(In the Sanctuary of Devotion)

  The bodies of Forte and Deniz lay motionless at the bottom of the steps before the Seven Sun. He had plans for them—for the sake of his sanctuary. He had finally regained Forte, a once-prized weapon, and her first child, who showed tremendous potential.

  Two guards stood beside the lit fires flanking the throne.

  One of the guards looked down at the bodies and asked,

  “What are your plans, sir?”

  “I once intended to use Forte for the plans we had long ago, but she’s gotten older. With a possible war on the horizon, it would be pointless to try and have her conceive more children. As for the boy—we’re going to break him.”

  “We can mold him into a weapon. With his potential, he could be a powerful asset in any future war. Break his personality. Break his character. Break his resolve. Break his mind. If we shatter those, we can make him a cog—a killing machine,” said the Seven Sun coldly.

  The Seven Sun ordered the guards to take Deniz to a holding room, where the process of breaking him would begin. Forte remained motionless on the steps as the guards carried Deniz away. The Seven Sun wore a stern expression as he watched them go, already plotting what he would do once Forte awoke.

  Then he grinned.

  He had come up with an even better idea. He would use Forte to break Deniz. Emotional manipulation was the fastest route to complete mental submission. Parents and siblings—people children love—could be used to shatter them entirely. And Forte, as his mother, would be the perfect tool to destroy him.

  As twisted as the plan was, it was perfect. In the end, might was right, and the Seven Suns were firm believers in that ideology. With power came control. Right and wrong became concepts under your control when one held absolute strength.

  He walked toward Forte’s body, picked her up, and carried her into a completely dark, confined room—a space he used to hide prisoners. He threw her inside, shut the door, and returned to his throne.

  (In the Sanctuary of Retaliation)

  Aniya, Rhosa, and Rhitta stepped through the door of the brown building. To the girls’ surprise, the interior was completely empty. Besides the smooth floors, plain walls, ceiling, and lights—there was nothing.

  Aniya led them to the center of the room and turned to face them.

  “This is where I’ll train you. It may not look like much, but that’s what makes it perfect. Sit cross-legged. We’ll begin now,” Aniya instructed.

  Rhosa and Rhitta sat cross-legged, a few feet apart, facing Aniya.

  “The first step is to clear your mind and focus. Synergy lies deep within your soul, and the only way to feel it is through calm focus. The best way I can describe it is… it feels like touching a still, calm lake. The rest is up to you. Once you feel it, let me know and we’ll move on,” said Aniya as she exhaled softly.

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  When she was learning synergy, she had experienced teachers who made the process easier. Teaching it, however, was an entirely different challenge.

  Minutes passed. Both Rhosa and Rhitta sat motionless, eyes closed, concentrating.

  Rhosa’s face was peaceful, completely at ease. Rhitta, although calm, had sweat trailing down her cheek. She was trying very hard to feel it.

  Aniya noticed and spoke gently.

  “Don’t strain yourself trying to feel it. The best way is with a clear mind. Focus only on the sensation. Don’t think. Just feel.”

  Over an hour passed. Suddenly, a faint smile appeared on Rhosa’s face. Her expression was serene.

  Aniya smirked knowingly.

  “Did you feel it, Rhosa?” she asked.

  “Yes… just like you said. It feels like a calm lake,” Rhosa replied softly.

  “Good. Now for the next step. This part is crucial when it comes to controlling synergy. Imagine holding a glass of water and swirling it in your hand. The water creates a whirlpool. That’s what you need to do—but inside your body. Not physically, but mentally. Rotate that ‘lake’ inside you.”

  Rhosa absorbed the explanation and began to focus again. She wasn’t some extraordinary prodigy, but she grasped the concept faster than most would.

  Meanwhile, Rhitta was making some progress, though slower. Still, as Forte’s daughter, she had potential.

  Another hour passed.

  Suddenly, Rhosa began to rotate her synergy base. A faint aura surrounded her.

  Aniya’s eyes widened.

  It’s known that a person’s aura reveals their true nature. And Rhosa’s aura… was murderous.

  Aniya didn’t understand the full reason, but she suspected it had to do with Forte. Behind Rhosa’s pretty face, blue eyes, and long blonde hair was a presence that reminded Aniya of her closest friend.

  It was uncanny.

  Rhosa was almost a mirror of her mother—not just in appearance but in spirit. The same gentle mask. The same fierce protectiveness. The same hidden savagery when it came to protecting loved ones.

  Aniya took mental note. If Rhosa was truly like her mother, then it was best not to provoke her—or allow anyone else to.

  Aniya glanced at Rhitta, who still hadn’t found her synergy base.

  “Rhitta… is something on your mind?”

  Rhitta opened her eyes. “If I learn to control synergy… would I have to fight?”

  “Are you afraid of violence?” Aniya asked.

  “It’s not fear. I just don’t like violence. I’d only resort to it if it were the last possible option,” Rhitta said, unable to meet Aniya’s eyes.

  “I understand. You don’t have to like violence—but no matter where you go in this world, violence is unavoidable. I wish I could tell you otherwise, but that’s the truth. Violence is part of human nature… of every living thing. Beasts fight to survive. Some kill for fun. Humans are no different. That’s the world we live in.”

  “But that doesn’t mean you have to become violent. If you control synergy, use it to save lives. Use it to help others. Be the light in the darkness. Be the one who stops the violence.”

  Aniya’s voice was firm. This was the truth of the world—and something everyone needed to accept at some point.

  Rhitta looked up and met her gaze. She knew Aniya was right. She didn’t want to believe it, but reality left no room for denial. Still, she wanted to be different. If she could use her power to save even one person—like her mother, or her siblings—then it would be worth it.

  She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and cleared her thoughts. This time, she would reach her synergy base without distraction.

  While Rhitta focused, Rhosa continued rotating her synergy, slowly building more aura.

  “Rhosa,” said Aniya, “get used to that feeling. Once it becomes familiar, you’ll use synergy instinctively. Like breathing—something you do naturally until you stop to think about it.”

  Rhosa nodded slightly, continuing her rotations. She began alternating speeds—slow, then fast—to get used to the sensation. It was a smart strategy for building control.

  “Now stop rotating it,” Aniya instructed. “Then start again. Repeat that process to train your ability to activate it instantly.”

  Rhosa stopped. Then tried to start again. It was difficult to go from stillness to motion, but she managed to rotate it slowly. She repeated the process several times. After half an hour, she could transition from stagnation to a moderately fast rotation.

  Meanwhile, Rhitta’s face slowly changed.

  A small smile formed.

  She had finally reached it—she could feel her synergy base.

  The murderous aura of Rhosa reminded Aniya of Forte! And now Rhitta, after her inner struggle, has been able to feel her synergy base. This is the start of a long and perilous journey!!