When Cel opened his eyes, Selina's arms were still around him.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvY6DIrsiBx
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8Iz8vCe8t
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfO1L56QdLP
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzpKGoTA95
His breath hitched.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3nfnpiwVJr
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0Sq8kxeVF
Then, something inside him broke.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgEM6nBFods
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe87VgKeO1Y
Not violently. Not like shattering glass or splintering bone.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfK22xxLFa
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlj6bDMVj1o
Like melting ice. Like a dam finally cracking under pressure it was never meant to hold.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHrKXIeq6a
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsjzzeUJrC
A sound escaped him - small, choked, achingly human.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhpRpOTiUs
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaLaOoHZoa
His shoulders began to shake.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmrVo5KcVT
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGW6Vnhh48
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. 243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJjt1XJgT4
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8AIn5R1wo
He shouldn't be—243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV41mrGfnGj
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcu57TyUQsl
Another sound tore free. Louder this time.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOKGAclhvI
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp706OleQWs
The tears came.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvg2hTRGl0
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIj9eoZYA8m
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9c7FG2Y0L
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDXYXHfUga
The year in the cell. The maggot-infested food. The cultists' knives. Ren's death.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSEm5zdx3S
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBK2rK0o0d
His father's fists. His mother's silence. His brother's cowardice.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXyELPqj0J
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFW7X7lwCYp
The mirror lake. The crystal maze. The creature that had killed him.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NwenjQhYg
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgJwcJBbmr
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9BSKX7zHfw
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGUSuIcIfO
And he couldn't stop it.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAbvWYSnda
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8lW2B26Uy
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJd8XbLabuy
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVOSdbEGar
She held him.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCZnCLsjWB
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHIdiOUtHX
Didn't speak. Didn't pull away. Didn't tell him to be strong or to compose himself.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnkcjy82Vy
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteEHE84krG
She simply held him, one hand moving to cradle the back of his head with steady gentleness while he broke apart in her arms.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXs08dvBYTw
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWqCPCsnob
Time became meaningless.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuu9kD68mju
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI155EDTL2s
Eventually, the sobs gradually quieted. The gasps turned to shaky breaths, leaving only exhaustion in their wake.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFhxgzBCGF
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jVGCGv2Ie
Cel pulled back slowly, roughly wiping at his face with trembling hands.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8flkFB7yR
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf4hHOOEvyN
His cheeks burned. Not from fever - from embarrassment so acute it felt physical.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWr6GDJLRZ9
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHLV6lCCLE
He'd just—243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KalZr4YOw
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3yTL0Bxps
In front of her—243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYREgocf4jI
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFZDt8kxXX
"I'm sorry," he choked out, unable to meet her eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWa8JJW2qkc
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSY158DBkH
"There is nothing to apologize for, Chosen One." Her voice held no judgment. No pity. No disappointment.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIZlXgNswA
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsdsgK9moG
Only acceptance.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTW7PE7i2SD
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGIIuJbA9e
Cel swallowed hard, gaze fixed firmly on the ground between them. His throat felt raw, stripped clean.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kddRIrHuR
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAh4mBAKjKO
"I just…" He didn't know how to finish that sentence.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxR0CfkVM5
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4oxtfvdCBe
"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."243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEB2OMw63aR
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4p7Y2deU9
Cel's breath came out shaky. He nodded once, not trusting his voice.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYXjhTI1fU
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjncUj43AM
When she finally stepped back, her hands lingered for a moment before releasing him entirely.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9y7Vc7BhV
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxq4UfO5ZNI
The mist swirled between them, giving him space to collect himself.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVKqdIukex
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxKyVeB8tB
Cel took a breath. Then another. His fingers rose to touch his face - flushed and damp, eyes surely red and swollen.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjUdrYMLd3
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJeoOAg87x2
Humiliation seared through him.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIXuSqgzKA
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOnph0jMkK
He'd wept. Like a child. In front of someone who had guided him through death itself with perfect composure.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xQtq4yl0Q
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnxRl3dpEe
The transformation still didn't feel real, but the shame certainly did.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6MAXRmaVx
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhdN8ofqY2
He forced himself to straighten, to look somewhere near her general direction even if he couldn't quite meet her eyes yet.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlVtFTDY9CV
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbx1IWyrHAM
"Thank you. For everything.“243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOrZDGEwsj
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHwuwLBboQ
He gestured vaguely, unable to articulate what her presence had meant.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxP00OY7VN
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzAjtxSQ3X
Selina inclined her head, serene as ever.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ2caHWh3Qi
