Everything is hopeless, nothing else matters, nothing else, but this one moment in time. I wonder if anyone realises I'm out here, does anyone know where I am, do they care? Sometimes I contemplate that, is there any sincerity in how people treat me, or is it by design, is someone influencing it? Maybe it's paranoia, or maybe I'm on to something, I don't know, all I do know is that I don't want to feel like I'm losing my mind all the time as I do right now.

A disembodied voice begins to echo its whisper to me on the wind- Found you, I'll always find you boy, come home now, there's something we need to discuss.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!!" I scream, grasping my head, trying to get him out by clawing at my skull, but his influence over me runs deep, "I'm done obeying you, I'm done listening to you, and I demand you set me free right now!" My wrist begins to sear in an agonising inferno, the mark of his power over me. 

"How dare you defy me"-A hollow figure appears in front of me, like black sulphur scented smoke, then an image of him is clear and not quite present before me. The pain in my wrist grows worse making my knees buckle beneath me. I glare up at him, tears quivering atop my eyelashes as they mistakenly fall with the agony wrenching through me. 

He looks back at me and laughs maniacally, his form glitching within my presence. I knew this ominous feeling, I made a grave mistake refusing him, that's why he hurts me, and why he appears before me now. I already know I can't escape him, no matter how hard I try, but sometimes I just can't deal with this misery anymore. He's never going to let me go is he?

"Oh son, are you really that naive?" he continued to laugh, "You cannot escape me, we are bound to each other, and you will do as I ask, or suffer the consequences." "I understand that father, but I don't have to like it either." I sighed in defeat, "I'll go there at once and let you know what I find out." "True, but I hope you'll accept it at least someday, or not, it doesn't really matter either way to me" he shrugged, "Good, I await your presence at home afterwards, it seems you have forgotten your place and need an attitude adjustment, which I'm glad to teach you later." His father disappears into a black mist that vanishes as quickly as it came.

The pain in my wrist faded away, but the pain in my heart still remained. He was right, I know that, but I wish things were different, that he cared about me in some way, that he said the L word at least, or showed me that he loved me in some way or other. He helped bring me into this world after all, you'd think a father wouldn't hurt their kid like this, unfortunately that's what I've had to live with since I was 6 years old.

I turn my back to the ocean before me, and start walking. I have a ways to go from here, and could use my magic to get there, but I need a walk after that to clear my head. I trudge along trying to think of a way to make my life easier with him, or a possible loophole for the contract I am an unwilling participant of, but I'm drawing a blank here. 

I turn right and follow the path. I think whatever he sensed may be in the forest, because it's coming from this direction at least. Suddenly woken up as though from a dream I hear laughing, people talking about this and that, of no importance to me really, but it did startle me, I looked around at the stalls before me, only now realising that people are so irritating sometimes, it's like have they ever heard of volume control? 

I am nearing the forest, but I need to cut across onto the same pavement as the gossiping girls unfortunately, so I don't have a choice, but to do that and hope they leave me alone as I'm in no mood to deal with their strange behavior today. They try to stop me on the path so I cross over, when they grab my wrist I use my powers to repel them away from me. I am so done with everyone in this city, the people are malicious, selfish, manipulative, lying jerks and I don't want to be friends with any of them or date them, I'm done with the lot of them! 

I cross over and rush around the corner continuing into an alley so I can gather my thoughts and try to sense where this magical presence is coming from. I hear an echo of distress, someone powerful head away from the forest towards the pop up market that comes every change of season. The energy feels soft, feminine, but also masculine oddly. At least I know where it's coming from now so I can locate this person and bring them to him, so he'll leave me alone for a little while, at least until his next order. 

I call on the power within me again, sparking the light almost like a flame, but not quite. Transporting myself to Newgate Square, lying in wait for them to arrive and capture them. Suddenly the atmosphere in the crowded market changes before me. A thrum of energy bursts through the scene, but where is it coming from? As I begin to ponder this, cloaked figures emerge as though from nothing. I recognise them as my father's constituents on the council; usually for "interrogations", or arresting someone of the public for some perceived wrong-doing. What are they doing here? I wonder. 

