Haise's eyes fluttered open.
He groaned softly, immediately feeling the weight and soreness anchoring his body to the bed. Every muscle ached.
"You're awake."
Haise turned his head to the right and saw an old man sitting beside him—the Arl of Blackreach.
"You're alright."
The Arl gave a small nod as Haise blinked, the memories of the battle rushing back to him in a wave.
Matilda…
Haise's eyes widened. He sat up abruptly, panic filling his voice.
"Where's Matilda?!"
His tone was urgent, his gaze searching the Arl for answers.
"My daughter is alright. There's no need to worry,"
the Arl said calmly, trying to reassure him.
Haise let out a breath of relief and leaned back, sinking into the bed.
"I consumed it."
His voice was quiet, unsure.
The Arl watched him carefully.
"When Matilda got hurt… I—I felt like I lost control. A surge of energy just came crashing into me and… I killed the dragon."
Haise paused, hesitating before continuing.
"After it died… a beam of light shot out of its body and went into me. I could feel it… I still feel it. The dragon… it's inside me."
The Arl nodded slowly, folding his hands over his lap.
"ah, the curse of the Sasaki's"
he began, his voice turning solemn.
"From the Age of Flame. It speaks of Flamebound warriors—marked by a divine sign—destined to consume the souls of winged beasts. Both cursed and blessed by duty."
He leaned forward, his tone serious.
"The Sasaki's hid it, always said it was a myth, but here you are."
Haise met the Arl's eyes. He saw the reflection of fire in them—something ancient stirring inside him.
"Wa-wait… my father put this on me,"
he said, lifting his marked wrist,
"how could it be divine?"
"That, I do not know, boy."
The Arl's voice softened.
"Your family's history has been erased… scattered and lost through time."
Silence filled the room.
Haise's mind reeled. The power to consume a dragon's soul. What did it mean? Why did he have it? He remembered that matilda told him about it a few days ago but he didn't pay attention to it.
If I need to find out… maybe Uncle Reiji knows something…
Or… I could return to Kiyozumi…
He shook the thoughts away.
Not now.
He needed to rest.
There was still a mission to complete.
…
…
…
Days passed.
Haise's wounds began to heal.
Matilda had started visiting often, keeping him updated on Blackreach, filling the quiet with her usual sharpness.
"I'm glad you're not that hurt, Matilda."
Haise gave her a soft smile as she sat beside him.
"Getting hit by a dragon's tail is nothing,"
Matilda replied with a grin.
She leaned back in her chair, folding her arms.
"I'm glad you're healing too, Haise. But seriously..... what you did back there was insane."
"Jumping out of a bell tower to stab a dragon in the eye? Who does that?!"
Her voice had a scolding edge, but the concern behind it was clear.
Haise could only give her an apologetic look.
Yeah… it was reckless.
Matilda raised an eyebrow.
Then her tone softened.
"But… you were pretty cool, I guess."
A smirk tugged at her lips.
Haise chuckled.
"You were pretty cool too. Dodging and shooting arrows at a dragon? That's not easy."
Matilda blinked—caught off guard by the compliment—before smiling.
"Thanks. It was pretty nerve-racking doing that."
She leaned forward, resting her arms on her knees.
"But we defeated the dragon. That's what matters."
Haise nodded.
A quiet smile crept onto his face.
They had survived.
Together.
…..
…..
…..
A couple of days had passed.
Haise could now stand up and walk on his own. He sighed in relief—if he had to stay bedridden for another week, he might've actually gone crazy.
Stepping outside, he wandered through the streets of Blackreach.
The air still felt heavy.
There was unease lingering everywhere—like smoke that hadn't fully cleared.
Buildings stood half-collapsed. Cobblestone streets were cracked and torn, scorched by dragon fire. Soldiers and townsfolk moved in quiet urgency, rebuilding what they could.
Haise looked around, taking it all in.
"I need to be better,"
he muttered under his breath.
In the distance, he caught sight of Matilda and her father, the Arl, helping some soldiers by what looked like a construction site.
He jogged over to them.
"Matilda!"
They turned at the sound of his voice. Both waved.
"I'm glad to see you doing well, boy,"
the Arl said with a warm smile.
"Thank you. I'm glad too,"
Haise replied, offering a small smile of his own.
His gaze shifted to the large wooden structure rising behind them—tall beams being lifted into place, planks hammered down by busy hands.
"What are you guys working on?"
