The silence in his room pressed down on him, suddenly oppressive. The evening light filtering through his window felt wrong somehow - too dim, too uncertain.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb20RErlzPF
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIftH8GH6Q
Cel closed the Ledger with deliberate care. The moment his grip loosened, it dissolved into faint motes of light that faded into nothingness.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarQ36nhoLc
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHdMLW9n6x
He needed answers.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9sqDjhrFs7
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmK8u8s1oBc
He closed his eyes and reached inward.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTNFoDzAiR
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjC5oVRTvg
The cracked earth materialized beneath his feet. Mist curled around his ankles in familiar patterns. Small flowers with bluish-white petals swayed despite the absence of wind, their blooms catching moonlight.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVm0LRfeiaw
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Vx1jb4A09
Footsteps approached through the haze.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWcIxXp4Lba
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡna94cftu1f
Selina emerged, her white robes drifting through the mist. Her silver mask caught the moon's radiance, and below it, her lips curved in a serene smile.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvYi3s5ho6
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLwEk8AHgQQ
"Welcome back, Chosen One."77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXuioFGGbs
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXw5iOatPIW
Cel didn't waste time on pleasantries. "The trial. Was it real?"77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7nIU10c3Yr
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAz38K4F7jK
Her expression didn't change, but something in her posture suggested she'd been expecting the question.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKLB2vFXLHd
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnHwB6sDvX
"Yes and no," she said simply.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOtgSsJJOKL
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnAf87g3M6
The answer settled over him like fog - present but impossible to grasp.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMx1OUaIHQ
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxrIeystt1
"What does that mean?"77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfRmVWSo9x
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9NjGQor7U
Selina's hands folded at her waist. Silence stretched between them, broken only by the soft rustle of flowers swaying in the mist.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOtiuZ7pFl8
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcV0QIU0glE
When she finally spoke, her tone carried quiet finality. "I am sorry, Chosen One. That does not lie within my authority."77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ604kfHk0fy
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XTgFsH7sO
Cel's jaw tightened. The same answer she always gave when questions pressed too close to divine truth.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUT6lD3ph0L
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYe4Uqnwu1q
He tried another approach. "The Crystal Monarch. Was that a real drake?"77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwc5YR1Yp0
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8rJmoevbI
"It was."77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBILqLQ4AXA
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxws9q9askV
"And the Moon Goddess killed it?"77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tmdYvICik
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPvcEAxVES
"She did."77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFx6wFieCc
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZnYoLQwE5
Something shifted in Selina's expression as she spoke - subtle, almost imperceptible. But it was there. Her shoulders straightened slightly. Her chin lifted. The serene smile deepened into something warmer, more genuine.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3MLBB7xS1L
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN0yfdkWBMW
Pride.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCih4qctxtz
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmbvJlFd3rn
Not the cold satisfaction of victory, but something fiercer. More personal. The kind of pride that came from absolute faith in someone you served.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV60gV4mB7l
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3oCfZme4xM
It was the first time Cel had seen that particular emotion from her. Selina, who maintained perfect composure through every conversation, who guided him with patient certainty - she was proud of her goddess in a way that went beyond duty or devotion.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx22Mh8ec0Z
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2vk1O9yDP
The realization settled in his chest with unexpected weight.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dxFN5Mpkc
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbs9IwX23a
The simple confirmations felt inadequate. But when Selina said nothing more, Cel realized he wouldn't get detailed explanations. Not about why the goddess had intervened personally, not about what the drake's final creation had been, not about any of the mysteries the legacy had raised.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirqMa5ZsjJ
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePRGKDBZFu
He forced himself to move past it.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaa3FUlXFkn
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡil5cI0mO5r
"What do I do now?" The words came out rougher than intended. “Now that the ten days are over."77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjjNNtfe0x
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRecSRgUV2G
Selina's expression softened, the pride fading back into gentle patience. "Did you find something you enjoy? Something that brings you peace?"77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwNImzAjJ5
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZPbRvanzan
The question pulled at memories from the past ten days. Wandering the city. The church. The tavern.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14xdHWfx1X
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdemICCfPG4
His sister's face surfaced first - the way she'd smiled when he'd told her about the Moon Goddess. The genuine warmth in her voice when she'd said she hoped to see him again. Those brief conversations where he could pretend, just for a few minutes, that they were simply two believers sharing faith rather than siblings separated by death and resurrection.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJO2yrbtnw
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8apLEhmoyz
"I like talking to my sister," he said quietly.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6yqQrB0DZ
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKG6t7AzWai
