Flashback

I stood outside in the garden, my fingers caresing the flower I had picked up from beneath the tree. I was only 8 and I really loved coming down here after father had allowed me out of my room for the first time a week ago

The flower slowly died in my hands, turning an ashening gray color and crumbling down to the ground. I gasped and kneeled down, my hands scooping up the ash as a tear fell down my face

My father appeared beside my, placing a hand on my shoulder "Hela as you know, you can't touch anything"

I nodded and looked up at him, my eyes watering "Yes, father. I forgot"

"Then don't forget anymore. You can kill someone like that, Hela" he snapped and walked away from me and trough the golden gates of the garden

A sob escaped my lips. I didn't want to kill the beautifull flower. It looked so soft, so alive and now, it was dead because of me

I knew father was right. I had to refrain from touching anything that was alive, just like the flowers. People could touch me tho, but I couldn't touch them

It pained me usually. Not being able to hug people, to take their hand in mine... Nothing

Deciding I needed some space to think, I went to the forest that surrounded our home. We lived in the castle, whitch was in the main city of Alrika

The branches around me darkened as I stepped trough them, the leaves turning black and falling down on the ground in front of me. The grass rurned a black color around me as I walked. When I found a small river, I went down and sat near the water edge

I placed my feet in the river, and was surprised when nothing happened. A small smile appeared on my face as I looked over the running water

There were no animals around me and it always made me feel a bit of sorrow. I loved watching them from afar, but once I got too close to them they ran away

Something cwaked and I turned my head to the right. A raven stood beside me, it's black eyes mirroring mine. It ached it's head towards my hand but I pulled away. The raven just stared at me then flew on my shoulder. I froze

Oh no, please don't die little one...

I held my breath. The bird cawked again, sounding more in pain, then flew away as fast as it could. I saw it falling to the ground a few meters away, it's lifeless body staring at the sky

* * *

I soon turned 13, and my father had said to come down for training again. I remembered to pick up my sword before I went down to meet my instructor

I stood in the yard, the grass around my feet turning black when I walked by. I gripped the weapon tighter as the teacher, Nike, stood with her detached expression in front of me

She lifted her sword suddenly, going right for my head. I blocked and took a step back as she immediately went for my side. I spun and kicked her in the middle, but she took my leg and trew me accross on the ground

I rolled while I felt the grass under me turn to mush. I gasped and tried to get up but I felt the mental against my throat. I stilled and Nike lowered the weapon to the ground, her gaze pinned to mine

"You are slow" she growled and took ahold of my throat, getting me up on my feet and then releasing me "Again or 50 whippings" she barked

I gulped and took on my fighting stance. My scars had barely healed since yesterday, and I didn't think my body could take any more this week

I took a hold of my sword and charged

* * *

Earlier this day

I stood in the graveyard as the spirits passed by me. I smiled at them as they greeted me like an old friend, waving. I liked to come here as the dead kept me company

Even tho I had already lived for a hundred years already, my powers still hadn't changed that much

I still couldn't touch anyone. Only the spirits knew how I felt, somewhat atleast since they were once alive like I am. They were great listeners tho

Melani flew next to me and sat on the ground with her legs grossed, her stance mirroring mine

"You feeling better today?" she asked me as her transparant hand went to touch my shoulder. I could only feel the light pressure as she did so, but it was enough for me

I gave her a small smile "Yeah. I'm still sad about our dog" my lower lip trembled just slightly before I composed myself. I had accidentally killed my dog from 4 years today. He had been running when I made the mistake to allow him to jump into my arms. He immediately paled and went limp as I held him after that

Melani smiled simphatetically then looked over at the graves "Did you figure out how to get out of here?
Any tricks?"

I shook my head. No book could help me, that much I knew. I had looked over at the maps in our library when everyone was asleep, but there was nothing that I didn't already know

She sighed then looked back at me and got up on her feet "Let's practice" she smiled brightly

I shook my head again "No Melani. It's no use anymore. I need to know how to get out of here"

She rolled her eyes "Maybe you just need a different method" she grinned as she completely dissmissed my statement and took off towards the flowers near the tree bumps

I sighed and got up. I was not good with control, just making things explodes. I could not control the dying thing very well, but I had learned some other tricks on my own as I practiced every night sneaking out into the forest

As I walked next to her, I saw her hand standing near the white flowers. She couldn't actually touch anything because she was dead and a ghost and all, but that didn't stop her from trying "Try" she said as she looked at me

I pursed my lips in whatever or not to try this again. It was probably pointless, but I wouldn't know if I didn't try. I bit the inside of my cheek and went to grab one of the flowers

I tried to retract my energy inside, but that didn't work. The flower turned stayed like that for a moment then slowly black but I was used to this by now. The good news is that it stayed for a bit more than usual

Small things in life

Melani tilted her head and then her eyes sparkled "Try to push it out"

I frowned "What?"

"You are always supressing your power, Hela, but it's a part of you. So just push it out instead of fighting it"

I thought about it for a moment. There was no way this would work. I swear in hell

This time, I stopped struggling with myself. It had become like second nature over the years, always being reminded of how I should be carefull, never to be let free

Warmth went over my body and I relaxed. The grass under my feet expanded as the black color grew, then stopped. The air shimmered around me when I reached for the flower. Before I could even touch it, I heard the ground explode behind me

I looked back, as did Melani, and saw the skeletons rising up from the ground. I quickly got up to my feet and pulled out my sword. Melani went to stand next to me, but I knew she wouldn't be able to do much. She was a damn ghosh

More and more skeletons raised up and went straight for us. Or me. I was the only one alive here

On instinct I swung my sword for their head. The bones crumbled down and I backed away, trying to side-steep their semi circle around me

They charged at once and I took the first one by the head, placed my legs on his weist and trew it back using the momentum. It shattered and I kicked the one on top of me, shattering it as well as I got up. My sword sliced at the others, either their chests or in their heads and bones flew everywhere

Something took me from the back and trew me accross the graveyard. My back hit a stone and it shattered as my body went trough it. I groaned as my muscles ached and shakily got up on my feet. I noticed that even tho I had killed a lot of them, they were almost double than what I had first seen. There were atleast 50 skeletons here

I ached my back and ran at them, letting out a battle cry. I sliced the first accross the chest. The one behind it hit my face, making my eyes water. I stumbled back but hit it in the face with the hilt of the sword and kicked it, breaking the bone ball

They piled on top and around me, and even tho I was good at killing them, they were too much. Soon I was presses from all sides and I screamed as their hard bony hands hit me everywhere. It hurt like a bitch, and it made my body freeze. I went down to my knees as the world around my eyes darkened

I almost passed out before I felt the same warm feeling accross my body. I yelled as the force flew out of me, pushing the bags of bones back and turning them to dust. Everything felt like it was on slow motion as the ashes fells gently to the dirt. The whole graveyard had turned a dark, black color. The one of death. The trees, grass and leaves were all black, ashy and lifeless

My body collapsed completely on the ground and I heard a yell behind me. My father was soon next to my side, his arm pulling me up on my feet. I stumbled as my head looked at the ground, unable to lift it up

"My daughter, this is what I was afraid of" he mumbled as we walked towards our home. He was basically carrying me there

"What do you mean?" I croaked, my throat dry

"You shall see soon enough" he looked at me in the eyes, his expression neutral

We stepped into the forest as my fate soon awaited me