I put my armour on and then I thought about seeing Tasha. Hiram told me which room she was in, but I was anxious about seeing her. Instead, I just stood outside the door and waited for a bit. Eventually, Flora exited the room.

“Oh, Mr. Braith, you surprised me.” She had already forgotten that it was okay to just call me by my name.

“Ah, right, sorry about that. I wasn’t sure if it was okay to come into the room.”

“I don’t see why not.” Flora opened the door wide and I saw Tasha lying in bed, her back facing the door.

“Are you really sure?” I asked in a whisper. Flora seemed confused by the sudden change in volume.

“Um, if you don’t want to be here, it’s okay to leave. Um, not that I’m suggesting that you should leave. I just mean if it makes you uncomfortable, you don’t have to be here. Ah, but I don’t mean to be rude.” Flora said this rather hurriedly with her face growing redder by the second.

“Is she in pain?”

“Just some discomfort. Um, Mr. Braith, if it’s okay with you, I’d like to leave now.”

“Oh, right, sorry about that.” I backed away from the doorway and she timidly made her way past me. She gave a small bow and quietly ran off. I looked back in the room and Tasha’s back was still turned to the door. Am I someone who can have a conversation with a girl in this specific situation? No, I am not. I softly shut the door and went downstairs as well. I left the cottage and had a look around the rest of the area. There was a small vegetable patch in the front and on one side of the cottage was an archery range. Flora was there and it looked like she was just about to start practicing. She seemed a bit surprised to see me again so soon but she quickly put on an understanding expression. She is awfully considerate for her age.

“Hello,” she said simply as she took an arrow out of her quiver and nocked it on her bow. I waited for her to take her shot. There were five targets on the other side of the range at varying heights and distances. She fired at one that was about four feet off the ground and eighty feet away. The arrow hit the bull’s eye.

“That’s pretty impressive,” I commented.

“Thanks.” She nocked another arrow and fired at a further target this time. Once again, it hit dead center. I didn’t say anything this time. She fired another eight arrows, two each at each of the five targets, and they all hit with similar accuracy and precision.

“You must be really good at hunting,” I commented after she retrieved her arrows from the targets and came back.

“Um, no, not really. I don’t really like hunting.”

“Oh, so you practice archery as just a hobby, then?”

“Um, sort of. It’s something that grandpa started training me in and he said it would be important to know. I guess he thinks it’s good to be able to defend yourself.”

“Well, I suppose that’s pretty important, especially if you haven’t contracted with that guardian tree.” She showed clear discomfort with my statement.

“Yeah, I guess.” She took a seat down on the grass. I took a brief look around again, thinking it rather amazing that they just have all this land around them to themselves. I then went over and took a seat next to Flora. We sat together in awkward silence, both of us wanting to start up some new topic, but not wanting to bring up something inappropriate.

“Uh,” I began. Flora looked at me in nervous anticipation. “So, Flora…how long have you been living with your grandfather?”

“Oh, ever since I can remember. My parents died during the war when I was just a baby and grandpa has been looking after me ever since.” Wow, I am so good at picking conversation material.

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, Flora,” I said a bit awkwardly. “But, uh, it seems like he’s done a good job at raising you. You’re probably the nicest girl I’ve met so far. Uh, no, wait, that doesn’t sound right, I don’t mean anything when I say that. No, what I mean is, uh, yeah…” Flora’s face showed me that she had no idea what I was getting at. I let out a very bizarre laugh. “Well, you know, I wish Tasha could act more like you sometimes. You know, not as brash and loud.”

“Really?” She seemed to take what I said very seriously. “I think Tasha is wonderful. She was really worried about you when you were unconscious, but when I started to get worried too, she was the one who cheered me up. She said that you were made of much tougher stuff and that you would wake up very soon.”

“Tasha really said that?” I asked with genuine emotion.

