Deep within the ancient forest of El Verde, in the kingdom of Higashihara, a small wooden cabin nestled among towering trees. Inside this rustic refuge, the air shimmered faintly, lit by the soft glow of an old, rusted oil lamp that cast flickering shadows across the room.
Felix lay asleep, his dreams dragging him back to a past he once knew. The city he had called home, once bathed in golden sunlight, had succumbed to darkness and despair.
In that nightmare, Felix ran through streets shrouded in choking smoke, the tendrils curling around him like restless spirits. From the deep, narrow alleys rose a chorus of anguished cries, weaving a haunting symphony of loss.
"NOOOOOO!"
"Please, someone help us!"
"Ahhhhhh!"
Felix, a boy with medium black hair and striking red eyes, sprinted through the chaos, his breath ragged, the thudding of his heart echoing in his ears. His dark blue waistcoat and pants hung tattered, frayed by the turmoil.
[Crinkle]
His boots skidded over shards of glass, but he pressed on, heedless of the pain.
[Boom... Boom... Boom...]
Explosions reverberated through the city, shaking the ground beneath him.
"No! No! Why is this happening?" Felix’s mind churned with questions.
"Why? Why?"
"Father!" he shouted into the void.
"Why you, Father?"
Buildings towered above like silent giants, their facades scarred and crumbling. Flames flickered in shattered windows, casting eerie shadows that writhed as if alive.
[Clatter]
The ground lay strewn with debris—broken glass, splintered wood, and crumbled stone—each step a testament to the city’s ruin.
[THUD]
A woman’s desperate grasp snagged his leg, pulling him down. Felix glanced back and froze. Her body blazed, flames licking at her blistering, blackening skin. Her voice cut through the chaos with a chilling message.
"You..." she rasped, barely audible over the crackling fire.
"No," Felix whispered, his voice trembling.
"Your fate has led to our doom!" she screamed.
[BOOM]
Felix’s blood-red eyes snapped open, his heart pounding. He bolted upright in his small wooden bed, the familiar scent of pine and damp earth anchoring him to reality.
The cabin’s interior was sparse. A single bed, its frame worn smooth by years, sat in one corner, bare of any mattress—a sign of Felix’s austere existence.
In another corner, a rickety table held the oil lamp, its flame wavering against the darkness. A lone chair, polished by use, rested beside it.
The nightmare lingered, vivid with burning streets and anguished faces. Felix steadied his breathing, reminding himself this wasn’t the first time he’d endured such visions.
"What was that?" he muttered, swinging his legs over the bed’s edge.
The rough floorboards pressed cold and uneven against his bare feet.
"It sounded like an explosion... or was it just the dream?" he wondered aloud.
He tugged on his cracked leather boots, their fit tight and uncomfortable, pinching his toes.
"I need to check."
The cabin’s walls, built of rough-hewn logs, were sealed with moss and clay against the wind. There were no windows, which contributed to a feeling of claustrophobia that exacerbated the sense of seclusion. With each gust of wind, the entire structure groaned and creaked ominously, as if threatening to collapse at any moment.
Felix yanked open the creaky door and stepped into the cool morning air. The forest of El Verde loomed around him, its dense canopy filtering the light. Tall ferns brushed his legs as he wove through the trees.
As he approached the source of the disturbance, Felix’s eyes widened in amazement. A dark circle marred the forest floor, at least ten feet wide, its edges still smoking.
The earth around it was scorched black, and the acrid smell of burnt vegetation filled the air. It didn’t look like the result of an explosion.
A woman stood nearby, arresting his attention. Her tan skin glowed faintly in the dappled light, long black hair cascading like silk. Her piercing black narrow-shaped almond eyes seemed to swallow the world, deep and unreadable—they were black in color but felt like they contained the stars of the universe.
She wore a white kimono beneath a haori, the fabric shimmering with each motion. A vivid red Kalanchoe flower emblem blazed on her back, stark against the forest’s muted tones.
Beside her stood men in black kimonos, marked with the same emblem, their hands poised on sword hilts. Facing them loomed figures in dark cloaks, their faces hidden behind red oni masks—carved with grotesque, leering expressions.
"I’ve never seen these people before," he thought, his mind racing with possibilities.
Felix stood behind a large tree, its bark rough against his palm as he peered around the trunk. His other hand rested on his hip, fingers drumming against his waist.
His eyes scanned the assembled group and the surrounding area, taking in every detail. He spotted some small, triangular metallic objects near the edge of the circle—items that might hold significance in this unfolding drama.
"Interesting," he whispered, the word barely audible even to himself.
The air was thick with tension as he sensed a great Zor energy radiating from the group, but the woman stood out, exuding a calm and commanding aura. He recognized her strength and opted to remain hidden, hoping to glean more about the situation.
One of the oni men stepped forward. His voice, though low, carried clearly through the still air as he addressed the woman.
"Today is the day you die. The Yotsuba clan ends here," he said.
The declaration hung in the air for a moment before the woman stepped forward, her movements fluid and purposeful.
She unsheathed her katanas from her lower back, their silver tsuka gleaming in the filtered sunlight. The blades caught the light, revealing edges as sharp as winter’s frost. A sudden burst of sound followed.
