A Quiet Storm

The great hall emptied as the meeting came to an end. One by one, the elders stood and departed for their respective palaces, their robes flowing behind them. Their expressions were unreadable, but their thoughts were weighed with the news of Mizuki and Issey.

Jun remained seated for a moment, staring at the polished marble floor beneath him. His mind was racing.

"Quinn…" he muttered under his breath.

The mention of Mizuki had shaken him. She was in an eternal sleep, trapped between life and death, neither fully gone nor truly alive. Issey had left the palace long ago, and her intentions were dangerous. If the council had known this, Escarion wouldn't have hesitated. He would have demanded Quinn's execution on the spot.

Jun knew he had to investigate before things spiraled out of control.

I have to find out the truth myself. If I had said anything back there, Escarion would have killed Quinn without a second thought.

Jun clenched his fists.

Mizuki is in eternal sleep. Issey has vanished. Quinn… doesn't even know the full truth.

The situation was worse than he initially thought. If Issey was truly trying to revive the Samodiva clan, then there was no telling what chaos she could unleash.

A deep voice interrupted his thoughts.

"What are you thinking about, Jun?"

Jun's sharp eyes lifted. Before him stood Ryojin Hikari, the elder of the Hikari Clan. His presence was imposing, his long silver hair tied neatly behind him, his piercing golden eyes observing Jun with quiet intensity.

Jun straightened his posture, his expression unreadable. "Nothing, Ryojin-sama."

Ryojin studied him for a moment. "You're a terrible liar, Jun."

Jun forced a small smile. "I was just thinking about Escarion's reaction. As usual, he's arrogant beyond reason."

Ryojin let out a quiet sigh, looking toward the massive wooden doors that led outside. "Escarion is arrogant, but his instincts are sharp. You should be careful."

Jun nodded. "I know that."

Ryojin took a step forward, his hands clasped behind his back. "You're worried about Quinn, aren't you?"

Jun's breath hitched for just a second. "Why do you say that?"

"Because I know you, Jun. You wouldn't let something like this go without looking deeper into it. You're cautious. You hesitate to act unless you're certain. But hesitation can be deadly in times like these."

Jun didn't respond immediately. He wasn't sure if Ryojin knew the full truth yet. If he did, then Jun had to be even more careful.

"I will handle things in my own way," Jun finally said.

Ryojin chuckled lightly. "Just don't wait too long, Jun. The world moves fast, and those who hesitate often find themselves left behind."

With that, Ryojin turned and walked toward the exit.

Jun exhaled quietly.

I don't have much time. If I don't move now, Escarion might find out before I do. And if that happens… Quinn won't survive.

The night air was cold as Jun arrived at the grand palace. The towering structure stood as a symbol of power and tradition, but to Jun, it felt more like a cage. He had spent years navigating the political games of the six clans, but this time, things felt different.

The moment he stepped inside, he was greeted by the soft glow of lanterns lining the hallways. Servants bowed respectfully as he passed, but Jun barely noticed them. His mind was still occupied with the meeting, Escarion's arrogance, and most of all, Quinn.

Without wasting time, he made his way toward the training hall. He pushed open the large wooden doors and found Sho inside, practicing his movements in silence. His grey messy hair bounced slightly as he executed each strike with precision, his tailored coat swaying with each motion.

Jun leaned against the doorway. "You're still training at this hour?"

Sho turned, his expression unreadable. "I don't have anything better to do."

Jun stepped forward. "I need you to do something for me."

Sho raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

Jun exhaled, knowing that what he was about to say wasn't going to sit well with Sho. "Look after Quinn for a while. I have a lot of work to take care of."

Sho narrowed his eyes slightly. "You mean you don't want Escarion to find out about him."

Jun didn't answer immediately. Sho had always been sharp. It was hard to hide anything from him.

"Something like that," Jun admitted. "If Escarion learns too much, he won't hesitate to act. I need time to figure things out, and I can't be watching Quinn every second."

Sho crossed his arms. "So you want me to babysit?"

Jun chuckled. "Think of it as an important mission."

Sho scoffed, running a hand through his hair. "You really think Escarion won't eventually find out? He isn't stupid, Jun."

"I know that." Jun's expression darkened. "But if he does, I want Quinn to be prepared."

Sho was silent for a moment, then finally nodded. "Fine. I'll watch over him. But you better not take too long."

Jun gave him a small nod of appreciation before turning to leave.

"Jun," Sho called after him.

Jun paused.

Sho's tone was serious. "Be careful. You might be the only one keeping Quinn alive right now."

Jun didn't reply, but he didn't need to. He simply walked out of the training hall, his steps heavier than before.

The weight of what was coming was starting to set in.

Time was running out.