Mage War

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Broken Core

Darkness. Pain. Regret.

The emotions I feel as I wake up feel like drowning.

I want to vomit. Something inside hurts but I can’t quite place what. All I know is that I am clearly not okay.

It takes a moment to remember why I’m like this. When I do, I silently curse myself.

What the hell was I thinking?

I knew this wasn’t a smart idea. Not only had I been warned by many people, but I had known the truth myself.

And now something’s wrong with me. Not physically. Not emotionally either. I just know that part of me is injured, maybe irrevocably.

It hurts to move. I haven’t even opened my eyes yet.

So I do.

Xavier and Th’ul are locked in conversation next to my bed, which I assume is in the hospital. My brain hurts when I think, but I’m fairly sure this is not my room.

A flash of pain.

I groan.

As one, Xavier and Th’ul turn to me.

“You’re awake,” The first boy says, eyes widening. “You’re awake! YOU’RE AWAKE!” Tears in his eyes, he hugs me.

“How are you feeling?” Th’ul asks.

“Everything hurts,” I respond. “Can’t…move.”

“What happened?” Xavier questions me. “Why did you go to the Dragon Head?”

“I…” I cough. “Look…I made a mistake.”

“Damn right you did.”

“You…don’t understand.”

“Explain it,” Th’ul tells me.

And so I do. Slowly, carefully, I tell them the truth. I leave nothing hidden, no stone unturned. With a heavy heart, I tell them of my plan, my training, and my attempt to resurrect my fallen friend.

Finally, I tell them of the explosion.

When I finish the story, my friends’ faces tell me everything I need to know. Th’ul looks impassive as normal, although I see a hint of sadness in his eyes.

Xavier, though, is a different story. The emotions in his eyes sadden me. I can see hurt, sorrow, anger, pity, even a little bit of shame. I turn my head away from him, unable to look him in the eyes.

“Zade, why?” He asks.

“I don’t know,” I cough out. “I just wanted him back and I thought I could do it. Clearly, I was wrong.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“You would’ve stopped me, wouldn’t you?” His nod confirms it. “I’m sorry. I know I don’t deserve a second chance. I have no excuses.” Hanging my head, I flip myself on the bed, turning my back to them.

“Zade…” Th’ul tells me. “We’ve all made mistakes. Yours was a very big one, and you shouldn’t have done it without us knowing. But I made a mistake, remember that? You almost got killed. Yue still hates me for it. She says she forgives me, but I can see the hurt in her eyes. You didn’t give up on me when I tricked you, so why would we give up on you?”

“Thank you,” I tell him. “Can I be alone for a minute, though? Just to reflect. I want to think about this for a little bit. Just give me a little time.”

“Of course.”

My friends turn to leave, and the betrayal in Xavier’s eyes still stings-

What do I do now? Obviously, nothing will be the same anymore after this. I’ve done something that hurt my friends. And I did it knowingly.

Another sting of pain wracks my whole body and I groan in pain.

The door opens to my room. High Mage Aegon strides through.

“I heard what happened, Zade,” He tells me. “How are you feeling?”

“High Mage, I know something’s wrong with me,” I respond. “I feel injured, but I can’t find anything.”

“Hmm,” High Mage Aegon twists his beard pensively. “We arranged for a Healing Mage to fix you up, and he did. But there was one thing we couldn’t fix. Something very important.”

“What happened to me?” My heart drops.

“Son, it’s possible that you Burned.”

I gasp. Suddenly, I’m drowning. This can’t be happening to me.

“Now, we can’t be sure,” High Mage Aegon tells me. “It could be a danger to you if we probed. The only person who can tell us is you.”

Nodding, I close my eyes. I need to find my core. A flash of pain makes me groan again, but I know I’m on the right track now.

This is hurting more than it should. I open my eyes, vomiting.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” I tell the High Mage.

“You must try,” He responds. Fighting the bile in my throat, I nod.

Once again, I search for my core. It should be here somewhere. But where…

There.

Oh Gods. This is horrible. I know I’m throwing up, but I can barely focus on that.

My core looks horrible. Obviously, it’s still here, considering I’m still alive. But it’s mangled. Instead of pulsating at a normal rate, it’s beating slowly. There are cracks in it somehow, and the light erupting from it is what’s causing my pain.

