In this world, strength is not a gift… it is the price one pays to stay alive.
The Kara is the vital energy that flows through all things. Some shape it to create, others to destroy… but all depend on it to survive.
When the breath of Kara fades, the heart stops beating, and the soul disappears into the eternal shadow.
The night was deep. Far from the hustle and bustle of the sanctuary, in the isolated clearing in the heart of the bamboo forest, silence reigned. The moon, full and bright, cast a silver light on the large rock that stood in the center, its multiple scars testifying to past battles.
Danky Norland stood before it, motionless. He wasn't training. He was simply observing the stone, lost in thought, his breath forming light clouds of vapor in the cold air.
The crack of a branch broke the silence. Danky didn't even flinch.
A figure appeared at the edge of the clearing, slightly out of breath.
Raizen Vithar:
I knew you'd be here.
Danky didn't turn around. His gaze remained fixed on the rock.
Danky Norland:
Do you remember our first meeting? At the hot spring.
Raizen approached, a slight, embarrassed smile on his lips.
Raizen Vithar:
Well, yeah. How could I forget a day like that? I thought I was going to die of shame.
Danky Norland (a small laugh escaping him):
I was the one who almost died. I thought I was alone, and I stumble upon a naked guy and a screaming girl. I thought I'd walked into some weird ambush.
They were silent for a moment, the amusing memory floating between them. Then Danky finally turned, his expression more serious.
Danky Norland:
We're going to be separated.
Raizen Vithar:
Yeah.
Danky Norland:
It's going to be weird. No one to tell me I snore anymore.
Raizen Vithar:
And no one to eat all the skewers.
They smiled at each other. It was no longer the arrogant smile from the beginning, nor the forced grin of a survivor. It was a sincere smile, that of two brothers-in-arms who had been through hell together.
Raizen took a step forward, his face becoming grave.
Raizen Vithar:
I made you a promise, Danky. That night, in the warehouse. I promised you I would become stronger. But it's more than that now. Know that you can always count on me. No matter where we are.
He held out his hand.
Danky looked at the outstretched hand, then at Raizen's face. He saw the same determination as his own. He slowly nodded.
Danky Norland:
I know. Me too, Raizen.
He shook Raizen's hand. A firm, solid handshake. A silent promise. They were no longer just teammates, or even friends. They were brothers.
Under the moonlight, amidst the silent bamboos, they sealed a pact. No matter what the Path of Kara had in store for them, they would never be alone again.
Next scene...
The sun was just rising, casting a pale, golden light on the mountains that sheltered the Zenith sanctuary. At one of the hidden exits, concealed by a waterfall whose sound covered conversations, a small group was gathered.
Danky Norland and Diana Kurogami stood there, their travel bags on their backs. It was time to leave.
Facing them, Adams, Hana, and Raizen had come to say goodbye.
Danky approached Adams, the leader of the Astroforges who had pushed them to their limits. For the first time, there was no trace of arrogance in his gaze, only sincere respect.
Danky Norland:
Chief Adams... thank you. For everything.
Adams, whose face was usually a fortress of granite, let one of his gloved hands rest heavily on Danky's shoulder.
Adams:
Don't thank me. Just keep getting back up. That's all that matters.
Diana, in turn, bowed deeply before him, a simple but grateful gesture.
Then it was Hana's turn. She couldn't help but hug Diana, an embrace that was both sisterly and protective.
Hana (in a low voice):
Take care of yourself. And don't hesitate to read and reread your brother's letter when you have doubts.
She then turned to Danky, a mischievous smile on her lips.
Hana:
And you, try not to get too many boo-boos. Duck isn't as patient as I am with healing.
Finally, the quietest moment. Raizen faced Danky. There were no grand speeches. Just a handshake, firm, solid, reminiscent of the pact sealed the previous night under the moon. A look that said "see you soon" and "take care."
Diana approached Raizen, her expression gentle but determined.
Diana Kurogami:
Take care of yourself, Raizen.
