One of the kids, little Kara, tugged on Lukas's shirt sleeve.
"Uncle Lukas, why doesn't Aunt Lynn come play with us anymore?"
Lukas's smile froze for a moment. He glanced at the curious faces around him, then to steer away from the question, he cracked a mischievous grin."Lynn? Oh, she met this creature…" He lowered his voice, building suspense. "She jumped out of bed like a scared cat, shaking with fear when she saw him: THE FACELESS MAN!"
Lukas's laugh was cut short by a familiar voice.
"Hey, Lukas. Scaring the kids first thing in the morning, huh?" Daniel approached with a calm smile.
"Morning, Daniel!" Lukas replied, motioning to the kids, who were now whispering among themselves. "I was just telling them a scary story I heard."
Daniel's smile faltered a little."It's hard not to think about Lynn, especially on a day like this. Happy birthday, man."
Mentioning Lynn made Lukas look away. He forced a thank you."Thanks for that. And thanks for all the work you guys are putting into the party. Please thank your folks for me later."
"No problem, man." Daniel turned to the little girl closest to him."Kara, why don't you and your friends go play somewhere else for a while?"
Kara tilted her head, confused."Do you need to have a serious talk with him, brother?"
"Yeah," Daniel confirmed, crossing his arms."This talk's gonna be real."
Kara shrugged and left with the others, never quite understanding why the older ones acted like that. Once they were alone, Daniel nudged Lukas.
"So, this Faceless Man story… You're not gonna tell me you're actually scared, right?"
"Of course not," Lukas shot back, sitting down on the grass."They just asked about her, and I wanted to spook them a bit."
"That Lynn thing sucks… Where do you think she's at now?" Daniel lay down beside Lukas, eyes fixed on the clear sky.
"I wish I knew." Lukas's hand unconsciously went to the ring on his finger."I still wear the one we made for each other... Still think about her."
"For sure, wherever she is, she's thinking about your birthday! She always had a crush on you," Daniel said with a subtle smile, trying to cheer him up.
"Or maybe her birthday was the same day as mine." Lukas cut him off, his tone suddenly cold."Alright, I get it. I was thinking about Lynn. I just hope I don't have to hear about her again."
Daniel sighed, running a hand through his hair, frustrated."Man, c'mon. Can't we even say her name anymore? She was our friend. Mine too."
"What a grump, huh!" Daniel stood up, annoyed."You were just thinking about her…"
"Guess that's just how I am. Whatever. I'm an adult now."
"Come on, I know what'll cheer you up before your birthday—" Daniel tried to say but got cut off.
"Train five more hours?" Lukas held out his hand. The palm was rough with calluses.
Daniel shuddered just looking at it."Yeah, I'm still all busted up…" He clenched his own hand, which trembled slightly."The good thing is you'll age with that good memory of yours. And your dad?"
That topic made Lukas sigh."If you're curious, I kind of gave up trying to find out. My mom never talks about him."
"Your dad would never give up! He always saw light at the end of the tunnel, no matter the problem! That's what my dad says about him in stories, and says you guys are really alike!" Daniel recalled admiringly.
"I just want to see him once…" Lukas confessed softly."Just to know, you know? If I look like him. If I have the same look my mom said he had before… well, before everything."
"What if he was a really bad guy?" Daniel raised the doubt.
Lukas's imagination took over, dark and grand."A guy who attacked villages and took the lives of all their people! He was definitely some kind of leader."
"Sorry for bringing up your dad," Daniel said, putting his hands together in an apologetic gesture.
Before Lukas could answer, some villagers passing by stopped. One of them, an older man Lukas didn't recognize, looked straight at him.
"Village Hero?"
The question hit Lukas hard—not because of surprise, but because of the memories it dragged up. The nickname, the title… it threw him back in time. His mind traveled to a few months before, to the heat, the screams, and the tension of the final of the Local League of Village Heroes, a very special martial arts tournament.
(Flashback — Months Before)
"You didn't come to the final just to lose, kid!" Monika's voice echoed from the stands, unmistakable."Either you break him, or I BREAK YOU when we get home!"
The event announcer shouted into the microphone, his energy at full blast."After Lukas defeated Fitz in the semifinals, he qualified for the final fight against Lu-Zwei, the finalist and this year's favorite!"
In his corner, Lukas felt Siw's hand on his shoulder. The touch was more than support; it was firm, almost a warning. Her eyes weren't on him but fixed on Lu-Zwei, analyzing every breath of the opponent.
"Their art is about flow and inner control. It looks passive, but it's a trap," Siw said, voice low and steady, turning her piercing gaze to Lukas."She'll wait for a mistake, for overconfidence. Don't give her that chance. Don't be arrogant. Fight to win, not to show off."
She squeezed his shoulder one last time.
"And come back to me. Whole."
Across the ring, Lu-Zwei meditated, creating an island of silence in the roaring crowd. Standing a few steps behind her was Shuren. Her posture was flawless, hands folded inside the sleeves of her formal attire. She didn't look at the crowd or the opponent; her focus was a point invisible on the horizon. Her mere presence commanded respect and silenced the curious onlookers.
When Lu-Zwei opened her eyes, they met Shuren's. The master gave an almost imperceptible nod.
"The technique is complete. Your body knows the path. Your only task is to empty your mind and not dishonor our art with distractions. The rest will come."
"AND THE TWO HOTTEST BETS FROM ALL THE BOOKMAKERS MEET IN THIS RING TODAY!" the announcer yelled, nearly out of breath."NOT HOLDING BACK AGAINST LUKAS SELANNO! THE PHENOM BOY WITH THE BRONZE BLADE! THE SHADOW OF S-S-S-S-SYVERTSEN SIW AND THE VIOLET FLAME! LET ME HEAR IT AGAIN—ONLY SHOUT IF YOU'RE ROOTING FOR LUKAS SELAAAAANNO!"
The crowd went wild.
"NO USE DOING BLACK MAGIC, GIRL, YOU WON'T BEAT LUKAS!" Monika shouted, being dragged away by a grinning Daniel, embarrassed by his friend.
"If you scream that much, you're gonna lose your voice too," Daniel said happily."Let's save it for when he wins."
And the fight began.