CHAPTER 55 — HOMECOMING

THE FALLEN LIGHT — SEASON II

CHAPTER 55 — HOMECOMING

When the camp gates closed behind them, no one spoke for the first few minutes. It was strange. For thirty days, there had been shouts, explosions, Galahad's aura, Elizabeth's attacks, Eleanor's training that made the kids question their life choices, and Percy's voice waking up the whole camp at the crack of dawn. Now, there was only the sound of carriage wheels. The horse-drawn carriages were heading toward the academy. The road was long, but no one was in any state to complain. Most of them were slumped in their seats, trying to make sense of everything they had lived through over the past month. Nathaniel had fallen asleep a few minutes ago. William sat opposite him, staring at him. Nathaniel's mouth was wide open. William watched him for a while. Then he turned to Arthur.

"Is he dead?"

Arthur looked.

"I hope so."

Nathaniel spoke without opening his eyes.

"I can hear both of you."

Charlotte laughed. Marcus rested his head against the window.

"I don't want to hear any of you."

And at the very back... There were Percy and Clara. Percy rested his head against the backrest, watching the trees outside stream backward. Most of the wounds on his body had healed. The aches left by his thirty-second battle with Holar were still there, but he wasn't in any condition to care about them. Because the camp was over. It was truly over. The kids who had come here a month ago were not the same ones returning now. Percy knew this. But for the first time... He wasn't thinking about what he would do next. Feeling a movement beside him, he turned his eyes. Clara had shifted a bit to the side. Then she rested her head on Percy's shoulder. Percy looked at her. Clara had closed her eyes. A few seconds passed. The corners of Percy's lips curled up.

"You've gained a lot of weight."

Clara's eyes snapped open. Percy continued.

"You're heavy."

Clara looked at him. Percy was smirking. Normally... Clara's eyebrow would twitch. Then Percy's arm would get pinched. Maybe his hair would be pulled. Maybe Percy would be in danger of being thrown out of the carriage. But none of that happened. Clara simply raised her head.

"Alright then."

And moved to the other side. Percy's smile instantly vanished. ... He hadn't been serious. Or rather, Clara had understood that it was a joke. But she hadn't gotten mad. Her face had fallen. Percy looked at her for a few seconds. Clara was staring out the window. Percy cursed inwardly. Idiot. He reached out his hand. He grabbed Clara's arm. Without turning, Clara asked:

"What?"

Percy pulled her toward himself.

"Come here."

Caught off guard, Clara slid right next to Percy.

"Percy!"

Percy wrapped both arms around her. Clara looked at him.

"What are you doing?"

There wasn't the slightest hint of a joke on Percy's face anymore.

"Even if you weighed as much as a whole world, I'd still carry you."

Clara fell silent. Percy looked into her eyes.

"And believe me, princess..."

Color bloomed on Clara's cheeks.

"...you manage to be beautiful in every way."

Clara's eyes widened slightly. Percy continued.

"When you wake up in the morning with your messy hair."

Clara immediately cut in:

"My hair is—"

"Beautiful."

Clara went quiet.

"When you trip over your pajamas and fall."

Clara's expression changed.

"FORGET THAT."

Percy laughed.

"Not in a million years."

"Percy."

"You were so beautiful."

"I FELL."

"You fell so beautifully."

Nathaniel's voice came from the front.

"How the hell does someone fall beautifully?"

William closed his eyes.

"Weren't you sleeping?"

"I was. My soul re-entered my body right at the 'tripped over her pajamas and fell' part."

Clara wanted to bang her head against the carriage wall. Percy didn't let her go.

"You're beautiful when you improve, too."

Clara looked at him again.

"When you accomplish something for the first time."

"When you get angry."

"When you pick a fight with me."

The corners of Clara's lips curled up.

Percy:

"And when you keep telling me you're going to surpass me."

Clara immediately snapped back:

"I will."

Percy said without hesitation:

"Of course you will."

Clara looked at him as if she hadn't received the answer she expected. Percy smiled.

"I'll help you."

"You..."

"What?"

"You're going to help me surpass you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Percy genuinely didn't understand.

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"Why wouldn't I?"

Clara didn't answer. Percy shrugged.

"It's not like I want to stay stronger than you."

This time, the conversations in the front gradually trickled to a stop. Percy didn't notice.

"I want to see the strongest version of you that you can possibly be."

Clara's eyes softened.

"And if you surpass me after that..."

Percy smirked.

"...I'll just surpass you again."

Clara smiled too.

"Then I'll surpass you again."

"I'll surpass you back."

"I'll pass you."

"I will."

"I will."

Percy gently tapped his nose against Clara's.

"We'll keep at it for the rest of our lives."

Clara didn't say anything for a few seconds. Then, in a tiny voice:

"Okay."

Percy leaned back again. He pulled Clara close as well.

"What I'm trying to say is this."

Clara rested her head back on his shoulder.

"Your beauty isn't limited to a single state."

