Inside the temple, Master motioned for them to sit. The light of a single lantern danced across his face. He took a deep breath, his hands clasped tightly in front of him, and began to speak.

  “I’ve known for some time that the Empire might come,” he said, his voice steady but laced with sorrow. “I’ve known there was a chance they would see us as a threat—not because we’ve done anything wrong, but because they fear what we might become. That we might rise like our ancestors, rebel against their rule, and refuse to remain neutral.”

  Lina’s eyes widened, and Kai leaned forward, his voice trembling with disbelief. “You knew? And you didn’t tell us? We should warn everyone, and try to escape—”

  Master raised his voice, silencing him. “Don’t be ignorant,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “Escape to where?” He paused, gazing at them. “Beyond these mountains lies a world far more treacherous than the Empire. The forests are teeming with beasts, the roads plagued by bandits, and the wilderness itself is merciless. Our people are not prepared to face such dangers. For generations, we’ve lived here, sheltered by these peaks, protected by their shadows. I thought it would be enough. I thought we would never need to learn the ways of war.”

  Lina’s voice broke as she spoke, her hands clenched into fists. “But it wasn’t enough, was it? And now… now everyone is going to die because we weren’t prepared.”

  Master looked down guiltily, then leaned forward. His eyes, a mix of regret and steely resolve, locked onto theirs. “I won’t justify my decision,” he said, his voice low. “But not everyone will die here at the hands of the Empire.” He paused, as if weighing the gravity of his next words. “I’ve prepared an escape—for the two of you. You’ve been trained to protect yourselves, not just in body but in mind. Out there, you have a chance to survive, to carry on our legacy. But if the entire village tried to flee…” His voice trailed off, and he shook his head. “The Empire would hunt us down without mercy. We cannot save everyone.”

  Kai shook his head, his voice rising in desperation. “Then come with us! You can’t stay here—we need you!”

  Master shook his head, his voice calm but resolute. “My place is here. I will stand with everyone and do what I can to protect them till my last breath. This temple, this village—it is our legacy. If I must fall defending it, then so be it.”

  Lina’s composure shattered. Tears streamed down her face as she buried her head in her hands. “I can’t lose everything again,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Not again…”

  Kai reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder, his own eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I will be with you, and I won’t leave you, no matter what.”

  Master rose from his seat and knelt in front of her, his voice gentle but firm. “You are stronger than you know, Lina. Both of you are. And though the road ahead will be difficult, you must carry on. For yourselves, and for all of us.”

  His hands trembled slightly as he placed them on their shoulders. “This… this is the last time you’ll see me as your master,” his voice cracking, thick with grief. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to meet their eyes, though his own glistened with unshed tears. “But today, you will carry Kazematsu’s legacy beyond these mountains. You will take everything we’ve built, everything we’ve fought for, and you will keep it alive. Not just for me, but for all of us.” His grip tightened, as if he could imprint his resolve into their very souls, before he finally let go, stepping back with a quiet, broken exhale.

  Lina collapsed to her knees, her cries growing louder, her hands clutching at the hem of Master’s robe as if she could anchor him there. “I can’t… I can’t leave everyone behind,” she sobbed, her voice breaking. “Not again…”

  Master sighed, his expression softening as he knelt beside her. “You must, Lina,” he said gently. “Kai will be with you.” He turned to Kai, his gaze piercing. “Kai, please take Lina to the Sages’ shrines. Beneath Sage Kaelen’s shrine, you’ll find parting gifts and a passage out of the mountains. They won’t suspect anyone has escaped.”

  Kai nodded, his throat tight. “I’ll take care of her,” he said, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions raging inside him. “I promise.”

  Master’s eyes lingered on him for a moment, as if searching for something, before he gave a small, approving nod. “I know you will.”

  Kai stepped forward and gently took Lina’s arm, helping her to her feet. She resisted at first, her tear-streaked face turned toward Master, but Kai’s grip was firm. “We have to go,” he said softly, his voice pleading. “Please, Lina. We don’t have much time.”

