Episode Five: The People We Were

Spiritfyt Publishing

Aug 25

23 min read

Spiritfyt, Season One: Spiritual Connection

After the Silence Trials were completed, the remaining candidates—including Lyte, Nox, Thalira, and me—were escorted to a large briefing room at the end of the corridor. Rows of blue chairs faced a massive white display board at the front, but no instructors were waiting for us when we arrived. Instead, we were left alone for nearly ten minutes. Most of the candidates immediately formed lines around the five water dispensers scattered throughout the room, while others helped themselves to the nutritional bars stacked neatly on tables against the wall.

None of us were exactly starving, but three days without food or water still left its mark. The Ascension Capsules had done their job, keeping our bodies functioning throughout the trial, but they weren't without side effects. Everyone looked a little rough around the edges, as though we'd gone days without sleep. I felt the same way. The time inside the isolation sphere felt more like a vivid dream than reality, yet my body was exhausted and my mind felt drained. Although the battle was within the sphere was internal, it had taken more out of me than I realized.

Lyte, Nox, Thalira, and I sat together in the middle row, quietly drinking water and nibbling on the nutrition bars we had grabbed before finding our seats. The one I picked was peanut butter chocolate with crushed peanuts, and it was significantly better than the cheap granola bars I usually bought back in the city. The thing practically melted in my mouth.

The bars I normally ate felt more like chewing on construction materials. Half the time, I was convinced they were secretly made from compressed gravel. I usually just told myself that even my jaws were getting stronger. You never know when you'll need to bite a demon.

When I looked over at the others, I noticed Nox wasn't nearly as impressed with his nutrition bar as I was. He stared at it thoughtfully between bites, as though he were evaluating it instead of eating it. Meanwhile, Lyte and Thalira had already finished theirs.

Part of me wanted to tell them how incredible the bar tasted, but I stopped myself. Something told me they probably hadn't spent the last year surviving on the cheapest food they could find. After leaving Sanctora, my standards had become incredibly low. A meal that didn't taste like cardboard felt like a blessing. Anything remotely fresh felt luxurious. Compared to some of the things I'd eaten while trying to save money and get by, this nutrition bar might as well have been served in a royal banquet hall.

When Nox noticed I'd finished my bar, he broke off the small section he'd already bitten and offered the rest to me. I gratefully accepted it without hesitation. For a brief moment, I simply admired it like it was a piece of gold before taking a bite. My eyes immediately widened. It was fruity. Actually fruity. Before I knew it, the entire bar was gone, and I was left wondering how a nutrition bar had managed to become one of the highlights of my week.

When the door opened, I was surprised to see that Sergeant Valen had entered first. Following him were Sergeant Viera and Stroud. If they were all here, I could only assume that the initial recruitment process had been completed during our trial. It made me wonder just how many people passed, and I silently prayed that many made it through. We’d need as many great warriors as possible in order for our class to make a difference.

The room came to a silence when the door closed behind them, and the classroom was now facing the front in attention.

Sergeant Viera stepped to the front and looked us over. "Congratulations. Of the forty-seven candidates who entered the Silence Trials, thirty-five remain. The twelve who did not pass have been returned to civilian status and may reapply next year. As of this moment, the thirty-five of you who passed are officially recognized as Spiritfyt Recruits. When you have completed your first phase of training, you will be rewarded with your Spiritfyt Insignia and recognized as official SpiritFyt military students. You then will be addressed as trainees."

Sergeant Viera gave us a moment to take in her words and then continued.

"The Silence Trials were never about sitting alone for three days," she said. "They were designed to reveal what exists within you. Your fears. Your anger. Your guilt. Your insecurities. The parts of yourself that you try to hide."

She paused, allowing her words to settle.

"As you've already learned, demons are attracted to darkness. Negative emotions, unresolved wounds, and a lack of self-control that make people vulnerable. If you cannot govern your own spirit, then your spirit can be used against you. The candidates who passed demonstrated that they were willing to confront themselves rather than run from what they found."

Her eyes swept across the room.

"The training ahead will place you in environments where spiritual stability is not optional. What awaits you beyond these walls is far more demanding than anything you've experienced so far. Before we could teach you how to face those challenges, we needed to know whether you could first stand against the darkness within yourselves. After watching you all, I am not at all impressed with what I saw, but you passed. We can help develop you from here."

Sergeant Valen chuckled but immediately stopped when Sergeant Viera gave him a stern look over her shoulder.

