Chapter 3. Blood
December 10, 2023 at 2:55 PM
Hanging motionless
A dark cloud in half the sky…
Apparently, the lightning is waiting.
BASHO (1644-1694)
Dawn has begun. With giant tentacles of light, it absorbed the dark canvas of the heavens, corroded the remnants of the crumbs of stars, eventually turning the cold night into a bloody mess. The tears of distant luminaries settled directly on the freshened grass, covering them with dew and embracing their ghostly bodies, forming a thick, whitish fog. In the clearing, holding a black blade in her hands, a girl sat with her legs bent under her. Her beauty was extraordinary: long purple hair lying at random on the ground, a dark purple cropped kimono, and almond-shaped eyes were closed, cutting her off from this mortal world. There were strange creatures lying next to her, looking like people in such strange, funny poses that it seems that they are about to get up and go somewhere... The sun began to rise, erasing with its bright rays the traces of bruises of the past dawn. The girl felt the light gently stroking her pale face, running a warm palm over her bloody kimono, descending to her thin, transparent hands. She looked up with violet eyes, looking at the sky lit up by a flash of sunlight. Everything in her soul resounded with a solar flare, her chest was bursting with heat. The bodies beside her burned with blue ash, crumbling finely and flying away, accompanied by a light breeze soaked in fresh blood and moist greenery. A pleasant scent of wisteria approached on one of the air waves. Together with him, a tall man in a kimono entered the clearing illuminated by the light. A white haori with a hood, patched in all places and trimmed with gold thread, swayed in the wind. The warrior also had a solar katana in his hands, which he sheathed with a characteristic sound and sedately approached the girl. He sat down next to her, hiding his feet in the steppe grass, burying his nose in her hair. – How are you, Ei? - he asked, touching her curls with his fingers. The girl lowered her head slightly, yielding to skillful hands. The fighter took out a golden comb from behind the haori and carefully ran it over the tips of his long purple hair. Then he climbed higher, closer to the roots, straightening the small tangles. – I think... Quite well, - she replied calmly, closing her eyes. Zhongli, with his usual pedantry, tied a long, violet braid to a girl with a red satin ribbon. She was sitting in the lotus position, not taking her eyes off the noticeably lightened dawn sky and only sighed softly gratefully, cooling her hot lungs. Together with the decoction of Morax, the girl felt how slowly but surely her feelings were being untied from the tangled tangle of emotions, how they were straightened and combed into an elegant braid. The fire in her chest was burning, burning, capable of destroying this rotten world. But now he was only peacefully waiting for Ei to inflame him even more. In the meantime, the flame burned only her heart, which no longer belongs to her. Calmness and awareness imbued her essence, her strength and power grew, like the buds of a pink cherry blossoming in the sun in spring. And Ei felt, with all her being, that very soon her fire would burn a part of this world. –Tomorrow, after we die, - the demoness's voice is confident. - a world created by humans, in which demons will be exterminated... He will be eternal. Zhongli tightened the ribbon in her hair and sat right next to the girl, removing the comb under the light haori fabric. She lowered her head to his broad shoulder, but continued to look into honey-colored, such dear and beautiful eyes. The pleasant scent of wisteria enveloped her small body. – It would be interesting to see such a world, - the man only smiled and also looked at Ei. - in any case, justice will prevail. The girl smiled transparently and reached for his lips, leaving a warm trace. Zhongli put his arm around her hips and kissed the top of her head, lowering his cheek to her head. They felt that the battle that would change the rules of existence was approaching. Ei learned first from Jun Lee about the young hunter Tanjiro, then about the other pillars... The demons did not expect that they would receive a letter at the previous dawn with the intention of hunters to come to the nest itself. They didn't expect that the attack on the demon stronghold would happen so soon... Ei was ready to die. To do this, she picked up a blade for the first time, for this she exhausted herself with training every day. She did not hope to survive, because at the end of the journey she would inevitably penetrate into the very inferno of hell. But she felt the touch of a man's palm on her icy shoulders, Zhongli's velvety voice, suddenly so calm. He, too, was ready to put his head on the block. Ei made a silent vow that she would not let him die.***
