The crowd pressed closer to the board, voices rising in waves of excitement and disappointment.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sV8LZ87Tb
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFd49gB5swG
Cel hung back, letting the others surge forward first. He could wait. The rankings weren't going anywhere.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoZ4eE1J2wv
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWyHyiDQqP
Gradually, students filtered away. Some wore satisfied expressions. Others looked troubled, arms crossed as they muttered to friends about matches they should have won.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyq7EPC3PUi
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zW21wdEDZ
When enough space cleared, Cel moved closer.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXDlmDd8Aq
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZwNJV949o
His eyes tracked down the list.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XhWwG0rBZ
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTKJXDkHjx
Rank 1: Sylvaine Grovethorn96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qvHhnKwdN
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3z9RF24D1
Rank 2: Owen Peakscale96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjMHoUFXGS
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYLsHWvjk9
Rank 3: Hestia Mortveil96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjbmsx5k7j
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfoH4meMY0
Rank 4: Theron96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeu2mQWZhw4
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hMoBCyEoE
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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGzmCiDgoPY
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpMDgWRL9r
The unfairness of it settled in Cel's chest like cold stone.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxEEHBNrINy
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2RpAxkKPi
Rank 5: Cordelia Tidecall 96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlihX4OONR
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphf2IReU6k
Rank 6: Percival Tempest 96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrwXEViQGpt
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHGPTlwkpb
Rank 7: Kyros Solgrand96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHkERKvBZz
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUUaXorg2Q
Then the remaining nobles in descending order - each one benefiting from years of private training, inherited techniques, artifacts passed through bloodlines.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHIuAIOKMg
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡls9mt7ZlEu
Then—96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOCXmCrQgt
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKbFFvQ9v7
Rank 15: Celvian96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYc1C94cLEq
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUabJqbXxV
Cel stared at the number.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxY2dhAcJ7
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu07zqzI9kV
Fifteenth. The first commoner on the list. Above every other student who'd come from farming villages and merchant families.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vxvVSVyo8
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljVP4RYjVC
His jaw tightened.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTyWXRjP9E
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh818j7Xg7h
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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsmT4sfRKgQ
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzLzZpA1G2
But even then, the gap between a trained noble and the commoners was vast. That couldn't be overcome by pretending to be weak.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZ2yACyQn1
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuWWATNefCU
His gaze dropped further down the list. Past more names. More numbers.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1lRvHzq0k
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vFHRmMtSI
Until he reached the bottom.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfDUF2jjqnr
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVUqIt6EaA
Rank 40: Lior96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AV7osaDr0
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnF3t8rDqbx
Last place.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMZu6BEErJ
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzjrzcCxDs
Dead last among all forty students.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0cM4Zl6Gr
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXGtJrUEa8
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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqsgVCCLz7k
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkI4pkTekCH
Their eyes met for a heartbeat.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRfbRdWLZL
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahI4awEujl
Lior's throat worked. His fingers twitched once, as if reaching for something to hold onto.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqVLfqj7Ot
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJ0kbWa8Op
Then he turned and walked away.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD8KZplwdtH
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHivtWFp1W
Not toward the dining hall. Not toward the classroom. Just... away. His footsteps quick and unsteady, like someone fleeing before they broke apart completely.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhhCiRK5Hu
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qBJP93tgD
Cel watched until Lior disappeared around a corner, jaw tight.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZ4ychfIYG
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceKhbckqzo
Morning assembly came and went. Theoretical classes passed in their usual rhythm - Instructor Saren's voice washing over topics Cel already knew.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzjU6zoYmqS
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTl554totFW
Lior's seat remained empty.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkn0W2nPBzS
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghM32q5u9x
Afternoon combat training arrived. Students filtered onto the grounds, forming loose clusters while Instructor Calder barked orders.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPipeM5Vxxu
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKyKGQPYtI
Still no Lior.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSOsxEC24n
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7aEAfhara
By evening, when dinner filled the hall with voices and the clatter of plates, his absence felt deliberate. Permanent.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB62HLnfb0n
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZHHd8oGy5
Cel ate alone at their usual table. The empty seat beside him felt heavier than it should have.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLlBVPEUKS
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3GzZhgUmT
When the meal ended, he rose and made his way through corridors that had grown familiar over months of routine.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmthyZwuwm
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3CaQ7PIFsT
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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnkCQpMoNp
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL1zCH75VwZ
Lior's door waited at the end of the hall.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTS0npsWhRD
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGDH49oI41W
Cel stopped before it, hand raised to knock.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWp6RkORNN
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWaFMzTHnL
A sound filtered through the wood. Soft. Muffled.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5Hi2xF4Ou
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSBlJS24cZQ
Whimpering.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZMEY7UxBt
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcj8PQfscO
His hand froze mid-air.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHFTGsR9ks
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡygjvBQYtwW
The sound continued - broken, desperate. The kind of crying that came from somewhere deep, where all composure had finally cracked.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvKAYN74xt
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5cmuLnnEh
Cel's hand lowered slowly.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQ5i147tRi
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI820nJIe6R
‘What am I even doing here?’96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQgDpWuQUj
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9abTuMKSnQ
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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUskGrqTIo1
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEqsxMZpsA
