CHAPTER 38 — THE GOAL

# THE FALLEN LIGHT — SEASON I

## CHAPTER 38 — THE GOAL

On the night of the thirteenth day, Percy did not sleep. This time, the reason wasn't a punishment. Before him were the results of twelve days. He remembered how they were when they first arrived. The class that collapsed after a few laps in the sand was gone. There were people taking on each other's burdens now. They had shredded their feet to avoid stepping on scorpions. They had entered the water infested with piranhas despite their fear. They had pushed through under Holar Jun's aura. They had learned not to make decisions when sleep-deprived. In the waves, they hadn't held onto just themselves, but onto the person beside them. Finally, they had questioned the limits of the magic they were taught. Percy looked over his notes one by one. Arthur's anger was more controlled. Charlotte was calmer under pressure. William could now act while thinking. Nathaniel's endurance had increased tremendously. Marcus was among the best in the class under physical loads. And Clara... Percy paused his pen for a few seconds. Clara had improved in every aspect. Yet none of these was what Percy was searching for. Whether all of this training actually worked... Only real combat could show. When a monster was truly trying to kill... When a friend truly faced death... When Percy truly couldn't be by their side... Until that day, there were no results. There was only preparation. Percy leaned back.

"Then let's do something else."

He looked at the Core records before him. Most were between three and five. Percy twirled his pen. He could make them run faster. Make them carry heavier loads. Teach them new combat techniques. But their bodies had already developed. Their minds had developed as well. Next... Was the source used by both. Orin. Percy's eyes slowly sparkled. He had thought of something.

"It's possible."

He thought a while longer. Then he smiled.

"It will be."

DAY THIRTEEN — 07:11

Percy stepped out of the tent. Lake District was strangely peaceful. Birds could be heard singing. The lake was calm. Everyone was sleeping. Percy took a deep breath. Pulled his abdomen back. Transferred Orin from his chest to his throat. Amplified the sound spell more than usual. And...

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!"

A second of silence.

"YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

A flock of birds took off from across the lake. Galahad sat straight up in his bed.

"YOUR MOTHER—"

Threw his blanket off.

"WHAT IS HAPPENING?!"

Then he recognized the voice.

"PERCYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"

Nathaniel rolled out of bed in another tent.

"IS IT A MONSTER ATTACK?!"

William opened his eyes. Looked at the ceiling. Thought for three seconds.

"No."

From the side came Arthur's voice.

"HOW DO YOU KNOW?!"

William closed his eyes again.

"A monster isn't as loud as Percy."

Charlotte pressed her pillow against her head.

"Who made him the class president?"

Arthur:

"We did."

Charlotte:

"We were idiots."

Marcus stepped out of his tent half-asleep.

"I don't feel anything anymore."

Nathaniel yelled from behind him:

"I FEEL SOMETHING!"

"I FEEL HUNGER!"

Clara, meanwhile, was sitting in her bed. Her hair was all over her face. Her eyes were completely hollow.

"One day..."

Percy heard from outside.

Clara continued:

"I will definitely kill him..."

Percy:

"You wouldn't have the heart to."

Silence. Clara's face flushed red instantly.

"DON'T LISTEN TO ME!"

Percy:

"You're yelling."

"DON'T CHEAT!"

Percy started laughing. In another tent, Eleanor jumped up. Her foot got tangled in the blanket.

THUD!

She bumped her head on the edge of the bed. A second of silence fell.

Then the entire camp heard:

"PERCY GRANT!"

Percy's smile vanished.

"Hope you're okay, my dear Auntie!"

"DON'T CALL ME AUNTIE!"

"Why?"

"IT HAPPENED BECAUSE OF YOU!"

"I love you!"

Eleanor went silent.

"...Don't cheat!"

Clara yelled from inside the tent:

"THAT'S WHAT I SAID!"

At that moment, Holar Jun stepped out. Not a hair out of place. Percy looked at him.

"Grandpa?"

Holar looked at his grandson for a long time.

"I wonder..."

Percy:

"What?"

"Should I not have chosen you as my grandson?"

Percy's mouth fell open.

"GRANDPA!"

Holar kept walking.

"I'm late."

"I'm used to it by now."

Percy looked at his back.

"You love me though."

Holar stopped.

"Unfortunately."

Percy grinned.

