The village no longer seemed quiet. Shadows clung to corners, flickering unnaturally. The first husks burst into the market, shattering barrels and scattering villagers.
Law Kael's red scarf tugged against his shoulders. He sprang from cover, swords ready, echoes forming at his sides.
Dust, smoke, fear—the air stung. Children screamed, fleeing blindly. The husks moved with jerky precision, mirrored eyes reflecting chaos.
Not yet… Law thought. Not enough to face the tide.
A faint golden glow caught his eye behind a collapsed cart. A girl, no older than him, stood between huddled children and the advancing monsters. Threads of light pulsed from her arms, twisting like living ribbons, holding back the husks.
"Stay close," she said, calm and unwavering. "Light will not abandon you."
Law's echoes surged, slicing through a lunging husk. The girl's eyes flicked to him.
"You—! With me. Guard their backs!" she commanded.
"I don't take orders," Law said, reflex fighting instinct.
"Then take responsibility!" she snapped. "They'll die if you hesitate."
A heartbeat of hesitation… then Law nodded. Presence. Choice. Every step matters.
The husks poured from alleys and rooftops, whispers threading the night air like icy fingers. Law's echoes moved, coordinated but imperfect—until the girl's light anchored them. Together, they formed a fragile wall, saving the children.
Then Law saw him.
At the edge of the burning square, a lean figure stood. Hooded. Silent. Every movement deliberate, precise. Zero.
Law's echoes and Liora's light adjusted instinctively around him. Every swing of his weapon was economical, lethal, measured. He didn't speak. He didn't call out. Yet his presence carved corridors of safety for fleeing villagers.
A massive corrupted husk dragged a shattered bell tower chain. Its mirrored eyes flickered like fractured glass.
"This one's different," Law whispered.
"Then we hold. Together," Liora said.
Zero moved without hesitation, weaving between Law and Liora. The husk staggered, forced off balance. Sparks flew. Shadows danced. Whispers hissed.
Law and Liora exchanged a glance. They were no longer alone.
The red scarf pulsed faintly against Law's chest, tethering him to purpose. Ghostly echoes swirled, knives in the dark. The husks pressed forward, reflections of fire and malice.
"Echoes mean nothing without someone to anchor them," his grandfather's voice whispered in memory.
The three of them moved as one—light, shadow, echoes. Fire roared. Smoke twisted. Tremors of war spread beyond the village, reaching every corner of the desert night.
Law tightened his grip on his swords. He would survive. He would protect. And he would walk the Path—every step his own.
Zero's hood shifted. Eyes met Law's briefly. No words passed, but understanding flickered between them: this was someone who would shape the road ahead.
The fire roared. The night trembled. And in the center of chaos, three figures stood firm.