Shigure stood on the edge of the temple garden
Hands in pockets
Watching them laugh
The disciples
The monks
The master who once trained him
Not a single glance his way
Not even when he stepped on the gravel path
Not even when he stood right in front of the place he once bled for
He was invisible
Not by spell
Not by curse
But by time
Time had erased him better than any god ever could
---
Inside the temple
He saw his old room
The sliding door still cracked in the corner
The wooden floor still creaked at the same spot near the edge
But it was someone else's now
A boy with bandaged hands
Focused
Sharp eyes
Training just like Shigure once did
Except he had people clapping for him
Cheering
Feeding him praise
The master walked by
Patted the boy's shoulder
Smiled like a father
Shigure remembered that smile
He remembered chasing it
Fighting for it
Suffering under it
But it was never meant for him
Not really
---
He turned to leave
But the master's voice called out
"Stranger"
Shigure paused
"You shouldn't be here. This place is for those on the path of light"
Shigure didn't speak
Didn't turn
Just took one more step forward and whispered
"I walked your path blindfolded and alone…while bleeding"
The master said nothing
Because deep down
He didn't remember
Didn't even recognize the voice of the boy he once broke and rebuilt