Chapter 2: A New Friend
Heather woke up in the middle of the park as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with streaks of pink and orange. The air felt cooler now, and the shadows stretched long across the grass. She blinked a few times, trying to piece together what had just happened. The last thing she remembered was Shen Yue, the beautiful woman who had pulled a soul fragment out of her head and left her with strange, powerful words.
"Where did she go?" Heather whispered, sitting up and looking around. The park was empty, silent except for the rustling of leaves. It felt eerie, as if everything had been paused, waiting for her to catch up.
Suddenly, a sharp pain throbbed behind her eyes, and she instinctively pressed her hands to her head. A rush of unfamiliar images and words flooded her mind, overwhelming her senses. It wasn't just knowledge; it was a force, something ancient and powerful. It took her a few moments to make sense of it, and when she did, her heart started pounding.
"Cultivation," she muttered, the word rolling off her tongue like it had always been there. She finally understood what Shen Yue meant by that. Cultivation was a path to incredible power, a way to strengthen the body, mind, and spirit beyond anything Heather had ever imagined. But it was only for those who were talented enough to walk the path.
The Absolute Yin Cultivation Method she now knew about had four main stages: Qi Refining, Body Forging, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul. Each stage would require dedication, pain, and time. Lots of time. But if she succeeded, she would be able to harness power beyond her wildest dreams. She could devour evil to grow stronger—just like Shen Yue had done with the fragment from her scar.
Heather touched her forehead, tracing the spot where her scar had always throbbed with pain. The evil soul that had been lodged there was gone, but there was something else. The black mist, foul and menacing, still lingered inside her, coiled and waiting. Shen Yue's warning echoed in her mind: "The mist might have been born from your strange power, but it will never serve you, and it is not your friend."
Heather shivered, feeling a chill that had nothing to do with the cooling air. The mist was part of her, but it wasn't something she could trust. It was dark, dangerous, and it would try to consume her if she didn't consume it first. That was why she needed to start cultivating as soon as possible, no matter how long it took or how difficult it might be.
But before any of that, Heather knew she needed to leave Surrey. Her uncle Vernon was dead. His screams still echoed in her mind, sharp and full of pain. Petunia wouldn't hesitate to tell the police everything, to spin the story in her favor and make Heather the monster who killed him. Maybe she was a monster, but not in the way Petunia would tell it. Heather felt her chest tighten at the thought of police officers showing up, their hands grabbing her, locking her away.
Hours ago, she had been resigned to her fate. She had expected to be punished, to be dragged off for something she couldn't fully control or understand. But now, everything was different. Shen Yue's gift had changed her. It had opened a door to something Heather never thought possible. She didn't just want to survive. She wanted more. She wanted to be powerful, unstoppable.
Heather looked at the darkening sky and clenched her fists. She wanted to be a goddess, just like Shen Yue. She would leave this place, train, and grow stronger. She would learn everything she could about the power now coursing through her veins. And one day, she would return—not as the frightened little girl who ran from beatings, but as someone no one would dare touch or hurt again.
…
Heather learned that she wasn't the only person in the world who was a freak. No, she promised herself she wouldn't use the word "freak" anymore. It was a word Vernon spat at her, a word that made her feel small. She wasn't going to let that define her.
Heather realized this when she was walking the streets of London later that night, the glow of streetlamps casting long shadows on the cracked pavement. The city was alive with noise—cars rumbling, people talking, laughter drifting out of pubs. But in an alleyway, just off the main road, Heather spotted something that made her stop in her tracks. There, half-hidden in the shadows, was a girl digging through a dumpster. Her skin and hair were a deep shade of purple. Heather blinked. She'd never seen anyone like that before.
Heather's curiosity got the better of her. "Hey," she called out, trying to sound friendly and not scare the girl away.
The girl flinched and spun around, her eyes wide with fear. Heather's heart twisted at the sight. It was the same look she had seen on her own face, reflected in the mirror, after a particularly bad night with Vernon. It was a look that spoke of being cornered, of expecting the worst.
"I'm sorry," Heather said quickly, holding up her hands to show she meant no harm. "I didn't mean to scare you."
The purple girl's eyes darted around, checking to see if anyone else was there, before landing back on Heather. She looked like she was ready to bolt at any second.
Heather took a small step closer. "Are you... are you living on the streets too?"
The girl's tense posture softened a little, and she nodded slowly. "You too?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Heather nodded back, feeling a strange connection to this girl she had just met. "I... um... ran away from home," she admitted. The words felt heavy, but there was no judgment in the purple girl's eyes. "After I hurt my uncle," Heather added, looking down at her scuffed shoes.
To Heather's surprise, understanding flickered across the girl's face. "Do... you have powers?" the girl asked, her voice a little stronger now, more curious than afraid.
Heather's eyes widened. "You too?" she asked, unable to hide her surprise. The girl gave a hesitant nod, and Heather felt a rush of relief. She wasn't alone. But she didn't want to assume that just because the girl had purple skin, she had powers. That would have been rude, and Heather knew all about being judged on appearances.
