Two days.
It had been two days since they stopped in this town. Two days of waiting, resting—something Sosuke hadn't allowed himself to do in what felt like forever. But despite the time passing, he was no closer to finding Rin.
He sat by the window, watching as the rain fell in slow, steady sheets. The water had a strange reddish hue, staining the streets in muted crimson. His sketchbook lay open on his lap, pages filled with rough lines and scattered thoughts—scenes from his journey, places he'd seen, creatures lurking at the edges of memory. He drew the village, its quiet desolation. But no matter what he put on the page, his mind kept circling back to the same place.
Damn it, Rin.
His grip on the pencil tightened. You know I can't leave without you.
He had a way out now. He wouldn't need a portal—wouldn't need to track down Shadow to escape. But he couldn't leave. Not yet. Not without helping him. And definitely not without her.
The tip of his pencil snapped.
"Shit." The word came out sharper than he intended. Frustration clawed at his chest as he tossed the sketchbook aside. It landed with a dull thud, pages fluttering closed.
"Julius… I need to find him too," he muttered.
His hands clenched into fists.
I'm not strong enough.
The thought struck deep, settling like a stone in his gut.
I can't do this alone.
His head dipped forward, fingers threading into his hair. He forced in a breath, but it didn't help. His shoulders tensed, body locked between the past and present, between guilt and determination.
Why did you have to leave, Rin?
She should be here. She needed to be here.
His throat tightened.
I shouldn't have said what I said… huh?
A quiet, bitter laugh escaped him. His fingers dug into his face, palms pressing against his eyes.
"What the hell am I supposed to do…?" His voice came out unsteady, barely above a whisper.
A knock at the door.
His head snapped up, instinct tightening in his muscles. He took a second, forcing himself to breathe before rubbing at his eyes.
"…Who is it?"
"It's your brother!"
Ryoma's voice was light, easy—too easy.
Sosuke exhaled slowly. Cousin.
He stood, running a hand through his hair before cracking open the door. "What's up?"
Ryoma grinned, leaning against the frame. "Finn thinks he might've found something fishy. Says we should check it out." He nudged Sosuke with an elbow, playful but searching. "What do you say?"
Sosuke hesitated for half a second. Then, in a dull voice—"Sure. Let me get ready."
Ryoma tilted his head, the grin slipping just slightly. His gaze lingered, concern evident in the way his brow creased. But he didn't push.
"Alright." He sighed, stepping back. "I'll see you down in a bit then."
Sosuke watched him go, then turned back to the room. The rain continued to fall outside. The air was still.
He swallowed down the ache in his chest and reached for his sword.
Sosuke swallowed down the ache in his chest and reached for his sword.
He trailed behind the others, following Ryoma through the rain-slicked streets. Finn had called them to investigate something strange, and they were heading to meet him now.
The rain poured heavy, but at least this time, it was real water.
Where should I even be looking? His thoughts drifted back to Rin. Did she leave on her own, or is she still here?
He shook his head. Now wasn't the time.
A thunderous explosion ripped through the air, followed by the sharp wail of sirens.
"Move!" Ryoma shouted.
Valerie and Sosuke broke into a sprint, keeping pace as they closed in on the source. A dense fog rolled over the path, but through it, the shape of a burning stronghold came into view.
Finn stood just ahead, waving them forward. "Hurry the hell up!"
As they neared the base, the heat from the flames clawed at Sosuke's skin. Before they even reached the main gate, another explosion shattered the air, blasting the entrance wide open.
"What the—" Sosuke barely had time to react as the force of the blast sent debris scattering. Smoke poured out from the wreckage, thick and suffocating. And then—
A figure emerged.
Torn suit. Shattered helmet. A mess of blond hair poking through the cracks. One eye exposed—the closest Sosuke had ever been to seeing his face.
His breath caught.
"That's him!" Sosuke's voice rang through the chaos. "That's Shadow!"
Ryoma moved first, grabbing the wounded man before he collapsed. Valerie was there in an instant, helping to steady him.
Sosuke exhaled, tension seeping from his shoulders. "Guess that saves me the trouble of finding him…"
Ryoma glanced around, scanning the area. "Makes sense he'd be nearby. This isn't far from where the portal opened."
"Yeah, we know," Finn muttered.
Ryoma scoffed. "Hmph. Whatever."
Back at the village.
The doctors wasted no time, hauling Shadow inside and promising he'd be in stable condition soon.
When he woke, his voice was hoarse but steady. "Captured… Blights had me. Took me underground." He exhaled sharply. "Managed to escape on my own."
Sosuke stood at the edge of the room, arms crossed, gaze locked on Shadow. A small part of him wanted to ask if he had seen her. But he already knew the answer.
If she had been there, Shadow would have said something.
That meant she was still out there. Somewhere.
And he was running out of time to find her.
Sosuke pulled his hood over his head as he stepped out into the streets. The rain had slowed to a drizzle, but the air was still thick with the scent of damp stone and something metallic—like old blood.
The town was quiet, yet eyes lingered on him. Shadowed figures watched from alleyways, their gazes uncertain. He couldn't blame them. A human walking alone through their streets wasn't normal.
He exhaled sharply, forcing himself forward.
The first merchant he approached was an old blight, his twisted horns cracked from age. He was hunched over a stall selling salvaged trinkets, his hands deftly fixing a broken timepiece.
Sosuke cleared his throat. "I'm looking for someone."
The old blight barely looked up. "Not my business."
"She's human."
That got his attention. The old man's yellowed eyes flicked to Sosuke, studying him carefully.
