Aya's swords flashed through the air as she landed strike after strike on Shinobu.  While the demon was immune to the poison, it clearly affected her to an extent, judging by the winces of pain that showed up every once in while. Shinobu's poison was having a toll on Aya's body as well, because of the stupid black flecks that threatened her vision every few minutes.

It was vaguely annoying, but Aya kept at it. Shinobu wasn't very strong, it seemed she relied on her poison the most, but she was fast. Which was just frustrating to fight whenever Aya would lunge for her neck and Upper Two would just randomly appear elsewhere. 

Kami, Aya was getting nowhere. What this how demons fighting Thunder Breath users felt? If so, she pitied them.

Aya instantly shoved that thought out of her mind, instead whirling around and striking Shinobu again, her blades ghosting across Shinobu's skin, drawing blood.

That was another thing. Shinobu's blood wasn't red, it was purple, and Aya was seriously beginning to wonder why.

The fight had been in silence for the most part, unless you counted Aya's hisses of pain or Shinobu's wings flapping whenever the demon dodged. The slayer muttered some choice words under her breath before leaping at Shinobu again, and that was the demon broke the silence. 

"You know, your fighting spirit is just like your father's."

The fight was going on for far to long in silence. 

Normally, Shinobu would fill it with taunts and jeers, but this time she actually had to concentrate on the slayer. Aya--was that her name?--was a very talented slayer. What she lacked in actual strength she made up for in skill, and that made her a very annoying fighter. There was also the fact that she was immune to Shinobu's Blood Demon Art.

Shinobu would have a fun time testing her poisons on the slayer after this battle was done with. 

So, now that there a certain lull in the battle, Shinobu decided it was time to.....spice things up a little. Which meant taking something from the former Upper Moon Three's book and purposefully antagonizing her foe.

It worked like a charm.

There was a shudder of hitched breath, a heartbeat that skipped a beat as the slayer paused for a split second before rushing at Shinobu again. "How do you know that?!" She shouted, and Shinobu dived out of  the way.

"He tried to fight me the day I poisoned  your family. Of course, he couldn't, but it was fun toying with him none the less~"

That made Aya screech to a stop, and Shinobu raised an eyebrow at the shaking in her limbs, her posture and stance all wrong as she stared at Shinobu, eyes wide with horror. "You...what?"

"I poisoned them. Where you aware you where going to have a younger sibling?"

Shinobu may have gone to far with that last one, as the cold  fear and terror quickly switched to burning, twisting hatred and fury. Tensing,  Shinobu watched as Aya shifted into a stance, and a curling,  black mark appeared on her throat. It looked like  climbing vines....

"If any slayer develops a demon slayer mark, treat them as a threat. Purge instantly."

Muzan's  voice rang in Shinobu's mind as slayer and demon locked eyes,  and Aya lunged.

Kanao.

Mother. 

Father.

And her unborn sibling.

Their deaths were caused by this wretched excuse for a slayer, an evil that had tainted Aya's life for over two years. 

Hatred washed away any remaining respect that Aya had had for Shinobu, and it was replaced with pure power as she surged forward, screaming her pain at the demon who had  caused it all  as Shinobu dodged swiftly to the side.

With speed Aya didn't know she had, she twisted to the side, bringing her blades down on Shinobu's face, narrowly missing the demon's neck. Shinobu retaliated in turn, lashing out with sharpened claws that ripped down Aya's side.

The two  stayed interlocked in that tussle, blades, claws, and fangs flashing in the faintly lit room as craters appeared under them from the leaps and missed attacks, blood splattering against the dark stone making it look black..

And all that Aya felt was fury.

How  dare this.....ignorant being of a demon take away her family.  How dare she.

"How  could you?!" She screamed as claws raked across her cheek.  The wound wasn't  deep, but blood dripped down from it steadily. "How  could you take the lives of FAMILIES?! How could you rip away those lives!" In response, Shinobu narrowed her eyes.

"They weren't my family."

In her chest, Aya felt something snap.

"KANAO WAS!"

And with one targeted strike to the neck, Shinobu's head flew into the air.

Shinobu couldn't believe it. 

She was....dying. 

And all her memories hit her like a train, washing away that angry feelings and replacing it with shame. 

Cold

Dark

Shame.

She didn't....no, she did. She killed those people. She had killed Kanao.

Shinobu didn't deserve her title as a hashira. She never did, if this was what happened.

Weak. This was shameful. Shinobu shut her eyes. Nee-san should have lived. This wouldn't  have happened if it was her.

Shinobu then turned to ash, two pairs of eyes on her body.

Blue met dark brown.

At first glance, Aya would have thought that this demon was a slayer.  After all, he wore a tattered version of the slayer uniform, and a blue blade was tightly clasped in his hands.

But he wasn't a slayer, if the kanji in his eyes had anything to say for it. Aya's legs shook as she met his gaze unflinchingly, marveling in the grief that swam in them.

"How dare you kill her." He said quietly, and took up a stance. Aya didn't  say anything, just drawing up every ounce of strength and stamina she had in her body before leaping at him, sword raised.

Nieto moved at the same time,  his  blade flicking upwards in a neat arc.

Blood flew through the air.

A pained scream lashed out.

Doors slammed open,  and a gasp ran out, followed by a a name in yelled in a familiar voice.

"AYA!" 

....

And stone crumbled off the statue's horns as it flexed it's fingers, instantly noting the loss of the Flower of Inazuma.

Shattered Legacy Secret

Shinobu was greeted by no one in the afterlife.

Well.

I think this is probably one of the biggest chapters, lore wise, for THSL.

Shinobu's dead, Aya's....idk,  and the statue crumbles.

On a happier note, I have decided to make THSL a series! How you ask?

Stick around and find out :)

Once again, thank you Veyrum, Boboy, and  Aidan for helping me out. Appreciate it.