The shrine was quiet again, but it was no longer peaceful.
Taemin sat on the rooftop, tail flicking in silent frustration. Below, Hana sat cross-legged in the garden, palms hovering above a glowing orb of flame. Her control had improved—but her thoughts were chaotic.
So were his.
She caught that arrow like she'd been doing it for lifetimes. That wasn't instinct. That was memory wrapped in fire.
The old feelings were creeping back. Guilt. Longing. Hope he hadn't allowed himself to feel in a century.
He jumped down, landing beside her in a soft thump. "You're getting stronger."
She didn't look up. "They'll be back, won't they?"
"Yes," he admitted. "And not just them. Once word spreads that the Flamebearer has returned, others will come. Some to help… some to finish what they started."
She finally turned to him. "So, what was I, really? Back then?"
Taemin hesitated. "A guardian. A spark born when this world was on the brink. The Flamebearer wasn't just a title—it was a promise. You made it to the spirit realm, to the humans, to… to me."
She stared at him. "Did I love you?"
He looked away. "You died for me."
That silence was louder than any answer.
But then she asked, voice soft and raw, "Do you still love me?"
He met her eyes. "You haven't remembered everything yet."
"That's not a no."
He stepped closer, gently placing his hand over hers. The foxfire flared and danced between their palms.
"No. It's not."
Suddenly, the shrine trembled. A pulse of dark energy rippled through the air. The foxfire guttered and turned violet for a second before returning to gold.
Taemin's expression darkened. "He's testing the Veil again. Getting closer."
"The Crimson Fang?" Hana asked, rising to her feet.
"Yes. But this time… he's not alone."
He turned toward the horizon, where the forest turned black and cold.
"Something's coming, Hana. Something born from both shadow and foxfire."
And deep in the woods, far beyond the shrine, a black-flamed blossom bloomed in silence—its petals shaped like a fox's grin.
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