Chapter 43: Josar

High above the broken skyline of Krutone, Mayzen stood alone atop one of the tallest tower, his silhouette motionless against the dying light of the setting sun. His cloak snapped in the wind as arcs of Intergy swirled around his outstretched arms, feeding into the massive portal blooming open before him. Buildings below trembled. The sky itself seemed to lean away. Mayzen’s expression was unreadable, neither proud nor afraid. He was only still, as if bearing witness to the arrival of something inevitable.

Josar tore through the battlefield below, his breath ragged, his fists clenched tight as wind swirled violently around him. Without hesitation, Josar extended his right hand toward the sky, his fingers crackling with Intergy. Bolts of lightning coiled from his forearm to his palm, forming into a spear of pure electrical force. He narrowed his eyes and fired the blast toward the sky. It streaked upward like a comet. He had launched himself forward, his feet lifting off the ground as he caught the trailing arc of his own lightning bolt. The energy embraced him, wrapping around his frame as he stood upright atop the surging current, his figure cutting through the air like a missile. In a matter of seconds, he was standing on the same skyscraper as Mayzen. Mayzen remained calm, slowly turning around to meet face to face with Josar.

Mayzen: You finally followed through, traitor.

Josar: Yeah… Yeah, turns out I did.

Mayzen: How lovely, fighting for what you believe in.

Josar: And you? Fighting for something you don’t believe in?

Mayzen: Go argue with Sicrus. Not me.

Josar: You lived thousands of lives, and yet you still come to this.

Mayzen: I’m not here to have soft talks with you, and you’re not here to stop me.

Josar generated lightning in his fists.

Mayzen: A little too late.

From the heart of the swirling portal, something massive began to take shape, its outline blotting out the fiery sky behind it. The winds howled violently as the creature’s wings unfolded, each leathery membrane stretched between spines of dark steel-like bone. Its claws clamped onto the edge of the skyscraper’s rooftop, talons biting into reinforced alloy. The Komodo Hybrid's body was a monstrous fusion of reptilian muscle and something far more engineered. Black scales ran across its humanoid frame, cracked by glowing veins of molten energy that pulsed like a heartbeat. Its head resembled a dragon, elongated and crowned with serrated horns, and when it opened its mouth, rows of jagged teeth dripped with corrosive saliva. A low growl rumbled from its chest, deep enough to vibrate the skyscrapers nearby. Then it roared an ear-splitting blast of sound and heat, spreading its wings wide as fire and ash swirled at its back. As it stepped forward, its clawed foot shook the skyscraper they stood on.

Josar: What?... the hell is that?

Josar could feel the immense Intergy radiating from the creature.

Mayzen: It’s unfortunate Penim never got to see his greatest creation in motion. Ever fought with plasma before?

Josar: Plasma…

Mayzen: Have fun. At last, let’s finally see your full power, Josar. I know you’ve been hiding some power underneath that innocent face.

The cold precision in Mayzen’s eyes gave way, and an unnerving smile curved across his face.

Mayzen: SHOW ME WHY AKU EVER TRUSTED YOU, JOSAR!

The Komodo Hybrid’s throat began to glow, a deep molten red that pulsed along the jagged veins across its scaled neck. The sound that followed was a low, mechanical whine, rising sharply in pitch until it became a piercing screech that reverberated through the steel bones of the skyscraper.

Josar: Fuck!

Josar’s instincts screamed. He barely had time to react before the Hybrid’s jaws split open, wide and unnatural, releasing a concentrated stream of searing plasma. The blast tore through the air in a blinding lance of white-hot energy, vaporizing everything in its path. Metal warped and peeled away as the plasma beam cut through the rooftop where Josar had stood just moments before.

Josar had already moved, lightning surging around his legs as he launched himself upward in an explosive burst of power. He shot high above the burning rooftop, riding the crackling bolt he generated beneath his feet and landed by a nearby skyscraper. Shards of glass exploded outward from the building as he landed hard on one knee, his chest rising and falling with ragged breath. Heat rolled in waves from the destruction behind him, the air itself trembling from the discharge of plasma that had just missed him.

