CHAPTER 33 — PRESSURE DOES NOT BREAK

# THE FALLEN LIGHT — SEASON I

## CHAPTER 33 — PRESSURE DOES NOT BREAK

"FIFTY!"

Percy's voice echoed across the area. His arms were trembling. Sweat poured down his back. Holar's aura hadn't diminished in the slightest. Sixty percent. Uninterrupted. Crushing. But Percy didn't stop.

"FIFTY-ONE!"

Clara raised her head. She was a few meters away from Percy. She shouted her own count.

"Thirty-eight..."

Arthur gritted his teeth.

"Thirty-six!"

Charlotte:

"Thirty-seven!"

William:

"Forty-one!"

Nathaniel:

"Thirty-three!"

Percy lowered himself down. Rose back up.

"FIFTY-TWO!"

Arthur looked at him.

"How, man?"

Percy:

"Don't talk."

Down again.

"FIFTY-THREE!"

Charlotte was panting heavily.

"Seriously..."

"How is he doing it?"

William didn't answer. He was watching Percy's movements. He had noticed something. Percy wasn't fast. On the contrary... He was extremely rhythmic. Every descent was identical. Every ascent was identical. He took a breath at the exact same point every time. He wasn't fighting Holar's pressure. He had accepted it.

William:

"He's not resisting."

Arthur:

"What?"

William:

"He's not trying to fight the aura."

Percy heard it. But he didn't speak.

"FIFTY-FOUR!"

William continued to figure it out.

"We are trying to push ourselves up."

"He is trying to complete the motion."

Charlotte:

"What's the difference?"

William:

"I don't know."

Galahad smiled from a distance.

"A huge difference."

Charlotte looked at him. Galahad said nothing more. Percy kept going.

"FIFTY-FIVE!"

"FIFTY-SIX!"

"FIFTY-SEVEN!"

Clara's arms gave out. Her chest hit the dirt.

"Ah!"

Percy didn't look at her.

"FIFTY-EIGHT!"

Clara gritted her teeth. Rose back up.

"Forty-two!"

Percy smiled.

"FIFTY-NINE!"

Clara:

"Don't look ahead of me!"

Percy:

"I'm not looking!"

Clara:

"You smiled!"

Percy:

"SIXTY!"

Clara's eyes widened.

"Sixty?!"

Percy didn't stop.

Arthur:

"I'm at forty-three!"

Nathaniel:

"I'M AT THIRTY-EIGHT!"

William:

"Forty-nine."

Nathaniel looked at him.

"I hate you too."

William:

"Thank you."

Percy:

"SIXTY-ONE!"

Holar was watching silently. Eleanor had her arms folded. Elizabeth Olsen's gaze... Was fixed on Percy's core. Galahad finally spoke up.

"Something changed."

Eleanor:

"What?"

Galahad:

"He was struggling during the first twenty."

Olsen nodded.

"Now he looks more comfortable."

Holar:

"He isn't comfortable."

The three of them looked at him.

Holar:

"He's getting used to the pain."

Eleanor's expression turned grim.

Holar:

"The pressure is the same."

"The pain is increasing."

"His muscles are tiring."

"But its importance in his mind is shrinking."

Galahad looked at Percy.

"Meaning..."

Holar:

"He isn't waiting for the pain to go away."

Percy yelled from a distance.

"SIXTY-FIVE!"

Holar smiled.

"He's carrying it with him."

Minutes passed. Then an hour. Percy's voice... Never stopped.

"NINETY-EIGHT!"

Everyone raised their heads.

William:

"Seventy-one!"

Arthur:

"Sixty-six!"

Charlotte:

"Sixty-eight!"

Clara:

"Seventy!"

Nathaniel:

"Sixty-three!"

Percy went down. Came back up.

"NINETY-NINE!"

Now everyone was watching him. Percy's arms were bright red. His fingers were sinking into the soil. His shoulders were shaking. But his rhythm didn't break. Down. Breathe. Up. Breathe. One last descent. Rose up.

"ONE HUNDRED!"

Nobody did their own push-ups. Everyone was staring at Percy. Percy waited for a few seconds. Then he raised his head.

"What are you doing?"

Arthur:

"You reached a hundred."

Percy:

"Yes."

Nathaniel:

"We're in the sixties!"

Percy:

"Yes."

Nathaniel:

"HOW?!"

Percy knitted his brows.

"By doing push-ups."

Nathaniel:

"YOU SON OF A BITCH."

