It's been two months in here. No sign of Rin at all. Everyone's talking about leaving already, but I can't just go on without her.
"You're thinking too much."
Sosuke, startled, turned to see Reid against the doorframe, arms crossed casually. I swear he can read people well. Thought Sosuke.
"She could've headed back to the normal world already you know," Reid said lightly. "For all we know she's relaxing back at the beautiful palace. Hell, I wanna go back to relax too. Wouldn't blame her."
Sosuke frowned. That's not very comforting at all. The thought of her up and leaving after what I said.
Ren stepped back into the cabin front door, his clothes wet. "Rin can handle herself, you should know that. Now let's get going, before something catches us. It's raining out too."
Sosuke looked away, his jaw tight. He's probably right. Still doesnt help though.
"Let's get moving!" Arthur called from outside.
The group gathered their things and set off into the forest, their boots crunching against damp leaves. The air grew colder as they approached the clearing where the portal stood—a faint shimmer of distorted air that led into a darkened cave.
Inside the cave, a ruined stone frame jutted from the ground, its surface cracked and covered in moss. The portal's magic flickered weakly, like an old ember struggling to spark.
Arthur crouched near the base of the frame, inspecting the faint runes etched into the stone. "It's pretty damaged, but we can fix it," he muttered. "Just need to redirect some mana flow."
"Great. Fixing ancient portals," Reid said, plopping down on a nearby rock. "Exactly what I trained for."
Milo shifted nervously, standing just inside the cave's entrance. "Do we… do we even know if this thing will hold up? I mean, what if it collapses halfway through?" He ran a hand through his hair, his expression uneasy.
Arthur glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "It won't. Probably."
Milo blinked. "Probably?"
"Well, if we stabilize it properly, it should be fine," Arthur clarified, clearly more confident than Milo felt.
Milo sighed, stepping closer and watching as the others worked on the runes. "Guess it's not like we have a choice."
Sosuke, who had been silent up until now, looked at him. "We don't," he said simply.
With some effort, Arthur and Ren managed to channel enough mana to the portal, the frame crackling to life with a faint glow. The shimmering surface filled the stone frame, casting an eerie light across the cave walls.
"Looks stable enough," Arthur said, stepping back and dusting his hands.
"Guess we'll find out," Reid quipped.
One by one, they passed through the portal. Milo hesitated for just a moment, then squared his shoulders and stepped through. Sosuke lingered, staring at the glowing surface. His hand hovered over the hilt of his katana, doubt weighing heavily on him.
Rin… what if you need me?
Before he could take a step forward, a faint sound—like the crack of a branch—echoed behind him. Sosuke spun around, his katana half-drawn, his eyes narrowing as a figure emerged from the shadows of the cave.
"Leaving so soon?" a voice sneered, low and mocking.
Sosuke tensed, his grip tightening on the hilt. Whoever this was, they weren't friendly.
Sosuke's grip on his katana remained tight, but he didn't draw it. Not yet. His sharp gaze scanned the figure that emerged from the shadows. The stranger had the same uniform as his own—sleek, militaristic, unmistakably Starborn—but the colors were off. The deep navy and silver trim were nothing like the black and gold he and the others wore.
Who the hell is he?
The stranger, a tall young man with wild, dark blue hair and piercing teal eyes, stopped a few paces away. His posture was relaxed, almost casual, but the faint smirk on his face carried a weight of malice.
"Interesting," the man said, his voice smooth but tinged with amusement. His eyes flicked over Sosuke's uniform. "Didn't think I'd run into another one of us out here." He tilted his head, as though studying Sosuke. "You're with the wrong colors, though. Are you one of theirs?"
Sosuke opened his mouth to respond, but the man raised a hand as if to silence him. "No, no, don't bother answering. I'm not really interested." He waved dismissively, his smirk widening. "It doesn't matter who you are. You'll be dead soon anyway."
The stranger shifted, his movements fluid as he stepped forward. "Name's Ryoma," he continued, his tone almost playful, "and I'll be the one to kill you. Let's make this quick."
