Chapter 4

As Grandma Chen quietly closed the door to Alex’s room, she lingered in the hallway for a moment, her hand resting on the doorknob. The soft sound of Alex’s breathing, finally steadying into the rhythm of sleep, was a bittersweet comfort. It had been a long day, full of pain and fear for Alex, and now, in the quiet solitude of the night, Grandma Chen felt the weight of her own worries settle heavily upon her shoulders.

With a sigh, she slowly made her way down the dimly lit hallway to her own bedroom. The house was silent, the only sound the soft creaking of the floorboards under her feet. As she entered her room, she turned on the small lamp by her bedside, its warm light casting long shadows on the walls. The room was filled with memories—old photographs of loved ones, mementos from years gone by, and, tucked away in the bottom drawer of her nightstand, secrets that she had kept hidden for years.

Sitting down on the edge of her bed, Grandma Chen felt a familiar pang of guilt and sorrow. She had made so many difficult choices over the years, all in the name of protecting Alex. And yet, as she thought back to the look of despair in her grandchild’s eyes, she couldn’t help but wonder if she had made the right decisions.

She reached over to the nightstand and pulled out a small, intricately carved wooden box. The box was old, its surface worn smooth by years of handling, and as she ran her fingers over the delicate patterns, memories of a life she had long since left behind came flooding back.

Inside the box lay a single item—a small, ornate amulet, its surface engraved with symbols that had been passed down through generations of their family. The amulet had belonged to Chen’s mother, a woman of extraordinary strength, courage, and power. The amulet was more than just a family heirloom; it was a vessel of immense magical energy, capable of bestowing upon its wearer knowledge and abilities that few could comprehend. Martial arts, magical powers, healing arts—all of these were contained within the small, unassuming trinket.

Chen’s mother had been the last in a long line of powerful guardians, protectors of an ancient lineage that wielded magic and skill far beyond the ordinary. But with great power came great responsibility, and the dangers that accompanied such power were ever-present, lurking in the shadows.

Grandma Chen’s thoughts drifted back to the day when everything had changed—when her daughter, Chen’s mother, had been taken from them too soon. It had been a day of unimaginable grief, a day that had shattered their family and altered the course of their lives forever.

Before she passed, Chen’s mother had entrusted the amulet to her own mother, knowing that it would be up to her to protect Alex from the dangers that came with their family’s legacy. But with that trust came a difficult decision—one that Grandma Chen had made with a heavy heart.

In the wake of her daughter’s death, Grandma Chen had cut ties with the lineage, severing her connection to the ancient powers that had been passed down through generations. She had done it to protect Alex, to ensure that the dangers that had claimed her daughter’s life would never touch her grandchild. It had been an act of love, of self-sacrifice, but it had also been a choice that weighed heavily on her conscience.

Without the protection of the lineage, Alex had been left vulnerable to the cruelties of the world—vulnerable to bullies like Victor, who preyed on those they perceived as weak. And yet, Grandma Chen had always believed that it was better this way. Better for Alex to live an ordinary life, free from the burden of powers that would only bring more danger and pain.

But tonight, as she sat there with the amulet in her hand, she couldn’t help but question whether she had done the right thing. Was it really better for Alex to face the world without the tools that could protect them? Without the strength that could help them stand up to those who sought to harm them?

The memory of Alex’s tear-streaked face, their voice trembling with fear and uncertainty, replayed in her mind. The pain in his eyes was a pain that cut deep into her own heart—a pain that she would do anything to take away.

She had sacrificed so much to protect Alex from the dangers of their lineage, but at what cost? If Alex had inherited the powers of their ancestors, would he have been able to defend himself against the likes of Victor? Would he have been spared the suffering that had become a constant part of hislife?

But then, Grandma Chen reminded herself of the other side of that power—the darkness, the danger, the enemies that would stop at nothing to claim the amulet and the power it contained. She had seen firsthand the toll that such a life took on those who carried the burden of their family’s legacy. She had lost her daughter to that life, and she had vowed that she would not lose Alex as well.

Even now, as she grappled with her doubts, she knew that her decision had been made out of love. She had chosen to give Alex the chance at a normal life, a life free from the dangers that had taken so much from their family. And yet, the pain of seeing Alex suffer in a different way was almost too much to bear.

As she sat there, staring at the amulet, Grandma Chen felt a deep sadness settle in her chest. She had done what she thought was best for Alex, but the world was still a cruel place, and the reality of that cruelty weighed heavily on her heart.

At least Alex was safe from the dangers that had haunted their lineage for centuries. At least she had spared them from that other side of life. But the knowledge that Alex was still suffering, still being hurt, was a burden that she carried every day.

With a heavy sigh, Grandma Chen carefully placed the amulet back in the box and closed the lid. She knew that the past could not be changed, and that the choices she had made were rooted in love and protection. But as she prepared for bed, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the amulet might still play a role in Alex’s future—whether as a source of strength, or as a reminder of the power they had lost.

As she lay down, pulling the covers up around her, Grandma Chen whispered a silent prayer for Alex’s safety, for their strength, and for the hope that they would find the courage to face whatever challenges lay ahead. She had done everything she could to protect him, but she also knew that there were some battles that Alex would have to face on his own.

And as sleep began to overtake her, she held on to the hope that, whatever happened, Alex would find his own path—a path that might just lead him back to the power that was his birthright, and the strength that lay hidden within them.