I wanna taste love and pain,

Wanna feel pride and shame.

I don't wanna take my time,

Don't wanna waste one line.

I wanna live better days,

Never look back and say:

Could have been me.

It could have been me.

- The Struts, "Could Have Been Me"

_________________________________________

Ten Months Later...

Kuai rushed carefully down the stone path from Elaine's hut, cradling a ceramic pot in his hands as he walked quickly back to the village.

The cryomancer's daily schedule was the same every day - he'd wake up at 4:30 in the morning to get dressed and clean up his appearance before he would join Hideo in the garden, learning how to properly care for the plants. Then, he would attend his daily classes with the senior students, leaving in the afternoon with minimal bruises that ached with an oddly satisfying feeling. Kuai thought that this emotion was caused by the pride of making it through another lesson whilst evading his bullies: Shiro, Taro and Yuta. The three were still making it a point in their lives to harass Kuai, but he had managed to gain the admiration of a lot of the other students in his class, who would often go out of their way to defend their new, younger brother from the bullies.

It gave Kuai a fuzzy feeling to see that he was slowly being accepted into his new clan.

He'd run from the dojo the middle of the village, waving hello to the families as he ran past their houses. Slowly, over the months, they had come to wave back with smiles of their own as Kuai's presence became more familiar. He'd run to Elaine's cottage in the woods by following the forest path, where he'd spend the afternoon with her. She would teach him the uses of different herbs and their healing properties, and Kuai would listen attentively. He'd help her gather certain plants that she needed from the forest, running around the woods to collect the herbs that she required.

When the sun started to set, Kuai would say goodbye to the medicine woman and head back to the village, stopping by Harumi's house to see Satoshi. A lot of the time, Kuai would help to calm the child down from a crying fit, prompting Harumi to give Kuai a grateful smile while Hanzo watched from afar with careful eye. Then, Kuai would return home to Hideo and Aiya to eat dinner with the family and wash before retiring to bed.

This was the process he repeated with every passing day, and he didn't want to change a thing about it.

However, today was different. Kuai left Elaine's cottage earlier than usual to return to the village with his precious cargo. He stared down in awe at the small green sapling that was starting to grow in the soil, making sure to watch his steps. As he ran into the clearing, the villagers exchange confused looks. They, too, were aware of Kuai's schedule and knew that this was abnormal of the boy's routine.

"Where are you running off to in such a hurry, Kuai?" One of the mothers called out from the porch of her house as she watched her son play with the neighbors children.

"I've got to plant a tree in Hideo's garden!" Kuai called out excitedly as he paused in his sprint, holding up the sapling in a demonstration. "Elaine got it for me! A friend from Hawaii sent it to her - it's a plumeria tree, see?"

"Oh, really?" A man asked amusedly. Kuai's enthusiasm was contagious. "Well, you better head on your way, then. The tournament is tomorrow; you'll need a good night's rest for the fights. My money's on you, kid."

Kuai beamed. "Thank you, sir!" He said gratefully as he shifted the pot to one arm, using the freed hand to wave. "See you Tomorrow!"

With the chorus of replies that were uttered back, Kuai held the plant in both hands again, resuming his sprint back to his house. He jumped up the stairs to the front door, pushing it open with his back to enter. He sprinted toward the garden at the center of the house, looking around the area to try and spot where he could plant his tree.

Finally, his eyes landed on the perfect spot; a large empty lot that rested between two rose bushes. It would have enough space for the tree roots to take hold and grow - there would be no competition between the neighboring plants. Getting onto his knees, Kuai started to excavate the soil with his hands at the spot to make room for his tree.

Just as he had cleared enough of the soil to deposit his sapling, Kuai heard voices from one of the hallways that led into the garden. He crouched low to hide behind the greenery as the voices got louder.

"How are the students?" Hideo's voice questioned. "Are they ready for the tournament tomorrow?"

"Yes," Izumi's voice confirmed. "The students are ready. Your son, Kuai Liang, has made excellent progress. Even if he does not win the tournament, I believe that he should be established as a senior warrior to defend the clan. He has more skill than some of my best students of the past who are warriors now. One benefit of being raised as a child soldier in the Lin Kuei, I suppose," he spat.

"None of the Lin Kuei have the agility and resourcefulness that Kuai does," Hanzo's familiar voice sounded out in the clearing as Kuai continued to listen in. "He thinks in a truly abstract way that helps him battle. He also has a certain finesse that you only see with senior warriors - certainly not anyone from the Lin Kuei. Not even his brother," he growled at the mention of Sub-Zero.

