Aftermath
The ground of Kuzari was covered in spiritual dust, and the air still vibrated with the echoes of battle. Floch, kneeling, tried to stabilize a cracked barrier while Astou healed Takumi and Akiriho, her hands bathed in green light. Ishikawa stood silently, his gaze still frozen in shock. At the center of the circle, Kaen lay unconscious, one eye half-open, pulsing gently.
The fight was over. But the truths were only beginning.
Ishikawa clenched his fists, a bitter murmur escaping his lips:
"This power… this possession… is this still me? Did I really massacre the Senshi…?"
Astou stepped closer, her eyes filled with concern. "You had horns… a strange mark on your chest. You weren't yourself."
Ishikawa shook his head. "Forget it. It's a long story. But I'm here. And I'll stay myself."
Kaen slowly opened his eyes. His aura vibrated, translucent and unstable, as if searching for its form.
Council of the Senshi
The survivors gathered in a room. Takumi unfolded a spiritual map, marking the zones where the Ni had been most disrupted.
Floch spoke in a serious tone: "We should temporarily seal Kaen."
Astou interrupted with a firm gesture: "No. He's the only one who reacted to the Goldo. We need to understand what the Riten is."
Meanwhile, elsewhere, the unknown Goldo, wounded, opened a dimensional rift to the Goldo world. Its voice was a whisper of hatred: "I will return… this time with a stronger pact."
Awakening and Assessment
Kaen, still dazed, looked around. The sky had returned to stability, but the air still bore the traces of the battle.
"Ishikawa… Takumi… what happened?" he asked weakly. "You're safe? Where did the Goldo go?"
Ishikawa lowered his eyes. "It fled."
Kaen looked at his injured friends, guilt written across his face. "You're all hurt… and I couldn't do anything."
Takumi placed a hand on his shoulder, calm and reassuring. "It's not your fault. You don't have power yet; it was our job to protect you. And besides… you're our friend. That's also why we fight."
Ishikawa, bitter, murmured: "I feel like all this misfortune revolves around me. Wherever I go, ruins follow."
Akiriho, cold and calculating, stared into the void. "That monster… we couldn't stop it. And there are more. Our country is threatened. Maybe even our world."
She added, eyes fixed on Kaen: "I wonder what it really wanted with Ishikawa… is all of this because of him?"
Astou, sharp and pragmatic, cut the discussion short. "Enough talking. It's nobody's fault. You weren't ready, that's all."
Floch approached Kaen, intrigued. "When you were lying there… your spiritual energy exploded. I wonder if you awakened."
He pondered for a moment. "Some awaken after brushing against death. That's how Ni manifests in others."
Exploration
The group gathered in a partially collapsed room. Takumi explained, focused:
"There is a forgotten sanctuary south of Kirina. A place where ancient Senshi meditated on the Ni. It's called Shōmei no Ishi — the Stone of Revelation."
Astou frowned. "You want us to go now? We've barely recovered."
"Exactly," replied Takumi. "This place could help us understand what awakened in Kaen. And maybe… what the Goldo was really after."
Kaen stared at the horizon. "That Goldo was after Ishikawa. We don't know why, but it's connected to that damn Annihilated Goldo."
Floch sighed. "If this sanctuary still exists, it's probably dangerous. We'll need a resonance bearer."
Akiriho, eyes fixed on Kaen, added: "The mark on his body might be the key. But we need to know if he's ready."
Kaen, hesitant but determined, concluded: "I don't know what I've become… but if this place can help us understand, then I'll go."
Departure to the South
The group left the city, Kirina disappearing behind them, still scarred from the battle. The sun dipped on the horizon, tinting the spiritual dust with a reddish glow.
The journey to Shōmei no Ishi had just begun.
To be continued…