The Silent Blossom

One of the moments that would stay with Zan for the rest of his life... was the moment his eyes first fell upon her.

Every detail was still engraved in his memory, as if his subconscious had somehow realized then that this was one of those encounters after which a person's life turns upside down completely.

That day, Zan had been rushing through crowds of vendors and shoppers in the poor markets, running... crashing into a street musician singing for his livelihood, barely avoiding collision with an elderly vendor's cart, who hurled a curse after him that would have surprised him to hear from a woman under other circumstances!

The four who were chasing him didn't bother cutting their way through the crowd like he did. People immediately parted after one glance at their imposing appearance, noticing the quality of their luxurious clothes or the overwhelming anger on their features.

With a cat's agility and without slowing his sprint, Zan leaped up, scaling the stone wall that separated the city of Aslbinia from the surrounding forest. He landed smoothly on the other side before resuming his run across a rising hill.

The colors of sunset had painted the sky, and on the horizon, the blue Bolau trees swayed with the wind like dancing waves beneath the golden lights of the departing sun.

Zan stopped beneath a massive tree, letting his body lean against its trunk while he caught his breath.

"Where did the bastard go?"

"There!"

The last shout was very close, but he didn't hide or resume running. Instead, he simply stood firm, staring at the approaching group with their violent expressions.

Contrary to their constant opinion or belief, Zan wasn't afraid of them! He hadn't been running from them moments ago, he'd been leading them away from the homes and shops of the city's poor quarter. The deprived people there, people like him, suffered enough already. He didn't want to risk causing destruction to that miserable area during a power-flexing display his pursuers might stage!

As soon as the four drew close enough, one of them shouted: "Got you!"

A wolfish grin spread across his face, and with a gesture from his hand, the pale trunks of the Bolau trees extended, wrapping around Zan's feet and legs to pin them to the ground!

"Stay put like that... I'll make you pay for making us chase you all this way!"

Zan didn't tense or try to fight his restraints. He raised his head slowly and gave the four a look of pure hatred.

The tallest stepped forward, approaching him while speaking in a tone dripping with mockery: "Ah, my foolish cousin! Don't you ever learn? How many times must we teach you the same lesson?!"

"His mind is slow to grasp, Kal... If you want him to understand, you need to carve a stronger impression of the consequences into his head!"

Kal smiled at his friend, saying without his eyes leaving Zan's: "You think so? He's an Outcast... he's not allowed to set foot in our territory... where's the difficulty in grasping thi…"

His sentence was cut off by a strong, unexpected punch to his face. Just as Zan had intended, it wiped the arrogance and mockery from his features, replacing them with shock and pain!

Kal's companion quickly waved his hand in panic, causing more roots to extend, binding Zan's wrists and arms this time, securing him tightly and correcting his previous mistake.

Zan's muscles tensed and contracted, preparing for the usual dose of pain as soon as he met the harsh glint in his cousin's dark eyes.

Kal wiped the blood from his mouth with a scowl, then his hand suddenly shot out, violently grabbing Zan's hair, the same brown color as his own, until their faces were only inches apart.

They shared a strong resemblance in their facial features. Anyone seeing them now would mistake them for brothers, if not for those superficial differences in dress and the hidden differences regarding possession of powers. Those specific differences had placed an entire world between them!

Zan's amber eyes were fiery and stern in their gaze, even with the upper hand now belonging to Kal, who whispered threateningly with ferocity: "You'll regret this, you with the tainted blood!"

Meeting the wicked, triumphant smile whose meaning he knew all too well, Zan promised himself he wouldn't scream or groan, wouldn't show any weakness...

But that promise... was something difficult to keep.

Later, as his aching body swayed between consciousness and unconsciousness, Zan wondered if breaking the unspoken law by crossing the boundary between the Exemplars' and Outcasts' sides of the city to visit his parents' grave was worth enduring this hardship!

Zan had never been a delusional person, so he understood well that his parents had passed on, and that his previous life had ended with their deaths.

It wasn't his fault that his Outcast mother had passed on to him her blood devoid of any excellence, any powers or special abilities. Even with his father being one of the most formidable Exemplars, his half marked by weakness remained dominant, which caused his exile from the home where he'd grown up to where his fellow Outcasts dwelt!

Years had passed now. During them, Zan had learned to harden his heart, to care about no one, and to let no one get close to him. He remained immersed in an icy mold of coldness, hardened solid as rock!

Lying on the grassy forest floor, the full moon seemed to him like a lily floating in a black pond, and he found the sounds of night insects and the rustling of the blue tree branches soothing.

A sweet, musical laugh suddenly reached his ears, alerting his relaxed senses. He thought for a moment he'd imagined it... until he heard it ring out again, clearer this time, followed by the sounds of forest spirits he couldn't mistake!

