The Demon Slayer sighed as she stood up from her perch thinking about how all of this began.
***
“Mommy, Mommy!” Cressida cried. Mrs. Douglas, a cancer patient, looked up from her bed smiling at her six-year-old daughter.
“What is it my dear?” she asked.
Cressida laughed as she crawled into her mother’s lap, slightly pushing her three-year-old brother Abel out of the way.
“Daddy and I made snowmen that look like our family,” Cressida explained. Her mother laughed as Abel started to wake up rubbing his eyes, and her father walked into the room.
“That’s fantastic, sweetie.” As Mrs. Douglas finished speaking, she started to cough very hard. Mr. Douglas rushed the kids out of the room to tend to their mother. An hour or two later Mr. Douglas came out with a sad look on his face. Although he was trying to hide it, he had tears streaming down his face. He kneeled down to face his kids.
“Cressida, Abel, your mother has just passed away.” After he said that Cressida and Abel burst into tears, crying over their dead mother. Their father hugged them tightly and gave the children their mother’s final words, “No matter what happens, always protect each other. You’re a family and families do whatever it takes to keep one another safe.”
Two years later when Cressida was eight and Abel was five, their father brought home a strange woman. She had strawberry blonde hair that was shoulder length and brown eyes. She was actually quite beautiful but Cressida thought her mom was the most beautiful woman in the world and no one could beat that.
Mr. Douglas smiled. “Cressida and Abel, this is Amanda Chadwick, my new girlfriend.” Abel ran to Amanda and hugged her. Amanda smiled at Abel but Cressida knew there was something behind it.
“My, isn’t he a sweet little thing?” Amanda asked and Abel giggled and smiled. Mr. Douglas ushered Cressida over but she shook her head.
“Come now, darling, Amanda won’t bite.” her father said. Cressida reluctantly took a step forward and Amanda bent down to her level.
“What might your name be?” she asked.
“I’m Cressida and the little boy is my brother Abel,” Cressida replied.
“Such lovely names for two adorable children!” Amanda pinched Cressida’s cheek.
I don’t like this lady, Cressida thought, but I’ll try to like her for Daddy.
Four months later is when Cressida’s world was taken from her. Amanda murdered her father in cold blood and kidnapped Abel for herself. From that day on Cressida vowed to find Abel and destroy the Chadwick family.
***
Cressida had killed a total of twenty-three members of the Chadwick family but not one of them had told her where Amanda or Abel was. Rena, her best friend, gave Cressida the title of The Demon Slayer and since then the police used it when filing a murder by her.
Tonight was a grand ball and Amanda’s brother would be there. Steven Chadwick was The Demon Slayer’s next victim. Cressida jumped from building to building until she reached the mansion that the ball was held.
“I’m in position, Rena,” Cressida stated into her earpiece.
“Alright, I’ve locked onto Steven’s location in the room. Now you need to get into the ballroom without causing suspicion,” Rena explained. Rena was in their apartment using her computer to tell Cressida all the information. Cressida had met Rena when she was running from the police for stealing food; Rena saved her and her family took Cressida in.
Cressida flipped her brown hair out of her green eyes. “Copy that. I see a vent a few feet in front of me. Do you know where that leads?”
“Umm, I think that goes to the men’s bathroom but the good thing is that the bathroom is next to the ballroom,” Rena said
Cressida sighed, “Just my luck to be going into the men’s room. Oh well, wish me luck.” After that Cressida jumped into the vent and stealthily crawled until she reached the men’s room. Then she jumped down without making a sound. Cressida looked at the urinals first to be sure there wasn’t anyone staring at her next, she checked the stalls for feet. Cressida saw a pair of feet in the last stall she heard the toilet flush and quickly hide in a stall, hiding her feet and locking the door. The man stepped out of his stall and proceeded to leave without washing his hands. That’s so gross, Cressida thought.
“Hey, what’s holding you up, Cress?” Rena asked.
Cressida shook her head. “Uh, nothing, just some guy forgot to wash his hands after leaving the bathroom.”
