Demon Slayer : The Flame Pillar

....

"Are you sure you want to leave him behind." A mans grim voice mumbled out as he looked over the fire. He had long and curly black hair with a red face from the cold wind outside. His palms calloused from years of toil. "He'll be stuck here and we may never see him again."

The one he was speaking to was a woman with unique blond hair. Her eyes were like two gems with the color of beautiful amethyst. In her arms was a wrapped up newborn baby who had just been born.

"Its for the best Michael." She said with sadness in her beautiful eyes as she looked upon the peaceful sleep of the babe. "I need to know why our families in the states haven't been able to contact us. It's been year's since I saw my mothers hand writing."

"What about him." Michael mumbled with venom in his default grim tone. His face contorted with conflict. "Can we not bring our son along with us Rachel? We can raise him in the states on dads farm."

"We can't." Rachel's voice cracked while tears began to pour. Memories of how they had arrived on this village resurfacing. "You should know as well as I that we may not make it to the cities that those travelers told us of."

"I know...." Michaels voice also cracked before slowly making his way towards his son. "If only that ship wreck had never happened." Now on his knee, he kissed the forehead of his sons head with a tear rolling down his cheek. "We could've raised him without the misfortune of this situation falling onto him."

Rachel, seeing her husbands sadness leaned upon him with the babe in hand. Already they had planned for the old man next door to take care of the newborn in her hands. The man seemed wise and even expressed reluctance to their departure. But the sadness of leaving her only son in a place like this caused her internal agony.

The couple sat there with the babe for a few minutes in silence before Michael spoke with a strong voice of confidence. "We'll come back. Once we safely arrive at a place to get help, we'll send some communication to America and her a ship to help us. A missing ship and son survivors is bound to attract political interest."

"We'll get a boat after a few weeks of surviving somehow in he city and come back for him." Now with a plan totally laid out, the man stood up and looked down upon his son. "It'll take a while for our son to open his eyes and see the world for himself. And his hair is not visible to differentiate between it being blonde or black. I can only hope he got your eyes Rachel."

Rachel understanding her husband softy caressed her sons face. "His name....."

"Yes." Micahel said in a serious tone. "He'll need a name and a damn good one too."

"If he has purple eyes, his name will be Murasaki." Rachel said with a beautiful smile. "Our Japanese isn't good enough to give him something too complicated."

"True." The father laughed a bit remembering the difficulties he experienced in this village because of his foreignism. "But why purple? It can't be just because of your eyes right?"

"It's because of the tales of wisteria I used to hear before coming to this country." She said with nostalgia radiating in her voice. "Over seas in the states, I had a friend who came from Japan. She would tell me of wisteria and how it was rumored to bring protection from the night."

"But you've never seen it?" Michael smirked while speaking in a joyful tone. He then looked down at his son with a radiant smile. "I like it, Murasaki it is. But what about if he doesn't have purple eyes?"

"What if he has my pitch black eyes?" He said in a gruff tone as he pointed towards his charcoal eyes. "What then?"

"That won't be needed." Rachel spoke softly before motioning towards his husband. "I think it's time for you to hold him. My arms are getting tired and you also need to feel your son in your arms at least once before we leave."

"Alright." He grabbed the babe carefully from her arms and held him in his embrace. "But seriously what if they aren't purple?"

"They will be."

...

*bang* *bang* *bang*

"Old man!" Michael called out after knocking on the door, his son in arms. "Its time!"

Shuffling could be heard from the inside before stopping near the front door. The sound of a lock being slid was made audible before an old man poked his head through a now open door.

"Quiet." The old man whispered before letting them in. "Too loud." Once all inside, he quickly shut and locked the door before motioning for the child.

"Are sure?" The old man spoke in broken English as he took the child in his arms. "Danger. May not come back."

"Yes." Michael nodded with determination while keeping his words simple. "Only way."

"Out then." The old man spoke before looking down at the child in his arms. "Name?"

"Murasaki." Michael said clearly causing a snort to come from the old man causing his lips tighten. Michael noticing the snort went on to say. "After wisteria. Pick different name if eyes not purple."

"Murasaki from wisteria. Apologies. Wonderful name." The old man spoke before pointing towards his door. "Leave. I got it."

"Arigato." Michael bowed before kissing his son one last time on the forehead. "This man will take good care of you Murasaki. His lessons are plenty, learn from them and become a man me and your mother will be proud of."

He then laughed a bit before leaving through the front door. "That's a just in case though. I'm positive me and Rachel will find a way to retrieve you."

*slam*

A tear would then be seen falling from the old man's right eye. Wiping it off with his offhand, he looked at the babe in his arms. His language switching to his native language, he would be speak with sorrow. "Murasaki, Im sorry….."

"They would not listen."

.....

"Come Rachel, Murasaki's future depends on our success."

Lantern in hand, survival supplies, and rice to last a couple weeks, The couple set out into the night.

Only to never be seen again.

....