Nova slammed her fists to the ground, and slowly looked up as tears streamed down her cheeks. Silky blonde strands of her hair clung to her neck, her attire soaked through. Her breaths came out uneven, the tension in her body growing tighter as the overwhelming feeling clawed at her chest to the point she was about to break down into uncontrollable sobs.
Nova's breath hitched, freezing the buildup consuming her body as a spotlight from one of the towers swung in her direction.
"Who goes there?!" Someone on a speaker called out. But when the spotlight landed on the area, it was vacant.
Nova was already moving through the jungle, wiping away her tears, redirecting her focus. The path she took led her back to the Sacred Lands. She heard Bruce calling for her, following her, but she didn't care. The lake had rejected her.
