Astrals

Chapter 3- The enchantmobile

Nova packed all of her necessities as neatly as time allowed. She would have to leave soon; she could not be late and give the Prince another reason to make fun of her. She did not know how she was going to survive an undefined period of time with him; his very existence made her want to disappear into another realm and never return. Of course, she would never do such a thing; she was loyal to Luminae. Her dad used to be an Astral Walker too, and seeing his dedication to the kingdom had inspired her. His hard work had put food on the table, and she could see the sparkle in his eyes every time she asked him about his day at work.

After mulling over it for a bit, Nova decided her packing was done. A quick glance at the small clock by her bedside let her know that it was time to leave. She carried her luggage and gave her quarters one last look, admiring the luxury and comfort she was sure to miss. She patted the smaller bag slung across her body, ensuring that she still had the journal and the pouch of coins. Her hand felt the rigidity of a longer object—the bell flower. The mini portal was also stashed within. Once she was satisfied, she made her way out the door, through the hallway, down the stairs, and finally outside.

Nova loved being outdoors at night. Luminae had made sure to plant natural bell flowers and star trees on every street. It reminded her a bit of Sugarvale, Miss Bubble's realm. With the ground illuminated by the glowing flowers and trees, the only thing missing was the faint tune accompanying her steps. She walked straight towards the royal gardens, carrying her luggage and trying to be as silent as possible. She did not want to draw anyone's attention.

The city was silent; the only sound was the laughter of families behind closed doors. As Nova passed several houses, their lit windows signaling the presence of people within, she felt a pang of jealousy. Just a decade ago, she had the same life: working hard every day—helping her mom in the gardens or learning to weave star fabric from her grandma. In the evenings, she would eagerly wait for her dad to return from work and pester him about his day. They would all sit at the table, enjoying a delicious meal while her family cracked jokes and relished each other's company. She missed those days dearly.

Nova soon entered the royal gardens through a small entrance behind the palace. This entrance was a small, trimmed section of the green, thorny hedge that surrounded the massive garden and could only be accessed by Astral Walkers. Anybody else who tried to enter would be zapped back; a magical barrier protected it. As she walked quickly through the gardens, guided by the bell flowers lighting her path, she felt relief not seeing the prince anywhere. She had arrived first; it would have been incredibly annoying if she'd been late. Theron would not stop teasing her about it for the rest of eternity. That's how he was: a spoiled little prince who had everything handed to him just for being born in the right place at the right time. In the time she'd known him, she had found him to be incredibly rude, flashy, wasteful, and stubborn. But those were not the reasons she disliked him so much. Prince Theron kept company that Nova did not approve of—people who had tormented her in the past and would not hesitate to do so again if her Astral status did not protect her.

As she waited for him, she wondered why he was this way. If she'd been a princess, surely she would be helping others in need instead of forming unnecessary friendships. The fact that the prince had so casually talked of the Netherplague earlier, without considering how his words would affect her, was a testament to how he truly did not care about those he deemed beneath him.

Nova was deep in thought when her eyes fell on the solitary ant on the ground. It seemed alone, separated from its family. It was probably panicking and frantically trying to find its way back. Did it miss its parents? Did it even have family, or was it alone like her?

"There you are!"

Nova shuddered back into reality, her eyes instantly shifting to the source of the irritating voice.