CHAPTER 53 — AFTERWARDS

THE FALLEN LIGHT — SEASON I

CHAPTER 53 — AFTERWARDS

The battle was over. The outcome... Was not open to debate. Fifteen students. Were on the ground.

As for Galahad and Elizabeth... They were standing. And... Overwhelmingly so.

Twenty-eight days of training... Had changed the children. But one reality... It had not changed.

The difference in power... Was still a difference in power. Percy had wanted them to see this. And they had seen it.

Yet just as everyone... Began to catch their breath... Clara's expression changed. The Orin inside her... Moved.

First, a slight vibration. Then... Another one. Percy's smile vanished.

"Stop."

Everyone fell silent. Eleanor immediately... Turned to her daughter.

"Clara?"

Clara didn't answer. She closed her eyes. The Orin around her... Began to draw toward her. William tried to sit up.

"Her Core..."

Percy finished the sentence.

"Is advancing."

Arthur:

"Now?"

Percy's eyes... Didn't leave Clara for a second.

"Right now."

Elizabeth backed away a few steps. So did Galahad. Eleanor wanted to approach. Percy raised his arm.

"Auntie."

Eleanor looked at him. Percy nodded.

"Wait."

Eleanor stopped. Clara... Was Core 9. But throughout the entire fight... She had continuously used Orin.

Her Core had emptied... Filled... Emptied again... Filled again.

Fear.

Pressure.

[Absolute Cancel].

Elizabeth.

Galahad.

And her body... Pushed to its absolute limits. Now... It was all coming together. The Orin intensified.

Clara's hair... Lifted slightly. The ground trembled. Percy crouched down. He narrowed his eyes.

"Here it comes."

Clara's Core... Slammed into the first wall.

KRAAAK!

Clara's body shuddered. Eleanor involuntarily... Took a step forward. But... It shattered.

BOOM!

CORE 10.

Nathaniel:

"TEN!"

Charlotte:

"Core 10!"

Arthur clenched his fist.

"She made it."

As for Percy... He didn't celebrate. Because... The energy hadn't stopped.

His eyes slowly... Widened.

"No."

William:

"What?"

Percy stood up.

"It's not over."

Galahad's gaze... Instantly sharpened.

Elizabeth:

"It's continuing."

Eleanor:

"Clara..."

Core 10. Yet the surrounding Orin... Was still flowing into her.

Accelerating.

Clara's breathing... Grew heavy. Her veins surged. Her fists clenched. Percy's face changed.

Because... He recognized this part.

Purification.

Making external energy... Compatible with the Core. A method he had developed himself. But what Clara... Was doing right now...

Didn't seem conscious. It was as if... Her body had learned it. Percy took a step.

Clara's face... Contorted in pain. A second step.

"Clara."

Clara opened her eyes. Percy was coming toward her.

"Clara."

One more step.

"I'm here."

In Clara's eyes... A moment of relief flickered. Percy extended his hand.

"Let me help."

Clara... Raised her hand. Percy stopped. From Clara's lips... A single word emerged.

"Later."

Percy's hand... Remained in mid-air.

Silence.

Eleanor looked at Percy. So did Galahad.

Because... Both of them were curious... To see what Percy would do.

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Percy, for a few seconds... Looked at Clara. Then... He lowered his hand. He took a step back.

"Alright."

Clara's eyes... Softened.

Percy:

"Later."

And... He backed away. On Galahad's face... A small smile formed. Eleanor had noticed it too.

Percy... Had wanted to help. More than anything.

But Clara... Had wanted to stand... On her own two feet.

And Percy... Had let her. Clara once again... Closed her eyes. Core 10.

The energy surged.

More.

More.

The second wall... Emerged. Core 11. William gasped.

"Another one?!"

Arthur:

"Clara..."

Charlotte:

"Come on."

Nathaniel, this time... Didn't make a joke.

"Come on, Clara."

Eleanor's hands clenched tight. Elizabeth was silent. Galahad was silent. As for Percy... He was looking at Clara.

And he was smiling.

"Come on, my sweet trouble."

Clara didn't hear. Or perhaps... She did. She gathered the energy. And struck.

KRAAAK!

The wall cracked. But it didn't shatter. Clara's eyebrows... Furrowed in pain.

From her nose... A thin stream of blood trickled down.

Eleanor:

"Clara."

Percy's hand... Clenched into a fist. But... He didn't move from his spot.

Clara... Had said later. Percy would wait. The second surge.