Raizen Vithar:
You too, Diana.
With those words, Danky and Diana turned. Without a backward glance, they each set off on a different path, quickly disappearing into the dense forest.
Raizen, Hana, and Adams stood there for a long moment, watching the two now-empty paths. The first separation of the "family" was complete.
Next scene...
Raizen stood motionless for a moment, his eyes fixed on the two now-empty paths. The first separation of the "family" had been sealed.
The breath of the wind and the murmur of the waterfall seemed to fill the void left by Hana and Adams. A familiar solitude, but heavier today, weighed on his shoulders.
A light sound made him turn his head. Takashi Aomi stood there, a few steps away. Motionless, calm, with an aura that seemed to absorb the wind itself. The white bandage around his left hand betrayed a recent confrontation. Not surprising: if Takashi had to fight, it was always serious. Very serious.
Takashi Aomi:
Come on, follow me.
His voice was a sharp whisper, like polished metal on skin, but without anger. Raizen obeyed instinctively. Every step echoed on the damp forest floor. The path wound between the bamboos, and soon, the gigantic red door of the Tempio Zenith appeared, imposing, imbued with a Kara that seemed alive.
Takashi stopped. His black eyes probed Raizen as if to probe his soul.
Takashi Aomi:
Open it.
Raizen blinked, hesitating. The last time, it was Takashi who had placed his palm on the door.
Raizen Vithar:
Me? But… I don't know how…
Takashi Aomi:
Exactly. You're not supposed to know. Otherwise, it would be too easy.
He approached and brushed the door with his fingertips. A gentle vibration ran through his arm, a silent but powerful resonance.
Takashi Aomi:
This door is sealed by Celestial Kara. It cannot be forced. It must be convinced. You must resonate with it, not break it. Your Kara must speak to its Kara. Listen to it.
Raizen placed his hand on the cold wood. His Kara trembled at the contact, like a wild animal. He felt a pulsation: the door was not inert, it was breathing. It was not hostile, but wary. Every fiber of wood vibrated with an energy that seemed to judge his presence.
Raizen Vithar (to himself):
Listen… not force…
He took a deep breath and let his Kara flow slowly, like a river flowing around rocks. A faint bluish glow danced on his palm. The door didn't move, but Raizen felt a shiver run down his spine: it was responding. Not completely, but it was responding.
Takashi leaned against a bamboo, silent. His gaze was neither critical nor indulgent. He was simply waiting, a calm catalyst for the energy that was forming.
Takashi Aomi:
Your Kara is a blade. Now, it must become a key. Not a shock, but a breath. Brute force only closes doors. Intention opens them. Focus on what you want, not on what you fear.
Raizen felt his heart accelerate. He could almost hear the door breathing, feel the vibration of the Kara through the wood and the air around him. An invisible dance. A silent dialogue. The first lesson did not come from a fight, but from finesse and listening.
The wind passed through the bamboos, as if to emphasize the moment. Raizen smiled slightly, a nervous but determined smile. He had understood, even partially: mastering Kara was not just a matter of power. It was a matter of sensitivity.
Raizen stood there, his hand lowered, short of breath. Frustration was beginning to build. He had tried to force it, it hadn't worked. He had tried to be gentle, that hadn't worked either. He could feel the door's energy, a calm and powerful vibration, but his own always seemed to be... off.
Think of your Kara not as a weapon, but as a key.
Takashi's words echoed in his mind. A key. A key must have the right shape.
He closed his eyes again. This time, he no longer thought about the door. He thought about himself. About his own Kara. He remembered the first time he had felt it, a burning heat in his chest. He remembered the sensation of the blades erupting from his forearms, a raw, wild energy. He remembered the tiny pulse he had infused into the metal shard, a pure and precise intention.
That was it. His Kara was not one single thing. It could be a storm or a whisper.
He took a deep breath, and instead of trying to "push" or "convince," he did something different. He let his Kara express itself. He gave it no command. He simply let it «be».
End of Chapter 19