My core also has much less color than it used to.

But there’s one thing I think looking at it. Unless I’m very wrong, I did not Burn. I just injured my core. Now, I don’t know how to fix it, but I have a feeling there’s a way.

Painfully, I explain to High Mage Aegon what I see.

“I agree with you,” the High Mage responds. “You did not Burn. What happened to you is not normal, but it does happen. Your core will heal, but you are the one who will need to do that. It might take an hour. It could take weeks. I’m not sure how to fix it, because it’s different for everyone. But you must do everything you can to fix it. Do not try to do any magic. It won’t work, and it will only hurt you more.”

“Yes, sir,” I tell him.

“What did you do?” He asks me. “Why were you seeing Astil? I have my suspicions, but I need confirmation.”

And so I find myself for the second time today telling someone what happened. It already hurts to talk about, but I have to. At the end, High Mage Aegon’s stern face scares me.

“Zade, what you did was highly irresponsible…” He starts, but I interrupt.

“Are you going to expel me?”

“What?” He exclaims. “Of course not. We only expel mages-in-training if they do something illegal, which you did not. If you had resurrected Astil, it would have been illegal, but you failed in your mission. He is still dead. You do not want to know what we do to people to expel them. But the point stands, Zade. You really should not have done this. Clearly, you were being selfish. Zade, you are the only mage-in-training with visions, and you risked the chance to lose it. I understand your sorrow, I really do. But you can’t do things others you trust tell you are blatantly wrong.”

“I understand,” I tell the High Mage. “I’ve learned my lesson. I won’t do it again, nor do I want to.”

“I hope you did. I’ll leave you to rest now. Work on fixing your core. After you’re done with that, you can leave the hospital.”

“Sir, what time is it?” I ask.

“Four in the afternoon,” He responds.

“So that means the tournament has started.” I say. “How is it going?”

“So far so good,” High Mage Aegon responds. “Your friend Yue is doing better than anyone else, as far as I’ve heard. The Cult still has not tried anything, as far as I’m aware.”

I sigh in relief. “Thank you, High Mage.”

He nods. “I’ll leave you to it, then.”

— — —

I spend the next hour working on fixing my core. Sadly, I have no idea how I’m going to do it. I’ve tried forcing the light back in, shielding my core, trying to make it more colorful; at this point I’ve exhausted all the possibilities I came up with.

Of course, I haven't given up. I just need to think more.

Xavier and Th’ul haven’t been to see me, but I understand.

Someone does come to see me, though. And it’s not anyone I was expecting.

When Master Frin opens the door, my jaw drops.

“I haven’t seen you in forever, Zade,” He grins. “You haven’t been to my practices.”

“I know,” I respond. “What with Raakhshas and everything, I needed a break.”

Master Frin nods. “I completely understand. Still, when you want to return, I’ll be ready. You’re a good swordsman, Zade.” He pauses. “I heard about what happened. I’m sorry, my boy.”

“It’s okay,” I respond. “I just need time to heal.”

“Healing is one of the most important aspects of life,” Master Frin tells me. “No one gets far in life without healing.”

“Well, I guess I’m learning that lesson now,” I say. My swordmaster laughs.

“Ah, too true. Well, I’ve got to run. The tournament is on. It was good to see you, Zade.”

“You too, Master Frin.”

As he leaves, I once again focus on my broken core. It still moves lazily around, my touch doing nothing to excite it. If I move, I still feel pain all over from it, but I’m learning to accept it.

I deserve the pain, and it’ll help me grow.

High Mage Aegon told me it could take weeks to fix my core. I vow to myself I’ll do it in mere hours.

But there’s just one tiny problem: I’m not sure how.

There’s no manual for this, and I don’t have any help. I don’t have my book, so I can’t ask for Master Thul’s help. I briefly wonder why no one brought it, considering they brought it last time, but I guess it makes sense. I currently cannot do magic. What’s the point of the book without the magic?

Instinctively, I reach for magic. My core screams in pain, and I scream with it, pain lancing through my body. Letting go of my core, I gasp on my bed. High Mage Aegon is right. I really shouldn’t try to do any magic, not right now.

Now my core seems even more broken. The crack on it has spread even farther. Somehow, though, I feel slightly better.

I might know how to fix my core. If this doesn’t work, then I’ll probably Burn. If this does, I’ll have my magic back.

