It was the group's last night at the camp.
The soldiers handed out a few supplies to help them on the road, and the cold night air felt calm, almost peaceful. A large bonfire burned at the center of the camp, the only real source of light cutting through the darkness.
Music was played nearby. Soldiers laughed, danced, and played games, completely lost in the moment. The atmosphere was warm and lively so much so that, for a brief moment, I forgot we were surrounded by danger. For once, everything felt… normal.
I stood a short distance away, watching it all. Above us, the night sky was breathtaking. With no light pollution, the stars were sharp and clear—countless points of light scattered across the darkness like diamonds. I found myself thinking about the future, about what I should do next.
That was when Clementine came up behind me.
"Hey… can I sit here?" She asked softly.
I glanced back at her. Seeing her able to walk again made something in my chest loosen. I nodded quietly and turned my gaze back into the sky.
"The sky is beautiful, isn't it?" She spoke.
I nodded again. She sat beside me, and we watched the stars together in silence.
"Tomorrow morning, we're leaving," she said after a while. There was a hint of embarrassment in her voice. "Are you… going to miss me?"
"Yes," I answered flatly, not wanting to get sentimental.
She hesitated, then held something out toward me.
"Here. This is for you."
It was a simple wooden necklace, nothing fancy. A small cat was drawn into a piece of wood.
"Why are you giving me this?" I asked, confused.
She lowered her head, staring toward the distant bonfire. After a moment, she spoke.
"It's a birthday gift," she said quietly. "I know you recently turned fifteen, so I wanted to give you something. I made it myself. You can also think of it as a parting gift… so you won't forget me."
"Why a cat?" I asked, turning it in my fingers.
"It's not just a cat," she said. "It's a Maneki-neko. In Japan, people believe it brings good luck. So if you wear it… maybe it'll protect you."
I couldn't help but smile. The logic was kind of silly—but her heart was in the right place.
"Thank you," I said. "I really appreciate it."
I put the necklace around my neck. Her eyes widened, and her smile grew brighter.
"Max… you look amazing."
"Thanks," I replied.
After that, we talked about nothing important. Just small, meaningless things. But it was fun. I didn't even notice how much time had passed.
Later, Lee and the others stopped by to congratulate me on my birthday. I didn't even know the exact date myself, but hearing someone celebrate it made me unexpectedly happy. I thanked them all.
That night, I went back to the training area and trained alone for hours.
Morning came too quickly.
The group prepared to leave for Savannah. One by one, they came to my tent to say goodbye.
"Max," Lee said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I hope we meet again."
Kenny stepped forward next, looking at me for a moment before speaking.
"Kid," he said, serious as ever. "If we find the boat, I'll wait two days for you. Can't promise more than that."
I nodded.
The others said their goodbyes too, until only Clementine was left. Her eyes were glossy. She stepped forward and hugged me tightly.
"Be safe," she whispered, embarrassed. "And… don't forget me."
The others teased her a little, but they were smiling.
"Thank you, everyone," I said sincerely. "I'll meet you in Savannah. Have a safe journey."
As they headed out of the camp, I waved goodbye. A few soldiers waved back alongside me.
When they were gone, the camp felt quieter. Emptier.
For a moment, loneliness crept in, but I pushed it aside.
Right now, there was only one thing that mattered.
Training.
I headed back to the training area and started exercising before Amir arrived. The night before, I'd finished reading the entire Muay Thai manual, and I was already practicing the techniques I'd learned, mixing in elements from other martial arts like kickboxing.
Amir approached while I was training.
"Good," he said, watching me closely. "You're not slacking off. Remember—practice is everything. The more you do it, the better you'll be in the future. Now come on. Let's train."
He got ready to spar.
"Aren't you going to ask me questions about Muay Thai?" I asked.
"What's the point, kid?" he replied. "You've probably memorized the whole damn manual already. Honestly… sometimes I wonder if you're even real. The way you learn is terrifying. In just two days, you kept up with one of my best soldiers—someone who's trained for years."
He stared at me, still in disbelief.
I nodded quietly, pretending not to feel proud.
"Stop pretending to be humble," he snorted. "Let's get to work."
We began sparring.
What fascinated me most was how few mistakes I made while executing techniques I'd only learned from books. The more martial arts I learned, the easier it became to understand new ones. Each style reinforced the others, and with experience, Muay Thai started to feel natural.
Amir could only stare in shock.
You'd think he'd be used to it by now, but apparently not.
After a few hours, he finally called a stop.
"Alright," he said. "You can keep training martial arts in your spare time. If you've got questions, ask me later. For now, we're moving on."
He handed me a pistol.
"Gun training."
He went over firearm safety first, which I already knew then moved on to tactics: clearing rooms, watching angles, and identifying threats. It was exciting to learn. He explained different weapons, their strengths and weaknesses, and why you'd choose one over another.
We trained until night fell.
Eventually, Amir returned to his tent to rest. I stayed behind.
I didn't need much sleep anymore.
So while the camp grew quiet, I kept training, reading, practicing, and refining my movements, almost the entire night.
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