The fame and power of Shinzo Nishiyama, the last Emperor of the Tentochu faction, made him as powerful as a god. And like any deity, he was worshipped by an endless array of people.

It wasn't just his army and the subjects who populated the Imperial Palace: Shinzo's acclaim was also growing among ordinary people of all social ranks.

​​

Rich and wealthy families had no interest in working against the monarchy, which would only fatten their wallets. At the same time, Shinzo Nishiyama had won the favor of even the poorest, professing to be a benefactor of his country and obtaining incredible benefits.

As poor Enatsu had reiterated from the first moment he met Yoichi, even uttering words against the Emperor was a crime punishable by death. But what did he look like? How old was he? In what way did he converse with the people of Tentochu?

Yoichi's hatred for that man was frighteningly rational. That solid and deep feeling was sometimes blinded by anger and a desire for justice. According to the young warrior's ideal, a ruler should have been the anathema of loyalty and fairness.

However, his little experience in the world of Lumya was enough to create the idea in his mind that there was no greater enemy than the one who had exiled Ryutaro and confined Princess Sui to her palace.

No matter how long it would take, Yoichi would take revenge whatever the cost. After Ryutaro disappeared along with the guards who had arrested him, the horses carrying Enatsu's carriage were left without a rider.

"Azron..." - With a resigned tone and a downward gaze, Yoichi uttered Ichiro's demonic name, calling him back inside its Demon Tooth.

Without even greeting its tamer before being called back, the horse shared the sharp pain Yoichi was feeling and agreed without objection to returning to its abode.

A beam of yellowish light enveloped its mighty body and made it disappear into the ground. Just as during the summoning, the process of recalling was synthesized in many small rays of light that quickly reached the Demon Tooth, trapping the horse's soul inside it, forever bound to that magical object.

Shioko continued to look at Yoichi, believing it appropriate to remain silent. Her companion had been through several misfortunes, and the arrest of his new Sensei was the last straw.

Without a word, the young tamer grabbed the reins of the carriage's two horses and leapt into the driver's seat. The exact spot previously occupied by Ryutaro was somehow still imbued with his essence.

He cast a glance inside the wooden carriage, peering at Enatsu. The merchant was motionless with his eyes closed, and his face expressed the pain he was feeling.

Both the woven straw mats and the small wicker trunks containing the gatekeeper's medical supplies were still there, placed against the edge of the carriage closest to the driver.

"Let's go. Takamori-Sensei will be waiting for us," Yoichi spoke, waiting for Kenji to get onto the carriage next to him. Shioko obeyed as if she were his subordinate, climbing onto Taya's back and beginning to ride beside the carriage.

The men guarding the Main Gates allowed them to enter without saying anything. After the carriage crossed the threshold of the huge gates of the capital, the faint lights that illuminated the streets of Goldhaven warmed the spirits of the weary travellers.

Too many unexpected events had happened since their departure, and all they needed was some genuine rest. The citizens of the white capital slept blissfully in their homes, and very few people populated the streets.

A few beggars who slept here and there tried to enjoy the pleasant fresh wind of the night, looking forward to the next day, when thousands of people would allow them to live in dignity with their offerings.

Although Yoichi had never driven a carriage before, the two horses seemed remarkably trained and gentle in their movements. Pulling the reins toward the direction he intended to go, Yoichi efficiently escorted his companion through the streets, avoiding the narrower tunnels and following the Royal Road.

Circling the Dragonfall Square, reaching the Tamer District would only be a matter of time. One tile at a time, the carriage's wooden wheels traveled the last few miles that separated the Nightblades warriors from their guild's tower.

Finally, several days after their departure, when the Blackvault Mines were still a distant nightmare, Yoichi, Shioko, and Enatsu found themselves in front of the large stone gate of the Tamer District.

Late at night, the streets of the neighbourhood were empty and silent. On the largest central tower, home of the Emperor's Heralds, a few illuminated windows joined the glow of the stars shining high in the dark sky.

The old and ramshackle tower with the green tiles popped up around the corner of the street, beyond the central square of one of the legendary districts of the capital. Once in front of the entrance, Yoichi pulled the reins, stopping the horses.

Shioko dismounted Taya and tied it up next to a wooden pole used to hold a torch for public lighting. "Let's secure the horses and get Enatsu inside, Yoichi," the archer affirmed.

Yoichi nodded silently. His gaze was blank and gloomy, but even so, he was aware that his best friend's life was his greatest priority.

In a hurry, the two tamers picked up Enatsu's body with extreme delicacy, carrying him out of the carriage like a baby in swaddling clothes. Resting on his legs, Rokuro was sleeping serenely.

The door to the green-tiled tower was always open, and the entrance to the guild's headquarters was always empty. "Takamori-Sensei! Takamori-Sensei!" Shioko shouted, calling out to her master like a frightened child calls out to her father.

As Enatsu's body grew heavier and heavier after each step, a noise echoed from the narrow staircase in front of the entrance, and a familiar figure appeared before the tamers.

The Nightblades guild master wore a long nightshirt of greyish linen and held a candle with a flickering flame. When his sleep-stained eyes saw the guild's future wizard being held by Yoichi and Shioko, his pupils moistened with tears of worry.