The Sins of Story: Memoirs of an Angel

7; A Withered Blossom

Though I live in Occulsa, I am responsible for the cultivation of the Rhiangian Blossoms in Noru City—and also for the welfare of my citizens. It is one of the least populated cities in Forastah because of how much land space the Rhiangian trees require to grow.

When cultivated, the blossoms from these beautiful purple and blue trees produce an elixir that erases emotionally traumatic memories, but the juice doesn't grow naturally from the blossoms themselves. This incredibly potent potion is derived from my own blood that the guardians inject into the Rhiangian trees once a year.

It is not an easy or quick process; it requires them to drain all the blood from my body. But because I am an angel, I regenerate much quicker than a human might (though it does require a seven-day rest period). The DNA algorithm for these trees is much more complicated than any other living creature God has ever created.

If it's not the right time of the year ... or if their temperature is not exact ... or if it's not injected in the healthiest tree ... or if the ground is too warm from human activity ... or if the ground is too cold from lack of human activity ... or if there isn't enough water flowing in The Azter River ... or if something, anything is wrong ... these trees will reject my blood. But here's the even more complicated part—if they reject my blood, the entire crop is vulnerable to death, and it's game over for the cure, game over for Forastah.

This is exactly why we don't allow the humans to touch these trees, which is probably what happened overnight to cause such a rift in Noru City.

It's only been a day since I've fully recovered from the last Rhiangian transfusion, and there is a loud and frantic knock on my door. When the door swings open, one of the guardians stands before me with a wilted Rhiangian Blossom in his hands. "I'm sorry to disturb you while you're recovering, Princess, but we have an infestation. Each one of the trees has one of these." He hands me the blossom, and it is immediately restored to its normal color in my hands.

"The other guardians are working to extract the diseased blossoms before the infection spreads, but I'm afraid it's something more serious."

Ever since God created Forastah, I never had an occasion to visit Noru City, but now that time is here. I would have to put both myself and my residents in danger by traveling to Noru City to restore the Rhiangian Trees myself. Since nothing like this had ever happened, I'm not entirely sure what to expect, but I must prepare myself for travel if I want God's cure to be sent back to the world.

"I'm afraid there's no time to waste, Princess. You must travel to Noru City right away! I'll wait for you at The Fortress of Forastah." The guardian leaves me alone to prepare for travel.

None of the angels have ever traveled to their domains since the humans arrived, and I would have to be the first. Queen Olivia, Prince Norman, and Prince Ezra are all waiting at the fortress when I arrive.

"Take one small drink of this once a day while you are gone," Prince Norman says. "It will regulate your body temperature for survival. If you drink too much, you won't have enough for your return trip. But if you drink too little, your body will burn from the inside out."

I look at Prince Ezra and ask, "Are you sure you haven't dug a secret angel tunnel from here to Noru City, brother?" I try to joke with him, but it comes out shaky and nervous.

"That would be helpful, wouldn't it?" he responds.

"You will be quite fine. I have faith in you. God has faith in you." Queen Olivia hands me a smooth chunk of the bark from God's tree. "He will always be with you. Do not be afraid."

But I am afraid because I know how long the journey is going to be. I know it will take several days to travel to Noru City, several days to get back, and that doesn't account for how long I need to stay there. To prepare for my arrival, the guardians have gone ahead to the city to clear any of the humans from the area. This is required for my safety, their safety, and the health of the Rhiangian trees. But since the guardians can travel much faster than I can, Noru City should be deserted by the time I get there.

Before we set off, I squeeze the God tree bark to reassure myself I can do what I need to do, and I climb into the carriage with the assistance of one of the guardians. As the wheels begin to turn, I look back at the landscape of Occulsa and quietly say one last prayer.

Dear God, please stay with me as I make this treacherous journey. Please also keep the Norugians safe as they travel to Tolendya. And more than anything else, please hold steady in the faith you have in my ability to save the Rhiangian Blossoms. Your Earth-bound children are counting on us.