A beautiful sunset overtook the sky, hues of orange yellows and pinks, cascading down on the semi-green plane. The snow had almost overtaken the grain field before Fiore's and Nyssa's house. Fiore sat on the porch, her head in her father's lap, her breathing heavy as he placed his hand over her forehead. "You strained yourself, you're still too young to be putting out that much power. You didn't need to get involved, my child".

     "Are you angry?".

     "Beyond angry, but, I'm glad to know my little girl is strong. Still, it won't change the fact I'm your father".

     Fiore buried his face in his knee, wanting the images she saw to go away, but when she peeked, she saw all the smiling faces who were saved. She thought about what to do next and her mind just went blank. As she blinked the tears away everyone seemed to grow taller or older. She blinked again and three years had already passed.

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     The light inside the flower bulb flickered as the water dwindled. Fiore didn't notice as she tried to keep a hold of her pen, her eyes growing heavy. Her body was teetering forward until finally, she gave out.  Her hand slid through the paper with a messy line of black ink, her hand hitting a wooden cup of water in the corner. The sound of the cup hitting the ground and the splash touching her foot jolted her awake as she frantically looked around.  Her expression grew calm as she saw her missing cup and wet foot. She sighed as she saw the ruined plans on her desk illuminated by a flickering flower. A long sigh escaped her lips as she decided to stand and fix her hair. 

     As she tied strand by strand, she felt dozens of bodies approaching. Faster and faster, slower and slower then a complete stop her and stop outside her tent. She looked alive and slowly approached, bracing her eyes for the inevitable sunlight, as she opened the flap. Before her eyes could adjust, she was met with cheers and flower petals from all the gathered villagers and her father with a homemade loaf of bread. From the elderly to the children, they all had bright smiles as they said in Unison, "Congratulations". All the clapping and cheering threw her in disarray and then realized, it was her 14th birthday.

      All the villagers came to celebrate with the children in tow. Their little hands grabbed at her dress, tugging at her trying to give her flower crowns or handmade gifts. She smiled as she carried the smaller children, her face beaming to the masses, enchanting them even further. 

     The crowd clapped once more and slowly disbanded to do their duties, waving goodbye. Nyssa then approached and hugged his daughter, whispering in her ear, " I think it's time for a rest come on I'll take you back to the house. Fiore held on to her father and nodded. She then took a deep breath and stood tall, masking her fatigue. She made her way through the village, passing new little cabins and huts. She counted more than a thousand people now and she predicted a growth in the next few months. If anyone wanted to settle on her land asking for refuge, she never refused, only under the promise of civility. 

     On her walk, she waved hello to the villagers, but in her mind, all she could think of was expanding as much as possible, but also creating a barrier for the surrounding areas. She was also thinking of moving her home closer to her mother's grave sight since she felt more movement there the last couple of days, yet that would mean moving the entire village as well.  At times like these, she wanted the power her mother had, being able to move mounds with ease, however, her body could not take such strain yet. Her mind raced with thought after thought, but all of that was placed at a stand as she reached home.

     How long had it been since she saw that stained wood porch, the potted plants waving hello, and that door she forgot to fix three years ago. She made her way to her bedroom and within seconds melted into the bed as her head hit the sheets. She could feel herself breathing again. Her very skin relaxed, feeling the foliage around her. As her mind nuzzled into a dream, she opened her eyes to her surrounding world. Even in a dream, was she still unable to rest?

      A blush-colored sky with a white gradient the sun setting just like real life. She'd seen this place non-stop for the last three years and the same man always spotted her, trying to catch her as she slipped from his grasp each time. But today he just sat amidst ruins of a city overrun by a creeping plant that suffocated anything that moved. It was like a serpent finishing off prey as the endless vines crept through each crack in the granite until it collapsed even more. As far as the ye could dee, it was all enveloped and destroyed by Fiore's plants. 

