Dream Scene (Inside Hikaru's Mind While Unconscious):
(A dense darkness swallows everything. But little by little, faint points of light begin to shimmer in the distance, like distant stars in an endless night. A soft whispering voice, like a breeze rustling through branches, begins to rise.)
Grandfather's Voice (with deep tenderness):"Hikaru... don't be afraid. In the heart of darkness, light is born—but only for those brave enough to seek it."
(A vision of the village appears within the darkness—flames devour the houses, but among the ashes, white flowers bloom, glowing gently as if pulsing with life.)
(Hikaru as a child stands among the flowers, staring into the murky horizon where the blurred silhouettes of his loved ones appear — they smile at him softly, with eyes full of peace.)
Young Hikaru (in a broken voice):"Will I ever be able to protect them...? Is there an end to this pain?"
Another Voice — warm, mysterious, as if speaking from within:"The path won't be easy, but it is yours alone. Every step you take plants a seed of hope. Don't let the darkness extinguish your light."
(The scene shifts to a clear river reflecting moonlight. The water flows slowly, carrying overlapping images — past, present, and future. The river calls out, it doesn't command. It leaves the choice to him.)
(The light fades. The stars melt into the darkness. Hikaru feels a warm hand reaching for him, gently pulling him away from all his pain.)
Awakening:
(Hikaru opens his eyes slowly. A soft light filters through a small stone window, as if the echo of the dream still lingers around him.He takes a deep breath. The scent of wet grass and lingering smoke fills his lungs.)
(He finds himself on a simple wooden bed. The walls are cold stone, and the room is small, silent.He shivers. He tries to move his hands — the pain is still there, but faint, as if his body is simply reminding him he's still alive.)
(Hikaru rises slowly, his body heavy as if emerging from the depths of a dark sea. He wipes the sweat from his forehead, trying to gather the fragments of the dream... or was it a memory?)
(The door opens quietly. Kyoji enters, his eyes weary from sleepless nights, but the moment he sees Hikaru awake, his expression softens with indescribable relief.)
Kyoji (in a whisper filled with awe and joy):"You... you're back."
(Hikaru tries to speak, but his voice betrays him. He nods instead, his eyes searching Kyoji's for answers.)
Kyoji (approaching, sitting beside the bed):"You were... so far away. Like you weren't even yourself. I thought I'd lost you forever."
(He pauses, staring at the ground, then looks up again.)
Kyoji:"That thing inside you... the shadow... it consumed you completely. You were like a storm—nothing could stop you."
(Hikaru closes his eyes, as if the words strike deep into his heart. A heavy silence passes. Then, in a quiet, broken voice, he speaks.)
Hikaru:"I saw them... all the ones I lost... I saw them in the darkness. And they were... smiling."
(He stops, takes a deep breath.)
Hikaru:"But I couldn't touch them. I couldn't stay with them."
(Kyoji looks at him with tenderness, placing a hand on his shoulder.)
Kyoji:"Maybe because you still belong to this world, Hikaru. Because the light hasn't left you yet."
(Hikaru opens his eyes — a faint glimmer appears within them. Not the gleam of darkness, but something else... hope?)
Hikaru (in a whisper):"I'm afraid of going back to that place again... of losing myself."
Kyoji (with gentle resolve):"You won't be alone. This time, I'll stay by your side... no matter what."
(They fall silent. Outside, the world remains still, as if holding its breath, waiting for his next step.)
(Suddenly, Kyoji averts his gaze, hesitates, then finally speaks—his voice low and heavy.)
Kyoji:"Hikaru... one of them is still alive. I captured him... and kept him."
(Hikaru's eyes widen, his expression shifts as if a spark has suddenly ignited within him.)
Hikaru (hurriedly, sharply):"Where is he?!"
Kyoji (calmly, trying to ease the tension):"In a safe place, away from prying eyes. I didn't want anyone to know... I didn't want things to fall apart too soon."
(Hikaru stands up, wincing but filled with resolve. He leans on the wall to steady himself.)
Hikaru:"Take me to him... now."
(Kyoji nods silently, opens the door, and leads him outside.)
– The Way to the Secret Place –
(The two walk through narrow corridors inside the fortress, the stone walls whispering of years filled with secrets and shadows. Their footsteps echo coldly through the emptiness.)
Kyoji (quietly):"His name... is Kaido. He was one of the commanders of the attack. I saw him standing over the bodies of the innocent... without hesitation, without remorse."
(Hikaru says nothing, but his grip tightens around the hilt of his sword. His face is unreadable, but his eyes burn.)
(They reach a hidden iron door behind a stone curtain. Kyoji takes a key from a pendant around his neck and unlocks it with a heavy metallic sound.)
– Inside the Cell –
(The room is dark. The walls are damp. The air is thick with the stench of rust and moisture. Chains hang from the ceiling. In the corner... a bound man. His face is dirty, his hair wild, but his eyes gleam with blatant cunning.)
(He raises his head slowly, and when he sees Hikaru, his smile fades. He whispers in a trembling voice, as if facing his doom.)
Kaido (truly panicked):"You... No, keep him away from me, please..."
(Hikaru steps forward, slowly but with the weight of years of pain in every movement.)
Hikaru (in a quiet, rage-filled voice):"Why? Why did you burn my village?"
(Kaido trembles, trying to plead for mercy.)
Kaido:"It wasn't... it wasn't our decision. Orders from the chief. We just... followed what we were told."
(Hikaru moves closer, but Kyoji gently puts a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.)
Kyoji:"Let him talk. We need the truth... not vengeance. Not yet."
(Kaido lowers his gaze, breathing heavily. Then he whispers, as if confessing a terrible secret.)
Kaido:"I heard the chief talking... He said there was a legendary treasure in that village... something ancient... something terrifying."
(Hikaru takes a step back, shock flooding his face, but he says nothing. The images in his mind collide: flames, children screaming, white flowers among ashes.)
(Kaido lifts his head slightly, voice shaking, pleading.)
Kaido:"That's all I know... I swear... Don't kill me... please..."
(Hikaru is silent, his breath heavy, his face unreadable. In his hand and on his sword's edge lies a decision—not of killing, but of choosing.)
(A long moment passes. Then he turns to Kyoji, his eyes still locked on the past.)
Hikaru (softly):"We need to find out what this treasure really is..."