As Sarn sat on the ground of the arena,exhaustion weighed on her limbs like molten lead. The warmth of the battle still clung to her skin, but the tension had faded. She had won. Finally.

  She exhaled, closing her eyes for just a moment. The world still felt hot, but not from her fmes—from the lingering rush of victory.

  After a while, she forced herself to her feet, her movements sluggish but determined. Slowly, she made her way back toward the spectator seats, where Liam was already standing, waiting for her.

  Kyra, who had been keeping a close eye on Sarn’s return, folded her arms and smirked. “The credit for that victory? Goes to me,” she decred.

  Liam turned to Sarn with a grin, ignoring Kyra. “Good job, Sarn.” His face was bright, full of unrestrained pride.

  Sarn didn’t reply. She simply smiled—her fullest, most genuine smile in a long time. Yet, as she basked in his happiness, a thought crept in, uninvited.

  He’s so unconditionally happy for my success... But me? Was I this happy when he won?

  From a distance, Rowan watched the scene unfold. His face, as always, was unreadable. But beneath the stoic exterior, there was something unmistakable—satisfaction.

  As Sarn didn’t notice Ema, she asked, “Where’s Ema?”

  Liam, suddenly hearing her, feigned ignorance. “Ema? Maybe she left way before.”

  Sarn realized, her voice quiet but resolute, “She doesn’t even care. I see. Can’t bme her.”

  Liam looked over at Sarn, his voice soft but steady. “Do you think we should leave?”

  Sarn didn’t hesitate, her tone as calm as ever. “Yeah, I don’t think I have any business here.”

  Liam frowned slightly, his concern evident in the furrow of his brow. “Yeah, besides… you need treatment, right? Don’t waste your time here, Sarn.” He stood, motioning for her to follow.

  Sarn didn’t reply immediately, but stood up, brushing herself off, her eyes wandering to the far horizon as she fell into step beside him.

  As they walked through the quiet halls, the sounds of the semi-final celebrations fading behind them, Sarn broke the silence. “You seem to know a lot about the finale,” she said, her voice reflecting a curiosity that had been slowly creeping up on her.

  Liam’s pace didn’t slow, but his expression tightened, almost as though he was preparing to say something more weighty. “Yeah, from what I heard... we’ll be sent to an isnd under the supervision of seniors. It’ll be our first real confrontation with the Celestials.”

  Sarn's brows furrowed. “Celestials?” she echoed. Her mind processed the word, trying to piece together something more concrete.

  Liam nodded, his gaze distant, as though already reflecting on the task ahead. “I don’t think we’ll have to do much. It's mostly about checking our courage—seeing how we handle the unknown.”

  As they continued walking down the hallway, the silence between them settled, and the weight of the conversation about Celestials hung in the air.