The courtyard behind the manor had grown familiar over the past several days. At first it had simply been a place with space to breathe. After the fight beneath the church, the group had barely left the manor. Raizō’s injuries had forced them into a quiet routine—rest, food, bandages, and the slow return of strength. The city of Aseran, however, had not been quiet. Even now distant cheering rolled through the streets beyond the walls. People celebrated openly now that the church’s influence had been shattered. The city had not stopped talking about the group who had exposed it. But inside the manor grounds, the noise faded. Afternoon sunlight stretched across the stone courtyard.

  Dust shifted lazily in the warm air. Raizō sat near the edge of the yard on a low stone ledge, one arm resting loosely across his knee. Beneath his clothing the burn along his side tugged uncomfortably whenever he moved too much. The pain had dulled since the fight, but it remained constant. He didn’t complain. Across the yard, Taren leaned against one of the pillars with his spear resting across his shoulders. Rylan stood beside him, arms crossed, quietly observing the courtyard.

  Shizume stood several paces away from everyone else. The two short blades Mara had given her rested in her hands. She had turned them over and over since receiving them. The metal caught the sunlight each time she shifted them, thin reflections sliding across the polished edges. They were beautiful weapons and balanced perfectly. But Shizume’s mind wasn’t on the blades. Seris noticed it. She had been watching Shizume from the far side of the courtyard for several minutes before finally walking over. Shizume didn’t hear her approach until Seris stopped beside her.

  “You’ve been staring at those for a while,” Seris said.

  Shizume blinked slightly and looked up. Seris smiled faintly.

  “Something on your mind?”

  Shizume hesitated. Seris didn’t push. The courtyard was quiet enough that the distant sounds of the city felt far away. Finally Shizume spoke.

  “When I fought the Inquisitors…”

  Her voice slowed as she searched for the right words.

  “…something felt different.”

  Seris tilted her head slightly. Shizume shifted her grip on the blades.

  “I’ve spent most of my life fighting the same way,” she continued. “Staying out of sight. Waiting for people to stop paying attention.”

  Her eyes dropped briefly toward the ground.

  “That’s how I survived.”

  Seris nodded. Shizume inhaled slowly.

  “But when I fought them… it didn’t feel like that anymore.”

  Her fingers tightened around the handles.

  “It felt like I wasn’t hiding.”

  She paused. Seris waited for her to respond patiently. Shizume hesitated again. When she spoke next, her voice was quieter.

  “…I was thinking about something.”

  Seris watched her carefully. Shizume’s eyes flicked briefly toward the other side of the courtyard, towards Raizō. She looked away almost immediately. Seris noticed. Shizume rubbed her thumb lightly across the edge of one blade.

  “…I was thinking about him,” she admitted.

  The words came out reluctantly. Seris didn’t react the way Shizume expected. She simply smiled.

  “That explains a lot.”

  Shizume frowned slightly.

  “I didn’t mean it like—”

  Seris waved the explanation away.

  “I know what you meant.”

  She stepped back and drew her sword in one smooth motion. The metal slid free with a quiet sound.

  “Your Kaijin isn’t confused,” Seris said.

  Shizume blinked. Seris pointed the blade lightly toward her.

  “You are.”

  Shizume stared at her. Seris stepped backward into the open space of the courtyard.

  “So let’s test it.”

  She lowered into a ready stance.

  “Fight me.”

  Across the courtyard, Taren straightened immediately.

  “Well.”

  Rylan followed his gaze. Seris and Shizume stood facing each other now. Neither of them had heard the earlier conversation. All they saw was the two women settling into position. Rylan grinned.

  “Finally, something interesting.”

  Taren pushed himself away from the pillar.

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  “Alright,” he said. “I’ve got Seris winning this.”

  “That’s too obvious. I got Shizume,” Rylan answered instantly.

  Taren scoffed.

  “You’re insane.”

  “She’s unpredictable.”

  “Yeah, but Seris fought Arden.”

  “And? That doesn’t mean she’s gonna win.”

  Taren gestured toward Seris.

  “Dancing White Iris is a problem. You see how fast that swordsmanship is.”

  Rylan pointed at the blades in Shizume’s hands.

  “Those return when she throws them.”

  “That doesn’t mean she can hit her.”

  “That doesn’t mean Seris can track her.”

  Their voices grew more animated as the argument continued. Rylan turned towards Raizō.

  “Well? Break the tie?”

  Raizō studies the courtyard for a bit, then he flips a coin to Rylan.

  “I’ve got a draw.”

  The argument stopped. Both men stared at him. Rylan blinked.

  “…That might be the worst prediction I’ve ever heard.”

  Taren nodded.

  “Yeah, that’s not how sparring works.”

  Raizō shrugged. Across the courtyard, Seris shifted her stance. Her posture changed as she settled into Dancing White Iris. It was subtle but the difference was clear. Her weight balanced perfectly. Her breathing slowed. Shizume watched her. Then slowly lowered into her own stance. The courtyard fell quiet.

  Seris moved first. Her blade came forward in a clean, controlled strike. Not fast enough to injure, but fast enough to test. Shizume raised one of the short blades and redirected the strike. Steel slid across steel with a light ringing sound. Seris stepped to the side. Shizume followed. Another strike came, angled toward Shizume’s shoulder. Shizume slipped back and the blade passed in front of her chest. Neither woman rushed. Seris circled slowly, testing angles, watching Shizume’s posture. Shizume responded in shorter movements. She didn’t try to overpower Seris’s sword. Instead she deflected and stepped away, forcing Seris to adjust each time she advanced. From the edge of the courtyard, Taren folded his arms.

