Kaede and Haruki walked in silence as the dirt road stretched ahead, lined with towering oaks that swayed gently in the wind. The weight of Ragnor’s looming presence hung heavy in the air, but neither wanted to address it just yet.
Haruki, as always, was the first to break the silence. “So... you’re not going to tell me about your history with Ragnor, are you?”
Kaede shot him a sideways glance. “You’ve got enough to worry about, Shima. Focus on keeping up.”
“Right, because ignorance is such a great survival strategy,” Haruki muttered, adjusting the strap of his satchel. “Look, if we’re going to keep running into his goons, maybe I should know what we’re up against. Just a thought.”
Kaede stopped, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. “Fine. You want to know? Ragnor was my commanding officer.”
Haruki blinked, caught off guard. “Wait, you were in the military?”
“Briefly,” Kaede replied, her voice tight. “It didn’t end well.”
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A GLIMPSE OF THE PAST
Kaede didn’t elaborate, but Haruki could sense the tension in her posture. It wasn’t just her usual guarded demeanor—this was something deeper, a wound that hadn’t quite healed.
“Ragnor’s the reason I left,” Kaede continued after a moment. “He’s ruthless, manipulative. Uses people like pawns on a chessboard. And if you’re not useful to him anymore...” She trailed off, her eyes darkening.
Haruki hesitated. “Someone you cared about got caught in his games, didn’t they?”
Kaede’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, he thought she wouldn’t answer. Then she sighed, running a hand through her shoulder-length white hair. “Yeah. And I couldn’t save them.”
Haruki was quiet, his usual sarcasm replaced by a rare moment of sincerity. “I’m sorry.”
Kaede smirked, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Don’t get all sentimental on me, Shima. I’ve moved on.”
“Have you?” he asked softly, earning a glare that could have melted steel.
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THE WHISPERING RUINS
By midday, they reached their destination: the Whispering Ruins, a sprawling labyrinth of ancient stone corridors hidden beneath a thick canopy of trees.
“This place gives me the creeps,” Haruki muttered, staring at the vine-covered entrance.
Kaede unsheathed her sword, her expression focused. “Good. Stay sharp. These ruins are crawling with traps.”
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“Great,” Haruki said with mock enthusiasm. “Because dodging death isn’t stressful enough.”
The pair entered the ruins, their footsteps echoing against the cold, damp stone. Faint carvings lined the walls, depicting scenes of battles, rituals, and a towering figure that resembled a god.
Kaede stopped in front of one of the carvings, her amber eyes narrowing. “This is new.”
Haruki peered over her shoulder. “What is it?”
“An inscription,” she said, tracing the carved symbols with her fingers. “It’s a warning.”
“Let me guess,” Haruki said. “‘Turn back now, foolish mortals’?”
“Close,” Kaede replied. “‘Those who seek power will pay the price.’”
Haruki raised an eyebrow. “Cryptic. I like it.”
Kaede rolled her eyes. “Let’s keep moving.”
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TRAPS AND TRIBULATIONS
The deeper they ventured, the more treacherous the ruins became. Haruki narrowly avoided triggering a pressure plate, while Kaede expertly disarmed a series of tripwires.
“Why does every ancient ruin have to be a death trap?” Haruki grumbled, stepping over a particularly menacing-looking pit.
“Because it’s fun,” Kaede replied with a smirk.
“For who?!”
Kaede didn’t answer, her attention drawn to a faint glow emanating from the end of the corridor. She motioned for Haruki to stay close as they approached.
The glow came from a pedestal in the center of a circular chamber. On it rested a crystal shard, its surface pulsing with an otherworldly light.
“That’s it,” Kaede said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Haruki frowned. “It’s always the glowing thing, isn’t it?”
Kaede nodded. “Yep. And it’s never that easy.”
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THE GUARDIAN
As soon as Kaede stepped into the chamber, the walls rumbled, and a figure emerged from the shadows. It was massive, its body made of stone and adorned with glowing runes.
“Called it,” Haruki muttered, stepping back.
The guardian let out a deafening roar, its glowing eyes locking onto Kaede.
“Stay back!” Kaede ordered, raising her sword.
Haruki didn’t argue. He pressed himself against the wall, watching as Kaede charged at the creature with her usual fearless determination.
The clash was brutal. Kaede dodged the guardian’s massive swings with grace, her blade striking at its joints. Sparks flew as steel met stone, but the guardian didn’t slow down.
“Any bright ideas, Shima?!” Kaede called, narrowly avoiding a crushing blow.
Haruki scanned the room, his eyes landing on the pedestal. “Maybe if we remove the shard, it’ll deactivate!”
“Or it’ll make it angrier!” Kaede shouted back.
“Do we have a better option?”
Kaede didn’t answer, too busy fending off the guardian’s relentless attacks.
Haruki took a deep breath and made a run for the pedestal. The moment he touched the shard, the guardian let out a piercing roar, freezing Kaede in her tracks.
“Haruki, what the hell are you doing?!”
“Fixing the problem!” he shouted, yanking the shard free.
The guardian stopped mid-swing, its glowing runes dimming. With a final rumble, it crumbled into a pile of rubble.
Kaede stared at Haruki, her sword still raised. “That... actually worked.”
Haruki grinned, holding up the shard. “See? I have my moments.”
Kaede shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. “You’re insane, Shima.”
“Yeah, but you love it,” he replied with a wink.
Kaede rolled her eyes. “Let’s get out of here before this place decides to collapse.”
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As they left the ruins, shard in hand, Haruki couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment. Kaede, meanwhile, couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched.
“Hey, Kaede?” Haruki said, breaking her thoughts.
“Yeah?”
“You trust me now, right?”
Kaede glanced at him, her expression softening. “Don’t push your luck, Shima.”
Haruki grinned. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
Kaede sighed, but for the first time in a while, she felt a flicker of hope. Whatever lay ahead, she knew she wouldn’t face it alone.