Plumeria bouquet

Before facing two giant snakes, saving Milerion from what seemed almost certain death, going through some portals, skillfully defeating a golem and a moving suit of armor by myself and narrowly escaping the crumbling tower.
Before all of that, while still trapped in what at the time seemed as an illusion, my mind wandered off to a memory of my past.
 
It never really bothered me how different I seemed to other kids growing up.
Diene kept me pretty discreet to outsiders at the Cathedral and clergy thought I was just some orphan she had taken under her tutelage ordained by the goddess, she kept my origins and some details secret. She said I would accomplish great things so naturally many could look to harm me if word got out of my existence.
And so I mostly kept to myself, confined to the Cathedral and its walls for most of my childhood. I was able to interact with other kids whose parents would bring to pray at the temple, I was careful not to talk too much and they would find odd how devoted I was to the goddess as such young age, some would wonder about my parents, I would always tell them I didn’t remember them, and in some way, it was true.
I was just a baby when they found me, and I’m almost certain they perished 10 years ago during the tragedy at Neelam.
They were nice folks but never really understood the nature of my powers even if they were faithful people. They were afraid of my magic, so they wouldn’t allow me to use it. I would do so in secret, when I was around 7 I would sneak out at night and go into the forest and spend hours trying to cast spells, of course at the time I didn’t really know many.
One night while I was summoning flame-like radiance from the heavens trying to hit a target I had placed on a big rock, I heard a voice call out to me, at first I thought it was the goddess, my mother, as she had done so many times before, specially in my dreams, she would come to me and we would talk, sometimes her words were cryptic and some very clear. But it wasn’t The Radiant one, it was a different kinda voice.
A young woman, very beautiful, had been watching. She approached me and said: “you have potential, you hold a very special sort of magic inside you young one. As she walked towards me - It’s dangerous to be alone at night, specially for a child”
“I’m practicing, my parents don’t like me using magic, so I have to do it at night while they sleep” - I replied
“I know they aren’t your real parents and I know why they don’t understand, she has also come to me in dreams” - The woman said as she placed a hand on my shoulder.
With those words, I knew what she meant and who had sent her, our meeting was foretold.
“My mother sent you, who are you?” - I asked
“My name is Diene Tally, Radiant High Magus at the Cathedral of Light, I was sent by the Golden Goddess Diche” - she said proudly, as she started glowing with a golden light.
“I was sent here to meet you, Lucens Dawn touched, this has been foreseen”
“Diche thanks you” - I said as I extended my hand holding some golden light.
“And I thank Diche” -She replied as she did the same
This is how I came to meet Diene, and how she had become my tutor and mentor, we would meet in secret and she would train and teach me.
 
It was around this time Mohun Gazdar took me in and I joined the Academy of Magic at the castle in Neelam. Then the tragedy took place, and I left the island with Diene, headed to the Cathedral of Light
 
And so the years passed, as I grew up in the safety and comfort of the Cathedral, so did my curiosity to see the outside world. Like an old habit, I would also sneak out at night, most of them to the forbidden section of the Library. Diene favored practical training but I knew I could also gather valuable knowledge from the pages of the countless books I read.
On rare occasions I would dare venture outside of the Cathedral, it was a hard feat to pull off but I managed to succeed without being caught, although I always wondered if Diene knew and she just allowed me to go anyway, in any case, I sometimes went down to the lake next to the Cathedral. It was peaceful and beautiful, the reflection of the moon over the water was mesmerizing, but most nights when I was feeling extra adventurous I would go as far as a city nearby called Thalisius-Flora, known for growing some beautiful flowers in fields surrounding the city and making stunning bouquets and arrangements out of them. It was a way to see how the world outside the Cathedral was. Thalisius-Flora was a lively city, people would gather at night in taverns and down the streets, I would see all sort of different people, of all sorts of races and backgrounds, they would share drinks and food as some others would sing and dance, the streets decorated with the flowers they so proudly grew, unique to the region. I longed somewhat to join their night of fun and frivolity, if even for one night. I was too worried it would be dangerous to do so at the time, so I didn’t. Diene would always tell me to be careful.

