Kitsune

i. demon

Snowfall. It was the one absolute that was offered in the dead of the winter months. No matter who lives, who has died, what will be and what has been, snowfall will always occur. That was just a common fact. It was what lay beneath and beyond the snow and the walls of villages of homes that were secret.

What lay up beyond the mountains of wisteria and what was kept inside; held as a prison unless otherwise executed. The pure, beautiful snow the people know was far more dark and grim than the children who rolled in it realized. Not a single one of them knew just how crimson snow can become when soaked with the darkest shade of blood from something that isn't man, nor animal. The blood of a demon is much darker.

The distant woods of Japan were tranquil in the season of winter. Thin bare trees, coated with the faintest layers of snow that could fall off their small, frail branches. The ground though would catch all that fallen snow and pile up until a sea of white would cover the forest floor. Green of grass dead and brown of dirt hidden under the pure white of the cloudy grey skies.

It was in these forests that echoed the sounds of battle.

Somewhere beyond those bare, endless snowy-white trees was a man. Running, weaving through the snowy abyss. Clothbound waraji on his feet and to his knees along with a black keikogi, a single matching obi around his waist. Covered over on top of his zipping body was a red, floral haori- fluttering behind him like a crimson butterfly. Two swords were strapped on top of one another slung around his hip. A hand of his resting on the tip of their dual hilts, steadying them in his rapid sprinting.

He was in pursuit. His head turned towards his right, following something with his eyes as he tracked them. His eyes flicked up to the tree line, following his target. He slid to a stop, drifting into a halt as his heels dug into the pact snow. The hand resting on his swords moved to grip a single one before quietly and steadily drawing his blade.

He stood completely silent, blade shining off the innocent snow. All was still for just a moment. He whipped around, a feral growl approaching as a creature sprung from the treetops above- descending upon him. It was inhuman.

Veins crawling- bulging- up to its neck and around its face. Barely covered in cloth, most unfitting for the cold of winter with stained claws. Claws that were aimed at the hunter's throat. This mindless demon was looking for its next human meal before the cloudy-snowing sky revealed the sun.

The hunter remained ever calm- even with a demon after his head. A deep breath, a swift moment and a clean strike was all it took. Slicing his sword towards his attacker, he was soon behind the demon once again sheathing his sword after swiping it clean of blood. The demon's body fell limply into the snow with a muffled thud. It's head landing away from its body- cleanly decapitated.

The innocent white snow tainted with demon's blood as its body twitched with its last moments of life. The hunter stood in front of the headless body as it began to disintegrate. The demon howled and cursed before its body and head vanished. Never even a bone remained of the corpse- everything into dust.

Then the hunter bowed.

Placing a hand to rest back on the hilts of his swords, he looked to the frozen rain of snow falling overhead with no sight of stopping. He took a deep breath, letting it out in the form of chilled fog before it dissipated.

"Winter in Japan is much colder than I remember," was all he said as he stood alone. Setting his sights down- forward- he moved to proceed on. Making his footprint in the bloody snow that would soon be covered by a fresh new layer of white.

The hunter who tread through the woods soon entered through the gates of a village. It was a small one- well off the path that kept it firmly hidden from others. However, this village held a purpose for his visit. A manor that is kept hidden inside a barrier to keep demons from finding it, only Demon Hunters with specifically crafted talisman could see and enter it.