Episode 22 — The Woman in Black
Mira tried to act normal after the fight, but Drako noticed immediately that something was wrong.
She laughed when Kaien kept making fun of Drako for breaking the arena lights, rolled her eyes when Draxen exaggerated how close the match had been, and even threatened Adrian when he asked whether her shadow ability could help him sneak into restricted technology rooms.
But her smile never fully reached her eyes.
Drako had seen the dark energy explode around her body during their fight.
He had also seen the fear on her face when the crowd noticed.
Now, as the group walked away from the arena, Mira kept glancing toward the observation levels.
Drako bumped her shoulder lightly.
“You’re doing that thing.”
Mira looked at him. “What thing?”
The thing where you pretend you’re fine while looking like you’re planning to murder a wall.” Kaien laughed. “That’s usually Drako’s thing.” Drako pointed at him.
“Nobody asked the flaming chicken.” Kaien’s eyes narrowed. “Call me that again.” “Flaming chicken.” Phoenix fire appeared around Kaien’s hand.
Draxen stepped between them laughing. “Please wait until after the tournament.
I want to copy that fire before one of you dies.” Teck looked at Draxen. “Technically, if one of them dies, the ability might become unavailable.” Draxen stared at him. “You’re terrible at comforting people.”
“I wasn’t trying.” Even Mira laughed at that, but Drako saw her eyes shift toward the upper balcony again.
The tournament officials announced a break before the quarterfinal matches. Only eight competitors remained.
Drako, Kaien, Draxen, Raizen, and three other fighters had advanced, while Mira had been eliminated by less than a fraction of a second.
Adrian was already out, but he seemed more interested in studying the remaining competitors than being upset about it now.
Teck wasn’t competing, yet somehow had accumulated more information than the tournament staff.
The group gathered in one of the academy dining halls. Drako dropped into a chair and immediately grabbed food from Kaien’s plate. Kaien slapped his hand away.
“Get your own.”
“Yours looked better.”
“It’s exactly the same food.”
“Then you shouldn’t care.”
Draxen stole something from Kaien’s other side while he was arguing. Kaien turned.
“Did you just—” Draxen chewed casually.
“No.”
Adrian nearly choked laughing. For a few minutes, the group felt normal again.
That was exactly what Drako liked about them. Everyone had strange abilities, dangerous families, hidden histories, and probably enough secrets to fill an entire library, yet they could still argue over food like idiots.
Then Mira suddenly stood. “I’ll be back.” Drako looked up.
“Where are you going?” “Nowhere.”
“That’s a suspicious answer.”
Mira gave him a look. “Bathroom.” Drako raised both hands. “I withdraw the question.” She left. Several seconds later, Drako’s expression became serious.
Blood Sense activated quietly. He could still detect Mira’s heartbeat moving through the hallway. Then another heartbeat began following her. Slow. Controlled. Strong. Drako stood. Kaien looked at him.
“What?”
“Someone’s following Mira.” The joking disappeared instantly. Raizen was already standing before Drako finished the sentence. Draxen pushed his chair back.
Teck activated a tiny hovering device. Adrian looked between them. “Should we get an instructor?”
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Drako nodded.
“You and Teck alert someone. Quietly.” Kaien’s Phoenix flames vanished.
“We’re going after her.”
Drako smiled faintly. “Look at you learning teamwork.” “Keep talking and I’ll let the mysterious assassin take you too.”
Mira walked through one of the quieter academy corridors toward an outdoor courtyard.
She had sensed the person behind her several minutes earlier but hadn’t reacted.
When she reached the center of the courtyard, she stopped. “You’ve been following me since the arena.” A woman stepped from beneath an archway.
She wore a long black coat and gloves covering both hands. Her hair was silver-gray, and a black symbol shaped like a broken moon was visible briefly near her wrist before disappearing beneath the sleeve.
“You’ve grown,” the woman said. Mira’s entire body became tense.
“I don’t know you.” “Yes, you do.”
Mira’s shadows moved around her feet instinctively.
The woman’s eyes lowered toward them. “You still use the darkness when you’re frightened.” Mira drew one blade.
“Say what you came to say.”
The woman smiled sadly. “Your mother had the same temper.” Mira froze. “Don’t talk about her.” “Then you do remember.”
Dark energy began spreading around Mira. “Who are you?” The woman took one step forward.
“Someone who knew your family before they disappeared.”
Drako and the others reached the corridor leading toward the courtyard just in time to hear that sentence.
He raised one hand, stopping Kaien from charging in. “Wait.” Kaien whispered, “Why?” “Because Mira needs answers.” Draxen nodded.
Raizen remained completely silent, listening. The woman continued.
“The bloodline everyone believed destroyed survived through you.”
Mira’s grip tightened around her blade.
