The Prophecy: Battle for the ark of time

Kyle Morrison

"You can just say so if you don’t want to go, Kyle, instead of acting like this," Brianna huffed, clearly frustrated with her misfortune before turning to leave.

It was supposed to be a pleasant outing for the Larson family from San Francisco, but the mood had soured quickly. Earlier that afternoon, Grandpa Thomas had mentioned he was thirsty and asked Kyle to fetch him some water, a simple task that had somehow turned into a debacle.

Kyle was her husband, though to be more precise, he was a son-in-law who had married into the Larson family. Three years ago, the eldest princess of the Larson family, Brianna, had held what the city called the wedding of the century when she married Kyle. The event had rocked all of San Francisco, mostly because Kyle was a matrilocal son-in-law, a label that in the eyes of high society translated to absolute trash.

The marriage had been arranged by the Larson family’s old master, Hugo, which meant nobody else had any say in the matter. Unfortunately, Hugo passed away the very day after the wedding, leaving Kyle plague with yet another identity: a jinx. Over the past three years, Kyle had never been able to do a single thing right. He constantly caused trouble for the family, and even now, he had managed to screw up the simplest of errands.

They had given him eighty dollars to bring back a few bottles of Evian water, yet he returned carrying a huge plastic jug. Did he not feel embarrassed expecting his grandfather to drink from such a thing? It was almost certain he would be lambasted by his grandpa once they returned home.

"Brianna, please listen to me," Kyle said, hurrying forward to explain himself. "Evian bottled water is essentially the same as the water in this jug, but this is far cheaper."

"Cheaper?" Brianna scoffed, her patience wearing thin. "Kyle, you know Grandpa is old. There will come a day when he passes away, and everyone in the Larson family is trying to suck up to him to win his favor. We are the main branch of the family, but unfortunately, I am not a male, nor do I have as high a status as the second branch. Because I married you and embarrassed the family, I can’t even compare to the third branch now. Can’t you buck up a little and make me proud? How much can a bottle of Evian water really cost? Why did you have to buy this jug and humiliate us?"

Brianna had lost all desire to speak with him. Over the past three years, she had formed a clear opinion of him: he was there to drag her family down and torture her.

"Oh, look who it is, the piece of trash is back," Dennis Larson chimed in, cutting through the tension as soon as Brianna and Kyle returned. Dennis was Brianna’s younger cousin from the family’s second branch, and he was always looking to stir up trouble. "Brianna, I’m sorry you had to trouble that worthless husband of yours to carry such a huge jug. Is that water for your family to wash their hands or wash their feet?"

Brianna remained indifferent, drawing a clear line between Kyle and herself. In her mind, Kyle was Kyle, and she was Brianna; they were scolding him, not her.

"No, this is the water I bought for Grandpa," Kyle replied earnestly, refusing to be provoked. "It is for drinking."

Dennis let out a hearty, mocking chortle. "Drinking water? Do you people really drink water from such jugs at home? Look, I always get Grandpa mineral water from Veen, though I suppose you have never heard of it. I had a friend bring this back from abroad. A 750-milliliter bottle costs twenty-one dollars, whereas I imagine your whole jug didn’t even cost ten."

Kyle shook his head calmly. "You’re right, it cost me only seven dollars." The crowd burst into laughter again, and Brianna shook her head helplessly, wondering if he was truly a fool or just pretending to be one. How could he answer so honestly when faced with such mockery?

Thomas Larson, the grandfather, flipped the bottle of Veen water around in his hands, analyzing it with interest. "I did not know this water was so expensive, Dennis. No wonder it tastes so good. You are very thoughtful."

"It is only right for us younger ones to do this, Grandpa," Dennis replied with a smug smile. "As long as you like it, that is all that matters. Grandpa, look at this."

Dennis pulled out a sandalwood box from his bag. One glance at the wooden box made it obvious that it was no ordinary container, and the contents inside were surely precious. Everyone in the Larson family gathered around, eager to see what treasure lay within.

Dennis opened the box slowly, revealing a piece of jade carved into the shape of the word ‘longevity.’

"Grandpa, this piece of jade is named ‘Abundant Life.’ As your grandson, I wish you an abundant and long life."

Thomas received the piece of jade with a wide smile plastered on his face, and the room filled with praises for Dennis, hailing him as a filial grandson. However, when Brianna and Kyle heard Dennis’s words, they glanced at each other in disbelief. Brianna reached into her pocket, wanting to take something out, but fear held her back.

Kyle, seeing his wife's hesitation, could no longer hold his tongue. It did not matter how much Dennis bullied him, but he would not stand by and watch Dennis bully his wife.

"Grandpa, Dennis’s piece of jade is fake!" Kyle’s words fell like a bolt out of the blue.

Instantly, dozens of eyes from the Larson family turned their gaze toward him, the room falling silent.

"The ‘Abundant Life’ was crafted by the master craftsman Carlos Simon," Kyle explained, his voice steady. "It was sold for one hundred and eleven thousand dollars at an auction in New Hart last week. It is made from mutton fat jade, which has a color resembling mutton fat with a delicate, moist texture. However, the real piece has a crucial downside: it contains a small amount of natural impurities that cannot be removed no matter what. This piece of jade in Dennis’s hand is completely flawless, without any impurities. Dennis, are you trying to curry favor with Grandpa using a fake?"

With Kyle’s explanation, everyone turned their attention back to the jade in Dennis’s hands. Upon closer inspection, the jade was indeed flawless, lacking the minute impurities characteristic of true mutton fat jade.

"Kyle, do not malign others," Dennis snapped, feeling a sudden wave of guilt. "You are just a good-for-nothing son-in-law. What do you know about mutton fat jade? If you say it is fake, that doesn’t make it so."

It was true that the jade was fake, though it was a decent piece of jade in its own right, but it was certainly not mutton fat jade, nor was it the legendary ‘Abundant Life.’

"Of course this piece is fake," Kyle continued confidently. "Last week, I followed Brianna to New Hart. The person who actually bought the piece of jade for one hundred and eleven thousand dollars at the auction was Brianna. Brianna, take your piece of jade out so Grandpa can look and compare them. That way, he will be able to tell whose is real and whose isn’t."

At that moment, all eyes fell on Brianna, leaving her no way to escape. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a piece of jade identical in shape to Dennis’s.

"Grandpa, this is the real ‘Abundant Life,’" Brianna said softly. "Kyle and I personally bought it at the auction in New Hart to present to you as a birthday present. We hope that you will live a long and abundant life."

The two pieces of jade were handed to Thomas simultaneously, and in that instant, the atmosphere in the room shifted as the Larson family realized they were on the verge of an explosion.