Shinju's eyes snapped open.
The first thing he felt was the faint warmth of the dying embers of the campfire…and the heavy, artificial silence pressing down over the forest.
Swen should have woken him hours ago.
He pushed himself up and looked around.
Swen was slumped against a rock, mouth slightly open, snoring softly.Aurelia stood with her arms crossed, asleep on her feet like a warrior at rest.
But Koharu…
Her spot was empty.
A cold wave of dread flooded Shinju's chest.
"Koharu?" he called out.
His voice vanished into the black leaves without echo.
He waited—maybe it was a joke.
Silence.
"Koharu!"
Swen jolted awake at his voice. Aurelia was already on her feet, reacting instantly.
"What's going on?" Swen asked, still half-asleep.
Shinju turned on her, his voice sharp with anger.
"Why didn't you wake me? Why did you hand the watch over to Koharu?"
Swen's eyes widened instantly, all traces of sleep gone.
"I didn't! I didn't give it to her—I was on watch… I just—must've dozed off for a moment…"
Shinju's expression darkened.
"She's gone."
A pause.
"Koharu is gone."
"Relax… the clumsy princess will show up any second," Swen said—
But the tremor in her voice betrayed her.
They split up, searching frantically—behind rocks, between roots, every shadow.
Nothing.
It was as if the forest had swallowed her whole.
"I'm sorry…" Swen whispered, her shoulders sinking.
"This is my fault."
Aurelia's golden eyes sharpened as she stared into the depths of the forest.
"This is not the time for blame."
Her voice turned cold.
"We don't know what kind of place this is. We find her. Now."
Suddenly—
A shadow burst from the darkness.
A stranger lunged straight at Aurelia, a rusted but sharp blade in his hand.
Aurelia moved instantly.
With a single fluid motion, she deflected the attack, disarmed him, and seized him by the throat.
"Speak!" she roared, her grip tightening like iron.
"Where is Koharu? What did you do to her?!"
The stranger struggled for air, his face turning purple—
Yet he laughed.
A twisted, unnatural laugh.
"...So her name… was Koharu," he rasped.
"Aurelia, stop! Don't kill him—we need answers!" Swen shouted.
Aurelia's eyes narrowed at the emptiness in the man's gaze.
Something was wrong.
She released him, letting him drop to the ground.
"Talk," she said coldly. "Everything you know."
The stranger stood up, brushing the dust off as if he had never been hurt.
"She's with me."
A faint smile curled on his lips.
"If you want her alive… you'll do exactly as I say."
Aurelia's patience snapped.
She slammed her hand into the ground—
The earth beside her melted instantly into glowing lava.
"If you want to live… you'll hand her over!"
Instead of answering, the stranger suddenly lunged—
Not at Aurelia.
At Swen.
The blade shot toward her chest—
But before it could land—
A wave of black Yin energy tore through the air.
The man's head separated from his body in a single motion.
"Shinju! We needed him!" Swen shouted in shock.
"I saw his intent," Shinju said calmly, the darkness in his hand fading.
"If I hadn't killed him… you'd already be dead."
Before he could finish—
Another figure burst from the trees.
A sword flashed toward Shinju.
"You can kill me—but there are thousands of me!" the stranger screamed.
Aurelia didn't hesitate.
A fireball engulfed him mid-charge—
Reducing him to ash.
Three more figures emerged.
Swen gritted her teeth.
"Damn it… they don't end!"
One of them stepped forward, voice empty.
"If you want Koharu alive… you will obey."
A pause.
"Or I will kill her right now."
Shinju raised a hand, signaling Aurelia to extinguish the flames.
"…Alright," he said.
"We'll do as you say."
At that moment—
One of the strangers—a woman—lowered her sword.
Her body trembled violently.
The emptiness in her eyes flickered.
For a brief second—
She was there.
"Please… save me…" she whispered, her voice breaking like a dying echo.
Then—
Her body stiffened.
Her expression went blank again.
Swen's face paled.
"…They're being controlled."
Her voice shook.
"They're normal people… puppets."
A pause.
"Killing them doesn't help. We're just cutting the strings—not the master."
Shinju stepped forward.
"…We're listening."
"But don't make these innocent people die for you."
The stranger laughed harshly.
"Good."
"Now you understand."
He pointed directly at Shinju.
"You."
"You're coming with me."
"The others stay here."
He gestured toward the forest.
"My puppets will be watching. If any of them leave…"
A pause.
"The girl dies."
Aurelia stepped forward, fury blazing.
"We go together!"
Her voice shook the air.
"I won't lose you too, Shinju!"
Shinju raised a hand, stopping her.
At the same time—
He gave Swen a subtle wink.
"You stay here," he said calmly.
"I'll bring Koharu back."
Swen caught the signal instantly.
She leaned toward Aurelia and whispered:
"Relax… he's immortal, remember?"
A faint smirk.
"He'll find a way from the inside."
Aurelia turned back to the stranger, her voice dropping into something monstrous.
"If a single hair on Koharu—or Shinju—is harmed…"
Her eyes burned.
"I will burn this entire forest to ash."
Shinju turned—
And followed the puppets into the depths of darkness.
Behind him…
The only thing left was the fading smoke of the dying campfire.