Chun: Guild Pavilion Quarters
(4 hours before Dune fell)
The bathhouse door thunked shut. Steam still in their hair.
William tipped his chin. "One hour. Eat. Pack. Out front."
Aria: "Copy."
Lila (at Kai's towel): "Clothes."
Rin tucked the rag strip.
Kai spotted a familiar coat sliding toward the street... looked at his towel... vanished.
(Quick change)
Gear bomb of a room. Gi top. Belt. Socks over sandals. Hair tie. Sun slung.
Lila lobbed a dry shirt. "Wear it."
"Bless," Kai said, already sprinting.
Aria: "Don't trip!"
Kai: "I never—" (trips, recovers, keeps going)
Lantern steam. Clack clack. Broth like a hug.
"Captain!"
Darius didn't turn. "You wore socks. Growth."
Two bowls hit the counter.
They ate in a warm, quiet place.
Darius watched over the rim. "A couple of weeks and your stance stopped wobbling. When it got real, you didn't pray for Lotus, you ran it."
Kai grinned. "Had good teachers."
"Both." The drunk smile crept in. "And yeah, your captain is one of the five protégés. Also, an old friend. Lucky kid."
"He told me yesterday," Kai said. "I said 'no pressure' and tripped on air."
"On brand."
Darius cracked the flask, thought better of it, and offered. "One sip."
Kai tasted and died. "Floor cleaner."
"Medicine." Darius snatched it back. "And mine."
He leaned in. "Alex is mad you didn't stop by, 'charge him triple.' Alice says she'll see you in Janoah."
Kai winced, then brightened. "Tell Alex I wrote twelve apology scrolls in my soul, with bows. Tell Alice I'll see her there."
"Tell Alex to her face. Bring sweets."
"Of course."
Darius bumped Kai's shoulder. "This is goodbye for a bit. Patrols. Other fires. I'll be rooting for you at the last trial. If I'm not in the stands, you'll still hear me."
Kai's smile steadied. "I'll make it count, Captain."
Darius nodded. "I know."
Steam curled up, Memory came back from their one-night training the night before the Seeker Trials.
(Flashback)
Bamboo fence. Packed dirt. Chalk scars. Lanterns throwing long shadows.
Darius set the flask on the rail. Didn't touch it. "Good spot. No crowd."
Kai tightened his gi. "You want to test me."
"Measure you." He rolled his shoulders. "Watch."
He exhaled once and didn't drink.
The yard changed. Lantern flames steadied. The dirt felt level. Pressure slid in, like a hand on Kai's back.
Kai's knees dipped. "Whoa."
"That's just aura," Darius said.
A thin ember crawled up his knuckles. The light around him warmed, from white to orange. Heat didn't flare; it weighed the air. Chalk dust hopped. Leaves flattened against the fence.
Kai steadied with Agni. "Feels heavier."
"Good. That's me lacing fire into the aura. I don't swap it. I stack it: little lace, timing, nerves, grip. Too much and I cook myself. Too little and it just glows."
His mouth twitched. "Me being sober makes the lace clean."
Kai smirked. "So drinking makes you weaker?"
"Drinking makes me lie better," Darius said, smiling.
He breathed again; the weight doubled. The yard felt one size too small. Even the lanterns creaked.
Kai almost dropped; caught himself, eyes wide. "That's —"
"Spirit Bloom," Darius said. "When you lace your aura with spirit Muti and you can access your spirit bloom, only 5% of the world can access this power."
"Costs?"
"Lose your count, it sputters. Over lace, you burn channels. Keep it simple." He twitched his fingers; the embers on his hand tightened to a thin sheath.
He tipped his chin. "Move."
Kai drew Agni; Lotus stayed at the door. "Set."
"Go."
Hanuman Step. Kai snapped center. Bodhi Palm loaded.
Darius shifted half a shoe. Elbow framed. The strike slid past on an angle.
"Techniques at this point are super destructive and creative," Darius said. "I'm controlling the room."
Kai cut Surya Spiral through the hip. Second palm, deeper.
"Better." Ember's warmth kissed Kai's forearm, just enough to lie about weight.
They worked tight beats.
Kai: Hanuman → Spiral → Bodhi. No wasted steps.
Darius's micro-heeled pins, shoulder turns, and an orange bias nudged Kai half a step late.
Kai invited instead of chased; a palm landed true. Darius grinned. "There you are."
"Open it," Darius said. "Make it loud."
Kai stopped, Lotus Bloom rose, petals in bone, breathe and will on one track. The world answered, edges crisp, feet honest.
He went again, faster. Enlightened Senses caught a shoulder twitch before the hip. Bodhi landed clean on the rib.
"Good," Darius said. Then he pressed, sober, tight footwork, ember sheath humming, True. Each beat gave Kai one answer. When Kai chased, the floor crashed with an aura. When he was invited, Darius stepped into his line and let him show off.
They stopped with hands hovering, Kai's palm at his sternum, Darius's knuckles at his jaw.
Darius let the orange fade back to white, then to nothing. The weight is left. The yard breathed.
He tapped Kai's chest. "Simple aura first, lace a little fire when you need to tilt. Bloom by lining up your aura with spirit Muti, not panicking, and focus straight."
Kai nodded, grinning through sweat. "Got it."
"Nice kid," Darius said. "Eat something and get some sleep. Let's keep this between us."
(Back to noodles)
Darius drained the last of Kai's broth like a thief. "Mine now."
"You're the worst," Kai said.
"The best," Darius said, standing. He tugged Kai's sleeve straight, uncle clean. "Water. Pack tight. Meet Lockhart in an hour."
Kai bowed, the real kind. "Thanks for everything, Captain."
"Go, Captain," Darius shot back, with a warm two-finger salute.
He turned for the patrol and vanished into the street crowd.
Kai stood one breath longer, Lotus quiet in his chest, then jogged for the Pavilion, grin hooked to his ears.
Inside, Aria was already done packing, Lila was finishing packing, Rin was saying his goodbyes to his family's house butlers and maids, "take care of the place while I'm gone," he told the lead butler.
"Last trial," Kai said.
"Hour," Aria corrected, eyes bright.
"Hour," he echoed.
Outside, Chun breathed steadily. Far west, a city's name was getting ready to change.