"I love you too."

Holar shook his head side to side. But he was smiling.

Ten minutes later, everyone was lined up. The students looked at Percy with hatred. The teachers were no different from the students. Percy folded his hands behind his back.

"Hello, friends."

No one answered.

Percy:

"How energetic you are."

Arthur:

"Because of you."

"Thank you."

Arthur:

"That wasn't a compliment."

"I know."

Percy looked at his class. This time, the amusement on his face diminished.

"You've suffered for thirteen days."

Everyone paid a bit more attention.

"You ran."

"You got injured."

"You lost sleep."

"You endured pressure."

"You got scared."

"You carried each other."

"You started over because of each other."

"You finished thanks to each other."

Percy looked at Nathaniel.

"Some of your eating capacity has developed."

Nathaniel raised his head proudly.

"Thank you."

William:

"That wasn't a compliment."

Nathaniel:

"I took it as one."

Percy laughed.

"Some of your thinking capacity has developed."

He looked at William.

"Some of you have started noticing yourselves."

Arthur lowered his eyes slightly. Percy saw this. He didn't dwell on it.

"Some of you learned to trust another."

Charlotte listened silently.

"And some of you..."

He looked at Clara. Clara raised an eyebrow.

Percy:

"Still a nuisance."

Clara:

"YOU—"

Percy:

"Just a joke."

Clara:

"One day, mark my words..."

Percy:

"You wouldn't have the heart to."

Clara went quiet again. Arthur laughed faintly. Clara turned to him.

"Don't you laugh."

Arthur immediately looked straight ahead. Percy's face grew serious.

"But there's one thing we don't know."

"Are you truly ready?"

Silence fell.

Percy:

"We can't learn that here."

"Real battle..."

"Is nothing like practice."

"Your opponent truly wants to kill."

"Your plan truly gets ruined."

"The person beside you truly gets hurt."

"I truly might not be by your side."

The smile on Galahad's face vanished.

Percy continued:

"Which is why we will see the results later."

"For now, we will continue preparing."

Percy raised his hand. A small Orin sphere formed in his palm.

"Your physical capacity increased."

"Your perception improved."

"Your decision-making mechanism improved."

"You've started becoming a team."

He dispelled the sphere.

"Now, we will develop your source."

William understood right away.

"Core."

Percy looked at him.

"Yes."

Mutterings started in the class.

Percy:

"Right now, most of you..."

"Are between Core three and five."

"Before this camp ends, that will change."

Arthur:

"By how much?"

Percy:

"I came to tell you that."

Percy pulled out a paper from his pocket.

"I've set a target for each of you."

Nathaniel raised his hand.

"Does it have anything to do with food?"

Percy:

"No."

Nathaniel:

"Carry on."

Percy:

"Clara Leyvar."

Clara straightened up.

"Core nine."

The class went quiet. Clara's eyebrow arched.

"Nine?"

Percy:

"You can do it."

The objection on Clara's face disappeared. Percy had said it so naturally... Clara just nodded.

"I can."

Percy:

"Arthur."

Arthur looked over.

"Nine."

Arthur was silent for a few seconds.

Then:

"Alright."

Percy:

"William."

William was already calculating.

"Core ten."

William's calculation stopped.

"Ten?"

Percy:

"Yes."

William:

"Why the highest?"

Percy:

"Because you can do it."

William didn't answer. But something else appeared in his eyes.

Percy:

"Charlotte."

Charlotte:

"Here."

"Nine."

Charlotte nodded.

Percy:

"Nathaniel."

Nathaniel:

"Say seven."

Percy:

"Eight."

Nathaniel:

"Seven was nice."

"Eight."

"Seven is round."

"Eight."

Nathaniel sighed.

"Alright."

Percy:

"Marcus."

Marcus looked forward.

"Nine."

Marcus:

"I expected as much."

Nathaniel turned to him.

"Why is everyone just accepting it?"

Arthur:

"Because arguing doesn't make him lower it."

Nathaniel:

"True."

Percy moved to the other names.

"Ethan, Core eight."

"Sophia, Core nine."

"Amelia, Core eight."

"Daniel, Core eight."

"Lucas, Core nine."

"Theodore, Core eight."

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"Elias, Core eight."

"Noah, Core nine."

"Adrian, Core eight."

Percy lowered the paper.