– Your attacks are so graceful... - a low voice is heard in the silence. Muichiro screamed as his own blade was thrust into his stomach. Raising his dumbfounded gaze, he saw many pairs of eyes in front of him. Fear seized his body, making him involuntarily covered with goosebumps and freeze, not looking away. Kokushibo. The first Upper Moon, about which nothing is known, except that its mere appearance instills death into the soul, burning from the inside. The most dangerous enemy is in front of him. His distant ancestor. Muichiro no longer listens to the hoarse voice, does not look away from the demon. An unusual fear like a poisonous snake penetrates under the skin, squeezing the living cells of the fettered muscles on the way. Kokushibo is huge, his powerful figure with many eyes and hands awakens a long-forgotten animal horror under the frozen crusts of the brain. He looks at people with his whole body at the same time, sees every soul, burns it as easily as you can cut parchment with a blade. Muichiro feels no pain, he feels only a timid fear. Trying to normalize breathing, get rid of the unusual shock... Suddenly a shot is heard. Muichiro turns in the direction of the sound and notices with horror... Kokushibo disappeared. The Upper Moon pierced Genya who appeared with a gun with a blade. Tokito does not have time to follow what happened, he hears only a painful sob and a strange gurgling. – Genya! - the pillar of fog shouts at the top of his voice and it seems to him that his heart has long turned into a stokillogrom weight. – I've seen someone like you before... - Kokushibo says with disdain, but his voice is heard by hammer blows in his head. - an artificial demon... Last time I cut him in half... Muichiro didn't dare to breathe air. Despite all his attempts to escape, he could only watch his comrade's legs fall to the floor like a pile of meat. The smell of blood froze somewhere in the lungs, causing vomiting, stuck like a blade in the throat. A bloody blade was sticking out of the boy's stomach, and Tokito understands that if he moves, he will die from blood loss... –And here you are, - the demon suddenly says. There was a terrifying screeching sound and someone almost as huge as Kokushibo landed right in front of Muichiro. His mighty body with a weight passes needles in the chest, fearfully beating the petrified heart. The fighter saw in front of him his dirty gray haori soaked with mixed blood and a hood through which golden hair stood on end. – A traitor to the Master. The demon in the light cape interrupted Kokushibo's voice. In an instant, the huge, light figure of the demon pounced on him with the nichireen blade. The Supreme Harrier gracefully dodged, repelling the next attack, invisible to the human eye. – You haven't changed, Morax. The one called Morax raised his blade and struck the ground, cutting the floor of the demonic fortress. Muichiro felt the force of his blade cutting deeper into his body under the roar of the building. Bewilderment and fear mixed in the boy into some kind of heavy pile and he only had time to follow the movements of the demons, simultaneously trying to regain his breath, biting his own hair. Giant, sharp stone pillars rose through the ground, on which Kokushibo jumped. The demon of the Upper Moon seemed to be playing, mocking this very traitor demon, showing with all his appearance that he was not his rival. Tokito turned his gaze to Genya. The guy watched with the same bewilderment and surprise as the opponents collided with each other in a murderous wave. Pinching the wound with his hand and slowly regenerating the affected body, he took a Western pistol in his hand, moving towards Muichiro. Morax brought down blows one after another, and Kokushibo parried them, maneuvered in the stone spears created by the opponent. Despite the obvious concessions in strength, the demon in the white hood was calm, even his terrible yellow eyes did not express anything. Genya limped against the wall, aiming his pistol. – Who to shoot? - he roared to Tokito, but he still heard him very quietly, because the roar from the battle did not allow him to distinguish the usual human tone. Sanemi appeared out of nowhere, rushing into battle along the stone ledges. But the two demons ignored his attacks, focusing on each other. – How dare you cut my brother, you bastard! - a pillar of wind suddenly jumped up to the demon of the highest Moon, in an attempt to cut his calves, but he avoided the attack without taking the gaze of six eyes away from Morax. – Stay out of it, I'll take care of you later, - the First Moon growled, throwing a crescent attack towards Sanemi. The pillar bounced off. Grinning viciously, he prepared to jump into the thick of things again. But suddenly he froze, concentrating on the movements of the demons. They were too fast and it was dangerous to rush into battle. And who is this demon in a bloody cape anyway... – Sanemi! Help me! - Muichiro shouted, and the pillar was instantly beside him. – Where did the second demon come from? - Sanemi hissed. Muichiro just shook his head. Meanwhile, both fighters began to noticeably pick up the speed of attacks. Kokushibo, with a sweeping blow of his katana, cut Morax's right arm, he rushed past, cutting the torso of the highest Moon like butter. Blood gushed down the walls, falling on the shocked fighters, who forced themselves to bandage their dangerous wounds with an effort of will. Kokushibo jumped back, dodging the blows of stone spears from the ground. "I need to keep him further away from me" - the demon of the highest Moon stopped, accelerating the speed of his heartbeat many times and made a lunge, already mentally pronouncing the names of the lunar cut. A thousand half moons suddenly flew all over the hall, many of which ended up in Morax's chest. But it seemed to ignore the enemy's murderous attacks and instantly regenerated the flesh. Like a mad stubborn man, he walked straight at him, erasing the landscape with the movements of coal-black hands and moving it like clay. "Damn strong, I won't last long at this rate," a thought managed to