Every inch of her skin screamed as if being peeled away, raw and exposed to the biting putrid air.

  Sprawled on the cold wooden floor, Luna’s muscles spasmed and twitched as the magic within her body spun out of control. It coursed through her veins, burning as it made its way through her body and back into the earth. A clear sign of a magical burnout.

  Luna felt disoriented, her vision blurred by strands of sweat-soaked black hair. In that exact moment her body felt like a battlefield, struggling against the overwhelming influx of magic surging through her veins. It felt as if every ounce of moisture had been sucked for the air in the small cabin, leaving her gasping.

  The room, once filled with the warm flicker of candlelight, was now plunged into darkness with only rays of moonlight spilling through the windows. It was clear that the candles had been snuffed out in the wake of her uncontrolled magic surge, leaving only the faint, eerie purple glow from the brewing pot.

  Shadows danced menacingly across the walls, heightening the sense of impending doom.

  Looking at her glowing veins Luna knew she had fucked up badly — as her irresponsibility could have killed her. She had always followed her mother's recipes and teachings when crafting concoctions or trying out new experiments, but for the past few days she had felt irritated and annoyed by her constant failure. It had been out of frustration that Luna decided to try using different combinations of herbs while also infusing massive amounts of magic throughout the process.

  Clearly it had been more than she could handle.

  This had been her latest attempt at creating a new potion, one potent enough to cure any ailment. But things took a disastrous turn when she lost control, and her experiment exploded as unstable magic surged back into her body, causing a multitude of micro explosions of energy that left her drained. The residual magic that couldn't be contained by her body dispersed into the surroundings in the form of a massive wave of energy. It had been a miracle that Luna had been able to maintain consciousness but at the moment she just wanted to be taken by the exhaustion that beckoned her to give up.

  Patience had always been a strength of hers, but after years of trial and error, Luna was desperate to finish her mother’s research. Six years had already gone by and she was not a single step closer to finding a universal cure. One that could save anyone from the brink of death.

  Death.

  It had always seemed so close, hovering over her like a phantom that never left her side, as if she had been cursed. Luna’s life had been surrounded by it since the beginning. First it took her father, then her mother, and finally her nana. Every single person she considered family.

  Maybe this time it’s here for me.

  Still she wanted to live — She wanted to complete her mother’s research and maybe have a family again. A family she could keep safe and by her side, one that wouldn't be unfairly taken by death.

  Surrounded by the strong and musky scent of experimental failure, Luna’s head was inevitably flooded by memories of her childhood. She vividly pictured the image of her mother, desperately crying in the kitchen over another failed attempt at creating a cure. She always cried when she thought no one saw her, but Luna always did. She remembered how the smells of experimentation kept getting stronger as time passed, making the atmosphere feel heavier as her father’s body slowly deteriorated. It felt as if, with each day that passed, life kept getting drained from the entire cottage as well as everyone living within. Until the day it did.

  Overwhelmed by memories of her past, Luna shook the sorrowful thoughts away, burying them deep within herself where she had always kept them. Gathering as much strength as she could, Luna slowly started crawling along the hard wooden floor to the front door. Desperately desiring to get out.

  Crawling across the old wooden floor with every ounce of strength she could muster, Luna felt the sensitive skin of her fingertips melting away with every pull she made. Her entire body ached so intensely that she could barely distinguish between her internal and external pain. Finally reaching the short distance to the door, Luna leveraged her body's weight on the door handle, managing to pull herself upward to a standing position. However, the old wooden door nearly came off its hinges as she tumbled through it.

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  Barely catching herself before she could faceplant into the uneven gravel covered with grass, Luna swore under her breath. With shaky steps, she moved forward, each movement a struggle against the overwhelming pain coursing through her body.

  The cold night air helped the ache in her body and mind lessen but still, through the fogginess, worry arose.

  Luna didn't know what had happened to her plants.

  Looking back into the dark interior of the cabin, Luna struggled with the decision of whether to go back for them or seek help.