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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGmJeXNNYl
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZx9M0pWD8L
But Lyra had been a child. Natural warmth and affection poured from her without effort or thought.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk54EP5CiIu
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFxnaaHUzuW
Cel possessed neither.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzecvygQVzY
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaze6spjhNQ
He should leave. Walk away. Let Lior have his privacy, his dignity.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JGbtrZJSI
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhqnjm52Ss
But the memory of his own tears - shed in darkness with no one to hear, no one to care - made his chest ache.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgbhiVvlCh9
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnxCh1frvi
Maybe the knowledge alone that someone cared… would be enough.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLwjnZKP38
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXHZwmofaI
Not enough to fix anything. But something.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3McIvz3T69
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fI52F5vgI
Cel's knuckles met wood. Three sharp raps.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPofF2j4F3e
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2SBT8tIrAB
The whimpering cut off instantly.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtSxPxxYeZ
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCz6KvaFkJe
Silence stretched. Then footsteps - hesitant, shuffling.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDePpLX4MWU
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9bVzrSWqE
The door opened a crack.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mvBhX0mZp
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssy8UGHc6b
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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUEHSf50KWF
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkNt1OjjqB
"Cel?" His voice came out hoarse. Uncertain. "What are you..."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHy7DMRPm4
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3l1MEMeuvj
"Can I come in?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSsGIW0OOx
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpYwqehuaoD
The question hung between them.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY49N7FuzRp
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3YedyvmdJ
Lior's throat worked. He glanced back into his room, then at Cel, then down at the floor.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6T0Mef537J
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKG3ahqgbPQ
Finally, he stepped back and pulled the door wider.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUAr94STNId
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1iqzAyhhi6
Cel entered.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVZHP2EPTT
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVGs8wrelJ
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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNKsNkRFal
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclSfhy6y5m
Lior closed the door and stood there awkwardly, hands twisting together. His gaze fixed on the floor between them.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmGUyr19QCj
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4ZrsmjuMM
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I know I should have attended classes today. I just... couldn't."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQKERerNsn
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfD0yHG213
"It's fine."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOcZ62V1Llu
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaciu3eXaha
The words felt inadequate. Hollow.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB2kGuMoGnV
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEy8l3zF2s
Lior's shoulders shook. His breath hitched.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2LOx6K0iG
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdd7476dLMF
"It's not fine." The admission came out broken. "Nothing is fine…”96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOC1zgRE4Df
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOBV4oCqkz
"Come," Cel said quietly, gesturing toward the bed. “Sit.”96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhieJmPW8DJ
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcj3uvOB3tS
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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8riPVTWGkj
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ047tdLYvKa
Silence pressed in around them. Lior's hands twisted together in his lap, fingers white-knuckled.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5CdIBjjru
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FbHkpBHgr
"I'm thinking about leaving," he said finally. The words came out flat. Empty. "Going home."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2800BwISg
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6t0vM93lO
Cel said nothing. Just waited.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCrGlpbxrhC
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIHMHIlLJZl
"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."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrVuOxeLr1Y
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDTAfsC7Kh
His fingers twisted in the blanket.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHGNEybr0n
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSbHaP3ilIB
"My artifact is blessed rank. A knife. Not even a sword - just a knife that barely cuts better than mundane steel. And my authority—"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuhnVRVZcP
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdU1Irm0uI
He lifted one trembling hand.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKUaTh4fCfq
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpRrBvqhxkW
Then, light bloomed. A small orb, no larger than an apple, casting barely enough illumination to read by.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡISzi5oVHte
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTC85i8x43
"This." Bitterness bled through the word. "This is what the Moon Goddess gave me. Light. Not even bright light. Just... this."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhaFEzQzVSq
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTo8KybsQg9
The orb flickered and died.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAJDhElUas
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwImJgaOSGs
"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."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbldabA8mD
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNC5RhSQMTF
He pressed both hands against his face.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PxpSaxSBc
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7oRHQhXdxT
"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."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdgSUbQlX6
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdx3iL5BQu
Tears slipped between his fingers.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojXVQgs5Pj
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fB5cHYetP
"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."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIPdbXMgk4
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEVkpik3oQ
His shoulders shook.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7jSrDSrOZ
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZU0sRry3N
"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."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jz3KlSWEX
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFyuPDr6UlB
The words hung in the air like smoke.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVfiqSoTlj
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7nRbtnEHZW
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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGzc4utxIC2
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2v7jzVx7Eo
‘I should say something.’96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPSILcenfh
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO4WksLxa77
But what?96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtueY1j0Ji
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNoAsFNdPDt
That things would get better? A lie. Lior's circumstances wouldn't magically improve through empty reassurance.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFMlDmSh1i
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1lhbHr8fJ
That his ranking didn't define him? Another lie. In this world, power determined worth. 96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5K2xueCYxA
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdD6Wj7dgB
That he should keep trying? Cruel. Lior had been trying. It simply wasn't enough.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1R7edl3fG
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJeTKF1jAi
