When Cel opened his eyes, Selina's arms were still around him.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ66bAHmmA5
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVuCk0mG44
For a moment, he remained perfectly still - caught between the sacred ground he'd just left and the reality of her embrace. The warmth of it. The gentleness.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UKdnXppjC
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21AP3mn5tW
His breath hitched.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnXOzttZtUA
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1UJwAHANyp
Then, something inside him broke.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwgwJzM2fN
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4VzFj4Bu5
Not violently. Not like shattering glass or splintering bone.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWAxdJRBySR
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9RPWNT0CpS
Like melting ice. Like a dam finally cracking under pressure it was never meant to hold.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSURgOnNDv
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnk2xIJImA
A sound escaped him - small, choked, achingly human.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJMMULvtLK
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp34ZLPxv8d
His shoulders began to shake.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp968e9uSaq
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVbmct8j88
Cel tried to stop it. Tried to force the trembling back down, to swallow the weakness rising in his throat. He'd survived torture. Starvation. Nightmares made flesh. 114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOGZNVhBri
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIGQ1jzTrHf
He shouldn't be—114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSqOrZtuVB
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTt8Xc1a4P
Another sound tore free. Louder this time.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7E8RIQRsbJ
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdIPPdiEsm
The tears came.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgIG0qRVFJ8
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68GRcR8ma5
Silent at first, hot against his cheeks. Then accompanied by gasps he couldn't control, sobs that wrenched themselves from somewhere deep in his chest where he'd buried everything for so long.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHuq4ErHuk
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLNKPWqVIF
The year in the cell. The maggot-infested food. The cultists' knives. Ren's death.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDs98n1tD59
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1P6k7wXha
His father's fists. His mother's silence. His brother's cowardice.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMUmtTFY2oG
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxJ5gMQKfh
The mirror lake. The crystal maze. The creature that had killed him.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoP5RLY0GRs
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsu9EEtL09
All of it - every moment of pain, every betrayal, every second he'd told himself he had to endure because there was no other choice - tore free at once.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsvM0jsWnf
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojEURumWSt
And he couldn't stop it.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhERolgPzEe
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5mgSMmDi3
Cel's knees weakened. His hands clutched at Selina's robes, fingers curling into white fabric like it was the only solid thing left in the world.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnR1hkiJgKF
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEXXDRKsLm
She held him.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWHPRtoxrj
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTnAGFO9YCO
Didn't speak. Didn't pull away. Didn't tell him to be strong or to compose himself.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6dHOpDMjKy
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8m9ErGxZPn
She simply held him, one hand moving to cradle the back of his head with steady gentleness while he broke apart in her arms.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3q8m9vYR4E
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4XRKFKffV5
Time became meaningless.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvglkx4ZE4
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPytK11vgnx
Eventually, the sobs gradually quieted. The gasps turned to shaky breaths, leaving only exhaustion in their wake.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQjTqmilnX
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqW65N9R5GN
Cel pulled back slowly, roughly wiping at his face with trembling hands.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6X6uDnSnMC
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl8yNBkbinK
His cheeks burned. Not from fever - from embarrassment so acute it felt physical.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhs2LpKaIvJ
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzzaLGYiJe
He'd just—114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTjcT6Gc9z
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdX7RXD8Qcl
In front of her—114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvua3DpKvXJ
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGWSYjiiHB
"I'm sorry," he choked out, unable to meet her eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tzzBvt04P
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUicKKMofE
"There is nothing to apologize for, Chosen One." Her voice held no judgment. No pity. No disappointment.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb1aUwrST6k
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SCIID6XDp
Only acceptance.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2j8LtktyEv
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZObJKkn1b
Cel swallowed hard, gaze fixed firmly on the ground between them. His throat felt raw, stripped clean.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQAd8xZ8xkM
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ799Pyt9uEX
"I just…" He didn't know how to finish that sentence.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLDs6yo5PG
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1aXF902o7K
"You have endured much." Selina's hand remained on his shoulder - light, grounding. "The soul remembers every wound, even when the body has been remade. There is no shame in acknowledging that pain."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXg733G7zq
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkWq3BKrtw
Cel's breath came out shaky. He nodded once, not trusting his voice.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfoKJP4xLP5
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpd0afKR4n0
When she finally stepped back, her hands lingered for a moment before releasing him entirely.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnpNFaqha5
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZvpl7RaVW
