Rei Hino knelt in front of the fire. Its orange glow cast shadows that danced along the walls of the shrine. The air was thick with the scent of burning wood and incense. The only sounds filling the chamber were the quiet pops and cracks of the wood as it burned.

  Rei had practiced fire-reading for years now, ever since she was a child. Today, the fire felt distant, elusive. Her thoughts had scattered, her focus was weak.

  She shifted around, uncomfortable. Her long, black hair shimmied down her back. She wore the traditional clothes of a shrine maiden: red, pleated trousers and a white top. Sweat beaded her elegant face.

  How long had it been since she had last heard from Usagi? Almost a year since the wedding. Almost a year of silence from the friend who had once been her closest companion.

  At the wedding, Rei had felt something unspoken pass between them all as they stood by their princess one last time. The ceremony, and handing Usagi over to her groom, had felt like a conclusion, a final chapter in their long story together. They were Sailor Guardians no more.

  Since then, they had drifted apart, each of them returning to their normal lives. Rei now lived in solitude once again. Her duties at the shrine kept her occupied. She was no longer a mere shrine maiden. She was a priestess in training.

  Preparations for the grueling three-day priesthood exam loomed over her. The priest at Hikawa Shrine was helping her prepare. Still, she couldn’t help but feel nervous. It was a big step in her spiritual journey.

  The whispers troubled her the most. There were those who found her abilities unsettling. She possessed the gifts of pyromancy and clairvoyance, but they were not Shinto traditions. She had always been different, even before her awakening as Sailor Mars. Now, she feared those differences could keep her from achieving her goals.

  Could she reconcile her connection to fire, this lingering power from her time as Sailor Mars, with the expectations of the priesthood?

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  The fire crackled in front of her. She closed her eyes and tried to center herself. Instead, her mind wandered again, this time to Minako.

  Of all the former Guardians, Minako was the one who still kept in regular contact. They texted often, brief but familiar conversations that reminded Rei of the contentious friendship they had formed. There was a strange comfort in it. Their connection felt deeper now than it ever had before.

  Minako will be back in Japan soon.

  The thought of seeing her again sent a nervous flutter through Rei’s stomach. This confused her and made it harder to focus on her meditation. Every time she thought of Minako, her mind grew clouded, distracted.

  She clenched her fists on her knees, annoyed at herself. Why couldn’t she concentrate? How could Minako…

  Suddenly, the fire surged. The heat intensified. The flames reached out with a sudden, violent energy. Rei gasped and her eyes snapped open. She stared into the fire, the once familiar warmth now causing beads of sweat to form on her face. Something was wrong.

  She reached out with her mind, trying to sense the source of this shift.

  There! Right there!

  A dark, malevolent presence almost overwhelmed her. It was a deep, evil energy that filled her senses. For the first time in her life, the fire frightened her. The flames twisted and writhed as if alive, reaching out for her with greedy…hands?

  She gripped the edge of her ceremonial robes and tried to stay calm. She reached further, pushed against the presence, and for a moment, she touched it. Someone was out there, watching, waiting, filled with malice. It terrified Rei.

  The connection broke as suddenly as it had formed. Rei gasped for breath. Her hands shook as she wiped the sweat from her face. She stared at the calm flames, now back to normal. Still, a sense of dread lingered. What had she just felt? What was out there?

  Her first instinct was to call the others; Usagi, Ami, and Makoto…but she stopped herself. What could they do? They were powerless now, no longer Guardians. That part of their lives was over.

  Still, the thought of whatever was out there made her shiver. Perhaps she would mention it to Minako when they saw each other. Minako would know what to say, how to reassure her. A faint warmth returned to Rei’s chest. It was a feeling she didn’t understand, but she took comfort in that warmth.

  For a moment, Rei forgot her fear. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and let her mind settle. The fire crackled, and she welcomed its warmth. Still, she couldn’t ignore the lingering sense of foreboding.

  Something was coming, and Rei wasn’t sure she could face it alone.