“Ugh, that’s nasty and these are supposed to be rich people. Do they have no class?” Rena replied.
Cressida chuckled and rolled her eyes. “I guess not.” Cressida proceeded to the door and looked around before exiting the bathroom. She made her way to the entrance to the ballroom and looked at all the guests until she spotted Steven with a glass a wine in his hand laughing at what another man said.
“I see him, Rena,” Cressida stated in a very serious tone.
“Yay!-” Cressida heard a bang come from the other line.
“What did you do, Rena?”
“Ow ow ow! I tried to jump up but I forgot I had my legs underneath my desk and I hit my knees really hard.”
“Sometimes you really have your blonde moments, Rena.”
“Yeah, well, I am blonde so I at least have somewhat of an excuse.”
“Just turn the lights out already so I can get this guy.”
“Ok, better have your night vision goggles ready.”
Cressida put on her goggles just as the lights went out. Everyone was screaming and panicking it was hard for Cressida to find Steven, but once she did, she knocked him out and dragged him out into an alley by the mansion. Cressida waited until her woke up to ask her questions.
She looked at him in the eyes and asked, “Where’s Amanda?”
All Steven could do was squeak out, “The Demon Slayer!”
Cressida slapped him and asked again, “Where’s Amanda?!”
“She’s at the family’s second mansion,” Steven stated paralyzed with fear.
“Is Abel Douglas there, too?”
“Yes! Just please let me go!”
Cressida shook her head and said, “I’m sorry but I can’t. Amanda took my brother away from me now I’ll take you away from her.” With that being said Cressida took out a knife and stabbed Steven multiple times so he could bleed out faster than her other victims.
           “So the job is done?” Rena asked.
“Yes. After ten years I’m finally going to see my brother again,” Cressida stated with a smile on her face.
That night Cressida came home and started to make dinner for her and Rena. While she was doing that, Rena was gathering information on the Chadwick’s second mansion.
“Hey, Cress!” Rena called.
“Yeah?” Cressida answered.
“You might want to come here.”
Cressida walked into the living room where Rena was lying on the couch, laptop on her stomach. She turned her laptop around and there was a picture of the Chadwick family on the screen. It was a pretty recent photo, too it was taken two weeks ago. On the side of the picture was a list of names stating who was in the picture and where they were. Cressida saw Steven next to Amanda, then she saw something or rather someone in front of Amanda… it was Abel. Cressida started to cry. Abel did not look happy to be in that picture. He didn’t smile he just had a blank expression on his face.
“He’s grown so much,” Cressida remarked.
“Soon you’ll be able to see him in person. You’re the one thing that will make him smile, I’m sure of it,” Rena said with a grin.
“Yeah, it’ll be nice to be a happy family again.”
Cressida walked away to finish dinner and later that night Cressida and Rena were getting ready to invade the Chadwick’s mansion tomorrow night. This time Rena wasn’t going to be sitting around it was a big job and Cressida needed some extra hands to help deal with Amanda and anyone else who was there.
Finally, the time came to rescue Abel. At ten o’clock Cressida and Rena left their apartment and went to the Chadwick mansion. Rena took out the security cameras while Cressida knocked out all the guards. Once that was done Rena looked at the heat signatures on her laptop.
“There seems to be three people inside,” Rena explained.
“Two of them have to be Amanda and Abel. But who is the third?” Cressida asked.
“I don’t know but I guess we’ll find out when we get in there.” Both of the girls went in through the back door. They came across two different paths Rena took the right and Cressida took the left.
Cressida checked every door just to find her brother. She opened a door and it seemed to be a bedroom but there was no sign of Abel. Instead, there was another boy. He had short blonde hair and he looked to be around Cressida’s age. She blushed as she continued to stare at him when he turned around he saw her staring. She blushed even harder at being caught while the boy just smirked.
“Well now, what do we have here?” he asked, his voice was deep and melodic Cressida would do anything to keep hearing it.
“Is it not normal for a rich family to get visitors?” Cressida asked.
“Mother didn’t tell me we would have visitors. Please excuse my rudeness I’m Irving Chadwick Amanda Chadwick’s son it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He held out his hand for Cressida to shake.
