She ran through the streets of Bruswa, her voice a desperate wail. "HELP! Help me, somebody, please save me!" She pounded on the nearest door, praying for sanctuary. The door unlocked, and a broom struck her eye with a sickening crack. "OWW!" she screamed, tears streaming as she clutched her face.
A human woman shrieked, her voice venomous. "GET OFF MY LAND, YOU DISGUSTING ELF! I HATE YOUR KIND—JUST DIE, YOU FALSE HUMAN!"
Neve fell to her knees, sobbing. "No, please! My parents are dead—help me, I beg of you!" The woman kicked her, thirty brutal strikes raining down, each one a hammer on her fragile spirit. "Shut up and leave before I do something horrible to you!" the woman spat, slamming the door.
Neve staggered away, crying, running blindly for four days without food or water, her body weakening with each step. She shivered as she recounted this to Kazimir, who gripped her hand tightly. "It's okay, I'm here," he murmured, his voice a balm to her trembling soul. She pulled herself together, her voice breaking. "I never got help. Nobody cared. I had to steal to survive, still mourning my parents' murder on my birthday—that day is an eternal scar that can't be erased."
Two Years of Exile in Capriha
Neve spent two years as an illegal immigrant in Capriha, fleeing Bruswa's horrors alone. At fifteen, she scavenged scraps from garbage cans, her stomach growling with hunger. "It's rotten, but this is all I have. I have to eat it to survive, even if I get sick," she muttered, forcing a bite into her mouth. The taste was rancid, and she retched, vomiting onto the pavement. "No one will save me. Capriha has the best of all countries—why is everyone treating me the same?!" She collapsed on the street, tears streaming as the crowd passed by, indifferent, leaving her to sleep on the cold ground, her faith in humanity extinguished.
One night, desperation drove her to action. Spotting a man walking, she thought, I have no choice… but why? Because I'm not human? Because I'm not loved? She snatched his wallet and ran. "HEY! YOU FUCKING ELF, GET BACK HERE!" he shouted, his voice a thunderclap. The neighborhood erupted, men rushing toward her. Two grabbed her, smashing a bat into her face. She screamed as they threw her down. "These stupid elves—they're born with magical energy, superior to humans, but this one's weak, like they cast her out. Haha, grab her and tie her to a pole so we can throw stones at her!"
Neve stood emotionless, her spirit broken, muttering to herself, "Maybe this is all I'm meant for. I was never meant to be happy because I'm an elf, living among humans and not my own kind. I'm being punished for a life I didn't choose, all because I look different." They tied her to a pole, blindfolded her, and stuffed a cloth in her mouth, pelting her with stones. Blood and bruises marred her body, her cries muffled as a bat cracked against her side. After thirty minutes, she trembled, struggling to stand, tears soaking the cloth as they threw more debris.
But something ignited within her. Screw this—I don't want to die yet. God Solaris, please help me! A woman's voice sneered, "Oh, you're calling for God to help you? He won't help witches like you—Solaris is for humans, a fragile race, unlike your kind!" Neve's powers awakened, frost surging as she froze the shackles. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" she screamed, and a burst of icy energy erupted, turning the neighborhood into a frozen wasteland, bodies decaying in the ice. She collapsed, staring at her hands in horror. "No… what have I done? I just killed people—OH NO, WHAT HAVE I DONE!" Her breakdown echoed through the icy silence.
Ten minutes later, a figure emerged from the mist, wielding a nodachi, her violet-blue eyes piercing the gloom. Neve sensed the power and ran, screaming, "Someone here to kill me! I'M SORRY—I DIDN'T MEAN TO! IT WAS SELF-DEFENSE—I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, MY POWERS JUST ACTIVATED!" Streaks of lightning flashed, and the figure appeared before her. Neve fell, trembling. She's going to kill me because I'm an elf.