To me, this is worth the risk. I already can’t do magic, and this is the only solution I can find.

I steady myself.

Time to do this.

With a heave, I begin to rip my core in two. The pain I’m feeling now is deadly, and I know I’m yelling, screaming, pleading. My core begins to pulsate rapidly, but erratically and dangerously. As the tear widens, so does the pain.

With one final rip, my core erupts in two, and I feel darkness.

I wake up ten minutes later. I’m in more agony than before, cramps all over my body and bruises all over. Looks like the damage I did to my core reciprocated in my physical body.

But I’m not done with my process. I barely have any strength or will now, but I’ll use the last of it.

Gathering the two pieces of my core, I notice they’ve become whole. Strangely, they look like two separate cores. Obviously, that doesn’t fix my problem. Two cores won’t help me.

So, I begin to bring them together. Like gelatin, they start to merge together. It's an arduous process, considering the suffering I’m already going through, but slowly it begins to work. As the cores bring themselves together, my wounds start to heal, and the pain wracking my body begins to grow more tolerable.

One final push and…

Done. My core is whole again. Bright colors, healthy beats, and completely whole. I begin to feel more awake now, more healthy.

It worked. I can’t believe it. For now, I need to rest for a couple of minutes, but I’m almost ready to leave. It’s been two hours since I started trying to fix my core.

I’m just glad I was able to do it.

Level 4.

A grin of elation rises in my face.

Smiling, I let my eyelids cover my eyes for just a little.

I’m okay now.

— — —

Looking for Anni.

I need to apologize to her. Strangely, I haven’t seen her since Astil died, so I want to apologize for both Astil’s death and my botched attempt at reviving him. Hopefully, she’ll forgive me.

I’m not sure how I’ll find her. Honestly, she could be anywhere, and if she’s in her room, then it’s off limits for me. Therefore, I need to find a friend of hers.

Easier said than done. To tell the truth, I don’t know many people at Zenyth Academy. I have a small friend group. And because I only saw Anni when she was with Astil, I never really met any of Anni’s girl friends. I begin to regret that a little.

I should get to know more mages-in-training. Of course, I don’t have time for that now.

Walking towards the gallery, I spot a gaggle of girls. A dozen of them. One of them must know Anni, right?

“Sorry for intruding,” I say, conscious of how I look. I am obviously limping, and I still have some bruises on my face. My clothes are dirty and so is my face. “Do any of you know Anni?”

Most of the girls look at me sideways, amused or irritated. One of them, though, a brunette who looks a couple years younger than me speaks up.

“Yeah, I know Anni,” She tells me, scowling. “What of it?”

“I really need to speak to her,” I say. “I’m her friend. I was also a friend of Astil’s. Do you know where she is?”

The girl’s eyes narrow at me. “She doesn’t want to talk to you. I’m guessing you’re Xavier?”

“Zade, actually,” I smile. “Please, can you just call her?” At my insistence, the girl groans.

“Fine! But if she says no, then the answer is no, Zade,” She spits out the word. Turning away from me, skirt swishing, she leaves for the girl’s dormitories.

I wait patiently while the girl is gone. The other girls stare at me suspiciously, but I ignore them. This situation is awkward enough without me instigating a conversation.

After a couple of minutes, the girl returns, scowling.

“Wait here,” She tells me, leading the others down the hallway. Soon, they’re lost to my sight, and I sit down on the couch, waiting for Anni.

When she appears, my heart sinks.

Anni looks horrible. She’s clearly been wearing the same clothes since Astil died. But it’s her face that saddens me. Her makeup is dirty, and her eyes are empty. One look at her expression tells me all I need to know.

Anni isn’t just sad, she’s despairing. She’s on the edge.

“Hi, Zade,” She tells me wearily, sitting down. I hug her.

“I’m so sorry about what happened.” Anni bursts into tears.

“It’s not your fault,” She sobs. “I don’t blame you.”

“Did you hear what I did?” I don’t really want to tell her, but she has a right to hear it. When she shakes her head, I bite my lip, then tell her everything.

“Well, thanks for trying,” Anni sniffles.

“You don’t hate me? You don’t blame me?” I’m incredulous.

“No, I don’t,” She responds. “I would’ve done the same thing. You did what you could. Thank you for not Burning.”