The mist swirled between them, giving him space to collect himself.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dZjHRxkQN
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWKA15QFVS
Cel took a breath. Then another. His fingers rose to touch his face - flushed and damp, eyes surely red and swollen.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfeWlMfz9J
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwpCdnm0fV
Humiliation seared through him.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbcDYZkzxAx
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8hJlZk4yH
He'd wept. Like a child. In front of someone who had guided him through death itself with perfect composure.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXovSKhv6me
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVuZfxNDQWU
The transformation still didn't feel real, but the shame certainly did.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLl05TdhjXe
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMJ3cKwoMn
He forced himself to straighten, to look somewhere near her general direction even if he couldn't quite meet her eyes yet.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDr14IJbSVJ
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYroEUuvJW
"Thank you. For everything.“114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMepxoTPJ5X
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKHMaEzGZF
He gestured vaguely, unable to articulate what her presence had meant.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ZL5Ugner3
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kCsYzinyI
Selina inclined her head, serene as ever.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53vshqaJBg
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxc2GbIhe8
A question surfaced - one that had been lurking since the moment she'd appeared in his dying consciousness. Something to focus on besides the heat still flooding his face.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOJ7BcKXPL
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4prFSx2li
"Selina." He cleared his throat. "What rank do you hold as a priestess?"114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5h8O9d5PRu
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx55w0HemVD
No hesitation. No cryptic deflection.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsosFyf2WN7
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJPzzl3qyz
Her smile deepened, tranquil and certain as moonlight on still water114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHp27ciHn1
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZUCcbSwzC
"Rank One." 114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByXZLFXnt8
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkVT0kwu5e
The words landed like a physical blow.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQUzOT1Rpq
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPauC89weOy
His mind went blank, then exploded with implications he couldn't process fast enough.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewngsn01sv
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNyc7HyaMZ
'Rank One?'114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLwYpqADIHw
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1hOxAT4mUS
A Divine Oracle - the title humanity gave to those who stood at the pinnacle of divine service.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKA6uQBAd38
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5KsKtGreM
Not just a priestess. Not even a high-ranking servant.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8GZFN431fN
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP799lammKj
The highest authority beneath the gods themselves. The singular voice through which a deity spoke directly to the mortal world.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡinLNJZiJaD
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0axDwmUPI5
His embarrassment suddenly intensified a thousandfold.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOqdeNl4HI
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rjytghuve
He'd just—114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjd25GDNdFm
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3cisga4mcd
He'd just cried on a Divine Oracle.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2hoha36BL
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfU4VAUx2x
Sobbed into her robes like a child seeking comfort from his mother.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLuxeb8Fj4U
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabuzLTOvgl
And before that—114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybN7kFO3HH
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVnIykXGYZ
Memory crashed through him like an avalanche.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBckkDiwHQ
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZRkwVDkMb
His tone. The way he'd spoken to her.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51DJR8HeKc
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CUjTwt5P2
Sharp. Impatient. Laced with frustration when she couldn't answer his questions. The edge in his voice when he'd pushed back against her words.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzHNmiaeCS
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbVQMmgDEo
He hadn't been respectful. Hadn't been grateful.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrNFBfWbABf
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjRM5iVBzw
He'd been angry - and he'd let that anger out on her.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZp40GCcc95
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRGk6sRBlE
Cel wanted to disappear.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9mdBN3y1tX
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEh41KN3GOm
He hadn't just questioned a priestess or shown weakness before a guide.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZh6VICv3h
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0n56gaqxCt
He had challenged a Divine Oracle with barely restrained fury. 114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWblt3FPq6y
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxy2mKagSqH
And then wept on her shoulder.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtq5IvuDZcc
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRRgbkjiS4
His legs suddenly felt unsteady.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bIRsX62WC
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCDyzgly2Q
Cel's gaze dropped to the ground again. He couldn't look at her. Couldn't bear the weight of meeting those eyes now that he understood what - who - they represented.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8UnKRLAQ3
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDEHboZinD2
His voice failed him.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEf9Yn81XWq
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnm9WR0kih
Everything about her made sense now. The way she moved through his soul's landscape with absolute certainty. The calm that never broke, no matter what horrors he did. The patience that felt limitless, untouchable by mortal weakness.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx31Px19Fm2
