The Jade Oath

As they pulled up to Dunk's grandparents' house, the warm glow from the porch light greeted them. The door creaked open, revealing Dunk's grandfather, who peered at them with his usual calm yet observant gaze.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" his grandfather asked as they stepped inside.

Before answering, the group respectfully bowed in greeting to Dunk's grandparents, showing their gratitude for the hospitality. Without wasting time, they moved toward their assigned bedrooms, quickly packing up their belongings to return to university.

Dunk lingered behind. "Kinda," he finally replied, rubbing the back of his neck. His tone was hesitant, thoughtful. Then, glancing at his grandfather, he asked, "Do we have any sacred artifacts? Something strong—stronger than anything ordinary?"

His grandfather furrowed his brows, but before he could respond, Dunk's grandmother entered the room, having overheard the conversation. She folded her arms, eyes sharp yet kind. "What for?"

Dunk took a deep breath. He needed to be honest. "We found everything at the library—about the curse, the ritual, the price to break it. We have a way to stop it, but we need a powerful vessel to contain the curse once it's unbound. I want to help my friends."

Silence settled between them for a moment. His grandmother and grandfather exchanged glances, something unspoken passing between them.

Finally, his grandfather nodded. "There is something," he admitted. "But it's not here. I keep it somewhere safe."

Dunk's heart raced. "Can you get it?"

His grandfather gave a firm nod. "I will. Once I have it, I'll send it to you."

Relief flooded Dunk's face. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and hugged both of his grandparents tightly. "Thank you," he whispered, gratitude heavy in his voice.

His grandmother patted his back gently, her voice warm. "Anything for you and your friends."

With their support secured, the next step was clear—prepare for the ritual and face whatever consequences may come.

.

.

In their shared room, Fourth moved swiftly, folding clothes and stuffing them into their bags while Gemini sat on the edge of the bed, phone pressed tightly to his ear. The urgency in the air was undeniable—the faster they moved, the better.

Gemini's fingers tapped anxiously against his knee as he listened to the ringing on the other end. Then, his father picked up.

"Por," Gemini started, keeping his voice steady. "Do we have any family heirlooms? Something made of jade?"

There was a brief pause before his father asked, "Why all of a sudden?"

Gemini exhaled sharply. He hadn't told them anything about the curse, the past lives, or the ritual—not yet. There wasn't enough time for that now.

"It's important," Gemini said, urgency lacing his tone. "Really important. I'll explain everything when I get home, but I don't have much time right now."

A rustling sound came from the other end of the line, and then another voice joined in. His mother.

"Gemini?" she called out, sounding concerned. "What's wrong, honey? Why do you sound so serious? Don't make me worry."

Gemini shut his eyes for a moment. He hated making his mother anxious, but there was no other way. "Mae, I promise I'll explain later," he reassured her. "Not over the phone. Just—do we have anything like that or not?"