https://youtu.be/aa8jpjbUEhg

Where Suzaku had been red, Seiryu followed suit with its cool blue hues covering its main body. Its terrain was much grassier compared to where the heroes had left, and the houses seemed a lot smaller than before, too. As night fell and the moon illuminated the dark sky, the carriage took them through a grass-filled path and into a city guarded by soldiers dressed in a bright blue scale mail.

It led them through the streets - almost empty, as the world at this time was falling asleep - allowing them to gaze upon the architecture of Seiryu, which seemed to cross wood and stones together to form buildings, with bushes and trees slotted comfortably in-between, lanterns hanging off them. Wooden planks lined the roads, separating them from the pavements and buildings, and compared to Suzaku, the roads were very pebbly, with plenty of grass growing through the cracks. Ashbel smiled as he noted the differences; this place really seemed to be a lot closer to nature.

The carriage turned through the blue-tinted streets, and as the horses drawing it turned into a clear part of the city, a strong equine stench slowly began to invade the senses of the passengers. It only grew stronger as the carriage slowed down, and as it stopped, they stood before a humble-looking wooden stable, its short, sheltered cuboidal shape looking like a comfortable home by horse standards. As the sturdy-looking stablehand barked some commands and opened the door, Ashbel took it upon himself to nudge Viera, who had fallen asleep mid-journey, while Sly motioned to remove his cloak from her.

"W-What? Are we there yet?" the priestess questioned, looking outside to view her surroundings. She saw Sly putting his cloak back on, and as she looked to her side she observed Ashbel looking out the window, humming quietly.

"You've got that right." Ashbel commented, stretching his arms out. "Welcome to Seiryu, capital of the east."

Sly nodded along, pulling out what seemed to be a calendar from his cloak and reading it. "The main attractions here include trees, evil lightbulbs, and ninjas who want to kill you."

"Thrilling." Viera murmured, standing up and beginning to step out of the carriage. "Let's go find an inn."

The other two followed along - not quite as obviously tired as she was, but still desiring to see what the sleeping establishments were like here - like tourists, of sorts. Seeing the glowing white crescent in the sky, they knew that sightseeing could probably wait.

.........

The room differed from their lodgings at the Feather Towers in more than just colour scheme. There was a wooden floor with a woolly blue carpet covering each individual plank. The table at the wall held basic necessities, like a hand mirror and a few glass bottles of water. And the main attraction was a pair of beds, both made of materials thinner and harder than had been observed at Suzaku.

Yes, two beds. Viera had once again insisted on sleeping separately from Ashbel and Sly, but the latter two felt more comfortable in one another's presence. Sly sat on one bed, facing Ashbel, who made a beeline for the desk, and the two of them looked at one another, the salamander listening closely to Sly's ranting.

"...and he just let him go! I knew what an unsupervised Sully was capable of, he knew, and nobody knew better than Sully himself! And yet, he just let. Him. Go."

"Aww, I'm sure Master Garou knows what he's doing." Ashbel interjected, grinning nervously, which only seemed to annoy Sly a little.

"Maybe he does." he crossed his arms in annoyance. "The problem is, 'what he's doing' is inflicting Hurricane Sullivan onto the world!"

"Then why don't you kill him? You clearly have a problem with his continued existence..."

"Because life is boring, and obnoxious as he is, he's one of the only things challenging that." Sly explained, sighing. "He's like a whetstone - the only thing he's good for is keeping your blades sharp. And throwing at people, I guess."

"Woah, have you thrown him at someone before?"

"Eh, there was this one time." Sly shrugged. "We were caught in an ambush, and I needed a distraction."

"Wow, you're horrible." Ashbel chuckled, as Sly delivered a peace sign in response. "Better not throw me at anyone."

"Don't worry, I swear on my pinky." Sly replied calmly, clearing his throat. "But enough about my interpersonal relationships. Let's talk about yours!"

"Uh, mine?" Ashbel pointed at himself, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, I guess there's Luc, but..."

"Lemme just step right in. I'm interested in one person in particular." Sly interrupted. "Let's talk about Viera. She's just a client, right?"

"I guess?" Ashbel nodded slowly, unsure where this discussion was headed.

Sly nodded slowly at that. "So, I'm just wondering..." he murmured. "Do you only put up with her because that's your job?"

"...why do you ask?" Ashbel raised an eyebrow. Sly gave a casual shrug.

"Well, she's a bit of a pill, isn't she?"

"Aw, she's not that bad..." Ashbel chuckled quietly.

"I mean, yeah, she's no Sully, but that's not really a high bar to clear, is it?" Sly continued. "She's a little...high-strung for my tastes, you feeling me?"

"She's just trying to take things seriously." Ashbel gave a laid-back chuckle as he leaned back in his seat. "Given what's at stake, who can blame her?"

