Cel stepped through the doorway into warmth and noise.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bZHVxkEFr
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltnOrR8BvQ
The street beyond stretched wide - cobblestones worn smooth by countless feet, buildings rising three and four stories on either side. People moved in constant flow, their voices blending into a hum that felt overwhelming after the Ashlands' silence.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0tqoYwVxu
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQd6hpOdAiv
The capital. Stella.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJruc4mYEk
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ069nLgIOa8
He'd been here before. When his father had deemed his presence necessary for some royal occasions. But at that time, he only rode carriages with curtained windows, direct routes to the palace, guards ensuring no common rabble came too close.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRIlNtQmOyA
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgn4yNstpFb
This was different.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyV5lIHYOom
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHSNIjHObS
Esrin moved forward without hesitation, her boots clicking against cobblestone with steady rhythm. Cel followed, his gaze tracking across storefronts, street vendors, children darting between adults with laughter that felt alien after everything.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiximVSKGBS
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Ee7B9QrEN
A baker's shop. The scent of fresh bread drifted through an open door, making his stomach clench despite having eaten moss and raw meat for days.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBy2u0HbCQ
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1yPVtdQBv
A blacksmith. The ring of hammer on anvil carried over the general din, sparks visible through the doorway.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRde7kL1n3o
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwkCDK3lrj
A woman selling flowers from a cart, their colors so vivid they hurt to look at after endless gray and crimson.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBIp46zK1a
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGqK06TpVn2
"Make way!"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDOlATt0q1
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx13lj44PWh
A carriage rattled past, forcing pedestrians to press against building walls. Cel stepped aside automatically, but his attention had already moved to a group of street performers. One juggled flaming torches while another played something stringed that produced music he couldn't name.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9Lbsze4eQ
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsr4Vq1nhMM
People dropped coins into a hat at their feet.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhP0vQftmq
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi14ROsouh0
The mundane reality of it felt wrong somehow. This world had continued. While he'd been tortured, while he'd died and been resurrected, while he'd eaten rotting meat and fought creatures that shouldn't exist - life had simply gone on.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFmIXCPPTl2
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpDk5eknKm
"Lady Esrin!"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdIt4ojSklR
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04aH68Gm4s
The call came from somewhere to his right. Cel's head turned.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4FypXvCPQ
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoCpYRyQOA
A merchant stood in his shop doorway, bowing so low his forehead nearly touched his knees. When he straightened, his expression held something between reverence and barely contained eagerness.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJA62cVpoi
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpI1zo9pUDn
Esrin didn't acknowledge him. Just kept walking.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3Hwz1K4Ex
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMbPXBWPCx
More people noticed.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbhpEncOQu
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe8T5YDIjKy
Whispers rippled through the crowd like wind through grass. Conversations stopped mid-word. Heads turned.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTYkboS045
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FmrTNNb5a
"Is that really her?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSqj6QVDVV
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63TqeU5l85
"The Hallowed herself..."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrebijSO73m
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9if1zKzYaD
"What's she doing here?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoycd6xiTLi
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgDS38byov
Cel's gaze tracked between them and Esrin's rigid back. She moved through it all like a blade through water - present but untouchable, commanding respect without asking for it.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyjhtli3x42
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AzBF64DL3
A child ran past, weaving between adults with the kind of reckless joy that came from never having faced real danger. His mother called after him, upset but fond.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLYhKcishx
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5kcua9PfMx
Cel watched them until they disappeared into the crowd.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEShMi6RhW
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgA3eIDlRje
The street opened into a square. A fountain dominated the center - carved stone depicting the hero who had founded the Stellarion Empire. Water flowed from raised hands, catching sunlight in ways that made it gleam.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG1Fhetd6Oc
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZHB0E60WR
Children played near its edge. A couple sat on its rim, speaking in tones too quiet to hear. An old man tossed breadcrumbs to pigeons that swarmed his feet.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsASoN3TPCa
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQI5pijnf1Z
Normal. All of it utterly, impossibly normal.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCH2sVvjLrS
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4cVUFkFb6
Esrin crossed the square without slowing.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUf92ypk6Sr
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LWhzMSFFi
Cel followed, his attention fragmenting between a dozen different scenes.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwfKpnHf8WL
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMEXxv61bE2
Eventually, the Academy rose ahead.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08l3fqmI2x
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2uJj0N3iq
Not suddenly - it had been visible for a while, growing larger as they approached. But only now did Cel truly register it, the structure dominating his vision.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeofJhrPOvY
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk54rkiBAzw
Stone walls perhaps four times his height. Iron gates that stood open but looked capable of withstanding siege. Beyond them, buildings sprawled across grounds that seemed to stretch far - dormitories, training halls, structures whose purpose he could only guess.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjq618pgpEf
