The faint, earthy smell of herbs and freshly cut wood filled the small cabin near the edge of the village. With its rugged simplicity, the cabin had everything Tatsuya and Yuki needed—a soft bed, a sturdy roof, and walls that kept the warmth in and the dangers of the night out. Here, the cool, piney scent mingled with the hint of wildflowers from the nearby glade, creating a soothing atmosphere they hadn't known in some time.
As Yuki entered, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, letting the calming scents settle her nerves. When she opened her eyes, she spotted Tatsuya mid-leap, flinging himself onto the bed with a carefree abandon that startled her. The frame groaned under his weight, making her eyes narrow and her tail to curl tightly around her leg.
"Ever since we got here…no, ever since you met that bear woman, you've been acting so…unusual," she muttered, her tail lashing against the door. "Is there something you're not telling me, Master?"
Tatsuya looked up, clutching the pillow he'd been nuzzling and blinking in surprise. He shrugged off her words and sat up, resting on his elbows before sighing dramatically. "Listen here, Yuki!" he declared, jabbing his finger toward her, his eyes fierce.
Her ears perked up, caught off guard by his sudden intensity.
"Back at the temple, it was just rocks, books, and the occasional monster to keep us company," he explained, waving his hands as if conjuring the dreary stone walls in front of her. "But here? Here's a whole civilization! Real beds, fresh food—actual meals, not just stale rations—and…well, company." He hesitated, glancing away with a smirk.
At the mention of "company," her tail uncoiled and snapped against the wall with a forceful whap, breaking him from his musings. Yuki glared, tail rigid, as she shot a look toward the open window.
"A-and," he added hastily, clearing his throat, "there are people here who'll teach us how to grow stronger!"
Yuki's shoulders relaxed slightly, but her tail flicked in agitation. "While all of that sounds nice, I can't help but notice your change in…attitude," she said, shrugging and walking toward the small basin in the corner. She set it between their beds, allowing the water to settle before glancing back at him.
Tatsuya raised an eyebrow, watching her with a sly grin.
After a brief pause, Yuki faced him fully, a grimace creeping onto her face, her hands resting on her hips. "Regardless, you're still my master. So please…" She turned her head, whispering under her breath, "Act like it and stop confusing me so much."
As soon as she left the room, Yuki leaned against the cabin door, gazing up at the night sky with a pained look. Soft stars dotted the expanse, casting a pale glow across the forest. Her heart ached with a weight she couldn't shake. "Why did I ever think I was more than just his servant…"
Her mind replayed Tatsuya's words from earlier: "You don't have to be afraid when I'm here, Yuki. I'll always be here to protect you—even if I'm not the perfect master."
She shook her head, brushing away an errant tear. "Maybe he's the best I could hope for…even if he is a little strange."
***
By morning, Yuki felt a renewed determination as she trailed Kiyara through the dense rainforest. Vines and ferns crowded their path, but Kiyara's powerful swings with her broad axe sliced through the greenery with ease, each cut clearing a small cloud of mist that lingered in the morning light.
"Where are we going?" Yuki asked, noting the wild glint in Kiyara's eyes. "This isn't exactly what I imagined when you said 'Nyren training.'"
"For the kind of training you're in for, we need someplace far from prying eyes," Kiyara replied with a wolfish grin, barely looking back. "A place I call Stoneglow Basin. My father trained here once upon a time."
Yuki's brows knitted with curiosity. Is Nyren really that powerful? Or is she just trying to intimidate me?
These doubts vanished as they arrived at the basin. The Stoneglow Basin spanned across the horizon, with mountains rising like titans in the distance. Giant, crystalline ice formations jutted from the earth, each spike casting iridescent hues of blue and violet across the stone-laden soil. The basin seemed to breathe, radiating a raw power that felt ancient and untamed.
Kiyara turned around and spread her arms wide, beaming with pride. "Welcome! Since the ground's mostly stone, it gets…hot." To emphasize her point, she took a few steps back, small plumes of smoke appearing beneath her boots as she laughed.
As Yuki stepped forward, the heat prickled at the soles of her feet, forcing her back. She grimaced, gripping her katana.