slip through before the hooded demon fell to his knees. Kokushibo shook the blade, from which many blades grew in an instant. Morax forcefully dug his hands into the ground and tore them out, lifting the entire earth cover of the hall on his hands. The Demon of the Highest Moon parried the attack by throwing half moons directly into the hands of the enemy, but suddenly flew into the air, not restrained by the earth, already there performing a murderous maneuver. Instantly recovering the lost body parts, the traitor demon forcefully tore the stone spear out of the ground, throwing it at Kokushibo and piercing his chest. Enraged, the Upper Moon rushed at him in response, ignoring the distance and hitting the demon in the steel collarbones. Hashira did not understand the attacks of demons, but stood ready to rush at both demons at once. The same ones, being in action all the time, increased their strength and speed more and more, as if they could not get tired at all. Everywhere there was a wild smell of salty blood and it was so hard to breathe that ordinary people would have suffocated here a long time ago. Morax's stone spear pierced through the demon's neck, ignoring its incredible defense. Then a glittering red blade appeared out of nowhere and caught Kokushibo in the stomach, igniting inside his body. Muichiro was breathing heavily as he rushed forward. "Now!" - his mind screamed and his body assumed a belligerent stance. The mark of a fighter was burning on his cheeks. Sanemi rushed after him, wedging himself into a fierce battle. Both hashirs directed their attacks towards the Higher Moon, realizing that the second demon simply ignores their attacks in his direction, focusing exclusively on Kokushibo. It was hard to fight. Horror and fear were mixed in their chest, but Tokito and Genya stubbornly ignored them, rushing at the six-eyed monster in a murderous wave. Kokushibo no longer parried their attacks with such ease. Struck by Muichiro's blade, he suddenly seemed to find himself in another dimension, like a machine fighting against everyone. It was as if he disappeared from this world, plunging into himself, which the pillars used. However, the attacks of the second unknown demon accidentally hit them as well. Tokito felt the earth cover pinching his legs and forcefully tore it out, without even feeling the rough light skin being cut to blood. Disgust for the demon of the highest Moon was stronger than pain and anger. Kokushibo realized with shock that something gigantic and iron was imprinted on his face. The giant man easily intervened in the battle, brandishing chains. The strongest pillar of the stone is Gyomei. The demon recognized him immediately, but could not react to heavy attacks, reflecting the endless attacks of others with incredible speed. Sanemi flew into the wall, clutching a giant wound on his stomach with his hands. – Sew up the wound, Sanemi. The battle is not over yet, - hissed Gyomei, rushing into battle. Muichiro felt Kokushibo's random attack pierce through his body. The pain fed him like a rag, and life slowly began to fade. Trampled by the attacks, he forcefully re-plunged his blade into the body of the Supreme Moon, not even noticing how his weapon begins to catch fire with flames. The pain was dulled and the boy only felt the parts of his body harden. Kokushibo growled furiously, feeling the hellish pain from someone else's blade. But he was not allowed to relax by the same fierce attacks of Morax and Gyomei. He was shot in the head desperately by Genya, who absorbed a piece of his sword that fell off and became a half-demon. There was no time to think. Not a single thought penetrated his head, only pictures flashed of his own trained actions. Demonic kats were performed so quickly that Kokushibo began to realize with surprise that he could not keep up with his own actions. Tense, the Highest Moon realized that he had entered the peak of his capabilities. Only he, Morax and the strongest pillar remained on the battlefield, without interrupting the attack for a second. The hooded demon was lifting the foundation under Hashir, who immediately attacked. Their breath of stone seemed to merge together, but neither of them had time to think about it. Thousands of swords in thousands of Kokushibo's hands did not stop beating backhand, hitting targets. Morax regenerated more slowly, Gyomei ignored the affected body. Suddenly, the tip of the spear was driven into his neck with force and the head of the Highest Moon hit the stone elevations with a heavy blow. Genya, meanwhile, jumped up to Muichiro, leaving his weapon and taking up the stricken pillar of fog. The feeling of wrongness and disappointment soaked into his animal throat, bursting with a furious cry and reflecting off the burst walls. Morax clenched his jaw as he watched the demon's head suddenly begin to regenerate. No sooner had the disgusting body rebelled, than a hail of Sanemi attacks fell on it. Kokushibo's new, disgusting body tore out several of hashir's fingers in the heat of battle, but he stubbornly ignored the pain, entering the peak of his capabilities. The wind blew away other people's attacks with frenzy, gaining and gaining strength. Then he backhanded the living, but noticeably weakened body of the shocked Kokushibo for some reason and he fell to the shattered ground. Sanemi continued to attack the demon's body dissolving into dust, shouting furiously. Blood was falling from his stomach, but he did not notice it, getting