Kaito sat by the window, the moon casting a silvery glow on his face. His black hair cascaded down his shoulder, long and silky, hiding the sharp outline of his jaw. The room was hushed, the only sound the rhythmic cadence of Chiyo's breath as she slept. The dagger that stabbed her still has poison on it. Even if her body is immune to it, side effects are bound to happen, she even lost a lot of blood.
His gaze lingered on her features - the curve of her pale lips (chapped and dehydrated), the delicate arch of her brows. She was reckless, impulsive, and infuriatingly brave. But she was also vulnerable, and she needed him. He is the only one who can cover up that vulnerability. He had promised her. He will be her shield and her sword that she can wield anytime.
It will only be him.
His loyalty is etched onto her bones; his love is bound to her like chains.
Kaito turned his head away, his golden eyes, cold and sharp, are like a whirlpool of fire - ready to burn the enemies to ashes. He looked at the mask on the table that he somehow managed to get. It was already stained with blood, showing off an eerie vibe to it.
Who had sent the assassins after her? Who orchestrated such deadly dance? His mind raced, piercing together fragments of information. The King? The Queen? Was it Elric? or is there an unknown enemy, forgotten by time?
Kaito wanted answers and he would find them, even if it meant tearing apart the whole assassin clan that holds the truth. The assassins may have failed. But that failure had ignited a fire within him, one that burned hotter than any silent rage. Nobody should have provoked him nor touched what belongs to him for when he retaliate, he is always the only one walking out of that encounter - unharmed.
He brushed a strand of hair from Chiyo's face, his touch gentle yet possessive. "Sleep, my wife," he whispered. "When you wake up I'll still be here by your side."
Dawn is soon to approach. He rose from his chair, and a group of crows came at his beck, their ebony eyes glinting with intelligence. All of them silently watching as they wait for their master's order.
"Stand guard." He said. "Don't let anyone else enter this room."
The crows nodded their small heads, while the other one changed into a young boy.
"Can we kill whoever enters?" He asked, his dark eyes gleaming with danger.
Kaito glanced at him - contemplating... "Kill." He then answered, the crows ruffled their feathers and the child mischievously smiled.
"Yes, master."
He gave one last look to his wife. Chiyo lay cocooned in her dreams, unaware of the impending storm. And then like smoke, Kaito vanished with a promise: Vengeance. He vowed to hunt down every member of the Shadow grin's clan. To let them face what death really looks like when it roams their realm.
The warehouse loomed ahead, its walls stained with wickedness and treachery. The Shadow's Grin clan, masters of death, awaited deep within. But as Kaito stepped over the threshold, the air thickened. The scent of iron and despair filled his nose. His eyes narrowed as he swept his gaze over the dim-lit warehouse. Assassins lay strewn across the floor, their blood spilled. Hearts torn from their chests, crimson liquid staining the floor. Each wound mirrored the victims they had pursued — the same jagged incision, the same stolen hearts. But this time the stakes were personal.
Kaito's mind raced, how come that they all perished mere minutes before his arrival? It was like the unknown enemy was expecting him to come and look for answers. So they were all silenced before he could even get to them.
But who? Was the creature more intelligent than they expect it to be? or is there someone else? A companion? A master?
He walked around the warehouse, his vengeance shifted. He would avenge Chiyo, yes, but first, he needs to unravel this enigma. Looking around, something was gleaming against the moonlight.
White and small, its surface polished and shining like a diamond. Kaito reached for the scale, his finger tracing its edges. The snake scale is no ordinary. It was an ancient armor of serpents — a shapeshifter. The creature that wore it could slip anywhere, donning new skins like masquerade — a serpent that dances through the shadow while wearing different identities.
Kaito pocketed the white scale, its coolness a reminder of his vengeance. Chiyo's safety depended on it, so he would follow this trail to unravel the serpent's secret — then death awaits it.
As the sun peeked through the horizon, Kaito finally stepped back into the light. Some crows above cawed, their eyes knowing — sensing the change in his emotion.
"Go and find Hachiro. Bring him to this place." Was all he said then he vanished again.
He came back to where he came from, and Chiyo is still sound asleep. "Did anyone enter?" He asked.
The child crow bowed to him. "No, master. Nobody came while you were away." Kaito nodded at him, then the child turned back into a crow.
They all left the room in silence, leaving the husband and wife alone. Kaito slid into the chair beside the bed, then he reached for the scale in his pocket, his gaze deepening. Serpents are not common in their realm. Their numbers could only be counted with one hand. That's also the reason why only a few knew about their existence and their treacherous nature. They are the masters of deception, a creature who wore thousands of faces.
"What is that?" A fragile voice asked. The moment Chiyo opened her eyes, the scale that nestled between Kaito's fingers was the first thing she noticed.
She squinted her eyes, the scale a bit familiar to her.
Kaito met her gaze, then he placed the thing on her palm. "I went to the Shadow's Grin clan." He explained. "However, the moment I got there everyone is already dead, their hearts missing. I found that inside the warehouse."
Chiyo nodded, and her hand brushed against the cool surface of the scale. She studied it, putting it closer to her face.
"This..." she murmured. "It's like I have seen it somewhere before." She tried to sit down, and Kaito helped her settle on the bed.
"Have you met a shapeshifter before?" He asked her.
"I think so..." She gave back the scale. "Twenty two years ago. I think I've met one. He even gave me a white rose."