Chapter 7: Beyond the Threshold of Shadows
The wind atop the village carried a different whisper. A thin mist coiled around the mountain's edge, as if reluctant to part ways. Shigeo stood still, his gaze sweeping over the familiar landscape one final time.
Behind him lay Yazura, a chapter concluded yet unresolved within his heart. His pulse was steady, but his thoughts twisted like thorny vines.
The village elder approached—a figure who had never fully trusted him but had always observed. A wooden staff in hand, eyes reflecting a void of silent anticipation.
"Your departure was inevitable. The only question was when," the elder remarked.
Shigeo remained silent.
The elder took a deep breath, his voice gentle yet laden with depth.
"This village is no ordinary place. It is a sanctuary for the forgotten, the abandoned, those who have fled from their own shadows. Our pasts—our secrets."
He cast his gaze downward, then met Shigeo's eyes:
"Your arrival here was no accident. You found yourself in the depths of shadow. And this place—it was awaiting you. But… you are not meant to stay."
In that moment, Shigeo understood. The village was not a prison, nor was it the end of his journey.
"I will leave. But I don't know where to go," he admitted softly for the first time.
The elder smiled.
"Purpose is not a destination. It is an internal dialogue. Your departure means you will arrive somewhere. And perhaps, one day… you will return."
He took a step back.
The wind grew stronger. The sun began to crest over the mountain peaks. Shigeo shouldered his pack, his shadow gently trailing beneath him.
This shadow once obeyed him. Now, it walked alongside him.
As he reached the village's edge, he did not look back.
His path was uncertain. But Shigeo knew—he could not stop. Somewhere, voices awaited him, new names whispered within the shadows, new adversaries, new truths.
This was the beginning of a new chapter. A boy who had walked through shadows now had no right to flee—not from the past, nor from the future.