"I predict that Kuai Liang has the best chance of winning the tournament," Izumi spoke after Hanzo. "As I've said; he's one of the most skilled warriors the Shirai Ryu has, only paling in comparison to Hanzo, perhaps. He could wipe the floor with any one of those idiots that make up our current defenses. Have you spoken to him about this? Is he aware of the choice he has to make?"

"I recognized this possibility a long time ago," Hanzo said as they walked up right next to Kuai, who was still hidden under a rose bush. "I gave him the choice. The decision is his to make. We will find out his decision tomorrow in the tournament."

"I fear for the future of the Shirai Ryu," Hideo murmured. "If one of the soldiers ascends to this position of power. My wife, Aiya, has voiced her opinions on the matter multiple times, but after close evaluation, I can't help but agree. Perhaps Kuai Liang is the best candidate for the Third-in-Command position. Do you remember the time he behaved when the raiders held our village under siege?"

Kuai remembered what Hideo was referencing. A group if raiders had attacked the Shirai Ryu in the middle of the night and had cut off their soldiers from each other, making it near-impossible to retaliate with a full army of their own. In the war room with the senior officers - including Daiki, Kenzo, and the twins - Kuai had snuck in and listened to the bleak situation. He walked up to the map, much to the astonishment and outrage of the soldiers, speaking his thoughts.

He had pointed out where the raiders had set up camp on the outskirts of the village. Kuai pulled on his knowledge of these raiders, which he had encountered in the past. He explained that if the leader was slain, the others would panic and fall apart, leaving them vulnerable to attack. He suggested that he could sneak into the camp and easily locate the leader of the raiders through the largest tent, getting rid of him. Then, he would give a signal to let the Shirai Ryu soldiers know that the leader was dead. As they attacked, the raiders would await the command of their leader, not knowing that he was already dead.

Although Hideo had protested sending Kuai alone to the camp, the majority overwhelmed his protest. The plan had gone better than Kuai was expecting, and they successfully drove the raiders out of Shirai Ryu territory, only suffering minimal injuries.

"The village is quite taken with the boy as well," Izumi pointed out. "I know of many people who are placing their bets on the kid. If Kuai were to win, the village would accept him with open arms."

"You also get along well with him, too," Hanzo admitted. "The transition would be shameless. I will admit, I had my reservations about a child leading the Shirai Ryu, but he thinks like an adult and has already earned the respect of the majority of the people in his class."

Hideo sighed. "It's his decision," he said, starting to walk away from the garden as Hanzo and Izumi followed. "Nevertheless, it would be nice to have another one of my sons leading the clan with me..."

Kuai didn't hear the rest of the conversation as they exited the room, his mind whirling around the word that Hideo had called him. Son. Now that he was standing in plain view in the garden, he felt an unknown emotion swelling up in his chest as his vision blurred. He breathed deeply, wiping his eyes to prevent the tears from falling down his face.

"There you are!"

Aiya walked over to him with a smile on her face. It was wiped away completely when she took in his reddened eyes. "Is everything okay, Kuai?" She asked softly. "What happened? Was it those bullies, again?"

Kuai shook his head. "Hideo wants me to win the tournament tomorrow," he sniffled. "So do my teachers. But I'm not so sure if I'll do a good job."

Aiya sighed, giving him a sympathetic look. She pulled him into a gentle hug. "You've already been doing the tasks of a Third-in-Command," she said softly. "You greet the villagers and treat them all with respect. You prevented the raiders from destroying our village. That's all there is to the job, Kuai."

"... Hideo called me his son," he admitted.

"Well, it's about damn time!" Aiya exclaimed, startling Kuai. "Has the fool finally said it, then?"

"I actually overheard him say it," Kuai admitted sheepishly.

"Oh," Aiya replied, disappointment showing on her face. "Well, that's not the same, is it? Kuai, you are a part of my family. You are my son, and you are also Hideo's son as well. I am so proud to have seen you grow this past year, and I honored to be able to celebrate your birthday."

Kuai's thirteenth birthday had been celebrated about a month after he had come to the Shirai Ryu, on September 30. There had been a small party thrown in the house, making him flustered to see Hideo, Aiya, Hanzo and Harumi there with a cake. He had been overwhelmed by the gesture and unabashedly cried that day in happiness and gratitude. Hanzo had shifted uncomfortably at the sight while other adults hugged Kuai comfortingly.

