— You said you trained all summer, didn't you?
This time, Kaede's sword almost shattered my armor. I barely managed to parry the strike at the last second. My knees were shaking, and I just couldn't believe Kaede could read my every move. I trained every single day, yet he was still far stronger than me.
— So? You train every day, but where's all that power from your training? You grow weaker after every session.
I didn't answer. If I had, we would have ended up arguing again, and Airi had told me to just use Kaede to get stronger. I had already lost the training match and had to accept my defeat, but that wouldn't stop me from continuing my training to become an Imperial—so that the leaders of our country would allocate more resources to our city.
— Every time you lose, you've got something to say. Why are you silent now?
Then I made the mistake—falling into his game. After a few sharp words, he challenged me to a duel without armor, and the loser would never wield a sword again.
I felt the air rush out of my lungs, my knees trembling because the stakes were too high. I couldn't take care of my sister in our current situation. If I lost, what would happen to Miyu? Farming didn't pay enough because of the droughts, and the armies demanded more and more food from our reserves.
— Let's see how much you've improved.
Kaede said with a provoking smile, raising his hands into a fighting stance.
— I'm ready i replied, my voice sounding like a child's.
The air between us was thick, almost suffocating. A crushing pressure settled over the courtyard, sharpening my senses to a razor's edge. The first contact came fast—a flurry of blows, steel on steel. Each of us searched for an opening, testing, probing. Every strike he delivered, every block I managed—it was like a conversation with no words, only will. I felt my muscles tense, my breathing uneven. This wasn't just a fight. It was a test of resolve, of everything we were. Kaede's expression shifted. His smile widened—not playful, but cold. He changed tactics, weaving low kicks into his swordplay. I narrowly dodged one aimed at my knee. He wasn't just trying to win. He was trying to end me—to make sure I'd never hold a sword again. We circled each other like two predators locked in a final hunt. Strike, block, retreat, over and over again. My legs burned. My grip was slipping. Kaede was faster, cleaner, more composed. My movements grew slower, heavier but I tightened my hold on the sword, raised it high, gathered what strength I had left, praying this next strike would be the one. And just as I moved— Kaede's face changed. His expression twisted into something I'd never seen on him before. Fear. But not of me. Then everything went black. An explosion of pain shot through the back of my neck, sharp and paralyzing. My sword slipped from my fingers. My knees buckled. The last thing I saw was Kaede, staring at something or someone behind me— Then, nothing.
When I woke up, it was midnight. My sister was in her bed, staring at me.
— You're awake? she whispered with her gentle voice.
— Yeah, but I don't remember anything after the fight—just Kaede's face. What happened? I asked, struggling to sit up.
Miyu sighed and came over to me.
— Sensei was very angry with you and Kaede—and me too. How do you expect to become Imperials if you fight without armor and in a style where one of you could get seriously hurt?
Suddenly, the sky lit up like daytime, and an explosion echoed from the nearby forest. I jumped out of bed instantly, apologized to my sister, and ran into the forest to see what had happened. I was the first to arrive… part of the forest was engulfed in flames, but there was no sign of bandits. I began shouting for help, yelling that the forest was burning, hoping the townspeople would arrive in time.
I spotted a small crater and was shocked—the fire was coming out of that crater. In the middle of the crater lay a white necklace shaped like a feather. The fire was very strong, and I tried to grab it... With the help of my sword, I managed to pull it out of the crater, the townspeople arrived with water to help put out the flames.
That night, after the fire was finally extinguished, I went home to sleep… still exhausted from the day's training. I had a strange, unusual dream. A thick, dark fog gathered before me, filled with whispers and shadows impossible to make out.
His voice, calm and convincing, began to speak.
— Don't be afraid, I'm here to help you. Not in the way you think—now I'm a part of you. Some bandits set the forest on fire, and when they rushed to escape, one of them dropped me from their pocket.
I felt his words sink deep into my mind, stirring my thoughts and doubts.
