The garden was silent.
Ren stood beneath the twisted branches of the oldest rose bush, staring at the stone door hidden beneath the roots. The rain had stopped hours ago, but water still dripped from the leaves around him.
Kazuki stood a few steps behind him.
Neither of them spoke.
Ren finally crouched and cleared away the wet leaves covering the strange symbol carved into the stone. It was the same symbol he had seen in his family's records—a rose surrounded by thorns.
"I've seen this before," Ren said.
Kazuki stepped closer. "Where?"
"In my father's study. There was a book with this symbol on its cover."
"What happened to the book?"
"My father destroyed it."
Kazuki looked at the door. "Then whatever is behind this was important enough for him to hide."
Ren placed his palm against the stone.
Nothing happened.
He frowned and pressed harder.
Still nothing.
Then Kazuki noticed something near the bottom of the door.
"Ren. Look."
A thin line ran across the stone, almost invisible beneath the dirt. It formed the shape of a hand.
Ren stared at it.
"What is that?"
"I don't know."
Ren placed his hand against the mark.
The stone suddenly became warm.
A deep vibration travelled through the ground.
Kazuki stepped back.
"Move away."
Before Ren could respond, the symbol began glowing faintly.
The roots surrounding the door shifted.
A section of stone moved inward with a heavy grinding sound.
A narrow opening appeared.
Cold air rushed out from the darkness below.
Ren raised his lantern.
A staircase disappeared beneath the garden.
Kazuki looked at him.
"We should leave."
Ren shook his head. "We've already come this far."
"That doesn't mean we should keep going."
Ren looked down the staircase.
"Someone wanted us to find this."
Kazuki remained silent.
Ren took the first step.
Then another.
Kazuki followed.
The entrance slowly disappeared behind them as the stone door moved back into place.
The deeper they went, the colder it became.
The walls were covered with faded paintings. Some showed humans. Others showed figures with unnatural eyes. Between them were hundreds of red roses.
Ren stopped beside one painting.
Two families stood on opposite sides of a river.
The Tsurugi family stood beneath a silver banner.
The Kurohana family stood beneath a black one.
Between them was a single rose.
"What happened to them?" Ren asked.
Kazuki examined the painting.
"They weren't enemies."
Ren looked at him.
"How do you know?"
"Look at their hands."
Ren raised the lantern.
Both families were holding the same chain.
At the centre of the chain was a small silver key.
Before Ren could say anything, a sound echoed from deeper within the tunnel.
A slow metallic knock.
Once.
Twice.
Then silence.
Ren tightened his grip on the lantern.
"Kazuki…"
"I heard it."
Another knock came.
This time, it was closer.
They continued down the passage until they reached a second door.
Unlike the first, this one was covered with writing.
Ren wiped away the dust.
Four words appeared.
ONLY BLOOD REMEMBERS BLOOD.
Below the words was the same rose symbol.
Kazuki stared at it.
"This isn't just a door."
Ren looked at him.
"Then what is it?"
Kazuki's expression darkened.
"A warning."
The lantern suddenly went out.
For a moment, they stood completely surrounded by darkness.
Then a faint red light appeared beneath the door.
And something on the other side whispered Ren's name.