Mai sat in the corner of a room. His body, littered with bruises, but he couldn’t feel any of them. He knew he should feel pain, he had taken a beating—but instead, he felt... amazing. His breath was slow and steady, his chest rising and falling as a strange energy pulsed through him. Adrenaline rushed through his body, but even that couldn’t keep up with this strange sensation. He felt weightless, untouchable… free. His mind drifted away. He felt at ease, as if nothing could hurt him.

Memories of his family floated through his mind, gathered in a field of wildflowers and tall grass. His mother brought them lunch as his father and sister flew a kite on a hill. The scent of fresh bread and pie lingered in the air. The wind swept through the trees above, rustling the leaves as it carried their laughter. He could almost feel the sun on his skin. The distant sound of his mother’s voice calling for his father, his sister’s gleeful shouts as the kite soared higher. All the sensations wrapped around him like a warm embrace, pulling him deeper into the moment.

He reached out, trying to hold on to it—to grasp the feeling, the warmth, the voices. But just as his fingers brushed against the memory, it slipped through like smoke, vanishing before he could pull it closer.

A sharp creak shattered the silence.

The door to the room swung open, yanking Mai out of his trance. The warmth of the memory evaporated, the lingering euphoria slipping away, dragging him back to his grim reality. He began to feel the soreness of his bruises.

A man dressed in a suit stepped inside, his polished shoes clicking against the floor. A guard followed closely behind him. The man held a clipboard in one hand, eyes scanning the page as he scribbled something down. Without looking up, he flicked his fingers lazily, signaling the guard. Rough hands pulled Mai to his feet. His legs wobbled beneath him, but the guard’s grip kept him steady. “You did a great job, you little filthy little stray,” the man in the suit said smugly, finally glancing at Mai from behind his clipboard.

The guard tugged on Mai’s arm, forcing him forward. His legs felt heavy, every step requiring all the strength he had left. As they neared the doorway, his body screamed at him to stop. With what little fight remained inside him, Mai turned his glare to the man with the clipboard. His lips curled in disgust before he spat, the saliva landing right on the man’s polished shoe. For a moment, there was silence. Then, the guard yanked him forward once more with a rough jerk. Mai didn’t look back, but he could feel the man staring daggers at him.

Mai stumbled through the halls. The only thing keeping him upright was the firm grip of the guard pushing him forward. He kept his gaze low, staring at the lazily tiled floor. He stole quick glances ahead, just enough to keep himself from walking into any walls. Fluorescent lights cast dull shadows below them, failing to properly illuminate the space. The weak lighting made the hallways feel even more suffocating.

Finally, they came to a stop in front of a large wooden door. The guard reached forward, pulling out a key and inserting it into the lock. The heavy creak of the door echoed through the hall—the sound was very distinct, and Mai recognized it instantly. He was back in the warehouse.

He kept his head down as they stepped inside. Then, without warning, the hand supporting him disappeared. Mai collapsed onto the cold floor, his body hitting hard. Confused, he lifted his head, turning toward the guard.

The man stood rigid, his face drained of all color. His eyes were looking ahead, wide with pure terror.

Mai looked forward, his eyes locking onto a familiar cage. The older boy from earlier sat inside, but something was different… No, something was wrong. He wasn’t looking at Mai, or the guard; rather, he was looking through them. His eyes filled with pure rage, as his face contorted into something feral. His hand gripped the metal bars so tightly his bloodied knuckles turned bone white. Steam curled from his fingers as the bars shone a bright, molten orange, hissing as they rapidly warped. Then, with a sickening drip, the metal liquefied, falling away into glowing globs that sizzled on the cold metal floor. In seconds, his cage was open.

Shouts erupted around Mai. Guards snapped into action, their hands flying to their blades. One fumbled for their radio, barking frantic orders for reinforcements. More guards rushed into the room as others slowly inched forward, cautious with their movements. But Mai didn’t hear any of them, his entire world had narrowed to the older boy—his trembling form, heavy breaths, and the unrelenting fury pouring off him.

The teen stumbled forward, his steps uneven. The guards kept their distance, their weapons raised, barking orders he couldn’t hear. He didn’t care. He wasn’t there anymore, all that remained were his instincts. The guards flinched as he took another step forward. Their shouts became more urgent, but the words blurred into nothing but distant, meaningless noise. The only thing that mattered was the relentless storm of emotions he felt—anger, desperation, disappointment—each one pushing him onward.

One guard inched forward, hesitating for just a second. The boy immediately capitalized. His arm shot forward, his wrist flicking in a precise movement. A powerful gust of wind surged behind the guard, ripping him off balance and pulling him straight toward the teen. The guard’s instincts kicked in as he swung his blade up to defend himself, but it was too late. The boy’s fist met his abdomen with crushing force. A sharp wheeze escaped the guard as air ripped from his lungs. Then came the heat—searing, unbearable. The guard launched backward, slamming into the wall. His hands scrambled to his stomach, desperate to stop the pain, but the moment his fingers touched the point of impact, a fresh wave of agony tore through him. His skin burned. He tried to scream, but no sound came. His throat locked up, his body betraying him.

Mai looked at the man writhing on the ground beside him. The sight sent a shiver down his spine, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it. I need to get out of here! His voice screamed in his own head. Come on Mai! Get up! With every ounce of strength he had left, he forced himself to his feet. He wobbled, the pain in his body catching up to him, but he didn’t stop.

He stumbled past the guards, keeping his movements slow and careful. He was sure to keep his distance from the older boy. Whatever was happening to him, Mai didn’t want to get caught in the middle of it. His feet carried him to the far end of the warehouse, away from the chaos.

He crept along the wall. His body screamed at him to stop, but every instinct told him to keep moving. Every ache, every bruise, every breath that burned his lungs—none of that mattered. All that did was the exit just ahead. Upon reaching the door, he threw his entire weight against it, heaving the giant metal door open.

Fresh air rushed in, cool against his skin. The sharp scent of salt water filled his nose, cutting through the staleness of the warehouse. That alone gave him the strength to keep moving once again. He didn’t just step outside, he bolted. His legs barely allowed him to break into a weak, stumbling run, letting his feet take him wherever they wanted.

Rows of towering warehouses stretched in every direction, their rusted metal walls stained by years of salt and grime. Beyond them, the faint glow of city lights flickered in the night sky. They felt impossibly far away, yet Mai pushed forward. His breath came in ragged gasps, limbs burning with exhaustion. The sound of waves crashing hit his ears, a steady, rhythmic force that his footsteps soon fell in line with. Warehouse after warehouse blurred past him, endless rows of steel flying by, their looming shadows stretching across the pavement. It felt like there was no end in sight, but stopping wasn’t an option. He had to keep going. It was all he could do.

Then his legs gave out.

He hit the pavement hard, his body shaking from exhaustion. He tried to crawl, to drag himself just a bit further, but his strength was gone. The world dimmed around him, the salty air and distant waves fading to nothing. His vision went dark as he lost consciousness.