Cel sat on the bed's edge, staring at nothing.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFt9UJLCcGg
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBauatfsUOy
The room was quiet. Too quiet. No whisper of ash settling. No distant tremors beneath the ground. Just the muffled sounds of the Academy beyond his walls - footsteps in corridors, voices too distant to understand, the creak of old wood settling.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCSE4cVvGD
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE9HXIozrlb
His fingers traced patterns on his thigh without conscious thought. Small circles that meant nothing.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJUxkIaUmsG
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzothdeYAXF
'The Reckoning.'278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBqASJnbTE
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCoIe5FEwbu
The name felt strange in his mind. An organization that hunted corrupt Chosen. That killed those who believed power placed them above consequence.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUCkjstL5b
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxRPhXrMQk
Noble work. Necessary work, maybe.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOvdOvKklG
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItuNA8LGpl
But killers nonetheless.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSaMoVSjvEO
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZ1tOMx7rh
His jaw tightened.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7SvRlyNfi
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZa4eFQ4mmE
They'd voted on whether he lived or died like it was choosing what to have for dinner. Four votes to kill him. Four to let him join.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmehk6a9pa3
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4W3teyyFG
'Would they have done it? If Veyron had sided with Draven?'278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq87gn1VjTy
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNuRbk0JIFV
The answer was obvious. Yes. Without hesitation. Esrin might have stopped them - or she might not have. The vote existed to prevent exactly that kind of conflict.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxYOa8xD9I9
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAFTXMz1pz
His hands curled into fists.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu71HPcBEju
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRAn3ZaEaX6
He'd joined an organization that had nearly executed him. That operated with the kind of cold pragmatism that reminded him too much of his father.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFqQGNJWhC
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDeUHJog0J
'But they fight people like him.'278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoeiJb6z2MS
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUY8uyg7x36
The thought arrived with uncomfortable clarity. The Reckoning existed because powerful Chosen abused that power. Because the law failed when divine favor was involved.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8A5X5KKVgj
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstCO14QE0w
His father had beaten him nearly to death. Had sold him to cultists that used him for their twisted experiments. Had done it all knowing his position in the Sun Clan made him untouchable.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRNLD1gKNM
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmx8DuisjVb
If the Reckoning had known…278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDban29MpWe
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjiFumzJAqX
Cel's breath came harder.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ashhAMdEp
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OKGoxL4hd
Would they have killed him? 278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkg4uqlhAF
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpYfdtw5rIc
The answer should have been obvious. But the question wouldn't settle.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4j7h8UE28
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUe8zPCkShd
He pushed himself off the bed and moved to the window.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdlsIm8smN
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDk5wVnYRRy
The Academy grounds stretched below. Beyond the walls, the street continued - cobblestones, shops, people moving through their afternoon routines.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jMpyUPQsh
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbcxwcf0OCB
Normal. Peaceful. Safe.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cURHs4RbO
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TIYiIOWSy
Everything the Hollow Realms wasn't.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrjGDA98XL
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnGmSlVwYr
His reflection stared back from the glass - white hair, pale skin, eyes that looked older than sixteen had any right to be.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oLgZ1Fq6e
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhPPuUdzJBW
'No Divine Energy.'278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHCfnIH6fp
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlY2zAVsXq4
The thought made his stomach twist.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2y3prLYMm
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryZVStYeZ0
He'd assumed he was simply bad at sensing it. That his talent was so poor he couldn't feel what every other Chosen felt naturally. A limitation. A weakness.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbPI20dOR5h
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tt3p4irGG
But the Reckoning had revealed something else.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40XqUAXoIi
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYg20eIbxvj
An artifact, they'd assumed. Something suppressing his divine signature so completely that even other Chosen couldn't sense him.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUXHR79bCXC
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwsh5Lrqfb
Except there was no such artifact. 278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnTjdB2Xz9a
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0lxGXt9CgJ
Cel's hand dropped to the windowsill. He focused, reaching for Frostmark the way he always did - through intent alone, bypassing the energy he couldn't sense.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmP5k35PQB
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7QUAm0rrX
Frost erupted beneath his touch, spreading across the wood in delicate patterns that branched and crystallized. 278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIj8GwEpDgq
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIN6jabfNAd
Cold bit into his palm. He pulled his hand back, flexing fingers against the ache.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47la3vJEvT
