The Flower

The Flower

By

Mark J. Wilcoxen

As Fallar desperately clung to the crumbling masonry he watched helplessly as his last remaining companion, his trusty pack mule Dall, fell back to the earth far below. With her loss he wasn't just alone, but severely under equipped, as the majority of his supplies descended down with the beast of burden. Fallar spared another moment watching Dall frantically kick and bray on her downward trip. He hoped her end was quick, the thought of her suffering due to his obsession caused a strong sense of guilt to flood him. Many of his own peers thought him mad for his quest. Not for the first time he considered them correct.

As quickly as the thought came he violently forced it down. Sacrifice was necessary to seize one's dream. With an effort he pushed Dall's fate from his mind. Pulling himself back up onto the Great Staircase his vigor was renewed as was his purpose. He'd made it this far and he'd be damned if he'd be stopped now. The ruins of the Stellar Empire awaited at the top. Beyond lay a treasure that had beckoned to him since early childhood; the Celestial Bloom.

To say Fallar was obsessed would likely be an understatement. Since he had first heard the story of the mysterious flora he'd devoted most of his time and energy in study of the fabled flower. Being the only son of a successful merchant allotted him the means to pursue his education. After nearly ten years of meticulous research he was consider the foremost scholar of the heavenly flower and the ancient empire where it was fabled to dwell. Still, his curiosity wasn't sated.

After diligently helping his father expand the family business for a couple of years, Fallar saved enough for his long planned expedition. Several of his friends from Black Bricks Academy joined him on his quest thinking that it'll be a fun little adventure. As the days turned to weeks and then to months dissent started to appear. Phiffar was the first, but he was quickly followed by his brother Yig. The two left the main group on good terms. They even wished Fallar and the others good fortune on the quest, but firmly stated that they wanted to return home.

Their departure planted seeds of doubt in the everyone's mind; even Fallar's. The questions that Phiffar and Yig raised had merit, "Was the Stellar Empire real? Was this even the right way?"

That last question bothered Fallar the most. Over his years as a student and merchant he'd studied every map he could get his hands on. Countless hours were spent creating and mentally debating hypothesis after hypothesis. Ultimately, his chosen route was a guess; a highly educated guess but a guess all the same. If he'd lead his group in the wrong direction his self-regard as a scholar would be forever tarnished.

Thankfully, that growing doubt was staved off in the following days when the group spotted the Great Stairs far off in the distance. Though that was nearly a year ago Fallar remembered that day proudly. Not only had he discovered proof of the Stellar Empire's existence, he had been correct in calculating it's location; his self-image was secure. At that point they were deep in the wilderness far from the outermost settlements of the Four Realms.

Along with the stairs came a sensation that compelled him to continue. This new sense of motivation was more of a tug; oddly similar and yet simultaneously different to his own efforts to push forward. All the long years of struggling onward alone were finally over. This tug was his reward. With both it and the stubborn will that got him this far nothing will stop him from reaching his goal.

In the next three months malcontent seeped into the group yet again. Though the Staircase were clearly visible against the clouds, Saxger, Ghorta, and Reath voiced their concerns at how we never seemed to get any closer. After several times of Fallar dismissing their fears the three began to quietly speak amongst themselves. The trio had always been close due to their shared passion of astrology. A week later they announced that they wanted to turn back. Their departure was tense; mostly because they insisted that they take half the food and both of the remaining mules. Once a deal was finally struck, one that neither party was completely happy with, the three departed. There were no parting words of comfort or warm wishes only wary glances and warning stares.

With the trio gone, that left Fallar, Bles, Grewf and of course trusty Dall. Bles was a bit younger then Fallar and Grewf, but she had been the most eager to join Fallar on his quest. Like him, she too dreamt of seeing the Celestial Bloom. She'd hang on to his every word when he'd recount the ancient mythology of the mysterious flower. The admiration of a beautiful and intelligent girl like her did wonders for his already inflated ego. Fallar truly believed she would have made her own pilgrimage in search of the ancient flora if he hadn't beaten her to it.

