“Terumi?!”

“No way… Isn’t that Munisai’s sister?”

“But she’s such a kind angel…”

“That can’t be …”

“We can’t…”

The raging crowd that was ready to throw anyone under the bull suddenly began to hesitate after hearing who it was.

In that split second where they were confused, the announcer got snatched away, and found himself pinned to a wall by a furious beast.

“Why?! Why did you announce it?! You know what will happen to my friend now!” Sasaki bellowed as she got in his face, demanding an answer from the one she saved.

“I had to, Sasaki!” Feeling her breath on his face, Hadeon shot back immediately, “I know what that Royal Clan can do, what any Royal Clan can do to this small village! The Oriol Clan are not alone, they’re backed up by someone stronger than even the might of the Royal Clans!”

“...”

“Please calm down and listen! I’m talking about war beyond what you can imagine, armies upon armies against this small clan would be nothing short of a massacre!”

“Hngh!” Sasaki tightened her grip on his collar, slowly choking him.

“I…don’t want that for this… clan.” Hadeon managed to let out, “I… don’t want… that… for you…”

“Dammit!” Sasaki shouted, letting go of Hadeon who momentarily dropped to a knee from the quick release of tension.

“...”

Hadeon rubbed his neck as he watched Sasaki repeatedly walk left and right in circles while scratching her head.

“Shit! What am I supposed to do?! You can’t expect me to just leave my friend to die!”

“But Sasaki, no one has to die!” Hadeon cut in, “They are simply asking you to uphold the Absolute Law!”

“Don’t be naive! You think Terumi would just leave her life here, her family… her betrothed…” Sasaki trailed off, “not a chance. Munisai wouldn’t stand by and let it happen either…He…”

“...” Hadeon listened in silence, carefully waiting for Sasaki to finish that sentence.

“He can’t die here… His dreams are big, bigger than anyone could dare to dream!” Sasaki’s eyes lit up for a split second, her respect and admiration for Munisai clearly evident on her face.

Hadeon narrowed his brows, his beautiful face slowly showing a different side. It almost looked like his red pupils were glowing in the middle of his black eyes.

Sasaki didn’t notice and carried on.

“If he dies, we’re all done for!” Sasaki took a step forward, “Forget glory! I can’t let that happen! If anyone, he has to survive!”

But…

“Sasaki, please wait!”

“?!”

Suddenly, Hadeon grabbed her hand, stopping her charge.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“You can’t throw in your life for them! You always say it, don’t you? Death is just another part of life! Then, you should not interfere!”

“Let me go, bat brain!” Sasaki snatched her arm away. “There is nothing natural about this whole thing! I’m not letting anyone die!”

“...”

Hadeon watched Sasaki go into danger on her own. He, most of all, understood what kind of danger it was, but he couldn’t interfere either.

All he could now do is simply watch as things progressed forward.

For whatever ends up happening at the end of this path…

“Those are simply the consequences of my actions…”

He murmured as his body suddenly turned to red mist.

What happened after this? How did everything get resolved? That was not Sasaki and Hadeon’s story to tell.

It was the story of the Sword Saint taking on the representatives of the Oriol Clan, and the reckless measures he had ended up taking to defend his family.

Only to fail and lose them, along with his left leg and will to live.

But that is a story for another time.

**👑**

And just like that, 2 years had passed after the invasion of the Oriol Clan.

The Kage Clan quickly picked itself up and life continued as normal, at least that’s how things looked on the outside.

The invasion and conflict had instilled absolute terror within the villagers, there had been too many losses to count. The population of the Kage Clan had dropped significantly and things were looking grim.

Even the twenty-first Shadow Queen gave her life to defend her clan. At the very least, It was fortunate that she had left a daughter behind to carry on the torch of her ancestors before her.

Amongst the many developments within the Kage Clan however, was Hadeon. Despite originally only planning to stay until he recovered, he had made the decision to stay and help the clan get back on its feet.

No one could object, they needed every help they could get.

