Flash Fiction #7 - Nanashi, the Demon Slayer

This flash fiction comes from an original idea years ago from my story "The God Sword". It's on hold at the moment, but it's one of 3 stories that are really important to me. I have other ideas for other stories so The God Sword is put on hold until then. This gives me time to improve as a writer so that I don't compromise my vision of the story. I want The God Sword and the two other titles (Twins and Sky) to be in the best quality possible when I decide to continue where I left off.

This gives me the idea that in the mean time, I can do these short snippets on the secondary characters to draw out their character that you may not see in the main storyline (since obviously the focus will be on the main characters) =O

This will be about Ian aka Nanashi, the Demon Slayer. Also note, I thought of The God Sword when I was like grade 7-10, and I thought scythes were the definition of cool. Therefore Ian's weapon is a scythe. =b In addition the reason his hair is white because my favourite character from Bleach was Hitsugaya Toushirou who is my favourite character from that manga so yeah. I have to say that I like Ian more than the main character, Alex Williams in The God Sword. Maybe that's why I was contemplating having a spin-off story or has a more prominent role in The God Sword than Twins.

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Tonight was just like any other night as the darkness loomed forth from the deepest part of the caves. The brightness of the moonlight or the stars couldn't reach these places. The forests weren't safe to travel through the night and most travelers tried their best to stay in towns, where the light kept the dark in check. This was because within the dark, monsters lurked around looking for their prey. There were many cases of attacks and murders from these monsters that the general population was afraid. However there was one brave traveler that didn't care whether it was day or night, and decided to stay in the dark. He stood there silently waiting for any sound with a hand on his 8 feet long scythe on his back. When one of the bushes had rustled, he immediately lunged forward slashing the bush with his scythe.

What he found was a rabbit. If this was a couple of years ago, he would moaned for its loss and bury it into the ground while apologizing in hopes to free his guilty conscience. However in the present his cold, emotionless eyes didn't show any remorse for killing an innocent creature. The traveler decided to walk through the forest and after a while, he saw the light of a campfire in a cave in the mountains. When he saw that their shadows weren't human from the light, he smirked. Finally a prey for tonight.

When he got closer, he peeked into the opening of the cave and saw a trio of trolls around a fire, and two human prisoners gagged and tied with rope. Both of them were female, but one was older and the other one was younger.

"How should we prepare these humans for dinner? Skin them before cooking or have it raw?"

"I won't be having them raw. I'll have mine roasted!"

"Luckily we stumbled into them at the right time when we were hungry!" All three trolls roared with laughter.

The prisoners had noticed a white-haired boy at the entrance of the cave, and tried their best to get his attention to be rescued. This was not good for the traveler as he only had plans to exterminate the trolls. In the end, he decided to save the prisoners and then handle the trolls after they were safe.

He crouched, and sneaked towards the prisoners passed the trolls silently but quickly. He kept careful watch of the trolls and always held a hand on his scythe in case they noticed his presence. When he got closer to the two prisoners, he quickly cut the ropes. The younger prisoner whispered happily, "Thank you so much."

He put up a finger to his mouth to silence them and quickly led them to the exit of the cave. Just as they reach the exit, one of the trolls had looked down to see that their meal was gone!

"Our meal is gone! Look for them!"

"They're right there!" One of the trolls pointed to the traveler and the two female prisoners. "Give us back our meal, you thief!"

"Please stay behind me." He quickly told them and then turned to face the three trolls. He smirked, "I'm sorry but you are going to have to get by me first. Bring it on."

With his small stature, he was very agile and easily dodged their slow attacks. He took hold of his scythe with both hands and after every successful dodge he slashed at a body part. After one of the trolls had thrown a punch at him and missed, he jumped up onto the troll's arm and dashed up to his head. He had wound up for an attack and started to carve his scythe into the troll's neck. The troll had retaliated by bashing the traveler to against the wall of the cave. When the grip of the scythe had loosened on the troll, it had grabbed the traveler with its oversized hand and tossed him outside. The traveler had landed on his back, having gotten the wind knock out of him.

Just as the trio of trolls was beginning to venture out to finish off their attacker, the sun was beginning to rise above the horizon. They immediately stopped at the entrance of the cave, cowering at the light. The traveler stood up while leaning on his scythe like a cane and baited them. “What are you so afraid of? Come and get me!”

“We don’t have a death wish. You got lucky this time, brat.” One of the trolls sneered at him then turned to his comrades. “Let’s go in and wait for the next nightfall.”

When the trolls had disappeared into the darkness of the cave, the traveler sighed in relief and pain at the aching of his body from the pummel he had just received. Damn it. I need to get stronger to avenge my sister. Tonight won’t do at all.

Within the midst of his thoughts, the two prisoners approached him with smiles that they were no longer food. “Thank you so much for your help. Are you okay?” The older one asked.

“Yes, it’s nothing. You two can go home now. I’m sure your family is worried.” He simply replied and turned around to cover his painful expression.

“Angela, why don’t we invite him back home and return the favour?” The younger prisoner tugged onto Angela’s hand.

“Sarah, that’s a good idea.” She whispered back and walked over to see a clear image of his face. She was about to say something until she looked shocked at what she saw. The traveler started to walk passed her using his scythe as a crutch. Angela gulped after a moment of hesitation, “At least tell me your name so we can remember your bravery!”

He had stopped walking and then stated quietly, “I don’t deserve your praise, but the name’s Nanashi.”

Sarah held onto Angela’s hand with a puzzled look, “Why didn’t you invite him home with us, Angela?”

Angela had shivered from cold sweat as she looked down at Sarah, “His eyes looked so cold and emotionless as if all life had been engulfed into nothingness like a murderer. He’s the first person that I had met with those eyes. I was afraid.”