Rise Of The Elemental Hero

Withered Blossom

Yuki sat alone in his small cottage, surrounded by the quiet night. The cottage was located in the Serevaal village, a lot of supernaturals lived there

Ever since his dad died, he had kept to himself, rarely talking to others. People thought he was strong and calm, but deep inside, he felt a heavy sadness.

Tonight, he couldn’t ignore it anymore. He was going to the Memory Blossom garden—a place that could show him a memory of his dad, just once. He knew he’d only have one chance in his lifetime to use the flower, but for him, it was worth it.

Strangely, he had told Shiro about his dad at the festival. He didn’t know why, but just did and he doesn't normally talk about it to anyone.

As the night deepened, Yuki decided it was time to go. The Memory Blossom garden was most powerful at night; the blossoms glowed brightest under the moonlight, making memories feel almost real.

He closed his eyes and summoned his water mage. A shimmering blue figure, like a spirit made of clear water, appeared beside him, ready to help.

Yuki stepped into it, feeling the cool energy surround him. The water mage lifted him gently from the ground, carrying him forward like he was gliding just above the earth. It flowed smoothly over trees and took him through the forest with a soft blue glow lighting the way.

Before long, he reached the entrance of the Memory Blossom garden. The flowers in the garden softly shimmered under the stars, and the petals glowed faintly around them, protecting the garden with ancient magic.

Yuki stepped forward, his heart beating fast, ready to finally see a memory of his dad.

Yuki walked deeper into the garden, admiring the glowing blossoms around him.

As he neared the Memory Blossom flower, a soft rustling from the bushes caught his attention. He froze, eyes scanning the direction of the sound. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a shadow moving quickly away.

"Stop there!" Yuki shouted, heart pounding. The figure halted, and as it turned around, Yuki's eyes widened in shock.

It was Rexar.

Yuki’s mind spun. Rexar here? He squinted, wondering if he was imagining things, but there was no mistaking the figure before him. Rexar stood with his gaze lowered, as if avoiding Yuki’s eyes.

“P-Protector Rexar, w-what are you doing here?” Yuki stammered.

Rexar cleared his throat and replied with a calm but slightly awkward tone, “The question is what you’re doing here, young boy.”

“I… I came to see a memory,” Yuki said, his voice steady but suspicious.

Rexar shifted uncomfortably, glancing around the garden before he spoke. “I was… out for a walk. Just passing by and thought I’d stop here. Haven’t visited in a while,” he muttered, his tone unconvincing.

“Is that why you ran?” Yuki pressed, his eyes narrowing.

Rexar adjusted his jacket, covering himself tightly. “No, no… I was already on my way,” he replied hastily.

Yuki gave a slow nod, watching Rexar closely.

Rexar sighed, then leaned slightly toward Yuki, lowering his voice. “I’ll give you some advice, boy. You’re young, and using your one chance now—well, it may not be worth it. Trust me, whatever you’re facing, it may not be worth this. You should learn not to dwell too much on the past. But if you’re certain, I can’t stop you.” He nudged Yuki, chuckling, though Yuki remained expressionless.

“What’s your name, boy?” Rexar asked.

“Yuki,” he replied.

“Yuki…” Rexar murmured, as if trying to recall something. “Oh, you’re the human’s friend, aren’t you? The one who helped him during the Festival chaos?”

Yuki only nodded.

“You seem brave,” Rexar said with a smirk. “Look after Shiro, Yuki… that boy’s as fragile as his guardian.” He laughed, though Yuki’s face stayed neutral.

Turning to leave, Rexar glanced back with a serious look. “And remember, Yuki—you didn’t see me here.”

Yuki watched as Rexar’s Air Mage appeared, lifting him up and carrying him out of the forest. Just as they disappeared into the night, Yuki looked down at the Memory Blossom flower. His heart sank. It was withered, its once vibrant petals now shriveled.

He gasped. The Memory Blossom only withered when someone entered with ill intentions.

Could it have been Protector Rexar?

The thought chilled him. Without wasting another moment, Yuki summoned his Water Mage, which lifted him gently and guided him out of the forest, leaving the withered blossom behind.

Yuki made his way back through the forest, his mind still on Rexar and the strange encounter at the Memory Blossom garden.

His Water mage guided him quietly through the trees, the soft sound of water lapping against the air soothing his thoughts. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn’t right. He knew something wasn't right anyways

When he reached his cottage, he let out a sigh of relief. It had been a long night, and his head was full of questions. As he walked inside, he closed the door behind him and leaned against it for a moment, trying to clear his thoughts.

He glanced at the small table in the corner where his father’s old belongings lay—things he hadn’t opened in years now. Yuki felt a wave of sadness wash over him but pushed it down. Rexar was right, he should not dwell on the past. Not now.

Sitting down at his desk, he pulled out a journal and began writing. It was a habit he’d developed over the years, writing down his thoughts to make sense of the chaos. Tonight, he wrote about his encounter with Rexar and the withered Memory Blossom. He had to make sense of it all somehow.

As he finished writing, Yuki closed the journal and set it down. He looked out the window at the quiet night, the stars glimmering softly above.