Once the Warden was done, Yoru returned to the forest. She lifted her head taking in the smells of the forest. There were many scents mixed in, but she couldn’t smell Cedar’s putrid scent. He wasn’t near them at all.

There was one other person near them, but it wasn’t Cedar. She would never mistake Cedar’s scent. It was the scent that drove her blood in a frenzy.

She never trusted him. It was why she watched his every action closely. She knew for a fact that he hadn’t put the poison in there.

There was only one person who could have done that.

Her shoulder was clasped by Kenichi’s large hand. His expression somber and worried.

“Are you alright?” The bear looked at her with those big brown eyes.

Her ears twitched. The person nearest to them was moving away from them. Their footsteps, based on how it sounded, she guessed a woman, faded away within the cacophony of sounds from the forest.

“No,” she finally said. She was always surprised how patient he was. “I’m not alright.” She turned to him. “Should I?”

Kenichi kept a patient smile on his face.

“No, not really. We’re in a tough situation.” He gazed around them. His round ears twitched. “I don’t hear anyone near us, but we should get moving.”

He moved, but she didn’t. She waited until he stopped in place.

“What’s wrong?”

“Say, Kenichi. What was written in that letter Aria gave you?” She asked. “Did you know that Cedar would betray us? Or was it you that betrayed me?”

She turned to face him and watched him closely. The monk replied with an easy smile.

“We don’t know anything yet,” he said.

“Then can you tell me what was in that letter?”

“No,” he said. “I can’t share that information with you. The less people know the more likelier it will come true. You just have to believe in Aria. If I could share the information with you, I would.”

“Trust.” Her shadow boiled. “Cuts both ways.”

Kenichi eyed her shadow.

“It’s best to save our resources. Even if we did end up near a tree with Spirit Keys,” he said.

“See. Isn’t that strange to you? We were captured, and we ended up near a tree with the most valuable resources here? What did you do Kenichi? You’re not even worried about Aria.”

Then, he sighed. He met her gaze with his own firm gaze. He placed his hand on his chest, where his necklace with the symbol of the Shield and Moon resided.

“Everything I’ve done, has been for the sake of our mission, that I swear my life to the Goddess of the Moon.”

And that was when she knew that was all she would be able to get from him.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Because swearing on that was as sacred as an affirmation it could have gotten.

“Fine,” she demurred. “I at least owe you that.”

“Thank you.”

And she knew that he truly meant that.

The monk pointed to a path.

“If we follow this, we should arrive to where the Seal lies. Trust me.”

She…she had doubts. A lot of them. Everything stank. Trust was difficult for her, reaching out her hand felt like touching hot iron. But she followed the man, into the unknown darkness of a future only he knew.

That future she would curse with all of her strength when she found out.

#

“You know, what you just told me sounds crazy,” Subaru told him after listening to his story. He tapped at his blue dark horn, contemplating. “To say that you are a man from another world trapped in a dead prince’s body. Wouldn’t it be more likely to say that the execution was so traumatic that it affected your psyche?”

To that, Kagami could only heave a heavy sigh.

“Of course.”

No one believed him. He still had try though. The oni sensed this and laugh.

“Well, take it from me. If I told you I was the Goddess of the Sun, would you believe me?”

Kagami gave him an appraising look and snorted. “If you’re the Goddess, then you’re the ugliest goddess I’ve ever seen.”

Subaru slapped his thigh and laughed.

“Right you are! You definitely don’t really say things Cedar would say! But you can see it right? I can’t believe you. That’s not something I could do.”

“I know.” Kagami sighed and turned towards the wall. They had taken shelter in a cave. He eyed the man from the corner of his eyes. “So, why did you save me? Don’t tell me you saved me out of the goodness of your heart?”

“Nothing like that.” He gave a smile. “I’m not a kind oni to save someone like you. I’m a mercenary. I have a price for my service. I came down here a few days ago and was caught by a couple of giant spiders. While I was being held prisoner, I heard a few things.” He leaned forward. “Is it true that you cannot die?”

Kagami didn’t like where this was going.

“What do you plan to do if I can’t?”

His smile became more radiant. Like a jubilant boy that got a new toy.

“I want to get an item back.” Subaru explained. “There’s a place that’s being guarded, it has an item that will get rid of these threads.” He pointed to his neck. “Anyone that goes there will have to fight one of the Warden’s guard. You can imagine what I’m getting at right?”

“So, you want an item to get rid of the threads on your neck? And what’s in it for me?”

“Well, I told you didn’t I? I desire payment for my service. I saved you, but I can sweeten the deal a little bit more and offer more of my service.”

“I don’t need it and I have something more important to do.”

Kagami stood from his rock and walked past him. The oni slithered right in front of him.

“Woah, woah.” He waved his hand erratically. “Time out. What’s this important thing you have to do?”

“I’m going to kill the Warden.” Kagami could feel the flow of anger touch his throat. “Then, I’m going to find my wife.”

He moved, but Subaru stood in his way.

“Can you defeat him? I heard from one of the guards that you were throughly turned into meat cubes. You would be walking to your death.”

His hand tightened just like his voice.

“You don’t think I know that? I know, but I have to. I have a place I need to be now. So, step aside!”

Subaru stood adamant.

“No.”

His fist flew, but it bounced back as if it had been hit by invisible rubber. The rebound made him lose his footing and fall against the wall.

“I thought so.” The oni observed him. “You can’t use Aura. At least not as well as you used to.”

“Aura?” Kagami asked, still reeling from the confusion of hitting something invisible.

Then a smile bloomed on him.

“Well, it looks like I got something to offer after all. I’ll teach you the basics of Aura, if you help me out.” He held out his hand. “Deal?”

Kagami stared at the hand, and then to his fist. Aura had to be the burst of energy he felt when was fighting the Treant. If the man was willing to teach him, then he would take all chances of doing getting stronger.

His wife’s image passed through his head.

He grabbed the oni’s rough hands.

“Great!” He pulled him up. “Now the first thing we need to do is kill you.”