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4bA8mz7Cf
The frost remained, permanent and gleaming.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMxn76dAA9
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYTPKSjGNU
'How?'278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoE4cXFAddi
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZ4qlRVBHR
How could he be blessed without Divine Energy? How could he use authorities without the fuel to activate them?278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUMm7JcW68
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZDpnV0cMkZ
It made no sense.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtBJIKe7MAK
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSF67WMAqWe
A Chosen who couldn't sense Divine Energy shouldn't exist. Much less a Chosen who had none.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpPf3LN2Ih
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69YPVSyW5m
Yet here he stood.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLMsTSHH6g
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOStsQSUAQg
Blessed by the Moon Goddess. Able to summon artifacts and authorities. But lacking the energy that should make it all possible.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAd2fY2gKj
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0rs9yRGFug
'What the hell am I?' The question hung in the silence.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxSIxRSc1hz
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwX8PUn9HFi
Something was wrong with him. Something fundamental that even the goddess's blessing hadn't fixed.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FJVTA3yM6
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNx0cJrMf1x
Or… hadn't needed to fix.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjV5iD16pV
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOV4aTuBCa
Maybe it wasn't a flaw to be corrected.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡskAuEUqduL
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTqzbPiRz1
Maybe it was simply... what he was.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZCJr13m59
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcsB36BAjA
Cel turned from the window, his gaze tracking across the sparse room. Bed. Desk. Wardrobe. Basin.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ58WAAjYMtG
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qgGtFA9Gx
His entire world, now.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgeaj38mM1
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa3FyXH1Ry5
And Raven…278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3sTv6BgIJN
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbgGkKwd6NE
The name settled in his chest like a stone.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUYCmhZ0j8
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4zdTRPAih
Raven was the Prince of Death. A prodigy who'd infiltrated the Sun Clan's stronghold and murdered their greatest talent - someone blessed by a Divine Oracle, just like Cel.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjCl15c3wPD
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJwMUaJLRL
That parallel made his skin prickle.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlLueixgOu
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDBrEpZbDe
What could drive someone to throw away everything? Title, clan, divine favor, family - all of it abandoned to become Cursed and commit murder.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3vWNgQdCq
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbVfF9F6YE
The expedition to the Western Continent. Something had happened there.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUuFJEo72I
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMeZ9nAGlKm
But what?278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHo6rIfZ8TL
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypcJcsxPJ4
And why kill the Sun Clan's prodigy specifically? Was it personal? Political? Something else?278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTLwNX6mmS
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGM1opln7ZX
Cel sank onto the bed's edge, elbows on his knees.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGdcoKrmBV
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9m7R5OkbHD
Raven had helped him. Protected him from creatures that should have killed them both. Had done it all knowing Cel was Chosen - knowing most Chosen would try to kill him on sight.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡounq9FkVSs
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBgzCgBQ5k
He'd even told Cel to trust Esrin. To seek her protection.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkskXKMFTj
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwdHpWjlC9
Even knowing she hunted him.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjn1iFOzol
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVV5LlWYQCX
That wasn't evil.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXdO3eP6FW
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1KTgfKoT2d
But cold-blooded murder wasn't good either.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMT5lWzEvil
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6C4ALbrrZ2
The contradiction refused to resolve. Maybe there were no good or bad people - just broken ones making choices that seemed right in the moment.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzR8C8X2Ej
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEMu1MVaFH
Or maybe Cel was rationalizing because Raven had shown him kindness when no one else had.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuBJJTMdsz
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKotSgSXI2
He pressed his hands against his face.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgcE3sUPLbs
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9GrHoRYTc
If Raven appeared again... if the Reckoning ordered him to help hunt someone who'd saved his life…278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBs5fCmbXox
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiltXZzMVRD
What was he supposed to do?278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1vPJvilkMz
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeAwCa6APPl
The room felt too small suddenly. Confining. Like the walls were pressing in.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQslAFiJzzY
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTrWatsLJp
He needed answers. Real answers, not speculation or half-formed theories.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxH8U7yBcHX
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCUeYzzM5LX
And there was only one person who might have them.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBvBx3XZL2P
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS4q8fJlKIs
Cel closed his eyes and reached inward.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYHGgu1XeC
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoZeoEYjjf
