Chapter 591: Where Joy Finds Its Voice

"Mom! Dad!"

A voice sounded amidst the noise surrounding the training grounds, his boots kicking up snow as he rushed forward toward his parents.

Stacy turned sharply at the sound.

For a moment, she didn’t move, for fear of the results. Joren did tell her earlier that he was more worried for his other friends, and if he didn’t pass, he’d still be excited because he got to experience something most people hadn’t, and he had friends that would support him too.

But she also knew how sad people got when they found out they failed the test.

There was light in his eyes, and his smile was bright.

"I passed!" Joren called, not slowing down. "I passed!"

His father’s eyes widened in stunned disbelief.

"What—?"

But Joren had already reached them.

Before another word could be spoken, his father grabbed him and lifted him clean off the ground.

Joren let out a startled laugh as he was pulled into a tight embrace.

His father didn’t seem to notice—or care—that Joren had grown heavier from months of relentless training.

"I knew it!" he barked out, laughter booming from his chest. "I knew you would!"

Joren laughed into the hug, his arms wrapping around his father’s shoulders.

After a moment, his father set him back down—but the pride in his eyes didn’t lessen.

Not even slightly.

Stacy stepped forward immediately.

She didn’t speak at first.

She just pulled Joren into her arms, hugging him tightly.

Her fingers curled into the back of his clothes like she needed to make sure he was truly there.

"I’m proud of you," she said, her voice thick despite her attempt to keep it steady.

Joren nodded against her shoulder, smiling.

"I really wasn’t expecting it, though, and I was more focused on Micah, Nia, and Laia," he told her.

"I know," Stacy replied, pulling back just enough to look at him. "But I am glad you passed."

Her hand came up, brushing against his cheek briefly.

"They passed too?" she asked him.

Joren’s smile widened, and he nodded continuously.

Before Stacy could respond, a voice cut in from the side.

"Thousand points, huh? Not bad," he said to Joren.

Another trainee stepped closer, grinning.

"That score you got?" he added with a whistle. "It was well worth it. Congratulations."

There was a pause.

Joren blinked.

"...What?"

His parents froze.

"A t-thousand... points?" Stacy repeated slowly.

Joren turned toward them, his expression mirroring their confusion.

"I—what?"

His father stared at him for a second longer.

Then he burst into loud, booming laughter.

"That’s my son!" he declared proudly, clapping a hand against Joren’s back. "A thousand points!"

Joren’s ears flushed faintly, but the grin that spread across his face was impossible to suppress.

"I didn’t even know that was possible," he admitted.

"Well, it is now," his father said with a grin. "I’m so proud of you, boy. You have no idea. I’m glad you all passed."

"Me too," Joren said.

---

Not far from them, another cluster of celebration had already taken shape.

Dren barely had time to brace himself after telling his parents he passed.

Elizabeth’s fist connected with his shoulder in a sharp, solid punch.

"I’m proud of you," she said firmly.

Dren winced dramatically.

"Mum—!"

Before she could land another, his father stepped in, grabbing Dren by the back of his collar and pulling him away.

"That’s enough," he said dryly. "I’d prefer it if you didn’t kill our newly promoted guard before he even starts."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"He can take it."

"I’d rather not test that theory," her husband replied.

Dren rubbed his shoulder, muttering under his breath.

"I haven’t even gotten my earring yet..."

His father snorted.

"Who cares about that? You passed. That’s enough for me."

Dren paused.

Then smiled.

"...Yeah," he said quietly. "I guess it is."

Beside them, Cat let out a soft laugh.

"You’re not wrong," she said.

Before Dren could respond, an older woman stepped forward—Cat’s grandmother.

She pulled him into a warm embrace, her hold surprisingly strong.

"I’m proud of you," she said gently.

Dren blinked, then smiled, returning the hug.

"Thank you."

Elizabeth turned then, her attention shifting.

Without warning, she pulled Cat into a hug as well.

"I’m proud of you too," she said.

Cat froze for a second—then laughed softly, hugging her back.

"Thanks."

Around them, the boundaries between families blurred.

Laughter overlapped.

Voices mingled.

What had once been separate groups now felt like one.

---

A few paces away—

Uther’s sister dropped to the snow.

"I... fuck!"

She laughed and then suddenly started crying, bawling her eyes out.

"I can’t believe this," she said, shaking her head as tears streamed down her face. "I can’t believe it. You passed!"

Uther stood awkwardly in front of her, unsure what to do.

"I passed," he said again, as if saying it might make it more real.

"I know!" she snapped through her tears. "That’s why I’m crying! Mom and Dad would be so proud!"

Uther blinked, trying to keep the tears at bay, but they slipped through. For years, he’d been a trainee, and now... he was no longer one.

"I’m proud of you," his sister said, her voice breaking slightly. "Do you hear me? I’m so fucking proud of you."

Uther exhaled slowly.

"...Thanks."

He crouched slightly, pulling her into a careful hug despite the snow.

She clung to him without hesitation. "Let’s go visit their grave later to tell them," she said softly.

Uther nodded as he sniffled.

---

Nearby, Nia and Laia stood with their parents.

Their mother had one arm wrapped around each of them, pulling them close as she laughed and cried all at once.

"You both passed," she kept repeating. "Both of you..."

Their father stood just beside them, his usual composure softened by a quiet smile.

"Well done," he said simply.

But the pride in his voice spoke volumes.

Nia let out a shaky breath, her earlier fear dissolving completely.

"We did it," she murmured.

Laia nodded, laughing softly.

"We actually did."

Darek stepped forward then, a faint but genuine smile on his face.

"Congratulations," he said.

The twins turned toward him, grinning.

"Thank you," they replied together.

---

Everywhere—

There was something happening.

Some families laughed loudly, celebrating without restraint.

Others held onto each other in quiet relief.

Some cried openly, shoulders shaking as they processed the weight of it all.

And not all of it was joy.

There were those who stood apart.

Those whose expressions had fallen.

Those who had not found their names where they had hoped.

Tears of disappointment mingled with tears of happiness across the training grounds.

Friends comforted each other.

Parents whispered reassurance.

Because even in failure, no one stood alone.

---

From where they stood, Orion, Sophia, Ronan, and Brynhild watched it all unfold.

The chaos.

The emotion.

The life in it.

Ronan let out a quiet breath.

"...This," he muttered, "reminds me of when Brynhild passed."

Brynhild laughed softly, the sound warm.

"That was a very emotional day," she agreed.

Ronan snorted.

"I bawled my eyes out. Lysander couldn’t even stand straight."

Orion smiled faintly, his gaze moving over the crowd.

"It was just as emotional as this," he said.

Sophia leaned slightly into him, her eyes following the same scenes.

Her expression softened.

"...It’s nice," she said quietly.

"It is," Orion replied.

For a moment, they simply stood there.

Then Orion looked down at Sophia.

"Shorty, I have something to ask," he told her.