1 The Flower and the Lion (1)

Her earliest memory was from when she was six.

She was in a white-colored room that had a sickening alcohol-like scent. The tiled floor always felt cold to her bare feet. Beds of the same size were lined on both sides of the room. Even the covers and the pillows on the small mattresses were of the same color and were of the same material. Each child wore the same pale blue clothing, the same set of shoes, shirts and pants. A plain metallic rectangle was clipped to each bed's foot board. On each rectangle was a number. Only the numbers were unique from each other, just like the children that occupied the beds.

She had earth-brown hair, pale skin and dark black eyes. Her number was 373. Her name was her number. Unlike the other children that lived in the place called Elisium, she had neither a first name nor a last name. No one bothered naming her. The adults said it was okay – that having a number was enough. It was proof that they were chosen to be part of paradise. It was proof that they were part of Elisium.

Elisium was home for all who were discarded. It was a place of white walls and smooth marble, a place where they could eat, drink, learn and be happy. The adults taught them about the world. Elisium had classrooms where they were taught about the rules of magic, spells and alchemy. The talented, the powerful, and those with boundless potential would be rewarded. All those who were branded as exceptional were brought to a higher level – to Elisium's Sanctuary.

But Elisium had neither sun nor sky. The paradise they had known had endless white washed walls that gave off a distinctive smell. These walls were thick, strong, and allowed no sound to pass through them. It was almost as if they were built to make sure that people from outside could not enter and that people inside could never leave. But to them who had no families and no loved ones, Elisium was enough. To them, Elisium was home.

373 had always lived in Elisium with the rest of the children in peace. She was in the class of Aquarius – a class filled with unique children that were older then her. Although she kept to herself in silence and didn't interact with the rest of the children, magic and alchemy never failed to grab her attention.

However, during one ordinary and uneventful night, her quiet life changed. At first, she heard screaming. Then, a mess of voices she recognized yet could not make out pounded against her skull. As she lied on her bed with her eyes tightly shut, the noise in her head assaulted her and forced her to stay awake. Sweat poured out of her small body and drenched her clothes. Her short brown hair was plastered to her forehead. 373 attempted to even out her breathing, to calm down and silence the chaos in her head.

Slowly, the screaming subsided and had turned into whispers. She now recognized the voices. She knew which voice belonged to whom. As she continued to listen, the hairs of her neck stood on their ends. She trembled as an unexplainable chill spread through her entire being. What she was hearing weren't voices – they were thoughts. And the adults were thinking about the children, about the children who stood out.

They were thinking about various ways to open them up, tear them limb from limb. And it was all to discover if the children had Talents – innate special abilities that were more powerful than magic.

Whenever a student in Elisium would awaken a Talent, it was treated as a momentous occasion. The adults would prepare a small celebration and all the children would attend and congratulate the Talent holder. But 373 kept her ability a secret. After what she discovered, it was probably best that she did. She didn't want to stand out. She didn't want people to know what she could do. Instead, she spent her time testing out her power. In class, she aimed to learn as much as she could from Elisium's instructors while appearing to be inconspicuously average.

She moved to a seat that was located at the back. The farther she was from anyone, the less she could hear. The teachers and her classmates didn't ask any questions. 373 had always been a loner who kept to herself. The six year old girl was definitely not someone who was eager to please. Everyone simply left her alone to her thoughts, not minding her one bit.

As the weeks passed by, no one knew that the girl who appeared average had long since stopped listening to the lessons. The simple spells and magical theories no longer mystified her. She no longer took note of the words their teacher said. Instead, she wrote ideas of complex spells and theories she wanted to try out. No one knew that she had started learning more advanced spells on her own, that she was deconstructing walls while other children were still learning how to conjure energy on their fingertips. She always stayed in the classroom with a workbook on her hand and her face scrunched up in concentration. The teachers who saw her were moved as they thought the girl was doing her best to become better in class. Little did they know that behind the elementary workbook was a tome of advanced spells she had sneaked from the Elisium's library. If they did, they would cough up in blood as the spells in the book was something they couldn't even begin to understand.

373's days passed by like this. After two years, her hair had grown past her shoulders. She had secretly learned enough spells, alchemy recipes, enchantments and theories that would put both her classmates and teachers to shame. She still stayed in the classroom to read books that she wasn't supposed to read. Her rank had also remained the same. The best students had left their class seeking for a place in the Sanctuary. New children and new numbers replaced the seats and beds of those who left. But no one stayed close to her. Nobody cared if she was lonely. No one wanted to be associated to the loner who did her best yet still stayed at the same rank.

