Chapter 1 – Page 5: “The Ritual of Heroes”

The stars had only begun to emerge when Kuro slipped beyond the outer campfires of Valdros. His steps were silent. Calculated. His cloak fluttered once in the breeze, then fell still as he melted into the tree line.

Behind him, Elenia followed with a healer’s satchel slung across her shoulder, one hand gripping her staff, the other clutching her cloak close. Her boots made the faintest crunch on gravel—but even her nervousness was subdued, disciplined.

They moved like shadows through the edge of the ruined city, guided by dim moonlight and instinct.

Neither of them spoke until the fires of the hero camp were nothing more than distant glows behind the crumbling stone.

The Mistral Woodlands opened before them—a wild expanse of fog-wrapped pine, thick bramble, and black trees bent like old men in prayer.

“This forest isn’t marked on the kingdom’s maps,” Elenia whispered as they entered. “They say it’s cursed.”

Kuro glanced at her, then forward. “Good.”

Elenia blinked. “Why is that good?”

“Because they won’t follow us here.”

The path narrowed quickly, overgrown with roots and silver-veined moss. Kuro cut ahead with a jagged claw taken from one of the fallen demons—his makeshift blade—slashing through vines and branches without hesitation.

After a mile, Elenia’s breathing became slightly heavier. Kuro slowed, not enough to show concern, but enough that she could match pace beside him.

“We can rest,” he said flatly.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re not.”

She gave him a sideways glance. “You always this considerate?”

“No,” he said. “You’re just the first person who didn’t try to use me.”

They stopped in a clearing beneath a gnarled tree. Mist pooled around their ankles. Crickets chirped, distant and muffled.

Kuro crouched and started preparing a fire—using a steel striker, not magic. Elenia watched.

“You don’t use mana,” she observed.

“Don’t trust it.”

“Why?”

“It runs out.”

She gave a soft, humorless chuckle. “You think everything’s expendable.”

He didn’t answer.

As the fire sparked, warm light danced across Elenia’s face. She looked down at the ground, then up at him again. “You were planning to leave even before this mission, weren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you go alone?”

Kuro didn’t meet her eyes. “I don’t know.”

They sat in silence. The fire crackled. Leaves rustled above them like whispers.

“You never told me what you did back on Earth,” Elenia said quietly.

Kuro was still for a long time.

“I killed people for money,” he said at last. “Sometimes for justice. Usually not. Doesn’t matter. I stopped counting.”

Elenia didn’t flinch. Didn’t recoil. She just stared at the flames. “Why did you do it?”

“Because it was easy.”

She looked at him now.

“And why did you stop?”

He stared at the fire too. “Because one day… it wasn’t.”

Elenia reached into her bag and pulled out the scarf she had given him—the green and gold one. He had wrapped it around his arm during the escape. She touched the fabric gently.

“You want peace,” she said. “But I think you’ve never actually had it. Not even once.”

He looked at her finally.

“Maybe,” he said.

She stood. “Then let’s find it.”

Hours passed as they moved deeper into the Mistral. Kuro’s pace slowed briefly, hand rising to signal. He dropped to one knee and scanned the treetops.

“What is it?” Elenia whispered.

“Scouts,” he muttered.

Far behind them, horses moved along a ridge. Torchlight. Kingdom armor.

“They sent trackers,” Elenia said.

“No,” Kuro replied. “They sent executioners.”

He grabbed her hand, pulled her toward a nearby ridge where tree roots formed a natural overhang. They slipped beneath it, crouching behind earth and moss.

Kuro held his breath. His pulse didn’t change. Elenia’s did.

The torchlight came closer. Voices murmured. Boots thudded over the hill.

Then… they passed.

Elenia’s breath shook. Kuro didn’t let go of her hand until they were sure the danger was gone.

She looked at him. “You were calm.”

“Always am.”

She hesitated. “Do you… ever feel afraid?”

Kuro thought about it.

“No,” he said. “But sometimes I feel tired.”

They found shelter that night beneath an ancient root system where the trees had grown into a natural canopy. Rain began to fall—light, then heavier, misting down through gaps in the leaves.

Kuro built a fire again. Elenia curled up near it, rubbing warmth into her hands.

“You know,” she said softly, “you don’t have to stay with me once we reach the next town.”

He looked at her.

“I know,” he said.

But he didn’t move away.

The next morning, a scream pierced the forest. Distant. Familiar.

Kuro shot upright, hand to his blade.

Elenia’s eyes went wide. “That was—”

“Yumi,” Kuro said coldly.

She stood. “They must have followed us—”

“No,” he interrupted. “They weren’t chasing us.”

He stared into the trees.

“They were baiting us.”

He turned away.

Elenia grabbed his arm. “You’re going back?”

“I told you I don’t save people.”

“She’s your classmate.”

“She didn’t want my help when it mattered.”

“Kuro—”

He yanked his arm free.

Then… he paused.

And cursed under his breath.

“I’ll go,” he said. “You stay here.”

“I’m not staying behind.”

He met her eyes. “If something happens to you—”

“Then it happens.”

A long silence.

He finally nodded.

Together, they moved back through the trees toward the sound. The scream came again. This time weaker. Desperate.

They moved fast. Silent. Kuro’s senses sharp as a blade.

They reached the clearing.

Blood stained the rocks. A demon stood over Yumi, claws raised. She was barely conscious, trying to crawl.

Kuro moved before Elenia could breathe.

One step. Two. A leap.

He dropped from above, driving his claw through the demon’s neck, twisting it as black ichor sprayed across the ground.

He turned to Yumi, who stared at him with glassy eyes.

“You… left…” she whispered.

“I didn’t come back for you,” he said. “You were just in the way.”

Her hand reached for him, weak.

He caught her wrist and passed her to Elenia.

“She’s bleeding badly,” Elenia said.

“I know.”

“Can you carry her?”

Kuro lifted Yumi over his shoulder with no emotion.

As they moved back through the forest, Elenia whispered, “You care more than you admit.”

“I care enough not to let her die screaming.”

Back in their makeshift shelter, Elenia worked quickly to stop Yumi’s bleeding. Kuro stood near the fire, eyes fixed on the edge of the woods.

“She’ll live,” Elenia said. “But she’ll need days to recover.”

“We won’t have days,” Kuro muttered.

He turned to Elenia.

“You should have let me go alone.”

“You already said that,” she replied.

“This life I’ve lived… it doesn’t end well.”

She stood. Walked toward him.

“Then let’s write a different ending.”

He looked down at her. So close now. Her eyes were steady.

“Why?” he asked again.

She placed her palm against his chest. “Because for the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m walking beside someone… not behind them.”

Kuro didn’t speak. He didn’t move.

But he didn’t pull away either.

Far behind them, in the ruins of Valdros, Kenji stared at a bloodstained map.

“They left,” he said.

The King nodded. “Then they are no longer heroes.”

“No,” Kenji said coldly. “But he’s still useful.”

“What do you mean?”

Kenji smiled.

“We let him think he’s free. Then we make him bleed for us.”

[End of Chapter 1 – Page 5]