The lanterns eventually disappeared into the night, but their light remained in our hearts long after they were gone.
We sat together in the quiet darkness, watching the last embers glow in the fire pit. Nobody seemed eager to leave. There was something peaceful about that moment, something we all understood without needing to explain.
We weren't carrying the torch anymore.
The torch had spread.
I looked around at everyone gathered beside me. Maya was still animated and bright, talking with her hands as she told Elias another story. Elias listened calmly, occasionally smiling at her excitement. Zara sat with her usual quiet confidence, while Clara and Xander shared a comfortable silence nearby.
And Victor was beside me, just as he had always been.
These people had become more than th
