He walked down the stairs he hadn't visited in two years. Running his fingers along the metal railing where he and Kaminari would slide down.
He could almost see their faded apparitions doing just that. Ghosts of who they were, lost in time.
Do they even remember me?
Has everyone moved on with their lives but me?
That's probably why Taris left... I never really got it until now.
Duaka walked home across the beaten roads, with his head down and hands in pockets.
He arrived at his doorstep and turned the doorknob.
Back home. It's useless. I never do anything and when I try, I'm hammered back.
It's almost morning, Duaka, are you just gonna sleep all day again and pretend everything is fine?
Drakon said it: Two weeks before the end of the Academy year. Two weeks for the Testing Grounds.
What sort of madman would challenge the Testing Grounds after missing two years of classes? Barely had one year of training...
A Tsumetai madman, that's who. One year of training and two weeks of refresher, if I went back today.
He held the door slightly open, standing on the doormat.
Is it too late to start again?
Duaka closed the door behind him and walked back down the road, his heart racing.
He picked up the pace until he was at a brisk run, racing the sun before it rose.
The dust lifted beneath his feet. The uneven sandy roads of the city graced by feet that hadn't felt this alive in two years.
Before long, he was there. The Academy Gates towering in front of him.
He was the first to arrive, his heart pounding in his chest as he stared at the closed gates with anticipation.
Off into the distance, he saw a silhouette coming out of the night, about his size.
He squinted to try and make out who it was, the silhouette waved at him as it became visible under the street lamps.
Is he one of my classmates? What was his name?
"Hey," the guy said with a warm smile, "You're here early. I don't seem to have met you though. Are you a transfer?"
No, I haven't met this guy before. Probably new here.
"N-No!" Duaka stuttered, "My name is Duaka, I was a student here two years ago. I wanted to finish my training and become a Tokken, while there's still time..."
"Oh, nice to meet you, Duaka. My name is Rei. Rei Cames." he replied, "It's only a few weeks until the final exams. Have you been training independently?"
"Well, not particularly."
Rei raised his eyebrows, before blinking rapidly, "It's a tight stretch, but I'm sure you will do nicely if you give it your all."
"Thanks," Duaka said.
What a nice guy. Too nice...
"I couldn't help but notice your pale skin," Rei commented, "I would say you are from the Kai clan but without any face markings, that can't be true. Could it be you are a Tsumetai?"
"Yeah," Duaka replied, "In the flesh."
"I've heard a handful survived the plague, but to see one in front of me..."
Duaka nodded, staring at the empty road as the sun rose on the horizon.
"What was it like for you? If you don't mind me asking."
"Huh?"
"The plague..." Rei trailed off, "I'm sorry, it must be difficult to speak of such things. I shouldn't have asked."
"It's fine..."
"Call it my morbid curiosity," Rei said while digging into his pocket, producing a set of keys, "We better head on inside before everyone arrives."
"They let you keep the keys to this place?" Duaka asked.
"I sure hope so," Rei laughed, "After all, I'm the instructor's assistant."
What?
"Instructor?" Duaka stuttered as Rei walked on inside.
At the end of the road, Duaka caught a glimpse of his classmates walking to the Academy. He read their faces, trying to recognize anyone.
Amidst the strangers there was Rex Dryll and his familiar red hair, whom Duaka hadn't seen in months.
Duaka raised his hand and waved at him. Rex squinted and ran towards Duaka, fist-bumping him.
"Aw man! It looks like I'm seeing a ghost." Rex laughed, "What dragged you all the way out here?"
"It's a long story, I'll tell you all about it when we head inside." Duaka scratched his head.
His old classmates passed by them and entered the Academy. Some of them looked at Duaka with genuine surprise, others looked at him with contempt.
"Don't mind them," Rex said, "You'll find a lot of the old group will be happy to see you."
"Yeah?" Duaka sighed, "What about Engel?"
"What about her?"
"How has she been?"
"Fine, I guess," Rex deflected, "She's been a bit more distant lately, putting in a lot of effort to pass the Testing Grounds."
"I can imagine, she wouldn't want to let down her clan."
"Yeah, you're right," Rex nodded in contemplation, "Anyway, let's go on inside, class is about to start."
They walked inside and went their separate ways in the locker room.
Duaka placed his belongings in his locker, grabbed a spare notebook, a pencil and an eraser from the stack and headed inside the classroom.
He walked around with a pounding heart and a wandering mind, his anxiety rising as he walked towards an empty desk and sat down, avoiding any eye contact.
Everyone is looking at me.
They are probably making fun of me.
Maybe I shouldn't have come.
A hand came down on his desk in front of him, cutting straight through his racing thoughts.
He looked up slowly, catching glimpses of light blue hair beside him.
The scent of cotton candy descended upon him as his gaze locked with her purple eyes, which looked at him over her round dark shades.
Dark blue markings running down her cheeks from her eyes to her jaw. Another smaller streak running down from the middle of her lower lip through her chin, dotted only by a round labret piercing in its groove.
"Welcome back, Ice Boy," she said gently, her words carried by her minty breath.
Kaminari?!