Dark Twist

Chapter 6: Echoes of Trauma

Moonlight streamed through the shattered windows of the Moon Club, casting an eerie glow on the scene of devastation. Merliah, her body trembling with adrenaline and the echoes of past trauma, stood frozen, the weight of the battle pressing down on her.

Damien, his face etched with concern, rushed to her side. "Merliah, are you alright?" he asked, his voice laced with urgency.

Merliah met his gaze, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and defiance. The battle had triggered memories, a relentless tide of pain and terror threatening to drown her. She fought back the tears, clinging to the present, to the sanctuary Damien had offered her.

"I... I need some air," she stammered, her voice barely a whisper.

Damien nodded understandingly, guiding her away from the carnage towards the club's balcony. The cool night air washed over her, offering a temporary reprieve from the chaos.

"It's okay to feel scared, Merliah," Damien said softly, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You've been through a lot."

Merliah closed her eyes, the ghosts of her past swirling around her. The memory of her abusive father, his cruel words and suffocating control, threatened to consume her.

"He used to say I was worthless," she confessed, her voice trembling. "That I would never amount to anything."

Damien listened patiently, his presence a steady anchor in the storm of her emotions. "He was wrong, Merliah," he said firmly. "You are strong, braver than you know. You fought today, not just for yourself, but for everyone here."

His words resonated within her, offering a flicker of hope amidst the darkness. She may have been a victim, but she wasn't defined by her past. Damien had shown her that.

Suddenly, a commotion erupted within the club. Merliah turned to see Thoren, his face contorted in pain, as the Mastermind unleashed a wave of his dark energy.

A primal urge to protect surged through Merliah. This enigmatic figure, who had taken her under his wing, was now in danger. Despite her fear, she knew she couldn't stand idly by.

"I have to help him," she declared, her voice filled with newfound determination.

Damien, sensing her resolve, nodded. "Be careful, Merliah. Don't push yourself too hard."

Merliah took a deep breath, her gaze fixed on the unfolding scene. She channeled the newfound strength she had discovered within herself, the strength born from surviving her past and finding her place within the Moon Club.

With a newfound agility, she leaped through the shattered window, her movements fueled by a desperate need to protect not just Thoren, but the fragile sense of belonging she had finally found.

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To Be Continued.

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2024