Slowly, my consciousness clawed its way back. At first, all I could hear was Manny's muffled voice, calling my name through layers of static. My eyes opened to blurred shapes, then to the cold truth: both of us were tied up, muzzles strapped across our mouths. Manny was thrashing, mumbling things I couldn't make out.
I rolled to my side, forced myself upright, and rubbed the muzzle against the stone wall until it finally slipped off. Gasping, I whispered, "Manny, how—when—did you get captured?"
He jerked his head, rubbing his own muzzle free. His voice came out tight, urgent. "No time to explain. We need to get out of here—now!"
"What? Why?"
"Nazo's going to turn us into his pawns," Manny hissed. His words held a rare sincerity, the kind that made my stomach sink.
I tried to warp through my restraints, but nothing happened. My body felt hollow, stripped. Manny's jaw tightened. "He took our prowesses, Goshi. We can't use Yin or Yang anymore."
He was right. I had forgotten, but now the truth sank in like lead. Still, escape was the only option. Manny told me to sit back-to-back with him, and we worked the knots until our bonds slipped loose. Free, but defenseless.
We whispered out a plan: first, escape this room. Then, find an exit. Simple enough. But I added the truth weighing on me: "We need to take our powers back from Nazo. His having them… It's too dangerous."
Manny's eyes narrowed. He agreed, but his voice hardened. "That's suicide. You know how impossible that is without our strength."
I mentioned the scaled swords—their ability to absorb and redirect energy. But Manny hated the thought. "Even worse. Those swords make them untouchable."
Still, we had no choice. The door loomed in front of us. We braced, expecting it to be sealed. Instead, it creaked open with a light push.
The corridor outside was silent, but voices carried from further down the hall. My shoulder and leg ached faintly. Nazo must have healed me while I was unconscious. Not mercy—utility. He needed us alive.
We crept toward the voices, but the closer we got, the more distinct they became. Nazo. And… our mother. Their tones were calm, plotting. We froze, tried to back away quietly—too late.
"Come from around that corner," Nazo's voice commanded.
Silence hung heavy. We stepped backward—straight into the grip of two scaled sword members behind us. They seized us and dragged us into the main chamber.
Nazo and our mother turned, eyes flickering with surprise at our appearance. I forced the question out through clenched teeth: "What are you planning with the YinYang spirits?"
They smirked, mocking me. "You're in no position to demand answers," Nazo sneered.
Still, they answered.
Nazo's voice deepened. "When I was born, the Yin spirit should have been mine. I'm a direct descendant of Katon. But it skipped me—passed over by fate." His hands tightened on his sword. "So I'll claim what's mine. All of it. All the power in this world. I will be the strongest alive."
His tone sharpened with confession. "I killed my brother for it. I thought he was hiding the spirit. He wasn't." He smirked, unconcerned with his own madness.
Rage coiled in my chest. He had murdered his own blood for a phantom.
Then my mother spoke. Her tone was softer, but crueler. "I didn't want to kill Nagi. But Amoi… he was my assurance. Proof the spirits wouldn't pass to him."
My fists shook. I lurched forward, ready to strike—but Manny's hand shot to my shoulder, holding me back.
She continued, eyes gleaming. "Yin and Yang attract. They always find a balance, combining everything. Together, they become the true master of the YinYang. That's why Nagi had to die. Nazo will lead us. Our family is restored. Stronger than ever."
Her words were venom. Twisted. A mockery of family.
I snapped. I flicked my wrist—light shattered above her head, shards of glass raining down. But Nazo lifted one finger, and the shards crumbled into dust before they touched her.
"Goshi," he said coldly, "try that again and I'll make you relive the day your other half died. Do you understand me?"
The weight of his presence crushed me. Against my will, my mouth moved. "I… understand."
My body shook with shame.
Manny exploded. "What did you do to him!"
Nazo smirked, drawing his blade. "You'll find out." His eyes locked on me. "Goshi dies."
He moved faster than thought. The snake-scaled sword cut through the air—through me.
A flash of pain. A scream caught in my throat.
And then nothing.