Chapter 3 - Torchbloom and Sandwiches (Part 1)

Deep in thought, Jade stared at the page on the Whisperleaf for so long that time stopped existing in his mind – although he wasn't really absorbing any of the information he was looking at. It was just like his aunt had said: there wasn't much about this plant. All known information fit on a single page, whereas other plants had entire sections dedicated to them.

His aunt's question still preoccupied him. Although it was true that his answer wouldn't have to define his entire life, he couldn't help but fear that he would trap himself in this if he voiced it. Researching magic plants could remain a fun hobby that he did while staying at his aunt's house; something that he would have to put behind once he returned to the city. He didn't want to get too attached knowing that he would have to leave.

As long as he only saw it this way, then it should be fine to research these new and interesting plants to his heart's content, right? It would just be a good way to pass the time. Nothing more.

Still, it really was deplorable how little information there was on the Whisperleaf. Maybe it only appeared when one needed it, but surely there was more to it than that. The leading theory was that it camouflaged itself with magic, but if that was the case, then the plant was still there even if one couldn't see it.
If it had leaves, then it must have had roots; and if it had roots, then it was possible to grow it under controlled conditions and study it like any other plant. In reality, it would obviously be a little more complicated, but that was the gist of it.
If it worked just like a regular plant and it simply made itself invisible until it was needed, then there must have been a way to "see" it when it wasn't visible. Maybe a potion, maybe a spell; he had no idea, but if the plant used magic to remain invisible, surely magic could also do the opposite.
He couldn't help but wonder how much of an effort the witches of the past had truly made to study this plant. Surely, they wouldn’t have just stopped at "we couldn't find it", but there was no mention of that in the book. Do witches not have any kind of scientific publication? That would be one thing, but still...

Whatever. He wasn't about to let a plant defeat him.

After informing his aunt of his plans – she chuckled and wished him good luck –, Jade packed some sandwiches and left to explore the forest, determined to find the Whisperleaf even if it took him the whole day. And possibly getting lost, although he hoped it wouldn’t be necessary. It wasn't like he could use magic anyway, so for now his only option was a more "traditional" approach.

He tried to retrace their steps from the previous day. After they found the first batch of Whisperleaf, they didn't see any others on their way home, only heard their laughter somewhere along the path; maybe they were hidden or grew a bit further from the path. Either way, looking for the ones he had actually seen with his own eyes sounded like a much better plan.

However, Jade quickly realized that plan was extremely unrealistic. After all, to find the place where he had seen the Whisperleaf, he would need to remember where that place was or what it looked like.
Everything in the forest looked the same. He had no idea where they encountered the Whisperleaf. Why would his brain even remember what the place looked like when a talking plant was much more interesting?

Knowing how unlikely it would be to find it, he regretted not bringing it back even more.

But most of all, he regretted not taking a picture of it. He even had his phone with him too! But of course, his brain had to be too distracted by the cool talking plant to remember using it.

While he was busy cursing his brain for its forgetfulness, a cold droplet fell on his forehead, stopping him in his tracks. He looked up to see a sky covered in dark clouds, and more droplets followed shortly after the first one.
His eyes swept over his surroundings for a place where he could take shelter from the rain. Spotting a large tree at the top of the hill, he hastened his pace before the sudden downpour could leave him drenched.

Surprise might not have been strong enough of a word to describe what he felt when he reached the top of the hill, where he found, under a large oak tree, what seemed to be a Japanese shrine. The tree also had a rope tied around its trunk. He didn't know much about the culture, but he knew this shrine was incredibly out of place.
Still, he wasn't about to refuse a roof over his head when the rain was getting stronger, so he rushed inside – although he did stop for a moment, wondering if that was alright; but if it was either that or getting drenched outside, he’d pick the shrine.

He'd only just set foot inside when the rain worsened, and he let out a sigh of relief when he realized what he just barely escaped from.

Jade looked around for a place to sit down, startled when he noticed someone else inside.