Percy:

"Sixty-four."

Nathaniel:

"What?"

Percy:

"You were at sixty-three."

Nathaniel stared at him. Then lowered himself to the ground.

"SIXTY-FOUR!"

Percy:

"Good boy."

And he went down again.

"ONE HUNDRED AND ONE!"

Arthur's mouth stayed wide open.

"Aren't you going to rest?"

Percy:

"Why?"

Arthur:

"Because you did a hundred!"

Percy:

"It's not two hundred and fifty."

Arthur:

"You..."

Percy:

"ONE HUNDRED AND TWO!"

Galahad laughed.

"There it is."

Eleanor looked at him.

"What?"

Galahad:

"He's pulling them along."

Olsen:

"How?"

Galahad:

"By leading from the front."

Holar shook his head.

"No."

Galahad looked at him.

Holar:

"He's not pushing them from behind."

"Nor is he pulling them from the front."

He pointed at Percy.

"He is simply showing the way."

There was pride in Holar's eyes.

"Following him is their choice."

Second hour.

Percy:

"ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY!"

Clara:

"Seventy-eight!"

Arthur:

"Seventy-four!"

Charlotte:

"Seventy-six!"

William:

"Eighty-three!"

Nathaniel:

"Seventy!"

Ethan:

"Sixty-nine!"

Percy's arms by now... Were trembling uncontrollably. Eleanor noticed.

"He's going to stop soon."

Galahad:

"No."

Eleanor:

"Look at his muscles."

Galahad:

"I am looking."

Eleanor:

"Then you see it."

Galahad:

"I'm not looking at his muscles."

Eleanor turned to him. Galahad pointed at Percy's eyes.

"I'm looking there."

Eleanor looked. In Percy's eyes... There was only a single thought. Keep going.

"ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-ONE!"

Clara saw it too. For a moment, she felt ashamed of her own pain. Then she got angry at herself. No. That wasn't Percy's lesson. It wasn't to feel ashamed of pain. It was despite the pain... To keep going. Clara lowered herself down.

"SEVENTY-NINE!"

Percy turned his head. He smiled.

Clara:

"Look ahead!"

Percy:

"I am!"

Clara:

"YOU LOOKED AT ME!"

Percy:

"MAKE IT EIGHTY!"

Clara:

"EIGHTY!"

Percy:

"Attagirl!"

Clara:

"You are annoying!"

Percy:

"I know!"

Arthur laughed. And that laugh... Changed something. Charlotte laughed too. Nathaniel cursed. William smiled. One by one... They began moving again.

Percy passed one hundred and eighty. Then one hundred and ninety. And...

"TWO HUNDRED!"

This time nobody stopped.

Arthur just yelled:

"WE HEARD YOU!"

Percy:

"Good!"

Charlotte:

"You don't need to count out loud!"

Percy:

"I do!"

Nathaniel:

"Why?!"

Percy:

"IT ANNOYS YOU!"

Nathaniel:

"YES!"

Percy:

"THEN IT'S WORKING!"

Holar burst out laughing. Eleanor glitched a glare at him.

"Don't laugh."

Holar:

"It's funny."

Olsen:

"A little."

Galahad:

"A lot."

Eleanor looked over the three of them.

"You're no different from the kids."

Holar:

"Thank you."

Eleanor:

"It wasn't a compliment."

Holar:

"I took it as one."

By the time Percy reached two hundred and forty... The atmosphere in the area had shifted. Nobody was talking anymore. Everyone... Was watching him. William was at eighty-eight. Clara eighty-four. Charlotte eighty-one. Arthur seventy-nine. Nathaniel seventy-four. The others... Were between sixties and eighties. But Percy...

"TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY-FIVE!"

His knees shook. His arms were close to collapsing. He pushed back up.

"TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY-SIX!"

Clara stopped moving. So did Arthur. Even William paused.

"TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY-SEVEN!"

Blood dripped from Percy's nose. Eleanor stepped forward. Holar raised his hand.

"Wait."

Eleanor:

"Holar."

Holar:

"Wait."

Percy went down. This time... He couldn't push back up.

Clara:

"Percy."

Percy's arms trembled. Rose one centimeter. Fell back down.

Arthur involuntarily:

"Come on."

Percy tried again. Two centimeters. Three. Four.

Charlotte:

"Come on, Percy."

Nathaniel:

"Get up, man."

Percy's face was close to the dirt.