Elaine had also heard of Kuai's birthday when he visited her that day to tell her about the celebration. She had glossed over the details - blowing out candles and eating cake - and turned it into a lesson for Kuai. "So, then," she had said to him, "you're a Libra? Makes sense." Kuai had, in turn, frowned. "What's a Libra?" He asked, earning an incredulous expression from the woman as she started to lecture him about astrology and zodiac signs.

Kuai thought that it was all mumbo-jumbo, but he wasn't going to tell Elaine that. She kind of scared him, but he wouldn't admit that aloud.

"You're my son," Aiya repeated, bringing Kuai back to the present. "No matter what you do with the tournament tomorrow, I'll continue to support you. Okay?"

"Okay," Kuai replied, hugging her tightly. "Thank you... mother."

She let him go, her eyes shinning happily. "Come on," she said, beckoning with her head toward the kitchen. "Let's get some food into you before you go to bed. You have a big day tomorrow; you'll need all the rest you can get."

"Wait," Kuai said, holding onto her hand to stop her from leaving. "Did you see my tree?"

_________________________________________

The next morning, Kuai woke up with butterflies fluttering in his stomach. He had slept in that morning since Hideo had reassured him that he would take care of the new plants. Yes - even the tree that Kuai had planted the day before.

He slowly moved to put on his grey uniform, cleaning up his appearance as he went downstairs to the kitchen and dining area where Hideo and Aiya were.

When Hideo caught sight of Kuai in the grey training clothes, he made a clicking noise with his tongue. "You're not going to wear those," he said, pointing his teaspoon towards Kuai. He stood up, reaching behind him to a seat that was hidden behind the dining table. Hideo picked up a folded set of clothes on the seat, walking over to place them in Kuai's hands.

"From now on," he said, looking down to Kuai. "You wear the colors of the Shirai Ryu. After today, no matter if you win the tournament or not, you will be a Shirai Ryu warrior. You will patrol the territory with your fellow brothers-in-arms. You will defend the Shirai Ryu to your last breath."

Kuai stared at the beautiful yellow clothes he held in his hands. They were the exact same uniform that the other soldiers wore - they were the same design as the grey training clothes, the only difference was that they were yellow with white trim on the edges. The warriors with positions of power - Hideo, Hanzo and Izumi - wore yellow uniforms with black trim.

At that mind, looking at the uniform, Kuai finally made a decision as he quelled the anxiety. He was going to win that yellow-and-black uniform.

He bowed respectfully to Hideo. "Thank you... father. I shall wear these colors with pride and honor."

Hideo's eyes sparkled happily. "Yes, you will, son. Now go and change! I want to see you in that uniform when I watch you beat those other kids."

Kuai rushed up the stairs to his room, swapping clothes quickly. The material was a lot softer than the grey clothes had been - they were not as scratchy as the material of his old training outfit. Kuai ran a hand through the white sash that was tied around his waist, admiring the softness of the material before he rushed back downstairs to join his family at breakfast.

As Aiya cleaned up the empty plates, Hideo led Kuai outside the house and down the steps. There was already an uproar of cheers and shouts coming from the outdoor training area where the clanspeople had congregated. The bystanders stood on one side of the arena that had been set off by ropes. The warriors that were to compete in the tournament stood closest to the ropes in front of the bystanders.

Kuai made his way to join his classmates, the older senior warriors standing a distance away from the students. Hideo waited as Aiya joined his side, and the two walked on the opposite side of the arena to join Hanzo, Izumi and Harumi who were waiting on the other side for them. Kuai bowed with the other students and warriors as Hideo addressed the crowd.

"Today," Hideo exclaimed with a wave to silence the audience, "marks an important day for the Shirai Ryu. The warriors of the Shirai Ryu and the graduating students will compete in a tournament to decide qho will replace the Third-in-Command position. Knock your opponent to the ground, and you win the fight. However, although this is a day of fighting and violence, this is also a day to remember out connections as a clan. No matter who wins, I expect nothing but respect for the victor. Now, let the tournament commence!"

As the crowd started to cheer again, deafening the area with their cries, Hanzo stood forward as Hideo sat in a chair next to Aiya. "Kenzo, Ren, stand forward!" He barked over the noise.

The senior warriors went under the ropes to stand in the circular arena, standing across from each other. They bowed respectfully before getting into their fighting stances, waiting for the command. The audience suddenly quieted and Hideo nodded at Izumi.

"Fight!" Izumi shouted.

