Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Night the Net Was Cast
The attacks did not begin with Stephen.
That was how KOA operated now.
They had studied him.
Measured him.
Learned his reflexes.
Strike the shepherd—he stands.
Strike the sheep—he bleeds.
So this time, they cast a wider net.
Unusual Reports
By afternoon, the messages began arriving.
One leader complained of strange nightmares.
Another said prayer suddenly felt "blocked."
One stopped answering calls entirely.
Stephen read each message quietly.
No panic.
No rush.
Just recognition.
"They've changed strategy," he said softly.
Favour looked up. "How?"
"They're not attacking fire," Stephen replied. "They're attacking focus."
The First Sign
That evening, during a small prayer circle, one of the core members—Daniel—suddenly froze mid-prayer.
His lips kept moving, but the words no longer aligned with the prayer.
Stephen watched carefully.
Discernment, not suspicion.
Daniel's voice lowered.
"Why fight what will always be?" he murmured.
The room went still.
Stephen stood.
"Daniel," he called gently.
No response.
A Subtle Grip
Stephen approached calmly.
Not confrontational.
Not loud.
"Daniel," he said again, "look at me."
Slowly, Daniel's eyes lifted.
They were tired.
Clouded.
Not possessed—but pressured.
Stephen understood.
This was oppression, not control.
A net, not chains.
Breaking the Thread
Stephen placed a hand on Daniel's shoulder.
"Rest," he said quietly. "You're carrying what isn't yours."
Daniel exhaled sharply, like someone waking from deep sleep.
"I feel… heavy," he whispered.
Stephen nodded.
"Then you'll sit tonight," he said gently. "No striving."
KOA wanted exhaustion.
Stephen would answer with wisdom.
KOA's Council
In the unseen realm, irritation stirred.
"They are not collapsing," one voice said.
Ayanmo responded coldly.
"Then increase the pressure."
The governor's spirit spoke next.
"Fear works faster than force."
Ayanmo agreed.
"Then let fear preach tonight."
The Rumor Wave
By nightfall, rumors spread among the wider fellowship.
Strange shadows seen during prayer.
Voices heard when alone.
Dreams of being chased.
Stephen heard it all.
He did not rebuke anyone.
He did not dramatize it.
He simply gathered the leaders.
A Different Kind of Teaching
They sat in a circle.
No stage.
No hierarchy.
Stephen spoke quietly.
"Darkness grows loud when it feels threatened," he said.
Some nodded.
"If it truly had power," he continued, "it wouldn't need to intimidate."
That landed.
"Fear," Stephen said, "is the advertisement of weak spirits."
A few smiles appeared.
Breathing steadied.
The Counter-Move
"Tonight," Stephen instructed, "nobody prays alone."
Favour caught on immediately.
"Pairing?" she asked.
Stephen nodded.
"Agreement breaks isolation."
KOA's net relied on separation.
Unity would tear holes in it.
A Test Case
Later that night, two members praying together suddenly felt a wave of unease.
Instead of stopping, they held hands and continued softly.
The heaviness lifted within minutes.
No drama.
No shouting.
Just persistence.
Stephen smiled when he heard.
"They're learning," he said.
KOA Frustration
"They are adapting," one elder hissed.
Ayanmo's tone sharpened.
"Then remove subtlety," he commanded.
The governor hesitated.
"Direct confrontation may expose us."
Ayanmo replied coldly:
"Then let them see."
A Visitor at Midnight
Near midnight, Stephen sensed it.
A presence outside his door.
Not knocking.
Not forcing entry.
Just standing.
He did not open the door physically.
He addressed it calmly.
"You're bold tonight."
The presence lingered.
A thought pressed into his mind:
You are outnumbered.
Stephen replied aloud,
"I am not alone."
The pressure eased slightly—but did not vanish.
The Lesson of Leadership
Stephen sat on his bed afterward, thinking.
Leadership was not shouting in front.
It was absorbing pressure quietly so others could stand.
He finally understood why true leaders often looked tired.
They fought battles no one saw.
Favour's Realization
The next morning, Favour said something important.
"They're trying to make you respond emotionally."
Stephen nodded.
"Yes," he said. "Because emotion makes leaders predictable."
She studied him.
"You're not reacting."
Stephen gave a small smile.
"I already cried what they could use."
The Net Tears
By the third day, the reports reduced.
Peace returned—not loudly, but steadily.
KOA's wide net had met steady resistance.
No spectacular victories.
Just quiet endurance.
And sometimes, that was worse for darkness.
Ayanmo's Warning
In the spirit realm, Ayanmo finally spoke with gravity.
"This one is learning authority too early."
The governor asked,
"What do we do?"
Ayanmo's answer was slow:
"We remind him he is still human."
The Chapter Ends
Stephen stood outside that evening, watching the sunset.
Not triumphant.
Not relaxed.
Just aware.
This war was not about moments.
It was about stamina.
And for the first time, he sensed something clearly—
KOA was no longer playing with him.
They were studying him.
And that meant one thing:
He had become a threat.
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."
— 1 Peter 5:8