Xender stood erect, staring at the statue of the moon goddess.
She firmly believed in the goddess's power in spite of the people's skepticism and anxieties.
She was aware that, at all costs, she had to protect the populace. She was resolved to do the duty for which the moon goddess had selected her. Xender was standing there, deep in contemplation, when she sensed someone standing behind her.
Peter was waiting there with a worried expression on his face when she turned around.
"Xender, are you okay?"
His voice was soft and quiet as he requested. With a flutter in her chest, Xender nodded.
She had come to love Peter, and she was moved by his concern for her. "I'm fine," she said, attempting to seem courageous.
"I just need to focus on defending the people." Peter looked directly into her eyes and nodded. His words were, "I'll help you,"
"We'll face whatever comes our way together." As Xender gazed at Peter, her heart skipped a beat. She was filled with love and appreciation for him, and she knew she could always rely on him.
A wave of calm washed over Xender as they stood there, entranced in each other's gaze. She was aware that Peter would always be there for her and that she was not alone.
However, a booming sound reverberated throughout the temple as they stood there.
The walls started to quiver and the ground began to tremble. Xender looked at Peter, her eyes widening in terror. What was going on?
Then, as they turned to look into it, a figure stepped out of the darkness.
The high priestess stood there, her eyes burning with rage.
"You fools," she spit out. "You believe you can protect the populace?
Do you believe that the darkness can be stopped? With her heart thumping in her chest, Xender stood erect.
"We'll do whatever it takes to defend the people," she declared. Sneering, the high priestess said. She declared, "You're no match for the darkness," "But I'll give you a chance to prove yourselves."
The high priestess then lifted her hand, calling forth a strong, dark force. Staring at the energy, Xender experienced a wave of fear. What was it? She opened her mouth to ask, but the energy interrupted.
It declared, "I am the darkness," "And I will destroy you all." Xender gazed at the energy, her eyes widening in dread. What was meant by it?
She was about to inquire when the energy started to take shape. It took the shape of a figure that Xender was all too familiar with. Her mother was the one.
However, there was a problem. Her mother's skin was deathly pale, and her eyes were as black as coal. As Xender looked at her mother in fear, her heart skipped a beat. How had she fared? She was about to ask when her mother interrupted. She murmured, "I'm sorry, Xender," "I'm sorry f
or what I've done."
Xender's eyes became wide with surprise. What was her mother trying to say?
Xender experienced an odd feeling that made her world go dark. She was laying in a damp, dark dungeon when she woke up.
Over her, her mother stood with a dejected expression on her face. Her words were, "Xender, I'm so sorry," "I never meant for it to come to this." Xender gazed at her mother, her eyes narrowing.
The woman shouted, "What do you mean?" Her mother's shoulders slumped as she moaned. Her words, "I made a deal with the darkness," "I traded your soul for power." Xender's eyes went wide with fear.
"No," she said in a whisper. With tears running down her cheeks, her mother nodded. She murmured, "I'm sorry, Xender," "I was blinded by my ambition." Anger and sadness weighed heavily on Xender's heart. She was unsure of what to say or do.
However, there was something in her mother's eyes that made her feel hopeful.
A glimmer of love and goodness. Xender knew what she needed to do after that.
She extended her arm and grasped her mother's hand. Her words, "We'll get through this together," With a grateful expression on her face, her mother grinned.
She remarked, "Thank you, Xender," Xender and her mother then devised a strategy to vanquish the evil and preserve Xender's soul. They were unaware, however, that the darkness had one more ploy. Xender's mother abruptly halted as they were leaving the cellar.
"What's wrong?" Xender inquired.
Fear widened her mother's eyes. "It's Peter," she declared.
"He's been possessed by the darkness." As Xender looked at her mother in fear, her heart skipped a beat. No, it's not possible.
Was the darkness taking control of Peter, the man she loved?
Xender experienced an odd feeling that made her world go dark.
And she was looking directly at Peter as she regained consciousness. However, there was a problem. His complexion was deathly pale, and his eyes were as black as coal.
Xender muttered, "Peter," her heart heaving with grief. However, Peter simply grinned—a chilly, cunning smile. "I've been waiting for you, Xender," he replied.
Xender realized she was in serious danger after that. A monster had taken the place of the man she loved. Xender was left to confront the darkness by himself.
As Xender looked at Peter in fear, her heart skipped a beat. She muttered, "Peter, what's happened to you?"
Peter's eyes glinted with venom, and his smile widened. His words, "I've been awakened," "I've been awakened to my true power."
Xender looked at Peter, her eyes wide with surprise. What was he trying to say? She opened her mouth to ask, but Peter interrupted.
In his own words, "I am the darkness," "I am the one who has been manipulating everything from the beginning." Xender looked at Peter with horror, her heart sinking. No, it's not possible. Was the darkness personified in Peter, the man she loved?
However, Peter spoke again before she had time to absorb this information.
"And you, Xender, are the key to unlocking my true power." Peter stretched out and grabbed Xender, causing her eyes to widen in fear. She tried to get away, but Peter's hold was too tight.
Then, just when it looked like there was no hope left, Xender experienced an odd feeling. Her molecules seemed to rearrange themselves as though she were being torn apart.
Xender felt herself drawn into a vortex as her vision started to distort.
Everything turned black after that. Xender awoke to find herself resting in an unfamiliar room with strangers all about her.
However, one face caught her attention as she glanced around, and it made her heart skip a beat. Peter was the one. However, there was a problem. He was standing beside a woman who had a striking resemblance to Xender. A woman with a newborn in her arms. Xender gazed at the woman, her eyes wide with surprise.
Who was she?
And what was happening?
She opened her mouth to ask, but the woman interrupted. "Welcome, Xender," she called out. "I'm your twin sister.
" As Xender gazed at the woman in disbelief, her heart skipped a beat.
A sister twin?
However, that was not feasible. She was going to question when the woman suddenly revealed something shocking.
"We're not just twins, Xender," she stated. "We're parallel universe versions of each other."
Xender stared at the woman in terror, her head reeling.
What was she trying to say?