Grewf was his closest friend from Black Bricks Academy. His field of study encompassed the history of the realms formation. He knew the legends of Thactor the Great, Corth the Slayer, and Josbar the Terrible by heart. Though the Celestial Bloom had no particular interest to him, Grewf joined Fallar's expedition due to the deep friendship the two shared. Fallar took the most comfort when Grewf would regale the group around the campfire with old stories of heroism and villainy. Something that Fallar had to painfully admit was lacking in his recounting of the Stellar Empire. Most of the ancient civilization's history save for the Celestial Bloom had simply been lost to the annals of time.

Then the darkest day of the journey came. Unlike the others, Grewf gave no indication of wanting to turn back. The change that came over him was as sudden as the great coastal storms of Dalvu. When the stairs were within a few days march Grewf stated that he was turning back and would be taking Dall with him. The conversation to get him to stay was fruitless. His mood bordered on violent when it was suggested that he return without the pack mule. In a turn of events that were still hazy to him, Fallar remembered struggling against his friend who had more in common with a wild beast then a scholar of history. The fight had been fierce but came to a swift end with a glint of steel. With his body now hosting a dagger between it's ribs, sanity returned to Grewf. His face took on a look of sedulous thoughtfulness, as he chose his next course of action with the upmost care. Knowing them to be his final words in the mortal world Grewf said, "Those blinded by arrogance are doom-fated." The words weren't spoken out of anger or spite, but a simple statement of fact. Nearly the second his message was delivered Grewf collapsed to the ground; with a look akin to peace on his face.

Fallar recalled being envious of Grewf in that moment. Though he was on the brink of reaching the zenith of his life's missions, he felt strangely unfulfilled, hollow as though something was eating up everything inside of him. He was so absorbed in his own self examination that he barely registered the sobs coming from Bles.

Hers was the hand that had literally cut Grewf's life thread. For how long they stood over Grewf's body Fallar couldn't recall, but when they did depart the un-buried body, both were locked in a horrid silence that lasted the rest of the day and into the night. His thoughts were a chaotic fix of Grewf's insanity, death, parting words and of course the Great Stairs. Bles he assumed was racked with guilt, grief, or something else. Truthfully, he didn't know. The following morning she was gone. There was a note laying near where her tent once stood. In it she simply stating that she was going home.

The idea of her heading back through the untamed wilderness on her own in a disturbed state bothered him. During the course of their journey, they had grown close, to the point they had lately started sharing a tent. Waking up with her in his arms filled him with a peaceful contentment. His heart almost made the call for him but he discovered to his utter shock and delight that he now stood at the base of the Great Stairs. Even now he couldn't understand that oddity. He could have sworn when they set camp the previous night, that there was still a couple more days of travel between them and the structure. With the staircase here and what lay beyond so close, Fallar couldn't bring himself to turn back. He reasoned that Bles was nearly as dedicated in finding the Celestial Bloom as him. She would surely understand.

That was a over a week ago.

With the small comfort that Dall's presence provided him now gone Fallar felt helplessly and utterly alone. With the sense of stifling isolation came an oppressive dread that seeped into his bones, and tainted his blood, until the whole of his reality was consumed with the emotion. He could almost see Grewf before him as his final words recited over and over again. With each repetition the quote gained in volume until Fallar was curled about himself in a pathetic childish form. With eyes sealed tight and hands clasped tightly over his ears Fallar sought to bar the outside world from his terrified being. Still he heard it, "Those blinded by arrogance are doom-fated.

So consumed was he in the mindless cycle of words that somehow silence returned to him without his notice. Cautiously, Fallar opened his eyes and uncovered his ears. A slight breath of wind caused his heart to jump and his hands to once again spring to the sides of his head. Once his mind was able to process what he had heard, Fallar chided himself and relaxed his guard; though slower than he consciously cared to admit.

With growing curiosity he took in his surroundings. He was shocked that they were quite different prior to the ghastly reiteration of his deceased friend's parting words. Before him was a grand archway of majestic carved stone. The figures looked too perfect to have been created by a hammer and chisel. They were too real, too organic in nature. None of the master craftsmen of the Four Realms could hope to recreate anything remotely similar.

