The rain came softly that morning, drumming against the thatched roofs of Aoritsu. It was the kind of rain that usually brought comfort—slow, steady, cleansing. But inside Akuzai's home, it only carried the weight of what had happened hours before.
Yukiko lay on a futon near the hearth, wrapped in a blanket. Her breathing was calm now, but her skin was pale, and her eyes moved like they were still chasing shadows in her mind.
Akuzai sat beside her, his hand resting lightly over hers. "You're safe," he whispered.
Her lips curved faintly. "It didn't feel like a dream… it felt like he was inside my life."
"He was," Miyako said from across the room, her tone grim. "Memory-walking isn't a common skill. It means Veyrix has more control over the fabric of time than I thought."
Tanishk leaned against the wall, arms folded. "He didn't attack her body. He attacked her place in your heart. That's… dangerous."
Anuj's voice was quiet but heavy. "He's not aiming to kill us. Not yet. He wants to unspool what binds us. One thread at a time."
Abhishek's gaze sharpened. "If he breaks the trust between us, we'll destroy ourselves before he ever lifts a blade."
Later that day, Yukiko awoke more fully. The fire crackled low, the air warm against her face. Akuzai was still there, exhaustion tugging at his eyes.
"You should rest," she murmured.
"I will… after I'm sure you're okay."
Her fingers tightened around his. "He showed me… things I didn't want to see. Times when I was alone. Times I thought no one remembered me. He tried to make me believe you'd forget me too."
Akuzai's jaw tensed. "I could forget my own name before I forget you."
Her eyes softened, a tear slipping down. "Then that's what he's afraid of."
That evening, the group gathered around the central table. The rain had stopped, leaving a silver mist outside.
"We need to assume he'll try this again," Abhishek said.
"And next time, it might be one of us," Tanishk added.
Miyako looked at them all. "If he gets inside your memories… remember this: the past is only dangerous if you let it decide the present."
Akuzai's gaze swept across his friends, then lingered on Yukiko. "We've all survived battles. But this is different. He's fighting inside us."
Anuj exhaled slowly. "Which means we need more than blades. We need… anchors."
Kaien, who had been silent until now, spoke with quiet certainty. "Then anchor yourselves to each other. Because when the storm comes, it's not your weapon that keeps you standing—it's the hand holding yours."
Outside, unseen in the mist, a shadow lingered at the edge of the village. Veyrix's voice was barely a whisper against the wind:
"Threads fray when they're pulled too tight… and I am patient."