Crimson Blue Blossom

Preface:

It was three days after when her beloved heard of her fate. To marry another and never return. 

He knelt before a stump that was blossoming. “I curse this world and all it touches because of how cruel they’ve been to us,” “They will no longer know peace, joy, and knowledge,” he recited. He died from grief and the overwhelming power within after reciting this decree. 

Freya flowed crimson tears as she gripped the blossom in her hands. The roots grounded her, trapping her in. Her wails saved the world for now. 

It has been a century since then. 

The moon glistened over a navy sky as a traveler rode a horse from miles away. He came to a hill and planted a seed and returned home. He did this for four years and was very proud. Standing over him was a building. He toured the building and decided that this place would be an upheaval.

Acceptance letters scanned the land every four years, looking for scholars. The founder and its teachers lost their memory of the school or their skills. 

The year was 2020. 

Chapter 1:

  Hundreds of people gathered on Blossom Day. 

 At nightfall, a bell gonged halting what was going on before.

A man stood up with a microphone. He was also standing at a podium where a book was open in front of him. He cleaned his reading glasses and took a deep breath. “Good evening, honored guests,” 

A young woman, about age 16, had her attention in her books and daydreams. Her name is Lily. 

The beginning of the speech got Lily’s attention, so she closed her book, yet the daydreams continued. 

Her daydreams were the same thing. Her feet were slippery from the water that she was in a few minutes ago. She tugged against the blindfold and the ropes. “Hello?” she asked. 

No one answered like every other time. 

“Lily, you’re up!” her best male, Lotus, shrugged her back into her reality. 

She sighed. The same vision every day for five years with no clarity. She stood up, straightened her skirt, and walked to the stage. She found herself embarrassed as all eyes were on her. 

“Lily, welcome, do you know what you’re supposed to do?” a person who read the history before asked. 

“You mean you do not know?” she asked. 

“No,” another admitted. 

“I think we use the flowers,” she noticed them. She held one of the grey and wilted flowers and stroked its pedals. “My poor dear, you’ve been through a lot, haven’t you?” 

“Why are you talking to the flowers?” another asked. 

“If it has energy, it has life,” she answered. “Unless you have a better way?” she added. 

“Please continue,” a student, Ash, spoke and locked eyes on her. 

“Can I?” she looked at the adults watching her. 

“Please,” one agreed. 

“Thank you,” she curtsied. 

“Come on little one,” she continued to stroke the petals. Her heart drummed and linked to the roots and smiled at its weeping energy. “Live… please,” 

The flower died and crumbled. 

“Lily,” the teachers looked around. 

Dark shadows grinned and danced after years of containment. However, light beams of purity came in to start a battle. 

Ash caught her as she fell backward off the stage and into his arms. 

“You can rest now,” he said. “She needs help,” 

A person who was on the stage swung into action. “I can help,” she remembered. 

“How?” Lotus asked. 

“I am a healer and a nurse,” she remembered. 

“Follow me,” she said. 

“Where are we going?” Lotus asked. 

“The infirmary,” she said. 

“Can I visit her?” Lotus asked. 

“As soon as she gets well and I inform her family,” she answered. 

“Very well,” Lotus understood. 

“Move it!” she led the way. 

The nurse and the boy hurried down through a door and a short hallway and then another door. 

The infirmary looked like no one hadn’t been there in a long time with outdated supplies; the wallpaper was not fashionable and the beds were on their last legs.  

“Lay her on the bed,” she instructed. 

“She’ll fall on the floor and she’s already out cold,” he hesitated. 

“Trust me she won’t,” she assured him. 

“OK,” he laid her down 

The sun was blazing and Lady Freya was proud yet concerned. 

A burst of light collided until Lily was looking at Freya. “Who are you?” 

“My name is Freya,” Freya smiled. 

. Are you the protector of females in the kingdom and the one who?-,”

“The one and only,” Freya nodded. 

