Alec stirred with a sharp breath.
"Careful," came Linya's voice, low but urgent. She was already at his side, her hand pressing gently against his shoulder to keep him from rising too fast. "You'll pull your stitches."
He winced, exhaling slowly. "How long...?"
"Three days," she said, brushing damp hair from his forehead. "Three days, Alec. I nearly dragged you to the healer, but you wouldn't let go of that damn fan, even unconscious."
Alec looked down at his side. The pain was raw, pulsing, but wrapped in thick cloth. His sash and outer robe were gone, folded neatly on a chair.
Linya followed his gaze. "Burns. Bruises. Gashes on your ribs. And you smelled of smoke and blood." Her voice cracked slightly. "I thought we lost you."
"I… I'm sorry," Alec murmured. His voice was rough, like wind over gravel.
"What happened?" she asked, folding her arms, but not harshly. "And don't give me the short version. Not this time."
He hesitated.
"I was walking by the north alley," he said slowly. "It was dark. I heard them before I saw them — two men. One had a club. The other… flames."
Linya's eyes widened. "A bender?"
Alec nodded faintly. "I didn't know until I was already cornered. They weren't just thieves. They were planning to sell me."
Linya's lips thinned. "Spirits…"
"I fought back," he said simply. "Did what I had to do. And… I got out. Barely."
Her voice softened. "You're not trained for that, Alec. You're clever, sure — and strange in your ways — but fighting? Taking lives?" She reached out again, this time smoothing the edge of the blanket near his ribs. "That isn't something you walk away from clean."
"I didn't have a choice."
"There's always a choice," she said, but not cruelly — as if she was reminding herself, too. Then: "Did you kill them?"
Alec didn't speak.
Linya watched him for a long moment. Then sighed. "You don't need to answer. And remember no bodies were found nearby."
The silence was thick.
"Something else," she said suddenly, changing tone. "Yesterday. A boy came by."
"A boy?" Alec asked, trying to sit straighter despite the pain.
Linya nodded. "Strange one. Couldn't have been older than you. Wore his hood too tight, kept his head down. Asked about you, by name."
"By name?" Alec's breath caught.
"I didn't tell him anything," she assured him. "Said you were sleeping, nothing more. But he was odd. Didn't drink. Didn't even sit long. Just looked around. Like he was… I don't know. Listening."
Alec leaned his head back, eyes under the blindfold narrowing in thought.
"I think he was at the alley. The night I was attacked. I heard movement. Thought it was my mind playing tricks."
Linya looked uneasy. "You think he followed you back here?"
"I don't know..." Alec's voice trailed off.
He glanced toward his fan. "I need to know more."
"You need to rest," she corrected him. "You've barely healed."
Alec smirked faintly. "Resting gets me caught off guard."
Linya shook her head. "Stubborn. Like everyone who walks through my door thinking they're not meant to stay."
He looked at her for a moment. "I'm not trying to leave. Just… understand."
"Then let me help you stay long enough to do that," she said softly, placing a small bowl of herbal tea at his bedside. "Drink this. It'll help the pain."
Alec reached for it slowly, sipping it with a grimace.
"Tastes like wet bark," he muttered.
"It is wet bark," she replied. "With a little honey. Don't get used to it."
They both sat there in silence for a moment.
Once she left, Alec leaned back slowly. The pain was duller now, more distant. His hand drifted toward the fan resting beside him, cold metal familiar and grounding.
Then the System pinged.
[Ding. Reward Issued(According to Choice)]
[Congratulation host for completing his first quest]
[ Firebending Upgraded to Level 5 (105/50000)
Blinding Lash Upgraded to Level 4 (20/10000)
Host Level is Upgraded
Strength is increased ]
He studied the screen.
But it didn't ease the ache in his chest that wasn't from bruised ribs.
He recalled the battle.
His mistake — not using Thermal Reversal early. He could've disrupted the bender's flames, turned the terrain to his advantage faster. Blinding Lash had cost him stamina because he waited too long.
He could've ended it sooner. Cleaner.
Yet it was the killing that haunted him.
He'd done it.
He'd taken lives.
Even if they'd meant to sell him, hurt him — it lingered in his chest like smoke after fire. Hard to breathe. Harder to forget.
He whispered to himself, "Next time… better. Cleaner. Not just stronger."
Then, slowly, sleep reclaimed him.
Next Morning
He felt steadier. Stronger.
Downstairs, the warm scent of roasted rice and simmering broth greeted him. Rhoen looked up in surprise as Alec walked in.
"Well, well," he said, putting down a bowl. "The dead walks."
"Barely," Alec smirked.
"Linya told me what she knows. You don't have to talk if you're not ready."
Alec nodded. "I'm alright."
Rhoen eyed him. "You shouldn't be serving."
"I needed something," Alec said. "Helps me… settle."
The older man relented. "Alright. But you spill even one pot of jasmine, I'm cutting your fingers off."That made Alec chuckle — the first time in days.
Evening fell quietly. The Ember Leaf filled with the usual murmurs, soft clinks of cups, and drifting music from a street performer outside. Then he saw him. A man, hooded, sitting alone in the darkest corner.
Alec approached with a tray. As he placed the teacup down, the man spoke without lifting his head:
"The bodies were burned."
Alec froze.
"They won't be found," the man continued. "No noise. No chase. No story."
Then he removed the hood.
Alec recognized him immediately — though his expression gave nothing away. The scarred face. The golden eyes.
Zuko.
Alec slowly sat across from him, movements precise, deliberate.
He lifted his own teacup and took a slow sip, gaze blindfolded yet direct.
"Then perhaps," Alec said calmly, "the fire covered more than just flesh."
Zuko stared at him.
Neither spoke for a long moment.