The air was thick with tension and looming uncertainty.
The Blendbreeds of the Daffodils Academy stood at the entrance of the Temporal Rift, the only passage linking the Mortal World to the mysterious stasis generated by Rakion in September of 1922. Surrounded by the twilight settling over the abandoned hospital of Colorno, they moved in silence, preparing to enter. Sharpened weapons and shields were within reach; tense, intense glances passed among the younger recruits, but no one dared speak. They clustered around their captain like an inanimate wall of red armor, the distinct mark of their regiment.
Samara Dearca, the captain of the Scarlet Sparrows, observed the scene with a note of sorrowful concern.
The extra three days she had granted the Equinox Flowers, that delay she had hesitated over so long, had now passed. She had defied the established protocol, going against the academy's will, to give them—three poor Blendbreeds sent to the slaughter—one more chance to close the rift, hoping that the Forbidden Heir with the violet eyes might complete the mission and save them all.
Once the agreed time had ended, doubt began to gnaw at her. She had never been one to cling too tightly to protocols and rules—she had simply grown used to them over time. Ever since she'd been elected, in fact, she'd tried to lead by example, to be dutiful and upright, but she always ended up making decisions based solely on instinct.
Perhaps she had waited too long.
The pink-haired Blendbreed turned toward the rift, a portal shaped like a lukewarm, shapeless mass in bluish tones, suspended in mid-air, as if waiting to devour anyone who dared cross its threshold.
I'm sorry. I tried to give you as much time as possible.
Suddenly, a series of tremors shook the ground beneath their feet. Samara's heart began to race. The eyes of the soldiers around her widened. Bolts of blue light erupted from the portal, discharging energy that crackled in the air like a storm trapped within the walls of the building. The walls cracked, threatening to collapse under the pressure just exerted.
The monsters were coming through the portal.
"Blendbreeds! Fall back!" she shouted, fearing the worst.
The bluish mass quivered, as if to confirm her suspicion. Something—or someone—was trying to push through it. More jolts of electricity followed, while its edge pulsed, almost like a magical heart that, wounded, began to convulse with spasmodic contractions.
"Tight ranks!" Samara shouted, a drop of cold sweat running down her side. "They're coming through the portal—we have to stop them before they reach the outside!"
The Blendbreeds responded in unison with a cry, raising their weapons and clenching their jaws, ready to defend the exit from any fearsome creature emerging from the other side.
The one advantage of this adverse situation was that they had already been prepared by the days before. Before the group from Lilies Park arrived at the hospital, a similar event had occurred—but with less severity.
Sure, two or three monsters won't be a problem. If there are as many as I expect… we'll manage, though they might give us trouble.
The tremors and lightning bolts erupting from the portal were, in fact, heavy—signs that a great force was passing through. Samara grimaced and readied herself to fight the incoming enemies, but amid the chaos and the flickering lights, what emerged was not the adversary—it was the Equinox Flowers.
Shirei, Ada, and Havel stepped out of the rift, their faces marked by exhaustion and their bodies bent from the strain. With a final, deep rumble, the portal closed behind them and vanished in an instant, leaving them in silence and the dying light of sunset.
The tension dissolved, and all the soldiers breathed a collective sigh of relief. They let the astonishing fact slip quietly into the background—that three Blendbreeds had closed an entire rift on their own.
Samara didn't waste a moment and rushed to the group that had just emerged. Ada, pale and overtaken by anxiety, lifted her gaze to meet hers and clutched her arm.
"Please… help him," she said in a broken voice.
The pink-haired girl froze for a second, unable to process what had just happened. Rutia's daughter's hands were trembling as her eyes shifted toward Havel, who lay unconscious and battered in her arms. His armor was shattered at the ribs, revealing a dark, spreading bloodstain. His arms were stiff, fingers slightly curled, and the bluish tinge of his skin betrayed the extreme toll he had endured.
Samara placed her hands on the boy's neck. "He's alive!"
She held her breath in surprise. She had never seen Blendbreeds suffer such a vast magirragia and survive. She couldn't fathom how they had managed to overcome the presumed horror lurking in the rift all by themselves. The thought that they had done it with no reinforcements seemed almost impossible.
Seriously, these three make no sense… luck? Either way, I don't get why they're not academy recruits instead of Blendbreeds from the park.
Then she glanced to her right. The Forbidden Heir with the violet eyes was standing—barely.His shoulders were hunched, his pupils unfocused, and a near-spectral pallor clung to his face.
