Spirits

Nova punches at the red haired nerd only for him to catch her wrist before she’s able to land it. 
???:“Whoa did you really think you could do something with that lousy punch?”
A gust of wind shaping out to be a tornado expands from her punch launching the red head back out the front door
Hugh’s jaw drops
Hugh:”Y-You could use magic!??”
Nova looks back at Hugh and shrugs confusingly as he gets up and helps the red head up

The red head looks pissed as a flame rises from his hand he raises his hand before Hugh stops it holding his hand hand high up the flame disappears.

???:”Hugh bring her with us back to the capital I don’t care what you or her say it’s an order”

Hugh nods meekly feeling like he’s completely at the mercy of the redhead he heads on over to Nova
Hugh:”Hey kiddo so you wanna take some time to pack?”
Nova grabs her dagger and scrolls shoving them into a bag

Hugh heads out the door Nova follows him noticing her magic teacher walking by she waves to him. Hardy waves back at her smiling he knows that child saved his life and he also knew that the badge Hugh had on meant he was a knight to be trusted if it wasn’t already obvious by his armor and shield.

They walk through the town the people surrounding a highly exquisite carriage the man gets inside as Hugh gets on the coachman seat Nova gets alongside him. Hugh turns to look at Nova he rests his hand on top of her head and pats it. He gets the horses moving along on the journey back to the capital.

Nova rests her head against Hugh's shoulder entering shut eye. She looks back up to see her in the land of the mouth lady her figure turned all Nova can see is her back in the land of flowers and fields. Though the land of flower and fields were nice she felt uneasy that thing was terrifying to her it left her uneasy. It turns around to Nova her veil covering her face."How did you like a taste of my power?" Nova stays silent she felt as if she were to utter a word it would take her voice and snag it away from her. "Would you like to use more of my power? Yes of course of course you would you little cat so go ahead and take it take all of it!" The woman vanishes and reappears in front of Nova she grabs Nova neck and holds her up as her hand starts entering Nova's mouth her whole body vanishes inside her.

Nova wakes up in a cold sweat she sees Hugh fighting the sound of a sword hitting against a shield it was a man in a black robe. She gets off the carriage only to fall to her knees she starts throwing up her head was pounding. Hugh rams the guy against the tree with his shield and pushes him up against it then pulls away and kicks him launching him through a branch.

Nova gets up coughing Hugh rushes over to her and pats her back before more men come out from the woods. He readies his shield and punches right through it the shattered shield coming around his hands like gauntlets he wipes the floor with the assassins punching a hole through their stomachs rushing them like a fast bull he misses one that gets to the carriage only to erupt into flames.

???:”See that I’m sure you had enough power to deal with those guys easily but instead you were on the ground how could Hugh accept a little kid like you hmm?”

Nova coughs at his words cursing at him in the back of her mind but she stands up and bows to him and gets back on the carriage followed by Hugh the journey was a tedious one attacked by wolves and monsters alike. Assassins she never saw again and she was able to take care of her own share of monsters and wolves not leaving further complaints.

A long two days they appear at the capital it was a big one glowing city lights was the groove or at least they tried to make it seem that way however leaving it on during the day was just way too bright causing it to look more like a second sun from afar. They passed through a wall gate it was surrounded by stone walls about as tall as a barn house. Heading through she could see the walls surrounded fields first mostly empty only occupied by barracks where soldiers lay she could see some going through training as the carriage keeps on moving forward it reaches the city a typical medieval type town if you minus the glimmering castle in the middle of it and some towers reaching as tall as the sky.

Reaching the city gate it was surrounded by another wall though slightly lower and what looks like more experienced guards complimented by their expensive looking gear if you didn’t mind sweating profusely in it all day. Hugh talks to one of the men letting them through she notices that they get 8 escorts now leading the carriage through the city. Nova marveled at it the bustling street everyone seemed happy compared to her old town where there were constant whippings and stealing followed by orphans it was amazing in here at least on the outside she wondered what would lay in street alleys and basements but either way it was an upgrade for her, somewhere she could feel more comfortable with a guard on each street patrolling. 

It wasn’t until they entered the castle that Nova really felt small it was grandiose in comparison to the city especially on the inside clearly a lot of work was put into it and a lot of money. The carriage stops Hugh gets off along with the prince following entering the place Hugh strays off Nova following him 

???:“No no you stay with me”

The red head grabbed her arm and leads her away from Hugh causing her to panic she yanks away only to be pulled back to him leading her to a basement in the castle.

