Nezha smiled with condescension. Around him, the battlefield began to warp and dissolve, replaced by a gravel track that circled a vast training ground. Small banners marked every hundred meters.
“Run all day… until you feel your lungs trying to crawl out of your chest.”
“It’s like five kilometers per lap,” Kai grumbled, glaring at him.
“Then there’s no time to waste. The peach’s effect won’t last forever,” Nezha replied. Beside him, the ground trembled as several boulders the size of a man burst from the earth. “You’ll carry one more with every lap. So good luck…” —he gave a mocking thumbs-up— “if you don’t want to die.”
Kai sighed in defeat, walked to the starting line, and began his first real training session.
Hours melted away, one after another. The spectators didn’t move, keeping watch to make sure Nezha didn’t accidentally kill their greatest asset. Quetzalcóatl idly toyed with a current of wind, spinning a coin in the air, while Camille —still tied with a rope— watched the scene with silent disapproval.
The horizon had already turned to dusk, and the first timid stars began to appear.
Maddie sat on the ground, watching Kai circle the track again and again with several stones tied to his torso. His steps grew heavier, his chest heaving; his tense muscles looked ready to tear apart. Every stride burned.
She sighed, burying her face between her knees. For days she had pretended to be calm, to look strong so Kai wouldn’t worry more than he already did. But none of this felt real to her — it all seemed like some absurd game. Sometimes she couldn’t even believe she was sharing the same space with a Mesoamerican god. She didn’t know how much longer she could hold herself together… or if all this effort even meant anything.
“I’ll be leaving tomorrow,” the god announced indifferently.
Camille turned her head away with a huff of irritation.
“Hmm? Off to hunt more gangsters?”
“Yes. I still have to find Tezcatlipoca and make him pay. That bastard dared to mention my sister. I’m not waiting for the war to start before I rip his tongue out.” Quetzalcóatl’s voice seethed with fury. Camille wasn’t even sure that thing had a tongue, but she nodded anyway.
“I’ll return during the second week to assist with his spiritual training,” the god added. Maddie glanced at him from the corner of her eye. “If he survives, that is…”
“He will!” Maddie exclaimed.
The god looked at her, mildly surprised. Then she remembered who she was talking to and quickly lowered her head.
They don’t even believe in Kai… so why pretend they care?
she thought, biting her nail.
“Well, I’ll stay here to support my lord,” Camille declared, standing up and snapping the ropes around her as if they were paper. Maddie couldn’t help but wonder why she’d let herself be tied up in the first place.
“Hercules will arrive the day after tomorrow in the northern sky territories, so stay alert. If anything goes wrong, the Nordic spirits and beasts might awaken. I’m going to sleep,” the god continued as he walked toward the door. “Hey, mortal woman… Maddie, right?”
She looked up, still wondering if a god truly needed to sleep.
“Keep an eye on the religious fanatic.”
Camille flipped him off as he walked away.
When they turned back toward the track, Kai collapsed onto the ground. Sweat drenched his clothes, sticking them to his skin; he gasped for air, his body on the verge of giving out. Nezha approached, removed the extra weights, and helped him to his feet.
“Not bad, kid. I guess you’ve earned a break,” he finally said, slinging Kai’s arm over his shoulder to help him walk. “You’ve earned the right to rest today.”
By the time Kai realized it, they were already crossing back through the waterfall. He didn’t even notice whether the dragons were still there — his vision blurred more with every step. They passed through the village under the curious gazes of the townsfolk; Kai lowered his head, feeling that looking so worn out probably didn’t do morale any favors. They crossed the wall and entered the castle. Maddie and Camille caught up with them just as they reached the dining hall.
“I never asked this before,” Nezha said with a mocking grin, “but how the hell do you mortals even get in through the waterfall? The pressure should crush you like insects.”
“The same way monkeys do — through the side passage,” Maddie replied, taking Kai’s other arm to help support him. Camille’s glare could’ve burned through stone, but the god ignored her completely, whistling in exaggerated nonchalance.
They reached the dining hall — a massive cavern filled with tables. There they ran into Camille’s group, who had just finished eating. The group stopped them with solemn expressions, their gazes immediately falling on Kai.
In the center of the chamber, a pile of wood burned with a great flame that lit the whole place, eliminating the need for lamps like the rest of the city. Around it, a few children roasted marshmallows on makeshift sticks.
At one end of the cave, an elevated ledge held a throne.
“The Monkey King’s seat,” Nezha explained when he noticed Kai looking at it. “It’s the throne where the Great Sage is meant to dine. Though maybe it’s still a bit early for that honor.”
Kai had no intention of sitting there. Eating alone, above everyone else, sounded boring and lonely — so he ignored it and followed Nezha instead.
Out of curiosity, he tuned in to Camille’s conversation with her group.