“Yeah, she said a lot of other stuff, too.” Flora smiled. “I mean, I could still tell she was worried, but she started talking about this and that to keep our minds off of it. Now that’s something I wish I could do. Grandpa teaches me all sorts of things but when I have problems, I end up getting really down about it. I just end up stuck, unable to do anything sometimes when I get sad like that. I wish I could just brighten up as easily as Tasha.” It was interesting to hear someone interpret Tasha’s reckless and carefree attitude as something so positive.

“Well, Flora, don’t you think that maybe you are just too hard on yourself? I mean, you say you have problems, but seeing how good you are at archery, you clearly have the patience and drive to learn in spite of those flaws.” Flora fiddled around a bit with an arrow in her hands, her expression sullen.

“I just have too much time. I’m not any good at taking care of the garden or the trees, and I don’t go hunting either. Half the time, I’m just alone and have nothing better to do.”

“Well, I know a lot of people who would have just spent those days sulking and wasting the day away. Believe me, Flora, you are a great person to have worked hard to get that good at something.” I felt mildly embarrassed saying such a cheesy and vague line, but I meant it. Especially the first part.

“Thanks, Mr. Braith.” She stopped fiddling with the arrow. “I can see why Tasha likes you so much.”

“Ah, well, that’s just how children tend to be towards their parents. Until they get older.” She looked at me with mild confusion.

“I don’t think age alone would do that.”

“Well, a lot happens when you grow up. Hmmm, actually, how old are you, Flora?”

“Me? Oh, I’m fourteen years old, but I will be fifteen this summer.” Yeah, that sounds around the age I expected when comparing her to Tasha. Flora did seem more mature.

“Well, it doesn’t happen to everyone,” I continued on from my prior point. “Some people start off nice or mean and just stay like that.”

“Does that mean you used to be mean when you were younger, and then you became nice?” Flora looked strangely serious when she asked me that question. I laughed, but not in a happy way.

“Flora, I’m going to say this so that you don’t make this mistake in the future. I am not a nice person.”

“Why do you say that? You don’t look like a bad person and Tasha hasn’t said anything like that either.” So, Tasha hasn’t said anything bad about me? I wasn’t sure how to feel about that.

“No, I do things selfishly. It’s just that I care about Tasha so I want to do things for her as well.” I was a firm believer that there was no such thing as true altruism.

“I don’t think someone truly bad could do something like that. You seem to really care about other people.” I refused to accept her compliments.

“No, you just see things like that because you’re the one who is too nice. It might not be a bad thing if you just live peacefully here in this cottage, but it will get you into trouble otherwise. Don’t ever make the mistake of trying to become some kind of hero.” I spoke that last sentence with particular emphasis.

“A hero? Is that what you wanted to be?” The question was asked with innocent curiosity, but it somehow incensed me.

“Yeah, right! It’s always been my lifelong dream to go around the world helping those in need. I’d swoop in at the nick of time and rescue the people from the villain!” I said extremely sarcastically while wildly gesticulating. Flora was shocked by my sudden change and I was rather ashamed with my outburst. I waited for Flora to say something so we could change the topic.

“What’s wrong with wanting to do something like that?” Well, I guess she doesn’t want to change the topic.

“It’s dangerous and it isn’t worth it. Inevitably, you will also fail.” Flora started anxiously fiddling with her hair. “Flora, why were you by the Nature Clan’s capital?” I originally had no intention of asking, but I’d rather stop talking about myself now.

“Um…no reason,” she lied, obviously.

“Do you honestly expect me to believe that?” I did not expect her to tell me the truth, but as I said, I just wanted to move on to something else, even if it required some light and futile interrogation.

“I don’t know if I can tell you.” I blew some air out of my mouth and looked up at the sky.

“What about your grandfather? Shouldn’t you tell him?”

“No, I can’t.”

“Why not?” I asked, a bit absentmindedly.

