Chapter five

The black night swallowed the Himalayas...

The wind howled like a hungry wolf,

And the snow fell as if the sky wanted to bury the world.

In the midst of this chaos…

A fragile straw hut,

Shaking with every gust of wind, as if it were about to collapse.

Inside the hut—

A small four-year-old boy trembled in his mother’s arms.

His eyes were wide, not understanding anything…

But his heart felt the danger.

The father opened the door slightly and looked into the darkness…

His eyes trembled—

It wasn’t the storm winds that scared him…

But something else.

The father, in a choking voice:

"Now… we have to go. Before they arrive."

The mother held the child tightly, on the verge of breaking:

"No! This is my baby… I won't leave him!"

The father grabbed her shoulders, tears threatening to fall:

"If he stays with us… he'll die!

He's the only one who might survive… Do it for him!"

The child couldn’t hear their words…

The storm swallowed their voices.

A moment of silence…

Then the mother collapsed and hugged her son for the last time,

Burying her face in his hair.

She walked slowly toward the village gate.

The snow reached her knees…

The wind whipped her face,

But she felt nothing except pain.

She placed the child in front of the gate…

His small hand clutching her dress…

His eyes begging without a word.

The father whispered:

"Forgive us… forgive us, little one."

Then—

He knocked on the door with all his strength.

Repeated knocks…

Like cries for help.

The parents stepped back two steps,

Then ten…

Then disappeared into the storm.

The child, despite the cold, stood up and ran toward them.

"Wait for me!!!

Don’t go!!!

Mooom!!!

Daaad!!!"

His voice drowned in the wind.

He ran…

Tripped…

Fell…

Stood up again…

But the snow swallowed their traces.

At the gate—

A villager opened the door, holding a lantern.

He knelt down:

"Good heavens… what are you doing here?!

Come quickly before you freeze!"

He grabbed the child’s shoulder and pulled him inside.

The boy cried…

His hand reaching out toward the emptiness where his parents vanished.

Far away…

Two faint silhouettes appeared for a moment.

As if the parents were waving goodbye…

Before the storm erased them from existence.

---

✦ Years Passed…

Jakan grew up in the village orphanage.

He tried to laugh…

Tried to be cheerful…

Tried to forget.

At fifteen, he built a small house for himself,

Becoming known as "the cheerful, stubborn, kind boy" of the village.

But…

In his heart existed a dark room,

Unknown to anyone.

Where that four-year-old child

Still screamed…

Still ran after parents

Who would never return.

**

Now he is 21.

Strong, cheerful, loved…

But his past is a weapon yet to be drawn.

And this…

Is Jakan.

---

We return to the present...

It was a cold night, the fog crawling between the forest trees like ghosts carving a path for fate.

Jakan and Twami walked along the stone path outside the village, the wind striking their faces.

Jakan, with his usual laugh:

"Man, I still can’t believe it… why did you agree to this?"

Twami, in a strangely calm tone:

"Because… I have nothing to lose."

Jakan raised an eyebrow.

Twami continued, eyes fixed on the path:

"I’m alone… If I die, no one will remember me. At least… if I fight for something big, someone might say one day:

That man… saved the world."

Jakan froze.

"And do you know why I agreed?"

Twami stepped closer:

"Why? What’s your secret?"

Jakan inhaled deeply… mustering courage:

"There’s something I’ve been hiding fro—"

Suddenly—

A black shadow lunged at him with lightning speed!

Twami shouted:

"Jakaaaan!! Move!!"

He grabbed him by the shoulder and threw him aside the moment the attack sliced through the air like a blade.

A creature appeared before them…

Humanoid, but its skin cracked with glowing violet lines…

Its eyes blazing like dark radiant orbs…

Floating weightlessly.

The creature, with a raspy voice and twisted laugh:

"Hehe… you two look delicious.

Today… is the day you die. Hahaha!"

Jakan immediately drew his weapon:

"Twami! Quick plan!"

Twami:

"The plan? Simple… don’t die."

Jakan struck first—

A fast blow aimed at the creature’s head—

But its hand moved with impossible speed…

It grabbed his weapon and snapped it like a twig…

Then delivered a mere air-strike to Jakan's face, yet powerful enough to send him flying two meters back.