Sergeant Valen shrugged. “What? You’re never impressed. In your eyes everyone sucks, and they’ll always be just okay. It’s funny. This is what they’ll have to look forward to…for years.”

Sergeant Viera squinted her piercing grey eyes at Valen.

When Sergeant Stroud cleared his throat, Viera stepped back in line, shaking her head.

Sergeant Stroud stepped forward and scanned the classroom. “You all did well,” he nodded. “But this was only the beginning, and nothing compared to the rest. You are all dismissed for the next three days, but all recruits will report to the Ascension Grounds at zero six hundred hours for Gravity Training. Do not be late. When you leave, you will be escorted to the dining hall by one of our students where you can eat at the buffet. You are free to roam the campus, but do not go anywhere you are not authorized. There will be signs that state who can go where. Break this rule, or any rules, and you will be removed from the training program and banned from ever becoming a Spirit Warrior. We have boundaries for your safety and the safety of others, and if you cannot abide by our rules, we cannot trust you.” He allowed his words to settle. “I shouldn’t have to mention this, but if you choose to venture the campus, please be mindful of the students here and do not become distractions. Our trainees here also have a curfew, so you are to be off campus property at twenty hundred hours.” Sergeant Stroud stepped back into the line. “That is all I have to say. Sergeant Valen?”

Sergeant Valen stepped forward with his usual confident grin, and I immediately noticed several candidates sit up a little straighter. A few of the women seemed particularly interested in whatever he was about to say. "Before we dismiss you," he began, "there is one more thing you need to learn. The Spiritfyt Salute." His smile faded into professionalism. "You will use this salute when greeting a superior officer, when being dismissed, and as a sign of respect toward your fellow Spirit Warriors." Valen brought his right fist firmly over the insignia on the left side of his chest. Then, with practiced grace, he raised his left hand, palm open and facing upward, his elbow slightly bent as he lowered his head. "This is the salute."

The room remained silent as everyone studied the gesture.

He continued. "It represents more than respect for rank. The fist symbolizes conviction, discipline, and strength of spirit. The open hand acknowledges humility before God. Together, they remind us that true strength is found through Him." When Valen looked across the room again, the warmth in his expression had disappeared. His amber eyes carried a seriousness that was almost intimidating. "When you perform this salute, you are not only honoring one another. You are acknowledging the Lord who guides your path." His gaze lingered over the candidates. "Do not forget it."

My heart raced. After everything I'd been through, I was finally about to perform the Spiritfyt Salute. It felt like I'd been waiting my entire life for this moment. For years, Spirit Warriors had been symbols of hope, strength, and faith to me. Now, for the first time, I was one step closer to becoming one.

"Now," Sergeant Valen said as he stepped back into line beside the other instructors, "stand." Chairs scraped across the floor as every candidate rose to their feet. "When you are dismissed, I expect your best salute. And remember—this is not something you do only today. From this moment forward, you will perform it every time."

“Recruits!” Sergeant Stroud boomed, causing many of us to jump in surprise. “You are dismissed!”

For a brief second, nobody moved, then all thirty-five of us scrambled to perform the Spiritfyt Salute at the same time.

The result was far from impressive.

Some candidates raised the wrong hand. Others nearly punched themselves in the chest trying to find the insignia. A few bowed too low. Even among those who remembered the motions correctly, the timing was completely off. Fists struck chests at different moments. Hands rose at different speeds. Heads bowed at different angles.

Yet despite how awkward and uncoordinated it looked, there was something special about it.

For the first time, we weren't candidates. We were recruits.

Standing together were thirty-five future Spirit Warriors doing our best to honor God, one another, and the path we had chosen.

The Sergeants returned the salute in perfect unison, and I could tell that Valen was holding back a laugh. Even Stroud had a small smile on his lips. Viera's face was, well, unimpressed.

Even so, somehow, their salute made our terrible attempt feel a little less terrible.

~SPIRITFYT~

After being dismissed, we followed the crowd toward the academy cafeteria, where a massive buffet stretched across nearly an entire wall. I wasn't sure what surprised me more—the amount of food or the fact that it was free. There were rows of meats, vegetables, fruits, soups, breads, and enough desserts to make me question whether Spirit Warriors were actually as disciplined as they claimed. By the time we found a place to sit in one of the academy courtyards, all four of us had taken very different approaches to lunch.

