Galia: Tale Of The End

Chapter 19: Aftermath

Dawn's warm light casted long shadows across cobblestone roads and building debris as it glittered off dew that clung to leaves and strands of grass. A fog rolled over the quiet and ruined city. One could never tell that only a few hours ago, there was life. The citizens would not wake up this morning. Their tired feet would not walk the torn pavement and the streets would never again be full of noisy merchants. Children would no longer giggle and play. The break from the norm was an oddity, but seemingly fit the eery aura of silence.

The surprising heat warmed pale skin as Bellis stirred on the soft ground. He lifted his head up and pulled hair out of his face. Squinting his eyes, he peered at his unmoving partners. Lyon snored peacefully, but Jasmine's face was strained. Her jaw was clenched shut and her eyelids were forced to close simply for a brief, yet descent respite.

"Jasmine? Are you okay?" Bellis placed a hand on her shoulder. Instinctually, she snapped forward and pinned him to the ground. After her tired sight recognized his breathless face, she jumped off his cowering body.

"My apologies, Bellis." She held out a hand which he accepted. "My senses have been on edge lately."

"Haha." He laughed uneasily. "You didn't kill me, so we're all good." Lyon lifted his head and rubbed crusty eyes.

"What's all the noise about?" He asked and fixed his hat. "Can't a Flora get some sleep after watching you two slay the being that destroyed my life and thousands more?"

"Bellis did well to wake us." Jasmine nodded. "We do not have much time left in this world."

"I wasn't thinking about that!" Bellis wailed. "Now I'm super sad."

"Fear not, human, despite our impending demises, legend states that we will exist again in another loop."

"That doesn't help!"

"Don't worry, friend!" Lyon placed an arm around the other. "What she means is that we will die quickly and be born and meet again! Even if our consciences are different, another version of us exists together. Besides, since we are so closed to the end, our presence is basically pointless."

"That still doesn't help!" Bellis crossed his arms shook his head. He looked up again as he realized something. "So, you mean I'll get to see Helian again?"

"Helianthus Annuus?" Lyon raised a brow.

"Helian Sola. My boyfriend." Bellis frowned and added grimly. "DD crushed him with a boulder."

"Oh, so that's where she was going, I mean, I'm sorry to hear that!" The Flora sputtered. Jasmine faced the horizon and placed a shielding hand above her brow.

"You know what?"

"What?"

"In some weird way, you remind me of him, so I think I will be okay." Bellis buried his face into Lyon's tunic. Surprised, yet elated, Lyon returned his embrace.

"It appears the Moon is approaching us, boys." Jasmine stated, breaking the others apart. "She is carrying someone."

"Rose? Oh no! Is she okay?" They watched and waited.

The Moon's ash wings carried dust with each flap until her boots landed quietly. Without a greeting, she laid Rose on the ledge of a garden box. Wilted and withered flowers cushioned her head which for once, bore a peaceful expression.

"What happened?" Bellis screamed and ran up to his friend's body.

"Galia." The Moon croaked. Fat tears dripped down Bellis's red face.

"A peaceful, porcelain face, the mask of the dead, surrounded by strands of red, rests upon a rotting flower bed." Jasmine began to recite. "Does she feel pain in this state? Can she hear our voices which seem so near? No, another attraction is much too great. Her thoughts are elsewhere, chaotic in her mind. She is searching, but unsure of what she'll find. Deep inside, she has a choice. Indeed, she was given a voice. Morales fight. Which one is right? Her time is up, but who has won? Can she forgive and forget? Will she awaken or remain broken?"

Both Lyon and the Moon acknowledged the verses with a curt nod, but Bellis' emotions over took his speech. "Poetry? While my friend is dying or dead? Is this just a Floran thing I don't understand?"

"I apologize, human." Jasmine started. "It is by a great poet of our land whom is of the same species as your friend."

"Same species? Rose isn't a Flora!"

