"Are you alright?" He asked worriedly.
"H-huh?"
"Sari!" Ate Clydelle appeared out of nowhere and called me.
"Thank you for saving us, but I have to go," I said as I ran over to my cousin and helped her.
"Sari— I sense an unusual aura from that guy," she said.
"He's the one who knocked that beast unconscious and burned it; I never anticipated seeing someone with superhuman abilities like us."
"No, I mean—that guy is not a human being."
I noticed the guy and ate Clydelle glaring at each other until it decided to come to us and yanked my brother to his shoulder.
My attention was drawn to what he did right away, so I confronted him. "Stop right there, who are you?" I yelled frantically.
"Let's not talk here," he stated firmly and politely.
"Ate!" Tyler exclaimed as he limped towards us, about to attack the man when he suddenly lost consciousness.
"Tyler!" we both yelled, sprinting toward Tyler.
"I'll explain everything if you all decide to come with me."
"Why would we go with you? You're a dangerous person," Ate Clydelle asked cautiously, but I had made up my mind and simply disagree with her decision to doubt the guy.
"All right, we'll come with you," I said. When I finished summarizing what had happened to us, something changed my mind, and I had this strange feeling that we already knew each other.
"Sari?" ate Clydelle worriedly uttered.
"He's dangerous, but we can't deny that he's the one who saved our lives."
"He's still a threat, Sari."
"I know," I stated plainly, allowing the words to hang in the air between us. "And he could be the one who started all this commotion, only to pose as our savior."
"A wise decision, putting your trust in me," he replied, a glint of condescending amusement in his eyes.
My jaw tightened. "I haven't trusted you for a second," I snapped, "and all I want is the truth."
Before I could say another word, he snatched Tyler, hoisting him onto his shoulder with a single, jarring motion. A purple circle of light appeared on the ground, its unfamiliar symbols pulsing with a sinister energy. My stomach lurched as the world twisted into a sick kaleidoscope of color and motion, a dizzying, breathless freefall that stole my breath. Then, as abruptly as it began, it all snapped back into focus.
"You knew... where we lived?" My voice was a shaky whisper, laced with a fresh wave of suspicion as I stared at the painfully familiar facade of our home.
He ignored the question entirely, his hand already reaching for the doorbell. "Yes. Old lady Naomi said to come here when the time was right, and the time is now."
My body moved on its own. I shoved his hand away from the button with a sharp slap.
"Don't you dare," I hissed, stepping between him and the door. "You think I'm just going to let some mysterious guy who knows our address waltz right into our house? Absolutely not."
He simply looked at me, a calm, unwavering expression on his face. "Your mother has already opened the gate."
My head snapped around, and sure enough, there was Mom, a look of stunned surprise on her face. "How...?" I began, but the words died in my throat. How could he have known? How did this guy know our Lola Naomi?
"Good evening, Mrs. Cara Moon," the man said smoothly, a small, polite nod in my mom's direction. "I've come to speak with you and the old lady's grandchildren concerning the situation in Zeraschia."
Mom's expression shifted from shock to something else entirely—a deep, weary understanding. She simply nodded and motioned for him to come in. The rest of us followed, a cautious parade of wounded teenagers.
Inside, he gently laid Frank and Tyler on the sofa, a surprising gentleness in his movements.
"Ma—?" I started, but she cut me off.
"Take a seat. I'll get Sophia and Victoria." She finally took a good look at us, her eyes widening at our cuts and bruises. "Clydelle, Sari, get a wet towel. Clean yourselves and the boys up."
As she left, a frantic energy took over. I grabbed towels and a basin of water, then remembered the gaping wounds. I went back for the first-aid kit, handing over a few rolls of bandages and a bottle of antiseptic at ate Clydelle. "Here!"
While I tended to Frank's cuts, I overheard Clydelle talking to the mysterious man. "I ran a background check on you. It's like you've known us forever, but most of your memories were locked down. The only things I could see were you watching over us when we were kids. It's like you wanted me to find them."
The man's reply was simple. "I'm an old friend of the old lady."
"According to the data I've gathered," Clydelle continued, a bandage spooling around Tyler's arm, "you have a massive amount of chakra and this… unusual aura. It proves my suspicion that you're not from our world."
"That's normal for people from Zeraschia," he replied, a hint of amusement in his tone.
Just then, Mom returned with our aunts, Sophia and Victoria, and the conversation abruptly ceased.
"We can talk here," Mom said, taking a seat. "It's better they know the truth."
"Oh my goodness, what happened?!" our aunts shrieked, their eyes fixed on our bruised and battered forms.
"A beast showed up and went on a rampage," Clydelle said, her voice heavy with shame. "We tried to stop it, but we failed. We're still too weak to be Lola Naomi's heir."
"Nonsense!" Aunt Sophia declared, rushing to inspect Tyler's condition. "You did great! You're all alive, and that's what matters."
"Tyler contributed the most, that's why he got the worst of it," I mumbled, feeling a pang of guilt.
"Don't worry," Aunt Sophia said, her voice softening. "Just sit still."
