I woke before dawn on the third day with my heart already racing. Today was the day Kellan would arrive. Tonight, I would leave. I dressed quickly in my training clothes and made my way to the courtyard, needing the familiar rhythm of my forms to steady my nerves.
The air was cool and still, carrying the scent of earth and morning dew. I moved through each form with precision, my muscles burning, my breath steady. The physical exertion helped quiet the storm in my mind. I thought about my father, about how he used to watch me train in the Silverwood courtyard, correcting my stance, pushing me harder. I thought about my mother, about the way she would wait for me at the gate after a long day of training. I thought about the life I had left behind, the life I was fighting to return to.
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