Thalira and I were probably the most excited about our food. My tray was piled high with nutrient buns, along with several other things I planned to try later. In fact, I may have grabbed a few extra buns for strategic purposes. Thalira's tray wasn't much better. The moment another recruit glanced in her direction, she immediately wrapped both arms around her food and narrowed her eyes. Even from where I sat, the message was clear: touch the tray and lose the hand. Personally, I respected that level of commitment.

Across from us, Lyte had somehow assembled a mountain of food that defied both reason and physics. Meat, vegetables, rice, fruit, bread—everything was stacked so high that I was genuinely concerned for the structural integrity of the tray. Yet he sat there calmly eating as though carrying enough food for three people was completely normal.

Nox, on the other hand, ate exactly how I thought he would. Every item on his tray seemed carefully selected and perfectly portioned. Lean proteins, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and fruits. Nothing excessive and nothing wasted. It looked less like a meal and more like a nutritional strategy designed by a team of professionals. While Lyte was building a small mountain, Thalira was guarding her food like a dragon protecting treasure, and I was quietly securing additional nutrient buns for future emergencies, Nox simply ate with quiet precision. Looking around at the bustling courtyard and the sunlight pouring across the academy grounds, I couldn't help but smile. For the first time since arriving at Zion Prime, everything felt normal. Just four recruits sharing a meal together.

The courtyard itself felt like controlled chaos. Students filled every corner of the open space. Some sat beneath trees studying from Holotabs while others read physical books. A group nearby practiced energy manipulation, creating small lights and streams of colored spiritual energy between their hands. Several trainees jogged along winding stone paths while others stretched on the grass. Hoverboards zipped overhead between elevated walkways, their riders laughing as they passed. Everywhere I looked, people were learning, training, socializing, or preparing themselves for the next challenge. Beyond the courtyard stood towering academy buildings connected by bridges and platforms, all bathed in warm afternoon sunlight beneath the Ark Dome.

“I’m going to love it here,” I said, thinking out loud.

“Me too,” Thalira replied. “Do you see those hoverboards? The Spiritfyt brand is top notch.”

Lyte took a massive bite of meat, vegetables, and rice that somehow all fit onto a single spoon. When he finished chewing, he nodded approvingly. "I'm looking forward to visiting the libraries here. I've heard they're the best in Zion Prime."

"They are," Nox replied. "My mother used to talk about them when I was growing up. There are books there that survived the Great Collapse. Some require special authorization, but trainees can access most of the archives."

The three of us looked up from our food.

"Wait," Thalira said. "Your mother was a Spirit Warrior?"

Nox blinked. "Yes."

"Who was she?" Thalira asked. "What was her name?"

This time, Nox looked genuinely confused. "You mean, you don't know who I am?"

The four of us stared at him.

"I am an Aetherios," he said carefully. "My mother is Xiomara Aetherios."

Silence.

Then Lyte slowly rubbed his chin. "That name sounds familiar."

Thalira nearly dropped her fork. "You're an Aetherios."

Nox squinted. "Yes. I already said that."

"No." Thalira pointed at him. "You're an Aetherios. That's one of the Seven Royal Families."

I glanced between them. "So... you're a prince?"

Nox sighed. "Technically. Equinox Aetherios the Third."

Lyte gave a considerate smile. "The exiled prince."

Nox stared at his food for a moment before letting out a small laugh. "Former prince."

The table fell silent.

"You were actually exiled?" I asked.

"Not officially." Nox shrugged. "Officially, I left on my own. Unofficially, my family made it very clear I no longer belonged there."

Thalira frowned. "Why?"

Nox looked toward the courtyard, watching several students practice energy manipulation. "When I was younger, they discovered I possessed both light and dark spiritual energy."

The table immediately grew quiet.

"But your dark energy isn't evil," I said. "I saw it. It was...calm. Peaceful."

"No, it isn't evil," Nox agreed. "Dark energy isn't the same thing as corruption. Most people simply don't understand the difference. Corruption is twisted spiritual energy born from sin, hatred, fear, and darkness. Dark energy is simply another aspect of creation. Silence can be dark. Night can be dark. Rest can be dark. Reflection can be dark." He frowned, his mind momentarily drifting. "My light energy represents growth, life, faith, and hope. My dark energy represents introspection, stillness, patience, and understanding. Together they create balance. My family didn't see it that way."

His expression remained calm, but I could hear the disappointment beneath his voice.

