The crowd pressed closer to the board, voices rising in waves of excitement and disappointment.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoL5ysLU1i
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6RdlX2spzL
Cel hung back, letting the others surge forward first. He could wait. The rankings weren't going anywhere.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhcp858lpqg
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rgkRR2Bf5
Gradually, students filtered away. Some wore satisfied expressions. Others looked troubled, arms crossed as they muttered to friends about matches they should have won.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw4JFQdrg2P
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbuVr38hj5
When enough space cleared, Cel moved closer.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXQdEzKofr
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvdqnSXYHI
His eyes tracked down the list.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf4GWjUGxTG
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKckG28xrnW
Rank 1: Sylvaine Grovethorn55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFWHTO6Fia
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1dnCMsAmw
Rank 2: Owen Peakscale55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpARJRU8sI4
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mjpk9WSdN
Rank 3: Hestia Mortveil55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMhZ8Cwt5To
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUdnaHNx8N
Rank 4: Theron55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtkqVWIU2GX
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MGekHNc8h
Murmurs rippled through the crowd at that placement. The All-Blessed had grown up as a commoner, yet here he stood above every noble except three. Divine favor, apparently, included natural talent for fighting.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hEmzzHIt9
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7c1SnTYnN
The unfairness of it settled in Cel's chest like cold stone.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy15TowfVzy
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcxlNwGiQv
Rank 5: Cordelia Tidecall 55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgaJUhFV0w
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGNU8WpkL0
Rank 6: Percival Tempest 55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqC3397Su7
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1vNqPefPS
Rank 7: Kyros Solgrand55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVz7bFHGala
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDw22OLZ8fG
Then the remaining nobles in descending order - each one benefiting from years of private training, inherited techniques, artifacts passed through bloodlines.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5msd9qsu85
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxfVBR2o8W4
Then—55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJK097BIPM
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1RRJbqxQw
Rank 15: Celvian55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWDVWkSQgS
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0uZj7JQBi
Cel stared at the number.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshbBYp6edQ
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3CQHAW30U1
Fifteenth. The first commoner on the list. Above every other student who'd come from farming villages and merchant families.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5duRM6ypJ
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJX1EXh00ZJ
His jaw tightened.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLhfDUfdws
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkobvuKdXp0
He'd held back deliberately. Fumbled his strikes. Made his bladework clumsy and uncertain. Pretended his strength was just an authority he couldn't control properly yet.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLMjlQ2LPMh
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtS9CkeY9S
But even then, the gap between a trained noble and the commoners was vast. That couldn't be overcome by pretending to be weak.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQzRQ1lxLs4
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmILKdLJ11
His gaze dropped further down the list. Past more names. More numbers.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIydfKLrfOZ
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFHVbQDxEJ
Until he reached the bottom.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTZMyGZOHm
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRTdnfi5vBc
Rank 40: Lior55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNP5wOljApJ
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8IESmhcPYC
Last place.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbIw6jjmfU
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjspWRKavM
Dead last among all forty students.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOCBWcXEbO
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2vyhfUQbl
Cel's gaze swept the crowd until he found him. Lior stood at the board's far edge, shoulders hunched inward like he was trying to disappear into his own uniform. His hands twisted together at his waist - that nervous gesture Cel had come to recognize.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sPrQXvNB5
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhRSETsyTr
Their eyes met for a heartbeat.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIuZ2PV8HuH
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzOqxoKWdlx
Lior's throat worked. His fingers twitched once, as if reaching for something to hold onto.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvaLRS7OK1
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTbL8tMbAu
Then he turned and walked away.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ICHxCK6Hh
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimNHgm5Cm9
Not toward the dining hall. Not toward the classroom. Just... away. His footsteps quick and unsteady, like someone fleeing before they broke apart completely.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz28jee0uUA
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mfSvkG4Gb