Thus, the tournament commenced. Over the next few hours, Kuai watched as his classmates were pitted against each other. In his first match, Kuai was set to fight Natsu, a 23-year-old from his class. Kuai was familiar with the man and they respected each other greatly. Kuai planted his arms against his sides as he bowed, mirroring Natsu's gesture before he got into his stance.

At Izumi's command, Kuai waited for Natsu's charge, crouching low as he drove his foot into the man's chest. Now that his opponent was pushed back, Kuai pushed the advantage. He rushed forward as Natsu stumbled, landing a few well-placed strikes on Natsu. Just as the man was starting to recover from his attacks, Kuai took a step back as he blocked a wild punch from his right.

Kuai knew that he needed to end the fight quickly so that he could conserve energy. Muttering a silent apology to Natsu in his head, he fell to the ground and swept his leg with a speed that Natsu couldn't react to. The man fell to the ground when Kuai's leg knocked him off balance, landing on his back.

As the crowd cheered for Kuai's victory, the cryomancer extended a hand to Natsu, who took it gratefully, smiling at Kuai. "Congratulations," Kuai spoke. "You put up a good fight." Natsu chuckled good-naturedly. "I hope you win," he said in a genuine voice.

Kuai only smiled back as they walked back to the sidelines. Natsu went to join his classmates and the warriors who had been defeated in their fights while Kuai went to join the group of victors. Much to his displeasure, Kuai noted that Shiro was still in the running, although he was happy to see that Taro and Yuta were gone.

Trying to not let his emotions cloud his judgment, Kuai refused to look in Shiro's direction as he watched the next fight. He took the time to observe the other warriors' habits in their fights, nothing their weaknesses and strength. Kuai fought in a couple more rounds, remembering to save his energy for the last fight as the number of the contenders dwindled. At the end of each round, he made sure to offer a hand to pull up the downed opponents in an act of respect and chivalry.

Now, there were only ten contenders left in the running. The sun was starting to slowly descend from it's highest point, marking the time to be in the late afternoon. Kuai and Shiro were the only students in the top ten while the rest of the fighters were seasoned warriors. Kuai took a deep, silent breath as he calmed his nerves, focusing on the people around him who thought that he wouldn't get far. He used their scorn and disbelief to fuel his determination.

He watched as three more fights commenced, thus eliminating three contenders from the top ten. Then, Hanzo called Kuai and Shiro to the arena, and the cryomancer stepped forward.

Of all the fights, Kuai knew that he had to win this one. Under no circumstances could he let Shiro become the new Third-in-Command of the Shirai Ryu. He bowed stiffly, ignoring Shiro's smug look as the bully returned the bow, making the honorable gesture seem sarcastic. At Izumi's command, Kuai leaped at Shiro with a sudden burst of aggressiveness that was unusual of Kuai's defensive nature. Kuai had hoped that this unusual action would catch Shiro by surprise.

Luckily, the calculated risk had worked. Shiro shouted with surprise as Kuai's fist connected with his face in a hard punch that made his head snap back. The crowd cheered at the first hit - they were well-aware of Kuai's torment under the hand of Shiro. Seeing Kuai get his revenge was entertaining to watch.

Shiro cursed as he tried to block Kuai's fast blows. While he succeeded in blocking some of the strikes, the majority of them still connected. Kuai relented in his assault, taking hasty steps back as Shiro suddenly roared, throwing himself forward toward Kuai in a fit of anger.

Kuai dodged the sloppy punches and kicks with ease and agility, managing to land a defensive kick that sent Shiro sprawling backward. Pushing this weakness, Kuai rushed forward to punch Shiro in the face again. Now that the man was stunned, Kuai was able to stand back-to-back with his opponent. Kuai wrapped his arm around Shiro's neck, putting him in a chokehold as he used all of his weight to throw all six feet and ten inches of Shiro over his own body of five feet.

The cryomancer slammed Shiro into the dirt ground of the arena, forcing him to lay dazed on the floor. He had been defeated and removed from the tournament, and Kuai stood victoriously over him as the crowd roared in approval.

Despite all the things that Shiro had done to him, Kuai bent over to offer a hand to the fallen student. Scowling, Shiro batted away the invitation, leaving Kuai to retract his hand as he allowed Shiro to get up on his own.

Shiro stalked off to the group of defeated warriors without a word, stewing in his own anger as Kuai moved to join the other remaining five warriors in the tournament, ignoring the looks that they were sending down at his small figure.

