The Vespera training yard was wrecked and battered. Cracks in the ground shattered earth, and a broken tree—Abell’s favorite hammock y buried in the rubble. The night ended with Keeko standing victorious and Abell uo move due to exhaustion.

  Now lying unscious, Keeko attempted to carry him inside his room. But her arms began to give out. She had bruises on both of her arms, and her muscles ached and tingled from his attacks.

  “Ms. Keeko, Abell!” Astrid shouted. “We got this. Don’t stress yourself out, please.”

  As she ran to help with her injuries, Tazed at Abell, feeling flicted. “The power of a Lux...” He thought

  “Ms. Keeko, you really shouldn’t be moving! With those injuries, it’s a miracle you even stand.”

  Keeko couldn’t help but smile at the young girl’s for her. It somewhat reminded her of a young Genevive.

  “Okay, Astrid, I hear you. I’ll take it easy tonight,” Keeko said.

  Astrid jumped in shock at Keeko’s soft tone. Her face showed a look of amazement mixed with shobsp;

  “Don’t give me that look, Astrid,” Keeko said.

  “Yes, Ma’am, sorry, I didn’t expect that.”

  Astrid paused momentarily to g Abell, sleeping on the grouo them.

  “He’s so reckless, even against his mother.” she sighed.

  “That’s what makes him, Abell, right Astrid?” Keeko asked. “Unlike Genevieve, He’s always been fearless, even in the faajor adversity.”

  “Fearless and a fool.” Torin scoffed.

  “You say that again,” Hugo said. Then he walked up to Abell and examined his injuries, determining they were nothing too major.

  “I’ll take Abell inside. We ’t just leave him here.”

  Keeko gave him a hardened gre.

  “What? you don’t trust me even for this.” Hugo said.

  “Sure, go ahead.” Keeko sighed. “I’m not in the best ditiht now anyways.”

  “See, I’ve got you.” he teased.

  Hugo carried Abell inside, analyzing him. A smirk crept up on his face as he pced him in his bed. His eyes lingered on him for a bit longer.

  “I found a diamond in the rough, professor,” he said aloud. “His lux, his recklessness, and his ability to tinue during adversity. Truly incredible.”

  He turo face the window, looking at Astrid, finishing to patch up Keeko aing with Torin.

  “I just wish we had more Luminaries with his resolve.” he thought.

  He began to close the door, leaving Abell behind to rest.

  Keeko leaned against the broken tree in the field as she watched Astrid and Torin walk home. Her body ached severely, but more so, her mind ran wild. She couldn’t believe what she had seen.

  Footsteps.

  “That was one hell of a battle.” a voice called out.

  Reizing it was Hugo, Keeko cracked an eye open as she sighed.

  He approached her carefully with hands in his pockets, and a smirk annoyed her.

  “You’re the st person I want to deal with right now, Hugo.”

  “Yeah, I get that a lot,” he said. “But you’re worried about him, aren't you.”

  “Oh, look at you, finally being attentive for once,” she said, her arms crossed.

  Hugo paused, a slight grin f. “That boy, he’s got something special. His lux reminds me of my own. So much utility and possibilities.”

  “I’ve noticed that too... I thought it was just a bde.” Keeko said.

  An awkward silence began to form betweewo before she spoke up again.

  “If that’s true... he’s going to draw the wrong kind of attention.” her gaze shifted to the full moon above.

  “If you decide to take him, please promise me you’ll protect him.”

  Hugo let out a slight chuckle.

  “hought I’d see the day that Keeko Vespera asks me for a favor.”

  “Huuugoo.” Keeko sighed.

  “Alright, alright.” Hugo jabbed a thumb at his chest. “You have my word. I’ll keep him safe. You have nothing to worry about.”

  Keeko let out a long sigh. “... I hope I’m making the right choice.”

  “Aww, is the Iron Wall finally warming up to me after all these years?”

  “That stupid niame...Don’t push it, Hugo.” Keeko murmured.

  “Okay,” he smirked.

  Hugo helped her back to her room, and the night fell quiet.

  The first thing Abell felt ain.

  His body ached, his muscles throbbed, and he could barely move. He opened his eyes, and immediate pain seared through his body.

  “Aghhh--dammit...”

  He tried to move, but his body refused to move.

  “The fight... I lost the sword.”

  He gazed at his palm, remembering how it ged sizes and eve moment when it became oh his arm.

  “If I could have trolled it, I would have won.” he thought.

  Just then, Keeko rushed into the room with written on her face.

  “Abell, what’s wrong?” she asked urgently.

  “I’m fi’s nothing,” he lied through gritted teeth.

  Keeko was having none of it. “Don’t try to be tough. Let me check you over.”

  She gently examined his injuries. “Hmm, these are worse than I thought.

  We o take you to Ms. Mary’s ibsp;

  “I’ll be fine,” Abell quickly protested, but Keeko was already moving him off the bed.

  “Nuing. You o get these teo,” she insisted, leading him through the door.