KRAAAAAAAAAK!

The crack... Spread along the entire wall. Clara's knees... Trembled. But she didn't collapse.

Percy, softly:

"One more."

Clara took a breath.

And... In that moment... She thought of everything.

The first day of camp. The laps she ran. Her torn feet. The scorpions.

The path they took... Without harming them. The piranhas. The moment she stepped into the water... Despite her fear.

Galahad's aura. Under pressure... To keep going. Seventy-two hours... Staying awake.

The waves. The log. Her friends.

Arthur.

William.

Charlotte.

Nathaniel.

Her mother. And... Percy. Percy, who stood one step ahead... Every single time.

But today... When he stepped closer... To help her...

"Later."

She had said.

Because... This step... She was going to take herself.

Clara's eyes snapped open. The Orin... Abruptly stopped. Percy's eyes widened. Total silence.

Then... Clara whispered.

"Now."

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The Orin erupted. The earth cracked. The wind... Pushed everyone backward.

Eleanor raised her arm... In front of her face.

Arthur:

"CLARA!"

William:

"SHE DID IT!"

On Percy's face... A massive smile formed.

Because... The second wall... Was gone.

CORE 11.

Clara Leyvar. Core 11. The energy... Slowly calmed down. Her hair fell back into place.

The vibration in the earth... Stopped. Clara's eyes... Slowly opened.

The first person she looked at... Was her mother. Eleanor's eyes were filled with tears. Clara smiled. So did Eleanor.

Then... Clara's eyes... Found Percy.

Percy was standing at a distance. Right where he had backed off. He hadn't come over. He hadn't interfered.

He had simply... Waited. Clara looked at him. Percy tilted his head slightly. He smiled.

"Core 11."

Clara smiled as well. Then... She began to walk.

Percy, toward her... Was about to take a step... When he stopped.

This time... Clara was coming. One step.

Two.

Three.

She stopped right in front of Percy. Neither of them... Spoke for a while.

Percy:

"Clara."

Clara looked at him.

"I said later."

The smile on Percy's face... Grew wider.

"You did."

Clara... Suddenly hugged him. Percy's eyes widened. He had truly... Been caught off guard.

A second.

Then... He wrapped his arms... Around Clara.

Clara rested her head... Against his chest.

Percy too... Rested his chin... Upon her hair.

No one spoke. Eleanor... Looked at them. Galahad smiled.

Arthur... Silently sat on the ground. Nathaniel opened his mouth. William, with his hand... Covered Nathaniel's mouth.

Nathaniel:

"Mmmf!"

William:

"Just shut up for once."

One minute passed. Five minutes. Ten minutes. Clara didn't let go. Nor did Percy.

Twenty minutes.

Percy, softly:

"Clara."

"Hm?"

"You reached Core 11."

"I know."

"Just thought I'd remind you."

Clara:

"You're Advanced 2."

Percy:

"I know."

"Just thought I'd remind you."

Percy laughed.

"Don't use my own tactic...

against me." Clara's voice... Came from against his chest.

"I will."

Half an hour. People... Slowly dispersed. No one... Disturbed them.

Eleanor, several times... Looked back. They were still hugging. One hour.

Percy's hand... Was in Clara's hair. With his fingers... He straightened a few stray strands.

Clara:

"What are you doing?"

"Your hair is messy."

"Yours is worse."

Percy:

"I'm a war veteran."

Clara:

"You're seven years old."

Percy:

"Minor detail."

Clara laughed. So did Percy. One hour... And twenty minutes. Clara pulled back a little.

Percy... Thought she was letting go. But Clara simply... Looked at his face.

"You've healed."

Percy:

"Almost completely."

Clara placed her hand... On Percy's cheek. Most of the previous bruises... Were gone. Then she looked at his arm.

The bandage had gotten smaller.

"Your arm?"

Percy turned it.

"Good."

"Your leg?"

Percy planted his foot... Firmly on the ground.

"Good."

"Your ribs?"

Percy took a deep breath. The pain... Was almost gone.

"Good."

Clara narrowed her eyes.

"If you're lying..."

Percy:

"Absolute Destroy?"

Clara laughed.

"Maybe."

Percy:

"I'm really almost fine."

Clara, for a few seconds... Inspected him. Then once more... She hugged him and put her head on his chest.

"Alright."

Percy:

"Inspection over?"

"No."

"When will it end?"

"Later."

Percy burst out laughing.

