The streets of Nisim burned in the distance. Aisho moved swiftly, dashing between smoke-filled buildings and fallen carts. The chaos of the Baratok raid spread like wildfire, but none of the pirates who’d crossed her path had lasted long. She'd dropped four more pirates behind a marketplace stand.

  She came to a halt in the center of a cleared plaza. Broken crates, scattered items, and a few injured civilians littered the edges. A firebird screeched through the sky in a wide, burning arc. Its body trailed sparks of flame that shimmered red and orange. The bird looped once before perching atop a building.

  A second bird, this time smaller, thinner, and a fiery blue, followed the same path.

  Aisho narrowed her eyes. “I wonder what that’s about…”

  Then she saw him.

  Standing atop a food cart like it was a stage, a lanky man in massive pants with insignias and tattoos sprawled across his body stood with arms wide open. One leg was bent forward with a dramatic flair.

  He pointed at her.

  “Ey, Goggles! Yuh got dat serious face, girl! Relax nah!”

  Aisho blinked. “Goggles?”

  “Yah mon! What, yuh rather I call yuh Goldie?” He scratched his chin. “No, nah. Goggles sticks good.”

  She didn’t respond. Instead, she stepped forward, planting her feet. “I take it you’re one of the pirate lords backing this raid.”

  He chuckled, hopping down from the cart. “Sanka, at yuh service. Lieutenant of Baratok. Pirate Supreme. Dancer of the Burning Birds. Giver of Names. Breaker of Hearts.”

  He struck a pose, the firebirds landing gently on his shoulder. “Sorry, but I have to fight yah if yuh try to stop me.”

  Aisho cracked her knuckles, smiling. “I guess we’ll just have to fight then.”

  Sanka exploded forward by sending a fire blast from his palms into the ground behind him, his frame twisting mid-air to send another fire blast from his palm towards Aisho.

  She ducked, rolled, and dashed forward, closing the gap.

  She delivered a spinning heel kick. Sanka caught the blow with his forearm, sliding back only slightly. He laughed.

  “Ohhh? Goggles got legs on her!”

  Aisho followed up with a flurry of punches, each one deliberate. One strike caught Sanka in the ribs, another clipped his chin.

  But Sanka wasn’t fazed. He spun backwards with a grin and called out, “Pepper! Lick her skin!”

  The red firebird screeched and dove at Aisho's position, forcing her to roll out of the way as the bird struck the ground in a spark of fire.

  The second bird, thin and sleek, swooped low. The bird spat a blue liquid at Aisho, but she quickly got out of the way.

  “What was that?” Aisho said. “You're trying to spit on me?”

  Sanka laughed, hands on his hips. “These birds are ma Yogen. That’s Salt. He don’t burn flesh, he burn yuh juice. Yuh power. Smart lil ting, innit?” He laughed once more, “Try not to catch his spit, ya?”

  Aisho scowled and used her Yogen to rush in again, throwing a hook aimed at Sanka’s face. He ducked and hooked his foot behind hers, sweeping her to the ground.

  Pepper dove again, but Aisho quickly rolled back to her feet. She felt her forearm burn slightly.

  Sanka danced in place, his footwork loose and wild. “Yuh quick, Goggles! But can yuh fight and do this?” He spun, arms wide, and both firebirds followed in the air.

  Aisho tried to attack, but Salt struck again, and this time she was hit by his spit.

  She felt lethargic, and that was enough time for Sanka to capitalize with a kick to her stomach, knocking her away.

  Aisho hit the ground hard and rolled to her knees. “Ugh, gross,” she wiped away the spit and surged up. “That spit doesn’t stain right?”

  Sanka paused. “Eh?”

  She activated her Yogen, moving faster than before, catching up to him immediately and delivering a brutal uppercut.

  He staggered hard.

  “Alright, alright! Dat one was spicy!” he grinned, wiping his mouth. “But it’s already over, yuh caught Salt’s spit.”

  Suddenly, both firebirds circled her. Pepper flew low, another dive attack forcing her to move back once more. Aisho felt something strange about herself; it was like her body heat was increasing.

  Sanka started clapping. “I take it yuh starting to feel the effects of Salt.”

  He started walking forward. “His ability is whenever yuh body make contact with any object, the heat in yuh body rises.”

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  Aisho stood still, rather than being frightened by her foe.

  She grinned.

  “You are a really strong Dragon Vein user,” She pressed her fist into her palm. “I’ll have to work hard to beat you.”

  Aisho couldn’t make contact with objects, or else the heat in her body would continue to rise. She’d have to end the fight in one blow.

  She tried to channel the Seishinryu Line. Matched the heartbeat, and exploded in a golden hue.

  Aisho burst forward immediately, launching a kick to Sanka’s head. She thought she had this all under control, but Sanka leaned back slightly, and the kick barely missed him.

  Her Seishinryu Line proved not effective, and the golden hue faded.

  Sanka retaliated with a flurry of punches and kicks, forcing Aisho to dodge. The heat continued to increase as she took steps backward, making contact with the ground.

  Aisho leaped backwards to catch her breath, but the heat was too overwhelming at this point. She wanted to kneel, but she only knew that would make the heat worse.

  Sanka walked forward, arms folded. “Yuh fight good, Goggles. Better dan most. But I don’t play fair.”

  Aisho tried to ignore the rising heat but couldn't focus.

  Sanka stood in front of her. “I like yuh spirit. Real fire in it. But dis ain’t yuh day, nuh-uh.”

