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Iris's POV...
I stayed in the garden a while longer, trying to gather my thoughts. The night was peaceful, the sounds of the celebration a distant murmur. I needed to find a way to carve out my own path, to prove to myself that I was more than just Raya's sister. But how?
The answer eluded me, slipping through my fingers like water. All I knew was that I couldn't continue like this. Something had to change.
The days turned into weeks, and I threw myself into training with a renewed fervor. I woke up before dawn, practicing my forms and techniques in the quiet solitude of the early morning. Father noticed my dedication and pushed me even harder, his stern voice a constant reminder of the expectations I struggled to meet.
