Part One: The Fourth Morning
The fourth day dawned cold and bright.
The arena floor was slick with memory rain. The stands were packed. The air hummed with anticipation.
Muken stood at the edge of the arena, waiting.
"You are nervous," Kage said.
"I am terrified."
"That is different."
"Not really."
Shiori appeared beside him. "The brackets are posted. Your first opponent is Roka. Honoo Tou. Fire. Aggressive. He will try to overwhelm you."
"Any advice?"
"Do not let him control the pace. He fights with emotion. You fight with patience."
She walked away.
Muken looked at the bracket board. His name was there. Muken Sato. Hikari Tou.
Below it, a line of names stretched. Roka. Then, if he won, Sora. Then Kenji.
And at the bottom, in dark ink, Kuro.
"She is waiting for you," Kage said.
"I know."
"Can you beat her?"
Muken looked at his shadow. The black speck had grown to the size of a fist. It pulsed slowly.
"I do not know. But I have to try."
The horn sounded.
Muken walked toward the arena floor. The crowd cheered. Or booed. He could not tell the difference anymore.
He stepped into the circle.
His first opponent was already there. Roka. Tall, broad, scarred. Flames licked his knuckles.
"The Mumei sha," Roka growled. "I have been waiting for this."
The referee raised her hand.
"Begin."
✦ ✦ ✦
Part Two: Muken vs. Roka
Roka exploded forward. Fire roared from his palms, a wave of orange and red.
Muken dove sideways. The fire missed him by inches, scorching the barrier behind him.
"Too slow!"
Roka pressed. Punch after punch, flame after flame. Muken dodged, weaved, blocked. No shadow. No counter. Just movement.
Roka grew frustrated. His flames grew wilder. His punches sloppier.
"Stand still!"
He lunged, both hands blazing.
Muken saw the opening. He stepped inside the fire. His fist drove into Roka's ribs. Once. Twice. Three times.
Roka staggered. His flames died.
"Yield," Muken said.
"Never."
Roka raised his hands. Embers gathered.
Muken's shadow moved. It wrapped around Roka's wrists, pinning them.
"Yield."
Roka struggled. The shadow held.
"I yield."
The crowd applauded.
Muken helped Roka to his feet. The larger man nodded grudgingly.
"You fought like a human," Kage said.
"I am human."
"Sometimes I forget."
Muken looked at his shadow. "Do not."
He walked out of the arena. Shiori met him.
"Clean. Efficient. No unnecessary shadow use."
"He was strong."
"He was slow." She glanced at the bracket. "Your next opponent is Sora. Illusionist. She will try to break your mind."
"How do I fight that?"
"You do not fight it. You ignore it."
Shiori walked away.
Muken watched her go. His shadow pulsed.
"She is worried about you," Kage said.
"About us?"
"About what Kuro will do when you face her."
Muken looked across the arena. Kuro was watching him. She smiled.
He looked away.
The horn sounded for the next match.
✦ ✦ ✦
Part Three: Muken vs. Sora
Sora was small, silver-haired, fragile-looking. She was not fragile.
"Begin."
She raised her hands. The arena vanished.
Muken stood in his old room. The white ceiling. The cracks. His father's voice.
"You had one thing to do. Dream. And you could not even do that."
"Illusion," Kage said.
"I know."
"Then why are you shaking?"
Muken closed his eyes. He focused on his shadow.
"Kage. Cut through."
The shadow stretched. It did not attack Sora. It attacked the illusion itself.
The room cracked. The ceiling shattered. The voice faded.
Muken opened his eyes. He was back in the arena.
Sora stared. "How did you"
"Your illusions are based on fear. I have faced worse fears than you."
"Yield."
She hesitated. "I yield."
The crowd applauded louder.
"They are starting to respect you," Kage said.
"Or they are just surprised I have not lost yet."
"That is the same thing."
Muken walked to the edge of the arena. His legs were shaking. The illusion had drained him more than he wanted to admit.
Shiori handed him a water flask.
"You saw your father."
"Yes."
"He is not here. You are."
Muken drank. The water was cold.
"My next opponent is Kenji. Shin Tou."
"He is good. Fast. Precise." Shiori paused. "He will not underestimate you."
"Then I will not give him a reason to."
The horn sounded.
Muken walked back into the arena.
✦ ✦ ✦
Part Four: Muken vs. Kenji
Kenji was Shin Tou. Tall, silent, with a crystal sword.
"Begin."
He attacked. His blade was a blur. Muken threw himself sideways. The sword sliced his sleeve, drawing blood.
"He is fast," Kage said.
"I noticed."
Kenji pressed. Muken dodged, rolled, blocked with his forearm. The blade stopped an inch from his skin.
"Your shadow," Kenji said. "Use it."
Muken hesitated.
"If you do not, I will win."
Muken's shadow moved. It wrapped around Kenji's sword arm, pulling it down. The blade clattered.
