The world disappeared.
There was no mountain.
No snow.
No stone.
No sound.
Only white.
Musha felt herself falling through something weightless.
She reached for her swords, but her hands found nothing.
Then—
BOOM.
She hit the ground.
Pain rushed through her ribs.
Musha rolled onto her side and coughed.
“Katsurane?”
No answer.
She pushed herself upright.
Silence.
The chamber was gone.
So was the woman.
So was the dragon.
Musha reached forward.
Her fingers touched grass.
Grass?
She froze.
She could smell flowers.
Warm earth.
Smoke.
Not the cold scent of the mountain.
This place was different.
A breeze passed across her face.
Then she heard laughter.
A child’s laughter.
Musha’s heart tightened.
She knew that sound.
It was hers.
From years ago.
She slowly stood.
Another sound came from behind her.
Footsteps.
Small ones.
Musha turned.
She could not see the person.
But she could hear her.
A little girl was running through the grass.
Bare feet.
A loose kimono.
A wooden sword dragging behind her.
Musha’s breathing stopped.
The child stopped too.
“Mother!”
A woman’s voice answered.
“Slow down, little shadow.”
Musha’s hands trembled.
“No…”
The child laughed.
“I’m going to become a samurai!”
The woman laughed softly.
“You’re too small.”
“I don’t care!”
Musha knew that voice.
Her own.
But this memory was impossible.
She had never remembered playing with her mother.
The scene continued around her like a dream.
Queen Aiko walked through the grass.
She carried a bundle in her arms.
The child ran toward her.
“What’s that?”
“Your little brother.”
Musha froze.
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
Brother?
Aiko smiled.
“He will be a great warrior one day.”
The memory suddenly changed.
The sunlight vanished.
Snow began falling.
The little girl was gone.
Aiko stood alone beside a stone altar.
A man approached her.
Musha could not see his face.
He wore a dark cloak.
And the serpent mask.
Aiko’s voice trembled.
“You promised me.”
“I promised to protect the child.”
“You promised to protect both of them.”
The masked man looked toward the mountains.
“I cannot protect everyone.”
Aiko stepped closer.
“If they discover what she is, they’ll kill her.”
“They already know.”
Aiko went silent.
“Who?”
“The Crimson Shadows.”
Musha’s hands curled into fists.
The masked man continued.
“They have been searching for the White Shadow for years.”
Aiko whispered:
“She is only a child.”
“She is the vessel.”
“No.”
“She carries the stone.”
“She carries my blood.”
“And the dragon’s.”
Musha’s breath caught.
The memory shattered.
She was suddenly back inside the shrine.
Her knees struck the stone.
Katsurane was beside her.
“Musha!”
She grabbed his sleeve.
“My mother had another child.”
Katsurane stared at her.
“What?”
“My brother.”
His expression changed.
“You saw him?”
“I heard her.”
Katsurane looked away.
“Musha…”
“You knew.”
He didn’t answer.
“You knew!”
Musha shoved him away.
“You’ve been lying to me.”
“I was protecting you.”
“From what?”
“From the truth.”
Musha stood.
Her voice became cold.
“My entire life has been built on lies.”
Katsurane lowered his head.
“There are things your mother wanted you never to know.”
“My brother.”
“He died.”
Musha froze.
“How?”
Katsurane swallowed.
“The Crimson Shadows found him.”
The silence that followed was unbearable.
Musha’s fingers trembled.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you were eight.”
“And now?”
“Now you’re old enough to survive the truth.”
Musha looked toward the dragon.
It was still there.
But something had changed.
Its white eyes were no longer threatening.
They were watching her.
Waiting.
Musha stepped toward it.
The dragon lowered its head.
Katsurane whispered:
“Don’t.”
Musha placed her hand against its scales.
A flash of white erupted.
This time, she did not fall.
She remained standing.
A voice entered her mind.
Child.
Musha’s eyes widened.
“You can speak?”
Not with words.
“Then what are you?”
The last guardian.
“Guardian of what?”
The dragon’s enormous head lowered.
You.
Musha’s breath caught.
“Why?”
Because your mother asked me.
Musha felt tears forming.
“What did she ask?”
The dragon’s answer was almost a whisper.
When the darkness comes for you, wake the White Shadow.
Musha looked down at her hands.
A faint white light was spreading across her fingers.
Then black veins appeared beneath it.
The light flickered.
The darkness grew.
Musha gasped.
“What is happening?”
Katsurane stepped backward.
“Your power.”
The white glow spread up her arms.
For a moment, it looked beautiful.
Then her skin darkened around the edges.
The dragon growled.
Musha dropped to one knee.
Her heartbeat became violent.
THUMP.
THUMP.
THUMP.
She heard voices.
Hundreds of them.
Whispers.
Screams.
Prayers.
Hatred.
Anger.
All of them entered her mind at once.
Musha screamed.
Katsurane rushed toward her.
“Musha!”
“Don’t touch me!”
A burst of white energy exploded from her body.
Katsurane was thrown backward.
The shrine walls cracked.
The dragon roared.
Musha stood in the center of the chamber.
Her two swords floated beside her.
White light surrounded her.
But the light was turning black.
Katsurane stared in horror.
“Musha…”
She lifted her head.
For a moment, her eyes seemed to open.
Not the empty white eyes she had carried since childhood.
Something brighter.
Something ancient.
The woman from before appeared at the far end of the chamber.
She watched silently.
Then she smiled.
“Beautiful.”
Musha turned toward her.
“Who are you?”
The woman removed the mask covering half her face.
Katsurane’s blood ran cold.
“No…”
The woman looked directly at Musha.
“My name is Rei.”
Musha tightened her grip on her swords.
“And I was your mother’s closest friend.”
Katsurane stepped forward.
“You died.”
Rei smiled.
“So did Aiko.”
She looked at Musha.
“But death is not always the end.”
Suddenly—
A horn sounded from above the mountain.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Katsurane’s expression changed.
“The Crimson Shadows.”
Rei’s smile disappeared.
“They found us.”
Musha raised both swords.
“How many?”
Katsurane listened.
His face became grim.
“Too many.”
Outside the shrine, hundreds of footsteps began moving through the snow.
Metal clattered.
Bows were drawn.
Torches appeared through the cracks in the ancient walls.
Then a voice echoed from the mountain entrance.
“Musha!”
She recognized it.
The masked man.
The serpent mask.
Her father’s voice.
“I know you’re in there.”
Musha’s heart stopped.
The voice continued.
“Come outside, daughter.”
The black veins on Musha’s arms pulsed.
Rei looked at her.
Katsurane drew his sword.
And somewhere deep beneath the mountain—
the White Dragon opened its wings.