Nyssa took over the story and held his daughter's hand. "I had just finished constructing a local temple with a group that hired me,  however, due to a storm catching up to us, I got separated as we were heading to our cabins. I couldn't see anything in front of me, I slipped and injured my leg. I began to call out for help, but I felt it was all in vain since the forest was so dense and I doubted my group could hear me. But, in the darkness of that forest, I saw a light coming from the sky and I saw her. She was dressed in rose gold, her clothes covered in jeweled flowers and her face looked surprised when I looked at her. I didn't know who she was or where she came from, but I knew the moment I looked at her, I wanted to make her smile", Nyssa looked at Renata with those love-stricken eyes that never seemed to fade. 

    Renata glanced at her husband, her mouth curving upwards at those words, the smile he so wanted in full display. Even though she had smiled a hundred times before this, this one was the loveliest to him. 

    Renata continued, "When I first saw your father there, I was surprised. The way he looked at me was different than every other way I was looked at. It felt like he was genuinely curious about me, he tried to see underneath all the light and the glamour and saw me. My dear daughter, you are not completely human and not completely celestial, you are something entirely new. Just know, that whatever may come in the future, you don't have to face it alone", Renata's expression was calm, but her demeanor changed. A softness emerged from under the exterior as she saw her child smile.

     

     Renata watched Fiore finally drift into a deep sleep, she felt at ease. Since she had met Nyssa and had Fiore, she felt she had experienced more and more of what her fellow celestials had described each day. But, she felt guilty hearing him say he loved her each day and she couldn't say it back. She recalled a feeling from long ago, but she could not compare it to what she felt for Nyssa, to touch and be able to touch without reprocution was a sensation she was all too familiar with now, but not back then. Yet, she could describe to him how she felt, "I would never leave you, I feel like I am not missing anything, I would never do anything to hurt you deliberately, worry does not overtake me when I see you, when I am with you I feel seen", and with these words, he always said he felt satisfied. Yet she wanted to give him more.

     Renata looked at her husband as they both walked out of their daughter's room. She decided she wanted to open up more to him. She led him to the kitchen table and he followed, she held his hand and smiled for him trying her best to get her thoughts across, "My darling Nyssa we've been together for 17 years now, and during this time, I have never been any good at articulating my feelings, and I am sorry for that, but I want that to change. I have told you about myself than I have to any other, but I want us to go deeper if possible?". Nyssa could feel as if a heartbeat was in her hands. His eyes widened as he smiles, elated by her words as he squeezed her hands. "My dearest Renata, when I met you I had no friends, family, or a place I could call my own. You have given me a family and a place I can come back to. I knew from the very start you were not a human and that I needed to keep an open mind. But, my love, I always want to know more about you, and if you allow me, I would happily listen, and if you want to know about me, I will gladly tell you".

     Renata at that moment felt like she found her place in the world, her expressionless face melted away to show a gleam in her eyes. She smiled as she began.

     The school day was over and she played with the local children as she waited for her father to finish for the day and her mother to arrive. The children were now used to her appearance but also seemed more attached to her, but she paid it no mind. As they played, the sky above darkened, droplets of water fell and the children all looked up. Rain fell in a heap and they all heard one of the men working on the construction site yell 'get inside the building', all the children then ran to the schoolhouse laughing. They all began talking at the front doors as they waited for their parents.

     Fiore watched as the number of children dwindled, coming in and out of the schoolhouse each time an adult came. Then after an hour, she was left alone. She looked around and just saw the rain, but, through the white blanket, she saw a figure run towards her, her father. Fiore felt relief the moment she saw him smile at her and enter the school.

     "Are we not going home?", she asked, worried. He chuckled, "No darling, we have a meeting with your teacher. Your momma will be here soon too". Nyssa held his daughter's hand and led her to the classroom. Mr.Cade was already there, he had a smile on his face, yet when he only saw Nydssa and Fiore, the smile faded as they sat in front of him. 

     Mr. Cade looked at Fiore, her features becoming more familiar by the minute, an adorable visage, next to a bull of a man. "How could this thing be her father", he thought. His demeanor changed, to something more aloof, Mr. Nyssa I would prefer we wait for Ms. Renata to get here. I would hate to exclude her from this conversation he said as he shuffled through some papers. Nyssa smiled as he shook his head, "No need to wait we don't want to take more of your time. With this rain she might only get here when we are done talking. Whatever you say, I can tell my wife". 

     Cade showed slight irritation at the remark, "I just want to speak with her, it's not often the people in the village get to see her. I feel it would be quite rude to not even introduce myself when I asked to see you both". Nyssa's expression grew suspicious.

     "Mr. Cade, you met my wife when we enrolled Fiore. Also, she is not fond of crowded spaces so she walked home after she met you. And aside from that you greet Fiore when they are in the market, I know because Renata tells me".

     "Of course but this is a more formal meeting I need her to be here".

     "I'm sorry, but we are not here to discuss my wife". 

     "It's about the principle of the matter, I can't proceed like this".

     Nyssa sighed, "I have misjudged you Mr. Cade. If nothing important is going to be said, I will not keep you and I don't want my wife to walk to distance".

     Cade swiftly stood and slammed his hand on his desk, screaming. "Stop calling her that!".

