Dawn's first light fractured the horizon in pale gold, illuminating dew-kissed grass and the latticework of protective runes Aiko had woven around camp. The air was still—too still. Even the birdsong held its breath.
Yuki stirred by the communal fire, Jinrai sheathed at his side, mind replaying every blow from his duel with Madara. His heart pounded with anticipation: today's training would push him deeper into the void than ever before.
---
The Call of the Void
Ren arrived, wind rustling like distant drums. He carried a coiling length of black cord etched with runes—void-forged rope, meant to bind Yuki's emotions and anchor his power.
"Today," Ren said, voice low, "we delve into the Void Mirror." He pointed to a pool of still water at the forest's edge. "Stare into it and face yourself."
Yuki approached the mirror, rippling runes glowing beneath its surface. He knelt and gazed in, expecting his reflection—but instead saw a shifting darkness: a silhouette that mirrored his every movement, eyes glowing red.
"Void self," Aiko's voice echoed softly behind him. "What you see is your shadow—your fears, your rage, your deepest pain. You must embrace it."
Yuki's reflection snarled, lips peeling back in a silent roar. The wind stilled; even Ren held his breath.
"Bind your heart," Ren instructed, holding one end of the void rope. "Channel every emotion into control."
Yuki closed his eyes, memories flooding in: childhood loneliness, the day he first warped reality in fear, Nogitsune's cryptic warnings. He felt each pang but did not recoil. With trembling hands, he wove his aura into the rope, chanting a silent vow: "I am master of the void, not its prisoner."
When he opened his eyes, the pool stilled—and his reflection smiled in acceptance. The first test was passed.
---
Aiko's Warning
Back at camp, Aiko hovered over her talismans, brow furrowed. "The wards flickered last night," she said, meeting Yuki's gaze. "Something listened."
Before Yuki could reply, a crackling hum tore through the air. The forest's edge shimmered, and a figure emerged: tall, cloaked, without discernible features—an echo of a shape more felt than seen.
Ren drew Jinrai. Kai bristled, hands on cleaver. Yuki stepped forward, void aura flaring protectively.
The figure's voice was both many and one, a chorus in Yuki's mind:
"Kitsune of the Void… heed the Eidolon's summons."
Aiko staggered. "The Eidolon… it knows your name."
The figure extended a hand—empty, save for drifting motes of shadow. In Yuki's mind, a single word burned: "Come."
Then the figure dissolved, leaving only the hush of the forest—and four friends staring at one another, hearts hammering.
---
Decision at the Crossroads
Yuki paced the training ground as Ren and Aiko exchanged worried glances. Kai finished carving apples for snack but left them untouched.
"I've never felt the Eidolon's call so directly," Aiko whispered. "It's not just drawn to your power… it's beckoning you."
Yuki clenched his fist. "A summons… or a trap." He paused, recalling the rift's scar on his arm. "We must decide: do we pursue this whisper, or strengthen our defenses and wait?"
Ren sheathed Jinrai. "We do both. I'll lead a scouting party to the mountain's breach. Aiko, reinforce the wards. Kai and I will hunt for supplies. You—rest and meditate. Your body needs calm before the storm."
Yuki nodded, though his mind raced. The summons felt personal—an invitation into darkness itself.
---
Cliffhanger: Into the Rift
That night, Yuki stood alone at the forest's edge. The moon shone pale above, its light striking the circle of runes that pulsed with void energy. He laid a hand on the boundary where their world blurred with the next.
Heart steady, he whispered: "Eidolon… I'm coming."
As he stepped forward, the runes flared—and the rift swallowed him in a silent roar of shadow and light.