LOGIN"She's here!"
"Shall we start beating that bullshit again?!" "My allowance will be reduced because of her!" "That weirdo deserved what she got today!" "That wuss! She's the reason I am grounded for a month!" Luna didn't know who was talking. At this time, all she knew was that she would be hurt by their hands. She looked at them one by one and saw their evil grins. Their grins made Luna's hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She stood like an idiot awaiting her end. Suddenly, someone kicked her in the back. The girl fell to her knees and then to the floor, with an additional kick to her neck compounding the impact. The kick was heavy, and Luna's neck was severely in pain. Someone stepped on her head. It was stepped on several times, and the girl's face almost touched the floor. No one was held back, and no one complained. They all enjoy this torture. Each laughed and seemed to be convincing the other to continue. "You bitch! Someone like you should disappear from this school. You are an eyesore! You all are making us suffer. You are too much of a hero!" Mendez said so. Mendez also stepped on Luna's head. Not satisfied with what was done, he grabbed Luna's head and slammed it into the concrete floor. Luna did not react. She felt dizzy, and her vision was burning. Didn't they feel sorry for beating Luna? The malnourished Luna? The poor girl was hurt, and no one seems to mind. Others have baseball bats. Regardless of where they got the bat from, their goal was to paralyze Luna. They know that no matter what, they can get away with it. "You should have learned your lesson by now, bitch!" Mendez spat and grinned evilly. Luna was picked up by two of her female classmates and forced to her knees. The girl looked around and saw everyone present. There's blood on her forehead. One of her eyes was covered with blood. She could only see with one eye. Their cruel smiles were on display. Their plans will be carried out today. No one appears to have heard their voices. The staff probably also turned a deaf ear in this mess. "Are you ready, guys? We should give our beloved Luna Janus Jayson a punishment that she won't ever forget. She can confront this punishment repeatedly and reflect on her role within this school." Mendez stated, he is their leader. "Have mercy. Have mercy..." Luna tried to plead, but no one gave her sympathy. They just shrugged and smirked. Luna expected this. When Mendez signaled to the rest of their classmates, Luna closed her eyes. They came in one by one and hit Luna with their hands. They punched and kicked Luna. They didn't stop until she's bleeding. Luna coughed up blood, but they didn't seem to want to beat her, even though she was already in a pathetic condition. "It's not enough, guys. Let's stomp on her!" Mendez made a suggestion on which everyone agreed. They didn't just stomp; others also punched and kicked Luna's head. The girls slapped Luna and pulled her hair. "E-Enough, please... I'm begging you. Please...." Luna begged in a weak voice. Her whole body was very painful. Her whole body was full of wounds. The girl's blood was flowing from her forehead, nose and mouth. She coughed up blood several times. Thirty people tortured Luna. "I'm begging you. Please!" Luna begged again, but no one listened; instead, they laughed. "Your begging is pointless." One of her classmate spat. Luna lay down on the cold concrete floor. She can't move her body. She looked at them, and her eyes were almost lifeless. The others joined in and threw the cigarettes they were smoking at her, hitting various parts of Luna's body. Luna is a victim of influence and wealth. Luna is envious and jealous of selfish individuals who only focus on their selfish interests. From Luna's perspective, Mendez was visible. He gave the poor girl an evil grin. "I don't think this is enough. Bring me something deserving of our beloved Luna's face," he said sarcastically. They followed what Mendez said. Someone brought a large, hard rock. Luna's eyes widened as she gasped in shock. Luna knew what to do! "Don't! Please!" She tried to stop the cruelty of the classmate, but Mendez only grinned like a demon and dropped the rock right on Luna's face and head. It slammed against Luna's face. They laughed and clapped their hands as if they were still celebrating their stupidity. She girl was unable to move from her position. Her entire system is gradually shutting down, and the end is in sight. They were all cheering while a body was on the verge of death. They didn't appear to mind. It is more correct to say that they do not care about her life. "Perhaps you'll grow old enough to recognize who you encounter." Mendez said those final words as they all walked away, as if nothing had happened. Luna was left all alone. Her breath was leaving her slowly. The rock struck Luna's face, causing damage. Her head is cracked, and her face is bleeding. Luna looked up at the sky. The heartless did not know that her heartbeat was gradually weakening and slowly fading. Because she had lost so much blood, Luna was slowly dying. She was here in this world for sixteen years, and she hopes she didn't come back. "Poor end." She muttered to herself. Luna girl cried. Two lone tears fell in her eyes. All she wants is to study happily and be successful. But why is that? Why is it that whoever is good person is the one who has to suffer? 'All I wanted to do was prove myself and be a decent person. Why is my ending like this?' She questioned herself once more. She feels sorry for herself. Luna became a victim of other people's envy. She lacks the strength to remove the stone from her face in order to relieve her pain. Luna's entire body seemed like a burning candle that was slowly losing its flame. The gloomy night and impending rain seemed to sympathize with the girl. It's strange that one star shone brightly while it started to rain. Luna feels like she has nothing more to fight for in order to live. She will just accept her fate. 