“You’re my hero, I don’t know how to thank you,” Lily hugged her. 

“It’s what I was supposed to do,” Freya shrugged. 

“But why am I here?” Lily asked. 

“Walk with me,” Freya beckoned. 

“OK,” Lily obeyed. 

The nurse stripped Lily and placed a blanket over her. “Maybe you just need to rest. All I’ve done hasn’t worked,” 

The classes were to begin right after the ceremony and feasts. With an accident like this, the staff suggested the classes would not start until they had more of a game plan. There was also an option to go home and never return. A lot of students left and decided not to return, but who could blame them? 

After that decision, there were only 8 students left: Lotus, Lily, Ash, and five more. 

The door to the infirmary opened. 

Lotus walked in. “How’s she doing?” 

The nurse looked up. “No progress,” 

“Can I try something?” he asked. 

“Be my guest,” the nurse said. 

He placed headphones on her and placed Lily’s phone in her hands. “I heard that maybe music could help,” 

The door opened once again and Lily’s parents and Lotus’s parents rushed in. “What the hell happened?” Lotus’ father asked. 

“Why is she unconscious and for how long has she been like this?” Lily’s mother asked. 

“I believe she has an intense power, and it overwhelmed her,” “She’ll wake up when she’s ready,” she said. 

“When she’s ready, we’re taking her now!” her father said. 

“If her spirit has left her body and you move her, she’ll linger and it’ll lengthen the process,” the nurse cautioned.

The other teachers came in with updated supplies and medical equipment. 

The nurse hooked her up to a heart monitor and oxygen. There were signs of life. 

“That’s my girl,” it relieved her mother. 

“Lotus, you’re going too,” his father prompted. 

“Leaving Lily and the best adventure I’ll ever have?” “I don’t think you know me well enough,” Lotus replied. 

“Lotus,” her father said. 

“Over my dead body,” Lotus stood her ground. 

 “You are my child,” his father sighed. 

“Yep,” Lotus said. 

“Where’s Ash?” the nurse asked. 

“He’s my roommate and when I left he was sleeping,” Lotus said. “Why do we have roommates again?” he asked. 

“If anything were to happen, someone can get help,” the nurse explained. 

“So, if this hadn’t happened, I would’ve had my room?” he asked. 

“We considered many options, and this was the safest bet,” the nurse explained. 

“Would you reconsider if things were to get better?” he asked. 

“Too soon,” his father replied. 

They walked out to breathe. 

Ash had a battle he was losing as he tried to sleep. Flocks of crows, the arid environment cornered him, and he was drowsy. The worst part was the whispers. You are a coward and a fool. You have no gifts. Why are you in a place you don’t belong to? 

“Brave hero, are you around?” a voice asked. 

Ash stopped. He saw a man looking at him. 

The man looked like he had been through hell. He resulted from the environment and the struggle to survive. 

“You must be mistaken,” Ash answered. 

“Aren’t you Ash?” the man asked. 

“I am, but who are you?” he asked.

“My name is Odin,” he answered. 

“How do you know me?” Ash asked. 

“Well, it deals with Freya and the girl you saved,” he answered. 

“Way to be vague,” Ash rolled her eyes. 

“You have it backward,” Odin said before he woke Ash up. 

Freya and Lily were petting animals. 

“As much as I love the scenery, meeting you, and petting these animals; why am I here?” Lily asked. 

“You are part of a group that is my descendants,” Freya explained. 

“Really?” Lily asked. “Who are the others?” Lily asked. 

“That’s why you’re here, I need your help to find them,” Freya continued to explain. 

“How will I find them?” Lily asked. 

Freya placed a necklace on Lily. “Guard this with your life, also this would help you find them,” Freya said. “It’s time for you to go back now and please discuss nothing with anyone,” Freya kissed her forehead. 

Lily opened her eyes. “What the hell happened?” 

Lotus smiled. “It was a Blossom Day to remember,” 

“How long have I been here?” she asked. 