The world shifted.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTJ4sMHLbz
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZ3FEyRa4R
Cracked earth materialized beneath his feet. Mist swirled in gentle currents around his legs. Small flowers with bluish-white petals bloomed from small fissures, reaching toward the full moon that hung above.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe67W8fV8jf
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDtSoOOAIp
Footsteps approached through the mist.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTRBHvU1pi
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmKcK9w8lL
Selina emerged with that same graceful certainty, white robes trailing through the haze. Her silver mask caught moonlight, reflecting it in pale crescents. Below, her lips curved in a serene smile.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSngtbcaLI
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxP3KbKkPha
"Welcome back, Chosen One."278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahLAEpvpMU
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQYZltJtYH
The greeting was gentle. Patient. A small anchor of certainty in everything that felt chaotic.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzKeSPSE1n
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXY4Y0Sxduy
Cel's throat worked. Where to even start?278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlgLLLOwzkO
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSU2ptKTdU8
"I need to ask you something." The words came rougher than intended. 278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxt1OFfIcA5
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQUUgYnmybF
"Of course," Selina said simply.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1HqYBdaVt
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFmZPL7U6rr
"About the Reckoning. Are they..." He paused, searching for the right question. "They hunt corrupt Chosen. Kill them when the law fails. Is that justice? Or just violence?"278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrEipdX9Iym
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcUafDS2xjm
Selina tilted her head slightly, already understanding where his thoughts had taken him. "An interesting question. But perhaps the wrong one."278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJHWnEValz
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHjxLALEGu
Cel blinked.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDe5fRRAOl
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWT3E8AjFFP
"What do you mean?"278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWv2nCKo6M5
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1QYrvz04a
"Organizations are not inherently good or evil, Chosen One. They are simply structures. Frameworks built by people to achieve certain ends." She gestured gracefully with one hand. "What defines them - what truly matters - are the individuals who comprise them. Their intentions. Their values. Their choices."278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQX1zoOA1AS
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SfxYZL6ya
Cel's shoulders drew back. "So you're saying I should judge them by their members, not their stated purpose?"278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWNGvq4xUF
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75AilM9lvr
"I am saying that the Reckoning is what its people make it." Her tone remained gentle but carried weight. "Some may be driven by genuine desire for justice. Others by vengeance. Still others by the simple thrill of power over those who once held power over them." She paused. "Judge each person for themselves. Not the banner they stand beneath."278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0YSeferFJ
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWlui3UaGf
The answer settled in his chest, heavy and uncomfortable.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQNMDBqYzY
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKKAm42W14m
It meant he couldn't just accept or reject the Reckoning wholesale. Couldn't trust them or dismiss them as a group.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4vUTqQRwEw
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMzFMLDnu6E
He'd have to evaluate each member individually. Decide who deserved his trust and who didn't.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKU8u1VtBdo
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSUqrrBrw0
Exhausting.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjk8k5V2oeb
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2tjJKH5fOU
But probably wise.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDrBp9Kizjp
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2QpoGcHxhS
"I have another question," he said finally. "About my… condition."278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwAdQ0YLDl
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpplfsyJXfV
Selina's attention shifted, becoming more focused.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyRLULRseU
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHXqwKmGn6
"The Reckoning said I have no Divine Energy." The words felt strange in his mouth. Wrong. "Not suppressed. Not hidden. Just... absent." He met her masked gaze. "How is that possible? How can I manifest abilities without the power to fuel them?"278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKlampwM8x
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ203HQOJ9DY
Silence answered him278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImE9UBiRD4
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPksMMEbBbl
When Selina finally spoke, that familiar note of regret colored her voice. "I am sorry, Chosen One. That does not lie within my authority."278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlgWsDDC1e
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBcw3sWZpLP
Cel's hands clenched into fists. "So I'm just supposed to figure it out myself? Stumble around blind until I happen to understand why I'm—why I'm broken?"278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1L4ceUxCS
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4N3zJwCsX
"You are not broken."278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vBvigu3p1
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5TIHXaBaMq
The certainty in her voice stopped him cold.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOT1npQGre0
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcycj6ENdq7
Selina took a step closer, silver mask tilted toward him with what felt like infinite patience.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLws7aqVCc
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Bxe8IE4hq
"You are different, Chosen One. That is not the same as flawed. The goddess chose you knowing exactly what you are. She blessed you not despite your nature, but because of it. Whatever answer you seek regarding your condition, you will find it when the time is right. Not before."278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYJRPwDW41
