'This isn't how I thought I'd spend my hatchday,' Doji thought anxiously.

Elder Porunaga always sought out Doji on his special day, a gift in hand and a sweet smile on his face. Doji had only just turned five that day and could still remember vividly the gifts he'd been given on previous hatchdays: a thick, leatherbound journal with a strap he could tie around his waist and a pen that never ran out of ink; a telescope that could shrink to fit in his pocket, and a bracelet with a single green gem that resembled their home world. But his fifth gift in particular – a glittering violet sash with embroidered lettering across its edges – had given him a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach, and the old man's request that he lead the travel party through the caves and to the valley certainly didn't help.

He'd gathered his things and joined Porunaga and the others shortly before sunset. As the adults around him explained the plan, he felt proud for a moment, having replaced the hasty and arrogant Toriega as leader of one of the most anticipated excursions yet. But the pride soon drowned in fear as the group soared through the fading light and headed into the dark, gem-lined caves, with only their lanterns to light the way.

Doji strode slowly and nervously, his little footsteps barely audible amidst the steady drip of groundwater from the cavern ceilings. A look of worry was thoroughly etched onto his face, and one of his elder brothers couldn't help but notice how the boy trembled and breathed shakily the further they went. Dokira quickened his pace, strolling just beside Doji with a concerned look.

"Are you okay there, Doji," Dokira asked softly.

He gulped and replied, "Y-yeah…"

"You sure?"

"…I don't like the dark, Dokira. I'm s-scared…"

"Relax, we're here with you, okay?"

"O-okay," the boy said, reaching for Dokira's hand. "I'm s-sorry…"

"What, for holding my hand? Oh, come on, now—"

"N-no, not that, it's just… I get the feeling Toriega really should have come with you guys instead. He's braver and stronger…"

"And meaner," chirped an effeminate man toward the back. "You're a way better choice, in my opinion, honey!"

Doji spun around and stopped, shocked at the answer. He stared at a lithe Namekian in baby blue robes with elegant features and a graceful gait.

"…R-really? Do you really mean that, Tobi?"

"Well, of course I do! You're a smart, kind, resourceful little explorer! And who said you're not brave? Did you not tame a dragon, or were we hallucinating a few days ago," Tobi chortled.

"Aw… well, I just got lucky with her," Doji grumbled. "She could have hurt me instead, you know."

"But she didn't."

"Still, if she really did try to, I wouldn't have been able to fight back. I… I don't know what I was thinking. I must be crazy…"

"Yes, you are," Tobi teased, "You are the craziest little boy in the history of little boys, but every genius comes with a touch of madness."

Doji giggled. "Gee, thanks."

"Oh, honey, you are so welcome," his brother answered coyly. "You know what, though? Toriega is a uh… Hm… What's the term I'm looking for?"

"A musclebound ignoramus with a crap attitude," offered a stout, lavender-draped gentleman opposite him. "Or you could try… a frog-brained buffoon, a knuckleheaded tightwad, annoying little fu—"

He was interrupted by a sharp elbow to the side from his father.

"OW! Aw, come on, Pops, you know I'm right."

"You know, there is a reason why the arrangement of letters and sounds to create the words we use and give to one another is called 'spelling.' Your words are magic, my son, so use their energy wisely. You'd do well to speak positively and avoid such crass leanings."

"Well, alright, Pops, lemme use this magic n' get to the damn point. I'm positive Toriega's an ass, positive that he can stick an amanita where the sun doesn't shine, and positive that you made the right choice bringin' this little fella instead. Plus, I'm kinda excited to see what all he's gonna add to his little on-cycle-petty thing."

"En-cy-clo-pedia," the little one corrected sweetly. "Encyclopedia."

"Yeah, yeah, that thing," Motoki laughed. "Either way, we'll do the brave stuff, and you'll do the… crazy nerd stuff. Sound good?"

"Yeah," Doji chuckled softly. "That sounds good."

