Kael sat cross-legged on the training mat in the backyard, his eyes closed as the last rays of sunlight filtered through the trees. Darkbind pulsed beneath his skin, a living, writhing force. Shadow tendrils crept out from his fingertips, swaying in the breeze like ghostly dancers.
Yumi sat opposite him, watching with her usual spark of fascination. "It's kind of beautiful," she said softly.
Kael opened one eye, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Beautiful? It looks like something out of a horror movie."
"Yeah, but like… a cool horror movie. The kind with a tragic anti-hero who's actually a softie."
Kael chuckled, the shadows twitching less violently. "If I'm the softie, what's that make you?"
Yumi leaned forward, grinning. "The quirky sidekick who definitely gets stronger than the hero one day."
He laughed, and for a moment, the pressure of Darkbind lightened. But then the power surged again—an involuntary pulse of energy, and the shadows lashed out, cutting a deep groove into the ground between them.
Yumi didn't flinch. She simply reached forward, touching the edge of the damaged earth. "You're getting better. A few days ago, this whole yard would've been wrecked."
Kael looked away, guilt clouding his expression. "I almost lost it again. What if next time I can't stop it? What if I—"
"Stop." Yumi's voice was firmer now. She crawled across the mat and sat beside him. "Kael, listen to me. You're not alone in this. I know your Quirk is intense, but you are still the one in control. That's the part everyone forgets—you're not your power."
Kael turned to her. "What if I mess up? What if someone gets hurt because of me?"
She didn't hesitate. "Then I'll be there to stop you. Or to help you. Or to punch you in the face if I have to." She smirked. "That's what friends are for."
The sincerity in her voice stunned him. A silence settled between them—quiet, but warm. The kind of silence that only exists between people who truly trust each other.
Kael finally spoke. "Thanks, Yumi. I don't know what I'd do without you."
She winked. "Probably brood in a cave somewhere with your shadows."
"I still might," he muttered, then added with a smile, "but I'd miss your annoying optimism too much."
Just then, his aunt called from the house. "Kael! Come inside soon. I've made tea—and I think it's time we tried your first controlled test in the training room."
Kael stood, brushing off his jacket. He extended a hand to Yumi. "You coming?"
She took it without hesitation. "Always."
As they walked toward the house, the last of the sunset cast long shadows behind them—shadows that no longer twisted out of control, but moved with Kael's steps.
For the first time since awakening Darkbind, Kael didn't feel afraid of it. Not with Yumi at his side.