  They were everything she had left, and she wasn't ready to lose them due to her recklessness. Mentally scolding herself for her stupidity, Luna swallowed back her pain and self-loathing as she continued moving forward. It was a difficult decision, but in her current state, she knew she would soon lose consciousness. The best course of action at the moment would be to get help for herself so she could later help her plants. That would require magic, and she was empty, as every last drop had already left her body.

  Groaning, Luna felt every step as though it were a struggle against gravity itself. Her body protested with each movement, and the pain threatened to overwhelm her senses. Yet, the distant twinkling lights of the city beckoned, promising the possibility of aid. The only people Luna knew lived in the city, but she wasn't sure she would make it before succumbing to the exhaustion.

  Ortega, the city of the free, layed far away from her small cottage near the forest’s edge. It was hard not to see its vibrance even all the way out there in the darkness.

  As the most independent city in the empire, Ortega had taken advantage of its geographical location for business. Its closeness to the Taiga river allowed for easy trade while still remaining isolated. The city folk enjoyed the nocturnal living, drinking and dancing. Their festive attitude had always been a nuisance to Luna since she'd been raised far away from the city and far away from people.

  Even though she had lived in the region her entire life, it had always been in the rural area. The cottage near the forest was her childhood home where she had been born and raised by her parents. She lived most of her childhood there until her father passed away and her mother despaired after she had turned ten. That was when her nana found her all alone in the dark cottage. Her father’s mother was the only family member she had left and due to that she had made the decision to bring Luna to her own home, a farm closer to the city. It was a place where Luna could recover from all the loss while being nurtured with love and care.

  Her memories from the time Luna lived with her nana were a mixture of happiness and fantasy. After leaving her home, Luna found solace in a simpler life. For the following seven years she had lived a life free from the burdens of her past with no recollection of magic. However, her grandmother's passing stirred dormant memories, prompting Luna to confront the truth about her parents and her forgotten memories about magic.

  With the memories of her past flooding back, Luna made the decision to return to her childhood home and put her nana's farm up for sale.

  Coming to terms with the truth of her life had been a challenge.

  She recalled her father, his once vibrant spirit fading as illness consumed him, yet he always wore a smile. Her mother too, remained etched in her memory: weary yet still determined. But above all, Luna could remember the magic and also, she could feel it.

  There was a sense of solace in the old cabin by the forest, her childhood sanctuary now a refuge after being left alone. Yet it was her mother's research that reignited her purpose. Delving into the diaries left behind, Luna became consumed by the quest to finish her mother's work, driven by the hope of finding a cure to heal any ailment and prevent further loss.

  Now aware of her magical heritage, Luna knew that staying away from Ortega was a must. Through her study of magic Luna had come to realize that the city had an invisible magic nullifying barrier that spread all the way to the rural areas just before reaching her home. She had also come to understand a bit more about other magical creatures and the important notion that no human believed them to be real. Other than those that maintained the empire, who clearly knew but just wanted to keep them in the shadows.

  However, in her current state of shaken confusion, Luna found herself seeking help, even if it meant risking exposure.

  Every step was a struggle. Her legs felt like lead, and her vision blurred with each faltering movement. Yet, Luna pressed forward, driven by sheer will, though she had no sense of how far she’d come or if she was even heading in the right direction.

  Then, she felt a sudden presence.

  A chill ran down her spine as instinct screamed at her to retreat. She hesitated, taking a shaky step backward, but her legs gave out, and she began to fall.

  Before the impact came, strong arms enveloped her, steadying her mid-descent. The touch was firm yet gentle, grounding her in the chaos. A voice, low and indistinct, murmured something she couldn’t quite make out. The words were lost to her, but the tone felt calm and soothing.

  What anchored her most was the scent. Cool and familiar, it carried the crisp essence of mint, cutting through the haze of her disorientation. It urged her to let go.

  And so, she did. Darkness claimed her, and the world fell away.