Coker woke up early before the sun even rise. The sky was still purple and cold. His body felt heavy but at the same time light. Like he had stones in his chest but wind in his feet. He stood in front of his house and stared at the empty street. His shadow stretch long behind him, but it didn't feel like a normal shadow. It felt... alive. He didn't speak out loud but in his mind, he whispered, "Are you still there?"
And the shadow moved.
It stretched and lifted again like smoke rising up from the floor. Then just like before, it shaped into a clone of Coker. The same look. The same hair. The same weird sleepy eyes. Coker stepped back a little. "Still real," he said, blinking hard.
He walk behind his house into the training field nobody used anymore. There was broken woods and rocks lying around. This was the place his mom used to train when he was small. She always told him, "Power is like water. Soft but dangerous. Calm but deep." He never understood what she mean until now.
"Let's try this," Coker said. He hold out his hand and think about fighting. His clone suddenly rushed forward, jumped, and kicked a rock. The rock broke. Not big pieces, but it cracked. Coker's mouth opened wide. "Waaaaaaaah," he said, clapping like a little kid. "I can fight!! I can actually do something!!"
He made the clone run around, jump on trees, punch a stick, and even copy his dancing. "Oh my shadow brother, you is cool," he said with a laugh. Then he had a idea. What if people think it's really him? What if he can fool Kaien at school?
The thought made him laugh so hard he rolled on the ground. "Imagine Kaien talking trash then I bring ten of these guys out," he said. "Fire boy will be fire gone!"
He turned serious again. "Okay, okay let's test limits. Can I make two clones?" He focused hard. Sweat drop from his face. The shadow flicker. But nothing. "Okay not ready yet. Only one. Fine." He pat the clone. "You're still better than nothing."
But then something strange happen. The shadow clone suddenly turn into mist and disappeared. Coker dropped to the ground tired. "Guess I used too much... energy?" He sat for long time breathing hard. Then he heard footsteps.
He jump up fast and hide behind a tree. Someone was coming. It was Kaien. Alone. Stretching and practicing fire punches like he was already a Captain. "Stupid exam," Kaien muttered. "Gotta make that fire blade work or I'll be laughed at."
Coker wanted to sneak away, but then the idea come back. A dangerous idea. "What if... I scare him a little?" he whispered to himself.
He crouched and focused again. "Come on, just a little one." The shadow clone rose again, slow but full. Coker grin. "Time for little payback."
He made the clone sneak behind Kaien like a silent cat. The clone didn't speak. Just stood there, shadowy and creepy. Kaien suddenly froze. "Huh? Who's behind me?" he said turning around.
The clone didn't answer.
Kaien step back. "Who the heck are you?"
The clone took a step forward. Kaien panicked and throw a fireball. It passed through the shadow. The clone didn't flinch. Kaien's face turn white. "GHOST??" he screamed and ran off so fast he almost fell.
Coker came out and laughed till his stomach hurt. "That... was... beautiful," he said wiping tears from his eyes. "Totally worth the headache."
He made the clone disappear and sat on the tree stump. His hands were shaking, but not from fear. From excitement. "I'm not normal anymore," he said out loud. "I'm something else. Something... better."
Then he heard another voice. Not the shadow voice. A real voice.
"You're getting better," someone said behind him.
Coker jumped. It was Lira. She had been watching.
"How long was you there??" he said, face red.
"Since you laughed like a crazy goat," she smiled. "You're not magicless anymore... are you?"
Coker looked away. He didn't answer.
Lira walked close. "I knew it. I told you. You just needed time. Maybe this is your time, Coker."
He look at her. Her eyes was calm and happy. Not afraid. Not confused. Just proud.
He didn't tell her everything yet. About the voice. About the vessel. About what he might become. But one thing was clear.
The old Coker was gone.
He smiled small. "Yeah... I think it's my time."