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlev4X0fzNF
The frustration burning in his chest didn't dissipate, but something about her tone made him swallow the angry response forming on his tongue.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVsrq7nIWe
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75YkY0KzVZ
She was right.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTOcKkIySaI
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1TkuhMM7qg
He didn't like it. Hated it, actually.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgc45BllCnx
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Dalq4WZAS
But she was right.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwWb4wwMja
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2f2lXDHCn9
"Fine." The word came out clipped. "Then what about Raven?"278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjaaEuKkIf8
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LG9cGIbQe
Selina's posture shifted subtly. Still graceful, still poised, but... guarded in a way she'd never been before.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz05clQpG1T
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnfBUsGC9V
"You told me to be careful," Cel pressed. "What did you mean? Should I trust him? Avoid him?"278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhN5o6WE1u
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumy7ygyBjj
The mist curled around their feet, moving in slow spirals across cracked earth.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE8nze1gdyI
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwCygcwz3z
"I cannot share more than I have already told you, Chosen One." Her tone carried genuine regret. "Raven's path is his own, and the choices he has made - the reasons behind them - are not mine to reveal." She paused. "What I can tell you is this: the young man you met in the Ashlands is dangerous. Not because he wishes you harm, but because the forces surrounding him are complex. Volatile."278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUKATGcJcl
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjDSPTAcm5h
The implication made his stomach twist.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zw7ROJljw
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNL7o7Rxvxu
"Dangerous how? To me? To others?"278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQqeElh7dg
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9wrd6cZAS
"I think," Selina said carefully, "that you should stay away from him if your paths cross again."278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv69xKP8K4X
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6p9Iw9Ojw
The advice settled over him like cold water.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHp0ZqWsBX
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXcL3qJqag
Cel turned away, his gaze tracking across the cracked earth. Flowers swayed in wind that shouldn't exist here, their petals catching moonlight.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqLg7lFGN1
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrVJI3UztK
Behind him, Selina's posture relaxed slightly, the guardedness fading back into her usual gentle presence.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNOsygluna
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KUzg8hgLU
"Is there anything else, Chosen One?"278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡruDtm3jV1B
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrubJExxRpu
Cel was silent for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the cracked earth at his feet.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rcGT4VaJ3
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgYU7gCkQ8
"What am I supposed to do?" The words came out quieter than he'd intended. Almost vulnerable.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIRq0HJv55g
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRlCQMor4Y
For a heartbeat, Selina simply watched him, her presence calm and unhurried.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQVBdsuTXC
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOzD7Wub8Z
When she finally spoke, her voice carried an almost playful tone. "Nothing at all."278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv97FF1STy7
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TopfDKWfX
Cel blinked, momentarily thrown off balance. 278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5pMh0qhhD2
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnaFVQosUQ
"Rest, Chosen One. Enjoy the peaceful time you have been given. Do the things that bring you joy, or that you have always wished to try."278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMcznLPvYYC
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTsMIb6Ahmb
Cel stared at her, confusion written across his face. "I don't—what?"278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2i43nDB8PZ
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCS5QKeMSsF
"You have fought enough. Survived enough. Bled enough." She leaned closer, her voice dropping to something softer. "Learn to live too."278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMBMT5EJBp8
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo9KAyWWBsv
The words landed like something foreign. Incomprehensible.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJHQEG45Ow
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6iFyCzvvh
Live.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIyHoDrSCb
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTetXBYM9di
Not fight. Not survive. Not train or prepare or become stronger.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCu3WGohjeN
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYaAUwShiW
Just... live.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ358H0TO477
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRbv5yzdoN
"I don't understand," Cel said slowly. "The Academy starts in ten days. I need to master my abilities. Learn to control my strength. Figure out how to—"278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0ijBBIgXa
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZAmtqGovTY
"You need," Selina interrupted gently, "to remember what it feels like to be human. Not just a weapon. Not just a survivor." She paused. "When was the last time you did something simply because it brought you joy?"278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzifuX2lR3q
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajzLm8cpCi
The question stopped him cold.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNDz5qUxqS
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QDdljJQoM
When? Before the beating? Before his Divine Calling?278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MTvvJSRBe
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0VjGtHu8Ne
Had he ever?278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVXR63qUKQ
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Ypbg5N0Or
