When Cel opened his eyes, Selina's arms were still around him.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4bmhhn5gnO
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VnZV99x8l
For a moment, he remained perfectly still - caught between the sacred ground he'd just left and the reality of her embrace. The warmth of it. The gentleness.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4R3xOVOm9
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxToCfYPrE
His breath hitched.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOX4GQwwkN
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzyGegM5w7
Then, something inside him broke.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHLARO94lAs
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyEYDCX53SG
Not violently. Not like shattering glass or splintering bone.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6uyP6KpC8
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeFwvXo7O1w
Like melting ice. Like a dam finally cracking under pressure it was never meant to hold.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3ie75k23O
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxVf3vEfIa4
A sound escaped him - small, choked, achingly human.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPkKyC1sLm
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY0TRmn7Nun
His shoulders began to shake.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgDnYYaDjE
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxyxxFVu5w
Cel tried to stop it. Tried to force the trembling back down, to swallow the weakness rising in his throat. He'd survived torture. Starvation. Nightmares made flesh. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTEkG4ktZc
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhs0vPfkzV1
He shouldn't be—144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJmBnp4xoA
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0c3gkuwyE
Another sound tore free. Louder this time.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHs6TbRepgF
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwf4ihxfXU
The tears came.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXZT2TDESZ
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBARyhRKr96
Silent at first, hot against his cheeks. Then accompanied by gasps he couldn't control, sobs that wrenched themselves from somewhere deep in his chest where he'd buried everything for so long.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lceAvuYAH
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2RSJpBEgR
The year in the cell. The maggot-infested food. The cultists' knives. Ren's death.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSI77nxu67l
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzzqGkwOgx4
His father's fists. His mother's silence. His brother's cowardice.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3eLVEpL2f9
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29ZAdlCy1C
The mirror lake. The crystal maze. The creature that had killed him.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpv2HycQggF
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9vO5SxBOn
All of it - every moment of pain, every betrayal, every second he'd told himself he had to endure because there was no other choice - tore free at once.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMO0l8fPgD6
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiJwn3iDin
And he couldn't stop it.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNDROcMSap
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8N5TlBk1N0
Cel's knees weakened. His hands clutched at Selina's robes, fingers curling into white fabric like it was the only solid thing left in the world.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUPnbkCCfn
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKudICUzIU
She held him.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZBPqlJzKR
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUIGgi9fBf
Didn't speak. Didn't pull away. Didn't tell him to be strong or to compose himself.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDLHiwAc79
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhURxgWdHH3
She simply held him, one hand moving to cradle the back of his head with steady gentleness while he broke apart in her arms.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYM9Ri8hPy
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlglPhEwhW0
Time became meaningless.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KQnWsUAbd
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIbMYAccdj
Eventually, the sobs gradually quieted. The gasps turned to shaky breaths, leaving only exhaustion in their wake.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvcKXYAyrS
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdiw2crHSl
Cel pulled back slowly, roughly wiping at his face with trembling hands.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkg4VMdskP
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGlsG6oJ74
His cheeks burned. Not from fever - from embarrassment so acute it felt physical.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEoPCdvlKge
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQM7N4QlzAr
He'd just—144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxFKfmdxh3
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdKNwcL8BEZ
In front of her—144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rJLO6tn5q
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiazq58xAvO
"I'm sorry," he choked out, unable to meet her eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMz1J05Ra3J
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdaFavHCpN7
"There is nothing to apologize for, Chosen One." Her voice held no judgment. No pity. No disappointment.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzWEmX5lBg
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSNRt7lhb3w
Only acceptance.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwszx8NZWpK
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsRmXa08XjH
Cel swallowed hard, gaze fixed firmly on the ground between them. His throat felt raw, stripped clean.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLRZMFc4SM
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgi4L85Jo1r
"I just…" He didn't know how to finish that sentence.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqrS6P1VK5
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoa7DyjWK5W
"You have endured much." Selina's hand remained on his shoulder - light, grounding. "The soul remembers every wound, even when the body has been remade. There is no shame in acknowledging that pain."144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2f8ZVNzNJP
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1A9tTjvkR
Cel's breath came out shaky. He nodded once, not trusting his voice.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05LYx5Sd8u
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXyd1mF98C
When she finally stepped back, her hands lingered for a moment before releasing him entirely.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt4xdBuLQcm
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpD1AocY8QK