"The Aetherios family has always valued strength, warriors. commanders, and champions. My brothers excelled at combat from a young age. They enjoyed competition, sparring, and proving themselves. They were loud." A small smile appeared. "Very loud."

"And you?" Lyte asked.

Nox looked toward a nearby flower garden. "I liked quiet places."

The four of us followed his gaze.

"I preferred libraries over arenas. Gardens over training fields. I'd spend hours sitting near flowers, reading, or walking alone through nature reserves. While my brothers were learning how to overpower opponents, I was learning how ecosystems worked."

Thalira blinked. "You got exiled for liking flowers?"

"That is an oversimplification." Nox laughed. "My family saw me as weak. They respected force, leadership, and dominance. They couldn't understand someone whose strengths came from observation, patience, and wisdom. The dark energy only reinforced what they already believed—that I was different."

"And were you?" I asked.

Nox smiled. "Very." For the first time since meeting him, the smile looked completely genuine. "But different doesn't mean wrong."

Nobody spoke.

The wind drifted through the courtyard as students passed overhead on hoverboards.

Finally, Lyte nodded. "I think that's something all four of us understand."

Nobody disagreed.

I smiled and gently bumped his shoulder with mine. "You might call yourself a former prince, but the way I see it, my new friend is a royal prince. You certainly act like one."

Nox chuckled, and I could see the part of him that had been carrying that burden relax a little. It was subtle, but it was there.

"Yeah," Lyte said. He set down his fork and leaned back in his chair. "One thing I've learned is that people love telling stories about other people. The problem is that most of those stories are written from a limited understanding." He gestured toward Nox. "Some saw a prince with dark energy and decided he was dangerous. Others saw a quiet young man and decided he was weak. Neither story was true.” He took a drink from his cup. "People will often hand you an identity based on their fears, experiences, expectations, or convenience. They'll tell you who you are because it's easier than taking the time to discover who you actually are. If you're not careful, you'll start believing their story more than God's."

The courtyard noise seemed to fade as he spoke.

"The truth is that a lion doesn't become a sheep because someone calls it one. A leader doesn't stop being a leader because nobody recognizes it yet. Strength doesn't disappear because others mistake kindness for weakness." He smiled warmly at Nox. "The question isn't what story people tell about you. The question is whose voice you're listening to." Lyte tapped his chest. "Because eventually, you have to stop living inside the stories other people wrote and start walking in the truth God wrote about you."

"Okay, ole wise man," Thalira said, pointing her fork at Lyte. "Enough about the prince. What's your story?"

"Yeah," Nox added, nodding toward the golden tattoos covering Lyte's arms. "I've been wondering about those."

Lyte looked down at the tattoos before taking another bite from his mountain of food. "My story is significantly less interesting."

"That's a lie," Thalira said immediately.

"It probably is," Nox agreed.

Lyte laughed. "I grew up in another Ark Sphere called Lightfall City. Before all of this, I was just a worldly man trying to figure out where I belonged." His expression softened. "Eventually, I found my way to one of the church temples. I started spending more time there, learning Scripture, praying, and training."

"Training?" I asked.

Lyte nodded. "The monks there believed transformation should happen in three areas. Mind, body, and spirit. Every day involved study, exercise, prayer, meditation, and service."

Thalira pointed at his head. "So, they stole your hair?"

Lyte shook his head. "They did not steal my hair."

"You willingly did that?" she asked.

"It was symbolic," he replied.

"It was bald," she said back.

"It was both," he stated.

Nox covered his mouth to hide a laugh.

"I thought it looked dignified," Lyte continued.

Thalira thought for a moment. "Hm, it does."

Lyte sighed. "Anyway, becoming a monk changed me. Before that, I had a temper."

The table went quiet.

"You?" I asked.

Lyte nodded. "Very much so."

I looked him up and down. The idea felt impossible. Lyte was one of the calmest people I'd ever met.

"People always seem surprised by that," Lyte said. "But anger was something I struggled with for a long time. I was quick to react, quick to judge, and quick to fight. The monks helped me slow down and listen before speaking, pray before acting, and to think before reacting."

Nox nodded. "Center yourself."

"Exactly." Lyte smiled. "The funny thing is that the stronger I became spiritually, the less interested I became in proving my strength to other people." He folded his arms. "Eventually, I felt God calling me elsewhere."

"Elsewhere?" Thalira asked.

