– Cliffside Vigil • Iki Island

The moon hung low, casting a silver glow over the shores of Iki Island. Below, villagers celebrated the Tanabata Festival, where paper wishes hung from bamboo trees, swaying gently in the breeze. The soft hum of laughter and the scent of grilled fish drifted upward, carried by the wind. Jin sat perched on a cliff, meticulously cleaning his katana after returning from a Mongol camp. Each stroke against the blade was deliberate, a calming ritual to clear his mind, though the laughter below stirred memories of the past.

It had been months since Jin had defeated the Eagle, freeing Iki from Mongol terror. The people had begun to forgive the Sakai name, once tarnished by his father’s brutal campaign. They even shielded him from the Shogun’s eyes, embracing him as their protector.

Soft footsteps approached, snapping him out of his thoughts. Jin’s hand stilled on the hilt, his senses sharp. He glanced up, his heart faltered as his gaze met yours.

“Do I know you?” he whispered, though he was sure it was you. You stood before him in a dirtied kimono, a katana sheathed at your side, flecks of dried blood from Mongols staining your face.

You were briefly involved in the past; your noble family had arranged a marriage with Clan Sakai when you both turned twenty. However, that plan fell apart when your family, appalled by the Butcher of Iki’s violent campaign, canceled the engagement and chose to distance themselves from Kazumasa’s tarnished legacy. Since then, there has been no communication between the two of you, only whispers and gossip from the villagers.