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0LiCVwXs9
Because it transcended mortality.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSywGTKb231
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb0Agy7QwB9
She wasn't just a guide. She was the voice of the Moon Goddess.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEuOEwt48qk
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVLNczMvaEX
And he'd—114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5AyyNVCj7
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsrESDgTqe
Shame crawled up his throat like bile, bitter and choking.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyN3KqoqH9o
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuvBONlQwDi
"I was..." He forced the words out. "I was angry. At everything. And I took it out on you."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAU6zfbXeJa
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ978KjQjqIv
His hands curled into fists.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtj3La0vUr
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFpkcv0Zwb
"You were patient with me. Kind. And I..."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb2VO1nsUNG
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxVtzs5X8sy
He couldn't finish. Couldn't articulate how wrong it felt now—lashing out at the one person who'd actually helped him.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQm91BbVgsJ
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaNP4hPOPE
"I'm sorry."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCLd2xLlFh
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9gKGOECuT
Silence answered him.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoc2d5XBsmY
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ37EjvCzyTB
Cel kept his gaze fixed on the ground, watching mist curl around his bare feet. Each second stretched unbearably long.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqXD32RpNrW
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkd8CzzXVh6
Then—movement.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5CiTIca11
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMKNVoFlLh
Selina stepped closer.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFrxNSfsVI
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6dbI33r7W
He flinched slightly, expecting… what? Blame? Divine wrath channeled through soft words?114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOiUUmTAww
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCi5OLAssF
"Chosen One." Her voice carried no anger. No coldness.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHWfTcC1yc
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrtZLDT2er
Only that same impossible gentleness she'd shown since the beginning.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Uw1r3HMLD
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmPyP4hJuzu
Slowly, reluctantly, Cel raised his head.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9PBpH3eDvh
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1XxQ20WZ3t
She stood before him unchanged. Mask catching moonlight, lips curved into a beautiful smile. White robes stirring in wind that didn't exist.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAWVvML5JH
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8XVOPqMgf
But now he could see it - the presence that saturated every gesture, every word. The weight of divinity she carried with such grace.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNuJbfBjVG
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxzO3tPIq9
"You are not the first to question the divine." Her tone remained even. "Nor will you be the last."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05inODBK6v
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3TmLkBbJvr
Cel's breath hitched.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnKfbsQbJy
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVA57d0suy9
"But you're a Divine Oracle." The words tumbled out before he could stop them. "The highest voice of the goddess. I shouldn't have spoken to you the way I did. With anger. With—"114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUK0MU1PIXP
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsuIgOIKYhr
He gestured helplessly.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBNDvQwHOX
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxbQljgPGF
"You deserved better than that."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpE5Tg0FOhJ
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2K4qJFdod
Selina regarded him for a long moment.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfYKsYgYal
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRrA7LlN0p
"Your tone was inappropriate, yes."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HP4jcYyKZ
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5kY9kIgOr
The blunt truth hit like a fist.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Sqb8Q1AMl
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4AZLr3zKU
But there was no cruelty in her statement. Just fact, stated simply.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnBVEGAi8Xd
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOVLuF6gai
"However." She tilted her head slightly. "I do not serve to be worshipped. I serve to guide. To guide you."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfie5IhOBh
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutxBP4BiOg
Her hand lifted in a small, dismissive gesture - as if brushing away his concern.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1eQL8pwoW3
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyO1r9jpqde
"You may speak to me as yourself. It is enough."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EjWEjKhKJ
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRt4B5l6UE2
The shame didn't vanish - it couldn't - but something about her words cut through the worst of it.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyi87giaFNQ
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqjeXf8sFMk
She had never demanded reverence. Never once reminded him of her status, even when he'd pushed boundaries most priests would have punished him for crossing.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyOpim7FeWj
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofDcF8Bjj0
Even now, standing before him with her true nature revealed, she spoke with grace rather than command.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3Pvg9477H
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7UkqZ4RHi
Cel's chest tightened.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUs6pjdRGII
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUWTkruPx0
Not from unworthiness - though he felt that keenly.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9Vi3IHr81
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDloP5Xsq8Q
But from recognition.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhO2MTMCSxK
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡReesdoHWpL
He had spent his entire life surrounded by power. His father wielded authority like a weapon, crushing anyone who dared question him. The nobles of the Sun Clan wore their status like armor, ensuring everyone knew their place.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgZZWsFwCT
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkD22Vc11H
And here stood someone with more power than any of them could dream of.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3m0uk4WNo
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38QTSb2xEQ
Who chose not to wield it as a tool of domination.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmndXLxJcmI
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQN0iTvIFv
"Then..." He straightened slightly, meeting her masked gaze. "I'll speak to you as myself."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡccibwgUYwf
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs42Ciy3nCm
A pause.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNxM7rcLj9
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnB5SpVFOk
"And I'll make sure you never regret guiding me."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbG16gtEd9O
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7GIcDKKuc
Selina's smile deepened - genuine warmth that transformed her serene expression into something radiant.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC92ZaC0FSf
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4ssEZIvkM
"I never have, Chosen One."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKGU7WIR29
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWBf4LFGpu
The simple certainty in those words settled over him like a blanket.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpeypXpUav
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzImgWSS0wZ
Not forgiveness - she had nothing to forgive, apparently.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNCMJk7QM1Z
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLX7A8HiJt
Just acceptance.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaG0dwSL7x7
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9gEtf8KVI
Cel bowed his head. Not in apology this time.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKixm5kprb
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMSE0ndWKv
In respect. True respect, given freely to someone who had earned it through every patient word, every quiet truth.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgPu5vVMwp
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNN6Bk3Jsn
When he raised his eyes again, something fundamental had shifted inside him.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrA879QvHQ
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4t2IkPYtlF
The guilt remained - it would serve as reminder, fuel to be better.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPv7g56XC5l
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttoQ5mq4q8
But beneath it, something else had taken root.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OfzrnGhuB
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AFb0WhrcZ
Trust. Deep and unshakeable.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡml3FlKHXKS
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcqIMhfkZW
Whatever came next - whatever trials or horrors the future held - he would follow where she led.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMVIszOpJ4
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqRrai7ohM
Because Selina wasn't just the goddess's voice.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu1QMI3U65X
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28tvvZlfBd
She was his guide.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZMc2ZPtKR
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHzvfqLvW2
And he would not dishonor that gift again.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBWZfDZa2w
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCQWmSmZKZ
Silence settled between them, heavy with unspoken understanding.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWnnA1I8sA
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡARUuiHVKDJ
He didn't need more words. Neither did she.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHhn7FeAhC
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡequuJ1RwSe
The mist around them stirred.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXHsSdf3JN
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjFwv8ruzg
Selina's gaze lingered on him - just a moment longer - before she turned away.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOjTqMjOUp
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyLhFzDu8lp
"Follow me, Chosen One. There is more yet to be done."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvAxx2JHpr
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5k41huX0y8
Cel followed without hesitation.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHelsigCVa
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtSNsSozLf
They walked in silence through the transformed landscape of his soul. The mist parted before Selina as if bowing, then closed behind them like a curtain.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsVT2on9sWC
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq112h99EhR
With each step, Cel felt the difference. Steady. Strong. No trembling weakness in his legs, no exhaustion dragging at his limbs. His body moved with an ease he'd almost forgotten existed.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXlhSBS0TP
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDLPULHJ1P
"What happened to me?" he asked.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsvzyiEuAc
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHJYLi63wg
She didn't slow her pace, but her head turned slightly toward him.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuQtirnfHw
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGpyS1uWJC
"Your physical form in the Hollow Realms succumbed to its injuries," she said simply.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjB690YR4yG
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2TVoGjfat
The words should have struck harder. But after everything - after dying twice already - the revelation felt almost distant.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3WCHNmRhz
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTw1JGW4eRa
"Then how…“ He gestured at himself, at the body that felt foreign in its wholeness. "How am I still here?"114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSnwPXtjJ0
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjNCCITmuB
"Your soul was preserved within the trial - protected by divine ground." Selina's voice carried a weight he hadn't heard before.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPQ2efm30U
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTWtCjOMW3
She paused, as if choosing her next words carefully.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEKI0lJPst
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVOhX3OrKPR
"What the Moon Goddess granted you is not mere healing. It is true resurrection - the reforging of flesh and bone around a soul that had no vessel."114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ABlqpa8Lq
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHahMiW5hX1
Cel’s breath caught.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0yGon73g0I