A mischievous smile crossed Lyte's face. "I may have spent some time outside the Ark Spheres."

The four of us stared.

"You what?" I nearly choked on my food.

Lyte shrugged. "It was educational."

"Educational?" Thalira repeated.

"I learned many things," he said.

"Like?" I asked.

Lyte chuckled. "Like sleeping outside is less enjoyable than people make it sound."

Nox laughed.

Lyte continued. "I also learned that demons are much less cooperative than Scripture illustrations suggest."

My eyes widened. "You fought demons?"

"I wasn't particularly powerful back then," he admitted. "I'm still not. I could only use small amounts of light energy. Enough to protect myself, but not enough to call myself a warrior." His hand briefly rested over one of his tattoos. "But God has a way of teaching lessons in unexpected places."

"What happened out there?" I asked.

Lyte smiled. "That's a story for another time."

The way he said it made me think the story was far bigger than he was willing to share. For now, though, he seemed content simply sitting in the sunlight with the rest of us. And for some reason, I had the feeling that it was exactly where he was supposed to be.

Lyte turned toward Thalira and smiled. "And since you're all in my business, what about you, Thalira Vex?"

For once, Thalira didn't immediately have a joke ready. She stared at her tray for a moment. "My story isn't really exciting."

"Neither was mine," Nox said.

"Yours involved exile and royalty," she replied.

Nox nodded. "Fair point."

A small laugh moved through the group before fading away.

Thalira's fingers absentmindedly traced the edge of her tray. "I don't know..." she said quietly. "I think the best way to describe it is that I always felt behind everyone else."

The table grew silent.

"I'd look around and everyone seemed to have something. A passion. A talent...A dream. Something that made them feel alive." She shrugged. "My friends knew what careers they wanted. Other people were becoming engineers, artists, athletes, scholars, Spirit Warriors..." Her eyes lowered. "And then there was me."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

She let out a long breath. "I mean I was good at things. I wasn't bad at life. I just...didn't care about any of it."

That answer hit harder than I expected.

"I knew I was creative, and I knew God made me for something. Deep down, I always felt there was more to me than what people saw." She pressed a hand against her chest. "But no matter how hard I searched, I couldn't figure out what that thing was." The confidence that usually lived in her voice was gone. "It was miserable."

Nobody interrupted.

"People think being lost means you don't know where you're going." She shook her head. "No. Being lost is knowing you're meant to go somewhere and having no idea where that is. I spent years feeling like everyone else had received instructions for a life that I somehow missed."

My heart sank, because I understood exactly what she meant.

"I'd wake up. Go to school. Work. Sleep. Repeat. Over and over again." A sad smile crossed her face. "And every day I felt like I was watching everyone else become who they were meant to be while I stood still."

Nobody spoke.

Then Thalira laughed softly. "And then I bought a hoverboard."

The sudden shift nearly gave me whiplash.

"That's the life-changing moment?" I asked.

Thalira nodded. "It is."

"That's...interesting," I chuckled.

"It absolutely is." A genuine smile returned to her face. "I don't even know why I bought it. I saw one. Thought it looked fun. Saved up money and got one." She looked toward the sky above the courtyard. "But then I started riding." The smile remained. "I started exploring parts of Zion Prime I'd never seen before. I watched sunsets, flew over parks..." Something warm entered her voice. "For the first time, I felt free."

The three of us listened intently.

"The world started feeling bigger." She swallowed. "And somehow, the bigger the world became, the smaller my problems felt."

I felt myself smiling.

"I started noticing people more. Their stories, and their struggles. I started noticing how beautiful life actually was." Her eyes drifted toward the distant academy buildings. "And one day I realized something."

"What?" Lyte asked gently.

She smiled. "I didn't want to spend my life searching for purpose anymore." The smile widened. "I wanted to become it."

Silence followed, but not awkward silence. The kind that settles over people when something true has been spoken.

"I looked at the Spirit Warriors and realized they weren't special because they were powerful." Her gaze moved between the three of us. "They were special because they chose to become more than they were yesterday." Her voice softened. "And I wanted that."

A lump formed in my throat. For the first time since meeting Thalira, I realized beneath all the confidence, jokes, and attitude was someone who had been searching just as desperately as the rest of us.

"I still don't know exactly who I'm supposed to become," she admitted. "But for the first time in my life, I feel like I'm moving toward that person instead of away from them."

Nobody said anything. We didn't need to.

