As she ran back to her mother, Fushi looked up at the moon. The Nokkers—the soul-stealing shadows of his past—were quiet for now, but he knew they were never truly gone. He stood up, his cloak fluttering in a wind only he could feel. He was the Immortal, the observer of all things, destined to walk until the end of time, carrying the hearts of the fallen within his own.
The girl looked up, startled. "I... I'm fine. Thank you." She looked at her ruined treat, her lip trembling.
Suddenly, a young girl tripped near him, dropping her ice cream. Without thinking, Fushi reached out. His hand didn't just steady her; for a brief second, his skin glowed with a faint, ethereal light.
