46 Split

Eira's soul trembled as she saw Kaze's eyes closed. It couldn't be… His purple aura still flickered, he was fine right? He wasn't dying? Eira's hands shivered as her throat croaked again.

"Kaze!" Eira shouted with aggression as if being aggressive would pull his soul back into his body. Her grip was intense and tight at Kaze's shoulders and her eyes filled with tears. She slowly lifted her head and looked at the sky, a deep purple that slowly changed to a light blue. Her neck felt tight, she choked on her own breaths, the overwhelming guilt and remorse pounded in unison with her heart. Her mind didn't want to accept the fact that she had been the cause of Kaze's death. Her blue eyes dripped with tears that dampened her sleeve as she wiped them. A single image bled into her imagination. Ali. Eira's mind made a foolish conclusion. It was Ali's fault. Eira's hands clamped at Kaze's shoulders just at the thought of Ali. Kaze's body shifted and he took a deep breath. Eira's head violently turned downward to look at Kaze's face. 

"I'm alright. Just trying to control my breathing." Kaze spoke quietly, his concentration on his breathing was obvious. Eira had a split second of relief, til her head fixated back forwards, her eyes widened as she felt the bright orange aura slowly flicker and become smaller and smaller. Eira jumped quickly and ran over to Rengoku, the sunlight peeked over the horizon and brightened the scene, Eira's light blue jacket flailed as she stumbled towards Rengoku, the sunlight illuminating his bright hair. Kaze's head hit the hard ground as Eira dashed away.

"Ow! Eir.." Kaze's face erupted with a scowl til he slowly lifted his head, and saw the situation. Kaze's bleeding immediately worsened as he took short breaths at the sight of Rengoku in such a disastrous position. As the hot blood flowed onto his already saturated sleeve, Kaze forcefully picked himself up and sprinted towards Rengoku, the blood left a trail behind him. 

"Rengoku!" Kaze shouted as he kneeled by his side, his bloodstained hand held his wound as he panted. Both his and Eira's faces were pale with shock. Rengoku, the Flame Hashira, bold and seemingly invincible, was now on the verge of death after the battle with Akaza.

"Kaze… Eira. You two are extremely talented. Strong and courageous." Rengoku grunted as he struggled to get his words out. Blood spilt from his fatal stomach wound as he leaned forward.

"Strong people are the chosen few, and as the chosen few. You must protect those who can't protect themselves!" Rengoku's tone rose again, his last moments were not that of a hindering and weak flame. Eira's heart pounded as Rengoku's aura spiralled and burst with energy, the orange resembling a strong fire. 

"You must put your strength to the limit! Push mountains and pull continents! That is the art of being human, our relentless determination! Our kindness and willingness to help others! The ability to swing a sword till our death!" Rengoku shouted, the sun itself shone brighter as it rose over the horizon and met the landscape, Rengoku's words stretched across the fields as he smiled with an undying hope and optimism. 

"Set your hearts ablaze!" Rengoku's words brought both Eira and Kaze to tears.

"We're so sorry… we couldn't help you." Eira poured her guilt into words, she hadn't been of any help to Rengoku in the fight, she hadn't even defeated Ali. "I wasn't any help…" Eira's eyes flooded with tears and her heart hurt.

"Do not blame yourself. It is a Hashira duty to protect those under them, any Hashira would've done the same. I want you to grow in strength, clench your fists, dry your tears and pull your weight. Until you become Hashira as well, powerful ones!" Rengoku's words slowly became less and less loud. He didn't have much time left. Eira's hands frequently wiped at her eyes, Kaze was silent in disbelief and shock, his eyes tinted red as he fought the urge to wail. 

"Thank you," Kaze spoke a simple two words that meant so much. Rengoku smiled as he looked forward. He smiled one final time before his body slumped and his soul departed his body. 

Eira's breath came in intervals as her sobs erupted. She wiped her tears and looked up to the fallen train that still stood, some passengers now came out of the train and helped others. On the top of the train stood a single crow. Eira's albino crow, still and silent. 

"Call… Call for backup." Eira spoke softly, hoping the crow heard her. The crow launched off the train and flew into the distance. Eira's eyes moved toward Kaze, his breath heavy as he battled his wound. Eira felt his conflicted purple aura that slowly fluctuated. An aura that usually comforted her now worried her, especially after she just witnessed the fading of another. 

"Just… hang on ok? Help is coming.' Eira gripped her light-blue sword and stared at the red blood that stained the middle of her blade. Her fingers quivered with guilt. She looked back at the lifeless body of Rengoku, a faint smile still on his face. 

Set your heart ablaze. She was going to pursue the art of being human, she was going to eliminate every demon she came across. The image of Akaza's arm penetrating Rengoku's stomach burned into her mind, she was going to eliminate every demon she came across. Ali's kind eyes, with no change, his genuine smile. She was going to eliminate every demon she came across.