     A defeated king sat at the dismantled gate, tired of all that had transpired, his silver armor rusty and worn, his spear ready to crumble, and at the distance, that same beautiful girl who resembled his late queen. Passed were the days when he would chase after her, he didn't have the strength in him to want anything anymore. He didn't have any subjects left, his home lay in ruins, and the only living being was a soldier who was the catalyst of the serpent vines. Even now the king could feel him slowly making his way to him with serpent vines still growing out of him. The king saw the young girl approach him, attached to the ground through roots and grass, her face was clear—auburn hair in ringlets, a face full of freckles, and clear green eyes. "You look so much like her in her youth, that's when she was at her most beautiful. She died about a year ago, the plague ate her from the inside out I couldn't even recognize her face in the end. I did love her, if you must know, for what it's worth. But, it's too late to tell her", His voice was gruff and strained yet the king laughed, but his expression then saddened, "Well... say something! If you wanted to prove my actions were wrong, all I see is that I was right. I needed to amass power to protect myself and my kingdom from the likes of monsters like you!", the king stared in anger and defeat at the beautiful maiden, his heart fluttering as she spoke. 

      Fiore looked down at the king, gifting him with her voice, "My intention was never to teach you a lesson, as you see I have not lived as long as you. My guess on your affliction is that you are fighting with your conscience: did I go about this in the right way? You may be asking yourself that. No, what I wanted was simple. I just wanted to protect those around me in any way I could".  The king laughed at the almost human answer, "Many spout that nonsense, but rarely follow through. Self-sacrificing or completely demented, you can never go in between. Righteous little creature, I wonder which one you are, or are you hiding behind a mask? You try to act like an adult, but I can see you're exhausted. As of now you are alone and you are going to feel the aftereffects...hm... guess I did learn something.".

     As the king sighed he felt the serpent vines finally get to him. A look of relief engulfed him, he never thought his end would be so warm. The king called out to Fiore urging her to hear her final words, "Child, isolation is a disease and obsession is a curse, you will experience this soon enough. Thank you for letting me see my wife again", the grass overtook him and he was gone. Fiore looked at the city and sighed, "Do I look that tired?". Fiore entered the desolate city, her vines subsiding in her presence. Through the stress she could sense it coming closer, trying to find her, and finally came face to face with an old acquaintance. Fiore called back her vines into their seeds freeing the man from her wrath. The drowning man was now separated from his walking tomb, beheld the vision of beauty, "Good Morning Louie". 

     Louie felt the weight melt off him as he sighed in relief, falling to his knees. His eyes fixated on the ground as flowers bloomed and died at her feet, he slowly panned up to see her smiling face. She was lovelier than before, but something was wrong, it was as if she was not completely here. He reached out to her, his heart pounding from the whiplash., "Little Celestial, you smell different". Fiore was surprised at the remark but quickly ran to Louie before he collapsed on the ground. 

     Louie felt his world Spin, but he felt like he landed on something soft. His gaze was now fixated on the sky as the color changed with each blink. Fiore looked on with him feeling like she was about to wake up, but she felt she had to ask," Louie, what are you thinking about?". He smiled as he answered simply, " The beginning and my current self. I never knew that an ego could die after so long of having it. I wanted to justify my actions, to give them meaning, but I never could. Can you feel the hurt of others, I have, and it was painful".

     " What will you do know".

     "I want to continue living, even if it's just for a while longer".

     "Then so be it".

     Fiore began to stand, but Louie stopped her, asking a question of his own, "Little Celestial, have you ever bloodied your hands", Fiore shook her hands, "The feeling is like nothing I have ever felt before. It's euphoric seeing the light extinguish from his eyes, yet when the feeling subsides, you can never wash away the blood. Their expression forever stays in your head until the next victim comes". Fiore grew lavender around Louie as he slept, not knowing if he would painlessly die here, or rise and truly live more earnestly. She thought if he were raised differently, would the outcome be the same?

 

     As Fiore felt herself waking up, she felt his words linger in her head. She blinked and she felt a bit of time had passed, she was back home, she blinked again and there was blood on her hands. The feeling Louie described never came, just a sinking feeling that wouldn't go away.