"So, Pops, uh… Why are we going this way? Wouldn't it have been easier to go over the mountains," Motoki mused. "This seems a little… off-course, honestly…"

"Because it is," the Elder chortled. "Well, only slightly so. You see, I've noticed several of your brethren lurking about the area occasionally. They've returned with some of these sparkling bits of crystal to make gifts out of. Though I'm not opposed to a bit of exploration, I believe whatever's down here should be observed and documented just as much as whatever lies beyond this mountain for the sake of everyone's safety. Doji, dear boy, do you know what kind of animals would favor a location like this?"

Doji gulped and replied, "Could be a few things… Spiders, lizards, snakes…"

"Maybe another firedrake like your friend back at the village," Motoki asked, raising his brow.

The boy shook his head and answered, "Himura's energy is… nice. Like… Like all of you and Grand Elder Moori. Whatever's down here is… mean."

"Well, let us proceed with caution," Porunaga advised, staring down the winding tunnel. "If it is as mean as you say, dear boy, we may have our work cut out for us."

As if to agree with the old man's statement, a foreboding growl rumbled through the caves and shook the ground. Dust and pebbles fell from above, and the five stopped momentarily while they waited for the sensation to cease. The group continued their paces ever deeper, eyes firm upon the darkness that split before them as their lanterns bobbed in their grip. Doji couldn't help but notice that the further they ventured, the more his sash seemed to glow, as if in response to the dark ki somewhere in the heart of the mountains.

At last, the curved passageway met up with a massive ovular chamber pitted with hundreds of cave entrances that spiraled down into the earth like a great stone hive. An immense column of sapphire and emerald crystal stood at its center, supporting the weight of the stone ceiling. Elder Porunaga turned a small knob on the bottom of his lantern, and the blue flame sputtered momentarily before rising higher. He peered into the abyss before glancing at his children and lighting the way down.

As they landed at the bottom and looked about, Doji noticed deep, pressed wells in the ground that looked like they'd been carved out by something very long and wide. The boy grabbed a pinch of dirt, pressing the grains between his fingers and holding it to his nose. He recognized the strange scent – one that spoke of cold, reptilian scales and week-old waste – and stood erect, taking note of a curious hissing noise that seemed to grow louder by the second. He hurriedly looked to the right and noticed two blood-red lights that hovered at the center of one of the adjacent tunnels. The others followed his gaze and gasped collectively.

"Doji," Motoki said shakily, "That better not be what I think it is."

"Th-that's exactly what y-you think it is," he squeaked.

Tobi, Dokira, and Porunaga asked, "What is it?"

"It's a… It's a…"

He couldn't finish; his mouth went dry, and he felt horribly nauseous. His feet felt as if they were glued to the spot, and he began to shake violently, frightened of the dark energy that slunk closer toward them. Once again, the ground shook; pebbles and gem shards clattered down upon them, and a horrible, ear-piercing shriek soon rang through the air. The sound bounced off the chasm walls while their lanterns fell and shattered. Vibrant sapphire flames lapped at the fuel puddles now spread near their feet, and the five hunched over, covering their ears and crying out in agony.

Porunaga collapsed to the ground, awash with dizziness; the pain was too much to bear. His eardrums popped, blood pooled against his palms, and tears gathered in his eyes as he looked straight up into the ruby eyes of a monstrous serpent. Its wide, open mouth was home to a set of sharp, rocky fangs, and its body was covered in hundreds of stone scales and crystalline protrusions as if the creature was a piece of the mountain come to life. As the giant snake ceased its terrible cry, it stared hungrily at the five Namekians, flicking its pebbly, forked tongue and swaying high above them as if contemplating which emerald morsel to reach for first.

"IT'S A GIANT SNAKE," Motoki bellowed.

"RUN," Dokira screamed, grabbing the little one and darting towards the nearest tunnel.

Tobi grabbed Porunaga and followed just behind, and Motoki leaped high in the air, narrowly avoiding the great ruby-eyed serpent as it charged forward and snapped at him. He dashed and darted between sinuous strikes, remaining behind to keep the beast distracted while his brothers and father escaped.

"Motoki," Doji cried out, looking over Dokira's shoulder, "No! No!"