Cel's jaw clenched.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcV2n7Fqzm5
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxpDSOMmKx
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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFOJYwnvVkr
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3gwNiDIuB
So instead, he spoke the truth.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDNxdf54LP
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgiEZzmbIB
"When I was young," Cel said quietly, "I was like you."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyLxMUsFOX
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZM0Xq9GNuI
Lior's head snapped up.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWp62TyNRLX
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvxCGrZSGt
"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."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX8izVmud9L
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHk4y5OrBcp
Cel moved to the window, staring out at darkness.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4UQQfvW7i
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw3haXMqZf2
“As for my mother..." He scoffed. "She was there. Physically. But that was all."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRcdPLPjCV
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jSXaHLplr
His fingers pressed against the windowsill.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpUxL3N0PV
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9S67N6t1l
"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."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUYiJOEauA
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIW9xcJs6qT
Cel's hands curled into fists.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3eUrqfC7jR
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSHJru6oyU
"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."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDEaoyINRM
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxkByBiDPUD
Lior stared at him, tears still wet on his cheeks but his breathing steadier now.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHm3grsF7DQ
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Cel turned from the window to face Lior directly.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYXnRolXN0z
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"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."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3cDk8kVofp
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He moved closer, crouching so they were eye-level.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUuMqGqV6WQ
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9IZrWD7NT
"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."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoigJowOH4
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Cel's gaze held Lior's.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjAUcuWt9yz
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOZ9PEIV55
"That's not weakness. That's endurance. And endurance..." His throat tightened. "Endurance is the only strength that actually matters when everything falls apart."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9t3jINEk6C
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFCNA1nDu3J
Lior's breath hitched. Fresh tears spilled over, but something in his expression had shifted - less broken, more... present.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz24EuxMGuY
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgV8crCX0M
"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."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCwS8lXaGb
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He straightened.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEEuvKHdBDA
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"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."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDa2F91kS7l
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbfWoK5CpUX
Silence stretched between them - heavy with truths neither had expected to share.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWwGkaEzfx
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCFgwL1nSC
Then Lior wiped his face with both hands, smearing tears across his cheeks.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKYUJoWDgU
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA3eA7tT36f
"I didn't know," he whispered. "About your past. You seem so... composed. Strong."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDjLQ7rDis
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfHCWZLjxW
"People rarely are." Cel moved toward the door. "We all carry things that don't show."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6l12o1GpcH
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRM0JZpI8b
His hand found the handle.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1ICLXt29U
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0zWlgTbYu
"Cel?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNOTYq416y
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2uny4xnSG0
He glanced back.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RCZAfp0Pq
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ilsf9FFXZ
Lior's expression held something fragile but genuine. "Thank you."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGRN2Hhe3E
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNmcSA1A40
Cel nodded once.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HCwgqtGrr
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Then he left, pulling the door closed behind him with a soft click.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKzcqzNiIu
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuiqOgnfwQ
The corridor stretched empty and silent. His footsteps echoed against stone as he made his way toward the training grounds.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWCf2RS1SO
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWgDOPWuYg
Night had fallen completely. The moon hung full and bright - pouring its light across the Academy grounds in pale radiance.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayU7TsGMge
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXR40DPSQCR
Lunar Vigor flooded through him the moment he stepped outside. Power hummed beneath his skin, turning exhaustion into energy.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojEavHGXgW
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYchdq998Ro
The training grounds came into view.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJMM3736Eq
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And for the first time in weeks, he wasn't the first to arrive.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Wg4x7Rp2F
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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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jvhLJFV1W
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Cel stopped at the threshold.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiMXiDrJNC
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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.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhISA9KgWGw
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But tonight…96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡixSJ0O3BSb
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsp4YaSQGs
Tonight, he needed to know.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO24iF0eYqK
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmjTAt9Kwh
He crossed the training grounds, boots crunching against packed earth. Each step deliberate. Purposeful.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WdJS4bbaK
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFCCKnVMm3
Hestia's eyes opened when he was still several steps away - her expression unreadable.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5PlthMImu
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She didn't speak. Just watched him approach with that same intense assessment she'd worn since the first day.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9hgA4FjDo
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46Y3J0xEFB
Cel stopped a respectful distance away.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjrZvrw8Od
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjU6EebHqZH
"Lady Hestia."96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbK36j5aeiF
96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXfU89UiOs
"Celvian." Her voice carried no inflection. 96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQpiX2rnzi
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He met her gaze directly.96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX199HdwsR7
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"What do you want from me?"96Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGQzOzCbXZX
1234 copyright protection92ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIqAwy6IG1 尼

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