Chapter 8: The 8th Shade
Scene 1: Bonds of Fire
Nero adjusted the strap of his pack, its weight familiar against his shoulders. Luna stood in the doorway, her hands clasped tight—a silent plea.
"Promise me," she said, her voice fraying. "No risks."
He forced a grin. "Since when do I take risks?"
Her laugh was thin, brittle. She knows. She always knows.
At the training grounds, Keisuke's sneer greeted him. "Trash. Try not to die."
Kenta sensei materialized between them, a shadow with a grin. "Play nice, pups. Or I'll toss you both into the Eye."
Scene 2: The Eye's Whisper
The Eye of Destruction pulsed like a wound, its crimson mist coiling skyward. Sayuri, their leader, traced a sigil in the air—a priest's ward.
"Stay sharp," she said, her voice cutting through the howling wind. "The Abyss hungers."
Nero's pendant—Luna's gift—burned cold against his chest.
They descended.
Scene 3: Beneath the Veil
The caverns reeked of rot and iron. Corpses littered the ground—monsters, torn apart by claws Nero didn't recognize.
"Not our doing," Daiki muttered, kneeling beside a carcass. "Something else hunts here."
A scream echoed. Nero bolted before Yui could stop him.
The girl—Eri—cowered beneath a hulking beast, her horns glinting in the gloom. Nero's flames erupted, blue and hungry.
Flashback:
Mei's laughter. The abyssal jaws. Her silenced scream.
The beast disintegrated. Eri stared up at him, tears carving paths through grime.
Scene 4: Witches' Truth
Yui cornered Nero in the tunnels, her crimson eyes blazing. "You're a fool. And a liar."
He tensed. "I don't know what—"
"Blue flames," she hissed. "Your mother's lineage. Witches."
Nero's fists clenched. "She's no monster."
Yui's voice softened. "Neither am I." She rolled up her sleeve—a twisting scar, crimson as her magic. "Aryavarta burns what it fears. Hide better."
Eri whimpered, her seal pulsing black. Nero's resolve hardened. I'll protect them both.
Scene 5: The King's Shadow
Back at the academy, Kenta and Sayuri lingered in the moonlit arena.
"Ledger's gone," Kenta said, his usual levity absent. "Traces lead to the High Priest's chambers."
Sayuri's gaze narrowed. "And the king?"
"Fernando's the 8th Shade. Strongest of us all." Kenta's smile was a blade. "Watch your back, General."
Scene 6: A Mother's Secret
Nero found Luna at the shrine, her hands pressed to the Nameless One's statue. A letter crinkled in his grip—unknown sender, wax seal cracked.
"Mom." His voice trembled. "Who are we?"
She turned, her eyes reflecting his flames. "Survivors."
The letter hissed as he opened it. A single phrase glowed:
"The Gates stir. Run."
Chapter End: Storm's Edge
Far below the palace, the king's shadow stretched, swallowing the throne.
"Soon, Namakami," it crooned. "Your fire will light our ascension."