Sosuke took a step back, his pulse quickening. He kept his katana sheathed, holding up a hand. "Wait. I don't know who you are, but this doesn't have to—"
Ryoma didn't let him finish. A burst of mana erupted around him, filling the cave with a searing blue light. The air itself seemed to crackle as the energy coalesced, forming the image of a massive dragon's maw behind him.
"Azure Drive," Ryoma declared, his voice ringing out with a fierce intensity.
The ground beneath Sosuke's feet trembled as the mana surged, and Ryoma moved with shocking speed. He lunged, his fist wreathed in azure energy that shimmered like scales. Sosuke barely managed to sidestep the blow, the force of it shattering a chunk of the portal's stone frame.
Sosuke gritted his teeth. He didn't want to draw his weapon, but Ryoma wasn't giving him a choice. "Fine," he muttered, unsheathing his katana in a flash of silver.
Ryoma's grin widened, and he leapt back, his movements eerily smooth. "Oh, so you can fight. Good. Let's see what you've got, stranger."
The two clashed, Ryoma's strikes carrying the weight and precision of a dragon's claws. Sosuke deflected each attack, his katana a blur of motion. Sparks flew as blade met mana, the cave ringing with the sound of their battle.
Ryoma feinted to the left, then unleashed a sweeping arc of azure energy, forcing Sosuke to leap back. The attack collided with the portal, shattering the rest of the frame in an explosion of stone and light.
"Oops," Ryoma said, his grin unrepentant. "Guess that's one way to burn a bridge."
The cave trembled, debris raining down as the fight spilled outside. Sosuke dashed through the opening, emerging onto the open hillside. His breathing was heavy, his mind racing. He needed to end this—but how?
Ryoma followed, his steps measured, his aura burning bright. "What's wrong?" he taunted. "Losing your nerve?"
I can't fight you, why won't you understand?! You're a human, I've never killed another person before! He has a uniform like mind, but he still wants me dead! I have to run, hide far away.
Ryoma's laughter echoed behind him. "Running? Oh, come on! Don't disappoint me now!" But Sosuke didn't look back.
The forest was unnervingly quiet now, broken only by the soft crunch of Ryoma's boots against the wet ground. Sosuke clenched his teeth, his katana still sheathed but his hand trembling with restrained energy. He could feel the blood pounding in his ears, every nerve alight with frustration and fury.
He stepped out of his hiding spot. "Who are you people?" he snapped, his voice cutting through the stillness like a blade.
Ryoma turned, his smirk growing wide. "Finally. I was starting to think you'd hide all night."
Before Sosuke could respond, a calm voice interrupted. "That's enough, Ryoma."
Finn stepped forward, his expression unreadable but his tone steady. The rest of the group followed, a silent but commanding presence.
Sosuke's eyes darted between them, his body tense and ready. "I don't care who you are. Stay out of my way," he hissed.
Finn raised an eyebrow, unfazed by Sosuke's hostility. "Relax. If we wanted to kill you, you'd already be dead."
"Try me." Sosuke's hand tightened around his katana.
Valerie scoffed, stepping closer to Finn. "Why waste time talking to him? He's just another arrogant idiot."
"Quiet," Finn said, not even glancing at her. He looked directly at Sosuke, his tone even. "We're not here to fight you."
Sosuke's breath hitched. He wanted to trust nothing about them, not their words, not their presence. "Then what do you want?"
Finn's gaze softened, almost as if he could see the turmoil raging inside Sosuke. "To leave. Same as you. This fight's over."
Sosuke's jaw tightened. He didn't trust them, but he didn't move. "There are eight of you," he said, his voice sharp. "Where's the ninth?"
The question hung in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning. Ryoma's smirk faded, and Valerie's expression darkened.
"None of your business," Valerie snapped, but Finn raised a hand to stop her.
"He's gone," Finn said simply. "And that's all you need to know."
Sosuke's glare didn't waver, but he stepped back, the fight in his posture ebbing slightly. Finn nodded, turning to his group. "We're done here. Let's go."
The group began to retreat, Ryoma lingering for a moment to flash one last grin at Sosuke. "Until next time, stranger."
As they disappeared into the shadows, Sosuke stood rooted in place, fists clenched. The rage still simmered in his chest, but he swallowed it down, forcing himself to breathe. "Wait!" Sosuke called out. "I have questions that I need answered."