the blossoming rose

The floating rose

My mind was whirling, around me, the snow was blending in with the rest of the world and I flew forward not knowing where I was going. I was feeling for that voice and I could feel it pushing me forward but ultimately I was running blind. The wind was howling in my ears and my eyes were stinging from the bitterness of the wind. I was running blindly through the world with a name and a golden scroll are all that I own.

I had lost all strength by the time I got to a river, I say a river more like an ice-cold trickling stream. I needed food or water but if I had any knowledge of hunting before my memory disappeared that was all gone now. Scroll in hand I started marching around trying to find anything that would give me some sort of nutrience, but this forest was plunged into the bitterness of winter and the food and animals had all made there retreat. A small tug inside of me seemed to be urging me toward the water, urging me to drink. So I did. My mouth went numb immediately and my eyes started to water due to the sting of the cold that went down my throat, But it helped immensely and the tightness in my body was starting to ease.

I started to walk off but through the trees, a man was standing between two towering pine trees. He was just staring at me his eyes a piercing blue that I felt could look right into my soul and see how totally and utterly vulnerable I am. He looked tall with a very muscular build standing in almost a casual defensive position. His eyes started to dart from side to side then, he ran.

I don't know what was running through my head but I had to follow him. He looked like me, a human, and since my stupid brain didn't know the difference between real life and fantasy I had no idea what could be lurking in the woods, so my tactic I guess, is clinging to what I find. I had found something, a man, and I need to follow him so I'm running. I leave that freezing stream behind and follow the imprints in the snow. Though hunger is driving me mad I find myself to be strangely strong like lack of food is something that I could just brush off. Abruptly and completely out of the blue That strange man steps out of the trees directly into my path. I quickly stop myself before I crash into the mysterious stranger. Just as I'm about to ask him his name, or where he came from he spoke,

"Hello, lilac." His voice was deep and rough like he had been screaming. "Are you hurt." I'm so confused who is this man and how does he know me. All of a sudden I notice that he has kept his hands behind his back, and something in my brain told me he was hiding something from me. He smirked as he followed my gaze. He removed his hands and he was holding a rose, wait how do I know that! My thoughts were cut off as I noticed the fact that he wasn't holding it more like it was floating just above his palms. Magic! I needed to speak too much was going on in my head.

"Who are you" My voice surprised me it was firm but seems light and calming at the same time.

"My name is Azlidan Darthorn but please call me Az."

"Okay, Az, why are you holding a rose." His smile from before widened and somehow it put me at ease.

"You will be confused Lilac, We understand but you have to trust me." My mind is in a flurry again, who is this "we" and trust him! He came out of the forest and now is handing me a floating rose. "Please." Az handed me the rose "You will understand lilac but please let me help you." The desperation in his eyes told me he told the truth but also that if I said no he would leave me alone.

"Alright." I took the rose from his hands and that same blue light from earlier erupted but this time it was coming from me, my skin was now snow-white and adorned with swirls of blue that seemed to be moving in my skin like waves. I went to put the rose down when I noticed my hair, it looked like the night sky itself with blues and blacks and swirls of purple dotted with white. This is impossible! "What is happening" He just stared at me something like awe in his piercing eyes. Suddenly he took the rose from me and everything went back to normal. "what just-"

He put his hand on my mouth and a finger to his lips gesturing me to be quiet. I started to move in protest, I didn't understand, then I heard it A rustling, it sounded far away but getting louder by the second.

"Let me make one thing clear, I am not the only one who is has been looking for you, other creatures with bad intentions sense your presence so please you must trust me and no one else, can you do that, all your questions will be answered." Az's voice did not waver as he spoke, I nodded my head with as much confidence as possible and without warning, we ran.