What was the point of all this?

  Just as she began to cry, she heard footsteps approaching. She wiped her face quickly, bracing herself for the mocking comments she knew would come. But when she looked up, it was Liam standing there.

  Great, just what I need right now, she thought bitterly.

  Liam saw her tear-streaked face and hesitated for a moment before softly saying, “You’re crying.”

  Sarn sniffled, wiping her eyes, and didn't respond immediately.

  “Don’t cry,” Liam continued, his voice softer than usual. “There are a lot of people who don’t make it. Some are going to be eliminated from the semi-finals too.”

  Sarn shook her head. “But I haven’t even won a single match. It’s not like I haven’t tried. I practice every day. But the outcome is always the same.” Her voice cracked slightly as she looked away. “It’s more embarrassing than anything. Not just to me, but to everyone around me.”

  Liam paused, his expression unreadable. “You might be even greater than us, you know. Even if you start from the beginning next time.”

  Sarn scoffed. “Maybe... maybe is the problem. You wouldn’t understand.” She wiped away another tear, frustrated by his words.

  Liam’s face softened, and he looked at her with a hint of seriousness. “I might not understand everything, but I know you’ve got something in you. Don’t give up.”

  Sarn, feeling her emotions swelling again, turned away and walked back to her room. She smmed the door behind her and slumped onto her bed. Liam saying that... while he’s already qualified. What does he know about this feeling?

  But then, just as she was trying to calm herself, there was a knock at the door.

  Sarn opened it to find Liam standing there again. She stared at him, confused.

  “You’re qualified,” he said, his voice calm but urgent. “Rowan tried. He put in a word for you. But now, you have to work even harder. You can’t let this chance slip.”

  Sarn’s heart skipped a beat. She blinked, unable to process the words for a moment. “Wait… What? I’m... qualified?”

  Liam nodded. “Yes. But you can’t stop now. You’ve made it this far. It’s time to really push yourself. No more doubts.”

  Sarn was stunned. The news felt unreal, and for a second, she thought she might just colpse from the shock. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips, but it was quickly repced by the weight of the realization. Why, Rowan? Why? Why take my embarrassment on yourself? You aren’t my parents, but still...

  She shook off her thoughts and repced them with a firmer resolution. I have to succeed now. The pressure is on, more than ever.

  Sarn stood there for a moment, staring at Liam in disbelief. The weight of his words slowly began to sink in, but as it did, a warmth started to spread in her chest—a feeling of gratitude, unexpected and overwhelming.

  He believes in me. The thought echoed in her mind, and she felt a surge of emotion that was hard to contain. The frustration she had felt just moments ago, the weight of all her failed attempts and doubts, seemed to melt away.

  Liam hadn’t just spoken words of encouragement—he had shown her a different way of looking at herself, one where she wasn’t just the girl who couldn’t succeed, but someone capable of pushing through and growing.

  Sarn felt a pang of guilt for her earlier thoughts—the bitterness, the disbelief when he had spoken to her before. I was wrong, she realized, a rush of regret hitting her. He wasn’t mocking me. He was trying to help.

  Her eyes softened as she looked at him, and for the first time in a while, she felt a flicker of hope rise within her. It wasn’t just about winning or being the strongest anymore. It was about the effort, the belief that someone else saw something in her when she couldn’t see it herself.

  “Thank you,” Sarn whispered, though the words felt almost too small for the depth of what she was feeling. She wasn’t sure if Liam understood the full weight of what his words meant to her, but for the first time in a long while, Sarn felt like she wasn’t alone in her struggle.

  Unexpected fmes

  Sarn was practicing with her sword as always. But this time, she saw a sudden quirk of fire. She couldn’t believe it. She swung her sword again, and the fire revealed itself. Sarn was startled.

  She stood frozen for a moment, staring at the faint, flickering fme that danced along the edge of her sword. Was she imagining it? She couldn’t be. Her heart pounded as she swung the sword again, more deliberately this time.

  The fire fred brighter, spiraling briefly before fading away. A mix of disbelief and exhiration coursed through her. She gripped the hilt tightly, her breaths shallow. “Is this… real?” she whispered to herself.

  Sarn repeated the motion, trying to summon the fme again. At first, nothing happened, but as she focused harder, visualizing the fire, it appeared once more, more vivid than before. The warmth radiating from the bde was unmistakable now.

  She lowered the sword slowly, her thoughts racing. This wasn’t something that came naturally to her—she had worked tirelessly, fought against despair, and endured endless failures. And yet, here it was, proof of her effort flickering before her eyes.

  But as quickly as the excitement filled her, doubt crept in. Why now? she wondered aloud. And… is this enough?

  The memory of her past failures loomed over her like a shadow. Would this sudden spark of progress truly make a difference? Could it carry her through the challenges ahead?

  She clenched her jaw, dismissing the uncertainty. This was no time to waver. Sarn gripped her sword and stepped forward, determination igniting within her. If the fire had appeared now, it meant she was finally on the right path, and she would fan the fmes into something unstoppable