Kenji raised his fists. "Better."
They fought hand to hand. Blow for blow. Kenji landed a hit to Muken's jaw. Muken landed a hit to Kenji's ribs.
They circled each other, breathing hard.
"You are not a monster," Kenji said.
"I know."
"Then prove it."
Muken's shadow shot forward, wrapping around Kenji's legs. He stumbled. Muken tackled him.
"Yield."
Kenji looked up. "I yield."
The crowd erupted.
Kenji took his hand. "You fought well."
"So did you."
"He respected you," Kage said.
"He tested me."
"And you passed."
Muken looked at the bracket board. One more match before the finals. He would face the winner of the next bout.
But he already knew who that would be.
Kuro had already won her first two matches. Without breaking a sweat.
"She is saving her strength," Kage said.
"For us."
"Yes."
Muken sat in the waiting area. His hands were steady.
He watched Kuro's next match. She finished it in thirty seconds. Her shadow simply swallowed the opponent's magic.
The crowd was silent.
The referee raised Kuro's hand.
"Winner: Kuro of the Horobi Tou."
She looked at Muken. She tilted her head.
"Soon," her lips seemed to say.
Muken stood. The final match was next.
But first, Shiori would face Kuro.
✦ ✦ ✦
Part Five: The Final Match: Shiori vs. Kuro
The arena fell silent.
Shiori stood at one end, water swirling around her. Kuro stood at the other, her shadow stretching across the floor.
"Begin."
Kuro attacked first. Her shadow shot toward Shiori like a black spear. Shiori dodged, formed a water shield. The shadow wrapped around it, squeezing.
"You are strong," Kuro said. "But strength is not enough."
Shiori answered with blades. Three water blades shot toward Kuro. Her shadow absorbed them.
"Your magic feeds me."
Shiori changed tactics. She stopped attacking. She formed a water dome around herself. Waiting.
"Clever. But patience is not enough."
Kuro's shadow seeped through the cracks. It touched Shiori's ankle.
Shiori gasped. Her water flickered.
"She is draining her," Kage said.
Muken watched, hands clenched.
Shiori fell to one knee. Her dome collapsed.
Kuro stood over her. "Yield."
"No."
Kuro's shadow tightened.
"Yield."
"No."
"Then sleep."
Her shadow wrapped around Shiori's head. Shiori's eyes closed. She collapsed.
The referee raised Kuro's hand. "Winner: Kuro of the Horobi Tou."
Muken ran to Shiori. Haru was already there, healing.
"She is alive. Just exhausted."
Kuro watched him. "Your friend is stubborn. That will get her killed."
Muken stood. "If you hurt her again"
"You will what? Use your shadow? Drain me?" Kuro smiled. "You are not ready for that fight. Not yet."
She walked away.
Muken's shadow pulsed violently.
"Let me go after her," Kage said.
"No."
"She is mocking us."
"Let her. We will face her tomorrow. In the finals."
"And if we lose?"
"Then we lose. But we do it on our terms."
Muken carried Shiori to the medical tent. Haru followed, her healing hands glowing.
✦ ✦ ✦
Part Six: The Night After
Muken sat by Shiori's bedside.
She was awake, but weak.
"You should not have risked yourself," he said.
"If I did not, you would have. And you cannot afford to lose."
"That is not true."
"It is." She closed her eyes. "Kuro is trying to provoke you."
"It worked."
"Then do not let it control you." She touched his hand. "You are better than her. Do not forget that."
Muken nodded.
"Rest. I will watch over you."
She slept.
Muken stayed until dawn.
His shadow stretched across the floor. The black speck had grown again. Now it was the size of his palm.
"It is changing," Kage said. "The seed. It is becoming something."
"What?"
"I do not know. But I think it is a key."
"A key to what?"
"To Kodoku. To the Horobi Tou. To everything."
Muken looked at his hands. The dark veins had spread to his wrists.
"Will it hurt?"
"Yes."
"Will we survive?"
"I do not know."
Muken looked at Shiori. She was pale, but breathing.
"Then we find out tomorrow."
The aurora sky shifted to pale gold. Dawn.
The final day of the Games had begun.
Muken stood. He walked to the window.
The arena was empty. Waiting.
"One more match," Kage said.
"One more."
"Against her."
"Against the shadow that serves Kodoku."
"Are you afraid?"
"Yes."
"Good. Fear keeps us alive."
Muken pressed his palm against the window. The crystal was warm.
"Today, we find out what we are made of."
His shadow pulsed.
"Together."
"Together."
He turned from the window. Shiori was watching him.
"Win," she said.
"I will try."
"Do not try. Win."
Muken smiled. "Yes, captain."
He walked out of the room.
The corridor was empty. The lights were dim.
Somewhere, in the arena, Kuro was waiting.
And somewhere, in the shadows, Kodoku was watching.