The silence stretched endlessly, as if the mountain itself held its breath. The wind stilled to nothing, leaving not even the rustle of cherry blossoms to disturb the oppressive quiet. Even the distant sounds of the other guards had faded, swallowed by the strange hush that had fallen over the pathway.
From behind a gnarled pine emerged a shadowy silhouette, arms hanging loose at his sides, a longbow secured across his back alongside a quiver of arrows. The figure's voice cut through the stillness with quiet authority, commanding the very air around them. As he stepped into the dappled light, his pointed elven ears became unmistakable—a Kagoshiman elf, his features sharp and ageless despite the silver threading through his dark hair.
"Kairo," the man said, his tone carrying decades of instruction and discipline.
The boy's amber eyes widened behind his veil, recognition flooding through him like ice water. "Master..."
His sensei emerged fully from the shadows, each step deliberate and controlled. "Put your weapon down, Kairo."
But Kairo's grip only tightened on the wakizashi's hilt, and his master's gaze intensified in response, the weight of years of training pressing down between them.
I trusted my sensei more than anyone in this world, Kairo thought desperately, but at the same time... if I let go now, they'll drag me back. Back to Father. Back to the shame. Back to pretending to be something I can never be.
The boy stood frozen, torn between the teachings that had shaped him and the desperate need for freedom that burned in his chest. The guard's labored breathing was the only sound in the terrible stillness.
Finally, reluctantly, Kairo released his grip on the guard and stepped back, pushing the man forward. In one fluid motion, he drew his wakizashi, spun it expertly to flick away the drops of blood that stained the blade, and sheathed it with a decisive click.
Kairo opened his mouth to explain himself, but his sensei cut him off by tossing something through the air. The boy caught it instinctively—his travel bag, the one he had discarded during the frantic pursuit.
"A dream without a plan is merely a wish," his master said, his voice carrying the weight of ancient wisdom. "But a plan without commitment is merely cowardice."
Kairo's jaw clenched at the familiar cadence of his sensei's teachings. "Why are you helping me, Master?"
The elderly elf's hand moved to rest on his bow. "I'm not."
Immediately, Kairo dropped into a fighting stance, his wakizashi still sheathed but his hand gripping the handle. He narrowed his eyes, the wind suddenly returning to blow against his veil and haori, matching the flutter of his master's own robes as silence filled the air once more.
"Are you aware of your actions, boy?" his sensei asked quietly. "Do you know who you choose to face?"
"The best Kagoshiman archer after Lord Takeshi Moonblade, the Sword Saint," Kairo replied without hesitation.
His master nodded slowly, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "It would be... dishonorable of me to let you go."
"It would be dishonorable to abandon my path," Kairo countered.
"Much like abandoning your little sister? As her only elder brother?"
Kairo's breath caught in his throat, his teeth clenching as his grip tightened on his weapon. Amelia...
"The path you're taking is one of no return," his sensei continued, his voice soft but implacable. "Even if you manage to escape Kagoshima—"
Before Kairo could respond, the guard's head swiveled between them, confusion and fear warring in his expression. The master held up one hand, a silent command for the guard to remain still.
"I will give you three minutes to make it to Kinugawa and leave the range of my arrows from the harbor."
Kairo hesitated for a heartbeat. Three minutes? It takes ten minutes just to get to— Then he caught sight of his sensei's expression, that familiar look of mental calculation, the same intense gaze he wore when timing Kairo's endurance exercises, counting down the seconds as his student held impossibly heavy weights.
He's already counting.
Without another word, Kairo burst from the treeline and sprinted down the mountain path, his feet flying over stone and root as he raced toward the distant lights of Kinugawa's harbor.
Behind him, five guards emerged from the trees where they had been waiting in the shadows. His sensei gestured once, and they set off in pursuit of the fleeing boy.
He has no idea what he's doing, the master thought grimly as he watched his student disappear into the darkness. He'll get himself killed out there. Let's hope the Pillars keep a reasonable bedtime schedule.