Chapter 154: Reunion

Chapter 154 - Reunion

Kai craned his neck to get a better look at Lou. Two pairs of eyes examined each other with disbelief and faint recognition. If he randomly saw him in a crowd, he would never suspect the teenager before him was the same quiet kid of his memories.

Now that he purposely searched for it, the hulking boy's observant gaze carried a trace of his little friend. Kai was stunned by the drastic transformation.

Lou was the first to react, pulling him into a hug.

Oh, shit. Not again!

To his great relief, Lou was much more gentle than the twinsor even Ana. The bulging muscles beneath the blue uniform wrapped around him like steel wires, tight but not crushing. The giant boy was aware of his own strength and didnt try to squeeze him till his eyeball popped out of their sockets.

He was always the thoughtful one and the easiest to manage.

It hardly surprised him that Lou had reached Orange after seeing the twins. He was the oldest of the group, probably just shy of getting his profession. Even with a higher grade, Kai wouldnt bet on himself in a contest of Strength.

To think there was a time they followed me like dutiful little ducklings.

Let the little shrimp go, he needs to answer our questions. One of the twins protested not ten seconds later, echoed by his brother. Yeah, give us at least a couple hours with him to make him spill what happened. Well help you suffocate him later and hide the body.

And I thought theyd get better with age. Im such a fool.

Huh, sorry, Lou released him, embarrassed and concerned. I didnt hurt you, did I?

While Kai was just beginning to hit puberty, Lou must have sprouted early. He had a low rumbling voice and patches of beard on his chinnatives didnt grow much facial hair to begin with.

What did they feed him?

No, youre good, he patted him on the shoulder. After the two blockheads tackled and crushed him for several minutes, his hug was like the touch of a feather.

Standing proud, Kai squared off with the three of them. He needed to act before things got out of hand. Who do you take me for? Dont you think just because youve grown a little I cant drown you anymore.

The twins burst out laughing, while Ana covered her mouth with a hand.

Yeah, its really you, Lou said. A toothy grin split his face as they sat on the bench around the table.

Whats that supposed to mean?

Ana giggled a beaming smile and slapped Oli on the arm. See? Lou immediately recognized him too.

He must have overheard us speaking. Oli squinted at him and gave a curt nod. But I should have realized it was him from the ominous stare he gave us. He always did that when he got mad.

Uli energetically agreed. Yeah, like a creepy vengeful spirit planning your death. I was just confused because I remembered him being bigger.

You know Im right here Yateis mercy, their education went down the drain without their mentor.

Kai sighed, holding his head between his hands. All four looked to be doing fine, more than fine actually. Hed prefer that they didnt have anything to do with the Republic, but they had benefited from the training, no doubt.

Lou and Ana even recognized him, and there wasnt a moment of awkward silence with the twins around. Though they had clearly forgotten the respect due to their first teacher.

A few drowning sessions should fix their characters

Come on, little shrimp. You need to tell us everything that has happened since you left. Oli said, impatiently fidgeting in his seat.

Kai met his gaze, trying on the eerie stare that apparently he was famous for. If you call me littleshrimp one more time, Im going to find a field of critterbane and throw you inside. How many times did the twins play pranks with the urticant vine as children? It might be time to even the scales.

Oli gulped as if recalling some scary memory. I was joking, dont take it personally. Unfortunately, it always took a few lessons to drive the concept home with him, and the impertinent grin was right back. Im sure youll grow too, someday.

Weve grown up. Dont think you can beat us that easily. Uli glanced at Ana as if for confirmation.

Kai could feel her attention on him, a shiver ran down his back. He wasnt the only one with Mana Sense at the table, though her touch wasnt delicate and quick like his.

Huh, its weird. Her brows scrunched in focus or confusion, maybe both. Hes at the beginning of Orange like me. I hope you dont mind me saying it, I was so curious I didnt think to ask.

Dont worry, its fine. The knot of tension melted away, both his cloaking enchantments were working correctly. Hed rather avoid having to explain why he had a profession since they knew he was younger than them.

A chorus of ohs crossed the table, followed by their congratulations.

Ive heard a pirate ship slipped through, but it was a small thing, she said as Lou nodded along.

The enforcers managed to repel the attack before the pirates could do any actual damage to the town. The governor had already taken precautions to ensure nothing like that will happen again.

Or maybe the Republic spread those rumors

If you consider many shops were pillaged and burned before the raid was repelled, and hundreds of people dead not much damage. Kai forced himself to take a deep breath.