Cel watched until Lior disappeared around a corner, jaw tight.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKZ7ryrgea
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6dtkncDS7
Morning assembly came and went. Theoretical classes passed in their usual rhythm - Instructor Saren's voice washing over topics Cel already knew.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK8WhYVmCmm
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtV2Vr5IgIp
Lior's seat remained empty.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpDlXJW6xNa
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKk0hfnQ9p
Afternoon combat training arrived. Students filtered onto the grounds, forming loose clusters while Instructor Calder barked orders.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgo4IgLIVs4
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUpE6Wyb5DN
Still no Lior.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzonClKp49
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4iON01CFdX
By evening, when dinner filled the hall with voices and the clatter of plates, his absence felt deliberate. Permanent.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ooMDm57wf
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMk8Dovh75M
Cel ate alone at their usual table. The empty seat beside him felt heavier than it should have.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXASfcgdAe
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZbl4iXhyY
When the meal ended, he rose and made his way through corridors that had grown familiar over months of routine.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTnYvmMhXh
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXkzelvbbRl
The commoner dormitory stood quiet. Most students remained in the dining hall or gathered in common areas. Cel's boots echoed against wood as he climbed stairs to the second floor.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYb9cittVU
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rktsKknMV
Lior's door waited at the end of the hall.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMaCCCmxAs
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHMpwqcIZD
Cel stopped before it, hand raised to knock.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRXreyKBzk
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCnkFlnrYHa
A sound filtered through the wood. Soft. Muffled.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5wxDwlKlP
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJKPU2GKRo
Whimpering.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSh7LUCyJ7D
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMJZrX63WY
His hand froze mid-air.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38M8hNA1U2
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGb7MBxCM0
The sound continued - broken, desperate. The kind of crying that came from somewhere deep, where all composure had finally cracked.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfrmqIKL7m
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMg0Qvy3C7
Cel's hand lowered slowly.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhTCMI5umE
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Q2UeKzxnZ
‘What am I even doing here?’55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ37ckX3ybUb
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4vAuvnrMeY
He had no idea how to comfort someone. The concept felt foreign - awkward and uncertain, like trying to speak a language he'd never learned.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsq6zDSxje5
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjNj0SrX06
When he'd broken down in that cell, no one had come. When nightmares tore him from sleep, he'd faced them alone. The only comfort he'd ever known was Lyra's occasional visits - her brightness cutting through the darkness for brief, precious moments.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJUeMqQeWS
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXs9ozklE9M
But Lyra had been a child. Natural warmth and affection poured from her without effort or thought.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAN95oZVqrC
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT797b3khYe
Cel possessed neither.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xHgNNwTrp
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtp0ZbcOM9t
He should leave. Walk away. Let Lior have his privacy, his dignity.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB2OY0ABuHG
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdXFkMDOwv
But the memory of his own tears - shed in darkness with no one to hear, no one to care - made his chest ache.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8eUqEHHaK4
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCQPTWkWBf
Maybe the knowledge alone that someone cared… would be enough.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrdYsoVoiR
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYSG11i5RT
Not enough to fix anything. But something.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvJgdNrI4g
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazuD1HWeTB
Cel's knuckles met wood. Three sharp raps.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXO36H5tvY
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX434CaENHw
The whimpering cut off instantly.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2rVRh5ns4H
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrY6rwdDvJ
Silence stretched. Then footsteps - hesitant, shuffling.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTLdC0NNFPz
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOEBw41jZv
The door opened a crack.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncsDTzvG6W
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlV6cIMM4z3
Lior's face appeared in the gap. Eyes red and swollen. Cheeks wet with tears he'd tried to wipe away but hadn't quite managed. His wheat-blond hair stuck up at odd angles where he'd run his hands through it.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2ySC5AHL8
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGgrQPUaJk
"Cel?" His voice came out hoarse. Uncertain. "What are you..."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBFkrIZ0u1
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUQxSkQgwN
"Can I come in?"55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKk8bUTmBCs