"Those are the targets."

William:

"What about you?"

Percy went silent. The class looked at Percy.

Percy:

"I..."

Then he turned to the four adults behind him. Holar Jun. Eleanor. Elizabeth Olsen. Galahad. Percy grinned.

"My beloved grandfather."

Holar raised an eyebrow.

"My dear Auntieeee."

Eleanor narrowed her eyes.

"Teacher."

Olsen smiled.

"And bro."

Galahad:

"Yes, little commander?"

"Don't call me little."

"Alright."

Percy spread his arms open.

"You guys set my target."

Murmurs started in the class. Clara looked at Percy.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"So it's fair."

Arthur:

"You give us nine."

Percy:

"Yes."

Arthur:

"Then your own target..."

"You give to others."

Percy:

"Yes."

Arthur nodded.

"I actually kind of like this."

Percy:

"Thank you."

The four adults looked at each other. Olsen was about to speak first. But Galahad stepped forward.

"With your permission."

Holar looked at him. So did Eleanor. Galahad's face was serious.

Holar:

"Speak."

Galahad turned to Percy. Percy was still smiling.

Galahad:

"Percy Grant."

Percy:

"Yes, bro?"

"Core twelve."

Silence. Complete and total silence. Percy's smile froze. Clara's mouth dropped open. Arthur looked at Galahad. Then at Percy. Back at Galahad.

Charlotte:

"Ten..."

William finished:

"Two."

Nathaniel:

"Bro, if your love is like this..."

"Please hate me."

Galahad didn't even look at him. Olsen's eyebrows were raised. Eleanor was observing Galahad. Holar, however, said nothing. Because he understood why Galahad said it. Percy finally spoke.

"Bro."

"Yes?"

"Why don't you love me at all?"

A few people in the class laughed. But Galahad didn't laugh. He walked over to Percy.

"I love you the most."

Percy went quiet. Galahad continued.

"That's why you have to be twelve."

All that leader expression on Percy's face... Instantly disappeared. His ears turned red. Then his cheeks. Clara was among the first to notice. Her eyes widened. Even Arthur stared at Percy.

Nathaniel whispered:

"He's embarrassed."

Charlotte:

"He really is embarrassed."

William said nothing. He just watched. For twelve days... This was the kid who had been yelling at them. Who had pushed them among scorpions... Made them face piranhas... Made them crawl under Holar's aura... Kept them awake... Carried them onto the waves... Didn't step back while they suffered... Watched until his own hands bled... Their president. Their leader. But now... He was seven years old. Just seven. Galahad did this easier than anyone else. The invisible weight on Percy's shoulders... He brought down with a few words. Percy averted his eyes.

"Whatever my bro wants."

This time... Everyone truly went quiet. A very soft smile formed on Clara's face. Eleanor's eyes sparkled. Olsen quietly looked at Percy. Arthur's lips curled up. Even William smiled faintly. Galahad bent down in front of Percy.

"Good boy."

Then he grabbed Percy around the waist. And lifted him into the air. Percy's eyes widened.

"BRO!"

Galahad lifted him in the air again. Percy laughed involuntarily.

"Heheheh!"

The class froze. Nathaniel's mouth remained wide open.

Arthur:

"...Who is this?"

Charlotte:

"I don't know."

Marcus:

"Can't be our president."

Clara burst into laughter. Percy was still in Galahad's hands.

"Put me down, bro!"

Galahad:

"Why?"

"I'm the president!"

"Not right now you aren't."

"WHAT AM I?"

"You're little."

"I'M NOT LITTLE!"

Galahad lifted him in the air again. Percy laughed again. Clara was holding her stomach now.

Arthur:

"Twelve days..."

"For twelve days he made our lives a living hell."

Nathaniel:

"He threw us to the piranhas."

William corrected:

"He didn't throw us."

Nathaniel:

"He could have."

Eleanor couldn't hold it in any longer. Came beside Percy. Ruffled his hair.

"That's my Percy."

Percy tried to fix his hair.

"Auntieee!"

Eleanor messed it up again.

"This one."

Percy:

"Let go of my hair!"

Holar watched from behind. Percy looked at him.

"Grandpa, help me."

Holar crossed his arms.

"No."

"GRANDPA!"

A small smile formed on Holar's face.

