A/N

I don't own FE3H or FFX-2.

Textures

Garland Moon 24

I was up before twilight. I stretched, feeling cold and uncomfortable being naked. Once I settled into undergarments, the uniform was a mission that could be ritualized to get into. The socks reached up to my knees and the pants were an off-set black color. Not a true black, more of a night-sky black. I left them open so I could button up the white shirt and tuck it in without a fight, feeling a tad uncomfortable as they reached my belly button and felt them fit perfectly. Despite them being tighter than usual, they were unusually responsive to movement and capable of stretching and returning to their original form. I wouldn't be surprised if they were infused with some sort of magic. Unlike other dress shirts that had to be buttoned up to the neck, this one stops at the collar bone creating a V silhouette.

The coat was beautiful, same color as the pants with golden sand colored cuffs that could be rolled back onto forearms—which I wouldn't do because they instantly warmed me up and reminded me of the morning desert heat. Around the waist, it had laces colored as the cuffs so you could tie it up and close it to cover up the dress shirt. I saw that its length reached down to my calves. Whoever made this for me overestimated my height. I made a small ribbon knot covering myself up. Smiling as I could be mistaken for a shadow if my hair was dark instead of light. I glanced at the mirror, and although I could not see very well, I knew that I looked attractive. The more clothes you had on that gave an elegant impression, the more attractive one would be. At least, that's what I believed.

I sat on the edge of the bed staring lazily at the mirror. I wondered what today would be like with the other students. Would they all be the same or would they be different? Would I be able to relate to someone? I sighed and finished up getting the new boots that Byleth had left on. Thankfully, a perfect fit. Maybe he was to be with me the whole week so he could get my measurements when I wasn't paying attention? It seemed like something he would do. The boots had a comfortable feel to them and as I walked the thudding sounds weren't as loud as my other boots, which was a relief. If I had to walk around before twilight or late at night, I could go unannounced.

When I left my room, I saw that Byleth was already out in the small meadow in front of the rooms. He stared at me and motioned me to get closer to him. "Let's walk," he said. I followed him, hoping that this would be a moment of conversation…or something. We headed out of the monastery through the gates of the monastery, the guard ever so enthusiastic about seeing Byleth telling him that there was nothing to report.

We walked the same forest trail we always did—the one I got lost in last night. At a certain point he stopped and pointed at a tree. Confused I asked, "Am I supposed to see something?"

"Yes. Look at the lowest branch."

"The arrow?"

"Yes. Checkpoint to turn back. That way you won't get lost again if I tell you to walk alone, or you decide to walk alone."

He turned and started heading back. Perhaps this is one of those things he insists that are in front of me, but I do not see. I wouldn't have known to look for it anyway. We don't use arrows in Bikanel. I sighed and followed him.

When we got to the marketplace, the monastery's bell rang, and he explained that it would only ring when the students were in active academic sessions. This was the ritualized message that they had to wake up meet at the dining hall and present to the class halls. "You won't join them today. We go to Lady Rhea and the other professors." I was getting used to his emotionless voice, and otherwise empty tone to all he said. "Why? Wouldn't it be awkward if I arrived late when I've been here for a while?"

"They wish to discuss certain things with you." I followed him through the reception hall and through the stairs that lead to the second floor of the building and into the chamber of Lady Rhea. We stood in front of it as if waiting for it to open or a cue that we could come in. "Rules?"

"I did not inquire what they wished to speak with you. Only that it was important." Usual Byleth. He was a man of ambiguities and not collecting information. Then again, this was not related to him, but me. "Okay." I sighed and simply stood there behind him. It was then that an older man with the same hair and eye color opened there. The only difference between them that his facial features corresponded with one who has lived more than him, and well, he sported a beard that was very slim from his sideburns to his chin. You could tell that it was meticulously groomed. His hair tied in a loose ponytail and his uniform very much like Byleth's however it was a dark navy blue and intricate laced patterns in the chest areas that I could not understand. Perhaps a reference to these crests they seem so curious of.

"Seteth," Byleth inquired, "may we come in?"