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8BPkQC84E
The question hung between them.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWeItAwdBo
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ13JwRfw99k
Lior's throat worked. He glanced back into his room, then at Cel, then down at the floor.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7F2LAV2FfG
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNeZbEPXAA
Finally, he stepped back and pulled the door wider.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Ypb7L5ZSe
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMHR9rVkFT
Cel entered.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNwDbxucia
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9B6N9MEhA
The room was identical to his own - narrow bed, simple desk, wardrobe. But Lior's space carried signs of actual habitation. Letters stacked on the desk, the ink barely dry. A practice knife resting on the windowsill. Blankets rumpled from restless sleep.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFe2YkiDxRW
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR3KCe6piHK
Lior closed the door and stood there awkwardly, hands twisting together. His gaze fixed on the floor between them.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuUbIpL69l
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJP6THc7yw
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I know I should have attended classes today. I just... couldn't."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFr3XHEpfK
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTbdSqm5iP
"It's fine."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQk9X5uqDh
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsNT6DuVwE
The words felt inadequate. Hollow.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOlK0v14kGc
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yOHYO1zSo
Lior's shoulders shook. His breath hitched.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNE8vl6Z8zu
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1HjqeLXqG
"It's not fine." The admission came out broken. "Nothing is fine…”55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHSKHoM4FRw
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaT5fCGhUbe
"Come," Cel said quietly, gesturing toward the bed. “Sit.”55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTEs5vc9rbA
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsABn5Tn8h
They settled on opposite ends of the bed - Lior perched on the edge like he might bolt at any moment, Cel leaning back against the wall.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ObuA39SMA
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4ef0AgBTG
Silence pressed in around them. Lior's hands twisted together in his lap, fingers white-knuckled.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjXLKpj97Cv
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRIF4GSwrWw
"I'm thinking about leaving," he said finally. The words came out flat. Empty. "Going home."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGcE5NJC4f
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajgXUxzcd8
Cel said nothing. Just waited.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfAHyPfncG
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNghQFaGDd
"I don't—" Lior's voice cracked. He swallowed hard and tried again. "I don't amount to anything here. I'm last. Dead last. I can't learn fast enough even with you helping me. I can't fight properly. I'm a Chosen of the weakest goddess."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgH1TkdQ0SE
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PNTogOc6T
His fingers twisted in the blanket.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZDHbRDP8C
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtp3Y8WGRkz
"My artifact is blessed rank. A knife. Not even a sword - just a knife that barely cuts better than mundane steel. And my authority—"55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrL9GdLLlHS
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaezTtVbO7y
He lifted one trembling hand.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsNiCLXMY3
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rjqeP3A2y
Then, light bloomed. A small orb, no larger than an apple, casting barely enough illumination to read by.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgYE2jlzj7j
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbjPw5SHY9v
"This." Bitterness bled through the word. "This is what the Moon Goddess gave me. Light. Not even bright light. Just... this."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdlfyZM9Fx
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSiPTsNMNZ
The orb flickered and died.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcK0yZ9Bax
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotfTYonjON
"My priest is rank fourty-one," Lior continued, voice rising slightly. "Fourty-one! That's supposed to mean something. But look at me. Look at what I got."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5ndbQu3f6
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjenZOQpji
He pressed both hands against his face.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxR1jJhXkW
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV38j57L4eH
"My mother sold everything she had to send me here," he whispered. "She worked herself sick for months just to afford the journey. And my father—" His voice broke completely. "He tried so hard to be proud. But I saw it in his eyes when the Moon Goddess chose me instead of... instead of someone stronger."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZniK3opIEd
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUSkcnDssX6
Tears slipped between his fingers.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxBqunHBwr
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdrAR3Wwd5
"I don't belong here," he whispered. "Everyone knows it. The instructors. Kyros and his friends - they're right. I am trash. Blessed trash. That's all I'll ever be."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIFs2mf4feX
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECUTqoMK7J
His shoulders shook.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡba7mN00sKw