Cressida shook his hand all the while thinking, Someone this magnificent can’t be related to Amanda! It’s impossible! 
“I’m Cressida Douglas and the pleasure is all mine, Irving.”
“Oh, a first name basis already? I love it!”
Cressida giggled and noticed their hands were still connected.
She let go. “Pardon me, Irving, but I must be going. I have a meeting with your mother.”
“Of course good luck.”
Cressida left the room and continued to search for Abel. It took a few minutes but eventually she found him. Her little brother was now fifteen. His hair had grown out and he keeps it in a ponytail. He actually looked quite handsome, but he also looked sad. Cressida approached him at the desk he was sitting at and put her hand on his shoulder.
“Hey, Abe,” Cressida said softly with tears in her eyes.
Abel turned around as fast as lightning, seeing his sister for the first time in ten years. He grabbed her and hugged her tight, crying into her shoulder. Cressida did the same she tries to calm herself and Abel but it didn’t work. They stayed like that for a few minutes before they broke apart and just stared at each other like their sibling was a ghost.
Abel spoke up, “I can’t believe you’re here Cressida.”
“Neither can I.”
“How did you know I was here?”
Cressida stopped breathing for a moment. How am I supposed to explain that I’m the Demon Slayer? Cressida thought.
Cressida said, “Well Abe this is hard for me to explain.”
“You can tell me anything,” Abel reassured.
She took a deep breath and said, “I’m The Demon Slayer. I’ve never stopped looking for you all this time.”
Abel stared at her for a minute before smiling, “I knew it.”
“Huh?!” Cressida was stunned as to how he knew.
Abel laughed before explaining, “I saw your cases on the news. I knew it was you by who you were targeting. No one else may have seen it but I did.”
Cressida laughed before she grabbed Abel’s hand and walked to the door. “Come on, we’re going to go find Rena and leave.” Abel nodded and followed her out. They were only a few feet from the door before the pair heard a gunshot and a scream. They saw Irving run out of his room and race towards the sound they decided to follow him. They got to the living room before they saw Rena on the ground with a bullet hole in her abdomen and Amanda with the gun in her hand. Cressida raced to Rena’s side putting pressure on the wound.
“You’re going to be ok, Rena,” Cressida told her with fear in her eyes.
Rena coughed, “I hope so. I still have to get to know little Abel over there.”
Abel walked over with his phone and he is talking to a 911 operator. Cressida spotted Amanda and Irving talking out of the corner of her eye before Amanda runs out the door. She would have gone after her but she’s busy with Rena. Rena noticed Amanda’s departure and saw the hesitation in Cressida’s eyes.
“Hey, I’m not as important as your mission. You’ve been waiting for this chance for most of your life. Don’t let me get in the way.”
“Rena, don’t say that!”
“But-“
“No! You’re family to me, Rena, and I will not let you die!” It felt like hours before the ambulance arrived. Cressida had to leave so her identity wasn’t discovered, but she promised both Abel and Rena she would meet them at the hospital. Irving went with Rena and Abel because he felt like it was his fault that Rena was shot.
Cressida met them in the waiting room of the hospital, Rena was in surgery to get the bullet out of her. She sat in between Abel and Irving, wondering if her best friend will be ok.
Irving put his hand on her knee which was bouncing with nervousness. “Don’t be so anxious, Rena will be ok.”
“How do you know?”
“Your friend doesn’t seem like the type to give up easily.”
Cressida smiled. “She never is.”
Irving smiled before he frowned. “I’m terribly sorry for what my mother has done to you and your brother. After all these years I never knew what happened until Abel decided to tell me on his tenth birthday.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I know you want revenge. I’m trying to tell you that killing my mother will not do you any good. For the past five years I’ve been gathering evidence to convict my mother of murdering your father. After she was in jail I was going to try to find you in order for you to see Abel and gain custody of him.”
Abel looked at Cressida. “Please, Cressida, let Irving put his mom in jail so you don’t feel guilty later.”
