Chapter 140: The Shatterveil
The first light of dawn was only a hint on the horizon, yet the air already felt weighted, saturated with the salt of the sea and the ghostly hush of the forest.
Cicadas buzzed in the distance, their droning more insistent than usual, as if the island itself sensed the day was different.
Nero found Mu and Zen waiting outside the dojo, just as they had promised.
The two sat cross-legged by a low table, the delicate steam from a shared teapot curling in the morning chill.
The moment felt ritualistic, quiet and solemn, as if something old and sacred was about to be honored.
He joined them, folding himself into the silence. Neither Mu, nor Zen spoke at first.
Mu poured the tea with precise, meditative movements.
Zen reclined with one leg slung over his knee, fingers tapping out a nervous pattern that betrayed more worry than his face ever would.
Nero cradled the teacup, savoring the bitter warmth.
He knew what today meant, not just for him, but for the unspoken trust that had grown between them.
He'd asked for this. He'd insisted.