"Alright, Im going to unite the ropes," The girl said calmly as she reached for Magic-infused bindings around Theodore wrists.
"Im trusting you," she whispered, slowly untying the knots. Her breath caught slightly as she worked,
As soon as the ropes slid off his wrists. Theodore stretched his hands out slowly in front of him.
"Okay, please don't move too much. Your wounds haven't healed yet," the girl said softly. Theodore nodded, acknowledging her words.
The girl stood up and began to head towards the door. Just before she opened it, Theodore broke the silence. "Can I know your name?"
She turned back, giving him a gentle smile. "Nova," she replied.
With that, she turned and left Theodore alone in the quiet room.
Theodore slowly pulled up his shirt to inspect his wounds. His eyes widened in surprise.
"What? These aren't serious wounds!" he muttered to himself. "Why didn't they use healing magic instead of treating me the regular way?"
Without much effort, Theodore began to heal his wounds. "Could it be that they don't know anything about healing magic?" he wondered.
Within ten minutes, all the scratches Hanzo had inflicted were fully healed.
Feeling no pain at all, he stood up and walked over to the window, gazing outside.
Snow covered everything in sight. "I think I'm safe from Novalia here," Theodore thought to himself, "but I must work hard on my skills and body."
He knew the Novalia family would send a team to search for him, not only because he was their weapon, but because the stone in his chest was priceless. They wouldn't let him go so easily.
Determined, Theodore started walking out of his room. His room was upstairs, so he made his way down cautiously.
As he reached the bottom, he saw Nova in the kitchen with her mother.
"Oh, damn! How can you be walking with those wounds?" she exclaimed, clearly surprised.
"I used my magic to heal them," Theodore replied calmly.
"What? You can use healing magic?" She stared at him in amazement.
"You can't?" Theodore asked, slightly puzzled.
"No, villagers like us can't use advanced magic like healing. Most of us are only skilled in the basic elements like fire or water. We're good at ice magic, but it's mostly for defense with tools like swords and spears."
"Oh, I didn't know that. I thought everyone could use any type of magic," Theodore responded, surprised by how different their abilities were.
Suddenly, Nova ran up to him excitedly. "Can you show me all your magic, please?" she begged, her eyes wide with curiosity. She had never seen anyone capable of creating such advanced magic before.
Theodore felt a little embarrassed as she got close to his face, pleading with him. "Okay... sure, why not?"
"Really?" Nova asked, her voice filled with excitement.
"Yeah, why not. Let's go outside," he said, leading the way out of the house as Nova's mother followed behind them.
As Theodore walked, he noticed the other houses around Nova's, all covered in a blanket of white snow. He stopped in front of the house and stretched out his hands. In his right hand, he created fire, and in his left, he summoned water.
Nova's eyes lit up with excitement and awe. "That's amazing!" she exclaimed.
"It's nothing compared to the magic other weapons can use," Theodore replied modestly.
"Come on, don't sell yourself short," she said, grinning.
Theodore chuckled."Alright, come here and hold on tight. I'll show you something exciting."
She did what he said and hold on him tight.
Theodore crouched down and placed one hand on the cold, snowy ground. The earth beneath them began to shift gently, lifting them slowly into the air. Nova held onto him. The higher they went, the more the village below seemed to shrink.
The wind brushed against Nova's face, cool and refreshing, carrying with it the crisp scent of snow. She looked down nervously, seeing the roofs of the houses, now small like toys, and the trees dusted with snow stretching out into the distance.
Theodore glanced over at Nova, noticing her grip tightening. "Don't worry," he said calmly, "I've got you."
Nova nodded, but her eyes were wide, taking in the world around them. From this height, everything seemed peaceful. The mountains in the distance stood tall, their peaks touching the pale sky. The sun was beginning to lower, casting a soft light over the snow, making the village below sparkle as if it were covered in silver.
"So high... it's beautiful, but... a little scary," Nova muttered, still holding on to Theodore.