     Fore gripped her father's sleeve as she buried her face. Nyssa glanced at his daughter and back to Cade, angered he stood, "It looks like we are done here. Also, Fore will not be returning tomorrow, thank you for all you've done", Nyssa carried Hore and walked towards the main hall. 

     Fiore peeked over and saw her father smiling,"Don't worry Flore, we will be moving tonight. You won't have to worry about anyone anymore", As Nyssa reassured his daughter lightning struck down and thunder erupted into the sky, Fiore felt something was amiss and looked over her father's shoulder. She slowly peeked over, gripping her father's shirt, and was met by angered eyes. 

     She screeched in her father's ear as she was forcibly yanked by the neck. Nyssa quickly turned to grab Fiore, but he was out of reach. His body then hit the floor, his airway tightening as he felt something squeezing his neck. His body slammed on the floor again, nausea going through his body. He grunted due to the pain, but he didn't have time to process it, he was being violently dragged away from the exit. 

     Kicking and clawing he tried to break the thing on his neck. He shifted his body and saw who was dragging him, "Cade! Let her go",  Nyssa's voice echoed against the walls. Cade had caccooned Fiore in vines and had thrown her over his shoulder, she tried to wiggle her way out but the vines just became tighter. 

     They arrived back at the classroom. Nyssa was left on the floor with his hands and feet bound. Fiore's caccon was sat on a chair. Cade leaned on his desk and sighed. "I tried to be civil and do this the right way, but I see my civility will not be taken into account. She has ignored me too many times and the only thing I had was a child who couldn't even save herself from a measly fall. But look at her. now, an echo of a greater being", as he yelled, mocking Fiore lightning struck again and thunder downed out all the screaming. Everything went dark then, and the room lit up again. Then a presence was felt, as if life had sprung forth out of nothing. 

     Renata appeared at the doorway. She was drenched from the rain, her scarf in her hand, her face twisted in rage as she overheard the confession escape his lips, "You threw my daughter off a cliff", her voice was soft, her head slowly turning to Cade.

     Cade could not believe his eyes, words could not describe the beautiful glamour he saw. Gray eyes, short wavy brunette hair, and olive skin without a blemish. Her statuesque figure glided towards him. He longed for her touch, a morsel of her attention, and he was able to get everything with just the push of a child. Cade felt he was in a dream, he couldn't move, his legs threatening to give out. He felt her hand cupping his cheek, his eyes rolled back, and he was in utter bliss. 

     Time felt slow as he enjoyed the moment but it quickly sped up and pain engulfed him as his head slammed into his desk" Wha- what are you doing ?! Arent you happy to see me", Cade screeched as he tried to pick himself up from the floor. His words were slurred as blood seeped out of his mouth, a tooth wobbling out. 

     Renata made a motion with her hand and the vines melted off her family. She then slithered her hands into Cade's mouth, gripping the fleshy roof, scrapping it as she dragged him out. She remembered this feeling, unbridled rage clouding her mind. She was thrilled by this familiar emotion, yet it made her feel empty. 

     She stepped out of the schoolhouse and threw him onto the ground. The trees began twisting with her anger, and the grass coiled around Cade as he was aghast at the vision around him. Chaos surrounded him as he felt the anger that she harbored. 

     Cade looked up at the Celestial to see if she could be reasoned with, but she was no longer in human form. A face blooming with petals covered in a mantel of pink smoke, a body uncharacteristically void of mass, it inched toward him, aiming for his eyes. 

      "You killed my child", the sound the celestial made pierced his ears, despair entering his mind. "Please, I'm sorry, 'didn't mean to hurt her. Please, l just wanted to be by your side. I felt so alone with these gifts. l just wanted you to see me!", Cade screamed. 

     The Celestial refused to listen and was now seconds before mutilating him, but a millimeter away, she stopped. Cade looked around and saw a tiny figure holding the Celestial. Renata looked at her daughter, tears in her eyes. "Momma, let's go home." Renata felt the earth rumble beneath her, "Please momma, let's leave it all and go home", Fiore pleaded again.

     The air settled and the forest was now calm. The aftermath looked like a hurricane. She looked around and wondered, "When did all these people get here?". Renata looked at her husband and he approached, "Darling please cover her eyes, and Fiore, I will stop after one thing". Fiore tried to fight back, but her father pleaded, "Fiore, please let your mother do this". Fiore never heard her father sound like this so she let it happen, waiting for it all to end.

      Renata turned toward Cade again and quickly stabbed his eye. He screamed as he rolled on the floor, everyone looking on. Renata then made herself heard, "This man has harmed a Celestial child, but she has chosen to forgive him. However, it is time we depart, so I leave you this tree grown from this man's eye. It will never wither as long as you do not forget what happened today". 

     Caleb and Zarvan stood front and center as they beheld a Celestial in their pure form, the power it resonated made their bodies tremble. Zarvan tried to get close, but the Celestial's gaze penetrated through him, warning him. He stood still. He then saw Fiore more her father's hand from her eyes. She almost floated towards her mother as her father followed suit. She had stopped crying, her expression flat. Her eyes shined like rainbows after a storm and he realized, she was the one he was looking for. But as the family stood by each other, they bowed at the crowd and disappeared in a field of marigolds. Nothing was left except that undying tree and the screaming man.