The girl seemed to catch on to Heather's thoughts and let out a small giggle, the tension in her body easing a bit. "I'm Olivia," she said, a shy smile breaking through. "I'm a mutant. My parents... they kicked me out when my skin changed, and I got my powers."
"I'm sorry," Heather said, and she meant it. She knew what it felt like to be unwanted, to be treated like a burden.
"Are you a mutant too?" Olivia asked, studying Heather curiously.
"I don't think so," Heather said slowly. "I just... have odd powers." It was true enough for now. She wasn't sure how to explain the black mist or the cultivation knowledge swirling in her head without sounding insane.
Olivia nodded as if she understood. She glanced back at the dumpster, then at Heather. "Are you hungry? There's enough here if you want to share."
Heather's stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since morning. But she looked at the dumpster and swallowed hard. She wasn't quite that desperate yet. More than that, something inside her bristled at the idea. It didn't feel right. It didn't feel... powerful. It wasn't how she imagined a goddess should act, even if she hadn't started her cultivation yet.
"Don't eat that," Heather said with sudden confidence. Olivia looked surprised. "We're going to have a proper dinner now that we're friends."
"Friends?" Olivia asked, tilting her head as if she wasn't sure she'd heard right.
Heather felt her cheeks heat up, and she shuffled her feet nervously. "I mean, if you want to be. I didn't want to assume... I've never had a friend before. I just thought, since we're both... odd..."
A smile spread across Olivia's face, warm and genuine. "Yeah, I'd like that," she said softly.
Heather grabbed Olivia's hand and pulled her gently toward the edge of the alley. Olivia's fingers tightened around hers, and she held back, her body stiff with hesitation. Heather glanced back and saw the fear in her new friend's eyes.
"I... I don't like being seen by people," Olivia said, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's not just my parents. Other people think I'm a monster too."
Heather's stomach twisted at those words. She knew exactly what it felt like to be looked at like that. "That's okay," Heather said, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. She pointed across the street at a bright shop with a glowing neon sign that read "Tony's Pizza."
"You see that place?" Heather asked.
Olivia's eyes followed her finger, and she squinted. "The pizza shop? You want to get food from there? I don't have any money," she added, a touch of embarrassment in her voice.
"I don't either," Heather said, a small smile forming on her lips. "But that's okay." She wasn't lying; her powers weren't just the creepy black mist that had burst out of her. Long before that, strange things happened around her when she wanted or needed something badly enough. It usually happened when she focused on her emotions, especially strong ones like hunger or fear.
Heather stared at the pizza shop, eyes locked on the counter inside. She watched the employee place a steaming pizza box down and turn to grab another order. Heather's stomach growled as she focused, thinking about how hungry she and Olivia were and wishing that pizza could be theirs.
Pop!
A yell echoed from inside the shop. "What the hell?! Where did it go?" The employee spun around, searching for the missing box.
Heather's eyes dropped to her hands, where the warm, fresh pizza now sat. The delicious scent hit her nose, and before she could say anything, Olivia let out a squeak of happiness and threw her arms around her.
"That's amazing!" Olivia said, beaming at her. "Your powers are absolutely amazing."
Heather's cheeks flushed, and she felt a warmth that had nothing to do with the pizza. No one had ever said anything like that to her before. "I'm sure your powers are amazing too, Olivia."
Olivia's smile faltered a little. "Eh, I can just shoot purple lasers out of my hands. They don't do much besides burn things. Being able to summon food is so much cooler," she said, looking at the pizza as if it were a miracle. "Come on, I'll show you where I live. It's not far."
Heather followed Olivia through the narrow streets, past dark buildings and alleys, until they reached a worn-out building with a sign that had missing letters. They squeezed through a broken window and climbed to the top floor. Olivia had set up a small space for herself, and she unlocked the makeshift door with a key she kept on a string around her neck.
The room was dim, with the last rays of sunlight streaming through the cracked but intact windows. Candles sat in clusters on the floor, ready to be lit when it got dark. There was an old mattress pushed against the wall with a few blankets piled on top. It wasn't much, but it was better than Heather's dark, cramped cupboard.
"It's not fancy, but it's mine," Olivia said with a shrug.
Heather's eyes swept over the room, and she smiled. "It's perfect." The two girls sat down on the mattress, sharing the pizza and talking between bites. Heather learned that Olivia was a bit older at eleven and had been living on the streets for a few months. She had been with other kids for a while, but foster care agents had taken them all away. When she tried to go with them, they refused and chased her off.
"That's awful," Heather said, feeling a surge of anger. Without thinking, she leaned over and hugged Olivia tightly. "You're not alone anymore," she whispered.
Olivia's eyes shimmered as she hugged her back. "Thanks, Heather."
That night, as Olivia fell asleep on the mattress, wrapped in one of her blankets, Heather stayed awake a little longer. She moved to the corner of the room where the shadows were deep and sat cross-legged on the floor. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and focused on the knowledge Shen Yue had left in her mind. It was time to take the first steps in cultivation. If she was going to protect herself and her new friend, she needed to become stronger.