Once Upon A Dream

Chapter 5

Jamal POV:

Maya and I sat down with our parents in the cozy living room of Grandma's cottage. The fire crackled, and the soft glow of the lanterns created a warm atmosphere. We kept exchanged a nervous glance, our minds racing with questions.

"Mom, Dad, we need to talk," Maya began, her voice gentle but firm.

"Of course, sweethearts," Mom replied, her eyes filled with a mix of love and apprehension. "We know we have a lot to explain."

"Why did you keep us apart all these years?" I asked, my voice laced with a hint of accusation.

Dad sighed, rubbing his temples. "We were trying to protect you both. The Shadow Ones were hunting us, and we knew they would stop at nothing to get to you."

"But why separate us?" Maya pressed on. "Why make us think the other was dead?"

Mom's eyes welled up with tears. "We were trying to keep you safe. We thought if you didn't know about each other, the Shadow Ones wouldn't target you."

I frowned. "But that doesn't make sense. We're stronger together."

Dad nodded. "You are, and that's exactly why we were afraid. The Shadow Ones would have exploited your bond, used it against you. We thought keeping you apart would make it harder for them to find you."

Maya's eyes narrowed. "But what about Grandma Zara? She knew the truth. Why did she go along with it?"

Grandma Zara, who had been quietly observing the conversation, spoke up. "I agreed to keep the secret because I believed it was the only way to keep you both safe. But as you grew older, I realized that the truth would eventually come out, and you would need to know how to face the Shadow Ones together."

The room fell silent, the weight of the revelation settling in. Maya and I exchanged a glance, our minds reeling with the implications.

"So, what now?" Maya asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Dad's eyes locked onto hers. "Now, we face the Shadow Ones together, as a family. We'll fight to protect our bond and our love, and we'll never let them tear us apart again."

Maya and I sat in front of the cozy cottage, picking apples from the lush trees the next day

"Hey, Jamal, how was your childhood?" Maya asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"I bet you were always getting into trouble," Maya teased.

Ichuckled. "You have no idea. I used to get detention all the time. I would pull pranks on my teachers and disrupt the class. But hey, it was all in good fun and I would still be doing all that if dad hadn't threatened to send me to military" I laughed again then asked curiously
" So, how about you, Maya? What was your childhood like?"

Maya's expression turned a bit wistful. "Well, I didn't really do much. I didn't have many friends, so I spent most of my time in my room reading or going to the beach. It was pretty lonely, but I liked it that way."

I nodded with understanding. "I'm sorry, Maya. That sounds tough."

Maya shrugged. "It was okay. I learned to enjoy my own company. So, what do you think about Sorcerer Kane?"

I shook my head, my expression turning serious "I don't trust him. Grandma Zara says not to trust him, and even our parents don't trust him."

Maya nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he's evil. We can't trust him."

But then she paused, a sly smile spreading across her face. "But he's kinda fine though."

I raised an eyebrow, surprised by Maya's sudden change in tone. "Maya, focus! We can't let our guard down around him." I said with a hint of warning

Maya giggled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "I know, I know. But still, he's got that whole brooding, dark magic thing going on."

I burst out laughing. "You're impossible, Maya."

" wait a minute, who's the older twin"
She suddenly asked thoughtfully

"I am" I replied smugly

Maya Burst out laughing then asked "by how many minutes"

"Exactly 5 minutes" I replied ruefully

We both started laughing then mum came out and said "hey kids get inside we need to talk"

We both hurried towards the  cottage and as I passed mum she took my hand and said "I'm hoping to get to know you these days" she said with a small smile, I nodded then went inside

We met Grandma and dad already sitted and when we sat down dad started  by saying "we decided to send you two back home"

Maya gasped and said "But dad, we can't just leave now!" Maya exclaimed, her voice rising in protest. "We have to know more about our past, about the Shadow Ones, and about our powers!"

Dad sighed, his expression firm but understanding. "We've already told you more than we should have, Maya. It's not safe for you to know too much right now. You have to trust us on this."

I nodded in agreement, trying to reason with Maya. "Think about it, Maya. We've only just discovered the truth about our past. We need time to process it, to learn more about our powers and how to control them. We can't do that if we're constantly looking over our shoulders, waiting for the Shadow Ones to attack."

Maya crossed her arms, her eyes flashing with determination. "I don't care. I want to know more. I want to learn how to fight back."

Grandma Zara placed a gentle hand on Maya's arm. "We understand, child. But sometimes the best way to fight back is to retreat and regroup. You two are not ready to face the Shadow Ones yet. You need training, guidance, and time to grow stronger."

Maya scowled, but I could see the faintest glimmer of understanding in her eyes. She knew we were right, even if she didn't want to admit it.

"Fine," she said finally, her voice grudging. "But this isn't over. We're going to learn more, and we're going to fight back. Just you wait and see."

Dad smiled, his eyes warm with pride. "I have no doubt about that, Maya. And when the time is right, we'll be here to support you every step of the way."

The conversation continued, with Maya asking more questions and us trying to answer them as best we could. But as the evening drew to a close, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were all just delaying the inevitable. The Shadow Ones would come for us eventually, and we needed to be ready.