SAI SHINU
The night was quiet, almost too quiet. I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the faint glow of the lantern. My body ached from the colosseum, from every strike I had landed and received, but it wasn't just the physical pain that weighed on me. My mind refused to rest.
Slowly, the pieces began to click together, each thought like a shard of light cutting through the fog. The death of my companion… the trail of destruction across the land… the emergence of godglyphs… and the body that had been buried and then inexplicably found near the village gate. All of it. Every thread, every action, every anomaly—someone had orchestrated it.
And not just anyone. The magnitude of it, the precision, the reach… it was beyond the capacity of a human. My chest tightened as the realization settled in. The only being capable of such manipulation, of controlling events on this scale, was something far beyond mortal. A deity. A true god.
The words of Namae's master echoed in my mind, and I shivered despite the warmth of the room. "I am a creator." I had mocked him, called him a false god—but now, looking back at everything, I wondered if there had been more truth than I had realized. The power to create armies, to shape reality, to leave behind godglyphs that altered the very nature of existence… that was not human. Not even close.
I clenched my fists, trying to quiet the storm of thoughts. My blood still buzzed with the remnants of battle adrenaline, but deeper than that was awe, fear, and a gnawing anger. To think a being like that could exist in the same world, invisible, pulling strings… it was almost enough to make me despair. Almost.
But despair wasn't an option. I had my own power, my own blood, my own core. I had faced gods before—or at least, those who claimed such things—and I had survived. And if a true god had been shaping all these events, then I would face that reality too. I had to. For Namae. For the child. For everyone caught in this web.
I thought of the crimson rift, the red veil, the Eclipse… my gifts, my abilities, my very core. If this was a world where deities acted, then I would have to become something beyond even what I had been. Not a god, not a creator—but a slayer of gods.
A cold resolve settled in my chest, replacing the awe with something sharper, something steely. Whoever—or whatever—was behind this, I would uncover it. And when I did… I would make sure they understood that the world was not theirs to bend, not without a fight.
I exhaled slowly, feeling the tension in my shoulders ease just enough for me to stand. My eyes swept the room, landing on Namae sleeping quietly. Her presence anchored me. I had fought monsters, armies, and kings today. Tomorrow, if a god awaited, I would meet it with the same determination.
And I would not fail.
I rose quietly, the storm in my chest not yet settled, but something tugged me toward her. Namae lay curled on her side, her breath soft and even, strands of hair falling across her face. For a moment, the chaos of gods and glyphs, blood and battles, all of it faded into the background.
I just stood there, watching her. She looked so fragile like this, almost like the weight of the world hadn't touched her yet. But I knew better. She had seen too much, carried too much. And still, she slept. That strength… it humbled me.
My hand twitched at my side, wanting to reach out, to brush the hair from her face, but I stopped myself. I didn't deserve that kind of closeness. Not after everything I had done. Not with the blood of my mother, her master, the army, and gods themselves already staining me.
And yet… seeing her like this, something softened in me. I remembered the way she had looked at me before the fight, fear in her eyes not for herself but for me. I remembered her voice, trembling but firm, telling me the army meant to kill me. She hadn't wanted me to go. And still, she had let me walk into the colosseum.
I lowered myself to the floor beside her bed, resting my back against the wall. Watching her chest rise and fall, I felt the weight of my vow settle heavier than ever. If a true god was behind all this, then that meant Namae, too, was in danger. And I couldn't allow that.
I whispered, almost to myself, but loud enough for the silence to catch it:
"I'll protect you. Even if I have to burn this world, even if I have to fight gods themselves, I'll protect you, Namae."
The lantern flickered, and for a second it almost felt like the darkness in the corners of the room stirred, as though listening. I ignored it. My eyes stayed fixed on her face until sleep finally claimed me where I sat, still leaning against the wall, guarding her as best I could.
I pushed myself off the wall, intent on leaving before my thoughts spiraled further. But just as I reached for the door, I heard her voice—soft, groggy, half-lost in sleep.
"…Sai… stay."
I froze. Turning back, I saw her stir faintly, eyes barely open, her voice fragile.
"Sleep here," she murmured, before drifting back into slumber.
For a moment, I stood there, torn. I didn't belong in her peace, didn't deserve to share it. And yet… my body moved before my mind could stop it. Quietly, I slipped into the bed beside her, careful not to disturb her rest. The sheets were warm, carrying her scent, a comfort I hadn't known in years. Within moments, exhaustion pulled me under, and the battles, the guilt, the gods faded into darkness.