"Stick to the plan, kid," Motoki screamed back. "Don't worry about—"

Just before the warrior could finish his statement, Doji gasped as the snake reached with its tail and coiled it firmly around his brother's wide waist, squeezing to hold the man in place. Motoki began cursing with all the fury of a thousand sailors, struggling against the creature's rocky vice grip with as much force as he could muster. Soon, thunder seemed to fill the caves, echoing and bouncing off the walls like an army of cannons let loose. Like fire and lightning, brilliant flashes of light illuminated the way as Dokira held tight onto Doji, and Tobi carried Porunaga beside him. The little boy's heart felt ready to burst from his chest. He knew full well what the plan was: clear a path through the caves, reach the valley, document their findings, and return to the village. But he recognized the move Motoki was slowly building up to, and the pit in his stomach grew evermore.

Doji had spent months alongside his brother, working to master a leveled-off version of a technique that utilized the back surge of energy caused by sudden outbursts of tightly condensed ki. The energy recoil was concentrated into the user's hand and arm, coating it like a great sheath of flame. It was then focused into a blazing arrow of energy that could scorch and melt nearly anything it touched as it launched through the user's fingers and sliced through the air. Doji had only managed to create a short blast that could produce minor dents or tiny molten wells in rocks, but Motoki's vast reserve of stamina afforded him the power to liquefy holes through the toughest of stones, giving merit to the technique's name: Igneous Arrow.

There were several downsides to Igneous Arrow, which usually required Motoki to be partnered with someone anytime it was used. First, the use of back surge and the concentration needed to keep it focused on one area caused tremendous strain on the body. He would need at least sixty seconds to charge the attack and, therefore, need someone to distract his opponent while he built up to it. Second, after releasing the devastating blast, the Namekian's arm would then wither away and require regeneration – an arduous and painful process of removing and regrowing the entire structure of the limb – which utilized a significant amount of energy to execute correctly. His paired fighter would have to lend him their ki for him to do so. Third – which Motoki had advised would only occur if there were no other options but to use every ounce of his life energy – his heart would give out, and unless tended to immediately, he would die.

Doji whimpered and began to wriggle against Dokira's grasp, noticing the flashes of light growing faster and dimmer. Soon, Motoki would be alone in the belly of the mountain, wide open for a counterattack while he focused the blast, leaving him doubly troubled for his efforts. The little one began to cry; his brother was nearly ready to sentence himself to death if it meant he, his brothers, and Elder Porunaga could escape.

"No, no, no," he sobbed, "We have to go back! We have to—"

"Doji," Dokira said, "We need to find a way out of here!"

"Please, we can't let him die! No! Lemme go! Lemme go!"

"Doji, stop," he commanded. "We need to stick to—"

"I don't like this plan! I'm not leaving Motoki behind!"

"Doji—"

"I said… LET! ME! GO!"

The boy gathered ki into his hands and snapped his fingers, releasing a blinding flash of light that caused his brothers and father to wail in shock.

"Doji, NO," Porunaga screamed. "NO!"

The old man scrambled out of his son's arms, racing through the air to follow Doji in the dark. As Tobi and Dokira moved to follow him, still rubbing their eyes from the sudden flash, their father stopped and turned around.

"Go, and quickly. You must find a way out of here and reach her."

The Elder willed his energy forth to create a makeshift lantern; ki fizzed and sputtered against his palm as he held it up and gave his sons a solemn look. Tobi and Dokira glanced at one another, confused and shaken. They could hear their brothers; the older one was still cursing loudly and lobbing ki blasts while the younger called out for him, and the steady knock of stone against crystal filled the air as the serpent collided with the walls and wailed in frustration at its flighty prey. The men spoke in tandem, hearts racing as the cacophony in the chamber seemed to grow.

"Her…?"

"Yes, her. Now go."

"But—"

"GO!"

They acquiesced; Dokira collected energy into his fingertips to light the way, just as Porunaga had, and held his hand forward as they flew through the dark, desperation setting in the further he and his brother raced away.