"Yes," his voice was deep and commanding, "we are ready for you both." He motioned for us to go inside; however, he did not look or recognize my existence. Focusing only on Byleth. Inside, a woman with sand-brown hair stood to Lady Rhea's right. Her eyes were covered in some sort of coral colored pigments. Her sage green dress open to the sides revealing her thighs and calves. Her hair was styled backwards in a straight same length cut that reached halfway to her neck. It suited her gracefully. She smiled in a swooning manner at Byleth and a grin that stretched ear to ear at me. Her dress served to accentuate her big cleave—the biggest I've ever seen, to this I blushed. It was connected by lace to the black choker on her neck. Being sleeveless, she wore a white coat that had fur of some kind on the neckline. She had tied it on her forearms, so it hung loosely over her without having to put her arms through the sleeves. She's probably some sort of rebel person here.

To her left, a man with a respectable gray colored moustache stood there; hands to the chin, as if analyzing this whole interaction in a theatrical manner. His gray hair appeared to be windswept sideways, frozen as if being styled in such a way its whole life. He also sported a beard like Seteth, but in a more pronounce manner. He was in a beige gray suit with a jacket and a huge trench coat. Did he suffer from constant cold or was this a weird solid colored fashion statement? Some sort of dark yellow green scarf closed his dress shirt at the neck—that's new. The most interesting aspect about him was the monocle on his right eye. I didn't get it why it was on one eye and not both. Maybe he would be better off with our goggles to protect the eyes—if that's what he wants. I could tell that he was excited to meet me because once he saw my face, a gasp came from his mouth and he squinted to see my features.

I was probably some sort of oddity. I had not seen anyone that was tan so far or had hair that was spiral in nature. Although, I hadn't seen anyone with strands of sunlight, yet. And I'm pretty sure my green and hazel eyes was a shocker to these people. Seteth went to stand next to the man and Byleth stood a few steps in front of me. Lady Rhea, with those minty eyes that seemed to shower everything with compassion was the first to speak.

"How have you enjoyed being here so far, Gippal?"

Blushing and almost whispering, "I've really loved it, Lady Rhea. I don't know how to express my gratitude." This last part was true, yet I was also feeling undeserving because I hadn't been able to pick up anything or feel any relatability to what the monastery offered.

"I am glad. The people you see are our faculty, although we have some visiting professors from time to time." She gestured towards the lady, "This is Manuela. She is an expert in healing magic, medicine and holy abilities." That I did not expect. She then proceeded to introduce the man with gray hair, "This is Hanneman. A respected researcher of the science of crests. He is also respected in the communities of Warlocks and Mages in Fódlan." And finally, Seteth, "This is Seteth. Our strategist and tactician. Thankfully, we are in times of peace; however, skirmishes do tend to trouble our lands from time to time. He is the one that mobilizes our students strategically to engage those who disturb the quiet."

"The students," I asked, swallowing deep and beginning to tremble…I had to fight? "The students are mobilized?"

"Yes. It is part of the training to engage in these skirmishes to protect the people of Fódlan. That is why we also have intense training sessions in a variety of weapons. Byleth will be your guide in most of them, as he is proficient in every weapon."

"Oh…but, we haven't really made any progress with the weapons, Lady Rhea."

"Oh, child. Do not fret. Your talents may lie in being a medic. You have yet to be exposed with Manuela and Hanneman."

Seteth seemed eager to speak as he was twitching around and pacing his foot in the same place desperately, "Lady Rhea, if I may,"

"Yes?"

"I wholly disagree with admitting this child to the monastery. Based on Byleth's reports on this past week his value proves to be a burden to the other students and to the faculty. Furthermore, getting lost in the forest and putting his life in jeo-,"

"That is enough, Seteth," her expression changed, eyes holding a certain fire that was suppressed almost instantly. She seemed to be trying to relax her breathing before speaking. I noted this is as a possibility to the fact she might be those kinds of people—like the leaders of the mainland—that did not like to be defied in front of others. Still, I was disappointed in Byleth. I didn't expect him to be reporting on him to these people. Then again, what could I expect? I lowered my head so I could hide the hurt and the tears stinging my eyes.

"The child represents an opportunity for the others to grow and learn to protect those who are weak without forsaking their strength in battle. They must learn the value of helping those who are not their equals. And you forget that he holds a crest that we have never seen before. Do you wish to let go of the opportunity to study a crest undocumented and let those who wish to harm the land seize it?"

I'm…a political tool? I was to be used for the benefit of others and the people in power? This confusion and powerlessness…are this how summoners felt whenever they went on their pilgrimage in the mainland?

