I burst through the door of our small cabin, grinning and feeling childish. I didn’t see my papa anywhere- it wasn’t unusual for him to be out in the back doing yard work or in the small room off to the side that was his study. I took a curious look outside in the yard- no papa. I turned back around and knocked on the study door, smiling.
“Come in,” I heard my papa’s voive from in the study- hoarse and painful. I knew something was wrong. My excitement forgotten, I creaked open the door and slowly made my way into the room.
“P-papa?” I asked, my voice trembling. “What’s wrong?”
My papa gave a cough before smiling weakly at me. “Nothing, nothing...” He sighed, shifting in his bed. “My dear, I’ve fallen ill with what the healers say is untreatable... The Shadow’s Plague. I don’t have much longer left.” He chuckled as I stared in shock at his kind eyes. My heart sped up, and I frantically began to search for any sign that this was a dream. It had to be.
“There has to be another way, Papa-“ I gasped.
“Only legends, my dear.” He gave me a sad look, as if he felt worse for me than himself. “I am sorry, but I won’t make it.”
“Well, what are the legends? I mean, it’s far-fetched, but we could always try...” My voice broke, and I held back a sob.
“I don’t know, my dear.” Papa coughed. “You just need to accept it. I love you very much, Clarisee-“
“Papa, stop,” I let the dam break and began to cry. “I’ll help you. I need to. You’ll make it, you’ll make it, I promise.”
My words were more for my comfort than his. I convinced myself that I would find a way to cure him. Everything always works out in the end... right?
To clear my head, I dashed out to the garden in our backyard, settled myself into a patch of cream and orange flowers, and began to sob.
How was I going to survive on my own? I needed him- I would be in my own since my mother left us when I was a small child. I could always look for her, but I had no recollection of her at all. I was hopelessly lost.
I took a moment to admire the flowers all around me. They were graceful and elegant, unlike me. One in particular seemed to stand out, almost seeming to glow. I reached out and gently caressed its petals, and something about it just seemed so... calm. I slowly and gently picked the flower, and the glowing seemed to grow stronger. I felt peaceful and calm as I held the flower, and yet energized at the same time. I felt great.
I put the flower down and shook my head. My paws were tingling just slightly, as if they were itching to let something go. I didn’t feel like crying anymore, as this flower had peaked my intrest. I picked it up again, but it had lost whatever glow was surrounding it and was just as calm as the other flowers around it.
Something was off about that flower. I knew it.
I came back inside after examining the flower a tiny bit longer. I felt crushed and confused- my papa was sick and dying but a mysterious flower had appeared and done- well, something. I wanted to investigate the flower further, but I couldn’t find it in me after the news. I wiped away a tear as I collapsed onto my small bed and curled up.
I lay quite still and quiet for a while, listening to the sound of the birds outside our cabin. To calm myself, I imagined a beautiful vine twisting and weaving itself around a tree. I had always done that when I was upset, and the tactic still worked. To the left of me I heard some sort of strange noise, almost like rope rubbing across the ground.
I frowned and peeked over the side of my bed. I widened my eyes- a large pumpkin vine was growing at an alarming up the side of my bed, seemingly out of the floor. I grabbed it firmly, tugging at it, but nothing happened. My heart was pounding. Did this have something to do with the flower?
I tried to stay calm as the vine continued up my bed, but I was a bit more frightened than I’d like to admit. Desperate and out of ideas, I willed it to stop growing- and to my great surprise, it did.
I gasped, looking at my paws in partial fear and partial wonder. Out of curiosity, I willed the vine to continue growing. It began to wind its way up my bed again. I stopped it and stared.
I probably sounded insane, but did the glowing flower in my garden give me powers?
I took a deep breath, trying to stop my mind from spinning. Could I control other plants too..?
I imagined a large pumpkin appearing in front of me on the ground. There was a small pop and a pumpkin was sitting right there in the floor, the way I had imagined it. My heart began to pound. Could I create anything? Could I help Papa?
My heart pounding at the possibility, I imagined a small candle on the bed next to me. I waited anxiously for the same noise, but nothing happened.
I frowned. So the best thing I could do was create and control plants. I couldn’t help papa.
I plopped back down on my bed and tried to think. Who could help papa?
What would mother have done?
Maybe... I can contact her?
I blinked and considered the idea. Mother. What was she like? I had never met her, but she could be a mage... after all, I had a feeling this whole “glowing flower” business was provoked by something else, but I didn’t have time to look into that further. Briefly I formulated a plan- it could work...? I still didn’t know the full potential of my powers- to be completely honest, this was a huge stretch, and I knew it. May as well try. My heart pounding, I used my newfound powers to hopefully contact my missing parent.
