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Nova wasn’t exactly sure what went wrong.
The morning had started well enough, they had been getting along, and had all shared a breakfast of bloodfruit. Heck, Just that morning Vargas had asked Ray to show him the way that Daywalkers cut and ate bloodfruit (much to Ray’s surprise).
They had all gathered at the gate, and worked together to push it open. And once they had opened it, they had spent the rest of the day laughing, and handing out in the orchard.
Maybe she should have noticed, when they got back that night and Ray was unusually quiet. Maybe they should have done a million things different.
Vera had noticed something. Or maybe she had been making a plan for herself. Nova didn’t know, but the next morning she had been weirdly insistent that they harvest it. So they had harvested maybe half of it, and stored it in the cauldron room.
After ensuring that it was hidden, they began to devise a plan for how to get their leaders on board. It had been stressful, but almost fun to try and come up with ideas, while Victor smiled at her from across the table.
Of course her peace could only last so long.
It was about midday, when they heard the loud noises coming from the orchard. Nova and Victor had immediately got up to investigate, followed by zed and Addison, and then everyone else.
Upon arriving at the orchard, what they found was pure chaos. Daywalkers and Vamoirs alike were hurling balls of wind and fire, every which way, and almost half the orchard was destroyed.
Upon their entrance, a kid among them screamed, and the leaders stopped their attacks to look upon their children arriving.
“What is going on?” Nova asked worriedly.
“What is wrong,” Commander Bright said stepping forward,
“Is that these Vampire thieves, stole half the bloodfruit and are now denying it. And now their betrayal has cause this to happen.” He said gesturing outward.
“Lies!” Screeched the Vampire Eldress.
“You Daywalkers stole half of it, and then blamed it on us to give you the go ahead to start a war.”
“Enough!” Victor yelled, stepping forward.
“It was us who harvested the fruit. Campers and counselors alike. And now you’ve destroyed the rest of it!” He exclaimed angrily.
Commander bright narrowed his eyes stepping forward.
“Who are you to speak to me like that boy?” He asked with a snarl. Victor scowled.
“I am only telling you what happened.” He said crossing his arms. The Commander stepped forward as if to say something else, but before he could Nova stepped forward.
“He’s right. We worked together, and it was the only reason we were able to enter here in the first place.”
The Commander looked over at his daughter, shocked.
“Nova. I sent you to get all the blood fruit at any cost.” He said staring her down.
“We were all counting on you.”
“Counting on me to betray the Vampires! That’s wrong. And after all they did to help us, I would have never done it.” She said firmly.
She saw Victor look at her and smile. She felt proud, that someone at least saw what courage that had taken her. But it had only served to have her father look at him, fury in his expression.
“So you boy, have been out here, manipulating my daughter, stealing fruit, and then trying to play it off as innocence?” He asked stepping closer. Victors expression hardened.
“I didn’t do anything to Nova. She changed her own mind. And anything I planned, was for peace with her next to me.” He said. Her father looked enraged, stepping forward and shoving Victor in the shoulder.
“You think I believe a Vampire? You think you know better? Well go on then,” he said shoving Victor again,
“Fight me. Show me what a Vampire you are, how much peace you want. Go on!” He yelled shoving Victor farther back, and readying a ball of fire in his hands.
“I’m not going to fight you.” Victor said, although there was a look of fear in his eyes.
“Dad stop,” Nova said trying to intervene. But her father was too enraged.
“Dad, he didn’t do anything please,” she said, as other vampires tried to come forward, but he raised his hand in threat to them, and Vera, as they all tried to come forward.
“Do it!” He father yelled.
“Fight me!”
“No.” Victor said.
“I will not fight you. I won’t stoop to your level, you pathetic excuse for a leader.”
And then, her father threw it. Directly. at. him.
It hit him full force, throwing him back at least 10 feet.
“No!” Nova yelled, rushing forward, despite Ray calling out to her, as her father raised another fireball.
“Stop!” She screamed.
The whole orchard paused. Her eyes were glowing golden, and her voice had echoed around the orchard like a gunshot.
“He’s the enemy Nova.” Her father said.
“He’s a teenager!” She yelled back.
“He’s just a boy. He just wants peace, like the rest of us. He’s my friend.” And then she heard him groan behind her, and a surge of anger and protectiveness washed over her.
“Nova. You know what it means if you do this.” Her father said, stepping up.
She didn’t back away and raised her palms of fire higher, stepping further in front of Victor.
“I am warning you. Take one more step, and I will not hesitate. Just like you did with him.” She said.
They stared at each other. The whole world held its breath.
Then, slowly, her father lowered his palms.
“I really thought you were the leader our people needed.” He said. And that, that felt like a knife through the heart. Because she knew, that he would never change his mind. And she had chosen her side.
“We need to prepare for battle!” He announced turning away. And as the daywalker began to assemble around him, and all the children looked unsure of what to do, she felt the hopelessness like nothing else she had ever experienced envelop her.
Nova turned around and dropped to her knees beside Victor. She tried to help him up but he looked barely lucid, and she decided to just try to assess his wounds. She reached up and covered her mouth with her hand. Burns were twisting up his arm and neck and chest.
“You-you stood up to him.” He winced out.
“For me.”
Tears filled her eyes. Because Victor was this sweet boy, who had only done good things for her, and his smile, charm, and cheesy confidence had made her 90% sure she was falling in love with him. And here he was, laying on the floor, severely injured because of her father. Because of her.
And still, he focused on the one good thing that she had done, when he had had the strength to do it first.
“Of course.” She said.
“I’ll look out for you if you let me, remember?” She asked tearfully. He laughed, but then winced at the pain.
“Always.” He said. And god, she could have kissed him right then.
She reached forward, trying to touch his arm, to assess the burns, but he damn near screamed when her fingertips met his charred skin. She winced and tears filled her eyes again.
“I’m sorry Victor. I’m so so sorry.” She choked out, trying to figure out what to do. He just shook his head and tried to relax himself.
“It’s not your fault.” He said softly.
“We need to figure out what to do.” She said, looking around for anyone. The Vampire Eldress seemed to be giving orders to Vargas and Vera, who looked desperate to run over to Victor.
And a few feet to the left of the Daywalker group was Ray.
She looked at him, and he met her gaze. And in that moment, she felt all the trust she had acquired over the years of skinned knees, and schoolyard lunches, and climbing trees, seep out of her. And he saw it too. He looked down, ashamed, and honestly? She couldn’t bring herself to care.
Then she looked back to Victor. And a resolve formed in her. Because she need to stop this, and she needed to help him.
And if there was one thing Nova Bright would do, it was get a job done.