SHADOWS OF THE PAST

The air still had a heady scent of Tsubaki; a tangible tension neither Emiko nor Kaito could dispel. The battle had left its mark on the night that had fallen back to its eerie silence.

Emiko sat on the shrine steps, clutching her arms as she attempted to catch her breath. Her heart was still pounding, and no amount of willful forgetting would stop her from envisioning that dagger flying at her.

She had been helpless. Again.

Kaito, on the other hand, remained frozen in place, blinking into the abyss where Tsubaki had disappeared. His jaw was set, and his silver eyes were narrowed in thought. So long as one hunter was around, the Council was moving.

Kaito thought bitterly, as I knew it would come to pass eventual. But this soon?

Silence was broken at last, and it was Emiko who spoke. "Who was that?"

Kaito turned his gaze to her. "His name is Tsubaki. A Hunter of the Council. One of their best."

Emiko frowned. "The Council?"

Kaito sighed, pushing the bridge of his nose. The ruling class of Shinigami. They enact the laws, maintain the balance between life and death, and determine the destinies of every single Shinigami. I … well, let me just say I've been on their bad side for quite a while."

Emiko swallowed. "Because you wouldn't take a master?"

Kaito nodded. "Exactly. A Shinigami without a master is a danger. We were created to protect humans, but without that connection, we have no meaning. We are unstable to the Council. Rogue."

Emiko shivered. "And now they're coming after you?"

Kaito's eyes darkened. "They always were. But now they're dispatching people like Tsubaki. That means no more warnings from them.

Emiko's stomach twisted. It was only a few minutes into this whole Shinigami thing, and already it seemed like she was out of her league. She had been attacked, almost killed and had witnessed a battle she could hardly understand.

But what unsettled her more than anything was Kaito's expression.

For the first time, he seemed … uncertain.

Kaito never looked unsure.

"So what do we do?" she asked.

Kaito paused, and breathed out. "We move. We can't stay here."

Emiko got to her feet and dusted herself off. "Where will we go?"

Kaito looked toward the city in the distance, where streetlights twinkled in the darkness beyond the trees. "There's someone that we got to see."

Emiko raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

Kaito turned away. "An old ally. And there was only one person who could help us.'

The City of Forgotten Spirits

The neon lights of the city hummed overhead a few hours later, fuzzy reflections blurring on the wet pavement. The rain-smell filled the air and the also the smell of street food from far off stalls. The streets were crowded with people, human beings blissfully unaware of the war that had been waged out of their view.

Kaito, purposeful in his steps, guided Emiko through the meandering alleys. Emiko kept close, still on high alert. Every shadow was darker, every figure in the distance a threat.

They paused outside of an old building crowded between a luxury restaurant and a pawn shop. Above the door was a sign that read The Hollow Lantern.

"A bar?" Emiko asked, skeptical.

Kaito smirked. "Not just any bar."

He opened the door and the smell of centuries-old wood and burning incense hit them. The interior was dimly lit, with shelves on either side of exotic liquors and old artifacts. There were a handful of patrons — shadowy figures drinking in silence.

On the far side of the bar stood a woman with her arms crossed, polishing a glass. She was breathtaking — long black hair falling in waves over her shoulders, sharp golden eyes sizing them up with quiet amusement. The suit was black and sleek, which made her seem as if she were layered with polished danger.

"Kaito," she greeted smoothly. "It's been a while."

Kaito offered a lazy smirk. "Miss me, Saya?"

Saya rolled her eyes. "Not even for a second."

Emiko looked at the exchange with some interest. Who is this woman?

Saya's eyes darted to Emiko. "And who's this? Your new master?"

Emiko stiffened. "Uh, no, I—"

"She's under my protection," Kaito said. "And we need your help."

Saya arched an eyebrow. "That serious?"

Kaito nodded. "Tsubaki found us."

Saya's expression darkened. "That's a problem."

She placed the glass down and leaned against the counter. "The Council doesn't dispatch Hunters without cause. They must have determined that you are no longer merely a nuisance. You're a threat."

Emiko clenched her fists. "What is it that the Council cares so much about Kaito not having a master? It's not as if he's out there wreaking havoc."

Saya gave her a sharp look. "Because Kaito is no ordinary Shinigami.

Emiko blinked. "What do you mean?"

Kaito sighed. "Saya—"

Saya ignored him. "Kaito used to be one of the strongest Shinigami on the Council. A prodigy. He was next in line to be one of the High Judges."

Emiko's eyes widened. "Wait—what?"

She glanced at Kaito, but he turned away, his face inscrutable.

"You never mentioned that to me," Emiko said.

Kaito's jaw tightened. "But then it doesn't matter anymore."

Saya scoffed. "Oh, it matters. The Council doesn't just exile their best warrior for no reason.'

Emiko had a sense that she was missing something enormous. "What did he do?"

Saya's eyes softened a little. "He violated the most sacred rule."

Emiko's breath caught. "He… killed his own master?"

Kaito gripped the counter harder. "That wasn't how it was," he said, his voice softer.

Saya held up a hand. "Relax. I'm not judging. Just stating facts."

Emiko had no idea how to respond. She had not only seen Kaito fight, she had seen the weight on him. But she could never have imagined this.

She finally found her voice. "So that's the reason they want you dead."

Kaito exhaled. "They want to erase me."

Saya nodded. "And now you've got a human under your protection, they'll see her as a weakness. They'll come after her too."

Emiko swallowed hard. "Great," she muttered. "That's just what I needed."

Kaito finally met her gaze. "That's why we're going to have to move quickly. You gotta get stronger — now."

Saya crossed her arms. "I can help with that. But it won't be easy."

Emiko straightened. "I don't care. I want to be strong enough to resist."

Saya regarded her for a long moment and smirked. "All I know is: I like her," she said to Kaito.

Kaito rolled his eyes. "That makes one of us."

Emiko elbowed him. "I heard that."

Saya chuckled, but then deadpanned. "Alright, then. Training starts tomorrow."

Sucking in a breath, Emiko shoved her doubt to the back of her mind.

This was it. The next step.

No more running. No more fear.

She was going to fight.

And she was going to win.