The sunlight poured through the courtyard, hoverboards drifted overhead, and students laughed in the distance. For a brief moment, all four of us simply sat there.

“Well,” Lyte sighed. “That was deep.”

Thalira pointed at him. "You literally traveled outside the Ark Spheres and fought demons."

"Yes." Lyte nodded. "But we're talking about your emotional growth right now."

Nox chuckled. "I think she wins."

"Agreed," Lyte said.

The conversation settled into a comfortable silence. For a few moments, we simply sat there enjoying the sunlight, the food, and the strange feeling that we had somehow become friends in only a few days.

Then Thalira looked at me. "Alright, Thunder."

My stomach immediately tightened. "What?"

"We've all shared." She shrugged.

I already knew where this was going.

Nox nodded. "It's only fair."

Lyte glanced toward me. "Your turn."

I looked down at my tray. The nutrient bun suddenly became very interesting. "My story isn't...you wouldn't like it."

Three unimpressed faces stared back at me.

"Now, I'm sure we would," Thalira said.

I swallowed, the words caught in my throat. Unlike their stories, mine wasn't something I enjoyed remembering. Lightfall City, royal families, hoverboards, monks. Those were stories people could smile about.

Mine started with Sanctora. With destruction. With becoming property. I could feel the memories trying to surface before I shoved them back down. Thankfully, before anyone could press further, a loud bell echoed across the courtyard.

Students all around us immediately began standing.

Hoverboards descended from the air, conversations stopped, and the academy suddenly came alive with movement.

"What was that?" Thalira asked.

"Transition bell," Nox answered. "Probably signaling the next academy block."

The distraction was enough for me to release the breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

Unfortunately, Thalira wasn't finished. She looked back at me. "Anyway, as I was saying—"

"Look at that," Lyte interrupted.

We all turned.

"What?" Thalira asked.

Lyte pointed toward the massive academy clock tower. "If we don't start heading home soon, Thunder is going to steal enough nutrient buns to survive until next week's training."

My eyes widened. "I only took a few."

"You took enough provisions to establish a small settlement." Nox laughed.

Thalira looked at my tray, then at the extra buns tucked into my bag, then back at me. "...You actually did."

My mouth dropped open. "They were free!"

Nox tilted his head towards me. "Thunder."

I held one up for them to see. "They were free."

Lyte stood. "Come on. Let's leave before she discovers the dessert section and bankrupts the academy."

The group laughed as we gathered our trays.

As everyone became distracted by Lyte's joke and the rush of students moving through the courtyard, the attention shifted away from me entirely.

I was grateful for that.

And judging by the brief glance Lyte gave me before turning away, I had a feeling he knew exactly what he was doing.

~SPIRITFYT~

The four of us left the academy together, passing through the massive gates and stepping back into Zion Prime. The moment we entered the city, the effects of the Arkfall became immediately noticeable—not because of the destruction that remained, but because of how much had already disappeared.

Over the three days we had been gone, countless workers and volunteers had cleared away most of the debris. The shattered glass that had once covered entire streets was gone. Damaged vehicles had been removed, temporary scaffolding surrounded several buildings undergoing repairs, and maintenance drones hovered overhead carrying supplies from one location to another. There was still plenty of reconstruction left to do, but the city no longer looked wounded. It looked determined.

The people seemed determined too.

Crowds filled the sidewalks as citizens returned to their normal routines. Businesses were open, vendors sold food from street carts, trains moved along elevated rails overhead, and children laughed while chasing one another through plazas. Some people still glanced upward toward the section of the Ark Dome that had recently been repaired, but most had already returned to work, school, and daily life.

For a moment, I found myself slowing my pace. Three days ago, demons had fallen from the sky. Three days ago, the future of the city felt uncertain. Now life moved forward, and maybe that was humanity's greatest strength.

No matter how many times darkness tried to break us, we always seemed to find a way to rebuild.

As we walked toward a nearby transit station, a sleek black vehicle pulled up beside us. The rear door opened automatically, and a driver stepped out to greet Nox.

Lyte raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were exiled."

Nox adjusted his glasses. "Never underestimate a mother's love."

The driver smiled as Nox climbed into the vehicle.

Lyte shook his head with a laugh. "Fair enough."

The remaining three of us caught an Apex Transit shuttle. Thalira was dropped off in the Third District, where she immediately disappeared into the crowd with a wave.

That left Lyte and me sitting together on the bus.