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2DxI5mEzqn
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGjSj1mSmeS
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZUMHQZw5M
"Selina." He cleared his throat. "What rank do you hold as a priestess?"243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0Xvj7cRlL
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsOOgfbGOea
No hesitation. No cryptic deflection.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5cVFVKpwCM
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25wJEgzyyI
Her smile deepened, tranquil and certain as moonlight on still water243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6yBV6i1lc
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3638wE7g2b
"Rank One." 243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡViDrRBLGKw
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19GlrNgWLV
The words landed like a physical blow.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xFGwAlhJK
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXRpobufyv
His mind went blank, then exploded with implications he couldn't process fast enough.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡay0CEIzDCS
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2urAQCGWJF
'Rank One?'243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnR9zqIMd5
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09xBMtLOtd
A Divine Oracle - the title humanity gave to those who stood at the pinnacle of divine service.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAjLzceaAt
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJeqQXgwPF
Not just a priestess. Not even a high-ranking servant.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXkpfH7Qiok
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBIPdcE6aV
The highest authority beneath the gods themselves. The singular voice through which a deity spoke directly to the mortal world.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wjRb4WEvN
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nTCoK5w1x
His embarrassment suddenly intensified a thousandfold.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOecnSRypLs
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Cn2xPjd6i
He'd just—243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUWmvOaVZm
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjh4q1CzaqS
He'd just cried on a Divine Oracle.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80PWRlqGzB
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡANRpdl0Dnc
Sobbed into her robes like a child seeking comfort from his mother.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIYBO6MwTZ
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhgXEP6JMI
And before that—243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnsYDYAMHjZ
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzHS4zgYvM
Memory crashed through him like an avalanche.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡviQSTvAEEi
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwE1nEwfBy
His tone. The way he'd spoken to her.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSeoh5XFMtD
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmXxZHitDMD
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwlVS2LjGv
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlfLzihd0h
He hadn't been respectful. Hadn't been grateful.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPu3BcEF669
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bl031w9Pc
He'd been angry - and he'd let that anger out on her.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90A0gikHC0
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWM99Cfim1t
Cel wanted to disappear.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPQ6Ap5zlx
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ34H3zHpooe
He hadn't just questioned a priestess or shown weakness before a guide.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkbGVP2T7WK
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3xvxIpiCu
He had challenged a Divine Oracle with barely restrained fury. 243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaEJcVxB4Aa
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPrzki73ny
And then wept on her shoulder.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnobkBMJdyz
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGY3KLQwA5d
His legs suddenly felt unsteady.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡom7bGl0CFX
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBHja7B15A
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh8aObmGwUx
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkH2y2w5dMp
His voice failed him.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpjJEQ1E6N
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTGjpq8nze
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwEXJHAJ8E5
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sT6tqkwtj
Because it transcended mortality.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUwOpZaZdL
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvRt4t1faM
She wasn't just a guide. She was the voice of the Moon Goddess.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVddl2q8UN
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFQlGOUmrg
And he'd—243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZG0fGJhK5V
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSEF4yk8qv7
Shame crawled up his throat like bile, bitter and choking.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4eypA8TYri
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZTgvxt3LR
"I was..." He forced the words out. "I was angry. At everything. And I took it out on you."243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvgzM9mtER
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5haWBlgPQ
His hands curled into fists.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJLjNAjiRg
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdfWo8DP7DZ
"You were patient with me. Kind. And I..."243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeBH42kFvR4
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9dmZv4fgKp
He couldn't finish. Couldn't articulate how wrong it felt now—lashing out at the one person who'd actually helped him.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvHBKcfzfuf
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQycOMaanH
"I'm sorry."243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6loaVIkisG
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Cqsb6WNow
Silence answered him.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHdJQ0SI35
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS65vAXWoc0
Cel kept his gaze fixed on the ground, watching mist curl around his bare feet. Each second stretched unbearably long.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwsBF3BVNB
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtl1jc2tO3
Then—movement.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ZUrUJ5Sm7
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9oXYWO6oA
Selina stepped closer.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWVjk4eOH0
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTEP7RP6G9
He flinched slightly, expecting… what? Blame? Divine wrath channeled through soft words?243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFqeWxkGLhN
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzEL33k0u3n
"Chosen One." Her voice carried no anger. No coldness.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPQwlBfyOz
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYENVFsmP8D
Only that same impossible gentleness she'd shown since the beginning.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEoaxK0tYrj
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDcKw9cWMn
Slowly, reluctantly, Cel raised his head.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozCjRph6It
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUm5tfAsff8