Mistake

 A dusty old basement that smelled like sour cheese and dried crab apple it wasn't pleasant. He picked up a choker it was normal looking with an ominous feeling. Never go into a creepy basement with a stranger not that Nova had much of a choice the red haired teen decided to go near her and put the choker around her neck. Nova stood still for the most part mostly because she was afraid to get burnt to a crisp by the red haired prince who seemed like he had a choppy attitude. 

???:"Hmm good try speaking"

Nova opened her mouth only to feel her throat restricted nothing would come out she tried squeezing her throat she tried pushing out air to make a wheeze but nothing. She tried pulling the choker off but it was stuck on tight with nothing to get it off she was stuck pulling yanking trying to push it above her head but it wouldn't come off.

???:"Having problems? Anyways that thing doesn't come off until I decide so and unfortunately I ain't feeling in the mood to take it off though maybe when you get older since I can't trust you now don't want ya speaking anything without my permission no?"

Nova tried taking off the choker no it was a chain to restrict her until she eventually enters a slumber 

She wakes up to a field the same field where she would meet the faceless woman but now it is empty it was a somber field nothing there but grass a few flowers not even a sky.

That changes soon enough a fire starts raging towards her burning the field black until it rushes past her she closes her eyes only to open them and see a city burning down she was in the middle of it. A square with the statue fallen mocked on no longer standing noble and proud. Men dead at the door of their own homes women hanging outside windows. Nova’s head starts aching her brain was gaining new memories no more of what she can do was being inscribed in her. She sees monsters coming around her little green people and wolves her mind was weighing down on her but this was no time she was going to be killed and she didn’t want to die now. Her fists raises up aiming at a goblin out comes a gust of wind no it was a small bullet of only wind launched from her fist leaving behind a green tracer hitting the goblin in the chest and launching it back on the ground with a hole in it’s chest.

Fragments of a Shattered Mind

Nova shot a gust of wind she didn’t know how but it just came out it was just there in her mind and she knew how to do it now. The goblins and wolves became enraged rushing Nova she raises her dagger it was tinted a light green, she runs and lunges her dagger forwards launching her through the horde gliding on the ground piercing through and getting out of the square. 

A spot of peace was what she found she looked through the window of an abandoned building and decides to head inside. She climbs to the top of the roof and looks around to see that the city was burning and it looked awfully familiar to the capital but it wasn't it was a little different. Just a tad bit and it was strangely disturbing to her. So disturbing she was falling off the roof.

Nova wakes up in a bed far more luxurious than her previous house but yet it was still uncomfortable. She yawns but doesn't hear anything she tries coughing, speaking, laughing nothing could come out of her mouth and it was guaranteed to stay that way for a long time. The room was bigger than her old house alone only time could tell how many people have used this room how many have slept in that very bed with such spacious comfort. 

Nova's world was changed in a day in a month in however long she has had to deal with that excuse of an household and parents but even that seemed more comfortable than the palace she was forced to stay in as a live in servant. She gets out of bed feeling for her dagger nope nothing all of her possessions were gone lost in the maze of a capital. 

A knock comes on the door no it was banging that the door eventually forces open revealing a mean looking man maybe the size of a bed he heads in and tossed a wooden sword at Nova hitting her with the hilt she’s knocked down by the weight of it. She gets up and picks up the sword. The man unapologetically leaves the room

?:”Follow”

And Nova did she followed him until she reached an underground part of the palace it was humid and smelled terrible like blood and sweat mixed together

?:”In short you’ll be here when you aren’t eating or hell maybe I’ll have them bring the food in here anyways.”

The man enters a door in the basement upon entering the door leading to the stairs closes and so does the door he entered. The room fills with smoke making Nova cough and cough losing her breath falling to the ground it doesn’t subside. The smoke enters the back of her shirt the whip scars started feeling like they were slowly being torn open again. She feels pain in her stomach like the days when she was starving and there was nothing. Flashing memories of her dad open up again her head swirls in a spiral. 

The next 3 hours felt like 3 days before the smoke finally stopped as the man comes out the room looking at Nova her face scratch marks across her cheeks and arms done by her own nails. It was her way of staying sane and it kept her head intact as she laid on the floor the guy picks her up 

Gustavo:“My name is Gustavo and I can’t understand why he would pick up a creature like you but I will make sure you will protect him with your life and for that your mind must become a brick wall”

He picks up the sword Nova dropped and gives it back to her. Her hand reaches out and grabs it as she gets up she releases it and it drops on the ground.

Gustavo sighs as he picks it up with one arm and her with the other he carries her back to her room leaving her there. A maid comes in leaving her food not questioning the state Nova was in. Left to herself she ate the food though luxurious it was not good, not fit for her tongue it left her with a weird aftertaste of being dissatisfied and this would go on for another 2 years.