Blooming from the Ashes

Ch 8: Floral Flourish

As we stepped out of the library into the warm afternoon sun, I couldn't shake the excitement bubbling within me. The newfound knowledge about Floral Manipulation opened up a world of possibilities.

As Elma and I strolled through the familiar paths of the academy grounds towards the lake, I couldn't help but notice the vibrant array of flowers that adorned the surroundings. Each bloom seemed to beckon to me.

As we reached the tranquil shores of the lake, we spotted Aiden sitting under the shade of a sprawling tree, his nose buried in a book. He looked up as he heard our approach, a smile spreading across his face.

"Hey, there you are!" he said, closing his book and rising to his feet. "How was your time in the holy library?"

"Quite enlightening, actually," Elma replied, as I clutched the borrowed book to my chest.

"I found some information about telepathic powers and Liana also seems that she did find something about her magic," she says

"That's great Elma!" he replied as they both engaged in a conversation, leaving me deep in my thoughts as I admired the greenery surrounding me.

Clusters of delicate daisies danced in the gentle breeze, their white petals fluttering like miniature ballerinas. Nearby, vibrant roses adorned the bushes, their velvety petals ranging from deep crimson to soft pink, each bloom exuding an intoxicating scent that filled the air with sweetness.

Butterflies flitted from flower to flower, drawn to the nectar-rich centers of the blossoms.

Nearby, a patch of sunflowers stood tall, their cheerful faces turned towards the sun, basking in its warm glow.

My gaze wandered to a patch of lavender, its slender stems adorned with clusters of purple blooms.

I walked towards them, leaving Elma and Aiden.

The soothing aroma of lavender enveloped my senses, calming my mind and lifting my spirits. I suddenly heard a voice.

"Help! Please help!" I heard someone shouting with a small voice but was unable to find its source.

That was until I looked down. The voice was coming from beneath me, and that's when I realized my feet were crushing one of the lavenders. I quickly removed my foot and tried to bring it back to its stable position.

"You crushed me!" I heard the young lavender flower say. Indeed it was a bit crushed.

But then I realized,

The flower was talking! Was this because of floral telepathy?

My thoughts were cut as I heard the flower cry.

"I am going to die, I am going to die because of a stupid human!" I heard it say.

"You will not," I replied as I touched it.

I closed my eyes as I imagined it healing and blooming, and when my eyes opened I saw it in a perfect condition.

"My God! That nasty human girl touched me! I will die so young!" It kept saying

"I healed you!" I shouted at it and then the voice stopped for a moment

"S-She can understand me...I-I am healed!" I heard it shout

I was going to reply but I felt a hand on my shoulder, it was Aiden and Elma.

"What are you doing?" Elma asked, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"I-I was just admiring the flowers."

"I understand that it is easy to get lost in their beauty, but you left us so suddenly Liana! And then we thought you got lost!" she says worriedly as Aiden chuckles at her overprotectiveness.

"I am sorry," I reply as we head back to the lake's shore.

While walking Aiden suddenly says, "You never told us about your magic." Elma agrees

That's when I realized they knew nothing about it. I then urge them to stop and look around to find a flower bud.

With a deep breath, I reached out and gently touched a nearby flower bud, closing my eyes as I focused my energy on it. I visualized the bloom opening, its petals unfurling in response to my touch. It looked beautiful and glowed while reflecting the sun's rays.

"That's incredible, Liana," Aiden exclaimed, a mixture of surprise and admiration in his voice.

Elma's expression softened, her earlier confusion replaced by curiosity. "I had no idea you could do that," she said, her voice tinged with wonder.

I smiled, relieved by their positive reactions.

"My magic is called Floral Mastery, and this is just one of its subpowers. Though I have not yet mastered any of them."

"That's amazing," Elma breathed, her gaze still fixed on the blooming flower. "What else can you do?"

"I'm still learning," I admitted, feeling a surge of excitement at the thought of exploring my newfound ability further. "But there's so much potential."

As we stood there, surrounded by the beauty of nature and the warmth of friendship, I felt a sense of gratitude wash over me. And with my newfound ability,

The possibilities were endless.