“How are you feeling?” I ask Anni. She chuckles bitterly.

“How do you think?”

“Right. Do you want to take a walk or something?”

The blonde girl shakes her head. “I just want to stay in my room. I don’t want to talk to you. No offense, I just want to be alone, you know?”

“I understand,” I respond. “I’ll leave you alone.”

“Thank you for checking on me. It’s good to know you still care about me, and it wasn’t just my relationship with Astil that kept us friends.”

“Of course it wasn’t!” I tell her. “We all like you! Why do you think we were happy that Astil was dating you?”

Anni smiles sadly, standing up. “Goodbye, Zade.”

“Goodbye, Anni.”

— — —

“So, you’re better now?” Xavier asks, crossing his arms.

“Yes,” I reply. “And I was thinking we should go to the tournament.”

“Hm,” He scowls at me. “The first day is almost done. But, sure, we can go.” Clearly, he doesn’t really want to talk to me.

I try to hide the feeling of depression inside of me. Of course, I really miss Astil. He was a great friend, and it’s only right that I still feel depressed. Right now, I really feel Astil’s absence.

I miss laughter.

Of course, eventually, this will all pass. Instead of remembering him both fondly and sadly, I’ll only think of the former. But for now, all I can think about is that he was just too young to die at that age.

Another death the Cult needs to pay for.

Speaking of the Cult, I need to go to the tournament. Whatever they are going to try, I need to be ready.

“Is Th’ul coming?” I ask.

“I don’t know.” Xavier shrugs. “You can go call him if you want. I’ll be waiting for you outside.”

He turns to leave and I walk to Th’ul’s room. As soon as I knock, he opens the door, dressed sharply.

“Good to see you’re up.” He tells me. “So, we going to the tournament or what?”

I smile softly.

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

— — —

The walk to the Magefell Arena is uneventful. Any sort of conversation is light, but tense. Th’ul tries to instigate deep conversation several times, but it is never successful.

The closer we get to the Arena, the more I hear the crowd. Even before we can see it, I can hear it. To me, that is incredible. I hear applause coming from somewhere in front of me, but I can’t see it! It’s magical, but there’s no magic involved!

Unsurprisingly, I’ve never been to this side of Magefell. I doubt even ten percent of the Magefell citizens have. No one lives here. It’s an empty plain. But it does seem like a good place to be alone. I mark that in my head, in case I ever need solitude.

When the Arena comes into view, I can’t help but gape. I’d heard from Th’ul that it looked like a wolf, but this is insane. It feels so…real. I almost expect to hear the howl of the wolf.

I guess the real howl of the wolf is the cheering of the crowd.

“I’ve got the tickets,” I tell my friends curtly. No need for extra conversation. Everything is light. They nod back at me. For a second, it looks like Th’ul will say something, then he turns away.

I see a few people milling outside the arena, and, surprisingly enough, I see Poli and Artemis there. When they see me, Poli’s eyes narrow, but Artemis lights up.

“Hey, Zade!” Artemis calls. “I think Yue’s been looking for you. Why didn’t you come before?”

I bit my lip. “Complications. How’s the tournament going?”

“As well as it could,” Artemis responds. “Although someone cheated with Yue.”

“What?” I ask indignantly. “What happened?”

“No one knows,” Artemis shook his head. “The man rushed at her quicker than anyone could see. It was…strange. Yue didn’t get hurt, thankfully, but the tournament has been a little tense since.”

“Hmm, must’ve been the Cult’s work,” Th’ul says.

“I agree,” Artemis responds. “But there’s no proof. All we know is that one person did the impossible. Oh, but there’s something even stranger about all that. He says he doesn’t know what happened, and Yue believes him!”

“What the hell do you mean?” I can’t help but show interest in my voice.

“The man who cheated doesn’t know what happened to him somehow. Yue says he actually thinks that. Which must mean that…”

“Someone was doing that to him,” Th’ul finishes. “That’s a terrible portent.”

“The Cult is watching, and they’re preparing,” Artemis says. “I don’t like this.”

“Me neither,” Th’ul responds. “Well, it’s good we’re here now.”

“We need all the eyes we can get.”

“Then why are you out here?” I ask.

“Needed a breather,” Artemis shrugs. “The tournament is very quick-paced. It’s just too much for me and Poli.”