Haise asked, curiosity written all over his face.
Matilda turned to him, her expression serious.
"We're building new defenses."
She wiped some sweat from her brow.
"There have been reports… from other towns. Another dragon's been spotted flying overhead. People have heard its roar from the mountains."
She paused, her voice dropping slightly.
"And more attacks."
The Arl added grimly,
"And if that wasn't enough, Aeloria is unraveling. A civil war brews across the kingdom. The nobility is divided, and valerious grip is slipping."
Haise stood there in silence as the weight of their words settled in his chest.
A new dragon.
More destruction.
And now… a civil war.
"What's the plan?"
Haise asked, his voice a mix of uncertainty and determination. His body was still sore, but his heart felt steady—ready to do whatever was needed.
The Arl looked toward the horizon, the smoke from repair fires still faint in the distance.
"I need you to go to a nearby town—Fangshade. Meet with the Arl there and alert him about what happened here in Blackreach."
His tone was firm, like a man already weighed down by decisions and expectations.
"But… what about me?"
Matilda asked, taking a step forward, her eyes narrowing with a worried crease.
"You said our bloodline had a role in this."
"He hasn't even finished training yet."
he added quickly, her voice rising slightly. Her protective instincts were clear.
The Arl gave her a patient but serious look.
"Yes, our bloodline has a role. But for now, I need you to remain in town. The people feel safer with you here. If I send you away now, panic will spread."
Matilda opened her mouth, then closed it. She hated it—but she knew he was right. Her presence was more than symbolic. People believed in her.
Haise looked between the two of them, feeling the weight of the silence.
"Can you do it, Haise?"
Matilda asked, her tone gentler this time—quiet concern threaded into each word.
He turned to her, giving a small smile.
"I'll be fine."
He said it with as much confidence as he could muster, though a part of him was still reeling from the battle days ago.
He turned to the Arl.
"Where is Fangshade located?"
He asked, straightening his posture despite the dull ache in his back.
"Follow me, boy."
The Arl motioned for him to walk. Together, the two made their way back toward the estate, the streets quieter now but still scarred.
Matilda stayed behind, watching them go. The wind brushed strands of her hair across her face, and her eyes lingered on Haise's back as he walked away.
"I hope you'll be alright…"
She muttered under her breath, the words barely loud enough to carry. But in her heart, she meant every word.
…..
…..
…..
The two arrived at the house, Haise following the Arl inside. The place felt quieter now, the lingering weight of everything that had happened settling into its walls.
"I almost forgot, but this was what I was tinkering with earlier,"
The Arl said, rummaging through a chest near the entrance.
He turned and tossed something toward Haise. Haise caught it instinctively.
It was a robe.
Haise looked down at the fabric in his hands, and a sudden wave of nostalgia came crashing down on him.
"This is… this is what my parents used to wear."
His voice softened as he unraveled the black yukata, golden lines embroidered along the hem like threads of memory.
"Where did you get this?"
Haise asked, his fingers tightening around the cloth.
"A Sasaki once visited Blackreach long ago,"
The Arl replied, turning away as he opened a hidden door along the stone wall.
"They left that behind… as a gift."
He led Haise down a narrow staircase into a secret basement.
Haise didn't speak. The smell of aged stone and candle wax filled the chamber, but his mind was far from the room. He hadn't worn a yukata since he was a child. Just holding it stirred things in him he wasn't ready for.
"Here."
The Arl gestured toward the table in the center of the basement. A large parchment was spread across it.
"This is a map of Aeloria. As you can see, Fangshade is only a few miles east of Blackreach. Not far, but the road can be unpredictable."
Haise leaned over, scanning the map carefully.
"The Arl of Fangshade already knows you're coming. You shouldn't expect any trouble."
Haise gave a small nod, still holding the robe to his chest.
The Arl placed a hand on Haise's shoulder.
"May the Makers guide you, Haise."
His voice was gentle now, softer than it had been in days.
Haise turned to him, meeting his eyes with a grateful expression.
"Thank you… for everything."
He bowed his head respectfully.
"I'll be back."
As he left the estate, the robe now tied around his waist and the wind brushing through his silver hair, something inside him had shifted.
He was traveling again.
Alone.
Matilda needed to stay in Blackreach—for now. And though uncertainty still gnawed at the edges of his mind, Haise wasn't going to run.
He was a Sasaki.
And he was the only one who could stop what was coming for Aeloria.