into a new fighting stance. –Stop it, he's already dead, - Gyomei forcefully pulled the enraged hashir wind away from a handful of ashes. - Genya is alive, we killed the first Upper Moon. – Muichiro! - the mentioned Genya, who does not look like a man now, is wrapping someone else's cut body tighter. - Muichiro, don't you dare die! The fighter screamed, but Tokito's blood was as cold as ice. Sanemi came closer, saying something, interrupting someone else's speech. The brothers shouted and talked, but Morax did not listen to them. Regenerating his scarred eyes, he struggled to regain his breath. Then he set to work on his severed arm, building up the bones. All his clothes resembled tattered rags, holding on to pathetic threads. The air was saturated with sweat, blood and rot, everything around pressed on other people's bodies. – It seems it's time to explain who you are, - Gyomei did not relax, holding heavy chains in his hands and turning his blind eyes to the demon. Morax put his hand, not yet fully covered with skin, to his heart and wheezed, recovering his breath: – A friend. But now is not the time to assign roles. Muzan has not been defeated yet. A look of surprise crossed Gyomei's face, but he nodded to the pillars. – The battle is not over, - he said. - we will have time to mourn the dead. Right now our target is the leader of these bastards. Faster!***
To restrain Mudzan on the spot and destroy the demons flitting everywhere, protecting the villagers is Ei's mission. After Nakime's death, all the fighters ended up in a completely different place - a poor village, completely leveled to the ground. Rage and despair boiled everywhere, blood gurgled and landed in puddles on the dusty ground. It smelled of death. Without regretting anything, Ei entered her real form without giving herself a second to rest. Her instant regeneration was greatly weakened, and the giant electric hands behind her back continued to strike at the same lightning speed, crippling the former Moon itself. She didn't see what was going on behind her back, she didn't see Muzan. It was necessary to keep the demons, her former companions, out of the village in order to give the fighters a chance to kill the former Master. Thoughts did not have time to arise in my head, knocked down by the lunges of weapons and the rumbling of lightning. Ei made a sharp lunge with a Thunder Spear, destroying a couple of demons at once. They were all carried here, at the call of Muzan, and if you slow down even for a second, they will break into the village. The powerful weapon fell along with her severed arm. One of the monsters attacked her neck. The demoness growled furiously, calling for thunder, and the enemy flew away a couple of meters. Without hesitating for a moment, the girl sharply hit herself in the chest with a powerful hand, grinding steel ribs. The pain entered the body in a flash, spreading hellfire through the torn veins. The demon took out a huge thunder katana from her stricken chest. Ei felt that her strength was running out, but she did not allow herself a break. Blows and screams could be heard behind her, and the smell of blood and rot had already soaked into her mortal body, causing vomiting. Forward. The magic of demonic blood. 5 kata: Exploding veins. To the left. The magic of demonic blood. 1 and 7 kata: Steel hands are erased, causing thunder. Forward. Thoughts were pounding furiously in an inflamed mind, giving commands. There were more and more demons around, they did not end at all, even when a dozen bodies simultaneously fell on the corpses of the past. The ear membranes were bursting deafly to the accompaniment of the bubbling of charged flashes and the girl did not even hear her own roar. Suddenly, she felt someone land nearby. Without slowing down, she struck a wide lightning strike, but met with... A stone wall. Beside her stood Morax in his demonic form. His light cape was cut into a bloody rag, giant horns cut through his skull, and the stone spears created by him were crushing. However, Ei realized with horror that he was also at his peak. His left arm was not fully recovered, black leather fragments fell from it like ashes. But still, she felt a transparent hope, standing with her back to his back, against the insane fear for his life. She saw out of the corner of her eye how he created giant stone walls, blocking the way to the escape of Mudzan, how he erected partitions, protecting the fighters from the crushing blows of the demon king and erasing his own hands. A giant shock was heard inside the village and almost all the buildings were demolished by an unexpected deadly wave. It was as if something gigantic had exploded there, spreading the disgusting smell of mixed blood and death all over the surroundings, filling the nose. Morax created a stone shield for each fighter so that they would not fly away either, but even those quickly broke under the second blow of the demon king. Ei was not distracted from killing her own kind, there were more and more of them, it began to seem to her that there would be no end to this fight. – 25 minutes till sunrise! - There was a croak, punctuated by screams of pain, the grinding of stone and blades. Ei felt her instant regeneration getting worse and worse. The demons had already openly wounded her and there was no time to recover. The pair had already wounded Morax, but he did not pay attention, focused on the battle with Muzan. The demoness took a deep breath. There was a heart-rending