A Phantom Was Born

Several days passed, he recovered from his light illness and asked his mother to help him settle his flower in a safe place. His mother didn't question him further and smiled fondly at him, before doing what he asked.

The elegant pot was located beside the windowsill of his room, he took care of it as planned and made himself occupied to stay away from his thoughts.

He rested his cheek on his arms while gazing at the single flower, softly damping his fingers on its small and delicate petals. He giggled when it dramatically fell on the soil.

"Come on, you don't have to be so weak. We are kind of the same you know?" He held the pot between his two palms, blowing slightly to help the flower stand on its own.

"Rest assured, I know how you feel. Being so weak and scared, I've felt that. That explains why I am drawn to you. Don't be afraid." So Eun smiled but the flower was continuously falling over and over, he laughed and use his fingers this time to support.

However, when he successfully did what he wanted, a strong gust of wind unexpectedly passed by his windowsill, and it picked the little flower. So Eun gasped, his eyes widening when his flower was brought outside by the wind. It easily dragged the flower in the air, and he went outside to catch it.

The whiffs were tougher than before. And only when he got outside, did he notice the blackening of the clouds, indicating that another rain will pour. He felt himself getting anxious, biting his lip in a process, and still followed after his flower that he couldn't reach so high in the air.

And as he desperately hopped and jog, he arrived at their foyer and didn't notice the main gates were open. By the time he'd passed the threshold, the white flower was hauled outside the gates.

So Eun saw it and his mind immediately rattled in the flashed images of his mom reminding him not to dare cross the line beyond the main gates. He's sure there was a reason behind it, but So Eun knew better than to disobey, he does not want to try to find out.

"The outside is deceitful. You will meet a lot of people that disguised as a creature. So, whatever matter you have, talk to me first and let me handle it. Don't ever think about going outside."

He can feel his heartbeat beating through his ears, and he watched helplessly when his flower coincidentally ran out of wind and fell onto the different ground. One that doesn't belong to the So Clan anymore.

He stared at the flower, it already crossed the main gates and seem to be waiting for him to come out.

He doesn't want to acknowledge that his flower was trying to get him outside, and thought about what the Elder said a few days ago.

"You have to return it if it ever got damaged. Just don't come here empty-handed, noh? That would be heartbroken."

So Eun gulped and slowly felt the self-loathing drowning his mind, but he'd rather put it aside, the Elder gave him a chance to prove himself something, so he wouldn't just leave it and gave up.

He ran through the large main gates and felt the dragging soil on his foot. But his objective was that flower alone. With how fast he ran, he barely looked anywhere outside, moreover, afraid to see something he'd like.

However, when he gets a hold of the phoenix flower in the palm of his hands. He smiled pricelessly and didn't notice the approaching carriage of horses. So Eun appeared so suddenly, and the driver barely had the strength to pull back.

"So Eun!!!" Only then did he raise his head to look, his pupils dilated.

He felt his muscles pull tautly. He couldn't think in the blink of panic and terror, freezing on his spot. The horses seem to be approaching rapidly, that he suddenly felt his breath taken away by force.

When So Eun blinked, he couldn't see the horses anymore, but Wang Elder who grab him out of the way. His act did save him, but it happened so quickly, that he felt his head droop down in exhaustion and fell with the Elder holding him, his vision blanking out in the middle of the road.

~~~

Some say, at the streets of Lilac Town, the atmosphere and ambiance of the setting were always the perfect time to roam around. If the people intend to experience the serenity of Lilac Town, all they have to do was to walk on the streets, with a shower of flowers escorting them.

And this time of the year, Spring is the popular season to visit the Town. So Clan was located and originated in Lilac Town and the Sakura trees have been their trademark since then.

When the sun had yet been waking up due to the clouds covering her like a blanket, the streets weren't warm nor frigid, but only brings the feeling of tranquility.

The So Clan Leader, So Shan, and one of their servants, who was the closest to her, escorted her throughout the village.

They strolled and let the wind create the atmosphere. The So Clan Leaders had gone away in the meantime to process a meeting about the Golden Grounds of Alliance. Where disciples and heirs of every prominent clan were invited to train together on a large battlefield.

"Kids these days, they are becoming more precious than anyone. Their innocence makes me want to protect them 'til they grow up." The servant beside her said, twirling the stem of a single flower between her fingers.

"I understand what you feel. Even I swore for that." So Shan uttered, her gaze watching the leaves sway by themselves, while petals fell smoothly onto the ground and stayed.

When the gusts of the wind passed by, the lady breaks the comfortable silence.

"How is Young Master?" She asked. Putting down her hands.

"He's fine. He didn't get injured or anything." She replied timidly. The lady knew when to limit her words, so she nodded and looked away.

However, not a minute came by, and the Clan Leader continued.

"I have never been scared in my life. And it's absurd to say that, it was just because of the rain and a carriage of horses." She chuckled at herself, the servant felt the need to stay silent and let her continue.

"But the rain. I used to love it when I was young like So Eun... And I'm sure he loves it too. Considering it was his first time to feel it." She glanced at their footsteps while gradually walking forward.

"I... I didn't know even the rain could harm him, that he can easily fall sick. I've sworn an oath as a Clan Leader and as a Mother to So Eun. I believe that being a Clan Leader will guarantee I to become a good mother. By being one, I can protect him from the horrors of the world."

She remained gazing at the land filled with scattered flowers, the main gates belonging to the So Clans open in front of them.

"I don't know what to do when he was sick in his room, or when I knew he almost got stamped on. I was near to tear down, because in the first place, what I have done for him was all, useless." At the same time, the sun had lifted a bit and finally uncovered itself from the feathers of the clouds.

When the main door opened in front of them, no one but the servants welcomed them, So Shan and the servant girl didn't plan to come inside yet and stayed at the entrance.

The greetings of the warm sun touched their skin, while she spoke again.

"And whatever I do, at the end of the day, I won't be able to protect him." She grew somber and silent in every word.

Thus, why they didn't hear the steps rang out through the threshold.

"Mom!" They saw the child and a bunch of kids a little far away from him. So Eun stood there, happily waving his hands at her.

His mother grinned at him as if his son's presence was enough to lift her mood, she heartily crossed the threshold to give him an embrace.

Behind So Eun was Rong Wang and the disciples, storytelling to the children once again.

"At the farthest village someplace, since a hundred years ago, there was the greatest myth that the people were engrossed with. It wasn't an ordinary myth about a creature or a monster out there. But a tale starting from a human." The sun rays slowly lit up the land, and they trailed from his mother's fingers reaching out to So Eun.

The Mother hugged his child in the middle of the threshold.

"Some said it's a monster with no corporeal entity, some said it's a soul that waited to be reborn just to destroy the world, but no such creature has a body resembling a mortal, no monster can communicate with the people's language, and no evil has the ability to love and be loved." The Elder smiled at the kids.

So Eun leaned away to look at his mother, grinning widely at her, while the Elder's words rang from the background.

"And that is not a ghost or a human. But a being with only a heart and a soul. An entity that can easily wipe the world in its hands but does not lack to care for its people."

The light of the warming sun completely led up to So Eun's face. And the child seems to glow once more.

So Shan returned the smile, and she heard the last words of the Elder.

"When his soul held the celestial stars of the sky, a Phantom was born."

At that moment, in front of her, the rays of the sun reflected onto So Eun's black irises, and it suddenly beams, like the constellation of stars in the night, So Eun was a special kind of star that sparkles even in the day.

The words that the Elder said transformed in front of her, and So Shan couldn't ignore it anymore.

That a Phantom was born, and that turned out to be her son, So Eun.

End of Volume 1~