The mist swirled between them, giving him space to collect himself.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡznRZWkQ4Tn
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnyRDiB1YRC
Cel took a breath. Then another. His fingers rose to touch his face - flushed and damp, eyes surely red and swollen.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwXuwBROAw
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjIICQrTw4X
Humiliation seared through him.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6DF9rNMM1f
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2EfsyTL9JL
He'd wept. Like a child. In front of someone who had guided him through death itself with perfect composure.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfZmq3pLXu
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaAQgCULih
The transformation still didn't feel real, but the shame certainly did.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29lOsaehnz
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwO084HK1QR
He forced himself to straighten, to look somewhere near her general direction even if he couldn't quite meet her eyes yet.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCffc1VMtxQ
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5BzU12i6vq
"Thank you. For everything.“144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNGWSCONuJ
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9YblZ1Qbv
He gestured vaguely, unable to articulate what her presence had meant.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwYCOsOkYR
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfpV5r5lcmo
Selina inclined her head, serene as ever.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlsm70ZXhq
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvMRpMbjXk
A question surfaced - one that had been lurking since the moment she'd appeared in his dying consciousness. Something to focus on besides the heat still flooding his face.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC75hACzdwI
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68CUWQHOWK
"Selina." He cleared his throat. "What rank do you hold as a priestess?"144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSchmLytR4i
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuz3LrYecsJ
No hesitation. No cryptic deflection.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejfuQdd0lK
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUKdw9XzCe
Her smile deepened, tranquil and certain as moonlight on still water144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTMZe0sl0W
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4scMkURilu
"Rank One." 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJL1BI3WZR
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5kwAtcAduj
The words landed like a physical blow.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiZu7KO8Zo2
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWIMMfpcCLM
His mind went blank, then exploded with implications he couldn't process fast enough.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDK2fMMZcMr
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpJBaY9CCb
'Rank One?'144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdvnjNT82h
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe6ChJJvdNv
A Divine Oracle - the title humanity gave to those who stood at the pinnacle of divine service.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxVRlXUrsb
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHLVTKo577j
Not just a priestess. Not even a high-ranking servant.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprtPDlIJ6H
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3dcPz0TsWt
The highest authority beneath the gods themselves. The singular voice through which a deity spoke directly to the mortal world.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxtNlYOtjH
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLuQhwH50qn
His embarrassment suddenly intensified a thousandfold.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1MDNQ303Ok
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFb1iwCWyDE
He'd just—144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLX9SzVGoSm
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3VGdjyY1g
He'd just cried on a Divine Oracle.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnBhyUm3uA
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Ygyz0F7sW
Sobbed into her robes like a child seeking comfort from his mother.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW78J8nLael
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMyl603vdf
And before that—144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1l3u7SoTXA
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Gzswerf5T
Memory crashed through him like an avalanche.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBzhi96VHOv
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70KaLjFKbs
His tone. The way he'd spoken to her.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZjDe6Tyn8
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9Q3rT28xF
Sharp. Impatient. Laced with frustration when she couldn't answer his questions. The edge in his voice when he'd pushed back against her words.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNolXnFzK2
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDNaB18nVH
He hadn't been respectful. Hadn't been grateful.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDmKe4yO3j
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHMI4z6XPW
He'd been angry - and he'd let that anger out on her.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJG2dws0t6q
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKWbbgQtvf
Cel wanted to disappear.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4349VS3YW
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2ExTmLcdN
He hadn't just questioned a priestess or shown weakness before a guide.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyC81iW7mFl
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1bE4xUmmI
He had challenged a Divine Oracle with barely restrained fury. 144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrvZgukA1R
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh9h3498KaF
And then wept on her shoulder.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjGyNgLjVx
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3sDLoZxcxK
His legs suddenly felt unsteady.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBvqZktKw4i
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfOjumRvQT
Cel's gaze dropped to the ground again. He couldn't look at her. Couldn't bear the weight of meeting those eyes now that he understood what - who - they represented.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1bgokZFfE
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHKquLBrLk
His voice failed him.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAotNxnobW
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulP79RtWOE
Everything about her made sense now. The way she moved through his soul's landscape with absolute certainty. The calm that never broke, no matter what horrors he did. The patience that felt limitless, untouchable by mortal weakness.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yEOJtR3N4
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMuQOcS4cgz