Josar’s gaze snapped back to Mayzen, who still stood in place, his dark cloak fluttering lightly in the wind. The unnatural grin that had twisted his features was already gone. In its place was that same calm detachment. Mayzen extended his hand again, another ripple tearing through space as a new portal opened behind him. Mayzen simply stepped backward, walking through the breach.

Josar shifted his footing, preparing to move in an attempt to reach Mayzen, but he barely managed a single step before the Komodo Hybrid’s massive wings snapped open. With a sudden surge, it hurled itself into the sky, moving far faster than any Zagon Josar had ever encountered. One second it was hovering near the portal, the next, it was hurtling straight toward him, its claws extended. The shockwave of its movement shattered nearby windows as it passed.

Josar barely twisted away in time. He flung himself sideways, lightning exploding from his palms as he redirected his momentum. The Hybrid’s claws slashed through the space where he had been, raking deep gouges into the building’s steel framework. The entire structure crumpled beneath the force of the impact, debris raining down into the streets far below. Josar’s feet skidded across the slick surface of a higher platform as he righted himself, sparks trailing behind him.

He risked a glance toward Mayzen’s portal just as it closed with a hiss of dark energy. On the other side, Mayzen watched, his expression unreadable, his gaze following Josar even as he vanished into the Void. The Komodo Hybrid wheeled around, its massive wings folding tight before it dropped again into a brutal dive, targeting Josar with cold, calculated precision. Josar gritted his teeth and surged forward, lightning coursing through his veins as he braced for the next assault. Mayzen was gone. And now, it was just him and this monster.

Josar (thinking): Damn it, Mayzen. 

Josar exhaled slowly, swirling Intergy coiling tightly around his fists. Dark blue. Then, he surged forward with lightning. The glow was sharp and intense, blue light flickering like lightning trapped just beneath his skin. He drove his knuckles forward with brutal precision, slamming them into the Komodo Hybrid’s snarling face. The impact cracked the armored plating along its jaw, fractures racing out from the point of contact with a snap. But it wasn’t enough. The thick scales held firm, absorbing the worst of the blow, leaving only shallow breaks in the dark, obsidian-like hide.

The Hybrid reeled back for a moment, its massive body twisting as it retaliated. Its claws lashed out in a vicious arc, cutting through the air with terrifying force. Josar ducked low, lightning crackling across his legs as he sidestepped the next swipe. The creature’s talons smashed into a nearby structure instead, cleaving through and sending debris raining down into the fires below. Another swing followed, narrowly missing Josar’s head as he pivoted, his foot sliding across the rubble-strewn rooftop. Each miss was deliberate and controlled. Josar’s sharp movements kept him one step ahead as the Hybrid’s massive strikes demolished everything in its path. He struck back hard, driving his Intergy wrapped fist into the Hybrid’s ribs with enough force to shake the beast’s massive frame. Lightning flared at the point of contact, sending a ripple of energy through the thick armor. The Komodo Hybrid snarled in fury, but Josar didn’t let up. The Intergy along his shin blazed as he sent another strike to the monster’s cracked ribs. Cracks spread along the plated armor, fracturing further as Josar launched himself upward in the same motion. His fist drove into the Hybrid’s throat, following the line of damaged scales and slamming home with enough power to make the beast stagger. Blow after blow, kick after kick, Josar hammered into it. The cracks were spreading now, thin fissures crisscrossing the Komodo’s torso, legs, and neck. He was wearing it down, piece by piece.

Then the Hybrid changed. With a guttural roar, the Hybrid’s body locked up for an instant, muscles flexing as if holding back something barely contained. Suddenly, with a sharp, metallic snap, jagged spikes erupted outward from its armored skin. The once smooth plates bristled, each one gleaming with molten heat where the energy veins had split open. Josar’s eyes widened for a split second. He kicked back on instinct, but not fast enough. One of the spikes grazed his shoulder as he dodged, slicing deep across muscle and skin in a spray of blood.

