Rita knew the answer to this question was bound to be heavy. She couldn't bring herself to ask Lightchaser, and she wouldn't ask Cinders—so she asked Wail.
Wail didn't answer during the entire next round of Deathmatch. Just when Rita thought she couldn't be bothered to discuss the past with a student, Wail finally spoke.
Her tone and expression carried the weight of years, like a true elder. "When Lightchaser opened GodDraw77 in her sixth year, it was already dangerously close. She pushed past her limits over and over, not daring a single mistake.
"She was the sworn enemy of apprentices from all forty-five academies. Even within Moonlight Marsh, there were plenty who wanted her out.
"Everyone admired her. Everyone wanted to beat her."
Her gaze dropped to Rita, battered and bloody, fending off the pack of Chernor Worms.
"I… I wanted to do something for her back then. I wanted to help her, to give her a perfect ending to her legend, to make sure she had no regrets.
