Outsider

Chapter 5: Nocturne Hollow & the Wild Magic Within

The moment Elara stepped into Nocturne Hollow, she felt the air change. The town, hidden within a twisting veil of shadows, pulsed with an eerie sort of magic. Lanterns flickered with violet flames, illuminating cobblestone streets lined with crooked shops that whispered in languages long forgotten. The people here weren't just students and professors from the Academy—there were creatures too.

A woman with six black eyes and skeletal fingers sold cursed trinkets from a shadowy alcove. A man with horns curling from his temples glided past on a floating platform, his robes dripping ink as he moved. Two children—if they could be called that, their skin shimmered like polished obsidian—skipped past, giggling in voices that echoed.

Elara exhaled, feeling the weight of it all settle deep in her bones. This wasn't just a town. This was another world.

A Wand That Refuses to Be Chosen

Her first stop was Nyx & Thorn, the most renowned wandmakers in the Hollow. The shop smelled of burnt wood, old parchment, and something metallic—magic in its rawest form.

A hunched man emerged from the back, his white eyes scanning her like she was a puzzle waiting to be solved.

"You're late," he rasped.

Elara frowned. "I didn't have an appointment."

He snorted. "Not you—your magic. It's been calling to me for weeks."

Before she could ask what the hell that meant, he waved his hand, and dozens of wands floated toward her. They hovered in the air, vibrating, testing her just as much as she was testing them.

She reached for one—blackwood, inlaid with silver runes—but the moment her fingers brushed it, the wand hissed. A spark of energy jolted up her arm, sending a violent shiver through her body.

"Not that one," the wandmaker muttered.

Elara shook out her fingers, scowling.

One by one, she tried the wands. Some pulsed too aggressively, making her fingers twitch. Others rejected her outright, their magic recoiling at her touch.

Frustration boiled in her chest. "Is this normal?"

The wandmaker merely hummed. Then, without looking, he snapped his fingers. A single wand, resting alone on a shelf of obsidian glass, trembled. Then it shot straight into her hand.

The moment her fingers curled around it, the world tilted.

Magic rushed through her, a burning river searing through her veins. Her breath caught as whispers filled her mind—not from the wandmaker, not from the shop, but from the wand itself.

It wanted something from her. Demanded something.

"What the fuck—"

Before she could finish, a pulse of dark energy burst from the wand. Every single lantern in the shop shattered. The walls groaned, and the air grew so thick with power that the wandmaker had to snap his fingers again, breaking the connection.

Elara gasped, her knees nearly buckling.

The wandmaker stared at her for a long moment. Then, he grinned—a sharp, knowing grin.

"Oh, you're going to be a problem."

A Broom That Refuses to Be Tamed

By the time she reached Vesper's Flight, she was still shaking.

If the wand was this difficult, she had no idea what the broom would be like.

The shop was alive with energy, brooms floating in mid-air, sparking and shifting forms as witches and warlocks tested them. Some had serpent-like handles that coiled around their owners. Others were made of bone, their bristles whispering forbidden incantations.

Elara approached the counter, where an enchantress with raven-black hair and violet lips eyed her lazily.

"New flyer?" she purred.

Elara sighed. "Unfortunately."

The enchantress smirked. "Let's start simple."

She snapped her fingers, and a broom—sleek, blackwood with silver inlay—floated toward Elara.

The moment she grabbed it, the broom jerked violently, almost yanking her arm from its socket.

"Shit—"

She barely had time to react before it dragged her forward, yanking her off the ground and sending her spiraling through the shop.

She collided with a floating bookshelf, sending enchanted tomes screeching into the air. A flock of small, winged potions fluttered away, giggling in tiny, glassy voices.

The broom buckled and twisted, dragging her up and out—straight through the open doorway and into the stormy sky above Nocturne Hollow.

A Fall, A Rescue, & a Challenge

Elara had no control.

The broom whipped through the air, veering dangerously close to buildings and bridges. She gritted her teeth, trying to force it to obey, but it had a mind of its own—and it didn't like her.

Then, just as she thought she might get control—

The broom buckled violently, sending her hurtling downward.

Wind screamed past her ears. The cobblestone streets rushed toward her.

She braced for impact—

Only to be yanked out of freefall.

Strong arms wrapped around her, and the world blurred as she was steadied mid-air.

When she blinked, she was staring straight into Astra's golden eyes.

The same Astra who had given her a tour.

The same Astra who was now holding her far too close, smirking like she had just been gifted the most amusing entertainment of the year.

"Having trouble, Nightshade?"

Elara's heart slammed against her ribs.

"Fuck. You."

Astra laughed, the sound silken and dangerous. "Not yet."

Then, with infuriating ease, Astra guided them back to solid ground, landing smoothly in an empty alleyway.

Elara stumbled, still reeling, her breath ragged.

Astra cocked her head. "You don't know how to control your magic yet, do you?"

Elara scowled. "No shit."

Astra stepped closer. Too close. She reached out, and before Elara could stop her, she brushed a single finger against her collarbone.

A sharp pulse of magic crackled through Elara's skin, igniting something hot and electric in her veins.

Astra's lips curled. "Your magic is wild. Untamed." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Dangerous."

Elara swallowed. "Yeah? What's your point?"

Astra leaned in, her breath warm against Elara's ear.

"My point is… you're not going to survive here unless you learn to control it."

She pulled away, turning on her heel.