"Idiot," she muttered bitterly.
It was clear that Cragar's son had somehow borne the weight of the battle, leading his companions to safety. The connections between the two figures were becoming too numerous to ignore. Ammir's daughter was standing before one of the most renowned Blendbreeds of the decade—and she was the first to recognize him since his disappearance.
Wait. First, I need to tend to the injured.
She tried to appear reassuring as she knelt beside the Equinox Flowers.
"You were lucky," she said, attempting to steady her voice with confidence. "I'm one of the two captains of the Fourth Regiment. We specialize in medical rescues."
Ada exhaled in relief. "Can you heal him?"
"We can try," she hesitated, then gestured to her soldiers. "Take him to the tent and do everything you can. Don't worry about the supplies."
Seeing their puzzled looks, she quickly added, "Stop staring at me like that—he's still alive! Which means he can be healed, now move!"
The armored soldiers followed her orders to the letter while the captain turned her attention to leading the two survivors away from the portal chamber, now vanished. Despite his weary expression, Shirei scanned the Blendbreeds from the academy intently and murmured, almost unconsciously, "The Scarlet Sparrows…"
Samara lifted her head, not particularly surprised. "Yes, that's us."
Ada, standing beside him, widened her eyes. "How do you know that?"
There was a moment of silence as the boy looked away, fixing his gaze on some distant, undefined point in the void, as though caught off guard.
"I don't know."
Rutia's daughter stared at him but chose not to push further, letting the conversation fade. She exhaled in relief at the sight of Havel being cared for by expert hands, while Samara, with a quick gesture, signaled the others to prepare for departure.
Now that we're done here, we can head back to base and report everything that happened. The higher-ups will never believe this, she thought, imagining the reactions of the captains and generals from the other regiments.
Without delay, she began directing her platoon, issuing firm orders. They had to get organized and leave the abandoned hospital as quickly as possible. The Blendbreeds of Daffodils Academy stepped aside and, in unison, began dismantling the entire setup—except for the medical tent.
Before they could take another step, however, Shirei rushed toward Samara and grabbed her arm to stop her.
The Blendbreed flinched. "W-what… what is it?"
"Do you know who I am?"
Ammir's daughter glanced around, as if searching for help, but Ada made no move to intervene. The academy soldiers looked on, breath held.
"You know who I am," Cragar's son repeated.
It was no longer a question, but a statement.
"Y-yes," she finally admitted.
Shirei let go of her. "Then tell me. Tell me who I am.
The captain of the Fourth Regiment seemed to falter at those words, hesitating.
"Please."
The usually calm and distant tone of the violet-eyed boy took on a near-desperate edge. The answer was there, just inches away—he could already taste it. He wanted the truth. He craved the return of his memories. It was a right others had tried to take from him, but he would no longer let it slip away.
Ada was too weak and tired to intervene. It wasn't the will of the divine Aena for Shirei to know his origins, but she thought that if Fate had decided otherwise, none of them would be able to stop it. No matter how hard they tried, the Forbidden Heir would come to know the truth of his mysterious past.
And truth be told, by now, we're all curious too.
Samara swallowed. "Y-you are…"
"An idiot."
Those were the two words that echoed in Shirei's mind just before the world began to twist into a distorted vision—and he lost consciousness entirely.
── ⋆⋅❂⋅⋆ ──
He found himself immersed in an unreal stillness, standing in the narrow, damp alleys of a city he didn't recognize. The walls were lit by a bluish, vibrant glow that seemed to come from nowhere, and above him, the night sky was a shapeless void. The streets were deserted, and only the distant sound of unseen water broke the unnatural silence.
The Evanescent Trail? he asked himself rhetorically.
That was when he noticed a figure walking toward him with unhurried steps. The boy before him seemed to be in no rush; he moved calmly, his footsteps made no sound, and his gaze radiated tranquility. Shirei recognized him instantly—after all, it was like looking into a mirror. The Placid tilted his head and drew a deep breath, as if weighed by a sense of pressing dissatisfaction.
"You were the one," Shirei said, his voice barely a whisper.
"Of course."
"Why did you do it? I was so close to discovering something about our past."
The Placid stepped closer. "I've told you before—you're better off without those memories."
"Are you saying Samara could've helped me recover them?"
Shirei cursed himself and felt the anger toward his double rising fast and hard. He had come so close.
He took a few breaths to suppress the emotion.
Since he called me here, maybe I can still get some vital information—even without regaining my memories.