“A few hours,” Lotus said. 

The nurse came in. “Thank you Apollo for your protection over this child,” “Are you hungry?” 

“Protection?” “What is going on?” she asked. 

“Get comfortable and eat,” he replied. 

Lotus explained everything. “So, that’s what happened,” 

“So, I have an intense power that caused a light show and hysteria?” she summarized. 

“Yes,” he said. 

“Wait, how did I get here?” she said. 

“I’ve never someone sweep someone else in their arms so quickly and he never dropped you once,” the nurse smiled. 

“Oh…” she flushed. 

“So, did you see anything interesting; there’s plenty of research that says that,” he asked 

“No,” she lied.

“I’m just glad you’re OK,” he smiled. 

The door opened. “Can I come in?” Ash asked. 

“Yes, she’s awake,” the nurse said. 

“Hi, I’m Ash, its nice to meet you and to see that you’re OK,” he smiled. 

“Hi, I’m Lily; I wanted to thank you for being so caring towards me without knowing me so well,” she sat up. 

“You’re welcome, Lily,” he smiled. “Are you staying?” he asked. 

“Of course I am, are you guys staying?” she asked. 

“Yes,” he said. 

“I’m staying,” Lotus chimed in. 

“Are you guys afraid?” she asked. 

“Terrified out of my mind, but I would always wonder what if I had stayed?” Lotus responded. 

“I have to stay,” Ash responded. 

“You have to?” the nurse noticed. 

“Yes,” Ash responded. 

“Why?” she asked. 

“I wish I could explain more, but for now I can’t,” Ash sighed. 

“K,” Lotus said. 

“My parents nagged me to death about going home,” Lotus said. 

“I bet, but I knew you stood your ground,” she said. 

“I did,” Lotus said. 

“I wished my parents would nag me to come home,” Ash sighed. “Ever since they found out that I don’t have any magic, they disowned me,”  

“I think you don’t have to have powers to be powerful,” Lotus stated. 

“Says the person who caused a spectacle,” Ash responded. 

“That’s fair, I wished I didn’t have them or at least something more epic; what kind of power is talking to plants?” she rolled her eyes. “Did I at least save the plants?” she looked around. 

“You bloomed them all,” the nurse smiled. 

She smiled, 

The door opened again, and she saw her parents' relieved faces. 

“Do you want to stay?” her mother asked. 

“I do,” she smiled. 

“Then please be safer,” her father hugged her. 

She sighed. I will try, but I can’t promise that. 

Chapter 2: 

Lily went to her room after she regained her strength an hour later. She knocked after struggling to open the heavy door, she walked inside and scanned the room. “There’s no way this princess-like room is just for me,” Lily sat on the bed closest to the door. 

A door opened and another student stepped out. She was dressed in a robe and looked like she had just taken a shower. “Oh, you must be Lily,” 

“I am, how did you know that?” Lily started to unpack. “Do you mind if I take this one?” 

“There was another ceremony where we pulled a ribbon; it revealed the name of our roommates,” “We had to prick our fingers and the blood was infused with the magic of the ribbons and whoever matched ours was our roommate,” she explained. 

“But…” Lily said. 

“This is your ribbon, and your journal, I thought that you may like it,” she handed it over. The ribbon was in the journal and had her name calligraphed on it. “My name is Lavender, by the way,” 

“Thank you for the gift and I like your name,” Lily sat on her bed. 

“Thanks, my Mom worked with plants and in a greenhouse all throughout her pregnancy; she told me that she was addicted to lavender when she was carrying me,” Lavender chuckled.

"That's lovely," Lily smiled.

"So, you're the descendant of Freya; do you know what that means?" Lavender asked.

Lily was awestruck and frozen. "It means that the tree has to stay put or we are in big trouble," Lily realized.

"Who is the descendant of her beloved?" Lavender wondered.

"All that matters is that Odin's descendant is here, and he needs to be stopped," Lily spoke.