More fights commenced as the six fighters became three. Kuai gulped nervously- he was close to winning, now. Hanzo called Kuai and one of the remaining warriors - Jiro- to the middle of the arena. Kuai planted his feet into the ground, bowing respectfully before the other warrior, who smirked at Kuai.

Taking a deep breath, Kuai got back into his stance. By now, the sun was starting to dim in intensity. How long had he been here? Kuai shoved the exhaustion from his mind, knowing that he was fighting against a skillful warrior.

When the command was given, Jiro refused to make the first strike, waiting for Kuai to make the first strike. Kuai saw this and kicked experimentally at Jiro, who dodged the blow. The cryomancer, who hadn't used his powers the entire tournament, could feel the ice start to creep up his firearm. He forces it back, wanting to win without needing his abilities. Committing to the charge, Kuai rushed forward, jumping up in the air as if he was going to punch Jiro in the face.

Suddenly, as Jiro was expecting to block a strike to the face, Kuai rolled to the ground in the blink of an eye, using his speed to roll between Jiro's legs. Now that he was behind the warrior, Kuai planted his foot into Jiro's back, sending him stumbling forward with an "oomph" of surprise.

As Jiro whirled around to face Kuai, the cryomancer was already on him like a demon, throwing high kicks that connected with his face and low punches that were driven into his abdomen. Before long, Jiro found himself winded. Kuai leaped forward through the air with his leg extended in a flying kick - it connected with Jiro's chest, sending the man sprawling onto his behind.

Kuai panted, relaxing his form now that his opponent had been downed. Jiro seemed to be confused, looking around him as he saw that he had been bested by a thirteen-year-old. As with the others, Kuai slowly approached the man with his hand extended. Jiro took him by surprise with a grin on his sweaty face.

"Not bad, kid," he chuckled as he accepted the hand, letting Kuai pull him up. "Not bad at all."

Hideo stood up from his seat, addressing the people. "There are two contenders left," he announced. Kuai turned to see the last contender, Kenzo, nodding satisfyingly. "There wil be a thirty-minute break for the warriors to rest. We will resume after the break!
_________________________________________

Kuai sighed as he greedily dank the cold water from the offered canteen, his classmates surrounding him as they cheered him on.

"That was awesome, Liang!" One of them shouted wildly. "You can take this and win!"

"Did you see the way he took down Jiro?" Another called out over the noise. "Man, I want to know how to do that!"

Kuai nodded thankfully towards his classmates, leaving the area to find some quiet as he found himself walking to Harumi's house. He entered through the open front door as he wiped his shoes on the mat, stepping inside to see Satoshi.

The infant was now a toddler, crawling on all fours. He had recently turned one-year-old and proved to be an adventurous child. He looked up at Kuai, who knelt to the ground with a smile on his face.

Satoshi squealed happily as Kuai took him up in his arms. "Are you happy to see me?" He asked the baby. "Did you miss your Uncle Kuai?"

It had shocked both Hanzo and Kuai when they realized that they were brothers. However, Kuai had come to accept the fact. He came by the house a lot to play with Satoshi, who was also his family at this point.

"Where's your mother?" Kuai asked, bouncing Satoshi up and down. The baby sputtered happily, and Kuai took the bib wrapped around Satoshi's neck to wipe away the drool from the baby's mouth.

"I'm close to becoming the Shirai Ryu's Third-in-Command," Kuai confided in the child who wasn't able to understand his words. "It's scary, thinking of having all that responsibility. But if I do win, I'll be sure to do my best to help the clan."

Satoshi looked up with big, brown eyes as a grin started to grow on his face. He squealed, reaching up with a fat stubby arm to grab Kuai's nose. Kuai snorted amusedly, indulging the toddler as his mind drifted away from thoughts of the tournament.

Before long, however, the sound of a horn sounded - the five minutes warning for the clanspeople to return. He brought Satoshi back to his crib, placing the toddler down gently as Kuai wound up the music box. He left the house to return back to the arena, breathing deeply to curb his anxiety.

Kuai returned to the arena where a majority of the villagers had congregated again. As he passed through the crowd, he received claps on his back in encouragement. The support overwhelmed him as he finally stepped up to the ropes, ducking under them to join Kenzo in the arena.

The man smiled warmly at Kuai. "You've put up a good show today," he praised. "But your winning streaks ends here, kid."

Kuai clenched his jaw tightly as he became more determined to win. "Wait until the end of the fight before you start boasting," he cautioned as he stood up straight from his bow. Hideo stood up to speak again. He welcomed the people back before he motioned with his hands. Hanzo and Izumi walked down to the arena with staffs in their hands.