The copy sighed. "Yes, your memories are tied to the old name we once carried. The moment you hear it, everything will unlock."
"I didn't know Uchia worked like that…"
"Because it doesn't. But this is a special case."
He gave him a faint smile. Then he met his gaze with an intensity that spoke volumes and made a small gesture, as though he already knew the next question.
"Don't continue with your inquiries. It's for your own good… for our good. Some truths can only come when you're ready to bear their weight."
Shirei clenched his fists, overwhelmed by frustration. He knew he wouldn't get more out of him—but still, something deep within him wanted to keep digging, to understand what kept slipping through his grasp.
With a silent snap, the scene changed. Suddenly, he was suspended in a void, facing the entrance to the Evanescent Trail: a body floating in an endless abyss. The invisible barrier he had once passed through stood in his way again.
This time, between him and the entrance, was his own reflected image, staring back motionless. He advanced, but the double raised a hand to stop him.
"You cannot pass, I didn't bring you here for that," he said, his voice identical yet solemn. "From now on, you'll have to find your own way to access the Evanescent Crossway. The trail won't open for you anymore unless you can walk it without my guidance."
"Evanescent Crossway?"
It was the first time the son of Cragar had heard that term—he thought it was just another name for the Evanescent Trail.
"Ask your dear friend, the daughter of Ien. She'll be able to explain what it is."
"So they're not synonyms," he deduced.
The Placid lowered his gaze. "You'll have to trust my advice. Talk to the Blendbreed, not to anyone else."
Shirei remained silent. The reflection in front of him stood like an impassive guardian. "Time's up. Good luck with the next rift."
── ⋆⋅❂⋅⋆ ──
The Blendbreed woke up before he could even thank his alter ego for the tip, his eyes still heavy. As the world around him sharpened, he found himself face to face with a pair of bright eyes staring at him from behind a red mask with a sharp, almost menacing nose: the typical Tengu.
"Oh, look who's finally awake!" said a voice dripping with sharp irony. The god of travel tilted his head, letting the reflection of his mask cover Shirei's face. "I thought I'd have to drag you back to Lilies Park in pieces, one at a time."
The son of Cragar tried to lift his head, but his muscles were still stiff, and his vision blurred in and out. Glancing to the side, he realized he was inside a tent set up in the courtyard of the abandoned hospital in Colorno. Next to him, Havel was still asleep, with a skin tone warmer than it had been when they had emerged from the Temporal Rift. A faint ray of light filtered through the tent walls, illuminating the leader of the Equinox Flowers' face and the clean bandages covering his wounds.
He seems to be out of danger.
Ammir watched him with amusement, his smile hidden behind the mask but evident in the mocking tone of his voice.
"So, the great hero of the Equinox Flowers made it back… more or less in one piece. Well, Forbidden Heir, I'd say I missed you, but I'm not one to lie so shamelessly. There are some up in the Highworld who were hoping you'd suddenly disappear."
"I see," he looked up, as if to contemplate the gods directly. "Is there a reason for this visit?"
The immortal being laughed. The sound echoed from within the mask.
"Your calm never fails to amuse, boy. Alright, I'm here on behalf of Aena, but I'll leave your broken body to rest for a few more minutes. Meet me outside shortly—we don't have all the time in the world."
As soon as he stepped out of the tent, Ada, who had kept her distance until then, approached with a slight, embarrassed smile and sat beside Shirei. They remained silent for a moment, until she lowered her gaze and, with a serious voice, said:
"I wanted to thank you for what you did… and at the same time, I want to scold you. You took too big a risk in there, Shirei. You didn't need to sacrifice yourself for us. Neither Havel nor I did anything to deserve that."
The boy shook his head. "We're a team. You would've done the same for me, so I didn't hesitate."
Ada nodded, but her gaze didn't soften. She didn't know if the son of Cragar's words truly matched reality—and that thought weighed on her. She stared at her companion for another minute, guilt gnawing at her for how they had treated him up until now.
Marina… maybe you're the one who's right.
She glanced at Havel, hoping he shared the same thoughts.
"I also want to apologize for how I acted. Inside the rift… I wasn't myself. I thought I could handle it, but those places… the lion… she took a shaky breath. I have my limits. It shames me that you had to see me like that."
"There's nothing shameful about it. We all have weak spots, and facing them is never easy."
She looked into his eyes, seeking a bit of peace in his words.
"You have traumas too, don't you, Shirei?" she asked softly. "Sorry, I meant weak spots. It just slipped out this way."