  “So far that’s Seris.”

  Rylan didn’t answer immediately. He was squinting slightly.

  “Give it a minute.”

  Seris pressed forward again. Her movements flowed naturally now, the stance of Dancing White Iris settling into rhythm. Her blade moved in smooth arcs, every strike leading into the next without pause. Shizume blocked once, then twice. On the third exchange she stepped away and suddenly threw one of the blades. The motion was fast. The blade spun toward Seris’s shoulder. Seris reacted instantly, her sword flashing upward to knock it aside. The blade spun past her and struck the stone wall behind her with a sharp clang.

  Seris turned back—The blade flew past her again. Straight back into Shizume’s hand. Taren blinked.

  “…Okay that’s cheating.”

  Rylan grinned.

  “Told you.”

  The spar resumed. Seris advanced again. This time Shizume didn’t retreat. Their weapons collided in quick exchanges. Seris’s longer blade gave her reach, forcing Shizume to move carefully inside her range. Shizume ducked one strike, slipped under another, then threw the second blade. Seris twisted her body just enough for the spinning weapon to miss her side. But as she moved to press forward again, Shizume wasn’t where she expected. Seris adjusted instantly, pivoting toward the movement. Steel rang again as Shizume’s blade intercepted her strike.

  The pace gradually increased. Seris’s attacks grew sharper. Shizume’s movements grew harder to read. Then Shizume stepped back once more. Her breathing slowed. Seris paused. Across the courtyard, Raizō watched quietly. Shizume closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, something had settled.

  “Kaijin…”

  Her voice was quiet.

  “Silent Void.”

  The change was silent. Nothing moved. But something about Shizume’s presence shifted. She stepped sideways. Taren blinked.

  “…Wait.”

  Shizume was only a few feet from where she had been. But for a moment he had lost track of her. Seris felt it immediately. Her eyes sharpened. Shizume threw a blade again. Seris deflected it easily but when her eyes followed the spinning weapon Shizume vanished from her awareness. Seris twisted just in time to block the strike that came from the side. Steel rang sharply. From the edge of the courtyard, Taren leaned forward.

  “…Did anyone else just lose her?”

  “She’s right there,” Rylan said.

  Then he blinked.

  “…No, she’s over there?”

  Shizume stepped again and suddenly appeared at Seris’s flank. Steel rang. Taren shook his head.

  “I swear she moved twice.”

  Raizō spoke from the bench without looking away from the fight.

  “She didn’t.”

  Both men turned toward him. Raizō nodded slightly toward the courtyard.

  “You looked away.”

  Taren frowned.

  “What?”

  Raizō gestured toward Shizume.

  “That’s the mistake.”

  Across the courtyard, Shizume’s blade flashed again as Seris barely intercepted the strike. Rylan slowly leaned forward again.

  “…That’s unsettling.”

  Shizume moved again. Shizume threw both blades this time. One spun toward Seris’s shoulder, the other toward her leg. Seris knocked the first aside. The second forced her to step away. The moment her eyes shifted— Shizume appeared in front of her again. The returning blades flew back toward Shizume’s hands. Seris let a small smile come out.

  “Swift Sentence.”

  Her stance tightened. Speed surged through her movements. The tempo of the fight exploded. Seris’s blade moved faster now, while Shizume started to move slower. Strike, step, then strike again. Shizume slipped between the attacks. Her position shifted constantly, impossible to track unless someone focused directly on her. Taren stared.

  “…I can’t follow this anymore.”

  Rylan slowly leaned forward.

  “…I think we made a mistake betting on this.”

  Seris cut downward. Shizume vanished from her awareness for half a second. Then reappeared behind her. Steel rang again. The returning blades flew back to Shizume’s hands. Seris spun. Their weapons met again — And stopped. Both blades hovered inches from landing. Neither could finish the strike without being struck themselves. For a moment neither moved.

  Then Seris laughed softly and lowered her sword.

  “You were slower than usual.”

  Shizume lowered her blades.

  “And you were predictable.”

  “That’s insulting.”

  “You started it.”

  Both girls smiled. From the edge of the courtyard, Rylan and Taren were speechless. Raizō looked at both of them with his hand out. They scoffed and threw him three gold coins.

  “Alright, you got lucky.”

  He caught the coins and stood slowly.

  “I’m the best fighter here,” he said calmly.

  He slipped the coins into his pocket.

  “Of course I could tell.”

  Taren stared at him.

  “You absolutely guessed.”

  Rylan shook his head.

  “There’s no way you predicted that.”

  Raizō shrugged. Behind them, the courtyard filled with quiet laughter. But high above them, two figures watched silently from the balcony. Mara Voss leaned lightly against the railing. Beside her stood another woman, tall and calm. Her presence carried a quiet authority that seemed to steady the air itself. She watched the group below for several long moments.

  “I can see why the church fell,” she said quietly.

  Mara smiled slightly.

  “They’re troublesome.”

  The woman’s gaze shifted toward the distant horizon beyond the city.

  “Their journey won’t be easy,” she said calmly. “Now that Arathen has begun to move.”

  Mara followed her gaze briefly.

  “They can handle themselves,” Mara said.

  The woman nodded once.

  “I can see that.”

  Then she turned away.

  “But they should leave soon.”

  Mara sighed softly.

  “I was thinking the same thing.”

  Her eyes returned to the courtyard below.

  “The heroes are on their way.”

  The woman paused. Her gaze returned briefly to Raizō below. For a moment she studied him in silence. Then she spoke quietly.

  “If the heroes reach Aseran and find them here…”

  Her eyes remained on Raizō.

  “…this city will become their battlefield.”