Porunaga backtracked and watched while his sons worked together to circle around their towering opponent. He marveled at the manifestation of months of effort, heart pounding to the beat of their shimmering attacks. Doji, who had a predisposition for downplaying his strength and cunning, matched Motoki move for move and hurled great ki spheres between the creature's eyes, blinding and angering it further. But the Elder's awe was replaced by terror. As magnificent as they looked, the effort required to maintain the same speed and power was now being launched away from them in quick bursts. They began to pant and puff between attacks. He could see the blood trickling from their ears, shoulders shaking as they stored the back-burst of energy into their arms, and the fear in their hearts turned into a desperate tool for survival.

Doji's right hand began to twinkle and fizzle with a blazing orange flame, while Motoki's entire right arm crackled with blazing crimson ki. The boy felt the rush of power in his body, focusing into one point, nearly ready to aim at the same spot they'd attacked repeatedly, a deliberate and – hopefully – final blow to the terrifying creature. Yet, just as he raised his finger and pointed, it stared straight at him. Its ruby eyes began to pulse and flicker with a warm and inviting light, and he found himself unable to move, entirely hypnotized by the sight.

Doji had never seen anything so strange and mesmerizing in all his life. A thousand reflections of him stared back, each equally as frightened as the last. He lost himself in the dance of light within crystal. The walls seemed to split and cave in, fractals of images folding in upon themselves in an endless loop. His body became awash in a cold sensation – akin to spring water over hot skin – and his hand grew limp, withering painfully as the focused back surge of ki sputtered and died. He thought he could hear someone calling for him somewhere past the mirage, but the kaleidoscope of colors, sounds, and sensations he was now subject to was far too intense. He'd give anything for it to stop, anything for it to fade, and so the black hole that headed toward him was a welcome relief.

"IGNEOUS ARROW!"

Motoki screamed and unleashed his attack just before the snake snapped upon Doji. With a jarring flash of red and orange, the little one was suddenly torn from his spellbound state as the charge detonated against the side of the serpent's head, causing a large portion of the scales to melt and ooze. One of its crystal eyes shattered; blood pooled across the surface and ran down in thick rivulets across its charred and malformed skin. It shrieked and smacked against the chamber walls, causing bits of rock and crystal to pelt them further. Motoki grabbed Doji, huffing frantically as he looked about, unsure which tunnel to take. Any one of them could be a way out or further into the earthen trap.

"Down here," his father called, waving about frantically. "Here!"

The snake suddenly stopped, eyes firm upon the old man before it launched in his direction, mouth wide open and eyes glowing red. The warrior gasped, noticing the same lost look in the old man's eyes. He darted down and screamed for his brother to grab the Elder, who reached his hands out as they zoomed right by him, pulling him hard by the robes and dragging him through the air. Porunaga came to his senses just as the injured serpent crashed its head through the tunnel entrance, yelping while he righted his position, and ki fizzled in his palm to light the way.

Doji realized that the only way they would lose the creature would be to blind it entirely and find a neighboring passageway. He swiftly turned around in Motoki's grip and snapped his fingers loudly, sparking a wave of hot light toward the beast. Several finger snaps later, the boy pulled the others down a bend in the path while the beast blindly barreled ahead. They stood still, backs pressed against the cold stone wall, bodies flushed with adrenaline and hearts beating at an impossible pace. There they remained until, at last, the rumble of stone and the quake of crystal finally faded, and the mountain halls stood silent once more. Motoki reached out to Doji, squeezing his shoulder lightly.

"Look at you, Mister 'I'm not brave' and 'I'm not strong.' Grew a pair at the thought of losing me, did ya," Motoki joked.

Doji chuckled quietly and nodded. "I just… I don't like plans that involve leaving anyone behind."

"Fair enough, kid. Wanna help me out here," he asked, motioning to his arm.

Doji nodded, lending some of his ki to the warrior. Once he felt confident his brother had what he needed, he looked away; what came next always made him feel sick to his stomach. Motoki ripped away the withered right arm, grunting in pain. With a strange squelch and pop, a reformed limb sprang out from his open wound, and Doji retched at the sickly-sweet scent of the plasma that covered his brother's new arm. Fingers and muscles twitched as the nerves finished rebuilding from within, and Motoki shook the fluid off, stretching and flexing his new arm and hand.