He turned away, gaze drifting into emptiness. "I… I don't know. That's the problem, he replied. I don't remember anything about my past, so I can only assume I do."
"Right, of course…"
Ada looked down again but said nothing more. The two sat in silence, a quiet understanding between them that needed no further words.
"Maybe I should go see what Ammir wants," said the Blendbreed at last.
The daughter of Rutia nodded. "I'll stay here and wait for Havel to wake up."
"Alright."
Shirei stepped out of the tent and took in the cold air of the courtyard. Despite the weariness still weighing down his limbs, his mind was already on the next mission. Without wasting time, he headed toward the hospital's perimeter, determined to find Ammir, discover the reason for his visit, and resume the path toward the next rift.
He hadn't taken many steps before the floating figure of the god of travel blocked his path. The god looked down at him, the red Tengu mask seemingly smiling at his stubbornness.
"I can read it in your eyes. Do you really think you can keep going like this, without pause?" asked the being, tilting his head with almost theatrical flair.
The son of Cragar met the hidden gaze behind the mask, unfaltering. "Not all the rifts have been sealed. We can't allow them to remain open."
Ammir sighed, bringing a hand to his forehead as if the boy's determination were a burden to him. "What are you, twenty? Those are bold words for a mere mortal."
The Blendbreed didn't reply, putting the god of travel on edge.
Feels like talking to Cragar, he thought.
"You see, boy, there's been a change of plans this time," he said as he stepped closer, lowering his voice slightly. "The gods have new directives: the three of you must return to Lilies Park immediately. You've already done more than enough for now. Aena says she wants to see her little flowers again. Yes, that includes you."
Shirei looked at him, annoyance flashing in his violet eyes for a moment. He didn't want to stop—not yet. And yet, he knew the god wasn't joking this time. He weighed his options.
Defying an order from the gods would be pointless, especially in this condition.
Cragar had taught him to choose for himself, but when he sent him to the Mortal World, he had asked him to keep a low profile and avoid drawing unnecessary attention. In that moment, the choice lay in his hands. Ammir likely wouldn't bother stopping him, but if he pressed on alone, he'd be abandoning Ada and Havel. As if that weren't enough, it would destroy a bond already hanging by a thread.
Aena is the only deity in the Highworld who seems willing to give me the benefit of the doubt. I can't risk turning her completely against me. He took a deep breath, letting calm settle over his mind.
"Fine," he said at last, lowering his gaze for a moment. "Can we wait for Havel to wake up?"
Ammir looked surprised at the Blendbreed's sudden compliance. "The son of Sidal? We should wait, but better to listen to Aena. I'll take you all there, and then you sort it out among yourselves."
"Havel might relapse."
The god spun midair and floated closer to the son of Cragar. "Trust me, prince of the Underworld, I couldn't care less whether your friend lives or dies. Aena's already paid me."
Shirei shot a sharp glare at the immortal being, his face revealing no hint of fear. Ammir backed off, allowing the boy to approach on his own.
Just how terrified are you, gods? How scared of me can you be?
He nearly summoned the Blade of Discord, then reason prevailed.
I stand no chance against a god—better not make a mistake I'll regret.
He stepped back again and said, "If you've been paid, then Aena's orders are absolute. We'll follow you to Lilies Park, and then everyone will do as they see fit. There are still threats looming, and I don't intend to ignore them—unlike you."
Ammir tilted his head, then with a theatrical motion, clapped his hands. "Very well. We'll see. But for now, relax. You've got courage, but threatening a god? That's too much—even for you."
The son of Cragar looked around, only to notice the Blendbreeds from Daffodils Academy watching the scene unfold, unable to predict what would happen next. Samara was staring at him, but turned away the moment his violet eyes met hers.
He's right. I went too far.
The Forbidden Heir took a breath and tried to ignore his own mistake. Once again, he had acted on impulse, challenging a god's patience while his companions were still vulnerable. Considering Havel's condition, Ammir's presence was more than just helpful.
I nearly ruined everything. The Placid is right—I'm an idiot.
Meanwhile, Ada emerged from the tent, supporting their companion.
Seeing the worry in the son of Cragar's eyes, Havel was quick to speak. "Relax, Violet. I'm alive."
The leader of the Equinox Flowers looked better, but the absence of any sarcastic remark showed how pain was coursing through every part of his body. His voice was faint and uneven, a sign he wouldn't stay conscious much longer.