scream, similar to the growl of a hellhound. Her hands recovered abruptly, releasing thunderbolts. Waving her katana, she gathered the remnants of her strength and seemed to cut the canvas of reality. "Demonic blood magic, 12th kata... Thunder Eye!" A giant slit appeared from the sky, through which a pair of giant, electric arms appeared, similar to those that were piled up behind the former supreme moon. From the deadly Eye, illusory electric blades struck the wave of demons, pulling off a gigantic and terrifying lightning strike. Immediately, the girl's body was dissected in the spinal cord area, revealing a view of the bloody bone. She could not restrain a painful cry, but continued to kill them, jumping off the roof of the building and rushing into battle already closely. One of them, unnoticed by her, appeared behind Ei's back and struck directly into the open wound, breaking the spine. The girl growled heart-rendingly, falling to her knees. Immediately, a giant stone wall closed it, separating it from the demons. Taking advantage of the moment, the girl convulsively regained her breath, regenerating her broken body. Growling painfully like a wild beast, the skin tightened painfully around the crossed bones. Without hesitation, she swung her blade, cutting through the stone protection and rushed into battle, because at any moment enemies could enter the battlefield with their King. She's been great with demons before. But there are too many of them... – There are 5 minutes left until dawn! With great effort, Ei killed a former colleague, covering the back of a significantly wounded Morax. Suddenly, she heard a terrifying screeching sound. Her previously always calm fighter growled like an animal, making a gurgling sound from the throat exploding with streams of blood, raising trembling hands. Giant walls were erected around the battlefield, striking in their scale, with a roar that shook the whole earth Then screams were heard. Ei glanced at the village and was horrified: Muzan in the body of a giant child was trying to destroy demonic stone walls. Bewilderment turned to horror when Ei realized that Morax was about to break under the blows of the progenitor of demons. However... The saving sun began to rise. Ei furiously rushed into battle further, cutting off the remnants of small demons the way to the forest and destroying her own arms and chest in order to make the last blows of her electric punishment. The sun's rays touched the pale skin, igniting fresh wounds. It seemed like it was a very ordinary day, and only the smell of blood and hellish pain prevented me from imagining that everything was fine. Ei suddenly felt that... Doesn't feel anything at all. No heaviness of the heavy demonic body, no lightning strikes that tore the bloody back to the open bones. Suddenly, something flashed in front of her inflamed red eyes. Something big and purple, overflowing with some strange liquid. However, the demon did not feel any smell, or even any echoes of emotions, except for bewilderment. It was only after a couple of infinitely long seconds that she realized she was looking at her own hand. She was lying on her stomach, from which something incomprehensible was coming out with a squelching sound... Feeling the skin detach from the bones and fall like a pile of meat on the bloody ground, she could not even move or simply say something, frantically gasping for air cutting her lungs. The buzz in his ears did not allow him to hear how Morax destroyed his stone elevations with an effort, how he fell to his knees for lack of strength and the spirit departed from him, along with some charcoal sticks sticking out of his former strong hands. –Tanjiro is a demon! - Someone shouted, but Ei had already sunk into a saving sleep, so sweetly embracing her exhausted pile of emaciated body...***
It smelled of medicines. Wisteria... Something soft. Warm, envelops the skin and seems to tighten invisible scars. Nothing is visible, only a strange blue veil is in front of my eyes. The girl involuntarily compared it to the gray, thick smoke coming from a campfire in an icy, lonely forest. It is a pity that she does not hear the crackling of scorching logs, the chirping of crickets and cicadas... – The demon girl has woken up! - Who? Is there some kind of demon here..? The battle is not over...? With an effort, Ei tried to feel the spear next to her, but felt only a soft bed. Her spear... Is it lost or has someone stolen it? Wow... She suddenly jumped up abruptly, breathing heavily and looking around. Immediately, the head began to spin and began to beat off the crust of the brain with a heavy hammer, blurring the barely clear silhouettes of people around her. She was in ... A strange room with a boarded-up window. Light bamboo walls covered with hieroglyphs surrounded her light bed on a raised platform. Some stools, benches and bedside tables were placed around, sharply smelling of wisteria. Ears rang as the voice rang out again. – How are you, demon girl? - he asked, and Ei turned to his source with a wild look. In front of her stood a boy with one blind eye, a scar on his forehead and in the same light kimono as herself. Who is it? A fighter jet? It looks lousy... Like she probably is... – So you are... Tanjiro Kamado, - the girl did not hear her own voice. - and you are... Didn't become a demon? The memory of the blurred, loud voice wavered in a seemingly intoxicated head. Like a fog, they filled in the gaps in her memory and