“Yeah, I bet,” I say. “I’ve been excited to see it. Sucks that I basically missed all of the first day.”

“Eh,” Artemis shrugs. “There was nothing very exciting except for the match between Yue and Gunnar.”

“What happened?” I wonder.

Artemis fills me in, and I’m sucked in. I can feel how exciting and nerve-wracking the match was. By the end, I feel like I need to take a breather.

“So Yue’s doing the best?”

“It sure looks that way,” Artemis responds. “She’s the favorite. You should hear how excited the crowd gets when she starts fighting.”

“The crowd can’t get louder than this, right?” I’m on the verge of screaming, that’s how loud the spectators are screaming.

Artemis laughs. “Believe me, you haven’t seen anything yet. You’re not even inside the arena.”

“The outside is incredible,” I breathe.

“It really is,” Artemis agrees. “Mages built this. How didn’t you know about it?”

“Still only just a mage-in-training. Not really involved in anything, especially the politics, thankfully. Th’ul might have known about this, though.”

Th’ul flushes, smiling briefly. “I might’ve.”

“When does the first day end?” Xavier asks, speaking up for the first time.

“I think maybe four or five hours. Each day is very long. It’s too much stress. What with the Cult and everything, I’m glad I’m not participating.” He smiles. “Yue’s match with both Gunnar and the cheater confirmed that for me.”

“How many Arcadian Guards are here?” I ask. I wonder if I know any of them I might not, but who knows? Maybe even Jade came, although I doubt it. She would’ve found a way to tell me.

Artemis shrugs. “I’m not sure. They’re probably the weakest of the bunch.” Seeing my disappointment, he chuckles. “Just telling the truth. They don’t seem to be too strong.”

“That’s strange,” I reply. “Arcadia definitely has some of the best swordsmen in the world.”

“I don’t think any of them will last even two days,” Poli’s boyfriend says. “Oh, you should probably go find Yue. She’s been waiting for you the entire day.”

“It’s good to see you, Artemis,” I reply.

Then, I remember Astil.

“You were Astil’s brother, right?” I say, turning to him, eyes burning. He winces.

“Unless you have time, I don’t want to explain.” I cross my arms.

“I have time.” My tone is curt, almost dismissive.

Artemis sighs. “Okay. You’re going to hate me for this…”

— — —

Swallowing the bile on my throat, I look sadly at Artemis. I can see the hurt in his eyes, but I can’t help but feel a little angry at him.

But I need to remember, I’ve made mistakes. Bad ones. Horrible ones. With my parents. With Astil.

With Eren.

“I’m not mad at you,” I tell him. “At least, not a lot. And I don’t hate you.” I don’t need to say anymore. He’ll understand perfectly. Nodding, he thanks me.

“We should really get going,” Xavier tells me. “I’m getting bored.”

I roll my eyes. “Didn’t you hear Artemis’ story?” Turning to him, I realize the true reason he wants to leave. He’s crying visibly. “Ah, Xavier, I’m sorry. Yes, let’s take a seat. I’ll see you later, Artemis.”

“You know what, I want to stay here with these guys, if it’s okay with you,” Th’ul tells me. I nod, give Th’ul his ticket, and lead Xavier in the direction of the arena.

At the entrance, we’re met by a burly guard, who doesn’t look like he’s in the mood to smile. Actually, he doesn’t look like he’s ever in the mood to smile.

“Tickets, please,” he says gruffly. I hand them to him. As he begins to inspect them, I turn to Xavier. He seems to be composing himself well, but he’s still clearly shaken.

“I don’t know if I can forgive Artemis,” He says.

“Why not? We’ve all done stuff we regret,” I tell him. “Yes, he made a terrible mistake. But so did I.”

“I know, but…” Xavier pauses. “It’s hard to explain. I still see your good intentions, even with all the bad things you do. With Artemis, it’s a different story, you know? I know he regrets it, and I’m happy he is. I bear no ill will, I just don’t ever want to talk to him again.”

I sigh. “Okay, that’s fine. I won’t force you.”

“All good,” The guard tells us. “You may pass. Keep the ticket in case you leave and need to come back. This ticket is valid for all three days. Enjoy the show.” His face tells me he doesn’t care if I enjoy the show or not.

