Saul check his contracted mark as the counter reads 10 on his hand. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to use his contract mark to heal himself again. But he saw that his arm was damaged the most. He took in a deep breath and let the contract mark begin to heal. The blood began to dry up, the open wound slowly sealed itself away. As his wounds heals, the contract mark’s counter began to slowly count down. It numbers began at 10 but slowly dropped down to 6. Four seconds, to heal his arm. All it did was reminding how weak he’s getting instead of get stronger. It frustrated him, to no end. But he didn’t want it to bother him at the moment. He decides to walk back to the manor, hopefully it’ll clear his head a bit of his ordeal. However, just a few meters, a masked figure was stalking him through the trees. The figure was also covering Saul’s trail as well to make sure; he wasn’t being followed by anyone else other than the masked figure.

Meanwhile back in the canyon, Kam and Jax were beaten as a furious Sara and Frey tied them and give them both a heavy lecture. 

“What the fuck were you two thinking?! Do you have any idea of what guys put him through today?!” Sara yelled at them. 

“We just wanted to spend some time with the kid. Training was one thing, but the kid definitely needs a brake. And we though this was good chase to enjoy his time off a bit while also get to know a bit more.” Kam replied. But Kam was quickly bashed on the head by Frey’s sword sheath. 

“By taking him from us without telling us anything?!” Frey yelled.

“We forgot okay!” Kama and Jax said. 

“Anyway, you done punishing us? We need to get back with the kid. Pretty sure he’s gonna be a bit lonely without any of us watching him.” Jax implied. 

“Fine, but you two grounded for a week!” Sara yelled as she unties them both. 

“yes ma’am.” They said. Sara and Frey has a head start towards the end of the canyon, while Kam and Jax soon followed. They make their way towards the last sight Saul was at. But he was nowhere to be seen. 

“You sure this where you last saw him?” Frey asked. 

“Beside wrestling with you while keeping track of the kid? Yes” Kam said. Sara smelled a scent of his blood as she found small droplets of blood. They were dry but still fresh enough for her to track. 

“He went that way!” she point southwest. 

“Huh, guess the kid is trying to head back home” Kam implied. 

“You’re still grounded remember?”

The ground runs towards the same direction to catch up with Saul. Further ahead, Saul was still walking but he was still lost in his mind. Barely knowing that he’s straying off the path slightly due west. “How can I be so damn careless of getting hurt? Maybe I’m not really cut out for this.” He said to himself. 

“Do you wish to know that for sure young one?” a young voice exclaimed behind. Shocked, he quickly turned around, but there was nobody. He starts to think that he’s really losing his mind. But the voice was really there. 

“You must enlighten yourself before you enlighten your path.” The voice called out to him. 

“Who’s there?!” He yelled. 

“Follow the wind’s path and you will know.” The voice responded. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew in his direction as the wind gathers around his body and leads him up westwards

“Yeah I’m not gonna be doing that. I’m gonna head back hom-“ before he could take a another step, a powerful gust of wind blow him westwards as the wind blow him towards the west. The figure then comes down from the trees as she folds a fan in her hand. 

“You wish to know. Therefore, you must see it through to the end.” The mysterious figure said. She pulls out another fan from her sleeve and with one swing the wind gathered around as the she was floating up in the air like a feather and flew into the same direction as Saul.

Meanwhile Sara and the others were trailing on Saul but then Sara slowly stopped. She halted as she tries to get a good whiff for his scent again. “Everything alright?” Frey asked. 

“his scents gone. 

“What?!” Kam exclaimed. 

“The trail ends here. But I don’t see him.” She said. 

“You don’t think kiddo got careless and got himself eaten?” Jax asked. 

“No, if he did, we would see his body or even parts of his body here. The wolves can only devour him so much.” Frey replied. 

“It’s faint, but… split up! Look around for some clues and report back if you find any trace. Especially you two.” She yelled. 

“Yes chief.” Kam and Jax said. Sara remain around the perimeter while Frey begins to head west. Kam made his way to the north while Jax makes his way towards south towards the manor. She then feels the air has been grow surprisingly strong toward… a bit.. too strong. “Don’t tell.. not you too.” She said too herself.

Meanwhile, back in the west, Saul was still being carried by the wind at a rapid pace but also carrying him to dodge obstacles. All the while he’s been getting a bit nauseous from the wind as it swinging him and many different directions. 

“Not..good.. for..my… stomach.” He said as he’s becoming more and more nauseous with his stomach. The wind then broke away as he skids across the ground having a rough land. He groaned as he didn’t enjoy the ride at all. He couldn’t hold it any longer as he begins to throw up on the ground. 

