Chapter 10 -Campfire
The fire crackled steadily, sending occasional sparks into the dark forest. Kaze lay flat on his back, staring into the sky—not because he cared about how it looked, but because it gave him a break from Kazuki and Atlas arguing about something stupid again.
"I'm telling you," Atlas grunted, brushing dirt off his hands, "your sword form is messed up. You swing like a drunk goat."
Kazuki tilted his head, lips still covered by the bandages that hid the scars. "Says the guy who fell into a bush while trying to dodge."
"That bush came out of nowhere!"
Kaze snorted. "Yeah, nature really be jumping people these days."
Atlas glared. "Shut up. At least I don't spend ten minutes posing like a hero before each move."
"I can't help that I have style," Kaze said, smirking. "You wouldn't know about that. You wear the same musty cloak every day."
Atlas scoffed. "This cloak has history, okay? It's been passed down."
"From a corpse?"
Kazuki let out a muffled laugh.
Atlas pointed a stick at him. "Don't laugh, mummy boy. You wear rags and bandages like you're a horror story."
Kazuki shrugged. "I am a horror story."
The firelight cast long shadows across their faces, but the tension was gone. Despite the insults, the three boys were slowly falling into a rhythm that felt… natural. Brotherhood born not of peace, but of pain.
After dinner—which was mostly Kaze roasting mushrooms and Atlas dropping half of them into the fire—training resumed. They took turns sparring in pairs, using sticks, swords, and occasionally just fists.
Kaze vs Kazuki was the real test.
Kaze charged first, wind bursting from his legs as he closed the gap. Kazuki waited, listening, feeling the shift in the air.
He blocked the first swing effortlessly, side-stepped the second, and when Kaze leapt into the air, he spun and swept his leg low, knocking him off balance.
Kaze rolled to his feet. "Okay. That's annoying."
"Try being blind," Kazuki replied, deadpan.
Atlas clapped slowly from the side. "Round two?"
They kept at it until the moon was high. When they finally collapsed back at the fire, chests heaving and brows slick with sweat, nobody spoke for a while.
Finally, Kaze broke the silence. "You know… we almost died like three times today. I call that progress."
Atlas raised a hand. "I broke three ribs and learned nothing."
Kazuki added, "You also got disarmed by a squirrel."
"That squirrel was vicious."
Kaze laughed hard. "Bro, you screamed like a girl!"
"Did not!"
"You actually said 'AHHHH' like a cartoon!"
Atlas blinked. "What's a cartoon?"
Kaze paused. "…I actually don't know."
Kazuki tilted his head. "Did you just make up a word mid-insult?"
Kaze shrugged. "Sounded right in the moment."
Atlas nodded solemnly. "Cartoon. Sounds like a magical scream technique."
Kazuki grunted. "Use it next time. Maybe the squirrel will spare you."
Atlas pointed at them both. "Y'all are the worst."
Kazuki leaned forward. "If you scream again, I'm calling it Mimi."
Atlas's smile faltered for a second—but then he shook his head and grinned anyway. "Alright, fine. Y'all win. I'm gonna name my next attack 'Squirrel Strike.'"
They fell quiet again, but the mood was lighter. The fire dimmed slowly as they settled into their bedrolls.
A while later, Kaze whispered, "Hey, Kazuki…"
"Hm?"
"Thanks for not being a total psycho."
Kazuki shifted, lying on his side, bandaged face tilted toward him. "You're welcome. Thanks for not being a total idiot."
Atlas mumbled, already half-asleep, "You're both idiots…"
Kazuki smirked under his bandages.
And for once, in this cruel, broken world, the night passed without fear.