Me and Xavier pass the guard and enter the arena. The foyer looks beautiful. There are plenty of spectators milling around, talking, drinking, even a little dancing. I’m pretty sure I see plenty of participants in the tournament too, judging by the wicked looking scars and the weapons.

The place is lively, and I love it already. It really looks like a place made to make you comfortable before you enter the arena proper. It’s a nice touch on an already perfect canvas.

I’m really excited to see the rest of the arena.

But first, I need to order some drinks. I’m not going to watch a tournament without beer! I tell Xavier my plan.

“You can go ahead and sit down if you want,” I say.

“No, I’ll order too. I want to see what they have.” Xavier tells me.

I order a good Arcadian beer, and, after a little prodding, Xavier orders the same. To me, no beer is as good as a perfect Arcadian brew. And I’m not the only one who thinks that. Arcadian beer is the most sold in the world, and, because of that, it’s also the most expensive. At least, it is outside of Magefell.

But it’s the tournament. I deserve a little fun.

It’s time to see the stadium itself. Stepping outside, I immediately feel overwhelmed. There’s more people here than I’ve seen in my entire life. It’s hard to fully take it in. Somehow, fifty thousand people fit into this stadium. I can’t hide my shock.

Now that I can see how large the crowd is, I begin to understand how they could make much more noise than they are right now. Also, the cheering is much louder now. I get the urge to cover my ears, but the noise soon grows sweet, and I want to join in. Even Xavier is smiling now.

“Wow, this place is incredible!” He shouts at me and I can’t help but agree.

Currently, two women are locked in a fight in the ring. One of them clearly has the advantage, knocking the other to the ground. I don’t recognize either of them, but that makes sense. I only know less than ten of the participants.

“Hey, don’t block the entrance!” A man scowls at me.

“Sorry,” I say, letting him pass. “So, should we go find Yue?”

“Wait, you’re friends with the Sterkona?” The man asks.

“Who the hell is the Sterkona?” Xavier asks.

“Yue Zhang,” The man tells us. “The backbreaker. The strong woman. She beat Magnus. We call her Sterkona now.”

“That’s a nice nickname,” I say. “I’ll have to use that now.”

“So you do know her?”

I nod. “Yeah, I’ve known her for a little while now.”

The man smiles. “Sorry for growling at you before. If you’re with the Sterkona, then you’re cool.”

My eyes widen. “Oh, ok. Apology accepted?” As the man leaves, I turn to Xavier.

“Well, Yue’s getting a reputation,” He says.

“Who?” I wonder. “Oh! You mean the Sterkona.”

Xavier rolls his eyes. “She must really be doing good for people to be nice to you.”

“Ouch.” I smile. It’s good to be having fun with Xavier again. I feel a pang of sadness. Usually, Astil would be here, having fun with us, maybe talking about how immature we were.

I really miss him.

“Oh, I think I can see Yue,” Xavier exclaims. “The seats behind her are empty. That’s probably where we’re sitting.”

I look at where he is. There she is! The Sterkona herself! Her face is a little swollen, but otherwise, she looks fine. She’s stuck in a conversation with Neena, who’s nodding along. Alyx and Aster are there too, as is Xander behind them, listening in.

I can’t help but grin a little looking at them.

“Let’s go see them,” I tell Xavier. I take the lead, walking slowly, stealthily to where they are.

Some spectators turn to us as we walk, but they quickly realize we are not participants, so they turn away. The match on the ring seems to be ending soon considering many people are on the edge of their seats, ready to jump up and down.

Then the match is over.

Cheering erupts from the crowd. One of the women is crying on the ground, blood seeping from a massive cut on her chest. I turn away, blushing. I can see her chest plainly. Her armor was cut away. Turning back, I see the other woman pumping her fist in the air happily. The first woman doesn’t bother to hide her modesty, and just walks away.

Yue is very distracted now with the match so I keep walking towards them now, preparing to surprise her.

Xander sees us and a smile lights his face. He begins to speak, but I put a finger to my lips. Cocking his head, he narrows his eyebrows in confusion, but doesn’t say anything. I wink at him.

We’re just a couple paces away from Yue, and she hasn’t noticed us. I grab her shoulders. She jumps out of her seat, but still hasn’t seen me. Clearly, she assumes a stranger grabbed her.

“Hey, Sterkona!” I say. “It’s good to see you.”