"I spoke out of place, Lady Rhea." Seteth bowed respectfully and remained quiet. "I'm sorry you had to witness that Gippal. Now, I want you to go with professor Hanneman to his office so he may begin examinations of your crest. I expect that you meet at least weekly with him to discuss any developments. Byleth reported that you can make ointments of a certain kind to ease suffering. You will be with Manuela everyday before dinner to practice healing arts and the brewing of concoctions. Perhaps your talents and affinities are not in combat but support. At midday, Hanneman will take you to the Golden Deer classroom so that you may join your classmates and formally begin an education here at Garreg Mach. This will be part of your daily duties unless there are skirmishes or other assignments to attend to." She stood still for a bit and then turned to Byleth.

"Byleth, please, explain to them that will have a new comrade joining them. I expect nothing but joy from their reactions to receive Gippal in their group."

"Yes." One-word responses are natural of him. Lady Rhea then proceeded to dismiss the meeting and Seteth retreated to another chamber within this chamber. Lady Rhea simply went to the balcony, perhaps that was her mindful workspace for everything. Professor Hanneman proceeded to walk towards the hallway and I followed. Byleth had left without anyone noticing. Manuela took after us, bantering with Hanneman with hypothesis of where I was born of what kind of crest, I held that caused my eyes to be weird and hair to be different from normal people. "Well, Hanneman, I await your musings of this boy in my office later today."

We weren't far off. His office was almost next and in front of hers. He gestured me to sit in a chair while he sat his desk. He crossed his hands and simply gazed in amazement at me.

"I have never had such an interesting specimen like you. I must say, you are even more peculiar than Byleth." I bet that this man loved to speak in monologues, because he simply murmured to himself—perhaps believing that I was not listening. "A green eye with a swirl leading into the pupil like a whirlpool to the depths and a hazel eye with the craters of a battlefield. Marvelous!"

He stood and positioned himself close to the center of the office where some sort of device was placed in the ground emitting a beautiful sheer purple light. "Come, boy. Extend your arm through this light. This will allow us to see the design of the crest that you hold." I walked over next to him and crossed my arm through the light. A funny ticklish sensation came awash it. I looked at him and then at the machine, waiting for something to happen and murmured, "Are we supposed to see something?"

"Hm. Odd, this is supposed to reveal your crest, yet nothing appears. Lady Rhea was insistent that you do have a crest, but if it's not here…then…you don't have a crest." He murmured to himself, then looked at me quizzically. "What was your talent again?"

"Uhm, well it's uh…controlling energy. Energizing and de-energizing." I scratched the back of my head with the other hand laughing nervously at the fact that perhaps I had no crest at all.

"I've never heard of such a power. However, it would be a mix between the dark magics and the healing arts. We have no experts in dark magic here. Hrm, this is most troubling. My designs have never failed me before."

Remembering what the girl from my dreams was telling me about it being sealed and that being the cause of my different colored eye, I mused the idea to him to see if convincing him that I did have a crest would save me from potential troubles with Lady Rhea, seeing as how she wanted to know more about it—and I not wanting to go back to Bikanel, "What if it's sealed professor?"

Astonished, he turned to a bookshelf and took out three huge books. Largest I've ever seen. He opened them and scouted the pages of interest as if by memory. Unknowingly, my hand drifted away from the light and into my side as I just stared blankly at him. I could see why Byleth was not much conversation—his companions seemed to be interest in their musings and not each other. "Ah yes, that is a possibility, young man. You are keener than I expected given your origin. We will have to draw blood from your limbs, abdomen and chest. We must find the location of where the crest is sealed in your body for us to study it. Come and sit. Take off your clothes and remain in your undergarments."

I did as instruct while he closed the door and opened drawers that revealed sharp knives like those used for cutting meat and muscle with objects that appeared to be tiny bottles. "This may sharply sting you. I need you to remain as calm as you can, young man. It is of utmost important that the blood we gather from be free of tainted responses to pain." I gulped as I finished undressing and sat in the chair closest to this desk which became the experimental table holding all the utensils. With the larges knife he sliced my forearms with an inch-long cut, following both thighs. He cut vertically above my belly button and horizontally above each nipple. I had managed to keep quiet, although I was wincing, trembling and having trouble focusing on my breathing. At times my body would jerk involuntarily as he cut through my skin and he would murmur to relax and focus on something else other than the knife. But how could I not look at that thing and the blood that just seems to desperately want out of my body!