William:

"You can do it."

Clara shouted.

"PERCY!"

Percy's eyes snapped open.

Clara:

"TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY-EIGHT!"

Percy's arms tensed. Slowly... He rose.

"TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY-EIGHT!"

Everyone shouted.

Arthur:

"TWO MORE!"

Percy went down again. His arms were no longer supporting him. Percy closed his eyes. Pressure. Pain. Exhaustion. They were all there. They weren't going away. Percy knew this. He didn't ask them to go away. He accepted them. And he rose.

"TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY-NINE!"

Everyone almost stood up.

Clara:

"ONE MORE!"

Arthur:

"ONE MORE, DAMN IT!"

Nathaniel:

"GET UP!"

Charlotte:

"COME ON!"

William:

"Finish it."

Percy went down one last time. For a long time, he didn't move. The smile on Galahad's face vanished. Olsen held her breath. Eleanor clenched her hands tight. Holar... Was staring at his grandson. Percy whispered.

"Pressure..."

Nobody heard him. Then he said it a bit louder.

"Pressure..."

His arms tensed.

"Does not..."

He began to rise.

"Define me."

His chest lifted off the ground.

"I..."

His elbows opened.

"Decide..."

His body rose.

"What I will do."

He locked his arms completely.

"TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY!"

For a moment... There was total silence. Then the whole area exploded.

"WOOOOOOOOOO!"

Nathaniel jumped up.

"DAMN!"

Arthur pumped his fist into the air. Charlotte was clapping. Ethan was shouting. Clara's eyes were shining. Galahad was laughing out loud. Eleanor breathed a long sigh of relief. Olsen nodded. Holar smiled. Percy sat on the ground. He was completely out of breath.

Arthur:

"Rest!"

Percy:

"I will."

Nathaniel:

"Finally!"

Percy:

"It's in the rules."

Nathaniel:

"Of course."

Percy lay flat on his back. He looked up at the sky. Then... At the others. They were still struggling. Percy closed his eyes. He could rest. That was the rule. A minute passed. Then Percy sat back up.

Clara:

"What are you doing?"

Percy stood up.

Arthur:

"You can rest."

Percy:

"I know."

Charlotte:

"Then rest."

Percy:

"No."

William looked at him. Percy walked to the front of the class. Then he squatted down.

Arthur:

"What are you doing?"

Percy:

"I'm going to count."

Nathaniel:

"Count what?"

Percy:

"You guys."

Percy looked at Arthur.

"How many?"

Arthur:

"Eighty."

Percy:

"Alright."

Charlotte:

"Eighty-two."

William:

"Eighty-nine."

Clara:

"Eighty-five."

One by one, they told him. Percy nodded.

"Alright."

Then he yelled.

"ARTHUR!"

Arthur:

"WHAT?"

Percy:

"EIGHTY-ONE!"

Arthur went down.

"EIGHTY-ONE!"

Percy:

"CHARLOTTE!"

"Eighty-three!"

"WILLIAM!"

"Ninety!"

"CLARA!"

Clara went down.

"Eighty-six!"

Percy:

"NATHANIEL!"

Nathaniel:

"Why am I here?"

Percy:

"SEVENTY-FIVE!"

Nathaniel:

"SEVENTY-FIVE!"

Percy:

"THAT'S IT!"

Galahad's smile vanished. He realized something.

Eleanor:

"What's wrong?"

Galahad:

"He's not resting."

Olsen:

"Counting isn't exhausting."

Galahad shook his head.

"That's not the point."

Holar answered.

"Until they finish..."

"He doesn't consider his own task complete."

Eleanor looked at Percy. And smiled softly.

"Silly boy."

Hours passed. Everyone reached two hundred and fifty. The last person was Ethan.

"TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY!"

He collapsed to the ground. Everyone cheered. Percy stood up.

"Phase one complete!"

Nathaniel:

"Food!"

Percy:

"No."

Nathaniel:

"Rest!"

Percy:

"Five minutes."

Nathaniel:

"I don't like you."

Percy:

"I know."

Five minutes later... Percy looked at Holar.

"Grandfather."

Holar stood up. The smile on his face... Ruined everyone's mood.

"Eighty percent."

BOOM.

This time... Even Percy dropped to his knees. Arthur couldn't breathe. Charlotte collapsed to the ground. Clara's eyes widened. William's hands trembled.

Nathaniel:

"IS THIS..."

He tried to catch his breath.

