Kai and Cloud had been walking for hours through the foggy woods, yet they still couldn’t find their way out.

Cloud’s feet dragged through the dirt, exhaustion weighing down on him with every step. Kai quickly noticed his fatigue and frowned.

“We need to get you out of these woods. You can’t handle foxfire for long—it’s slowing us down, and we can’t afford that right now,” Kai said. “At least, you can’t. You still have to exorcise at least one phantom.”

Cloud sighed, barely holding himself upright. “I know. But we’ve been walking forever—why haven’t we left the forest yet?”

Kai stopped in his tracks, scanning the dead trees around them. Something felt off, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. “Do you sense anything strange?”

“What?” Cloud looked around. “Everything about this place is strange.”

“I mean right now. I feel like the trees are moving… and I sense more foxfire than before.”

Cloud squinted behind his mask, scanning the trees. “I don’t see anything out of the ordinary.” He hesitated. “Do trees usually move here?”

Kai shook his head and ignited his hands with foxfire. “No. But phantoms can mimic trees—blending into the environment, sneaking up on you.”

Cloud stiffened. “What?!”

“It’s true. They’re called Shifters, and they’re some of the deadliest phantoms out there. You never know when—or how—they’ll creep up behind you and bite your head off.”

Cloud chuckled nervously, his legs trembling slightly. “That’s… not good. We’re surrounded by trees. They could be anywhere.”

“I know,” Kai muttered. “That’s why I’m about to burn this entire area. We still have the range advantage—if they were close, we’d already be dead. I’m guessing they’ve been shifting into trees, herding us into a trap, tiring us out to make the kill easier.”

Cloud’s eyes darted around as he grew more alert. “So… how are you going to burn everything?”

Kai grabbed him by the arm and pulled him closer. “Stay behind me.”

Cloud nodded, pressing his back against Kai’s.

“Here goes.”

Kai raised his arm and unleashed a continuous blast of flames, slowly turning in a circle. Cloud mimicked his movement, watching their surroundings.

The trees caught fire almost instantly, flames spreading in all directions. Distant screeches echoed through the inferno. Both Cloud and Kai turned toward the sound, but they couldn’t see past the blaze.

“Was that a Shifter?” Cloud asked.

“Most likely. At least two of them. They’re running for now—probably regrouping with the rest of their friends.”

Cloud tilted his head. “Regrouping? You mean with other phantoms?”

“Exactly. The weaker they are, the more they tend to gather in numbers. Since we’re on the third moon, they’ll be swarming.”

Kai waved his hand, extinguishing the flames in an instant. “Let’s move. We might be able to escape before they return. I know you’re worn out, but you need to push through. If they outnumber us, I won’t be able to keep you alive.”

Cloud exhaled a quiet laugh, smoke swirling in the air. “Like I said, don’t worry about me. Just do what you have to do.”

Kai sighed, shaking his head before falling in step beside him as they pressed forward through the forest.

A Few Weeks Earlier

Cloud had been training for days, climbing up and down the mountain. It was getting slightly easier each time, but still exhausting.

On this particular morning, Takahiro had something different in mind.

The two of them stood outside just as dawn broke, the wind sharp against their skin. The sun had yet to rise fully, leaving the sky in shades of deep blue and gray.

“Today, you’ll finally practice how to exorcise a phantom,” Takahiro said. “Well, not exactly. There aren’t any phantoms here, so you’ll just be practicing the movements and the other details.”

Cloud laced his hands behind his head, unimpressed. “You’re not great at explaining things, you know.”

Takahiro chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, I know. I’m more of a hands-on teacher. Anyway, let’s head into the forest. We’ll need a target.”

They walked until they found a large tree. Takahiro nodded in approval. “Perfect.”

He stepped forward and lit his index finger with foxfire. Carefully, he traced a black-ringed circle onto the trunk, about the size of a fist.

“Phantoms have hearts, just like us. They’re usually on the left side of the chest, but since phantoms vary in size, you’ll have to estimate.”

Cloud crossed his arms. “And I wait until only one moon is left, right?”

Takahiro nodded. “Right. But even then, they’ll still be stronger and faster than you.”

Cloud sighed loudly. “I can’t catch a break.”

Takahiro shrugged. “Well, you are pretty weak.”

Cloud shot him an irritated look, and Takahiro grinned before continuing, “That’s why you’ll be ending battles, not starting them. You’ll be a third party.”

Cloud raised an eyebrow. “Meaning?”

“The phantoms aren't just weaker during one moon, they're also dumber. They tend to fight amongst themselves. When that happens, you need to be nearby—waiting for the right moment to exorcise one or both of them.”

He stepped in front of the trunk, his hand suddenly bursting into blue foxfire. Clenching his fist, he struck the circle, his hand punching straight through the bark.

“To exorcise a phantom, you have to pierce their chest and grab their heart. It’ll feel cold and hard, like a stone. Once you have it, the exorcism will happen on its own.”