The Hidden Legacy of Malia

UNLEASHING POWER

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Chapter 10: Unleashing Power

The palace courtyard buzzed with activity, students chatting excitedly about the upcoming competition. Everyone was preparing, practicing their spells, and perfecting their abilities. It was an important time, and Nelly knew she had to focus—especially after the vivid dreams she’d been having.

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling inside her. Every night, the same dream came back, haunting her. Her mother’s face—now clearer than ever—telling her of her hidden powers, warning her of dangers, and urging her to be strong. But Nelly had stopped confiding in Nadia about these dreams. They were too real, too intense. What if Nadia couldn’t understand? What if she thought Nelly was going mad?

There was also something else she was hiding—something that terrified her even more. It started a few weeks ago: small strands of her hair turning white. At first, she thought it was stress, or maybe just a trick of the light. But the changes were becoming more noticeable. The white streaks shimmered like silver, unmistakable against her natural brown hair. She had been covering it up, twisting her hair in clever ways to hide it from everyone—including Nadia and Anaya, her roommates. She wasn’t ready to explain why her hair was changing or what it meant.

With a sigh, Nelly tugged her brown locks over the white streaks and followed Nadia and Anaya outside, doing her best to push her worries to the back of her mind.

Nadia, of course, was excited about the competition. Her confidence radiated as she chattered on, seemingly unaware of Nelly’s unease.

“You know, Nelly, this competition is going to be a real game-changer,” Nadia said with a grin, elbowing her friend playfully. “I can’t wait to see you show everyone what you’re made of.”

Nelly managed a weak smile, but inside, she felt like curling into a ball. She wasn’t ready. She didn’t even know how to fully control her powers yet. How could she compete against all these skilled students? She was nothing like them.

Anaya, walking quietly on Nelly’s other side, gave a soft smile. “You’ll be fine, Nelly. We’ll be right there with you.”

Nelly appreciated the words, but the knot in her stomach remained. As they approached the center of the courtyard, the tension in the air seemed to thicken. Esther was standing with her group of friends, their eyes immediately locking on Nelly.

“Look who it is,” Esther’s voice rang out, dripping with malice. “The charity case.”

Nadia’s expression hardened, stepping forward to confront Esther, but Nelly put a hand on her arm, silently asking her to stop. She didn’t want a scene, not now.

But Esther wasn’t finished. She sauntered closer, her green hair swinging behind her like a banner of arrogance. “I don’t know why you even bother showing up, Nelly. Everyone knows you don’t belong here.”

Nelly’s heart raced. She wanted to say something, to defend herself, but the words caught in her throat. She had never been good at standing up for herself. Every time Esther bullied her, she felt small and powerless. But this time, something was different. Something stirred inside her, like a faint spark of energy.

“Why don’t you go back to where you came from?” Esther continued, sneering. “You’re nothing but a joke.”

Nadia stepped forward, her eyes blazing. “Leave her alone, Esther. You’re the only joke around here.”

The crowd murmured, a few students looking between Nelly and Esther, wondering what would happen next. Nelly’s pulse quickened, her emotions swirling. She felt a surge of energy bubbling beneath the surface, stronger than before.

Then, suddenly, it happened.

Without realizing it, Nelly vanished.

The murmurs stopped. The courtyard went eerily quiet. Esther blinked in confusion, glancing around. “Where did she go?”

Nadia’s eyes widened as she looked at the spot where Nelly had just been. “Nelly?” she whispered, scanning the area.

Nelly, still standing in the same spot, looked down at herself. She was invisible. Completely invisible. Her breath caught in her throat. How… how did she do that?

Esther spun around, her eyes wild with confusion and anger. “Where is she?!” she shrieked, her voice rising in frustration. “Where did she go?”

The other girls in Esther’s group started to back away, clearly unnerved. No one had ever seen anything like this before. Nelly stood there, unseen by everyone, her heart racing in her chest. She wanted to run, to escape, but something held her in place.

And then, just as quickly as it had happened, she reappeared.

Anaya, who had been watching quietly from the side, stepped forward, her eyes wide. “Nelly… you were… invisible.”

The courtyard buzzed again, whispers of “Did you see that?” and “What just happened?” rippling through the crowd.

Nelly swallowed hard, trying to process what had just occurred. She had done it. She had turned invisible without even trying. But how? And more importantly, why now?

Before she could dwell on it, Esther recovered from her shock, her face twisting in rage. “You think you’re clever, don’t you?” she spat, stepping toward Nelly, her hand raised, ready to strike.

Nelly braced herself, the old fear creeping back. But this time, she didn’t run. She didn’t back down. She stood her ground.

Just as Esther’s hand was about to come down, Anaya stepped in between them, her voice shaking but firm. “Stop!”

Esther’s hand connected with Anaya’s face instead, the slap echoing through the courtyard. The crowd gasped, and for a moment, everything seemed to freeze.

Nelly’s eyes widened. Anaya, quiet, shy Anaya, had stepped in front of her. She had taken the blow for her. Something snapped inside Nelly. A surge of anger, of power, rose up, stronger than anything she had ever felt before.

“No,” Nelly said, her voice steady for the first time. “I won’t let you bully me anymore.”

Esther’s eyes narrowed, her fury palpable, she raised her hands again to strick Nelly but Nelly held her hands and slapped her hard without thinking twice, You slapped me with those filthy hands Esther said shocked by what just happened, the crowd gasped and immediately started murmuring. But Nelly didn’t flinch. She felt the energy inside her, not just from her invisibility but from something deeper, something stronger. She wouldn’t be a victim any longer.

Without another word, Nelly turned, her head held high, and walked away. Nadia and Anaya followed closely behind her, their heads also held high. The crowd parted for them, stunned by what had just transpired.

As they walked away, Nelly could hear the whispers of the students behind her. “Did you see that? She stood up to Esther.”

And then, Joseph’s friend, Fred, leaning in to whisper in Joseph’s ear. “Guess your new girl needs no defense now. She’s screaming fire. No one’s ever stood against Esther like that. She’s a good match.”

Joseph watched from a distance, a small, proud smirk playing on his lips. He had wanted to interfere, but Nelly had beaten him to it. She had defended herself—and she had done it brilliantly.

Esther stood frozen in place, her face red with embarrassment and rage. For the first time, someone had stood up to her. And it had been Nelly—the girl she thought she could break.

Nelly’s heart pounded in her chest as she walked away, her friends by her side. She had done it. She had stood up for herself, and it felt… incredible.

But as the adrenaline faded, the weight of her secret returned. She had turned invisible without meaning to. Her powers were growing, but she still didn’t understand them. And the competition… her mother had said it would be her test.

She would need to be stronger than ever if she wanted to survive it.

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End of Chapter 9.

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