“All right, what do you have?” asked the man who seemed to be the leader.
“Nothing relevant — he’s a good kid, actually kind of cute…” Camille began to answer. Kai flushed slightly at her words, but was cut off by the man, who grabbed her shoulder and fixed her with a serious look.
“Don’t give me nonsense,” the man said. Camille stared at the floor, grinding her teeth. “Is he capable? Can you carry out your mission?”
“Well, I actually have a lot of problems with this, both as a woman and as a warrior…” she tried to say, but the man grabbed her cheeks and squeezed them subtly. Kai seemed to be the only one who noticed, though Nezha probably didn’t care.
“Yes or no, arrogant woman?” he challenged. She hesitated and, with a sigh, answered.
“Yes, it’s possible.”
“Perfect — the order will be pleased to hear that.” He ran his thumb across Camille’s lips, smearing her lipstick across her face. “Hmph, a warrior shouldn’t care about her looks, though I suppose it’ll help with your mission.”
Kai looked at him with pity, unsure what they were implying — he only knew the man now annoyed him intensely.
Camille bowed stiffly to her group as she left, wiping the lipstick smudge from her face, and stayed with Kai and the others to continue the conversation. Maddie watched from the corner of her eye — partly because Quetzalcóatl ordered it, and partly out of genuine worry about what Camille might try with Kai. Maddie sat beside her, and Camille quickly took the other seat. Nezha sighed and dropped down next to Maddie.
Suddenly, several monkeys appeared dressed in red monk robes trimmed with yellow. It was curious how the Monkey King dressed those who served his food; Kai still didn’t understand why.
They began to serve enormous quantities of food: dishes from every region. Kai, still weak, approached without much energy, taking only a drumstick and some rice, thinking it would be enough. Maddie chatted with Nezha at her side.
He took a bite of the chicken without enthusiasm… and the flavor exploded on his tongue. His stomach growled for more, and without thinking he began devouring everything within reach. He ate with his hands, not bothering with utensils —and besides, he didn’t know how to use chopsticks. In minutes he recovered all the energy he had lost.
Camille, with a barely perceptible smile, fed him pieces of her own food, which Kai accepted without question. She watched him closely, as if analyzing each reaction, and laughed softly. Maddie felt a chill but decided not to intervene… for now. The plates piled up at an alarming rate.
“Well, he hasn’t eaten much these days,” Nezha explained to Maddie as he finished a piece of turkey and pushed the rest toward Kai. “Regeneration burns a ton of energy. Come on, buddy — eat like a real American,” he added with a half-smile. “Time to put some meat on those bones.”
Maddie watched him curiously. Kai never usually ate that much unless it was fried food or junk, and even then he seemed to metabolize it all just by playing video games.
I wish I could eat that much without gaining weight…
she thought to herself, finishing a bowl of ramen.
“Hey, Maddie,” Camille called in a melodious tone, “you have beautiful skin… what creams do you use?”
“Well, my mother is a dermatologist, so I always have special creams on hand.”
“If you remember the name, tell me before Sunday. We’re going to the Shanghai coast to buy supplies for us. Maybe we can find it… or at least a good-quality copy.”
“Would a copy be safe?”
“They’ve replicated all the technology that’s come here from the West. I don’t think creams are their weak point.”
They began chatting with a surprisingly easy rapport. Kai, sitting between them, felt uncomfortable —especially because Camille was getting increasingly forward, leaning on him or staring at him for long stretches. He felt like if she kept it up he’d end up naked again. Still, he chose to ignore it for the moment.
She’s just excited,
he told himself.
And she’s not that bad, I guess…
“Also, you should bring things for the boys. Do you know how boring this place is?” Camille said.
“If my lord wants something, I can bring it. After all, he can’t leave while his training continues,” Camille added with a smile aimed at Kai. He returned the smile, until she turned to Nezha and her expression hardened. “You, on the other hand, can go screw yourself, spike-hair.”
Nezha sighed irritably and the two launched into childish insults for several minutes. Then, suddenly, Camille seemed to remember something. She looked at Maddie and Kai; her tone shifted to a more serious one.
“Also…” she began, slightly nervous as she searched for the right words, “if you want to write or send something to your parents, that’s fine. I’ll make sure it gets to them.”
The two fell silent. With everything that had happened, they had completely forgotten their families. From their parents’ perspective, they had gone out to buy a soda…and never returned. The police were probably already looking for them or had given them up for dead.
“How could I forget?… I’m an idiot,” Kai murmured, running his hands through his hair.
Maddie only sighed resignedly, imagining the monumental scolding her mother would give her… if she ever saw her again.
“Ah, don’t take it so hard,” Camille clumsily tried to reassure them. “It’s normal that you overlooked it. You’ve been through a lot, so don’t worry… I’ll take care of everything.”