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEjHL77h6dX
Esrin stopped before the gates.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5sarZnssh
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtoWm0liyw
Guards flanked the entrance, their armor polished to a shine that caught the afternoon light. They straightened as Esrin approached, recognition clear in their expressions.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZm0STuzDGx
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxQO5QLDhT
"Lady Tempvault." The younger one on the right bowed. "Welcome—"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2YeCFgaUD
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSHNSkKVpA
Esrin's gaze cut to him. Not sharp, not angry - just present in a way that made the guard's words die mid-sentence.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfb7M1DKbes
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfKcCadeEi
"Lady Esrin," the older guard on the left said quickly, stepping forward with a deeper bow. "Forgive him - he's new to his post. We're honored by your presence."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUMj1sGezb
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2iQfMEK3uo
The younger guard had gone pale, his bow deepening until it looked painful.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsV0X3gChbl
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8vKp3LIaTe
Esrin held the moment for a heartbeat longer. Then she gave the older guard the barest nod and walked through.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3BJ1OVV4S
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCDzCVTbfmC
Cel followed, feeling their eyes track him with curiosity that would probably turn to questions the moment he was out of earshot.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡccsiSIqSSr
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLetx1ceAWE
The grounds stretched before them - grass trimmed to uniformity, trees placed in patterns that created shade without blocking sight lines. A group of students moved between buildings wearing dark uniforms with colored trim. Most looked his age, maybe older.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrKtPQcXqk
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxoWwG2w4zv
None of them paid Cel any attention. All eyes fixed on Esrin.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ZxKWJPIjB
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgtcYg0QHr
The reception building stood near the entrance - a two-story structure with wide windows and a sign that read "Administration" in formal script.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmtaUWq2CP
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBObpMjjSwy
Esrin pushed through the door.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0sNrDkh4n
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbQKrkHVpt
The interior was exactly what Cel expected. Polished wood floors. Desks arranged in neat rows. Papers organized in stacks that suggested someone took pride in order.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeD2LF14yG4
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRNUbpJE7Y
A woman sat behind the nearest desk. She looked up as they entered, her expression shifting from bored routine to sharp attention in the space of a heartbeat.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4O2Npg4ul
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5I3bKLxog
"Lady Esrin." She stood, smoothing her uniform. "What can I do for you?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS25r9IfY7z
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgxx9l53b2u
"I have a Chosen who needs enrollment." Esrin's tone remained flat. Professional.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrgshOyxpH
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡET21XdQB9U
The woman's gaze shifted to Cel, taking in his armor, his white hair, his obvious exhaustion despite the healing.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5c9qqLtg9L
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Az50Mg4RP
"Of course." She pulled parchment from a drawer, along with an ink pen. "I'll need some information."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WFiK0iZUg
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JNvH2trK9
Her pen hovered over the page. "Name?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Iz1mAZ19x
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDa5lAx5ms
"Celvian."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo35W4sHZCo
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0zb2nrEkdj
She wrote it down. "Place of origin?" 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyY4WgXubk
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFX0kg0I5yi
Cel's mind went blank. He couldn't say House Solmar. Couldn't name anywhere in Sun Clan territory without risking someone recognizing the connection. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNatUAXZnP
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh40hbB1f2c
"Thornhaven," Esrin stepped in. "Storm Clan territory." 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4251jVouh
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrrTes1cy6t
The receptionist noted it without looking up. "Patron deity?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFOYEGJmTa
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3D1rT3L6O4
"The Moon Goddess."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcs6yQqRHj
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡev0hTamvQ3
The pen paused. Just for a moment - but long enough that Cel noticed.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiy26DT2Ab3
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡylPvF14HA1
"I see." She continued writing. "And your guide's rank?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8W4L5HXgl
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhlH3xaUv0
Cel's jaw tightened. Saying "Divine Oracle" would create exactly the kind of attention he couldn't afford. Not if he wanted to survive long enough to kill his father.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3rXrAzO24
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGudIquwhz
"Forty-seven."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7pL4I1F2ih
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡka8aMGDYsI
The woman noted it without reaction. "To verify your divine blessing, I'll need to see your mark."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemftLjNDRr
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡao8uo482fH
Cel's chest constricted.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdX5IRfiuB
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTtEYreiEFs
The mark. The one his father had torn away with his bare hands. The one that was now nothing but scar tissue and ruined flesh.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡooLFiqpTw5
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPqifDJp5R
"Is that necessary?" The words came too sharp.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfQCabalZg
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW5aBQcdJNQ
"It’s protocol." Her tone was apologetic but firm. "For all new students."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjupDpHRdL
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Qcj1NjCK5