"TWENTY..."

Another breath.

"PERCENT DIFFERENCE?!"

Holar:

"Yes."

Nathaniel:

"LIAR!"

Percy forced himself up.

"Positions!"

Nobody moved.

Percy:

"FRIENDS!"

Clara was the first to move. She took the push-up position.

"I'm here."

Arthur:

"Me too."

Charlotte:

This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"Me too."

William:

"Keep going."

One by one... They all got down.

Percy:

"Two hundred and fifty-one."

And hell began all over again.

Three hundred. Three hundred and fifty. Four hundred. This time Percy didn't run ahead. William caught up to him. Clara was right behind them. Arthur and Charlotte were advancing together. Nathaniel was cursing out loud. But he wasn't quitting. Four hundred and thirty. Four hundred and forty. And finally...

"FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY!"

Percy hit the ground. William finished a few seconds later. Clara right after. Arthur. Charlotte. Nathaniel. One by one... They all finished. Percy looked at the time. Eight hours had passed. Two hours remained. The last fifty. Percy looked at Holar. This time... He wasn't smiling.

"Grandfather."

Holar wasn't smiling either.

"Are you sure?"

Percy:

"Yes."

Holar:

"Percy."

Percy:

"I won't change the rules."

Holar stared at his grandson for a long moment. Then he nodded.

"Very well."

Eleanor stood up. Galahad's expression turned serious. Olsen backed away. Holar closed his eyes. And... For the first time... He released his full aura.

BOOOOOOOOOOM.

Nobody screamed. Because... They couldn't scream. Percy crashed straight into the dirt. Clara's knees sank into the soil. Arthur couldn't draw air. Charlotte's eyes filled with tears. William's vision went dark. Nathaniel felt like throwing up. The ground... Cracked around Holar. The surface of the lake dropped. Tree branches bent. Even Galahad took a step backward. Olsen's eyes widened. Eleanor looked at Holar.

"Too much."

Percy's voice came through.

"No."

Eleanor turned to him. Percy was lying face-down. But... He placed his right hand on the dirt. Tucked his left hand behind his back. Single hand.

Percy:

"The right amount."

Clara looked at him.

"Percy..."

Percy:

"Last fifty."

Arthur:

"That's impossible."

Percy raised his head. Looked at Arthur.

"On the first night..."

"Four hundred and twenty kilometers..."

"Was impossible."

Arthur went quiet.

Percy:

"Yesterday, entering the lake..."

"Was impossible."

Charlotte looked over.

Percy:

"Today..."

"Five hundred push-ups..."

"Was impossible."

William closed his eyes. He understood.

Percy:

"Friends."

"Shall I tell you a secret?"

Nathaniel forced out:

"What?"

Percy smiled.

"Whether it's possible or not..."

"I don't care."

He tensed his right arm. His body lifted off the ground. Everyone stared at him.

Percy:

"We have to do it."

"That is enough."

He performed the first single-handed push-up.

"FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY-ONE!"

Clara's hand hit the ground.

"Four hundred and fifty-one!"

William started. Arthur started. Charlotte started. Nathaniel started. One by one... They all started.

Forty minutes later... Nobody had reached fifty. Percy was at nineteen. William seventeen. Clara sixteen. Arthur fourteen. Charlotte fourteen. The others were further behind. And for the first time... Percy looked at the clock. Time was running out. For everyone to finish... Seemed impossible. Galahad looked at the clock too. Then at Percy. For the first time in Percy's plan... He saw a crack. But Percy didn't panic. He just looked around. He examined everyone one by one. Then he noticed something. Arthur was using his right arm. Charlotte too. Clara right. William right. All of them were using their dominant arm.

Percy:

"Stop!"

Everyone stopped.

Nathaniel:

"WHAT HAPPENED?"

Percy:

"Switch arms."

Arthur:

"What?"

Percy:

"The other arm."

William understood instantly.

"To rest it."

Percy:

"Yes."

Charlotte:

"But the other arm is weaker."

Percy:

"Doesn't matter."

"Five right."

"Five left."

"Switch."

Clara immediately put her left hand down. Arthur too. William too. Holar raised an eyebrow. Galahad smiled.

"He found it."

Olsen:

"Found what?"

Galahad:

"How to think inside the pressure."

Percy yelled.

"KEEP GOING!"

And they sped up.