Josar: Shit…

He landed hard several meters back, feet skidding against the slick metal of the shattered rooftop. His left arm throbbed, a rush of pain racing along the wound. Josar gritted his teeth and clutched at the torn flesh, Intergy moved between his fingers as he forced his energy inward. It wasn’t perfect. He wasn’t a healer. But he could stop the bleeding. Blue Intergy flared faintly around his wound, enough to keep him steady, enough to fight.

But the Komodo wasn’t waiting for him. It surged forward again, its massive body crushing debris beneath its claws as it closed the distance with terrifying speed. Josar’s head snapped up just as the Hybrid lunged, maw wide, plasma already beginning to glow in its throat. Without hesitation, Josar ignited the lightning beneath his feet and launched himself across the air. A crack of thunder ripped through the air as he vanished in a flash of blue, clearing the attack by a heartbeat. The plasma discharged below him in a white-hot stream, carving a molten scar into the rooftop where he’d stood moments before. Josar twisted in the air then landed straight down on the ground.

Josar (thinking): Damn it. I can’t keep bolting around like this. My body can only take so much electric shocks.

Before Josar could even register it, the Komodo Hybrid was there, its massive frame standing over Josar. It loomed above him from the remains of a collapsed building, claws gleaming with molten veins, then it swung. Josar launched himself backward, lightning exploding beneath his feet as he skidded across the air itself, catching his momentum just in time to avoid the crushing impact. The beast’s claws obliterated the concrete ground he’d just been standing on into a rain of debris.

And the Zagon fired. The Komodo Hybrid reared its massive torso back, its throat beginning to glow again. But this time, it wasn’t a single focused blast. Plasma cannonballs erupted from its jaws in rapid succession, each one a blazing orb of white-hot death. They arced toward Josar with terrifying precision, detonating on impact with devastating force. The first explosion vaporized a building behind him, sending out a shockwave that sent heatwaves through the air. Josar dodged, slipping between blasts, his lightning Intergy burning bright at his heels. He weaved left, then hard right, throwing himself into a spiral as the next two cannonballs roared past him. Each one detonated on contact with the ground or a building, carving smoking craters into Krutone’s streets. Entire city blocks collapsed in flames behind him, swallowed by fire and searing light.

Josar waited until the Komodo finally stopped. His teeth clenched and with a thrust of his right hand, he hurled arcs of lightning at the Hybrid straight on. Blinding bolts of crackling energy tore through the smoke, each one slamming into the Komodo’s armored plates. The beast barely flinched as its body tanked the blows. The Hybrid’s burning eyes locked onto him with changed tactics.

The Komodo Hybrid tilted its head toward the skies. Its jaws unhinged once more, wider this time, and from its gullet, smaller shards of plasma began to erupt. They spiraled upward in a brilliant flare of molten light, streaking high into the darkened clouds. For a moment, Josar’s sharp gaze followed them.

And then he realized.

Josar (thinking): Damn it!

The sky above Krutone lit up from the light of the plasma shards, and then the rain came. Molten shards screamed down in blinding sheets, trailing fire as they fell. Each one struck with pinpoint devastation, melting straight through rooftops, collapsing towers, and igniting streets in molten geysers of plasma and steel. Entire blocks of Krutone vanished beneath the bombardment, reduced to burning pits of molten slag. Civilians, soldiers, mechanized legions—everything was caught in the apocalyptic rain.

Josar gritted his teeth and moved his palms forward, calling on his wind Intergy with raw desperation. Cyclones spiraled around his arms as he spread them wide, forming a dense, spinning sphere of compressed air. The barrier howled against the incoming shards, deflecting plasma shards with screaming winds powerful enough to send debris spinning. He planted his feet hard, grounding himself as the rain intensified, the heat searing at his skin even through the protective barrier.

But the Komodo Hybrid didn’t stop. It charged through its own firestorm, wings tucked tight against its back, plasma burning through armored body. Josar’s eyes widened.

Josar (thinking): No damn way!

