"That is not true", Valerion said, firm. "That is simply not true. I know you can do it. Do you think I would have accepted you as my apprentice, if I thought you couldn't? I am positive that you will succeed - all you need is to learn how to get there. This is why you are here, after all, and I repeat - I am here to help you. You are not a waste of my time. I don't think your problem is incompetence, Adrien. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's rather --".

"-- what? --", Adrien gasped.

"That you tend to bully yourself", Valerion answered, gently.

Adrien looked off to the side, to the lone window in the barren room, then back to Valerion's inquisitive eyes, then down to his own knees. "No, you're right", he said. "It's true".

"You need to tell that bully in your head that nothing of what he says is true. Don't leave his lies unchallenged. For every lie he whispers, you must shout back the truth".

"I should, I know", Adrien said, shaking his head, his voice slightly quivering, "but what if they aren't lies, what if they're just... unpleasant truths?".