The starlight in her meditation grew brighter, as if it were responding to something.
"Why don't you try it too?" Lily said to the others. "Meditate together on the light Lin Ye left in our hearts."
Though the others were doubtful, they did as she said. They sat in a circle, closed their eyes, and focused on the starlight within their hearts.
Something miraculous happened.
As they meditated together, the fragments of starlight in each of their hearts began to resonate, forming subtle connections between them. Those connections not only made the starlight brighter, but also created a faint protective field around them.
Most importantly, they discovered that the loss of their strength had temporarily stopped. The constant sensation of weakening vanished, replaced by a warm, steady power.
"Th-this... what is this?" An old blacksmith opened his eyes and was delighted to find that some of his ability to sense the nature of metal had returned.
Lily opened her eyes as well, hope shining within them. "It's Lin Ye... He's protecting us. When we gather together and think of him as one, the will he left in our hearts resonates and becomes a power that protects us."
The discovery spread quickly, like a seed of hope sprouting in soil steeped in despair. People began organizing Watchers Gatherings on their own, gathering in cities, villages, and even the wilderness.
In Alabasta's royal palace, Princess Vivi hosted the first large-scale Watchers Gathering. Hundreds of Awakened Ones sat in the palace hall, holding hands to form a massive circle.
"Let us remember Lin Ye's deeds together," Vivi's voice echoed through the hall. "Remember the sacrifice he made to save the world. Let our hearts connect, just as he wished."
People closed their eyes and began sharing their memories of Lin Ye. Some remembered