He braced himself, reinforcing his body in layers of Intergy, stacking tight circuits along his arms, chest, and legs. The sphere around him compressed tighter as he poured more power into it, preparing for the inevitable clash.

And then it hit. The Komodo Hybrid smashed into the sphere of wind with a deafening boom, its claws slicing through the barrier. The collision detonated in an explosion of compressed air and plasma, blasting Josar backward. His body flew through the air, crashing through a half-collapsed building before skidding hard across the ground. He landed on one knee, gasping for breath, shirt slightly torn and blood trickling down his temple. His body throbbed with pain, his muscles screaming from the impact despite the layers of Intergy that had dulled the blow.

Josar: This thing hits so damn hard… I put so much Intergy around me, and it still did so much damage.

Above, the Komodo Hybrid slowly turned, its glowing gaze boring down into him from across the burning ruins. Josar wiped the blood from his lip and narrowed his eyes, lightning sparking faintly from his cracked knuckles. The Komodo Hybrid kept going as it lurched forward, its massive jaws splitting wider than before. A deep, guttural retch sounded from within its chest, low at first, then rising in a hellish crescendo. Glowing streams of molten plasma churned in its throat, and then it vomited. A tidal wave of white-hot death spewed forth. The molten energy ate through steel, stone, and flesh alike, melting entire buildings down. The ground itself liquefied under the onslaught, becoming rivers of glowing slag.

Josar’s teeth gritted tight. He moved. Lightning surged down his arms, blue-white energy flaring as he threw both hands forward. A massive jagged bolt exploded from his palms, striking directly into the heart of the oncoming plasma wave. The clash was instant. Plasma and lightning collided in a blinding burst of light, the explosive impact throwing shockwaves in every direction. Josar’s feet slid back, grinding against the ground. The two forces of plasma and lightning waged war at the point of impact, lightning crackling violently as it bored into the molten torrent. Then it finally snapped. The plasma wave split, the sheer force of Josar’s lightning parting the stream down the middle. Twin rivers of liquid death veered off in opposite directions, crashing into nearby skyscrapers. Entire structures evaporated in an instant, reduced to vapor and flame, the shockwaves shattering windows and sending debris raining into the inferno below.

Josar’s breath came in ragged gasps. His arms trembled as the energy coursing through him seared every nerve. He could feel the toll, the overload building in his chest, in his bones, but he held. Just long enough. He glanced sideways, his sharp eyes scanning the ruins of Krutone.

What was once a shining capital, the pride of the world, now lay in ruin. Streets melted into rivers of fire. Towers toppled, burning husks consumed by plasma storms. Civilians, soldiers, machinery, none spared from the devastation.

Josar: What the actual hell did Penim create?

The Komodo Hybrid charged again. Its massive claws raked through the air, this time different. Plasma spilled from the tips, turning its swipe into a searing death sentence. Josar pushed off with a burst of wind, narrowly dodging the plasma scythe. The Hybrid was tactical as its next attack came, not with its claw that missed, but with its shoulder. As the beast’s swipe missed and its arm extended outward, its massive shoulder rotated unnaturally. A jagged spike, shot out like a piston from its armor toward Josar midair

Josar’s instincts kicked in again. He forced a gale of wind to propel him sideways. He almost dodged it. The spike grazed along the outside of his leg, and the stone scraped deep, breaking through the layer of Intergy Josar tried protecting himself with. His body seized in agony as the spiked armor tore through muscle and cloth, white-hot pain ripping through his leg and blood spilling out.

Josar (in pain): Arrrgh!!!

Josar cried out as his control broke. He tumbled through the air, crashing into the ground. Dust and debris scattered as his body rolled, finally skidding to a stop on his side. His chest heaved. His arms shook as he tried to push himself up, but his leg was wounded. He bit down hard, jaw clenched as he forced himself onto his back. The Komodo Hybrid didn’t wait. It charged at Josar again.

Josar: Damn it!