“Never… flying.. again..” he said as vomits again. Slowly, he picked himself up again but loses his balance. His visions was blurry still but began to clear up a bit. When his vision began to clean up, he could smell a sweet aroma in the air. Cherry blossoms, peaches, and incenses. He sees bridge leading over towards a garden at the center of a lake. He could also see that someone is at the center of the garden drinking tea.

“When was this near the manor?” he said to himself. Cautiously, he starts to walk on the bridge and in the water were brightly colored yet enormous Koi fish in the lake. They were almost the size of a great white shark if not bigger. Observing the area more, he could see cherry blossoms trees with some peaches hanging at the edge of the branches. But they were bigger compare to normal peaches in the human world. This was a new sight to behold on him and differs much from the red tree he’d normally sees in the south. A sakura pedal falls on his nose but then quickly dissolves itself into liquid. Unlike the ones from the south, the scent was sweet and again it smelled like peaches and cherries. Again, a breath of fresh than from the leave of the south where upon contact, the leaves turned into blood.

“Wow” he said to himself. He then ventures forwards and reaches the end of the bridge and the center of the garden. He slowly approaches the induvial sitting down at the center garden. The figure was wearing an orange Buddhist robe and a white tengu mask. But before Saul could approach any further, the stranger stopped him. The strangers gestured that Saul should remove his shoes before stepping on the blanket. Saul didn’t question it but the stranger had a point and did was instructed. He didn’t know what to expect from the stranger as he or even she was having lunch in front of him. She was having a bowl of rice, along with teriyaki, mochi, chopped vegetables, and tea. The stranger paused and looked at Saul seeing how he was staring at the food but not because he was hungry. But then, the stranger turned to it’s left and filled another of rice and prepare some teriyaki and mochi as well for him.

“Oh no, I’m not hungry that’s okay.” Saul said. But the stranger didn’t listen and pointed Saul to sit with it. But before Saul could sit, the stranger gesture to sit on his knees, not on his legs. But again, he didn’t complain as he didn’t be rude and ask why. The stranger then placed the food and a cup of tea in front of him. “Thank you for the food.” He said as he picks up a pair of chopsticks and begins to eats his lunch. The stranger then continues to serve itself a second patch of rice and tea. Saul couldn’t exactly get a read on the stranger due to the mask covering its face except for its mouth. However, as soon as the stronger was done eating it’s lunch, it adjusted its mask to cover the rest of its face. Saul raised his brow and as he still doesn’t know how to read the stranger. He finished his food and starts drinking his tea but still feels a bit creeped out that the stranger is just staring at him while he was eating. “Ahh, thank you so much for the food. It was delicious.” He said as he bows to the stranger and stranger bows back to him. “Well, I’m gonna need to head back. Thanks again for the food-“ Saul was about to stand up but the stranger placed its Bo staff on Saul’s shoulder.

“あなたは少しの間留まるべきです.” The stranger said from a famine voice. Saul was confused on why the stranger is stopping him. 

“Uh, thanks but I don’t need a second course of food.” Saul said as he didn’t know what she’s saying. 

“滞在!” she yells as she smacks her bo staff on Saul’s shoulder. He quickly backed down to his knees from the hit as his shoulder was once again dislocated. It was bad enough that his arm was dislocated once but now again from the whack of staff. The stranger then places her hand on Saul’s shoulder and cracked his shoulder back in place. 

“AAHHHH! What the hell was that for!?” Saul yells in pain. 

“それでも肩に痛みを感じますか？” she asks again. 

 “I don’t understand what you’re saying. I don’t speak Japanese.” He said as he rubs his shoulder to numb the pain a bit. The stranger then points to his shoulder. 

“If it’s about my shoulder then yes it still hurts. Even if you snapped back in place. Gah!” he said as he continues to rub it. 

“Quit your complaining. I didn’t want you to leave soon.” she said again but now in English. Saul was surprised that she spoke in English but also mad. 

“If you could- ugh, never mind. Who are you?” Saul asked in frustration. 

“That depends.” 

“Depends on what?” 

“Depends what you’re really capable of doing and whether or not you really are doubting yourself.” 

“Trust…myself? Wait, are you another member of-“ Before he could finish his sentence she shoved her Bo staff into his mouth. 

 “I wouldn’t speak any further if I were you. I want to see if you’re really cut out for this. But I also want to see how their training has really changed you or are you just wasting your time with us.” 

She said as she slowly pulls the Bo Staff out from his mouth. She then stood up and gave Saul a Katana sword. He then takes the sword as he feels how light yet dense it feels compared to his long sword he’d normally use to train with Frey and Sara. He slowly got up but then he suddenly got kick and slide across the garden. 

“That is of course, if you live long enough for me to judge you?” 

She then kicks the bottom of her Bo Staff and twirls it around her body and finishes the twirl with a pose. 

“Let us begin Xiao Saul.”