The symbol burned into the stone wall lingered in Shoko's mind long after the beasts faded. Its twisting lines and cruel curves felt alive, almost watching him as he walked away from the courtyard. The masked figure had left it intentionally, taunting him, provoking him.
Back inside the palace halls, the atmosphere was charged with fear and frantic motion. Mages ran with scrolls, guards tightened formation routes, and messengers delivered intelligence updates that grew worse by the hour.
Ariandel walked beside Shoko, rubbing her bandaged arm. She groaned. "I swear, at this rate I am not going to have a single uninjured limb left."
"You should rest," Shoko said.
Ariandel scoffed. "And leave you to run around emotionless again? Not happening."
Elyndra walked a few steps behind them, unusually quiet. Her gaze kept drifting to the floor, her hands fidgeting with her sleeve.
Shoko slowed. "Elyndra. You are still shaken."
"I am fine," she said too fast.
Ariandel narrowed her eyes. "No, you are not. Just tell us what is wrong."
Elyndra's voice dropped to a whisper. "I cannot here."
Before anyone could push further, a palace guard approached.
"Shoko, Ariandel, Elyndra. The king requests your presence in the training sanctum."
Ariandel stretched her neck with a loud pop. "Great. More meetings."
Shoko felt a twinge of anticipation. "He might want to prepare us."
The guard nodded. "It concerns the masked figure and Shoko directly."
Elyndra's breath hitched.
Ariandel muttered, "Never a good sign."
They followed the guard through carved corridors to a silver-forged gate. With a wave of his hand, the guard opened it, revealing a massive chamber of stone floors, glowing circles, and weapon racks.
King Thalanar stood at the center with Queen Lysa and several elite mages.
He addressed them immediately. "We are wasting time. The masked entity will return soon, and we must strengthen our defenses. Especially you three."
Shoko stepped forward. "What do you need me to do?"
Queen Lysa's eyes softened. "We need you to understand your power."
Ariandel blinked. "What power? We have seen him fight but that is just training and instinct."
"No," the queen said. "Not strength. Something deeper."
Elyndra swallowed hard.
The king continued. "Shoko, during both encounters with the masked figure, your aura changed. Your emotions collapsed. You fought with unnatural precision. Terrifying precision."
Shoko's chest tightened. "I lost control."
"Or," the queen said gently, "you accessed something you do not understand."
Ariandel folded her arms. "So you are saying Shoko has some secret hidden ability inside him. Like the masked guy."
"The masked figure believes so," the king said. "And that is why he wants Shoko."
Elyndra whispered, "He is connected to him."
Ariandel turned to her. "And you know something about that. Do you not?"
Elyndra froze.
King Thalanar looked at her with concern. "Elyndra. If there is anything you have kept hidden, now is the time."
"I cannot," she whispered. "If I say it, everything changes."
Shoko gently placed a hand on her arm. "Elyndra. Whatever it is, we will handle it together."
Her eyes glistened, but she could not speak.
The queen sighed. "We will not force her. Not yet."
She turned to a glowing circle. "For now, Shoko, step into the aura seal."
Shoko stepped inside. The air hummed as mages activated the runes, filling the chamber with white light.
"This seal reads aura signatures," a mage explained. "It will tell us what you are."
Shoko felt his heartbeat quicken. Ariandel chewed her lip. Elyndra watched with tortured eyes.
"Begin," the king ordered.
The circle flared.
Shoko staggered as energy surged through him. His vision blurred. Something deep inside him stirred, struggling like chained instinct.
The masked figure's voice echoed in his mind.
"You are not what they think you are."
Shoko gasped.
The seal erupted in a flash and threw him backward.
Ariandel rushed over. "Shoko. Are you alright?"
"I am fine."
The mages stared at the seal in horror.
The runes had turned black.
Queen Lysa whispered, "This cannot be real."
Elyndra took a step forward. "No. No."
Ariandel snapped, "Someone explain. Now."
A mage gulped. "A blackened seal means only one thing. The subject's energy is intertwined with forbidden magic. Ancient magic. Magic older than our kingdom."
The king stared at Shoko. "This is why the masked figure seeks you."
Shoko clenched his fists. "So what am I?"
Silence filled the room.
Elyndra broke. "You are like him."
Everyone turned.
Elyndra trembled. "The masked figure. You are the same kind of being as him."
Ariandel gaped. "The same what?"
Elyndra covered her mouth. "I was not supposed to know. I overheard the king and queen months ago. I kept quiet because I did not want to scare you."
Shoko's voice cracked. "Say it."
Elyndra whispered, "You are not human."
The words stabbed through him.
Ariandel shook her head. "I do not care. You are Shoko. Nothing changes that."
Shoko tried to breathe, but it hurt.
The king approached. "We do not know your exact species. You were found as a child in ruins far older than any record. Ruins marked with the same symbols the masked figure uses."
The queen added, "We hid the truth to protect you. And everyone else."
Shoko pressed a hand to his chest. "So the numbness, the strength, everything was instinct."
Elyndra nodded. "Your real instincts."
Ariandel grabbed his shoulders. "You listen to me. Nothing about you scares me. You are still the kid I found. You are still my Shoko."
The walls suddenly shook with a deep rumble.
A guard burst in. "The barrier is cracking. Something is attacking it."
Ariandel groaned. "Please tell me it is not him again."
But Shoko already felt it.
A pull inside his chest.
A presence approaching.
"He is here."
Another boom rattled the palace.
The queen whispered, "Already."
The barrier outside shattered.
Ariandel summoned flames. "Here we go again."
Elyndra gripped Shoko's hand. "Do not lose yourself."
"I will not."
The king drew his sword. "We face him together."
The masked figure entered Lunareth.
And he was not alone.