slowly the girl began to recall the events of the past ... day? How long has it been since that battle at all? It was hard to talk, and even more so to hear. Ei complained discontentedly about her own terrible regeneration. Meanwhile, the kid nodded. An unusual aura of calmness and a strange haze of happiness emanated from him, mixed with cool rays of sadness. – You and Morax helped us all! Thanks to you, Genya, Mr. Obonai, Mrs. Mitsuri and many fighters survived... Tanjiro's voice was quite low. - and I'm sorry about the handcuffs... The boy smiled awkwardly. Ei blinked in bewilderment. Handcuffs... The girl jerked her hand and felt something iron pull her into the opposite position. Really... His hands were bound with metal bands, and his ankles were chained to the legs of a light bed. The picture before my eyes began to clear up. It turned out that a man with blue eyes and a katana in his hands was standing next to Tanjiro. Behind them, the top of a girl in a pink kimono could be seen. She herself is wearing some kind of white shirt... It seemed that someone's silhouette was missing... – Sir... So Muzan is dead? - Ei corrected herself in time, not paying attention to the tense man near Tanjiro. – Where's Zhongli? – The demon King is dead. Morax hasn't woken up yet, - the adult fighter with the katana finally said. The girl felt relief spreading through her frozen limbs. Her demon is alive... He's alive, he just hasn't come to his senses yet... He's alive, alive! Further inquiries went on. The fighter, whose name, it turns out, was Giyu, asked about who they were, why they helped, why they survived in the sun... Ei didn't always answer, her thoughts were somewhere else, snuggled up to Zhongli's warm body, whispered in his ear that she was free now, that the battle was over, that they hadn't died, that everything would be fine... Then Tanjiro and his sister Nezuko started talking to her. Now Ei was asking about what was happening at the battle and explained her position. The words turned out badly, the girl often broke down into a cough and rarely spoke in whole sentences. Her regeneration has notably collapsed during this battle... The conversation lasted about half an hour and only after it was over, Giyu freed the demoness from the steel shackles. – You can take a walk, but I would advise you to stay here and fully recover, - he said. But Ei didn't care about her own condition. Feeling her limbs released, she waited for the former fighters to leave her, and then, limping, got out of bed. Her legs were weak and bent because of weakness, but the girl did not even find the desire to pay attention to it. When she found herself in a narrow corridor, she finally realized that she was in the Butterfly Mansion. On the way, she often came across little people in black haori and masks. They were carrying some medicines or even food to the sick, so almost everyone smelled of mint and fresh pastries. Some little men did not pay attention to the demoness wandering along the bright corridor, but there were also those who shied away from her in fear. Ei raised her eyebrows, watching how a young girl accidentally hit her and, with a frightened squeak, ran away from her into the next open door of the ward. Chuckling, the demoness went on. Ei has never been to this estate. There was a smell of blood, medicine, and wisteria everywhere. In the past, she wouldn't have taken a step here, but now... These people rescued her and brought her here. Why would they help a demon? Maybe they are... Really grateful to her..? The girl didn't know how to react. She used to exterminate people, but after she met Zhongli, she renounced her demonic burden and began to destroy them already. She thought that after this decision, two races would hate her at once. And although the little men treated her completely differently, no one has insulted her yet... – Do you know where Zh-Morax is located? - The girl touched a clawed hand to a short man in a closed suit with a tray in his hands. He shuddered, and looking dumbfounded at the demoness, pointed to one of the chambers. Ei nodded her thanks to him and sauntered over to the room. Fear immediately frothed over the mind. Zhongli hasn't woken up yet... Suddenly, he is now on the verge of death..? Taking a deep breath, she gently pushed the bamboo door. It was very bright in the ward. It was somewhat similar to the room where the demoness woke up. Near the window, bequeathed with dusty tulle, there was a small bedside table with branches of wild pink sakura, from which almost all the light leaves fell off. There were benches and tables nearby, on which stood various cones and boxes. They smelled of medicines. There was a mattress by the bedside table. There was a clear smell of wisteria, blood and some unusual rot. Ei swallowed hard, but went inside the ward. It was terribly quiet, not even breathing could be heard. – Hey! Sorry, but you can't come here! - a little girl entered the room, dropping a package of fresh bandages from her hands. – the patient must fully recover! Ei snorted and stubbornly looked at her friend's mangled body. With a sharp movement, she removed the light veil covering his chest and pressed her gaze into his bleeding wounds. His hands, black, devoid of flesh, lay tightly pressing the fabric of the blanket, and his face, just as dry, seemed to be covered with cracks. The luxurious hair was smeared with dust and thick, sticky blood. The girl covered her mouth with one hand, and with the