Jakan fell—tumbled—

Blood dripping from his nose.

Twami screamed:

"JAKAAAAAN!!"

And then…

The thing inside Twami awakened.

Red veins ignited across his neck and arms…

His eyes turned completely crimson…

And the air began to vibrate around him.

The creature stepped back half a step.

For the first time—

It was afraid.

Twami (in a voice like two voices merged):

"You… hurt my friend."

He extended his hand—

The red veins sparking with electric crimson energy.

The ground trembled.

Leaves scattered wildly.

Twami roared:

"This… is your punishment!!!"

A red lightning blast shot forth with immense force,

Shattering trees as it struck the creature.

A terrifying scream echoed…

Then the monster disintegrated into violet ash scattered by the wind.

Silence returned.

The air chilled.

Then—

Twami collapsed to his knees, his eyes fading back to normal.

Jakan rose, wiping blood from his nose:

"Wooow… that… was insane!!!"

Twami rushed to him:

"Are you okay?!"

Jakan laughed through the pain:

"After seeing THAT? There’s no way I’m okay… I'm amazing!"

Twami:

"I’m honestly surprised… you actually have blood."

Jakan:

"Hahaha you little—"

They laughed together…

But Twami’s smile slowly faded as his face turned serious.

Twami:

"We need to tell Luka immediately… that thing wasn’t normal."

Jakan nodded:

"Great idea… and by the way? You’re terrifying when you’re angry."

Twami:

"And you… annoy me when you bleed."

And the scene ended with their soft laughter…

While something else… far away… was watching them between the trees.

Violet eyes… another pair.

Not the last…

They moved on…

---

Jakan and Twami stood at Luka’s door, worry written all over their faces.

Jakan:

"Luka… you need to hear us. We saw something impossible."

But Luka opened the door suddenly, a strange tension on his face.

He looked shaken… as if he too had seen something he didn’t want to speak about.

Luka (sharply):

"Not now… we need to go to the base immediately."

He stopped, slapped his forehead.

Luka:

"Oh… Emily! Completely forgot."

He turned to them quickly:

Luka:

"You two go ahead to the base… I’ll come after I pick up Emily."

Then he ran.

---

On the way to Emily's house…

The path was short, but Luka felt it stretching like an endless maze.

Strange whispers brushed past him…

Flowing behind his ears as if the air itself were speaking.

He pressed his hands to his ears—

But he realized they weren't hallucinations.

Silence…

Then suddenly—

💥 A monster attacked from above!

Not the same monster that attacked Jakan and Twami…

This one was more terrifying.

A thin, zombie-like body, with glowing violet eyes like holes in the void.

It floated in the air, moving in jerky, disgusting motions.

Luka looked up at it…

Fear filling his eyes.

And suddenly—

Something happened that Luka himself didn’t understand.

From his hand…

Light emerged.

Then formed into the shape of a sword.

A bright, lightning-blue sword,

So sharp that the air split around it.

Luka didn’t feel like he was holding it.

It felt like another force was guiding him.

Then… he smiled.

A smile that wasn’t Luka.

A mad smile.

Luka (in a low, chilling voice):

"Come on… show me what you’ve got."

The monster lunged with the speed of light—

But Luka vanished and appeared behind it.

Luka:

"Is that all? I expected more."

The monster opened its mouth and shot a violet acidic substance,

Melting the ground and blowing up the wall behind Luka.

But Luka was already far away…

As if he knew where the attack would land before it happened.

Luka (mocking):

"I gave you two chances… now it’s my turn."

He gripped the sword, the blue eye in its blade glowing—

💥 In a split second—

The air sliced.

The monster screamed shortly.

Then split in half.

Luka (dark amusement):

"Easier than clipping my nails."

---

🏠 At Emily's house

Emily heard the noise and rushed outside,

Only to find Luka unconscious on the ground.

She screamed and ran to him,

Dragged him inside.

After a while, he opened his eyes slowly.

Luka:

"Wha… what happened? Why am I here?"

Emily:

"You're the one who should tell me… I found you lying outside."

He suddenly remembered.

Luka:

"I came to get you… there’s something you must know."

Emily:

"What is it?"