The deity clapped his hands a second time with a sharp gesture, then cast a glance at the three gathered Blendbreeds. "Alright, time to go home," he announced, "and no teary farewells—we don't have all day."
Ada looked down at the weakened Havel, startled. She opened her mouth to protest, but the god of travel gave her no time to speak. With a swift motion of his hand, he conjured a swirl of bluish light that enveloped them. Samara and the soldiers watched in silence.
"Hold on tight," he warned with a playful tone. "Wouldn't want to lose you along the way."
In the blink of an eye, Shirei, Ada, and Havel were dragged into the portal. The first sensation was that of being suspended in a glowing void that raced forward at an impossible speed. Landscapes flickered by in rapid succession, creating a kaleidoscope of colors surrounding them from all sides.
The three Blendbreeds clung to one another, making sure none of them was thrown off course. Their ears rang unbearably, but that wasn't the worst part—the velocity their bodies were exposed to was unsustainable.
"Come on, heroes! Just a bit of turbulence! We'll be there soon!"
The god of travel seemed confident in his words, but halfway through, something changed. Shirei felt a presence around him—an invisible force. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw what looked like a portal.
Another Temporal Rift.
Then something grabbed him violently, pulling him away from the group. His hand slipped from Ada's, and before he could react, he was hurled away as if a wave had crashed over him, sweeping him off in another direction.
Ammir noticed what was happening and grimaced. "Stay put! I'll come back for you!"
"Shirei!" cried the daughter of Rutia, reaching toward him.
The Blendbreed tried to grab her, but his companions were already too far to reach.
Then, he was falling—freefalling through space.
What's happening?
The world around him twisted, and suddenly he found himself immersed in a dark, icy liquid. The impact was violent; the water swallowed him like a vortex. The son of Cragar resurfaced, shaking his head to free his sight from the wet strands blocking it. The cold water seemed to penetrate his skin, making his muscles stiff and aching. Around him stretched a dark ocean, vast and boundless, while above loomed a gloomy sky painted with twilight hues, as if the entire environment was suspended between late afternoon and the onset of a stormy evening.
As soon as he had time to catch his breath, the water began to rise, as if coming to life. A majestic figure emerged before him, foamy like the crests of waves. The body rose from the ocean at the abdomen and moved unstably. Its eyes shone with a blue light, watching him from above as if judging him.
Without a word, the humanoid being raised a liquid arm and hurled it at the Blendbreed with impressive force. The impact sent him flying backward, crashing against a rocky wall he hadn't noticed before.
Shirei grunted but was forced to get up. Now is not the time to be distracted.
He placed a hand on the rough wall to steady himself. Every fiber of his body had gone into instinct mode, as if the journey through the Temporal Rift and the clash had drained him of every last trace of energy, if only temporarily.
He tried to focus, but he was too tired to travel in the Interworld. The only thing he managed to do was summon his weapon. The Blade of Discord appeared already in his right hand, its black steel shining, illuminating the water around him with acid green reflections.
He climbed the wall he had been thrown against, planting his feet on jagged rock protrusions. Every step was risky, as slipping meant being massacred by the majestic creature still looming behind him, but he had no other options.
He felt his Divine Core drained of mana, almost completely exhausted. In my condition, I have no hope of winning.
He could have summoned his Tenebrae, but he wouldn't be able to withstand the backlash if one of them were destroyed. Besides, he suspected the figure was immune to physical attacks.
Given its composition, it's logical to think they would be useless.
He stopped after reaching the top of the wall. He tried to catch his breath and instinctively stepped back, trying to gather his thoughts.
Where am I? How did I end up in this place? Was it a trap orchestrated by Ammir? No… that wouldn't make sense.
He froze.
On the other side of the wall, a huge maelstrom opened up—a dark, dizzying whirlpool that spun without pause. At the center of that immense vortex, he spotted a faintly glowing portal.
That is the entrance to a Temporal Rift…
It almost seemed like Fate was playing a joke. The gods had done their best to send him back to Lilies Park and dispatch other soldiers to deal with the last two rifts. Shirei had agreed to follow the directives and had received a rather unexpected reward. He could continue his mission or have faith that Ammir would arrive in time.
The choice is simple, he told himself before leaping.
The plunge lasted only a few seconds, then he felt the icy water surround him. The current dragged him toward the center of the maelstrom, his body at the mercy of the vortex's force.
His will had been heard: the course pointed toward a new Temporal Rift.
Don't worry, he thought, addressing the two Equinox Flowers he had shared the adventure with until then. I will complete the mission and safely return to the park.