EPISODE 17 — AN APPLE

# THE FALLEN LIGHT — SEASON I

## CHAPTER 17 — AN APPLE

After Percy left... Holar Jun didn't close the door. Galahad was still in the living room. Eleanor was sitting on the other side of the table. For a while... Nobody spoke.

Galahad gathered his books.

"I should be going as well."

Holar:

"Just a moment."

Galahad stopped. Holar's voice had changed. He was no longer the Grandfather who had been talking to Percy just moments ago. He was the founder of the Mage Academy. He was the strongest mage in the world.

Galahad turned around slowly.

"Sir?"

Eleanor was looking at him too.

Holar asked directly.

"Why are you helping Percy?"

Galahad's eyebrow rose slightly.

"Do I need to have a reason?"

Holar:

"Yes."

Eleanor:

"Yes."

Galahad looked at both of them.

"Did you two have to say that at the exact same time?"

Eleanor:

"Yes."

Holar:

"Yes."

The corner of Galahad's mouth twitched. But he didn't laugh. He remained silent for a while. Then... His expression fell.

"You protect them."

Holar's gaze didn't shift. Galahad continued.

"The students."

"The city."

"The people."

"This world."

Galahad looked down at his hands.

"I..."

"...wanted to protect someone too."

The sternness on Eleanor's face softened.

Galahad took a deep breath.

"Six years ago."

Holar's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Second City Street."

Silence.

Eleanor sat up straight. Holar's face changed.

Galahad continued.

"During that major attack."

"A King Beast breached the defense line."

"My mother..."

He paused for a second.

"...my father..."

"They both died."

Galahad's voice was still calm. But now... It was clear how difficult that calm was to maintain.

"My younger brother too."

Eleanor closed her eyes.

Galahad looked at the floor.

"My brother..."

His voice cracked for the first time.

"...was very much like Percy."

Holar remained silent.

"Not his face."

"Not his hair."

"I don't mean that."

Galahad smiled faintly.

"He wouldn't stop."

"He asked about everything."

"He got mad when he lost."

"Then he tried again."

"He laughed at silly things."

"When he achieved something..."

Galahad went silent.

Eleanor whispered.

"Would he shout?"

Galahad's eyes grew slightly tearful.

"Yes."

Holar's gaze softened.

Galahad continued.

"When Percy came up to me for the first time..."

"And said, 'Bro, will you teach me something?'..."

"For a second..."

"...I saw him."

Silence.

"Then I got to know Percy."

"And I'm not beside him because he resembles my brother anymore."

"I'm beside him because he is Percy."

Holar's eyes remained fixed on Galahad.

Galahad:

"I have no other reason."

A long silence followed.

Then... Holar spoke.

"You are..."

He paused for a moment.

"...their son."

Galahad raised his head. Eleanor remembered as well. Second City Street. The collapsed northern blocks. Defense spells. The King Beast. And... A family.

Eleanor:

"You are their son."

Galahad nodded.

"Yes."

Holar closed his eyes.

"I remember."

Galahad said nothing.

Holar:

"I apologize."

Galahad was surprised.

"Sir?"

"For suspecting you."

Eleanor:

"I do as well."

Galahad's eyes widened. Then... He stood up. And... Bowed before both of them.

Holar's brows knitted.

"There is no need for that."

Galahad didn't raise his head.

"There is."

His voice was calm again.

"You are legends."

"Not because I have to answer to you."

"Because you were right to ask."

Galahad straightened up.

"I apologize if I acted mysterious."

Then he looked at Holar. At Eleanor.

"You..."

"...are the reason this world is still a world."

Holar didn't answer. Neither did Eleanor. Because... Outside the door, a boy had stopped. Percy.

He had forgotten his book. He had turned back. And... He had heard everything. The King Beast. His mother. His father. His brother. Percy's hand slowly clenched into a fist.

The beast. Galahad's brother. The beast.

Galahad's mother. The beast. His father.

Percy's Core trembled.

CORE 5.

The Orin inside him surged for a moment.

Anger flared in Percy's eyes.

"The beast..."

He reached for the door handle. Then... He stopped. He remembered Galahad's voice. I'm beside him because he is Percy. Percy pulled his hand back.

He didn't go inside. He quietly turned around. And walked away. The next morning... When Galahad arrived at the academy, Percy was waiting at the gate.