He clumsily rose from the chair, muttering words to herself that neither Kai nor Maddie could make out. Both felt a small dip in their spirits as Nezha looked visibly annoyed at the prospect of having to comfort them.
“Sorry, I’ve dealt with enough teenage sobbing for one day,” he said, standing and taking a bottle of liquor from one of the monkey attendants.
“In the end, just the two of us…” Maddie murmured, a touch of melancholy in her voice.
“Surprised?” Kai shrugged as he took a final piece of turkey. “We’ve been you-and-me against the world for seventeen years. With or without all this god stuff, we’ll be together… I guess.”
“You’re the reincarnation of a god or something now…”
“I think it’s more like a demon,” Kai corrected. Maddie shot him a look that silenced him.
“And I… I’m still just me. No prophecy, no destiny. I’m scared that, at any moment, something will happen and… you or I…”
“If it helps, I don’t really believe in that prophecy yet. It’s too… weird,” Kai said. Maddie looked puzzled, trying to tell whether that meant the plan might fail. “And I’m glad you’re here with me.”
Maddie’s eyes brightened for a second. Kai raised his fist.
“Best friends until the end…”
“And even beyond,” she answered, bumping his fist and letting out a small laugh before grabbing the back of his neck and ruffling his hair with her knuckles. “You’re an airhead.”
“Hey!”
They laughed until the plates were empty. Kai kept talking, but grew sleepier; his eyelids got heavy.
For a moment he looked up and froze: before him was the illusion of a monkey eating with the same hunger he had. This one was larger and broader than the others, its brown fur gleaming and shifting with the light, and a crown adorned with two long feathers that fell to its waist. The ape looked at Kai and smiled.
How do you like the food?
the thought said in his mind without the lips moving. Kai watched it warily.
“Oh, don’t worry — now we’ll be able to talk much more often. I just wanted to warn you about the diadem. No matter how hard you try, it will always be there because your mortal body is an alastre.”
As if you could do anything about it,
Kai thought; the monkey answered, clearly hearing his thoughts.
“There’s still much to do.”
Without another word, Kai decided it was time to sleep. He stood with Maddie and they walked down the corridors to the entrance of his sleeping quarters.
“Hey… be careful with Camille.”
“What do you mean? She’s crazy about me, right?” Kai teased. Maddie smiled, but her expression hardened again almost immediately.
“Why do you say that?” he repeated when he saw she wasn’t joking.
“She can be attractive and all that… but to her you’re almost a god. She’s been obsessed with you since she first saw you,” Maddie warned, hoping her words would sink in as she recalled how they’d first met. “When I woke up I tried to go say hi, but you were still in a coma. Still, when I went in I was surprised to see that woman beside you, kneeling on the floor and praying while holding your hand. It felt wrong — nothing good comes from that.”
“I know a woman who had a relationship with her god, founded the biggest religion in history, and even had a child,” Kai said.
“Do you really see yourself as a future religious symbol?” Maddie shot back, hoping no one heard him.
“No, not really,” he lied, looking away with feigned indifference.
“And if you discover how to father a child without sleeping with her, you have my blessing to start your own bible.”
“Well… that’s true. But you should be careful with Nezha, too.” Maddie suddenly blushed.
“What are you talking about? There’s nothing between us.”
“Oh, please. I can feel the air heat up when you look at him.”
She punched his leg, clenching her teeth in embarrassment.
“I’m only saying I don’t think he sees you as anything more than a one-night thing. He’s a god, after all.”
“No… that’s not your problem. Nothing’s going to happen between us,” Maddie replied, turning to head to her room. “Goodnight, idiot!”
Kai opened the door with a yawn, and just before he closed it he noticed one of the cave lamps glowing green — a sight that filled him with a sudden, intense unease. He lowered his head.
To hell with it, it’s probably just mythic nonsense,
Kai muttered as he entered his room.
The lamp flared brighter and vanished in a flash.
In the realm of the gods, at the heart of the jade palace, the great hall was full of restless figures.
“So the Monkey King is finally waking up again,” said the figure seated on the central throne; their eyes glowed with a golden light. “And Nezha is helping him.”
“Should we intervene?” asked another, hair flowing to the floor, clad in silver armor that seemed to shimmer. “Besides, we could use Nezha to our advantage.”
“It’s unnecessary,” a short figure replied as they approached, leaning on a staff. “If he’s in the mortal world he won’t only draw the attention of dangerous beings like the King of Men, but our little divine embarrassment will surely hunt him down to kill him.”
“In that case, we have nothing to worry about — it’s just another inept incarnation,” the soldier said. “Don’t you think so, Emperor?”
The central figure nodded; the room trembled with a greenish pulse.
“Yes. The Monkey King will die before we do, or the fool Nezha will kill him from overexertion.”
End of chapter.