Josar had to react fast. He used lightning from his palms to burn his own wound, sealing it with electric heat instead of trying to attempt healing. Then he used lightning to surge himself directly into the incoming Komodo. He generated a massive amount of Intergy condensed around his hand and collided his fist into the Komodo’s jaws, sending it back. The Komodo Hybrid was rolling back this time, crashing into whatever buildings were left over. The Komodo turned slowly returned to its feet, its molten eyes glowing brighter. It flexed its wings once, then roared.

Josar (thinking): This is going to hurt. Damn it…

The Komodo Hybrid planted its claws deep into the broken ground, molten veins pulsing brighter as it regained its footing. Its massive frame coiled with lethal intent, wings flexing, jaws splitting open as it prepared for another attack. Josar stood there in the chaos, breath ragged, his chest rising and falling as sweat and blood mingled across his jaw. His right arm hung at his side, sparking with faint trails of blue lightning, his fingers flexing as if testing the last of his strength.

Josar (thinking): But if I don’t do it now, I’ll end up dying… 

And then his eyes lit. A piercing glow ignited behind them, deep, electric blue. Josar’s lightning eyes locked onto the Komodo Hybrid. And the Intergy responded. The lightning around him, wild and erratic just moments before, drew in close. Every spark. Every static pulse. Every strand of raw energy snapped toward him, coiling around his body, spiraling tightly along his frame. His right arm lifted slowly, fingers splayed open toward the Komodo Hybrid. His sleeve finally shredded in the wake of the raw voltage coursing through him, exposing his arm, his muscles tensing like steel cords under his skin. The veins along his forearm and bicep glowed faintly, lit from within by the blue electric power building just beneath the surface.

And then, he closed his hand into a fist. A thunderclap followed instantly. A single, concentrated beam of lightning erupted from his knuckles. It screamed through the air in a focused line of pure destruction. It slammed into the Komodo Hybrid’s skull with a devastating, precision impact that shattered open its armored head. The creature’s head snapped back, its massive body staggering under the blow.

But Josar wasn’t done. His entire body vanished in a blur of blue light, a streak of lightning cutting through the air as he launched himself forward, riding the very beam he fired on his feet into the Komodo. He punched through liked a meteor, his body encased in lightning, his fist clenched so tightly the bones in his knuckles cracked. All the Intergy he had left, all the raw power, all the force he could summon was driven into that single strike. His fist connected with the Komodo Hybrid’s skull, and in an instant, the remaining armored plating split apart like brittle glass. The sheer force drove his arm clean through the creature’s head, shattering bone, scale, and steel in one brutal motion, completely obliterating its head. Lightning exploded outward from the point of impact that shot straight up into the heavens. A blinding column of blue-white energy tore through the clouds above Krutone. For a moment, it was as if another sun had ignited in the sky.

From a distance, Zan had finished destroying the power plant. He could see the lit sky.

Zan (grinning): Hahaha. Damn! You had that all along.

A few miles down, Sicrus noticed.

Sicrus (thinking): Josar…

Miles away, Aku stood on top of the giant gates of Krutone, witnessing Josar’s thunder light the sky.

Aku (quietly): So, you’ve made your decision…

Back to Josar, he remained there, his body trembling from the exertion. The beast’s massive form collapsed instantly, brown blood spilling from its open neck. Josar landed hard on one knee, his breath ragged but steady. Lightning still crackled faintly from his knuckles. He exhaled slowly, his eyes dimming, the glow fading. Then, Josar began to cough blood and fell forward, laying on his chest. He could hear footsteps slowly approaching. Mayzen stood over him.

Mayzen: Not bad. You’re quite scary. Didn’t know you had that much in you all this time.

Josar didn’t speak back. All he could do was breathe in exhaustion.

Mayzen: Now that you’re out of the picture, Aku can finish the job. We were worried you’d interfere with our plans.

Josar (weakly): May-…zen…

Mayzen: Aku might want you to come back. If you weren’t so close to him and Sicrus, I’d kill you, now that you’re worn down. I’d love to get into your head and try to understand the cute morals you think you have.

Mayzen turned around and began to step away.