"And the tavern." Cel continued. "It's... comfortable there.."77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Q9QoWRmCW
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJ4huFN9Yc
He left out the third thing. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHr69SQatTw
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡosPhO8mPlW
Talking to Selina herself. The way she listened without judgment, offered guidance without condescension, existed as a point of certainty in a world that made no sense.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jd6MAR8PU
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1een3Soqgi
"I'm sorry," he added after a moment. "That's all I found. Just two things."77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPBISUGQ7r
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJXHkmuXxB
Selina's smile deepened - genuine warmth transforming her serene expression into something radiant.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUSeXhBBb1
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4S46CUnAN
"Even one thing would be more than enough, Chosen One."77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡerfZzunCdN
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtAifGHNwUA
Her voice carried absolute sincerity.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGMCO7Negz
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1flVNUllyk
"The goal is not to accumulate pleasures like coins in a purse. It's simply to experience joy at all. To allow yourself moments of peace without guilt or justification."77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh3rGYf7IOO
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbeJBHpL3Qg
The words settled in his chest with unexpected weight. He'd been bracing for disappointment - for her to tell him he should have tried harder, found more, done better. Instead, she seemed pleased.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRVsYDdcQeW
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1yWBdgzgJ
"What's next, then?" Cel asked. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0gBDO3uYy
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPLOImr90mP
Selina was quiet for a moment, as if considering her response carefully.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlGVbMoi4D
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNKk6fW7TY
"The next step is to find out who you are."77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuiXBf6SVUP
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9c0ThyA7P
Cel blinked.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFu4o0vkIzW
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dhEzCpDC1
"I..." He started, then stopped. The answer seemed obvious. Almost insultingly simple. "I'm an abandoned noble child. A Moon Chosen. That's—"77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ioq7VjyTG
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfYXlmHQxD
"Chosen One." Selina's voice remained gentle, but carried enough weight to stop him mid-sentence. She stepped closer, moonlight seeming to gather around her. "You don't need to give me an answer."77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDkJV9CDhv
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9t6sm9A1o
His mouth closed.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqu81kRDmdX
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHvVbWyfKD
"The task is not to deliver a satisfying response that I can acknowledge and approve." Her masked gaze held his. "The task is to find an answer for yourself."77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hEOA0rJpt
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wAPmLNoc9
Silence stretched between them. Cel's hands curled at his sides.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlliOMZuoCp
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3cZM40fiA
"I don't understand."77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9SCFHGLMW
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe50DJDN7Er
"You will." Selina's tone carried certainty that felt almost tangible. "Take your time. Let the question settle. See what surfaces when you're not searching for it."77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmle5V9Opr
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡskiqfe9NFj
The mist curled around their feet, patterns shifting without reason.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMT2e90xWcL
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3EhUrdO48z
"Is there anything else, Chosen One?"77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtMMUemZTh
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPjBycF2sq
Cel shook his head slowly.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4gUnKf66x
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgBF9xs178
"Then rest well." Her smile brightened once more. "May the Moon Goddess light your path."77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeC91XWWvT0
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHFYR6QNWC
The familiar blessing wrapped around him as he closed his eyes and reached for the boundary.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzzikGJpGs
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd4fxZCFwNQ
The room materialized around him with jarring immediacy. Narrow bed. Empty desk. Walls that pressed in from all sides.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezajdUynFj
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsOhX1Uj8b
Cel sat on the bed's edge, staring at nothing in particular.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCzimwPpEJp
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6YSyVC3kl
‘Who am I?’77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomaN3gvuqi
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXcN3GAdbP
The question circled through his thoughts like a persistent insect. Simple. Direct. And he had answers.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNzW9tYKLA
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzGzqlkcJw
He was an abandoned noble child. Lord Aldric of House Solmar had thrown him away the moment the wrong deity claimed him. That was just fact.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0HzDO6BEF
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIGhatp999
He was a Moon Chosen. The mark sat between his shoulder blades, whole and unmarred. Undeniable.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfw3eI6PKMI
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVwwy2CVCE
He was the Heir to the Moon Goddess. The paragon's name said it clearly enough.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDNsKWRbQn
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwWFEFTNr6
He was a Chosen guided by a Divine Oracle. Selina stood in his soul, the highest authority beneath the gods themself.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuq8HY0HjtO
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdsJX7nNX6o
He was one of few Chosen who'd survived a journey through the Hollow Realms. Most who entered either died or went mad. He'd done both and come back anyway.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtbITTSjRNN
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2hlHNIpdw