"That never gets easier, in case you're wondering," he uttered.

Doji squinted at his brother in the dark before focusing his attention on the fingers of his right hand. He held it up to his brother, who ripped the shriveled hand away without further ado while the little one focused on regenerating the limb. Doji could feel the new bone and sinew desperately trying to poke through, and he bit his lip hard, stifling the scream he wanted to let loose as a brand-new hand popped out of his bloodied wrist, coated in the same sickly, sticky plasma.

"Ow, ow, ow," he whined.

"Stretch," Motoki said, flexing his own fingers.

Doji acquiesced, shaking off and waggling his new fingers before forming a tight fist. He sniffled quietly and looked down, noticing his violet sash lit the floor like a ring around his feet. He gingerly stepped past his brother and father and led the way, carefully kicking aside larger stones to ensure neither tripped behind him. The boy noticed the passageway slimming and shrinking around them as they continued. The ceiling gradually declined, and the space between walls shrank. He stopped as the walls joined together and frowned at the steady water leak from a large crack that webbed from the center of a dead end.

"Dang it," the little one grumbled. "Stupid… flippin' caves…"

Motoki chuckled at the boy's weak attempt at cursing and looked about the walls. There were faint letters etched in the stone. He traced a finger along the edges; they'd faded significantly, but the words 'monster,' 'freak,' and 'demon' had been repeatedly carved about the space.

"Someone's been down here," he uttered.

His little brother joined him, lighting a tiny spark of ki in his fingers while he read the words. Doji's frown deepened. He could somehow sense the emotion in the stone, a heady cocktail of anger, fear, and sadness that seemed to emanate between the crevices of every roughly hewn character.

Porunaga's eyes filled with tears, and he sniffled loudly, chest aflame with grief. His shoulders began to shake as he stared at the writing on the wall. The memory of a terrible incident came rushing forth, and the Elder recalled the blood on the little girl's hands, the terror in her eyes, and the despair and remorse that flooded her tiny frame when Moori had finally recovered from his wounds. She'd run away, refusing to answer his and her father's telepathic pleas. But even after she'd finally returned of her own accord three years later, it was apparent now how much their forgiveness had failed to stave off the hatred she'd held for herself and all she was capable of. Patience and grace had not stifled her fear, and love and kindness had not yet healed her broken heart.

He sobbed quietly and traced his hand along the stone until he stopped at the dripping crack in the wall, passing over several sizeable wells alongside it. The marks were recognizable; small fists, barely bigger than Doji's, had been punched deep into it repeatedly, and the desperation within each strike could still be felt five years later. What they'd found was no mere dead end but an earthen coffin, and though it now stood empty, the thought that any child would go to such lengths to bury themselves sent a wave of anguish through the Elder's body. Here was the proof of her strange, bubbling mixture of trepidation and longing; her shame in having tried, her wont to go ever further, her fear to be lost in the dark, alone, again. The evidence of the poor young woman's predicament was so glaringly obvious, so visceral and obscene to him, that Porunaga sank to his knees, covering his mouth and shaking his head as the tears came. Doji sat beside him and grabbed his arm tenderly. Motoki leaned against the old man's shoulder and began rubbing his back. They let him weep quietly, listening between his muffled cries for the telltale signs of the beast. It seemed to be heading away from them, having lost the group just as their little leader intended. The pockmarked silence stretched on for ages until, at last, Porunaga broke through with a soft sigh.

"Our Grand Elder… has not had an easy time leading our people. Even when Guru named him as his successor, he was chided endlessly for years by our brethren because of his inability to reproduce. Moori tried endlessly to conceive but came up empty many times before the incident with Frieza. It wasn't until this very night, fifteen years ago, that he could finally do it, and his first child was unlike anything we'd ever seen… Like Doji, she was named after one of the first visible constellations during the eclipse: the Dragon of the Void, Sanshiva."