Percy looked down at her hair.

"You're beautiful simply because you're Clara."

Silence. Nathaniel slowly turned to Arthur.

"I'm going to throw up."

Arthur's eyes remained fixed ahead.

"You're jealous."

"A seven-year-old kid speaks more romantically than I do."

William:

"We're all seven years old."

Nathaniel thought for a few seconds.

"That makes it worse."

Charlotte was hiding her face, laughing. Marcus stared at Percy with utmost gravity.

"President."

Percy:

"What?"

"Did you prepare this speech?"

"No."

Marcus nodded.

"Unbelievable."

Percy frowned.

"What's unbelievable?"

William:

"Nothing."

Clara was laughing now. Percy looked at her.

"Are you okay?"

Clara nodded.

"I'm okay."

Then she moved a bit closer. In the very back seat of the carriage, she snuggled into Percy's chest. Her ear... Pressed close to Percy's heart. She stayed like that for a while. Then she frowned.

"Percy."

"Hm?"

"Your heart is beating really fast."

Percy's face instantly flushed red. Nathaniel's head snapped around. Arthur covered his face with his hand.

William:

"Don't you dare."

Percy looked at Clara. Clara was genuinely curious. Percy swallowed. Then... He didn't run away.

"Only because it's you."

Clara froze. Nathaniel leapt to his feet.

"THAT'S ENOUGH, MAN!"

The carriage jolted. Nathaniel tumbled back into his seat.

"OW!"

Charlotte burst out laughing hysterically. Arthur had turned his head toward the window, but his shoulders were shaking. William covered his face with both hands.

"We took death training for thirty days."

Marcus:

"Yes."

"We swam with piranhas."

"Yes."

"We ran among scorpions."

"Yes."

"We didn't sleep for three days."

"Yes."

William lowered his hands.

"I wasn't as unprepared for any of that as I am for right now."

Percy:

"What the hell is wrong with you guys?"

Nathaniel:

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH US?"

Clara started laughing. Nathaniel pointed at the two of them.

"One of you says, 'Even if you weighed as much as a whole world, I'd carry you.'"

Percy:

"I would."

"DON'T REPEAT IT."

Arthur was now laughing openly.

Nathaniel:

"Then, 'You're beautiful simply because you're Clara.'"

Percy:

"That's true."

Nathaniel clutched his chest.

"THEN MY HEART BEATS ONLY FOR YOU."

Percy:

"I didn't say it like that."

"SAME THING!"

Clara hid her face in Percy's chest. Her ears were bright red. Seeing this, Percy completely forgot about Nathaniel. He gently straightened her hair. Clara whispered.

"I love you more."

Percy immediately replied:

"I love you more."

Nathaniel:

"THEY'RE AT IT AGAIN!"

Charlotte:

"I think they're cute."

Nathaniel turned to her.

"You too?"

Charlotte shrugged.

"Yes."

Marcus:

"I'm neutral."

William:

"You're the scout."

Marcus nodded gravely.

"As a result of my observation, they are cute."

Nathaniel looked at Arthur.

Arthur:

"Don't drag me into this."

"You're the only one left."

Arthur looked at Percy. Percy was still fussing with Clara's hair. A small smile appeared on Arthur's face.

"...They're cute."

Nathaniel slumped into his seat as if betrayed.

"The First Glimmer of Hope has fallen apart."

Percy:

"Man, we haven't even reached the academy yet."

"IT HAS FALLEN APART."

Laughter filled the inside of the carriage. And for the first time... For the first time in a long time... None of them had a mission standing before them. There were no push-ups to be done. There were no attacks to dodge. There was no aura to endure. There was no probability of death for Percy to calculate. There was only the road. There were his friends. And there was Clara, who was falling asleep on his chest.

The towers of the academy appeared on the horizon a few hours later. Nathaniel pressed his face against the glass.

"HOME!"

Arthur:

"School."

"HOME TO ME."

William looked outside. It was the place they had left a month ago. But now... It looked strangely small. Charlotte had noticed it too.

"It feels like it changed."

Percy:

"It didn't."

Marcus looked at him. Percy watched the towers outside.

"We changed."

This time, no one made a joke. As the carriages approached the main gate, students at the academy began to come into view. Those strolling in the courtyard... Those heading to classrooms... Those returning from the training ground... The first carriage passed through the gate. Then the second. When the carriage containing Percy entered, a few students turned to look. One person stopped. Then another. Because... They recognized the camp team. But something was different. Arthur's gait. The way William observed his surroundings. Marcus checking the entrances and high points before the carriage had even stopped. Charlotte's composure. Nathaniel's—

"IS THE CAFETERIA OPEN?!"

... Nathaniel hadn't changed much. Percy stepped down. Then Clara. By reflex, Percy extended his hand. Clara took it and stepped off the carriage. Right at that moment... Someone was coming down the academy stairs. His long robe. Books in hand. That usual confident stride of his. Professor Adrian Wycliffe. Adrian saw the kids from afar. He stopped. He narrowed his eyes. The students he had sent away a month ago... Were these them? He looked at Arthur. At William. At Charlotte. At Marcus. At Clara. Then... At Percy. Percy saw him too. A huge smile broke out across his face.

