Inside the cave, the remains of the battle between Asuka and the demon could not only be seen, but felt in the air. The air was still cold from how much of the dark flames Asuka had used. Stalactites and stalagmites still lay shattered on the ground. The stench of malice still pungent making the hairs on Asuka's neck raise.
When she reached the platform where she found the demon, she spread her anima throughout the cave. After a moment, her head turned to inside the cave on top of the platform. She quickly leapt to the top and dashed into the cave. Now taking a better look, she realized the cave was a lot bigger than she had realized. The cave was circular in shape was about twenty meters in circumference.
"The walls are way too smooth to be naturally made," thought Asuka.
Asuka then poured anima into her eyes in order to see in the dark cave. On the other side of the cave entrance, there stood a brown wooden door. Beyond that door Asuka felt dissipating remains of anima.
Asuka ran to the door and without even trying to open it, kicked it down. In the room six large cages, three on each side, sit lined up side by side each other. Inside the cages were half or full eaten corpses of dozens upon dozens humans. Some of the bodies had their flesh completely torn away and some of the others still had their flesh. Even among them, some of their bodies were far further in the process of decay than others. There were even bodies that couldn't have been older than a couple days. The sight was almost too much for the girl.
The smell was something Asuka hadn't prepared for. As soon as the scent of iron and decay hit her nose she hunched over and vomited the contents of her stomach. As soon as she finished, she wiped her mouth and slowly stood.
"There's...there's so many," a shocked Asuka exclaimed.
"There's well over a hundred people here. Likely closer to a hundred fifty. Some of these bodies are very old. Maybe five years at the most."
"Five years! And it's only being reported now! That's ridiculous!"
"Well having a mayor that doesn't care for his people and people who were working alongside the demon probably helped with that. Really, its just unfortunate."
Asuka stood silently for a few moments before she saw movement from inside one of the piles of bodies. Without any deterrence, she walked forward to the cage on the far right of the door. She gripped the iron door and ripped it open and throwing against the wall with a loud crash. This alerted the being from within the pile of bodies to pop out from the pile.
"I-it can't be?"
"No. It's entirely possible. Especially in these conditions."
With a hand sticking from its mouth, obsidian black skin on its child-like body, and a tiny single horn protruding from its forehead, the demon stared back at the girl. They stood for a moment simply looking at one another, unsure of what to do. Then suddenly, the demon clutched at its stomach that roared in hunger.
"It's hungry," said Asuka, "yet it's eating right now?"
"Remember. The stronger the demon, the less it needs to eat. This one is so weak I wouldn't be surprised if these bodies aren't enough to sustain it."
Suddenly, the demon child launched itself at Asuka, trying to tear at her throat. But Asuka effortlessly caught its arm and in one motion pinned it to the ground. The demon began writhing trying to get out of the grip of the girl, but she was far too strong for it.
"What do you think happened? How could there be a demon here?"
Annie didn't respond for a few moment but eventually gave her opinion.
"I don't have any solid evidence, but I think that this demon used to be a human child."
Asuka's eyes widened at Annie's hypothesis.
"How come? How is that even possible? A human turning into a demon?"
"It would be my first time too. But that would be the only explanation from a demon being this weak. Even newborns have more contra than this. Not to mention, look at it closer."
Asuka curiously looked at the face of the demon child. When she looked, tears of blood were running freely from he demon eyes.
"Demons are quick to adjust to the pain of manipulating contra. This one looks to be about ten years old. This type of pain is something it has never once experienced. Not to mention..."
Asuka looked back at the demon and realized it was looking at one corpse. One that was away from the pile. It was the body of a woman who looked to be about thirty years old. With unkempt brown hair and ragged clothes, it was clear she was from the outskirts of the town.
"Ma...mama..."
The demon child stopped trying to get out of Asuka's grip and reached out to the body.
"...mama...please mama...it hurts...everything hurts..."
Asuka's lips quivered at the demons words.
"Annie, there has got to be something we can do."
"Of course there is. But it's one that you will hate."
"No Annie. There has to be another way. There just has to be."
"I'm sorry Asuka. But it's our only solution right now."
"No. I refuse. I mean...if he can turn into a demon, there has to be some way to change him back right. Yeah...yeah...that has to be the case."
"Asuka, even if that was the case we have no idea how to do that or how long it would take. Not to mention the risk of keeping around a demon for a long enough period of time. There's nothing else we can do for it."
"Stop calling him that. He's not an 'it'. He isn't just like another demon, he's just a boy!"
"Oh really? Okay then. How do you plan on taking care of him. I can almost guarantee nobody at the orphanage would take care of him. Ichigo definitely won't allow it. And I know you won't in good conscience leave him here. I could mention a billion other reasons why it would be a terrible idea. He's in constant pain Asuka and has suffered enough. Please let him rest."
"Please...please Annie...I can't...this is too much..."
Asuka's tear filled pleas however could not sway the logical mind her inner being. With trembling hands, she gripped the hilt of her claymore and slowly pulled it out of its sheath. The demon seeing this began wailing and squirming trying to claw at her hands. But it could not so much as leave a wound on them.
"Please...no...no..."
Holding the tip of the blade above the demons heart and looking directly into its eyes, Asuka plunged her blade into its chest. The let out a small gurgle and blood spilled from its mouth. Its arms limped and hit the ground with a thud. At first, its eyes wildly looked in every direction trying to look for anything and to save itself. Soon, its eyes stopped on the body of its mother and it with all the strength it could muster, tried one more time to reach her.
"Ma....ma..."
With that, its eyes dulled and all signs of life disappeared. Asuka pulled her blade out of the body. Her clenched fist wiped he tears in her eyes and she looked at the body of the demon. She then picked it up and placed it next to the body of its mother. She then took the hand of the demon and placed into the hand of the mother.
After that, Asuka soon left the cave having accomplished what she had wanted.