Doji gasped and settled further against the old man's side, nuzzling and listening intently. Motoki released his grip and sat placidly with his back against the wall, a smirk on his face while Porunaga continued.

"She was so quiet and shy. She loved to cover her face with a shroud or cloak of some sort because her eyes and hair would glow underneath it. She hovered under the shade of trees and brush and collected feathers and pretty little rocks. She loved music and hummed ethereal melodies… She loved to explore and draw, very much like Doji does. But so different she was, my niece… so unique, so… terrifyingly powerful she was, that Moori worried what our brothers would think. To avoid putting her under such intense scrutiny at a young age, I suggested to him that we let her live alone in the valley. We taught her our people's language, the common tongue, and several others. She became well-versed in our people's history and religiously trained her body and mind. So eager and curious was she that by age five, she'd exhausted the reservoirs of our combined knowledge. Moori began encouraging her to push her limits, forge her own path, and see what she could do with her unique abilities.

"She started small at first. She began playing with her shadow, somehow getting it to peel away from the ground and form a secondary copy to spar with. Then, she would form weapons with it; so dark, these shields and swords, bows, and arrows, that they did not glisten with any color or reflect any light. And anything they touched would burn with a bright violet flame. Fueled by magic and filled with wonder, her powers continued to grow day by day, her limits only exhausted by her imagination. By her tenth hatchday, she'd run out of ideas until her father suggested cloaking herself in it. She spent the entire day training with her shadowy new form, but when the suns had set, and the darkness enveloped our world, she became something else entirely… Her power consumed her, and she unknowingly attacked Moori relentlessly until the morning sun rose over the horizon."

"She got lost in that darkness, didn't she," Doji asked sadly.

"Yes, my child. She was lost… and afraid."

"You know… I always have someone's hand to hold in the dark, like yours, or Motoki's, or Dokira's… Maybe that's what she needs. Someone to hold her hand in the dark."

"Perhaps… But this is her darkness we're talking about, my son. The depths of a person's soul and power, and the shadow they cast, are nothing compared to these halls," he said, motioning to the walls. "There isn't a single person I know of currently that is able – or willing – to explore that alongside her…"

"Well… What if I did? I-I could try and… explore that with her, hold her hand… Guide her…"

Porunaga's breath hitched as the boy unknowingly realized his original intent of bringing him along.

"We were born in the dark," the little one uttered, tracing a finger along his glowing sash. "Maybe it's time… we stopped being so scared of it."

The others had searched for hours, finally locating an exit after numerous crystal-covered dead ends. Dokira huffed and puffed, having clambered through a narrow passageway to reach the surface. Tobi followed just behind, his robes thoroughly soiled and chest aflame with frustration.

"Ugh… laundry," he groaned. "I just made these robes, and now I have to clean them."

"Really? All this going on, and you're worried about dirtied robes, pretty boy," Dokira teased, scanning the dark horizon.

"What? I wanted to look nice today. You can't blame me for being mad."

"Pfft… No wonder Hama's your favorite; you're exactly the same. The world could be ending, but heaven forbid your appearance gets sullied."

"Hey—"

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing," Dokira asked, spotting two black dots against the backdrop of stars.

Tobi squinted and gasped, "Is that… Moori?!"

"Who is that with him?"

"I… I don't know…"

Moori waved his arms while sailing straight for them, barreling past his daughter to wrap the men in a fierce embrace.

"Thank the gods," he wheezed, clutching them closely. "Where is Porunaga?"

They stared past him, watching the darkly cloaked stranger land just behind and bow politely without a single word. Beneath the regal purple cloak, a set of glowing amethyst eyes stared back at them, and they tilted their heads while they examined her. From the emerald skin and pink segments along her arms, it was easy to tell that she was one of their own. Still, the life force radiating from her was wholly not of their world, as if she'd been plucked from a different dimension entirely and left upon the greener grasses of New Namek.

"That energy," Tobi breathed. "It's… It's…"

Dokira stepped away from Moori and reached for her, finishing his brother's statement with, "Her."

