Chapter 24, The Village of Flowers

"Argent is the host of the Sacred Flower. It is an Ancient Power that our people have been tasked with protecting." Grandpa said. "The Sacred Flower holds many mysteries that we have yet to decipher. Each host differed from the other. There was only one thing they had in common."

"What's that?" Alistar asked.

We were sitting in a room at the moment. The outside was seen from the open window. We're in Grandpa's room.

"Each Sacred Flower had eight guarding Braves. The Braves were chosen by the Sacred Flower to protect it." Grandpa said. "Though they varied in methods of doing it, the previous hosts of the Sacred Flower seemed to have one goal in mind. To stop the Chimeras."

"Stop the Chimeras..." I muttered.

"Argent never told us the properties of his Sacred Flower. We could only watch over him." Grandpa said. "But we do know that the key to everything is in him. The key to ending this war is within him."

"The problem now is that Argent lost his memories." Theo stated. "So, what are we going to do now?"

"Take him and travel the worlds." Grandpa stated. "The scenery and atmosphere will stimulate his mind."

"But we don't know which worlds Argent has been to." Ophelia stated.

"Nine Worlds. Ten if you count this one." William answered. "Arata has been to nine different worlds if we go by the memories he painted."

"Then you have it." Grandpa stated. "Lucas, Michael, Adonis, Adele, Theo and Ophelia, you'll go with him."

"Okay then." Adonis said. "Are we forgetting someone?"

"Angie." I answered. "Where's Angie?"

"Angelica is preparing for the Festival. Rachel and Leon should be there too." Mitan answered.

"In that case I'll go see them." I answered and then tripped. "Tch. The floor is too slippery!"

"Up we go." William said as he picked me up.

"Do I weight anything to you?" I asked him.

"Yeah. Somewhere around a grape and an orange." He said and I punched him. "I was only joking."

I just laughed and then the sound of the wind blew into the room. Ah, it's been a while since I felt something like this.

"Grandpa, I'm going to Sky Garden." I told him and he nodded.

I walked outside and looked above head and saw the leaves of the tree and its branches. It's been a while since I've been up there. I wonder how it looks now.

"What's the Sky Garden?" Alexis asked and I pointed up. "What's that? The tree's canopy?"

"That's the Sky Garden." I answered. "You just have to get up."

"How do we get up there?" Alistar asked.

"There're two ways to get up there. One is via an air lift but judging by the breeze it's probably very gusty up there. So, we'll have to take the alternative." I answered.

"What's the alternative?" Zhen asked and I jumped up. "Arata?!"

"We jump up there. Follow me." I called down.

"Wait up!" Reinhardt shouted as he jumped after me. "Geez. It's very dangerous!"

"Hehehe, it's actually very safe." I answered as the others joined us. "Oh, we're reaching the peek of the mountain, be prepared to use the tree braches as our base for jumping."

"Whoa! So beautiful!" Ethan pointed to the sea of trees.

"Brace yourselves." I said as the wind blew. I jump closer to the branches and then use them as the way up. "Stay close to the trunk."

"Okay." They answered.

We jumped up using the branches and eventually reach the top of the tree that towers of the clouds.

"Be prepared to land." Theo called out but I dived in first. "Oi! Argent!"

I dive in and use the leaves as my braces and I land easily on the ground. The thing that greets me when I land is an overgrown garden overflowing with vines and plants but the ground is clean. I expected this.

"Is this a garden?" Zhen asked.

"It's the Sacred Flower Garden but we call it the Sky Garden." Theo said. "The plants that are grown here are the most plentiful in the entire village but... unless someone tends to them they overgrow."

"Then does no one tend to them?" Alexis asked.

"It's not that no tends to them it's no one can." I said as I walked towards the center of the garden where a fountain was. "The plants here, they have to be tended to by me or a Vassal Brave or they'll grow wild."

"What do you mean?" Liam asked as he stood beside the flowers beds and suddenly the flowers began to wilt. "What was that?!"

"It's because you got too close." I answered as I passed some Vi into the fountain's Vi Crystal. The waters began to flow and spread through canals towards the four surrounding flower beds.

"Where does the water come from?" Andrew asked.

"It comes directly from the Sacred Tree." Lucas answered.

The vines began to wither away and the plants began to sprout again. The moss began to dry out and the overgrow shrubs die out. The leaves of the tree began to dance with the wind as the cherry blossom trees that surround the perimeter of the garden begin to bloom.

"Let's see, I wonder if my seeds are still here." I said as I walked over to the hidden compartment in the back of the fountain.

"Ah! What are those!!" Zhen pointed to the small balls of light that were flying around. "How did they get up here?"

"They're pixies." Adonis answered. "Beautiful aren't they?"

"Yeah." Alexis answered.

"Found them!" I exclaimed as I rummaged through the glass bottles. Just then, a cute little fox jumped unto my head. "Oh, a visitor. Hello there."

I petted it's head and set it down as I looked around the garden. Hmm... the vines of the tree are bearing fruit again. Isn't it a little early?

"Hey, can you guys help me?" I called out to the others.

"What is it?" William asked as he was surrounded by the pixies. "They won't let me go."

"Ahahaha, they are drawn to those who carry blessings from the Sacred Flower after all." I said as they approached me. "Here, help me scatter the seeds on the other flower beds, the ones beside the cherry blossoms. Andrew help him with it please."

"Okay." He said as he took Andrew with him.

"Theo, Lucas, can you guys go pick the fruits from up above? Show Liam and Zhen how to do it." I asked them.

"On it." They answered and Theo and Lucas brought the two up to the top of the tree to harvest its fruit.

"Reinhardt, Adonis, Mitan and Ethan, you guys clean the floors. Toss all the vines, leaves and twigs into the mulching pit."

"Okay." They answered.

"Adele, Alistar, Alexis, you guys help me water the plants." I said and they nodded. "I'll scatter more seeds you guys water them."

We split up and got to work tending to the plants. By the time we finish it was already high noon. The garden looked cleaner but it was empty of flowers.

"How long do you think it'll be till the flowers grow?" Alexis asked.

"Depends." I answered and turned to Theo and Lia. "How did it go?"

"It went well." Liam said and showed me the baskets of fruit the collected. I smiled when I saw them. They worked hard, I can tell that they did their best. "Hmm... since it's already noon I'll make us something to eat. You guys sit down."

"Whoa! The plants have already grown!" Alexis exclaimed as the plants began to grow.

"Oh, that was faster than I thought." I answered and smiled. "Let's see, with all of these I should be able to make us something nice."

After half an hour of waiting everything was ready. I set them on the area of the garden that has stoll chairs and tables.

"Let's eat." I told him and placed the dishes on the table.

As we all ate I couldn't help but smile brightly. After so long, I'm home and I'm also with people who are important to me. I can't be more happier than I have been in the past couple years.