Esrin said nothing. Just stood there with that same impassive expression, offering no help this time.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYU5RPoJHVg
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtXzaVTcxJ
Cel's hands moved to his armor.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4m5Tgqkshp
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDf97jHfKa
Cinderward dissolved at his command - moonlight threads unraveling from his shoulders, chest, and arms until they vanished entirely, leaving him bare from the waist up.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAcULeu57Hl
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Ib4MYMp06
Then he turned.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVtdf63Eiv
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nNxO2KUI0
The air in the room changed subtly. Not dramatically - just a slight shift that suggested both women were looking at what he'd revealed.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCxNGJCqot
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpYcoG7dZXE
"Thank you." The receptionist's voice came measured. "That confirms it."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpgWB7KktO
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4TnMh9qVR
Cel blinked.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFdsZcomCR
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpQAM5CVbS
'What?'88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2G1duzJtJ
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwf9GSUgIA
His hand shot to his back, fingers searching for the familiar texture of scar tissue.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPmqpw73Bs
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5XRTDHA3R
Smooth skin met his touch.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ewNLgwQVB
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgXJlwvTCm
He pressed harder, following the curve of his spine between shoulder blades. Nothing. No raised edges. No torn flesh. No evidence of what his father had done.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJe59JVvJlS
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0veTun6kA
The receptionist cleared her throat softly. Esrin's expression didn't change, but her gaze tracked his movements with clinical interest - as if watching someone discover something both obvious and inexplicable.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdD9lJn4jp
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91TXWdDFTI
Understanding crashed through him.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjCzb9OmfI
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡseGbjNSgYT
The Moon Goddess had given him a new body. One that had never been beaten, never been tortured, never carried his father's rage.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCX0Tsef0kb
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSkaxXeGpzW
The mark was there. Whole. Unmarred.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GJSfAbr2X
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3OOXn8f7eP
"I'll show you to your quarters." The receptionist was already moving toward a door at the room's far end. "If you'll follow me?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbzs7OE0Hw
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJ88iPo5jZ
Cel summoned Cinderward back on. The armor manifested around his upper body in seconds, settling into place with familiar weight.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrojm3uR6HN
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz9p8U8J8os
Esrin hadn't moved, her ruby eyes tracking him with that same calculating intensity.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLrFB5l40Y3
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtTj2iJ04I
"Thank you," Cel said quietly. "For bringing me here."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHxJB3adAX
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ58PXTepBOL
She nodded once. Then she turned and walked out without another word.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLdomsKso7
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRwsr5nrI4g
The door closed behind her with soft finality.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSejcNjvkcE
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDXqBVx8cH
"This way." The receptionist gestured.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxoHUNavxhN
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4b0uzAvDIk
They left through a side door, stepping back into the afternoon light. The path led east, away from the main building toward a separate structure - simpler than the administration building, its stone less ornate.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYNC46hTVp
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9mhO48YqD
She pushed through the entrance without ceremony. A corridor stretched ahead, lined with identical wooden doors. The floor was clean but worn, the walls bare except for numbered plaques.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPWpFjO5V9
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLoWOlzqi2B
She stopped at a door near the middle, producing a key from her pocket.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLU8H5Qcw0O
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN83DNQjMEw
The lock clicked and the door swung open.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1n8oWG4nM
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51Ck7GNZub
"This is your room." She handed him the key. "Meals are served in the main hall three times daily. Classes begin in ten days. Someone will brief you on your schedule before then."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9Xa1F0Lar
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GuJvGa5hT
She left before he could respond.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQk7OoXHKT
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXujqSWGQI
Cel stood in the doorway, taking in what would apparently be home.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0XdeWE7NE
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBeEnqaIC1
Small. A bed against one wall, narrow but clean. A desk beneath the window with a single chair. A wardrobe that looked barely large enough for the few possessions he didn't have. A basin and pitcher for washing.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGVUvU2fjv
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsz5I3tfJVE
Commoner quarters. The kind of room he would have been ashamed to enter back when his father's opinion still mattered to him.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSvOXs3U2Z
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQXZduEW15
He stepped inside and closed the door.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyJ0hv7sn8
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2DLgjPJwd
Silence crashed down.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlh7qXHon7
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbLfOz1h0W
Not the oppressive silence of the Ashlands. Just... quiet. Normal quiet, where he could hear his own breathing without scanning for threats.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsr5W3EngP
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEArmENjz7B
A mirror hung on the wall near the wardrobe.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0zaXZKKBH3
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzg04HV7mgw
