The Adventurers Guild was loud.
That was normal.
What wasn't normal was that my entire left arm still felt like it had been used as a lightning rod.
I sat at the table trying to look dignified.
Which was difficult when your hair had been partially electrocuted.
Senna was writing in her notebook.
Rael leaned back in her chair.
Mira stood quietly beside the table.
Rai sat on a mug watching people like a tiny dragon philosopher.
Senna spoke first.
Without looking up.
"Kael."
"Yes."
"For documentation purposes," she said calmly, "I have recorded this morning's event as self-inflicted lightning trauma."
Rael snorted into her drink.
I pointed at Senna.
"That was a minor calibration error."
"You screamed."
"I did not scream."
Rael turned toward me.
"You absolutely screamed."
"That was a controlled vocal response."
"You yelled 'AAAHH' and fell over."
"That was a tactical repositioning maneuver."
Mira tilted her head.
"You were on the floor."
"That was strategic thinking."
Rai flapped his wings.
"Krrrt!"
"Traitor."
Senna flipped another page.
"For accuracy," she said, "the lightning technique called Raisen has currently defeated one opponent."
I leaned forward.
"Who."
"You."
Rael burst out laughing.
"You invented a lightning attack and the first person it knocked down was the caster."
"It did not knock me down."
"You were twitching."
"That was electrical feedback!"
"You dropped the sword."
"That was a tactical release!"
Rael wiped a tear from her eye.
"I'm putting money on the lightning winning the next round too."
"Why is everyone in this party against me?"
Mira answered calmly.
"You were also smoking."
"That was the sleeve."
"The sleeve was attached to you."
I opened my mouth to defend my dignity.
That's when someone walked up behind Mira.
Tall guy.
Armor scratched from real fights.
The kind of adventurer who thinks confidence is a personality.
He looked Mira up and down.
"Well now," he said.
"You look expensive."
Mira didn't react.
He leaned closer.
"How about you come drink with me."
Still nothing.
Then his hand moved.
And grabbed her.
Right on the ass.
My chair scraped across the floor.
"Alright buddy—"
Mira's hand touched my arm.
Light.
Firm.
"Kael."
Her voice was calm.
"Do not interfere."
The man grinned.
"See?" he said. "She doesn't mind."
I stared at him.
I was mentally calculating how far I could throw a grown man.
Mira looked at the adventurer.
"If you would like me to have a drink with you," she said quietly,
"prove you are worth my time."
The man laughed.
"Oh?"
Rael straightened.
Senna closed her notebook.
The guild smelled entertainment.
Tables slid aside.
A circle formed.
The man stepped forward and drew a short sword.
"You sure about this?"
Mira walked into the open space.
She closed her eyes.
A memory surfaced.
Kael's voice from a month ago.
"Ki sharpens your senses."
"Control your breathing."
"In… out… slow…"
Mira inhaled.
Exhaled.
Again.
The noise of the guild faded.
The man rushed forward.
Fast.
His sword swung toward her shoulder.
Mira stepped sideways.
Barely.
The blade cut empty air.
She was already moving.
The needle blade flashed.
A shallow cut across his forearm.
The man jumped back.
"What the—"
Pain exploded through his arm.
He grabbed it.
"What did you—?!"
The wound closed.
But the pain didn't.
His brain received two signals.
Injury.
Repair.
Both at once.
His arm shook violently.
"AAAAAAHH!!"
He swung again.
Wild.
Mira slipped past him.
Another light cut.
His ribs.
More pain.
More regeneration.
His nervous system panicked.
"What is this?!"
Mira stood calmly in front of him.
"You feel the pain of injury," she said.
"And the pain of regeneration."
The man staggered.
His brain tried to process the overload.
Damage.
Repair.
Damage.
Repair.
His legs gave out.
THUD.
Silence fell across the guild.
Rael folded her arms.
"…That is terrifying."
Senna opened her notebook again.
"Fascinating."
I stared at Mira.
"…I suddenly feel very lucky that you like me."
Mira sheathed her needle blade.
She looked down at the unconscious adventurer.
Considered the situation.
Then spoke calmly.
"I do not believe he proved himself worthy of a drink."
Rai hopped onto the table.
"KRRRT!"
Yeah.
That seemed like the correct conclusion.