Izai turned the knob to enter the Yin Kai Yin. The sign out front said ‘closed,’ but through the tinted windows, he saw movement inside.

Laelia sat in a booth, her blue hands wrapped around a steaming cup. She blew on it, then took a sip. Across from her, he recognized the top of Olav’s growing blonde hair.

After they had landed from the Air-Canoe on the night of the heist, a Gale-Cart had picked them up, driven by one of Koralo’s men. The guy swore they hadn’t been followed, and so far, no rumours on the street had surfaced about their job. They ditched their disguises, and one by one, scattered across southern Polassa, each making their way home.

Koralo had called the next day with a simple, “Thanks for help friends. Wife really loves it. We had fun, huh?”

“Yes,” Izai had replied.

“Next time, we pick harder job. This one too easy. No action.”

Izai didn’t mind. After everything that had gone down, he’d woken up with a surge of adrenaline he had never felt before. It was wrong, sure, but Durai Li, and the rest of the Folk Family weren’t exactly the type of Kin anybody would sympathize with. Yet, it also hit him – he was in this life now, just like his father. His mother would have hated that.

Izai hovered by the booth, waiting for someone to slide over. Laelia did. Olav looked rested, the bags under his eyes lighter than usual.

“You look cozy,” Izai teased.

“I am well-rested,” Olav replied. Ever since Laelia had come into the picture, he mumbled less and spoke more clearly.

Laelia said nothing, just stared at Olav, then at her cup. Things were better between them now, Izai thought. But it still felt off. Before the meeting with Remi and all the Kai-Yo nonsense, it was Izai and Olav. Now, it was just Izai. And Olav.

“You doing good?” Izai asked.

Olav nodded.

“I’m doing good too,” Izai said, almost defensively. “Learned a new trick – the Yumani Exploit. Also learning the Osarok Exploit.”

Olav sighed, rolled his eyes, and slid out of the booth. “Are you ready to go?”

Laelia nodded.

“Where you off to?” Izai asked as Olav waved him off and left the tea shop.

“What’s wrong with him?” Izai asked Koralo, who sat in another booth with Manu and a few other Kin Izai didn’t recognize. One wore a blazer like the senior guards at the Netai Stadium.

Koralo shrugged. “New lover, new adventures. Life change. Kin drift. Insert other Folk sayings, right?” He chuckled along with the others. “Maybe friend thinks you’re leaving him behind.”

‘Leaving him behind,’ thought Izai. ‘He’s the one who’s leaving me behind.’

----------------------------------------

Later, on the bus headed further south, Izai spotted Kenai. This time, she wore dark coveralls.

“Nice outfit,” he said.

“Thanks. Learned my lesson with those eccentric alchemist types. Only wear your civilian clothes after you leave.”

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

He sat next to her. Suddenly he felt very aware of himself. The slightly dirty sneakers he wore, the same faded blue jeans, and the blue and white Letterman jacket he had been wearing all winter. And that he’ll probably continue to wear until it gets warmer.

“I never got your number by the way,” he said. “For the circus. Remember we talked about—”

“Yeah,” she smiled, handing him a card from her bag.

Izai watched as she got off at her stop.

“I really need new clothes,” he muttered to himself.

----------------------------------------

Izai stood facing Katalia. She was in her gear – black pants tapering at the ankle and a black crop top. He wore his own training outfit, only black shorts as per Tai’s request to allow better movement.

“Okay,” Tai clapped. “Now that Lia’s back, we’re leaving the dummy behind and trying a moving target.”

“Why doesn’t he spar with you instead?” Katalia asked. “You’ve got more Valour points to spare,” she shrugged.

“He needs to get used to fighting Kin he’ll actually face.”

“Alright. What’s the plan?”

Tai rubbed his hands together and said through a mischievous grin, “how about a little round 2 of that fight you guys had last month. Let’s see if Izzy here is actually picking up my lessons.”

“Is this why you haven’t been booking me for fights lately? So, I could spar with your project over here?”

“Yes,” he smiled. “And you know everybody’s prepping for tourney season. Nobody wants to waste their time in a meaningless match.”

Katalia just nodded. Her focus then shifted to Izai. Determined.

‘Alright, let’s do this,’ Izai thought. His heart pounded, however. He felt he wasn’t ready for this. Even though, the previous month he had been more than confident to face-off Katalia when she was a stranger.

“It’s just like every other fight,” he mumbled to himself.

“Oh,” Tai added, taking a sip from his mug. “Don’t worry about stray Pushes or anything like that. I’ll neutralize them.”

Before Tai finished, Katalia lunged at Izai. Her elbow smashed into his chin, and he stumbled back, her leg sweeping him off his feet. His head hit the dirt hard, and for a moment the whole world vibrated around him.

“You teach him how to get up from a fight?” Katalia taunted. “I’m coming for you as soon as you stand fool,” she made her voice deep. Izai assumed she was mimicking someone.

He remembered her complaints – about how about how bad her Push was. As he prepared to stand, he felt the Push Essence warm up in his stomach. When he got up, she tried lunging at him again, but he punched a Push of fire her way, making her stumble back.

While Katalia reeled, he crouched low, channelling his Essence again, and firing off ice ball, after ice ball, after ice ball, each striking her. He quickly closed the distance, and delivered a kick with his Medium Duration Cycle, his heel connecting with the side of her face. He grabbed her arm, intending to throw her over his shoulder.

But just then she unfurled her wings, knocking him off balance. She came with fury, each strike hitting his ribs, legs, and face, faster than he could react.

Suddenly, they both froze. Izai felt as if he were a statue frozen in time. Tai was using his GaleStone Push to keep them apart.

“Good first round,” Tai said.

Izai felt embarrassed, however.

Katalia smiled. “Not bad, coach. He’s got potential.”

“Good fight IQ,” Tai said. “Terrible pain management.”

“Horrendous,” Katalia added.

Izai, still aching, lay on the ground. The pain was fading, but the shame still lingered. All that training, sleepless nights, broken friendships, and he hadn’t even lasted a minute.

The grass beneath him made him feel itchy. He remembered playing outside as a kid, how he’d break out in hives.

“That means you’re gonna be a Pulser, you know,” his mother would promise.

“Probably just allergies,” his father would dismiss it.

‘Guess she was right after all,’ Izai thought.

A soft kick nudged his ribs. Katalia stood over him, holding two vials.

“Refuel, buddy. Let’s go again.”

Izai took the vial; not entirely sure he wanted another round.

“Maybe this time you’ll get in two hits,” Katalia teased.

“Very funny,” he grumbled.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself,” she smiled. “You did good.”

“Yeah, right.”

“No, really,” Tai said. “You’re not going to be able to kick Lia’s ass in a fair fight just yet. Maybe if you fight recklessly and ignore my lessons and go back to overextending everything, just maybe. But that’s not the point. I knew you’d get your ass kicked – I wanted to see if you could land an effective hit with what we’ve worked on.”

Izai didn’t feel like he had.

“You’re kidding me, right?” Tai said. “Under pressure, you found your Optimal Striking Range and landed a perfect kick. You had the upper hand for a moment there – she only got you because you forgot about her wings.”