Because it transcended mortality.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54EcawbckH
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxTbM0JK1b
She wasn't just a guide. She was the voice of the Moon Goddess.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIs79luoZ3u
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHncUZX40gn
And he'd—144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmrLz0jtgg
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwD2LPnKDzL
Shame crawled up his throat like bile, bitter and choking.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHc82K4nfD
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv47Zcbol3x
"I was..." He forced the words out. "I was angry. At everything. And I took it out on you."144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObUP2vcXJX
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQ75ESfUVV
His hands curled into fists.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡStS9iP4dQd
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZ31QTaouE
"You were patient with me. Kind. And I..."144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUeootjIzfA
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOWVJmcGqO
He couldn't finish. Couldn't articulate how wrong it felt now—lashing out at the one person who'd actually helped him.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqAYJPxLNd
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyFQcXerSi
"I'm sorry."144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrhf0IlAqV
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6of39co9S
Silence answered him.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnC2up8MbMg
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYA1tnrD1N
Cel kept his gaze fixed on the ground, watching mist curl around his bare feet. Each second stretched unbearably long.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6NZSSlNQMd
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQqjZubMPL
Then—movement.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs7EfRMq5xz
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wJsbXpFR7
Selina stepped closer.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpPKvvgrIx3
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1ixErqpFC
He flinched slightly, expecting… what? Blame? Divine wrath channeled through soft words?144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2h1d9ykwc2
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSwnMehuNL
"Chosen One." Her voice carried no anger. No coldness.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtE6hgU3Lgc
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRHzpHTgck
Only that same impossible gentleness she'd shown since the beginning.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NtloFGyWm
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOo8Z2ssDE
Slowly, reluctantly, Cel raised his head.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAGphzwe0X
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhMunvfiCs
She stood before him unchanged. Mask catching moonlight, lips curved into a beautiful smile. White robes stirring in wind that didn't exist.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEDXbbKUoQ
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhLWPWTZnfj
But now he could see it - the presence that saturated every gesture, every word. The weight of divinity she carried with such grace.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjm6TiXeam
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmsb4n6Pn2R
"You are not the first to question the divine." Her tone remained even. "Nor will you be the last."144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RtLGKWq6W
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY8BSc53W9L
Cel's breath hitched.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ325se9qGM9
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡocfIsDhqTU
"But you're a Divine Oracle." The words tumbled out before he could stop them. "The highest voice of the goddess. I shouldn't have spoken to you the way I did. With anger. With—"144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAcBBQ2IqsB
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKGglMtEKF
He gestured helplessly.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjtJdVGaYS
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvWtPE534q
"You deserved better than that."144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdzoDNcs3v
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Y8WIrGfD1
Selina regarded him for a long moment.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaCDhgsci9J
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjAeRKluZL
"Your tone was inappropriate, yes."144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx7g4tdXZiD
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPOyaX25kX
The blunt truth hit like a fist.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwe0iLfvsw
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWzcUAu07p
But there was no cruelty in her statement. Just fact, stated simply.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nBjlFNyMB
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdhVPHtK2q
"However." She tilted her head slightly. "I do not serve to be worshipped. I serve to guide. To guide you."144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9BpeZ1LJV5
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKzLH7mXSg
Her hand lifted in a small, dismissive gesture - as if brushing away his concern.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxM9RIi2zxx
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsNfQU90l6s
"You may speak to me as yourself. It is enough."144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrEnhNjQgfp
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡan5cD7dcb9
The shame didn't vanish - it couldn't - but something about her words cut through the worst of it.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBj3KJCxRf2
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvKcZliecG
She had never demanded reverence. Never once reminded him of her status, even when he'd pushed boundaries most priests would have punished him for crossing.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfLwAukp86
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UCUXzIGY4
Even now, standing before him with her true nature revealed, she spoke with grace rather than command.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJgRpQ5H76
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi7tgVrb70D
Cel's chest tightened.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTECDrzRc4
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6v3n9Zbx1
Not from unworthiness - though he felt that keenly.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNd9BHbepZk
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbv7uR8dVQZ
But from recognition.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3uxqXMLcUq
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDio3qcA8K
He had spent his entire life surrounded by power. His father wielded authority like a weapon, crushing anyone who dared question him. The nobles of the Sun Clan wore their status like armor, ensuring everyone knew their place.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaY6LvrEa63
