The words refused to leave Musha’s mind.
My mother trusted it.
She stood at the edge of the village, facing the mountain.
The morning air was cold against her skin.
Beside her, Grandma Hana remained silent.
For several minutes, neither of them spoke.
Finally, Musha broke the silence.
“You knew.”
Hana lowered her head.
“I suspected.”
“You said my mother feared the dragon.”
“She did.”
“But she trusted it too.”
Hana sighed.
“Your mother was not afraid of the dragon itself.”
Musha turned toward her.
“Then what was she afraid of?”
“Of what would happen if the dragon woke.”
Musha looked back toward the mountain.
“And now it’s awake.”
“Not completely.”
“But it spoke to me.”
“That doesn’t mean it is free.”
Musha touched the handles of the two swords hanging at her sides.
“What do I do?”
Hana looked at the blades.
“You learn.”
“Learn what?”
“How to fight.”
Musha frowned.
“I already know how to fight.”
“No.”
Hana shook her head.
“You know how to survive.”
She stepped closer.
“Those are not the same thing.”
The training ground was behind the village.
Hana had cleared the area years ago, long before Musha was old enough to understand why.
There were wooden posts arranged in a circle.
Hanging bells.
Straw targets.
Small piles of stones.
And a narrow stream running through the center.
Musha stood barefoot in the grass.
Her two swords rested at her sides.
Hana stood opposite her.
“Draw them.”
Musha reached for the hilts.
She pulled both blades free.
Shing.
The sound of steel filled the morning.
Hana smiled faintly.
“Good.”
Musha raised her swords.
“What now?”
“Close your eyes.”
Musha almost laughed.
“They’re already covered.”
“Then listen.”
The wind moved.
Leaves rustled.
Water flowed.
Birds called from distant branches.
Musha breathed slowly.
Hana stepped sideways.
Musha followed the sound.
“Don’t follow my footsteps.”
Musha frowned.
“Then what?”
“Follow my intention.”
Musha remained still.
Hana suddenly threw a small stone.
Musha turned.
The stone struck her shoulder.
“Ow!”
Hana smiled.
“Too slow.”
“You cheated.”
“Your enemies will cheat.”
Hana threw another.
Musha ducked.
A third came from the opposite direction.
Musha caught it.
She smiled.
“Better.”
Hana threw three more.
Musha dodged all of them.
Then came five.
Musha spun.
Duck.
Step.
Block.
Catch.
Her movements became smoother.
She wasn’t seeing the attacks.
She was feeling them.
The movement of air.
The shift of Hana’s body.
The sound of something approaching.
The world was no longer darkness.
It was information.
Hana increased the speed.
Musha’s breathing became faster.
Then—
Clang!
Hana struck one of her swords.
Musha stumbled.
“Again.”
Clang!
Musha blocked.
“Again.”
Clang!
She blocked the second.
“Again.”
Hana attacked from the left.
Musha parried.
From the right.
Musha blocked.
Above.
She ducked.
Behind.
She turned.
Hana stopped.
Musha was breathing heavily.
“How?”
Hana smiled.
“You finally stopped trying to fight like someone who can see.”
Musha lowered her swords.
“What do you mean?”
“Your blindness isn’t something you have to overcome.”
Hana walked toward her.
“It’s something you have to understand.”
Musha frowned.
“The world is always making noise.”
“Yes.”
“Every movement creates sound.”
“Yes.”
“Every person has a heartbeat.”
“Yes.”
Musha looked down.
“And every attack creates a vibration.”
Hana smiled.
“Now you’re beginning to understand.”
The training continued for days.
Musha learned to distinguish footsteps.
Hana taught her the difference between a person walking casually and someone preparing to attack.
She learned to feel changes in air pressure.
She learned that swords made different sounds depending on how they were swung.
She learned that fear changed a person’s breathing.
She learned that anger made movements heavier.
And she learned something even more important.
Silence could be a weapon.
One evening, Hana placed a blindfold over Musha’s existing blindfold.
Musha laughed.
“That’s unnecessary.”
“Is it?”
Hana stepped backward.
“Find me.”
Musha listened.
Nothing.
No footsteps.
No breathing.
No movement.
She frowned.
“Where are you?”
Hana didn’t answer.
Musha turned slowly.
She heard the stream.
The wind.
A bird.
Then—
Nothing.
She smiled.
“You’re standing in the water.”
Hana froze.
“How did you know?”
“The water changed.”
Hana stepped out of the stream.
“Good.”
Musha removed the extra blindfold.
“Is that why you made me train near the stream?”
“Partly.”
“What else?”
Hana pointed toward the swords.
“Because eventually, you won’t have time to think.”
Musha looked at them.
“You’ll need to move before your mind tells you to.”
The next morning, Hana gave Musha a new challenge.
“Fight me.”
Musha raised an eyebrow.
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
Musha drew both swords.
Hana drew hers.
They stood opposite one another.
The wind stopped.
Then Hana attacked.
Musha blocked.
Hana attacked again.
Musha parried.
Their swords collided again and again.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
Musha moved faster.
She began anticipating Hana’s attacks.
Hana changed direction.
Musha followed.
Hana feinted.
Musha didn’t react.
Hana smiled.
“Good.”
She struck low.
Musha jumped.
Hana spun.
Musha crossed both swords.
CLANG!
The blades locked.
Hana pushed forward.
Musha pushed back.
“You’ve improved.”
Musha smiled.
“You’re getting slower.”
Hana laughed.