"Oh?" The man said, looking up. "Looks like I'm not the only one who found shelter just in time. Well, don't just stand there, come sit down – it looks like it's going to rain for a while."

A little hesitant, Jade observed the man before sitting a short distance away. He had two heavy bags with him, but in the darkness of the shrine, he couldn't see his face very well.

"I'm a trader," the man stated. "I was just leaving town when it started raining. What about you? Taking a stroll?"

"I... was looking for magic plants."

For a moment, Jade wasn't sure if he should mention it, but since the man had visited the town, he must have known about witches and magic.

"Hmm. Which family are you from? Or are you just passing by, like me?"

Now he knew even less what to answer. It wasn't like he was just passing by, but he couldn't say he lived here either.

"I just moved here a few days ago."

"I see, I see. Well, it looks like it's going to rain for a while, so why don't you have a look at my wares to pass the time?"

As he said this, he grabbed his bags, put down a cloth and began laying out everything he had in front of him.

Curious, Jade approached to take a look.

"I just finished trading with everyone in town, so I have a bunch of new things. Although, if you've already had a look around town, they might not be that new to you."

Such luck that Jade hadn’t had a chance to check it out yet.

"It's fine. Do you come here often?"

"Hmm, about once every three months I'd say. I travel all around the world, but I'm always coming back here. There isn't any other town like this one, after all."

"You mean, a town full of witches?"

"Yep, that's the only one in the whole world. Incredible, isn't it?"

Jade looked at the shrine again. He wondered if that was the work of one of these witch families his aunt had mentioned.

"You're curious about this shrine, aren't you?"

"Well, yeah. It does stand out."

"It's the Kuru family who built it. Well, their ancestors, the first generation of their family to settle here, more than three hundred years ago. They came from Japan and built this shrine. Their descendants have been managing it."

"So there are witches from all over the world, then?"

"That's right. This town is a gathering place for them. Check out this scarf!"

The man gestured to a red and orange scarf, beautifully embroidered with patterns of dragons and flames. The design was so detailed and delicate it left one mesmerized.

"The Loomwrights made it," the trader said. "It's enchanted to keep you warm no matter how strong the wind. It immediately caught my eye, so I traded it for some warm furs I obtained in the north. The months are getting colder after all, and they'll need to start working on some winter clothes soon."

From what he understood, the Loomwrights specialized in clothes and anything made with fabric, weaving in various enchantments as they worked on a piece. The trader went on to explain that they were one of the oldest families in town, and also one of the most influential; after all, everyone had a need for their products.

"Their entire shop is a work of art. You should check it out when you have the chance! Now, take a look at this."

Jade's eyes moved to what he pointed to–

"A dog collar?"

"It's not just for dogs," the trader informed him. "The enchantment on this collar allows it to expand or shrink infinitely depending on the wearer. You can use it for dogs and dragons alike!"

Ah, so it's still meant for animals, he thought. Still, dragons? Surely he's exaggerating.

"People always need this kind of item, so it's good to have it in stock. There are three families in town specializing in familiars: one breeds and raises various familiars, another crafts items for them, and the last one heals them when needed."

In fiction, witches were often accompanied by their trusty familiars, but it didn't occur to Jade that something like that existed in real life too. In the end, it hadn't completely sunk in yet that his aunt was a witch and more than half of the town's population were witches, too. It was still a little difficult to change how he viewed the world. Don't tell me there are actually dragons in town...

The trader smiled. "Interesting, isn't it?"

"Are all of these made by witches, then?"

"Of course! I only trade with witches, after all."

The more Jade looked at the items laid out in front of him, the more curious he became. Magic still seemed like something that came straight out from a novel; it was hard to understand what a witch really was and what they actually did in their witchy life.
However, these items laid out in front of him were real and tangible, and they were all extremely interesting. The more he looked, and the more he thought about the people who made and used  them, the more he wanted to learn about them.
The intricate craftsmanship of the scarf in particular caught his eye. And to think the entire shop was filled to the brim with more of this beautiful embroidery – no wonder the trader said the entire place was a work of art. He really wanted to visit it and see this sight for himself, as his imagination alone couldn't possibly do it justice.

