© Kiui_Toa
After that incident, I gradually began living a calm and peaceful life. Victor and Thea had taken me to the infirmary, as they said, where I got my injuries looked at and was given the necessary treatments in order to recover. I couldn't remember a single thing about my past at that point, and even now. I decided to go by the name Lacie and after a while, the two of them adopted me officially. They had to go through so much trouble to make sure they weren't making any suspicious moves, being that I was discovered near an Abyss portal, and I could tell that they wanted to do everything in my best interest. They were now mom and dad to me, and I accepted them as they had walked into so many hardships just for my sake.
My new life in the city of Blanc began then, and I was given the best education and magic training my parents were able to give. The tiredness I felt when I was discovered in the forest one year ago was due mostly to the onset of mana that I was unaccustomed to. Other than the occasional nightmares, life got better than I imagined.
My powers had developed into time manipulation, and at first, I could only freeze the motions of inanimate objects like stopping a vase from falling or a water droplet from dripping. But now, I could freeze a section of a moment in time. It was still unstable, but I was excited every time my father would take me out to train.
The three of us were visiting the castle to pay our respects to the royal family. My mom and the queen of Blanc had been best friends since childhood, and the palace always welcomed us with open arms. The young master was about two years older than me, and I met him shortly after I got adopted. His name is Dante, and his platinum blonde hair and green eyes were an even blend of both of his parents. I was wary of him back then, but after a while, I noticed the kindness he showed me, and we became friends in no time.
On this particular day, the adults were having a tea party near the carnation field, so Dante and I decided to roam around the area a bit. Carnations were a household flower here at the castle, so as long as magic could keep them alive, they bloomed through every season. I focused on a few flowers in particular before I saw a butterfly and felt the need to catch it. I alerted Dante to help me, and while I could tell that he wasn't interested, he still indulged me as I chased it.
Cupping my hands together, covering flat surfaces, and using all of my might, I attempted multiple times at retrieving that butterfly. Its iridescent purple glow intrigued me, and I at least wanted to hold it for a brief moment if possible. I was now in the area near where the tea party was taking place and ended up at one of the nearby tables where everyone's belongings were set.
Again, cupping my hands and setting them down, I pursued the butterfly. Once. Twice. Three times. My luck was running out as it was about to fly out of an area with landing spots, and Dante was right behind telling me to be careful. I had one more shot, and when I saw that the time was right as it landed on top of one of the pocket watches, I swiftly put my hand down.
Before I could register what had happened, the scenery around me changed. I was suddenly surrounded by endless white, and everything went quiet. I turned my head in every direction I could, but I no longer saw my parents or the carnation field. I suddenly heard light droplets of water and the stillness of everything somehow calmed me. Everything was then altered into a whole different scene. I was now in a hyacinth field, and from about fifteen feet in front of me, I heard a meeting taking place inside of a lavish castle.
The architecture was almost opposite of Blanc's as the walls were a light gray rather than a cream color. I noticed a few people from where I was standing, and their attire was much darker and heavier than what I was used to seeing. I hid myself behind the wall of flowers as I took a moment to gather my surroundings. This area was mysterious to me, and I didn't want to get myself into any trouble. I couldn't pinpoint which direction would lead me back to the carnation field, so I had to at least make sense of the current circumstances.
"Are the preparations for the ball going well?" I heard a lady wearing a uniform ask.
"Of course," a man standing a few feet in front of her replied. He had on the same uniform as the woman, but his had a tint of violet and gold accents. It appeared to me that he must've been some sort of knight, and upon looking closer, I noticed that there was a group of such knights gathered and engaged in discussion.
"Who knew being a vassal would be like this, right?" Another man jested, elbowing a comrade beside him. "I'm beat even tending to my master's early morning routine."
"You can't help whose soul chooses you," the woman stated as she stretched her arms above her head. "At least you're not this guy who's split amongst all of the royals."
All eyes then shifted to the man wearing the violet attire. He had black hair and a sense of sadness in his amethyst eyes. Just looking at him ached my soul, and I could somehow feel a physical pain in my heart. Their conversation continued on with a few laughs thrown in here and there.