"Are you sure this is necessary?" she asked, cringing as her feet throbbed. "Aren't there…more meditative ways to learn Nyren?"
Kiyara threw back her head in a hearty laugh, dropping onto the stones and letting herself fall as if making a snow angel. "If Nyren were that easy to learn, every monster in the forest would know it! Now sit down and focus."
Biting back her hesitation, Yuki placed her foot onto the stones once more. The heat was relentless, but she pushed forward, her gaze hardening with each step. If this makes me stronger…if it protects him…
Finally, she reached Kiyara and collapsed beside her, her body tense and tail curled defensively around her waist.
Kiyara grinned, a playful glint in her eyes. "So, are you ready to receive divine wisdom from the great Kiyara, or is it too hot for you?" she teased, raising an eyebrow.
Yuki took a steadying breath, refusing to show weakness. "I've learned from my master," she replied, eyes closed. "I've seen techniques that can only be gathered through lifetimes of training."
In truth, she was drawing from Tatsuya's memories—fleeting moments of calm she'd glimpsed when he was asleep. Kiyara laughed, smacking Yuki on the back.
"Guess your master's better than he looks," Kiyara mused. "A good influence on you, huh?"
Yuki turned away, feeling the heat on her face now had little to do with the stones.
"Nyren," Kiyara began, stretching out her hand, "is more than energy. It's the strength that builds up over time. Your spirit, your pain, even the thrill of battle. It's all woven together." Her arm glowed, a bluish-purple light seeping from her body and dancing along her skin like ocean waves.
Without warning, Kiyara shot toward a boulder. She was a blur, the air cracking as her fist met stone, shattering the boulder with a deep, resonant boom. She turned to Yuki, offering a thumbs-up and a confident grin.
Watching, Yuki's heart raced as a newfound resolve filled her. She was ready to take her first step into Nyren.
Yuki inspected her arm, feeling the faintest flicker of heat build beneath her skin. She took a deep breath, summoning the sensation she'd just witnessed—one woven from her bond with Tatsuya, her own strength, and the need to protect him. She closed her eyes, concentrating as she let herself sense Tatsuya's presence through the blood bond.
It'll be easier to understand this by focusing on his energy, she thought, than searching for my own blindly.
As her eyes closed, an image of Tatsuya emerged in her mind—a vibrant aura surrounded him, waves of energy moving from a blue core deep within his chest. A peculiar sense of calm and fire filled her, melding together in a way she hadn't felt before.
But when she tried to reach deeper, something within the vision shifted. The colors swirled, morphing into indigo and green as they spiraled around a pulsing energy. Yuki's consciousness felt as though it were rocketing through an endless tunnel, the hues flashing past like stars. Glimpses of Tatsuya's memories, cryptic symbols, and flickers of something far older reached out to her.
Abruptly, she felt the ground solidify beneath her feet. Her eyes snapped open, and she gasped, gripping her arm as the sensation of energy shot through it like a shockwave. She blinked, her eyes slowly refocusing to find herself back at the Stoneglow Basin, feeling slightly dizzy from the surreal experience. Her arm tingled, and to her surprise, she found it enveloped in a soft blue and black flame—cool to the touch yet somehow intense, like ice dancing as fire.
Kiyara was next to her, prodding her cheek repeatedly with excitement. "Hey, did you fall asleep? Because you looked totally dazed!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with a mix of wonder and impatience. But as Kiyara reached out further, the flame on Yuki's arm flared to life, catching both their attention.
Kiyara stumbled back in shock. "How did you manifest it so fast? And why does it look like…fire?" Her eyes sparkled with pure wonder, leaning in so close that Yuki instinctively leaned away, her tail twitching.
"Can you please stop shouting in my face?" Yuki's voice was tinged with exasperation, though she found herself suppressing a small smile.
Kiyara bowed frantically, her face flushed. "Sorry! It's, uh, a habit," she said, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.
With Kiyara slightly distracted, Yuki allowed herself a moment to gaze down at her own arm, entranced by the strange, calm flames dancing along her skin. Her heart thudded with a quiet satisfaction as she felt the new power pulse within her.
"Nice," she whispered, clenching her fist as the cold flames flickered with new resolve, a hidden strength waiting to be unleashed.