The forest was thick, the scent trail winding and long. The boys ran together, anxious to reach their young companion, a sense of urgency driving them.

There was a break in the forest. A long, open pathway lay ahead of them.

A small, cloaked figure, teetering on a high precipice.

The Wolf gave a yelp. The Champion bolted. "No!" He ran with all his strength, leaving even his furry friend behind as he raced towards the edge.

The boy fell.

The Champion leaped off the edge, his strength nearly spent. He grabbed the boy by the ankle, pulled him into his arms, clumsily deployed his paraglider at the last second, the drag nearly dislocating his shoulder before his fingers slipped. He stumbled to the ground, cradling the one who was, in that moment, the most precious to him, the most important in all the world.

Shaking, clinging, rocking. Why? What had pushed him to this? "Don't you do this to me," the Champion whispered, beside himself with shock. "I've lost too many—" he choked on his tears, on the memories, the loss. He swallowed. "I'm not losing you. I love you. Okay? So don't—"

The boy made no reply.

The Wolf and Veteran peered down from atop the cliff. The Wolf shifted back, his eyes scanning the scene below, watching for movement.

The Champion didn't want to let go. Didn't notice his friends on the cliff. All of his attention was devoted to the little boy in his arms. "Why?" the Champion whispered. "Why would you—? Why?"

Little fingers slowly curled around the fabric of his tunic. Green eyes fluttered halfway open. Tears welled in lower lids.

"… Dad…? The sh… shadow—"

"What did you call me?" The Champion took the boy's face in his hands. That name—that title—surely that wasn't right, was it? Sure he'd had his suspicions, but, this couldn't actually be… his…

"It c-came back—" The boy's eyes suddenly snapped open. Awareness sharpened his gaze. "You're in danger!" he cried. "Everyone— the camp—!"

"Whoa, slow down—"

"No time! It's—"

"RUN!" The Ranch Hand screamed down at them, sheer panic in his face. Thick black clouds enveloped him. "RU—!" he tried to cry again, but the darkness choked him.

The Champion jumped to his feet. He watched in horror as his friend's countenance darkened, his eyes glowing a menacing reddish purple. The billowing darkness cascaded down the cliff towards them.

"It can't corrupt me," said the boy in a panic. "I was trying to keep it away from camp— I didn't know there was mo—"

Thinking fast, the Champion summoned his Divine Beast—the Master Cycle Zero—pulled the boy on with him and gunned it.