The crowd pressed closer to the board, voices rising in waves of excitement and disappointment.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSNrh2fGk0
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5jI3TLjMH
Cel hung back, letting the others surge forward first. He could wait. The rankings weren't going anywhere.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ly7qVpLYH
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡblsq2M4H46
Gradually, students filtered away. Some wore satisfied expressions. Others looked troubled, arms crossed as they muttered to friends about matches they should have won.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1RyPT3Gsc
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKGGxO7CfpL
When enough space cleared, Cel moved closer.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4Ljtf4mLB
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4msqpk7yE
His eyes tracked down the list.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0QoaS8cQC
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0FHxBxmod
Rank 1: Sylvaine Grovethorn225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcq4U9quIq1
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvNGuTlMPv
Rank 2: Owen Peakscale225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmI36FnrFSf
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaQfJxmAiRJ
Rank 3: Hestia Mortveil225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8DlUHX2VH
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzQMOgKflBL
Rank 4: Theron225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhif8s3r2zS
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzkJgNvdUO
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.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10ezc2Cgtp
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTW8A3NupZ
The unfairness of it settled in Cel's chest like cold stone.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmfmgsJ0Dc7
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMEFIrKQ0q
Rank 5: Cordelia Tidecall 225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxXO0ig4zi
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8eiFPrK615
Rank 6: Percival Tempest 225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLv79jpWzKc
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kKLpaBhUg
Rank 7: Kyros Solgrand225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZJO4tYgRf
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWgUfFyuSf
Then the remaining nobles in descending order - each one benefiting from years of private training, inherited techniques, artifacts passed through bloodlines.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6IHLt5xEJu
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡreCbBxunzS
Then—225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rvsbKknjC
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JdxVizgib
Rank 15: Celvian225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxdXUWU7Fq
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAraXswf9Wu
Cel stared at the number.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg5IAy8FYX0
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwSBZ4Z6va
Fifteenth. The first commoner on the list. Above every other student who'd come from farming villages and merchant families.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSao8WFEb7
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJjaLf3IyM
His jaw tightened.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJBwZHDqIx
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrbrDVrZDI
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.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11w8NZHdnv
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQuiBh9olMx
But even then, the gap between a trained noble and the commoners was vast. That couldn't be overcome by pretending to be weak.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxn8E08zlMx
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVW9f55FHiE
His gaze dropped further down the list. Past more names. More numbers.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeojpu4BZ8V
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRirAAJSdO
Until he reached the bottom.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQoCWK6qih4
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7COGAAJkZ
Rank 40: Lior225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEiWKmzlud
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsxqCkmehN
Last place.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjCTPBarzg
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3tIpcLClE
Dead last among all forty students.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oAa9D2UnZ
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWVmCuNx81
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.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6uzR2z1Gq
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0l6TJzlDkO
Their eyes met for a heartbeat.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PuSMHp762
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTkE9oNDkG
Lior's throat worked. His fingers twitched once, as if reaching for something to hold onto.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgX9vcnvcs
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfy9JZp735
Then he turned and walked away.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuakKbTJ0pH
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlaeBwMIaXI
Not toward the dining hall. Not toward the classroom. Just... away. His footsteps quick and unsteady, like someone fleeing before they broke apart completely.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxk4cGHIjqi
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmU1VXBPAS
Cel watched until Lior disappeared around a corner, jaw tight.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa5q3GnMO0t
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtogcLcxOQ6
Morning assembly came and went. Theoretical classes passed in their usual rhythm - Instructor Saren's voice washing over topics Cel already knew.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7G6BpZYgR
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmurbQx7PbW
Lior's seat remained empty.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYrcwvo4NBt
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ85Jeby7Jcn
Afternoon combat training arrived. Students filtered onto the grounds, forming loose clusters while Instructor Calder barked orders.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJnC0EIFgUK
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWUZOQNjwQ
Still no Lior.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGez48owlmi
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHUvcB8Gq5
By evening, when dinner filled the hall with voices and the clatter of plates, his absence felt deliberate. Permanent.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLPn0hiqnx
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZyxOcTOHy
Cel ate alone at their usual table. The empty seat beside him felt heavier than it should have.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqOnI3W5HI
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxYxa90i0n9
When the meal ended, he rose and made his way through corridors that had grown familiar over months of routine.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAPpBpP5Dz
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7vDkHcB32
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.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilHJQFuQ14
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xW8FmuuuN
Lior's door waited at the end of the hall.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPAqLCmXV4
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmzkw25qJv
Cel stopped before it, hand raised to knock.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKdJZe7o6eK
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8Oq4HqtW0
A sound filtered through the wood. Soft. Muffled.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMsJV3frhGS
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdM54m2ZJF
Whimpering.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQq3ghE4F19
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHUzz11EDV
His hand froze mid-air.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYeA1Kyxfu
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JbgndzKns
The sound continued - broken, desperate. The kind of crying that came from somewhere deep, where all composure had finally cracked.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsigzWFyv6p
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKpy3C4mwH
Cel's hand lowered slowly.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCV1z4wgfL
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9luOftOMBZ
‘What am I even doing here?’225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipUR9MPZvt
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTR9xho8Dk
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.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBhxDiBPML
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtyZ6lT6Tv
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.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyO5AilT6Kj