Except one night, as I tried moving discreetly around the city trying to spectate the festivities, I got distracted by a delightful flower arrangement hanging from a window, a sweet scent emanated from it, I approached to take a closer look.
I heard a voice say to me - “They’re called Plumerias, these ones are of the royal pink kind”
The voice startled me, I had made a huge mistake, my number one rule was to never be caught by anyone, and my number two rule was to never talk to anyone.
I pulled my hood even lower over my head and turned away to leave, but a hand grabbed my arm lightly, my heart started racing, Diene will be very mad at me if I get in trouble, even extra mad when she realizes I’ve been sneaking out.
“Wait” - the voice said hurriedly
I turn my head and see a young man holding my arm, he’s around my age, maybe a year or two older but I can’t be sure. Taller than me, brawny, with shaggy blond hair and blue eyes, but not as blue and beautiful as mine. He's wearing common folk clothes and looks at me interrogatively.
“I need to go” - I tell him, fearing I have been caught or may be in some kinda trouble.
“You’re not from around here are you? What’s your name?” - he asks
“You don’t need to know that” - I say as I try to pull my arm free
He lets go and as I turn to leave runs past me and stands in my way.
“Now where are your manners, I’ve asked you a question” - he claimed
I tell him something in celestial, pretending I don’t speak common, trying to get rid of him.
“You speak celestial? Interesting, not many folk know the language of the gods, you must be part of that shiny temple near the city” - he says
“Shiny temple? You mean The Cathedral of Light, show some respect! And how do you know what celestial sounds like?” - I say before realizing I have given away way too much already.
“So you do come from the shiny temple then? And sounds like you speak common alright, why so evasive? Did you run away?” - he says with a slight smirk on his face
Run away? funny, at the time that would have never crossed my mind. I didn’t realize I would have to do so to keep a promise I made to Amellys and the others back at Neelam all those years ago.
“What’s with all the questions? Are you a guard or something? I have to go” I say as I walk past him.
He once again runs past me and stands in front of me, holding his arms in front of him asking me to stop
“Hold on, a guard? No way, one day I will become a great paladin” - he says proudly
“A paladin? Who are you faithful to?, paladins normally serve in the name of a god” - I say intrigued
“To whatever god needs me” - he says nonchalantly.
I scoff - “An unfaithful paladin? Ridiculous” - I say unamused
“What god are you faithful to then?” - he asks with what seemed genuine intrigue
I stop, hesitate for a bit but I would never deny my faith so I respond - “Diche, of course”
“So you DO! come from the shiny temple after all, how is it in there? It looks like a huge castle” he asks me excitedly
I’ve said too much, I need to leave but this is the first time I’ve talked to common folk so a part of me wants to keep talking to him. A long pause ensues as I stand unsure on what to do.
“My name is Tholor” - he says to break the silence as he reaches a hand in front of me
I look at the hand for a second “My name is Lucens” -I reply as I take his hand which is a bit callous but still soft and warm.
“Mind taking off your hood?” - he asks
I look around to make sure there’s no one else watching us and I, slowly lower my hood and reveal my face to Tholor
He looks at me clearly mesmerized by my beauty and our eyes finally meet
“So what brings you to Thalisius-Flora Lucens from the shiny temple? Is it your first time in the city?” - he asks me as I let go of his hand
I roll my eyes slightly and reply - “I don’t come often but I like to come see people celebrate, what about you?”
“I live here with my family. My parents own a farm, we grow flowers, I help my dad in the fields, we mostly grow Plumerias, like these ones” - he says as he motions to the arrangement hanging from the window
“They’re beautiful” - I say gently as I admire the plumerias
“They really are” - He says as he looks at me
He takes one and puts it over my ear, I can tell he’s blushing as he does, and I could swear I can hear his heart beat really fast.
“Thanks” - I say “smells delightful”
“Come I wanna show you something” - he says eagerly
But as we start walking off and turn a corner we witness a terrible scene, a man holding a dagger is trying to rob a couple, the thief hits the man with the hilt of the dagger and grabs the woman by the neck as he tries to snatch her jewels, but she starts screaming so the man stabs her twice in the chest and proceeds to run away.
I am stunned, how could this be? I couldn’t believe something like this could happen in such a lively and lovely city! I hear the muffled sounds of people yelling as I stand there, suddenly I come back to my senses as Tholor pulls me to the side and we tumble to the floor as the thief runs past us.
I can’t let him get away with this, in the name of the goddess I will punish him!
The thief is getting away. I feel compelled to stop him,I need to act quickly, my hands start emanating a golden glow as I let go a bolt of shiny light towards the thief that hits him right in the back making him fall face first to the ground as he lets go a scream of pain. Two armed guards come and apprehend the thief.
I turned to Tholor and saw him staring at me with both fear and shock. But before I could explain, I heard the man crying and yelling for help.
I stood up and saw him holding the woman in his arms as she bled off on the street, still alive but barely and rapidly fading.
I walked up closer to them, Diene hasn’t really taught me to use healing magic that much. I mostly train for combat, but I knew how to use it if I had to, at the time. I held the woman’s hand in between both of mine, the man asking me to please do something, as I prayed to my mother and asked her to hear my plea, a warm golden light came down upon us and enveloped us, making her wounds heal and close. She let out a big gasp as she opened her eyes, healed. She looked at me and said “Thank you, thank you so much”
Suddenly I feel the man hug me tightly and with a crying voice start thanking me.
I look up and see Tholor followed me and is standing close behind me looking confused and shocked. I’m afraid he will just be scared of me now, as so many people had been in the past. I stand up and let the couple reunite as they start kissing each other.
Some guards start to gather and curious people start to peek around to see what is going on. Tholor took a step back as I stood and faced him and then another.
The woman still lying on the floor, in the arms of the man asks me - “What’s your name? You saved me”
I’m overwhelmed, Diene can’t know about this! What would she think?
I stuttered “I’m- I- I need to go”
I start running away hearing people asking me to wait
I turn a corner and I feel someone grab my arm, I stop
“Wait! Stop, please!” - Tholor’s voice called out as he grabbed my arm
I’m somewhat relieved, so I asked him - “Aren’t you afraid of me?”
“Afraid? N-No! Of course not! You saved that woman! You stopped the thief! You can’t just leave like that” - he said confused
“I can’t stay Tholor, I need to go, If she finds out I'm here…” - I told him nervously
“She? Who is she? Just wait please” - he insisted
I turn and look him in the eyes, a look I hope I will never forget.
“It was enchanting to meet you Tholor” - I said softly
“Will I ever see you again?” - He asked somewhat sadly
He ran his hand down my arm from where he grabbed me and to my hand, and we held them.
I giggled “Have some faith that we will” - I said as I winked at him
He chuckled “Enchanted to meet you Lucens”
I make some sparks shine around us before I let go of his hand as he looks in awe and I run away, looking back one more time to Tholor of Thalisius-Flora who grows Plumerias with his family, as he stands and watches me leave.
 