Galahad stopped.

"What are you doing?"

Percy:

"Waiting for you."

"For me?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Percy shrugged.

"Bro."

Galahad:

"Yes, little commander?"

Percy this time... Didn't say:

"Don't call me little."

Galahad noticed this.

Percy walked up beside him.

"What are we doing today?"

"Don't you have class?"

"I do."

"Then you're going to class."

"After that?"

"You'll practice."

"With you?"

Galahad raised an eyebrow.

"If you want."

Percy:

"I want to."

Galahad smiled.

"Alright."

That day, Percy... Hardly left Galahad's side. During lunch, they ate together. Percy dropped the apple from his plate onto Galahad's plate.

Galahad:

"What's this?"

"An apple."

"I can see that."

"Eat it."

"Why?"

Percy:

"I didn't feel like eating it."

Galahad looked at the apple. Then at the other apple... On Percy's plate.

"You took two."

Percy went silent. Galahad smiled.

"Thank you."

Percy:

"You're welcome."

Percy said nothing more. Galahad didn't ask either. But after that day... Something changed. Percy no longer went to Galahad just for training. Sometimes he just sat beside him. Without asking anything.

When Galahad read a book, Percy read too. When Galahad ate, Percy sat opposite him. When Galahad headed to the training grounds, Percy would ask:

"Where to?"

"To practice."

"I'm coming."

"Your class?"

"Finished."

"Homework?"

"Finished."

"Charlotte?"

"Later."

"William?"

"Later."

One day, Galahad stopped. Percy almost bumped into his back.

"What?"

Galahad:

"Are you following me?"

Percy:

"No."

Galahad stepped to the right. Percy did too. To the left. Percy did too. To the right. Percy did too.

Galahad:

"Percy."

"Yes, bro?"

"You're following me."

Percy thought for a moment.

"...A little."

Galahad laughed.

Percy:

"Don't laugh."

"I'm not laughing."

"You are."

"I'm not."

Percy nodded.

"Fine."

They continued walking together. Percy... Didn't tell him that he wanted to kill every King Beast in the world. Not yet.

On the other side... Clara's life... Wasn't going as she had expected. She spent time with Arthur. With Oliver. With Henry. With Edward. She had chosen this herself at first. If Percy didn't want to... Fine. Clara had friends too.

Arthur paid attention to her. He helped her study. He dueled with her. He sat beside her. But... Something was missing. When she argued with Arthur... It wasn't funny.

When Arthur beat her... She didn't feel like attacking again.

When walking over a line...

Nobody shouted:

"YOU LOST!"

When she saw an apple... Someone else came to her mind. Clara hated this. One day between classes, she walked into the girls' restroom. She was washing her hands. The door opened.

Charlotte. The two looked at each other in the mirror. Clara immediately turned her gaze away. Charlotte began washing her hands.

Silence.

Clara was about to leave. Charlotte spoke.

"Do you know what Arthur, the guy you chose to stand beside, said to Percy?"

Clara stopped.

Then without turning her face:

"Get out, Charlotte."

Charlotte dried her hands.

"'At least I have a family.'"

Clara's hand froze on the door handle.

Charlotte continued.

"He said that to Percy."

Clara slowly turned around.

"What?"

Charlotte looked at her.

"Arthur likes me."

"At least I think so."

"He thought there was something between Percy and me."

The color slowly drained from Clara's face.

"He tripped Percy as he passed by."

"Percy fell to the ground."

"I asked Arthur what he was doing."

"Percy stood up."

"He stood in front of Arthur."

"And do you know what he did?"

Clara couldn't speak.

Charlotte:

"Nothing."

Clara's eyes widened.

"He said 'Childish.'"

"He turned his back."

"He was walking away."

Charlotte's voice hardened.

"Then Arthur..."

"...said, 'At least I have a family.'"

Inside Clara's mind... Something shattered. Percy's face. Slash. Arthur's arm. Reverse. Her own voice. What are you doing?!

**SLAP!**

The look Percy gave her. You are no longer my friend.

Clara leaned against the wall.

"No..."

Charlotte looked at her.

"Yes."

Clara shook her head.

"Why didn't Percy..."

She stopped.

"Why didn't he tell me?"

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Charlotte:

"I don't know."

"Normally I would have waited for Percy to tell you."

Clara looked at her. Charlotte continued.