He was a member of the Reckoning. Ninth rank. White Death. An assassin in an organization that hunted corrupt Chosen.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3cJpVT1gG6
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6WdovDpse
He was an Academy student. Enrolled. Expected at morning assembly.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ug08qDhEf
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlD246wY1oP
The list felt complete. Accurate. These were the things that defined him - the truths of his existence laid out in neat categories.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡignDZOxbvC
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡun5tEpDZ6Q
So why did the question still felt unanswered?77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0P1x9NFkE
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4BTlFvVRg
His fingers drummed against his thigh, restless.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36yEnvVTix
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJLfERVWEL
Cel pushed himself off the bed and moved to the window.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡieFvqSICz9
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7VGSl0hWu
Night had fallen completely while he'd been in his soul. The Academy grounds lay quiet beneath moonlight, paths empty and still. Beyond the walls, the capital glowed with scattered lamplight - windows bright against darkness, signs of life continuing without him.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVWdJFtFhK
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqWUItO5Qj
The waning moon hung overhead, bright and clear.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡooURbAB7S9
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTv23yO3VMC
Energy flooded through him immediately - Lunar Vigor filling his veins with effortless power. His muscles responded, tension draining away as strength settled into bone and sinew.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhoLtg66Er
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFmUO1VmxG
Thanks to Eternal Witness, he had the whole night.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6xi1qUrLq
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcim3Qayvyn
Cel's gaze tracked toward where he knew the training grounds waited, dark and empty.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFHLjF4wVh
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZUmBbTnUcq
He moved to the door.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmwLvvvCr1
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81cOQOWkyM
The training grounds stood silent beneath moonlight. Empty weapon racks lined one wall. Archery targets at the far end. The packed earth center stretched wide and unmarked.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3tkwdeh0S
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCA8QSUqlrS
Cel crossed the threshold, boots crunching softly against dirt.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOhZjF5UGf1
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEvVqozYRP
No one would notice. The Academy slept. Guards patrolled the outer walls, not internal courtyards. And even if someone saw him…77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjtMWSLSqQ
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJAieLLVhr
He was a Chosen. Training at odd hours wouldn't raise questions.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLdOjPm1sP
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMa5tx7u4GD
Moonlight poured down across the open space, silver and clear. Lunar Vigor surged stronger here - no walls to block the light, no ceiling to filter its strength. Power hummed beneath his skin like a second heartbeat.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQ9ba4nB8D
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfW8Q3m8gQ
His hand moved instinctively toward the bond with Silent Moon—77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDL7BlrqYn4
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsbN5U7xUu
Then stopped.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcE59MjKVq7
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7toC9Zibug
Instructor Calder's words surfaced in his memory - about base strength, about how enhancements multiplied what was already there. How doubling nothing still left you with nothing.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsMxywjw2T
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Qjp3mjJZM
The foundation. Everything started there.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNGFTLXXwM
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04jzwIjSEN
And beneath Calder's recent lesson lay older memories - fragments from childhood training. His weapons instructor drilling the basics into him before he'd ever been allowed near a real blade.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SUoeoeOB3
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXCpxQmx1hg
The Moon Goddess had forged him a new body. But that didn't mean the foundation was complete. Didn't mean it couldn't be strengthened further.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYvW63gjij
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPYAOaSGsW
His hand dropped.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcZhjXKzSt
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZnZp9wMOG
Basic training first.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU3GbIkkEn9
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGCuajHSDL
His hands moved to the Academy uniform's collar. The fabric separated easily, buttons coming undone with soft clicks. He shrugged the top off and set it aside on a nearby bench.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YTJHmQlBk
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGT4sRGEzGX
Cool night air touched bare skin. The divine mark between his shoulder blades caught moonlight.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfqhgTT3d2
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfeAxf7yY2
Cel looked down at himself.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PBC39LfMp
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8QMqXZkizl
Lean muscle defined his arms and chest - nothing excessive, but present. Real.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq7J31EhhgN
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PHvNMp70k
He'd seen his reflection in mirrors and windows, but he'd never actually looked. Never examined what the Moon Goddess had given him when she forged this new body.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4zlAzm1rbe
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfT35cgaaJP
His fingers traced along his forearm, feeling the subtle shift of muscle. No scars. No marks of torture. Just... smooth skin.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3vzXjgsML
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvyRau4GrA
It still felt strange. Like wearing someone else's skin.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwOjjlRvXJo
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpFG0e2w1o
Cel moved to the center of the training ground and began.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5YnruQiuh
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6NxXKAqlmJ
