Nova was floating, or at least it felt like she was. Each footstep made her body feel more weightless than the last. It had been a while since she had visited this realm; she had forgotten how magical it was. Luminescent bell flowers lit the stone-paved ground, and the clouds above showcased different hues of lilac. As she stepped on the cracks between the stones, she could hear a faint tune playing, as if the very core of this place were welcoming her back. Why had she decided to stay away for so long?

A faint breeze blew in from the distant hills. She could see sparkling firebugs all over them, as if someone had hung tiny lights on each tree. It reminded her of the stories Grandma used to tell, of a world where people would hang such lights on trees and houses to mark a joyous occasion and celebrate with their loved ones. She could travel to such a world at any moment, but she had decided against it, knowing it would bring nothing but longing to see a family celebrating when she had none of her own.

She continued forward. As beautiful as this place was, she had work to do. She had been walking for what felt like hours, but she could finally see it: the magnificence of architecture. In the infinite realms out there, countless palaces and buildings existed, built with precision and an eye for aesthetics. Nova loved touring such places, reading about their history, and gushing over the visionaries who thought to construct such buildings and engrave them with intricate designs.

Her favorite, however, was the small structure that finally appeared in her line of sight. It was a simple hut— a refreshment zone, where travelers and merchants stopped by to stock up on food before continuing their journey. Its limestone exterior was adorned with crystals of varying shapes, sizes, and colors. Nova knew each crystal was a thank-you gift from patrons who decided to stick them on the walls— a form of protest because the owner, an old lady with striking blue hair, never accepted any payment.

Nova finally reached the door. As she raised her fist to knock, the wooden entrance opened on its own with a creaking sound. Lowering her hand, she stepped inside and was greeted by the sickly sweet smell of melting caramel.

“Hello?” she called out.

“Over here, girl!” came the reply.

She followed the voice and found the old lady crouched in front of her cauldron. Nova knelt and peered inside the black pot. Sure enough, she could see melted caramel and various other ingredients of whatever the old lady was concocting.

“What are you making this time, Miss Bubble?” she asked.

“It’s none of your business, girl. And don’t call me that!”

“Why not? I think it suits you- a cute old lady with bright blue hair making what seems like candy of all things in her witch’s cauldron.”

“It’s not candy. What is it that you want?”

“You’re so rude! Aren’t you going to ask me where I’ve been?”

Miss Bubble finally raised her head and met Nova’s gaze. “I know better than to ask Astral walkers where they’ve been.”

Nova shrugged. “Alright. I was wondering if you’ve got some of those portable bell flowers. I find myself in need of some light now and then, and it’s inconvenient to travel with anything else.”

Miss Bubble got up, scurried over to a shelf in a corner of the hut, and began searching for the flower. “You know you could easily get those at the Emporium. You don’t have to come all the way here.”

“I know that. I just thought it had been a while since I visited. You know how much I love this place.”

“Found it! Come here, girl, and pick the one you like.”

Nova got up and walked over to Miss Bubble. Turns out, the old lady had a magnificent stash of portable bell flowers tucked safely in a silver chest. A quick look, and she pointed at the pearlescent one with beads hanging from the stem.

“I’ll take that one.”

“Nice choice, girl. You have an eye for these things.”

Nova smiled. “I only learned from the best.”

“Don’t flatter me.”

Miss Bubble handed the flower to Nova. She examined it while the old lady returned the silver chest to its spot on the shelf.

“I will get going then. I’ve got some matters to attend to. I promise I will be back for a much-needed vacation.” Nova knew better than to offer any payment to Miss Bubble. She put the flower in her little bag that she always carried with her.

“Don’t make any promises you can’t fulfill.”

“You’re so grim, do you know that?”

“I am a realist, girl. People in your line of work get swept away and never return.”

“It’s different for me. This place is close to my heart, and I will always return.”

“We will see about that.”

Nova took this as her dismissal. She stepped outside, closed the door behind her, and reached into her pockets. Pulling out a ruby locket, she stuck it on the wall and left a candy bar near the door. Miss Bubble could be a little dismissive and rude, but Nova cherished her nonetheless and knew of her sweet tooth.

It was time for Nova to head back. As much as she would have loved to stay here, she could not simply walk away from her duties back in Luminae. As an astral walker, her first and foremost priority was the throne, and she had been summoned by King Alaric.

Nova looked at her pocket watch and unzipped her bag. She reached within and pulled out an odd little device. She knew she needed to reach the palace on time, and the only way to do that would be to use this flimsy object she wasn't too keen on. The King was expecting her in court, and she only had a little while to make it before she was too late. She thanked herself for having packed it earlier, for she would definitely have been late without it.

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She walked a few paces away from the hut and placed the device on the ground. She closed her eyes and muttered what sounded like a spell, her hands outstretched toward it. The device started glowing, and with a bright flash of light, it was gone. In its place stood a spectacular doorway through which she could see glimpses of Luminae.

She took a deep gulp of breath, closed her eyes, and ran straight into it. A wave of dizziness washed over her. When she finally opened her eyes a minute later, she found herself standing in front of the famous Crystal Palace, the light from the Sun reflecting off of its spires, with guards securing the entrance staring at her. She could never get used to the mini-portal she had bought from a rather scary-looking vendor at the Emporium. She looked around and found the device lying on the ground a few feet away. It was circular and easily fit in the palm of her hand. She picked it up, stashed it into her bag, and hurried over to the guards.

“I have been summoned by the King.”

“Name?” said one of the guards, all of whom were still staring at her in astonishment.

“Nova Crestwood.”

