The Beginning Of Our Path (ON HIATUS)

Chapter 14: Captured in a Cocoon

Lol umm apparently I should have done this from the beginning, but here you go-

Author/SP person talking, Thoughts/Flashbacks/POV/Emphasize, "Regular Talking,"

And-

I do not own Black Clover because if I did Astelle would already be a thing. :)

Noelle POV

It's dark . . .

Where is my light?

Why won't it shine for me?

Help . . .

"Mages are pathetic these days,"

Noelle's eyes snapped open, immediately taking in the odd purple light that left a misty aura. The mage from before strolled around, casually tapping random walls, and checking the several windows and mirrors in the cold, damp, and rocky room.

The mage turned around, facing the young Silva. She curled her lip, as if acknowledging her disgusting existence. Horrified, Noelle realized that her kidnapper no longer had regular eyes. Just endless black holes. This was no longer a random thievery. What the heck was happening? The teen herself was tied up with earth, then vines, then poisonous flowers at her feet. Wow. Perhaps paranoid.

Noelle strained her neck to view the window, and saw the night sky slowly breaking by dawn on a sea of waves. Waves. Noelle was completely trapped, and more importantly, on an island that most likely off the maps. She pouted and tried to kick out of her bonds like a child, but right now she felt childish. Something was really wrong. The woman that stood in front of her was not the same young lady as the one who had pleaded to help them. Noelle figured it was some kind of mind control magic?

"Puppeteer magic, dear."

The silva froze, shivering slightly. Could this mage read minds? And do this . . . puppeteer magic? It felt odd and cold to just be in the same room as this monster.

"I can only guess your thought, and this controlling magic was given to me by the master. I am nothing, not even an ant in her presence."

More powerful? This was getting weirder and weirder. This 'master' person was creepy, and would probably need to be the Magic Knight's next focus, if she ever got out. Yeah, that probably wasn't going to happen. She was to be trapped here forever with this psychotic woman. Noelle was not looking foreward to that. The puppeteer looked over her handheld mirror and pursed her lips.

"Magic Knights? How disgusting. Kill them, my children." She swiveled around on her heel. This woman's smile was unhuman, the edges of her lips stretching to her eyes, slightly sharped, her head twisted to the side.

"Don't you want to see?" Noelle shivered shook her head. This earth mage didn't seem to care what she thought, however, as she slammed her fist against the wall, and it shimmered. Like a projector, it showed a fuzzy screen of people screaming and explosions. Large earthen golems wreaked havoc across the entire Clover Kingdom, killing and smashing at a destructive pace. The Magic Knight helped destroy thousands, as she saw on several towns, but they continued to come.

"This is my magic." the witch cackled, drawing her finger across the wall until the projection went quiet and disappeared. Then she put two finger at her lips and whispered-

"The Devil's Breath," Black clouds of mist began to seep through the room. The witch tilted her head even further, and walked toward Noelle.

"My Lady lives on sadness and despair. You will be the perfect specimen, once I fix this silly idea of self accomplishment." Noelle frowned.

"What are you talking about?" The puppeteer gave her a pity filled smile and got uncomfortable close to the silver haired girl's face.

"Oh you poor thing- You don't know? She's been watching you~" Her giggles filled the air swirling around Noelle's head as she tried to block out the sound. The mage's empty eyes tilted her head and smiled again, caressing Noelle's cheek with her long, cold, fingers.

"You are alone. Your own family disowns you, what worth do you have?" Noelle's doubts once again began to pile up. She really was useless. She hadn't helped, she was selfless, worthless. The only way anyone would ever care about her was if she had made it up. Just like her siblings said.

"No one loves you, no one cares what happens to you." Noelle froze. She realized that the bounds of earth, plants and rope and fallen off, and it gave her courage. The water mage stepped forward and spoke.

"That's not true! I have the Black Bulls and- and they care." Her voice softened at the end and she sank back to the floor.

"Do they care? Or are they just using them to benefit themselves? To increase their ranks with a Silva?" Noelle's breath got heavier and her hands began to shake. Was it the spell? No, it played a part but . . .

I have to stop this.

"That's not true! They encouraged me-" The teen Black Bull was interrupted by the sharp glare of her kidnapper.

"And that was all a facade. They are pretending, and I'm trying to help you, so listen." Noelle vision got blurry, the mage's spell began to weigh on her. It felt sickening as her whole life flashed before her eyes. Failing at magic, at finding friends, at being a good person- but they didn't care anyway . . . Two years. They continued to flash in front of her, every memory of a year passed by in a minute. Three years. She ignored them and screamed.

"Asta! Asta cares what happens to me!" The witch's eyes widened before smirking once again.

Four years.

"And where was he when you needed him?" The teen's feet were glued to the ground and her hands wouldn't stop shaking. Five years. Memories passed by of the fifth year, of her siblings and the tears. So many hot tears dripping down her face.

"Why didn't he help you?" Six years. Asta didn't care, he never appeared before her sixteenth year.

But then, the track of horrid memories began to slow down.

Noelle's breath hitched.

Asta.

Seven years.

Yeah sorry this was late I had to re-write it all cuz my stupid brain deleted it all on accident.

Posted February 24, 2021