Then, he organized the seven tiny bottles in his desk, and he began to glow a turquoise aura. In an instant, my blood also became wrapped in that same color and began to float towards the bottles. As he did that with an excited grin in his face, I felt him draw more blood out of my body until the bottles were full. Once done he closed them and labeled them. "Wait here, I will call for Manuela to treat the cuts. We can't have them getting infected." He stored the bottles in some sort of box next to his desk and left the office.

And I…well I wasn't feeling to good. I had begun to see blurry and it felt like he was taking forever. I stood and found it difficult for me to balance myself. Using the bookshelves as support, I walked to the door and into the hallway. Remembering that Manuela's office was on the other side and in the middle door I slowly walked but found it impossible to cross to the other side of the hallway. I had heard them discussing something about me and I saw that Lady Rhea's chamber was open. But everything was so blurry and

I heard a thud and it was all black.

"Boy! How foolish are you!? Letting them take your blood. Seriously!"

I opened my eyes and saw her over me. This woman from my dreams. She seemed to care for me. I groaned and found that I had no strength to speak.

"Lost your voice, eh? No matter. Your crest is not in your blood. I have been observing you closely since our last conversation. It's in your eye. Where a crest is sealed, it changes the body. Your eye probably changed as a result of that. If they figure that out, they will want to extract your eye! You can't let them do that. You must get him to light your face with that machine." Pacing rapidly across the blackness, the woman seemed to be preoccupied with something more important than the crest. Yet, how did she have the answer for that? Was she another aspect of me that cannot be manifested while I am awake?

She looked at me quizzically and sighed, "I was hoping for a conversation, but you are weak right now. Don't worry, they will discover your crest in due time. But it will not be that professor. It will be someone else. I will do what I can from here to hasten your awakening."

I don't know what I did, but her face changed completely. Turning paler than what she is and lead her to get closer to me, leaning down close to my face to murmur, "You don't want that."

I disagreed with my face. If this awakening thing is what would help me be useful in life, then I did want it.

"Oh! This is troublesome. You are different. There is something in you other than the crest. Or is it the crest itself? How can this be? Oh! I cannot imagine these things! Young man come back when you can speak. Not like this!"

The mantle of darkness fell.

"Ngh…" I groaned and shivered. Pain encased my whole body and I felt incapable of controlling my limbs.

A woman's voice echoed through the room, "stay still, I have administered a paralyzing ointment on your cuts to numb the pain. Although, you won't be able to move very much. Seriously, how did you let Hanneman cut you up so needlessly? Blood isn't used these days to study crest. That fool, sticking with the old methods, not knowing how your body would respond to magic." She seemed mad and sat next to me. "Although, it does give me something to do. It's been very quiet lately."

"Thank you." I murmured. "It's my job, boy. I've put your clothes on the edge of the bed with your boots."

"I need to go to class."

"You can forget about that. You've just had an unknown response to magic! What if you faint again? It was a scare you know. If something were to happen to you, Lady Rhea would not forgive us. She favors you like she favors Byleth." I managed to sit up straight, wincing at the pain on my upper body, but found it easier to move my legs. Although I imagined that if I stood my thighs would scream at me.

"How are you feeling?"

"I don't know. Weird." Something was different. This was a fatigue not caused by exhaustion, nor did I feel particularly excited as I had this morning. I felt blank and empty. "Worried." I hadn't meant to say that, but I blurted it out and Manuela seemed to be in shock, "Worried? You have nothing to worry about. You will be fine! Stay here, I'll bring you some energizing tea so you can perk up and go to class." As she walked to leave her room she stopped and looked at me intently, "Make sure to tell Byleth to not overdo it. Forget it, you boys think you can handle everything. I'll tell him myself. It gives me an excuse to see him." She blushed as if saying something by mistake and left.

I was left to my own devices for a while, so I tried out standing and was right. My thighs did burn, but the act of walking just triggered a flaming pain all over my upper body. This is what my mother meant when she would blab that everything is connected.

I dressed slowly, regretting my desire to go to class. If I moved quickly, dizziness would overcome. Manuela came back complaining how she had to go to the dining hall to brew the tea. Although, she did not mind it because she spoke to Byleth. "Here drink this. I tried to sweeten it, but don't expect much. These energizing teas taste like mud."

