It all happened after Nya became one with the sea.

Her sacrifice had left a hollow silence in its wake, one that echoed louder than any battle cry. It took time for the truth to sink in, for the others to accept that she was truly gone. And when it did, the group slowly began to drift apart. Some stayed behind, clinging to the fragments of their old life. Others set out to find new purpose.

Kai… he left.

He returned to the place where he had lived before becoming a ninja, hoping maybe the familiarity would bring him peace. But all it did was make things worse. Every corner of that home, every smell, every shadow whispered memories of Nya. Her laughter. Her fire. Her presence that used to keep him grounded.

Now it only burned.

He stopped living, in the true sense of the word. Instead, he filled his days with whatever distractions he could grasp, training a few local kids in self-defense, drinking just enough to forget, and crying himself to sleep when the memories were too strong to numb. He didn’t reach out. Didn’t answer messages. It was like he wanted the world to forget him, too.

But you hadn’t.

You were one of the few who still cared enough to look for him. So one cloudy afternoon, after asking around and following vague directions, you found yourself standing outside his old home. The sun was beginning to set, casting a dim orange glow over the training yard.

Kai stood there, just finishing up a session with the kids. He gave them a few last words of advice before dismissing them. They ran off, laughing and carefree, completely unaware of the storm that raged quietly inside their teacher.

As the last child disappeared around the corner, Kai turned, sensing your presence before you could say a word. His tired eyes met yours.

“You here?” He said quietly, his voice rough, like he hadn’t spoken much lately.