I was lost in the moment before I felt something on my shoulder. Gradually turning my head, I noticed that it was the butterfly from earlier! I got a little too excited and ended up leaning against the hyacinth wall, rustling the leaves and petals together and causing a sound.
My eyes shot up ahead of me, and I caught eyes with the violet-eyed man. Although I was a bit far from where he was, the indigo hue in his eyes glistened, and I sensed the melancholy in them more prominently. An ache in my chest began to throb as I brought my hands up to suppress the pain. The man didn't call any attention to me by alerting his colleagues. He simply stood there with a fixed gaze, as if he was frozen in time.
Before I knew it, the butterfly on my shoulder flew behind me, causing a portal to open. The sound coming from the hole was loud enough to cause the knights in the building to stir as they turned their heads. I was sucked in immediately, and I surrendered to the pull, as all of my efforts would've been in vain.
In the blink of an eye, I was falling forward, and the butterfly followed closely behind me. I was curious as to why it clung to me, but now wasn't the time. Was this going to be my end? Did I mess up that badly? Mom and dad must be so worried.
I took a deep breath to calm myself down. The thought of leaving everything behind after just one year of irreplaceable memories. I should just be happy that I even got the chance to live with such loving people who took me in and cared for me without doubt.
My inner monologue continued on and on before I saw another portal open in front of me. I couldn't believe it, but I didn't have time to think as I fell through it. I shut my eyes and crossed my arms to brace for impact, only to feel myself land into someone's soft embrace.
"Lacie, oh my god," I heard my mother's voice and footsteps running towards where I was.
I then opened my eyes and noticed I was in the arms of someone wearing royal attire. It instantly registered that Dante had caught me as I freefalled. My tears instantly rushed out, but it wasn't because I was scared. It felt as though some sort of desolation was washing over me, and Dante refused to let me go until my parents got to our side.
Mother and father were more relieved than angry at me, and I was ashamed to have caused so much trouble for not only them, but also the royal family. After everything calmed down, I learned that Dante had used his copy ability to replicate a staff member’s power and charm the butterfly to anchor it back to the castle. His quick thinking most definitely saved my life, and I would be eternally grateful to him.
But lingering in my mind since that day was the violet eyes of a man whose light appeared to have vanished.
My new life in the city of Blanc began then, and I was given the best education and magic training my parents were able to give. The tiredness I felt when I was discovered in the forest one year ago was due mostly to the onset of mana that I was unaccustomed to. Other than the occasional nightmares, life got better than I imagined.
My powers had developed into time manipulation, and at first, I could only freeze the motions of inanimate objects like stopping a vase from falling or a water droplet from dripping. But now, I could freeze a section of a moment in time. It was still unstable, but I was excited every time my father would take me out to train.
The three of us were visiting the castle to pay our respects to the royal family. My mom and the queen of Blanc had been best friends since childhood, and the palace always welcomed us with open arms. The young master was about two years older than me, and I met him shortly after I got adopted. His name is Dante, and his platinum blonde hair and green eyes were an even blend of both of his parents. I was wary of him back then, but after a while, I noticed the kindness he showed me, and we became friends in no time.
On this particular day, the adults were having a tea party near the carnation field, so Dante and I decided to roam around the area a bit. Carnations were a household flower here at the castle, so as long as magic could keep them alive, they bloomed through every season. I focused on a few flowers in particular before I saw a butterfly and felt the need to catch it. I alerted Dante to help me, and while I could tell that he wasn't interested, he still indulged me as I chased it.
Cupping my hands together, covering flat surfaces, and using all of my might, I attempted multiple times at retrieving that butterfly. Its iridescent purple glow intrigued me, and I at least wanted to hold it for a brief moment if possible. I was now in the area near where the tea party was taking place and ended up at one of the nearby tables where everyone's belongings were set.
Again, cupping my hands and setting them down, I pursued the butterfly. Once. Twice. Three times. My luck was running out as it was about to fly out of an area with landing spots, and Dante was right behind telling me to be careful. I had one more shot, and when I saw that the time was right as it landed on top of one of the pocket watches, I swiftly put my hand down.