Zan turned his head toward the sound. He didn't try to get up, he knew from previous experience that the effects of Kal's shocks on his body would continue for at least another hour.

Lying on the forest floor, unable to move... there he saw her for the first time!

The pale moonlight was filtering through the trees, allowing him to see her clearly.

Brightly colored forest spirits swam around her in joy and merriment greater than usual. She was a young woman, close to his age or slightly younger. She moved toward him with graceful, cheerful steps, her thick silver hair flowing freely over her shoulders, appearing under the moonlight like a halo of light surrounding her warm face.

He recognized the moment she saw him from the way her blue eyes widened and she suddenly stopped walking, her body tensing with some fear.

He noticed her eyes were pure and innocent, their serenity undisturbed by the violent life that had corrupted him. More than that, they were warm and kind!

He didn't want to spoil that look or turn it into something harsh and bitter like himself!

Perhaps his dark thoughts had reflected on his face, because the girl suddenly seemed startled, affected by them!

One of the forest spirits, pink-skinned and pointed-eared, spoke in its bell-like voice as if answering an unasked question: "Not just full of hatred... he's violent too!"

Zan flinched at the statement despite knowing its truth. He didn't speak, and his gaze didn't move from the girl's eyes either.

He was aware of the amount of hatred and loathing buried in his depths, and of the darkness coloring his life, so the statement didn't surprise him.

Forest spirits were creatures sensitive to all kinds of emotions, particularly averse to the negative type.

A faint question crossed his mind, accompanying this information, what kind of emotions emanated from the girl for the spirits to gather around her this way?!

Strange tension appeared in the girl's expressive eyes. After that, she turned away, leaving the place hurriedly, fleeing from him as if he were something frightening that might hurt her, with the bright, colorful spirits accompanying her as if guarding her.

Zan hadn't completely forgotten about that girl when he saw her again a week later in the same spot.

Perhaps he would have been surprised to see someone else besides himself seeking the forest's tranquility at this time of day, preferring its solitude to people's company... except that his sense of surprise was overshadowed by another, stronger feeling at that moment, curiosity!

He'd been sitting on a high branch above one of the trees when he spotted her wandering, accompanied by forest spirits, just like last time.

The only difference was that she now appeared to him under daylight more real, more human, not that sublime, luminous being he'd imagined that night!

He noticed her steps lacked joy despite their grace. He didn't think she'd notice him, her head was lowered and her shoulders hunched. She seemed sad to him... in pain!

Like that night, she wasn't speaking, but the spirits addressed her nonetheless:

"It's not a bad thing that you have no happy memories of him... that makes his departure easier."

"Maybe he was your only family, but he didn't care."

"How can it be a duty to love someone who doesn't love you?!"

"You haven't seen him in years, and you probably wouldn't have seen him again, what difference does his death make?!"

At the last statement, Zan saw her raise her gaze to look at the beautiful red spirit who'd spoken the sentence with displeasure.

But her displeasure wasn't deep or harsh. She seemed gentle in her anger, delicate just like the small, beautiful spirit who bared its teeth charmingly.

Its two-foot form floated before her, glowing, as it spoke: "Yes, we're friendly creatures, Silent Blossom... but we're your friends, and we don't want you sad over someone who doesn't deserve it!"

With utter bewilderment, Zan watched her touch the spirit's hand and smile sadly, a smile the spirit returned.

The girl tilted her head to the side and looked at the spirit silently for moments, then let out a sigh. The small spirit nodded in agreement: "Separation is difficult only at first... but it will become easier with time."

Zan followed her with his gaze as she moved away until she disappeared from his view.

The entire scene seemed extremely strange to him, as if a complete conversation had taken place between the girl and the spirits even though she hadn't uttered a word!

Her mystery and strangeness occupied his thoughts... and he found himself jumping down from the tree after a while, launching after her with hesitation and a curiosity he'd never known in himself before.

Zan watched her.

He watched her for a long time, days slipping by without him noticing.

She always moved on a wave of radiance, her feet carrying her through the city's paths, contemplating the dry trees longing for spring, running her hand over their harsh trunks.

There was an invisible sap flowing in her depths, carrying life and hope!

Her smile to passersby would slip between the folds of despair and misery like drops of rain no one could stop, no body could refuse to absorb!

Despite this, she never spoke. He never saw her except silent!

People who knew her would address her, and she'd smile at them. Her conversation partner would be satisfied and pleased with this one-sided dialogue despite the silence!

He'd approach close enough to catch a glimpse of her without disturbing her or alerting her to his presence. Her face, framed by her soft silver hair, always invited him to contemplate her up close.

She raised her eyes from the fruit she'd been selecting when the vendor addressed her.

The fruit that had received the attention of her bright blue eyes...

A sudden feeling of regret struck him. Had he really come to wish he could receive such a look?!

