KELLY THOMPSON'S POV

With the ember of my spirit burning steadily within, I delved deeper into the meditation. Shadows danced behind my eyelids, coalescing into shapes and figures familiar yet distant. There, amidst the shifting darkness, the images of my parents emerged, their ethereal forms aglow with a spectral light.

"Strength is forged in adversity, and tempered with love," my father's voice echoed, his words as resolute as the mountains that bordered our territory.

"Never forget who you ...