---
I kept running. And running. My legs felt like they were going to give out, but I couldn't stop. I didn't want to go home. Not now. Not after what had happened. I was terrified, blinded by my fear, unsure where to go. The forest loomed ahead—our town's most dangerous place, especially at night. But I didn't care. What was worse than this? What could possibly be worse than the crushing weight of everything that had just shattered?
As I ran, I stumbled. A branch caught my leg, ripping through my skin, and suddenly, blood poured down my leg. I gasped, clutching my side as the pain hit me all at once.
"I've never bled this much," I muttered through gritted teeth. "Can someone help me... Please... just help..."
I stopped, gasping for air, feeling dizzy as the pain worsened.
And then, a light surged ahead of me. I blinked, disoriented, as the glow became brighter, clearer. Before me stood a figure—a small, delicate creature with blue hair, crystal-like eyes, and a cute little figure. A fairy.
The fairy floated in the air, a soft smile playing on her lips, her wings shimmering with every movement.
"Welcome to the academy, Miss Estelle," she spoke in a cute, melodic tone, her voice almost playful. "It is such a pleasure to make your acquaintance. It took you a long time to reach us, but at least you made it here."
I stared at her, disbelief sinking in as I looked down at my leg. Was this some kind of joke?
"Is this my injury's effect?" I asked, my voice shaking with pain and confusion. "People on the verge of death see hallucinations, right? Maybe you're my goodbye, my way of seeing someone before I go..." I laughed, but it sounded hollow, broken. "Even here, I can't even dream of something like that."
The fairy's smile faded, and her expression became serious as she spoke again. "Miss Estelle, you're not dying."
The moment those words left her lips, I felt a strange sensation wash over me. My injury—pain, blood, everything—was fading. I blinked, my leg no longer throbbing with agony. It was as if it had never happened.
I stared at it, wide-eyed.
"Is this... is this a dream?" I asked aloud, my voice trembling. "It can't be real."
But the fairy's figure remained before me, calm and serene. I felt my heartbeat slow, the sharp pain from before nowhere to be found, but the confusion remained. My body was healing, yet my mind was screaming for answers.
What the hell was happening to me?
I pushed myself up, still shaking, and shot a glare at the fairy. "Is this some kind of joke?" I spat, my voice trembling with disbelief. "Because if it is, I don't think it's funny."
The fairy hovered there, her blue hair shimmering in the moonlight, her eyes filled with a soft understanding. She didn't seem offended, not at all. Instead, she gave a small, knowing smile, her wings fluttering gently behind her.
"This isn't a joke, Estelle," she said, her voice calm, almost soothing. "I know it's hard to believe, but this is all very real. This place—the academy—is destined for people like you."
I frowned, still trying to wrap my mind around everything. "People like me? You mean... who? I'm not... I'm not anyone special."
The fairy tilted her head slightly, her eyes locking with mine. "You are more special than you know. You're part of a bloodline with noble roots. There's magic in your veins, Estelle. It's rare, even among those who possess power. But it's there, and it's strong."
I stood there in stunned silence, feeling the weight of her words hang in the air. Noble blood? Magic? Was she serious?
"The academy," the fairy continued, "is a place for people like you—scared, confused, and powerful. We train those who are destined to wield special abilities. We help you control your powers, keep them in check, so you don't become a danger to yourself or the world around you."
My mind raced, trying to process the flood of information. I barely knew what she was talking about—powers, bloodlines, destinies. It all sounded like something out of a fantasy novel. I looked down at my hands, feeling a strange pulse inside them, but I couldn't make sense of it.
"Wait, wait... this doesn't make sense!" I almost shouted, my voice cracking with frustration. "What do you mean I belong here? This is all too much!"
The fairy's expression softened, and she hovered closer to me, her wings giving off a faint glow. "Estelle, this is your destiny. You've been running from it for so long, but now, here, in this moment, you're about to step into the world where you truly belong."
She paused for a moment, and then, as if drawn by some invisible force, she spoke again—this time, her voice dropped to a near whisper.
"Estelle Rhea Nightshade," she said, calling me by the name I had never heard anyone say before. My entire body went still at the sound.
"Estelle Rhea... Nightshade?" I whispered, my heart racing in my chest. How did she know that?
The fairy's voice was soft but filled with warmth. "You didn't know, did you? That's your true name. Your real name. The name that's been hidden from you for so long."
I stared at her, unable to comprehend what she had just revealed. It felt like a wave of emotions—confusion, anger, sorrow—crashing over me. "No one calls me that. No one even knows it." I shook my head. "How—how do you even know?"
"Because," she said, her eyes shining with a deep sincerity, "that name is part of your legacy. It's who you are. And this, this academy, is where you truly belong. It's your home, Estelle. The place where you'll learn to embrace your power and find your purpose."
Her words hung in the air, wrapping around me like a comforting blanket—or maybe it was a cage, I couldn't tell.
I stood there in silence, staring at her, my mind racing. Was this real? Was I really meant for something like this? Or was I losing my mind?
But as I watched her delicate form flicker in the dim light, I felt an odd sense of... peace. A strange pull I couldn't explain, as though something inside me had been waiting for this moment.
"Your powers are special, Estelle," the fairy said softly. "They're just beginning to awaken. And here, in the academy, you will learn to control them... to be more than just scared of them."
I felt the weight of her words sink into my chest. Could this really be true? Was I meant to live a life like this—one where magic was real, and I had a place to belong?
For the first time in a long while, the thought of a home—of something greater than myself—didn't feel like a dream.
It felt like a beginning.
---