The Stellar Empire's once mighty culture was perfectly preserved on the gateway, despite standing through an unknown number of millennia. From the carvings Fallar saw characters from a language long unspoken. The meaning to the verbal constructs would likely remain a mystery. There were images of richly adorned figures creating the Great Staircase by means Fallar couldn't even begin to fathom.

Fallar was tempted to just sit there and marvel at the artifact, but just like how the massive roaming Yertals of the Eastern Steppes were compelled by their instincts he was compelled onward. He hadn't come all this way to gawk at masonry. The goal of his crusade lay ahead of him. His motivation remembered, Fallar passed through the long archway. He was awestruck by the carefully crafted openings in the arch's ceiling, that allowed the cloud filtered sunlight to create wonderous illuminated patterns.

Emerging on the opposite end of the structure his eyes quickly fell on a grey flowered hedge that stood twice his height lining the path on his right. To the left was a stone rail, that protected the careless from falling into the magnificent vista of the world far below. Looming on the other side of the oddly color flora he saw the outline of massive structures partially wrapped in the clouds as they stretched off into the heavens above.

With the memory of Dall's fate still fresh in his mind, Fallar neared the hedge side of the polished stone path. He discovered to his astonishment that these too were made of stone. So perfect was their design that if not for their grey color and rigid nature Fallar would have thought they were living plants. The craftsmanship here far surpassed that of the archway. There were wicked grey thorns hidden deep in the intricate woven stone branches. There were thousands of buds in varying states of bloom. The attention to detail and scale of the stone hedges was mind boggling.

Though the hedge was beautifully crafted Fallar quickly realized that its true purpose was to keep visitors on the path. There would be no way to breach the barrier short of a battering ram. The Great Staircase easily discouraged the idea of bringing such a device up to this place.

Not liking that his ability to explore the ruins were at the moment limited, Fallar push on. Every fiber of his being hoped that the path would eventually lead him to the Celestial Bloom. As he trudged on a deep fog seeped through the stone hedge. It rolled over the path between the hedge and disappeared over the lip of the railing. The fog not only robbed him of visibility but also leeched the warmth from his body.

Coming to a stop, Fallar trembled as he pulled his once pristine but now tattered cloak tighter about himself. His yellowed teeth chattered madly as he struggled to secure his vanishing body heat. Only after tightly wrapping himself in a similar fashion to the Mummies of Aquetin did Fallar regain some composure. Despite his efforts Fallar was still miserable cold.

Not trusting the railing Fallar leaning against the hedge for support. He'd come too far to simply fall to his death when he was so close. Fallar willed his body back into action. The lack of real sleep, food and the growing cold was becoming too much for him. The journey had slowly subtracted the pillars of strength until only he in his weakest form remained. He had lost wealth, friends, a lover, his very sanity and now it looked like his life was to be the next payment of his disastrous crusade, but he still had his will; his unrelenting foolhardy will. Combined with the tug, that only seemed to grow stronger, Fallar was certain he'd reach his prize. After he saw the bloom then he'd allow his body to rest.

Once more Fallar struggled forward one trembled step at a time. To keep from getting lost, he ran his hand against the stone hedge. At first he felt the unyielding branches and leaves scrape and cut into the flesh of his palm. Within several minutes the pain wasn't an issue. The potent cold quickly removed all trace of feeling in his exposed hand.

For how long he toiled on he couldn't say nor did he care. All of his energy and thought was much too invested in putting one foot in front of the other. Memories of comfort, humorous times, knowledge gained from great tomes, even the basic emotions were all distractions that he'd gladly shed. Fallar knew that if he'd gave them even a fraction of attention they'd lead him astray. He couldn't allow that to happen. He had made it this far, he'd be damned if he be stopped by his own mind seeking comfort. He could control his baser instincts; until the familiar dread returned. Only this time it was accompanied by a tangible sensation. There was a noticeable current in the once still air. There was no sign of a wind. No, this was the tug. In all the time since spotting the Great Staircase the tug had only ever been a beckoning call. Now it felt more like the intake of breath of some great beast. The intake tugged the air about him.