She handed the vendor a piece of fruit, which the man took from her, then proceeded to fulfill a request she hadn't spoken, just as Zan had seen other vendors do without surprise.

His confusion was still at its peak despite what he'd learned from watching her. Was it possible she didn't need to speak for others to understand her?!

But... to possess such an ability, she'd have to be one of the Exemplars, not living among the Outcasts!

He watched her receive the basket of fruit and leave, so he walked after her, following.

He felt like a small child following the moon, chasing it from one balcony to another, thinking the moon was walking with him and that he'd eventually catch it with his hands!

She ascended the back steps of one of the old, cracked houses, climbing high as if proving to him she was like the moon, distant and impossible to fathom!

She turned when she reached the top of the stairs and stopped to look down at the square where the vendors and passersby were. Her eyes swam among the crowds for moments with a dreamy expression, as if drawing thought or inspiration!

Then she moved to enter the house slowly and disappeared from his sight.

Standing at the street corner, Zan sighed, throwing his head back and lowering his eyelids. He wondered how mad he'd become in the past two days for all his daytime hours to revolve around one girl... a silent one.

One of the hardest days he'd been through was a day he wouldn't wish to change despite anything, because it contained her presence in an exceptional way.

He'd been walking near the city's massive wall, far from the area's residents as usual.

The mysterious girl had headed to the forest, so he didn't allow himself to follow her this time.

Feeling the foolishness of the interest forming inside him toward her, he'd decided to ignore her completely, stubbornly resisting thoughts that kept slipping to her against his will!

Zan had always believed his cousin Kal was the worst of his group. He'd had that obvious conclusion that the others wouldn't have bothered with him, that they were just going along with his cousin's unjustified hatred and general contempt they all shared toward every Outcast!

But he realized afterward, with blind anger, that this belief was completely wrong.

Worse even than his cousin Kal were the three Exemplar youths as they glowed with delight at having him alone today!

Every time they tried to mistreat him, Zan had been accustomed to responding with a sharp verbal comment. And the more he showed them how solid he was, the more determined they became to break him!

What had started as simple revenge for being a bold Outcast had become extremely serious—they took it personally!

Sarcastic, mocking comments celebrating his weak position reached his ears in a hazy way.

Zan wondered if he'd suddenly lost his sense of his surroundings?! They'd never ambushed him or caught him off guard in any of their previous confrontations!

He wanted to scold himself for his stupidity. His foolish infatuation with the strange girl had distracted him and was the reason for his current predicament, embroiled in another unequal fight... if receiving blows without delivering them could be called a fight!

Zan furrowed his brows and kept his face expression harsh, devoid of any weakness as usual. Their looks told him it would be harder than usual this time!

One of the three, a dark-skinned, thin-faced youth whose name Zan had never bothered to learn, began showing off his fire powers threateningly!

The flames roared when a strong air current blew. Zan retreated backward, shielding his face with his arms from the fire.

Through the wall of flame, a human shape pounced on him, the other youth, and slammed him against the wall. He shook from the force of the impact!

They were no longer mocking or provoking him now. With complete seriousness, the youth directed a punch that crushed his left cheekbone, hit him with his knee in the stomach. Zan bent from the intensity of the pain, only to be met with another punch to his face.

Zan spat blood and managed to dodge another punch, staggering.

He retreated backward stumbling until his back was flush against the stone wall of the city barrier.

Very quickly, faster than his pained mind could comprehend, a massive plant trunk wrapped around his waist and yanked him from the ground forcefully to hurl him into the air.

Zan flew over the wall by some distance and fell onto a slope of eroded soil. Gravity pushed him across the slippery ground downward...

He slid on his back the last ten yards, generating a cloud of dust, then crashed into a barrier of tall grass and dark shrubs!

The shrubs and thickets were twisted and tangled, intensely green.

Some small animals scattered at his landing, and a snake slithered away through the shadows!

Zan felt his mind heavy, surrounded by a membrane of pain. He realized somehow that he was in the forest, and that the only thing that prevented his attackers from following him and completing their brutality was fear of the consequences of murder.

Despite the terrible pain pulsing in every inch of his body, Zan could feel the bitterness in his throat. He felt it chewing his insides.

None of what he was subjected to was fair. There was no justification for it.

And that was the reason for the constant anger growing in his depths, growing, writhing, becoming something dark and frightening over time!

Somewhere in the corners of his mind, Zan knew he'd reached the edge of his coherence, and that with one more poke he'd lose himself to that deep, dark feeling.

Zan heard light footsteps approaching over the carpet of damp leaves... then he sank into darkness.

Lavender trembled at the sight of the frightening scene before her. She'd never been able to bear violence or cruelty!

She'd watched the young man thrown over the city wall and land violently on the forest floor.

The spirits hovered around her with rare clamor while she remained frozen in place, eyes wide, her trembling hand clenched before her chest in shock.

