The forest stretched endlessly before Makoto, its towering trees casting long shadows in the early morning light. His footsteps crunched softly against the dirt path, the only sound accompanying the quiet rustle of leaves. He hadn't looked back since leaving the village. There was nothing to look back to.
His heart still ached, the fresh wound of loss weighing heavily on him. Every step felt harder than the last, but he kept moving forward, clutching the small tokens of his friends that he had packed into his bag. Lily's knives jingled faintly with each step, a reminder of her fierce determination. Lila's scarf peeked out from the edge of the bag, soft and comforting, as if she were still by his side.
"You'll regret this, boy."
The Millennium Earl's words echoed in his mind, gnawing at the edges of his resolve. But Makoto shook his head, clenching his fists. He wouldn't let the Earl break him. Not now, not ever.
The path wound deeper into the forest, and the thick canopy of leaves above dimmed the light, leaving Makoto surrounded by shadows. As he walked, a sharp pain flared in his head, sudden and blinding. He stumbled, clutching his face as his vision distorted.
The world around him twisted, the trees bending unnaturally as dark shapes began to form in the shadows. His cursed eye burned, and through its strange vision, he saw them again—Lila, Jasper, Nico, Lily, and Mana.
Their spirits hovered in the air, faint and ethereal, their expressions filled with sorrow. Makoto froze, his chest tightening as he stared at them.
"Why..." he choked out, his voice trembling. "Why are you here?"
The spirits didn't answer, but their presence was enough to bring tears to his eyes. He reached out instinctively, his hand trembling, but they began to fade, dissolving into the shadows.
"Don't go!" Makoto cried, his voice breaking. "Please, don't leave me!"
The pain in his eye intensified, and his vision blurred. When he blinked, the spirits were gone, leaving him alone in the darkened forest.
Makoto stumbled forward, his legs shaky and his breath ragged. The pain in his head subsided, but the ache in his chest remained, raw and unrelenting.
"Lost, are we?" a smooth voice drawled, breaking the eerie silence.
Makoto stopped in his tracks, his heart skipping a beat. He turned to see a tall man leaning against a tree, his crimson hair falling over one eye. He wore a long coat, patched and weathered, with a heavy-looking satchel slung over his shoulder.
The man smirked, his piercing eyes studying Makoto with sharp intensity. "Didn't expect to find a kid wandering out here. Especially one with Innocence."
Makoto's grip tightened on the straps of his bag. "Who... who are you?"
The man stepped forward, his movements relaxed but purposeful. "The name's Marian Cross," he said casually. "You can call me Master Cross. Or just Cross, if you're feeling brave."
"Innocence?" Makoto repeated, ignoring the man's strange introduction. "How do you know about that?"
Cross raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "It's my job to know. And judging by the state of you, I'd say you've got no idea what you're doing with yours."
Makoto bristled, his fists clenching. "I'm doing fine."
"Sure you are," Cross said dryly, gesturing to the bloodstained edge of Makoto's bag. "That's why you're walking around like a lost puppy, with your friends' corpses weighing you down."
Makoto flinched, his chest tightening. "Don't talk about them like that."
Cross's smirk faded, replaced by a more serious expression. "I'm not trying to be cruel, kid. I'm trying to tell you the truth. If you keep stumbling around like this, you're going to die. And then all their sacrifices will mean nothing."
Makoto stared at him, his breath catching. "How do you know what I've been through?"
Cross shrugged. "I don't. But I've seen enough to know the look of someone who's lost everything."
Cross studied Makoto for a moment, then reached into his satchel and pulled out a small flask. He took a long drink before continuing. "Listen, kid. You've got Innocence, which means you've got a target on your back. The Akuma won't stop coming after you, and if you don't learn how to fight, you're going to end up just like your friends."
Makoto's jaw tightened, his hands trembling at his sides. "I don't need your help."
"Don't be stupid," Cross said bluntly, crossing his arms. "You might've gotten lucky once or twice, but luck won't save you forever. You need training, and I'm the only one around who can give it to you."
"Why would you want to help me?" Makoto asked, his voice filled with suspicion.
Cross smirked again, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Let's just say I've got a soft spot for lost causes."
Makoto hesitated, his mind racing. He didn't trust this man—not entirely. But the truth was, Cross was right. He didn't know how to control his Innocence, and without Mana or the others, he had no one left to turn to.
"If I go with you," Makoto said slowly, "what happens next?"
Cross shrugged. "You follow me, you listen to what I say, and you learn how to use that power of yours without getting yourself killed. Simple as that."
"And if I don't?"
"Then you keep wandering around until the Akuma find you. And trust me, they will."
Makoto swallowed hard, the weight of the decision pressing down on him. He thought of Mana, of Lily and Lila and the others. They had all believed in him, even in their final moments. He couldn't let their sacrifices be in vain.
"Fine," Makoto said, his voice quiet but firm. "I'll go with you."
Cross grinned, his sharp teeth flashing. "Smart choice, kid. Let's see if you've got what it takes to survive."
As Makoto followed Cross deeper into the forest, the weight on his chest didn't lessen, but there was a faint spark of something else—a purpose, a direction. He didn't know what lay ahead, but he knew one thing for certain:
He would keep moving forward.
To Be Continued...