They dug deeper. And deeper still. And now here we are. Like bubbles trapped in crystal, imprisoned in light.

  The Illument Order proclaimed: The world burned, but we were saved. The Mother of Light granted us new life.

  Yet in a corner of Elion's heart, doubt lingered. Did the world truly burn away? Is this what salvation means? To live in perpetual daylight, under eternal illumination. Like specimens preserved in glass cases.

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  He paused his steps and placed his hand against the wall. What lies beyond these cold metal barriers? Nobody knows. Nobody asks. They merely live on, dancing a colorless dance in the dim reflected light.

  Elion checked the time. It was when he had agreed to meet Mars. He headed toward District 3. Through the corridor, he boarded an elevator ascending to the upper levels. The city flowed past beyond the transparent walls. People moved within the light. He wondered if he looked just like them.

  The elevator stopped. Entering the upper corridor, he spotted the sign for the synthetic beer establishment. Low-intensity lights. An entrance door with reduced vibration noise. He made his way toward it.