He smiled slightly, enjoying the view as much as she did. The snow-covered landscape stretched far, the trees blending into the horizon, and the village looked serene, tucked away in this winter wonderland.
As they slowly started to descend, the houses grew larger again, and the voices of the villagers became faint murmurs. Nova's fear faded, replaced by awe at what she had just experienced.
"You're really crazy," she said with a small laugh, loosening her grip slightly as they touched the ground again.
Theodore gave her a smirk. "Told you, it's safe."
Nova smiled back, but as she looked around, she saw the villagers staring at them. She could hear them whispering. It seemed they had never seen anything like this before.
"Who is this guy? How can he do that?"
Suddenly, Nova's father pushed through the crowd, carrying his sword. Without warning, he attacked Theodore.
"Stay away from my daughter, bastard!"
Theodore easily dodged the attack, his movements calm and swift. Nova quickly stepped between them. "No, Dad! He's not a bad man. I asked him to show me his magic."
Her father paused, lowering his sword. "You asked him?"
"Yeah, Dad. I asked him to show me," Nova explained.
The father grumbled and sheathed his sword, heading back toward the house.with out saying anything or apologize.
Nova turned to Theodore with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry for my father's attack. He's not usually like this, but he's just trying to protect us."
Theodore nodded. "I understand. I forgive him."
"Thank you," Nova said, smiling warmly. "Let's go back inside."
Theodore nodded again, following Nova as the crowd continued to watch him in awe, whispering among themselves.
They made their way to the dining room, and Theodore sat on a wooden chair in front of a simple table. Nova took a seat across from him.
"So, you can create fire, water, and earth?" she asked curiously.
"Yeah," he replied. "And I can create electricity and air too, but those take more practice. There are levels, you know? I need to train more to reach the higher stages like Legend or Mythic level."
Nova looked impressed. "But you're already strong, right? Your level seems pretty good."
"Nah, not yet," Theodore said, shaking his head. "I have to get a lot stronger to face the Novalia family. I need to expose them for what they really are—a murderous family."
"That's a huge goal," Nova said softly, smiling at him. "But I believe you can do it."
Theodore felt a bit shy, but he appreciated her support. Just then, the door opened, and Nova's father entered. He sat down at the table quietly, looking at Theodore with a serious expression.
"My wife told me about your story," he began, "and I feel bad for how I treated you. I'm sorry for attacking you."
"It's fine," Theodore replied.
The man smiled, relieved. "I'm glad you forgive me." But then his face grew serious again. "I have some bad news."
Theodore tensed up, sensing the shift in mood. "What is it?" he asked, his voice low.
"When I was out hunting, I saw soldiers. Not from our kingdom. I think they're from the Novalia family."
Theodore's heart sank, and his face paled. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah," the man said grimly. "This place isn't safe for you anymore. But I have a plan."
He pulled out a worn paper map and spread it on the table. "You need to leave the village and head to Rafia City. It's much bigger, and there are many people with experience in magic who can help you."
Theodore leaned closer to the map, his eyes scanning the route.
"The Novalia family won't search there right away. It's too big, too crowded," the father continued. "I also have a friend in Rafia—his name's Sato. He'll help you. Just tell him, 'Ramo the hunter sent me.'"
"Okay," Theodore said, nodding. "But when should I leave?"
"Tomorrow morning."
Nova watched quietly, sadness in her eyes. She didn't want Theodore to leave, but she knew there was no other choice.
"Thank you for everything, sir," Theodore said sincerely.
"You don't need to thank me. Now, let's eat dinner and make sure you're ready."
They all nodded and began eating. The atmosphere was heavy, but everyone knew what had to be done.
Suddenly, the door burst open, and Nova's mother rushed in, her face filled with panic.
They all jumped to their feet. "What's going on?" Ramo asked urgently.
"A team of soldiers is searching the village for Theodore!" she said breathlessly. "One of the villagers must have told them."
"Fuck!" Ramo cursed. "You need to leave now! Nova, help him pack his things."
Nova nodded quickly and ran to help Theodore prepare.
Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door....