  The Main Street was busy as usual. Vendors were setting up their stalls, calling out to passersby.

  The smell of freshly cooked food wafted through the air. Abell felt embarrassed as people stared at him, noting his injuries. “

  Hehe, it looks like Abell finally got taught a lesson by someone,” a man said.

  “I wonder what happeo him. He looks hurt. I hope it wasn’t malignant, " a ed woman said.

  “I think his mom finally disciplined him; people heard loud night at their residence.” A noisy woman ented.

  Keeko shot them a sharp look.

  “People these days should mind their own business.” she spat.

  The ic was quiet when they arrived. Only Mary and Astrid sat at the front.

  Mary took one look at Abell and sighed. “You again?”

  Astrid took one g him and looked highly displeased.

  “You o be careful, Abell; our bodies may be enhanced due to the luminous orb, but please take it easy.” she sighed.

  “Sorry, I ’t help it,” he said.

  “Take him to the back, Astrid.’ Mary said, looking unimpressed.

  “Yes, Ma’am.”

  The few moments were grueling.

  Astrid used alcohol to his wounds, causing him to wihe cool touch of luminleaves eased the pain slightly, but his body still ached all over.

  Mary and Keeko left to talk up front, leaving just him and Astrid.

  A siletled over them. Then Astrid finally spoke.

  “So... It seems like Ms. Keeko is okay with you leaving now.”

  “Yeah, I think she is, but I still lost. I’m not satisfied,” he said.

  Astrid crossed her arms.

  “Is that all you have to say?”

  “You’re still mad, huh.” he groaned, running a hand through his messy hair.

  Without warning, Astrid punched him.

  “Agh—dammit, Astrid!” he hissed.

  “Good, you’re not dead.”

  Abell shot her a gre. “I’m injured. There’s a differenbsp;

  “You really don’t get why I’m mad, do you?”

  He hesitated, then sighed.

  “You keep saying that, but I don’t know what you wao say.”

  Astrid leaned in, eyes sharp. “You’re leaving. You’ve been pnning it for who knows how long, and you didn’t even tell me until two days ago.”

  Abell blinked. “I didn’t knoere friends.”

  Astrid stared at him.

  Then, she grabbed a fresh roll of bandages and threw it at his fabsp;

  “OW—WHAT THE HELL?!”

  “YOU’RE SO STUPID!” she yelled.

  Abell barely dodged the sed bandage roll.

  “Stop throwing stuff at me!”

  Astrid let out an exasperated sigh, rubbiemples. “Do you seriously think I was just practig my doctor thing all these years?”

  “I mean… yeah?”

  Astrid’s eye twitched.

  “You’re impossible,” she muttered.

  Abell rubbed his arm, feeling awkward. “…So, what, we’re friends?”

  “YES, YOU IDIOT.”

  Silence filled the room for a few seds.

  “Sorry, then,” he said.

  Astrid sighed.

  “I know you have to go. I get it. But just…” She paused, looking away. “Don’t fet about this town, okay?”

  “That’s a promise,” Abell smirked.

  Before Astrid could respond, a thunderous voice echoed through the ibsp;

  “ABELL! WHERE ARE YOU.”

  Torin busted through the door.

  “My disciple! Who could have possibly dohis to you?” he said.

  “Please, Torin, no jokes.”

  “Tell me, Abell, I’ll find the person and avenge you!” he yelled. “Only I have the right to beat on you like this.”

  “What!?” Abell shouted

  Astrid facepalmed, already knowing how this iion would py out. She intervened immediately.

  “Toriched the fight. You know who did this to him.”

  Torin froze at her bluntness. “ht, hehe.”

  Abell shook his head, barely holding back a ugh.

  Torin quickly recovered, crossing his arms.

  “ANYWAY! I’ve e to make an annou!”

  Abell blinked. “What?”

  Torin turned dramatically toward Hugo, who had just ehe ibsp;

  “I want to go to the academy too!” he said as he pounded a fist against his chest.

  Astrid and Abell stared bnkly at him.

  “You…” Abell hesitated. “Torin, you don’t have Lux, though.”

  “I don’t care,” he said

  Abell could tell—Tori it.

  Hugo, watg the exge, scratched his . “Hmm…”

  Torin ched his fists. “I know I don’t have Lux, but watg that fight—watg you—it made me realize… I have to try.”

  Abell hesitated. He wao tell Torin that he didn’t o do this and had nothing to prove. But…Looking at his face, Abell khere was no talking him out of it.

  Hugo finally spoke.

  “Alright, I’ll think about it.”

  “WHAT?! You have to think?!” Torin said.

  Hugo grinned. “Yes, I’ll tell you by tomorrow.”

  “HU—GO!” Torin shouted.

  Abell ughed.

  Despite everything—the pain and the e exhaustion—he felt… lighter.

  His friends.

  His home.

  He would miss this.

  But he had to go.

  He gnced out the window. The world stretched beyond Iridius, calling to him.

  “I’m ready.”

  And this time, there was n babsp;