I summoned some pumpkin vines and willed them to find my mother- wherever she was, find her, and give her a message. I pictured the tendrils growing into letters- I focused on visualizing the vines as detailed as I could and prayed that it would work.
I stopped. I stood waiting in anticipation, my heart still racing.
Nothing happened.
It didn’t surprise me, to be honest. I had just discovered these powers and I thought I could find my mother. I didn’t even know if it had worked.
“I’m such an idiot,” I said to myself miserably, collapsing back on my bed.
“Why do you say that?”
I sat bolt upright. Had... had mother come?
“No, hon, not your mother. I knew her, though. Pretty well. Talented mage, she was.” A Viscet appeared in a shimmering poof of golden smoke. She didn’t look like any Viscet I had ever seen- her form was misty and she was wearing a tall hat covered in leaves.
I stared at her in shock. “Who- how-“
The viscet smirked. “The name’s Kanchana. I know what you’re thinking for several reasons-“ she trotted over to the edge of my bed. “For one, I’m the ‘magical flower’ that ‘gave you powers’. And I happen to be able to sense emotions.”
“But.. you’re a viscet-“
“Only because I choose to be, dear Clari,” She grinned. “Ooh, Clari- you mind if I call you that? No, I’m calling you Clari even if you hate it. Anyways, I’m a dyrad, hon. Nature spirit. I’m not really a viscet, I just took the form of one. They’re a nice species.”
I blinked, slowly absorbing all the information. “So.. does that mean you took the form of the flower when you... uh, gave me powers..?” I asked.
Kanchana laughed. “Yes, hon. And I didn’t give you your powers. I just woke ‘em up from a little snooze. They’ve been there your whole life, you've just never known.” She shifted a little, her smile dimming. “It was, uh, a request of your mother’s.”
I perked up at the mention of my mother. “My mother? Is she okay? And why didn’t my message work?”
“Oh gosh, hon. She uh, she’s gone. I got your message, since we were kinda magically linked.” Kanchana gave me a sad look, her previous energy forgotten. “I’m sorry.”
“Oh.” I felt my cheeks turn red. Even though I’d never known my mother, I felt a little sad at this news. It didn’t surprise me. Papa had never told my otherwise.
Papa! In the mess of meeting this strange dyrad, I’d forgotten the entire reason I’d sent the message.
“Can... can you help my papa, then? He’s... he’s sick. Bad. But if you’re a nature spirit, maybe you can help?” I asked, hopeful. Just say yes. Please..
Kanchana looked at me for a long while. “I hate to break it to you, hon, but there’s nothing I can do.” She said in a soft, sad tone.
I choked back a sob. So I wouldn’t have my papa after all. “Oh.. okay.”
Kanchana gave me a sympathetic glance. “May I.. talk to him?”
I sniffed. “Sure.” I got off my bed and led the dyrad to papa’s study. “In here.”
Kanchana entered, her form shimmering slightly. “Hello,” she said gently.
Papa glanced up. “Who is this, Clarisee?” He asked.
“I’m Kanchana... Heather may have talked about me. I’m her dyrad friend.” She gave my papa a gentle smile.
“Heather?” Papa chuckled softly. “Oh, I miss her... I’ll be with her soon.” He closed his eyes. “ It is nice to put a face to a name, Kanchana. Yes, Heather talked about you often.”
Part of me wanted to scream at Papa for never telling me about my mom, yet here he was talking about her to a complete stranger. I almost felt like an intruder on this little meeting- and it was surprising they had never met before.
The conversation between them lasted a good while, but I stayed in the doorway the whole time. My papa seemed very happy- but I could tell he was fading, slipping away as the Shadow’s plague overtook him. It wouldn’t be long now, I knew with a heavy heart.
“Clarisee, my dear, come here.” Papa gestured to me from his bed, and I made my way over to him. “I think... I think it’s time for me to go. Your mother’s friend has offered a quicker way out before the plague completely takes over... it will be easier.” He exhaled, the ghost of a smile on his face.
I could hardly bear to hear what he was saying. “Papa...” I whispered. A tear made its way down my cheek.
“I love you.” He reached out and pulled me in, and for a long moment, we shared an embrace.
Then papa turned to Kanchana and nodded.
Kanchana wiped away a tear and with a flick of her wrist, Papa faded away.
***
I sat in stunned silence, tears racing down my cheeks.
I stared put the window, my eyes still red from crying. Papa was gone.
Kanchana stood next to my bed, looking awkward. Suddenly she took a breath, blinking. “Here, hon. This was your mother's... I, uh, thought you might want it.” She took off her leafy hat and handed it to me. I accepted it with a smile, turning it over in my paws. I put it on, glancing up at it. “So... what was my mother like?” I asked, my voice still hoarse.
“Oh, man,” Kanchana smiled. “There’s a bunch about that.”
Together we sat as the dyrad told me the stories of my mother.