She stood before him unchanged. Mask catching moonlight, lips curved into a beautiful smile. White robes stirring in wind that didn't exist.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbzp0sFQCQ
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLt2I8gG3zd
But now he could see it - the presence that saturated every gesture, every word. The weight of divinity she carried with such grace.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB5kdLgvm1M
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR0cDqeMYqA
"You are not the first to question the divine." Her tone remained even. "Nor will you be the last."243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFm7w1MosB
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTyIypWyql
Cel's breath hitched.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8YHuSXPXQ
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgL6lh77IlA
"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—"243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5M1cRrhyz
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlzmhbKkcY
He gestured helplessly.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3sg9Y2RO5
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4WZGKJyKh
"You deserved better than that."243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeM0MFNEKZo
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2HszxwuRry
Selina regarded him for a long moment.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡreyT5jOB0n
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt28XTx05VH
"Your tone was inappropriate, yes."243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVEpL9sG2pK
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtxe9r41BH
The blunt truth hit like a fist.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8xoAvgAwP
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrMvrTZtwh
But there was no cruelty in her statement. Just fact, stated simply.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbivUOqp5mW
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ554mi752Ux
"However." She tilted her head slightly. "I do not serve to be worshipped. I serve to guide. To guide you."243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZtOh2kvkVC
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡat2veB0U4r
Her hand lifted in a small, dismissive gesture - as if brushing away his concern.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2yCDbdZiOl
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdant7cR3JZ
"You may speak to me as yourself. It is enough."243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAvxDA2JT0
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOgMO8dDg8
The shame didn't vanish - it couldn't - but something about her words cut through the worst of it.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPlKJR1A19o
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjH1mBJaXd
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00yT9DEiit
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzohvSnpWr6
Even now, standing before him with her true nature revealed, she spoke with grace rather than command.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5H2qOaurzz
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJyCe1QaHO
Cel's chest tightened.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQo73Ew1v0
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKwVmismh99
Not from unworthiness - though he felt that keenly.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw479gGf80L
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKE5Z55kgD
But from recognition.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCZO7dt9T9
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KzBomlXjF
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGdqV2f0ZO
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsYdfTItHR
And here stood someone with more power than any of them could dream of.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifCl1SLCb7
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6VAqrCzW2
Who chose not to wield it as a tool of domination.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡANiB0gXk4l
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJ3yajooND
"Then..." He straightened slightly, meeting her masked gaze. "I'll speak to you as myself."243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTO35mKELie
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AWghOanVg
A pause.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuuD3CFY2CA
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLR0z8JK6N7
"And I'll make sure you never regret guiding me."243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFjovak9Td
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUWfPNhh4J
Selina's smile deepened - genuine warmth that transformed her serene expression into something radiant.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5DiY0Psaa
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH15b8IZFoG
"I never have, Chosen One."243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vTD9v8Jhe
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡun2VXphJ9p
The simple certainty in those words settled over him like a blanket.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvUC4f6FCVU
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Not forgiveness - she had nothing to forgive, apparently.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpep0PPTlQ3
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGF2RPkm78n
Just acceptance.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJd7YqzfiGL
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRnt5s3ECu
Cel bowed his head. Not in apology this time.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW6TJUqx2SO
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUoonGYtnJ
In respect. True respect, given freely to someone who had earned it through every patient word, every quiet truth.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pNj6jEb7c
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhCkI1bWxW
When he raised his eyes again, something fundamental had shifted inside him.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXBTDp1MERK
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxI0Xia4TYY
The guilt remained - it would serve as reminder, fuel to be better.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMgkfSML16
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5itFiygo3d
But beneath it, something else had taken root.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYOm8v7U5X
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5vNzmiEPZ
Trust. Deep and unshakeable.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnyEFfOmE7
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUbNULA2iS
Whatever came next - whatever trials or horrors the future held - he would follow where she led.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwh6EV4NQk
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkskeI6WLA6
Because Selina wasn't just the goddess's voice.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTi2JaL9Ko
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3xLPcR37O
She was his guide.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe893PP0rS9
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9FCafItV9
And he would not dishonor that gift again.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmCPpBjXBqn
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4xh3TgNvco
Silence settled between them, heavy with unspoken understanding.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmhayjBPYA
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw2kSrw3Gme
He didn't need more words. Neither did she.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSSRC902ZWW
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGfG6r2FbF
The mist around them stirred.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqucctciDHa
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG339FdZ6ma
Selina's gaze lingered on him - just a moment longer - before she turned away.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwGzq6Desp