However, what no one had planned on, the worst case scenario, came to fruition.

Sasaki had gotten pregnant.

Two years was a longtime for two people to get close to one another. That was especially the case if they spent most the day around each other.

Even the Rascal Girl, the Shadow Clan’s Queen of Fury, eventually gave into her feelings…

Despite it being a taboo of unimaginable consequences…

“How could you do this, daughter?!” Her father, Hideyoshi, reprimanded her, screaming out of his lungs. “Do you know what they’ll do to you now!? What will happen to our family?!”

“I don’t care! I’m keeping it, and that’s final!” Sasaki shot back, then turned away from her father, “I’ll leave this clan if I have to. No one is stopping me!“

Panic ensued and the villagers began to prepare for a riot.

Until…

“My friends, loyal members of the Kage Clan, please lend me your attention for a moment!” Hadeon stepped in the main square again and began to loudly announce his presence, “It is true that I have fallen for a woman of this humble clan, I won’t deny it!”

“Fallen?! Who cares about your feelings! You’re creating a calamity!”

“Bringing a Hyking into this world, into this clan! You should be executed!”

The villagers barraged him with insults. Some even began to pick stones to throw.

“It is true.” Hadeon agreed with them without a moment of delay, “We are expecting. However! Please think back, in my two years of stay here, has anyone witnessed me use a Sign before?”

“Huh? I don’t know! Why does that matter?!”

“I guess I can’t remember seeing that…?”

“Yes, please hear me and see reason. I am Signless, my body functions as that of a vampire naturally would, but I possess no Sign to speak of!”

“What?! Seriously?”

“No Sign? And a Royal no less?”

Hadeon confessed to everyone listening to him, gaining a quick moment of hesitation.

“I apologize for not saying anything sooner, but this is rather a very sensitive topic for me.” He started by putting a hand over his heart and closing his eyes. “I was attacked by my own people for this very reason, you see, and barely escaped to land at your feet.”

Everyone listened intently, as Sasaki came into view, having listened to everything.

“I was welcomed, well treated, and loved by this place for two years, I am beyond grateful for everything you have done for me!” He stopped for a second, then continued after making eye contact with Sasaki behind the crowd, “Despite there not being a risk of a Hyking being born, I do not wish to cause you any more pain, and therefore will be leaving this place with my newfound family.”

Hearing that, a sudden change in the crowd overwhelmed whoever was still hesitant.

Mere moments later, cheers erupted, congratulating the couple.

Sasaki, however, could only narrow her eyes.

Without bidding farewell to her family, friends, or clan, she walked into the Shadow Valley one last time, meeting the man she had fallen for.

“Sasaki, dear.” He began to say after seeing her, “I know this place brings memories for us, but we didn’t have to come here again, did we? Or is this your idea of romance perhaps?”

“Cut the act, Hadeon.” Sasaki said coldly, “You don’t have a Sign? You can trick the others, but not me.”

“Does it matter?” The Vampire asked with a raised brow. “I only made that announcement to protect your name. Now, they will remember you as you are, an honorable feisty woman who loved everyone too dearly.”

“I’m not dying or leaving anytime soon, dear. There was no need for that.” Sasaki shot back.

The two who had gotten too close to each other, now stood at a distance from one another, just like the first they had met in this same cave.

“I can’t let you have it.”

After a moment of silence, Hadeon suddenly declared. Hearing that, Sasaki’s expression didn’t change.

“It is our child, but I cannot in good conscious allow a Hyking to be born into this world.” The Vampire closed his eyes and grabbed at his heart, making a mess of his neatly ironed shirt.

“...” Sasaki waited silently, her eyes downcast and narrow.

As much as she hated it, she had already come to a decision prior to coming here.

Now that Hadeon said the words she had so hoped he wouldn’t…

There wouldn’t be any options of resolving things peacefully…

A fight for the life of the little fetus’s life was imminent.

A fight for Kojiro’s life.

----------------------------------------

image [https://i.imgur.com/KQmIY8F.png]