other she gently ran over his chest, going down to his cut legs, hidden by a light rag. She's the one who made him like this... Allowed demons to his position, split up with him during the battle in the fortress... Guilt squeezed his chest sharply, tearing the air out of his lungs. Resentment and self-hatred crept into my head. She promised herself she wouldn't let him die, but his condition is so terrible... If Zhongli was really human, he would have died. The demoness naively hoped that he would be able to regenerate to the end. Although it scared her terribly that even a week after the battle, he could not recover even half... The death of Muzan and the long battle at the peak of its capabilities severely crippled the abilities of the demons. Ei touched his face, feeling a strange pain in her eyes. She's so emotional with him... "I will never let you down again, Zhong Li..." - the girl forcefully squeezed the man's blanket, ignoring the girl who was flitting around her and the boy she brought. The oath was given and the demoness was ready to keep it.***
It's been about a month since the battle with the demon king. None of the people have ever let go of the people who left in the Great Battle and the millennia of extermination by demons. They mourned the dead, but everyone's heart felt lighter. So many years of tyranny and sacrifice... Humanity was recovering from the shock and smiling with relief at the coming future, rising from its shattered knees. The remaining fighters were clearing the territory of small oni. With them was a demoness with bright purple hair and a nichireen blade in her bosom. Thanks to the girl's attacks during the decisive battle, there were literally only a few monsters left. People didn't particularly like the demoness. Most often they tried to ignore her, but there were also those who did not hesitate to throw some sarcastic comment in her direction. She tried not to react to it. I didn't really want to cripple the fighters... Ei didn't touch people. There was no way to get delicious food without Zhongli's help... She wanted blood terribly, but she mercilessly crushed this desire in herself, helping herself to sake or delicious tricolor dango. One kid in the village where one of the remaining demons lived sold the tastiest dangos with milk... Ei bought at least twenty of these drinks. The nichirin blade in her hand was still unusual for her... Due to the connection of the weapon with the sun, her skin was often singed, as well as during the day, but, fortunately, it was no longer fatal. Killing demons with a Thunder Spear was more familiar, but he inflicted too many lightning wounds on her, so she had to swing a katana. Thanks to the serum of Morax and the slow disappearance of Muzan's blood, she walked forward almost painlessly during the day, held the nicirin blade in her hands and enjoyed the pleasant smell of wisteria... Her body has also almost recovered. Only the giant scar on his back still did not want to be tightened and his hearing did not fully return to normal. After the hardest battle with Muzan, her regeneration and blood magic really became much worse... Dawn was coming. Pinkish clouds hugged the dark canvas of the blue-black sky, touched it with light yellow rays of the morning sun rising from under the edge of the earth. Ei took a deep breath, feeling with every fiber of her being the smell of fresh dew and wet leaves of the still dark forest behind her. All the demons, with the exception of three, were exterminated. She and the rest of the fighters were slowly returning from the mission. – Finally! - Mitsuri exclaimed joyfully, lifting her face to the warm sunlight. - I'm so glad it's over. She was hugged by the shoulder. Blind Obonai, still an excellent swordsman, walked right behind the pillar of love. Sanemi, Genya and Giyu walked behind, followed by Ei herself and a squad of fighters in black kimonos. The demoness could not stand it and smiled sadly, watching how happy people exchange words, shake hands and cry out joyfully. Finally, hell on earth has come to an end... The squad of fighters split up and only Ei and a couple of people went to the butterfly estate. The girl felt her heart beating anxiously at the sight of the building... Neatly finished walls surrounded by gates of living trees. Beautiful stone gardens, smells of medicines and people swarming there. The butterfly estate was incredibly beautiful, with its inherent grace and an atmosphere of quiet seclusion. But this place will never become familiar to the girl and it was hard to come there again. She wanted to get away from people, from the unnecessary temptation to commit irreparable... Suddenly, at the will of the flow of a quiet breeze, the pungent smell of medicines and wisteria hit the nose. – Hey! - someone shouted and the girl turned around, not believing her eyes. To her left, leaving the estate garden, Zhongli walked straight towards her in a light, white kimono. His long hair was loose, and his face, until recently so exhausted, seemed quite healthy. Except that the eyes, so bright and honey-colored, like two lanterns, seemed even brighter and more distant. Forgetting about everyone in the world, she rushed straight to him, embracing his mortal body in a strong embrace. The man also snuggled up to her, touching her hair in a ponytail with icy hands. The fighters behind them hurried back, giggling one last time. Ei felt her friend's body gradually recover. Now she could feel his torso, warm arms covered with muscles and skin, and not a charred skeleton, as he seemed when she first saw him after the battle with Muzan. She pulled away from the embrace, holding his coal-black hands. The girl smiled so sincerely, looking into his beautiful honey eyes. – I'm so glad to see you, - she said, stroking his shoulder. – I still can't see much, but I'm glad you're okay, - the native baritone gently wrapped his ears and the girl again buried her nose in his chest. – Me too, - she whispered, huddling so close to him, as if she wanted to merge into one with his being. Ei felt the man sigh softly and stroke her back with his hand. They just stood there, clinging to each other with all their might, as if afraid of losing one of them again, until it was time to go back to the butterfly manor. They both have so much to do...