Mayzen: You know that Makota guy? The one that fights alongside Sen?

Makota’s dead body was tossed to Josar’s side. Josar looked over and saw the corpse. A small hole was found at the center of Makota’s head.

Mayzen: I killed him in a matter of seconds… and I found out everything you told Kyto. Once I let Aku know what you did, I’m sure he’ll give the approval to finally kill you… I can’t wait until I make you mine.

Mayzen turned back to Josar, looked him in the eye and grinned.

Mayzen: But for now, we have a mission to carry out. And at least now I’m know what power you’re capable of.

Mayzen created a portal and walked through it. The portal shut and Josar was left on his knees, still trying to recover, coughing a little more blood. Josar’s vision began to blur, the world around him slipping into a haze of smoke, pain, and flickering light. The ruins of Krutone wavered like a mirage, and for a moment, he couldn’t tell if he was still awake or drifting into unconsciousness. The cold stone beneath his knees felt distant. He was unsure if he was just dreaming or if it was just his memories rising from the dark. Somewhere between the two, a younger version of himself appeared before him. He blinked, trying to stay grounded, but the past and present had already begun to bleed together.

There are lives that begin with joy and some with apology. The world does not weep for these regrets; it endures them, quietly resenting the burden. Some souls arrive to applause, others to silence. These lives must learn early not just how to survive, but how to justify their existence. They carry a weight that was never theirs to bear: the cost of finding worth.

Ten-year-old Josar pushed open the door with a quiet creak, his small frame slipping into the dimly lit home. The afternoon sun filtered through the dusty blinds, casting long golden slats across the carpet. He dropped his worn schoolbag beside the door with a soft thud and looked toward the living room. There, nestled into the corner of the couch, was his aunt Alerma wrapped in a thick blanket despite the warmth of the day. Her skin looked pale beneath the faded light, lips slightly cracked, and a faint tremble clung to her fingertips as she held a paperback book close to her chest. She turned a page slowly, her eyes scanning the words. Josar watched her silently, unsure if she’d noticed him yet, but not wanting to disturb her peace.

Alerma: There’s food in the cooler, Josar.

Josar realized she knew he was there. He said nothing and went into the kitchen. There, his uncle Kolvie was cleaning some dishes in the sink.

Kolvie: Heat your food.

Josar opened a small metal cooler and placed it on top of what seemed to be a stove with a single burner. He turned a knob and fire formed slowly from underneath the burner. As Kolvie finished rinsing the last of the dishes and stepped out of the kitchen, Josar suddenly remembered something. He hurried to his schoolbag, unzipped it, and pulled out a folded packet of papers. Clutching it carefully, he made his way toward the living room, where his aunt and uncle sat quietly together on the couch.

Josar: My teacher asked if you could sign this.

Kolvie: Give it here.

Alerma: Did you do something bad at school?

Josar (shaking his head): No.

Kolvie squinted at the papers. His hands stiffened. It was a form, official looking with a government seal at the top.

Alerma: What’s it say?

Kolvie (to Josar): Did you read this yet?

Josar: No. They just told me to give it to you.

Kolvie: Who’s they? I thought you said it was your teacher.

Josar: Well, some other people were there too, but I—

Kolvie: What did you tell them!?

Alerma: What’s going on?

Kolvie: What the fuck, Josar!? What did you tell them!?

Josar: I— I just told—

Alerma: What’s that smell?

Kolvie looked to the kitchen.

Kolvie: Oh, shit.

Kolvie ran into the kitchen to find that the food was burning on the burner. Quickly, he took out the fire.

Alerma: You left the food on the stove and didn’t turn off the heater? Josar, you fucking dumbass!

Kolvie stormed back into the room, his footsteps sharp and deliberate. Already, Josar braced himself, preemptively flinching. Without a word, Kolvie shoved Josar hard, knocking him backward. Josar hit the floor with a muted grunt, catching himself on his hands. His eyes widened— not crying, not speaking— just frozen in fear, trying to stay composed even as dread crept up his spine.