'If I am given the chance to live again, I will want to wield great power. I wanted to trample on everyone who had abused me. I wanted each of them to beg for mercy.' These words are the only ones that can be heard in the mind of the person who is slowly losing her life. "If I could live again. I want to be more than just a weak and insignificant Luna." Luna muttered to herself and laughed at her life's trivialities. Luna knows that this night she will writhe like a leaf that will vanish in an instant. Nobody will weep for her. Nobody would recognize her. No one noticed Luna, as if she were a forgotten person who should never be remembered again. Those things are true. She will be lost without doing anything for herself, and that is what she will regret as her eyes slowly close and her heart stops beating. Luna Janus Jayson has passed away, leaving behind a life filled with deep regrets.“I’m not leaving until I see her.” Ravion’s voice echoed sharply from the hallway outside the Healers’ Wing. Even muffled through the ornate doors, his tone carried irritation, impatience and something else Alessia couldn’t name, because she was still unconscious, but everyone else heard it clearly.Kael’s head snapped up from his place beside Alessia’s bed, where he’d been silently watching her sleep for hours. His grip tightened around her hand.Ianthe lifted an eyebrow. “He’s persistent.”Ariadne exhaled. “He’s a prince. They’re all persistent.”Eryx muttered, “Some are just more annoying than others.”Seraphine hid behind Eryx’s shoulder. “Can we pretend the princess is allergic to visitors? Or that she’s contagious? With something horrible?”Ianthe smirked. “Tempting.”A firm knock rattled the door. Kael stood this time. A shadow fell across his eyes. “I’ll speak with him.”Ariadne nodded. “Do not let him provoke you.”“That depends on him,” Kael said, rolling his eyes. Seraphin
“Her pulse is steady. Keep the cores aligned.” Voices blurred around Alessia as Kael carried her through the inner corridors of the Conclave Citadel. The ceilings arched impossibly high, lit by soft silver lanterns. The walls hummed with ancient luminousness—alive, listening, watching—but Alessia heard none of it clearly.Her head rested against Kael’s shoulder. Her breathing was shallow. Her skin is cold. Every step jostled her wounded core.Ariadne walked at Kael’s side, hand glowing softly as she kept a stream of Lux pressed over Alessia’s chest to keep her stabilized.“Hurry,” Ariadne ordered, voice tight with controlled panic. “We need to get her to the Healers’ Wing before her cores slip again.”Ianthe strode ahead, silver cloak sweeping the ground as she cut through the crowd like a blade. “Out of the way! Move! The princess needs space!”Seraphine sobbed behind them. “I can’t believe she fainted.”Eryx rolled his eyes and was dragging Seraphine by the arm before she could flin
“Alessia!” Kael’s voice cut through the roar of the arena, sharper than any blade Ravion had swung at her. As soon as the barrier dropped, he vaulted over the viewing rail with effortless speed—ignoring guards, ignoring protocol, and ignoring every rule the Conclave had.He reached her side in seconds. Alessia’s vision swayed. The arena floor tilted. Her lungs felt like they were filled with fire. Her Dual Essence flickered erratically—too much Lux, too much shadow, both cores shaking violently from overuse.Her arms buckled. Kael caught her before she hit the ground.“Easy—easy,” he murmured, lowering her gently into his lap. “Breathe, Alessia.” She tried.Her breath stuttered, shallow and sharp. Her eyes were unfocused.“It hurts…” she uttered.“I know.” Kael tightened his grip. “Don’t close your eyes. Stay with me.”The arena still thundered with cheers, applause, and murmurs of disbelief—but none of it reached her clearly. It all felt muffled and distant, as if she were underwater
“One minute!” The Arena Master’s voice rang like a bell through the blinding rush of luminousness and shadow.Alessia and Ravion closed the distance between them. They were both determined. Every heartbeat felt like a countdown. Every step felt like destiny pulling them forward. Every breath burned.Ravion’s violet eyes gleamed—not with malice, but with excitement, hunger, and something else she couldn’t name.“Show me your full power, Princess Alessia,” he breathed.Alessia braced herself. “Gladly.”Ravion moved first. He dashed forward—a blur of shadow. His blade sliced down in a clean arc toward her shoulder. Alessia spun, Lux flaring in her palm; the force of his strike rippled through her arm. Alessia gritted her teeth.Ravion smirked. “Faster.” His twisted movements were elegant, effortless, and lethal.Alessia matched him; she won’t back down. Her Dual Essence shield glimmered like a silver comet as she blocked a second strike, ducked under a third, and redirected the fourth.
“Come now, Princess—show me more.” Ravion’s voice echoed through the arena, smooth and taunting, as he dragged his foot across the luminous floor. His blade glinted—a curved Noctis weapon forged from shadowsteel, shimmering like a trapped storm.Alessia didn’t flinch. Her Dual Essence flickered around her—soft silver waves, breath-like, alive. She inhaled, slow and steady. She didn’t want to be negligible this time. “Alright,” she whispered back. “I will.”The crowd roared. Solaris cheered. Lunaris murmured in awe. Noctis hissed, sensing danger. They knew even if Alessia is young, they saw how determined she is. Kael stood on the sidelines, unmoving, but his fingers dug into the barrier so tightly small cracks formed along his glove.Ianthe folded her arms. “Now this will be interesting.”Eryx leaned forward against the rail. “Come on, Alessia!” He cheered. Seraphine held a handkerchief to her mouth. Exaggerated as usual. “Don’t die! Don’t die, pretty please!” Then—everything expl
“Princess Alessia Keren Endymion—your presence is required in the Arena.” The voice boomed through the corridors of the Conclave Citadel like rolling thunder.Alessia jolted awake, breath catching, heart thundering violently.For a moment she forgot where she was—forgot the looming trials, forgot the endless sky beneath the floating Citadel—but then the realization hit her like cold water.Today is the Trial of Strength. Today she faces Ravion.Seraphine burst into the room so fast she tripped over her own feet.“Princess Alessia, wake up. It’s time! Oh’ stars!”Eryx stood behind her, looking pale but determined. “Don’t panic.”“I’m trying but panic is my default!” Seraphine wailed.Ianthe entered with a silver comb and a cloak draped over her arm. “Control yourselves, all of you. She must be calm.”Kael was already in the corner of the room. He was quiet. Watching over her since dawn.His mask was on, pristine and unreadable, but the tension in his shoulders told her enough—he had no







