Revelation: The Dawn Of Celestial Magic

I scanned my surroundings, my gaze catching on the faces of the crowd. The stares that met me were filled with anger, their eyes burning with hatred. I didn't recognize any of them, yet there was something eerily familiar about the resentment in their gazes.

Or perhaps... it was hatred?

"Dahlia..."

I turned toward the voice, alarm flashing through me as I saw a man moving in my direction. The sadness etched into his features was unmistakable.

"Who are you?" I asked, my voice shaky as I instinctively took a step back. But before I could react further, he suddenly wrapped his arms around me, freezing me in place.

There was something so familiar about the feeling of being held by him, but his face... I couldn't place him. My body, though, seemed to recognize him in a way my mind couldn't.

"Who are you?" I repeated, my voice cracking as my eyes welled with tears, though I couldn't understand why.

Was this feeling truly mine?

"Shhh..." His voice was soft, soothing. His hands gently stroked my hair, and for a moment, I felt my body start to relax, my breath slowing.

But then, an unbearable sharp pain pierced through my side. At first, it was a dull sting, but as the seconds stretched on, it burned, a searing agony that only grew worse.

He had stabbed me.

"I knew you'd die in my arms one day," he whispered, his tone full of dread. It wasn't the tenderness I had felt before-this was fear.

I didn't even know which hurt more: the pain of the knife lodged in my stomach or the agony of betrayal as I felt myself slipping into a false sense of safety.

"Dahlia? Dahlia!"

The sound of my name broke through the haze of pain. I jolted back to reality, blinking as I focused on the worried face of Jane. She was looking at me with furrowed brows, her eyes filled with concern.

"Are you okay? Why are you crying?"

I was confused, my mind still foggy as I touched my face and realized I was, indeed, crying.

"Why am I crying?" I murmured, a question that seemed to echo in the silence.

"I don't know. You're the one crying," she replied, her voice softer now. "Are you sure you're alright?"

I could offer no answers. Was I really okay? I had no idea. Why had I suddenly started crying? What had just happened?

"Dahlia, you're spacing out again. Are you really okay?" Jane's voice was full of concern, pulling me from the depths of my confusion.

I nodded, forcing a weak smile. "Yes. I'm fine."

I glanced around, noticing that more people were entering the diner. Despite the place being old and falling apart, there was no mistaking that it still drew a crowd. Maybe it was the food that kept them coming.

"Do you want to leave now? Get some rest?" Jane suggested, her voice laced with concern. "Both our fathers would kill us if they knew we were here... in this... fine dining."

I couldn't suppress a laugh as I watched her adjust the mask on her face, catching sight of a man who had passed by our table.

"After putting on a mask and covering yourself with a cloak, you're still worried about being recognized, Princess?" I teased, unable to hold back a laugh.

Her eyes widened, and before I knew it, she kicked me under the table, making me yelp.

"Don't expose me, Dahlia! If anyone overhears us- we're dead."

I tried to suppress the laughter bubbling inside me, but the moment was interrupted by more people staring at me.

I quickly composed myself, gathering the wooden sticks I had brought from the forest and standing up.

"Let's go, Jane," I said, heading for the door.

She followed without a word, though I couldn't help but feel a gnawing sense of worry. It was becoming dangerous for her to be seen with me. The townsfolk had begun to notice, and soon, their curiosity would shift to her as well. After all, she was a princess of the Dark Kingdom-a title that, by its very nature, kept her separate from people like me. Her father had forbidden her from mingling with the villagers, which is why she always had to sneak away to meet me.

"Are you alright?" Jane's voice cut through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present.

I nodded, offering her a small smile. "Go home, Jane. You'll get in trouble."

People were still watching me, whispers circulating like a low hum in the background. I didn't know whether to feel ashamed or just frustrated by their incessant judgment.

"Hey, Dahlia..." Jane caught my wrist as we moved further from the prying eyes. "I've told you this a thousand times-don't let them get to you. They're just jealous. You're a Black Wielder by blood, but you don't use black magic, and honestly, I kind of envy you." She chuckled, raising her hand to show a swirl of black smoke forming from her fingers. "Black magic really sucks though."

I couldn't help but laugh. The truth was, I envied her, not the other way around. If only I had magic like hers-maybe my life wouldn't feel so... complicated.

"By the way, I overheard Papa talking to someone last night. Sounds like he's planning something big."

"Big, like... an actual explosion?" I asked, raising an eyebrow in mock confusion.

"No, idiot. I mean 'big' as in a big deal," she replied, rolling her eyes.

"Then what do you mean by big?"

"Just trust me. It's big." She smiled cryptically, clearly enjoying the mystery.

I sighed, choosing not to press her further. We continued walking through the forest, my home situated deep within the wilderness, far from the village. I couldn't understand why Jane insisted on coming with me.

"Go back now, Jane," I urged as we reached the edge of the forest. "You'll get in trouble if you stay."

But just as I said that, my heart stopped. A familiar figure approached from a distance, and without thinking, I shoved Jane into the tall grass to hide.

"Dad-Ow!"

My father yanked me by the hair, the sudden pain sharp and unrelenting. "Where the hell have you been? I told you to gather firewood, not wander off to the public square!"

"D-Dad, it hurts..." I winced, trying to hold back the tears.

"You never listen to me! Always disobeying my orders!" He dragged me toward the house by my hair, not sparing me a second glance.

Tears blurred my vision as I stole a glance in Jane's direction, but she was already out of sight. The shame of being treated like this in front of her... it hurt more than the pain in my scalp.

Once inside, he shoved me into the corner, sending the firewood tumbling to the ground.

"What happened?" My mother asked, her voice full of concern. She hurried over to us.

"She's been everywhere! I told her to get firewood, and I find her in the public square!" My father raged. "I should've just cut her feet off!"

I flinched at his words, but I couldn't stop the tears that streamed down my face. This was always how it was. They never understood me. They never would.

Mom looked at me, worry in her eyes. "Don't you understand the situation? You're different from everyone else here. You're making things harder for us by going out in public. People are suspicious of you, and it's affecting us."

Was I really making things worse? Was I the one who was causing all of this?

"You're not like everyone else in the kingdom. People are watching you, Dahlia. Don't you think about what could happen to us because of your actions?" Her voice softened, but her disappointment was still clear in her eyes.

I wanted to scream, to tell them how unfair it all was, but instead, I just stood there, holding my hands tightly in fists to keep my magic from flaring up.

It wasn't fair.

It wasn't fair that I couldn't be treated like everyone else.

"Are you alright?" A voice broke through my thoughts, and I turned to see Elvince, his concerned gaze locked on me.

Am I alright? Even if I said yes, the truth was far more complicated.

"Yes," I replied, but the word felt hollow.

Why couldn't I just be like everyone else? Why did my magic have to be different?