Kolvie: Go to your fucking damn room, you stupid kid!

Josar scrambled to his feet and hurried down the hallway to his room. He normally shut the door behind him, but this time, something held him back. Quietly, he left it slightly ajar and leaned close, peeking his head out just enough to listen. A knot of confusion and fear sat heavy in his chest. He didn’t understand what he’d done wrong, but he needed to know why they were angry.

Alerma: What does it say?

Kolvie: Social workers are asking about him.

Alerma: What the fuck? Let me see the papers.

Kolvie handed them over. Alerma read.

Alerma: Shit. They found the bruises on his back? I thought he was covered up.

Kolvie: Well, he must’ve done something to show it.

Alerma: Another damn thing to take care of.

Kolvie: I swear, his parents should’ve just followed through with the abortion if they couldn’t take care of him.

Alerma: Yeah, well, they didn’t want to be punished by Yeshma.

Kolvie: Right, because Yeshma was totally going to punish them for aborting an unwanted child. Clearly, we’re being punished by having him. I swear, the government money isn’t even worth it.

Alerma: All that religious talk just to throw him our way.

Josar from the distance leaned in, listening closer. The hallway felt colder somehow, smaller. He didn’t understand everything he heard, but he knew one thing for certain: he was never meant to be here.

Alerma: So, what should we say to them now?

Kolvie: Hell, if I know. They already have his bruises documented.

Alerma: Just come with a good lie.

Kolvie thinks.

Kolvie: I’ll say I put him in fighting classes or some shit. He got those marks there.

Alerma: Get some sort of proof he’s in those classes. Say it’s for self-defense.

Kolvie: And then they’re going to ask how we even afford those damn classes.

Alerma: Say we’re using government money for him. That will really show we’re not using it for ourselves.

Kolvie thinks some more.

Alerma: It’s a good way to explain the situation.

Kolvie: I guess so. 

Alerma: You should’ve told your brother to be a man and raise his own kid. We could’ve had one of our own.

Kolvie: Yeah, well, shit happens.

Alerma: Now I’m the one over here fucking dying of cancer. We could’ve used the money for my treatment instead of raising him.

Kolvie: I swear the government money is never enough.

Alerma: Just go take care of that paperwork.

Kolvie: Well, we gotta figure out what the fuck Josar said to them first.

Alerma: Are you going to talk to him?

Kolvie: Now right now. I’d probably fucking hang the child if I don’t cool off first.

Josar slowly and quietly closed the door. He rested on his bed, looking at the ceiling, thinking hard. He didn’t cry. He only absorbed the hate around him.

Time passed, and the sky above Troita was colorless. It was flat, gray, and uncaring. Josar stood beside a small gathering of unfamiliar faces, their eyes wet, their voices low. The funeral was modest, barely attended. Alerma’s coffin rested beneath a wilted tree. Josar didn’t cry. He didn’t pray. He didn’t hold anyone’s hand. He simply watched as dirt was tossed over her casket, clumps hitting the wood like soft, muffled knocks. The people around him wept, but he couldn’t. Not because he was strong, but because he didn’t know what to grieve. Alerma had died slowly. There was no warmth left in the memory of her.

After the burial, he sat in the backseat of a cart pulled by two horses. His legs were pulled close to his chest. He was taken across the city to the Troita Orphanage, a structure of old stone and cracked windows hidden behind rusted iron gates. No one greeted him warmly. A clipboard was signed. A door was opened. And Josar walked in, backpack slung low, heart even lower. There were no words left in him, just observations. New faces. New walls. New silence. He had become an expert in knowing when he wasn’t wanted, and in this place, he felt it again before anyone even spoke.

Josar sat alone at the far end of the orphanage cafeteria, a plastic tray in front of him holding lukewarm stew, a crumbling piece of bread, and a cup of water that tasted faintly of metal. He didn’t touch the food at first. He just stared at it, elbows on the table, chin resting on one hand. The room around him buzzed with soft conversation and the clatter of spoons. Then, without a word, a familiar figure eased into the seat across from him. Grandpa— old, with a weathered face and kind, steady eyes— approached Josar. Grandpa handed a book to Josar.