[Kshh! Kzzzz! Tch-ching!]
She struck in a blur, her blades slicing through the oni-masked foes with lethal precision. They fell, unable to counter her skill, the forest floor staining red with their blood.
[Tch-ching!]
She slid her katanas back into their saya, her eyes closed.
"She’s honed her craft endlessly," Felix murmured, awed by her efficiency. "They never stood a chance."
The woman stood amid the carnage, her crimson-stained face and robes vivid against the green. Her eyes remained cold, unyielding.
Even her men shifted uneasily. One stammered, "Pardon, m’lady, but we could’ve handled this."
She turned her head slightly to the right, her sharp glance silencing him. "Those who disrespect the Yotsuba perish," she declared, her voice mature yet sweet, icy with authority.
Felix watched, impressed. "I haven’t seen such strength in years," he thought. "How would I fare against her?"
Then, suddenly, she shifted her head to the left, toward the elevated spot where Felix hid. "How long do you plan to watch?" she called.
"She’s incredible. She even sensed my gaze. I guess I’ve lost my edge over the years," Felix thought, stepping into view. The air reeked of blood, a heavy silence broken only by rustling leaves.
She studied him—a man with long, unkempt black hair and red hunter-shaped eyes. His dirt-stained white shirt hung half-tucked, his navy pants marked by survival.
"His Zor aura is off the charts. Not only that, why are his eyes crimson red?" she thought.
"Who are you?" she demanded, suspicion lacing her tone.
Felix met her stare, resolute. "Please leave," he said firmly, his voice carrying weight.
She gripped her katanas tighter, her brow furrowing. "Despite his immense aura, there’s no bloodlust," she thought. "An informer, perhaps, reporting to his master about what just occurred here. I shouldn’t fight this man—it wouldn’t be wise. I might endanger the lives of my samurai. If he’s an informer, he must know the state of the Yotsuba clan and the value of these warriors."
"I hope she understands, because I’m really hungry and need to find food for my breakfast," Felix thought, closing his eyes as he stood composed near the tree.
Her stance eased. She lowered her hands from one of her katana hilts with grace and fixed him with a final glare as he opened his eyes. "I am Miku Yotsuba, leader of the Yotsuba clan," she said. "Pray you never cross my path again, or you won’t live to see another day."
She noted his calm demeanor, how composed he remained despite her warning. "No fear in his eyes, even now," she mused. "He’s an idiot indeed."
Miku turned around, and she and her men vanished into the forest. Felix stayed, his mind spinning. "Well, that was a weird morning," he muttered.
His gaze fell upon the bodies of the dead oni men. "Let’s bury them," he said firmly. "I don’t want this near my home."
He jumped down from his elevated spot and first gathered the metallic triangles—five in total, one central, four at the edges. "What are these?" he muttered.
High atop a mountain, an informer crouched among jagged rocks, clad in a kasa and bandana. The cold bit his skin as he peered through a telescope with his dark brown eyes, watching Felix collect the triangular objects.
The observer had seen everything—the woman’s swift handling of the oni-masked assassins and her tense interaction with a tall man with long black hair and piercing red eyes.
He lowered his telescope and took out a piece of paper from the nagagi he wore. "They failed," he whispered, scribbling on the parchment. He noted the oni-masked men’s demise and Felix’s possession of artifacts—crafted by Tony Shelby.
"You better deliver this message as fast as you can," he said to the bird as he secured the note to its leg.
"Don’t worry, I will deliver this to the master as soon as I can," the bird replied.
"Cuckoo," it called, soaring off.
The informer then descended from the mountain peak, leaving no trace.
Felix buried the bodies and returned to his cabin, the sky now a bit cloudy. He locked the door with a rock.
"Now, finally, I can eat my breakfast. I got some mushrooms on the way here," he said to himself as he sat on his mattressless bed. "And I also found a guava!" he added, his mouth watering as he glanced at the guava.
"But that Miku woman—she’s Yotsuba, one of Higashihara’s noble clans," he mused, looking at the sagged roof of his cabin. "I heard about them when I came here. I was warned not to interfere in any of their matters. I wonder if I should be concerned about her finding my hideout."
He munched on the guava. A memory flashed in his mind—of a man dying, blood pooling. "Felix, my son, promise me this: never take an innocent life or cause harm. Protect others, help those in need, face dangers with unyielding strength, and live life without regrets."
He lowered his head and leaned forward, resting his right elbow on his knee, his face directed toward the floor. He put his hand on his eyes as he tried to contain his tears. "I promise… Father, I won’t repeat the same mistake," he whispered, wiping them away.
Meanwhile, a rustling came from the door—slow, deliberate.
[Knock]
The sound pulsed faintly.
[Knock]
The door shook.
[Knock]
The third knock boomed, and a deep, distorted voice rasped, "Despair... has... arrived... for... you..."
[Booomm!!]
A blast of Zor energy hit the roof, and the whole cabin shattered.
[Drip-drop]
It started to rain. Silence fell, save for the rain, as smoke swirled around the demolished cabin. In front of the smoke stood a giant man. He wore a gray haori and black hakama, his black pompadour hair and bushy eyebrows framing piercing orange eyes.
WHAT DID YOU THINK?