"That, I can get." Sly sighed, laying down and stretching his legs. "But does she have to be so mean about it? I'm just trying to have some fun."

"I mean, I get it. There's a lot of fun to be had, stories to be told." Ashbel commented. "But I'm sure she's got her reasons for acting the way she does. It's plain to see she doesn't trust us yet. Just give her a chance, and I'm sure she'll give us one in turn."

"I guess..." Sly frowned a little. "I'm just not sure how I feel about having to prove that I won't sell out the world for a cheap thrill. It's a real vibe-killer."

"I see what you mean..." Ashbel commented. "But she's got a good heart. I can tell."

"What makes you so sure? Can you see into people's souls or something?"

"Not necessarily. But she did want to bear this torch herself, you know." Ashbel said, placing a hand onto his heart. "And she knew what she was getting into."

"Haha, yeah, I remember the tantrum she threw when I first met her!" Sly chuckled. "She was all 'it should have been me, not him!' and by the gods, it was hilarious."

Ashbel chuckled quietly, thinking this complicated things a little. "She was looking forward to this..." he murmured, before clearing his throat, standing up and heading over to the other bed. "Either way, she's made a choice to enter this battle, knowing the stakes. I think that's admirable."

Sly shrugged. "I guess." he replied. "You hitting the hay?"

"Yep. I feel we've got a big day tomorrow." Ashbel responded, getting into his sheets and making himself comfortable. "Night, Sly."

"Before you do that, I've just got one question." Sly interjected, and Ashbel raised an eyebrow as he turned around to face him. "...how did you know my name was 'Sylvester'?"

"The Torch told me." Ashbel responded simply, wrapping his sheets around himself like a cocoon. Sly stared at him, trying to detect any irony or sarcasm in that statement before realising there was none. A little unsure what to make of this, he simply shrugged and closed his eyes, waiting for Ashbel to fall asleep.

.........

Tonight, Ashbel found it strangely easy to get in some shut-eye. Strange, because he was usually a late sleeper, and a rather light one, too. It was about midnight when he got into bed, and in Ashbel's eyes, that was a few hours ahead of schedule.

All of a sudden, however, he felt his eyelids being pulled open, and the warmth in his chest seemed to fade away. As he looked ahead, he noticed he was in the same black limbo that he'd entered at the shrine, embers rising off the edge of his peripheral vision. Floating a few metres in front of him was the Torch, burning with its black flames. And in its multitude of voices, it spoke;

"Welcome, Torchbearer of Resolve."

"Ah, Torch. Hello again." he waved, smiling at that ever-welcome feeling of comfort, a warm embrace that told him this was no dream. "Is there a reason for this visit? I was kinda in the middle of something..."

"It is through slumber, trance and fantasy that we are connected. For this flame bears the hopes and dreams of all who wielded its power before." the Torch explained, its fire flickering and flaring up. "All but one..."

"That one being me, right?"

"That isn't quite right, no..."

https://youtu.be/Sp0ODhjIq7Y

Ashbel quirked an eyebrow as he heard a different voice - the crusty-sounding words of an old man. He watched the black fire engulf the Torch entirely, and out of the bonfire walked a man. His hair was long and grey, and his lilac eyes had an almost tortured look beneath them, which one could see only by looking closely. His clothing was simple and humble - in poor condition, even, as he wore tattered lilac robes under a grey shawl, with a sword at his hip and a pair of sandals. Combined with his aged face, he gave off the air of a traveller, who had seen the world.

His eyes met Ashbel's, who was no doubt confused, and he offered the younger swordsman a cheerful smile. "What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

"Ah, something like that." Ashbel chuckled quietly, nodding slowly and trying to recall where he'd seen this man before - maybe on that monument Viera had shown him? "Are you a Torchbearer?"

The old man nodded quickly. "I'm not just any Torchbearer." he said. "You could say I'm...the Torchbearer."

"Uh, come again?"

"Allow me to formally introduce myself." the old man placed a hand to his heart and took a bow. "My name is Kiran, and I'm the Torchbearer of Light - the first Torchbearer."

"Oh?" Ashbel widened his eyes slightly in surprise, placing a hand on his own heart. "Well, then...I'm-"

"I already know who you are, Ashbel." Kiran smiled, and Ashbel stopped at once. "I know all about you - even things that you yourself don't know."

"Huh, that feels...uncomfortable." Ashbel frowned slightly. "Think you could tell me?"

"There's a time and place for everything, my boy." Kiran wagged his finger. "Now, I can imagine you have a few more questions..."

"Like why the flames are black if you're the Torchbearer of Light?"

"Well, the colour of these shadows varies depending on the wielder!" Kiran explained. "Back in my day, it looked like ordinary fire, you know."

"So, what does this say about me?"

"Allow me to run a comparison to your most recent predecessor - the Purity. His Torch burned with a most brilliant white flame." Kiran explained. "And he was a most prideful man, who always knew he was a hero. Most of all, he believed in his own righteousness."