In self-defense, Neve summoned ice spikes, but the figure walked through them unscathed. "STAY AWAY!" she shouted, firing a barrage of ice shards, each shattering against the woman's effortless deflection. She stood close, her black hair streaked with blue, clad in a sleeveless bodysuit and tight pants, a moon-coded jacket with a kimono-like design fluttering in the breeze. Her voice was gentle, soothing. "Hello, it's okay. Don't be afraid. I'm a Vandor—I won't hurt you, little girl. Tell me, what's your name?"
Neve, trembling, whispered, "My name is Neve." The woman sat beside her, her presence calming. "I'm Karah."
Neve's eyes widened, staring into Karah's moon-pupiled gaze. "What are you? Are you even human?"
Karah nodded, her smile kind. "I'm not human, just like you. I can tell you were the victim all this time. I know how these humans treat non-humans—they envy us, jealous that they aren't gifted with power like other races. So tell me, Neve, what happened?"
Neve's nose snuffled, tears falling as she poured out her pain. "My parents died on my birthday when I was thirteen. They were murdered—my mom raped and killed in front of me, my dad murdered too. I had to run; my mom told me to run far before she died. I fled from Bruswa all the way here, hoping to seek help from a Vandor, but for two years, no one wanted to help. They all despised me. I had nothing to eat, so it was hard to survive. Today, I did one bad thing for the first time—stole a man's wallet—and that's how I ended up like this. They tied me to a pole and abused me!"
Karah pulled her into a hug, her embrace a haven amidst the storm. "It's okay. I'm sorry you endured that pain for so many years at your age, but you are strong, and I'm proud of you. From now on, I'm here with you. I have two kids of my own named Jessie and Kazimir, and you'll be taken care of at the Astral Legion. I'm proud of you, Neve—you've done nothing wrong. You will live a happy life and decide your own future, and I promise you, I will make that happen." She gestured for Neve to climb onto her back, and Neve obeyed, clinging to her savior.
"Alright, Neve, let's go to your new home," Karah said, her voice a promise of redemption.
A New Beginning at the Astral Legion
Karah carried Neve to the Astral Legion, where she received special care. Two days later, Neve ventured outside, spotting Karah training recruits with a stern yet kind demeanor. Admiration filled her heart as Karah glanced her way. "Ohh, look who it is! You're all well—how are you feeling now?"
Neve smiled, the first genuine one in years. "I feel great, haha."
Karah's smile mirrored hers. "Good. Now tell me, what do you want to do? What's your dream? I will make it happen."
Neve's eyes shone with determination. "I want to be like you—I want to fight for what's right for this world, like you do."
Karah's gentle smile deepened. "Alright then, I will teach you. Come on."
After a month, Neve mastered the basics, learning to control her powers under Karah's guidance, her spirit slowly healing.
Back to the Present
On the beach, Neve took a deep breath, her voice steady but heavy with emotion. "And that's everything—even about your mother. She saved me and inspired me to be who I am today. If it wasn't for her, I don't know where I would be right now."
Kazimir looked at her, his galactic eyes glistening with unshed tears, his hand squeezing hers. "You are strong, Neve—really strong. You went through so much."
Neve smiled, a bittersweet curve of her lips, then hesitated. "Well, since you know the truth about my story, I guess I can share this secret." She reached for the hem of her top, pulling it off with a trembling hand, revealing a tapestry of scars crisscrossing her torso—marks of abuse, survival, and pain. "I've been using my powers to cover my scars, but here—take a look at me."
Kazimir's eyes widened, his breath catching at the sight, the raw vulnerability of her exposed soul laid bare. "Yeah, I know you're shocked. Not expecting someone like me to go through so much, is it?"
He nodded, his voice thick with emotion. "I had no idea. I now see why you respected my mother so much. You're really strong, Neve. I'm surprised you're not mentally broken—that shows a level of strength and belief I can only admire."
Neve pulled her shirt back on, her smile returning, fragile but real. "Yeah, I guess I am. Thank you for listening, Kazimir—really, thank you. I'm tired. Let's go back home."
Kazimir nodded, his hand still in hers, a silent vow of support. "Alright, let's go home." Together, they turned from the beach, the moon lighting their path, the scars of their pasts binding them closer under the eternal night.