The morning of the final had arrived. The students stood in front of the bus that would take them to the isnd of the Celestials. Excitement buzzed in the air, mingled with the weight of anticipation. Among them, Sarn arrived, her heart caught between two forces—one half filled with the thrill of the journey ahead, the other heavy with the fear of failure and the unknown truth of Celestials’ existence.

  Before the students, the commander stood, his posture firm, his presence commanding. He appeared to be in his early thirties, his eyes sharp as he surveyed the participants. When he spoke, his voice carried authority.

  “So, participants, you are on the verge of selection. This mission is to prove your ability to work in groups. In the future, as Celestial Knights, teamwork will be crucial. If you fail this, you are not qualified.”

  Sarn’s stomach tightened.

  "Groups?"

  Her fingers curled slightly at her sides as memories fshed before her eyes. A much younger version of herself, sitting alone, eyes filled with tears as ughter and conversation passed her by. The time, when she was left behind to her way to school bus. She didn't know the way, she relied on a girl for a direction. But the girl had intentionally left her, increasing her motion in the gatherings. Sarn couldn't caught up to her as crowd was in her way. She lost her sight of that girl. Though she was ter found by the driver, she had been a nuisance.

  She inhaled sharply, pushing the past away.

  “You don’t have to engage directly,” the commander continued. “Your seniors will lead, and you will be given small tasks. Complete them. Many of you may doubt the existence of Celestials. Today, you will see proof. Celestials only attack those they perceive as threats. You are not skilled enough to be threats yet, but your seniors are. They will handle the lower Celestials.”

  Sarn exhaled, trying to steady her nerves. So we’ll just watch?

  “However,” the commander’s tone darkened, “do not let confusion or hesitation show. Celestials hate uncertainty. If you appear lost or turn back, you will provoke them. This will be difficult for those who do not yet believe in their existence.”

  Sarn felt a bead of sweat on her temple at his final warning.

  “Do not be left behind. Do not stay alone.”

  The students began boarding the bus. Sarn found her assigned group, but even before the journey started, she could feel the divide. They were already talking, forming bonds, their voices a mixture of excitement and nerves. She lingered at the edge of the conversation, unable to find an entry point.

  Maybe it’s my fault.

  She lowered her gaze. They’ve already connected, and I... She swallowed hard. What will happen there?

  The ride was long, the tension mounting with every passing moment. When the bus finally arrived, the students filed out, stepping onto unfamiliar ground. The isnd loomed before them—dense forests, uneven terrain, and an eerie stillness in the air.

  Sarn hesitated for just a breath before following her group forward, her steps careful, her heart pounding.

  This is it.

  Sarn and her group are walking through the deep isnd,a pce marked on their map as unfamiliar. The surroundings are filled with towering structures, and the air is charged with an almost tangible energy. Sarn gnces to the person beside her—the one holding the map. She feels the weight of responsibility pressing down on her as she realizes how little she truly knows about navigating this unfamiliar space. The others in her group seem calm and collected, but her nerves tighten with each step. She fears that if she loses track, if she falters in her attention even once, the group might slip away from her, leaving her behind in the vast expanse of the isnd.

  The thought that her heart might fail her again—just like in the past—lingers at the back of her mind. She wonders whether this could be the day when her disability to keep up with the others finally cracks.

  The Growing Fear!Sarn’s heart beats faster, but it's not from physical exertion. The isnd's strangeness, the unfamiliar faces, and the feeling that she doesn’t belong here start to close in on her. She could be fine now, but what if she loses them in this maze of street? What if her loneliness is finally noticed by something greater than the people around her?

  As the group moves forward, the map feels heavier in her hands, and Sarn wonders whether she’s destined to fail at something as simple as staying with the group. She looks around again—no one seems to notice the deepening sense of anxiety she’s carrying with her.

  Sarn stayed a little behind the group, her quiet mind sensing the change in the air. The isnd , thick with the presence of Celestials, felt oppressive. It wasn’t like the usual bustling atmosphere; there was something heavy about it, something that only Sarn could truly feel, a weight that pressed down on her chest. She didn’t quite belong with her group, and the isotion she often felt seemed amplified by the thickening presence around her.

  When she gnced ahead, she realized the others were farther ahead now. The world around her felt increasingly distant. The pressure of the celestial energy in the city made it harder to focus. Sarn tried to catch up, but the farther she walked, the more it seemed like the distance between her and the group was growing.