Something crossed his mind, and he raised his head to look at the trader again.

"Do you perhaps trade plants too?"

He noticed the hint of excitement in his voice only after he spoke.

A smile formed on the trader's face. "You're in luck! I have something truly rare with me today."

The man searched in his bag for a moment before taking out a glass case containing a single, beautiful flower, its petals a vivid red and orange like still hot embers from a fire.

Jade was instantly captivated. Unable to tear his eyes away from its glimmering, somehow sizzling, bright petals, his hands reached for it before he even realized what he was doing. It almost felt like this flower was calling for him.

"This is a Torchbloom," the trader said, Jade's hands stopping midair. "It only grows in places with no rain; in fact, it actually dislikes water."

"What? How does it survive then?"

"It only needs sunlight and a soil rich in nutrients. It stores sunlight to keep itself warm even in the cold nights of the desert, so it also emits a little bit of heat. The only inconvenience is keeping it away from water, since it actually rains here."

Now the glass case makes more sense... Jade thought. He reached out again, looking at the man, unsure.

"Can I touch it?"

"Yep, that's fine! Remember to be delicate with it."

He removed the case, and Jade could finally approach the plant. He didn't touch the flower too much, only letting his fingers brush against its beautiful petals; and immediately, he felt their warmth. It was soft and subtle. The kind of faint but comforting warmth of putting your hands in your pockets in the middle of a harsh winter, at a time when the air was cold enough that anyone would lament having to take a single step outside.

"It's beautiful," he blurted out in a whisper.

"You want it?" The trader asked, his loud voice bringing him back to reality.

Jade looked at the trader, then back at the plant, then at the trader again. Yes, he wanted to say. He admired the flower like it was a piece in a museum that he knew he could never possess, or a beautiful souvenir in a foreign country when he was out of coins and could only fill his head with memories of it.

The possibility that he could actually trade for it didn't even cross his mind.

Yes, of course he wanted it! Never in his life had he ever wanted something so badly. This flower was calling for him; it was something deeper than just wanting to study it. Something more instinctual.

"Can I really have it?"

"Of course! As long as you can pay for it."

"How much does it cost?"

The man laughed. "I'm a trader, I don't take money, I only exchange things for others!"

Jade's heart sank as he felt his dream get away from him.

"I... I don't have anything to trade."

"Really? You have nothing on you to trade?"

Jade knew if he didn't get this Torchbloom now, he would never see it again. Desperate to find anything he could trade, he searched his pockets, his bag – and he pulled out something.

"Um... I have sandwiches?"

The trader's laughter echoed louder than ever before in the temple, seemingly finding his earnest offer hilarious enough that he was ready to start rolling on the floor.

Jade felt his face grow hot. Of course, who would want to exchange such a rare magical flower for sandwiches? No matter how good they were and how much effort was spent making them, they were still just sandwiches. That was stupid of him, and he immediately wanted to dig himself a hole and never come out of it.

"Okay, I'll take the sandwiches."

It took a moment for him to process the man's words. After all, it was so absurd that he just couldn't believe his ears for a while.

"WHAT?! You'll take my sandwiches for this flower?!"

"Well, yeah, I'm hungry!"

And just like that, Jade acquired the Torchbloom he desired.

For sandwiches.

The rain had stopped falling at some point, although he was too captivated by the man's stories and the items he had on display to notice.

They parted in front of the shrine. The trader left in the direction opposite of town, waving at him.

"I'll see you around, Jade!"

Still in a daze, looking at the beautiful flower in the glass case, Jade absentmindedly said his goodbyes.

Realization hit him, eyes widening; but when he looked for the man, he was already gone.

When did I tell him my name...?