after 6 months when they visited, by that time my brother insisted he had everything under control and didn't need any help. He was only 16 too.." Eira sighed, it felt nice to get this all of her chest, it had been buried for so long, the fact that she had no idea why her Dad had left so abruptly. Why would he leave them alone?
"He was a good father though. He loved my mother so much, he loved us a lot too, I guess the death of our mother, and his anger at the whole thing. I... don't know why he left." Eira covered her whole face, she felt Ali's hand pat her back. She felt the warmth of his kind soul, he was a good person, and he reminded her of her brother.
"Ali. Ever since my mother died, I made an oath.. I would protect anyone close to me. And last mission. When you were on your knees on the verge of death." Eira felt her eyes well with tears, "I thought I failed already." She buried her face between her hands. Ali stayed silent.
"Why are you a demon slayer?" Eira suddenly asked, "Ali, if I'm being honest, you're strong, but your sword skills are so atrocious, just… quit." Eira stated shamelessly. The air was tense, Eira hoped Ali would take the comment well, it was out of worry. For a friend. Eira's thoughts bombarded her. Was it out of worry? Or was it out of laziness? Out of hope that she would have one less person to protect. The room was silent with little activity, Ali's grey aura flowed from left to right, the same as always.
"Sword skills huh? You haven't seen me with a real sword. I'll be clearing fields of demons at a time." Ali put his back on the wall with a soft smile and illustrated with his hands. Eira looked up at him, with an emerging hope in her eyes, she was so concerned with the fact that Ali's sword techniques were off, she never factored in that he had a wooden sword that could barely cut a leaf. Yet, he still fended off demons.
"Anyways, tell me about your home." Ali asked Eira, Eira's eyes lit up. She had many stories to tell about the mountains. About her Gods, about the sacredness of the mountains. Several hours had passed and Eira hadn't stopped, she had talked about many things, about how she wanted to be a poet when she was younger, and of course about the Gods.
"And at the very top of the mountain is where everyone thinks, or at least the elders say the Gods live," Eira told stories and folktales. Ali listened intently.
"So do you guys climb it to give offerings and things like that?" Ali asked, Eira covered her mouth and shook her head.
"If we climb the mountain and reach the top, the Gods will be very angry and curse death on whoever climbed and all the witnesses." Eira recited what the elders had also said.
A loud eerie creaked through the house, Asumi stumbled into the room, she rubbed her eyes, her hair messy. She was half asleep, she glanced at Eira and Ali both talking, and she sighed and stretched. She wobbled and went to sit down with them. Just as she rubbed her eyes for a second time, a crow swooped down and landed on the floor.
"Ali Junior!" Ali sprung at the sight of his crow, after Ali Junior, Eira's crow landed, shining in whatever sunlight made it through the tinted windows, its white feathers glistening.
Eira's albino crow hopped onto her hand and started to speak.
"The master sends you his appreciation for handling the fight. He thanks Ali for staying alive. Your next mission is to a village in the north. A small demon has been stealing from everyone at late night. It's your choice if you wish to partner up or not." The crow said in a monotone voice. Asumi had gotten up by now. Carefully listening to the mission details.
"For sure we'll partner up!" Ali smiled and got up, as he stood his sore body hit him like a truck. He immediately sat down.
"You… guys take care of this one." Ali tugged his blanket over himself. Asumi sighed and Eira was relieved Ali wasn't going to come, after all, he had no sword. He would've been an obstacle.
Eira's albino crow hopped onto her hand and started to speak.
"The master sends you his appreciation for handling the fight. He thanks Ali for staying alive. Your next mission is a village in the north. A small demon has been stealing from everyone at late night. It's your choice if you wish to partner up or not." The crow said in a monotone voice. Asumi had gotten up by now. Carefully listening to the mission details. Ali seemed to twist and turn. He sat up and locked eyes with Asumi.
Asumi gave him a guilty thumbs up. Ali groaned and fell back into his bed. He started to murmur something under his mouth but no one caught it. Asumi and Eira gear up and look back at Ali who was still annoyed that he couldn't come. He sat there with a small frown on his face, as he looked upon them with jealousy. It wasn't long til they both departed. Giving their thanks to the old lady they started their journey. It was rather silent. Eira couldn't help but wonder a thousand things about Asumi.
Why was her aura so tainted with guilt? It seemed to only grow each day, a deep red outline around her sweet pink soul. It contrasted a lot. Until the red outline didn't disappear, Asumi wouldn't be her real self. Well, that's what Eira theorised anyway. Eira gulped and began to ask a question.
"What's that flower in your hair?" She asked out of nowhere. Asumi's slight blush seemed to match her light pink eyes as she stared at Eira. Eira had to look up slightly at Asumi, as she was a good amount taller than Eira. Eira was the youngest and shortest of the group. Ali was the tallest but younger than Asumi. Although it didn't matter, Eira had always thought the older a person was the taller they would be. That's how it was in the mountains, the elders would be like giants, maybe it was because she was very young at the time. Asumi finally ended the silence answering Eira's question.
"Well... It's a special flower. It doesn't die til either partner loses love. I got it a long time ago." Asumi blushed. Eira was in shock. Asumi? Loving someone? Eira burst out in laughter and poked Asumi's arm slightly.
"You have a boyfriend?" She asked with a smile on her face. Asumi gulped and looked at Eira.
"Well... not exactly." Asumi looked forward again. Eira saw the flower glow once, and then again. When it glowed it was like its entire stem would supply the blue petals with energy. So much they would illuminate with happiness.
"So? Who is it? Who's the lucky guy?" Eira poked Asumi again. Asumi fixed her hair and cleared her voice.
"It's..." Asumi took a deep breath of air.