When Cel opened his eyes, Selina's arms were still around him.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1yewvwZkv
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGjIlBrlcs
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHi43lMt5z
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYmSJIfWxll
His breath hitched.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNY5Og48W80
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPLHRSz014
Then, something inside him broke.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrcJVtvu8yH
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUE2Se0J2J
Not violently. Not like shattering glass or splintering bone.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ804W8xk2Q5
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VMt3iHAq4
Like melting ice. Like a dam finally cracking under pressure it was never meant to hold.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0FvZAQPkv7
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0uYUmjRHN
A sound escaped him - small, choked, achingly human.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfurqOhw8kD
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuI3KuQKo9a
His shoulders began to shake.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hGiWe9lRG
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3d7Ug9DnY
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. 122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmULZZNPwS6
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPUgY8qy0A
He shouldn't be—122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡepbxiB0uwc
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt30KwVBSrZ
Another sound tore free. Louder this time.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSZJ9ys24t
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxQuwMXb6W
The tears came.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFrltlORwjk
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMYPt8ZGge
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswEDt8SsSt
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24GDL9l1SS
The year in the cell. The maggot-infested food. The cultists' knives. Ren's death.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuURjCjTHjN
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8EfH2t7o14
His father's fists. His mother's silence. His brother's cowardice.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDBF4bVNga
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZ2z3MJiZP
The mirror lake. The crystal maze. The creature that had killed him.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NsGufwTXN
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlYTIGByTF
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4iJUSC3Nj
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfQON6YH2F
And he couldn't stop it.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3adjhkRIjS
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbQkHL5I7Q
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPHGwIcA7G
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtctNZ9AhUB
She held him.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZPFQmqyhK6
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5uNns5Ehd
Didn't speak. Didn't pull away. Didn't tell him to be strong or to compose himself.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NxWizSrD6
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4OasLQ4u2x
She simply held him, one hand moving to cradle the back of his head with steady gentleness while he broke apart in her arms.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjC7N6UhuW
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29gGuBYj9R
Time became meaningless.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubpWSXp8dT
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡljwfsZaM4P
Eventually, the sobs gradually quieted. The gasps turned to shaky breaths, leaving only exhaustion in their wake.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ueCBeoJwK
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabHP8rfU9B
Cel pulled back slowly, roughly wiping at his face with trembling hands.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvsNmxHxRyG
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡampjzUKHLf
His cheeks burned. Not from fever - from embarrassment so acute it felt physical.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndNf0DFTDE
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHIWXHGGUQ
He'd just—122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkpO6o2ol5X
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxQxibOm2S
In front of her—122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWViZxCqh0
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuzaRoWsiX8
"I'm sorry," he choked out, unable to meet her eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUEYm2pZaGK
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6wqNauWry
"There is nothing to apologize for, Chosen One." Her voice held no judgment. No pity. No disappointment.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMrLN5KXhM
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqArkCtBiY3
Only acceptance.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42Zenmo2BX
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5cYxcL5Pd
Cel swallowed hard, gaze fixed firmly on the ground between them. His throat felt raw, stripped clean.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfXfDr0KP0
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPlGSaVN2xe
"I just…" He didn't know how to finish that sentence.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4a09e5lba
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mZrZwe3Wg
"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."122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSG8al2UrNv
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71ciYkI2MM
Cel's breath came out shaky. He nodded once, not trusting his voice.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rPepo234P
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8a4AYyMQwA
When she finally stepped back, her hands lingered for a moment before releasing him entirely.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEOohZpesK
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlRrJQOtg7
The mist swirled between them, giving him space to collect himself.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5mqIrLRR7
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp42538L8ru
Cel took a breath. Then another. His fingers rose to touch his face - flushed and damp, eyes surely red and swollen.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsdz295W6j
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhO5qgTi7G
Humiliation seared through him.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7nf6avZYUn
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSmJeLcwxP
He'd wept. Like a child. In front of someone who had guided him through death itself with perfect composure.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcni4Ua98o
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrswnBr0n3b
The transformation still didn't feel real, but the shame certainly did.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFxF7CkVg0G
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrLv6K0wpa
He forced himself to straighten, to look somewhere near her general direction even if he couldn't quite meet her eyes yet.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYSqfWNpuZc
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzGuEbMvXZ
"Thank you. For everything.“122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMV71TUbGGY
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgXR5vqCwh
He gestured vaguely, unable to articulate what her presence had meant.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbYOXmRROa
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifhWRDIWyh
Selina inclined her head, serene as ever.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSg2QcmsLgb