Cressida sighed, “I already feel guilty for having Rena come along. But I still need to see Amanda for something before I decide whether she rots in jail or not.” She got out of her chair and left the hospital in search of Amanda.
Irving turned to Abel. “Do you know what she is going to do?”
Abel looked at him and shrugged. “I have no clue.” Abel then turned away and looked at a magazine.
“Cressida is kind of hot.” Irving muttered
Abel looked up, “What was that?”
Irving blushed and quickly said, “Nothing! I have no idea what you’re talking about!”
Abel, along with some nurses and doctors who passed by, gave him a weird look, “Umm, ok, Irving.”
Cressida sat on a bench at an abandoned train station; she waited for Amanda to show. As she left the hospital to go search for Amanda, Cressida received a text from an unknown number telling her to go to the train station and wait. She suspected the number was Amanda but she wasn’t so sure. Cressida thought about leaving until she saw a silhouette of a woman. The woman walked closer and it’s Amanda.
Cressida walked over to her and glared, “Why?”
Amanda smirked, “Why what, darling?”
“Don’t call me that. Tell me why you killed my father.”
“It is a long story, my dear, but I guess I can tell you. The only reason the Chadwicks became a wealthy family was because of your father. After your mother’s death, your father came into quite a large sum of money. I found out about it through the newspaper and decided I could use that money. So I meet your father who grew to have an infatuation with me and I used that to my advantage. During our months of dating, he never gave me a single dime for anything. He never tried to propose to me either; I tried so hard to convince him I would be the perfect wife and mother for you and Abel. So I decided to take all the money for myself.”
Cressida shook her head. “You’re a sick monster.”
Amanda smiled. “Thank you, darling.”
“I have one more question for you. Why did you take Abel?”
“Irving always wanted a younger sibling so why not take the cutest little boy I’ve ever seen?”
Cressida started to walk away from Amanda when Amanda called out to her, “Aren’t you going to kill me? It’s all you’ve ever wanted.”
Cressida turned around and said, “No, I’m not. You’re going to go to jail for what you’ve done.”
“Oh yeah? Where’s your proof?”
Cressida pulled a police wire out of her shirt and Amanda’s face pales. “This isn’t all. Irving has been digging up evidence for the past five years, so enjoy prison… darling.”
***
Rena, Cressida, and Abel go to court three months later to ensure Amanda goes to jail for what she has done. The prosecutor starts by calling Cressida and Abel as witnesses for the murder of their father. Next, Rena was called to the stand to testify about the shooting. They were waiting for the jury’s decision when Irving walks up.
“How’s the trial going?” he asks.
“We’re waiting for the jury’s decision right now,” Rena replies. She’s been forced into a wheel chair for six months and every two weeks she has to see her doctor, but other than that she has been recovering really fast.
“I see,” Irving replies.
“So what are you doing here?” Abel asks him.
“I’m here to see my mother convicted and give emotional support to you all.”
Cressida giggles, “Well, thank you for caring, darling.”
Irving smiles. “You know not everyone has a caring boyfriend like you do.”
“I know but it’s still nice that you came.”
Irving wraps his arm around Cressida, “I’ve got to impress my girl of one month right?”
Once Rena was out of the hospital, Abel moved in and Irving was helping all three of them with the stress of Rena’s condition and Amanda’s arrest. During that time Cressida and Irving grew closer until a month ago when they confessed their feelings and decided to try out a relationship. Irving forgave Cressida for killing his family members; Irving admitted that he never really fit in with his family and Cressida, Abel, and Rena were more of a family to him than his real one was.
Just then the bailiff came over to them stating the verdict was about to be announced. All four of them rush inside the courtroom. On both charges Amanda was found guilty once Amanda was taken away the group of four walked out of the court house side by side.
Abel looks at his sister. “So what’s going to happen to The Demon Slayer?”
Cressida looks at him with a smile, “She is going to retire and become a legend for future generations; only the three of you will know who The Demon Slayer is and what happened to her.” With that being said Cressida walked down the stairs of the courthouse with the trio by her side, and they all looked forward to their futures.