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd31qqyOnwu
"Follow me, Chosen One. There is more yet to be done."243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNukH6dPQ6C
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEcdjrnZSz
Cel followed without hesitation.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepgfCADh2X
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUqiN4u40A
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnS7F1slwuA
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5R2qxnMb7
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6BQiV7PBt
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3oGyvF56BO
"What happened to me?" he asked.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKk7MXxhX9
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcmboGl9Ya
She didn't slow her pace, but her head turned slightly toward him.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5cYAMqdESj
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrfj2kIsEi
"Your physical form in the Hollow Realms succumbed to its injuries," she said simply.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXe4y53UQIE
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlSkpmmJzc
The words should have struck harder. But after everything - after dying twice already - the revelation felt almost distant.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxgR6SqZdD
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMYqGfrp8X
"Then how…“ He gestured at himself, at the body that felt foreign in its wholeness. "How am I still here?"243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHFKbR2RCp
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQOvNVyUze
"Your soul was preserved within the trial - protected by divine ground." Selina's voice carried a weight he hadn't heard before.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlIsnE0s3J
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rWwYnwUqN
She paused, as if choosing her next words carefully.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SuHZatXzw
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8OyxOOjySg
"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."243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEC6KFDM5hK
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdBAcW4gqG
Cel’s breath caught.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2NOoZDa6X
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJR4yu2unnA
Not healing. Not recovery.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTWXyTrBig
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHTXAfMcD3
Resurrection.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWgG8tILGO
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYj5hPUf0tD
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGqbhbr189
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkLwbTNt0m
Perhaps that was why the trial existed at all - to prove his soul worthy of such a gift.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHXLgLhASI
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMejzdNCwhz
Cel let the truth settle as they continued forward.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNBHUTyVlI
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3MNafkd2eK
Eventually, the terrain shifted.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpr58XA03i2
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdEGad98WPb
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjEpr5uWd7
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoBi5mH2cfQ
At its center stood a monolith.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvciWaMLe2J
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFU3xzRHVJ
Not stone. Not metal.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUL99sAuiy6
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7Fzpm4cVH
Something else.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFOBK8dWYI
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Ad35PcfUB
Cel stopped walking.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3OWgfLX5vP
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hteVm8pGF
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOnQssuBqwG
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡldgiJDfuh2
Sapphire beneath moonlight - cold and radiant.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy1xLk6nYTY
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWl0UC9AYv
Divine.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvfN0HXmfm
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yeztdAK2j
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDnBi21pkV
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQfx1Gn2Hs8
This wasn't just an object.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbzBaShM9OW
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0gMT4BMZf
This was touched by divinity itself.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBCbmRCe0MP
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcqbfQrUvW
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9G3jIAirH
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡax8ug6z6WR
Cel's chest tightened.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrXXbXVTKB
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jWdLlkavv
He knew what came next.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimcdAhStZG
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54LADg2Ch2
Every Chosen One, upon receiving their first blessing, was granted three things.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlWXlRKrDmK
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgj4R9qAp1
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI1xd5UDkdS
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJgawJ1YgQ
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzj851Bb9S
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49c4s7msPX
Both could stem from the same paragon or draw from different aspects of their deity's domain.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlZANLy4jB
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPq1y4Wasc1
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGhG8iicld9
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhdl3EXjq0
Unlike future blessings - earned through achievements - this first gift was granted freely. A mark that the journey had begun.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBdH64lgkO
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMRlTqEsYmD
Cel's hands trembled slightly as he stepped forward.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4j37MlEFfB
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7GuC3zZgV
The monolith responded.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fOOIB3Ycp
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQWbs0hjPY
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.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVVcyY4ENU
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLbltYKka4
Runes.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUN2k6cam1J
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He couldn't read them. Didn't recognize the script.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDt0qMerHTh
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHafSLmEcDv
But he understood them anyway - meaning that bypassed his eyes entirely and settled into his mind like instinct.243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGr2cfoovt
243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1V1rSRpuZ
<Name: Celvian>243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEf8ZdG7By
<Paragons: (Heir to the Moon) (The White Death)>243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfiRtW84Jc
<Artifacts: (Silent Moon)>243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSC84s9IpJx
<Insights: (locked 0/1)>243Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFL8v7LHezy
<Achievements: (1)>1234 copyright protection239ＰＥＮＡＮＡY59iC0uPGn 尼

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