Chapter 48: Kazeshima
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I stood at the end of the table, my eyes fixed on Katorro as he nonchalantly finished his rice bowl. Jon sat across from him, sipping from a flask with mild curiosity. Flanked by Kaito and Cragmarr, the sight of Katorro''s calm demeanor only fueled my angst.
"Why would you give me up like that?" I demanded. “Surrender?"
Katorro set down his chopsticks. A flicker of amusement crossed his face.
"I know," he said. "I anticipated you would do something rash to save the Monks. Was I wrong?"
"No," I admitted.
"I have no intention of upholding the agreement."
His words caught me off guard, and my anger dissipated, replaced by confusion.
"But... you told Lance you were a man of honor," I said.
"Vanity and self-righteousness are weaknesses, Ember. A code of honor doesn''t bind the Ninja faction."
"So what''s the plan? What are we really going to do?"
"I will use a nexus portal to send you to the southern kingdoms to complete your training. To pursue you, the Lightslayer will require a lunar cycle to send his army through hostile territory."
"A lunar cycle is two fortnights—twenty-eight days," Cragmarr said.
"How far are you sending me?" I asked.
"To my temple in Kazeshima," Katorro replied.
"Kazeshima is an island in the southernmost region," Cragmarr added. "The Amazon faction surrounds it."
I gave Cragmarr a worried look. The last thing I needed was to run into Amazons after recent events—and Kyra.
"Leave quickly then," Jon said, "before Lance can rally and organize his army. The Jingozi contract will betray your plan. Upon the revelation that Ember is gone, Lance will seek retribution."
"The rest of us shall stay," Katorro replied, "to defend the temple."
As I processed the information, Jon Deerfoot stood with a curt bow.
"I never thought you''d ask," he said. "Yes, I, Jon Deerfoot, agree to accompany Ember on her journey."
"We didn''t ask," Kaito groaned.
Cragmarr nodded.
"If she is to face Overlord Edric," Jon continued, "who better to prepare her than a humble elven Jingozi apprentice of the same faction?"
Cragmarr and Kaito voiced their protests, their words overlapping with concern. Katorro silenced them with a simple raised hand.
"No," he said, pointing his finger at Jon. "If you want to assist, your best place is here. She must go alone."
"Master Katorro, as Ember''s ward, I must express my concerns," Cragmarr said.
"Your assignment is ending, Golem," Katorro replied. "You, most of all, know this. Do not let your feelings cloud your judgment in this matter. You may join her after if you so wish."
Cragmarr hung his head and stepped away. Kaito joined him.
"Sora," Katorro called.
"Yes, Master Katorro," she emerged from the shadows, ever the silent observer.
"Prepare Ember for the Crucible. She must depart immediately."
* * *
"The Crucible is a Jingozi fortress in the sky that hosts the Jingozi tournament," Sora explained. "You must become victorious for the reward back to your dimension."
I followed Sora down the hallway, my mind still reeling. Her lecture felt heavy and charged with emotions.
"Upon reaching tier 3 rank 1, the Jingozi will summon you for the final test—the tournament," she said. "You will spend the last levels learning and training for the game."
As we entered Sora''s chambers, she stopped and sighed heavily, her back still turned.
"I don''t hate you," she sighed. "When I served as a vessel, I awoke, and my life was gone," she paused, taking another deep breath. "My consciousness returned, and I found myself by a nexus. I searched for my family, but without me… they died or worse… abandoned me. But what good are these powers if you have nothing?"If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
I felt goosebumps spread down my arms, listening to her words.
"Because of this, I despise the Jingozi and vow to take revenge," she continued. "You remind me of what I lost and gained. Your host will go through the same when you leave. But I believe you will succeed, and we will have another ally in our cause. That''s why I push you to become stronger. And look at what you''ve achieved. Nobody has taken a Jingozi life before."
She walked to a large trunk and pulled out a package wrapped in cloth.
"This is for you," she said, her voice kinder than I''d ever heard. "A token from Taikumi and the guild."
I unwrapped the package, revealing a sleek, black Ninja suit reinforced with red accents and patches of armor. As I ran my fingers over it, I could feel the hum of Zii magic coursing through the material.
"Try it on," Sora urged.
I put the suit in my inventory and activated it, swapping out my Ninja kimono. It automatically molded for a perfect fit.
YOU HAVE RECEIVED NEW ARMOR
Ninja Stealth Armor [Elite]
<ul>
<li>
Inventory Slots: 24
</li>
<li>
Disguise: 1 Zii
</li>
<li>
Protection from fire: 2 Zii
</li>
<li>
Invisibility: 1 Zii for every minute.
</li>
<li>
Immunity to fall damage [Pasive]
</li>
<li>
Self-cleaning & repair [Passive]
</li>
</ul>
"It will mirror any disguise you see while maintaining its protection," Sora said.
"Wow. Thank you."
"Thank Taikumi, not me."
When Sora''s eyes met mine, for the first time, I saw a glimmer of emotion other than anger and contempt for me. I reached out and squeezed her hand, wordlessly acknowledging her pain and her hope.
