Cel stepped through the doorway into warmth and noise.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY2r4w6JX3d
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUX1RYhnfP
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7oNzkDiQ2
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAalFDMjR7
The capital. Stella.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQn4mVB8GSa
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCiNlc4b4cu
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUcFsdx2wni
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BMgLr8Ne0
This was different.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHMl09CeFe
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdHD1WtjNu
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHGADP3Dnv
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1cXdE2x0il
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoGoeeC9mn
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNJcI9VNavW
A blacksmith. The ring of hammer on anvil carried over the general din, sparks visible through the doorway.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclfbimQ6lL
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtJXc62kBU
A woman selling flowers from a cart, their colors so vivid they hurt to look at after endless gray and crimson.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsba82hkihu
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQDky7KX2G
"Make way!"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQXNS4SCP6
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbWywHw0LVH
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpsLMaFkZvF
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoOlDAUaO4
People dropped coins into a hat at their feet.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULPEd9UCGc
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpDVWbgwSI
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡualyiEvhb4
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0SY9wPrmx
"Lady Esrin!"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSAHHv5AyL
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEV6YoKXk5h
The call came from somewhere to his right. Cel's head turned.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhLtYItXSZn
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIR5n9rMMD4
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfpyLjjEMDb
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjDQOjUmqgX
Esrin didn't acknowledge him. Just kept walking.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxVzrvqI0F
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS49eYnX5tb
More people noticed.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrGbpHckUHW
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡccPo8E6Uz8
Whispers rippled through the crowd like wind through grass. Conversations stopped mid-word. Heads turned.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFrQn7sF5V
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIg8xm6bunW
"Is that really her?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJy9bonpFK5
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjaRNCtnftH
"The Hallowed herself..."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHU17DLrDE
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQdkLTHBrK
"What's she doing here?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOe9LKX5GI7
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCf7F5tuK85
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVuIZsGwZnt
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHUmRwdNoW
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi0o1fk7hcz
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzGQ530x27
Cel watched them until they disappeared into the crowd.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkon4agdvxf
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjLwltIQKe
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ640c5NCK5T
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB03GqURKWh
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYo46fYRe2
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSWKtEh2ZG
Normal. All of it utterly, impossibly normal.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVEuBPZHvY
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlDITIHnSk
Esrin crossed the square without slowing.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6RBogSF1q
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPIfO1qVGZE
Cel followed, his attention fragmenting between a dozen different scenes.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCGbb3WEQS
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXpLDNdPZd
Eventually, the Academy rose ahead.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKlBMxMKmX
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5E7NVveZu
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡquh9C19isP
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyazLvW0bhd
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljfiFsxgT8
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwX6ujORllQ
Esrin stopped before the gates.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN99S6LFXL3
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz606lsjjz4
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Q4KmqQhOs
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzID0tGLjI0
"Lady Tempvault." The younger one on the right bowed. "Welcome—"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZByTEQZyn0
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuVFo4dJ2C1
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbWc5WvhkfP
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHUQygXvKn
"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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0wrcSA1WQ
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZw3qTKIqZ
The younger guard had gone pale, his bow deepening until it looked painful.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHIYQ3pYdOY
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErLJdwXb2Z
Esrin held the moment for a heartbeat longer. Then she gave the older guard the barest nod and walked through.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAnuiYEmVX
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbZe31JMTt
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddQGkKlHb8
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8pEB0zs4NC
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mk1g6mgm9
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09SoYcRDqE
None of them paid Cel any attention. All eyes fixed on Esrin.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0dPmOdT2t6
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXFL47FGxlS
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxflSR0mWue
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0L7q1Nrgh
Esrin pushed through the door.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8A2tAdg2J3
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqrVS0JFv8n
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiizNb0bQda
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJW6UCbwo3P
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8Omc8qclU
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNVexEfLRO
"Lady Esrin." She stood, smoothing her uniform. "What can I do for you?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDddbEL5nrc
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzw5OyfwXbc
"I have a Chosen who needs enrollment." Esrin's tone remained flat. Professional.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLU2u8zfnf1
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh9Y3ATfVDK
The woman's gaze shifted to Cel, taking in his armor, his white hair, his obvious exhaustion despite the healing.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZzA7WUydp
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Z9igQXjr0
"Of course." She pulled parchment from a drawer, along with an ink pen. "I'll need some information."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGVfl83cHKm
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbT4pV5vSSm
Her pen hovered over the page. "Name?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWb7zW19mht
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXICGwZUMnY
"Celvian."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxKZulKMlF
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzp6aUm7te
She wrote it down. "Place of origin?" 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQcafMiHnh
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeB1j4jI8Ua
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuATaPljlQS
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93qI1pH72E
"Thornhaven," Esrin stepped in. "Storm Clan territory." 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sBrhYKE7b
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUmXmj3FjT
The receptionist noted it without looking up. "Patron deity?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbHfcaOp9W
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPcnBEeqju
"The Moon Goddess."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQy62VN2pE
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9xRBdx3uqH
The pen paused. Just for a moment - but long enough that Cel noticed.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlqni5Ty7T
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOCAdo7Mje
"I see." She continued writing. "And your guide's rank?"88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVW2g3k8kDs
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGTU8QMMbsQ
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZnAdtfdtKT
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWT3jvdKmKR
"Forty-seven."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQenMSRDUnS
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UVUfre84t
The woman noted it without reaction. "To verify your divine blessing, I'll need to see your mark."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIxOKpnf3TA
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLANlgyTuaR
Cel's chest constricted.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBE6SEthJHs
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpa4I3Rbw0g
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAnGBnIry7
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6dlztn9A3
"Is that necessary?" The words came too sharp.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKp4p6NmtQw
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx7jEYvCts2
"It’s protocol." Her tone was apologetic but firm. "For all new students."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95TPCfvhDN
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡseGg5gPLM3
Esrin said nothing. Just stood there with that same impassive expression, offering no help this time.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOHX8bSXVg
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHafUDipEoo
Cel's hands moved to his armor.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3eYE7mYNQl
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEF1tG8AbjF
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGc9MFFnmYN
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZeIEI1z64
Then he turned.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEK8V0l9YlI
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0JyiLqAPA
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBrGThFS5d
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmIVZ6C1pF
"Thank you." The receptionist's voice came measured. "That confirms it."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLRCkDIER6
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VlMNdV5d6
Cel blinked.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSs5U6suH1
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknECKOlyBV
'What?'88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtD961dltFT
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJHJLHZnmX
His hand shot to his back, fingers searching for the familiar texture of scar tissue.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWemBqoBw3
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oS9r0JLHM
Smooth skin met his touch.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzrApsWekzO
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqmKJfLhfm
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7IKTIUihxJ
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMUxX666HWn
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZfyv7z0xy
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVoivC1ZDJC
Understanding crashed through him.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJasCmAmWy
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGXUvkC29L
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqrjGtAKLK
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XhcAG3b6E
The mark was there. Whole. Unmarred.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpRowmQUwkw
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡggghNYb9Ek
"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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3fggVciSv
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTh6SuKvZ0
Cel summoned Cinderward back on. The armor manifested around his upper body in seconds, settling into place with familiar weight.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9gKiKvg3l
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMqjIF8BfAE
Esrin hadn't moved, her ruby eyes tracking him with that same calculating intensity.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5a2OrZxvQF
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvx16MG5Gd
"Thank you," Cel said quietly. "For bringing me here."88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvFmm6T3kq
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUn8ytdiCMj
She nodded once. Then she turned and walked out without another word.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMxBKnAi0n
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Tw9A48RUD
The door closed behind her with soft finality.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZ9oFuBEWC
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUWqnZqkDt
"This way." The receptionist gestured.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fuVV3L0js
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡely5XNyAWt
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwN4KE12jkj
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQknLQDMjH6
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUoWGQcjek
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyO4BTCck2P
She stopped at a door near the middle, producing a key from her pocket.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5EhjFlrVb
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYgrpAlD29
The lock clicked and the door swung open.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugLGYorwdQ
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdu81OtiPds
"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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpasc6GORu7
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0g0a6Ggjj
She left before he could respond.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELjR6ar7WP
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtCCaH3IkD
Cel stood in the doorway, taking in what would apparently be home.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ffsj77XPU
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTD6eMboU74
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprMmm1vo70
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdd74I5o2yC
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJp1buzIcJs
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50cTk2AmoD
He stepped inside and closed the door.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQLn4Ke3XF
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UOx79IbBH
Silence crashed down.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCpkTnCm51
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEIO1zT0WH
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvTIlzBiGP
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPg17uwC5dB
A mirror hung on the wall near the wardrobe.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLW4N7cgugT
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0rFL7nSWFk
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMIC4s0HKO
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcnh1fNFUks
Not the gaunt, broken thing from the cell. Not the boy his father had beaten nearly to death.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN09HxH71JV
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIKy6agCip
Someone else. Someone new.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡODMWJ2thZX
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEMxJ4LX1j
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZ7agyd0n2
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqcUYPPQC6v
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ728Um872s9
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIFzA4mkmld
Beautiful. Whole. Unbroken.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8c8VZuQUku
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG55o7EM0Mj
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTckwohbmR
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHgCASJltO
Cel stared at his reflection for a long time.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZim1rjb4r
88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UvLLldeRr
Then he turned away and sat on the bed's edge, feeling the mattress give slightly under his weight.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jgmrMByvN
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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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeheSLZi6jX
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His gaze tracked back to the mirror, to the glimpse of white hair visible in its reflection.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWKgRFFHy6
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‘White Death.’88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbGfvbdfws
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The codename settled in his chest with quiet certainty.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8q51HPLuU
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Yes. That's what he would become.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnYAVF2k6hS
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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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkK7uWJmfD
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Something colder. Something absolute.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jIXvhlcYy
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Something that they would never see coming.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2DxSj3sma
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Author's Note
And that's it! The end of Arc 1: "Shattered Moon Rising"!88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavC3gCgJ1V
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5KpxsqoCZ
Two chapters per week:88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiC8hDexlGB
- Wednesdays88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOn0ps3DuCG
- Saturdays
New Tier System is Live!88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPDlbb9Mvk
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgkLhTVKwS
- Tier 2: Read 2 chapters ahead88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsOn9LBxYW
- Tier 3: Read 3 chapters ahead88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHxroz9mMf8
- Tier 4: Read 4 chapters ahead88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42TeCrFotj
- 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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYqQrtXL4k
- Tier 6 (Special): Read 5 chapters ahead + Meet a character of your choice
What's "Meet a character of your choice"?88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOBVvLJlD3
You can choose a character and say something to them - one thing per special. Here are some examples:88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujcoUqKf6z
- Ask them a personal question88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcD0iKmkf24
- Ask about something story-related you're curious about88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlRx7q971Bw
- Ask what they think about another character88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEp4eKwNqQZ
- Simply say something to the character and get their reaction88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKtkpqRFMI
Then I am going to write a special chapter.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSC0zgGQrY
These specials will look similar to the Christmas specials I did before.88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGuuNeyvweD
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8okfiPap6c
General bonus features of my page:88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tvJwW8Ovh
- As a subscriber, you get a badge visible next to your name when you comment anywhere on my page^^88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR5jQIgisrH
- 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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Vv3IqVtUZ
You can also expect some fun new things like polls about different story elements and more community interaction!88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY83GXXRFGT
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.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRg4hq6tLcs
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!
and then Add to home screen.