Peace of Mind

Months pass Nova was taking care of herself with the money Hugh brought in she knew she couldn’t bother with a servant even though there was an excess amount everything was left up to herself her chores, her studies, her food, it was too risky for her to keep someone at her house and find out what she is. Early morning she woke up forcing herself to clean her face and brush her teeth everything was her responsibility to train herself to wake up this early. Why was school so early in the morning she wondered. She looks at her dagger storing it in her backpack with her books and writing utensils she heads out to the market to buy a kebab. She wonders through looking at this other boy working at the kebab stand she buys one a little overpriced but kids have to look out for each other she knew that boy had no assets other than that stand otherwise why is he the only one working there? Just a lucky enough to make ends meet with his overpriced kebab hell who knows maybe he could be the future staff of a nobles house or maybe even the royal kitchen. This compelled Nova to give more than usual as she makes her way to school. Heading into the academy for the town full of kids who couldn’t look anymore snobby as she walked by them heading to her morning class. She stood out the only person there who wore a hood with her uniform she hated it she hated her ears that stood out and she hated that she couldn’t wear the skirts that every other girl could wear no just her that was different. Rumors were already spreading that she was hideous really that’s why she had her hoods on all the time. Really school was the worst whoever came up the idea was a moron a place where kids could gossip and make fun of others but yet the only place of learning where a child could receive an education to prepare themselves for the future of their lives. Really it was all so stupid to her why couldn’t everyone just be taught at home? 

She gets on with her first class history world history what was the point of learning history when all that matters is the future ahead? A dumb and stupid concept but she could only guess that the fat old men would not do with only their family remembering them no the whole world had to remember them that was the only way they could sate their hunger even in death. Nova already knew what she wanted to do and that was own an inn she would have a steady supply of food and always a place to sleep but she also wanted to know how to defend herself but there wasn’t exactly combat classes for a child that she was willing to spend on if anything she was self taught but no matter what you’d always need a teacher someone to help you point out mistakes not that she could help much with that. Her first class passes by it was getting near the end of the year usually the time when the kids would get out of control as she leaves through the class door she could see a group of boys hanging around outside. They were douchebags Nova knew it and everyone else knew it any group of boys were meanies. She walks by them quickly before one of them grabs her arm she holds her hood on with her other arms.

Boy:”Hey Nova girlie you ever plan on taking that hood off? It’s getting near the end of the year you know”
She shook her head just looking down she tries yanking her arm out before his grip tightens it was hurting her arm. She looks up at him

Nova:”Would you please let go?”
The boy smirked 
Boy:“Not until you take off that hood”
Nova frowns and slowly takes her hood off…
The boys eyes gleamed 
Boy:“W-What the hell you’re actually… So pretty!”
Nova had hid her ears with something she learned called a scroll. It was pretty straight forward a piece of paper with magic imbued into it. She didn’t want to use the scroll since it cost a lot of money but well looks like this was the time and she might as well enjoy it since it will only hide her ears and tail for a day.
The boys let go Nova gets on her way to her next class. Her body feeling a strain using a magic her body is not familiar to. Even if it is in the form of a scroll it still sucked out her energy and she only used it to hide her ears and tail she wondered how bad it would be if she decided her entire body.

But hell the money she got from the guy she could use it to buy a scroll everyday. Hugh was really reliable and well off, but well off doesn’t mean Nova likes it she barely gets to see Hugh and it was making her feel lonely as is, though at this point she’s used to it. 
The ruffians let go of her and let her be she hurriedly runs to her next class. There was actually a professor there she liked. He helped her out a lot getting adjusted to school though she still really wasn’t adjusted he did help her a bit with reaching out to teachers. Well she was only comfortable to reach out to him but at least it was helping her warm up despite the way she was treated in the previous town she had resided in. She really enjoyed this class which was learning about the language used by dragons. It helped her because it was the language used to cast magic and though she had no ability to become a wielder of magic it was certainly interesting to her. Professor Hardy was going about teaching his class he was a great magician who was supposedly kicked out of his previous workplace though he always says that he left voluntarily. He knew certainly to badmouth magic researchers he never liked them for some reason probably with good reason. Though he certainly loved teaching, some students questioned him as a teacher seeing as how he’s willing to perform magic right in the classroom instead of a safety area in case something went wrong but he had a good control over magic and it didn’t matter much to him whether he got reported or not for his actions.

Class was going on Nova had a weird feeling coming to her a feeling of fear that she had to hide like the ground was angry. She looked frantically for somewhere to hide she went to her professor's closet. She tore everything out of a cubby and went inside shutting the closet doors on herself. People whispered about her outside as if she wasn’t already any better in reputation a few minutes later though the ground started shaking. She could hear kids outside screaming and her professor trying to control the crowd she however felt safe in the closet waiting for the ground to stop until she felt the closet tipping. The ground rocked the closet until it fell over Nova hitting her head inside her vision faded. She woke up she tried opening the closet door only to realize it was facing the floor. She pulled out her dagger cutting a hole in the side inching her way out of the closet she crawls out.

