My eyes slowly opened as the world around me materialized.

My body was engulfed in a pleasant heat as I slowly sat up from the bedding I was previously laying on. Around me was an unfamiliar scene. I was inside a house, and by the quality of the paper walls and bamboo flooring, it had to be owned by someone somewhat wealthy or of high stature. My drowsy mind was clueless as to who that could be, so I played safe.

Cautiously, I rose from the bed and snuck over to the wall. I quickly crouched and leaned against the paper to minimize my presence when I heard a noise from the other room.

I felt my abdomen, it had been stitched and wrapped in linen cloth. My shoulder was similarly bandaged. Although I felt much better than I thought I would have been, I knew I was in no shape to fight unarmed, so I inspected the room around me carefully.

There was a display cabinet with bright red samurai armor hanging on it, and beside it was a table covered in parchment and bottles of ink, along with a singular quill laying sloppily on top of the recently used papers. And next to it all was my gift from Amaterasu, my golden accented katana.

I swiftly slid myself across the flooring and grabbed the sword. Pushing my thumb on the hilt to keep it ready to draw, I made my way to the door and slowly opened it.

As I gazed into the lounging room I found a solemn figure by a fireplace, cooking something.

With further inspection, I made that figure out to be Hayato without his large armor on.

After a quick sigh of relief, I sat the katana on the ground next to my bedding and exited the room.

Hayato nodded as he heard my footsteps, not taking his eyes off the steaming pot. "Finally awake, huh?"

I spoke to him as I walked up to the fireplace and peered over his shoulder to see what he was cooking. "How long was I asleep?"

He tilted his head in thought as he continued to stir the noodle filled pot and shake the meat-filled pan. "A few days, at least."

I pinched the bridge of my nose as I fully took in those words. "A few days?" If I had really been asleep for multiple days, the Shogun would already have started to look for me. There was no time to prepare like I had previously planned. "Hayato, have you gotten any word from the Shogun?"

That was enough to make Hayato look over to me from his cooking in curiosity. "No. But from the state I found you in, I'm assuming things didn't go as planned."

I made my way to the table in the center of the room as I spoke. "This most definitely didn't go as planned." I sat down on one of the many cushions and rested still wary legs. "I wouldn't like to talk about it. Just know that there is no more division, and the Shogun will be looking for survivors."

Hayato pulled the pot off of the heat and started pouring his steaming hot ramen into two different bowls. "I see... I'm sorry, Kenshi for whatever happened." He finished preparing the noodles and took the skillet of sizzling meat off the fire to eat with it. "So now what are you planning to do?"

I nodded my head in thanks as Hayato sat the bowl in front of me and immediately started eating the first meal I'd had in days. "I have many things planned... But they need you to help me if any of them are to work."

Hayato sighed. "I've been thinking about that." He took a pair of chopsticks from beside him and toyed around with his food while explaining. "The Shogun has raised taxes and decreased our payments consistently for weeks now. I've seen multiple shops at the boardwalk turn bankrupt and close now, and it's only getting worse. The point is, I'm more seriously considering your offer to leave this place now. But that still isn't possible without knowing the answers to my questions."

"And I came here to finally answer those questions. No more hiding from you, or from myself." I pushed my bowl of food away to solely concentrate on telling Hayato.

He nodded. "I'd like to hear it, then."

I hadn't told anyone about my past in decades. I had barely come to terms with it myself, but it was necessary. It was time. "I know that there were rumors of the first Ember wielder being a lover to Lady Amaterasu. Those are true. When it was time for me to go out and find something to prove my worth, I decided to climb Mt.Fuji. We fell in love, and she gave me the first Ember. Eventually, I succumbed to the Shogun's temptations and became one of his highest ranking Samurai, betraying the person I loved the most and now the Shogun intends to get rid of me before I can put a stop to any of his power fantasies... That's the truth. That's all of it."

Hayato stared at me with wide eyes, processing all that I had so suddenly told him. "I. Uh... Really?"

I nodded solemnly. "Really."

We ate some of our food in silence for what seemed like forever while Hayato thought.

