The white figure's voice sliced through chaos: "Enough. Both of you."Polaris spirit flickered, then vanished. Mizu clawed at his throat, voice strangled. "Old... man..." His eyes rolled back as he slumped unconscious.Akime's frail body gave out—she crumpled into the underbrush, spent.

  Akime wakes in a dim hut, the air thick with incense. The old man sat cross-legged, eyes closed in meditation."Who are you, old man?" she demanded.He turned slowly. Akime froze, stunned. "How are you alive? You're the previous wielder of Sadalmelik's spirit!"He shook his head calmly. "The one you speak of was my twin brother."Her mind reeled. No way. Why would the Sadalmelik Empire hide the previous owner's twin brother?She forced composure. "Where's Reo?""Next room," the old man said.Akime rushed through the reed curtain. Reo lay unconscious on a mat, chest bandaged, the Polaris glaive silent beside him. Mizu slumped nearby—both battered, exhausted beyond recovery."They're alive," the old man said behind her. "Barely.”

  The old man rose smoothly and headed for the door. "Take care of them both," he said, then vanished in a blur outside the hut.Akime's eyes narrowed. Suspicious, she scribbled a note—"I'll be back"—and tucked it beside Mizu. She slipped out to track him.She found him instantly, wandering Sadalmelik's bustling streets. For hours she trailed him through shops and restaurants until he approached the queen's palace. Akime snuck inside, shadowing him to Shikimori's chamber.They spoke casually of boosting Sadalmelik's economy. The old man left. Queen Shikimori smiled toward the gate. "Long time no see, Shogun of Polaris.”Akime stepped forward. "Long time no see, Queen of Sadalmelik."Shikimori laughed warmly. "You've grown strong.""Nice to hear from you," Akime said."No need for formality—we played together as children.”

  Shikimori's smile faded, her eyes sharpening. "Alright, enough catching up. What's the big idea spying on me?"Akime met her gaze steadily. "That old man—he's suspicious.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Shikimori leaned closer, voice dropping. "So you've noticed it too."Akime nodded sharply."I've been thinking the same," Shikimori continued. "My father, the former king, never suspected him. But since I took the crown? That old man's been on my mind constantly.”

  Shikimori's gaze sharpened. "And how did you end up in Sadalmelik? What about the constant tension between Empire Polaris and that glaive stealer?"Akime chose her words carefully, half-truth only. "I've fled from Polaris."Shikimori showed no surprise—she knew Akime wouldn't do anything foolish. "How about a favor? Spy on that old hag. Stealth's your specialty, after all.""What's in it for me?" Akime asked.Shikimori smiled thinly. "I won't tell Polaris where you are.”

  They sealed the deal with a nod.Scene shifted to the hut. Reo and Mizu woke simultaneously. Reo sensed Mizu's raw power instantly through his blindness. He grabbed his glaive and dropped into fighting stance.Mizu raised a hand. "Calm down, boy. I'm not fighting you anymore."Reo stayed tense, glaive ready, head tilted toward the power signature. Both sat, suspicion thick between them.Mizu broke the silence. "I attacked because I smelled something strong. Wasn't wrong—you're Polaris's wielder.”

  Reo gripped the glaive tighter. "What's your relation to that old man?"Mizu chuckled dryly. "Oh, he's my mentor and tutor. Twin brother of Sadalmelik's previous owner. Both trained together, but only one could wield it. So Silas—that old man—decided to teach future generations instead.”

  Reo tilted his head. "So what happened to the previous owner? Where is he now?"Mizu's face twisted in complete surprise and disbelief. "What are you talking about, boy? To pass the weapon to the next generation fighter, the previous owner sacrifices himself. He'd need to be dead—or the weapon can't transfer at all.”

  Reo tensed. "Why?"Mizu leaned forward, voice grave. "The bond between spirit and wielder merges their souls. One soul must be exterminated for the new fighter to form their bond. That's why the previous owner's weapon appearance differs from the new wielder's.”

  Mizu spotted the note beside him: "I'll be back."Reo tensed. "That's Akime's. I'm finding her."Scene shifted. Akime trailed Silas through Sadalmelik's winding streets. They reached the continent's border. Silas stopped abruptly, then turned with an evilish grin.

  "Get out. How long do you plan to stay behind me?”