Hanzo placed the staff in Kuai's hand as Izumi did the same to Kenzo. "You're allowed to fight with weapons," Hanzo advised Kuai. "It's a free-for-all; anything goes. Understood? You can use your powers."

Kuai took the staff with one hand, tightening his grip on the wood. "It would be disrespectful," he argued. "I will fight without my cryomancer and win the fight honorably."

Hanzo shook his head exasperatedly. "Your enemies will not show you the same courtesy, and neither will Kenzo. If he forces your hand, you strike back, understood?"

The General's son walked away as Izumi followed after him. The two teachers joined Hideo and Aiya on the side of the arena as Kuai and Kenzo wielded their weapons.

"Now, fight!" Hideo commanded.

Kuai lifted up his staff to block the downward strike of his opponent, pushing Kenzo back with force. Kenzo was forced back as Kuai whirled the staff around his back in a flashy move, testing the weight. The cryomancer swiped flatly at Kenzo, forcing the warrior to go on the defensive.

They traded blows with each other; neither one of them was able to get the upper hand on the other. Suddenly, Kenzo lashed out with a sudden strike that Kuai only barely managed to block.  However, because of the delay, Kenzo was able to pull the staff out of Kuai's hands, leaving him defenseless.

Kuai was forced to dodge the swipes of the staff as Kenzo pushed his advantage. Hanzo held his breath anxiously as he watched the fight. Still, Kuai refused to call on his cryomancer. Kenzo pushed Kuai until the boy was against the ropes. Grinning triumphantly, the warrior raised the staff over his head to bring it down on Kuai's head.

Then, in a move that caused the audience to gasp, Kuai jumped onto the ropes. With his feet planted on the twine, Kuai jumped over Kenzo's head, tucking his body into a ball as he escaped the corner of the arena. He landed on his feet on the other side, facing his opponent's back.

Kenzo's staff swung down, hitting the ground. He whirled around, too late to block Kuai's kick to his chest. The strike sent Kenzo sprawling back - he fell against the ropes, leaning against them for support.

With a yell, Kuai rushed at the winded warrior, driving another kick into his chest again. The force sent Kenzo over the ropes that defined the arena, disqualifying him.

Kuai panted, panicking when he saw that Kenzo had flipped head-over-heels from Kuai's kick. "Sorry!" He exclaimed as he stepped under the ropes. "Are you okay?"

Kenzo groaned, blinking multiple times. "You actually beat me," he said in a stunned tone, looking up at Kuai.

The cryomancer huffed, offering his hand to the downed warrior. "Well, don't sound so surprised," he joked.

Chuckling, Kenzo shook his head as he accepted the hand. "That was good," he admitted as they both re-entered the arena, standing before the General.

Hideo clapped as the clanspeople roared with approval. "Congratulations, to all of you who competed today," he called out over the racket. "These two warriors put up a wonderful fight - didn't they?"

Hanzo called Kuai to walk up to the General, which the cryomancer did. Harumi was whistling loudly in victory, her large smile making Kuai bashful. Aiya was nodding proudly, fixing Kuai with a smile of her own.

Kuai bowed before the General respectfully, the emotions of victory and pride overwhelming him. Hideo looked down at Kuai with a happy smile on his face, the corners of the eyes crinkling with joy. Kuai grinned in response; the words he wanted to say were catching in his throat.

However, he didn't need to say anything. Hideo bowed towards Kuai before turning to Hanzo. The First-in-Command handed a pile of folded clothing to the General, who presented it to Kuai.

"You are now Third-in-Command of the Shirai Ryu," Hideo proclaimed. "When you take these garments, you are pledging to protect the Shirai Ryu with your life. Do you accept your title, with the intent to uphold these expectations, Kuai Liang?"

Kuai nodded firmly. "Yes; I do."

"Then I, as General of the Shirai Ryu, greet you formally as Third-in-Command," Hideo announced. He handed Kuai the clothes; the cryomancer took them gingerly, staring in awe at the black-lined yellow outfit.

The sounds of applause and cheers thundered in the small village. Kuai looked up through tear-stained eyes to Hideo and Aiya. He rushed to them, hugging them tightly as they returned the gesture.

Hanzo let a small smile appear on his face, nodding in approval at the sight. He knew that life would be a lot more interesting, from now on.
           
                                3
                                  
CHAPTER 4 coming soon!

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