The Petite Dungeon Explorer 53 A Mother's Wisdom

Within a huge garden that had all sorts of strange and beautiful fauna. In the center of the garden, a dome of plants slowly began to take shape. They curl around a boy making a small cave of plants and flowers, in the middle of it all sits a young elf. His long white hair was fanned out around him and his eyes are closed. The long lashes are white and flutter ever so lightly.

His chest was exposed and weaving its way up to his body plant roots gently seemed to be connected to his heart. The roots of the plants stretched all the way over his clothed legs and to a figure right in front of him.

Sitting in front of the young elf in the shape of a woman was a huge pile of flowers that are all different colors and her eyes are also closed. Her hair is made up of veins that stretch all the way down to her back. All around her forehead are a laurel of flowers and where her eyes are layered in with all the other flowers are two golden ones. The roots of the plants that are connected to the young elf are connected to her flower heart.

The two of them sat like that for a while, both of them unmoving like status. The day began to turn into night as the garden began to descend into the evening hours.

After the fall of twilight, the statue of flowers began to fall apart as the flowers began to rot and decay. Turning into a shriveled heap of dead plants. The same thing happens to the roots that are connected to his heart. They shrivel and dry up and began to fall away.

At the center of all the death, a single flower remains.

It was similar to the flower that Hollis had seen within the eyes of the G.o.ddess of Nature. The golden flower that seemed to be glowing in the coming hours of darkness. Its stem was completely black and had thorns as vicious and sharps as knives.

Beautiful… yet, poisonous.

He doesn't open his eyes immediately; his eyes began to leak a light green liquid that slowly runs down his cheeks and down his chest.

He stays seated making no move to wipe away the green liquid that runs down his face and chest. A woman appears at the circle of dead plants that had fallen away.

Her hair the color of golden honey falls around her in ringlets. Around her forehead is a simple golden crown with a green gem in the center as the ornament. The silver dress falls around her shoulders, leaving them bare. Her arms are covered, and the dress stretches to the ground.

Around her neck, a simple silver ring with a small teardrops rest and simple silver cuffs are around her wrist.

Standing before the young boy a complex expression took shape on her face. Even though she didn't open her eyes a deep profound feeling seeps out of her body.

Lifting her foot, she steps over the ring of dead flowers and plants and steps towards her son. Her bare feet sink into the ground as she walks forward towards him. The ground seems to welcome her every step as if its welcoming back an old friend.

Her ivory skin glows in the moonlight as she stares at her son. Padding forward more, she bends down and places her hands over his hands that are resting on his legs. At her touch, he began to stir.

His eyes that are shut began to peel open, the green liquid all but dry now around his eyes. White haunting eyes appear and look at the woman in front of him. The look in his eyes is soft and worried as he looks at her.

"Mother," he breathes softly.

"My little sapling," she replies back with a small smile over her bow-shaped lips. Her eyes are still shut tight. It made her appear even more fairy-like.

A small silence pa.s.s between them as he looks at his mother with a complex expression on his face. Looking towards the single flower that still remained alive, he felt his emotions twist even more.

A deep hatred swirled in his veins as he looked at the flower.

Sensing this chaotic feeling in her son, she stands and picks up the flower, she brings it up to her nose to sniff. The sweet scent wafts up and encases her body in a warm feeling. Bending her arm, she extends the flower towards her son.

"Walk with me my little sapling," she says as he takes the flower from her.

Standing he holds onto the flower and follows his Mother. She steps over the dead ring of flower and begins to walk forward through the expansive garden that they had. Quickly follow behind her, he manages to catch up to her.

"Moth-" he starts but she begins to speak.

"Do you know nature is beautiful, it blooms even in the toughest of times. It's something that sustains us and nurtures us," she says extending her hand and the flower and plants all around them began to grow.

Shooting up bigger and bigger as they grow.

"Nature is designed to have balance and harmony. It's the mother to all of us," lowering her hand the flowers and plants shrink once again.

"But there isn't only nature," he replies clenching the flower in his hands. The thorns don't cut him at all, against his hand they feel as soft as silk. It was as if nature didn't want to hurt him in the slightest.

Frowning slightly, the woman turns and heads to a part of the garden that had a giant fountain in the shape of a woman. The woman in front of them had long flowing hair and a crown of flowers. Where her eyes are, they are in full bloom with flowers.

"Even though we might not like the tide of nature, she is and always will be our Mother," she speaks softly.

Lowering his head, he touches the tattoo underneath his left eye.

"There are just some things that can't be changed," she says turning her towards him.

Reaching her right hand out she cups his face, and he looks towards her.

"We have to blindly follow whatever it is that she demands of us?" He asks in a soft whisper.

A crescent fallen smile appears on her face. What a beautiful child she had; she couldn't help but think to herself.

"Some things can't be changed my darling," she rubs his cheek with her thumb.

He tilts his head and clenches his hand that holds the flower. The flower still seemed in full bloom, even though he was crus.h.i.+ng it.

"Even if she demands something to great from you?"

"If she demands something from you. Either you give it to her, or you don't," she smiles removing her hand from his face.

"If you choose not to do what she wants then you should be ready to face her anger."

Turning her back to her son, she walks towards the fountain and sits down on the edge of it. Dipping her hands into the water, she splashes the surface of the water and watches the ripples that appear.

"You can go against her?" He asks.

"Of course, you're still born with your own free will. However, there is always a cost to pay for your disobedience. But it's not a price you have to pay until you've decided in the moment of your task," she smiles.

Her voice falls as she removes her hand from the water and places it down onto her lap. Her face is drawn into an expressionless smile.

"You must be prepared to pay the price, it's something that can't be undone," she speaks in a faraway tone. It's as if she is reliving a memory from her past. The wind began to blow, and it picks up her hair and blows it around her body.

The golden strands glow in the light of the moon.

"A price to pay?" He asks.

"There's always a price my little sapling," she whispers.