"But he doesn't care about you anymore."

That sentence... Hurt more than all the rest. Charlotte saw it. But she didn't take it back.

"And I think you need to see who you're standing beside."

Tears began filling Clara's eyes.

Charlotte:

"Arthur might like me."

"Maybe I would have liked him back."

She paused for a second.

"Maybe I do."

Clara looked at her in surprise. Charlotte shrugged.

"But liking someone..."

"...isn't cornering your friend four-on-one in an alley with your buddies when you get jealous."

Clara's eyes widened.

"Four..."

Charlotte:

"Yes."

"Arthur."

"Oliver."

"Henry."

"Edward."

"Percy was alone."

Clara had seen that too. The day Galahad intervened. But... She hadn't known why. Now she knew. Charlotte walked to the door. Stood beside Clara.

"You and Percy..."

She thought for a moment.

"...were like two halves of an apple."

Clara's lips trembled. Charlotte opened the door. Then stopped.

Without turning around:

"Looking at it from here now..."

"...that half of the apple was rotten."

Clara froze. Charlotte walked out. The door closed.

Clara was left alone in front of the mirror. For minutes. Then... She started walking.

She found Arthur in the garden. Oliver, Henry, and Edward were beside him. Clara stood right in front of him.

Arthur:

"Clara?"

Clara's voice trembled.

"Did you say..."

She took a breath.

"...that thing about his family to Percy?"

Arthur's face changed.

Clara:

"'At least I have a family.'"

Silence.

"I did."

Clara's eyes closed. For a second. Then opened.

"Did you trip him?"

Arthur:

"Yes."

"Because of Charlotte?"

Arthur didn't answer.

Clara:

"Then did four of you corner Percy in an alley?"

Oliver looked at the ground. Henry went quiet. Edward's jaw clenched.

Arthur:

"Yes."

Clara's hands were trembling.

"Why?"

Arthur:

"What difference does it make?"

Clara looked at him.

"What difference does it make?"

Arthur's voice hardened too.

"What if I did?"

Clara's fist moved.

BAM!

Arthur's head snapped to the side.

Oliver:

"CLARA!"

Arthur slowly turned his head. There was blood at the corner of his lip.

And...

"LEYVAR!"

A teacher's voice. Clara froze. Wycliffe was standing a few meters away.

He closed his eyes. As if questioning every decision in his life.

"Again?"

DISCIPLINARY BOARD

Clara Leyvar. Physical assault. Provocation present. However... The party who initiated physical violence.

Five days suspension.

Clara:

"Fine."

Wycliffe:

"Are you remorseful?"

Clara went silent. Wycliffe immediately held up a hand.

"DON'T ANSWER."

Clara was surprised.

Wycliffe:

"I asked that question to Percy and Arthur."

"They got bumped up to twelve days."

The corner of Clara's mouth... Involuntarily twitched.

Wycliffe looked at his desk.

"Go."

That evening... Clara was alone at home. Eleanor was at the academy. The house was silent. Clara went up to her room. Placed her wand on the desk.

Pain in my ass. She looked at the writing. She remembered seeing Percy at the shop. The moment she thought he was buying it for himself. Her birthday. Percy's face.

Then... The slap.

Clara sat on her bed.

"Why didn't you tell me..."

But she knew the answer herself. Because she hadn't asked. Clara buried her face in her hands.

And for the first time... She thought about that entire day through Percy's eyes. Percy had fallen to the ground. Stood up. Tried to walk away. His family had been insulted. He had gotten angry. He had cut Arthur. But healed him at the exact same time. Then Clara had arrived.

Without asking anything... She had hit him.

Clara closed her eyes.

"What have I done..."

But... In another place... Percy didn't know this. Charlotte told him. Everything. Percy was sitting in the training area with Galahad. William was beside them. When Charlotte finished... Percy didn't speak for a long time.

Galahad looked at him. So did William.

Percy finally:

"She punched Arthur?"

Charlotte:

"Yes."

Percy nodded.

"The last part was bad."

Charlotte:

"What?"

Percy stood up.

"I wish she hadn't stooped to his level."

Charlotte looked at him for a few seconds.

"She did it for you."

Percy immediately:

"No."

Charlotte fell silent. Percy continued.

"She didn't do it for me."

"She got mad because of what she learned."

"That's her choice."