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2wWaqwTel
And here stood someone with more power than any of them could dream of.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4ycSTlbkI
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeN8bAeAYQX
Who chose not to wield it as a tool of domination.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdiF89ZJxw
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzMk9DMpCo
"Then..." He straightened slightly, meeting her masked gaze. "I'll speak to you as myself."144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaE4WaZzQtW
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqeJTUdWDPs
A pause.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5DXzTVJqJ
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgwaXSIidjG
"And I'll make sure you never regret guiding me."144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKsr6xwaB5
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0HSuaPpPcV
Selina's smile deepened - genuine warmth that transformed her serene expression into something radiant.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjAbVrobbs
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZwjEIv8rv
"I never have, Chosen One."144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1hYx1VO1y0
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZEyblwcxf
The simple certainty in those words settled over him like a blanket.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHIo7cIyUm
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Not forgiveness - she had nothing to forgive, apparently.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyeVcgutQE
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtmIxLkLPP
Just acceptance.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdUaBqYkCw
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LON3Ynoho
Cel bowed his head. Not in apology this time.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLz1FgH9gVX
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayReq5zadL
In respect. True respect, given freely to someone who had earned it through every patient word, every quiet truth.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4AJn4FMFhs
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLIIySR7B7
When he raised his eyes again, something fundamental had shifted inside him.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBirkPcZzdV
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxHkGaOkaK
The guilt remained - it would serve as reminder, fuel to be better.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82YId3k5jn
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2SkFGC1u7m
But beneath it, something else had taken root.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡccGfytC9VT
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb7d6Uoi7Ay
Trust. Deep and unshakeable.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrbxbZwlFl
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2Mpy2436A
Whatever came next - whatever trials or horrors the future held - he would follow where she led.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtH9fGdOkfU
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuejBbp63WU
Because Selina wasn't just the goddess's voice.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVmJg8eHpV
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLyY4JXZsj
She was his guide.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvG8Mtr3iD9
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And he would not dishonor that gift again.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQAgpr45LP
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpmDlgCGyq
Silence settled between them, heavy with unspoken understanding.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyU96GsXImO
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjyyU4PAwBt
He didn't need more words. Neither did she.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYfO3k4G546
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOhvmKKRcY
The mist around them stirred.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsNyeympP7
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogRG9uWKwz
Selina's gaze lingered on him - just a moment longer - before she turned away.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtBI6ySln3h
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqkHBH0fuS9
"Follow me, Chosen One. There is more yet to be done."144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWdrbz5Imj
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFsp1VcsG0W
Cel followed without hesitation.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiG8oYti324
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8aXyiL78X
They walked in silence through the transformed landscape of his soul. The mist parted before Selina as if bowing, then closed behind them like a curtain.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3pnQQ7RYdT
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZlHUm6RNu
With each step, Cel felt the difference. Steady. Strong. No trembling weakness in his legs, no exhaustion dragging at his limbs. His body moved with an ease he'd almost forgotten existed.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1W2wETVobx
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJKYrECgZf
"What happened to me?" he asked.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJP4eD5BGR
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7JFqylBet
She didn't slow her pace, but her head turned slightly toward him.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcNQzxxDM7Z
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfkoBZn2YQ
"Your physical form in the Hollow Realms succumbed to its injuries," she said simply.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmmqxoCv4Vg
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoGWYTx9A2
The words should have struck harder. But after everything - after dying twice already - the revelation felt almost distant.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5fBczakSx
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08R5G3lhcB
"Then how…“ He gestured at himself, at the body that felt foreign in its wholeness. "How am I still here?"144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTreicDq7H
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ685BugD2uY
"Your soul was preserved within the trial - protected by divine ground." Selina's voice carried a weight he hadn't heard before.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCzux0Qo4U
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGAQmPgXzW
She paused, as if choosing her next words carefully.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLUh05Fjxl
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn8tBr0mART
"What the Moon Goddess granted you is not mere healing. It is true resurrection - the reforging of flesh and bone around a soul that had no vessel."144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysPrfZSN2x
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbFK0dHQLo
Cel’s breath caught.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRySGQQRqK
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUT2ZqwDb59
Not healing. Not recovery.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxgjg8CBsUm
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzUn1L0nM3G
Resurrection.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVyx07MJoa
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ScNxCAI6z
His soul had survived the trial, and the goddess had forged him a body capable of matching that survival - whole, strong, unmarred by the year of torment that had destroyed the first.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNC9JyyRkMm
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6CroMikgM
Perhaps that was why the trial existed at all - to prove his soul worthy of such a gift.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXr75OioAB0
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejCfLAmzdZ
Cel let the truth settle as they continued forward.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAWIXKpiX3
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzY2nFgDpVI
Eventually, the terrain shifted.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvTX5BW5Ls
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9CwP0sBjr8
The cracked earth gave way to something smoother. The jagged stones retreated. Even the bluish-white flowers thinned until only mist remained, thick and luminous around the edges of a clearing Cel didn't remember seeing before.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyoOPZXCxze
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCunBnnTlYJ
At its center stood a monolith.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDn8d6cyzVt
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Not stone. Not metal.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ANQFVQ7S5
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSziI4d8rCG
Something else.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFaPBD1HUZ
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigJ3bCGI6a
Cel stopped walking.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbKhZBhpJd
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzLT49f9yUJ
The structure rose before him - taller than he was, seamless and dark. Deep midnight blue pulsed across its surface like a slow heartbeat, while threads of pale light coiled beneath, moving in patterns he couldn't follow.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxl7bxT47pP
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66oT4qJLv8
Sapphire beneath moonlight - cold and radiant.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJVVvNXqd0
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8X6xMoScgr
Divine.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvfFjoCGLU
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6FWFdMhOS
He knew that without being told. The same way he'd known the frozen sea was sacred. The same way he'd recognized the fairy-like creature in the crystal maze as something beyond natural.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYKtsBp7Rj
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhiI5q4xUDL
This wasn't just an object.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIzZerVVXV
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkqSvC1OnY
This was touched by divinity itself.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwd8NQYQNug
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGQsMyBc3D
Selina came to a stop beside it, one hand resting lightly against the smooth surface. She didn't look at him, but he felt her attention anyway - patient, expectant.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡatExH9CCWz
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazeYjKUVSn
Cel's chest tightened.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa98a7FALGL
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CgSuH6bC6
He knew what came next.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRL4BxHf241
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTL8FLaIaVC
Every Chosen One, upon receiving their first blessing, was granted three things.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ37qMWYrVlB
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3QzpxDNq8
A trait - passive power, woven into the core of their being. Not meant for spectacle or battle, but something that changed who they were on a fundamental level.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkbSa8n6Wtl
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHOQ7ZNVsF
An authority - active power, immediate and tangible. The god's first true answer to their Chosen One's nature. Something meant to be used, whether for protection, destruction, or survival.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiRree5HXR4
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7sEuBfu4U
Both could stem from the same paragon or draw from different aspects of their deity's domain.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8vNRinqlSB
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuwJN672c7
And an artifact - a divine instrument forged by the gods themselves. Weapon or armor. Whatever form it took, it would be theirs alone - bound to them until death.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGctbYFCrEd
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrCinzZ4aK
Unlike future blessings - earned through achievements - this first gift was granted freely. A mark that the journey had begun.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLe7Of3cyo
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRz5rL7ASoK
Cel's hands trembled slightly as he stepped forward.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyK7uPnSqGY
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj90QHHBfGQ
The monolith responded.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhkaRWntsni
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmYOB9yG0tW
Silver light bloomed from its core - threads like veins of pure moonlight spreading outward beneath the surface. They coiled and twisted, drawing patterns that burned themselves into his vision.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8l52VqaJKD
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZno5mAcTsA
Runes.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZeqTdDQLMP
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He couldn't read them. Didn't recognize the script.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡziJdUI88SB
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMOyZUB4aOg
But he understood them anyway - meaning that bypassed his eyes entirely and settled into his mind like instinct.144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTQMxZ6xrD
144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi85MItXxjP
<Name: Celvian>144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77X7kJSp48
<Paragons: (Heir to the Moon) (The White Death)>144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHeBi4WC6yf
<Artifacts: (Silent Moon)>144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VvPZtvCZ9
<Insights: (locked 0/1)>144Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7pnou9rFD
<Achievements: (1)>1234 copyright protection140ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPZjjwN7sb 尼

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