Kaede and Haruki strolled through the moonlit woods, the forest alive with the hum of nocturnal creatures. The artifact was tucked securely in Haruki’s satchel, though his hand lingered on the strap like a mother hen guarding her chicks.
“Don’t baby it,” Kaede teased, walking ahead. “It’s not going to run away.”
“Considering it almost got us killed, I think it deserves a little TLC,” Haruki shot back, quickening his pace to catch up.
Kaede snorted. “You’re ridiculous. What’s next, are you going to knit it a sweater?”
“Only if it gets cold,” he deadpanned, earning a genuine laugh from Kaede.
It was rare to hear her laugh like that—unrestrained, almost melodic. Haruki wouldn’t admit it, but he liked those moments. They reminded him that beneath her hardened exterior was someone surprisingly human.
The sound of a twig snapping brought their banter to an abrupt halt. Kaede’s hand went to her sword in an instant, her body tense like a coiled spring.
“Stay close,” she murmured, her voice low.
Haruki didn’t need to be told twice. He adjusted his satchel, his eyes scanning the shadows.
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AMBUSHED
The attack came swiftly. Figures emerged from the darkness, cloaked in black, their faces obscured by masks. There were at least five of them, their movements precise and deadly.
“Friends of yours?” Haruki asked dryly, stepping back as Kaede drew her sword.
“If they were friends, I wouldn’t be so excited to fight them,” she replied with a grin, launching herself at the nearest attacker.
Her blade clashed against steel, the sound echoing through the forest. Kaede fought like a storm—relentless, unpredictable, and devastating. She disarmed one opponent with a brutal kick, then pivoted to block another’s strike with ease.
Meanwhile, Haruki used his surroundings to his advantage. He ducked behind a tree, hurling a rock at an attacker’s head with surprising accuracy. When one of them lunged at him, he sidestepped and used their momentum to send them crashing into a tree trunk.
“You’re getting better at this,” Kaede called, parrying another strike.
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“Don’t sound so surprised,” Haruki replied, yanking a branch off the ground and swinging it at an attacker.
Within minutes, the ambush dissolved into chaos. Kaede stood over the last conscious assailant, her sword pressed against their throat.
“Who sent you?” she demanded, her voice icy.
The figure didn’t answer, but Kaede’s blade inched closer, drawing a thin line of blood.
“Talk,” she growled.
“Kaede,” Haruki interjected, placing a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll get nothing out of a corpse.”
Kaede hesitated, then pulled back. The assailant glared at her before spitting out a single word:
“Ragnor.”
Kaede’s grip on her sword tightened, her jaw clenching.
Haruki frowned. “Why would General Ragnor send assassins after us? We already left the fortress.”
The assailant laughed weakly. “You think it’s about the artifact? You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourselves into.”
Before they could press further, the figure bit down on something and convulsed. Within seconds, they were lifeless.
“Poison capsule,” Haruki muttered grimly.
Kaede wiped her blade clean, her expression unreadable. “We need to move. Now.”
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A TENSE CAMPFIRE
Later that night, they set up camp in a small clearing. Kaede sat by the fire, sharpening her sword in silence. Haruki leaned against a tree, his notebook open but untouched.
“You’ve been quiet,” Haruki said after a while, breaking the heavy silence.
Kaede didn’t look up. “Just thinking.”
“That’s dangerous,” he teased lightly, trying to ease the tension.
Kaede’s lips twitched, but her focus remained on her blade. “Ragnor’s name keeps popping up. It’s not a coincidence.”
“You think this is personal?” Haruki asked, closing his notebook.
Kaede finally looked at him, her amber eyes flickering in the firelight. “It’s always personal.”
Haruki frowned. “You’ve dealt with him before, haven’t you?”
Kaede hesitated, her grip tightening on the hilt of her sword. “A long time ago. He... ruined a lot of lives. Including someone I cared about.”
Haruki’s expression softened. “I didn’t know.”
“You didn’t need to,” she replied curtly, but the edge in her voice had dulled.
Haruki stood and moved closer, sitting beside her. “You know, for someone who acts tough, you’re surprisingly easy to read.”
Kaede raised an eyebrow. “And for someone who’s supposed to be my assistant, you’re surprisingly nosy.”
“It’s part of the job,” Haruki said with a small smile.
For a moment, the two sat in comfortable silence, the crackling fire the only sound. Despite the danger that loomed, there was an unspoken trust between them—a bond forged through countless battles and shared scars.
Kaede finally sheathed her sword and leaned back, her gaze fixed on the stars. “We’ll deal with Ragnor. But when the time comes, I need you to trust me.”
“I always do,” Haruki replied without hesitation.
Kaede glanced at him, a rare flicker of vulnerability crossing her face. It vanished as quickly as it came, replaced by her usual smirk.
“Good. Now, get some sleep. You’re useless to me if you’re tired.”
Haruki chuckled. “Yes, ma’am.”
As he settled into his bedroll, Kaede stayed awake, her hand resting on her sword. She wasn’t afraid of Ragnor—she never feared a fight. But the shadows of the past had a way of creeping in, and tonight, they felt particularly heavy.