The warmth of Kharzad's sun filtered through the banners of Valdorne, casting crimson rays across the council chamber. Despite the celebratory mood after Maika's powerful oath and Tessara's quiet strength, Shin stood near the edge of the balcony, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. The orb in his left hand pulsed faintly, its crystalline surface mirroring the shimmer of Yoshimatsu, the ancestral katana that rested in its sheath by his side.
The pulse wasn't comforting. It was demanding.
Shin winced slightly as the crest on the back of his left hand throbbed again—not in pain, but with the weight of the connections it bore. Four lines of light tethered him to his Servants. Each bond carried warmth, trust, and power. And it cost him more than he wanted to admit.
Behind him, the murmur of voices in the chamber was muted, but the steps approaching were unmistakable. Laverna.
She stood beside him silently at first. Her tiger eye necklace glowed softly, synchronized with the pulse of his orb. The wind shifted slightly as she moved closer, strands of her orange hair brushing his arm.
"You're trying to hide it," she said.
Shin gave a faint chuckle. "I suppose I am."
She didn't say anything else. Instead, she reached out and gently placed her hand over his left. The moment her skin touched his, the crests flared—not violently, but with a harmonious ripple that flowed through them both. A warm breeze surged past them, as if nature itself responded to their bond.
He turned to look at her, surprised to see her eyes filled with deep emotion. There was no fear in them. No hesitation. Only knowing.
"We can feel it," she said softly. "All of us. The weight you carry. The drain. You think it's yours alone, but the crests don't work like that. They bond us for a reason. We're meant to carry this together."
Tove, standing nearby, caught the flicker of their synchronized aura. Her eyes widened slightly. "They're resonating... perfectly. Like... like two stars sharing orbit. It's beautiful."
From across the chamber, Guild Master Davis watched. The tall man's once-proud shoulders had a slight hunch now, his eyes dark from sleepless nights and old regrets. The sword at his back bore the crest of Laginaple, but his voice was no longer that of a loyalist to the Crown.
"I remember a time when your father stood beside me like that," Davis said, breaking the silence. "Back then, the Soma crest didn't weigh on him alone. We carried it together. But Tristan... and Mariam... they broke that trust. They fractured what made us strong."
Shin turned. "The betrayal of the Soma name spread far. You know this better than most."
Davis nodded slowly. "Tristan used his title and Mariam's charm to twist your clan's legacy. They said Murasabe fell to madness, that he invited the Falzath corruption. That you, his heir, were tainted. And in the East, the Renegade Hi Okami preached it like gospel. The people believed it. Not because it was truth... but because they were afraid. Afraid of your power. Afraid of what you could become."
Shin clenched his fist. His orb pulsed again, this time stronger, more insistent. He gritted his teeth.
Laverna stepped closer. "Shin, listen to me. That orb... your father left it for you. The same way my mother gave me this necklace. It isn't just power. It's memory. A promise. A chain linking us to the truth of who we are."
He looked down at her. Through the crest, he could feel her heart. Not just her emotions in that moment, but every scar she'd carried. Every word she couldn't speak out loud. He saw Zera's silent loyalty, Tessara's quiet admiration, Maika's fierce resolve. He felt them all through the crests.
And it hurt.
Because he wasn't sure he could bear being their anchor.
Yet they had already chosen him.
Davis stepped forward and placed a hand on Shin's shoulder. "That's why the next phase must be swift. The Crimson Campaign. We strike at the key cities held by the Renegades. We liberate the regions Tristan has locked down, and we give the people hope. This rebellion... it's no longer in its infancy. It is fire. It must spread."
Shin raised his eyes. "Where do we begin?"
"The eastern border. Redvale. It's closest to Coralis and one of the most tightly held Renegade strongholds. If we take it, we shake Tristan's grip on the spine of the continent. We cut off his command chain."
Laverna frowned. "We'll be walking into a viper's nest."
Davis grinned. "Then it's good you have a few foxes on your side."
Across the chamber, the Fourth Talon stood in silent acknowledgment. Mira nodded at Shin, her admiration now blended with a deeper respect. Tove glanced at Laverna, her fear replaced with something more like awe. Rynn and Dalen leaned in, murmuring about what they had just witnessed.
"This isn't just a rebellion anymore," Rynn whispered. "It's a movement. Led by someone who carries fire, steel, moonlight, and sun."
Lyssa chimed in. "Don't forget the fox."
Olga nudged her. "Or the sword. That katana of his... it sings."
Father Grent, hearing all, stepped forward and raised his voice in prayer. "May the old gods and the new walk with you, Shin of Soma. And may the burden you carry be shared, for no leader should walk alone. May your light reach even the most shadowed heart."
The room fell silent.
Shin looked around at them all—his allies, his warriors, his Servants. The weight remained, but so did the light. The fire. The strength of their bonds.
"Then we move," he said.
Laverna's hand still clasped his. Her necklace glowed. His orb pulsed.
And the crest, binding them all, burned bright.
Together, they would begin the Crimson Campaign.
And light the continent aflame with defiance.