Their classroom had not changed except for an antique-looking object that sat on the corner of the room. The adults called it a phonograph. It had a shiny brass cone that curved upwards like a jumping fish and a metal needle that sat on top of a wooden box. A shiny black plate was on the wooden base right under the needle. And whenever someone turned the crank on its side, the black disk would turn and a song would begin to play.

373 would play the song when she was alone in the classroom. She would let her guard down and forget the secrets that hid behind Elisium's walls. On the last day of April, she followed her usual routine. When all the students had left, she closed the door and headed straight for the metallic mechanism. Her small hands held the handle and she wound the crank until her arms felt sore. Once she released the handle, the music began to play. Every note that echoed in the room made her feel light. Her heart was fluttering in her chest like a bird that had been released. It took her a while to notice that someone had joined her in the room. When she did, she was face to face with a young man who had the most vibrant eyes she had ever seen.

He was taller than her by at least a head and his orbs were painted with splashes of aqua, green and yellow. In the light of the room, his eyes seemed to glimmer in multiple shades. His thick amber hair was combed neatly. Freckles decorated a well-defined nose that sat on a soft yet handsome face.

"Do you like this song?" He asked, his voice gentle.

373 blinked twice as her mind slowly processed his question. Did she like the song? She nodded her head in reply.

The boy studied her and a small smile appeared on his lips. He stretched out his hand to her, and said, "My name is Michael Caelum. What's yours?"

Her black eyes studied his hand and held it in hers, not sure what she was supposed to do with it. Her gaze shifted to meet his curious gaze and with all seriousness, she said, "Three-seven-three. I don't have a name."

For some reason, there was a tinge of sadness in his eyes as he spoke. "Then, shall I give you a name?"

"A name…," She whispered. She thought of the children who had gone to the Sanctuary and had probably died. She released his hand, shook her head and mumbled, "- isn't it just a burden to those who are left behind?"

The boy's eyes widened and the next thing 373 knew the room was filled with his soft laughter. The sound seemed to travel through her body and brought with it a comfortable kind of warmth. She felt her heart jump. Her hand unconsciously touched her chest while her eyes remained fixed on his face.

She was drawn to the small dimples that accentuated his cheeks, and the way his eyes closed into arcs as his lips curved up. She also tried memorizing the way his chuckles rang in her ears. Somehow, his hand had found its way to the top of her head and the heat from his palm made her want to bury her face in his hand. His laughter died down and the boy named Michael combed her long hair with his fingers. Then, he took her in his arms and lifted her up to where the odd mechanism was, and sat her down beside it. He took the black metal disc and read the words that were engraved on the center.

"Aria Dalla Suite no.3 in Re Maggiore."

"A..ree..yah?" 373 repeated. The syllables sounded foreign to her and rolled off her tongue in a weird way.

"Do you like how it sounds? It fits you." Michael nodded his head and smiled. "A beautiful name for a beautiful flower."

The little girl felt her cheeks grow hot. She pursed her lips and pouted as her eyebrows furrowed. She wanted to protest – to tell him she didn't need a name. But he placed a finger on her lips, stopping her from uttering a sound. And with a low voice he said, "A name may hurt those who were left behind, but it can also be the sweetest thing when said by the person that you love."

When he saw her serious but puzzled face, the amber haired boy couldn't help but laugh and pinch her pink cheeks. "You'll understand when you're older."

He placed her down on the floor and headed for the door. She called out to him, her voice slightly trembling and her tone unsure. "Will you be here tomorrow?"

His vibrant eyes glittered and his lips quirked up ever so slightly. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

She sniffed and her nose crinkled as she did. He was a stranger she had just met. She had no reason to trust him. And yet, the thoughts he had – the thoughts she could hear with her Talent – told her that he had no intention to harm her. She couldn't help but feel an odd connection to the male. He felt familiar to her even when 373 knew she had never met him before.

He seemed to sense her caution and waved for her to move closer to him. Her feet took a few timid steps towards him. Her eyes were still slightly narrowed in suspicion. His warm hand found its way to her head and ruffled her brown tresses.

"St..stop it!" she complained and swatted his hand away. The boy in front of her couldn't help but chuckle as she huffed.

He stretched out his hand and stuck out his little finger while his eyes searched hers. She curiously mirrored him, unsure with what else she was supposed to do with her pinkie finger. As soon as she lifted her hand, Michael looped his finger around hers, stared deep into her eyes and said, "I, Michael Caelum, promise to see Aria in this same room at this same time tomorrow, the day after that, and all the days that follow."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "You will?"

His gaze softened and her heart skipped a beat. He smiled at her, his dimples decorating his cheeks and with sincerity he replied, "I promise."