“What bloodline?” “You know what it is.” “I know stories.” “Stories your parents told you because the truth would have placed you in danger.” The woman’s expression became colder.
“During the old war, certain human families carried abilities that could move through darkness itself.
They were used for infiltration, assassination, rescue, and intelligence. When the war ended, most of those families were hunted.” Mira’s voice lowered.
“By the Azunakkii?”
Drako’s expression changed behind the wall. The woman didn’t answer immediately. “Not only by them.”
Mira took a step backward. “Humanity hunted them too?” “Fear makes allies temporary.” The woman looked directly at Mira.
“Your family learned that the hard way.”
Before Mira could respond, Drako’s System suddenly appeared. [Unknown shadow bloodline detected.] [Similarity to ancient war records: Partial.] [Warning: Observer possesses significantly greater power than Host.]
Drako quietly dismissed the screen. Kaien whispered, “Are we still waiting?” Drako nodded. “Unless she threatens Mira.”
Draxen smiled slightly. “Look at Drako being responsible.” Drako whispered, “I’m always responsible.” Teck’s voice came through a tiny communication device Draxen was wearing. “Statistically false.”
Drako looked around. “How is he hearing us?” Draxen tapped his ear. “Green Family.” Even Raizen almost smiled.
Inside the courtyard, the woman removed something from her coat. Mira immediately raised both blades, but the object wasn’t a weapon.
It was a small black pendant shaped like a crescent moon. Mira’s face changed. “Where did you get that?” “It belonged to your mother.” Mira lowered one blade slightly.
“She’s dead.” “I know.”
The woman’s voice softened. “I was there.” Mira’s heartbeat accelerated so rapidly that Drako felt it through Blood Sense.
“What happened?”
The woman looked toward the courtyard entrance. “We aren’t alone.” Drako sighed. “Well, there goes subtle.” He stepped out. Kaien, Draxen, and Raizen followed.
Mira stared at them. “You followed me?” Drako pointed at the woman. “Technically, we followed her following you.” Mira looked furious. “Drako.” “You’re welcome.” Kaien whispered, “Maybe not the time.” “Definitely the time.
She looks like she’s about to stab me.”
The woman studied them carefully. Her eyes paused on Kaien. “Phoenix.” Then Draxen. “Blade.”
Then Raizen. Her expression changed slightly but she said nothing. Finally, she looked at Drako. Her composure broke for the first time. One golden trace and one crimson trace were faintly visible around him through her shadow perception.
“You…”
Drako raised an eyebrow.
“Me. Apparently everybody has that reaction.”
The woman took one step toward him. Dark energy spread across the entire courtyard. Kaien’s flames ignited immediately. Draxen activated two copied abilities. Raizen drew his sword.
Drako partially transformed, scales appearing across his forearms. Mira stepped between them. “Stop!” Everyone froze. She looked at the woman. “You’re here for me.
Leave them out of it.” The woman stared at Drako for another second before withdrawing her energy. “I’m not here to fight.” Drako relaxed slightly. “Could’ve fooled me.”
Footsteps approached from the academy corridor. Teck and Adrian arrived with two instructors, but the courtyard was already empty.
The woman had vanished into the shadow beneath the archway. Only the pendant remained in Mira’s hand. One instructor demanded an explanation.
Mira looked at Drako. He waited. This was her secret, not his. Mira finally closed her fingers around the pendant. “Someone from my family’s past found me.”
The instructor became serious. “Who?” Mira shook her head. “I don’t know yet.”
Later that evening, the group sat together on the academy rooftop. Nobody pushed Mira for details. She eventually spoke on her own.
“My parents told me never to show the full shadow ability. They said people would recognize it.” Drako nodded. “Looks like they were right.” Mira looked at him.
“You’re not going to ask what else I can do?” Drako smiled. “I’ll just fight you again and annoy it out of you.”
Mira laughed.
“You’re an idiot.” “A winning idiot. Three hundredths of a second.” She threw a small piece of food at him.
Kaien immediately joined in. Within seconds, everyone was throwing food except Teck, who was carefully moving his plate away from the chaos. “This is inefficient.” Draxen threw something at him.
Teck’s miniature barrier blocked it. Adrian pointed excitedly. “I need one of those.”
For a moment, Mira forgot to be afraid.
Then the tournament screens across the academy activated. [QUARTERFINAL MATCHUPS CONFIRMED.] Drako looked toward the display. His name appeared beside someone he knew extremely well.
DRAKO VS. RAIZEN.
The rooftop became quiet. Raizen slowly looked at Drako and rested one hand on his sword. Drako smiled. “Well, this is awkward.” Raizen gave him the smallest smile.
“Try not to break the lights.” Everyone started laughing again. Tomorrow, Drako wouldn’t just be facing one of his closest friends.
He would be facing the most technically skilled fighter in their group—and another secret was about to come dangerously close to being revealed.
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