The shadows abruptly halted at the edges of the room, as if some invisible force had struck them. They retreated slowly, avoiding Nariman's body, yet they did not vanish. Suspended in the air, they moved sluggishly, staring at her with unseen eyes, as if waiting for the moment the mysterious barrier around her would collapse.
Her mother placed a hand on her chest, breathing with difficulty, her eyes fixed on her daughter's white hair that shimmered with a strange glow and her galaxy-like, tilted eyes. Nariman's body trembled, her breaths rapid, her features reflecting pure terror. She could not comprehend what was happening, as if she had suddenly fallen into a world unknown to her.
Her father remained standing for a moment, his face rigid, eyes half-closed, then exhaled slowly… as if the truth he had evaded for years was finally unfolding before him. He did not scream, nor rush to her; he merely took a small step forward and whispered: – "So… it wasn't just a child's illusion…"
Her mother turned to him swiftly, her voice trembling: – "You suspected it, didn't you?"
He did not answer. He continued to look at his daughter with a heavy silence, at her body surrounded by a growing mysterious aura.
Her mother swallowed hard and whispered: – "Is… this what we feared?"
Her father remained silent, but his gaze said it all.
The shadows still hovered around Nariman, swaying slowly in the corners of the room. Suddenly, she felt something different… an invisible barrier appeared between her body and those dark entities. No one could see it, not even her parents, yet she sensed it. A strange energy surrounded her, preventing the shadows from approaching. She was no longer just a victim; she stood behind a wall of unknown power, easing the suffocating pressure of fear upon her.
Her breaths began to stabilize, and a faint sense of reassurance seeped into her chest. But it did not last long. A soft voice reached her, like a whisper, yet clear as if spoken inside her mind: – "Do not kill the innocent… and you shall have complete freedom…"
Her eyes widened in astonishment, she looked around quickly, but there was no one. The voice came from nothingness, from an undefined void. Her heart pounded violently, but she held herself together, trying to understand. The barrier remained steadfast, shielding her from the shadows, which gradually began to dissipate.
Then a majestic sound thundered in the sky, loud as a colossal ship breaking apart. The windows shook, and the house trembled entirely. The sound was not confined to the building; everyone in the country and neighboring nations felt it. People froze in place, fear ravaged their hearts, and terror engulfed the cities.
Her father shouted suddenly, his voice trembling: – "Is this… your power?! Stop at once, or they'll discover us!"
He did not fully grasp what had happened, but the news reached faster than him. Government communication systems announced that the sound had been heard across several countries, causing a state of widespread alert. National leaders began convening, issuing urgent orders, demanding the source of the unknown power be located. Other power users sensed it too, as if a resonance coursed through their bodies, putting them instinctively on edge.
The father realized the situation had spiraled beyond control. His voice was firm as he commanded: – "Nariman! Gather your things immediately, we're leaving now!"
Her mother stared at him in shock: – "What? Where?"
– "We cannot stay here; they will uncover our secret within hours. We are leaving Britain… to Yemen. Move quickly!"
He began collecting essential papers and tools, while her mother hurriedly packed the bags, and the children stood in the corner, stunned, understanding only that they were in danger.
Outside, planes were flying, and alarms blared. Intelligence agencies and power users spread out everywhere, searching for the source of the energy that had shaken the world. The father glanced at the scene through the window for a moment, then clenched his fist: – "Time is against us. Move immediately!"
The family hurried into the car. The father drove through the city streets, trying to distance themselves before anyone could encircle them. But within minutes, he noticed cars rapidly approaching from behind. Through the radio, he heard pursuit orders, realizing that government-aligned power users were on their way.
He pressed the accelerator with all his strength, muttering: – "I will not hand you over to them!"
He knew that speed alone would not suffice and that time had run out. He steered toward an open area near the city outskirts.
Then he extended his hand outside the window, and a hidden energy ignited around his arm. The ground beneath them trembled suddenly, and from beneath it, a massive stone wall rose, blocking the road behind them, like a mountain carved in an instant. The pursuing cars stopped at the barrier, while their car continued forward without interruption.
Nora, watching from the back seat, gasped in astonishment: – "Dad…! You did that?!"
Nariman screamed in shock: – "What is happening?! Since when… do you have this power?!"
The father, trying to maintain the integrity of the barrier and keep his focus on the road, his face stern and voice commanding: – "Stay calm!"
The car sped away, leaving the city sinking into chaos. After hours of fleeing, the father finally slowed down, his breaths heavy as he whispered: – "Fortunately, they were not level one or two… otherwise, we would not have survived."
Nora continued chattering in astonishment, her eyes sparkling: – "How did you do that, Dad?! Did the ground move for you? Can you do it again?!"
Her siblings exchanged silent glances, not understanding anything. The father gripped the steering wheel tensely, remaining silently irritated, while the mother stared out the window, lost in thought, as the night swallowed the long road ahead… leaving behind the beginning of a journey with no return.