"Human girl? Hmph. Not many of your kind here." He clicked his tongue, thinking. "No… haven't seen one."
Sosuke sighed and moved on.
The next was a younger blight, cloaked in rags, selling dried herbs under a cloth canopy. She tensed as Sosuke approached, her four dark eyes blinking rapidly.
"I don't want trouble," she muttered.
"I just need information. A girl—short, black hair, brown eyes. Have you seen her?"
She hesitated. "Maybe. Maybe not."
Sosuke clenched his jaw. "If you know anything—"
"Even if I did, what would telling you do for me?" she snapped, gripping the edge of her stall. Her voice was lower now. "I don't talk about people who vanish. It's safer that way."
Something about the way she said vanish made Sosuke's stomach turn.
He tried two more merchants after that. Both shook their heads before he could even finish his sentence.
Eventually, he gave up.
The stronghold was still smoldering when Sosuke arrived.
He stepped over the wreckage carefully, making his way inside. The building had taken heavy damage from the fight, but some rooms were still intact. The deeper he went, the heavier the air felt—like something lingering beneath the surface.
Then he found it.
A room lined with metal cabinets, their drawers still locked shut. A desk sat in the center, half-buried in rubble, but the papers scattered across it remained untouched.
Sosuke shifted through them, scanning reports filled with strange symbols and notes written in a language he barely understood. Some, however, were in plain text.
Surveillance logs.
His fingers tightened around the pages as he read.
The Blights running this base had been watching people. Tracking them. Documenting their routines, their strengths and weaknesses—waiting for the right moment to strike.
Then, one particular entry caught his eye.
Human female spotted near the outer district. Last known location: Small settlement east of the stronghold.
Sosuke's pulse quickened. He didn't need them to say her name—he knew.
This was Rin.
His grip on the page tightened. It wasn't much, but it was enough.
Sosuke activated the communication spell. Meet me at the edge of town.
They followed a water-soaked path toward the second village, the rain easing into a light drizzle.
"So… who is this girl, anyway?" Ryoma asked, hands stuffed into his pockets.
"A friend… a close one," Sosuke said, staring ahead.
Ryoma smirked. "She must be pretty important to you, huh? You sure you don't like her?" He nudged Sosuke with his elbow.
"It's… not like that." Sosuke's voice dipped slightly.
"I've known her for a long time. It just makes sense I'd go after her."
"Huh. Can't relate," Ryoma said, stretching his arms behind his head. "Never really had friends like that."
Sosuke glanced over. "Really? You never had any friends?"
"Nope. Always liked doing things on my own—fightin', trainin', y'know."
"Right. But it's different 'cause we're related?"
"Of course it is. Nothing beats family." Ryoma grinned and slung an arm around Sosuke's neck, pulling him in.
Sosuke huffed but didn't push him away. "Then think of Rin as part of my family. That's why I need to find her."
Ryoma was quiet for a beat before nodding. "Got it."
They entered the village, scanning the area. It was smaller, more worn down than the last.
"Not as nice as the other one. And empty," Ryoma noted.
"It's not abandoned," Sosuke muttered. "They just don't want us here."
He barely paid attention to his own words, eyes fixed on the end of the road. His only lead—was it already slipping through his fingers?
Then, movement. A cloaked figure emerged from an alleyway ahead, steps hesitant. Their head lifted, and Sosuke caught a glimpse beneath the hood.
His heart jumped. Rin.
"Rin!" he called out, stepping forward.
She froze. Eyes wide. Then—she turned on her heel and bolted.
Sosuke stopped dead. She's running…?
"Oi! Come on!" Ryoma shouted, already taking off after her.
Sosuke hesitated a half-second too long before his body kicked into motion. They weaved through tight streets, cutting between crumbling buildings and vaulting over carts. Rin was fast, slipping through narrow alleyways and darting around corners with sharp precision.
Sosuke gritted his teeth, lightning sparking at his heels. She's not getting away.
Rin rounded one last turn—then skidded to a halt. A solid wall blocked her path.
"Damn it," she muttered.
Sosuke stepped into the alley, chest rising and falling from the chase. "…Rin."
"Don't come any closer." Her voice was steady, but her shoulders were tense.
"I've been looking for you for—"
"I don't care!" She cut him off. "I don't need you chasing after me! I can take care of myself!"
Sosuke clenched his fists. "Why are you acting like this?"
"Why?" Her mouth twisted under the shadow of her hood. "I left on my own. I made sure you knew that. And you still came after me."
"Of course I did!" His voice sharpened. "You're my friend—I couldn't just leave you behind." His expression faltered. "…I didn't realize that was selfish."
Rin's lips parted, but no words came. She swallowed. "It… wasn't."
Sosuke stepped closer. "Then why?"
Rin exhaled slowly. "I just—" She hesitated. "I didn't want to face you again. Not yet. Not until I knew I could stand by your side as an equal."
Sosuke's breath caught. "…What?"
She laughed weakly. "Guess that was stupid, huh? You're the Sword Saint's son, after all."
Sosuke's jaw clenched. "Rin—"
"I'm sorry." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Just let me stay here. Just a little longer."
Sosuke's gaze lingered on her, searching for something in the way she held herself. He let out a slow breath.
"…Okay."
He turned without another word, walking out of the alley. Ryoma was waiting, leaning against the wall.
"Time to go?"
"…Yeah."
Ryoma pushed off the wall, glancing at Sosuke. "You gonna tell the others you can make a portal now?"
Sosuke exhaled through his nose. "Didn't realize you knew."
Ryoma grinned. "I pay attention."
Sosuke sighed, shaking his head as they started the long walk back.