"You're starting to like that word."

"Because of you."

An hour and a half. Percy's arms... Were still around Clara.

Clara:

"Percy."

"Hm?"

"About [Absolute Cancel]..."

"aren't you going to ask?"

Percy was quiet for a moment.

Then...

"No."

Clara raised her head.

"Why?"

Percy looked at her.

"Because if you wanted to tell me..."

"you would have."

Clara's eyes... Softened.

Percy:

"When you want to tell me..."

"I'll listen."

"When you don't..."

He shrugged.

"I'll stand by your side."

Clara said nothing.

She simply... Held him a little bit... More tightly.

Percy did too. Two hours. Nathaniel, from a distance... Looked again.

"MAN, STILL?!"

Arthur:

"Don't disturb them."

Nathaniel:

"If I hugged someone for half an hour..."

"my arm would go numb."

William:

"You can't stay quiet..."

"for five minutes."

Nathaniel:

"True."

Clara heard. She laughed.

Percy:

"I can recognize Nathaniel's voice..."

"from two kilometers away."

Clara:

"Me too."

Percy:

"Scary."

Two hours... And fifteen minutes.

Clara:

"Percy."

"Hm?"

"Yesterday you protected me."

Percy didn't answer.

"And today..."

"...when you wanted to help..."

"I told you to stop."

Percy:

"Yes."

"Why did you stop?"

Percy raised an eyebrow.

"Because you told me to."

Clara:

"Is that all?"

Percy:

"That's all."

Clara looked at him.

Percy:

"You're not an object..."

"that I need to protect."

Clara's eyes widened.

Percy:

"Being by your side is one thing."

"Living your life for you is another."

"When you say you can do it..."

He smiled.

"I believe you."

Clara's face... Flushed slightly red. She hid her head once again... Against Percy's chest.

"Idiot."

Percy:

"Why?"

"You just are."

"Alright."

Two hours... And twenty-nine minutes.

Percy:

"Clara."

"Hm?"

"I think..."

"...we're breaking a record."

Clara:

"What record?"

Percy:

"I don't know."

"We'll find something."

Clara laughed.

And... Two hours... And thirty minutes.

Exactly.

Clara finally... Loosened her arms. So did Percy. But completely... They didn't separate.

Clara was still... One step away. Percy's hands... Were in hers.

Percy:

"Two and a half hours."

Clara:

"Were you counting?"

Percy:

"No."

William from a distance:

"EXACTLY TWO AND A HALF HOURS!"

Percy:

"William was counting."

William:

"I NOTICED UNINTENTIONALLY!"

Clara burst out laughing. So did Percy.

Then... Clara, Percy's hand... Didn't let go.

Her fingers... She intertwined with his. Percy looked down. Then at Clara.

"Is this 'later' too?"

Clara:

"No."

Percy:

"When?"

Clara squeezed his hand.

"Now."

Percy's ears... Flushed slightly red. Clara saw this. She smirked.

"You're blushing."

Percy:

"No."

"You're blushing."

"I'm Advanced 2."

Clara:

"And I'm Core 11."

Percy:

"What does that have to do..."

"with anything?"

Clara:

"As much as yours does."

Percy went quiet.

"True."

Hand in hand... They began to walk. Percy's steps... Were steady. He wasn't limping.

His arm... He moved comfortably.

When he took a deep breath... The pain in his ribs... Had almost completely disappeared.

A few days ago... Forced to watch from a chair... Percy Grant... Now... Had almost completely healed.

Beside him... Was Core 11 Clara. Clara suddenly... Tugged Percy's hand. Percy moved closer to her.

"What happened?"

Clara:

"Nothing."

Percy:

"Why did you tug?"

Clara:

"So you'd come closer."

Percy's face turned red. Clara laughed.

Percy:

"You..."

"What?"

Percy looked at her. Then he smiled.

"You're my sweet trouble."

Clara:

"And you're mine."

Percy stopped. Clara, after taking two steps... Noticed he had stopped. She turned around.

Percy was still... Looking at her.

"What happened?"

Percy:

"Nothing."

Clara:

"Percy."

Percy came beside her. He held her hand again.

"I liked that."

Clara's face... This time turned red. Percy smirked.

"Caught you."

Clara:

"Shut up."

Percy:

"Alright."

And... Together, walking... They continued.

Core 11. Advanced 2. Two and a half hours. Beginning with one word... A tiny promise.

Later.

And Clara... Had kept her promise.