"No, but Rosales was a rose herself and the previous mayor of this city. I felt that her writing was proper for a solemn time such as this." She added. "Humans have popped up here before through genetics, but we can discuss that later."

Drizzle from hovering clouds pounded heavily against their hunched backs and mixed with salty streams. Bellis' cries grew harsher, and with it, the rain fell in greater abundance. Rose's time was up. Her decision had to be made, as uncertain as it was. Whatever she chose, she would fight for it until the definite end or cease to exist in the loop. 

"I always thought that pathetic fallacy was cheap, Bellis." Her soft voice blended with into the patter of water. "I know you are doing this. Let the tears fall no more."

"Rose?" Bellis jumped back. "You're alive!"

"Yes. That is what I have chosen."

"Roße." The Moon whispered and looked down at the growing puddles. The strength and regality she once bore was replaced by sensitivity. Rose gave her the slightest smile and greeted her with an embrace. "How could you forgive me?"

"That is why I came back." Rose pulled back and looked her in the eye. "I understand what you did, so I forgive you."

The Moon was completely shocked and unable to respond for a brief moment. This was the first Rose from an infinite number of time loops that had ever forgiven the Moon.  All of the others could never get past their small knowledge of righteousness and would rather die or live to fight what they considered evil.

"You are the firßt."

"I'm sorry. I hope that my future selves will not be so judgmental and vain."

"I wißh you would not ßay that. I have ßeen moßt of you do the oppoßite. I ßee all paßt verßionß of you. All of them, every ßingle one hated me for my decißion. Unlike the ßun, my perßonality ßtayß rather conßtant. I could not bare being hated by every Roße after thiß loop."

"Then I hope you can look back at this time loop and experience it over and over."

"I ßhall try." Rose lifted her hand to her face and left a soft kiss. The Moon blushed darker grey and turned her face away sheepishly.

"We have less than a week to try to stop Galia (whether or not our attempts will be in vain)." Rose stood tall and addressed the group. "We should head back to the cave to meet up with Iris and Violet. I am sure they are wondering what happened to us."

"Oh, Rose! You really survived a beating! Are you alright?" Bellis pointed to her wounds, cuts and bruises, that were now visible.

"I am fine for now. Only sore."

"That's not okay. Let me heal you." Lyon held out both of his hands. "That's my Floran power." Rose accepted the offer.  She glowed as her skin was cleared of the imperfections.

"Wait. Wait." Bellis interjected. "You can heal? Why didn't you heal me when my sister beat me into the ground and I was stuck in a hospital for two weeks?"

"I couldn't get into the hospital. I snuck past Martha the day you woke up, and you had seemingly recovered. I'm sure another healer helped you. Plus, it takes energy out of me and currently, if you haven't noticed, there is no sunlight!"

"Yea, I guess that's my fault?"

"It was sunny like ten minutes ago."

"I thought my friend was dead!"

"Now I feel tired because I used my Floran power and I have no sunlight to absorb!" Lyon countered and posed dramatically. The rain, following Bellis' emotion and control slowed to a mist.

"Floran power?" Bellis snorted. "Flower power!"

"Yea, I suppose that is my 'flower power'." Lyon furrowed his brows in confusion.

"Almost every Flora has a small power. This is typically used for defense and what not." Rose informed. "Perhaps you should quit your bickering or continue it on our way back to the meeting place."

They followed behind her and the Moon with Jasmine trailing silently. "Some Flora with stronger powers will have tournaments. Normally, healers volunteer or get paid to work on the sidelines."

"So it's kind of like that video game with little animals with super powers, but with Flora?" He laughed. "Dandelion! I choose you!"

"It's Dandy Lyon, not dandelion. One day I will show you a real tournament."

"Maybe. I don't think that will happen in this time loop though."

"Hopefully, in one of the infinite loops, I will or have shown you."

"That would be so freakin' cool!" Bellis clasped Lyon's hand unknowingly, but Lyon, blushing, never let go.