I arrived at Kansai International Airport after 20 hours of flight, plus the time I spent waiting during transfers. I had never been more thankful for the ability to lose track of time during cultivation. I was also grateful that my aunt had splurged and gotten me business class, as it may have been impossible to meditate in coach.

  Unfortunately, my journey didn't end on the man-made island where the airport was built. I then had to take a bus to a train station, then a series of trains through Osaka, then Kyoto, all the way to Kuruma station. My nostalgia grew stronger as the city scape gave way to mountain forests, and my final stop grew close.

  The train doors slid open with a familiar whoosh, and the crisp mountain air of Kyoto Prefecture greeted me like an old friend. I stepped onto the platform, stretching the stiffness from my shoulders.

  Kuruma Station was quiet, the kind of quiet that only country towns know. The last wisps of daylight clung to the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the familiar eaves of the station roof. It had been years since I last saw this place, but the nostalgia hit me like a wave.

  "Cai!" a voice called out, sharp and clear. I turned toward the parking lot, spotting two figures walking toward me. Amaya led the way, her long black hair swaying slightly with each step and her black eyes shining. She wore a simple black sweater and jeans, her hands tucked into the pockets. Her expression was as stoic as ever, but there was a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips. Her steps were eager though, and her attempts to seem nonchalant failed miserably.

  Behind her, Aunt Akari rolled her eyes good-naturedly. She looked exactly as I remembered —sharp jawline, piercing brown eyes, and her hair tucked into a neat bun. She’d traded her usual traveler’s jacket for a cozy cardigan, but her posture still carried the rigidity of a trained warrior.

  "You took your time getting here," Amaya said, her tone light but teasing. She stopped only an inch in front of me, studying me for a moment before giving me a slight nod. She reached out and tentatively grabbed my jacket. I understood her request and wrapped her in a tight hug. It felt good to be near her again. It reaffirmed for me everything that I was fighting for.

  "It couldn't be helped. I had to fight my way through a whole flock of old women just to find a seat on the train. I nearly died twice!" I replied, earning a rare smile from her.

  Aunt Akari sighed, grabbing one of my suitcases. "You haven’t changed at all, have you? Still making up ridiculous stories."

  "Someone’s got to keep things interesting around here," I shot back, picking up the other bag.

  Amaya fell into step beside me, still clutching my sleave as we headed toward my aunt's car—a silver Honda Civic parked near the lot’s edge. "It is good that you are still alive," she said, her voice casual but with an undercurrent of relief.

  "Just barely," I joked, tossing my luggage into the trunk. The familiar scent of nature and growing things was in the air, and something that was unique to the end of winter and the coming of spring. It was a smell that always brought me back to this place, to these people.

  "Amaya-chan’s been practicing her forms nonstop," Aunt Akari said as she slid into the driver’s seat. "She’s determined to take you down a peg."

  I smirked, leaning back against the passenger seat. "Oh, I’m shaking in my boots."

  Amaya shot me a sidelong look from the backseat. "You should be." There was a brightness in her eyes that betrayed her excitement and good humor. Honestly, I wasn't sure why so many people thought she wasn't expressive. You just had to pay attention.

  The drive home was quiet, the soft hum of the engine filling the car. Amaya stared out the window, her expression thoughtful, while Aunt Akari focused on the winding roads. The fields and forests passed by like a sliding door to my past, memories resurfacing with every mile.

  Once we were home, Amaya wasted no time. "We are sparring tonight," she said the moment we stepped through the door. We took our shoes of at the entry way and replaced them with slippers as she continued. "I want to make sure that you have not been slacking."

  "Sure," I agreed, dropping my bags by the stairs. "But if I kick your butt, don’t blame me."

  She raised a delicate eyebrow, her lip curling slightly. "We shall see."

  Aunt Akari chuckled, giving me a hug before heading into the kitchen. "You two can duke it out later. For now, let’s eat. You look like you could use a real meal."

  Dinner was disarmingly normal —steaming bowls of soba noodles, tempura, and pickled vegetables. We talked about everything and nothing, the unspoken weight of my secrets hanging just below the surface. I wanted to tell them everything, but I wasn't quite sure where to begin.

  After we finished eating, Aunt Akari pushed her bowl away. "You have much to say, but perhaps we should wait until tomorrow. You must be tired."