“She told me not to.” I suddenly became alert. I turned to look at her again and I saw a mix of apprehension and fear on her face.

“Who is she?” Flora shook her head vigorously.

“I can’t say it.” She had the look of someone who was being blackmailed.

“Flora, this is serious. Why can you not say who it is?” Flora continued to shake her head, her expression growing worse. I stood up.

“Flora, if someone is threatening you, we should tell your grandfather right away.”

“No! Don’t!” She grabbed onto my arm to keep me from walking away. “Terrible things will happen if we tell him!” I tried to calm her down while gently getting her to release me.

“Flora, please, calm down. Alright, I won’t tell your grandfather, but you have to at least give me some idea of what is going on.” Flora took in a few deep breaths to relax herself.

“I…she…”

“Yes?”

“She said that I could not tell grandpa no matter what.” I found it peculiar that Flora kept bringing up her grandfather.

“Did she mention your grandfather specifically? Or did she say to not tell anyone?” Flora thought to herself for a couple seconds.

“She said to not tell grandpa.” That truly was odd, but it was something I could use.

“Well, that means you can tell me, right?” I slowly sat back down on the ground and Flora took some more time to calm down.

“Um, I guess I could. But, I don’t think I should.”

“Flora, believe me when I say I will not tell your grandfather,” I said, assuming that was the reason for her hesitation. She took another moment to think to herself.

“Are you sure I should tell you?”

“As long as you think you can.” Flora nodded once.

“Okay. Um, please don’t be too scared after I tell you.”

“No problem.” Anger or concern would probably be a more realistic reaction as I simulated the various things she was about to say.

“Two nights ago, I had a dream. In the dream, Gaia warned me of a catastrophe that would occur.”

“Gaia? You mean, the guardian spirit of the Nature Clan?” Flora nodded. “How did you know it was her? Have you seen her before?” Flora shook her head.

“No, it was just her voice, but she told me who she was.” I was skeptical, but I figured I ought to let her continue for now. “She told me that the only way to avoid the catastrophe was to enter Eden.” Well, that obviously didn’t work out.

“Wait, are you saying we’re all doomed now?”

“That’s what I was worried about, too. After you recovered yesterday, I remembered how serious it was and I could hardly get to sleep. But then, Gaia came to me again in my dreams when I finally fell asleep. She told me not to worry and that there was still time.”

“You could have all the time you want, but I don’t see how you’re going to get inside,” I stated rather bluntly as I recalled the soldiers and the wall.

“Gaia said that she had a new plan. Three nights from today, there will be a new moon. She wants me to go to Eden again and to not worry about the wall. She says all I need to do is arrive and make my way to the guardian tree.” It took me a second to come to a certain conclusion.

“So, Gaia wants to make you her new vessel.” Flora seemed genuinely surprised by my suggestion.

“What? Why would you say that? She didn’t mention anything like that…”

“Well, Gaia resides in the guardian tree. Assuming it was really her who spoke to you in your dreams, why else would she take all this effort to get you to come to the tree?”

“Well…I could make a contract with the guardian tree like the other Nature Clan Farseers.”

“Flora, according to you, Gaia, a powerful spirit of the Nature Clan, personally entered your dreams to convince you to come to where she was in order to prevent a catastrophe. Would she do all of that just to have you make a contract that thousands of other people already have?” I was still unsure of whether or not the Gaia that entered her dreams was the real deal, but it did remind me of the dream Tasha had in the forest before Reapers’ Pass. Could the two be related?

“I- I don’t think I can become a vessel to a guardian spirit?”

“Why not?”

“I’m just not worthy of that kind of honour…” The only two guardian spirit vessels I knew were me and Destiny. I did not have a high opinion of either.

“Anyways, why did she tell you not to tell your grandfather?”

“She said that I would not be able to stop the catastrophe if I did.”

“Why is that?”

“I asked her, but she didn’t say.” There seemed to be a number of things out of place, but despite that, there was one thing that was far more important to confirm.