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzfS4ltvK3
"Even if I stay. Even if I graduate. The Chosen Legion is supposed to accept everyone, but..." He lowered his hands, staring at nothing. "They'll treat me the same way. Because I can’t do anything right. I never have. I never will."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlDj454TJE
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPREPqu0cb5
The words hung in the air like smoke.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgMXjhOgJL
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXsdXOPs9A
Cel watched him - shoulders hunched, hands trembling, face buried in his palms. A boy coming apart at the seams because the world had shown him exactly how little he mattered.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhIhi3ZJkYQ
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVEGzZ7rLhU
‘I should say something.’55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM75Zm9sg89
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBvkF3K3iSr
But what?55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGsAA9wkBv
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4FtUd2WAEF
That things would get better? A lie. Lior's circumstances wouldn't magically improve through empty reassurance.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡouNNTfCqfb
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghh9GXaYad
That his ranking didn't define him? Another lie. In this world, power determined worth. 55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0InMNcaS6
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA0X3yzGTnH
That he should keep trying? Cruel. Lior had been trying. It simply wasn't enough.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7jatMIEFA
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHKQmf6QVrQ
Cel's jaw clenched.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQfuQ8EB8T
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymJS7nr2Cm
He didn't know how to fix this. Didn't know how to make the pain stop or the tears dry. All the words he could think of felt hollow - platitudes that would shatter against the truth the moment he spoke them.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbMbyz9u9j
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8kGH3kmGnW
So instead, he spoke the truth.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8A7oLCo34n
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiEXvJvo1X5
"When I was young," Cel said quietly, "I was like you."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ67l3gDsv9o
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXekw8sgvG
Lior's head snapped up.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBlQ0TaO6x
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNyn8ZnLnG3
"Timid. Useless. Afraid of my own shadow." The words came easier than expected, pulled from memories he usually kept locked away. "My father hated me. Not in some abstract way - he genuinely despised everything about me. My weakness. My gentle nature. The way I flinched when he raised his voice."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5oHDVkD6L
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOW9dQI3Hch
Cel moved to the window, staring out at darkness.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmeRgFFrTs0
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTuSviJ6hT
“As for my mother..." He scoffed. "She was there. Physically. But that was all."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsWP8ing59
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzipDuh7BUH
His fingers pressed against the windowsill.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8HehwPnulq
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRU2M2gvYWw
"I had a brother who outshone me in everything. Perfect. Talented. Everything my father wanted. He'd watched when I got punished. Never helped. Never spoke up."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiD9buh1yuY
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfeqIwFoQK
Cel's hands curled into fists.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxS7ETaGf4
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMydXqLuMFB
"I wanted to die…” A pause. “The thought of enduring another moment in that house, with those people, felt impossible. But I kept going anyway. Not because I was brave or strong. Just because..." He stopped. Started again. "I endured it because there was nothing else to do."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsk593okc1R
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTIdLKjR6m
Lior stared at him, tears still wet on his cheeks but his breathing steadier now.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnoKKeb6Aup
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8EfoNej4V
Cel turned from the window to face Lior directly.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVwUl4LifJI
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVmYrGXFBo
"You think you're weak," hel continued. "That you don't belong here. That everyone sees you as pathetic." His voice dropped lower. "They probably do. The same way my family saw me."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3l8A4x9QB
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kQPQyEfhS
He moved closer, crouching so they were eye-level.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVL7OLKpIxe
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SWVuThvKW
"But you're here anyway. You are here despite knowing you'd struggle. You practiced reading even though the letters didn't make sense. You stepped into that sparring circle knowing you'd lose."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30HZhVzhJR
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AID8ZfOe4
Cel's gaze held Lior's.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0SUKCWOYu
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDs8YCJ2gNQ
"That's not weakness. That's endurance. And endurance..." His throat tightened. "Endurance is the only strength that actually matters when everything falls apart."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudMkFljW8G
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCx5DKhFghc
Lior's breath hitched. Fresh tears spilled over, but something in his expression had shifted - less broken, more... present.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktsD5mWEiO