Cel moved toward it, his reflection emerging with each step. White hair that caught the light filtering through the window. Pale skin that looked like it had never seen sun. Eyes the color of winter sky.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdarltrs7l
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAF01Ersde9
Not the gaunt, broken thing from the cell. Not the boy his father had beaten nearly to death.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHRE7WfBYv
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgZkCJLMWr
Someone else. Someone new.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8qRPo5PBpE
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDEXEYia3fy
He turned, presenting his back to the mirror, then dismissed Cinderward. Moonlight threads unraveled from his torso, leaving him bare. He craned his neck, trying to see what he knew was there but needed to confirm.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWbBXdCVzY
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRyXDeM1w5
The mark gleamed in reflected light. Silver against pale skin. At its heart, a crescent moon cradled a perfect circle, phases etched along its inner curve. Sharp, star-like points radiated outward in alternating lengths. Two sweeping, wing-like curves underlined the design, studded with pointed projections like frost fragments.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHaGJF3d6l
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzLwyLZWGOS
Beautiful. Whole. Unbroken.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRoZPf3Z9o
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJGabR1CaTZ
His fingers found it again, tracing lines his father had tried to destroy. The skin was smooth. Perfect. As if violence had never touched it.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyCGKBYiaK
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfMNQgngrQ
Cel stared at his reflection for a long time.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1bwTA144Ya
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Then he turned away and sat on the bed's edge, feeling the mattress give slightly under his weight.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FKCFp0MKc
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Ten days until classes began. Ten days to master enough control that he wouldn't reveal how little he understood his own power. Ten days to figure out how to survive in a place that would judge him by the Moon Goddess's weak reputation, not by what he'd endured to earn her blessing.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfEdEuVWkX
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His gaze tracked back to the mirror, to the glimpse of white hair visible in its reflection.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpnV9Pi2H5p
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‘White Death.’88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6OoNFSkuSz
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The codename settled in his chest with quiet certainty.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkazEoqK2E
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Yes. That's what he would become.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqEYFgNI4r
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Not the broken boy his father had thrown away. Not the prisoner who'd eaten maggots to survive.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZ7veY6YdQ
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Something colder. Something absolute.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHVPvGGE9Q
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Something that they would never see coming.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEvUcTdujZ
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Author's Note
And that's it! The end of Arc 1: "Shattered Moon Rising"!88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU4tYenKuRu
Thank you all so much for sticking with me through this first arc. It's been an incredible journey, and I'm excited about what's coming next.
Now, some important updates:
We're back to our regular schedule!88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WAZJAgb8x
Two chapters per week:88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2Ao1SiXUc
- Wednesdays88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZPSCWGpV06
- Saturdays
New Tier System is Live!88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2ZRrmif8o
You now have the option to read chapters in advance on my page with a monthly subscription. To make sure you only pay what you can afford, I divided it into different tiers:
- Tier 1: Read 1 chapter ahead88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzEUefK8Pm
- Tier 2: Read 2 chapters ahead88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd4vIm6Zjbv
- Tier 3: Read 3 chapters ahead88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ34JSaN0SCi
- Tier 4: Read 4 chapters ahead88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpFgXhv83d
- Tier 5: Read 5 chapters ahead
And for those that are highly invested in the story, I developed a new special format:88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡde8sR0YwWd
- Tier 6 (Special): Read 5 chapters ahead + Meet a character of your choice
What's "Meet a character of your choice"?88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndmWGhBgYi
You can choose a character and say something to them - one thing per special. Here are some examples:88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2EDysak2I
- Ask them a personal question88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ235EUyuL1O
- Ask about something story-related you're curious about88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVHnIbSUNi
- Ask what they think about another character88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNRgMUvQ3xL
- Simply say something to the character and get their reaction88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyA54qyJW7t
Then I am going to write a special chapter.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WkDhqLpO6
These specials will look similar to the Christmas specials I did before.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJINMsnaYU6
Note: I would recommend you write me before you choose that option. Because some things might not be possible (maybe if it's inappropriate or if the result would not be satisfactory)88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBH25uHi1J
General bonus features of my page:88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuM1j0RIhHn
- As a subscriber, you get a badge visible next to your name when you comment anywhere on my page^^88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkUNEtZFpm
- You can even download my page as an app :grin:
Link to my page: https://celastos-shop.fourthwall.com/
Join the Official Lunar Legacy Discord!88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVD7gudLJzP
You can also expect some fun new things like polls about different story elements and more community interaction!88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡob6fzou5jz
Discord Link: https://discord.gg/Uduxc48wfm
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Turns out I only took half a month off because I was busy setting all this up xD88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ja695C6oi
Thank you again for your patience during my exam break. Arc 2 is going to be amazing, and I can't wait to share it with you!
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