Fallar hesitated. The primal realm of his mind was now playing its final card in a desperate bind to stop him from going further; the fear of the unknown. This patriarchal fear was the oldest in the minds of mortal men; fathering the nightmarish terrors that plagued humanity's imagination. The importance of this powerful emotion couldn't be understated as it had saved countless individuals from plunging head first into danger. This same fear was now attempting to bar him from continuing. Warning that whatever lay ahead was so terrible, so horrific that giving up and dying right here would be preferable than going any further.

Much like all the other warnings Fallar scornfully ignored it and pressed on. Through his arrogance he disregarded the numerous ancient counter measures, meticulous design to safeguard creatures such as him from dangers they weren't ready to face. The weight of his actions were solely his to bare.

Thanks to the strange tug in the air the fog thinned enough for him to see more of his surroundings. The stone hedge and railing came to an abrupt end into a large open area. Fallar could just make out a structure further ahead to the far right. It looked akin to one of the gazebos at Black Bricks, just more decorated and grander. As he drew nearer he saw what little light that made it through the clouds was being pulled along with the fog into the structure toward something dark.

In a trance, Fallar approached the stone gazebo as though it was sacred. Here was the greatest feat of the Stellar Empire and by extension humanity; a flower called down from the heavens so that they could better understand the universe. After all his years of research, long journey and sacrifice he now stood here beholding the fruit of their efforts, the Celestial's Bloom pedals are as black as a starless night. The pistil of the flower was even darker. It was as if a void dwelt there; pulling in on the surrounding environment seeking to greedily fill its empty depths.

It was then that Fallar felt the bloom tug aggressively on his being. The limited strength that allowed him to stand was siphoned out of his body. Terror filled him as he hit the ground, as the dark fauna strengthened its pull. Thoughts, memories and knowledge began to disappear from his mind.

The joy of singing in the green hills near his village every summer was tugged from his memories. The exhilaration of running home to escape the rain was pulled from his mind. The sound of his father's strong voice as well as the comfort of his mother's warmth was ripped away. The feeling of Bles in his arms was stolen. All of these memories were forever lost to him. Blood began to freely flow out of his torn palm into in the air and toward the bloom. The flesh of his body began to peel and flake off of him and drift along side the blood. The flower cared not what it feed upon; only that the endless depths of it's hunger be sated.

As the bloom striped and consumed his being, what was left of Fallar resisted. He began to feebly crawl away from the courtyard's center and the horror that dwelt there. Though he no longer knew who or what he was, he understood that the accursed bloom was taking more and more away from him by the second. This created a powerful resentment within him. This in combination with what little remained of his being, namely his will, fueled his crawling. He slowly made his way back to the stone hedge and railing. The miserable creature slowly crept down the path. Yet still the Bloom ripped away the fragments of its existence.

Once the pitiful creature reached the gate the bloom's powerful pull reduced back to a beckoning tug. What remained of Fallar, nary a shell, scornfully regarded its enemy.

***

Bles rifled through the disorganized pile of documents. Somewhere in the mess lay a roughly sketched map of the journey she traveled twenty years ago. The events of Fallar's failed expedition lingered in her mind: from the unbridled enthusiasm she felt when they started out; to the growing worry that the Stellar Empire that she and Fallar had devoted so much time studying might indeed be just a myth; then back to excitement when they spotted the Great Staircase; to finally the self disgust that ultimately caused her to miss out on the greatest historic find in the whole history of the Four Realms. Yes, it was horrible that Grewf had died, by her hand no less, but in that moment what choice did she have. He was attacking the man she respected and loved.

At that thought she sat back in her chair. Until recently she openly hated Fallar. In the years following her return Bles continued her studies; becoming one of the greatest scholars of the Realms. Yet despite her success she was most remembered for being a member of Fallar's failed quest. This in conjunction with the painful disappointment that Fallar hadn't chosen to followed her fueled her long held resentment.

