Eriky softly cleared the final dinner plates while the kitchen lights cast a warm, golden glow across the long wooden table. The smell of herb-crusted fish and ginger tea still permeated the air, mingling with the faint ozone tang from the day's battle that hung to everyone's clothing.
The original members of Sky Boys were dispersed around the room in different states of post-battle relaxation—Macker stretched out on the couch with an ice pack on his lap, Nix fiddling with his gauntlet at the corner table, Ema browsing fight footage on his laptop, Aftor sharpening a knife out of sheer habit, and Sano sitting quietly by the window with his shield leaning beside him like a mute protector.
Orced sat at the table's head, white hair still a little ruffled from the fight and the wind, but his bearing was calm, practically informal. Florka, the surprise guest who walked in as though she owned the island, sat opposite him. Aside from the first hello, the two old acquaintances hadn't talked much, but the years of unspoken history hung thick between them. Florka's long coat draped over the back of his chair exposed the plain but strong armour below. His dark hair was pulled back in a useful knot, and his keen eyes examined the room with the subdued intensity of a person who had created something from nothing.
Without being asked, Eriky placed two new ginger tea cups in front of them. "Thought you two might want something warm while you catch up," he added softly, his voice firm and steady. "If you want privacy, the back room is empty. I'll keep the rest of them busy out here."
Alternatively, Orced nodded appreciatively. "Thank Eriky. You are already rendering yourself crucial."
Florka watched the new cook leave the room with a faint, almost approving glance. "New guy? Appears typical. Not a curse. That's not common around here."
Orced raised his cup and the steam curled up between them. "He is human. Good with food, much better at avoiding problems. We wanted someone to manage the kitchen following… Macker's most recent effort involved personal injury and heating water, let's only say."
Florka murmured darkly, startled even himself. "Sounds about right for your crew. You always did draw the boisterous ones."
The two guys sipped their tea in quiet for a moment, years hanging between them like an aged blanket. Outside, the breeze murmured against the windows, bringing the faint sound of the team's laughter from the main room.
Orced started first, voice calm and steady. "It's been a long time, Florka. You were off doing your own thing in the eastern wilderness last I heard. I had never imagined you stopping by my house in this way".
Florka placed his cup down and aimlessly ran his fingers across the rim. "Yeah. Life has a means of circling back. I came across Sky Boys. Seven S-class potentials floating island, breaking curses like it's a game. Decided it was time to visit the former friend who, as children, stole all the spotlight."
Orced chuckled softly, warm and honest. "Steal the attention? Come on, you portray me as some sort of celebrity."
His gaze connected with him; a small smile was straining at the edge of his lips. "You somewhat were. recall middle school? You were the kid everyone loved to be around. Cute face, white hair that always looked perfect no matter how hard you ran around, that smile that could persuade teachers to grant you extra credit. Girls trailed you like puppies. Boys yearned to be your closest buddy. You were valued by instructors. When you confronted that one man who was harassing the younger children, even the bullies stopped. You had popularity. adorable. The golden boy."
Leaned back, Orced had a nostalgic expression going across his face. "I recall that. The bully thing was really just me being bored and wishing to do something. To me, it wasn't that important. Still, yeah—people appeared to find me attractive back then. I never quite got why. I was just a child who enjoyed adventure and loved to punish the despicable guys."
Florka swallowed his tea slowly, his face becoming a bit more far. "You never got it since you were in the midset of it. From the sidelines I was the observer. Always the still one in the back row. Good grades are great, but no one saw them. Nobody clapped when I got a question correct. After school, no one trailed me. I was background noise. The youngster who was present but never the one most people remembered. You were the star. I was the bonus in your film."
Florka's voice held only a gentle honesty, the kind that comes from years of contemplation, rather than resentment. Orced listened softly, his eyes softening. He never interfered.
"I never meant for it to be like that," Orced said after a moment. "We were friends. I had always assumed we were. You were the one who helped me with those arithmetic tasks I hated. The one who stayed up late planning our "great adventures" even if it was just us sneaking into the old park after dark."
Florka agreed. We were buds. Still, you were the one everyone observed. I was delighted to be in your shadows. It gave me security. until it wasn't.
The chat stopped as Eriky quietly brought a tray of fresh cookies and set it between them without a word, then retreated back out. The little act dispelled the tension just enough for both men to grin feebly.
Orced grabbed a cookie and split it in half, handing one half to Florka. "Growing up caused things to shift. It wasn't accidental for me. Not any of it was chance. For the money, the power, this life, I sweated my butt off. High-paying positions drove my parents to pursue more chances, establish ties with those who shared the same passion, and network online. Along the route, I lost my family. It was not simple. It stung. I understood, though, that I had to make compromises if I desired anything more than merely living. Macker, Kruna, Aftor, Ema, Nix, Sano then turned out to be the ideal persons. We got together on forums, in chat rooms, and during late-night training sessions. These people were not merely passing acquaintances. They became my actual family. And we created Sky Boys together. Not because we desired authority for its own sake, but rather because the planet required someone to genuinely get something done."
Listening Florka ate the cookie piece slowly. His eyes stayed always fixed on Orced's face.
Florka responded after a lengthy pause, "I didn't remain still either." "I was out there in the eastern wilds while you were getting your crew together and scaling the ladder. At first, it was just me and a few others sick of being trampled on. We train. We engaged in battle. We acquired knowledge of curse management instead of curse fleeing. I acquired authority via difficult means. No shortcuts here. No cyber pals to lean on. Simply blood, sweat, and a lot of evenings wondering if I had chosen wisely. That influence finally enabled me to create Karkas. My own band. My relatives here. We proceed differently. We don't pursue every curse like it's a personal vengeance. We defend ours. In the darkness, we develop power. I learned about you, though. Regarding Sky Boys. About how your 'dark hero' act is flipping the planet upside down. I had to experience it personally."
Orced's countenance was pensive, practically nostalgic. "We were childhood friends. running around dreaming of being heroes. Now we are here leading something larger than ourselves. same fire, other ways. It's amusing how things change."
Florka slammed his mug down, the ceramic gently clanging against the table. "Ha-ha. Or certain. You were always the person others followed. I found out how to chart my own course. I'm not here, though, to reminisce about past events. I want to find out here whether our paths may run parallel without intersecting each other."