I search the scene as they do knowing they're here for a reason, they're either looking for someone to kill, something they lost, someone's escaped their capture again, or they're arresting somebody again. Whatever the reason, it's not my business, not my problem at all. I learned a long time ago not to involve myself in my father's business if I can help it, especially after last time. 

I'm definitely getting closer to the source of this power, whoever it belongs to is incredibly powerful and like nothing I've ever felt before; at least not in the past 2 years anyway. They're around here somewhere, I turn in a circle trying to spot them, and that's when I spot the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, with long flowing hair down to her shoulders, with the slightest waviness to it as though it was a river. She moves like she's in slow motion, or maybe I am? I don't know, all I do know is that I've never felt like this before. My heart is pounding, my hands are sweaty, my mouth is dry to the bone, and I can't take my eyes off her. A pull is beckoning me closer to her like a siren's call. 

Sound is muted at first but slowly it begins to return, and so do my senses. While she does encapsulate my senses entirely, I do come to the realisation that she's not from here, I don't recognise her, and have never seen her before in my entire life. I also see the cloaked council members closing in on her fast, and then it dawns on me that they're after her, and this is possibly who he sent me after, and wants me to help them. Yeah that's not happening, I need to get to her first and save her from these monsters before it's too late. 

She's on hyper alert of her surroundings and notices them before I or they do. Suddenly I feel her power coming to life and knowing that I'm right about her being the source of interest he has sent me to look for, and also solidifying the fact that I'm not going to give her to him, and that I'm going to disobey him for the first time in years just for her, and hoping this is worth it. I teleport closer to her, bridging the gap and hoping I don't scare her. She gasps and tries to step away from me. "It's okay, I'm not here to hurt you, I just want to help you and keep you safe from the cloaks." I reply. 

She slowly turns to me and says, "And what's stopping you from turning me over to them? Thanks but no thanks, but I can look after myself." "I'm still going to help regardless of whether you give your permission or believe me or not." I stated. "Whatever, just don't get in my way, and if you attack me, I'll make you regret it." She promised. The men and women approach slowly like she's some sort of wounded animal instead of a person and I watch her prepare herself for whatever is coming our way, so I do the same, my fingers licking power between them. Her hands are alight with magic and shimmer in the summertime heat. The power ebbing from her is electric, seductive, addictive, and more powerful than anything I've ever felt, and I can't get enough of the feeling of it near me. 

A woman steps in front of the group, she's got her black hair, a pointy nose and chin. This woman should have a fringe at least for her large forehead, but she doesn't, which I find oddly off-putting in the moment. I can sense my companion's energy change, her aura fading to red, this woman clearly pisses her off for some reason. "Hi Nova, it's Dr. Harmen and I'm here to take you back to your room. You're not well sweetie and you still require treatment." She spoke condescendingly, "So can you be a good girl and come back with us calmly and quietly please?" I already didn't like her, but what Nova says next makes my blood boil. Nova scoffs, "1. I'm not a girl, as I keep fucking reminding you, 2. I might be mentally ill, but don't pretend you are trying to help me when you locked me up for winding up here through a damned portal from another universe, and 3. No I will not go back with you, you can all go to hell!" 

I don't know what she meant about not being a girl, but I could feel the truth of what she just said, and it cements in me even more how much she needs someone on her side right now, so I decide that person is going to be me at least for now. "You're not taking her anywhere doc, whatever you're doing would be illegal if we were in Warring, and she's clearly done nothing wrong, so I'm going to need you to take a step back and get your cronies and leave now! I shout at her. "Or what?" Mr. Wesson yells back. I know his son from school and they are both nasty pieces of work, like father like son I guess you could say. "Or we'll have to make you!" Nova yells as power pure and undiluted; sparks from her hands, and I follow suit with my own magic.

Everything speeds up after that, as they go to grab us, but we don't let them, we use our legs, our hands, our magic, everything we have to fight back against these bastards. For once I feel like I'm fighting for something good, something that matters; a higher purpose, and I couldn't be happier, or more elated in this moment, I haven't felt this good in years!