Chapter 3: Heartbreak
– A Month Later –
Despite being homeless and living in a loft with no power, this was the best month of Heather's entire life. She didn't miss the dark cupboard under the stairs, filled with spiders and dust, or the constant fear of Vernon's beatings. Here, in the small, forgotten space with Olivia, she felt safer than she ever had in her aunt and uncle's house. And even though she had to use her powers to steal food, it was worth it. Sure, her powers were unpredictable and didn't always work the way she wanted them to, but she and Olivia were eating well enough. There were days when her focus wavered and she ended up with a squashed sandwich or a drink that exploded in her hands, but there was always laughter after the initial frustration.
Olivia had become her best friend faster than Heather thought possible. The fact that Olivia was older didn't matter at all. They were both outcasts, both learning how to navigate a world that didn't want them. It bonded them in a way that Heather had never experienced before.
They spent their days finding little ways to entertain themselves. Sometimes they'd sneak into movie theaters, slipping in during the afternoon when the staff was too bored to care or too busy to notice them. Heather still remembered the first movie they watched together—a silly animated one about talking animals. They had laughed so hard they almost got caught when Olivia's giggles turned into snorts.
At night, when the city lights cast long shadows over the streets, they'd sneak into the park. It was easier to play when no one was around to see Olivia's purple skin and call her names or worse. They swung on the creaky playground swings and challenged each other to climb the monkey bars. They lay on the grass and pointed out stars they pretended to name, even though neither of them really knew the constellations.
"Do you think the stars look different in other places?" Olivia had asked one night, lying on her back with her arms behind her head.
Heather glanced up at the sky and thought about Shen Yue and the strange knowledge she'd left in her mind. "I think they do," she said quietly, a small smile playing on her lips. "Maybe one day we'll see them."
Olivia turned her head and grinned at her. "Yeah, one day."
It was moments like these that made everything feel almost normal.
Unfortunately, Heather had learned early in life that normal was the enemy…
Heather and Olivia were lying on the grass, looking up at the stars and talking about the future, when they heard footsteps. They sat up quickly, their senses on high alert as three grown men came into view. Heather's stomach dropped when she saw the look in their eyes. She knew that look too well. It was the same look Vernon had before he hurt her.
"See, I told you we had a damn mutie living nearby," one of the men said, smirking at the others.
"What do you want?" Olivia asked, her voice shaking as she stood up. Heather grabbed Olivia's hand, squeezing it hard. She felt her heart race, and her mind spun with panic. She had just started cultivating a month ago and had barely reached the beginner stage of the Qi Refining realm. It made her stronger and faster than most kids, but these were grown men. Two of them were holding crowbars, and the third had a large knife glinting in the moonlight.
"We're part of the Friends of Humanity," one of the men said, spitting on the ground as he spoke. "And we don't like freaks." He pointed the knife at Olivia, and Heather felt a chill run down her spine. They wanted to kill her friend.
Olivia's eyes widened with fear, but she tried to be brave. She raised her hands, aiming them at the men. "Stay back!" she shouted, her voice cracking.
"Don't let her use her freak powers!" one of the men yelled. The words barely left his mouth before another man lunged from behind, catching both girls off guard.
Heather was thrown to the ground, the impact jarring her shoulder painfully. Before she could react, the man grabbed Olivia and pinned her to the grass. Olivia thrashed and screamed, but the men just laughed. One of them leaned over her, a cruel smile spreading across his face.
"Should we have some fun before we gut the purple bitch?" one of them asked, his tone making Heather's blood run cold.
"Disgusting! I'm not sticking my prick in a mutie freak!" another man spat. He glanced at Heather and smirked. "We can save the fun for her after we finish this one."
"No!" Olivia screamed, and a bright purple laser shot from her hand, searing the face of one of the men. He yelled in pain, stumbling back as he clutched his face.
"You bitch!" the man with the crowbar roared, and without hesitation, he swung it hard across Olivia's face. Heather's friend went limp, her head lolling to the side.
"Ah, shit, is she dead already?" one of the men muttered, looking annoyed. "I wanted to hear some screams first."
"Nah, bitch is tougher than she looks. Let her wake up. She can watch what we do to her little friend," another said, and they all turned their gazes on Heather.
Her heart pounded so hard she thought it might burst. She knew what was coming, the kind of horror that would unfold if she didn't do something. But she was small, and they were armed. She felt helpless, trapped.
Then, something stirred inside her. Something dark, something she hadn't felt in the past month, not since she'd found a taste of happiness with Olivia. The black mist. It clawed its way out, flooding her body with heat and rage.
The mist poured out of her skin, thick and dark, coiling around her like a living shield. The men's eyes went wide with shock.
"Shit, she's a mutie too!" one of them shouted, his voice cracking with panic.
"Die!" Heather screamed, and the mist surged forward as if it had been waiting for her command.
The black mist engulfed the four men instantly. Their screams cut through the air, sharp and terrified. Heather watched as the darkness wrapped around them, squeezing and tearing. The sound of their cries and the wet, snapping noise of bone made her stomach churn, but she couldn't look away.
Meat and mangled bodies were all that were left of them. Heather immediately felt sick and started retching all over the grass.
Heather wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, the bitter taste of bile still lingering. Her body trembled from the rush of adrenaline and the sheer horror of what she'd just done. The sound of slow, deliberate clapping made her spin around.