For a while, neither of us spoke.

Then I glanced over. "Thanks."

Lyte looked up. "For what?"

"The distraction," I answered.

Understanding immediately crossed his face. "Oh."

I looked down at my hands. "I wasn't lying back there. People usually don't like my story."

Lyte remained quiet, and the silence felt safe enough that the words slipped out before I could stop them.

"I came from Sanctora."

His expression softened and he nodded. "I didn't think you were from here."

I stared out at the passing crowds. "Sometimes I'm still embarrassed to tell people I was a slave." The words felt strange leaving my mouth. "I know I shouldn't be. It wasn't my fault. And my last year there wasn't even like that. I spent most of it trying to improve myself. I was working on my mind and body whenever I had the chance." I laughed softly. "But whenever people hear the word slave, it feels like that's all they see."

Lyte nodded. "They see where you started instead of how far you've come."

"Exactly."

The station grew quiet around us.

"When Sanctora fell, they needed workers to rebuild. A lot of us became laborers whether we wanted to or not. After a while they started doing routine spiritual evaluations. Most people never developed enough energy to leave the ark." I smiled at the memory. "Then one day the machine checking me malfunctioned."

Lyte chuckled. "Malfunctioned?"

"Completely."

"What happened?"

"It kept producing different readings every time they scanned me."

"That sounds problematic."

"It was." I laughed. "Eventually they concluded the machine wasn't broken."

His eyebrows rose. "Oh?"

"Turns out my energy was developing faster than they expected. When they gave me transfer options, I chose Zion Prime."

"Why Zion Prime?"

I looked up at the distant skyline. "Because it was the hardest one to get into."

That made Lyte smile. "That sounds like you."

"Apparently it requires a certain level of spiritual energy before they'll even consider accepting transfers. I figured if I was going to start over, I might as well aim high."

"And here you are."

"And here I am."

I glanced toward him. "What about you? Tell me about the outside world."

Lyte leaned back against his seat. "My story after leaving the monasteries is less impressive than people think."

"I doubt that."

He laughed. "It was mostly walking." The smile faded slightly. "There were days I was hungry. Days I was exhausted. Days I questioned whether I was doing the right thing." He looked out the window toward the sky. "Back then, my light energy was weak, and I had just enough to survive. Most of the time I relied more on faith than power." His expression grew thoughtful. "And that was when I figured something out."

I listened.

"People think that leadership comes from strength." He continued. "But some of the strongest people I've ever met couldn't lead anyone."

The noise of the bus zipping through the streets seemed to fade.

"You can't create a leader by giving someone power. You can't hand someone authority and suddenly make them worthy of it." He tapped his chest. "Leadership starts here."

"The heart?" I asked.

He nodded. "That's what I learned out there. I was still trying to find myself. I wanted to become stronger so that I could lead." Lyte nodded. "But my conclusion had nothing to do with strength. Not really. A leader isn't someone who has followers. A leader is someone willing to keep moving forward when it would be easier to quit. Someone willing to serve when nobody is watching." His eyes shifted toward me." I thought I could make myself into a leader by getting stronger and fighting demons out there but then learned that leaders aren't even made."

I tilted my head.

He chuckled. "They grow."

The words settled heavily in my chest. For the first time in a long time, I wondered if maybe all those difficult years hadn't just been suffering. Maybe they had been growth along.

And maybe, just maybe, God had been preparing me for something greater this entire time.

When the bus came to a stop, Lyte stood up. “Welp, this is my stop. I’ll see you in a few days.”

“Yeah,” I nodded. “I’ll see you soon.”

When Lyte exited the bus, I sat in silence the rest of the ride, just thinking everything over.

I had never really thought about becoming a leader until now, but that was probably because I had always been focused on becoming a hero. It seemed obvious in hindsight. Heroes were leaders. Not because they were stronger than everyone else, but because people looked to them when things became difficult.

My thoughts drifted back to Sanctora.

I thought about every workout I forced myself through when I was exhausted. Every Scripture I read when I felt hopeless. Every time I chose to become a little better than I was the day before. Maybe leadership hadn't suddenly appeared in my life, but maybe it had been growing all along, hidden beneath all the pain, failures, and struggles I spent so much time trying to escape.

The city lights passed outside the bus window.

For the first time, I didn't feel ashamed of where I came from. Sanctora wasn't just where I had suffered, It was where I learned endurance, discipline, and faith.