  I shook my head and drew in a deep breath. "I did nothing but sit for the past twenty-four hours. I feel rested enough. Although, it might be fun to make Amaya wait to hear my secret. It's always fun to see her impatience," I folded my arms with one hand on my chin, looking at Amaya from the corner of my eye. She hadn't left my side since I arrived.

  She gave a little scowl and poked me in the ribs, but didn't say anything. The fierce look in her eyes was enough to let me know exactly what she was thinking.

  I held up my hands in surrender. "Ok, ok. I better talk, or I'll be up all night wondering what Amaya is plotting as revenge. She doesn't think I deserve any sleep if she can't get any because she's been left wondering what my secret is."

  Amaya gave a little head bob, and my aunt smiled while shaking her head in amusement. "I still have no idea how you understand her so well without words."

  I shrugged. "It's a karmic curse." Amaya gave a single nod of agreement, her black ponytail swaying slightly. "I asked a Buddhist priest to break it once, but Amaya scared him away." She gave another nod, but then poked me again. I looked at her a moment then sighed. "She also thinks the curse will only get worse if I can't fulfill my gods given obligation to be her best friend, and try to escape the curse early."

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  Amaya gave a satisfied smile while my aunt couldn't hold back her laughter. "You two are too much. I'm glad you came back. I haven't seen Amaya this happy in a long time." She leaned forward to refill our tea before sitting back and giving us a smirk. "Very well then. For the sake of a good nights sleep for us all, you better tell us what you've been up to."

  I heaved a sigh and picked up my tea before speaking. "Try not to freak out. I have a lot to explain, but I'm going to show you something first."

  The women both watched me patiently as I took a sip of tea. Instead of setting the cup back down, however, I released it mid air. There was a collective intake of breath as they both expected it to fall, then stunned silence when it simply hovered in place.

  "Several weeks ago, I was pulled into another plane of existence by… something. There were several others there, but I couldn't see any details about them. A voice told us that the world was coming into alignment with the Astral realm, and that everything would be changing soon. There will be rifts, monsters, and more coming to the earth." I paused, letting it all sink in.

  Amaya was wide eyed, and her chest was rising and falling rapidly with shallow breaths. Aunt Akari on the other hand was surprisingly calm. She slowly set her cup down and cleared her throat. "You're one of them then. A spire lord."

  It was my turn to gape. "How do you know that name?" I asked, wondering if the news was already common knowledge.

  "I have secrets of my own Cai." She glanced at Amaya before returning her attention back to me. "Secrets I think you need to know about, especially given current circumstances. But I'll let Amaya explain later. For now, continue your story."

  Reluctantly I decided to let it slide for now and continued my explanation. "Well, as you said, I'm a spire lord. A person chosen to build a spire as a means of gathering aether from the Astral and disseminating it to Earth. Aether is a source of magic and power, and with it, people will be able to gain the strength they'll need to survive the changes that are to come. We spire lords were also given powers to become defenders in our own right." I let the cup drift to the table before mumbling. "Although I sort of messed that part up and had to find my own way."

  My aunt raised an eyebrow, but gestured for me to continue. I shrugged, "I found allies in the Astral, and they showed me how to grow strong. I had to fight to free a shard —a sort of pocket realm in the Astral— from corruption. That's how I got injured." I looked to Amaya, who seemed more troubled than I had ever seen her before. Her hands were shaking in her lap, and I reached over and took one. "It wasn't that bad. I'm fine now."

  Her lip trembled and her eyes grew moist. For a heart stopping moment I thought I might actually see her cry. Then she shook her head and stood up. "How am I supposed to protect you from that?" Her voice was barely more than a whisper. She turned and walked quickly out of the room.

  I only had a moment to turn a worried look to my aunt before Amaya came stomping back in, grabbed my hand, and began pulling me along. While one part of me was focused on trying to figure out what Amaya was thinking, another part was swimming in nostalgia as she pulled me through the place I had grown up. It was a very traditional style Japanese home, though with several concessions to modern convenience such as air conditioning and Wi-Fi. It fit my aunt perfectly; Traditional elegance with modern practicality.

  Amaya led me straight to the dojo in the back of the house with determined steps. A thousand memories came back as we entered. Hours spent learning from martial arts masters and sparing with Amaya or my aunt. The tatami floor had been well maintained, and the racks in the corner held a variety of blunt or wooden practice weapons. The faint smell of lacquer, polish, and something more subtle that was distinct to this room had my blood pumping, instinctively preparing for action.