  She glared at him. “I’m not done…”

  Sanka tilted his head. “Look like yuh legs done. Look like yuh arms hurtin’. Yuh mouth work, though. I give yuh that.”

  “I’ll call yuh Goggles forever now. Even if yuh dead. Dat’s legacy, innit? Pepper, go ahead.”

  Pepper circled overhead. The firebird charged a vortex of flame for a moment.

  Before unleashing a beam of fire aimed straight at Aisho.

  Aisho couldn’t do anything besides be at her foe’s mercy. She tried to move, expecting a searing hot flame—instead, there was a sharp crack of ice.

  A glistening wall of frost exploded upward in front of her, intercepting the flame in an explosion of steam and mist.

  “Tch. I leave you alone for five minutes, and you’re already getting cooked like a turkey for the holiday?”

  Aisho looked behind her toward the noise. Standing in the threshold was Yuta.

  Yuta didn’t come alone. Three other figures stepped out behind her.

  Kouji, a broad-shouldered bruiser, cracked his knuckles.

  Lara, the shortest of the group, adjusted her gloves.

  And then Shin, tall and lean, unsheathed his blade strapped to his back. His calm eyes flicked over Sanka.

  “Well now,” Sanka said, spreading his arms wide. “The cavalry arrives. And I’m outnumbered, hmm?”

  His head tilted as he glanced at each of them, lingering on Shin.

  “Eyebags,” he muttered.

  Then he looked at Kouji. “Tree-Trunk.”

  His eyes landed on Haru. “Floaty.”

  Finally, to Yuta, he raised a finger. “And you, Ice-Cube. I see yuh brought a parade.”

  Yuta grinned. “And you brought two chickens to a Dragon Vein fight. Cute. I wasn’t planning on eating dinner this early.”

  Sanka narrowed his eyes. “Salt an’ Pepper ain’t chickens, dem arsonists.” He turned back to Aisho, who was still panting on the ground. “Aye, Goggles, you lucky, aye? Dat wall of ice save yuh from gettin’ charred.”

  Yuta walked past Aisho without breaking stride. “Her name’s Charisma Girl, alright—not Goggles.”

  Sanka clapped his hands. “Charisma Girl. Yeah, that sticks better. Alright, alright! I like y’all’s energy.” He raised both palms, and Salt and Pepper screeched in unison. “But lemme give yuh a warning. I only got one move left.”

  Lara raised an eyebrow. “His strongest technique?”

  Shin adjusted his stance, subtly bracing.

  Sanka took a deep breath. “Yuh ready?”

  Everyone tensed.

  Then… he turned on his heel and ran.

  Full speed. Sprinting. Like he had somewhere to be yesterday.

  “Huh?” Kouji blinked.

  Yuta’s eye twitched. “Did… did he just run?”

  “Dat’s right!” Sanka called out behind him, kicking up dirt. “Strongest move! Tactical exit! Salt, Pepper, go!”

  The firebirds let out squawks, creating a wall of flame in their masters’ pursuit. They dove into the skies, and they followed Sanka as he made a beeline for the docks.

  Yuta stared, dumbfounded. “He ran. Like… actually ran.”

  Lara scratched his head. “I mean… he wasn’t losing, but…”

  “No, he’s smart,” Shin murmured. “Smart enough to know he’d have to deal with all of us. That was a measured retreat.”

  Yuta clicked her tongue. “Still annoying, I was looking forward to a battle.”

  Behind them, Aisho let out a gasp of relief. She felt her body cool down slowly, the internal heat dispersing. The effects of Salt’s spit faded the moment Sanka fled.

  “Thanks…” she muttered.

  Yuta turned to her, her grin soft. “You owe me for that one.”

  “I could’ve handled him…” Aisho rolled her eyes. “...eventually.”

  “Oh yeah?” Yuta scoffed. “You were three seconds away from becoming roast duck.”

  Kouji stepped over and offered Aisho a hand. “You alright?”

  Aisho took it and stood. “Thanks, I’m fine.”

  Shin gave a subtle nod. “So that was the pirate lord responsible for this attack…”

  “He was a bit odd,” Lara added.

  Aisho couldn’t help but grin. “That guy is crazy strong. I gotta rematch him sometime.”

  Yuta grinned, bumping Aisho’s shoulder lightly. “Then you better train harder, Charisma Girl.”

  Aisho frowned. “Stop calling me—”

  “Too late,” Yuta said. “It’s your legacy now.”

  She turned towards the wall of fire that Sanka created. She thrust her hands out, creating a floor of ice that extinguished the flames in a puff of smoke. “Come on, we’d better catch those pirates,” she said, walking forward.

  The others followed suit, and they eventually reached the dock shore where the Baratok ship was located along with the defeated Badrick, knocked-out Trace, a lot of other pirates, and Daryl.

  Sanka yelled at his crew from a distance, “Aye! Dis towns have too many Dragon Vein users! Get on the ship!”

  The pirates wasted no time, heaving any leftover loot they found on board. They carried Badrick’s beaten body into the ship.

  Sanka's eyes nearly popped out of his head at seeing how badly Badrick was hurt. “Bredrin Badrick… they’ll pay, ya. But not now.”

  “Aye! Set sail, bwoys!” Sanka commanded.

  Just like that, the pirates set sail and left the city of Nisim.

  “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.”

  — Psalm 28:7 (NIV)