Silence befell the table, the four teenagers shared awkward glances. Oli, unsurprisingly, was the first to break it. Are you sure there were so many deaths, I heard that

I dont know what you heard, Kai interrupted, some of the heat bleeding into his voice. But I was there, and I saw the bodies lying in the streets. Remember I taught you how to count, I know how many graves there were.

Perhaps his feelings on the matter werent as cold as he imagined. He unclenched his fist below the table. Im sorry. I know what I saw. Its true it could have been much worse, but I wouldnt call it small.

Is your family alright? Lou asked, looking at him with worried eyes. I remember you had two sisters, Eleni and Keandra?

My sisters are doing fine, my mom too. They escaped before things got bad.

What about your dad?

Kai knew it was coming, but his heart still skipped a beat at the mention of his father. It happened when he was five, it shouldnt matter, yet it did. Rellans lifeless body over a pool of crimson was forever seared into his mind.

Hes dead, he stated simply, his voice flat like talking about the weather. He could see a wave of condolences, worry and pity surge through the table, he anticipated them. He died in Greenside the same year we moved there. Its been years, I barely remember it. Its fine. Im fine.

A rain of apologies and concern fell on him all the same. Kai waited it out and steered the conversion towards different topics.

You need to tell me about yourself too. I arrived in Higharbor about two months ago, but youve been here for years. How was it after we were forced to leave Whiteshore?

His question opened the floodgate, Uli and Oli raced to explain their impressions of the capital coming from their small rural village. The mind-boggling size of the buildings and roads coupled with the bizarre people and customs.

The awakened fish was at least this big. They gave me a whole silver mesar for

Thats not how I remember it, Ana repeated for the umpteenth time as Uli and Oli took excessive creative liberties in their retelling. The twins couldnt go a minute without straying into random tangents about people they met and pranks they pulled years ago.

Lou periodically added a few details, mostly happy to let the others lead the conversation. He was the unquestionable final judge when the other three couldnt reach a consensus on what truly happened.

The houses they relocated to in Higharbor were slightly better off than the thin wooden boxes they got in Greensideat least in appearance. The capital had an image to uphold after all. Yet the first year had been hard, with their lives uprooted and left in such a foreign environment.

There was however a glaring difference: there had been no famine here. Many were hungry, but no one died. Their families easily found jobs in the growing city. Their story focused on the goods and wonders they could get in Higharbor, things they could have only dreamed of in Whiteshore.

The fact they had been forced to leave their homes and their possessions behind was entirely forgotten through the pages of their childhood. They had better lives now; they had trained hard and earned the honor of a scholarship. The Republic promised them even better and brighter things in the future.

They drew the long straw and were too young to remember what they lost, or who wasnt as lucky. That and years spent eating bullshit propaganda.

Kai didnt force the topic, too content to catch up with them. His stories about Veeryd elicited a particular fascination. The jungle was a rite of passage for the kids at Hawkfield, but they hadnt spent nearly as much time there as him.

For a moment it was like old times, the five of them chatting on the beach. Waves crashed on shore, sand still warm with the setting sun. Not a single worry in the world. Kaid never thought theyd meet again or that talking could be so easy.

They only knew him as the weird kid who taught them facts about the Guide and appeared to know every answer. Lest he ever forgot, they teased him endlessly about the quirks or strange phrases he used to say. Mostly habits from Earth he lost over time.

How do they even remember those

Hours later they were the last people left in the small park, every other kid had long disappeared into the dormitories. With the lowest grade, Ana's eyelids were drooping low. When her head crashed to the table straddling her awake, Lou declared it was time for bed.

Five more minutes. I need to know about the drakes, Ive never seen one, Oli protested, backed by his brother. Did your teacher truly make you run through the jungle carrying a chair?

Im sure Kai can tell you about them next time we meet, Lou said, placing a hand on both their shoulders with finality. He also needs to sleep and hes not going to disappear if you look away, right Kai?

Looks like someone had to step up with me gone.

Yeah, he yawned, though he wasnt that sleepy yet. Whenever you want.

The twins accepted the decision with surprisingly little protest, lightly grumbling as they helped a dozing Ana not trip in the roots of the trees.

We should meet by the beach tomorrow, Oli said. We can train together and compare our skills.

Uli shared a complicit look with his twin. Thatd be great. You must absolutely come and tell us more. We could also go see the ruins on the western coast of Yanlun one day. Just like we did when we were kids.