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkAY4JnrWNe
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFuZnZzT8pL
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdf1nzjlrVX
"Selina." He cleared his throat. "What rank do you hold as a priestess?"122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtggRSd8ejL
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNZqqXmL9G
No hesitation. No cryptic deflection.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡooLEIhB23p
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI3rTbGpsUf
Her smile deepened, tranquil and certain as moonlight on still water122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2Tx50c2ea
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDfO0LgGL4
"Rank One." 122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlkp9Gn0HBo
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOlILEd4SW
The words landed like a physical blow.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPXmQ1ibXZ
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjeTqE0P5ta
His mind went blank, then exploded with implications he couldn't process fast enough.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLApttYrgCb
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBX4aK4WgIU
'Rank One?'122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPN2VPizQkR
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZo9WrklZax
A Divine Oracle - the title humanity gave to those who stood at the pinnacle of divine service.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9d9VJf7FcL
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0JPJkXGxe
Not just a priestess. Not even a high-ranking servant.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0nkPNJym2
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlNqI10MkA
The highest authority beneath the gods themselves. The singular voice through which a deity spoke directly to the mortal world.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjldZw6Axsz
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZ3upGPPMB
His embarrassment suddenly intensified a thousandfold.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu59fVJN5qx
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLLqW3taKP
He'd just—122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYftzvRsnCt
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xJqn4bE1b
He'd just cried on a Divine Oracle.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRWBx5gWa0n
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpuuiMi5Ybv
Sobbed into her robes like a child seeking comfort from his mother.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkxEY8DmGd
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwc8XA2lSx
And before that—122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS4YihhAIhc
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5yhhd7aOXm
Memory crashed through him like an avalanche.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHoDT83R21
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7DSD71eD8
His tone. The way he'd spoken to her.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZlvDlfe8e
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NR77ICPR9
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOVTQRd3gj
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQmVGLogzl
He hadn't been respectful. Hadn't been grateful.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmBvKDZKEd
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgu1ojXj3zE
He'd been angry - and he'd let that anger out on her.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvalfdgZfbD
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5kxtEZ96so
Cel wanted to disappear.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTUKnoJ1N1
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mNl1TAD98
He hadn't just questioned a priestess or shown weakness before a guide.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXCMUZBq1I
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPPRrfAFjs
He had challenged a Divine Oracle with barely restrained fury. 122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡip2DGFXSn8
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0N61R4LvF
And then wept on her shoulder.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFY2f9JkeC
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUN7cVr1cpC
His legs suddenly felt unsteady.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqyrLkueWMy
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBv38bhk7L
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsARaDm2gIE
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKFYiN7nd1
His voice failed him.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePzRNz90Ae
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYyBUFpuLr
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3If20Rt8L8
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5BWvYpPWVc
Because it transcended mortality.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpCTXaEbjv
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYLNfwRCNu
She wasn't just a guide. She was the voice of the Moon Goddess.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObHgZMvPaE
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZyWFN0DLz0
And he'd—122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvQE3gV9Sy
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAR50okye7E
Shame crawled up his throat like bile, bitter and choking.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe4NauMG9hO
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmh9q1eYubO
"I was..." He forced the words out. "I was angry. At everything. And I took it out on you."122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSFUJ8q547s
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl839Tbdb5A
His hands curled into fists.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywjltynzMK
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhSEpkNucnx
"You were patient with me. Kind. And I..."122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHdC3JoOAZ
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqFvuWaQPVL
He couldn't finish. Couldn't articulate how wrong it felt now—lashing out at the one person who'd actually helped him.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdG8D6KlbKq
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKD8ZzERnj
"I'm sorry."122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46IIaqw3j0
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrY6a34ZJ9
Silence answered him.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOUp1eODze
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJEP7VtZES
Cel kept his gaze fixed on the ground, watching mist curl around his bare feet. Each second stretched unbearably long.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFAQtENzIcD
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzxdAgDIad
Then—movement.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3Gmf176No
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXqZ1bknHYa
Selina stepped closer.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsLemSDuHfI
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRxQWZoAdd
He flinched slightly, expecting… what? Blame? Divine wrath channeled through soft words?122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVbMvrLnQ9
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdZFcgg4wd
"Chosen One." Her voice carried no anger. No coldness.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfkR0wmiZN
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYWMKmXWBt
Only that same impossible gentleness she'd shown since the beginning.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCMEnYqoHCS
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWVbcE5iSA
Slowly, reluctantly, Cel raised his head.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gnAb8WKsc
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7DNCq9Vh5
