Ryoma retrieved his katana from the blacksmith, and it felt better than ever. More lightweight with a faster swing, yet it still shone brilliantly. He thanked the forge worker and the four friends left in the direction of the mountain range. Tetsuo decided to join them, which perplexed Ryoma initially, but the monk said, “The other brothers will tend to those who seek aid from the temple; for some reason, I feel the gods compel me to join your journey.” He then looked to Himiko and smiled, making Ryoma question his true intentions.

The quartet swiftly traversed the terrain, tracing alongside the rising sun’s warmth across the land. Before long, they reached the foot of the mountain and were met with a forest. Despite the dawn, darkness still wrapped itself around the overgrown grove. “I suppose we’ll have to make our way through there.” Ryoma said. The others reluctantly agreed, and the four set foot into the woods.

As soon as they entered the biome, the quartet was swallowed up by a thick fog. Ryoma turned around yet could not see his companions. “We’ll have to stick close together so as not to lose one another.” He said. However, silence permeated his confidence. “Himiko?” He asked. “Yuki?” He even then called out for Tetsuo, but no one responded. Even though it seemed impossible seeing as how they were together mere seconds ago, he realized that he was alone.

The thought occurred to Ryoma that he was still at the forest’s edge, so he retraced his steps to hopefully make his way out of the mist surrounding him. He moved back several paces, yet the fog refused to dissipate. He turned back and charged, nearly tripping over his own two feet since he was in such a blind hurry, yet his efforts proved fruitless. Though he initially refused to believe it, the rational side of his brain accepted that he was trapped.

Laughter cut through the fog surrounding Ryoma. The samurai turned around and saw two obscured figures ahead. It appeared to be a man with a woman clinging to his arm. Their laughter subsided and the man asked, “Oh Ryoma, why have you failed us so?” Though the face was obscured, Ryoma recognized the voice instantly and his blood ran cold. “E-Emperor Hiro?” He asked with such strain and hesitation in his own words.

“He remembers you, darling.” The woman said and snickered. There was no mistaking by Ryoma that her voice matched Empress Haru to a tee. And yet, something didn’t sit right with them; her cadence was identical, but her deriding nature failed to befit her. “My lady?” Ryoma asked, unable to believe what he was hearing.

“So, you remember me, too?” Haru asked. “I was sure you’d forgotten me, seeing as how you left me to die in the castle.” Ryoma gasped and asked, “Do you mean to say that you didn’t escape from the demons?” She burst into hysterical laughter and exclaimed, “Of course not! Myself, my ladies-in-waiting, even your companion at the gate, Goro, none of us survived the night! And all because you were so blinded by your quest to reach the already doomed emperor.”

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“But,” Ryoma exclaimed, “I was duty-bound to help my lord! It wasn’t personal, lady Haru, I swear!” He fell to his knees and placed his head upon the soft, cool earth. Hiro said, “And yet, you even failed in that regard. I was defenseless against Orochi, Ryoma. I was so scared when he entered my being, I thought my very soul would be extinguished, the light gone from my eyes forever. I lost faith in you, Ryoma.”

The final words cut through Ryoma like his own katana slicing apart his body limb from limb. He began to weep into the dirt and couldn’t manage to speak. He wanted to apologize for every way that he failed the couple, yet didn’t have the breath to spare from his heaving. The disgrace he felt in that moment pushed him ever closer to the edge of breaking.

Then, a hand came to rest on Ryoma’s left shoulder. He stopped crying and rose to his knees. The shadowy figures of Hiro and Haru were still standing at a distance in front of him. He looked down to his left and noticed a crimson hue enveloping the hand upon him. He realized that it resembled the same figure that visited him in his dreams the night of the invasion. It must’ve been the real Hiro reaching out to him!

Ryoma stood up, unsheathed his katana, and pointed his blade at the dark apparitions. “Foul creatures born of my own doubt,” he exclaimed, “I hereby banish you from my mind!” He then raced forward and slashed through the shadows, causing them to fade back into the fog. Sheathing his sword, he said, “I promise, my lord, I will save you from Orochi’s clutches. I won’t stop until your soul is free.” Then, he looked back and saw the scarlet silhouette shimmer and subside until it was gone.

The fog lifted as soon as it had rushed in, and Ryoma spotted Himiko in the distance. “Himiko!” He yelled. The shrine maiden turned back, tears on her face, and exclaimed, “Ryoma! There you are!” Then, Yuki, from Ryoma’s right, asked, “Ryoma, is that you?” He turned to the kappa and nodded. Behind him, Tetsuo exclaimed, “Everyone, you’re here! I’ve never been so relieved!”

The four reunited and Yuki asked, “What happened just now?” He was obviously shaken from the experience, so Ryoma placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him, just as the emperor’s visage had done to him. The samurai said, “It would seem that the gods are testing our resolve. My duty to protect the emperor was put to the test in the fog.” Himiko asked, “You saw a phantom as well? In the mist, Sayako appeared before me, chastising me for leaving her. But I promised her that I would return and free her from the succubus.”

Yuki jumped up and down, water splashing his companions, and exclaimed, “I had a vision, too! In it, a herd of fellow kappa appeared from nowhere and derided me for joining up with humans instead of siding with Orochi. I was disheartened at first, but I stood my ground and told them that they never made me feel welcome, unlike the three of you.” Himiko smiled, a fresh tear forming in her eye, and hugged Yuki. She exclaimed, “Of course, you’re welcome with us, Yuki!”

The group then turned to Tetsuo, expecting to hear a story from him as well, but he merely smirked and said, “Let’s continue on now. Ryoma, lead the way.” He gestured forward with his hand, so Ryoma, feeling as estranged from the monk as ever, shrugged and began moving forward once more, the others closely in