That came to an end when her own curiosity of the Celestial Bloom reawakened. Only then did she start to forgive Fallar. The Bloom was his first love. Finding it was his greatest desire. His obsession led him to become an academic instead of taking up the trade of a merchant like his father. Because of it he'd crossed her path gaining her respect, love, anger and finally forgiveness.

Now the Bloom tugged at her. In the coming days she'd head out on her own expedition, retracing Fallar's route. Unlike Fallar she had the blessing and funding of several wealthy barons. Along with a large company of scholars, soldiers, workers and horses. While on paper the chief objective was to find the Stellar Empire, for her it was more an effort to learn of Fallar's fate; possibly even recover his remains or at least his reputation. She just hoped that he found fulfillment in the end.

Standing up from her desk Bles reached for the candle only for it to go out on its own. Mildly confused she looked to the window to ensure that it was shut. The shade that stared back at her instantly froze the blood in her veins. It was in the vague shape of a cloaked man. The shadow was darker then background night of the open window; save for it's head. There a skull glowed a pale blue through it's translucent noggin.

The apparition soundlessly glided toward her desk. So gripped by terror was she that Bles could hardly breath, let alone move. Upon reaching her desk the creature's glowing skull regarded her intently. The emptiness of it's eyeless sockets stole the air from her body. There within the dark pits she could see neither hate nor kindness, but a faint interest that was even more disturbing.

Coming to a decision, the shade slowly reach it's arm out. The appendage grated and groaned, like centuries old stone, as it approached Bles' face. Her survival instincts screamed at her to move before the entity touched her, but before the thought could even remotely become an action the shade's shadowy hand gripped her face. The shade's firm hold felt colder then all the ice in the world combined. It wasn't just an absence of warmth, but an absence of everything natural.

Thankfully, her mind's focus on the sensation was shifted as images of a dark flower flashed through her mind; the Celestial Bloom! The shade was showing her the bloom, and what she saw terrified her. The flower was a parasitic blight upon the world. It devoured the empire that summon it from beyond the veil of stars, and any that were foolish enough to seek it out. This empty vessel of a creature guarded the world from the Celestial Bloom with a unwavering will. The shade will do anything within its considerable power to stop beings like her, that were so full of emotion, memories, and unique personality, from reaching the Celestial Bloom; even if it meant killing them. Exiting the world even in terror was preferable to encountering the bloom's hunger.

Bles' thoughts instantly went to Fallar. At that the shade released its icy hold on her. For a moment the shade's hollow countenance changed into something hauntingly familiar. A faint hint of color lit the creature's empty sockets; like it was struggling to recall. Just as the creature was about to remember something forgotten, the tenuous connection it had to Bles was suddenly severed, and the room grew darker. What warmth the room had was instantly leeched away. The faint light of the shade's gaze was now replaced with a dark nearly was empty as the vision of the bloom.

With a voice as aggressive as iron raking against stone, the shape rasped "Seek not the flower."

After delivering its message the creature vanished. Bles stared ahead in abject horror. She remained that way until the first rays of the sun graced her open window. Only the warmth of the new day freed her from the shade's warning. Grabbing a clean piece of parchment she started to write a letter to call off the expedition. Half way through her hastily scribbled message she paused as something called out to her.

Bles looked out her window. The lush countryside outside was bathed in the glow of the morning sun, a truly brilliant display that never ceased to amaze her each daybreak. As lovely as the flower clad hills were, they weren't what her eyes focused on. Instead her gaze was cast far beyond the hills, the river behind them and through the forest on the other side. Through nearly a thousand leagues her eyes locked onto a dark figure atop the Great Staircase. Behind the grim guardian stood a massive archway. Something on the other side of richly carved stone portal tugged at her. Pulling on her curiosity it beckoned to her, promising to answer any and all her questions.

Between her and this tug lurked the shade. Its hollow stare was locked on her. The creature turned its back to her. Instantly Bles' sight was snapped back to the normal view of her window. After taking a shaking breath to steady herself, she finished writing her letter. Some questions weren't worth the price needed to answer them.