She stood before him unchanged. Mask catching moonlight, lips curved into a beautiful smile. White robes stirring in wind that didn't exist.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHr2Mrgf0WA
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzPYu3UfgV
But now he could see it - the presence that saturated every gesture, every word. The weight of divinity she carried with such grace.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBVgAmiTR0F
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyjgYIQARjR
"You are not the first to question the divine." Her tone remained even. "Nor will you be the last."122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ZK3Hi9Rh6
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxpGYIqqjq
Cel's breath hitched.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCOjwEz4H3H
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWM412EehaP
"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—"122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJD9C7p853
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxpgRdAir1
He gestured helplessly.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvqDRtmSd8d
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ72IYy3y1cD
"You deserved better than that."122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJWBvm9c3f
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbudS4Z2r3
Selina regarded him for a long moment.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSXLxZpNUW
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFplBm9T8mg
"Your tone was inappropriate, yes."122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIQpStnsYLX
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0ZaszShPa
The blunt truth hit like a fist.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2C2L0mfoCL
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfD7OuKFiGu
But there was no cruelty in her statement. Just fact, stated simply.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgfz5qxydK
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7jghtVRq1I
"However." She tilted her head slightly. "I do not serve to be worshipped. I serve to guide. To guide you."122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1atl8zgKo9
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEh9X3FYDyf
Her hand lifted in a small, dismissive gesture - as if brushing away his concern.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ZAz4sfZ4y
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUuR6xT36v1
"You may speak to me as yourself. It is enough."122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvgODIYh1M
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLX9BUMoIH
The shame didn't vanish - it couldn't - but something about her words cut through the worst of it.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbrfXFPuatp
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFbkn7WgtY
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hRIUynQyz
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zmas4Go3a
Even now, standing before him with her true nature revealed, she spoke with grace rather than command.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nClIhd2wQ
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KyRJBb87V
Cel's chest tightened.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2kJUN2V9Dm
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmmkHgZlZn
Not from unworthiness - though he felt that keenly.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKyZIGeQdwb
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvq4QspiQT
But from recognition.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ97Ji0PmI9
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZzb6l4HzB
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqaZ8LygAhA
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHq0a0QVfl
And here stood someone with more power than any of them could dream of.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcA8xTW3Qhh
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPuwGsWM6L0
Who chose not to wield it as a tool of domination.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTeoWz94WTy
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUeuLAFdf7C
"Then..." He straightened slightly, meeting her masked gaze. "I'll speak to you as myself."122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9LSoJxahL
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFfHh0Nlhi
A pause.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBbZzqT6nq2
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlWWgb4h4hP
"And I'll make sure you never regret guiding me."122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwCUBrJidv
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEg7WLumVlq
Selina's smile deepened - genuine warmth that transformed her serene expression into something radiant.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡin9dtqDuql
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzPStV9ybkJ
"I never have, Chosen One."122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfytSNXHcAq
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdSIEHqaGIl
The simple certainty in those words settled over him like a blanket.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKW8EwtpqR
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Not forgiveness - she had nothing to forgive, apparently.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJqlmgg24N
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Just acceptance.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqUanPdkNn
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Cel bowed his head. Not in apology this time.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnASTQhtIM8
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQUzuqu2rEY
In respect. True respect, given freely to someone who had earned it through every patient word, every quiet truth.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Asw2CYJc5
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKWaKu5Ow4
When he raised his eyes again, something fundamental had shifted inside him.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHCv8V4gsd
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The guilt remained - it would serve as reminder, fuel to be better.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddjyaxLZ7J
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But beneath it, something else had taken root.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoKuWK1uYXj
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Trust. Deep and unshakeable.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEy9miSfycl
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Whatever came next - whatever trials or horrors the future held - he would follow where she led.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm2KfcE2h7j
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNM8sJFenwm
Because Selina wasn't just the goddess's voice.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1JOlg69IN
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She was his guide.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5Px8EywXq
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And he would not dishonor that gift again.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJubHTe8HMD
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Silence settled between them, heavy with unspoken understanding.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9gVQDEQ15
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He didn't need more words. Neither did she.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RJrmuqfBF
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The mist around them stirred.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNU7cAixq1
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcLjbiV28m
Selina's gaze lingered on him - just a moment longer - before she turned away.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu2VZvnTrwU
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlrxmcJx0H