She was right. As I lead the teacup to my lips and sipped, a strange wooden and earthly flavor overcame me and caused me to wince in disgust. She laughed heartily. "You know, I've never seen eyes like yours before. They're quite beautiful."

I blushed. I sipped the tea again, nervously and no longer shuddering at the taste. I looked down and then at her. She didn't seem to be waiting for a response, she simply grinned ear to ear. I can tell that she could understand that perhaps no one had told me that before.

We remained in silence until I finished the tea and mustered the strength to get up. I didn't feel any different—although the ointments she applied on my skin were probably to blame. Before leaving the room, I settled my gaze towards her,

"Thanks, Professor Manuela. I really appreciate your help…I don't know what to say."

I didn't give her a chance to respond. I didn't deserve this kind of treatment. People caring for me and treating me like I'm special. I'm not worth it at all. I'll only bring trouble like I've always been to my mother. Once I was at the area where the classrooms where I needed to find the one with Byleth in it—that would be the Golden Deer. The day had started to become gloomy and cloudy.

All the classrooms had their doors open, thankfully. It would save me from the embarrassment of knocking the doors to see if it was where I was assigned to. Rookie mistake not asking Byleth which classroom we were supposed to meet in. The first one did not have him and thankfully there was nobody looking outside. The one in the middle didn't have Byleth in it, but there was this commanding blonde guy that glanced and locked eyes with me. I wanted to die. I was hoping to not be seen. I quickly gulped and tried to walk a little faster, shuddering at the pain that my sudden movements caused.

That left the one that also had a view to the dorms and my room. That's when I noticed that overhead, they had some sort of flag and it had been obvious yet missed. Once I was in the vicinity of the Golden Deer classroom, I heard Byleth giving a lecture on the importance of moving as a team during skirmishes and not spreading out over the territory to minimize casualties. That was not useful advice in Bikanel, a sandworm could easily devour three or four people if they were huddled in close vicinity like he was suggestion. Well…they probably didn't have those here.

I peeked into the room and noticed that they were all listening intently to Byleth and I was surprised. In Bikanel, all of us were blondes. No one from the mainland would dare move to the deserted island of desert. And in the mainland people either had old wood brown colored hair, black hair, very few orange haired people, and a steel blue-grayish hair color, but most of the time you would see the brown. There wasn't much variety. But this, in one place you could see a young man with brown hair that spiraled into short spikes with a braid hanging close to his face, purple hair, messy-disheveled pale blonde hair that is definitely lighter than mine, a pale minty green hair, completely white hair, sapphire blue hair, pale pink hair, and fruity orange hair. I've never seen something like that! I didn't move until I noticed that Byleth realized that I was there at the edge of the classroom and motioned for me. To meet everyone.

I stood in front of the board, hands behind my buttocks and looking down to avoid eye contact with everyone and with my right foot on my left thigh (tree posing to see if I can find some strength through this pain!). I imagined that in their eyes, I looked like a fool.

Byleth gestured towards me and in his usual blank tone presented me, "This is Gippal. He is your new classmate and comrade."

I wanted to disappear or simply die off right there so I wouldn't have to socialize with anyone. So, they wouldn't discover how useless I am. In Bikanel I had, had friends. But…they left for the mainland because they excelled with mechanics and physical aptitude. I was left behind. Byleth motioned to me as if I should speak or say something, but I just stared blankly at the group. Everyone was different. Perhaps I could finally belong somewhere.

"Uhm…Hi, I uh, hope that I can contribute to our assignments." They just stared at me. The one with purple hair raised his voice and spoke like people in power, "Well I must say that you are most certainly a commoner! Where do you hail from? Do you have a crest?" I saw Byleth stare at him and he shuddered a bit, collecting himself.

"I'm from Bikanel Island in Spira." I murmured, recognizing that I wasn't just thinking out loud I looked outside to pretend that I was looking at them and raised my voice a bit. "It's a desert island to the west of the mainland. Uh…I don't know what my crest is yet. So," I cleared my voice, "I don't know what it does or what I can do."

Everyone just sat there a bit flabbergasted. They murmured among themselves and I couldn't really make out anything. Byleth pointed to an empty chair next to the girl with the sapphire blue hair and I walked to set next to her, wincing as the pain from the earlier experiment was starting to feel a bit more pronounced. Manuela's ointments were probably wearing off. Thankfully, it was the table closest to the classroom's door, so I was behind everyone and I felt a little invisible—which is what I wanted right now. Once I sat, I noticed that everyone, including the girl, had books on their tables and were writing with feather quills. I felt a bit stupid, not having anything like they did.