* * *
I stood in the great hall of the Radiant Temple, filled with ambivalence as I faced Cragmarr, Kaito, Master Xiang, Katorro, and Sora. Unsurprisingly, Jon was absent, but I pushed the thought aside.
"I''m sorry for all the trouble I''ve caused," I said, bowing to Master Xiang. My hands were clammy, and I resisted the urge to wipe them on my new Ninja armor.
Master Xiang''s kind eyes met mine as he shook his head.
"Nonsense, sister. It is our honor to return our service after all you did for us," he said.
The others nodded in agreement, as I felt a lump in my throat.
"Well, I guess this is another goodbye," Kaito said.
"Not goodbye, just a pause," I winked.
We shared an embrace.
I straightened and turned to face Katorro, "Will we ever see each other again?"
"You will not, but you will find your champion. I have foreseen it."
I glanced at Sora and said, "Find me. Find this vessel when it''s all over and take care of her."
She gave a curt nod, her face back to being as unreadable as ever.
Cragmarr stepped forward and put his hands on my shoulders. His orange eyes swirled.
"Be careful," he said.
"I''ve been shitty to you," I said. "I’m sorry. We''re good, right?"
"We are," he smiled.
Katorro began the Zii-Kata, and a shimmering portal formed before us.
"Kitty," I called. Floating down from the ceiling, I summoned her into my familiar ring.
I looked at the group one last time, my makeshift family in this strange world.
"Goodbye, everyone. Thank you for everything." Though the words felt inadequate.
Out of nowhere, Jon Deerfoot raced past me, barreling into the swirling vortex.
"See you on the other side!" his voice faded into the void.
I glanced back at the others, seeing my own surprise mirrored on their faces—everyone''s except Master Xiang''s, who burst into laughter. I slapped Kaito on the shoulder while the Ninja threw his hands up in exasperation.
I took a deep breath. With one final nod to my friends, I stepped through the portal.
* * *
LEVEL UPDATE
Name: Ember [Judgment Dealer]*
Tier: 2 [Bronze] Rank 1
FEAT COMPLETE: EXPLORE THE NEXUS
Visit 3 nexus locations.
Bonus: Additional rewards are granted for every nexus you find from this point.
Nexus found [6]: Fire Seer
FEAT REWARD: FIRE SIGHT
See into the fires of another''s heart and share your vision.
I stumbled out of the portal, tripping over Jon, who had landed unceremoniously on his backside. As my eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight, I took in our surroundings with immediate dismay.
"What the hell is wrong with you, Jon?"
The elf shrugged, feigning innocence.
"Why, Ember, my dear, you didn''t think I''d just let you have all the fun? Did you?"
As annoyed as I was, I admitted having company right now was welcome. But I still didn''t trust him. He sat there, staring at me like I was an alien.
"What is it?" I snapped.
"Your eyes…"
I summoned the ninjato from my inventory, unsheathed it, and checked my reflection in the blade—my eyes had the same fire effect as Katorro''s.
"Looks like the old Ninja Master has surprises for you yet," Jon remarked.
We stood and dusted ourselves off in what must have once been a grand courtyard, now reduced to a depressing state of decay. It looked like a traditional Samurai estate, its roof long since collapsed, leaving gaping holes where carved beams had once supported roofing shingles. Weeds sprouted from every crack and crevice, nature reclaiming what had been abandoned.
Broken pottery and rotting wooden furniture littered the overgrown grounds. A rusted katana lay half-buried in the tall grass. There was, however, a fountain bubbling with what appeared to be clean water. That aside, the air was musty and stagnant, mingling with the salty tang of the sea.
"Well, this is... charming," Jon quipped, retying his ponytail after pulling thistles out of his hair.
I ignored him, moving towards what appeared to be the remains of a garden. Moss-covered statues, their features worn smooth by time and weather, stood sentinel among the wildflowers and weeds. Beyond, a steep cliff dropped away to reveal a breathtaking ocean view, the sound of waves crashing against jagged rocks far below.
The tropical heat pressed down on me, so different from the temperate climate we''d left behind. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I turned in a slow circle, trying to make sense of our surroundings.
"And what am I supposed to do now?" I muttered. "Katorro clearly hasn''t lived here in years."
I felt a pang of worry. Was it some test? We were stranded in an unfamiliar place without a clear direction.
* * *
As Katorro had promised, he marooned us on an island. To get a better grasp of our surroundings, I walked the perimeter of the estate on foot to stretch my legs. The complex was more extensive than I''d initially thought, consisting of multiple interconnected units around a central courtyard. Encircling the whole property was a crumbling wall, its weathered stones a reminder of neglect.
I sat sullenly on a stump in the courtyard.
"Kazeshima, also known as ''Windy Island,'' is the southernmost point in the known kingdoms," Jon said. "They say if you stand in the wrong place, the gusts will pick you up and throw you into the sea."
I barely heard what he was saying.
"I give up," I said, standing up. "I''m going to bed. And don''t even think of trying anything funny."