When I woke, it was already nightfall. A few people sat around the campfire—Manny, Mai, her father, Eqihr, and Xain. Xain was in the middle of telling a story about a man bitten by darkness. He claimed that long ago, a man lived in isolation out in these meadows. The man had practiced a forbidden art called Kuragari—a darkness so consuming it turned him into shadow itself. Legend said he still wandered the meadows and forests, searching endlessly for the light he once lost.
Then Xain screamed at the top of his lungs, making all of us jump. Mai shoved him off his seat and scolded him, while the rest of us burst into laughter. Even I couldn't help but chuckle, though his words unsettled me. He became darkness itself… The memory of that shadow figure I'd seen before crept back into my mind. Maybe it had been a trick of the eye—but I pushed it down and tried to forget.
Later, Eqihr revealed he had found a new medium. It wasn't a scaled sword, but an ordinary blade from the village, one that still let him channel his basic powers. The night grew late, and one by one, the others retired to rest. I stayed by the fire with Manny.
"We could just leave, you know," he muttered suddenly. "We could run away, never come back. No more war, no more burdens." He was talking about abandoning Pansen altogether.
I shook my head. "I can't. I've made a connection with this land. I can't turn my back on them now."
"That's not what I meant," he said quickly. "I mean—we have power now, Goshi. We could do whatever we want."
I could sympathize with him, but my path was different. He wanted freedom; I wanted responsibility. "You always said you wanted peace. You could change things, Manny. You could fix our home."
He clenched his fists, frustration boiling over. "Do you think they'll change their ways, Goshi? After everything? After all the chances they had?!" He punched the air, sending violent vibrations rippling outward. "They won't change!"
I placed my hand on his head, calming his mind. His eyes fluttered shut, and he slumped onto my shoulder. I carried him back to his hut, laid him down, then stepped back outside.
Mai was still sitting by the fire, lost in thought. I walked over and asked, "What are you doing out here?"
"Thinking about the future," she said softly.
I sat beside her. "And your other feelings?"
She hesitated, then spoke with rare confidence. "I don't know what the future holds. But my feelings for you—they're strong."
Her words caught me off guard. My face went red, and she laughed, teasing me. "Goshi, you really do get nervous easily."
I asked her suddenly, "Do you think we'll stop the war?"
Her smile faded. "I don't think it's possible. Our enemies are too powerful. But…" she looked at me, "…I have hope in us."
"You don't believe in the Yin-Yang spirits?" I pressed.
"I do," she admitted. "But belief doesn't change the fact—we aren't ready for a full-scale war."
I leaned closer, meeting her eyes. "I won't let anything happen to you. Or your family. No injuries. No losses. No sacrifices. As long as I'm here, you're safe."
She turned back to the fire, her voice tense. "Don't be stupid, Goshi. If you put yourself before everyone, you'll die too."
I laughed lightly, which only made her glare at me. "It's not funny. I'm serious!"
"So am I," I said firmly. "I meant every word."
She yawned and whispered, "I just want to sleep without war or hate stabbing into the ground like a sword."
"Then rest," I said gently. "We've got something important tomorrow."
She admitted she was sleepy and, before long, dozed off against my shoulder. Once she was fully asleep, I carried her to her hut and then retreated to mine.
By morning, we were packed and ready. "Goshi, Manny—open a combined rift. I'll handle the rest," Eqihr instructed.
Together, Manny and I opened the portal. Eqihr infused it with his magic, linking it directly to Haru. One by one, everyone stepped through: Mai, her father, her brothers, the three armored men, and Manny.
I lingered, holding the portal open. In the corner of my eye, I saw it—the shadow figure. This time, it didn't flee. It stared at me.
"You don't have to run," I said firmly. "I know about you. I can help."
The shadow advanced slowly, defenses raised. I lifted my hand, energy crackling in my palm. "I can give you your body back."
At those words, he rushed forward and pressed his hand against mine. White light burst from the contact, filling him, restoring his form. When the glow faded, he stood before me, flesh and bone once more. He examined his hands, awe flashing across his face—then his expression twisted.
"Thank you… for making me stronger," he sneered darkly. His palm rose, power building. "Nazo is going to love this."
Before I could react, he unleashed a blast of wind that hurled me into the rift.
I tumbled out into Haru, where everyone stared at me. "What happened?" they asked.
"I think I just made a huge mistake," I admitted grimly.
Moments later, we were summoned before Haru's administration. They laid out strict rules: since Manny and I were tied to the war's most dangerous factions, we had to stay hidden. No interfering in local affairs. No public presence. We were to remain outcasts, just as back home.
Manny bristled at the restrictions, but Eqihr spoke for us. The officials gave us a hidden residence—five bedrooms, one roof—and ordered us not to leave until summoned.
Later, around the table, the others asked me what I meant earlier by "messing up." I told them about the shadow man from Xain's story, how I gave him his body back. At first, they thought it was good news—until I revealed he was allied with Nazo.
Eqihr frowned, deep in thought. "Who could he be?" But even he had no clear answer. The rest muttered that it must have been just a folktale.
Across the room, Manny sat silently by the window, his mood unreadable.
Suddenly, one of the armored men stiffened. "Someone's coming."
The door creaked open, and a man stepped inside wearing a blue and white kimono. At his hip hung a scaled sword with a skink handle. His eyes went straight to Manny and me.
"I bear a warning from Nazo," he said coldly. "This war will not end until you two step forward. Until then, every town and village that fights for the Yin-Yang spirits will burn."
Manny lunged, but Eqihr caught his collar and yanked him back.
The man's hand flashed to his sword. "That was close, Eqihr. Another second, and I'd have cut him down."
"Why are you here, Tiun?" Eqihr demanded.
"I didn't come for a fight. Only to deliver the warning."
"Then why really?" Eqihr pressed, stepping closer, locking him in a glare.
Tiun broke eye contact and fixed his gaze on Manny and me. "Don't forget, Eqihr—you lost your sword. Right now, you're nothing."
With that, he stepped through a portal and vanished.
Eqihr turned to us, voice grim. "A battle is near. When it comes… don't waver."