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3Mgjwmfn9
Not healing. Not recovery.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLJTYe62e7J
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzi0xfKNwYh
Resurrection.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTzXwohirk
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTC4Fnourw
His soul had survived the trial, and the goddess had forged him a body capable of matching that survival - whole, strong, unmarred by the year of torment that had destroyed the first.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7x1SorjDih
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ZDLNwal5m
Perhaps that was why the trial existed at all - to prove his soul worthy of such a gift.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCcscIkrwRI
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPz3VHAHA4Z
Cel let the truth settle as they continued forward.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSgycK3jC47
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQakt9KJO0
Eventually, the terrain shifted.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡksA84Nixfv
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiQgJvX9T6
The cracked earth gave way to something smoother. The jagged stones retreated. Even the bluish-white flowers thinned until only mist remained, thick and luminous around the edges of a clearing Cel didn't remember seeing before.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSuTPjhYA4s
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW539GCtO9z
At its center stood a monolith.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ640Az9P4zj
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPha4VdG4X
Not stone. Not metal.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dczFhusuG
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkL8lgLoyyQ
Something else.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMMLqGWR9K
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9t7aV1HBb
Cel stopped walking.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qnfxCNQWY
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCcqgKyR48S
The structure rose before him - taller than he was, seamless and dark. Deep midnight blue pulsed across its surface like a slow heartbeat, while threads of pale light coiled beneath, moving in patterns he couldn't follow.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrdvkKyY3S
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLaax8LrCcN
Sapphire beneath moonlight - cold and radiant.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAWGWQOZkt
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Wse3V8xmW
Divine.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPt5iWuYcPS
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAFPcsTKbF
He knew that without being told. The same way he'd known the frozen sea was sacred. The same way he'd recognized the fairy-like creature in the crystal maze as something beyond natural.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6KHml3EguF
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXVLbBdzxO
This wasn't just an object.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJiS9HvZG9h
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGidHyeSvgW
This was touched by divinity itself.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrDB8iqKBF
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7kNuYtNcPX
Selina came to a stop beside it, one hand resting lightly against the smooth surface. She didn't look at him, but he felt her attention anyway - patient, expectant.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcoWtmPbnsl
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwLYLe5SHX
Cel's chest tightened.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3wlpvAljf
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMBXBDAH0M6
He knew what came next.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1aU0SiG3x
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHAgutVd3d
Every Chosen One, upon receiving their first blessing, was granted three things.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oDhxrvJAE
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6HxGe0pApM
A trait - passive power, woven into the core of their being. Not meant for spectacle or battle, but something that changed who they were on a fundamental level.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdkEzfJQy7
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DJH6TmbOz
An authority - active power, immediate and tangible. The god's first true answer to their Chosen One's nature. Something meant to be used, whether for protection, destruction, or survival.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQIZDnM4WH
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobWU7gPXNM
Both could stem from the same paragon or draw from different aspects of their deity's domain.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kaQY3dFe9
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wOZ31UfBr
And an artifact - a divine instrument forged by the gods themselves. Weapon or armor. Whatever form it took, it would be theirs alone - bound to them until death.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBrOACBQgdc
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20Z8JfTFha
Unlike future blessings - earned through achievements - this first gift was granted freely. A mark that the journey had begun.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0HUPjkCkBz
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEKEhTbXnf2
Cel's hands trembled slightly as he stepped forward.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WVILEGVAO
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMaCS76uzh
The monolith responded.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrRieg86O8
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYa13nvBQDU
Silver light bloomed from its core - threads like veins of pure moonlight spreading outward beneath the surface. They coiled and twisted, drawing patterns that burned themselves into his vision.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJyzVE6T1c
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyoVMkg5tuu
Runes.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJsixzxc9r
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He couldn't read them. Didn't recognize the script.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApV1tgNR3E
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPw8fzNG0tL
But he understood them anyway - meaning that bypassed his eyes entirely and settled into his mind like instinct.114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKm8CyJBM1C
114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlQGkOBEun
<Name: Celvian>114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDJ1nXOy2g
<Paragons: (Heir to the Moon) (The White Death)>114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugzOnyvH2X
<Artifacts: (Silent Moon)>114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlHIW1NlW7
<Insights: (locked 0/1)>114Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2pMdkbbIe
<Achievements: (1)>1234 copyright protection110ＰＥＮＡＮＡgH5sYLABfm 尼

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