The cave offered them shelter from the brutal cold, but it couldn’t thaw the tension that gripped the group. The silence was heavy, broken only by the crackling of the small fire they had managed to kindle.
Haruki sat against the wall, exhaustion weighing down his limbs. His hands were still trembling from shattering the runes, and his mind replayed the image of the glowing serpent dissolving into light.
Across from him, Kaede sat sharpening her blade with a slow, deliberate rhythm. Her face was unreadable, but her occasional glances in his direction felt like daggers.
“You saved us today, Haruki,” Mira said softly, offering him a small smile as she tended to her bowstring.
“Barely,” Haruki muttered. “If I hadn’t hesitated, maybe we wouldn’t have gotten so close to disaster.”
Zain snorted. “Disaster’s just part of the job, kid. You lived, we lived. Call it a win.”
Kaede’s sharpening stopped abruptly. She set her sword down and stood, her movements sharp. “We were reckless,” she said, her voice cold. “That ritual almost succeeded because we underestimated them.”
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KAEDE’S FRUSTRATION
Haruki frowned, forcing himself to sit up straighter. “You don’t think I know that? I’m trying to do better, Kaede.”
Her eyes narrowed as she crossed the cave to stand in front of him. “Trying isn’t enough out here, Shima. You need to act. Every second you hesitate, someone could die.”
The sting in her words made him flinch, but he refused to look away. “I’m not a soldier like you. I’m learning—”
“Then learn faster,” she snapped.
“Kaede,” Mira interjected, her tone cautious. “Maybe cut him some slack? He’s new to this.”
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Kaede’s jaw tightened, her gaze shifting to the fire. “Slack gets people killed. I’m not risking this mission because someone isn’t ready.”
Haruki stood, his fists clenched. “I’m here because you brought me, remember? You saw something in me, or am I just a mistake you’re trying to fix?”
The question hung in the air like a blade poised to strike.
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A MOMENT OF VULNERABILITY
For a long moment, Kaede didn’t answer. Then, her shoulders slumped slightly, and the sharp edge in her voice softened.
“You’re not a mistake,” she said quietly, her gaze still fixed on the fire. “But you need to understand—out here, there’s no room for second chances. One wrong move, and it’s over.”
Haruki’s anger ebbed, replaced by a pang of guilt. “I get it. I do. But I’m not going to get better if you don’t give me a chance to prove myself.”
Kaede finally looked at him, her dark eyes searching his face. “Prove yourself by staying alive. That’s all I’m asking.”
He nodded, the tension between them easing just slightly.
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A GLIMPSE OF THE PAST
Later that night, as the others slept, Haruki found Kaede sitting at the mouth of the cave, her sword resting across her lap.
“You’re not sleeping either?” he asked, approaching cautiously.
She glanced at him but didn’t say anything as he sat down beside her. The view from the cave was breathtaking—snow-covered peaks bathed in moonlight, the sky clear and dotted with stars.
“It was my first mission,” Kaede said suddenly, her voice low.
Haruki turned to her, surprised. “What was?”
“The first time I hesitated,” she continued, her gaze distant. “I was green, eager to prove myself. My partner... he trusted me to have his back. But I froze. And he didn’t make it.”
Haruki didn’t know what to say, so he stayed silent, letting her words hang between them.
Kaede let out a bitter laugh. “So yeah, I’m hard on you. Because I don’t want history to repeat itself.”
“I’m not him,” Haruki said quietly.
She finally looked at him, and for the first time, her expression softened. “I know. But that doesn’t make it easier.”
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A NEW LEAD
The next morning, Zain poured over the map, tracing the path beyond the altar. “This symbol here,” he said, pointing to a jagged mark. “It’s connected to the serpent somehow.”
“Another ritual site?” Mira guessed, peering over his shoulder.
“Maybe,” Zain replied. “But if we’re going there, we need to be ready for whatever’s waiting.”
Kaede sheathed her sword with a decisive click. “Then let’s move. The longer we wait, the more time our enemies have to regroup.”
Haruki hesitated, then stepped forward. “I’ll take point this time.”
Kaede raised an eyebrow, but after a moment, she nodded. “Alright. Don’t make me regret it.”