The first rays of dawn filtered through the heavy curtains of Anthony's room, their golden light catching the edges of his bedding.
The sun's warmth was a soft, welcoming embrace, as if the world itself acknowledged the significance of the day.
Anthony stirred beneath the covers, the faintest hint of a smile curling his lips as his eyes fluttered open.
For a moment, he lay still, savoring the tranquility of the morning.
The weight of the impending day felt strangely distant, no doubt, because he had already surpassed the expectations that others would place on him.
Today was merely a formality.
The Academy's graduation ceremony, a process that had become nothing more than a simple gesture for him and his companions.
Turning his head slightly, he saw the familiar form of his mother, Mitchelle, standing by the window.
Her Crimson hair caught the morning light, glowing ethereally, and her calm presence filled the room.
