One week later, evening settles over the Yuichi residence. Cold Yuichi is home with Jaricho when a sharp knock interrupts the quiet house.
Marlene enters beneath Jaricho’s guarded stare, a slim young woman with warm brown skin, straight dark-brown hair, and striking silver eyes. A sealed packet rests in her hand.
Marlene
I came from the Quiche with sealed copies of Unit 8 correspondence and a request from Captain Seraphine Vale.
She places the packet on the table but keeps two fingers pressed over its wax seal. The room seems to tighten around the documents.
Marlene
The records mention Mika. Her history may explain why Yuichi’s spiritual connection survived after his powers collapsed.
Jaricho
Mika’s history is not Quiche property. Whatever those records claim, they contradict what I lived through.
Marlene
Then we speak privately before this reaches the Quiche officials. Jaricho, you and I need to settle which account is true.
✓ Quest Accepted
Determine why Jaricho concealed Mika’s history
“my father tells us the story to when he met our mother during the old war”
SUCCESS (Legendary Willpower, rolled +1)
Cold Yuichi
Dad, tell us how you met Mom during the old war.
Jaricho studies Cold Yuichi for a long moment, then releases the packet’s seal. The wax breaks with a small, final crack.
Jaricho
It was before you were born, when the war reached the southern districts. I was still serving the Blankos, young enough to think duty could explain everything.
He turns one document face down and rests both hands on the table. Marlene remains silent, watching him with guarded attention.
Jaricho
Your mother was hiding among evacuees, protecting children with powers she had no reason to reveal. I found her after an attack, standing between them and a spirit breach.
Jaricho
She was exhausted, furious, and absolutely unwilling to let me carry her away. So I stayed. We moved the children together, then spent the night guarding the shelter.
Jaricho
By morning, I understood the truth. Mika did not need rescuing. She had rescued me from becoming someone who only followed orders. That was how we met, and why I loved her.
“then a flash back shows how my mother was protecting the kids from other artist who pointed there bows at her for betraying them and my father appears in a red and gold blanko uniform with his buster sword ready to fight beside them”
SUCCESS (Fair Reasoning, rolled +0)
The document’s ink ripples beneath Jaricho’s hand, and the kitchen dissolves into a southern district shelter years earlier. Mika stands before frightened children as three young Artists, three young adult Artists—two men and a woman—with lean builds, soot-streaked faces, disordered dark hair, and torn gray coats level spirit bows at her.
Mika
Lower your weapons. They are children, not targets. If you want someone to blame, blame me.
Mika’s white hair whips across her face as arrows of soul-light gather. She keeps both arms spread over the children, while one Artist steps forward in a torn gray coat.
the young Artist
You betrayed us, Mika. Move aside, or the shelter burns with you.
A red-and-gold Blanko uniform cuts through the smoke as Jaricho arrives, black hair disordered and buster sword already drawn. He plants himself beside Mika.
Jaricho
You heard her. Put the bows down. I will not let you turn frightened children into another battlefield.
The Artists fire. Jaricho catches the first volley on his broad blade while Mika shields the children from the scattered light. A burning fragment cuts Jaricho’s cheek, but he holds his ground.
✓ Quest Accepted
Learn why Mika was accused of betraying the Artists
“my father then goes and cuts the head off one of the archers stinn in his gold and red blanko uniform while my mother draws her spirit bows and shoots some of the other archers in the head”
Missed — the young Artist struck back but missed
Jaricho moves through the smoke in his gold-and-red Blanko uniform. His broad sword flashes once, and one archer drops as the attack ends off-camera, leaving the young Artist unharmed.
Mika steps from behind the children and draws both spirit bows. White soul-light gathers along their strings while the remaining archers hesitate around the shelter.
Mika
You raised those weapons against children. You do not get another warning.
Her arrows cross the smoky shelter and strike several archers, forcing them down without reaching the young Artist. The children remain behind her, frightened but untouched.
the young Artist
You would defend them against your own people? After everything we lost?
Jaricho keeps his blade between the surviving attackers and the shelter. Soot marks his cheek, but the earlier fragment has caused no lasting injury, and his stance does not waver.
Jaricho
I will defend whoever is in danger. If that makes me your enemy, then choose carefully what you do next.
“mika then shoots and kills the artist with jaticho beind her in his gold and red uniform”
SUCCESS (Legendary Agility, rolled +1)
Mika’s bows draw back in perfect unison. Jaricho remains behind her, gold-and-red uniform bright through the smoke, his blade guarding the shelter.
Mika
You chose this. I will not let you threaten them again.
She releases. Two arrows of white soul-light strike the young Artist, and he collapses as the remaining bows fall silent. The children stay untouched.
Jaricho
Mika.
Jaricho steps beside her, broad sword lowered but ready. The surviving Artists stare at their fallen companion, then retreat into the smoke without another shot.
Mika
Remember what happened here. They came for children, and I stopped them.
The shelter’s frightened silence settles around them. Years later, in the Yuichi residence, the memory releases its hold, leaving Jaricho’s account and Mika’s choice starkly clear.
Quest Complete
Learn why Mika was accused of betraying the Artists