Eventually, he broke the silence and spoke. "I think... I think you should know I think no less of you, I can tell you've changed..." Again, we ate in silence. "So. I'm guessing you're going to want me to run from the Shogun with you again. And I've been thinking. I don't want to work for the Shogun now that I saw how he really is, and since now I know I can trust you I thi-"

I decided it was finally time to tell Hayato what it was I really had planned, so I interrupted him and spoke. "No. I want you to kill the Shogun with me, and time is crucial. Then once that is finished, I want to climb Mt.Fuji and find Amaterasu."

His eyes opened wider as he thought, and after a long break to think, he answered. "I... Yes. I'll help you." I could tell he was conflicted, but Hayato trusted me, and I wouldn't let him down.

I took no time to start telling him what my plan was. "Good. Very good. Alright, time is a very big concern. Almost all the time we have to spare was just spent recovering, so we'll have to leave soon, very soon. And once we rid Nihon of the Shogun, we make our way to Mt.Fuji and find Amaterasu. We put the world back in order."

He shook his head. "This... All of this is near insane... But I suppose it's this or slowly watch our world wither away and die at the hand of these yokai."

"Indeed."

Most of our meal was spent discussing all that we had missed since last we met. I spoke to Hayato about Sora and Lee, how they survived as well and were hiding out with the monks I grew up with. He explained to me what he had accomplished in training his Ember. Hayato now had the power to create a portal between any two points, no longer needing his large red shrine.

After all of our talking and planning for what had to come, it was time to sleep.

For me, the night was restless and filled with doubt. For Hayato in the other room, I could only assume the same.

Once a loud gong echoed from the nearby coastal town, we knew it was time.

That morning Hayato did not adorn his stark red armor, but instead a bright red kimono, while I wore a dark red one Hayato owned that fit me. We had nothing but one horse packed with all the supplies it could carry, our swords and the clothing on our backs.

The foggy portal opened between the wooden pillars of the red gate for the last time. We stood there and stared into the ever-changing mist for a few moments, both contemplating whether our plan was a good one.

Hayato was the first to speak as he took a step forward. "If I go through, there'll be no going back."

I took another step forward with him and responded. "I won't hold it against you if you wish to stay."

He paused for a moment and thought. And after his re-evaluation, he shook his head. "No. I can't sit by helplessly and watch any longer." Then took another step. Only one more until we would leave the warm and spring blossomed coast.

I walked into the fog while making one last comment. "That's good. Then let us get to work."

We both went through the portal and into the colder and raining city. I stood with our horse while Hayato beckoned to the armored figure sitting on his highly raised pedestal.

Once the figure noticed Hayato, he immediately climbed off the structure and took off his helmet, to reveal a face that shared the same features as Hayato, except his cheekbones were more outlined and he had a thinner physique. He had small bags under his eyes and much longer hair than Hayato's, down to his shoulders but swept back.

He spoke confusedly. "Hayato, why are you here!?"

Hayato's determined composure quickly changed to defensive. "I, uh, have been sending you letters about this. I told you what was happening in my town and that I was planning on leaving..."

Hayato's twin put a hand on his forehead as he responded. "And I told you that was a bad idea!"

After taking a moment to think, Hayato pointed to me. "This is the first Ember wielder! He has the experience, and he can take on the Shogun, Anzen!"

Anzen paced around for a moment. "First Ember wielder? Can take the Shogun? You're too easy to trust people, Hayato." Anzen quit his pacing and walked over to me. He closely inspected my face and thought. After his contemplating, he grimaced. "He is the first Ember wielder. Why are you here?"

I mumbled a response, not wanting to get involved in this dispute. "It's a long story..."

He sighed and turned to Hayato. "It's not too late. Take your horse and get back to your post. We'll have to find an excuse to tell the Shogun, but we can fi-"

Hayato interrupted Anzen, taking a more opposing stance than before. "I've made my mind. I'm going, with or without you."

Anzen sighed once again and paced. After a long while of thinking and half-finished sentences, he made a final response. "Alright. Alright. I'll follow you, but I know you'll come around soon enough."

Hayato nodded and took his victory. "I'm glad..."

With that, we had reluctantly formed the group that would endure the hardest tribulations to come.

No more mistakes, we couldn't afford them. This time I would make it right.