The Samurai: Rise and Call of Cthulhu

Chapter four: In Another Time

As the sun began to set, Roman twirled a branch in boredom while his companions searched the water for something in a valley deep in the land, where the bones of long-deceased daemons lay.

"Not finished?" Roman asked.

Rose turned to him, holding an orb in her hands. "The Starstone of Mnar," she said.

Adam gives a nod of confirmation as they look down at the silver crystal with black accents.

Elsewhere In a misty swamp where dead trees curl up sinisterly, soul collectors move among the mangled branches in search of their master. They soon swarmed to where she stood upon an edge overlooking the swamp area. One of the collectors lowered to her ear giving her information.

"Interesting..." Allura says "A daemonic aura has replaced Zrakon's. I will discover who's..."

Later that night, Adam and the team are stagnant over a body of water upon the sea as they drop the crystal from the dragon they retrieved earlier. As the crystal falls into the depths below as Ithaqua's voice speaks another poem as a white seal begins to glow.

"The cloudless day is richer at its close; A golden glory settles on the lea; Soft, stealing shadows hint of cool repose To mellowing landscape, and to calming sea. And in that nobler, gentler, lovelier light, The soul to sweeter, loftier bliss inclines; Freed from the noonday glare, the favored sight Increasing grace in earth and sky divines. But where the purest radiance crowns the green, Or fairest luster fills the' expectant grove, The twilight thickens, and the fleeting scene Leaves but a hollow memory of love!"

At another body of water, Adam continues the power as she drops the Flute of the servitors into another body of water on the sea. At the bottom of the water a green seal begins to glow before Ithaqua appears in the mirror smirking.

"Three more remain..." Sendak said "Which one should we go after next?"

"Ring of Eibon." Adam says. "Aurs."

"Fine..." Sendak said as they flew higher up into the air of the night sky.

The following day, in the forest near Aurs where the old well was located, voices could not be heard from far away. The half-daemon's curiosity was piqued by his friend's actions. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"I had a brilliant idea after we spent the night in my time," Shiro said, fiddling with something in her hands. "That's why I was gone this morning when you woke up."

"Where did you go anyway?" he asked.

"Just to a small shop to get something," Shiro said, taking a pair of scissors and cutting something out. "Plus these pictures came out so good, I think they shouldn't just hang out on my wall to fade."

He reached into her pocket and pulled out the necklace he had found at the old antique shop. It was a bronze sakura flower locket.

"And done!" she said, placing the picture of them staring at each other in the slots of the locket. "Here."

Shiro stood up and walked over to Keith, raising the locket over his head. "It's a locket."

"Why do I need..." Keith said, watching as he placed it around his neck.

His eyes focus on her face as he looks at how he had changed since their meeting. He was a boy from another world who didn't know anything had matured from the boy who dared wake him from his almost eternal slumber later.

Now before him though, was a young man taught well by his time in Altea and at his side, stronger, braver, and wiser all the more. He had been so focused on him that he just barely missed what he had been saying to him.