The fire in the living room crackled faintly, its glow stretching across the cabin and casting long, flickering shadows along the walls. The warmth barely reached the small bedroom, leaving a lingering chill in the air.
Izan shivered beneath the thick blankets of his wooden bed.
A sudden sneeze escaped him, breaking the silence. He rubbed his nose and blinked against the dim light—and that's when he saw her.
His mother sat at the table, hunched over a piece of paper, writing quickly. Her hand trembled slightly, her movements hurried, almost desperate.
Before he could speak, she stood abruptly and rushed into his room.
"Izan… we don't have much time."
Her voice shook despite the calm she tried to force into it.
She moved quickly, grabbing a small bundle of clothes, a blanket, and a few of his toys, stuffing them into his backpack. The folded note she had been writing slipped inside with them.
"I… I can't explain everything," she said, her breathing uneven. "But you have to be brave. If anyone comes… you run. Run north. Don't stop. Do you understand?"
Izan fumbled with the straps of his bag, confusion and fear mixing in his eyes.
"Mom… will you be okay?"
She froze.
Just for a second.
Then she smiled.
"I'll be fine."
The answer came too quickly.
She knelt beside him, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead before pressing something into his hand—a small necklace with a kitsune symbol carved into it.
"This will protect you."
He stared at it, then back at her. "O-okay…"
Her hands lingered on his shoulders for just a moment longer than usual.
"Run, Izan," she whispered.
He climbed through the window at the back of the cabin.
The cold hit him instantly.
Snow crunched beneath his feet as he ran, his small legs pushing forward as fast as they could carry him.
He didn't understand what was happening.
He just knew he had to run.
Then—
A thunderous crash split the night.
Izan turned.
The cabin door burst open, wood splintering as it slammed against the wall. Two men wearing hollow, expressionless masks rushed inside.
They grabbed his mother.
One of them hesitated—just for a second—before tightening his grip.
"Run, Izan! Don't look back!"
His body froze.
His legs refused to move.
The woman stepped forward—calm, controlled.
Not like the others.
The way they moved around her… she was in charge.
A blade of light spun slowly in her hand, humming with quiet power.
For a brief moment, everything felt still.
Then—
She moved.
The blade flashed.
Aremila's body jerked.
Then went still.
Izan's breath caught in his throat.
For a second, the world went completely silent.
Then—
He screamed.
The masked men moved quickly, uncapping gasoline cans and splashing the wooden cabin. The scent filled the air as flames followed instantly, devouring the walls, the floor, everything inside.
The home that had sheltered him his entire life was swallowed in fire.
Izan's legs gave out beneath him.
He collapsed into the snow, clutching the necklace so tightly his fingers hurt.
The heat burned against his back.
The cold bit into his skin.
And the world—
felt like it was breaking apart.
The fire.
The masks.
His mother.
His breathing became uneven, shallow. His vision blurred as tears streamed down his face.
Everything started to fade.
Then—
Warmth.
The necklace pulsed faintly in his hand.
Once.
Then again.
Stronger.
Like it was responding… not just protecting.
Smoke curled from the snow in front of him.
At first, it was faint.
Then it thickened—swirling, twisting, forming.
And something stepped out of it.
A fox.
Half-white. Half-red.
Its fur shimmered under the dim moonlight, and its eyes glowed with a quiet, knowing intensity.
"I'm Sayaka," she said, her voice calm, steady.
"A friend of your mother's."
Her gaze softened as it fell on him.
"I'll protect you."
Her ears twitched.
The one above—the woman—
was different.
Dangerous.
She didn't hesitate.
She gently lifted him, securing him against her, and turned.
Then she ran.
The forest blurred around them.
Branches snapped as she moved, snow scattering beneath her paws. The cold air whipped past, biting and sharp, but she didn't slow down.
A sharp sound cut through the air.
Blades of light.
They rained down from above, slicing through branches, embedding themselves into the ground with explosive force.
Sayaka twisted mid-step, narrowly avoiding one as it struck just beside her.
Another tore through a tree behind her.
Still, she didn't stop.
A faint, sweet scent spread through the air behind her.
Almost gentle.
Almost harmless.
One of the masked men coughed.
Then again.
His movements faltered—
before he collapsed into the snow.
The second lunged forward, forcing his way through.
Sayaka turned.
Her movement was sharp, precise.
Her leg lashed out—
and sent him flying.
A sudden explosion echoed through the forest.
The sound of splintering wood followed.
Then silence.
Only one remained.
The woman.
She floated above the trees, watching.
Studying.
Then—
she moved.
Fast.
Sayaka's ears twitched.
She didn't look back.
She ran faster.
The ground blurred beneath her.
The trees became streaks of shadow and snow.
A blade tore past her shoulder.
Another struck just ahead of her.
She twisted mid-air, landing cleanly before pushing forward again without hesitation.
Then—
a tree appeared ahead.
For a split second, the woman's eyes narrowed.
Something felt off.
But her speed didn't slow.
She passed straight through the illusion—
—and slammed directly into the real tree behind it.
CRASH.
The impact echoed through the forest.
Sayaka didn't stop.
She kept running.
Izan's small hand clutched her fur tighter—
like if he let go,
he'd disappear too.
Time blurred.
Moments stretched and broke apart.
Until—
finally—
a cave.
Dark.
Quiet.
Safe.
Sayaka slowed.
Carefully.
Gently.
She set Izan down.
Then curled around him, her tails wrapping around his small body, shielding him from the cold.
His body still trembled faintly.
Even in unconsciousness.
"It's okay…" she whispered softly.
"You're safe now."
Her tail tightened slightly around him, warm and protective.
"I'll protect you… always."
Izan didn't respond.
But his small hand shifted—
clutching into her fur.
And slowly…
for the first time since it all began—
his body stopped shaking.
Outside, the night remained silent.
The fire in the distance faded.
And for the first time since the world shattered—
Izan wasn't alone.