Outside she saw professor Hardy stuck under some rubble and other students knocked out either hit on the head or from shock. She looked outside the window only to see monsters entering through, Wolves their eyes gleaming with the look that they just found a feast Nova keeps her dagger close. They were growling at Nova she stayed near her professor who was knocked out under the rubble. She counted four closing in on her. Keeping her dagger close wondering why she couldn’t just live in peace. A wolf tries pouncing on her she steps to the side pushing it off to the side before another jumps at her losing her chance to stab into the other wolf. She slices at the wolf’s paw cutting it off as he rolls onto the ground behind her. The wolves surround her on each side another one charges at her she kicks it’s mouth before it’s able to bite and stabs and rips it across its body the wolf’s insides falling out on the ground she runs ahead at the next one getting out of its way at the last moment and stabbing her dagger into it she pushes the wolf onto the ground with her dagger twisting it inside. A wolf bites her leg dragging her off the other wolf. She screams in pain the wolf’s teeth tearing into her muscles it almost feels like it was gonna be tore off. The other wolf comes around biting into her arm with the dagger she screams again echoing throughout the classroom she punched the wolf biting her arm to no effect she turns the other wolf’s teeth tearing into her leg ever more as her hand reaches the the wolf that’s biting her arm eyes she pushes into it getting the wolf off of her she grabs the dagger with her other hand and stabs the wolf that’s holding onto her leg in the head. The wolf dies its teeth still dug in her skin she can’t seem to get it off in time as the other wolf gets ready to pounce on her she lays defenseless on the ground. She spies a pair of scissors and throws it at the wolf only for it to bounce off and have no effect. The wolf jumps in the air Nova takes a gamble and throws her dagger at its neck killing it in the air the body lands on top of her dead she pushes it off her arm screaming in pain and grabbing her dagger back she sees students in the back who watched her fight who didn’t bother to help. She opens the mouth of the wolf on her leg leaving it pain riddled she pushes herself back with her arm and leg that wasn’t attacked to Professor Hardy still under the rubble she tried pushing it off only to no avail.

“C-Come help me you useless trash!” Nova screamed at the students who sat there and watched they came to aid Hardy in getting out from the rubble getting Hardy out the students brush him off. Nova looks at her leg mangled and her arm dangling the adrenaline goes away as she falls back knocking her out.

Wake Up Call

A field that’s where Nova stood she looked around to see a woman standing she looked angelic. She headed to the woman she felt like she was shrinking as she walked towards her no her body was regressing she looked at her hands confused.
Nova:”What was I doing again?”
The woman turned around her face covered in a veil
???:”You were fighting fighting hard for your life”
Nova recalls the classroom and the wolves “But my arm and leg seems to be fine”
The woman scoffs “This is a dream sweetie”
Nova:”But then… Why am I conscious of what happened? Usually when I have dreams I don’t remember anything…”
The angelic lady smiled “Because you’re dreaming with me now child tell me why do you let yourself get hurt? Seems to me you could’ve let them just die and it wouldn’t of mattered much. Just a washed up magician and a classroom full of kids was all it was yet you risked your ability to move your leg and arm again.”
Nova looked down “I didn’t want to but I think Hugh would’ve wanted me to.”
???:”Anything for the person who took care of you guess its good you’ve got a good sense of loyalty even when it comes to your life but well I think he would’ve preferred if you took care of yourself first.”
Nova:“M-Maybe you’re right but I still think I did the right thing”
The angelic lady took off her veil revealing the face of a demon. A face that wasn’t a face but all it was a head and a sideways mouth teeth surrounded the inside of it. “See this is what happens when you help people too much. But child I’ll do you a favor. Make an oath an oath vowing to always be free in heart and never to succumb to the world. If free will in an illusion make it a convincing one. Pledge it now and I promise you that I will lend you everything as a doll of wind.”
Nova’s small face looked stupid very confused “H-Huh?”
The lady giggled “How cute lets wake you up now shall we?”

Nova jolts up looking around in the bed her arm was wrapped up heavy in bandaged same with her leg she was at her house. Hugh enters the door he runs in and crouches down to her level.
Hugh:”Nova! Are you alright tell me how are you feeling. Alright? Good? Bad? Actually wait no you don’t have to worry about using your voice just in case it hurt uhh do a thumbs up! Wait no don’t your arm is bad um how about just wink once if you’re alright and wink twice if you’re feeling bad.”
Nova grabs onto him and hugs him crying “I-I’m alright”
Hugh:”Ahh! Are you sure. You’re not crying from the pain? Tell me and I’ll get you pain meds.”
Nova:”No! Stay with me… are you supposed to be back already for the month?”
Hugh:“Ahh about that I actually went away from the person I had to escort when a pidgeon dropped me a letter telling me you were hurt. But uhh that person actually followed me here so I ran away and went to the school then picked you up and brought you back here. I figured you would want to be at home. Considering you used a scroll I didn’t know when the effects would wear off.”

The door swung open and entered was a regal looking man with a cape he looked around “So this is where you ran off to Hugh”
”Your highness!” Hugh gets down on his knees
”Is this the reason you’ve had to leave for a couple of days every month?” The man stared at Nova he looked more like a teenager but he sure knew how to act out of his age

Hugh nodded however the fact that Hugh had to kneel to him made her angry what kind of brat was he that he couldn’t let him spare not even a week with a girl Hugh takes care of?

Man?:“Heh how interesting how about you bring her to the capital instead hmm? Or is there a reason you’re keeping her here Hugh? I think it’ll be beneficial for both of us if you brought her to the capital don’t you agree?”
Hugh:“Yes of course I agree but I think she would prefer to stay here”
Man?:“Nah it’s an order bring her to the capital now”
Hugh:”B-But your highness!”
Man?:”No buts! It’ll hinder you if you had a child whom you couldn’t even see and always have to leave a few days of the month to see her don’t you agree?”
Hugh held his tongue and this was angering Nova what kind of guy was he that such a nice guy like Hugh had to suck up to him in fact so angry that before she knew it she was out of bed and raising her fist