“Don’t become arrogant.”
Musha suddenly heard something.
A heartbeat.
Not Hana’s.
Someone else.
She broke away.
“Someone’s coming.”
Hana immediately became serious.
“Where?”
“North.”
“How many?”
Musha listened.
“Two.”
A pause.
“Three.”
Hana lowered her sword.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“Musha.”
“I can hear them.”
Hana looked at her.
Musha’s expression was calm.
“Let me try.”
Hana hesitated.
Then nodded.
“Don’t chase.”
“I won’t.”
“Don’t kill unless you have no choice.”
Musha nodded.
“And Musha…”
“Yes?”
“Trust what you hear.”
Three men emerged from the trees.
They weren’t wearing Crimson Shadow armor.
They looked like travelers.
But Musha knew better.
Their footsteps were too controlled.
Their breathing was too steady.
Their hands stayed too close to their weapons.
One of them spoke.
“We’re looking for a girl.”
Musha stood quietly.
“What girl?”
“A blind child.”
Musha tilted her head.
“Why?”
The man smiled.
“Her family owes Lord Katsurane a debt.”
Hana stepped forward.
“There is no debt here.”
The man’s smile disappeared.
“Then you will pay it.”
He drew his sword.
The other two followed.
Musha drew both blades.
The first man charged.
Musha waited.
His heartbeat accelerated.
His right foot shifted.
His shoulder tightened.
She knew exactly where he would strike.
Musha stepped aside.
Slash!
The sword missed.
She struck the man’s wrist.
His sword fell.
Before he could recover, Musha placed her blade against his throat.
The other two attacked.
Hana intercepted one.
Musha heard the second coming from behind.
She spun.
Their blades collided.
The man pushed harder.
Musha’s feet slid backward.
She could feel his strength.
Too strong.
She needed another angle.
She lowered one sword.
The man’s blade passed over her shoulder.
Musha stepped inside his guard.
Then—
THUD.
Her elbow struck his chest.
He stumbled.
Musha crossed both swords.
The blades stopped against his neck.
He froze.
Musha whispered:
“Don’t move.”
The man dropped his weapon.
Hana finished her opponent and turned.
The third man ran.
Musha listened.
His footsteps faded into the forest.
Hana didn’t pursue him.
Instead, she looked at Musha.
“You could have killed him.”
“I know.”
“Why didn’t you?”
Musha lowered her swords.
“He was afraid.”
Hana smiled.
“Good.”
That night, Musha sat beside the fire.
She polished both swords carefully.
Hana watched her.
“You understand why I gave you two blades?”
Musha nodded.
“One for defense.”
“And the other?”
“Attack.”
Hana shook her head.
“Not exactly.”
Musha looked up.
“Then what?”
“One blade represents who you are.”
She pointed toward the first sword.
“The other represents who you might become.”
Musha frowned.
“I don’t understand.”
“You will.”
The fire crackled.
Musha slowly ran her fingers along the blade.
“I had a vision.”
Hana’s expression changed.
“When?”
“When I used the White Shadow.”
“What did you see?”
“A woman.”
Hana became still.
“My mother.”
Silence.
“What was she doing?”
“She was holding a baby.”
Hana waited.
“There was fire everywhere.”
Musha’s voice became quieter.
“And she said something.”
“What?”
Musha touched her chest.
“Protect my daughter.”
Hana’s eyes filled with sadness.
“Anything else?”
Musha shook her head.
“Not clearly.”
She paused.
“But there was something strange.”
“What?”
“The woman looked frightened.”
Hana looked toward the fire.
“Your mother was afraid that night.”
“Of what?”
Hana didn’t answer.
Musha leaned closer.
“Grandma.”
Hana finally spoke.
“She was afraid of what was inside you.”
Musha’s hands froze.
“My power?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because she knew it could save you.”
Hana looked into Musha’s face.
“And destroy you.”
Later that night, Musha slept.
She dreamed again.
She stood in darkness.
But this darkness was different.
There was a sound beneath her feet.
Thump.
She looked down.
A glowing white stone rested beneath the earth.
A woman stood beside it.
Musha couldn’t see her face.
But she knew.
Mother.
The woman reached toward her.
“Musha.”
The girl’s heart raced.
“Mother?”
The woman smiled.
“You must never let them take your shadow.”
“Who?”
The woman’s expression changed.
“The man with the red eyes.”
Musha stepped forward.
“Who is he?”
The woman began fading.
“Find the mountain.”
“Mother!”
“Find the truth.”
“Wait!”
The vision shattered.
Musha woke suddenly.
Her hand was wrapped around the hilt of one sword.
Her breathing was heavy.
And beneath her palm—
The blade was glowing.
White.
Musha slowly released it.
Then she heard something.
A whisper from outside.
“Musha.”
She froze.
It was the dragon.
But this time, its voice sounded different.
Almost sad.
“Your mother was right.”
Musha stood.
“What did she know?”
Silence.
Then:
“She knew what you would become.”
Musha’s heart pounded.
“What will I become?”
The dragon’s answer came slowly.
“The one who decides whether this world survives.”
The voice disappeared.
Musha stood alone in the darkness.
Her fingers tightened around both swords.
She didn’t know what the future held.
She didn’t know what her mother had sacrificed.
She didn’t know why Lord Katsurane wanted her.
But she knew one thing.
She would find the truth.
Even if she had to walk directly into the mountain to find it.
And for the first time—
Musha wasn’t afraid of what waited in the darkness.
She was ready to face it.