The Blade That Whispers

The morning came with an eerie stillness.

Mist clung to the grass like breath over glass as Yuto and Lyra walked through the forest outside Elthera. Kael had remained at the ruins, diving deeper into ancient tomes and carvings. But Yuto had grown restless. The dreams had returned—visions of his death, Renji’s smile, and blood-soaked hands that weren’t his own.

He needed clarity. Or a fight.

He got both.

They found the corpse just before the clearing.

A soldier—one of their own—lay twisted at the base of a tree, throat slit, his eyes wide with terror. No blood spatter, no signs of struggle. Just the clean, silent mark of a professional.

Yuto knelt beside the body. “This was no ambush. He never saw them coming.”

Lyra’s expression darkened. “Drazan?”

Yuto’s hand instinctively moved toward his sword hilt. “Or worse.”

They were being hunted.

✧ ✧ ✧

By the time they reached the camp, the others were already dead.

Kael stood frozen in the center, blood dripping from his arm. Around him, five of their guards lay motionless, eyes staring at nothing.

“They moved like shadows,” Kael said, voice low. “Only one of them showed their face.”

Yuto’s chest tightened. “Who?”

Kael looked up.

“He wore a mask shaped like a serpent. But it wasn’t just magic I felt. It was something… familiar.”

Yuto’s heartbeat quickened. “Was he... from this world?”

Kael hesitated.

“No.”

✧ ✧ ✧

Night fell fast. Too fast.

Yuto stood guard just beyond the ruins, senses sharpened, breath calm. The Blood Sigil pulsed beneath his skin. He’d started to notice it responded more strongly now—not just to rage, but to threats. It was like it knew danger was near before he did.

That’s when he heard it: the faint whistle of a blade cutting through the air.

He spun, barely catching the glint of steel in time to deflect it.

The assassin was already upon him—a blur of black fabric and silver edges. Yuto parried wildly, his eyes struggling to track the figure’s movements.

“You’re fast,” the assassin said, voice smooth and amused. “Faster than the last one.”

Yuto’s eyes narrowed. “Last one?”

“The first Crimson Hero. He died screaming.”

Rage bloomed.

The Blood Sigil lit up in a burst of red flame across his arm, and Yuto slammed his fist into the ground, sending out a shockwave. The assassin leapt back, flipping in midair, landing perfectly on a branch.

“Now that’s more like it,” he said. “Show me why they fear you.”

✧ ✧ ✧

The fight was brutal.

Each clash of blade and magic split the air. Yuto’s blood sang with fury, his body moving on instinct. But every time he pressed forward, the assassin twisted just out of reach—as if he knew Yuto’s moves before he made them.

Then it happened.

In a moment of pure clarity, Yuto stopped attacking—and listened.

He didn’t chase. He drew the Sigil inward. Focused.

And when the assassin struck again—fast, silent, fatal—Yuto was ready.

He turned, caught the blade with his bare hand, and with a roar, unleashed a chained sigil that wrapped around the man’s arm, yanking him violently to the ground.

The assassin groaned, pinned, his mask cracking.

Yuto approached, weapon drawn.

But when the mask fell, his breath caught in his throat.

The man on the ground—young, eyes cold as winter—looked at Yuto like he knew him.

“You…” Yuto whispered. “I’ve seen you before.”

The assassin smirked. “Of course you have. You’re not the only one Renji betrayed.”

And then he vanished in a puff of smoke and sigil fire.

The Exiles of Ashmark

The assassin’s words clung to Yuto’s mind like smoke:

“You’re not the only one Renji betrayed.”

He sat by the fire that night, the Blood Sigil still simmering beneath his skin. Lyra sat opposite him, her blade laid across her knees, eyes darting to the dark forest beyond their camp.

Kael returned from his scouting trip, his cloak dusted with ash and his expression grim.

“I traced his escape route,” Kael said. “He’s headed east. Toward the ruins of Ashmark.”

Lyra blinked. “That place was swallowed by the earth years ago.”

Kael nodded. “Exactly. That’s where the Exiles are hiding.”

Yuto frowned. “Exiles?”

Kael’s gaze hardened. “A forgotten order. Mages, warriors, and royals cast out for defying the ancient Pacts. Some say they were once protectors of this world. Others say they’re monsters who refused to die.”

Yuto stood, his voice low and firm. “If they know about Renji… I’m going to find them.”

---

✧ ✧ ✧

The road to Ashmark was treacherous.

Black forests gave way to jagged cliffs, and rivers of green fire flowed in cracks across the land—a sign that the earth itself had been scarred by ancient magic.

As they approached the ruined city, the air thickened with arcane pressure. The buildings had crumbled into twisted towers and shattered arches. Shadows moved unnaturally between the stones.

“It’s like the city remembers pain,” Lyra murmured.

At the heart of Ashmark stood a spire of obsidian. It pulsed faintly with red light—the same color as the Blood Sigil.

“That’s their sanctuary,” Kael said.

But before they could enter, the ground shifted.

A dozen figures in ragged cloaks emerged from the rubble, surrounding them. Each bore a different mark—scars, runes, weapons etched with curses.

One stepped forward: a woman with short silver hair, one eye glowing with gold flame.

“I am Seris, Commander of the Exiles,” she said. “State your name, Crimson Hero.”

Yuto met her gaze, unflinching. “Yuto Tanaka. I was summoned by the dying wish of Aelwyn’s king. I wield the Blood Sigil. And I seek the truth behind my betrayal.”

The Exiles murmured. Seris studied him for a long moment, then said:

“Then you deserve to know who Renji really is.”

---

✧ ✧ ✧

Inside the spire, torches lit with violet flame. Ancient murals lined the walls—depicting wars fought between heroes and corrupted kings. In the center was a crystal pool that shimmered with memory magic.

Seris stood beside it. “Years ago, Renji was brought into this world just like you. Not by a king... but by a ritual.”

Yuto’s breath caught. “You’re saying... Renji’s an isekai?”

“Yes,” Seris said. “But unlike you, he didn’t fight to save this world. He joined the Drazan Empire and offered them knowledge—your world’s knowledge. In exchange, they gave him an army.”

Yuto stepped back, stunned.

“He built them weapons. Strategy. Magic they’d never seen before. And with each conquest, he grew more powerful. He doesn't want to go back home.”

Kael clenched his fist. “He wants to rule.”

Yuto’s hands trembled. “Why… why would he betray me like that?”

Seris looked at him with something close to pity. “Maybe he feared being weak. Maybe he hated your strength. Or maybe... he was always meant to become the villain in this world.”

---

✧ ✧ ✧

That night, Yuto stood before the crystal pool.

He touched its surface—and saw a vision.

Renji. Standing atop a black throne. A crown of blood upon his brow. Crimson eyes glowing, his smile twisted.

And behind him—chained, broken, and barely alive—was someone Yuto recognized:

His younger sister.

Yuto fell to his knees, breath knocked from his lungs.

Renji hadn’t just betrayed him.

He had dragged the people Yuto loved into this world, too.

And now... he had them.