"Please don't," she blurted out, grabbing her hood and stepping back.

The four stood in tense silence, and Dokira bowed apologetically. "I-I'm sorry—"

"Where is Elder Porunaga," she asked.

The warrior pointed towards the exit he and his brother had used, and without another word, the young woman darted away, slinking into the darkness with such quickness and ease she could barely be seen. Dokira followed right after while Tobi remained with Elder Moori, pelting him fervently with questions about the cloaked woman.

The warrior followed her cautiously, seeing the glow in her eyes reflected off the gem spikes they passed by.

"Who are you," he asked softly.

She turned around and held a finger to her lips. "No more questions about me. Why am I sensing three energies and not one?"

"My brothers are with him. That thing attacked us all, and Doji didn't want to leave Motoki behind. Porunaga followed them, and now—"

"They're together, I can feel them."

Sanshiva gulped; the more she reached out with her senses to feel them, the more she recognized their location. As the two wandered further, they finally found the center chasm. Sanshiva held her hand out, her violet ki pulsing to the beat of her heart. They peered down together, inhaling sharply at the sight at the bottom. Coiled comfortably around the crystal pillar, the ruby-eyed serpent lay perfectly still. Its loud and deep breaths filled the chamber, and Sanshiva shuddered. Every breath felt like a gust of cold wind, sending a shiver down her spine as she looked about the various cave entrances. She found one, rough-hewn and clearly the last one used, and flew ahead. Sanshiva dimmed the light in her hand, careful not to alert the creature.

For hours they searched, splitting only briefly to return to the main path when they found more dead ends. The further they wandered, the deeper the caves sloped until they finally located a single, slim passage. Sanshiva's heart raced, and the claustrophobia set in as the walls shrank around them. The young woman stopped, motioning for Dokira to go first; the warrior nodded and went ahead, noticing a strange purple light just by a dead end – Doji's new sash. Porunaga turned his head, and his eyes widened as he spotted his son.

"Oh, my gods," the Elder breathed. "You're alright!"

The old man scrambled to his feet and reached for Dokira, clutching tight. Motoki stirred from his impromptu nap, and Doji looked up from his journal before closing it and tying it to his waist. They were relieved their brother was alright. However, they couldn't help but notice the violet-eyed stranger standing at the end of the tunnel.

Tears welled in Sanshiva's eyes as she became lost in the words on the walls, the curses she'd etched into stone staring back at her. Her breath hitched; she never meant for anyone to find her intended tomb, especially Elder Porunaga or his children. Shame and embarrassment held her in a vice grip; fear and despair, stemming from a single moment, a single horrible mistake of five years past, came frothing forth. The feelings only intensified as the smallest of the group slowly approached her, hand stretched out as if he wanted to peel away her cloak. Motoki grinned at the sight, a moment-for-moment replay of what had occurred with the violet firedrake just three days prior. The tension in the air was palpable, and his and his brothers' curiosity piqued.

"Please… don't," she begged softly.

Doji let his hand fall back and asked, "Why not?"

She glanced at the walls again, giving him a silent answer.

"I bet they're all lies," he said, reaching again for her cloak.

It slunk down to her shoulders, and he stifled a gasp of shock and awe. The earrings along the cartilage of her ears glowed slightly, reflecting the light that emanated from her hair, and her cheeks were wet with tears. Even when teeming with sadness, her cosmic eyes were hypnotizing, and her slender features were every bit as enchanting as the constellation she'd been named for. Her chest was on fire as she held in a wretched sob, waiting breath for the moment someone called her precisely what she'd been calling herself for years. She'd felt that she had tried desperately to be appeased by her own appearance, yet the more she gazed at the boy and his brothers, the more it stung. She couldn't have made herself seem more opposite than them, what with all her bits and baubles, wild hair, glowing eyes, dark clothing, and ethereal silhouette. Sanshiva began to feel steeped in the feeling that she must have seemed to them like a genetic aberration, like an affront to their eyes of some sort, for hers was a bold and bright form amidst the dark while they bathed together in the light of her aura. Motoki and Dokira's matching expressions of shock certainly didn't help.