Galahad was watching Percy.

Charlotte:

"Don't you feel anything?"

Percy thought for a moment.

"I feel bad."

Charlotte's expression shifted slightly.

Percy:

"Because she got suspended."

"And..."

He paused for a second.

"...because she learned the truth like this."

"Anything else?"

Percy shook his head.

"No."

Charlotte:

"Are you going to talk to her?"

"No."

The answer came instantly. Percy turned back to the training area. He created an Orin orb.

Charlotte watched him.

Percy:

"Bro."

Galahad:

"Hm?"

"Let me continue."

Galahad looked at Percy's face. Said nothing. Stood up.

"Let's continue."

That night... Holar and Eleanor were returning home together. They had learned what Charlotte had told as well. Eleanor was quiet. For a long time.

Finally:

"Clara didn't know."

Holar:

"I know."

"Percy didn't tell her either."

"I know."

Eleanor bowed her head.

"Now she punched him."

"Yes."

"She got suspended."

"Yes."

Eleanor looked at Holar.

"Aren't you going to say anything?"

Holar thought.

Then:

"I feel sad."

Eleanor's face softened. Holar continued.

"For both of them."

They walked for a while.

Eleanor:

"Clara made a mistake."

"Yes."

"Percy did too."

"Yes."

"Arthur as well."

Holar looked at her.

"Quite a lot."

Eleanor chuckled involuntarily. Then grew serious again.

"Should we fix them?"

Holar shook his head.

"No."

"What did Percy say?"

Holar remembered the line Charlotte had relayed.

"That he isn't mad at Clara."

"However he doesn't want to be friends."

Eleanor went silent.

Holar:

"We must respect his decision."

Eleanor nodded.

After a while...

"Clara returned home alone."

Holar looked at her. Eleanor sighed.

"I need to be a mother."

Holar smiled.

"Yes."

Eleanor looked at him.

"Is that it?"

"What should I say?"

"Something wise."

Holar thought.

"Go hug your daughter."

Eleanor looked at him for a few seconds. Then smiled.

"Not bad, old man."

And left. Clara was still sitting on her bed. She heard the door open. Footsteps.

Eleanor appeared in the doorway. Clara immediately wiped her eyes.

"Mom."

Eleanor asked nothing. Sat beside her. Clara could only hold out for a few seconds. Then...

"Mom."

Eleanor:

"I'm here."

Clara's voice cracked.

"I did something terrible."

Eleanor looked at her daughter.

"Probably."

Clara looked at her in surprise. Eleanor smiled faintly.

"But I'm here."

Clara rested her head on her mother's shoulder.

Eleanor hugged her.

"Will Percy forgive me?"

Eleanor went silent.

Then...

"I don't know."

Clara's eyes closed.

Eleanor continued.

"And he doesn't have to."

A tear ran down Clara's cheek.

"What you need to do..."

"...isn't making him forgive you."

"It's understanding what you did."

"And never doing it again."

Clara leaned closer into her mother. In another place... Percy and Galahad were sitting on the roof of the academy. Percy was looking at the sky. Galahad was reading his book.

For a long time... They didn't speak at all.

Then Percy:

"Bro."

"Hm?"

Percy was quiet for a while.

"What was your brother's name?"

Galahad's hand... Stopped on the book. He raised his head. Percy wasn't looking at him. Still looking at the sky. All expressions on Galahad's face... Slowly vanished.

"So you heard."

Percy didn't answer. Galahad closed his book.

Percy finally looked at him.

"I want to know his name."

Galahad remained silent for a long time. Then... He said his brother's name. Percy listened attentively. He repeated it once. So he wouldn't forget.

Galahad looked at him.

"Percy."

"Yes, bro?"

"Why?"

Percy's eyes met Galahad's.

"Because..."

He paused for a second.

"...he was my brother's brother."

Galahad's breath caught. Percy looked back at the sky. As if what he had just said... Was the most normal thing in the world.

Galahad couldn't speak.

Percy:

"Bro?"

Galahad didn't answer. Percy turned to him.

"Bro?"

Galahad suddenly ruffled Percy's hair.

"BRO!"

Galahad was laughing. But... His eyes were filled with tears. Percy saw it. He said nothing. He just... Sat a little closer.

After that day... To Percy, Galahad... Wasn't just Big Brother Galahad. He was family.