"Meet me at the training grounds at midnight. If you don't, you'll never wield that wand—or fly that broom—without getting yourself killed."

Elara clenched her fists.

She hated this. Hated being out of control.

But she hated the thought of being weak even more.

"Fine," she muttered.

Astra's smirk was pure sin. "Good girl."

Then she was gone, vanishing into the shadows—leaving Elara breathless, furious, and wanting.

Would you like me to expand any moments further?

Elara's pulse still hammered from Astra's presence, but she forced herself to take a deep breath. The air in Nocturne Hollow was thick with magic, humming through the cobblestone streets and curling around the towering spires of buildings. It felt alive, almost as if the town itself was watching her.

Her fingers tightened around her wand, and for a brief moment, she swore she felt something respond—a flicker of energy beneath her skin, not entirely her own.

She shook the thought away.

The broom lay on the ground beside her, twitching slightly, like an animal she had failed to tame. Astra was right. If she didn't learn to control this magic—her magic—she wouldn't last long in a place like this.

A cold wind swept through the alleyway, carrying the scent of rain and something more metallic, darker—like old blood. The Hollow had its own rhythm, its own dangers, and she had barely scratched the surface.

"Focus, Elara."

A Market of Shadows & Secrets

Before heading back to the Academy, she decided to explore a little more.

The marketplace in Nocturne Hollow was unlike anything she had ever seen. Shops weren't static things with windows and doors—they moved. One second, a small potion stall was at the corner of the street; the next, it had disappeared, only to reappear farther down.

A vendor with a stitched mouth sold cursed jewelry that whispered to their owners. A man with a third eye in the center of his forehead brewed potions with ingredients Elara couldn't even name.

She stopped at a bookstore—or what she thought was a bookstore. The sign read:

THE ARCHIVE OF FORBIDDEN WHISPERS.

Inside, the walls were lined with books, but the pages turned themselves, murmuring softly, as if sharing secrets not meant for mortal ears.

"Careful what you listen to," a voice drawled from behind the counter.

Elara turned to see a tall, ashen-skinned man with black veins crawling up his arms. His irises were pure silver, swirling like mercury.

"Some books in here will devour your mind before you've even turned a page."

She shivered but smirked. "Sounds like my kind of place."

The man's lips curled, but before he could respond, a scream rang out in the marketplace.

Elara whirled around, heart lurching.

Outside, two students were locked in a violent duel.

A Duel of Fire & Shadows

The crowd parted as two figures faced each other in the center of the square.

One was a tall, broad-shouldered boy with dark skin and burning amber eyes—his magic crackled in the air like fire waiting to be unleashed.

The other was a lithe girl with pale silver hair, shadows curling around her fingers, her expression cold and amused.

"Is that…?" someone muttered.

"Elion and Vex," another whispered. "This is going to be bloody."

Elara edged closer, drawn in despite herself.

Vex flicked her fingers, and tendrils of darkness slithered across the ground, reaching for Elion.

He thrust out a hand, and flames roared to life, burning the shadows away. The heat was blistering, even from where Elara stood.

"You're getting slow, Vex," Elion sneered.

Vex smirked. "And you're getting predictable."

With a snap of her fingers, the ground beneath Elion shattered, darkness swallowing him whole.

The crowd gasped.

For a second, there was only silence.

Then—

A burst of fire exploded from the void.

Elion launched himself upward, his body wreathed in flames, his eyes blazing with fury.

The impact of his landing sent cracks rippling through the cobblestones. Before Vex could react, he lunged forward, fire coiling around his fists.

She barely managed to dodge, her body flickering like a shadow caught in a storm.

"Enough," a voice boomed.

The duel stopped instantly.

A figure in midnight-blue robes had appeared—a professor. His presence sucked the air from the square, his power pressing down on everyone like an unseen force.

"You both know the rules," he said, voice like the crack of thunder. "Dueling outside sanctioned grounds is forbidden."

Vex and Elion stood motionless, their magic still humming in the air.

Then, with a slow smirk, Vex bowed mockingly.

"My apologies, Professor Varian. It won't happen again."

The professor's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing more.

The duel was over.

The tension, however, lingered.

Elara exhaled slowly.

This place… It wasn't just a school. It was a battleground.

And if she wasn't careful, she'd end up buried in it.

A Midnight Meeting

By the time she made it back to the Academy, the moon was high, casting silver light over the towering spires.

She wasn't sure why she was actually going to this training session with Astra. Maybe it was because she needed help. Maybe it was because Astra got under her skin in a way no one else had.

Or maybe it was because part of her was hungry—hungry for control, for power.

She found Astra waiting at the edge of the training grounds, leaning casually against a stone pillar.

"You're late," Astra drawled.

Elara scowled. "Bite me."

Astra smirked. "Careful, Nightshade. I just might."

Heat curled low in Elara's stomach, but she ignored it.

Astra straightened, stepping closer—too close.

"Show me your wand," she murmured.

Elara hesitated, then pulled it from her pocket.

Astra reached out, brushing her fingers along the length of it.

Magic snapped between them.

Elara inhaled sharply.

Astra tilted her head, eyes glowing with intrigue.

"Your magic is wild," she said again. "Uncontrolled. But I can teach you."

She leaned in, voice dropping to something silken and dangerous.

"If you're willing to listen."

Elara's breath hitched.

Something dark and electric swelled between them.

She wasn't sure if she was ready.

But she knew one thing for certain.

She wanted more.