"S-see? I-it's true," she blurted through shaking lips. "It's true."

Doji wiped the tears away and declared, "Nope. All lies. Every single one of them."

Sanshiva's eyes popped open. "What?"

"I said they're lies. Don't say that about yourself. It's mean. Words are magic, so use them wisely. Who uses mean magic on themselves?"

Sanshiva smiled through her tears, thinking the boy sounded remarkably like an Elder. He hugged her kindly, and she returned the embrace, tears flowing freely. He'd instantly won her over with his warmhearted smile and kind words. She paid no mind to the others, who still stood staring, mouths agape at her curious form. All that mattered was that this pure little boy disagreed with what she thought of herself, and for the first time in her life, she felt like she was, in fact, normal. Something about his life force seemed oddly familiar, like a copy of her own yet much brighter and sweeter, and the two embraced for what felt like ages. The boy finally pulled away to land beside her, reaching for her hand and squeezing softly. He gave his brothers a resolute look.

"Let's get out of here."

His brothers and father nodded, following him and Sanshiva out of the cramped space and back into the labyrinth of passageways. They traveled quietly, peeking down other paths until they finally arrived back at the center of the cave system. The snake was still securely wound around the base of the crystal pillar, its middle expanding and contracting with every deep breath. Sanshiva motioned for them to follow her, and she slowly floated right past the beast's face and to the highest tier of cave entrances. She located a familiar one, where a single purple crystal jutted out from beneath the edge and pointed ahead. Doji pulled her along eagerly, ready to taste freedom from the dark labyrinth and take in the view of his favorite constellations before they disappeared for another year.

When all was said and done, the group safely exited the mountain and finally breathed in the cold night air. Moori and Tobi, who'd been conversing while awaiting their return, clambered up from their seated positions on the grass and ran toward them, arms outstretched. Embraces and relieved sighs were exchanged before their attention settled upon the young woman, still attached to Doji at hand.

Sanshiva began to shake. Never before had so many eyes been set upon her, and the pit in her stomach grew at the thought of finally revealing herself to the rest of her people. The little boy squeezed her hand again gently and pulled her forward.

"Sanshiva, this is Dokira, Tobi, and Motoki. And I'm Doji," he finished, flashing her another sweet smile.

He pointed up, and Sanshiva stared at the sky, realizing he indicated the constellation he was named after, a tremendous ring of orange and red stars that stretched halfway across the sky, The Guardian of the Void.

She smiled and asked, "Today's your hatchday?"

"Uh-huh! I'm five now," he declared, holding his hands to count five fingers with pride.

"You're really brave, Doji, doing something like this on your hatchday. You could have stayed home, you know."

"But then I couldn't do this," he declared, untying his journal and showing off his new addition.

Sanshiva marveled at the sketch he'd done. Every detail of the ruby-eyed serpent was captured spectacularly – every scale, every crystal spike – and his neat little handwriting detailed the creature's size and disposition. While she poured over his work, a familiar rumbling traversed beneath their feet, and the group's eyes widened. They froze and exchanged nervous glances before their heads snapped toward the exit they'd left. Porunaga took a deep breath. It was time.

He grabbed the little one and thrust him into the young woman's arms before pushing them all far back with a powerful gust of ki. Before the others could react, the serpent burst through the mountain, shrieking and hissing with unmatched fury. It lunged forward, mouth wide open, as it reached for Porunaga. Sanshiva and Doji's eyes widened as the old man turned around, giving his back to the beast and flashing one last kind smile to the two of them.

"Porunaga! Run," she screamed, clutching the little one tightly as she scrambled to her feet. "RUN!"

"Hold your brave new sibling's hand, and face your fears as one. You were born in the dark. It's time you stopped being so scared of it."

The beast snapped upon him as the last words left his lips, and the old man disappeared into the great maw. No cry was heard from him, no scream of pain or wail of anguish. All that could be heard in the dead of night was the dreadful squelch and crunch of flesh and bone between stone teeth.