The weight of Grandma Shu's revelation settled upon Caleb Li like a heavy cloak.
He sat on his bed, his mind a battlefield of conflicting emotions.
Shock and confusion warred within him, a tangled mess that mirrored the wrinkles etched on the parchment he clutched in his trembling hand.
Never had he imagined his origin story to be so shrouded in mystery, so daunting.
He had always thought his parents were casualties of the brutal Shataki war.
Now, however, a deeper truth lay bare, a truth that hinted at secrets buried beneath the surface.
He traced the smooth, worn surface of the parchment with a trembling finger.
It was magnificent, adorned with intricate patterns that spoke of a forgotten age.
Yet, it was the stark emptiness of its surface that gnawed at him, a blank canvas upon which his imagination painted a thousand dark possibilities.