  She looked around, and panic quickly set in. The group—her group—was gone. No trace, no sign of them. The thick atmosphere made the city seem vast, too vast for her to be alone in. Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart raced. She had lost them. Alone, in a pce suffused with celestial energy, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had failed.

  The silence felt deeper than she had ever known. Sarn stood there, unsure of what to do next, as the overwhelming feeling of being lost seemed to close in on her.

  Sarn stood frozen, the suffocating atmosphere of the Celestial-dominant isnd pressing down on her like an invisible weight. The silence around her felt alive, like a predator stalking its prey. She gripped the hilt of her sword tightly, her knuckles white, as her eyes darted around. The thick air seemed to coil, wrapping her in isotion.

  A voice broke through the suffocating stillness, sharp and resonant. "Lost and left behind."

  Sarn’s breath hitched. The words felt like they came from nowhere and everywhere at once, echoing unnaturally in the thick air. She spun around, her heart pounding.

  “You thought it wouldn’t be you, didn’t you?” the voice continued, low and unhurried, as though it had all the time in the world. “But it’s always people like you—quiet, invisible, always trailing behind. The weak ones are easy to pick off.”

  A figure emerged from the haze of the alley, his golden hair catching the dim light like threads of fire. His presence was suffocating, filling the space around him with a crushing pressure that seeped into her chest.

  Sarn’s hand trembled as it reached for her sword. She should act. She should move. But his voice, his words, held her still.

  “Do you know why you’re here?” the Celestial asked, his tone calm but cutting. “Do you even know why you joined the Knights? Was it for a purpose? A noble cause? Or did you just follow along, hoping to feel like you belonged?”

  Sarn’s grip faltered as his words seeped into her mind, unraveling her thoughts. She opened her mouth to retort, but nothing came out.It wasn't normal mocking; it was as if the mockery froze her, her mind going bnk. Was it because of the very celestial energy she had doubted? Even words like these from a normal person would shake her, but not as much as this— the mocking from the unknown energy was paralyzing her thoughts.

  Her mind betrayed her, dragging her back to a memory she had buried. She saw herself sitting with her so-called friends as they whispered cruel things about another girl. Sarn had disagreed in her heart, but she had stayed silent, too afraid to speak up. If I had said something... would they have turned on me too?

  Her breath quickened as she remembered the shame that followed her silence. The Celestial’s voice cut through her thoughts.

  “People like you cling to the lie that you’re pure because you don’t act on your cruelty. But staying silent? That’s just cowardice. It’s the same as agreeing. You’re no better than the ones you hate.”

  Was he reading her mind?Sarn’s chest tightened. His words weren’t just accusations—they were truths she didn’t want to face. Her mind screamed for her to deny him, to push back, but the memories flooded in. Moments where she had stayed silent. Moments where she had turned away instead of helping.

  Was she really any different?

  “See it now, don’t you?” the Celestial said, stepping closer. His golden eyes gleamed with something cruel, something knowing. “You’re just like the rest of them. Weak. Hypocritical. Hiding behind your quietness and calling it virtue.”

  Sarn’s knees buckled slightly under the weight of his words, her grip on her sword faltering. She tried to push back the doubts, to hold on to something—anything—that would prove him wrong. But all she found was silence.

  And in that silence, she began to wonder if he was right.

  Her mind reminded her of her cowardice. When Sarn was in fourth grade, sitting on the edge of the schoolyard with her lunchbox banced on her knees. She always sat alone, though she tried not to mind.

  “Hi!” a voice chirped, startling her.

  Sarn looked up to see a girl standing there, smiling warmly. “Do you want to be friends?” the girl asked, her hands csped nervously behind her back.

  For a moment, Sarn felt her heart lift. She nodded shyly, and the girl’s smile grew brighter. But before Sarn could say anything, a shadow fell over them.

  “Sarn,” came the sharp voice of another girl—one of the more dominant ones in their grade. She was fnked by two others, their arms crossed as they stared down the newcomer. “Don’t.”

  Sarn froze.

  “If you mix with her,” the girl continued, her tone cold, “we won’t talk to you anymore. She’s not… like us.”

  The words stung, even though they weren’t directed at her. Sarn gnced between the two girls, her lips parting as if to protest. But no sound came out. She didn’t want to lose her pce in the small circle she’d worked so hard to stay in.

  The girl who had approached her seemed to understand. Her smile faded, and she stepped back, her gaze dropping to the ground.

  “It’s okay,” she said softly before turning and walking away.

  Sarn watched her go, her chest tightening with something she couldn’t name.