The Calm Before

​Blacksmith Village was a quiet place, it was the only place that refused to use modern technology, sticking to traditional stone and wood. The only sound in the air was the steady chatter of the villagers.

​Kaito walked down the street next to his mother, Ayame. He looked tiny compared to the buildings surrounding them. After a few moments, they arrived at their home, which was also the forge where Yuri worked. Yuri looked completely focused as he hammered a blade, sending sparks flying everywhere. Kaito and Ayame stopped to watch him work.

​Just then, the world changed.

​The wind suddenly stopped. Leaves that were blowing through the air just stayed there, hovering in place. The cloth banners on the houses went stiff.

​Yuri's eyes sharpened. He stopped hammering and looked around.

​"...?"

​The shadows began to warp; they stretched out unnaturally, creeping toward the villagers like living ink. Kaito felt his heart race and gripped his mother's sleeve tighter.

The attack started in an instant. A corrupted being burst out from the shadows and was soon followed by several others. No one had time to react; the beings attacked everything and everyone in sight. The villagers screamed and scattered in every direction. Kaito watched in horror as one of the corrupted grabbed a man and ripped him apart.

​"Get inside!" Yuri roared.

​Ayame grabbed Kaito's arm and ran inside the house. She put him in a spot and told him to stay there no matter what, and then she left to help Yuri.

​Yuri didn't hesitate; he charged forward, swinging the forging hammer. He smashed it directly into a corrupted's face with a heavy crack. The chaos was only getting worse. Ayame had finally reached the battlefield; she called out to Yuri, and he grabbed a katana lying around the forge and tossed it to her. She caught it out of the air and sliced a monster across the neck in one smooth motion, but more of them were emerging. He got distracted for a moment, and a corrupted being suddenly pierced Yuri's side. Ayame turned to help him, but a jagged slash tore across her back at the same time. She stumbled, but she kept on fighting, Yuri looked past the battlefield only to see that Kaito had come out of the house and was standing right there in the open."Kaito..." Yuri gasped, coughing up blood.He tried to force himself to walk forward but a corrupted's claw drove straight through his chest, pinning him to the ground. Ayame, who also noticed kaito tried to run toward her son, she was almost there, just a few more steps, her hand was reaching out to him when the katana was released from her grip. The world seemed to slow down as her body dropped to the ground next to Kaito and her head rolled across the floor.Kaito stood frozen, surrounded by blood and the eerie silence of the now destroyed village. Just then, a tall silhouette stepped forward. It looked human shaped, but the only things visible were its eyes. It reached out and gripped Kaito by the head with terrifying strength, then slammed his face down into the blood at his feet. Kaito's pupils were trembling; everything around him was a blur of red, and he couldn't even find the breath to scream.The silhouette looked at Kaito’s shaking face and grinned wickedly. Then, everything went dark.

Ten years later

A single lantern flickered in the corner of the room, casting a weak light across the walls. Kaito layed there in the center of the bed, sweat beading along his forehead. His brow twitched, and his hands gripped the thin blanket tightly. His eyes opened,he stayed still for a moment staring at the ceiling as his heart rate slowed. He sat up, his breathing heavy and uneven. He reached up and touched his face instinctively; then, his fingers paused. "You passed out cold," a voice said from the shadows. "Thought we lost you."A silhouette leaned against the wall near the cracked door. Shiro stepped into the light, arms crossed as usual; the lower half of his face was buried behind his scarf. Kaito looked over, still disoriented. "How long?"

"Two days," Shiro replied.The room went silent. Kaito looked down at his arms; they were wrapped tightly in fresh bandages.

The sound of footsteps approached from the hallway as Rin walked in and tossed a folded cloth onto the edge of the bed; her eyes were sharp and unreadable. 

"You thrashed in your sleep," Rin said. " almost reopened your wounds."

Kaito didn't answer. He just gave her an exhausted look.The door swung wider as Rei burst in, followed closely by Toma. "Look who’s finally awake," Rei said, a slight grin on his face. "I hope you're ready. We’ve got a job to do.

Toma nudged him hard in the ribs. "The guy just woke up. Let him relax." 