  Lina hesitated, her breath hitching as she looked back at Master one last time.

  He stood tall, his expression calm but resolute, as if he had already made peace with what was to come. “Go,” he said, his voice carrying the final command. “And remember you are both strong.”

  With a choked sob, Lina finally relented, allowing Kai to guide her toward the door. Her steps were unsteady, her shoulders shaking with every breath, but she didn’t look back again. Kai kept his hand on her arm, his own heart full of grief and determination. As they stepped out into the cool night air, the temple’s shadow loomed behind them, a silent sentinel watching over their escape.

  The path to the Sages’ shrines stretched ahead, winding through the dense forest that surrounded the village. The night was eerily quiet, the usual sounds of crickets and rustling leaves replaced by an oppressive silence, as if the world itself was holding its breath. Kai tightened his grip on Lina’s arm, his other hand clutching a small lantern that cast flickering light on the uneven ground. Lina walked beside him, her steps slow and unsteady, her face pale and streaked with tears. She didn’t speak, but her trembling shoulders and shallow breaths spoke volumes.

  Kai glanced at her, his chest tightening with a mix of guilt and determination. “We’re almost there,” he said softly, his voice barely whispering. He wasn’t sure if the words were meant to reassure her or himself. Lina didn’t respond, her face fixed on the ground, but she leaned slightly into his grip, as if drawing strength from his presence.

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  The forest seemed to close in around them, the towering pines casting long, jagged shadows that danced in the lantern’s glow. The air grew colder as they climbed higher, the path steepening as it led them toward the heart of the mountain. Kai’s mind raced with thoughts of what lay ahead—the passage out of the mountains, the unknown dangers beyond. But he pushed those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the steady rhythm of their footsteps and the faint warmth of Lina’s arm beneath his hand.

  Finally, the shrine emerged from the shadows—a small, open pavilion surrounded by ancient pine trees. At its center stood ten stone statues, each carved with meticulous detail. The figures were arranged in a semicircle, their faces serene yet commanding, their hands clasped in gestures of wisdom and unity. Beneath each statue was a plaque inscribed with a name and a brief description of their contributions to Kazematsu.

  They stepped into the pavilion, the air thick with the scent of pine and incense. The statues seemed to watch over them, their presence both comforting and awe-inspiring.

  Lina walked slowly along the row of statues, her fingers brushing against the cool stone. “Sage Oren,” she read aloud, stopping before the first statue. “The Rooted Scholar. A Sage known for his wisdom and stability.” She paused, her voice softening. “He’s the one Master always talks about—the last to join, completing the ten. The one who believed Go would bring peace.”

  Kai followed her, his eyes tracing the inscriptions. “Sage Vaelis,” he whispered, stopping before the second statue. “The Seeker of Truth. A Sage who loved adventure, traveled the world in search of hidden knowledge, and brought it back to the village.” He glanced at Lina. “Do you think Master knew him?”

  Lina shrugged. “I doubt it. The village was founded over 500 years ago—you clearly weren’t paying attention when Master taught us.”

  He let out a weak chuckle, but it quickly faded. “What can I say? Village history was never as fun as our Go lessons… but Master always made it matter.” His voice grew quieter at the last words, his gaze dropping to the ground.

  They continued down the line, reading the names and titles of the sages. Each one had played a pivotal role in shaping Kazematsu, their wisdom and strategies passed down through generations. The statues seemed to come alive in the fading light, their stories weaving a tapestry of resilience and hope.

  Kai stopped before the last statue, his breath catching. “Sage Kaelen, The Last Oracle. He united and led the Sages to defend the village during the dark times.” He looked at Lina, his expression troubled. “Do you think we’ll have to do the same?”

  Lina didn’t answer right away. She stepped closer to the statue, her gaze lingering on its weathered face. “I don’t know,” she said finally. “Becoming sages… we’d have to be really strong.”

  As they stood there, Kai’s thoughts drifted to his father. He hadn’t spoken of him in years—not since Master delivered the news that his father wouldn’t be coming back. Alive or dead, Kai never knew; he was told the details of the mission were too dangerous for him to learn.

