Timeless Deception Chapter 1: Moonlit Betrayal

Emiko's hands trembles..

Emiko's vengeance pause,

Leaving Kenji broken.

Young Lady Emiko

*turns away from Kenji*

Young Lady Emiko

*looks at Kenji's wound*

Young Lady Emiko

Live with the shame of your family's name..

Young Lady Emiko

And the love you destroyed.

Young Lady Emiko

*dagger still clutched in her hand*

She disappears into night shadows,

leaving Kenji to crawl towards the ancestral temple--perhaps to warn his father...

Or stop Emiko's impending revenge.

Day pass...

Young Lady Emiko

*returns to the temple*

Scroll mission burning within her

Until she finds...

• The Hidden Chamber

• The Shinoda family scroll

• And a mysterious, ancient watch with inscription:

"𝓣𝓲𝓶𝓮'𝓼 𝓿𝓮𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝓪𝔀𝓪𝓲𝓽𝓼-𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓷 𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓻𝓼"

Young Lady Emiko

*fingers brush against the ancient watch*

Young Lady Emiko

So beautiful...

Suddenly --

Young Lady Emiko

*visions explode in her mind*

She sees....

Her mother alive, smiling

Her father victorious in battle

And...

Kenji loving her truly, without deception.

Young Lady Emiko

What's the meaning of this...

A slow whisper echoes in her mind

Young Lady Emiko

"𝓣𝓾𝓻𝓷 𝓫𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓮... 𝓐𝓵𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓯𝓪𝓽𝓮..."

Young Lady Emiko

*eyes widened as she realizes*

Young Lady Emiko

This...

Young Lady Emiko

This watch...

Young Lady Emiko

Could prevent my father's death..

Young Lady Emiko

It.. Can also undo Kenji's betrayal..

Young Lady Emiko

And change everything...

Emiko's caution takes over.

Emiko decides to explore the watch's secrets further,

Fearing unintended consequences

Young Lady Emiko

*examines the watch carefully*

Young Lady Emiko

This..

Young Lady Emiko

Intricate Japanese characters etched onto its back.

Young Lady Emiko

There's also a small, hidden compartment containing a yellowed parchment

Young Lady Emiko

*unfolds the parchment*

Young Lady Emiko

*sees a poem*

To be Continued