ENGULF ME

Chapter - 6

Laura smiled warmly as she said, “Jennifer, you’re finally here. I’ve been waiting for you. And Derek, congratulations on finally being free from your suffering. Papa, let them come in.”

I froze for a moment, shocked that she knew my name—and that she’d been expecting me. How? What else did she know?
Mr. Lopez greeted us with a small smile. Derek shook his hand and said, “Mr. Lopez, it’s been a long time.”

I couldn’t help but wonder just how long they’d been alive, what they must have witnessed, and how much the world had changed around them.

We stepped inside and sat on a worn, comfortable sofa. Laura approached me, taking my hands gently in hers. Her smile was small but reassuring, and somehow, I knew I could trust her.
“Jenn,” she said softly, “I can call you that, right?”

I nodded with a slight smile, feeling the warmth of her presence.
She continued, “I know why you’re here. I know you’re searching for answers, trying to understand your place in all of this. I can tell you some things about your past, but the rest will come with time. Derek needs your help to end Dhaka, once and for all. We all do.”

I glanced at Derek, hoping for some clarity, but his face was just as blank as mine. He gave Laura a small nod, silently telling her to explain.

“Papa,” Laura said to Mr. Lopez, “please make some tea for our guests.”

Then she turned back to me. “What do you want to know first?”
I swallowed hard, my voice barely a whisper. “Do you know how my parents died?”

For a moment, I thought she hadn’t heard me, but then I saw the change in her expression. Her face softened, and she looked almost pained.

“Your mother died protecting you from Dhaka,” she said gently.
The words hit me like a physical blow. I felt my pulse quicken, my body tense. The questions came rushing out. “How did I get these powers? How did they die? What’s my role in all of this?”

Laura remained calm, her voice soft but steady. She explained, “Your parents were archaeologists. When your mother was pregnant with you, they received news about a cave emitting a strange energy. It was their job to investigate.

They went with a team, but when they arrived, your father started acting strange. Your mother thought it was just excitement, but when they entered the cave, the energy inside was so strong that people began dying.”

I could barely breathe as Laura continued.

“Your father wandered deeper into the cave. Your mother tried to follow him, but she couldn’t find him. The energy was overwhelming, and she went into labor. That’s when she discovered the source of the power—a vial, left behind by Derek’s parents, who had created it to kill Dhaka and find their sons. But they never had the chance to use it. Dhaka had already destroyed their village.”

I glanced at Derek. His face was unreadable, but his lips were pressed into a thin, hard line. He avoided looking at me or Laura, lost in his own thoughts.

I turned back to Laura, desperate to hear the rest. She continued, “Your mother wanted to destroy the vial, but she was too weak. She was dying. That’s when your father reappeared. He forced the liquid from the vial into her mouth. That’s how you got your powers, Jenn. The vial contained a mixture of the dark crystal’s power and the energy of the sun and moon.”

She paused, glancing at Derek again before adding, “Dhaka wears a ring made of the dark crystal. That’s how he became so powerful. Three thousand years ago, when Derek fought Dhaka, he lost because of that ring. And Kyle… Kyle wants the dark crystal for himself.”

Derek’s face twisted with anger and confusion, as if trying to piece together some puzzle. Just then, Mr. Lopez returned with the tea, placing it on the table before turning to Derek. “You don’t have much time. Dhaka has discovered the whereabouts of the dark crystal necklace. If he gets it, he’ll be invincible. You need to find it before he does.”

Derek frowned, his voice strained. “How can I find it?”
Mr. Lopez glanced at him knowingly. “Kyle knew where it was before your last battle. Ask him.”

A heaviness settled in my chest. I could feel the presence of the dark tendrils—watching, waiting. I walked over to the window, scanning the area for any sign of them. They were out there, somewhere.

Laura’s voice was soft but sure. “Jenn, you can feel them because you’re connected to them. They can’t hurt you, but you’re the only one who can destroy them. And in doing so, you can destroy Dhaka.”

I turned to her, a question on my lips, but she stopped me. “Derek knows how.”

Suddenly, Kyle appeared, his expression dark and dangerous, like he was ready to tear someone apart. I backed up instinctively, and before I knew it, Derek had moved behind me, shielding me with his body. Without a word, he ran outside after Kyle, and I followed, panic rising in my throat.

Laura caught my arm, holding me back. “Let them fight.”

I watched helplessly as the two brothers clashed, brutally attacking each other. Blood poured from Derek’s mouth, and a deep gash opened across Kyle’s forehead. I could feel their pain as if it were my own, a sharp ache in my chest.

Laura whispered, “You’ll love them both equally, but a time will come when you’ll have to choose between them. Their fates are tied to yours, and they will live or die by your decision.”

I looked at her, bewildered by the weight of her words. Why would I have to decide their fate? What did she mean by that?
Mr. Lopez stepped outside, using his powers to separate the brothers. They both collapsed, breathing heavily, but still alive. I hadn’t realized Mr. Lopez had powers too.

Kyle and Derek slowly stood, eyeing each other with a strange vulnerability. Laura stepped forward and said, “Kyle, your motives may be right, but your actions aren’t. Help us end this once and for all.”

Kyle hesitated, but then gave a small, reluctant nod—like a little brother who had just been scolded by his older sibling.

Mr. Lopez and Laura turned to me. “It’s time for all of you to go.”
I nodded, though every fibre of my being felt reluctant. Standing between the two brothers, I felt small, dwarfed by their presence. But there was a new sense of resolve within me—a quiet courage that had taken root after talking to Laura.

The gloominess in my chest persisted, a heavy reminder of the weight I now carried. I knew, deep down, that everything was about to change—and that I had to make the right choices.

I looked at Kyle, his familiar smirk still captivating in its charm.

Then at Derek, whose silent strength anchored me.

Together, we would face whatever came next. But it was my choice that would shape our fate.

__________________________
Follow @mystc_quill_tales for more updates on stories backstory and character sketch of your favourite fictional characters.