"PROFESSOR WYCLIFFE!"

An involuntary smile appeared on Adrian's face.

"Percy Grant."

Percy walked toward him. Adrian slightly opened his arms.

"You've finally returned. The academy has been so peaceful for the past month—"

Nathaniel yelled from behind:

"PROFESSOR, IS THE CAFETERIA OPEN?"

Adrian stopped speaking. He looked at Nathaniel.

"...You've returned too."

Nathaniel:

"Did you miss me?"

Adrian didn't hesitate for a second.

"No."

Nathaniel clutched his chest.

"How can a professor say that to his student?"

Adrian:

"Easily."

He shifted his book to his other hand.

"No."

Charlotte burst into laughter.

Percy:

"Was I missed?"

Adrian looked at him. Thought for a second.

"The number of explosions at the academy over the past thirty days decreased by eighty-seven percent."

Percy:

"That's not an answer to my question."

"It's my answer."

Clara was laughing. Percy put his hands on his hips.

"Professor."

Adrian:

"Percy."

"You missed me."

"Prove it."

Percy's eyes widened. Clara immediately looked at him. Then at Percy... A very slow smirk spread across his face.

Clara:

"No."

Percy:

"What?"

"I just said that."

Percy paused for a few seconds. Then he looked at Adrian.

"Professor."

Adrian raised an eyebrow.

Percy:

"Prove it."

Adrian's face fell. Clara burst out laughing.

Nathaniel:

"IT HAS BEGUN!"

Adrian closed his eyes.

"Thirty days."

He took a deep breath.

"Thirty beautiful days."

Percy walked up to him and grabbed his robe.

"I missed you too, professor."

Adrian looked down. There was no joke on Percy's face this time. Adrian's expression softened. He placed his hand on Percy's head.

"I missed you too, little disaster."

Percy smiled. Then Adrian looked at the others.

"Truly."

At Arthur. At William. At Charlotte. At Marcus. At Nathaniel. And finally at Clara.

"It's good to see all of you."

Nathaniel sniffled emotionally.

"Professor..."

Adrian:

"The cafeteria is open."

Nathaniel turned around.

"SEE YA!"

He ran off. Adrian watched him go.

"...Can we send him back?"

Percy:

"No."

"Why?"

"He's part of the team."

Adrian turned back to Percy.

"Team?"

The smile on Percy's face changed. Adrian noticed it. Something had happened. A lot of things.

"Long story, professor."

Adrian looked over all the kids once more. Then he saw that Percy was still holding Clara's hand. His eyebrow raised.

"It seems..."

Percy looked down. Clara did too. Neither of them let go of each other's hand. Adrian continued.

"...there's more than one long story."

Percy's ears flushed red. Clara's did too. Arthur turned his back. William stared at the sky. Charlotte was laughing.

Marcus said quietly:

"Very long."

Adrian nodded.

"Wonderful."

He turned back to the stairs.

"My peaceful semester is officially over."

Percy called out after him:

"Professor!"

Without stopping, Adrian asked:

"What?"

"I'm stronger now!"

Adrian kept walking.

"How nice."

"I BECAME ADVANCED 2!"

Adrian's foot froze in mid-air. ... Slowly, it lowered to the ground. Adrian turned around. Percy was smirking. Adrian looked at him for a few seconds. Then at Clara.

Clara said innocently:

"I'm Core 11."

Adrian's eyes widened.

Arthur:

"Core 9."

William:

"Core 10."

Marcus:

"Core 9."

Charlotte:

"Core 9."

Adrian said nothing. Percy's smirk widened.

"Professor?"

Adrian looked at the books in his hands. Then at the kids. Back at the books. He closed the books.

"I..."

Everyone waited.

"...spent thirty days preparing a lesson plan for what I was going to teach."

Silence.

Percy:

"My condolences."

Adrian Wycliffe threw his head back toward the sky.

"HOLAAAAAAR!"

From the other end of the academy... Holar Jun's voice rang out.

"DON'T DRAG ME INTO THIS!"

Percy burst into laughter. Clara did too. Arthur, William, Charlotte, and Marcus started walking behind them. Adrian was still questioning his life choices. And Percy... As he walked back through the doors of the academy, he paused for a moment. This place was the same. The stone walls were the same. The towers were the same. The corridors were the same. Professor Wycliffe was still the same Professor Wycliffe. But Percy wasn't. Clara wasn't. None of them were. Percy looked at the girl beside him. Clara looked at him too.

"What?"

Percy smiled.

"Nothing."

He extended his hand. Clara took it. Percy looked out at the academy. The new semester... Was beginning.

THE FALLEN LIGHT

SEASON II

TO BE CONTINUED.