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83wsU9Sj0r
But Lyra had been a child. Natural warmth and affection poured from her without effort or thought.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPWPV2OioB
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5pRjyKrtez
Cel possessed neither.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRv08XDBOrX
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDB6cpCgZN
He should leave. Walk away. Let Lior have his privacy, his dignity.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXAejaZeo3
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nGeX5QqAi
But the memory of his own tears - shed in darkness with no one to hear, no one to care - made his chest ache.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkYRZatkL6
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQI3LcaO8I
Maybe the knowledge alone that someone cared… would be enough.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxPTvuY7cED
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngkjE7ZpQF
Not enough to fix anything. But something.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DO3QoKOY4
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlRidaarey
Cel's knuckles met wood. Three sharp raps.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcQCVkHUU7
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8sIfHcDSq0
The whimpering cut off instantly.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqbV3Fv33o
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESNqJ4sEAr
Silence stretched. Then footsteps - hesitant, shuffling.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRYYzpQVIn
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2pFyPURuv4
The door opened a crack.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9MewxMbOE
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEcdKCCGkB
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.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxxvwlXdC9
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJkNVjdrSN
"Cel?" His voice came out hoarse. Uncertain. "What are you..."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVunslMzTt
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgI6nS3Hde
"Can I come in?"225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdrYjUQ2Es
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0H0ejHE3g
The question hung between them.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIVMJg1Efw
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyt8KtQJsHa
Lior's throat worked. He glanced back into his room, then at Cel, then down at the floor.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVP7HIhqGb
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiU9cf0FSfr
Finally, he stepped back and pulled the door wider.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7wjXj8TE3
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJiJWJjAslU
Cel entered.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXCqYsJLZgP
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS89EtRkKYY
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.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6rICjgc0uP
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYhieLCPmZ
Lior closed the door and stood there awkwardly, hands twisting together. His gaze fixed on the floor between them.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzlVhrZh47
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPIWKSeLbP
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I know I should have attended classes today. I just... couldn't."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhR40nuFxLb
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphonS8jTaX
"It's fine."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1yl47bLS2q
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpXprTvfcl
The words felt inadequate. Hollow.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhudWQzeFA8
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQ04eGaVYA
Lior's shoulders shook. His breath hitched.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXah3bnBh5K
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ZknWct5mY
"It's not fine." The admission came out broken. "Nothing is fine…”225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OHVBBcWMy
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznZGLHpORw
"Come," Cel said quietly, gesturing toward the bed. “Sit.”225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68swTrf00F
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn21xv6PpGT
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.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5d3eKUbMx
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhc5T6VfRt
Silence pressed in around them. Lior's hands twisted together in his lap, fingers white-knuckled.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdb2B8HEMT
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYzlXeuOv2
"I'm thinking about leaving," he said finally. The words came out flat. Empty. "Going home."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgawnQhri3i
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOqsI55LfH
Cel said nothing. Just waited.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClyXS1oFGi
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbd8Lcbu44
"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."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoP6xNDw437
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpwxrdVDlb
His fingers twisted in the blanket.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLFHXKmOoH
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrGSPK06Ld
"My artifact is blessed rank. A knife. Not even a sword - just a knife that barely cuts better than mundane steel. And my authority—"225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AHBI6p2uD
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvuSqmNjk3
He lifted one trembling hand.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcfGEJudM5
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEkFQJi0hA
Then, light bloomed. A small orb, no larger than an apple, casting barely enough illumination to read by.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfOsMrkZvr
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxSHdlePN4
"This." Bitterness bled through the word. "This is what the Moon Goddess gave me. Light. Not even bright light. Just... this."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUkQvYvbAOe
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxYAyFAtF8
The orb flickered and died.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD8LrfQIJ9s
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1QxOsMbRi
"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."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCDZreJCgCI
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxq0R0IGIT
He pressed both hands against his face.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDPglWRl3Z
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8gjKBMjA2w
"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."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjlX9dUAOc
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0cQk98XVlQ
Tears slipped between his fingers.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00SlHBTj8w
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6T1OeVDvsQ
"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."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHZnqY3NvV
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnYqY2F7in
His shoulders shook.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCPmNZt6zCO
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡky3I5iY7kJ
"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."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vpor1xJPl
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡflDp6TedSi
The words hung in the air like smoke.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZiiCyITZud
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2HG5yLR8C
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.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdXDU6w4vG
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZOUGNYI2NB
‘I should say something.’225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvNu9kF7rI
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW9u7zMnuej
But what?225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprHfn1cUxB
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamATjoklaH
That things would get better? A lie. Lior's circumstances wouldn't magically improve through empty reassurance.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQv6G21jeJl
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLb6iCTZo2o
That his ranking didn't define him? Another lie. In this world, power determined worth. 225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJR1UTmLeWl
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZHpLmT9EF
That he should keep trying? Cruel. Lior had been trying. It simply wasn't enough.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UsGN57DlT
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGGONhQoDV
