***
The more I attempted to distance myself from the foreboding black samurai, the more he seemed to defy the laws of nature. In a blur, he was always mere steps behind me, regardless of the heavy armor that should've weighed him down. It felt as if he wasn't bounded by the physical world, more phantom than man. Every pivot, every desperate twist and turn I took through Aiyaka's cold corridors, he was there, his presence persistent and inescapable.
Gasping for breath, my legs growing weak from the prolonged chase, I skidded to a stop, turning to face my pursuer. The courage to confront him was rooted in my weariness more than bravery. "What is it that you desire from me?" I demanded, trying to channel my father's stoic nature, though my voice wavered.
