The shadows suddenly froze at the edges of the room, as if struck by something unseen. They recoiled a few steps backward, avoiding Nariman's body, yet they did not vanish. They lingered in place, shifting slowly, staring at her with invisible eyes, as though waiting for the barrier around her to break.
The mother pressed her hand to her chest, struggling to breathe, her gaze locked on her daughter's white hair and glowing, tilted galaxies. Nariman's body trembled violently, her breath quickening, her eyes wide with terror… she could not comprehend what was happening around her, as if she had been thrust into a world she had never known.
The father remained standing for a few moments, his eyes narrowed, then he exhaled slowly, as though the truth he had denied for years was unfolding before him. He did not scream, nor did he rush forward—he simply took a small step toward Nariman and whispered in a low voice:
— "So… it wasn't just a child's fear…"
The mother turned to him quickly, her lips quivering as she whispered:
— "You suspected… didn't you?"
He gave no reply. His eyes remained fixed on Nariman, who pressed into herself, trembling, surrounded by an aura of mystery that forced her to retreat further.
The mother swallowed hard, looked at her daughter writhing in fear, and spoke in a trembling whisper:
— "Is this… what we've been dreading?"
The father stayed silent, his eyes reflecting bitter realization and dread of what was yet to come.
The shadows hovered around Nariman, drifting slowly along the corners of the room. But then she felt something new: an unseen barrier forming between her body and the dark entities. No one else could see it—not even her parents—but she felt a strange power keeping the shadows at bay. She was no longer just a victim; she now stood behind a wall of mysterious energy that dulled the crushing weight of fear.
Nariman breathed slowly, her senses taut. A faint calm washed over her. But it didn't last. Suddenly, a voice reached her ears, soft yet clear, like a whisper carried through the void:
— "Do not kill the innocent… you are free, completely free…"
She spun around, eyes wide, but saw no one. The voice had come from nowhere—from an unfathomable emptiness. Her heart raced, but the barrier around her held firm, shielding her from the shadows that pressed closer.
Then, suddenly, a deafening sound shook the skies—massive and terrifying, like the sinking of a colossal ship. The windows rattled violently, terror flooding the house. But it wasn't confined to the library, nor even the house; it spread far wider. People across the entire nation, and even in neighboring countries, heard it. They froze in place, faces pale, eyes wide, paralyzed by fear.
Nariman's father whipped his gaze toward her, his eyes full of panic, his voice trembling as he shouted:
— "Is this… your power? Stop it—stop, or they'll discover us!!"
The father shook as he stared at her, his mind racing to grasp the magnitude of what had just occurred. Before he could even fully process his daughter's reaction, the first reports came through government communication channels: a massive sound had shaken the skies, felt across the nation and beyond, plunging entire populations into fear, and spurring leaders and rulers into urgent action to uncover its source.
World leaders gathered in haste, issuing commands to every security and military agency to locate the wielder of the power behind the sound. Meanwhile, other power users felt an eerie pull, as though the force itself was resonating within them, a colossal energy they could not ignore—one that made their bodies tense and ready, even against their will.
Realizing the matter had already spread far beyond the walls of their home, the father acted swiftly:
— "Nariman… pack your things now! We must leave at once!"
The mother looked at him with worry, while he laid out the plan in a low but firm voice:
— "We can't stay here. They will discover our secret soon. We must leave Britain immediately—head for Yemen. Take everything you'll need, quickly!"
The father rushed to prepare the bags, gathering important papers and essential tools, while the shadows in the room remained fixed on Nariman, watching her intently, though unable to breach the barrier protecting her.
Time was short. The father moved swiftly, issuing instructions to his wife to gather their belongings, while the younger children stood frozen, bewildered, not fully grasping what was happening but sensing the imminent danger pressing upon them.
Outside, across Britain's streets, intelligence agencies were already mobilizing. Helicopters roared overhead. Power users everywhere stirred into full alert, their senses locked on locating the source of the mysterious sound. Neighboring nations acted with the same urgency, as if the entire world now stood on edge, bracing itself against a single, unknown, awe-inspiring force.
With every passing second, the father felt the pressure mounting. He knew that any delay could mean falling into the hands of those seeking to uncover their secret, and so he pressed urgently:
— "Move! Every second counts!"
He packed the bags quickly while the mother watched everything with pale eyes, the younger children frozen in shock. The family piled into the car in a rush, trying to slip through the streets of Britain before the government forces and the detected power-users reached them.
It wasn't long before the father noticed strange signals on the radio: fast-moving cars closing in, power-users working with the government were already on the road, approaching. Fear once again swelled in every family member's heart.
The father realized speed alone would not save them. Time had run out. He cast a sharp glance at the road ahead, then slammed the accelerator, steering toward an open area near the city's outskirts.
Suddenly, he thrust his hand out of the car window, a strange power surging through his body. The ground beneath them rose, shaping itself into a massive mountain that stretched across the pursuit route—a natural wall blocking any attempt to follow. The car sped forward, while the towering barrier remained firm and immovable, sustained by the father's power, cutting off their pursuers.
Noura, one year younger than Nariman, stared in indescribable shock, her eyes wide. She alone noticed her father's power; the other siblings had missed it.
Nariman's heart pounded wildly, her mind reeling, unable to process it: she had never imagined her father possessed such strength. She screamed aloud:
— "What… what is this?!?"
Noura turned to him in awe, her voice trembling:
— "It's… Father… he made that?!"
The father, both hands stretched out of the car, focused all his strength on shaping and holding the natural barrier, his voice firm as he addressed the family:
— "Stay calm, hold tight! No one can catch us now!"
The car sped on, the wall of earth behind them blocking the government power-users' pursuit. Nariman sat frozen, eyes fixed on her father, stunned by the revelation of his hidden power, a mixture of shock and awe flooding her.
Hours later, the father loosened his grip on the wheel, relaxing slightly. He glanced at the long road ahead, his voice weary but laced with relief as he muttered:
— "We're lucky they weren't first- or second-level power-users… otherwise, they would've caught us for sure."
Noura couldn't contain herself, chattering with excitement, her eyes sparkling as she bombarded him with questions:
— "How did you do that, Father?!
Did the earth move for you?
What was that?
Can you do it again?"
Her siblings exchanged bewildered glances, unable to grasp the meaning behind her words. The father gripped the wheel tightly, his face tense, choosing silence in clear irritation, while the mother stared out the window, her hand resting against her face, lost in deep, troubling thoughts.