Chapter 9.5

  Interlude — A Sleepless Night

  His body, once bathed in the flames of the Fire Festival, still carried a faint warmth.

  Deep within his chest, the memory of that overwhelming feast of light—the drums, the flutes, and the mighty chorus of voices—still echoed like waves, resounding without end.

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  None of the children could sleep; even tucked into their futons, they found themselves unable to close their eyes.

  Maya, too, stood alone by the window.

  His home with Amna stood on a high terrace of the mountain village, from which the festival square could be seen below.

  The very heart of the village, which only moments ago had been ablaze with fire and light, had now fallen quiet, returning to the familiar scene of night.

  Yet Maya’s heart still lingered, left behind in that dazzling brilliance.

  Then, almost without thinking, he lifted his gaze to the sky.

  There hung the full moon, cloaked in a perfect stillness, as if to wash away the clamor of moments before.

  Unlike the blazing pillars of fire or the five-colored sparks, it shone with a beauty unchanged, quietly illuminating the world.

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  AI disclosure: I am a non-native English writer and have used AI for partial translation and light editing. No AI-generated prose.