Part One: The Quiet Carriage
The carriage ride back to Hikari Tou was quiet.
Muken stared out the window. The crystal fields blurred past. Shiori sat across from him, eyes closed, but her fingers tapped her knee.
"She is worried," Kage said.
"About the mission?"
"About you."
Shiori opened her eyes. "You do not have to come."
"We have discussed this."
"We discussed that you want to come. Not why."
She was silent for a moment. "Because you are reckless. Because you will push yourself too far. Because someone needs to pull you back."
"I have Kage."
"Kage is part of you. Kage wants what you want. That is not the same as someone who will tell you when you are wrong."
Muken looked at his shadow. It pulsed once, as if agreeing.
"Fine. But if I tell you to stay behind, you stay behind."
"If you tell me to stay behind, it will be because you are trying to protect me. And I do not need your protection."
"She is stubborn," Kage said.
"So am I."
The carriage rolled on. The spires of Hikari Tou appeared in the distance.
Shiori looked out the window. "Do you ever miss your old life? Before the fruit?"
Muken was silent for a long moment.
"No. There was nothing to miss."
"That is sad."
"That is the truth."
The carriage stopped at the gates.
Kagura was waiting.
✦ ✦ ✦
Part Two: The Waiting
Kagura was waiting in the courtyard.
Her arms were crossed. Her violet eyes were sharp.
"You are back."
"We are back."
"And you have a mission."
Muken stepped forward. "Three missions. Three skills. Gin Tou, Midori Tou, Abandoned Reach."
Kagura's expression did not change. "Walk with me."
She led them through the tower, past training chambers, past the refectory, to her study. Fire crackled in the hearth.
"Sit."
They sat.
"The Gin Tou. Mind Riving. Dangerous. If you fail, you lose yourself in the dream labyrinth. Your body lives, but your mind wanders forever."
Shiori's jaw tightened.
"The Midori Tou. Memory Crampon. You will confront your past. Your happiest memories. Your saddest. You will choose one to anchor yourself."
Muken's chest tightened.
"The Abandoned Reach. Roku. He was a friend of Kodoku. He is broken. He will test you."
Muken looked at his shadow.
"We can do this," Kage said.
"I know."
Shiori leaned forward. "We should go to the Gin Tou first. It is closest."
Kagura nodded. "But there is another factor. Kodoku knows about you now. He will try to interfere. To delay you. To tempt you."
Muken's jaw tightened. "He already has. He reached out in a dream."
"And your answer?"
"I refused."
"Good. But he will try again."
Shiori stood. "Then we leave at dawn."
"Sit down," Kagura said. Shiori sat.
"You are not leaving tomorrow. You are leaving in three days. Muken needs rest. You need to recover from Kuro's draining."
Shiori's face flushed. "I am fine."
"You are not fine. You are stubborn. There is a difference." Kagura's voice softened. "The mission will still be there."
Shiori was silent. Then she nodded.
Kagura looked at Muken. "You have three days. Use them wisely."
They left the study.
As they walked down the corridor, Shiori touched his arm.
"She is right. I am not fine."
"You do not have to be fine."
"Neither do you."
Muken stopped. He looked at her.
"I know."
They walked to their rooms in silence.
But at his door, Shiori spoke.
"Three days. Then we go to the Gin Tou."
"Together."
"Together."
She left.
Muken entered his room. His shadow stretched across the floor.
"She is scared," Kage said.
"We all are."
"But she is still coming."
"Yes. That is what friends do."
His shadow pulsed.
He sat by the window. The aurora sky was dark.
✦ ✦ ✦
Part Three: The Night Before the Three Days
That night, Muken sat by his window.
The aurora sky was bright. His shadow was still.
"You are thinking about the Gin Tou," Kage said.
"About leaving my body behind."
"It is frightening."
"Yes."
"But you have done frightening things before."
Muken looked at his hands. "Those were different. I was reacting. This time, I am choosing."
"That makes it harder."
"Yes."
He leaned his head against the window. The crystal was cool.
"Kage."
"Yes."
"When I learned the Games were coming, I was afraid. When I learned about the Seed, I was terrified. But now…"
"Now?"
"Now I am calm. I do not know why."
"Because you have a path. A direction. You are not waiting anymore. You are acting."
Muken closed his eyes.
"Three days. Then we go to the Gin Tou."
"Then we learn Mind Riving."
"Then we survive."
He lay down on his bed. He did not sleep.
But his shadow dreamed for him. Of a labyrinth made of dreams. Of a memory he had not yet chosen. Of a hermit waiting in the dark.
The dream shifted. He saw Kodoku again. Standing in the void. The Seed in his hands.
"You are coming," Kodoku said. "I will be ready."
Muken woke.
The room was dark. His shadow was trembling.
"He is watching," Kage said.
"Let him watch."
Muken sat up. He looked at the window. The aurora sky was pale gold.
Dawn of the first of three days.
He dressed in his grey uniform. He touched the crescent emblem.
Then he walked to the training chamber.
Shiori was already there.
"You are early," she said.
"So are you."
"Could not sleep."
"Neither could I."
She tossed him a wooden sword. "Then we train."
They trained until their arms screamed. Until their legs buckled. Until Haru came to drag them to breakfast.
"You are both insane," Haru said.
"Yes," Shiori agreed.
Muken smiled.
It was small. But real.
The three days passed in a blur of training, eating, and silence.
On the third night, Muken packed his bag.
One uniform. One water flask. One letter to Kagura, in case he did not return.
"You will return," Kage said.
"How do you know?"
"Because you have something Kodoku never had."
"What?"
"A reason to come back."
Muken folded the letter and put it in his drawer.
He lay down on his bed.
He did not dream.
But his shadow dreamed for him. Of a journey about to begin.