Byleth started resumed his class about weapon advantages and disadvantages—which I tuned out because I was not talented in any of the weapons, they could train me in. I looked to my right to the girl and noticed that she was also not paying attention or taking notes. Simply murmuring to herself some weird incantation or mantra. I scooted closer a bit to talk, "Hey, what's your name?"

"Uhm…" She blushed heavily and lowered her head down and I could listen that she was murmuring something about a goddess. Curious, I asked her, "Is your name after a goddess?"

"I'm sorry…no. Marianne." She turned away and continued, "please, don't talk to me. I…uhm…I'm sorry…but…I will only bring suffering into your life." I was confused—how could she bring suffering to me? In any case, I was the one that would bring suffering to her because of my being born an Al Bhed. At least that's why the mainland ostracized us to the sea hoping that we would die off. We shouldered the blame of the wars and the suffering that the world was going through the whole millennium because of that beast that flew through the sky. The historians all agreed that we were the ones that would hide him beneath the sands.

"Are you like me?" I asked, knowing well that she was not an Al Bhed, but perhaps there were races here in Fódlan that had these petty arguments and divisions. "Yes…I also have a crest."

I looked at her quizzically, but she would not notice, still turning her head away from me. "You know what it is?"

"I…can't tell you…it's a curse only I can bear. I must not speak of this…I'm sorry. Please, just…leave me alone. For your own good."

"Sorry," I don't know what to say. The first person I decide to talk to doesn't want to talk. I'm pretty sure that she is like me. Maybe she was sent away from her family here so she could be protected and find her utility for others. Maybe she feels useless and like a burden to the others. I eased myself into the chair, grinning a bit. I wasn't alone with my qualms or worries in this place. Perhaps there were others that could understand where I was coming from.

Byleth was still lecturing on weapons, and some students talked about the kinds of weapons they were most comfortable with and how that would place them at a disadvantage with other weapons. Then, Byleth emphasized the importance of complementing each other as a team, so that they could maximize the possibilities of a victory. I sighed, still thinking about how I could be of some contribution here in Garreg Mach.

Before class was dismissed, I quietly left the room, noticing Byleth gaze over to me. My body felt heavier than usual and with every motion I felt the pain throb like a separate heart in every incision. After walking down the stairs and heading into my room, I debated between being clothed or in undergarments so they could breath. I chose to be in undergarments feeling a bit of relief as cool air caressed me. I laid down in the bed staring at the ceiling and listening to the chirps of birds and rustling leaves. And the downpour that suddenly came.

"You can't leave like that." Byleth's voice resonated in my room. I straddled to sit in pain to see him sitting in the chair. I was surprised, "You left the door open," he said.

"I'm sorry. It…started to hurt." This was true, but I wasn't going to tell him how embarrassed I felt of myself for being there without being able to take notes or find any use in his lecture.

"Yes. I can imagine. Manuela told me. Lay down again." I did as instructed, feeling a tingling sensation in all my body as light emanated from my abdomen. I looked at Byleth and saw that a small golden circle was glowing in front of him as he gestured to me with his eyes closed. I looked at my body and saw that the incisions closed, and the light took the pain with it. I felt free to move again.

"There. There is no excuse to leave again."

"What was that?"

"Heal."

I had never experienced healing magics. In Bikanel we had no one adept enough in the arts to channel the energies into someone else. We relied on ointments and concoctions that took a while to work and restore the body. I turned to him, surprised, "thank you. Why haven't we tried this when you were exposing me to different things?"

"You have no affinity for magic."

I have no affinity for magic. I have no affinity for magic.

"I don't have an affinity for anything, then." I felt my body tighten, fists curl, and the necessity to protect myself from nothing. I hugged my legs and hid my face between my chest and knees. "Please leave." I listened intently, but I did not hear him move.

"Please leave." I raised my voice a bit. Met with silence. I yelled, "LEAVE!"

I felt him get up and take a few steps. "When your crest is discovered, we will know your affinities." He said before leaving and closing the door.

I merely collapsed sideways over the bed, sobbing and shaking vigorously. I wasn't sure if anyone would hear my wails and pained screams at my own futility and incapability of anything.

I'm truly worthless.

And this is a texture of sorrow I've never felt before.