Another part of the forest:
Kaede's group:
Yuna was kneeling on the ground.
She held Riku's bleeding body in her arms, trying to close the wound that had nearly torn him apart.
Shiro stood in front of her, his gaze fixed on the enemy.
He clenched his fists.
"Summoning Magic: Executioner."
Beside him appeared a broad warrior made of bluish light, a large scale in one hand, a massive scythe in the other.
"Summoning Magic: Mage of the Third Woodland."
A second man stepped out of nothingness gaunt, wearing a long coat and a pointed gray wizard hat.
Green eyes. A staff with a crystal.
"My vassals to me!"
From the branches above them, another warrior jumped down the one who had been destroyed just minutes ago.
"What is this?!" shouted Shiro. "Why did you attack us? That's a clear violation of the rules!"
The attacker struck his chest twice with his fist.
His uniform dissolved, his face blurred and what remained was a grinning, unfamiliar man with a scar on his lip, torn pants, and a dark cloak.
"Who are you? And why are you sabotaging our training?!" Shiro demanded sharply.
The stranger laughed.
"Now, now… so much excitement, kid.
The name's Leo Saladin. And you? You're gonna step aside, yeah?
I don't do well with children who think they're soldiers."
He pointed at Kaede, his grin widening.
It wasn't a friendly smile it was terrifying.
Shiro immediately took a combat stance.
"What do you want from us?!"
His hands moved. Magical patterns flickered briefly.
This is bad. Should I abort the mission?
No... the mission takes priority. Find and protect the target.
He glanced at Yuna, who was still tending to Riku.
She looked up briefly and gave Shiro a silent nod.
Then she turned back to Riku.
A single tear rolled down her cheek.
Leo rolled his eyes.
"Spatial Magic: Empty Slash."
A barely visible impulse flickered through the air but the Executioner jumped in front of Shiro, raising his scale.
Fine cuts opened on his skin tiny, but visible.
Leo cursed.
"Goddammit… that thing reflects damage? Seriously?" "Ahh that hurts"!
The Executioner suddenly glowed green the Mage was healing him.
Leo chuckled.
"Aha! So that guy back there's healing your tank. Clever. But…"
He pointed at Yuna with a grin in his face.
"If you have that strong of a defence why'd you put a shield user on your team?"
Shiro gritted his teeth.
How did he figure that out so fast...?
Doesn't matter. I need to buy time. Until reinforcements arrive.
But... my summoning accessories… I left them on the training field.
I can't summon anything high-ranking.
Kaede:
It was dark.
Kaede saw nothing. Only blackness.
Then — a scream. Loud. Distorted.
He started running.
The air was cold, oppressive.
His steps hit something wet — blood.
He turned a corner.
Yuna.
She was there.
Curled up.
Sobbing.
Kaede's pupils shrank.
He held his breath.
Blood stuck to his shoes.
Then — a hand on his shoulder.
He flinched. Turned around sharply.
A face.
Distorted. Familiar.
"Why, Kaede...?
Why didn't you say anything?
This is all your fault."
"I… I…"
He stammered.
"That's… not true…"
Then:
Shiro fell.
Bleeding.
Collapsed.
Empty eyes.
Yuna screamed.
Her screams burned into Kaede's ears like knives.
He stepped toward her.
"Yu...na...?"
His voice was barely a whisper.
She looked up.
Tears. Trembling eyes.
Then
Hatred.
She stood up.
Slowly.
Heavily.
And hit him in the face with her fist.
"WHY?! WHY, DAMN IT?!
IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"
Another punch.
And another.
"I HATE YOU!
YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM US!"
"No... that's not true…
I… I didn't do anything…," Kaede pleaded.
He didn't understand what was happening.
He didn't know where he was.
Or if this was even real.
Yuna screamed:
"YOU'RE JUST LIKE YOUR PARENTS!
YOU DAMN MONSTER!
A FREAK, KAEDE!!"
She kept hitting him.
Kaede raised his arms, trying to protect himself.
"Please… stop…"
Yuna stepped back.
Her gaze was broken.
Then she raised her hand.
A spear — born of magic — appeared.
"YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME!!
DIE!!"
"NO!!
THAT'S NOT TRUE!!
THAT'S NOT TRUE!!"
SWISH!
The spear stopped.
Yuna stood right in front of him. Blood dripped from her lips.
She smiled.
A cold, shattered smile.
"You... damn monster…
Go to hell...
where you came from..."
Then she fell.
Slowly.
Like a tree being felled.
Kaede stared at his hand.
Shadows wrapped around it.
Blood dripped.
Yuna bled from her stomach.
Her body grew cold.
"No…"
He pulled his hand back.
Stumbled.
No sound reached him anymore.
Then... footsteps.
A shadow came around the corner.
Mr. Watsukawa.
He stopped. Stared.
Then spoke:
"I was wrong."
The words were like glass.
Cold. Sharp. Final.
"Please…" whispered Kaede.
"Please believe me… this was… a misunderstanding…"
Watsukawa no longer looked at him.
"The only misunderstanding… is you."
Then he disappeared.
As quickly as he had come.
And with him, reality vanished.
Only darkness remained.
Silence.
"Kaede… my dear…"
The voice was soft.
Warm.
Familiar.
Kaede sank to the ground.
Trembling.
Alone.
"...Mother?"
His voice broke.
He pulled his knees to his chest.
Crouched down.
And cried.
Mr. Watsukawa:
The portals were open, but nothing came out.
The air trembled with tension.
Watsukawa stayed in a fighting stance — but Airi had stopped.
She stood still.
Her gaze: not on him, but somewhere far away.
Then she murmured, almost lovingly:
"Kaede's having a little slump right now…"
She smiled.
"So cute. I bet he's trembling again. Maybe he even cried. It suits him."
Watsukawa narrowed his eyes slightly.
"You find that cute?"
Airi nodded.
"He's stubborn, you know? Always has been.
Even back in the woodshed…"
She twisted her lips slightly — for a moment, something like disappointment flickered across her face.
"He rejected me. Completely.
Not even a 'no thanks,' just sarcasm and 'piss off.'"
She laughed briefly.
But the laugh was dull. Hollow.
"I was really nice to him. I even told him 'I love you.'
And what does he do?
Acts like I'm some dumb schoolgirl."
She closed her eyes for a moment.
Inhale. Exhale.
Then she spoke more calmly, firmly:
"But that's okay. Kaede doesn't understand feelings.
He's broken.
Someone like that doesn't fall in love because you smile at him.
He falls in love when everything around him collapses… and only one person is left."
Watsukawa said nothing.
He just stood there, watching her — with growing unease.
"And that…" said Airi,
"…is me."
She opened her eyes again — clear, focused, almost gentle.
"That's why it's good that he's desperate right now.
Because then he'll finally realize that I can save him.
That I'm always there.
When everyone else leaves — I don't."
She took a step toward Watsukawa.
Her tone remained friendly. Even sweet.
But her eyes were cold as stone.
"That's why... thank you, Lightning-boy.
For giving me the time he needs to finally break."