I found a spot on the sofa next to Frank, and Aunt Sophia began to chant. A massive, shimmering bubble barrier encased the room, and within it, tiny bubbles appeared, surrounding each of us. When they burst, a wave of warm water washed over us but it didn't made us wet even the furniture around. And the pain we're feeling have vanished completely. I'd heard stories of Aunt Sophia's ability, but this was the first time I'd seen it—a power of purification and healing.
"Alright, kiddo," Aunt Victoria said, turning her attention to the man. "Why are you here?"
"I hope you remember the old lady's dying wish," he began. "To end Chaos' obsession with finding Lucy. All the leaders and elders from each kingdom have come together and agreed to hold a tournament to find the 9 warriors who will lead the 9th Blood Moon War."
Blood Moon War? The name alone sent a shiver down my spine.
"We remember," Aunt Sophia said, her expression grim. "When does the tournament begin?"
"In a few days."
"But... aren't they too young for this?" Aunt Victoria worried, her eyes darting between us.
"It'll be fine," Mom insisted. "This is a good opportunity for them to discover the truth and reach the pinnacle of their abilities."
Tournament? Abilities? And Mom's okay with this? My mind can't process all of this right now.
Aunt Sophia nodded in agreement. "She's right. They still have five years to train before the war."
Aunt Victoria turned back to the man. "Can we come with you to Zeraschia and look after them?"
"I'm sorry," he said, "but you know you can't. The old lady told me you were meant to be the guardians of the mortal realm. Don't worry, though. I owe her my life, so it's my responsibility to protect her little ones."
Aunt Victoria sighed. "Alright then... Sari, Clydelle, please look after each other. You're the oldest."
"Ma?" I asked, a lump forming in my throat.
"I'm sorry, but none of this is making sense. What is Zeraschia? Why is there a war? Why do we need to be there?"
Mom took my hands in hers, her touch firm and reassuring. "Sari, do you remember the stories Lola Naomi used to tell you?"
"The one about the three gods cursed by unrequited love?"
"Yes, that one." She smiled, as she gently cupped my face with her palm, "It's all true. Chaos, the god of destruction, mistook Lola Naomi for Lucy's reincarnation. That's why he took her from us."
"You mean... the god from her stories is the reason she died?" My voice cracked.
Mom's eyes welled up with tears. "Yes." She squeezed my hands. "Now go with this young man to Zeraschia. You can practice your abilities without having to hide, and you can get strong enough to stop Chaos and his underlings from destroying both our worlds."
We embraced, and as she pulled away, she wiped a tear from my cheek. Her smile, though strained, was filled with an unwavering love that felt like a silent promise.
"And you guys were really fine with this?" I asked, looking at each of them.
The man in the cloak responded before they could, "As the descendants of the old lady, of course they should be fine with it."
"I wasn't talking to you," I shot back, my voice as cold as ice. "So don't you dare speak up."
I saw a glimpse of his eyes looking a bit surprise with my behavior but that made him quiet so I guess it's effective.
"Remember what your Lola Naomi taught you?" Aunt Victoria asked, her voice soft and reassuring. "She prepared all those things when this day came. We feel great power inside each one of you, and we know you have the ability to win the war."
"We're just right here," Aunt Sophia added, "we're going to protect the Earth while you guys protect the place your Lola cherished as well."
Just then, Dad burst through the door, his face a mask of worry and anger. He had always been against us learning about our powers. He wanted us to be normal kids, to live normal lives. My brother and Tyler were awake by now, and the situation was explained to them. They were excited, but I could still see the fear in their eyes. We were just kids. We didn't know anything about war.
"I've chosen to stay here," Dad said, his voice hard. "Life here is safer than that world. The kids will stay here."
"Leone..." Mom pleaded.
Then, Dad said something that shocked us all. "I'll volunteer myself."
"No, Pa!" I pleaded. "You have to stay here with Mama. Protect this world. We can protect ourselves in Zeraschia. Lola trained us for this." The thought of losing him, of him risking his life for us, made me instantly change my mind. I couldn't bear to lose another family member.
"Sari, your life is here," he argued, his voice full of desperation. "You don't have to fight for something that's already gone. Zeraschia isn't your world to protect."
"But it's for Lola Naomi, Pa! I need to know the truth about her death and all of our lives."
"It's a dangerous place, Sari."
"Yes, but I know there are people like us there! We won't have to hide our powers anymore. We can use them for good. I'll go, and it's okay if the boys don't want to."
"I'm coming too," Clydelle said, a determined glint in her eyes. "I'm curious about the other cultures and magical beings there."
"It's scary," Frank added, "but it's also amazing."
Tyler just nodded in agreement.
"You're all coming?" I asked, my voice filled with surprise.
"Of course," they laughed. "We wouldn't miss it for the world."
After a few minutes of tearful goodbyes, we stood next to the man. A magical circle appeared beneath our feet, and the world around us began to twist and blur.
"Here we go," ate Clydelle whispered, a heavy sigh escaping her lips.
"A new adventure awaits. We'll protect each other, just like always."
I couldn't shake the surreal feeling of it all. We were going to a new world to fight in a war we knew nothing about. Our lives as we knew them were over, replaced by a destiny we never asked for.
We had a new purpose now—to train, to get stronger, and to prepare for the inevitable war.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
And when we're ready, we'll save the world...