"Follow me, Chosen One. There is more yet to be done."122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5xveTIOZ3
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJ4f3qC77C
Cel followed without hesitation.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWB0cTCOlc
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn7SDMmNHcO
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllQoc2NuDW
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3k0LmGcKb6
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQADsHNEP8J
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Gwho7nM7S
"What happened to me?" he asked.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXYg7py1aH
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She didn't slow her pace, but her head turned slightly toward him.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM911Lt0TdX
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"Your physical form in the Hollow Realms succumbed to its injuries," she said simply.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡedFHwJ5X8I
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The words should have struck harder. But after everything - after dying twice already - the revelation felt almost distant.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdW8BhKPUct
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ710PeeL7aN
"Then how…“ He gestured at himself, at the body that felt foreign in its wholeness. "How am I still here?"122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUBEo6qC1Z
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ELubOUnqD
"Your soul was preserved within the trial - protected by divine ground." Selina's voice carried a weight he hadn't heard before.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Ku9K0CN1K
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LsDi9rsPx
She paused, as if choosing her next words carefully.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBd0hxyTLB1
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7LRFN19sM
"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."122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFX7Vbz3jd
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjUSUb8SP1
Cel’s breath caught.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFp0cWW4QxH
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Not healing. Not recovery.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUeylNknyB
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Resurrection.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKPDyFL5Rf
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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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxpddvQ3P9
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8P2rlcbC03
Perhaps that was why the trial existed at all - to prove his soul worthy of such a gift.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVWXcMIMgI
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Cel let the truth settle as they continued forward.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3X0chXcKa
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Eventually, the terrain shifted.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgYm1OytBNr
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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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6hKZzxyrg
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At its center stood a monolith.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1IU9YE5Hf
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Not stone. Not metal.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Egao6dBfB
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Something else.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJjGYIHH6V
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Cel stopped walking.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgRLTJRy2O
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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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpQwZhNFHSB
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Sapphire beneath moonlight - cold and radiant.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5n9Hon1a7O
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Divine.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlUik5rmvPe
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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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgHGsdM1Ki
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGrvHY6Pbfn
This wasn't just an object.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodAdsWEePe
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This was touched by divinity itself.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWUe9Rt2AY
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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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC1CkR8E0eg
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Cel's chest tightened.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUfTJcwAnU
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He knew what came next.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgqI31Ixtlb
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Every Chosen One, upon receiving their first blessing, was granted three things.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCNmd8dZCd
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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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6aJfQkwgc
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6HCHiDtek
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRAXlrfAL2
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBmOCLVhTH
Both could stem from the same paragon or draw from different aspects of their deity's domain.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEEzWbOpkUc
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2qTG2nZ9f
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUh9sR3wPX
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYZytZnppv
Unlike future blessings - earned through achievements - this first gift was granted freely. A mark that the journey had begun.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTwVG26YsX
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnIYlUcTv24
Cel's hands trembled slightly as he stepped forward.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacMuLIXtRh
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The monolith responded.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡts6mqxryxg
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAiuVAYzimH
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.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo1Dg4fszGt
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Runes.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXoZgVBL2Q
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He couldn't read them. Didn't recognize the script.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4sOrfhpjX
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But he understood them anyway - meaning that bypassed his eyes entirely and settled into his mind like instinct.122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FFVHdK9j9
122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyE2MMW3ip
<Name: Celvian>122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xa44f0zLq
<Paragons: (Heir to the Moon) (The White Death)>122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGGfHaKfuJ
<Artifacts: (Silent Moon)>122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbR86q51k5
<Insights: (locked 0/1)>122Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡluDkAlPbCN
<Achievements: (1)>1234 copyright protection118ＰＥＮＡＮＡPPiYejCpbw 尼

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