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Chapter 1: Dawn Rising

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          The late afternoon sun dipped low on the horizon, its golden light casting long shadows across the training ground. Celeste Hirawa stood at its center, her chest rising and falling with the rhythm of her labored breath. Sweat glistened on her brow as she adjusted her grip on the hilt of her blade. She had been at this for hours, pushing herself further, as she always did, to be more. To be more worthy of her mentor, more capable of the mantle she one day sought to bear. To be more than just another knight to the people of Halosin.

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          At her feet, Talos shifted, his silver feathered wings twitching with impatience. The Dracloud drake huffed, a plume of vapor trailing from his nostrils, his small yet commanding presence urging her to rest. He was attuned to her, a bond forged from years of companionship, sensing when she pushed herself beyond her limits.

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          “You think I should stop?” Celeste asked, her voice tight, but there was a small smile tugging at her lips as she glanced down at him.

         

          Talos responded with a low, almost indignant growl. His eyes, a brilliant gold, reflected concern. As if the weight of her determination weighed on him as well. Celeste knelt down, her fingers brushing along his soft feathers. The softness in her touch contrasted with the roughness of the calloused skin from years of wielding a blade.

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          “I know, I know. Lilith would tell me the same.” Celeste’s gaze wandered toward the stone tower at the far edge of the courtyard, where her mentor was likely watching. Lilith was never far, never absent in her guidance, though Celeste could feel the expectations like a cloak too heavy for her shoulders at times.

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          Talos butted his head into her hand, as if pushing away her thoughts, a reminder to remain present. Celeste chuckled, a light sound that quickly faded as her thoughts darkened once more.

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          “Do you think I’ll ever be like her?” she whispered, almost to herself. The question hung in the air, too fragile to be spoken aloud but too weighty to be ignored. Her mind flickered to the countless stories told about Lilith, the Maiden of the Sun, the Hero of Halosin. A legend, but also a woman who had seen more death and destruction than most could fathom.

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          Talos made a soft chittering noise, shaking his head in what felt like an answer. He had always had a way of grounding her, even when her thoughts strayed too far into doubt.

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          “Yeah, maybe,” she mused, rising to her feet and wiping her brow. The sword felt heavier than it had earlier, though she refused to let it show. There was still more work to be done. More practice. More preparation.

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          Footsteps echoed from behind her, and without turning, Celeste already knew who it was. The presence was unmistakable, a warmth that radiated like the sun itself. Lilith.

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          “Celeste,” Lilith’s voice carried a certain quiet power, each word deliberate, as though it could bend the world to her will if she wished. “You’ve been out here for hours.”

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          “I’m fine, Sensei,” Celeste replied, straightening herself. “I need to keep going. The enemy doesn’t rest. Neither can I.”

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          Lilith approached with a calm grace, the fading sunlight catching on her white and golden armor, giving her an ethereal glow. She stopped a few paces from Celeste, arms folded across her chest. Her eyes, sharp but not unkind, swept over her student with the scrutiny of a seasoned warrior.

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          “There’s more to being a Knight Commander than swinging a sword until your arms give out,” Lilith said softly. “You cannot protect others if you do not care for yourself.”

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          Celeste bit back the retort that threatened to rise. There was no winning against Lilith in these moments. Her mentor wasn’t wrong… She never was. But the urgency inside Celeste gnawed at her, a constant reminder of the looming darkness, the evil that threatened to engulf their world. She couldn’t afford to rest, not while people were suffering.

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          “I know,” Celeste said finally, lowering her gaze. “But there’s so much to be done. These people… they need hope, with everything that has started happening in the outskirts of the kingdom, people are scared again.”

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          Lilith stepped forward, placing a hand on Celeste’s shoulder. Her touch was firm, but it held a gentleness that made Celeste’s body tighten. “Hope isn’t about being the strongest Celeste. It’s about enduring. And you, more than anyone, have the spirit to do that. Just like the people of this kingdom, we have endured and we have always risen above.”

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          Celeste’s fists loosened at her words. Lilith always knew exactly what to say to unravel the knots in her chest. The unspoken doubts, the fears, all eased under the weight of her mentor’s steady presence.

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          “Thank you,” Celeste managed to say, her voice quiet, but sincere. She glanced at Talos, who was watching the exchange with his head tilted, as if understanding far more than a creature of his size should.

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          “You’re not alone in this,” Lilith reminded her, stepping back but keeping her eyes locked with Celeste’s. “Never forget that. We stand together in the coming darkness.”

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          Celeste nodded, the weight on her shoulders lifting slightly. She wasn’t alone. She had Lilith. She had Talos. And as long as she had them, she could face whatever darkness awaited.

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          “Now,” Lilith said, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips, “put down that sword before Talos burns a hole in your tunic out of frustration.”

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          A surprised laugh escaped Celeste, and she finally relented, sheathing her sword. Talos, satisfied, puffed out his chest and chirped in approval, his small form radiating with pride.

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          Lilith watched them both with an amused glint in her eye before turning back toward the tower. “Tomorrow, we’ll talk more about our next mission and this pesky necromancer. For now, rest.”

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          As Lilith walked away, Celeste lingered, her hand resting on Talos’s head. The darkness may still loom, but for the first time today, it didn’t feel so suffocating.

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          With her mentor’s words echoing in her mind, Celeste made her way back toward the barracks, Talos following close at her heels, a silent promise between them that no matter the battles to come, they would face them together. For now though, she had a certain little brother to go disturb and pull out of a dusty tome.

Chapter 2

Coming Soon

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