“So, are you planning to try to go there again?”

“...Yes,” she answered after a long pause.

“Despite the dangers and lack of evidence that anything that happened in your dreams is the truth?”

“Yes,” she answered quicker this time, and with the sort of determination I would expect from Tasha.

“Well, good luck with that, then.”

“You promise not to tell grandpa, right?”

“I really should tell him. I really, really should.” As a responsible adult, I should inform a child’s guardian that their child is about to do something incredibly dangerous. Even if that means breaking a promise with that child. “But I won’t.”

“Thank you, Mr. Braith.” Flora clearly looked relieved at my response.

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t thank me for turning a blind eye to your reckless behaviour.”

“That’s right! So, we are going to help you!” Tasha suddenly shouted from behind. I whipped around and saw her standing proudly with her hands on her waist.

“Tasha…how long have you been listening for?”

“Since the part about the new moon.” Is that good or bad? Could be worse, I guess, she could have heard my earlier outburst.

“Well, Tasha, you seemed to have missed the part where Flora was told to keep this a secret. This isn’t something we can just involve ourselves with.” Tasha looked at me quizzically.

“She told you the secret, why can’t we just help her?”

“Okay, so the part about it being a secret isn’t that important. What’s important is that assuming this is all some grand plan by the guardian spirit, she’s calling for Flora, not us.” Tasha ignored me and walked right by me and knelt down to hold Flora’s hands into hers.

“Flora, you’re gonna go off to save the world and I’m going to help.” Flora’s eyes suddenly lit up a bit with panic.

“S-save the world?” The reality of preventing a catastrophe had apparently resurfaced, presenting a sharp contrast to her recent calm resolve.

“That’s right! You only need to worry about getting there, I will back you up for the rest.”

“Tasha, I repeat, we are not going to help her. This is her business and we shouldn’t be butting in.” Tasha swung her head around to face me and gave me a sharp glare, the most energetic expression I had seen from her in a while.

“I’m going to help her and I don’t care what you say or do this time!” I found myself clenching a fist.

“No, really, you don’t need to do any of this for me,” Flora began, “um, yeah, I can do this. Yes, I can do this on my own.” She didn’t look the least bit believable with her quick breathing and shivering arms.

“Tasha-”

“Dad!” Tasha interrupted by leaping onto me. I fell onto my back and Tasha was now on top of me, she was in a push-up position with her hands pressed to the ground on either side of me. “We have to help her. If you say you won’t help her no matter what…then I will do it by myself.” I was about to protest again but Tasha had one last thing to say. “I owe her a favour for saving the most important person to me.”

I swallowed and then clenched my teeth. What have I been doing wrong this whole time? Clearly, I’ve screwed up a lot, so I’ve just been trying to keep things going in a safe direction. But, if my motivation for everything I’ve done so far was for Tasha’s sake, then I guess that leaves me with only two options now. One is of course to just go along with Tasha here and help Flora. The second…would probably be something I’d regret for the rest of my life.

“Okay, Tasha.” She beamed at me.

“Do you really mean it?”

“Of course. Um, do you mind getting off of me now?”

“Oh, right,” she backed off with a bit of embarrassment. I sat back up and looked at Flora, who looked like she was about to protest.

“Flora, we are going to help you, but I need you to promise me one thing.” Flora looked at me, perplexed. Eventually, she nodded. “If things get too dangerous or if you think it is impossible to go any further; turn back immediately. Run back home, forget about whatever Gaia told you, and tell your grandfather.” I still don’t know the secret about Hiram, but it was obvious that he was not some ordinary Nature Clan Farseer. I held out my hand.

“I promise,” Flora said with some confidence in her small voice as she took my hand. Tasha then put her hand on top of ours. She gave Flora a wide smile and she reciprocated. I gave a small smile as well, but I could not help feeling uneasy about what we were about to embark upon.