  My childhood friend released my hand and disappeared into a changing room to the side, only to reappear a minute later dressed in a black martial gi underneath her hakama pants. She marched straight to the racks and selected two wooden katanas. Tossing me one, she took a ready stance. "I do not want you to be in danger. I cannot allow you to keep fighting."

  Contrary to her words, she raised her sword and swung at my head. Her movements were practiced and smooth, and I could immediately tell she had improved a great deal since last we sparred. I stepped smoothly into my own form, years of kobudo training—martial arts with weapons—kicking in. I deflected her blow and countered with a stab to her leading shoulder.

  She had always been more dedicated than me, and had beaten me on multiple occasions despite my advantage in reach and strength. Rather than deflect my counter, she demonstrated some impressive footwork and balance, shifting her shoulders in a way that lent power to her next attack. If I hadn't had such an advantage from superhuman strength and speed, I would have been in trouble.

  I blocked her attack with shear power before disengaging. "I can't stop fighting. There are people who need me now. Not to mention the reason I chose to fight in the first place." She came back in before I finished speaking, causing me to grunt my last word as I defended myself.

  We made several more exchanges, and I observed her carefully as we fought. Her grace and technique were incredible, and though I had to hold myself back physically, I knew she had me beat in terms of skill.

  I split my focus with Parallel thought, and dedicated a part of my mind on absorbing her every move, analyzing it and incorporating what I could into my own movements. My mind was fast, and my memory nearly perfect. I felt myself improving with each exchange, yet her resourcefulness and creativity continued to impress me.

  "You said there were others, more of these spire lords. Let them fight. Let them be the ones who die for a cause." She was beginning to breath more heavily, and a light sheen of sweat was forming on her brow. Even so, she only paused a second before she was attacking again.

  I ducked and swept out with a low kick in an attempt to stagger her lead foot. In a moment where she seemed to defy gravity, she picked up her forward foot and snapped out a kick at my face before landing in a crouch. I was barely able to lean to the side enough to avoid the blow.

  "I can't. trust anyone else. to protect what I cherish most." My words were punctuated with the loud clack of our practice swords as she continued her relentless assault.

  I was surprised when she maneuvered her blade to bind my own as she came in close. She usually avoided closing the distance, as my size and strength gave me a distinct advantage in a grapple. Her reason made sense when a small blade appeared out of nowhere in her other hand.

  In a move so deft and seamless that it felt almost like magic, she brought the blade forward in an attempt to press it against my throat. In a flash that must have seemed like magic of my own, —which to be fair, it kind of was— I released my sword and grabbed her wrist with one hand while reaching out with the other to grip her gi. In one fluid motion, I used her momentum to pull her forward and around, pinning her arm painfully out to the side while I held her close.

  Amaya grunted and struggled for a few seconds, even attempting to kick my instep before realizing the futility of her position. I maintained my grip, ensuring she was unable to escape unless I released her.

  "I'm fighting for you Amaya." She grew still at my words, though her breasts still rose and fell as she panted from exertion. "For you and Aunt Akari. I can't trust your safety to anyone else."

  I released her, and she let the dull dagger clatter to the floor before she spun around and rested her head on my chest. In a rare show of affection, she initiated a hug, gripping my tee-shirt tightly as she did.

  I returned her hug, rubbing her back as her shoulders shook silently. "I know it's scary to think that someone you care about might be in danger. That's why I'm doing this after all." I pulled her away gently to look at her face, though she looked away to hide her tears. "Let me finish my story. I barely touched the surface, and there's a lot more you need to know. I think you'll be impressed at what I can do. And what I have planned for the future."

  She sniffled, but nodded weakly. "Yes. You must tell me everything. I was the one who was supposed to protect you after all. If you are going to fight, it is only right that you let me help."

  I raised an eyebrow at her statement, but before I could respond, my aunt's voice called from the doorway. "I agree. We still have our own secret to share after all. Tell us everything, and we'll see what we can do to help."

  I almost jumped in surprise. How is she so stealthy? I thought I would hear her for sure now that my senses have improved. I was beginning to wonder if I would ever be a match for her mythical aunt-tier stealth power.