The guard scanned his notes and nodded approvingly, as if he’d found something he was looking for.

“Alright, Miss Nova. You’re good to go in!”

The guards stepped aside in unison to make way for her. Nova hurried up the stairs and entered the palace. As soon as she stepped inside, she started running towards the King’s court. She knew the castle like the back of her hand, having been here multiple times as an Astral, and paused only briefly to peek at the huge clock that sat on the main landing below the staircases. She still had 5 minutes.

She ran up the staircases, and after a few minutes of navigating her way through the huge construction, she reached the door to the court with only a minute to spare. Standing outside, she tried to catch her breath. As soon as she heard the chime from the clock tower near the main market, signaling the time, she hurried inside.

The king sat upon his raised throne, positioned so that all others fell beneath his line of sight. To a random civilian, he would appear indistinguishable from any other person in the kingdom. Preferring common clothes, the only indication of his royal status was the crystal crown adorning his head. King Alaric used to be known for the way he carried himself, the way several hours of training during his princehood had shaped his body and mind to remain sharp, sturdy, and agile. Sitting on the throne for years on end and sipping wine had made it possible for him to grow a belly, but the way he carried himself remained the same nonetheless. It felt like he was in control of the very air in any room he entered. He held a large glass of what appeared to be wine, again, in his hand.

Nova went to stand directly in front of the King and bowed respectfully.

“Your Majesty. I was summoned.”

“Indeed you were, Miss Crestwood.”

The king took a large gulp from the glass in his hand. He allowed the room to fall silent, the only sound the ticking of Nova’s pocket watch tucked safely in her pockets. With each tick, Nova grew increasingly nervous. Had she done something by accident? Broken the law? Been an enemy to the throne? Was she going to be imprisoned? Banished?

“Ahem.” The King cleared his throat, pulling Nova out of her thoughts.

“I did not know who to choose for this task,” he began, his hand stroking his white beard in contemplation.

“I spent quite some time puzzling over who I should pick. Even now, I am hesitant to tell you of this. I spent months monitoring every active astral walker loyal to this kingdom. I had my people keep an eye on those who showed the most potential, and yet, I remained uncertain if this would work. Do you think if I were to assign you a task that I am uncertain about myself, you would willingly accept it?”

Nova looked up at the King, determination shining in her eyes.

“Your Majesty, I am an astral walker. I chose this path not because I valued my safety, but because I value our kingdom and its people. We travel through different realms daily, eliminating any harm making its way to Luminae. I assure you that no matter how difficult a task may be, I will do my best to accomplish it. I cannot prioritize myself and my desires over the needs of this kingdom.”

The King looked at her for a moment. He seemed somewhat assured by her answer. Nova had worked under the crown for several years and had been entrusted with personal tasks by the King on many occasions, yet she had never seen him like this before.

“Miss Crestwood, the task I am assigning you now is to be your top priority from today onwards. You are to reveal this to nobody, it is to be kept private. Any message we may send each other regarding this task is to be destroyed once read. Do you understand this?”

Nova suddenly noticed that unlike usual, it was only the King and her present in the court.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Very well. Do you ever wonder if astral walkers from other realms exist?”

“I never thought about it. I have never met anyone outside of Luminae who possessed such power.”

“That is true. Luminae is fortunate to have such people. But what my scholars have recently discovered is worrying. There seems to be an anomaly in our realm. I am afraid that somebody who does not belong here may have entered our space.”

Nova grew worried as she heard this. Of course, there could not be someone else in possession of such a power. There never had been in history.

“What do you mean?”

“A year ago, my scholars detected strange movement near the caverns located by the coast of the Azure Ocean. We sent a team to investigate, but they did not find anything. Now, we have been recording strange incidents, with the public reporting sightings of a man wearing peculiar clothes, speaking an unfamiliar language, and teleporting to different places. He seems to be in possession of a portal that he can use”

“Forgive me, my king, for it is not my place to question you. But if I may ask, why did you not call upon an astral walker sooner?”

“A fair question indeed. At the time, we did not believe it to be of significant importance. We thought the anomaly was caused by an object. Only recently have we heard of the man. He has not shown signs of being a threat yet, but I am worried. This has never happened before. What if it is not a man at all, but a different being pretending to be one? We cannot track him; it is only through the reports that we know of him. I originally intended to send a team of astrals to find him, but we do not have enough of you available at the moment. I am cautious of sending you, but someone has to go.”

“You don’t have to worry about me. Rest assured, I will track this man and bring him to you as fast as I can.”

“I will trust you, Miss Crestwood. Make sure that nobody finds out, I do not want the public to panic. We’ve told the people who reported this that the man they saw is one of our own, so be very careful. If you think you alone cannot handle him, return at once. I will be sending you messages of any further developments through my trusted network of people. For now, I give you this. It is a detailed report of his sightings and what he supposedly looks like. You are to leave at once.”

The King handed her a journal and a pouch of coins. Nova figured the coins were to live off of while she traveled through Luminae to find this mysterious man.

“Thank you, your Majesty. You can relax, for I will be back with good news.”

With that, Nova spun on her heels and made her way out of the King’s court. She knew what she had to do next, and she felt proud. The King had personally chosen her for this task, and now she had a chance to make a name for herself. If she succeeded, she would surely deserve some time away from Luminae.

But she was worried. She had confidence in herself to protect the kingdom, but this was something that had never happened before. She had never seen the King so worried; like he was about to get his throne snatched right under his nose. All Nova could do was follow the King’s instructions and hope her strength and determination would be enough. Worrying would not get her anywhere, but accomplishing this task would get her a vacation she could spend in Miss Bubble’s hut.