He looked at her with half-opened eyes, exhausted:

Luka:

"We’re leaving the village… the team needs you."

Her eyes widened.

Emily:

"Leave?! Abandon my grandfather and Kyle? No way!"

But a calm voice came from the doorway.

Her grandfather:

"Go, Emily… I heard everything. Kyle is with me. Don’t worry."

She ran to him, hugging him tightly.

Tears falling, but forcing herself to stay steady.

Grandfather:

"You’re strong… and Kyle will be fine. Go."

She nodded, wiped her tears, and turned to the next room.

She went to sleeping Kyle.

Kissed his forehead.

Emily (whispering):

"I’ll miss you, Cookie…"

Then she left with Luka.

---

🌫️ On the way…

They walked in silence.

Suddenly…

Luka stopped.

He remembered… everything.

The attack. The sword. The laugh. The loss of control.

He looked at his trembling hand.

Luka (to himself):

"How… how did I do all that?"

Then the image flashed in his mind…

The violet light…

That thing that burst out of the monster…

He froze.

And whispered softly:

"But… what is that violet power?"

---

Their footsteps echoed on dry earth as they approached a huge building…

A gray stone structure, isolated, as if carved into nature to hide secrets from the world.

They entered, and everyone looked up.

Twami, with a small smile:

"Welcome back. What do you think, captain? Does the base fit our needs?"

Luka scanned the place… tall walls, wide space, an eerie feeling.

With a steady voice:

"Big… far from people… isolated. Exactly what we need."

Twami clapped his hands:

"Alright! Before anything… sit. Let’s introduce ourselves properly."

They sat in a circle.

Luka (confident tone):

"I’m Luka… the leader of the team. My main ability: physical strength.

Along with motion sensing… and speed."

The introductions continued…

Until someone interrupted.

Twami (confused):

"But… where’s the sage? Wasn’t he supposed to come?"

Jakan (mocking):

"Come? That old man? With those fragile bo—"

Before he finished—

A low voice behind him:

"I am… here."

Jakan turned and saw the sage standing right behind him.

He gasped and fell to the ground,

While the whole team burst into laughter…

Except Luka.

His mind was elsewhere.

The sage walked to the center of the circle, sat slowly, voice heavy:

"What I’m about to say… will change everything. Listen carefully."

Silence filled the room.

The sage:

"There was once a boy… long ago.

His parents were killed by another sage.

That boy’s name… is Johan."

Everyone stared, stunned.

Emily:

"Who… is Johan?"

The sage:

"The child I told you about earlier. And now… he’s coming."

Luka (coldly):

"Definitely… for revenge."

The sage (with heavy certainty):

"Yes. And he’s like a wolf… limitless in strength,

And he doesn’t yet know how powerful he truly is.

If he ever learns—"

He paused…

"The world will end."

The air fell silent.

Everyone’s faces paled.

The sage:

"He possesses a violet energy…

Far more dangerous than you can imagine."

Luka breathed sharply, then suddenly stood up.

"I want you alone… now."

The sage nodded. They walked outside.

The cold wind blew.

The night felt heavy.

Luka told him everything:

His transformation… the laugh… the blue sword… the violet energy… the monster.

The sage listened quietly, hands behind his back, eyes fixed on the darkness.

Then he spoke calmly, shockingly:

"You… and Twami…

Are the two strongest people in the world after Johan."

Luka froze.

The sage continued:

"But Johan doesn’t know his power yet. That’s to your advantage.

You have immense physical strength…

And the spirit inside you,

So powerful it frightens other spirits."

Luka swallowed hard.

"This spirit won’t harm you…

But it may harm those around you,

If you lose control."

He paused, then raised a finger:

"And the violet monsters…

Are the weakest of all monsters.

Yes… the weakest."

Luka’s eyes widened.

"The blue energy is stronger… and smarter.

But the black one…

If it ever appears…

It will be stronger than Johan himself."

The sage looked up at the sky, as if seeing something far away.

"Beware of it, Luka."

Then he turned:

"I know what you need.

If you need me… call me."

He vanished—

As if the air swallowed him.

Luka stood alone…

Looking toward the base… toward his team waiting inside…

And whispered, barely audible:

"Will… we succeed?"

---

Written by: Menna Hesham

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