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq21LhHRt39
"I can't promise it gets easier," Cel said quietly. "Can't tell you that people will stop looking down on you or that your ranking will improve. Maybe it won't. Maybe you'll struggle every single day for the rest of your time here."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡse09jvpca9
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTKcylvabRH
He straightened.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuaOEw8V4o
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFY4DjWlzW
"But you're still breathing. Still trying despite knowing how hard it is." A pause. "That's more than most people manage when the world rejects them."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKC7B5hjBhf
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5UPMUjXVf
Silence stretched between them - heavy with truths neither had expected to share.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffuBYs2sl2
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrEzUMY5Bdd
Then Lior wiped his face with both hands, smearing tears across his cheeks.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdeFoRErWVJ
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUVErnXvHr
"I didn't know," he whispered. "About your past. You seem so... composed. Strong."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8n2Hm05hP
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMq53UcTh9
"People rarely are." Cel moved toward the door. "We all carry things that don't show."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MgFbn1eg5
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcSUytWVzW
His hand found the handle.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDkPVjATCqn
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tqh1Fpl61
"Cel?"55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAvgdc4WhU
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX045Nm9qbM
He glanced back.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡml4jtqOjUr
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWF7YBHPw0b
Lior's expression held something fragile but genuine. "Thank you."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdK6j8TlvP0
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9duAGmYEKx
Cel nodded once.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1YykbnAxiq
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBW6fqjrFeE
Then he left, pulling the door closed behind him with a soft click.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7AYI9XpeD
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF7kriIjTkQ
The corridor stretched empty and silent. His footsteps echoed against stone as he made his way toward the training grounds.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGx2lzcHRQh
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡocSxAKqLSP
Night had fallen completely. The moon hung full and bright - pouring its light across the Academy grounds in pale radiance.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5TdCt5Hul
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1O1oAD4Em
Lunar Vigor flooded through him the moment he stepped outside. Power hummed beneath his skin, turning exhaustion into energy.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8eV9Wv9UU
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbD5i0JDOQU
The training grounds came into view.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZbyRPARPJ
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafyHW4IA7X
And for the first time in weeks, he wasn't the first to arrive.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpa9poenl2D
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzsejkceQY
Hestia sat in her meditation spot - perfectly still, jet-black hair spilling over pale shoulders, crimson eyes closed in concentration. The night seemed to gather around her like a living thing, shadows pooling at her feet.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EYDH6Hc4b
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOynP9igzrd
Cel stopped at the threshold.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZXmWQZpfRK
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxTQqb66IX
Usually, he'd summon Silent Moon and begin his forms. Let the silence stretch between them, unbroken except for the whisper of his blade through air.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNbtCaM23H
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65MfdyR0U1
But tonight…55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJma7R686IP
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNqgayei3a
Tonight, he needed to know.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9BD3Io20g
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdmkLckaZI
He crossed the training grounds, boots crunching against packed earth. Each step deliberate. Purposeful.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYoH2FrOPm
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfXQngoryF
Hestia's eyes opened when he was still several steps away - her expression unreadable.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2o3NPLguR
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYgs9CrNe7I
She didn't speak. Just watched him approach with that same intense assessment she'd worn since the first day.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZtPSabvwd
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCuY5hzfFi7
Cel stopped a respectful distance away.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKUye84mvZ
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLnHgMY9Hf
"Lady Hestia."55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ht9nICZsi
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn9wWeKeYiQ
"Celvian." Her voice carried no inflection. 55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgeCVD8k14
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeT1rzzs6nY
He met her gaze directly.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB7aWPGv5zz
55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUXcP1hUT3
"What do you want from me?"55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1AxzhmWTkN
1234 copyright protection51ＰＥＮＡＮＡlc0X6UDl1v 尼

216.73.217.22