***
Then the last meeting of the pillars took place. Ei was not there, she only knew that Zhongli was there and humbly waited for him under a branching oak tree in the garden. This moment... It really was unforgettable. It was as if all the pain and despair, so tightly lodged in the girl's soul, had left her and now she was filled with a peaceful and such an unusual life. The demoness did not believe in what was happening. That doesn't devour people, doesn't attack the butterfly estate, that waits for someone here... It's so strange, but Ei hoped it would be like this forever. The leaves of the lush tree fell like green moths down, gently touching the icy, pale skin. On a light kimono with a tight belt, the sun rays played, walking now on the palms, then rising higher, to the face. Purple eyes with a brilliant pupil caught a movement near the shoulder and the girl turned her whole body to the silhouette approaching her. It was Morax. The girl breathed a sigh of relief and got up from the ground, already being picked up by such native hands. The man with disbelief touched her cheekbone with his fingers, ran them up to her chin and gently touched the warm lips of the girl, leaving a kiss. There was everything in his gaze: relief, quiet joy and incredible, huge love that forever engulfed their bodies. – How did it go? - the girl pulled away, feeling a kiss on her thin neck. – It's hard. Many pillars are missing in their places... he said sadly, exhaling warm air into her shoulders. The girl placed her palms confidentially on his neck, allowing him to run his lips over her thin collarbones. However, the man gently pulled away, flashing his dazzling bright eyes in the sun. – Shall we walk? - he asked. – We can, - the demoness nodded and took his arm. Green hills towered over their heads, rising from the ground in giant terry piles. The green trees on them moved their branches under the blows of the warm wind and loudly rustled their emerald leaves. Little birds chirped happily in the woods, interrupting each other. Ei couldn't hear as well as she used to, but she could feel the life around her in her gut. As if merging with her surroundings, she felt like a stone lying on a well-trodden road, a small meadow flower swaying in the wind, a bird singing about freedom and eternal love at dawn. The calmness merged with the heated female body, soaking into the fiery blood. Fear and disgust erupted from the body and mind. All the worries suddenly became so insignificant that the girl could not believe that they had ever happened. Morax led her between green paths, passed under the crowns of majestic trees. He seemed strangely relieved. It always seemed to Ei that he, like her, was too burdened with oaths and contracts, but his body was able to withstand tons of chains and locks of other people's words. But now all this weight seemed to have fallen off him, and his whole figure was unusually light. Soon the demons were on a high hill. The small, green clearing was surrounded by walls of tall trees, as if it was a small paradise, protected from human burdens. Ei landed neatly on the grass, looking ahead: there, under thousands of majestic green crowns, was a huge, pale Tokyo. Millions of small houses gleamed with their roofs in the sun, imperceptible fleas-people walked back and forth... It smelled of freshness and meadow flowers. Zhongli appeared next to the girl, sat in the lotus position and closed his eyes. As if dissolving with the wind, his long brown hair flew up on the air currents, then slowly landed on his broad shoulders. – Three hundred years ago, my wanderings led me to the Ubuyashiki family, - the demon told me in a measured voice, diluting natural songs with his low voice. - we made a contract and I swore to serve them until the demons were exterminated and their king was destroyed. In return, I found many friends who helped me invent a decoction of blue spider lilies found in my wanderings. For about 60 years, the study of this flower lasted while I was hiding under the cover of night and performing tasks of the former head of the fighter clan. Almost no one from hashir knew about me, except the Ubuyashiki family itself. Later, when people were able to invent a decoction of lilies, and two test tubes of serum were in my hands, I swore to myself to give the second flask to someone who could help destroy the demons once and for all. And, honestly, I didn't even suspect that it would be the young 6th moon from the "Spring Grove". Thanks to your help, the demons have been exterminated and my contract has been fulfilled. Thank you. Ei looked away, shyly lowering her eyes. – I didn't help in the battle against the