Last thirty minutes. Percy forty-three. William forty. Clara thirty-nine. Arthur thirty-eight. Charlotte thirty-eight. Nathaniel thirty-five. Percy looked at the clock. Then at his friends. He made a decision. He stopped his own push-ups.

Clara:

"What are you doing?!"

Percy:

"Seven left."

Clara:

"DO THEM!"

Percy:

"Later."

Arthur:

"Percy!"

Percy stood up. Under Holar's one hundred percent aura... He stood up. Holar's eyes widened. Percy staggered. But he walked. He came beside Nathaniel.

"How many?"

"Thirty-five."

Percy:

"Look into my eyes."

Nathaniel looked.

Percy:

"One."

Nathaniel did it.

"Two."

One more.

"Three."

Percy then moved to Arthur. Then Charlotte. Then Ethan. Sophia. Daniel. One by one... He stood beside every single one of them. His own time was ticking away. Galahad looked at the clock.

"Percy..."

Eleanor realized it too.

"He won't make it himself."

Olsen:

"He knows."

Holar said nothing. Percy reached the last student.

"FIFTY!"

The student collapsed to the ground. Percy looked around. Everyone had finished. Only... He was left. On the clock... There were four minutes.

Arthur:

"PERCY!"

Percy ran back to his spot. Lowered himself to the ground. Single hand.

"FORTY-FOUR!"

Clara came beside him.

"FORTY-FIVE!"

Percy did it.

William:

"FORTY-SIX!"

Percy did it.

Charlotte:

"FORTY-SEVEN!"

Percy's arm collapsed. Everyone fell silent.

Arthur:

"GET UP, MAN!"

Percy rose again.

"FORTY-SEVEN!"

Nathaniel:

"THREE MORE!"

Percy went down. Rose back up.

"FORTY-EIGHT!"

Clara's eyes filled with tears.

"TWO MORE!"

Percy went down. His arm was no longer responding. He tried to push up. Failed. The clock was ticking.

Galahad:

"Percy."

Percy tried again. Failed. Holar looked at him. Percy closed his eyes. Then... He smiled.

Clara:

"Why are you smiling?"

Percy:

"I realized."

William:

"Realized what?"

Percy placed his left hand on the ground. Everyone went quiet.

Percy:

"I'm not alone."

He pushed up with his left arm.

"FORTY-NINE!"

Everyone shouted. Percy lowered himself one last time. Began to push back up. The entire class... Shouted in unison.

"FIFTY!"

Percy locked his arm completely. The clock stopped. Nine hours. Fifty-nine minutes. Forty-seven seconds. Holar... Switched off his aura. Silence. Then everyone collapsed to the ground. Nobody spoke. Nobody moved. Galahad looked at the clock. Then at Percy. And broke into laughter.

Arthur from the ground:

"Why are you laughing?"

Galahad:

"No penalty."

Nathaniel raised his head. A second later... Dropped it right back onto the dirt.

"Thank God."

Galahad:

"I'm disappointed."

Nathaniel:

"Fuck off, bro."

Percy:

"Nathaniel."

Nathaniel:

"Yes, president?"

Percy:

"Respect."

Nathaniel:

"I apologize, Brother Galahad."

Galahad:

"Forgiven."

Nathaniel:

"I said it in my head again anyway."

Galahad:

"I heard that."

Nathaniel:

"How?!"

A while later... Everyone was lying on the grass. Percy included. Clara crawled over beside him.

"Percy."

"Yes?"

"Was today's lesson..."

"Pressure?"

Percy:

"Yes."

Clara:

"Did we learn it?"

Percy looked up at the sky.

"No."

Clara was surprised. Arthur turned his head. William listened too.

Percy:

"You don't learn it in a single day."

"Today, you only got acquainted."

William:

"With what?"

Percy:

"With the excuse inside you."

Silence.

Percy:

"I was tired."

"It hurt."

"There was pressure."

"I couldn't breathe."

"I couldn't do it."

Percy turned his head.

"Every single one of them was true."

"None of them were lies."

Arthur:

"But?"

Percy:

"But the task was real too."

William smiled.

Percy:

"Under pressure..."

"Your excuses don't have to be lies."

"They can be real."

"Even so..."

"They don't have to be the ones making the decision."

Holar's eyes shifted. Eleanor smiled softly.

Olsen:

"There's the lesson."

Galahad nodded.

"There's the lesson."

Percy closed his eyes.

"Now can I sleep?"

Clara:

"No."

Percy opened his eyes.

"Why?"

Clara:

"Food."

