Chapter Text
The wind blows silently over the meadow. A Priestess and two demon hunters stand, their weapons at the ready.
“You boys better be ready”, mocks the Priestess Tsubaki.
“You don’t need to worry about us”, retorts Jian Yu.
Yin Yu remains silent, focusing instead on the forest surrounding them. As he catches sight of a shadow obstructing the sunlight over the treetops, he readies an arrow. He shoots as the hoard of demons finally descends upon them.
The fight begins.
…………………….
Body parts of all sorts litter the meadow’s grass. After harvesting as many usable demon bits as he could, Yin Yu crouches down to bury the pieces. Used to his antics, Jian Yu ignores his Shixiong in favor of cleaning his weapons. Tsubaki, for her part, fixes her hair as she watches this demon hunter perform a small prayer for the deceased.
“I’m impressed by your hard work, head disciple Yin”, she says, “Let it not be said that talent is everything.”
The priestess chuckles at her own choice of words before continuing, “Soon, inexperience will cease to burden you.”
There’s a glint in her eyes.
“Heed my words of caution while it’s relevant. Be careful not to show demons kindness, lest that weakness be at the heart of your downfall.”
Yin Yu rises, a polite smile on his face, “I’ll be sure to remember that.”
Before the end of the day, the demon hunters part ways with the Priestess.
“What a rotten character!”, Jian Yu yells out once they’re on the road home, “Shamelessly placing a curse on you as if we wouldn’t notice her doings!”
“Nevermind her, these were simply words.”
“You want me to let it go? Fine. I’ll let it go! She’s nasty is all I’m going to say.”
Yin Yu sighs with a chuckle, appreciating nonetheless his friend’s indignation on his behalf.
“We should hurry back, Yin-Shixiong.”
Yin Yu hums in agreement, “I’ll need to make a stop before we enter the village.”
…………………….
The sun is rising over the creek when the creature approaches the water. It looks around cautiously, but it can’t sense anything around. Just when it’s about to drink, an arrow flies, piercing its heart in an instant. The creature falls, limbs frozen.
Yin Yu emerges from the bushes, Jian Yu right behind him. As they approach, Jian Yu studies the creature.
“Why is it still alive, Yin-Shixiong?”
“I’ve used a sealing spell. We don’t want it dead.”
“We don’t?”
Yin Yu crouches down to inspect his catch.
“I don’t, I just want it immobilized. Just look at that shiny coat, so healthy!”
Under his Shidi’s incredulous face, Yin Yu takes out his shears and gets to work on the demon’s wool.
‘What are you doing, Jian Yu wants to question, but that’s not his place.
“I don’t understand why you didn’t go for the kill.”
As he bags the wool, Yin Yu notes, “Wool of this quality, I’d have to search for it far away from our territory if I killed all the demon sheeps around.”
Next, Yin Yu files the creature’s horns over a wooden bowl, successfully collecting the dust, a base ingredient for many healing ointments. Finally, he prepares a vial to collect the few drops of blood that will leak from the small incision once he removes the arrow. That’ll be just the thing for protection spells.
“Beside, this demon wasn’t doing anything wrong.”
“Are we supposed to wait until they do?”
“Shidi”, Yin Yu admonishes.
Jian Yu freezes, not unlike the creature at their feet.
“Even a demon deserves kindness.”
…………………….
The sun is high in the sky when Yin Yu and Jian Yu make it back to the village. As they approach the sect, they hear a commotion. As angry shouts resonate, Yin Yu takes off. He follows the sounds to the outer training grounds, where a group of Shidis surround what Yin Yu makes out to be a person.
“What’s going on here?” Yin Yu questions as he strides towards the group of junior hunters. As their Shixiong approaches, the group parts and now Yin Yu can clearly see the shaking boy covering his head. From the state of his clothes, it’s clear that this street kid has been beaten into the mud.
“A child.”, Yin Yu places himself between them and the young boy, “You’ve all been bullying a child?”
“That’s a beast!”
“He started it!”
“He was spying on us!”
The Shidis all cry in outrage.
“You again, brat!?”, exclaims Jian Yu once he finally arrives, “What’d you do this time, you dirty Ha-”
“Jian-Shidi”, Yin Yu cuts him off then hands him his bag, “Take this to my room. And escort the juniors back to the sect.”
“You can’t be se-.”
“I’ll handle this.”
Once everyone is gone, Yin Yu crouches down to get a better look at the child. Gently, he calls out to him.
“It’s okay, they’re gone now. You’re-”
Safe. He meant to say ‘safe’. But when the boy raises his head, Yin Yu can see the dog ears the kid had been concealing.
“a Hanyo…”
Yin Yu has never seen one before. He is then pierced by the half-demon’s fierce stare before he loses his footing, thrown off by a handful of mud hitting his face.
“Hey!”
The boy quickly jumps to his feet and Yin Yu can’t help but admire his form as he gets into position to throw another handful. This time, Yin Yu has the presence of mind to dodge the attack.
“That form is from our sect. Where did you learn that, Hanyo?”
“Don’t call me that!”
Yin Yu is taken aback by his hostile reaction.
“Then… tell me your name. Tell me and I promise that I won’t call you that ever again.”
The boy stops, clearly hesitating.
“Quan Yizhen.”
Yin Yu smiles, feeling like he’s getting somewhere. That form…
Maybe, if he pleads his case right with Shibo, then their sect could become the first one to train a half-demon into a demon hunter. That kid is homeless and half-demons are basically humans with super strength, right? This could work!
However Quan Yizhen runs away before Yin Yu can make his offer.