— You must help me. I need time to break the seal and leave this necklace. In one year, I will be able to break this curse. It's not all free—I will give you something in return… When you are on the brink of death, when all hope seems lost, this power will send you back in time—to the moment where you can change everything, even the fate you were meant to have.
His words felt like a fairy tale… and a curse.. A chance—but also a heavy burden.
— Be careful. The Imperial commander—Kaizen Arashi—will come… to ask what happened in the forest. You must not tell him the truth. Lie—say you know nothing. Otherwise, the danger will be far greater for you. Everyone hunts for this power I've given you—if they find out about me, they will kill you.
I felt his words carve into my mind, both a warning and a promise.
— Be ready. When your chances of survival reach zero, you will be able to use my gift. You will travel back in time, to the moment when you can change everything.
The fog slowly faded, and I felt the darkness of the night wrap around me.
— Trust me, he said, before dissolving completely, leaving me alone in the dark.
I woke up abruptly, my body covered in sweat. I checked my pocket to see if the necklace I had found in the forest was just a dream born from the adrenaline of the fire—or if it had really happened. I found the necklace in my pocket and stared at it, feeling its weight as something far more than a simple object. What did this power truly mean? And what was really going to happen?
Meanwhile, the town was in an uproar. Everyone was shouting and cheering, "Long live the Imperials! Long live the Imperials!" I rushed to the kitchen and asked my sister what was going on. The Imperials only came to poor towns when someone had been killed—there was no reason for them to come otherwise. In our town, the last murder happened when my trainer was my age.
— It's connected to the forest. Even Kaizen Arashi is here. You shouldn't have gone there—you'll get into trouble. Kaizen wouldn't come to our town without a reason, and you'll be in danger.
My thoughts were a storm, but I answered angrily:
— I only protected the town. Is that a bad thing? If I hadn't done it, the whole forest might have burned down!
Miyu began to cry, and I heard knocking at the door—it was the two newly ranked Imperials, who had earned their status after completing all 100 missions.
— The townspeople told us you were the first in the forest. Come with us.
In my head, I could only imagine negative scenarios. Could it really be that bad? Did they actually think I started the fire? At that moment, I remembered my dream—the voice had told me Kaizen would appear in our town. What should I do?
We arrived at a tavern, and in front of the bar stood a huge, muscular man with a deadly glare and an enormous sword. I didn't know who he was—but every instinct told me to stay away.
He walked toward me with a serious expression, his voice carrying a slightly pressing tone.
— You were in the forest last night, weren't you? Did you find anything interesting? Or see anything suspicious?
I felt my heartbeat quicken, my words stuck in my throat. The voice from the dream still echoed in my mind: "Lie. Say you know nothing."
— No, nothing unusual, I answered calmly, trying to hide my nerves. The bandits tried to rob us and set the forest on fire, but when I arrived, there was nothing left. I only shouted for help to put out the flames.
Kaizen frowned but didn't press further immediately.
— That forest has a reputation for hiding strange things. Weren't you afraid?
I gave a small smile, trying to appear confident.
— No, not at all. I train there every day. I've never seen anything strange, and my only fear was that the fire would reach the town.
He looked at me one last time, then nodded.
— You train in that forest every day, you say. We'll need you in the coming days if you know it so well.
As Kaizen walked away, my eyes fell on the talisman glowing faintly in my pocket. A cold shiver ran down my spine. I wasn't alone—and something was starting to awaken… As I walked back home, the talisman glowed brighter than ever. Another shiver ran through me. I wasn't alone.…And something—or someone—was stirring from its slumber..
NOTE:
"This was the first chapter, I know everything is vague, but I don't want you to know all the details about the characters, action, and story within just a few chapters. I will try to post one chapter weekly, and your comments would help me know what I still need to work on. I will also try to add black-and-white colored panels in the future, but these take time. I plan that after about 20-30 pages there will be a 'panel' page showing how the action unfolds at that moment and giving you an idea of what the characters look like.