Hours went by, and the news spread just as fast as the sun's rays spread across the land. Rengoku's death was one of honour, one of bravery, not a single soul on the train had died due to his efforts to keep Akaza at bay. 

Asumi's eyes were clamped shut as she held the light blue flower that usually rested in her hair. Her head faced downward as she struggled to keep her composure. Her hair hung tied in a ponytail as she took deep breaths in. To her side was Eira, who faced forward and stared at the scenery of the Butterfly Mansion's garden with wide eyes, she was zoned out. She hadn't blinked in over a minute simply because her eyes were glued to a particular spot in the dense bush. Asumi and Eira hadn't said a single word to each other, Asumi came to welcome them and then saw Kaze's dangerous state, he was hurried into a room to be treated. Eira and Asumi waited on the balcony outside that room, they both hoped he was fine, but they didn't express it through words. They both sat silent in contrast to each other, Eira's lack of emotion represented just how much it had taken a toll on her mind, while Asumi's clamped eyes and tight grip while she looked down suggested she was stressed out of her mind. 

Eira replayed the entire night in her head, so much happened in a single night. The same picture of Ali kept entering her imagination. Eira looked towards Asumi, the flower in her hands occasionally glowed faintly. Asumi's pink aura danced slowly, a calm and precise movement of caution. Eira took a deep breath.

"Ali," Eira spoke softly, but loud enough for Asumi to hear. "Ali was there." 

Asumi's eyes slowly opened and turned to Eira. Her mouth was wide and her back straightened.

"What?" Asumi's voice cracked and she cleared her throat.

"After we defeated Lower Moon One, Ali and Upper Moon Three came." Eira kept her words concise. She was unbelievably tired but refused to sleep before knowing Kaze was alright. 

"I… tried to kill him." Eira tugged her own heartstrings with the line, she finally shut her eyes and leaned back as the sunlight fell on her face. "I tried to slash his neck but Kaze stopped me, that's why he got the cut on his shoulder." 

Eira felt miserable having to be so honest in her flaws. Eira's mind was frantic at this thought. Flaws? No. She did what was right.

"We said we would kill him right? He's a demon. We're demon slayers." Eira's tone was much more blunt than usual, her voice lacked that humility and kindness she usually had. 

"When the sun rose, he told me. 'Tell Asumi that I'm ok.'" Eira opened her eyes as she repeated what Ali said. The scene painted itself in Eira's mind. She took a deep breath and looked back at Asumi. Asumi's eyes were full of relief, she faced forward again and closed her eyes, she pressed the flower to her nose and tears flowed down her face. The pink aura which was bordered by red grew in size, no, the red border got thinner. 

Eira was surprised Asumi hadn't commented on how Eira tried to kill Ali.

Asumi knew it was the 'right' thing to do. Her mind was hung up on how Eira had actually attempted it. Asumi had no right to refuse the responsibility of a demon slayer, but she knew if she met Ali, there was no chance that she could harm him, not at this moment in time. The grass was brushed by the wind as it leaned to the right, the bushes danced in unison with the trees and the flowers on the ground slowly swayed from right to left as the two friends stayed silent for a long time. 

Eira's eyes had a soft gaze as they started at the ground. She couldn't explain the amount of feelings she had experienced in the past half a year or so, from the solitude of the mountains where she trained, rested and ate. To the rollercoaster that awaited her below, she had made new friends, lost friends. Her whole outlook on life had changed. She gained so much new information, instead of grasping knowledge through reading, she felt it with her own hands, and saw it with her own eyes. The green grass, the brown trees that populated, the heavy rain which didn't turn into snow. None of these were aspects of a story anymore, she had witnessed them first-hand. They had become normal. Just as friends have become a normal aspect for her.

The door behind them slowly slid open. Eira and Asumi alike both turned quickly, a girl dressed in the Butterfly Mansion uniform stood there with a smile.

"He'll be fine. He just needs rest." She gave them a soft thumbs up as her hair flowed alongside the wind that brushed upon her face.

Eira and Asumi both shared a common feeling of relief. Kaze sat up on his bed and smiled at the both of them. Asumi put the flower into her hair and stood up to talk to him.

The three of them talked for a while. They laughed slightly, discussing the mission, and how noble Rengoku had been. The conversation felt bitter-sweet for some reason as if it would be the last conversation they would have for a while. As they neared the end of the conversation, Asumi took a big gulp and looked towards the two of them.

"Well, I have a mission to get to tonight." Asumi stood up and brushed her uniform. Eira had a brief shock in her eyes as she looked up at Asumi. 

Asumi has a mission alone?