Grandpa set a small, well-worn book down in front of Josar like it was something sacred.

Grandpa: This is all I could find for you. For now at least.

Josar tilted his head slightly. The cover was faded, but the title was clear in bold, cracked lettering: “The Quiet Fighter.”

Grandpa: You like fights?

Josar stared at the title a moment longer, then shrugged.

Josar: Not really.

Grandpa watched him, not buying it.

Grandpa: But you read through these books quite fast.

Josar’s lips parted like he might say something— then didn’t. Instead, he flipped the book open, turning a page slowly.

Grandpa (gently): It’s okay to say you like reading about them.

Josar (quietly): They lied to my teacher.

That caught Grandpa off guard. He leaned forward a little, his weathered fingers laced together.

Grandpa: Hm?

Josar: My auntie and uncle said I was in fighting classes. I never was.

The pages in Josar’s hand trembled just slightly. Whether from frustration or something deeper, Grandpa couldn’t yet tell.

Grandpa: Mmm. I see.

A pause stretched between them.

Josar: I’m going to learn how to fight.

Grandpa’s expression softened with concern. Not fear but caution, the kind that only comes from seeing too many kids get twisted by pain.

Grandpa: And why is that?

Josar didn’t answer right away. He looked down at the book again, fingers tracing the scarred edge of the cover. It felt less like paper, more like a promise.

Grandpa: Are you looking for fights?

Josar shook his head slowly.

Josar: So, I can fight for what’s right.

The words felt strange coming from him, like a uniform he was still growing into.

Grandpa: And what do you believe is right?

Josar paused. The silence wasn’t empty. It was brimming with confusion, fear, and something more dangerous: clarity.

Grandpa: Sometimes, what you think is right… isn’t always correct.

Josar: I don’t know yet… right now it’s for myself. Fighting for me.

Grandpa gave the smallest smile, one with grief behind it.

Grandpa: That’s a good start.

Josar exhaled slowly, like he was releasing something he didn’t know he’d been holding.

Josar: Before my auntie died, I was… abused? That’s what I heard my teacher say to… the social people?

Grandpa (correcting softly): Social workers.

Josar: Yeah, them.

Grandpa: I read your file.

A beat. No tension— just truth.

Grandpa: To be honest, I thought you were going to be some trouble when you got here.

Josar didn’t flinch. He just kept reading.

Grandpa: Instead, you just read quietly to yourself.

Josar: Why did my auntie and uncle… do the abuse thing to me?

Grandpa leaned back. The question didn’t surprise him. It just hurt to know it still needed asking.

Grandpa: Well, Josar. Sometimes people just hurt… and your folks put that hurt on you.I’m not justifying them. Only explaining why things might happen. People tend to become what hurts them— or they pass it along without even realizing it.

Josar blinked slowly, his breath tight in his chest.

Josar: So… I’m a victim?

Grandpa (nodding): We’re all victims.

He gestured across the cafeteria toward another kid, sitting alone, poking at his food without much interest.

Grandpa: See that boy over there? You should try being friends with him.

Josar: Who’s that?

Grandpa: Go find out. Make friends.

Josar: I don’t want to.

Grandpa (smiling): Okay. Maybe not now. But you should at some point. You both seem like good kids. Just don’t take from his language.

Josar: Does he speak a different language?

Grandpa: Not that. He says bad words. Good kid. Bad mouth. I’m still working with him on it.

Josar looked over again. The boy didn’t look up. Something about his tense posture made Josar hesitate. But then he let out a quiet breath, closed the book, and stood. He walked across the cafeteria floor with quiet steps, the sound of clinking trays and distant conversation muffled behind his focus. He reached the table and paused.

Josar: Um. Hi. I’m Josar.

The other boy, eight-year-old Sicrus, looked up. He had sharp eyes, suspicious and worn for his age. Josar extended his hand slowly, hoping for a handshake.