His throat felt tight. "I don't know how."278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwRp2CrAFw
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFeQTuIEJH0
"Then now is the perfect time to learn." There was no judgment in her tone. Only understanding. "Ten days, Chosen One. Ten days to discover what brings you peace. What makes you smile. What reminds you that you are more than the trials you have survived."278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1JTchWgEW
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1UiAfFYA5
"Like what?" The question came out helpless.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehbgMYc4Qa
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcoMXdodnM
"Start small." Selina's hand lifted, gesturing toward the moon above. "Watch the moon. Walk through the city without searching for threats. Speak with someone because you want to, not because you need something from them." She lowered her hand. "Let yourself be bored. Let yourself be curious."278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSrD0Yd2ML
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcaB6MfSi9
The suggestions felt absurd. Frivolous.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMdXmTs5vg
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhX4QlOhjtB
Dangerous, even.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WxLc6zncT
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0hqCKxLui
But something in his chest loosened at the thought.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxTa21ZHfY
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtlNi9rqddx
"I don't know if I can," he admitted.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPGLjzx291
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrw9i2kUcH
"You can." Selina's certainty was absolute. "You simply need to give yourself permission."278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DQeHN6G8N
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW17ceYX6fZ
Silence stretched between them, broken only by the soft rustle of flowers swaying in the mist.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8e4jYPDlgW
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTbfr2sBOqg
Eventually, Cel nodded once. Not agreement, exactly. Just acknowledgement that he'd heard her.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj8o0FxQOX8
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDLcDOWGH5r
"Thank you," he said quietly.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxhRFBQf6u3
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCTNuZR8sP
"You are welcome, Chosen One."278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfI59nA5b0G
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGr6IzbMOCF
Selina's smile brightened - genuine warmth transforming her serene expression into something radiant. The moonlight seemed to gather around her, highlighting the elegant curve of her mask, the graceful line of her throat, the way her white robes moved like water with each small shift of her posture.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOryWiMbXSp
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvB4hjIQm0U
It was…278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTb9B9BpYp8
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4L4wGKgiJ
Beautiful. She was beautiful.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSlXYHSmsaP
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhXtnNXq3Hl
He'd known that, objectively. But knowing something and truly seeing it were different things entirely.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYOZQOtcB4
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhldJgccXg1
Heat crawled up his neck, sudden and unwelcome.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0YjBjwyf8
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7oWROChzQ
"Chosen One?" Selina tilted her head slightly, that radiant smile still in place. "Is something wrong?"278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsA96U423I
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLULiF5uAIx
"No," he said too quickly. "Nothing.” 278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYfGYulTKE
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29QJ8blR1L
Cel's gaze jerked away, desperate for somewhere - anywhere - else to look.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7EvLJv6pZ4
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbGUonWFEv
His eyes landed on the divine monolith standing behind her, its surface gleaming with pale light.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9M88hWril
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpE05NXHCX
Right. The achievement. He'd heard the Divine Voice earlier, hadn't he? When Esrin brought him through that rift.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoO16hOcZt8
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBnspV95NeR
Perfect.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpRQ6750rg3
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGQtwAY0Uq
"Actually—" Cel gestured toward the monolith, seizing the excuse like a lifeline. "I just remembered. New achievement. I should probably check that before I go."278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86EyllKdzB
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsY1tqjN7n
"Of course," Selina said, and was it his imagination, or did her tone carry a hint of amusement?278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4AXgHOkX6
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyf3NrOz6eN
Cel didn't look back to check. He was already moving toward the monolith, his steps perhaps a bit quicker than necessary.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTDQiHcn4a6
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRj1mJFwKSn
Behind him, he could have sworn he heard the softest sound - barely audible.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh8PjbgHThZ
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKutLXZwO3
A quiet chuckle.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80I3HmJyZy
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6YrAgl7Giz
His face burned hotter.278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Kv9KkdxxT
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQUZKy8cJd
The monolith's surface rippled as he approached, text forming in that familiar script:278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzDEW1CNy9
278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiymCOVwAZm
<Name: Celvian>278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0Jo9N9NjT
<Paragons: (Heir to the Moon) (White Death)>278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHMQvIIauP
<Artifacts: (Silent Moon) (Cinderward)>278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkAysLZTX7E
<Insights: (Ledger of Nightmares)>278Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6fYkB35HK
<Achievements: (2)>1234 copyright protection274ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lQCyvtFbb 尼

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