The Last Lotus

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

The ground underneath him is hard and slightly damp. There's a familiar floral scent in the air around him, one that reminds him of his childhood. He can hear the sounds of birds singing in the distance, a calming sort of melody that seems to be mimicked throughout the trees around him.

Kyan lets out a small groan, as he slowly opens his bleary eyes, trying to focus his gaze on the surrounding scenery. The first thing he's able to focus on is the almost too-green grass beneath him. A slight dew sits on top of the blades, that still hasn't evaporated, after collecting the night before.

The sun beats down upon his face in a calming heat. He slowly pushes himself up into a sitting position as he takes in the rest of his surroundings. A few feet away from where he sits is one of the prettiest scenes he's ever been able to place his eyes upon.

It almost looks like a fairy tale scene to him. Or like a painting, with too bright of colors and almost an unblemished-looking scenery.

There's a lotus pond that stretches around a few miles wide. It's surface is a gorgeous crystal blue color, not even a hint of murkiness can be seen upon the water. Even from his spot a few feet away, he's able to see to the bottom of the shallow pond.

Spreading out across the surface of the water were bright pink flowers in all shapes and sizes. Their green pads and seed pods take up the extra spaces that the flowers seem to miss. It is the perfect contrast in colors to make the scene look truly magnificent, ethereal almost.

His head starts to hurt as he thinks of why the scenery looks so familiar to him, when suddenly he remembers his strange dream from the night before.

He remembers the flashbacks of memories, unrelated scenes of him and Silas with only one thing in common. The red string connecting the two of them together.

What was the importance of that string? What did it symbolize?

He also remembers the vision of Silas' death. A shiver makes its way through his body as he relives the horrific scene. It was so vivid that it almost felt real, and he felt genuine loss in that moment. He doesn't want to have to live through that again.

Was that a warning of what was to come? Would he have to watch Silas die in that way in the future? Was he supposed to do something to help prevent the event from occuring?

Lastly, he remembers the woman that had looked so much like his mother. The woman that seemed to have an almost otherworldly air about her. He remembers the odd exchange with her that had him questioning everything he believes about religion. 

"I'm hoping you find enlightenment along your journey," he recalls the woman saying to him just before he was cast into darkness. What did she mean by that? What journey?

Kyan only shakes his head of all these muddling thoughts as he recalls the fever dreams from the night before, pushing himself up to stand on his two shaky feet. He slowly makes his way over to the small wooden pier at the edge of the pond. He takes a seat along the edge, his feet dangling a few inches above the water's surface.

As he stares down into the pool of water, his reflection stares back at him.

  The face was the one he remembers himself owning. The round-shape of his face, his features that were almost on the edge of feminine, the slightly large nose that he absolutely despises about himself. These were all his.