I was wonderstruck making my way back to the Cathedral, as I was leaving too soon.
 
The next morning, as we were doing our afternoon training,
Diene said to me - “Word has come from a city close to the Cathedral, there was a commotion last night” .
“What happened?” - I asked eagerly. Hoping is not what I think it is
“There was an attempt of theft that went awry, a woman got stabbed and almost died” - Diene said casually
“By the goddess that sounds horrible” I said pretending to be shocked, nervously, had I been caught?
“Indeed, but by Her Grace there was someone, a user of magic, divine even, common folk are saying, who stopped the thief and saved the woman, praised be the Radiant one” - Diene said looking firmly at me
“Truly outstanding, I’m glad everything is ok then! People must be relieved” - I said somewhat proud of myself hoping Diene didn’t think it was me
“The thief died on the spot, somewhat recklessly but seems like justice was quickly served” - She said still looking firmly at me, expressionless
I remain silent, I had no idea the thief had died, I think she knows the truth
“Maybe they didn’t mean to kill the thief” - I finally dared to say
“Would you? Have you had the chance?” - She asked me raising her voice with a tone of authority
“To what lengths would you go to impart justice? Would you become Jury and executioner? What gives you the right?” - her words resonated
“If I could make a difference, if I could defend those who can’t defend themselves, then…” - I say calmly
“Then what?” - She asked me sternly raising an eyebrow
I remained silent
“You will be faced with many hard choices, Lucens, you must remain steadfast in your faith, it will always guide you. You still have a lot to learn” - she said in a more calm manner
“The goddess wills it so” - I replied
“Thalisius-Flora’s authorities wanted to know if the Cathedral had a hand in last night's events, so naturally I assured them it didn’t” - Diene assumed a more casual tone
“They wished to talk to the person responsible and hoped it had been one of our clergy given the nature of the magic the witnesses described. I put their suspicions to rest and reassured them it wasn’t linked to us. I’m sure that’s the case, I can’t think of who could have been? so I quickly dismissed them” - she continued with a tone of indifference.
“Besides, we aren’t the only ones that use divine magic are we?” - I said jokingly
“It isn’t common but not entirely unheard of” - She said - “Now let’s continue” - as we resumed our training session.
 
Did she really not think it was me? Or was she just pretending she didn’t to protect me? I always thought she secretly knew all along about everything.
 
Thinking back to that night, how I was able to heal that woman, I couldn’t do so now.
My powers have grown but they have become more destructive. Have I become too much of a weapon? I’m ok with that, I wanna be strong and be able to protect others!
 
I think about Tholor sometimes, I still have the Plumeria he gave me that night, among the pages of my spell book, the magic seems to keep it from withering, that was the last time I visited Thalisius-Flora, I left to come to Heera’tat soon after. I wonder if he was able to become a proud paladin, maybe even a paladin of Diche. I like to believe he did. If anything I hope he is doing well, among the Plumeria fields.