Before I could register what had happened, the scenery around me changed. I was suddenly surrounded by endless white, and everything went quiet. I turned my head in every direction I could, but I no longer saw my parents or the carnation field. I suddenly heard light droplets of water and the stillness of everything somehow calmed me. Everything was then altered into a whole different scene. I was now in a hyacinth field, and from about fifteen feet in front of me, I heard a meeting taking place inside of a lavish castle.
The architecture was almost opposite of Blanc's as the walls were a light gray rather than a cream color. I noticed a few people from where I was standing, and their attire was much darker and heavier than what I was used to seeing. I hid myself behind the wall of flowers as I took a moment to gather my surroundings. This area was mysterious to me, and I didn't want to get myself into any trouble. I couldn't pinpoint which direction would lead me back to the carnation field, so I had to at least make sense of the current circumstances.
"Are the preparations for the ball going well?" I heard a lady wearing a uniform ask.
"Of course," a man standing a few feet in front of her replied. He had on the same uniform as the woman, but his had a tint of violet and gold accents. It appeared to me that he must've been some sort of knight, and upon looking closer, I noticed that there was a group of such knights gathered and engaged in discussion.
"Who knew being a vassal would be like this, right?" Another man jested, elbowing a comrade beside him. "I'm beat even tending to my master's early morning routine."
"You can't help whose soul chooses you," the woman stated as she stretched her arms above her head. "At least you're not this guy who's split amongst all of the royals."
All eyes then shifted to the man wearing the violet attire. He had black hair and a sense of sadness in his amethyst eyes. Just looking at him ached my soul, and I could somehow feel a physical pain in my heart. Their conversation continued on with a few laughs thrown in here and there.
I was lost in the moment before I felt something on my shoulder. Gradually turning my head, I noticed that it was the butterfly from earlier! I got a little too excited and ended up leaning against the hyacinth wall, rustling the leaves and petals together and causing a sound.
My eyes shot up ahead of me, and I caught eyes with the violet-eyed man. Although I was a bit far from where he was, the indigo hue in his eyes glistened, and I sensed the melancholy in them more prominently. An ache in my chest began to throb as I brought my hands up to suppress the pain. The man didn't call any attention to me by alerting his colleagues. He simply stood there with a fixed gaze, as if he was frozen in time.
Before I knew it, the butterfly on my shoulder flew behind me, causing a portal to open. The sound coming from the hole was loud enough to cause the knights in the building to stir as they turned their heads. I was sucked in immediately, and I surrendered to the pull, as all of my efforts would've been in vain.
In the blink of an eye, I was falling forward, and the butterfly followed closely behind me. I was curious as to why it clung to me, but now wasn't the time. Was this going to be my end? Did I mess up that badly? Mom and dad must be so worried.
I took a deep breath to calm myself down. The thought of leaving everything behind after just one year of irreplaceable memories. I should just be happy that I even got the chance to live with such loving people who took me in and cared for me without doubt.
My inner monologue continued on and on before I saw another portal open in front of me. I couldn't believe it, but I didn't have time to think as I fell through it. I shut my eyes and crossed my arms to brace for impact, only to feel myself land into someone's soft embrace.
"Lacie, oh my god," I heard my mother's voice and footsteps running towards where I was.
I then opened my eyes and noticed I was in the arms of someone wearing royal attire. It instantly registered that Dante had caught me as I freefalled. My tears instantly rushed out, but it wasn't because I was scared. It felt as though some sort of desolation was washing over me, and Dante refused to let me go until my parents got to our side.
Mother and father were more relieved than angry at me, and I was ashamed to have caused so much trouble for not only them, but also the royal family. After everything calmed down, I learned that Dante had used his copy ability to replicate a staff member’s power and charm the butterfly to anchor it back to the castle. His quick thinking most definitely saved my life, and I would be eternally grateful to him.
But lingering in my mind since that day was the violet eyes of a man whose light appeared to have vanished.