Chapter 3 Upside down

Nora woke up drenched in sweat. She couldn't help letting out a sharp moan from between her lips and reached out to caress her face. She squinted her eyes and looked around the room, trying to adjust her gaze.

She cursed under her breath when she quickly realized she had only slept a few hours. She sighed and sat down slowly on the uneven mattress. She flicked her fingers and watched the red light in the cabin light up. She glared at it in exasperation as it almost constantly showed her distressed emotions, and it seemed like it was her fault.

She got out of bed because she realized now was the perfect time for her to get up and start working on some of her spells. This helped her avoid the witches of other covens, and she was able to train without ridicule.

monster

Orphan scum

wack

traitorous daughter

The name goes on. Her name seems to be just the tip of the iceberg. Yet she still refuses to believe that her father could be who they say he is. The witch they were whispering to in the hallway, the witch who went mad and tried to take over the coven.

There was a time when Nora wanted to believe the rumors. It would make her angry with him, even a little bit unhappy, but she knew her father would never do that to her.

He would never do that to her.

Yet now, even if he were dead, they would not let her rest in peace. Even so, they stared and glared at her as she walked down the corridor. To them, she might as well be a monster.

Now her father is gone. It was almost a year since he took his last breath and left her with his parting words. She shouldn't be the one to give up easily. Nora spent months searching for the crystal ball, but like a coward, she was forced to surrender it in exchange for her protection.

Zoran was a man of his word, and he agreed to spare her life, but she was brought to the brink of death by his minions and the rest of the Coven many times. Her hut had moved to the edge of Kant, and she knew all too well that any sane person would accept their fate, but she knew something was amiss.

Zoran claims that her father tried to poison him to take over the coven and bring it under his rule. Nora smiled faintly when he announced the news. She didn't understand why anyone would believe that. No doubt he was a powerful man, but he never offended anyone. Zoran, however, seems to have everyone around him believing otherwise.

Deep down she knew it was a complete lie, but for a moment even she was shaken. But if he's able to go so far as to frame her father for a crime he didn't commit and tarnish his name even after his death, it makes her wonder what else he's hiding.

Nora knew she had to play it safe, and she was constantly under the watchful eye of Zoran and his men. That's why she decided to stay on her side of the land.

She needs to get the crystal back, and since she handed it over, there's something uneasy in the back of her stomach, and she's not entirely sure what that means, but it's like it's calling to her.

At first, she thought she could push it away and shrugged, but then she started having nightmares. They tend to take different forms, but the result is always the same. It ends in chaos and destruction, and at the heart of it, all is the sphere.

Once again it was the thong that woke Nora up, but for some reason today felt different. She needs more than ever to find that orb and get it back into her hands. She found herself walking out of her camp, towards the largest tent in the center of the coven.

She swallowed as she tried to find the right amount of courage to do what she had to do. She didn't know where it was, but a part of her told her it would be in the cellar. The Vault is the code name for the largest bookstore in the Coven.

It's not closely guarded, as Zoran likes to use it to allow him to eventually enhance his ego. He didn't think anyone would be foolish enough to mess with him.

And yet, she's risking it all when she starts passing his tent. When she was almost walking through the tent, she heard someone calling her name inside, and she froze.

"What shall we do with her?" she heard the second one ask. "What do you mean? She's just a nasty kid. We take care of her father. That's the most important thing." Zhuo Ran said firmly, the way he mentioned her father making her chest rumble.

"What if you let her know your plan, and you killed him?" Nora only felt cold all over her body, as if a basin of cold water had been poured on her. She was skeptical at first, but she tried to convince herself it wasn't true.

She just wants to live in happiness for a while longer. Nora didn't know what she was thinking at that moment, but the first thought that popped into her mind was why. Why would he be so cruel that he would go so far to dispose of him?

"She needn't worry. He might be strong, but she's just as stupid as her father." He spat, and she felt her body trembling, a surge of anger welling up inside her. They talked about him so grimly and in such low voices because they didn't despise him at all. The thought infuriated him, and she knew now more than ever that all she needed was revenge.

She was there again for a while when she heard them talking, and she heard them mention the upcoming , an event to which the whole coven was ordered to attend. It ensures a continuous cycle of power within the community and it is considered one of the greatest events of the people. She has to participate this year. The only reason the previous reading gave her an excuse was because of what happened.

Just then, a plan had begun to form in her mind. Now more than ever, she needs to find the location of the sphere. Never again will she allow this man to take over her life and get away with it, she knows she has to do what's right with him and now is the time for her to do so.

Nora was pulled out of her thoughts as she felt her heart tug, and she spotted a blue glowing light in the distance. Only then did she feel a sense of victory welling up in her heart.

It's time for her to show them who the real monster is.