The young man seemed familiar to her, so she found herself approaching a bit to look at him closely.

His skin was pale, and the bitterness of pain was evident on his face.

He wasn't aware of her staring at him. He tried to rise on his knees and hands, his breathing quickened and he gritted his teeth to contain the pain.

A wound somewhere in his torso was bleeding, his blood flowing onto the grassy ground, staining it with a deep red that aroused her panic!

His injury was much worse than she'd thought. She felt an overwhelming desire to approach him to offer some help.

But he, before she could do anything, lost the last measure of coherence he had and fell to the ground unconscious.

She rushed to him, kneeling beside his head. She held her breath when she recognized his face, and hot tears glittered in her eyes as a violent, invisible wave of pain struck her—his pain!

His clothes were shabby, his hair disheveled from the fall, his face had lost all color—yet he remained mysteriously majestic.

It was the same young man constantly present around her!

She couldn't bear his still appearance, devoid of life. She'd grown accustomed to seeing him full of anger and strength.

She always glimpsed him with his eyebrows, a shade darker than his brown hair, knitted in concentration, his firm mouth frowning, and his fiery eyes overflowing with piercing energy!

The forest spirits cried out to her noisily, unable to approach the dark aura of pain that weighed down the air around the young man. They wanted her to move away from him... but she wouldn't leave him here and depart.

Not before she made sure he'd be alright.

She wanted to reassure him too, even if he was unconscious. She wanted to tell him she'd help him, and that everything would be okay!

She raised her hand and brought it close to the still, bleeding body. But before she could touch him, a strong hand extended to grasp her wrist.

She flinched in fright as she turned to the handsome, pale face, her eyes meeting amber eyes whose rich color she'd never seen the like of.

His voice came out harsh despite its weakness: "What do you want?"

She tried to calm her heartbeat as she focused to answer him with her thoughts: I just want to help you...

The amber gaze suddenly blurred, and the strong fingers lost their ability and fell to his side.

She felt he'd been stunned after experiencing that mysterious communication for the first time, and because she'd shared her special powers with him.

He'd experienced her ability to convey her thoughts and feelings through touch.

Lavender had learned very early how to be grateful for this gift of hers. It was as if her Exemplar powers had come as compensation for the human deficiency in her, the lack of ability to speak!

And because her thoughts could travel freely between two bodies, her sense of others' emotions was also amplified, clearly felt through the air!

The sound of his groaning suddenly rose, tearing at her heart. She flinched and touched the back of his hand again, whispering in her thoughts with compassion: Don't worry, you'll be fine... I'll take care of you!

Worry overwhelmed her throughout the three hours following his loss of consciousness again. Although she'd managed to bandage his wound and been able to give him an herbal medicine that was supposed to remove his pain, he remained unconscious.

If not for her sense of the heavy pain pervading the air gradually lessening, she would have certainly panicked, expecting the worst.

She looked intently at his face. His eyes were closed with a slight frown of pain between his brows. His hair was damp with some strands falling on his forehead. He didn't seem to her the type who knew surrender!

The aura of pain still hovered in the air though it had lessened considerably.

Lavender picked up one of his hands between her palms when there was nothing more she could do, and closed her eyes, allowing her thoughts to travel to his unconscious mind, carrying a tender lullaby.

His body tensed at first as if resisting the soothing effect of her thoughts, but he soon relaxed noticeably.

A surge of peace and warmth passed through her, followed by a group of emotions that changed too quickly to distinguish each one individually. But what truly amazed her was the clear meaning they carried, she'd truly eased his burden! The pain had receded until it was just a small prick in the background of the emotions emanating from him now!

Lavender sighed with relief and waited.

The sun had tilted toward sunset, and the light filtering through the trees had changed from its bright yellow color to a darker, more luminous golden hue.

A breeze blew, and the edges of the soft grass around them swayed with the cool, gentle air.

Zan drew a deep breath. His mind cleared suddenly, and he could feel himself lying on his side on the grassy carpet. A small, throbbing pain poked at the right side of his torso—he guessed he must have been wounded somehow.

He felt his palm warmer than the rest of his body because two soft hands were cradling it.

His eyelids fluttered several times before he could open his eyes.

The feeling of beginning is usually accompanied by the sense of ending, and the two come together.

But in that moment, only the beginning was what Zan saw clearly.

The face that met him was round, not quite oval, a small, beautiful face surrounded by blonde hair with a silver sheen.

He saw in that face's skin the same silver gleam he'd seen in the abundant hair, a silver color exactly like moonlight.

He also saw wide blue eyes, shaded by thick golden lashes. It was a face perfect for a night flower, something like a delicate translation of a flower into human form!

She smiled at him.

And Zan felt, for the first time in years, something other than hatred and resentment.

THE END