Inked

Chapter 2

Chapter Two

When I was nine, I first found out I had magical powers. From then on, I tried to keep my emotions intact, becoming who I was today. Around the time I turned twelve, I found out another side of my powers. I could use them, when calm, to heal any other living being, that included even inanimate organisms like trees. Over the years I had healed many animals, usually stray cats and dogs. I had never tried to heal another human being until the day I turned sixteen.

Even though it was four years ago, I can still see that day as clearly as if it had just happened.

One of my classmates had told me of a cherry blossom tree on the outskirts of town that was beginning to die. Of course, after school, I went to where the tree was located. It was in worse condition than I had realized. On the edges of its exposed roots, I could already see the decay starting to set in. I sighed, feeling sorry for the tree. Petting its bark, I smiled sadly at it.

"I'm going to try to heal you, okay?" I whispered to it. Beneath my palm, I could feel it reaching out to me, as if begging me for relief. Closing my eyes, I breathed in the essences around me and pushed 'myself' into the will of the tree.

There was a trick to healing trees and animals. Each being had it's own will, and in order to fully heal it, I had to use my own will to search the wounded for whatever was afflicting it. This meant, that I would use my own soul to search the other. When I detached my soul from myself and pushed it into the wounded, I could feel everything it felt. Whether it was pain, sorrow, resentment, I could feel it all. With animate objects, like cats and dogs, I would actually get their most recent memories transferred over to my soul. It would be like watching a movie play in my head. I could see their life through their eyes, feel everything they felt. It was a wondrous experience that I was unable to describe.

As I transferred my soul into the withered cherry tree, as if in a dream, I saw a vision of a tall man, his long hair was a sparkling silver that glinted in the moonlight. His eyes were the deepest blue possible and they seemed to change color with every breath he took. It was only for a second, but something seemed to pass the man, and suddenly, he was gone, but whatever had passed had hit the tree. That's what had caused it to begin to wilt.

Knowing the cause of the problem, I sent my soul in and began to undo the magic that was resting within its bark. It took around an hour before the bark began to show life once more. I was able to push out all of the magic, but, once I returned to myself, it left me exhausted.

Slumping against the tree, I felt it's soul give me it's gratitude as it's leaves rustled and provided me some shade.

"Thank you." I smiled, my eyes still closed and my back against its trunk. I swear I heard it's soul respond, 'No. Thank you.' But, as I was exhausted of my strength, I could barely even feel the tips of my fingers. Happy the tree was healthy once more, I drifted off into sleep.

What happened next was something I would remember for the rest of my life.

Since my soul was still connected to the tree, even as I slept, I felt it rumble in aggression which was the reason I was jolted awake. From within the forest, I could faintly see a tall figure approaching. As it got closer, I noticed that the figure was actually a man. He was tall, almost seven feet in height it seemed. Clutching his arm to his side, I noticed blood was streaming from a wound across his shoulder, it was so deep, it rendered his arm completely useless.

His hair was flowing wildly around him, as if it had a mind of it's own, the color was reminiscent to moonlight striking a calm sea. It was a bright silver with flakes and streams of light blue. The eyes that latched onto mine, were a bright red with dark purple flecks.