Percy:

"Right."

Nathaniel sat right up instantly.

"FOOD!"

Percy:

"How did he even sit up?"

Arthur:

"Motivation."

William:

"Extremely powerful."

Percy stood up laughing.

THAT EVENING

Dinner was normal. No tasks. No traps. Nobody believed it. While Percy was drinking his soup... Fifteen pairs of eyes were watching him.

Percy:

"What?"

Arthur:

"You're up to something."

Percy:

"No."

Charlotte:

"Liar."

Percy:

"I'm not."

Nathaniel:

"You'll attack while we sleep."

Percy:

"No."

Clara:

"You'll wake us up at night."

Percy:

"No."

William looked at Percy. For a long moment.

Then:

"He's telling the truth."

Everyone relaxed.

Percy:

"Tomorrow is worse."

Everyone's spoon froze.

Nathaniel:

"SON OF A—"

Percy:

"Eat your food."

Nathaniel:

"I lost my appetite."

Percy:

"I'll eat it."

Nathaniel pulled his plate away.

"Don't touch it."

Night fell. The children slept. But once again... Four people were by the fire. Holar Jun. Eleanor. Elizabeth Olsen. Galahad. There was a long silence. Olsen finally spoke.

"What did you see today?"

Galahad didn't answer right away.

Eleanor:

"A leader."

Holar:

"No."

Eleanor looked at him. Holar threw a branch into the fire.

"I didn't see a leader today."

Galahad:

"What did you see?"

Holar:

"I saw a child."

Silence.

Holar:

"He got tired."

"He was in pain."

"He feared he wouldn't make it."

"He miscalculated."

"He searched for a solution."

"He couldn't leave his friends behind."

"He risked his own time."

Holar smiled.

"And in the end..."

"He got up because of their voices."

Eleanor:

"Is that a bad thing?"

Holar:

"No."

"Quite the opposite."

Olsen understood.

"He learned that he needs them."

Holar nodded.

"Finally."

Galahad looked into the fire.

"In the first two tasks..."

"He was always teaching them something."

"Today, they taught him too."

Eleanor:

"What?"

Galahad smiled.

"A leader..."

"Doesn't always have to be in the front."

"Sometimes..."

"He needs people shouting behind him."

Silence fell over them. Holar looked at the tents.

"That's what we will protect."

Olsen:

"What?"

Holar:

"The bond between them."

Eleanor smiled softly.

"The one thing Percy didn't plan for."

Galahad:

"Maybe."

Holar looked at him.

Galahad:

"But it might be his best result."

In the tent... Percy was already asleep. Clara was lying in her own bed. She looked at Percy for a while. Then she quietly stood up. Walked over to Percy's bed. Reached out her hand. Took Percy's hand. Percy spoke without opening his eyes.

"Your bed is over there."

Clara froze.

"Weren't you sleeping?"

Percy:

"I was."

Clara:

"Then how did you speak?"

Percy:

"I woke up when you came."

Clara:

"Why?"

Percy:

"You took my hand."

Clara:

"Should I let go?"

Percy opened his eyes. Looked at Clara. Then at their hands.

"No."

Clara sat by his bed.

Percy:

"Clara."

"What?"

Percy closed his eyes again.

"Today..."

"On the last push-up..."

Clara waited.

Percy:

"I heard your voice."

Clara:

"Everyone was shouting."

Percy:

"I know."

Clara:

"So?"

Percy:

"I heard yours."

Clara's face flushed slightly. Percy didn't see it. Because he was already drifting back to sleep. Clara squeezed his hand a little tighter.

"You'll hear it tomorrow too."

Percy:

"Hmm?"

Clara:

"Nothing."

Percy fell asleep a few seconds later. Clara quietly looked at him. Then whispered.

"Tomorrow too."

"And the day after."

"And the day after that."

Percy didn't answer. Clara smiled.

"Because I won't let go."

Outside, the fire was slowly dying out. The camp was silent. Three days ago... These kids were just classmates. Now, they were carrying each other's burdens. They knew each other's fears. They had seen each other's pain. They had lifted each other up. And they didn't realize it yet. Percy's real training... Wasn't strengthening their muscles. Nor developing their magic. It was making them... The reason for each other. Willpower had made them walk. Courage had put them into the water. Pressure had crushed them. But none of it... Had managed to stop them. Because now... They were no longer alone.

EPISODE 33 — PRESSURE DOES NOT BREAK

END