  “I’ll be back before you know it,” his father had promised, ruffling Kai’s hair with a smile.

  But he never returned.

  The memory tightened Kai’s chest, and he shook his head, forcing himself to focus. “We should go,” he said, turning toward the base of the statue where the hidden passage lay. “Master said the way out is here. We don’t have much time.”

  Lina didn’t move. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, her gaze still fixed on Sage Kaelen’s statue. “Kai,” she said quietly, her voice trembling but firm. “We can’t leave.”

  He paused, turning back to her. “What are you talking about? Master told us to go. He said—”

  “I know what he said,” she interrupted, her voice rising. “But he’s wrong. We can’t just run away. Not again.” Her eyes met his, fierce and pleading. “I’ve already lost everything once. My family, my home… I won’t lose this too. Not if there’s a chance we can stop it.”

  Kai stared at her, his mind racing. “Lina, we’re not sages. We’re not warriors. What can we possibly do against the Empire?”

  “I don’t know!” she snapped, her voice breaking. “But we have to try. Master taught us strategy, discipline, and how to think under pressure. Maybe… maybe that’s enough. Maybe we can find a way to save them.”

  Kai stared at her, his chest tightening. He wanted to argue, to remind her of Master’s warnings—how the enemy was too strong, how they were still just students, how this could end in disaster. But the look in her eyes stopped him cold. Desperation and determination burned there, a fire that refused to be extinguished. It was a look that mirrored the storm raging inside him.

  He thought of his father, of the promise that had been broken so many years ago. He thought of the village—the warmth of its people, the laughter of children in the square, the way the elders had welcomed him as one of their own. Could he really walk away and leave it all behind? Could he live with himself if he did?

  “If we go back,” he said slowly, each word heavy with the weight of what they might mean, “we might not make it out alive. You know that, Lina. This isn’t just about bravery. It’s about survival.”

  Lina stepped closer. “If we don’t go back, we’ll spend the rest of our lives wondering if we could have made a difference. I can’t live with that. Can you?”

  The question hung in the air between them, sharp and unrelenting. Kai’s heart pounded in his chest, each beat a reminder of the fear clawing at him. He looked away, his gaze drifting to the shrine behind them, its ancient statues standing silent and watchful. They seemed to judge him, their stone eyes piercing through his doubts. What would they do? What would Master do?

  He took a deep breath, the cool night air filling his lungs, and turned back to Lina. Her face was pale in the moonlight, her jaw set with a resolve that both inspired and terrified him. She was ready to risk everything. And though every instinct screamed at him to run, to survive, he knew she was right. He couldn’t live with the regret. Not this time.

  “Alright,” he said at last, his voice steady despite the fear churning in his gut. “We’ll go back. But we stay quiet. We wait for the right moment. And if things go wrong…” He trailed off, unable to finish the thought.

  Lina nodded, a small, grateful smile tugging at the corners of her lips. But her eyes still shimmered with unshed tears, betraying the fear she was trying so hard to hide. “Together,” she said softly, the word a promise and a plea all at once.

  Kai held her gaze for a long moment, the weight of her words settling over him like a heavy cloak. Together. It was a word that carried more meaning now than it ever had before. They weren’t just two students anymore. They were partners. And whatever lay ahead, they would face it side by side.

  As they turned to leave, Kai glanced back at the statues one last time. “We’ll make them proud,” his voice steady.

  Without another word, they turned and hurried back down the path, the shrine and its silent guardians fading into the shadows behind them. The village lay ahead, its fate hanging in the balance like a thread stretched to its breaking point. Kai’s heart raced as they ran, his mind spinning with questions. What would they find? Could they really make a difference? Or were they walking straight into a nightmare?

  He didn’t know. But as he looked at Lina, her face set with determination, he knew one thing for certain: they weren’t abandoning the people who had given them a home. No matter what lay ahead, they would fight. And if they fell, they would fall together.