I was roused awake by the sound of rain.
At first, it was the only thing I could hear.
A steady tapping against the building, growing louder whenever the wind shifted. Beneath me, the floor was cold enough to seep through my clothes. The warmth I'd had earlier was gone, replaced by a dull chill that made me want to move.
I tried to sit up.
My body refused.
What?
I looked down.
Restraints.
They held me in place, and there was a heavy, prickling sensation running through my limbs. It felt as though my body belonged to someone else, the connection between thought and movement reduced to something faint and unreliable.
Where am I?
"We might need to hurry things up."
I turned toward the voice.
Xiǎoyōu was speaking with Hǎishēng.
"Ugh."
Someone grunted nearby.
I turned as much as the restraints allowed.
Gajah was lying a short distance away.
"Yes, the poison was rather potent," Xiǎoyōu said.
I turned my attention back toward them and listened.
"Ah, they are awake."
Hǎishēng had noticed me.
She looked in my direction.
I tried moving my fingers.
One.
Then another.
Slowly, sensation began returning to my limbs.
"Well, that's all the rest you get."
Her eyes moved toward Gajah.
"Ugh!"
Xiǎoyōu winced as he pushed himself upright.
He was still sitting inside that strange circle.
Only now, there were bandages around him.
A small bowl sat nearby.
It seems removing the arm wasn't much of an issue.
I watched as Hǎishēng started walking toward us.
She passed me without saying anything.
Then she grabbed Gajah and dragged him toward the circle.
My eyes followed them.
He has a way of messing with one's perception.
Mantri's words came back to me.
I looked around the room.
Something was wrong.
I couldn't see Mantri.
I couldn't see Ratha either.
My stomach tightened.
"Hmm..."
Hǎishēng noticed my reaction.
"It seems they are very observant."
She threw a sword toward Gajah.
The weapon landed near him.
"Maybe first untie him?"
Xiǎoyōu was already standing now.
He held a sword of his own.
The words hung in the room.
Rain struck the building around us, filling the silence between them.
Then Hǎishēng's expression changed.
"Oh!"
She turned and walked back toward Gajah.
"I thought he could manage—"
Gajah moved.
His fingers were coated in qi.
He reached for her throat.
Then stopped.
She was gone.
How did she do that?
I tried to look around, but the restraints made even that difficult.
"This one is rather something."
Her voice came from farther away.
She was standing outside the circle.
Gajah looked at her.
Then he looked toward Xiǎoyōu.
"Why couldn't I just kill you first before taking care of the disabled disgrace?"
He settled into a stance.
Hǎishēng smiled.
"Well, because that would be an unfair fight for you."
Gajah's eyes shifted toward Xiǎoyōu.
He would be leaving himself unguarded if he attacked her first.
I watched him.
He seemed to already understand that.
"Hmm."
Gajah exhaled.
Then he turned back toward Xiǎoyōu.
He raised his sword.
But he didn't charge.
Instead, I noticed the qi around his body beginning to move.
Ah.
The realization came to me.
If he can't see him, he should still be able to sense him.
Gajah charged.
Then Xiǎoyōu disappeared.
A moment later—
Clang!
The sound of a blade being blocked rang through the building.
My eyes widened.
He can still sense him.
What had seemed like a shot in the dark had found its target.
"Well, isn't that interesting."
Hǎishēng was suddenly beside me.
"When did—"
I stopped myself.
I gave her no response.
I simply watched.
Gajah fought with the air.
At least, that was what it looked like.
His sword moved through empty space, only for Xiǎoyōu's weapon to suddenly appear against it.
The exchange continued.
Again.
And again.
Gajah adjusted.
Xiǎoyōu moved.
Gajah followed.
Then Hǎishēng spoke.
"Do you understand why we can't see either him or his sword?"
I looked at her.
I hadn't expected her to explain anything.
"No."
I watched Gajah.
"But does that matter? He can sense him. It shouldn't be too long before he beats him."
There was defiance in my voice.
And worry.
Hǎishēng tilted her head.
"Well, it does matter."
She looked toward the fight.
"Do you know why the other man with the cat ears died?"
My head turned toward her.
Or tried to.
"Qi."
She paused.
"The shape of needles."
My mind went back.
The needle.
The attack.
The way it had struck without warning.
"But did you notice that in their fight?"
The realization came with a sudden drop in my stomach.
No.
My eyes snapped toward Gajah.
"He can also make his qi invisible!"
I shouted.
At that exact moment, Gajah blocked something.
Ice spread across his sword.
He glanced toward me.
Then immediately turned his attention back to the space in front of him.
Hǎishēng looked at me.
"Is that what you got from my comment?"
"Why would you want to tell me anything?"
I didn't look away from the fight.
"Oh!"
She sounded almost amused.
"Why? Because this fight is meant for us to learn something new."
I turned back toward Gajah.
He was beginning to struggle.
"I'm losing track of him!"
He jumped out of the circle.
"No."
Hǎishēng's voice was immediate.
Then she was gone.
Gajah landed on the floor.
I stared at him.
Losing track of him?
He already couldn't see Xiǎoyōu.
So what had changed?
What did he mean?
I pulled against my restraints again.
Nothing.
The material held.
I tried another angle.
Still nothing.
Outside, the rain gradually weakened.
Then, finally, it stopped.
Gajah was still fighting.
But he was struggling even more now.
"I can't seem to keep my attention on him!"
he shouted.
Then he increased his speed.
His qi reserves are likely really low.
The thought came as another clash rang through the room.
Clang!
Sword struck sword.
Gajah's breathing had become heavier.
His movements were no longer as clean as before.
"Ma—"
Xiǎoyōu's voice came from somewhere I couldn't see.
"Mist Gate."
My eyes widened.
"Watch out!"
I didn't even know what Gajah could do.
How was he supposed to guard against something he couldn't see?
Then qi flared around his body.
It spread outward in a spherical shape.
"Hallow Shell."
I gasped.
Smart.
That should keep him out—
Gajah fell.
His body hit the floor.
Then something rolled.
I stared.
His head landed beside him.
For a moment, I couldn't process what I was looking at.
"What?"
My mind raced.
"What happened?"
I had already tried several times to free myself.
None of it had worked.
Now I could only stare at Gajah's body.
Hǎishēng spoke beside me.
"Well, it's your turn."
Gajah's body lay motionless on the floor.
I swallowed.
What do I know?
What have I learned?
What am I missing?
My mind raced as I stared at the battlefield.
There had to be something.
Something I hadn't noticed.
Something all of this was trying to teach me.