Chapter 1

Child of the night, part 1

A girl walked on tiptoes with small uneasy steps, trying not to touch any root. Hundreds of magical plants known for their aggressive behavior filled the dark cave. And because these plants were sensitive to light, the girl could not use fire or crystals with a strong light. All the crystals had a dim white light that didn’t help her much. These plants were perceptive to light, loud noise, and touch. A minor mistake, and she could become one of the many unfortunate victims of these vicious creatures.

The young girl’s eyes dart around the underground chamber, searching for any shadow that was about to twist. For any vine or root that might spring to life and lunge at her from the corners of her vision. But there is nothing. It is quiet except for the sound of her feet. She shivers and holds the glowing crystal in her necklace closer to her, to feel its radiant warmth glow through her body. The only thing that made her feel safe.

Isolated from the other was a plant slightly bigger than a shrub, but with the appearance of a small tree. The stem was slender and sturdy, with slightly rounded, light green leaves and little bright red flowers. But what could be seen on the surface was a mere decoration for what was asleep in the soil.

She stopped in front of the plant, which, unlike the others kind, was surrounded by dozens of seals made to keep him protected. Because of the dim light, she couldn’t see very well and it wasn’t until she approached the plant whose flowers were mostly wilted to realize that something was wrong.

She was in shock, unable to move as her brain just froze and after a couple of seconds, she panicked. With a very slow movement, she bent down to pick a wilted flower from the ground. Between the many charms that were hanging from the branches of the plant, one stood out. It was carefully hidden among the leaves and almost overlooked, as if she hadn’t noticed the red color of the writing. Unlike the other talismans written in blood that had long since dried, this one has a fresh red color. The inscriptions on the talisman slightly differed from the rest, and the girl didn’t know the symbols.

The temple priestess forbade her to go near the room, yet she took the risk because it was clear something was wrong. Her uncle insisted she keep an eye on her master and let him know if anything was strange. That is why only a week ago, she had secretly sent a letter to her uncle to let him know about the old woman’s strange behavior. But she had no proof, and if she called him to do a sudden inspection, there was a very good chance that the mistress would realize that her disciple was secretly in touch with someone outside the temple.

“What are you doing here, Bianca?”

The girl flinched as if she had stepped on heated coals and turned back to Rhea, who stood behind her. The priestess was wearing her usual clothes, a long black dress, but this time she had a black veil that covered her face.

“Are you going somewhere, Mistress?”

“Are you going to ignore my question? Or perhaps I should force the answer out of you.”

Bianca shook her head slightly uncomfortably, trying not to look too suspicious. Rhea was not known for her patience and tolerance. “I... I just wanted to say goodbye.” Seeing that the old woman said nothing, she continued in a timid tone. “I want to accept my uncle’s invitation and leave as soon as possible. And because I didn’t know when I’d be back or if I’d be back, I thought it would be nice if I had a little talk with him. I know I ignored the orders and I apologize for that, but I didn’t know how much longer I’d be here.”

“Did loneliness get to you so badly that you started talking to plants? I thought you were tougher than that.” But they both knew it was a lie. Bianca had been there for years and while at first it was quite hard because she had no friends her own age, the girl got used to it pretty quickly. Many adults didn’t last in that kind of environment for more than 3 years and if they didn’t put an end to their lives by themselves, it was the illness that said its last word.

The priestess was silent for a long time, staring at her as if she could tell something was wrong, but she simply couldn’t put her finger on it. When Rhea no longer asked her questions, Bianca calmed down. She was lucky that now the priestess had other problems on her mind, otherwise she wouldn’t get off so easily.

Rhea takes the veil off her face and sits down on the ground then gestured for the girl to sit next to her.‘Did you get in contact with him? Does he know about your decision?’

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“Should I contact him?”

Then the girl feels an immense pressure on her mind, as if someone is trying to get inside her head. But she remained calm, trying as much as possible not to think about anything that had to do with him. After a time, the old woman continued the conversation as if nothing had happened.“ Not now. Wait another week.”

Suddenly, the two felt a vibration coming from the ground beneath them. The plant completely withered, leaving a powerful smell like ammonia.

‘Cover your nose and move away slowly without making a sound,’ whispered the old woman, so as not to disturb the other plants. “Hurry, help me dig it up.”

Bianca tied a cloth to her nose and went to her master to help her. Carefully, the two dug slowly in order to avoid damaging any roots. Bianca stopped when she felt something soft and sticky. It was something like a membrane that was thicker than skin and had a pulse once in a few seconds ‘What’s this?’

She covered her mouth in an attempt not to scream when the membrane suddenly moved. Her master pulled out a small knife and cut the membrane to reveal a body covered with a red skin. On first contact with the air, the red skin dried so much that it crumbled in her hand.

They dug out what seemed to by a thin, frail body of a boy. A simple movement of his white hair was enough to make the girl step aside. But once the old woman removed the skin from her face, Bianca found the courage to approach the two. “What’s that?” she whispered.

“A skin that protects it from the sun and heat.” The old woman peeled the skin off his face to help him breathe easier. A trembling hand stopped her. “Don’t be afraid.”

When she removed the dried skin, the girl was astonished. The boy seemed to be from another world. His skin was white but with a hint of pink and his delicate white eyelashes seemed to be made of snow. Rhea held him in her arms, like he was her own child, but the boy became increasingly agitated.

“Calm down, you just woke up and your body is still fragile.” The boy, forced to sit still, opened his red eyes, but the old woman covered his eyes and scolded him in a gentle tone. “Your eyes are sensitive to light of any kind. Keep them closed”. She turned to Bianca and gestured for her to come closer. “This is between you and me. Don’t mention what happened to anyone. Understand? Neither your father nor your uncle.”

The girl said nothing, at the same time her eyes were on the boy who was half asleep. She had to find a way to let her uncle know, but she knew it was far too dangerous. Rhea became increasingly suspicious, and there was no doubt she would keep an eye on her.

“I understand.”

“Help me get him to a room where he can rest.”

The two picked him up and carried him into a simple, dark room with a bed and a small table. She explained it was very important not to leave him out in the sun, especially at this time of year. Silence was also important because he was very sensitive to loud sounds. For the time he stood there, she was also forbidden to use anything that had a strong scent that could irritate him.

“He’ll most likely sleep for a day or two. You’ll come check on him every day and if he wakes up, you’ll let me know.‘

“I understand.”

“You may leave.”

As she was about to leave, Rhea noticed a small spot of color near Mana’s arm. It was a red butterfly that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, only to bring her bad news. “I see... You’re not even trying to surprise me.” Her hand reached out to grab the butterfly that stood motionless, but the lifeless insect didn’t even struggle in her fist. Rhea crushed the butterfly in her fist and stormed out of the room.