"Definitely a rascal."

Percy:

"What?"

Holar looked at his grandson for a while.

Then said much more softly:

"I missed this."

Percy's face turned red again.

"What is happening to me today, damn it?"

Eleanor burst into laughter. Galahad finally set Percy on the ground. Clara immediately came beside him.

Percy:

"What?"

Clara looked at his face. Smiled.

"Nothing."

Percy grew suspicious.

"What?"

Clara:

"You're still in there."

Percy didn't understand for a few seconds. Then he understood. For thirteen days... He had been everyone's leader. Carried everyone's responsibility. Questioned himself in all their pain. Counted all their failures as his own. But the boy Clara was looking at... Hadn't vanished. Percy stuck his tongue out at her. Clara did the same back. Arthur nodded.

"Alright."

"He really came back."

Percy turned back to the class. The childish smile on his face slowly shifted. Everyone saw it.

Nathaniel:

"Oh no."

Charlotte:

"What?"

Nathaniel:

"The president is coming back."

Percy folded his hands behind his back.

"Friends."

Everyone's face fell.

Percy:

"As you've heard..."

"My target is Core twelve."

William:

"You're currently five."

Percy:

"I know."

Clara:

"Seven levels."

Percy:

"I know."

Arthur:

"Seventeen days left."

Percy:

"I know."

Nathaniel:

"Will you be able to do it?"

Percy looked at him. Smiled.

"I don't know."

This answer surprised everyone.

Percy continued:

"But I will try."

"And you will try too."

"Because today..."

He opened his palm. Orin slowly gathered around it.

"We will learn to develop the Core."

William leaned forward immediately.

Percy:

"But we have a problem."

Arthur:

"Of course we do."

Percy:

"Up until today, to develop your Core..."

"You used the methods you were told."

Olsen's eyes shifted. She remembered yesterday's conversation.

Percy:

"I no longer think those methods..."

"Are sufficient."

Excitement appeared on William's face for the first time. Clara looked at Percy. She understood yesterday's sphere lesson. Holar understood too. Eleanor tilted her head to the side. Galahad smiled.

Percy:

"Yesterday we changed the spell's exit."

"Today..."

He set his hand over his chest.

"We are going to tamper with the Core itself."

The smile on Holar's face vanished.

"Percy."

Percy looked at his grandfather. Holar spoke seriously this time.

"The Core is not a toy."

Percy nodded.

"I know."

"Which is why I will try it first."

Clara instantly:

"No."

Percy looked at her.

Clara:

"Me too."

Percy:

"Clara."

"What?"

"I'm the president."

Clara:

"I don't care."

Percy:

"My orders are absolute."

Clara:

"Not on this."

Percy:

"Disobedience."

Clara:

"Give me a punishment."

Percy looked at her. Clara looked back at him. Galahad began to smile.

Eleanor whispered to Holar:

"Sound familiar?"

Holar:

"All too familiar."

Percy finally sighed.

"Alright."

Clara smiled.

Percy:

"But me first."

Clara:

"Me beside you."

"Alright."

Arthur raised his hand.

Percy:

"No."

Arthur:

"I haven't even spoken."

Percy:

"It's obvious from your face."

William raised his hand.

Percy:

"You too, no."

William:

"I was just going to observe—"

"No."

Nathaniel raised his hand. Percy looked at him.

Nathaniel:

"I was going to ask about food."

Percy:

"You can ask."

Nathaniel:

"When do we eat?"

Percy:

"Now."

Nathaniel's eyes widened.

"For real?"

Percy:

"Yes."

Nathaniel raised his eyes to the sky.

"He's changed."

Percy:

"Then we work."

Nathaniel:

"Still the same."

The class broke into laughter. Galahad looked at Percy. Core twelve. It was very high. Maybe too high. But Galahad had chosen it intentionally. He didn't just want Percy to reach the target. He wanted him to... Search for his limits again. Galahad smiled quietly. Percy saw it.

"Bro."

"Yes?"

"I will reach twelve."

Galahad:

"I know."

Percy:

"Then I will surpass you."

Galahad's smile grew wider.

"I know that too."

Percy looked at him for a few seconds. Then couldn't hold it in.

"BOOOOOOOOOOW YEAAAAAAH!"

The whole class yelled at the same time:

"ENOUGH ALREADY!"