The inn was quieter than usual. The echoes of the battles still rang in everyone's minds, but the city's bustle had faded with nightfall. The group gathered in the main room, where oil lamps cast a soft amber glow across the walls.
Mikrom folded his arms, his tone edged with irony.
—What I can't wrap my head around is this: why the hell would Zeknier put a bearer up as a prize? It's like handing a loaded weapon to whoever wins.
—Not whoever —Mikan corrected, sitting cross-legged on the table while nibbling on a bun—. Someone "worthy." Someone who survives the tournament. And that's the trick: he controls the rules, he watches the results.
Blair frowned, her gaze lost in thought.
—Maybe… it's not a prize. Maybe it's bait. If we, the bearers, join, we expose ourselves—who we are, how we fight, what we can do. Zeknier doesn't need to move his pieces… we'll move them for him.
Mikan clicked her tongue.
—Exactly. He pits us against each other while he sits back and watches, taking notes. Like a cat watching mice in a box.
Mikrom slammed his fist against the table.
—So what he wants is for us to wear ourselves out. That way, when the real war begins, we'll be too drained to fight.
—Or dead before that war even starts —Blair added quietly.
Silence lingered for a few seconds. Asori leaned against the wall, arms crossed, chewing on the thought.
—So… he's just watching. Measuring.
—And we're falling right into his game —Mikan summed up with a grim smile.
The air grew tense, but Mikrom was the first to scoff and break it.
—Doesn't matter. We win, secure the bearer, and no one learns Blair's identity. End of story.
Blair gave him a look that was equal parts pride and annoyance.
—It's not that simple, Mikrom. This isn't just about winning.
Asori finally lifted his gaze, deciding to shift the subject.
—Today's fights were too easy… way too easy. But I saw several using fire, air… and they weren't bearers. That means there are more secrets in this tournament. If I use a trick, even a small one, maybe it won't draw too much attention. But I'll still have to hold back.
Blair arched a brow, serious at first.
—Yes, and I'll be keeping an eye on you. Don't even think of getting clever, mountain boy.
Asori smirked sideways.
—So now you're watching me in battle too? I thought having you in my head because of the Sweet Kiss was already enough.
Blair grabbed a pillow and hurled it at him. Asori caught it, laughing.
—Missed, Snowy Princess. —he teased, waving it in the air.
—Hopefully you'll react that fast tomorrow in your matches. —Blair shot back, crossing her arms.
Asori stepped closer, leaning just slightly.
—If you promise me another "logistics reward" after the fight, maybe I will.
Blair flushed red to her ears.
—Don't say things like that in front of everyone! But… if you behave, maybe you'll get another reward for your effort.
Mikan nearly choked on her bun from laughing.
—Oh, I love it. You two are like schoolkids flirting in the middle of class.
Mikrom shook his head, though a faint grin tugged at his lips.
—If you survive by bickering like this, maybe you really do have a future.
Asori leaned back against the wall, satisfied with Blair's reaction.
—So it's settled: you keep watch, I fight… and if I win, I get my reward.
Blair glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, biting her lip to hide her smile.
—Fine. But only to keep you motivated.
The group laughed together. For a brief moment, Zeknier's shadow and his bait seemed distant, as if their laughter had woven a refuge in the middle of the storm.
Later, Blair stood with a graceful yawn.
—I'm exhausted. I'm going to rest. Shall we head to the room, Asori?
Asori straightened instantly, almost nervous.
—Yeah.
The two withdrew to their room. Moonlight poured through the window, bathing the bed in a silver glow. The distant murmur of the city was almost gone, leaving only the creak of wood and the whisper of wind through the shutters. Blair sat at the edge of the bed, and Asori slumped down beside her with a long sigh.
—We never really talked about your training in Aeryon… —she said softly, tracing the edge of the blanket.
Asori lowered his gaze to his hands, still marked with fresh scars.
—It was… brutal. More than once I thought I wouldn't make it out alive. —His fingers trembled slightly at the memory—. There were times when the air itself crushed me, every breath like swallowing cold fire. But… I learned something. The wind isn't just force. It's patience. It's listening, it's trust. —He smiled faintly, tired but sincere—. And I realized that if I want to protect you, I need more than power. Above all, I need control.
Blair studied him in silence. He wasn't the same boy she had met in that forest. There was maturity in his voice now, a different weight in his words. That determination made her feel safe… and more than ever, bound to him.
—Sounds like you grew years in just a week. —she murmured with a warm smile.
Asori shrugged awkwardly.
—Or maybe I'm just getting old too fast.
Blair let out a soft laugh that filled the room.
—Please. You're barely seventeen.
—I'll be eighteen soon. Practically an adult already. —he said in a hilariously fake deep voice.
They talked like that, about everything and nothing, until Asori's voice began to fade. His eyelids grew heavy, and eventually he drifted off, slumped against her. Blair watched him quietly, brushing her fingers through his hair.
Her mind wandered unwillingly.
—Jason… —she whispered under her breath. She remembered his face, his shifting gaze—. I don't understand why you're like this. Sometimes cruel, sometimes… the boy I once knew.
She stopped herself. The comparison was inevitable. Jason had always been a duty, a political tie, someone with whom she could never truly be herself. With Asori, everything was different: every clumsy word, every poorly hidden smile, every silly fight… made her feel alive. Made her feel like she had a choice.
Her cheeks burned as Mikan's earlier teasing about "getting more intimate" crossed her mind. How far could this bond go? They weren't just companions anymore. Not just friends. They had crossed that line, though the weight of war still held them in pause.
Blair sighed, lowering her gaze to Asori's sleeping face. He looked so peaceful it hurt to think of what awaited him outside.
—Idiot… —she whispered, brushing her fingertips over the newest scar on his hand—. You don't even know how much you mean to me.
Outside, the wind rattled the windows. Inside, for a moment, everything else faded away.
Asori stirred in his sleep, slowly opening his eyes. His voice came out hoarse, dragged from deep within him.
—Are you hungry?
Blair blinked, caught off guard.
—Huh?
Asori sat up, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.
—I was thinking maybe we could go out… you know, grab something from the stalls near the arena. Something to eat.
Blair arched a brow, amused.
—And what about Mikrom and Mikan?
—Don't worry. —Asori gave a crooked smile, clearly struggling to say it—. Mikrom told me he actually convinced Mikan to go on a date.
Blair's eyes widened.
—Seriously? That ninja isn't exactly easy to convince.
—Well, he did. —Asori looked away, swallowing hard—. So… I thought maybe… we could have one too. —He scratched his neck again, nervous—. Don't expect much. I've never been on a date before.
Blair's heart skipped a beat. Warmth rose to her cheeks.
—Of course, dummy…
The silence that followed wasn't awkward, but sweet. A light tension, like the air before a storm. Asori glanced at her shyly, smiling, and Blair immediately turned away, struggling to hide her own.
—So… —he mumbled, shrugging—. Guess this'll be my first official date.
—And I'll just have to teach you not to mess it up. —Blair crossed her arms, though her smile betrayed her.
They both laughed softly, and that laughter was enough to break the tension.
As they got ready to leave, the moon lit the streets beyond the window. Neither of them knew that above the roof, a dark figure moved with silent steps—
A patient shadow, crouched like a predator waiting for the perfect moment to strike.