Hours blurred together.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNV44BwTG8k
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpobmZxWDLM
Push-ups until his arms trembled. Squats until his legs burned. Planks that tested endurance. 77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcNxhFGNNn
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYviXDhHK6
The moon tracked overhead, marking time in silver light.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoMAGcMeelL
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzOCXTYrkE
Sweat coated his skin. His breathing came hard and fast. The pleasant ache of exertion settled deep into muscle and bone.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRpCxzMvsB
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9sEAYmEH9R
He worked through the exercises methodically, the same way he'd been taught as a child. No wasted movement. No shortcuts. Just pure, fundamental training that built strength from the ground up.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoNbEiow6u
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILqqe9QBW8
Eventually, the sky began to lighten at the edges - darkness bleeding to gray, then pale gold as dawn approached.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJLyOSCk4L
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7cCrZE7fR9
Cel straightened from his final set, chest heaving. Sweat dripped from his chin onto packed earth.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQwYBECd7E
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIo0lVwcrYs
He felt... something. Barely noticeable. A faint satisfaction that came from work completed rather than exhaustion overcome.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9B4EMh2N3
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxY7nBljdXd
His divinely forged body had taken everything he'd thrown at it through the night and emerged with only the mildest acknowledgment that effort had been expended.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpRs0MdUXI
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHB50YggCTv
Strong, then. The foundation was strong.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiszCNOqFMU
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fxf5vJzLp
But not complete. Never complete.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfo9LgUxplQ
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6p4SnH3cby
A bell rang across the Academy grounds. Clear. Sharp. Unmistakable.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmsKw0vKtJy
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQkPk4Ogox
Morning assembly.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJY5m4wpQV
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8GsLKlnZ4
Cel grabbed his uniform and pulled it on, fingers working buttons with practiced speed. The fabric stuck to his damp skin uncomfortably.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXIiuDioTWQ
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKZqnqPpqt
The well. Students would gather there before heading to morning conditioning.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQakyFXTAPL
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3wsUlYf37R
He left the training ground at a quick walk, cutting through paths between buildings. His breathing had mostly settled, though his muscles carried the pleasant warmth of sustained exertion.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTbtBcCBJf
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡglO1i770DM
The well came into view ahead - a simple stone construction with a wooden bucket suspended over dark water. A few early students had already gathered, forming a line. They held basins in their hands, waiting their turn to draw water.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVNmVrc1ip
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOw1In91Jmc
Cel slowed as he approached, keeping to the periphery.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxrHfoOUiu
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ir8pBzAnw
Lior stood at the well, hauling up the wooden bucket. Water sloshed as he carefully poured it into his basin, filling it to the brim. He set the bucket back and turned away, heading toward the outer edge where other students had already drawn their water and were washing themselves.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClm16oK74n
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZY4GZSGe4w
More students filtered in from different directions. Most looked half-awake, their movements sluggish with sleep. The line at the well grew longer as they queued up.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzr0Npc89En
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0zBEAtI0k
A boy sat on the ground near Lior's path, already washing. His basin rested beside him, water dripping from his cupped hands as he scrubbed at his face.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwLO8lvBU3
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5l4dn3CXwV
Lior walked past him, careful to keep his basin steady.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOs63mAf7lh
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrSUfplDGDZ
The boy's foot extended - casual, deliberate. Placed directly in Lior's path.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVBhYbVTIot
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPqxKyUsrh
Lior's foot caught the obstruction. His balance broke instantly. The basin flew from his hands as he stumbled forward, trying to catch himself.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz91KK4xZyK
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN7GkHceChS
Water arced through the air and crashed against packed earth.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43V0d1FfXq
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjhBizBHGY
Lior hit the ground hard. The basin clattered beside him, empty.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkb1pLQz9Oz
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqjBAPX1fUs
The boy who'd tripped him continued washing his face, unbothered.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6BzeiWUno8
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1vF4rucaaS
A few nearby students glanced over. Some chuckled. Most simply ignored it and went back to their own business.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzozyaLdK4S
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdQ0kUCArP
Lior pushed himself up slowly, dirt clinging to his damp palms. His gaze tracked to the empty basin, then to the dark wet patch soaking into the ground.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡos1scRCC00
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDycsdYvQq
He didn't look at the boy who'd tripped him.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3GpJXFIMQ
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03p4HcOFbV
Cel watched from the periphery.77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGvXh8U3IS
77Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvIXe9IwiS
His expression shifted.1234 copyright protection73ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tyrmuJFLr 尼

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