"And me?" Ashbel raised an eyebrow.

"Your flame is black, the polar opposite." Kiran continued. "For unlike Davante, you have never once considered yourself a hero. You are one that has embraced darkness, without stopping to look at the light; and yet, the light still guides you."

"...the Torch said that, but I still dunno if it's quite right..." Ashbel murmured.

"I can think of at least one Torchbearer who would agree with you there." Kiran sighed. "Ashbel Hagen, I implore you to ask yourself; what does being a hero mean to you?"

"W-Well, I-"

"You needn't answer now. This is something for you to discover in your own time." Kiran shook his head, stopping Ashbel in his tracks. "And the time may soon come for you to find your answer."

Kiran smiled cheerfully, and as Ashbel saw the embers rapidly rising, an orange glow filled his vision. "I wish you luck in your endeavours, my successor, for your journey is only just...beginning." he said. "But unfortunately, our time is up for today!"

"Wait, hold on! I'm not done here yet!" Ashbel exclaimed, stepping closer to Kiran, who did not move. "Can you at least tell me more about the Beginning? And that missing Torchbearer you brought up?"

"I feel you're about to get a more hands-on tutorial." Kiran said, his voice slowly fading away as Ashbel's entire line of sight went up in flames. "Rest well, ember! Conserve your energy for battles to come!"

Everything burnt away, and with it, the last dregs of Ashbel's energy. He returned to his slumber, as though nothing had happened.

.........

https://youtu.be/u1RSQIVHTLg

Nights like these were always the longest, thought the Rook. The armoured swordsman stood by a church - a small wooden building with a matching dragon sculpture carved onto its roof. Its windows had no glass, instead being circular holes cut into the walls. He gazed off into the distance, the impish expression on his mask unchanging, and mused on all the recent happenings.

"Rook! There you are!"

His thoughts were interrupted, however, and as he turned around, he looked down at the Knight, who approached him from behind. Having been unable to replace her mask yet, her bright blue eyes were on full display, and as she drew closer to the Rook, she gave him a slight smile.

"You were looking for me?" he questioned, closely examining the jubilation on display with her mannerisms. She was always so energetic, so eager to do the right thing. So naturally, he had to show her what the right thing was, and she would never hesitate to follow his example.

She nodded at his question, looking up at him with shining eyes. "Of course! You just disappeared in the middle of that meeting!" she shuddered, remembering how she was left alone with the Bishop and the Lance. A thoroughly unpleasant experience, for sure.

"My sincerest apologies." the Rook bowed his head. "What conclusions did you come to, if I may ask?"

"Well, there has been a shortage of Pawns up north, so we told the King to put the General there for the time being." the Knight explained. "Other than that, we have orders to patrol Seiryu tomorrow."

"What of the world's heartbeat? Was that discussed?"

"Well, the Bishop brought that up..." the Knight murmured. "But the King seemed rather opposed to the idea of cooperating with any Torchbearers we find."

"Curious." the Rook noted under his breath. "So, you will be patrolling tomorrow, yes?"

"That is correct." the Knight nodded, standing up straight. "Will you be there?"

"Unfortunately, I have my own business to attend to." the Rook shook his head. "Therefore, I shall not be joining you. But worry not, for you are more than capable on your own."

"I hope you're right. I've never fought the Dawn Deliverance before." she sighed. "The Bishop believes they might be in this city. Naturally, the duty falls to us to stop them."

"Of course. This organisation was formed for the purpose of spreading goodness around the world." the Rook said. "You would do well to strike down evil wherever it stands."

"That is correct." the Knight nodded, smiling slightly. "Any demons I find will fall before this blade of mine!"

"Your determination is commendable as always, Knight." the Rook noted, looking back into the distance. "But do not forget - your sword is a sword of justice. Defending the weak..."

"...must always come first." the Knight nodded. "I understand."

"Always keep this in mind, and you shall never lose sight of your path." the Rook looked down at her. "Now, then, is that all you came for?"

"Not at all! I wanted to see if you had the time to spar." she explained, shaking her head slowly. "I need to stay on top of things if I ever encounter Ashbel Hagen again."

"And I suppose my fighting style would be the most similar to his..." the Rook muttered. "Very well, then. But this session shall be brief. You must get enough rest, in preparation for battles to come."

The Knight listened, nodding slowly and giving the Rook a serious look. "Alright. Then I shall work even harder tonight."

The Rook took a few steps back, keeping his eyes on her and placing a hand on the hilt of his sword, lowering his stance. "A tenacious spirit. Very commendable." he commented. "Then draw your sword, and let us begin!"

As the Knight drew her own sabre in response, she stared at the armoured swordsman in front of her, hoping this would be good enough practice for her fated confrontation with the demon who broke her mask; and with it, her pride. She would be avenged - and this would be the first step.