Creation- Demon slayer fanfic

Chapter 27

I wake up, my brain pounding against my skull.

What just happened? Where...am I?

I look around slowly, my eyes adjusting to the dim light. Metal bars stand tall to the right and the sound of crying echoes throughout. I try to put a hand up to my head, but instead I feel a cold metal. Dropping my hand and looking down, I see some sort of restraints covering my entire forearms, meaning I can't split my skin to create my weapons. My whole body is numb as well, I cannot move with precision. I try to sit up and succeed, but the room begins to spin. After a moment, the nauseous feeling dissipates and I'm left staring through the bars at the girl across from me.

I try to call out Rei's name, but the only noise that I make is a muffled one. Suddenly, I'm aware of metal rubbing against my face.

" Hey! There's no sense in trying to get out man. We're going to die in here and that's that," a male voice pierces the air.

Lifting my ears I can make out that the man is around thirteen feet diagonally to my left.

" Silence! Prisoners are not to speak!" another male voice announces.

" Aku?" Rei whispers.

Nezuko speaks with a muzzle, right? So I just need to respond with how she does.

" Mhmm," I mumble.

" Oh good! I thought they'd already taken you!" she gasps in relief.

Already taken me? What does she mean by that? 

My senses are still fuzzy and my vision is still poor. I think back to that old lady, the one who poisoned us in the first place. Who was she? What was she? What in the hell did she do to us and what is she going to do to us?

The air is uncomfortably cold in here as well and I think that's to stiffen up the muscles of anyone too lively. Minutes pass and only the sound of the guard humming hits my ears. How in the world are we meant to get out of this? I can't use my breathing style since I have no way of making myself bleed. I'm guessing that they took Rei's katana, so I can't rely on her either.

More importantly, if I manage to escape, do I try and help her? I'm not particularly fond of her... but what would Tanjiro do? Surely he'd find a way to save everyone here, but I'm in trouble if I try and do that. I'm not allowed to kill humans without his consent! I'm not even allowed to hurt them! So how would I rescue everyone here?

" Aku! Step to the back of the cell!" a loud ringing noise disrupts my thoughts

Who is that? I look up to see a demon with red skin and two golden rings around his head. He has three eyes and his mouth is on his neck instead of his face.

" Step back!"

I do as I'm told reluctantly. A man enters the cell and grabs me by the arms, dragging me out of the prison. A chill runs down my spine as I pass the demon. I was able to get a closer look and to my surprise, there was a number one in the lower right eye.

This demon is the number one lower moon? That isn't very good considering I may not be able to beat him in a one versus one, let alone against multiple demons.

I'm dragged outside where the old lady is waiting.

" Is he it?" she asks.

" I think so. Transform back please Takumi, there's no need for that disguise anymore," the red demon states.

Are they talking about me?

" Woah! Look at his tattoos! They're from that legend!" a kid exclaims.

" Now now Sora, what did I say? No mentioning those horrid things, okay?"

" O-okay," the kid slumps his shoulders and stalks away.

He can see my tattoos? I look down at my chest and realize that I'm no longer wearing the top half of my uniform.

" We had to see if they were the same ones. My apologies weakling, we were wrong," the red demon chuckles.

Weakling? How dare he!

I stare him down furiously, but he doesn't seem bothered about it whatsoever.

" You are but a simple human. Humans can't beat something like me! I'm way too powerful!" he throws his hands in the air.

Cockiness will get you killed demon and I will be the one to drink your blood when you fall.

" Takumi, turn back now," he orders.

" Yes Akashio."

The old lady's skin flips and morphs into a short demon with messy green hair and a dull green skin tone. He almost looks like a snake if I'm being honest.

" You will be put to work until my master arrives to decide on who to eat for the great festival," Akashio, I guess, orders.

I'm shoved forwards through the small village, gazes following me as we go. I'm being pushed by a man with long black hair and bleached bangs. He is rather tall and not a sore sight. His face is set in a worried look. He brings me into the woods where there is a group of young men chopping down trees and organizing the fallen trunks.

" You will cut down trees. You must cut down forty per day or your fingers will get cut off," the man says, voice a bit shaky.

I turn to him and tilt my head to the left. He smells like a demon, yet he doesn't look, or have the presence, of one.

" My name is Semi Akihiro. I'm sorry this happened to you, but I know you're a demon slayer. Please help us!" he whispers swiftly.

He's being forced to do this? Akihiro then shoves me forwards and I stumble. How am I meant to swing an ax when I can't use my hands? Not to mention the numbness in my arms. I walk towards the group and stare at them while they work in the hot sun. As soon as they see me, they all stop what they're doing. A tall demon waits in the shade of a tree, motioning for me to go to him.

He twirls a key around his index finger, so I do as he wants me to. Unlocking the restraints, he smiles.

" Now get to work fake legend," he orders, handing me an ax.

It was a long day and when the moon rose, Akihiro was the one who escorted me back to my cell. The restraints were put back on and I was given no food or water.

" You're back! What happened?" Rei asks.

I ignore her since I can't answer her.

" Aku."

I snap my tired head up and stare at the half demon who had just appeared.

" Hey! Leave him alone!" Rei shouts, hitting the bars.

" Shh!" Akihiro silences her, " I'm here to help! I heard from somewhere that you use the breath of blood Aku. A powerful breathing technique that only you can use, is that correct?"

I nod my head.

" I'm not supposed to be here and I knocked out the guard... but I know that you could beat lord Akashio! So please, if I set you free... please save my village!"

Save his village?

He reaches out for my hands and I lift the restraints to him. He quickly unlocks them and they drop to the ground, causing a loud noise to erupt.

He wants me to beat the lower moon one? 

I split my skin and form two skinny, but abnormally sharp blades. Cutting through the bars as quietly as I can, I go to Rei.

How do I communicate to her what I need her to do? If I were to fight the lower moon, I need her and Akihiro to fight off the rest of the demons.

" I understand. I'll fight the weaker ones. Akihiro, I'll need your help," Rei whispers, staring into my eyes.

I sigh with relief as I slice her bars as well. I'm surprised such a simple blade can cut through such strong metal. I turn to the half demon who is staring back at me. Nodding, I speed through the damp tunnel and out into the night air. I'm met with the red demon, rings spinning.

Can I beat him?