Gershion sat back, still reeling from everything Miss Fiona had revealed. The weight of his past—the night of his abandonment and how he came to be in Umofia—hung heavily on him. He could barely wrap his mind around it all. Yet, one question gnawed at him more than any other.

"So... how did I escape? How did I end up here?" he asked, his voice quieter than he expected, uncertainty creeping in.

Miss Fiona looked at him with a soft, knowing smile. "The night you were abandoned, Gershion, was the very night my team arrived in Nyamekrom. It wasn’t coincidence; it was fate."

“Fate?” Gershion echoed, feeling the weight of the word in his chest, his mind racing to connect the dots.

“Yes,” she nodded, her tone more serious now. “I hadn’t awakened any celestial essence on my 18th birthday, just like you. And when that happened, I thought my dream of becoming part of the celestial world was over. But then, I found another path.”

Miss Fiona leaned forward, her eyes distant as she delved into her memories. “I joined the Sanctum of Luminance. It’s an organization dedicated to enlightening the world about celestial essence and the awakeners who fight to protect humanity. Even though I didn’t awaken any essence, I found purpose in spreading knowledge, in helping people understand the battle between celestial forces and demonic threats.”

Gershion’s eyes widened in surprise. “So... you joined them because you couldn’t awaken?”

She smiled gently. “Yes. The Sanctum offered a new kind of purpose. I didn’t need celestial essence to make a difference. I traveled from village to village, educating people about celestial essence, helping to identify new awakeners, and protecting those who couldn’t protect themselves.”

“So that’s how you ended up in Nyamekrom that night,” Gershion muttered, pieces of the puzzle slowly falling into place.

“Exactly,” Miss Fiona said. “My team and I had just arrived for one of our enlightenment missions when we heard about you. The whole village was buzzing with rumors of the ‘cursed child’—and it was your birth that everyone was talking about.”

Gershion felt a knot form in his stomach as he remembered what she had told him earlier about the village’s rejection. “They thought I was cursed... because of the mark.”

“They were scared,” Miss Fiona said softly. “And fear makes people blind to the truth. The chief and elders had made up their minds, but we—my team and I—tried to reason with them. We explained that your mark wasn’t a curse, but a rare sign, something special among awakeners.”

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Gershion blinked in surprise. “Special?”

Miss Fiona nodded. “Yes. Your mark... it’s ancient, tied to powers most of the world doesn’t understand. But the villagers were too blinded by superstition. They wouldn’t listen. The chief didn’t want to hear it.”

Gershion clenched his fists, anger bubbling inside him at the thought of the village rejecting him before he even had a chance to prove himself. “So what happened? How did I get out?”

“That’s where your siblings come in,” she continued. “Cletus and Mariam. They were desperate to protect you, but they didn’t have the power to stand against the village. When they heard about our arrival, they came to me, begging for help. They couldn’t bear the thought of leaving you behind, but they also knew there was no future for you in Nyamekrom.”

She paused, her voice carrying the weight of that night. “I promised them I would take you away, Gershion. I assured them that I would keep you safe. So, with their blessing, I took you in the middle of the night and left the village. We traveled far—through forests, across rivers—until we reached Umofia.”

Gershion swallowed hard, the enormity of his siblings’ sacrifice sinking in. “So... they let you take me? Just like that?”

Miss Fiona nodded. “They knew it was the only way to give you a chance at life. They loved you, Gershion. But the village... the village had already sealed your fate. They couldn’t fight that.”

He sat in silence, struggling to absorb everything she had said. His siblings had wanted to protect him. They had given him up so that he could have a future.

“But why?” Gershion asked, his voice trembling slightly. “Why did you take me in? You didn’t have to.”

Miss Fiona’s gaze softened, her eyes full of compassion. “Because you deserved a chance, Gershion. Everyone deserves a chance. I could see that you were different, special, even if no one else could. I wasn’t going to let fear decide your fate.”

Gershion felt a surge of emotion—gratitude, sorrow, and something else, something he couldn’t quite name. Miss Fiona had saved him, given him a future when no one else would. He had always known she cared, but now he understood just how deeply.

“And that’s how I came to be here,” he murmured, still trying to process it all.

“Yes,” Miss Fiona said softly. “You’ve been here ever since. I raised you as best I could, knowing that one day, you’d find your path. I believe in you, Gershion. You have a destiny, even if you can’t see it yet.”

Gershion stared down at his hands, her words igniting something in him. He wasn’t just a failure. He had a story, a history, a reason for being here.

Miss Fiona leaned closer, her voice gentle but firm. “Have you noticed anything unusual? Any signs that you might be... different?”

Gershion hesitated. The voice. The strange system that appeared before him, guiding him in ways he didn’t understand. But he wasn’t ready to tell her—not yet. Not until he knew what it meant.

“Not really,” he lied, keeping his gaze averted. “Nothing yet.”

She studied him for a moment, then gave a small nod. “Well, when the time comes, you’ll know. And when you’re ready, you’ll realize what makes you special.”

Her words lingered, stirring something deep inside him. He wasn’t like everyone else. And maybe that wasn’t a bad thing after all.

Gershion stood slowly, the weight of their conversation still heavy on his mind. “Thank you, Miss Fiona. For everything.”

She smiled warmly. “Go and get some rest, Gershion. Tomorrow will be a big day.”

He nodded and made his way to his room, thoughts swirling with new possibilities.