Cel's jaw clenched.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe5Z8lvEM32
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPEuhRnV4fr
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.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZjCUylbyf
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMA7AoQX68
So instead, he spoke the truth.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Y419nwLFB
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgSXvqHs6q
"When I was young," Cel said quietly, "I was like you."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXRxhbaaR9
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxhxuHAbeG
Lior's head snapped up.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMuvUA2AoH
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEccwcLQJWb
"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."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeU9VVQJ6Al
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RsC1y4ili
Cel moved to the window, staring out at darkness.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAgZryLi6m
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnHZZP7ycsy
“As for my mother..." He scoffed. "She was there. Physically. But that was all."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGgbtUl103
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCRZPOU7hdV
His fingers pressed against the windowsill.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDEc0oRU7H
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpsCilUFeK
"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."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEw7ZjwUCFZ
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTt5ZM5TAh
Cel's hands curled into fists.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNGV3zkVtD
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFmyONpfL3
"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."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uG92DyNLX
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5Yqhz73dM
Lior stared at him, tears still wet on his cheeks but his breathing steadier now.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIybFQiaPzQ
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7PdmaWmqG
Cel turned from the window to face Lior directly.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGszU3aZuUJ
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhvbYVWI8F
"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."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCd74Y6KqB6
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlF6JyqA1q1
He moved closer, crouching so they were eye-level.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38IwZZoGzz
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydvu4Xj1qI
"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."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrwzHsNNbg
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnTMeEJzQt
Cel's gaze held Lior's.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡthxCINpDAZ
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrcOoMVGfuI
"That's not weakness. That's endurance. And endurance..." His throat tightened. "Endurance is the only strength that actually matters when everything falls apart."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvgt1J0IU4
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46SsMBthDw
Lior's breath hitched. Fresh tears spilled over, but something in his expression had shifted - less broken, more... present.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT67Zq3dA6l
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbfijfjCvbj
"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."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9UeOVtcQZJ
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzkvQGWKND
He straightened.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFFbupBATj
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxtt5sECGx
"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."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDwBK8v3cT
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDKgUpwhlr
Silence stretched between them - heavy with truths neither had expected to share.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkY6kJD0bi9
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOYdAXArZ6q
Then Lior wiped his face with both hands, smearing tears across his cheeks.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6U2A09gM8I
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8ujVFr79h
"I didn't know," he whispered. "About your past. You seem so... composed. Strong."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdaHT0iSoFe
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvXVzaHf03
"People rarely are." Cel moved toward the door. "We all carry things that don't show."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eFEOFN3uy
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4uEzEVLaqQ
His hand found the handle.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYd0H2THcNW
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5sjDmiJqL
"Cel?"225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9BJ9pb40u
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxScbOCF0gc
He glanced back.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq46idrV4JL
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCChdfG94aO
Lior's expression held something fragile but genuine. "Thank you."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCugfZIG57T
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcEdkJ0aXYH
Cel nodded once.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡruzgfnkXmM
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88KmZPOwiW
Then he left, pulling the door closed behind him with a soft click.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0i5OHwz5M
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡArpLfx6UmR
The corridor stretched empty and silent. His footsteps echoed against stone as he made his way toward the training grounds.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zqkqFgWNh
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwawVGRfo10
Night had fallen completely. The moon hung full and bright - pouring its light across the Academy grounds in pale radiance.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVeA9sgNvb
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOV7fZx4gzd
Lunar Vigor flooded through him the moment he stepped outside. Power hummed beneath his skin, turning exhaustion into energy.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt6WvYtyloJ
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZv1uEewZD
The training grounds came into view.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaE5ZLvZ5p
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2xPr2DXkp
And for the first time in weeks, he wasn't the first to arrive.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoeCz49rG7h
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3sMsVqRTXG
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.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmo7JVbkOuk
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMCjZMPFgpU
Cel stopped at the threshold.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Yzs1dHmrF
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZJienrWJy
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.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7m0uCPTrV
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6ehsR2l5H
But tonight…225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wRO4k6G2s
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6UOYMnAkg
Tonight, he needed to know.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQYrpgGNFP
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9R33UJHPGa
He crossed the training grounds, boots crunching against packed earth. Each step deliberate. Purposeful.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2I2q8xhZV
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKbYhRdoAr
Hestia's eyes opened when he was still several steps away - her expression unreadable.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYgLIeaZFd
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSZlkXvCDf
She didn't speak. Just watched him approach with that same intense assessment she'd worn since the first day.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp00MEFJxDG
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNRIgy0xLf
Cel stopped a respectful distance away.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWHwXyVT0So
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1k0BEuUsh
"Lady Hestia."225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlj922YPpGY
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmch1JzWBZ
"Celvian." Her voice carried no inflection. 225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3KAgMlNHLC
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLq0FV1RIo
He met her gaze directly.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96HSVKlDje
225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTU1bKkX3Km
"What do you want from me?"225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJArp2vQqDG
1234 copyright protection221ＰＥＮＡＮＡBPwTcDgkwJ 尼

216.73.216.136