"Impressive," a voice said, smooth and almost amused. "I've never seen an Obscurial in person before."
Heather's eyes went wide as she took in the figure standing in the dim light. The woman's skin was completely blue, with patches of scales that shimmered slightly under the streetlamp. She was tall and lean, with bright yellow eyes that seemed to look right through Heather. And, oddly enough, she was completely naked, though she didn't seem to care at all.
"Who are you?" Heather asked, her voice shaking but defiant.
The woman's lips curved into a smile. "My name is Mystique. I came here to save your friend." She pointed at Olivia, who was still lying limp on the grass, breathing shallowly but alive.
Heather clenched her fists. "You were a little late," she snapped, the anger bubbling up to mask her fear. "And what's an Obscurial?"
Mystique chuckled, clearly amused by Heather's bravery. "An Obscurial is a young magical child who has a dark parasite inside them," she explained, her tone shifting to something more serious. "It forms when a child is abused or forced to suppress their magic. It's dangerous and almost always fatal. Only one child was rumored to have survived it, back in World War II."
Heather felt her stomach twist, but this time it wasn't from fear or nausea. "How do you know all this?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at Mystique.
Mystique's expression softened just a little. "I've been around a long time. Older than I look," she said, her voice holding a hint of something Heather couldn't quite place—maybe sadness or regret. "Now, I've come to take your friend home with me. The Brotherhood can protect her and help her learn to use her powers."
Panic shot through Heather's chest. She scrambled to her feet and stepped between Mystique and Olivia. "You can't!" she said, her voice breaking. "Olivia is my only friend. We're doing fine on our own!"
Mystique raised a perfectly arched eyebrow and gestured to the pile of bloody remains that used to be the men. "That doesn't look fine to me, girl." She sighed and crossed her arms. "I'd offer to take you too, but... you're an Obscurial. I'm sorry, but you're too dangerous to leave around other children..."
Heather's breath caught in her throat. She wanted to scream that she could control it, that she was learning how to get rid of the dark parasite inside her. But before she could get the words out, she felt a sharp sting in her arm. "Ow!" she gasped, looking down to see a small dart embedded in her skin.
"Sorry, kid, but Olivia's coming with us," another voice said behind her. A man in a dark jacket stepped out of the shadows, eyes cold and unyielding.
"We'll make sure to drop you off somewhere safe," Mystique added, her tone almost gentle. "You protected Olivia, and for that, you have my respect. But after that, you're on your own."
Heather's vision swam as whatever was in the dart took hold. The last thing she saw before darkness claimed her was Mystique's unreadable expression and the sound of Olivia stirring behind her.
…
Heather woke up in the loft, her head pounding and the taste of something bitter still on her tongue. The room was dark, only lit by the faint glow of the city outside. She sat up slowly, the events from earlier rushing back to her like a wave. She looked around the small space and called out, "Olivia?"
Silence.
Her chest tightened, and she called out again, louder this time. "Olivia!"
Nothing. Olivia was gone, taken by Mystique and whoever that man was. The realization hit Heather hard, and tears welled up in her eyes. She clenched her fists as the sobs came, shaking her body. She had finally found someone who understood her, someone she could call a friend, even a sister. And now, she was alone again, just like that. All because she was too weak to protect her.
Heather's nails dug into her palms until they hurt, but she didn't care. 'I was always too weak,' she thought bitterly. Weak when Vernon hit her. Weak when she hid in the cupboard and prayed to disappear. Weak when Olivia needed her most.
"No more," Heather said, her voice trembling but fierce. She pushed herself to her feet, red-rimmed eyes burning with anger. "I won't be weak anymore!"
She could feel the obscurus inside her, roiling like a living thing. Mystique's words echoed in her mind: a dark parasite born from suppressed magic. If the blue mutant was right, that meant Heather's strange powers were magic. Real magic. It explained so much—why Petunia always flinched at the word, why her aunt treated her like a dirty secret. Petunia must have known more than she let on, but it was too late to go back and ask her. Besides, Heather would rather die than go back to that house.
Heather closed her eyes, reaching out with her mind to the place where the obscurus coiled inside her. It felt stronger now, more powerful than it had been before, after devouring those four men. Their screams still echoed in her ears, but she pushed that thought aside. The power they had given her was undeniable.
"Good," Heather whispered to herself. If the obscurus was more powerful, it meant it could fuel her cultivation, push her farther and faster toward her goals. She knew it was risky. She knew it could consume her if she lost control. But she also knew she had no other choice. She wouldn't be helpless again. She wouldn't let anyone take what mattered from her ever again.
Heather sat down on the cold floor and crossed her legs. She took a deep breath, focusing on the knowledge Shen Yue had given her. She pictured the Qi inside her, mixed with the dark, swirling energy of the obscurus. Slowly, she began to draw on it, channeling it into her cultivation. The pain was sharp at first, like needles under her skin, but she gritted her teeth and kept going.
Sweat dripped down her face as the hours passed, but she didn't stop. The darkness inside her shifted and fought, resisting as she forced it to bend to her will. Her body felt like it was on fire, every muscle straining as she pushed herself harder. She couldn't afford to be weak. Not anymore. Not when Olivia needed her.
Heather's eyes snapped open, blazing with determination. She would get stronger.