"He's been 'relaxing' for two days," Rei shrugged, using his fingers to make air quotes. " 

Besides, it's not my fault he— "Toma elbowed him mid sentence, cutting him off. Kaito ignored the bickering and slowly straightened his posture; the fog in his mind was clearing, replaced by a steady focus."When do we leave?" Kaito asked. Shiro pushed off the wall and headed for the exit without looking back.  "We move at sunrise," Shiro said. 

Kaito didn't move. He sat there, staring into the small flame of the lantern, the light reflected in his eyes.

The late afternoon sun hung over Lantern Town, its warm glow bouncing off paper lanterns and colorful banners. Laughter and the constant hum of chatter echoed through the busy streets.The squad walked past vibrant stalls lined with trinkets and sizzling food carts. People were everywhere, celebrating a local festival. Everything looked too peaceful for a place supposedly under attack by corrupted beings.

Rei leaned back, locking his hands behind his head. "Did we even get the right town? Feels like a festival, not a mission."

"Maybe we got lucky," Toma said with a smirk. "This is our first real mission, after all. Maybe the Syndicate didn't want to send us somewhere actually dangerous."

Rin kept her head moving, her eyes scanning the crowd. "Just because it's quiet doesn't mean it's safe."

"Quiet is a bit of a stretch," Shiro added, his arms crossed. "You worry too much."

Kaito looked around at the locals. "Let's just check things out."

The group split up naturally, heading toward different corners of the town. Near the main street, Rin watched a group of local kids playing a lantern game. She remained composed, but her eyes followed their movements with curiosity. Nearby, Shiro found himself swarmed by children begging him to help retrieve a kite stuck on a high roof. Toma and Rei had already found a food stall. They were halfway through a pile of grilled dumplings.

"Bro," Toma muttered, his mouth full of food. "This is heaven."

"Hope you brought your wallet," Rei teased. A second later, the stall owner yelled, "Hey! You haven't paid!"  Toma and Rei shared a look. "RUN!"  The two bolted down the street, the vendor hot on their heels waving a wooden ladle. Kaito wandered quietly through the back streets near the edge of the town square, He noticed old posters plastered to the walls, warning residents about "recent disappearances." His eyes narrowed.He turned a corner and nearly bumped into a well dressed elderly man carrying a stack of scrolls.The old man stopped, noticing the emblem on Kaito’s clothes. "Ah, you must be one of the Syndicate's young swordsmen." 

Kaito gave a short, respectful bow. "Yes. And you must be the Village Head. We came to investigate the attacks... but this place doesn't look like it's been touched."

The Village Head sighed. "That's what makes it frightening. The attacks happen on the outskirts. He cuts off as he looks around, "Come, boy. We should talk privately". Kaito followed him into a nearby house. Meanwhile, Toma and Rei were still sprinting. They turned a corner and crashed directly into Shiro, who was now carrying a retrieved kite. The three of them hit the ground in a tangled heap. Shiro looked at them, looking completely done with life. "Do I even want to know?"

"Local customs," Rei grinned, scrambling up. "Long story."

Rin walked over and stood over them with her arms crossed. "What do you three think you're doing? You're supposed to be gathering info, not causing problems."

"Hey, we were blending in," Toma shrugged.

"By committing theft?" Rin asked. They all froze when they noticed Kaito walking toward a small house with the old man from earlier."Who's that?" Rei asked, his voice turning serious."Come on," Rin said. "Let's go."

Inside the house, the team gathered around a heavy wooden table. The atmosphere shifted as the old man unfolded a map of the outskirts. "This town may look like nothing happens here," the Village Head said in a low voice. "But three nights ago, our patrol vanished near the west ridge. No traces. Just scorch marks."

"Scorch marks," Shiro repeated. "Claws, maybe?

"The Village Head nodded. "That’s what we fear. If you head there before dusk, you might still find something."

"Kaito straightened his posture. "We'll go."

"Guess break time's over," Rei added, a half smile returning to his face. They all stood up, the playfulness from the streets completely gone as nighttime set in. As they left the house and headed for the outskirts, a faint shadow shifted on a nearby rooftop. A figure in a tattered cloak crouched in the dark, watching them leave.